Well Played

• XSX/S
• 6 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 7 / 10
• Australie

Steelrising is a game of halves, adapting genre staples in fun and welcome ways while failing to stake much of a claim on their newly discovered grounds. Spiders have implemented some genuinely exciting changes in approachability and welcome players into an aesthetically rich and mechanically decent world. But as the writing misfires, and the world design leaves you feeling a little adrift, you can’t help but wonder if all this should have been in service of a better realised game.

• PS4
• 3.5 / 10
• Australie

There is no catharsis, nor horror, only monotony and an ironic sense of nausea that comes from starting into this abyss. Some ideas here would have drawn curious players of niche, B-tier Japanese adventures back in the PS2 days, but beyond the tight four-hour anime recap, this is truly an irredeemable adaptation.

• PC
• 10 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 7 / 10
• Australie

The success of Destroy All Humans 2: Reprobed as both a remake and preservation of the original work’s tonal intent is to be admired in some ways. This is a visually appealing, relatively streamlined version of a game pushing twenty that reads as a love letter to fans of the original. It maintains the core thrust of the experience nicely – a sandbox full of colourful chaos and extremely silly concepts. However, in doing so it captures why games like this have aged out of the market. An overly long run of uninteresting missions and painful attempts at comedy make this one strictly for fans of the genre. A decent remake of a game I’d rather never think about again.

• PS5
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

It’s been a great year for TMNT fans, and the Cowabunga Collection keeps that ball rolling. For those fans like me, or those coming across from Shredder’s Revenge that are curious about the past, there’s plenty here to enjoy both locally and online despite some of the included titles not exactly setting the world alight. As compilations go, Digital Eclipse again prove they are the best when it comes to delivering quality collections.

• PS5
• 8 / 10
• Australie

Soul Hackers 2 does an commendable job of presenting another solid JRPG experience, albeit one that suffers from a lack of quality and variety in areas where it could have been bolder in its execution. A sense of similarity aside, it’s still a worthwhile story to follow and fans of the franchise will find more than enough to keep them happy, even if there aren’t quite enough new and fresh ideas here to set it apart from the pack. The Persona shadow continues to hover over the rest of the Atlus stable, and it remains a high-quality ceiling to beat.

• PC
• 9 / 10
• Australie

The point-and-click genre has been deprived of innovation for years, and while it doesn’t need to change all that much, Cowcat has successfully mixed two gameplay styles that wouldn’t normally fit together. The result is a love letter to my childhood and a truly unique adventure game experience that fans of the genre should not miss.

• PS5
• 5 / 10
• Australie

As a reboot that is all about capturing the series’ spark all over again, it is immediately recognisable. Building the Saints from the ground up retreads gameplay and story that fans have experienced before. However, the bombastic spirit of the earlier generations’ stripped-back open-world antics is woefully undermined by a plague of bugs and an overwhelming sense of deja-vu. The older Saints titles have more arsenal, activities, and humour than this half-baked reboot.

• PC
• 9 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 8 / 10
• Australie

• PC
• 10 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 8 / 10
• Australie

• PC
• 9 / 10
• Australie

As much a satire of management sims as of its tertiary subject matter, Two Point Campus is a resounding achievement in opening up this otherwise intimidating genre to players of all persuasions. Whether you want to pore through graphs and margins, or simply enjoy the macro machinations of bringing your microcosm of society to life across the many wacky universities, Two Point has you covered. Every concession is made to curb the intimidation factor without ever compromising the challenge and growth potential that makes these simulators so compelling. Plus, the sense of humour embedded in its DNA never wears its welcome and truly stands it apart from its peers. Student, staff, or nose-thumber of the academic elite, this is a good time worth enrolling your time in.

• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

Lord Winklebottom Investigates is a charming and enjoyable debut from Cave Monsters that doesn’t stray too far from the point-and-click blueprint. Its best assets are the things that make it stand out from other games such as its animal cast, clever and witty writing, and gorgeous art style, but it’s unfortunately undone by some minor gameplay drawbacks.

• XSX/S
• 8 / 10
• Australie

• PS4
• 4 / 10
• Australie

Adventures of Chris fumbles almost all of its ambitions, both as a game and as a piece of media that is at least trying to say something about non-traditional body experiences. It is riddled with fat jokes that are presented as being bad, while also having Chris chug down milkshakes and belch to regain health. Elsewhere, its gameplay resists the kind of rhythm you need to find in a platformer, instead becoming overly messy to both control and engage with. I can see its heart, especially as a piece that is grappling with the memories of being the fat kid, but it undermines itself as often as it tries to delight.

• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie