You really need to play No Straight Roads. While the gameplay isn't amazing, the presentation is, and it's flawed in some truly interesting ways.

Disjunction is a fun stealth action game with great art and music, but there aren't enough interesting elements to keep the gameplay from eventually growing stale. It is held back by a lack of interesting development in both gameplay and story, however, and overstays its welcome. This is a good first outing from a small development team that can’t quite live up to its legendary predecessors.

Cris Tales has a top-notch art style and an eclectic cast of characters that all players will come to love. Pairing that with time manipulation mechanics and a beloved genre, Cris Tales could have been one of the better games to come out of 2021. Unfortunately, a lack of diverse enemy types, standard combat, and some questionable difficulty progression outweigh the highest highs, making Cris Tales feel too out of place alongside its cohorts.

Like the core game, Subject 2923 is so much more fun than it has any right to be. Despite little frustrations, the core package remains enjoyable.

Override 2 certainly has issues, but the core of the game is solid, playable, and a ton of fun. The action can be frustrating to track, but the feel of combat is excellent and the diversity of characters rivals the best of classic versus fighting games.

Evil Dead captures the spirit of the movies while laying a solid foundation for an enduring multiplayer experience. Just don’t expect to have fun playing solo.

There are some mechanics that ultimately feel gimmicky, but Scarlet and Violet's storytelling and exploration feel like the breath of fresh air the franchise desperately needed. More than anything, I have hope for how eventual DLC might be able to improve the overall experience or how Game Freak can learn from its mistakes to create an even more memorable experience in the future.

There are some mechanics that ultimately feel gimmicky, but Scarlet and Violet's storytelling and exploration feel like the breath of fresh air the franchise desperately needed. More than anything, I have hope for how eventual DLC might be able to improve the overall experience or how Game Freak can learn from its mistakes to create an even more memorable experience in the future.

Cruis’n Blast shoves players kicking and screaming to the time when the Dreamcast was king, racing was purely about things blowing up for no reason, and unicorns had great engine noises. And I love it for that.

The Chant is by no means a great game, and there are plenty of sketchy aspects. Combat is iffy and clumsy, and there are a lot of fetch quests. Just the same, The Chant is mostly enjoyable thanks to a solid story and lush environments.

Harvestella cultivates its characters and story, but other mechanics aren't quite as ripe.

King of Fighters XV completes the storyline from the previous game but doesn’t mark any significant changes otherwise. It’s an excellent overall fighter and likely to find some pull on the tournament circuit. Yet, at this point, we can’t help but feel like this is all something we’ve played many times before.

The Medium is less survival-horror and more adventure-horror like the studio's past games, but so long as Bloober Team is still refining this style, the team is clearly getting better. Characters and story are stronger here than in anything this team has done yet, and the world is rich in detail and atmosphere, made all the better with a moody soundtrack.

Wanted: Dead feels like a B-grade relic of a bygone era, released about 20 years too late. Combat can offer a satisfying rhythm once you understand it, but it’s also too basic to be truly exciting. The story is charming if nonsensical, but its stiltedness also leads to plenty of intentionally and unintentionally funny moments. Missions typically only task you with moving forward in uninspired environments, but the action -- and trying to stay alive -- means you may not notice.

Sadly, even if there's a huge map to explore filled with scenic views, there's a sense of emptiness beyond the blackness of space. Everspace 2 is lonely, leaving you to tackle most threats from beyond by yourself.

Aliens Fireteam Elite already has new story missions lined up for the future, so there’s a distinct possibility the game will be able to hold player interest for a while. If you’ve got bug-hunting buddies to play with, you’ll have a much better time. Single players, however, should probably give it a pass.

The 2013 release of The Last of Us was highly influential. The brilliantly-written-and- performed story is as good as ever in The Last of Us Part 1, and the introduction of dozens of new accessibility features should be celebrated and emulated. The visual quality is staggering, bringing the emotional highs and lows of The Last of Us to the fore more than ever. Unfortunately, the gameplay that was passable in 2013 isn't good by today's standards. Calling a game that hasn't improved on a fundamental level a "remake" is a stretch. TLoU Part 1 is for super fans of the series or those who missed the first two versions, especially for accessibility reasons. For everyone else, it's hard to recommend spending the 15 or so hours it takes to play through The Last of Us yet again.

ITTA may not quite hit the levels its obvious ambition aspired to, but it still provides an enjoyable weekend distraction for bullet-hell fans.

Garden Story shows what RPGs and top-down adventures can be like. There's depth in its foliage and a charming world at its foundation. It just seems like the dev team tried getting too much from a plant that couldn't produce enough to meet demand, and the result was a watered-down version of the ideal. Still, new seasons bring new opportunities for growth, and I very much hope to see Garden Story sprout again in a new form.

Windbound is a game that requires a lot of patience and by combining survival and adventure gameplay into one, it successfully creates a unique identity. There are a few shortcomings with sailing and crafting could use some additional depth, but 5 Lives Studios have brought us an entertaining adventure. if you can put these issues aside, this is an experience that comes recommended.

Ultimately, King of Seas makes for a great take on the pirate’s life. Admittedly, it’s a slow burner at first and because of the more precise nature of its combat, 3DCloud’s newest game won’t appeal to everyone, so I’d recommend trying the demo first. Should you stick with it, there’s an entertaining world with enjoyable exploration, in-depth combat, and pleasant visuals. Backed up by a great swashbuckling soundtrack, these aren’t shallow waters.

It's been 10 years, but I wish Rune Factory 5 had been delayed for a bit longer. The jump to 3D was inevitable, though more time and polish could have made a significant difference. The cast and daily life are still superb, beyond Rune Factory 4 in some instances, but there's a distinct sense that Rune Factory 5 wasn't finished growing before it was harvested.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is still a champion among fighting games, though the story holds it back from overwhelming victory.

Chocobo GP is built for fun but needs time and some more attention before it can really take the pole position.

Worms Rumble takes the long-running turn-based series into the world of real-time online action for the first time. Worms works in real-time as a fast-paced, side-scrolling free-for-all, even with all the omissions and limitations. Despite all the complaints, Worms Rumble is a ton of fun. That said, this feels like a slight divergence from the main series.

Black Myth: Wukong is not the safe, samey, hyper-polished souls-like I expected it to be. This is great news for those who will jell with its style, but it will stop it from reaching mass appeal. The surface-level exploration and awkward invisible walls are frustrating, as is the lacklustre story. Hopefully, Wukong’s originality will shine brighter than its pitfalls.

As of now, it's a fun addition to the Resident Evil 3 package but isn't available separately. It's got a good foundation to work with and feels unique enough to stand out if it gets the support it needs.

The Winters' Expansion doesn't add content to Resident Evil Village so much as it seasons it. There's some fun to be had here, but as a whole, it's a little insubstantial.

Aquanox: Deep Descent continues a journey into the depths of the sea started in 1996 and proves blowing things up underwater is more fun than the Bends.

Atelier Firis DX is a unique Atelier game in its structure that holds its own, even where later games improve on what it started. Like Sophie, it doesn’t transform the series. Ryza improves on most of the things Firis experiments with too, but Firis offers a unique take on the series’ structure that's refreshing and engaging, despite its familiarity.

When Unbound works, it’s like driving a gorgeous, humming sports car. When it doesn’t, it’s like driving a rental with a rough-running engine. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the ride, but it does mean a few spots could use a tune up to make this road trip smoother.

Gran Turismo 7 strikes the perfect balance between accessibility and realism in a way that caters to casual players and veterans. It's a gorgeous racing game with a surprisingly addictive gameplay loop thanks to the new Café and Menu Books systems. While some modes are certainly not as strong as others, Gran Turismo 7 checks almost all the boxes of what a driving simulator should be.

Dragon Quest Treasures isn’t a massive 100-hour epic like Dragon Quest XI. The game can still comfortably occupy a couple dozen hours at least. The islands are large and hold plenty of secrets, side quests, and monsters to discover. It’s definitely aimed at younger gamers to get them into JRPGs with its young protagonists, cute graphics, and monster collecting gameplay, but it's fun for all ages.

Chernobylite's next-gen upgrade makes it the best version of the game on consoles, even if it still suffers from a vein of inconsistency.

Overall, it’s a delightful game that makes you feel like a hero with clear goals. My biggest question is how Myths & Legends will be treated going forward and if all additions to this mode will be free, or if we’ll start to see price tags on them. But if you're a fan of Minecraft and strategy games, this is worth a peek.

A unique direction for the Digimon franchise comes with growing pains and flashes of greatness in equal measure.

Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge is a uniquely fun farming sim fueled by heart, a message of conservation, and a whole lot of frogs.

Little Hope renewed my faith in the Dark Pictures Anthology but is held back a bit simply from the lack of quality of life features.

It's a shame returning players will have to replay the entire story mode to see the best stuff on offer, especially for the price. But if you never checked out the original Wii game, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is the definitive way to experience the pink puffball's biggest throwback adventure.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is an entertaining platform fighter. It bleeds nostalgia, has a good roster of characters, and plays uniquely enough to stand on its own for casual and competitive players alike. The online portions are great when things are working. There isn’t much to do when they aren't, beyond playing local matches and the lackluster Arcade mode. Thankfully, All-Star Brawl was made with updates in mind.

Ocean’s Heart is a charming, albeit uninspired, Zelda-like 2D adventure that wears its influences a bit too heavily. Despite that, Ocean’s Heart would feel right at home on SNES, featuring a lovely 16-bit pixel art style that really shines through. Old-school Zelda fans will likely enjoy it and as a retro-styled RPG, it still comes recommended despite these flaws.

Minecraft Dungeons offers a very Diablo-like dungeon-crawling experience without the gore and grimdark atmosphere.

In all, House of Ashes feels marginally better than Little Hope, which I felt was certainly better than Man of Medan. That means The Dark Pictures entries are, by my measure, on an upward trajectory, and I sincerely hope Supermassive is able to make more of them. While I don't think this series has achieved its full potential yet, I think it's just one really great script away from achieving that. As a game, The Dark Pictures is in a great place now. As a script, this third entry in the series goes for The Descent and winds up only decent.

Road 96 sets out to ask hard questions such as "when is violence the right response to a despotic regime?" and "is voting alone enough to fix a broken system?". But by the end, it never quite manages to answer those questions. While its politics take center stage, it's actually Road 96's interpersonal drama that I came away most fond of.

The experience of playing Hell Let Loose is largely dependent on the player. People new to the genre, especially those playing solo, may be inclined to abandon the game entirely after just a few hours, and I wouldn’t blame them. But Milsim veterans, and players who stick around long enough to learn the ropes and find a squad, will find a deep and rewarding experience in this WWI shooter.

If Dark Souls were set in space, it would be Hellpoint, a strong souls-like marred only by its similarities to so many others in its genre.

Soul Hackers 2 is an ambitious game at war with its past, never quite daring enough to summon its full potential.

The fourth official expansion pack to the six-year-old MMO hardly does justice to the source material that it's based on, but it still manages to conjure up a decent adventure of its own.

Ultimately, Banishers Ghosts of New Eden satisfied my Vampyr expectations, which is a compliment in and of itself.

Outriders is a good looter-shooter at times that has some moments of greatness buried beneath a generic if well-realized sci-fi veneer. In short, Outriders is not going to dethrone the likes of Destiny from its throne, but it is a welcome distraction that’s fun for being fun, even if there are parts of it that shine less brightly.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series successfully updates two solid platformers for modern audiences.

Dread Nautical has the unenviable position of following two genre giants that moved into its launch window, but it holds its own as a worthy opening act.

Genshin Impact has been nicknamed "Breath of the Waifu" due to its obvious influences and cute characters. But surprisingly, the game is much more than that.

Maquette is a realistic, empathetic portrayal of two people falling in love and what comes next. If it was only that, it would make a great audio drama, or with some tweaking, a touching movie or book. But it's a game, and despite the awe-inspiring first impression it delivers, the cagey puzzle logic can leave you more hopeless than the central pair's prospects for longevity.

A remarkable, vital piece of art that both transcends and is blemished by shortcomings specific to the medium of video games.

Taxi Chaos is a fun reminder why Crazy Taxi is so great, but also why we probably haven’t seen the series return. Had the game been more expansive, with greater variety and other modern amenities, this homage could have surpassed the original. As it is, it’s worth playing, but it definitely doesn’t shine as brightly as Sega’s original.

Far from revolutionary, Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a tight and varied old school action platformer that doesn't overstay its welcome. What it lacks in length and post-game unlockables, it makes up for with sick pixel art and a roaring chip-tune soundtrack.

Port Royale 4 is an economy management game set during the Caribbean age of piracy. It nails its trade but walks the plank in a few other areas.

Headland is a functional experience, but it lacks enough clever ideas or impact to make a lasting impression.

Atelier Sophie DX plays it safe and might seem too familiar, but its charm and superb crafting system make it worth the while. It might not excel in a given area like Escha & Logy, and it doesn't push the series forward like Ryza. However, aside from the bugs and framerate issues, Atelier Sophie is fun, comfortable, and cozy, and at the end of the day, that’s enough for me.

Kunio takes on ancient China in this mash-up of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and River City Ransom. Are these two great tastes that work together in any way at all?

The '90s are back, sort of, in a comic book/urban fantasy mash-up that provides some co-op fun but can't quite live up to the rest of its genre.

Eville is nearly a stand-out social deduction game that puts a TTRPG twist on the familiar genre but would benefit from a few design tweaks.

The Mafia franchise again presents one of the medium's best-written stories, though the series still stumbles on building something special around that story.

Trek to Yomi is a gorgeous samurai adventure with satisfying 2D action and some unfortunately frustrating quirks.

On the pitch, FIFA 21 remains the best it's ever been, but it's arguably not changed enough for longtime fans in almost any other way.

Broken Lines, a squad-based tactical strategy game has some interesting elements but lacks the polish to stand out.

The games in the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection still hold up, but the remaster falters on bringing new quality of life features and fixing some of the trilogy's more glaring issues.

Meet Your Maker is a highly addictive first-person shooter/base-building hybrid. Its satisfying gameplay loop is cemented by various progression systems, filling that itch of watching bars and numbers go up at a consistent rate. The tools and systems are in place to allow for creative death traps filled with tons of hair-raising moments and satisfying encounters, further enhanced when playing with a friend. In fact, the community has already made expert use of existing content. Unfortunately, creativity can only take that content so far. Before long, deja vu will become this game’s crutch. Meet Your Maker needs significantly more content across the board to become a sustainable community experience.

I had so much fun with Exoprimal, and I’m looking forward to playing more. That being said, it feels a lot like recommending a show to someone where it doesn’t pick up until around 10 episodes in. I believe it’s worth pushing onward until the game opens up more, especially if you’re playing with friends, but I also wouldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to deal with it. There’s a lot of content planned for Exoprimal, including a new mode and new exosuits for the first season. That should make the full price a lot easier to swallow if you’re interested in buying it, although my recommendation is to play it through Xbox Game Pass if you can. It might stumble a bit and naturally carry the uncertainty of a live-service title, but I wouldn’t count this as a mark against Capcom’s recent record. If they manage to support it right with quality content, life will find a way.

All things considered, developer Creatures has done a bang-up job at solidifying Detective Pikachu‘s niche in just two entries. What’s more, the new installment optimizes the signature real-world atmosphere with a clean image on Switch systems. Those looking to explore the world of Pokemon through a new set of eyes will surely appreciate the clever twists and turns of Detective Pikachu Returns, now available to play.

Nexomon: Extinction adds a healthy, welcome dose of RPG style to its story, but can't, or won't, step out from the shadows of its inspirations.

Overall, I can’t fault EA Sports for its efforts with EA FC 24. The developer has taken the bull by the horns and given longtime players of the franchise hope for the first time in a very long time. However, it’s only a slight improvement.

Even though DBZ: Kakarot retells the same story the franchise has been telling for decades, it manages to do so in creative new ways for hardcore anime fans.

Kingdom Hearts 3: Re:Mind rewards its most loyal players with an unrelenting new endgame, new modes, and a more filled-in story.

Watch Dogs: Legion Bloodlines brings familiar faces to new places, and if you can stand the tonal in-fighting, it's a worthwhile, occasionally daring story-driven adventure.

With extremely well-written characters, great quests that keep you busy for 40+ hours, and some smart adjustments for this platform specifically, The Outer Worlds remains a can't-miss experience. If you can play it elsewhere, you should, but if Switch is all you have or all you want, the pictures aren't as pretty, but everything else still shines.

It’s not the best title in the series, and it could have definitely benefited from less padding, but it is a good one, and it’s nice to finally see it in the West.

