Respec

Things remain on point until the very end, including the Warthog escape finale that felt rather weak originally - although the whole thing does all feel rather brief.

What initially feels like a rather simplistic shooter quickly blossoms into something with real depth. Importantly, compared to other looter shooters that Splatoon Raiders riffs on, you can hop in and out here generally without needing to commit an obscene amount of time. I had my doubts about Splatoon Raiders when I saw it was yet another looter shooter, but who’s got ink all over their face now.

Thanks to its seafaring adventures, thrilling naval combat, tight and varied combat encounters, thoughtful stealth, plenty to discover, a top performance from the lead, and glorious visuals, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag is an easygoing joy of a game. How much it retools the original, I’m not sure, but this remake feels right at home in 2026. I never understood why Black Flag got the remake treatment first, but now I get it. This is a pirate adventure for the ages.

In its current state, Sonic Frontiers - Definitive Edition is not definitive in any way. It doesn't deliver the best portable version or the best way to play Sonic Frontiers on TV. It is a big upgrade over the Switch 1 version, but the lack of an upgrade path for existing owners means it is even harder to recommend for its target audience. This is only really worth getting on a discount if you only play on Switch 2 and have never experienced Sonic Frontiers before. If you have access to other platforms, it is hard to recommend this without major caveats.

Dead or Alive 6 Last Round is the best version of Dead or Alive 6, a game I enjoy playing even today, but it doesn't do enough all these years later. Maybe it will be an easier release to recommend in a few months, but right now it is hard to even comprehend what made Koei Tecmo re-release the same game with almost nothing of value and not offer any sort of upgrade path. I think if you've managed to disappoint someone who owns basically every season pass on two different platforms, the re-release is a big miss. I enjoyed Dead or Alive 6 years ago, but cannot recommend Dead or Alive 6 Last Round for anyone but those who want a current generation version of Dead or Alive 6 and are willing to deal with every issue that the original had back in 2019.

It’s still great; but if you know both or even all three versions, your mileage may vary depending on how much of a stick-in-the-mud you feel about changes. Aside from those of us greying and achingly old enough to remember those N64 glory days, though, this is doubtless the new best way to experience Star Fox. It’s more modern, more charming thanks to its expanded narrative, and is generally a worthy upgrade to an all-time classic. I’ll just always miss that barrel roll pinging sound effect.

We’re perhaps best served talking about this game by dipping into cliche; 007 First Light is ‘more than the sum of its parts’. As noted, those component parts feel somewhat borrowed from successful ventures elsewhere - but the real magic is in how this game then weaves those inspirations together into a patchwork quilt of a game that is a truly masterful action-adventure rollercoaster as a result. If we’re lucky, this should be the start of a whole series - and Bond’s new filmmaking stewards should take close note of IO Interactive’s sublime sense of balance in how this experience is delivered.

Devil May Cry 5 Devil Hunter Edition on Switch 2 is a solid version of one of Capcom's best games in many years. While I am annoyed that the developer didn't bother adding Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition's modes and options here, the Devil Hunter Edition on Switch 2 feels excellent and looks good enough to warrant a full portable replay even if you've already played it before.

But it took Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream dozens of hours to finally drain my creative spark, and some of the Switch players on my friends list are still going after more than 100. Even if the joke set up was all me, I still laughed more at Tomodachi Life than any “witty” triple-A experience from this generation. It’s a cosy game you can instil with the exact attitude you want, at the pace you want, and that’s why you shouldn’t overlook Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.

Forza Horizon 6 is ultimately a joy to play, hard to put down, and visually quite incredible. Make no mistake, I think Playground Games has once again delivered a game to be proud of. Six games in, though, 14 years after the original, and in an age when photo realism has essentially arrived, the believability of virtual worlds is about more than making perfect backdrops for photos. To truly move forward it might finally be time for a Horizon shake-up.