Kieran Stockton

“Dead Static Drive has glimmers of interesting Lovecraftian art, but fails to captivate with floaty driving, broken quests and game-breaking bugs further brought down by a general sense of aimlessness and lack of cohesive vision”

“The minds of Suda51 and Swery65 combine to create a roguelike that fails its fundamentals and disappoints on almost every front.”

“Ninja Gaiden II Black is an impressive remaster in terms of sheer visual fidelity, but the gameplay and design haven't aged quite so gracefully. It's an important relic of the past, but just that.”

“A slick visual presentation and serviceable if uneven action stealth can't elevate this mildly baffling mishmash of sci-fi tropes that suffers from a lack of atmosphere and identity”

“Paper Trail is a neat bit of puzzling whimsy with a unique folding mechanic and thoughtful design that hides just the right amount of difficulty beneath its beautiful exterior.”

“A significant visual upgrade makes this faithful remake the best way to engage with this tragic tale, even if its simple themes still lack a little nuance.”

“Enchanted Portals copies almost everything about Cuphead, except for the precision of its mechanics, the tightness of its design and the enjoyment gleaned by mastering it. All the good bits really…”

“Curse of the Sea Rats' charmingly nostalgic art direction can only partially hide a Metroidvania whose mechanical shortcomings are numerous, and whose substandard technical stability is irredeemable in its launch state.”

“A quaint art direction and an occasional well-conceived puzzle are not enough to redeem this painful slog through a child's living nightmare. Trial-and-error instakill sections and some of the worst hide and seek stealth since Sanity of Morris ensure the greatest nightmare will be your own.”

“A faintly interesting premise is irrevocably squandered by muddy visuals, tedious moment-to-moment gameplay and a hateable weak-willed protagonist.”

“A sort and sweet visual novel which gives the player plenty of choice and leverages its source material well, only occasionally stumbling in the writing department.”

“Two fantastic games from the last generation get a makeover, leaning into the substantial muscle of the PS5 to deliver a stunning new experience at the dawn of a new console generation.”

“It's light on content, but it's a fantastically frantic mutliplayer brawler with style and some great gameplay ideas”

“An interesting fusion of Trials-inspired traversal and robot destruction that is let down by its inconsistent execution”

“Marching Fire offers a lot of new, solid, free content, but with a small player base in Australia it's a struggle to experience the game to its fullest”

“The second season of the Orwell series continues with a strong narrative rooted in contemporary issues, with a couple of new mechanics keeping the gameplay alive”

“A brilliant and visually incredible ride that proves itself worthy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the titans of the sci-fi racer world”

“While overly simplistic puzzles are a pity, there's an engaging narrative in Peregrin that keeps this indie adventure ticking along”

“Orwell paints a picture of a surveillance state that is morally reprehensible yet sadly recognisable and relateable”

“The game leans heavily on its visuals and sound but can't sell its simplistic gameplay”