Getting a game as massive, ambitious, and demanding as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth to work well on the hardware of the Nintendo Switch 2 – a console with decidedly more constrained specs than the PS5 – was always going to be a challenge for the developers, so it obviously is best to head into Rebirth’s Switch 2 version with lower technical and graphical expectations. What’s heartening, however, is that even with those compromises, the game doesn’t loose any of its charm and mastery.

What exactly are those compromises, however? Well, for the most part, they are exactly what you would expect from a lower spec release of a technically demanding game. The gap between Rebirth’s Switch 2 and base console versions on this front is (unsurprisingly, given the generation gap between the two games) more pronounced than it was for Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Switch 2 version. You see the biggest and most blatant hits with things such as texture pop in, the downgrade in the level of detail, foliage density, and the like, and other similar aspects such as shadows and draw distances (especially draw distances, in fact).

"What exactly are those compromises, however? Well, for the most part, they are exactly what you would expect from a lower spec release of a technically demanding game."

More than a few times, including in the very early hours of the game (or most times you’re out in an open world section), I have seen textures and assets abruptly loading in right before my eyes, while there have also been a few instances of frame rate drops during both cutscenes and gameplay, all of which is certainly the sort of thing that can – at least momentarily – pull you out of the experience. On top of that, it’s also a shame that, just like Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Switch 2 release, Rebirth doesn’t offer a 60 FPS option on Nintendo’s platform. While the compromise is understandable given the Switch 2’s hardware constraints, it still feels like a notable omission, particularly given the fast paced and action heavy nature of Rebirth’s combat and general gameplay.

Personally, I tend to be the sort of player that can forgive a game’s technical deficiencies, especially if it’s pulling its weight in the gameplay and design departments (which is most definitely true for Rebirth), but those deficiencies are admittedly hard not to spot here. While they don’t take away from Rebirth’s inherent gameplay and narrative strengths, I certainly do hope the developer will be addressing those issues with post launch patches in the near future.

As much as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Switch 2 version comes with noticeable downgrades on its original release, at the same time, there’s no denying that, by and large, the game still looks really good. Environments look lush and enticingly massive and explorable, character models and animations boast impressive attention to detail and personality, and nearly every new map, town, and city you visit is brimming with its own unique visual hook and aesthetic. A constant sense of discovery, joy, and wonder was among the things that helped Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth stand out when it first launched in 2024, and thankfully, on the Nintendo Switch 2, even with the necessary cuts it makes in the technical department, it doesn’t lose that sense of awe and luster.

And of course, when it comes to the act of actually playing the game, this is still every bit the unmissable, spectacular designed experience that it was when it launched on the PS5 a couple years ago. When I reviewed Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth upon its original release, I described it as the long overdue and long awaited realization of the modern open world Final Fantasy formula that the series had been hinting at since the PS2 generation, and going back to it on the Switch 2, I find myself just as enamoured with the game.

That’s because Rebirth is and remains a genuine, unmissable masterpiece – and I don’t use any of those words lightly. It touts easily the best combat I have ever experienced in a Final Fantasy title, and arguably the best non-turn based combat I have seen in any game, period. Rebirth manages to build on Remake’s incredible combat in meaningful ways, delivering a blistering experience that, with an ingenious combination of tight mechanics, meaningful improvements, and consistently well-designed and varied enemy encounters and boss fights, ensures that it never runs out of ways to always keep you on your toes.

"Rebirth is and remains a genuine, unmissable masterpiece – and I don’t use any of those words lightly."

Meanwhile, each character boasts ridiculous mechanical depth and variety, to the extent that each could be the star of their own game. On top of that, the progression and customization mechanics – between the different weapons, Materia builds, stat upgrades, and what have you – add an even greater level of depth and nuance, so that combat and everything surrounding it manage to feel consistently rewarding and addictive even after you have clocked multiple dozen hours into the game.

Outside of the combat, meanwhile, Rebirth continues to tout an equally impressive level of depth and variety. There’s multiple massive open world maps to explore, each boasting a plethora of things to do, their own unique design gimmicks and traversal mechanics and visual hooks, and more; there’s a multitude of different minigames and optional side activities to track down and explore, including, of course, the fan favourite card game Queen’s Blood (which you can and very well may sink an inordinate amount of hours into); and so, so much more. It’s not often that a game that demands a time investment as massive as Rebirth does can successfully hold on to the player’s attention without letting monotony set in, but this one manages to do that with surprising confidence.

The game also does so through solid storytelling- which is one area will mileage will probably vary more than most others. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth doubles down on its predecessor’s decision to be as much of a sequel (or sidequel) to the original FF7 as a remake, and obviously, the decisions it makes in pursuit of that vision will ruffle some feathers, especially given how ambitious (and, often, bizarre) it can be with its ideas. Personally, I have been on board with the developer’s decision to chart a new path for this iconic story for a while now, and in my view, Rebirth does an excellent job of balancing those two conflicting sides. It’s a nonstop rollercoaster with its bombastic storytelling, high octane set pieces, wonderfully performed characters, and more, and from its first minute to its last, it never stops being a compelling experience, even if it isn’t necessarily one that always makes total logical sense.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was a breathtaking experience when it came out a couple years ago, and it still is now that it has released for the Nintendo Switch 2. Yes, it comes with some technical cutbacks that often are hard not to notice, and hopefully the developer will be ironing out these kinks with future updates. But even as it stands right now, Rebirth’s Switch 2 version is still a great way to experience one of Final Fantasy’s most spectacular and unforgettable outings of all time.

This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.

GADGETS AND COMBAT

Legacy of the Dark Knight employs a new combat system for the LEGO Batman series, taking heavy cues from the Arkham series instead, which means that using your gadgets smartly during combat is just as important as the brawling aspects. From using your Batarangs to stun foes to yanking them towards you from a distance with the Batclaw, gadgets can come in handy during fights in a variety of ways, especially when it comes to dealing with different enemy types.

PERFECT COUNTER

Countering incoming enemy blows is a crucial part of Legacy of the Dark Knight’s moment to moment combat, much like the Arkham games, and as you would expect, there are ways to make it an even stronger tool. You will, for instance, want to unlock the perfect counter ability as soon as you can. It does exactly what its name suggest, allowing you to deal boosted damage to enemies if you counter moves with the exact perfect timing.

CONCUSSIVE BATARANG

Another upgrade that you’ll want to prioritize – and that happens to be available pretty early on, as luck would have it – is the concussive Batarang. These special Batarangs stick to the foes that you fire them at, before exploding in a concussive blast that damages the enemies and anyone and anything around them. These are quite useful in both stealth and combat, so make sure to unlock them when you get the chance.

FOCUS SLAM

Focus Slam is another useful upgrade that you should keep an eye on, given how useful it can be in combat. With it, you can use the Batclaw to swing enemies around in a giant arc before smashing them into the ground. As you can imagine, this deals plenty of damage, and is also effective for crowd control.

DISTRACT

Legacy of the Dark Knight allows players to unlock a variety of different abilities and upgrades across various different playable characters, and one in particular that is quite useful is Catwoman’s Distract ability. It lets you summon cats to distract foes so that you can sneak around them or deal with them as you see fit. As you might imagine, it’s a great ability to have up your sleeve for stealth scenarios.

GOOP TRAIL

Commissioner Gordon is another one of Legacy of the Dark Knight’s several playable characters, and yes, he, too, comes equipped with unique tools and abilities. For his foam spraying gun, for instance, you can unlock the goop trail ability, which allows you to leave sticky traps all over the ground, which can be quite handy in tricky combat situations- especially when you’re faced with large crowds.

