Review Marvel Cosmic Invasion (PS5) - Marvel's Most Fun Beat-'Em-Up in Decades

Beta Ray Brill

Between the brilliant TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind, retro beat-‘em-ups are enjoying a bit of renaissance. Marvel Cosmic Invasion is perhaps the highest profile effort yet, a sublimely presented four-player pixel art tribute to the arcade glory years, when smoky pool halls were ruled...

• Mon 1st Dec 2025
• Reviews
• DotEmu
• PS5
• Marvel Cosmic Invasion

Review Absolum (PS5) - Dragon's Crown and Hades Combine in Stunning Beat-'Em-Up

Arcana believe it

Roguelike games are everywhere these days, to the point where you're actually surprised when the latest indie release isn't peddling death as a progression mechanic. It's a dreadfully crowded genre, but if there's any roguelike that deserves your attention this year, it's Absolum. Fusing the core gameplay of a side-scrolling...

• Thu 9th Oct 2025
• Reviews
• Dotemu
• PS5
• Absolum

Review Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (PS5) - A Throwback Worthy of the Hayabusa Name

Clan of attack

The Ninja Gaiden series has been around for a long time, and it's changed a lot, moving from 2D action platforming to full-on, big budget, 3D adventures. While many will know the franchise from these later hack-and-slashers, the most recent entry, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, winds back the clock, taking us back to its side-scrolling...

• Thu 31st Jul 2025
• Reviews
• Dotemu
• PS5
• Ninja Gaiden Ragebound

Mini Review Metal Slug Tactics (PS5) – Some of the Best Tactics Since Into the Breach

Hooked on a Fio

From the moment it was announced Metal Slug Tactics was a winner in our eyes. Marrying the SNK classic with the turn-based tactics genre is a golden idea on paper. Hearing it’s a roguelike in the vein of Into the Breach was the coup de grâce for this game being anything but a banger. And we’re happy to say it lives up to those...

• Tue 5th Nov 2024
• Reviews
• Dotemu
• PS5
• Metal Slug Tactics
• Mini Reviews

Review Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (PS4) - Brilliant Beat-'Em-Up Is Best in Co-Op

Turtles in prime

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a love letter to the era of licensed belt brawlers, with Konami’s legendary Turtles in Time being a clear inspiration. With co-op being a huge selling point for this beautiful beat-'em-up, we decided to play through as a trio – and present our review as a roundtable to reflect...

• Wed 15th Jun 2022
• Reviews
• DotEmu
• PS4
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge

Review Windjammers 2 (PS4) - Frisbee Flingin' Has Never Felt So Fun

Disc hockey

They just don’t make them like this anymore, do they? French outfit DotEmu is fast establishing itself as retro revival specialists, and Windjammers 2 is another immaculate effort from the Streets of Rage 4 studio. This game of Frisbee blends the best of Pong and Street Fighter to make for a white-knuckle reboot of Data East’s...

• Thu 20th Jan 2022
• Reviews
• DotEmu
• PS4
• Windjammers 2