While unfair enemy-placement gets irritating, Nioh 2’s new Yokai powers make this an action game with almost infinite possibilities. And with a huge amount of content, Nioh 2 is simply one of the best Souls-like games to date.

Similar to Dinosaur Polo Club’s previous game Mini Metro, not only the game mechanics but also the visuals and sound contribute in making Mini Motorways a fun and polished game. Its game design allows players to enjoy the essence of a city-builder by simply laying roads, and the game offers interesting tactical challenges depending on your skill.

The combination between deck-building and speedy real-time action make One Step From Eden a revolutionary title. While difficult and lacking in story, it’s definitely a game anyone should try.

Boomerang X is a diamond of a 3D action game. While it might not offer beautiful cutscenes or clever dialogue, the action itself constantly manages to amaze. The stellar boomerang mechanics are in perfect harmony with the super fast action. For fans of the genre, Boomerang X is an absolute joy from start to finish.

Splatoon 3 is like a theme park of mainly multiplayer-focused content, which makes it an ideal videogame. From versus matches to co-op and even a card game, Splatoon 3 can be enjoyed endlessly. Its appeal is so broad that being in the world of Splatoon itself feels like a treat.

Ender Lilies is a game that might not have any revolutionary mechanics, but its graphics, music, battles, exploration and worldbuilding all contribute to an experience that has more polish than almost any other game in the action RPG genre. While the leap in difficulty near the end can definitely be overwhelming, the beautiful graphics and stellar presentation provide multiple fantastic moments and heart-pounding fights you won’t forget any time soon.

Rollerdrome is developer Roll7’s second success of 2022. By blending together skating and shooting gameplay, it manages to deliver an experience that we’ve all dreamed of but thought impossible. The game’s action becomes funner and cooler as you improve, which makes it hard to put down. A new classic in this genre for sure.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a masterful game that maintains the story and drama of previous entries, but allows you to train and grow your characters on a much larger scale than before. While the graphics, UI and level design are far from perfect, the addictive gameplay loop and dynamic story are of very high quality.

Triangle Strategy brings back a classical style of SRPG with modern HD-2D visuals and a refreshing branching story system. While not everything falls completely into place, a simple yet deep battle system, elaborate world building and serious character development add up to an epic tale that feels like the beginning of the comeback of a neglected genre.

OlliOlli World does a perfect job in bringing the coolness of skateboarding culture to the videogame format. Fair course design and a limitless scoring system make the gameplay appealing to both hardcore and casual gamers. The deep character customization is great too. OlliOlli World is just so good that even falling feels fun.

Phogs! is a fun co-op game in which two players each control one end of a dog-like creature with two heads and a snakey body. While simple to control, Phogs! manages to stay fun through the end with a wide array of gimmicks. Great camerawork and a fresh setting for each area also contribute to keeping things exciting. With a well-balanced difficulty curve, Phogs! is a great game for gamers of all ages.

With a high-quality scenario and unique VR presentation, Yuoni Rises immerses the player in its scary yet nostalgic world.

Frostpunk is a city-building simulation game that puts an emphasis not just on efficiency, but also the moral qualities of the player as a leader. Even if you normally don’t play simulation games, you will definitely be able to appreciate its uniqueness on a lower difficulty setting.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder implements the recent trend of adding adventure elements to the 2D action genre. The Wonder Flowers cause surprising twists and the new multiplayer contributes to making a new 2D Mario adventure feel fresh again. That being said, we would have wanted Super Mario Bros. Wonder to feel even more wondrous.

The classic action that has been a hallmark of the Ratchet and Clank series is alive and well. In addition, the central dimensional warp mechanic is a real joy, packing even more surprises than I’d expected. The various weapons are fun to use, while the excellent level design, exhilarating gameplay and thrilling festival spirit combine to result in an action game that has been honed to the limits. Newcomers to the series may wish for a little more explanation of the story and the controls in places, but Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a game I would recommend to anyone.

Street Fighter 6includes everything you could want from a modern fighting game, and the mechanics at the game’s core are complete at the time of release. The World Tour campaign suffers from an uninteresting story and battles that feel like a slog, but overall, Street Fighter 6 will satisfy a wide range of fighting game fans.

Anyone can play and look cool with this instant-classic VR rhythm game. The PS4 version is great, but the PSVR exclusive content does not offer that much appeal.

NINJA GAIDEN 4 delivers an astonishing “high-risk, ultra-return” style of action. It goes far beyond simple parries or evasions — its system allows players to even toy with bosses by taking calculated risks, resulting in an incredibly satisfying gameplay experience. It truly opens up new possibilities for 3D action games and will undoubtedly stand as a significant milestone in the genre’s history. Whether everyone fully understands that right now, however, is another matter.

The Kirby series has always offered fun with a wide array of copy abilities, which proves to be a great match for 3D. The newly implemented Mouthful Mode that allows Kirby to swallow large-scale objects and the ability to level up your copy abilities are great fun. While the extra stages that unlock after beating the main game are a bit of a disappointment, as a whole Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an extraordinarily well made 3D action game that celebrates our pink friend’s 30th anniversary in the best way possible.

While the story's climax left us disappointed, Shenmue III is a precious game nonetheless. Feeling the lingering presence of your deceased father in a country far from home, sharing a roof with someone you love, and overcoming the teachings of a stubborn kung fu master are only a few examples of how this game portrays deep human relationships. Shenmue III also has a very addictive gameplay loop that makes great use of the attention to detail the series is known for.

Montreal-based animator JonJon and renowned DJ Kid Koala came together to make a rare music game that is casually enjoyable and, at the same time, shows how awesome hip-hop can be.

A unique graphic style, an exotic theme, and a story that is well suited to being told through a unique game system make Return of the Obra Dinn a detective game unlike any other.

With anime sequences added to the original game, Steins;Gate Elite combines the best of the game and anime, making this the definitive way to experience a modern classic.

In this real-time tactics adventure set in the Wild West, you will engage in various missions with your main five eccentric units. The missions offer a wide variety of situations typical of Western movies, and it’s up to you whether to use stealth or go loud. But whatever play style you choose, the gameplay always perfectly complements the Western setting.

Armored Core 6 has a true sense of speed and exhilaration, its robot design is everything a mech fan could wish for, and it even has an outstanding storyline. For fans of the series, some elements might feel lacking or different, but there is no doubt that this is the pinnacle of robot action.

Oatchi – a cute dog that learns new abilities throughout the game – was all that the Pikmin series needed to become more approachable. The series’ wide array of gameplay elements are implemented in the story, and some of them are tough enough to make even fans of the series feel challenged. Pikmin 4 is a great game that can satisfy both fans and newcomers alike.

Remnant II is a TPS that combines Souls-like hard boss fights with treasure hunting that allows the player to create new builds. The campaign's randomly generated stages and extraordinary amount of secrets greatly enhance the fun of the treasure hunting element.

Using the PSP version as its base, Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a remake close to perfection. While the visuals might not be of the highest quality, combat and story will satisfy both fans and newcomers alike.