With Biomutant, the end result is a game that I enjoyed playing, despite the criticisms and score. I burn out fast with most open-world games, but I wanted to explore every corner of this unconventional world, even when it didn’t always give me a good reason to. I don’t think you can call a game bold enough to mix so many influences together safe, but there’s a distinct sense Experiment 101 came close to playing it safe. Whether from budget restraints, time restrictions, or COVID impacts, I don’t know, but Biomutant needs a sequel or DLC to make the most out of the strong foundation already present.

Ultimately, there is a great game somewhere in Rust Console Edition. Mixing its social aspects, which allow you to approach and talk to anyone, with such a formidable survival experience is a neat inclusion that makes for some of my most memorable moments in a genre game. However, with an unforgiving logged-off state and other players constantly murdering and looting you, it feels impossible to imagine having a fully equipped save for any real length of time — at least not within dozens if not hundreds of hours in the game.

Aeiral_Knight's Never Yield is a short, yet stylish endless runner with one of the year's best soundtracks. Aside from a confusing narrative, Aerial_Knight’s is a solid game and well worth the time.

It's as great as most people say it is. There's not a conversation I want to skip, not a companion I want to ignore, and really not a single mission I want to decline. Mass Effect is the ultimate RPG. When so many of your actions affect the future of not just you and your friends, but potentially the entire universe, there's a great deal of responsibility on BioWare to deliver outcomes that feel worth one's time. Even acknowledging its final scene is notoriously polarizing, and you may come down harder on it than I do. Either way, the journey is well worth your time.

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.

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.

If you're looking for an RPG with deep combat systems and grueling dungeon designs, you'll want to look elsewhere. From a story perspective, though, it’s essential playing if you like RPGs at all. It might not be the most fun you’ll have with an RPG this year, but you’ll probably never forget your time with SMT 3 either.

If you're still without a PS5 and never got around to Days Gone before, understand that it's not a game that breaks the mold of the massive sandboxes we've seen so many times before. But what Days Gone does right is that it gives players a world where nothing comes easily. Dozens of hours into my multiple playthroughs, I still evade even just a small group of Freakers if I can. But overcoming those struggles and making something out of the new world is always the lifeblood of great zombie fiction, and though Sony Bend gives its monsters a different name, Days Gone is one of the best genre video games ever produced.

The first run through Resident Evil Village is a genuinely thrilling, often scary ride, which draws on a lot of features from the series' greatest hits. It's worth a look for anyone who's ever enjoyed a Resident Evil game or a first-person shooter. The cracks only start to show later on. Village is playable and entertaining, but it lacks some attention to detail when compared to the other mainline entries in the series.

Wraith: The Oblivion — Afterlife is a wonderful example of what a pure horror survival game made exclusively for VR can be. It forces you to be slow and deliberate. It rewards you for making the most use of your physical play area as you slip out of harm's way or sniff out Barclay Mansion's many secrets. It also hosts a cast of interesting characters, and each of its monstrous specters has a fascinating backstory to seek out.

Even if you thought you were "done" with Assassin's Creed Valhalla already, Wrath of the Druids has more than enough elements to drag you back in. It may not break a lot of new ground, but raiding monasteries, making terrible decisions, double-crossing friend and foe, and partaking in more drinking contests is good fun and a well-made complement to an already great game.

A game like Hood: Outlaws & Legends is a rarity: it takes some big swings to try and set itself apart from the pack. Unfortunately, it whiffs on a lot of them. There is a skeleton here that could turn into something really impressive, but it's hard to imagine a world where it attracts enough players to sustain itself long enough to evolve that far.

Subnautica Below Zero works great as both a fascinating aquatic survival and crafting game, and an engaging sci-fi adventure. While it’s not quite as impressive as the original, which it takes heavily from, this is still a sizable journey well worth a deep dive.

