SHADOWS OF THE DAMNED

The textbook example of a diamond in the rough, Shadows of the Damned is the perfect game to kick this feature off with. Grasshopper Manufacture’s 2011 cult classic is a game that has garnered an increasingly sizeable fan following over the years, and it’s easy to see why, whether that’s because of its stylish action, its sense of humour, or the abundance of character and personality that it’s overflowing with. Hopefully, its upcoming remaster will bring a much larger audience to the game.

Terminator: Resistance Enhanced

Terminator: Resistance is a fun first-person shooter based on the popular movie which allows players a ton of flexibility in how they choose to go about the many encounters peppered throughout the story. You can choose to sneak through enemy areas and pick them off one by one, or you could just go in guns blazing, or anything in between. The Enhanced version soups up the original in a wide variety of ways, which makes it the best way to experience this underrated shooter.

Dying light 2

Developer Techland’s latest Dying Light 2 might not have fulfilled most of its promises, but it’s still a solid game that’s worthy of your attention. It excellently builds upon the foundations laid in the original, and meshes them well with new mechanics like paragliding and improved combat. Add to that some gorgeous graphics and oodles of content, and Dying Light 2 becomes a really great game that players can sink dozens upon dozens of hours into.

Haven

Released in 2020, Haven is an indie gem that tells the story of two lovers trying to make a life on a distant planet. It features a really charming story with beautiful characters, and while the gameplay mechanics are really simple – they work pretty well within the context of the game itself. Between this and a highly imaginative world, Haven has the capability to keep you engaged for a long time.

Bugsnax

Bugsnax looks like a rather childish game at first glance with its cartoony characters and Pokemon-style game, and while that notion isn’t completely wrong – it isn’t indicative of the full picture either. Bugsnax’s story can veer into pretty dark territory at times, and the gameplay revolving around constantly upgrading your snacks is surprisingly addictive for all age groups.

Weird West

WolfEye Studios’ Weird West is an action RPG that combines a familiar Wild West setting with dark fantasy elements that culminate in a world that looks like no other. The gameplay is pretty open-ended in its nature, and players are encouraged to come up with creative solutions for the presented problems. Add to that some quality writing, and Weird West becomes a really gratifying experience.

Aragami 2

Aragami 2 is one of the very few stealth games in the current gaming landscape, but what makes it special is the solid foundation of mechanics that it operates on. Aragami 2 is all about hiding in the shadows, carefully surveying your surroundings, and using your tools and abilities to pick out enemies and complete your objectives while being a complete ghost. The story might not be the most interesting, but the gameplay is engaging enough to make you want to keep playing regardless.

Evil West

Flying Wild Hog recently released Evil West to some great critical reception, but the game unfortunately never received the love and appreciation on a commercial level. Evil West puts you in the shoes of a cowboy hunting for monstrous creatures, and that weird premise has been wonderfully realized here – which makes for a fresh setting. Add to that visceral gameplay and high-fidelity graphics, and Evil West becomes a game that’s really hard to pass on.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy suffered from a lot of skepticism after Marvel’s Avengers flopped hard, which is part of the reason why it never got much mainstream attention. But those who have played it will most likely sing endless praises about the story and its simple yet fresh combat mechanics, and we can’t really argue with that. Guardians of the Galaxy is a really solid game that sadly flew under the radar for many gamers, but it is a game that is most definitely worth your attention.

Lost Judgment

The original Judgment was a fun spin on the Yakuza formula, and Lost Judgment does an equally good job of building upon those mechanics. The detective murder mystery at play never fails to keep one guessing, and those narrative beats are punctuated with some excellently choreographed fights and chase sequences – which makes for a thrilling ride through and through.

Chernobylite

Chernobylite is set 30 years after the disaster at the nuclear plant and focuses on a physicist that returns to seek out his beloved. Though players will have to deal with hostile soldiers, including Stalkers that roam the zone, they can recruit teammates to their cause. Crafting equipment and weapons is the key to survival but keep in mind that any character can die with a wrong decision. Two graphics modes are available for the PS5 version – Performance and Resolution. The former offers 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second gameplay with “higher graphics quality.” The latter is dynamic 4K and 30 FPS with ray tracing and improvements to shadows, environments and texture quality.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Sackboy: A Big Adventure was one of the PS5’s launch titles that sadly got overshadowed by the likes of Demon’s Souls and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a charming ride through some gorgeously knit levels, and the platforming also does a good job of introducing new kinds of obstacles at every turn. It’s a very relaxing game that doesn’t ask much from the player, and that alone has a very distinct kind of charm.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name might not be the franchise at its finest, but it is a game that has plenty of merits to its name. The gameplay transports us back to the series’ brawling roots, and the inclusion of multiple playstyles also makes combat a medium of personal expression. Of course, you also get a whole host of side activities to indulge in apart from the main story – so there’s that to consider as well.

