Game review stories
Old-school arcade fans get a fresh vertical shooter with co-op, score attack and punishing bosses, though beginners may struggle.
A long, strategic board-and-card hybrid, Culdcept Begins could appeal to newcomers, though matches can run 40 minutes or more.
Stiff level gating and repetitive dungeon fights hold this Xbox Series X JRPG back, despite a gripping death-permadeath premise.
Replay value and new battle modes soften concerns over a two-hour campaign in Nintendo's latest Star Fox remake for Switch 2.
Real-time combat and time-travel exploration set Square Enix's 2D-HD RPG apart from its turn-based peers, with boss fights the main snag.
Better visuals, steadier frame rates and free DLC fighters make the re-release more appealing, though online play still suffers.
Switch 2 players can finally play the acclaimed JRPG, though the port runs at 30fps and with noticeably softer visuals than on PS5.
A shift to more conventional survival horror may widen the audience, but it also slightly dilutes the series' branching, cinematic appeal.
Players may find the Switch 2 exclusive too easy, but its hand-drawn look and animal abilities make exploration the main draw.
Forty-two years after the arcade original, the remake adds 3D visuals and extra modes, though its one-hit challenge may deter some players.
Permanent deaths raise the stakes in this anime-inspired tactical RPG, where one lost pilot can cripple your mech and force a costly replacement.
Japan's roads, cityscapes and mountain passes make the latest Forza Horizon a more varied, portable and polished racer on Xbox and PC.
Fans of the superhero series get a brutal tag-team brawler with 18 fighters, slick visuals and a deep tutorial for newcomers.
Switch 2 owners get a cinematic Indiana Jones adventure that largely holds up on portable hardware despite a 30fps cap and awkward camera shifts.
Real-time hacking and path-traced visuals help Capcom's lunar shooter stand out, even as its missions grow repetitive.
Players get more realism and a stronger career mode, but Xbox Series X owners may find MotoGP 26 feels too similar to last year’s release.
Game Pass access has helped keep players online, but Kiln feels thin at launch with just five maps and one mode.
Housemarque’s PS5 roguelike offers permanent upgrades and 60fps combat, but its steep learning curve may deter some players.
A comedy-filled island of custom Miis and odd romances gives players 30 hours of laughs, even if the cutscenes grow repetitive.
The remake drops multiplayer but adds four-player co-op and a new prequel, while Unreal Engine 5 gives Halo a sharper next-gen look.
