It’s a part of the character that I’ve been exposed to so many times over the years – I don’t care anymore.

Although it takes a few hours before Batman makes an actual appearance, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight does a great job focusing on the more exciting elements of Bruce Wayne’s evolution to the Caped Crusader.

The whole parents thing is there, sure, but its brevity allows players to instead see Bruce Wayne training with the League of Shadows. While touching upon Batman lore mainstays from comics, movies, and games, a number of unexpected locales and characters also make an appearance.

Batman’s arsenal of sidekicks also brings plenty of collectible co-op partners for players to try out. Jim Gordon, Catwoman, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Talia Al Ghul each offer different combat and puzzle-solving abilities – although the latter becomes a little frustrating when playing solo.

Each character is heavily linked to specific parts of the story, providing interesting insight into each character’s origins and motivations. For instance, the Flying Graysons scene at Haly’s Circus – where Batman meets Robin for the first time – offers some of the game’s most engaging and challenging platform puzzles.

Much can be said for the long list of villainous troubles Batman and co encounter. Iconic characters, such as The Joker, Bane, The Penguin, and Poison Ivy, all make an appearance. That being said, some feel too brief and rushed for the legacy they hold.

Some lesser-known characters also pop into the fray in LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, with the Condiment King quite possibly making his first appearance since LEGO DC Super Villains.

One of the more annoying elements of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight sees the player having to constantly switch between characters to solve “puzzles.” This is in quotations, as these require little thought and are solved nearly as quickly as it takes to switch the characters in the first place.

It does make this title very approachable for younger players, and should offer enough challenge without leading to frustration. That being said, more experienced players might feel like a missed opportunity to break up the otherwise combat-centric gameplay.

Case in point: Catwoman’s Safe Cracking puzzle requires simply holding a direction on the thumb stick and waiting for a hole.

While true for most of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knights’ puzzles, some optional open-world puzzles provide more of a challenge.

The laundry list of collectibles in LEGO Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight will keep completionists entertained for hours on end. Most levels feature five thematic items hidden throughout, rewarding skill points or upgrades upon discovering them all.

When exploring the impressive open world of Gotham, it often feels like you’re tripping over a collectible or shiny chest every 20 seconds. While many become troublesome over time, the vast array of suits and vehicles for players to unlock is truly fantastic.

These iconic aesthetics from throughout Batman’s history have all been wrapped up in the beloved LEGO theme, provide plenty of nostalgic visuals for fans.

Although exploration and discovery play a large role, combat is the central focus of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Taking clear inspiration from the Arkham games, it is simple at its core. Although the game does have multiple special enemy types – each requiring different approaches to take down – it never tests the player or evolves much past the initial stages.

It’s a rewarding system, making the player practically invincible with the right timing of counter and dodge. However, with infinite lives and plenty of health, it lacks impact – so to speak.

Featuring sharp writing, accessible gameplay, and plenty of discovery opportunities, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is another strong entry in the LEGO franchise perfect for younger players.

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MOUSE: P.I. For Hire Review

While MOUSE: P.I. For Hire doesn’t quite scratch that detective itch, its incredible aesthetics and lively cast make it well worth the trip to Mouseburg.

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The post LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.

It’s a shame we have yet to see an AAA pirating game in that time. AAAA did take a shot with Skull & Bones, and while I enjoyed it (gave it an 80/100!), it wasn’t what people were expecting. Sea of Thieves’ rough launch was also off-putting for many.

As often the case with niche genres, we rely on the resilience and creativity of the indie gaming scene to raise the flag – and the Windrose Crew has done exactly that.

Windrose Early Access Review – It’s About Damn Time

Don’t be fooled by Windrose’s Early Access banner currently adorning its Steam page – this is as good as any full indie release on any platform today.

While simple in spots, needing some quality-of-life touches and a tad more fleshing out, I’ve never seen such solid foundations on which to build an Early Access game.

Windrose’s core gameplay loop will no doubt be familiar to survival players. Players will spend many of their early hours gathering resources and materials as they build a settlement, completing quests and upgrading gear along the way.

While fantastic toward its latter stages, Windrose’s building system can be frustrating to wrestle with early on; at least in a creative sense.

Exploration, quest, and reputation rewards in Windrose bless players with new buildings elements. That being said, its procedurally generated nature means that something specific – like a certain angled roof piece – could very well be a long ways off.

A highlight of Windrose’s overall base-building process is linked to how its fast travel system doesn’t punish those that spend hours on their first island.

A little settlement made in Windrose’s first hour, we still used that as our main settlement even 50 hours later.

Windrose allows players to construct up to 10 fast travel bells to be placed anywhere near water, unlocking immediate fast travel from any other bell or while aboard a ship.

You can have entire villages at each of these locations, or simply use them to access resources and materials not available on one’s home island.

Windrose really shines in the versatility of its character builds – especially for an Early Access game. Through the combination of food buffs, armor set bonuses, and select weapon choices, players can craft a wealth of unique and engaging combat builds.

Focusing primarily on Greatswords, I spent most of my points on Character Traits to increase critical hit chance, stamina, and survivability.

As my build neared completion, I was stacking healing and critical damage on perfect blocks, gaining buffs for defeating enemies, and launching widespread sword swings as I tackled large groups of foes a blast.

Needless to say, character builds are important in Windrose – this is not an easy game.

On that note, playing Windrose on the recommended difficulty as a solo player will be challenging for even the most seasoned of survival players.

Adding friends to Windrose’s co-op mix is hugely beneficial, as having an extra sword or musket in a fight has clear benefits. However, this also allows players to double up on many rewards, proving that co-op play is a huge focus for the title.

