My brother and I are a little biased when it comes to Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture. They’ve made some of our favorite games over the years, like the No More Heroes series and Killer is Dead. The art style, gameplay, and music stick with you long after you’ve finished playing because they make you feel like a badass facing down impossible odds. Not only that, but the story concepts are genuinely interesting. That’s why when Romeo is a Deadman was announced, I already knew we had to lock in and get it.

Romeo is a Deadman is such an interesting title because it’s one of the first times a Grasshopper Manufacture third-person action-adventure game has hit current-gen consoles (aside from the re-release of No More Heroes 3 back in 2022). It has been a long time since we got to experience a grand adventure like this, and it has definitely been missed. What hooked us was how stylized the game looked. Seeing the flair of the particles flying around every time Romeo slashed, or hearing the music that pumped you up; it was a sign to play the game immediately.

First Impressions & Style

As soon as we started, we realized how much soul and dedication the team put into this project. From the start menu alone, you get the impression that this is a game they want you to remember. The main menu features beautiful art that moves around, slowly “exploding” the words on the screen if you don’t move the controller, just vibing with the music. Then, it reconstructs itself as soon as you press a button or move the analogue stick. It’s a nice little feature that is also reminiscent of what happens to Romeo when he dies during combat. The soundtrack of the start screen subtly changes throughout your playtime, with tracks rapping about Romeo’s fate. One song even reminded me of drill music because the beat and flow were spot on.

I love how the game opens with a stop-motion town named Deadford, Pennsylvania. It’s a unique way to tell a story it does so constantly throughout the game, like using comic book pages for when characters have dialogue with each other. I don’t want to spoil much because I enjoyed the narrative, but this is a wild take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In the original, it’s a love story where the two of them has to keep their love a secret, but ends in a tragic way (check it out if you’ve never read it). In this version, the love is still there, but Romeo meets his tragic end by a monster right at the start of the game.

Thankfully, you have a grandpa who is basically Rick from Rick and Morty. He uses crazy technology to save Romeo from the brink of death, which is where he gets the nickname “Deadman.” When Romeo was transforming, the animation shifted from the 3D Unreal Engine 5 to a bloody and detailed 2D animation of his transformation. It was a little cute when they were eating the cells, but it was still crazy to witness and cool as hell! Juliet is portrayed as a sort of space-time anomaly/drifter, causing monsters to appear in different eras and galaxies. The only way to stop them is to eliminate all the “Juliets” discovered by you, your grandpa, and FBI Space-Time Police.

Combat: Where the Game Shines

After the introduction, the game throws you straight into combat and that is where it shines best. The combat in this game is what makes this game pop and honestly mesmerizing to watch in motion. There is a specific rhythm to switching between your melee weapons and your guns mid-fight, and you find yourself doing everything you possibly can just to survive the more hectic encounters. It never felt like fighting the enemies got old because the feedback the game gives you is so rewarding. Every time you defeat an enemy, the screen erupts in a flashy display of effects that makes every kill feel like a major achievement. It is that signature Grasshopper style where even the most basic encounter feels like a total flashy mess in the best way, and it kept me constantly engaged regardless of how many times I had to retry a section.

The combat is smooth and easily on par with No More Heroes. The only thing missing is the wrestling move executions, but the weapons make up for it. You can choose from four melee weapons and four guns. You start with one of each and unlock the rest as you earn Emerald Flowsion, a currency that will help you level up, unlock new items and more. Some weapons work best for certain enemies, while others were so reliable I used them throughout the whole game when things got hectic.

My favorite was the Arcadia dual-wield blades, which can form into a staff to slash through enemies with ease. I also loved the Juggernaut Fists for constant, quick combos. On the ballistic side, the machine gun (Nebuchadnezzar) was a lifesaver when things got overwhelming, especially for breaking enemy weak points. There’s also a rocket launcher called Yggdrasil that can wipe out a wave of enemies in a single shot. One thing to note is the camera, it can get a bit wonky at times when fighting multiple enemies but that’s the majority of hack and slash games at times.

One thing I realized a tad bit too late was that in the beginning of the game, the game asks you what candy you would like to choose and in my head I genuinely thought which one I would eat, and I chose the last one to the far right, which was hard difficulty. So, you can imagine I was dealing with nonsense with each boss. I would restart boss fights multiple times, but I enjoyed it because it was like I was learning the patterns, going back to make sure which upgrades or weapons would be best and being able to do better the next time we fought. Winning the fight felt so satisfying because they had the interactivity during cutscenes when doing the final attack on them. It definitely reminded me of No More Heroes.

Something I have to praise about this game is the graphics, the game looks beautiful visually. Everything feels exceptionally detailed. Anytime you slash or shoot, so many particles are going around the air and it’s mesmerizing. Even when you defeat enemies you know you’re doing it with style. I love the grainy spooky feel before you enter the area. With the high resolution, it just makes the game pop even more, so much that it makes me want a remake of the older No More Heroes games. The character designs especially for the bosses are top notch. Juliet looks beautiful, but you can tell there’s something sinister behind her smile and Romeo just looks badass. Hopefully they will sell Romeo’s jacket one day!

Enemies and Mechanics

The enemies are a highlight for sure. They are sort of a zombie-alien hybrid. To defeat them you definitely need to lock in with your combos, but if things get too hard, you have a special charged attack called Bloody Summer. This stylish move lets you slash through multiple enemies and is very reminiscent of Travis Touchdown’s special moves. There is even a secret upgrade that can keep that state going forever if you can find it! Enemies also have “blooming flower” weak points, and if you focus your fire there, you deal massive damage. While the variety isn’t the best, the team did a great job pacing the introduction of new types.

More enemy variety would have helped a lot though, maybe some weird aliens attacking the ship or a rival detective with similar weapons that tries to stop you throughout the game. The designs of the enemies are consistent though, and you’ll quickly learn which ones are the most annoying. Things got overwhelming when the game mixed different types together. I especially hated the crows in the final chapter, they can hit you off ledges for an instant death or stun you long enough for other enemies to finish you off.

The boss battles were my favorite part. Each one went above and beyond to make it feel like you were fighting something powerful and the way they started out the battles was extremely cool and memorable. One of the first bosses you fight has you in the dark wondering where and when he will attack, mocking you while distorting your vision at times. It would be stuff like that making it feel all worth while and knowing that they are the final thing in your way to complete the level. Each boss also comes with an incredible soundtrack that makes the fight feel even more intense.

Not all monsters are out to get you. You have an additional way to attack using your “Bastards.” I know the name sounds wild, but they are basically zombies you cultivate using seeds found during your playthrough. They help immensely in battle: some can freeze enemies in place, others heal you, and some create tornadoes or fire cannonballs.

Life on the Ship

There’s a whole farm on your ship where you plant seeds and wait for them to grow. You can even name them, which is hilarious because the names are randomized and often very silly. The music in the farm area is catchy, and the sound of pulling zombies out of the ground feels like opening a mystery box. You can level them up by mixing two together, but if your farm gets too full, you need to let some of them go. What I love is that if you send a zombie away, they actually go live their own lives. How do I know that? Because they will send you letters about their experiences in the world which was surprisingly heartwarming.

That isn’t the only thing you can do on the ship! With how in-depth that was, you’d think it stops there but nope! The FBI ship, called The Last Night, feels like its own separate game. The style shifts from 3D to a 2D retro look with a tune reminiscent of classic town themes. You can interact with your entire crew to learn their backstories, buy items, or cook food for temporary power-ups that will give you an edge during difficult fights. What I enjoy is that with many things on the ship you can interact with, it isn’t just regular menus you just select something and you just get the upgrade, there are really thought out mini games incorporated in the game that will keep your attention and even have you staying on the ship longer than you intended.

Let’s say you want to make some food to help you out, Romeo’s mom is the one that helps you out and teaches you how to do so. You play a mini game of taking out the food at the right time when it hits the exact temperature. Take it out during the wrong time and you get a low rating and the effects aren’t as strong, but take it out during the right time and the food looks great and the effects are more powerful and last longer.

Then there’s leveling up your character. Rather than just going up a level, you use the Emerald Flowsion that you gain throughout your playthrough to play a Pac-Man like mini game, without the ghosts being there. You go around the entire board collecting different upgrades and making Romeo stronger over time. It does however take a lot of Emerald Flowsion for each movement that you do, so you have to plan out where you want to go. Sometimes the controls can be wonky and you go the wrong direction, but thankfully you can rewind your steps like nothing ever happened.

Chapters and World-Building

There’s a lot you can do in this game that I haven’t mentioned, and I love the fact that with the characters you are introduced to on your ship, you interact with them in some way outside the ship throughout the chapters. They did a great job with the character and world building, and I wanted to know a lot more about them all! The game goes through the story in chapters, but honestly to me it felt like playing episodes of an anime. It always started out with the kanji characters forming together for the title of the episode and then each episode shows the ship and a quote is read out loud by the space-time king, who is incredibly important to the story.

At the beginning of each chapter, the game has you play through a short scene when he rides his bike into the next universe. I wish they could’ve let us drive the motorcycle more freely or have missions with it, something like how it was done in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. It would’ve been a cool addition, especially if we were able to customize it as well!

Every chapter is different. The worlds it drags you into changes as well as the year you’re in. Sometimes you’d be in the 80s, or you’d be in the ruins underground, or you’d be dealing with a level that is a straight up old school hospital horror with no weapons and jump scares. That level was genuinely both my favorite and least favorite because of how ridiculous the puzzles were and how scary that big monster was. But I can’t hate, it was definitely unique.

The chapters generally have a similar framework, defeating the enemies and going through the space-time kings floating TV called the “Subspace” and dealing with his puzzles and world. I enjoyed it the first couple of times jumping into his world and I liked the quotes he would say. But I didn’t enjoy the subspace as much later on. Teleporting from one area to then go back in again to find a key or to open a door gets a bit annoying, especially near the end of the game.

It gets confusing at times making you wonder if you missed something. When it got to the second to last chapter, or even the last chapter, it got overwhelming/tedious at times. It wasn’t something that I hated though, because I understood the reasoning a lot more once I got to the finale and it led me to want to do another playthrough.

The Verdict

It is worth celebrating that this is one of the first Suda51 games to run flawlessly on PC at launch. This is a big win because it finally breaks the bad port curse we usually see. It is also great to see that an Unreal Engine 5 game isn’t causing a bunch of issues like other UE5 games on PC have been doing lately, which finally allows more people to actually enjoy the game.

I’m very happy to have experienced another Suda51 game. It has such an unique experience and is incredibly fun to play. With how they created the game, it honestly feels like a love letter to their fans. Watching the Launch Day Direct, it was really touching to see Suda dedicate the game to Tatsushi Fujita, a longtime friend and staff member who passed away. It doesn’t just feel like a product, it feels like a heartfelt goodbye from the team to a friend, and you can see that dedication in every frame.

Romeo is a Deadman kept me hooked from start to finish. Even when I was struggling or too afraid to be dealing with certain chapters - everything genuinely felt fresh and fun to experience which is honestly not a surprise coming from Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture. We can’t wait to see what they do next, especially with them mentioning another game is releasing this year as well! We give Romeo is a Deadman a solid 8.5 Romeos out of 10 Juliettes.

REANIMAL is one of those games where the moment it was announced, we already knew we had to check it out. It’s from the original creators of Little Nightmares 1 and 2, which are already creepy enough, so from the first trailer all we were trying to figure out was: what is going on?! When the demo dropped during Steam Next Fest back in October, we were shook. Lowkey, it felt like forever waiting for the full release because after escaping that first encounter in the demo, we needed to know what happened next.

What makes REANIMAL so uncanny and strangely captivating is how little they showed before launch. It really was just a small piece of what we were about to experience. After finishing the full game in one sitting, we immediately wanted more. Not because it was short (our full recording was under four hours), but because the world and the character building had us locked in from beginning to end. The game’s density, atmosphere, and pacing made it feel like a full‑on journey as we followed these characters trying to save their friends while escaping soul‑hungry abominations, watching a world decay around them, and trying to hold onto whatever hope was left.

Not going to lie, horror games aren’t usually our thing. The last one I personally played, and never finished, was Alien Isolation. My brother’s last big horror game was Resident Evil Village, so he definitely has more experience than me with that genre. Maybe it’s because those games give you weapons and at least offer a way to fight back. When you’re dealing with the environment itself and have zero way to defend yourself, that tension hits different.

But creepy games like Limbo and Inside? I loved those and finished them in one sitting. They throw you into their world with barely any explanation, just a quick “here’s how to jump” and “here’s how to interact,” and suddenly you’re running into whatever ominous nightmare waits ahead. So I kinda knew REANIMAL was going to end up on that same list for me.

Before we even started playing, we already had chills. That nervous excitement of “oh man, here comes another wild experience” set in early, and what makes REANIMAL stand out is how aggressive its story and atmosphere can get. The game throws you into areas that switch up so wildly that it keeps everything feeling unpredictable and puts you straight into fight‑or‑flight mode. One moment you’re creeping through a theater frozen in time, then you’re climbing a lonely lighthouse that feels like it’s barely holding itself together, and suddenly you’re underwater in this eerie Bioshock‑style space where the silence hits harder than the creatures hunting you. Sometimes you’re even cruising across the island on a small boat, getting the sense that every new stretch of land is somehow worse than the last.

Where REANIMAL truly shines is in how it makes every environment feel lived in, dangerous, and unsettling. You move carefully because it constantly feels like taking one wrong step might wake up something you really don’t want to meet. One of the early moments has you hiding from a skin‑walker‑looking human who’s searching for someone you’re trying to rescue. The enemies actually look around for you, which makes the world feel unnervingly aware of your presence. You’ll stumble across flat human skins lying around, or sneak past someone ironing a meatless human shell as if that’s perfectly normal. Moments like these make the world feel like it has been suffering for decades, surviving on fear, destruction, and whatever scraps of life are left.

The beauty in the horror of REANIMAL is what makes it unforgettable. You’ll see piles of remains under moonlight, the dark ocean where the next safe area is barely lit ahead, fog rolling in while seagulls circle overhead, and an abandoned movie theater where the film still plays even though no one is alive to watch it. Scenes like these give you a small glimpse into what caused all this. And as the game takes you from one broken place to another, the further you go the more you start questioning what actually happened here, how much humanity is even left, and why nature feels like the only thing still standing. It slowly hits you that whatever went wrong didn’t just destroy people - it swallowed the entire world.

You end up traveling anywhere and everywhere just to escape this disastrous place. And the further you go, the more you start questioning what actually happened here, how much humanity is even left, and why it feels like nature is the last thing still standing. It slowly sinks in that whatever went wrong didn’t just destroy people, it swallowed the whole world.

As you progress, things only get more chaotic. You start running into creatures that look like they crawled straight out of someone’s twisted experiment, and you realize the whole world isn’t completely gone. Some animals are still normal, just living their lives surrounded by the disaster, while others are transformed into horrific, mesmerizing designs that feel like an evolution gone wrong, almost like something David from the Alien movies would create.

The moments where the game forces you to figure out how to take these things down are wild to play through, and every encounter feels like it’s testing how ready you are to survive whatever comes next. Something that really made this experience stand out is that there are actually moments where you can defend yourself. You and your friend can team up and fight off enemies trying to attack you. At first, it gave us a tiny bit of comfort, like “okay, we got this,” but the more we played, the more we realized having the ability to fight only meant we were heading straight into even more chaotic situations without even noticing it.

What surprised us in this game was the characters actually talking to each other. Little Nightmares didn’t have that, so hearing them communicate makes you feel the bond between them and why they came back to save the ones still trapped in this broken world. If you play this all in one sitting, it honestly feels like an intense interactive movie. Each chapter hits differently, and even though parts were disturbing and the ending was twisted, I’d absolutely replay it (not sure if my brother will do the same). The world has this eerie weight, but the game still gives you just enough calm moments to breathe before throwing you into something terrifying again.

Now, even though the game did so much right, there were a few issues that occasionally pulled us out of the immersion. None of them were game‑breaking, and honestly some were pretty funny. Near the end, my brother’s PC dropped frames, probably because the graphics seemed to be cranked higher than in the demo (and is using Unreal Engine 5). So here we are, trying to run for our lives at like 10 frames per second, and it was rough.

