Deathloop is slick and inventive, with a delicious sense of style and humour. One of the smartest and most outright entertaining games of the year.
INTERmission is a classy addition to one of last year’s best games, which itself runs a little better now on PS5. It’s great to see Yuffie again, brought up-to-date to match the rest of the cast and providing her uniquely wide-eyed perspective on Midgar. We’re ready to move on from the great city now, but this is a fine farewell party.
Naughty Dog has taken everything to the limit to create The Last of Us 2 – the PS4, its design template, and its staff. In some respects, it’s gone too far, but the results are undeniably spectacular and this is the studio’s best game yet.
The scale and detail of this partial remake is at times almost absurd. But this is a game full of beauty, intelligence and nostalgic power.
A puzzle adventure of rare ingenuity that thrives on its tactility as much as its design.
"Many developments are outside of your control, yet rarely in games does the passage of time feel so intimately significant."
It's a joy and a relief to realise that Sabotage hasn't merely mimicked classic '90s JRPG, but committed to understanding what makes them tick. Its nostalgia is neither gratuitous nor cynical, instead working disparate references together with original ideas into a coherent whole. While it's a little disappointing to discover that there's isn't great depth to the turn-based battles and other systems, the immense quality and detail in the pixel art, soundtrack, location design, characters and plot ensure that Sea of Stars remains a stunning achievement to the end.
Without giving anything away, it suffices to say that this rabbit hole goes a long way down, and if Animal Well is a Metroidvania, it's so much more besides.
The rough edges may be more prominent these days, but Final Fantasy VII is still one of the greatest JRPGs ever, with unsurpassed character design, world building, party customization, and music.
Server issues aside, Helldivers 2 is a bombastic, strategically engaging and funny squad shooter.
Requiem is a masterful sequel and an exceptional action adventure.
Simple, polished systems allow Stray's rich fiction and charismatic star to shine.
Nobody does it better? Not quite, but this is a highly entertaining action RPG.
A simple yet nuanced roguelike packed with interesting decisions, tense fights and lots of digging.
"Life in the Abbey becomes something of a cross between XCOM 2 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses"
Wo Long sees Team Ninja build on the core quality of the Nioh games. Its new systems, from the spirit gauge to morale levels within each stage feel well-considered and tightly honed to encourage exploration and bold, expressive fighting styles. Some old habits die hard, especially the tiresome loot gathering, but the game's core combat and traversal options always shine through.
Endless Dungeon is an entertaining, polished, and finely-tuned roguelike, expertly blending action and tactics to fill each trip with dozens of impactful micro-decisions. While visibility can be an issue during packed battles, presentation overall is bright and clean, and supported by some classy character design. Co-op play is the icing on an already tasty cake.
American Arcadia is a sharp, snappy production that could make for an entertaining film if it wasn't peppered with ingenious puzzles and platforming challenges. The dual character scenario is exploited brilliantly, adding variety, originality and humour, and even if some sections lack a real sense of participation, the visual design of Arcadia, along with some smart turns in the plot, ensure momentum through to the end.
Resident Evil: Village is a powerful monster, bolting together parts from Resident Evils 7, 4 and more besides. It’s longer than recent games in the series, yet still feels trim and sculpted as it shifts between it wide range of locations and set pieces. The downside of its eclectic approach is some unevenness and less tension, especially in a relatively weak opening act. But its eventual blend of parts is gloriously big, daft and fuelled by the finest of nightmares.
Little Nightmares 2 is a cautiously expansive sequel which expertly paces its shocks and creepy atmosphere. The detail and weight of its locations are unnervingly believable, while its monsters are hellishly otherworldly. Exciting, brutal and darkly humorous, we just wish it gave us more reason to stay longer.