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Arab News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Four of 2025's top video games so far
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CNET
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
The Best Co-op Games for Every Situation
Cooperative play is intrinsic to gaming. Some of my earliest (and best) gaming memories are of hours-long gaming sessions with friends. There's a reason why Hazelight Studios' Split Fiction and It Takes Two were so well received -- people love playing games with others. Bonus points if you don't need two copies of the game, or can do so from the same couch. Whether you're looking for a couch co-op or logging in with others across the internet, these are the best games to jump into with your friends. Best co-op games right now Split Fiction It Takes Two Helldivers 2 Elden Ring Nightreign Baldur's Gate 3 Best co-op games for two players These games are best experienced with one other person, so grab a friend and get to work. A few in this section, like Split Fiction, It Takes Two and Cuphead, only require one copy of the game, which makes it even easier to play. Hazelight Studios/EA Games Split Fiction When it comes to couch co-op, it doesn't get better than this. Split Fiction follows two writers who inadvertently become entangled in a machine that brings their stories to life. You'll get to know Mia and Zoe as they work through their stories (and trauma) while building their friendship. Together, you'll solve various puzzles in fantasy and sci-fi worlds that often pay homage to classic, genre-defining games. It's from the studio that made co-op bangers like It Takes Two, A Way Out and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, so it's no surprise that this one made the list. Price: $49.99 Number of players: 2 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 Genre: Third-person action/adventure Co-op style: Split screen or online Hazelight Studios/EA Games It Takes Two As the title suggests, you'll need to bring a friend to work through this story of rebuilding a failing marriage. You step into the shoes of Cody and May, who were unknowingly transformed into dolls by their daughter, Rose. You'll have to put aside your differences, work together to solve puzzles and platform your way to boss fights. Get your marriage on track and your bodies back in this near-perfect co-op experience. Price: $39.99 Number of players: 2 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 Genre: Action/adventure Co-op style: Split screen or online Hazelight Studios/EA Games A Way Out Ever wanted to break out of prison with a partner? So have Vincent and Leo. Set in the 1970s, you'll uncover the protagonists' motivations for needing to escape and why they ended up in the slammer in the first place. Over the course of the game, you'll work together to enact your plan and stay ahead of the law. Price: $29.99 Number of players: 2 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 Genre: Action/adventure Co-op style: Split screen or online Valve Portal 2 Arguably one of the most popular (and most quoted) games of all time, 14 years later, Portal 2's co-op campaign is still worth a playthrough. Armed with portal guns, players take control of robots Atlas and P-Body as they solve puzzles and uncover dark secrets hidden within Aperture Science Laboratories. With legendary voice acting and some of the best game writing that still holds up to this day, Portal 2 is a co-op adventure you shouldn't miss. Price: $9.99 Number of players: 1-2 Platform: PC Genre: First-person, action/adventure puzzler Co-op style: Online or split screen Studio MDHR Cuphead Styled after 1950s cartoons, you might expect Cuphead to be an easy, light-hearted adventure. While it is light-hearted, it's no walk in the park. The game starts with an ill-fated deal with the devil. You play as Cuphead, who inadvertently becomes the devil's debt collector. Luckily, you can bring along your brother, Mugman, to help take down everyone on the devil's list in hopes of earning your freedom. While challenging, taking on unique, well-designed boss encounters with a fantastic art style is very fun -- especially when you bring a friend. Price: $19.99 Number of players: 1-2 Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch Genre: Side-scroller action/adventure, bullet hell, platformer Co-op style: Split screen FromSoft Elden Ring Nightreign FromSoftware's Elden Ring Nightreign is the studio's first game with a multiplayer focus. You drop in to Limgrave, a well-known location to those who've played Elden Ring, with two other players. It borrows aspects from battle royale games, like an ever-closing circle that forces you to move as you scavange items along the way. There are three levels, or nights, that you progress through. At the end of each night, you'll fight bosses from across FromSoft's impressive catalogue before culminating in a final battle with the Nightlord. It's an interesting spin on one of the best games that has been released in the last decade. Price: $39.99 Number of players: 1 or 3 Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 Genre: Roguelike Co-op style: Online Best co-op games for four players These games are better experienced with a crew at your back. Squad up with three friends and get ready to squash alien bugs, hunt monsters or battle waves of demons. Arrowhead Game Studios Helldivers 2 Imagine being shot from your spaceship in a bullet-shaped Hellpod, hurtling down through an alien planet's atmosphere and plunging into the hard earth. You pop