The second Super Star Wars game gave Luke new powers, expanded its playable cast and pushed the SNES harder. It also made almost every part of the journey considerably less comfortable.
Guest post by Søren Ahrensborg Kamper, editor of Star Wars: Gaming. This retrospective revisits the 1993 SNES sequel and the way its harsher mechanics echo the darker shape of The Empire Strikes Back. Continue reading “Retrospective: Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – A Sequel That Had to Hurt More”
Developed by MAGES. and published by Spike Chunsoft, STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT brings the acclaimed science-fiction visual novel to PlayStation 5 with a substantial visual overhaul, updated presentation and additional story content. The original adventure has already been revisited through different editions, so this latest release faces a difficult question: how much can a familiar story benefit from another reconstruction? Fortunately, the strength of its time-travel mystery remains largely intact, making this an intriguing entry point for newcomers, although returning fans may find the improvements less convincing. Continue reading “STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT review (PS5)”
Developed by Hanki Games and published by Bonus Stage Publishing, Sledders takes a different approach to snowmobile games by ditching conventional racing formats in favor of a physics-driven backcountry simulator. There are no championships to win, no rival riders to beat and no storyline to follow. Instead, the PlayStation 5 version drops players into vast snowy landscapes and challenges them to master their machines, navigate difficult terrain and discover their own routes through the wilderness. It is an appealing concept for anyone interested in realistic snowmobiling, but the absence of traditional objectives places considerable pressure on the riding itself to keep players entertained. Unfortunately, while Sledders has some genuinely satisfying moments, its limited structure makes it difficult to sustain that initial enthusiasm. Continue reading “Sledders review (PS5)”
Retro horror has a special ability to make the imagination work overtime, but Tenebris Somnia takes that idea a step further by combining pixel-art adventure gameplay with live-action horror cinematics. Developed by Andrés Borghi and Saibot Studios and published by New Blood Interactive, this survival horror adventure has an unusual identity that extends beyond its nostalgic presentation. Its storytelling and cinematic ambition make it stand out in a crowded genre, even if some of its old-school mechanics are less successful at surviving the passage of time. Continue reading “Tenebris Somnia review (PS5)”
Developed and published by BeamNG, BeamNG.drive is a driving simulator that has spent years building a reputation for its remarkably detailed vehicle physics and spectacular crashes. Now available on PlayStation 5, the long-running PC experience brings its automotive playground to a new audience, offering everything from leisurely drives through scenic environments to elaborate experiments involving ramps, heavy vehicles and spectacularly destructive collisions. However, this is not quite the same experience as a conventional racing game, nor is it a straightforward conversion of everything that has made the PC version so popular. The underlying simulation remains impressive, but the console adaptation has some significant compromises that occasionally get in the way of its considerable potential. Continue reading “BeamNG.drive review (PS5)”
