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Despite these ever-growing microtransaction woes, Black Ops 6 is a step forward in other ways for a franchise that has felt half-dead for a while now. By combining an unexpectedly inventive campaign with some worthwhile changes and improvements to its multiplayer, there’s a lot here for longtime fans to feel optimistic about, even if many of Call of Duty’s most significant problems still loom large with no signs of changing anytime soon.
Max Caulfield’s journey resonates with me deeply, and Deck Nine has demonstrated that it can give that character the respect she deserves. I may not love every aspect of its gameplay or ending, but I’m glad Max’s story continued. I can’t say whether or not Double Exposure will feel like it was made for you, too, but I can affirm that the Life is Strange series can still capture that feeling.
Sonic X Shadow Generations represents the true future of a series that's finally ready to grow.
Batman: Arkham Shadow isn't just a great VR game; it's one of the best Batman games ever.
As a work of throwback video game horror, Fear the Spotlight passes, but only with partial credit. It’s a concise creepshow with a dual narrative twist that digs into the psyche of both of its teen heroines. Its attempts to look and feel like a PS1 game miss the mark, though, as it can’t shake the feeling of a modern indie game in a stage costume. The tonal discrepancy dims the spotlight around what’s otherwise an impressive passion project for a two-person development team.
MechWarrior 5: Clans is a towering behemoth of action and storytelling worthy of its massive BattleMechs. It pays homage to its story-driven predecessors by exceeding them in nearly every way. While there may be a few cracks in the armor when it comes to pilot customization and presentation elements, the total package is excellent. This is the definitive MechWarrior game.
Super Mario Party Jamboree’s core board game is still as fun as ever, and made even better thanks to some clever new maps. Its signature minigames, though, are a little more inconsistent as some of Nintendo’s best ideas are almost exclusively saved for hit-and-miss side modes. It’s a multiplayer package that spreads itself thin, but there’s enough fun content here to keep the dice rolling for another turn.
Neva may not be the most complex 2D platformer, but it still might make you cry.
In many ways, Metaphor: ReFantazio feels like the next mainline entry in the Persona series in all but name. In others, it carves out an identity all its own. The strategic turn-based combat system is just as satisfying as ever, while Archetypes and globe-trotting put a new perspective on an otherwise familiar experience. I could see the plot twists coming a mile away, but the endearing cast of characters made the journey worthwhile. It’s not perfect, but Atlus has earned my vote of confidence. Consider me a follower.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero delivers thrilling fights, but its disjointed story mode doesn't hold up its end of the bargain.
Silent Hill 2's remake is a faithful tribute to a horror classic that hardly holds anything back.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom only feels like the beginning for what could become a great Zelda saga.
Ara: History Untold brings city-building to Civilization with strategic success.
Frostpunk 2 scales up the drama with a bigger, more strategic sequel that's easy to get lost in.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster proves that Capcom's experimental zombie classic still holds up today.
The Plucky Squire wants players to understand the impact art has on us, and it succeeds with flying colors.
UFO 50 will remind you why you fell in love with video games in the first place.
I hope that Yars Rising serves as a blueprint for Atari moving forward. Heck, I hope any publisher struggling to keep a series as old as Yars fresh is paying attention. Yars Rising is a loving ode to the past that reveres its source material enough to confidently expand on it rather than give it an easy refresh. It takes the original franchise’s worldbuilding seriously and finds a way to twist every morsel of it into a larger adventure that’s worthy of the Yars name. Sometimes the best way to keep the past alive is to let it evolve into something new. Precious nostalgia is an anchor, and Yars Rising flies free without that tying it down.
Even with some needed tweaking, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 still presents an unrivaled experience; it’s easy enough to consider it as one of the best Warhammer games around. From cinematic backdrops of an onrushing tide of death and jaw-dropping sequences that left me in awe, to the brutal carnage and “we few against all odds” mantra that befits the setting, it’s an exciting shooter that any fan of Games Workshop’s universe would be a heretic not to try. We just need to see a few tweaks for Operations and Eternal War so that this bad boy can finally cross the Rubicon to go from a great game to a Primaris masterpiece that’s worthy of the Emperor’s grace.
The expertly designed PS5 exclusive plays like an intervention with its own publisher. It brings the PlayStation platform on an intergalactic journey through its history to rediscover its long lost sense of wonder. It’s not just a very effective ad for Sony; it’s an exuberant adventure that remembers that there’s power in play.