Splatoon 3’s quality-of-life touches improve the general flow of the game, and its plethora of modes will give everyone something to enjoy. While it doesn’t offer any revolutionary features or modes that will take it to the next level, its refinements and addicting multiplayer are good enough to make it the best game in the series so far.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is very exciting and addictive with its fast-paced action and challenging gameplay. I really missed a fun action game with a cool retro pixel-art style like this.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is the definitive way to experience the game if you haven’t played it already. Its included 3DS modes, levels, and original gameplay offer the best features from its previous two versions in a shiny package so it’s great for first-time players.

Almost every element of the new Age of Empires made me remember how much fun RTS games used to be back in the day. I've played the remastered trilogy in recent years, but Relic's fresh approach has kept me up several nights trying to win potentially impossible battles against three enemies at once. And it's probably that enjoyment and the ability to lose myself in my favorite game that matters most to me.

Elden Ring: Nightreign offers a fast-paced gameplay and a return to the kind of raw challenge I’ve come to love in soulslikes. And that’s exactly what I wanted, the more time I spent with Nightreign, the more I found myself enjoying it.

Guilty Gear has always been a stylized series, but it’s a fighting game with a lot of depth that rewards those who practice and learn all of its unique quirks and techniques. Strive makes some smart changes that simplify some past techniques without sacrificing the soul of what makes it so much fun to play. Serious fighting game fans will appreciate its complexity and promising netcode, and everyone else will enjoy its vivid cast and rewarding, flashy combo system.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is a little gem of indie games. It has amazing visuals, cleverly designed levels with challenging gameplay, and the real star of the game is its main character, Hanna.

While its combat system leaves much to be desired, Dustborn is filled with a variety of fun elements focused on opening up to the people around you that truly helps the game blossom into a powerful experience. Once your trip is over you will definitely miss those you got to know, but you will be thankful you got on the bus in the first place.

Each year’s Show adds new features or tweaks some aspect of its gameplay or controls to give you a more authentic MLB experience while still retaining everything from the previous year. If you have never played a series installment before, MLB The Show 22 is the best baseball simulator you will ever play. If you played last year’s Show, however, it will feel like deja vu.

Red Dead Redemption is an amazing experience and is one of those games that defined a generation of open-world titles where movie-level storytelling weaved into the action you got to control. The game is sure showing its age with each port that is released but it also gives players that may not have been around back then another chance to explore its world. If you’ve already played it, you won’t miss anything, but if you were looking for an excuse to see what the hype was all about, wait for a sale first.

Lost in Random: The Eternal Die has a well-crafted world, clever mechanics, and satisfying action. While it has its flaws, it’s a game that’s worth your time, whether you’re a fan of the action roguelite genre or not. Between the inventory management and its fascinating exploration of how to explain a roguelite mechanic through the game world, I hope many future titles in the genre are paying attention.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp may not win any awards for its story or online offerings, but at its core are two games that offer you a classic RTS experience that continues to hit hard 22 years later.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a stunning, faithful remake that beautifully preserves the 2004 classic, but its reluctance to add anything new makes it feel more like a remaster than a reimagining.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond took years to arrive, and what we get is a game that remembers the series’ strengths while trying to push into new territory. It may not be the series’ best, but it’s a worthy return—and a promising glimpse of where Metroid Prime can go next.

While it suffers from occasional repetition and blandness, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment stands as the best Hyrule Warriors entry to date—and one of the most enjoyable Zelda spinoffs we’ve gotten so far.

If you’re hoping for something that shatters expectations or tells a deeply personal story, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers doesn’t quite soar—it just glides comfortably in familiar skies.

While it may not be perfect or add more to what the original came with, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD lets those who never had a chance to play it experience it in a whole new light. Its bones may still scream 3DS handheld game, but you can appreciate how much went into making the game shine on Switch. Its updated visuals simply add to the fun gameplay and enticing levels of the original that were and still are a joy to play.

Despite the flawed gameplay, Indika is still a must-play. Or, since it’s more than just a game, is it a “must-experience”? Anyway, you definitely should buy it… but perhaps not immediately after release. Thankfully, Indika’s issues are of the kind that could be removed with updates. I believe Odd Meter will be able to improve controls and level design or at least introduce options to skip the most frustrating parts of the game that don’t really add anything of importance to the story. And when the game is finally patched out, you’re up for an unforgettable cultural roller-coaster.

