REVIEW: Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream (2025 Video Game)

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream delivers a compelling stealth experience wrapped in a richly detailed Nordic city inspired by early 1900s Scandinavia. Players control Hanna and her allies as they navigate tense, story-driven missions using unique abilities to outsmart enemies and solve puzzles. The game's accessible controls and striking animations draw players into a world full of shadows and secrets.

While the game's linear structure limits free exploration, its personal story and challenging stealth gameplay more than compensate. The combination of strong narrative hooks and well-designed stealth mechanics make it stand out as one of the best isometric adventure stealth games of 2025, even for those not usually drawn to the genre.

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2025/07/review-eriksholm-stolen-dream-2025.html

REVIEW: The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) - Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn

Matt Shakman's The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces a 1960s-styled reboot of Marvel's First Family, giving Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben a new home on Earth-828. Set apart from the mainline MCU, the film leans into bright visuals and character-driven storytelling as the team faces off against the planet-eating Galactus and his conflicted herald, the Silver Surfer. There's a surprising amount of emotional weight here, especially with Sue's pregnancy and the team's growing tensions as they face overwhelming odds.

Despite a few uneven performances and some dialogue that doesn't quite land, the film holds together well with strong ensemble chemistry and a sense of hope that's been missing from recent superhero fare. With colourful set pieces, grounded stakes, and a bittersweet ending that sets up future stories without cheap tricks, First Steps feels like a welcome course correction for Marvel. It's not flawless, but it's a solid, earnest film that respects its characters and audience alike.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-fantastic-four-first-steps-2025.html

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

Set in the decaying final days of the Ming Dynasty, WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers throws players into a haunting world ravaged by plague, warfare, and corrupted monsters. You play as a female pirate warrior afflicted by the Feathering disease, a mysterious condition that transforms humans into grotesque beasts. It's a striking setting, full of gloom and despair, with the story slowly unfolding through exploration and combat. The game promises meaningful build variety, supernatural powers, and a host of deadly enemies, all wrapped in rich Chinese folklore.

But for all its atmosphere and lore, WUCHANG stumbles in the areas that matter most. Combat feels heavy and imprecise, the upgrade systems are more confusing than compelling, and boss battles rely too often on tired patterns rather than inspired design. Some Soulslike fans will enjoy the brutal challenge and ominous tone, but it's unlikely to pull in many newcomers. It's a game that looks the part, sounds the part, but never quite feels like it plays the part.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2025/07/review-wuchang-fallen-feathers.html

REVIEW: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) - Starring Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders and Jonah Hauer-King

I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) revisits the familiar tale of a group of friends haunted by a deadly secret and stalked by a mysterious killer. Set 27 years after the original murders, the film follows Ava and her circle as they navigate betrayal, fear, and violence in their coastal hometown. Returning characters add depth, while new faces bring fresh tension to the long-running franchise.

While the film leans heavily on nostalgic callbacks, it succeeds in delivering solid horror thrills with graphic kills and suspenseful moments. However, uneven dialogue and attempts at modern relatability sometimes distract from the tension. Ultimately, it offers a straightforward slasher experience that will satisfy genre fans seeking both homage and fresh scares.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-i-know-what-you-did-last-summer.html

Deep Cover (2025 film) starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed

Deep Cover spins a ridiculous setup into a surprisingly slick and grounded comedy. Bryce Dallas Howard leads the cast as Kat, an American improv teacher roped into an off-the-books police operation. Needing backup, she recruits two misfit students, played by Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed, to pose as gangsters and infiltrate the London criminal scene. What starts as a simple sting spirals into high-stakes deception, botched drug deals and accidental body disposal, all played straight with just enough absurdity to stay entertaining.

The cast sell it. Bloom steals most of his scenes, while Howard keeps the tone balanced between comedy and tension. Mohammed's role is predictable, but the energy stays high thanks to solid supporting turns from Paddy Considine, Ian McShane and Sonoya Mizuno. It's overlong by about ten minutes, and a few jokes miss the mark, but the film knows exactly what it is and runs with it. Not groundbreaking, but fun, fast, and consistently watchable.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/deep-cover-2025-film-starring-bryce.html

REVIEW: Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions (2025 Racing Video game)

Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX – Racing Champions is a lighthearted, fast-paced kart racing game tied to the animated film GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE, celebrating 50 years of Europa-Park. Featuring eight characters with their own vehicles and strengths, the game takes players on colourful, speed-focused tracks based on European landmarks. With several race modes and up to four-player local multiplayer, it's designed to be accessible and fun for the whole family, especially younger players.

