Overall, I would recommend Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed to Disney fans most of all, but also to 3D platformer fans. It is worth delving into if you have played the original 2010 title or if this is all new. It’s fantastic fun for the whole family.

If you're a big fan of Harry Potter and Quidditch, you'll definitely have some fun with Quidditch Champions. The game has huge potential, but I fear that it may be a multiplayer that doesn't last long. All in all, it's worth trying while it's free for PlayStation Plus members, but maybe not if you need to pay full price.

In the end, The War Within is the expansion that WoW needed. It finally feels like Blizzard is starting to listen to their players. If you used to be a player and enjoyed the first expansions, I recommend giving this latest addition a try. After years of lacklustre content, I’m overjoyed that what was once one of my favorite games has been returned to a state where playing is fun again.

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.

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

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.

Charming, comedic, and uplifting. The Plucky Squire tells a fantastic hero's journey that works as both an excellent game and a picture book.

Frostpunk 2 is a worthy successor to the original Frostpunk in every single way. It keeps the systems that made the original great while further expanding on the concept by including new governance mechanics that make the game feel fresh and new. It's a must-play for existing Frostpunk fans and a good entry point into the series for newcomers to the franchise.

All in all, if you love games like Goat Simulator, you’ll certainly have fun with Squirrel With a Gun, although the game does not surpass the legendary series.

Space Marine 2 is the ultimate Warhammer 40K experience. It perfectly captures the essence of 40K and transfers it into the action-adventure format. Its three game modes offer countless hours of gameplay and tons of customization options to look forward to. For Warhammer fans, this game is a must-play, and a perfect entry point for those uninitiated into the lore of 40K.

Overall, The Casting Of Frank Stone is thrilling and engaging as a Dead By Daylight player and as a narrative adventure gamer. The gameplay mechanics are simplistic, but that was to be expected with a narrative game such as this. My only gripe is the lack of a ‘skip scene’ feature when replaying certain chapters. If I could skip every scene where Stan is speaking, I would. The Cutting Room feature makes up for a lot of any small annoyances. though. Any missed Trinkets or Relliks can be uncovered later and there are so many more paths to unlock. I look forward to discovering what other horrors await the film crew in The Casting Of Frank Stone.

If you're searching for a new gaming experience emphasizing teamwork and offering innovative game mechanics, highly responsive controls, and outstanding sound design, then Concord is the perfect choice for you. Despite encountering some negative feedback, Concord stands out as an excellent option for replacing other games, including hero shooters, extraction shooters, and battle royales. Additionally, Concord offers a refreshing change by steering clear of overly aggressive microtransactions.

Madden NFL 25 truly brings the sports experience to life due to its impressive visuals, enhanced presentation, new commentary teams, and improved physics from the BOOM Tech system. However, this is about all the new standout features Madden 25 offers, as all game modes' core mechanics remain the same, leading to a disappointing experience that makes it hard to justify the hefty price tag.

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.

Dustborn is an interesting game for people with an acquired taste. It succeeds as an art project but fails in many regards as a video game.

Cat Quest 3 is a simple but exciting action RPG that forgoes the typical epic scale of the genre to focus on short, unique challenges. But while it’s certainly great for short play sessions, its length (about 10 hours), fun recurring characters, and satisfying player progression make it worthwhile beyond those sprouts of action.

SteamWorld Heist 2 is a superb sequel to the first game, building on its merits and offering a thrilling maritime adventure. For aficionados of the genre, the game offers a distinctive and entertaining experience with its intriguing plot, gorgeous art style, and captivating turn-based combat. I was drawn back for more because of the deeper and more varied gameplay offered by the extended crew and highly imaginative environments. For me, SteamWorld Heist 2 isn't an absolute must-play, but if you love pirate stories or tactical strategy games in general, then you'll definitely love this game.

Playing Dungeons of Hinterberg is a fun experience and a nice break from games with darker themes. The artwork, too, adds levity to the feeling of the game. Luisa is a relatable character, too. She went into a career and lived the way she thought was right, but it led to her realizing that she doesn’t actually enjoy how her life turned out, and she decides that slaying monsters is the break she needs to fight off her burnout. All-in-all, I think this is a game worth trying if you enjoy a mix of dungeon diving, action, and social simulation.

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.

