Dexerto's Reviews
The Dark Ages has some of the best combat in Doom history, but dull new features make it the weakest of the modern Doom games.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 gets it right in all the areas that matter. Its storytelling carries emotional depth, and the characterization makes you care about everyone you meet on your journey through this beautifully imagined world. Throw in a combat system that puts mastery above grinding, and you’ve got a classic RPG that, like Baldur’s Gate 3 before it, should appeal beyond its target audience, so much so that a game of the year nomination feels inevitable.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is so close to being one of the best fighting games ever made. While the genre is dominated by offense-focused games, CoTW's focus on defense is a breath of fresh air. But, a few hitches keep it from greatness.
While the adventure borrows heavily from Bloodborne, Dark Souls, and Stellar Blade, it never quite manages to match them. This is because it feels like more of a tribute act rather than a game that drives the genre forward. As fun as AI Limit is, we’ve seen it all before.
Atomfall shakes off the Fallout comparisons and stands on its own as a captivating sci-fi mystery. The gripping central story and wonderfully realized setting make it easy to forget about its shortcomings, and the lack of hand-holding is a refreshing change that other open-world games like Elder Scrolls or Assassin’s Creed should take note of.
MLB The Show 25 doesn’t make any massive changes, but it didn’t need to. If you are a baseball fan, I highly recommend picking up MLB The Show 25, and if you are a sports fan who hasn’t tried this series yet, it’s the perfect year to do so.
Assassin's Creed has been fighting to find its identity for over a decade, and thanks to Shadows it's finally rediscovered it. Sure, its combat can be clunky and some story beats felt oddly placed (particularly Yasuke's backstory), but Shadows is exactly what Assassin's Creed needed to prove it still has a beating heart. Whether you’re looking to explore the stunning world of feudal Japan, storm the gates of an enemy castle, or fall in love with the many NPCs that populate its world, Assassin's Creed Shadows is an immersive treat that cements itself as the best Assassin's Creed game since Black Flag.
Monster Hunter Wilds is a giant stomp towards a bigger and brighter future for the beast-slaying series. Despite the sluggish pace of its story and a few muddy textures on base PS5, it's clear Capcom hasn’t bitten off more than it can chew. Wilds is a triumphant culmination of mechanics, monsters, and ideas that have been masterfully forged from 21 years of collective knowledge and experience. The result is nothing short of a carefully honed blade that manages to slice its own path and stand proudly amongst Monster Hunter greats. If Monster Hunter World was the appetizer, then Wilds is the full-blown main course. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a date with Rathalos and a new Great Sword to make.
"PGA Tour 2K25 is a great step up from its predecessor with some beautiful graphics upgrades and challenging mechanic tweaks. Having the option to create numerous MyPlayers with different archetypes will have you grinding the new upgrade system for hours on end too. You won’t feel shortchanged whatever route you decide to go down."
While the pacing did pull the momentum to a halt on occasion, Pirate Yakuza is a fantastic action-adventure game and a worthy addition to this iconic franchise. The bond between Majima and Noah gives it a surprising amount of heart, and the time you spend with the Goro Pirates is utterly joyous. Whether you’ve played every Yakuza entry or are just looking for something a little different, this over-the-top adventure is certainly a success.
It may not be groundbreaking, but Avowed certainly leaves one hell of a mark on the RPG genre. The game's fun, challenging, and extremely enjoyable to play from start to finish, even when you're being hounded by giant mechanical undead creatures.
It’s obvious a lot of love has been poured into every facet of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. If you found combat in the first game too difficult or the survival mechanics tedious, then the sequel’s streamlined gameplay might not be enough to change your mind. However, if you were a fan of the first game, there’s so much to enjoy here. It’s clearly the game Warhorse wanted to make back in 2018, and it’s been improved in so many small ways. Bigger and better, it’s a must-play. Aside from some clunkiness and the odd tedious mission, it’s hard to find another game that so expertly combines realism and fun, with tough but satisfying combat, a morally ambiguous but grand story, and a faithfully recreated medieval world brimming with stuff to do. It’s the sequel fans wanted, and I feel quite hungry for more.
Sniper Elite: Resistance doesn’t rip up the rule book, it sticks to what it does best and delivers another set of stunning sandboxes to poke around in. The sniping and hilariously detailed X-ray kills are just as satisfying as ever, and the new Propaganda missions are perfect for those looking to test their mettle away from the campaign.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins manages to tread that delightful line between nostalgia and a genuinely impressive technical offering. It retains all of the magic that makes the series so immediately recognizable while taking advantage of current-gen tech to blow previous efforts out of the water. As longtime fans will expect, the combat remains the highlight and it’s just as bonkers as ever.
Marvel Rivals is fantastic at times, and it does have the makings of a game that could be alive and thriving for years to come. But as it is now, Rivals has so many fatal issues that it’s impossible to fully recommend putting time and effort into getting good at the game. Play now and have fun while you can if the game interests you. Time will be the enemy of Marvel Rivals’ flimsy foundation and flawed game design.
Stalker 2 is brutal, unforgiving, and not for the faint-hearted. While its storyline is poised for new players, its gameplay feels the opposite, providing a hardcore experience for anyone looking to dive into the Zone. Nevertheless, Stalker 2 is the kind of game that ages like a fine wine, getting better, richer, and slightly bolder as you push through its 35-hour campaign. That being said, the performance issues and missing features do leave a somewhat bitter taste.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a stellar achievement that ends a decade-long dry spell. It tells one of the best stories in the series fuelled by some of its most memorable characters. It’s not a flawless journey but the minor imperfections don’t detract from one of 2024’s best RPGs.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure struggles to deliver the touching narrative and direction of its predecessors, feeling more like a side story than a worthy sequel for Max Caulfield's second outing.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is the ultimate culmination of everything Atlus has learned from its best games and is a huge step forward for the future of its JRPGs. The delightful combat, incredible cast of characters, and intricate fantasy setting all make for a brilliant experience that no Shin Megami Tensei or Persona fan should miss out on. It’s certainly a game-of-the-year-worthy title and a smash hit for Atlus to end the year with.
Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred expansion offers a compelling new narrative for fans looking to continue the base game’s story. The new Spiritborn class is a joy to behold, and new features like Mercenaries and Runewords are a welcome addition, adding elements from older games that fans have missed.