TORMENTED SOULS

For fans of classic survival horror games, Tormented Souls is almost a must-play experience. While the genre is thriving right now, Tormented Souls is one of few games that delivers that classic fixed camera experience that old-school Resident Evil and Silent Hill games used to be known for, and it does it to great effect. It’s a little rough around the edges, admittedly, but the pros definitely outweigh the cons here.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring is as perilous as any of the Souls games, but on a larger scale. Nevertheless, knowledge is power, from knowing enemy placements and patterns to weaknesses, and will ultimately tip the scales in your favor. The Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast and its asinine hitboxes can still die in a fire, though.

Set in a space station by the name of The Entropy Center, you wake up inside this abandoned facility with no recollection of the past. You also see the Earth shattered just before you wake up, and you are soon acquainted with Astra – a talking weapon that’s going to assist you throughout your adventure. Now, your player character Aria must get through dozens of puzzle rooms in an effort to uncover the mystery of what happened to Earth and how to reverse the cataclysm that destroyed it in the first place.

" The lack of some features do hamper the game’s quality by a margin, but it’s still a great package that manages to get so much right. "

While the story does follow Portal’s framework pretty closely, it soon becomes apparent that it’s really as much its own thing as it is a throwback to its inspirations. Aria is an interesting and likable character with oodles of charm, and the frequent banter that she exchanges with Astra remains enjoyable through and through. The writing is quality stuff, and everything from the usual dialogues to text logs scattered throughout the complex is filled with funny jokes and thought-provoking questions about the law of inevitability and other problems associated with manipulating the flow of time.

As Aria, you will need to solve puzzles spread throughout the center to gain entropy energy – which will charge a device that can reverse the flow of time and undo the cataclysm that destroyed the earth as we know it. The story manages to tread a fine line between exploring philosophical topics and the heroic nature of the protagonist. It’s a decent if not good story that starts out slow, but manages to pique your interest after a while.

On to the gameplay then, The Entropy Center is all about solving puzzle chambers through the help of Astra to progress through the story. Astra can be used to reverse the flow of time on select objects like blocks and pieces of debris, which must be manipulated to solve puzzles. You can reverse the flow of time up to a certain extent for every object, and you can also fire a shot to delete a previously recorded timeline for these objects. The puzzles are designed with these constraints in mind, and you must make judicial use of these limited tools to overcome obstacles.

"The writing is quality stuff, and everything from the usual dialogues to text logs scattered throughout the complex is filled with funny jokes and thought-provoking questions about the law of inevitability and other problems associated with manipulating the flow of time."

The game starts out with easy challenges that require moving blocks and placing them on different platforms to progress, but it soon evolves into something much more complex. Each story introduces a new element like blocks that extend into bridges, time gates that delete the memory of every object if you pass through them, jump pads that launch you into the air, and so much more. The way The Entropy Center introduces these elements is really smart, with every new block being introduced in isolation where you can understand its workings in a vacuum before mixing it up with one or two other elements, which then leads to a chapter’s ultimate challenge where you need to use all blocks and elements in tandem with each other to pass through.

The difficulty ramps up gradually, and you never get the feeling that the puzzles are getting unfair or overtly complex in nature. The solutions are always simpler and more straightforward than you might think at first, and they reward careful thinking more than mechanical prowess. The Entropy Center has a nice balance between easy and tough in terms of difficulty, and you always feel clever for figuring out the solution to what at first seemed an insurmountable challenge.

It seems that many puzzles have multiple solutions, but the game never really rewards or punishes you depending on the chosen path. Apart from the time taken for completion, The Entropy Center never tracks any stats to know how well you solved a puzzle and I’d have liked to see some detailed stats and leaderboards to motivate me to try a more efficient approach to solve the problem at hand.

Of course, solving puzzle after puzzle in similar-looking corridors can get exhausting after a while – so it’s great that The Entropy Center puts some much needed attention to level variety. You get to explore outdoor areas, museums, and factories, and some sections swap out puzzle solving for some light combat encounters to set-piece escape sequences – which are nice distractions to shape things up. While these sections are easily the weakest sections of the bunch, they are welcome additions as they break the monotony of routine at just the required time.