up, call in your weapons, and make your stand against an army of giant, democracy-destroying bugs, robots or space zombies called illuminates -- with three of your friends by your side. You will undoubtedly die, but that's a sacrifice Super Earth is willing to make. The high-octane, third-person shooter gameplay Helldivers 2 delivers is truly unique. It's hard to beat the rush of calling down massive napalm strikes and giant orbital lasers as your friends provide covering fire against the hordes of enemies threatening to overtake you at any moment. Price: $39.99 Number of players: 1-4 Platform: PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S (starting 8/26/25) Genre: Third-person shooter Co-op style: Online Capcom Monster Hunter Wilds Monster Hunter Wilds is a great point to enter this long-running series from Capcom. Team up with up to three friends to track and hunt fearsome monsters in sand-swept deserts, lush forests, frozen cliffs and fiery volcanic biomes. You'll fight through progressively more challenging hunts as you turn monster parts into weapons and armor to take down the tempered arch-tempered monsters. If you've been hesitant to jump into a Monster Hunter game, Wilds is the best place to start -- especially with three friends. Price: $69.99 Number of players: 1-4 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 Genre: Action RPG Co-op style: Online Klei Entertainment Don't Starve Together This spooky, hand-drawn title drops you and up to three friends into procedurally generated maps (that means each map is uniquely generated when you start a new game) filled with monsters. You're goal is to survive through the four seasons, each bringing different gameplay elements -- like temperature -- for players to contend with. You can choose from an eclectic character roster, each with their own unique abilities. The game has you scrounging for resources in swamps, deserts and forests, building your base and tools, and fighting off monsters and the weather while doing your best not to starve. If you've ever wondered how you and your friends would fare in a survival situation, this one's for you. Price: $14.99 Number of players: 1-4 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch Genre: Survival crafting Co-op style: Online or local Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Diablo IV The latest installment in Blizzard's horror, loot-filled series is great fun with three other people. Battle through hordes of demons as one of six classes, chasing loot and the perfect build to eradicate your foes. While it had a somewhat rocky launch, the game is in a much better place since its fourth season, Loot Reborn. It's now in its ninth season and first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, with another expansion slated for 2026. It's a good time for returning players and those ready to dip their toes into the hellfire to give it a shot. Price: $49.99 Number of players: 1-4 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 Genre: Horror, ARPG Co-op style: Online or local Kinetic Games Phasmophobia Ever wanted to be a ghost hunter? Phasmophobia lets you and up to three friends investigate haunted locales, following clues and dealing with truly terrifying paranormal activity. Your job is to use all the ghost-hunting equipment at your disposal to collect as much evidence as possible and make it out alive. Horror games can be fun alone, but they're a blast to play with friends. Try it in VR for a horrifyingly immersive experience. Price: $19.99 Number of players: 1-4 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and VR Genre: First-person horror Co-op style: Online Anegar Games Chained Together Do you and your buddies have the communication skills needed to break out of Hell? Now's your chance to test your theory. The only hitch is that all four of you are chained together and must synchronize your movements to climb higher and higher through challenging obstacles. One wrong move and you'll plummet back to the start. While you can play with up to four people, you can also do it with just one other person. Price: $4.99 Number of players: 2-4 Platform: PC Genre: Platformer Co-op style: Online Best single-player games with co-op These games are primarily single-player adventures, but they do support bringing along a friend or three. Whether you're passing the controller back and forth or dropping in and out, try these games solo or with friends. Larian Studios Baldur's Gate 3 Arguably one of the best RPGs ever made, with incredible emphasis on player choice. If you've ever wanted to play Dungeons and Dragons but could never find a Dungeon Master to run a campaign for you, Baldur's Gate 3 can fill that void. And with drop-in, drop-out co-op with up to four people, you can start a campaign alone and finish it with friends or vice versa. It's one of the best games made in recent years and certainly worth your time if you like fantasy RPGs. Patch 8 -- the game's final content patch -- was released in April, which added 12 new subclasses to the game, so it's a great time to jump back in or pick it up for the first time. Price: $59.99 Players: 1-4 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 Genre: Turn-based strategy RPG Co-op style: Online 343 Industries/Splash Damage/Ruffian Games/Bungie/Saber Interactive/Xbox Game Studios Halo: Master Chief Collection Staying up way too late and playing Halo: Combat Evolved with friends might be my first co-op game memory. Whether you're tearing through the campaign or playing online, the Master Chief collection can give you the co-op hit you're looking for. It contains six Halo games, more than enough to keep you and your friends entertained for a while. Snipers and swords, anyone? Price: $39.99 Number of players: 1-4 Platform: PC and Xbox Series X/S. Available on GamePass Genre: First-person shooter Co-op style: Online or split screen Iron Gate AB/Coffee Stain Publishing Valheim A Norse-inspired survival crafting game of the highest tier. Face off against monsters and collect resources to build weapons, bases and armor to surpass increasingly difficult biomes and bosses. And you don't have to go it alone, you can bring up to ten friends in a lobby. It offers some of the best crafting, survival gameplay I've experienced, and building a whole settlement with friends is a blast. Price: $19.99 Number of players: 1-10 Platform: PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series x/s Genre: Survival crafting Co-op style: Online Ballistic Moon/PlayStation Publishing LLC Until Dawn Remastered While not technically a co-op game, it's a single-player experience that's just as fun with your friends. If you've ever watched a horror movie and thought, I wouldn't make that choice, this game is your chance to prove it. It's a different style of game than others on the list; you'll essentially take part in scenes in a movie, making split-second decisions and participating in quick-time events. It was recently remastered for current-generation consoles, making it a good time to pick this one up if you didn't when it was initially released. It's also been made into a movie, though it only shares a name -- the story is entirely different. Price: $59.99 Number of players: 1 Platform: PC and PlayStation 5 Genre: Horror Co-op style: Pass the controller Best free co-op games You don't always have to shell out to play with friends. Here are a few free options. Mediatonic Limited/Epic Games Fall Guys A wacky game that has you and your friends take control of clumsy, cartoonish characters. The goal is to avoid being knocked off of zany obstacle courses. That's really all there is to it. It's fun with friends and free to play, so it's worth a shot if you're looking for something to get into together. Price: Free Number of players: 1-60 Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch Genre: Battle royale, Platformer Co-op style: Online Total Mayhem Games We Were Here This game puts you and a friend in control of an explorer and a librarian lost in a castle. Your task is to solve the puzzles you encounter. You'll be separated from each other, so use your walkie-talkies to work together to solve the problems you encounter. You'll need to describe the solutions over voice chat to one another, which can lead to some funny situations. This one is free, so give it a shot. There are two other We Were Here titles, but you'll have to pay for those. Price: Free Number of players: 2 Platform: PC, Mac, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch Genre: First-person puzzle solver Co-op style: Online Digital Extremes Warframe Warframe is a long-running, third-person action game. You take control of a Warframe -- a bio-mechanical suit of armor -- which offers various combat functions and roles like your tank, damage or support class. There are over 100 warframes to choose from, each with its own unique abilities. The game was released in 2013 and has received numerous content and gameplay updates. While free to play, an in-game cash shop offers both gameplay advancements and cosmetics. Price: Free Number of players: 1-4 Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 Genre: Third-person shooter Co-op style: Online
Mint
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
‘Wicked' filmmaker Jon M Chu to direct live-action hot wheels movie for Mattel
Director Jon M. Chu has officially signed on to direct a live-action Hot Wheels movie, a major collaboration between Mattel and Warner Bros. Pictures. The film will be based on the iconic toy car brand and is being developed by a powerhouse creative team. The script will be written by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier, the duo known for their work on Creed II and They Cloned Tyrone. The film will be produced by JJ Abrams' Bad Robot, Chu's Electric Somewhere, and Mattel Studios. Robbie Brenner, President and Chief Content Officer of Mattel Studios, will lead production along with Chu, Abrams, and Michael Bostic. Multiple executives from Warner Bros. Pictures, Mattel Studios, Bad Robot, and Electric Somewhere are also on board to oversee the project. In a statement to Deadline, Brenner praised Chu's visual style and storytelling, saying, 'Jon's ability to craft rich, elaborate worlds with a distinct point of view makes him the ideal storyteller to bring Hot Wheels to life. His films are visual spectacles — true eye candy — but what sets them apart is how he weaves unforgettable narratives within those stunning frames.' She added that pairing Chu with writers Juel and Tony brings together a team that can truly capture the heart, adrenaline, and spirit of Hot Wheels, a brand that's long been part of car culture around the world. Jon M. Chu has a busy slate ahead. He is co-directing 'Oh, the Places You'll Go!' with Jill Culton, a film set to release on March 17, 2028, featuring music by La La Land's Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. He's also directing 'Split Fiction' starring Sydney Sweeney, an upcoming video game adaptation for Amazon MGM Studios. Chu is widely recognised for his work on 'Crazy Rich Asians' and 'In the Heights', and is represented by Artists First, UTA, and Goodman Genow Schenkman.
