There’s a reason Resident Evil is synonymous with survival horror. It literally popularized the term. While it wasn’t the first horror game ever made (it was inspired in part by the limitations of Sweet Home), this is the game that set the template: limited ammo, scarce resources, creepy environments, and constant tension. When the original dropped in 1996, I rented it from Blockbuster… and returned it the next day. I was way too young, couldn’t handle the tank controls, and the Cerberus crashing through the window absolutely wrecked me as a kid. I’ve genuinely wondered if younger-me could’ve emotionally survived finishing it. Ironically, I didn’t actually beat the game until years later with the HD Remaster. I’m pretty sure I finished RE4, 5, and 6 before I ever completed this one. And technically? I still haven’t beaten the original PS1 version—just the remake. But this remake holds up surprisingly well for being over 20 years old. The pre-rendered environments are beautifully creepy. Even without zombies, I wouldn’t want to spend a single second inside the Spencer Mansion. Yes, the fixed camera can still be frustrating. There’s one puzzle involving moving walls and a statue where I felt like I was fighting six different camera angles more than the puzzle itself. But after replaying RE0, this honestly felt smooth by comparison. You choose between Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, and the differences matter. Chris has more health and starts with a lighter. Jill has extra inventory slots and a lockpick that saves you from hunting down keys. Both start with just a knife and a Beretta M92FS, and ammo is scarce—because this game basically wrote the rulebook on making every bullet count. Each character also has a partner—Rebecca Chambers for Chris and Barry Burton for Jill. Depending on your actions, they can live or die, which affects the ending. It adds replay value and reinforces that classic survival horror tension. Crimson Heads are the real game-changer here. If you don’t burn zombies after killing them, they come back faster and deadlier. I already try to avoid killing enemies to conserve ammo, so this mechanic adds a whole new layer of strategy. On one hand, I love what they bring to the game. On the other? Fighting a Crimson Head absolutely ****. The boss fights felt easier this time around—maybe I just had better luck avoiding poison—but the atmosphere and tension still carry the experience. The story is silly, sure, but that’s part of the charm. And honestly? It’s way more coherent than RE0’s.Also worth noting: it ran flawlessly on Steam Deck, which made this marathon replay a lot easier. Item boxes returning after RE0 was a blessing. I never thought I’d be so happy to see one. Backtracking is part of the design, but at least here it feels intentional—not like an excuse to remove a core mechanic. If you love survival horror, this is essential. Tank controls, fixed cameras, cheesy dialogue and all. This is the blueprint.
Resident Evil 0 is a fascinating but frustrating entry in the franchise, especially when played today. The static camera angles constantly fight the player, turning combat into blind guesswork and making basic actions like picking up items far more cumbersome than they should be. The partner system helps slightly — mostly as an early warning system for off-screen enemies — but it can’t fully compensate for how dated the core design feels in **** game’s biggest misstep is its inventory management. Removing item boxes in favor of dropping items sounds bold, but in practice it creates constant anxiety, especially when certain enemies like the Leech Men practically require you to always carry molotov ****. Combined with slow door-loading animations, limited saves via ink ribbons, and inconsistent item usage, the moment-to-moment experience often feels more punishing than tense. That said, despite its flaws, Resident Evil 0 still succeeds as a survival horror experience at its core. The atmosphere is thick, the sound design is excellent, and there are moments where the tension genuinely shines through. While the story adds little to the overall Resident Evil mythology and the dialogue is rough, I’m ultimately glad I played it — if only to better appreciate how far the series would evolve starting with the original game.
