Not since Super Mario Odyssey have I played a platformer that so consistently put a smile on my face. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is adorable, unadulterated fun, whether it’s the subtle animations of the adorable pink protagonist himself or the lush environments, there’s an attention to detail that makes Kirby and the Forgotten Land an absolute must-play. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the kind of game we need more of in these strange times, and it’s a welcome palate cleanser after so many more serious games.

Cloisters Interactive’s first outing isn’t necessarily a mind-blowing indie hit that everyone will connect with right away. But it is a tremendous debut from a small dev team experimenting within the medium. Its unique structure, gorgeous presentation, and approachable game design are well worth the price of admission alone, but its touching story is what will stick with you long after the credits roll.

Ghostwire Tokyo is another great addition to the PS5's growing library and we'd definitely recommend experiencing it. It's not perfect, but there's more than enough to keep you engrossed as the city slowly expands and offers more to explore. Between a gallery of ghouls, exciting combat, and a stunning recreation of Tokyo to wander through, it stands alone as something unique. Plus, you can pet dogs - what more could you ask for?

While our initial reaction to Stranger of Paradise was one of indifference, the game managed to charm us once we gave it more time. It then became an enjoyable and relaxing experience that didn’t outstay its welcome or descend into too much of a grind. It delivers a fluid and engaging combat system that borrows from other successful games in Team Ninja and Square-Enix’s back catalog of hits. Stranger of Paradise is not the game that’s going to pull most players away from Horizon Forbidden West or Elden Ring, However, it’s a nice distraction to keep Final Fantasy fans occupied until the sixteenth main entry arrives -- whenever that may be.

Shredders is admirable for its ambiguous concept within the confines of an indie budget, but its gameplay doesn’t warrant any repeated trips to the slopes. Foampunch tries to salvage the game with an attempt to charm players with its wacky humor and splashes of energy, butting heads with the game’s juxtaposition of a dull open-world in the process. Curiosity may pique your interest in Shredders as it launches on Xbox Game Pass, but you’ll likely have forgotten the game within a few minutes of your descent from the summit.

At a glance appearing as a polished and beautiful isometric Zelda-like starring a cute fox, Tunic offers so much more under the surface and is a must-play for fans of the genre. With a perfect balance of exploration, engaging combat, and of course, hidden secrets, Fiji and Andrew Shouldice have crafted an adventure that's well worth embarking on, and it's one that you'll likely come back to revisit time and time again.

For all its stunning vistas and fun-filled stories, Chocobo GP just doesn’t have the sparkle that it needs to propel it to the top. Plagued by poor handling, dull tracks, and a microtransaction system that will have players arguing until the cows (or chocobos) come home, the game lacks the finesse of competitors and doesn’t really give players much reason to dive back in. Unfortunately, Chocobo GP will likely gather dust in my Switch library while I return to the likes of Mario Kart – and it’s a shame, because I really, really wanted to love it.

Triangle Strategy is a confident tactical RPG with plenty of depth and a winding narrative. While the first few hours can be a little slow, it quickly becomes another gem in the Switch’s strategy game crown.

Monster Energy Supercross 5 is easily Milestone's finest installment in the franchise, after a few years of diminishing returns. What Supercross 5 is missing in its surface-level game modes, it makes up for with thrilling racing at its core. Patience and a level head are needed to persevere upward through its demanding skill ceiling but it's wholeheartedly worth the pursuit. It's hard to tell whether future installments will offer enough innovation to keep the franchise riding on, but for now, we'll be tearing it up for fortune and glory.

This score feels harsh as the gameplay is spectacular, but there are simply one too many niggles to consider this a true WWE legend. For everything included in the game, there's always something else that could have been improved to be more cohesive. I am absolutely not complaining about the level of content here, though. MyGM's half-baked design is still fun the first time around, and MyRISE is definitely one of the better career modes in years, so you get enough bang for your buck. Throw in the wonderfully fluid new combat system and top-notch presentational qualities, and it feels like the franchise is back on track -- and on the cusp of something special.

While Lienzo's spectacular universe is a triumph in Aztech: Forgotten Gods, the game lacks the polish it needs to propel it from being average to something truly unique. The mariachi skeleton of an amazing game lies trampled under a series of visual and mechanical bugs that just leave the whole thing feeling unfinished. I walked away feeling satisfied that I had played a pretty cool game, but not rushing around telling my friends about it in the way I had expected to. As titans rise around it and seek to conquer the gaming sphere, Aztech: Forgotten Gods will likely be banished back into the annals of the history books it came from, but trust us when we say we're sad to see it go.

If you loved Horizon Zero Dawn, you’ll no doubt love Forbidden West as well. It’s a glorious sequel that improves on the foundations laid by the original in pretty much every way, with an unbelievable amount of content to discover and some of the best visuals I’ve ever seen. It’s a must-play for PS5 owners looking to get the most out of their console.

Somewhere in Shadow Warrior 3 is a meaty FPS that is trying to move forward with the times but struggles to keep consistent as technical problems and a muddied presentation mar the game’s strengths. The first half of the game is an enjoyable, constantly growing, and expanding experience that runs out of ideas towards the end. Lo Wang is certainly not the most memorable or likable protagonist ever seen, but I appreciate Flying Wild Hog’s intentions.

We’re sad to say that after years of waiting Babylon’s Fall is easy to skip. While other attempts at a game as a service had their moments, its combat is barebones and clunky, while it feels determined to pull players through with meager rewards and muddy graphics. Even playing with friends isn’t enough to bring this game back from the brink, and as a full-priced title, it’s absolutely impossible to recommend.

