But Hunt isn’t like that, and nor is Marathon. In both games, you can think of your human rivals as the xenomorph in Alien: Isolation, or Mr X in Resident Evil 2 - a smart enemy that isn’t just looking for you but, more pertinently, listening as well. The presence of other players turns each Marathon map into one enormous alarm system - where even a swiftly resolved firefight with robots runs the risk of drawing the apex predator.

At first glance, Marathon may seem like a fundamentally solid game with a lot of potential, but one that simply feels too intimidating to invest in. But if players are willing to jump over the unnecessary hurdles in Marathon's opening hours, they'll likely discover that Marathon doesn't just live up to its potential, but it exceeds it, with the current version offering a host of replayable maps, an engaging progression system, and a core loop that should keep extraction shooter fans coming back time and time again.

With spellbinding combat and high-concept maps, Marathon is far more than a cool aesthetic draped over the bones of an extraction shooter. If Arc Raiders showed the world what an extraction shooter is, Marathon demonstrates, in unambiguous fashion, what extractions shooters are about. Whatever anomalous conditions coalesced to make Embark's game so oddly affable (at least in solos), they are entirely absent among the abandoned megastructures of Tau Ceti IV.

Marathon is a brilliant distillation of what makes an excellent extraction shooter, and a glimpse at where they could go next.

Like any good extraction shooter, Marathon is a game about the choice and consequences inherent within a run. Yet, it's more than just that. Bungie's excellent audio design and gunplay, paired with increasingly complicated level design borrowing from over a decade of expertise designing Destiny raids coalesce into something special.

It’s a shooter with a graceful visual presentation and the top-notch gunfeel that has come to be expected from a studio with a long-standing legacy in the genre. It’s also a shooter that is as alluring as it is unforgiving, pitting players against each other as they navigate hostile environments in pursuit of tantalizing loot, facing the ever-looming threat that death is always around the corner. The belligerent nature of Marathon reflects not only the past couple of years of Bungie but also the tumultuous landscape of other live service shooters that are also fighting for scraps of attention and a nomadic player base.

On the most basic level, Marathon’s core gameplay is best-in-class. Bungie has always excelled at gunplay, and the same rings true here. Each and every weapon currently in the game comes with a distinct feel and sound profile to accompany their unique characteristics.

I am currently intoxicated not by Marathon, then, so much as I'm intoxicated with its world, its art style. I don't think I'm trying to make progress in the campaign or come away with the biggest, newest weapon. Instead, I'm steadily trying to reverse-engineer the game's mood board.

Marathon captures the highest highs of extraction shooters, trims the finickiness that has kept casual players from engaging with the genre, and ties everything together with striking sci-fi flair. A firecracker wrapped in smoking silk, Bungie has created my favorite multiplayer shooter in years – and while I'll wait for Cryo Archive before putting a score down, I'm already staggered by the promise on Tau Ceti IV's surface.

Marathon feels different, even as it employs many of the same tricks as hero shooters. Each Shell has a distinctive appearance and abilities tailored toward a specific playstyle. Yet it openly acknowledges that the Shells are just vessels for the player to inhabit, which feels more honest about the relationship you'll have with this character in this type of shooter.

The cinematic may just not be a suitable storytelling device in this kind of game. Likewise, big chunks of text aren't something you can easily read while you've another player in your ear. I don't know what the solution is, but my overriding feeling while playing Bungie's multiplayer game is I need to be alone to enjoy it, and that can't be the result they're hoping for.

With its fusion of heartfelt narrative, giant robot combat and flexible flavour-driven cooking system, Dosa Divas serves up a hearty genre mashup that more than lives up to its ambitious premise. It’s a beautifully crafted journey where the only thing more satisfying than the snappy dialogue and deep character bonds is the undeniable joy of saving the world one home-cooked meal at a time.

With a skilfully written story in a small but immersive world filled with charm, emotion, and more than a few blush-inducing jokes, Dosa Divas takes a warm and meaningful approach to linking food, family, community, and memory. You'll be sweet on this.

[;ASKLDFAL;S C;A is] a very silly, surprisingly fun mode, one which I'll be using as my cooldown when I'm getting a little too fed up with whatever shenanigans my teammates are getting up to in quick play.

Resident Evil Requiem sets itself out with a hard task: wrapping all the best elements of previous Resident Evil games into one. Miraculously it succeeds, with very few moments which left me wanting more.

Capcom marks Resident Evil's 30th anniversary with a stellar return that's both a masterful bit of suffocating horror and a nostalgic, fan-thrilling victory lap for the legendary series.

