In many ways Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 strays so minimally from the path of its predecessor in both a positive and negative sense. In others, it effectively uses the existing blueprint to build on what went well. It is graphically improved, but that makes the visual shortcomings more glaring. It's more hardcore, but more tedious as a result. It has improved combat overall, but makes some confusing choices in that execution. As a simulation of life in the middle ages, and as a character-focused story, it excels as it flaunts those aspects. As a video game, the successes are fewer, and too often the mechanics and pacing get in the way of actually accomplishing something. If you're a player whose natural pace is steadier, you might be the Titanic bound for an iceberg. But if you enjoy a slow pace, if you are that iceberg, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will reward your dedication in spades. The philosophy of the entire experience is represented well in its cozy moments, like walking through a forest at dusk, as the rain comes down and lightning occasionally lights up the landscape. If you can see that beauty, and appreciate it, you don't want to speed things up.

If you're a fan of Fairy Tail, well, you probably already bought the game. If you're not, then I doubt this game will persuade you, but if you're at all curious, and don't mind being thrown in at the tail (see what I did there?) end of the story, then I think theres a lot of fun to be had in the world of Earth-Land.

It's easy to see Sniper Elite: Resistance as one of the few games extending the life of the "B game" because it really is. It's not completely unpolished, nor does it lack heart. Some of its jankiness can even be amusing, such as the time I sniped an officer 100 feet away, only for his hat to land next to me a few seconds later. Some inconsistencies can nevertheless be as frustrating as the fights against other players can be thrilling. It's a relatively brief experience that's banking on a bevy of modes to maximize replayability, and it does that well, too, as long as the player meshes well with the core gameplay and, more critically, can customize the experience to their liking. Whether or not it's "worth it" is more broad than all of that, though. It's telling that this is the first entry in the series to forgo a number without being an entry in the Nazi Zombie Army spinoff (or VR, if you count that). It does not make any significant advancements in the long-running series, but it also doesn't falter harder than the others, either.

By the end of Rebirth, Cloud and the others aren't at the ending of Final Fantasy VII by a wide margin, so the eventual third game rounding out this trilogy is sure to be quite a large one. With a huge amount of content, a deep story, and combat that improves upon the previous game's style, players may end up falling in love with the world of Final Fantasy VII all over again, or alternatively for the first time if they have yet to play this gem and its initial remake. That is not recommended by any means, the game tends to expect you to have played Final Fantasy VII as well as Remake, however, so keep that in mind before you mosey into Rebirth!

I suppose that a very small child might be scared while playing The Haunting of Jodi Evers, but small children are the least likely to appreciate the game's unusually mature story. The result is a game that seems at odds with itself.

Even for an experienced Civ player, Civilization VII brings a range of new mechanics that are fun to experience. The introduction of Ages results in Civilization VII basically being three separate games, with the first two causing a hive of activity as the Ages come to a close. The Army Commanders bring troop stacks back into the series, reducing the dreaded micromanagement through the latter stages of each Age. If you're contemplating world domination for the first time, then Civilization VII does have a learning curve, but has enough helpful hints along the way to guide newbies through the game. It won’t be too long they too will be playing just ‘one more turn’ well into the night.

There's a level of creativity and care that went into so many aspects of Human Within. The story, as boilerplate as it is, has its own spin. The production behind the real-world settings suits the story well. There are even moments where you can see attempts at innovating the VR space that could influence games going forward. It just never comes together as a package that fully justifies being a VR game instead of an outright interactive movie.

Dreamcore exists in an awkward spot. As an artistic interpretation of abstract liminal spaces, it succeeds without question. The environments are huge and detailed and contain some genuinely emotive design elements that pair well with the visual filters. However, as a game, it leaves a lot to be desired, and there just isn't a terribly high amount of content right now. Dreamcore is a fine title to pick up for those happy to treat it as a walking simulator and enjoy the artistry of its design, but those looking for more satisfying puzzles or specific direction will likely want to look elsewhere.

Not only does Dynasty Warriors: Origins feel like the ultimate realization of an idea hatched more than two decades ago, it does so by exploring outside of its own series roots and evolution, and doesn't make any "let's make it open world" type mistakes. It leverages a ton of modern tech to create great looking battles featuring hundreds of soldiers, all while keeping the performance high.

