Latest Reviews
Review Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight - A Startling Reminder of How Much We Love Persona 3
Lotus juiced
Let's cut straight to the point: playing Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight has made us desperate for some kind of enhanced re-release of Persona 3 on PlayStation 4. The game's moody tone is brilliantly recreated in this dance-'em-up spin-off, and we'd absolutely love to revisit its blue-hued world in glorious high definition. Please don't...
Review Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight - Slick, Stylish, and Oh So Satisfying
Wake up, get down
If you've played Persona 5 then you'll already know that the Phantom Thieves have some sick moves, but they've been saving their best for Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight. Yep, the disco spin-off craze that started with Vita title Persona 4 Dancing All Night has carried through to Atlus' latest mainline release, and so we're left to...
Review Floor Kids - A Bit of a Stuck Record
Two left feet
When you think about gaming's history with breakdancing, only one game of note comes to mind -- B-Boy, a 12-year-old PS2 game. It's a bit of a shame, really, as this expressive form of dance slots rather nicely into the framework of a rhythm game. Floor Kids is the latest attempt to marry breaking with gaming, and it does so with some...
Review Resident Evil: Director's Cut - Iconic Survival Horror
Jill sandwich, please, petrified with mixed herbs
Spencer Mansion, set deep in Raccoon Forest, looming loftily in the Arklay Mountains, is the true star of Resident Evil. The colossal and creepy house setting of the game was inherited from Capcom's 1989 Famicom title Sweet Home, but it was Resident Evil on PSone that popularised the survival horror...
Review Marvel's Spider-Man: Turf Wars - Another Helping of Spidey Goodness
War never changes
You probably know what to expect from Turf Wars, the second chapter in Marvel's Spider-Man's City That Never Sleeps expansion. As with The Heist, this DLC pack for Insomniac's immensely popular superhero action game sticks with the established formula, providing a good excuse to get back into the swing of things. Yes, it's more of...
Review Fallout 76 - A Shockingly Bad Attempt at Multiplayer Survival
Nuclear hazard
Fallout 76 will be remembered as a defining moment for Bethesda Game Studios, and not in a good way. This entirely multiplayer take on the Fallout franchise is a technical failure stuffed to bursting point with bugs and performance issues. The real kicker, though, is that even without all of its glitches and frame rate problems,...
Review Hitman 2 - More Darkly Amusing Murder
Hit me baby one more time
Poor Sierra Knox. She lived her life as a successful racing car driver, and along with her father was a powerful figure within Kronstadt Industries, a tech firm making waves in the robotics field. She had it all: fame, money, power, and a name that made her sound a bit like a baddie from a Bond film. It's everything a girl...
Review Battlefield V - Multiplayer Mayhem Excuses Features Missing in Action
V for victory
Battlefield V's road to release hasn’t exactly been smooth, nor typical of an EA product. After a delay for further adjustments to gameplay and the setback of Battle Royale mode Firestorm to March 2019, players began to question what would be available when release day came around. And now that the time has arrived, we are greeted by...
Review Metal Gear Solid - An All-Time Classic
Liquid gold
You’ve just infiltrated a highly secure enemy base using only your cunning and the scant equipment that you happened to find on your way. After rendezvousing with your hostage, you’re showered with a stirring speech on the importance of global nuclear disarmament, as well as the horrific impact of an increasingly militarised world...
Review The Forest – Survival Horror in a Deep Dark Wood
Forest chomp
There’s something rather unsettling about the island peninsula you find yourself stranded on during the opening cutscene of The Forest. While the landscape is populated with lush plant life and bountiful rivers, people initially seem absent and an eerie silence hangs heavy in the air. Eric is seemingly the sole survivor of a...
Review Spyro: Reignited Trilogy - A Platforming Treasure Wonderfully Restored
A real gem
It's amazing how similar the paths of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon have been. Both started things off with a trio of beloved platformers on PSone before they were handed to different developers, who made likeable but inferior adventures that ultimately led to the characters falling into obscurity. Both owned by Activision, the two...
Review 11-11: Memories Retold - Inventive and Emotionally Charged with an All-Star Cast
Shooting for something different
11-11: Memories Retold has an interesting proposition: a war game where you shoot not with a gun, but the lens of a camera. In a world where World War 1 is often used as a playground for 360 no-scopes and kill counts, it’s refreshing to see a game that analyses the people tied to the situation in a respectful,...
Review Melbits World - A Fun Little Puzzler for All
Melbits and Melbobs
The first thing you’ll notice about Melbits World, a new family game for the phone-based PlayLink series, is that it’s pretty. Very pretty. The sickly sweet, blocky Melbits themselves are cute, but the worlds that surround them are also eye-catching in a minimalist way. It’s certainly hard to think of a PlayLink game as...
Review Chimparty - Mario Party for Chumps
Monkeying about
Developed by NapNok Games, Chimparty is one of PlayLink’s first forays into the family game market, something it pulls off with mixed success. On first impressions, its art style is very endearing, with colourful characters and nicely-themed levels being easy on the eye. The fact that you can unlock items throughout the game for...
Review Knowledge Is Power: Decades - An Unnecessary But Functional Trivia Title
Decadent
We’re not sure if anyone needed it, but a new Knowledge Is Power game is here. Knowledge Is Power: Decades does exactly what it says on the tin, taking you through questions themed on the 80s through to the 2010s. That’s pretty much all there is to it, with Wish Studios not adding much to a game that was a solid addition to the...
