Alex Donaldson

GOLDEN AGE Millennia is Paradox Interactive’s new Civ rival – and it promises a dynamic twist to the 4X genre

The 4X strategy genre has a new upstart – with Paradox’s Interactive’s Millenia taking aim at Civilization’s crown.

(ZACK) FAIR GAME Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is bigger, bolder, and better than the excellent FF7 Remake – hands-on

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel, but is content to iterate. A good job, then, that it’s iterating on the best FF since the PS2 era.

DOG EAT DOGTOWN Phantom Liberty and Patch 2.0 make Cyberpunk 2077 the game it should’ve been: a must-play classic

Finally, CDPR has realised its lofty vision with Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty irons out the bugs and makes this a classic.

IMPERFECTIONS Starfield is the most flawed game I’ve truly loved in a long time

There's something truly morish about Bethesda's spacefaring RPG.

PLAN ABOUT TOWN At the eleventh hour, Cities Skylines 2 emerges as a GOTY contender in a truly packed year

2023, eh? Will it go down as an all-timer? With games like Cities Skylines 2 up front, it just might.

TERMINAL VELOCITY Starfield is incredible, but following slow NPCs is making me want to put my controller through the wall

Even the best of games can be needled by a frustrating stop-start dance with slow-moving NPCs.

PINK POWER Can’t wait to play Sonic Superstars? One of the best Sonic games just got better - and it’s free

Amy joins the fray in one of the best Sonic games in recent years - and it's not even made by SEGA.

ANIMAL MAGIC The chaotic cuteness of Party Animals is sure to be an Xbox Game Pass winner

Move over Gang Beasts, there's a new pudgy little party game in town –?and it's going to be a Game Pass smash.

OK, BOOMER Sonic Superstars gets the all-important physics right – and the odd thing wrong

Not quite as impressive as Sonic Mania, but a damn sight better than Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Sega's latest blue blur offering ticks all the right boxes.

WAY PAST COOL With Lego Sonic, Sega does what Nintendon’t once again

Lego’s take on Sonic offers a more traditional, 90s-style playset approach than Mario - and it’s for the better.

PUNCHING UP Street Fighter 6 Gifts guide: Best Gift & Special Gift for Each Master

Street Fighter 6 might be a fighting game, but it's got some dating game DNA, too. This gift guide will help you get closer to those masters.

NOT SHELLING OUT Street Fighter 6’s Ninja Turtles DLC is stupid expensive - but fans are hilariously taking matters into their own hands

Capcom's TMNT crossover for Street Fighter 6 is very, very expensive. But some fans have figured out a work-around...

MISSED MARVELS The time is right for Marvel vs Capcom to return

As the MCU circles the plughole, a classic resurges at EVO, and Street Fighter 6 remains unbeatable, Capcom is in a position to deliver a legendary crossover.

PERFECT HARMONY An incredible must-listen new Final Fantasy orchestra album hits stores next week

One of the most prestigious video game concerts is back with a new recording, this time celebrating the music of four classic Final Fantasy games.

DROWZEE DOES IT Pokemon Sleep is weird, wonderful, and a little under-cooked

Gotta catch some Zs.

TAKE THE WIN(D) With the Rashid update, Street Fighter 6 proves its DLC plan is (almost) perfect

The master of the Turbulent Wind has brought more than just sick parkour and the latest gadgets to the world of Street Fighter 6.

IT'S ABOUT TIME Starfield’s Collector’s Edition watch is the perfect tribute to one crucial spacefaring tradition

More than just Collector's Edition tat, that ludicrous Starfield watch actually pays homage to something really unique –?and on-brand –?for Starfield.

PIK THIS UP Pikmin 4 review: charming, well-rounded, cosy - and the best in the series

With a canny split in two, Pikmin 4 is perfectly placed as an entry point for newcomers and a quality sequel for hardcore fans.

FIGHT CLUBS Did you know Street Fighter 6 has a virtual pet and more cool hidden stuff?

Street Fighter 6’s Boot Camp website showcases the loving attention-to-detail that makes it Game of the Year

UNBREAK MY HEART Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - How to heal Cracked Hearts and get full health back

There’s a nasty new damage format in ToTK - but fear not, for it can be healed, even on the go.

DEEJAY, TURN IT UP Capcom only needs to make one change to make the Street Fighter 6 Battle Pass way more attractive

If Capcom did one thing to get me to open my wallet for Street Fighter 6, it'd be music to my ears.

CASH CONVERTER How to make money fast in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Selling items is the key to making money in Tears of the Kingdom, and you will need a lot of Rupees!

TITAN YOUR GRIP Final Fantasy 16 is a firm reminder that with RPG elements, sometimes less is more

Let me propose this simple question: should Final Fantasy 16 be an RPG?

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Memories Locations - Where to find all Geoglyphs and Dragon's Tears

Here's where to find all Memories across Tears of the Kingdom.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Yiga Hideout & Base Locations

Take on the Yiga clan and reap the rewards.

EIKON LEXICON Final Fantasy 16 Eikons: All Eikons, Abilities, and Unlocks

Summons make a bombastic return in FF16 as Eikons - but how many are there, and what abilities do they give you?

HARD JILL TO SWALLOW Is FF16 a ‘real Final Fantasy game’? Of course it is – but there is something to this incredibly stupid debate

Is Final Fantasy 16 as good as the others? Do you need to alter your expectations before going in? In many ways, these questions just don't matter.

