Some people will be okay with that and will even enjoy the open-world trappings Ghost of Tsushima offers. For me, I'm not sure if I can tolerate more riding around looking for boring filler while wishing triple-A gaming could finally deliver a truly compelling story.

Outside of several standout missions, however, I wasn’t impressed with the campaign, but I’ve begrudgingly come to accept that campaigns just don’t matter to the wider community at this point. The real value is in the multiplayer and Zombies; in that regard, Black Ops 6 is a strong return to form.

If you've played the first Life Is Strange, or its prequel, then you'll already be aware that developers Don't Nod are fans of making onion chopping ninjas appear while you're gaming. You'll happily be making (what you thought were) smart choices, when suddenly, that smart choice doesn't look so hot anymore. I knew going in that this was going to be a rough journey. What I didn't know was how incredibly sensitively handled and well-told this traumatizing tale would be. Life Is Strange 2 tackles a number of issues, with racism being the most prominent, and Episode Five continues in the same vein as the earlier ones. It skillfully weaves choices that really matter into a heartbreaking, but incredibly moving finale for two brothers who have finally come to the end of the road. Continue scrolling to keep reading Click the button below to start this article in quick view. Start now The Story So Far While this review won't include spoilers for Episode Five, it's assumed that you've played the first four chapters. If you haven't, why are you reading this review instead of catching up? After the traumatic aftermath of their father's death, Sean and Daniel went on the run. Right from the start, the choices you made mattered, and Episode Five really shows this. You can even choose if you saved Arcadia Bay in the first game, which is reflected in the later narrative of Episode 5, especially in this final part. RELATED: Arise: A Simple Story Review: Here Come The Waterworks After numerous nasty incidents, mostly involving racists taking against the boys for being Mexican, and a close call with the police, we left the boys in the aftermath of a dramatic escape. After Daniel was brainwashed by a cult while Sean was in the hospital, Sean and the boys' mother, Karen, mounted a rescue. As Episode Four concluded, the brothers finally looked at peace as they drove off with Karen. The Wolf Brothers The episode begins with some bonding between the brothers. Enjoy this peace, as things are about to get very rough. Predictably, the calm doesn't last and the brothers are on the road once more, still hoping to reach the Mexican border and finally, Puerto Lobos. In some ways, this episode is less traumatic than others. Episode Four was a rollercoaster from start to finish, but this finale slows the pace, at least in the beginning. It's a welcome relief and gives players a chance to catch their breath a little as they meet some interesting characters, including someone who will be very familiar to fans of the first game. RELATED: Choose Your Own Adventure: 10 Games Where Your Decisions Really Matter We also find out more about the brothers' history, their mother, and some other interesting details that fill in their background. There are also some intriguing interactions that will vary, depending on if Arcadia Bay is still around. While we enjoyed the lighter story, it only made us love the boys even more, which, in turn, makes the ending even more difficult to cope with. When things predictably begin to fall apart, the boys flee and, as we saw in the trailer, finally reach that border. What happens next depends on you. Every Choice Counts In the first game, the player was offered a choice which led to two different endings, both equally traumatic. This follow-up is not quite so clear cut. While players only have a choice of two alternatives for the final decision, the outcomes for each depend on previous choices. There are actually four distinctly different endings, each with a mix of happiness and tragedy. There is also a slight variant to one ending and three slightly different alternatives to another. As you can imagine, with this many endings, every single choice counts, even down to the little things that slowly impacted your relationships. Tackling Important Issues All throughout the episodes, the issue of racism has been tackled, while homophobia was touched upon. This final episode continues in that vein, with both issues once again explored. These are sensitive topics that have been handled incredibly well. The narrative in this last episode is just as engaging, sensitive, and well-written as those which came before it. There's no jarring difference and no huge letdown. RELATED: Pine Switch Review: Beauty That Is Only Skin Deep This time around, while the drama is not on a "destroying an entire town" scale, it's actually more traumatizing, as so much of it is rooted in the consequences of racism. I've never felt my white privilege more than I did playing this. So many of these incidents sadly do happen, and that realism is what makes this harder to stomach. Watching Sean explain racism to Daniel still breaks my heart, almost as much as the loss of Mushroom did. A Satisfying Finale As expected, the graphics, narrative, and soundtrack are absolutely stunning throughout. This series is known for its attention to detail, and this is never more apparent than in some of the tiny details you'll notice in Wolves. The pace can feel slightly slow at times, and there are a couple of moments that made me want to scream at the boys to hurry up, but it's all part of the story. Ultimately, they are very minor annoyances due to my impatience, and the pace is generally well thought out, building up the finale well. While not all the endings are happy, with one, in particular, being especially traumatizing, they all feel realistic and in line with the choices you need to make to get to each one. Each has elements of joy and sadness, and this feels right for the script. After all, they left a large amount of chaos behind them which can't fail to have an effect on them, or anyone playing this beautiful game.

