3 star games News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

There are precious few games set in turn-of-the-century Warsaw, and it’s one of several aspects with which distinguishes itself from the pack. This historical dark fantasy RPG is the sophomore release from Polish studio Fool’s Theory, whose 2017 cyberpunk action-RPG echoes the almost irresponsibly bold design decisions and ambitious intentions of their newest project. is a meaty, detailed exploration of Polish history and Western political progress, crafted around a worthy concept that is ultimately more interesting than just “Slavic .”

is a new crafting-centric RPG that marks the ' franchise's first foray into the cozy gaming world. The title is developed by Lazy Bear Games, which previously released life sim, and published by Riot Forge, a Riot Games subsidiary dedicated to exploring new genres within the universe. The game expands upon established ideas in satisfying ways, and takes its cozy concepts in a fairly unique direction through an eclectic blend of mechanics, but some sections of the game that drag hold it back from perfection.

is the newest fighting game from developer Arc System Works, joining a roster that not only includes its previous entry but also iconic fighting games like the series. It aims to build off the story and characters from the first title,, while also further refining and experimenting with the streamlined gameplay mechanics introduced in its predecessor and in. While it succeeds in a number of ways, suffers from an unengaging story mode and struggles to provide a satisfying rhythm to its combat, resulting in a whelming release in a roster of strong titles.

Expansion Pack adds versatile, foundational features that can be used to extremely creative ends, but a lack of cohesiveness in some areas and an epidemic of set pieces and rabbit holes hold it back from its full potential. isn't so much about outright new objectives and activities in the way DLC like or are; it instead focuses on introducing new frameworks that can be iterated upon, like the Clubs system of. Depending on a particular player's gameplay style, this may be a positive or a negative, and those who prefer more structured releases may find this one falls short.

Last year's rocking heavy metal rhythm shooter returns with the PurgatoryDLC and free roguelike Leviathan mode that is more hardcore than the game's catchy soundtrack. With additional weapons and a challenging new mode, feels more like a complete package that provides many more hours of fun beyond its short campaign.

The previous king of nail-biting FPS campaigns has proven it needs some time off from annual releases with 's campaign. Sledgehammer Games has helped develop many titles since 's original release on generation three consoles in 2011, but 2023's 's campaign fails to include exciting features to help it stand out.

Pulling a wand and down and readying it for action from its proton pack mount certainly feels like a confirmed return on the promise of VR. Long-running VR-focused studio nDreams’ new multiplayer co-op game incorporates snazzy versions of all the standard ghostbusting gear into a fine use of the license, with digestible short-stint missions that rarely overstay their welcome.

wants to be the strategy game to beat the band. It was developed by Nimble Giant Studios and published by Paradox Interactive, a publishing house with a reputation for wonderfully deep, complicated strategy games. Among its flagship properties, Paradox counts,, and, which ’s systems are based and built upon. And of course, it has the benefit of its branding. It's set in one of the most fascinating and popular eras of the series’ continuity, beginning in ’s 24th century and stretching far beyond.

is the latest VR release from developer and publisher Fast Travel Games. Players are thrown into the World of Darkness as they explore the various alleyways of Venice in this narrative RPG. Mastering stealthy movements and various powers will be key to surviving these dimly lit streets as a true creature of the night.

Riot Forge has been plenty busy with their creative expanded riffs on the heroes and culture of ’ lore. takes the wintry paired heroes into their own narrative platformer, with an all-ages adventurous journey through the snow-covered Freljord that explores some of the central motivations referenced in the characters’ bios.

has become something of a cult classic since its initial release in 2017, with its blend of walking sim, murder mystery, survival and classic adventure game building an interesting niche. The title certainly had some issues, with some obtuse puzzles and some raised eyebrows over the direction of its story, but it had fantastic atmosphere and a unique 1970s Quebec setting. Now, developer Parabole is back with , to revisit this story.

has a fairly solid track list and creative visuals, but microtransactions and lack of any real innovation from the previous year hold it back from being a truly exciting entry in the series. The long-running Ubisoft franchise has been around since 2009, and over the years has definitely received upgrades over time to its visuals, UI, and overall user experience. This latest edition keeps most of the same features players have come to expect from the series, but there have been no big leaps forward this time around.

Hot Wheels has been a part of the video game landscape since the 1980s, and these games have often helped give fans of the toy cars a chance to see their imaginations come to life. Most recently, took the franchise into gaming, and now developer Milestone is back with . As such, fans may well be expecting a step up from the previous entry.

It’s one hour deep into a station dive before things take a sharp turn for the worse. Every teammate’s weapon is suddenly subpar, the wrong doors were opened, wrong buffs deactivated, and the crabby little crystal bot’s already suffered a beating. In — a modern refresh of 2014’s one-of-a-kind roguelite hybrid — things often go from routine rut to restart in the blink of an eye. It’s a dynamic aligned with the title’s front loaded high-challenge proposition, but its peculiar game feel and rhythms risk alienating trigger-happy players who’d prefer to get meaningfully stronger and OP every step of the way.

is a mobile adaptation of the popular monster hunting franchise, and it's a simplified venture into a usually complex setting. Niantic, the developer most known for has created a similar AR game in collaboration with Capcom. This new addition to the lineup is an opportunity to make the game even more accessible to those who enjoy the convenience of mobile gaming.

Let's get this out of the way — is a solid game. As far as soccer simulators go, it's got the sort of graphical prowess you'd expect from a juggernaut like EA, alongside access to character models and club representations that make it a go-to for real-life fans of the sport. By all accounts, should this be someone's first experience with a soccer game over the past several years, they'd probably be outright amazed at the quality. If that's you — is a must-play.

is a video game based on an anime based on a video game series, which means it borrows elements from both, but feels more like the former than the latter. That being said, knowing a lot about the franchise or the anime (or manga) isn't really necessary for this experience. Featuring some of the iconic monsters and spells from, is more of an anime recap than a game, which is a bit unfortunate considering just how excellent the actual gameplay is.

brings a lot of new ideas to the farming and life simulation genre by virtue of its dinosaur-centric mechanics, but less than ideal graphics and lack of depth in some areas sometimes overshadows the game's good ideas. The title is developed by Italic Pig and will published by Modus Games, which has previously helped with releases like and. There are certainly elements of fun to be found in, but it's a game that can be hard to fully warm up to and be immersed in.