Well Played

• PS4
• 6 / 10
• Australie

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is fun at times but ultimately struggles to stay relevant to anyone but fans of the series. If you love the show, chances are you’ll love this game but everyone else will likely just plug through the opening hours before moving on to something a bit more interesting. The change of gameplay style and in inclusion of a character creator definitely serve the game well, but I feel like a bit more was needed to get this over the line, especially considering the quality of RPGs we’ve been receiving in the last few years.

• PS4
• 9 / 10
• Australie

Dragon Ball FighterZ is an awesome game, and whether you’re a fan of the genre or a fan of the series, you’ll find it packed to the brim with stuff to do and things to love. The stunning visuals, enjoyable story and accessible gameplay mechanics have already made it one of my favourite releases of the New Year. Not only has it sparked a competitive spirit within me (which I plan to take online), it’s also inspired me to dig out my old VHS recordings of Cheez TV. On second thought, maybe I’ll just stream it.

• PC
• 7.8 / 10
• Australie

The Red Strings Club’s greatest asset is the food for thought that it deals out in large helpings. For fans of high-concept sci-fi and philosophy in general, The Red Strings Club will provide plenty of beard-stroking moments of introspection. I’m not sure who exactly I’d recommend this game to, but if you’re keen to question the nature of humanity and still wonder if androids dream of electric sheep then there’s a lot to love here.

• XONE
• 8.8 / 10
• Australie

InnerSpace is a thoughtful and well-crafted exploratory adventure that would be perfect were it not for the odd moment of frustration with its controls. Creating a sensory experience this profound while backing it up with solid storytelling and gameplay is no mean feat and fans of games like Journey and Abzu would do well to get themselves lost in The Inverse.

• PC
• 7 / 10
• Australie

All in all, Hand of Fate 2 is a well-rounded game that addresses a lot of the concerns that its fanbase had upon the release of its predecessor. Though essentially a replica of the first game, Hand of Fate 2 offers some unique, quirky additions that justify buying the second game. Whether you like games for their story, their puzzles, or their banter, there’s something for everyone to enjoy with this indie gem.

• PS4
• 7 / 10
• Australie

Ultimate Chicken Horse is an addictive and surprisingly nuanced competitive platformer that shines in skilled online play, but fails as a couch multiplayer game thanks to a combination of a lack of coaching and confusing menu systems that will try the patience of casual players in a party setting. If creating Super Meat Boy-esque levels on the fly to screw over people on the internet sounds like your bag though, this might be the game for you.

• PS4
• 7 / 10
• Australie

Overall, Rapala Fishing: Pro Series offers an at times relaxing, at other times frustrating yet rewarding experience that will appeal to fishing enthusiasts or those looking for a bit of arcade-like fun. The quest for the best fish in order to unlock better gear is a challenge at first and somewhat of a grind which kept me coming back, but once I had been gifted the best equipment in the game and effectively bypassed everything in-between I lost interest pretty quickly.

• PS4
• 4 / 10
• Australie

Overall Mecho Tales may appeal to some gamers chasing nostalgic 2D memories, but nothing about the game made me feel any emotional ties to my character or to the story, nor did it provide any real sense of enjoyment and the only challenge here is to one’s patience. I never felt motivated to finish the game and the only positive that came from finishing the game was that I got my second Platinum Trophy.

• PC
• 7 / 10
• Australie

Necrosphere overall offers a great challenge for fans of difficult games, as well as fans of the Metriodvania genre in general. The game’s controls, despite being ambitious, can be overly frustrating and lead to some minor disdain towards the game. Backtracking is a bit of an issue early on, but as you gather more upgrades, the issues with returning to previous worlds disappear. Necrosphere (despite some hiccups) is an absolute joy to play, with the completion of each difficult section making you feel like more and more of a platforming badass. Necrosphere is a great experience, and one that fans of difficult platformers should not miss. Necrosphere is only available for PC at the moment, but PS4, PS Vita and Xbox One versions are slated for fall 2017.

• PC
• PS4
• 9.8 / 10
• Australie

• PS4
• 8 / 10
• Australie

In the dwindling world of golf games, The Golf Club 2 shines as a beacon in the dark. Its intricate yet simple mechanics and beautiful landscapes will appease beginners are experts alike and the pick up and play nature of TGC2 makes it very easy to invest a few hours into. The glitches and crashes were few but frustrating but certainly not a deterrent to owning this game. Lovers of the game of golf will find hours upon hours of enjoyment with TGC2, but so too will casual sports gamers.

• PS4
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

Death Squared is simple, addictive and challenging – it’s not so hard that it makes you feel like a simpleton when you fail, and when you do start to complete the harder levels it gives you a sense of accomplishment and that you may somehow be a long-lost relative of Albert Einstein. There is a good amount of levels included, and more than enough to make or break friendships (or yourself). The only blight is that being a co-op-based experience, being limited to local co-op may put off some people. If you want a good challenging experience, either solo or team-based, I can highly recommend Death Squared. Plus, it’s Australian-made.

• PS4
• 5 / 10
• Australie

While loading human does some interesting things with VR, it ultimately fails at fully loading the personality and soul of that human.

• PS4
• 4.5 / 10
• Australie

• PC
• 8 / 10
• Australie

In a nutshell, I loved this game. It’s exactly how an adventure game should be: puzzling, fun, engaging and beautiful. So is it worth the $29.99 US price tag on steam? Absolutely. If you love games that make you think you’ll love Obduction, just make sure your rig is decent or you’ll be playing this game in block format.

• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

Much like another game that has you on the undead’s side, Stubbs the Zombie, I had a blast controlling my shambling hordes and feasting on delicious brains. Zombie Night Terror may look cliché as hell, and sometimes it is, but the 80s horror presentation and Lemmings inspiration make this a wholly unique game that escapes its groan-worthy first impression to offer something truly special.

• PS4
• 6 / 10
• Australie

Overall One Piece: Burning Blood is a solid game with a number of different gameplay options, and fans of the series will find enough enjoyment to warrant parting with their hard earned cash. If you are new to the manga/anime adaptation fighting games and are looking for a story to enchant you then this is sadly not the game for you. Hopefully there is some DLC on the horizon to flesh out the single player campaign but until then, unless you are a One Piece tragic, there’s not enough to entice gamers to buy this offering. Most proud owners of NBE’s Naruto Shippuden Ninja Storm 4 or Dragonball Xenoverse will find Burning Blood is not the first choice on a rainy day.

• PC
• 6 / 10
• Australie

Though I initially had my doubts, the game turned out to be rather enjoyable, and though I would probably wait until it was on sale rather than spending the full US$40 on it, I think that I will go back and try some other games in the series also – after all, I’m, like, totally a professional detective now, so I may as well so and put my skills to use again!