Star Trek: Away Missions starter set review - "Hard to recommend on its own merits"

GamesRadar+ VerdictIt’s amazing that we’ve waited so long for a wargame set in this universe, and the Star Trek: Away Missions starter set shows how much promise that idea has. A fast-paced but tactical system powers everything, and deck-building mechanics help it achieve warp factor nine. However, the core box isn’t perfect. The factions inside feel very unbalanced, and its missions encourage players to ignore each other and rush to complete menial tasks instead. Indeed, Away Missions doesn’t shine until you throw in the expansion packs.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$48at AmazonPros+Great core system with lots of fast-paced tactical decision-making+Different board layouts and deck building offers plenty of variety+Fun, if controversial, chibi-style Star Trek miniaturesCons-Keywords and card effects make it more complex than it appears-Default objective decks lead to weirdly insular, non-interactive gameplay-Teams in core set are very poorly balanced GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict It’s amazing that we’ve waited so long for a wargame set in this universe, and the Star Trek: Away Missions starter set shows how much promise that idea has. A fast-paced but tactical system powers everything, and deck-building mechanics help it achieve warp factor nine. However, the core box isn’t perfect. The factions inside feel very unbalanced, and its missions encourage players to ignore each other and rush to complete menial tasks instead. Indeed, Away Missions doesn’t shine until you throw in the expansion packs.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$48at Amazon It’s amazing that we’ve waited so long for a wargame set in this universe, and the Star Trek: Away Missions starter set shows how much promise that idea has. A fast-paced but tactical system powers everything, and deck-building mechanics help it achieve warp factor nine. However, the core box isn’t perfect. The factions inside feel very unbalanced, and its missions encourage players to ignore each other and rush to complete menial tasks instead. Indeed, Away Missions doesn’t shine until you throw in the expansion packs. TODAY’S BEST DEALS$48at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$48at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$48at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS $48at Amazon $48at Amazon $48at Amazon Pros+Great core system with lots of fast-paced tactical decision-making+Different board layouts and deck building offers plenty of variety+Fun, if controversial, chibi-style Star Trek miniatures Great core system with lots of fast-paced tactical decision-making Different board layouts and deck building offers plenty of variety Fun, if controversial, chibi-style Star Trek miniatures Cons-Keywords and card effects make it more complex than it appears-Default objective decks lead to weirdly insular, non-interactive gameplay-Teams in core set are very poorly balanced Keywords and card effects make it more complex than it appears Default objective decks lead to weirdly insular, non-interactive gameplay Teams in core set are very poorly balanced Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Jump to:Features & designGameplayShould you buyHow we test Jump to:Features & designGameplayShould you buyHow we test Star Trek: Away Missions feels like a no-brainer at first glance, and it’s surprising we don’t have a wargame like it already. Given its widespread popularity, Star Trek is an under-served franchise in the board gaming world; it has fewer games than many other well-known sci-fi settings, and those it does have tend to be lower quality. Witness the wild success of Star Wars: X-Wing compared to its cousin Star Trek: Attack Wing, for example. One of the many gaps that games have yet to boldly go is skirmish combat in the setting. But Star Trek: Away Missions aims to solve all these problems with its new core box offering. Does it manage to take its rightful place amongst thebest board games? Star Trek: Away Missions features & design Swipe to scroll horizontallyPrice$60 / £55Ages14+Players2ComplexityMediumGenreWargameLasts60 - 90minsPublisherGale Force NinePlay if you likeUnderworlds, Godtear, Kill Team Swipe to scroll horizontally Price$60 / £55Ages14+Players2ComplexityMediumGenreWargameLasts60 - 90minsPublisherGale Force NinePlay if you likeUnderworlds, Godtear, Kill Team In Star Trek: Away Missions, you take command of a small strike team striving to “complete missions, conduct espionage, fight in glorious battle, or assimilate distinctiveness” across three rounds. How to play(Image credit: Gale Force Nine)Away Missions is played over three rounds, and players take turns activating figures. They get two actions each: moving, attacking, and taking cover. Many cards (like Support buffs and Mission cards that earn you points) also require an action to play. Eventually, though, it all comes down to skill checks. These involve rolling a pool of dice based on the character’s skill rating, with bonuses for specialities. In combat, you must get a better attack