Overall, The Sims 4: Paranormal stuff pack accomplishes what it sets out to do. It provides players with a new, spooky experience that hasn’t been in the game previously. There were a few bugs, like the apartment mishap and an instance where a bed had to be removed in order to get rid of a creepy doll, but these things can be fixed easily with patches. It would be a stretch to say every Sims 4 player needs this pack, but for those who enjoy occult gameplay and artsy/boho CAS and Build/Buy items, this will definitely soothe that itch—just make sure it’s not a ghost hand doing the scratching.

The Medium is a short game that does not offer much in terms of replay value. Normally this would be a serious problem, but The Medium is available through Xbox Game Pass, and so its short length isn't nearly as pressing of an issue. It's short but mostly sweet, and will definitely appeal to fans of classic survival-horror games. It's easily Bloober Team's best game yet and something Xbox Series X owners should check out as soon as they can.

Cyber Shadow is an indie title that will be remembered for quite some time and only adds to Yacht Club Games' growing library of retro-inspired classics. Any fan of Metroid, Mega Man, Ninja Gaiden, Contra, and even The Messenger should have this game in their sights. It's an astonishing, action-packed ninja adventure that should not be missed out on.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is just as fans will remember it and that alone will be worth the price of admission for a lot of people. Experiencing the levels and hearing the music again is a nostalgic experience, in a variety of ways. That being said, the game’s clunky combat has been virtually untouched, which will be a turn-off to gamers looking for a refined beat ‘em up experience. And the crashes were not something one would expect from a port. Still, getting together with friends and bashing baddies on the way to winning Ramona’s heart is a fun distraction for a few hours.

Golden Force makes too many missteps to recommend it, especially on the Nintendo Switch. It's entirely possible that other versions of the game run better, as was the case with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night when it first released, but that remains to be seen. But even if the game ran perfectly, Golden Force would still be saddled with an unrewarding progression system and frustrating level design meant to bombard players with cheap deaths. Those looking for their retro gaming fix should look elsewhere.

Wrestling Empire is repetitive and its lack of online multiplayer is disappointing. However, it has one of the deepest rosters in the history of wrestling games, and despite modeling itself after a game that's over 20 years old, still manages to perform better than some modern day wrestling games that have much bigger budgets. If nothing else, it's something to keep pro wrestling fans busy while they wait for the next WWE 2K or the upcoming AEW video game.

All told, though, Hitman 3 is one of the best stealth games ever made. Those that have enjoyed the last two games in the rebooted trilogy will find more to appreciate here, while newcomers to the franchise will get a highly replayable romp through expertly crafted levels. The disjointed narrative may be off-putting to some, but those willing to overlook the shortcomings of the story are getting an otherwise near-perfect stealth game with exceptional replay value and astounding visual fidelity.

While Super Meat Boy is arguably one of the best modern 2d platformers, the same cannot be said about Super Meat Boy Forever. The game abandons much of the identity of the original in order to try and offer players infinite replay value with a more stripped-down gameplay style. But rather than a game that encourages repeat playthrough, Super Meat Boy Forever is more fun to watch than it is to actually play.

There's a great RPG buried somewhere beneath Cyberpunk 2077's mountain of issues, but it's going to be a while before that RPG is revealed to the world. Those that have followed the game's development since the reveal may want to hold off on picking it up until the problems are sorted out. Journey in now, and there's a good chance that Cyberpunk 2077 will leave behind a sour taste. Night City and a well-realized cast of characters may help with some of the disappointment, but Cyberpunk 2077 still needs some time in the oven.

Doom Eternal is an excellent first-person shooter. From the very first fast-paced mission, it never lets up. Developer id Software manages to create a game that feels like a blast from the past while also bringing the genre forward.

Call of the Sea struggles to maintain its momentum as it nears the end of the game in terms of gameplay, but the first few chapters are great and the story at least stays interesting. While its short length may understandably make some hesitant to buy it outright, it's an easy recommendation for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, especially anyone looking for a fresh experience on their Xbox Series X consoles.

Morkredd looks great and runs well when it isn't being held back by its technical issues, which are simply too severe to ignore. Those looking for a local co-op game to play on Xbox Game Pass may still want to give it a shot, but otherwise, it may be better to wait for some of the problems to be ironed out first.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is worth the investment for this gameplay loop, far more than other Koei Tecmo and Nintendo crossovers like Fire Emblem Warriors. It's satisfying both mechanically and for world-building that enriches its universe. The narrative may not appeal to everyone despite its stellar moments, but getting to know Hyrule and its protectors absolutely will. After this, Breath of the Wild 2 can't come soon enough.

Overall, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is an astounding take on the rhythm game genre, bringing the expertly crafted music of the Kingdom Hearts series to the forefront. Longtime fans of the series will find themselves drenched in nostalgia as they play through levels like Roxas' theme song or Simple and Clean. Meanwhile, newcomers will be able to discover the story and characters through the lens of great music and gameplay.

