Mike

About Mike

Mike gets all the racing games because he understands that stuff even though he doesn't drive.
I can’t say I had high hopes for Marathon. The protracted development cycle, issues over stolen artwork and a general malaise around pre-release had me wondering if Bungie could still pull something out of the bag. I may not be all that into extraction shooters but Marathon‘s world of corporate […]

Marathon – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged bungie / corporate espionage / cyberpunk / designer's republic / extraction shooter / future aesthetic / marathon / online multiplayer only / robotic shell by
Perhaps it was inevitable to see Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered. After last year’s reworking of the two Soul Reaver games, it’s only right to give the follow-up the same treatment. As a game that doesn’t quite hold the same cache as the older titles, this Playstation 2-era effort retains […]

Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged character action / crystal dynamics / eldritch gods / fate / free will / humans / kain / legacy of kain defiance remastered / nosgoth / raziel / third-person / vampires by
It’s kind of exciting to see visual novels that sidestep the usual genre trappings. Vampire Therapist comes from Little Bat Games and has a surprisingly mature approach to psychiatry. With insight from a licensed practitioner, this introspective talker offers an entry into the concepts at play and how better to […]

Vampire Therapist – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged cognitive distortions / education / gunslinger / little bat games / psychiatry / therapy / vampire therapist / visual novel by
It must be simulator month because we’re absolutely swimming in them. Figuratively, until Swimming Simulator or something equally banal turns up in the inbox. Today, I’ve got a hankering to run a nightclub in Disco Simulator. Coming from Games Incubator and Frozen Cave Studio, it’s a functional but tedious entry […]

Disco Simulator – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged bouncers / cleaners / dancing / disco simulator games incubator / drinking / frozen cave studio / management / nightclub tycoon / sandbox by
Whilst I watched a lot of Motorsport, drifting’s not really something I click with. Sure, getting sideways looks cool and disciplined but I’ve never seen it as efficient. That said, in the right set of circumstances, I’ll burn rubber on virtual tarmac. JDM: Japanese Drift Master is picking an obvious […]

JDM: Japanese Drift Master – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged dragon run / gaming factory / japan / jdm japanese drift master / manga / open-world racing game / sushi delivery / time trial / touge by
I think when you put together a story about the dangers of social media, it can be tricky to walk the right line. BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW comes from Serafini Productions who think they’re on the right track with help from an actual influencer. Unfortunately, their involvement seems to undercut the prevalent […]

BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged akidearest / bullying / chase sequences / horror / influencer / parental abuse / puzzles / serafini productions / social media addiction by
You could still argue the kart racer genre is not well-served, outside of Nintendo’s platforms. Coming from particularly barren era, Street Racer managed to find some renown on the Super Nintendo whilst also being ported to anywhere that would have it. Street Racer Collection takes four of these versions and […]

Street Racer Collection – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged championship / circuit racing / DOS / gameboy / kart racing / Mega Drive / old school / power ups / SNES / soccer / street racer / turbo / violence / vivid image by
Maybe I’m getting jaded by the indie horror offerings. If it’s not zombies, it’s eldritch horror. Dark Atlas: Infernum offers the latter. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Night Council Studio’s debut delivers some strong world building but I left it feeling a little underwhelmed. There are seeds of promise here […]

Dark Atlas: Infernum – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged cosmic / dark atlas infernum / dark council studios / eldritch horror / monsters / occult / puzzle solving / Spain / stealth / survival horror by
You only get to make one first impression. If Project Motor Racing sounds familiar, it’s because it’s from former Slightly Mad alumni. They’re now stationed at Straight 4 Studio and have only had one thing in mind.  Whilst Project Cars was a more fully-featured racing sim, this spiritual successor is […]

Project Motor Racing- PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged career mode / cars / circuit racing / GT1 / Hypercars / online multiplayer / project motor racing / racing / straight 4 studios / weekly challenges by
Hannah is a 3D platformer from Spaceboy. It boast a decent dollop of horror and unease but the platforming, and lack of peril can really undercut the mood. Dreamy and surreal, it has a cohesive style and some mildly engrossing puzzles. Unfortunately, it’s a little too rough around the edges […]

Hannah – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 3d platfomer / hannah / horror / narratively-driven / obligatory stealth segment / puzzles / small girl big world / spaceboy / trauma by