The simple gameplay of Krut suits the relatively short length of the game. Like many classic games it tries to use challenging enemies to extend the playtime, but it doesn’t take long to figure out the game mechanics and enemy patterns, making boss encounters challenging at first but still beatable on the first or second try. The enemies change their appearance throughout the levels, but don’t really change their behavior pattern, making every battle feel pretty much the same. Most of the difficulty comes from substandard control response. Krut: The Mythic Wings‘ price of entry can make it worthy for fans of this style of gameplay, but as the price tag suggests, there isn’t a ton of depth or replay value.

With the inclusion of Sunbreak, Monster Hunter Rise is finally a complete package and it does not disappoint. It’s the most fun and varied a Monster Hunter title has been since 4 Ultimate on the 3DS, taking some of the best elements from that title along with Generations Ultimate and the quality-of-life improvements found in Iceborne. The best part is with so much to do it’s shocking to realize that even more will come through free updates and it will be exciting to see just what other monsters decide to make a crash landing in Sunbreak throughout the year and into next. Anyone looking for a fantastic Monster Hunter package who hasn’t already picked it up needs to dive into Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak and begin one of the best hunts to date.

Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei is an action-packed visual novel sure to capture the attention and hearts of otome fans. While some may bristle over one romanceable route or some of the darker content, it’s a title with a lot going for it. Whether players opt into just one route, or go for a full completion, they’ll be on quite a journey from anywhere between ten to sixty hours. Anyone with a taste for Japanese historical fiction owes it to themselves to dive into Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei.

While a murder mystery survival scenario may not be the most unique concept ever made, Yurukill manages to twist things on its head by going all in to make one of the most unique Visual Novel experiences. Even the SHMUP sections don’t feel unforgiving with multiple difficulty options that allow players to make things as easy or challenging as they’d like. The characters are all endearing in one way or another, and the story keeps being invested with every group and wanting to see just how everything will tie together in the very end. Whether people survive or struggle to make it is up to them and putting the pieces together correctly. Yurukill: The Calumination Games is well worth playing for those who love the mystery that awaits even if they’re hesitant about taking flight and shooting down enemies.

The Delicious Last Course is a terrific post-meal snack to close out the lengthy Cuphead buffet, hindered only by a potentially game-breaking weapon and a relatively short length that leaves you wanting more.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is an utter delight that can be overwhelming at first, but is worth picking up for those wanting to dive into fast-paced combat with that Fire Emblem twist.

DNF Duel successfully brings the world of Dungeon Fighter Online to a fighting game arena with all the ingredients that made previous Arc System Works games great. The Story Mode provides interesting background about each character’s reason for fighting while the smooth mechanics give reason for having them continue to fight. The animation quality and art direction make this one of those games that is almost as entertaining to watch as it is to play. All the design elements of gameplay, graphics and music come together in a way that proves that while most current games embrace 3D, there’s still relevance in 2D tournament fighters.

What makes F1 22 great are the improvements to the core technical aspects. The new cars look and sound amazing as the game is buttery smooth across the board. The new physics with the new cars will challenge even the pros up front until they figure out their setups. The supercars on the Pirelli Hot Laps are fun to play around with, but I’m assuming that licensing issues prevented Codemasters from having a deeper implementation into the game. The point is a return is needed for classic cars and to add even more from different generations. Otherwise, the new additions are slight improvements, but underwhelming. The pit box integration is better than having nothing, but once that timing is down, it doesn’t amount to much. The limited gameplay mode selection and the reduction of major aspects does sting. I will give kudos to Codemasters for trying some new things and while nothing flopped, it was played safe. What matters most is what happens on the track and F1 22 offers the best racing the series has seen.

The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle is a welcome addition to the long-running MMO. The gameplay remains familiar enough so regular Elder Scrolls Online players won’t be in for any unpleasant surprises and the world building and storytelling makes High Isle a worthwhile visit. The story feels more grounded in reality than some of the other chapters while the characters and dialogue make this a fantastic chapter. The new content is a great addition to the massive MMO and in reality this new chapter should be given a higher score. Unfortunately, in the current state where bugs prevent quests from being completed, point deductions are in order. High Isle has potential to be a grand adventure, but until some of these quest-breaking bugs are addressed, it’s recommended to proceed with caution.

Brimming with so many highs, but also plenty of regrettable lows, Redout 2 is fast, frantic and fantastic at points, but frustratingly flawed enough to warrant caution in its current state.

Neon White isn’t just a contender for the title of year’s best action game, but also a fascinating blend of genres, all mixed together to create a truly unique delight. The stellar level design, swift platforming and gunplay, and the terrific challenge in figuring out the optimal demon extermination route work together in harmony to make it a true heavenly delight, all set to a soundtrack that won’t be leaving the heads of players anytime soon. Neon White isn’t just a speedrunner’s delight, but a delight for any gamer in general, and it would be foolish to pass up something so sublime.

Those seeking a slower-paced action-platformer with a mix of real-time resource management thrown in will adore Firegirl Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX. It’s a tough, but fair game and one that feels a lot more fair than the original release thanks to tweaks with the balance and an in-game rewards system. If you’re in the mood for a fun, challenging adventure and have an affinity for side-scrolling action, Firegirl Hack ‘n Splash Rescue DX is a must-buy.

The original Somnium Files was a delight in every way and Nirvana Initiative follows that up without missing a beat. It’s hard to even say which one could be considered better because they both manage to nail exactly the sort of narrative and approach they’re going for. The characters and story are the life blood of an adventure title and they knock it out of the park here. Fans of the original will want to see where the story goes and pick up this sequel. It’s accessible to newcomers, but we’d still recommend checking out the first entry if only because it’s a brilliant story that also shouldn’t be missed out on. Much like the original, AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative is an innovative take on the genre that must be experienced and is well worth picking up.

