Eurogamer.net Tom Orry Feed

After the Xbox Game Pass price hike, is it time to cancel and start buying games again?

Tom Orry — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to another entry in our "The Big Question" series, in which we present an argument to you, the Eurogamer community, for further interrogation. This week: After the Xbox Game Pass price hike, is it time to cancel and start buying games again?

If Xbox Game Pass dies then we'll have lost one of gaming's best tools for discovery

Tom Orry — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:41:57 +0000

I'm not going to argue that Game Pass, following its recent price hike, is cheap. It's not. It's creeped into the "hmm" category, similar to the £35 a month phone contract I'd scowl at every time I looked over my bank statement, which had actually gone from "mmm" to "mmm?" and was followed by a cost-cutting exercise that has now made me £28 a month better off, albeit with an old phone. At £22.99, Game Pass Ultimate is right on the precipice of doom - or in other words, me considering if I really need this expense. I've got some time to think about that. What I am going to argue, though, is how much of a terrible loss to game discovery it'll be if Game Pass eventually dies out.

KPop Demon Hunters heads to Fortnite with Demon Rush, HUNTR/X outfits, accessories, and emotes

Tom Orry — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:47:30 +0000

We knew it was coming, but now Epic Games has confirmed that KPop Demon Hunters is coming to Fortnite on 2nd October - that's tomorrow. The KPop trio from the film will all appear, as will the demons. Sadly there's no mention of the demonic boy band, Saja Boys.

As Hades 2 arrives in full, is early access good or bad for the overall video game experience?

Tom Orry — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to another entry in our "The Big Question" series, in which we present an argument to you, the Eurogamer community, for further interrogation. This week: Do you play games in early access or does playing them piecemeal lessen the overall experience?

Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 Broadcast live - Forza Horizon 6 and a Gungrave remake lead the show

Tom Orry — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 09:04:45 +0000

Xbox is running a special Tokyo Game Show 2025 broadcast today and you can watch it with us right here. Bertie and Tom will be sharing their thoughts in what might be a show with a neat surprise or two or a show mostly focused on games we already know about along with a few nods to Game Pass. The show starts at 11am BST, today.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds review

Tom Orry — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 09:01:30 +0000

A fun arcade karting experience is often too chaotic for its own good, but a tight handling model with a high skill ceiling offers surprising depth.

PlayStation State of Play live - Wolverine headlines the show

Tom Orry — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:43:56 +0000

PlayStation has chosen Tokyo Game Show week to present another State of Play showcase. The show, set to start at 10pm BST/2pm PT/5pm ET, will run for approximately 35 minutes and will include a segment on Housemarque's Saros, a third-person action game set to release at some point in 2026.

Nintendo is facing continued backlash for its pricing, but are the new Mario Galaxy re-releases on Switch really too expensive?

Tom Orry — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to another entry in our "The Big Question" series, in which we present an argument to you, the Eurogamer community, for further interrogation. This week: are the new Mario Galaxy re-releases on Switch really too expensive?

"GTA for kids" has arrived on Xbox Game Pass, and it's a delightful example of how to treat a younger audience with respect

Tom Orry — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

"Kids are quite discerning, actually," says someone who has never really spent any time with kids, and perhaps doesn't even know what a child is. My experience with kids has revealed that, no, they aren't discerning at all. They are happy to watch absolute drivel, demand to be bought 'toys' that are little more than sludge, and dress in whatever triple-stained clothes they've been wearing for the last week. So, when a game is labelled as an imitation of a huge franchise, but "for kids", my quality alarm sounds and I expect the worst.

The Eurogamer plan a month on - a reflection on how it's gone and what's next

Tom Orry — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:32:06 +0000

A little over one month ago I outlined the future of Eurogamer. The key, central point to this was original work published on the site from the entire team. I don't want this update to be me just listing out loads of articles, but I'm going to do that a bit as I'm proud of the articles we've published and I really do want to highlight just how much original, entertaining work the team has produced.

Lasombra and Toreador Clans added to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 base game following fan backlash to original premium DLC plans

Tom Orry — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:29:38 +0000

Paradox Interactive, White Wolf, and The Chinese Room have announced that the Lasombra and Toreador Clans have been added to the Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 base game. This follows significant fan pushback against the original plan to charge players to access these clans as part of launch premium downloadable content.

Lego Voyagers review

Tom Orry — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

It's nice to have a friend. More than one if you're lucky. My memories of childhood friends are predictably tied to the era: Sunny D, Apple Fruitang, MTV, bikes, and VHS tapes are all there, hanging around the back of my mind. Surprisingly, though, it's stupidly long walks that I remember most fondly, although rather hazily. Like most kids before they had jobs (a paper round came some years later), we didn't have much money, and what we did have we wanted to spend on sweets, so we'd often walk miles to avoid getting a bus - we even had a squeaky metal trolley we'd wheel about to carry all our stuff as we ventured to the distant pitch-and-put or tennis courts.

