Released in 2021, Shin Megami Tensei V, designed by SMT IV director Kazuyuki Yamai, featured the return of several gameplay features and a storyline all about the clash between angels and demons. Being originally announced as a Switch exclusive in 2017, it suffered quite a few development problems, coming out only four years later. Now SMT V is back, with a re-release bringing a brand-new storyline, a few QoL features, and, of course, a PC/console release. But is it worth your time or is this only for hardcore fans? Let’s head to the Netherworld and find out.

Shin Megami Tensei V brings the classic JRPG vibe that you might be familiar with if you’ve ever played a Persona title. Explore a huge location, solve quests, get into fights, and level up your character and his party. While the story begins in the same way as the original, with an ordinary Japanese student being transported into the Netherworld and fused with a god to form a new being called the Nahobino, after a few hours the game will start bringing in the new storyline.

Destiny 2 The Final Shape Review for PC

Destiny 2 The Final Shape is, in a word, triumphant. For many, time and change mean the Bungie that built its name two decades ago has passed on from its legendary golden years. But it’s special moments like this that remind us – even in the face of such change – there is always new potential. With the conclusion to the Light and Darkness saga, Bungie has raised the bar, showing that its capacity to realize video gaming as an art form is far from lost. Without a doubt, I would call The Final Shape one of the studio’s greatest accomplishments this decade, and, unbelievably, a sign that Destiny 2’s future might be far brighter than we’d anticipated.

There’s nowhere else I could think to begin but with the narrative. For ten years, Bungie has slowly built up the universe of Destiny, the story of our Guardians, and humanity’s fight against the odds. It’s paid off here. From side characters like Caitl and Mithraxx, we gain purposeful insight into their convictions, their fears, and their hopes. From new characters like Luzaku, we gain new questions and possibilities. And from the main cast, we gain nothing short of a spectacle. Zavala has been on something of a character arc since the Witch Queen as his faith in The Traveler falters; it comes to a head here. Crow has been unsure of himself since the moment he was first risen, and he finds a new purpose here. Ikora at least gets some meaningful dialogue – something that’s been a rarity since the Curse of Osiris days. And of course, Cayde-6, voiced by the wonderful Nathan Fillion, steals the show, both as renewed comedic relief and the focus of some of the story’s most sincere, emotional moments.

Asymmetrical horror games are one of gaming’s biggest modern trends. If you can think of a renowned horror IP, there’s a good chance it’s got a video game adaption. In the past two years alone we’ve seen games based on Evil Dead, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Ghostbusters, all within the asymmetrical multiplayer subgenre.

Next on that conveyor belt is Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game. Developed by IllFonic, it takes the cult 80s horror movie and spins it into its own multiplayer experience. Does it have what it takes to distinguish itself in a reasonably bloated subgenre, or will it go the way of Friday the 13th and Evil Dead by taking an early closure?

F1 24 Review on PC

Game series with annual releases like NBA, MLB The Show, and FIFA (EA FC now) sometimes don’t get huge updates. So, I, as an average player, often wonder whether getting the new release is really worth it. Am I really going to pay full price only to get new kits, transfers, and animations? I think F1 24 falls into that category, with the upgrades on last year’s game being minimal at best.

Throughout the years, Codemasters’ F1 as a franchise has grown immensely, and there are more features now than ever. Time trials, co-op career, ranked multiplayer, my team, you name it. Every mode that you can possibly think of has made it to the game.

The Rogue Prince of Persia Early Access on PC

The Prince of Persia series is definitely back with a vengeance. After the recent 2D take on the franchise, The Lost Crown, and while we are still waiting for the infamous Sands of Time remake, Ubisoft has given free rein to an entirely different dev team for their unique take.

The result is a different vibe and atmosphere, plus a style of gameplay claimed right in the title, The Rogue Prince of Persia. Would you want to dive into this new take on the franchise, or better stick to its classic roots?

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Review for Switch

Ask any Mario fan which of the plumber’s back catalog they most wanted to be remastered, and the chances are they’d say Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. When it debuted back on GameCube 20 years ago, it hugely deviated from what big-budget standalone Mario games could be and earned itself a flawless reputation.

Sure, it took after 2000’s original Paper Mario for the N64, but The Thousand-Year Door upped the ante in every way. Larger, more varied areas to explore, a sweeping story, and combat that built on the action commands of the first game but added new features like audience reactions, style finishers, and environmental hazards to avoid mid-battle.

