THREE TO PLAY
PSN games you might have missed
Every month, loads of games come to the PS Store. You’d be hard pressed to play them all, so we’re looking at some that didn’t quite make the cut. This month we explore strength, using it to best rival kaiju, win anime fights, and even become Frankenstein’s monster.
You wait ages for an anime fighter remaster and then, of course, two come along at once. While we’ll be giving you our thoughts on the excellent Persona 4 Arena Ultimax next issue, we’re passing the time with Phantom
Breaker: Omnia until then. This is the fourth iteration of the original 2011 fighter, but it’s the first time it’s ever been released in English, so unless you’re a frequent importer of games this’ll have something new to offer. There’s some great 2D sprite work (even if some of the character art styles feel like they clash), and each of the 20 fighters has three different modes that change how they play. The game’s easy to get to grips with, and there’s a snappy, almost magnetic, quality to the bouts between these over-the-top combatants.
From one larger-than-life fighter to another that’s more literally massive – Dawn Of The Monsters, a sidescrolling beat-’em-up that enables you to pit your own giant monsters against other behemoths (and is co-op), enacting all your kaiju-battling dreams. Between missions you can customise the abilities and stats of your creatures. There are nice touches to the designs that evoke manga classics, though some of the environments you fight through can feel a little basic, as can the combat. It might not be Streets Of Rage, but then what is? It’s nevertheless a fun enough time with friends.
But maybe you want to ignore your considerable physical strength and pursue a non-violent path instead? That’s the tack you take in The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature (not to be confused with last month’s time-travelling PSVR game Wanderer). First released on mobile last year, it now comes to PlayStation. There’s a simplicity to this narrative puzzle game that you’d expect considering its origins. It’s point-and-click, and you play as the creature having to make decisions as you move through each painterly environment. The choices you’re offered aren’t especially huge or gamechanging, but it’s an effective tone-piece that’s worth a look, and the artwork really is beautiful.