The Midnight Walk is a beautifully eerie stop-motion horror adventure that feels like a playable claymation nightmare. You play as The Burned One, journeying through the dark and twisted world of the Worktable with your strange but lovable companion, Potboy. While the game is undeniably short—around five hours total—it’s packed with emotional weight, striking art direction, and a strong sense of atmosphere. The visuals and sound design work together to build a uniquely unsettling tone, with handcrafted creatures and haunting music that stick with you long after the credits roll.Gameplay-wise, it’s more stealth survival than action. You’re rarely fighting monsters—instead, you’re sneaking past them, lighting candles to create safe zones, or hiding until danger passes. There are some light puzzle elements, though nothing too challenging, and a matchstick gun that’s mostly used for solving environmental puzzles rather than combat. The standout mechanic—closing your eyes to reveal hidden paths—adds a genuinely creepy layer to exploration. The game is quite linear, which is a bit of a bummer considering how detailed the world is, but it does keep the pacing tight and focused.Where The Midnight Walk truly shines is in its world-building and emotional storytelling. Each of the six chapters feels like a self-contained short story with a shared theme of bringing light to darkness, evoking vibes of The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror. Memorable side characters and touching moments, particularly involving Potboy and your mobile house, Housey, give the game unexpected emotional depth. Despite its brevity and a couple of rushed story beats near the end, this is a bold, artistically confident debut from MoonHood. If you’re a fan of horror games with unique visuals and strong vibes, this one’s worth the walk.
Sure! Here’s a casual 3-paragraph review of *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*, based on your detailed notes:---*Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* is one of the most original RPGs I’ve played in a while. Developed by the new French studio Sandfall Interactive, it’s bursting with style and a clear creative vision. Set in a moody, dark fantasy world where a witch goddess “paints” a number each year—and anyone older than that number vanishes—it hooks you right away with its creepy premise and layered mystery. Even better, the voice cast is stacked, with talent like Charlie Cox, Andy Serkis, and Jennifer English giving the game some real emotional weight. You can tell it’s a passion project, and it shows.Gameplay-wise, it’s a turn-based RPG at heart, but with some clever action twists. You’ve got dodging, parrying, and even quick-time events baked into combat, which helps avoid that usual “press and wait” feeling some turn-based games can have. There’s a deep strategy system — character-specific mechanics, status effects, weaknesses, upgrades, all that good stuff — and the Soulsborne influences really shine through in the trial-and-error boss fights and risk/reward save mechanics. I’m not even a big fan of turn-based combat usually, but Expedition 33 made me a believer.Visually, it looks incredible — especially considering the studio’s only about 30 people. The art direction leans muted and moody to match the story, but there’s still solid variety in the environments. The orchestral score is fantastic, even if hearing the same boss theme on repeat got a little old. A few nitpicks — platforming’s clunky, and I wish there was a map for the linear zones — but overall, *Expedition 33* feels like a breath of fresh air in the genre. I haven’t finished it yet, but I’m already impressed. This one’s worth watching.
South of Midnight is a visually striking action-adventure game from Compulsion Games, set in a hauntingly beautiful, fictionalized Deep South. You play as Hazel, a young woman swept into a magical journey after a hurricane takes her home and her Mamma. As she searches for her lost family, Hazel discovers she’s a “Weaver”—a mystical healer of spirits and broken bonds. The narrative leans heavily into themes of grief and loss, offering a personal story that resonates emotionally, especially when paired with the game’s eerie, folklore-inspired world and moving soundtrack.Gameplay, unfortunately, can’t quite keep up with the storytelling. Level design becomes repetitive fast—fight spirits, collect painful memories, run from a dark force, repeat. Platforming feels heavily borrowed from games like Fallen Order, and even Hazel’s weaver powers have a “force ability” vibe. Boss fights lack challenge but include forgiving checkpoints, which may benefit more casual players. Navigation is hand-holdy to a fault, making the linear experience feel even more on-rails. One frustrating standout: the sections where you control Crouton, which feel clunky and disrupt the flow.Where South of Midnight truly excels is in its presentation. The claymation-inspired visuals are both distinctive and expressive, lending a handcrafted charm to the Southern gothic setting. Creature design is particularly memorable, with nightmarish yet poetic touches. The atmosphere and art direction do a lot of the heavy lifting, helping mask the game’s mechanical shortcomings. It’s not a flawless adventure, but South of Midnight offers a heartfelt, if uneven, journey worth experiencing for its originality and soul.
