With Anglerfish, Cybertrash STATYX and the Train Valley Collection, we’re looking at three recent console releases – here are our reviews.
Anglerfish review (PS5)
Anglerfish, developed by Professional Villains and published by Feardemic, invites players into a nightmarish and gruesome adventure set in the secluded bar of Anglerfish, nestled in the Mols mountains. As a psychological horror experience, Anglerfish offers a unique blend of dark humor, unsettling atmosphere, and death-based gameplay – we played it on a PS5.
The premise of Anglerfish sets the stage for a gripping horror narrative, where players find themselves at a bachelor party gone awry, facing vampires and nightmarish creatures in a fight for survival. The game’s death-based mechanics add an intriguing twist, as each demise leads to a reset with subtle changes based on previous actions, keeping players on their toes and encouraging exploration to uncover the secrets hidden within the bar.
The gameplay mechanics in Anglerfish are relatively straightforward, with simple controls for movement, shooting, and interaction. Players must navigate through 2.5D environments, engaging in combat with vampires while unraveling puzzles and mysteries scattered throughout the bar. The game’s loop-based structure offers a fresh experience with each playthrough, as unexpected changes and surprises keep players engaged and challenged.
While Anglerfish excels in its dark humor and unpredictable gameplay, some aspects may detract from the overall experience. Small pacing issues in the narrative and a fairly predictable ending may leave players wanting more from the story side, especially considering the game’s short duration. Additionally, the incorporation of puzzles that require players to leave the game and look for answers is clever in theory, but it also disrupts the immersion a bit.
Visually, Anglerfish impresses with its gritty and gore-filled art style and unsettling atmosphere, complemented by a selection of original tracks that enhance the game’s mood and tension. Despite its flaws, Anglerfish offers a compelling horror adventure that is worth exploring for fans of the genre, delivering a memorable and immersive experience.
Cybertrash STATYX review (PS4/Switch)
In Cybertrash STATYX, developed by Uncle Frost Team and published by Sometimes You on consoles, players are thrust into a future where robots and artificial intelligence dominate, leaving humanity struggling to survive against oppressive corporations. Set in a cyberpunk-inspired world, the game follows the story of Jenet, a protagonist fighting to escape corporate control and uncover a conspiracy against humanity – fairly familiar territory for anything cyberpunk.
The gameplay is a mix of tactical action and platforming, providing options for various approaches to gameplay. Throughout the game’s 15 missions, players will encounter a variety of enemies, each requiring different tactics to defeat. One of the game’s strengths lies in its upgrade system, where players earn experience points and credits by defeating enemies, allowing them to enhance their character’s abilities. From improving agility to enhancing weapon skills, these upgrades provide a sense of progression and empowerment as players face increasingly challenging foes.
Visually, Cybertrash STATYX embraces a retro aesthetic, reminiscent of classic platformers, while its soundtrack adds to the experience without standing out. However, the game’s basic visuals may not appeal to all players, and its gameplay mechanics, while functional, may feel simplistic compared to more complex titles in the genre.
Despite these drawbacks, Cybertrash STATYX offers a solid if relatively basic retro platforming experience with engaging gameplay mechanics and a compelling premise. For fans of the genre looking for a dose of cyberpunk-inspired action, this is a budget-friendly choice worth considering.
Train Valley Collection review (PS5)
The Train Valley Collection bundle, developed by Flazm and published by BlitWorks Games, brings together Train Valley 1: Console Edition and Train Valley 2: Community Edition along with their DLCs for PlayStation 5 players. Priced at $29.99 / €29.99, this bundle offers over 300 levels of railway management puzzles and challenges at a great price. We’ve reviewed both games earlier, so let’s take a closer look at the bundle.
Train Valley 1: Console Edition introduces players to the basics of railway management with its color-coded visuals and simple controls. The included DLC, ‘Germany’, adds six new levels that delve into German railroad history, offering new locomotives, challenges, and achievements.
Train Valley 2: Community Edition expands upon the experience of the first game with an impressive 278 levels spanning different eras and settings. The bundle includes DLCs like ‘Passenger Flow’, introducing a new layer of depth with passenger traffic management, and ‘Myths and Rails’, which presents 20 levels exploring the world of legends and fiction for a fun change of pace and scenery. Additionally, the ‘Editor’s Bulletin’ DLC offers 30 new valleys and construction puzzles to conquer.
While the bundle offers a vast amount of content and engaging gameplay, some players may find the track-laying controls slightly imprecise when working with a gamepad, particularly in the isometric view. This might take a little getting used to, but the Train Valley Collection bundle provides hours of strategic challenges and diverse landscapes for players to explore and conquer on their railway management journey, and if you didn’t already own one of these games this is a great time to jump in.
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