Robert Ramsey
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Writing For
Push SquareLatest Reviews
What a difference seven years makes. In 2018, the dismal Dynasty Warriors 9 effectively put Koei Tecmo's storied hack and slash series on ice, but Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a completely different beast. For the first time in generations, the franchise feels fresh again — a genuine evolution of what's come before.
When you think back on the Soul Reaver games, you think about their atmosphere, their tone, and that often immaculate voice acting. What you don't necessarily think about, is how awkward and clumsy they were to actually play — and ultimately, those same ups and downs apply to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered.
You always know what you're getting with a mainline Dragon Quest game. The series is pretty much the epitome of consistent, having stuck to its timeless Japanese RPG formula for decades. But that comfy feeling of familiarity somehow hits even harder with Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake — a powerfully nostalgic rebuild of a true classic.
It's been close to ten whole years since Dragon Age: Inquisition, if you can believe it — and it's fair to say that developer BioWare has endured a difficult decade. The studio effectively tanked its once industry-leading reputation with Mass Effect: Andromeda and ANTHEM — two titles that fell so far short of past standards that expectations surrounding the team's next project dropped to an all-time low.
Close to two decades after its release, beloved PS2 arena fighter Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 has been handed a sequel in all but name. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a throwback of epic proportions — the kind of all-out, franchise-encompassing brawler that's been sorely missed beyond the Naruto Ninja Storm series.
Spearheaded by a trio of veteran developers best known for their outstanding work on the Persona series, Metaphor: ReFantazio is the dawn of a brand new IP from Atlus. In its structure and mechanics, it feels comfortingly familiar, but in its fantastical setting and bold style — both in terms of visuals and audio — it breaks new ground in brilliantly memorable ways.
Black Myth: Wukong is, ultimately, a game about boss fights. Tense, dynamic boss fights that'll have you gawking in awe one minute, and potentially spiking your controller the next. This is a challenging action title — a constant push against increasingly complex and deadly opponents, and there are no difficulty settings to fall back on. That fact alone will be enough to put some people off, but if you can stick with the game and become invested in its rather unique brand of staff-based battling, you'll be rewarded with a degree of spectacle that's so rarely seen outside of bona fide blockbusters like Final Fantasy 16 and God of War Ragnarok.
So, who remembers Tomba!? Also known as Tombi! in Europe, it was a distinctly Japanese platformer that charmed many a PS1 player all the way back in 1997. Often bizarre but almost always bright and cheery, Tomba! offered something very different to the genre's blockbusters, like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro. It was a curious blend of sprite-based, 2D platforming and layered 3D environments. It even had RPG elements.
Already a hit on PC through early access, V Rising emerges on PS5 as it enters version 1.0. This is an isometric action RPG not unlike Diablo, but instead of focusing on loot, this blood-sucking adventure emphasises crafting and building. It's an enjoyable blend of genres, but it's fair to say that the game struggles to show its true worth until you're hours and hours into a save.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth feels like a natural progression. Free from the steel skies of Midgar and its corridor-style design, this direct sequel to 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake fully embraces that sense of adventure found in the original Final Fantasy 7, as Cloud Strife and his ragtag group took their first few steps out onto the sprawling world map. Rebirth goes big in terms of scope and scale — but it doesn't always stick the landing.