While Ghostrunner Project Hel is certainly an achievement given that it started out as a small DLC, it seems like a stepping stone that will only placate fans for a little while. Hel herself is an interesting character brimming with complex hatred so inhuman that she feels nothing like any character we’ve played before, but even her intriguing personality doesn’t make up for the fact that Project Hel is simply more of the same.

After taking time to debate whether or not the game's very minor, and few, shortcomings are enough to make the game fall short, ultimately, they don't. Not only is this a return to form for an elite racing game series, but Gran Turismo 7 is as close as you'll get to the perfect driving game. Its sea of gameplay modes, beyond outstanding visuals, crisp sounds, and immersive use of PlayStation tech has given players an endlessly playable game that never gets dull. Polyphony Digital have crafted a must-play, must-own, masterpiece.

Guild Wars 2 End of Dragons blends everything I want in a game together: it’s got an eastern-inspired tech utopia, awesome Mastery lines that are so much fun to explore, and potentially powerful classes...Despite its futuristic vision, however, it seems that Guild Wars 2 is still a little stuck in the past, innovating very little on its core combat system and visuals. While this is great for those who know and love the game, I don’t know how many new players will choose to dive into the world of Cantha despite all of the wonders it contains. Only time will tell if ArenaNet’s MMORPG will rise back to prominence, and I truly hope it does. After all, Tyria was where my MMO adventure began, and it will always have my heart.

After a strong couple of years, Destiny 2 has hit a new high in The Witch Queen. It’s undeniably the best expansion for the MMO shooter yet, with narrative payoffs both surprising and earned, a fantastic campaign, and fun new gear to chase and build. Destiny 2 Year 5 is off to an excellent start, and the future has never been brighter for the franchise.

GRID Legends is definitely an improvement on its 2019 predecessor and is a solid pick-up for anyone who enjoys casual racing games. The Driven to Glory story mode is a fine addition, but won’t blow anyone away, and while it does feature the franchise’s best in-game racing yet, it doesn’t quite match up to its competitors.

By immersing the player into this woeful world, LKA has created a beautiful, contemporary work of visual art that is a must for casual players and learned historians alike. Characterized by innovative storytelling and a determination to push the boundaries, the game is not for the faint of heart. Beautifully animated and contemporary in its chaos, it taps into the darkest parts of the human soul in a way that hits hard but entices the player to keep coming back for more – even if you know you really, really shouldn't.

Make no mistake, Elden Ring is to the Souls subgenre what Breath of the Wild was to the Zelda franchise; it took a classic dungeon-diving formula and opened it up, adding more choice, nuance, and combat flexibility in the process. It feels destined to kickstart a wave of "did you know you could do this?" YouTube videos, and a deeper discussion of build-crafting. Elden Ring isn’t Dark Souls 4 or just ‘Big Souls’, but it’s damn close, and represents the evolution the series needed and manages to be everything else we wanted it to be.

The Sims 4 My Wedding Stories makes for a great pack for builders and CAS fans alike, with great care having been taken to include items that can be utilized in many different styles of ceremonies. Whether you’re interested in the new world, the formal CAS items, or even game options that cater to a more family-oriented style of play, it’s a great pack to add to your game. However, a multitude of bugs and overall surface-level gameplay that only expands on systems that are already in the game, rather than adding new ones, keep this pack from being something that I’d truly say “I do” to without a second thought. Hopefully, some of these bugs are fixed ahead of release day or addressed in an upcoming patch as until then, the new events are not something I’ll be using going forward

Total War: Warhammer 3 is everything you could possibly have wanted from a sequel to the prior two games. The game's selection of factions flips many of its core mechanics on its head, and each is fun to play in its own right. Sieges are tense and exciting in equal measure, and while they can lead to some tactical blunders, it feels like the best version of the system yet. If you're yet to jump into a Total War: Warhammer title, this is the one to try, and if you have, you'll want to stay in the Realms of Chaos indefinitely.

The Sims 4 Carnaval Streetwear Kit is a well-thought-out pack that serves as a great ode to the festival it references, providing well-designed, brightly-colored pieces to help Sims show off more of their personality. The collaboration with Pabllo Vitar, as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, is wonderful to see, and it’s fantastic that the team continues to work to expand and incorporate more communities and cultures into the game. However, ill-fitting items across feminine-framed Sims is something that still continues to be an issue, and low-resolution, flat textures for one of the items prevent this Kit from truly sparkling in the light like some of its CAS items do.

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.

Diablo laid the foundations for what the ARPG should look like, but Lost Ark innovates on these and brings them into 2022 in style. Aside from the narrative caveats, Lost Ark rises from the ashes of Diablo 2 Resurrected and New World with the power to topple titans. An immersive, beautifully crafted universe defined by its dynamic vistas and face-paced combat, Lost Ark is the rebirth that the hack and slash genre needs. I can freely admit that there's no doubt in my mind that Lost Ark will become one of my favorite titles, and as future releases add new classes and zones into the game, I know that I'll be on the edge of my seat just waiting to dive back in all over again – and boy, I can't wait.

Sifu offers plenty of unique promise, but it's no kung-fu master yet. The difficulty spikes will be off-putting for some, but others may enjoy the challenge, but the way it stacks the odds against a player is more frustrating than fun…And yet, players looking for a new challenge might want to pick up Sifu. Even though not every design choice feels like a good one, the foundation and potential for something truly amazing are there.

I hope that, following a few updates, these creases can be ironed out. Until then, though, I'm not sure how often I'll be diving into Techland's neo-dystopian universe – but there's an allure that does entice me back. While the future remains dark for Aiden and his accomplices, I believe that, with a few upgrades, the sun won't be setting on Dying Light 2 just yet.