Astro’s Playroom asks you over and over to fondly remember the memories that you and Grandpa PlayStation made together. But, more importantly, it’s a promise of new and treasured memories to come.

If Persona 5 was about forming bonds with new people and recruiting them for a common cause, Persona 5 Strikers is about taking the Phantom Thieves and proving that the friendship they share is lasting, that it can and will endure any hardship. I think, right now, that message is immeasurably important, and hits harder than a bullet formed from the Seven Deadly Sins.

At its core, One Finger Death Punch 2 has the appearance of one of those flash games from the 2000s. It doesn’t look visually impressive and the game mechanics are so basic that it’s hard to fathom how this game could provide more than a few minutes of entertainment. But that’s the big, magical mystery of this game. It takes the idea of being a Bruce Lee-esque destroyer of worlds, strips it down to people made out of lines and circles, and creates an addictive gameplay loop that becomes impossible to put down.

At its core, it might be ‘Arkham for kids,’ with an open-world that takes the best from Arkham Knight, Lego Marvel Super Heroes, and even a smidge of GTA 4, but it’s also TT Games through and through. It’s because the studio’s personality shines through the unabashed inspirations that it all comes out on top.

Sequels are often expected to be bigger and better, but sometimes a good sequel is just more of what made the original geat. I suppose I would have liked to see Schell Games push the mechanics and missions further, but ultimately I’m satisfied to play another round of cleverly designed spy puzzles. It’s not particularly ambitious, but it’s consistently good from beginning to end. If you liked the original, there’s absolutely no way you won’t like I Expect You To Die 2.

Age of Wonders 4 is a very strong entry in the overwhelming miasma that is the turn-based 4X market. It implements fantasy elements naturally rather than giving traditional mechanics a mystical lick of paint, and the sheer depth of customisation options, even without unlocking anything, is to be applauded. With the Pantheon system for unlocking things, it’s an ever-growing and changing experience with a heavy emphasis on player agency.

I enjoyed my time with Blasphemous 2. I’ve unlocked both endings, scoured and pillaged the entire map, and completed every quest I could find, and, where I found the first game severely wanting in the fun factor, the sequel delivered in spades. Despite this, it’s held back by simplistic quests and bosses so unfair as to taint the whole experience. At certain points, thematic suffering bleeds through the cracks in the fourth wall and becomes part of the gameplay.

Thanks to its fantastic multiplayer, quality of life changes, and great single-player, Splatoon 3 is undoubtedly the best game in the series. It won’t be changing anyone’s mind if they don’t already love the series and is essentially just more Splatoon, but I’ll be damned if that’s a bad thing.

I had a great time with Cassette Beasts, but it was undeniably frustrating in places. It iterates on the Pokemon formula in nearly every possible way, and exploring the world via companion quests rather than just doing a big circle on your Gym challenge creates a wonderful sense of adventure. Cassette Beasts tries a lot of new things and most of them are successful. The story is compelling, the characters are engaging, and the battle system is one of the best I’ve ever used. It doesn’t pull everything off, but I’d much rather play a game that takes risks, rather than one that rehashes the same old formula time and time again.

When I wrapped up my experience with Nier Replicant, I realized it was the most satisfied I’d ever felt after working so hard for a particular ending. Yoko Taro asking me to relive the same experiences again and again wasn’t a repetitive journey, but a more meaningful reflection on a cycle of hate, pain, and trauma. Nier Replicant is Yoko Taro’s best work, brought up to modern standards, and finally delivered in the presentation its tale always deserved.

Two Point Campus is a school experience unlike any other. From weird and wonderful courses to quirky clubs, and student stereotypes you’ll find everything you want on a campus and so much more. As you flex your management muscles just make sure to keep your eyes open, these students all have their own style and personalities. Look after them well, and you’ll be rewarded with a lot of hidden puns, animations, and laughs along the way. Education has never been so much fun.

