There are bound to be some people who see TR-49 as akin to a homework simulator, with painful flashbacks to all-nighters spent desperately researching a last-minute college term paper. For anyone who knows the inherent appeal of diving deep into a previously unknown world, though, TR-49 is an engrossing work of world-building fiction presented in a truly memorable way.

It's a structure that can feel punishing, unforgiving, tedious, and enraging in turns. But it's also a structure that leads to moments of the most genuinely satisfying sense of achievement I can remember having in modern gaming...It's about a miles-long journey starting with a single, halting step. It's about putting one foot in front of the other until you can't anymore. It's about climbing the mountain because it's there. It's about falling down 1,000 times and getting up 1,001 times.

If you can power through these mouse-related annoyances, though, Drag x Drive is one of the more unique and fun action-sports games out there. I hope a critical mass of people give it a chance because I’d love to see some professional e-sports athletes madly swooping their Joy-Cons across a desk in a near-future Twitch stream.

The adorable relationship between young Pauline and the silent Donkey Kong is the icing on a very satisfying cake here. Even though Mario is nowhere to be seen, Donkey Kong Bananza seems destined to be thought of in the same breath as the Mario games that have come to define earlier Nintendo hardware launches.

Those nitpicks aside, Free Roam mode is what I'd consider the best realization of Mario Kart World's open-world ambitions. The more traditional racing modes can be too frantic and time-sensitive to let you enjoy the obvious care and attention to detail that has gone into building out the world around Mario Kart's racing tracks. And while racing around those tracks feels as satisfying as ever, this time around, the game's structure tends to get in the way of that satisfying core experience.

Those technical problems aside, I was surprised at how well this zippy, capsule-size take on the Elden Ring formula worked in practice. Nightreign might not be the full-fledged, epic Elden Ring sequel that long-time "Soulsborne" fans are looking for, but it's still a compelling, action-packed twist on the popular adventure gameplay.

It’s been hard to be overly critical of a game that has all but forced me to log off and talk to friends for a couple hours each week. The downsides of Sunderfolk have mostly been the same as those of playing any tabletop game with humans: waiting, expertise imbalance, distraction, and someone’s dog needing attention...Beyond that, I think Sunderfolk is a success at what it set out to do: Put the cardboard, cards, and dice on the screen and make it easier for everyone to show up. It won’t replace the traditional game night, but it might bring more people into it and remind people like me why it’s so good.

It'd be easy to glance at Avowed and see just another all-too-familiar take on a well-trodden fantasy RPG space. But that would be a mistake. The game's zippy controls, tough but not overwhelming combat, and morally ambiguous perspective make for a memorable journey that sets itself apart from the crowd.

Shadow of the Erdtree is definitely an expansion, both outward in area and upward in base difficulty. If you've already purchased it and find yourself bouncing off it, give yourself some time, some grace (in-game and out), and come back when you're ready.

Dragon's Dogma 2 doesn't always feel like a modern, polished open-world game, but it has all the weight of one. If, like me, you're okay with some bugs, some goofs, and some randomly punishing difficulty in service of a big, impressive adventure, I think it's worth the pain. Destiny calls you toward the dragon, but the real victories are the goblins we toss along the way.

For people who haven’t played it in a while, the Super Mario RPG remake is a fun opportunity to revisit a game you remember fondly. For those who are new to RPGs, this game is a great and low-stress introduction to the form, much like the original game was for kids in the '90s. The worst thing I can say about it is that it’s a little short, and for people who know the original, you might come away wishing that there was just more Mario RPG to play. Though that may just be me continuing to pine for the true sequel this game never got.

For now, just know that the game is the most inventive and joyful 2D Mario title in decades, and it deserves a play by anyone who has fond memories of the little plumber.

Spider-Man 2 definitely doesn’t rewrite the book of Insomniac’s superhero series. But that’s because it doesn’t need to. Even after pouring well over 20 hours into the game, we’re eager to dive in again to explore every hidden nook and cranny that this expanded New York City offers...And if Insomniac offers another barely different version of the same gameplay formula in a few years' time, we’ll probably sink dozens more happy hours into the same basic gameplay loop.

