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This version lands the trick mechanically, but it doesn’t bring the whole soul of the series with it. It’s a polished ride, but one that leaves a few scuff marks on the memory.
The Alters is a focused, emotionally rich survival sim. Cloning past versions of Jan is central to both gameplay and story, with real consequences for each choice. Strong base-building, constant time pressure, and unique character dynamics make it one of the most memorable narrative survival games in recent years.
Death Stranding 2 fixes most issues from the first game, adds better combat and keeps its unique world and pacing. It's still weird, but now it's also much more fun to play.
MindsEye has high ambitions and a stylish setting, but the game suffers from dated mechanics, poor AI, and a non-reactive world. Despite its strong visuals, it's unfinished at nearly every level.
Mario Kart World is a bold evolution of the series. New ideas and mechanics shine, but unpolished systems, vague unlocks, and limited multiplayer tools keep it from hitting full speed.
Split Fiction is a 15-hour co-op-only adventure packed with constant gameplay reinvention, heartfelt writing, and standout design that surpasses even Hazelight's past work.
Doom: The Dark Ages successfully reinvents the series' formula without losing its identity. Grounded, methodical, and brutally satisfying. A must-play for FPS veterans.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a must-play RPG with brilliant combat, strong characters, and a world that's hard to forget.
Monster Hunter Wilds is a beautiful, fast, and accessible entry that plays great but lacks the difficulty and depth expected from the series.
South of Midnight features a striking setting with excellent music, and explores a world that is rarely visited. But its dull gameplay, uneven writing and repetitive structure don't exactly give this folk tale a happy ending.
Koira is another minimalist 2D adventure that has a few charming moments and a warm friendship at its core, but doesn't really offer enough to stand out in the crowded genre.
Another solid entry for the series, Assassin's Creed Shadows offers a wonderfully rendered natural world, though it's not as unique as it once could have been. The typical mix of stealth and action gameplay is still enjoyable and is now split between two protagonists, though switching between them can be cumbersome. Fans of the franchise should be satisfied, if not exactly impressed.
A tycoon game about building a bar for vampires is a great idea - but sadly the execution here leaves a lot to be desired. The management gameplay is a bit too simple for my liking, but it's the constant game-breaking bugs that really suck the fun out of the experience.
Civilization VII brings a lot of changes to the formula, but they don't feel entirely innovative or fully realized. The core of the experience retains its addictive qualities, and yet lacks refinement at launch.
Engaging combat, a beautiful world, and intriguing story moments ensure Avowed is an action-RPG worth exploring, but tiresome encounters, progression quirks, and dull companions keep it from achieving divinity.
The medieval RPG series offers an improved sophomore effort, with another engaging and very immersive open world, interesting quests and better technical performance. Not everyone will find joy in its rigid mechanics and challenging combat, but Deliverance 2 continues to offer a strong foundation of some devoted role-playing.
While the returning sniping and stealth mechanics keep Sniper Elite: Resistance on target across some good open levels, the lack of innovation means it is not a surefire hit for everyone.
As a precision platformer with a focus on speedrunning, Unless works well. Mastering its tiny levels is satisfying, but the very short runtime means that its good ideas never really have time to fully develop.
Although the abstract portions of Discolored 2 might be too elusive for some, the more direct puzzles fare better across the 4-5 hour journey, along with some active threats that create pressure.
The combination of turn-based tactics with a run and gun style works far better than it should, thanks to mechanics that emphasize moving quickly around the battlefield. Repetitive missions and dull enemies drag down the experience slightly, but this is still worth playing for genre fans or Metal Slug veterans.