Latest Reviews
Review Silent Hill: The Short Message (PS5) - There's a Reason It's Free
Ghost this one
Silent Hill: The Short Message is the first product in 12 years to release with the Silent Hill name on it, and picking up where the Silent Hill HD Collection and PS Vita title Book of Memories left off, it doesn't exactly put the series' best foot forward. Instead of a horror experience filled with inventive puzzles and consistently...
Review Granblue Fantasy: Relink (PS5) - Fantastic Action RPG Finally Takes to the Skies
A Gran-d old time
An action RPG with an emphasis on action, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is based on hit mobile title Granblue Fantasy. For the last decade or so, developer Cygames' intention has been to spread the good Granblue word to a wider audience, and so it greenlit the likes of Granblue Fantasy Versus and Relink — console adaptations that...
Uncanny Ani
Talking to StarWars.com on the 20th anniversary of the first Star Wars prequel film, George Lucas was clear that, "The films were designed for 12-year-olds." Big Ape Productions mustn't have got the memo when developing PS1 Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace though, because a steep difficulty curve, and bewildering design ensures...
Review Persona 3 Reload (PS5) - A Stunning Remake of a Classic RPG, Polished to Near Perfection
Brilliant in blue
It's difficult to replay older Persona games after Persona 5. They still tell engrossing character-driven stories, but with Persona 5 — and Persona 5 Royal in particular — Atlus evolved the series' core gameplay loop to such an extent that previous titles can feel clunky and monotonous by comparison. And so we have Persona 3...
Mini Review Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord (PSVR2) - Teamwork Makes the Scream Work
Bustin' makes me feel good
Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord has you take up the role of San Fransisco's newest addition to the Ghostbusters crew. Its fluid, intuitive, and satisfying controls create an enjoyable and immersive experience that will hook fans of the supernatural series, even when the action becomes ever-so-slightly repetitive...
Mini Review War Hospital (PS5) - Triage the Wounded in Grim Wartime Sim
Casualties of war
We seem to be experiencing a new era of bleak realism in management sims. The likes of This War of Mine and Frostpunk eschew optimistic growth in favour of grim survival at all costs. The latest in this cycle is War Hospital, a WWI-era triage-'em-up that has you overseeing a medical compound under relentless assault from enemy...
Review Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS5) - The Best Yakuza Game Ever Made
Finish the fight
If Yakuza: Like a Dragon was SEGA setting up a baton toss so legendary protagonist Kazuma Kiryu could finally retire after eight games' worth of story, then receiver Ichiban Kasuga needs to work on his handling technique. The new kid on the block doesn't just require the Dragon of Dojima to handle a few side stories as his hair...
Mini Review Immortality (PS5) - An Exceptional FMV Mystery
Two thumbs up
What happened to Marissa Marcel? That's the central crux of the splendid video-game-slash-interactive-movie(s), Immortality. It's a rare treat, anchored by an exceptional lead performance from the actor Manon Gage, in which you attempt to solve the mystery of what happened to a promising actress who starred in three movies, none of...
Review Tekken 8 (PS5) - Next-Gen Tekken Is a Modern Fighting Game Masterclass
Heat haze hype
Tekken 8 has been a long time coming. Its predecessor, the unprecedentedly popular Tekken 7, launched what feels like an age ago; the original arcade release happened all the way back in 2015, before a much-updated version came to consoles in 2017. However, its shockingly long life cycle — perpetuated by an incredibly strong...
Here comes Justice
With Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, Capcom's mission to bring all the series' mainline games to modern platforms is finally complete. Continuing the storyline from the beloved original trio of adventures, this is arguably the best collection the publisher has put together yet, fleshing it out with a much fuller set of...
Mini Review The Cub (PS5) - Short Platformer Oozes Style
Radio apocalyptica
One of the toughest things about making a 2D platformer must simply be making it stand out amongst the thousands of others. The Cub, from Golf Club Wasteland team Demagog Studio, at least gives itself a leg up in that regard, then, with stylised visuals, a moody soundtrack, and a persistent radio show that plays over the whole...
Review The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered (PS5) - A Near Perfect Package for New and Returning Fans
So… is it everything you hoped for?
The Last of Us: Part 2, in the eyes of us here at Push Square, is a masterpiece. Naughty Dog’s divisive sequel surpassed the hype and then some with a shocking, heart-wrenching, and visceral tale of revenge that subverted sequel expectations in a bold and brazen way. So with The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, a...
Mini Review Toy Trains (PSVR2) - Ex-Superhot Devs Deliver Tranquil Train Fun
Tracks in the attic
Something Random is made up of former SUPERHOT developers, but the studio's debut game couldn't be more different. Toy Trains is a cute, relaxing game that lets you relive the simple fun found in building model train tracks, and it does so quite successfully. A train set in a dusty attic just so happens to be home to a tiny...
Review Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (PS5) - A Slick, Satisfying, and Royally Robust Metroidvania
Crowning glory
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the first major game in Ubisoft's beloved series in a very long time, so we have to give the publisher some kudos for not playing it safe. While a straightforward remake of The Sands of Time is also on the way, this entry is a side-scrolling action platformer with a Metroidvania structure. It...
Mini Review Vertigo 2 (PSVR2) - Phenomenal VR Shooter Shares a Lot of DNA with Half-Life
The life of Brian
What a pleasant surprise Vertigo 2 has turned out to be. Waking up in a cell, held captive by the omnipotent — and possibly sinister — Brian, you are eventually let loose to explore a massive scientific facility housing a quantum reactor. The similarities to Half-Life are striking and immediate, but dev Zulubo hasn’t shied...
Mini Review Breachers (PSVR2) - One of the Best Shooters for Sony's VR Platform
Once more unto the breach, dear friends
Released on Meta Quest VR in April 2023 to widespread acclaim, Breachers is a Rainbow Six Siege-style 5v5 tactical shooter that's now available on PSVR2. You and four teammates assume the role of either 'Enforcers' or 'Revolters'; the former team is tasked with infiltrating the location and disarming bombs,...
Mini Review Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising (PS5) - Re-Released, Rollback Fighter Is Top Tier
Rise again
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is essentially an enhanced re-release of the ill-fated Granblue Fantasy Versus — a really good fighting game that had its competitive scene smothered by the coronavirus pandemic, while shoddy netcode meant its online community was all but dead on arrival. Rising, then, feels like a deserved second chance...
DLC Review God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla (PS5) - An Essential Epilogue for Fans of the Series
Rogue to redemption
God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is the best kind of DLC — it makes an already fantastic game even better. Available for free to all who own God of War Ragnarok itself, this is an epilogue to the main story that gives you a very good excuse to dive back into the action. Not only does Valhalla contain some valuable narrative beats...
Mini Review The Lord of the Rings: Return To Moria (PS5) - Survival Adventure Not Worth Treasuring
And they call it a mine, a mine!
Free Range Game's hairy spelunking simulator comes hot on the heels of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, a low point of the year and a horrible adaptation of Tolkien's IP. While it isn't as abjectly awful as Daedalic's folly, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is, sadly, also a disappointment. This is a survival...
Review Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (PS5) - A World We Don't Want to Leave
Pandora Hunting Simulator
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a game this writer has been waiting a long time for. In many ways, it is the Hogwarts Legacy for fans of big blue folk and vibrant alien worlds. But with that apt comparison and Ubisoft Massive at the helm, does it do enough to stand on its own two feet? Or is it nothing more than a pretty...
Work death balance
There are so many roguelikes and roguelites now that it's getting harder and harder to stand out, and that's something Have a Nice Death doesn't quite overcome. By and large, this is a perfectly decent side-scrolling action game, but it doesn't reach the upper echelons of this competitive niche. You play as Death, fatigued by his...
Mini Review Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen (PS5) - A Short But Explosive Dungeon Run
Tower power
We're weren't totally convinced that Final Fantasy 16 needed story-based DLC, but now that we've played through Echoes of the Fallen — the first of two promised expansions — we're actually glad it's happening. If nothing else, this additional slice of adventure is a welcome reminder of how flashy and downright fun 16's combat can be...
Review Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Review (PS5) - An Expansive CRPG Worthy of the Setting
For the Emperor
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader offers a rewarding roleplaying experience set in the grimdark far future of Games Workshop's storied sci-fi universe — something fans have been screaming for forever. Developer OwlCat Games has learned plenty of tricks from its Pathfinder series, and while still a little rough around the edges,...
The grass could do with a cut
Arashi: Castles of Sin Final Cut is a stealth, action-adventure, virtual reality title from developer Endeavor One and publisher Skydance Interactive. You take on the role of deadly assassin Kenshiro, setting out across feudal Japan in the hopes of defeating six terrorous bandit leaders who have devastated the lands for...
Review Arizona Sunshine 2 (PSVR2) - A PSVR2 Must-Buy
Brutal, bloody, and utterly brilliant
There’s something inherently entertaining about bashing a zombie's brains in. We’ve enjoyed it in shows like The Walking Dead, and we’ve certainly enjoyed it in video games like World War Z, Days Gone, and even Sony classic The Last of Us. However, Arizona Sunshine 2 takes the prize for the most...
Review Pinball M (PS5) - A Devilishly Cohesive Horror Pinball Platform
You're already dead
Pinball M launches at a time when creator Zen Studios’ reputation has been dented. For well over a decade now, the Hungarian developer has dominated the virtual pinball market with its beautiful table layouts and feature-packed apps. But this year’s Pinball FX crushed consumer confidence by failing to carry forward previous...
Mini Review The Last Faith (PS5) - Competent Metroidvania Scratches That Bloodborne Itch
Provided you have the appetite
The Last Faith is a solid gothic fusion of Metroidvania and Souls-Like, mashing mechanics from two relatively crowded subgenres into something that stands out thanks to gorgeous pixel art. Fans of tough, 2D platformers will likely find a lot to like here, doubly so if you are one of those tortured souls afflicted by a...
Mini Review Flashback 2 (PS5) - Disastrously Buggy Sequel Diminishes 1992 Classic
From Con-rad to Con-traversal
Flashback fans curb your enthusiasm, because Microid's 2023 Flashback 2's not even a 2D cinematic platform game. This PS5 pseudo 3D adventure doesn't have any of the subgenre's gameplay traits that Push Square noted when reviewing a title like Another World. It also doesn't continue in the tradition of great sci-fi...
Review SteamWorld Build (PS5) - A Steam-Fresh Take on the City-Building Genre
If you build it, they will come
The SteamWorld games have successfully bounced around a number of different genres including Metroidvania-style mining games and turn-based tactical stealth. With SteamWorld Build, developer The Station has brought those adorable robots into the city-building genre, with a bit of dungeon exploration thrown into the...
Mini Review KarmaZoo (PS5) - Co-Op Is Key in This Novel Multiplayer Platformer
Going loopy
KarmaZoo from Pastagames says that online co-op with strangers needn't be the painful exercise it usually is. A co-op platformer you play online with random players (or friends if you like), groups of up to 10 must work together to get through a short series of levels, and it works a treat. The design is pretty ingenious. After grouping...
