The Finals

Embark Studios' multiplayer shooter dazzles in the moment, but its AI voices are symptomatic of a broader issue with artistic vision.

A multiplayer first-person shooter in which teams of three fight to capture cash boxes in fully destructible levels, with plentiful parkour and movement abilities.

THE FINALS is some of the most fun I’ve had with a first-person shooter in years. The impressive technology that enables real-time destruction on such a scale creates a playground that’s joyous to experiment with and rewards creativity.

The Finals is the kind of game that you play when you want to live an action film. You’ll most definitely find a playstyle you like in one or more of the three classes. While there are too many factors outside of player control to consider this a truly high-level competitive game, it sure is a fun time. That being said, if you’ve been disappointed by recent FPS titles, then try The Finals for some...

The current state of PvP shooters is pretty underwhelming. Whilst games like Counter-Strike 2 and Halo Infinite are genuinely exciting, they also don’t bring anything new to the table. Instead, every game wants to break into that battle royale or extraction shooter gameplay loop. There’s very little experimentation or attempts to be fun; just look at the abomination that is Call of Duty Modern War...

The Finals mixes solid shooting with dynamic destruction and game-show-infused presentation to create a thrillingly chaotic concoction.

THE FINALS has room to improve, but it shines in all the ways that matter. If you're keen on a new first-person shooter that mixes chaos with strategy in a sleek package, it's worth a look.

With loadouts to assemble and coordinated teams laughing to the bank, every breath of The Finals’ destruction does justice to its game show ambitions.

If you’ve played a Battlefield game any time recently, you’re probably aware of the environmental destruction in them. It’s an aspect of the shooter genre the Battlefield franchise has decided to hone in on more than its competitors, and as a result, it has become one of the reasons why you might want to play Battlefield over, say, Call of Duty. But for some of the developers at DICE, it never wen...