Battlefield 6 doesn’t reinvent the battlefield; it restores it. DICE has delivered a visually stunning, technically confident, and wildly satisfying shooter that returns to the thrill of teamwork and chaos. The campaign may be forgettable, and smaller maps miss the mark, but when those tanks roar across a crumbling desert and 64 soldiers clash over a checkpoint, I felt it like pure magic. This is the Battlefield fans have been waiting for, a game that finally remembers what made the franchise special in the first place.

You’ll be disappointed if you expect a big playground to explore or deep action mechanics. But if you want to experience one of the most emotional mob stories in games, a tale of love and betrayal set against the beautiful, cruel backdrop of early 1900s Sicily, this is the ride you should take. Be ready with tissues, though, as The Old Country is a tragedy. It doesn’t pull its punches and leaves scars that last long after the credits roll.

EA Sports FC 26 is a step forward, and the series desperately needed it. The backbone has never been more customizable, and Career Mode feels truly rewarding with Authentic gameplay this year. If only the issue of microtransactions and Ultimate Team’s focus on money didn’t hang over the game so heavily. That said, FC 26 truly delivers for both fans of realistic, tactical football and those who enjoy fast, arcade-style matches. Whether you want a deep and thoughtful game or play a quick and exciting online match, it offers both. Just be aware that the game will keep finding ways to encourage you to spend extra money along the way.

Borderlands 4 lacks the polish of a flawless AAA release, but it delivers on some of the most important parts, such as offering thrilling gameplay, an expansive world, and a story that actually makes you care. The darker story and serious tone might disappoint fans who want nonstop jokes, but these changes make the game’s emotions and stakes stronger than previous games. It’s a wild, rewarding journey across a beautifully chaotic world full of secrets, explosions, and loot that never quits. Whether you play solo or with friends, Borderlands 4 reaffirms why this franchise remains a shining beacon in the looter-shooter genre, still messy, still loud, still totally and utterly addictive.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a therapeutic, genre-expanding experience that builds on its predecessor’s bold foundation.

An authentic Assassin's Creed experience with something for everyone, and the best RPG-style AC to date. Shadows finally brings the franchise back to the light with refreshed stealth, myriad combat abilities, and satisfying exploration.

33 Immortals is a bold experiment in the roguelike genre, blending large-scale co-op raids with fast-paced action and a striking art style. [Early Access Score = 80]

A great entry from the leading baseball sim going, MLB The Show 25 adds small but meaningful elements to its familiar formula to keep you swinging for the fences.

Full of hilarious moments and incredible cinematics; Split Fiction is a couch co-op powerhouse, perfect for those looking for endless fun and the ultimate escape.

Monster Hunter Wilds is more of the same classic monster-slaying fun, but with new improvements and a seamless world to explore, the grind has never been better. This decades-old franchise still has plenty of fun left to discover.

Part One is the perfect beginning to a story that will stay with you for a long time to come, all set against an evocative soundtrack.

Xbox exclusives have been a swing and a miss recently, with even the likes of Starfield splitting fanbases. But Avowed has changed the tune—perhaps benefiting from reduced expectations after those that came before. I admittedly overlooked Avowed on the release calendar, with my eyes firmly set on other upcoming titles. Having dived headfirst into the adventure across the Living Lands, though, it’s safe to say I’ll be sticking around for the foreseeable future.

Everything can go wrong during a playthrough of Kingdom Come 2, and even when it does, it’s the most fun I’ve had in a medieval RPG in a long time. The first game scratched the survival game itch I wanted to experience within a narrative, and everything’s been giving a proper facelift for the sequel. Fans of the first one will be overjoyed about the continued story and the refined features, while newcomers will be delighted with the experience and feeling like they can jump right into a living, breathing world.

Civ 7 has elements that fans of previous titles will know and love, but its core gameplay loop is unique. While it may be a sticking point for players who’ve been with the series from the start, it’s exactly what the Civ world needed to keep things exciting.

Dynasty Warriors Origins tries very hard to reboot the series in meaningful ways, and for the most part, it’s successful in creating a more focused single-player experience. It delves deep into the richness of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms story, even if it’s at times very poorly told. The core battle mechanics are perhaps the best in the series, with many additions to keep you engaged in combat, but there’s a lot of busywork and bloat that hampers its vision.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is fun if you’re not expecting a Hollywood movie adventure. The theatrics are there, but the game focuses more on exploring who Indiana Jones is, his background as an archaeologist, and his moral compass guiding him to assist others. The few stumbles that do happen don’t diminish the larger story, and I only wish it were longer to keep exploring more locations with Indy as a guide.

STALKER 2 can be a fun experience as you work your way through the game. The initial area will feel like the toughest because of how much it can take you by surprise. Still, as you gradually expand to other locations, find new gear, and embrace the thought of being prepared, it’s rewarding in all the right ways, even if getting there feels like climbing an irradiated mountain.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is an action-filled game that is fluid, crisp, and exciting. The missions are well-written and enjoyable, and the dialogue between companions is delightful. There’s a lot to like about The Veilguard, but there are a few bumps in the road. For older Dragon Age fans, it might feel odd to be planted in this mostly dungeon-based mission corridor, but the experience never feels like a grind and is mostly BioWare playing it safe.

The most complete CoD package in years, Black Ops 6 is further proof that Treyarch are the masters of this franchise.

The latest RPG is a good adventure worth its salt but carries even bigger potential. It’s hard not to imagine a follow-up title based on scenarios like steampunk or drawing from darker horror. With ReFantazio, Atlus is mostly unencumbered by traditional tenets of Persona—and that may be its biggest strength.

Frostpunk 2 offers an engaging and rewarding overall package for city-building fans able to accept harsh punishment and willing to give up and start again from scratch.

Quidditch Champions feels like an incomplete game that should’ve been part of something larger, and maybe that’s because Quidditch is the one key feature Hogwarts Legacy is missing. The latter can stand on its own without it, but I’m unsure whether Quidditch Champions can, too.

If you can get past the frustrating crashing issues and performance drops, there is a great basketball sim with plenty to discover for all kinds of NBA fans.

Gripping, bloody gameplay and impressive hordes of enemies shine, even if the narrative might only appeal to hardcore fans.

Across the 10-15 hours of Astro Bot I gratefully lapped up, I had an immovable grin on my face. I smiled and laughed (unironically) from start to finish—Astro Bot is ridiculously fun and makes gaming fun.

I had high hopes for Frank Stone, but Supermassive has written scarier, better narrative-focused horror games. Creating a unique story-driven game set in the Dead by Daylight universe is a great idea, but Frank Stone doesn't focus enough on the elements that make Dead by Daylight unique

If you haven’t had the chance to play Age of Mythology before, or you’re a fan who’s played the original for hundreds of hours, Age of Mythology: Retold is a wonderful time to jump into the game.

Crypt Custodian may not be the most challenging metroidvania, nor does it reinvent the wheel, but it handles many of the genre’s most defining characteristics well. Between its customizable combat system, satisfying collectibles list, and lovely narrative, Thompson’s new release is worth picking up whether you’re newly interested in the genre or a metroidvania veteran—even if the difficulty is lacking.