Despite the occasional stumble, The DioField Chronicle turns convention on its side regularly enough that even the more familiar elements feel fresh much of the time. Players have regularly encountered evil empires, warmongering generals, sneaky alliances, and corrupt church officials within the genre, in classic RPG experiences ranging from Suikoden to Final Fantasy Tactics and beyond. Those familiar tropes and themes have rarely been married with such a fresh combat system, however. There’s room for improvement across the board, but what’s available already is worth a look by strategy fans new and old alike.

For long-term players, Overwatch 2 may feel more like a glorified update with problematic progression and roadblocks to enjoyment that didn't exist in the original game. In its current state, Overwatch 2 is more product than art, but there is still plenty of time to turn things around between now and whenever the game's 1.0 version launches.

NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition carries over almost every bit of what made its PC and PS4 versions so popular. It doesn't carry the same graphical prowess as its original, but that isn’t surprising as a port. Still, it is easy to see why it was so acclaimed by critics and gamers alike back in 2017. For players hoping for a portable version of NieR: Automata to take with them everywhere, Virtuos and Square Enix did an excellent job making it available for just that. Players who missed it the first time around have a chance to finally experience everything NieR: Automata has to offer in a portable and shiny, though slightly uglier, package.

Overall, Temtem is a fine alternative to other monster-collecting games with plenty to do. The balance can be a bit troublesome, but that may vary from person to person. However, it offers enough differences to be unique, with its default two-on-two battles and mechanics adding variety to each fight. Plus, playing with friends is easy and a blast.

Despite minor bugs and a save system that could cause frustration, the core of Moonscars is a pleasurable journey through a crushingly dark world. Black Mermaid’s first title is filled with love for the platforming genre, and it shows in every aspect of the game. It will be interesting to see which direction this new developer goes in future titles, or if it will choose to continue to build on the dark and bloody world introduced in Moonscars.

Session: Skate Sim is a skate simulation that was very clearly designed with skaters in mind. From the extremely involved control scheme to the perfectly captured recreation of skate culture, the game seems like it was never intended to be a gateway for non-skaters to get into the sport. But the bugs, difficulty, general lack of fun, and incomplete state of the game make it difficult to recommend Session to its target audience as well. Some gamers may be able to break through the learning curve and appreciate the thoroughness put into creating such an involved skate sim, but at the end of the day, it's simply not fun.

The more focus a player can give to Metal: Hellsinger, the more it shines. When it all clicks, a flow builds that can only be achieved by this style of rhythmic combat. It takes some powerful music and grafts it onto the iconic Doom formula. The result is that the player feels like they are in the middle of a perfectly choreographed movie or trailer. It's certainly challenging, especially on higher difficulties, but if players can think of it as less a shooter and more a rhythm game, it really opens up. Lack of enemy variety and short gameplay aside, what's on offer here is a hugely fun rip through Hell that feels great to play and sounds like something torn straight out of a nightmare - in a good way.

Though likely to chase away those easily frustrated by complex systems, Circus Electrique offers more than enough surprises to entertain players for the couple dozen hours they’ll likely spend clearing its entire campaign. Unforgiving combat and the constant need to monitor resources demand the player’s attention, while the unique blend of genres rewards them with inventive new experiences. Juggling everything at once might be a bit more than some people are ready for, but that’s what a circus is for.

Along with the pleasant narration of voice actor Kirsten Mize, the Beacon Pines development team consisted of only three other people — Matt Meyer, Ilse Harting, and Brent Calhoun — who all wore multiple hats including creative director, writer, artist, audio editor, music, and sound effects. It’s an impressive feat that makes the game that much more worthy of appreciation. Unfortunately, despite its positives, Beacon Pines simply won’t be a hit for everyone. And while its story and gameplay mechanics are interesting and fun, they aren’t necessarily memorable. This is a game that will certainly draw in a select few, but that an even smaller group will add to their list of favorites.

Weaving a grand narrative clearly wasn't the developer's goal, but crafting a fun, pleasing, and hugely explorable world was. And in that regard, Splashteam nailed it. Minor complaints aside, Tinykin is a bright and accessible game with some slick mechanics that allow the player to focus on what they came for: getting a tiny spaceman lost in a big, beautiful world.

Spiders nailed the Soulslike experience with Steelrising, providing longtime fans of the genre and newcomers alike with an entertaining and innovative experience precisely tailored to their play style. There's a lot to love in Steelrising, and each playthrough will let players discover exciting new ways to rage against the machines. Steelrising is a step in the right direction for the Soulslike genre.

Ultimately, one's enjoyment of Immortality is going to depend entirely on two things: if they like art house films and if they have the patience to sift through over 200 clips of mostly-boring footage to get the story's full picture. The story itself is interesting enough that players will find themselves compelled to keep returning to the game to look for more clues, even if they're otherwise bored, but gameplay-wise, it doesn't have much to offer beyond its one genius trick. Immortality is something that everyone should at least try through Xbox Game Pass, but they should go in understanding that the game is going to demand a lot from them and not always offer much in return.

In the end, the quality of life improvements from the emulation and the enhancements make the collection a brilliant way to play some classic TMNT titles on modern consoles. Nothing has been "ruined" by being overly tweaked for the sake of modernizing, and the emulation only improves the games to make them more manageable. Combine this with the Cowabunga Collection's local and online co-op, and there has never been a better time to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gaming fan.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac has fun boss fights and decent 3D platforming gameplay for the most part, but it suffers from excessive back-tracking and is quite short. It is a mostly faithful recreation of the PS1 Pac-Man World game, but in a much prettier package, and with its budget price, it's an easy recommendation to anyone that has nostalgia for the original. Those who never played the PS1 original may not appreciate it as much, but it's still a solid 3D platformer despite its flaws.

