Author: Jay Allsopp

With over 10 million downloads on Android and more than 1.6 million ratings on iOS, it’s safe to say that BitLife is one of the most popular mobile games on the market right now. The game’s principles are simple; it’s basically a text adventure in which you must make a series of decisions about your life, monitoring how they change your character as you go. Despite that simplicity, there’s an addictive quality to BitLife that makes it a joy to fire up every time you grab your phone, and that kind of compelling design isn’t found everywhere in the gaming…

When you’re the owner of a console, it’s always nice to have an exclusive game arrive and justify your purchase. Whether it’s an excellent PS4 game like Bloodborne or one of Nintendo’s many hits for the Switch, an exclusive game can make the most of the hardware it’s been created for, as well as any unique features that console happens to have. 2022 had no shortage of great console-exclusive games, so without further ado, let’s take a look at the best of them.  Horizon Forbidden West If you’re a PlayStation owner, then 2022 was a great year. Horizon Forbidden…

With 2022 wrapping up, it’s about time to take a look back at some of the best games of the year. This was, all told, a very solid year for gaming; there were some truly excellent titles, and while the year also saw its fair share of mediocre offerings, it’s hard to argue that gamers weren’t spoiled for choice. Whatever platform you like to game on, there’s plenty from the year 2022 that should keep you entertained. Here are the best games of 2022, in no particular order. Elden Ring From Software’s traditional exploration-heavy action RPGs made the leap…

When it was released in September 2020 (after a period in Early Access), Hades proved to be a phenomenon. Developed by Supergiant Games, the roguelite tells the story of Zagreus, the son of Hades, who attempts to make his way out of the underworld in a rebellion against his father. Naturally, Zagreus fails time and time again, but each time you die, you’re treated to new dialogue and a chance to upgrade your abilities and weaponry. Even if you’re not usually a fan of the die-restart-die loop of roguelites, Hades consistently feels fresh and exciting on each run, and…

If you haven’t played Terraria yet and you’re a big fan of crafting and building games, we’d strongly recommend it. This unassuming-looking 2D indie game hides oceanic depth; you’ll be constructing imposing fortresses and entire cities before you even know it.  With that said, even Terraria can lose its lustre over time, and you might find yourself hankering for some similar experiences that wander off the beaten path just a little bit. If that’s the case, then you’re in luck, as the gaming world is full of great alternatives to this indie classic. Here are 12 great games like…

For many months, the rumour mill surrounding a new Nintendo console has been swirling. At time of writing, recent rumours have been giving the concept of a next-gen Nintendo machine renewed vigour, but Nintendo has yet to announce anything, and the company’s silence makes a lot of sense.  With The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom doing rip-roaring sales numbers and even games like Pikmin 4 putting in a fairly impressive performance, there’s really no reason for Nintendo to release a Switch successor at the moment, even if the console’s performance is noticeably starting to flag. While…

The PC was a generational invention and kick started the video game world. Starting with simple games like Pacman and Space invaders, the PC gaming scene has come along way since 1962, when the first ever game came out. Even though many users have turned their attention to gaming consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, there is still many individuals who prefer the PC. The PC still has many games only exclusive to its platform. However, what are the best games out there? Anger Foot Kicking off our list is a PC game that is scheduled to be released very soon.…

Consoles may come and go, but one thing is seemingly for certain: PC gaming is very much here to stay. With the advent of devices like the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally, it’s clear that PC gamers want more ways to play their games rather than to migrate to other console ecosystems, and these options are only likely to get more numerous as time goes on. This sense that PC gaming remains critical to the industry is bolstered massively by the fact that there are so many great games coming to the PC ecosystem. This September, we’ve got long-awaited…

Way back in May 2022, it was revealed that the long-standing institution that is the FIFA video game series would be undergoing a fundamental change. EA, it turned out, had failed to reach an agreement with football organisation FIFA, which had given its name to EA’s flagship video game franchise since 1993, and so the franchise would be changing its name. FIFA, EA said, would become EA Sports FC, and the franchise would adopt this moniker going forward. The studio was quick to assure fans that nothing else about FIFA would be changing; modes like Pro Clubs and Ultimate Team…

If you’re a PC gamer, then you’ll know that the PC’s library is pretty much unbeatable when it comes to longevity. Many of the games that were available to play back in the 70s and 80s are still available to check out today, and if there’s one platform that can reasonably be said to be “the best” for preservation, it’s absolutely the PC. You could easily spend the rest of your life playing every single retro game that’s been preserved for posterity on PC, but there are also a host of new games heading your way each month, so that…

It’s been what can only be described as a banner year for Nintendo so far. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which launched back in May, has proven to be one of the studio’s biggest hits of all time, racking up a massive number of sales in its first few days on release.  The rest of the year is unlikely to hold anything quite as epochal for the Big N, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any surprises up Nintendo’s sleeve when it comes to the Switch, or indeed any of Nintendo’s third-party partners. Let’s take a…