Newsweek
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
The Best Games of 2025 So Far, According to Critics
Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors We're officially past the halfway point of the year, and 2025 has been an incredible year for high-quality video games — though less so for the games industry itself, especially after Microsoft's mass layoffs in Xbox studios. 2025 has brought us a glut of incredible games from teams of all sizes and projects of all budgets — from tiny two-person teams to billion dollar mega blockbusters. With so many incredible games to play, it might be a bit of a struggle to pick out which ones are worth playing, which is why we've put together this list of the best games of 2025 so far. These rankings are decided by Metacritic, where an aggregate of review scores from professional critics is applied to each game, and the Metascore is listed next to the game's name in our list. We've also excluded remasters and re-releases, and picked the highest scoring platform for each game, as scores tend to shift a bit depending on the hardware it's being played on. 1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – 93 Maelle slashing at an enemy in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Maelle slashing at an enemy in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Sandfall Interactive Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an incredible turn-based RPG that's well deserving of the top spot on the list. A fantastic story is paired with a top-notch combat system and gorgeous artwork and execution to make a game that has to be seen to be believed. In our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review we called the game a phenomenal piece of art, and it really is. It's going to be hard to top this one. Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC 2. Split Fiction – 93 Split Fiction is the latest game from Hazelight Studios, best known for its prior work on award-winning games like It Takes Two and A Way Out. Like those games, Split Fiction is an exclusively co-op affair, filled with a lovely story of overcoming differences, accepting the past, and embracing the future. You can play solo on a single screen in the same room, or use the free friend pass to play over the internet, which is also a huge plus. Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC 3. Blue Prince – 92 Indie roguelike puzzle game Blue Prince was a surprise smash hit when it released earlier this year, nearly instantly taking over the free time of anyone who caught wind of it. It's a fascinating game that has players exploring a mansion that changes every day, which can be influenced by drafting certain cards and rooms. Just about everyone who played Blue Prince absolutely fell in love with it, so just be aware that if you pick it up, you may lose weeks of your life to it. Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC 4. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – 90 Hideo Kojima and the team at Kojima Productions have done it again. Death Stranding 2 is a sight to behold, and it's one of the best-looking games on the PS5. It's got a bonkers story, as you'd expect from Kojima, and a whole host of gameplay improvements over the first game, and both make it worth checking out, even if you weren't super keen on the first game. Available on: PS5 5. Monster Hunter Wilds – 90 The Monster Hunter series has been rapidly growing in popularity since the release of Monster Hunter World back in 2018. Monster Hunter Wilds took the lessons learned from World and its follow-up Monster Hunter Rise to create a story-driven, fast-paced game with some of the best combat in the series' history. Some players have been mixed on the game's difficulty – or lack thereof – and PC optimization could certainly be better, but nobody has any complaints about the gameplay itself. It's phenomenal. Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC 6. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector – 90 Citizen Sleeper was a huge leap forward for the RPG genre, and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector took it even further. It's filled with tension, incredible world-building and character writing, and a whisper of tabletop gaming that made it feel both familiar and fresh. It's best played after its predecessor, and there's no better opportunity to play both games than right now. Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC 7. Despelote – 89 Despelote came out of seemingly nowhere to become one of the most fascinating and beautiful games of the year. It's an autobiographical slice-of-life adventure game set in Ecuador in 2002 when the country qualified for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. As a player you'll explore the city through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy, connecting with others and yourself through soccer, video games, and shared national pride. It's got an entirely unique art style that captures the fuzzy memories of a simpler life, and you owe it to yourself to play it. Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC 8. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – 88 As much a medieval life simulator as it is a video game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 takes a system-heavy, immersive approach to storytelling and gameplay. You'll step back into the shoes of Henry of Skalitz, who'll need to fulfil the role of a soldier, a spy, a blacksmith, or so much more to make his way through medieval Bohemia. It's an incredibly ambitious game that sticks the landing more often than not, and it's been highly praised by press and critics alike. Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC 9. Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo – 88 Pipistrello is a delightful indie game from Brazil that is heavily inspired by some of the best games of yesteryear, including The Legend of Zelda. It's got some gorgeous pixel art, a great mix of puzzling and adventure exploration, and a brilliant soundtrack featuring a guest track from Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura. If you miss adventure games from the GBA era, Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is for you. Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC 10. Monster Train 2 – 87 Sometimes you just need a rock-solid deck-building roguelike to get you through the day, and Monster Train 2 does exactly that, building on the incredible foundation that the first Monster Train laid. There's a truckload of new content, some incredible tweaks to the first game's formula, fantastic quality of life additions, in addition to everything people loved about the first game. Some fans are calling it the greatest deck-building roguelike of all time, and it's not hard to see why. Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Megyn Kelly's Sexist Remark Earns Backlash: Critics Roast Her ‘Bizarre' Take On Bezos' Wedding Invite
Megyn Kelly has come under fire for her shocking claim that actress Sydney Sweeney was invited to Jeff Bezos' wedding 'because of her enormous breasts.' The controversial remark has sparked massive backlash online, with critics slamming it as sexist and deeply inappropriate. A source told Page Six that Sweeney's invite was strictly professional, tied to her work with Amazon MGM Studios on an upcoming film adaptation of Split Fiction. While Sydney has yet to respond publicly, fans and fellow celebrities have rallied behind her, calling out Kelly for body-shaming and outdated stereotypes. Making things worse, Kelly also mocked Bezos, labeling him a 'walking pe**s,' further fueling the outrage. Read More