At the end, I found something extremely memorable, with some visuals that are easily some of my favorites of the year, in a package that is good as-is, but would be great if only expanded in scope.

Completely Stretchy is a very finicky game, and unfortunately has a lot of jank to it - I actually ended up getting soft-locked from one of the quests, seemingly one of the major ones to acquire an item that furthers progression. This occurred due to the game not really liking when the player character is moved by objects besides their stretchy arm, so became glitched outside of an elevator as it lowered down, There was a button up above to call the elevator, but it didn't appear to work. I went back a few times after the fact to see if it resolved itself, and even tried glitching back into place to try continuing the quest, but unfortunately there wasn't any luck. The only solution within Completely Stretchy would probably be to start a new save file. The game is short at least, so there's that, but losing progress is frustrating, even in a short game. If the softlock were fixed somehow, then it would be much easier to recommend Completely Stretchy, but as the game currently stands, it is enjoyable but rather flawed.

Overall, Skydance's Behemoth holds a great concept and when it is running properly, it is a blast to play. Unfortunately, I do not recommend this game in its current state as you will quickly become frustrated at the bugs littered within this game. However, when they are inevitably fixed, this game will surely live up to its initial potential.

Metro Awakening is one of the best VR experiences I've had so far, and may even be my Game Of The Year. If you are willing to get scared a few times, I could not recommend this game more to you. If It wasn't for the lack of a knife, I think this would have been a 10/10, but because of this, I avoided experiencing a majority of the stealth options. I hope Vertigo Games keeps up with this momentum because they are one of the best in the business so far.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a love letter to the original trilogy. The game portrays the famed archeologist in the same way that the earlier three movies did - as an inquisitive treasure hunter who is often butting heads (both figuratively and literally) with the Nazis. The trademark Indiana Jones ingenuity is prevalent, whether it is using his trusty whip to get from one ledge to another, or using scattered objects to distract or incapacitate those that stand in his way. Most of the puzzles provide a challenge and the upgrade system requiring Adventure Points to open up the skill books encourages players to explore further. The homage to the movies goes even further with the iconic red line moving across the sepia world map indicating the flight pattern as he travels from one location to the next along with the signature score from John Williams. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the sequel to the movies that fans of the original trilogy wanted.

Somehow Treyarch surprised us, and when we all thought we had seen everything Call of Duty had to offer, they brought us something new and exciting, yet familiar. I hope the other studios in the franchise follow their lead and innovate as much as we've been shown here. Forgive me for being a cliché for a moment, but this is the best Call of Duty in a long time, and I'm excited for what Treyarch does next.

The stealth in general is quite shallow and it could be greatly improved if the people you possessed panicked and caused a scene allowing you to sneak past guards in a new body. As it stands it's just tedious and dull. That said, gripes aside there is more than enough in Slitterhead to warrant a recommendation, even at a (frankly ridiculous) price of $50.

Threshold is more than just disparate cool ideas, it's the culmination of them. It has enough interactivity to allow the player to inhabit the world and experience a story obtuse enough to allow you to insert your own pieces. The graphics and audio design play an early and constant role in introducing you to the more sinister parts of your new mundane job. It all combines to make something that, despite its flaws, is worth at least one play-through, and probably cult classic status in this niche genre.

Kill Knight is a challenging but rewarding twin-stick shooter that will appeal to fans of the genre. While its steep learning curve and unforgiving difficulty may deter or frustrate some players, those who persevere will be rewarded with an intense and satisfying experience. And although the gameplay can be somewhat repetitious, particularly when you’re still getting the hang of all the button combos, mastering the movements and watching mayhem unfold is a pure joy.

I'm thrilled that Kong: Survivor Instinct exists because the Monsterverse - and the Godzilla and Kong IPs overall, deserve more representation in the medium. This game isn't the slam dunk that I'm looking for, but it's a perfectly reasonable way for fans of the characters to spend some time in their world. While the puzzles and exploration gameplay aren't anything to write home about, they're perfectly serviceable, and a lackluster story and some flat voice acting only moderately detract from the beautiful art direction and overall environmental design. Potential players with no inherent interest in Kong or the Titans may not find that to be enough, but this is still a fun entry in what is hopefully a long line of more kaiju games to come.

