The stripped-down sandbox may be a disappoint longtime fans, but it’s an extra feature that adds to a game that would still feel complete without it.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a disaster in a way that I sincerely thought wasn’t possible anymore. With so much money on the line, I thought we’d long passed the days where a game as transparently bad as Superman 64 could exist. Popular IPs are like gold in 2023, and companies carefully guard them like protective dragons. And yet, Gollum seems to have slipped by the watchful eye of so many stakeholders undetected. It’s a rare sight in the modern gaming landscape, and one that almost makes me nostalgic for the bad games of my childhood.

Balan Wonderworld is a hodge-podge of half-formed platforming ideas that squander a whole lot of charm.

There’s palpable ambition fueling MindsEye, but I can feel where it likely clashed with business decisions that forced the project out of the oven prematurely. It’s the kind of game that you can only pity, holding some empathy for the artists watching an unrealized dream tumble away like a self-driving truck down a crater. No chef wants to serve you uncooked beef.

Chex Quest HD is a breezy blast for anyone who’s looking to spend an afternoon in the ’90s. Smoother shooting and tweaked animations make for a more legible experience that’s still true to the 1996 game, but the minimal package isn’t likely to win over players who aren’t as easily wowed by a “free” label in 2020. Missing UI and shallow extras turn this goofball oddity into the embodiment of the “only ’90s kids will understand” meme.

MultiVersus isn’t the next Super Smash Bros. Ultimate; it’s a beast of its own. If Player First Games and WB Games can maintain this game’s community with frequent, compelling updates and make the user experience a little more engaging, MultiVersus should have a bright future ahead of it.

Despite innovating in small ways, Saints Row is a safe open-world game. While that's perfectly fine for those looking for another sandbox adventure to sink time into, its quaintness feels antithetical to the series' wacky reputation. Saints Row is known for being loud, bombastic, and unconventional. So why am I mostly stuck doing tedious action and open-world checklist objectives? Volition wanted to get in touch with the series' roots, but after you've jumped the shark so many times and the industry has moved on, this reserved approach makes Saints Row feel like an antiquity.

Rumbleverse's unique fusion of battle royale structure and fighting game depth is a great, though sometimes imperfect, match.

The DioField Chronicle includes a lot of setup for potential sequels, but it does a solid job of laying down the proper foundation to make that work long-term.

Teslagrad 2's momentum-based platforming makes for speedy fun, even if it doesn't quite have the same spark as its predecessor.

Sea of Stars goes beyond retro homage to deliver a moving indie RPG with a strong combat system at its heart.

Thunder Lotus has a great foundation here and I’m excited to see what else it has on its roadmap for early access. I know that an 11-player run is already in the works, but I’m eager to see some more creative weapons, new perks, and varied maps that’ll make each run feel a little different. I’m happy to enlist in any war against God, but I’ll need a little more if this is going to be the kind of roguelike I return to regularly. I have no reason to think that Thunder Lotus won’t get there, as 33 Immortals is already in great shape in early access. If you’re looking for an inventive new co-op game, join the holy war today. [Early Access Impressions]