Capcom Fighting Collection is essential for fans of ’90s tournament fighters, particularly of Darkstalkers. That being said, the curated ten games feels like light packaging. The complete Darkstalkers arcade collection is great to finally have, but the lack of variety among them makes the value of the ten game collection feel inflated as they dominate the collection.

Considering that past Sonic collections offered more games for less money, it’s hard to say that this one is worth it. Ultimately, Sonic Origins is a well-polished wrapper for old games that were, until recently, available at much lower prices. Unless one is a real super fan, this is a collection that’s better-grabbed on sale.

The only thing complete about this is the amount of content stuffed in this small package. Complete comes with everything you may want from Disgaea 6, but what this has done to the franchise has been a huge disappointment. At least you can recruit some of the members of Hololive on your team.

While a different game from its prequel, Mothergunship: Forge is a great arena shooter with a strong challenge level. It takes practice to get past that first boss and into the more ornate areas, but along the way you’ll unlock perks and new weapon parts to help each run get farther into the heart of the ship. As the rooms get bigger the amount of area to keep track of grows as well, requiring you to constantly be aware of what might be coming outside the field of view. The enemies spawn in waves and don’t let up until the room is finally complete, each area a bite-size challenge that in total grow to a sizeable quest that can easily leave you sweating with the effort of keeping an eye on everything while actively dodging what you can’t step out of the way of. Destroying a mothergunship is by no means easy, but with the right weapon construction plus inhuman situational awareness the mechanical invaders might just get shot, blasted, lasered, exploded and beaten into much less-threatening piles of scrap.

Skeleton Crew is currently broken in a way that makes it hard to recommend. The game that it wants to be is excellent, with nicely chaotic combat, intricate nonlinear levels filled with secrets, plenty of areas to explore and fight through, and fantastically-clever challenges. The large number of characters with different play-styles let you switch up the approach to the levels, and when everything’s working as it should the areas are a huge amount of fun to perfect a run through. Toss in some excellent high-resolution 2D art and Skeleton Crew looks and plays like what we dreamed the future would be back in the Genesis/SNES days. At the moment it’s just not where it needs to be, but if it’s got anything like a decent patch schedule, then it’s one to keep an eye on.

Mario Strikers: Battle League is the most stylized and chaotic Mario sports game to date, with quick, intense matches that reward strategic and aggressive playstyles. Next Level Games’ adoration for each member of the roster shines through both mid-game and during cinematics, making each contest a joy to play and watch, even with the minor but apparent online issues and the modes and unlockable gear not being deep enough to justify the full-priced title. Longtime Mario Strikers fans will get a kick out of the refined and engaging gameplay, while casual soccer fans and first-time players won’t need long to understand the compelling mayhem of the Mushroom Kingdom’s take on soccer.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge caters to a specific niche audience, but couldn’t have done a better job of it. The developers understood what made the arcade games great thirty plus years ago and build on it, creating a game that is rooted in the style of its predecessors with just enough modernization to feel contemporary. References to the classic games and cartoon are sprinkled throughout. Interactions with supporting characters like Vern and Irma are deliberately handled in a manner that would fit in during the 16-bit era. Shredder’s Revenge does rely on nostalgia for the golden age of arcade gaming for players to be completely enamored with it. Without the nostalgia goggles, it’s still a great retro beat ’em up based on its own gameplay merits, but for those who grew up with the classic Turtles, it feels like a fragment of childhood has been recreated.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords had a tough act to follow, but does an admirable job of creating the next chapter in the Old Republic. As a sequel it fails to surpass the high standard set by the original, but it’s still a great game and a must play for Star Wars fans. The story is one of the stronger ones in the Star Wars universe and the ability to mold it through player choices is the main attraction in KOTOR II. The dated mechanics and graphics benefit a lot from nostalgia goggles, but it holds up well enough where newcomers can still enjoy it and find it a worthwhile adventure.

The Quarry comes close to being Supermassive’s strongest successor to Until Dawn yet, but sadly stumbles when it comes to delivering a satisfying finale as the story fails to hit the high marks it sets up early on with its mystery. Still, for those looking for a satisfying horror game, graphic adventure or interactive movie to have a few thrills with, there’s more than enough here to deliver a satisfying experience, largely thanks to nicely-honed gameplay and a cast of likeable characters. Give it a whirl if interested, if only so you can play director even further once you finish it and try to find something new.

One of the year’s best orchestrations of gameplay and presentation in unison, Card Shark is a smart, but above all, brilliantly-crafted journey of cunning and deception.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising manages to be more than the sum of its parts, becoming a likeable adventure that not only sets up the world for the main event to come in Hundred Heroes, but stands as a great little action-RPG in its own right.

There’s a lot of enjoyable gameplay in Kao the Kangaroo. The level design is easily the biggest highlight, and while combat is simple, it’s fun and accessible for all ages to get a kick out of. The downfalls of poor voice acting and a forgettable soundtrack are easy enough to overlook; the only thing Kao really needs are fixes to the aforementioned glitches and bugs that are the sole things holding it back from being a solid and enjoyable experience all the way throughout. Assuming these all get fixed, however, Kao the Kangaroo would be worth picking up for those looking for a fun and nostalgic platformer that hearkens back to the early 3D days, but with nice modern modifications.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong has players step in the shoes of three different vampires to solve a mystery, building upon the wealth of Vampire lore, but doesn’t have much bite. The approach of making the game be entirely driven by conversation and investigation is an interesting alternative to countless vampire games that are essentially bloodbaths but doesn’t come without concessions. The emphasis on role playing and character choice helps recreate the feel of the tabletop/LARP games, but the poor puzzles and mediocre script hurt the pacing and overall experience. Fans of White Wolf’s World of Darkness will likely appreciate the work that went into bringing the role playing feel to a video game while they work to solve the mystery, but those who want something with a little more action would be best served waiting for Bloodlines 2.

