The four games contained in Sonic Origins are excellent. More than 30 years later, they've aged quite well, and Sonic Origins is the best possible way to revisit them, or play them for the very first time. Playing all four games, I was taken aback by how Sonic Team was able to make each game feel distinctive. However, after all the reissues some of these games seen, long-time Sonic fans will have to decide if the collection's extras and changes are worth the price of admission. Of course, now that Sonic Origins has been released, I sincerely hope that Sega offers similar packages for other Sonic games. If the company ever decides to give the Sonic Advance games a similar treatment, I'll be first in line.

In all, Oblivion Remastered is exactly what I hoped and wanted it to be. It feels like an authentic representation of what OG fans love about the game, with the graphics of a more modern entry. It balances between being a remake and a remaster, and for the most part, keeping the original heart of Oblivion, bugs and all, was the right choice. Though some UI elements and those bigger quest bugs certainly show the age of the original game, Oblivion Remastered is a game I know I’ll be playing for weeks, months, and years to come.

Those are minor nitpicks of course, and shouldn't take away from all of the things Valhalla does well. Valhalla builds one of the most immersive and lived-in worlds of the series so far and expertly ties in all of its various mechanics and elements into one delightfully fulfilling experience. It delivers thrilling action and a gratifying narrative while also giving older concepts like the settlement the impact on gameplay they should have always had. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is yet another captivating chapter in the story of the Assassins, and you won't want to leave this warrior's world anytime soon. Skal indeed.

Clunky actions and broken quests aside, it’s still nearly impossible to not get hooked on Cyberpunk 2077 and, more specifically, on Night City. I’ve completed quests that made me physically uncomfortable and yearn for justice or vengeance alongside the affected characters, and I’ve crafted my version of V into exactly the kind of character I’d want with the reassuring knowledge that there will always be an option that fits my preferences. The plentiful possibilities and outcomes beg for multiple playthroughs, and I’m happy to oblige later after a break from Night City and after things have been cleaned up a bit.

The Quarry is a charming and surprisingly intimate horror story that creates real stakes and successfully does away with the idea of plot armor. Although it has some annoying or even frustrating quirks, it’s a worthy successor to a game like Until Dawn and highlights Supermassive Games as masters of their craft.

Unfinished Business as a whole is a worthwhile addition to the RoboCop lore. Its thoughtful narrative and empowering gunplay are unique within the first-person shooter genre and loyally translate RoboCop’s core tenets into an interactive form. Some of Rogue City’s issues, like abysmal lip syncing and awkward dialogue camera, have carried over into this standalone expansion, but those are relatively small dents in this game’s shiny armor. Like most bullets, they bounce off RoboCop’s chassis and don’t impede his ability to serve and protect.

With gorgeous graphics, solid visual aesthetics, and a script that fits the tone, The Outer Worlds 2 is a very solid addition to the sci-fi landscape. While it may not be perfect, it’s a very impressive showcase from Obsidian highlights how the developer continues to improve on the sandbox approach they’ve been refining for years. Fans of the first game, the Fallout series, and good comedy writing will find plenty to love about this adventure.

Whether you are a beginner or long-time puzzle lover, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is the perfect game for anyone who wants to work their brains. This sequel is every bit as colorful as the first, and its updated character roster brings something new to the franchise. Its enhanced multiplayer options and battle modes make Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 a true joy to play, so it will keep you up puzzling in the best possible way.

Mortal Kombat 1 is still very much a bloody and brutal good time with tons of rewards for digging deep into it.

While the story itself will never be enough to compel you forward, there is a sense of connection in watching your character get older while figuring out the intricacies of how Sifu plays. That's ultimately what makes its punchy and punishing gameplay all the more satisfying.

Compared to other recent open world games, even those released on the Nintendo Switch years ago, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is something of a disappointment especially in the graphics department. But for better or worse, Pokemon games are rarely judged by their immense fanbase against anything that's not a Pokemon game. And as a Pokemon game, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is an absolute joy with a deeper storyline than usual, a ton of fantastically designed Pokemon, and continued quality-of-life improvements that makes for a less tedious Pokemon experience without sacrificing any essential bits. Pokemon fans will love Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and even casual players or lapsed Pokemon fans will enjoy the allure of "catching 'em all" provided they don't place a premium on graphics.

AEW: Fight Forever has the core of a genuinely great wrestling game, as the gameplay is pure, unabashedly fun. And while going the route of No Man's Sky has been teased in interviews — in which waves of post-launch updates and DLC help improve the experience — it's also possible this goes the route of Street Fighter where a sequel could build off the original idea and strike gold. This game won't change the pro wrestling video game landscape, but fans of AEW and players looking for a different experience from WWE's annual offering will enjoy it.

Despite its jagged, toothy edges, Evil Dead: The Game remains one of the more pleasant surprises of this year so far. Gripes are pushed to the background when you possess a survivor and use them against their team or rend a Deadite to bits with a chainsaw and even with some movement hang-ups on both teams, every match plays out relatively smoothly. If Saber Interactive keeps up with community feedback and delivers more DLC down the line, Evil Dead: The Game could solidify itself as one of the truly great asymmetrical horror experiences.

