With the additional playtime, Age of Wonders IV still impressed me even though I am concerned about the AI. The other issues I have brought up are all easily fixed over time, if not on day one. Between the customization options, atmosphere, and Pantheon system, Paradox Interactive and developer Triumph Studios have a great start to the next entry in the Age of Wonders series. I can’t wait to see how they expand the spells and Pantheon systems further, for fans of fantasy 4x strategy games, Age of Wonders IV is worth checking out if you want to evoke that old feeling of needing to take just one more turn.

For those who prioritize combat, you may be left frustrated. But I prioritize a beautiful world, wonderful music, magnificent platforming, and phenomenal tech. And on those grounds alone, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a triumph, an utterly brilliant experience. And when each of those parts are this good, this lovingly crafted, this polished, it’s incredibly difficult to ignore. Ember Lab have created something truly special. This is a gem. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the best game I’ve played all year. And you should play it.

Octopath Traveler II is simply a better version of the original. It expands upon what made the first game great while shoring up its weaknesses. That being said, if you didn’t like Octopath Traveler then the formula is similar enough that you probably won’t like the sequel either. This is an excellent take on the classic 2D JRPG and fans of the genre won’t be let down.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is an excellent game. There are few cyberpunk RPGs available, and none that offer such freeform stealth, and because of that it almost always feels novel. Though the game did suffer some issues with stuttering over time and the rare, brief audio drop out in dialogue, those issues couldn’t hold a candle to the sublime experience of immersing myself into that world. With numerous ways to complete every mission and two rich and satisfying secondary modes, it’s a game that begs to be returned to. In fact, I’ll do just that.

When Morrowind was released last year, it was what I’d call Peak ESO. Now that Summerset is here, it’s raised that bar even more. Where Zenimax takes the game next is anyone’s guess, but I know I’ll be there to find out.

Dragon Quest Builders provides a lot of the freedom of Minecraft but does guide you enough that you'll never feel like you don't have something important to do even if all you want to do is build and that's okay. You can choose to do that too.

My biggest wish is for more of this game, a sequel or some DLC, because I want to see this world continued, and I want to play the combat until my thumbs bleed. I’m disappointed in its short play-length, but it can’t be said enough that Transistor is a beautiful and unique RPG that every gamer should play. I can hardly wait to see what Supergiant will come up with next.

I ultimately did enjoy my time with Stray. I spent about eight hours total with the game--though the last hour and a half of that was backtracking for things I'd missed--and while I have a lot of questions about what exactly happened here, I am happy with the end result. The tale of Orange Catsidy and the world they lived in continued to unravel in my mind long after I'd found everything, piling up new questions that I hoped are explored in whatever future content BlueTwelve has planned. It's not going to unseat some of the bigger titles of the year, but as a fun and unique experience Stray is the cat's meow.

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a game I keep going back to. Even after finishing the main quest I want to keep playing and exploring the world of Yakuza. It also inspired me to get into the larger series, and as a result I just installed Yakuza 0 to start playing.

While I wish the world was more open and geared for exploration I am happy with what Square has given us. I can see myself eclipsing the amount of time I spent in Telara jaunting around Eorzea on my trek to level every job, catch every fish, and become a master at every craft. Square has proudly shaken off the ragged cloak of embarrassment that Final Fantasy XIV 1.0 draped over this storied franchise, and with A Realm Reborn has revealed the finest MMO to be released this year and has truly crafted a game worthy of the title Final Fantasy.

I’m officially a fan, and having Destiny 2 on PC is exactly what I’d hoped for all along.

Triangle Strategy focuses on delivering a deep story with an emphasis on player choices and dealing with the consequences of those choices. The amount of narrative between battles might be too much for some players, however, it’s also what makes the game stand out. The combat and class systems are relatively straightforward but rewarding in their own right. Finally, with four different endings and multiple different paths throughout, Triangle Strategy will make you keep coming back for more.

Ultimately, Starfield is one of the best space-based RPGs ever made, one where hours fly by in minutes, and one where the only hard limit is your imagination.

What Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion accomplishes is something few other remasters or remakes get right: it revives the original core experience – pun intended – of the original Crisis Core release and places it on modern consoles with modern upgrades. The combat system is more refined and responsive, the visual upgrades are serviceable if not as extreme as some may hope, and the storyline is virtually unchanged – for better or worse. That said, there were some areas that Square Enix could have made some adjustments and didn't, meaning we all have to sit through ghastly lines of dialogue that were awkward the first time around, let alone now. That's not enough to completely dull the effort, however, as Crisis Core is one of the best remasters available today.

If you were already a fan of Life is Strange, then Haven Springs is absolutely worth a visit. True Colors doesn’t introduce much new, but it continues the series' strongest points in a powerful new story that’s sure to have you chasing it down until the very end. And while the PlayStation 5 performance left a lot to be desired, it didn’t discount the experience enough to stop me from playing. Alex Chen will have a place in my heart for a good while.

If you own a PS4 don’t discount the fun and gameplay variety that can be gained by playing this free-to-play action game. For PC owners, gameplay with a PS4 controller seems looser and livelier compared to a mouse and keyboard. Don’t let the Marvel lore scare you away. I know several people that went in knowing just the basics and they still end up having a great time. Minimally, this PS4 version is a “must try”. Excelsior!

