EA Sports FC 25, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and The Plucky Squire headline a list of 10 new games worth keeping an eye on this spring. Ready for your wallets…
1. EA Sports FC 25 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Another year, another entry into EA mega franchise. But while EA Sports FC 25 obviously continues to cement itself as the premiere football sim on the market, it’s also another year that you may be questioning what’s actually changed.
The biggest of switch-ups is the new Rush mode, and I’m a fan. With a similar feeling to the old Volta mode, Rush takes a 5 v 5 model consisting of four outfield players and a goalie, all tossed onto a much smaller pitch to foster a more chaotic time. That’s only amplified by the short 7-minute game time, blue cards that instantly send players off for one-minute intervals and kick-offs that see players sprinting towards the middle of the field as the ball is dropped. Honestly, it’s a hell of a fun time and a much-needed breath of fresh air for the series.
Outside of that, things largely stay the same. There are new animations that help the game feel even more authentic and team walk outs are back in action which is sure to please fans who were disappointed at its removal last year.
There’s also improved tactics at play, allowing AI players to make the most of their behavioural tendencies and new elemental effects that can wreak havoc on the field. Think a gust of wind blowing your crucial cross well-off course. They can provide brutal but memorable moments.
If you’re a devout fan of the series who loves getting lost in the details, EA Sports FC 25 is a no-brainer. But for the more casual gamer – there’s a chance you may not notice enough of the minor changes to warrant a full-price purchase.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Switch)
Believe it or not but despite Zelda’s name in the title, the popular Nintendo character has never actually headlined her own outing. That all changes with The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and you’ll be wondering why we’ve waited this long.
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With link out of the picture thanks to a nefarious foe, it’s all up to the princess to solve the day, and that total switch-up allows Nintendo to think out of the box in the best ways. The biggest creative differences stems from the fact that Zelda herself can’t fight, instead using a magical staff to conjure ‘echoes’. In one instance that might require a bed or a trampoline, while in another you may call upon a beefy enemy to act as a tank and handle of the more serious combat. There’s a fun mix-and-match approach to echoes, and although you can probably pass most of the game’s puzzles with a handful of items, I found it much more enjoyable to experiment and try out new tactics.
It also allows The Legend of Zelda franchise to expand even more outside of purely sword and shield focused gameplay. I was never once chomping at the bit to don the green tunic and take over as link and I think that’s Echoes of Wisdom’s biggest achievements. It empowers the classic heroine for a new generation and manages to be just as fun in the process.
Scrolling your way past echoes can become a little cumbersome once the list gets padded out and combat encounters could use a bit more tweaking to make it more engaging over the long-term, but these are easy fixes for a sequel I truly hope we get.
3. The Plucky Squire (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC)
Filled with heart and charm, The Plucky Squire is an absolute delight from top to bottom. Playing as Jot, the titular squire who is the hero of his own storybook, his life gets turned upside down when an evil wizard manages to kick him out of the book. What follows is a creative childlike adventure that sees you hop between the 3D outside world and the 2D plane of the storybook.
While I already enjoyed my early preview of the game, thankfully the final product is just as solid. The humour is playful and the high level of creativity is constantly on display, especially with the all-too-brief character specific minigames that are sprinkled throughout the runtime. Once the early hand-holding is out of the way the developers are able to stretch their legs a little and play around with the relationship between the two planes and that’s when the Plucky Squire arguably operates at its best.
I should note though that while The Plucky Squire shares a lot of visual inspiration with the likes of classic Zelda titles, it does not also share on those games’ difficulty level. In fact, it’s actually a little on the easy side which may disappoint some looking for a more substantial challenge. I found it never really detracted from my overall experience, but instead allowed me to soak in the calmer vibes and enjoy the core experience.
The Plucky Squire is original, playful and a total treat. Worth every penny, and if you can nab it for free as part of your PlayStation Plus Extra subscription, an obvious must-play.
4. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Just when you thought the zombie genre was shambling on its last legs, here Capcom is popping out of the woodwork to deliver this pretty excellent remaster of an 18-year old Xbox 360 classic.
The story for Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster remains unchanged, meaning you’ll jump back into the boots of freelance journo Frank West as he finds himself in the middle of a zombie-infested shopping mall searching for the scoop of a lifetime. It’s not going to win any awards but propels the action forward and allows you to focus on overhauled visuals which have been granted new life via the excellent RE Engine. Utilised for the recent string of stunning Resident Evil titles, the engine helps everything shine from top to bottom and ensures it doesn’t taint your nostalgic memories.
Speaking of nostalgic elements, the infamous 3-day timer remains, meaning you’ll still need to progress the story or meet certain characters at specified times, but there are some welcome quality of life improvements that help limit any frustrations said timer can present. Auto save is now very much a thing, for example, and survivors you’re trying to save won’t do everything they can to get themselves killed.
This all makes Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster an alluring pick-up, but it is worth noting that although the game is only available digitally at the moment, those looking to pick up a physical copy will only have a little longer to wait until it hits store shelves on November 8.
5. I Am Your Beast (PC)
Fast. Frantic. Brutal. These are just some of the words I can use to describe I Am Your Beast – an absolute fever dream of an action game that’ll barely give you a moment to catch your breath.
You play as agent Harding, a longtime assassin who has called it quits and retreated to the forest. That is until his past comes sneaking back in looking for one last job. Naturally, an absolute bloodbath follows, but that’s just where I Am Your Beast starts hitting its stride.
In a similar vein to the likes of Hotline Miami, Anger Foot and Superhot, each level is carefully constructed and filled with opportunity. There’s barrels you can blow, weapons to fire and acrobatics to utilise, but how you choose to plot out your plan is entirely your call. Stages are relatively brief in length, but that’s because you’ll likely replay them on loop as you search for the “perfect run” that’ll net you the best score – at least that was my experience.
I had a blast experimenting with tactics, and that never felt tiresome due to how good the game feels to play and how responsive the controls are. There’s also an engaging narrative running through the whole experience which is backed up by artistic visuals and some strong voice acting.
I Am Your Beast is a good time, not a long time and that’s perfectly fine with me. Worth adding to your wish list.
6. NBA 2K25 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, XBO, PC)
Much like EA FC 25, basketball fans shouldn’t expect sweeping changes with the release of NBA 2K25. Instead, it’s another case of careful iteration, but it’s hard to be too cross with that when the final product is as polished as it is.
The upgrades to the ProPLAY animation engine, for example, amps up the authenticity even more by taking real-world NBA footage and weaving it into the gameplay. Sure you’re not going to mistake it for the real thing, but we are getting closer. Similarly a new rhythm-based shot meter offers an alternative I actually jived with and MyCareer seems a little more focused this time around.
But while the core mechanics backing NBA 2K25 continue to impress, it’s yet another year that the conversation eventually leads to the series’ Achilles heel: microtransactions. You can argue that dipping your toe into the paid currency scheme is optional, but when substantial progress feels slow without it, that’s just a bit of a bummer.
If you’re a hardcore basketball fan that leaves you in a bit of a tough spot. It’s hard not to recommend NBA 2K 25 as the premier basketball sim, just so long as you’re also aware of what is sitting behind the scenes.
7. Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Switch, PS4, PC)
For fighting game fanatics, there is perhaps no higher peak than Marvel vs. Capcom so this Fighting Collection Arcade Classics collection is something special indeed. That’s because it takes all six Marvel vs. Capcom titles (from X-Men: Children of the Atom to Marvel vs. Capcom 2) and then bundles them all together into one epic package alongside The Punisher – a fun beat ’em up that’s been stranded for most of its life.
It’s a proverbial who’s who of classic fighting games, and while I’m sure everybody has their favourites, they’re thankfully all an absolute delight to play no matter which console you own. That said I especially enjoyed my time on the Switch OLED while on the go, even though you’ll likely crave a more substantial controller for more natural feeling combos. As an average fighting game player I also appreciated the inclusion of adjustable difficulty levels and one button specials which made me feel a lot more competent than I actually was.
Adding to the embarrassment of riches is the excellent museum mode that gives you access to over 500 pieces of artwork, more than 200 music tracks and interesting development documents. Combined, all this means that Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics isn’t just a stellar bundle. It’s great history lesson for anybody looking to catch up on the popular series or the fighting game genre as a whole. Highly recommended.
8. The Casting of Frank Stone (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
With Dead by Daylight continuing its run as a gaming behemoth, we now have this spin-off title from Supermassive Games (of Until Dawn and The Quarry fame). But while The Casting of Frank Stone may not hit the heights of the studio’s biggest hits, it still does a serviceable job in delivering a few scares.
Focusing on the origin story of the Entity – Dead by Daylight’s Big Bad – you’ll once again gain control of a varied cast of characters who you must save from all manner of evil doings across multiple time periods. The usual reaction-centric QTE gameplay returns, but while it’s always fun to particpate in the twists and turns that provides, not being a huge Dead by Daylight fan myself, it does numb the hook slightly.
That said, the game does deliver a decent atmosphere and I may have succumbed to the odd jump scare here and there, but The Casting of Frank Stone still feels like it’s best suited for long-time Dead by Daylight fans looking to expand their knowledge of crucial lore.
If you fall into that camp, this is a must-play. If not you may want to do a little pre-reading first.
9. Ace Attorney Investigations Collection (Switch)
If you’ve had a hankering to solve crimes and sporadically shout out objections, Ace Attorney Investigations Collection may be well worth interrogating.
Centred around Miles Edgeworth, the main rival to regular series star Phoenix Wright, this two-pack includes both Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit, the latter of which was only previously released in Japan. But while the Phoenix Wright games are focused on courtroom antics, for Miles it’s all about the investigations. That means that you may be locked down to smaller spaces more often, but I enjoyed the change of pace that provides, and it makes the games feel wholly unique.
The story is also particularly engaging – so much so that you choose to play a game mode essentially lets things play out themselves. I still wanted some level of challenge, but it’s perfect for somebody who wants a more directed approach.
To help round things out the new HD visuals give everything a fresh look and feel, but I appreciated the ability to jump back to the original pixelated aesthetic which is sure to resonate with fans.
No objections here.
10. Funko Fusion (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, XBO, PC)
With Funko Pops gradually invading rooms, desks and display shelves around the world, it was only a matter of time until the vinyl figures made the transition into video games. But while Funko Fusion wants to indulge in the same charm and glee the LEGO games have been able to cultivate for the last decade, it’s just never able to reach those same lofty heights.
Things start out well enough, especially for IP-obsessed fans. From the get-go you’re free to jump into a number of realms, from Jurassic World to The Thing and Scott Pilgrim vs the World, and there’s certainly fun to be had in relieving some of those film’s most popular moments. But while stepping into the Funko-fied versions of your favourite characters can be fun, the issue is that the actual gameplay feels a little bland.
You’ll mostly swipe at swathes of enemies and working to unlock particular doors or sections, but I was often stuck wondering where to go or how to progress levels in the early moments. That’s not helped along by some bonkers checkpoints and a fair share of bugs.
You do have to commend Funko Fusion on its vast range of IP but the series needs a bit more TLC before it’s brought back out of the box.
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