Tom's Guide
HomepageTom's Guide's Reviews
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty features a thrilling new storyline and overhauled gameplay mechanics. Thanks to this robust expansion, Cyberpunk 2077 has finally achieved its potential.
Starfield boldly goes beyond just Skyrim and Fallout in space
Lego 2K Drive is a frequently fun experience, thanks to its host of exciting race tracks, expansive open world and fully customizable vehicles. Unfortunately, the game is hindered by egregious microtransactions.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is an unwelcome throwback to the era of truly awful licensed games. It looks and plays like a movie tie-in game rushed out to meet a tight deadline. This is baffling as it was one of the first ‘next-gen’ games announced in 2019, and seemingly had a long production period. But even so, it’s a game that conceptually, visually, and technically screams out for additional development time. Patches and updates may squash the bugs. But with core gameplay so dull and lacking, I can't see a saving grace for Gollum.
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor features satisfying gameplay, stunning graphics and a thrilling story. It's not only a solid video game but is also a ray of hope for the franchise. This is one of the best Star Wars adventures in years.
Just playing Dead Island 2 in 2023 feels like a minor miracle after such a protracted production cycle. Nevertheless, the novelty of finally experiencing this long-in-development sequel wears off pretty quickly. Then all that remains is a hugely repetitive experience punctuated by hackneyed story beats.
As a remake, Resident Evil 4 is a seriously impressive conversion of a classic. It packs just about everything that made the original great while sanding down many, but not quite all, of the rough edges.
Atomic Heart wants to be BioShock, but the tone of its narrative rubber-bands in quality. It's hard to tell which parts are poorly written, and which are intentionally comedic. By contrast, the environmental and character designs are excellent, which makes it worth pushing through the rougher sections. Atomic Heart is a spectacle, and it's got more highs than lows.
Octopath Traveler II is a mixed bag. Most of it is good, and fans of turn-based JRPGs will enjoy the game, but it can be a difficult sell if you aren’t willing to overlook some of its major faults.
Despite its flaws, Hogwarts Legacy is clearly a game made by Potter fans, for Potter fans, and for that particular audience, it’s been more than worth the very long wait. Hogwarts Legacy is by no means a revolutionary gaming experience, but it’s still a pretty magical one.
Just Dance 2023 adds valuable visual detail to the series, and lets you dance with others online. It features a good range of music genres, although the game comes with only 40 default tracks. You will need to pay for the Just Dance+ subscription to access more routines.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot delivers a well-crafted, satisfying action/RPG, provided you’re already invested in the DBZ mythos — and ready to hear the same old story over again. The open-world elements aren’t as well-developed as they could have been, but the combat and gameplay variety help carry the game through some rough patches.
Dead Space remake brings the beloved survival horror franchise into the modern day, and then some. It’s a stunning reimaging of a classic that retains what made its progenitor so special while also improving various aspects that haven’t aged well. Plus, it’s also one of the best-looking and sounding games on modern hardware.
Yes, the gameplay is solid and the visuals can be intriguing. The core narrative also has an interesting premise. But the game’s virtues are overshadowed by horrendous dialogue and an irritating protagonist. It’s a shame since, with better writing and acting, Forspoken could have been an awesome new IP. But as it stands, it’s a huge missed opportunity.
High On Life is an anarchic take on the first-person shooter genre, replete with improvisational, off-color humor and a bizarre tone that few other games can match. Even if you don't vibe with its comedy style, though, High On Life still offers tight gameplay, with plenty of ways to customize your playstyle.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns delivers satisfying strategic battles, as well as a full-fledged superhero social sim. The deckbuilding elements give players plenty of room to find their own strategies. The game has some graphical and technical shortcomings, but a strong story and cast should keep superhero fans hooked for dozens of hours.
The Callisto Protocol has intriguing ideas but its unsatisfying combat and linear level design prevent it from being the Dead Space spiritual successor we hoped for.
NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition is a great port, bringing a complete version of NieR: Automata to the Nintendo Switch. Its story is as engaging as ever, and the diverse gameplay continues to wow audiences. This is an excellent way to experience a classic game.
Slime Rancher 2 is a refined and slimy good time, building on what made the first game work. There's colorful exploration, exciting farming, and some of the cutest video game characters since Pokémon.
Sonic Frontiers has tight controls and a surprisingly good story, but graphical and pacing issues can drag the experience down. In spite of some missteps, though, Sonic Frontiers suggests that the Blue Blur may still have a bright future.