IGN's Reviews
The breath of Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons burns hot thanks to clever tag combat and a big roster of diverse characters, but it doesn’t burn very long as you hit some poorly executed platforming, uninspired roguelike elements, and a shallow end game.
If you’re after a frictionless, family-friendly platforming adventure that’s heavy on charm and light on challenge, then Disney Illusion Island fits the bill better than a muzzle on Donald Duck.
F1 Manager 2023 is a textbook definition of what a yearly game should be. It's not just a good racing sim, it's one of the best management games on the market today.
BattleBit Remastered's early access version is a strong start to a nostalgic multiplayer shooter that values big battles over cutting-edge graphics.
Where Remnant: From The Ashes was a strong first draft, Remnant 2 is a revolutionary sequel and a sterling manifesto for the looter-shooter soulslike.
Exoprimal's unique take on the hero shooter genre is a bold one – with its best modes and surprises hidden deep within its goofy sci-fi story – but a variety of fun exosuits, the simple appeal of tearing through thousands of dinos, and great multiplayer design make that grind an easy one to recommend sticking with.
With the exception of the rich environmental detail to be found in its sinister underworld setting, Unholy otherwise offers precious little to praise. It’s not scary enough to succeed as a horror story, its controls are too clumsy to provide a satisfying stealth experience, and its enemy and puzzle variety are too limited to make any part of the journey feel truly distinct. What begins as an intriguing incursion into a cult-ruled realm soon unravels into a repetitive slog stuck in the shoes of an unlikeable lead character. Unholy is never quite unplayable, but it’s certainly uninspired, unwieldy, and unlikely to hold your interest all the way to its completion.
Pikmin 4 adds variety to the series' traditional gameplay by offering options other than the grab-and-throw formula of the past, and brings an extra helping of top-tier levels after the credits roll.
Spellbindingly surreal and stimulating to the end, Viewfinder is the freakiest form of photo mode in which every snap is a happy one.
Jagged Alliance 3 is a flexible, challenging, approachable throwback turn-based tactics game in which the only thing that feels truly dated is the humor.
Testament: The Order of High Human is a bland, frustrating, and buggy fantasy adventure that would have been a bad four-hour Skyrim knockoff. At 40 hours, it’s hard to bear.
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals offers a highly personal and unpredictable horror-themed adventure that repeats a lot of the first game’s ideas, and it's still worth tuning into.
Everybody 1-2-Switch is a paltry, unoriginal party game. Bringing it out is like inviting the fun police to bust up your shindig.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie has a great story with an engaging turn-based battle system. While it does have issues with a bloated cast of characters, impeccable pacing makes every interaction manageable.
Crash Team Rumble does a great job of transforming Crash into a unique, flavorful multiplayer game with some incredible maps and fun characters, but a lack of modes, some balance problems, and an irritating unlock system means it’s more of a snack than a full meal.
AEW: Fight Forever may have the audacity to challenge the current king of wrestling games, but despite its fun-loving spirit, strong sense of style, and solid fundamentals, it fails to execute on a level that comes anywhere close to its potential.
Park Beyond brings a delightful sense of whimsy to park sims, but gets derailed by frequent bugs, poor staff control, and bad economics.
Trepang 2 is a short but sweet tribute to classic slow-motion shooters like F.E.A.R. with great action and a throwaway story.
Dave The Diver is an aquatic adventure RPG that’s wholesome, wonderfully complex, and delightfully hard to put down.
Featuring fast, reflex driven, action heavy combat, Final Fantasy 16 is certainly a departure from what fans may expect out of a Final Fantasy game, but its excellent story, characters, and world building are right up there with the best the series has to offer, and the innovative Active Time Lore feature should set a new standard for how lengthy, story-heavy games keep players invested in its world.