Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster on PlayStation 5

Ah, Dead Rising. Has there ever been a zombie game that’s quite so much fun? Not fun in the sense that any game is fun, but fun in the sense that we all think such an apocalypse would be. Sure, realistically 90% of us would be dead in the first few days, but we all think we’d have fun doing exactly what’s done here.

Unfortunately, there are a few serious issues in the original version of Dead Rising. While it’s still a fantastic game, it’s also very much of its time. The controls are clunky by modern standards, the AI often feels like it was programmed by AI, and there are a few deeply questionable design decisions. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster aims to modernize things, and oh boy does it succeed.

Enotria: The Last Song on PC

When talking about the fundamentals of combat, enemy design, and exploration, Enotria: The Last Song is the closest thing I’ve played to a FromSoftware-certified Soulslike. It’s a faithful recreation of the original formula from Dark Souls 1 with enough flavor and flare in its presentation to keep you entertained and engaged. Enotria: The Last Song will be an excellent albeit bumpy experience for lovers of the Souls genre, but it lacks certain aspects that hold it back from being a truly polished gem.

I don’t think it’s controversial to say that the market has been saturated with Soulslikes over the past year and many people are starting to be fatigued by it. You can only do the same thing over and over so many times before it becomes a chore. Luckily, Enotria: The Last Song does bring enough innovation and personality to stand on its own and not feel like a cheap imitation. However, some of this personality does come at a cost. 

Eight long years after the release of the original Planet Coaster, comes its sequel Planet Coaster 2. Frontier Development brings promises of player-requested features and a whole lot of fresh and exciting fun. Thanks to two hours of gameplay via an on-hands preview with the team, we have an insight into what you can expect.

Planet Coaster 2 offers something that players have been asking for since the first in this game series: water parks! Now in Planet Coaster 2, players have the option of adding pools, flumes, and lazy rivers to their parks. A park can build a coaster park with added pools and flumes, or focus on creating a water park without a rollercoaster in sight.

After the widespread, generation-spanning success of Traveller’s Tales’ LEGO games, you may think it’s easy to assume exactly what a Funko game would look like. That’s unsurprising, because the two plasticine-based behemoths broadly occupy the same target audience: franchise fans desperate to find merch for practically every IP out there.

Interestingly, Funko Fusion – a third-person shooter crossed with an action game from 10:10 Games – isn’t what you’d initially expect. It’s a little more grown-up, both from the franchises it cherry-picks to the overall tone, but there may not be enough here to convince anyone except the most ardent fans of its selected IP.

Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown on PlayStation 5

The Test Drive Unlimited series is finally back after a 13-year hiatus, and while some elements stray from its original identity, Solar Crown manages to carry a portion of its former glory into a new generation. The game boasts a 1:1 scale map of Hong Kong Island and over 100 officially licensed cars from Lancia to Lamborghini.

The main draw of the series lies in its unique lifestyle elements mixed with social multiplayer racing. Solar Crown still retains some legacy features like walkable interior spaces and retractable convertible tops but focuses much more on the competitive aspect this time around. We’ll go through all the ways the new TDU succeeds and fails at delivering this slightly new direction, but let’s start with how it launched first.

It’s been a rough week. Your entire gang is dead and their souls have been scattered all over the universe. The only way to get them back is to travel from planet to planet, gather their remains, and put them in space coffins in a mysterious sentient spacecraft, waiting for the resurrection. Just another day in the life of an outlaw, right?

Once one of the most deadly gangs in the known galaxy, now the Wild Bastards have been all but eliminated. But not all is lost, as the last two outlaws still alive, Casino and Spider Rosa, have boarded the Drifter, a spacecraft that seems to bring people back from the dead. It’s time to get the band back together and go back home, once and for all.

When you initially think about the essence of a traditional ARPG, the first descriptors that come to mind may not necessarily be “charming” or “cozy”. Such games typically opt for fast-paced action with a good dose of dramatic flair. However, Towerborne is a new IP that seeks to bring a whimsical and approachable dynamic to the subgenre that we haven’t seen in some time.

After its decorated history with the classic Banner Saga series, Stoic is returning in true form with Towerborne. With gameplay honorably reminiscent of that franchise and undeniably endearing (and surprising) aesthetic inspiration from Studio Ghibli, Towerborne is a vibrantly delightful adventure that is honestly hard to put down for many reasons.

