Category: Reviews

Five years after Something We Made turned photography into the basis for a wonderfully laid-back adventure, TOEM 2 returns with another journey built around observing the world rather than rushing through it. Published by Popagenda and reviewed here on PlayStation 5, the sequel once again follows a young photographer travelling from one quirky location to another in search of a mysterious TOEM phenomenon. Along the way, the camera becomes the key to solving problems for locals, documenting wildlife and uncovering the little details hidden throughout each environment. The formula is immediately familiar, but that is hardly a problem when the appeal lies precisely in taking things slowly and enjoying the journey. Continue reading “TOEM 2 review (PS5)”

Princess of the Water Lilies looks like the sort of game that could be enjoyed with a cup of tea and very little stress. Its hand-painted environments, adorable kitten protagonist and gentle presentation immediately suggest a cosy puzzle-platformer aimed at players looking for a relaxed adventure. That impression is only partly correct, however. Beneath the storybook presentation lies a surprisingly demanding platformer in which precise movement, pattern recognition and patience become increasingly important, particularly once the boss encounters start appearing. The result is a charming but somewhat contradictory experience that can be wonderfully atmospheric one moment and unexpectedly punishing the next. Continue reading “Princess of the Water Lilies review (PS5)”

BrokenLore: DON’T LIE is another short psychological horror experience from Serafini Productions, this time putting players in the shoes of Junko, a young woman who has withdrawn almost completely from society. Her apartment initially serves as both sanctuary and prison, but that sense of security quickly disappears when strange visitors, distorted memories and increasingly unsettling visions begin to intrude on her carefully controlled existence. The game is clearly more interested in psychological unease than conventional horror, using Junko’s unreliable perception to keep players questioning what is actually happening. That approach works particularly well when the story deals with her isolation, past experiences and dependence on Fantasy Boy and Miki-chan, although the deliberately ambiguous storytelling can also leave the narrative feeling somewhat underexplained by the time the short campaign reaches its conclusion. Continue reading “BrokenLore: DON’T LIE review (PS5)”

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)”

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)”