Ghostwire Tokyo’s Xbox release is a triumph. Not content to rest on their laurels, the hardworking developers over at Tango Gameworks have taken a year to evaluate what didn’t work with the original release, and in turn, have done a commendable job that not only adds a substantial amount of new content but also fixes a lot of the issues that dragged the 2022 release down. Ghostwire: Tokyo may still suffer from a couple of legacy issues with regards to the pacing and overall movement, but they’re small blemishes on an otherwise impeccable re-release that’s absolutely worth investing in, regardless of whether you’re stepping into Akito’s shoes for the first time, or intending on making a return trip to the demonic streets of Tokyo.

No More Heroes has been overdue for a remaster, but this could never happen without the Switch and its joy-cons. If you’ve been waiting to pick up No More Heroes for the first time or want to play it again in preparation for No More Heroes III, you can’t miss this Switch masterpiece.

With improved graphics and fantastic use of the DualSense, the PS5 is the best place to play A Plague Tale. This is a unique, interesting story which is well worth your time. I just with that playing it was more interesting. Long sections of the game are only saved by strong atmosphere and your connection to these characters. Linear gameplay and controls that don’t hold up well in intense moments lead to frequent frustration and a game which feels like it goes on longer than it needs to. If you know what you’re getting into, however, there’s still enough good in A Plague Tale: Innocence to be worth your time.

Building upon its predecessor in every conceivable way, Lost Judgment is a superb sequel that tells a story that will leave you asking yourself what justice means to you. It's a gripping thrill ride full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. And even after the credits roll, the city streets will call you back for more with their countless distractions.

For long-time fans of Miku, those who just want to dive into their favorite songs and challenge themselves, Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix+ is a dream. The pure variety of songs available and the series’ trademark gameplay will keep them busy for a long time, and that’s not even accounting for the options that the series being available on PC will provide to the community. While new players may find the lack of gameplay modes a bit off-putting, smart choices like challenge time should help them ease their way into the series’ style if they stick with it.

Seriously, if you’re a Katamari Damacy fan, you don’t need me to tell you twice that this is a must-buy. And for newcomers wondering what the commotion is about, why not pick up Katamari Damacy REROLL on the most intuitive console for it — the PS4? For half the price of a AAA game, I guarantee it’s easy to put in Skyrim-level hours into this unrelentingly silly, delightfully absurd title. Don’t disappoint your dad, aka The King of All Cosmos (in fact, do so at your own peril…) — roll up Katamari Damacy REROLL on your PS4 ASAP.

Expelled may not be as original as its predecessor, and the cast of characters isn’t quite as colorful for my money, but this is an extremely worthy follow-up with an excellent setting and a more fulfilling mystery. This is a school that’s full of secrets, and dedicated players will find numerous jaw-dropping moments hidden in its darkest corners.

Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly may not change much from the first game, but that’s because it doesn’t have to. Perfection was already achieved the first cup around — the second cup tastes just as good. With that being said, the new faces and teas bring a unique flavor to the table, and we’re all the richer for their inclusion. If you’re ready for a cup of something warm to go along with relaxing lo-fi beats and thoughtful conversation, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly has a seat at the bar with your name on it.

I’ve had more fun with No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle than many of the games I’ve played this year, which speaks volumes to the quality Suda51 and team continue to release; despite all my frustrations, the franchise is still one of my all-time favorites. If you’re set on picking up No More Heroes III in 2021, it’s pretty much a requirement to brush up on No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. And for $19.99? You could do a hell of a lot worse. So grab both and take a souped-up bike ride down memory lane — you won’t regret it.

With everything the world has been through in the last year, Tadpole Treble Encore is the game we need. It’s nothing but feel-good, charming, moving fun. I cannot recommend this game enough for any music lovers out there. I’ll certainly be revisiting this game a lot in the near future. In fact, you can probably find me spending an inordinate amount of time trying to recreate the bassoon music from Turtle Pipes.

Braking Point 2.0 does offer some solid (if sometimes cringe-inducing) drama, the driving mechanics and presentation continue to impress, and generally, to an outlier, this is one fabulous F1 game. However, resting on your laurels only gets you so far, and F1 23 has failed to move the needle in regards to making F1 games even more compelling than they already are. By all means, pick up and relish another core EA and Codemasters F1 outing, but it's time the series stopped playing it safe and gave us something audaciously new.

Quirks aside, I had a tremendous time playing Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle. Not only is it a fun and complex card game, but it’s one you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy. The threshold to start playing is low, but actually mastering the game takes much more perseverance. Overall, this is a wonderful game with attractive artwork and tons of great features. While it can be frustrating at times, especially due to the luck of your AI opponents, I’d highly recommend it. If you need a new game to get lost in, look no further.

Eastward pays homage to all things loved about SNES-era gaming, looking and feeling like the games of our childhood locked deep within our hearts. At times, I wondered if the experience would be enhanced playing Eastward sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of a giant CRT television, tethered way to close to the screen by a wired controller. For gamers of a certain age, Eastward feels an awful lot like home, and one I didn’t realize I missed so dearly.

Hero’s Hour may look like a simple game, and truthfully it can be if that’s what you want, but dig a little deeper and you’ll discover some surprising details. And while it definitely deserves the comparisons it receives to Heroes of Might and Magic, Hero’s Hour unfolds into something all on its own if you let it speak for itself. Whether you want a casual or complex experience, Hero’s Hour provides both — wrapped up in a glorious pixel art turn-based strategy RPG.

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is a remarkable storytelling achievement. Ironically, though the game is rendered in an artful monochrome, none of its frequent moral decisions are completely black and white. Every choice had my mouse wavering over the screen, considering the consequences of my actions. It’s one of those rare gaming narratives that’s equally tragic, challenging and exhilarating. The message I felt came across is: don’t weep for the paths not taken or the limited change one person can make, but choose the life you want to live and live it to the fullest. As painful and filled with sorrow as Sir Brante’s life is, it’s one that’s well worth living through yourself.

Some of the best games come down to a few simple mechanics. A lot of times, all that sets a great shooter apart from a mediocre one is the feel of mowing enemies down. Tons of games tried to play in the same space as Rocket League before it took the world by storm, but it just feels right. The Ramp takes this concept to an extreme and comes out on the other side with a killer bite-sized experience.

A compelling tale about a psychological breakdown and loss brought to life with a vibrant comic book art style, there’s a lot to like about this debut. For a first release, it’s a pretty fantastic job, despite a few minor hiccups.

Trombone Champ may present itself as a novelty title — a joke not meant to be taken seriously — but those who give it a chance will find a surprising amount of polish and sophistication. I never could have predicted that Trombone Champ would become my favorite rhythm/music game of 2022, and if you’re even remotely interested in the title, I’m confident it will be yours too.

Given that the bizarre, dreamlike world of Ghostpia Season 1 already took me to the halfway point, I’ll admit that I’m morbidly curious to see how things end. However, given how quickly things went from sweet to sour, I don’t think that I’d be too upset if that didn’t happen, either. Ghostpia Season 1 undeniably has some of the best visuals of any visual novel that I’ve seen in years, and its dreamy soundtrack compliments it wonderfully. Unfortunately, its strange choice of protagonists, tendency to focus on (seemingly) unimportant details, and habit of changing tone too quickly make it hard to digest all that easily.

And that’s perhaps how best to sum up my experience with this remake of Brothers – something is off. It’s the same great game at its core, but as a remake, it doesn’t do enough to justify itself, given that its headline addition of co-op play strips away the original’s biggest selling point. Even when played solo, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d rather be playing the original with its more fitting, painterly look. Having said that, Brothers is still a fantastic experience, and if this remake shines a spotlight on it again and attracts a new generation of gamers to Naia and Naiee’s touching tale, then that can only be a good thing. The story remains as poignant now as it did in 2013, and when enjoyed solo, Brothers continues to be a delight to engage with due to its novel dual protagonist set-up. On that basis, I’m glad this exists, even if, as an overall product and an attempt to reintroduce this world, it feels a touch misguided.

I’d have loved to see Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven lean into its generational aspects a bit harder. While combat is excellent and exploring this world is rewarding, after the initial chapters, it would have been great to feel more connected to my party. Still, I had a great time going through this Kingdom, taking down the seven one by one, and bringing peace back to the land. RPG fans are almost certainly feeling a time crunch with so many excellent games released in the genre recently, but Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is yet another title worth finding the time for.

Laika: Aged Through Blood can feel like a lot at times. There’s no one mechanic that on its own is an issue, but there’s so much to manage that this is a game with a very high learning curve. Still, this is a singular game that feels so unique that it’s hard to imagine players who it clicks for won’t fall in love with it.

A blistering, brutal battle from start to finish, Astalon: Tears of the Earth is not for the fainthearted. It rewards talent and curiosity as frequently as it punishes inability and complacency. It will test your patience, abilities, and resolve, but the journey through the Tower of Serpents is so worth it.

Little Nightmares II is an excellent follow-up to an already terrific game. While the changes it makes to the series’ established formula, such as the dual protagonist story and the addition of combat, are a bit hit or miss, I still found it nearly impossible to put the game down during my six-hour playthrough thanks to its satisfying puzzles and unrivaled atmosphere. If you’re a fan of the original game, then this is a game you won’t want to miss. However, if the performance problems I mentioned have you on the fence (though honestly, they’re not that bad), perhaps consider picking up the game on a more capable platform than the Switch.

All in all, I can’t help but rave about Horace. While it’s challenging and may prove troublesome for those not comfortable with their platforming skills, it nevertheless features a ton of content and an engaging story. And while I was frustrated by some of the glitches and occasionally lackluster design, this is still a game I would highly recommend, especially for fans of older games and indies.

Shadows Over Loathing may be part of the Loathing franchise and reflect that silly yet deep gameplay we’ve come to know and love, but there’s something deeper to this world that we’ve yet to uncover. Although there’s plenty of laughs to be had here, there’s a bit more of a serious vibe to the third installment with some Lovecraftian overtones; it’s best to go into this one with a sense of curiosity instead of just waiting to be entertained.

I had a blast with The Rogue Prince of Persia. While I’ve enjoyed other games by Evil Empire, this was truly a game that showed what they’re capable of, and has me even more excited for Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. This is a gorgeous, challenging, and fulfilling rogue-like adventure that’s very approachable. So even if you’re new to the franchise, this is a must-play adventure.

The Skywalker Saga is a triumphant return to form for TT Games. Covering all nine big screen Episodes in one game has presented players with a Star Wars sandbox like no other. With meaningful developments in the gameplay department and a level of immersion that surpasses not only all LEGO games that have come before but all Star Wars games also, this is a title to treasure for Star Wars fans and lovers of collectathons alike.