While a few issues remain that hamper the experience, it’s a no-brainer to proclaim Sniper Elite 5 has taken everything that made 4 as great as it was and improved it.

In the history of gaming there have been experiences where everything about the game is fantastic except for the actual gameplay. The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story falls into this category. The well-written story keeps the player captivated through the entire playthrough while the music perfectly complements each scene. The acting cast is top notch, especially if the original Japanese audio track is used. The hexagon system of coming to a hypothesis can get quickly tedious, and with no penalty for a wrong conclusion or choices that have any impact more than the illusion of involvement, there isn’t any replay value. But the lackluster gameplay aside, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a wonderful story that should be experienced and one of the better attempts at an FMV game.

Salt and Sacrifice doesn’t explain itself by words, which can make it hard to get to grips with, but when you let that go and just discover by play, the game gently drags you in and refuses to let go.

Evil Dead: The Game is undoubtedly the best Evil Dead game yet. There’s a lot here that fans of the franchise will appreciate with Easter Eggs and the overall atmosphere. The game is a lot of fun to play thanks to the strategy, upgrades and combat, but playing as the Kandarian Demon offers a deeper experience and removes the need to worry about communicating with teammates. While there’s DLC coming if you go with the Deluxe Edition, there really is only this mode and while upgrading the different units adds longevity, it’s a bit of a cop out going this direction with adding length to the game. It also only costs $39.99 on all platforms for the standard version, and the price is well worth the fun. If the player base stays with combining platforms, this should help out with the experience down the road.

Soundfall is a superb game that manages to marry several different genres together. It would be more accessible with an auto-perfect timing option, but even without it, it’s a fun experience for twin-stick shooting fans while also working as a way for rhythm -centric players to explore a different genre. As a twin-stick shooter, it’s exciting and as a rhythm game, it offers a level of variety that is unmatched in the genre. The soundtrack is top-tier and made better on PC with custom soundtracks as an option to integrate fully into the game. Soundfall is a must-have for anyone seeking out a new twin-stick shooter or just wanting to try something new that’s unlike anything out there.

Cotton Fantasy nicely follows up on the reboot while also sticking too close to the formula, feeling like an extension of what the reboot was visually and in terms of gameplay. It does feature more variety with behind-the-back action, but it feels like a waste to have that relegated to bonus areas instead of integrating it into at least one action stage given that the prior entry in the series was behind-the-back fully and this feels like a tease. Other than that shortcoming, Cotton Fantasy is a tremendous experience and a ton of fun for anyone who enjoyed the series before or just got introduced to it via the reboot. It’s an excellent side-scrolling shooter and one with a lot of visual and audio variety.

Lumote‘s sound, art and puzzle design are excellent from beginning to end, and if that end shows up a little more quickly than I’d have wished then that just means it never wore thin in its six-hour runtime. And after it’s over there’s always New Game+, which fills in the details as to exactly what’s going on in this self-contained little slice of environmental strangeness.

Nintendo Switch Sports doesn’t revolutionize motion-controlled gaming, but instead brings it back at its peak with six enjoyable sports that play great locally or online. Some events, like volleyball or tennis, may feel more shallow than their compatriots, and the absence of a traditional online bowling mode against strangers is hard to overlook. But whether you’re looking to rise through the Pro League ranks or for a fun afternoon with family and friends that doesn’t involve sitting on the couch, Nintendo Switch Sports has plenty to offer gaming fans of all ages that are looking to clash swords, score goals or knock pins.

Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 2 is a must-have for tactical RPG fans who missed out on either included game. Both Makai Kingdom and Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman are excellent, with Unlosing Ranger being a game that slipped between the cracks in its time and now truly gets a chance to shine on a greater stage. There’s still nothing like it on the market, and after nearly two decades, Makai Kingdom‘s take on tactical combat still has elements that haven’t been copied. This second batch of NIS Classics is a great one and something that offers two titles that have not only held up well, but have concepts that we haven’t seen done to death since their original release.

While it could stand to be longer, if only to deliver more when it come to some of its more ambitious elements, Trek to Yomi is an amazing action game that makes terrific use of its cinematic presentation, using Kurosawa vibes to impact both the gameplay and visuals in clever ways.

To say Loot River is a game mechanically and visually enticing would be to downplay just what makes a game of this stature such a treat to repeatedly explore. Unusual a pitch it might’ve sounded, the eccentric implication that “Dark Souls meets Tetris” isn’t entirely unwarranted. In a game whose novel implementation of movement alone is one with a plentiful amount of offensive, defensive and tactical potential, let alone a mere tool for traversal that can be as equally costly as it is a helpful aid. Just like its technical niceties that add so much to the pixelated aesthetic, it’s what the game doesn’t reveal at the outset — and thus, that desire to figure out the true path to success — that is by far the most impressive thing about Loot River. One that not only justifies its quirky alternative to run-based progression, but through it transforms the game from that of a humble roguelite into one that, strangely enough, is just as much puzzle-platformer as it is grueling dungeon-crawler.

