Dexerto

“Digimon Story Time Stranger should be the strongest RPG the series has produced. The evolution system is endlessly replayable, the story delivers big twists, and the presentation shows real care. Unfortunately, it narrowly misses the top spot thanks to its small maps, tedious training, and mechanics that never live up to their promise.”

“EA FC 26 brings the best on-pitch action the series has produced in years, thanks to the genius decision to change the gameplay based on mode. There might not be too many new features to shout about, but it's the most fun I've had in a football game since FIFA 17.”

“Gears of War: Reloaded is the best way to play one of the most important shooters ever made, thanks to drastically improved visuals and timeless gunplay. The story is a little thin and there are a few annoying bugs, but this all-time classic has never looked so good.”

“Mafia: The Old Country tells an exceptional mob story with incredible characters, but it's a shame that it's so much better to watch than it is to play.”

“Dead Take is a sublime horror game filled with some phenomenal performances expertly heightened by the live-action nature. It's unique, fun, and fantastically paced.”

“Tales of the Shire offers a cute, cozy adventure that excels in its fishing and cooking, but fails to succeed in any other area synonymous with the genre.”

“Its end-to-end matches are exhilarating from the first whistle to the last, full of punch-the-air moments and tense, tactical battles that get the blood pumping and palms sweating.”

“Date Everything’s main draw is its crazy premise, but thanks to its storylines that are brought to life by seasoned voice actors, it is more than just a silly idea. It is a surprisingly heartfelt experience that expertly blends silly and sentiment.”

“Let’s not beat around the bush. Having Welcome Tour pre-installed on the Switch 2 at no additional cost would have been wonderful. There’s certainly no denying the discourse around it would be quite different, praised as a proper value-add. While $10 is reasonable for the 6-8 hours of fun here, the additional hardware costs bog it down if you’re looking to get all of the medals. At the current price, it’s nonetheless well-rounded and achieves its goal. Alongside being plenty of fun, Welcome Tour is a cool showcase. It’s worth diving in and sticking through to the final area to get a sense of what your new purchase is capable of, while also enjoying some fun mini-games along the way.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Overall, I’m left happy with the experience, which taught me a lot about managing a museum. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows, but the game made the process of being in charge feel lively, enjoyable, and yet still challenging in a way that was never frustrating.”

“"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."”

“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.”

“Frostpunk 2 doubles down on all the harsh, ruthless, and disturbing choices needed to save humanity from destruction, but leaves itself vulnerable to some key pacing problems.”

“Dead Rising’s gameplay was revolutionary back in 2006 and Deluxe Remaster proves that two generations later, the series still has a leg to stand on. With some modest improvements and an overhaul to the visuals, Capcom has effortlessly revived a cult classic in a way that feels like it never left. It just feels so damn good to be back in Willamette.”

“Similar to how I felt with the Age of Empires remasters, the quality-of-life changes to Age of Mythology Retold are welcome and help refresh it for modern gamers, even if it still does feel like a game stuck in 2002. In reality, I’d love to see a new Mythology game that builds upon the original in the same way Age of Empires 4 did. For now, the new 4k visuals, enhanced sounds, and improved AI make for an incredible reimagining of an old classic.”

“The Final Shape is a sentimental love letter of the social and community aspects of gaming. The power of creating a group of friends and playing something together. The stories you experience in-game and out of it. It’s not just the culmination of memories of the expansions and seasons of the last 10 years, but also the people we met along the way. It’s so rare for games to get to this moment – a climax of a decade of storytelling – and it’s practically unheard of to have it end so satisfyingly. Bungie did what seemed impossible with The Final Shape – they nailed it.”

“If there’s any way to summarize Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, it’s that it’s amazing to realize just how well those classic games have aged over the decades. I've enjoyed powering through the games with the new modern art, but it's the level design and gameplay that keep bringing me back. With minimal changes to the formula, the modernized appearance is all these games needed to gain a new lease of life. Tomb Raider was ahead of its time back in 1996, and this proves that even today Lara Croft still has what it takes.”