SCANNING

Legacy of the Dark Knight features a scanning mechanic, unsurprisingly- this is a Batman game, after all. And as you’d expect, the scanning ability is one that is frequently useful. Not only does it let you see and mark nearby enemies for when you’re in a stealthy mood, it also pings nearby objects and elements of interest. When you find yourself in a new environment, then, make sure to hit the scan button.

WAYNETECH CHIPS

Scattered throughout Gotham City and the many levels it holds, you’ll find WayneTech Chips- or you’ll want to, at least, because these are how you upgrade your gadgets. So should you run into WayneTech Chips locked behind puzzles or combat challenges, make sure you don’t ignore them.

MINIKITS

As you would expect, there are several minikits to be found across the entirety of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Each level features an exclusive one, with five different pieces hidden and tucked away for players to find. Each full minikit set you find then makes its way to the Batcave as a trophy for you to look at and admire. While they may not provide any gameplay benefits, they serve as one of several kinds of collectibles, so if you are a completionist, you are going to want to keep an eye out.

RIDDLER TROPHIES

Given how strongly Legacy of the Dark Knight is inspired by Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham games, it comes as no surprise that it features Riddler trophies as one of its many different kinds of collectibles. These are scattered throughout Gotham City and usually locked behind different puzzles, as you might imagine. Though there’s obviously not nearly as many of them as there were in the Arkham titles, there’s a good few for players to track down- and they’re usually fun, so they definitely come recommended.

MORE COLLECTIBLES

TT Games’ LEGO titles have always prided themselves on their bevy of collectibles and unlockables, and Legacy of the Dark Knight doesn’t disappoint in this department either. In addition to the aforementioned WayneTech Chips, Riddler trophies, and minikits, there’s plenty more to be tracked down, including red bricks, over 100 suits, and much more- so there’s plenty of reason to keep exploring and to replay levels.

BATCAVE

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight allows players to explore Bruce’s Batcave, and yes, it is every bit as awesome as you would expect. What’s more, the game also allows you to personalize and expand your underground HQ. In addition to the aforementioned minikit trophies, you can customize the Batcave with furniture and decorations or even multiple expansions, all of which are purchased with studs- so, you know, stock up on those studs.

BUILDING VEHICLES

Of course, Batcave upgrades aren’t the only reason that you’re going to want to stock up on studs. For instance, studs are also how you build new vehicles. There’s a variety of different Batmobile and Batcycle variants to be built, while you can also use Red Powerbricks to apply cosmetic customizations to those vehicles.

UNLOCKING SUITS

As mentioned, there’s over 100 different suits to be unlocked across Legacy of the Dark Knight’s roster of playable characters. Some, of course, are unlocked as you progress through main missions, but there’s other ways to add to your growing closet as well, including stores where you can purchase new suits, or activities that you can complete around the open world to unlock more. Meanwhile, similar to vehicles, you can also unlock Red Powerbricks to get your hands on new variants for the suits you already own.

DIFFICULTY

Legacy of the Dark Knight is a LEGO game, of course, which means TT Games, as always, has crafted a game that appeals to all ages- which in turn means that it isn’t the most challenging game, to say the least. And while that doesn’t get in the way of how fun it is in the slightest, there will be many out there who might want the game to present a bit more of a challenge- especially given its Arkham-inspired combat and stealth mechanics. If you’re in that group, we would suggest cranking the difficulty up to Dark Knight mode, which definitely makes the game a more skill-driven experience. You obviously still shouldn’t go in expecting a challenging experience, but it definitely puts up more of a fight.

EXPLORATION

Forza Horizon titles always pride themselves on their massive, well designed maps, but with Forza Horizon 6, exploration is more encouraged than ever before. In addition to gorgeous sights to take in around every corner, Forza Horizon 6’s Japan is brimming with new cars to find and add to your garage, events and races to compete in, side activities to track down, and much more. Though it might be tempting to simply go from one race to the next as you climb up the ranks of the Festival, we’d strongly suggest taking plenty of time to explore the map thoroughly.

BONUS BOARDS AND MASCOTS

A staple of the franchise, bonus boards are back in Forza Horizon 6. Though fast travel boards are no longer a thing, there are hundreds of bonus boards scattered all over the map. Each provides players with free XP, and some are rather tricky (and fun) challenges, so make sure you keep tracking down and smashing those bonus boards every chance you get.

PROPERTIES AND GARAGES

Also to be found in numbers around Forza Horizon 6’s Japan are various properties that players can purchase for themselves, similar to past entries. In addition to serving as rest spots where you can look through and over your car collection, properties also come with garages and serve as fast travel points. Meanwhile, Forza Horizon 6 also affords you the chance to customize and build up your garages and estate using a variety of building tools, so there’s more than just racing content to get into here, even though that is obviously the main draw.

COLLECTION JOURNAL

Your Collection Journal is something you’re going to want to keep your eye on as you make your way through the Horizon Festival. Split across two categories, the Collection Journal tracks your progress across various activities geared towards either making progress in the Horizon Festival, or exploring the depths of Japan. As you progress in both categories, you’ll continue to unlock a variety of rewards, so make sure to keep checking back in.

TREASURE CARS

Among the many ways Forza Horizon 6 finds to motivate players to thoroughly explore its map, treasure cars have to be some of the most enjoyable. These are rare cars hidden across the world, and after finding hints and clues about where they might be, it is up to you to sniff them out. Not only is it a consistently fun activity, the rewards it yields are also solid, so don’t miss these.

BARN FINDS

Barn finds return in Forza Horizon 6, and they work pretty much the same way they have done in the past. As you drive around Japan, you’ll unlock hints for new cars to seek out and add to your growing fleet of vehicles, with more than a dozen barn finds to be found in total. Collecting new stamps unlocks new barn finds to be found, so keep going after stamps.

AFTERMARKET CARS

If you’re looking for a cheaper way to expand your collection of cars, look no further than aftermarket cars. These will dynamically spawn all over the map, offering you chances to buy a variety of different cars – including several rare ones – at notably cheaper prices. These purchases are almost always worth it, so make sure you don’t drive past too many aftermarket cars- those might just be missed opportunities.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Forza Horizon’s digital AI assistant ANNA returns in Forza Horizon 6, and this time she comes with a rather handy new feature. If you’re looking to prioritize critical path progression so you can quickly earn wristbands and progress further in the Horizon Festival, ANNA’s new “What’s Next?” feature will be useful. It brings up a number of activities that you can tackle next, including specific, recommended ones. Of course, there’s a special charm to organic exploration and discovery, but those looking for quick recommendations will find them with this feature.

DAY TRIPS

Japan as a setting is, of course, one of Forza Horizon 6’s main selling points, and it has plenty of content on offer that highlights that. Day Trips are one such activity, and highly recommended. Essentially guided driving tours of the map’s many different regions and robust sights and vistas, Day Trips are an excellent way to soak in the abundant beauty of Forza Horizon 6’s open world Japan.

FOOD DELIVERY MISSIONS

Another new side activity introduced in Forza Horizon 6 is food delivery missions, and they’re a lot of fun- and yes, they’re exactly what they sound like. You’re tasked with driving a delivery truck (that runs like a rocket, by the way) and picking up and dropping off orders while tackling a variety of different challenges, with star ratings based on your performance at the end. Food delivery missions are almost always a blast, so we recommend doing them every chance you get.

PHOTO OPPS

Photography tends to be an important part of the Forza Horizon experience one way or another more often than not, and surprisingly, Forza Horizon 6 is no exception. Scattered throughout the map are spots where you can take gorgeous pictures of landmarks and stunning sceneries, and like everything else in the game, they add to your overall progression. For those looking to take in every inch of the map’s spectacular sights, this is a great way to do it.

TOUGE BATTLES

Touge Battles are another new racing activity that players will encounter in Forza Horizon 6, and they’re an absolute blast. Each race is a one on one affair that tasks you with navigating challenging mountain roads in speedy downhill sprints, all while behind the wheel of monstrous cars.

HORIZON LIFE EVENTS

Multiplayer content is always an important part of the Forza Horizon 6 experience, and the quick, accessible offerings of Horizon Life events are often the way to go. Horizon Life events allow players to compete against others in seamless drag races and time attack sprints, so those looking for some competition will want to keep an eye out.

CAR MEETS

There’s plenty of car meets to chance upon and join in on as you drive around in Forza Horizon 6’s Japan, and more often than not, they’re a great way to find new cars and customization options. You can purchase default versions of every car you see, as well as various customization options shared by other players, so suffice it to say that car meets are often worth checking out.

AUTO DRIVE

Exploring Forza Horizon 6’s beautiful rendition of open world Japan is easily among the game’s brightest highlights, and the auto drive feature is a great way to do that. Sure, a feature that automates driving is obviously going to be an ancillary one at best in a racing game, but it is a great way to get from point A to B if all you want to do in the interim is simply take in the scenery on the way.

Sure, we got the surprisingly excellent Arkham Shadow a couple of years ago, but between that game being VR-exclusive, Rocksteady’s talents being wasted on the failed experiment that was Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and the wait for a new Batman game having dragged on as long as it has, questions over how WB has handled the franchise have become increasingly unavoidable.

"As its name implies, Legacy of the Dark Knight borrows liberally and heavily from and pays homage to all corners of the Batman universe, pulling in elements from past games, comics, films, and more."

Enter: LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. The newest entry in TT Games’ LEGO Batman franchise, Legacy of the Dark Knight shockingly delivers the sort of experience that Batman fans have been craving for so long. With gameplay and design heavily inspired by the Arkham titles, a story that is packed full of secrets, callbacks, and references from across Batman history, and all of the charm, humour, and replayability that you would expect to find in one of TT Games’ LEGO titles, Legacy of the Dark Knight is an accomplished, packed, and thoroughly enjoyable Batman game.

As its name implies, Legacy of the Dark Knight borrows liberally and heavily from and pays homage to all corners of the Batman universe, pulling in elements from past games, comics, films, and more. Narratively, it charts a long story for Bruce Wayne, starting at the very beginning with the death of his parents in his childhood, seeing him join the League of Shadows and train as a ninja, and then becoming the Dark Knight of Gotham and protecting the city from a wide roster of fan-favourite villains.

There’s little that LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight does with its story that can be called entirely original, but it does a solid job nonetheless of combining elements from familiar stories and cobbling together a fun setting that Batman fans will doubtless enjoy. The game is brimming with an undeniable love for the property. Of course, the classic LEGO charm and humour that we’ve come to expect also contribute significantly, with amusing visual gags, legitimately funny writing, and more.

Where Legacy of the Dark Knight really shines is the gameplay, which is thanks in large part to how heavily it borrows from the Arkham games. Take the combat for instance, with the same free-flowing brawling systems implemented here. You punch and kick your way through crowds of enemies, with different types bearing unique weapons and shields, or donning armour, or being larger and more difficult to take down. Along with your basic attacks, you can dodge and, of course, counter incoming moves, while your gadgets also have a big role to play. From the mechanics to the moment-to-moment action and beyond, Legacy of the Dark Knight evokes Batman: Arkham’s combat strongly, and replicates it really, really well.

"You can perform silent takedowns, use your gadgets to distract or knock out foes, swing from vantage point to vantage point, and more."

Don’t get me wrong- this is, at the end of the day, still a LEGO game, which means you shouldn’t go in expecting all of the depth and complexity of the Arkham games’ combat. Like past TT Games titles, Legacy of the Dark Knight features gameplay that has been simplified so it can be accessible to players of all ages. But even in its simplified form, the combat here is an absolute blast. Sure, there are times when its relatively straightforward nature can make for somewhat dull or repetitive encounters, but more often than not, Legacy of the Dark Knight’s Arkham-inspired brawler combat is a ton of fun.

Fisticuffs, however, are not the only way Batman knows how to deal with problems. The Dark Knight likes to stick to the shadows and strike fear into his enemies’ hearts, and Legacy of the Dark Knight lets you do just that- for the most part. Again, it does so by modeling itself after the Arkham game- though again, it does so in much more straightforward fashion.

You can perform silent takedowns, use your gadgets to distract or knock out foes, swing from vantage point to vantage point, and more. With all of those fundamentals in place, Legacy of the Dark Knight successfully delivers a stealth game that feels surprisingly similar to Rocksteady’s titles. A lot of the nuance is taken out of the equation, yes, while the game also understandably doesn’t stick to the “striking fear into enemies’ hearts” schtick, instead sticking to a much more lighthearted tone, though all in all, the combat and stealth mix together really well, especially as your arsenal of tools and weapons and roster of playable characters and abilities expand.

"Exploring the city is always thoroughly enjoyable thanks to just how much there is to do and how consistently fun most of it tends to be."

Outside of combat and stealth, there’s plenty else to do. When you’re not in the middle of a story mission, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight lets you explore an open world Gotham City, which is an exceptional rendition of the iconic location. Gotham in the game looks exactly as Gotham should, with all of the atmosphere, dramatic weather effects, gothic architecture, and lighting we have come to expect from the city. All of that is blended effortlessly with the LEGO aesthetic, and the result is absolutely fantastic.

Legacy of the Dark Knight’s Gotham is also impressive from a design perspective. Again, you shouldn’t go in expecting a gargantuan open world similar to Arkham Knight or even Arkham City, but what’s on offer here serves as an excellent open world sandbox nonetheless. Gotham is comprised of multiple different districts, each serving as a small map with its own distinct theme and look, and featuring a plethora of side activities for players to tackle. That includes stopping crimes, dealing with the Riddler’s pesky challenges, tracking down and opening chests, collecting collectibles, and so much more.

Exploring the city is always thoroughly enjoyable thanks to just how much there is to do and how consistently fun most of it tends to be. Meanwhile, it also helps that making your way around Gotham is consistently a total blast. You can grapple and glide around the city, which, again, is not too dissimilar from how the Arkham games handle it (complete with dive bombing, grapple launching, and more), while you also get access to vehicles as you make your way through the story, including the Batmobile and the Batcycle.

The vehicles feel excellent to control, while the gliding and traversal mechanics are also top-notch, which means getting from point A to B in Gotham City never feels like a chore- especially with so much fun and varied side activities to distract you along the way.

Outside of Gotham City, you can also explore Bruce’s Batcave, which is always fun (especially for a Batman fan) and also comes with light customization elements. Meanwhile, like any of TT Games’ LEGO titles, Legacy of the Dark Knight also boasts a ton of replayability, with plenty of suits, characters, and collectibles to track down (including exclusive ones across different missions). Between the main story being close to 15 hours long and the abundant side content outside of it, the game has plenty on offer to keep players busy for hours and hours.

"There’s no shortage of things to love about Legacy of the Dark Knight."

It’s also worth noting how technically impressive Legacy of the Dark Knight is. I spent most of my time on Performance Mode, and I haven’t noticed too many technical issues. Barring some minor (albeit somewhat jarring) glitches here and there, the game touts smooth frame rates and gorgeous and highly detailed visuals. Then there’s the music, of course, which, like much of the rest of the game, does an incredible job of pulling in elements from across the entirety of Batman’s history.

