Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s turn-based battle system has a serious lack of depth and pacing issues so crucial that it’s dangerously close to simply falling apart. However, RPG-like elements such as a wide array of equipable items, charisma parameters and interesting job classes do create a customizability that is new to the series. In addition, bizarre side quests and well-crafted mini games make this an experience that is still unmistakably Yakuza. The story of new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga and his friends is simply one of the best in the series, and the communication between those characters is a breath of fresh air. While Yakuza 7 is pretty much a disastrous RPG in terms of its battle system, everything else is nothing short of amazing, which makes it a hard game to score.

The HD-2D edition of Dragon Quest I & II is a masterful package that builds on the recent similar version of Dragon Quest III, overcoming that game's shortcomings while clearly positioning itself as a “sequel” to III. In particular, Dragon Quest I reconstructs the original game's exploration, combat and story with impressive quality. Dragon Quest II still has issues in areas like exploration and storytelling, but overall it shows a deep understanding of – and strong respect for – the original versions, making it a memorable remake.

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.

Soulcalibur VI is a fun and robust fighting game. More user-friendly tutorials would have made the game even more accessible, but with a wide variety of online modes and a deep character creator, this is already a fighting game anyone can pick up and have a great time with.

With beautiful visuals and new scenes in its story, this remake successfully translates the original’s charm and storytelling that allows the player to imagine the world and story in their own way. However, the essence of this adventure is diluted by the many modern quality of life improvements, resulting in a remake that takes a direction that can be questionable for fans of the original.

If you enjoyed the original game, you will have a lot of fun with Snipperclips Plus - Cut it out, together! It doesn't go beyond expectations, but succeeds in delivering that same type of pure joy that made Snipperclips great in the first place.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel’s story and gameplay are built around the bond between children, and teach the preciousness of life. The tutorial is well done, and the simple yet tactical battle system is fun to play. It’s too bad that the controls and UI make the game harder to play than it should be.

Hogwarts Legacy is a detailed open world game focused around magic. It completely fulfills the dream of enrolling in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While the game has its fair share of problems in terms of UI and performance, it isn’t just for Harry Potter fans: Its casual nature also makes it a great game for newcomers to open world games.

ElecHead is a wonderfully crafted action puzzle game that reminds us that simple can still be best. It features a wide variety of gimmicks, some of which are masterfully designed to outwit the player.

Resident Evil Village is a game of unquestionably high quality, but sometimes its parts do not fit together. It’s hard to tell whether the developers were aiming for a terrifying horror game or an action-packed shooting experience: There are elements of both, along with the story, the new game plus systems and the inclusion of The Mercenaries, and sometimes these various elements do not work in harmony with each other. Village is a great game that you can enjoy with confidence, but with a little more synergy it could have been even better.

Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon is not a bad game by any means, and those that skipped on Sun and Moon should definitely give it a try. However, it doesn’t have anything ultra surprising in store for its players.

Patrick’s Parabox shakes up the traditional formula of Sokoban (box pushing) puzzle games by implementing boxes within boxes. The moment you realize the box you are pushing is a stage in itself is something truly magical that adds new depth to the genre. The visuals, polish and difficulty balance make this one of the best games in the genre to date. A must-buy for any puzzle gamer.

From graphics to game design, music and general playfeel, everything in NeverAwake is of surprisingly high quality. It reminded us of why we love shmups. Nearing the end of the game, the difficulty spikes and can feel a bit unfair, but that can also be seen as a part of the game’s identity as a shmup.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins brings the series’ concept of beating up hordes of enemies to a new level due to more varied and better-paced gameplay. While the way characters interact with each other and the protagonist’s own story can feel a bit awkward, experiencing China’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms period as a nameless warrior is extremely satisfying.

As a successor of Her Story, Telling Lies succeeds in delivering a deep and varied story with what is essentially the same system. However, whether that story is full of surprises or not, depends hugely on the player’s reasoning powers.

Gris is a 2D adventure game that has the player travel through a beautiful world at a relaxing pace. There is an impactful scene waiting for you near the climax, but after that the experience loses its power and delicateness, making the ending feel like a wasted opportunity.

Super Mario RPG is a great remake that manages to keep what made the original so memorable intact while refining it as well. Not only are the visuals and sound greatly improved, but the tweaked battle system makes it genuinely more fun to play. That being said, this is still fundamentally the same game, and Super Mario RPG does show its age at times.

At launch, Black Ops 4 is a great package to go and have fun with, but it’s hard to say how it will play out in the long term. It might become a 7 or a 9, or maybe even something higher or lower than that.

While flaws such as repetitive side quests and an often-annoying navigation system can sometimes drag the experience down a little, epic sword fights, beautiful locations, amazing discoveries and a deep Bushido story make Ghost of Tsushima a unique open-world adventure.

This Taiwanese indie title is so much more than just another horror game. It takes on ambitious themes in a rich point and click adventure.The creepy artwork and soundtrack will feel divine and beautiful once you reach the end of the game.

Astro’s Playroom is an exciting 3D platformer full of surprise and wonder. While its task of introducing the PS5 controller’s new features can sometimes be a double-edged sword, full-fledged implementation of the DualSense’s haptic feedback creates a next-gen experience only possible on the PS5. The game design of adding new ideas for each level, iterating on them, and then switching them for something completely different is reminiscent of Nintendo’s design philosophy, and Astro does it just as well as Mario. At the same time, Astro’s adventure through the history of PlayStation is a journey only Sony can deliver.

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a blend between motor racing and gun action that feels somewhat similar to the Trials series. While the exploration elements don’t quite hit, shooting at enemies while riding a bike feels fresh and satisfying. Elements besides the gameplay, such as a melancholic soundtrack, are also well executed, and the story that depicts the relationship between Laika and her daughter feels novel in an action game like this.

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.

With an utterly simple control scheme, One Finger Death Punch 2 still manages to create a sense of player improvement. One Death Finger Punch was the king of two-button action games, and the sequel is here to inherit the throne. From better UI to new effects and tuned modes, One Finger Death Punch 2 is made just a little bit better on every single aspect. While it lacks new additions, it more than makes up for this by majorly polishing what was already there.

If anything, the amazing story of the original Nier has only become more valuable today than it already was back in the day. While many elements have received a significant update, some remain the same, but the story more than makes up for it.

Stray doesn’t just deliver on the promise of traversing a detailed cyberpunk city as a cat, it’s also an exciting and varied experience packed with memorable characters and rewarding exploration. While the story itself might not be super special, the city and its characters will stay with you for a long time.

For a story-driven game, there are just too many inconsistencies in its story. Yet despite this, Yakuza 6 comes with undeniable charm.

Octopath Traveler modernizes the golden formula of Square’s RPGs from the SNES era, and by doing so delivers a traditional yet fresh JRPG.