Paul Glossop

I’m keeping this very short and simple. I’ve been mostly on Xbox the past few years, but I dusted off my PS4 to give Ragnarök a go — and then upgraded to a PS5… wow. It might seem obvious to say of course but the difference is unreal. I did find the pacing a bit slow at first, but once it kicks in, it really kicks in. This is one of those absolute “must play” games, a powerhouse. The combat is incredible — fluid, brutal, and packed with jaw-dropping executions and moments that stick with you.

I loved this game. I’ve been mostly on Xbox for the past 2 or 3 years, but I dusted off my PS4 a while back to finally give Ghost of Tsushima a go — and now that I’ve upgraded to PS5, wow. The difference is unreal. Smooth, sharp, and stunning from the moment you step in. Normally, I’m not big on game stories — I’m usually the type to skip cutscenes and get straight to the action. But here, there’s no real skipping past it and I actually found myself connecting to the characters and the main story in a way I didn’t expect. You feel the drive for revenge just as much as Jin does. The combat is where it really shines though. It’s fluid, responsive, brutal — and just feels right. You can tweak the difficulty, whether you want a tough, tactical challenge or a looser, more hack-and-slash experience but even then, switching stances to deal with different enemy types keeps it tactical and engaging. You can tackle missions your own way — sneaking through camps, charging in head-on, or picking enemies off with your bow and gadgets. The flexibility may vary depending on the difficulty setting mind you. Travelling is smooth and getting around on horseback is fairly natural — much more user-friendly than in many open-world games. All in all, Ghost of Tsushima hooked me from start to finish. Gorgeous, satisfying, and full of heart. Easily one of the best I’ve played — and now looking forward to playing the sequel.

I’ve was toying between a 3 and a 4 for Control. I did enjoy it — the combat in particular — but I just didn’t enjoy it quite as much as other games I’ve scored a 4. I’m not really one for stories in games and often skips cutscenes to get back into the action. On the plus side, the combat is intense and fun. One minute you’re going full-on aggressive, the next you’re forced to slow down and be more careful. The guns feel great and the powers are even better, hurling chairs, debris — or even enemies — at opponents with telekinesis. However, the systems around it weren’t smooth, you pick up tons of mods for weapons and abilities, but I personally found it awkward and confusing. The map wasn’t the easiest to follow, although not massive problem as I like how the game world itself uses signs and notices to guide you around. The checkpoint system works fairly well, save points (or “cleanse points”) double as fast travel hubs and are spaced out nicely, though towards the later stages they did feel a bit too few and far between. Difficulty-wise, the balance felt fair for most of the game, but then suddenly spiked in certain boss fights and late-game segments which turned a couple of sections into a frustrating slog. What I did like though, is the option to tweak the settings that allows you to bring the difficulty right down. The pacing overall was decent, with a nice rhythm between exploring, hunting down the next objective, and getting into fights. That said, some parts dragged a little for me — the motel sections in particular felt like they slowed the game down unnecessarily. So yeah, Control - The combat is brilliant and easily the best part, but some of the systems and pacing held it back from being a top-tier experience. For me it sits somewhere between a 3 and a 4 — fun and worth playing, but not quite a personal favourite.

I've been playing Doom: The Dark Ages since its release last week — and so far, it's an absolute blast. While I usually dip into a first-person shooter for a quick 30-60 minute adrenaline hit, the addictive action has had me glued to the screen for longer. Dark Ages combat is relentless and satisfying. I don’t usually embrace the story of a video and I’ll often skip cutscenes in favour of getting straight to the action so can’t comment there. However in terms of gameplay, from the get-go, it throws you into brutal, fast-paced firefights that rarely let up. The weapon variety is outstanding. Every gun packs a punch, and the game encourages you to cycle through your arsenal thanks to diverse enemy types and strategic ammo drops. Add in the use of your shield and melee attacks, and it begins to feel like a hybrid between classic FPS chaos and the weighty, combat of an action game like God of War. Difficulty is fully adjustable on the fly, which I always appreciate and lets you find the sweet spot. There are some great moments — piloting an Atlan mech, manning massive turrets, or riding a Mecha Dragon. These sections break up the pace and feel genuinely epic and responsive to control. If you’re looking for a heart-pounding shooter that delivers pure action, Doom: The Dark Ages might just be your next obsession. I’ll revisit this review once the credits roll, but as it stands, this is a five-star experience that's hard to put down. EDIT - on completetion I have changed rating from 5 to 4