Ever wanted to play a Pokémon Animal Crossing meets Minecraft? Pokémon Pokopia might be just that game

Tom Orry — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 16:27:53 +0000

Nintendo has announced a rather unexpected Pokémon spin-off, Pokopia. Revealed during the 12th September Nintendo Direct, the new game is coming to Switch 2 in 2026 and is being developed by Koei Tecmo Games.

Highly anticipated new look Football Manager 26 has release date confirmed for 4th November on PC, PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and Game Pass

Tom Orry — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 09:41:38 +0000

Sega and Sports Interactive, developer of the Football Manager series, have announced that the next and highly anticipated version of the game, Football Manager 26, will release on 4th November.

Borderlands 4 PC hardware requirements ask for an RTX 2070 as a minimum, but a 3080 is recommended

Tom Orry — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:51:17 +0000

Borderlands 4 releases on 12th September, and just in time developer Gearbox has revealed the PC hardware specs you'll need to run the game at a decent or intended level - essentially the minimum and recommended PC specs.

Dead Island 3 teased with returning character, as Dambuster Studios celebrates 20 million Dead Island 2 players

Tom Orry — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:01:43 +0000

Dead Island 3 might not be officially announced, but current series developer Dambuster Studios has given a very serious hint, nod, and wink towards it being in development.

Curtains in the 90s, Pogs, and the trend fallacy - yes, this is a stealth Hollow Knight: Silksong article, sorry

Tom Orry — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

When I was at school, which is a disconcertingly long time ago, there was a period during which all the boys seemed to have a near-identical curtains haircut. I hated it. It was so common that it might as well have been part of the school dress code, and yet, I resisted. I've always been pretty good at doing my own thing, not falling into the trap of peer pressure and what I've just this second coined as "The trend fallacy". Just because everyone is doing something, doesn't mean it's right for you.

You can take the Gears out of the Xbox, but you can't take the Xbox out of the Gears

Tom Orry — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0000

You can now play Gears of War on the PlayStation 5. Despite the changes to the video game landscape in recent years, that sentence still makes me react similarly to how I would if someone said "you can now drink coffee with a fork". My brain's immediate reaction is to dismiss it as nonsense. It's not. We've seen plenty of Xbox games on PlayStation already, but there are some games that bleed Xbox. Gears of War is one of them.

22nd August video games round-up: Hollow Knight: Silksong release date reaction and gamescom's best games

Tom Orry — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:05:28 +0000

Update: That was the world of video games today on 20th August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.

21st August video games round-up: Silksong finally gets a release date and we agree that games consoles are both expensive and not expensive

Tom Orry — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 08:08:03 +0000

Update: That was the world of video games today on 21st August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.

Sony raises price of PS5, PS5 Digital, and PS5 Pro in the US

Tom Orry — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:27:33 +0000

Sony has announced that it is raising the price of the PS5 in the US. The price increase of $50 affects all PS5 models and will come into effect from 21st August.

High on Life 2 given February 2026 release date and confirmed for Xbox Game Pass

Tom Orry — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 10:39:21 +0000

High on Life 2, the sequel to the crude and comedic FPS from Squanch Games, is set to release on 13th February, 2026, it's been revealed on Xbox Wire.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Open Network Test to begin on 29th August

Tom Orry — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:34:45 +0000

A Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Open Network Test has been announced for PS5, Xbox Series Consoles, PC, and Nintendo Switch. The multiplayer test will begin on 29th August and run over that weekend until 1st September.

20th August video games round-up: PS5 gets a price hike in the US and gamescom provided Silksong hands-on

Tom Orry — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:07:32 +0000

Update: That was the world of video games today on 20th August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.

No Hollow Knight: Silksong release date announcement today as Special Announcement is scheduled for Thursday

Tom Orry — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 14:43:17 +0000

A Hollow Knight: Silksong "Special Announcement" from developer Team Cherry is planned for Thursday, with the video set to run on YouTube at 3.30pm BST on 21st August.

Here are your Xbox Game Pass games for the end of August

Tom Orry — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 14:27:24 +0000

Xbox has announced the games coming to Xbox consoles and PC on Game Pass. The line-up for the second half of August includes big names such as Persona 4 Golden, Gears of War: Reloaded, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Neat looking indie game, Herdling, is also arriving day one on Game Pass.

Switch 2 exclusive Kirby Air Riders has a release date and it's just three months away

Tom Orry — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:48:50 +0000

Nintendo has announced that Kirby Air Riders will release on 20th November. The game is an exclusive for the Nintendo Switch 2, and is a sort of follow-up to Kirby Air Ride, a GameCube game from 2003 that has gained a cult following in the years since. The new game is being developed by Bandai Namco and Sora.

Eight games, including an overlooked Metroidvania, will leave PlayStation Plus in September

Tom Orry — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:40:52 +0000

The games set to leave PlayStation Plus Extra in September have been revealed. The eight titles include some very good games, so you might want to make some time before 16th September to get them played.

Hollow Knight: Silksong teased for a re-reveal at Gamescom Opening Night Live today

Tom Orry — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 08:57:53 +0000

Hollow Knight: Silksong looks increasingly likely to be shown off in some form this evening at Gamescom Opening Night Live. Show host and producer Geoff Keighley tweeted a selfie while wearing a red nose, heavily pointing towards the game showing up at ONL tonight.

Capcom asks PC Monster Hunter Wilds players to wait until Title Update 4 this winter for "CPU and GPU related optimizations"

Tom Orry — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 08:27:51 +0000

PC gamers who are hoping Capcom updates Monster Hunter Wilds to improve performance will have to wait a little longer. A statement made on X.com via the official Monster Hunter account has told players that improvements are coming, but not until this winter.

19th August video games round-up: Kirby Air Riders looks OK, Silksong gets a Special Announcement tease, and new games are revealed for Game Pass

Tom Orry — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 08:00:13 +0000

Update: That was the world of video games today on 19th August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.

Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct announced for 19th August

Tom Orry — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:36:02 +0000

Nintendo has announced that a Kirby Air Riders Direct will air tomorrow, 19th August. The video presentation will be approximately 45 minutes long and deliver info on the upcoming Switch 2 exclusive.

Shenmue III Enhanced coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and Nintendo Switch

Tom Orry — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:14:51 +0000

Shenmue 3 is coming back, with Yu Suzuki and publisher ININ Games announcing the Enhanced edition. The reworked and tweaked version of the 2020 game will be arriving on PS5 and PC as before, but also hitting Xbox and Nintendo consoles (TBC, but I think it's probably safe to say that'll be Switch 2 rather than the original Switch).

Euro Truck Simulator 2 seemingly coming to PS5 and Xbox Series consoles

Tom Orry — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 12:03:49 +0000

Cult hit Euro Truck Simulator 2 is seemingly coming to PS5 and Xbox consoles. The news comes via PSN and Xbox store listings for the game, which is yet to be officially announced for the two consoles.

Borderlands 3, Sea of Stars, and more to leave Xbox Game Pass at the end of August

Tom Orry — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:59:38 +0000

Every month Xbox gives and and it takes. While we get new games added to Xbox Game Pass throughout each month, in the middle and the end of the month we also see a bunch of games leave the service.

New Pokémon Legends: Z-A trailer shows off Link Battles

Tom Orry — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 08:55:54 +0000

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have released a brand new trailer for the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A, plus detailed how the new Link Battles work.

18th August video games round-up: Battlefield 6 beta sadness, Shenmue 3, and a Nintendo Direct for Kirby

Tom Orry — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 08:08:57 +0000

Update: That was the world of video games today on 18th August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.

Have a peek at Crimson Desert's Gamescom demo, thanks to this 13-minute gameplay trailer

Tom Orry — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:25:24 +0000

Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss' visually impressive action game, will be at Gamescom in Cologne next week, but if you aren't going you can see how it's shaping up in this new gameplay trailer.

Ghost of Yōtei Yari gameplay trailer offers 30 seconds of bridge combat

Tom Orry — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:33:22 +0000

Ghost of Yōtei for PlayStation 5 edges closer and closer to its October release date, but if you are finding the wait hard to take then this short but sweet gameplay trailer might ease your suffering.

Get another taste of the Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds official soundtrack

Tom Orry — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:54:15 +0000

Sonic the Hedgehog isn't loved by everyone, but most people can agree that the music in his games is generally top-tier stuff. We expect the soundtrack to the upcoming Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will be stellar, and Sega has released a brand new video that highlights six of the tunes in the game.

Emergency Call 112 - The Firefighting Simulation 3 revealed for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles

Tom Orry — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:04:39 +0000

If you simply can't get enough authentic firefighting video games, publisher Aerosoft has got some great news: Emergency Call 112 - The Firefighting Simulation 3 is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles, and is in development at crenetic.

Neo Berlin 2087 - Gamescom 2025 Gameplay Trailer shows off impressive visuals

Tom Orry — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 08:34:36 +0000

Elysium Game Studio has released a brand-new gameplay trailer for its third- and first-person action RPG, Neo Berlin 2087. According to the developer's official website, the game is coming to PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and PC.

