Ys X: Nordics is an incredible entry in the Ys series. While not without faults, the JRPG’s narrative and gameplay provide a great experience that elevates the series to new heights.

EA Sports UFC 5 successfully grapples with the challenge of enhancing an already dominant franchise in the MMA gaming world.

There is plenty to enjoy about The First Berserker: Khazan, but it requires you to commit to overcoming its challenges in a way most other games do not.

So, while I enjoyed my experience playing Just Dance 2023 its value feels like it will vary greatly from person to person. While it has a sizable track list from a solid variety of artists, how much play you can get out of this game will depend greatly on your desire to chase high scores and unlock simple cosmetics, how many friends you have to clown around with, or if you are want to work it into your routine as a way to get some exercise in that provides a bit more fun than a morning jog.

Keeper is pure Double Fine brilliance. They don’t just convince you to care about a lighthouse, but their bird companion, too. While questions aren’t really answered, that ultimately doesn’t matter.

If it weren’t for the prevalence of strange control issues, Monster Hunter Stories on PC would be an easy recommendation for fans of Pokémon or other creature-based RPGs. Without those issues, it is a charming and smart RPG with some fun, unique ideas and smart design.

Exploring the seas to find new fish, complete quests, and uncover the game’s overarching mystery is never tiresome as Moonglow Bay’s ambiance and gameplay combine for a relaxing experience. It’s a lovely game all around with a few small but ultimately insignificant complaints that could be lodged. Truly, dive into Moonglow Bay and bask in its sweet serenity.

Whether it’s embedding yourself in Paell or running dungeon after dungeon, you won’t want to put Cuisineer down.

Cursed to Golf is a very creative and far more difficult than expected roguelike. It’s definitely going to scratch your golf game itch, given how truly few there are on current generations, as well as spice up the genre with its unique gameplay and concept.

Terra Nil is one of the most beautiful and peaceful games I’ve played in quite some time. Turning the procedurally generated wastelands into paradises has been really therapeutic. Free Lives not only did a great job of creating a reverse city builder but showed us why we need to give back to nature. Even with some frustrating elements, Terra Nil is worth your time.

Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is an excellent story set in 12th-century England that brings players an incredibly authentic tale full of intrigue.

Lushfoil Photography Sim succeeds in its approachability and how it garners intrigue. It gracefully connects the world of photography and creative curiosity, naturally on display in gaming.

Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is top-shelf 2D Kirby platforming. It’s visually as good as non-stylized Kirby gets, rife with every copy ability you can dream of, and as nice and fulfilling a platformer as any Nintendo game should ever be expected to be.

Gears of War: Reloaded is a fantastic remaster of a superb game that’s worth its asking price. Although its dated gameplay style and execution hold it back, the game still offers hours of fun and gory entertainment.

I Am Your Beast is a fantastic action game, one that really hones in on speed, adaptability, and efficiency. Memorizing levels and finding creative ways through them is a necessity for top times.

The Dawntrail MSQ is salient and beautiful in the exact way that has made the Final Fantasy XIV narrative so beloved…It has its hiccups, and the future will determine its staying power, but in the end, it's an expansion that opens Final Fantasy XIV up into something larger and leaves the Warrior of Light with a vast new future to explore.

New Pokémon Snap is not perfect, but it is far and away the sequel to the 1999 classic we have all been waiting for. While I wish some pacing issues and nitpicks with what is no longer in the game have influenced my enjoyment, overall, I cannot wait to spend countless more hours perfecting my photography skills and engrossing myself in this absolutely stunning world.

Even with its weak level variety, you’ll still have fun exploring new areas of SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide, each well-detailed and full of secrets to find.

It's a well-crafted game within its own scale with a great story and emotionally resonant characters, but in the grand scheme of what a big open-world RPG could provide, Assassin's Creed Shadows doesn't maximize its potential.

The Midnight Walk is a living storybook that blends melancholy, surreal atmosphere, and emotional resonance into something unforgettable.

Dying Light: The Beast provides highly entertaining and engaging gameplay elements, but falters with its lackluster narrative and mundane visuals.

I have never died so many times and still been excited to jump back in and die again. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty may be my first completed souls-like, but it won't be my last. If your game can launch someone into a new genre they used to avoid, it's safe to say you've done something extraordinary—and Team Ninja has.

Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is one of the best Like a Dragon/Yakuza spin-offs, joining the likes of Judgment and Like A Dragon: Ishin. It's a fast and frenetic pirate adventure that constantly calls the player back to its high seas, and it's an adventure you won't want to miss.

Then there’s just simply the atmosphere. This game is absolutely gorgeous. The levels are based on seven real locations in the Southwestern United States, each with faithfully recreated topography and landmarks. The game is filled with landmarks to find and read flavor text about. It has totally inspired me to visit some of these locations someday, hopefully before they’re gone, whether due to climate change or just the course of nature, as the game heeds on several occasions. You can play the game in Zen mode to explore unperturbed or really get lost traveling slowly from location to location between events and just enjoy the environment ad nauseam. I highly recommend it.

Nobody Saves the World is another fun-filled game by the team at Drinkbox Studios. While there were very few memorable NPCs, the forms are really what shines the most. From being able to customize them for any need to quickly switching between them, Drinkbox Studios nailed their hook of this game. I just wish they took the time to focus on the game’s villains just as much as they did the many NPCs.

Is This Seat Taken? is a wholesome, bite-sized title that is a cozy fit for any gaming library.

Elden Ring Nightreign does its best to let players have fun, get stronger, and take down big, bad bosses together. I can't speak for the greater FromSoftware fanbase, but after these shared triumphs, I'll have a hard time going back to doing it alone.

So while Cris Tales’s story and gameplay may come up a bit light for some, it manages to provide a fun, unique experience that, rather than simply imitate the games that came before it, takes inspiration from them and strives to build something unique.