Compared to past games in the series, Gran Turismo Sport is an admittedly trimmed-down experience. There are fewer cars and features with no trips to the moon. However, it’s also true that much of what was lost really needed to be cut. GT Sport makes the most of its new focus on competition and it does an admirable job of training you to be a better driver. It can be intimidating to head online for the first time, but once you finish a race in a respectable position, it feels like all the time you’ve invested has truly paid off.

If you want to catch them all and check off the full list of side quests, Bugsnax takes about 10 hours or so to complete. The gameplay can feel a little clumsy here and there, but it makes up for it with the silliness and creativity of it all. There’s a lot of joy to be had with these bizarre critters, and there’s more to the story than you might guess. So if you’re curious about where this adventure ends up, pack your bags for Snaktooth Island, and be sure to bring a healthy appetite.

Though it has its issues, Lords of the Fallen is still solid overall. Its dark and brutal world is a compelling backdrop, filled with enticing exploration and deadly foes. Meanwhile, combat is engaging and offers a fair amount of flexibility. It may not be the next big breakthrough for the genre, but it's a good time and worth fighting through until the end.

Ghostwire: Tokyo stands out with distinct elemental combat that feels fun to perform, and great care has been put into its haunting urban settings. The story and tactics lack development and variety in later chapters, but it’s still worth exploring Tango’s spooky rendition of Tokyo.

Even though some concepts never really feel fleshed out, Concrete Genie's imaginative design is compelling. It’s often way too straightforward, and elements like the combat feel like afterthoughts. However, covering Denska's walls with vibrant illustrations brings a wonderful sense of satisfaction, and watching your genies come to life is a delight.

Although there's still some excitement to be found in the fundamentals of Attack on Titan 2, it's a game whose lack of meaningful strides forward is its own undoing. What is new sounds promising at first, but since it's so underutilized, the game ends up feeling like an extension of the first entry rather than a true sequel. If Omega Force does tackle the story of Eren Jaeger yet again, hopefully they’ll find more compelling reasons for players to revisit this gruesome world.

In Sound Mind definitely has some limitations in terms of its presentation and combat, but these elements don’t take too much away from what it does well. It’s more of a spooky mystery than a full horror title, and with its hub world, clever secrets, and evolving set of tools, it continually presents new opportunities to interact with its twisted environments. If you like games that try to screw with your head, it’s worth booking a session with Dr. Wales.

Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is a difficult case where strong individual aspects don’t fully come together as a strong whole. There are precious characters here that are worth getting to know, but it feels like they get lost in the macro-events of later chapters. And while there are numerous variations and endings to replay this 10-hour story, the systems governing which choices you make feel more limiting than liberating.

More than anything, such a strong and clear vision is what makes No More Heroes 3 work as well as it does. It’s beyond clear that Suda cares about this series from the bottom of his heart, and that love is what makes this game special. No More Heroes 3 is not just a good SUDA51 game, it's one of the best games of the year.

Carrion starts strong with a solid premise but fails to fully capitalize on its ideas. The novelty of eating faceless humans wears thin as the sole motivation to escape isn’t expanded upon in any meaningful way. The environments fail to encourage rewarding exploration while the puzzles and combat encounters quickly become routine. It's hard to write Carrion off entirely because the novel concept has its charm, but without more depth and variety, it’s easy to lose your appetite for consuming flesh.

It’s clear there’s some friction between the vision for Starlink and what we’ve come to expect for Star Fox as the two don’t mesh together perfectly, but what Ubisoft manages to accomplish is pretty remarkable. It’s a good game with a lot of small flaws, and this imperfect union shows amazing potential. It’s repetitive and certainly could use some more polish, yet it’s still strangely addictive and fun. If Nintendo is smart, they’ll continue this collaboration with Ubisoft, only hopefully next time it will be a dedicated Star Fox project instead of a tacked-on console exclusive.

This latest Need for Speed doesn’t have any luck-based schemes disrupting the progression this time around, but there’s nothing moving the series forward either. The core parts that have been strong in the past aren’t quite as potent here, and the supporting elements feel directionless and half-baked. Need for Speed Heat is like a beat up old ride that’s still good to burn some rubber and get you around town, but don’t expect to turn any heads along the way.

Tokyo RPG Factory has done a fine job of capturing the spirit of classic JRPGs with I am Setsuna. It feels like returning home after a long journey. Its superb soundtrack and solid gameplay bring nostalgic feelings of joy and comfort. Even though a lack of balance holds back the creativity of its combat, it never extinguishes the emotional tone and engaging story of the game. It may not be the next classic, but it does an excellent job of honoring its heritage.