Split Fiction, the latest from Hazelight Studios, continues their tradition of imaginative, co-op-only adventures, following in the footsteps of A Way Out and It Takes Two. Played couch co-op with my wife on Xbox Series S, the game centers on two unpublished writers, Zoe and Mio, who get trapped inside each other’s story worlds after a VR simulation goes wrong. What follows is a creative, genre-blending ride through fantasy and sci-fi landscapes as players work together to collect glitches and escape. Just like Hazelight’s earlier titles, Split Fiction offers seamless local play, cross-platform co-op, and even only requires one person to own the game—a big **** game doesn’t just lean into its creative premise—it goes all in. With each level drawing from the characters’ writing styles, the environments are bursting with wild, often hilarious moments (yes, there’s a fart-powered flying pig). Hazelight clearly took everything that worked in It Takes Two and dialed it up—better visuals, smarter puzzles, and a noticeable difficulty spike that makes boss fights more intense without being punishing. It’s a true co-op experience, where both players feel equally important and consistently challenged. My wife found the difficulty curve a bit steep in spots, especially with the third-person shooter segments tied to Mio, but generous checkpoints kept frustration at **** there’s one area that stumbles a bit, it’s the characters. Zoe and Mio start off kind of corny and take a little too long to become compelling. By the time their emotional arcs really land, the credits are already rolling. Still, Split Fiction deserves credit for taking narrative risks, especially with its meta take on creativity and corporate interference in art—ironic, considering it’s published by EA. In the end, Hazelight continues to prove that co-op storytelling done right isn’t just a novelty—it’s a genre all its own.
A Plague Tale: Requiem, the sequel to 2019’s sleeper hit Innocence, builds on everything that made the original special. Developed by Asobo Studio, it continues the emotionally charged story of Amicia and her younger brother Hugo, who now must race through plague-ridden Southern France to find a cure for Hugo’s mysterious rat-controlling affliction. If you were a fan of the first game, this is the kind of sequel you’ll appreciate—escalating the stakes without losing the heart. The bond between the siblings is still the emotional anchor, and the quieter, joyful moments make you care deeply about their **** gameplay sees the biggest evolution. While it remains a stealth-focused experience, Requiem introduces more variety and options, including allies with unique combat abilities. Early stealth segments can feel a bit restrictive due to limited gear and unpredictable enemies, but as you upgrade equipment and unlock new tools, the pacing picks up and starts to feel more like the original. It’s a slow burn that rewards patience, with a skill tree that evolves based on how you play—offering stealth-focused or more aggressive paths.Visually, the game is stunning, with beautifully rendered environments and grim, atmospheric detail, despite occasional clipping or weak lip-syncing. It nails the tone of the first game, delivering emotionally resonant storytelling and rewarding puzzles—especially once you get past the grind of the early chapters. While side characters are more functional than fleshed out, Requiem succeeds where it counts most: expanding the world, deepening its characters, and refining its gameplay without losing its soul.
Scorn is a first-person survival horror game developed by Ebb Software, a small Serbian studio, and released as a day-one Game Pass title for Xbox and PC. It drops players into a bleak, biomechanical nightmare world without explanation, narration, or guidance—forcing you to explore, puzzle-solve, and make sense of the grotesque scenery entirely on your own. While that narrative style works well for some, fans of more traditional storytelling might bounce off quickly. Think Limbo meets Hellraiser, but stripped of emotional anchors.Where Scorn shines is its unforgettable art direction. The game’s fleshy-meets-industrial visual design is downright haunting, with the first and final acts delivering some truly jaw-dropping aesthetics. Unfortunately, the middle sections blur together and feel repetitive, as each act boils down to one large environmental puzzle that, while decent, rarely breaks new ground. Exploration is limited and on rails, but the puzzle mechanics are satisfying enough to keep you moving forward—just don’t expect much variation or **** major issue? Combat. It’s clunky, frustrating, and feels tacked on. The starting weapon is useless, ammo is scarce, and enemies are relentless. Worse, there’s no real stealth system to avoid encounters, and frequent backtracking means you’ll face the same enemies more than once. That said, the sound design is disturbingly effective, even if the music doesn’t leave much of an impression. Scorn isn’t a bad game—it’s bold, brief (under 7 hours), and free on Game Pass—but it’s also far from polished. If you’re into moody, atmospheric horror and can tolerate janky combat, it might be worth a look.