In some ways, it acts as an incredible celebration of everything that Resident Evil is and has been up to this point, just in time for its 30th anniversary. In others, it feels like a retread that doesn’t live up to its inspirations. Resident Evil: Requiem is very literally a game of two halves, and while it’s a more cohesive tale than the likes of Resident Evil 6, its two distinct gameplay styles and protagonists can sometimes feel at odds with one another.

Resident Evil Requiem is an intoxicating mix of the series’ DNA, blending exhilarating action and palpable horror to make not only one of the best Resident Evil games, but one of the best modern survival horror experiences.

Resident Evil Requiem's gripping story and intoxicating gameplay blend are wrapped up in a perfectly-polished experience with eye-popping graphics and a blood-pumping soundtrack. Resident Evil Requiem is a horror gaming masterpiece and one of the best games Capcom has ever made. It's the ultimate Resident Evil game and will be remembered as fondly as the franchise favorites in the years to come.

For as long as it lasts, however, Requiem is fantastic. It feels like the culmination of Capcom’s learnings from years of indecision over whether the series should be full-on horror or action, delivering the best of both worlds.

Requiem's concoction of oppressive first-person horror and gory third-person action makes for a rip-roaring first half, even if its second can't quite match that energy.

Resident Evil Requiem is the most cinematic, bloody, surprisingly emotional moment for the franchise to-date. Its two protagonists complement one another for a balanced experience that feels more narrativized than ever before, with bombastic combat and strong set pieces amping up the nostalgia without feeling gimmicky. Requiem sees Capcom drawing from 30 years of terror to expand its lore, chart a path forward, and pay homage to a gilded survival horror legacy – one with plenty of life left in it.

It is fantastic, a revelatory mix of terrifying survival-horror and action that stops just short of being too over the top to dip back into the sentimental humanity of these seemingly everlasting characters. It is goofy, schlocky, and excessive, but it is also a masterclass in refinement, a tour de force of gameplay that arrives only after 30 years of lessons learned. Requiem is Resident Evil at its finest.

So, this Requiem DLC then. I hope it's just Grace. The back half of Resident Evil Requiem is its own thing. A perfect counter and tonic to that would be another Grace section that digs a bit deeper into the character we've been shown so far. I think (given the nigh-unanimous praise for the game so far), Capcom is aware of how much people love the first part of 2026's first proper GOTY contender. Give me another house to explore.

Super Meat Boy 3D is a respectable and often fun translation of the series’ tight platforming, but its style of play sometimes clashes with the demands of a 3D world to frustrating degrees.

As I’ve discovered in the few hours I’ve spent roaming the red pudding game’s map so far, its greatest strength is arguably in spoiling you for choice when it comes to distant towers to ponder from a vantage point. Whether you’ll actually encounter any of the sorts of intriguing quests or well fleshed-out dungeons you’d expect from the likes of The Witcher 3 or Skyrim on the way is another matter, but when it comes to well-stocked horizons, Crimson Desert’s got them covered.

Crimson Desert sees an absolutely incredible open-world adventure undercut by a lackluster story with some of the most frustrating bosses, puzzles, and controls I’ve come across.

Crimson Desert is ludicrously overstuffed with mechanics and systems, a scant few of which are really quite excellent (picking up cats and catapulting off trees are the highlights), but the rest of which feel half-baked. And they're the ones that you spend all your time with. Believe me, I want to like the game.

One can’t help but see at least a couple of genres’ worth of influence when playing Crimson Desert. Moments and interactions will strongly evoke some of the coolest shit you’ve seen over the years in action-adventure games of many denominations. When I think of my six hours with Crimson Desert, I find myself constantly drawing comparisons to two other big-name, fantasy action titles: Dragon’s Dogma 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

A vast world and even vaster array of MMO-like activities mix with glittering fidelity in Crimson Desert, but what good is it without much character, texture or charm?

Crimson Desert offers one of the most impressive worlds in gaming, but the deeper you go, the more it asks you to meet it on its own terms.

Proving that looks aren’t everything, Crimson Desert’s stunning visuals and strong performances aren’t enough to save it from being a disappointing experience. Jam-packed with content and systems that make it feel like a Jack of all features, master of none with an unenjoyable gameplay loop, Crimson Desert is really just a single-player MMORPG in all but name.

Vast and obtuse in a way that is going to frustrate some and exhilarate others, Crimson Desert is a fascinating journey, even when the destination isn't all that.

Crimson Desert is messy, but as you untangle its mechanics and compensate for its flaws, elements of genius and wonder make the experience worthwhile. Take time to leave the beaten path and find out which of its many facets appeals to you, and you'll discover a game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story.

The first meal you learn to cook in Crimson Desert is Clear Soup, a brothy mixture of simply water, meat, and lentils. It looks nice and is probably filling, but would no doubt be a bit simple and leave you wanting something with a little more depth of flavor. As it turns out, it’s the perfect allegory for Crimson Desert at large: a beautiful, exploration-rich open-world game that’s a clear technological achievement, hampered by a cornucopia of little frustrations and a stark lack of narrative depth.

