Previews

PAX AUS 2023: We played Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

I got the chance to try Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name later in the day, and I’m glad that I did. While it still retains much of the insanity and variety that the series has been known for so far, it also retains many of the string combat mechanics that have…

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PAX AUS 2023: We played Sonic Superstars

It wasn’t long after Super Mario Bros. Wonder, that I caught the SEGA booth and the offering to try out the upcoming Sonic Superstars. I’m certainly a fan of both the character and the broader franchise, but haven’t seen as much of this leading up to PAX AUS 2023 as I would have liked. With…

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PAX AUS 2023: We played Super Mario Bros. Wonder

While it’s always great to be at PAX AUS, some of my fondest memories of the show came from 2017. It was my first PAX AUS with The AU Review, and Super Mario Odyssey was out that weekend. While it had actually come out that Friday, the first day of the PAX AUS weekend, I…

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Game Preview: EA Sports FC 24 steps up when it counts

It seems like only yesterday that we found out that EA Sports and FIFA were parting ways, granting the long-running football franchise a seemingly new identity. Name change aside, EA Sports FC 24 does its best to freshen up many of the game’s nuanced mechanics and motion capture, in ways that feel new and exciting,…

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Game Preview: Mortal Kombat 1 refines an otherwise solid formula

Mortal Kombat 1 might be rebooting the narrative, even if the long-running fighting franchise relies on a successful, established formula to pave its way forward. We got our hands on the recent closed beta over the weekend, and we can safely say that Mortal Kombat 1 is a downright enjoyable fighter thanks to some splendid…

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Game Preview: Payday 3 sticks to its successful formula

I got into the Payday franchise with Payday 2, and much later than expected. While I had first played Payday 2 way back on the PlayStation 3 upon its release, I hadn’t really sunk my teeth into its offerings until earlier this year, when I picked it up on Xbox Game Pass. And boy am…

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Game Preview: F1 23 returns with new mechanics and a Braking Point sequel

It’s that time of the year again. With the Formula 1 season off and running, we recently got some hands-on time with the upcoming F1 23. In many ways, F1 23 is looking to return in strong form, with various adjustments to physics, a direct Braking Point story sequel and a whole new F1 World…

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Early Access Game Preview: Undisputed feels like a promising return for boxing games

Originally announced as eSports Boxing Club, Undisputed looks to fill a large hole in the sporting games market. With certain games like Big Rumble Boxing and the Creed Champions spin-off trying their best, it’s been over a decade since a traditional boxing game has graced any platform. Fight Night Champion still scratches that itch for…

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Game Preview: Hands on with Diablo IV’s open beta

I must admit, for as popular as Diablo III has been since its launch, it had never managed to grab me, nor keep me around for more than a couple of months after its release. That being said, Diablo IV’s open beta seemed like the perfect opportunity to become reacquainted with the franchise that might…

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Game Preview: Hands on with Dead Island 2

The team at Plaion ANZ were nice enough to provide us with a hands-on look at the highly anticipated Dead Island 2 from Dambuster Studios and Deep Silver. The sequel is finally releasing later this month after the first game in 2011, which garnered rave reviews and a cult following. This time around the island…

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5 things to know before playing the Resident Evil 4 Remake

With a brand-spanking new version of Resident Evil 4 right around the corner, we simply can’t wait to see what the remake holds in store for new and existing fans alike. With new gameplay details and a free demo available to download as you’re reading this, we thought we would dive in and highlight 5…

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EA Sports PGA Tour Preview: Return to the fairway

EA Sports’ golfing games may have missed the spotlight for the better part of seven years, but that won’t stop the franchise from heading back onto the fairway for another round. We recently got an inside look at EA Sports PGA Tour, as they unpacked the new and exciting features, licenses, gameplay and inclusions that…

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Our most anticipated games of 2022 and beyond

Before we go any further, we can’t believe it either. Here we are, with just over two months to go in 2022, a flurry of releases either on our doorstep or in our living rooms, and we decide now to talk about upcoming releases in 2022 that we’re excited for? Hear us out. There really…

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PGA Tour 2K23 Preview: Aiming for the fairway

My time spent playing golfing games is sporadic to say the least. I suck at the sport itself, but can respect the patience and nuanced skillset required to succeed. That being said, PGA Tour 2K21 piqued my interested in the sport once again, providing a detailed yet accessible control schemes and found myself admittedly addicted…

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Unwrapping NBA 2K23’s new gameplay enhancements

The time has come yet again, to discuss a new NBA 2K game for the year, including multiple updates on general gameplay. While this year may feel like a stepping stone in some ways, there’s no doubt the voices of many fans and gamers alike have been heard, with developer Visual Concepts cutting straight to…

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Overwatch 2 PVP Beta Preview: A natural progression