NBA 2K25 on PlayStation 5

Annualized sports games are always facing an uphill battle when convincing players to put down the cash for what many see as a roster update with minimal improvements. And often, that is the case, but with NBA 2K25, Visual Concepts and 2K Games have surpassed the subpar efforts of NBA 2K24, and once again becomes championship contenders in the world of video game basketball.

This year’s most significant improvements come on the court, powered by ProPLAY, the technology that translates authentic movements from captured footage into actual, immersive gameplay. This means even more dribbling animations, signature shots, and off-ball movement that will make any coach happy. Needless to say, NBA 2K25 delivers the most true-to-life basketball experience you can have without lacing up your shoes.

Astro Bot on PlayStation 5

It was always a shame that Astro Bot Rescue Mission was stuck on PSVR. While the virtual reality perspective was unique, it was always a game I felt could work just as well on standard consoles. When Astro Bot was revealed, my main emotion was a sense of relief that more PlayStation fans would be able to play what is an extremely inventive platformer.

Astro Bot on PlayStation 5 follows a similar structure to Rescue Mission. As the cute little hero, you head out to planets to save lost bots and find puzzle pieces. However, this time, the main aim is to recover the stolen mothership parts (elements of a PS5) from the alien who attacked you at the start of the game.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 on PlayStation 5

It has been 13 long years since we last saw Captain Titus and the Ultramarines in action against the enemies of the Emperor. The extended wait meant many fans would have given up hope on any possible sequel to one of the best third-person action experiences out there for visceral, gory action, so when Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was revealed by Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment, it set the stage for a grand return of something fabulously familiar.

After fighting against the Tyranid hordes and the inevitable reach of Chaos, not only has Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 provided hours and hours of entertainment, but it also made me feel at ease that games where action and worldbuilding took precedence over everything else are still possible in this day and age. Whether you are new to the series or a returning veteran of ancient campaigns, the trials and tribulations of Titus and his team are one to savor regardless.

The Casting of Frank Stone on PC

Supermassive Games has a monopoly on the interactive horror movie genre. It’s a simple formula, but one that works well. You control a group of characters caught in a typical horror movie scenario, and you’ll make the decisions that will lead them to safety – or an early grave.

The Casting of Frank Stone marks the developer’s first crossover, with asymmetrical horror Dead by Daylight getting the honour. It’s a tough sell, but one that works well. Yes, the game works best if you know Dead by Daylight and can recognize the many, many easter eggs. I’ve been playing Dead by Daylight for years, and even now there are references I’m sure I missed or couldn’t place. However, even if you haven’t played Dead by Daylight, The Casting of Frank Stone does a great job of introducing you to the universe, and works well as a standalone story.

Concord on PlayStation 5 & PC

As someone who never bought heavily into hero shooters during the heights of the Overwatch craze, I was more than a little intrigued by Firewalk Studios’ take on the genre with Concord. It’s one of PlayStation’s earnest attempts at breaking into the live-service space, a feat met with great success with the release of Helldivers 2 in early 2024.

With Concord, PlayStation is doubling down on its recent live service push, hoping to reach the same lofty heights and persistent popularity as other shooters in this now overcrowded genre. Will this live-service experiment succeed or will it be a quickly forgotten failure? Only time will tell.

Visions of Mana on PlayStation 5

There were several points during my playthrough of Visions of Mana where it was frustratingly close to being an amazing game.

For brief moments, every part of it would click into place in a way that allowed me to see exactly what Square Enix and Ouka Studios wanted to convey. Its gameplay and narrative finally clicked into place, and its visuals and aesthetic helped it to feel like a grand return for the Mana series.

Gundam Breaker 4 on PS5

I was pretty sure the series was done after New Gundam Breaker was poorly received in 2018. It was a bad start when that was the first Gundam Breaker title with an actual Western release. However, much to my surprise, Gundam Breaker 4 was revealed during a Nintendo Direct in February. Fortunately, this release didn’t disappoint, and I’ve finally been given the next mainline Gundam Breaker game I had been holding out hope for.

Instead of being part of the larger Gundam universe, the Gundam Breaker games focus on the Gunpla aspect, encompassing all the model building. In this universe, all gameplay is part of an arcade game. None of the games connect aside from that central theme, but Gundam Breaker 4 provides a bit of evolution to the formula.