There’s no shortage of things to love about Legacy of the Dark Knight. It’s an excellent Batman game that has everything in place to keep fans satisfied while we wait for our next big AAA Dark Knight adventure, a solid (yet simplified) take on the beloved Arkham formula, and of course, yet another charming, amusing, and addictive LEGO adventure by TT Games. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight might not be the Batman game we deserve, but it’s the one we need.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Unsurprisingly, Forza Horizon 6’s fictionalized recreation of Japan is one of the game’s biggest strengths. Fans of the series have been clamouring for a Horizon Festival set in Japan for pretty much as long as the series has been around. But though expectations are monumentally high, Forza Horizon 6 manages to meet them with striking confidence. For years, Playground Games has delivered one excellently crafted open-world racing map after another, and the studio has captured lightning in a bottle yet again here.

"You have your typical open-world racing content, from races and rallies to stunt jumps, speed traps, drifting zones, new cars to find and add to your collection, and more- and yes, there are also hundreds of bonus boards and mascots to seek out and smash throughout the map."

Forza Horizon 6’s Japan is absolutely stunning. Around every bend is a gorgeous new sight to behold, from dense forests, lush and colourful fields, and bamboo thickets, to snow-capped peaks, the dense streets of Tokyo, and more. Tokyo in particular is a highlight, boasting the series’ largest, most densely packed, and frankly, most impressively designed urban environment to date, complete with busy streets, eye-catching architecture, and landmarks such as Tokyo Tower, Shibuya Crossing, and others.

The map is massive but simultaneously diverse and immaculately designed, so that entering new regions, exploring new areas, and driving along new roads never loses its excitement or charm. Of course, typically enough for a Forza Horizon game, there’s also a bevvy of things to do as you explore the world. You have your typical open-world racing content, from races and rallies to stunt jumps, speed traps, drifting zones, new cars to find and add to your collection, and more- and yes, there are also hundreds of bonus boards and mascots to seek out and smash throughout the map.

Meanwhile, Forza Horizon 6 also introduces new types of activities, several of which are geared specifically towards showcasing Japan. There are Day Trips, guided tours that are a great way to learn more about the region and explore new areas; Touge battles, which pit you in high speed one on one downhill sprints on winding mountain roads; and even food delivery missions, which let you drive a food delivery truck (which might even be one of the most fun vehicles to drive in the game) in a variety of different food delivery-themed driving challenges.

There are also new obstacle course-style Horizon Rush events where players compete in races on superbly designed, technically challenging courses, while, of course, Showcase events also return- and yes, once again, they do live up to their name. Showcase events tend to be the highlights of every Forza Horizon entry, and things are no different here. One of my favourite moments in Forza Horizon 6 has been racing against a giant Gundam-esque mech- and that’s only the tip of the iceberg where Showcases are concerned.

"Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t do much to deviate from the series’ established formula. As someone who absolutely adores that formula, I personally don’t take any issue with that, especially given how well Playground Games continues to execute on its tried and true ideas and systems."

Outside of races and driving challenges, similar to previous entries, you can find and purchase a number of properties across the map. Forza Horizon 6 also introduces a building and customization aspect that allows you to personalise properties with a surprisingly robust, fun, and easy-to-use building toolset. Suffice to say, there’s no shortage of engaging things to do in Forza Horizon 6– and yes, that includes simply cruising around the map, listening to the radio, and just enjoying the scenery.

If there’s one area in the game that feels ever-so-slightly more limited compared to its direct predecessor, it’s how progression is structured. Compared to the loose and freeform structure of Forza Horizon 5, 6 brings back the somewhat more linear wristband progression system, which means making your way through the Horizon Festival feels a little more structured this time around. Of course, if you’ve played a Horizon entry before, you’ll likely be familiar with most of what you see here, as Playground ensures complete freedom and player agency where its open world design and exploration are concerned.

In fact, Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t do much to deviate from the series’ established formula. As someone who absolutely adores that formula, I personally don’t take any issue with that, especially given how well Playground Games continues to execute on its tried and true ideas and systems. If, however, you’re in the camp that wants Forza Horizon to do something radically new after having honed its formula to a sheen, that’s not what you’re going to find here. Forza Horizon 6 takes what has always worked best about the series and, like its predecessors, attempts to improve on it with evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, changes and enhancements. Thanks to the sheer quality of content, just how much there is to do, and the mastery of craft on display here, the game feels nowhere close to wearing out its welcome, but a reinvention of the Forza Horizon formula this is not, if that is what you are looking for.

Of course, it should also go without saying by now that the moment-to-moment act of driving in Forza Horizon 6 is an absolute pleasure. This is an area where Playground Games (and the Forza series as a whole) have never missed the mark, and that continues to be true. The roster of vehicles on offer here is typically gargantuan, and each of the hundreds of cars available not only feels amazing to drive but also feels meaningfully different from each other, which makes customization and tuning feel that much more rewarding and engaging.

"Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, no, but it shows once again just how good the series’ formula can be when it is firing on all cylinders – which it usually is – while also making good on the massive potential of its long-awaited setting."

Meanwhile, Forza Horizon 6 is also a visual and technical beast, which also doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given how consistently impressive the Forza games have always been in this department. With breathtaking visuals, an unbelievable level of polish and attention to detail, best-in-class audio design, and near-flawless performance (I’ve spent most of my time playing the game at a dynamic 4K and 60 FPS and have had negligible issues with frame rates), Forza Horizon 6 feels like yet another technical home run for the series. It doesn’t feel like a massive leap over its direct predecessor, no, but that’s because five years on from release, Forza Horizon 5 frankly continues to look astoundingly good. That Forza Horizon 6 offers incremental improvements over that benchmark is still saying a lot.

All of that is to say that Playground Games has once again crafted a remarkable racing experience. The studio and the Forza Horizon franchise have reigned supreme over the racing genre for quite some time now, and with this newest entry, that dominance is re-established. Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, no, but it shows once again just how good the series’ formula can be when it is firing on all cylinders – which it usually is – while also making good on the massive potential of its long-awaited setting. If you enjoy a good racing game, you shouldn’t miss this.

This game was reviewed on Xbox Series X.

Contrary to what many thought for a good while, however, Pragmata is finally here, and happily enough, it is somehow worth the wait. It combines the skin of a sci-fi shooter experience that isn’t afraid to have fun with the genre’s tropes with a gameplay core that innovates on staples in brilliant ways, delivering a final product that almost perfectly toes the line between uniqueness and familiarity.

Pragmata sees players playing as Hugh, a spacefaring technical expert who, along with his team, is sent to the moon by his corporate overlords after they lose contact with everyone on Earth. Quickly upon arrival, Hugh finds not only a moon devoid of the human population he expects to find, but also robots and rogue AI functions running amok, and a mass production-scale 3D printing system going haywire in the trippiest ways.

"Though it doesn’t do an awful lot to step outside of genre norms, Pragmata’s story does a solid job of keeping players engaged."

After crossing paths and joining forces with Diana – an android (or a Pragmata) modeled the shape and personality of a little human girl – it falls to Hugh to not only make his way through rogue robotic forces on the moon, but get in contact with Earth and unravel the mystery of wat exactly went wrong in his lunar surroundings.

Though it doesn’t do an awful lot to step outside of genre norms, Pragmata’s story does a solid job of keeping players engaged. On top of doling out bits and pieces of lore and backstory details at a good pace to keep peeling back the layers on its core mysteries, the game also excels with its central duo of protagonists.

