Ashley Bates's Reviews
Dragon's Dogma 2 is a kitchen sink sequel to the original sleeper hit from 2012, building on what worked about the first game to create an RPG experience that's still unlike any other.
Tekken 8 appeals to both the casual and hardcore playerbase, with a great selection of modes, training tools and additional gameplay depth. 2024's fighting games are off to an excellent start.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth sun-baked adventure expertly improves on the last game's formula, while giving enough space for both of its leading Dragons to truly shine.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was already a brilliant title, but now that the Booster Course Pass is over, it should go down as one of the Switch's all-time greats.
Like A Dragon Gaiden should tide fans over until Infinite Wealth drops as a shorter yet still enjoyable romp, but this is hardly a series highlight.
A brave, ridiculous survival horror game that oftentimes needs to be seen to be believed, Alan Wake 2 showcases a developer at the peak of their powers.
A brilliant superhero game, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 largely improves on the core formula while telling the most intimate, dramatic story yet.
A sophomore cyberpunk slasher, Ghostrunner 2 successfully builds on the foundation of the original game with new abilities and gimmicks.
Sonic Superstars is full of ideas, and while not all of them land (especially the co-op), the inventiveness on show and core gameplay makes it worth checking out.
El Paso, Elsewhere might suffer from some filler levels, but the excellent gameplay and writing make it worth checking out.
Mortal Kombat 1's New Era might be a bit too familiar, but the core gameplay and range of modes on offer here is undeniable.
A fun space-faring RPG held back by a few glaring decisions, Starfield is a good launching point for a game that'll become something great in the future.
There's charm and appeal to be found in WrestleQuest, but this old school RPG doesn't have enough to stay in the main event.
A brilliant standard setter for remasters and re-releases going forward, Quake 2 feels like a love letter to one of the grandfathers of boomer shooters.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a smart, fun and well-executed roguelike take on the beat 'em genre.
Exoprimal has good ideas, and feels like a genuinely novel and fun concept, but the asking price is simply way too steep, leaving the player to feel like extinction might be inevitable.
AEW: Fight Forever's good ideas can't save it from a paltry amount of content and somewhat inferior gameplay compared to its competition.
A sublime fighting game masterpiece from a company at the peak of their powers, Street Fighter 6 is utterly incredible.
A solid first lap for a racer that might need a bit more time to hit top speed, LEGO 2K Drive is still worth playing whether you're young, old or somewhere in between.
Competing with Fire Emblem for the title of premier strategy game on the Nintendo Switch, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a definitive combination of two cult classics.