Wild Hearts isn’t a perfect game, but it distinguishes itself due in part to the magical charm of its karakuri mechanic and monsters that are mysterious and fascinating. It may look and sometimes play like a Monster Hunter game, but the more you get into it, the more fights you win, and the more karakuri you build, the more it feels like a breath of fresh air.

For Anno fans, it's a must-have. For new players, this is a great chance to dive into the series - the fascinating ancient Rome setting and the deep mechanics make it totally worth pushing through the initial learning curve. Anno 117: Pax Romana will be consuming my time for weeks, months, maybe even years to come.

Faithfully recreating some of the most famous moments in the series, Sparking Zero is the one Dragon Ball game that offers you tons of content to really enjoy all the aspects of the series. Battles are faster than ever, the roster is huge, and there are even ways you can reinvent or reimagine your own scenarios for your favorite characters to experience. It’s a fighter at its core, but it also offers fans the tools to make it the Dragon Ball game they have always dreamed of.

With a solid script, robust soundtrack, and plethora of expertly delivered lines, it’s obvious a lot of care was put into making Guardians of the Galaxy feel like you were playing through an interactive movie. Its gameplay choices won’t win any awards, but the magic it makes with its witty lines and casual banter succeed in inviting you into its strange, goofy, and striking world.

It has some shaky moments, but Halo Infinite ditches the numbered installments and offers us a familiar, yet fresh take on the series. Its open-world setting serves as a foundation for what’s to come, and its story plants the seeds of future conflicts that will need resolution. It has elements in its campaign and online modes that for sure could be refined, but its emotional evolution, combat fluidity, and ever-addictive multiplayer are sure to please veterans and newcomers alike.

Despite feeling familiar, there are plenty of improvements here that make the feel more dynamic and challenging at the same time. Sniper Elite 5 gives you the tools for you to make tactical decisions and offers you a generous amount of freedom to make mistakes and take the approach you want when completing missions.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a flawed masterpiece. To the right player, it can be one of the greatest games of all time. But that’s only if they are able to look past or easily overcome the grueling, unforgiving challenges that come up regularly. From the world design to the music, characters, and animations, this is a monumental achievement, but had I not been working on this review, I would have given up on Silksong a long time ago. That certainly says something about me as a player, but it also says something about the game, too.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a good new addition to this long-running series. It takes some bold steps, and although not all of them are moving it in the right direction, the overall experience was still satisfactory. Monster Hunter keeps evolving as a series, and Capcom proves once again that they are the best in this genre they created over 20 years ago.

They may be limited to what the Switch can put out, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take things to the next level and highlight a new generation of what Pokemon games should feel like. At the root of it all are two games that excel in the thrill of discovery and invite you into a world you just want to keep exploring.

They may be limited to what the Switch can put out, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take things to the next level and highlight a new generation of what Pokemon games should feel like. At the root of it all are two games that excel in the thrill of discovery and invite you into a world you just want to keep exploring.

Pokemon Legends Arceus outshines the open-world concept of Sword and Shield and revisits the natural elements of the series and their environment first introduced in Pokemon Snap. Not everyone will appreciate the departure from the main series, however, and the lack of battles, missing multiplayer, and small number of Pokemon make for a very different experience that leaves you wanting more. The ideas and potential are definitely there, and if this is just a small sampling of what Game Freak can do with the series — we can’t wait for more.

EA’s virtual golf game truly refines how golf should be played, and it offers you an apologetically realistic approach to the sport. If you have the patience to keep practicing, EA Sports PGA Tour will be one of the best and most beautiful golf games you have played.

Chorus is a very fun and satisfying space combat adventure. The controls are smooth and forgiving while the combat is fast-paced and engaging. Where Chorus unfortunately falters is an over-centralization on the dark and dramatic main story that can often leave little room for the player to insert themselves into the place of the main character or make choices that feel impactful to the surrounding world.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a great game, a fantastic demon slaughter festival, but not exactly the best Doom, excluding visual aspects - at least in my personal opinion. There's too much plot, dialogue, side characters, cut-scenes, too much trying to make this campaign feel like Halo and Call of Duty. On the other hand, such an approach may appeal more to people who are unfamiliar with the beginnings of the series, not emotionally attached to the franchise since the 90s. I would cut out the plot, flying on the dragon, make firearms more effective instead of using parrying, and boost the sound effects. The rest is a great mix of dark fantasy with science fiction and a piece of good, strictly single-player gameplay, just like in the good old days!

WarioWare Move It!’s microgames may not all be winners when unresponsive controls get in the way, but its generous catalog of microgames is sure to tickle your funny bone and keep you and your friends entertained for a long time.

