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More than anything, Fear the Spotlight asserts a strong future for Cozy Game Pals, a studio that could accomplish a lot if it keeps iterating. It's also a nice foray into gaming for Blumhouse, and the willingness to invest in something of its nature proves that the company could have value in this space. While Fear the Spotlight isn't a definitive horror title, it's a largely charming experience that's better now than it was before.
Unknown 9: Awakening's best ideas never clear the landing.
A near-perfect game.
Super Mario Party Jamboree has evolved the series.
Just Dance 2025 is exactly what fans will expect.
It must be a challenge to thread inspiration’s needle in a game like this one. Critics and players might point to Neva’s most obvious references as thematic shortcuts, but the game’s personality and careful sense of craft always shined through. I’m tempted to compare Neva to Playdead’s influential duology of Limbo and Inside, even though the tonal qualities remain quite different, primarily for the impeccable quality of its design and richness of its world, dialogue-free as it may be. It's a brief experience overall, but most players should feel compelled to happily join Alba and Neva in starting the seasonal cycle anew, their screenshot key on a hair trigger.
Maybe one day, Starfield will finally become what everyone had hoped, with more emphasis on the mechanics people enjoy. Starfield: Shattered Space isn't the worst DLC in the world, and fans of the base game may enjoy it, but it fails to live up to the reputation that Bethesda has established as a company that makes great expansions.
There are definite issues with gameplay and overall presentation, but between how much it refines the work of its predecessors and every stellar new addition to the gameplay, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an excellent addition to the Budokai Tenkaichi franchise that more than justifies the long wait for its release. Whether someone grew up with the older games or is jumping into the style for the first time, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will be plenty of fun to play, and it’s bound to go down as one of the best Dragon Ball games of all time.
It'll never replace the original, but the Silent Hill 2 remake has enough new to offer that it deserves its place in the series canon. In faithfully recreating the original game while providing new surprises for returning players, it justifies not only its own existence, but also the viability of a large-scale Silent Hill revival. If this is the start of a longer collaboration between Bloober and Konami, I look forward to what comes out of it next. For now, you can find me starting my second playthrough of Silent Hill 2.
Though the controls could be difficult for young children due to the physics involved, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game is designed to be fun for everyone, and it would certainly be hard to be depressed while in this bright world.
Ultimately, however, Vessel of Hatred adds so much to the quality of the game. The story is deep and engaging, and offers many satisfying twists and emotional growth of characters; the Spiritborn class is my new favorite. I am eager to try out other combinations of skills with the Spiritborn and see what else Diablo 4 has to offer in the future.
Throne and Liberty doesn't do that, at least not yet. The introduction of multiplayer will certainly force me to reevaluate my experience, but for now, I prefer to look at Throne and Liberty as a fledgling MMO that’s laid a lot of good groundwork, but still has a long way to go.
Zelda's actual legend is amazing.
The cash cow of Ultimate Team will always override everything else with FC 25, sadly. In an ideal world, EA Sports would develop Clubs into a major eSport, which would do extremely well. Real world soccer clubs around the world could have their own teams, and most importantly, the gameplay would then take priority with Ultimate Team being in the background generating income. Plainly, the game would be much better for it.
Still, the essential excitement of turning the page to discover what's next is so powerfully represented in The Plucky Squire, and the game retains this energy into its final chapters, even while otherwise lacking notable tension or danger. It’s an entertainingly busy book to play through, but it's a pity that many of The Plucky Squire’s best ideas are ultimately underexplored. Perhaps these are just being held back for any plucky printed new worlds to come.
Frostpunk 2 is an innovative take on management.
Dead Rising has never looked better.
Expectations for annual releases are often low, so NBA 2K25 is a pleasant surprise in that regard. The game feels like a notable improvement on NBA 2K24. It’s hard to say players absolutely have to buy it if they already have last year’s game, but players who buy the NBA 2K games annually regardless will be pleased with this year’s offering.
Most importantly, if you believe you wouldn’t like this simply because you’re not much of a person for sports games, this is not like any other sports game out there. As someone who fails miserably at any sports game I’ve ever picked up, this was not only incredibly fun but easy to get the hang of with a little practice. Perhaps the only thing notably missing from Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is the beloved sassy commentary of Lee Jordan while you carry out your match, under the close supervision of Professor McGonagall, of course.
It's a good game that never quite reaches greatness. It's not a perfect RPG by any means - and it still feels outdated in a lot of ways. However, it's a game that leaves me feeling hopeful about the series' future. It feels like, at long last, the Mana series is back on track.