Jordan Middler

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“It's been too long since we had a new Shinobi game, but Art of Vengeance has been more than worth the wait. With tremendous visuals, an exceptional soundtrack and a compelling combat system that makes each fight a delight, this elevates Sega's action platformer to new heights in the same way Lizardcube previously did with Streets of Rage 4. Exceptional.”

“Civilization VII is bold enough to add big changes to its formula, without getting rid of everything that has made the series iconic. Say goodbye to your free time, as from PC to handheld, every waking moment will be consumed by One More Turn.”

“Stalker 2 could be a great game in a few years, but what's presented at launch is a technical mess that doesn't capitalise on its best ideas. Compelling side stories and a brilliant setting do a lot of the heavy lifting, but at launch Stalker 2 isn't an adventure we'd fully recommend embarking on.”

“Slitterhead isn't very good, but it is very interesting. In an age of remakes, sequels and safe bets, it's heart-warming to see something that's so clearly such a singular vision. We're disappointed that vision is sold short by basic combat and a focus on the game's ugly characters, but we're glad it exists and would welcome more attempts like it.”

“Dead Rising is still heaps of daft, gory fun, and the Deluxe Remaster is an excellent excuse to catch up with Frank. Almost every change that's been made to the new release is for the better, and while it won't blow your socks off like Capcom's other revisited classic, we're more than happy to spend another 72 hours with Mr West. He's covered wars, you know.”

“XDefiant is a confident shooter that's far more than a Call of Duty knockoff. The Tom Clancyverse crossovers are somewhat cringey, but if Ubisoft doubles down on the great gameplay, and the weird faction warfare, we'll keep coming back for months to come.”

“Balatro is an astonishingly addictive take on Poker that's utterly impossible to put down. Occasional difficulty spikes aside; it's a piece of simplistic genius that we'll keep on our Steam Deck forever.”

“The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is the best way to play one of the best games ever made. Excellent bonus content and visual bells and whistles make this $10 more than worth it, and the exact excuse you need to revisit this modern masterpiece.”

“Detective Pikachu is full of simple puzzes, witty dialogue and Pokemon to discover. It won't thrill older fans from a gameplay perspective, and it's visually inconsistent, but it will likely introduce throusands of young fans to a whole new genre of video games.”

“C-Smash VR is engaging, exhausting and exhilarating. A VR staple that we'll be showing friends for years, it nails the aesthetics, gameplay, and most importantly, the vibe of everything that's great about VR.”

“Horizon Call of the Mountain sets the bar high for PlayStation's biggest franchises adapted to VR with stellar visuals, engaging gameplay, and jaw-dropping moments.”

“This game should go down as one of the best sports games ever, instead it's a chilling reminder of the chokehold microtransactions have over the genre.”

“This is an excellent PC port with Steam Deck support that elevates to it to a must-own for anyone with Valve’s portable. While Sony may never make a PlayStation Vita 2, if its support of the Steam Deck continues as more and more PlayStation exclusives migrate to PC, it’ll soon feel like the next-generation Sony handheld many of us have always wanted.”

“A year from now we’re unlikely to be able to recount an incredible puzzle or ingenious solution, but Silt’s lasting impression of incredible art and perfectly pitched atmosphere will be giving us nightmares for some time.”

“There is no one that we would recommend Babylon’s Fall to. It’s visually dated, consistently dull and features the most average PlatinumGames combat we can remember. On paper, the concept of a game like this bathed in the studio’s signature style is an appealing one, but sadly there’s nothing about the Platinum shine that’s evident in Babylon’s Fall.”