IGN

• PS4
• XONE
• PC
• PS5
• XSX/S
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

Dead Island 2 is a hysterical Los Angeles-infused satire that does most things well enough, but feels like a stroll down the Walk of Fame of celebrated zombie games I’ve already played without adding many new ideas of its own. In fact, aside from the stellar comedy bits, I can think of very few things that Dead Island 2 does better than last year’s Dying Light 2. Still, if you’ve ever wanted to put your Wolverine claws straight through a zombie’s face or knock someone’s head off with a golf club, Dead Island 2’s got you. Its bloodsoaked melee combat and memorable characters are a lot of fun, especially when accompanied by friends in co-op multiplayer. The somewhat generic crafting weapons and upgrading your skills as you lay waste to armies of spray-tanned undead is entertaining enough on its own, but the strong writing and completely irreverent tone are the true stars of the show.

• PC
• SWITCH
• PS4
• XONE
• PS5
• XSX/S
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

Dredge erupted out of the left field as 2023’s most unforgettably creepy fishing simulator. Without spoiling anything, its slow dive into Lovecraftian horror intermingles with subtle elements of seabound thrillers like Jaws and Moby Dick, and yet despite its twists, its fishing and sailing mechanics are simple enough to be relaxing – just as long as you don’t stay out past dark. Its colorful graphics, intelligent story, and seafaring sound design are alluring, but calling it a management sim betrays how simple and approachable it is. Though it still may not excite anyone in search of abyssal depths, its world map, upgrade tree, and story offer more than enough interesting decisions of their own to make a 12-hour fishing expedition feel concise. At the same time, a lack of combat and meaningful customization give little weight to its excessive grinding, and these are clear opportunities for improvement on the next voyage.

• PC
• PS4
• PS5
• SWITCH
• XONE
• XSX/S
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS5
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shores DLC is a worthwhile addition to this acclaimed action-heavy sci-fi series. Fun new challenges and enemies are introduced and cool new ways to dispatch them are presented with regularity. The story is more concerned with developing character than it is working towards dealing with the imminent world-ending threat, and it’s Aloy at her most personal and believable yet. A couple of poor boss battles aside, it’s a great new chapter with enough creative new bells and whistles to keep fans more than happy.

• SWITCH
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

With nicely redone graphics and excellent music bringing the classic turn-based tactical action up to modern standards, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a great return for this long-neglected series and gives me hope for a follow-up that includes the DS games. While there isn’t much variety in the game modes, Advance Wars’ depth comes from the number of variables you can adjust to make every match feel unique. The biggest miss is the lack of multiplayer matchmaking, which makes it harder to get into a game than it ought to be in 2023, but at least you can play online. Playing against the AI will keep me interested in the short term, but I predict the inability to play against random opponents online will limit my spontaneous play sessions. However, the sheer number of maps, playable COs, and options for each match means that when I do, it's sure to be a unique experience.

• PS5
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

The Mageseeker: A League of Legends story is another solid example of Riot Forge partnering with talented developers to bring League’s rich list of champions to life in new genres to showcase more sides of their characters. The story goes to some interesting places after a slow start, picking up steam in the second half and leading to a momentous finale. Levels are fairly straightforward and could have benefitted from additional content, like optional puzzles or bonus objectives, but the bosses and variety of abilities is enough to keep you on your toes despite some of the repetition.

• PC
• XONE
• XSX/S
• PS4
• PS5
• SWITCH
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

Minecraft Legends is an engaging strategy game that does a great job streamlining a notoriously complex genre without sacrificing the ever-important element of choice and consequence. That said, some genre staples like assigning custom groups of units are casualties of this simplification, which is too bad because it does limit your strategic options a bit in the heat of battle. But Legends uses other recognizable elements like its worker unit Allays to great effect, and it nails the iconic Minecraft aesthetic with some of the best looking blocks around. The difficulty curve does have the potential to make the late game frustrating, but stellar cooperative and PVP play still make this RTS very worthwhile.

• IOS
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

There is a devilishly fun roguelite hiding in Mighty Doom, but the way it’s been buried under all the most egregious money-making schemes in mobile gaming is hugely disappointing. I enjoyed the first few hours, when monsters posed an entertaining challenge I could satisfyingly overcome, and I would probably be happy to recommend it if Bethesda had balanced all nine levels to match. But it’s not long before a super-powered difficulty spike meant my Slayer’s defense and damage output just couldn’t keep up — at least, not without opening my wallet. Even when you do, this invisible paywall and the free-to-play speed bumps that accompany it turn Mighty Doom into a teeth-grindingly frustrating experience that made me want to delete the app entirely rather than pay to upgrade my Slayer enough to progress.

• PC
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

I feel so divided when it comes to passing final judgment on The Great War: Western Front. It's a conflict I find fascinating and one that rarely gets to shine so authentically in a strategy game. But I can't get past the fact that portraying the war with accuracy doesn't always translate into a good time. There's too much repetitiveness fighting over the same stretch of countryside with the same basic game plan. And it's easy to feel bogged down when you might go several turns without any significant changes in the overall situation, with a successful offensive in one area completely offset by enemy momentum somewhere else. Still, I enjoyed the experience overall. It wouldn't really be World War I without these elements, and I think I'd rather play through this conflict mud, guts, and all than see it gamified and sped up to the point that it's unrecognizable.

• PS4
• PS5
• SWITCH
• XONE
• XSX/S
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

After a somewhat disappointing 2022, it’s amazing how far forward Sony San Diego has pushed MLB The Show 23. It seems like every element has received attention, whether its the improved scouting in the Franchise mode, updates to match the current MLB rulebook, or a vastly more helpful practice mode. This remains a gorgeous showcase for baseball, with some of the most lifelike sights and sounds to behold in a sports game. It remains to be seen if Sets and Seasons in Diamond Dynasty will frustrate in the long run, but the crowning achievement this year is the Negro Leagues mode. This playable piece of baseball history is a triumph, presented with care, grace, and attention to detail. It’s courageous and bold, like the pioneers it highlights, and it’s astonishing to experience something so affecting from a baseball game. If for nothing else, that alone makes MLB The Show 23 a must-play.

• PC
• PS5
• XSX/S
• PS4
• 10 / 10
• États-Unis

Whether you're a fan of the original or a newcomer with a hankering for some action-heavy horror of the highest quality, Resident Evil 4 is like a parasite-riddled Spaniard: a total no-brainer. Its combat is friction-free but no less stress-inducing thanks to its ferocious cast of creatures, its story rapidly shuttles through a series of action scenes that are diverse in structure but uniformly unwavering in intensity, and its world is rich in detail and full of fun and often snarling surprises. Its improvements over the original are too numerous to list, from simple quality of life changes to completely overhauled boss fight mechanics, and with the exception of the disappointingly diminished personality of the merchant, the team at Capcom has barely put a foot wrong. Whaddaya buying? Only the most relentlessly exciting Resident Evil adventure of all time that’s been rebuilt, refined, and realised to the full limits of its enormous potential. A wise choice, mate.

• PS5
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

It sucks that Chapter 2 on the PlayStation VR2 is still unacceptably janky despite major performance and graphical improvements, but when its bugs aren’t driving me to quit in anger, its moment-to-moment action is undeniably improved over the stealth-oriented original. Moreover, the PS VR2’s impressive detail, haptic feedback, and all-new dynamic lighting systems mixed with the low black point of the headset’s OLED panels give way to a spooky atmosphere that transports me directly into the zombie apocalypse, making it well worth the hassle.

• PS5
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR is a fun on-rails arcade shooter, even if it’s one that takes less than a day to complete. It’s also one of the first games in the PS VR2’s library to really take advantage of the headset’s eye-tracking tech in an interesting and exciting way. However, the lack of scares, weak story, and occasional performance issues keep it from being a must-buy for PS VR2 early adopters.

• PC
• PS4
• PS5
• XONE
• XSX/S
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

Whether you want to experience a TV-inspired story of young wrestling talent rising to glory, chop your way to the top at your leisure, take a guided tour of the most humbling moments in the career of one of the greatest to ever do it, or some other more nerdy diversion, WWE 2K23 is worth pinning down. It’s at least incrementally better in almost every way from last year’s entry in that combat feels more rewarding, flexible, and consequential. Where it overachieves, like in MyGM, it starts to finally restore the feeling that we could be on the ramp watching a new golden age of pro wrestling games make its glorious entrance.

• SWITCH
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

You know you’ve just played something special when you’re left with a bittersweet feeling while the credits roll. As I closed the book on Bayonetta Origins, I kept thinking about how it was an absolute joy through and through. From its impressive, fantastical story moments full of childlike charm to its clever platforming puzzles and satisfying battles, this is a superb action-adventure where every piece comes together to create a wondrous playable storybook. Its wild dual-character concept doesn’t really evolve much once you get the hang of it, and maybe its conclusion could have done more to leave a lasting impact. But it’s a journey I’ll cherish all the same, and one that’s been brought to life through a beautiful art style, stellar voice performances, and an outstanding soundtrack. Bayonetta Origins puts a neat little bow on an iconic franchise, and I’m glad we got to see that there was so much more to our beloved witch.

• XSX/S
• PC
• XONE
• PS4
• PS5
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty’s combat plays very differently from Team Ninja’s own Nioh games – more in the mold of Sekiro than Dark Souls – and yet it manages to excel and falter in just about the same areas. When it comes to the clashing of melee weapons, Wo Long is among the best in the genre, full stop. Its action is fast and thrilling, the options for taking down its ferocious enemies are many and immensely rewarding to master, and its deflection-heavy combat is one of the most satisfying since Sekiro. All of those strengths outweigh an overbearing loot system, poor storytelling, and even a disappointing lack of variety in enemies. If not for that, Wo Long might’ve been one of Team Ninja’s greatest achievements – as it is, it’s simply a great one.

• PS5
• XSX/S
• XONE
• PC
• PS4
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

Scars Above shows a lot of potential in its third-person shooting, fun elemental reactions, and a good number of creatures to experiment with. The thrill of setting out to discover a new alien world is short-lived, however, due to the weapons and gadgets in your arsenal quickly growing so powerful that nothing poses a threat. And while there are a few excellent environments to explore, everything within them – the characters, story, and universe – feel weak and underdeveloped, giving you few reasons to stop and smell the alien roses once you’ve blasted your way through.

• PC
• PS4
• PS5
• XONE
• XSX/S
• 6 / 10
• États-Unis

Destiny 2: Lightfall is a disappointing expansion with a campaign that falls flat on its face, an underwhelming new destination, and only a few new standout activities to take on. That said, Strand and the new Tormentor enemy are fantastic new additions to the sandbox, some of the endgame activities and added difficulty make for a sweaty, memorable time, and per usual, the raid is a complete blast (even if it isn’t their best). No doubt Lightfall’s shortcomings are made more painful by immediately following The Witch Queen and its strong post-launch updates, which felt like Destiny 2 had finally overcome its storytelling woes and charted out a promising future for itself. After playing Lightfall, perhaps too fittingly given its name, that future doesn’t look quite as bright.