Opening and prying doors with the crowbar could get glitchy too. Characters would get stuck, we’d have to wiggle around to make it work, or doors would immediately slam shut after being opened. Jumping obstacles was another thing. We know we had the momentum to make some of those jumps, but we’d fall straight down like nothing happened. Load times didn’t help either in certain areas where we died and respawned. And don’t get me started on autosaves not keeping track of collectibles if one of us died after grabbing them. That was a struggle because it wouldn’t save our progress unless we retraced our exact steps and re‑collected everything the same way.

You don’t even need multiple copies to play with a friend thanks to couch co‑op and the Friend Pass. The Friend Pass lets someone play the entire game with you even if they don’t own it, which is honestly a great feature. The downside is that it doesn’t give achievements to the person using it, and there were moments where I knew I earned one but nothing popped up for my brother.

It would also be nice if the person playing through the Friend Pass could save their own progress and collectibles. Some people experienced connection issues at launch, but for us everything was smooth. We never disconnected once, just a few frame drops near the end. But even with those small issues, the game was still incredibly fun. Those moments only pulled us out briefly from the immersion, but we still continued to enjoy the game.

REANIMAL is truly a game I think everyone should try, even if horror isn’t usually your thing. It pulls you into its world, the controls feel solid, and the whole experience stays engaging from start to finish. Overall, it was an amazing time. After seeing the ending, I wanted even more. I still want a deeper understanding as to why everything is happening, what caused the world to fall apart so much, and what else is hiding out there. And with three story DLCs on the way, I’m excited to see what Tarsier Studios does next.

REANIMAL gets a solid 8.5 sheep out of 10.

When the first Kingdom Come Deliverance game came out, people were praising it and saying it was one of the best RPG games they have ever played. I was reluctant to try it out at first, but I eventually gave in to the hype... and I felt scammed, bamboozled, and hoodwinked! Unfortunately, my experience was awful: bugs left and right, the game was janky, and I couldn’t get into the combat because of the disjointed controls for people who played using a controller – the button placements were weird. Listen, I didn’t hate it, I was just disappointed. I couldn’t experience the reason this was so great. Even with my brother trying to convince me to try certain mods to fix things, I gave up on that and just did my best to push through it. There were some parts I enjoyed, but all together I just felt annoyed with the experience.

But after years of development from Warhorse Studios, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was released, and I must apologize for hating the first game for so long! I couldn’t believe a second game was released, and I didn’t think it would be good based on my first experience - but boy, was I wrong. This game is amazing and it has shot up to one of my personal top 5 games of the year so much. Hell, it took me such a long time to even finish it because I was so immersed in the games’ world. Whether I’m putting my blacksmith skills to use forging weapons, stealing items for more groschen, or entering the sword‑fighting tournament for the 8th time, the game always pulls me in. I ended up playing for over 100 hours, and I know with the DLC I’m going to get dragged in for even longer.

Combat and traversal are way better than the first game, and what I enjoyed was the more you do something the better you get at that activity. If you fight a lot, you will see your stats improve. Weapons feel better and faster and doing certain combos just feels fluid even fighting unarmed. Things like using certain wrestling moves while unarmed, or positioning yourself when fighting multiple enemies and the satisfaction of parrying and doing an execution, everything just works now.

Riding on horseback is an upgrade. It’s less janky from the first game and a little braver. Pebbles (Henry’s horse) still is the best in terms of carrying capacity and your trusty dog, Mutt, while still janky he helps a lot in combat and searching for treasure/clues. The world is fun the way NPCs reacts to what you do: like if you’re causing trouble, trespassing in certain locations, or even when you haven’t bathed or covered in blood looking like a madman, they will say certain remarks like you stink or report you guards. Another thing that happens if you’re causing trouble is if your skill isn’t high enough or you’re too broke king it’s to the Pillory for you.

Discovering new towns feels natural like Skyrim, where you never know what to expect when traveling or what cool area you’ll be in. But this isn’t a fantasy RPG - there’s no dragons or goblins. Instead, there are bandits waiting to abuse you or to have a chat about how you’re going to give them all your stuff. They’ll have their wolves or dogs growling in the bushes while you get your weapon ready. You might also run into odd people while walking around, saying riddles to you or asking for help.

When I hit the major city of Kuttenberg, I was overwhelmed but excited about how many more things you can do. The amount of people walking around, multiple quests to do, taverns to check out - it was a wonder! And knowing you can see parts of it in real life is interesting. Checking the map to see how dense and detailed the map/world is, even underground in caves/mines, is very cool to explore but creepy if you get kind of lost.

Thankfully for this game, I only had a few things that I didn’t like. One of the negatives I have is that sometimes it can get annoying when some quests bug out, and I had to either restart the game or wait for a full-on patch. If I didn’t use reddit and check on the KCD2 community for certain workarounds, I would’ve been stressed. There would also be times where characters were floating around or getting me stuck in the stairways. Even in combat, telling your dog Mutt to attack someone sometimes didn’t work, because all he did was run around in a circle. It actually reminded me of how the dog from Fable 3 would act when it bugged out. Thankfully, none of those things deterred me from coming back to the game.

I almost forgot to talk about the character you play as – Henry. Seeing him grow as a character from being a peasant to being a page and squire to your best annoying friend in the game Sir Hans is really one to experience. In conversations and even in combat you see his confidence grow, and he still sticks to goofiness even in tense situations. He’s still hilarious with the convo choices you make, and the story is amazing seeing how he changes the tide of war. Everyone’s performance is top-tier. You can see the emotion and heart they put into each character. No wonder this game took a while to create, the passion behind it is obvious.

But in all, I recommend Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. I was shocked that KCD2 didn’t win one award during the Game Awards, but I understand – it had tough competition against Expedition 33 and other big games released last year. But I still wish it won at least the Best RPG category. Despite that, I feel like everyone should take the chance to try this game, from the charm of characters you meet to roaming the open world – it’s going to feel magical to experience this game. This is the perfect time as well to try it out since both games are on Xbox Game Pass. This game leaves a mark - one that lingers long after you put the controller down. Hans Capon says it best: “Audentes fortuna iuvat.” Fortune favors the brave, and this game celebrates every step you take in that spirit. 9/10.

January already had a lot of games that were released like Cairn, MIO: Memories in Orbit, and Code Vein 2. We’re in the second week of February and big anticipated games already dropped. I’m not sure how any reviewer is able to play or even finish all of these games. I know I can’t, it’s overwhelming! My backlog is growing but I know I’ll finish it in due time. At least they are all good games, but here’s all the games I’m eager to play and try out so far.

DRAGON QUEST 7 REIMAGINED

I spoke about my experience with the Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined demo, and it is a game that needs to be on this list because it is such a huge release on the first week of February! This is the first Dragon Quest game I’m jumping into, and after playing the demo, I’ve been hype to continue the adventure and to see how the story further unfolds. Compared to the original version, the game has improved a lot with its graphics and combat mechanics. It’s a lot like the old-school Final Fantasy games with its turn‑based combat, and it keeps that charm with its cozy world, fun NPCs, and the cool teammates you pick up along the way. I’m already 20+ hours into the game and still having fun with all the new stuff I’ve unlocked. The game is out on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch 2 and PC.

ROMEO IS A DEADMAN

I’ve been a longtime fan of Suda51. He always goes above and beyond with his hopeful storytelling, mixing in that chaotic, weird fun in both the gameplay and cutscenes you see in games like No More Heroes or Killer Is Dead. Now we’ve got their next big project, Romeo Is a Dead Man, and so far it looks like they’re being more ambitious than ever. They’ve added new gameplay styles, animated‑style cutscenes, and improved what they do best, which is that over‑the‑top combat. From the gameplay trailers, it looks like there are a bunch of new weapons to use and verticality in the level design. What I love the most about this is that although it was said multiple times that their game will be released tomorrow, February 11^th, they ended up releasing it today! So, take a chance with this game, and I am excited to see how the story plays out. Also, fun fact: Suda51 is self-publishing this one with Grasshopper, which is a big shift. Plus, the game is $49.99 ($45 with the sale currently happening), which is cheaper than the $70–$80 games we usually get now.

REPLACED Demo

REPLACED is a game I’ve been waiting for a long time, and seeing more of it just makes me even more excited. The 2.5D visual style is so distinct, with that retro look mixed with crazy detailed environments. It has a strong cyberpunk vibe, and the story already seems like it’s going to hit hard. The combat looks slick too, almost like a mix between the rhythm of the Batman Arkham games and the smooth platforming you’d see in Prince of Persia. I can already tell this game is going to be something special.

What really grabbed my attention is that it doesn’t seem like a straightforward, point‑A‑to‑point‑B game. From the previews I’ve seen, it looks like you can interact with different characters, take on side quests, and learn more about the world you’re stuck in. Even though it’s a dystopian setting, it still feels vibrant and alive.

The best part is that we finally get to try it out tomorrow on February 11th! Getting hands-on with it will give us a better idea of how everything plays, and this confirms it’s still on track for release next month. I’m honestly so ready for this one.

PLANET OF LANA II Demo

Planet of Lana is a game I haven’t played before, but I instantly recognized its gorgeous art style, world, and character designs. From what I know, it’s a cinematic puzzle adventure, and this entry looks like it continues the story of the main characters, Lana and Mui. I remember seeing some gameplay from the first game and being surprised by how colorful and open the world was. This time around, things seem a lot more serious, shifting into darker, factory‑like areas that the two of them must work through together.

I really like that you can control both characters to solve more complex puzzles. The demo drops tomorrow, the same day as the REPLACED demo, so we’re being spoiled by the Indie gods this week. I’m planning to try the first game before jumping into the new demo, but if you want to check it out yourself before committing fully, give it a shot when it goes live tomorrow.

REANIMAL

Developed by Tarsier Studios, the same team behind Little Nightmares 1 and 2, they’re back with this extremely creepy game that pulls you in just because of how much they haven’t shown yet. The amount of curiosity and excitement I have for this game is something else, and it’s all because of its world. We still don’t know what kind of crazy monsters are hiding in the shadows or what’s going to show up and chase you. They haven’t fully shown the animals in Reanimal yet either. They already showed one of the creepy animals like the huge, deformed sheep/pig in one of the trailers. I know they’re saving something insane.

There’s also a demo out that my brother and I played, and let me tell you right now, I already know there are going to be a lot of jumpscares and a lot of sleepless nights. The game gets so tense, especially when hiding from the “humans” that’s roaming around and grabbing whatever they see that moves. I know from just that demo, there are going many more sequences that will make us pause and take a break from. I still can’t believe they managed to make something even creepier than their original games. So, if you want to try the game by yourself (not sure why you would do that) or with a friend, download the demo, and if you end up liking it, the full game releases on February 13 for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

HIGH ON LIFE 2

The first game was hilarious, wild fun, and now we’re jumping back into another adventure that’s crazier, bigger, and honestly even funnier than before. My brother and I have been keeping a close eye on each preview that IGN dropped on the game, and it has been exciting and comical to see. I love how the NPCs interact with your character this time; it seems a lot more intentional, and they have random/silly conversations. They’ve added a bunch of new weapons and companions, more aliens to take down, and new worlds to explore.

Squanch Games really stepped up the movement and speed this time by adding a skateboard so you can grind around and pull off tricks like Tony Hawk while taking out enemies with style. I’m curious to see how the story goes this time and what unforgivable places they’ll make us explore, hopefully not too many. High on Life 2 releases on February 12th for Xbox Series X|S (including Game Pass Ultimate), PS5, and PC. The game seems to be also releasing for the Nintendo Switch 2 so it may drop on April 20th.

MARIO TENNIS FEVER

Originally, I wasn’t interested in the game, but after seeing the overview trailer, Mario Tennis Fever looks like it’s fun to try out. I love the fact that they included a good variety of characters, especially the new Baby Wario and Waluigi. I’m also surprised that it has a full‑fledged story mode that feels like a mini action game, where you’re fighting giant monsters using only tennis gear. I’m happy the story looks fun so far, especially with the whole idea of being turned into babies and relearning the basics of tennis.

The crazy twist are the fever tennis rackets. They have special abilities, like creating ice or fire on the court, or a racket that turns the tennis ball into a Bullet Bill. I already know the matches are going to get intense when players start using their special moves back and forth. It looks like it’s going to be a fun game to play with friends and family. Mario Tennis Fever releases on February 12th on Nintendo Switch 2.

RESIDENT EVIL REQUIEM

Listen, I don’t care how many Resident Evil games come out. As long as Capcom keeps things badass and the horror elements strong, I’m all for it. This time we have two protagonists you can play with - Grace and Leon. The fact that we get to play as Leon again is amazing. He’s back with the new strength he learned from Chris Redfield, and the slick execution moves he picked up after watching Ada Wong. It really looks like no enemy is going to stand a chance against his aura.

As for Grace, I’m really interested in seeing her role in all of this and how she’s going to deal with the madness she got pulled into. I love that both characters can switch between first‑person and third‑person views. First‑person feels completely different, especially for Grace since everything comes off more crucial and scarier. In third‑person, there are way more animations and character traits that stand out for both characters, so I might end up doing two playthroughs, one in each view.

Here’s hoping they randomly bring Wesker back or someone just as wild. Resident Evil Requiem releases on February 27th for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

See, that’s just scratching part of the list of games releasing this month. Gamespot has a full list of games releasing this year that they are constantly updating. Not only that, but March doesn’t let up in the fact that even bigger games are being released like Crimson Desert and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection! I bet even more games will be added to the upcoming months, especially because of the upcoming PlayStation State of Play that is happening this Thursday, February 12^th. Let us know what games you are excited to check out and play this month or in the future. We’ll get out some reviews and impressions on them, so be on the lookout!

The Year is 2026 and I still haven't finished my backlog! There are just way too many good games to play and focus on, and I think I might add another to the list of greatness - Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. I played the demo for about 5 hours, and I just felt nostalgic, reminding me of games like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Golden Sun, and even Pokémon. It was the sense of adventure seeing what you're going to unravel. With a charming funny group about becoming a hero and seeing the world expand before their eyes.

Surprisingly, I never played a Dragon Quest game before but was always interested in it. My brother hasn’t either till recently when he got to play the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and really enjoyed it, so I decided to jump in as well. It’s crazy since one of my favorite characters (and reveals) in Super Smash Bros Ultimate is Hero and love the Dragon Ball series so you would think I’d join in sooner!

The quick rundown of the story so far is that you and your friends have set out on an adventure beyond your homeland to discover the outside world. Along the way, you search for stone tablet fragments that form a map and eventually teleport you to an unknown land filled with monsters. It sounds simple but the twist is that it's in the past, so you'll learn about what happened to the town and the old famous hero before you. You’re then given the quest of defeating the evil – which has you cleanse the land and free the people there and bring peace once more making you and your friends Heroes.

I found it cool when traveling back to the present, and you see the changes that occurred. No monsters roaming around the lands, people are walking around enjoying the day and praising your heroic effort and thanking you for giving them the courage to do things right and not being afraid next time. The cool feature to me is seeing the world expanding, and the island you saved appears next to your homeland like it was lost in time or trapped. Not only that, but the game gets bigger, bringing in ship traveling mechanics like swimming around in Pokémon games. That is just one piece of the adventure that you get involved in throughout the story, so I know in the rest of the game things will get much more interesting, and I’m excited to explore more with that time travel twist.

I really enjoyed the characters/friends that you are introduced to and eventually join your team. One of them is Prince Kiefer with an amazing, chiseled chin. He's charismatic and heroic, seeking adventure and encountering the mysteries he has heard in stories. Then there’s Maribel who acts like Bulma from Dragon Ball, being sarcastic, mean and nosy. She is trying to figure out what you're doing and blaming you for being dragged in to situations. I love how unique each character is, especially when interacting with others that come into your team for a short while like Maeve. The banter of the characters is hilarious; Maribel is mean as hell at times, especially when wanting to join the team without giving much of a choice.

Exploration was simple but gives you the idea to check every nook and cranny as it rewards you with some items to help on your journey. Don't be afraid to break some crates or open cabinets for some treasure. The combat though is great and fast with the nice turn-base RPG fashion. It’s kind of addicting especially when the right music is playing and the flow of the team is perfect. I can't wait for the full game to see what cool skills to unlock, but you can change the games difficulty to your style to how much damage an enemy can do to you or just healing after combat. If the combat is too difficult, you can even change it to where the enemies don't attack you when you're exploring, so it's up to the player if they want to grind for experience or not. I feel like those are great quality of life changes that allow anyone to join and experience a Dragon Quest story without feeling overwhelmed by the original experience.

