The shooting is sharp and impactful, and the slow and snipey set pieces feel as slick as they did all the way back in All Ghillied Up, but it feels like the ratio behind this tried-and-true formula is a little off this time. It’s more stop-start than any COD in recent memory, and the highlights are diluted by a few too many drab stealth missions. It’s not one of the best Call of Duty campaigns, but it’s far from a bad one.
Sometimes repetitive, sometimes eye-rolling, and sometimes just plain busted, Saints Row 2022 is far from perfect, but that doesn't stop it from being a chaotic good time.
A supercut of FromSoft's very best work, transported to a totally new space. Elden Ring is not only a masterpiece by its developer's lofty standards, but in packing so much density into the Lands Between, it lights the path ahead for open-world games in general.
Ubisoft's PvE shooter fails to extract the best out of Rainbow Six Siege's gameplay mechanics, and the result is a repetitive, mostly bland co-op assignment.
With more tools at your disposal than ever, this is a rich, realistic management simulation that delivers thrills both on and off the pitch.
A sprawling, varied, endlessly fun open-world game, and a glimmer of hope for the extreme sports genre.
It can feel unbalanced and unfairly punishing at times, but when all of its systems click into place Back 4 Blood is a ton of fun.
The series' foundations have been rejigged to offer an exciting and satisfying new gameplay loop. Not all of the revisions work in its favour, but unfortunately it's the complete lack of change with its approach to storytelling and structure that really holds Far Cry 6 back.
For an original take on battle royale and a truly special martial arts combat system, Naraka is worth checking out. But between stability issues, off-putting monetisation practices, and an unpalatable learning curve, there's plenty that gets in the way of the fun.
A twin-stick shooter that looks and feels great all the way through, but doesn't do enough new to keep your attention as you invest more time in its RPG systems and world.
While the repetitiveness of its turn-based battle system can become frustrating, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is more than a novel twist on the main series' core components.
A first-person slasher for Monty Python fans rather than reenactors, Chivalry 2's unswerving dedication to fun and goofiness makes it a rare treat in modern multiplayer gaming.
If there's something to love in Biomutant, it's the vibrancy of its environments and its brilliantly dynamic combat. Unfortunately, you have to wade through so much repetitive, tedious open-world slurry that it becomes hard to enjoy.
Outriders' fast-paced combat and imaginative sci-fi setting make it a journey worth taking. And For all its flaws, this could be the start of something very special for developer People Can Fly.
Bloober Team does well to keep things taut all the way to the end, but there's a frustrating amount of untapped potential beneath its gameplay gimmicks and art direction.
Another fine outing for Agent 47, and a fitting, hopefully brief, farewell to one of the best stealth series of the last decade.
Treyarch's latest feels like it's only a few quality of life changes away from being the perfect revival of the Black Ops series. It delivers on all three fronts and manages to subtly freshen some of the series' most stale ingredients.
Unrivalled parkour mechanics and tough-as-nails combat more than make up for a bland cyberpunk setting.
More-user friendly, more fun, but still boasting all of the bark and bite you'd expect from a top tier racing sim.
Capcom's latest is still one of the better entries to the series, but isn't quite sure if it wants to be po-faced and terrifying or a campy, blockbuster shooter.Jordan Forward