Character progress in Windrose is based on the character rather than the server, so players can swap between games without losing progress.

Rewards in Windrose – including those as big as ships – are provided to all players upon quest completion, allowing groups to form small armadas even early in the game.

While each person taking a ship is obviously the best idea when tackling Blackbeard’s pirates, it’s not the only option. Windrose allows players to share ships, and although functionality is currently quite basic, they can interact with one another.

You can pilot other players’ boats, you can man the guns and fire while another steers – you can even throw your line over the bow and do some fishing while your captain plots the course.

Get ambushed by pirates in the process? No worries – simply summon your ship and hop aboard.

Even boarding enemy ships in Windrose can be done by multiple players. Only one ship may “officially board,” but nothing stops other players from jumping aboard and helping take down the enemy crew.

That being said, boarding combat in Windrose is a bit rough. Cannons, rigging, multiple enemies running up a small set of stairs – it’s very easy to die due to getting stuck or not being able to dodge properly.

However, as the only real issue lies with naval combat speaks, it speaks volumes for Windrose’s overall quality.

Windrose is definitely a survival-lite experience when it comes to traditional survival games. Food, while vital for surviving combat, is not a required resource to literally stay alive.

No need to run to the ocean every 10 minutes to fill up a hydration bar.

The true challenge with survival in Windrose comes with the combat system – and it is gloriously brutal.

Characters in Windrose – both friendly and enemy – use a Posture system that represents how many times a character can block attacks before succumbing to exhaustion.

…and likely get smashed in the face several times as a result.

The magic of Windrose’s combat comes in a player’s ability to hit the Perfect Block: a timed block that preserves the character’s Posture while reducing one’s opponent’s.

Put simply, Windrose features as satisfying a combat system can get in an Early Access release of an indie game.

While tough to start when learning the timing and attack patterns of different enemies, the end result of becoming an almost unstoppable force against crowds of up to five enemies is worth every scratch and bruise along the way.

The thought of dying to single enemies even toward the end of the game won’t appeal to everyone, but Windrose features incredibly accessible difficulty settings. With three main difficulty settings, each one can also be tweaked even further to reduce difficulty.

I played Windrose on various difficulty options, customizing each one. Regardless of survival or combat experience, I can confidently say that Windrose is accessible to all players.

That being said, playtime in Windrose will vary massively depending on one’s play style.

Our team played through Windrose’s entire story in co-op. Finishing most of its content – including maxing out our gear and building all the stock ships – clocked us at approximately 50 hours.

You can probably halve that playing on easier difficulty settings, or alternatively add up to 20 hours playing solo. Either way, the sheer amount of content in Windrose in Early Access easily matches the level of content and quality as full releases on the market today.

For an Early Access release, Windrose is incredible with zero technical problems. Not only are the foundations across every system and mechanic rock solid, Windrose is already feature-filled with ideas often months – or years! – away from their Early Access launch.

While it will earn an official final score once fully released, Windrose comes out of the Early Access gate strong with an easy 85/100.

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The post Windrose Early Access Review – It’s About Damn Time appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Each year, I’m excited to dive into Visual Concepts and 2K’s latest entry into the WWE game library. Despite its issues over the years, it still brings the strongest wrestling game on the market.

That said, this year, something feels a bit off…

What Happened to Slingshot Tech?

This year’s Showcase sees CM Punk relive some of his highs and lows, with some dream matches thrown in.

It’s okay, but I can’t help but ask myself:

“What’s the point?”

I can throw together these matches in many different game modes, without the irritating objective-based unlocks. I’ve enjoyed some of the previous Showcase events, but like many of MyGM rivalries, this is getting stale.

WWE 2K24 showcased 2K’s Slingshot Tech with near frame-perfect transitions between in-game action and clips from the WWE archives.

Now?

Even with CM Punk mentioning the Slingshot Tech 20 times during his on-screen appearances, it’s been reduced to nothing but the concept of playing matches from the past.

I’m not CM Punk’s biggest fan, so others will likely enjoy the Showcase more than I did. Playing back through some of his most iconic matches, getting the opportunity to change a loss to a win, to see where his career went.

For me, Showcase was at its best in WWE 2K24 – and has been on the decline since.

Tables, Ladders, and Thumbtacks, Hell Yeah

The in-ring action continues to improve in WWE 2K26, with genuine moments of awesome that feel ripped straight from an actual WWE show.

More moments than ever just had me stepping back to admire just how great a sequence of moves and reversals turned out – even if its AI can be a little irritating when it ruins the perfect moment.

Ripping out the thumbtacks and stacking tables with some of WWE’s hardcore legends was the closest I’d felt to the carnage of the Smackdown vs. RAW days in a long time.

The only things really holding back the in-ring action is WWE 2K26’s dodgy stamina system that doesn’t seem to apply to AI characters, and a problem that has persisted for years: the lock-on is still a complete mess.

It’s clunky, unresponsive, and just does what it wants only half the time.

I’ll never understand why a game released in 2026 cannot compete with a lock-on system from the PlayStation 2 era.

It makes any matches outside 1v1, arguably, the most exciting to play in a WWE game; a complete gamble on the outcome.

MyFaction, or Not

I didn’t typically dip into MyFaction too much before WWE 2K24, but I really enjoyed it the last couple of years. It’s all very much the same in WWE 2K26, grinding for better cards and unlocks – as 2K hopes you spend some cash in the process.

I jumped in, excited to get my pack rewards and start my own faction, only to be immediately met with a series of starting challenges that forced me to remove half the characters in favor of weaker ones – because card rating was restricted.

