Jurassic World: Evolution 2 makes enough changes to the gameplay of its predecessor that it eclipses wholly feeling like just an expansion pack, but with the cosmetic additions, new locations, and customization options for buildings making up the bulk of visible changes it can seem like that's what developer Frontier was after. Though the game has frustrating moments, it's inherently captivating from the start. Those eager to jump back into the world of the franchise with a game that offers more than the original will have fun with its new additions, but the oft-laborious tasks that come with actually running a dinosaur park and managing a team might make this feel less like a game and more like a second job to others. Considering the larger subtext of the book and film that spawned this entire thing though, can we really be mad when the game punishes us for attempting to squeeze wealth out of nature?

Back 4 Blood isn't perfect by any means, but it's absolutely the closest we've gotten to a new Left 4 Dead game in the years since Left 4 Dead 2. Because of this, it's hard not to have fun with B4B, even if it doesn't always feel inventive and has some notable drawbacks. Despite some qualms, if you're hungry for a new co-op shooter to jump into with some friends, Back 4 Blood has more than enough meat on the bone to keep you entertained for quite some time.

But those who take a chance on Voice of Cards might be surprised. Its tabletop style is endearing and a testament to the idea that gripping adventure transcends the need for cinematic cutscenes. Voice of Cards puts the "game" back in "role-playing game" in fun, compelling, and thoughtful ways that will delight players throughout their time with it.

I expected to like Riders Republic, but I was pleasantly surprised by the extent to which I loved it, even as I feel like I've only scratched the surface of its open world and other offerings. The gameplay is a near-perfect approximation of several genuinely fun, but accessible extreme sports, all wrapped up in an immersive and oddly comforting open world. While its wackiness and some elements of its experience might not be for everyone, Riders Republic is a uniquely robust take on the very idea of a sports video game, and I have a feeling that it'll only improve from here.

Playground Games found so many ways to make Mexico come to life, taking great advantage of the region's diversity, while also pushing the Xbox Series X hardware to its limits. If you own the console, you owe it to yourself to check out Forza Horizon 5, whether that means purchasing a copy of the game, or playing it through Xbox Game Pass. It just might be one of the best showpieces for the next-gen era thus far.

NHL 22 didn't do a whole lot to improve on its predecessor, but it didn't have to. The important part is that the development team didn't do anything to change the game for the worse. The franchise was already a ship sailing smoothly, all anyone needed to do was keep it steady.

Fans new and old will definitely find joy in this nostalgic remake, so die-hard players just need to keep their expectations in line. Mario Party Superstars is a fun game like those before it, and its nostalgic flair is endearing enough to cover its flaws.

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.

The game delivered on its promise in a very big way. As a long-time fan of the franchise, I couldn't be happier with Metroid Dread. It's the kind of game that frequently made me say to myself "just five more minutes" when it was already two o'clock in the morning. Super Metroid is considered by many to be one of the best video games ever made. Gamers will have to judge for themselves if Metroid Dread managed to surpass it, but there's no doubt in my mind that it deserves to be considered among the best games in the series. It has its challenging elements, and they might scare some players off. However, those that stick with the game will be rewarded with one of the year's best experiences.

The Good Life, for better or intentionally worse, is full of hardships. It might be the kind of experience you're looking for if you wanted a reflection of just how laborious life can be sometimes. That might not make for a very good life, though.

The game does offer fans plenty of quotes, profile pictures, and other knick-knacks to collect throughout its playtime, along with a number of play modes such as Versus and Training Modes to help sharpen your skills, but it feels as if something is missing from the experience that could elevate the first video game outing for Demon Slayer from good to great. If you're a fan of the series, or just want to see some eye-popping visuals with some fast and frantic gameplay, definitely check this one out, especially if you can overlook some of the game's faults along the way.

But the "6" in "Far Cry 6" means you know what you're getting at this point, so none of this should be exceptionally surprising. Longtime fans were worried about things like reduced customizations for Dani and the first-person cutscenes, but the real issue here is that the formula feels less sustainable now more than ever. The big, beautiful country of Yara was squandered by Far Cry staples, and it'd be a shame to see that happen to whatever world comes next.

If you're playing on current-gen systems, FIFA 22 may be a bit of a harder sell. The game itself is largely the same as last year, It's the next-gen graphics and gameplay that really make the game stand out. On next-gen, it's a must for longtime FIFA players. For everyone else, it's more of a personal choice. You certainly won't be missing out on much if you wait a little while.

But even if you miss all of that beautiful metatext, Alan Wake remains a tense thriller that will keep players on the edge of their seats and is a testament to how sometimes less can be more, even in relatively big-budget game designs. Alan Wake Remastered presents an opportunity for a new generation of players to experience a gem that never got its due, and they'd be foolish not to take advantage. Still, they may want to keep on the lights when they do.

