What was the worst PC launch of last year? There’s no shortage of possible answers, everything from Monster Hunter Wilds’ no good, very bad PC performance, to whatever the hell happened with MindsEye. But allow me to nominate another contender for 2025’s most infamous award. The Bazaar is a charming, colourful auto-battler that, when it…
James Bentley, hardware writer (Image credit: Future) This week I’ve been: Continuing to exercise in VR, and playing The Seance of Blake Manor. I don’t think anyone would challenge me on the assertion that ‘ergonomic keyboards look a little weird’. However, that’s not the thing that has kept me away from them for, well, ever….
Sometimes in life, you just need to climb in a big helicopter and blow stuff up from an isometric perspective. Some people (me) might even say it’s an essential part of the human experience. Yet this foundational tier on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs has been cruelly denied humanity for decades. Fortunately, thousands of players are…
Tactical Breach Wizards, the fantasy turn-based tactical strategy about busting down doors with a team of Navy Seers and Necro Medics, is an excellent game. But did you know it is also an award losing game? Since its launch in 2024, Tactical Breach Wizards has not only enjoyed commercial success and near-universal critical acclaim, but…
It happens multiple times a week in online fantasy reader circles: Someone says they’re new to fantasy, or a former avid reader returning as an adult, or otherwise looking to join the space by asking what they should read first. The answer that fantasy fans love to give, inevitably, is The Hobbit. I see it…
War never changes. When Skyrim featured in the Switch reveal trailer back in 2016, it was a statement of intent for the system. This was a big title in every sense of the word, and for the first time, Nintendo-only console owners could step into a Bethesda RPG and take it on the go, too….
Metal Gear Solid 5 famously released in two highly disproportionate parts, with its short (but highly replayable) prologue Ground Zeroes releasing roughly a year before the full-fat Phantom Pain. This has always struck me as an odd decision. Prior to Ground Zeroes’ release, Hideo Kojima claimed he split off the prologue because he wanted to…
Deciding to destroy or release Elpis in Resident Evil Requiem determines which ending you get, and so if you’re here and aren’t near the end yet, begone! I don’t want to spoil it for you, so please stop reading now. However, if you’re at the pivotal decision and want to know what the different outcomes…
BioShock 2 was a bold follow-up to Irrational Games’ 2007 FPS, putting you in the lead-weighted shoes of a Big Daddy and flipping its objectivist critique on its head. But 2K Marin’s sequel may have been bolder still if some of its developers had their way on the project. Early plans for the sequel included…
Gotta get physical. Released in 2020, Blaze’s Evercade platform is a totally unique proposition in modern-day retro gaming. The Evercade line – which currently consists of the original handheld, the Evercade VS and the Evercade EXP – offers access to decades of vintage gaming history via a series of officially-licensed and curated cartridges covering the…