What followed was a series of intergender matches that still add absolutely nothing to the single-player experience, being forced to play as wrestlers I actively dislike, in matches you see on WWE once in a decade. Then comes a group of mirror matches where it’s nearly impossible to tell who is who in a ring of clones.

The “tutorial” sequence doesn’t last long; it’s about 15 matches, but about 14 of those feel entirely unnecessary.

It took me two days to dive back in, and then I was met with frozen loading screens and crashes. Between that and getting headbutted by Blake Monroe every other match, it’s a very slow start.

The Island Gets Even Crazier

The Island makes a return in WWE 2K26 – with all its ridiculous glory.

Following on from the events of WWE 2K25, players join The Island as a member of one of three new factions, each with their own storyline, characters, rewards, and unlocks.

The most welcome change in WWE 2K26 comes with its vastly improved navigation, with on-screen quest markers showing where the next stage of progress can be found – a huge improvement on last year’s ask of having players run around like a headless chicken.

Outside that, it’s all very much by the numbers.

While WWE 2K26 features new content and new stories, it is also very much still in the same package.

It’s probably a feature I would have loved 20 years ago, but it’s over-the-top, wacky stories and meta-busting showpieces are just a touch too much.

That, and the awful camera angle put me off exploring more than a few hours of what it had to offer.

Roguelite elements of The Tower on The Island, the CCG card collecting and levelling of TCG games, the strategy aspects of GM Mode, and the micromanagement of MyUniverse…

WWE 2K’s constantly increasing list of features and game modes almost overwhelms.

Every year, I push myself to dive into all the different modes, knowing I won’t particularly enjoy half of them, and that’s where I think the series is struggling.

The Island, with more polish and more grounded stories, could be incredible. A deeper, more meaningful GM Mode would keep me entertained all year round, but everything feels a bit shallow this year.

WWE 2K26 still represents the best wrestling game on the market today, but it does very little to distinguish itself from last year’s release. Combined with egregious monetization and the needlessly mundane grind across nearly every single game mode, and this year simply feels like a step back.

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The post WWE 2K26 Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Pearl Abyss, known for Black Desert Online, is launching one of the most challenging, systems-heavy, and complex games the industry has seen in a very long time:

Crimson Desert.

Forget Dark Souls – Crimson Desert Is The New Measuring Stick – Our Review

Crimson Desert is probably the most difficult game I’ve ever had to score…

On one hand, Pearl Abyss has achieved levels of greatness in Crimson Desert few developers dare reach.

On the other hand, something as simple as picking up items or speaking to NPCs can be frustrating enough to fist palm the nearest villager into oblivion – and subsequently get arrested.

Crimson Desert encompasses the full spectrum of emotions…

You’ll lose your breath at some of the incredible sights.

You’ll marvel at Crimson Desert’s flawless technical performance.

You’ll become engrossed in Crimson Desert’s addictive and rewarding gameplay loop, wherever your interests may lie.

However, you’ll also wonder how something so utterly ridiculous can make it into a AAA video game.

Crimson Desert is a game that is as divisive as it is expansive – and it’s huge.

I’ve just broken the 200-hour mark, and now feel comfortable that I’m at the point of post-game content.

Crimson Desert is truly unrivaled when it comes to its scope and complexity.

In my 200 hours, there was just one crash. I was sitting at a constant 80 FPS on its ultra setting before a pre-release patch, which thereby increased things to a buttery-smooth 100 FPS.

I can only speak of PC performance, but Crimson Desert is a technical marvel.

Crimson Desert’s draw distance is staggering, and even when I tried to break the game with the flashiest moves and combos in the biggest fights I could find, its frames never suffered.

Pearl Abyss and the BlackSpace engine have created one of the most beautiful game worlds I’ve ever had the pleasure to explore – and I’ve still got countless secrets to discover.

One of Crimson Desert’s most prominent features is Howling Hills, which serves as the Greymanes’ base of operations.

The area I’ve probably invested the most amount of time in, players can recruit new Greymanes to the cause here. Players can also increase the facilities available at this site, along with the number of comrades sent on Dispatch missions.

On its surface, this area is similar to ones found in other RPGs, but it’s connected to the world and exploration like no other.

Every region in Crimson Desert is filled with intriguing locations, many of which have facilities of their own.

Once discovered, quarries, farms, pottery barns, and ranches each offer employment for workers on Dispatch missions.

This, in turn, creates an almost player-centric economy in Crimson Desert, allowing players to carve out their economic prowess as they see fit.

Carefully maintaining the cost of each Dispatch mission with the resources obtained from others is a rewarding balancing act, one that is almost deserving of its own game entirely.

How many games are you truly excited to discover a random farm at the end of the road? Or perhaps a beautiful grove filled with wild flowers that offers more than a beautiful sight, but provides rare and valuable resources for your camp?

I’m not even touching on the ridiculous items and technologies that can be discovered.

The Howling Hills camp is the perfect representation of Crimson Desert as a whole.

On its surface, it’s familiar, inviting almost. However, as you dig below, it becomes so much more.

If building up a base camp isn’t for you, how about some puzzle solving?

Crimson Desert’s Abyss – a puzzle-filled world above worlds – not only offers some of the best vistas but also some of the most challenging platforming and puzzle experiences in the game.

Once you’ve got a grip of Crimson Desert’s puzzles – and it can take quite some time – it’s a nice change of pace from the otherwise combat-fueled exploration.

Puzzles are not exclusive to the Abyss, and can be found scattered throughout the game world.