Dirt 5’s story has a solid foundation and stellar voice acting, but it ultimately fails to capitalize on its potential.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is the most unique take on the series that since Mario Kart: Double Dash!! on GameCube. It's a blast to play, and it feels reminiscent of games like Wii Sports, where players will immediately want to show it off to family and friends.

Even with persistent record scratches, Lumines Arise remains a beautiful album. Stages, while lacking a greater purpose, have more detailed and impressive effects and are often set to fitting tracks that cover a whole variety of genres from hip hop to house. Everything coalesces around its signature block-matching gameplay that’s infinitely replayable like the greats it was inspired by. Arise is a familiar beat in many respects, but one that has retained its hypnotic rhythm and hasn’t lost an ounce of its soul.

While the games have their limitations (the lack of an in-game chat feature has always been frustrating), I always thought that the bar to enjoying these games were much lower than standard shooters, if only because the primary objective is never to "splat" enemies. Luckily, Nintendo didn't switch up its already successful Splatoon formula for Splatoon 3. The game feels bigger than its predecessors, but most of the major changes are meant to improve players' quality of life in game. While some might feel frustrated by the seeming lack of innovation in Splatoon 3, I found that the game understands what works with Splatoon and keeps with it, making only modest changes to make an already fun experience even better.

It’s hard to say if the DLC wouldn’t have been as satisfying if it’d come out later than it did, but releasing a few months after the base game isn’t a bad timeframe at all. There’s no telling when Part Two will release, but The Ancient Gods – Part One has shown that the conclusion of this chapter is one worth looking forward to.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a good game that wants to be, in Peter Quill's words, metal. It doesn't quite reach that mark, but compared to other recent Marvel video games that aren't Spider-Man, it succeeds more often than it fails. If you've liked other incarnations of the team's lovable misfits and misanthropes, you'll like what the developers have done here. And even if you're only somewhat aware of its Marvel background, there's a lot to love already here that a fresh coat of bug-fixing polish will only make better.

Carrion is not a particularly long game, but it does a lot with the time you’ll spend with it. It’s more involved than it initially appears, and its blank slate approach coupled with the confidence to begin and end as abruptly as it does is something others can learn from. A succinct and sometimes challenging diversion from the norm, it’s worth the experience to live it up as an amorphous, crafty monster.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster hasn't only been fun to revisit as a longtime fan, it has further proven to me just how much juice this series has left in it. Capcom made all of the right choices in Deluxe Remaster from a gameplay standpoint, and even if there are other alterations that I don't care for, it's hard to say that this is anything but the definitive version of Dead Rising. Despite pushing 20 years old, Dead Rising is still a blast to play and Deluxe Remaster should hopefully be the starting point for more to come from the franchise moving forward.

If you can get past a few little quirks in how the game runs, however, Tales of the Shire is going to be well worth your time. It is truly a cozy and wholesome escape to the Shire, full of the daily tasks a Hobbit loves best – cooking, eating, and enjoying time with friends.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an action-adventure game whose cute graphics might lull you into a false sense of security. The game brings Souls-lite combat, platforming, and puzzles that will put your gaming skills to the test. On Switch 2, the game looks great and runs smoothly (for the most part). Despite being only a few years old, it feels like old-school Legend of Zelda with modern graphics, and that makes it a perfect addition to the Switch 2 lineup of action games.

My opinion of Starfield is overall high despite what my many criticisms might suggest. It's a Bethesda RPG, and even Bethesda's middling options blow competitors out of the water when it comes to choice and freedom, so Starfield was always going to be a success. Whether it's enough of a success to uplift Xbox and make someone buy a new console is another discussion, but Starfield itself is perfectly competent and – dare I say it – fun, and even the most frustrating moments were unable to deter me from wanting more.

Compared to other recent open world games, even those released on the Nintendo Switch years ago, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is something of a disappointment especially in the graphics department. But for better or worse, Pokemon games are rarely judged by their immense fanbase against anything that's not a Pokemon game. And as a Pokemon game, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is an absolute joy with a deeper storyline than usual, a ton of fantastically designed Pokemon, and continued quality-of-life improvements that makes for a less tedious Pokemon experience without sacrificing any essential bits. Pokemon fans will love Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and even casual players or lapsed Pokemon fans will enjoy the allure of "catching 'em all" provided they don't place a premium on graphics.

Truly, Star Fire: Eternal Cycle is a strong competitor in a genre that often feels oversaturated with content. I see so many games that are marketed as roguelikes, but many of them are unable to capture the foundation of the genre in a way that makes you want to sink hours into it. Star Fire is a classic roguelike at its core with the spirit of old arcade games, and the smooth combat and fast pace combined with the ability to choose the way you play each run within the limits of RNG make it the kind of approachable title that’s worth trying for yourself.

Online play did have its issues early on and My Rise isn't as refined as I'd hoped, but despite those flaws, 2K22 will continue to be in my console's heavy rotation because of everything else it brings to the party, and I would definitely call that a success.

If you somehow haven't played any Like a Dragon games in the past, Ishin is an excellent starting point. Although it doesn't tie in with the core series in a major way, Ishin hits all of the broad beats of the Like a Dragon formula to great effect. The result is a remake that doesn't feel all that dated whatsoever and proves that Sega and RGG Studio made a fantastic decision to finally bring this title to a much wider audience.