Push Square's Scores

  • Games
For 3,622 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 31% higher than the average critic
  • 8% same as the average critic
  • 61% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 7.1 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 68
Highest review score: 100 Persona 4 Golden
Lowest review score: 10 Yasai Ninja
Score distribution:
3639 game reviews
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Styx: Shards of Darkness is an enormous improvement over its predecessor. The gameplay has seen a large amount of refinement to the point where it's actually a fun game to play, and Styx himself steals the show with his charismatic performance. It's not without its own set of returning and new defects, but Styx's second adventure is something we can confidently recommend. This is everything the first game should have been.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you're a fan of the franchise, then TRON: Catalyst is a title you won’t want to miss. Bithell Games has massively expanded the scope and ambition of its title from the first time out, and the results are mostly successful.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis is the most impactful character episode yet, and it's easily the most essential. Those already invested in Final Fantasy XV should find a lot to like in terms of additional story elements, and Ignis' flashy, fast, and fluid fighting style keeps enemy encounters engaging. Here's hoping that future episodes build upon what this latest scenario gets right.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    As far as Warriors-style action games go, Fate Extella Link is near the top of the pile on PS4 -- it's a robust and refined sequel that fans of the genre shouldn't miss out on. The process of levelling up, collecting skills, and bonding with your favourite Fate characters is both satisfying and rewarding, and although repetition does become a factor later on, the flashy combat has enough kick to keep you engaged. While it could be argued that Link should do more to evolve beyond its predecessor, it's still hectic hack and slash fun from start to finish.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It doesn’t hurt that the game is designed with a confidence and flair we don’t often see in VR. Absolutely everything down to the menus has a level of swagger that makes for a stunning experience. Cel-shading works well in certain settings, and VR is absolutely one of them: it allows Fracked’s environments to have exponentially more detail and complexity than a similar game without cel-shading, adding much more life to the title's alpine mining facility.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Etherborn is well worth checking out if brain teasing is your thing. As it toys with gravity and shifts surfaces to the forefront while you traverse them, mechanics come and go to keep the experience fresh at all times. This environmental puzzler doesn’t last particularly long, but it’s sure to provide an afternoon’s worth of challenge and enjoyment.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It doesn’t do anything that'll have you absolutely amazed, but the time you spend getting to know your surroundings here will be a worthy venture as your store expands and gets more products.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A solid character roster coupled with some eye-catching combat is what this beat-'em-up is all about – even if it could afford to take some more risks, given the wealth of source material on offer.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Though it's not very accessible and lacks a bit of polish, the amount of pure heart that has gone into Fire Pro Wrestling World means that it's a fun retro wrestling game once you get used to it. The endless customisation options and deep story mode provide great value, while the game's oddball nature is pretty charming. Like The Rock, Fire Pro Wrestling World is somehow still going after all these years. Unlike The Rock, its legacy hasn't been tarnished by an appearance in the Baywatch reboot.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    In the end, though, Dead Island 2 is a refreshing surprise amid the 2023 release roster. It's a fun and simple zombie-slasher experience that may be let down by its uninspiring RPG elements and boring loot-cycle, but more than makes up for it with its killer setting, brutal melee combat, and stunning graphics. While we suspect some will be disappointed by the game's size after all these years, we found it utterly revitalising to find a AAA experience that respects your time, and more importantly doesn't overstay its welcome. In the day and age of 300-hour RPGs, it's nice to know that some games are here for a fun time, not a long time.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Where the game really shines is in its entertaining writing and story-telling. While there are plenty of dark and sombre story points, your lovable companions will constantly lift the mood with light-hearted banter or their tales of folklore told around the warmth of a campfire.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Atlus has successfully translated the turn-based combat of its 2017 masterpiece into a competent tactical experience, though Persona 5 Tactica won't be heralded with the same praise. Consistently good during fights, customising your party and mastering its many stages is where the game is at its best. However, there's little to the title besides those skirmishes, and without any exploration or sense of character progression, this feels like the Phantom Thieves at the end of their tether. Joker and co have enjoyed a great run, but Persona 5 fatigue is well and truly beginning to set in.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Outlast II significantly ups the ante in the production values stakes, but its biggest sin is relying a little too heavily on trial and error in the gameplay department. There's an unsettling story here that wanders into some quite shocking territory, but the writing doesn't always sing from the same hymn sheet, and some murderous moments are delivered a little too frantically for the fiction to fully marinate. Despite that, there's more than enough good on offer here to tempt you back to church. Pull up a pew and prepare for a psychological onslaught.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Pinball M exists to provide Zen Studios with a venue to explore more mature material, but launching several months later than the underwhelming Pinball FX, it also fixes a lot of core structural problems with its peer. This is a more cohesive, rewarding package overall – and the first batch of five tables are bloody fantastic to boot.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Jamestown+ has a great foundation in that it's an extremely addictive and equally challenging shmup, whether you're playing alone or with friends.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Tomba! is still a weird and mostly wonderful little platformer, packed with character and charm from beginning to end. Some of its more convoluted design elements can frustrate, and the backtracking's a bit of a slog at times, but the core, grab-happy gameplay remains satisfyingly fun. And, with the addition of unlimited saves and a rewind function, it's hard not to appreciate and enjoy this revived PS1 oddity.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Viking Squad isn't the most creative or exciting beat-'em-up on the market, but it's easily one of the most consistent. Packing a colourful campaign across a series of varied stages - complete with alternate routes that add a lot of replay value - this is a well made arcade brawler that's especially fun with friends.