Some are as simple as the traditional light all the braziers in the area style puzzles, while others will set you across the world looking for murals and clues.

While creative and engaging for much of the game, many offer no clues or insights on whether players have the tools or abilities to complete those puzzles at any given time.

This, in turn, leaves many instances of feeling like a complete idiot for spending 30 minutes to solve a puzzle you don’t have the means to yet.

Crimson Desert’s puzzles are intrinsically tied to its main story, so you’ll have to get comfortable if you’re hoping to finish the main campaign.

While early puzzle solving leaves a lot of frustration, Crimson Desert’s puzzles provide a rewarding end-game once you learn the fundamentals of each style of puzzle.

Crimson Desert’s combat is this title’s crowning glory, providing a fast-paced, fluid, and powerful approach that is easily accessible while also promising a high skill ceiling.

Put simply, Crimson Desert’s combat provides a huge payout for those willing to invest the time.

While somewhat held back by a clunky and complicated control scheme – even using a controller – Crimson Desert’s combat becomes natural with enough time and effort.

Combining various skills and abilities offers incredible maneuverability throughout Crimson Desert’s combat. It keeps things fresh and fast-paced, all without falling into the trap of just mashing buttons.

There are three playable characters in Crimson Desert to choose from, each with their own skill tree and combat style.

Do note that Crimson Desert’s progress system doesn’t encourage dividing resources between multiple characters.

For the best chance at taking down some of Crimson Desert’s more challenging bosses, you’re going to want your main character to be at their very best – something that isn’t possible when dividing materials.

Despite executing some of the more challenging aspects of such a huge project to near perfection, this title does admittedly struggle with some of the basics…

Fast travel – an industry standard to avoid frustration and wasted time – is inconvenient and irritating. Players cannot directly fast travel to towns, and oftentimes, points of interest that require return visits have no fast travel locations nearby.

While this encourages and rewards exploration, it does make the mundane tasks even more mundane. Having to make the same short run to town every time, jumping over the same fences again and again.

I get the concept, but as with much of Crimson Desert, it’s dialed in just a bit too much.

Even speaking with NPCs or picking items up from the floor – both basic functions in any game – are sometimes annoying enough to not even bother.

The story in Crimson Desert, while enjoyable, does suffer severely from pacing issues.

Each chapter typically sees a few simple missions followed by a boss battle, one that’s typically far more than the player can handle.

This requires players to seek out new materials and farm supplies for better gear and more food, but it breaks up the pace of the game in quite jarring ways.

Unless you’re in the top 10%, this is going to be much of the experience working through the story.

Crimson Desert does deliver on arguably the most entertaining mining and woodcutting systems ever conceived.

Early on, you’ll be slugging away with your hatchet and pickaxe. However, before long, you’ll be Bruce Leeing rocks and trees into pieces.

It’s fun, but it’s still grinding resources.

With the benefit of experience, there are definitely ways to mitigate this. However, for players coming into Crimson Desert for the first time, the forced repetition of the nature of upgrading gear may be off-putting.

I both applaud and appreciate the effort Pearl Abyss has taken to create a game that tests and challenges the player. That being said, there are areas where it would greatly benefit from being dialed back a notch or two.

Dark Souls has often been used to measure one’s gaming prowess, but that measuring stick has changed with Crimson Desert. Not only does it boast some of the most challenging boss battles ever seen in the industry, its required levels of patience, determination, and ability have set a new gold standard.

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The post Forget Dark Souls – Crimson Desert Is The New Measuring Stick – Our Review appeared first on GamersHeroes.

Having never played these games before, I was expecting a relatively familiar city management sim and strategy game with a new lick of paint.

Struggling to correctly setup even the first major resource tree – timber for those in the know – was challenging. Trying to gauge the correct ratio between a growing population and a limited capacity for resources.

It became very clear that this was not what I was expecting…

Anno 117: Pax Romana Review

There’s a level of planning and forward-thinking to Anno 117: Pax Romana I didn’t see coming.

Managing multiple population types, each with varying needs and desires, came into play. I also needed to incorporate new research and technologies into existing developments to pivot resource and production.

Now?

My only mistake is that Anno 117: Pax Romana is my first Anno game – and it will definitely not be my last.

I’ve fallen in love with everything Anno 117: Pax Romana has to offer.

Near-endless hours of relaxing (albeit sometimes frustrating) gameplay where every step – every inch of progress – always feels earned and rewarding.

As a complete newbie to the franchise, it’s pretty brutal. The controls on PlayStation 5 take a lot of getting used to; even now, I struggle finding certain menus and shortcuts.

This is not so much because of a development issue, but more because of breadth of the options available. It would be an impossible task to make the entire process fluid.

While Anno 117: Pax Romana’s tutorial somewhat helps, it almost entirely skips combat and misses many city management aspects.

Anno 117: Pax Romana’s relatively short campaign, which clocks in between 8-12 hours, primarily serves a tutorial.

While narrative-driven, Anno 117: Pax Romana’s campaign is worthy of the journey – even for more experienced players. It introduces players to the two distinct building and cultural environments of Latium and Albion, playing the role of a Roman governor in a time of peace.

Relatively speaking, of course.

Choosing to build through the Roman or Celtic trees, Anno 117: Pax Romana feels like two entirely different games. Each requires different construction techniques, planning, and materials.

Dabbling a bit in both, I very much look forward to being comfortable exploring both avenues.

Despite its tutorial-centric approach, it misses the mark in a few select areas.

