With lacklustre gameplay, and an uninteresting world, The Cub ends up feeling like a cheap knock-off of the games that clearly inspired it.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered takes an excellent game and polishes it into a gleaming gem made brighter than ever, thanks to the inclusion of new content.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is not just a good Metroidvania game, but it is a great addition to the catalogue of titles in the Prince of Persia franchise.

New Cycle is not only a game that will put you to the test of settlement building but will challenge you to make sure everyone in your community works together not only to survive but grow as a whole. While it can take some time to truly master this style of game, once you get the hang of how everything works, you can easily find yourself playing for several hours on end without even realizing how much time has passed. I look forward to seeing what games Core Engage will produce in the future, as New Cycle has thoroughly captured my attention.

Vampire Survivors has been keeping the thrill of the survival genre alive for over a year with DLC, and the new Emergency Meeting DLC brings some new mechanics, characters and maps to the game. Though a bit unbalanced, it is well worth its very low cost.

Moss Book II by Polyarc draws too much on familiar tropes to stand out, but further showcases some of VR's most creative levels masked with an immersive fantasy adventure Quest 2 players don't want to miss out on.

Cities VR keeps players engaged in building their own utopias with refined controls and immersion but misses an opportunity to innovate through platform-exclusive features.

A Rift in Time sets a solid course for Disney Dreamlight Valley's second year by building rich new biomes, yet larger balancing issues remain.

Neko Atsume Purrfect Kitty Collector is a relaxing experience, with just too many simplicities to justify the price.

While Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora dazzles with its visual fidelity and expands the lore of its universe, its gameplay shortcomings and frustrating navigation prevent it from fully realizing the thrilling potential of embodying a Na’vi warrior in the mesmerizing world of Pandora.

Asgard’s Wrath 2 is a near perfect VR RPG. Between its compelling story, great gameplay mechanics and scope it’s a must play for all VR Meta Quest owners. With just a few tweaks to the accessibility, it could have been perfect.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is an intoxicating blend of style, accessibility and fun. Even if you don’t know the franchise, you’ll love this incredible fighter.

Please, Don't Touch Anything: House Broken is a solid follow-up to the 2016 game and features some excellent use of mixed reality for Quest 3 users looking for a unique puzzle game.

The initial release of LEGO Bricktales was a novel idea that successfully translated the childhood favourite of many to a digital platform while stumbling due to its reliance on conventional controls. LEGO Bricktales‘ Quests’ debut fixes this and delivers a truly mesmerizing experience that not only has that cool factor from playing it in augmented reality but is, by and large, the definitive version of an already fun-to-play game.

Assassin’s Creed Nexus manages to successfully pull off a fully-fledged VR game set around its fast-moving traversal mechanics with minimal motion sickness. They have, in a way, set a new standard for comfort options.

Arizona Sunshine 2 brings much welcomed changes and evolutions to the formula of the first one. With the inclusion of its adorable Buddy, Arizona Sunshine 2 is a great VR zombie game. [Meta Quest]

Born of Bread is an honest attempt but it needed a lot more time in the oven to be truly great.

Turok 3: Shadows of Oblivion Remastered is fine enough, but lacks the updates and charm of its predecessors.

Pinball M is perfectly fine, as far as pinball games go—but its lack of content and potential over-monetization keep me from recommending it.

With its adorable art style, relaxed gameplay, and creative spin on the farming sim genre, Roots of Pacha makes for a cozy experience perfect for the Nintendo Switch.

Bluey: The Videogame is a promising thesis of a game, but all the easter eggs in the world can't make a rushed product complete.

Dredge remains an incredibly playable and captivating game in a uniquely eerie package and while The Pale Reach DLC is a decent enough addition, it doesn’t offer enough to justify being paid content.

Despite some moments where the campaign seemed confusing, Modern Warfare III is a decent enough reboot/sequel, allowing for some fun gameplay in the multiplayer and Zombies modes.

Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is another derivate ink stroke on the never-ending ninja scroll that makes up the Ultimate Ninja Storm series.

Super Mario RPG is as good today as it was 27 years ago, and this remake simply brings it into the modern day.

Remnant 2: The Awakened King is an excellent addition to an already solid game. It offers a unique new Story and provides a new perspective on a previously explored zone. Additionally, it offers new lore, weapons, gear and Archetype for veteran players to experiment with.

Persona 5 Tactica, while trying some new things in the series ultimately falls flat. With a bland story and mediocre gameplay, I think its time we leave Joker and the gang alone.

SUPER CRAZY RHYTHM CASTLE is a weird mishmash of mechanics all thrown at the players at lightning speed. Sometimes it works, and other times it is down right frustrating, but either way it certainly lives up to its name.

Unlike its titular hero, Ebenezer and the Invisible World learned naught from the mistakes of the past.

Despite a nonsensical plot and slightly lower emotional stakes, Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a stunning refinement of the Dragon Engine that's wholly deserving of your time, whether you're a longtime Yakuza fan or new to the franchise.

WarioWare: Move it! feels like a return to form for the series, giving fans plenty to chew on as they make their way through over 200 microgames in a new island setting.