Despite the gripes I’ve mentioned above, I’ve still found it startlingly easy to fall deep into Starfield’s (just-short-of-literal) galaxy of pure content. That fractal quest design pattern makes it very compelling to stretch out a play session for “just one more jump” until you look up and suddenly it’s three hours past when you planned to sleep...I’m not sure if that loop will be strong enough to push me up to and past the 150-hour mark. One thing is clear, though; if we have to wait another eight years for a Fallout 4-scale single-player adventure from Bethesda Game Studios, Starfield has enough raw content to keep a certain type of space-fiction-obsessed player plugging away for a good chunk of that wait.: ["a few dozen hours" impressions]

Another remarkable feat of a streamlined tabletop experience by Larian Studios. [Early Impressions]

Jagged Alliance 3 is a capital-P, capital-C PC game, and I think it succeeds at delivering what it promises. Some of the humor may make you groan or wince; some of the controls feel like a nuclear sub; and the story is easy to tune out of. But landing that perfect shot, whether from Mouse's silenced handgun in the bushes or Grunty's sub-machine gun on a cliff, will keep you coming back.

You'll never have more fun being nagged to work faster. Buy it.

If you love ARPGs and enjoyed the combat of Diablo 3 and the atmosphere of Diablo 2, I think you're going to love this game. It's not as brain-meltingly complicated as a Path of Exile, but it doesn't want to be. This is streamlined, big-budget loot hunting, and I absolutely love it. Ignore the monetization nonsense, vibe out on the demon slaying, and you'll have a great time.

There’s something for everyone here. If you’re an old-school Street Fighter player like me, the game is alive and well, waiting for your return. If you’ve never really felt like fighting games were accessible to you, this might just be the game to welcome you in. [Approved]

I had a blast. Boltgun makes for a nice little break from today's far more complicated first-person games—or just from modern life itself.

So yeah, I’m pretty hooked on Darkest Dungeon 2. If it had Steam Deck support, I'd be in real trouble (it's coming in the future, Red Hook, says). Yes, there are issues, and I don’t know how far into the end game it will keep me engaged. But the combat is so good, and the roguelite elements are enticing enough, that it has entranced me in the same way the first game did.

The sheer scope and content in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor make it easily one of the biggest Star Wars games ever. This sequel largely uses the increased scale and depth to enhance its dramatic storyline and the core gameplay for Cal's adventures. Although this sequel's ambition shows some signs of buckling under its weight, it still manages to strike at the core of why a Star Wars adventure can be so satisfying and fun to immerse yourself in.

After a half-dozen hours with Atomic Heart, I’m eager to see where it takes me. I’m currently exploring the college town around a mag-lev train station, looking for a dead comrade with a ticket on them. The game’s promotional screenshots suggest far more varied environments than the underground tunnels I’ve been through and a wider mix of malfunctioning worker bots...Atomic Heart is loaded with little loving details, and its combat is notably more fluid and involved than the somewhat plain shooting typically associated with its sub-genre. I suspect the answer to what went wrong with the grand robo-workers’ utopia is going to involve some well-worn sci-fi tropes, but I’m fine with it. It’s a fun, ambitious shooter with a distinct style and worth the occasional kick in the head. [Impressions]

This breakout horror game stumbles occasionally, but it still stands tall as a thrilling survival-horror experience. Buy it.

If you come to God of War Ragnarök hoping for a story that's as tightly focused and emotional as its predecessor, you're likely to come away disappointed. But if you go in looking for a well-written and well-acted romp with the same kind of high-impact, tactical action combat as the 2018 game, you'll come away with a smile on your face.

In all of the best possible ways, Bayonetta 3 is leaning into the parts of itself that are more earnest than ever—all while going harder than ever on doing whatever it takes to simply be cool as hell. If you're looking for a strong, coherent storyline, this was never the series for you. But if you are a fan of flashy spectacles, a varied and creative arsenal, and larger-than-life characters, Bayonetta 3 more than delivers.

Vampire Survivors has me seriously jonesing for a portable version; its pick-up-and-play simplicity seems tailor-made for on-the-go play. If you have a Steam Deck, the game is a perfect fit; it was the most-played title on the system in both August and September. I don’t, so I’ve taken to playing it on my laptop because I just can’t get enough.

The writing in this game comes with plenty of biting satire and sarcasm that lands in amusing-not-preachy territory, but on more than a few occasions, you can see an older, wiser design team wanting to share a different kind of adventure game story through the eyes of characters they've grown up writing for. I began Return to Monkey Island thinking this game would merely be a fun, comforting return to a classic, but I left the island believing that I'd played a refreshing and absolutely necessary game—one that employs interactivity to speak to the human spirit in ways that a film or book never could. I love Return to Monkey Island, and I'm excited for you to learn its secrets, too. [Ars Technica Approved]