Throughout my entire playthrough, the game never felt boring. The visuals are gorgeous, the enemy variety keeps each area feeling fresh, and the strong influence of Akira Toriyama’s character designs adds so much charm. It’s honestly surprising that I never got into the series before. When the remake was first revealed, I was blown away by how detailed the world and characters looked. Game Informer even showed how the team used wooden dolls to craft the character designs, which was such a surprising and creative approach, and it translated beautifully in the final game. It’s crazy how they pulled it off, but it works. The characters show so much more emotion and charm, while the enemies manage to look a little creepy with their silly antics. For a newcomer like me, it’s amazing to see and appreciate the world for what it is - whether you’re running through the forest, sailing across the clear blue ocean, or admiring the detailed textures of the land. Even the remade towns and castle look vibrant and beautiful.

What makes the experience memorable in Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, and honestly any of the games in the franchise, is the music. It's beautiful and inspiring with its classic theme song, Overture, that hypes you up to go out and adventure. The opening movie hooked me right away when it dropped. It felt like the beginning of a grand adventure, almost like a storybook coming to life. Even the somber songs when you're exploring a cave and not knowing what will pop up will get you in a certain zone. But then, the music picks back up when you enter battle, making you smile and excited when you're up against 3 or more enemies on screen.

The team that worked on Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined really did their best to immerse you into the world, and I can't wait to play it soon. If you’re reading this, the game should have been released for those who bought the Deluxe Edition or on February 5^th for Standard Edition on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. So, if you’re on the fence on getting this or just want to try it out to get a feel for the game, check out the demo! It’s more than enough time to know what the story is, enjoy the music, and appreciate all that it has to offer - especially for it to be 5 hours long!

Recently, I had a really hard time playing any type of game. Even when I got some of the latest releases like Ghost of Yotei or Donkey Kong Bananza, I was just in some sort of funk, especially knowing the amount of time I have to put in. This is why demos and betas are great; it’s not much of a commitment, but you still get to try something and experience a new world someone created. Two weekends ago, my brother and I watched PC Gaming Show’s Most Wanted Showcase. Although it felt like it was oversaturated with a certain genre of games (I’m looking at you, Survival games), a couple of them caught our attention, and that includes Last Man Sitting.

Honestly, when I first saw the game, I didn’t know what I was comprehending. But once I saw the character grind on the rail with the chair, my neurons fired and immediately associated it with Sunset Overdrive. For people who don’t know Sunset Overdrive, it’s this awesome parkour open world apocalypse game where you fight these monsters with guns you can customize, and you can grind rails and wall run all around the city. Like Tony Hawk games and Infamous mixed together. As for Last Man Sitting, the scope is different, but its format is closer to roguelite games like Hades.

The beta gave access to the single-player experience against computer enemies, which was fun enough. Looking ahead, the developers told us to expect online multiplayer modes in a later beta test, which will be very hectic, I’m sure. The premise is simple: you play as an employee in a white-collar office job, but not just doing boring tasks. Instead, you’re glued to a chair, fighting the devices you’re supposed to use. Scoot around in comfy office chairs and try to destroy them with a big minigun. This rougelite means every playthrough will be different, even on the same level, and with each win or loss, you can increase your character’s power for next time. Equip upgrades, unlock more slots, and choose different chairs, weapons, and characters (each has unique special attacks). You start with the character featured in the trailer, and as soon as you start, things keep moving until the end.

Starting a level feels like non-stop adrenaline. You’re immediately moving around and having the minigun shoot out unlimited bullets, and making sure you destroy as many enemies/robots as possible. The more enemies you kill, the more you level up. Each time you level up, you can choose between three new power-ups. You can choose to reroll, letting you get a new set of power-ups. What I like about the power-ups is that each has its own level. So one offer can be Level 2, and you can bring it up to 3. The highest level most of them reach is level 5, which transforms power-ups into very powerful items that can support you a lot throughout the playthrough. Each level for the power-ups really made me realize how awesome roguelites are, because leveling up and seeing the new thing you unlocked can get so addictive, and how that changes the entire gameplay for you.

The power-up that saved me almost all the time was the shoulder turret. It went crazy shooting in every direction I had my back turned to. Once I upgraded the power-up to level 5, it got three more torrents, and it shot in every direction, dealing extra damage. Other power-ups that shook up the stage were elements like wind, fire, and ice - especially the lighting and the ability to electrocute everyone just by moving around in your chair. Yeah, not only can your chair get power-ups, but the bullets you shoot can do similar elemental attacks like that, which can do so much damage, especially to the mini-bosses, where you can see their health bar go down very quickly.

On top of your weapons, chair upgrades, and power-ups was the special attack ability you had. What I liked was that it didn’t have a long cooldown period to use it again, which is how things usually are in some games. The first special attack you start off with is like a shockwave blast that does a good amount of damage and pushes the enemies back. It helped a lot when the robots were trying to jump you because they knew they had the numbers. But my absolute favorite ability so far that made me feel like the Hulk was the Slam Dunk. The ability itself is great, but when I realized you could power up your special attack, the robots knew they had messed up immensely by trying to face me. There was this power-up that creates these spikey rocks that do a lot of damage - and that helped tremendously because it was like a one-hit kill attack that not only got me out of tight situations but created a shield of rocks around me.

By the middle of your playthrough, once you get so many great power-ups that stack up with one another, your framerate will drop crazily. The last level I played for the beta, I had lighting from moving around on the chair, but also when I shot bullets that also ricocheted to other enemies, that also froze them, but I also had explosive bullets and my turret shooting, and… yeah, you see where this is going. A lot was happening on the screen, and it was so fast and furious (ha). What I loved about each level/mission you played was the music, which sounded pretty good and brought back memories of playing Sunset Overdrive - that game had some great rock music. So imagine all of that mixed in together - you’re practically in your own overstimulated flow state.

Throughout the playthrough, you don’t just fight one group of enemies the entire time. Mini bosses do come in to shake things up, and can be defeated pretty easily, even on hard mode (I wish I played on insane and see how that did for me!). Additionally, levels throw dynamic challenges your way. For example, “Termination Time” creates red fiery walls to close in on everything from every direction into a single small location where you have to make sure you’re in the safe zone—sort of like the storm in Fortnite—while still fighting for your life. Another level effect called “Dance Monkey, Dance” had me dodging all these bombs that landed directly on me and took a crazy amount of damage. So you had to lock in and dodge not only the enemies but the bombs, and try to move as fast as possible. You’d better hope you didn’t choose power-ups that inadvertently slowed you down as well.

Not only that, but if you really want legendary power-ups, completing quests as you grind through the level and dodge enemies is your best bet. Some quests are straightforward, like destroying crates or popping balloons. But I always failed at protecting the executives—they died almost instantly as enemies swarmed them, and they spread out, struggling to survive. Regardless, completing a quest delivers clutch power-ups. You can also obtain standard abilities at the vending machine. If you racked up kills and forgot to check earlier, you may end up stacking upgrades for a while, which honestly made me think the game was glitching.

There were three levels in this beta, and each level you complete, you open up a box and get a new reward, which is usually a new chair upgrade that can range from common to legendary. After finishing a level, you get to see your stats and how you did compared to the rest of the players. What I liked the most was seeing the percentage improvement you made. I was 90% better than everyone else on the final level on hard! That encouragement made me want to take on higher difficulties to get a legendary chair upgrade. By the end of the beta, I had three slots equipped. The best perks that saved my life throughout the levels were a perk that healed me when enemies were near me (which was almost always), my special attack ability activating twice, which did some great damage all the time, and doing 30% poison damage to nearby enemies. With the healing and poison, I ended up having a double-edged sword advantage at the start of every level.

The final level had an actual boss (not a mini-boss that randomly popped up) after completing it, which was dope to experience. It was a coffee machine robot that was on the loose, and it was awesome going against it. It even had different forms, and it was really trying to reach its final form, but got its ass beat badly. I ended up unlocking another character with her own special attack ability, and I wish I’d tried playing with her before I went to bed. As you can see, I am locked into this game way more than I thought. I have played roguelites before (like Hades), but I had a hard time grasping the concept at first. But the idea of a laid-back, fun game with elements of roguelikes really got me hooked in the genre again, and it honestly got my mood back up to play video games again.

Games like Last Man Sitting are why I love video games. You never know what you’ll enjoy until you jump in and try it. That’s why demos and betas matter - without them, I probably wouldn’t have touched this game and would still be staring at my backlog. This experience eased me back into a medium I had almost lost touch with, thanks to its wackiness and engaging gameplay. It reminded me to take chances on shorter, stranger games. I’m hoping to play more Last Man Sitting in the future, because it gave my brain a sense of serenity despite the constant chaos.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is a console I was waiting on for a while, since its first early leaks. Not only because I was excited to see a brand-new console from Nintendo, but because I needed to get a new Nintendo Switch as mine was fighting demons while my little brother was playing on it.

My older brother wasn’t looking to get it when the pre-orders dropped around the end of April, but I had to lock in with Walmart. Shoutout to Jake Randall on Twitter/YouTube because his tips on how to get a console helped immensely. It helped so much that the console came to my house on release day before 9 a.m., Walmart did not lie!

Unfortunately, I did not get lucky with getting the free snacks like everyone else was getting.

🎮 Getting Started with the Console

I made an unboxing video for the Switch 2, that’s how excited I was. When I got the Nintendo Switch 2, it was a sad day for my original Switch because I was going through the system transfer process. It felt bittersweet, and I just know my original Switch was sick to its stomach.

Nintendo made it seem like everything on the original Switch would be deleted and reset to factory settings, but everything actually stayed the same for me. Some games that I did transfer, like Breath of the Wild, didn’t fully go through. I remember beating that game, but my save file didn’t show that at all, and I had way fewer hearts than before.

It’s fine by me though because I was going to replay the game anyway. The setup was nice with the little music that they had in the background. And I loved the way that all the icons popped into place… but after that, there’s no music.

That’s really something that I miss from the previous game consoles Nintendo created, like the Wii, Wii U, and 3DS. The only things you will hear are the sounds moving around the OS and clicking on a game or app like GameChat… but I digress.

The operating system is familiar, pretty much exact to the Switch 1. They recently updated the OS for both Switch 1 and 2, adding things like GameChat, Game Share, Virtual Game Cards, and more, which in turn brought in a lot of color pop into the white or black background.

That’s also something that stayed the same… no themes. They changed the themes from Basic White and Black to Light and Dark. Same thing. Hopefully in the future they bring out something new.

🛠️ Hardware, Build Quality, and Handheld Wins

The hardware for the Nintendo Switch 2 is actually a great feature. Not only is it so durable (thank you JerryRig for testing!), but it is very sleek and I love the magnetic feature of the controller.

It removes and snaps on so good, and it’s really durable! I also like the screen size of the Switch, it makes games look so grand on the screen, and the brightness is nice, especially coming from the original Nintendo Switch. I had the Animal Crossing one.

What I am very happy about is the stand for the handheld. The original Switch had this small stick that had to hold up the entire console that broke off a lot, but this one is much more sturdy and feels a lot better to play games portable on a table with friends, especially with the bigger screen.

The sound of the handheld mode really is great, it is loud as heck and I appreciate that a lot. I love the feature of using the Joy-Con as a mouse, although I don’t have a game yet to use it on (maybe I can try it with Splatoon 2), it feels very responsive with navigating the menu and scrolling.

The fact that you can just switch immediately from controller to mouse is like magic. I also really like the fact that they included peripherals like the Joy-Con controller handle rather than having us buy it separate (although the charging one you have to buy) and the Joy-Con straps that can also be used for the mouse feature.

⚡ Internal Wins for All of Us!

Two of the biggest changes that I appreciate immensely, and that guarantee its spot next to the Xbox Series X|S and PS5, are the new internals like CPU and GPU and the SD Card Express requirement.

With the SD Card Express, games load sooo much faster than before. I wasn’t expecting to load and play Super Smash Bros so quickly and the game running smoothly no matter how many characters were on screen. Not only that, but games that took a while to load do an amazing job this time around, so fast traveling in Breath of the Wild or getting into free roam in Mario Kart World is almost instantaneous.

The internal storage of the Switch is a lot more too, thankfully, because the 32GB of the original Switch didn’t cut it at all!

Now, with the new Nvidia chip for the Switch 2, it has done wonders not only for awesome graphics for Fast Fusion or Donkey Kong Banaza but for older games as well, making the Switch 1 games run at 60fps if the frames were unlocked and actually be playable!

I played Pokémon Scarlet/Violet on the original Switch, and it didn’t run well at all. It felt like it was a low framerate a lot, many pop-ins, and it just felt like I literally had to skip the game for a bit because it just didn’t feel fun, even when docked.

Now on the Switch 2? It’s like night and day, so many Pokémon pop up on screen that you can catch, it is a smooth 60fps, and you can literally see the difference. Not only that, but it looks like a new game at times with the updated resolution that Nintendo has done, so it’s just amazing.

🌐 How Nintendo Switch Online Adds to the Experience

I am in the Nintendo Online Membership with the Expansion Pack with my brother and others, we got it recently for the Switch 2. For a while, we were fine with just the regular Nintendo Switch Online, but it was cool to upgrade because we were all excited to play the games they were going to introduce like Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness and Super Mario Strikers. Unfortunately, what Nintendo does is slowly introduce the games, so there are only three games on the GameCube list: Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soulcalibur 2.

Granted, I enjoy those games a lot, especially Soulcalibur 2, but I just wish the games shown were all available. But the ones they put are great enough to wait out for the rest of them. Another thing I really liked about the Nintendo Switch Online service was that it included the Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom upgrade packs. I feel like they should add more upgrade packs like that to give more value to the subscription. It would make me revisit my games for sure, especially Kirby and the Forgotten Land!

I also enjoy the fact that you can get new profile pictures and create a new one from Mario Kart World, Splatoon 2, and more! We also have access to the other older consoles, which is great, but if someone doesn’t buy into the subscription, a person would only have access to a couple of games if they purchased them.

🧩 Game Share, GameChat, and Virtual Game Cards

When the Switch 2 was ready to release, they released an update that introduced GameChat, Game Share, and Virtual Game Cards.

They sounded like great additions, but some didn’t work as intended at first. Virtual Game Cards was cool, being able to share games with the console that was linked. But when the consoles were updated, it caused issues playing your own games, especially when I transferred my Switch 1 data to Switch 2. But when it worked as intended, it felt nice being able to easily share games and DLC.

Game Share is something that’s been there before on the DS/3DS, which was called Download Play. So, if a friend doesn’t have a game but you have it and it supports the feature, you both can play with the one copy, which I am so happy is back.

I wish Mario Kart World supported that feature, but I know Nintendo needs their money.

GameChat I got to try out a little bit, but not too much, but I do enjoy it! You and your friends can yap while playing the game, which brings the Switch up to par with Xbox parties and Discord.

I enjoy the fact that you can share gameplay and even have a camera to show your face! I do wish that games like Mario Kart World had in-game chat though, to trash talk. I am happy that you don’t need an extra microphone for someone to hear you, as the Switch 2 has its own internal mic, so Nintendo gets their props for that one!

💰 The Pricing and The Launch Lineup

Now that is the thing with the Nintendo Switch 2. The console is like $450, or $500 for the Mario Kart World bundle. If that is the only game that you got for the Switch 2, you will be playing that for a bit, and the other new game is Fast Fusion, which is also a racing game. I personally wouldn’t get the other games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Hogwarts Legacy since I already own those games, but I am happy that the Switch 2 can run these games really well.

Unfortunately, this is the new age Nintendo - so there is no pack in game like there was for the Nintendo Wii. There is a game though that does show off what the Nintendo Switch 2 can do, called the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour but you better make sure to pay your $10 extra on top of what you already paid for the console itself. Not only that, but if you’re someone who doesn’t like dealing with subscriptions, you lose out on the upgrade packs. This means you would have to pay $70 or $80 just for rereleased games like Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom, and that is not cool at all.