Outriders

Developer People Can Fly’s Outriders is a pretty competent looter shooter that not only nails the shooting but also manages to create a progression loop where you are constantly getting more powerful and facing equally challenging obstacles. The story isn’t the best, and there are some balance issues here and there – but Outriders can be a really fun game to sink your teeth into, and it gets even better if you have a couple of friends raiding alongside you.

Solar Ash

Solar Ash takes place in a fantasy world where you must complete a series of challenges to save the world from imminent doom. Developed by Heart Machine, Solar Ash boasts a beautiful art style and a solid movement system with fluid animations and a great sense of flow to the gameplay proceedings. It has a few rough edges here and there, but it has its fair share of merits as well.

The Crew Motorfest

The Crew Motorfest aims to resolve most if not all of the issues with prior releases, and the end result is definitely remarkable. The smaller map means that it has been curated with plenty of attention to detail, and the selection of racing events also features some much-needed variety which ensures the gameplay doesn’t get stale after a while. It borrows a lot of ideas and elements from Forza Horizon 5, but that doesn’t make it a bad game by any means.

Here’s the full list of games coming to the subscription service this month:

• Horizon Forbidden West (PS4, PS5)
• The Quarry (PS4, PS5)
• Resident Evil 7 biohazard (PS4)
• Outriders (PS4, PS5)
• Scarlet Nexus (PS4, PS5)
• Borderlands 3 (PS4, PS5)
• Tekken 7 (PS4)
• Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (PS4)
• Earth Defense Force 5 (PS4)
• Oninaki (PS4)
• Lost Sphear (PS4)
• I am Setsuna (PS4)
• The Forgotten City (PS4, PS5)

The line-up of games for February is undoubtedly headlined by Horizon Forbidden West, which is the most recent PlayStation-exclusive games on the service right now. There are also classic games coming to the catalogue of Classics for PlayStation Premium subscribers. Here’s the full list:

• The Legend of Dragoon (PS1)
• Wild Arms 2 (PS1)
• Harvest Moon: Back to Nature (PS1)
• Destroy All Humans! (PS4 remake)

The leaks from earlier today came from leaker @billbil_kun on Twitter, who is known for having a near-spotless track record when it comes to leaked details about PlayStation Plus.

While demo discs have faded away from mainstream popularity in recent years, more and more developers are starting to give fans a taste of the final product through demos – both free and otherwise. To that end, we present some of the best PS5 demos that we have all played time and time again.

Astro’s Playroom

Astro’s Playroom comes pre-installed with every PS5, and it’s highly likely that it was the first game that you booted when you unsheathed your shiny new console. And while it’s meant as a showcase of the PS5’s DualSense capabilities, it ends up being so much more than that. In so many ways, Astro’s Playroom is a celebration of everything PlayStation – and those who have grown up with the brand would surely have been overcome with nostalgia as they explored every nook and cranny of 4 sprawling levels set in the console’s internals. Astro’s Playroom is filled to the brim with mementos of the past and easter eggs for some of the best PlayStation games of all time.

But even those who haven’t grown alongside PlayStation would have a fun time regardless since the platforming is pretty fun as well with well-designed controls and fun level design. And then of course, there’s the impeccable use of the DualSense’s haptics which alter vibrations to reflect the intensity of an incoming sandstorm or the shattering of a glass among other things. Despite the short runtime of less than an hour – it ends up having a long-lasting impact on the player.

Ghostrunner

Ghostrunner is one of the most mechanically sound games of the last couple of years, and this journey through the rain-soaked streets of Dharma City constantly throws new challenges on top of its already brutal one-hit one-kill design. The short demo takes you through the opening moments of the game, and it’s a perfect introduction of Ghostrunner’s parkour elements and combat mechanics.

Ghostrunner is a game that demands mastery of its mechanics to be better at the game, and replaying the same sections over and over really pays off as you gain a better understanding of the encounters and your cyberninja’s moveset and pull off slick stunts that you previously thought were impossible. And then it becomes a well-earned power fantasy.

Outriders

While Outriders may not have been the game that many might have expected it to be, its demo slice of gameplay was a really fun one. People Can Fly’s latest shooter featured plenty of content for a free demo, and it comes with the entire first chapter of the game. This means you get the much-needed exposition alongside plenty of main missions and side missions which help you get a taste of the gameplay and build out your character better as you prepare for the final encounter.

