I don’t usually pay much attention to PlayStation Trophies. I can’t tell you the last game I platinumed. Usually, I see them pop up in the upper right-hand corner of my screen and never think about them again. It’s not a new thing either. I’ve never cared about Trophies or my Achievement Score or whatever Steam calls them. So it’s weird that a Madden NFL 26 trophy is the thing that sticks with me after a few dozen hours with the football sim.

Earning the trophy wasn’t anything notable, but then I saw the text on my screen. “Paper or plastic: With your defense record for sacks on the opposing quarterback.” And don’t worry about my editor’s eyes, that’s not a typo on our part. One of the easiest trophies to get in Madden NFL 26 fails to show a mastery of English.

Death By a Thousand Cuts

Now look, I’m not going to fault EA Sports. I have no idea who handles Trophies or how they even work. What I do know is that this seemingly lackadaisical approach to quality control extends throughout all of Madden NFL 26. The developers have a few great ideas that I’m excited to see evolve, but at launch, Madden 26 has most of the same legacy bugs you’re used to and several new ones to keep things spicy.

You’ll see linemen who forget how blocking works the second you get out of the pocket, skill position players who decide they’d rather do a 40-yard sprint down the field than hold a block, and so many more gameplay bugs that completely take you out of the experience. My favorite that I’ve seen so far is a weird one where every defender switches from normal running to a fast-paced tiptoe that makes them look like they belong in the music video for The Lonely Island’s “The Creep.”

Fortunately, this isn’t my first rodeo with modern Madden, so I was laughing more than throwing my controller, but if you aren’t as weary as I am, some of these bugs might break you. That said, I do like what EA Sports is doing with making weather impact gameplay. Madden is a football sim, so I’ll always appreciate it when the developer ups the realism. I just wish they could figure out how to make blocking and player switching.

I’m not saying Madden NFL 26 is a bad version of football. It’s faster paced this year, thanks to the developer bringing some College Football 26‘s speed over. I love some of the new playcalling wrinkles, especially the “cheat” motions in the Vikings’ playbook. Having access to stunts, twists, and custom zones makes defensive playcalling even more versatile. It’s like putting 20-inch rims on your beat-up 1978 Chevy Impala. You might distract passersby for a second, but they’re going to notice that ugly paint job sooner or later.

Everything Feels Half-Baked

Madden NFL 26 has so many cool ideas that I want to see expanded. I genuinely like the changes to Superstar Mode, giving you new characters to meet and build a relationship with to earn new unlockables. However, in its current state, it feels so lifeless and like a paint-by-numbers approach to creating a dynamic story.

I’m also a big fan of the modifiers EA introduced in Franchise and Superstar. This lets them give players and teams specific boosts to increase or decrease the challenge each week. I wish they could take a step further and add some wackier scenarios, but it’s a good step in making Franchise and Superstar feel different week to week. The problem is that I never found the changes too impactful. Maybe it becomes more of a challenge on higher difficulties (I generally play on All-Pro), but I’d like to see the developers take even bigger swings.

The standout feature for me, at least in theory, is the Weekly Recap in Franchise Mode. This short video segment shows you recaps of three games that happened during the week, complete with in-game highlights from CPU teams. It’s one of the best additions to the mode, but NFL 2K5 had something similar 20 years ago. Look, I appreciate that Madden’s finally added it. I just wish they’d been able to go further, giving us a weekly Top Ten or more insight into an upcoming matchup. Something to make it feel like Madden was more of a step-up on a game from 2004.

And like gameplay, most of the modes are infected with weird bugs or curiously designed features. For example, Madden 26 has added the Wear and Tear system from EA Sports College Football. That could’ve given Franchise players another layer of gameplay, forcing you to choose between practice and rest, or even sitting a player for a week to not risk injury heading into a big matchup.

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Over in Superstar, I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to look at season stats. I can see everyone’s full career just fine, but there’s no way to compare my rookie quarterback’s numbers to Patrick Mahomes in 2026. Or maybe there is, and EA has buried it behind menus so much that I can’t find it despite playing this series since 1998. Who can say?

Madden NFL 26 is one of the most frustrating experiences of 2025 so far. The developers have several potentially great ideas that seem lacking in execution, to put it mildly. Madden 26 may be in a good place after a few title updates, but at launch, I think you’re better off taking a “wait-and-see” approach. Again, Madden 26 isn’t necessarily a bad game; it’s just one that needs a lot of work to iron out some of its many issues.

Score: 3 out of 5

The post Madden NFL 26 Review: Not In My Inner Circle appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For book lovers who also enjoy a cozy game, Tiny Bookshop has been the game to watch. Initially announced in 2023, the bookstore management sim with a tiny caravan twist captured gamers’ attention with its short and sweet demo. But how does the relatively repetitive gameplay loop hold up as a full game? I had the chance to dig in early to find out. 

Tiny Bookshop throws gamers right into the action, but that action is slow and steady. Your first day begins immediately, but local former bookseller Tilde stops by to help guide you through it. The game’s tutorials are integrated into conversations with various locals, making it pretty seamless to sink into the game and the Bookston setting from the start. 

The actual gameplay mechanics are simple, easy to navigate with a mouse and keyboard. Each day, you load your shelves with books based on various genres. Then, you choose a location and head there to sell books, which mainly features watching customers slowly make their way to your tiny caravan. Pop-up bubbles show you what your customers are buying, and you can click on a few items in each location to interact with them.

By and large, however, the game doesn’t require constant attention. You’ll need to keep an eye out for customer requests for recommendations, which do need a timely response before they expire. But Tiny Bookshop offers no fast-forward option for the day, forcing a slow pace wherein you simply sit back and watch the book sales happen. Occasionally, this can start to feel a bit repetitive and a bit slow. But for the cozy gamer who, say, wants to listen to an audiobook while running a virtual bookshop, this pacing works just fine. 

The one thing that requires quick attention is customer requests. These pop-ups need to be clicked on within a certain window and allow you to take a more active role in your customers’ purchases. You get a prompt explaining the type of book your customer wants, and it’s up to you to pair them with the right match. This is where the literary attention to detail shines. The books on your shelves are actual titles ranging from Shakespeare to modern nonfiction like What We Talk About When We Talk About Fat or manga like Sailor Moon.

Getting to peruse and recommend real books really makes you feel like an actual bookseller, and it’s perfect for big book nerds like me. Each book has a description and is sorted by genre, so the game does offer help for those who don’t necessarily have the breadth of knowledge memorized. Giving recommendations is the most engaging part of the game, in my opinion, as it requires active participation, where the majority of the shopkeeping sim gameplay does not. 

If the game only offered the shopkeeping loop, it would likely get tedious fairly quickly. Thankfully, Tiny Bookshop adds a light storyline and stamps (quests) to collect, giving it a bit more momentum. Throughout the course of the game, you’ll meet several other characters, who give the game a bit more of a plot than simply selling books on repeat. Each issue challenges, asks for help, and otherwise engages with you as the local bookseller, all while requesting book recommendations. Character conversations are also how you unlock new locations on the map, allowing you to explore new areas to sell books and new stamps to collect.

The variety of characters in Bookston is one of the areas where Tiny Bookshop shines, setting it apart from more generic shopkeeping sims. Interacting with the named characters who stop by breaks up the repetitive gameplay and lets you feel more integrated into the story, giving you a reason to keep going alongside the various quests you’ll unlock. That said, some of their dialogue can get a bit repetitive as you get further in, and I would’ve liked to see a little more variety here. 

There are also weekly and seasonal events to keep things from getting too monotonous. Your journal has a calendar to track weekly sales at the Mega Marche or the Saturday Market in the city. Like a farming sim, Tiny Bookshop follows a seasonal calendar. You’ll get a few big events to prep for, like a Halloween market that requires your spookiest decor and a cozy Winter Holiday market. This adds another layer of challenge as characters task you with redecorating your little bookish caravan to suit the season.

Decorating is another place where the details elevate Tiny Bookshop. Each decor item has effects on which genres will sell well or, alternatively, which customers you might scare off. Make your store too scary, and your Children’s book sales will suffer. Cover it with maps, and your customers will get wanderlust and seek more Travel books. This adds a layer of strategy that will appeal to those who like puzzling out the best approach in games. But if you just want to make your caravan look pretty, you’ll still be able to get along. When stocking your books, you’ll see arrows indicating which book sales are currently boosted and which aren’t, making it easy to remember how to best stock your shelves. 

The genres are color-coded, making it pretty easy to tell them apart. And if those colors aren’t quite working for you, Tiny Bookshop offers several accessibility settings to adjust those colors for those with vision issues. You can also increase the request loading time if you need a cozier pace or have mobility issues that might delay response times. This extra layer of attention to accessibility in a game that’s designed to be slow-paced and wholesome helps ensure a cozy experience for all gamers. The game itself runs well, and I encountered just one visual glitch in one area while playing. It does feel a smidge more demanding than you might expect for such a casual game, but you can adjust the graphics settings to help mitigate this. 

Tiny Bookshop offers a soothingly slow-paced gameplay experience where the depth is in the story and the details, not in quick reflexes or complicated mechanics. The shopkeeping sim element is straightforward, but still allows for strategy and variety thanks to character quests and calendar events. The story, like the gameplay, isn’t quick or overly complicated. But if you were hoping for a cozy bookish game that truly delves into the literary world, Tiny Bookshop is going to deliver. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

A Tiny Bookshop review code for Steam was provided by the publisher.

The post Tiny Bookshop Review: Embracing Slow-Paced Bookish Vibes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Team Ninja’s revitalization of Ninja Gaiden was a remarkable achievement. The 2004 reboot beautifully translated the series’ most iconic traits — crushing difficulty and ninjas — into the third dimension over a decade after its 2D iterations had lost their luster; the 1992 entry that capped off that era didn’t even get released in North America or Japan.

Now, the inverse has happened. The Game Kitchen’s 2D reinvention, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, has come after a decade-long silence that started after 2014’s terrible Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. Ragebound is a wonderful callback to the series’ two-dimensional roots, but also modernizes them and filters them through The Game Kitchen’s undeniable style to create one of the best Ninja Gaiden games, regardless of generation.

Ragebound heavily and immediately evokes the earlier titles with its perspective and even directly nods to it with its recreation of the iconic intro from the 1988 NES original. But this version of this pivotal cutscene has more rapid pacing and significantly better pixel work and is a microcosm of how Ragebound interprets this generation of Ninja Gaiden games.

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Ragebound is a faster platformer that specializes in encouraging players to move in an  unbroken motion through the level, jumping over gaps and slashing through enemies without breaking a sweat. It’s the true ninja fantasy that Ragebound is able to facilitate for a few reasons that begin and end with its responsive controls. Kenji and Kumori, the game’s playable duo, jump, slash, and bounce off enemies at a moment’s notice and that immediacy is always rewarding. 

A game this difficult needs to be this smooth, too, because it would be infuriating if it were too loose. Ragebound constantly tosses demons and environmental hazards at players and these ever-changing obstacle courses require patience and skill to bypass. Reacting to each threat accordingly with the appropriate move is a dance that points out how well Ragebound’s stages are designed to get players into that flow state, even as they move in and out of its many interactive set pieces and handful of vehicle segments. 

The Hypercharge system succinctly expresses this philosophy. By striking down glowing enemies, Kenji or Kumori can kill the next grunt in one hit, no matter how tough they are. The Game Kitchen often sets elites at the end of the path but then suddenly spawns a glowing enemy around them, meaning players have to react at a moment’s notice in order to destroy everything in one seamless sequence.

Flawless play isn’t required — skipping these glowing adversaries or whiffing the Hypercharge attack isn’t a death sentence — but this mechanic heightens the skill ceiling and gives players an ideal route to master. It’s possible to see a giant shielded soldier, toss a kunai at the sparkly fodder behind him for a Hypercharge stock, and then expend it on the shielded guy without missing a beat. And by making perfection feel fantastic and designing the whole game around that, Ragebound encourages players to seek that rush. 

Bosses challenge players in slightly different ways, but are similarly satisfying. These bouts are the hardest parts of Ragebound, often pitting Kenji and Kumori against relentless beasts with multiple types of deadly attacks with tight dodge windows. Pattern recognition is key in these instances since it is simply not possible to sloppily hack and slash to an unearned victory. The platforming parts of the stages are challenging, but they are relatively generous; not every gauntlet needs to be finished perfectly. 

The bosses aren’t that kind and are swift to punish mistakes. But instead of being controller-tossing segments in need of a “skip” feature, Ragebound’s most intense fights are the best parts of the experience exactly because they are so demanding. Going from flopping around and failing within 15 seconds to deflecting and avoiding every attack in order to land the fatal blow is a thrilling mountain to climb because of the mastery required to get to the top. Contact damage is still as annoying as it ever was, but it does little to distract from how well-designed each and every one of these climactic duels are.

Sublime controls ensure Ragebound’s difficulty remains a highlight, not a liability, and never veers into unfair territory. They’re able to make this game hard yet honest, and that’s not something the original trilogy — three titles Ragebound pays homage to — can claim. Even though many games were brutal back then, those Ninja Gaiden titles were especially cheap with their tiny platforms, ridiculous enemy spawns, and gratuitous knockback when taking damage. Regardless of fairness, extreme difficulty became an essential part of Ninja Gaiden’s DNA. And Ragebound doesn’t forget that; it just modernizes what it means to be challenging. Empowering players with the means to better tackle challenges is preferable to blindly following nostalgia.

The Game Kitchen also channels nostalgia for the game’s visuals and soundtrack without being solely beholden to it. The studio’s impeccable talent for drawing grotesque beings in the Blasphemous series has transferred well here, and while Ragebound’s bestiary isn’t as freakish and its stages aren’t as ornate or otherworldly, it’s still rendered just as magnificently. There’s a level of vibrancy in the colors and fluidity within the animation to put this game’s style above many of its pixelated peers. Even when Ragebound is constantly moving and attempting to make these details easy to overlook, they’re still admirable amongst the chaos. The soundtrack also amplifies that chaos with its selection of energetic, retro-tinged tunes, further rounding out Ragebound’s impressive presentation that’s laser-focused on delivering an authentic Ninja Gaiden experience.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a tightly packed platformer that heartily succeeds in realizing what Ninja Gaiden is and ends before it can even begin to waver. By prioritizing tight controls and deliberately crafting levels that push players to take full advantage of them, it’s able to resurrect 2D Ninja Gaiden without all the rage-inducing nonsense that’s better left in a bottomless pit. And The Game Kitchen does this while also injecting its own ideas and style into the game so it’s more than a simple retread of past concepts. Ragebound embraces history and modernity, and, in the process, sets up a promising future for Ninja Gaiden as a whole.

Rating: 4 out of 5

A review copy for PS5 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Review: Bound for Greatness appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When Tales of the Shire was first announced, I was among the cozy gamers absolutely losing their minds with excitement. The game puts a wholesome, Hobbit-centric spin on a game set in Middle Earth. In other words, it’s the LOTR content we didn’t even know we needed. With a few release date delays under its belt, Tales of the Shire is finally getting ready to arrive. Like a wizard, a cozy hobbit game is never late, but arrives precisely when it means to. And I think gamers will be glad this shared meal got to spend a little more time in the oven. 

Tales of the Shire brings in many elements that you want to see in a farming sim sort of game. Players can plant and tend to crops, take care of chickens, forage wild plants, and go fishing. There’s also a robust cooking system that brings in a Shared Meal mechanic, something that puts a delightfully Hobbit-centric spin on the cooking and gifting you often see in cozy games.

The art style of Tales of the Shire has been a point of debate for many fans. In particular, opinions are mixed on the character creation and NPC designs. When I dove in to create my very own Hobbit self, I was pleased to see there were a good number of options for hairstyles, body types, and outfits. The character creation isn’t as robust as in some games, but it still lets you create a Hobbit persona that feels all your own. I especially appreciated the name generator, which helps you craft a truly Shire-style name for your character, if you choose. This is just the beginning of carefully thought-out lore offered in Tales of the Shire. 

Once you create your Hobbit self, you dive right into the town of Bywater. As your journey begins, a familiar face that’s quintessential to the Shire greets you – I won’t spoil just who. But, from this beginning story beat, it’s clear that Tales of the Shire will not ignore its source material, even as it crafts a new story all its own. There are a ton of little easter eggs for players to uncover, from location descriptions signed “B.B.” on the map to familiar characters in Bywater and beyond. These are nice touches for those familiar with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. But those less familiar with Tolkien’s world can still step into the Shire and feel at home even if they’ve no reason to recognize references to the Old Gaffer. 

The gameplay mechanics offer just enough complexity to keep you engaged without feeling overly complicated. Gardening is relatively straightforward, but with the option to go a little deeper. Each plant has certain seeds it likes to grow alongside and others it doesn’t, letting you improve your crops by being strategic. As you delve deeper into the story, you will unlock the ability to upgrade key skills. Fishing, cooking, foraging, and farming can all be leveled up. With higher tiers come better perks such as higher-quality items and even expansions for your farming space. This makes the grind feel rewarding, giving you a reason to explore the Shire and partake in those daily Hobbit activities even outside of the main story quest. 

Speaking of the main story, it’s incredibly cute. It’s a Hobbit-sized problem, letting you work towards something without feeling overwhelming. The story is relatively short, and I was a bit surprised when I realized I’d already come to the end. But there’s a lot of side content to make the game worth its asking price. Even once the story ends, there are skills to level up, recipes to unlock, and new forageables to uncover. And of course, you can keep on sharing meals with your fellow Hobbits to level up friendships and learn what else Bywater has to offer. 

Inviting your fellow Hobbits to Shared Meals is a key part of the gameplay loop, and it was definitely my favorite part of the game. This mechanic is a delightful way to immerse the player in cooking. Each guest has specific cravings for flavors and even dishes. Your job is to craft meals for each guest to make the perfect meal. When you do, you’re rewarded with a friendship level-up, plus a new recipe or ingredient. To me, this was a much more enjoyable way to level up friendship than just chucking gifts at NPCs as you do in many cozy games. The cooking mechanic offers a series of ways to prepare ingredients and balance flavors, so it keeps you guessing as you work to craft each dish. 

Another fun detail is that your fellow Hobbits will indeed get a bit upset with you if you don’t invite them to Shared Meals often enough. I found this out the hard way, and was utterly delighted to learn that dining together with my fellow Bywater villagers was not an option, but a mandate for a comfortable life among the Hobbits. This gave the NPCs a bit more character, along with being an incentive to be sure to engage with each and every one of them. 

While there was a lot to love in Tales of the Shire, there are a few downsides, primarily with how the game runs. The world of the Shire is lushly created, with a soft, watercolor art style. That said, there’s a lot going on on screen, which sometimes causes the game to stutter a bit. The draw distance is also a bit short, so you’ll sometimes watch plants and animals pop into existence if you explore too quickly. Some cutscenes also load in slowly, leading to some awkward pauses before everything renders properly.

These technical issues were worse when I first dove into the game, leading to relatively frequent crashes. Ahead of launch, Weta has already pushed out one patch that greatly improved how the game runs. Having played several hours since the patch was released, I’m confident those issues will be mostly worked out for gamers who pick up Tales of the Shire. That said, some of the visual issues remain.

If you can get past a few little quirks in how the game runs, however, Tales of the Shire is going to be well worth your time. It is truly a cozy and wholesome escape to the Shire, full of the daily tasks a Hobbit loves best – cooking, eating, and enjoying time with friends. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

A Tales of the Shire review code for the Nintendo Switch platform was provided by the publisher.

The post Tales of the Shire Review – The Cozy Hobbit Life of Your Dreams appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ready or Not has finally made its way to consoles, but how well does the immersive SWAT sim translate to a controller? For those who are unfamiliar, Ready or Not is one of the most popular hardcore shooters out there, as its focus is on realism and tension. Players fill the shoes of a SWAT agent tasked with clearing houses, compounds, and apartments to take down drug dealers, sex traffickers, and other criminals. The goal isn’t to just run into a room guns blazing, though. You have a wide variety of tools to complete your mission both lethally and non-lethally. It’s up to you to come prepared with the right loadout and assemble a strong team of either real players or AI allies.

Ready or Not has a bunch of missions where you’re assigned a variety of objectives, but the main one is to secure the area from hostiles. You constantly feel a tightness in your stomach as you round a corner or open a door, not able to fully know what’s on the other side. Even with tools that let you peek under doors, there could still be someone hiding out of sight, ready to shoot you or charge you with a knife. Not only that, but even after someone seems to have surrendered, they can jump up and attack you at the last second. You can never really fully let your guard down. I’ve made the mistake of doing so even after subduing all the enemies, only to open a door that was rigged with a bomb, immediately killing me and one of my friends.

Ready or Not is highly replayable as enemy positions change every single time. They can take hostages, hide under beds or in closets, scatter into dark underground tunnels that require flashlights or night-vision goggles, and more. If you die, you don’t come back until the mission is over or restarted. During one mission that took place in two rundown houses, my friends and I had cleared the first house and were moving through the second one. I had walked off on my own to check a room, only to suddenly hear rapid footsteps behind me. By the time I had turned around, I was getting stabbed and was dead. From then on out, we all agreed to have someone watching our backs at all times so no one could get the jump on us. You are constantly learning from your mistakes in this game.

The actual combat in Ready or Not is very thrilling, too. Bullets can shred apart doors, rooms can be breached with explosive charges, and the impact of violence is felt. Not only can you take down an enemy in one or two well-placed shots, but you see the effect of it as well. The gore in the game can be graphic and detailed, meaning if you shoot someone in the head, their face will be close to unrecognizable. All of this also helps to make you understand the danger, too. It doesn’t take much to take you down, which leads to that palpable tension throughout the entire game.

Although Ready or Not is arguably the most fun when you’re in a really intense shootout due to the thunderous gunshots rattling in your headset and the disorientation that comes with a sudden firefight, you will get the most out of the game with its non-lethal approach. This is the only way to get an S-rank on a mission and requires an absolutely perfect run. You need perfect teamwork and communication as no one can die, including you, the enemies, and civilians. Everyone must use a non-lethal weapon, whether it be a pepperball gun, a taser, or a beanbag shotgun. There aren’t that many games out there that can really simulate that amount of coordination and team synergy. Everyone has to be on the same page or it can all fall apart pretty quickly. 

One of my biggest concerns going into Ready or Not was how well it would translate to a controller. It’s a game with a lot of controls due to all of the gadgets, commands, and nuances to gameplay. It’s easier to map all of that onto a big keyboard, but not so easy when putting it on a controller with limited buttons. Generally speaking, it controls well for moment-to-moment gameplay, but I found myself forgetting key controls and was unable to figure them out by just pressing different buttons. Some controls require you to use multiple buttons at the same time or hold a button instead of pressing it.

For instance, I completely forgot how to put a light down on the floor, which indicates to other players and yourself that a room has been cleared. I also found some things, like the commands, to be clunky. It requires you to navigate multiple UI wheels that require you to push the analog stick multiple times to access. It’s not very intuitive, but if you’re playing in co-op with people you know, this likely won’t be much of an issue.

Ready or Not is also a bit buggy. Part of the game’s scoring system requires you to pick up weapons off the ground as evidence. However, these weapons can disappear or become completely inaccessible, hurting your overall score. The mission only ends once you’ve collected every piece of evidence. You can end it yourself once you have completed the main objectives, but there were a few times where my friends and I walked around a map for 15 minutes trying to find the last gun we needed to secure, only for it to seemingly not exist.

Another cumbersome bug revolves around the aforementioned breaching charges. If you use one and someone is on the other side of the door, it is supposed to kill them or neutralize them. However, there were a few times where the person’s body completely disappeared, and just moments later, they essentially respawned and shot me in the back. Obviously, this can be pretty frustrating, and hopefully, it will be fixed.

Despite some flaws, Ready or Not is one of the most intense and shellshocking shooters I have ever played. It’s highly replayable, dreadfully suspenseful, and painstakingly detailed in the name of creating some well-earned immersion. While there are some rough edges, it’s a really impressive experience that will keep me coming back for more. Whether you’re seeking raw and unfiltered combat or highly coordinated and precisely executed raids, Ready or Not is a varied shooter with a strong hook.

Rating: 4 out of 5

An Xbox Series X|S code was provided by the publisher for this review.

The post Ready or Not Review: Immersive and Impressive appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Competing with FromSoftware and its best soulslikes is always a challenge, but developer Leenzee has proven it has what it takes. Leenzee makes this attempt in the form of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, a soulslike game with new ideas, interesting systems, and a sense of freedom on how you play. Difficulty is at the forefront of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, but it almost always feels fair, and the game gives plenty of ways to overcome these challenges. Enemy variety keeps players on their toes and forces them to consider each choice, from weapon type to spell, and even the armor to equip. And all of this takes inspiration from Chinese myth and stories to create one of the most visually exciting soulslikes yet.

Wuchang is a pirate warrior suffering from amnesia and afflicted with the Feathering, a mysterious illness plaguing the land. Most who contract Feathering are cursed to turn into monsters, but Wuchang maintains her humanity. However, most who see her attack at first sight due to her illness, which is a neat way of explaining why many of the enemies are hostile. That said, not all are hostile, and numerous NPCs aid Wuchang or make requests of her.

One of the most appealing aspects of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is its world and aesthetic. While many soulslikes rehash some version of dark fantasy inspired by Berserk, Leenzee has opted to set its action-RPG in the Land of Shu during the Ming Dynasty. It still maintains an atmosphere of dark fantasy, but Wuchang manages it with a unique identity thanks to its Chinese setting. Forgotten temples, cursed villages, and ancient ruins dot the vast and interconnected world and immerse the player in this experience.

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The interconnected world and its size do present a problem in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, though. Players must rely on shrines to save their progress and heal, which also revives most enemies like we see in most soulslikes. These feel a little too far apart at times. In one area, the only shrine that was accessible was gained by unlocking paths to return to a previous shrine. The area’s size and sprawling layout made progressing painful, especially because it was easy to fall off and die while facing the enemies here.

With that in mind, the world itself is beautiful. Varied environments keep the game feeling fresh and encourage exploration. This ties in with the classic soulslike storytelling technique. In Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, some of the story is given to the player, but much of it is uncovered by reading item descriptions, finding notes, and speaking to NPCs. While the method is familiar, the story features a different feel than most soulslikes.

Feathering has an important role outside of the narrative. It allows Wuchang to learn powerful spells through Skyborn Might. This system allows Wuchang to gain charges and use them to perform deadly strikes and cast unique spells. These are gained by perfect dodging and parrying, creating a risk vs reward mentality. This risk vs reward is also used with the Madness system. Wuchang builds up this meter, allowing her to deal more damage but take more as well. Madness peaks when Wuchang dies, spawning a mirror demon she must defeat or lose what she dropped upon death. This forces players to monitor Madness and consider whether the benefits are worth the risks.

Boss fights are the highlight of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers’ combat. These feel like cinematic showdowns and test one’s skills in new ways. One memorable boss is a frenzied beast that attacks with wild strikes before retreating and spraying blood, while another is a woman who gets in your face and never gives you a break. This is where Skyborn Might comes in, as getting perfect parries or dodges is not only crucial to staying alive, but also charging spells and your weapons’ special abilities. Learning each of the bosses’ dances and landing the final blow is extremely satisfying and makes the challenge worth it.

In this regard, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has multiple ways you can play. Most stats, specifically defensive ones, are tied to gear and can easily be swapped out. Equipping armor with certain resistances can make going against bosses easier. Likewise, each weapon has unique attacks that can be used with Skyborn Might. Some of these allow you to block, while others perform acrobatic attacks and even defensive counters. This leads into Wuchang: Fallen Feathers’ expansive skill tree. Each weapon has a branch that grants bonuses and perks for using that weapon. Wuchang also has a general skill branch that increases the number and potency of your healing vial, increases health, raises stamina, and more. All this gives so much freedom on how you create Wuchang’s build.

However, not all weapons were created equal. Some just did not feel fun to play, such as the heavy weapons. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers feels its best when chaining perfect dodges together and performing swift strikes. This better suits its longsword, spear, feather sword, and twin daggers. The slower weapons felt like they went against this and sapped the fun out of combat. It also feels bad when one of your weapon’s two slots is relegated to a block ability rather than one of its martial arts moves, especially on a weapon that is so slow to begin with and could use the acrobatic nature of these skills.

In the opposite direction, the magic in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is one of the best in a soulslike game. There is no need to spec into magic, as each spell has its stats and effects. Since Skyborn Might is a universal system used for various abilities, players can generate this resource and choose whether to spend it on spells, weapon swap strikes, or weapon abilities. It provides a lot of freedom and does not force a decision between magic and might.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers combines new ideas with the tried and true formula made popular by FromSoftware. Not everything sticks, but Leenzee has created an enjoyable and challenging experience for its debut title worthy of the souslike genre. Its interesting narrative and gorgeous world provide the perfect backdrop for its boss fights, which are the highlight of the game. Anyone who enjoys soulslikes should not skip Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and it’s also perfect for those looking to get into the genre, especially at its price point.

Rating: 4 out of 5

A review copy for PS5 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Review: Soaring to Souslike Success appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Special Pokemon TCG sets are often a challenge for players to collect. A lack of booster boxes makes getting single packs almost impossible, leaving players to hunt down packs in collections and ETBs. The Black Bolt & White Flare expansion will present all of these struggles, plus a few additional hurdles. However, for Unova fans, it is a treasure trove of collectible pulls.

Black Bolt & White Flare are not the typical special set. Unlike Paldean Fates of Prismatic Evolutions, Black Bolt and White Flare each have their own card list of unique pulls. This means players will be hunting down a list of almost 400 cards.

Despite this, the dual-card-list expansion offers some of the most beautiful Illustration Rares of Unova Pokemon to date, and highlights fan-favorite characters like N in stunning full art cards. It is a Black & White fan’s dream come true, even with the hurdles we encountered while reviewing the set.

Limited Collections With High Price Tags

One of the first and most important things to point out about Black Bolt & White Flare is the price. Because booster packs can only be obtained via collections, booster bundles, blister packs, mini tins, and ETBs, the cost of the set is going to add up quickly. Additionally, fans will need to buy multiples of each item if they want to pull from both card lists, as Booster Bundles and ETBs will be “version exclusive”.

For this review, The Pokemon Company provided ComicBook with a Black Bolt ETB, Flare White Booster Bundle, a Binder Collection, a Poster Collection, a single Mini Tin, a Tech Sticker blister pack, the promo starter blister pack, and the Large Card Victini Collector’s set. This gave us plenty of booster packs to pull from for each of the sets.

Like with Prismatic Evolutions, the pricetag of the items is offset by the quality of each option. The Binder Collection offers a stunning place to store cards, with a premium binder cover and extra-protected card sleeves. The Poster Collection includes an enormous piece of wall art in bright colors, and the Victini Large Card Collection displays the little Mythical in a colorful holofoil the size of a small book.

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Unfortunately, to get one of each of these items, players will be spending hundreds of dollars, and that is if they can find them at MSRP, thanks to the card distribution shortages. Because of this, it will likely be one of the most expensive sets of the Scarlet & Violet era.

Pull Rates Are Not Nice in Black Bolt & White Flare

The card lists for Black Bolt & White Flare offer an impressive selection of beautiful cards to pull. Only 86 or so of the 172-card set are standard prints. The rest are Illustration Rares, full arts, or Hyper Rares. In each booster pack, three of the card slots are guaranteed to offer anything from a reverse holo to a special rare card.

Unfortunately, despite the massive gallery of illustration rares, the pull rares for Black Bolt & White Flare are not great. This is tough news for collectors, as the cost of just getting the booster packs is going to be a hurdle for many.

Part of the problem with this expansion is that it also uses the Poke Ball and Master Ball rare cards from Prismatic Evolution. These have the chance to appear in the reverse holo slot, and take up a space that might otherwise hold an illustration rare card.

These cards are interesting, but they feel like bloat in this already-paced set. Especially when players are attempting to score a Black White Rare, the special class variant that has taken the place of the standard gold Hyper Rare from previous sets.

Pulling from Black Bolt & White Flare can feel punishing, especially because the low number of standards causes duplicates to pile high. If those opening packs aren’t die-hard Unova fans, this can become disheartening fairly quickly.

