Overall, the visual upgrade to 4K and the power of the PS5 take this already great game and add an extra level of immersion to it. Everything that is great in the PS4 version of the game is here, just better and faster. With the haptic feedback only possible with the DualSense, you’ll feel not only more in touch with it, but also more control in the game. Short of an entire remake to take full advantage of the new consoles this is the premium way to play Tony Hawk 1 + 2. While the overall differences between the PS4 and PS5 may be subtle, once you play the PS5 version you won’t want to go back to the other one.

Monster Hunter Rise is everything I had hoped it would be, and more. It’s welcoming to beginners while still retaining that deep core experience that longtime players know and love. It’s challenging, but never in ways that feel unfair or cruel. And the attention to the details that are meant to keep one smiling is something you don’t see too often. Every inch of Rise plays like it’s the culmination of the series’ best ideas. Subsequently, I’m enormously excited to continue my journey in discovering what else Capcom has crammed into the game. I’m 20 hours in, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. So, excuse me, my next hunt awaits.

What Nioh also does incredibly well is blend intense and serious tones with at times light-hearted and silly moments. This deft balance of historical authenticity and far out there fantastical elements is never not entertaining and Team Ninja should be applauded for their ability to combine it all into a believable and engaging world.

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is everything the 2019 classic was and more. If you’re a fan of the original, you need to double-dip to experience the incredible work this cast of voice actors has put together. If you’ve never heard of Disco Elysium before, I envy you. I wish I could play this again for the first time. Be warned that you may run into a few bugs here and there, but it seems like every other day, ZA/UM is squashing more of them. And if you’re still here reading this review, it’s time to turn the world off and put your dancing shoes on.

Let’s not forget that all of this great gameplay, all these beautiful visuals and music have been packed into the diminutive platform of the Nintendo Switch. It’s an amazing achievement, and the developers deserve credit for delivering a faithful rendering of this full game in handheld mode. In fact, in some ways, you even get a better version than was originally released on the Xbox One in March, because it’s had its lagging and other bugs ironed out. Sure, the visuals are not quite as crisp (especially in docked mode), but you’d have to be really looking to notice, or really care. No, this huge little game is a must-play on the Switch, and it is in every way a worthy successor to an iconic game classic.

It’s more than a game. Sure there are planes you can buy, events you can take part in, or modules to complete to learn more about flying, but for me what shines above all else is Microsoft’s commitment to rendering our world at a level we haven’t seen yet.

Phantom Pain is a game you can sink over 100 hours into and still come back for more. Even if you haven’t played past Metal Gear games, Phantom Pain is a great place to start.

My words will never do justice for Ghost of Tsushima’s brilliance. James Paley summed it up better than I ever could: “[Ghost of Tsushima] revealed itself as a compelling, masterful work of art. Nothing feels useless or extraneous. The story wastes little time, the fights are all exuberant and engaging, the exploration is addicting, and the entire game is gorgeous.” I couldn’t agree more. And the Director’s Cut is miles ahead of the original. Go get it.

Armored Core VI is not just fan service. It's an incredible synthesis of a respected franchise and lessons learned over ten years of game design. For longtime players of Armored Core, the new game moves the series forward in a remarkably successful way. While it's an entirely different experience, gamers coming from Dark Souls will still recognize FromSoftware's core philosophy of challenge, persistence and reward. Armored Core VI is fast-paced, brutally difficult in places and extremely satisfying to play.

With excellent gameplay, well-tuned controls and puzzles, and intriguing story, Blackhole also looks stunning.Every act introduces a new theme from a barren cave to a lush jungle and nothing is visually dull. The backgrounds are laid out cleverly to help you stay orientated while the levels rotate and your objectives nicely pop out.

Kentucky Route Zero is a brilliantly told story that takes chances, and unapologetically is what it is. Sounds suspiciously like art to me. Damn good art.

New items, new challenges, a new character, new room layouts, new bosses, new transformations, new soundtrack, new floors, and the list goes on. This is the expansion we were hoping for. Nicalis did us a solid and stuffed a disgusting amount of content in a game already bursting with disgusting content. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to kill Mother for the thousandth time.

