With the May bank holiday weekend upon us and so-so weather forecast across the country, it’s looking less like early barbecue weather and more like staying inside and playing video games time.
The reviews for Returnal have been glowing this week, but it’s also the first major test of Sony’s decision to charge $70/£70/€80 for their video games this generation. Who’s picking up Housemarque’s latest? Has the price put you off the purchase?
In the News This Week
- Sony has shipped 7.8 million PS5s, outpacing PS4 launch in best ever year for PlayStation
- Among Us will be coming to PlayStation later this Summer
- Fall Guys has been delayed on Xbox and Switch
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is getting a full PS5 and Xbox Series X|S release this summer
- Resident Evil Re:Verse as been delayed until Summer 2021
- Mental health awareness group Safe In Our World announces a month long fundraising drive
- Super Mario Party update adds full online multiplayer! – version 1.1.0 patch notes here
- The final Resident Evil Village demo has been extended from one day to one week
- Apex Legends: Legacy – Valkyrie, Bocek bow, Olympus changes and Arenas mode revealed
- The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners free Aftershock Update launches next month
And we had the reveal of the May games for both Games with Gold and PlayStation Plus
- May’s PlayStation Plus games revealed – Get the Wreckfest PS5 upgrade for free
- May’s Xbox Games with Gold revealed – Armello leads the way
Games in Review
Obviously there was one game grabbing all the attention this week. See how Returnal holds up in our review.
- Returnal – PS5 – 9/10 (Video Review)
- Total War: Rome Remastered – PC, Mac, Lin – 8/10
- The Binding of Isaac: Repentance – PC – 8/10
- The Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff Pack – PS4, XBO, PC – 8/10
- Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 5/10
- Smelter – PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 4/10
Featured Articles
With Returnal and time-loops on everyone’s mind, guest writer Aaron pondered how Returnal and Deathloop are evolving the roguelike genre last weekend. Meanwhile, Jim and I cooked up 10 essential tips for those venturing into Returnal for the first time.
We dove into a bunch of games for preview this week, with Jason checking out the cutesy voxel spin-off Earth Defense Force: World Brothers, as Jim played the more gritty medieval wargame Chivalry 2, calling it a “masterclass in multiplayer mayhem”.
I brought us some previews of a pair of upcoming ID@Xbox titles, with the shooty Cyberpunk sci-fi of The Ascent and the focussed time-looping narrative of Twelve Minutes both providing intriguing indie experiences. I also went hands on with Apex Legends: Legacy’s new Arenas mode.
Finally, What We Played featured Returnal, Maskmaker and Rain On Your Parade.
Trailer Park
Watch 15 minutes of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart gameplay in this new video
Let’s Build A Zoo announced for PC and console, gameplay footage released
The Persistence Enhanced brings the sci-fi horror to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground gameplay revealed
Your Achievements
Here’s what you in our community has been up to this week:
- tactical20 has been giving Breath of the Wild another go, hoping that it’s third time the charm after a couple false starts in the last few years.
- Crazy_Del is one trophy away from the Dirt 5 platinum, has wrapped up Subnautica, and has continued his co-op adventures in Zombie Army 4.
- willbuchanan has been playing Borderlands 2, but can’t decide if he’s glad not to have his old PS3 save to fall back on while replaying it.
- And doomsday619 has been replaying Red Dead Redemption 2 on PS5, finally managing to complete it again on Thursday.
That’s all for this week’s gaming round-up. As always, have fun at home, stay safe if and when you’re out, and we’ll see you next week.