Drop Rate - Video game reviews that'll make you think

Drop Rate - Video game reviews that'll make you think

Let us be your guide to the best video games, with honest analysis and critique and reviews. Hosted by Chris Button and featuring your favourite journalists sharing their thoughts on the latest titles for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC.

  1. NOV 11

    CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 6 has a wild story, genre leading multiplayer

    There are only a couple of constants in this world, death, taxes and new CALL OF DUTY games. This semi-annual series keeps cranking out the shooter scenarios, with some great multiplayer and all over the place single player. Chris Button is joined by SIFTER's own Kyle Pauletto and freelance journalist David Smith (Rhunwords) as they make heads and tails of it all. Clicking on things is fun, that's what CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 6 delivers in spades. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. *New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Courtney Smith, Adam Christou and Chris Button. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.

    38 min
  2. AUG 29

    STAR WARS OUTLAWS captures the vibe of the galaxy far far away

    ‍STAR WARS OUTLAWS might be the first game that actually feels like you're in the cities, spaceships and bases of the legendary scifi series. It's an open world game that doesn't feel bogged down with too much list ticking activities. Chris Button and Gianni Di Giovanni share their thoughts on Ubisoft's take on the world of Star Wars, what worked, what didn't and why Massive is only the name of the studio that made it, not the world. Read our full review here: STAR WARS OUTLAWS is a fun open world adventure that feels perfectly intimate and vast Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. *New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Courtney Smith, Adam Christou and Chris Button. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.

    38 min
  3. JUN 3

    HADES II lives up to the hype and somehow manages to improve on its award-winning predecessor

    HADES II has been on everyone’s radar since the first game launched in 2020, and this sequel keeps the favourite parts of the previous game but adds heaps of new abilities, battle mechanics and storylines in its early access release. Chris Button sits down with SIFTER Executive Producer Gianni Di Giovanni to unpack the mythical Underworld and see if HADES II lives up to the hype of its predecessor. With two separate runs with slightly different mechanics and environment, so even from the get-go the game offers a lot even though it’s in early access. With plenty of polish to come and hours of playtime to even just scratch the surface, it’s looking good for whatever the final product turns out to be. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. *New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Courtney Borrett, Daniel Ang, Adam Christou and Chris Button. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.

    39 min
  4. MAY 16

    STELLAR BLADE, stay for the big meaty monsters but the platforming can jump

    STELLAR BLADE caught the attention of many when it first debuted, but not necessarily for its gameplay. Flashy in more ways than one, it's certainly generated plenty of heated discussion online. Stephanie Panecasio (GamesHub) and David Smith (Kotaku Australia) join Drop Rate to unpack the many layers of this flashy action RPG. Stellar Blade's methodical and stylish combat consistently proves to be a highlight, while its derivative paint-by-numbers structure slows it down. And that's even before talking about the platforming, well the less said, the better, but there is one thing we can all agree on, however: the gruesome boss designs rule. Amidst the noise surrounding Stellar Blade, it doesn't necessarily do anything new. For the most part, it plays to its hard-hitting strengths, as familiar as they may be to anyone familiar with FromSoftware's catalogue but as far as homages and takes on well-worn formulas go, Stellar Blade is among the better examples. Even if it doesn't take everyone's fancy. A copy of STELLAR BLADE on PlayStation 5 was provide to SIFTER for the purpose of this review. Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. *New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Courtney Borrett, Daniel Ang, Adam Christou and Chris Button. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.

    31 min

About

Let us be your guide to the best video games, with honest analysis and critique and reviews. Hosted by Chris Button and featuring your favourite journalists sharing their thoughts on the latest titles for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC.

More From SIFTER

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada