Gaming

Following a recent thread on the quick-fire rewards of completing shorter games over longer ones, this latest question asks what otherwise great titles could have been even better with a little less padding.  

After a 13-year break, it’s a long-awaited return to centre court for the Top Spin franchise, so can this fresh serving smash home another winner?  

This PlayStation 5 exclusive certainly looks the part, but can its slick melee-based combat make up for its lack of sensible armour?  

Based on the popular Akira Toriyama manga series, Sand Land is an action-RPG with an almost literal sandbox ripe for exploration and combat, but just how well does it make the jump to the gaming world?  

BRAND NEW! The AVForums Gaming Podcast returns in style - so click here to listen to the team talking about the expense of current games and about the state of video gaming generally in our first gaming podcast for quite a while  

Complete with poll, this thread calls for your vote on the satisfying rewards of completing games quickly, against the extended gameplay hours you can spend in more expansive or open-world titles.  

Not too many surprises this year, with Larian Studios' RPG picking up five awards, with the likes of Alan Wake 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Viewfinder also making return journeys to the stage.  

A sequel that has been a long time coming, but while it once again begs to have its fantasy world explored, can it live up to more than a decade of hype and expectation?  

With the makings of a contemporary horror classic and an A-list cast, can this latest reboot of the much-loved but often flawed scary-survival action franchise deliver on the thrills and chills?  

Echoing a similar (though more console-oriented) thread from a few months back, this fresh confessional could prove tempting with more great games to potentially immerse yourself in if you have a lot of spare time on your hands.  

This annual update offers up some welcome refinements over 2K23, but with a few pre-existing flaws still pinning it against the ropes can the franchise once again be named king of the ring?  

Larian Studios excellent RPG is in the running for 10 categories, including Best Game, with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor also in for a potentially busy night.  

This long-awaited sequel to the 2020 remake of the original classic RPG adds a fresh twist, both in terms of its storyline and gameplay, but can it live up to the weight of expectation?  

New analysis and previous history point to a late Q3 or Q4 launch window, but just what we can expect from an upgraded PlayStation 5? And what could Microsoft and Nintendo have in response?  

This latest addition to its sizeable portfolio comes with ‘sound image localisation’ to create a 3D gaming soundstage and a very affordable price tag.  

The wishful answer might be ‘no’ but with bigger mainstream budgets potentially pushing up prices, will gamers have to become more selective in what they buy? Or would you perhaps be more likely to turn to the cheaper indie market or a subscription service?  

The ever-popular Yakuza franchise continues to shine, and this stylish and suitably OTT sequel might just be its best adventure yet.  

The king of fighting games evolves once again to show just why the Iron Fist remains at the top of the power-punching pyramid.