But then Outriders’ gameplay changes significantly with your player class, so once you get through the roughly 3-hour demo with one class – you could do it again with a different class to see how that shakes up things and see what suits your style for your full playthrough.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Ninja Theory is evolving its signature take on the Souls formula with Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, a new game set against the backdrop of the Han Dynasty. The demo gives you access to a giant area where you must make your way through hordes of enemies to the final boss. While that may sound limiting in scope, it’s anything but. The starting area is vast in scope, and you get to face different kinds of enemies and even a couple of mini-boss encounters before facing the big baddie – which by the way has 2 different phases and swift attacks.

The fast-paced combat feels like an evolution of Nioh’s combat system, and new elements like the Morale Rank system and companion beasts are useful additions to the experience. Plus, you also get to experiment with different weapon combinations and classes which also encourage you to go through it all over again.

Destroy All Humans!

Black Forest Games’ Destroy All Humans! successfully translates this cult classic experience into something that’s more palatable for the modern generation. The demo is inarguably the best way to get a taste of the full game. The visuals look superb and the changes to the gameplay really add up for a wonderful experience, and while the content may be on the shorter end of the stick with only the first mission being available in the package – it’s quality stuff regardless. But on the more positive side, you also get a bonus challenge to play as well.

Resident Evil: Village

Much like Astro’s Playroom that we discussed before, Resident Evil: Village is a celebration of everything Resident Evil as it effortlessly dances between different shades of horror ranging from psychological to survival to full-blown action. And while the game’s demo might not be as versatile as the final game, it’s really amazing nevertheless. You start out in a dimly-lit dungeon in Castle Dimitrescu which is undoubtedly one of the best sections of the game, and you make your way through it all by solving puzzles.

The game constantly plays on your fear of the unknown, with abnormal sounds and spooky notes about the dungeon’s inhabitants – but in actuality, you don’t face any mortal threats throughout the short duration of the demo. And when you reach the end, you see Lady Dimitrescu towering above you like a giant and you know it’s not going to end well. And this was just the one PS5 exclusive Maiden demo, and other demos that were released prior to launch are equally fun and scary as well.

Forspoken

Forspoken isn’t out until early next year, but it already has us excited about what’s in store – thanks to the recently released demo. It puts you in the middle of the action after a short tutorial, and you need to complete five different objectives to complete the demo. These range from combat encounters to crafting to open-world activities, and these tasks help you in getting a feel for how the combat, traversal, and player progression works.

Of course, you’re free to roam around these landscapes as well – and veering away from the main path will reward you with treasure boxes and useful resources for upgrading Frey. And once you are done with the main objectives, you also get a final boss encounter as a bonus which is just like an icing on the top of this cake. It only takes around an hour to complete if you rush through it, but you could easily stretch it to much longer if you want.

Tormented Souls

Tormented Souls is a love letter to the original Resident Evil games, and everything from the tank controls to spooky mansions to item-based puzzles is the game carrying that influence proudly on its sleeves. The demo takes you through a small slice of the game, but it’s enough to prove the sheer love and appreciation that the developer has for the source material. And since we couldn’t wait for the final release back then, we were playing through it over and over again.

For any loot-centric game, all an expansion really has to do is offer more loot, and maybe some new, fun ways to get the new loot. Worldslayer goes about accomplishing these goals in a really inconsistent way. There’s new loot, and it’s great. But the new activity—that’s right, singular—is… okay. Since loot’s the single most important (and best) thing Outriders has going for it, we’ll get a couple of other subjects out of the way first.

"For any loot-centric game, all an expansion really has to do is offer more loot, and maybe some new, fun ways to get the new loot. Worldslayer goes about accomplishing these goals in a really inconsistent way. There’s new loot, and it’s great. But the new activity—that’s right, singular—is… okay."

Let’s talk about storytelling. There are a lot of ways storytelling can be accomplished. Minimalistic storytelling, like Dark Souls, relies on only giving players a story if they’re interested. More maximalist approaches to storytelling, like any Hideo Kojima or Naughty Dog games, leave little to the imagination and make sure that you properly understand what’s happening on the screen. Outriders, like most games, has always sat squarely in between these approaches, and Worldslayer is no different.

Worldslayer’s story is bad. It’s really, really bad. It’s short (not necessarily what makes it bad), the primary antagonist gets no time to actually be a character, and key plot elements and characters pop out of nowhere to provide the ideal solution to the heroes’ problems. It’s almost a Deus Ex Machina. Almost.