15th August video games round-up: Battlefield 6 beta continues, Dawn of War - Definitive Edition is out, and early shouts for Game of the Year

Tom Orry — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 08:06:41 +0000

Update: That was the world of video games today on 14th August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.

Vampire Survivors: The Board Game is heading to Kickstarter

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:01:35 +0000

Everyone loves Vampire Survivors, the budget-priced, super moreish bullet-hell game from Poncle. The game has seen various updates and expansions since its initial release in December 2021, and now the game is shedding its digital clothes and heading into the real world thanks to a board game.

Exit the Gungeon is free of Apple Arcade exclusivity, arrives on mobile for everyone alongside Enter the Gungeon

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:21:53 +0000

Some neat news for mobile gamers, with both Enter the Gungeon and Exit the Gungeon arriving on mobile devices (Android and iOS) today. For those not in the know, Enter the Gungeon is a bullet-hell dungeon crawler rougelike, originally released back in 2016. The spin-off, Exit the Dungeon, is more of a dungeon climbing game, and first hit Apple Arcade back in September 2019.

The wait for extended Jurassic Park: Survival gameplay continues, but here's a behind-the-scenes video

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:27:09 +0000

We all wanted a Jurassic Park game that was closely tied to the original movie and also leant on the survival-action elements that make sense for a video game. We are getting that in Jurassic Park: Survival, but we're still waiting to see it in proper action. Today, Saber Interactive has at least given us a look at how the game is being made in collaboration with NBCUniversal, and included a smattering of pre-alpha gameplay.

EA Sports FC 26 Icons and pre-order bonuses revealed

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 11:09:54 +0000

EA Sports FC 26 is releasing next month, so the pre-release reveals are coming thick and fast. The latest news out of EA Sports is the line-up of Icons included in the game, along with details on what Icons you can get for pre-ordering.

Wuyang revealed as new hero in Overwatch 2

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 09:52:18 +0000

Activision Blizzard has announced the next hero coming to Overwatch 2, Wuyang. The new character will be playable from today until 18th August in his Hero Trial, but won't be released properly until Overwatch 2 Season 18 launches.

Dice announces Battlefield 6 Open Beta Week 2 playlist options and changes

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 09:01:08 +0000

EA and Dice have detailed what's changing in the Battlefield 6 Beta in its second week, which kicks off today and runs until 17th August.

PUBG: Battlegrounds no longer playable on PS4 and Xbox One from 13th November

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 08:37:46 +0000

The PUBG: Battlegrounds team has announced that the game will cease to be playable on last-generation PS4 and Xbox One consoles starting 13th November. All development and support for the game will be focused on the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles going forward.

14th August video games round-up: short games, Drag x Drive isn't awful, Jurassic Park: Survivor gets an update

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 08:03:12 +0000

Update: That was the world of video games today on 14th August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.

Here are our PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue and retro titles for August

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:09:40 +0000

Sony has announced the line-up of games coming to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue this August. Available to PS Plus Extra and Premium members, these new additions include Mortal Kombat 1, Marvel's Spider-Man, Sword of the Sea, Earth Defense Force 6, and Unicorn Overlord.

Mobile-only Resident Evil Survival Unit gets new cinematic trailer with music by Japanese rock band Queen Bee

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:26:10 +0000

While the quality of the upcoming mobile-only Resident Evil Survival Unit remains to be seen, the trailer certainly looks the part. Produced by Quebico, the studio behind the full 3DCG animation Resident Evil: Death Island, this cinematic overview shows off how players will be able to form teams of characters that span the Resident Evil universe in a battle against classic Resident Evil enemies.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater - Fox Hunt will not support cross-play, Konami confirms

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:58:22 +0000

Fox Hunt, the online multiplayer mode releasing later this autumn as part of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, won't include cross-play. The news comes as we approach the 28th August release date of the game.

LEGO Voyagers release date confirmed for mid-September

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:20:09 +0000

September has another game to look forward to, with LEGO Voyagers being scheduled for release on 15th September. The game is coming to pretty much all major platforms, which means PS5, PS4, Xbox Series consoles, Switch, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store).

Football Manager 2026 revealed alongside snippets of non-spreadsheet in-engine footage

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:25:38 +0000

After delaying and then cancelling Football Manager 2025 due to ongoing issues getting the massively reworked game ready, SEGA and Sports Interactive have announced that Football Manager 2026 is coming.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Roadmap for 2025 includes A-Life updates and an upgrade to a new version of Unreal Engine 5

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 10:38:31 +0000

GSC Game World has announced its plans for updates to Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl for the remainder of 2025. Big ticket updates include tweaks and changes to the A-Life system, Unreal Engine 5 performance gains, and new night vision devices to play with.

GameCube classic Chibi-Robo! Heads to Nintendo Classics on Switch 2 on 21st August

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:11:26 +0000

The Switch 2 hasn't been flush with new releases, I think it's fair to say, but Nintendo has offered up a nice lot of games in its Nintendo Classics games portal. The next GameCube game to arrive has been revealed, and it's the wonderful Chibi-Robo!

InZoi is releasing on PS5 in the first half of 2026, Xbox version is being considered

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 08:38:23 +0000

Popular life sim InZoi, already released on PC, has been confirmed for release on PlayStation 5 during the first half of 2026. While PS5 players keen for more life sim options are in luck, Xbox owners need to wait to see if the game will arrive on their consoles. Publisher Krafton has stated that an Xbox release of InZoi is "under consideration."

13th August video games round-up: new Eurogamer, FM 2026 revealed, Metal Gear Solid disappointment, and more

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 08:05:18 +0000

Update: That was the world of video games today on 13th August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.

Eurogamer is changing to give you more of what you want

Tom Orry — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 08:04:33 +0000

Today we're rolling out a new Eurogamer. This isn't a new website design, but a rethink of how we work and what we want to achieve with our video games coverage - albeit one that still very much reflects the Eurogamer you've known for the past 25 years.

Hell is Us demo returns and it's got patch notes, available on PC, Xbox, and PS5

Tom Orry — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:58:56 +0000

A Hell is Us demo was available back in June for those who managed to play it in time, but it's now returned in an updated form for PC, plus for the first time on Xbox and PlayStation 5. Be quick, as the demo will disappear on 28th August.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 out now on PS5, Enhanced update for Xbox and PC

Tom Orry — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:51:58 +0000

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, released back on 21st May, 2024 for Xbox Series consoles and PC, has today released on PlayStation 5. PS5 owners looking to buy Ninja Theory's cinematic action game have two options (Standard and Deluxe editions):

Endless Legend 2 demo out now on Steam, but only for a limited time

Tom Orry — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:51:25 +0000

A demo for Hooded Horse and Amplitude's Endless Legend 2 is out now. The turn-based strategy sequel for PC can now be tried out ahead of its early access launch on September 22 - a release that has a good shot of being reasonably big, given the game has passed 250,000 wishlists on Steam.

35 years after being dazzled by my first video game, Split Fiction showed me there's no stopping their ability to astonish

Tom Orry — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

I always caution myself against talking about the past as if it was so much better than today. "Back in my day you could buy a Freddo for 5p, the Freddo was the size of your face, and the chocolate was better," I might say. "Remember when you could buy a portion of chips from the Chippy, a packet of crisps, a Panda cola, and a bag or penny sweets for a quid?" I might add, ignoring the context completely. But - and I am in danger of breaking my own advice here - there was a very real sense of rapid change and advancement in video games that has dulled.

What we've been playing - co-op games, sort of visiting Essex, and a relentless desire for Pokémon

Tom Orry — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing. This week, Tom O really is playing a proper game that isn't Rematch, Mat 'social' Jones has not been in Essex, Alex has been struggling to sleep, Chris has been fighting against his worst desires, and Dom has attempted to come down after a festival.

Donkey Kong Bananza's 'little sister' mode is teaching my daughter the dark art of amusing trolling, and I love it

Tom Orry — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0000

I've not had much time with Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo's latest triumph of game design. Yes, this is partly because video games must fight with my other interests to get a piece of my spare time pie (this is a small pie, in case you need it spelling out), but it's also because my kids won't stop playing it. My son, a Mario Odyssey completionist, was obviously going to be keen on DK's Switch 2 debut, but the real surprise in all this is just how much my four-year-old daughter has got in on the action. In my house we've now dubbed the ability for a second player to control Pauline's shouts the "little sister mode," and it's brilliant fun. Well, it's fun for everyone apart from my son.

I thought Switch 2 would kill my Steam Deck, but it's actually made me play it more

Tom Orry — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:59:33 +0000

In the days leading up to the Switch 2 launch I couldn't help but feel sad for my Steam Deck. Once my pride and joy, a delight I'd take great pleasure in telling people about and even demonstrating, it had started to gather dust. I was about to enter the age of the Switch 2, and I didn't think I needed two handhelds in my life. So certain I was of the Deck's move down the pecking order, I even looked into how much I'd get for selling it. Goodbye my chunky boy, you served me well.

