WWE2K24 is a worthy addition to this long-running sports entertainment franchise. The developers have done a good job of listening to the player's woes and tweaking the formula to make something not revolutionary, but meticulously refined. There’s a vast amount of single-player grappling goodness here to enjoy, and that’s even before you get to the online modes and the inevitably bountiful community creations to come. WWE2K24 doesn’t quite finish the story but still adds a few enjoyable new chapters.

Cotton Reboot! breaks out the witch’s magic and makes a thirty-year-old game feel fresh and new. While not every update lands perfectly, and some content is worthy of a warning, this is an adorable shooter that looks and plays great. Here’s hoping Cotton can return with even more magic soon.

Svoboda 1945: Liberation unabashedly airs its country’s scars and sins alike to sincerely ask players the ultimate question: is all history worth preserving? Whichever you decide, you’ll be left feeling like you’ve neglected an open wound still festering, either to stand painfully in perpetuity or to serve as an all but forgotten foundation.

While The Entropy Centre sticks very close to its Portal-esque roots, the well-crafted puzzles work perfectly with its simple but effective time travel mechanic. There are some sections where too many enemies can be an annoying distraction from the puzzling, but these are forgivable because the temporal manipulation powers provide such unique challenges. Time is our most precious resource, but it’s well worth spending it here.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising ends up feeling a bit more like a large update than a true sequel, despite what some of those involved in its development would insist, but at the end of the day, I’m not sure I care. At its core, this is still a fantastic fighting game filled with content. Some of that content may not exactly be new, but when almost everyone missed it the first time around, I’m glad that it will get another chance to build a community. Outside of the strange changes to the story mode, this is a better game than the original in every way and well worth the time of fighting game fans.

This is by far one of the most creative, most satisfying, and most appealing games I’ve played all year, firmly sitting at the top of my GOTY 2020 list.

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a somewhat strange collection. There are six legitimately great games here, and the other two are at least mildly interesting, but they don’t necessarily feel like they’re targeting the same audience and it’s easy to see how a Power Stone fan or a Capcom vs. SNK fan might look at this collection and only see two games that are really for them. The extras here, like artwork and soundtracks, are standard fare, and while they’re not unwelcome, they aren’t going to excite many fans. Despite some strange omissions, however, there’s enough quality here that anyone interested in the genre as a whole and not just one specific title will find plenty to excite them.

Everspace 2 scratches that glowing itch inside your brain that demands a casual space simulator experience. It’s a love letter to a simpler time in video games, a time when player engagement statistics weren’t a thing and there wasn’t an endless cadence of updates, microtransactions, and downloadable content. Instead, Everspace 2 is a 30-hour romp through a serviceable, but not stellar, story. Indeed, the star of the show is the arcade-like flight controls, accessible combat, and endless degree of customisation options for your ship. If you accept Everspace 2 for what it is and recalibrate your expectations, you’ll have a great time.

Ultimately, The Legend of Tianding is a great game that is only slightly held back by the scope of its ambition. While the historical setting and focus on Taiwan is undoubtedly unique, it never quite did enough to come into its own. It also probably doesn’t help that the ending I got wrapped things up on such a somber note, showing the often painful cost of rebellion. That said, it’s a very well balanced and enjoyable game that can be beaten in a few short hours. Combined with the affordable price point, this is an easy one to recommend, especially since it’s a really impressive first outing by the developer. Here’s hoping it’s not the last such historical adventure by Creative Games and Computer Graphics Corporation and Neon Doctrine.

Carefully straddling the line between modern and classic Persona titles, Persona 3 Portable is a phenomenal title sporting an enchanting style all of its own and double the content of the original Persona 3. The argument between whether Persona 3 Portable or Persona 3 FES stands as the “ultimate Persona 3 title” is still something that goes on to this day, but Persona 3 Portable will always be the winner in my book.

These are nitpicks though. Far: Changing Tides manages to take players on an emotionally engaging journey without a word, with a ship and the seas as your only companions. From beautiful isolation comes an unforgettable experience. If this sounds remotely like something that’s for you, definitely check it out.

Suzerain is basically West Wing in game form, which is as awesome as it sounds. A game more akin to 80 Days than Civilization, Suzerain is a surprisingly compelling narrative that allows players to run a country with their own ideas about how things should be done to see if they’re right. I got to test out my theory of crime being a symptom of failings in other areas, pushing education and healthcare to the forefront; I was happy to see crime decrease as a response to increased access to necessary services. Suzerain may not seem exciting upon first glance due to its limited mechanics, but within minutes you’ll be hooked on Sordland’s history with a desire to shape its future. If you think you can run a country, prove it — grab Suzerain today.

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is a well-earned conclusion to Reisalin “Ryza” Stout’s story, with its improvements upon the previous titles and systems that provide endless amounts of customization.

Dodgeball Academia is a joy to play with hard-hitting balls to the face action. The tone of the story may be a bit too hyperactive for some, a shame when we’re talking about an RPG, but there’s still enough joy and genuine laughs to be found to be worth your time.

Enriched lovingly with scenic qualities and bolstered by the delightful day/night contrast to which it excels at evoking a juicily contradictive atmosphere, Dredge may not look like a meaty steamboat-empowered expedition, but when you find yourself supplementing your vessel with new hulls and boosts, as well as interacting with the various personalities sequestered on each of the islands you visit, Dredge may look like shallow waters, but it’ll surprise at how quickly it can submerge you in its depths. No, Dredge did not need the horrors of the nighttime, and banging into suddenly-appearing rocks can prove a hassle, but Dredge is otherwise a splendid offering that’s certainly worth checking out.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I took Everhood for review. Now that I've beaten the game once and touched upon New Game+, all I can say is this is my favorite 2021 indie so far. And I strongly think it will take something incredible to dethrone it from that position. Not only does it feature amazing music, but it also has evocative artwork and a compelling plot about mortality and human choice. If it helps, don't think of this as an indie. Think of it as required gaming for anyone that enjoys video games.