🤔 Should You Buy It Right Now?

Right now, the Switch 2 may be a hard recommend for someone who played a lot of the Switch 1 games already, as there aren’t many new Nintendo first-party games for the Switch 2. Only Mario Kart World, Fast Fusion and Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. There may be other games, but those may have already released on other consoles that you have already played like Cyberpunk 2077.

But if you’re someone new to the Switch and like portable devices to play games on, the Switch 2 is a great console to get right now! It has great backwards compatibility so any Switch 1 game you get, you can play it on the Switch 2 with better framerate and resolution. Not only that, but the games on top of Mario Kart World that are releasing like Splatoon Raiders, Fast Fusion, Donkey Kong Banaza, and Metroid Prime 4 are insane!

🧠 Final Thoughts

The Nintendo Switch 2 is a great console, although it can be expensive coming into it because a lot of the games range between $60–$80, with a couple of games being anomalies.

And there isn’t really something like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus in terms of getting your bang for your buck.

But it is a durable, fun device that I know will get amazing games, and I’m sure in the future we’ll get a lot of things like more Nintendo Switch Online features, themes, and maybe something like Miiverse!

I am really enjoying the Switch 2, even though I was having a sort of buyer’s remorse in the beginning, it really grew on me, and I am playing it every moment I can take, especially with Fortnite, because finally an actual portable way to play it and it looks great!

So, if anyone else has a Switch 2 or thinking of getting one, definitely leave a comment or send a DM about your experience or questions!

CHAOS is one of the best words to describe Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. It's gritty with its bloodshed, dark with its weird lore, and constantly leaves us wondering, "How the heck did all of this happen?" Every time I saw the game, I felt the Space Marines were badass in how they carried themselves, even in the clutches of death. They show no fear, and with their anger, they can wipe out a horde—but as a team and army, they can withstand anything. It's been 14 years since the first game, and I remember why I was always intrigued by it. I kind of regret not getting into it before, but that’s why I’m so excited: they just recently released a remaster of the first game in the Space Marine series, so there’s even more to explore. The main thing that really caught my eye about Space Marine 2 was how similar it looked and felt to Gears of War, especially Gears of War 3. It was a feeling we hadn’t had in a while, like an itch that needed to be scratched, because goddamn, this game is so fun.

Space Marine 2 throws you straight into the campaign with its opening mission. It felt like I was fighting for my life because the game wanted to see if I could survive on my own before meeting my squad, who would question me but also help me on my journey to stop the CHAOS. The story is straightforward at first, but it can get pretty intense, especially all the way towards the end. Before going out for each mission, it definitely feels like it’ll be the end for everyone because of how serious the tone is and how well they convey how bad things can turn. I also like that the main character, Titus, is seen as someone who hides everything about himself, and his teammates are trying to figure out why he’s with them. The suspicion is noted, and it's interesting to be on another side of the coin, rather than being the hero with no flaws - it’s more of an antihero with a more grounded, realistic tone.

With each area or planet, you land on, it always features insane but destructive visuals. It’s like death is all around you, but there will be many times where you’ll think, “Damn, that forest is beautiful,” or “Oh no, a fallen brother… but look at that destroyed city, it's so detailed.” They did such a great job not only with the world-building but the environments themselves. It makes you wonder what it could have been if the Tyranids hadn't attacked. Speaking of the Tyranids, man, this game can amaze you at times with the hordes of enemies thrown at you, like the flying Kryll-like monsters. It's like a scene right out of Gears of War, and it’s fantastic. At first, I thought they were background scenery in certain sections but seeing them scale the walls to get to you and attack the squad kept you on your toes. I don’t know how they did it, but they were able to make you feel like you were the only people there, with the number of enemies you saw in the background, and it was low-key horrific to see how much space they took up.

The combat is literally what makes Space Marine 2 stand on its own. It’s straight out of Gears of War, but with a lot more standing tall against your enemies. It gets messy—body parts flying around as you saw through them with your blade, and new enemies come to face you. There’s never a point where you feel the need to run because of how powerful your character feels. You can fight, rip them apart, and fight until you fall. Not only do you have that awesome chainsaw sword, but you also get to use different badass guns that really just boil down to your preference because they all do a lot of damage. For example, the Melta Rifle is basically a widespread heat shotgun that clears waves of enemies in front of you, or the Las Fusil—an amazing sniper where just two headshots can finish off enemies with ease.

The enemy variety is small but not bad, given how chaotic everything can get. My favorite fights are definitely those boss battles! They were surprising, especially because we weren't expecting that at all. It can get wild but keeps you locked into the battle because of how good it can get. They didn’t seem unfair, but they did feel a little cheap at times, like how one boss chased my brother around and only focused on him when he had low health, so the rest of us were able to take him down easily. But don't be fooled; even the small common enemies can pack a punch if you're not paying attention! You can be completely overwhelmed and go down or die in higher difficulties.

Multiplayer felt incredibly nostalgic and fun to me. The loading into games and facing opponents felt very similar to Gears of War in format, just without executions and wall bouncing. It was a throwback to how my brother and I would always team up and have fun pulling all-nighters in multiplayer. Teamwork is essential to winning matches, even in something as simple as Annihilation (team deathmatch), because you can quickly get bombarded by someone flying through the sky while another tries to slash you. There's ammo scattered around the map in case you run out while fighting for your life, and awesome abilities that help you pinpoint nearby enemies or allow you to fly and slam down with your hammer.

What surprised me was the map design and its verticality. It's actually quite good but can feel a bit like cheating when it works in your favor. Everyone might be running around fighting, but you can sometimes cheese it a little, annoying the other team by hanging back and sniping at spawn or finding the right choke points and showing no mercy. When it's done to you, it is what it is, but very annoying. I genuinely enjoy the fact that you can unlock things just by playing the game, which is a rarity in multiplayer games nowadays. Furthermore, the amount of content added with recent updates is amazing, demonstrating the care and support put into this game, especially with the addition of new weapons, monsters, and maps. It was cool to see a season pass focus solely on cosmetics rather than hiding significant content behind a paywall.

Space Marine 2, to me, is one of the best action games I played in 2024 and even today! They didn't have to go so hard with this game, but they did. I'm very happy they had the chance to be nominated at The Game Awards. Space Marine 2 receives my recommendation and a rating of 5 Heretics out of 5 Tyranids. I can't wait to see what they're going to do next, especially since they recently announced they are making Space Marine 3! It's going to be just as good, if not better.

As I am writing this, the Gears of War: Reloaded Beta just launched! It’s been such a long time since the Gears of War series has had any spotlight, and that was why I was so excited when they announced the prequel to Gears 1 called Gears of War: E-Day. Honestly, Gears of War was one of the first online multiplayer shooter games I got to play, and it's a story I love reminiscing about with my brother because it was also the same game that got me into the Xbox 360 in general. I remember my brother and I owning a PS2; our mom used her hard-earned money to get us that, and unfortunately, we only owned it for a week or so. They had put the console in a spot where they thought it’d be fine: on top of the dresser/cabinet. That was also a time when wireless controllers weren’t as prevalent, or if they did have wireless controllers, we didn’t own them. And my bright younger self thought it was funny to jump over the wire back and forth, not even listening to them telling me to stop, and then I tripped. The PS2's life flashed before its eyes and went straight to electronic heaven. Not only did I get in so much trouble, but I didn't even think I would be able to get another game device, regardless of whether it was portable or home.

But even though that had happened, that was the day that changed the trajectory of which console I went forward with. Because I couldn’t play games for a bit, I was always watching TV, and one day, I saw this awesome commercial that stays in my head. I remember seeing Marcus sitting under a tree, Cole looking through a sniper scope, and the team all together with their silhouettes. The song to this day is always one I go back to listen to: DeVotchKa - "How It Ends." Then I saw them go underground in these contraptions, getting ready for whatever they were going to find. When I tell you that’s all that I needed to see! That was the commercial for Gears of War 2, and I was so excited for it! I knew it was a long shot, but I had to let my brother know about this. At the time, YouTube was just starting up, and honestly, I can’t even remember if we had our first PC at the time to even search up the video, so I had to wait for that channel to make sure to see the trailer again and show my brother. He was equally excited, and that was my ticket to get back into gaming and had him help me convince my mom to get us an Xbox 360… and surely that did happen! And I know, during the time when Gears of War 2 came out, I was probably 9 years old at the time, but when I got the game, it was one of my favorite co-op experiences to this day.

When we got the Xbox 360, both my brother and I were locked in for hours each day. That was the time where campaigns came out and were splitscreen co-op, and we did that and just took in all of the insane things we were introduced to. How Marcus had this deep, raspy voice and was the leader of the group; Dom was Marcus’s right-hand man, and they’d been doing this for so long together they were practically like brothers. Every character that you interacted with in the COG Army had this dynamic that sticks with me to this day. Like Tai, with him being wise but down to protect his friends at all costs, and he really was my favorite character. Dizzy, who was loud and rambunctious but knew how to tinker with any little thing and made sure we had the right weapons, or even Baird, who was almost always sarcastic but very smart with tech and knew what was up. There was so much to love with the characters in Gears, and it always had me looking forward to the next game. The one thing that always seemed to stick in Gears was the Carmine brothers: in the first game was Anthony Carmine, who died, then Benjamin Carmine… who also died. So, the fact that the developers gave us a choice before the game released to save Clayton Carmine was so cool.

The enemies the COG army faced were wild as well, not only that but the situations we were put through. It felt so cinematic running through hail while using a boom shield to block it from destroying your body or getting eaten by a Riftworm and having to chainsaw your way through its intestines. To us, though, the Locust were kind of silly in their movements when they weren’t causing havoc. They could look goofy walking around or not know what was going on, but they were ruthless as hell, especially with how the story went in Gears 2. The fact that this game had boss battles and big cinematic events really took this game to another level as well. Facing Skorge was something that sticks in my head a lot because it felt like a multi-level boss fight: dodging his ink grenades while he ran back and forth mad fast, going toe-to-toe with him like it was Star Wars with the chainsaw battles, or even chasing him down on the Reaver, flying through the sky. They did all the cool things in this game, and I hope they keep that essence for Gears E-Day.

Let’s not forget about Multiplayer; this was the best thing for this game. For a while, my brother and I didn’t get Xbox Live, so we played local co-op multiplayer with each other. The maps were one of my favorite things about it because they were all reactive or had their own weather system that could affect any player in the match. For example, in Avalanche, it’s a snowy map, but at some point, an avalanche can literally happen, and if you’re anywhere in the middle of the map, you will get wiped away. Another map is Hail, where it seemed like only in single player we would deal with that since it’s story mode stuff - NOPE. Even in Multiplayer, we had to hide in places that could cover us, or we would get killed by the hail, unless someone was able to pick up the Boom Shield.

When we finally got Xbox Live, that was also when I got my own Xbox 360 and my own copy of Gears 2. It felt so good to have a mic that came with the console and chat with my brother, who was in the other room, and friends online. It was such a great time, especially playing in game chat where everyone was trash talking like there was no tomorrow. We had so much fun and seeing how people would react if a frag grenade would land right in the middle of them while they were capturing the ring, or catching someone slip with your sniper, or even violating with the meanest wall bounce – confusing them to death. That was also a time where Gears 3 was set to release, and we played the beta all day and night – it was an amazing time.

So, all of that to say, I am very much excited to jump into Gears of War: Reloaded Beta because I don’t think I played much of Ultimate Edition when that dropped. I had checked my achievements, and it said I did, but I don’t remember much of it, so I am excited to replay the campaign once it releases and hone my skills with this beta. It’ll be running for two weekends: this weekend and next weekend, so it’s definitely a great way to see if Gears is a game for you or also feel like me and want to have that great multiplayer experience again. Hope to see y’all there!

I know by now, it may feel like, why talk about FF7 Rebirth when so many great RPGs have dropped the last couple months, like the Oblivion Remaster, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, and especially the biggest surprise of this year with how great it is - Expedition 33? I feel as though when Final Fantasy VII Rebirth originally dropped, people enjoyed it to an extent - but the most I was hearing about were the graphical issues it dealt with when it dropped, looking very washed and muddy, especially playing on performance mode. Although it did get its recognition at The Game Awards, winning the Best Score and Music award (even though I feel like Metaphor: ReFantazio should have gotten that award!), I know my brother personally just had to wait until it dropped on PC, and that it did a couple of months ago! It was exciting to see it come back, but at the same time, it kind of got overshadowed by the previous games I mentioned, and it was overwhelming to figure out which games to play, especially if you had Game Pass. And this year, Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake are dropping on Xbox Series X|S! So listen, Final Fantasy is doing its best standing tall against the other RPGs so far, and it is a great time to look back at Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and talk about what made the game so fun and sometimes overwhelming with the amount of things you can do.

FF7 Rebirth has some of my favorite open-world action RPGs put into one: Yakuza: Like a Dragon with its goofy, random side quests and activities; Ghost of Tsushima for its exploration of the beautiful scenery; and Witcher 3 with its worldbuilding, discovery of new monsters, beautiful card gameplay, and the way it introduces side quests. I know it must have been difficult to balance the serious tone of the story and the cheerfulness of the characters trying to enjoy a new area, but somehow it works. In Part One, the characters were stuck in Midgar with all the pollution and depression, to now seeing the lands beyond and finding out what it all has to offer.

Exploration in this game is such a good time. Each time I go to a new zone, I'm blown away by how beautiful it is, from the grasslands to taking a cruise to Costa del Sol. The number of things you can do is amazing: fun random mini-games, new ways to travel around the world, just more stuff to discover. It never feels like you've seen everything yet. Sure, the activities are the same at times, but the way you get to them and discover them is interesting. What I really enjoy is when the activities get mixed together with the main quest - one part of the game is acting like you’re part of this soldier parade going on - so you and your team have to wear the outfit, learn the march, and take in the amazing choreography while making sure you’re pressing all of the right buttons.

Chadley is back, bothering you for more intel in Assassin's Creed/Far Cry fashion, just a little less annoying. It feels great to get to the towers and speak to Chadley, but it also means more of your map gets filled with so many things to discover… and it can be a lot at times, especially if you’re someone who loves 100% games! What I did like a lot were all of the battle simulations that are helping you understand the mechanics more. Not only that, but some of the bosses you fight are insanely powerful, and I get confused about how I got access to face them currently. With how frequently Chadley pops up in this game, I'm sure in Part 3 he's going to be a hidden secret boss, but for now, seeing him travel the world with you is nice.

Now, the combat is top tier as always. With its bigger party cast, the combinations are pretty wild but damn near endless. Square Enix made sure to make the RPG aspect of this game as accessible as possible so anyone can jump in and play. I appreciate the options of having things automatically placed for you or having the choice of who can be in your main group. I love switching from time to time and also seeing the awesome Synergy Skills and Abilities with the characters and mixing that in with the Limit Breaks is just great. You could go all OP on the damage with Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie, or have a defensive Wall of Life with Barret and Aerith, or become a Stagger master with Yuffie, Red XIII, and Aerith with her Radiant Ward! Yeah, it can get crazy and really fun to mix and match with what you want to do. Be ready though, because there are always new enemies for you to fight and certain bosses to humble you when you're feeling cocky.

The music of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is downright beautiful, especially paired with the amazing graphics every time you discover a new area or in an amazing cutscene. The music definitely invokes a feeling out of you for sure, like hearing the vacation music of Costa Del Sol - it makes me want to be on vacation forever and just relax. Or the ominous theme when you're scanning crystals had me looking around like, "What is going to happen next?" I especially loved the lively Chocobo music when you're riding around; it felt like you were always going on a grand adventure, but nothing will top the groovy Chocobo theme of FFXIII-2! Even the peaceful forest music of Gongaga makes me want to get coffee and think about living on a farm, and I don't even drink coffee. The soundtrack that really took me aback with how hard it went was for the top-tier side game - Queens Blood. It felt like I was in a final battle every time, or I was in a crazy Yu-Gi-Oh! battle about to lose my best cards; the soundtrack really did its thing!