For the love of Ibrahimovic, Rematch players, learn to pass before I become the very thing I hate

Tom Orry — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0000

I feel like I've finally found a competitive online game that I enjoy and can't stop thinking about. Rematch, Sloclap's 3/4/5-a-side football game, is what Rocket League would have been based on if the world made any sense. It's not, which has resulted in a bizarre situation where you have to describe Rematch as Rocket League with people instead of cars… so, just football, then. Anyway, I love it. In fact I love it despite the fact that a large portion of the player base is the absolute worst kind of person: a ball hog.

Rematch, the challenging new online football game hitting Game Pass, immediately transported me back to my school's playground

Tom Orry — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:38:01 +0000

If I had to name the one thing I miss most about my school days (and to be honest, I'm going back a fairly long way here) I'd say it's the ability to play football every day. I'm sure I could do that now if I really wanted to, but never again will I be in a position to run out onto the playground or field every breaktime and always have enough people for at least some five-a-side. It was glorious. Tennis ball, sopping wet sponge ball, tatty old mini leather ball… we'd have kicked around a bunch of rolled up paper if we had to. Having played Sloclap's (Sifu, Absolver) Rematch for a few hours it's already provided the closest I've experienced to those classic days of scuffed shoes and grass-stained trousers.

As much as it pains me to say it, the Switch 2's short battery life is a real bummer

Tom Orry — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Sometimes you just know something to be true. Do I want to eat a pizza right now? Yes. Is Hot Rod the greatest Transformer? Yes. Am I going to be miserable when the temperature climbs above 22 degrees celsius? Yes. Is my sleep going to suffer because of a big event happening tomorrow? Yes. Is the Switch 2's battery life too short? Yes.

Mario Kart World review

Tom Orry — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Mario Kart World offers neat twists on the classic Mario Kart formula, but its open-world ambitions are somewhat let down by some classic Nintendo quirkiness.

Ending the Xbox Summer Game Fest Showcase with COD: Black Ops 7 was a terrible decision, even though it no doubt made perfect sense

Tom Orry — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 14:08:36 +0000

Xbox had a really good showing on Sunday, its showcase at the tail end of a Summer Game Fest period that has at times felt rather glib managing to make people feel happy about video games again - at least for a little bit. It was full of the kind of quirky and interesting-looking games that in years past would have been reserved for PlayStation's E3 showcase, with only a smattering of what you might call Big games with a capital B. That was until the end.

Say hello to the new Eurogamer team

Tom Orry — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 11:01:00 +0000

Let's cut to the chase, if you're reading this you've probably been wondering what is going on at Eurogamer. There have been a fair number of changes recently, but work has been going on behind the scenes to build out the team, and, dare I say it, things are looking good.

The Switch 2's best launch exclusive might not be Mario Kart World, but another racing game (and it's under £15)

Tom Orry — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 13:34:51 +0000

If, like me, you were excited about the Switch 2 but also couldn't see much truly new stuff beyond Mario Kart World, then I hope you like racing games as I'm currently having a jolly good time with one of the few Switch 2 exclusives that isn't from Nintendo.

Blades of Fire review

Tom Orry — Tue, 20 May 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Blades of Fire manages to feel original, lovable, and born of genuine passion, despite the near overwhelming number of problems that could have extinguished it.

The Midnight Walk review

Tom Orry — Thu, 08 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

A wondrous dreamlike world to explore in or out of VR, but a story that doesn't always hit as hard as you might want.

What we've been playing - engine musings, staying the course, and a tinge of sadness

Tom Orry — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Hello and welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing. This week, Tom P has been loving his time in Cyrodiil, Victoria has been playing with dragons, and Tom O has been mostly just wandering about.

PS5 now has one of the greatest racing games of all time, and it feels like I'm cheating on my Xbox

Tom Orry — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Do you have your curry place? No need to look through all the menus, thanks, we're ordering from where we always order, Taste of India. I'll have the Butter Chicken (but hold the chicken and use paneer), pilau rice, and peshwari naan - some onion bhaji if I'm feeling opulent. This order brings me happiness, guaranteed. OK, I have been known to throw in a saag paneer, too, but if you're going to go big, go big! I'll never betray Taste of India.

Do I play Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Switch 2 or should I wait for Switch 3?

Tom Orry — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 12:30:00 +0000

No, that's not a serious question, but it is very close to the way my mind has been working recently. Should I play the new big game now? If I wait a bit, maybe it'll get patched and be better? What if it gets updated for a Pro console? New generation consoles are only a few years away, and it's bound to be re-released for those, so maybe I should wait and play something else instead? Do the questions ever stop? Why must I overcomplicate everything? Breathe… how do I breathe!?

IGN Live confirmed to run 7-8 June, with tickets on sale now

Tom Orry — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:00:00 +0000

IGN Entertainment (Eurogamer's parent company) has officially announced that IGN Live will run in LA from 7-8 June, 2025.