Kena is an enjoyable adventure that mixes familiar elements with the occasional difficulty spike to shake things up. It plays it safe with simplistic combat and an old-school format, but its impressive presentation ultimately lulls you into its world nicely. Its cutscenes tell a story that leaves you curious for more, so here’s hoping that this is just the beginning of great things to come.

There are a lot of great qualities of Shin Megami Tensei V that make it one of the best RPGs on the Switch by far. Its intricate battle system, fun demon fusion mechanics, and enhanced presentation will lure fans and newcomers alike but its pacing, difficulty, and lack of a gripping story may make you put down the game for a bit before picking it back up. It’s a game that needs to be savored slowly to fully taste its potential. Otherwise it may leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.

I didn't wait for Banishers, and I didn't expect the game to be such a pleasant surprise for me. It's a wonderful and quite long adventure, filled with side stories. Banishers is a game haunted by the ghost of satisfaction – satisfaction from good gameplay and a great story. I want more.

Dying Light: The Beast is neither an expansion nor a sequel. However, it is another good opportunity for an extremely spectacular extermination of zombies in a beautiful, open world of reasonable size.

Trek could have stayed entirely in the land of the living and still be a surprise hit of a game. It’s gone well beyond that though and cemented its place as one of the greats. The side-scrolling genre has become a place for artful indies to exist but it’s been a while since a game like Trek made gamers take notice; and they definitely should.

Ghostrunner 2 is as exciting, hectic, challenging and satisfying as the original. It occasionally fails with some of the new ideas and for certain players, the degree of similarity between the prequel and sequel might be too great to warrant a purchase. However, it still is an incredibly satisfying and pretty slasher.

Mafia: The Old Country is a solid return to the series’ roots. Despite a few minor flaws, it delivers an engaging story that’s well worth experiencing. The game also packs in plenty of fan-service moments that longtime Mafia fans will definitely appreciate.

There is no question Lake is rather ordinary, but it’s precisely that ordinariness that lets it shine despite its flaws. Delivering mail and driving around the same familiar streets can easily get monotonous, and a few design choices ruin some of the relaxation that comes from the job, but it makes up for it in the unique interactions between Meredith and other characters. Their outcomes may not be groundbreaking, but it serves to tell a story about the normalcy of life and the choices we make to find happiness in what we are doing.

Here and now, we have another very solid rally simulator that should be considered as a valid option for every enthusiast of this form of racing, who prefers having fun on gravel to extreme, punishing realism. And that's not a sentence you could hear just three years ago. So, will I remember Nacon’s and KT Racing’s WRC with nostalgy? I sure will. Even if I was cursing the publisher’s DLC policy so many times.

While PGA Tour 2K23 offers one of the best golf video game experiences yet, there is still so much more it can do in elevating the golf experience to showcase the thrills that come with being a pro.

Despite its flaws, LEGO Bricktales is a game many will love as it lets you experience the magic of LEGO without needing to go out and buy your own plastic bricks to play with.

Gamedec’s worlds are fascinating, albeit silent at times, and are made even more absorbing knowing there is a lingering feeling of dread in the air. It touches on some dark subject matter that makes for an interesting read and its branching narrative gives you multiple ways of enjoying the overarching story. Like a sci-fi novel, Gamedec requires your full attention otherwise you may get overwhelmed or bored of it before you turn the final page.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a full-blooded action game that delivers plenty of adrenaline from overcoming tough challenges. Even in light of a few missteps, it cannot be denied that PlatinumGames has created a strong representative of a heavily neglected genre.

Despite its tiny setting and small but robust cast, Twelve Minutes surprisingly grows into a mystery with a lot of depth and intrigue. It does have a few flaws in how it forces you to figure things out on your own and limits how much you can play around with. However, once you do get past those roadblocks and make progress in your search for the truth, you realize those minutes have turned into hours and the disturbing twist at the end was well worth your time.

Obsidian’s brilliant use of their flaws system in The Outer Worlds 2 makes it stand out as one of the best examples of how to encourage roleplaying in video games. Playing through this game really felt like I was breaking out of the shell that most other RPGs put me in. The world, its various factions, and characters all enhance this by encouraging you to make your own choices about who to be and what to do. Ultimately, this makes the game well worth your time, but also flawed in its own way, with occasionally frustrating combat, and a serviceable story to follow.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a very good representative of the genre, but I feel that after a maximum of a few months, I will put it aside. I want something more from a title of this caliber.

With over 60 hours of gameplay, and much more if you aim to complete every mission and uncover every corner of Mira, there's always something to keep you engaged. Despite its narrative shortcomings, it’s a world that’s easy to lose yourself in—whether it’s your first adventure or a return trip.

Authenticity is definitely at the forefront of what makes Humankind such a compelling experience. Just the thought of mixing cultures and adopting the buildings and ideologies of eras gone by is an anthropologist’s dream. It stumbles in connecting you with each culture, however, as it all blends together into a blur that resembles its world map. It’s a Civilization game for those who have played enough Civilization games and offers you something new to play around with.

An enjoyable, if a bit brief, piece of blockbuster popcorn action fun.

Picking up this latest installment of GTA 5 can only mean you either haven’t played the game yet or want to start it over on a faster, more powerful console. Either choice is fine and means you will be in for a real treat as this is the definitive way to experience its 30-some hour story by far. GTA 5’s graphical improvements and even current gen features like haptic controls somewhat update the game to today’s standards, but it does show its age and makes the case that this should be the last time it gets released again.

Overall, The Falconeer: Warrior Edition is a great experience. Hopefully future titles can take a lesson from this game in terms of how players can explore their open world, and what they can find. But all of that is the cherry on top of an engaging story, breathtaking visuals, and the pure joy that comes from riding on the back of a giant warbird.

Despite its design flaws and City Trial misses, Kirby Air Riders offers enough substance and charm to make it a game you’ll keep coming back to—whether for quick bursts of fun or to teach your friends something new when they come over.

If you don’t feel a desperate need of sinking teeth into a new game, it could be wise to wait some more time before starting The Ascent. I’m certain the devs will support this title for many months to come, addressing it’s most urgent issues, i.e. stiff difficulty level, poorly implemented fast travel or lack of endgame (including insufficient depth of itemization). Before the end of the quarter, the game could be upgraded enough to deserve a score like 8.5, and in the long term, I can imagine it ascending even higher. But can you resist these graphics?

Bizarre but beautiful indeed, Chernobylite is an amalgamation of various genres in one captivating game that you wouldn’t think could pull it off as well as it does. Its missions offer much of the same over the time and its combat could use some work, but its world gives you enough diverse events, objectives, and live challenges that keep you thinking ahead. Plus, add to that its 3D scanned world of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and you get an ambitious game that blends fiction with reality and offers you an experience unlike any other.

Skyward Sword HD certainly has its quirks, and it’s not perfect, but for fans of the series it is a faithful and well-improved remaster that will remind you how much you enjoy the older Legend of Zelda games. If all you’re looking forward to is the next Breath of the Wild, it could be worth taking a look, because there are a lot of great experiences and potential additions that might find their way into the next game. Not to mention that a more story-focused game might give you more of an appreciation for the hidden corners in Breath of the Wild.

Wings of Ruin’s strengths are easily noticeable and will keep you playing it for weeks. Its story may not be groundbreaking, but what it offers is crafted with love and is geared to both fans and newcomers to the series. It’s definitely not your average Monster Hunter game, but its mix of RPG and Pokemon-like elements make it its own kind of wonderful.

As is, Chivalry 2 features an immersive Team Objective mode that highlights all the best parts of this online multiplayer. The other two modes are okay in moderation and require you to do more button mashing than the precise motions you thought the game wanted you to perform all along. If you can get past some of its blander parts and focus on the joys of mastering swordplay, Chivalry 2 can be a lot of fun despite its weak spots.

A noticeable upgrade from its predecessor, King of Fighters 15 provides another classic SNK experience with some added changes that make the game feel new without making it feel drastically different. It’s a safe move, sure, but it preserves what makes the game such a classic arcade experience and still manages to provide newcomers something to help them ease into the technicality the series is known for.

Terra Nil provides an excellent break from the usual fast-paced, action-heavy video games. Though short (the core game only provides less than ten hours of play-time), randomly generated maps can make this a great game to return to every once in a while to decompress. This is a game that rewards careful planning, patience, and thoughtfulness, and it’s good to see more of that not just in video games, but in the world in general.

If you’re new to the game, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is the version you want to play as it offers dozens of levels, tons of collectibles, and multiplayer mini-games to keep you busy. It’s great for families considering how accessible and friendly it is to new players, but it also offers some light challenges and colorful levels older fans can appreciate. It may not be a groundbreaking experience, but Deluxe is a testament the Kirby series is still as charming as ever.

While Tempest Rising may not reinvent the genre, it provides a strong foundation that helps shape it for future iterations.