Metro Exodus is back in a high-octane enhanced edition to push your new gaming hardware to the limit. Had the Enhanced Edition demanded a price for everyone, we wouldn’t be nearly as excited or impressed. Since the enhanced version is free for current owners of Metro Exodus on both PC and consoles, this is a great reason to dive into the game again.

Base One is a good survival RPG game set in space. There’s a level of strategy involved when it comes to crew selection, tech research, and building out your station. It feels like some areas could use a bit more attention, particularly the voice acting and audio, but otherwise, the controls and the core game loop feel good.

Wreckfest is back with a fine next-gen port, going that extra mile with some wonderfully chaotic gameplay. It isn’t perfect, with some shortcomings with multiplayer, the odd loading times, and a surprisingly cheesy soundtrack, though ultimately, Bugbear’s done a fine job enhancing it for next-gen technology.

Returnal is a tightly designed roguelike with some of the best gameplay the genre can provide, and it's the first game since Demon's Souls to provide a reason to own a PS5. If you’re looking for an experience that really takes advantage of the latest console hardware, Returnal offers it and a lot more.

No amount of grind or patronizing feedback from Professor Mirror can dim just how charming New Pokemon Snap is. It's calm, colorful, and cozy, rewarding you for capturing free Pokemon just living their lives in the wild. Aside from being a much-needed alternative perspective on the Pokemon world, there's little else like it in video games right now.

Altogether, there is a lot to love about Scourgebringer. On the PS Vita, there’s even more to love because like so many other indie games, it feels at home on Sony’s handheld. The ease with which combos can be created and how multipliers work to keep the game's frenetic pace is unmatched thanks to the controls on PS Vita non-existent on other consoles.

Before I Forget is a highly emotive tale about one woman’s struggle with dementia, and a story that everyone should experience. I’ve never experienced anything like Before I Forget, and I strongly urge everyone to play it.

Atelier Lydie & Suelle DX is a hard sell if you've already played it, but remains a stand-out Atelier game with strong heroines, excellent crafting, and good combat. If you have played it before, especially on the Switch, you’re probably better off buying Sophie and Firis separately when they go on sale since the DX version doesn’t add anything vital or new.

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.

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.

Judgment remastered is a fine return for 2019’s Yakuza spin-off. Though all of its changes are purely technical, it's the best version of this detective thriller. As a direct remaster, previous frustrations remain, such as the lengthy target tailing sequences and unnecessary drone crafting mechanics. But when you’ve got such an engaging story packed with content and a keen sense of style, Remastered is undeniably the best way to play Judgment.

While not perfect, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… manages to address the biggest flaw from the original game, which is its gameplay. After being fine-tuned and modeled after NieR: Automata’s combat, NieR Replicant feels absolutely fantastic to play. Fans of the original will also appreciate the new perspective that the teenage protagonist brings to the table. This game is the perfect entry point for newcomers and the definitive way for veterans to relive a truly iconic game.

The Lost Gods is the third and final DLC for Immortals Fenyx Rising. While it introduces new perspectives and mechanics, it doesn't exactly come together into a cohesive whole. It's commendable what The New Gods is going for, but this isn't something most people will be interested in unless they're very interested in seeing the story of Immortals Fenyx Rising through to the end.

MLB The Show 21 isn't as flashy as its cover star. Lacking many overhauls to its modes, this year's game focuses on a decent laissez-faire story mode, a cool new Stadium Creator, and more of the superb baseball sim gameplay that has earned the series its reputation as one of the best Sony exclusives. MLB The Show isn't exclusive anymore, but that just means many more people are about to learn firsthand how lifelike a sports game's on-field gameplay can be.

Pac-Man 99 follows deftly in the footsteps of Nintendo’s Tetris 99 to provide a near-perfect multiplayer Pac experience. Pac-Man 99 is absolutely worth the download. It melds intense online competition with classic single-player gameplay to create a wholly new, yet utterly familiar experience. The extra content is superb, if overpriced. Just the same, whether you opt for the free version or spend for the extra content, there’s no shortage of fun to be had.