If nothing else, Modern Warfare 2 and its return to the revamped gunplay of its predecessor is an assurance that Call of Duty is firmly within a new era. The relaunch of Warzone will undoubtedly only benefit the already solid package, one which deftly navigates the burgeoning crossplay scene with a slew of network features. Alongside such implementations, though, is a platform primed for its inevitable deep dive into live service monetization, which looks to begin in earnest upon the release date of Warzone 2 and the start of Season 1. The game will surely evolve over the next year or more, but at launch, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is a well-made entry in one of gaming's largest franchises, where innovation isn't necessarily expected, but would have certainly been welcome.
Players who fancy the challenge of shooting for the optimal run to attain a personal best may get sucked in, but those hoping for much beyond the eponymous sport won't find a deep narrative or character development to latch onto.
Rainbow Six Extraction boasts satisfying gameplay and some interesting meta-game systems, but is bogged down by its repetitive missions.
New Director's Cut content - including the Maser Gun, Firing Range, Racing Track, Cargo Catapult, and more - offer new experiences and tools for those who have played Death Stranding before, but are spread across the course of the game to accompany the steady inundation of items and activities the game already had. For new players, this means the Director's Cut is the definitive version of Kojima Productions' masterpiece. It delivers an incredibly pertinent story, with more content than ever before, to be experienced through ingenious integration of the PlayStation 5's DualSense.
maller bugs such as textures not loading (or missing entirely, perhaps), with the item glowing a bright, uniform white instead, were obnoxious but not impossible to ignore. They simply pull the player out of a game that is otherwise engaging on multiple fronts. The constant search for food and water, new loot or materials to expand a base amidst the ever-present danger of other players makes Rust Console Edition a compelling title for players interested in the survival genre or unable to play the PC version, but be prepared for some frustrating and immersion-breaking occurrences.
Luckily for Tales from the Borderlands, its minor annoyances aren't nearly enough to mar the incredibly rewarding narrative experience. While still humorous, the writing is much more nuanced than that of the mainline Borderlands games, offering an impressive amount of character development. The whole cast interacts in ways unmatched by the rest of the series, and achieves some of the most impactful narrative beats in the whole franchise, all while having player choices impact future events.