Are Black Bolt & White Flare Worth It?

When it comes to Pokemon TCG expansions, Black Bolt & White Flare are oddly specialized. These sets are going to be worth it to mega fans of the Unova region, but if you are only in it for a specific character or Pokemon, it might be best to wait and snag singles when they become available on TCGPlayer.

For Unova fans, however, this is going to be the set to go all-out on. Black & White have had few spotlights since the games released, often overshadowed by Kanto, Alola, and other more recent gens. Because of this, beloved characters like N have not seen many new prints in recent years.

While the pull rates and cost for the Pokemon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare expansion aren’t the most collector-friendly, it is unlikely a set like this, completely focused on one Gen, will happen again soon. It is definitely worth it for those who find joy in this particular era of the franchise.

The post Pokemon TCG Black Bolt & White Flare Are a Dream, But Only For Unova Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The bar for RoboCop games was so low that it was buried deep beneath the crime-ridden streets of near-future Detroit, a subterranean standard developer Teyon crushed with 2023’s RoboCop: Rogue City. The team demonstrated a deep understanding of the violence and satire that underpins the franchise while delivering a uniquely tanky single-player shooter. RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business is a standalone expansion that capitalizes on that winning framework and proves Teyon’s rendition of the cyborg cop is well-deserving of a second patrol. 

Much of that winning formula Rogue City established revolves around the gameplay that is rewarding in and of itself and the ways in which it matches RoboCop’s overall tone. Standard gunplay bucks the modern and boomer shooter trend of being blazing fast. Unfinished Business has its titular character plodding along with loud, thumping footsteps and forces players to pick off foes without bouncing off the walls and doing 360 no-scope headshots. 

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While it sounds potentially laborious, it’s not, and the presentation allows the game to more readily fulfill the fantasy of being RoboCop (sans the identity crisis and trauma of being brutally executed) in a way that makes it have its own special feel. It’s all about blowing away targets while moving forward at a steady pace, an intensely specific power trip that’s fueled by being able to fling criminals like ragdolls and blow off their limbs with just a bullet or two, many of which paint the nearby walls with a thick layer of blood. Levels are filled with lethal throwable items and a decent amount of environmental destruction evokes the chaos shootouts have. They often unfold like a playable version of the cocaine factory scene from the first film and are even accompanied by the same music track, too.

All of that was true in the original and has been faithfully translated to Unfinished Business — it’s still unique and also entirely fitting for a RoboCop game. Unfinished Business only adds to that formula with minor tweaks here and there. Cinematic executions — smashing someone’s head into a TV or tossing them head-first down a garbage chute — give players a silly way to dispose of goons and also feel loyal to the source material. The surprising amount of new enemy types, namely the flying drones and riot shield-wielding mercenaries, require different strategies but aren’t so different as to throw off the balance. Its new Cryo Cannon acts as an icy BFG, leaving a whole host of impressive icicle effects after each hefty blast. It adds a much-needed area-of-effect weapon that also happens to have a fitting narrative justification, too.

Playing as Alex Murphy in his pre-RoboCop days is only somewhat novel, though, since it’s a straightforward shooter where players aren’t a walking tank. These segments are only narratively competent but are brief enough to not be too bothersome. The ED-209 segment, however, is the polar opposite and an absolute blast because of how intensely it amps up the firepower (as long as players avoid the stairs). They’re all small tweaks, which is expected for a standalone expansion, but they mostly all support and expand upon what was already there.

Rogue City wasn’t just a corridor shooter, though, and excelled because of how it let players interact with Detroit’s inhabitants. Much of that is also preserved here and gives Unfinished Business more personality. RoboCop can solve small squabbles between citizens and while the performances and writing can be a bit strange — a notion undoubtedly aided by the atrocious lip syncing, stilted animations, and extremely unflattering camera angles — it’s charming in the same way a B-movie’s weird dialogue can be and fits the satirical tone. RoboCop dryly telling a child his drawing sucks is funny, as is him scolding a nerd for stealing a comic book, despite there not always being a grander purpose to these tinier tales. These action-free segments not only round out RoboCop’s character, but also build out the world and are the appropriate valleys to the explosive peaks.

These tertiary moments fill in the gaps between Unfinished Business’ larger narrative, which once again carries on the tradition set by Rogue City by being surprisingly strong. The satirical wit that has defined RoboCop is on full display here and ranges from goofy radio ads about sugarcoated steroids for kids to actual systemic injustice rooted in the boundless greed of OCP. The colossal housing complex at the center of the whole game, called the OmniTower, is a monument of corruption and lies that its denizens have to endure all so OCP can squeeze out a few extra dollars. Not only does Unfinished Business show players the copious piles of untreated garbage from this facility and other elements of physical neglect, but it also slowly explains the evil behind this project, what its true purpose is, and how it serves the powerful at the behest of the powerless. It’s not just a random setting and is instead a literal concrete manifestation of its narrative.

Its constant examination of power imbalances gives this game clear themes that are compelling in their own right and feel at home in the RoboCop world. Even the enemy faction — a group composed of bloodthirsty killers ready to enact war crimes for a buck — is not spared here, since the Unfinished Business has one special level about how they are also being exploited. It doesn’t do this to get players to sympathize with them; it’s just to add more complexities and wrinkles to its core themes. The plot relies too heavily on the tired trope of the antagonist claiming the protagonist doesn’t go far enough to stop criminals, but it’s still paced out well with enough interesting reveals that reinforce its themes while also adding more juicy context to the broader RoboCop lore.

Unfinished Business as a whole is a worthwhile addition to the RoboCop lore. Its thoughtful narrative and empowering gunplay are unique within the first-person shooter genre and loyally translate RoboCop’s core tenets into an interactive form. Some of Rogue City’s issues, like abysmal lip syncing and awkward dialogue camera, have carried over into this standalone expansion, but those are relatively small dents in this game’s shiny armor. Like most bullets, they bounce off RoboCop’s chassis and don’t impede his ability to serve and protect.

Rating: 4 out of 5

RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business releases on July 17th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A review copy was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business Review: It’s Great to Be Back in Business appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For the better part of the last decade, I have been dying for a sequel to Super Mario Odyssey. The 2017 3D Mario platformer isn’t just my favorite Super Mario game of all-time, but it’s also my favorite title to release on Switch throughout the console’s life. Despite this adoration, Nintendo has been content with putting Mario on the back burner in recent years, so much so that a new 3D Mario game still doesn’t seem to be on the horizon. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean that much of what made Super Mario Odyssey fantastic is nowhere to be found, as Nintendo has chosen to expand on many of the ideas from that game in the stellar Donkey Kong Bananza.

To be clear, Donkey Kong Bananza is not a proper sequel to Super Mario Odyssey, but the connective tissue between the two games is apparent almost immediately. Bananza centers around Nintendo’s famous ape as he goes on a journey to the center of the world alongside his companion, a young version of Pauline. This adventure sees DK and Pauline traverse through a variety of levels that make up the inner workings planet, all of which are filled with “Banandium Gems”. Hunting down these glowing banana-like objects is what you’ll spend the vast majority of your time doing in Donkey Kong Bananza, but the game excellently ensures that this straightforward task never becomes a boring one.

The key manner in which Donkey Kong Bananza finds a way to keep your attention from beginning to end is by way of its destructible, malleable world. Donkey Kong possesses the power to pound with his fists through just about everything you can find in Bananza. From the floor beneath DK’s feet to a mountain you can see on the horizon, Bananza features a world that can be explored in near-limitless ways as you can make your own paths at any single time. Not only is this type of freedom something that I’ve never seen before in a platformer, but it ends up making the experience constantly engaging.

Bananza chooses to lean into this format further by scattering bananas anywhere and everywhere across its massive levels. Some of the bananas are rather easy to snag, while others require much more digging and ingenuity to obtain. Bananza also has a variety of challenge stages, which whisk DK and Pauline away to various areas where they have to beat certain enemies or solve specific puzzles to get every banana. Some of these levels end up being the most enjoyable in Bananza, primarily as they tap into nostalgic elements of older Donkey Kong games.

DK also consistently acquires new power-ups throughout Bananza, which goes a long way in making the game never feel stale. These upgrades allow DK to transform into different animals, like the Ostrich, which briefly gives him the ability to fly. Other transformations allow DK to traverse across environments he normally wouldn’t be able to, or punch through blocks that he can’t in his base form. All of these upgrades to Donkey Kong help further the core ideas of creativity and experimentation at the core of Bananza and let you rethink the way you approach certain situations that you’ll run into.

When you’re not obsessively trying to find every banana within Donkey Kong Bananza, there are plenty of bosses and enemies to wallop on as well. For the most part, I found boss fights in Bananza to be a bit too easy at times. This isn’t true of every battle, but many of the bouts that serve as endcaps to the various levels within the game end up being a bit anticlimactic rather than high points that you’ll think back on fondly.

Speaking of downsides with Bananza, the camera is often a mess. Since Donkey Kong can dig his way through just about any environment in the game, the camera struggles to keep the focus on DK, especially in tighter spaces. It’s a problem that I think Nintendo did its best to find a solution to, but it’s still hard not to consistently get agitated when you’re trying to create your own monkey-made tunnel in the side of a mountain and can’t see what you’re doing.

Beyond the gameplay experience that it offers, Donkey Kong Bananza actually ends up featuring a pretty compelling story. Much of this narrative thrust is thanks to the mysteries surrounding Pauline and her backstory, but there’s enough meat on the bone, especially for a Nintendo game, that makes you want to keep pushing through to see the next beat.

More than anything else, though, what surprised me most about Donkey Kong Bananza is how it honors everything that came before. This could have been an easy moment for Nintendo to reboot Donkey Kong entirely, and in some ways, Bananza is that. But it’s also a love letter to DK’s history, beginning not only with the classic Donkey Kong arcade game, but also the Donkey Kong Country series and Donkey Kong 64. There are so many surprises and subtle callbacks to older Donkey Kong games scattered all throughout Bananza, many of which I did not expect to see. If you’re a fan of every Donkey Kong game that came before Bananza, there is so much to discover that will fill you with joy, same as it did for myself.

Donkey Kong Bananza is, without question, one of my favorite Nintendo games of the past decade. Not only does it serve as a fantastic new entry in one of Nintendo’s oldest franchises, but it’s the best reason so far to go and pick up a Switch 2. While I thought I wanted a sequel to Super Mario Odyssey for the past eight years, I’ve instead found myself far more thrilled by what Nintendo has done with Bananza.

Score: 4.5/5

Donkey Kong Bananza releases later this week on July 17th for Nintendo Switch 2. An advance copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post Donkey Kong Bananza Review: Super Monkey Odyssey appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Heading into the 2010 season, Michigan Wolverine fans were rabid for information about who was going to be their starting quarterback. Sophomore Denard “Shoelace” Robinson had impressed during his freshman season in limited time, but head coach Rich Rodriguez refused to name a starter. Ultimately, Robinson got the nod and had one of the greatest starts to a college football season in history, racking up multiple 500-yard games while showing equal skill as a passer and rusher. He looked like a shoo-in for the Heisman, but Shoelace’s shoes fell off in the middle of the season, leaving Wolverines’ fans stunned at how quickly things turned. That said, when I look back at that season, all I remember are the good times, even if Robinson ultimately didn’t have what it took for an all-time season.

While playing EA Sports College Football 26, I thought about that 2010 season a lot. Similar to Robinson, CFB 26 is one of the best in its field, blowing most of the competition out of the water. However, I can’t help but feel like the more I play it, the more small issues continue to crop up, marring what should be a Heisman-trophy-winning season.

Let me be clear: College Football 26 is a big step up from CFB 25. The team at EA Sports has made so many smart choices across nearly every mode, really drilling into exactly what players want from a quality-of-life standpoint. That said, there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Things EA can tune and tweak through patches or future versions of the game that could make College Football the premier sports game for modern fans.

The most important aspect of any sports game is the on-field gameplay. If you liked College Football 25, you’re going to love CFB 26. It doesn’t do too much to reinvent the game, though there are a few things I noticed during my time that left me impressed. The most notable change is the addition of in-game subbing. You don’t have to leave the game to switch players in and out. In CFB 26, you can make lineup changes at the touch of a button, keeping you on the field much longer.

That sounds like a small change, but it makes CFB 26 feel more dynamic. You’re doing everything on the fly, which adds pressure to decision-making. Do you take the time to sub in your fastest wideout for this screen play? Or do you leave the slower WR in and make sure your protection is squared away? Good players will be able to do both, but it’s another aspect of gameplay you’ll need to master, especially if you’re playing with an accelerated clock.

I’ve also noticed fewer instances of defensive players having eyes in the back of their heads. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve still seen a few very questionable interceptions, but the “see ball, play ball” mantra the team has been touting this year is mostly true. Defenders usually need to turn their heads around to have a chance to make a play. It’s not perfect, but it’s close.

Speaking of not perfect, blocking remains an issue. In my experience, offensive linemen seem much more likely to follow blocking progressions you’d expect, but never rely on a skill position player to even attempt to make a block. It’s getting to be silly how often wideouts run away from contact, even on designated run plays. Look, I get these guys are Lamborghinis, not F-150s, but they could at least try to act like they’re doing something.

That said, running does continue to feel great. When you put a foot in the ground and turn upfield, you can feel that plant foot’s power as you shift directions. It’s not always easy to break big runs given how adverse most wideouts are to contact, but when you do, there’s nothing like it.

The place CFB 26 really shines is in all the updates the team has made to the various modes. I’m not going to run through the whole list of off-field changes, but here are a few that really stood out to me. Dynasty players will love being able to see their team’s needs directly from the Recruiting screen. Knowing exactly what players to target makes recruiting so much easier. EA has also done some retooling of visits and hard sells, introducing some extra strategy when you use both methods of recruiting.

Having the real-life versions of most coaches (we have to get Coach Prime next year) is more of a game-changer than I expected. Seeing real-life coaches’ signatures on my offer letter in Road to Glory is a great touch, and the expanded coach customization makes Dynasty mode even more of an RPG-like dream.

Speaking of Road to Glory, I loved the high school experience. I think some will balk at having to play through moments, but I found it to be just enough of a high school experience for what I’m looking for. Managing your board of offers could use some sprucing up, but it’s not a bad first effort.

I will say that some of the RTG conversation options hit a little too close to home. After being rejected for prom in high school and then ghosted by the first girl who talked to me in college, it felt like EA had gone through and read my Facebook page from 2008. I’d like to see those conversations expanded into something with a bit more meat on the bones, but I always liked seeing them pop up, especially when CFB 26 subtly roasted me with the outcomes.

It’s not all clear skies in Dynasty and RTG. The sim engine could still use some work. I’ve only played through a total of six seasons so far between the two modes, so I’ve seen a limited scope. However, even what I have seen has been a little wacky. In my first RTG save, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught 156 passes for 2,235 yards and 25 TDs. He’s a good player, but that’s 200 yards clear of the current receiving record and blows DeVonta Smith’s 2020 Heisman-winning season out of the water.

That was far from the only weird thing. When simming an Oklahoma State game against an FCS opponent in Dynasty, the Pokes lost 6-3. I know my alma mater was bad last season, but even in their worst year in a decade, they beat the defending FCS champs 44-20. Those weird results don’t happen as often as they did in CFB 25, but they’re still there.

Dynasty Mode’s transfer portal could also probably use some tweaking. EA wanted to make it as lively as the real-life version, but it seems like nearly everybody wants to transfer this year. You might have a star QB who played plenty and looks ready to be even better. Despite your best efforts, they will leave at the drop of a hat. That does mean you can reload more easily, but it feels like EA needs to reel that in slightly.

The culprit here seems to be an over-tuning of the new dynamic Dealbreakers. Last year, these were relatively static and easy to maintain. With CFB 26, the team wanted it to be more of a challenge. So that top-rated QB I mentioned earlier likely left because you tried to recruit the signal caller of the future. At least in CFB 26, kids these days are a little overly sensitive and don’t want any competition. It stinks, but it’s fixable.

That’s largely true of every issue I have with EA Sports College Football 26. There’s nothing particularly glaring about the game, but it does have a few blemishes. It is undoubtedly a step up from CFB 25 and a must-play game for college football fans, for no other reason than hearing “Enter Sandman” blast through your speakers at a night game against Virginia Tech is essentially a religious experience.

Score: 4.5/5

The post EA Sports College Football 26 Review: No Sophomore Slump appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When Activision and Vicarious Visions released Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, there was an expectation that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 would get the same treatment. The 2020 release is a near-perfect remake of those first two games. Considering that the third and fourth entries are the highest-rated in the series and are often named the favorites among fans, it only made sense that Activision would eventually release a follow-up. However, the closure of Vicarious Visions seemingly destroyed any hope of revisiting the critically lauded skateboarding games. So, the fact that a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 exists feels like a miracle.

THPS 3+4 is available on just about any gaming device, bringing the gameplay THPS 1+2 fans know and love to the stages of THPS 3 and 4. Back in March 2025, I wrote an article suggesting the content in this new release, developed by Iron Galaxy this time around, should just be DLC for THPS 1+2. As the gameplay seemed nearly identical, with a few little surprises sprinkled in, I could see why I thought that at the time. However, after spending several hours finishing the Career Mode, completing every pro goal, and collecting every stat point and piece of cash lying around every stage, THPS 3+4 is content-rich and an incredible remake of two of the most beloved entries in the skateboarding series, despite some of its glaring flaws.

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. The one glaring flaw is that THPS 3+4 fails to faithfully remake THPS 4. The 2002 release really shook up the series, allowing players to free skate through stages and pick up quests at their leisure. This brought goofy set-piece moments, like the tennis match at College or the downhill shopping cart at Alcatraz, that weren’t possible in the previous entries. It also acts as the foundation of the games released after, like Tony Hawk’s Underground and Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland. However, Iron Galaxy’s interpretation of the fourth entry implements the two-minute goal challenges from the first three games. So, if fans of THPS 4 were looking for a full recreation, they will be sorely disappointed.

However, that doesn’t detract from the THPS 4 experience in THPS 3+4. The two-minute timer and the goals created for these stages work well. Also, for players looking for some of the more goofy goals, some of them have been recreated in this game. This includes helping the painter in San Francisco and listening to Ranger Ron’s story in Alcatraz. All these goals also feature a cutscene that is genuinely pretty funny. While it may not be an accurate depiction of THPS 4, it hits all the right notes, even though I think there are some questionable changes, like making the Zoo a competition level.

A big part of those THPS 4 changes in THPS 3+4 are three new levels: Waterpark, Movie Studio, and Pinball. Movie Studio serves as a competition stage, while Waterpark and Pinball offer new goals to complete. All three of these stages feel like they could be classic THPS levels.

Each level has some interesting secrets to discover and fun gimmicks that make each one stand out. I do have some qualms with how some of these stages are laid out. All of them feel like they are way too packed with obstacles; this is more apparent in Pinball, where there is a ball that can crush the skater at any moment. At times, the levels feel like a jumbled mess, but overall, I applaud Iron Galaxy for making new levels that feel authentic to the series.

Something that hasn’t changed since THPS 1+2 is gameplay. THPS 3+4’s gameplay is almost exactly the same as its predecessor. The only meaningful change made is the addition of skitching, which allows players to hold on to the back of a car while driving, and then let off for a huge speed boost. As THPS 1+2’s gameplay is almost perfect, so too is the gameplay of THPS 3+4.

There are a few qualms I have with THPS 3+4’s gameplay, despite it being almost flawless. Although I love that skitching has returned, there are a couple of quirks that bummed me out. Namely, getting out of the skitch. In previous games, a skitching skater can move the balance meter to the side of the car the skater was skitching on, and they would simply let go, allowing them to continue skating without falling. In THPS 3+4, failing the balance meter results in a fall every time. Also, it seems like skitching can’t be executed with a vehicle head-on; the player has to be at the back of the car, which wasn’t the case in THPS 4.

Additionally, skaters still can’t spin while doing flatground tricks, like the pogo or truckstand. This was an issue I had in THPS 1+2, and since THPS 3+4 copies that exact trick system, it still isn’t present here. In the grand scheme of things, these gameplay qualms are pretty small. THPS 3+4’s gameplay is arguably the best in the series. It’s just a few more tweaks from being a perfect interpretation of the series’ classic gameplay.

That same notion can be applied to THPS 3+4’s soundtrack. The skateboarding series is known for its incredible licensed soundtracks. The first four games, in particular, have a special place in the hearts of fans who have been following the series since the first entry was released in 1999. Arguably, a bad THPS soundtrack can make or break the game, as it is so closely tied to the legacy of the series. Fortunately, THPS 3+4 does a great job of bringing back a handful of classics from the originals, but favors newer additions that fit the THPS soundtrack mold.

Sure, it’s a bit of a bummer that songs like Wish by Alien Ant Farm or T.N.T. by AC/DC aren’t present. But including bands like Turnstile and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are great additions that perfectly fit in a THPS soundtrack. Some bands from the originals are present but with different songs, like Iron Maiden’s 2 Minutes to Midnight replacing Number of the Beast, which is a good way to mix up the experience, but still be somewhat faithful to the original releases.

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The most surprising and best facet of THPS 3+4 is how jam-packed with content it is. There is so much to do. After finishing the Career Mode and completing all the goals, players unlock Solo Tour, which gives players the chance to replay the game as their favorite pro skater. It also switches up some of the goals, so it isn’t the same experience every time.

There are also tons of challenges to complete that range from incredibly simple tasks, like looking at every filter in Photo Mode, to very difficult ones, like getting a one-million-point high score at the Pinball stage. Its various modes, like the high-score chasing Single Session mode, the Speedrun mode that tasks players with finishing every goal in a level as fast as possible, Free Skate, and several multiplayer modes, will keep players skating for hours.

THPS 3+4 also features the most extensive roster the series has ever seen. Everyone from THPS 1+2 is here, as well as a handful of brand-new and secret skaters. Legendary pros like Andrew Reynolds and Elissa Steamer, as well as an incredible lineup of modern skaters, like Jamie Foy and Nora Vasconcellos, are available to play as. It is easily the best roster the series has had in its 26-year run.

Players can also create their own skater in THPS 3+4. Similar to THPS 1+2, there are decks, wheels, trucks, grip tape, and clothing from a variety of different skate-affiliated brands. However, the customization suite feels more held back than its predecessor.

It features most of the options from the last game, but there are some notable absences, namely Nike. Pros sponsored by Nike do wear the shoes, but there are no clothing options associated with the brand for the created skater to wear. While the options do feel more limited, I was still able to create the skater I wanted to make. I was just hoping that with a follow-up, player customization would have been improved even further.

It’s really easy to nitpick THPS 3+4, but that’s because the games it’s pulling from are so memorable. However, those issues are rather small when looking at the whole picture. Against all odds, Iron Galaxy created a solid follow-up to THPS 1+2, and one that I know I’ll be playing for hours on end. It may not be a faithful recreation of two of the best video games ever made, but whether you’re a long-time fan or newcomer, THPS 3+4 is absolutely worth playing.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is out today, July 11th, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A review copy was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

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Simmers had mixed feelings about the last new pack for The Sims 4. Although Businesses & Hobbies had its strong suits, many felt it didn’t quite add much content. So, the bar was high when EA revealed the Enchanted By Nature expansion. This pack finally adds fairies to The Sims 4, something fans have been asking for for quite some time. But that’s not all the new pack includes. It brings in a new world, a new career, and the new Natural Living skill that lets your Sims fulfill needs in the great outdoors.

Going into this pack, I knew I’d be checking out everything that Fairy Sim life has to offer. What I didn’t expect was just how much else this expansion adds to the game. Compared to some other recent expansions, Enchanted by Nature feels massive, in a good way. I feel like I’ll be discovering new bits and pieces with this one for a while, even after putting in a ton of time for this review.

Let’s start with the new world added with the Enchanted by Nature pack. Innisgreen definitely leans into the enchanted, mystical theme. It features the standard three neighborhoods, each with its own theme. I was impressed with the number of residential lots in this world compared with the previous ones. There are options to move into a fairy-themed house of your dreams or squat on an empty lot to put that new Natural Living skill to use. In total, there are 5 residential lots, with at least one option in each Innisgreen neighborhood.

Of course, before I moved my Sims into their new enchanted home, I had to create them. When reviewing packs, I try to build my Sims with mostly the new Create a Sim options from that specific pack. The new clothes, makeup, and jewelry are definitely pretty heavily focused on fairy vibes. There aren’t a ton of new additions, but they do work well if you’re creating a Fairy Sim. Her Naturopath sister had fewer options to work with, so whether you enjoy the new clothes and accessories will largely be a matter of taste. If you want to build Tinkerbell, you’re going to be happy. Otherwise, it can be a bit lackluster.

When designing your Sim’s fairy form, you can choose from several different wing shapes, plus a couple of options for horns. I was hoping for a bit more to choose from here, but it’s a decent selection. The color customization will go a long way for those who like to sink hours into Create a Sim.

With my new Sim siblings all moved in, it came time to check out the new career path and new skills. I’ll admit, I love a new career path. The Naturopath career is a fun one, as it goes well with the new Apothecary skill. It’s not quite as involved as some careers, particularly not in the earlier tiers. But you do get some fun new interactions where you can help improve the motives of Sims around you using your natural healing knowledge, which I liked. This career offers the work-from-home option, and you can even see patients at home once you reach higher tiers. So it’s not quite “go along to work” but still gets fairly involved.

As for the new Apothecary skill, this is a ton of fun. You can craft elixirs and cures for the newly added Ailments, and it integrates well with the Natural Living Skill. The forage option lets you find Apothecary ingredients in the wild, and I was loving living my best Mamao life a la The Apothecary Diaries doing this. I will say, it does feel like EA might’ve leaned a little too heavy on that ailments button. My non-fairy Sim is constantly coming down with different ailments, which can be a bit frustrating. But, at least she knows how to brew up a cure!

Natural Living is fairly in-depth and definitely feels rewarding to level up, as your Sim gets better at fulfilling their motives as the skill increases. You can summon a privy bush to relieve your Sim outdoors, sleep on the ground, and forage for food, among other things. That said, Innisgreen has few good places to actually bathe in nature, which made it a smidge tricky to fulfill my Sim’s aspirations.

Now, let’s talk Fairies. The Fairy Sims are a pretty fun occult with a solid skill tree and good options. You can help your plants grow, enchant them so they stay well cared for, and use them to fulfill your hygiene needs. Fairy Sims have to recharge their Emotional Force or they will literally die, and I found that this seemed to drain pretty quickly. So, that got a bit frustrating as I was constantly sending her to her little fairy house to recharge. But, the skills offer a lot of options for kind Fairy Sim or mischief chaos vibes. You can absorb and influence emotions, generate Fairy Dust, and even create seeds from scratch.

There is a whole Fairy Council to explore, and Innisgreen is full of Fairy Sim NPCs. So, Enchanted By Nature feels like a nice, fully developed world with interactions and personalities to uncover.

There are also ambiently wandering Plant Sims, which add a nice extra layer of magic. You can ask Plant Sims for the magical fruit that will (temporarily) transform your Sim, as well. If you’ve been waiting for the return of the Plant Sim, this feels like a pretty solid representation, if a little bit of an afterthought compared to the Fairy Sims. You can’t create a new Plant Sim in Create a Sim mode, but if you’re in Innisgreen, it’s very easy to get the fruit you need for the transformation.

In all, Enchanted by Nature feels like a robust pack that truly delivers a lot of new stuff for Simmers to explore. I didn’t run into any new bugs that seemed pack-specific, so the added content appears to be working mostly as intended. There are some great little details, like how Fairy Sims “go for a fly” instead of a run, and how they can shrink down to play in various household items. The world really sticks to its theme, offering a magical place for Fairy Sims to hang out. This is probably one of the bigger, more involved new The Sims 4 expansion packs we’ve seen lately. If you enjoy the magical, natural living side of things, Enchanted by Nature is probably going to deliver.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature was reviewed on PC via the EA App. A review copy was provided by the publisher in advance for the purpose of this review.

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Earlier this month, Hitman: World of Assassination was released on Nintendo Switch 2 as a launch title. It is just one of the handful of major third-party games that are helping to illustrate not only the support the console is getting, but also the power it is capable of. This is simply not a game that could run on Nintendo Switch 1, and frankly, I was nervous it would be pretty rocky on Switch 2. While it’s certainly not perfect, the Switch 2 version of Hitman is definitely a great showcase for what’s possible on this console.

This version of the game bundles in all three of the recent IO Interactive Hitman games, meaning you get over 20 levels across a wide variety of locations. There’s enough to keep you busy in this game for many hours. Hitman is also known for being very dense. It’s not an action, shoot-em-up game. It’s a game about blending in and utilizing social stealth to find clever ways to take down targets. I was pleased to load up the Paris level in the game to see that the huge crowds of people are still very much in play in the Switch 2 version and they don’t appear to be compromised much, if at all. Of course, performance can vary a bit depending on what’s happening on screen, but again, Hitman isn’t an action game where you rely on a consistent 60 FPS to be enjoyed.

It can be distracting at times and it would be nice if there were some performance options to give players more control over these things, but at least it isn’t hindering gameplay in most instances. I wouldn’t advise even trying to shoot anyone in this game if you’re playing Hitman portably, which is the way I prefer to play the Nintendo Switch 2. The Joy-Con’s analog sticks are too small to have precise control. This isn’t a problem exclusive to Hitman, but it can be infuriating if you are trying to line up a headshot with a silenced pistol but miss due to the Joy-Cons simply not being designed for the accuracy needed in shooters. If you’re playing on a Pro controller, this is obviously not a problem at all.

Some of this could be improved if Hitman utilized gyro aiming on Switch 2, something games utilize to help players find that extra precision that the Joy-Cons don’t offer. However, Hitman doesn’t really utilize Nintendo Switch 2’s unique features at all. There’s no gyro aim, no touchscreen, no mouse controls, and perhaps most notably, it demands an online connection in order to get the most enjoyment out of the game. There is an offline mode, but if you play missions in it, you will be restricted from making certain progress by completing challenges and unlocking rewards. For a console that is designed to be taken on the go, this feels like a huge oversight and highlights a larger problem with Hitman.

Given that Cyberpunk 2077 offers things like full-blown motion controls on Nintendo Switch 2, it shows a clear contrast between how much care was put into this port versus some other third-party ports on the console. I hope that IO Interactive can maybe add some of these things in a free update down the line, but it’s hard to say. The studio’s next game, 007 First Light, is confirmed to come to Nintendo Switch 2, and while I believe it will probably run decently after playing Hitman, I do fear that it may lack key console features. Hopefully, IO Interactive takes some of these critiques to heart in order to make it worth playing on Switch 2.

Overall, Hitman is a solid game on Switch 2. It’s still the game you know and love performing as you’d hope, but with the added novelty of being on a console/portable hybrid like the Switch 2. However, its reliance on being always online, lackluster support for Switch 2’s features, and general lack of options bring it down quite a bit. If you just want to be able to play Hitman on your couch or in bed on a portable device without much care for a touch screen or gyro aiming, by all means, give this a go. It’s a showcase of the Switch 2’s power and capabilities, but not necessarily its features, for better or worse.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

A review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

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Last year, I spent the summer working as an Amazon delivery driver in the blazing heat. It was one of the lowest points of my life as I had lost my job and was unhappy where I was at. I spent four days a week delivering packages in upper-class neighborhoods, driving on bumpy gravel roads out in rural Iowa without working AC, and lugging heavy packages up steep driveways. I delivered in rain, tornadoes, and heat that caused other drivers to suffer from heat stroke. On this job, I bled, rolled my arthritic ankles, and dealt with all kinds of aches and pains when I came home every day. It was agonizing. 

The only way I got through it each day was through listening to music that kept me moving and motivated, as well as the people I met. During the aforementioned tornado that I delivered in, a friendly family invited me into their home to seek shelter. On some of the most brutally hot days, customers would offer me free water or Gatorade as a gesture of kindness. On average, I would have upwards of 400 packages to deliver, and if I was falling behind schedule, other drivers would pull up next to my van and lighten my load by taking some packages and finishing the delivery.

