Sebastian Hawden
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Writing For
Playstation UniverseLatest Reviews
It will be very difficult to find a game I have enjoyed exploring more than Balatro this year. Learning its mechanics were like learning a new language and it was all-encompassing. Balatro should be the design template going forward for many designers, it contains 0% fat and is trimmed to perfection. Not a pixel or mechanic is wasted in this immensely addictive roguelike. Bravo to all involved.
Unique, funny and so entertaining, Lil' Guardsman has all the traits I want from games in my old age. Lil' Guardsman is like nothing else on the market, it's beautiful and so well written that its world will swallow you whole. It's not often you get to play a game that makes you smile from start to finish but Lil' Guardsman stole a Lil' piece of my heart. I cannot recommend it enough.
Wizard With A Gun is unique enough to stand out in a saturated genre. Its survival and crafting elements really make it stand out. Toying with varying bullet types and powders is entertaining as is exploration and combat. It's a damn shame the multiplayer and technical issues hold back what could have been a fantastic game.
High On Life is dirty, rambunctious and a hell-load of fun. While the comedy, writing and voice acting will not be everyone's cup of tea, the self-referential, meta humour really tickles me silly. It's nice to play a game that does not take itself seriously, pushes the boat out a little and strays from the mainstream cookie-cutter formula. I had a lot of fun with High On Life, its not perfect by any means but it did it's job and kept me truly entertained throughout.
As golf games go, this is the most fun I have had in a while. It's a massive improvement over recent years' titles. The career mode is both addictive and rewarding, it's full of contact and the presentation is both cinematic and beautiful. A few issues will not get in the way of what I think is the best golf sim around at the moment. Let's hit the greens, people!
Session: Skate Sim is unique amongst its peers. Its control scheme, while taking time to master, is massively rewarding. Rolling around the streets and finding your own skating lines is addictively entertaining. It's a shame about the quest system, its overall presentation and some of the rough edges but do I feel Session is a few patches away from greatness.
Inscryption is an amalgamation of deck-builder and escape room games, and is unlike anything I have ever played before. In an age of video games where uniqueness is at an all-time low, it was amazing to be so surprised at regular intervals. Inscryption will test what you think a card battling roguelite is and its constant twists and turns will keep you on your toes. It's a game where I fully feel like I have sculpted my deck myself; it's wild, it's dark and it's utterly brilliant.
Even though it was initially difficult and with very basic combat, Infernax wooed me with its comical gore, beautiful music and simple art style. Infernax will not be everyone's cup of tea but if you have a bit of time and want to play something a little different, I can recommend it. Just beware, you initially may need to navigate a bit of a skill wall of sorts to progress.
Simplistic, light on content, and if played in longer sessions, repetitive. However, when played in short bursts and after you have got to grips with some of the games nuances it can be fun and rewarding. There are better skateboarding games out there without a doubt but if you have played them all and want to shred, Skate City does have its merits.
Well thought out puzzles and a fantastic art style really propel The Pedestrian to the top of my list of recently played puzzle games. It is so different and that is something I really admire. While it will not be for everyone I think it does enough to even tease non-puzzle game fans into trying it. Striking and clever, The Pedestrian never overstays its welcome. It's short, sweet and I enjoyed every minute of it.