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With a thoughtful message, soulful world, and beautifully imaginative design to push things along, Compulsion delivers a classic adventure seemingly beyond their weight class with South of Midnight. It's the exact, elusive story-driven diamond in the rough that Xbox has been in search of for generations now.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PC delivers in spades. The PC-specific features are welcome, though the DLSS implementation needs a bit of work. That said, this is easily the best way to play one of this generation's greatest games.
Croc's levels feel dated amongst it's contemporaries today but that doesn't stop it from being a cheerful journey from the adventure's beginning to it's triumphant conclusion.
Atomfall is a surprise in all the best ways – it is a dense but enjoyable world to explore with a sense of freedom in every sense of the word. The objective and quest designs feel truly open-ended, inspired by the best aspects of games like Fallout: New Vegas. But despite some friction between the game's action underpinnings and light RPG mechanics, Atomfall is an intriguing, unique and ambitious foray into a new genre for Rebellion, and one I hope to see them continue to dabble in.
With its mammoth Japan heaving with to-do lists to check off, Assassin's Creed Shadows opts for the safety of familiarity rather than taking any real swings for the franchise's belated sojourn in the 'Land of the Rising Sun'. What remains is a fine Assassin's Creed title that, save for a few clever tweaks, fits snuggly in its template.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is a reminder that X is one of the best entries in Xenoblade despite its differences. It's a weird and wonderful game that stands out in a franchise filled with bangers. This version doubles down on its strengths and supplements some of its weaknesses to make for the best version of X, and is a must buy for any JRPG fanatic.
WWE 2K25 is an exceptionally good video game. It's chock full of well-realised modes and is an absolute blast to play. Whether you want to duke it out against the NXT Mutiny brand in MyRise or experience the rise of the Bloodline Dynasty in Showcase mode, there's something here for every kind of wrestling fan.
Split Fiction is a masterclass of game design, and is yet another instant classic from a team who have, across a span of three games, rewritten the handbook on how to develop fun and insanely inventive stories that'll be remembered for one thing, among others: spotlighting the power of friendship.
Like the two titles that preceded it, Two Point Museum isn't just a business simulation game; it's a game that allows you to take things at your own pace and enjoy the ride, while having a laugh in the process. The sky is the limit when it comes to your imagination, and as long as you can find a way to keep the cash flow coming in, your museums will continue to grow and thrive under your management. This is the kind of game you could easily sink hours into without realising, and come out on the other side feeling just as good as when you dived in.
Monster Hunter Wilds is more proof that Monster Hunter is one of CAPCOM's biggest franchises. Despite its sheer size, both in popularity and legacy, CAPCOM aren't afraid to jump head-first into new ideas. Wilds is a different kind of Monster Hunter that feels like a natural evolution of the formula. I have no doubts it'll go down as one of the best games in the series, and of 2025.
Despite feeling somewhat inconsequential for a majority of its runtime, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a whacky and welcome romp with Majima and his motley crew of buddies. Between RGG's signature action combat, a plethora of worthwhile side content, and surprisingly robust ship systems, this swashbuckling adventure is one worth undertaking.
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 kept me interested throughout, though its heavy focus on character moments got in the way of forming a more cohesive main plot. I'm hopeful that all of the setup that's been done will allow Tape 2 to fully explore the mystery behind Bloom & Rage's 'wild' summer of 1995.
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered continues the high quality treatment that Aspyr have previously set with Tomb Raider I-III Remstered. Despite some heavy visual overhauls and some nice additional inclusions, the truth of the matter is that these games are just not as strong as the original trilogy. Still, regardless of how you feel, it's hard to deny that Aspyr have done good work here, and these are easily the easiest and most accessible way to play some games that many ardent fans would call underappreciated or misunderstood. Just don't come out expecting them to match the heights of the original trilogy.
Like The Outer Worlds before it, Avowed is Obsidian's truncated spin on a well-worn genre-and a genre they've got plenty of experience in. For those eagerly awaiting the next Elder Scrolls, this is a satisfying scratching of that itch even if its role-playing elements are stripped back to make room for more action. It's a bright, boisterous adventure full of politics and a fluid combat system that marries all manner of might and magic.
Players keen to continue Peter and Miles' story on PC should hold out a little longer and wait for some patches, as it's hard to recommend Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on PC in its current state. It's marred by a multitude of bugs that completely take away from the game's brilliant story and excellent gameplay.
Civilization VII is a newcomers ideal Civ game. Packed full of streamlined systems and approachable design choices, VII gives players access to a fun, gorgeously realised sandbox in which history is (mostly) theirs to decide. While some of its smoothed edges hinder player-driven storytelling, the effort to onboard new players and refresh the game for veterans is ambitious and stacked with potential.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II effortlessly builds upon the original game to offer a true open world in every sense of the concept. While some obtuse systems and unforgiving design choices may put some players off, Deliverance II feels like a game that better achieves all the potential that the original game had. It's engaging, exciting, and a lot more inviting. And for that, it's a truly successful sequel.
Like Citizen Sleeper before it, Starward Vector feels like a tremendous coming together in so many senses. The marriage between the original's core concepts and the new mechanics feels natural, while the motley crue you take to the stars with, their stories included, are an exceptional cast of characters whose place in my sleeper's own journey I'll never forget.
Despite initially being a first-party title for a Sony handheld, the decision by Bandai Namco Entertainment to expand Freedom Wars Remastered to other consoles is a masterstroke, as the game is definitely more deserving of audiences with a potential to a sequel in the future. While some of the graphics feel quite dated, and there is an awful lot of wandering that takes place at the start of the game, Freedom Wars Remastered is a game that will have you coming back for more and wanting to fight for the Greater Good.
Sniper Elite: Resistance offers up just as much, if not more than Sniper Elite 5 did. But despite a new campaign, a new story and a new protagonist, it still doesn't take enough steps to right any of the notable wrongs from Sniper Elite 5. But regardless of its shortcomings, Sniper Elite: Resistance is a fun and satisfying shooter. Just don't expect it to do much more than the previous games.