It was incredibly difficult to give this game a score. Especially since FFXIV is among my all-time favorite games. The slow first half can’t be ignored as a downside, but the second half does a lot of work towards making up for most of it. The overall result is an expansion that successfully sets up the next 10 years of adventuring. It has some flaws, but it’s still a fun experience and has its own charm. I look forward to seeing where the MSQ goes in patch content leading to the next expansion. If you’re uncertain about this expansion after Endwalker, then I recommend giving it a chance anyway. There’s plenty to enjoy in FFXIV: Dawntrail.

Riven (2024) confidently reimagines the beloved 1997 point-and-click puzzle game, which both long-time Myst franchise fans and newcomers seeking a challenging yet rewarding experience will love.

If you love narrative adventures, coming-of-age stories, or you simply have a special place in your heart for the complexities of adolescence, Until Then is a game absolutely worth playing. While it might not be the most innovative game of 2024, it’s still one of the most narratively compelling, visually striking, and heart-achingly true to life. Even as the world of Until Then twists and breaks down, it never loses sight of the real, human core of its story or the characters that make its world so worth visiting.

Tavern Talk makes you a side character in a fantasy adventure, and that's surprisingly fun!

All that is to say that if you like Elden Ring even a little bit, even after hundreds of hours or a single playthrough, you should get Shadow of the Erdtree. It takes everything that worked about the main game, improves it, and addresses some of the main complaints players had. It’s still very much more Elden Ring, but also the best version of Elden Ring, free of much of the bloat massive open worlds require, reimagined as a focused experience with a distinct narrative throughline and plenty of smaller but no less important side stories worth enjoying. Shadow of the Erdtree is the complete package, bigger and better built than most full games, and the only way to end the story of Elden Ring is on the highest note imaginable.

#Blud is a hard game to like. Mechanically, it’s plagued with issues that I hadn’t seen in an indie game since 2013’s Ittle Dew. The story is hard to love, too. It’s easy to blame all its faults on the inadequate game that surrounds it, but #Blud’s story is fully capable of undermining itself. That said, if you take the game as it is and ignore those problems, you’ll find that #Blud has plenty to give back. Whether you’ll find this exchange worthy, it’s up to you.

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

Nine Sols is a masterfully crafted 2D Sekiro-like Metroidvania that explores a lore-rich Taoism fantasy setting through science fiction elements.

Astor: Blade of the Monolith is an evocative and charming hack-and-slash adventure with plenty of bright ideas but sub-par mechanical execution.

Serum could make a mark as a horror survival game with more time to polish mechanics. [Early Access Provisional Score = 70]

Killer Klowns is a faithful adaptation, but nostalgia cannot compensate for lacking features that other asymmetrical horrors do better.

Charming presentation and interesting investigation mechanics can't make up for the underwhelming story of Duck Detective: The Secret Salami.

Survival: Fountain of Youth offers a blend of history and survival that makes for an impactful and challenging experience.

Fabledom provides hours of entertainment, but it suffers from the usual drawbacks of a city builder, such as the slow pace and drop in difficulty when you reach a stable point. Adding romance was an interesting choice, but I feel that aspect is held back by the design of city builders in general. That being said, I had fun running my city in the background and coming back to see how much progress was made. Given its design and visuals, Fabledom would be an amazing mobile game.

Little Kitty, Big City is a casual adventure and exploration game done right. Double Dagger’s love for its four-legged protagonist is evident throughout, blending classic platforming elements with an engrossing open world filled to the brim with colorful characters, quests to solve, and items to collect. To that end, the studio’s multi-platform project is bound to keep players charmed and entertained, if only for an afternoon gaming session.

Stunlock Studios has created a smash hit in V Rising. Not only is it a solid survival game, but it introduces creative mechanics to the genre that often depends on tried and true practices. The narrative is primed with areas the dev team can expand into, which I’m really looking forward to.

Indika is a creative, thoughtful narrative game with puzzle and platforming elements. However, it's not a title for the average gamer.

Manor Lords has a strong start, but can't shake off its Early Access feeling. [Early Access Provisional Score = 80]

A refreshing, light-hearted underwater Soulslike adventure with unique combat mechanics centered around different hermit crab shell abilities.