Folks, Farming Simulator 25 is a massive game with this version being even more extensive than it's predecessors. All of the vehicles and attachment tools carry their real world brand names, so Giant Software has all of the aspects of a very good farm simulator game lined up perfectly. Even though the worker AI could be improved upon, it works fine. The environment is interactive and it contains various weather situations like rain in the summer and snow in the winter. In addition to that, fog can often times be present at night and especially in the early mornings so be careful driving on the narrow and curvy country farm roads. Luckily, I haven't see my crops being blown away by a tornado yet, but as one of the new features to the game this year, but I'll certainly be aware of them when I plant my next crop.

420BLAZEIT 2 offers a fun, nostalgic experience but is only for some. If you are into calm and storytelling games, this may not for you, but if you have an open mind and quite a few brain cells you are willing to lose, there is heaps of fun to be had here. When I first saw the game I thought it was going to be one of those low-effort money grabs, but there was genuine effort that was put into making this game polished and exciting for the player. 420BLAZEIT 2 can be replayed, but for the majority of players once will be enough, but that single experience is well worth the smaller price tag.

All told, Veilguard is an enjoyable RPG with rich character customization and striking visuals, especially within the cyberpunk-inspired Minrathous. The freedom to shape Rook's backstory and outlook is a welcome touch, yet it is offset by the reduction in meaningful choices and the series signature moral complexity. While Veilguard might not capture the epic scope of Origins or the tightly woven, character driven narrative of Dragon Age II, it is a solid entry that hints at a new direction. If future Dragon Age titles can re-embrace the far-reaching choices and branching narratives that once made the series iconic, they may yet recapture the magic of Thedas. For now, Veilguard is a promising — if somewhat pared down — addition to the Dragon Age legacy, and fans of the series may find it worth exploring.

It adds up to a good game with a few shortcomings. For something with such a high level of customization and management, it's almost difficult to believe that things are as good as they are. A few more missteps would have had this game begging for a UI overhaul, but it's not quite that severe in its current state. Other strategic elements such as the power system end up being little more than busy work, and ultimately add little value to the experience. While I wish there were more themes, or a greater distinction between those themes, I will allow them the opportunity to make additions before judging how that strategy turns out. Most importantly for a simulation with hundreds of tiny people on screen: I didn't run into any performance issues, which surely helped me overcome the negatives. I can only imagine it is like starting an actual theme park, a bit of a grind, a ton of complexity, a large amount of choice, but a good pay off if you nail it.

Ultimately, Max Mustard is a delightful VR platformer that successfully captures the spirit of classic platformers. Its beautiful visuals, intuitive controls, and engaging level design make it a must-play for VR enthusiasts. While the VR experience can sometimes be a double-edged sword, the game's strengths far outweigh its limitations. If you're looking for a fun and accessible VR adventure, Max Mustard is a fantastic choice.

Metaphor: ReFantazio was the game I was looking most forward to this year and it didn't disappoint. I'm glad that we have you wealth of options to choose how we want to play our RPGs, and I am especially glad that there is still a place for games like Metaphor: Re Fantazio, one that feels familiar and new at the same time. It has never been a better time to be a gamer.

With engaging new abilities for Shadow, fun boss battles, and a celebration of the franchise's history, Sonic X Shadow Generations is a thrilling return for fans and an intriguing and compelling introduction to newcomers.

If my opinion counts for anything, Gunsmith Simulator accomplishes the task of being interesting and fun to play. Hopefully Game Hunters can expand the game with new guns, maybe add in a gun barrel making machine along with new gun shooting opportunities and different targets.

EA Sports FC 25 is a solid soccer game that builds upon the foundation of its predecessors. There is nothing groundbreaking in the latest iteration of the annual football release, but the new Rush mode is a welcome addition, even if it essentially replaces the Volta mode from FC 24. As well as that, the ability to create custom tactics and strategies gives players more control over their game. The Season Pass system provides players with a steady stream of new content to unlock, and the overall improvements to the game's visuals and gameplay make EA Sports FC 25 a worthwhile purchase for soccer fans, particularly those who haven't hit the pitch for several seasons.