Hands on

Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake reminded me why I love turn-based battles, but after 40 minutes with the game, I'm desperate to know what "really big surprise" the devs are hiding

I button-mashed my way through 30 minutes of Scott Pilgrim EX, but I'm already longing to dive back in and learn each character's "very complex combos"

I played Kirby Air Riders and it's the perfect racer for players who've had enough of Mario Kart

I love turn-based RPGs, but 20 minutes of Pokemon Legends: Z-A has convinced me that real-time combat could be the way forward for the series

Hollow Knight Silksong hands-on: 2,379 days after its reveal I finally played the elusive Metroidvania, and it is absolutely worth the wait

Pokemon Legends: Z-A hands-on: With overhauled battles and denser exploration, I'm shocked at how fundamentally fresh this could feel

6 hours in, Ninja Gaiden 4 has pushed me to my limit while giving me the tools to push beyond them – we are so back

Silent Hill f's combat is about feeling on edge: "You need to know how close your candle is to going out to really have it feel tense"

I'm already obsessed with Silent Hill f after 5 hours thanks to its incredible story and atmosphere, but I'm anxious about the parry-heavy combat

I spent 4 hours playing Battlefield 6 multiplayer and speaking with the creators, and here are my 10 biggest takeaways

Killing Floor 3 isn't revolutionary, but the simple bliss of Zed blasting makes me feel like it's 2009 again – even if it's missing the original's heart

EA Sports FC 26 has surprised me by forgoing a gimmicky selling point in favor of smarter, smaller tweaks: "Gameplay is always going to be the most important thing"

Donkey Kong Bananza is a destructive delight that's basically Super Mario Odyssey+, and I can't believe it wasn't a Switch 2 launch title

Sea of Remnants is an online pirate swashbuckler take on Honkai Star Rail that's had me rolling dice in turn-based duels and trading cannonfire with a gorilla

Poirot is inexplicably set in the disco-lit '70s in this new Steam Next Fest demo – and seeing the moustachioed detective strut his stuff might low-key slap

This Steam Next Fest demo mixes Journey with The Last Guardian, having me run through gorgeous fields with my fluffy herd

My dream The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time successor is finally playable in Steam Next Fest, and I'm pleased to report it nails the Nintendo 64 vibes