IGN

EA Vancouver believes that every fighter has a story, and with EA Sports UFC 6, it has completely proven its point. Despite a few unnecessary additions, like Flow State and The Gym, slightly hindering its overall success, the heart of UFC 6 — two modes that pay supreme respect to the fighter’s journey in Hall of Legends and The Legacy — more than redeem it. Taken in its entirety, this game is very much like a fable itself; a violent one that’s split between fiction and reality, which typically isn’t a good thing. But ultimately, the care and attention given to the latter, to the sport’s history, culture, icons, and everything in between, helps it reach a satisfying end that any MMA fan should be proud of.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales isn’t without blemishes, but it’s still a great action-adventure game that continues to prove why the HD-2D art style is among the best around. Its interesting time travel concept doesn’t quite land, with not enough changing between the various time periods to keep its enemies and environments from getting a bit repetitive. But Elliot is a hero I wanted to cheer on, with a supporting cast of characters whose stories were more than worth seeing through to the end. Even without being a true RPG, the Magicite system gave me plenty to min-max as I messed around with different builds on the fly, and I can’t wait to see all the cool combinations people find – though I do wish it let me make more of its discoveries on my own when it came to stuff like finding collectibles. Still, I grew to love this world and the people who call its various ages home, and I truly hope this isn’t the last we see of Elliot the adventurer and his feathered red cap.

Gothic 1 Remake is undeniably the best way to play this cult classic RPG, even if certain aspects of it have aged like milk.

NBA The Run plays more like a distant descendant of the NBA Street series than a successor, which isn’t a bad thing. Although the two share certain traits, like their curated roster of NBA stars and street legends, an ample rotation of carefully crafted courts, and the sultry, ever-present vocals of DJ Bobbito Garcia, The Run’s core principle of online, run-and-gun action over the classic single-player arcade approach makes it a much more exciting and enticing present-day package than its predecessors. Unfortunately, its emphasis on pushing you through a steady flurry of quick matches is also where its biggest weakness lies. While this modern, run-it-up style might work for the first several runs, the games played, highlights made, and championships secured all eventually blur together, turning the excitement of those first title wins old much too soon. Don’t get me wrong; the runs are still undoubtedly enjoyable in short bursts, but they also turn the simple joys of playing and winning into a mass-produced good, a thing practically given rather than earned, and that means I was usually ready to pack up and head home before the lights were too low to see the rim.

I walked out of my hour-and-a-half preview with Star Fox in disbelief at how excited I was to tell everyone about a remake of a game I’ve already played several times before. [90-Minute Hands-On Impressions]

While it’s impossible to argue that 007 First Light shares the seismic importance of 1997’s GoldenEye 007, it is nonetheless the best Bond game I’ve ever played. Demonstrably obsessed with bringing the Bond fantasy to life in a way no game has ever managed before, developer IO Interactive has found a highly successful home for the more curated action-stealth formula of 2012’s Hitman: Absolution. Patiently paced, First Light is brimming with Bond’s trinity of gadgets, guns, and girls in a way that feels fresh but reverent, and never like parody. The evolution of this risky, young Bond over the course of the story also feels logical and earned, to the point where the final moments before the credits left me literally cheering at the screen. Take a bow, IO, and put your clothes on – because I’m buying you all an ice cream.

Mina the Hollower will burrow into your brain and set up a cozy little house there. I couldn’t let it go: Clues to unsolved puzzles pop into my brain before bed; a corner high out of reach that I never set foot on beckons me every time I pass it on my way to the shops in Ossex; the math tells me maxing out my attack power would just take one really good grinding spot, and then I could beat that secret boss that destroyed me. Mina achieves the same heights in both action and style that its impressive inspirations – Zelda, Castlevania, and FromSoft RPGs – reach on a regular basis, and with far fewer resources. Even if all you’ve played is Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring, don’t let the retro look fool you: Mina the Hollower will scratch the same itch, with an open world that’s crammed with mysteries worth finding and lively, clever combat I couldn’t get enough of. It’s a big game in a small package, and an absolute masterpiece of an adventure.

Paralives hides plenty of potential behind a smattering of bugs and some mechanical simplicity. Its Early Access debut is already packed with personality, thanks in part to a gorgeous soundtrack and a unique cel-shaded art style. This newcomer feels like a much-needed breath of fresh air in a genre that’s been dominated by a singular series for so long. Those looking for a fully realised life simulator might not be satisfied with what’s on offer right now. However, even with its rough edges and repetitive moments, I find myself drawn into Paralives tantalising world, keen to push my Parafolks to their limits and see out the twilight of their lives. [Early Access Review Score = 70]

Bubsy 4D easily stands as the best Bubsy game ever made – of course, that’s not a particularly high bar to clear for the series. Still, while it does succeed at boosting Bubsy as a lovable character in a loveable vehicle, it did leave me wanting for a more developed platformer. The skill-testing movement makes for a fast and sharp platformer with a ton of energy, but it’s also one that ends up feeling a bit safe in the end. Even still, it’s undoubtedly a charming throwback with satisfying 3D platformer action that really nails where it counts, and I couldn't help but be pleased to see a video game mascot from a bygone era given another shot in the spotlight.

After a handful of hours playing this remake of one of the best Assassin’s Creed games, I’m pretty sold on replaying through it in its entirety when it comes out later this year. [Hands-On Impressions]