While it has downsides and requires various quality-of-life fixes, No Rest for the Wicked has great potential to be an excellent blend of ARPGs and Soulslikes in 1.0. [Early Access Provisional Score = 75]

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is an impressively built Metroidvania game that weaves enjoyable gameplay and deep emotional storytelling.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has the nostalgic feel of a '90s JRPG but revitalizes the genre with lovable characters and epic strategy sequences.

Rusty’s Retirement was promised as a relaxing, idle farming sim that allows you to do other things simultaneously, and it proves to be all that. Despite being a straightforward game of steady progression and expansion, it’s an addicting process with satisfying results. As a gamer who multitasks quite often, I enjoyed every aspect of this little game and recommend it to anyone who likes to stay extra busy while completing other tasks.

All in all, I love all that Spirit City: Lofi Sessions represents. It gives you a quiet, aesthetic space to stay focused on your work and track your goals and feelings. I appreciated the interactive twist on productivity tools by giving you options for personalization and a challenge to collect all the Spirits. My only downside is — I want more. More background options, more soundscapes to choose from, and more activities to do with the Spirits. If the developers add more content like this, I think Spirit City: Lofi Sessions could be a 10/10 experience that I would use on a daily basis. Either way, I would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a cozy productivity tool, Lofi music hub, and collection game all in one.

Overall, I found South Park: Snow Day to be an entertaining story with a fun twist on the usual D&D meets dungeon crawler experience. Not to mention, it’s a great option to play with friends. The gameplay was smooth and challenging all the way through, allowing me to change my style by trying different weapons and powers. With all its great features, it becomes instantly replayable. If you’re a South Park fan, it’s a must to try!

I loved Midnight Ghost Hunt, which isn’t surprising because I also liked Prop Hunt a lot in the past. As it is, MGH is a game that’s worth trying out, especially if you’re playing with friends. Since it’s a one-time purchase, I don’t have any issues with playing it, then taking a break and coming back when new content is added. A fair bit of content and patches were added during Early Access, so I expect Midnight Ghost Hunt to continue evolving and improving moving forward.

A sequel done right in the truest sense, improving on everything from epic monster hunting to slaying mechanics while delivering a vast fantasy world.

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

If the lack of story is a sticking point for you, you can always opt to play with friends. There is a co-op mode with a maximum of 4 players, and a crossplay option was announced to come with the release of the game as well. After the full release, you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be pitching this to my friends as a weekend activity.

For me, Outcast: A New Beginning was really a tug-of-war between “it’s fun,” and “it’s driving me crazy.” While some features stood out to me, like the jetpack and weapon modules, they really couldn’t make up for the lackluster characters, a map that was just too big, and bugs that ruin the experience. Fans of the franchise may want to give it a try to compare to the classic experience as it’s undoubtedly a step up in terms of mechanics. However, it’s not necessarily something I would want to play again myself, which lowers my rating for the game overall, and honestly, restricts me from recommending it to others.

Last Epoch is an impressive aRPG that features a web of interconnected systems and activities. The game's time in Steam Early Access served its purpose and, rough launch and some rougher edges notwithstanding, it delivers a smooth and enjoyable experience. Not as simple as Diablo 4, and not as complex as Path of Exile, Last Epoch has something for everyone, from the casual dungeon divers to the minmax lovers ready to chase that elusive stat.

At it’s core, New Star GP is an arcade racer. If you revelled in the audacity of Hotshot Racing, then this doesn’t stray too far from that track. There aren’t any big boss bombs, but it does park up with an audacious swagger that invites players to simply jump in and go. The brash colors, silly moustaches, and easy action steering make this an entertaining option, especially when handheld. The magnitude of the Career Mode and the strategic decisions, such as pit stops are meaningful but not obtrusive. New Star GP is just fun! It’s a great mix of ideas, tuned to perfection.

I love Outlast and horror games in general. So, I enjoy The Outlast Trials well enough to recommend it as a solid experience. There’s a lot of room for it to grow yet, but Red Barrels delivers a terrifying game that you can complete the main section of in about four hours if you don’t fail any trials. It’s the kind of game that doesn’t force you to play it constantly, but you can always come back to it and have a good time with friends.

The Thaumaturge successfully delivers a weird and surprising RPG that is filled to the brim with narrative. Whether you’re chasing down demons, or manipulating the minds of the socially elite, you’ll feel the power of the Thaumaturge. With its complex turn-based combat and choice consequence system, there are plenty of opportunities for replayability.

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is a masterclass in modernizing one of the most important games ever made, even if its reach sometimes exceeds its grasp.

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

This is an outstanding return for the King of Iron Fist Tournament. While I have my critiques, they come from someone whose fondest early gaming memories are button-mashing through Tekken 3. I want character customization to be at its best because that’s been one of my favorite features since it was added. I want the stories to hit harder because, as crazy as they are, the characters deserve it. At the end of the day though, none of those negatives are related to the core gameplay. Proper working rollback netcode, crossplay across all platforms, and aggressive Heat Mechanics are what will keep me playing whenever I can. Tekken 8 is pure fun — and that’s what’s most important to me.

While Enshrouded is a dingy, medieval survival game with endless fog, it has a bright future. From the sheer amount of things to do, to the creativity in building and the fun of surviving in single-player and multiplayer, it’s a game with something for just about everyone. Despite the hiccups I experienced and my reservations about certain elements, this is a strong start for Enshrouded‘s EA period.

Overall, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a refreshing take not just for the long-dormant franchise, but for the modern Metroidvania genre. After completing the campaign in roughly 16 hours (with a bit of side exploration thrown in for good measure), I found it’s approachable for newcomers and presents interesting and engaging challenges for hardcore fans. I can only hope that this leads to bigger sequels down the line.

Do I think The Last of Us 2 Remastered is worth it? Absolutely. At $10, it’s a no-brainer if you want to revisit TLoU2 on PlayStation 5. No Return is the most fun I've had with the game's stealth-action mechanics yet, and the DualSense haptics add depth to gameplay and cutscenes, putting tension on bow strings and adding physical context to dialogue through vibrations. If you’ve never played TLoU2 but have been waiting for the best version of it, this is it, despite the frame drop issues and the limited Making Of content. No Return is worth the price of admission alone.

I was ready to enjoy House Flipper 2, and I really love it. I don’t think it’s perfect. I’d love to see some fine-tuning done through patches, especially with highlighting spots you miss when those spots are small or hidden under objects. I also felt that the Grid and Precision options for placing items were finicky at times, so I’d love to see improvements to that as well so I stop putting items in the wrong places. In the end, if you like simulation games like the first House Flipper or Powerwashing Simulator, then you’ll love House Flipper 2. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some more renovations to do.

At every turn, Avatar Frontiers is a game that boldly blooms. Each time I stepped away from the world, I found myself wishing to return. Whether I was soaring the skies on my Ikran or running through the forest floor, I was entranced by the world of Pandora. There wasn’t a moment of the game where I didn’t feel I was getting a first-hand experience of a living, breathing alien planet. However, much like James Cameron’s films, the planet’s allure outweighs the substance of the plot. So, while I certainly found myself empathizing with the Na’vi mission and my protagonist’s quest, it felt a bit run of the mill. With that in mind, newcomers to the franchise will experience an elevated hands-on version of Avatar’s initial arrival.

SteamWorld Build has the right balance of complexity and relaxing simplicity.

WarioWare Move It is short but filled with tons of quirky fun to be shared with friends. The Joycons are used in creative ways that'll have you in silly poses as you play through over 200 microgames.

The best compliment I can give Rogue Trader is that it is a faithful love letter to the Warhammer 40K universe. Many of the aspects that fans of 40K want in a CRPG game are here, from various iconic factions to superbly-designed gritty tactical combat. Most story choices feel incredibly meaningful and character-building decisions are usually fun despite a slew of useless Talents. I’d say Owlcat’s Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader can even offer a competent fight against Baldur’s Gate 3, which is saying a lot. That narrative consequences & agency system combined with a highly customizable ground & ship combat is just that good.

Super Mario RPG has officially taken Super Mario Wonder’s spot for being the most lighthearted and delightfully quirky game I’ve played this year. The lovely characters, goofy villains, and vibrant world offer so much fun to be had. It’s also frequently funny, a testament to how enjoyable and unserious the writing is. As someone playing the game for the first time, I felt nostalgic for a time when games felt as light as laughter and as warm as a good hug. Overall, it holds up today, which I think would be true even without the updated visuals, since at its core, Super Mario RPG is simply timeless.

Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is built on the solid foundation of Storm games that came before it. But it fails to truly set itself apart. Between the lack of innovation, numerous issues at launch, and average story modes, Naruto x Boruto ends up feeling unfinished. While the fighting is fun in its own right, this game still needs a fair amount of polish.