The story is a continuation of the first part - FF7 Remake, but sometimes with doing all of the things around you, you can lose sight of the story. But when you get back on the main path, seeing the scenes of characters showing their experience in life and witnessing what they faced and how they became who they are now will make you shed a tear! Every character is important in your team, even people you meet that aren’t part of it. Their stories will definitely make you feel something, and I feel as though they did a great job with how they conveyed it. And I do like how they show how the characters overcome what they’ve been through or how they are still learning from it to make them move on/be a better person. It is what makes this game beautiful, even if the story can be all over the place at times. But when you finish those chapters, you do feel a sense of relief and make sure to take breaks in between to be ready to endure the other chapters and stories.

One of my complaints about the game, since I also played the game around the time of its original release on PS5, was its performance mode. Why did aiming for 60 FPS make the graphics in the game look like a muddy pastel painting? The best way to play the game on PS5 seems to be the good ole 4k 30fps graphics mode. It's not bad, it's smooth, and you can see all the scenery the game has to show you. You can also play in a better resolution and frame rate if you have the PS5 Pro or get the game on PC like my brother did (just don’t play it on the Steam Deck if you’re looking for amazing graphics).

The one thing I can say so far about FF7 Rebirth is to enjoy it. No, like truly enjoy it and take your time with it. If you try to rush through, you will feel overwhelmed and burnt out quickly. Each area is full of activities to do - at first it seems you’re doing the same thing over and over, and boom, a new mini-game and a new unique quest. My lord, just writing this out and thinking about it is sort of overwhelming in itself. Even for the simplest things like collecting a damn mushroom is a lot. But it’s all unique to the area you're in, which is a nice touch, so every place has its own set of specific mini-games and quests to do. My favorite, of course, is Queens Blood! The fact they had a whole quest kind of like Yu-Gi-Oh! trying to get the ultimate card while creating the decks to beat every challenger was so damn fun. I just wished there were more tournaments for it in the game.

I can confidently say Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is one of the best RPGs to get into. The games that were released this year and towards the end of last year are definitely going toe-to-toe against it with how unique they are. We saw that with how Metaphor: ReFantazio won best RPG against it. For this year, I don’t think it will be back in the Game Awards again, especially with the releases of Expedition 33 and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. Definitely keep a lookout for my review on Expedition 33 and hopefully for KCD2 as soon as I finish that… there are so many games to keep up with, especially with this backlog I have. I am happy that FF7 Rebirth released on PC and is releasing on Xbox and Switch 2 so more people can enjoy this amazing adventure, especially since we don't know when the 3rd installment is coming out. Hopefully it’s soon and not 2028 where I'm old with a cane!

Many others and I were looking forward to Nintendo's presentation on Nintendo Switch 2, and they did not disappoint! I made sure to be there bright and early at 10am and catch the event with everyone that morning, and it was so exciting! It felt so different because of the 1-hour special, catchy music, and fantastic visuals building blocks to the intro. They did not disappoint with their presentation: from showing the differences between the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2, the games coming out for the new console, upgrades to current games that are released, and the release date for the console! What happened afterward made things weird and made me take a step back to look at the entire situation, financially and politically.

The Presentation That Won Us Over

I really like how the Switch looks! It's sleek and not too bulky. It's very similar to the original Switch but bigger in screen size and controller. The new features like mouse controls, the satisfying snap sound from the magnetic joy-cons, and the game chat feature got me so hyped to play around with the features alone. The C Button was hidden from us for a while, but from the leaks - it had to be related to some community feature. I hoped it was MiiVerse, but this is a great addition regardless! We can share our screens, play different games, and chat like a regular Xbox or PS party.

The mouse controls are also a dope addition - I saw how well it would be in Metroid Prime 4, so I would like to see how it is in a multiplayer game like Call of Duty. They even based a whole game on the feature. The game is called Drag x Drive, which is a 3 vs 3 basketball game where the characters have wheelchairs. You control the movements with mouse controls and simulate moving the wheels, turning, and dunking on players! It looks cool, not gonna lie, and it's nice to have that inclusion!

The games they introduced were insane—it felt like I couldn't process the amount of greatness we were witnessing. It started with Mario Kart World, with a new style, modes, and free roam! They've introduced many new mechanics, like grinding on the rails, driving on the walls, and automatically having the items behind you without holding the button! There will be a dedicated direct on April 17th, and it will be released with the Nintendo Switch 2! There's a bundle with it, so everyone gravitates to that automatically rather than only getting the console, which is incredible.

Seeing Donkey Kong Bananza was so cool. It felt like I was watching a Super Mario Odyssey 2 sequel, which is not bad. It was finally time to have a modern open-world Donkey Kong game—the last one I remember is on the Nintendo 64! It was amazing to see how expressive he is and the power of the Switch 2 in real-time, with Donkey Kong able to break through the ground, walls, and more. I'll be there for sure when it drops!

Duskbloods was a wild surprise, for sure! I wasn't expecting to see FromSoftware games on this console - from Elden Ring to this! Not only that, but it is also a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive! They were trying to make the game for the original Switch, and now it is released for the newer device, which makes more sense. I enjoyed the trailer; it reminded me of Bloodborne and Castlevania! I am slightly put off by it, though, knowing it is a multiplayer-focused game, but I will wait to see more about it!

Kirby Air Riders was a game I wasn't expecting to see AT ALL!!! I remember playing the original game on the Nintendo GameCube, and everything from the soundtrack, gameplay, and free roam was so damn fun. My little brother loves Kirby, so seeing this trailer made him want to play it. It was so beautiful introducing him to the original and seeing him enjoy it like I did! What I love about this comeback is that Sakurai is also working on the game! I never thought we would see the day, and I am so grateful to be part of history with that - I know that will surely be my personal game of the year.

Truthfully, that was the best Nintendo Direct to date. It was so good that it froze the U.S. Nintendo Direct YouTube's live stream, forcing them to take it down and replace it with the fixed video. Everything shown feels like a revival of the Nintendo GameCube era (also because we can play GameCube games)! Seeing all the discourse afterward made things overwhelming, so I had to step back from socials for a bit.

(Mis)Information on the Pricing of Nintendo Switch 2

During the presentation, Nintendo did not mention the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 and the games. It's good because it wouldn't stain a great showcase. A couple minutes after the presentation - Nintendo posted information about when pre-orders would start and the pricing of the console and games. I'll mention USD prices for this article, but they are high in other countries; in the United States, the Nintendo Switch 2 is $450, and with Mario Kart World included, it is $500. The pricing isn't too bad; it is the price I thought it would be, and it is priced around the same as the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The public did not like the pricing; some thought it was all right, but the majority was annoyed. What we're getting with the console is worth it, though.

The pricing for the games is where things got blown out of proportion. A screenshot posted on Twitter shows Mario Kart World being $90 Physical and $80 digital. So far, from the Nintendo website, there's only one price, which is $80, and it is suggested. Hence, some retailers are just putting it $60 flat out, so it's interesting to see how things go, but with that one image, people do not feel that at all. A lot of people feel like they won't be able to sustain having Switch 2 because the games themselves are so expensive. They feel like that, so much so that during Nintendo's Treehouse both days, people were spamming "DROP THE PRICE" all throughout the live chat. I am surprised Nintendo didn't turn off the chat when Day 2 came about.

While the games are costly, Nintendo got Mario Kart World bundled, which is $30 less, and most people will choose that option. But I know they have to deal with those larger prices when that bundle is gone. As for the other games, not all are $80; they range from $60-$80, depending on the game, and it seems like Nintendo chooses $80 for their more significant games. However, it sets a precedent for the gaming industry to just raise pricing on games across the board, like how newer games for the PS5 and Xbox Series X will cost $70. It feels like by the time GTA 6 releases, they will charge $100+ for the title, which is insane.

Tariffs and Uncertainties

On the same day as Nintendo's Direct, Trump introduced tariffs to many countries, including Vietnam and Cambodia. Nintendo has many of its products for the Nintendo Switch 2. That caught all of us off guard, and we thought things would be okay slightly. We'd have more time to pre-order the Switch 2 and lock in on the price, but we were wrong. Two days later, Nintendo decided to delay the pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. I was sick to my STOMACH! I made sure to have things set to pre-order the console, but now I'm unsure if I can access that pre-order.

Everyone is hoping that the price doesn't go up or decrease, but with how high the percentages for the tariffs are put on the countries - we can't be that hopeful. So, for the U.S., the console may be 600+, and physical games may be higher. A lot is happening, and we still don't know when we will hear about pre-ordering. I put my hat in the registration lottery on Amazon U.K. to pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2, so I hope it works out. Everywhere else, the Nintendo Switch 2 is sold out. It will be the same here because of the scalpers and the overall excitement for the console. There is also a waitlist for the Switch 2 pre-orders through the Nintendo Store. Still, invitations are sent out on May 8th, and the requirements are high, especially in the U.K.

What’s Next?

It sucks that we, as fans and Nintendo as well, are trying to figure out this insane situation we're in. We hope the prices don't change, but only time will tell. There's a lot more to be worrying about than the Nintendo Switch 2, but having the thing you want to be excited about get overshadowed by everything else is too much to deal with. I am looking forward to trying out the Nintendo Switch 2, though. I am jealous of those who could get into the Switch 2 experience and try it out! What I've seen so far has been exciting, and I can't wait to play the games that were shown fully. Although the future looks bleak, gaming can sometimes shine through that fog.

We’re saying it right now from the start so y'all can take the chance to go and play this game - this is one of the greatest games we’ve played, and it's easily a 10/10. A few games have excited us to continue playing to discover what's coming next, the new gameplay mechanics they will introduce, and how wild the world will be. It kept us wondering if the game would slow down or run out of ideas, but as you keep going, you'll be amazed. No developer/game has done it for us in a while. The closest to it was Insomniac Games, with Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. The amount of innovation Split Fiction has is impressive, and the fact that this game exists using Unreal Engine 5 is no easy feat.

Hazelight Studios has been making bangers back-to-back from Brothers, A Way Out, It Takes Two, and now it’s Split Fiction. They always tried something new with each game and succeeded in their attempts. They never shy away from their ideas, which we seriously love. With Split Fiction, everyone's idea in Hazelight Studio was put into this incredible, cohesive story and video game. In this review, the details we will cover are just a fraction of what you can experience in this game. This game is an excellent testament to what a video game should be—fun, exciting, and innovative. The gameplay mechanics are like fresh air, offering a unique and engaging experience to keep you on the edge of your seat. But it is also a great homage to the many video games we played, ranging from Portal 2 to an old-school classic snake game. Yeah, they went way back, but with style. This game made us appreciate video games and family much more.

How Split Fiction Got Our Attention

Ever since Josef Fares revealed A Way Out at The 2017 Game Awards and said fuck the Oscars - he's been at the forefront, and his love for video games oozed out of the screen. So when Josef Fares introduced Split Fiction at The 2024 Game Awards, it caught our attention. The trailer was straight to the point, explaining the ins and outs of the game, and the best thing about it - we could just buy one copy and play with any of our friends or anyone online. Although there wasn't a matchmaking system to find people, we could join Hazelight's discord and find people to play with if we didn't have a friend or family member to do that with.

Not only that - it has cross-play! You only have to buy one copy, and anyone on any platform the game is on could play the game, either from Xbox Series X|S, PS5, or PC. It is an incredible feat, and the fact that they sold 1 million copies in the first 48 hours of release shows that they are doing something right. I liked Josef Fares's commercial about Split Fiction and sending out a physical friend right to your door. I love the cheesy humor, and that was something you got to see all throughout the game.

Fortunately, I had my brother, and we decided to play locally on the PS5. We played it all weekend, starting on Thursday and we finished on Sunday. Our total playthrough was 14 hours, and we had the best time playing the game! The game's cooperative aspect added a new layer of enjoyment as we strategized and worked together to overcome challenges. When starting the game (and at any point), you and whoever you're playing with can switch which character you play throughout the story from the main menu before heading into the game. The way the game sets up everything to ween us into the gameplay is engaging - especially in the times that we are in now, with creativity being forced to change with A.I. and A.I. being implemented by big companies to remove the artist. It hits the right chord as big companies like Activision admit to using AI in their game assets because of Steam's new policies.

The Story of Split Fiction

The game focuses on two characters, Mio Hudson and Zoe Foster. Rader Publishing invited them and others to get their books/stories published and pay them for their work. Something so simple gets terrible really quickly. Fun fact: Josef Fares named these characters after his daughters, who share the same names, adding a personal touch to the story, and it is so sweet!

While Zoe and the rest of them agreed and went into the machines as they believed things were fine, Mio had an inclination that things were wrong with the fact that they had to go through this whole weird process - which, in reality, is going into their minds and taking every single creative idea and putting it into this AI machine to constantly produce new worlds and stories using their ideas. Mio wanted out, but Rader and the scientist wanted her to go back in because they "couldn't stop the process." She tripped into Zoe's machine, and their stories were mixed together.

Now, Zoe and Mio do not know each other - they aren't friends. So, when they saw each other in their stories, it caused some issues. The game's narrative structure is unique in that it intertwines Zoe and Mio's stories, allowing players to experience both perspectives. The machines they went into not only take their ideas but visualize them and allow them to live through those memories, stories, and ideas. That is how it is for Zoe and Mio. Still, because Mio stumbled into Zoe's machine, they experience each other's stories.

Zoe is a Fantasy author who doesn't like much action but loves exploration, whimsical characters, and fantastical creatures. Think of genres like Harry Potter and Dragon Age. On the other hand, Mio is a sci-fi author, very much the opposite of Zoe - her stories have a lot more action/violence, dark themes, and intense sequences, similar to Star Wars or Blade Runner. Throughout the game, you get to learn more about them and why their worlds are the way they are, and that is one of my favorite parts about this game - how it progresses.

Gameplay and Visuals

The game plays very similarly to It Takes Two: if it ain't broke - don't fix it! It felt very fun to have that feeling again. It felt snappy and very responsive when running around and doing different actions. The game is also a co-op split-screen experience, and they did an excellent job within this game. The gameplay involves a mix of platforming, puzzle-solving, and combat, with each character having unique abilities that complement each other. We only got stuck on a handful of puzzles only due to how fast we were moving throughout the world at times, it made us realize to slow down and take in everything!

Each area had an unbelievable level of detail. At each main story level, you jump back and forth from Zoe's fantasy world to Mio's sci-fi world and vice versa. The detail in their world design is incredible. No matter where we were, there was always a moment when my brother and I were looking around and being in awe at how vast and beautiful the world was. Whatever we saw in the distance, we knew we would make it there at some point - the matter of how we would do that was the question. It always got answered with the most incredible gameplay mechanics.

Zoe's worlds were beautiful, magical, and lush, with grass and trees everywhere, mystical creatures that could interact with you, and more. She was my favorite to explore; it gave you a break from the combat with intuitive platforming. Certain reviewers, though, may complain about too much greenery in the world. Although we loved Zoe's world, it doesn't mean Mio's world was slacking. Mio's worlds had substantial sci-fi cities that reminded me of Night City from Cyberpunk 2077. It felt like playing through these grand Mission Impossible movies. Every level of Mio's was intense, with incredible action and never-ending movement until the end; it did make my brother hate lasers but love the chaos.

What I loved about each main level was that we always had a new ability to mess with. It was unique to the person's level it focused on, so it could be us transforming into different fantasy creatures in Zoe's story or using futuristic weapons that allow us to have telekinesis and attach ourselves to walls or ceilings in Mio's story. Each had specific skills, so we didn't have to do the same things. It was cool that we always had to use those abilities in various ways to move forward in the game - which I loved a lot because it meant you always had to communicate or just take time to think to figure something out without looking at guides or anything.

Although my brother enjoyed those things, there were some powers he saw me have that he wanted. He mainly played as Zoe, and there was a level with these dragons we had to protect; Mio's dragon could glide and shoot acid while Zoe rolled around and grappled onto the walls, so he felt left out at times with cool stuff and thought the powers he had at times were wack.

In some parts, you had to time precisely what you and your partner were doing to destroy something or get past a section. There would be even puzzles where you both have to put your minds together and abilities to move something around to unlock a door. I loved that we had to deal with our skills - it kept things fresh. It also means we can replay those parts and experience a new gameplay style just from playing as the character you haven't tried yet.