Sorry We’re Closed struck me deep. Every confession of love, every bullet through the heart, every day that Michelle woke up just to prove love is worth living for. Any kind of love, as long as you try. That’s the kind of game this is. Past the combat and puzzles, after the decisions and conversations. No matter what, it wants you to wake up each day and choose love.

If you haven’t played Kirby and the Forgotten Land before, the Nintendo Switch 2 edition is the best way to play an already excellent 3D platformer that finally gives the pink protagonist the level of respect he deserves in the genre. If you’re a returning player, there is enough fresh content here to justify the asking price and then some. I can see Nintendo making these lush revivals a common occurrence on its new platform, and after Forgotten Land, that would be no bad thing.

Little Nightmares 2 is an enthralling, nerve-racking journey into madness. And it's all thanks to the terrifying imaginations of the people over at Tarsier Studios: a group of developers who seem dead set on giving us all childhood trauma even as grown-ass adults.

Age of Mythology: Retold is a far better update to the classic than Extended Edition ever was, and this is self-evident through even a few hours with it. The effort put into making this the best Age of Mythology that has ever been oozes throughout, and it’s a resounding success. This remake easily becomes the platonic ideal for Age of Mythology and makes it the true successor to the original.

More than anything, it’s a joy to see a game that means so much to me have the time and love it deserves poured into it by developers who clearly care about it just as much as I do. There was a chance that Dead Rising was going to be stuck in a grave forever, but Deluxe Remaster proves that the dead can, and should, rise again.

As always, Zen Studios has done a fantastic job in blending the physics of real pinball tables with the fantasy that is created through mechanics that would be impossible anywhere outside of a video game. It may be hard for them to top this volume with their next release, but that simply means that players have a broad range of great tables to experience.

All six waves of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass are now available. The pass brings 48 additional tracks to the game, new and old- doubling the number of courses available. It also adds new characters, including Birdo, Diddy Kong, and Wiggler.

There are contemplative moments of compassionate beauty throughout that will stick with me for a long time to come, purely because they made me question my own relationships and how I want so badly to love and help my family in spite of their many flaws. Nice Dream has crafted a truly original narrative adventure here that will likely have a nuanced impact on everyone who plays it, and that alone makes it a triumph worth celebrating.

Triangle Strategy is an excellent game that expertly combines satisfying combat and a layered narrative to create something I didn’t know I needed. Serenoa Wollfort’s journey is punctuated with intrigue, betrayal, and triumph that are all driven by player decisions that actually feel like they matter. It isn’t smoke and mirrors on a moral railroad presenting the illusion of choice, it's a ride or die political rollercoaster where failing to convince a single ally will result in the untimely deaths of thousands.

Starfield is all about the stories it tells, and it tells them well. The central narrative and the characters inhabiting it are some of the best that Bethesda has ever produced, but they’re unfortunately let down by the banality that so often surrounds them. I came into Starfield wanting to explore the stars, and I got a brilliant sci-fi story instead. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed.

Moss: Book 2 builds on the original in every way to create an unforgettable experience. The world is bigger, more beautiful, and areas can be re-visited and explored with new tools and an even greater purpose. New enemies, weapons, and abilities make combat and puzzles more varied and interesting, but most importantly, it delivers yet another stunning tale with the loveable Quill at your side. It’s undoubtedly one of the best PSVR games available and the perfect choice for anyone who loves platformer puzzle games.

Despite its ambitious scope, Hardspace never bites off more than it can chew. It is unapologetically pro-union and anti-corporate, and it shows a remarkable deftness in handling the social complexities of those positions. It distinguishes the personal value of labor from the material value - two products our corporate overlords are eager to conflate - and offers a perspective of hope in an otherwise hopeless world. I consider Hardspace: Shipbreaker essential media for anyone that is employed - blue-collar or otherwise. If nothing else it will provoke you to think about your relationship with work in a new way. Considering we spend one-third of our lives doing it, it’s a worthwhile experience.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar takes an older title that is far from being a series favourite and refines it into something that fans are sure to enjoy. Unrestrained from the restrictions of the Nintendo DS and with a new lease of life thanks to new features, refinements, and an overhauled presentation, Grand Bazaar finally manages to live up to its full potential.

Aside from those infrequent technical issues, this is a smooth, comforting, and narratively rich experience. Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth's balance of warmth and depth is everything I want from a cozy game in the modern era. I can already anticipate that I’ll be returning to the charm of Moominvalley in a few months, when the Lady of the Cold visits me as well.