As a whole, Lost Judgment is yet another strong outing for developer RGG Studio. Although this sequel is largely only a half step up compared to its predecessor, there's still so much to do in this world that can easily keep you entertained for hours on end. Even though I would have loved to see some more drastic improvements to many aspects of Lost Judgment, I still can't deny that I've had a great time in this second outing with Yagami, and I hope to see the series continue well into the future.

Hot Wheels Unleashed -- in all caps and bolded letters -- is a passable arcade racer that sticks out from other middle-of-the-road racing games thanks to its devotion to nostalgia and some great ideas that are unfortunately not completely realized due to obvious budgetary restrictions. If you're desperate to get behind the wheel of your favorite Hot Wheel, it will scratch that itch, but not much else.

As a fan of Super Monkey Ball since 2001, I found myself really happy with Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania. The package captures the fun and challenge of the first two games, while also including new content that makes it feel fresh. Banana Mania also offers a ton of content for its price point, and players are guaranteed to find something to love. Sometimes the difficulty level can get frustrating, and the Party Games could use some new options, but the game offers so much good, it's hard to complain. Whether you're a newcomer to the series or a fan from the beginning like me, I can't recommend this one enough.

Kena might not be perfect, but it's far from what one might expect from a studio's first game. It's a spectacle to look at without being too long or too short, and it's one of the rare examples of a game that deserves a movie adaptation, not the other way around. Perhaps more than anything else, it's a game that sets the bar high for whatever Ember Lab wants to do next.

There's no denying Death Stranding: Director's Cut's technical achievements. It's incredibly immersive, putting every new capability built into the PlayStation 5 to the test and coming out triumphant. If you were disappointed by Death Stranding's unwieldy gameplay the first time around, the Director's Cut isn't going to win you over. But if Kojima's storytelling took you in, this will be a worthwhile upgrade.

Skatebird is the kind of game that the world can never have enough of -- complex but accessible gameplay, unique gimmicks, and a clear sense of style. While there are a few kinks that need to be ironed out or settings that can be modified, they're largely outweighed by the unabashedly silly and enjoyable experience of playing the game. Skatebird is the perfect low-stakes, high-reward game to dive into right now, and hopefully other players will soon agree.

Deathloop is my biggest surprise of the year. While it might be expected that Arkane would craft another high-quality experience, I'm personally astonished by how much the studio's latest release has clicked with me. Even though it might have a lot of common DNA with what Arkane has done before, the sheer amount of style and inventiveness that can be found in Deathloop makes it stand out greatly in a crowded video game market. If you're looking for something completely different compared to everything else that has released this year, Deathloop is absolutely worth getting lost in.

Whether you have played Ghost of Tsushima before and are simply looking to upgrade on PS5, or you have never experienced Sucker Punch's latest title, Director's Cut is definitely worth picking up. Not only has the PS5 improved the base version of the game that launched in 2020, but the Iki Island expansion on its own contains some of my favorite content in the entirety of Ghost of Tsushima. No matter how you might look to upgrade or purchase the new offerings that have been included, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is definitely worth the return trip to Tsushima.

Even with that gripe, Lost in Random just does so much right that it doesn't even really matter. I wouldn't trade my experience in the game for anything, and I'd be willing to get lost in the world of Random all-over gain. If you're on the fence, trust me, just roll the dice and jump on in, because you won't regret it.

Life is Strange: True Colors grapples with some heavy emotions -- literally and figuratively -- and manages to stick the landing more often than not. The various chapters range from fine to great, with more being somewhere just above good than not. Its choices felt meaningful, its dialogue largely heartfelt, and I’m still thinking about the ending days later. It’d be easy to boil the game down to being a glorified empathy simulator, but the reality is that Life is Strange: True Colors is more complicated, more beautifully complex than that. And for a game in part about the manifestation of emotional resonance, it does end up being emotionally resonant. It’s hard to ask for more than the delivery on that promise.

Tales of Arise is a fun game, but one with a bit of tonal disparity to it. One moment, you'll be searching for owls wearing goofy accessories on behalf of the owl king, and then next you'll watch in horror as a town of people is literally liquified before your eyes. As long as you try not to think too much about the stifling and nearly overwhelming amount of horror the characters have been put through, you'll likely feel like you got your money's worth of this very long and winding game.

There is chaos and then there is WarioWare. It has been years since the franchise brought out its latest offering, but that is all changing in 2021. WarioWare is back and better than ever thanks to its Nintendo Switch debut. And if you thought Wario's gang couldn't get wackier, you thought wrong.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is exactly what I like to see in a Sonic game: it's fun, it's fast, and the level design is exceptional. Developer Blind Squirrel Games has also added some quality-of-life features that make it welcoming for younger fans as well. It would have been nice to see the game's cutscenes receive the same visual upgrade that the rest of the game got, but that's a minor gripe. For fans that missed out on Sonic Colors when it first released, or those looking to revisit the game, Sonic Colors: Ultimate offers one of the best experiences to ever feature the blue blur.

Whether you’re a fan of old school adventure games, or you’re just looking for a new standout indie, Death’s Door is absolutely worth your time, money, and attention.