That's what I loved as well. We weren't always just our human selves wondering about the world - we would play as different species or devices at points, and it was so damn cool. Shapeshifting into a swimming creature or even becoming Groot and controlling an entire level is incredible. The controls would change, and so would our perspective in the game. The perspective would change so much that it would feel like a completely different game. It can be a side scroller like Contra, a top-down action game like Diablo, or even an arcade-like sports game like SSX. Oh, the boss fights were insane. Each one was fun to fight using the powers you have at the moment, and teamwork makes you think and plan out exactly what to do with ease. There was so much you were able to do in this game. I want to share it all, but you have to experience it yourself!

The colors of the two characters were such a nice touch; Mio's is red/purplish, while Zoe's is green. On PS5, the character you're playing as the color will show on the controller lights. Their color will also appear throughout the world level - like for Mio - the world can seem real sci-fi like Blade Runner and have her hint of color in the world with the buildings and even with her clothing lighting up pinkish. Same with Zoe, where the colors are vibrant, and the world is covered with the most beautiful greenest grass you'll see with a bright sun in the back and stunning nature scenery. Everything matches their vibe, and with each story, it expands so much, and you'll get a feel of who they are literally with each obstacle you both get through.

Side Stories and Homages

Interestingly, they had these Portals around Zoe's and Mio's main stories. These side stories were these ideas that delved deeper into their minds. They even realized how bad things were getting because of the ideas being taken from them - like stuff from their teens or even a young child. Whose side story you played depended on the main story you were in, so if you were in Zoe's fantasy world - you'd do Mio's side story and vice versa. These side stories can vary in length and content, but they were all extremely fun and a great way to take a quick break from intense moments from the main story. There were side stories where you'd turn into pigs that could fly by farting, and there were side stories where you'd be in a game show fighting for y'all lives. There was never a dull moment in these stories; writing about them just makes me want to replay them.

I mentioned a couple of homages regarding gameplay shifts that can occur during the game. Still, some homages are subtle but make you smile so much remembering those things - like the Assassin's Creed eagle jump, dodging rolling barrels like you're Mario going against Donkey Kong, Halo 5's trailer jump, or even from Hazelight's own game, It Takes Two - Cutie the Elephant, who's ear you can remove from the signage in one of the levels. Unfortunately, it is reminiscent of It Takes Two's infamous and sick scene. These games have many more homages, but it is best to discover them yourself. It'll make you feel happy playing through the game!

Final Thoughts and Recommendation

There was never a moment in this game where we felt bored or tired of what we were doing in the game. We played the entire weekend, excited to see what would happen next or what we would explore. The characters are very much lovable as well, and the more you go through the story, the more you understand who they are and why they have the stories they have (some can be a bit crazy at times!) But we implore you all to play the game if y'all can and stick through the end. This game has one of the best final levels I've ever played in a game, and that's saying something. They implemented many fresh ideas we never expected in a video game. This game is also a tremendous consumer-friendly thing because you can play the game with anyone as long as one of you owns the game. It's amazing.

Split Fiction is a game we would replay with any friend/family and experience all over again. It's our Game of The Year 2025. Hopefully it doesn't become overshadowed by other major game releases later this year. It's still a surprise that it's published by EA. The game is unique, and it has reached our top 10 list. The game did everything it was supposed to, hitting every note of that. If you know anyone who owns the game, message them and ask them to play with them. I guarantee that you will have a great time and enjoy something, if not everything, in the game. We may have missed a few things in this game, but we'll return to catch those! As I mentioned, this is just a fraction of what is in the game - so please take the time to play it! Thank you to the Developers at Hazelight Studios and Josef Fares for taking the time to create this fantastic game!

The last time I played an anime game was Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. Those games were the only ones that really captured how we felt when watching the actual anime. Seeing how Naruto turned into the Nine Tail Fox, fighting Pain, the insane battles with Sasuke all throughout his years as a ninja, and the same with Goku facing Frieza, cell, and saving his entire world.

CyberConnect2 is the developer of those specific games and is at the forefront of creating incredible experiences to relive those moments and even have fun with online play and other modes with your friends. Though CyberConnect2 did have fumbles, their games like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles felt like a cash grab in a way without the same quality as their previous games. There were also other games like My Hero One’s Justice from other developers that tried to reach the same quality as Naruto, DBZ, or Asura’s Wrath. Still, at some point, it always falls flat.

Discovering The Hidden Ones Pre-Alpha

Now, here comes a brand new game - The Hidden Ones. I never knew of the Hidden Ones until it was shown several times last year. The Hidden Ones was first an anime series, the same as Naruto, Bleach, and Dragon Ball Z. I saw online that people were mentioning how much of a hidden gem it was, so I definitely have to check it out - mainly because I got access to the pre-alpha! I thought the game I saw was an anime remake, but it was the actual gameplay I was seeing! The game looks gorgeous just from watching it in general - then I found out it was a mobile game, and I couldn’t believe how much mobile games have evolved over the last few years. It felt unreal. So when I saw a pre-alpha test about to begin, I jumped right into signing up!

The pre-alpha started on February 27th and ended on March 8th. Thankfully, I received access to play it on PC because I cannot play mobile games - my hand will be all cramped up. Let me tell y’all right now - this “pre-alpha” has more content than some games released currently. It’s insane how much work they put into this so far, and from what I have played, I have a small number of cons about this game! When installing the game, you have to install the launcher first, then the game - it seems a bit redundant, but it may change when it releases on Steam.

What caught me off guard a bit was making sure the game is bound to your PC. For the pre-alpha, it mentioned only 1 mobile device and 1 computer can be connected to your account, and that’s it. It can be an issue if you use another computer or phone! I’m assuming they’ll remove that for the game’s release, but if that’ll always be there - that would be annoying. Once you open the game, it has this calm intro showcasing the world of the game and the different characters vital to it. They’re doing their errands and walking around. It feels serene but eerie with what’s to come.

Diving into the Gameplay

When you start playing, you get thrown into the game somewhere in the middle of the story, specifically a chapter called Same River Twice. You will experience multiple stories throughout this game by playing different characters in the story, which is cool. They have their own plans and want to succeed, which can cause a lot of exciting fights in this game. At some point, they all end up being in similar spaces, having you fight multiple bosses simultaneously. I am still trying to figure out what’s happening in the story, so I can’t fully explain it in detail, but they went all out with the action sequences in this game.

The game at heart is an anime fighting game. This one, though, is more unique, as it focuses on Martial Arts. Some characters use weapons like knives in combat, and you can do amazing combos. I compare the combat to be fast like Naruto but with a steady focus on your attacks, similar to Sifu. You can counterattack when people use their skills, defend against attacks, grab your opponent, and cancel attacks. Canceling is my favorite because you can escape attacks if caught in a crazy combo. When someone is blocking, attacking them can make you grab them. It can seriously help if you’re trying to be on the offense. Every character is great to play with because of their unique powers and skills.

My favorite characters to play so far are Wang Ye and Zhang Chulan. Wang Ye is a full-on Martial Artist, and he really got me feeling like the Avatar! He has the power to do a boulder attack or a flame attack and move like Neji from Naruto, enhancing his attacks for a short period. What I really enjoy is that you can use those skills to combo and juggle your opponent; there’s so much you can do. One of my favorite things about the combat is the Doppelganger skills. You create another version of yourself or other characters that can come out and support you with a particular attack. They can also come out to buff you up, like letting you move faster when jolting you with electricity. My favorite Doppelganger is Rolling Gale, which comes out literally swinging, and you can combo that so much.

Exploring Story Mode and Other Game Modes

Not only do we fight regular enemies and bosses during the story, but there are traversal sequences, sneaking to tail enemies, and intense, quick-time events. Interacting with the cutscenes was one of my favorite things in games like Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm. It keeps you on your toes, and it is so damn fire. One of my favorite sequences so far was running away from this family clan trying to attack you. They are throwing fire attacks at you that you must dodge, counter another person trying to dive and punch/kick you, and stop your way to your destination. Playing through this sequence felt so fun and riveting, which I missed so much from these games!

Remember I mentioned how this game had a lot of content? Well, let me guide you through it. Not only that, they have the story mode with multiple chapters we can play through specifically for the pre-alpha, but there are also Boss Trials and Duels.

Boss Trials is where you can face certain bosses from the story with three different Outcasts (the story’s main characters). We have access to the Abyss of Tao trial, which has 4 bosses we can go up against. They are all named differently: Trial of Will, Spirit, Mind, and Vision. Each trial aims to earn a better rating for each character. The ratings allow you to unlock rewards and also move forward to the rest of the bosses that we have to fight.

The bosses were all unique to face; they were scary in their own right and had crazy abilities. The objectives were challenging; I had to restart multiple times to complete one or two. One of them is to avoid their dart attacks, which are difficult to dodge unless you get the timing right and slow down on how fast you attack. These bosses have difficulties, from 1 to Infernal (the 4th and last difficulty).

Duel is the next mode we have available. It is a mode you can play online with other players! It’s my favorite mode so far. You can create Lineups, which are loadouts with the specific characters you want and doppelgangers that fit your needs. If you wish to choose whoever without doing that - you can do so. Playing online has been so fun, seeing the new characters people have unlocked and finding out new combos. Each round is the number of characters y’all have, so the max can be 5 rounds if you both are losing back and forth. There are 12 characters in this game so far. You start with 4, but you can unlock other characters by doing daily missions to unlock the rewards.

I have unlocked two characters, which cost around the same amount. There is a shop where you can buy characters with the currency (there are two different ones that you earn, one faster than the other). Y’all know I don’t like microtransactions, but with how easy and smooth it has been unlocking characters, I don’t mind it. Mainly because this was built first as a mobile game. There’s a season in this game where you can unlock those currencies the more you complete missions and level up so things work out.

The missions don’t only work for the Duel mode; there are rewards for everything you do in Story Mode and Boss Trials. As long you are doing the objectives, you will be able to level up pretty quickly, and for me, it has been happening unknowingly. You unlock silver ethereal coins that are easy to gain with the missions. Then, another currency is more challenging to obtain. You can use one or the other to unlock characters or doppelganger skills. The missions you complete go into the phases tracker. Each phase has its own missions for them, so when you complete the missions, you get the rewards and unlock the next phase. It also seems like this pre-alpha test moves the story along once the phase is completed. So, it creates a good replay value to have you play differently to know more about your characters.

Final Thoughts and Hopes for the Full Release

So that is it for now! I was so surprised to see how much we have to access this pre-alpha, and knowing there is more to come makes me very excited! I cannot wait to start this from the story’s beginning and experience the most incredible interactive visual tale yet. When I was young, playing Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm, I locked in with the story and played versus mode with my brother and friends. The game felt really polished despite some things here and there like me hiding behind the wall, but I clearly wasn’t hiding behind anything. Those things will be fixed once the full game comes out, and it will showcase years of dedication. I am very excited about this, and I hope they focus on creating a great game and not on full-fledged microtransactions - I want this game to win and follow its path as well!

Like I’ve said before, the hype for fighting games is back and better than ever, and the next big release on the block is Fatal Fury: City of Wolves. Don’t confuse it with King of Fighters—though we’ve seen Terry Bogard pop up in various games, he actually debuted in Fatal Fury. It’s been 26 years since the last mainline Fatal Fury game (not counting the compilation games or mobile game), and I feel like an old fart getting nostalgic about it. I remember playing Fatal Fury 3 with my uncle, who showed me the ropes, and later growing up thinking Street Fighter II was Fatal Fury because they looked so similar.

But nostalgia aside, a new Fatal Fury is here, and it’s looking sharp. This past weekend, from February 20th to February 24th, we got to dive into the Fatal Fury: City of Wolves open beta. Jumping into the beta without even glancing at the command list or tutorial was both fun and hilarious. Learning the combos on the fly and realizing the controls were similar to Street Fighter—just backwards—was a cool twist. SNK is coming back swinging, and while the game has a few rough edges, it’s clear they’re giving it their all.

The Beta Experience

The beta was an okay experience for the most part. I didn’t encounter any lag when playing with my brother; the servers were decent. However, my brother tried playing online against someone with a full five-bar connection, and the match kept stuttering, breaking his combo flow. It sucks, too, because he chose to face people who only had the best connection, and it was still wonky. Thankfully, when we played on the same Wi-Fi, it was flawless. There were some things I feel like they should work on still, and they mainly have to do with things other than the gameplay.

The Characters

The beta featured eight characters, blending classic favorites with new faces:

• Terry Bogard: The iconic brawler and spiritual cousin of Street Fighter’s Ken Masters.

• Rock Howard: The son of Geese Howard, who fights like Terry—likely because Terry trained him.

• Mai Shiranui: The fan-favorite kunoichi.

• B. Jenet: My personal favorite for her slick combos.

• Vox Reaper: A badass newcomer with a mysterious vibe.

• Preecha: A combo-heavy martial artist who reminded me of Street Fighter 6’s Rashid.

• Hotaru Futaba: Chun-Li’s spiritual sister with her own unique flair.

• Kain: M. Bison’s nephew, bringing his own brand of chaos.

Each character felt strong and unique, and once you learned a good mix-up, you could end matches quickly if your opponent wasn’t paying attention.

New Mechanics

They introduced new mechanics for the gameplay, similar to how Street Fighter 4/5/6 did. They have an S.P.G system (Selective Potential Gear) where you can choose when it activates. It’s on your health bar, and at the beginning of every match, you can decide if it’s at the beginning, middle, or end of your health bar. At first, we didn’t know what that was; we just chose a random name/option. Still, we realized we were able to make cool attacks while it was activated (and you’d know when it was activated because it’ll yell out “S.P.G” when your health bar reaches that point). Basically, S.P.G is when you can have an increased attack and use Rev Blows.

The Rev System is also something new that they introduced, with strong attacks that you can mix into combos or even guard. It reminds me of the Focus Attack from Street Fighter 4. You can do a Rev Guard that helps you guard better than the regular way (moving your left stick away from the person you’re fighting). It can stop chip damage from opponents’ special moves, which is insane. Rev Arts are special moves you can use, and Rev Accel is mixing into other Rev Art moves that can make into a really cool combo. Rev Blows happen when the S.P.G is active—a powerful attack. All of this sounds complicated because it seems like entirely separate things at first, but it all blends together when you play the game.

There is a Rev Meter that increases throughout your battle. At first, we thought we had to let the meter go up to use Rev Attacks, but it was quite the opposite. You’d want to do your best to avoid having that reach the maximum percentage because it can cause you to be unable to block efficiently. It can have your opponent break your guard and you won’t be able to do Rev Attacks —this is called Overheat Status. It can make or break your round if you get that one too many times.

One of my favorite mechanics I had to find out through the tutorial was dodging attacks. It does a cool slow-motion animation and can really make your opponents shook; I know it did for me when a CPU did that to me and started going wild with the combos.

Stages and Selecting Characters

We could play on four stages: Training, Freight Express, B. Port, and Training Ground (I’m not sure why there are two training spots, but they look different from each other). They all had their own quirks, and I generally enjoyed them all. I want something similar to B. Port; it seemed lively, and I would like to see that more. The map that made me really dizzy/feel off was Freight Express because, as the train was moving the entire time, the background had a very heavy motion blur on the mountains passing by—it was messing both my brother and me up during those matches, so we mainly just played on the other three. But regardless of that, I still thought the map was cool!

Each character that we were able to pick had their own colors we could choose from; it was cool to see, though, because it didn’t feel like random colors being put together; the other outfits they had were fire to look at, and some were better than the default outfits the characters had. I liked that the game had a lot of style for them. You can also select one of them as your favorite character so people know who you are. It sucked, though, because the process of selecting a character was weird. You had to go through the battle settings rather than enter a character select menu when y’all start fighting. Things were complicated for unknown reasons, and if they did a bit of rework on those things, it’d be awesome to play without feeling annoyed.

Every character was unique in all of their attacks. I enjoyed experimenting with each of them, and truthfully, it’s hard for me to find someone to main since I enjoyed them all. Still, Preecha is definitely someone I’ll start fighting people with a lot. She’s quick with her martial arts and reminded me so much of Rashid from Street Fighter 6 with her tornado attacks, which was insane. My brother hated facing me when I was playing as her!

Online Play and Room Matches

Outside the Tutorial mode, we could also play online with Ranked Matches, Casual Matches, and Room Matches. I played a couple of casual matches. I didn’t try Ranked Matches because of my brother’s online lag in facing people, but I am sure it will improve. Casual matches were fun and straightforward. I just wish there was a way to add someone after facing them so we could face each other in a room match.

