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WWE 2K25 isn’t a perfect wrestling game, but it comes pretty darn close. Refinements to zanier match types such as Special Referee – which is now applicable outside of one-on-one bouts – and Backstage Brawl are appreciated, while the inclusion of intergender matches shows a willingness to celebrate both divisions in a way WWE itself seemingly isn’t able to.
Mio and Zoe’s growth really is where much of the focus is given – to the extent that you can guarantee heart strings will be pulled upon a couple times before you roll credits.
Prior to my three hours of hands-on time playing this preview, I went in expecting Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to be an underdog, yet the deeper I delved into its mechanics and systems I came out thinking it had the potential to be one of 2025’s standout titles.
Even if it does end up being a touch familiar for returning series fans, Two Point Museum still presents enough new quirks and systems to make becoming the county’s best curator an absolute blast.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii takes its admittedly unexpected theme and absolutely dials it up to the max.
The world it presents is beautiful and engaging, and the sheer level of weapon variety present can lead to some of the most flexible combat I’ve ever played from a first-person perspective. Full stop. However, beneath such flashy sights lay a deeply problematic and annoying approach to progression that grates more than it satisfies, which, when coupled with throwaway companions and a generic narrative, ultimately leads to a fun but frivolous RPG experience not indicative of Obsidian Entertainment’s best.
In whatever way you look at it, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a remarkable achievement. Taking place within one of the best realised, most immersive video game settings I’ve ever had the pleasure to explore, I commend Warhorse Studios for sticking to its guns, while not applying every lesson learned from the feedback and criticisms of the original game, finding a way to smooth and expand on them so that they make sense within a sequel that is far more ambitious.
Sniper Elite: Resistance is anything but generic, mind you, and will appease anyone left starved for more historical stealth action. I just hope the next Sniper Elite entry is more ambitious in its over execution, instead of what could merely be just Sniper Elite 5.5.
Ultimately, though, it’s worth it for anyone who hasn’t yet played Donkey Kong Country Returns before, since what they’ll find here on Nintendo Switch is absolutely the best way to play a game that represents a publisher at almost the very top of its game.
If you’re in the mood to lay waste to hundreds with a single sword swipe you’ll have a good time, but layered in on top of this simple joy are a countless number of extra reasons to keep on doing so for dozens of hours. Origins leaves me excited for this new dynasty.
In the end, even over a decade on, Freedom Wars Remastered is still the same unique dystopian take on bite-sized co-op multiplayer it always was. Yet while the smoother framerate and upped resolution present it in its best ever light, I can’t help but feel like Freedom Wars needed the full remake treatment, or even a spiritual sequel, to help give it a proper chance at finding its place in the current era of live-service multiplayer. Thankfully, what is here is mightily fun in the moment to play either alone or with friends, and some appreciated systemic changes have been sprinkled in. Even still, it’s hard to see it holding its own in the modern landscape against something like the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds. Freedom Wars continues to be a relative oddity in just about every sense, then, albeit one now made playable by the wider audience it always deserved.
Hopefully, as the months roll on and further surprises are potentially rolled out as DLC, this walk down memory lane will transform into the worthwhile nostalgic trip fans of the classic TV show deserve.
Coupled with several jaw-dropping set pieces and puzzles that left me scratching my head just enough that it never became annoying, this is about as enjoyable an Indiana Jones experience as one could hope for.
In many ways, Stalker 2 succeeds in being a bold modernisation of GSC Game World’s classic survival shooter packaged and prettied up for today’s audience. That said, it’s a sequel that also manages to stay true to its in-depth PC roots by retaining an emphasis on resource management, scavenging, and a world that is seemingly as wide as an ocean that’s somehow equally as deep. Prevalent bugs and purposefully clumsy gunplay aside, Stalker 2 is an impressive successor worth the decade-and-a-half wait, providing you’re willing to meet it on its own terms.
, Metro Awakening gets a lot of things right when it comes to aping the look and atmosphere of those original two Metro games. The act of scavenging for resources and surviving using your light and gas mask feels great, but it’s mixed in with fast-paced combat that works fine on a flat screen but is overly cumbersome in a VR format.
Mario and Luigi: Brothership is an utterly charming reinvention of the brotherly RPG series that, up until now, had previously been left adrift for too long. By offering even more ways to traverse and do battle through the introduction of new Bros. Moves and Battle Plug modifiers, Nintendo has found a way to keep Mario and Luigi’s turn-based escapades fresh, while the new sea-faring structure offers a great means to explore various types of locations jam-packed with several micro-stories and mysteries to resolve.
Combat is sadly the weak link in this particular chain, but even then, it’s not an outright disaster and can offer a good amount of flexibility. Where it counts, The Veilguard succeeds in being the momentous fantasy epic long-time fans have been waiting 10 years for, jam-packed with interesting characters to meet and fun activities to do, all against the backdrop of an appropriately calamitous world-saving mission that surprised me multiple times. A few niggles aside, the future is once again bright for both Dragon Age just as much as it is for the RPG veterans at Bioware.
Batman: Arkham Shadow is easily the best the Bat has ever played in VR, iterating upon the design tentpoles of its flat screen counterparts to make roleplaying as the Dark Knight a real thrill. While there are currently some technical drawbacks preventing it from achieving true greatness, it’s attention to detail with regards to the world and what you can do with in it ultimately make up for these challenges and makes the game feel like a genuine part of the Arkhamverse. If you want to fully step into the boots of Batman like never before it being a Meta Quest 3 means it’s a high price for entry, but you absolutely owe it to yourself to play Batman: Arkham Shadow.
In the end, Shadows of the Damned was a game always deserving of being exhumed, hence why I’m relieved the remaster job performed here isn’t anything less than stellar. Garcia and Johnson’s spikey comradery still shines through all these years on, as does the entire game’s rock-and-roll attitude when it comes to gunplay, environments, bosses, and story. Throw in the cleaned-up visuals and silky smooth framerate, and Hella Remastered has instantly become the best way to play this bona fide cult classic. Name me another third-person shooter where your ammunition is literally made up of crunched-up bone pieces. Odds are you can’t, and it’s this roguish attitude that sees Mikami and Suda51’s first hellish collab comfortably stand apart from the action game greats of today.
Sonic X Shadow Generations might not dedicate equal time and attention to its two eponymous components, but it’s still a great way to experience one of the better Sonic the Hedgehog games and celebrate the Year of Shadow with a cool bonus campaign on the side. Sure, the latter is probably over too soon and provides a power set that is less flexible than it initially seems, but there’s plenty of collectible artwork and soundtracks to uncover when replaying levels either score chasing alone or online against friends. Overall though I can see why Shadow Generations could never have been its own standalone release, but as a way to sweeten (and darken) an already excellently put together remaster, this package is a fine addition to the Sonic Generations saga.