The Serpent Rogue is a beautifully crafted alchemic adventure with a gameplay system that I am constantly drawn to. It’s simple while still being very thought provoking and so much fun. The game can feel a little drawn out and dry between discoveries (and deaths) however the satisfaction of solving a problem becomes euphoric.

Mothmen 1966 is a gripping story of how three characters react when thrust into contact with the paranormal. Fast-paced and featuring fleshed-out characters, the story only falters as it nears its action-packed ending. The retro aesthetic oozes charm and helps elevate the story, while the simple puzzles and gaming sections allow players to take a break from reading to become active participants in the story. At only two hours long, Mothmen 1966 is a no-brainer for those interested in the paranormal.

Forza Horizon 5: Hot Wheels is the perfect example of a small expansion. It takes a new spin on the Horizon formula while its core remains the same, incredibly fun arcade racer. The new open world is a joy to explore and master, but sadly it can feel too much like an advertisement frequently.

Despite having dull gameplay mechanics, As Dusk Falls is a thrilling narrative drama with an endearing cast.

While feeling a tad bare bones, DNF Duel still manages to be a highly entertaining 2D fighting game among many coming out this year.

While it still has many issues, Rune Factory 5 on PC is leagues better than its console counterpart. There are a decent amount of graphics options and full keyboard and mouse support so you can farm, fight, and fall for characters at a far more stable frame rate.

The events in Endling create sad emotions but they do not connect with how mankind is destroying the Earth. Events happen and we’re supposed to feel something because they happened, but the emotions are diminished because there is no connection to the message or the characters. It held up in the short five hours of play thanks to intriguing survival mechanics, but even those were messed up by an unfortunate, frustrating tug of war between survival and story progression.

A delightful journey behind the whiskers of a fuzzy feline friend, Stray is a wonderful game for both cat enthusiast and indie enjoyer alike. The story, while simple, is enchanting with each new discovery – with some that may just make you shed a tear. Gameplay doesn’t break new ground, but feels unique from the perspective of a cat, which is handled purrfectly. Stray is incredible, and one you should be playing right meow.

LOUD turns the volume to 14 with 14 original pop-punk tunes telling the story of Astrid going from playing guitar with a broom in her room to rocking the stage years later. A wonderful game for those new to rhythm style games while giving quite a challenge to those with experience in the genre. At the price of $11.99, this is a must have for anyone who loves pop-punk music.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series contains two of the best 2.5D platformers out there. With adorable characters and a heart-wrenching story, it’s well worth diving into the world of dreams despite the less than bare minimum updates made. Wahoo!

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a decent way to play an often overlooked PS1 RPG along with its accompanying SNES text adventure, but it doesn’t do a whole lot to justify a purchase if you already own the original. In fact, it actually performs worse in some cases. Still, the new options like fast forward and disabling encounters are convenient, and finally having a way to play Radical Dreamers is awesome.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak adds new unique locations and monsters along with a new hub and NPCs to join you on hunts, but at its core this is just more Monster Hunter Rise. It’s a cherry on top of an already delicious cake.

What Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes loses in the social aspects, it more than makes up for in fun combat and three engaging stories. Seeing the Three Houses characters in a different scenario is incredibly interesting, especially with Byleth now playing the villain. This is a rock solid action game that perfectly compliments its sister title.

Overall, my experience with Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- the Hinokami Chronicles was a pleasant one. I greatly enjoyed the story and I am looking forward to its continuation, though hopefully with more actual gameplay in place of cinematics. Hopefully the battle system will also get some more attention to spice it up a little. Aside from the boss fights, the combat itself was pretty easy compared to other fighters I’ve played.

Kao the Kangaroo makes a valiant effort in this reboot, but it still feels like half the game it should be. Many mechanics feel unexplored, the final world is a single level with a boss fight, and it’s very glitchy. Still, it’s a fun enough romp for what it is and I hope we see more of this marsupial in the future.

Capcom Fighting Collection sets the new standard all compilation games should be held to. There are a ton of games, though some may complain too many of them are Darkstalkers, accompanied by a suit of wonderful art and music. To top it all off is the fantastic online play and great visual and auditory presentation wrapping it up.

The Sims 4 Werewolf Game Pack introduces some exciting new things to the game, such as the ability to draw on your Sims fur and stamp on designs which gives you endless possibilities for customization. The new lunar cycle which directly affects your werewolf, and the werewolf packs along with the hierarchy are all fun. I enjoyed the way your Sims looks the closer they get to transforming. However, some of the social difficulties from being a werewolf, and the fury and destruction of items in your own home made things more difficult. I can’t see myself making my everyday Sim a werewolf, but this pack is definitely fun to play through at least once or twice!

Diablo Immortal is an absolutely stunning experience, even on mobile. The game is really easy to pick up, even for people new to the Diablo series. Gameplay is smooth and impactful and the voiceover work is top tier. Aside from hating the ‘grind’, this is my new favorite MMO experience!

Perfectly encapsulating the Paul Verhoven film, Starship Troopers: Terran Command strikes the right balance of cheesy and challenging, at least in the latter missions. While it doesn’t have multiplayer or a scenario editor, the single player is a blast. We’ll fight, and we’ll win, I just wish my troopers weren’t so dumb while we do it. Oh well, more meat for the grinder.

While it’s not quite what I had hoped for, Sonic Origins is one of the best ways to play Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic CD, Sonic 2, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles. The sprite art looks fantastic in widescreen and extras like animated cutscenes bookending each game are a delight.

Outriders Worldslayer is more Outriders, and that’s not a bad thing. While the story doesn’t do much, the game as a whole is still one of the most fun third person shooters out there right now, with a feel to the gameplay that is a blast to play. The addition of the Trials of Tarya Gratar end game content is worth every penny, and the new gear, skills, and Apocalypse tiers ensure you’ll want to stick around and grind for a good while.

Spike Chunsoft has done it again with AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES nirvanA Initiative. They tell an incredible murder mystery that’s a ton of fun to figure out, all while solving brain-bending puzzles and talking to a colorful cast of endearing characters. There are a lot of performance issues and bugs, but those are nitpicks compared to just the sheer joy of diving into people’s minds to solve the case.

Neon White is a ballet of bullets and death that always leaves you wanting just one more run. There are a ton of levels and powers to master, along with a witty and sincere story at the center. One of 2022’s best games.

Summary: If you are a fan of deckbuilding card battlers, with a dash of RPG, then Gordian Quest is the best of the bunch. While there are a few tutorial elements and stability challenges to attend to, the endless replayability and randomization element makes every run unique.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge feels like it’s designed from an Ninja Turtles arcade beat ‘em up template, which strips it of creativity and originality and makes it feel predictable and familiar. But the fluid combat continually sucks me back in, even though that also suffers from combat designs that should’ve been left in the past.

Mario Strikers: Battle League presents a shockingly deep take on Soccer held up by some incredibly charming and expressive character animations. Sadly there’s not much to see outside of the core loop, and can quickly wear out its welcome as things start to feel too repetitive.

The Quarry is a tense horror adventure with incredibly likable characters and some effective scares. The central mystery is fun to figure out, and the game doesn’t take itself too seriously. While there are a few hiccups, you can either work around them or ignore them as they’re not so major as to detract from the overall experience. This is Supermassive’s best work yet.

Gas Station Simulator feels like a weird game to want to play, but you want to play it. Like most simulators, the tasks at hand are menial and repetitive, but it’s generally a fun game to keep progressing through. The upgrades and tools are well placed to keep you from feeling like you’re dealing with too much busy work, and the humor the game injects keeps things lighthearted. Although, if we could just get rid of Dennis, I wouldn’t complain.