PS5-Categories

Loot boxes are just the latest solution to the “problem” of increasing profits within the gaming industry, but really they’re no solution at all. On paper, they’re perfect. Monetise optional extras which can be earned through hard work or, for a small number of whales, be purchased. Fair enough, right? But it’s pretty clear that in recent years, developers are pushing this system to the limit. Overwatch is the perfect example, where little tricks and annoyances have added up to…

What on earth has happened to the sports game genre? Has there been a mass brain removal among the fanbase in the last 10 years? I get it – sports fans tend to buy one or two titles a year, and they’re always exactly the same franchise. They’re like Call of Duty fans, except without the new maps, the new story levels or the new guns. Instead you get a new roster and, maybe, a slightly new graphical sheen. So…

There are too many games to play, not enough time and every developer wants to create a sweeping open world with a million question marks to visit. Enough is enough. Open world is the forced stealth levels of the late 2010s/early 2020s. It’s the tower defence that we all got bored of in 10 minutes flat a decade ago. And yet, like that one cookie-cooker enemy that you fight in every single location of an open world game, it just…

2020 was a lot of things to a lot of people, but it also had the distinct displeasure of being the year the new consoles were released. Somehow, the Xbox Series X and PS5 were still released, and the only real downside seems to be keeping stock levels high enough so people can pay for them. In hindsight, that’s about the best anybody could have predicted, and it’s fully down to the geniuses at Sony and Microsoft for making that…

New consoles means new headsets, and while there are a surprising number of recently released headsets that don't work on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, we are happy to report that the Astro A20 Generation 2 set is not one of them. After a few weeks trying and testing the product, our impressions are pretty strong.

It’s around this time each year that I start to think back on Christmases past, and how wonderful it’d be to start pulling out old consoles again. The excitement of December 25 has gone, but the holiday spirit remains, and the Dreamcast or N64 is calling to me from the closet. Inevitably, I play a few games for 20 minutes, die repeatedly because of the crazy camera and then go back to some hand-holding modern title for comfort. You know…

Ah yes, Worms. That beloved tactical franchise from the early-to-mid 90s. You remember – with the sheep and the “Oh dear”. Know what it needs? To become an ACTION-PACKED BATTLE ROYALE, BABY. I don’t know if that conversation ever took place, but whatever the thought process, meet Worms Rumble. It’s a multiplayer-only 2D-shooter, taking some of the more familiar elements of Worms and repackaging them for the new generation of gaming. It’s the biggest change in tone since 2003’s Worms…

If there’s one thing the Soulsborne games have been missing all these years, it’s hoards of Wookies. Or childlike Hobbits you can set fire to. Or White Walkers. It turns out that the Soulsborne formula is pretty adaptable, especially within the fantasy genre. And, having just finished Jedi: Fallen Order, it’s something I’d like to see adapted even more. Demon’s Souls gave me a new appreciation for the genre, and for the difficulty and perseverance that came with it. Now…

The Little Big Planet franchise has been one of the most iconic franchises on PlayStation consoles, and when rumours popped up regarding another adventure featuring Sackboy, I’m sure some fans were excited for the possibilities. I’m sure many folks were not ready for the Sackboy they ultimately got, but after beating the entire game with my kids, it’s ultimately Sackboy at his best!

Blame coronavirus, undue hype or whatever – this year hasn’t been good for gaming events. There’s been plenty to be excited about, but very little that tipped into real surprise territory. Completely expected sequels, promises upon promises and not much else. That’s 2020 in a nutshell. So imagine my surprise when, just a few weeks before this awful year is finally over, a gaming event actually delivers. The stops were pulled out. Not everybody is thrilled. They were expecting Elden…