Dexerto's Reviews
God of War Ragnarok is a complex, thoughtful game that takes everything that made its predecessor an unmissable experience to even greater heights. Its story is full of memorable characters, woven seamlessly into a series of worlds that feel more alive than ever, and its combat continues to add interesting new wrinkles dozens of hours in. Ragnarok is here, and it is glorious.
Modern Warfare 2 can be exciting when it works. Whilst the campaign’s narrative flaws can’t be fixed, major patchwork is needed to get the multiplayer (the most important aspect) to a good place, and co-op is in desperate need of extra content. Big games just shouldn’t be in this state at launch.
If you were a fan of the original game and have been craving some block-breaking action, then this game was meant for you. And, for folks who haven’t played Shatter or any block-breaker game at all, then Shatter Remastered Deluxe offers up a nice slice of arcade fun.
Saturnalia is for the horror game and cinema aficionado who’s looking for something different to play this Halloween. The game is far from perfect and will frustrate and confuse some players, but those with an eye for the creepy and the quirky may find their new obsession. This is a game that requires a dark room, an open mind, and plenty of patience, but those who can muster up these things will have a good time – just don’t be surprised if you avoid the dark for a long while to come.
Everything about Bayonetta 3 is ridiculous – from the dimension-hopping storyline to the devastating finishing moves and the Infernal Demons you can possess. But that’s exactly what fans have come to expect from the franchise, and it makes for an exhilarating experience that only Bayonetta can deliver. It’s hard to see how anyone could leave disappointed; just remember to take a breather every now and then.
As a huge fan of the original, I went into New Tales From The Borderlands wanting to have my mind blown and regaled with a story for the ages. Gearbox delivered this in some parts as they harnessed the crazy energy of the Borderlands universe to offer up exciting new characters and a coherent story. But the overeagerness to deliver a laugh a minute and the ludonarrative dissonance of its mini-games and QTEs take away from the game in droves. If we do get a third game, then I’d love to see Gearbox move away from all this and focus on delivering a heavy, gut-punching narrative sprinkled with that insane Borderlands energy we love so much.
The Resident Evil Village: Shadow of Rose expansion provides lots of reasons to jump back into the game. The third-person mode alone gave us many more hours of fun in one of our favorite horror playgrounds in recent years. From a technical point of view, the Shadow of Rose story chapter is more Resi goodness with some fun new gimmicks to change things up. The little chapter sits neatly alongside other bitesize Resident Evil stories, but those who were hoping for the third and final chapter in the Winters family saga may be left feeling slightly shortchanged.
If you’re new to the EA SPORTS NHL series, then you’ll have fun with this, there is no denying that. There is a lot of joy to be had if you haven’t touched the series in years, but veteran players will feel significantly shortchanged by this year's title.
A lot has been riding on Gotham Knights' shoulders but the wait has paid off dividends. Performance issues aside, its gripping story and gorgeous open-world enforce it as a confident successor to the Arkham franchise. Gotham Knights is a robust co-op adventure that embraces the Dark Knight's world wholeheartedly.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC works just as intended. It’s another solid Sony first-party port, even if Uncharted 4's writing isn't aging particularly well. We can only recommend the collection with some caveats. PC players will be missing out on the whole Nathan Drake saga, and absent multiplayer modes make this something that we can only recommend to those willing to experience it with those particular asterisks.
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway is the ideal game to break out for a night of family fun, especially if you have kids in need of entertainment. The colorful cast of familiar faces, as well as a host of stunning tracks, makes for a perfect party game if you can get enough people into the same room. However, its surprising amount of depth is wasted by an unchallenging AI and lack of real opponents to face online, meaning that solo racers without any love for Nickelodeon’s shows will find little incentive to carry on once the novelty has worn off.
Persona 5 Royal is simply a must-play for any JRPG fan, and couldn’t be a better place to start for those who have yet to delve into the genre. If you're somehow a fan of lengthy RPGs full of interlinking systems and haven't played yet, we implore you to join the Phantom Thieves -- they’re bound to steal your heart.
ario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope builds upon its predecessor in surprising and delightful ways to create a tactical RPG that stands among the best in the genre. While it may lack the challenge of some of its contemporaries, it's a fun adventure that, despite still feeling like a fever dream cooked up by a child's imagination, is one of the finest titles of 2022.
Hugo and Amicia's story remains just as compelling as it was in Innocence, but A Plague Tale: Requiem swings for the fences by offering more of almost everything that made its predecessor great. Some curious design choices dampen its impact a little, but overall, it's a great return for a duo that are fast becoming some of our favorites.
Medieval Dynasty has transitioned well to consoles after being a PC-only release for some time. It’s nice to know that a larger audience can experience what it offers, even if that audience is niche. We played the game on Xbox Series S and were impressed by the performance and visuals. The game was always pretty, but it looked extra pretty on a 55-inch TV screen. It’s not going to match most triple-A titles, but what it does, it does well. It’s hard to recommend Medieval Dynasty to everyone as this is a title that’s been designed with a certain type of gamer in mind. If you’re the sort of player who spends more time building settlements in Fallout than you do shooting raiders, or someone who spent hours building and furnishing the perfect lodge in Skyrim, then you’ll love Medieval Dynasty. Just don’t expect hours and hours of excitement.
It’s safe to say that Spiral House knocked it out of the park with PC Building Simulator 2. They’ve taken an already proven successful franchise and doused it in some of the best improvements we’ve ever seen in a game.
Overwatch as a franchise has always felt like a child taking toys out of a box to hurriedly show you what’s next, breathless through excitement before switching to another. In that sense, Overwatch 2 is a bigger toy box, with a few more action figures and incredible new dioramas to pose them in.
PGA Tour 2K23 is more than just the standard annual sports release with minor changes here and there. It’s a two-year project that has added a ton of star power and new features. HB Studios clearly went back to the drawing board on this one and found new ways to make 2K’s golf franchise even more competitive and invigorating. Its realism and immersive qualities easily overshadow some of its weaker moments and make this one of the best sports games, period, and will have you eager to board the birdie train.
Overall, Let's Build a Zoo is an in-depth and delightful tycoon management sim. Its mechanics are detailed, going above and beyond to create an enjoyable experience. Players will get lost in decorating their habitats, and revel in the difficult choices that shape their zoos. There is no denying the love and dedication put into crafting the game, and it is a true treat to play.
FIFA 23 makes history as the most realistic football simulator in the series and with HyperMotion technology getting increasingly more impressive, the future looks bright for EA SPORTS FC. Some gameplay fine-tuning is needed to streamline things and the SBC change in Ultimate Team won't be a welcome one, but there's no denying it's the best on-pitch action in years.