IGN

• PS4
• 8.2 / 10
• États-Unis

Although I wish there was more depth to its detective work, Judgment’s smooth and spectacular street fighting, eclectic array of side activities, and suspenseful serial killer-based plot makes for the best original Yakuza game of this console generation. With its high-quality English-language dub and all-new cast of characters, it’s also the most approachable for newcomers. Provided you’re happy to serve justice with the swing of a sledgehammer rather than the knock of a gavel, Judgment is well worth investigating.

• IOS
• ANDROID
• 6.7 / 10
• États-Unis

I’m a bit confounded after my time with Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. I’ve definitely been enjoying the daily grind of hunting down Foundables, and the many goals, pools of experience points, and options add variety to an experience that has grown quite stale to me in other games. And yet, it does such a poor job of initially introducing you to all these aspects, or giving you a sense of how to prioritize them, that it often left me uncertain if I was doing it wrong. Adding onto that the quick collectible ceiling I ran into, the lack of meaningful customization, and a lack of meaningful ways to interact with other players who aren’t physically there at the moment, and I’m worried about the longevity of this walking RPG. Wizards Unite has been a fun, small dose of magic in my daily life for a week, and I plan to continue dipping into the wizarding world each day for the foreseeable future, but other than throwing a bubble around a troll, I’m not sure how engaging all of these mechanics will remain in the long run.

• SWITCH
• 8.8 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS4
• XONE
• PC
• STADIA
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• 8.7 / 10
• États-Unis

• PC
• XONE
• PS4
• 8.4 / 10
• États-Unis

Outer Wilds’ tricky exploration and puzzle solving is definitely an acquired taste. Its very specific brand of active storytelling differs wildly from highly guided open-worlds that many of us think of when we talk about non-linear gameplay. Though it can be confounding at times when events don’t unfold in precisely the right way, the feeling of discovering something new about the story, or following a couple of facts to something totally unexpected on a faraway planet far outweighs those hiccups.

• PS4
• SWITCH
• XONE
• PC
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS4
• 8.7 / 10
• États-Unis

Blood & Truth’s intense shooting action made me feel as cool as its characters, immersing me in its world even as its limited movement did its best to remind me I wasn’t in full control. Yes, it traffics in heist movie tropes, but it’s got a strong cast that pulled me into and along its fairly predictable story that I came to be invested in quite quickly. Some levels have multiple paths to encourage replayability, along with collectibles and time-attack challenges, but the sheer joy Blood & Truth left me with on the first playthrough was incentive enough to replay it alone. London Studio’s sheer attention to detail, the sense of joy instilled in me, and the promise of an action movie I could experience firsthand come together for one fantastic experience and, hopefully, a solid foundation for many more to come.

• PS4
• PC
• 9.5 / 10
• États-Unis

A good session with Beat Saber literally leaves me breathless. When I’m in the groove, swinging red and blue sabers to precisely bisect an onslaught of incoming boxes as fast as I can might be as close to the feeling of being a Jedi at a rave as I’ll ever come. This challenging rhythm game is definitely a little light on tracks out of the box, but what’s there is both catchy and highly replayable due to the way its scoring system encourages pinpoint accuracy and followthrough, plus a handful of alternate modes to play them on. (And of course, if you’re on PC it’s endlessly expandable with custom tracks thanks to the level editor and mods.) It should absolutely be a go-to for introducing anyone to virtual reality.

• PS4
• PC
• SWITCH
• XONE
• 8.7 / 10
• États-Unis

Trover Saves the Universe is a short and sweet VR platformer wrapped in one of the most ridiculous video game stories you’ll ever see. Justin Roiland and Squanch Games have done an excellent job of taking the ludicrous, freeform humor of Rick and Morty and molding it around a straightforward but enjoyable 3D brawler – even if it’s lacking the complex and well-crafted plots the best episodes of that show are known for. It loses something when played in 2D, but takes such great advantage of its unique VR mechanics that it’s one anyone (or at least anyone over 17, given its rating) with a headset should try.

• PC
• SWITCH
• PS4
• XONE
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

• SWITCH
• PC
• XONE
• PS4
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

The Castlevania Anniversary Collection may sport bare BONES emulation, but FRANKly that doesn’t matter, as most of the eight games are just so darn good. I’d go to BAT for rating Castlevania and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse as masterpieces that everyone should play. Sure, the Game Boy games SUCK, but they are historically interesting and I’m glad they were included. I WOLFED down hours of Castlevania this week, and I’ve played these games my whole life – the Switch version made it easy to WHIP out these classics anywhere, too, so I’m thankful for that. The Castlevania games are UNDYING wonders I’m happy they are being preserved for future generations.

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• PS5
• XSX/S
• 8.2 / 10
• États-Unis

Mordhau is a complex medieval melee game that’s tough on beginners but satisfying to master, especially in one-on-one duels. Its robust character creator allows for plenty of different playstyles, and its large, varied maps will mean no two rounds feel the same. A long list of game modes means you’re guaranteed to find at least one you love, and its 64-player battles in Frontline mode are true spectacles, dismembered limbs and all. A few technical problems and a couple of unbalanced maps will hopefully get better with time, but it’s already bloody good fun.

• SWITCH
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

Assassin’s Creed III Remastered for the Nintendo Switch just isn’t an enjoyable experience when docked. It doesn’t look great, it runs terribly, it’s far too dark, and the sound is a mess. The whole allure of the Switch is the freedom to, well, switch, but unless you plan to play exclusively in handheld mode there are simply too many issues to make it worthwhile.

• PC
• PS4
• 9 / 10
• États-Unis

Observation is a smart, original science fiction story propelled by its novel approach to puzzle design and stunning attention to detail. So often, an experience like this can struggle to find the balance between challenging gameplay and a captivating story, but Observation doesn't suffer from this, and the compelling plot is never halted by frustratingly obtuse conundrums. It simply doesn’t deal in obfuscation. Instead, it’s beautifully signposted without feeling clumsy, driving you through its labyrinth of hallways, and a story that grips from start to finish. All of these components combine to craft a chilling high-concept tale that nails the landing and fully accomplishes what it sets out to achieve.

• PC
• SWITCH
• PS4
• XONE
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Team Sonic Racing nails what matters most: speed and finesse on the racetrack. The new team system is a fantastic evolution of the arcade racing formula that gives you a real reason to work together, and there’s a litany of customization options to keep you coming back to these excellent tracks to earn more. Even though the small roster and annoying Adventure mode story could be better, Team Sonic Racing is an addictive and inventive evolution that proves Sumo Digital is at the top of its game.

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

A Plague Tale: Innocence’s story of two orphans surviving in a world ravaged by the Black Death is compelling and the stealth gameplay that runs through it is fine-tuned, but the rat-infested world looks more dangerous than it actually is. Everything from the alchemy abilities to the layout of levels feels a bit too guided and the prevalence of crafting materials removes the need to make decisions about how you want to get past your enemies. The story stands out as a result, but there’s not a lot of freedom to experiment or consequences for reckless decisions.

• PC
• PS4
• XONE
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

With its large open world and vast array of upgrades to earn, Rage 2 feels very much like an antidote for Far Cry fans who have overdosed on that particular style and want a new take on the large-scale shooter-RPG idea. Though Avalanche hasn’t quite figured out what makes a world feel alive and dynamic or how to make good use of its vehicles, it absolutely nails the moment-to-moment combat thanks to a Doom-inspired energetic pace that few shooters manage to pull off. Combined with a steady stream of great weapons, abilities, and upgrades, its firefights are constantly reinvigorated even as mission objectives become repetitive.