Europa Universalis 5 feels like the culmination of everything Paradox has done over the last two decades and if there’s ever been a game worthy of being called a grand strategy title, this is it.

Weird and wonderful ideas with a handful of mechanical imperfections is sort of Double Fine’s whole brand when you think about it. In Keeper’s case, it does such a good job of creating a compelling and beautiful world with a sweet, if simple, story of two unlikely creatures bonding and saving the world, so the minor frustrations just wash away when I consider the experience as a whole. You keep being you, Double Fine.

From a lone Japanese swordmaster who rises to the Shogunate by the power of his blade and charisma to plotting the downfall of a dynasty as China’s Grand Chancellor or becoming a bona fide god king in the jungles of Angkor, All Under Heaven would be a strong offering on its own, speaking to fans of Shogun and Three Kingdoms alike. But tagged onto CK3’s foundation it’s something of a multiplier: What if the lone swordmaster ventures West along the Silk Road? What if you want to be Marco Polo? How about a nomad world conquest run that starts by taking care of China? Could you defeat Genghis Khan through an alliance between the Holy Roman Empire and the Son of Heaven?

The simple fact is, if you played the first game, you know exactly what you’re getting with The Outer Worlds 2. There are some mechanical improvements, but the story doesn’t impress, and the side-quests lack enough bite or consequence to create a world I want to spend more time in.

The result is about the most straightforward but successful sequel you could ask for. It takes the core gameplay of the first game, makes a few additions without changing anything of what people liked, and then just goes about making everything bigger and better. If you liked the first game, this is exactly the sequel you wanted, giving you more of the same while making the experience smoother in the process. You could argue that there was more of an opportunity to innovate, but I’d argue that if fresh ideas are what you’re after, PowerWash Simulator 2 isn’t the place you should be looking – unless you count the fresh smell of soapy water, of course.

Dispatch shows a lot of promise, but it remains to be seen whether it can hold attention through the busy games season while drip-feeding the episodes. I hope it can because if the first couple of episodes are any indication, Dispatch could be something special. I found myself laughing out loud more than once, which isn’t easy to do to someone who’s hunched over like a goblin watching something alone. The writing is sharp, the acting is excellent, the animations wouldn’t feel out of place in a premium TV show, and the interactive sequences tease some amount of depth. I just think it’d be better off binged because of how little you actually play during an individual episode. [Review in Progress]

If combat design is all that matters to you, then Ninja Gaiden 4 is a fantastic entry into a legendary series, but the design of some enemies and areas become familiar far too quickly, and your hundredth time killing a haunted lantern or soldier isn’t going to get your blood pumping. The pacing might be slightly off, but the action is always on beat.

Despite a few annoyances, the key areas where Pokémon Legends: Z-A experiments are a big success. The new battle system is great fun and makes for a unique challenge compared to what the series normally offers. While I think there are still steps to take to strike a better balance between that system and the catching mechanics from Arceus, I’m just thrilled to see Pokémon be a franchise willing to take risks again. I can’t wait to see what fresh idea the team at Game Freak tries next, as so far, it’s two-for-two in terms of Legends successes.

Despite its issues with underbaked sidequests, technical polish, and combat jank, I’m glad I played Bloodlines 2. It’s a game that shouldn’t exist from a publisher that’s never put out anything quite like it, and a developer best known for slow-paced experiential games, who salvaged a failed project and put its own spin on it. It has no right to be this good. When you’re playing your part and wearing your social mask, navigating murky alleyways and murkier politics, solving grisly murders and listening to the sounds of the street, Bloodlines 2 pulls you into its sharp embrace and refuses to unlatch until you reach its climax.

Battlefield 6’s single-player continues the series’ tradition of not being very good, but the multiplayer is the best it’s been in a long, long time. [Review in Progress]

That’s the biggest problem with Little Nightmares 3: it has a lot of nice ideas, but the execution is lacking. Sometimes it doesn’t do enough of the good things it does, and sometimes it does way too much of the bad things. It’s a game that, with a bit more time, a lot more polish, and a clearer direction, could be great — but as it stands, it’s just a little too janky, a little too underbaked, and a little too frustrating.

Baby Steps is simultaneously brilliant and genius while being one of the most immature games in existence. It shouldn't be missed.

As it stands, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a massive step up from Digimon Story games before it, improving on just about every aspect. Huge amounts of work have gone into streamlining frustrations seen in prior entries, and it mostly delivers in its presentation, combat, and storytelling, but it falls short of feeling like the triple-A game it’s trying so hard to be. It’s a step forward for the series nonetheless, and likely the best Digimon game to date, which will hopefully lead to better, more polished, and better-funded games in the future.

Fire Emblem Shadows is a fine enough game, but once you play it you can understand why Nintendo didn’t bother marketing this much. It’s not quite Fire Emblem enough for Fire Emblem fans, and non-FE fans probably already have a roughly equivalent game to enjoy on mobile. If nothing else, it does what it intends to do relatively well, and the monetization doesn’t actively try to pick a player’s pockets.