score than your target’s defence roll. (In a fun twist, the Borg can actually assimilate characters that they kill, adding them to their side as drones.) How to play (Image credit: Gale Force Nine)Away Missions is played over three rounds, and players take turns activating figures. They get two actions each: moving, attacking, and taking cover. Many cards (like Support buffs and Mission cards that earn you points) also require an action to play. Eventually, though, it all comes down to skill checks. These involve rolling a pool of dice based on the character’s skill rating, with bonuses for specialities. In combat, you must get a better attack score than your target’s defence roll. (In a fun twist, the Borg can actually assimilate characters that they kill, adding them to their side as drones.) (Image credit: Gale Force Nine) Away Missions is played over three rounds, and players take turns activating figures. They get two actions each: moving, attacking, and taking cover. Many cards (like Support buffs and Mission cards that earn you points) also require an action to play. Eventually, though, it all comes down to skill checks. These involve rolling a pool of dice based on the character’s skill rating, with bonuses for specialities. In combat, you must get a better attack score than your target’s defence roll. (In a fun twist, the Borg can actually assimilate characters that they kill, adding them to their side as drones.) That’s because it recreates the Battle of Wolf 359, part of a particularly tense Next Gen arc and one of the more dramatic conflicts in Star Fleet’s history. In other words, it’s a great backdrop for a wargame. However, these are not the only teams you can use to play the game. Romulan and Klingon away teams are also available as expansions. All the figures are sculpted well but in an odd, stylised cartoon fashion with big heads and slender limbs that some may find off-putting. You can play Star Trek: Away Missions quite easily out of the box with the included quick-start guide. This gives you an initial board layout and instructs you to use the pre-made card decks for each side. As you gain confidence with the game, building the board from the supplied pieces and choosing what cards you want in your starting decks becomes part of the strategy and tactics of the game. There are also additional cards for both factions supplied for you to tinker into your decks, not unlikeWarhammer Underworlds: Deathgorge. Star Trek: Away Missions gameplay (Image credit: Future) Given the effort that must’ve gone into refining and improving the core game concepts, it is, therefore, rather surprising that the design makes such a mess in terms of game balance and mission cards. What’s available?(Image credit: Gale Force Nine)Alongside this core starter set, you can pick up new warbands via expansion packs. There’s Chancellor Gowron’s Klingon Honor Guard, Sela’s Romulan Infiltrators, the Klingon House of Duras, and Captain’s Picard’s Federation officers (these are characters missed in the beginner box, like Jordi and Dr. Crusher). What’s available? (Image credit: Gale Force Nine)Alongside this core starter set, you can pick up new warbands via expansion packs. There’s Chancellor Gowron’s Klingon Honor Guard, Sela’s Romulan Infiltrators, the Klingon House of Duras, and Captain’s Picard’s Federation officers (these are characters missed in the beginner box, like Jordi and Dr. Crusher). (Image credit: Gale Force Nine) Alongside this core starter set, you can pick up new warbands via expansion packs. There’s Chancellor Gowron’s Klingon Honor Guard, Sela’s Romulan Infiltrators, the Klingon House of Duras, and Captain’s Picard’s Federation officers (these are characters missed in the beginner box, like Jordi and Dr. Crusher). Whichever objective you choose, as soon as you start bagging points you’ll notice another discrepancy. The Federation’s missions are both higher-scoring and easier to achieve than those of the Borg. As a result, it’s much easier to win. This imbalance is so obvious that it’s presumably a built-in calculation to stop the Borg assimilating too many enemy characters and running away with the game. Which would make sense, were the Borg better in combat. But individually the drones are very weak, so they have to team up to take down the opposition, and that’s more actions spent fighting and not scoring missions. There’s probably a play style that makes them work, but it’s very far from obvious out of the box, and players will likely grow frustrated before figuring it out. (Image credit: Future) And that’s a shame, because when Star Trek: Away Missions works, it works beautifully. The interplay between cards, keywords, and board elements fills the game with variety and narrative. The tight round count makes it feel like every choice, every action, every dice roll is pivotal towards the overall outcome, with the game flip-flopping the advantage towards a thrilling finish. Similarly, the ability to build your own decks has promise. The mix provided for the Federation isn’t terribly interesting (it’s still skill-test heavy), but the Borg can definitely be customised in a couple