I missed Dead Space back when it first dropped in 2008—college budget struggles—but I finally got around to it thanks to Games with Gold. So playing the Dead Space Remake on PS5 felt like a full-circle moment, and wow, Motive absolutely nailed it. This isn’t just a graphical polish—it’s a carefully modernized reimagining that keeps the core of what made the original great, while adding smart updates like expanded exploration, side missions, and a fully voiced Isaac Clarke. The new dialogue might not land for every OG fan, but it helped me connect with Isaac in a way I never did before.Visually, the game is stunning. It’s not quite as technically jaw-dropping as The Callisto Protocol, but it’s damn close and arguably better in atmosphere. The flashing lights, claustrophobic darkness, and gruesome details make every hallway feel like a trap. Add in some of the best sound design in horror gaming—where unsettling noises play tricks on your mind—and you’ve got a game that keeps you on edge constantly. Combat is brutal and satisfying, especially once you start upgrading weapons. And with new security clearance systems and secret endings, Dead Space Remake encourages you to backtrack and explore in ways the original never did.That said, it still has the rinse-and-repeat mission structure: go here, fix this broken thing, repeat. Some of the 0-gravity combat sections also overstayed their welcome. But honestly? Those nitpicks didn’t stop me from having a blast. This is how you do a remake—Motive and EA delivered something that feels faithful and fresh. At 12 hours with a tempting New Game+ and extra lore to uncover, it’s well worth the full price. I’ll definitely be playing it again.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals picks up a few years after the original, following Riley as she returns to her childhood home near Edward’s Island for a quiet environmental job that quickly turns eerie. Developed by Night School Studio and published by Netflix (yes, that Netflix), the sequel builds on the strengths of the original while telling a more emotionally grounded story. While it helps to have played the first Oxenfree, it’s not required—this story stands on its own, thanks in large part to the relatable leads, Riley and Jacob, whose natural back-and-forth carries the game’s more meditative pace.Like its predecessor, Lost Signals is a narrative-driven side-scroller that won’t be for everyone—if “walking simulator” is a turn-off, you might want to sit this one out. That said, if you’re in the mood for a chill, story-first experience with top-tier voice acting, branching dialogue, and surprisingly affecting emotional beats, this game delivers. The gameplay is simple, mostly light platforming and puzzle-solving, with some fun-but-underused mechanics involving time tears. There’s also a radio mechanic for tuning into ghostly signals or checking in with other characters, which adds a nice layer of interactivity.While the frequent loading screens on PS5 were a bit jarring, the game’s watercolor-inspired visuals and moody synth soundtrack more than made up for it. The atmosphere is thick with unease—not exactly scary, but definitely creepy in a way that lingers. At under ten hours and priced under $20, Oxenfree II is a great choice for players looking to unwind with a strong story, beautiful visuals, and just enough interactivity to stay engaged.
From Jeppe Carlsen, the lead gameplay designer behind Inside, comes Cocoon—the debut title from his new studio, and a spiritual cousin to the Playdead classics. While comparisons to Limbo and Inside are natural, Cocoon feels more in line with games like Tunic and Death’s Door. It presents a deceptively open world filled with puzzles and obstacles that require specific abilities to overcome, pushing players to explore, backtrack, and “stack” glowing orbs—each containing a different world and power. The game’s core mechanic, shifting between these orb-worlds, is clever and layered, although it does verge on tedious near the end.Boss battles are sprinkled throughout, each introducing a new mechanic with simple, satisfying design. These encounters, especially a final airborne one, offer welcome bursts of action that break up the more cerebral platforming sections. The brilliance of Cocoon lies in its minimalist control scheme—just movement and a single interaction button—yet it delivers increasingly complex puzzles that never feel overwhelming. The act of transporting orbs between worlds, managing their powers, and executing intricate sequences with limited inputs is both intuitive and challenging in all the right ways.Visually, Cocoon is a stark departure from Carlsen’s past work. Instead of monochromatic gloom, the game bursts with vibrant color and unique biome design—each world a pleasure to explore. The sound design and score are equally impressive, offering gentle encouragement through audio cues during tougher puzzles. While it may not quite reach the heights of Inside, Cocoon is a masterclass in compact, thoughtful game design. At just 5-6 hours, it’s one of the most rewarding platformers of the year.