Lost Judgment is a good follow-up to 2019's excellent Judgment. It's more of the same, but that doesn't matter too much when the core is already great.

Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia offers deep tactics gameplay but the overall execution falls short of greatness.

Atomic Heart does many things well. It capably takes what games like Bioshock did before and puts a unique spin on it. The guns and powers are fun to use, fighting rampaging robots is a blast, and the setting of an alternate-history 1950’s Russia is fresh and interesting. The protagonist, unfortunately, is a deluge of awful dialogue, and the attitudes for female-presenting characters are concerning. Mix in slogging through open-world segments of infinitely respawning enemies, and you have a good game that is a few better choices away from being great.

A short burst of nostalgic cartoon violence, Final Vendetta is uneven but mostly entertaining.

Echo Games' Rhythm Fighter provides a decent, yet ultimately unremarkable roguelike experience. While it offers a lot of the genre's staple mechanics, it doesn't do much with them — Rhythm Fighter often feels like the "lesser version" of something else.

NBA 2K23 delivers a somewhat complete package that starts to feel more like an expansion rather than a major upgrade the further you get into the season.

If Stronghold: Warlords sees a little post-release love from the developers, it could turn into a great stepping stone for the franchise; there are some kinks that need to be ironed out, but it's got a strong base to build off of. If you're a long-term fan of the series or want something a little different with your next RTS, this might be what you're looking for.

Blasphemous 2 is a challenging Souls-like Metroidvania, with a top-notch atmosphere. Unfortunately, it will also challenge your patience, given its confusing plot, intentional vagueness, and repetitive use of the same puzzle platforming mechanics.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection serves up ample old-school gameplay nostalgia, though it’s appeal it limited.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir does show its age at times, but that’s part of the game’s history and charm. The updated art style and great voice acting only help to make the experience better. The game, as well as its prequel, is an acquired taste, but fans who come into the game with proper expectations will find themselves a fun adventure.

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind is an engrossing tale that fans of the visual novel and point-and-click adventure genre will enjoy. The updated art style and voice acting add much-needed layers of modernity to the game. It’s a one-and-done experience, though, so manage your expectations accordingly. Regardless, this is definitely one ghostly adventure you won’t want to miss.

Hellbound is a rip-roaring homage to classic Doom that hits almost all of the right notes.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is a welcome addition to the PS4 and PS5, especially since there hasn’t been a VF game in years. Mostly, this remastered release serves to whet our appetites for the prospect of an actual full-on sequel in Virtua Fighter 6, but it’s well worth playing for its pure, responsive fighting.

Frozenheim is a visually attractive and enjoyable Viking-themed city-builder let down by shallow combat and questionable resource management.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a fun little title for fans of Action-RPGs with not much roleplaying to speak of. It’s far from perfect, but with a runtime of 15 to 20 hours, being a pleasant diversion is enough to earn its keep.

Whether you love Italian folklore, architecture, music, or just want to explore a new souls-like, Enotria: The Last Song, is a title you’ll want to pick up. It features easy to pick up combat mechanics, a spin on parrying, and a fully detailed world filled with foes to defeat.

Alone in the Dark (2024) revisits the original 3D Survival Horror with respect for the 1992 game and the games inspired by it.

Windjammers 2 feels less like a sequel and more like a remaster of the original. Despite the new graphic overhaul and increased roster characters, it’s still fundamentally the same game. That’s not a bad thing if you enjoyed the original, but in the end, we can’t help but feel this sequel could have been bolder and opened the game up to something more expansive.

A unique and well-crafted blend of genres with entertaining characters that barely misses the landing for its endgame.

NBA 2K25 delivers an exceptional experience for seasoned players and franchise newcomers. With its updated engines, animations, graphics, sounds, and presentation, the game offers an incredibly realistic experience. However, I recommend that PC players hold onto their consoles for now due to prevalent cheating and poor optimization, which can lead to frustration. Moreover, the absence of crossplay with other platforms significantly limits the player base. Unfortunately, the microtransactions are more aggressive than last year, potentially providing an unfair advantage to those who spend money on online game modes. Despite these challenges, the game's visuals, gameplay realism, and overall enjoyment are truly impressive if you can overlook the downsides.