“[Directly] addresses the problems with Fallen Order, as the world of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor feels lived in. Sure, most of these interactions don’t impact the game in any meaningful way, but simply having more opportunities to talk to people makes Survivor richer. They also embellish the central story that goes in circles, and the characters in them are infinitely more interesting than our plain protagonist.”

“Drawing from the refined toolkit that powered Batman: Arkham and Marvel’s Spider-Man, WB Games Montréal has produced a cookie-cutter superhero experience that’s not looking to push any boundaries. It’s got flair in parts, an attempt to do a bit of heartfelt storytelling, and limited ideas for what an open-world Gotham can be. But it’s also lacking charm, the oomph and drive to its narrative, and the desire to be something special. Gotham Knights is a cash grab in the era of superheroes—and nothing more.”

“[A] night and day difference here, something you can only realise when put the original and the remake side by side. As I did. Loading up The Last of Us Remastered on a PS4 Pro … I discovered that the environments, their lighting, and the shadows seem rudimentary in comparison. And that’s saying something, considering the PS4 Pro Remastered variant claimed to offer ‘high-quality shadows’ at 4K resolution.”

“[A] lot of the right ingredients but it’s let down by the pitfalls of AAA game design. Too often now, big event games are conflated with how much they offer and how long they last. [… Studios] feel pressured to give players a lot to do if they are forking over so much money. That is an unnecessary and unfortunate correlation, one that is holding back games such as Horizon Forbidden West from being tight experiences that don’t feel the need to pad things out.”

“[Not] a great game. It often retreads what have become Ubisoft clichés. But at times, it’s a really fun game. Far Cry 6 has moments of genuine inspiration where its combination of tropical paradise, co-op support, and new ideas fuse together to deliver something memorable. But between those admittedly enjoyable adventures, Far Cry 6 will also make you do a series of things that aren’t too different from one another. That sameness is pervasive.”

“[By-the-numbers] 3D action-adventure game. It might look like a modern Zelda game but doesn’t play like one. It’s largely just a series of arena-based combat routines, stitched together by long stretches of traversal, and cutscenes that are well-designed but feel like a forgotten Hollywood B-movie. Too often, Kena: Bridge of Spirits reminds you of better games you’ve played and that it’s borrowing from—which is not a good sign.”

“[Between] Sony and Microsoft’s next-gen console offerings, which one is the best choice? The short answer is that there isn’t an obvious winner. That’s why I decided to compare them across the board. It’s all in the video. I talk about games, from what’s available right now … to what’s coming up. How the games perform. The varying strategies to sell those games. How the two new controllers shape up. The problems with storage. And the unique features they offer.”

“There’s nothing too special about anything that Cyberpunk 2077 offers; nothing especially that deserves the amount of hype and attention that has been cast in its direction. But what makes it all the more disappointing is the terrible package it’s being offered in. […] It is entirely unacceptable that performance on current-gen consoles is so poor, despite several release date delays. […] Not a single soul should have to pay full price for this debacle. At least not until the developer proves that it’s fixed everything.”

“[Lacking] in originality but thankfully built on a solid core that needs a few tweaks. It’s a successful expansion of Insomniac’s Spider-Man universe, but it’s a new paragraph, rather than a new chapter. Hopefully it will give us the latter next time around. And though it’s also good for representation, it still has a ways to go. […] For now, Miles [Morales] continues his upward trajectory. He walked in 2018, so he could fly in 2020.”

“[Half-baked] in every respect. The updated story is handled better but still suffers from some glaring gaps. The improved visuals aren’t up to 2020 standards—and oh, they are just a façade. There are new combat mechanics but they don’t do enough to lift the shooting bits. Mafia: Definitive Edition is crying out for a stronger hand at the wheel and a deeper rethink, for in its current state, it’s oblivious of the fact that it’s been 18 years since the original.”

“[Nowhere] as annoying as the problems with combat though. If you can look past the latter—and it’s not easy—you’ll find a story that’s largely well done, especially when it comes to Kamala [Khan]’s role in it. Its best moments are the narrative interludes, be it the early fun, charming, and giddy moments she shares with the Avengers or the quiet moments, like the time she drinks a giant cola, plays with a Hulk bobble head toy figure, and puts on a pop song on the radio in Bruce [Banner]’s car.”

“[Builds] off the much-acclaimed story from the original and expands on previously-established themes, most of them stemming from the cycle of violence keeps repeating. That includes familial bonds, religious intolerance and fanaticism, and confusing revenge with justice. Through it, The Last of Us 2 subverts expectations and forces you to reckon with the actions of the characters you’ve come to feel for. In some ways, it’s similar to Black Panther.”

“In PES 2020, defenders still charge like homing missiles, aren’t interested in tracking forward runs, and tend to get caught on the ball themselves. It’s almost as if the developers are content with the current state of affairs. That said, there are attempts elsewhere—though the results are decidedly mixed.”

“That said, there are aspects of the game that don’t need that kind of money to be made better—be it gameplay that’s stuck in a weird balance of realism and arcade-y fun, the nonsensical transfers or the lacklustre presentation—but it’s starting to feel like PES might have conceded one too many.”

“[The] real beauty of the prequel story … is in its writing, be it the emotional depth it affords all its characters (even the supporting cast), the rushed yet touching portrayal of queer teenage romance, as two girls open up about their feelings, or the way it talks about grief over losing a loved one, and exploring how it embeds itself in nearly everything you face.”

“[Still] a lot to admire here, especially the attention to sound design—from the satisfying clink of the cuffs every time you apprehend an offender, the patter of rain on windows and the windows themselves being drawn, and the jazz offering that accompanies and soothes you as you try to put an end to gruesome happenings. Unfortunately, once those turn into background wallpaper, the omissions only hurt more.”

“Don’t let the pretty family-friendly exterior of Mario + Rabbids fool you, this is a game that will have you pondering on how to best execute every turn without putting your characters in harm’s way, or risk having to restart all over again a dozen turns in.”

“[A] truly engaging experience when you’re out on the battlefield, and playing mind-games with your opponents. It goes beyond its contemporaries by adding depth to combat in a way that feels true to reality. But all of its niceties threaten to be overshadowed by the poor taste of the non-playable elements, which seem to be becoming a bit of norm with top-tier video games.”

“Much of what the game shows or talks about has been discussed elsewhere in the past. That too in a better fashion […] Nevertheless, it’s present here in a well-packaged puzzle entry that is by no means revolutionary, but still manages to do enough to not come across as a poor rehash. Helped by terrific voice acting and accompanied by a tense soundtrack, The Turing Test is an admirable effort.”

“Where the previous Total War instalments have tried their best to faithfully recreate 15th century Japan or 200 BCE Rome, Warhammer‘s setting is a love letter to the devotees who painstakingly create miniature figures, infused into a game that combines high strategy and micro-management.”

“Both FIFA and PES are annual releases and [… by] now, they only tend to take small, evolutionary steps […] That is a combination of an insufficient development time stretching thinner over a hundred odd features and a focus on the more financially-rewarding online modes, such as Ultimate Team for FIFA and myClub for PES. With a reduced focus on offline play, the sense of progression you can get with the game without going online dwindles too.”