of different ways… one of which is more aggressive, while the other involves Locutus’ special ability of pulling out support cards with a particular keyword. It’s just that you won’t get to see a lot of this smooth running using the factions in the core set alone. If you have access to the better-balanced and more varied Romulan and Klingon expansions, then you can get a better sight of what the game can be. Should you buy Star Trek: Away Missions? (Image credit: Future) If you like the franchise, and you’re drawn to Star Trek: Away Missions despite the flaws in the core box, then there is a solution – go all in. Pick up the expansions and you’ll find that this feels like a very different game. With more aggressive objectives and combat-oriented cards, they add the life and balance that the core set is missing, as well as extending the replay value with their additional cards and deck-building. But this core set alone is hard to recommend on its own merits. You’d be better off sticking with a Warhammer Underworlds starter set instead. Buy it if… ✅ You’re a fan of Star Trek and love the idea of playing with your favorite charactersBecause this wargame uses the Next Generation cast, you can bring Star Trek royalty - along with some of their greatest villains - to your tabletop. ✅ You’re a fan of Star Trek and love the idea of playing with your favorite charactersBecause this wargame uses the Next Generation cast, you can bring Star Trek royalty - along with some of their greatest villains - to your tabletop. ✅ You’re a fan of Star Trek and love the idea of playing with your favorite charactersBecause this wargame uses the Next Generation cast, you can bring Star Trek royalty - along with some of their greatest villains - to your tabletop. ✅ You’re a fan of Star Trek and love the idea of playing with your favorite charactersBecause this wargame uses the Next Generation cast, you can bring Star Trek royalty - along with some of their greatest villains - to your tabletop. ✅ You’re a fan of Star Trek and love the idea of playing with your favorite charactersBecause this wargame uses the Next Generation cast, you can bring Star Trek royalty - along with some of their greatest villains - to your tabletop. ✅ You’re a fan of Star Trek and love the idea of playing with your favorite charactersBecause this wargame uses the Next Generation cast, you can bring Star Trek royalty - along with some of their greatest villains - to your tabletop. ✅ You’re happy to go all-in and buy expansions alongside the starter setIt’s only when the expansion sets are added that Away Missions finds its feet, so the game is at its best when you branch out from the core set. ✅ You’re happy to go all-in and buy expansions alongside the starter setIt’s only when the expansion sets are added that Away Missions finds its feet, so the game is at its best when you branch out from the core set. ✅ You’re happy to go all-in and buy expansions alongside the starter setIt’s only when the expansion sets are added that Away Missions finds its feet, so the game is at its best when you branch out from the core set. ✅ You’re happy to go all-in and buy expansions alongside the starter setIt’s only when the expansion sets are added that Away Missions finds its feet, so the game is at its best when you branch out from the core set. ✅ You’re happy to go all-in and buy expansions alongside the starter setIt’s only when the expansion sets are added that Away Missions finds its feet, so the game is at its best when you branch out from the core set. ✅ You’re happy to go all-in and buy expansions alongside the starter setIt’s only when the expansion sets are added that Away Missions finds its feet, so the game is at its best when you branch out from the core set. Don’t buy it if… ❌ You’re not willing to explore the deck and board-building options of the gameSeeing as Star Trek: Away Missions only comes to life with its deck and board building options, avoiding them won’t leave the best impression. ❌ You’re not willing to explore the deck and board-building options of the gameSeeing as Star Trek: Away Missions only comes to life with its deck and board building options, avoiding them won’t leave the best impression. ❌ You’re not willing to explore the deck and board-building options of the gameSeeing as Star Trek: Away Missions only comes to life with its deck and board building options, avoiding them won’t leave the best impression. ❌ You’re not willing to explore the deck and board-building options of the gameSeeing as Star Trek: Away Missions only comes to life with its deck and board building options, avoiding them won’t leave the best impression. ❌ You’re not willing to explore the deck and board-building options of the gameSeeing as Star Trek: Away Missions only comes to life with its deck and board building options, avoiding them won’t leave the best impression. ❌ You’re not willing to explore the deck and board-building options of the gameSeeing as Star Trek: Away Missions only comes to life with its deck and board building options, avoiding them won’t leave the best impression. ❌ You prefer carefully balanced games with little