Rogue Legacy 2 is an enormous beast of an adventure, packed with fast combat, great platforming and endless replayability. It’s the kind of game that can be actively difficult to stop playing, with the spoils from one run opening up new opportunities in the next that can be difficult to resist checking out. While progress can be slow it rarely turns into a grind, with most hits and the inevitable death of the current hero feeling fair and avoidable if only you’d been just a bit more skilled. The generations come and go with each one sacrificing a member to castle and lands beyond, but the family obsession burns through the ages and makes it easier for the next descendant to go further and become stronger. It may take countless millennia to learn all the castle’s secrets, but seeing as it’s almost impossible to walk away from the quest, they’re bound to be unraveled some day.

While Research and Destroy has a few flaws and comes across as way better when playing in co-op, it can’t be denied that it’s still a great blend of action and strategy, one that embraces classic science fiction and crafts spectacular moments of action out of it, eight seconds at a time. The thrill of successfully taking your time to eliminate a horde of supernatural by using a series of quick actions is something players will love, and has indeed made for a mostly terrific turn-based action hybrid that the developers should be proud of.

The scale of one’s enjoyment with a game like B.I.O.T.A. depends entirely on what kind of game you’re expecting and more importantly, what area of game you end up gravitating towards coming out of it. For those in the Metroidvania camp, the game is an inoffensive if not entirely unique interpretation on the template. But on the platforming side, fortunes are far more favorable, playing host to sequences that are both well-executed and challenging on top. The fact these bright spots are so tucked away, though — caught between needless back-tracking and a general world design that can feel too linear — can lend itself to B.I.O.T.A. feeling too uneven and demanding on one’s patience to warrant seeing it through. Even so, it’s these precision platforming sequences, working together with the hyper-retro leanings, that just about pulls it from out the doldrums. It might not be posing any original ideas, but for better or worse, B.I.O.T.A.‘s know-how on old-school traits just about keeps it afloat.

MotoGP 22 is the best game in the series to date, but is hampered by its aging core design. Nine Season 2009 is a revolution in racing games as it’s one thing to include legendary riders or drivers and tracks, but another to do a documentary featuring the entire season. The racing is what’s most important and this is the most accessible and fun the racing has been to date all while managing to the up the realism with the tyre and suspension models in the game. The visual and audio design is beginning to feel dated, although certain aspects have been increased for the current generation of consoles, but none of this changes or improves from last year. Then again, the game is only $50, but maybe an overhaul of the visuals and audio would justify a higher price when factoring in the innovative content that Milestone continues to provide year-over-year.

This is a remaster where the highs of unleashing the Force conflict with the lows of the original product. Quality-of-life improvements like the inclusion of traditional controls and the bump to the resolution help improve the game immensely. At the same time, the gameplay’s clunkiness, glitches and performance issues found on the Wii remain persistent issues in this remaster. For $19.99, there’s a decent amount of content and a chance to explore an old chapter relegated to Legends territory. Unfortunately, many of the more pressing issues were never addressed in this remaster. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is fun in short bursts on Switch, but the further you go, the more contained the Force starts to feel.

Postal 4: No Regerts is a return to form to the cult classic Postal 2. Unfortunately, while it does stay true to what made it successful among its fanbase, it doesn’t raise the bar in any area where it could be considered a great game. For a series known for pushing the envelope, Postal 4 feels like it plays things too safe. The gameplay mechanics are rough around the edges, while the attempts at edgy humor fall short. The potential is there, but regerttably the writers never push it to a level where it would be memorable. What we end up with is a game that is enjoyable but ultimately unremarkable.

The House of the Dead: Remake had a lot working in its favor going in that didn’t pan out in the end. The main problems lie in the controls, which never work as well as they should, at least at launch. It’s entirely possible like with the Panzer Dragoon Remake that improvements make the post-launch experience better, but as it stands, it’s hard to recommend this for serious light gun fans or those just looking to see what all the fuss was about in the genre 20-30 years ago. Playing the game varies from being fun when things work to being frustrating when they don’t work well — and that happens more than it should. It’s not a great-looking game, but does sound great and will hopefully receive post-launch support to improve the experience overall.

Weird West offers up a world of intrigue with a terrific blend of classic Western fiction and supernatural elements, with a lot of enjoyable story bits and and a world that can change on a whim, but it’s one whose awkward combat and bugs make for a bit of an uphill battle when it comes to truly enjoying this world. WolfEye should definitely be commended for their ambition and unique ideas, and the end result is still an enjoyable game, just one that could have used some extra spit and polish.

In what is at times an incoherent and questionable selection of titles — compiled in what feels as drab and corporately sterile an attire one can find — there does remain worthwhile moments to look back on with Taito Milestones.

MLB The Show 22 continues the tradition of being an excellent emulation of the sport of baseball, but this is another year without major changes. The team seems to be playing it safe and while there will be new players that are blown away, PlayStation players continue to clamor for something refreshing. The cooperative play is fun and it works well, but a portion of this requires going down the rabbit hole that is Diamond Dynasty. It’s the look and the feel of what’s on the field with the updated presentation and the new announcing team that helps to bring some light to the series. Regardless, there’s nothing like the experience of playing MLB The Show 22 alongside opening day.

ITORAH is a fantastic Metroidvania and a must buy for those wanting an entry in the genre that tries new things. It’s a forgiving game and one that looks absolutely stunning. There’s nothing else in its class visually and more developers should look at what a unique, painted art style can do because it makes every action in both a character’s face and body language stand out more and that’s rare to see in a 2D game. It’s clear that a lot of care went into ITORAH and it’s paid off in spades with a rewarding and refreshing Metroidvania.

Big Bang Pro Wrestling offers a fantastic portable wrestling game experience that feels right at home on the Switch. There aren’t many 8-bit-style wrestling games on the platform, with only Pro Wrestling available via the Switch Online service and no Tecmo World Wrestling as of this writing. The gameplay feel is like those two games, but with more depth and personality. Quality-wise, I’d put this above Pro Wrestling, but a notch below Tecmo World Wrestling as far as being an 8-bit-style wrestling game. If you have the other NGPC Selection games and want a pro wrestling game on the go with an SNK feel, this is a great one and works as a nice compliment to the Arcade Archives 3 Count Bout.

General Interactive deserve applause for their unique approach to detective work in adventure games, but the central mechanic in Chinatown Detective Agency feels like it deserves to be in a more substantial game. Still, what’s here features a fun story with a lot of memorable characters and nicely-challenging puzzles that test how well your online research skills are, so wannabe sleuths or adventure game fans will still want to take a trip out to this version of Chinatown, where an enjoyable adventure awaits.

Moss: Book II is an excellent title to close the book on the original PSVR with despite hardware limitations coming into play. If you loved the first title, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy the sequel.

Overall Chrono Cross is presented in a way where there are minimal alterations to experience, where it’s changed and updated just enough to be enjoyed on modern platforms without making changes to what made it so memorable originally.

If nothing else, NORCO will go down as the game this year that had the most unique world, but it also stands a huge chance of going down as the game with the best writing, story (or stories) and atmosphere. Who could have thought that Louisiana would be a perfect backdrop for a bizarre sci-fi mystery? Geography of Robots did, and it’s thanks to them that we got this memorable journey that folks should check out, even if it may be hard to describe what happened.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a triumphant reinvention of the LEGO series, successfully adapting the entirety of the mainline Star Wars films, building out a galaxy filled with activities to pursue and reinventing gameplay mechanics for a new generation.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a huge step in a new direction for the series. Many fans will say that despite enjoying recent titles, the formula had been growing stale and repetitive especially after Star Allies. Forgotten Land at its core is still Kirby, and feels like the traditional adventure, but adding this extra layer to levels, exploration and combat opens up a whole new way to experience the journey like never before. It’s not only utterly charming in that lovable Kirby way, it’s also a fantastic look at the kind of new creative ideas we’ll hopefully get to see from here on out. While the 2D-styled Kirby titles will still be around, it’d be wonderful if focusing on larger 3D adventures was the new plan moving forward as Kirby and the Forgotten Land hits the ground running with one of the franchise’s best titles to date.

Don’t be fooled by the somewhat goofy exterior of Tentacular, as what lies beneath its surface is a crafty and unique physics puzzler with a wicked sense of humor and a well-done story that cleverly has you work with the limitations of your massive kaiju body. While it would have been nice to have more ways to interact with the island, a nice variety of challenges and tools to experiment with ensure that you’re never going to be bored. It’s an odd VR experience, but one worth looking at (as long as you can handle some of the NPC behavior).

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is the best way to change the Borderlands formula and quite possibly the best Borderlands game to date. A lot of this is due to the change of setting and the unchained feeling tying directly into deeper customization.

There’s a lot to love in the gameplay loop, characters and endearing story, and that’s what ties it together for anyone who can sit through the choppy framerate. For those who have been waiting for another entry in the series, Rune Factory 5 delivers more of what fans love in the brand new fantastic world of farming, taming and romance.

Grand Theft Auto V is one the best games released in the last decade and holds up surprising well nine years later. Like any remaster, the HD makeover can’t hide all the signs of aging from a game that launched two console generations ago, but beyond that impresses. The PlayStation 5 iteration is every bit of the hilarious thrill ride it was back in 2013. Everything played through during the review was familiar territory, but it was just as captivating and entertaining as it was the first time. But by the same token, outside of technical improvements made possible by the more-powerful hardware, there isn’t much of anything new being brought to the party. This is the best way to experience Grand Theft Auto V, but faster loading times and high resolution and framerate might not be enough to necessitate upgrading to modern-gen consoles. It’s still a great port of one of the best games of all time, but it doesn’t drastically improve much over the PC and last-gen version.

The moments in-between -- especially those the game deems most critical to plot and progression -- may not have the same punch, but Ghostwire: Tokyo though briefly just about shines through where it matters. A journey you will actively and quickly decide against sprinting through.

Based on the current model of Monster Energy Supercross 5 that dates back to its inception, this may be the most complete version of the game despite its legacy issues. It still seems like the series is stuck in the past, but finally making it accessible with the Futures Academy and showing proper training with exercises should help the game garner new fans. When the racing works, it can be fun. The experience is still marred with other AI issues outside of the pacing and the collision detection still remains awful. This version still feels like a more competent racer than the others and while it retains its Career Mode, Compound and Track Editor with small new editions, nothing in the latest version makes it a must have as compared to previous versions. This also includes the outdated roster that I wish Milestone could figure out a way to add in a roster update as post-launch DLC. Players that do buy this title annually should find the improvements suitable and if you’ve wanted a Supercross game for the first time and had to choose one, Monster Energy Supercross 5 is be the best choice.