While the game offers enjoyable visuals, catchy music and simple controls, it doesn't add much new to the kart racing genre. Performance hiccups and a steep £34.99 price point may make it a harder sell for seasoned players or those unfamiliar with the film. Still, for fans of the movie or Europa-Park, it delivers a decent ride with enough charm to keep kids entertained.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2025/07/review-ed-edda-grand-prix-racing.html

REVIEW: Jurassic World Rebirth (2025 Film) - Starring Scarlett Johansson

Jurassic World Rebirth picks up five years after Dominion, with dinosaurs confined to equatorial zones and humans mostly keeping their distance. A pharmaceutical team sets out to harvest DNA samples from three prehistoric species for medical use, only to collide with a stranded civilian family and a mutated dinosaur from a forgotten lab. What follows is a survival story filled with familiar set pieces, high-stakes chases, and corporate betrayal.

Scarlett Johansson leads the film with a grounded performance, standing out in an otherwise serviceable cast. The action looks good, the effects deliver, and the film mostly stays within the safe boundaries of the franchise formula. It's too long and often predictable, but there's enough spectacle to keep fans watching. Not especially bold, but solid enough to keep the series going.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-jurassic-world-rebirth-2025-film.html

REVIEW: Superman (2025 film) - Starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult

James Gunn's Superman brings a fresh start to the DC Universe, pulling from the All-Star Superman comics for inspiration. It delivers a visually energetic film with a packed cast of heroes, some quirky humour, and an oddly endearing turn from Krypto the Superdog. But the central figure, Superman himself, ends up feeling underwhelming in his own movie, overshadowed by stronger supporting characters like Mister Terrific and even the comic-relief Fortress robots.

Despite its ambition, the film struggles to balance tone, slipping into goofiness at times that undercut its bigger emotional moments. Lex Luthor's scheme falls flat, largely due to a miscast performance from Nicholas Hoult, and the overstuffed ensemble leaves little room for a focused or resonant Superman arc. There's nothing particularly terrible about it, but not much that sticks either. It's a watch-once kind of film, which isn't what a reboot of this scale should be.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-superman-2025-film-starring.html

REVIEW: How to Train Your Dragon (2025 film) - Starring Mason Thames, Nick Frost and Gerard Butler

How to Train Your Dragon returns in a live-action reimagining that closely follows the beloved 2010 animated film. Set on the Viking island of Berk, the story centres on Hiccup, a teenager who breaks with tradition by befriending a feared Night Fury dragon, Toothless. As their unlikely bond grows, Hiccup begins to uncover the truth about dragons, challenging everything his village believes. With strong performances, particularly from Mason Thames and Gerard Butler, and a visually impressive take on Toothless, the film captures the spirit and emotional weight of the original while standing confidently on its own.

Though the core story remains unchanged, the live-action format brings added texture and intensity to familiar scenes. The film balances action with heart, delivering strong messages about empathy, identity, and the courage to stand apart. With a supporting cast that includes Nico Parker, Nick Frost and Julian Dennison, it's as funny and warm as fans would hope. Despite a slightly overlong runtime, it's a thoroughly enjoyable retelling for a new generation, packed with charm and spectacle.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-how-to-train-your-dragon-2025.html

REVIEW: Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders (2025 Game) - On Xbox

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders offers a compelling mix of challenging skiing and laid-back exploration. Its standout feature is the new online multiplayer mode, allowing players to race or cooperate on the slopes, which adds a fresh social element to the game's snowy world. The game's visuals are impressive, creating an immersive winter environment that enhances the experience whether racing against the clock or simply enjoying the scenery.

However, the game's camera can be frustrating, sometimes obscuring the path ahead and forcing players to rely on previous tracks. The content is relatively limited, with little reason to revisit tracks once completed in single-player mode. Though the game is short, it remains enjoyable, especially with friends, but more content would improve its lasting appeal.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2025/07/review-lonely-mountains-snow-riders.html

REVIEW: The Old Guard 2 (2025 Film) - Starring Charlize Theron

The Old Guard 2 picks up months after the first film, as Andy and her team reunite for a mission that uncovers deeper mysteries behind their immortality. With Booker still in exile and Quỳnh now back from centuries of torment, old wounds resurface, and new dangers emerge. Discord, the first immortal, is introduced as a powerful arms dealer with her own motives, forcing the team to confront both their past and the expanding consequences of their existence.