Hugh, the human that you play as, is a relatively ordinary protagonist in and of himself, but Diana is an interesting enough character to carry things on her own for the first couple of hours- until the dynamic between the two really starts blossoming.

A leading duo of a lead being accompanied by a young, naïve companion is by no means new to video games, and it wouldn’t entirely be accurate to say that Pragmata does it in a way that it is in any way new- but this is an excellent example of top notch execution making up for a lack of new ideas. Neither Diana nor Hugh as individual characters have much that you can point to as an instantly unique hook, but Diana’s personality and the heartwarming bond that she forms with Hugh remains an inarguable highlight of Pragmata from the game’s beginning until its very end.

Something else that contributes massively to how well its core premise and setting work is how visually arresting the game is. Again, the game doesn’t necessarily do much here that you might not have seen in other sci-fi media before, but the its execution well-trod ideas leaves little to be desired. On a technical level, Pragmata does what top quality games have (mostly) consistently done in recent memory, especially when running on the RE Engine, and delivers a sharp, gorgeous experience that runs with little to no hiccups and pushes the envelope in interesting ways.

"Unlike a regular shooter, most shots you fire at does don’t do a ton of damage- key to all encounters is Diana’s ability to hack enemies."

That is backed up by excellent art design, from the surreal, mind-numbing, eerie, and not-quite-right facsimiles of familiar locations that you find themselves in to the vast variety of robotic enemies that you take on, from the humanoid grunts and flying drones to the way more twisted designs that you face as you get deeper into the game.

Pragmata’s biggest strengths lie not in the story that it tells, but in how it plays. On surface, it may look like just a regular science fiction third person shooter, and sure enough, in a lot of fundamental ways, that is ultimately what it is. At the same time, however, Pragmata blends its core familiar gameplay mechanics with some fascinating twists that lend it quite a unique flavour.

Chief among those twists is Pragmata’s central hacking mechanic. Unlike a regular shooter, most shots you fire at does don’t do a ton of damage- key to all encounters is Diana’s ability to hack enemies. When you take aim at one, a minigame overlay pops up, tasking you with navigating a minigames with your controller’s face buttons, with the aim being to get from the starting point to the finish while passing through as many useful nodes as possible- all in real time, while still dealing with all enemies and their attacks.

On paper, it sounds like it could easily be clunky or overwhelming, but Pragmata handles its hacking and shooting combat perfectly. The two core pillars blend unexpectedly well together. The hacking never feels slow or cumbersome, instead adding not only a unique twist to the otherwise tried and true over the shoulder shooting, but also a palpable sense of urgency to the proceedings every single time whether you’re squaring off against an enemy. When you’re taking on larger groups of enemies or bosses and mini-bosses in particular, Pragmata’s blend of hacking and shooting really, truly shines.

Combat benefits from the game’s strengths in other areas as well. Take, for example, the variety that the game exhibits in the enemies you take on throughout the experience. The bots that fight in Pragmata not only differ greatly from each other in their visual designs, but also in what they’re capable of in combat and the unique threats they pose.

"Solid progression mechanics help keep things interesting as well."

They demand different tactics in everything from how they move about to what weapons and abilities they’re weak to, while things get particularly interesting when you’re faced with groups of multiple types of enemies, and you’re required to juggle everything in your arsenal in real-time in the right way. When encounters in Pragmata get really hectic and explosive, that’s when the game is at its best- and that happens often.

It’s not just the enemies in the game that boast strong variety. There’s a range of weapons to use as well, from defensive kinds that provide tactical support and offensive ones that focus on dealing damage to those that can prove particularly useful in situations that demand crowd control.

Then there’s Diana hacking abilities, which, in addition to making enemies significantly more vulnerable to damage, can freeze them in place, link multiple of them together for group hacks, and much more. Add to that things such as innate and passive abilities and mods, and it doesn’t take long for combat in Pragmata to become a frantic, fast paced, explosive, and thoroughly enjoyable affair.

Solid progression mechanics help keep things interesting as well. Pragmata is a fairly focused experience in more ways than one, which very much applies to the progression as well, but the game still manages to deliver tight and engaging upgrade and customization mechanics. Between different weapons, weapons, mods, abilities, upgrades, and more to unlock, there are a decent number of ways that you can tailor your builds and loadouts to how you want to play, even without a ton of flexibility.

"As mentioned earlier, this is a very focused experience, which is something that it also exhibits in its level design."

In fact, the game’s surprisingly expressive progression mechanics come in quite handy on the occasions you find yourself facing a boss or challenge that might be a bit too strong for you in the moment- returning to an earlier area to grind more resources and come back better equipped to face whatever challenge is trumping you never really feels like a chore, which is always an impressive accomplishment for a game.

Those progression mechanics work particularly well given Pragmata’s structure. As mentioned earlier, this is a very focused experience, which is something that it also exhibits in its level design. Pragmata is a largely linear game that funnels you from one area to the next, while also having you consistently return to a central hub.

Levels are mostly pretty tight and contained, though they do often have plenty of shortcuts, optional areas, and intertwining paths to explore, with checkpoints scattered about that allow you to fast travel to the Cradle, your central hub, in addition to serving as respawn points following deaths.

The game handles its structure well, primarily because of how tight and focused it keeps things. It never feels too expansive, which also means deaths and checkpoint respawns are never too frustrating, even if they can sometimes get a little annoyingly repetitive. Meanwhile, on top of being able to maintain an excellent sense of pacing and forward momentum thanks to its design style, Pragmata also manages to ensure that it doesn’t completely trim off exploration.

"It has been a long time coming, yes, but it’s fair to say that Pragmata is worth the wait."

There’s plenty of room to explore still, and quite a few genuinely useful upgrades and collectibles to find. Newly learned abilities also often make revisiting older areas feel valuable, while ancillary unlocks earned through optional content also allow you to expand the Cradle in fun ways. There is, of course, also the plain and simple fact that the game also boasts enjoyable movement and light platforming mechanics. All said, despite the fact that combat is where Pragmata’s biggest strengths lie, other gameplay aspects around the combat are also quite engaging.

Pragmata is, ultimately, quite an interesting game. In a lot of ways – from its story and setting to many of its gameplay and design pillars – it’s a game that is content to follow along well-trod paths, though even while doing so, it never feels bland or boring, thanks to how immaculately and confidently it executes on those tried and true ideas.

Crucially, however, it also elevates those ideas with some novel core concepts of its own, chief among them being its surprisingly well-done blend of hacking and shooting combat, not to mention its spectacular visual design.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

At the same time, many have thoroughly enjoyed Starfield’s expansive sci fi offerings, from its intricate lore and engaging faction quests to its addictive ship-building and more. Personally, I fall in the latter camp. When I reviewed Starfield upon is original launch close to three years ago, I absolutely adored it, so it’s no surprise to me that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with it on the PS5 as well.

"Going into the game expecting Skyrim in space is, in some crucial ways, a mistake, primarily thanks to how its world is structured."

For anyone familiar with the Bethesda RPG template, Starfield is, in many ways, a familiar experience with a new wrapper. Players take on the role of a custom character who gets wrapped up with Constellation, an organization looking to unravel the secrets of space, early on in the game after coming in contact with a mysterious alien artifact.

In typical BGS fashion, along the way, you cross paths with a variety of different factions, each with their own questlines, histories, and characters, all of it allowing you to dive deeper into Starfield’s expansive setting. Player agency is placed above all else, in the specific way that Bethesda RPGs have been known for, prioritizing complete player freedom, even if it does come at the cost of frustratingly inconsequential choice and consequence mechanics.

