Graham Banas

“Sports games are pretty predictable. From one year to the next, you'll see one or two sweeping changes and then a number of smaller tweaks, but beyond that, you'll by and large be playing the same title. By that logic, it's actually impressive how much EA Vancouver has managed to change this year given how quick its turnaround is from game to game. Less impressive is the implementation of said changes. Selecting your pass targets is a wholly welcome inclusion and a rousing success. The majority of the other changes, particularly the new checking system, leave much to be desired. Why do so many things feel like they took steps backward? Isn't this kind of problem usually reserved for the dawn of a new generation? What happened?”

“What everything adds up to is a game that’s half good. If the more unique and compelling idea of the war was expanded upon, the title could have been much better.”

“Goodbye Volcano High is an absolute delight. While the rhythm gameplay segments are a bit of a nuisance by way of their design, the only other real issue is the sorry state of the Trophy list, something that should be easily remedied. If you can look past those fairly minor hitches, then what you'll experience is an exceptionally written game filled out by a cast of characters without so much as a weak link. Combine the incredibly impressive roster of characters with the high caliber of writing capable of delivering an emotional gut-punch just as easily as raucous laughter, this is not one worth sleeping on.”

“It’s a stunning package, filled to the brim with content both new and old, and barring the handful of small issues, it's a brilliant way to revisit one of the most iconic shooters in video games.”

“Generally, the game is packed to the absolute brim with content, and it's a blast to play, even if it never sees fit to reinvent the wheel.”

“Each level being self-contained allows the team to dabble with different tones, too. An early level dealing with an ancient Sarcophagus is particularly adept at splicing horror into the experience, while a level taking place in a church uses an organ to incorporate musical elements into the game. It’s all handled flawlessly, and greatly enhances the value of the product, by offering varied, distinctive experiences level-to-level.”

“Tequila Works has definitely offered better experiences in the past, but Gylt is still a decent enough time.”

“Mechanically, Synapse is incredible, but the breadth of content is another story. This feels like a proof of concept for a full experience, once the amount of content can match the level of gameplay.”

“The updated version of Layers of Fear is incredibly impressive. In addition to offering high-quality remakes of the entire series, this version goes a step forward and creates new material with the explicit purpose of bringing all pre-existing content of the series under one umbrella. The exceptional visual overhaul, fascinating transforming environments, and great sound design ensure this horror series has done a phenomenal job of making sure it continues to be an experience worth having.”

“While the gameplay doesn’t evolve nearly enough given the game’s runtime, you still wind up with a fun experience. And for anyone invested in the history of the medium, there’s a lot to love.”

“Ultimately, the issues that arise aren’t enough to quash the immense level of fun or the mastery of design on display. Red Matter 2 is a PSVR2 must-play.”

“Even with these setbacks, you still get a brutally exhausting, immensely fulfilling gameplay loop with masterfully charted songs. However, until those issues are fixed, what you have is merely an adequate port.”

“With lofty ambitions and some great elements, After Us lets itself down in as many ways as it triumphs. Gorgeous art direction and an admirable anti-pollution message aren't enough to make up for tedious combat, performance issues, and open-ended level design that plays things a little too loose. If you're itching for an experience like this, there are better options out there, at the very least until After Us' performance issues are addressed. There's the core of an incredible experience here, but it's just not ready yet.”

“Another Fisherman’s Tale is every bit as worthy of your time as the first.”

“There is nothing brand new to look forward to in the title, but Afterlife VR effectively takes a blender to a number of horror tropes and settings, delivering a sufficiently worthwhile experience.”

“While the AI will soon find you too much to handle, even at higher difficulties, the online component is where the specials really shine. The strategy of choosing when to slot your attacks in becomes paramount. It’s easy to lose the rhythm of the song if you get too cocky. As long as the game can nurture and maintain a player base there should be ample reason to keep coming back to God of Rock time and time again.”

“The script itself doesn't strike a good balance either, often transitioning from subjects such as a rumination on class inequality directly into a slapstick comedy sketch before interjecting a news bulletin about an impending natural disaster. It's, to put it mildly, a mess. And this happens over and over throughout the 4-5 hours required to complete the game. While pitch-black comedy can work, the writing in Mile 0 is awkward enough that it feels accidental rather than deliberately irreverent. What you're left with is a fun rhythm game surrounded by a plethora of questionable writing decisions.”

“The Light Brigade is one of the shining stars of PSVR2's launch. A game that doesn't feel the need to reinvent the wheel, developer Funktronic Labs instead decided to focus on making the best rogue-lite that PSVR has yet seen rather than get crazy with new systems. With unique, varied classes and brilliant gunplay, the title does a great job of ensuring that we want to keep returning to its chilling, bleakly beautiful environments again and again.”

“As a result, the game subscribes to the “easy to play but difficult to master” cliché, and offers enough replay value thanks to its varied track list that it's worth sticking with over many sessions.”

“You just have to hope the game cooperates to let you finish! We had multiple hard crashes, one of which corrupted our save, wiping away nearly an hour of puzzling. Still, we're going to assume the developer will issue a patch promptly, and as long as it does, this is PSVR2 at its most relaxed.”