It’s a shame then that The Entropy Center doesn’t put all that attention in terms of its presentation. The game world looks barren and lifeless (which is to be expected from an abandoned complex), but that also means that the game lacks an element of personality. It’s the same story with the soundtrack – it’s fine enough but nothing outstanding or extraordinary in any way whatsoever.

"It’s a shame then that The Entropy Center doesn’t put all that attention in terms of its presentation. The game world looks barren and lifeless (which is to be expected from an abandoned complex), but that also means that the game lacks an element of personality."

On that note, the game could also have really benefited from a co-op mode or a level editor where players could use these blocks and elements to come up with whacky puzzles and share them with friends. Or the game could have a time trial mode with leaderboards where players could compete for best times or the most efficient solutions. But as it stands now, you only get to play through the single-player campaign which can take you anywhere from 10 to 15 hours – which is a big improvement when compared to similar games. But once you are done with it, there’s little reason to come back to it again – so the game does lack a sense of longevity.

All in all, these are just minor suggestions that could have really made The Entropy Center a much better experience. As it is now, The Entropy Center is a really well-made puzzle game that takes its main hook of reversing time, and casts a wide net of ideas surrounding that very theme – most if not all of which stick to the landing. The story is interesting with well-written characters, the puzzles are engaging with plenty of variety, and the developers constantly spice things up with chase sequences and other high-intensity moments. While the aforementioned shortcomings do leave a sour taste in the mouth, The Entropy Center is certainly one of the biggest surprises of 2022 – and fans of puzzle games like Portal should really consider it.

The game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5. 

Here are the 15 biggest games to look forward to in November.

The Chant

“Weekend getaway to a spiritual retreat turned to hellish survival against cosmic monstrosities,” isn’t the worst description for Brass Token’s The Chant. After a rift to The Gloom, a dimension of negative energy, opens and various horrors take over a peaceful island, it’s up to Jess to collect weapons like salt and incense, craft items, and harness spiritual energy to fight back. And also run away, because flight is sometimes just better than fighting.

Along with managing her spirit, players must also care for Jess’s physical and mental health – these will influence her survival and abilities throughout the story. Then there are the other survivors, slowly giving in to the negative energy perpetrating the island. Can they be saved? We’ll find out when The Chant launches on November 3rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

God of War Ragnarok

Over four years since its predecessor debuted, selling millions of copies over a few days, and three years past in-game, the sequel to God of War (2018) is finally upon us. The story sees Odin and Asgard preparing for Ragnarok while Kratos and Atreus avoid the conflict. Of course, it’s not long before they’re involved, battling the likes of Freya, the Valkyrie, the Einherjar, and the mighty Thor himself.

A lot has been said about the experience, with reports extolling its massive size and the development team claiming it’s bigger than they envisioned. Nine realms to explore, new shields and abilities to equip, an expanded combat system, more verticality, larger levels, more enemy variety – the list of improvements goes and goes. On November 9th, the world will finally have a chance to play it on PS4 and PS5.

Sonic Frontiers

If nothing else, you have to admire the guts of Sega releasing Sonic Frontiers just one day before God of War Ragnarok. Nevertheless, those looking for a brand-new 3D platformer to dive into should find promise in Sonic’s latest adventure. After his friends disappear during a hunt for the Chaos Emeralds and he delves into Cyber Space, Sonic finds himself on the Starfall Isles. This archipelago of five different islands is filled with mysterious mechanical beings, and a new enemy named Sage also emerges.

Sonic Frontiers goes for an open-world-esque approach for its exploration, with the different islands presenting various platforming challenges, puzzles, and Guardians to fight. Upon accessing a portal, he can venture into Cyber Space with levels inspired by older titles. Sonic Frontiers launches on November 8th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch, and is undoubtedly the biggest Sonic title yet.

Football Manager 2023

Another year, another promising new Football Manager title from Sports Interactive. Football Manager 2023 marks the series’ return to PlayStation but also features improvements to its scouting, squad planning, AI managers, and more. The UEFA Europa League, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa Conference League are all fully licensed, and new features like Supporter Confidence and Dynamic Manager Timeline promise to bring you closer to the sport than ever.

