Author: David Carter

Let’s be upfront: Code Violet is a bad game. No shame if you were drawn in by its attractive protagonist and flashy trailers featuring dinosaur battles, but if you’re looking for a strong story, memorable characters, or tense action-horror gameplay, this space-station adventure falls flat. What you actually get is clunky third-person shooting, dull level design, and technical issues that make navigating the futuristic bloodbath feel frustratingly outdated. The story leans heavily on science-fiction clichés, blending far-future space colonization, genetic modification, and a “final girl” survival premise. While some side stories and journal entries scattered across the wreckage are somewhat…

Intelligent, stylish, and unapologetically hands-off, Routine ranks among the most terrifying — and occasionally maddening — horror games I’ve encountered in a long time. Bold and merciless, it’s a masterclass in “show, don’t tell” horror that unsettled me far more than I expected… and that’s saying something coming from a seasoned horror fan. Every sense is on constant high alert. My ears strain for the faintest footstep or the hum of electronics. My eyes scan the shadows for potential hiding spots. My hands — permanently cramped from gripping the controller so tightly — throb with tension. And yes, I can…

Destiny has long been the “we’ve got Star Wars at home” of looter shooters, and with Destiny 2: Renegades, Bungie has leaned into that idea head-on with a crossover expansion. Surprisingly, it mostly works! Renegades doesn’t fix many of Destiny 2’s persistent issues—like its year-long stasis reminiscent of the MCU post-Endgame—but embracing the over-the-top drama and cheesiness of Star Wars injects a refreshing change of pace into an otherwise predictable universe. The story is undeniably corny and derivative, and the new grindable activity starts to feel thin before the tale concludes, yet the new mechanics, vehicles, and weapons are compelling…

On April 3, 2006, millions of digital horses donned armor, and gamers experienced what would later be called a “microtransaction.” Those who survived this era were soon confronted with new gaming nightmares: season passes, live service models, always-online single-player, loot boxes, pay-to-win mechanics, and rushed “ship-now-fix-later” updates. The team behind Terminator 2D: No Fate, Bitmap Bureau, has clearly seen this future—and they aren’t fans. Their game is a deliberately nostalgic sidescroller, designed to transport players straight back to the 16-bit era of the ’90s, recreating the ultimate T2 experience we never got. Short by today’s standards but overflowing with love…

Depending on who you ask, beat ’em ups are either mindless, button-spamming quarter eaters or surprisingly elegant games built around mastering combat. I’m firmly in that second group. The real challenge is getting people who don’t share that obsession to care. How do you invite them onto that path? Absolum tried earlier this year by blending a rock-solid beat ’em up with an average roguelite. Tribute Games goes another way. Drawing inspiration from classic Marvel vs. Capcom fighters, the team behind Shredder’s Revenge poses a bold idea: what if a beat ’em up worked as a tag system where you…

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond strives to be so many different things. It felt like the weakest Prime at times, while at other times I believed it might be the strongest since the first. An antiquated open-world hub connects stunning places that masterfully relive the original first-person exploration and lock-on shooting the series is known for. Even a crotchety Metroid fan like myself eventually warmed up to the talkative companions’ delightful personalities and memorable plot moments, even though they drop a few too many clues and one-liners. And, happily, Retro Studios still mainly recognizes it’s necessary to give Samus her alone…

I adore Kirby Air Riders because it’s so strange. This surprising follow-up to a specialized, single-button GameCube racing takes a big step forward. The difference between Air Riders on the GameCube and Air Riders on the Switch 2 is so great that it’s like going directly from Smash 64 to Ultimate without any sequels. It is difficult to envision a greater implementation of this concept because of its vast array of diverse material, significant unlockables, extensive customization, and unparalleled attention to detail. The problem is that that formula just isn’t as powerful as Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros. A…

I’ve come to appreciate the process as a fan of fighting games. spending a lot of time in training mode studying the timing of button presses that are committed to memory in the hopes that the practice will pay off when it matters most. This may be the reason why I found Forestrike, a 2D martial arts-inspired roguelite that allows you to prepare your strategy before actually engaging in fight, to be so alluring. By combining straightforward hand-to-hand fighting with deft moments of leveraging your surroundings to your advantage, turning an enemy’s weapon against them, or creating friendly fire with…

Anno 117: Pax Romana makes me happy and proud of my city as the sun rises on the cobblestone market street that rises from busy ports on the colorful Mediterranean waters to the new forum high on the hill above. It took a while, but after arriving somewhat late and at an awkward moment with 2205, I feel like I’ve finally connected with this series that I’ve had a somewhat difficult connection with. Though brilliant mechanics for trade, naval warfare, and the blending of cultures offer opportunities to right the ship, its complicated economics can still seem to wobble wildly…

When Battlefield REDSEC, the finest mode in Battlefield 6’s battle royale-focused spin-off, isn’t a battle royale at all, you know something wasn’t quite right. Although REDSEC borrows ideas from past military battle royales that are more grounded, it doesn’t significantly alter what has already been successful. The otherwise thrilling multiplayer’s destructible environments and potent vehicles seem like a perfect fit for this genre, but REDSEC’s comparatively shallow execution hasn’t captured my attention the way Fortnite’s cartoonish chaos and thrilling events did, nor has it distinguished itself from games like PUBG or Call of Duty: Warzone. The squad-based, elimination-driven Gauntlet mode,…