Pyre

Pyre is a sports game unlike any other. You control a group of exiles, a set of miscreants banished from a prosperous kingdom to an underworld-esque realm. Their goal, as with most exiles, is to claw their way back to society. To do so, they engage in a trial of games, known as “rites,” that can best be described as “soccer, but magic.” Every character has different attributes, each of which helps immensely in rites. (Some are fast, some can triple jump, some can fly, and so on.) And when an exile wins enough rites, they’re able to become un-exiled—which means leaving your team. Inevitably, this means your best players hit that crossroads earliest. Thus begets a tough choice: Do you deny this beloved character the one thing they want, all in the name of furthering your victory? Or do you bid them farewell? Pyre further shines in its player-vs.-player mode. The campaign is easy enough, especially once you get the hang of it. Play against another human, though—with all the raw unpredictability that entails—and you’re bound to find yourself locked in a series of palm-sweating, curse-laden matches

A Good Match For: Fans of Transistor, Hades, and Bastion, and anyone who likes the frenetic competition of fast-paced, nontraditional sports games like Rocket League

Not A Good Match For: Those who lack a competitive streak (for the multiplayer). Those who need constant action (for the single-player).

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Purchase from: PlayStation Store