Lord of the Rings: Gollum, developed by Daedalic Entertainment and published by Nacon, aims to be a faithful adaptation of Tolkien’s lore, but lands as one of the most misguided and painful gaming experiences in recent memory. Despite lofty ambitions, the story is a dull retread of familiar territory, offering little of value even to diehard Middle-earth fans. Gollum’s internal struggle—a character-defining trait—is reduced to an unengaging mini-game, while the bulk of the narrative is framed through Gandalf’s exposition and a flashback prison sequence that somehow feels both lifeless and endless. There’s a moment that lightly echoes Shawshank Redemption, but don’t get it twisted—this game barely scratches the surface of emotional or character depth.Visually, the game is a muddy mess. Environments are drab blobs of brown and gray, with PS2-era textures and uninspired design, and somehow even the Orcs—normally a visual highlight of the franchise—look embarrassingly bad. The gameplay is where Gollum really falls apart. Platforming, supposedly its core mechanic, is insultingly easy, riddled with clunky controls and braindead enemy AI. The game practically drags you from ledge to ledge, and any tension in its stealth sections is destroyed by laughably poor enemy behavior and a system so forgiving it feels like a toddler’s first stealth game. You know you’re in trouble when you die more often from input lag than from any actual **** its core, Lord of the Rings: Gollum feels unfinished—a glorified proof of concept with a $50 price tag. Even the studio’s inevitable apology tweet felt pre-written, like they knew this disaster was coming. The only silver lining? It’s mercifully short, clocking in at under 15 hours. I played it on PC, where it’s technically playable on the Steam Deck, though the experience is no better for it.
Atomfall is a first-person action survival game set in an alternate-history 1960s where a nuclear disaster turned Northern England into a sealed-off quarantine zone. You play as a nameless survivor waking up in a bunker with no direction, piecing together a mystery through exploration, cryptic payphone messages, and scattered notes. It’s atmospheric, layered, and deliberately vague. Rebellion, best known for the Sniper Elite series, takes a more immersive and lo-fi approach here—there are no waypoints or hand-holding, just you, your compass, and your gut instincts. The story unfolds non-linearly, with side quests often revealing major plot threads in hindsight, though I personally struggled to connect with the characters or find emotional stakes in the narrative.Gameplay-wise, Atomfall is equal parts scavenger hunt and stealth shooter, with survival mechanics that feel more grounded than most post-apocalyptic games. Ammo is limited, enemies are fragile but deadly, and the game encourages avoidance as much as confrontation. There’s a basic skill system gated by exploration and trade-based bartering instead of currency, which adds a unique layer to progression. That said, the UI can be clunky, inventory management is a pain, and enemy AI can be easily exploited. Still, there’s a quiet charm to the way Atomfall lets you discover things on your own—whether it’s uncovering a hidden camp or pulling off a slick headshot to survive an ambush.Visually, Atomfall nails its eerie, desolate vibe. From abandoned English villages to lush forests and decaying remnants of society, it’s a compelling world to explore, even if the technical fidelity feels a generation behind. Thankfully, performance is solid and stable, which I’ll gladly take over visual polish any day. While I can’t say Atomfall completely won me over, I respect what Rebellion was aiming for. If you’re into slow-burn mystery survival games and can forgive a few rough edges, it might be worth your time—just don’t expect it to leave a lasting mark in a year stacked with big releases.