Microsoft’s June showcase gave us a lot of reasons to be optimistic for the future of the company. After the unmitigated disaster of the Redfall launch, Microsoft really needed to provide some kind of lifeline for Xbox fans; gamers were getting worried that the studio had nothing up its sleeve in terms of killer apps, but that turned out not to be the case.  We may not have learned quite as much about games like Fable as we wanted to, but we’re still excited for the upcoming Xbox lineup; Starfield and Forza Motorsport have our attention in particular. Before…

Have you ever lost a USB drive that contained important information? There’s no feeling more terrifying than that drop in the pit of your stomach when you realise that the drive you’ve been carrying isn’t with you anymore.  You can’t remember where you dropped it, but you know the files that were on it, and you really don’t want anybody else to see them; they could be business secrets or personal information, but whatever the case may be, you’re terrified someone else is going to get their hands on that data now. That’s where companies like iStorage, which makes the…

E3 2023’s cancellation has done absolutely nothing to stem the tide of game publishers and developers wanting to show off their latest exciting works. Whether it’s Ubisoft giving us in-depth looks at the gameplay for some of its upcoming titles or Xbox firing off trailer after trailer, summer 2023 has been a great time for game reveals, surprises, and old favourites making triumphant returns. Here are some of the best game announcements, release dates, and other reveals we got to see as part of this year’s definitely-not-E3 celebration of all things gaming! Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater That’s…

It’s been a funny old year for Microsoft so far, hasn’t it? Early last year, the company announced it would acquire Activision Blizzard, one of the biggest game developers and publishers in the world, for a staggering $68.7 billion. This year saw that deal frustrated by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, which means Microsoft might not get its fairytale wedding after all. In addition, the high-profile and very public failure of Arkane’s Redfall means Microsoft is hurting for essential gaming experiences to draw people towards Xbox hardware. It’s time for Microsoft to step up to the plate, so…

After the absolutely mammoth success that was The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (a success that’s only going to keep growing, we have no doubt), the Nintendo Switch seems to be sitting pretty atop a throne nobody else can challenge.  Tears of the Kingdom is going to take some serious beating, not only from Nintendo itself but also from other triple-A challengers, and so nobody could blame Nintendo and its console for taking a victory lap in July. However, there are still more great Switch games to come, so let’s take a look at the best Nintendo…

It can sometimes feel like PC gaming is in a somewhat rough spot. Many games being released for the platform are landing in the form of lacklustre ports with poor optimisation, meaning that even PC gamers with the latest and greatest hardware are being left out in the cold in many cases.  Even with that being said, though, for many, PC remains the best platform on which to play thanks to its extensive customisation options, superior graphical capabilities (assuming you’ve got a top-of-the-range machine, of course) and huge software library. That library is set to expand even further soon,…

It’s hard to feel like Nintendo isn’t reaching the end of an era. Despite the fact that Nintendo of America head Doug Bowser has assured gamers and journalists alike that the Switch isn’t nearing the end of its life, the console is inarguably beginning to struggle with some of its more demanding games in a technical sense. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet pushed the Switch to its absolute limits and beyond, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will also put the console through its paces. With that in mind, the lineup for Switch games in June 2023…

Sometimes, it feels like PC gamers are especially hard done by. Recently, somewhat lacklustre ports of The Last of Us Part I and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor caused consternation among PC gamers, who lamented the games’ poor performance even on higher-end machines, and there are plenty of other examples of major AAA game releases seemingly snubbing PC gamers.  Even still, we think that PC gaming remains one of the most exciting and engaging ways to enjoy games, so let’s take a look at the best PC games coming in June 2023. Let’s hope these games’ PC versions are ready…

Microsoft may not be trying to win the hardware race, but it’s certainly doing a good job of providing quality hardware nonetheless. The Xbox Series X is trailing the PS5 in terms of sales, but the comparison isn’t quite fair thanks to Microsoft’s less powerful, less costly Xbox Series S (although sales for the two combined are still lagging behind Sony’s machine). Still, if you’re an Xbox Series X/S owner, you’ll find lots of games to look forward to in June 2023, so let’s take a look at the best titles heading to Microsoft’s console ecosystem this month. Killer…

Unless you’ve completely avoided all popular culture for the last 25 years, it’s pretty much impossible that you haven’t at least heard of South Park. The satirical animated show created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker got its start all the way back in 1997, and it’s arguably still going strong today; many fans say it hasn’t lost its lustre in the same way as, say, Family Guy or The Simpsons have.  Of course, one area in which South Park does endure a somewhat spotty legacy is the world of gaming. Compiling a list of “the best” South Park…

