In Ghostrunner, a single slash divides life and death. It's fast, frenetic, and, even in the face of its weaker moments, endlessly satisfying.

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.

Weird West doesn’t quite gel on every level, but it still makes for a fascinating and deep action RPG sure to entertain fans of the late-90s CRPGs.

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

Nintendo Switch isn't starving for RPGs or even farm-sim games — quite the opposite. While Rune Factory 4 might not reach the epic heights of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 or Dragon Quest 11 S, and as a simulator, it might get overlooked for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. However, Rune Factory 4 manages to be something else entirely and manages it very well. With its endearing cast, staggering amount of content, interlocking systems, and ability to let you tailor the experience how you want it, Rune Factory 4 Special is certainly an RPG worthy of your consideration.

Life is Strange: True Colors might feature grown-up characters, but it's evident the franchise itself still has a bit of growing to do. Deck Nine tries and ultimately fails to tell a story of emotional healing at best. At worst, it treats difficult topics with a flippant callousness that suggests it doesn't quite understand how to deal with these emotions to begin with, let alone tell a meaningful story about healing and moving on.

There’s plenty of content to fight through in Darkest Dungeon 2. The team at Red Hook Studios kicked up their creativity to give us a fresh take on an already beloved game. The new mechanics make this seem like a completely new experience instead of the second title in a series. While the original was a hit, Darkest Dungeon 2 is a slam dunk of a sequel.

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.

Trails of Cold Steel 4 brings the Cold Steel series to a spectacular conclusion with some of the best storytelling in the genre and improvements to every gameplay system.

Midnight Suns is a salad with nice dressing and some juicy steak over cheap iceberg lettuce: I'm not here for the lettuce, but I'll certainly eat it as long as it means I get the steak. It's one of the best tactics games of the last five years.

Chaos Gate Daemonhunters is an intensely challenging XCOM-like that fully embraces the aesthetic and tendencies of the Warhammer 40K universe.

The thing about Skyward Sword is the good outweighs the bad every time. Even if the annoying parts are right there in your face for a while, as it is with the Silent Realm every time, it's easy to push through because there's something better around the corner. The main takeaway from my time with Skyward Sword is just how much potential the Zelda series has. Breath of the Wild is just one vision of how the franchise could evolve, but hopefully, Nintendo doesn't let it be the only one. There's still a lot to learn from Skyward Sword.

A great racing game that any F1 fan will love, although it fails to really set itself apart from its predecessors.

Littlewood's warm setting, deep customization, and endearing characters make it one of the better farm-sims on Nintendo Switch. The grind is real, but if you can look beyond that, Littlewood's homey setting, warm characters, and endless customization make it much more than just another farm sim.

I’ve enjoyed my time with Age of Empires 4 quite a bit, and I’d recommend it to any Age fan. But I wouldn’t do so without a few important caveats. Age of Empires 4 may finally be available after 16 years, but it hasn't arrived just yet. There are still resources to gather and troops to assemble.

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.

Get Packed is strangely not the only indie co-op arcade game about moving furniture to launch recently, but it ends up standing out with its own kind of hilarious chaos.

To my mind, this has "cult classic" written all over it, and players who take the time to master Sifu will make it sing in a way that I can't imagine. It's a big step forward for brawlers in general, which doesn't just ape the '90s beat-'em-up the way that a Mayhem Brawler or Fight'N' Rage does, but actually adds onto it. Sifu has a lot going for it, but its questionably fair difficulty curve and the relative looseness of its controls both make it hard for me to recommend to a general audience.

This is not only the game we want in 2020 — but it's the game we need. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is a comfort blanket that provides some warm, friendly fun with friends.

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.

Kena Bridge of Spirits is a magical adventure, even if it doesn't do anything entirely original. Its elements tie together well, and it's jaw-droppingly gorgeous on PS5. It hearkens back to the days of PS2 platformers in all the best ways, and despite a few small issues, it stands out as one of 2021's best titles.

Thanks to intuitive controls, Gears Tactics is easy to get into even for players who have never played a turn-based tactical squad game before. It’s just a shame there’s not more here.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a superb "equal" that builds on Three Houses in the best possible ways.

Metro Redux on the Nintendo Switch doesn't bring anything totally new to these much-loved titles, but it's surprisingly entertaining to play Metro 2033 and Last Light out and about.

After Three Houses' gripping tale of political intrigue, it's certainly a little disappointing to see the series take a step backward narratively, but Fire Emblem Engage does enough well that it's not a huge drawback. Moving forward, if the franchise can combine the ideas of Three Houses and Engage, it could result in something truly special.

Alan Wake still shines in a modern landscape thanks to its unique story and intoxicating atmosphere, and the remastered visuals modernize it just in time for Remedy's inevitable sequel.

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.

As endearing as it is challenging, Skul takes the rogue-lite mechanics you know and adds some flair of its own and a unique take on the fantasy narrative. If you’re looking for a game to scratch your rogue-lite itch with a few fun twists, Skul is a fantastic choice.