Well Played

• PS5
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

• SWITCH
• 8 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

The roguelite format is perfect for VR. The short, run-based gameplay loop and incremental upgrade systems let you jump in, have a great time and jump out at a moment’s notice, which is exactly what I’ll be doing with Synapse for the foreseeable future. The smooth and responsive gunplay and outlandishly satisfying telekinetic abilities make combat a power fantasy that will be extremely hard to beat. The minuscule weapon selection and garrison of goons hurt the overall package, sure, but when you take the gameplay and add a visual style that’s kind on the eyes and serves a practical purpose, you have a VR shooter that any self-respecting PSVR2 owner needs to have in their library.

• PC
• PS4
• PS5
• SWITCH
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals spends a little too much time washed out in white noise to truly deliver on its promise, but when tuned just right it sounds like little else. A coming-of-age story for people who should have already come of age is a beautiful and poignant launching pad, and despite getting bogged down in hard rules and lore, Night School Studios still display a grasp on horror aesthetics and storytelling worth the price of admission. The signal is a little fuzzy, but this is a game still worth listening out for.

• SWITCH
• 7 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 7 / 10
• Australie

Final Fantasy XVI is a largely impressive fantasy epic that succeeds in creating a mainline, mass-appeal entry into the (checks notes) spectacle fighter genre. This game didn’t make me want to explore the wider Final Fantasy series aside from giving XIII’s linear hallways another chance. It did, however, make me feel equipped to better engage with Bayonetta or DMC. Heck, if you’ve ever been interested in the grandeur or chaos associated with these titles, onboarding with Clive is the way to go. If you’ve always wanted to see what Final Fantasy is all about but found the anime influences grating or the turn-based combat too slow, this is the entry made for you. However, whether this mass appeal will appease rusted-on FF fans remains to be seen, and all things considered, it’s likely this game was perhaps not made to contend with their established favourites.

• PS5
• 4.5 / 10
• Australie

The unforgivable shortcomings in Layers of Fear are a shame, because the core tools that the game is built with could be used to forge something pretty alright. The series’ issues with mental health and representation are foundational and in dire need of more evaluation than additional DLC can provide, but there’s a genuinely interesting examination of player and space here that is crying out for a better framing. Layers of Fear has all the pieces, but Bloober Team seem content to toss those bricks around an empty block instead of building something of value.

• PC
• 5.5 / 10
• Australie

System Shock may come as a rude awakening for some, myself included. This remake of an early 90s sci-fi shooter has a heap of great ideas for its time. But its time has long passed and has little to offer new audiences except for pain, frustration, and a prettied-up history lesson of a game. SHODAN, however, plays an entertaining host to a series of pipe-laden labyrinths that suffers no fools.

• PC
• 8 / 10
• Australie

Chronicles of 2 Heroes had me as soon as I realised how tight its jump mechanics are. It’s a big game changer when a studio nails the fundamentals from the outset, and it made the early going far more enjoyable. And this was before the better mechanics and abilities played their part in mixing things up and keeping the experience fresh. There’s a few elements that didn’t quite work along the way, true, but I’m happy to recommend it as one of the hidden gems of the year so far, a title that confidently follows in the footsteps of its predecessors and delivers on the promise it holds.

• PS5
• 3 / 10
• Australie

With dated design, LotR: Gollum is a slow and tedious slog through Middle Earth that even the staunchest LotR fans will struggle to enjoy.

• PC
• 8 / 10
• Australie

• PC
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

Gorgeous visuals and a spectacular score elevate an already entertaining puzzle platformer to the same level as some of the genre greats.

• PS5
• 9 / 10
• Australie

LEGO 2K Drive is joyous escapism made manifest by way of building bricks and burning rubber. Every corner of its gorgeous world promises something fun to do, with supporting systems that gleefully hand over the keys to creativity and ask very little of you in return. You may find yourself losing hours of your life to its charming, studded wiles, but really in retrospect you would never consider them wasted – It’s just that damn fun.

• XSX/S
• 4.5 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 9 / 10
• Australie

Challenging combat, rewarding platforming, engaging exploration and a surprisingly unique story has Survivor in the conversation for the best Star Wars game ever released.

• PS5
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

I’m a sucker for a dark fairy tale, especially one that calls upon Nordic folklore to shape its premise. Some of the gameplay sequences may be a little dull, but a striking enchanted world and an engaging and sombre story mixed with Nordic mythology ensured that I really enjoyed my time with Bramble: The Mountain King. If you’re a fan of narrative-driven adventure games with a shadowy and creepy tone, I think you’ll find a lot to like here.

• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

While I love Episode 2 to a similar level that I did the original, I am somewhat left just a little disappointed by its decision to not reinvent the wheel much at all. The experience is still a great one, don’t get me wrong, but the additional drink choices and the ability to give items to customers to get further story content just isn’t a enough evolution in the experience, especially seeing as the location and collection of regular patrons are basically the same bar for a few new characters. The vibes and aesthetic however are still as pleasing as they were before, and those keen for an indie game to relax and pair with a hot beverage, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly serves as a welcome choice.