Football Manager 2023 is out on November 8th for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Arcade, along with launching day one on Game Pass.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Bloody Ties

Techland has been updating Dying Light 2 Stay Human regularly since launch, and on November 10th, its first paid DLC Bloody Ties will release on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC. Aiden enters a tournament to take on various challenging foes in Carnage Hall for fame and rewards. Things aren’t what they seem, though (surprise, surprise), and you’ll soon be investigating the tournament’s true purpose. In addition to a new story, Bloody Ties also provides new gear, a new weapon in the Shield Glove, and arena missions called Spectacles. You can also fight new mutated foes in Arena Challenges to truly test your limits.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Yes, it’s another Pokemon game on the Nintendo Switch for the fourth year in a row. Nevertheless, Pokemon Scarlet and Violent look genuinely interesting. Instead of a regional approach like Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Paldea is a seamless open world. As a student of Naranja or Uva Academy, the player participates in a treasure hunt with the freedom to go just about anywhere. All the tropes of a Pokemon title are here – an enthusiastic rival Nemona; Professors Sada and Turo; and even new Legendary Pokemon like Koraidon and Miraidon that serve as mounts when exploring the region.

In terms of story, players can choose from three different routes – Path of Legends to locate the Herba Mystica while fighting Titan Pokemon; Victory Road to challenge eight Gym Leaders and eventually the Pokemon League Champion; and Starfall Street, where they must battle against Team Star. With several new Pokemon, new moves and items, and Terastallization providing new properties for each Pokemon, Scarlet and Violet could be the best 3D titles in the series yet. They’re out on November 18th for Nintendo Switch.

Evil West

Third-person shooter meets stylish beat ’em up combat in the Weird Wild West with Flying Wild Hog’s Evil West. As Jesse Rentier, players must battle vampires in the American frontier. This is done in several violent ways, from firearms to a gauntlet that can electrocute enemies. Throughout the campaign (which supports co-op), you’ll discover new weapons, unlock new perks and upgrades, and ultimately save the country. Evil West is out on November 22nd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

WRC Generations

Originally slated to launch last month, KT Racing’s WRC Generations was delayed and now launches on November 3rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC. Career Mode, multiplayer, Quickplay and other modes return along with Split Screen for local play. Leagues Mode is new and involves players completing different events every week and receiving a ranking.

In addition to new Hybrid Cars, major revamps have been made to the progression and Team Creation while cross-platform play has also been implemented. As the developer’s last game under the license (for now), WRC Generations could see it going out on a high note.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me

A documentary crew is invited to a recreation of serial H.H. Holmes’ infamous “Murder Castle” by a mysterious recluse – what could go wrong? Not every scary situation in The Dark Pictures Anthology is as avoidable as this, but I digress since The Devil in Me is going for something different with its killing rooms. You’ll still have to make decisions that can influence whether the central cast lives or dies.

But this time, there are more movement options like running, climbing, and jumping, an inventory for managing items, puzzles that require tools, and more. This is in addition to online mode and five-player local co-op. As the season finale, The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me should end things with a venerable bang when it launches on November 18th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide (PC)

Warhammer: Vermintide developer Fatshark’s latest title leans more into the sci-fi Warhammer 40K universe, eschewing hack and slash for more first-person shooting (but still having some hacking and slashing). It’s set in the Hive City of Tertium on Atoma Prime, which has seen an influx of Chaos forces. As a “reject,” one must undertake missions across various maps, working their way up to better weapons and gear while opting for tougher difficulties.

Four classes – Psyker, Zealot, Ogryn, and Veteran – are available, each with different subclasses to specialize in different play styles (like the Skullbreaker Ogryn being more melee-focused). It will sound pretty familiar to Vermintide fans, which isn’t the worst considering how much fun co-op was in that series. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is out on November 30th for PC, with the Xbox Series X/S version launching “shortly after.”

The Entropy Centre

Amid all the action-packed titles releasing this month, it’s nice to have something more laid-back and cerebral. Stubby Games’ The Entropy Centre takes place after an extinction event seemingly wipes out mankind and as perhaps the last one alive, you venture to the heart of the Entropy Centre, which orbits the Earth in a space station, for answers.

