DualShockers
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From start to finish, God of War Ragnarok is an incredible journey, earning it a place among the absolute best PlayStation games of all time.
Marvel’s Iron Man VR is a decent game, no matter where you play it, though I would argue that the Meta Quest 2 version is perhaps the best way to play thanks to its ease of use and cleaner visuals. The intuitive controls, fun aerial combat, and some quality presentation make for a heroic effort by developer Camouflaj, and a worthy addition to any Quest 2 library.
Grind and jank aside, there is nothing else like a Mount and Blade game, and Bannerlord is undisputably the best one yet. Its uniqueness alone makes it worth playing. To talk about it that way is to do it a disservice though; the true marvel of Bannerlord is that it actually delivers on what is an astonishingly ambitious concept. The two halves of the game complement each other perfectly. It may be on a slow boil, but once it gets up a head of steam, you won't be able to put it down.
Borderlands has always been known for its likable characters, and the protagonists introduce in New Tales From The Borderlands continue this grand tradition alongside a well written story. The characters play very well off of one another and grow before our eyes as they each dive deeper into their own psyches. But the lack of innovation in the gameplay is disappointing after this many years, which makes New Tales From The Borderlands mainly worth checking out for fans of the series.
If like me, you're a Call of Duty fan, this is very much more of the same — but that also means you can't really go wrong. Some new features feel unnecessary, whilst others feel like a tutorial for Warzone 2.0. Modern Warfare 2 is certainly let down by repetitive gameplay and missions that overstay their welcome. But, that said, Infinity Ward has given fans what amounts to a gripping story and stunning cinematic experience that's peppered with a few flawed concepts and disappointing elements.
Dragon Ball: The Breakers needs to work on its online infrastructure, but beyond that it's a fast, exciting romp best played with a party full of well-known friends, as opposed to silent strangers.
Easy to learn, intuitive to play, with hours upon hours of new toys to play with, Spirits Unleashed is a real labor of love. For a franchise that’s long struggled with a consistent margin for quality, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed goes above and beyond to answer the call. Now if someone can just convince them to incorporate some ghosts and levels from the IDW comics, then it’ll be darn-near perfect!
There’s no clearer sign that WB Montreal nailed it than this: even after I was done reviewing Gotham Knights, I’ve kept playing it. I’m resisting the urge to play it now to get this review done. That’s the best kind of feeling, and I hope it’s only the start of something even greater to come.
PGA Tour 2K23 continues to build on the foundation started in The Golf Club and once again delivers. The MyCareer mode's Rivals feature may not be as fleshed out as it could be, but the addition of the fan-favorite 3-Click control option and the casual Topgolf mode on top of the already stellar gameplay elevate the series to new heights with PGA Tour 2K23.
Despite the limited drawing aspect, this is one of the most varied collections Jackbox Games has produced, and other than a few functionality issues with Junktopia. A lot of these packs see one or two games become party standards and the rest fade into obscurity, but this time around, I can see most if not all of the four brand-new games finding their niche as long-running titles, and it's nice to see Fibbage get its revival after so long. On top of that, every game now has a variety of content controls to keep responses as clean or dirty as you see fit, and they're also equipped with the option to turn off U.S.-centric questions, so there's no need to worry about unfair advantage based on geography and cultural upbringing. Anyone looking for casual laughs with a group of friends, whether from the same living room or spread across the globe, will find something to appreciate here.
And so what? I’m not a huge fan of how bulky the environment feels at times, and the walking sections can become tiresome, but the truth is, Requiem had me engaged from start to finish. Sure, the game has its flaws, and it’s not a very malleable experience, but that doesn’t stop it from being a good time all the same. At its heart, A Plague Tale is a narrative-driven atmospheric experience. Everything else is just icing on the cake.
Scorn's ways are obscure, and often frustrating in a way that gamers who didn’t grow up in the 90s may struggle with more than myself. It's a work of breathtaking vision and uneven execution - from its combat, to its unsatisfying ending that sadly doesn't do justice to the gruelling yet oddly poignant odyssey you embark upon. But for its flaws, Scorn makes a hell of an impression, filling me with equal parts immense curiosity and dread. I don't want to return to it any time soon - maybe ever - but I will be scouring the Subreddits and the Steam boards in an attempt to decipher it for a long time yet.
For those of us with fond memories of pushing coins into arcade machines and handling sticky light-guns that only worked half the time - Crisis Brigade 2: Reloaded is great fun, and a throwback to a simpler time of gaming. Even if you're a youngster who has had to go on the TikTokTubeBook to find out what an "arcade" is, you'll have a blast, too. There's enough single-player content and multiplayer, as well as the promise of future content updates to make it worth a download on your headset of choice. Just remember the knee pads.
NBA 2K23 at its core is the same great experience that players enjoy each and every year, while also still mired by the unpleasant microtransactions for your MyPlayer. This year's return of the Jordan Challenge, however, takes the game to new heights that it has not felt for a number of years now thanks to the level of authenticity found in the presentation and gameplay surrounding the GOAT Michael Jordan.
Overall, the survival genre is very saturated. Grounded is a unique take on a tired formula and is genuinely a breath of fresh air in the space. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it doesn’t have to, it’s chosen a premise and has adapted it beautifully and skillfully. While some improvements can be made in combat and other areas, the game is a well-made experience that survival fans will love. I personally can’t wait to jump in with three friends following the full launch. It can get lonely out there all alone in suburbia.
Splatoon 3 builds upon the excellent foundation that was previously laid out by the prior two games, now offering the most balanced experience between its multiplayer and single-player content. Even though it may not be groundbreaking, the numerous improvements and extra content in the game make Splatoon 3 the best entry in the series to date.
Steelrising is a good if challenging time. If you’re thirsting for your next Souls-like after milking Elden Ring dry, then the combat here will feel oddly familiar and you’re sure to find something to enjoy, but it isn’t without its faults. Overall Steelrising hits way more than it misses, but a forgettable story and a few repetitive boss battles hold it back from achieving true greatness.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise rarely had a miss with games back in the ’80s and ’90s and this compilation exemplifies that. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is a love letter to fans of that era that can be equally appreciated by old and new generations of Turtles fans alike.
Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed is a really good game that doesn’t take itself seriously. In some ways, it’s a relic from another era, a reminder of how simple and fun games used to be; a time before the endless grind. Heck, there’s even couch multiplayer, once a standard feature in games that has slowly faded out over the years. Despite its heritage, Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed feels and plays modern enough with refined controls, decent visuals, and enough over-the-top fun to easily overlook the few shortcomings.
The Last of Us: Part 1 is the definitive version of Naughty Dog’s classic. Sadly, I’m afraid the conversation, at least among the old guard who first took Ellie under their wing all those years ago, will hone in on the economics rather than the breakthrough emotional storytelling and the grounded gameplay.