VGC's Reviews
Dispatch is more of a TV show than a video game, and while some of its parts feel disjointed and forced, an endearing cast of characters and an uncommon comedy tone manage to glue everything together.
Kirby Air Riders really didn't need a combined 107 minutes of Nintendo Direct presentations to sell players on its merits, because it only takes a few races to see how fun it can be. Road Trip mode's imbalanced win conditions will divide players, but the brilliantly diverse Road Trip (which is built with multiple playthroughs in mind) and the hefty 750-mission Checklist ensure solo players have plenty to do.
Call of Duty Black Ops 7's multiplayer is some of the finest the series has had to offer in years. It's just a shame it's tied to a baffling, turgid, ridiculous campaign that makes a great argument for stopping Call of Duty campaigns all together. 7 games is plenty. The Black Ops series has run its course.
Enhance's Tetris Effect follow-up is a loud and brash, if somewhat unrefined, synaesthesia puzzler that’s more visually dynamic than its predecessor, but often at the expense of gameplay clarity.
Age of Imprisonment may be the most serious of the Hyrule Warriors games to date, but it's also the one with the most engaging and rewarding combat. Fans of Tears of the Kingdom may be annoyed to see an essential retelling of part of its story, but the side-plots add more depth to make up for this to some extent. Fans of the Warriors gameplay style will be absolutely catered for here.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is yet another tremendous compilation from Digital Eclipse, as it continues to uppercut any challengers to its reign as the king of retro re-releases. The only sticking point in a flawlessly presented collection of games is the games themselves, some of which (especially the non-arcade releases) don't quite manage to break the Test Your Might blocks these days.
As a sequel, The Outer Worlds 2 doesn't strive to reinvent its past foundation and does little to stand out in the RPG genre. If you're looking for new toys to play with, you'll find plenty of weapons and a much-improved gunplay to boot. Just don't expect to carry many memories of your time in Arcadia with you.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is a balls-to-the-wall action game with a relentless pace and an almost comedic level of gory combat. It's very much a one-trick pony, however, and as thoroughly entertaining as fighting waves of enemies is, its tendency to recycle assets near the end of the game means it can start to overstay its welcome if you don't take it upon yourself to use the wide variety of optional moves available to you.
Pokémon Legends Z-A is a grand adventure that once again proves that the Legends series is home to the most interesting ideas Game Freak has.
Battlefield 6 is exactly what the fans wanted, and what this game needed to be. The single player is fine, if largely tertiary, but the multiplayer shines. Extremely fun to play, rewarding and full of excellent maps and modes, this is the Battlefield multiplayer suite that will be bring those lost by 2042 back into the fold.
Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2 were considered among the best games ever made when they were released, and a decade and a half later that still hasn't changed. The attempt to replace the Wii Remote's pointer controls with Joy-Con gyro movement never feels quite as intuitive as the original experience, but this concession won't dampen the spirits of anyone lucky enough to be playing these games for the first time. Both games remain the high point of creativity in the platform game genre, making this one of the easiest recommendations we've ever made.
In a franchise that doesn't change much year-to-year, EA Sports FC 26 takes that to the extreme. While it's by default the best football game on the market, and competing at the highest level of Ultimate Team remains enjoyable, we expected a more revolutionary entry. Promoted as the game that would fix years of issues that have plagued players, most of them remain. Cynical changes to Ultimate Team make the mode worse for free-to-play players, and the game's other modes are barely looked at.
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As a sequel, Hades 2 is ambitious, and delivers one of the most satisfying roguelite experiences in years. Yet, it can’t escape the shadow of its predecessor, and in trying to add every idea possible to amplify its scale, the story ends up losing the trademark weight of the studio.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater does exactly what we wanted it to. It's a way to play the PS2 classic on modern hardware, with a fresh coat of paint, and contemporary controls. While those looking for a more expansive remake may be left wanting, translating much of MGS 5's excellent gameplay to the PS2 classic is more than enough for us. After a difficult decade, Metal Gear is back.
Silent Hill F is certainly a diversion from the main series in a lot of (mostly welcome) ways, but it's still very much a Silent Hill game at heart. By focusing more on action – especially after a surprising twist halfway through – it risks alienating some survival horror fans by making combat the priority rather than the last resort, while some of its puzzles are too obtuse for their own good, but it's still an astoundingly beautiful game that horror fans really should experience regardless of its flaws.
CrossWorlds is a brilliant karting game with satisfying handling, a fun portal mechanic and useful customisation options. Its weapons aren't as punchy as we'd like and it's unclear how it's going to keep players' attention long-term but it's a genuine, more traditional alternative to Mario Kart now that Nintendo's pointed its series in new direction.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is caught in a web of trying to bind two conflicting genres together, with the expectations and norms of each half damaging the other. The beauty of its art design and precise, joyful feel of its movement are inarguable wonders, but the tiring and demotivating nature of its sadistic approach to challenge ripples throughout the entire experience of exploration and combat. It's more of what was good about Hollow Knight, but it failed to avoid some very clear pitfalls in design on its long path to release.
Borderlands 4 is a great RPG shooter with rewarding, engrossing gameplay. Some of the set dressing, like the bland new characters and pointless grappling hook, take the shine off, but the sheer amount of fun we've had with the game can't be overlooked. Borderlands 4 reminds us exactly why we were such big fans of the original two games, and falls on its sword in learning the mistakes of 3.
Cronos is a perfectly acceptable survival horror that looks astonishing at times and has an engaging plot (albeit a very confusing one) to ensure players reach the end. That said, there isn't a lot here that hasn't been seen in other survival games before it, and the combination of annoying enemy AI and no real difficulty settings mean some players will have a frustrating time of things.