Why am I mentioning all of this? Because I couldn’t stop thinking about all of it while reviewing Death Stranding 2, a game about delivering cargo, connecting, and finding catharsis amidst hard times. This is a game where you must overcome wildfires, flooding, earthquakes, snow and sandstorms, and hostile forces, all in the name of delivering packages. You accomplish this by utilizing ladders, bridges, weapons, vehicles, and other tools left behind by other players. Everyone is helping each other in this grueling world that has become disconnected and fallen apart. It’s a game that is so fantastical and larger than life, but I found it to be more relatable than anything else I’ve ever played.

Should We Have Connected?

Death Stranding 2 picks up a year after the end of the first game. Sam (played by Norman Reedus) is hiding down by the Mexican border, raising baby Lou, who used to be his Bridge Baby (BB). He’s no longer delivering packages; he’s a full-time stay-at-home dad. However, his world quickly gets turned upside down when Fragile tracks him down and asks him to help her with a new mission: connect Australia to the Chiral Network. For reasons I won’t spoil, this journey becomes extremely personal and necessary for Sam, making him a more compelling and layered character than before.

On paper, it sounds like the plot of the first game, but they couldn’t be more different. I wasn’t a huge fan of the first Death Stranding’s story as I thought the pacing was clunky, the characters felt very disconnected from each other, and it lacked some of the emotional weight that I needed to stay invested through its lengthy runtime. Death Stranding 2 is immediately more engaging and emotionally charged. From the moment I took control of Sam, I felt immersed in a world that I was previously disconnected from. It gets into the actual story much faster, emphasizing character over plot quite frequently. Cutscenes aren’t just there to spill exposition (for the most part), it’s less about telling the player what they have to do and more about helping you care about Sam and his friends. 

Death Stranding had a big problem where it felt like characters were isolated from each other. It created a segmented feeling, but Death Stranding 2 is an ensemble story. You have a ship full of characters, new and old, all working with each other toward a common goal. They converse with each other, develop their own relationships with each other, and work together as a team rather than a bunch of allies splintered across the country.

It strengthens the connection with everyone, because you spend equal time with them all instead of a chapter focused on single characters. Your crew is a pretty quirky bunch, made up of people who bring their own baggage and trauma just like Sam. They could all easily decide to give up and go underground like many other people in this world, but they choose to come together to save it. It’s powerful and leads to some beautiful moments with stand out characters like Rainy, a woman cursed with raining timefall wherever she goes, but is able to eventually recognize it as a gift.

Death Stranding 2 is easily Hideo Kojima’s most emotional story to date as well. I cried multiple times over the course of this story, which surprised me given how much I didn’t connect with the first game. I was moved by this crew’s struggles, the way they connect with each other, and Sam’s personal healing journey. I found the marketing to be very pessimistic, pondering over whether connecting in the last game was a mistake, but I think this game proves the power of connection. 

All of this helps to create a consistently coherent story that shows Kojima was being more intentional this time, opting for a simpler story that still feels epic and grand in its scale. Kojima hasn’t necessarily reigned it in, he just created a better balance that allows you to digest everything he throws at you. By focusing more on character rather than exposition during every single cutscene, it allows you to follow along more easily. When the inevitable lore dumps do come, you understand the emotional stakes even if you don’t totally grasp all of the made-up concepts that are creating them. To paraphrase a quote from Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, it allows you to feel it instead of understanding it, which is arguably more important.

Kojima sprinkles in a lot of other elements to help those who want to fully understand everything, though. There’s a glossary of pretty much everything you need to know from big vocab words, character backstories, and lore, which can even be accessed in cutscenes if you need it. Similarly, Dollman, a puppet that Sam carries around for the bulk of the game, also does a good job of breaking things down in a comprehensive way. It can feel like spoon feeding at times, but it will likely help those who find Death Stranding 2’s world and lore too dense. He is very similar to Mimir from God of War, giving players helpful context while also feeling like his own character.

A Walk in a Porter’s Shoes

Death Stranding 2’s gameplay is, once again, about delivering packages or moving from point A to point B. It’s a very familiar game and it seems like Kojima worked on refining the experience so that it still feels challenging while toning down how clunky the previous entry was. 

A lot of the innovation comes in the form of new gadgets and tools to use, as well as a more interesting map to traverse. There are heavily vegetated jungle-like areas, a desert-esque expanse, and a snow-covered mountain range, all of which are combined with dynamic obstacles such as avalanches, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and much more. You can never be fully certain of what is coming your way as you encounter natural and sudden dangers, creating a more thrilling and unpredictable experience.

After spending hours doing main quests, I decided to take on a side delivery that asked me to deliver a pizza within five minutes. I thought this would be pretty easy because it wasn’t very far, so I didn’t pack too much stuff. As soon as I stepped out, I noticed a heavy rain, but didn’t have much time to stop and reassess. I scaled a steep hill and was quickly met with a field of BTs, ghost-like monsters that can do a devastating amount of damage if you’re not careful. I decided that the caution I’d have to take through there would slow me down too much, and took a longer, but otherwise safer route.

I crossed a raging river using a ladder that another player had left behind and continued my trek before realizing I had to cross the river again. I had no ladder or bridge and the heavy rain was creating a treacherous current. Realizing I only had about a minute left to get to my destination and knowing the field of BTs was out of the question, I decided to cross. The rapids quickly took me off of my feet and the pizza flew out of my backpack. I had little to no control of Sam in the water, but the current spat me out onto the side I was trying to get to as I watched this pizza drift toward the edge of a waterfall where it would meet a soggy end.

However, in a twist of fate, the pizza washed up against a rock right as it was about to go over the edge. I couldn’t believe it, but I quickly recovered the pie and had it delivered with seconds to spare. It may not have been in perfect condition, but it stopped me from outright failing the delivery and created an emergent story.

The game’s dynamic nature allowed for many other moments like this, whether it was getting trapped in a blazing wildfire while trying to save a kangaroo or narrowly dodging a fatal avalanche near the top of a mountain. It’s a world that ebbs and flows, one where a river could be flooded and require you to place down a bridge to cross it, but when you return later, the river has completely dried up and you can cross without any extra assistance. That’s the beauty of Death Stranding 2. Every delivery is a new story to tell, unique to you. It’s a new mountain to climb, metaphorically and sometimes literally.

A Bigger Stick

Of course, one of the biggest changes to Death Stranding 2 this time is combat. Don’t get it twisted, this is still a game about delivering cargo. This isn’t a shoot-em-up, but Kojima isn’t holding players back as much anymore. You’re empowered with a lot more freedom and choice on how you complete deliveries. Taking a fight head-on is now another tool in your toolbox, not unlike ladders and rope. It’s an option in most cases, but can be avoided almost entirely outside of a handful of missions.

You can take down foes non-lethally or lethally (at the risk of a voidout explosion) with a wide range of weaponry that includes LMGs, sniper rifles, assault rifles, shotguns, and more. While the action is bound to draw comparisons to Metal Gear Solid V, that inspiration seems most clear in the sandbox approach to combat.

You are able to overlook an enemy base and really plot out how you want to handle it, whether it be through stealth, a gunfight, or a mix of the two. You also have a bunch of tools at your disposal like exploding robot dogs, blades, and even weaponized pizza dough. Perhaps one of my favorite combat moments was charging into a base in the dead of night on a motorcycle and doing a drive-by shooting with my LMG and grenade launcher. It was pure chaos, but absolutely thrilling.

One of my only nitpicks about Death Stranding 2 is that I wish changing weapons wasn’t so clunky. You have a giant weapon wheel which has your guns, throwables, and tools included together. Anytime you need to switch weapons or want to throw a grenade, you have to open this menu. It would be better if you could bind a button to quickly throw the most recently selected grenade to at least lessen the time spent in the weapon wheel. That said, if that’s really my only complaint in a game that also gives you the option to avoid combat the vast majority of the time, that speaks volumes about the rest of the experience.

Death Stranding 2 is not only one of the best games I have played this generation, it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played in my life. When I wasn’t playing it, I was constantly thinking about it. It’s profoundly moving, deeply engaging, and undeniably beautiful. It’s hard not to be swept up by this game when the camera pulls out and you see yourself conquering an obstacle while some moody track scores your journey. 

Although Hideo Kojima wants to make games that are somewhat divisive, I find Death Stranding 2 to be one of his most refined and enjoyable works to date. I feel confident this will be recognized as one of PS5’s defining masterpieces. In the way that we talk about The Last of Us on PS3 or God of War on PS4, I think Death Stranding 2 is an essential title for the PS5 generation.

Rating 5 out of 5

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach releases this week on June 26th for PS5. A review copy of Death Stranding 2 was provided by PlayStation.

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Remedy Entertainment is one of the most beloved developers in modern gaming. The studio has created some of the most unique experiences in the medium to date, bringing the distinctive worlds of Control and Alan Wake to life. Whether you’re a fan or not, the quirky, yet haunting storytelling is something wholly unique to Remedy, and deviates in many facets compared to other games out there. This is why there has been somewhat of a fervor for FBC: Firebreak, the latest from the lauded studio.

The new game from Remedy is a significant departure from its usual fare. FBC: Firebreak is a cooperative first-person shooter set in The Oldest House, the setting of 2019’s Control. Players take on the role as Firebreakers, the Federal Bureau of Control’s first-response unit that takes on the ongoing Hiss threat by using conventional and very unconventional weaponry. In a time where multiplayer, live-service adjacent games are failing at a fairly rapid pace, it’s interesting that Remedy would want to delve into a genre where only a handful of games have survived. While it provides the experience the studio strived for, it doesn’t quite hit the highs of its other titles, and I’m not really convinced it can find the audience it needs to last in such a competitive market.

Arguably, the most important aspect of any multiplayer experience is gameplay. Especially with a cooperative shooter like FBC: Firebreak, which is more in line with games like Left 4 Dead or Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, the gameplay has to be fun, engaging, and present a challenge. If players are patient and learn the ins and outs of FBC: Firebreak, I think all those traits are there. However, it’s mechanically dense and can be daunting when jumping in for the first time.

In FBC: Firebreak, each player chooses a Kit, which provides a unique weapon along with their primary firearm. At launch, there are three Kits: Jump, Fix, and Splash. Each Kit comes with a Tool, an Improvised Device, and an Altered Augment (a.k.a. the player’s ultimate ability), which essentially acts as a role for the player. The Jump Kit utilizes electricity to power generators and shock enemies for some chain lightning attacks. The Fix Kit features a huge wrench used to repair machinery and stagger enemies. Lastly, the Splash Kit extinguishes fires and primes enemies to take more damage.

Although it isn’t required in FBC: Firebreak, it feels imperative that each Firebreaker in a squad of three should have one of each Kit. Each has a use that can allow players to get through a Job, the game’s name for its missions, quickly and easily. It promotes working together to get the job done, which is essential in a cooperative shooter like this.

What makes FBC: Firebreak somewhat complicated, especially during the first few Jobs, is the various systems surrounding what is pretty straightforward moment-to-moment gameplay. A big part in completing Jobs effectively is understanding the various status effects and how to deal with them on the fly. There will be tons of times where players will stand in fire without realizing it, take damage over time, and go down. All of these status effects can be washed away with water, but staying aware is key to success.

Also, learning to use the elements around you to your advantage is integral. For example, a Splash Kit can spray enemies with water, then the Jump Kit can stop all these enemies in their tracks with a single shot, causing a chain lightning effect. There are also environmental tools that can apply these effects, like shooting at a fire sprinkler to shower yourself when low on health, or shooting at oil on the ground to start a fire at the Hiss’ feet. It’s really satisfying when these effects work to the player’s advantage, but with how crazy things can get with the enemies that spawn, it can get hard to keep track of player buffs and enemy debuffs and then use that information favorably.

RELATED: As FBC: Firebreak Launches, Remedy Entertainment Is Prepared for the Long Haul

Along with the status effects, other gameplay systems and features, like opening Shelters to unlock a checkpoint, using specific Kit tools to fix Showers and Ammo Stations quickly, perks, and using ziplines to transport items, are what make FBC: Firebreak different from the rest of the games in this crowded cooperative multiplayer genre. Putting all of this together feels very Remedy, quirks and all.

However, the quality that makes it stand out is also to its detriment. The first few Jobs will be rough, and without more in-depth onboarding, I could see players getting frustrated and putting the game down altogether. When everyone is on the same page, I see the vision Remedy had for this game. But in practice with randoms, especially during launch when everyone is learning, it’s pretty disastrous.

This frustration is a mixture of the game’s lack of communication tools in-game and its aforementioned mechanically dense nature. As far as I can tell, there is no in-game voice chat, which is kind of insane for a game like this. Working together is key to any cooperative game, so the lack of in-game voice chat in FBC: Firebreak is puzzling and makes playing the game with randoms incredibly frustrating, as everyone isn’t communicating. There is a ping function, but those notifications can get lost when dealing with the chaos that ensues.

In terms of content, players looking for a lengthy experience will also be disappointed. There are five Jobs available at launch, each with three clearance levels (which indicate how many zones players will delve into), four difficulty options known as threats, and three corruption options, which indicate different modifications to a Job, like increased enemy speed. Although it’s great that players can customize each Job to their liking pretty extensively, seeing what each Job has to offer doesn’t take long. At normal threat level, with level three clearance, and with a crew of three, I could see players going through all five in a few hours.

It does seem pretty clear that Remedy designed FBC: Firebreak to be played in smaller sessions. However, once players hit the level cap for both the Kits and character, there doesn’t seem to be much to pull players back in. Maybe implementing some sort of leaderboard system could bring players back to try and finish Jobs and beat their own personal score. There just isn’t anything drawing people back in after completing everything the game has to offer.

FBC: Firebreak is a perfectly serviceable cooperative first-person shooter, and Remedy hits the mark it aimed for. For players looking to periodically hop in a session for a couple of Jobs will find some fun if they have a group to play with. However, the lack of an in-game voice chat makes this hard to recommend for people who exclusively play with randoms. If you’re into Remedy’s games, have a group of gamer friends, and have PS Plus Extra or Xbox Game Pass, FBC: Firebreak could be a good departure from the normal cooperative experiences out there for a weekend. But anyone looking for a game that can provide more than that should probably look elsewhere.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

FBC: Firebreak is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A PC code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review. 

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Dune: Awakening puts you on the desert world of Arrakis with a quest that sounds simple, at least initially. Your task is to find the Fremen, but when you make a crash landing and attract unwanted attention, you realize that this isn’t going to be an easy mission. It’s not just hostile NPCs you need to worry about in order to survive, either. Instead, you also have to consider the regular sandstorms, water, sandworms, and even the sun, which can cause sunstroke if you stand in its light for too long. This leads to crafting being a necessity, and it takes longer to complete your quests, since you have to make sure that you keep yourself alive in order to do the required tasks.

Even if you aren’t a fan of Dune, you can still jump into Dune: Awakening. There are some terms and features of the Dune universe that will likely be unfamiliar if you have no knowledge of the franchise, but I don’t believe that it’s to the point that you’ll feel lost stepping into the game. Plus, if you run across a term that you don’t remember, there’s usually enough context to tell you what it might be, and the internet is filled with Dune information to help you out in the event you want to know exactly what something is in the universe of Dune: Awakening.

Atmospherically, Dune: Awakening nails the setting of Arrakis. The music, which I love, greatly aids in this. It feels almost eerie at times, but that’s not out of place when you’re constantly watching for danger. The opening scenes are dramatic, followed by a tutorial that gives you enough information to get started, especially if you’ve played other survival crafting games, like Conan Exiles or 7 Days to Die.

That being said, starting Dune: Awakening can feel very slow. You need to spend a lot of time gathering materials and resources between completing quests. Part of that is from the main missions requiring you to prepare the items and equipment that you’ll need for your trials and exploration in various areas. The trials are called Trials of Aql, and they contain the big story plot points for Dune: Awakening, but you have to do a fair amount of work between each one.

While I don’t mind the slower pace, I can definitely see how it won’t suit some players’ preferences. That tends to be the way that survival-crafting games end up being designed, so I was prepared for that slower feeling when going into the game. If you aren’t familiar with this style of game or how grindy MMOs often are, then the pace might feel too slow.

Some functions of gameplay can feel a bit clunky, but I’m hoping that Dune: Awakening’s daily update plan will address and polish these aspects in the near future. The base-building portion of the game is crucial since you’ll need to use the base for crafting specific items, storing items, collecting and storing water, and even just as shelter from the sun and sandstorms. However, it did take me some time to get used to the construction tool and the way that you control it to place or destroy items. It’s not a system with bad controls, but it can feel like a lot to take in when you first open it up. I’d love to see a way to have the terrain around you not clip into your foundations or walls, though.

As for combat and death, I’m less of a fan. The enemies with blades are annoying to deal with, but the actual fighting mechanics are standard enough that they feel familiar. You have a chance to revive yourself if you’re downed, but if you die, you don’t have the option to respawn at your base unless you have a beacon or vehicle there, which seems like an odd omission. You lose some items when you die to an enemy or the weather, and there’s an icon on your map you can use to return to that location and pick up your lost gear.

RELATED – Dune Awakening Console Release Is Further Away Than Hoped

The big downside is that if you’re eaten by a sandworm, you lose everything. I understand the idea behind the mechanic being designed that way, but I can see how it could discourage players from continuing Awakening, feeling like they have to start over. The servers already have a barren feel to them, or I simply picked a deserted server. So, being discouraged from something like the pacing or having to essentially start over at times can make the in-game world even lonelier.

As somebody who loves survival-crafting games and the world of Dune, I am still getting hours of entertainment out of Dune: Awakening. With the updates that it’s currently receiving and maybe some bigger content patches in the future, I think that it can turn into a polished homage to the world of Dune, perfect not only for fans of the franchise but also for fans who simply want to try a new survival-crafting title. It’s especially fun to play with friends, but it can feel lonely if you pick a random server without others. Like any game, your experience will vary, but I’m glad that I was able to play around in Arrakis, and I’ll be returning to be eaten by sandworms again.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Dune: Awakening is available now for PC, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions to release in the future. A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for this review.

The post Dune: Awakening Review: Fear Is the Mind-Killer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Lies of P proved it could go toe-to-toe with FromSoftware’s best Soulslikes when it originally came out in 2023. The tight combat, cohesively designed levels, and tough boss fights meant it launched as one of the genre’s elite titles. However, From’s reign is not something that’s exclusive to its release day offerings, as its legacy of creating acclaimed DLC is an underrated way the team has remained on top. Developers Neowiz and Round8 Studio are attempting to compete with FromSoft in this arena as well with the beefy expansion, Lies of P: Overture. And unsurprisingly, Overture continues the excellence of the main game, cementing its status as a true Soulslike titan.

Lies of P’s swordplay remains the centerpiece that grounds the entire experience. Combat straddles the line almost flawlessly between fast action and more deliberate play, meaning acting quickly is just as important as managing stamina. Its fantastic parry is incredibly responsive and provides satisfying feedback with its loud, clangy sound effects that clearly demonstrate how devastating it is when used effectively. Overture’s additions only highlight these strengths.

RELATED: Lies of P Getting Easy Difficulty Modes, Director Explains Why

Its arsenal of new weaponry is as wide as it is rewarding, a collection that includes Wolverine-like claws, a greatsword that banks explosive charges through parries, an electricity-based blade, a poison-laced club with a golden snake coiled around it, a gunblade that works at close and medium ranges, and a special saber that has the most over-the-top, anime-like special move and Fatal Attack in the entire game. It only has two new Legion Arms, but the quality of both makes up for the quantity. The double-barrel shotgun called Cataclysm is a devastating tool for those who can time out its blasts — and utilize the heavy recoil as a flashy evasive dodge — while the Icarus Legion Arm’s spinning blades are useful for chipping away at hordes or immobile foes.

These armaments, as well as the four other weapons not listed here, are all wildly different and don’t feel like carbon copies of the weapons from the base game. Just about all of them are more visually striking and creative than said launch-era weapons and demonstrate how the ante has been upped in this DLC. It’s difficult to only pick a few to specialize in and, through a roundabout way, demonstrates why weapon-specific upgrades that use finite resources usually aren’t ideal upgrade systems because of how they narrow the possibilities.

Great weapons are little without great enemies to stick them into, and Overture delivers here, too. The variety is impressive and ensures each one of its detailed stages has a fitting bestiary with all-new patterns to learn. The mutated primates, kangaroos, and elephants in the zoo have their own attacks and tempos, as do the more clownish puppets stuck at the circus and the grotesque, tentacle-laden sharks on the frigid coastal ice sheets. Even the handful of returning enemy types have gone through cosmetic changes to better fit their environment, like the basic infected drones that now have new tourist duds in the zoo. It’s all cohesively put together to make this chunk of Krat feel more believable with the added benefit of giving players a constant stream of satisfying new challenges to overcome.

Boss fights are the true star in Lies of P: Overture, though, and many of them match or exceed the standard set in the base game. As was the case with the basic foes and mini-bosses, their diversity is noteworthy, but they also excel in execution. One is a clever two-on-one fight that tests how players manage a pair of threats, but avoids being cheap due to how the flashing colors distinguish who is going on offense. Another is a tense duel that requires perfect parrying and surprisingly morphs into a more animalistic bout in the latter half.

Each one has some flair that makes them more than just standard beasts to kill; they’ve earned the privilege of a massive health bar with a name attached to it. Finally landing the killing blow is exhilarating each time because of how it is earned through dedication and skill, and the pulse-pounding celebration that follows is the most raw indication of a fantastic boss fight. This high level of quality makes it all the more noticeable when its carnival level just ends without a proper climactic battle and points out how the very first boss struggles because of its relative lack of visual clarity during attacks.

Lies of P’s mechanics deserve a vast share of the praise, but its narrative and world design still do some of the lifting in Overture. Levels have a more diverse range of biomes — aside from the aforementioned animal-ridden zoo, there are also snow-covered outdoor areas and a vast greenhouse filled with plants — and the visual variety gives Overture its own style over the base game.

The way it weaves the story through these settings, though, is equally important. While it can be difficult to mentally sift through all the factions and characters and recall their intertwining relationships, Overture is able to cut through most of the noise by having an intriguing central mystery concerning the fabled Legendary Stalker. She’s only spoken about briefly in the base game and following her tracks fills in some backstory and leads to a wild goose chase that gets more tragic with each new nugget of information. The intimate knowledge it requires players to have regarding certain relationships and P’s inability to speak lessens some of the dramatic finale’s impact, but it’s paced out decently enough and rewards those who have sucked up Lies of P’s dense yet well-spun narrative.

Lies of P: Overture’s ability to augment and improve goes beyond the story; it’s the ideal companion to just about every part of the base game. Its wealth of new enemy types present fresh new obstacles to overcome, the stages they inhabit are intricately detailed and narratively justified, and its boss battles hit or exceed the high standard set in the original release. Even though an overture is the musical portion that comes before a symphony or performance, Overture is a remarkable note to go out on and raises the bar even higher for the upcoming sequel.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Lies of P: Overture is available now for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. A review copy for PS5 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post Lies of P: Overture Review: Lying With the Greats appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The best theme park rides put an emphasis on immersion. For a brief few minutes, you find yourself transported to a world far different from our own. As you look around you, you’ll find fleeting hints in the distance about locations and characters you’ll never get to see for more than a second. On Universal’s Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, or Disney’s It’s a Small World, we look around, hoping to find some detail we missed the first time we rode (or on the hundredth). The Mario Kart series operates largely the same way. For more than three decades, Nintendo has offered tantalizing glimpses at a world beyond the courses we explore, while keeping riders safely in their established lane. Until Mario Kart World, that is.

The big hook of Mario Kart World is that, for the first time in the series, players aren’t just visiting separate and disconnected courses. Everything links together to form one big world, and there’s an actual cohesiveness that makes it feel unified. Courses now run right into one another, with each Cup representing a divided segment of an overall map. Those Cups are still broken down in Grand Prix mode like you’d expect to see in a standard Mario Kart game, though the number of laps can vary. While Mario Kart 8 still looks really impressive after all these years, Nintendo has taken great advantage of the Switch 2 hardware. The courses all look fantastic, and you can really see how Nintendo has improved on small details, like the clouds in the sky, and the overall colors and lighting effects.

On top of the standard Cups, Mario Kart World has a new Free Roam mode, which allows players to traverse the game’s connected world, looking for missions and secrets. As a result, locations that felt just out of reach in previous Mario Kart games are now areas you can go explore. It gives the world an actual lived-in feel, and for the first time outside of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mario Kart really feels like it somehow connects together with all of the other Mario family games. In my early hands-on with the game back in April, I was unsure whether the courses all made up one giant world, or if they were disconnected “zones.” To my relief, you really can visit everything as you drive throughout Free Roam.

Exploring the game’s connected world would get boring quickly if there wasn’t anything to do. Thankfully, players can test their mettle in Mario Kart World‘s P-Switch missions, which are strewn throughout the map. These missions are short tasks that help to break up the standard Mario Kart gameplay, while also teaching players a lot of the intricacies of the series. The lessons you learn in P-Switch missions carry over to the main game, making you think more about the timing you put into item use, or the best point to do a trick in mid-air. The world map isn’t exactly Breath of the Wild when it comes to the amount of content or freedom it offers. However, it’s big and well-designed, and it offers a fun distraction between races.

If there’s one downside to Free Roam mode, it’s the fact that the rewards are pretty lackluster. The P-Switch challenges themselves are fun, but the incentives fail to excite. I liked earning the various stickers, and the idea of applying them to your vehicle is a neat touch, though some extra customization would have been nice. Being able to slap a whole bunch on one vehicle and being able to save custom designs would have made the concept a little bit stronger. Free Roam should have also offered more options for interacting with the music. Mario Kart World features incredible remixed tracks spanning the Mario franchise; an option to make playlists to listen to while cruising the map would have been very welcome.

The connected world concept extends to nearly every facet of Mario Kart World. While Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had a bunch of guest characters and tracks from Nintendo franchises like Animal Crossing and Zelda, that would have felt out of place in Mario Kart World. Instead, the developers brought in a bunch of new drivers that fit more naturally into the world of Mario. As a result, the game added what the developers refer to as “NPC drivers.” These characters previously existed as obstacles in the Mario Kart series, but now get to race alongside the rest of the main crew. This has provided the game with some of its more entertaining additions, including the fan-favorite Cow, as well as Sidestepper, an enemy that first appeared in the Mario Bros. arcade game from 1983.

On top of new single-player content, Mario Kart World has added to the multiplayer options with the excellent new Knockout Tour mode. Knockout Tour is one of the most frantic and challenging additions the Mario Kart series has ever seen. The mode pits 24 players against one another in an elimination race. With each track, players are given a spot they must place in order to continue on. As Knockout Tour continues on, those who fail to place in a top spot are eliminated, until just one racer remains. The result is an adrenaline-fueled challenge that requires a lot of skill to just stay in the race, let alone place first. Mario Kart World‘s developers have said that the mode couldn’t be pulled off on the original Switch, and it’s easy to see how the new system’s extra processing power has been put to use.

All of these new additions add up to a Mario Kart experience that feels faithful to what has come before, without making it feel redundant. Mario Kart World is every bit as familiar as you’d want it to be, but the developers found so many ways to make the experience unique. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe exists as one of the best games the series has ever produced, and the Booster Course Pass DLC significantly increased the amount of courses and racers available to players. Given that, there was clearly a lot of challenge in how to approach the next game in the series. Thankfully, Mario Kart World has built on the recipe in ways that add up significantly.

RELATED: Nintendo Switch 2 Review: A Bright Future (Even Without an OLED Screen)

Playing Mario Kart World is like stepping off the boat on a Disney Parks ride and finding a whole world that had always been out of reach. For the first time since 1992, Nintendo has provided a take on Mario Kart where players can see how everything connects and comes together. In that regard, Mario Kart World is the most ambitious game in the series thus far. It’s hard to top what Nintendo pulled off with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but this feels like a really smart expansion on the core Mario Kart concept. Free Roam could use a little more meat to it, and the game needs some more quality-of-life options, but Mario Kart World offers an excellent starting point for the Nintendo Switch 2 era.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Mario Kart World is available now on Nintendo Switch 2. A code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review. 

The post Mario Kart World Review: Do Have a Cow, Man appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After eight years on the market, the Nintendo Switch era has finally drawn to a close. The Nintendo Switch 2 generation is officially here, heralding a new beginning for the company and its fans. Well, somewhat new, at least. Nintendo has crafted a system with stronger capabilities and a sleeker design that makes it feel like a big upgrade from the console that was released back in 2017. However, it will also feel immediately familiar to anyone who owns the previous Switch. Rather than tossing out something that clearly worked, Nintendo instead worked to refine nearly every aspect of the original Switch. The result is impressive, even if the designers could have gone a little farther in some of the changes that were made.

The first thing people will notice upon taking the system out of the box is that the Switch 2 is a nice-looking piece of hardware. The matte black finish gives it a premium look and feel. Some have lamented that there’s less color than they would have liked, but we’ll probably see that rectified with future Joy-Con designs, like we saw with the original Switch. As it is right now, the little Joy-Con accents around the thumbsticks and on the insides of the controllers offer a little bit of vibrancy without detracting from the overall finish. The result is a much sharper-looking system than the original Switch. Adding to the premium sense, Switch 2 has a nicer weight to it in handheld mode.

The overall Nintendo Switch 2 design is brought together by the new magnetic-locking Joy-Cons. On top of offering greater durability, they also make the system feel less flimsy. In more than eight years of using Switch, I never once encountered the dreaded Joy-Con Drift. However, I did break the plastic lock on a Joy-Con, which made it impossible to keep the controller locked into position without some kind of case on it. For that reason alone, the magnetic design change is a very welcome one. There’s even a satisfying click as they lock into place. Nintendo increased the size of the new Joy-Cons over the originals, and they feel more durable. This is particularly beneficial for the new mouse mode, where you want something that’s going to hold up while being moved around a table, or even on a pant leg. I still don’t particularly care for using the Joy-Con as a single controller in games like Mario Kart World, but I do like that the option remains available for multiplayer sessions.

For Nintendo Switch 2, the designers have created a much larger screen compared to both the standard Switch, as well as the OLED model. The lack of an OLED screen was initially a point of concern for some, as Nintendo opted to return to an LCD screen with Switch 2. As someone who upgraded to a Switch OLED as soon as it launched, I was worried about going back. However, the Switch 2 screen is really vibrant and doesn’t at all feel like a downgrade. It’s possible Nintendo will offer an OLED model for Switch 2 at some point down the line, but it’s hard to imagine there being a significant enough upgrade to do so.

If there’s one area where Nintendo Switch 2 is a letdown, it’s the user interface. The Home Screen remains identical to the one on Nintendo Switch. Fans have spent eight years asking Nintendo to add the kinds of themes that were available on 3DS, and instead, we got the exact same screen we had on the previous system. On one hand, it makes sense to keep things as similar as possible. After all, Switch 2 has some new features that offer compatibility with the previous Switch, such as GameShare. In that regard, keeping the interface the same across both platforms makes things easier to understand for users. Despite this, it just feels a little too simple and plain after all this time.

Speaking of GameShare, the new option is a welcome multiplayer addition. The feature was added to certain existing Nintendo Switch games, as well as EA’s Split Fiction. The feature allows Switch 2 users to stream multiplayer games with friends who have a Switch 2 or an original Switch, even if they don’t own a copy of that game. After experimenting with the feature in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, it seemed to work well when you have users who are in close proximity. However, there isn’t a lot of distance offered, and the actual stream quality drops off quickly once there’s any significant distance between systems. I’d be very curious to see how it worked between users that might be a few seats apart on a plane or bus.

Alongside Nintendo Switch 2, several new peripherals have been released, including a new take on the Pro Controller. Unlike the Home Screen, this feels like an example of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The new Pro Controller features all of the things I loved about the original, plus a few welcome improvements. The biggest is that the controller now has a headphone jack. As someone who purchased one of PowerA’s wired Switch controllers just so I wouldn’t wake up the rest of the house during late-night gaming sessions, I love that this was finally included. The Pro Controller also adds the new ‘C’ button for launching GameChat, as well as two mappable buttons that appear on the back side handles. The thumbsticks now allow for greater movement, and the buttons protrude a little farther. Lastly, the controller has a smooth new finish that gives it a nice feel that matches the new Joy-Cons.