Hopoo’s overall passionate reputation, the improved codebase, and eventual seamless updates give me hope. The biggest compliment I can give Returns is that it made the original on par with Risk of Rain 2. It’s just a matter of preference between 2D and 3D combat. While it’s an improved blast from the past for solo play, Returns truly shines for those who want to experience a better 2013 version with up to four friends. It’s a superbly redesigned original with excellent online multiplayer content akin to RoR2.

In short, if boring is one word to describe the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 campaign, “fine” would be another, and only if used generously. If you only buy CoD to play the single-player, don’t spend $70 on MW3. You’ll regret it. [Campaign Review]

Overall, puzzler fans will find a lot to love with The Talos Principle 2. It’s thoughtful, hopeful, and adventurous with both its puzzles and its narrative. With new companions and mechanics, it expands upon the experience of the original. Additionally, it pushes its design with the same imagination that it encourages you to use all throughout. Perhaps the best thing of all is you don’t need to be a puzzling genius to enjoy this game. All you need is a little curiosity.

Overall, Return to Moria is a solid entry in the survival genre. It has some unique gameplay mechanics that are fun to explore, while the Middle-Earth setting lets a dedicated fanbase venture into the world in a new way. Aside from bugs that will hopefully be resolved in soon-to-come updates, I can see it being a staple among players. I know it holds a solid spot in my survival rotation.

It plays well, it’s got a lot to say and it’s toying with its own narrative in unique, fascinating ways. We’ll be talking about Alan Wake 2 for years to come.

Lords of the Fallen is a satisfying action RPG and a remarkable soft reboot of a franchise that nobody thought had a future. There’s so much more soul here than the 2014 original, along with plenty of depth for those who want to engage deeply with its systems. This includes the fully malleable customization, in which classes can equip any gear once the stat requirements are met, essentially morphing mid-playthrough. It’s unfortunate that a genuinely great game is sullied by a severe lack of polish.

Ghostrunner 2 is a solid step up from its predecessor with the same excellent yet refined gameplay.

My overall impressions of Cities Skylines 2 at launch are that it’s a fun game that makes some head-scratching decisions at times. It doesn’t feel like a whole step forward, leaving a lot by the roadside on its journey to 2.0. Invariably, there will be loads of DLC, and modding is coming sometime after launch. This city will grow, just as our old hometown did over time. Though I’m having a lot of fun with Cities Skylines 2 and learning these new city streets, I can’t help but long for my old stomping grounds while playing it. At least right now.

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.

Could it be improved over time with updates? Absolutely. The previous game has a long history of improving implementations and walking back on changes. As a fan of the series, this regrettably feels par for the course. However, a new entry should have a strong start and not be equal parts fun and frustrating. It could be fantastic in a year if not less, but right now it’s just squandered potential.

Although Basim isn't the most interesting protagonist, he's likable and has an eager charm. The stealth mechanics are solid; however, the parkour can sometimes feel sluggish and almost choppy. The missions are fun, letting you tackle them in multiple ways depending on your play style, too. This doesn't quite have the agency of Valhalla, for example, but there's enough freedom to give that illusion. Assassin's Creed Mirage is a step in the right direction for the series and a solid entry. Old and new fans don't want to miss out on this tale of Baghdad.

Overall, despite some criticisms, Forza Motorsport is more than worth your time. Developer Turn 10 Studios has crafted what is an exemplary racing experience. It feels faithful to the games that have come before it while also improving on an already working formula. Even if the career mode isn't as meaty as I'd like (and really, who cares?), there's something to be said about a game that's so fundamentally sound it brings you back to simpler times. Indeed, it makes you feel wildly free.

If you liked the Resident Evil 4 remake, Separate Ways is deliberately more of the same. It trades some of the main game’s raw action for a greater emphasis on stealth, puzzles, and clever movement, which mostly works in its favor. The grapple gun alone is arguably worth the surprisingly low price of admission.

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.

Phantom Liberty is Cyberpunk 2077 at its best. All in all, I was very impressed by both Phantom Liberty and the 2.0 update to Cyberpunk 2077. Do they revolutionize the game or make it the second coming of heaven we all expected back in 2020? No, not even close. Are they going to change people’s minds about the game? Absolutely not. But if you enjoyed the base game even a little bit, I can wholeheartedly recommend Phantom Liberty‘s price tag.

Unfortunately, the new single-player mode has quite a few annoying elements, and online play needs some fixing. The good news is that both of these can be tuned and fixed in the future. Even as they are now, I still think this is a fantastic time to jump into the new timeline and crush some literal skulls.

Lies of P has a horror aesthetic that makes this iteration of Pinocchio unique. The subtle world-building is great for those who look for it, but those who try to just rush through the story can miss out. The truly scary part of Lies of P is the combat. Boss battles can be cruel and frustrating sometimes, even feeling unfair due to the controls that are hard to master. But if you stick through it, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience. Souls fans shouldn’t sleep on Lies of P.

What makes NBA 2K24 all the more frustrating is that at its core, it’s a perfectly competent, if not exceptional, sports game. That’s especially true when compared to contemporaries such as FIFA (soon to be EA Sports FC) and Madden. Not only is the open-world adjacent MyCareer mode fun, but new modes such as Mamba Moments and the time-warping myNBA Eras also give you tons of mileage. But to get the absolute most out of it, you’re forced to pay extra. And that’s a hard pill to swallow.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, highly customizable, punishing but fun mech action game, there’s no other game on the market I can recommend more than Armored Core 6. Its few foibles are easy enough for me to forgive, and if you can break through some of its early walls, I guarantee you will find a magical experience unlike anything else on the market right now.

Under the Waves is one of those games that you have to complain about, but overall you still like it. First of all, the game takes not so much the plot or gameplay as the atmosphere. Lamp retro futurism, stunningly beautiful water depths, excellent simulation of marine life, Stan's beautiful nightmares (no matter how strange it may sound) - and all this is accompanied by well-chosen music. The audio-visual series is on top, and thanks to him you forgive the game a lot. If you like nautical themes or just meditative projects where you don't have to rush and kill someone, take note of Under the Waves.

Overall, Sea of Stars is a phenomenal entry into the turn-based RPG genre. The story vastly expands on the world first introduced in The Messenger. It’s gripping through all aspects of gameplay, from the characters to the areas you explore. It does have its detriments, but those are far outshined by the overall experience presented. It’s a solid game with hours of content to entertain you with.

Overall, Starfield leans heavily on Bethesda’s expertise with past titles, magnified tenfold due to the sheer size, scale, and scope, yet equally hampered by the same facets. While there are a lot of things you can do as you venture forth and boldly go into the unknown, exploration can feel unrewarding as most planets feel empty. Nevertheless, once you’re done with various faction quests and the main story, there’s New Game+ to look forward to, as well as community-made mods in the future.

You know when something looks weird or sounds off, and you can’t help but scrunch your face up and squint your eyes? As if it’s an involuntary response out of pure confusion? That happened repeatedly as I played Immortals of Avevum. The ideas and love that went into developing this are plain to see, which makes the middling-at-best end product all the more disappointing.

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.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a triumphant asymmetrical horror experience. It delivers ample amounts of tension and emergent gameplay moments while feeling reasonably balanced for either victims or the family. The developers’ passion oozes through every crevice, resulting in an unforgettable multiplayer game that’s as exciting to play as it must have been to work on for such hardcore fans of the genre and the original 1974 film. As long as Sumo Nottingham can address its content scarcity and technical makeup within a reasonable amount of time, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has plenty of staying power.

Gord shows a lot of promise and is certainly enticing for those who like the genre. Unfortunately, it also needs a few improvements and tweaks, namely with unit behavior and pathing, to lessen any frustrations that you might experience.

While the game had its high points, there’s a lot of unexplored potential on the table. I found it hard to care about the people of the world, frequently becoming bored. I couldn’t buy into the story and immerse myself into the game as I’ve done with other games. Atlas Fallen isn’t a bad game — it’s just not an excellent one, either.

The Destiny 2 Lightfall expansion trips at the starting gun and falters almost the whole way through.

A perfect entry point for newcomers, and a delightful return for experienced players.

Remnant 2 is a proper sequel, both fun and frustrating.

If what you’re looking for is a quick burst of arcade action, or just a decent action game you can jump into and play for 10 to 20 minutes, Gaiden’s got you covered. It doesn’t have quite as much depth as something like Streets of Rage 4, but its crowd-control mechanics are an entertaining addition to the basic beat-’em-up formula.

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.