The races can be fun under the right circumstances, but it will get repetitive fast and the annoying menu music will never get any better. It’s likely that many things will be addressed such as the lack of variety in tracks as it seems possible more will be added down the line. Right now at release, however, Chocobo GP is utterly barebones and pales in comparison to so many other kart racers before it. It’s a disgrace to see this title even released how it has, especially when Mario Kart 8 is getting a DLC expansion that’s half the price in a little under a week. To give credit where credit is due, Ben the Behemoth is a cute character that would probably have an adorable plushie worth buying, but it’s not enough to make Chocobo GP worth picking up for anyone.

The Cruel King and the Great Hero is a pure charmer of an RPG. The playful storybook art and lovely soundtrack strike an adventurous tone, and all the characters from Yuu and the Dragon King down to the random monsters are adorably designed. The RPG action is easy overall so long as you don’t forget about the occasional healing potion, and the only real knock against it is the battles are too frequent for their own good. The Cruel King and the Great Hero is a perfect game to use as an introduction to the RPG genre for the younger crowd, and great for an adult who knows their way around and can enjoy themselves with a story of a kind hero and the Dragon King who loves his adopted daughter.

Visual Concepts and 2K made the right decision with taking last year off as WWE 2K22 is the best effort the team has released since taking over. The visuals are a sight to behold and the combat is fluid and fun. The simplification of combat and the modes makes this much more approachable for everyone without having to figure out a bunch of alternate moves and backwards ways of pulling off things that are seen on TV. MyGM will keep players occupied forever and Showcase Mode is the best version to date. MyRISE is a nice addition with a ton of variation to keep things fresh, but ultimately remains a grind. MyFACTION, while sounding good on paper, is just MyTEAM from NBA 2K and its filled with microtransactions. If you’re one of those players that pick up a WWE game every couple of years, 2K22 is the one to get.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins re-imagines the earliest Final Fantasy in a manner befitting of a popcorn action film and for the most part succeeds. The story is an interesting re-interpretation of the Warriors of Light even if there are a few elements that seem nonsensical and shoehorned in. Like most things involving a timeloop, it’s just better for one’s sanity not to contemplate the finer points of the story too much. A lot of the story wants to be taken seriously, but Jack’s over-the-top obsession with killing Chaos brings the overall tone into comedic territory. The gameplay is frenetic action with several difficulty options to make it accessible to newcomers and challenging to veterans of the genre. Approaching Stranger of Paradise with any sort of expectations of what a Final Fantasy game should be will likely lead to disappointment. When viewed through the lens of a campy B-movie, however, killing Chaos can be a thrill.

Triangle Strategy is a unique tactical JRPG, excelling in delivering enjoyable tactical combat and developing an intricate world where the complexities weigh heavily on the choices players have to make. It isn’t without its issues as the execution of such rich world building and interpersonal relationships requires a lot of exposition which leads to pacing issues. Even if the player is interested in the developing narrative, some of the early cutscenes drag on for too long and simply end up being boring. The tradeoff is that those who can get through the slower-paced games are rewarded with a challenging battle system and choices that have a significant impact on the story. A New Game Plus feature allows players to carry over their progress to see how different decisions play out and unlock the multiple endings and the game is enjoyable enough where repeated playthroughs sound like an inviting prospect.

Given our memories of the first game, it would have been a miracle if Submerged: Hidden Depths had just been a merely fine distraction. So it’s a shocker to see a perfect example of what a sequel should be, making terrific use of the strengths its premise provides, allowing you to truly chill out and explore the drowned city, coming across something that feels fresh at every turn, backed up by breezy visuals and a nice soundtrack. While still linear at times, Submerged: Hidden Depths is a vastly-improved adventure that should easily stand a shot at being the year’s best sequel, and Uppercut should be proud of what they’ve done.

Treating the game on its own merits, the re-release of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax comes highly recommended. It has fun characters embarking on a fresh adventure in a new genre. The story can be padded, but it still scratches that itch. The most fantastic part is that this old game has systems and gameplay that still holds up favorably to modern fighting releases. There are few fighters that can boast that.

1P2P have delivered a stylish and superb adventure with Young Souls, a dazzling hybrid of brawlers and crawlers (dungeon, that is) that’s perfectly suited for all players while delivering an amazing and challenging experience, one that will have you searching every path and going over every weapon, with every trip into a level leading to some form of satisfaction in one one way or another. Whether you enjoy hack-and-slash or punch-and-kick, or just any game in general, Jenn and Tristan’s journey is one more than worth taking.

Dawn of Ragnarok is the most ambitious Valhalla DLC and arguably the most ambitious DLC out of the three new Assassin’s Creed games. This is the biggest thing it has going for it, but it may also be too ambitious for its own good. The new additions offered in this content breathe fresh air into the game, but despite these additions it’s still even more Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, a game that can last over 100 hours without any of the additional content. On one hand if someone were to only play one piece of expansion for Valhalla, this is the one to be prioritized, but after playing through the main game and previous expansions, it’s hard to find the motivation to return to Ravensthorpe.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is a good expansion, combining an excellent campaign and raid with a decent content offering, even though not much of it feels exactly new. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen may not be the best overall expansion in Destiny history, but this queen sure does put on a good show while it lasts.

From the technical production to its desired visual direction alike, you needn’t take one step into any of its lackluster dungeons to find something both unpleasant and unappealing to invest in. And once you do, you’ll find a core loop unashamedly insistent on dragging its heels all in the name of a loot grind that itself isn’t all that exciting. To say the dismal failings on its loot aspect — and perhaps, even its live-service ecosystem on top — isn’t even the lowest moment should give you a clearer picture on how badly PlatinumGames and Square Enix together have missed the mark here. It might then end up strangely poetic come year’s end. That after seeing what might arguably be the year’s best offering release in recent weeks, Babylon’s Fall by contrast, could very well stand as its worst.

Gran Turismo 7 is the quintessential Gran Turismo and the best of what the series has accrued over its 25 years of existence. The game is beautiful, detailed and fresh, powered by a detailed handling model that’s yet to be seen in racing games.

Elex II is a uniquely ambitious game made by a developer that already focuses on ambitious games, and Piranha Bytes almost stuck the landing. As a title that focuses on the role-playing part of RPGs, it’s rather smartly put together. Magalan isn’t a generic world and the plot builds on familiar concepts to something intriguing. There’s plenty of enjoyment to be found in the package, as it’s completely packed with unique and compelling content. The missteps found on the journey do a ton to hold it back, but it’s nothing a patch or two can’t fix up. Should these get resolved, then this is a title that’s dense and uninviting at first. Those who push past that gruff exterior will find, well, more gruffness, as well as a world that’s interesting to explore and make a true mark upon.

For some, what you make of Shadow Warrior 3 may well be influenced by the comparisons one draws from the prior 2016 entrant. While all parties will unilaterally agree Flying Wild Hog’s third outing in the series feels more stripped back and “to the point” than its predecessors — least on the surface — feelings thereafter will no doubt be split. Some will deduce this year’s offering lacks what made 2016’s title a novel but compelling shooter to play in repeated session. For others, myself included, that notion of being stripped back by no means signals a negative. But few will disagree that developer Flying Wild Hog have gone about this in as unapologetic and as indulgently-confident a manner as one can get. That attitude may only get you so far in admiration, so it’s thanks to a mixture of smart strategic additions to its combat formula, as well as a welcome care to its artistic design, where the series’ third entrant will garner a majority favor. It may not be reinventing the wheel in any drastic means, but Shadow Warrior 3‘s warranted excess and lovably chaotic flow is one you’ll easily get lost in and perhaps never want to get out of.

Codemasters has put a good amount of thought into reinventing the GRID experience. GRID Legends is no doubt the best GRID to date with the amount of new options and the power of the PlayStation 5 and added tech included. I simply had a lot of fun playing this as the racing model is as addictive as ever. The story mode deserves recognition due to its design and a solid enough story, but feels more like a tutorial to get players acclimated with the series. The visuals have highlights and lowlights, but the weather effects and the reflections are where it shines the best without having to implement ray tracing. The game needs to be experienced with a headset on this console and it also gives a possible idea of what a game that launches in a week might have in store. GRID Legends pushes the series forward with new additions while the core game remains intact.

Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection contains of a trilogy of great Assassin’s Creed games that remind players why Ezio and his games are the most celebrated within the fandom. The gameplay mechanics function just as they did in the original releases which is a double-edged sword of authenticity and nostalgia going against modernized quality-of-life improvements. While these are great games and should be played by all Assassin’s Creed fans, there are unfortunately concessions mentioned above that hold this back from being the definitive collection. The only real reason to recommend this version over the PlayStation 4/Xbox One version is the portability factor.

Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster is an admirable update to one of the greatest games of all time. The story remains as captivating now as it did when it was released almost thirty years ago, and even with the limited power of the hardware, the artwork and music helped bring everything to life.

Elden Ring is one of the best games in years, with a breathtaking vast world to explore, and one of the most satisfying combat systems in an RPG. This is the accumulation of FromSoftware’s work over the last thirteen years and an evolution on its inspiring formula.

Even if it still doesn’t lead to some sort of resurgence in extreme sports games, OlliOlli World can still stand as one of the most unique and fun skateboarding games of all time, one that’s perfectly suited for both novices and masters alike thanks to its intense and immaculate level design, massive variety of tricks to pull off and tons of challenges to keep players coming back for more. Top it all off with a superbly psychedelic style and setting to make things pop, and what you have is a skateboarding experience that may very well indeed be the closest to Gnarvana that you can get.

Infernax is a fantastic throwback to 8-bit gaming, and while it may not be fully faithful to the era thanks to its color palette, number of sprites on screen, and unbroken English, it gets the rest right where it counts. The grim-dark story of Alcedor’s fight against the invading darkness is broken up with moments of humor, several of which pay direct tribute to Castlevania in ways that Alcedor will immediately regret. Not to mention entering the Konami cheat code on the title screen starting up a new save in straight-up Contra mode. The story also comes with several choices along the way, allowing you to have Alcedor try to walk the righteous path or turn evil, and sometimes the law of unintended consequences makes what seems like the right choice lead to the bad outcome. It’s a dark, violent, bloody world that feels great to smash your way through, and while it might take some repetition to clear the harder areas Infernax is always worth the payoff.

As the second game in what is now a series, The Forsaken Maiden maintains the core mechanics and overall feel of its predecessor while making some minor improvements and introducing a brand new story that can be enjoyed on its own. When the first Voice of Cards was announced, I was uncertain what to make of it, but after playing the second game, there’s hope that this won’t be the last one.

Monark weaves an engaging story even though it may rely on tropes and archetypes to do so. While characters and certain themes may feel familiar from playing similar games there ego centric method of character development helps carve a unique identity for Monark. The puzzles and exploration aren’t very difficult but occur in a way that feels organic within the story. The tactical turn based battles do offer a challenge but nothing that can’t be overcome through learning the system and properly strategizing. Level grinding can become tedious quickly and can disrupt the overall pacing. In spite this, Monark is a very enjoyable RPG that offers satisfying combat along with a compelling story.

PopSlinger is a tremendous game and one that may not be for everyone, but everyone who plays it will find something to love about it. The ’80s/’90s retro look has been done a lot, but rarely done better than it is here due to how well it manages to blend keeping the detail level high while also using a VHS-style filter over everything. It controls well across multiple controller setups, although a regular d-pad still feels like the best overall control method despite a left stick option being available. It plays like a dream, looks gorgeous and its ’80s-infused new wave tunes are top-notch. Those who grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, or just have an affinity for that timeframe, will love the look and feel of PopSlinger as a whole.

The return to smaller battlefields away from the open-world approach is a step in the right direction, but every battle feels formulaic. Even with the individual differences in objective and battlefield events the exact same formula can be applied in each battle which can get too repetitive. But in spite of these criticisms, Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires still delivers the type of experience fans have come to expect, and while it doesn’t do much to to distinguish itself from the previous entries, it can still be a lot of fun for those who still enjoy the one-versus-a-thousand style game.

Horizon Forbidden West is a great sequel that builds upon and expands what made the original so beloved, and though it takes some steps back in terms of certain mechanics and polish, it’s still a thrilling ride from start to finish.

Overall this seems like a game that would be good for die hard fighting fans who love playing against other people, but not recommended for anyone looking for a substantial single player experience.

Grapple Dog is one of the best platformers to come out in a very long time and not to be missed by anyone who’s ever loved hopping through a mascot’s colorful cartoon world.

Rarely do you find games these days that could be described as a combination of “ambitious,” “thought-provoking,” “hard-hitting,” “hilarious” and “extremely fun,” but somehow Not For Broadcast delivers on that front. It’s truly a unique gem with terrifically-varied gameplay, a perfectly-absurd sense of humor with impressive writing and performances, and a story guaranteed to throw you for a loop. Not For Broadcast is a bizarre masterpiece and one not afraid to gleefully mock everything it sees in the most over-the-top yet devastating ways possible, and for that, it deserves top honors. So that’s our report, and have a peaceful night…

While it seems to do an excellent job as a racing simulation for purely go-karts, it lacks in the video game department. This is almost better as a tool for those that do actual karting at these tracks with these actual karts rather than calling this a game. KartKraft works best if you’re trying to hone your racing kraft rather than attempting to be in a virtual competitive space. What makes the gaming aspect of this release worse is that it retails for $39.99, and there just isn’t a lot here to justify that price. While modding may be available, it remains to be seen if there will be enough of an audience to crank out additions, because that also tends to show that Motorsport Games may not being doing too much with the title going forward. The current roadmap for the game shows wet weather and rental cars are coming, but there’s no date for these updates.

Joseph: Collapse is a welcome addition to Far Cry 6. It isn’t the most substantial piece of DLC, but that works in its favor. It’s a straightforward roguelike experience that can be enjoyed in a single sitting of less than an hour. The short amount of time required for completion ensures that Joseph doesn’t wear out his welcome over the multiple playthroughs required to unlock the highest difficulty level and fully upgrade all of his abilities and weapons. Joseph Seed is a memorable villain and being able to learn more about his backstory makes revisiting a corrupted version of Hope County a worthwhile trip in Far Cry 6: Joseph: Collapse.

The game is not without some salvageable bursts of satisfaction, of which there are plenty to just about counter its middling level design and uneventful narrative alike. It’s for that reason why Sifu is spared from any less graceful a status than that of being inconsistent, rather than wholly underwhelming.

Although some of the visuals leave a bit to be desired, the core of everything else is fantastic and gives players many ways to play while also offering arguably the biggest challenge in the series to date. That’s not to mention the meaty post-game that offers hours more enjoyable content to complete, which is something that the other Switch titles can hardly claim without the inclusion of paid DLC. Not only is Pokémon Legends: Arceus the biggest leap in innovation the series has ever had, but it’s deserving of praise for being a wonderful and charming adventure the entire way through. Hopefully we see more in this vein in the future, as it’s sure to leave anyone who plays it craving to see what else could be done moving forward.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a unique game that players have waited seven years to play. It’s an ambitious project that aimed to improve upon the original’s mechanics while creating more of a unique world. In many ways, Techland has succeeded, giving us a much more involved story that’s presented better, additional moves and actions that enhance gameplay, more rewarding nighttime features and a great playground in Villedor. The game gets into trouble elsewhere, though.

Strange Horticulture is a true hidden gem and a pleasant surprise to start the year on, a delightfully quirky and charming puzzle game that puts a unique spin on botany and requires you to develop a green thumb in order to succeed, largely thanks to puzzle design that truly excels in creating simple yet challenging orders. Backed up by an intriguing world that allows for a lot of interesting lore behind each plant and a relaxing atmosphere, this is something fans of puzzlers should check out. Pardon the awful pun, but it’ll grow on you.

This is the best these two games have ever played, and for those who haven’t played the titles before or returning players who can take advantage of the $10 upgrade, it’s the best way to play them. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection might not be the shiniest of Sony’s remastered treasures, but it’s a treasure nonetheless.

Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem is everything a Serious Sam game should be in an economy-sized package, and a great game for both returning fans and those who’ve been wondering what it is that’s kept this series alive for the past twenty one years.

Reverie Knights Tactics is a good tactical RPG experience, but one that falls short of a top-shelf one overall. The attempts to bring more story into the genre are admirable, but not as memorable as games like Disgaea that have done it with more gusto. There’s a lot of depth within the core gameplay, though, and having decisions impact character interactions make that content more engaging overall. It looks fantastic and sounds good, but none of the soundtrack sticks with the player after a session. Still, for someone craving something new in the genre, there’s a lot to enjoy in an imperfect package.