Multiplayer is also a fun addition to Need for Speed Unbound that allows players to bet other players and unlock cars that become available in both the game's story and multiplayer modes. Racing other players feels satisfying but would be more interesting if Unbound's world was more interactive and had a larger variety of activities. While Criterion has successfully returned to the genre, it feels like the developer is being held back from delivering a truly colorful and over-the-top experience it's previously achieved in games like the Burnout series. The team should take the driving mechanics and the cartoony visual flairs from Need for Speed Unbound and turn those features up to the next level in their next arcade racer.
With Darktide being more of a live service game, there isn't necessarily an ending to its narrative to speak of. Players will rank up and be treated to short cutscenes reflecting the increase in trust and standing the spaceship's NPCs hold for the player. However, each character feels rooted in the dark sci-fi future the Warhammer series takes place in, as they deliver hints of its complex lore. More story will likely be introduced over time, with hopefully new locations to explore, because players may be left hungry for more narrative and beautiful levels to look at. Still, mowing down enemies with friends has rarely felt as satisfying as it does in Warhammer 40K: Darktide.
Sonic Frontiers takes many steps in the right direction for Sonic games. Still, its biggest fault is that it tries to do so much, with how well it accomplishes everything varying greatly between interesting and frustrating. Longtime Sonic comics writer Ian Flynn penned parts of the story, and its narrative and music are some of the game's highlights worth mentioning. The moments that work in Sonic Frontiers can be fun and captivating, but as soon as players start to feel a groove, they're thrown into something different, changing what they're doing and creating a choppy flow to progression. The foundation for a consistent experience in the next 3D Sonic game is here, but Sonic Frontiers feels more like a test than a proper renaissance for the series quite yet.
Both its asymmetrical multiplayer gameplay and story are so enjoyable and well-constructed that big fans of either will find a lot to enjoy in Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed. It's not perfect, but it is an earnest and succesful attempt to bring the spirit of the movie's best qualities into a video game, and it just so happens the game is also strong enough to create some satisfying feedback loops, too.
Many may see No Man's Sky coming to Switch as one small step towards entertainment, but making the game work as well as it does on the Switch is one giant leap for Nintendo fans, especially for those wanting to explore something much more extensive and varied than Breath of Wild's Hylian ruins. The port may need some updates to add multiplayer and increase its loading speeds in the future, but No Man's Sky on the Switch manages to fit its updates and addictive gameplay onto Nintendo's on-the-go console well enough that it's immediately one of the best ways to play the game.
Fans who have continued to play Overwatch over the years grew hungry for the new maps, modes, and heroes that Overwatch 2 delivers on. At this point, it feels like the bare minimum fans need to keep enjoying Overwatch. As more maps and heroes are introduced, Overwatch 2 may start to feel more like a full sequel rather than a hefty much-needed update. If Blizzard had charged sixty dollars for what the game currently is, fans would be disappointed. The ten-dollar Battle Pass gives fans lots of content to unlock with the game's improved multiplayer action. Even though it will require some play time to unlock heroes behind the Battle Pass, it's an excellent time for new players to see what makes Overwatch as fun and charming as it is. Still, veteran players anxious for something new may want to wait until Overwatch 2 feels more complete.
Like 2009's Brütal Legend, Metal: Hellsinger is a love letter to heavy metal gamers rather than a game being made to pander to a demographic. Hellsinger is a lot of fun for any casual FPS player with even a vague interest in metal music. Even though the game feels on the short side, The Outsiders have achieved a beautiful hybrid of sound design and fun FPS gameplay that will hopefully inspire more combat rhythm games in the future. The music will get stuck in the player's head, and the levels are more than fun enough to warrant replaying.