Dragon Quest 11 still remains a great adventure for both newcomers and hardened JRPG fans, but this version is easily the best way to play this game. Only new fans may have some trouble getting accustomed to the game's atmosphere, but the game is incredibly rewarding for anyone who can. All of the enhancements make for a much improved gameplay experience, and the 2D homages to classic Dragon Quest are an awesome touch. This is easily the best way to play Dragon Quest 11.

While it's not without its flaws, The Pathless is still more fun than it is not, with impressive visuals, fun boss fights, relaxing puzzles, and an interesting movement system. It's one of the better PS5 launch games, and it's easy to see how a sequel could elevate the concept to the next level and become something special.

Ultimately, Immortals Fenyx Rising may not take itself too seriously but it ends up offering an emotional story of family drama with some genuinely funny moments. There is a lot of familiarity both in the game's DNA and the core gameplay loops, but it is still a fun experience nonetheless. Immortals Fenyx Rising, as with all new IP, may have been a risky jump for Ubisoft, but it was a leap worth taking.

Superliminal is still a really solid puzzle game. Its innovative main mechanic is worth the price of admission alone, with Pillow Castle taking the time to evolve and experiment with the mechanic so no two levels are ever exactly the same. What it lacks in challenge, story, and length it makes up for with its commitment to its perspective-based premise, carving a genuinely fun puzzler that's sure to leave aficionados of the genre satisfied.

Like other looter-style games, Godfall could become a much more appealing prospect in time. Godfall's $70 price tag works against it big time because as it stands, it's difficult to recommend such an expensive game to anyone when it recycles the same content repeatedly throughout the entire experience. Godfall's core combat mechanics are great and it's a visually-impressive experience, but gamers may want to wait and see if the game gets some compelling post-launch content updates first.

The Demon's Souls remake on PlayStation 5 is almost the exact same experience, gameplay-wise, as the 2009 PlayStation 3 original. And considering how great the original Demon's Souls was, the Demon's Souls remake on PS5 is an easy recommendation. Imagine one of the best and most influential games ever made, but with significantly improved graphics, and that sums up the Demon's Souls remake perfectly. It's the PlayStation 5's first must-have exclusive game, and it should leave fans very excited to see what developer Bluepoint Games decides to work on next.

While the new traits and aspirations still read like a tutorial for the expansion, it’s clear that a lot of thought and effort went into the conception of Snowy Escape. The Sims needed to come back stronger than ever after its last controversy, and Snowy Escape did just that and more. Players’ enchantment with Mt. Komorebi is sure to stick around like the snow on the mountaintop thanks to the endless possibilities the world provides.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is an easy recommendation to fans of the platforming genre or anyone looking for a co-op game to play on their new PS5 console. While it would be nice to see a proper LittleBigPlanet 4 come to Sony's next-generation system, hopefully, fans can look forward to future Sackboy platforming adventures as well.

With time, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's technical issues will be ironed out and the game will undoubtedly get a ton of new content. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season 1 alone is promising new maps, modes, playable characters, and even some content for Warzone. But at launch, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is disappointing, and so fans may want to give the developers some time to smooth things over before picking it up.

While Bright Memory: Infinite may end up being a more well-rounded gameplay experience, Bright Memory in its current state is arguably the worst title in the Xbox Series X launch lineup and even though it's available at a budget price and only lasts a couple of hours, it's still difficult to recommend to anyone.

Overall, Jurassic World Evolution a game that players will not enjoy if they don't like management sims and the plate-spinning and detailed fine-tuning that comes with the genre. It's a niche genre of games, but it's one that Jurassic World Evolution exemplifies well. The graphics are very good for being on a Switch port, the voice-acting is fun and adds another layer to the game, and the mechanics are largely intuitive and don't take much getting used to. Jurassic World Evolution was a well-built game when it came out in 2018, and the DLC additions and Switch port have only further proved that this is a game that fans of the franchise and management sim lovers will enjoy.

From a studio that's never really ventured into the genre of traditional JRPGs, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is an impressive inaugural effort. It's not perfect by any means, as the turn-based combat still has some growing pains in its current iteration. Coupled with repetitive dungeon design and an unfair endgame grinding requirement, these downsides cast an unfortunate sting on an otherwise very solid JRPG.

It seems the idea here was to make an accessible, stunning, and fun-focused racing game that opens the door to new players as the next generation begins, and in that regard, Dirt 5 knocks it out of the park. Its driving is exceptionally precise, making players feel like a master behind the wheel, while the sheer variety of gorgeous, globe-hopping tracks with treacherous terrain to conquer create a wonderfully diverse gameplay experience. It runs out of steam towards the end of its campaign and lacks much meaningful vehicle progression, but on the whole, this is one of Codemasters' most confident racing packages to date.

Where AC Origins introduced RPG mechanics and AC Odyssey took a leap of faith in pushing forward, Assassin's Creed Valhalla brings back the general feeling of being an Assassin from the core action-adventure titles. Indeed, by emphasizing the adventure and exploration components of the franchise, Assassin's Creed Valhalla may just be the most true-to-form release in many years.