Room matches were such a hassle to get working in this game. It was very tedious to join a friend’s game and face each other. My brother and I were in different rooms, and it was a lot, so I can imagine trying to do this online. But the process went like this: We tried to join using a room ID. He started a private room where only people with the room ID could join. I put the room ID correctly to search, but I couldn’t find it.

We did this a couple of times and decided to add each other. Doing that was a chore in itself—it wasn’t somewhere simple. We had to go through a different menu on our profile, go to search player, and then put in their name… or so we thought. We had to put in this long ID number to add people, not use their names, which is odd because why have us set up our name for our profiles if people cannot search for people with it? After putting in that long ID, I set up a room and invited him through the game. Unfortunately, you get no notification about a game invite. To find it, you have to go back to the home menu and click open your Invite List, which is at the bottom right of the home menu with the right stick. Very odd with how they did everything.

Final Thoughts

All of that to say… SNK has a solid game at its core, but there’s no denying the menus need a serious overhaul before the full release. While they look cool, they’re slow to load, clunky, and unintuitive. It’s a hassle to navigate, and that’s something they really need to fix. I also hope they improve the online play—it’s frustrating when matches stutter every few seconds, even with a good connection. The rollback netcode definitely needs some work, but I’m confident they’ll get it right eventually.

Once you get past the clunkiness, though, the game is a blast. Room matches, for example, are a ton of fun. You can have multiple people in one room, with matches and waiting areas so everyone gets a turn—it’s like having your own little tournament, which is super exciting.

At the end of the day, I really enjoyed my time with Fatal Fury: City of Wolves. The gameplay is fun, the characters feel unique, and the new art style is a fresh take on the series. It’s shaping up to be a solid entry, and I think it’ll do well in the long run. I’m excited to see what’s next—new stages, new characters, and hopefully some polish on the rough edges. The future looks bright for Fatal Fury, and I can’t wait to see where SNK takes it from here.

The demo for Monaco 2 dropped two days ago, and I got to play it for a couple of hours. It was really fun, and I feel like there’s a lot of potential for this sequel based on what I have played so far! It’s been 12 years since the first Monaco game came out in 2013—that’s a long time to wait for a sequel! Honestly, I couldn’t even remember the last time I saw the game announced. I had to check YouTube and find a teaser trailer from two years ago, so it’s clear that this game is in active development, and I’m excited to see more of it!

One of the biggest changes from the first Monaco to this sequel is the shift to high-resolution 3D models. Monaco: What’s Yours Is Mine had 2D-pixel graphics and was designed for the Xbox 360/PS3 era, so the highest resolution we could play it in was 720p (or 1080p, depending on the game). It’s awesome to see this new coat of paint while keeping the charm and vibrant color palette intact. Even though we’re hiding in the shadows, there’s a unique flair to each character and mission design. Like the original, you can play solo, in a local co-op with friends on the couch, or in an online co-op with friends or strangers. It’s no wonder the original was always mentioned as one of the best co-op games to play.

In this demo, we have access to three levels—more than enough to get a feel for the game. It was so exciting to dive back into this world. I started with the first level solo to get a feel for each character. There are four characters available in the demo (though this can vary depending on the mission):

• Gibson (The Engineer): Hacker with a robot companion who can assist with tasks. He’s also blind, so he navigates with a walking stick.

• Cosmo & Gimlet (The Socialite): Duo consisting of a woman and her adorable chihuahua, Gimlet, who can distract enemies while you lockpick doors.

• Una (The Brute): A strong, brolic person who can beat up guards and stun anyone in her way. They are introduced in the third mission.

• Sake (The Prowler): She is incredibly fast and can roll around the map to avoid detection.

• Pockets (The Mule): Someone who can heal himself and the team, which is super useful for avoiding mission restarts.

There will be eight new characters in total, so we’ve only seen five so far. I’m eager to see what the others bring to the table! Each mission follows a story, just like the first game. You start with the heist, in which the timeline is around the middle/end of the game, and then the game flashes back to show how the characters got into this line of work. After each mission, there’s a cutscene with conversations between the characters and others outside the group, giving more context to the mission and fleshing out their personalities.

The first mission was a great introduction. Relearning how to steal felt nostalgic, like when I first played the original game as a kid. At the start of the heist, you can plan out where you want to go and see what exactly you need to steal. You can switch characters mid-mission at specific points, which is great if one character isn’t working for you or if you need to adapt your playstyle. I also love the abilities you can use. My favorite is Cosmo & Gimlet—playing solo with them felt the most logical because using Gimlet to distract enemies made things so much easier. You can unlock perks with diamonds and equip them before starting a heist. For example, Cosmo & Gimlet has a perk that reduces the chance of being recognized by civilians by 50%, which made missions smoother.

You can also pick up disguises during heists, which are great for sneaking through challenging areas without being chased. Items like lockpicks, smoke bombs, and crossbows are scattered throughout the levels. The crossbow has a neutralizer dart that puts guards to sleep, while smoke bombs are perfect for escaping when guards are on your ass. Med packs and hearts are also available to heal or give you extra chances if you or your team get caught.

Playing co-op was my favorite part. I didn’t get to play with my brother, but I teamed up with strangers online for two levels. I stuck with Cosmo & Gimlet, while my teammates played as Gibson and Sake (and later Una). It was chaotic in the best way—there were moments when we thought we were safe, only to get caught and have to scramble, using our abilities and items to escape. It was a blast, and I know playing with friends will be even more fun, full of laughs and tense moments.

You can create your own lobbies, set specific playstyles, and make them public or private. The same options apply if you’re looking for games online. Personally, I found it a bit hard to find games, and the people I played with were the only ones online at the time. But I’m sure there will be plenty of lobbies at launch. Not only that, but there is a local co-op so many people would do that! If you join a game mid-heist, you enter as a spectator (the fifth “player”), able to mark things on the map and watch the players. It’s a cool feature, and I could see it being fun for speedrunning contests or even a future mode where spectators can plant traps or control guards.

What’s really cool is that the missions aren’t just developer-crafted stories—they also have procedurally generated alternatives for added replayability. Unfortunately, these were locked in the demo, but I’m excited to try them out. Daily missions were also locked, but I’m looking forward to them—they seem like a great way to earn diamonds and other rewards, and the daily variety will keep me coming back. Some abilities and costumes were locked, too, so there’s clearly a lot more to explore in terms of loadouts and playstyles.

Before each mission, there’s a checklist of objectives that reward diamonds if completed, like finishing within a certain time range or collecting a specific number of coins. I love seeing if I’ve met those requirements at the end of a mission. There’s also a nice touch with icons from the original Monaco game, which really ties the sequel back to its roots. Plus, you can see how long it took you to complete the mission compared to others on a global leaderboard. Speedrunners are definitely going to have a field day with this!

I’m thrilled that Monaco is back. It’s been a long time coming, and this is why I love indie games. It’s a unique experience from a passionate team bringing back that co-op magic, especially with games like It Takes Two from a couple years back and Split Fiction coming out in March. I can’t wait to play more, and I’ll definitely be buying it at launch. It’s only on PC right now, but I’m sure it’ll eventually come to Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch. The demo is free, so if you have a PC or laptop, give it a try! And keep an eye out for more demos during Steam’s Next Fest starting on the 24th.

When FROMSOFTWARE announced they were holding a network test after their reveal trailer, I immediately signed up when it opened up on January 10th. The concept seemed so cool—a co-op experience with exciting gameplay changes like wall climbing and faster movement without worrying about stamina depletion. It reminded me of Sekiro. I waited for a while, though, and started to think I didn’t get accepted once I saw codes being sent out and people playing (despite the server issues). But right before the last day of the Network Test, I checked my junk email and found a PlayStation code for the game (I originally signed up for PC, but it seems like many people got codes for different platforms). Luckily, I had my PS5, so I entered the code and booted it up.

Each day of the test had its own start and end time. For the final day, February 16th, it ran from 10 PM EST to 1 AM EST. I played for about an hour and got the gist of the game, so I’ll share what you can expect when the full game releases and whether it’s worth the $40 price tag. Personally, the only Soulslike games I’ve played are Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Black Myth: Wukong. I own Elden Ring and Nioh 2, but I’ve never made it past the first area. It’s not that they didn’t excite me—it’s just that I feel like I need to mentally prepare myself to get my butt kicked every few steps in a Soulslike game. My brother, on the other hand, has completed almost every Soulslike game he’s played—all the Dark Souls games, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring—so he was definitely excited to see what this game had to offer.

Thankfully, getting the PS5 code meant I could share it with him, and we were able to play together. So, what is Elden Ring Nighreign? It’s a standalone game, separate from the original Elden Ring, and it’ll cost $40 (or more if you opt for the Deluxe, Seekers, or Collector’s Editions). I also noticed that there will be DLCs for this game, so it seems like they’re going all-in and planning to expand it in the future. I’m assuming the DLCs will include new characters, maps, and enemy bosses. Hopefully, content updates will be free, but we’ll see.

Jumping into the game, you’re greeted with a title screen featuring a song that lowkey asks if you’re ready to fight demons. It got a somber feel to it but it hooks you in like their other title openings. They also display the test times to avoid confusion about why you can’t access the game. The game seems to be online-only, even though you can play solo, and you can only team up with two other players (three people total). No two-player or four-player co-op—apparently, they don’t like even numbers. Once you’re in, the game introduces you to the Network Test’s objectives: defeat the Tricephalos in Limveld. Before heading out, you’re in the Roundtable Hold where you can choose from four characters: Wylder, Guardian, Duchess, and Recluse.

• Wylder is a balanced soldier-type character with a sword and shield, perfect for beginners.

• Guardian is a heavy tank with wings, a massive shield, and the ability to fly.

• Duchess is a fast-moving character who uses a dagger for quick attacks and can dodge repeatedly without draining stamina.

• Recluse is a mage who focuses on ranged attacks and magic to recover their FP Gauge.

Each character has their own set of Passive Abilities, Character Skills, and Ultimate Arts. Passive Abilities are always active—for example, the Duchess can dodge repeatedly without using much stamina. Character Skills are unique to each character’s moveset, like the Guardian’s ability to create a cyclone to attack enemies. Ultimate Arts are powerful special attacks, similar to fighting game ultimates, that can turn the tide in boss fights. Wylder’s Ultimate Art, for instance, creates a massive explosion from an iron stake.

There’s a training area where you can test all your skills and tweak settings, reminiscent of Smash Bros. training mode. You can adjust things like unlimited health or always having your Ultimate Art ready. It’s a great way to familiarize yourself with the mechanics before diving into the real game. There’s also a Visual Codex for reminders on controls or lore, and a Relic Rites section where you can equip relics that stay with you throughout the game (more on that later).

The Expeditions is where you jump into the world and start exploring the Limveld. If you want to play with strangers, you can click on a mission and start matchmaking. Playing with friends, however, is a bit more convoluted. You need to use a unique password that your friend also inputs. You can specify whether all players need the password or just one other person, allowing a stranger to join (since regular co-op isn’t an option). There are also group passwords that let you see bloodstains, phantoms, and other traces from players using the same password—a neat mechanic. Once everyone’s in, you’re thrown into the game.

At first, the game felt like a battle royale, similar to Fortnite. You drop into the map by flying down while holding onto birds (like parachuting in Fortnite). The map itself is interesting, with waypoints marked by other players, Sites of Grace for healing and leveling up, and more. Speaking of leveling up, characters in the beta cap at level 15 (at least in training mode). If you die and revive in the same game, you lose a level or two. If your whole team dies, you have to start over and lose all your runes (money in the game). When you’re hurt, you enter a downed state (like in Fortnite or Gears of War), and your teammates must revive you before a countdown ends.

The premise is simple: explore the map, defeat enemies, and survive until the end, where you face a boss. Each time you defeat a boss, a new “day” begins. The most days my brother and I made it to was Day 2, but I checked online and found out the Network Test allows up to three days. It’s challenging, though—players can leave mid-game, and you can’t replace them. If you’re not paying attention, you can also get caught by the encroaching flames (similar to Fortnite’s storm), which close in on a specific spot where you’ll face the boss. I like this concept—it keeps things intense and engaging. I hope the full game expands on this with more content and possibly more days for stronger targets.

I’m saying all this like I survived to the final day, but let’s be real—it was tough. Still, the game was incredibly fun. Moving quickly across the map, using skills against enemies, and discovering new strategies to survive each day was thrilling. You can find shops to buy items with runes (the in-game currency), use spectral hawks to fly to different areas, and upgrade weapons at the Smithing Table. I’m sure more features will be added in the full game, like NPCs and recruitable allies, similar to Fortnite. It’s funny how many similarities there are despite the games being completely different genres. Although each character has their own weapons they start out with, it does seem like any one of us would be able to use weapons that we find, even if it’s a big shield or Greatsword, as long as we’re the appropriate level to use it. When you end up going back to the Roundtable Hold after winning or losing, you gain Relics. These relics are permanent and can help you with certain stat boots or abilities. They are color specific, so the relics drop in random, so you have to hope you get something for the character you use a lot.

The enemies were a mixed bag—sometimes easy, sometimes annoyingly overwhelming, especially when they ganged up on you or inflicted status effects like poison or instant death. And don’t get me started on the bosses. Even with three players, they’re brutal. Sometimes, you face three or four bosses at once, each with random attacks that make it insanely difficult to keep up. It’s intense but addicting, and making it to the next day feels incredibly rewarding. My advice? Play with friends or, if you’re with a stranger, stick close and try to add them afterward. It was frustrating that the game didn’t have a way to add teammates after a match, but since my brother and I were on PlayStation, I managed to add our teammate manually.

Playing with the wrong people can ruin your experience, so it’s best to stick with friends. I loved the intensity and the thrill of finding secret bosses. For example, one boss called the “Fell Omen” secretly followed my brother, saying, “You can never get away from me,” before appearing out of nowhere. It took forever to defeat him, and by the time we did, the circle was closing in, and we were in rough shape. All this to say, I’m still on the fence about getting the game at launch. I want to see how much content it includes, especially with DLC planned. I’d love to support it, but with other games on my radar, I’m not sure I can dedicate enough time to it. Still, I’m excited for it and hope everyone gets to try it—maybe in an open beta with a bit more content before release.

The game releases on May 30, 2025, for Steam, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. My only gripe is the lack of crossplay. As someone with friends on different platforms, this is a big downside for multiplayer-focused games. If you’re releasing a multiplayer game, crossplay and cross-progression should be a priority. It’s making it hard for me to decide which platform to get it on, but I hope FROMSOFTWARE considers adding crossplay in future titles.

Two days ago, Capcom had a showcase of Monster Hunter Wilds that went in-depth about what we can expect in the full game. This included a new icy region, new monsters to fight, and more customization options. They also provided details about the story, which seems interesting. However, in the beta, you only get a small introduction to the story to understand how you end up in the desert-like region.

For the New Year, Capcom announced that Monster Hunter Wilds will be getting a second open beta test! The first beta ran from October 28 to November 4, with the first few days exclusive to PlayStation Plus members before opening up to all platforms. This time around, the beta will be open to everyone on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, allowing crossplay as well. It will run for two weeks in two phases: February 6-9 and February 13-16, leading up to the full release on February 28. This beta will introduce new content while keeping much of the first beta's experience intact. New additions include new monsters like Arkveld and Gypceros, a training area, private lobbies, and online single-player mode.

Open Beta 1 Impressions

Monster Hunter Wilds is the first game I've played in the series. My brother has played Monster Hunter: World, Rise, and Stories, so he had way more experience with this type of game than I did. Starting it up was really cool—you get to create your own character using Capcom's RE Engine, which makes the characters look highly detailed. One of the best parts is that you can change your character's appearance throughout the game, adjusting their build, height, hair, and more. Not only that, but you also get a Palico, a little cat companion that helps heal you and attacks enemies during battles.

Unfortunately, customizing your character after the initial creation requires an Edit Voucher. In the beta, you get an unlimited amount. Still, this feature is locked behind a paywall in the game, even for your Palico. It's disappointing, but at least we can experiment freely in the beta. Once your character is set, the game introduces the story.