But the backstory has a lot of potential. It’s way more interesting to learn about some of the new locations you explore and characters you meet through collectibles, filling out your codex as you go along. Enoch has always been an interesting setting, right from the base game, but everything that actively happens to you as you play through the story is still really bad. The storytelling makes you, at best, apathetic to the situation, and at worst, actively dislike just about everyone you’re supposed to be rooting for.

Just about every character in Outriders: Worldslayer, is really edgy for some reason. It actively comes off as an awkward attempt at looking cool, but none of them ever really crosses the line over into being endearing. Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin has edgy characters, but that game did it in an endearing way. Outriders: Worldslayer is just too cool to care about minor things like having likable protagonists. The pacing is all over the place too, with no real quiet moments to drive home the impact of some of the bigger plot points or set pieces.

"Worldslayer’s story is bad. It’s really, really bad. It’s short (not necessarily what makes it bad), the primary antagonist gets no time to actually be a character, and key plot elements and characters pop out of nowhere to provide the ideal solution to the heroes’ problems."

The antagonist of Worldslayer, Ereshkigal, had the potential to be an interesting character. She’s supposed to be one of, if not the first Altered on Enoch, after all. A showdown between your Outrider and Ereshkigal was bound to be interesting. Sadly, the short run time of Worldslayer’s story doesn’t really let Ereshkigal develop into anything more than a loot pinata with a health bar. None of her actions were foreshadowed in the base game, and nothing that happens around her in Worldslayer has any real impact.

Make no mistake, Outriders: Worldslayer is not a good game to play if you value story. Sure, its world building is great, and Enoch could potentially make for a wonderful setting for a franchise. But otherwise, it’s a substandard story told poorly with unpleasant characters, a boring villain, and terrible pacing.

In terms of gameplay, Worldslayer’s campaign doesn’t really introduce any new concepts, aside from its final mission—which we’ll get to because it also basically acts as the new endgame activity. Sadly, the Worldslayer campaign also doubles down on the worst aspects of Outriders’ campaign in general. The bullet-sponginess gets out of hand.

This, of course, is exacerbated by the new Apocalypse Tier system—basically an extension of the World Tier difficulty system from the base game, just with bigger numbers. Playing solo for this review meant that I often found myself ping-ponging between higher Apocalypse Tiers—so I can get relevant loot—and lower Apocalypse Tiers—so that I don’t pull my hair out from frustration at the bullet sponge boss fights. In co-op, Outriders’ bullet sponginess actually ends up being good fun, but in solo play, it has the tendency to get really annoying, really quickly, especially when you haven’t yet optimized your build for the highest damage.

"It’s not all doom and gloom, however, and Worldslayer also amplifies some of the best things about Outriders as a whole."

It’s not all doom and gloom, however, and Worldslayer also amplifies some of the best things about Outriders as a whole. Worldslayer resets the loot game for maxed out Outriders by just introducing a new tier of loot. Dubbed Apocalypse gear, the new item tier comes with a third mod slot, providing a lot more opportunities for min-maxing. And that’s really the theme with Outriders: Worldslayer. It’s a min-maxer’s dream. The ideal shooter for optimisers. The sheer number of options that result in fun, interesting builds has been turned up to eleven.

The new Ascension levels system—basically like the Paragon level system in Diablo 3—allows players to level up and add minor stat bonuses to their characters. The new PAX level system gives a whole new level of freedom for creating builds, allowing either further specialization down a specific path, or providing more options for hybrid builds. And the best part is that all of these new systems can be freely reset, encouraging experimentation for new builds.

Outriders: Worldslayer remains a really fun game to play, especially with its new endgame activity: The Trial of Taya Gratar. Acting as a pseudo-roguelite, the Trial of Taya Gratar offers branching paths to specific rooms with randomized enemies that can drop loot. Interestingly, paths with specific loot drops are marked on the map, making the loot grinding quite fun. Looking for a new helmet? The room is clearly marked on the map, and going there repeatedly will drop a lot of helmets. Looking for a new sidearm? Same deal; go to the marked room and kill things repeatedly.

"Outriders: Worldslayer ultimately provides players with more Outriders. More of the boring story full of potential, more terribly-written dialogue, but also, more great systems to play around with, more possibilities for interesting builds and big damage numbers. And most importantly of all, more loot!"

The Trial of Taya Gratar is quite fun, but sadly, it’s also quite repetitive. While Expeditions in the base game weren’t that much better, the variety in levels was definitely leagues ahead of what the Trial of Taya Gratar offers. I personally would have also liked to see the hunts and bounties from the base game return in some form, but sadly there isn’t really much to do in the new Worldslayer zones once you’ve finished the story and unlocked the Trial of Taya Gratar.

