Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is nothing short of ambitious, expanding on the classic Call of Duty formula with more cooperative gameplay opportunities and just enough nostalgia to keep things interesting. Not all of the game's "seven pillars" hold up due to light content at launch, but there's potential for post-launch seasonal content to make up for shortcomings.
Nothing hits quite like crawling your way to a hard-earned exfil after getting absolutely shredded in the raid before. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that’ll break your heart, then hand it back to you like an ex-girlfriend you can't quit. From your first boot-shaking sprint across the surface to the moment you start hunting other raiders for sport, every match will leave you wanting another. Hands down, ARC Raiders is my favorite PvP shooter in years.
The Outer Worlds 2 doesn't reinvent the wheel, but delivers a more refined version of a formula that worked. Better exploration and combat buoy a tight role-playing experience that feels crunchy and isn't afraid of cutting off branches depending on player skills. The overarching story is a bit more self-serious than its predecessor, but the numerous side quests still lean comedic. A few bugs aside, it's not a game to miss.
Ninja Gaiden 4 hardly re-writes the rules on what these kinds of games should look like, but fans who have been awaiting the return of the franchise may prefer this first re-entry takes things back to basics to some degree. Built in partnership between Koei, Microsoft, Team Ninja, and Platinum Games, Ninja Gaiden 4 has emerged a surprisingly coherent and confident product. Stunning and stylish hack n' slash gameplay could've been backed up with more compelling characters and story beats, but for those who simply want to carve a bloody path through endless enemies — Ninja Gaiden 4 is up there with the best of them.
Keeper isn't likely to become Xbox's next mainstream hit, but it is a marvelous achievement in art direction, game design, and unspoken storytelling. Keeper is the result of giving a passionate, highly creative team the time and resources they need to create their masterpiece, and it begs to be played with as little knowledge as possible going in.
I went into Silent Hill F armed with decades of Silent Hill nostalgia and a general negative view of Konami. I'd say I almost wanted to hate this game, being honest. But I found it simply impossible to do so. Every step I took through Ebisugaoka led me down an authentic Silent Hill rabbit hole filled with horrors, fresh and familiar alike—stunning artwork, immaculate music, and disturbing twists that left me aghast for hours after the fact. Silent Hill F is by no means perfect, but it's a strong return to form for the franchise, and hopefully a sign of things to come. NeoBard nailed it.
Hades 2 takes the already-awesome formula that made the Supergiant Games' first take on Greek mythology so great and ramps up every aspect possible, with more gods and monsters and an even more complicated narrative. The result is a masterpiece that shouldn't be missed.
The Order of Giants may not quite have the same impactful foes that permeated Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, but it's still a puzzle-laden adventure worth seeing through. Rome has never looked better in video games, and Troy Baker continues to put in a phenomenal performance as the titular hero.
Borderlands 4 delivers the ultimate Vault Hunter experience, a dazzling gem where every system from gunplay to movement to loot shines with obsessive care. I’m struggling to find faults beyond some lackluster performance hiccups that don't really dampen the chaos. Honestly, writing this review pulls me away from blasting Slitters and chasing legendaries, and I’m dying to dive back into Kairos.
Cronos: The New Dawn feels like an amalgam of a broad variety of horror greats in the best possible way — paying homage to the giants of the past while carving its own twisted niche steeped in psychological sci-fi horror. Tricky and panic-inducing combat meets stunning environmental design, atop mind-blowing sci-fi vistas complemented by bubbling body horror in ways that feel like they shouldn't work — but inexplicably do. Cronos: The New Dawn leaves you completely in the dark both figuratively and literally throughout its beefy campaign. Bloober masterfully makes you feel like an unwelcome visitor in this game's strange timeline, hitting the next level with confidence. Cronos: The New Dawn is the best horror franchise debut in over a decade.
