While the exposition was forgettable, and the combat wasn’t nearly as tight as it needed to be, the art and traversal of Itorah make up for it.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is a good expansion and continues the tradition of giving players a lot for their money. With events, free DLC and monsters that will get added over the game’s life, players won’t ever feel cheated when it comes to spending money on this game.

Honkai: Star Rail provides some fun characters and gameplay, despite layering them under lots of unnecessary elements.

Space Gladiators is the epitome of simple yet satisfying. It’s easy to get going but very hard to master with its rapidly increasing difficulty and plethora of difficulty options to mix things up.

I thoroughly enjoyed my hours going through Seolhwa’s story as I helped him find love from another world. While I enjoyed the bulk of what I played through, the story certainly has its bumps. While many of these can be ignored in favor of the parts I enjoyed, their presence nonetheless diminishes a strong overall experience.

The Spider of Lanka builds off an already amazing base game to give players a deeper look at such an intriguing world. It is full of political intrigue, shady characters, and countless mysteries waiting to be uncovered. While I might have liked to see a few more cases, that is only because what was presented was just that good.

Since this DLC is also priced at $14.99, it makes that all a hard pill to swallow. While Voice of the People is very lacking, it does, however, set up new things for Victoria 3 that hopefully can be taken full advantage of later in the game’s cycle.

If you love playing Age of Wonders 4 and are looking to try a new way to forge empires, or you just really like dragons, then the Dragon Dawn content pack is worth it.

So, while Shuyan Saga delivers a fairly fulfilling narrative that allows the player a reasonable amount of control in crafting their version of Shuyan, the active elements of the game hold it back from being a truly enjoyable experience.

Age of Wonders 4: Empires and Ashes gives players plenty of new content to dive into. This DLC is larger than the previous one and it feels that way while playing…If you love playing Age of Wonders 4 and are looking to try a new way to forge empires then “Empires and Ashes” really showcases that.

With a variety of new friends and new ways to interact with them, “A Rift in Time” provides more of what made Disney Dreamlight Valley enjoyable: fun quests, the chance to befriend beloved Disney characters, and the chance to test your design skills.

Rollerdrome beautifully meshes two very different genres and defies all expectations coming into it. The style practically drips out of the screen as Roll7 delivers one of the most unique and exciting games in recent memory.

One of the refreshing and less talked about features is how these heroes we’ve grown with begin to step out of the shadows from their former selves in Darkest Dungeon. Their idle sways and combat movements add an overlooked, unspoken narrative to these heroes not easily expressed through words. Darkest Dungeon II continues to distinguish itself by understanding how body language holds importance just as much as its mechanics. Undoubtedly, “The Binding Blade” is an exciting first DLC for Darkest Dungeon II that had me along for every wobbly stagecoach ride.

Enshrouded may only be entering early access, but there is already so much to see and do in the wonderful world of Embervale. Keen Games did not cut any corners when creating this excellent sandbox. Players will surely enjoy it as it evolves during the early access period. [Early Access Review]

Whether you’re a seasoned fighter fan or just looking for some lighthearted fun, Fight Crab 2 delivers on its promise of shellfish shenanigans in spades.

Nightingale is starting off in an okay place as an early-access title. With time and some polish, Nightingale could capitalize on its unique setting and strong core mechanics to stand out from its peers. In its current state, however, Nightingale is a tough sell. For players who love its aesthetic or the genre overall, Nightingale likely has enough on offer that is worth exploring. For others, though, it is likely better to wait for the developer’s planned updates and improvements to be released. [Early Access Review]

Age of Wonders 4: Primal Fury gives players new content that is the same but different to dive into. This is the third DLC, and while these DLCs all add the same type of items, such as new Tomes, cultures, races, and more, Triumph Studios has done a great job of making each one feel unique.

It’s easy to say that Open Roads is cozy and simple. Truthfully, though, its simplicity is its strength… Everything you do feels personal, especially as a daughter who still has endless questions for her mother.

No Rest for the Wicked is off to a promising start. With great combat, a gorgeous world, and an intriguing story, there’s much to dive into, even in its Early Access form. Ironing out the performance issues and having a good flow of content will be critical to the game’s long-term survival. I’m excited for the adventure to come with future updates. [Early Access Review]

Venture To The Vile is clearly a Metroidvania built with a deep knowledge of its genre. More importantly, it’s an indie game that embodies passion, creativity, and a special kind of whimsical weirdness that will stay with you past rolling credits.

Eldritch Realms is a game-changer.

Victoria 3: Sphere of Influence is a big leap forward compared to the content packs that have been released since launch… As a player who enjoys building up the neighboring nations instead of conquering them, these new additions felt like great upgrades to the diplomatic system that keeps the game from going stale.

Alan Wake 2: The Lake House refines the Remedy-verse by pushing Alan Wake and Control’s story together in one tight DLC package. Its new enemy is terrifying. The latest weapon is impactful and fun. And Janina Gavankar does a fantastic job of showing what it’s like to be a Control agent living in this messed-up world of cleaning up Altered World Events. Even though its mechanics are a simplified version of Alan Wake 2, it uses simplicity in its favor by focusing more on the story and the world-building Remedy does best. After wrapping everything up, The Lake House leaves you wanting more of the story Remedy is connecting across its various properties.

If you are looking for a truly punishing challenge, even if it sometimes feels unfair, Telebbit may provide some enjoyment. For most, however, overstuffed platforming puzzles will bring far too much frustration to enjoy.

Path of Exile 2‘s difficulty, combat, art, and map designs are something that keep pulling you in. No matter how many times you die, or how many times you have to adjust your build, you just keep coming right back. This is a game that is firing on absolutely all cylinders and shows no signs of slowing down. [Early Access Score = 95]

Aloft is an ambitious undertaking of a game. There is a lot here with one to eight-person co-op, an island editor (which I could not use in the current build), a vast world, and a really engrossing building system with over 600 parts to play with. However, with technical issues, a repetitive game loop, and too much empty space, early access feels like missing essential elements that help create longevity. That said, if the team can smooth out the jagged edges, Aloft can reach its potential. [Early Access Review]

Tokyo Xtreme Racer is a modern arcade racer, for better or worse. Even with its unique depiction of races with its SP system, and Tokyo highway setting, the monotony quickly sinks in. Regardless, there is the promise of a fun racing game that is reminiscent of PS2-era grunge racing games. That potential can be reached with refinement and by valuing the player’s time. [Early Access Review]

With its whimsical art, fun mechanics, and the ever-lovely voice of Laura Bailey bringing the story to life, Worlds of Aria is a great addition to any Switch owner’s library. Just make sure your Joy-Cons are up to the task—or grab that Pro Controller—and get ready to roll the dice on a new kind of adventure.