BGS’ RPG formula has mostly stuck to its roots over the years, and though that doesn’t always work in Starfield’s favour – especially when contrasted with other AAA RPGs who have tried to take that further in interesting ways – the core strengths of the formula, at least to me personally, are still strong enough in the most important ways. A lot of that is down to how strong the Settled Systems are as a setting, especially where lore and backstory are concerned. Learning more about the history and conflicts of the setting never loses its charm, a lot of which is also down to how engaging the faction questlines are.

Of course, you have to acknowledge the fact that Starfield doesn’t completely stick to the Bethesda RPG framework. Going into the game expecting Skyrim in space is, in some crucial ways, a mistake, primarily thanks to how its world is structured. Starfield’s world is far from a seamless open world, instead being split into multiple maps that are separated by loading screens, not to mention large expanses of space that you can pilot your ship through.

Space travel in Starfield is something that has drawn criticism from many since the game’s launch, with many having felt that it’s too uneventful and monotonous, though Starfield does attempt to fix that with its new Free Lanes update, which accompanies the game’s PS5 release.

"Starfield’s space gameplay still doesn’t feel massively different from what it has been since the game launched."

With the addition of Cruise Mode – which lets you freely cruise around in space within a star system while you go about other business in your ship – as well as additional points of interest in space and more combat encounters, with its newest update, Starfield does try to address the issues that many players have had with its space gameplay.

They work to some degree- there’s a noticeable jump in the frequence of dogfights and things to check out, and Cruise Mode is certainly a neat new addition, though it shouldn’t surprise you to know that even with all of the new changes put together, Starfield’s space gameplay still doesn’t feel massively different from what it has been since the game launched. It takes longer for things to get monotonous, yes, but the expanses of space are still not where Starfield’s strengths lie (though ironically, I still find the game’s ship building and customization mechanics among the best that it has to offer).

That’s not all that Starfield’s Free Lanes update adds. The update brings a new layer to the game’s progression systems with the addition of a new currency in the form of X-Tech, which allows for deeper build variety, as well as new late game progression options in the form of new quality tiers, ship customization options, weapons, and more.

"If you enjoyed the base game in its original form, then, the Free Lanes update refines it and polishes it quite a bit."

Then there’s new quests and locations, outpost building improvements, New Game Plus options, and more- all of which is to say that even though the Free Lanes update doesn’t significantly overhaul many core game systems in the way we saw with, say, Cyberpunk 2077’s overhauls, it does still add to the base experience in a meaningful way.

If you enjoyed the base game in its original form, then, the Free Lanes update refines it and polishes it quite a bit, which will, of course, mean a stronger experience right off the bat for those jumping into Starfield for the first time with its PS5 launch. Many will probably be disappointed that the game hasn’t undergone a more comprehensive reworking, but as someone who already enjoyed Starfield’s offerings in its base form, I find the Free Lanes update’s changes and improvements quite solid on the whole.

Along with the base experience, Starfield’s PS5 launch also brings with it all of the updates and DLC the game has received since its Xbox and PC release in 2023. Of course, for starters, that means that, on a technical level, the sci fi RPG is in a much more stable place than it was upon release.

Don’t get me wrong, you’re still going to run into plenty of run of the mill Bethesda RPG glitches – from jerky animations and clipping objects to dead eyed NPCs and more – but in my time with the game on the PS5, I haven’t experienced nearly as many game breaking glitches or hard crashes as I did in my dozens of hours with the game on the Xbox Series X (though it has been a while since I played Starfield on Xbox, admittedly).

"For PS5 players who enjoy the genre or the sci fi aesthetic, Starfield is well worth looking into."

In addition to those updates, Starfield’s PS5 version also has the benefit of launching right out the gate with things such as land vehicles (with one of them being a new addition), Creations, and a long list of quality of life improvements, not to mention two expansions in the form of Shattered Space and the newly released Terran Armada. In short, for those jumping into the game for the first time with its PS5 release, which I imagine many will be doing, Bethesda’s space faring RPG is a more polished and rounded out version of its original self with a substantial amount of content to tackle- which in particular shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with BGS’ formula.

Whether or not Starfield stands toe to toe with Bethesda’s past genre defining offerings is a question that answers will vary to from person to person, but if you’re looking for a massive, engaging sci-fi RPG that lets you loose in a space setting, you’re in luck- that’s exactly what Starfield delivers. Though the game is not without its faults, thanks to a compelling setting, engaging lore, strong faction questlines, and a bevy of content – among other things – Starfield has more than enough going on to keep players occupied for long, long stretches. For PS5 players who enjoy the genre or the sci fi aesthetic, this one is well worth looking into.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

At its core, the second expansion doesn’t deviate from the approach that Bethesda Game Studios took with Starfield’s first DLC, Shattered Space, in that it is very much more of the same- though the content it does deliver has a lot going for it.

Terran Armada focuses on the new titular faction, a breakaway group comprised of former Freestar Collective and United Colonies soldiers who mysteriously disappeared from the Settled Systems during the Colony War. Now, they’ve reappeared with a substantial, robotically enhanced military force, announcing themselves the true children of Earth and humanity as a whole, and in turn declaring everyone in the Settled Systems to be their enemies. Investigating the Terran Armada’s attacks and uncovering their motivations, then, is a central part of the expansion’s storyline- and it works quite well.

One of Starfield’s greatest strengths has always been its intricate, engaging lore and the stories it weaves around it, especially with its faction questlines, and just as it was with the game’s first expansion, that still very much stands true with Terran Armada.

Not only does the new expansion boast a strong central narrative premise, the new faction it all revolves around helps keep things interesting as you progress further. Learning more about the Armada, their robotics, their motivations, and their history since the Colony War remains consistently engaging, even if it’s a little disappointing to see the proceedings being kept largely separate from the base game’s story.

"The expansion does try to inject enemy variety, but there’s only so many different ways you can find robot enemies before it starts wearing thin."

Along the way you’ll also cross paths with Delta, a reprogrammed Terran Armada robot who joins your crew and becomes a squadmate. The morally ambiguous companion is very much cut from the same cloth as similar robotic sci fi allies in sci fi stories, but though he’s not unique in any way, Delta does serve as a solid addition to Starfield’s cast. Conversations with him are always fun, learning more about what makes him tick and where his allegiances truly lie never loses its appeal, and best of all, Delta also serves as a great vehicle for the game to reveal more about the Terran Armada and its robot-heavy military force.

Delta is, however, probably the most interesting element where Terran Armada’s new robots are concerned. That is, on the one hand, a good thing, because that means a solid new companion joining the cast, but where the enemies are concerned, things can sometimes get a little repetitive and you find yourself fighting against robots over and over.

The expansion does try to inject enemy variety, but there’s only so many different ways you can find robot enemies before it starts wearing thin. Thankfully, the core combat mechanics in Starfield remain enjoyable, so firefights (should you choose a more aggressive approach) are at least consistently fun on a fundamental level.

Another major new addition in Terran Armada is the Incursions system, which sees the titular Armada randomly attacking different spots across the Settled Systems. Spanning varying objectives across both land and space and being tied to both story related quests and optional activities, Incursions encompass feel like they encompass the entire game- which can be both a good and a bad thing.

"It’s also a little disappointing that the Terran Armada DLC makes Incursions its centerpiece rather than introducing another major new location to the Settled Systems."

When they work, Incursions work really well, combining exploration and combat, throwing in unique new hurdles, and rewarding players with solid new gear. Story related Incursions in particular are often really well crafted, and experiencing them tends to feel like going through well stitched together set piece sequences. At the same time, Incursions also serve as solid repeatable late game content for players looking to farm valuable loot- especially X-Tech, a currency newly added by the Free Lanes update that expands progression and customization options.

