Whether you missed out on the original two years previous or are looking for a worthwhile part of the Xbox Series X/S launch line-up, Tetris Effect: Connected is an even more joyous and grander expansion on what remains one of the puzzle great’s most creative interpretations.

To get straight to the point, Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp is pure fun, plain and simple. And this is all thanks to simple yet highly-addictive gameplay that will have you hunting down every possible event and ending you can, sharp writing that isn’t afraid to get as bonkers as possible and delivers impressive black comedy, a roster of characters that continues the series tradition of giving players the most lovably insane misfits possible, and memorable multiplayer action that deserves to be shared with as many friends as one can gather. Developer Beautiful Glitch has been open about the possible updates and sequels in development, but even as is, this is one bizarre and amazing camping trip that you won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

The last-generation version of DIRT 5 truly feels like a beta in comparison to this product. The game was designed with the PS5 hardware in mind and shouldn’t have seen a release on the PS4. This is an excellent way to experience what the PS5 is capable of; especially if you have a 4K 120hz television.

Longtime fans will no doubt get a kick out of the new modes, although I’m unsure if they’re worth the repurchase for that alone. It’s a matter of whether or not you want to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a next generation, with the options of 4K resolution, ray tracing or a fluid 120fps readily available. It’s a diverse offering from Capcom, allowing gamers to play how they want. Devil May Cry 5 remains a magnificent game and the next generation offering allows you to experience it like never before.

Demon’s Souls is the game to get a PlayStation 5 for and arguably the best launch title in the last couple of decades.

The Falconeer is a resounding success in every major area. It’s a gorgeous game that plays like a dream and has more ambition than most games of its type. It has a nice, fair challenge to it and helps ease players into the action by wisely teaching you without going out of its way hold your hand beyond the early going. It’s got an intuitive design and is a must for anyone who loves games like Panzer Dragoon Orta or Crimson Skies. Anyone in the mood for a new dogfighting-style game will instantly fall in love with The Falconeer.

Angry Video Game Nerd I & II Deluxe is the perfect game collection for fans of the difficult 8-bit games and the Angry Video Game Nerd. That being said, while it’s a great game collection for people who fit that criteria, if you remove the character and humor it ends up being an average old-fashioned action game with a ridiculous difficulty level. Fans of the Nerd probably have this game already and are enjoying it but it seems like it would be a hard sell for anyone who isn’t into retro gaming and the Nerd. Still, from any objective standpoint this game is much better than having a buffalo take a diarrhea dump in your ear.

While an undeniably beautiful game to look at, the underlying technical issues hamper the presentation. Godfall stands as a decent first attempt at a new IP with solid ideas and great combat, but doesn’t stick the whole landing.

Wonder Blade is a good brawler with a surprising amount of depth given its primary genre. It’s easy to underestimate a new brawler since the genre can be divisive, but this is one of the better modern-day incarnations of it. It’s surprisingly diverse with its gameplay types and ensures that you’re never doing too much of one thing for too long — and doesn’t overstay its welcome as a result. It looks great, but could sound better as its soundtrack is lacking in memorable tunes. Still, it’s a must-buy for any brawler fans — especially if you want something that rewards you with stat boosts and upgrades throughout the adventure.

As a next-gen launch title, the presentation delivers excellent lighting and effects across its campaign, but multiplayer does get hit with a visual downgrade. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a reliable package that brings the Black Ops franchise back to its roots. This Call of Duty is safe to declassify.

The Pathless is an enjoyable adventure to a serene island filled with satisfying puzzles, mesmeric traversal and gripping boss showdowns. Some small frustrations, including unnecessary stealth sequences and little reason to deviate from the main objective, hold the game back, but the polished moment-to-moment gameplay combined with the inspired soundtrack make for a pleasing and fun experience that’s easy to recommend to fans of open world and puzzle games.

The story isn’t anything special and chocked to the brim with cliches, but a solid voice cast combined with great level design will keep you playing the entire length. While playable solo, Sackboy is best when played co-op, and unfortunately at launch, co-op options are limited. As a complete experience, though, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a fun platforming adventure that’ll leave you with a smile on your face.

Melody of Memory succeeds as a fun, well-made rhythm game that successfully adapts Kingdom Hearts’ combat into the genre. The gameplay is fast, fluid and frantic, giving players a new way to experience the franchise’s excellent music. Though there isn’t much in the form of new worlds or music, it’s a one-stop-shop to listen to Yoko’s extraordinary music.

The Xbox Series X version of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes advantage of the extra horsepower, showcasing a native 4K resolution while running at a targeted 60fps. It will sometimes dip below that, and there aren’t too many other next generation features present, like Raytracing, but otherwise it’s the best way to play the open-world title. Taken on its own and judged on its own merits, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is an enjoyable opportunity to vicariously raid and pillage the English countryside.

From its gripping story, tactically-grounded combat, vast ensemble of well-written characters not to mention the sheer amount of side content to conquer and smile at, and the most graphically-impressive game in the franchise to date thanks to the Xbox Series X, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is no less than a brilliant reinvention for the Yakuza series and one of 2020’s best, most complete experiences.

The Coalition has gone all out to create one of the best Xbox Series X launch titles, which is both great and sad about the state of things. It’s no system seller like a Gears game should be, but it allows those who experienced it last year to marvel in its glory once more and introduce new players to the world of Sera in the most vibrant way possible.

An incredible unison of sub-genres and seemingly conflicted elements alike, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an absolute triumph of game design through-and-through, and is worthy of a second playthrough for those who have already experienced it earlier this year.

Sure, it does falter due to the frequently repetitive side quests that damage the pacing, but it remains an absolute joy. Gears Tactics offers a different pace for Gears fans, but at the same time, the same amount of gratifying combat they’ve come to expect.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin seamlessly blends 2D platforming action with 3D farm management. There’s a great amount of depth to both the farming simulation portion of the game as well as the more action-oriented 2D portions.

Bugsnax is a relatively short title, taking roughly around ten hours or so to finish depending on if players go for full completion or not. Despite this, it contains a wonderful and charming story with the puzzles being so wildly creative it makes it fun to find and collect the many different Bugsnax.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla brings quality of life improvements to the new Assassin’s Creed model but doesn’t stray too far from familiar territory. If you enjoyed the last two games and want more of that, Valhalla is exactly what the doctor ordered, but there may be some who after spending 200+ hours completing Origins and Odyssey are burnt out on the format.

Marvel’s Spider-Man perfectly revitalized the Spider-Man gaming franchise back in 2018 and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an excellent follow-up. Insomniac Games has built a game that uses the bones of the 2018 title to tell a new story and inject new gameplay elements. The story may not be all that surprising, but it’s told superbly with a strong focus on developing Miles and his friends and family.

Astro’s Playroom is an irresistible delight. Going into it, I thought it was just going to be a short tech demo, and while that’s partially correct, it’s more than meets the eye. It’s overflowing with PlayStation nostalgia that ’90s and ’00s kids will get an absolute kick out of it.

Arguably and oddly enough, Fuser is at its best when it focuses more on creating music and less on being a traditional rhythm game. The campaign mode is fine, but suffers from pacing issues and too much hand-holding, while online battles are underwhelming. But the joy in crafting that perfect dance mix, even if it’s a short one, is satisfying.

Of the many titles from Wii U that still need and deserve to be ported to Switch, Pikmin 3 Deluxe was a great choice to bring over. Pikmin has always been niche as far as Nintendo titles go, but it adds enough change to not only make it worth picking up again, but excellent for people to dive into for the first time. There isn’t anything else quite like Pikmin and its charm is matched only by its quirky unique gameplay and dialogue that creates a charming adventure in the wilds of a small world. It’s hard to say no to the big-eyed caring Pikmin that try their hardest to help the small adventurers do their best to escape the planet, and hopefully people will enjoy Pikmin 3 Deluxe for a first or second time on Switch.

DIRT 5 is a new terrain for Codemasters and it’s hard to say that it follows in the line of the previous series. This is meant for casual players to pick up and play and have fun. In this regard, it mostly works.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered takes players back to what these games used to be and looks great doing it. As it includes all of the major expansions and comes at a discounted price, it’s also a fantastic value. Despite playing the original to death, I’ve put way too much time into this fresh release and feel like I haven’t done even half of what I want to do with it. A perfect companion to the also highly-recommend Burnout Paradise Remastered, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered should serve as a baseline for what these titles should be in the future.

Ray’s the Dead is a mixed bag, but it’s a unique one with a lot of heart. Just be aware going in that it’s going to take effort to like the game as much as you wish you could.