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Seven years after AdHoc Studio was founded by former Telltale Games, Ubisoft, and Night School developers, the studio has released its debut title. Dispatch is an original interactive narrative game that takes heavy inspiration from the games that made the genre a mainstay, and builds on them to deliver one of the best narrative experiences I’ve had in years.
With the third installment in the Jurassic World Evolution franchise, Frontier Developments has delivered the ultimate fantasy to Jurassic Park/World fans: the ability to build and fully customize your own dinosaur theme park. With all of its new features and changes to existing systems, I’m convinced that Jurassic World Evolution 3 is the pinnacle of this series.
Twelve years after the release of Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, we’re finally returning to the Kalos region with Pokemon Legends: Z-A. The newest entry in the mainline series and the second “Legends” title, PLZA (Pokemon Legends: Z-A) reinvents the core battling system of Pokemon and introduces a vibrant cast of new characters. It’s a refreshingly fun adventure that’s strongly enhanced by the power of the Nintendo Switch 2.
When an NFL player is entering the final year of their contract with a team, they have a tendency to overperform, going above and beyond their previous effort in an attempt to net themselves the best possible deal in the upcoming offseason. That's exactly the vibe I got from Madden NFL 26. I’m not here to speculate on the status of EA’s NFL rights deal, but to share that this year’s Madden was developed like the studio had something to prove, even if it doesn’t all land.
Drag x Drive was one of the more fascinating titles to be revealed during the Switch 2’s inaugural showcase. In theory, it’s deeply Nintendo—an offbeat sports title that takes advantage of a unique control scheme in a way no other video game does. Unfortunately, the final product feels like it exists solely to demonstrate the Switch 2’s new mouse controls, without much more to offer.
With the arrival of Donkey Kong: Bananza, Nintendo’s legendary gorilla is finally back in the spotlight for a new 3D platformer. This sprawling journey is rich with challenging platforming sequences, a plethora of unique enemies, and features that will alter the DNA of this franchise moving forward. Top it all off with a story full of heart, and you’ve got an excellent addition to the Switch 2’s young library.
I fell in love with the original Splitgate during a time I was yearning for a compelling FPS experience. Eventually, I grew bored of it and stopped playing, but Splitgate 2 was immediately on my radar. A sequel boasting technical improvements over the original game with the addition of highly-requested features and a mysterious new mode? Count me in. After spending time with it, Splitgate 2 is a good but not great shooter. One with a rock solid foundation, but can’t help but repeat the same mistakes as the franchises it tries to supplant.
I was admittedly skeptical when FBC: Firebreak was announced. It’s a pretty strong departure for Remedy Entertainment, a studio whose roots are firmly planted in cinematic, single-player games. With Firebreak aiming to put a co-op spin on the supernatural world of Control, I just wasn’t sure how they’d pull off a worthwhile experience. Well, they did. And they did it with two key components: a strong emphasis on cooperative play, and finding the fun in the mundane.
I was immediately intrigued by South of Midnight when it was revealed back in the summer of 2023. A dark fantasy set in the American Deep South that utilizes a stop motion animation stylization? I needed to know more. Having now experienced the game for myself, I’m most impressed by how South of Midnight handles the stories and characters of this deeply fascinating world.
The 2025 Major League Baseball season has begun and just a couple of weeks ago we got the latest installment in San Diego Studio’s baseball sim series. MLB The Show 25 not only continues the Negro Leagues for a third straight game, but it also makes meaningful improvements to Diamond Dynasty and Road to the Show.