It all adds up to make Far Cry 6 a game that is obviously flawed and obviously similar to other Far Cry games before it, but has such a strong spirit that it ends up being memorable regardless. Far Cry 6 is a compelling reminder that video games can be so silly and that sometimes that's exactly what they need to be in order to be effectively cathartic. Yet in spite of that silliness, the game actually isn’t shy about having something to say. Here is a game that is many, many things all at once, but it also seems to understand itself so well.

Taking 25 hours or so to complete, Cris Tales isn’t exactly short, but it often points to a larger world and more consequential choices than it really has to offer. The world feels small and only seems to get smaller as you get near the end and revisit past areas. It’s an absolutely beautiful game with interesting mechanics and some fun characters, but it doesn’t fully flesh out the expectations it initially sets.

Punctuated by an impressive original score, Attack on Titan has just about everything one could ask for from a video game adaptation of the series. A few blemishes hold the game back from being something truly special, but Omega Force and Koei Tecmo are certainly on the right track.

Fire Emblem Warriors absolutely makes good on its combination of strategy and action, working better than many other licenses that have adopted the Warriors format. While it's definitely rough in spots, it does manage to capture a lot of the Fire Emblem spirit. If Nintendo keeps mixing its properties with the Warriors style, hopefully those games will learn a lot from this experiment.

Peril on Gorgon lasts around 12 to 15 hours, depending on how much you want to read and scavenge, and there’s more than enough here to warrant the $15 price tag. It’s a solid journey, particularly if you want to reconnect to your crew and learn more about Halcyon. Digging through the ruins can get a bit lonesome after a while, but once you start meeting new characters and picking up the scent of where all this is going, it can hook you in through to the end.

One Piece Odyssey shows that the grand scale of the franchise is a good fit for a solid traditional RPG. The combat system is fun, and it’s great to get reacquainted with beloved characters and locations. If you're new to the series or just have some curiosity about it, the gameplay likely isn't strong enough on its own to keep you going. However, for fans that are already heavily invested in the Straw Hat Crew’s adventures, it's a tale worth checking out.

Outriders blends frenetic combat and hard hitting class skills to make each encounter feel tense and rewarding. Chasing loot drops and collecting mods to bolster your collection is as addictive as using storm whip on vulnerable foes. The presentation makes it hard to connect with the characters, but players willing to read a lot may be surprised by how much thought has been put into things behind the scenes. With the current state of problems however, waiting a bit longer for things to get sorted out is recommended.

While Kunai might not stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Ori or Hollow Knight, there’s much to love, including fantastic controls, rewarding secrets, and zesty facial expressions. This little tablet has a lot of heart, and a lot of hats.

Kirby’s greatest strength lies in the versatility and inventiveness of the powers he can absorb. Forming a team and combining those powers only adds to that joy of experimentation, but it’s disappointing that the places you go don’t do more to make the most of those abilities. Kirby Star Allies does get better in its later stages, it just isn’t particularly memorable as a whole.

There are numerous worthwhile aspects of Brilliant Diamond to dig into, but it's infuriating that you essentially have to trudge through an entire game to even gain access to so many of them. It's an absurdly high barrier to clear, one made even less palatable by the full retail price. The game is ultimately a giant missed opportunity. Instead of looking critically at Pokémon, Brilliant Diamond plays it as safe as it possibly can. The remake perfectly encapsulates all the good and bad of the series: there is something remarkable to enjoy, but you have to work through too much nonsense to get there.

On the surface, Dead Island 2 is certainly all about slicing up zombies without a lot of emotional stakes, but there’s a notable attention to depth and detail that’s evident throughout. The sense of impact as weapons crack bone and send bodies flying entices you to keep tinkering with abilities, to go back for side quests after the story’s done, and to consider giving it another run with friends. Zombies have splashed down in LA: grab a hammer and get to work.

This is an incredibly ambitious game that really feels like it is trying to push things forward in a meaningful way, and when it all is clicking, it is truly magical. But, it is on shaky legs. You definitely get the sense that the tech quite can't handle everything it is trying to do. You start to see the seams in a disappointing way. [30 Hour Impressions]

Star Ocean: First Departure R is the best way to experience the original entry in a historically important series that often gets overlooked. It offers moderate quality of life improvements over its PSP counterpart, and retains the portable appeal with the Switch version. There’s a solid RPG here full of unique mechanics, charm, and lots of originality, but its age is definitely starting to show.

While repetition sets in quickly and the rough edges can be distracting, Iron Man VR is so unique among superhero games that it feels absolutely essential for fans of this character. When the visor locks in and the weapons-HUD flashes on, it’s clear the best Iron Man games are going to be in VR. This first attempt is a solid blueprint; perhaps stronger tech and more time in the lab can generate better results.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a solid entry in the long-running line of games based on the franchise. It's clear CyberConnect2 put a lot of love into this project, and it especially shows in how the story and locations are presented. However, it's held back by repetitive combat encounters and dull side quests. Despite its shortcomings, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is still an enjoyable adventure whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer.