The future of MultiVersus remains to be seen, but if it is aspiring to become a go-to fighting game for both offline and online gatherings, nothing spoils the party more than the free-to-play shell it’s encased in. This model might make it more accessible to players in the short term, but when it’s weighing down the overall experience like this, it’s hard not to see history repeating itself sooner or later – even if you can butcher Shaggy with a machete.
MultiVersus has some shortcomings; stages feel uninspired and the controls don’t feel quite as tactile or satisfying compared to Nintendo’s fighting king, but this is an impressive foundation for what could become a genuine competitor.
An ill-conceived attempt at bringing competitive deathmatch to Resident Evil, that has turned out to be just as terrible as everyone always assumed it would be.
A perfunctory kart racing spin-off that has a few unique charms but falls well short of its far superior competition.
An ambitious magic-themed shooter which, despite its impressive, flashy combat, buckles under the weight of its influences and slapdash execution.
An uninspired retread of Resident Evil Village's best moments, which squanders the opportunity to experiment or provide a hint about the franchise's future.
[A]s a whole, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash feels like a rushed Christmas pick-up after the incredible fan-service of Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart 8.
An affectionately crafted prequel to The Expanse which, while worthwhile for fans, fails to evolve Telltale's tired gameplay design in any meaningful manner.
A sleek skating hybrid with plenty of compelling ideas and some stylish presentation, but the longer it goes on the more frustrating it becomes.
An occasionally spectacular follow-up to one of the best action platformers of the last few years, which unfortunately dilutes some of its appeal by shooting for a wider audience.
A surprisingly lean and mean sequel which amplifies the bloody thrills of the original through its impressive presentation and flexible mechanics.
A fantasy musical adventure which has big laughs to match its big heart, while being built around charming, if shallow, gameplay mechanics.
The best and most balanced Mario Strikers title yet, undercut by limited modes and a lacklustre sense of progression.
An appealing riff on the Pokémon role-playing formula which, while a little too safe, has enough small deviations and improvements to justify its existence.
An admirable refresh of a cult classic, with excellent presentation and thoughtfully implemented new mechanics, but it's held back by its reluctance to modernise in other areas.
Probably the best ever use of the Jurassic Park licence in a video game, marred by repetition and exploitable systems.
A surprisingly deep and customisable role-player, wrapped in an enjoyable but unremarkable episode of South Park.
A successful evolution of Yakuza: Like A Dragon, which makes great use of its Hawaiian setting and an almost endless array of distractions and mini-games.
A stylish replication of survival horror's roots, which manages to capture and refresh the unsettling horrors of the genre's 90s origins.
An absorbing mix of tabletop inspirations and sci-fi storytelling, that makes for one of the most unique and well-written games of the year.