Pragmata, somehow, manages to take this concept to some sort of illogical conclusion. The core conceit of this game - outside of the weirdly beautiful story about loneliness in space, what it is to be human, and the perils of rampant, irresponsible usage of AI - is that you control a human and a robot, and must engage in action-packed skirmishes whilst shooting, dodging, and solving grid-based puzzles, all at the same time. A 'hacking grid' pops up when you aim at an enemy, and from there you must strafe, hit weak spots, jump or dodge attacks, and work out the most efficient way to disable robot foes in a melee of sparks, shells, and sabotage.

There’s something distinctly 2008 financial crash about Pragmata.Perhaps it could be down to protagonist Hugh, who simultaneously sounds like both Troy Baker and Nolan North, and wears armor reminiscent of Platinum’s Vanquish.Whatever it is, Pragmata feels like a remaster of an early Xbox 360 game that never existed – and that’s great.

Pragmata certainly starts strong, but it doesn't have quite enough to stay completely engaging all the way to the end credits. It's a highly-polished sci-fi game with fun combat and exploration, but its lackluster story and characters keep it from reaching its full potential. Still, it's exciting to have a completely original IP from Capcom, and while Pragmata doesn't live up to the high bar set by some of the studio's other efforts, it's a mostly worthwhile adventure.

Short and sweet, Pragmata is a snazzy late aughts throwback elevated by a terrific sense of feedback and momentum.

Pragmata is the kind of shooter you just don’t get anymore. It packs a lot into a relatively short runtime and makes the most of every single second. The combat is brilliant from start to finish and doubles down on the hacking gimmick to deliver fast, frantic, and tense fights that never get old.

Pragmata is nostalgia wrapped in a shiny new spacesuit with plenty of cool tricks up its pressurized sleeve. It's good to see Capcom returning to its quirky action beat, with an impressive host of weaponry, upgrades, combat hacks, and base-building as the sci-fi adventure moves through beautifully-conceptualized biomes. The visual and stylistic elements definitely give me deja-vu at times, and I could do without its heavy-handed themes battering me over the head, but beneath all that polished titanium sits a profound tale of humanity I'll not soon forget.

That’s what makes original IP Pragmata such an intriguing prospect. Everything we’ve played so far feels distinctly throwback, in a way that most other developers would attract scrutiny. But that’s OK: The idea of a simpler, linear third-person shooter, with a sprinkling of Sad Dad narrative, feels pretty compelling amid today’s abundance of online shooters and RPGs, especially with the Devil May Cry house at the controls.

Overall, this new experience with Pragmata solidified my impression that Capcom’s ambitious new game has firmly found its footing. They significantly amped up the difficulty, added more variety in how you can tackle enemies, and built an exciting new world to explore. It’s great fun, and I can’t wait to play the full game in April.

“Come back stronger.” By the end of my recent three-hour preview session with Saros, it was clear that this is more than a marketing beat; it’s the ethos that underpins the entire game. Housemarque’s latest swing at a roguelite bullet-hell builds on what made Returnal so special, but the progression, gameplay advancements, and stronger narrative focus make it clear that it isn’t just another entry into the genre; it’s coming for the crown.

“For us, it was about not diluting the Returnal experience and actually just making sure that it could be more approachable to more people,” said creative director Gregory Louden. “The game is still going to kick you down. But the difference in Saros is that you come back stronger.

Five years ago, I called Returnal the PS5’s first must-play exclusive. In 2026, Housemarque is delivering another can’t-miss roguelike with SAROS – Its intensity only rivalled by its addictiveness. The sum of its parts makes it one of the most impressive first-party games of the generation.

I'm happy to bring you the good news that the color orange, while important to Saros thematically, is not as present in the game as its marketing thus far would have you believe. I recently played Saros for about three hours, running through its first two biomes and taking down the big boss of each, and while I did see a decent amount of orange, the majority of my time previewing the game was painted in all manners of colors.

While I wasn't aching for more bots capable of killing me faster than I can react, my understanding among Arc Raiders diehards is that this is exactly what they've been asking for. The current crop of Arc have become somewhat trivial for the folks who've been playing daily since October, so it tracks that a new bot that draws comparison to the dreaded Rocketeer would get their blood pumping again.