The first-person puzzle-solving and time manipulation will look familiar, but Stubby Games puts an interesting spin on this by having you find the solution and then rewind time to solve the puzzle in reverse. The Entropy Centre is out on November 3rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Gungrave G.O.R.E.

Announced back in December 2017, Gungrave G.O.R.E. has been a long time coming. It’s out on November 22nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, and PC, and launching day one on Game Pass. Set after Gungrave VR, it follows the Gunslinger of Resurrection, who is out for revenge.

Along with third-person shooting, there’s also close-quarters combat and brawling, and various types of enemies like mechs, zombies, and more to take out. Despite the long development cycle, it remains intriguing and worth keeping an eye on.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PC)

If you’ve already played Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC, then Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a no-brainer. Taking place one year later, it sees Miles Morales as Spider-Man, protecting Harlem from the conflict between Roxxon Energy Corporation and the Tinkerer’s Underground. While many of the same environments and gameplay elements remain, Miles has unique abilities like Venom Blast and Camouflage to even the odds.

There are also new gadgets like the Gravity Well, Holo-Drone, and more to further spice up the gameplay. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is out on November 18th for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, and while it’s not as long as the previous game, there’s still a great story, side content, and suits to collect.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is coming to PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC and serves as a remaster of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. Even with the upscaled HD visuals and artwork, re-recorded soundtrack and fully-voiced cutscenes, there is so much here to make it feel like a brand-new game.

Random encounters are gone, replaced with Training Battles; skills have been retuned while Finishers now use MP; Buff Cards throughout different battles provide positive and negative effects; new Charms provide different bonuses; and much more. You can even rewind actions within the last ten turns in case of an unfavorable outcome. With its numerous classes and skills, incredible branching story, and various quality-of-life improvements, it may end up a dark horse among some of the bigger releases this year.

Harvestella

The world, governed by four crystals called Seaslight, periodically suffers the effects of the Quietus, which ruins crops and brings death. As the duration of the Quietus increases, you control Ein and must figure out how to stop it.

Along the way, you’ll visit various towns, each with unique crops, materials, and recipes, and interact with many characters (including Aria, who is seemingly from the future), fish, craft and more. Maintaining a farm to fund your mission is one thing – you also need to venture out and fight monsters to make progress with the investigation. Good thing there are 12 different classes, each with unique weapons and abilities to assist in this.

Releasing on November 4th for Nintendo Switch and PC, Harvestella could fill that Rune Factory-sized hole.

To that end, Playstack has announced an official release date for the game, with The Entropy Centre set to launch for PC and consoles in early November, a few weeks from now. The trailer announcing the launch date offers another glimpse of its world and story, the protagonist Aria, her companion ASTRA (who’s a talking gun), and some of the time manipulation puzzles that will take centre stage. It goes without saying that the Portal vibes are strong here. Check out the trailer below.

Meanwhile, for those who want to dip their toes into the water before taking the plunge, a demo of The Entropy Centre is also now available on PC via Steam. There’s no word yet on whether players on other platforms can expect a pre-launch demo as well.

The Entropy Centre launches on November 3 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Please note that some of these games may have 2022 as a tentative release date as of the time of writing this feature, and are subject to change. 

With that out of the way, let’s begin:

God of War: Ragnarok

Sony Santa Monica delivered an excellent reimagining of God of War with its 2018 reboot which masterfully combined sincere storytelling with adrenaline-pumping gameplay. Those familiar with the game would know that the story ended on a cliffhanger, and naturally – fans are more than excited to see the narrative unfold with the sequel. The aptly titled God of War: Ragnarok will continue the adventures of Kratos and Atreus as they bring about Fimbulwinter. God of War: Ragnarok releases on 9 November 2022 for PS4 and PS5.

You play as Aria, who wakes up in a space station in orbit around Earth, and quickly team up with the AI Astra. Your primary weapon is a gun that’s no ordinary gun at all- shoot it at an object, and you send it back through its past. You’ll be using this weapon to solve a number of time manipulation puzzles as you look to figure out mysteries surrounding the space station, Earth’s fate, your own past, and more, all with the help of Astra.

It’s looking exciting, to say the least, at least based on its intriguing concept. There’s definitely some Portal vibes in there. Check out the gameplay trailer below.

The Entropy Centre is due out sometime this year for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.