Anno 117: Pax Romana is such an incredibly complex game, complete with intricately-woven mechanics into every design and feature. It’s only natural some elements would be ignored, but it does admittedly leave a steep learning curve as a result.

That’s the real beauty of Anno 117: Pax Romana…

Anno 117: Pax Romana level of depth and micromanagement completely blows me away – especially as a newcomer!

I probably put 30 hours into Anno 117: Pax Romana’s campaign mode as I set out to experiment, learn, adapt, and make things just a bit more efficient each run.

I feel like I achieved so much in Anno 117: Pax Romana – and yet I still understand next to nothing.

For the right player, Anno 117: Pax Romana is a game that offers hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of entertainment.

Especially if you’ve got friends to throw into the mix!

Anno 117: Pax Romana co-op option was the main reason I decided to dive into Anno for the first time, and its two options available cater to every player.

Anno 117: Pax Romana’s co-op allows for multiple players to play as the same emperor as they share the same resources, research tree, and buildings.

When in play, Anno 117: Pax Romana’s co-op system allows multiple players to work together in harmony. In a game that encourages multiple settlements, sprawling cities, and important research decisions, sharing the workload between players is always fun.

Anno 117: Pax Romana’s other option – its more traditional multiplayer functionality – offers the same. However, the added twist comes with the additional choice of players controlling their own emperor and competing/working together.

Combat is the only area of the game where this title felt a little lackluster.

Anno 117: Pax Romana’s combat follows a familiar rock-paper-scissors approach to unit strengths and weaknesses, but there is very little attention is given to formations or controlled movement.

Starting the battle with troops all positioned correctly, with spears and swords protecting long-range units can be a bit cumbersome, but once the battle starts?

It’s best just to start telling everything to attack everything else.

This title provides a satisfying system from a visual perspective. Anno 117: Pax Romana’s units are engaging in combat, and seeing the damage from a charge is always rewarding.

That being said, it does feel a bit dated.

Anno 117: Pax Romana creates epic stories from struggles. I lost count of the times everything was smooth, with everything going my way – only for some random situation to cripple my efforts.

Feeling confident after populating my first island, I expanded to new territory to capture a resource I needed to advance my city even further.

After sending my fleet with some starting supplies, I got to building my next epic city.

About 20 minutes in, I was bombarded with notifications…I neglected to pay attention to the population growth of my first island, leaving many without vital supplies.

Disease ravaged one quadrant, while riots started in another; needless to say, it was a complete disaster.

Restart, try again, lessons learned.

This was often my route in Anno 117: Pax Romana, but not once was that through disappointment or frustration.

Each attempt of Anno 117: Pax Romana had me eager to explore, learn more, and build better.

Anno 117: Pax Romana is a remarkable game, and one I hope to spend many more hours playing.

As a newcomer to the Anno franchise, Anno 117: Pax Romana has completely blown me away. I’ve sunk days into this game, and still feel like I need weeks to get comfortable, and months to get confident – and I absolutely love that.

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I should have written this review days ago, but every day was the same.

I’ll just play a quick round or two and then write the review, it’s fine.

12-15 hours later, I find myself justifying one more game – you know, for work’s sake.

I then wake up the next day and repeat my stages of addiction.

I can’t put this bloody thing down.

ARC Raiders Anonymous Review

I don’t even particularly enjoy extraction shooters – the very concept of having other players determine whether I’ll have a good time or a completely miserable experience is enough for me to avoid installing a game like this one.

But here I am, 71 hours later in ARC Raiders, wanting to pound through this review as quickly as humanly possible so I can play one more game…

ARC Raiders is pure developer magic.

I’m going to start with the audio…

While it may feel a rather strange place to start, the sound design in ARC Raiders is some of the best I have ever heard.

In any game, ever.

It goes far beyond simply tracking enemy footsteps nearby, listening carefully as the thud of raider boot echos various sounds across the different surfaces. There are so many clues in the environment, coming together in ARC Raiders to create an atmosphere as intense as any other.

Careless players walking past security cameras or metal detectors (all of which are randomly active each game), giving away their location with beeps and alarms.

Rushing through a small alley, seemingly out of sight of any threat, as you charge through a flock of birds that caw as they scatter.

The whizzing and metal ting as a stray bullet hits the metal window shutter you’re cowering behind.

And all of this is without mentioning the whirling of rotor blades of the hovering Arc robots, waiting to blow you up, pin you down, or summon allies to ruin your day.

The audible components of ARC Raiders are delivered with such variety and attention to detail, it’s genuinely impressive.

Even now, as I’ve completed dozens and dozens of games, I still feel a child-like excitement when I hear a camera or metal detector go off.

This same approach to design echoes through the entire game.

Everything in ARC Raiders feels creative, polished, and delivered to the very highest standard.

Even the bloody players are of a higher quality than the average game!

ARC Raiders is a boiling pot of suspense, hilarity, and utter dread.

I’ve run into entire groups, greeting them with the already iconic “don’t shoot” emote and voice line, hoping they take pity and don’t feed me to the Arc. Sometimes they’ll wave and dance, sending you on your merry way.

Other times, you’ve just given away your location, and you’re dead before you draw your weapon. Sometimes, it even results in a brief bit of civility, as trading and discussions of loot and quest spots take place.

There’s a magic in the connectivity of the game’s design and features with its player base that’s just so difficult to put into words.

And that’s even if you run into players…

It’s not at all uncommon to go entire matches without running into anyone. The only proof of their existence is the echoing sounds of gunshots in the distance, or the flares that fill the skies when characters are incapacitated.

This, however, doesn’t do anything to reduce tension or suspense, as the Arc enemies can be a handful if not prepared.