While the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller feels like a nice improvement, users can stick with the original, should they so choose. Nintendo has made sure that most peripherals still work with the new system, and that includes the Pro Controller. The adapter for GameCube controllers also continues to work, which should make fans of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate very happy. There are a handful of peripherals that won’t work with the new Joy-Cons, like Ring Fit Adventure‘s Ring-Con, but the system retains compatibility with the older Joy-Cons for that specific reason (even if they can’t physically connect to the system in handheld mode).

GameChat has been getting a lot of focus in the marketing for Nintendo Switch 2. From the limited time I’ve had with GameChat so far, it works about as well as advertised. Nintendo hasn’t shied away from showing that the frame rate takes a hit in the screens of other players, with resources instead focusing on the game the system is running. For example, if the player has Mario Kart World running while friends are playing Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart World‘s performance takes precedence. That can result in some choppiness in the screens of other players. One area that works surprisingly well is GameChat’s talk-to-text feature. The microphone does an incredible job picking up the user’s voice and accurately translating what they’re saying. It already feels far beyond the capabilities of most mobile phones.

Performance is important coming off the original Switch generation. The system had started to show its age over the last few years, both in terms of graphics and frame rate. From the games I’ve played thus far, it really does feel like Switch 2 offers a significant improvement in that regard. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still looks pretty impressive after all these years, but Mario Kart World runs laps around it, from the stunning clouds in the sky to the incredible colors that pop. Nintendo Switch 2’s updates for existing games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild also show just how drastically better things are getting in terms of performance. Hopefully, that continues as we get to see more games that push what the system can do.

All of this extra power comes at a cost, and that comes in the form of a hit to the system’s battery life. In handheld mode, I found that Nintendo Switch 2 offered just over two and a half hours of charge while playing a nonstop Mario Kart World session. At exactly 154 minutes, the system gave me my third warning about the battery life, and I was advised to charge the Switch 2 or it would go to sleep. That battery life is significantly lower than we’ve seen with previous Switch models, which is bound to be a source of frustration for anyone planning to bring the system on any long flights or road trips.

It’s also worth noting that not all Switch 1 games currently work on Nintendo Switch 2; Nintendo has published a full list of games with compatibility issues. The company and its partners are working to rectify these problems, but I decided to test out one of the games on the list of titles with start-up issues: Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection. After launching, audio worked as normal, but the screen remained black before the game crashed and sent me back to the system’s Home Screen. The list of games with issues is relatively small, but those interested in buying a Nintendo Switch 2 might want to consult that list and see if any of their favorite games are currently facing problems.

RELATED: The One Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Game You Should Not Buy

From a hardware perspective, Nintendo Switch 2 offers nearly every improvement a user could want over the original. It doesn’t feel like a substantial leap in terms of the system’s User Interface, and the battery life could end up leaving a lot to be desired. That said, all of the other changes add up to a substantial offering. It feels sturdier, the screen is nicer, the graphics and performance are substantially improved, and new features like GameShare should lead to more enjoyable multiplayer sessions. If you’ve been desperately hoping for a handheld system that can handle bigger and better games, while adding much-needed improvements to chat and frame rate, Nintendo Switch 2 should be more than worth the overall cost of admission.

The post Nintendo Switch 2 Review: A Bright Future (Even Without an OLED Screen) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Most series and studios find themselves typically relegated to either single-player or multiplayer with only the occasional crossover between the two, but famed Dark Souls creator FromSoftware finds itself in an odd spot with Elden Ring Nightreign. I don’t think anyone would honestly consider Elden Ring a multiplayer game, but it does the job surprisingly well from years of Souls experience culminating in a pretty coherent, engaging online experience. Elden Ring Nightreign then is both the summation and flipside of that experience – it’s friend-focused first and foremost with a dash of solo play, and it’s the best version of a multiplayer Souls experience that I’ve seen so far.

It’s also the most hectic version of FromSoftware’s games to date. While Elden Ring encourages exploration, Elden Ring Nightreign laughs at the idea and promotes efficiency instead. If FromSoftware ever makes an Elden Ring 2, I’d consider playing Elden Ring to still be more of a prerequisite for playing Elden Ring Nightreign than it would be for playing the sequel. If you haven’t played Elden Ring or haven’t played in awhile, don’t be surprised if you’re lost in the tempo of Nightreign.

Nightreign‘s haste is thanks to the game’s most formidable boss of all: the always advancing ring of fire pushing players towards nightly boss fights. FromSoftware’s signature lore wrappings explain much of Limveld in an expectedly convoluted way, but if you’ve played a battle royale or an extraction game, you’ll understand constant movement is the key to survival, and the same is true for Nightreign. Asking yourself “Do we have time to do this?” is just as important as “Are we strong enough to do this?” in Nightreign, perhaps to a fault sometimes.

Getting behind in Elden Ring Nightreign feels absolutely brutal to the point that you just want to quit the run, but doing so forfeits all your would-be prizes. If you die in Nightreign outside of major boss fights, you lose a level which impacts all your core stats and puts you behind your teammates. You can reclaim your runes just like in Elden Ring, but only if you pick them back up or beat a nearby enemy that absorbed them. When time is of the essence, however, it’s supremely stressful to see a flashing level reminding you of your setback while knowing every second you’re fighting to reclaim your runes, you’re not doing something else that could advance your run. Once players get a feel for the pace of Nightreign, it’s even more daunting to head into a boss fight knowing what level you should be at versus what you actually are.

I’m painting a pretty harsh picture of Nightreign and Limveld here, but the whole setup is quite fair despite its punishing nature. FromSoftware establishes the rules and consequences quite well, so you’ve only yourself (or your teammates) to blame if things go awry.

To that end, Elden Ring Nightreign does have one glaring multiplayer problem. Loot pools are exceptional, character classes mesh well together, and the boss rush structure is a rush itself, but voice comms are sorely missed in Nightreign. There’s no text chat either, so partying up with friends and using third-party services will be the only way to truly communicate outside of pings and hopeful gestures. FromSoftware has no precedent for voice comms in-game, so its absence isn’t entirely unprecedented here, but if it were ever a time for the developer to try it, this was it.

Despite that criticism, some of my favorite Nightreign moments were probably only possible because of a lack of voice chat. If a teammate pings a location and takes off that direction, you’re sort of obligated to follow them for the benefit of the team, but the shared sense of unspoken discovery and accomplishment is tangible even in a mute world such as Limveld. Seeing a Recluse pop their Soulblood Song ultimate or a Guardian or a Raider revive you with Wings of Salvation or Totem Stela are go buttons just as if someone was calling the shots. When you and your teammates are spamming the guard input at each other after a successful boss fight, what more really needs to be said anyway?

As for the bosses themselves, if you’ve ever downloaded a boss rush mod for a Souls game or anything else from FromSoftware, Elden Ring Nighteign was made specifically for you. Those waving away Nightreign as just a boss run game are overlooking the fact that, for a significant portion of FromSoftware fans, an officially sanctioned boss rush experience is exactly what we’ve been requesting for years now. FromSoftware could’ve easily been overly reliant on Souls bosses too since their return was such unheard of choice, but the Nightlord bosses are simply unmatched in Limveld. Everyone will have their favorites of course, but the stages, scores, and designs of the Nightlord boss fights make even the most annoying battles memorable.

A few more gripes stand out in Elden Ring Nightreign. HUDs and menus that could be much more descriptive, and the plucky attempt at parkour and mantling could be a bit dependable when a ring of fire is at your heels, but FromSoftware has a pretty impressive track record of upkeep with its games. Elden Ring Nightreign already has a phenomenal foundation, and an online-focused game like Elden Ring Nightreign should be the pinnacle of FromSoftware’s post-launch support, so I’m more excited for the future of Nightreign than I have been for any of FromSoftware’s games before it.

Rating: 4.5/5

The post Elden Ring Nightreign Review: The Boss Rush I’ve Always Wanted appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Blades of Fire is a bold new IP from MercurySteam, a developer best known for working with other studios’ IPs, including the likes of Metroid Dread and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. MercurySteam has delved into its own works before, but Blades of Fire is the culmination of everything the studio has done. Upon booting it up, I was instantly thrust into an enchanting yet dark fantasy world. I battled hordes of enemies and deadly bosses in brutally strategic combat, explored diverse environments, and discovered a story inspired by nostalgic works. Blades of Fire certainly heats up the action RPG genre with unique ideas, but some areas clearly needed more time on the anvil.

Combat is the most important aspect of Blades of Fire. A mix of Soulslike elements, a touch of God of War influences, and MercurySteam’s own original systems create a thoroughly enjoyable combat experience. Early on, I was forced to master a four-way targeting system or die, attacking foes’ heads, left and right sides, or their lower half. Enemy weaknesses determine which area suffers damage and which would cause my strikes to bounce off. Weapons also offer different attack types like slashing, piercing, and blunt, with some weapons allowing you to switch between two types by changing which part of the weapon is used.

Further tactical elements are added in weapon type and durability, enemy placement and patterns, and a defensive system featuring dodging and blocking. Weapons are the core of Blades of Fire, providing almost all of Aran’s (the main character) stats. Equipping the right weapon is crucial not only to defeating enemies, but staying alive. Blades of Fire will highlight what parts of an enemy are vulnerable to the equipped weapon and which are resistant to it. Enemy weaknesses are made more complicated based on the weapon’s durability, losing weaknesses if the weapon is dull or an inefficient type.

Combat mostly feels fair in Blades of Fire. Some enemies are downright infuriating due to annoying mechanics, while others are merely challenging due to how many enemies and types are bunched up. Bosses, on the other hand, feel very fair and provide some of the most fun. Mastering Blades of Fire’s combat takes time, but getting the rhythm of it and learning what weapon is right for the job feels incredibly rewarding. Its slow and deliberate style proved to be one of my favorite combat systems in gaming.

Forging is the second most important part of Blades of Fire. Every weapon that Aran uses, except the two starting weapons, was forged by my own actions. Every stat it uses is determined by the material chosen and by mastering the forging mini-game. The goal is to forge a weapon with the most stars, thus increasing its reparability. The materials chosen influence a weapon’s damage, durability, sharpening cost, stamina, weight, length, and more.

REALTED: God of War Fans Need to Keep an Eye on Blades of Fire in May

Weapon durability is reflected in the quality of the forging. Weapons have a limited amount of durability, which is reduced when attacking enemies and when sharpened. Sharpening does restore a weapon’s damage output but reduces its durability, thus sacrificing longevity for damage. When a weapon’s durability reaches zero, it will break. It can then be repaired a number of times equal to the stars it was forged with. This creates a risk-reward system and forced me to manage my weapons carefully.

Where Blades of Fire is at its weakest is its story. I was treated to a brief exposition explaining the current world events before a friend of Aran was killed. Aran then wakes up the next morning and sets off on a mission to kill the evil queen. He is joined by Adso, whom he has just met, and the two adventure together, bantering as if they have known each other for years.

It feels very rushed early on and gave me no time to get my bearings. It eventually gets better, especially as you uncover lore from exploration and filling up Adso’s journal, but I found the surrounding world narrative more interesting than the actual plot. Blades of Fire’s NPCs offer charming moments and have loads of character, such as Glinda, a former Master Forger who wants nothing to do with Aran and his quest. The dynamic between Aran and Adso feels natural, and I quite enjoyed their moments together. But MercurySteam needed to have spent more time introducing the two and building this relationship for it to fully pay off.

The lackluster story is disappointing because of how incredible the world is. The background catalyst, the evil queen turning steel into stone, leaving mankind with no way to defend themselves, is incredibly interesting and drew me in. Discovering additional lore about the world only made me want to learn more. This paired well with the beautiful environments and aesthetics reminiscent of dark fantasy movies from the 80s like Excalibur and Labyrinth. I found myself getting lost in the vivid landscapes and dark dungeons as I searched for upgrades and completed puzzles.

However, I literally got lost in several areas. Some areas felt like actual labyrinths, and I often got turned around. Pairing this with the poor map interface gave me quite a few headaches trying to figure out where to go. That said, Blades of Fire does offer ways to open paths to make exploring and backtracking easier as well as a fast travel system. This gives it a Metroidvania feel that I loved. Overall, I appreciate how the game didn’t hold my hand on telling me where to go, I simply wished it were easier to get where I needed to be.

Blades of Fire is a promising game, especially for a new IP. MercurySteam has laid an excellent foundation, picking and choosing the best elements from other action RPGs and combining them with new ideas to create this engaging amalgamation. The world is fleshed out and a delight to discover, and the combat is the perfect balance of challenging and rewarding. The story of Blades of Fire needed more time and attention, but it served as a fine enough vessel to propel me through the delightfully dark world. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Blades of Fire was reviewed on PlayStation 5. A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post Blades of Fire Review: Forged in Greatness appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The legendary Doom Slayer has felled Satan and thousands of his greatest minions, ones carrying more primal hatred and lethality than hundreds of undamned souls. Heroic feats like this, though, are only bested by his ability to morph and stay relevant after nearly birthing a genre  — or at least heavily popularizing it — over three decades ago. DOOM: The Dark Ages carries on that tradition by being a soft reinvention of the bloodthirsty franchise. It’s a unique sequel, as it both reframes DOOM’s core strengths while also demonstrating some of the issues that come with constant refreshes.

The Dark Ages differs from earlier entries because of how grounded it is. The Doom Slayer can no longer flutter around and air dash between monkey bars spread across the battlefield like he could in DOOM Eternal. Instead, developer id Software has taken away his ability to dash, swing around, and double jump and replaced those moves with a hearty, chainsaw-infused shield. He’s less Spider-Man and more Captain America now, albeit with a significantly more insatiable penchant for fatal bloodshed.

The shield is a microcosm that represents the conflict central to The Dark Ages’ core. It is rewarding to toss out the spinning disc, bisect a few grunts for some easy loot drops, catch it just in time to parry a raging Hell Knight, and then dash 20 feet to bash the hell out of an unsuspecting Imp in the span of just a few seconds. The booming sound design that clangs with every parry and the array of particle effects ensure that players see and feel each one, and those aural cues (along with the obvious, bright green visual cues) are essential for a mechanic this foundational. 

There are tangible benefits of the shield. Weaving through bullet patterns to just barely deflect the lone green fireball adds small doses of the tension found in bullet hell shoot-em-ups, and parrying back-to-back uniquely timed melee blows recalls some of the more tense encounters in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Lies of P. It’s an offensive defense that cleverly gets around how effective circle strafing has been in the past by forcing players to engage with a flurry of unique bullet patterns or aggressive close-quarters foes.

RELATED: New Doom: The Dark Ages Trailer Violently Rips and Tears Through New Foes

Chaining all these moves together to carve out a path of unbroken destruction is a rewarding journey since it requires learning new skills that aren’t just carryovers from DOOM Eternal or the 2016 reboot. Knowing when to shield bash and when to bonk a demon with the new resource-yielding melee weapons requires a different kind of timing, after all, and getting faster and more efficient evokes a murderous flow state that few games can attain. And this constantly evolves through the campaign as it skillfully paces out its cavalcade of upgrades; there’s always something new to add to your demon-slaying repertoire.

But The Dark Ages’ approach has some shortcomings when compared to the blazing-fast speed of Eternal. Blocking and parrying isn’t as universal of a defensive mechanic as dodging and can sometimes lead to scenarios where getting hit is inevitable since it’s not always possible to disengage from the chaos without a dash. Deemphasizing the mini-Fatality-like Glory Kills also contributes to this notion. Glory Kills in the prior two games were strategic breaks in the action that rewarded disciplined demon hunters with a short breather that also let them gather a bigger abundance of resources. Most can’t be killed with Glory Kills in The Dark Ages, so the tactical dance of damaging a demon just enough to stun them is disappointingly reserved only for bigger baddies. Enough resources spill out no matter how they’re killed, too, and the tougher ones — aside from aerial executions — don’t even have a special kill animation. Simply kicking a massive Cyberdemon is not the fulfilling coup de grâce it should be.

The Dark Ages’ combat loop falters a little when compared to its predecessors, yet it’s still thrilling most of the time and showcases id Software’s finesse making first-person shooters; the team even excels when it’s not doing its best work. However, the main issue is how players have to dig to extract the goods at The Dark Ages’ core. The default settings do not show off the game in the best light and require heavy tinkering with its many accessibility-focused knobs and levers.

Having such forgiving parry timing does not make them feel earned. Almost always having near-maximum amounts of ammo deemphasizes the melee weapons and means players can fall into a predictable trance of using the same weapons and strategies. Slower projectiles and less aggressive adversaries also downplay the shield that is central to the experience. Even the music — which is full of decent, fast-paced metal that’s sadly still not close to the stratospheric highs of Mick Gordon’s iconic electronic-laced compositions — is strangely at a relatively low volume at the outset. It’s welcome to have all sorts of ways to fiddle with everything, but DOOM is at its best when the pressure is high and the beats are thumping, so it’s bizarre to have a collection of unoptimized default settings that don’t highlight those strengths.

Not everything can be improved in the options. The Doom Slayer can also ride a dragon and bipedal mech called an Altan in certain levels, but these alternate demon-killing methods lack the depth of the core combat. Taking down aerial threats with the mechanized winged beast boils down to an overly simple dodging mini-game. The Pacific Rim-esque mech runs into the same issue, albeit with melee mechanics that hardly go beyond dodging slow, green-tinged punches and mashing the attack button. They change up the pace, benefit from the smooth controls at the game’s core, and don’t go on for too long, but DOOM’s shooting mechanics have typically been strong enough to not require distractions like these, and the same is true for The Dark Ages. 

The Dark Ages’ narrative isn’t much more than a distraction, too, as it missteps in a few key places. The lack of transitions between some places is usually jarring, and the interesting ideas it poses in the beginning around who controls the Doom Slayer are glossed over in second half when the game introduces its random “chosen one” plot thread for a major side character and pads out its playtime with filler levels with objectives. These stages are almost always gorgeously rendered and take the series to refreshing and remote realms it has not gone to before, but the justification for traveling there isn’t always strong. DOOM doesn’t require a deep, twisty tale, but the 2016 reboot and Eternal showed that it was possible to craft a decent story within the series’ restraints.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is chronologically the first DOOM game in the most recent trilogy, but it also feels like it was developed first. While it’s got rousing gunplay that prioritizes parries and weaponized defense, it’s also got enough fluff — a less tactical Glory Kill system, merely passable vehicle sections, a campaign that meanders near the end — that’s unbecoming for a game that came after two tightly tuned installments. But even with these flaws, id has still crafted an experience that stands tall in an ever-shrinking market of single-player first-person shooters. Even an ever-so-slightly unfocused Super Shotgun blast like this still packs quite a punch.

Rating: 4 out of 5

DOOM: The Dark Ages is available on May 15th for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. A review copy for PS5 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

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In the entertainment industry, authenticity is a rare feat these days. When differentiating yourself from the crowd, many take the easy route of walking the road with the most successful results. Luckily, one new indie game that has stood out since its reveal this past year aims to drive home the immersive experience in a more hands-on approach – MoonHood’s The Midnight Walk. Boasting its claymation and stop-motion design up front, this cozy horror title molds a sculpted path with twists and turns.

The Midnight Walk is a dark fantasy adventure title handcrafted by the folks at MoonHood, a small independent studio in Sweden. This story is told through the watchful lens of The Burnt One, who befriends a lost lantern named Potboy, whose flame is the only way of bringing back the light in a world basked in darkness.  While this is its first project behind this banner, the co-creators worked on the 2021 gothic fairy-tale action game Lost in Random and the 2018 puzzle platformer Fe. These past projects dive into the darker aspects of fantasy storytelling, specifically Hans Christian Andersen, whose spirit rings true within the poignant poetic dialogue of The Midnight Walk.

When it comes to being authentic, MoonHood has delivered quite the spectacular result, as all of the over 700 assets in the game were hand-crafted using natural materials like clay, and 3D-scanning them into the game engine. We’ve seen claymation done before in recent years, with games like South of Midnight and Harold Halibut, but The Midnight Walk fully embraced the pursuit and executed something that seamlessly blends reality and fantasy. There’s something so oddly eerie yet beautiful to watch with stop-motion animation, especially with claymation, which hones in on the whimsical architecture of the environment but sends shivers down your spine when it needs to.

With visuals reminiscent of The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Midnight Walk guides you along the Midnight Walk, a treacherous path filled with mystery, wonder, and horror. Throughout this seven to six-hour game, players must endure the assortment of grotesque monsters whilst learning about the citizens who live along the road. Simplicity is at the heart of its gameplay, with the overall objective of making it to Moon Mountain, you’ll tackle different playstyles, which include shooting a matchbox gun to closing your eyes to stop monsters from devouring you in the most disgusting ways possible. While it can be said that a lot of attention was paid to the scenery and characters, the gameplay feels tethered to the story in a way that almost feels like you aren’t playing a game.

RELATED: Top 10 Indie Games to Watch For in 2025

Immersion is a prominent feature in The Midnight Walk, especially for virtual reality. While the game feels more suited for VR, features like the eye-motion sensitivity and audio design still capture the essence of immersion. The Midnight Walk needs to be played with headphones, as there are times when you must count on your sense of hearing to distinguish where hidden items are along the way. The innovation, particularly with the immersive design, is admirable, but there were certain parts where these features would feel underutilized in the puzzles. That said, it’s guaranteed to be a must-play for survival horror fans on both console and VR systems.

To aid the immersive experience, MoonHood has created some unique characters, especially Potboy. This lovable fireball has the perfect match of identity through design, capturing a character that grows throughout the game. With a central focus on light and darkness in The Midnight Walk, Potboy brings the light quite literally through his spontaneous dances to his frequent enthusiastic waves. For the darkness, the fire-eating monsters are grotesque and enthralling. One of the creepiest creatures within the game is the Grinner, a hideous monster with an infectious smile and piercing eyes.

As you go through the Midnight Walk, stories of power, greed, acceptance, and identity are touched upon with simplicity and charm. Without diving too deep, some Acts are explained better than others, leaving some important information to be derived from shell-like recording devices scattered around the area. The focus shifts near the middle of the game, but starts to steer back into place near the last hour or so. As for the relationship between The Burned One and Potboy, there seemed to be less attention aimed there, which could’ve been a beneficial component to build story depth.

While the narrative could’ve used a bit more fine-tuning, one of the highlights is the soundtrack from this hand-crafted world of darkness. Composer Joel Bille’s score is a character within the story, as its voice is frequently represented in many scenes. Bille captures the wonder and mystery of The Midnight Walk as soon as The Burned One steps foot on the walk, immersing players with their orchestral music sprinkled with a hint of blues from brass and string instruments. The variety presented is admirable, capturing the essence of sincerity, demise, and sadness, with intensity and curiosity.

The music serves to emphasize the emotional story between Potboy, the Burned One, and your moving abode, Housey. The bravado during those intense moments with The Midnight Walk tugs at your heartstrings and sends shivers down your spine, which is a moving experience to have while watching a scene. The expressions and movements of the characters, especially Potboy, speak louder than words, as the art of claymation hones in on these animated features. It’s effective and doesn’t go overboard with expressiveness and the stereotypical nature of caricatures.

The Midnight Walk works its magic through its twisted visuals and captivating designs, crafting an utterly beautiful world filled with mystery. While the narrative and gameplay didn’t necessarily reach the quality seen in the rest of the game, The Midnight Walk molds itself into one incredible display of stop-motion storytelling that lets the clay do the talking. MoodHood brought the best out of claymation and knows how to handcraft something unique and heartfelt in immersive horror games.

Rating: 4 out of 5

A PlayStation 5 copy of The Midnight Walk was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post The Midnight Walk Review: A Haunting Journey Sculpted Out of Clay appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When I learned that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was real, I hit the buy button the moment it showed up in the PlayStation Store. The Elder Scrolls series has meant so much to me over the years, and I knew I’d sink as many hours into Oblivion Remastered as I have in Skyrim. But reviewing a remaster as massive as this one is quite a task. What can you say about a game that you go into knowing, expecting, and craving those iconic bugs that make Elder Scrolls what it is?Still, many want to know if this one is worth their time, so I’m going to do my best.

Oblivion Remastered feels, in many ways, like a new skin on an old game. This is somehow both a plus and a minus, as it means that it feels like an iconic Elder Scrolls game without much else added. Jumping into the game, you’ll immediately get hit with a wave of nostalgia from the absolute fire that is the soundtrack. Keeping those original vibes is a huge plus and makes the game feel epic from the moment you boot it up. As the opening scene plays, you immediately notice the updated graphics, which render Cyrodill in stunning clarity on Unreal Engine 5.

Character creation also gets a glow-up, but creating monstrosities as gamers did with the original Oblivion is still very much an option. It’s nice to have a little more creativity than what Skyrim offers, taking advantage of the updated graphics to let players design their own nondescript hero of Cyrodiil, however they like.

The class system and additional customization options along the way are a nice touch, giving users the chance to control how their character plays as well as how they look. The astrology options you choose when speaking with the Emperor? No notes. Once you’ve made your character and launch out into the world of Cyrodiil, the true journey begins. And what a journey it is.

When Bethesda and Virtuos said they’d merged Skyrim and Oblivion features for the leveling up system, they weren’t kidding. This system takes some getting used to, as individual skills level up as they do in Skyrim, but you’ll need to sleep on it to fully level up and choose which attributes to update. Although having to sleep to level up can be a bit of a pain, I like this choice. It makes the game feel more immersive, forcing you to actually get a bed at the local inn or take your chances in a bedroll at a random camp.

That said, the level-up system can take some getting used to. It’s a bit more opaque old-school RPG, and the attributes screen doesn’t do you many favors in reminding you what the different attributes do or which your specific character class build should prioritize. It’s nice having a class system here, giving Oblivion Remastered an increased RPG vibe that Skryim left behind, but it can be a bit difficult to navigate at times.

Speaking of difficult to navigate, I feel the game’s older mechanics creeping up in the UI at times. The menus and shortcut options feel a bit clunky still, and even many hours into the game, I find I’m still fumbling to switch weapons and spells during combat with the PS5 controls. In this way, the blend of retaining the original with some minor updates holds back playability a smidge.

For all that, Oblivion Remastered is just plain fun. The open world is immersive and filled with exciting enemies and characters to meet. Collecting side quests by talking to random characters (my personal favorite Elder Scrolls activity) is alive and well, and some of those characters have hilarious quirks that bring them to life even if those remastered character models are occasionally a bit uncanny. The main story is compelling, and as someone who’s coming to Oblivion for the first time, it’s exciting to watch the story unfold… even if I keep getting distracted by those DLC side quests that are included from the get-go in the remaster.

Combat can be tough, as my go-to stealth/archer build isn’t quite as easily overpowered. Frustrating though it is, I do actually like that Oblivion Remastered forces me to get good at melee or die (a lot) trying. The battles are actually challenging, and enemies scale up with you, ensuring that you never get bored. That said, I do wish enemies weren’t quite so invested in killing my horse before me, and that companion characters in the early game weren’t quite so beefy. Brother Martin and friends kept killing enemies before I could switch from bow to melee, and my horse budget is frankly alarming at this point. In spite of it all, though, the new combat animations are exciting, and it’s certainly keeping me engaged, if occasionally enraged.

What does it all mean about Oblivion Remastered as a whole? For the most part, I love that the developers chose to leave in many of the original glitches and quirks, from test characters voiced by Todd Howard himself to actual dialogue mistakes. For the most part, these smaller bugs are a charming reminder of the hilarity that ensues from an Elder Scrolls title.

However, a few bigger bugs remaining in the code are more frustrating than fun, such as the Kvatch quest bug that leaves you confused and quest markers that don’t update when they should. I would’ve liked to see that smoothed over along with those beautiful graphical updates. Keep the bugs that are fun while losing the ones that make it tricky to progress the main story.

In all, Oblivion Remastered is exactly what I hoped and wanted it to be. It feels like an authentic representation of what OG fans love about the game, with the graphics of a more modern entry. It balances between being a remake and a remaster, and for the most part, keeping the original heart of Oblivion, bugs and all, was the right choice. Though some UI elements and those bigger quest bugs certainly show the age of the original game, Oblivion Remastered is a game I know I’ll be playing for weeks, months, and years to come.

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is out now for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. This review was written based on the PS5 version of the game.

The post The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Review: A Glow-Up With Its Original Quirks Intact appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When I reviewed Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape One in February, I said that the game’s cliffhanger left off on a relatively confusing note. At the time, many questions remained about the mysterious story behind the summer of 1995, which were left to dry until the April 15th release of Tape Two. Having returned to the small town of Velvet Cove, a different perspective was realized with the inevitable reality of Kat’s unfortunate diagnosis and the consequences of the actions taken in the previous part. As Tape One displayed the sun-soaked daydreams of Swann, Kat, Nora, and Autumn, Tape Two injects a grounded sense of reality while continuing to integrate the Abyss as a minor character without much explanation. This two-part mystery adventure game from Don’t Nod Entertainment gives players the mere satisfaction that’s deserved, but ends up muddying the emotional grip to set up another storyline.

Don’t Nod has a knack for narrative-driven storytelling, as seen in its games such as Tell Me Why and Twin Mirror, which follow the same interactive decision-based gameplay as the Life is Strange series. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage follows an ensemble of characters with unique personalities and flaws. The story is told through Swann’s camera lens, whose quirky persona is hidden behind the guilt and regret following a traumatic concert experience. These memories still cause ripples 27 years later during the reunion, with Nora and Autumn recollecting their thoughts on the time leading up to the mystery behind their pact to never speak to each other again. Luckily, the moments that break through the conflicting emotional barrier tell a story that tugs at the heartstrings when dealing with loss and regret.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape Two showcases a humanizing story that grounds itself in reality with Tape One’s cancer reveal. The youthful spirit from Tape One is still present, but the repercussions of their actions during the concert weigh all the characters down in one way or another. In this part, Kat takes the center stage as the focus shifts from bonding with Nora and Autumn to doing all she can while on borrowed time. Cancer isn’t a light subject to talk about, but Kat’s rebellious and unorthodox personality shines brighter within this part, which is a nice change of scene compared to the Kat of Tape One. Dylan especially becomes a relevant identity in this part, which does a nice job at cracking into the hard shell she’d built up thanks to Corey.

Unfortunately, the narrative only scratches the surface when it comes to tackling those emotional scenes of doubt and confusion. While Tape One took the time to build the personalities of our friends, Tape Two seemingly recycles the complexities and leans into their motivations and flaws, all while fast-tracking the story within its five-hour runtime. This part also falls victim to stereotypes, especially the rebellious side, which makes the story uneven in delivery. Jumping from one moment rapidly didn’t help connect the story like Tape One did. When it came to packing the emotional punches, the script didn’t do the moments justice, which was underwhelming.

Players are left to connect the dots of Kat’s family drama, which is the center of a lot of Tape Two’s plotline. Corey was on the precipice of gaining a redeeming quality, but his flawed, violent perspective provided an antagonist that felt one-note. Another identity that eases its way into the emotional grip created by Kat’s cancer diagnosis was the Abyss, which was teased at in Tape One and is still a mystery after the events of Tape Two. The integration of this colorful pit of wonder has no lore behind it, other than a place where the girls made their sacrifices to make a wish in real life. The consequences of the player’s actions, especially the ones pledged during the encounter with the Abyss, prove quite challenging when you pick up Tape Two after three months.

RELATED: 9 Games to Play if You Love Lost Records: Bloom & Rage

Many of the choices made in Tape One are shown in Tape Two, which would work if Bloom & Rage is played continuously, but becomes a bigger mystery once you come back to tackle the ‘final’ chapter. Ultimately, there is a sense of satisfaction seeing the climactic event unfold, as your choices are your own. This rings true with the gameplay experience, which continues the dialogue-based interactivity, but doesn’t carry as much gravitas as the ones from Tape One. A lot of Tape Two is made up of cutscenes and some experimental gameplay choices, which are creative, but don’t feel essential to the storytelling process. 

