Remedy Entertainment has never been particularly interested in making straightforward games, and CONTROL Resonant certainly doesn’t change that approach. As a sequel to 2019’s CONTROL, it takes the strange paranormal world established in the original and pushes it far beyond the confines of the Oldest House, putting Dylan Faden at the centre of a much larger and considerably more aggressive adventure. The result is an ambitious action RPG that trades Jesse’s firearm-focused combat for a much more physical fighting system while turning a distorted version of Manhattan into a playground filled with bizarre phenomena, dangerous enemies and secrets. It is not always an easy game to understand or master, but when its many systems begin to click, there is little else quite like it. Continue reading “CONTROL Resonant review (PS5)”
Tides of Annihilation preview (Gamescom)
With its ruined version of London, Arthurian mythology and colossal enemies, Tides of Annihilation certainly isn’t short on ambition. Eclipse Glow Games’ upcoming action-adventure combines a recognisable modern setting with fantasy elements that could hardly be further removed from it, while placing fast-paced combat at the centre of the experience. After getting an extended hands-on session with the PC version at Gamescom, it is already clear that this is a game that wants to make a strong impression. Continue reading “Tides of Annihilation preview (Gamescom)”
SILENT HILL: Townfall review (PS5)
SILENT HILL: Townfall is an interesting departure for Konami’s long-running survival horror series, handing development to Screen Burn and moving the action into the first person for the first full-length entry to do so. Set in Scotland in 1996, the game follows Simon Ordell as he returns to the isolated island of St. Amelia, where something terrible has happened and his own connection to the town gradually comes to light. The premise initially keeps its cards close to its chest, using environmental storytelling, fragmented conversations and discoveries to build a mystery around Simon and the people who lived on the island. That approach works reasonably well, although the central story ultimately feels less distinctive than the presentation suggests. Several of the themes surrounding guilt, trauma, loss and the consequences of corporate power fit naturally within the series’ psychological horror tradition, but the actual mystery can be rather predictable and Simon himself never becomes quite as compelling as the story needs him to be. The more direct storytelling does at least provide enough momentum to keep the investigation moving, while the multiple endings give players a reason to revisit St. Amelia once the credits roll. Continue reading “SILENT HILL: Townfall review (PS5)”
Alien: Isolation 2 preview (Gamescom)
After twelve years, Creative Assembly is finally returning to the world of Alien: Isolation, bringing its particular brand of survival horror back for another encounter with the Xenomorph. The first game earned its reputation by making players feel almost completely powerless against its relentless predator, and Alien: Isolation 2 looks set to retain that fundamental idea while expanding the setting beyond the confines of a space station. After getting our hands on an early demo during Gamescom, it is clear that the sequel understands exactly what made its predecessor so effective, although its biggest changes could take some time to reveal their full potential. Continue reading “Alien: Isolation 2 preview (Gamescom)”
Active Matter review (PS5)
Active Matter takes the increasingly familiar extraction-shooter formula and gives it a suitably strange science-fiction twist. Published by Gaijin Network and developed by Matter Team, the game puts players in the role of an operative trapped in a temporal loop, repeatedly returning to the same point after death. The objective is to venture into unstable zones, collect valuable resources and equipment, and escape before the surrounding reality collapses. That premise immediately gives the familiar risk-and-reward structure a stronger identity, particularly because the titular active matter is not merely a piece of lore but something that actively changes how the world works. The result is an extraction shooter that can feel recognisable one moment and decidedly alien the next. Continue reading “Active Matter review (PS5)”