Each Arc robot you encounter is entirely unique.

Wasps, the weakest of the bunch, hover around like the neighbor’s irritating drone, shooting unsuspecting players that pass by.

Hornets, the bulkier cousins of the Wasps, feature heavily armored front rotors, making them much harder to take down.

Bombardiers, hulking machines bigger than a bus, use Spotter drones to locate players and launch artillery with staggering accuracy.

Leapers, massive spider-like robots, can leap huge distances to land on players.

Some of the most epic and cinematic moments I’ve enjoyed in ARC Raiders involve the intelligence of the Arc enemies. Carefully navigating narrow halls to chase me down, Rocketeers circling entire buildings to fire a shot through an open window – it’s insane.

Every enemy has a weakness, and a player’s ability to adapt and take advantage of that weakness is the key to survival. Any one of the stronger Arcs can wipe a team, but nearly all can be taken down by a solo player with the right equipment and approach.

The core experience of ARC Raiders doesn’t betray the extraction formula, but it does make it more accessible. Free loadouts allow players to skip the monotonous nature of spawning in naked and scrapping around for basic supplies.

Plenty of build-out options provide safety pockets, items that are kept even on death, making progress always a possibility – even in the event of failure.

It’s this constant drive to move forward with quest and material progression, with just enough safety net, that takes much of the sting out of bad experiences.

That said, the very nature of the extraction genre can be an angry, frustrating mess – and ARC Raiders is no different in that regard.

You will die. You will lose everything.

Sometimes hours of progress will be lost if you’re caught with your best gear, but that’s the nature of the beast.

Whether you’re hunting down players or Arcs, combat sits front and center, and it’s glorious. Everything from long-range sniper battles to hallway skirmishes, it’s well executed and feels great.

Early-hours combat is a bit hectic, blowing through ammo on weak and undeveloped guns, relying on makeshift explosives…it feels almost primitive compared to the later game options.

Discovering blueprints for more powerful guns and gaining the ability to craft traps and powerful explosives is a night and day difference, but one that feels rewarding nonetheless.

For those who enjoy the punishing thrill of the extraction genre, ARC Raiders’ wipe mechanic can be quite appealing.

Gathering materials and resources to launch an Expedition every few months, losing your character but gaining various cosmetics and slight buffs, it’s the only system of its kind that has me even remotely tempted to do it.

And that’s purely because I’m enjoying ARC Raiders so much, I don’t want to finish it.

I don’t want to run out of quests or materials to find. I want every raid to be a combination of hunter, prey, and gather.

I can’t believe I’m saying this in the same year we’ve had Expedition 33, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and The Alters, but ARC Raiders is a real contender for Game of the Year.

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Until now, that vision was never truly realized…

The original Jurassic World Evolution was a decent start – an average game with good ideas. Later on, its successor Jurassic World Evolution 2 offered marginal improvements, but ignored many of the original’s downfalls.

Scoring both releases 50/100 and 55/100 respectively, Frontier Development’s Jurassic World Evolution 3 was approached with reserved optimism.

Surely this time it’ll hit the spot, right?

Jurassic World Evolution 3 Review

Let’s get something out of the way…

The franchise’s biggest pain point comes with its poorly simulated attempts at guests – the single reason why this is a park management sim and not a wildlife conservation sim.

Sadly, that has not changed with this release. The guests are mere illusions, walking objects that serve no real purpose and exist only because they are expected to do so.

While one can create experiences of pure wonder and joy – even epic when it comes to the grandiose playground the Jurassic Park franchise is known for.

Despite that, 300 people will still be wandering around your staff-only facilities…because reasons.

Placing any guest service, like a food or drink vendor, will immediately net a profit based on the number of guests that are in the area.

This is regardless of whether guests actually physically appear in said area.

One’s beautifully curated viewing platform, with 15 visible dinosaurs and 4,000 appeal, will often be empty and lifeless.

This area has been all but ignored throughout the series – and it continues to be a disappointment in this release.

With that out of the way, Jurassic World Evolution 3 is the best game in the series – and it’s not even close.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 builds on almost every other area (sorry, combat is still a bit meh), pushing the franchise to new heights.

A lot of Jurassic World Evolution 3’s heavy lifting is done by the community, thanks in part to a fantastically designed set of building customization tools that provide near-endless creativity.

Merely days after its release, the Jurassic World Evolution 3 community has already created some truly epic designs.

Using Jurassic World Evolution 3’s tools in the well-constructed workshop, one can create everything from a near replica of the original park.

One can even include the iconic raptors from Jurassic Park’s kitchen scene, with raptors actually being able to walk around the kitchen.

It’s ridiculous – and we love it.

It would be easy to understate the importance of this impressive suite of tools, but they all add an unrivaled level of longevity and customization

Outside of Frontier Developments’ other titles, of course.

Put simply, Jurassic Wold Evolution 3’s suite of tools is a truly remarkable feat.

And they all do so much more!

Every problem seems less of an issue, every obstacle less relevant…there’s just so much potential to do just about anything.

With these tools in placce, they allow the rest of the game to shine like never before.

While the economic challenges of the game are still few and far between (a positive cash flow is literally throwing down a few buildings, and you’re good to go) the complete and utter carnage and chaos is as glorious as ever.

Our sandbox park featured a small enclosure for the ridiculously cute Microceratus. On the other side of the path, a growing family of Dilophosaurus. Money was pouring in, and we were thriving.

Then a storm hit.

It took out the power, causing the Dilophosaurus to escape through the fence and break into the Microceratus enclosure. On that note, this was attached to a petting zoo for visitors…

Dinosaurs died, people were eaten, and we were hit with lawsuits to near non-existence.