Atomfall review

Tom Orry — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Not long after I'd started college I found myself accidentally walking into an ongoing lesson. I can't remember what was being taught, but I do remember the faces of 20-odd near-adults turning to look at me as I casually strolled into the room. "Can I help you?" the teacher asked safely behind the scowls. I mumbled something about being sorry like a charisma-less Hugh Grant, then backed out sheepishly wishing to never return and perhaps combust on the spot. Everyone has been in a slightly uncomfortable and perhaps aggro environment that you wanted to nope out of, so we all know the feeling. When I tell you, then, that Atomfall, a quaint-looking English-countryside-set first-person sci-fi survival adventure features the most hostile environment I've ever encountered, let it be a warning. The people here are carrying a lot worse than angry faces in this tale of a locked down community and a struggle over what to do about the mystery at the centre of it.

The Steam Next Fest demo for Nidhogg creator's beautiful, new open-world biking game is slight, but I'm geared up for more

Tom Orry — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Bikes. Pelt them down a hill faster than the speed of sound, brake late, then skid the back wheel round to take a corner and narrowly avoid a poodle out doing its morning ablutions. Weave in and out of the wheelie bins round the back of the garages because you thought it looked cool on Ski Sunday. This is what I hoped for in Wheel World, Messhof's new open-world bike riding adventure/racing game that also happens to be about a ghost bike (Ghost Bike being its original, and probably better, name). The Steam Next Fest demo delivers on bike-feel (that's a term people use, OK!) but I'm left wondering how the supernatural flavour will shine through.

It's taken eight years, but finally Game Pass is positioned to save the Xbox console business and give Xbox a point

Tom Orry — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 10:08:03 +0000

My son is all-in on Xbox. On the TV he only plays Xbox. He prefers the Xbox UI and services (not that he'd use that term, he's not a robot), the Xbox controller, and the fact that he has Game Pass on there. He has multiple Xbox hoodies and bemoaned the lack of an Xbox birthday cake in the supermarket that was selling a PlayStation-branded one. When I ask him if he thinks he'll prefer PlayStation one day, he's typically pre-teen: "Why would I?" he replies as if talking to the world's dumbest man. He's not a console warrior, but it's fair to say that Xbox is his life.

Is your childhood home where most of your favourite gaming memories are found? What a strange feeling it is when it's no longer yours

Tom Orry — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

I don't think of myself as being overly sentimental. I do seem to remember a lot more than other people, though - small things that when I bring up to those involved, I'm looked at as if I've fabricated the world's most mundane story. "I had a really wonderful brownie there," I'll say to my wife as we pass a restaurant we last visited 12 years ago. "I had lasagne and cheesy garlic bread," I add as she looks at me in a way that is clearly questioning if we've even set foot in the building before. It appears that I'm like this with games, too, a landslide of the past hitting me as I learned my mum's house, my childhood home, is going on the market this week.

What we've been playing - A scary village, brilliant side quests, and chilly walks

Tom Orry — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Hello and Happy Saturday (if you celebrate such things)! Did you have a nice week? I hope so.

Astro Bot made the best play for nostalgia this year, and I don't care if you think it's a big advert

Tom Orry — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

As we're talking about games from 2024 that did something really well, for me, one game stood high above the rest (and is also a game I remember playing this year that actually released this year - sorry, Resident Evil 4 Remake, my brain forgot you released in 2023!). Astro Bot got me right in the feels this year. Other games undoubtedly had more affecting storylines and characters, but as someone who obviously loves video games a great deal, Sony's PS5 nostalgia-fest drilled right into whichever part of my brain processes joy. And let's be honest, that part has been used less and less in recent years.

What we've been unwrapping - Christmas Day edition

Tom Orry — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Hello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing over the past few days. This week it's all about Christmas presents and video game memories we associate with the festive season - what we've unwrapped, gifted, or otherwise been somehow involved with at Christmas time over the years.

What we've been playing - Open-world dress up, plant puzzles, and festive levels

Tom Orry — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Hello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing over the past few days. This week, we love a nice festive level, tackle some plant-based puzzles, and explore a brilliant open world while wearing some tremendous outfits.

The Cabin Factory review - a gimmick worth the cheap price of entry

Tom Orry — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

I like a good gimmick. I think the term unfortunately has negative connotations, used by people to downplay something neat as the only thing going for a product - a game, film, bit of tech, etc. The Cabin Factory is essentially one gimmick. It's not really a full game built around a gimmick, it's just the gimmick. It's a really cool one, though. Is a cabin haunted? Yes or no. Simple. I couldn't play with headphones on, needed to make the room bright, and had Bluey playing on my phone next to my monitor to lower my stress level. It's a damn scary gimmick!