Star Wars Outlaws on PlayStation 5

Star Wars Outlaws marks a couple of recent milestones for the legendary sci-fi franchise that are impossible to overlook. To start, this is the first mainline console and PC release in recent generations not to be developed by an EA studio, as the Jedi series is. Instead, Outlaws is developed by Massive Entertainment – who’ve made the Division games and 2023’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – and published by Ubisoft. 

Secondly, this is the first modern single-player action-adventure Star Wars game to not have a Jedi as a playable protagonist – instead putting gamers into the shoes of Kay Vess: a scoundrel who’s landed herself in hot water. 

Madden 25 on PS5

We’re seeing an injection of fresh life into this year’s Madden thanks to the return of college football with EA Sports College Football 25’s release. The college football franchise comes off an 11-year hiatus, tying nicely into Madden 25’s pro football package. But the return of college football can only do so much for Madden 25, as this year’s experience feels more like a mechanical iteration from past entries rather than a comprehensive overhaul.

Surprisingly, the biggest innovations in this year’s Madden are found in nitty-gritty gameplay details rather than in modes or presentation. EA has been proudly campaigning its new BOOM Tech physics suite; a physics package that incorporates realistic tackles and individualized player movements. By extension, the iconic Madden Hit Stick has been re-engineered so that you can control your tackles through risk/reward hit timings. I’m a terrible tackler in these games and even I found the Hit Stick timings to be intuitive and fun to pull off, even if it sometimes resulted in the carrier breaking through a poorly timed hit.

There’s a common sentiment I hear from people that despite not being the most innovative, Chinese companies always manage to improve whatever they decide to take inspiration from. During the marketing phase and the several years of hype behind Black Myth Wukong, I’m sure many people viewed it as another Soulslike with pretty graphics and a new setting. However, Black Myth Wukong manages to be much more than that and stands out on its own two legs during a time period where the market feels oversaturated with mediocre soulslike imitations. Game Science has really achieved something impressive with their first AAA release.

To preface this review, we’ve managed to complete the main story in around 36 hours of gameplay while exploring every nook and cranny available. So, let’s get the primary expectations from this game straight. Black Myth Wukong is more akin to Sekiro Shadows Die Twice rather than any Souls game or Elden Ring. The game is also quite difficult but it is by no means as difficult as FromSoftware’s titles and we believe this is a good thing. We’ll get into all the details of how the game manages to be different while remaining true to the genre and remaining accessible.

Dustborn on PlayStation 5

The power of language is at the core of everything Dustborn is about, making it an incredibly unique game. Exploring a time where the weaponization of information and how it is expressed can bring people together or sew even greater division between them, Red Thread Games’ single-player action-adventure aims to tell a relatable tale with a story-driven narrative in an alternate near future about hope, love, friendship, and robots.

With noble intentions and some fun ingredients on paper, most of what Dustborn sets out to do on paper is pulled off, making for a unique, heartfelt time overall. 

Earth Defense Force 6 on PS5

To me, the Earth Defense Force series exists to deliver the perfect comfort food games. Each new installment is similar enough to the one before so that you can easily drop back in, but there’s always a new gameplay wrinkle and enemies to encounter. You always know what you’re getting with any EDF, making it exceptionally easy to lose yourself in them, which is simply the best. I had imported the Japanese release of Earth Defense Force 6 in 2022, and I happily jumped at the chance to review the English release.

For anyone who has not heard of this long-running series, Earth Defense Force is a third-person mission-based shooter. At a base level, the game is all about shooting giant enemies (typically bugs) to collect the random weapons and max health upgrades they drop so that you can take on tougher enemies/difficulties. Earth Defense Force 6 is the first game in the franchise on the PS5, and it definitely shows, as it constantly feels like there are more enemies on screen than I’ve ever seen.

Cat Quest 3 has just about everything I want out of an indie RPG. Gorgeously vibrant visuals and a whimsical atmosphere to lose myself in? Check. A unique premise and satisfying progression? Check. Meaningful exploration that encourages me to complete as much as I possibly can? Check, check, and double-check.

The icing on this bright and colorful pirate-themed cake is its relentless and unwavering commitment to the feline species. With seven years of catspertise under their belt, The Gentlebros have created a brilliant pirate-themed setting that serves as a brilliant set dressing for a world inhabited by cat heroes and rat foes. The tone is as bright and whimsical as its gorgeous visuals. If you’re as enthralled by cats as I am, you’ll be easily won over by Cat Quest 3. If not, there’s still an incredibly rewarding action RPG to get stuck into.