RoadCraft is closer to building sims than to being the successor of transporting goods through difficult terrain. Perhaps thanks to this, I really enjoyed playing.

Princess Peach Showtime! only lasts around six hours and a couple more if you want to collect everything. It’s a breeze to get through and doesn’t offer much difficulty beyond collecting all those pesky gems, but it manages to give us a sampling of Peach’s potential as the star of future games. Featuring a good mix of action and relaxation, the game gives you plenty of variety even though it stays within the realm of pleasing a younger audience. Peach’s transformations are simple but give her a whole new range of skills you would never know she had until now. It’s a shame the game ends when it does as certain levels are quite fun and engaging. Considering Mario Odyssey was accessible to all ages but still offered hours of fun and adventure, there is no reason why Peach’s exploits should only be limited to starring roles in make-believe plays.

Hell Is Us makes bold choices: no hand-holding, no maps, no shortcuts. That design philosophy is both its biggest strength and its biggest frustration.

Online mode helps keep Nintendo Switch Sports alive if you play it solo, but the game doesn’t offer much besides the sports you expect it to have. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel so don’t expect something brand new, but if you have friends nearby, you will definitely have a good time.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is another bold experiment from Game Freak. It may not fully succeed in building a cohesive, immersive world, but its innovative battle system and exciting new Pokémon make it a fascinating step forward.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PC is the same great game known from consoles, reviving the spirit of the original from 1997... But which, at the same time, suffers from bad decisions of the developers who chose to ignore the specifics of the PC platform, while charging quite a prohibitive sum for it. This simply shouldn't be happening.

On paper, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands seems like it would be a great escape from the usual looter shooter game fans have come to know over the years. As a Borderlands game, it delivers one of the best RPG experiences to date with plenty of customization options and loot to discover. Its pacing, design choices, and repetitive structure, however, hold it back from being so much more than just a fantasy spin-off.

Medieval Dynasty won’t reinvent the wheel of the survival or resource management genres, but it will give you a relaxing and low-key experience you can customize to your liking. Its story and UI set it back from truly shining, but its focus on building a village and surviving through the seasons will keep you coming back for hours of simple entertainment.

I’m afraid it will take at least several weeks until WRC achieves a state where we can call it fully playable. But even then, will it be worth 50 bucks? If you desperately need a new rally game and don’t require a full-fledged simulator, then the answer can be positive. The game has very rich content and a captivating gameplay loop so you can expect dozens of hours of fun. If you haven’t played all the available rally games, then I suggest trying them first.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong may not revolutionize how the series delivers its puzzles, but it does introduce content that elevates it from the original. Newcomers will appreciate the game’s charming and engrossing levels that keep you wanting to solve them all, but if you’ve already played the original you may question if the extra content justifies picking it up again. It’s still a game that kids can easily gravitate to, but its added levels, co-op mode, and revamped presentation makes it a no-brainer even for older gamers looking for a relaxing, not-too-difficult good time.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora feels powerful when it lets you connect with nature as it offers you something unique only the world of Avatar can show. Once you leave the warmth of its natural beauty behind, what you are left with is just another open-world game with an overworked story of saving the world.

The new Alone in the Dark is just the right game for fans of games full of suspense, who are tired of annoying jump-scares. So if you value the captivating atmosphere over adrenaline surges in similar titles, you will really enjoy this reboot.

Much of the fun that you will get from Mario Strikers: Battle League will be on the field mastering its tight controls, discovering the best ways to give certain characters various gear combinations to maximize their potential, and understanding the ins and outs of playing offense and defense. Its modes, however, are simple so but don’t expect too much right now in terms of extra features and characters. What you see is what you get.

At the end of the day, Mario and Luigi: Brothership has plenty of great elements to it that are also trapped behind a game that just wants to take its time and squeeze as much juice out of itself as it can.

If you ask me whether RIDE 5 is worth buying or not, I’d say (as usual): it depends. If you played all previous games in the series, and still can’t get enough after the last installment, then the answer must be positive. It’s the RIDE you know and love, just more refined than the last time around.

Syberia: The World Before is a rather solid adventure game that leans into its overall history and the standard adventure game tropes. While that may not be for everyone, it most certainly weaves a narrative that’s relevant to understand our collective past… and then recognize why it is repeating itself today, approximately 80 years later. I wish more video games could be that relevant.

Farming Simulator 25 is a bit like the latest iPhones – no extravagance, no revolution, a slightly improved, familiar product for regular customers. If you are one of them, you surely already have a pre-order. And if not - there is something to complain about.

Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy might be the strangest gaming experience I’ve had in a long time. This is a remake of a 1999 first-person point-and-click adventure, and while it vastly improved the visuals of the entire experience, the controls are still stuck in the past.

WWE 2K22 is pure entertainment and an improvement in so many ways. Its refined combat system, tight controls, and plethora of modes give you the tools and freedom to make it be as fun as you want it to be. It does, however, suffer from some design choices that keep it from achieving greatness. It has the glitz and the glamour you’ve come to expect from the series, but it also feels humble, more approachable, and can still offer fans hours of fun until the next, hopefully even better, game comes out.

The specific humor and signature atmosphere of the British studio's productions, eye-catching graphics – it's all here. Regardless of whether you want to focus primarily on individual students (it will become more and more challenging with time), or mainly on the development of infrastructure, the game will yield hours of quality fun, and you will not get bored for a long time.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 is just a small evolution of ideas from the previous installment. It may not be much, but it still allows you to create the Jurassic Park of your dreams. It's a must-have for dinosaur fans, but not necessarily for fans of tycoons and complex economics.

Soulstice has a lot of fun moments and features some impressive fights that leave you feeling accomplished. Besides the thrill of perfecting each chapter every encounter, the game also features special battles that give you requirements to beat them offering you items that power-up your abilities or increase your health. These challenges are entirely optional but add to the game’s twelve hour story and continue to test your skills.

Personally, I just think this is a piece of a very well-made game. This is not your perfect title, but it certainly is an extremely successful continuation of the legend from 1999. If you are fans of Jagged Alliance 2 and were quietly counting on a modernized version of the game, part three will definitely meet your expectations.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 will belong to a fairly specific audience. The game requires a significant amount of time to truly enjoy it. You can't simply play it for a moment because you'll feel like you haven't made any progress. At the same time, it's great that such a title appeared – in times when AAA titles are bland and safe a different approach is needed. We needed a game to demonstrate that things can be done differently.

It’s clear that The Fall of Avalon aims for Bethesda-level ambition without the resources to fully back it up. Still, beneath the rough edges lies a rich RPG experience that—when it works—keeps you engaged for hours.

Playing it safe, NHL 22 features a plethora of fun yet all-too familiar online and offline modes that play well and look great. The engine upgrades it received this year and enhanced animations make it one of the best hockey sims out there even though it has the potential to be so much more. Fans of the series will feel some slight improvements, and newcomers will receive a robust package that will keep them busy all throughout the season.

Heading Out seems like a great start to a game or a series that could continue to expand and get better. It lays the groundwork for some impressive ideas and concepts that racing games don’t usually tackle and offers you a chance to reflect on your own life in a surprising way.

South of Midnight is a pure mid-budget game that doesn't even try to challenge the biggest launches of the first half of the year, but has enough character and charm to provide about ten hours of decent fun.

With daily challenges and quests that reward you the more you play, Naraka: Bladepoint is shaping up to be game that plans for set up shop and last for a while. No two rounds feel the same, and yet the familiarity of each one makes it easy to keep coming back for more. It’s not perfect, by any means, with its combat system offering a breath of fresh air but also leading to moments of frustration. Still, its emphasis on customization, melee combat, and some robust features turn it into one battle royale experience worth checking out.

You want an experience that is so difficult, but rewarding, that it keeps you coming back for more. Eldest Souls fits the bill, but because it focuses on just boss-rushing, it feels more like a lite version that is still just as fun to play. It’s great for those who know what they’re signing up for and are okay with a more minimalistic, if not frustrating approach to a brutal genre.

Although Cronos: The New Dawn doesn't revolutionize the genre, fans of survival horror games set in unique settings will be satisfied. A dense atmosphere, a mysterious plot, and a solid dose of anxiety define this new game from Bloober Team.

Combat, stealth, and even exploration could have been handled better, sure, but Atomfall’s themes, atmosphere, and story make for a solid game that lets you forgive some of these issues if you let it.

Though not without its faults, Hinokami Chronicles 2 is a visually stunning and faithful follow-up that builds on the original with more characters, polished storytelling, and just enough style to keep Demon Slayer fans hooked.

When your squad is working together, Battlefield 2042 feels amazing. If you go at it alone or if your team ditches you along the way, the game feels too big to make you feel like you’re making an impact. As impressive as it looks, this shooter needs some love to polish off its rough edges and it needs a dedicated community of players to help its Portal mode achieve its true potential.