The Talos Principle II gives you a philosophical deep dive into yourself while offering some challenging puzzles as well. A great entry in the series.

Overall, Thirsty Suitors is a fun experience. If you can overlook the rough skateboarding sections and repetitive encounters, there is a good coming-of-age story and some fantastic music and mini-games.

Star Ocean The Second Story R is a lovingly-crafted remaster of a golden age RPG that offers a replayable and approachably complex adventure.

There’s a lot I want to like about My Time at Sandrock, but outdated design and lacklustre visuals hold the game back—especially on the Switch.

WRC offers exactly what I wanted from a Codemaster rally game and it doesn’t disappoint thanks to a good offering of content, engaging racing, and lots of tricky routes.

RoboCop: Rogue City excels as an action game with light RPG elements, delivering a lot of hours of high-quality blasting.

Vampire: The Masquerade-Justice Is an interesting VR RPG. While its story isn’t one that grabbed me, the gameplay more than made up for it with its bloody skills and stealth-based mechanics.

When Jusant works as intended, it’s a calming, peaceful experience that’s occasionally let down by some somewhat underwhelming functionality.

Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story fails to be an engaging puzzle-platformer and fails to deliver an emotional, heartfelt story about a child and his Yeti best friend. Considering the performance woes when playing the Switch version, too, this is a song best left unheard.

The Jackbox Party Pack 10 is a well-rounded smattering of minigames, proving there's still plenty of gas in the series' tank.

Overall, 7th Guest VR Feels like the next step with VR. Being able to display some awe-inspiring environmental work and incredible mechanics, it has become my new game to show new to VR folks. [Meta Quest 3]

Mail Time is less like cuddling up with a good book and more like falling asleep reading a Post Office pamphlet.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 is a poorly handled emulation of some truly fantastic games. Its baffling that they got handled this poorly, and I hope we see some fixes soon.

UFC 5 is a must-buy for fight fans and an easy entry point for newcomers to get into the action.

Alan Wake 2 is possibly one of the greatest pieces of storytelling crafted, and is a must play title.

Cavern of Dreams is a short but sweet puzzle platformer that feels like a hidden gem from the bygone era of early 3D platformers.

Return to Moria, from Free Range Games, is a fun experience for fans of survival titles and Lord of the Rings. It takes some of the better systems from the genre and marries them to the lore and setting of Moria, the result of which is a world that fans can be excited about.

Strong writing and design makes Scene Investigators well worth playing, even if some of the logic and questions don’t pass the smell test.

Ghostrunner II is an incredibly challenging and incredibly fun game that will test your every Ninja reflex and keep you coming back for more.

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a fairly remarkable game, even if it got on my nerves something fierce due to its predilection for unnecessary mechanics.

As far as world-building games go, Cities: Skylines II is second to none. The sheer volume of capability is staggering and the possibilities are endless for what you can create.

Hellboy Web of Wyrd cleverly uses the roguelike genre to its benefit in creating a game true to the comics while still being fun to play for fans of the genre.

World of Horror is an intense and existential horror experience that perfectly captures the work that inspired it.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a complete reinvention of everything that makes the franchise great, and the best 2D Mario game ever made.

Tribe: Primitive Builder is a bland builder at best. The story does nothing but bog down the building mechanics, and even then, they are not presented in a way that is appealing.

Overall, Hot Wheels Unleased 2: Turbocharged builds on the solid foundation of the first game by adding new vehicles, tracks and more importantly new race modes. While the story is bland and forgettable, the gameplay is too much fun for it to hold it back too much.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 builds upon its strong foundation to present a captivating narrative and gameplay experience that stands in the franchise’s upper echelon of tales.

The visuals, music and game mechanics for Endless Dungeon were magnificent achievements, but the technical aspects should be prioritized before the official release.

Sonic Superstars successfully brings classic Sonic into the 3D era while stumbling slightly in its inclusion of a tacked-on multiplayer experience.

Lords of the Fallen is a solid entry in the Soulslike genre, and deviates from the recipe enough to craft its own identity.

Detective Pikachu Returns may not be the most puzzling of adventures, but it's fun and charming enough to stay engaging.

Harvest Island is too drawn out in its game mechanics to make for a relaxing farm sim, and with so many other options out there its better to scratch that itch elsewhere.

Total War: PHARAOH will be another must-play for fans of the series or those who can’t get enough of Ancient Egypt, but hopefully you have a top-notch PC, because at least for now, the game chugs pretty badly, crashes are frequent, and load times are atrocious.

Wild Card Football offers a refreshing, arcade-style twist on the traditional football game, perfect for quick matches and party play.

EA Sports NHL 24 scratches the itch for a solid hockey title. There are significant improvements over last year’s title, but replayability, as always is up in the air for sports titles.

Forza Motorsport is another fantastic racing experience from developer Turn 10, with a ton of content and plenty of great driving as long as players don’t mind grinding or waiting around at times.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a great return to form for the series, the gameplay is less bloated and more focused on the minute to minute fun.

I had recommended Disgaea 6 to anyone who enjoyed the series, but now I can endorse Disgaea 7 with more genuine optimism to broader audiences. It’s not going to win over anyone who dislikes kooky games with anime-inspired visuals, but its renewed blend of parody and pathos could be refreshing for genre veterans who have never dipped a toe into the series’ waters before.

A yearly sports title is hardly one to looks to when one thinks of gameplay updates and changes, but EA Sports FC 24 is proving to be the exception to the rule.

The story, music and level design in I Expect You To Die 3: A Cog In The Machine is top of its class and I cant wait to see what else Schell Games brings to us.

Silent Hope is a solid action adventure title that is easy to recommend to fans of the Marvelous aesthetic, but may be a hard sell to newcomers.

Despite some difficult to ignore flaws, Gamers who spent any part of their childhood in the eighties or for one reason or another harbor a fascination for that era of entertainment have plenty of reason to check out MythForce.

Overall, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is exactly what CDProjekt Red promised three years ago. An awesome adventure in a cyberpunk world that feels alive. Between a great story and massive changes to core systems Cyberpunk 2077 is finally a very good game.

Despite its flaws, The Teal Mask DLC, with its fresh setting and intriguing side quests, amplifies the experience of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet—perfect for those seeking a return trip to the vibrant world of Paldea.

Overall, Hellsweeper VR was a big disappointment. Between cumbersome controls and some obnoxious grinding there is little to enjoy in Hellsweeper VR. [Tested on Oculus Quest]

Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis delivers an interesting take on the storied franchise that should appeal to fans of the series despite it not being the best way to experience the totality of its story.

Gorgeous and full of varied events, it still isn’t nearly enough to help the The Crew Motorfest stand up to the other top racing dogs thanks to a laundry list of poor decisions, awkward vehicle handling, and a distinct failure to make use of some of the franchise’s strongest attributes.

Gunbrella is an easy recommendation to any gamer looking for a brief but memorable experience.

Mortal Kombat 1 is an excellent entry point for new comers and returning fans. It outshines every previous Mortal Kombat in almost every way, with intuitive controls and interesting modes. NetherRealm cranks the gore up to 11 and I cant wait to see what else they have in store for us.

Lies of P may not be Bloodborne 2, nor was it ever trying to be, and to say it’s the game to tide you over until we get a true sequel to Bloodborne feels like a massive disservice to the incredible game that it is. It is a worthy addition to the pantheon of incredible Souls-likes and in the same way I fell in love with Bloodborne only moments after playing it, I’ve fallen in love with Lies of P. It does everything right, minus a few technical hiccups, and carves a name for itself wholly its own. I’d say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but this isn’t immigration. This is elevation...Lies of P exceeds its SoulsBorne inspirations and is easily one of the best games of the year.

Overall, Ad Infinitum does great outside of its first two hours. There is a gripping story with some incredibly well designed monsters in store for you if you can get yourself past the introduction section of its first monster.

I can’t help but feel a little remorse that Dimension Shellshock‘s features weren’t included from day one. This was the sort of extracurricular content I felt was missing originally. If you haven’t given up on the turtles, or if you’re jonesing for more after Mutant Mayhem, it’s worth dusting Shredder’s Revenge off for another spin.

Fae Farm is by far my favourite all-around simulator to date. With its cute style, creative creatures and special attention to what players want from their sim games, Phoenix Labs has delivered an outstanding title.

Anonymous;Code is a stellar addition to the Science Adventure that’s sure to please fans, but still holds enough for newcomers to jump into as well.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is an indie megaton mic drop from Team Reptile on how it’s done, paying serious homage to the genuinely unique, visually arresting and musically ahead-of-the-curve games that Jet Set Radio and Jet Set Radio Future originally were.

Despite its occasional bug, unexplained mechanic, or small gripe, Starfield is one of the premiere titles in Xbox's library and adds to Bethesda's storied history.

Despite feeling a bit more streamlined and simplistic than its predecessors, Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is another solid entry into the franchise.

Baldur's Gate 3 masterfully blends gameplay, story & music with incredible player agency & emotional tension, a true gaming masterpiece.

Sea of Stars accomplishes everything it sets out to do in becoming an amazing SNES-era RPG, while only faltering in a couple mechanics and story beats.

Samba De Amigo: Party Central may not a perfect experience, but it’s fun enough to be a fun addition to any Friday night get-together.

Madden NFL 24 gets the job done in the same way it always has, even if there's nothing major to get excited for, it's still getting better.

Armored Core VI delivers superlative visuals and uncompromising challenge that will delight hardcore fans but risks alienating newcomers with its steep learning curve.

Immortals of Aveum is a must-play title for all fans of FPS and story-driven content but may isolate those unfamiliar with the genre.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a must play for die-hard fans of horror and the 1974 film, but there are limitations that hold it just short of greatness.

Blasphemous 2 is another excellent Metroidvania that’s quite different from its predecessor in a number of ways, even if it doesn’t quite manage to supersede it overall.

En Garde! has plenty of style and looks and controls well enough, but the extremely tedious gameplay focusing more on tricks than swordplay quickly starts to wear thin.

Even though The Expanse: A Telltale Series has some of the issues with diversity in gameplay and monotony when outside of dialogue, it's clear Telltale Games is back in action.