Avowed is the latest RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, set in the rich fantasy world of Eora (from Pillars of Eternity). You play as an envoy investigating a deadly plague called the Dream Scourge, and while the world is vibrant and the environments are dense with exploration opportunities, the story just doesn’t hit. The narrative leans too heavily on lore dumps, and most characters—outside of maybe Kai—lack the personality to draw you in. Dialogue happens mostly at your campsite, which feels disconnected from the events you’re experiencing, and with only two companions allowed per mission, you miss out on broader party dynamics.Visually, Avowed feels underbaked, especially during long exposition scenes that already struggle to keep your attention. NPCs are serviceable but underwhelming by 2025 standards, and while the cities and landscapes have strong detail and style, the game suffers from inconsistent performance. Still, the world encourages exploration, with plenty of secrets and loot stashed in hidden corners, rooftop paths, and enemy camps. You can also use magic creatively in the world—like freezing lakes to make paths—adding a light but appreciated layer of environmental interaction.Where Avowed shines is its combat. It’s fast-paced, flexible, and surprisingly deep. You can mix melee, ranged, magic, and godlike abilities in a way that encourages experimentation, and the companion system—though limited—adds useful tactical support. Difficulty spikes make side quests almost mandatory, but they also add some weight to progression. While the loot system is stingy and the armor customization is barebones, the core combat loop kept me coming back. It’s not as refined or immersive as something like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, but it’s still a fun, flawed RPG with potential that shines brightest when you’re in the thick of battle.
Black Myth: Wukong marks Game Science’s bold leap from mobile gaming to a full-blown AAA experience, and for a first attempt, it’s undeniably impressive. Based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, the game places you in the role of a monkey warrior inspired by Sun Wukong—though I’ll admit I haven’t read the book, and I definitely didn’t in Indiana public school. After years of hype and delays, the game has finally landed—at least for PS5 and PC players. Xbox users are still stuck waiting as the devs optimize the game for that platform. I’ve spent about 20 hours with the PS5 version, and while I’ve barely scratched the surface, I’ve seen enough to say it’s a world worth exploring.From a gameplay perspective, Black Myth clearly draws inspiration from the Soulsborne lineage but carves out its own identity. The combat feels like a mashup of Lies of P and Jedi: Survivor, balancing intense boss fights with light and heavy attacks, spellcasting, stances, and even enemy transformations. There’s a great rhythm once you get used to the systems—dodging perfectly to gain focus, casting spells with clever timing, and using transformations as strategic tools. Some repetition does creep in during extended play sessions, and the camera occasionally fights you during big encounters, but the sheer number of boss battles (some surprisingly easy, others brick-wall tough) keeps things interesting. The lack of a map and literal invisible walls can make exploration frustrating, especially for someone like me who gets turned around easily, but the smooth fast travel system helps a bit.Visually, this game is a stunner. Each chapter takes you to a drastically different biome—lush forests, scorching deserts, snowy mountains—and the creature design is top-notch. It’s not just pretty for the sake of being pretty; the game flexes some serious detail work, like water physics and staff trails in snow and sand. I only experienced one crash on PS5, which I can live with. And hey, the vibe of this game? Spot on. At one point, a headless monk started singing and it was such a vibe I had to stop and dance. It may not be the Soulsborne clone people expected, but Black Myth: Wukong is carving out its own lane, and doing it with serious style.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a thrilling return to form for the iconic adventurer, set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. Developed by Machine Games and published by Bethesda, the game drops you into a globe-trotting quest that kicks off with a break-in at Marshall College and spirals into a classic Indy adventure involving ancient artifacts, cryptic puzzles, and a cunning villain named Voss. Troy Baker impressively channels Harrison Ford, bringing wit, grit, and charm to the role, while the supporting cast—including Tony Todd and Marios Gavrillis—adds flavor and depth to a story that manages to capture the spirit of the original films better than recent entries in the franchise.Gameplay is a mix of stealth, puzzle-solving, and old-school brawling, with a wide array of melee weapons and light gunplay that feels scrappy and improvisational—perfect for Indiana Jones. The whip is underused in combat but shines during traversal, though platforming overall is disappointingly simple and repetitive. Stealth is encouraged but undermined by inconsistent enemy AI, and sidekick behavior can be frustrating. Still, the world design is stellar—detailed and immersive, with iconic locations like the Sistine Chapel and Great Pyramids making exploration a visual treat. Fieldwork (the game’s side quests) offers strong writing and character development, especially in building Indy’s relationship with Gina, his sharp and endearing partner.With a light progression system centered around reading upgrade books (a clever nod to Indy’s academic side), and some smart uses of in-game tools like a camera for puzzle hints, The Great Circle delivers a surprisingly rich experience. While it’s not without its flaws—dumb AI, lackluster platforming, and some clunky backtracking—the game nails the tone and style of a classic Indiana Jones adventure. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just in it for a solid action-adventure, this is an entertaining and lovingly crafted tribute.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a massive step forward for Warhorse Studios, delivering a more refined and engrossing medieval RPG experience that improves on nearly every aspect of its predecessor. Picking up once again with Henry, now a squire to nobleman Hans Capon, the game drops you into the Kingdom of Bohemia on the cusp of civil war. With a story rich in consequence and nuance—even in the early hours—the game quickly reveals just how deep its systems and world-building go. Side missions range from emotionally grounded family dramas to ridiculous sheep-related pranks, all of them well-acted and smartly written, with choices that actually ripple through the **** gameplay still leans heavily on realism and survival mechanics, which may frustrate some players early on. Henry starts with nothing—literally getting thrown in the stocks for looking too poor—and every small victory feels earned. Whether you’re blacksmithing to pay off a debt or navigating speech checks that permanently lock once failed, KCD2 makes every choice count. The combat, while still punishing, has seen major polish since the first game and offers real flexibility in how you approach encounters. The skill system rewards how you play, encouraging organic growth rather than menu micromanagement. For returning players who struggled with the jankiness and difficulty curve of the original, this sequel feels like Warhorse finally realizing their vision—gritty, grounded, and unapologetically deep.Visually, the game is beautiful. Riding through golden fields as the sun sets behind the hills is pure medieval serenity, and while there are still minor bugs and occasional clipping, this is nowhere near the mess the first game launched as. It’s also one of the rare open-world RPGs where fast travel exists but often feels like a waste because there’s just too much worth seeing between point A and B. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 isn’t a casual experience—it demands patience, time, and attention—but if you’re willing to give it those things, it might just hook you for dozens of hours.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II arrives nearly five years after its initial reveal, and four years into the Xbox Series S/X lifecycle. Developed by Ninja Theory and published by Xbox Game Studios, it’s a stunning visual showcase that’s exclusive to Xbox and PC—available day one on Game Pass, which is how I played it on my Series S. Set after the events of the first game, the story follows Senua as she deliberately gets captured by slavers to kill their leader and free her people, only to discover a far greater threat along the way. The setup promises a grander scale, but the execution is mixed.Despite a larger team and better hardware, the game feels more limited than expected. The combat is polished and cinematic, with one-on-one encounters that look incredible, and standout moments like a group battle in the third act really shine. But the moment-to-moment gameplay is sluggish, with lots of slow walking and minimal exploration. While the voices in Senua’s head return with haunting, binaural sound design, much of the adventure feels passive. The side characters introduced in each chapter don’t get enough development, making key story moments fall flat—though a post-game feature allowing them to narrate adds some retroactive depth.What truly sets Senua’s Saga apart is how jaw-droppingly beautiful it looks. This is easily the most graphically impressive game I’ve played, with meticulous lighting, breathtaking landscapes, and film-like transitions that echo The Fellowship of the Ring. Melina Juergens once again delivers a powerhouse performance as Senua, backed by top-tier motion capture and sound work. While the gameplay doesn’t always match the presentation, the experience is still worth your time—especially if you’re on Game Pass or were a fan of the original. Just go in with tempered expectations.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is the kind of DLC that makes you realize just how special the base game already was. Coming back to replay it before diving into this expansion only solidified what many already believe: Elden Ring isn’t just great—it’s generation-defining. While nostalgia keeps it from being my personal GOAT, I can objectively say it’s one of the best games ever made. Naturally, I was beyond hyped for the DLC, and it delivered. Accessing it does require beating Radahn and Mohg—Radahn’s fight is epic and worth doing, while Mohg is just pain incarnate. I had no shame summoning help there, and neither should you.Gameplay-wise, Shadow of the Erdtree doesn’t reinvent the wheel but does shake things up with a more vertical map, heavier emphasis on platforming, and crucial upgrades like Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes to help you survive. The bosses are brutally challenging, and the game expects you to be high level—150+ with strong gear is the bare minimum. I beat most bosses solo, but Messmer broke me. After dozens of failed attempts, I summoned help without guilt. FromSoft knows its audience, and they’ve created a punishing but fair challenge that rewards patience and preparation.Visually, the DLC is stunning. It’s not about technical fidelity—it’s the art direction that makes you stop and stare. Torrent plays an even bigger role this time around, helping navigate sprawling forests and cliffside ruins that are some of the most beautiful locations in the game. While you can still cheese past enemies and suffer the occasional long boss runback, the world feels alive and fresh. Shadow of the Erdtree isn’t quite a sequel, but it’s way more than typical DLC—it’s Elden Ring 1.5 in the best possible way.
