The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is an unwelcome throwback to the era of truly awful licensed games. It looks and plays like a movie tie-in game rushed out to meet a tight deadline. This is baffling as it was one of the first ‘next-gen’ games announced in 2019, and seemingly had a long production period. But even so, it’s a game that conceptually, visually, and technically screams out for additional development time. Patches and updates may squash the bugs. But with core gameplay so dull and lacking, I can't see a saving grace for Gollum.
Just playing Dead Island 2 in 2023 feels like a minor miracle after such a protracted production cycle. Nevertheless, the novelty of finally experiencing this long-in-development sequel wears off pretty quickly. Then all that remains is a hugely repetitive experience punctuated by hackneyed story beats.
Mario Golf Super Rush has plenty of initial charm, but comes up short in terms of content.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a bland co-op shooter that coasts on the strength of its license.
Battlefield 2042 occasionally captures the epic scale and multiplayer madness the series is known for. But the game often stumbles due to poor design decisions and technical issues.
Unfortunately, its rough edges leave a noticeable mark, and the poor writing and seriously disappointing performance on next-gen hardware hold it back.
Alan Wake 2 weaves together two compelling protagonists across a unique, multi-dimensional, narrative that is often seriously strange but still surprisingly engrossing. However, the stretches of puzzled-laced exploration overstay their welcome, and the flabby first act may test your patience. Fortunately, even when the blemishes poke through, Alan Wake 2 always looks utterly stunning.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 packs one of the best multiplayer suites in the franchise’s history. That’s no small feat when you consider that this Modern Warfare (2019) sequel is the 19th mainline Call of Duty game. However, a lackluster campaign and bland co-op diminish the overall package.
The Quarry has blockbuster aspirations but never quite manages to rise above B-movie cheese. However, it’s still a well-structured interactive horror experience with a cast of mostly likable characters and a couple of highly effective twists.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human combines a branching narrative, a massive open world and satisfying first-person parkour. It's a potent mixture, but repetitive combat and serious technical issues often spoil the fun.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 is an essential VR game that showcases the potential of the Meta Quest 3. It weaves a sprawling mythological epic across multiple characters and offers an astonishing amount of content. Graphically it can’t rival flagship exclusives on rival VR platforms, but it’s extremely easy to overlook its minor shortcomings because playing Asgard’s Wrath 2 is such a consistent delight.
As a remake, Resident Evil 4 is a seriously impressive conversion of a classic. It packs just about everything that made the original great while sanding down many, but not quite all, of the rough edges.
Despite its flaws, Hogwarts Legacy is clearly a game made by Potter fans, for Potter fans, and for that particular audience, it’s been more than worth the very long wait. Hogwarts Legacy is by no means a revolutionary gaming experience, but it’s still a pretty magical one.
Splatoon 3 adds little new to an increasingly familiar formula, but the game features a plethora of enjoyable modes that cater to just about every playstyle.
Don’t dismiss Stray as merely a cat simulator, as this adventure game will appeal to more than just feline fanatics. While the chance to play as an adorable kitty is appealing, the real star of the show is the game’s richly-detailed cyberpunk world. Only Stray's short length and simplistic gameplay hold it back from ranking top of the litter.
Ghostwire: Tokyo offers a varied arsenal of paranormal powers, and a well-realized deception of the Japanese capital. However, it does fall into some familiar open-world grooves.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is a masterwork in video-game storytelling that will engross you from start to finish. Only persistent technical issues hold it back.
Knockout City is a zany take on dodgeball that combines surprisingly deep gameplay with a bright, colorful aesthetic. It's a winning combination.
What Kena: Bridge of Spirits lacks in new ideas, it makes up for with an abundance of charm and gorgeous visuals.
Alan Wake Remastered doesn't overhaul the original foundations, but it does add welcome improvements to a game that has mostly stood the test of time.