Whether it’s their backward compatibility, streaming capabilities, or impressive controllers, XBOX games have become popular for several reasons. It is affordable console and diverse subscription service make it a top choice for gamers. While there are several XBOX games that you can try, here are the seven best XBOX games that you should play in 2023. Halo Infinite Developed by 343 Industries, Halo Infinite is a popular Xbox multiplayer shooter game that was released back in 2021. It’s one of the additions to the popular Halo series and has the most extensive Master Chief campaign of all time.  Halo Infinite…

Despite stiff competition from Valve’s handheld, the Steam Deck, as well as the recently-announced Asus ROG Ally, the Nintendo Switch is still very much in the fight. Its ailing technology was already fairly dated when the console was first released, but as a platform for playing less technically demanding indie games (as well as Nintendo first-party releases), the Switch remains unparalleled. May 2023 represents another excellent month for Switch games, with one flagship release in particular presenting a worthy reason to get excited. Here are the best Nintendo Switch games for May 2023. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of…

Sony’s PlayStation 3 is perhaps not quite remembered as a flop, but the Xbox 360 is considered the winner of its respective generation by many. This, however, is a misunderstanding; sales data shows us that the PS3 actually sold better than the Xbox 360, so in terms of pure numbers, the PlayStation 3 emerged victorious.  That’s at least in part thanks to a huge library of great games, not least of which were single-player masterpieces like The Last of Us and God of War 3. However, the PS3’s multiplayer lineup is not to be sniffed at either, so let’s take…

When you’re putting together a high-quality streaming or recording setup, you can’t skimp on quality when it comes to your microphone. While your screen recording software is, of course, incredibly important, if you don’t sound great while you’re streaming or recording, then people will quickly switch off your stream and go elsewhere. That’s why you need to make absolutely sure that you have a high-quality microphone to give you that crucial edge. Of course, it can be hard to know what a quality mic looks like, especially if you don’t want to spend a lot of money to get…

2023 has already proven to be an excellent year when it comes to gaming. With tentpole releases like Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space rubbing shoulders with surprise drops like Metroid Prime Remastered and Hi-Fi Rush, there’s plenty to keep you occupied so far this year, no matter which system you’re playing on.  However, there’s more to come; 2023 is far from finished, and huge franchises like Final Fantasy and Diablo are getting new instalments this year, joining highly anticipated outings from developers like Bethesda. Before we get there, though, there’s plenty to come in the next month. Here are…

According to the most recent sales data, the PlayStation 2, otherwise known as the PS2, is the best-selling console of all time. Despite stiff competition from runaway success stories like the Nintendo Wii and the Game Boy, the PS2 has managed to remain on the throne thanks to its extensive library, its excellent controller, and its range of great accessories and add-ons.  Of course, a great console is nothing without robust multiplayer support as well, so in no particular order, let’s take a look at the 20 best multiplayer games for PS2.  TimeSplitters 2 A brand new TimeSplitters…

RuneScape is one of the oldest and most well-respected free-to-play MMORPGs on the market. If you went to school in the early 2000s, then the chances are good that you met someone who played this game. Perhaps you even played it yourself!  Still, the RuneScape of the modern day looks very different to the one that was released all those years ago. Modern RuneScape has lots of extra visual flair and user interface improvements, although if you want an idea of what the classic experience was like, you can check out Old School RuneScape, which aims to recreate the…

Recently, Squanch Games’ High on Life was released, making ripples throughout the gaming community for its disruptive humour and distinctive first-person shooter gameplay. Squanch’s creation is pretty unique; it blends Rick and Morty-style comedy with relatively open-ended shooting, as well as a cast of guns that have distinct personalities and chatter away as you’re firing them.  As such, finding games that are exactly like High on Life is pretty hard, but there are plenty of titles out there similar to it, some of which it was arguably directly influenced by. Here are 12 games similar to High on Life! 1.…

If you haven’t tried Oslo Albet’s excellent Fireboy and Watergirl series, you definitely should. This Flash game series tasked two players with exploring a series of exciting locations, and each player had a different set of abilities, meaning you’d need to coordinate your play carefully with your co-op partner in order to succeed. While there may not be a ton of games exactly like Fireboy and Watergirl out there, you will find no shortage of excellent co-op experiences that demand you and your partner keep your wits about you. Without further ado, let’s take a look at 12 games similar…

In early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic started to take effect in a serious way, something magical happened. Amidst the doom and gloom, Nintendo released Animal Crossing: New Horizons, giving everyone with a Switch a way to escape from their real lives and tend to a beautiful island full of adorable animal residents.  Nintendo’s long-term support for its games isn’t great, unfortunately, which means New Horizons probably won’t receive any further major updates, but don’t worry, because other devs are on the case. Here are 12 games similar to Animal Crossing. 1. Stardew Valley For a long time, the twin…