Chaos defeated us that day.

There’s a magic to Jurassic World Evolution 3’s chaos, a combination of compounding events that can bring even the best managed parks to its knees – and it’s awesome.

Many of the elements surrounding dinosaurs and care in Jurassic World Evolution 3 remain the same. Dinosaurs require certain habitats to thrive, and attempting to balance these out across multiple species is rewarding and satisfying.

The introduction of Juvenile dinosaurs to Jurassic World Evolution 3 adds another layer of excitement to the mix.

Genetically breeding the ultimate attraction while watching all the new animations and interactions between different families and herds, it’s a seemingly small and simple feature at face value. However, this feature adds so much to the overall experience.

New attractions, a suite of impressive terraforming and community creation tools, new dinosaurs, new breeding mechanics…

Clocking approximately 40 hours into Jurassic World Evolution 3 as of this writing, we have barely scratched the surface of what we want to achieve.

That’s where Jurassic World Evolution 3 truly won us over…

Jurassic World Evolution 3’s combination of existing and new features creates a consistently busy – yet growing – environment.

There were always simultaneous projects going on at any given time. We were mentally checkmarking objectives as we progressed, always moving forward to that next grand idea.

There is still one area of criticism that needs to be discussed: Jurassic World Evolution 3’s console release.

Reviewed on the Xbox Series X, its 30 frames per second frame rate 30 FPS is very noticeable to the point we regret not buying it on PC first.

With the level of flora and fauna detail scattered across every map, graphical pop-in is quite intrusive. There is also a construction limit imposed on console platforms will be off-putting for those hoping to create something massive.

Coupled with the traditional woes of console management games, sluggish controls, and interface interaction when it comes to challenges building with precision, makes the console versions of Jurassic World Evolution 3 a tough call.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 is a great console release; there’s no denying that.

That being said, while it works well and does everything it needs to do, the PC version of Jurassic World Evolution 3 really lets this game shine.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 is the single best entry in the series to date – and it’s not even close.

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Continuing to lean on the familiar, The Outer Worlds 2 not so much reinvents the wheel, but instead taking its time to perfect it. The Outer Worlds 2’s combination of appealing Fallout-like RPG mechanics come together in an RPG that truly respects your time – and is all the better for it.

No overwhelming map of points-of-no-interest, no repetitive challenges… a well-constructed RPG that just works from start to finish.

That being said, those hoping for a more grandiose experience will not have The Outer Worlds 2 meet those expectations.

For everyone else, it’s the best game Obsidian has ever released.

The Outer Worlds 2 Review

I never dive too deep into the story in reviews…

One should experience The Outer Worlds 2’s story for themselves, but it’s very much what you would expect in a sequel to The Outer Worlds. The Outer Worlds 2 features fantastically sharp and witty writing, well-constructed characters, and a twisting narrative interwoven with a choice system that actually matters.

The comedic and satirical approach of The Outer Worlds 2 may be off-putting for some, so be forewarned if one likes RPGs with a more serious tone.

The true scope of the choices and consequences system doesn’t come into focus until the very end of The Outer Worlds 2, as the post-game scenes reveal the fate of the characters and worlds.

Conversation choices, quests you completed – quests you ignored – The Outer Worlds 2 features a maze of interconnected tunnels with a choice system filled with impact and meaning.

The Outer Worlds 2’s choice system is a refreshing change in an industry chock-full of illusion of choice nonsense.

I had a relatively positive ending, but one skipped quest quickly became forgotten, completely changing the fate of my favorite companion.

The depth and complexities of The Outer Worlds 2’s choices blends perfectly with the digestible game length, adding variety and meaning to additional runs.

All without a 100-hour price tag to boot!

Combat is one area this title struggles. While its system is responsive, feels great, and blends melee and ranged weaponry for a fun hybrid, enemies sometimes felt like absolute sponges.

Regardless of difficulty, it wasn’t uncommon to sink a few clips into a single foe. Combat-centric skills were not neglected, instead choosing to explore more parts of the environment with the more interactive skills, but rushing through or avoiding battles toward the very end became quite common.

Enemy variety also felt quite lacking, with a limited selection of wildlife species and enemy types throughout.

This design choice does admittedly encourage smarter gameplay, with particular enemies being weaker to certain weapon and damage types. However, those looking to blast through may get a bit frustrated near the end.

On its surface, The Outer Worlds 2’s Skill system doesn’t seem overly remarkable by RPG standards. Players can freely distribute points among 12 different choices, and although a few will need to be invested in a combat style of the player’s choosing, the variety builds a connective element with the environment like no other.

No matter what skills one chooses, The Outer Worlds 2 always rewards the player.

Hacking into consoles, using Explosives training to reveal new paths, and manipulating conversations with Speech and Leadership add a healthy amount of variety. It can be a little disappointing to find so many areas and objects outside your Skill selection, but it’s never a letdown with the amount you actually have available.

It’s one of the many elements that make The Outer Worlds 2 the perfect RPG to play through multiple times.

The Outer Worlds 2 is Obsidian Entertainment’s best work to date – a perfect RPG for those seeking an old-school approach, one with more substance than expanse.

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1997, a simpler time in gaming. Microtransactions, live service games, premium editions, years before the rot of corporate greed laid its roots, established IPs weren’t afraid to try new things.

Looking to offer Final Fantasy fans an accessible, job-based foray into the tactical genre, Squaresoft’s Final Fantasy Tactics was born.

