Well Played

• PC
• 7 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

Frogwares’ remake of Sherlock Holmes The Awakened successfully blends the otherworldly with the logical in a compelling and well-written adventure that shows a different side of the iconic detective.

• PS5
• 7 / 10
• Australie

If co-op shooters are your bread and butter and you’ve picked up a PSVR2, you should certainly give After the Fall a whirl. Gunplay is tight, and the core experience feels well-suited to VR, producing nail-biting moments that will stick in your memory. The problem that cools off the good times had is the lack of interesting content. The missions, weapons, enemies and modes on offer are entertaining, but there aren’t enough of them to keep me coming back time and time again.

• XSX/S
• 5 / 10
• Australie

Curse of the Sea Rats’ flaws reveal themselves almost immediately, but despite an initial urge to see the whole thing walk the plank lest my sanity be sacrificed, my persistence was rewarded with extended periods of meditative calm as I poked about the diverse environments uncovering treasures, and in these periods I could clearly see the potential the game had. There is an honest heart to the experience, and the character art in particular is sheer joy, but several vital cogs that would complete the so-called ‘ratoidvania’ machine have been installed incorrectly. Abundant technical issues exacerbate issues at the centre of a game that struggles to realise its ambition, and while I don’t think Petoons Studio’s backers should mutiny, you might not blame the rats for fleeing this particular sinking ship.

• PS5
• 9 / 10
• Australie

Dredge emerges from the mist as a near-perfect foray into cosmic horror and fish mongering. Some minor quibbles with balancing and quest info are surface-level dings against an otherwise water-tight vessel. Refined, approachable fishing and dredging mechanics form the backbone of a tight core loop that rewards investment in your boat with unspeakably cool upgrades and satisfying progression. All of this against an expertly paced open world and gorgeous art make Dredge an absolute catch.

• SWITCH
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

• SWITCH
• 8 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

Wo Long was always destined to be judged in the long shadow of the exceptional Nioh 2, which here is slightly to its detriment. It does an admirable job of rolling some fresh core mechanics into the now well-established hardcore hack and slash dough recipe, but accidentally only used three quarters of the required amount of yeast and then left the heat on medium. The result is a title that doesn’t quite rise like it should, and is a little doughy in the middle. Elaborate bread metaphors aside, Wo Long is absolutely a good game from a talented studio, but it falls short of being a great one.

• PC
• 7 / 10
• Australie

Despite the simplicity and a few missteps, I actually quite liked the roughly seven hours I spent playing through Scars Above. The story was interesting, the environments were diverse and lovely to look at and the sound design and music were sensational. I’d describe this as something akin to a refreshed PlayStation 2-era sci-fi shooter rather than a contemporary title, but I say that with a fondness for it, rather than disdain. I think that Mad Head Games should be proud of what it’s achieved, and if third-person shooters are your thing, I’d encourage you to check it out.

• SWITCH
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 5.5 / 10
• Australie

• PS5
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

Like A Dragon: Ishin! does exactly what it says on the box. It takes the recognisable characters that have appeared throughout the series and transformed them into 19th-century analogs. The super dramatic storyline, backstabs and betrayals remain pleasingly offset with the eccentric substories that feature memorable characters in the wildest of circumstances. Kiryu-Ryōma-Saito remains the ever-loveable stone-faced uncle driven by honour, stoically seeking the goodness in hearts everywhere before curb stomping a handsy mugger.

• PS5
• 8.5 / 10
• Australie

Although it’s probably destined to be a hidden gem that never quite gets the amount of eyeballs and attention it deserves, A Space for the Unbound is a truly excellent game that deserves plenty of love. It does occasionally fall victim to pacing issues, and its gameplay is rather simplistic, but pretty much everything else the game tackles is done with great success. Its enjoyable exploration, heartbreaking narrative, and beautiful anime inspired visuals come together to craft one of the best indie narrative driven games of recent memory. If you value games where story is of the utmost importance, I can’t help but recommend that you give A Space for the Unbound a chance.

• PS5
• 8 / 10
• Australie

• SWITCH
• 7 / 10
• Australie

• SWITCH
• 9.5 / 10
• Australie

• PC
• 7.5 / 10
• Australie

In a way Blacktail reminds me a lot of Fable: The Lost Chapters, a flawed game I love dearly, specifically in the way it places emphasis on your morality and then fails to follow through, narratively speaking. Like Fable though, Blacktail is an enjoyable experience despite its noticeable shortcomings. The exploration, the traversal interlinked with combat, and some humorous quests are in fact the brick house that stands strong. Blacktail does an admirable job building something unique of the bricks that came before, and most importantly captures the essence of what makes fairy tales so iconic…child murder.

• PS5
• 8 / 10
• Australie