If you liked Mario Kart 8, you’re likely to like Mario Kart World, and I can enthusiastically encourage you to try it if you’re on the fence. There are many kart racers on the market today, but there is a good reason why only Mario Kart has stood the test of time for over 30 years.

Expeditions: Viking is the rare RPG that eschews the fantastic and is better for it. Despite the small team behind it, there is a level of depth here that AAA studios should take notice of. The only downside is a tendency to spike the difficulty with no warning and a propensity for crashing that abruptly ended my adventure three separate times. Despite these issues, Expeditions: Viking is an RPG you won’t want to miss. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have villages to pillage.

If you’re a roguelike fan, Inkbound will surely scratch your itch for dozens of hours, and I expected nothing less from the creators of Monster Train. I am disappointed that we didn’t see new Aspects release in 1.0, especially with two very obvious slots open and waiting. Releasing a polished game built on the back of the previous release was the smart move, but the team teased new Aspects way back in 2023, so that still leaves a lot to look forward to. Despite the genre expanding exponentially over the past several years, roguelike fans can’t sleep on this one, so if you're itching for a new roguelike to steal your time, grab your Kwill and dive into your next story with Inkbound.

Hob is a fantastic game and just be on a play list for anyone who enjoys puzzle platformers and wouldn’t mind some light RPG elements thrown in. The story is told organically and beautifully through gameplay and has some of the best sound design I’ve seen in a game.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 has a funny magnetism that I haven’t experienced in a long time. It’s not a game that I felt pressured to make progress in or play, because I enjoyed every second. For me, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a fantastic standalone game since I had no prior experience with the series. I think it says a lot for a game to be able to hold its own without relying on nostalgia of previous titles, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 can definitely stand on its own two feet.

The Outer Worlds Murder On Eridanos is my favorite story in the Outer Worlds. Obsidian did a great job at presenting this murder mystery and created an experience I wanted to explore and adventure in. A bit too much hand holding lead to a few moments of mild irritation and a lack of any new combat mechanics feels like a bit of a missed opportunity. Overall, though, it was a great experience and one I would recommend if you’re a fan of Outer Worlds. The DLC drops today(as of the time of publication) on Steam so head on over there to check it out.

Creative Assembly has done a great job with the final entry in the series. I am really enjoying Total War: Warhammer III, but it may not be for everyone since specific mechanics, like the spawning chaos gates, could become tedious for some players as the campaign progresses. The story could also not resonate with some players. I personally have enjoyed the prologue and campaigns, but I could see it missing the mark depending on how interested someone is in the daemons and the Choas Gods. The game does have some technical problems, and I am a touch disappointed with parts of the enemy AI. But the single-player story, new features, and solid multiplayer offerings are top-notch. If you are a fan of the previous games or this genre, this is a must-play title.

All in all, The War Within has been a banger of an expansion so far. The storytelling feels well done and has been paying off on moments that have been building for years. The dungeon and raiding scene is off and running and fun so far. Lastly, delves have a solid foundation that needs to be tweaked to make them the jewel they can be. I had thought it would be an impossible task to surpass Dragonflight, but The War Within may end up doing that.

Despite performance issues throughout my gameplay, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor meaningfully improves on many of the gameplay issues from the previous title. From a more rewarding cosmetic system to side quests that give more meaning to exploring the beautifully rendered and realized worlds, it was a joy to explore the galaxy as Cal once more. Add on the much-improved combat system that fuels the Jedi fantasy beautifully and the touchingly emotional storytelling and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a triumph.

Small quibbles aside, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the best Call of Duty game we’ve had in years. It’s far from a wholesale reinvention but the shift toward more realistic, strategic, and grounded play leads to an experience that feels fresh and familiar at the same time. If, like me, you’ve been off the Call of Duty bandwagon, you owe it to yourself to hop back on and give it a try.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 checks all the boxes for a satisfying, grim dark 40k shooter. Despite the lackluster state of PvP, I can’t help but recommend this to any fans of Warhammer 40,000, or third-person shooters in general, as the PvE campaign is phenomenal.

Parents of younger kids and tweens will definitely want to check out Wizard101 if they haven't already. It's a wonderful game to use to introduce kids into the wider world of MMOs. And while Mom and Dad are at it, they should also call Grandma and Grandpa to get them started too. Wizard101 is that good and that fun for players of all ages. For this particular niche, the family-oriented, cross-generational gamer, there is no better game on the market today than Wizard101.

