Ports can be a mixed bag – sometimes they breathe new life into overlooked gems, other times they expose the seams of games that weren’t built to last. This latest wave of PS5 arrivals shows both sides of that coin. From the bullet-absorbing chaos of Schildmaid MX, to the stripped-down arcade loops of StarLightRiders: HyperJump, and the VHS-drenched dread of Christmas Mutilator, each title brings its own flavor of retro-inspired intensity. Together, they highlight how developers are reimagining old-school design for modern hardware: sometimes inventive, sometimes rough around the edges, but always fascinating to pick apart. Continue reading “Port roundup: Schildmaid MX, StarLightRiders: HyperJump & Christmas Mutilator”
Author: Press Play Media
Baseless review (PS5)
There’s a certain reckless charm to Baseless – a confidence in its own chaos. From the moment you grip the controller, you realize you’re not playing a typical twin-stick shooter. Movement isn’t about simply walking or strafing; here, your gun is your engine and means of propulsion. Fire at the ground and be hurled across low-gravity spheres, gravity wells tugging you in unpredictable arcs. It’s a premise that sounds playful, maybe even cartoonish (Sacre Blue on the Switch comes to mind), but once you dive in, it becomes clear: Baseless is unapologetically ambitious, friendly-looking on the surface but beneath it, a beast begging to be tamed. Continue reading “Baseless review (PS5)”
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion review (PS5/Switch)
When Tribute Games and Dotemu join forces (again) with Marvel to build a fresh beat-’em-up for the modern era, expectations naturally run high. With MARVEL Cosmic Invasion, the teams deliver on many of those hopes – especially if your idea of fun is chaotic co-op slug-fests, nostalgic pixel-art flair and a roster packed with familiar faces. That said, the game doesn’t completely escape the limitations of its genre, and its ambitions sometimes feel just a bit too restrained. Continue reading “MARVEL Cosmic Invasion review (PS5/Switch)”
BROK the InvestiGator – The Brawl Bar review (PS5)
BROK: The Brawl Bar arrives on PlayStation 5 as a standalone slice of brawling chaos, spun out from what originally began life as planned DLC. That origin is still felt in its structure: this is a compact, challenge-driven offshoot rather than a narrative continuation of Brok’s detective escapades, trading mystery for arcade-style mayhem. Its premise is simple but appealing – Brok stumbles upon a hidden underground bar, slips back into fighting instinct, and climbs a ladder of increasingly outlandish trials. The setup isn’t trying to deliver big dramatic turns, but it has enough gritty humour and personality to give the action a backdrop with charm. Continue reading “BROK the InvestiGator – The Brawl Bar review (PS5)”
Saborus review (PS5)
High Room Studio’s Saborus, published by QUByte Interactive, opens on an audacious conceit: the player inhabits a single, terrified chicken attempting to flee a functioning slaughterhouse. That premise – equal parts satire and bleak parable – gives the project a clear moral edge and a distinctive identity that few contemporary indies dare to wear so openly. The decision to limit the avatar’s capabilities to what a real bird might plausibly manage (running, hiding, pecking at small objects) is central to the game’s intended tension: vulnerability becomes the mechanic, and dread is meant to follow. Continue reading “Saborus review (PS5)”
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