Ultimately, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a game that will likely appeal to fans of the genre, especially those who appreciate strong art direction and well-designed worlds. If you can accept that this game is short and far from perfect, chances are you'll love it.

Horizon Chase 2 is an outstanding arcade racing game. Although it has only 10 cars, it brings customization options, over 80 tracks, a captivating art style, and improves upon virtually everything else compared to its predecessor.

Even though the story is a bit over-the-top, the Mullet Mad Jack’s self-awareness and humor, combined with its addictive and well-crafted gameplay, kept me thoroughly entertained.

With a clear identity, a charming setting, and one of the best combat systems out there, Rise of Ronin is indeed Team Ninja’s best Action RPG so far.

Dragon's Dogma 2 doubles down on what made the original game so great while streamlining just enough to make the experience more accessible to a general audience.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth evoked all kinds of emotions in me, made me see my low-poly childhood friends as real people, and allowed me to once again be part of a grandiose, fate-challenging, god-defying adventure that I haven't experienced since the PS1 days.

Tekken 8 doubles down on all of the right aspects and delivers the ultimate Tekken experience through an extremely polished combat system, a beautiful presentation, a surprisingly well-crafted story mode, a few novel mechanics, and a groundbreaking new game mode.

Persona 3 Reload is a remake done right. Everything you love about the original game is improved upon, leading to a new experience that feels fresh and brand new while not forgetting its source material. Visual enhancements, inclusions of addicting combat mechanics, more enjoyable social links -- this game has it all. This is the definitive way to play the beloved JRPG, and once you get your hands on it, you won't ever want to return to the original.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink delivers an extremely polished experience featuring beautiful visuals, an exhilarating combat system, an intricate character progression system, a solid single-player campaign, an inviting multiplayer, and a wide array of both quests and different playable characters sure to keep you around even after completing its storyline.

With a refined battle system, a stellar supporting cast, and the best side content the series has ever seen, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is one of the best RPGs of the modern era.

Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is a delectable rogue-like that kept finding new ways to bring me back to the dinner table. Addictive run-and-gun gameplay, a colorful art style, and hilarious writing come together to create a memorable first course for 2024.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered adds some additional visual flair to a game that didn't really need any, but the new No Return roguelike mode makes it well worth the upgrade.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a superb Metroidvania that reignites the franchise in exciting ways and only gets better the longer you play it. Meticulously crafted platforming mixed with exhilarating combat makes for a game that is nearly impossible to put down.

With great netcode, a large roster, beautiful graphics, and beginner-friendly footsie-based gameplay, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising might be what resurrects this fighting game franchise and makes it stick around this time.

Although I can't see it ever becoming a sensation that manages to attract people who don't care for its genre, House Flipper 2 will surely become a reference among those looking for a casual, relaxing, house-flipping simulator.

Tevi has a great layout of biomes and a deep customization system that quickly allows you to customize and prioritize playstyles. Its boss fights are compelling, varied, and quick-paced with great gimmicks, and while its story and worldbuilding are forgettable, its character interactions help outweigh the faults. With an amusing love for waffles, a sharp wit, and a curious mind, Tevi has the makings of a truly memorable game protagonist fans will want to keep around.

Even with an embarrassingly bad single-player Campaign, the Multiplayer and Zombies experiences are enough to cement this game as one of the franchise's greats.

The Super Mario RPG remake is an impossible wish come true. The biggest complaints for this release pale in comparison to incredible visuals, new intense challenges, fantastic music, and well-retained charm. This release is sure to be worthwhile for both fans of the original and first-time Mario players.

Persona 5 Tactica is an excellent addition to the popular franchise, bringing a heartfelt story and an addicting tactical-based combat loop. The ending part overstays it’s welcome and becomes fairly repetitive, but that can be overlooked for all the positives the game brings to the table.

The ultimate Risk of Rain experience, featuring quality new content that makes this game extremely entertaining and replayable.

In a landscape utterly crawling with horror games that hide beneath a cute aesthetic, Little Goody Two Shoes sets itself apart from it's competition by binding charming romance simulation elements, a resource-management system, and heart-stopping horror into a satisfying tome that you'll want to keep in a nice spot on your shelf."

If you don't mind a bit of idle time and trying to find something to do in between missions that may or may not mean days more of waiting for the right resources for your side task, the old-western bandits and those darn Geeglers really did keep my time at Sandrock interesting.

Despite missed potential in terms of its main story, Like a Dragon Gaiden makes up for it with incredible combat and fantastic side content. Hopefully RGG Studio continues to expand on the beat-em-up style instead of going all-in on turn-based combat, because Gaiden offers one of the most fun gameplay experiences of the franchise.

Despite a few things that might feel off, Robocop: Rogue City is likely the closest we'll ever get to the original movie. Like Murphy, the game sometimes malfunctions but ultimately gets the job done.

EA Sports UFC 5 fulfills its premise and sets a new standard for the franchise through a huge leap in overall immersion and the debut of the game-changing Real Impact System. But the lack of attention given to other areas may underwhelm those who were hoping for something more.

Everything, down to the puzzles, feels appropriately placed. That's before even acknowledging the gorgeous cast of actors involved in the project and the truly compelling story that unfolds for Alan as well as Saga, who each gain an interesting presence in Bright Falls and the world beyond. It doesn't feel like the most satisfying combat, and it's rather easy to beat, but this is also exactly what I wanted and more from an Alan Wake sequel. It is also the best original horror game of 2023 by a wide margin, and a damn fine video game overall.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder sets a new standard for the world of 2D Mario games. The new features provide more creativity than ever before, with the unique effects of Wonder Flowers introducing their own challenges while helping make up for the game's few shortcomings. If future titles continue to improve on the systems introduced in Wonder, the next 2D Mario game could fully surpass even the most beloved NES and SNES titles.

Endless Dungeon excels in blending various genres seamlessly and providing an engaging, constantly fresh, thrilling experience to anyone who enjoys innovative games.