The opening cutscene transitions into a tutorial where you learn how to ride Seikret. This new bird-like companion helps you navigate the map and aids in combat. It can chase down monsters, dodge attacks, and even assist with weapon-based attacks. The tutorial also covers basic combat mechanics and controls, providing a solid introduction to the gameplay.

After the tutorial, you're placed in the camp, which serves as the central hub where players can interact online. Each server holds up to 100 players, which is great for socializing, though missions are limited to four-player co-op. It would be awesome if there was a unique quest where all 100 players had to fight a massive world boss together. Maybe in a future update?

The camp has various facilities for selecting quests, changing equipment, crafting items, etc. One thing I loved was the ability to set up small camps in the field. These allow you to rest, heal, and prepare without returning to the main camp. It's a lifesaver when you're getting your ass beat by a crazy monster—you can just retreat, eat, and get back into the fight. What I enjoyed the most was using the SOS feature if I was playing by myself; it allowed anyone to join in and help me fight against the monster I was getting ready to fight. You could also find a bunch of SOS requests when looking for missions to join.

Speaking of monsters, the beta featured several difficult enemies: Characabra (a frog-like creature), Doshaguma (a boar-lion hybrid), and Balahara (a snake-like enemy that swims through the sand). The most challenging was Rey Dau, a dragon with electricity-based attacks that required an entire team to take down. In the upcoming beta, two new monsters—Arkveld and Gypceros—will be added. I'm excited to see how they compare. Rey Dau was a Rank 4 monster, the strongest in the first beta, so I wonder if the new ones will be even stronger.

One feature that I wish had been available from the start is the new training mode for Online Single Player. This lets you test different weapons and combos before jumping into missions. I had to learn the hard way during my first playthrough, so this addition is something I'm looking forward to since I need to relearn my favorite weapons after not playing since late October.

Unfortunately, connectivity issues were so annoying in the first beta. This game revolves around cooperative play, with options to send SOS requests or join ongoing missions. However, there were multiple times when my team got disconnected mid-battle. One of the worst instances was during a fight against Rey Dau—I was in a full party with my brother and two others, and we all got kicked. I almost managed to solo it but ultimately failed because of the mission's death limit. I’m sure the upcoming beta will improve the servers. Here’s a video of that boss when I was facing it with my brother for the first time.

Another issue was how overwhelming the online menus were. Joining friends was confusing and took longer than it should have. Thankfully, Capcom adding private lobbies in the second beta will make teaming up much more straightforward. But starting out after the tutorial, I really wanted to join friends, and when doing a crossplay, join - it can take some time before you're with your friends. You may have to add them as your friends by getting their Hunter Code and then letting them know your server ID, which can be a pain - since then you'd have to find out where to input that. But once you do those things, it gets easier to join. I’m sure that process will get updated overtime though.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed the first beta, and I'm hype for this second one dropping later today! If you're in the Eastern Time Zone like me, the beta should be available at 10 PM tonight—which is ridiculous because I've been waiting to play since I preloaded it this morning! If you plan on playing, make sure to download it in advance. It's around 25GB, so it might take a while, but once the servers open up, you can jump right in.

Another cool feature is that if you create a character (including your Palico) during the beta, you can transfer them to the full game when it releases. You can even share a code, so other players can use your character design.

A small but neat detail is that the title screen changes based on how long you've played, showing different perspectives of the area you're in. I think this will continue across different regions as you progress in the full game, which is a cool touch.

If you decide to buy the game later, you'll also receive special in-game items for participating in the beta. So definitely check it out if you're interested, it feels like this will be a great game!

It seems like the rumors of PlayStation having a State of Play very soon either in February of next week or early March is becoming a reality! Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater was leaked two hours ago with its release date being posted on the PlayStation Store. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is Konami’s Remake of Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, but he is not involved with this remake for various reasons.

Not only was the release date announced but there was also a trailer that was leaked as well. I’m not sure how long the video will be up so I will also attach it to this article below. The trailer showcased more about it’s story, the world of Snake Eater and some surprises that are coming back like the Snake vs Monkey mode with the Ape Escape monkey included in that mode.

The rumor was started from the same person who leaked the date of the Nintendo Switch 2 to be announced, so knowing how accurate he was with that - the PlayStation State of Play shouldn’t be too far away, and it may come as soon as next week. To add on to that rumor, it seems as though Death Stranding 2 was just rated in South Korea. So that means soon, we will hear about a release date and there will be a trailer for that as well.

I’m looking forward to seeing more about the games for PlayStation and hopefully there will be a demo for Metal Gear Solid Delta to see how it would play, especially for it being remade in Unreal Engine 5 rather than the Fox Engine or PlayStation’s Decima Engine.

For the past week, I’ve been thinking about Metaphor: Refantazio after playing the demo. It reminded me why I love RPGs so much. RPGs nowadays can be a chore to play through and sometimes lose their plot, but somehow Atlus, once again, found a way not to waste your time. They made everything in the game feel meaningful. They managed to tell a cohesive story that hooked me from the beginning, putting you in a world of fantasy while giving you the hard question: what will you do to bring about peace and equality in the world?

With the full game releasing this Friday, I just want to gush after playing the demo, watching a few trailers, and reading reviews. Yeah, Metaphor: Refantazio is my RPG of the year—maybe even my personal game of the year, but I’ll have to see the rest of the game when it comes out. The story is already so good, and the combat is fast-paced. Metaphor takes the best parts from Atlus’ Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series and puts them into a stunning new world. They worked so hard on the UX/UI design that even the developers mentioned how annoying it was creating menus that looked so detailed and full of art.

I feel like they value your time a little more. Even though the main game is 80 hours and full completion is 100, it’s better than Persona 5 Royal, which took 100+ hours just for the main story. The soundtrack is magnificent, with angelic choirs and chants in the Akademia, and the battle music is seriously hype. I was in shock at how intense the soundtrack sounded for regular enemy encounters—I can only imagine how epic it’ll be for the bosses.

The art direction of Metaphor: Refantazio is beautiful. When I first saw it, it felt fresh—probably because I was getting tired of the school setting in the Persona games (and the endless versions of Persona 5). Atlus deserves praise for creating a brand-new IP, especially when Persona had become so huge, especially for a non-mainline series.

There are some things in the game that take time to get used to. There’s a lot happening on the screen, and it can become overwhelming—the constant chatter of people, the floating Magala particle effects. But the city design and character art are great to look at, so it’s not too bad. That’s just how next-gen games are; they want to flaunt the new tech.

I can’t wait to get my hands on the full game tomorrow—just a few hours away! With rave reviews so far (92, and 94 on PS5, on Metacritic), and 9s and 10s across other sites, we’re in for an amazing ride. I’m eager to see how the story unfolds, how we’ll stop Louis (the main villain, maybe?), and the wild bosses we’ll face.

The next game on my radar, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, has already launched for early access (if you got the deluxe/collector’s edition). The official release is tomorrow, so it’s coming out right beside Metaphor: Refantazio, which is insane to think about. The hype is real for this game. The Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series is close to my heart. It brings back memories of playing with my cousins in 2007, and I can’t wait to join them again for the mayhem.

The game looks amazing, and I know the FGC (Fighting Game Community) and the anime community are having a blast. Sparking! Zero is a true nostalgia trip—it sparks something in you, and you can’t help but smile. With 181 characters and more, we’ll be eating good for months with its long story, wild battles, and beautiful graphics. It’s basically the anime itself. Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero is going to bring everyone together to enjoy this moment. Fun fact: cartel activity drops during Dragon Ball releases, so you know this game’s about to do numbers. Early access already hit 90,000+ players on Steam alone!

It’s been fun watching everyone’s experiences with the game, from learning mechanics not fully explained in tutorials to testing new playstyles and going hard in ranked matches. I know I’ll be terrible at first, but I’ll find the best team to spam—uh, I mean, combo those kamehamehas. I love seeing the clips, and we’re definitely going to show our gameplay, facing off against friends and family.

I do wish they had crossplay worked out. Crossplay is so important because no matter what platform you bought the game on, we could play together—whether it’s PS5, Xbox, or PC. Right now, you can only play with others on the same platform. Space Marine 2 did the same thing for PvP, which I get, but I don’t at the same time. Anyway, once they fix that, this will be the best Dragon Ball game to play with friends online—honestly, it already is. Even though they said it was difficult to implement, I’ll be there no matter what.

As I mentioned before, Dragon Ball and Metaphor both release tomorrow—just hours away! So, if you get the chance, definitely check out our gameplay for both games if you’re on the fence.

Before playing Astro Bot, I spent the night in Astro's Playroom, grabbing my final trophy and participating in the in-game release party with the other bots. I even collected four secret bots from Ape Escape, Bloodborne, Returnal, and Gran Turismo. It was a great way for the game to set the stage for Astro Bot's playful journey.

Starting up Astro Bot felt like I was instantly transported on a journey that felt both nostalgic and fresh. With nods to classic games and innovative mechanics, every moment was a joyful experience. From Pikmin-like collectible hunts to Donkey Kong references, this game is a love letter to gaming’s past while standing strong as an exciting adventure on its own.

A Collectathon That Never Gets Old

The game begins with you and your robot friends flying through the galaxy in the PS5 ship (the original disc version, of course). A big green, goofy-looking alien disrupts the fun, destroying the ship, scattering bots, stealing the PS5's parts, and spreading them across various galaxies. The setup mirrors the simplicity of classic Super Mario games—no over-complicated explanations, just straight into the action.

There are six galaxies to explore, each with its own planets, offering many levels to discover. Each galaxy has its own boss, which leads to PlayStation-themed levels that are packed with detail and nostalgia! There are also secret challenges to unlock. One galaxy becomes available after you start finding secret goal portals in certain levels that transport you to entirely new worlds just as intricate as the others.

You start at the Crash Site, rebuilding everything from scratch—recovering your bots, PS5 parts, and puzzle pieces that unlock customization for Astro and his Dualsense Plane. The crash site immediately gave me strong Pikmin vibes, as your Astro Bots help you unlock new things, adding layers of charm and rewarding exploration. They can break open icebergs or let you climb on them to reach higher places. You need a certain number of bots to perform some actions, which feels so close to Pikmin, and you can even whistle to have them follow or stop what they’re doing.

With each galaxy you unlock, the alien that destroyed your ship taunts you in different ways with the stolen PS5 parts, then disappears with a fart noise as planets appear—a move that’s classic Super Mario, reminiscent of Wario or Bowser Jr.'s antics.

Each level is packed with collectibles like puzzle pieces, bots, and special bots. Unlocking these brings the Crash Site to life. When I completed the Fan Club level, I went back to the Crash Site and unlocked the Gatcha Lab, where I got cool items like Ratchet and Clank's wrench and Solid Snake's box disguise. Collecting bots is one part, but retrieving their signature items makes them even more interactive. Every collectible adds depth, and Astro Bot encourages replaying levels to uncover even more treasures.

The more puzzle pieces you collect, the more you unlock outside of the Gatcha Lab. You can change your character’s costume—whether that’s turning gold, becoming Ratchet from Ratchet & Clank, or transforming into the Hunter from Bloodborne. You can even customize the Dualsense Plane, changing its colorway to match your character. Playing this game made me realize how much I need that Astro Bot-themed controller. It’s an easy way to keep you coming back for more.

Innovative Gameplay That Surprises

What makes Astro Bot stand out is its innovative gameplay, bringing back fond memories of the Nintendo Wii and 3DS with their tilt controls and motion mechanics. The PS5’s adaptive triggers and motion controls felt intuitive and engaging. Whether flinging Astro Bots into the air, controlling an ability like the Dog Rocket to smash through obstacles, or piloting the Dualsense Plane with tilts and turns, the game makes full use of the console’s features. Many elements are expanded from Astro’s Playroom, but now within fully realized worlds. Swinging like a monkey, climbing walls, and manipulating objects were a blast.

Exploring planets is a tactile joy. You pilot your ship using motion controls to dodge walls, collect items, and defeat enemies. The immersive 3D audio combined with responsive triggers, like rolling around on an armadillo or grinding on rails, kept me locked in to the game for a while. The frog arms in the Az Tech Trial reminded me of ARMS—springy and punchy, perfect for breaking down walls or attacking enemies.

A standout visual feature is the moments where the game has you stop and take photos behind cutouts, like a fisherman or a construction worker, with beautiful scenery as a backdrop. It’s almost like creating postcards. I love how animals and other bots interact with you during these moments—posing or even a bird pooping on you!

Nostalgia and Cameos Galore

One of the best parts of Astro Bot is the abundance of cameos from classic games, including Okami, Spyro, and Ape Escape. The Ape Escape level was one of my favorites! It’s where you chase down taunting monkeys and have to capture them. It was hilarious with the way they were dancing around and dodging you - it made me want to play the original because I never got to play it!

The bosses and enemies are creative and fun, ranging from lizard slow motion battles to sumo wrestler-like encounters. The game’s design naturally teaches you everything you need to know to defeat them. Mini-games like shooting Shurikens to cut bamboo sticks are delightful additions that keep the action lighthearted and engaging.

I also loved how the Secret Levels are based on PlayStation’s signature buttons—Cross, Square, Triangle, and Circle. Completing these levels unlocks special bots like Kazuma Kiryu from the Yakuza series. But be warned—they’re extremely challenging. These levels had me raging and fighting for my life, but the satisfaction of completing them and earning unique bots made it worthwhile.

Visuals, Soundtrack, and Performance—Top Notch!

Visually, Astro Bot is stunning. Every part of this game is a visual treat, from the vibrant worlds to the adorable character designs. Some levels I played reminded me of Splatoon with its colorful paint aesthetic, while secret maps like Crumble Rumble 1 are bursting with charm with their retro style. The attention to detail—like throwing axes in a God of War: Ragnarok level and catching Odin’s ravens—shows the love that went into crafting each moment. Even something simple like standing on inflated balloons feels unreal because those are physics you must see to believe it!

The soundtrack is equally impressive, crafted by the same composer as Astro’s Playroom. Every track feels perfectly in tune with the level’s design. The Construction Derby track, in particular, gave me serious Jet Set Radio vibes with its funky beats and scratches. I almost regret not getting the digital deluxe edition just for the soundtrack alone!

Performance-wise, it’s flawless. Gameplay is smooth, and loading times are practically non-existent. Whether restarting after a death or jumping into a new level, everything happens seamlessly. It’s an upgrade from Astro’s Playroom that I didn’t think was possible. The only glitch I encountered was during the Az Tech Trial when picking up the fifth bot, but restarting the level fixed it—and that was the only issue in 20 hours of gameplay!

Wholesome Fun for Everyone

This game isn’t just for hardcore players—it’s wholesome too. My little brother, a big fan of Astro’s Playroom, was glued to Astro Bot for hours, collecting 41 bots on his first time playing and now up to 130! He’s been thinking about where more bots could be hiding and challenging himself with secret levels.

Watching him interact with the bots at the Crash Site was a joy, and it’s clear the game inspires curiosity. The idle animations—Astro Bot taking selfies or interacting with items—are the kind of charming details that give you a warm, fuzzy feeling. It’s just as much fun to watch as it is to play.

The physical edition also comes with a two-sided poster and DLC costumes, adding extra flair. That’s why I went for the physical edition, especially since I want access to the game even without internet—and I’m happy to report that it works perfectly offline.

Endless Replayability and 100% Completion

For completionists, Astro Bot is a treasure trove. Unlocking special bots like Jak and Daxter or finding collectibles in challenging areas like Lost Triangle Void keeps the game interesting long after the main story is finished. Secret maps, hidden galaxies, and unlocking new areas at the Crash Site by collecting bots ensure endless replayability.

As someone who earned the platinum trophy in Astro’s Playroom, getting it in Astro Bot was equally satisfying. The rewards for 100% completion feel earned, and it’s fun to see how all the bots and PS5 parts interact with you after you’ve collected everything.

Final Thoughts: 5 Stars Across the Board!

In every way, Astro Bot is a masterpiece. From its nostalgic charm to its clever use of PS5’s features, there’s so much to love. The collectibles, innovative gameplay, and countless cameos offer something for everyone.

This game easily earns 5 out of 5 stars. There is so much more in this game than what I shared in this article. If you’re looking for a game that’ll make you smile, laugh, and reminisce about gaming’s golden days, Astro Bot is the one to play.