Arc Raiders is my favorite extraction shooter to date, surpassing its competition with incredible level design, a deep yet easy-to-navigate crafting system, stunning art direction, and an exciting suite of weaponry and gadgets to discover. Developer Embark Studios’ sophomore release also cultivates a surprisingly helpful community in a subgenre known for obfuscation and treachery. However, player-versus-player firefights still shine thanks to exceptional sound design: shields break like fireworks, characters yelp whenever a projectile hits them, and players can taunt or negotiate with others on the fly via proximity chat. Unpredictable player interactions and some of the most intelligent enemies I’ve seen in a shooter work in tandem to create a thrilling experience that rivals the market’s best multiplayer offerings.

Such encounters are at the heart of what has made Arc Raiders the biggest game of the autumn – a cultural phenomenon defined by its phenomenal culture. In this ruined world where everyone is out to smash and grab whatever they can, you will regularly witness organic displays of deescalation, armistice, and even jolly cooperation. Arc Raiders is not the first game to do this; displays of human decency have been a feature of survivalist shooters since DayZ. But it is the first in a long time to bring our better angels to the fore, and is perhaps the game where such behaviour is most prevalent.

I've found some wires and a volcanic rock. I have no idea how good these things are yet, but I've played enough Escape from Tarkov to know that living long enough to escape with anything is a win. 'Just enjoy yourself', they say, but I can't stop whipping the camera back and forth, trying to spot danger before it sees me. I lose the first vote to head back to Speranza via an extraction point, so I continue skulking behind my squad, muttering about lines of sight and being too loud.

"Don't shoot!" I called out to the raider from a nearby bush. "I'm coming out, but I mean you no harm." Clearly startled by my presence and reacting based on what was more than likely a combination of the Rocketeer hovering menacingly close and a history of earlier betrayals, the dusty raider pointed his weathered Ferro rifle my way. He'd already called for the elevator to bring him back to Speranza safe and sound, so it's no wonder that he'd be anxious. He was in danger of losing everything right at the finish line, just before those saferoom doors opened.

Ten hours into Arc Raiders, I felt betrayal's sharp sting for the first time. The round began with generosity. I met a fellow raider who had dropped me a rare shotgun as well as a damaged heat sink to upgrade my workbench. They asked nothing in return. It was one of many friendly encounters I've had roaming the surface of Arc Raiders' hostile maps, but I also felt my heart rate rise: when you die you lose everything you're carrying, so I knew I had to reach an extraction point quickly and quietly.

Some of Blizzard's best work in years wrestles with bugs and design issues, but still comes out on top.

Blizzard’s hot streak continues with Midnight, World of Warcraft’s latest expansion, which further builds atop (and below) the world of Azeroth. The main storyline offers poignant commentary on religion, family conflict, and generational trauma through its well-written characters. The long-requested housing feature finally debuts, offering impressive building and customization systems and introducing a new reward vector that enriches almost every activity in the game: decor collecting.

No-guns runs in GTA 5 are exceptionally difficult, but my latest has become impossible. Not through the lens of challenge, but through distraction and an obsession with power bombing hapless baddies for sport. That and screaming "wooooo" at the top of my lungs like an idiot.

At its best, Samson feels like a GTA 4 roleplaying mod which puts you in the shoes of a random goon just trying to get by. The kind of thing you might install as an excuse to keep roaming Liberty City once the main story’s done. So, I’ll keep on living as a man far better with his floppy fists than Niko Bellic, but who feels similarly stuck in a 90s or 2000s movie about unforgiving urban underworlds shrouded in graffiti and cigarette smoke.

Samson sounds great on paper. But the recently published gameplay trailer left me unconvinced. The cars look fun enough to drive, as you'd expect from the director of 2015's underrated Mad Max spinoff.

Far Cry 2 breaks new ground. While there is a script and a story, the details of who does what, who lives, who dies, who's left standing at the end, really do lie in your hands. Far Cry 2 comes closer than any commercial game yet to a truly dynamic narrative.

Pokemon Champions is a competent option for those that only care about Pokemon battles, but it doesn't offer much else.

At launch, Pokemon Champions feels a bit too much like a proof of concept. The onboarding process for players unfamiliar with the ins and outs of competitive battling is fantastic. That anyone trying out the game requires zero investment in the franchise to forge a meta team is its biggest achievement, bar none.

Champions does exactly what it sets out to do: consolidate Pokemon into one game without forcing players through the side systems of the core RPGs. The customization tools are robust, the rental system is a smart inclusion for onboarding, and the transfer model respects players’ past efforts without gating newcomers behind them. Whether you’re a longtime VGC veteran or someone who’s never touched a breeding guide in your life, Champions feels deliberately built to bring you into the competitive fold.

“I really want to take this element of the series, Pokémon battles, something that sticks around forever,” he told VGC during an interview at February’s Pokémon European International Championships. “Many people have played Pokémon games, they’ve played Pokémon battles, but haven’t really gotten into the PVP side, playing against other players. With this game, I hope to expand that accessibility to make it something that anyone can jump in and enjoy.”