Press Start's Reviews
The Blood of Dawnwalker is an incredible RPG that sinks its fangs into you from the moment you start playing, signalling an incredibly strong start for Rebel Wolves. Choices feel meaningful, combat is satisfying, and the time system makes you stop and think about just what you're doing when you play games. While some quests drag and there were some technical hiccups along the way, nothing made me want to stop playing this adventure that trades breadth for depth. As such, The Blood of Dawnwalker is easily one of my favourite RPGs in years and well worth a taste.
It's hard not to think about what Onimusha: Way of the Sword could've been in the context of prior entries - especially the first game. What is here, though, is still a thrilling action game (once it takes the training wheels off) with a loveable cast of characters and unique identity amongst CAPCOM's other goliath franchises.
Orbitals is a brisk, enjoyable interstellar romp that will perhaps, at the end of the day, be more fondly remembered for its authentic approach to vintage Japanese animation than its ability to bring friends together. That's not to say it doesn't succeed as a co-op puzzler-it does-although I think it falls a hair short of its contemporaries in terms of chaotic creativity and scope.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is a strong adventure that delivers a clever twist on Greek mythology rather than the games its spun off of. It combines strong combat, exploration and atmosphere with some gnarly creature encounters in a clever way, though the puzzles are uneven and the mechanics are largely derivative. Regardless, Sophia's journey is intriguing from beginning to end, making Resonance a memorable adventure even if its resemblance to the Plague Tale games are fleeting.
Star Wars Zero Company is an incredible debut title from Bit Reactor. A tightly paced 30 hour tactics game with some of the best Star Wars storytelling in recent years. Star Wars and tactics fans alike would be remiss to not check out Zero Company.
While it feels like the impact of Breath of the Wild is waning as the open world genre starts to stagnate again, Elden Ring stands out as not only an achievement in FromSoftware’s hall of fame, but also as an open-world RPG. Elden Ring is without a doubt, FromSoft’s most ambitious undertaking yet, and like Dark Souls before it, I believe it will leave a permanent mark on both the open-world genre and the games industry in general.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is a strong fighter that manages to channel the chaotic energy of Marvel vs. Capcom while also carving out its own niche in the genre. While the roster feels small for the kind of game that it is, and the single player offerings feel underwhelming, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls provides a strong foundation on which I have no doubts Arc System Works will build for years to come.
Pro Jank Footy is a tremendous mess of a game, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. It boils down a complicated sport into its purest, fundamental arcade form before breaking it through a chaotic overloading of its simple systems. It's fun, it's hilarious, though its biggest flaw, if it even is one, is that it's best played with mates.
Beast of Reincarnation is a typical action RPG from a not so typical developer. It's a confident first step for Game Freak, though at times that confidence can feel misplaced. Repetitive enemies, samey environments and performance issues stop it from reaching the heights of its own ambition. But when everything clicks, it’s hard to deny that Beast of Reincarnation really clicks - it’s a fast, fluid and deeply satisfying combat loop that, while derivative, is still a blast to play.
Big Walk earns a place in the top tier of co-operative games, with greater depth than countless games it could be compared against. Proximity chat is far from a gimmick; communication is as much a mechanic as running and jumping. No two puzzles are the same, and sometimes the work required becomes tedious, but it does well to avoid overstaying its welcome. House House have cleverly shown restraint in crafting a game that's all about the journey and not the destination.
While it doesn't quite escape some of the issues of its inspirations, Splatoon Raiders is a novel spin-off of one of Nintendo's most creative franchises. This is a no-brainer recommendation for fans of Salmon Run, and is one of the best co-op experiences on the Switch 2 thus far.
Despite missing its iconic multiplayer component, enormous replay value, welcome modernisations to both gameplay and visuals, fixes for decades-old pacing issues, and a three-piece prologue make Campaign Evolved an exceptional way to experience Halo’s legendary single-player campaign, which remains a sci-fi blockbuster to this day.
Lifted is a special little game that manages to effortlessly charm despite its imperfections. It’s a throwback to classic platforming I didn’t know I was needing, all the while being the Back to the Future sequel I know I have dreamed about for decades. I hope it’s not the last we see of Ari Buktu, and I’ll happily board his time-travelling elevator again—anytime.
DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations continues to preserve the identity of The Dark Ages while ratcheting up the intensity of combat to the nth degree. It's relentless, absurdly fun to play, and is begging any DOOM player worth their salt to get into the weeds and master it. I don't know how, but id Software have done it again.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is a refreshing reminder of the franchise's glory days. Charged with an infectious love for the original, Resynced is the best way to play the best Assassin's Creed game. If the Ezio trilogy is soon to get the same remaking, we can only hope it's treated in the same fashion.
If you’re someone like me who fears rhythm games due to their challenges, then Rhythm Paradise Groove is the perfect cushion to soften the blow; it’s accessible, friendly and offers just the right amount of challenge, without being too overwhelming or intense. There’s a whole heap of unlockables and different game modes that keep things fresh and entertaining, and the rhythms and songs throughout the game are bound to have you toe-tapping all the way through. Some may be put off by the latency between the TV and controller input, but even after a while its something that you can adjust to, so there’s always positives to play off.
Star Fox is without a doubt the best version of Star Fox 64. Long time fans are sure to love its smart inclusions from both a narrative and gameplay perspective, while newcomers will get to experience one of Nintendo's most important games on hardware that truly brings it to life. It's another massive win for the Switch 2, and I hope it paves the way for a new Star Fox title some day in the future.
Despite being disappointed by The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales in its opening hours, the experience gave way to something far more engaging in its second and third acts. Its shallow narrative deepened as it unravelled the grand tapestry of time in Philabieldia, its combat more fleshed out by greater enemy variety and buildcrafting potential with magicite, all accompanied by a presentation and art direction that Square Enix have nailed at this point.
Mina the Hollower feels like the result of a studio completely confident in its abilities. Its exceptional movement mechanics, rewarding exploration, challenging combat, and dense world design constantly make discovery feel exciting. Despite it being a little hard for some players, Mina the Hollower is an easy recommendation and very likely Yacht Club Games’ next classic.
007 First Light is all things a Bond game should be. It’s exciting, unpredictable, and delivers a jet-setting adventure full of that hallmark intrigue. As a spy game, it’s expectedly solid. But as an action game, it’s somehow even better as IOI declare themselves the go-to for spy thrillers, and Patrick Gibson, in a time where new blood is badly required, declares himself Bond, James Bond.