How Blockbuster and a mail order catalogue helped PlayStation defeat the Sega Saturn

Tom Orry — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

The weather was typically unsettled in May 1994. Midway through my year-six school trip to the Isle of Wight we'd gone on a day trip to Blackgang Chine - a kind of magical theme park of sorts where we were told Queen Mary in 1920 had her hat knocked off by a massive whale's jaw bone. Anyway, that's not important. We'd come inside to a cafe area as it had started to rain. In this cafe I have two of my most vivid childhood memories: hot cinnamon flavoured hard round sweets and a Virtua Fighter arcade cabinet. As a young lad who'd essentially learned to read and write largely off the back of Mean Machines Sega magazine, you can imagine my excitement.

The 10 PS1 games that mattered the most

Tom Orry — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 13:11:32 +0000

This was originally going to be a list of the best PlayStation games. It's the 30th anniversary of Sony's industry-shaking console, so it made sense to pick the best, but that's not so simple when looking at games that are decades old. What does "best" even mean when looking back that far? A lot of retro games have been superseded on newer platforms, and some of the classics were bettered multiple times on the original hardware.

The PS5 Pro's major missing feature and a £5 copy of Forspoken has shown me a future I really don't want

Tom Orry — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

I bought Forspoken on PS5 for £5. I didn't want to play Forspoken at all, but I had £5. Forspoken on PS5 has sat on my desk (complete with character cards) sealed since November 17, 2023. Yes, this was a waste of £5. I'm an idiot who does stuff like this (glances over at a shelf full of Mega Drive games I can't play as I don't own a Mega Drive), but in recent days this pristine copy of a middling PS5 exclusive from Square Enix has started to haunt me. I no longer have a PS5 with a disc drive, so of course I want to play Forspoken more than I've wanted to play any other game in my life.

The PS5 Pro value dilemma - is a release from FOMO all you're getting here?

Tom Orry — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

I don't know who needs to hear this, but I'll let you into a secret: it's okay to spend your money on whatever you want. That's not to say we don't all buy things we probably shouldn't, of course. I recently bought 24 cartons of barista oat milk only to find that it doesn't foam. That's over a month of regret right there, and that was just this week. I even bought a SEGA Mega CD for crying out loud! If you fancy yourself a £700 PlayStation 5 Pro, the new high-end mid-gen console from Sony, I'm not going to stand in your way… but you might want to read this first.

What we've been playing - noiry crime scenes, clouds above fields, and scary towns

Tom Orry — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Hello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing over the past few days. This week, we wonder if being a detective would have been a reasonable career choice,we embrace new technology to drive a car in space, and we enjoy watching fresh eyes play a horror masterpiece for the first time.

What we've been playing - island puzzles, organisational fun, and hairpin turns

Tom Orry — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Hello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing over the past few days. We've moved this to a regular Saturday slot to give it a little more time to breathe - appologies if you came looking for it on Friday. This week, we tackle some puzzles while holidaying in a cabin, we go back to a game that had been forgotten about, and try to find some grip during a sharp turn on snow. What have you been playing?

Channelling the spirit of Inscryption, my favourite Steam Next Fest game is a game within a game, and it's brilliant

Tom Orry — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Let's face it, a lot of the games taking part in this October's Steam Next Fest don't give off the best first impression. Promo art suggests a cinematic adventure for the ages, the screenshots depict a few stick-like characters stuck in a graphical nightmare from the 1980s. There are some real gems to find, but there's a lot of chaff. Is This Game Trying to Kill Me? stands out as a real highlight. A creepy blend of escape room realism and retro dungeon crawling. I might, in fact, be in love with what developer Stately Snail is offering here.

Morgan: Metal Detective is a cosy Steam Next Fest game that I hope can match my favourite BBC dramedy

Tom Orry — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 15:00:00 +0000

It's hard to pinpoint when I became middle-aged, but I'm pretty sure it was the moment I watched and enjoyed The Detectorists. On the surface, it's a fairly twee tale about a pair of friends who love the bond their love of metal detecting gives them, but look deeper and you'll find a treasure trove of human emotion and life. I'm hoping that's what Morgan: Metal Detective will offer. The Steam Next Fest demo, available now, is a little short, but there's promise here.

Plunderstorm gameplay footage

Tom Orry — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:36:55 +0000

If you've always wanted World of Warcraft to run a limited time Battle-Royale-inspired event, you're in luck. Plunderstorm is exactly that, and we've got 15 minutes of gameplay of the mode in action.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare III Season 2 Multiplayer Maps Trailer

Tom Orry — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 10:07:38 +0000

Season 2 of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is taking you on a trip to three new 6v6 maps. The new maps coming to MW3 are: