I’ve played three hours of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and it nails the films’ whip-cracking sense of adventure

I’ve played three hours of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and it nails the films’ whip-cracking sense of adventure

Isn’t it just satisfying when a developer treats a classic movie franchise with the care and respect it deserves? Robocop: Rogue City from last year was a great example of that approach, giving fans the chance to step into Robocop’s, well, Roboboots, and wander through some of the series’ most iconic locations—while also bringing back … Read more

After three hours, Avowed still shows no sign of a killer hook to call its own, but this fizzy RPG cocktail is plenty enjoyable all the same

After three hours, Avowed still shows no sign of a killer hook to call its own, but this fizzy RPG cocktail is plenty enjoyable all the same

Avowed is a fascinating, yet stubbornly difficult project to pin down. Obsidian’s newest fantasy RPG was initially rumored to be the studio’s answer to Skyrim—a comparison the developer has repeatedly dismissed. Even so, the game’s polished, modern look places it at odds with the older identity of that franchise. Unlike some of Obsidian’s more recent … Read more

Six hours with Monster Hunter Wilds: tons of great evolutions for long-time fans, but newcomers be wary

Six hours with Monster Hunter Wilds: tons of great evolutions for long-time fans, but newcomers be wary

Monster Hunter is back, arriving with a stack of fresh changes and new franchise ideas that set Monster Hunter Wilds apart from its previous outings—possibly making it the most approachable, crowd-pleasing, and beginner-friendly chapter in the series to date. That said, Capcom has to strike a careful balance. On one side, it wants to pull … Read more

South of Midnight bottles up some very special Southern magic, but is it enough?

South of Midnight bottles up some very special Southern magic, but is it enough?

When Microsoft and Compulsion Games first teased South of Midnight back in 2023, it immediately sparked my interest. I was drawn in by the game’s stop-motion look, the varied cast of characters, and its Gothic “Deep South” storytelling that leans into a folklorish tone. The instant Shakin’ Bones started playing guitar, I knew I wanted … Read more

Split Fiction is a riot, and its use of a meat grinder might one-up that infamous elephant scene from It Takes Two

Split Fiction is a riot, and its use of a meat grinder might one-up that infamous elephant scene from It Takes Two

If variety truly sits at the core of life, then Split Fiction ought to feel like a bottle of punchy tabasco—packed with plenty of cayenne pepper and finished with a hearty spoonful of scotch bonnet chili flakes. Goodness, this game is a remarkably fiery mix of different experiences, spanning its locations, mechanics, abilities, and even … Read more

X-COM’s creator believes the strategy genre’s in dire need of innovation, and his new game is his attempt

X-COM’s creator believes the strategy genre’s in dire need of innovation, and his new game is his attempt

“We still haven’t quite managed to get a proper foothold,” says Jullian Gollop, the creator of the original X-COM (before Firaxis revived it as XCOM (no hyphen) in 2012). He and I are currently holding our ground against waves of disembodied, brain-in-a-jar extraterrestrials in cooperative sessions for his latest project, Chip ‘n Clawz vs. The … Read more

The creator of Trials unveils The Last Caretaker, a survival crafting game where you’re a robot that grows humans and launches them into space

The creator of Trials unveils The Last Caretaker, a survival crafting game where you’re a robot that grows humans and launches them into space

That’s a truly distinctive premise: a survival title set in an ocean-covered world that may still feel Earthlike, where you take control of a robot known as a Caretaker. Your job is to grow humans inside pods, fill them with memories, and then launch them into space—where they’re expected to prosper. Yet something about the … Read more

Playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for three hours has confirmed all my hopes and fears about this gorgeous new action RPG

Playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for three hours has confirmed all my hopes and fears about this gorgeous new action RPG

Like many people who watched the reveal trailer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 last year, my first reaction was simple: “Get that impressive battle system into my hands, right away.” After all this time, I finally got a chance to play an early slice of Sandfall Interactive’s upcoming action RPG—clocking in roughly three and a … Read more