Mike

About Mike

Mike gets all the racing games because he understands that stuff even though he doesn't drive.
When I looked at a trailer for VED, I wondered if it would be for me. I saw dice rolls in an RPG setting and slightly baulked at the idea of reviewing it. Thankfully, VED is an interesting mix of turn-based action with a heavy narrative focused around the discovery […]

VED – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged choose your own adventure / corporate espionage / dice rolling / faction warfare / fairies / Fantasy / karaclan / magic / narratively-driven / rpg / turn-based combat / ved by
I’ll always root for a little guy, especially if there’s a good idea on display. Shieldwall is a tactical battle simulator that uses a comedic set of characters to lighten the mood. Nezon Productions are a very tiny team and it’s unfortunate that this size has produced a game with […]

Shieldwall – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged ancient warfare / capture the flag / greek / Hero / historical / infantry / nezon productions / real time strategy / roman / shieldwall / squad management / tactical by
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Skautfold‘s been a weird series with something of an identity crisis. Each of Pugware’s games so far have settled in a different genre whilst trying to push forward a narrative about the occult, eldritch horror and colonial conflict. Whilst it does propel an air of mystery about the series, the […]

Skautfold: Into the Fray – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2d aesthetic / american war for independence / lovecraft / melee combat / Pixel art / pugware / rituals / skautfold into the fray / twin-stick shooter by
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In this climate of almost everything getting remastered, I was not expecting the Playstation 5 release of Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition to do a whole lot for me. I’d played the first game in the series and, whilst it did well to execute on some pretty obvious inspirations, I ran […]

Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged darksiders ii deathinitive edition / death / horsemen of the apocalypse / not portal / not zelda / platforming / puzzles / third person melee combat / vigil games by
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Say what you want about remasters, they do present opportunities for cult classics or completely forgotten games to find new life. With the big hitters of the FPS genre largely covered, Nightdive Studios has turned its attention to some of the lesser known 90’s shooters. One such example being Killing […]

Killing Time: Resurrected – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 3do / art deco / Egyptian artefact / first-person shooter / high society / horror / killing time resurrected / nightdive / old school fps / roaring 20's / socialite by
I do love being impressed. In this job, almost everything is new to me but I never get tired of seeing new ideas work brilliantly. Coming from a single developer, Sam Enright has managed to pull together a visually impressive and cohesive universe whilst also providing a smart role-playing experience. […]

Beyond Galaxyland – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2.5d / adventure / aliens / beyond galaxyland / photography / platforming / puzzles / sam enright / sci fi / space / turn-based rpg by
I’m no Disney sicko but Mickey Mouse has found himself in more good games than most. The jug-eared mascot has particularly flourished in platformers and Disney Epic Mickey was received relatively kindly when it released on the Wii. 14 years later, a revitalised version has reached current consoles. Purple Lamp […]

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged captain hook / disney epic mickey rebrushed / donald duck / fantasia / goofy / mickey mouse / oswald / painting / peter pan / platforming / purple lamp / sidescroller by
For over a decade, the Test Drive series had laid dormant. Now in the corporate hands of Nacon, the open-world car lifestyle simulator has returned. KT Racing have shown an aptitude for solid handling and replicating large environments, but Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, lacks the soul of the originals. […]

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged always online / digital tourism / driving / festival / hong kong island / luxury cars / multiplayer / open world / racing / test drive unlimited solar crown / time trials by
There’s a lot I take for granted with NBA 2K25. The series has always looked authentic and kept the presentation to a high level. It’s no different here with the commentary remaining insightful, if bordering on repetitive. Arenas and players look accurate with the court-side activity remaining lively and active. […]

NBA 2K25 – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged basketball / career mode / larry bird / lebron james / magic johnson / michael jordan / NBA 2K25 / sports / steph curry / team-building / visual concepts / women by
I think I like the mood Atari is in. Their output from a preservationist standpoint has been cool and they have attempted to revive or reimagining some of their old classics. They don’t always hit but their willingness to try has been really admirable. Their latest attempt is Yars Rising, […]

Yars Rising – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2d sidescroller / alien invasion / atari / metroidvania / nostalgia / search action game / stealth / tech corporation / yar's revenge / yars rising by
Tennis games feel few and far between and it seems like an age since they were truly great. Top Spin might be back on the menu these days but, aside from that, Big Ant Studios appear to be the only studio available to bring a licensed version of the racquet […]

Tiebreak: Official Game of the ATP and WTA – PS5 ...

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged big ant studios / career mode / creation tools / novak djokovic / online multiplayer / sports / tennis / tiebreak official game of the atp and wta by