The highly anticipated Overwatch 2 comes straight off the back of, what is in my opinion, one of the most successful runs a PVP shooter has ever experienced. Putting the internal Activision Blizzard issues aside, the original Overwatch has most definitely stood the test of time, continuously aiming to uphold the balance that it has…

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Nintendo Switch Sports Review: A fun, yet lacking experience

It’s perhaps one of the most onerous tasks to live up to a legacy in any case, but in the case of the legacy of Nintendo’s Wii Sports from 2006, the task becomes that much more difficult. Wii Sports was at the forefront of technological advancements in the gaming sphere at the time of its…

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Join Nightwing and Red Hood in a new gameplay trailer for Gotham Knights

A brand new gameplay trailer for Gotham Knights was shown off overnight, highlighting both Nightwing and Red Hood as they patrol the streets of Gotham. While not related to the Batman Arkham series, the trailer bears many similarities in terms of gameplay, from combat to traversal. Game Director Geoff Ellenor opened the proceedings, before we…

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Customise ‘Til Your Heart’s Content in the Upcoming Saints Row Reboot

We recently got to check out some footage from the upcoming Saints Row reboot, an admittedly intensive presentation that boasted an incredible level of customisation and detail. The footage gave us a glimpse of the endless and granular customisation options within the game from vehicles, weapons, your broader empire and of course, character customisation. Being able…

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Unwrapping State of Play’s Hogwarts Legacy gameplay trailer

This morning’s Hogwarts Legacy gameplay trailer has left an incredibly positive impression in the minds of Harry Potter fans and gamers alike. While the game’s troubled development has lingered since its reveal, we’re confident that things are looking up, providing a healthy dose of wizarding goodness, wrapped in a detailed and expansive open world. So…

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Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Preview: Looting for laughs

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands marks a welcome return to the Borderlands franchise. Introduced as a supporting character in Borderlands 2, Tiny Tina’s popularity has taken off in recent years, even going as far as to give her a Borderlands 2 DLC chapter of her own in Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. Think of this as…

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Ghostwire: Tokyo Preview: Souls to save

If we knew very little about Ghostwire: Tokyo up until this week, the tables have truly turned. We got the chance to check out 30 minutes of gameplay last month, and our impressions sent us through a loophole of spooky enemies, whacky finger guns, and a soul-saving mission that sends you throughout the hollow streets…

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Unwrapping PlayStation’s State of Play Gran Turismo 7 showcase

With just over a month to go until the release of Gran Turismo 7, PlayStation’s first State of Play stream for the year decided to spend an entire 30 minutes devoted to the racing sim. With an admittedly impressive amount of things to unpack in such a short amount of time, one thing is clear;…

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Rainbow Six Extraction Preview: Get to the choppa’

The next entry in the wildly popular Rainbow Six series admittedly feels like untapped territory. For a series built on realism and the nature of a tactical approach, I was excited to experience that same level of tension and pace against a new alien threat. Our hands-on preview of Rainbow Six Extraction unveiled a number…

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Elden Ring Hands-On Impressions: A Brutally Good Time

We recently got the chance to participate in a Closed Network Test of Elden Ring, developer FromSoftware’s Souls-inspired epic. This beta version of the game featured a contained portion of its open world, allowing us to explore, battle and most importantly, survive. I would liken my time with Elden Ring to Dark Souls 3 –…

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Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5 Preview: No One Sleep In Mexico

Forza Horizon 5 has a formula that is, by now, well established. These are semi-arcade racers that are more concerned with taking dream cars for a joy ride than they are about being a detailed motorsport simulation. Forza Horizon 5 returns to the series to the Americas for the first time since the original, setting…

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Battlefield 2042 Open Beta Impressions: Order Through Chaos

Battlefield 2042 might just be enough to bring me back to Battlefield. In BF’s recent absence, Warzone and Modern Warfare have drawn many competitive shooter fans over to the Call of Duty franchise in the past few years. myself included. But a recent hands-on with Battlefield 2042’s Open Beta reminded me exactly why I’ve missed the…

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Call of Duty Vanguard beta

Call of Duty: Vanguard Beta Impressions: Tone and tenor

It’s that military shooter end of the year again, and Call of Duty Vanguard is hot on the horizon. A franchise well known for its collection of action-packed World War 2 shooters has come full circle, as developer Sledgehammer Games have opted in to take Call of Duty: Vanguard back in time for an old…

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Call of Duty: Vanguard Champion Hill Alpha Impressions

Believe it or not, Call of Duty: Vanguard was just announced. And with that release trailer barely two weeks old, PlayStation owners got the chance to test a slice of the multiplayer pie that is yet to come; Champion Hill. For what’s being touted as a brand new mode, feels like a callback to the…

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Step Up With the Latest NBA 2K22 Gameplay Trailer

If you’re an NBA fan like I am, this time of the year feels different. Spring is on the way for us Australians, and there’s just something special in the air. The fact that a new NBA 2K game is upon us, that is. Even though the wait is almost over, fans were gifted a…

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