If you’re looking for a cozy game bursting at the seams with things to do that will have you whiling away the hours, Disney Dreamlight Valley is definitely worth it: it’s shaping up to be one of my favorite games of 2022, and it’s not even out of early access yet. The ability to live alongside some of Disney’s most memorable characters, raise their Friendship level and design the world that they inhabit is truly something that I never knew I needed until it arrived. [Review in Progress]

Businesses & Hobbies is a conundrum of an Expansion Pack. While it offers some fantastic cross-pack functionality with other DLC, it’s let down in other areas by only featuring two new skills, an underbaked candy creation system, and a small world with interactable set dressing I’ve been speaking about since My Wedding Stories. If you’re someone who loves Rags to Riches playthroughs, familial play, and legacies, this is the pack for you, but the sour aftertaste of something that feels all too familiar to Get To Work in some ways keeps it from being something truly great.

Amazon's MMO is an ambitious, player-led experience, but that doesn't forgive a lack of narrative or worldbuilding. For every good idea or unique concept, it feels like it's missing the chance to take the next big step and do something more interesting...And yet, I find myself returning to Aeternum's shores just to passively enjoy its community spirit and stick it to rival factions through the community board. I just wish there was something bigger to hold me there for longer.

Strayed Lights is so dragged down by the almost non-existent story it almost becomes quite tedious to go from area to area during its gameplay that it’s hard to find a purpose to reach the finish line after a while.

As far as remasters go, Deck Nine has very nearly hit the nail on the head. With refreshed visuals and animations that bring this immersive world to life even more than the original games did, it’s easy to get lost in the stories and world of our two protagonists. Life is Strange has the most notable visual differences due to its age, but both games feel refreshed enough that they feel shiny and new. Visual bugs, the occasional unblinking stare, and ambient NPCs with fewer model changes can break immersion, but whether you’re returning to Arcadia Bay or visiting it for the first time, this remaster truly is the definitive way to play.

Solo Leveling: Arise is a near-perfect homage to the original manhwa. Its sublime storytelling is its standout feature, which combined with its rich visuals, fluid gameplay, and addicting Genshin-esque features, make it a must-play for any Solo Leveling or gacha fan...Only time will tell if the late-game progression system issues will eventually harm its longevity and drive its promising playerbase away.

For a first game from a new studio, Atomic Heart executes many of its ideas very well, delivers a solid story, and actually manages to innovate in a genre where it would be easy to remain stagnant...Yes, its main character won’t live long in the memory, the narrative takes some time to heat up, and the modern-day curse of technical hitches are noticeable. But as a whole, Atomic Heart is an electric and enjoyable FPS title with surprising puzzle aspects, and I can’t wait to see how Mundfish builds on this hot start in the future.

High on Life 2 is everything you could want from a sequel to the first High on Life. It’s bigger, better, and funnier, finally delivering on what the original promised – a fantastic, over-the-top FPS where the jokes are as sharp as your knife. New companions like Sheath and Travis prove that the talking guns shtick that worked so well the first time was no fluke, and they constantly leave you in stitches and your enemies needing them. If you can give in to the weirdness, this is a goofy shooter that’s genuinely hilarious and a hell of a lot of fun to play. With smoother skateboarding and more varied boss battles, it would be perfection, but there’s a lot of life left in this emergent series – we wouldn’t say no to a threequel.

Digimon Survive is by no means a flawless experience but it is an exciting and unique Digimon game. With multiple endings to see, different evolutions to discover, and over 100 Digimon to recruit the replay and content value is excellent...Due to its text-heavy nature, this game won’t be for everybody, and those who were hoping for more action may leave disappointed. Visual novel fans however will find a lot to love, and if you’re looking for a darker story set in the Digimon universe, Digimon Survive could be the perfect pickup.

Put simply, if you enjoyed what worked in the past, you’ll absolutely love The Cosmic Shake. While the game doesn’t take any giant leaps forward, following a familiar path proves what we already know still works just fine. The team at Purple Lamp has clearly found its niche and let’s hope they continue to serve up more of the same style moving forward.

For a first outing by a brand new studio, Immortals of Aveum is a spectacular accomplishment. Through its fluid and inventive gameplay systems combined with its extraordinarily rich universe and wondrous storytelling, Ascendant Studios has delivered an all-time great FPS while laying the foundation for what’s hopefully many more exciting chapters to come.

Front Mission 1st Remake is a faithful adaptation of a franchise I’ve been desperate to see get a second chance. Alongside the likes of Triangle Strategy and Mario & Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, the Switch is becoming a bastion for strategy RPGs – and Front Mission 1st rightly earns a spot alongside them.

Rainbow Six Extraction successfully transplants Siege’s excellent gunplay and reliance on coordination into a tense battle for survival. While its objectives are inconsistent in terms of difficulty, they’re almost always thrilling to complete, and making it out alive with just a few bullets left, with a teammate slung over your shoulder always feels exhilarating. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Lion has gotten himself captured in Alaska again.

Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles is a perfect way to relive the Kamado siblings' adventure, despite knowing what's around every corner. And for new fans, it is a great chance to experience the series from the get-go. While its VS mode may not be for everyone, the main story itself is enough to feed anyone's appetite, and its gorgeous visuals make it a feast for the eyes.

While we felt like we had less agency and influence as a player than in earlier chapters of The Dark Pictures Anthology, The Devil in Me is still a worthy addition to the Curator's library – and our own. While we appreciate the experimental nature of the chapter, the direction of creative travel did worry us at times. However, there's no denying that Supermassive is still the best at what they do, and we look forward to season 2 of The Dark Pictures Anthology, and beyond.

Star Ocean: The Divine Force presents us with a game that may have once been a stellar JRPG title 20 years ago, but those standards just don't hold up in 2022. When compared to its contemporaries, it's just not on the same level, in any way. It's always been a B-Tier Square Enix franchise, but once upon a time, Star Ocean was an essential title. It's a shame that more effort has not gone into modernizing and revitalizing a beloved franchise.

A wonderfully exhausting exercise in futility is probably the best way of describing The Callisto Protocol as no matter the strength of my own resolve, I was constantly on edge and reveling in those fleeting moments where the game allowed me to breathe following yet another life-threatening fight. The constant fear and dread incited by the phenomenal visual and sound design are only complemented by the compelling story. The Callisto Protocol is, hopefully, the start of an exciting new franchise, and is another sign that survival horror is anything but dead.

Thymesia certainly isn't the worst indie Souls-like money can buy. Especially for its reasonable price point, players get a handful of really fun and challenging boss battles, but I wish the levels in between didn't come across as filler. Thymesia ends up feeling like Bloodborne's younger, less-gifted cousin -- he may not be all that great, but he still has some redeeming qualities.

Even with the introduction of the new FieldSENSE technology, and updates to Franchise mode, Madden 23 is a disappointing entry into a franchise that seriously needs to reevaluate everything from the ground up. As a diehard Madden fan since my youth, I desperately wish that EA would straddle down and say enough mediocrity is enough. Sadly, it’s hard to say that day will ever come.

Football Manager 26 marks the iconic management sim’s return after two years off, but longtime FM players are going to struggle as it is a bit of a confusing mess.

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is a pleasant addition to the pantheon, but its impression on players might be woefully short-lived. It’s a meticulous representation of Ghostbusters lore but thin gameplay options hold it back from its full potential.

Deliver Us The Moon was an excellent first step in living up to that mission statement and releasing a sci-fi game not to be forgotten anytime soon. Now, Deliver Us Mars builds from that success with far greater ambition in mind. Yet even with its sights set on new, lofty heights, outside of a few technical hiccups, it undoubtedly manages to stick the landing against all odds. It’s an absolute must-play for fans of the genre and the future couldn’t be brighter for the team of overachieving indie devs in the Netherlands.

If you’re a longtime Battlefield fan or just seeking a new FPS to get lost in, there’s a great deal of fun to be had here. But in its current state, 2042 falls just short of being one of the best multiplayer titles in recent years.

Whereas another kind of Crypto is making waves in the world, THQ’s is a welcome, nostalgic character that will take you on a literal mind-bending trip. If you can overlook the frustrating technical issues that try to mar your enjoyment throughout your Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed! journey, then there’s a cracking game here to soak in! From start to finish, its story, characters, and satisfying gameplay reinforce that this remake lives up to expectations and delivers a stellar sandbox stay that doesn’t look out of place in 2022.

Open Roads’ gameplay may not stun and its visuals are not exactly the most groundbreaking. However, it at least dares to bring something new to the canon of video games by telling a humanistic story in the gaming medium, a brief tale historically conveyed through literature. Perhaps Open Roads would’ve worked better if it was part of an anthology of short games with the same theme, but somehow despite its flaws, it still remains a valiant attempt at telling a short story through a game.

A lot has been riding on Gotham Knights' shoulders but the wait has paid off dividends. Performance issues aside, its gripping story and gorgeous open-world enforce it as a confident successor to the Arkham franchise. Gotham Knights is a robust co-op adventure that embraces the Dark Knight's world wholeheartedly.

Trust me when I say I really want to love Diablo Immortal more than this, but morally I struggle to recommend this game. Suffocated by microtransactions that bleed players dry, the latest chapter in the Diablo saga feels like a pay-to-win gacha game that’s meant to tide us over until Diablo 4. While longtime fans of the franchise will be lured in by the story and spectacular universe, the cost of saving Sanctuary is simply too much to pay (as we’re sure your accountant will confirm). I walk away from Immortal disappointed and angry, hoping and praying to the High Heavens that Blizzard do something to bring it back from the brink.

While the adventure borrows heavily from Bloodborne, Dark Souls, and Stellar Blade, it never quite manages to match them. This is because it feels like more of a tribute act rather than a game that drives the genre forward. As fun as AI Limit is, we’ve seen it all before. However, if you’re craving more of that classic Soulslike gameplay in a slick anime art style that’s always rewarding to play, then there’s still lots of fun to be had in AI Limit.