Where Lost Records hits its stride is within its mementos and photography. Reminiscing is a universal language that we understand, which plays nicely within the game. Going back to the lodge after the events of the concert carries a different meaning, one of which is riddled with bittersweet memories. Lost Records works when it doesn’t try to go out of the box to change the experience, as those moments didn’t feel connected to the game’s tone. Speaking of tone, Don’t Nod strikes once again with its beautiful display of colors and landscapes, which fully capture the rural American scenery. Scenes involving the Abyss are incredibly vibrant and cast a spell on those intrigued by the wonders below.

With aesthetically pleasing visuals, Tape Two hits its mark when it comes to tackling the harsh realities of life. But with an unsteady pace and lack of depth, Bloom & Rage puts a bow on a present that hasn’t arrived yet. In the attempt to continue the story afterwards, it’s hard to accept the experience of loss and regret that Don’t Nod presents within its short playtime. Scratching the surface to make way for a deeper story later on feels off-putting, even after a story that gives the impression of facing the past has fulfilled its role. Velvet Cove isn’t the same anymore, so it’s best to move on with life rather than wallow in the past.

Rating: 3 out of 5

A PlayStation 5 copy of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape Two Review: Bullet With Butterfly Wings appeared first on ComicBook.com.

RPGs seem like a dime a dozen these days, so when one seems set to soar, it soars high. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, in many cases, fits that exact bill, as it aimed to honor the timely traditions of classic Final Fantasy and modern Persona, paired with an all-star cast and French-inspired design. I’ve spent a lot of time with Expedition 33 and can say with full confidence that, despite some small issues with story and graphics, Sandfall Interactive’s debut game is one of this year’s must-play games and is a passionate, pitch-perfect homage to classic turn-based RPGs. 

If you can believe it, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the first title by Sandfall Interactive, a small independent studio of about 30 people. You wouldn’t be able to tell given the look and feel of the game, as its high-definition graphics and fluid combat match that of a AAA title in more ways than one. You follow the surviving members of Expedition 33, broken and battered, as they make their way to the Paintress, an unknown entity who has the power to erase all those of a certain age with the stroke of her paintbrush. It essentially sets up all the workings of a suicide mission, as nobody has been able to best the Paintress. However, your team’s determination shows glimmers of hope, ones that may be able to save the people of Lumiere and the world itself.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is very passionate about its inspirations from Final Fantasy and Persona, primarily with the turn-based battle system. With three different characters with unique powers of their own, you’ll take on various enemies as you venture to the Paintress. These foes come in many shapes and sizes, with each being their own forces of nature you have to adapt to. Luckily, you have access to a variety of skills and moves, alongside your basic attack and gun. You can mix and match your team to fit your playstyle, down to their individual stats. So, if you want your party member, Maelle, to be more of a tank with her stances, up her strength and vitality, while counteracting that with luck and agility for Luna and her Elemental Magic. These grow more with Pictos and Lumina, as you can accrue new assets to boost your performance on the battlefield in the way you want to. The levels of customization aren’t too new, but they are welcomed in an RPG of this depth. 

Much like Super Mario RPG, you can power up your attacks via quick-time events. While QTEs have caught a lot of flak over the years, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 does right by them and adds a layer of interaction to the gameplay that makes it much more enjoyable. This is emphasized more with the dodge and parry buttons, as you can actively avoid or block enemy moves as they happen instead of taking the hit. It makes even the most mundane of battles unique each time as you time every parry and, if you’re lucky, unleash a powerful counterattack. Parrying is very much the name of the game and can most certainly make or break the battle, so good hand-eye coordination plays a huge part here, as there are tons of challenging bosses and enemies in the world.

Fortunately, Expedition 33’s graphics are just like those seen in the trailers: bold, realistic, and stunning. It’s definitely one of the most visually impressive titles we’ve seen in a while, especially from an indie game. Despite being set in a Belle Epoque-style world, it still maintains an aspect of humanity and authenticity. A good chunk of the game does have you exploring different regions and lands, so basking in the hauntingly beautiful scenery has its perks when you get the time. The graphics really shine in battles, as your attacks have some gorgeous animations to go along with them, reminiscent of Shin Megami Tensei V and Final Fantasy VII. Plus, I never grew tired of seeing new animations, or ones I’ve seen over and over, as they bring a fun flair to every fight, even more so when they break that mold.

When it comes to the story, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 delivers a heart-wrenching narrative that ebbs and flows with each beat. It takes some huge risks and, for the most part, they work incredibly well, even if they don’t seem to at the time. Some of the later parts of Expedition 33 did throw me for a loop and, while in the end it worked, it did feel a bit too strayed from what the original narrative set up. All that being said, the game shines bright with its emotions and depth, crafting something new and original that sticks well after you hit credits. 

In addition, its cast of characters is one of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s biggest assets. I haven’t fallen in love with a group this hard since Metaphor: ReFantazio. The amount of depth and complexities each party member has, from the enigmatic yet determined Lune to the kind yet broken Gustave, is grand. Given you are playing characters who have more or less come to terms with death, feeling hopeful yet scared is something eerily relatable. 

It helps tremendously that the cast of the game is simply phenomenal. Every character is incredibly acted, especially those in the main cast. Even with big Hollywood actors like Davedevil: Born Again’s Charlie Cox and Lord of the Rings’ Andy Serkis, it all feels authentic and real. However, if there is one performance that I’d say stands out the most, it’s Jennifer English (Baldur’s Gate III) as the youthful and tragic Maelle. Her portrayal of the young heroine brings so much more to the character than was originally thought of, embodying this character to the fullest. You can expect Jennifer to be the talk of the town for awards season for sure, and one who deserves the recognition.

I would be completely remiss if I also didn’t bring up the excellent soundtrack, composed by Lorien Testard. There was not a single moment when the music wasn’t blowing me away. If you like JRPG soundtracks, or any gaming soundtracks for that matter, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has one of the best of the decade. Thundering French vocals and fantastic orchestral arrangements paint each backdrop and elevate the gameplay in so many ways. I’d even say it, at times, matched that feeling that Persona 5 and Metaphor: ReFantazio had with its battle themes. It’s impressive that so many genres are tackled, like jazz, classical, and techno, and each works as well as they do. Despite some fantastic competition this year with South of Midnight and Assassin’s Creed Shadows for music, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of, if not the frontrunner, for awards.

I played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on an Xbox Series X|S, and I rarely had any frame rate drops or graphical errors. Unfortunately, the version I played suffered from a few bugs, more so when transitioning into cutscenes and seeing it load. It did interrupt the flow of things and sometimes took away from emotional parts. While it will likely be fixed over time, it happened a bit more often than I expected it to. Outside of that, the graphics looked awesome, which I’m sure PC and PlayStation 5 will match, even more so the PC version.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wears its passion and inspiration on its sleeve and does right by it. You can tell in every inch of the game, much like last year’s Astro Bot, that the team truly cared about it and loved the games that inspired it. With phenomenal performances, great graphics, rich narrative, engaging gameplay, and beautiful soundtrack, Sandfall Interactive has solidified itself as a force to be reckoned with this year and one to definitely keep tabs on in the future. Despite some flaws, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of 2025’s best games and is most certainly the best RPG of the year so far.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

An Xbox Series X copy of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review: An RPG Tour De Force appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Fatal Fury series has been dormant for over 25 years. As iconic as characters like Terry Bogard, Geese Howard, and Mai Shiranui are, a proper entry from the franchise hasn’t been released since 1999’s Garou: Mark of the Wolves. That all changes with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, a modern take on the beloved 2D SNK fighting game. It’s exciting that such an influential fighting series is being revived for a modern audience, but does it have the allure to draw that audience away from a genre filled with fighting game giants? I am inclined to say yes, but certain facets may hinder players, especially newcomers, from enjoying their time right from the jump.

The first thing I do whenever I play a fighting game is check out the tutorial. No matter how skilled a player is, it’s always helpful to check out a tutorial to see how the various mechanics operate and how they work in concert with one another. When I entered the Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves tutorial, it gave me a rundown on every single mechanic that spans every character. These are all basic to advanced moves and features that anyone should have a handle on before getting into a bout with an opponent, either CPU or human. It does a decent job explaining everything I needed to know in some short but sweet interactive tutorials, which is something I expect from every fighter at this point.

Where I think Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves stumbles here is not giving more detailed tutorials for specific characters. On the official SNK YouTube channel, the developer has Character Breakdown videos for 10 of the 17 fighters. These videos give some great advice about the various special moves, like when a player would want to use the special move and how it can be utilized to string a combo. A feature like this is not present in-game. Instead, the Training menu has a Mission section, which provides players with five arcade-style control combos and three smart control combos. Beyond that, no other information is given to let newcomers know more details about how each character functions.

I don’t necessarily believe every fighting game has to cater to newcomers or beginners. It sounds insane, but half the fun for me is getting my teeth kicked in, learning from my mistakes, and trying to execute in a future match. However, I do think, at the very least, having the tools to see how these fighters work does help pretty significantly, and takes out some of the guesswork when learning a character. It doesn’t make or break the experience, but having that information in-game would be nice.

Although the onboarding for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves isn’t as in-depth as its competitors, the actual gameplay is quite fun. It was a bit daunting at first, thanks to its REV system, but once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed my time even when I was getting smoked by my opponents.

The basic controls for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves play as expected. On a gamepad, the two top face buttons are the light and heavy punch, the two bottom buttons are the light and heavy kick, and movement is tied to either the D-Pad or the analog sticks. Special moves are done by using a specific button combination. For example, the Power Dunk is executed by inputting forward, down, down-forward + light or heavy punch. This is all pretty standard stuff, and anyone familiar with a fighting game will be able to pick up the basics quickly.

Where the game starts to deviate from other fighters is its REV system. The basis of this unique system is the REV meter, which is represented by a speedometer at the corner of the screen. Below the Rev meter is the special meter, which can be used to perform Ignition, Redline, and Hidden Gears, which are the super special moves that are paired with a stylish animation. There is also the Selective Potential Gear (S.P.G.) bar, which is set on one of three positions on the health gauge; when a player’s health is depleted in this section, they can perform REV Blows, a powerful attack that nullifies an opponent’s attack for a big hit.

REV actions, like REV Arts and Blows, build up the REV meter. When that meter reaches 100%, the player is put into an overheated state, which makes all REV actions unavailable until the meter recovers. Additionally, if an opponent depletes the guard gauge (right below the health gauge) while a player is overheated, they’ll enter guard crush state, which makes the affected player take longer to recover from hits. Players can speed up that recovery process in a variety of ways, including moving towards the opponent or landing attacks.

While the REV system impacts players’ offensive capabilities and staying active, a good defense is just as important. There are plenty of defensive options that can turn the tide of battle. Since the aforementioned REV Blows make the player invincible to any hit, this is a good way to reset if an opponent is on a tear. It’s also safe on block, so even if the REV Blow doesn’t hit, it still interrupts the opponent’s flow. Players can also guard cancel to counter with a special move, REV Blow, or an Ignition, Redline, or Hidden Gear.

Overall, I really enjoy the REV system and the combat system in general. It forces players to manage their tools effectively and to stay engaged in combat. It’s also nice that it’s not totally focused on offense, giving players opportunities to come back with a variety of tools on defense. I will say it took some time for me to get a handle on managing the various meters and know when to execute certain moves. However, once I found some characters that I vibed with, which were Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui (I know, very boring of me), I started to understand how other characters worked, and started messing with fighters like Kevin Rian and Hokutomaru. When it comes to gameplay, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is just as engaging as any of the big fighters out there right now.

Speaking of characters, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves has a solid cast for several different play styles. Players who want to play rushdown offense have Vox Reaper. Billy Kane is great for players who want more reach thanks to his staff. Terry Bogard is a great all-around fighter with all the tools a player would need. Tizoc is the grappler. The 17 characters all feel unique, even the guest characters of Salvatore Ganacci and Cristiano Ronaldo. For those two guest characters, specifically, while their move sets are very interesting, they definitely feel very out of place. There really isn’t much cementing them into the world of Fatal Fury, especially the soccer star, as he is not playable in Arcade Mode or the RPG mode Episodes of South Town.

Fortunately, the combat in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is great because there isn’t much variety to the handful of modes available. The expected offerings are here, like Arcade Mode and Online Mode. There is also the aforementioned Episodes of South Town mode, which acts as the game’s story mode. That is essentially it in terms of gameplay modes. There is also a great Color Edit Mode, which lets players change the colorway of a fighter’s gear, and a Jukebox Mode, which lets players listen to their favorite tracks from the series.

While there aren’t a lot of modes, what is there is still enjoyable. Specifically, I found Episodes of South Town to be a lot of fun. How it presents a character’s story is pretty barebones, but leveling up a fighter and going through some of the different challenges present in the mode helped me learn about Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves’ gameplay more than its tutorial. If players want something a bit different than the traditional Arcade Mode, this is a worthy alternative.

While my time with Online Mode was a bit limited, what I did play seemed to work as intended. Like most of the modes in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, its online component is also barebones. Players can choose to join a ranked or casual match, as well as join a room with a specific player. All of this is presented in basic menus, which is totally fine. It would be nice to have some sort of lobby system seen in games like Street Fighter 6, but it isn’t a necessity. In the handful of matches I did play, I didn’t feel any sort of lag, nor did anyone drop from a match. Again, this may differ now that the game is out in public, but my experience online was satisfying.

Most of the game is presented in an awesomely stylish package. I really love the comic book-inspired aesthetic of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. The bright colors and cartoony art design make every pop, especially when executing a Redline or Hidden Gear.  Not only does it look good, but having art that pops makes it easier to see everything on screen. It’s nice to see art design that looks great and has purpose.

Although it has taken decades for SNK to bring out a proper new entry in the beloved franchise, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a worthy revival for the series. The overall package may be barebones, with its small selection of gameplay modes and straightforward tutorial, but its unique REV system and stylish presentation make the trip to South Town worthwhile.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A review copy for PS5 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

The post Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Review: Hungry Like the Wolves appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As I always say, new IP is the lifeblood of the industry. While it’s been increasingly getting a bit rarer in the AAA scene for original games and ideas to appear, it makes whenever one does come around even more noteworthy, which is the case with South of Midnight. I had the chance to play the preview for the title back in February and, like many people, I was blown away by what Compulsion Games crafted with Xbox. Now, having played the full game from start to finish, that feeling waxed and waned, yet never lost its Southern charm and soul.

Crafted by the team at Compulsion Games and the first true game to be published as an Xbox first-party studio, fans could now venture into a new world, full of the often-overlooked American Deep South mythology in South of Midnight. You play as Hazel Flood, a recent high school graduate track star who lives with her single mom in the southern town of Prospero. A massive storm shakes the core of the town and stirs an awakening within Hazel as she becomes a Weaver, one who can protect the Grand Tapestry. With her hooks and spindle, she sets out to heal the wounds of the community and find her lost mother against hordes of Haints and terrifying Southern-inspired legends. 

When it comes to the story, it was personally a bit on and off for me. Hazel’s journey felt reminiscent of a folktale in that it has the same tempo and pace, as well as structure, which isn’t a bad thing here. The themes learned by Hazel and then integrated into the story of curiosity and resilience were ones that I enjoyed seeing unfold. There are a few twists and turns, but the narrative keeps a steady and thought-provoking pace. It does help that the story takes around 10-12 hours to beat, so it’s short and sweet. Unfortunately, South of Midnight does leave some points unanswered, which is rather frustrating to see. To add to that, some of the dialogue is a bit repetitive, despite the great performances by its cast. Regardless, the second half of the story is great, delivering some very memorable moments that really show the soul of the game.

I will say that Hazel is very much the lifeblood of South of Midnight, which made me quite happy. Her character is a great one to follow and infuses a sense of relatability and charm that is super enjoyable. It helps a ton that Adriyan Rae, the voice actor for Hazel, does an incredible job as the protagonist, with undoubtedly one of this year’s best performances. She made Hazel her own and brings so much life to the character through her thoughts and reflections. As mentioned before, there are a few great performances in the game, especially Walt Roberts’ Catfish and Ahmed Best’s Roux, as each of them brings so much charm and charisma to their characters that leaves you wanting more in a good way.

Gameplay-wise, it’s a pretty standard linear action-adventure title, as you’ll explore Prospero, take down Haints, upgrade your skills, and fix those who threaten the Grand Tapestry, human or beast. Most of the time, you’ll be platforming around to different places, whether wall-running, zipping around, or carefully navigating dangerous landscapes filled with spikes and holes. When combat does happen, it takes on a different feel, as you dodge enemy attacks and use your spindle and hooks to attack the many types of Haints that appear. When combat works, like in boss battles, it works well and is extremely satisfying as you’ll literally be weaving your way around the battlefield. However, it doesn’t feel like combat ever reaches its full potential, as it gets repetitive over time.

The world of South of Midnight is as beautiful as it is deadly. The unraveling of the quaint town of Prospero shows a whole new world beyond the one Hazel knew. It puts you in Hazel’s boots and lets you learn about the things you knew or wished you didn’t know. Compulsion Games isn’t new to this sort of feeling, as We Happy Few excelled in this field with its bright dystopian cityscape; South of Midnight expertly follows suit with its Southern-inspired countrysides. Its usage of Deep South mythology and lore makes for some unique storytelling opportunities that add layers to the already-rich world.

Of course, one of the more noticeable aspects of South of Midnight is its unique art style, which harkens back to traditional stop-motion animation. While it’s more on display during the cutscenes, the gameplay keeps much of the style, feeling like you’re both in the front and back seat of an old-timely animation. However, the lighting and graphics are incredible, which goes to show just how talented the team behind the game is. Some vistas are simply gorgeous, whether it’s the insides of a secret bunny burrow or wide-scale forests. It feels familiar yet new, adding to the Southern charm. I rarely saw many glitches in the gameplay, though some cutscenes did have texture lag, which isn’t too much of a problem.

Finally, in a year of already-fantastic soundtracks, South of Midnight may have already cinched the best of the year. Olivier Deriviere (A Plague Tale series, Remember Me) does one of his best works yet, as each song feels like a delicately-weaved pattern. The authentic instruments lining the background as choirs sing tales of the myths you’re going to fight is surreal and fantastical. It’s the type of soundtrack that makes you want to just stand in the world and listen to it. It fits immaculately to Hazel’s journey, you’d think it was being done live as you play. 

South of Midnight proves itself to be a great new IP for Xbox and Compulsion Games’ best work yet. Despite some narrative-related issues and lukewarm combat, there is a lot to enjoy. If you have Xbox Game Pass, this is an absolute must-play. It exudes Southern charm throughout and doesn’t let up for a second. If this is the start of our journey with Hazel, then consider me seated and ready to go to Prospero again.

Rating: 4 out of 5

An Xbox Series X copy of South of Midnight was provided for this review by the publisher.

The post South of Midnight Review: One to Root For appeared first on ComicBook.com.

From the jump, it’s apparent that developer San Diego Studio took a lot of feedback from MLB The Show 24 into account when making MLB The Show 25. More so than any other entry over the past few years, MLB The Show 25 attempts to break away from some of the conventions and expectations that have come to define the series of late. These moves lead to MLB 25 being one of the more promising and enjoyable games that the franchise has seen in quite a long time, but there are still some clear growing pains as well. 

On a gameplay front, MLB The Show 25 remains largely untouched year over year, which is by no means a bad thing. The core baseball sim formula that lies at the heart of MLB The Show was borderline perfected years ago and has since only been slightly iterated upon with each new entry. For MLB The Show 25, the most notable addition is that of Ambush Hitting. 

In short, Ambush Hitting is a new system that allows you to guess where a pitch is going to be thrown before it’s delivered. You can choose either the right or left side of the plate, and if you’re right, it will give you a better chance to get a hit and get on base. If you’re wrong, it makes your potential of getting a knock a bit more difficult. 

Systems like this have been present in MLB The Show in the past, but it’s this new version with Ambush Hitting that I think is the best one that San Diego Studio has found so far. It ensures that during your at-bat, you’re always locked in and are trying to think about what the pitcher might throw at you next. This risk-reward element is integral to baseball itself and its addition to MLB The Show 25 has made the game only that much more like its real-world counterpart.

Diamond Dynasty has received the biggest overhauls in MLB The Show 25 by far. In the wake of backlash surrounding last year’s game, San Diego Studio opted to get rid of Sets and Seasons in MLB The Show 25. This means that progress that is made in the game mode will carry over throughout the entire season, rather than arbitrarily resetting at certain points. For now, I like this decision quite a bit as it makes my investment in Diamond Dynasty feel more valuable than it did before. 

Still, as usual, Diamond Dynasty will live and die by the support that SDS gives it in the months ahead. Out of the gate, there has been way more content to dig into with DD in MLB The Show 25, which is much appreciated. I’ve already poured about 60 hours into the game mode and still have plenty to do as it is. Assuming that new Programs, cards, and other content can keep coming to Diamond Dynasty at a brisk pace, this could end up being the best version yet of MLB The Show’s marquee mode.  

Storylines is the one element of MLB The Show 25 that feels more lackluster than normal. The stories of players in the Negro Leagues are once again spotlighted in this year’s game, but there are noticeably fewer than there were in MLB The Show 23 and MLB The Show 24. I’m not sure if San Diego Studio plans to add more content to Storylines in the weeks and months ahead, but what has been included here with MLB The Show 25 feels like more of an afterthought than before. 

Road to the Show, the game mode where you can create your own unique ballplayer, has received some pretty notable new additions in MLB The Show 25. Rather than simply jumping right into the minor leagues to begin your player’s MLB journey, this year’s game lets you start as a high schooler who can proceed to go to either the big leagues or college after graduating. The college portion of Road to the Show isn’t vast by any means, but it does add much more flavor to the mode than ever before. 

Sadly, the overall presentation of RTTS is among the worst in the sports genre and remains in need of some big improvements. The lack of voice acting in “cutscenes” makes everything outside of playing actual games a drag and is something that I was always looking to speed through as fast as possible. I’m never expecting a sports game to put a major emphasis on its story modes, but MLB The Show still has a long way to go to match up with the low bar presented by the likes of NBA 2K and Madden. 

If there is one big disappointment that I do have with MLB The Show 25, it’s that the series feels like it still hasn’t taken a “next-gen” leap forward. With past games, this could be easily explained away given that the franchise was still releasing on PS4 and Xbox One. For MLB The Show 25, though, these platforms were finally left behind, which made me think that there would be some graphical or fidelity upgrades. Unfortunately, really isn’t the case at all as MLB 25 generally looks the same as it has in past installments. What’s on display in this year’s game isn’t necessarily ugly when it comes to its visuals, but it does seem like MLB The Show is simply treading water on this front. 

On the whole, MLB The Show 25 is a promising step forward for the franchise. Even with some nitpicks across its many different modes, San Diego Studio has addressed the most glaring issues with last year’s game, particularly when it comes to Diamond Dynasty. This leads me to believe that I’ll be playing MLB The Show 25 far more throughhout 2025 than I did in past years, which speaks volumes on its own. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

MLB The Show 25 is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. A review copy for PS5 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review. 

The post MLB The Show 25 Review: Romantic About Baseball appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When it comes to the Big Three of anime/manga from the 2000s, Bleach felt like the underdog at times. While not reaching the worldwide heights of Naruto and One Piece, the epic fight scenes and memorable cast of characters made it one to keep up with, even if the filler was a bit too much. Even still, Bleach didn’t really jump onto the gaming scene like the others did, having a few small titles here and there. That all changed when it was announced Bandai Namco and Tamsoft would bring the Tite Kubo IP to the fighting genre with Bleach Rebirth of Souls last year. Now, having played the game from start to finish, I can say that what made it shine back then still holds up, though it lacks the luster needed to do it all justice.

Having been the first major Bleach game since 2016’s Bleach: Brave Souls, Rebirth of Souls brings the series to life in a way that hasn’t been done before. Adapting the beginning of the series up to the end of the Arrancar arc, the game features a wide roster of characters to play as, all with their own moves and playstyles. There are also tons of stages, some even having variations depending on the time of day. In terms of being a fighting game, it checks off a lot of the boxes fans hoped it would, outside of a ranked mode, which will seemingly be added in the future. Plus, it helps that the soundtrack is fantastic, which is no surprise given it’s done by Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and The World Ends With You’s Takeharu Ishimoto. It adds a fervor and rhythm to matches that ups the electricity of the battlefield. 

Still, as many of the trailers had shown, the flash and flair of combat is very much satisfying and fun, as well as graphically great. I can’t count how many times I got hyped watching characters unleashing their Bankais and unleashing killer Kotei moves on opponents. Each character has their strengths and weaknesses that come in handy on the battlefield, adding a new element of strategy and adaptation. For example, facing off against a ranged character like Uryu Ishida or Coyote Shark would require a fast fighter like Soi Fon or Yoruichi Shihouin to even the odds. It’s also a lot of fun to see two characters that normally wouldn’t face each other, like Ichigo and Rukia, do such, and their dialogue would mention it, which was a fun inclusion.

Unlike some fighters, Bleach Rebirth of Souls lets you level up while on the field, becoming increasingly more powerful through ‘Awakening.’ You’ll unlock new moves and skills, as well as a new look for a time. Unleashing these feels extremely satisfying, especially when the odds seem stacked against you, which they often can be. Guarding and breaking an opponent’s guard is the key to victory, as one false move can cost you a round. Even more so, saving up power in a match and bringing yourself to the best possible form can, quite literally, turn the tides of battle in an instant. It’s an exhilarating experience that not many games have done, which I applaud Rebirth of Souls for.

Unfortunately, the biggest problem with Bleach Rebirth of Souls is one of its most disappointing: the story mode. It’s not because it only adapts up until the Arrancar arc’s end and not the Fullbringer or Thousand-Year Blood War arc; it’s because of how it was done and presented. Rebirth of Souls’ story mode chronicles the rise of Ichigo Kurosaki from regular high school student to substitute Soul Reaper, as seen in the manga and anime. However, the game loses the charm that made that journey one to root for and enjoy in the first place. Many plot points are either rushed through or overexplained, dragging out for too long. 

Another fault that became very hard to ignore was the quality of the in-game cutscenes. While the game does have fully animated cutscenes, which are really nice-looking, a majority of the story mode uses scenes done with the in-game character models. Alas, the presentation is not the best, as most of the time it feels extremely static and lifeless. Many scenes lose their luster due to it, which is a shame considering how good Bleach’s story can be and look in the anime/manga. It also doesn’t help that these cutscenes can last for several minutes at a time, with some missions being entirely these in-game animatics, so it’s hard not to notice some slip-ups or weird movements.

I do appreciate that the story mode, as well as the additional unlockable Secret Stories, allow players to test out characters before using them in online matches. Plus, while many are filler content, others have some fun little sub-stories that build their personalities that the main story doesn’t provide. Furthermore, some fights in the story have unlockable Real Moments, which are objectives that match what happens in the source, like Ichigo not being hurt or finishing an enemy with a Bankai move. While they can be hard to unlock, it feels super satisfying to live out the battles as they were done in the anime/manga.

In short, Bleach Rebirth of Souls excels rather well as a fighting game but less as a complete package. The story mode, most of all, feels a bit sloppy, which is a shame considering the source material. Still, this is Bleach’s best video game outing by far and a great fighting game in general. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a game that turns the tides as much as Rebirth of Souls does. While not perfect, it has what it needs to become a staple title for anime/manga fans to enjoy.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

A PlayStation 5 copy of Bleach Rebirth of Souls was provided for this review by the publisher.

The post Bleach Rebirth of Souls Review: Not-So Hollow appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is finally here after a very, very long wait. On top of a series of delays, this is the Assassin’s Creed game fans have been wanting since the franchise began jumping to different eras of history. Samurai and ninjas are a natural fit for the Assassin’s Creed formula and Ubisoft finally decided to listen to fans and make it happen after Ghost of Tsushima beat them to the punch. 

With all of that said, Ubisoft has largely created a solid game in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It’s not perfect and I admittedly had a lot of frustrations with it, particularly early on, but I can’t deny the fun I had with it the longer I played it. I believe Shadows will satisfy a lot of Assassin’s Creed fans. The gameplay is captivating, there’s a lush world begging to be explored, and the story packs some pleasant surprises, despite being a bit lackluster overall.

I personally haven’t been too wrapped up in an Assassin’s Creed story since Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag as they kind of drone on and on, hitting a lot of the same beats. The draw for this series has almost always been the setting and the gameplay. That seems to remain the case for half of Shadows’ story, as there are two protagonists,  one of whom is far more interesting than the other. The game largely revolves around Naoe, a young female Shinobi who is on a quest for revenge. It’s the kind of story we’ve seen thousands of times, and while that’s not necessarily grounds to be negative, it’s led by a character who has the depth of a bird bath. It’s hurt even more by a stiff performance that makes it hard to feel engaged by Naoe on any level.

She’s pretty fun to play as, but there aren’t any layers to her or her story that keep you wanting to move forward to the next main quest. Naoe is definitely one of the weaker characters in the franchise, and it’s a shame that Assassin’s Creed failed to make its first ninja interesting. On the other hand, Yasuke is compelling and, honestly, would make for a great protagonist in his own solo story. The one downside is that he isn’t properly introduced until 12 to 15 hours into the main story and is, therefore, unplayable for about a third of the game. His early exclusion – outside of being in the game’s prologue – is confounding. It somewhat feels like Yauske’s role was cut or reduced from the beginning of the game due to controversies with his character. While this is purely speculative, it would explain why the pacing throughout the first act is abysmal, something that isn’t the case in the rest of the game.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows opens with three back-to-back tutorials, one of which feels especially redundant. It takes hours for Shadows to really get going and it will likely push a lot of people away due to how much of a slog it is. The first 10 hours caused genuine concern, but thankfully, things really picked up once Yauske was introduced. Not only does he provide welcomed gameplay variety, but he has a lot of layers. He’s a slave turned samurai, largely out of necessity. He knows he must rise to the challenge of being this noble, distinguished warrior if he wants to break free from his tragic past, creating a really emotionally-charged motive for him. 

It’s disappointing that Yauske has been a subject of controversy for a number of reasons, but particularly because he’s such a strong character and makes a case for himself in this particular story. One might expect Yauske to be nothing more than a brute given his combat style, but he’s actually very kind-hearted. He’s frequently seen smiling and being generous with others rather than stone-cold. He does flip a switch to a hardened warrior when it comes time to action, ensuring that his kindness is not mistaken for weakness. You’re constantly learning new things about him as you experience his story as well, allowing you to unravel him and his layers as you progress through the game. Yasuke’s not a one-note killing machine and it makes him one of the standout Assassin’s Creed protagonists.

Although Naoe and Yauske are from warring factions, they are unified by a common goal. The two team up to build an army tasked with taking down a shadowy syndicate of warlords and powerful Japanese figures that have wronged them. As a result, you are given a list of targets and objectives that can be completed non-linearly. Some targets won’t be unlocked without taking another one down, but generally speaking, you can move through the story of Shadows however you want. 

It’s pretty freeing to be able to pick and choose who you want to kill and how you want to do it. Do you want to charge in through their front gate and mow everyone down, creating a violent spectacle of the assassination? Yauske is your guy. Do you want to parkour across the rooftops under the cover of darkness, slitting throats and making it seem like you were never even there? Naoe is your girl.

This core idea of two characters who are polar opposites is Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ biggest strength. Obviously, this is a franchise known for its stealth, but the more recent RPG-heavy entries like Odyssey and Valhalla leaned away from that in some regards. Shadows is able to combine the two different styles into one game and largely do them better than any other entry in the series. Valhalla’s combat felt a bit too floaty and lacked the weight one would really want from Viking combat. It also had the ugly and intrusive damage numbers you’d find in a game like Destiny, which was a huge turn-off.

Shadows does the brutal, almost barbaric combat much better than past entries. Yauske is a commanding behemoth that lays waste to anyone who comes near him thanks to not only his weapons, but his own personal strength and size. He can launch people with a mighty kick, pick them up and slide them across his blade, and even make use of a bow and arrow that allows for a different side to Yauske beyond smashing and slashing. He’s a pretty straightforward character in terms of combat, but simplicity doesn’t mean boring. 