KWEHSTION ANSWERED Final Fantasy 16: How to get a Chocobo mount to ride

Chocobo Mounts are available in FF16, but they're not something tied to the main story - you'll need to go out of your way to unlock one.

ORIGINAL CID Final Fantasy 16 review: a sublime story-driven action game, but a frustratingly flawed RPG

Is Final Fantasy 16 a game worthy of the series' legacy? Yes, with an 'if'. No, with a 'but'.

ELEVATOR PITCH Absolutely everybody should play the Final Fantasy 16 demo – out on PS5 today

At a recent hands-on, I got to play the better part of six hours of Final Fantasy 16. But all you’ll need to make your mind up is the upcoming demo.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Amiibo Unlocks - Every compatible Amiibo and what they do

Here's everything you need to know about Amiibo and Tears of the Kingdom.

How to get the Master Sword in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The sword that seals darkness.

CARD LUCK Nvidia 4060 Ti 8GB offers up the sort of performance Nvidia promises – and questions the current GPU market

The 4060 Ti one of Nvidia’s most important cards of this hardware generation, but it comes with some caveats.

CRACKED THE CODY World Tour isn’t just Street Fighter 6’s Story Mode – it’s also Final Fight 4

World Tour is Street Fighter 6’s story mode, sort-of a revival of another classic Capcom series, and a loving tribute to several more.

WORLD(TOUR) WARRIORS Street Fighter 6 World Tour: Tips and advice for Story Mode

Here are some tips and advice for starting your journey in Street Fighter 6.

PUCK OF THE DRAW LEGO’s Pac-Man Arcade is its greatest gaming tribute yet

LEGO has been doing good work in the gaming space, but it's biggest throwback yet might just be the company's strongest.

POST-MODERN ARTS Street Fighter 6’s Modern Controls aren’t cheating – if you’re mad about them, you need to get training

No, I don't want no scrub: a scrub is a guy that won't get no wins from me. Switched to the Modern side of his Xbox, then, tryin' to pressure my Ken.

JURI'S OUT Street Fighter 6 review: one of the best fighting game packages of all time

With Street Fighter 6, the series steps back into the ring, bruised and beaten, and proves nothing can keep its fighting spirit down.

TOYS WILL BE TOYS In Tears of the Kingdom, cheating with Amiibo is more powerful than ever

Want to get over-powered and over-geared in a pinch? Dust off your amiibo and join me in the cheater's corner.

BOY MEETS WORLD Immortals of Aveum takes inspiration from God of War, BioShock, Doom, and more, says Ascendant Studios CEO

EA’s Immortals of Aveum is a big, bold, brash magic shooter – and it’s been taking notes from PlayStation’s God of War.

OUTSIDE THE BOX EA's triple-A Immortals of Aveum isn’t just an RPG-shooter: “We spent a lot of time on puzzles, too”

The intriguing Immortals of Aveum isn’t just a corridor shooter; Ascendant Studios is weaving many genre strands together to make something unique.

FIGHT CLUB Street Fighter 6 – the final preview: World Tour rounds out a genre-defining feature set

Everything in Street Fighter 6 is on track to be a proper return to form for the series –?let's just hope Capcom can stick the landing.

KNEE KNOCKER EA Sports PGA Tour has strong sim credentials, but is also undeniably a first-gen sports title

EA is back in the Golf game, playing catch up behind 2K’s effort. Eight years on from its last game, they’ve had to start from scratch – for better and worse.

BLOCK PROCESSING Sonic’s four new Lego kits are traditional playsets for kids, not collectors – and that’s brilliant

Lego Sonic the Hedgehog sets are designed for under-10s - exactly as they should be. And it won’t stop us from buying ‘em anyway.

ACTIVE TIME BLUNDER Final Fantasy 1-6 Pixel Remaster console creeps closer to definitive status, despite some small frustrations

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters are notably improved over the PC versions, even if they are still carrying a bit of baggage.

FLAWED STRATEGY Minecraft Legends review: a cute kid-friendly strategy adventure, but missing the series’ magic

While Minecraft Legends aims to be a kid-friendly first RTS and fodder for Minecraft fans, it's not entirely successful at either. The backbone of something brilliant lurks within, though.

ALAKABLAM Immortals of Aveum riffs on CoD, Doom, Doctor Strange, and more – and it looks awesome

The list of franchises that Immortals of Aveum carries the vibe of is long indeed, but that may be exactly what this shooter needs to establish a firm foothold.

POWER STRUGGLE Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 review: heir to the 3080, and a more reasonable new-gen entry point

Nvidia's latest 40 series GPU is also its cheapest yet. More affordability doesn't mean this isn't powerful, though - it is. But does it justify the cost?

CRACKING STUFF Super Mario Bros. Movie Post-Credits scene revealed - and how it teases the sequel

It wouldn't be a big-budget Hollywood vehicle if it didn't also include a teaser for what's next - so here's what the post-credits scenes mean for Mario 2.

SUPERSTAR SAGA Super Mario Bros. Movie review: not quite a super show, but a potent nostalgia tour

Though this new cinematic outing isn’t quite as tight as those given to Sonic and Pikachu, Illumination and Nintendo’s partnership is resoundingly successful in dispelling Mario’s 90s movie curse.