As the plot unravels across global locations, the team navigates betrayals, shifting alliances, and the discovery of rules that may alter their powers forever. The stakes are raised when a nuclear facility is seized, leading to personal losses and unresolved threats. With the group fractured and allies taken, Andy must decide whether the battle to protect the world is worth the cost when the future is far from certain.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-old-guard-2-2025-film-starring.html

REVIEW: M3GAN 2.0 (2025 Film) - Starring Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ivanna Sakhno, Jemaine Clement, Amie Donald and Jenna Davis

M3GAN 2.0 ditches the horror roots of the original and jumps headfirst into sci-fi action territory. Set two years after the events of the first film, Gemma is now an advocate for AI regulation, while her niece Cady is navigating teenage rebellion. When a defence contractor unveils AMELIA, a deadly android built from stolen M3GAN tech, things spiral fast. As AMELIA gains self-awareness and slips the leash, the stakes go global, forcing Gemma to make the unthinkable choice: bring back M3GAN and hope she can be trusted.

What follows is a tense, kinetic showdown between two machines, with human survival caught in the middle. The film leans into its Terminator 2 parallels without losing its own voice, offering strong performances and smart pacing. It's a bold shift from creepy doll horror to full-blown tech thriller, but it works because the characters still matter and the stakes feel real. Not everyone will embrace the change in tone, but as a sequel that takes risks and runs with them, it's a strong evolution.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-m3gan-20-2025-film-starring.html

REVIEW: Heads of State (2025 Film) - Starring John Cena, Idris Elba and Priyanka Chopra

Heads of State sets itself apart with a playful, action-packed take on global leadership, focusing on the unlikely partnership between Idris Elba's British Prime Minister and John Cena's brash US President. The film's tone is deliberately light, aiming more for entertainment than sharp political satire. Director Ilya Naishuller keeps the pace moving through various European locations, balancing bombastic action sequences with moments of genuine character chemistry, especially between Elba and Cena.

While the film occasionally falters with some CGI issues and a mid-run slowdown, its strengths lie in the dynamic performances and the subtle hints at leadership and responsibility beneath the surface chaos. Priyanka Chopra Jonas adds a welcome edge as the competent MI6 agent trying to manage the chaos. Overall, Heads of State is an enjoyable, if imperfect, political buddy thriller that knows its place and delivers plenty of fun.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-heads-of-state-2025-film.html

REVIEW: Ice Road: Vengeance (2025 Film) - Starring Liam Neeson and Fan Bingbing

Ice Road: Vengeance moves the action from frozen highways to the perilous slopes of the Himalayas, as Mike McCann travels to Nepal to honour his brother's memory. What begins as a reflective journey quickly shifts into survival mode when mercenaries hijack a tour bus, targeting a young local boy tied up in a land dispute. Neeson does what he does best, even if he feels a bit like he's running through the motions. Fan Bingbing brings genuine energy to the screen and steals most of the scenes she's in, with clean action choreography and a grounded performance that lifts the film when it begins to lag.

While the setting is fresh and the international cast adds variety, the film loses some impact by leaning too heavily on formula. The lack of actual ice roads feels like a missed opportunity, and some cheap-looking effects don't help either. There's still enough tension and scenery to keep it watchable, but at nearly two hours, it could've used a leaner cut. For a casual watch, it does the job, just don't expect it to linger in your mind after the credits roll.

Full Review at

https://www.beentothemovies.com/2025/07/review-ice-road-vengeance-2025-film.html

REVIEW: Antro (2025 Video Game) - On PS5

Antro offers a unique blend of rhythm, puzzle solving, and platforming set to a soundtrack of Spanish hip hop, drill, R&B, and electronic music. Players control Nittch, a cynical delivery runner navigating the harsh, stratified underground city of Barcelona, where music and art are outlawed. The game shifts between free exploration and intense autorun parkour sections, challenging players to move in time with the beat while unraveling a story of resistance against a brutal regime.

Despite its striking visuals and immersive soundtrack, Antro suffers from a very short playtime, lasting just over an hour. While the rhythm mechanics and music-driven gameplay are engaging, the game leaves you wanting more depth and longer gameplay to fully realise its potential. Still, for fans of rhythm games and those intrigued by its setting and style, Antro is a memorable, if brief, experience.

Full Review at

https://www.gamingcouchpotato.co.uk/2025/07/review-antro-2025-video-game-on.html