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Halo: Campaign Evolved beautifully reimagines the legendary Xbox flagship that kickstarted the iconic series, elevating the original title with gorgeous Unreal Engine 5 audiovisual presentation, thoughtful gameplay and level adjustments, three enjoyable new prequel missions, and more. Though I ultimately wanted more out of the remake considering its $50 price, it's still an awesome way to enjoy the game that started it all during Xbox's 25th anniversary.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is everything I’ve ever loved about the series, now dressed to the Blackbeard nines and bursting with new features to keep gamers busy for days. Sure, I’ve been overwhelmed by the treasure trove of things to do, but not once have I played without a grin plastered across my face.

007: First Light is not only one of the best stealth-action games we've had in years, but it's also the best James Bond game we've had in decades. IO Interactive was the perfect choice to develop a Bond game in the modern era, deftly weaving its dynamic stealth gameplay expertise with cinematic vigor wholly appropriate for an authentic James Bond experience. A triumph.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred is the third part of a trilogy in essence, revolving around the saga of the demonic Mephisto and his defiant daughter, Lilith. It's a lot more than that for Blizzard, in a sense. Diablo 4 has had a fairly tumultuous development, as Blizzard tries to serve multiple communities and multiple ideas of what Diablo is and should be. In Lord of Hatred, Blizzard has found a more confident path forward, delivering a more cohesive endgame, handing more build crafting tools to players than ever. It also delivered one of its most evocative and brutal story arcs in its long history, featuring moments that will stick with me for a long time. I've been playing Blizzard games for decades, and I'm happy to say that, thanks to Lord of Hatred, Diablo 4 now sits among my favorites.

Forza Horizon 6 is the series at its most confident, most refined, and most fun. Everything that made the earlier games iconic is back, but with a slicker sheen and events that pop. If you love racing and want an open-world experience that’s equal parts heart and horsepower, Forza Horizon 6 is a no-brainer. It’s the top dog for a reason, and this chapter just cements it.

Vampire Crawlers is a masterclass in what I call the 'sophomore pivot', when the creators of a very successful and beloved first game have to pull off a second title for a rabid fanbase. Poncle has taken the addictive and dopamine driven DNA of Vampire Survivors and successfully reshaped it into a tactical first-person deckbuilder. The "just one more run" magic is fully intact. It's a more methodical approach than it's predecessor, but one that rewards strategy without losing the broken power fantasy we've come to expect from poncle. At under $10 and available on Xbox Game Pass, it's an essential addition to any rogue-like loving gamers library and a perfect handheld title.

While WWE 2K26 brings one of the biggest rosters in WWE gaming history, with more being added with the Ringside Passes, quantity over quality is not always the answer. The game offers many modes, yes, but it is impossible for them not to feel half-baked and rushed. However, if you are playing for the core wrestling match types, you will have a great time thanks to the new gameplay additions and arenas like the Scrapyard Brawl.

Pragmata is a genuinely moving look at what it means to be human. The story of Diana’s curiosity and growth sits alongside combat that carves out its own space in a genre full of games that all start to blur together. The hacking system can get messy in the thick of a big fight, but it’s different enough from everything else out there that I’m willing to forgive the moments where it loses its footing.

World of Warcraft: Midnight is the middle act of the Worldsoul saga. Xal'atath has succeeded in her plan to subvert Azeroth's champions once again, potentially leading the planet to ruin. But hey, at least you'll have a cozy house to wait out the apocalypse in. Midnight is potentially one of the most pivotal expansions in recent WoW history, but the expansion is creaking under the weight of its sheer ambition. A variety of bugs, gameplay disruption, and polish issues hold back what is otherwise a very solid expansion.

Crimson Desert is the kind of game that usually only comes along once in a generation, so singular in its ambition that it will define the gaming conversation for weeks, if not months, to come. Despite granular misses, Pearl Abyss has showcased what gameplay freedom truly means.