There is a reason why Senua’s name comes first in the title for Hellblade II. The game’s predecessor — Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice — centered on the protagonist’s fight to save her lover’s soul, but this time the journey is entirely about Senua herself. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is her story, her life, and she is now the most important figure in her own journey.

Set in Iceland during the 9th century, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II has Norse culture and myth woven throughout. The beautiful way the game includes Norse stories through the game is inviting and cleverly done. Bonus tales hide within the main story’s chapters, waiting for you to uncover them. Finding each hidden lorestangir is a task within itself, but thankfully this doesn’t distract you from your journey. Each rune you uncover combines to form a captivating tale of Midgard, giving more depth to Senua’s world. In addition to the lorestangir, you will find faces hidden in plain sight which once found, reveal another insight into Senua’s culture and history.

Puzzle games have to strike a delicate balance. On the one hand, a game that’s too easy isn’t going to be exciting. A tricky puzzle is almost like a boss fight, and we want to put our skills to the test. On the other hand, if every puzzle is hard, then it can be a turn-off. Luckily, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes successfully finds the right balance.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Review on Nintendo Switch

The game begins with the unnamed protagonist being invited to a hotel for an art exhibit. As she arrives, it quickly becomes clear that things aren’t right. There’s a corpse in the courtyard, the only other guest is an old woman sharing her room, and the manager has a habit of appearing out of nowhere and disappearing just as quickly.

After one of the most popular closed beta periods in mobile gaming history, Solo Leveling: ARISE is finally out worldwide. Based on the beloved manga-turned-anime, this expansive mobile game takes the 3D action formula of Tower of Fantasy and Honkai Star Rail and adds its own monster-slaying spin.

As someone who rarely plays mobile action games of this nature, I was impressed by just how good the game looks. While Solo Leveling: ARISE isn’t a proper open-world experience, the small combat arenas and hub worlds you explore are lavishly detailed in 3D and stand a step above what most mobile games can offer. The cel-shaded designs are timeless and suit mobile displays well, and while the art style isn’t especially close to the manga or anime, it’s exactly how you’d want a Solo Leveling game to look.

Hades 2 Early Access on PC

Hades 2 is finally here, and it improves upon the extremely solid core foundation which made the first game so beloved. After over 40 hours of gameplay and all the bosses defeated, it’s time to go over what the Hades 2 experience is really like as it enters early access. There’s the old, the new, the mostly good, and some of the bad.

First, let’s get the good old stuff out of the way before diving into all the new content. The combat and gameplay follow the same loop as the previous game, where you clear chambers full of enemies, pick your next room, collect rewards, and move on ahead. Most of the Boon mechanics remain the same, and only a few new Gods are added to the game.

Another Crab’s Treasure on PlayStation 5

The souls-like genre has always tended to veer towards the dark and moody, forcing players to confront the things that go bump in the night and are capable of leaving nightmarish impressions in the psyche for years to come. While gameplay is perhaps the most important aspect of the adventure, having the right aesthetic can also do wonders. This is why Another Crab’s Treasure from Aggro Crab is such a breath of fresh air, even if the core ideas remain familiar.

Transporting players into an underwater world, it will be up to players and the meek hermit crab named Kril to make things right again. In this case, venturing across the seabed to get back the shell that was wrongfully taken away from you and slicing and dicing all who stand in your way into sashimi. It is clear that the game doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it makes for an entertaining jaunt that is full of charm and fun from start to finish.

Endless Ocean Luminous is the third instalment in the game series from Arika and 14 years have passed since the release of Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep. With such a huge gap between releases, fans of the previous Endless Ocean games have been curious about what Luminous will bring. Will it be more of the same chill vibes and ocean adventures, or is there more?

Unfortunately, Endless Ocean Luminous does not seem to offer much more than its Nintendo Wii predecessors. The vibes are the same, with a similar soundtrack to swim along with, but there is little sense of adventure. At its basic level it is an enjoyable game, but does it have enough going for it to keep players invested?

Manor Lords Review on PC

I haven’t been hyped to try a city-building game for years, ever since my Frostpunk obsession died down. Now, the review copy I got of Manor Lords has reignited my passion for them, though the fire is still low.

