As a non-racer, I have been incredibly impressed by what's on offer. While I still prefer the open-world shenanigans and quirky Burnout-inspired Horizon series, I can see what's so appealing about these types of games thanks to this latest entry.
Overall, Assassin's Creed: Mirage is a decent game in the series, but a largely forgettable one. After the dizzying heights of Odyssey and Valhalla, Mirage takes too much of a step back and relies too much on gameplay the series has long moved on from.
Under the right circumstances and with the right people (and possibly the right alcohol) Samba de Amigo: Party Central is a smash.
Starfield is a less interesting Fallout in space with some serious design issues. It’s still very playable and easy enough to pick up and play for short bursts but it certainly doesn’t have the staying power of Skyrim or Fallout 3. It simultaneously tried to do too much and does too little.
Being inspired by and ripping off is a fine line and Lies of P does not tread it well.
At this early stage, Payday 3 is good, but not great. It’s got a lot of potential and will undoubtedly grow with the fanbase over time. The eight heists on offer, provide a range of missions and objectives and, as mentioned, are highly replyable.
Diablo IV is absolutely essential gaming.
Showgunners consistently delivers thrills, strategy, violence and a pitch-black satire of capitalism, social media and fame.
Redfall is not the second coming of first-party AAA games on Xbox and it was never going to be. It's an average co-op shooter with half-baked ideas that never fully come together. It's fun for a few minutes but it wears thin very quickly. Give it a try on Game Pass but don't expect too much.
Jedi: Survivor, in spite of everything I've written here, isn't a bad game. It's just ok and it's suffering an identity crisis but it's still quite playable and entertaining. Hampered by some baffling design decisions, Jedi: Survivor doesn't know what kind of game it wants to be nor what kind of game it is.
Dead Island 2 is a sum much greater than its parts. By rights, a game with gameplay roots and mechanics harkening back over 10 years shouldn't be this much fun in 2023, but it is.
Resident Evil 4 was one of the greatest games ever made and the remake stands alongside it shoulder to shoulder.
So far, Atomic Heart is a solid spin on the BioShock formula though it does seem to be a little lacking in cohesion. I'm not quite sure whether a more open-world approach really suits this style of gameplay and I'm not quite sold on the combat or the way it's been implemented. That being said, I'm still enjoying it and am looking forward to finishing it, so that's always a good sign. Stay tuned as we update our review and give Atomic Heart a final score over the next couple of days.
If you're a fan of the series or the genre, this one is a no-brainer.
Like A Dragon: Ishin! is everything you want it to be and more. Fans won't want to miss this one.
Wild Hearts is a game made for a very specific audience and one that I’m not part of.
In the moment-to-moment gameplay, it literally feels identical, but that's because it is. Anything new in Dead Space doesn't enhance the experience, it detracts from it. So, we're left with a worse version of a game that looks vastly superior.
Overall, there is very little in Forspoken worth mentioning. Seemingly a product without any clear direction and with any and every idea allowed to be added, Forspoken is a muddled, boring, toneless mess.
If you were hoping this would be the second coming of Dead Space, you’ll need to wait for next year’s remake.
If you’re a Marvel fan, a strategy game fan or just interested in a huge, broad and deep game, look no further.