At first, the game feels a little slow and even frustrating as you get to grips with the opening sections, but once the weapons come into play the pacing improves dramatically. From that point on, it really hooks you. The first-person perspective works brilliantly here. Combat feels punchy and incredibly satisfying, when firing the guns. There’s a real sense of tension that keeps you edging forward — checking the next corner, peeking into the next room, never quite knowing what’s waiting for you. A few well-placed jump scares and surprises help maintain that uneasy atmosphere. The pacing is well-judged, particularly with the placement of save points. They arrive just when you need them, often delivering a genuine sense of relief. Early on, ammo and resources are scarce, forcing you to play carefully. But, in true Resident Evil fashion, the balance shifts as the game progresses: by the later stages, you’re armed to the teeth with enough weapons, healing items, and ammunition to handle whatever comes your way. The enemies are grotesque and unsettling, with some standout boss encounters that are both tricky and memorable. That said, I did find the variety of enemies a little lacking compared to other entries in the series. Overall, though, this is a gripping and thoroughly enjoyable experience. The campaign length has been criticised by some for being on the shorter side, but I actually think it works well—just long enough to stay sharp and compelling without overstaying its welcome. I’d recommend this to any Resident Evil fan, or anyone who enjoys a tense, action-packed first-person shooter.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has enough going for it, especially if you're into soulslikes. The combat is pretty satisfying, and I am enjoying the variety of enemies — and exploring the world exciting. There's a real sense of curiosity that drives you to keep checking what’s around the next corner. That said, like many soulslikes, the boss fights can quickly become a frustrating grind. While the overall experience feels a bit more forgiving than some of its peers, the difficulty spikes during boss encounters are steep. I often find myself stuck, turning to YouTubers for help, and spending ages chipping away at a single fight. Also I find the distance between worship points — essentially the game’s version of checkpoints and spaced too far apart, which can make death feel punishing and frustrating. At this point, I think the genre could benefit from a little innovation. Too many of these games feel like they’re just borrowing heavily from each other. Adding a difficulty option or dialing back the intensity of boss battles wouldn’t hurt either—especially for players who enjoy the world and mechanics but struggle with the steep learning curve. In short, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is definitely worth a look if you’re a seasoned soulslike fan. But if, like me, you enjoy the genre in theory but find the difficulty overwhelming at times, you might want to hold off—or go in knowing you’ll need some patience (and a few guide videos). Edit: After spending hours on one boss getting nowhere and wasting my life I have given up on this dropped it to 2 stars

Still a blast to play in 2025 – punchy, slick and with Gotham vibes I’m playing Batman: Arkham Knight on Xbox Game Pass in 2025 — so yeah, a good 10 years or so after it first dropped — and it still holds up really well. I just wanted something fun with straight forward combat mechanics to dive into, and this delivered. I’m not big storylines in games and usually skip cutscenes to get straight into the action, so I can’t say much about the plot or side missions (I stuck with the main story). What I can say is the combat hits you right in face. It’s responsive, satisfying, and makes you feel like a total bad ass as you counter, punch, kick, throw, suplex, and wreck groups of enemies with just a few button taps. It’s simple but smooth and feels great every time. Driving around Gotham in the Bat Mobile is fun, and there is vehicle combat to change the pace of things. That said, the combat mode can feel a bit clunky at times, and I think there’s a bit too much. It breaks things up, but I could’ve done with a little less of it. Moving around the city gliding and grappling across Gotham feels effortless — slick and fast. There are some good character appearances too that make the whole thing feel authentic to the Batman universe, and you even get to play as a few of them, which is a nice bonus. If you’re stuck on what to play next and just want something that feels good to bash your way through, this one’s worth a go even now as it’s still a solid action game after all these years.

I’m usually the kind of player who skips cutscenes and jumps straight into the action, so don’t have too much to add about the story or dialogue choices. The combat is seriously fun. Firing the guns, especially the iconic Auto-9, feels amazing — it’s punchy, brutal, and super satisfying. You can practically feel the bullets land with all the gore and flying limbs that come with it. The Auto-9 has unlimited ammo too, so you’re encouraged to just unleash and keep moving forward like an unstoppable tank — which nails the feeling of being Robocop. There are a few other weapons to pick up, that you will need along the way – Assault rifles, shotguns, SMGs. You can throw objects from motorbikes to gas cans at enemies which is another highlight — and adds a fun, chaotic edge to the firefights. The environments capture the gritty, Robocop vibe perfectly and feels like you’ve stepped into that world. There are side missions, but I didn’t find them particularly compelling — so stuck to the main story. There are slower sections, dialogue choices and things to investigate that some players will appreciate the extra story bits and choice-driven moments, but personally, I was just keen to get back to shooting bad guys. Overall, if you love action-packed shooters and want to feel like Robocop, this is definitely worth checking out — especially if you’re a fan of the movies.

A Button-Mashing Blast for When You Just Want to Cut to the Chase If you’re anything like me and tend to skip cutscenes in favour of getting straight to the action, Devil May Cry 5 is exactly the kind of no-nonsense, high-octane experience you’re looking for. I grabbed this game wanting something linear, fast-paced, and satisfying—a proper hack-and-slash title where you can dive in for short sessions and still walk away feeling like you’ve unleashed chaos in the best possible way. And DMC5 absolutely delivered. You can adjust difficulty on the fly. I stuck mostly to the easiest mode, not for lack of challenge, but because I was here for pure, undiluted action—not a test of endurance. Whether you’ve got 20 minutes or an hour, the responsive, heart-pounding combat gives you that instant gaming fix without the need to invest in dialogue, exploration, or complicated mechanics. Sure, some might say the gameplay gets a bit repetitive, but I found it perfect in short bursts, and the combat is so fluid and addictive that it’s easy to get drawn in longer than you planned. Devil May Cry is trying to be a lot of fun and in that, it completely succeeds.

One of my favourite games ever just got even better. The pace and tempo of the game is on point from exploration, puzzles, intense combat and epic boss battles. The combat is satisfying no matter which weapon you use and there's a great variety to choose from. I can't recommend this game enough whether you're a fan of the original, series or new to resident evil. What a game