A single person is developing the game, and it is still in early access, meaning that it has a ways to go before we get to experience all its features. Considering how recently it entered it, we might be in for a few years of wait. Whatever it may be, we aren’t gonna talk about what the game might look like in the future. Instead, let’s see what’s so good (or bad ) about it right now.

Sand Land on PC

Sand Land is a video game based on one of Akira Toriyama’s short mangas from way back in 2000. Not only did the manga receive this video game treatment, it recently got an anime adaptation that expanded the original story significantly.

This second half was written by Akira Toriyama himself before his unfortunate passing. While I’m a major Toriyama fan and his works have shaped many of my core experiences, going into Sand Land, I had no idea how much he was involved. It’s only recently that I’m learning about the actual origin of the manga. So despite my love for Toriyama-sensei, I don’t think it’s changed how I feel about Sand Land the video game. It’s an excellent game that’s held back by a barren desert of content.

Stellar Blade on PlayStation 5

When it comes to console exclusives, the PlayStation 5 certainly hasn’t been short of them. In fact, it is this particular avenue that has allowed the platform to build upon its successes in recent years. Following the likes of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Rise of the Ronin in 2024 comes Shift Up’s Stellar Blade, an action role-playing extravaganza that prizes aesthetics above all. A stylish adventure awaits, even if there’s room for improvement in many other aspects.

With Earth now desolated in the aftermath of a great war, humans are no longer the masters of the planet. In their place stands the Naytiba, alien creatures that are as deadly as they are intimidating, and it is up to the 7th Airborne Squad to try to wrestle back control by slaying the Elder Naytiba at the heart of the chaos. Naturally, things don’t go according to plan, and the explosive introduction sets the tone pretty well for what comes next.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on PC

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has had a rocky road to release. Originally slated for release in 2022, the latest (and, sadly, final) game from legendary Suikoden creator Yoshitaka Murayama is a beautifully executed JRPG that feels both modern and nostalgic. Above all else, it’s a game in which the developer’s passion for the genre is evident in everything from the storyline to the battles.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is, in one word, beautiful. It’s an effective throwback to Suikoden, but perhaps most importantly, had it come out at the time it would have blown people away. Every detail has been lovingly crafted, from the gorgeous environments to the lighting and shadow design to the optional depth of field options. The sound design is similarly beautiful, with emotive music that underscores the events.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU on PlayStation 5

The Metroidvania genre is full of gems that have strong gameplay foundations, keeping players engaged in whichever world they find themselves in, and incentivizing them to keep coming back for more. That said, not many of them feature stories that touch upon more poignant themes that require more emotional investment from the player. This is where Surgent Studios’ Tales of Kenzera: ZAU shines brightly, even if there are several issues that dim its brilliance along the way.

With the central core of the story being about the love of a father and son, players will join Zuberi, a child who is now mourning the loss of his father, in the distant future. That sense of loss is profound, and the only way to placate the unnerving swell of emotions is through a book written by his father, of a shaman called Zau who is facing the same predicament in the lands of Kenzera. Yet, the healer is able to strike a deal with the God of Death, Kalunga. By overcoming three lost ancestral spirits, Zau wants the deity to bring his Baba back from the dead.

TopSpin 2K25 on PlayStation 5

It’s been 13 years since the last TopSpin game and the last mainline Virtua Tennis game released. Now, in 2024, one of the high-profile tennis series is making a comeback.

Developed by Hangar 13, who made Mafia III and the upgraded version of the first game in that series, TopSpin 2K25 is a little bit of a departure for them. On the court, tennis games have come a long way in the last decade. Away from it, though, 2K25 isn’t much of an evolution.

Video game TV show adaptations are coming thick and fast now. With a quirky tone and easily distinguishable world, Fallout has long been the perfect candidate for one.

Set 219 years after the apocalypse was set in motion, nine years after the event of Fallout 4, Season One’s story primarily follows Lucy, an inhabitant of Vault 33 who ventures to the surface for the first time in an attempt to rescue her Dad from raiders who captured him.

Open Roads on PlayStation 5

As someone who calls Gone Home one of his favourite games of all time, I’ve been excited for Fullbright’s next game, Open Roads, ever since its reveal at The Game Awards in 2020.

With performances from Kaitlyn Dever and Keri Russell as Tess and Opal, the story follows a mother and daughter in her mid-teens as they get ready to move following the death of their mother/grandmother.