randomnessIt’s less of an issue when you add expansions into the mix, but the starter set isn’t the best for balance. ❌ You prefer carefully balanced games with little randomnessIt’s less of an issue when you add expansions into the mix, but the starter set isn’t the best for balance. ❌ You prefer carefully balanced games with little randomnessIt’s less of an issue when you add expansions into the mix, but the starter set isn’t the best for balance. ❌ You prefer carefully balanced games with little randomnessIt’s less of an issue when you add expansions into the mix, but the starter set isn’t the best for balance. ❌ You prefer carefully balanced games with little randomnessIt’s less of an issue when you add expansions into the mix, but the starter set isn’t the best for balance. ❌ You prefer carefully balanced games with little randomnessIt’s less of an issue when you add expansions into the mix, but the starter set isn’t the best for balance. How we tested Star Trek: Away Missions Disclaimer As with all of our reviews on GamesRadar+, our reviewer played this board game multiple times to get a full and well-rounded sense of how it worked, its longevity, and how accessible it was. You can learn more about our process via the followingreview policy. Alternatively, you can check out the following guide onhow we test board games. Star Trek: Away Missions starter set: Price Comparison $48View $48View $48View $48View $48 $48 We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices More info More LatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastyPlanescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?“18 years after Guitar Hero 2 released, a streamer has completed the hardest challenge there is - perfecting all 74 songs back-to-back without missing a single noteSee more latest► LatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastyPlanescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?“18 years after Guitar Hero 2 released, a streamer has completed the hardest challenge there is - perfecting all 74 songs back-to-back without missing a single noteSee more latest► LatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastyPlanescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?“18 years after Guitar Hero 2 released, a streamer has completed the hardest challenge there is - perfecting all 74 songs back-to-back without missing a single noteSee more latest► Latest I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastyPlanescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?“18 years after Guitar Hero 2 released, a streamer has completed the hardest challenge there is - perfecting all 74 songs back-to-back without missing a single note I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tasty I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tasty Planescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?” Planescape: Torment was a revolutionary RPG, but many of its devs had no experience with the D&D campaign it was based on: “What the f*ck is that?” 18 years after Guitar Hero 2 released, a streamer has completed the hardest challenge there is - perfecting all 74 songs back-to-back without missing a single note 18 years after Guitar Hero 2 released, a streamer has completed the hardest challenge there is - perfecting all 74 songs back-to-back without missing a single note See more latest► Most PopularAnbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships”Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"Bouiles Elite Series review: “The longer I sat in it, the more comfortable I became"Azeron Cyborg II review: “One of the best gaming peripherals I’ve ever used”Atari 7800+ review: “a retro console remake for the ‘80s kids”Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” Most PopularAnbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships”Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"Bouiles Elite Series review: “The longer I sat in it, the more comfortable I became"Azeron Cyborg II review: “One of the best gaming peripherals I’ve ever used”Atari 7800+ review: “a retro console remake for the ‘80s kids”Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” Most PopularAnbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships”Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"Bouiles Elite Series review: “The longer I sat in it, the more comfortable I became"Azeron Cyborg II review: “One of the best gaming peripherals I’ve ever used”Atari 7800+ review: “a retro console remake for the ‘80s kids”Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” Most Popular Anbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket” Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up” Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created” Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships” Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” Bouiles Elite Series review: “The longer I sat in it, the more comfortable I became” Azeron Cyborg II review: “One of the best gaming peripherals I’ve ever used” Atari 7800+ review: “a retro console remake for the ‘80s kids” Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”