Trials of Fire just has so much to offer. Addicting combat, awesome art style, old-school charm, near endless amounts of replayability, and just tons of unique options. Couple that with the option to tailor your experience to your own time limits, and there’s very little not to love. Honestly, as I said before, my sole criticism of this game is that it presents the narrative in an okay-ish format. But it’s easily forgiven with the sheer amount of everything else available.

Boomerang X doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it gives an underrated weapon the spotlight it deserves. With tight controls, frantic combat, and plenty of options, I had a fantastic time from beginning to end. I’d love to see what else DANG! can do with a boomerang, but this is an adventure worth taking.

Not only was MARVEL Cosmic Invasion more than worth the wait, it’s easily the best beat ’em up I’ve played all year. It’s clear Tribute Games is amazing at this genre, and they seem to be improving with age. This is a colorful, creative and varied experience with lasting replay value. While it wasn’t quite perfect, assuming that glitch I encountered gets fixed, you can add another .5 to the overall rating. This is a wonderful adventure, and one every Marvel true believer has to play.

At times funny, exciting, mysterious, and heartbreaking, Life Is Strange: True Colors made me fall in love with this little town and all of those who live there. I hope this isn’t the last we see of Alex. A character this wonderful deserves many adventures to come.

Children of the Sun delivers a distinctly edgy experience, blending stylized graphics, shocking cutscenes, and quirky elements. While the narrative loses some steam and gameplay variety is limited, its core mechanics – precision sniping, bullet manipulation, and cleverly designed levels – remain consistently engaging. This makes Children of the Sun a worthwhile and uniquely visceral experience for fans of score-based shooters who enjoy a strong, satirical tone and strategic problem-solving. While it might not offer endless replayability, those who appreciate its offbeat nature will find a refreshingly different and satisfying gameplay loop.

At the end of the day, Barbearian isn’t too hard to figure out. It’s a slightly above-average, bite-size hack-and-slash game with a charm that feels incredibly Flash-esque. It’s not on my list of top contenders or anything, but it’s not something that I’d steer people clear of, either. If you’re looking for something fun, fast, mindless, and relatively inexpensive, there are definitely way worse things that you could play than Barbearian.

If you’re a fan of Hotline Miami and roguelites, you owe it to yourself to add OTXO to your Steam library. While it’s true the busy visuals can occasionally lead to some frustrating deaths and the soundtrack repeats itself a bit too often, these minor gripes are easy to overlook when you consider just how much the game does right. Offering punchy and gratifying combat, a meaty challenge, and an addicting progression system that makes each loop feel fresh and exciting as you experiment with its engrossing perk system, OTXO will kick your ass and leave you begging for more.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever played a game like Smile for Me before; I’m equally certain I don’t want to play another one like it ever again. My skin has not stopped crawling since putting down the controller, and I know there are some key moments from Smile for Me that will randomly haunt me for years to come. For a game that isn’t scary, Smile for Me is incredibly creepy in all the right ways; with that being said, it’s somehow still alluring — even welcoming. If you’ve chanced upon a frowny face in the mirror recently and believe a smile will cure what ails you, consider checking into the Habitat — Smile for Me might do the trick (for better or worse)!

Venba is ultimately over quite soon, but I’d rather have a beautiful but small experience that will stay with me than one that lingers too long and wears out its welcome. There are a few parts of its story that could perhaps have been explored with more depth, but its story comes together to span a generation in the blink of an eye and leave players feeling satisfied with the experience. This is a game well worth experiencing, which even the busiest players should be able to fit into a free evening.

Deadlink is an excellent mixture of Robobeat’s roguelike structure and DOOM (2016)’s frantic but strategic frenzied gunplay. That’s a very high compliment, as I loved both games very much, and Deadlink proves there’s still plenty of life in the roguelike shooting genre. The gunplay is rapid, clicks together well, and provides plenty of room for experimentation to help soak up some, but not all, of the burnout the lack of enemy and level variety brings. Even when I get a bad run, I still feel accomplished in what I get from it, whether that be more XP and Tokens or even a little secret nugget or two. Just make sure to keep yourself on the move; Deadlink goes full throttle right from the start. From the absolutely electrifying beats to the simple pleasures of racking the pump of a shotgun, every sound comes in crystal clear, and the Dualsense additions are icing on the cake. If you want to run and gun with a bit of randomness in between, Deadlink’s cyberpunk flair just cannot be passed up.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a big step forward for the series, making massive strides in both the production values and the way in which it has built upon the already vast number of systems with its compelling town-building hook. There is still room to grow and add a little more depth in both the combat and dungeon design, but as one part of a much bigger whole, the lack of significant growth in these areas doesn’t take away from the overall experience too severely. Whether you’re holding out for the Switch 2 version, or jumping in on Nintendo’s current hardware, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a feature-rich package that fans are likely to lose hundreds of hours to, while also serving as a tantalising taste of the direction the series may be headed in the future.

That’s actually a frequent issue with Darkest Dungeon II. I admire that the team at Red Hook Studios took a real swing here, trying new paths forward for the series instead of just tinkering around the edges and making an iterative sequel. The issue is that most of the game’s strengths are still the parts that came from the first game, with most of what’s new feeling fine but also like downgrades to what they’ve replaced. It leaves Darkest Dungeon II in a strange place where, on its own merits, it’s an interesting and well-made game that doesn’t quite live up to the example set by its predecessor.