On the flip side, Naoe is a woman with many tools. She’s equipped with the legendary hidden blade, a grappling hook, a katana, and a handful of throwables that make her a resourceful threat. With Yauske, he tanks a lot of hits and can brute force his way through most fights. Naoe, however, is nimble and not as armored. I actually got beaten to a pulp many times early on in the game because I would try to just hack and slash my way through fights.

In reality, Naoe is a character you have to have some patience with. You have to anticipate attacks and know when to parry or outright dodge. Similar to the Batman Arkham series, each enemy attack is telegraphed with a corresponding color. It makes combat feel rhythmic and engaging, encouraging you not to button spam. If you try to unload on an enemy, it likely won’t be effective as they will throw up a block and eventually push you back, making you vulnerable to a counterattack. The windows for responding to an attack are narrow and any hit you take can be near fatal, so you really have to be on your toes and cognizant of your situation. 

While her attacks are equally deadly, Naoe is forced to be thoughtful about her combat and utilize whatever tactics she can to gain the upper hand. One of my favorite weapons in the game is the Kusarigama, a scythe and a chain with a spiked ball on the end of it. The scythe allows you to get up close and personal, quickly delivering a series of rapid light attacks that slash up your foe’s body. Meanwhile, the chain can be twirled around you 360 degrees, hitting any enemy that’s in your general proximity. You can even use it to pull enemies toward you and cut them up with the scythe.

Outside of head-on combat, it’s deeply satisfying to swing between rooftops with Naoe’s grappling hook, crawl through tall grass and stalk your prey, and hit all the familiar Assassin’s Creed gameplay beats as you pick off enemies one by one with the hidden blade.

Despite Assassin’s Creed Shadows having solid combat, the series is still struggling with things like parkour. Despite this being a core tenet of the property for nearly 20 years, it’s as clunky as ever. This is really only relevant to Naoe as Yauske can’t do any significant parkour due to his size, but I grew infuriated during some key stealth sections of the game. At multiple points, I would be sneaking through a base via rooftops or climbing on something and Naoe would just leap off or struggle to latch on to the surface I wanted her to cling to. It’s a janky issue I have always been frustrated by with this franchise and it’s one that led to me being caught on multiple occasions. 

While you can still fight your way out as Naoe, these awkward moments ruined carefully coordinated plans that otherwise would have gone off without a hitch if the game didn’t feel like it had a mind of its own. This isn’t limited to parkour, either. Shadows has one of the most over the top and aggressive forms of aim assist I have ever seen in my life. Naoe can throw things like knives and shurikens at both enemies and objects like explosive barrels and torches. When it came to enemies, even if I aimed at their head with a throwing knife, the aim assist would correct it back to their center mass, ensuring they didn’t die.

The most aggravating examples of this, however, were when I wasn’t trying to attack anyone at all. Naoe can extinguish torches and fires with her throwing weapons, allowing her to create darkness to sneak around in. However, there were multiple times where I was trying to throw a knife at a torch or an explosive barrel, and instead, the game would just throw it at someone far away who wasn’t even on my screen. It’s like these weapons were magnetized to humans. Of course, this would also prompt enemies to be alerted to my position and, once again, ruin the moment. It was frustrating and discouraged me from throwing things at enemies unless I wanted them to be on alert.

Given the amount of time, money, and manpower that is poured into Assassin’s Creed, I would really like to see Ubisoft refine these things in future entries. The parkour needs to improve, especially since Ubisoft has another franchise that utilizes similar movement mechanics with Watch Dogs. Although there are innovations with things like the grappling hook, refining the core experience of jumping around and climbing needs to be a priority for this series if it doesn’t want to get overshadowed by future competitors like Ghost of Yotei.

Although Assassin’s Creed Shadows has some cumbersome flaws that can’t be overlooked, including ones that have been present in the series since its inception, it is a strong action-adventure game that I will likely keep investing in for weeks to come. Ubisoft has managed to create an impressively large and captivating world without it feeling overwhelming, introduced at least one new compelling protagonist, and fostered a rich combat system that is dynamic and varied. The fact that I was initially not vibing with Shadows, but was ultimately won over speaks volumes about the experience Ubisoft has created and may allow lapsed Assassin’s Creed fans to enjoy it along with the diehards.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Assassin’s Creed Shadows releases on March 20th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A review copy for Xbox was provided by Ubisoft for the purpose of this review.

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A new Expansion Pack for The Sims 4 is always an exciting time for fans to enjoy brand-new content for the game. The Businesses & Hobbies pack brings deeper, more involved small business ownership to The Sims 4, along with a handful of new hobbies for Sims to enjoy. The expansion includes the new Scandinavian-inspired Nordhaven neighborhood, which has a clean, minimalist design. This newest addition to The Sims 4 brings in a few long-requested features, including the ability to create more customized tattoos and mixed-use lots that can be both business and residential. Though Businesses & Hobbies can feel a bit small compared to other recent Expansion Packs, the content it does offer is polished and executed well. 

I’m the kind of Simmer who lacks the interior or exterior design abilities to build beautiful homes for my Sims, so my tour of Nordhaven began with noticing there’s only one pre-built Residential lot. Naturally, my new Sim moved in there, and I will say the one home on offer in Nordhaven is beautifully designed using items from the new pack. For Simmers who love getting immersed in build mode, Nordhaven’s four unoccupied, empty lots will no doubt offer great potential for designing the home business of your dreams. Those who, like me, just want a pretty space to pop their Sims right into, might be a bit put off by the lack of pre-built lots in this pack. In addition to the residential offering, there is also one empty Small Business lot that Sims can buy, if they want to set up shop near the local park. This is a nice touch for those who don’t want to try and run their cat cafe out of the tiny pre-built Residential lot on offer. 

Once my Sim got settled in her new home, naturally, it came time to pick a Small Business to run. The pack offers a decent list of options to choose from when assigning the business type, from Cat Cafe to Tattoo Parlor and beyond. After you select an option, you can further customize the business by choosing which activities customers will do while there. For my cat cafe, I selected socializing with pets and enjoying coffee and baked goods. These options let Simmers go beyond the basic offering labels to create a more fine-tuned business to suit their goals. Honestly, I was pretty impressed with how robust the Small Business menu is. Having tried without much success to run bakeries using the retail lot models of yore, this is a massive step up for Entrepreneurial-minded Sims. The ability to pick and choose what customers should expect from the business makes it feel much more dynamic. Whereas business lots could really only sell items before, customers now pay a fee to engage with services, which opens up the possibilities. 

The day-to-day business operations also run more smoothly with the Businesses & Hobbies pack than they did before. Customers actually behave properly when in the shop, doing the chosen activities and making purchases. This is a huge step up from running retail lots before the pack, which almost never worked as intended. After several days of opening up my new Cat Cafe, I still hadn’t run across any major glitches or errors that got in the way of operations. This let me actually settle in and enjoy pretending to be the tattooed Cat Cafe owner I’ve always secretly dreamed of being. 

At the end of each business day, you get a report about what customers like and dislike about your business. Here, I ran into a bit of a snag, as customers didn’t like the ambiance. Truthfully, neither did I. No matter what I did, the main areas of my lot just seemed… dark. The lighting was off, no matter how much I toggled auto-lights on and off or added light fixtures. This may be a glitch with Nordhaven or with some of the new pack items, but at any rate, it was a bit frustrating for me as a player – especially when my customers wouldn’t stop complaining about it. 

Now, what of the hobbies portion of The Sims 4: Businesses & Hobbies? The additions here are a bit lackluster compared to the complete overhaul businesses received. Sims can learn pottery and tattooing, which double as new avenues for business ventures as well. The pottery skill is well-designed, with a pottery wheel and the option to glaze pottery once it’s finished. There’s a good handful of pottery designs and glazes to keep things interesting, and it’s nice to have a new creative skill for Sims to learn. Candy Making, on the other hand, is more of another appliance than a hobby. Using it creates new, colorful treats your Sim can eat or sell, but it just builds on the Cooking skill rather than adding a new Candy Making one. Given the number of cooking-based skills already in the game, this makes sense, but it does take “hobbies” dangerously close to a singular here. 

That said, tattooing saves the day for many Simmers, who’ve been asking for this for a long time. Your Sims can learn to tattoo their friends or customers, and leveling up in the skill even unlocks a few special designs in Create-a-Sim. The tattoo expansion also adds new options to Create-a-Sim regardless of whether you partake in the new hobby. This is a pretty impressive addition, with plenty of new tattoo designs and placement options. You can also create your own using stencils or the free-draw option. Being not so artistically inclined myself, I appreciated the stencils for adding a bit of creative flair to my Sim’s ink without needing to draw anything freehand. This, along with the deeper Small Business gameplay, is the major accomplishment of Businesses & Hobbies. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also touch on the new Create-a-Sim and Build Mode options added with The Sims 4: Businesses & Hobbies. As previously noted, the new items in Build Mode are elegant with a minimalist touch, but there aren’t very many of them. The main focus is on new, Small Business-focused additions like open signs, kiosks, and display cases. Beyond that, there are a few new furniture and decor items, but it’s a pretty short list. Create-a-Sim is a similarly pared-back addition this time around, with the new tattoo options being the biggest change. There are some new outfits and new hairstyles, but the focus of this particular expansion is clearly the new mechanics. Thankfully, those mechanics are quite well thought out, and I can see myself spending hours unlocking all the Small Business Perks for my cat cafe even if I’ll be reaching into older packs to decorate it. 

In all, The Sims 4 Businesses & Hobbies is a solid Expansion when it comes to adding new mechanics for running small businesses. These features do as intended and add a level of depth to gameplay for Simmers who enjoy this style of play. For those looking for a massive new world full of new pre-built lots and items, it may not quite live up to its price tag, but for aspiring Sim Tycoons, this pack will feel like a dream come true. 

Rating: 3 out of 5

The Sims 4 Businesses & Hobbies was reviewed on PC via the EA App. A review copy was provided by the publisher in advance for the purpose of this review.

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When I was working in the food industry, my boss once told me a story about how an owner he knew had two restaurants: one that served American food and the other that only served wings. When he was asked which brought more profit, the wing shop took the top spot since it specified doing one thing and perfecting it. In a similar way, if there is one thing that Hazelight Studios and director Josef Fares have perfected, it’s crafting the best couch co-op games possible. And if this wasn’t already true before, Hazelight has again demonstrated its co-op mastery with its latest release Split Fiction.

Split Fiction follows Mio and Zoe, two aspiring writers who come to Rader Industries to sign a publishing deal with the company. Zoe is an extroverted fantasy writer while Mio is an introverted sci-fi writer; it’s the equivalent of water and oil mixed. However, the unlikely duo is accidentally paired together after Mio falls into Zoe’s simulation after learning that the revolutionary machine in which the authors get to experience their creations is designed to steal story ideas as its own. Together, the two must traverse the dueling worlds to glitch out the system and stop it from taking their work to Rader’s disposal. The game sets up the duo rather quickly, creating a bond that can only be forged through continuous collaboration and communication.

Those two qualities are essential to the storytelling and gameplay experience of Split Fiction, as you will be required to work through some of the most innovative co-op puzzles. Just when you think Hazelight has pushed the co-op boundaries of gameplay, each level brings a refreshing collaborative touch that keeps the game from sticking to simply telling a story. The puzzles start strong with creativity and continue to strive in unconventional ways by owning outlandish ideas and embracing them. Turning into a pig that farts rainbows isn’t a common gameplay experience one typically gets, but in Split Fiction, it works. The addition of a grappling hook is also a game-changer in regards to exploration, especially during the times when taking the scenic route wasn’t an option while running away from a menacing crowd of ogres.

I admired the contrasting stories between Mio and Zoe, which allows players to indulge in many different styles. The sci-fi world is a futuristic utopia crawling with enemies, which provides players with a fast-paced, action-packed twin-stick shooter filled with gravity-defying stunts, while the fantasy setting offers a fairy tale that is sprawling with mythical creatures, luscious scenery, and environmental-specific puzzles. I was a bit underwhelmed at the thought of only being able to go through a sci-fi and fantasy setting, but the exploration and innovative level designs, including the ones during the several boss battles, kept the game fresh instead of repetitive.

Some of the levels wore their inspiration on their sleeve, with moments switching from intense camera-angled shots reminiscent of The Matrix to then taking on a 2D sidescroller perspective that brought back memories of Metroid and Sonic the Hedgehog. The many ways to explore the different worlds are incredibly ambitious as we get to stand on the shoulders of rock-climbing giants, traverse the sands on a sandworm Dune-style, and even fly while using your grappling hook to soar across the sky filled with kites.

One sci-fi level has Mio wielding a cyber-kinetic sword and magnetic wall-climbing abilities while Zoe uses an energy lasso, which comes in handy when throwing objects out of the way and throwing enemies into the distance. In the fantasy world, one specific level will have Mio as an animal shapeshifter and Zoe as a fairy, with one able to traverse on the ground and the other by air. The gameplay mechanics are everchanging but make it easy to transition from one ability to another, regardless of which character you play. During my playthrough, I played as Zoe, but whoever you choose, the difficulty doesn’t change. Each level is designed to cater to the abilities of each character while making sure to hone in on the co-op aspect of the game. This also introduces the opportunity for replayability as Mio and Zoe both offer different ways of offering new gameplay experiences.

The narrative beats between Mio and Zoe are spread out along its 12 to 14-hour experience, taking opportunities to expand on these characters and to learn about each through their writing. Being able to explore the worlds created by Mio and Zoe gives a glimpse into the places that these authors go to escape reality, which is explored throughout the game. Seeing how their stories played a role in their own lives was intriguing to learn over time, which was insightful to recognize as a writer myself. There’s a saying that the essence of yourself can always be seen in your work, which Split Fiction dives into headfirst, crafting a story that is within itself a reflection of the author’s hidden virtues. Co-op games typically aren’t something you would associate with storytelling, but Hazelight has always been able to craft a multiplayer experience that tells a dynamic narrative through its levels.

Although the two stories are the main attraction, some of the most creative levels come from the Side Stories, which are scattered across the different missions. Being someone who loves improvisation, I can only imagine the level of thought that went into taking the traditional and going one step further. One of the most bizarre levels sees Mio and Zoe turning into molars who go through a sugary land filled with cake, candy, and a killer dentist who only wants to cause them harm. While I won’t spoil all of the surprises, these specific stories stem from Mio and Zoe’s younger years and showcase the wonders of a child’s imagination. All of the levels, including this one, didn’t feel out of place since they made sense with the story, which I found to be intriguingly valuable.

For someone who adores It Takes Two, Split Fiction ups the stakes, providing a spellbinding adventure that can only be witnessed alongside a friend whether through couch co-op or Split Fiction Friend’s Pass. Having played alongside my twin brother, we couldn’t help but enjoy the chance to experience a game together which prompted excited nostalgia. We were consistently in awe over the different approaches to the co-op gameplay level designs. There were moments, especially the third act, that had us pleasantly shocked, with others causing pure amusement and awe over what Hazelight accomplished.

Hazelight Studios is far and away the preeminent studio for co-op storytelling. There has never been a game like Split Fiction before and, frankly, it’s hard to think of one that could match this creative quality ever again. Split Fiction is an example of director Josef Fares’ ability to capture the child-like creativity of storytelling and continue to curate the best cooperative games to date. The scale for Split Fiction is massive and there is no shortage of dullness in this colorful display of one’s imagination gone wild. Being able to play a co-op game with someone else feels right as it provides a sense of togetherness that is rare to come across these days. Split Fiction reiterates this need to tell stories that can be experienced and enjoyed alongside others.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Split Fiction releases on March 6th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.  A complimentary copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review and played on PlayStation 5.

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Monster Hunter Wilds immersed me in an expansive world with thriving environments and incredible creatures, some of which tried very hard to kill me. Having been familiar with the series, I was all the more appreciative of the innovations Capcom had taken with Monster Hunter Wilds while staying true to the series’ roots and the core aspects that make Monster Hunter what it is. Veteran players can expect a delightful experience that builds on what they know, while newcomers receive one of the more forgiving entry points into the series. Monster Hunter Wilds pushes the series forward like never before, blending innovative mechanics, a heartwarming story, and engaging gameplay.

After spending countless hours in Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter World, it was nice to begin Monster Hunter Wilds as a bonafide Hunter instead of the usual storyline which centers around a recently promoted Hunter. This let me jump straight into the action, and the opening cutscenes reflected my Hunter’s prowess and the fact I was chosen specifically for this mission. 

Monster Hunter Wilds is a natural progression from both Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise and features an opening that is easily approachable like Monster Hunter World. It will take a few hours for the game to click for beginners, but those who have played the series before won’t have any issues adjusting to the new features.

Of these new features, Focus Mode is the standout. Focus Mode lets you inflict and identify Wounds, which are weak spots on monsters, and strike them directly. This inflicts massive damage, stuns the monster, and breaks off pieces used to craft equipment. Being able to spot Wounds and attack them to topple monsters is a game changer. Even having played previous Monster Hunter games, Focus Mode made it easier than ever to fight monsters and I used it every chance I got. Monster Hunter games are notoriously hard to get into, but with Focus Mode, new players will feel their attacks being impactful regardless of skill level.

Another new feature I love in Monster Hunter Wilds is Seikrets. While similar to Palicos and Tailriders, Seikrets have the fantastic ability to auto-move toward the destination. This pairs nicely with the Slinger, which let me focus on collecting materials and taking in the environment without having to steer. Seikrets play a big role in Monster Hunter Wilds, both in gameplay and story. During tough fights, it was nice to be able to hop on my Seikret and quickly move across the battlefield while healing, sharpening my sword, or switching weapons.

The main aspects of MHW are mastering weapons, using these to hunt monsters, and crafting better gear. Right away, I was given the choice of a weapon and soon unlocked the second weapon. Having two weapons allowed for quick switches on the fly, and I found myself alternating between the Long Sword and Bow, striking a balance of melee and ranged combat. Both weapons felt impactful and effective throughout my time, and I didn’t feel one outweighed the other. Testing out Monster Hunter Wilds’ other weapons left me with a similar feeling, as each felt balanced. Ultimately, the Long Sword and Bow were what I settled on, as these fit my playstyle, but the selection of weapons is among the best in the series and fits a wide variety of preferences.

Capcom has taken feedback from previous Monster Hunter games and made each weapon feel valid here. While some have higher learning curves, every weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds can be used at a beginner level. Basic combos are more than enough to get the job done while players learn the weapons. As I progressed, my mastery of my selected weapons grew, allowing me to hunt old monsters more efficiently and take on more challenging enemies.

Speaking of enemies Capcom has nailed the diversity among monsters in MHW. Even in the starting region of Monster Hunter Wilds, there was plenty to fight. Capcom has brought back numerous monsters from past games and added new monsters unique to Monster Hunter Wilds. These designs are incredible and the battles are thrilling, with each providing a different beast of a challenge.

Generally, I had a blast fighting every monster. Well, maybe not Congalala, but the point still stands. The creature variety is fantastic, with Temnocerans, Wyverns, Leviathans, Fanged Beasts, and more being encountered in Monster Hunter Wilds. Even among these classes, I was amazed at the difference in appearance and attack patterns. I constantly had to change my loadout and alter my preparations. I loved the continuous challenge and the need to adapt when facing certain monsters.

The monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds are also crucial to the story. In particular, Arkveldis the driving force behind Nata’s story and the Hunter’s mission. While the story has never been the main appeal of the series, Monster Hunter Wild’s story surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. A large part of this is due to the characters of Avis Unit. Alma and Gemma are the stars of MHW and they won my heart anytime they were on screen. Even Nata, who I disliked at first, grew on me and I found myself rooting for him throughout the game. The overall plot was simple, but the moments throughout had me deeply invested.

As the story unfolded, I traveled from region to region, completing quests and hunting monsters. These regions were all distinct, some offering changing biomes within a single location. This made the world of Monster Hunter Wilds feel so alive and like a real ecosystem. Most of the change was due to Seasons, which are cyclical, and bring massive shifts to the landscape and monsters, especially as you progress further in the game and experience the dynamic weather.

While I could praise Monster Hunter Wilds on end, there are some slight hiccups. The controls felt unresponsive at times, noticeably when trying to activate a healing potion or status-cleansing item. I’d mash the button on my D-pad, only for my Hunter to stand there doing nothing. Likewise, I’d call my Seikret to give chase to a fleeing monster or to swap my weapon and my mount would ignore my call. In both instances, I had to mash the input several times. While not major, it did cause my demise in one or two tough fights.

Another minor annoyance is how bad the fishing feels in Monster Hunter Wilds. Fishing was one of my most anticipated features because I love fishing in games, but once I threw my rod in the water, I watched countless fish swim around my line without even glancing at it. While fishing isn’t the main feature, including it and making it so unenjoyable detracts from the overall package to the point that I’d almost rather not even see it in the game. Capcom also allows you to catch fish with the capture net, which is easier than the fishing rod but removes all the satisfaction.

Monster Hunter Wilds is incredible and easily the most fun I’ve had with the series. Capcom has perfected the Monster Hunter formula and paired it with the best graphics in the franchise. Despite some clunky and unresponsive controls, I’d mark it as my favorite Monster Hunter game yet. Monster Hunter Wilds packs a lot of charm and challenge, and is poised to be one of the most robust and content-filled games of 2025.

Rating: 4.5/5

Monster Hunter Wilds was reviewed on PlayStation 5. A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for this review.

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For Yu-Gi-Oh! fans looking to revisit the earliest games in the franchise, the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is an exciting opportunity. It brings together an impressive total of 14 games from the beginnings of Yu-Gi-Oh!, taking players on a tour of dueling through the years. The collection centers heavily on card duel simulation titles from the Duel Monsters series, with a few unique spinoffs thrown in the mix for good measure. This makes the Early Days Collection a fascinating tour through history, with a few gems that will truly delight nostalgic and first-time players alike.

The Early Days Collection brings together Yu-Gi-Oh! games from the Game Boy through the Game Boy Advance, and many of them hold up surprisingly well. The Switch ports run quite smoothly overall and are visually appealing set against the optional backgrounds added in the updated collection. Another highlight of the collection is that the original game manual for each title is included and easily accessed at any time by popping up the menu, a feature that’s especially helpful given the lack of any real in-game tutorial content. I found myself opening these manuals quite often, as they’re both a valuable resource and enjoyable trip through gaming history.

Opening up the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is a pleasure in and of itself, as the game carousel for the home screen is both beautifully designed and easy to navigate. It offers players an enjoyable tour through their options as they settle in for a play session. The games are ported largely in their original versions, with a few added customization features to let players remove features like Deck Capacity, Duelist Level, and Forbidden Cards. This lets fans enjoy the games as originally intended or speed things up according to their preference. Having the original box art is another nice added touch for the collector who wants a slice of Yu-Gi-Oh! history.

With 14 Yu-Gi-Oh! games to choose from, not every option is created equally here. For those looking to spend hours dueling against a computer opponent, the Duel Masters games have plenty to offer. Though there are some progression and difficulty quirks in these early games, and the mechanics are a bit dated at times, they are surprisingly engaging to this day. I was impressed with how easy it was to sink hours into a game where the basic premise is just dueling the same characters several times in a row. Somehow, those early Duel Monsters titles still hold up, and it was fascinating to play them in succession and see how they evolved over time. Though many of the early titles are quite similar to one another, having so many to choose from ensures players will be able to duel to their heart’s content, and that’s before considering the online PvP option offered in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelists. 

Difficulty level and duelist progression is a bit of a challenge with the Duel Monsters series, though it doesn’t detract too much from the sheer joy of the duel. Some matchups are laughably easy right through to the end, while other games start off so tough players are hard-pressed to win enough battles to add new cards to their decks. The recommended order to take on opponents isn’t always made clear, so duelists can pretty easily wind up getting thrashed by an opponent whose deck is far beyond their current level. Thankfully, the ability to toggle off certain built-in limitations can help assuage these frustrations a bit, giving players an edge against tough NPCs when it’s not clear where to start. 

It’s not all straightforward card dueling simulators in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection, though. Some of the more adventurous titles from the early days of Yu-Gi-Oh! turned out to be some of my personal favorites. For instance, 2000’s Monster Capsule is an odd hybrid of Yu-Gi-Oh characters with Pokemon and Dungeons & Dragons-inspired gameplay, and yet, the combination is oddly charming. I found myself unwilling to move on from the chess-like battles and Dungeon Master-style confrontations to check out the next game on the list. Similarly, The Sacred Cards brings a little more story to the duel simulation concept. Walking around the map as a pixel character and hanging out with beloved characters was a treat, but I still got to enjoy plenty of duels in a beautifully streamlined system. Setting this aside to check out the rest of the collection took some willpower, and I suspect I’ll find myself returning to it often. 

Unfortunately, some of the Yu-Gi-Oh! games don’t translate quite so well. Visual quirks with a few entries make them tricky to play. The moving backgrounds during duels in some of the Game Boy Advance era entries can be distracting at best and motion-sickness-inducing at worst. Destiny Board Traveler, which offers a fun board-game-inspired premise, is hit hardest by visual issues. The white text against brightly colored backgrounds is nearly impossible to read, rendering the game almost unplayable. Reshef of Destruction, a beloved follow-up to The Sacred Cards, also suffers from an odd cursor blinking error that makes dueling more of a slog than a pleasure, which is a real shame given the game’s otherwise enjoyable setup. 

In all, the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection features plenty of enjoyable titles alongside a few games that don’t quite hold up. With so many options to choose from, players get many hours of entertainment, even if they wind up leaving a few of the messier ports on the virtual shelves. The updated backgrounds and customization options add a nice polish to a collection of retro games that will delight Yu-Gi-Oh fans eager to return to where the video game franchise began. Despite a few challenges with translating retro games to a modern audience, the Early Days Collection is a must-have for anyone who wants to revisit the earliest entries in the Yu-Gi-Oh! video game series or experience them for the first time.

Score: 3.5/5

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection was reviewed on Nintendo Switch. A review copy was provided by the publisher in advance for the purpose of this review.

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Avowed has scratched an itch for me that few other RPGs have been able to scratch in recent years. That’s not to say that I haven’t enjoyed recent RPGs like the absolutely stellar Baldur’s Gate 3, but sometimes you are looking for something hyper-specific. I have been yearning for a game like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for years but no other studio makes RPGs quite like this besides Bethesda. That is until Obsidian stepped up to the plate with Avowed, a brand new fantasy RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe that clearly takes a lot of inspiration from the highly respected Elder Scrolls franchise.

Now, that doesn’t mean you should go into Avowed expecting Skyrim 2, but it’s a nice appetizer while we all wait with bated breath for The Elder Scrolls VI. Truthfully, I had low expectations for Avowed. Xbox has let me down a lot this generation with its first-party offerings and this game has been gestating for quite some time. As a result, a piece of me was prepared to be left with lukewarm feelings, but my experience was quite the opposite. 

Avowed sees players filling the shoes of an envoy sent by the Aedyr Empire to deliver a message and investigate a plague infecting a region known as the Living Lands. However, nothing is remotely simple. Within the opening hours of Avowed, your ship crashes into a hostile fortress, there are multiple coordinated attempts on your life, and you cross paths with plenty of non-violent characters who would rather you swim back to wherever you came from. It’s a story that immediately sinks its hooks in you and pulls you in closer with each new revelation.

On top of all of the political intrigue in the Living Lands, your custom created character is also a Godlike, which is someone who was personally touched by the gods before their birth and grants them special powers. This introduces a layer of divinity to Avowed as you learn more about the spiritual piece of this universe. Where things get really interesting is when you connect with some higher, almost cosmic power that is called “The Voice”, which is presented as this trapped being in some kind of spirit world. Like a genie in a bottle or a devil, it frequently presents you with tough choices. It may offer you something incredibly irresistible or lucrative, but now you are indebted to The Voice and must carry out its bidding.

You are frequently unsure of whether The Voice is actually a force for good or evil, which creates compelling situations where you hover over your dialogue options weighing out the potential consequences in your head. It’s impactful and even if certain things don’t ultimately lead to anything earth-shattering, what matters the most is that you feel like your decisions are important in the moment and you put thought into everything you do. Of course, your choices aren’t just limited to your interactions with The Voice, but that’s where you will see a lot of the heaviest choices.

Of course, like any good RPG, you also meet a colorful cast of characters along the way. All of the different party members in Avowed can benefit you in different ways thanks to their varied combat abilities, but I often chose them based on nothing more than their personality. I want someone who is going to keep me entertained more so than have my back. It’s more interesting to have someone like Kai, a character who is clearly well-known throughout the Living Lands, but typically not for good reasons. Seeing the small tiffs he has with others is always a treat, but he’s also someone who is interesting to learn about when you have downtime at your camp.

However, this is where one of Avowed’s downsides lies as well. A lot of RPGs suffer from extensive conversations with characters where everyone stands there stiff as a board. It may not be unique to Avowed, but it’s one of those things that can wear on you after many hours of play. It’s hard to sit there and look at someone talk for extended periods of time while they barely emote or move. It’s hard and likely totally unfeasible to animate that many dialogue scenes to make it feel more dynamic, but sometimes it feels easier to just read the dialogue and skip to the next line to speed the process up. As much as I enjoy learning about a character like Kai, sometimes I don’t even bother going through all of the dialogue options because I quickly become disengaged by the dry and stilted conversations.

Avowed’s conversations do have one thing worth praising, though. This is a very lore-heavy game and almost immediately, I felt incredibly confused with all the vocab words that were being thrown at me. However, there’s a whole glossary of keywords that you can view in the dialogue menu. It only allows you to see the notable words that were spoken during that conversation, so you don’t have to dig endlessly. I have personally never seen that in a game, but it’s a handy tool that allows you to easily keep up with the lore and understand what people are talking about.

When you aren’t idly standing around talking to someone, it’s incredibly easy to become swept up by Avowed’s world. The world feels incredibly hand-crafted with lush, green pastures and forests, frosty snow regions, and cities with all kinds of events happening around you. There are abandoned houses to raid, caves to explore, and waterfalls with secret treasures behind them. It’s a game that wants you to discover all its nooks and crannies as it’s made to be explored and you’re frequently rewarded for doing so. You can stumble upon crime scenes, inspect civilians’ cargo for contraband (and then decide whether you snitch or not), and of course, meet people who give you interesting side quests. 

One side quest early on in Avowed has you going off to clear out monsters out of a person’s house. When you arrive, you quickly realize things aren’t as malicious as they seem to be and this person has a special connection to these creatures. It’s then up to you to talk to the person and help her determine whether or not these creatures are worth killing or if she should try to leverage her unique connection. It’s the kind of sharp RPG writing that once again emphasizes a degree of choice and makes you want to seek out other side quests to see what other absurd, whimsical stories exist within this universe.

Avowed’s other big strength is its combat. I was really surprised by how much nuance there is to combat and how much thought was put into designing how you can fight. For starters, you can dual wield just about anything unless you have a two-handed weapon like a big axe. If you want to have a sword in one hand and a pistol in the other, you can do that. If you want to dual wield a wand and a gun, you can do that too. On top of that, you can have two loadouts that allow you to quickly switch to another set of weapons. So, you could have one loadout be more close-quarters-oriented while another one focuses more on ranged combat. Or maybe a loadout designed for stealth and another that’s not. The choice is yours.

Avowed really puts a focus on combining different aspects of combat. You can use your magic to freeze someone and then pull out a gun to shatter them to pieces. It’s incredibly satisfying to chain a bunch of different attacks together and use all of your resources to take down your foes.

I really enjoyed this level of freedom, but it also made me realize how you need to be a bit more thoughtful about it. I expected to absolutely slaughter everyone with a sword and a gun, but realized not having a shield was allowing me to get destroyed. I didn’t really use shields in games like Skyrim, but it’s something that is constantly in my loadout rotation in Avowed. 

Enemies are pretty determined when it comes to taking you down and will toss projectiles at you, attack you head-on with light and heavy attacks, and so on. To help with this, Avowed lifts a pretty interesting element from another genre of games to make its combat more engaging. In games like the Batman Arkham and Marvel’s Spider-Man series, there will usually be a colored flash above an enemy’s head to warn you of an attack so it can be countered. Avowed has the exact same thing, telegraphing moments when you should block or dodge. The Batman Arkham games helped create a rhythm to its combat with this and Avowed benefits from that just the same. Each blow feels impactful, you have a greater degree of awareness, and it rarely feels like anyone got a cheap shot on you. 

