At $49.99, PC players are getting two fantastic Naughty Dog games that had previously been exclusive to PlayStation consoles. This is yet another win for both PC players and Uncharted fans, as the enhancements seen here allow for an even greater depth of immersion, with the potential to push visuals and performance to a whole other level. This is the smoothest PlayStation-on-PC game I’ve played so far, and it’s clear that the quality of ports is continuing to improve and close in on perfection.

Scorn is arguably worth playing for the visuals alone. We’re rarely transported to somewhere truly alien in games, and it’s something I’m glad I experienced. However, it’s more of a theme park ride than a genuinely immersive experience. That’s fine, but with a little more complexity and refinement outside of the artwork, it could have been something extraordinary.

Overwatch 2’s fast-paced action is an excellent change of pace from its predecessor’s shield-heavy gameplay, but a lack of new content and rushed release means this sequel doesn’t live up to Blizzard’s historically high standards.

The Last of Us Part 1 is the definitive way to experience the original story and Left Behind. However, it’s hard to recommend it over the PS4 remaster. I appreciate all the work that went into enhancing the visual and audio fidelity and gameplay. However, it’s just not $50 worth of improvement, and the lack of new content means you’re not missing out too much if you decide to go cheaper.

The Saints Row (2022) reboot takes things back to basics but with very little push for innovation. It still gets a lot right, but that success is in areas where it was already strong, and little effort has been invested in strengthening the weaker aspects. A reboot should offer a chance at a clean slate, at cutting ties with what held you back in the past, but Saints Row (2022) fails to do this in any meaningful way.

Unfortunately, the package ends up feeling a bit bare. The story is window dressing, and the gameplay is lacking in variety. The lack of multiplayer also feels like a missed opportunity. Without it, there’s not much replayability other than an online leaderboard.

With the Spider-Man Remastered PC version, gamers are getting the smoothest edition of the web-slinger complete with a comprehensive suite of graphical settings. This is exactly what we need from PlayStation games making their way to PC!

It’s tough enough to make a game that targets one genre, let alone two, but rather than a lamb to the slaughter, Cult of the Lamb commands ownership of both with a hellish ambition that sees it become one of the best games of the year.

Live A Live is still full of charm, and the graphics and gameplay have been tweaked just enough to give it some modern touches. Hopefully, it’ll get the recognition it deserves alongside Square’s other classics.

When you consider a game that lets you play as a cat, chances are you wouldn’t imagine that game then taking place in a cyberpunk city overrun with headcrabs where humanity has been eradicated and replaced with friendly robots. BlueTwelve has provided a gorgeous and unique setting to match its unique protagonist, and although its action and puzzle-solving may be too simple for some tastes, it excels where it matters — and what matters is making you feel like a cat.

Rune Factory 5 definitely benefits from being on PC. The Switch version had plenty of issues, most of which are ironed out by jumping to a more robust platform. So, if you were holding out because of poor performance, now’s the time to pull the trigger. There’s a lot of fun to be had here, but don’t expect something vastly different from the previous games in the series. However, there are no glaring omissions either, which is great.

Don’t expect anything revolutionary. Sunbreak builds on a firm foundation and caters to those who conquered the base game. However, I see those who played tens of hours of Monster Hunter Rise feeling a bit weary when they boot up Sunbreak. Especially given its slow start.

Mario Strikers: Battle League’s core gameplay is fun, but it’s just not enough to justify the incredibly slim package offered. There’s little to do for online players and even less for those looking for a fun offline single-player game, with it for Mario sports games in general. Nintendo fans were hoping for a hat trick here for the third entry in the Mario Strikers series, but were instead left with an own goal.

The Quarry is a celebration of horror with enough twists and turns to excite even the most jaded aficionado. It manages to avoid the tropes inherent with its summer camp setting by giving each of the protagonists a thorough opportunity for characterization and makes you care enough about each of them for their fates to matter. It’s not without flaws. In particular, the exploration sections have a few issues. However, Supermassive Games’ return to AAA manages to exceed the high bar set by Until Dawn.

