PlayStation Magazine - 05.2020

097

T

his simulates not just battle

in the Louisiana swamps,

but ephebiphobia: the fear

of the young. Since permadeath

only applies once you’ve hit Rank

10, veterans are wary of being

paired with new players. The

newbies know they’re immortal,

and are likely to take more risks,

whereas old hands, mindful of their

fragility, favour a more deliberate

pace. That means matchmaking

with vets can be tricky until

you’ve got a few victories under

your belt. Thankfully, for every

Rank 88 master, there’s another

hunter braving the bayou for the

first time, and waiting times are

practically non-existent. Better

co-ordination is possible via voice

chat, but be wary: localised audio

can betray your position, a fact the

game keeps to itself.

Crashing through a stealth-

focused map as part of a three-

person team is a transgressive

thrill – and busy servers make

joining in easy. Jeremy Peel

INFO

VERDICT

FORMATPS4

PUBKOCH MEDIA

DEVCRYTEK

REVIEW#173, 9/10

W

hile this updated version

of French Bread’s lovingly

pixellated, technical

fighter might have refreshed

gameplay (it’s available as a DLC

update as well as a full-price

release), it’s also refreshed the

player base. This niche fighting

game has its devotees, but finding

a match might take a while. When

you do get one you’ll pray what you

learned in training mode took hold,

as you’ll probably be battered with

combos. Even so, the connection

even with players far away feels

smooth, meaning blame for the

battering lies at your own feet.

It also means you can play with

pals online fairly easily. The limited

online player base might make local

sessions with buds the more viable

option, but when you can find a

match, you’ll have a good time.

The latest version is still the

domain of hardcore series fans,

but if you can keep up with them

you’ll have a good time duelling

worldwide. Oscar Taylor-Kent

VERDICT

It’s already fun – we had a great time

experimenting with magical blends –

but a few tweaks and improvements to

the stability could make this the next

must-play battle royale. Luke Kemp

VERDICT

lightning? Earth and fire? Go ahead!

With two gloves, you can have

whichever two you want – and you will

definitely want different types. You see,

there are even ways to mix elements,

as we discover to our delight when,

sending a tornado into a patch of toxic

goo, our windy friend turns green and

poisons our opponent. Hah!

Spellbreak is already fun, but there’s

a list of tweaks we’d like to see before

the final version hits. For example, with

no sprint this seems to be a game

crying out for a dedicated evade button.

Attacks from behind usually mean

you’re doomed. No matter what magic’s

in use, it’s currently very difficult to

tell where attacks are coming from if

you don’t have sight of the enemy,

which led to many a frustrating death

for us. Still, it’s a great starting point, if

nothing else, and we’re excited to see

where it goes from here.

In some ways, the noobs

are the deadliest threat...

INFO

FORMAT PS4

PUB PQUBE

DEV FRENCH-BREAD

REVIEW N/A

Late night bouts will

clear you out

Hunt: Showdown

Under Night

In-Birth

Exe:Late[cl-r]

PACK IT IN
Gain Beta access by purchasing a
Founder’s pack, each of which grants
bonuses at launch. Mystic gives 3,500
Gold, Sorcerer 6,000, and Champion
15,000. Each also includes an
in-game avatar “and more”.