That’s not to say Avowed doesn’t have a few areas where it can improve its combat. For starters, stealth feels a bit underbaked. I figured if I used a bow early on, I could pick enemies off with ease. However, even a well-placed headshot from the shadows didn’t kill an enemy and would sound the metaphorical alarm on nearby foes. Of course, you can probably upgrade the bow to be much more powerful to achieve that, but I didn’t even bother to do so because it was so disappointing off the bat. There are some takedown moves as well, but they were pretty repetitive and it felt more interesting to just charge into battle instead.

Guns and bows also don’t have any kind of ammo counter. You can fire your gun seemingly forever and the only downside is it takes a few seconds to reload. I wish there was more thought into making a gun feel like a limited resource rather than something you can use as much as you want, as it makes it feel less impactful as a weapon. They are still fun to use, but it would be more interesting if there was a higher trade-off for using them.

Avowed may not be the most advanced RPG in the world and there may be games that offer unparalleled levels of depth by comparison, but that doesn’t stop Obisidan’s new fantasy game from being great. It offers a dense world bursting at the seams with beauty, compelling characters, consequential choices, and gripping combat that rewards players for being creative. It’s one of my favorite RPGs in quite some time and is one that I am going to continue enjoying for the foreseeable future. If you have Xbox Game Pass or have some money to put toward a new game on PC, I encourage you not to sleep on Avowed.

Rating: 4/5

An Xbox review copy of Avowed was provided by the publisher.

The post Avowed Review: Skyrim’s Spiritual Successor appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For a time, the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series was somewhat niche. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that the long-running SEGA franchise really gained steam in the West, primarily thanks to Xbox Game Pass and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. So, after the stellar reception to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio revealed its next entry would be a pirate-themed spin-off with the Mad Dog of Shimano himself, Goro Majima, dubbed Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. And while this new entry might sound crazy, after having spent about 25 hours playing Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, it actually works.

As the first spin-off to have a protagonist from the mainline series other than Kiryu (not counting the excellent Judgment titles or Ishin!), Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii starts off rather boldly with the fan-favorite Majima. As a character, he’s brash, showy, and is not afraid to take risks and be loud doing it. He’s grown a ton since his introduction as a rival to Kiryu in 2005’s Yakuza. While I don’t think Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii highlights Majima as much as hoped, he is a fun and engaging protagonist that you never get annoyed by. Plus, it helps that Japanese voice actor Hidenari Ugaki brings that lovable flair fans know and adore back, now with the spotlight solely on his character. 

However, unlike other Like a Dragon games, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is not the inter-Japan hierarchy drama of before. This entry brings Majima to the world of modern-day pirates, albeit more apt to the olden days with colorful outfits and seafarer regality. As mentioned before, it works surprisingly well, which is a testament to the team at Ryu Ga Gotoku for making an insane idea land on its sea legs. It keeps what fans love, from engaging characters to bombastic music, and adds only if needed, not overdoing anything. And, just like other Like a Dragon games, it’s addicting, as I found myself constantly wanting to explore and try everything the game is stuffed with, from fun mini-games to insane substories and side missions.

Gameplay-wise, a majority of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is exploring islands and beating the arses of plunderers and scoundrels. Personally, the beat-em-up style of combat is more up my alley than the RPG stylings of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, so Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii felt right at home. And yet, Majima’s quick attacks and deadly weapons made it a new experience that differentiates itself from Yakuza 0 and Yakuza Kiwami 2. Pulling off impressive combos and switching between Mad Dog and Sea Dog, a fighting style that utilizes a plethora of sea-worthy weapons, is super satisfying. 

One of the key elements of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii that has drawn a lot of attention is the naval combat. The mechanic has drawn a lot of parallels to titles like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Skull and Bones. Fortunately, it does deliver many of the thrills of said combat. Carefully lining up shots, tending to your ship and crew, and making the most of the battlefield play a huge part in whether you sink or sail. It doesn’t really show its depth (pun intended) until you get more challenging opponents like those in Madlantis, which pump up the intensity. The customization of your ship and crew does play a part in your success whether on the high seas or plundering treasure islands. 

If Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Infinite Wealth delivered on the craziness, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii goes further. It’s already insane to have Majima be a pirate captain, gear and all, but RGG Studio doesn’t stop there. I mean, if the game has its opening credits done as a musical, it already tells you what adventure you’ll be going on. Just about every employable crew member has a story behind them and, most of the time, it’s as quirky as they are, in a good way. Even more so, the action scenes, especially in Madlantis, are whimsical and fun, embracing the absurdity. That’s not to say it doesn’t take itself seriously, as there are those moments of real character growth and themes. Yakuza/Like a Dragon has always threaded a line between the two genres really well, so it’s not a surprise that Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii does that, too. 

Speaking on that topic, the story of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a bit of a toss-up. On one hand, it’s a fun, wild, and surprisingly heartwarming romp for those up for a swashbuckling adventure. On the other, compared to previous entries, more so Infinite Wealth and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, it can feel a touch underwhelming. It does hit a few depths emotionally, especially in the end, but it does feel a bit safe. It definitely feels like it could gone deeper than it does, especially with Majima and the plot twists. The message of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii does hit home, but the way it gets there doesn’t go too far. 

The graphics for the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series have come a long way since its debut on PS2. Much of that is present in parts of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, as its bright colors, gripping action, and beautiful scenery match the vivacity of the title. However, as you take it to the islands, like Hawaii, where you’ll explore and meet the locals, there is a small dip in graphical quality. Some of the NPCs, enemies, and other important areas do look a bit off, with very clunky visuals. It’s likely a cause of texture load-in, but the often bright lights can make those small details a bit too noticeable. That, of course, doesn’t extend to cutscenes, which tend to look great with movie-like quality. 

Overall, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a swashbuckling adventure fans will love to dive into. Despite some hiccups with the story and graphics, there’s a lot to like with the title. RGG Studio continues its success story, putting Majima in the well-deserved spotlight for what is one of 2025’s most eccentric yet charming games so far. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

A PlayStation 5 copy of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii was provided for this review by the publisher.

The post Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Review: Buried Treasure appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Part One wears its inspiration on its henna-tattooed sleeve. I came into Don’t Nod’s upcoming two-part graphic adventure game with a defined sense of optimism. Having admired the nostalgic autumnal puzzle-solving episodes of the studio’s Life is Strange franchise, Lost Records looked to set itself up for success with its next narrative adventure, which has Bloom & Rage as the foundation of what is to come within the new series. With 90’s punk rock infused into its veins, Part One aka “Bloom” represents a small, albeit underwhelming, taste of the vibrant world in store for players in the Lost Records universe.

Set in the quaint picturesque town of Velvet Cove, Michigan in 1995, you play as the shy yet quirky teenager named Swann. As the summer days begin to drift away, Swann crosses paths with Nora, Autumn, and Kat, sparking an everlasting sisterhood riddled with rebellion and self-discovery. In contrast to the nostalgic atmosphere, the game navigates within dual timelines, shaping both narratives in the confines of the summer of 1995 to the modern world of 2022. Through the sun-kissed lens of a camcorder, Swann must uncover the pieces of the puzzle that led to the sudden reunion of the long-lost friends.

Given that “Bloom” is one of two parts, with “Rage” releasing on April 15th, the first half of the game delves into the bonds that brought the four individuals together. Don’t Nod has a great track record of delivering dialogue-based narratives that have consequences down the road, as noted by the success of Life is Strange. However, this time around, the option to stay silent is also available, letting players take a backseat in some critical moments. Joining into a discussion can either hurt or grow your relationship with the other characters. This feature was valuable since it let me learn more backstory behind the characters rather than rush through a scene without missing key details and/or getting caught in conversations I didn’t need to be a part of.

Capturing the teenage angst and awkwardness (which we all have been through at some point), Lost Records: Bloom & Rage values the youthful mindset and wasn’t afraid to stand out amongst the crowd. It’s admirable to take on such an important time in a person’s life, but the identities of these teenagers lose subtlety throughout the game, making it easier to spot key moments of growth within the characters rather than hinting at it. Another thing that is a bit underwhelming regarding the aspect of identity is that while the other characters grow, Swann stays the same within both timelines. That being said, the traversing timelines gave depth to the larger storylines, crafting an experience that works in collaboration with each other.

Don’t Nod curated an American small-town atmosphere within their Montreal-based studio, which is commendable as someone who grew up in one myself. The setting boasted a colorful mirage of imagery that tugged at the heartstrings of those who grew up in a rural environment rather than a bustling city. Bloom & Rage is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, depicting a story of its own. The 90s era, specifically the punk rock riot grrl era, was given an especially heavy emphasis, and the music choices hit the nail on the head. From the lo-fi downtime beats by the acclaimed Canadian electropop duo Milk & Bone to the alt-country/punk group Nora Kelly Band with their riot grrl-infused vocals to match the tone.

When it comes to the story, it’s important to reiterate that the game is split into two parts, which does, unfortunately, leave a lot of questions remaining at the end. There are times were the narrative works in its favor when crafting those interpersonal moments between the girls, but is sadly shifted in a different direction towards the end in an attempt to introduce new drama rather than tackle what has been already established. This left me a bit confused considering the story looked to move in another direction that was hinted at in the beginning. The moments where impactful decisions were made didn’t feel like they carried a lot of weight within the ultimate goal of this part. If anything, they felt more aimed at cherishing the small moments.

The beginning of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage was great in how it set up the story and delivered great visuals right off the bat, but the quality of it all started to dwindle as “Bloom” progressed. Knowing that the second part is mere months away, it begs the question as to whether these two “parts” should have been released as one, given that players will most likely be left with obvious plot holes rather than answers and the amount of stuff loaded onto the next part that wasn’t tackled yet.

If you have been a longtime fan of Don’t Nod’s repertoire of games, then Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a great addition to the studio’s titles. However, the narrative sets up more than it answers in part one, making the experience frustrating by the time it’s over. For the start of the Lost Records universe, “Bloom” presents incredible scenery amidst a lukewarm story driven by self-discovery and mystery. In the end, the game doesn’t capture the full sunset of what is to come but sets up a story that has the potential to show its true colors.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Part One releases on February 18th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A complimentary copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review and played on PlayStation 5.

The post Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Part One Review: Stranger than Fiction appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The first Kingdom Come: Deliverance was a far more punishing game than I’d become accustomed to in today’s modern RPG scene, so much so that it was borderline off-putting. Not being able to absent-mindedly save before every decision felt almost unfair, and why couldn’t my Henry be a mechanic-abusing super fighter right from the start? It was a cold splash of realism compared to many alternatives back in 2018, though that seemed to be the intent from developer Warhorse Studios.

Fast-forward to 2025 where we’re now getting the sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and things are only somewhat easier on our hero, Henry, this time around. Saves are a bit more plentiful, combat is refined, and there’s plenty more to do to the point that you’ll often forget what your main quest is at times. It still feels arduous, but after spending plenty of time with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is quick to remind players that 15th century Bohemia doesn’t care much about you at all. Though Henry’s journey through the first game armed him with all sorts of skills and social standings, you’re quickly stripped of that progress in the sequel and are quite literally de-leveled so that you’re basically starting from scratch. It’s a bit of a heavy-handed way to reinvent the experience, but it makes sense in the context of the story, and they’re really no better way to kick things off.

Whether you played the first game or not, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is as humbling as ever before, and those humblings come in many shapes and sizes. Fighting one rogue bandit is easy enough to start, but fighting more than one without proper combat leveling or going up against someone who has even an ounce of training? I might as well have been using a wooden sword.

So, in true open-world fashion, the answer to remedying Henry’s pitiful existence was to do anything and everything besides the main quest. And even more so than the first game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has plenty to do if you just want to roleplay as a multi-faceted traveler, a jack-of-all-trades with a main objective only in the back of their mind.

Alchemy is back in the sequel, a hobby which successfully derailed me multiple times until Henry’s stomach growled and my pockets were lined with coin from selling off a load of potions and poisons that left me overencumbered and crawling to a vendor. Blacksmithing makes its debut as well (the son of a blacksmith can finally make his own weapons!), and even more so than alchemy, it puts you in almost a trance-like state as you whistle along with Henry’s strikes on the anvil. Creating and selling wares and doubling your money by rolling dice is a lucrative way to bust Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2‘s economy wide open, sure, but more than anything else, Warhorse Studios has found ways to make even the most tedious of tasks enjoyable.

Ironically enough, it was often the less enjoyable happenings — the more frustrating and punishing ones that make you just want to throw your hands up — that really made Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 sing. Helping an innkeeper with all their favors only to still be denied a room and insulted because my area reputation was a smidge too low was harsh, but fair enough seeing how I did make some poor dialogue choices before. One of the best examples of this was a day-long quest starting at the crack of dawn where we visited town after town to perform different tasks which, in my mind, I completed with 90% efficiency in terms of what that quest-giver was looking for. That missing 10% was apparently enough to warrant an outright “I don’t like you” from the boss at the end of the quest with Henry basically told kick rocks and find his own way back to the quest’s starting point. Fast-travel is a thing, sure, but it was a quick reality check to re-humble Henry no matter what he was wearing or what level he’d gotten to.

While the reputation system, saving via Savior Schnapps or owned beds, and a myriad of tiny debuffs like being hungry, sleepy, stinky, bloody, or hungover do meld together to create a system that can feel quite punishing, it rarely ever feels unfair so long as you’re putting thought into what you’re doing next and how prepared you are. Best practices like drying food and checking in on your dog and horse frequently become second nature after awhile to make you feel like you’re truly working in tandem with the systems at play, not against them. Warhorse Studios also eased up on some of the more grueling parts of Kingdom Come: Deliverance as well. Saviour Schnapps feel more plentiful this time around whether you’re finding them or making them yourself, and the combat feels much better here with only small concessions made. Dropping the angular combat from a five-direction system down to just four (or fewer in some cases) makes a world of difference when managing attacks and parries and at least makes you feel like you can get out of a scuffle relatively unscathed.

But if I’m buying into the onerous requests of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, I need the game to play fairly as well, and that doesn’t always happen. While bugs were infrequent in the sequel, when they hit, they hit hard. A crash is debilitating in a game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 where your immediate question is “when did I last save?” and getting stuck in a rock or under the map when you’re hours into an exploration is enough to make you want to quit for the night. It’s not a problem that’s unique to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 by any means, but I also often found that the dialogue choices didn’t always line up with what Henry would actually say. I’d try to keep my reputation largely positive with people so long as they were amicable, but Henry almost improvised some responses at times to result in a quick loss of reputation followed by a desire to reload.

It’s rare to see such a player-driven RPG where your successes and shortcomings are entirely your own doing despite many modern RPGs promising just that, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 delivers (so long as it doesn’t turn you away first). As unforgiving as it is, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 remunerates fairly for all it asks of the player and is supremely easy to get lost in.

Rating: 4/5

A PC review copy of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was provided by the publisher.

The post Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Review: Learning to Love It appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Dynasty Warriors titles have been a staple in the video game industry. Famous for bringing the hack-and-slash genre to a more mainstream audience, every title has had one goal: to be better than the last. Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the latest entry in the franchise and it achieves that goal quite well by firing on all cylinders with its addicting combat, thrilling music, and epic-scale sets, even if some stumbles are made along the way.

Origins, in many ways, feels like a soft reboot, as it covers only the first half of the legendary Chinese book, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. From the strategic Cao Cao to the charitable Lui Bei, every character is more or less at the start of their journey. It sets the beginning stages of the Three Kingdoms, all seen from the eyes of an amnesiac warrior, whose strength can turn the tides of battle. The protagonist can feel somewhat bland personality-wise, outside of the great VA work from John Patenaude (Genshin Impact, Visions of Mana). Still, his backstory is intriguing enough to see it through, despite the sometimes menial tasks like finding resources on the open map.

Having not read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it was very interesting to see how everything developed both in cutscenes and in battle. It does feel like seeing an adaptation of a novel come to life in a way that I believe makes it surprisingly enjoyable. What’s more, midway through the game you choose one of three factions to follow and can see events unfold as they happen rather than just as text on-screen, which Origins does rather disappointingly at times. Still, it adds an extra layer of interactivity and depth, making you question what leader and team you want to put your faith in. In truth, it does make watching strategy meetings and discussions a bit more interesting than doing so in real life. 

A distinct feature of Origins is its replayability, as multiple routes exist outside of the main three factions. So if you follow Lui Bei like I did the first time around, you’ll then be able to, if you’re willing to get through the rather long first two chapters, see the other sides of the story. Without spoiling it, the game makes it known that you should play it multiple times thanks to its side-by-side narratives and different battle approaches. Luckily, the combat is more than worthy of being revisited over and over, even if certain elements remain the same. 

As mentioned, the iconic hack-and-slash gameplay of the franchise is alive and well in Origins. The title boasts 1 vs 1000-soldier action and it very much feels like it. Droves of enemies will clog almost every inch of the battlefield all directing the hurt toward you and your allies; however, you’ll have access to a variety of weapons that you can change via the menu. From the humble sword and spear to the deadly sharp twin pikes and wheels, the warzone is yours to control. Said control does expand throughout the game, like going on horseback to having a personal armada. The battlefields do have some variety, but aren’t as interesting as they’re perhaps made out to be visually, with most being hilly terrain and mountain ways.

While Origins is a hack-and-slash game, there is a great deal of strategy involved. Planning out what bases to hit, what officers to take down, and where to help out really does make a difference in how things play out. For example, there are a few missions where you can support the main forces on the front lines or take out multiple bases to claim more land and troops to take more advantage of the field, which lowers the confidence and health of all enemy soldiers present. As someone who doesn’t really enjoy much strategy, I had a lot of fun planning out where I’d work best, going with the flow, and seeing the fruits of my labor humbly rewarded with new equipment and upgrades. 

In terms of customization, players will be able to unlock many different skills and abilities to use on the battlefield. For example, you may have a move that stuns enemies before they unleash a big attack or may have one that swoops enemies closer for you to slash at. You can pick and choose abilities for each weapon and it does open up a ton of possibilities for playstyle. Furthermore, you’ll also level up and gain powerful versions of arms to use on the field. It’s fun to be able to test them out and see what fits. In my time with the game, wide-ranging skills were my go-to, as I do like to charge into battle and take out as many enemies as possible.

Outside of combat, you’ll meet up with varying allies from different factions and beyond. There are a ton of them to meet, each with their own unique goals and desires. You’ll be able to chat with them and form bonds, which give you new objectives that grant you upgrade points. It does ground the characters quite well, giving them more personality and depth other than just recognizable faces on the battlefield. Even so, it makes fighting them, especially if they’re on the opposing team, much more impactful. Their voice actors also do a decent job of portraying them (though some come off rather monotone), which is good considering most of the original cast was redone for Origins (outside of a few exceptions like Kyle Hebert’s Dong Zhao).

With this being the first Dynasty Warriors title in seven years, the glow-up in graphics are noticeable. Characters and scenery look upgraded for the modern age and feel fluid and vibrant. There are times when it can be a touch static and not as detailed in certain lighting, like outdoors and during battle. Though, with the action being at an all-time high, it’s not too much of a deterrent. Speaking of, the combat is the best it’s looked in a while, as your skills come to life with fervency. It’s flashy but grounded, keeping in line with realism, yet in tune with the epic-scale action of facing insurmountable odds.

The music of Dynasty Warriors: Origins definitely matches the scale of the battles faced by the protagonist and allies. Electric guitar and woodwinds make up most of the backdrop but I won’t lie when I say it genuinely motivated me to fight more and take risks. It’s booming, fast, and the perfect soundtrack to boost your confidence on the battlefield. Nothing beats a swelling guitar solo as you rush into battle on horseback. Even though you do hear the same music over and over, it doesn’t grow too tiring, personally. 

A lot of Dynasty Warriors: Origins is done well and that should be a welcome change for fans. The game supersedes Dynasty Warriors 9 in many aspects and captures the intensity and realism that made the series so well known. Working as both an action title and a history lesson, all wrapped up to enjoy even after credits roll, despite the long introduction and repetitive elements. As one of the first titles of 2025, Koei Tecmo has started it off real strong. Overall, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is addicting, exhilarating, and a mighty good time.

Rating: 4 out of 5

A PlayStation 5 copy of Dynasty Warriors: Origins was provided by the publisher for this review.

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Despite not being able to get hooked on anything MachineGames has worked on the past, I was determined to give Indiana Jones and the Great Circle its fair shake. My appreciation for the whip-cracking, backtalking Indiana Jones trumped any preconceived ideas I might’ve had about the game, and after spending quite a bit of time with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I’m glad it did. Bethesda’s new Indiana Jones game stands out as a supremely faithful and painstakingly careful adaptation of the character that’s going to be hard to top if and when this franchise is picked up again by any other studio.

Troy Baker plays Indiana Jones in the Great Circle game, a voice actor who seems to be in everything all the time but somehow manages to still be the perfect choice for this character, too. Though the game’s version of Indiana Jones is based off of Harrison Ford’s physical appearance, you’d be hard-pressed to rule out Ford as the voice if you didn’t already know Baker had the role.

Nearly every interaction Indiana Jones has with a character be they a cutscene-worthy NPC or just a passerby tells you that MachineGames studiously rewatched Indiana Jones movies from the past few decades to discern exactly how Indiana Jones would respond in any given situation. Early on in the game, a disguised Indiana Jones meets another archeologist and can barely hide his disdain when the other character reveals himself to be a fellow archeologist. That unique blend of deserved cockiness and wit permeates the rest of the game in a way that only Indiana Jones could, and the faithfulness infects other characters as well. After you see the devilishly evil Emmerich Voss who oozes Indy villain aura, you’ll be checking the Wiki more than once to confirm he’s a totally new character and not someone you’ve met before.

Just as the case in the movies – and perhaps even more so here in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – the game asks of the player some degree of a suspension of disbelief. Indiana Jones is crafty, sure, and he constantly accidently finds himself in precarious situations like under a collapsing statue or in a fascist boxing club, but the game definitely takes some liberties with how clever he is. When investigating ancient Egyptian sites while avoiding Nazi gaze, I was sometimes swinging from the bullwhip in clear view of enemies who for some reason can’t see past more than a few meters. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle relies heavily on the idea that players would want to play as Indiana Jones would: sneaking about behind enemy lines unnoticed while maintaining a relatively low killcount compared to most action heroes. If you decide to play otherwise, there’s nothing really to stop you from waltzing into a compound and clobbering everyone.

What you will find, however, is that if you choose the stealthy, true-to-character route, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle can feel like it drags at times. There are so many cutscenes which can’t be skipped even if you wanted to that your actual hands-on playtime is constantly interrupted, so it’s best to approach the Great Circle game as a blend of movie and game rather than solely the latter. For those who appreciated Red Dead Redemption 2‘s methodical exploration style where anything and everything is of interest and must be approached accordingly, you’ll appreciate Indiana Jones’ desire to pick up ever letter, read it carefully, flip it over to make sure there are no hidden messages, and triple-check your surroundings before moving on from a room, if you so choose to play that way.

And inspect everything you shall, or at least you will if you have any desire to accomplish side quests. True to the nature of Indiana Jones adventures, nearly everything you have to do is a puzzle be it a “how do I get in that room?” scenario or something as cliche as a reflecting-light-off-mirrors challenge. You can make the puzzles easier thanks to some robust difficulty options that involve combat, exploration, and puzzles, but I’d rather be stumped than ask for help, so some codes and riddles had to be left behind. Exploration and navigation, however, I was happy to change. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a game where you have to walk around with your map out if you want to get anywhere, and as much as I appreciate that dedication to realism, I found it much more enjoyable to tweak the settings so that a more traditional objective marker was constant as a guiding light.

Despite the occasional frustration with pacing that’s remedied either by immersion, some altered settings, or forgoing stealth and sprinting through a Nazi camp, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the Indiana Jones game fans have been waiting for. There’s still more for me to do (and redo) in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but the methodical appreciation for the source material makes it evident that Indiana Jones games have found their home with MachineGames.

Rating: 4/5

A PC copy of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was provided by the publisher for this review.

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Batman: Arkham Shadow is astonishingly good on every level. While I came into the latest Batman: Arkham game a bit apprehensive (like many others), developer Camouflaj has found a way to incorporate every major pillar of the Arkham series into a VR format without skipping a beat. The resulting product isn’t just one that satiated my longstanding desire for a new Batman: Arkham game, but it’s one of the best examples of how virtual reality can make familiar gameplay experiences feel fresh. 

Set after the events of Batman: Arkham Origins, Arkham Shadow focuses on a younger version of the Dark Knight who still hasn’t come across all of the members of his future rogues gallery. Camouflaj makes great use of this place in the “Arkhamverse” timeline and opts to flesh out the version of Bruce Wayne that is presented more than any other game in the series. As a result, this iteration of Batman begins to adopt a more unique identity of his own that feels different from those seen across TV, film, and comics. It also recontextualizes some of the events of Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight while not retconning or hindering anything presented in those games. 

The story of Batman: Arkham Shadow is likely the aspect of the game that surprised me the most. Coming into Arkham Shadow, I expected it to rely a bit more heavily on its gameplay mechanics as the VR controls and format are arguably the most unique aspect of the title. Instead, Arkham Shadow has more twists and turns in its story than just about any other Arkham game. In fact, the main thrust of its narrative involving Batman’s pursuit of the Rat King was one that I was completely taken aback by. 

Thematically, Arkham Shadow also presents a lot of interesting ideas about Batman’s role in Gotham City that haven’t been explored in previous Arkham titles, let alone other Batman media. This isn’t the central focus of Arkham Shadow by any means, but it adds far more depth to its storytelling and proved to be another major point of engagement for myself. 

On the gameplay front, Batman: Arkham Shadow is a tried and true Arkham game in every way. The franchise’s marquee hand-to-hand combat is readily present here in Arkham Shadow, except you’re the one throwing the punches and chaining together long combos to take down thugs. What I’m most impressed by with the combat in Arkham Shadow is just how fluid it feels. Darting from one corner of a room to another to quickly hammer foes with a flurry of fists at no point got tiresome in my time with Arkham Shadow. In fact, combat only gets better the more you play as you begin to unlock additional gadgets and special attacks that mix things up further. The Arkham series has arguably always been most synonymous with its fantastic combat and that’s no different here in Arkham Shadow. 

The Predator sequences of Batman: Arkham Shadow, however, I feel haven’t translated as seamlessly to VR. These sections of the game where Batman is trying to stealthily take down armed enemies work in the same way as the mainline games and see you largely grappling between gargoyles before descending upon baddies to take them down. Getting the jump on unexpected foes is still a lot of fun here in Arkham Shadow, especially when you’re diving off of a gargoyle and stringing someone up to it. Still, the limited perspective that VR offers makes it far more difficult to keep track of your surroundings and know where enemies are at in a given moment. This ends up being that much more frustrating in some of the more challenging Predator sequences later on. While it’s not outright bad, Predator mode is a bit more chaotic than calculated at times than I would like. 

When it comes to Batman’s detective chops, those are again front and center in Arkham Shadow. Solving various mysteries through the use of Batman’s Detective Vision is arguably more satisfying in Arkham Shadow than in any other entries as you’re directly interacting with a lot of the objects that are needed to solve certain puzzles. The puzzles themselves scattered throughout Arkham Shadow are of the perfect difficulty and prompt an adequate amount of critical thinking without being unnecessarily complex. 

On the visuals front, I also believe that Batman: Arkham Shadow is one of the best-looking VR titles I’ve played. Its graphics line up quite well with what was seen in the earlier Arkham games and make the whole series feel that much more uniform. Still, there are some compromises with the tech that have been made, specifically when it comes to character animations. There’s often no lip movement for characters while speaking, which removed me from the experience a bit. I also had some occasional dips in performance, but these weren’t constant by any means. 

In terms of its structure, Batman: Arkham Shadow has a lot in common with Arkham Asylum, which makes it a more intimate experience. This format is one I think plays to the strengths of Arkham Shadow’s nature as a VR game and kept me from ever feeling too overwhelmed by its world. In typical Metroidvania fashion, it’s also a lot of fun to revisit previous sections of Arkham Shadow’s world to solve puzzles or unlock specific areas that weren’t previously accessible. Arkham Shadow is filled to the brim with all sorts of collectibles and I’ve really enjoyed the process of trying to track them all down. 

Outside of the throughline story sections of Arkham Shadow, there are a number of additional challenges that I have found myself going back to. These challenges are the same ones from the core Arkham experience and are centered around either combat or Predator sequences. This has always been one of my personal favorite elements of the Arkham series as I’m always looking to try to beat my own previous high scores. The simple inclusion of these challenges in Arkham Shadow will ensure that this is a game I keep coming back to, even after having finished its story. 

If you have been longing for another Batman game in the wake of Batman: Arkham Knight releasing almost ten years ago, I really cannot recommend Arkham Shadow enough. While it requires a bit of a heavier investment as it’s only available on Meta Quest 3, I struggle to believe that any Batman fan will be disappointed by what Camouflaj has done with Arkham Shadow. It’s not only one of the best VR games that I’ve ever played, but it’s a Batman experience that very much earns its place amongst the Arkham games that have come before. If VR ends up being the predominant medium in which Batman: Arkham titles are released in the future, you won’t find me complaining. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Batman: Arkham Shadow is available now exclusively on Meta Quest 3. A complimentary copy of the game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review. 

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I have never played the original Silent Hill 2. It’s one of those games that has perpetually been in my neverending backlog and always slipped through the cracks for one reason or another. When Konami announced in 2022 that it was remaking its survival-horror classic in tandem with Bloober Team, though, I decided to simply wait for this new iteration to arrive and make it my first experience with the game. Having now done that, I don’t find myself regretting the decision in the slightest as this reimagining is absolutely fantastic. 

Like the original game, Silent Hill 2 tells the story of James Sunderland, who finds himself visiting the foggy town of Silent Hill in search of his presumably deceased wife. It’s a simple enough premise to get the narrative of SH2 rolling but it’s one that I found myself enraptured with the more I played. Silent Hill 2 does a great job of slowly unveiling more about the backstories of its sparse cast of characters, while also providing deeper lore into the history of Silent Hill itself. Despite being met with scares around numerous corners, the compelling throughline arc of James kept me constantly pushing forward to see what would happen next. 

What amplifies Silent Hill 2’s story further is the performances of its cast. Luke Roberts’ performance as James, in particular, is a highlight. While James doesn’t speak often, his words carry a weight with them that Roberts does an excellent job of conveying. Other characters like Eddie and Maria also shine when they happen to show up. 

For the most part, though, Silent Hill 2 centers entirely around James, which I think is to its benefit. This feeling of isolation and loneliness pairs perfectly with its atmospheric approach to horror. Silent Hill 2 has plenty of scares, but these moments are more about sending chills down your spine rather than making you jump out of your seat. While there are some moments of outright shock, Bloober Team instead makes you carefully wade through a series of eerie environments and locations that are perfectly crafted and keep you on edge. 

What contributes to this horror further is some of the puzzles found within Silent Hill 2. Puzzles are the main thing you’re doing at any given time in SH2 as you’re always trying to find a certain key or other random item that will help you progress further. For the most part, I found these puzzles satisfying to figure out, although a handful are a bit more obtuse than others. 

The way in which horror pairs so well with the puzzles is that you’re constantly needing to venture to far-off areas to find the next item that’s required to reach a solution. There’s a lot of backtracking and running through the same areas in Silent Hill 2, but this never feels like a chore as you’re instead always on your toes not knowing what might lie in wait within each room. Even though I never felt lost or confused about where to go in SH2, I often found myself hesitant to push forward simply out of fear of the unknown.

Combat is the one aspect of Silent Hill 2 that I wouldn’t necessarily praise, but it’s also not a vital pillar of the game. While you are firing pistols and swinging iron pipes pretty frequently throughout SH2, it’s never the main thing that you’re doing. Combat is only ever done out of necessity during boss fights, in particular. These battles, which are pretty sparse, don’t contain a whole lot of depth and more often than not just result in you unloading whatever ammo you have on you while dodging incoming attacks. 