Tackling tragedy in games is important, but doing it well requires empathy, awareness, and a deft hand. Hindsight takes an important story and makes it relevant and relatable by scaling down its narrative to a quiet, personal level. Hampered only slightly by a few design choices, its masterful blending of art, music, interactivity, and writing make it a subtle triumph and a story well worth being told.

In some instances, a remake can feel like a brand new game, but that isn’t entirely the case here. The Last of Us Part 1 is no doubt a better-looking game and the DualSense functionality adds some nice immersive touches to the gameplay, but it doesn’t feel fundamentally different. There’s an exceptional game on display but it was exceptional back in 2013 and 2014 for the remaster. As a result, interest in the game is going to be all over the place. Some will see it as a cash-grab, others will be happy it exists for the new fans that will come from the HBO series, and specific fans will appreciate yet another opportunity to journey with Joel and Ellie in an experience that is one of PlayStation’s best.

Destroy All Humans! 2 Reprobed is a gorgeous, destructive romp across multiple cities dragged down by its original platforms' limitations. Unshackling Crypto from the confines of previous gaming hardware might give him the ability to jet to new heights, but it’s unknown how much a new game would be able to maintain the raunchy spirit of its predecessors. Perhaps enough interest in these remakes will encourage THQ Nordic to think about creating new adventures for the constantly aggravated and devilishly malicious Furon named Cryptosporidium.

Despite being a solid Bloodborne imitation, Thymesia carries over common issues in other Soulslikes. It's a great challenge for Bloodborne fans and offers the potential for exciting gameplay, but it weighs itself down with complicated and poorly implemented mechanics.

At launch, MultiVersus is a little more bare bones than some might have hoped, but the game has an incredibly bright future. Season 1 alone is set to add at least four new characters to the roster, and leaks have revealed more new MultiVersus characters that are likely on the way. Fans finally have a viable alternative to Super Smash Bros., and it will be exciting to see how it evolves from here.

Even if one doesn't experience these technical issues, though, Saints Row is still a disappointment. The mission variety, co-op, and criminal ventures are great, but the game feels like it's at least a console generation behind in every other category. It's not the worst Saints Row game, but it's also far from the best games in the series, and will likely leave most fans of the franchise unimpressed.

Soul Hackers 2 is a great new entry to the SMT franchise, offering enough differences from its comrades that it doesn't feel like the exact same game. With its wonderful cast of characters, Soul Hackers 2 delivers a story that shows plenty of heart as well as heartbreak, with a theme that resonates with today’s world. Despite the bland dungeons, the combat is more than satisfying enough to make up for it, and the music is just a bonus to an already stylish game. If there’s an itch to play an SMT game, Soul Hackers 2 is sure to scratch it.

Altogether, Cult of the Lamb is an impressive title that leans heavier on the Roguelite genre than anything else, while still pulling everything it needs from the other genres that separate the games from the Indie crowd. Not every feature or mechanic is perfect, and the story is more interesting as lore than it is as a narrative, but that doesn't seem to be the developer's main focus. With that in mind, Cult of the Lamb succeeds where it matters, from the Roguelite dungeons to the dark cartoon aesthetic.

Regardless of where users’ settings might land, Spider-Man Remastered is still one of Sony’s best games, of any generation. Insomniac Games crafted an experience that is thrilling even when Spider-Man is just swinging through the city, but the combat and story add fun layers that keep it engaging throughout. Not to mention, this PC version includes the Miles Morales DLC that adds new layers to the combat and has an equally compelling narrative. So while mileage may vary in terms of how much visual fidelity a system can offer the game, Spider-Man Remastered is still well worth playing and the PC version is the best looking version. Over time performance should get even better, but right now the game is still a must-play.

Hard West 2 is a solid experience despite some shortcomings and missed opportunities. Ice Code Games crafted a unique and action-packed combat system while retaining much of what makes this type of strategy game so engaging. It may not have the production values or depth of either XCOM or Gears Tactics, but Hard West 2 still manages to be an addicting and satisfactory turn-based strategy experience.

There are a lot of neat little touches here and there that make Sunbreak a fun all-around experience, even without the game-changer that was the Clutch Claw back in Iceborne. For Monster Hunter Rise fans still looking to grind out some armor for dozens of more hours, Sunbreak will definitely deliver on that front. But for the die-hard Monster Hunter fans out there that are looking for something a little different than the base game, there's not much new stuff to partake in this time around. Sunbreak feels like DLC for Monster Hunter Rise's Endgame rather than being a proper full-blown expansion.

It's true that some may be underwhelmed by how Stray handles its platforming and by how short it is, but these issues are easily overlooked because of the high quality found throughout the rest of the game. Stray is a genuinely unique gaming experience and is worth checking out for the cat alone. Stray looks great, plays great, and accomplishes exactly what it set out to do. It's a must-play, especially since it's available at a budget price and can be played in its entirety with a PS Plus Extra subscription.

As Dusk Falls has a strong start and players will find the game hard to put down for the first two chapters, like a great binge-worthy TV show. Unfortunately, its pacing issues become apparent by the end of Book 1, and it never recovers in Book 2.

Oftentimes, Loopmancer presents itself as a game struggling with an identity crisis. On the one hand, there exists a solid 2D action-adventure game with enough flair and rigorous combat to be an engaging and tight-knit experience. On the other hand, there exists a roguelite game that struggles to find balance in its execution of the genre and ends up making its gameplay loop needlessly tedious and occasionally dull. Where Loopmancer hits its stride is in its gritty story, frantic action, and striking aesthetic. Otherwise, eBrain’s debut title needs some tinkering with its roguelike premise to create a better-balanced game.