melee combat

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Atari have been doing a lot with their old properties. We’ve seen Yars Rising transplant the gameplay of Yars Revenge into a search action game and now it’s Adventure’s time to get a modernised effort. Adventure of Samsara bears very little resemblance to the 1980 classic. Ilex Games have been […]

Adventure of Samsara – PS5 Review

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It’s always dangerous for developers to take direct inspiration from something so distinctive. Star Overdrive is an open-world adventure from Caracal games. With a bright an airy location, it looks to evoke The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild quite directly but it falls short with on-foot traversal and […]

Star Overdrive – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged action adventure / caracal games / crafting / hoverboarding / keytar / melee combat / open world / platforming / star overdrive / trick system by
I’m sure we all remember stories of fairy tales from our childhood. Or local folklore. Whilst some of them become referential in games, I don’t think it’s that common for them to become a focus of an entire interactive experience. Vasilisa and Baba Yaga comes Russian developer Baba Yaga Games. […]

Vasilisa and Baba Yaga – PS5 Review

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Another day, another roguelite. This time it’s Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade from 7Quark. Mixing Japanese history with demonic folklore is not a new thing but the repeatable structure and short runs do make for something potentially interesting. Unfortunately, it’s a game that devolves into repetition a little too […]

Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 7quark / edo / japan / melee combat / nine-tailed fox / oniguri / parries / ranged combat / repetition / ripostes / roguelite / run-based / yasha legends of the demon blade by
At first glance, Blades of Fire offers an interesting twist on souls-like combat with an emphasis on creating your own weaponry. There’s been a lot of thought put into a blacksmith playing the part. Mechanically, it feels largely sound but Mercurysteam’s return to the genre does not click with me […]

Blades of Fire – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged blacksmithing / blades of fire / boy / companions / evil queen / Fantasy / kid / lad / melee combat / mercurysteam / parries / soulslike by
There aren’t that many boss rush games out on the market. NanoApostle comes from 18 Light Game and offers a sci-fi setting with a half-dozen bosses to slay. With responsive controls and a very interesting skill tree, this short but tricky experience manages to deliver a kinetic and deep gameplay […]

NanoApostle – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 18 Light Game / 2d / anime / boss rush / melee combat / nanoapostle / nanomachines / overhead perspective / Pixel art / sci fi by
The belt scroller revival has been going on for a few years now. Digital Eclipse seem to be the right people for this work and the likes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge have beenwarmly received. Following in those footsteps is Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind. This is […]

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2d sidescroller / angel grove / Beat em up / belt scroller / giant robots / martial arts / melee combat / mighty morphin power rangers / teenagers / time travel by
Aspyr’s been working hard at remastering Crystal Dynamics’ back catalogue. After the success of the Tomb Raider Remasters, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered is next in line. It’s one of those series I’ve merely glanced at over the years. Playing them in 2024 has made me […]

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered – ...

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged aspyr / crystal dynamics / cut content / gothic / kain / legacy of kain soul reaver 1 and 2 remastered / melee combat / nosgoth / outtakes / platforming / puzzle solving / raziel / realm shifting / sarafan / vampires by
Another day, another search action game to check out. This time it’s Biomorph from Lucid Dreams Studio. I bet it’s hard to elevate one game within a packed genre. Thankfully, they’ve mostly been up to the task, providing some interesting twists on abilities with some smart choices around map design. […]

Biomorph – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2d / biomorph / cartoon aesthetic / exploration / graph paper maps / lucid dreams studio / melee combat / metroidvania / search action game / transformation 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
The indie space is full of search action games that don’t always manage to set themselves apart. Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune comes from IceSeaTeam and, after a long spell in early access, the full product is available for Playstation 5. What arrives is a fully-baked effort that, whilst […]

Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 2d exploration / frontier hunter erza's wheel of fortune / gunplay / iceseateam / loot / melee combat / metroidvania / search action game / turret sequence by
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Graven is certainly aiming at a specific inspiration. A first-person shooter set in a dark fantasy world, it looks to scratch that Hexxen itch. Slipgate Ironworks and 3D Realms are waist-deep in the genre but, even with all that experience, the Playstation 5 port remains troubled. Let’s get the bad […]

Graven – PS5 Review

 in PS5 / Reviews  tagged 3d realms / bows and arrows / fantasy hexxen / graven / magic / melee combat / plague / quests journal / retro first-person shooter / slipgate ironworks by