Even if the bosses aren’t that thrilling, the design of every monster in Silent Hill 2 is awesome. Creatures like Pyramid Head and the Nurses I was familiar with before ever playing SH2, but they look as intimidating and grotesque as ever in this remake. Like the main cast of characters, there aren’t a ton of monsters in Silent Hill 2, but those that are featured are among the most memorable that I’ve ever seen in a survival-horror game. 

It’s not often that I find myself wanting to immediately replay games, but that’s how I felt after completing Silent Hill 2. While my first playthrough only took around 16 hours to finish, I quickly wanted to jump back in and see what New Game+ and some of SH2’s additional endings would have in store. For those who are on the fence about spending money on a single-player game that might take less than 20 hours to finish, I think this replayability is really one of SH2’s biggest selling points. 

As a Silent Hill 2 newcomer, I have been so impressed with this new remake. Bloober Team faithfully captured the spirit of games from this early PS2 era to the point that it made me reminisce and long to go back and play more games from that time. To that end, I very much have the desire to go back to the original Silent Hill 2 and see how it matches up with this remake. While I can’t speak to how longtime SH2 fans might receive this revamped version of the game, for anyone else who hasn’t played any Silent Hill games before, this is a perfect jumping-on point. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Silent Hill 2 is available now for PlayStation 5 and PC. A copy of the game on PS5 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

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It’s a wild time to be a Dragon Ball fan. The late Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball first hit the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1984, and Shueisha is now in the midst of celebrating the milestone 40th anniversary for the franchise. It’s kicking things off in rather notable way with not only the premiere of a brand new anime series, Dragon Ball Daima, but with a brand new video game title, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, releasing on the very same day. Both of these new projects releasing in tandem is no coincidence either as both are notable new steps forward for their respective mediums, but also a celebration of what has come before. 

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is cumilatively both a brand new experience for Dragon Ball fans, but one that will also feel incredibly familiar to anyone who has played a Dragon Ball game in the last 20 years. Like many of the characters that fans can choose within it, Sparking! Zero is a fusion of the past and present to offer a new experience that’s going to have a bright future. It at times feels like the version of Budokai Tenkaichi that we all thought we were playing on the PlayStation 2 back then, while still feeling like it’s gotten much needed improvements that elevate it over its spiritual successors like Dragon Ball Xenoverse. It’s the Dragon Ball game you’ve been dreaming about for years. 

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a new entry in the long running, but previously defunct Budokai Tenkaichi franchise. With the last entry releasing back in 2010 with Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team for the PlayStation Portable, there have been many games released since that have tried to capture the same spirit. For some reason, Dragon Ball had a lot of issues when it came to jumping from the PlayStation 2 to PlayStation 3 eras. Multiple titles were released that tried to emulate the Budokai Tenkaichi series to increasingly worse effect, and it wasn’t until Dragon Ball Xenoverse introduced its own take on it that it felt like fans were finally getting to play something that scratched that Budokai Tenkaichi itch. 

For anyone who was still worried as to otherwise, Sparking! Zero is a full return to the Budokai Tenkaichi gaming experience. It’s title may have changed to better reflect it being a brand new start (and to reflect the original Sparking! title of the franchise in Japan), but it’s a sequel. That means it’s got all of the appealing things fans loved about those first three titles, but also there are some of the same nitpicks that can be made about it as well. It’s a franchise that has always believed in providing the best experience possible for Dragon Ball fans even if it was at the expense of being a balanced fighter.

What Is Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero? 

Sparking! Zero is an arena fighter that sees the matches expand to a very wide area. Flying around is freely possible and is much faster than it ever has been in the series before. There are additional movements mechanics included that make for better quality of life in general too. There’s an extra dash step that makes closing in quicker, and the powered up ki dash can help you cross distances quickly. Up-close fights are frenetic, and there are deeper abilities that allow you to guard, dodge and parry hits at the right time. If you and your opponent are using the full extent of these additional mechanics it’s basically the closest we’ll get to recreating Dragon Ball’s fights as we ever will. 

For example, one of the biggest quality of life improvements for the fights themselves is the Skill Count meter. This is an additional meter alongside your Ki and Health bars that either gradually fills up over time, or builds as you land hits. Having a Skill Point will either allow you to use skills that buff your stats (or specialty skills like the Solar Flare), or allow you to charge your Ki beyond its maximum amount to enter a special mode that allows you to use your super attacks. It never feels like this meter takes long to charge, but it also helps to limit spamming the strongest super techniques. There’s still a bit of a spamming issue built in, however, as while in your fully charged mode, you could fire a regular Kamehameha Wave then follow with a Super Kamehameha in the same combo chain. That’s also the inherent flaw of having such a wide space for the matches as players could be tempted to just cheese it by firing energy beams back and forth instead of dashing in for hand to hand combat. 

Either way you decide to play, matches are also decided quickly. It’s very easy to just run back matches as soon as they’re over because they can end so quickly. You can choose to make them longer with Team Battles which let you take up to five fighters into a match (and swap out with them after a certain time). Battles feel fresh due to the number of options there are to take down your opponent, so when you add in additional layers on top with transformations it goes to a whole new level of fun in the fights. The only issue with the gameplay itself is one that won’t bother Dragon Ball fans: it’s not the most balanced fighter on the market. 

Eschewing the traditional fighting game mindset, Sparking! Zero instead allows the strong characters to be openly stronger than the weaker ones. Characters you expect to deal lots of damage and have more health indeed do. Mastered Ultra Instinct Goku is going to be much stronger than early Dragon Ball Z Goku, and godly compared to the generic Frieza Soldier. This is in service of adhering to the Dragon Ball canon, and for many goes that extra mile that allows fans to truly play out their Dragon Ball fantasies. It’s still not an impossible gap to cover if you have the skill, however. Using Mr. Satan to defeat Jiren (Full Power) is still doable; it’s just going to take some time while playing perfectly. This decision makes sense when accounting for the 182-character roster at launch. 

For Dragon Ball Fans, By Dragon Ball Fans

Character selection still somehow isn’t going to please everyone. There is a lack of classic Dragon Ball representation, but this is also the first game in the series that includes canonical materials from Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and beyond. It’s a wider net being cast, and the characters selected at least all feel like they offer something different. There’s a distinct lack of generic shared specials and rush attacks, and while characters can all move around the arenas at the same kind of pace, slower characters are a bit slower and speedier characters are a bit faster. Balance is lost in favor of this massive roster maintaining its canon adherence and size, so mileage will vary in how you respond to that. 

Speaking of fan service, there’s no better example of this than everything that has been included in the single player content. Before even jumping online to test your skills against others (or split screen fighting in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber stage), the story modes included this time are Episode and Custom Battle. Episode Battle focuses on eight different fighter’s paths throughout the story depending on when they take part. For example, Goku’s goes on for longer because it ranges from the Saiyan Arc to the end of the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super. But Jiren’s will only showcase his time in the Tournament of Power. And depending on how well you do in some matches, your Episode Battle experience can change drastically. 

There are certain “What If?” paths you take go down by either making a choice, or fulfilling a secret battle requirement. And these parallel universe branches can range from insignificant to changing the story entirely. For example, you can fight Raditz without Piccolo’s help and get help from Krillin instead. This seems like a small detail, but then you’ll see through some other events that go down that Goku survives the final blow. It changes how the rest of the Saiyan arc evolves from that point. Because if Goku doesn’t die in the fight against Raditz, he never learns the Kaioken or Spirit Bomb. Thus this story then shows what it could look like if Goku was around for the fights against the other Saiyans without those techniques.

Tons of Surprises in Store

That’s a small example of the unique ways the stories can go, and there are some truly excellent surprises in store with special “Sparking! Episode” cutscenes that play out some of the big “What If?” scenes. You can also make your own with Custom Battle, and the level of detail in what you can edit is quite surprising. You can make your own episode of the anime including episode title backgrounds, music, and even why characters might be fighting. This is going to be the mode fans are likely going to dive into the longest, and especially so when everyone’s uploading their own custom fights.

Finally, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is just pure eye candy. Funny enough, this seems like this needs the least time spent on it of all the subjects as one look can tell you that Dragon Ball! Sparking Zero has a visual fidelity that gets as close to the anime as you might hope. Particle effects, explosions, dashing around, quick teleports, beams and more just look fantastic. There can be a bit of a stutter when things are going a bit too wild (and the arena itself is breaking apart), but it’s not very common as it was rarely seen in the hundreds of matches I had in the time with the game. You’re going to see lots of Supers thrown around, so luckily, it all looks incredible doing so. 

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the Budokai Tenkaichi 4 fans have been waiting to get for a long, long time, but it’s also the perfect first entry to jump into if you’ve never played a game in this series. It’s a great first impression, and even better reunion. You’ve been waiting for a Dragon Ball game like this. 

Rating: 5 out of 5

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero releases on October 11th (October 7th for those with early access) on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review, and was reviewed on a PlayStation 5.

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It is shocking to me how well games from the Xbox 360 and PS3 era continue to hold up. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been replaying a lot of games from this period whether it be in their original forms or with new remasters/remakes. Every time I do, I come away wishing that modern releases felt as creative or unique as the titles that stemmed from this era. After playing Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, this feeling has only been amplified further as Capcom’s latest remake perfectly keeps intact the chaotic fun distinct premise of the original. 

For the most part, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a faithful revamp of the first game in Capcom’s second most popular zombie franchise. You play as journalist Frank West, who finds himself trapped in the Willamette Parkview Mall in the midst of a zombie outbreak. Everything in the mall is then turned into a weapon for Frank as he’s forced to fight off the undead hordes and uncover the mystery behind the epidemic. 

This process of running around and mowing through zombie masses with whatever you can get your hands on in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is just as enjoyable as it was almost two decades ago. The gameplay has also received a number of quality-of-life changes in Deluxe Remaster and feels more fluid than ever before. Thanks to Capcom’s RE Engine, more zombies are able to fill the screen in Deluxe Remaster and can respawn more quickly as well. This latter change can be a bit of an annoyance, though, as I found that dozens of zombies I would have slaughtered would be replaced by a new horde far too quickly. This dampened some of the satisfaction of wiping out an entire section of the mall and being able to traverse about more easily as the fruits of your labor. 

Survivor AI has also been greatly improved in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster to where it’s no longer infuriating to escort civilians to safety. The original version of Dead Rising essentially forced you to babysit any survivors that you came across or risk losing them to the undead. This added a certain level of challenge to Dead Rising, but the challenge was often rooted too much in frustration to be enjoyable. Deluxe Remaster now strikes a much nicer balance and makes the process of saving every survivor much less grueling. 

The one thing that makes DRDR even more forgiving is the mere implementation of auto-saves. This might not seem like a big deal, but again, it eases some of the headaches that are often talked about when it comes to Dead Rising. Being able to immediately jump into a boss fight at the start of the encounter rather than having to reload a previous save from a fixed point was a godsend in Deluxe Remaster and eased the stress that I used to constantly have when playing Dead Rising. 

Despite my overwhelming positivity, some changes in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster have been made that I really don’t understand. Specific characters have had their dialogue or appearances completely altered for reasons that are never made apparent. None of these changes markedly improve Deluxe Remaster when compared to the original Dead Rising, which just has me questioning why some of it was done in the first place. I wouldn’t say these tweaks make Deluxe Remaster drastically worse by comparison, but it’s certainly puzzling. 

Frank West has also seen some notable overhauls in his character design and voice in Deluxe Remaster, both of which I don’t care for as much when compared to his initial appearance. This new iteration of Frank grew on me over time and I had him wearing such outlandish outfits while I played that it almost didn’t matter what Capcom turned his base design into. Still, I can’t help but miss the performance of original voice actor TJ Rotolo and I wish he could’ve been involved with this remake. 

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster hasn’t only been fun to revisit as a longtime fan, it has further proven to me just how much juice this series has left in it. Capcom made all of the right choices in Deluxe Remaster from a gameplay standpoint, and even if there are other alterations that I don’t care for, it’s hard to say that this is anything but the definitive version of Dead Rising. Despite pushing 20 years old, Dead Rising is still a blast to play and Deluxe Remaster should hopefully be the starting point for more to come from the franchise moving forward. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is available now digitally for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A courtesy copy of the game was provided by Capcom for the purpose of this review. 

The post Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Review: Frank’s Big Return appeared first on ComicBook.com.

I’ve been sold on the concept of The Plucky Squire since its first trailer debuted in 2022. The idea of a 2D and 3D action-platformer centered around a child’s storybook was absolutely perfect and had me eagerly waiting for its arrival. Luckily, after having now fully played The Plucky Squire, I’m happy to say the finished product is one that met my expectations and then some. 

The Plucky Squire centers around a young boy named Jot, who is the hero of a line of children’s books. Alongside his two friends Violet and Thrash, Jot adventures across the land of Mojo to primarily thwart the plans of the evil wizard Humgrump. This is how the tale of “The Plucky Squire” always goes until Humgrump realizes he’s merely part of a story and decides to use his magic to upend the outcome. The result sees Jot punted out of the pages of his own book and begins his latest quest to set things back to how they were. 

From start to finish, the story The Plucky Squire tells is adorable. The writing is dripping with charm and is easy enough for children to understand while still being smart enough for adults to want to engage with. One stage that predominantly centered around heavy metal particularly appealed to me, although I imagine most of its references wouldn’t be understood by younger players. I find it’s really difficult for many games to be for “all ages” as this term is more often than not associated with titles strictly for children. That isn’t the case with The Plucky Squire, though, as it’s a game I think anyone could find enchanting. 

The real star of The Plucky Squire, though, is its art direction. This is the element of the game that first grabbed my attention two years ago and it proves to be just as gorgeous in full motion. During the storybook sequences of The Plucky Squire, in particular, the colors and accompanying animations really pop. The game’s appearance when outside of these pages is largely still great, but it definitely pales in comparison and left me wanting to return more often to the in-book areas. 

Art direction alone often isn’t enough to make or break any game, but fortunately, The Plucky Squire is just as fun to play as it is to look at. One of the best things about The Plucky Squire is that it’s constantly keeping you on your toes and doesn’t commit to any single genre. While the standard, storybook sections of the game might play in a similar manner to old-school Zelda titles, it also throws these conventions out the window left and right.  There are sequences scattered throughout The Plucky Squire that draw inspiration from games like Super Mario Bros., Punch-Out!!, Resogun, and even bubble shooter games synonymous with the late 90s. This diversity of playstyles keeps The Plucky Squire constantly feeling fresh and keeps you guessing about what will happen next. 

Outside of these gameplay moments, the majority of the time in The Plucky Squire will be spent jumping in and out of Jot’s storybook. The biggest benefit to this style of play is the puzzles as you’ll have to go back and forth between the two worlds to advance past certain roadblocks. As Jot unlocks more abilities that allow him to interact directly with the storybook, these puzzles become a bit more complex in nature and become that much more enjoyable to solve.

Unfortunately, some of the only problems that I ran into during my time with The Plucky Squire were related to these puzzles. These issues seemed a bit random and included one instance where a block at the center of a puzzle clipped into the environment and kept it from working properly. None of these problems were ever enough to prevent me from outright completing the game as a simple reloading of my most recent save often fixed things. Other than these few struggles, I never had any additional issues of note. 

Over the past year, I’ve been looking for more games like The Plucky Squire. In a market that feels oversaturated by live-service, free-to-play fodder, The Plucky Squire is a breath of fresh air that reminded me of just how inventive and unique video games can be. It’s not just a game that I enjoyed myself, but it’s one that I plan to introduce to my kids to watch them play, too. If you’re also looking for more games of this type, then I cannot recommend it enough. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Plucky Squire is out today across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms. An advance copy of the game was provided by the publisher and was reviewed on PS5. 

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Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a game that I’m baffled even exists. The past decade has been a particularly rough one for Marvel vs. Capcom fans following the dismal release of MvC: Infinite. This combined with the previous delisting of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 from digital storefronts made it seem as though Capcom’s iconic fighting game series might be gone for good. Fortunately, these fears have now been put to rest as the franchise has now been revived in a way that could make it more relevant than ever. 

After having spent time with all seven titles in the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection, I’m surprised by how great each still feels to play. From X-Men: Children of the Atom through Marvel vs. Capcom 2, every game included here is still incredibly fun and offers a top-tier fighting game experience. The odd inclusion of the bunch, 1993’s The Punisher beat ’em up, is still quite enjoyable in its own right, especially given how sparse brawlers are nowadays. 

While you can play all of these games in the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection with friends on your own couch, online play has also been added to each title. In my experience, online matches worked seamlessly and gave me no issues whatsoever. While I struggled to find opponents at times, I chalk this up more to the lack of people playing in the pre-release phase. Whenever I did land a match, though, each one felt just as fluid as if I was playing with someone else locally. Capcom’s commitment to rollback netcode with this collection is likely a big reason for this seamless experience and it’s very much appreciated. 

Outside of its online component, practice mode is the other big inclusion with each game in Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection. This is a rather straightforward addition, but it’s also one that was particularly needed, especially as a way of cultivating new fans. Given how old these games are, there are surely millions of players already familiar with the ins and outs of every title included. Practice mode being folded in doesn’t only ensure that veterans can hone their skills further, but it can get new players to better understand how the various systems and mechanics of each title work before then jumping into matches against others. This is something that I particularly found helpful, and I’m glad Capcom put in the effort to include it. 

Arguably the coolest aspect of Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection is its slew of bonus features. More often than not with collections like this, I find that the extra inclusions are a bit of a letdown. That’s far from the case here with MvC Fighting Collection, though, as the game is filled to the brim with hundreds of old pieces of concept art, design docs, and other materials from Capcom’s creation processes in the 90s. Documentation of this kind is rarely ever released to the public, and I’m baffled that some of these items haven’t been lost over the past two to three decades. While I wouldn’t consider any of this a main selling point of the game, it’s a fantastic inclusion for those who are interested in Capcom’s history. 

If there is a downside to this Marvel vs. Capcom collection, it would be that there is little reason to go back and revisit some of these games. Most of Capcom’s Marvel fighting games of the 90s progressively built upon one another until they eventually culminated in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, which is by far the best entry of the bunch. As a result, going back to some of the precursors of MvC2 can feel a bit stale by comparison. Still, this is hardly a negative aspect of the collection as I’m happy to see Capcom include all of these titles for no other reason than game preservation. 

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics largely makes good on its simple premise. All of the games included here are of a great quality, and Capcom fortunately hasn’t messed anything up in the porting process. This combined with some of the ancillary bonus features makes Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection just as interesting as a historical piece as it is a game that can be played with friends. Whether you’re a newcomer or a veteran to Marvel vs. Capcom, this is a collection that is well worth the price of admission and should hopefully pave the way for a wholly new installment. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is set to release this week on September 12th and will come to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A copy of the game on PS4 was provided by Capcom for the purpose of this review. 

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I cannot remember the last time a game made me smile as much as Astro Bot has. From beginning to end, Team Asobi’s latest adventure with PlayStation’s new mascot is an absolute joy. Not only does it stand out within its own platforming genre, Astro Bot serves as a shining example of the types of games that PlayStation should look to focus more on releasing. 

In simplest form, Astro Bot is a natural extension of everything that was seen in Astro’s Playroom which is the pack-in game that launched in tandem with the PlayStation 5. The level structure of Astro Bot is similar to Playroom as is its focus on PlayStation’s hardware and history. Scattered throughout its many colorful worlds are numerous callbacks to famous PlayStation icons (Kratos from God of War, Nathan Drake from Uncharted, etc.) alongside many others that only the most hardcore fans might recognize. 

It’s this focus on PlayStation and the history of the brand that is arguably my favorite element of Astro Bot. As someone who has been playing in the PlayStation ecosystem since the early days of the PS1, Astro Bot feels like both a love letter to fans and the brand as a whole. Many of these callbacks and references to PlayStation titles from yesteryear are pretty straightforward, but they still find a way to elicit nostalgia without feeling tacky. 

What also helps on this front is that gameplay never stops being the focal point of Astro Bot. Throughout the game’s more than 50 stages, Astro Bot gives players a litany of different abilities and unique environments to hop, dash, and punch their way through. Across these diverse levels, a standard “collectathon” approach is taken that will task players with saving various bots and discovering puzzle pieces. Doing so will allow you to return to your hub world and open up new areas that can enhance the experience in different ways. It’s perhaps a bit of a straightforward setup but one that works great nonetheless.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of this hub area in Astro Bot is that it also allows you to interact more directly with the PlayStation-specific bots that you’ll rescue. These bots can have their appearance and interactivity further altered if you unlock a corresponding item that is tied to their character. For example, getting the Leviathan Axe for Kratos and then finding him in this hub can result in the Kratos Bot using the weapon and freezing other bots around him. This is just one unique example of well over 100 and the manner in which Team Asobi implements these elements is dripping with creativity and cuteness. 

Where Astro Bot is at its best, though, is when it meshes its excellent gameplay more directly with these PlayStation callbacks. There are a handful of levels within Astro Bot that lean very heavily into select PlayStation franchises and introduce mechanics that would be found in those properties. I won’t spoil which games Team Asobi chooses to lean into in these moments, but there are some that left me both surprised and thrilled to see spotlighted. 

Like Astro’s Playroom, Astro Bot also looks to place a major focus on the DualSense controller and what it’s capable of. This doesn’t just include unique uses of the haptic feedback or adaptive triggers, either, as Team Asobi uses the DualSense in ways that I haven’t seen other studios ever attempt with their own games. Whether this be blowing on the DualSense’s microphone to generate wind within the game world, or using the motion controls to hammer together the broken remnants of Astro’s PS5-style ship, the DualSense controller is one of the stars of Astro Bot. 

Those looking to test their platforming prowess in Astro Bot are likely to find that the game isn’t as challenging as they would like. While there are some difficult levels later on in Astro Bot, they pale in comparison to stages that I’ve encountered in other platforming titles. Still, this isn’t a bad thing whatsoever as it keeps Astro Bot an accessible title for players of all ages. And in a time where PlayStation has perhaps focused a bit too much on Mature titles rounding out its offerings from its first-party studios, a game aimed more at younger audiences feels particularly fresh. 

If there is one concern I have with Astro Bot, it’s less about the game itself. Instead, I’m simply left wondering what Team Asobi can do next with this franchise. Between Astro’s Playroom and Astro Bot, I don’t think this series can continue to tap into PlayStation nostalgia and history without it beginning to feel worn thin. Obviously, the Astro character can thrive well enough without this reliance on the PlayStation brand as seen in Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. Still, if Astro is going to be another major pillar of PlayStation in the years to come, I believe it has to evolve in some manner from what’s been seen in Astro Bot. 

Despite having high expectations for Astro Bot, Team Asobi still found a way to surpass all of my hopes. This isn’t just one of the best games of 2024, it’s one of the best platformers that I have played in the last decade. Those who have a long attachment to PlayStation or just a simple love for games of this genre cannot let Astro Bot pass them by.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Astro Bot is set to release later this week on September 6, 2024, exclusively for PlayStation 5. A review code was provided by PlayStation for the purpose of this review. 

The post Astro Bot Review: 2024’s Most Adorable Game Is Also One of Its Best appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars fans have been eager for an open-world game to allow them to fully immerse themselves into the galaxy for what feels like forever, and Ubisoft has finally delivered with their latest release: Star Wars Outlaws. Outlaws, while not without fault, offers an expansive exploration of the galaxy far, far away the likes of which Star Wars fans haven’t seen before, with multiple dense planets to explore as players aim to become the best thief in the galaxy, making a name for themselves through Outlaws‘ reputation system while experiencing a compelling new piece of the Star Wars narrative.

As is the case with the Andor and the majority of The Book of Boba Fett series, Star Wars Outlaws offers a welcome departure from the fantastical world of the Force from being the center of the galaxy, and the Force’s presence is integral to the overarching story and themes with the galaxy it’s nice to see parts of the galaxy’s without a Jedi being central to it. Much like Andor, Outlaws allows its audience to see the impacts on the everyday individuals and their loved ones that the harshness of the Empire creates, and because this is considerably more relatable to audiences as none of us can understand a life with the Force’s wonders (unfortunately) and allows for a level of immersion not achieved with any previous Star Wars gaming title. 

Early previews heralded Star Wars Outlaws as the new Red Dead Redemption 2, and while I don’t feel Outlaws offers quite the same level storytelling and exploration offered by Rockstar Games’ 2018 title, I have to say it comes as close as possible. Its settings are as dense as any in RDR2, yes, and therefore just as intersting to explore, with the star ship and speeder Kay Vess has at her disposal offering some seriously fun traversal mechanics. With some changes and enhancements Outlaws could have truly been Red Dead Redemption 2 in space, and falls only just short – Outlaws simply doesn’t deliver any overly memorable characters that I anticipate many fawning over in excess in the future, and the gameplay just isn’t as fun.

The writers for the game, while clearly deeply knowledgable on the Star Wars franchise and passionate to deliver the aforementioned compelling story, have only fallen somewhat short when it comes to the game’s content, and as mentioned it’s only the characters that I feel could’ve been improved upon. The two standouts for me from the game were Sliro, who is a wonderful representation of the title “crime boss”, and the player character Kay Vess’ companion, Nix. I simply didn’t feel attached to any of the characters outside of Nix, and for me it’s a huge missed opportunity in a game when I find I don’t connect with the character I’m playing as – and unfortunately, I just don’t see a character in Kay that many people will. The various storylines will have you intrigued and eager to experience more, familiar appearances from characters we’ve seen in the past will inspire that Star Wars nostalgia to carry you through, but ultimately the most compelling “new” content that Outlaws has to offer is its worlds and adding more depth to the criminal syndicates running the under workings of the galaxy.

In trying to become the best thief in the galaxy as Kay Vess, you will experience Outlaws‘ Reputation and Imperial Wanted sytems, which for me was the most interesting part of the game. It’s never going to not be fun to make such a horrific group such as the Empire increasingly frustrated with you, and the reputation Kay develops with each of the criminal syndicates offer sizable changes to how the player will experience the game, with their behavior changing toward Kay dependent on the player’s choices. This offers a replayability factor to the game, and I personally would be the type of person to replay Outlaws several times over to experience as many variations as possible if it weren’t for a major setback – Outlaws‘ gameplay itself. 

Outlaws plays exactly like any other Ubisoft title you’ve experienced before – it’s commonly said that if you’ve played one game from the studio, you’ve played them all. While from a gameplay point this is accurate and anyone playing Outlaws that has played a previous Ubisoft title will know exactly what to do from a gameplay perspective – which is either good or bad dependent on how you feel about Ubisoft gameplay, and them falling into this almost formulaic approach to game development. For me, this monotony became tiresome in a way it has in many Ubisoft titles before it – the open world, while it should feel vast throughout the game, almost feels small at times because of the repetition in the open world chores, and stealth mechanics become increasingly eye-rolling to have to carry out throughout the game. 

The stealth and most aspects attached to it are the only thing holding Outlaws back from truly fun gameplay. At certain points it becomes outright frustrating to navigate the criminal underworld, and its steal level layouts simply do not allow its players to have a seamless experience. Enemy line-of-sight isn’t communicated well, the guard layouts simply do not make sense more often than not and become an overly frustrating source of planning, and ultimately the stealth becomes horribly monotonous and unexciting. 

Overall, while I finished the main storyline and got a fair amount of exploration in, I’m already fairly excited to load up Star Wars Outlaws some more today to get back into the aspect of the game where it’s at its best – exploration – though I’m not particularly enthralled to have to sit through more of its gameplay. 

3.5/5

Star Wars Outlaws launces on August 30th for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

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This is a silly analogy, but playing Madden NFL 25 reminded me a lot of anyone I dated in high school. Things started exciting. The first kiss. Staying up late talking about nothing. Taking them to Prom. You know how it goes. But the more you spend time with them, you start to realize that things aren’t as great under the surface, and the two of you are looking for completely different things in life.

Madden NFL 25‘s On-Field Improvements Are Marred by Countless Legacy Issues

From a macro level, Madden 25 feels better than last year’s version on the field. The team has seemingly taken a page from the more wide-open College Football 25 and injected more fluidity into your ball carrier. With high-level studs like Christian McCaffrey or Tyreek Hill, you can make defenders miss much more dramatically than in years past. Remember that iconic scene from Hard Knocks where DeAndre Hopkins snaps DeAngelo Hall’s ankles with one of the nastiest cuts you’ve ever seen? I saw something similar happen a few times during my Franchise Mode save with Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings.

Beyond the open-field movement improvements, Madden 25 also brings several pre-snap adjustment improvements from College Football. You can half-slide your offensive or use more tricky coverage shells to hide your defensive alignment. It’s the kind of control hardcore Madden players are going to love and newcomers can learn to use it with practice. There are also some great new catch types and animations that are more than worthy of the Sportscenter Top 10 list.

That said, my point about looking under the surface couldn’t be more apt than it is in gameplay. Yes, some of the new features and mechanics are great additions, but this is still the same broken Madden players have been dealing with for several years. Blocking remains a guessing game of whether your players are going to function like anything resembling a human being or not. Far too often, I’ve seen blockers get beaten or slide off of a block and then just stand there like they’ve been frozen in place. 

On top of the questionable-at-best blocking, I’ve also noticed animations overtaking sense far too often, especially with EA touting its physics-based tackling this year. When it works, it looks great, but when it doesn’t, you’ll quickly be pulled out of the simulation and remember that Madden doesn’t replicate the real-world NFL. It replicates Madden. 

To give you an example of what I’m talking about when I say you’re not really playing a football simulation when you’re playing Madden, I was playing with the Vikings and called a slant route for their star wideout Justin Jefferson. Most fans would agree that Jet is one of, if not the best receivers on the planet right now. A slant route is one of the simplest routes in football. You cut at an angle and run straight. There’s not much more to it. On this particular play, Jefferson ran the route like normal, but when I threw to him, he just stopped running. The cornerback then ran past him and grabbed an interception. This is supposed to be the best player at his position in the NFL and he just stops in the middle of a route for no reason. It’s unacceptable.

And to be fair, if this were a one-off occurrence, I’d give EA the benefit of the doubt. However, there are plays like this in every game. Your cornerback is staring at the opposing QB but just runs away from the ball when he throws it. Your wideout is running a go and you check it down to your running back, so the receiver starts to block even though there’s no way they could know the ball is out. It’s these little details that make Madden NFL 25 difficult for me to enjoy because I wish another developer could be competing to make something that takes a little more care with the on-field aspect of the game.

Mode Improvements Leave Much to be Desired 

Though, even saying that, the lack of care extends to the modes as well. I don’t think any of them are necessarily bad, but nothing feels impressive or like the developer is taking a step forward. The more you play modes like Franchise, the more you notice weird details that seem like strange oversights. In my news tab, ESPN was talking about a “highly anticipated quarterback showdown” between two 58 overall, free-agent quarterbacks who didn’t play a single down. I was asked to talk to my coordinator about my plans to progress my rookie defensive end, but when I went to the conversation, we were talking about my quarterback’s development. It’s just a frustrating lack of detail that sours the entire product.

It’s also worth noting that, for the first few days I was playing Madden NFL 25, if I tried to start a new Franchise, it would soft-lock my PlayStation 5. If I wanted to play Superstar mode, I had to log into the mode, exit it, log into Ultimate Team, log out of that mode, and then go back into Superstar before it would work. Fortunately, most of those issues seem to have been resolved, but I’ve also heard other players are still having problems.

Look, I could spend the time talking about how much better the menus look or discuss how pointless a lot of the extra storytelling in Franchise and Superstar Mode is. I could tell you that MUT is the worst version of Ultimate Team in any sports game and complain about how annoying it is to navigate the mode. I could talk about how great the new “Cheat” plays are and how fun kick-offs can be once you learn the new rules. But, the long and short of it all is that Madden NFL 25 is the same Madden it’s been for the last several years. EA Sports makes some fun changes on the surface, but the more you play, the more you see all the same problems bubbling to the surface. I think this year’s version is marginally better than Madden NFL 24, but not in any way that’s going to matter to most fans. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to College Football 25.

Rating: 3 out of 5 

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