Well Played

• PS5
• 8 / 10
• Australie

Fans are in safe hands with Sniper Elite’s latest stealth sandbox. Rough edges and last-gen visuals and design leave this entry feeling slightly laggard in 2022, with the series needing to really shake up the formula. The mostly standout French levels and exceptionally tactical stealth action keep things just fresh enough for this fifth outing. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more gruesomely rewarding assassination sim this side of Hitman but be prepared for a sprinkling of jank on your sniping escargot.

• PC
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

Eternal Threads comes together as a solid, engaging narrative that keeps things simple, with a cleverly implemented time manipulation mechanic that easily allows you to jump back and forth through every possible outcome. And you’ll want to explore those outcomes, because there’s plenty of interesting threads that could otherwise go unnoticed. It might not do anything altogether ground-breaking, but as an overall package it’s hard not to recommend this thoroughly enjoyable tale.

• PC
• 6.5 / 10
• Australie

I’m a little disappointed in Salt and Sacrifice. It’s certainly not a bad game, but it makes a lot of changes that remove the charm and heart of the original, favouring more standardised mechanics instead. One of the more egregious design choices is definitely the new hunt system for named and nameless mages, which creates an arbitrary progression block and breaks the flow of the game. I’m not sure what happened between this game and its predecessor, but the graceful understanding of Metroidavanias as a whole is lost in this game, and what remains is not as compelling as the original.

• PS5
• 7 / 10
• Australie

Trek to Yomi may not be the complete samurai package, but it’s still one that’s worth experiencing. The combat may not be as precise and varied as one would hope and there are definite frustrations felt during boss fights and certain encounters, but that shouldn’t overshadow the game’s stronger qualities. An exceptional visual style, some solid voice acting and immersive audio will draw you into this violent, mystical and surprisingly affecting tale of revenge.

• PC
• SWITCH
• PS4
• XONE
• 4 / 10
• Australie

A choice-based narrative against the backdrop of an extremely charged period in America’s history has limitless potential, but everywhere you look, Best Month Ever!’s ambitions outstrip its ability to execute. Characters and situations compete with one another to see how bizarre and unrelatable they can be, and there’s a general lack of emotional impact or cohesion. Awkward voice work and janky animations seal the deal, with some of the game’s art direction being the only light in the darkness for this tawdry mother and son tale.

• PC
• 6 / 10
• Australie

• PS4
• 9 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 8 / 10
• Australie

• XONE
• 7 / 10
• Australie

Even if Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is your first game in the series and first DLC, you’ll enjoy this mythical outing. The Assassin’s Creed series has been around a long time and it’s likely going to continue for a while still, so I have to respect that the games are breaking their mould. The addition of new powers is a bonus I wasn’t expecting, but if you’re playing as a god it’s only fair the game lets you act like one. It’s a return to form after Odyssey’s own mythical DLC that values the player experience and allows players to dip back into the game two years after launch. However, past face value, it really doesn’t add much to the overarching storyline for the franchise. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun and enjoyable adventure, but it feels like it could’ve worked harder to build itself into the series as a whole. The creed remains, but it’s left me wondering where we’ll see the game series go next.

• PS4
• 9.5 / 10
• Australie

• PS4
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 9 / 10
• Australie

I had tears in my eyes as A Memoir Blue came to a close. Though it may be short, there are moments in the final few chapters that are heart wrenching, yet by the end there’s a feeling of pure happiness and relief. I’m sure many who explore its meaning and emotional journey may feel that same connection and perhaps a few tears of their own, but as someone going through hard times and with a deep and loving connection to my own mother, this hit me hard. That’s a good thing, that means the developer’s vision connected, and I’m so grateful for having played it.

• PC
• 8 / 10
• Australie

Syberia: The World Before is a heartfelt adventure across different timelines and a fitting farewell to the talented Bênoit Sokal.

• PC
• PS4
• PS5
• 3 / 10
• Australie

In Nightmare should be a cautionary tale for any developer (be they indie, AA, AAA or even AAAA) to be careful in implementing core mechanics centring around disempowerment. Hiding in cupboards and avoiding instakill view cones can be great I suppose (actually instakill view cones can die in a fire), but if it doesn’t feed into a sense of enjoyment, it will very much feed into the opposite: righteous hate-filled fury. In Nightmare’s exploration and puzzling probably could have easily carried the experience without having to beat the player over the head with instafail stealth, but this is the path it chose. At the end of the day the game’s title is a description of not only Bill’s predicament, but of any player who decides to follow him on his journey.

• PS5
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

Gunborg: Dark Matter is a simple yet challenging arcade platformer that pushes players to perfect their timing and dodging abilities. The 8-bit world is beautifully coloured in a neon palette and complemented by a soundtrack that is absolutely jamming. If you’re a fan of testing your mettle in old-school style arcade shooters, Gunborg: Dark Matters is more than worth the $17.95 asking price.

• PC
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

• SWITCH
• 9 / 10
• Australie

Despite not really breaking any ground, and with a couple of minor grievances, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a wonderful outing for the pink puffball and a major high point for the series. At very few points over the course of the game did I not have a massive grin on my face, especially wherever Mouthful Mode is concerned. What could Kirby possibly eat next now that he’s thoroughly consumed my heart?

• PS5
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie