The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 Wireless takes inspiration from previous headsets in the brand’s lineup and transforms them into a budget-friendly, cozy vikingtoto gamer dream. January 24, 2024 • Final Fantasy 7 is more than an iconic PlayStation game. It’s a multimedia empire embracing novels, short stories, spin-off games — even a movie. March 14, 2025 • Game studios have cranked out surprising hits ranging from cooperative platformers to historical epics. NPR staff and contributors round up the latest from a promising 2025. Will Borger is a Pushcart Prize-nominated fiction writer and essayist who has been covering games since 2013.
So far, I’m feeling hopeful about this one, but I reckon many things could change in the future, as I lack the prescience of the Kwisatz Haderach. It doesn’t feel like extra work because the results are always immediate and obvious. Deep conversations with other Jans can unlock new personality-based dialogue choices—an assertive reply, for example. And the Alters are as likely to talk to each other as they are to me, and these are conversations I can casually overhear as I walk by on my way to another task. What I agree to and how I behave has as much of an impact on the day-to-day running of my base as it does the way the story goes and the epilogue I end up with.
The virus is spreading fast, so my nameless, voiceless and fully-customisable envoy must put a nip in its fungal bud before it spreads to the Aedyr empire proper. Being able to explore unimpeded is paramount because Outlaws does such a great job teasing you with secrets to find or opportunities to pursue in an extremely organic way as you move through its four main worlds. While her end goal may be considerably smaller in scope than, say, blowing up a Death Star, the environments Kay’s entertaining saga unfolds in are surprisingly large. To be clear, this isn’t No Man’s Skywalker or even Starfield Wars, so you don’t have the freedom to circle each planet and land wherever you choose.
Outside, 11 Bit flexes its art chops with considerable verve. Gnarled, tree-like rock formations curl across the arid terrain; matter swirls within shimmering physics-defying anomalies; a vast cosmic sea churns menacingly. Needless to say, this is a video game-y video game which doesn’t aim to deliver a memorable narrative experience, but I’ll admit it’s got enough juice on that front to make some skeptics care and maybe fall into the trap of its rock-solid gameplay loop.
Some would rather see my Jan push back when cornered than try to find common ground. Clear pop ups appear whenever someone’s mood changes, and every Alter’s life branch offers an easily skimmed timeline of their major life events and how they reacted to them. You can assign them tasks – mining, cooking, base maintenance – whatever you need, they’ll do it. This labor pool isn’t something you create instantly, but slowly over time.
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It’s crafted in a way that you build up to the moral dilemmas. The story has joy and fun woven with the larger complexities, so it doesn’t end up bogged down by the choices you face. The complexity of the situation and the drama that accompany it are balanced with breaks to play beer pong or watch movies. The Alters is much closer to a colony or resource management game than a full-blown survival title.
With few bugs to get in the way of your experience, The Alters is a well executed meshing of survival and story. Though the forced base movement and definitive ending make it less of a survival game, the narrative makes up for those shortcomings. This struggle over the morality of key decisions to ensure survival is what sets The Alters apart from other titles. It is what you’ll recall when thinking about the title and what will draw you back to playing. Where The Alters really shines is in the way it presents morality in life-threatening survival situations.
When I was a kid, I played a lot of soccer (I would like to apologize to everyone else in the world; I am, regrettably, American). Make the local paper good, mind; we weren’t going to go pro or anything, but I have very good memories of those years. I fell off of soccer eventually (something I deeply regret), but I never lost that love of the game.
I’ve learned to embrace friction as a communication tool, something I wish I was more open to when initially reviewing Death Stranding in 2019. After all, the slapstick comedy routine that comes from trying to navigate uneven terrain makes the moments where the community bands together to build a road that much more meaningful. While a job like this can often leave writers entirely burnt out on games, I find myself more in love with the medium with each passing year. This trio of games centers on base building and resource gathering as a top priority for survival, but the best thing about these games is that you never lose sight of what’s important – the people.
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Once I’ve attacked—whether from cover or using an invisibility spell—every baddie in the vicinity knows I’m there. Avowed is surprisingly combat heavy, especially in its second half. It’s possible to play with the usual array of melee weapons—swords, axes, spears, maces—but you’d be missing out on a lot if you’re not playing Avowed like 21st century Hexen, mixing powerful ranged attacks with down-and-dirty close quarters hacking. Every one-handed weapon can be dual-wielded, so I normally roamed with a grimoire in one hand and a fire-enchanted sword in the other, raining down elemental area of effect attacks on bears, bugs and lizardmen before sprinting in to hack away. For the magic averse, it’s also possible to muscle about with a mace in one hand and a pistol in the other, for example.
Like you, we’ve spent countless hours exploring virtual realms, battling evil forces, and saving pixelated worlds, all while building a passion for gaming that we’re eager to share with you. Robobeat on the PlayStation 5 presents a compelling fusion of rhythm-based gameplay and fast-paced action, offering a unique experience for players seeking a challenge that engages both reflexes and musicality. This review will delve into the various aspects of Robobeat, assessing its strengths and weaknesses to determine its overall value. The core mechanic of Robobeat revolves around synchronizing player … It’s rare a game comes along that feels exciting and original, building on other achievements in its genre but also managing to be something new. The controls are simple, the physics are deadly but rewarding and the team game – when it’s played right – is some of the best I’ve seen.
“Alchemists” is a cooperative horror game that combines elemental magic with ghost-hunting mechanics. Up to four players take on the roles of modern-day alchemists, using the classical elements—air, fire, water, and earth—to perform rituals and cleanse haunted locations. The concept is intriguing, and the game’s eerie environments initially promise a chilling, team-based adventure. This open-world – or rather, open-worlds – action game features a level of gunbattles and broken promises befitting the legend that is Chewbacca’s best mate.
But while this is a very good game, with time I came to understand that its ambitions are a touch more humble than some recent genre heavyweights. I realised that it might be more flattering to think of Avowed as a choice-based narrative-driven action game. Or, as a certain kind of simplified blockbuster RPG that is fast receding in the medium’s rearview mirror. Where Outlaws’ quest design really excels, though, is in taking seemingly innocuous side objectives and spinning them out into exciting, multi-staged adventures that regularly took me by surprise.
Even when need a break from the quests, looking for distant landmarks in the map and going on small jaunts often leads to memorable and unpredictable adventures full of risk but also valuable loot. The Jans are not alone on the planet, and while I’m exploring the surface I’ll often get attacked by strange anomalies capable of flooding Jan’s suit with deadly levels of radiation. On paper, combating these mostly clear and barely-defined wibbles in reality sounds like the weak link in a strong package—I aim a special torch at the ball in them until they go away.
Oh, and the giant semi-transparent cube enclosing the whole thing, of course, which allows you to do things like set matches underwater or in a forest. Since you can bounce the ball off the cube’s walls, you can do some absolutely ridiculous stuff like setting up the perfect shot by shooting the ball at the area just above the goal to fake out the goalie and then fire the rebound into the net when he bites. Of course, you can also set your teammates up this way, too, if you’re feeling generous.