However, Incursions can also quickly overstay their welcome. It doesn’t take long for them to start feeling repetitive, and often, the restrictions they place on players – such as not being able to fast travel within a star system until you’ve dealt with all present Terran Armada threats – can often feel more like an annoyance than anything else. Thankfully, the game does allow you to set the frequency with which optional Incursions show up, so if they do start to wear you down, you can at least address that directly.

It’s also a little disappointing that the Terran Armada DLC makes Incursions its centerpiece rather than introducing another major new location to the Settled Systems the way the Shattered Space expansion did. Sure, there’s Anchorpoint Station, a new location that does have plenty of new things to see and do, but though there’s a lot here that is directly tied to the Terran Armada storyline, Anchorpoint Station isn’t necessarily just a DLC location.

It does sort of scratch the itch of a brand new area to explore and get familiar with, but if you were hoping for a massive new map serving as the centerpiece of a major new story arch, that’s not what you’ll find here. The threat of the Terran Armada in this expansion is spread out throughout the Settled Systems rather than being concentrated in a single new map. That doesn’t mean there aren’t new locations to explore, of course, but you shouldn’t go in expecting something on the same scale as Shattered Space’s Dazra city.

"All told, with the new story content, side quests, and what have you, there’s a healthy chunk of new gameplay content on offer here."

There are, however, new weapons, ship customization and building options, gear, and more brought to the table by the Terran Armada DLC. For players who have already invested a substantial amount of time into Starfield and are looking to further optimize and min-max their builds, the new content on offer here opens up plenty of room for further progression and build refinement, especially with the repeatable content and late game options available with Incursions and the new Free Lanes update additions. All told, with the new story content, side quests, and what have you, there’s a healthy chunk of new gameplay content on offer here.

Since Starfield launched in 2023, many have hoped for significant overhauls to allow the game to fulfil its potential and make good on all of its lofty pre launch promises, and though Terran Armada is definitely not that (even with all of the improvements that come with the Free Lanes update), it is, at the very least, a solid additional chunk of more of the same.

That means that it’s unlikely to capture those who weren’t enamoured by Starfield’s base or post launch offerings, but if you are like me and have found plenty of enjoyment in the space faring RPG’s vast expanses, it’s safe to say that you’ll find enough to like about the Terran Armada expansion, even if it doesn’t fully stick the landing with all of the things that it tries.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Developed by Koei Tecmo studio Omega Force, Pokopia is, in a nutshell, a blend of Animal Crossing, Dragon Quest Builders, and, of course, Pokemon. Viewed individually, none of its core disparate pillars are particularly unique at this point, but this game concocts them together in an almost perfect way, delivering an experience that is bursting to the seams with personality, and has the sort of deceptive mechanical depth that will keep you hooked for dozens – if not hundreds – of hours.

"There’s a vast variety of habitats that you can make in the game, and though they start out as simple patches of grass, they gradually grow in complexity."

In Pokemon Pokopia, you play as a Ditto that has taken on the (uncanny-but-almost-accurate) form of your former human trainer. You find yourself in what you quickly piece together is a desolate, abandoned version of the Kanto region- most of the landscapes are a wasteland, structures lie in ruin, and there are almost no Pokemon and no humans to be seen anywhere. With the help of a Tangrowth – a self-dubbed Pokemon Professor – you set out to rebuild the land block by block to bring life – both Pokemon and human – back to the region, and unravel the mystery of how exactly things came to be this way.

It serves as a great premise for Pokopia’s life sim and building loop. Central to the experience are, of course, the Pokemon, each of whom has unique personalities and useful, varied abilities, not to mention unique requirements. Different kinds of Pokemon are attracted back to live in the region if they find a habitat that they find suitable, which means a crucial aspect of Pokopia’s core loop is building habitats.

There’s a vast variety of habitats that you can make in the game, and though they start out as simple patches of grass, they gradually grow in complexity. Experimenting with different items and environmental features to create new habitats, or procuring specific things to build the habitat you need for that next Pokemon you want to add to your neighbourhood, truly never loses its charm- there’s that many possible combinations to play around with.

What also helps massively is the ridiculous amounts of charm and personality that the Pokemon – and the game in general – are overflowing with. Each Pokemon is their own person (or, well, Pokemon, but you know), and it’s delightful to watch each of them exhibit their diverse personalities and quirks in unique ways- Charmeleon is a hothead, while Hitmonchan generally just likes to train with a punching bag a lot. Squirtle is charmingly energetic, while Slowpoke, true to form, just likes to takes things slow.

"Pokopia not only cleverly uses Pokemon elements to bring personality into its world, it also weaves them into its gameplay in ingenious ways."

There’s a large cast of Pokemon represented in Pokopia, and you can tell that a lot of care and love for the franchise has been poured into each of the creatures. From the things they say and the idle interactions they have with each other to the way they animate and interact with the environment and much more, simply watching them exist in the world is one of the game’s highlights. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent just watching Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee train together, or taking pictures of different Pokemon just doing their thing and interacting with the environment, or even playing jump-rope with Bulbasaur.

It’s safe to say that fans in particular will absolutely love meeting and befriending new Pokemon. Beyond that, there’s plenty more in the game for longtime Pokemon fans to look out for as well. Exploration has many benefits (beyond items, crafting recipes, and, you know, just being fun), one of which is notes scattered throughout the maps, which often drop little pieces of lore. From backstory tidbits that make the story surprisingly interesting to little nuggets and easter eggs, there’s a lot to find. Series fans will also love the many secrets – including chance and optional encounters with a variety of Legendaries – to be found in all the maps, not to mention the many excellently composed, nostalgia-fueled remixes of instantly recognizable Pokemon tracks that Pokopia has up its sleeve.

Pokopia not only cleverly uses Pokemon elements to bring personality into its world, it also weaves them into its gameplay in ingenious ways. As a Ditto, you also have transformational abilities that allow you to learn different moves from the many Pokemon you befriend, each of which allows you to engage with the environment in different ways. Bulbasaur teaches you Leafage, with which you can grow patches of grass; Squirtle teaches you Water Gun, which lets you bring moisture back to dry and barren soil; Scyther teaches you Cut and Hitmonchan teaches you Rock Smash, which allow you to deal with obstacles or break up blocks; Magikarp, hilariously, teaches you Splash, which turns out to be surprisingly useful, because it lets you jump.

Meanwhile, Pokemon also have their own abilities that you cannot imitate, but they can use to assist you in various ways. Scyther can turn logs into lumber, Charmander can light things on fire, Slowpoke can make it rain, Vespiqueen offers items in exchange for honey- the list goes on. The Pokemon that you meet and befriend truly do end up feeling like valued neighbours and little virtual friends- which is exactly what you want from a Pokemon life sim.

"Together, Pokopia’s Animal Crossing-inspired life sim elements and Dragon Quest Builders-inspired elements come together in surprisingly cohesive fashion."

Of course, the different Pokemon and their unique requirements also shape gameplay in other ways. Once they’ve moved into habitats that they find appropriate, Pokemon will often come to you with requests for everything from food to different items – like lights or decorations or furniture – or even new homes. Seeing to the overall contentment of your Pokemon neighbours is an important part of Pokopia, because doing so raises your Environment Level, which in turn unlocks new items for purchase at the Pokemon Center. It’s a very well though-out loop, not just because of the satisfying progression, but also because of the impressive variety and surprising strategy it adds to the process of slowly building the land back to life, and seeing it flourish bit by bit.

