A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead – Sony Playstation 5 (2024)
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead on PlayStation 5 is a single-player survival horror adventure game inspired by the critically acclaimed movie franchise. The game offers a standalone story focusing on a young woman named Alex Taylor. Following a tragedy, Alex must navigate a post-apocalyptic world overrun by sound-sensitive creatures while dealing with personal conflicts and her own inner fears. The core gameplay revolves around stealth and silence, as any sound can attract the deadly aliens. Players must carefully traverse environments, using a phonometer to monitor their noise levels and the ambient sounds. Alex, who suffers from asthma, needs to manage her exertion to avoid attacks, using inhalers and pills found throughout the world. Players can also utilize tools like flashlights (requiring batteries) and throwable objects to distract the creatures.
The story unfolds through Alex’s journey as she seeks a safe haven, encountering other survivors and discovering more about the world through scattered notes and documents. The narrative aims to be emotional and tense, mirroring the atmosphere of the films, with themes of survival, family, and inner turmoil.
Reception for A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead has been mostly positive, with many praising its tense atmosphere and faithful adaptation of the movie’s core mechanics. Critics have noted the game’s emphasis on stealth, comparing it to Alien: Isolation in its slow-paced and deliberate gameplay. The sound design is a crucial element, and the optional microphone noise detection feature adds another layer of immersion, where in-game creatures react to sounds made by the player in real life. However, some reviews have pointed out inconsistencies in the AI behavior and frustratingly slow movement at times. Despite these criticisms, the game is generally considered a worthwhile experience for fans of the A Quiet Place universe and stealth horror games, offering a unique and stressful journey through a world where silence is survival.
   | Complete |
 | 2191 |
 | £20.00 |
Bloodborne – Sony Playstation 4 (2015)
Bloodborne, a critically acclaimed action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware, immerses players in the gothic, Victorian-era city of Yharnam. This once-thriving metropolis is now plagued by a mysterious blood-borne disease that has transformed its inhabitants into grotesque beasts. Players take on the role of a Hunter, an outsider who arrives in Yharnam seeking a cure or the secrets of a substance called Paleblood. The story unfolds through cryptic dialogues, item descriptions, and environmental details, gradually revealing a complex lore involving ancient civilizations, cosmic entities known as Great Ones, and the dark secrets of the Healing Church, which practices blood ministration. The narrative delves into themes of cosmic horror, the corrupting nature of knowledge, and the blurred lines between humanity and monstrosity, culminating in multiple possible endings depending on the player’s choices and discoveries.
The gameplay of Bloodborne is characterized by fast-paced, aggressive combat that emphasizes offense over defense. Unlike other “Souls-like” games from FromSoftware, Bloodborne heavily features trick weapons that can transform into different forms mid-battle, offering versatile movesets. The absence of traditional shields encourages players to rely on dodging, parrying with firearms (which can stagger enemies for visceral attacks), and a unique “Rally” system that allows players to regain lost health by attacking enemies immediately after taking damage. Exploration is crucial, as the interconnected world of Yharnam hides secrets, shortcuts, and valuable items. Players collect “Blood Echoes” from fallen enemies, which serve as both experience points for levelling up and currency for purchasing items and upgrades. The game features challenging enemies and intricate boss battles that require strategic thinking and precise execution.
Bloodborne was met with widespread critical acclaim upon its release. Praises were directed at its engaging and fluid combat system, its richly detailed and atmospheric world, the intricate and rewarding level design, and the compelling, albeit cryptic, narrative steeped in Lovecraftian horror. The game’s challenging difficulty was also lauded as a key aspect of its rewarding experience. While some initial criticism was aimed at its technical performance, post-release updates addressed many of these issues. Bloodborne is frequently cited as one of the best video games of all time and a standout title for the PlayStation 4, celebrated for its unique blend of action, horror, and intricate world-building.
| Complete |
| 2192 |
| £14.40 |