Even today, it is regarded by many as one of the greatest games of all time – and especially within the tactics genre – but how does it hold up nearly 30 years later?

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Review

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles doesn’t just hold up; it stands proud as one of the granddaddies of the genre.

This title delivers challenging, strategy-fueled combat, and a killer narrative aided by the addition of voiced dialogue, which is quite possibly the single best addition to the game.

The Job system, an iconic part of the Final Fantasy franchise and a driving mechanic of many tactics titles, sees players nurture a roster of growing characters into new and powerful job roles.

Beginning as a lowly Squire, players can develop characters down both magical and physical trees to unlock several iconic roles. Everybody is here, from Summoners and Black Mages, to Knights and Samurai.

The reward and excitement of grinding away levels to unlock that next new and exciting class in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is as glorious as it was at release. Some struggle with diminished power levels at the latter stages of the game, but the ability to mix and mash jobs together creates for some incredibly powerful combos.

The simplicity of its 90s design shines throughout. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles excels at two things: Telling a story and giving players challenging combat.

That’s what it does – that’s all it does.

It doesn’t try to tick every box or venture into territory in which it doesn’t belong, and it’s all the better for it. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles’ near-perfect pacing makes every story note hit the spot, with every battle feeling engaging and worthwhile.

Albeit a bit random in the difficulty department.

Graphically, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles may be a bit difficult for some players to rally behind. However, for original fans, the return of sprites and isometric battlefields is a welcome trip down memory lane.

Although, it does make it difficult to understand who is who if you’re not very good with names.

It retains the original’s feel, but sees improvements across the board with improved environments, characters, and UI design.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles serves as an important reminder: You don’t need to render individual strands of hair or deliver cutting-edge ray tracing to create a meaningful experience.

The addition of the voiced dialog is fantastic and really brings the story to life like never before, but the original soundtrack and quirky animations is still enough to deliver, even all these years later.

Despite many of its strengths coming from its 90s developer philosophy, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles also struggles with questionable mechanics and the limited technology of the time.

The game’s difficulty is all over the place.

One will see simple, fast, easy battles that are followed by a challenging encounter that can take hours to navigate through – and that’s if things go smoothly. While I very much welcome the opportunity to tackle challenges once again, it may be off-putting for some.

A rather punishing mechanic sees a character’s weapons and equipment get destroyed during battle; we’re talking completely destroyed. On that note, they are not returned after the battle. This, in itself, is irritating, but it forces a gameplay loop that is both boring and monotonous.

Returning to a town to navigate a clunky buy and sell menu to replace gear on a regular basis is a stark contrast to how it tells a story through a fantastic combat system and impactful dialog.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles stands the test of time as one of the best tactics games the genre has ever seen. Its voiced content adds a modern layer to an already incredible story, and although its combat system hasn’t changed much, it’s just as good today as it was nearly 30 years ago.

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Sorry, EA SPORTS FC game…

My love for the FIFA franchise has waned in recent years due to the stagnation of mechanics, the ever-increasing desire to separate players from their hard-earned cash, and the lack of investible time to really get the most out of more rewarding modes.

I dabbled with FC 25, which was probably the worst FIFA game in recent memory, so it didn’t leave much inspiration to dive into FC 26.

That being said, I was impressed with the build-up – so I thought I’d give it a shot.

EA SPORTS FC 26 Review

While disappointing in specific areas, EA SPORTS FC 26 is probably the best package football gamers have had for years. EA SPORTS FC 26 features fantastic visuals, great audio, and a bevy of game modes perfect for all fans.

Ultimate Team, Manager Career, Player Career, Rush, Clubs, Seasons, Tournaments…EA SPORTS FC 26’s arsenal of modes is as impressive as it is vast. In addition, each has been tuned to offer an improved experience over recent years.

This does make navigation in EA SPORTS FC 26 a bit of a puzzle. Modes within modes, menus within menus – it’s an impressive visual package, but it does leave a lot of time flipping navigating screens and menus to different areas.

One will most certain find a game mode you love, no doubt there. However, if one removes all the fluff and options, does EA SPORTS FC 26 hit where it matters most?

The gameplay is a mixed bag.

Some of EA SPORTS FC 26’s areas have been vastly improved, with attacking feeling more fluid and creative alongside a greater variety of options for each play.

That being said, many of the issues that plagued the franchise persist.

For one, Rebounds are still an issue. 6 out of 10 goals in one of my matches were rebounds that fell directly at the feet of another player, who can react with near god-like speed to launch the ball into the net.

Goalkeepers can also make saves near impossible for mere humans, yet fumble a slow-rolling ball and they leave the net wide open.

While a huge improvement over FC 25 – and still one of the best FIFA games of recent years – fans expecting an overhaul of mechanics or a new era of gameplay will want to temper expectations.

The single biggest area of improvement, one I didn’t feel lacking in previous entries, are its graphics. EA SPORTS FC 26’s character graphics are incredible – the players look, move, and feel more accurate than ever before, making for a more realistic and immersive football experience.

Well, if you can get around the rather unrealistic nature of mixed gender matches and teams.

The entire experience does feel more rewarding, with packs and unlocks scattered across various game modes, objectives, and missions.

It’s still an EA-style reward system complete with non-tradeable packs, so players still need to grind or invest to make real progress. Nevertheless, it does feel somewhat friendlier to those not wanting to invest extra cash into the game.

Somewhat, it’s still EA and it’s still FIFA.

EA SPORTS FC 26 is a fantastic football package. Not only is this the best the franchise has looked in years, its nuanced yet worthwhile gameplay improvements keep every match fresh and exciting.

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