Josh Cotts
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Those going into AI Limit with plenty of experience with Soulslike games should find it to be one of those titles that feels fundamentally generic and yet still fresh enough to remain on their mind after they've quit playing for the day. For those who are new to the Soulslike genre or only play it casually, AI Limit leans more on the accessible side of things with its gameplay, while still ensuring that accessibility is balanced out fairly well with innovative mechanics and challenging combat. AI Limit's shining stars, however, are its visuals, worldbuilding, and atmosphere — all of which contribute to an immersive Soulslike experience that's hard to forget after the credits roll.
On the surface, Atomfall looks fantastic and has some really great ideas. In fact, it's one of the best-looking games in recent memory and it's hard not to appreciate the ambition. However, despite its captivating exoskeleton and noble intentions, the glaring problem is that most of Atomfall's best ideas are overshadowed by frustrating game design and needless mechanical roadblocks. At the end of a 30-hour playthrough, the game stands out photographically but isn't ultimately memorable.
At first glance, and even after spending dozens of hours with it, there's no denying that Avowed has all the right ingredients for a great fantasy RPG with real depth and charm. Unfortunately, it ultimately feels like those ingredients haven't been cooked long enough, as what is served up feels rushed. If this is what the game intended to achieve, that would be a different story. However, it's all too clear what Avowed wants to do, which is what makes its failure to reach the heights of its own self-defined potential all the more disappointing. What Avowed does get right makes the journey worth having, but that journey largely takes place on a one-way road that doesn't do much to call players back to it in the end.
For those who appreciate RPGs that lean into simulation rather than spectacle, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a standout experience — one that is best approached with patience and an eagerness to embrace its historical authenticity and realism. It may not cater to every type of player, but for those willing to engage with its systems, it delivers one of the most satisfying and immersive role-playing experiences in recent memory. With its stunning visuals, refined gameplay mechanics, and a gripping continuation of Henry's journey, KCD2 cements itself as one of the most compelling RPGs of the year, regardless of what may come after it.
For Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 to be judged rightly, it needs to be seen for what it is rather than what it is not. It's not an epic fantasy RPG like Dragon's Dogma 2 or The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim; it's essentially a narrative-driven medieval sim meant to immerse players in the history and world of that period, all while telling its own story. What some may define as limitations are simply the boundaries of realism that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has voluntarily enclosed itself in to produce a more authentic role-playing experience than most modern RPGs provide. When examined through that lens, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is exactly what it aims to be, and that's arguably all that it needs to be. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is, without a doubt, one of the first great games of 2025.
Since I began my journey into the Zone, my relationship with Stalker 2 has been a bit of a roller coaster. My first ten or so hours with the game were largely riddled with immersion-breaking bugs, unconvincing vocal performances, and occasional moments of panic as Stalker 2 threw way too many things at me at once. However, while some of these issues persisted, the deeper I ventured into the game, the more I settled into its sporadic awkwardness, and the more I began to appreciate its unique experience. At the end of it all, I've concluded that Stalker 2 is an experience worth having, with one of the most immersive post-apocalyptic open worlds I've ever explored, an unprecedented amount of player power, and gameplay that is rewarding enough for the challenge it poses.
The Rise of the Golden Idol is the sequel to Color Gray Games' The Case of the Golden Idol, and it feels poised to make some kind of appearance at the Game Awards this year, given all that it offers. As a standalone sequel, even those who never played the first Golden Idol can follow its story, although playing the first game beforehand might help players to see all the improvements the sequel has made to the now-franchise's formula. With some incredibly challenging puzzles to solve and one of the most shocking, disturbing, and atmospheric stories I've seen unfold in quite some time, The Rise of the Golden Idol might be the shot in the arm its genre needs to rise again.