Outriders: Worldslayer may have one of the most boring campaigns out of any other loot-centric game out there, but ultimately, it doesn’t matter. For better or for worse, Outriders: Worldslayer ultimately provides players with more Outriders. More of the boring story full of potential, more terribly-written dialogue, but also, more great systems to play around with, more possibilities for interesting builds and big damage numbers. And most importantly of all, more loot! Outriders: Worldslayer is the true pinnacle of the adage: skip the story, play the game. And for some people, that’s more than enough.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Set after the first game’s events, Enoch is on the verge of collapse due to the Anomaly spiraling out of control. The player character has to find a solution but must also battle foes like Ereshkigal, a powerful Altered with her motivations. The expansion offers higher Ascension levels and new Apocalypse gear, which contains a third mod slot.

You can also partake in the new Apocalypse difficulty, earning more than 100 new Legendary items from new and existing missions. The Ascension System provides bonuses for endgame leveling while PAX Trees offer more skill branches per class. On top of this is the Trial of Tarya Gratar, a new endgame activity with shifting challenges and bosses.

Stay tuned for more details on Worldslayer when it launches tomorrow worldwide for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Google Stadia.

The free-to-play period comes shortly before the recently announced Outriders: Worldslayer expansion, and will allow players to try out the game starting June 20th up until June 23rd. Interestingly, players will get access to the entirety of the game’s content, which makes this offer all the more enticing.

Any and all progress made during the free-to-play period will be carried over to the full game, which is also available at a fair discount at the moment. It’s also important to note that this free-to-play period is limited to PC only, so interested folks over on PlayStation and Xbox won’t have access to this offer.

Outriders’ Worldslayer expansion releases on June 30th across all supported platforms.

The Trial of Tarya Gratar is essentially a repeatable dungeon with various areas and branching paths (along with changing weather and day/night scenarios). There are different encounters and exclusive enemies with the difficulty tiers rising as you progress. Some areas include Crossroads which can branch off the primary path into Troves and Boss Arenas.

The Boss Arenas, as the name implies, contain some challenging bosses. The Troves offer targeted farming for Apocalypse Tier gear, allowing you to earn specific types of loot. There are different encounters in these areas with each playthrough offering new enemies and maybe some new attacks for bosses.

Some new enemies include the Shadowbeast, a stalker that can cloak itself and inflict Silence, disabling your abilities for a set period. Beware of Beast Lords as well since they can use Shadowbeasts as trackers. Dungeon runs begin at the base camp with vendors, crafting, fast travel, your stash, an LFG terminal, and much more available.

Upon returning to the camp or dying, the Trial resets, allowing you to earn its rewards again. There’s no time limit so you can complete the activity at your own pace. Worldslayer will also feature reworks for some existing gear sets to make them more viable. Players can also return to previous story missions and Expeditions and complete them in different Apocalypse Tiers, which improves your chances of earning Legendary and Apocalypse tier items.

Outriders: Worldslayer is out on June 30th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Google Stadia. Pre-orders will gain 48 hours early access.

Worldslayer sees the planet of Enoch in danger due to the Anomaly being out of control. Of course, a new expansion means more loot and there are about 100 new Legendary items to earn. Apocalypse gear, higher Ascension Levels, the new Apocalypse difficulty, and more also await. Don’t worry though – the PAX Tree will provide opportunities for powering up each class.

Outriders: Worldslayer is out on June 30th for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Google Stadia. Pre-ordering nets 48 hours of early access and the original game is included with it. However, current owners can pay $40 to upgrade. Stay tuned for more details later today at 11:45 AM PDT.

The story of Worldslayer features a new Altered foe named Ereshkigal. More importantly, however, the Anomaly is seemingly out of control and on the verge of destroying Enoch. As the player embarks on a journey to fix everything, they can earn roughly 100 new Legendary items, pursue new Apocalypse gear, and fight in new areas.

A new difficulty tier, Apocalypse, will also be available along with higher gear level caps and Ascension Levels. There’s also the PAX Tree which allows for further customizing one’s character. Outriders: Worldslayer is out on June 30th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Google Stadia. It retails for $40 with upgrade options for base game owners. Stay tuned for more details on the endgame tomorrow.

The Outriders Worldslayer Broadcast: Endgame Revealed
June 10 (this Friday!)
11:45 PDT 19:45 BST 20:45 CEST
Watch either on the Square Enix or the IGN Channels!https://t.co/bZl8rct6vE pic.twitter.com/mvl5EQrScS

— Outriders (@Outriders) June 8, 2022