Beyond the delightful life sim mechanics, Pokopia has a whole other construction aspect to it, where it borrows heavily from the likes of Minecraft and Dragon Quest Builders- which makes sense, given that developer Omega Force worked on Dragon Quest Builders 2. Everything is made of individual blocks – wood, sand, grass, soil, stone, and so on – and you can break up these blocks, suck them up with a Kirby-like (and very Ditto-appropriate) suction ability, and then use them to alter the environment however you see fit, and construct whatever you can conjure up.

Personally, I’ve always been incredibly quick to succumb to the addictive charms of exactly the sort of gameplay loop that Pokemon Pokopia offers up, and it’s no surprise to me that I’m completely eating it up here. The building mechanics are an absolute blast- their Minecraft-like simplicity and Dragon Quest Builders-inspired interface allows them to strike a perfect balance between complexity and accessibility. There’s also a solid range of variety on offer in the items, furniture, decorations, building options, and more. Everything generally works the way as intended, and elements and objects can interact with each other in fun and surprising ways, allowing for an impressive level of freedom, flexibility, and creativity.

Though the main campaign is structured a lot like the Dragon Quest Builders games, with players moving from one map to the next, eventually, Pokopia also lets players let loose in a massive map, which is where its freeform, sandbox construction mechanics really flourish. I imagine there will be many players – like myself – who will be spending inordinate amounts of time in this particular map.

Together, Pokopia’s Animal Crossing-inspired life sim elements and Dragon Quest Builders-inspired elements come together in surprisingly cohesive fashion. There are some minor foibles – like frustrating storage restrictions, and long wait times as you wait for construction on buildings to finish, especially in the early hours of the game – but by and large, Pokopia keeps finding ways to keep you engaged in its charmful mundanity. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is among the best Pokemon games I’ve played in recent memory- and maybe even ever.

This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.

Now, five years on from its original release, the developer has brought Resident Evil Village over to the Nintendo Switch 2, to go along with the Switch 2 release of Resident Evil 7 and Requiem, and unsurprisingly, the game hasn’t lost any of its charm. Village’s Switch 2 port is an impressive one that does justice to the excellent game that it is.

"When Ethan awakens, he finds himself in a village of shadows of nightmares, where he will have to take on everything from werewolf-like lycans and vampiric monstrosities to zombies and much more."

Resident Evil Village, the eighth mainline entry in the long-running horror series, is set a handful of years after the events of RE7. Ethan, Mia, and their infant daughter Rose now live under BSAA’s protective custody in a remote village in Eastern Europe, and though the Winters are trying to put their past behind them and start fresh, understandably, the horrors that they witnessed and experienced in the Baker residence still cling on like a corruption.

In the game’s opening moments, things get disastrously and abruptly worse when a squad of soldiers led by none other than Chris Redfield breaks into the Winters’ home, executes Mia in front of Ethan, kidnaps Rose, and knocks out Ethan and takes him captive. When Ethan awakens, he finds himself in a village of shadows of nightmares, where he will have to take on everything from werewolf-like lycans and vampiric monstrosities to zombies and much more.

Resident Evil Village’s story is far from perfect, as even its staunchest fans will tell you, but to its credit, it remains consistently enjoyable. I won’t be getting into spoilers here, but some late-game narrative reveals retroactively hurt several elements of the plot (especially where Chris is concerned), but by and large, there’s a lot to like here. Village boasts plenty of strong characters (some of the villains and the Duke being particular highlights), has plenty of ties to the larger Resident Evil story that veteran fans will find fascinating, and of course, serves as a satisfying conclusion to the Winters storyline, especially with how it recontextualizes a lot of Resident Evil 7 with some of its reveals.

"Of course, where Village truly shines is not with its storytelling, but with its gameplay and design."

Of course, where Village truly shines is not with its storytelling, but with its gameplay and design. As opposed to the pure and unrelenting horror of Resident Evil 7, Village dials things slightly back with the scares, while cranking things up a notch where the action is concerned. Of course, when the game is trying to be frightening – which it often is – it does so very effectively, but a large share of the experience is also focused on intense, grueling action that clearly takes heavy cues from Resident Evil 5. Thankfully, Village is excellent at both, and also maintains a great balance between its horror and action sides for the majority of the experience.

Add to that impressive enemy variety (and design), excellent boss fights, and spectacular encounter design, and what you get is a game that knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat in more ways than one.

Of particular note are RE8’s level design strengths, and how well they encourage exploration. Not only is the titular village itself a great hub location that remains a joy to explore throughout the experience, other sections of the game also stand out. Castle Dimitrescu is obviously a particular highlight, and though I know that the late-game Heisenberg’s Factory is a bit divisive among fans, I personally happen to absolutely love it (though the haunted dollhouse does seem like a bit of a drag on playthroughs, to be fair). Regardless, it’s fair to say that on no few occasions, Village exhibits top-notch level design that is multilayered, interconnected, and engaging and rewarding to explore in all the ways that you would want from a Resident Evil title.

The action is also expanded on through meaningful, well thought out progression mechanics. The aforementioned Duke serves as a Merchant that Ethan routinely purchases weapons, resources, and upgrades from, while you can also scour your surroundings for different treasures that can also be sold, further encouraging players to properly explore.

Each upgrade or purchase you make feels valuable, not least because of the tight economy, and Village manages to maintain a strong sense of satisfying progression for the majority of the experience.  There’s also items to find around the village, allowing further progression. That, of course, makes exploring every nook and cranny of the village and the areas in its vicinity consistently rewarding, with plenty of optional quests, rewards, secrets, and more to be found.

There’s also plenty for players to dive into outside of the meaty 10-12 hour campaign. For starters, there are plenty of unlocks, like the Village of Shadows difficulty, while players can also dive into the Mercenaries mode, which is an absolute blast and boasts surprising replay value. Meanwhile, this being a Gold Edition re-release, on the Nintendo Switch 2, Resident Evil Village also comes with its post-launch expansion, Shadows of Rose, which focuses on Ethan’s daughter Rose several years after the base game’s events.

Shadows of Rose is quite experimental, and more than a bit clunky at times, but though it doesn’t match up to Village’s quality, it is still mostly worth the roughly three hours it demands from players. Meanwhile, the game also offers players the option to play the RE Village base game from a third person perspective- though I personally would not recommend it. Though it’s great that the developer chose to release a free third person mode for Village for those who might wish to play it that way, it’s no secret that the mode is more than a clunky, and definitely not the best way to play the game- which isn’t surprising, given that the game was designed entirely around first person.

"Visually, Resident Evil Village is, in no uncertain terms, a beast. That much was true when the game launched in 2021, and it is still very much true today."

Visually, Resident Evil Village is, in no uncertain terms, a beast. That much was true when the game launched in 2021, and it is still very much true today. Of course, you shouldn’t go into its Switch 2 port expecting it to look as good as, say, the PS5 version, but though it’s a little rougher around the edges, it is still an absolute looker.

The game does admittedly suffer from some slight performance issues on the Switch 2, however- though it maintains a solid 60 FPS in most of the indoor environments, when you’re in an outdoor location (like the main village itself) or in particularly hectic and busy combat situations with a lot of enemies and explosives involved, you will start to notice some frame rate dips. Thankfully, they’re not major drops, and the game still remains perfectly playable even at the worst of times, but the action isn’t as smooth as it is on other platforms.

Ethan Winters’ final chapter (so far) is one of Resident Evil’s highlights, especially in recent years, and a must-play for Switch 2 owners who enjoy good survival horror and thrilling action.

This game was reviewed on the Nintendo Switch 2.