I’ve enjoyed playing Diablo 2 Resurrected and getting to experience the story in a visually updated way. The tweaks they made to get everything working on the console also helped a lot as it gave me far more flexibility in what abilities I had at my disposal. D2R is ideal for anyone who likes dungeon crawlers and doesn’t want everything to be explained or to be told where to go all of the time.

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.

At times, the game is nearly unplayable, and more than once, I’ve either crashed or watched a teammate crash at the final Drop Pod, or during a story cinematic. Still, Outriders manages to entertain far more than it frustrates. If you were like me, scoffing at the demo, thinking that there was nothing more in this shallow looter-shooter, it’s time to think again. If you’re looking for a challenge, and you don’t mind the interstellar flight to Enoch to find it, Outriders is the game for you.

Bugsnax’s weird and wild adventure is a delight, introducing me to a new society and really letting me learn what makes these characters tick. Catching Bugsnax is fun and rewarding, albeit frustrating at times as well, and with 100 species available there’s plenty to find. Inconsistent difficulty levels and too heavy of a focus on experimentation soured me a bit, but those areas can’t ruin a game that succeeds everywhere else. Give this a shot and I bet you’ll be talkin’ ‘bout Bugsnax for months to come.

I loved my time with Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Even though the game hated me and was out to get me, by persevering through the roughest patches toward the start, I felt like I'd earned the later moments and all of the fun story beats within. [...] Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is not always fun, but man is it always great.

It’s not perfect – again Divine Will could play more of an in-your-face role, especially considering how prevalent the societies of the day saw the Gods and their influence on everything. And while the new multiple resource economy makes for more strategic diplomacy, it can also show some of the cracks in the simulation when you’re constantly being badgered for resources for nothing in return. However, A Total War Saga: TROY deserves to be listed among the best strategy experiences in the last few years, and one I’ll find myself returning to over and over again.

Bottom line, the game might be a bit easy for die-hard action RPGers but that makes it an exceptional choice for younger gamers. Dragon Quest enthusiasts will find a spin-off here that is a nice nod to the Dragon Quest series as the references to other Dragon Quest games are abundant! There are also many features that should keep you busy for a while. Highly recommended, especially to any Dragon Quest fan!

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.

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!

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.

At the end of the day, you’re going to have to decide for yourself if EA’s business practices with Star Wars: Battlefront II are something you can live with. If you can, you’ll likely find that Star Wars: Battlefront II is every bit the Star Wars game you’ve been looking for.

Legend of Zelda - Link’s Awakening is great remake of the classic. Beautiful visuals, updated controls and an added Dungeon builder all breath new life into the title. Despite some frame rate issues, the game is a blast to play through and worth picking up not only if you love Zelda but also for those looking for an easy point of entry into the franchise.

The essential point, if you’re a South Park fan then you need this game. Nowhere else does a game like this one makes you, the player, the star in an episode of the popular South Park TV show.

Trials of Mana is a fantastic remake of an Action RPG that tragically never came to the West until recently. It is evident that great care has been taken to create an experience as close to the original as possible, although liberties to improve upon the story should have been taken on. Even the legendary soundtrack was beautifully remade with full orchestration, and Trials allows for either the remake or classic 16bit soundtrack to play via the options. Although the combat may get repetitive and boss battles are rarely challenging, Trials has a ton of charm and fun that is easily accessible for new players and old fans alike. For the amount of gameplay offered – especially in terms of replay-ability if you want to see everything – there are few JRPGs that are as enjoyable to play as Trials of Mana was.

Is MapleStory 2 worth getting into right now? Yes, it is. There is an awesome event going on, Mapleoply, where you play a version of monopoly that has various rewards on the board. One being "Roto Air Taxi" walkies that allow you to take a free helicopter ride to any map. No better time than now at the launch of an MMO to just level and have fun then when there are a bunch of people around to do dungeons with. If you can find a class you enjoy playing or something you enjoy doing give it a try for that.

Storm Legion is arguably the best expansion to come out in 2012 for any MMO. If you have not already played Rift now is a great time to give it a try. With the introduction of Dimensions Trion has set Rift up to have a lot of interesting and unique player created content to supplement Trion's internal development cycle.