Review Road Redemption - Road Rash Meets Roguelite for Rough and Ready Action
Rev Dead Redemption
To put it plainly, Road Redemption technically isn't that impressive. It's very rough around the edges, in more ways than one, and it isn't doing anything truly groundbreaking. However, it knows exactly what it is and who it's for. This self-awareness doesn't take away the weaker aspects of the game, but odds are you won't care...
Maxima-m Greatness
Square Enix celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Final Fantasy franchise way back in 2016 with the release of World of Final Fantasy. The game reconciled the spanning generations of the illustrious and wildly loved RPG series in this celebratory title that flaunted a Poké-esque twist on its typical battle mechanics. The cutesy...
Review Spyro the Dragon - The Classic Collectathon That Put Insomniac on the Map
Don't Gnorc it
While Insomniac Games has become one of PlayStation's most recognised developers, it cut its teeth with the little known PSone first-person shooter Disruptor, which launched in 1996. It was a DOOM clone among many others that populated the gaming landscape at the time, but there were aspects to it that made it stand out among the...
Review Tetris Effect - A Classic Puzzler Taken to Unprecedented New Levels
Once more with feeling
If only it was easy to put into words how Tetris Effect will make you feel. Unfortunately, there’s a reason we’re here writing reviews rather than best-sellers, but we’re going to give it our best shot. Much like Rez Infinite before it, there’s something melancholy and moving about Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s take on the...
Review Déraciné - PSVR's New Narrative Gold Standard
FromSoftware with love
Long before FromSoftware burst into the public consciousness with its Souls titles, it already had a large body of work to its name dating back decades. But after finding mainstream success with the likes of Bloodborne, its newest title Déraciné offers a glimpse to the past. And while this PlayStation VR foray is unlike...
Review Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee - Dark, Bizarre, and Packed with Personality
Slimy, yet satisfying
True to its name, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee is one of the oddest games ever created, with a unique look and feel, bizarre visuals, and an enjoyably dark wit. Now known as the first of a franchise, the original classic wowed players back in 1997 with impressive graphics and full voice acting. This was a game that reminded...
Review My Hero One's Justice - A Solid Anime Brawler that Struggles to Stand Out
A Quirky kind of fighter
My Hero One’s Justice is the game adaptation of smash hit anime My Hero Academia. If you don’t know My Hero Academia then this probably isn’t the game for you, as My Hero One’s Justice launches its story mode partway through season 2 of the show, and runs to midway through season 3. You’re expected to come with...
Review The Shapeshifting Detective - An Odd Yet Intriguing FMV Murder Mystery
Colonel Mustard, in the study, with the DualShock 4
The Shapeshifting Detective is a new FMV (Full Motion Video) game from Wales Interactive. It’s a curious game that pretty much does what it says on the tin. You take on the role of the titular detective and have the ability to take on the likeness of anybody you come into contact with, like a...
Review Castlevania Requiem - A Compelling Collection of Two Classics
A memorable little pile of secrets
Unsung heroes are prominent in literature and film. Without spoilers, consider if Frodo had embarked on his quest without Sam's support in The Lord of the Rings, and think about nerdy Neville Longbottom's overlooked role in protecting the wizarding world of Harry Potter. The true heroes behind this Castlevania...
Review Taiko No Tatsujin: Drum Session - A Rhythm Game That Marches to Its Own Beat
Finger drumming
The Taiko No Tatsujin series is largely exclusive to Japan, but every now and again, these colourful rhythm titles do head West. In the case of Taiko No Tatsujin: Drum Session, it's the first time the franchise has been brought over to Europe, making it the most widely available outing yet. However, this is still very much a niche...
Review Jumping Flash! - Unique 90s Platforming from a First-Person Perspective
Buy it, don't Robbit
The 16-bit console wars were merciless. During the early concept stage of the PlayStation console, Sony took part in an ill-fated collaboration with Nintendo to create a CD-ROM add-on for the SNES. In September 1995, Jumping Flash! was a PSone launch title, and it's the type of game that makes you wonder what would have happened...
Review GRIP - An Inconsistent Reimagining of PSone Racer Rollcage
Not very gripping
Combat racing games have been noticeably absent from present-day conversation. Kart racers continue to live on thanks to their accessibility and amiability, but modern combat racing games seem to have trouble breaking into the public gaming consciousness. GRIP seeks to bring a forgotten genre back while also boasting tight controls...
Review The Jackbox Party Pack 5 - Fun and Games
You should know Jack
Another year, another Jackbox game. The master of the party game genre is back for the fifth instalment of the Jackbox Party Pack series, and by this game's indication, the developer isn't running out of good ideas. With every game playable on phone for up to eight players, it'll be hard to find a finer title to pull out when...
Review The Quiet Man - PS4's Most Baffling Game
Best kept on mute
We wrapped up The Quiet Man's conclusion no less than five minutes ago, and to say we’re baffled and bewildered would be an understatement. The bottom line is that Human Head Studios’ attempt at blending FMV with interactive combat scenes utterly fails in every conceivable way. In fact, everything about this project is truly...
Review Project Highrise: Architect's Edition - An Architect for Success
Building sim-plicity at its best
Project Highrise: Architect’s Edition fills a niche on the PlayStation Store as a return for the building simulator genre, following initial success on Steam in 2016. This sim however puts you in control of skyscraper development specifically, as opposed to traditional city sims. As the chief architect in charge of...