Silent Hill 2 Remake arrives with the heavy burden of living up to one of the most celebrated horror games of all time—and somehow, it pulls it off. Developed by Bloober Team with support from original creators, and optimized beautifully for the PS5, this remake does more than just tap into nostalgia. As someone who missed the 2001 original, diving into this for the first time felt like righting a long-standing wrong. The story, which focuses on James Sunderland’s grief-driven journey into the fog-drenched town of Silent Hill, is a gut-punch. Exploring how trauma manifests and festers, the narrative is raw, emotional, and at times disturbingly relatable. I won’t spoil anything, but the performances and motion-captured cutscenes make it clear why this game’s story is held in such high regard.Visually, Silent Hill 2 Remake is as stunning as it is unsettling. The thick, ever-present fog, the grotesque creature designs, and the haunting transitions into the Otherworld all showcase a game dripping with atmosphere. Environments are dense with detail and exploration is encouraged, with redesigned and expanded locations giving even veterans something new to discover. From decrepit hospitals to nightmarish prisons, each area is distinct and memorable. The use of darkness is just as effective, with a frustratingly dim flashlight and some sequences feeling pitch black, pushing even seasoned horror fans like me to the edge. Add in top-notch sound design—especially the static-filled radio warning of nearby monsters—and the immersion is near-perfect.Gameplay-wise, the remake strikes a strong balance between melee and gun combat, though early encounters can feel a bit repetitive until the enemy variety kicks in. I appreciated the limited ammo, immersive UI, and puzzle difficulty options, which reminded me of recent Resident Evil remakes. Combat can get a little clunky, especially in tight spaces or when the game targets the wrong enemy, but overall it’s a satisfying survival horror experience. The game doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it nails the essentials—and with multiple endings and streamlined mechanics, it encourages replayability. While I still prefer the RE2 remake overall, Silent Hill 2 Remake left a serious impression. It’s one of the best horror games I’ve played in years, and a strong contender for my Game of the Year.
Star Wars Outlaws is the latest addition to the ever-growing lineup of Star Wars games, but it sets itself apart by ditching the Jedi and lightsabers for a more grounded story about a scoundrel named Kay Vess. Developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft, the game drops players into a criminal underworld full of colorful factions, high-stakes heists, and shady deals across the galaxy. As Kay, you’ll recruit a ragtag crew, dodge bounty hunters, and try to clear your name, all while zipping around space with your loyal alien companion Nix and a grumpy droid bodyguard named ND-5. The gameplay is a familiar Ubisoft cocktail of stealth, third-person shooting, and platforming, with a sprinkle of spaceflight and faction management. There’s fun to be had—blasting enemies with your customizable blaster, negotiating with criminal syndicates, and upgrading your speeder and ship are all engaging, if a bit trope-heavy. Unfortunately, the open world is bloated with repetitive filler, and some story beats, like Kay’s relationship with ND or her mother’s backstory, don’t land due to uneven pacing and a lack of character development. Still, moments like breaking into Jabba’s Palace or pulling off a hyperspace escape deliver satisfying Star Wars thrills. Visually, Outlaws nails the galaxy far, far away. The cities feel lived-in, the aliens and environments are richly detailed, and the game oozes Star Wars charm. Whether you’re chatting up locals in a cantina, petting alien creatures, or playing a round of Sabacc, there’s a ton of immersive flavor. But at the end of the day, this game feels like a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none experience. If you’re a huge Star Wars fan, you’ll likely overlook the formulaic design and enjoy the ride. For everyone else—wait for a sale.