Their roadmap for the rest of 2024 and into 2025 is a testament to that. There will be free DLC drops in June, August and Q4. July and October will see paid DLC made available. In 2025, the free and paid DLC drops will continue. Homeworld fans can take heart the latest game in the series sets new benchmarks for the franchise. The new line-of-sight gameplay mechanics make for even more challenging space combat strategies. The gameplay depth is greater, the customization is deeper, and the replayability is longer. Homeworld 3 oozes quality across all aspects.

Balance is important, so I searched high and low for something to cite as could-be-better. I found nothing. Lovingly crafted by Quebec City’s Sabotage Studio, Sea of Stars is quite a departure for the team responsible for The Messenger. It’s a risk that’s resulted in one of the most beautiful, heartfelt, and well balanced RPGs I’ve ever played.

Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is not the original Tsukihime. But it is a fascinating update and expansion of the original game’s first two routes. I’ll definitely be looking forward to the second part of this remake, and so should you.

Super Rude Bear Resurrection is a triumph in game design. It manages to make a highly difficult game of skill become playable to a wider audience without having to ease up on the challenge any. Making a player’s death, and thus what would normally be their mistakes, into a mechanic is pure genius, and results in one of the coolest games I’ve played. There’s even more depth for those that want a pure masocore experience, but the top-notch design shines no matter how one plays.

To be honest, I didn’t expect much from Mario Wonder. The 2D games tend to play it relatively safe, preferring to lean on nostalgia and mass appeal. Somehow I’ve been shocked at almost every turn. The visuals are consistently fresh and exciting. The mechanics blow the whole formula wide open. New powers, new skills, and new challenges had me immediately hooked. The soundtrack is mostly bangers by weight, just a hot mess of excellent music. Sure, the story is forgettable. I couldn’t tell you the name of your constant companion. He’s some sort of bug with a crown? And the bones of the 2D gameplay are well-preserved standards from several generations back. But the total package is an absolute blast. If you’ve been looking for a hot new Mario game, your prayers are answered. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the best the series has been for years.

Halo Wars 2 delivers a superb story that ends with a million possibilities on what could happen in future games.

If you are a Street Fighter fan, and are looking forward to seriously competing in this console generation’s great fighting game franchise, then your time has arrived.

Make no mistake about it, for fans of racing games, Forza Horizon 4 is a must-own. It has a massive world map with dozens and dozens of events to choose from. The changing seasons is a clever way of keeping content fresh. It features a vast multiplayer experience that's sure to appeal to everyone on your friends list. The visuals are stunning and the soundtrack is banging - though I believe they should have included a Britain music station. I'm not a fan of the night driving but that's more personal preference and if you've played previous Horizon games, you'll notice a lot of familiar race and stunt events.

The Blizzard Mountain expansion was enjoyable, but this Hot Wheels expansion takes the game to a whole new level. I can say without any doubt; this Hot Wheels expansion is absolutely worth every nickel.

I can’t say enough good things about what Harmonix has created with DropMix. It’s music mixing made easy and approachable for even the most rhythmically challenged people you know. It’s made so that anyone can play, young or old, and no one feels left out of the fun. With an expanding library of cards that don’t break the bank, you’ll be able to add and continue creating insane mashups for a long time to come. If you’re a fan of music (and really, who isn’t?) then this is a game for you, ‘gamer’ or not.

The DioField Chronicle defied my expectations. It’s a solid strategy RPG that offers lots of depth both in gameplay and in the story. The Blue Foxes experience all the ups and downs and tragedy that come with war. The story does a good job of highlighting your place in the conflict. I really enjoyed the payoff that comes with developing the party through research. The combat encounters are challenging without being frustrating. In short, I loved this game. I’m surprised that I loved it! I’m not very good at real-time strategy games but The DioField Chronicle is accessible and great fun.

With such a dynamic and interactive interface, Yakuza 0 will keep you coming back for more and even catch you off guard when you least expect. It’s a game everyone should experience or at least try out.

There’s a captivating and unsettling aura that enshrouds the familiar trek through the claustrophobic European village. Although Resident Evil 4 remains true to its roots with some cringy dialogue, Capcom alters several elements to improve the overall experience. These range from narrative segments to gameplay mechanics and all of which refine the masterpiece to create the definitive version of the game.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection has stolen my gaming heart.

While excellent, Left Behind definitely could have been longer, but with such a well crafted little story, it’s hard to fault the game for not giving me some more monster killing filler.

In many ways, Forza Horizon 3 is the perfect sequel – it adds enough content to stay fresh, while retaining all the hallmarks that made the previous games so awesome.