While Sniper Elite 5 introduces a generous amount of game mechanics that are new to the series, they aren’t especially unique when looking at the shooter genre at large. Sure, it’s good that Sniper Elite is now catching up, but it’s still got a ways to go. With that said, it’s a marked improvement over Sniper Elite 4 and fans of the franchise will no doubt find a lot to like here. It’s also on Xbox Game Pass and will be a fine addition to the line-up during a tumultuous time for the service. [Review in Progress]

Nintendo Switch Sports has a weird emphasis on online play, a frustrating unlock system, and is sadly underwhelming compared to its predecessors, which launched over a decade ago.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a hearty appetizer for Hundred Heroes. I think Natsume Atari accomplished its mission of giving players a taste of what the world of Hundred Heroes has to offer, and I’ve gotten less enjoyment out of much more expensive games. You can’t ask for much more for a budget title that was created as a stretch goal for a Kickstarter project. However, some players just aren’t going to find enough meat here to pique their interest. The gameplay does get repetitive, and none of the various systems has much depth. If you aren’t interested in Hundred Heroes and don’t find yourself invested in New Neveah and its inhabitants, you might want to skip this one. [Provisional Score = 80]

Trek to Yomi is a fun enough five hours for the money. I wasn’t expecting Ghost of Tsushima for $19.99, so I wasn’t disappointed with what I got. However, I’m a big weeb, love Kurosawa, and think katanas are cool. I’m not sure if those unfamiliar with the design principle behind the game will understand where it’s coming from. It might serve as a gateway drug to Japanese cinema for some, but I think many people will just be wondering why it’s in black and white instead of color. Overall, it’s like a samurai with a dull sword: flashy, but lacking the razor edge needed to cut its way through the shadow of its contemporaries.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga providing such a huge toybox of characters, worlds, vehicles, and more to unlock and play will make it essential for many Star Wars fans. In terms of sheer scale, size, and scope, this is far beyond anything Traveller’s Tales have put out before with the LEGO brand. Unfortunately, some of that ambition is undermined by the lackluster implementation of certain ideas that are supposed to be its big selling points, such as its improved combat and new camera angle. This is arguably not quite the Star Wars game you’re looking for, but it does more than enough right.

Kirby and the Forgotten Lands may not quite be up there with the greats of the genre, it’s an incredibly pleasant experience with a great degree of thoughtfulness put into it, from the charming touches littered throughout its overgrown and unkempt world, through to its unabashed emphasis on fun as best evidenced in its hub world. This is a great Switch exclusive for players of all skill levels.

Wonderlands is the safest, most paint-by-numbers, product-of-the-time game I’ve played in a while, and a serving of the same thing Gearbox has been dishing up for 10 years minus the humor. It’s the absolute opposite of avant-garde and simply reuses the Borderlands formula without improving on it in any tangible manner. While it’s more tolerable as a multiplayer game given that you’ll more readily be able to overlook its story and writing, it’s still a disappointing spin-off that takes away more from the source material than it gives back.

Ghostwire: Tokyo’s biggest problem is that it takes very few chances. Unfortunately, the gameplay is just too familiar for its own good. It’s got a great premise, and I loved its version of Tokyo. However, the story and setting are in a framework that’s all too familiar. It also has a hard time figuring out whether it wants to be a linear or open world title. Despite these issues, it has a compelling story, and I enjoyed the journey from start to finish. It’s great seeing an accessible AAA title like this utilize Japanese folklore as its inspiration and shows just how far we’ve come from the 90s where JRPGs were downplaying those sorts of things.

Despite these throwaway modes and some repetitive grinding, Gran Turismo 7 does so much right that it’s still a true comeback for the series following Gran Turismo Sport’s disappointing reception. There’s plenty to do here both for car enthusiasts and GT newcomers alike, so much so that I’d wager this will pave the way for a whole new generation of petrolheads. From its photo-realism to its pinpoint handling and extensive amount of additional features, Gran Turismo 7 is another first-party PS5 success and a new benchmark for performance and visuals on the console.

While the shooting and free-running gameplay are enjoyable when everything works, Shadow Warrior 3 remains both fun and frustrating in equal measure — while it lasts.

Elden Ring is a tour de force and is maybe the only example of a studio underselling a title. It's an M-rated Breath of the Wild, full of secrets, intrigue, and an enthralling world to explore. It's a game that makes me excited about gaming, and it's fantastic to see a highly anticipated title like this turn out so well.

Aside from some very minor bugs, Forbidden West was a treat to play and is an early contender for Game of the Year. Aloy’s journey across the West is a must-play for PlayStation owners and another reminder that Sony’s first-party studios are at the cutting edge of gaming.

With Sifu, developer Sloclap is asking a lot from players. From the punishingly difficult combat that takes hours to learn and tens of hours to master, to the need to repeat and near-perfect levels to lower your starting age, this fighter can be an absolute slog. However, for those who can grit their teeth through the losses and frustration, you’ll come out smiling on the other side having played one of the best games of the year.

OlliOlli World finally sees the series’ visual style matching its frenetic, fun gameplay. Mostly every new feature added by Roll7 works in its favor, providing a satisfying and impressively deep skateboarding game with immense replayability, tons of customization options, and a fun multiplayer mode. OlliOlli has always been slept on as a series, but with World, this could — and hopefully will — all change.