Chrono Gear: Warden of Time is a fantastic love letter to Hololive and platformers alike. While non-Hololive fans will have a lot of the fun go over their heads, the 2D platforming gameplay is still creative and refined enough to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. That said, it is definitely made for fans, with references, in-jokes, and loving tributes stuffed into every corner, which makes it a simply joyous ride.

I don’t know what more you could ask for from a Hades sequel. Everything that the first game did so well, Hades 2 does it even better, letting you enjoy the story and characters of this world on a more intimate level than before while the game’s combat, encounter, and level design feel more refined as you control the battlefield and slay Chronos’ minions by the hundreds. It all comes together to remind you that Hades and Hades 2 really are the ultimate roguelikes.

Still, the fact remains, I’ve never had this much fun with a kart racer not named Mario Kart; Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is finally a high-quality alternative to the series that understands how to make going fast fun in a variety of ways. I like Mario Kart World a lot, but it has its fair share of detractors, and those people will be thrilled with what CrossWorlds has to offer.

Ghost of Yotei proves that most games deserve a sequel. The bones were there with Tsushima, but Sucker Punch has improved every area that was lacking. All the characters have depth and personality, including the villains, climbing feels better, missions are more varied and have worthwhile stories, it explores the indigenous Ainu people, their traditions and customs, and the impact Japan’s wars had on them, and the performances from the cast are excellent in Japanese and English (Erika Ishii oozes cool, and I’d go as far as to say this is Noshir Dalal’s best performance ever). Yotei is a massive step up and easily Sucker Punch’s best game yet.

If you’re into the idea of Psionic Ascension – or being a force directly opposed to it – and have a good amount of gameplay experience, Shadows of the Shroud is an easy recommendation, as it goes leaps and bounds in fleshing out this style. If that’s not something you’re interested in, you can easily wait and pick it up during a sale.

From the cast’s detached, off-kilter performances – both in Japanese and the English dub – to the art, which contrasts beauty with horror, every aspect of Silent Hill f is calculated to enrich the story it tells. It trusts its audience completely, never spelling everything out in bold letters, allowing you to bring your own interpretation and making you feel like an active participant in the telling without resorting to dialogue trees with arbitrary choices and consequences. This is Hinako’s story, but just like the village gossips, in one final violation of her autonomy, everyone will have their own opinion on how it ends.

All in all, though, this Early Access version of Endless Legend 2 is very promising. The devs know what they want to do with this game and have clearly focused on showcasing the vision, building a strong foundation they can expand upon while leaving enough room for community suggestions. [Early Access Review]

There may be dozens of indie metroidvania games released on Steam every month, but Hollow Knight: Silksong is the perfect reminder of why none of them ever got as big as this pair of games. Silksong pushes the genre to heights it has never known before, combining a fantastic aesthetic and narrative with extremely polished exploration and boss mechanics. While there are frustrations that can grate on you in those annoying moments, they quickly fade away when the game is viewed as a whole. It really does live up to the hype. I’d still like the next one in sooner than seven years though, Team Cherry.

If I’d bought Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Premium Edition at launch solely for the eventual DLC, I’d be sorely disappointed. If you’re on the fence about The Order of Giants now, then just stay away. It’s a nice extra story to have, but unless you’re one of the Great Circle’s strongest soldiers, there’s no need to play The Order of Giants — especially for the high asking price. It’s more Indy, but not more of what made Indy great.

Even though I have my frustrations with the controls and I was left wanting more from the puzzles, I still very much enjoyed my time with Lego Voyagers. While it had potential for greater things, the puzzles are still good fun and strike at the elements that make co-op play uniquely enjoyable. At a tight three hours, it’s the kind of game you could easily play with your partner or kid to spend a cozy, lazy evening together.

How much you enjoy Legacy of the Forge comes down to how much you’ve played KCD2. If you’ve still got hours of quests to plough through in Kuttenberg, then Legacy of the Forge is the perfect accompaniment that gives you more to do. If you’ve already exhausted the game, though, then the quests here will feel a bit thin. It depends on what you’re looking for, but I enjoyed returning to Kuttenberg and becoming the most respected blacksmith in town. I just know Martin would be proud.

I don’t dislike Cronos: The New Dawn, but the minor frustrations coupled with the overall tedium wear on you. It’s a polished game that works well, but shooting zombie mutants gets old, and raiding boxes for batteries isn’t that exciting in the first place. A decently atmospheric horror for the Halloween season, but not quite the new era of Bloober Team that I was hoping for.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is a faithful but ambitious remake of an overlooked Nintendo DS game, and it’s great. It’s a simple game that doesn’t ask too much of the player, but it’s incredibly satisfying to expand your farm, gather your produce, and make a massive profit at the Grand Bazaar. If you want a polished, cozy game to go into Autumn with, Grand Bazaar is a great choice.

I honestly did enjoy my time with it, but for every bit of praise I can offer, a complaint comes attached. The combat is fun and has a strong sense of flow, but it isn’t particularly challenging, and the complexity doesn’t scale well. The platforming tools make for enjoyable and satisfying challenges, but the game infrequently uses them to their full potential. If you’re looking for a side-scrolling action platformer, then Shinobi will absolutely scratch that itch, just don’t go into it looking for a genre revolution.