REVIEW: The Karters 2: Turbo Charged (2025 Video Game) - A Kart Racer Built for Speed and Skill

Review by Jon Donnis

The Karters 2: Turbo Charged has arrived on Steam early access, and even in this stage, it's already making a strong case for being one of the most exciting kart racers on PC. Developed by Pixel Edge Games, it leans into skill-based racing in a way that sets it apart from much of the competition. The drift mechanics, inspired by Crash Team Racing, are tight and responsive, but there's an extra hook with the reserve system. The more reserves you bank, the faster you go, with no speed cap to hold you back. It means races can flip in an instant, and those last-lap comebacks feel earned rather than lucky.

Right now, there's a generous amount of content to dive into. Sixteen tracks, six battle arenas, and modes that go beyond the usual. Road Breaker plays like a kart-racing take on Fall Guys' survival chaos, while Quick Cut throws procedurally generated tracks at you, keeping things fresh every time. Then there's the 1,500-plus mods already live via Steam Workshop, ranging from new tracks to completely different characters. The fact you can browse and install them directly in-game is a welcome touch that makes modding painless.

The game's multiplayer is just as ambitious. You can go split-screen with up to six players locally, jump into online matches, or combine the two with split-screen online support. Ranked matchmaking, tournaments, ELO leaderboards, and ghost races with downloadable data from the top players give it the kind of competitive backbone you don't often see in the genre. Dedicated servers keep things smooth, and there's even a Next Best Ghost feature to constantly push you against a close rival.

Even in early access, the polish is impressive. The karts handle beautifully, the visuals pop, and the performance feels solid. There's a single-player challenge campaign to tackle if you want to sharpen your skills, along with cups of up to 24 rounds for longer sessions. Replay and photo modes are already in place, which is great for sharing those over-the-top moments.

Looking ahead, Pixel Edge Games has more planned. A Story Mode is on the way, adding characters and a narrative layer, while an in-game track editor will let players create and share their own courses without leaving the game. Given what's already here, those updates could make an already robust package even stronger.

The kart racing genre is crowded, but The Karters 2 is carving out space with depth, variety, and sheer speed. If this is the early access build, the full release could be something special. Right now, it's already a blast to play, and the ceiling for where it can go is very high.

Out Now on Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2269950/The_Karters_2_Turbo_Charged/

Special Thanks to Pixel Edge Games for providing the game key.

REVIEW: MAVRIX by Matt Jones on PC Steam - (Early Access)

Review by Jon Donnis

MAVRIX by Matt Jones drops you into a 100 square kilometre playground built for mountain biking fans who want freedom and variety. It's part downhill racer, part creative stunt sandbox, part social hangout. You can blast down race tracks, piece together your own slopestyle lines or roam between multiple bike parks. There's also a multiplayer element where you can link up with friends, hunt for hidden challenges or just hit huge jumps in sync.

The physics system is one of its biggest draws. Dual stick controls give you separate brake levers and independent suspension, which makes every landing, drift and bunny hop feel more deliberate. You can fine-tune your ride with real world brands, from bike frames to clothing, and there's even a sponsorship system to simulate a pro rider's career. Global leaderboards and competitions with actual prizes add a bit of extra drive to go faster and push harder.

Right now though, it's in early access, and the foundation needs to come before the frills. The scope is huge, but performance and optimisation should be the top priority (right now it needs some major optimization improvements). A smooth, accessible single-player/offline mode would make it easy for anyone to jump in without waiting on servers. Skip-free tutorials, leaner load times and player-driven feedback will make all the difference.

There's a great core here. If the team focuses on stability, accessibility and the basic joy of riding, MAVRIX could become the go-to mountain biking game on PC. Get distracted by extras too soon, and it risks losing the audience before it even gets going.

Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Check it out at

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2926900/MAVRIX_by_Matt_Jones/

REVIEW: Killing Floor 3 (2025 Video Game) - On Xbox

Review by Jon Donnis

It's 2091. Horzine's created an unstoppable army of bioengineered monsters known as zeds, and Nightfall is the only thing standing in their way. That's the setup for Killing Floor 3, Tripwire Interactive's follow-up to 2016's Killing Floor 2. It sounds solid on paper. And at its core, it is: a first-person survival horror shooter where you take on waves of enemies, solo or in six-player co-op, trying to survive long enough to push back the threat. But this release isn't ready. Not even close.

You start in the Stronghold, a hub space where you pick your character and choose where to deploy. There are six specialist classes, each with unique weapons and special attacks. The Ninja, for example, uses a pair of swords and a grappling hook that pulls you straight into the action. You fight through waves of zeds, with their numbers scaling based on your team size. In between rounds, you restock ammo, buy resources, and use the Multi-tool to activate environmental defences like sentry guns or ziplines. The core loop is familiar, and killing zeds is still fun. But only once you've powered up. Until then, it's punishing.

Starting weapons feel weak. Really weak. You're thrown into the middle of it with underwhelming gear, and the game doesn't let up. The difficulty curve feels completely off, especially when you're new. You either run, or you die. That's the experience early on, and it's not encouraging. If you persist, the upgrades help, but it shouldn't feel like a chore to get there.

Combat has its moments. Zed Time returns, letting you slow everything down and see enemies lit up around you. The M.E.A.T. system is back too, with more dismemberment and persistent blood. There are a few great gory sequences. Visually, it looks good. The detail on the enemies and weapons is solid, though there are occasional glitches that break the immersion. The AI has been improved, with zeds moving more aggressively and in smarter patterns.

That said, the game triggered motion sickness during extended play, even with head bob, motion blur, and camera shake turned off. And while the environments are decent, the overall feel is unfinished. Despite being a full release, it plays more like a beta. Tripwire has said patches and content are coming, but that doesn't change what's on offer right now.

The optional narrative assignments add a bit more to each match, expanding the world and giving some background. You can also mod your weapons and unlock new skills, which helps give the specialists some variety. But the game needs more. More content, more polish, more care. The soundtrack is forgettable, and the whole experience lacks that punch you'd expect from a finished console release.

Right now, Killing Floor 3 feels rushed. There's a solid foundation underneath, and it's likely to improve over time. But at launch, it's not there. This should have stayed in development longer. Console players shouldn't be left hoping for fixes down the line, leave that for PC games.

Score: 5/10

Fun moments buried in an unfinished game. Not worth it yet.

Out Now on Xbox - https://amzn.to/4l6Eu9m

REVIEW: Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream (2025 Video Game) - On Xbox

Review by Jon Donnis

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is one of those rare stealth adventure games that manages to feel both intimate and expansive at the same time. It's set in this fictional Nordic city, Eriksholm, which feels like it's been lifted straight from the early 1900s with a perfect blend of elegance and grit. The isometric perspective really helps bring that world to life, allowing you to soak in the details while plotting your next move.

You start off playing as Hanna, a young orphan whose brother Herman vanishes after stealing something valuable. From there, it quickly turns into a tense, layered narrative about family, loyalty, and the unexpected consequences of actions. Alongside Hanna, you gain control of two other characters, Alva and Sebastian, each bringing their own skills to the table. This swapping mechanic adds depth to the stealth gameplay, since you're constantly thinking about how best to use their unique abilities, Hanna crawling through vents, Alva scaling drainpipes, Sebastian swimming through water, to outwit your pursuers.

What stands out most is the game's atmosphere. The city of Eriksholm feels alive and a little dangerous, every shadow inviting you to hide, every corner threatening discovery. The animations in the cut scenes are stunning, smooth, and detailed, which only pulls you deeper into the story. For a game with such a tight stealth focus, the controls are surprisingly accessible. It's easy to pick up but doesn't feel shallow. There's a satisfying tension in navigating through guards and using environmental clues to avoid detection. And if you get caught, the game nudges you back just before, keeping the frustration low but the stakes high.

The story itself is genuinely gripping. It's personal without being overbearing, and the mysteries unravel with some solid twists that keep you guessing. It's the kind of narrative that stays with you after you've put the controller down. The puzzles aren't overly complicated but provide enough variety and challenge to keep things interesting. They feel fair and well integrated into the story rather than shoehorned in.

On the downside, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is quite linear. If you're someone who thrives on open-world exploration or likes wandering off the beaten path, this might feel restrictive. The city is detailed and beautiful, but you don't get the freedom to roam anywhere you want, which could be a disappointment for those used to more sandbox-style stealth games.

Still, for what it sets out to do, it does it brilliantly. The blend of narrative and gameplay, the sharp design of the levels, and the well-crafted characters make it one of the best isometric stealth adventures in recent years. I'm not usually a fan of the genre, so for me to come away this impressed says a lot.

I really enjoyed my time with Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream and would give it a strong 9.5 out of 10. It's definitely worth your time if you want a thoughtful, atmospheric stealth game with a story that stays with you.

Out now on Xbox - Xbox.com/en-US/games/store/eriksholm-the-stolen-dream/

REVIEW: WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers – Soulslike Style Without the Soul

Review by Jon Donnis

WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is built to satisfy fans of Soulslike punishment. That much is clear. It looks the part. It sounds familiar in a way that leans more on nostalgia than originality. The world is brutal and broken, and you're dropped into it without much ceremony or comfort. There's a dark, twisted beauty to the land of Shu, but getting through it takes more patience than many will have.

You play as Wuchang, a skilled pirate warrior battling amnesia, monsters, and a mysterious illness called Feathering. The premise is solid. There's plenty of atmosphere and some striking moments of visual world-building. Strange creatures roam the ruins. Factions fight over scraps. And in the shadows, a creeping madness grows. It should feel thrilling. It should make you lean in.

But instead, the game keeps you at a distance.

The core issue is the combat. It wants to be weighty and deliberate, but it mostly feels slow and clunky. Movement is awkward. Attacks lack the snap and rhythm you'd expect from a title in this genre. Even the Skyborn Might system, which promises power and flexibility, rarely feels satisfying. You can customise builds, enchant weapons, and dive into a skill tree that offers new attacks and perks. On paper, that sounds rich. In practice, it's confusing and oddly lifeless. There's depth, but no real sense of discovery.

The Inner Demon system is an interesting idea. In theory, it adds risk and unpredictability. Your own shadow could lash out at you if you're careless. But this never quite gels with the rest of the mechanics. It feels more like a gimmick than a proper feature, and that's a shame.

Boss fights, the lifeblood of any good Soulslike, fall flat here. Designs are derivative. Patterns are repetitive. And too often, they feel like tests of your patience rather than your skill. The enemies you face along the way suffer from the same problem. They fill the world but don't really define it. There's nothing particularly memorable or distinct about them. They just get in your way.

The story, while present, is easy to miss. You're supposed to piece it together as you go, but the fragments feel thin. With no clear narrative pull, it's hard to care what happens next. Wuchang's past should have been a driving force. Instead, it gets lost in the noise.

And then there are the technical problems. Framerate drops are a dealbreaker in a game like this. If you're asking players to be precise, every stutter, every lag, breaks the experience. In 2025, that's hard to excuse, even if future patches might help.

There are good ideas here. You can see the ambition. Some players will appreciate the harsh challenge and the grim setting. If you're a die-hard Soulslike fan, this might still scratch the itch. But it never truly stands out. The gameplay lacks spark. The systems don't connect. And the world, though interesting at a glance, never fully comes to life.

For me, the biggest issue is that I simply didn't want to keep playing. I wasn't curious. I wasn't hooked. I was just going through the motions. That's not the feeling a game like this should leave behind.

I score WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers a disappointing 5 out of 10.