V Rising has many elements that keep things fun, engaging, and easy to get lost in for literal days at a time. The full launch might bring a lot of old players back, as it brings new content and massive amounts of new crafting tables, bosses, features I won’t mention for the sake of spoilers, and just better quality-of-life features than the early access version.

If you’re a fan of Metroidvania games, or indie games in general, you should definitely check out Valdis Story. With multiple playable characters, an interesting world to explore, and engaging gameplay, there are few reasons not to give this gem a chance. It may not do everything perfectly and it doesn’t tread much new ground, but it delivers a great experience wrapped up inside of a beautiful package for a cheap price. Bust out your PC game pad and take Wyatt on his adventure in the Abyssal City.

We’ve had Breath of the Wild, we got Skyrim, and Disgaea 5, but for many JRPG fans, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will be the first really exciting release on the Switch. And I’m here to say that it’s been worth the wait for the follow up to the Wii’s original classic.

Obviously, Shadowlands isn't perfect. There are some balancing and tweaking which need to be done and will continue throughout the expansion. However, this is an expansion where I can honestly say the core systems feel solid.[...] Blizzard has struck an outstanding balance between giving us plenty to do and respecting the fact not everyone can play 24/7. I'm currently at a point where when I have free time, I want to log in and do things instead of feeling like I have to for x, y, or z reason. It's a great feeling.

While I could see some minor tuning that may still need to be done for balance in the near future, the Chaos Dwarf faction feels great once the ball gets rolling. Creative Assembly nailed the vibe of being an evil dwarf and shook up the typical gameplay that comes to mind when I think of Dwarfs. I can’t wait to jump back in and set the Total War Warhammer III world on fire again with enchanted burning metal and chaos magic.

With the Fifth Crusade, Owlcat Games has unsuccessfully attempted to create an expansive and immersive world. The overworld army combat and city building are merely copies of systems that are done better in other games, and it all ultimately ends up being a bunch of time-consuming rigamarole that destroys the pacing of the core RPG experience. Sometimes less is more.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a lot of character and base building built into a unique deck building Strategy RPG. There are some story pieces that just aren’t entirely enthralling, and you may find the exploration to be lacking. What Midnight Suns does happen to do exceptionally well, is provide a purely satisfying strategy game, once you wade through all of the monotonous upgrades to get you to the combat. With plenty of characters to unlock, and multiple difficulty levels to amp up the strategy required, this is one of the best Marvel games to release in years. The best part is, whether you’re a Marvel fan, or you’re just a strategy buff, Midnight Suns delivers. Do not make the mistake of passing on this one.

By itself, Resident Evil Village is a fantastic addition to the survival-horror genre and focuses more on empowering the player rather than cheap horror elements. As part of the series, Village lacks in the story department and seems like it tries to cast too wide of a net to appeal to a greater audience rather than catering to the hardcore fans. Diehard ResE fans might be disappointed at the lack of lore in Village, but casual fans won’t feel like they need to have played every prior entry in order to have a good time. Ultimately, I’d recommend Resident Evil Village to anyone that loved Resident Evil 4 or who felt like Resident Evil 7 was too horror-focused.

For the many players who enjoy ESO, sticking to the mold is not necessarily a bad thing. I enjoy the story and lore every year that is added to an already huge amount of content, even in the years when it is a bit lackluster. But “painting by the numbers” does limit how excited one can get for the new content. Thankfully, this year the Chapter’s storyline conclusion does hint at more interesting events to come. All the typical features a new ESO Chapter brings are present and well executed. Add in the new Arcanist class that is really fun to play, and you have a solid addition to the game.

Ultimately, I’ve had a blast with Chivalry 2. It improves upon every single aspect of the original game, and feels more stable and polished than Chivalry ever did. There is some jankiness to the game (I’m not sure if the aforementioned self-catapulting is actually supposed to be an option), but it doesn’t take away from the fantastic combat. Getting a kill never gets old, battles are unpredictable and memorable, and there are seemingly endless ways to take down your foes.

The easy-to-learn combat system and temporary nature of characters make the game a blast to sit down and play for a few minutes, while more hardcore gamers will enjoy the challenge of survival while trying to hunt down the biggest monsters to find the best gear, and eventually top the leaderboards. While the lag in the game can be a problem at times, adventuring with smaller parties seems to alleviate most of it, and the developers are always working to improve the game. Furthermore, the combination of several popular styles of games into a single MMO makes for a fun, new, and most certainly refreshing experience. Realm of the Mad God is certainly a game worth taking the time to experience.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a heavy experience. Lara has grown up over the last few years and we have had a chance to watch her mature. Some may not like the person she has grown into but she is definitely not the victim she once was when she fell off the boat. Shadow deals with dark subjects but does a nice job of interspersing some scenes to try and lighten the mood, a favorite of mine involves a young Lara in Stark Manor. For those that don’t like the turn the story has taken the gameplay is still fantastic. The exploration is as good as it has ever been and the Tombs feel even more rewarding than they ever have. If you’ve enjoyed the first two Tomb Raiders there is even more to like in Shadow.