    • 55 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    NOW That's What I Call Sing is a solid buy for anyone in need of a karaoke game on the PS4.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    By daring to downscale some of the fluff, NBA 2K25 brings its focus back to basketball in a positive way. Improvements to the series’ dribbling system and ProPLAY make this the best feeling hoops sim Visual Concepts has made, while the sheer density of different modes and features means you could play nothing else all year – and still never get bored. But the borderline insulting emphasis on microtransactions remain a thorn in this series’ side, and something you simply have to accept if you want to enjoy everything else on offer here.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The game is a lighthearted blast. Causing trouble as a goose is devilishly fun, even if the novelty may wear off once you've seen and done everything. It's so uniquely endearing, though, that it'll live surprisingly long in the memory. Enjoyable at any age or ability, Untitled Goose Game is worth a gander.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Something that hasn’t aged quite as well are the shooting galleries. The enemy spawns feel too abundant on some levels, causing the gunplay to get a bit too monotonous. This is especially true on 'The Lost Levels' which are brand new bonus missions meant to connect “old” Doom to “new” Doom, but end up overstaying their welcome.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Zanki Zero is a really entertaining blend of visual novel and survival RPG gameplay. The story is just as eccentric and zany as the Danganronpa series and features that grittiness fans have come to expect. The combat system is a little simplistic, but the human cloning makes it a really unique experience. However, the title doesn't quite hit the same deliciously dark heights as Danganronpa.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    11-11: Memories Retold is an immersive, beautiful, and emotionally charged game. It’s at its best when it functions as a playable film, with you making the major decisions. Where it falls down is in its clunky gameplay and story beats that are locked behind secret item collection. However, the strong celebrity performances and engaging story more than make up for this and create a really unique experience that is both thought provoking and enjoyable. As the subtlest World War game ever made, there’s nothing more appropriate to play to commemorate the signing of the Armistice.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening streamlines the many complex systems and mechanics that have built up over the series' 40-year history, refining the strategic experience that is more approachable and all the better for it. While UI elements and precise control issues can frustrate at times, Awakening is a wonderful sandbox for samurai enthusiasts to play in.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a fantastic co-op shooter that occasionally struggles under strain. The human character models don't exactly look great, but the game delivers what matters: strong gameplay and an excellent atmosphere that's a blast to play with friends.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Taken as a whole, Naiad is a title with incredible art and sound as well as something to say, even if the gameplay isn’t always firing on that same level.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    We Are OFK is an incredibly well-written game that stretches the boundaries of the medium. There's not a lot of traditional gameplay, but the characters are so well-realised and the writing so strong that even though there’s not much for you to do during each of the episodes, the act of being there and listening remains highly engaging. Between the strong art and soundtrack, there’s a lot to like, even if there’s not a lot to play.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Darkness II is absolutely worth your investment: its rich sense of style, gratuitous twist on standard first-person gunplay and legitimately engaging plot separate it from its peers, but there's a serious lack of substance here that diminish from the game's overall value.
    • 58 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time manages to capture the essence of the anime brilliantly. There’s plenty of fun to be had exploring Luna Nova as well as all the various dungeons. Some slow story pacing and frame rate drops let things down slightly, but if you’re a fan of the series, you should definitely pick this up.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    In pursuing pro players, NBA 2K21 may be a little too intimidating for more casual players. Nevertheless, this is an obscenely detailed simulation that captures the ebb-and-flow of real-world basketball with unrivalled authenticity. It’s also enormous, and while some aspects have been left untouched, the likeable story and revamped MyTeam modes mean that it’s worth the upgrade. The in-game economy, which is heavily influenced by lucrative microtransactions, continues to be a sour spot – and it remains to be seen how much life this release will have with a next-gen successor right around the corner. Still, even with all of these drawbacks, it’s comfortably one of the best sports games available on the PS4.

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