Solasta: Crown of the Magister has a few notable problems, and it starts to stumble the closer you get to the finish line. However, it still manages to offer an engaging and highly customizable experience that will keep you entertained for many hours.

Blasphemous might be derivative, but it's one of the best, if not the best Metroid-like I've played this year. Not only is it downright gorgeous, but the gameplay is uniformly excellent and hunting for its many secrets make it a puzzle well worth exploring.

As far as games in the series go, One Piece Odyssey is one of the best if you don't mind the narrative issues. I wasn't expecting it, but it ticks all the boxes that a solid JRPG needs.

Back 4 Blood is another great multiplayer zombie game, but some serious balance issues force it to stumble out of the gate.

Darksiders Genesis may be a new look for the series, but it doesn't sacrifice the glorious chaos fans have come to love. Gorgeous visuals, weighty combat, and a surprising amount of replayability make Darksiders Genesis something everyone can enjoy.

Stirring, artistic, and emotionally resonant, Genesis Noir is quite a unique experience. The puzzles can be tedious, but the game makes up for it with gorgeous art direction and sterling creativity.

There is a noticeable emphasis on the narrative. Although Shadow of the Tomb Raider modifies what we've grown accustomed to within the franchise, the change of pace is welcomed. You'll find pockets of open-world to explore, with tons of side-quests and interactions with NPCs. Don't expect guns-a-blazin', but do expect getting more than you bargained for from this Tomb Raider experience.

A Fold Apart is short and pricey, for sure, but the few hours it offers are an arresting blend of devious puzzling and heart-rending storytelling. Infinitely more so if you've been in a long-distance relationship.

Olija is a unique, intriguing adventure that brings players to a strange land. It isn't long but its length is enough. The visuals and atmosphere are first-rate, as are the combat and level design. All of that makes it an easy game to recommend.

Phenomenal controls and addictive gameplay are the crux of Aeon Drive. This is a very good speedrunning game that I wish did more to draw in a certain crowd, but it'll please the devoted all the same.

Persona 5 Tactica seamlessly blends the SRPG genre with Persona 5. With combat mechanics that elevate the game and a story that ramps up to be enrapturing and heart-wrenching, Persona 5 Tactica is easily my favorite Persona spin-off, and I hope Atlus makes more SRPGs with this style of gameplay.

Captivating and highly entertaining despite how limited and aggravating the combat can be, Ghostwire: Tokyo is stays appealing thanks to its strong open world and dedication to spirit exorcism.

With a strong narrative and exceptional investigation mechanics, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One manages to one-up its predecessors. Sadly, it also doesn't reach its full potential, though we can hope that future titles are more in-depth.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord comes back with improvements to everything we liked about the previous games and some new systems as well. However, it's not a perfectly polished game, so you'll have to navigate a few edges on your path to restore/destroy the Empire.

Featuring a wonderful cast of characters with their own unique perks and capabilities, as well as the extremely fun Breach Mode, XCOM: Chimera Squad is a brilliant spinoff that provides a refreshing take on a classic franchise's long-standing formula.

World of Horror gets its art direction and gameplay mechanics right. But it comes with a learning curve, and can eventually feel stale after doing the same mysteries multiple times.

For all the problems I've outlined, I haven't enjoyed an AGS adventure this much in quite some time. The end might not satisfy, but the journey is a hell of a ride.

The Resident Evil 3 remake manages to take the core elements from the original and make them new again. The RE Engine also provides the right platform for extremely detailed facial animations and environments. Although this remake might run a rather linear course, don't let that deter you from jumping into this punchy, solid, action title that's extremely well-paced from start to finish. This is yet another example of Capcom taking an already great property and somehow making something new out of it while still respecting its own source material.

This is far from a bad game, but it’s too generic to stick out for its presentation and too annoying to let its gameplay do the talking. If you just want a short beat ’em up to play with a friend, then there’s some amusement to be had here. But this is far from the best beat ’em up you can buy on PC.

While Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock has its share of minor problems, they don’t significantly detract from some engaging tactical encounters within a universe of familiar sights, sounds, and Cylons.

Star Wars Outlaws does a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong, resulting in a gorgeously realized galaxy that feels simultaneously dated and innovative.

Relic reinvent Dawn of War once again, retaining many RTS staples and borrowing a little from their MOBA genre-cousins. It’s not a flawless mix, and the multiplayer contents are a bit lean; but distinctive factions, a solid campaign, and largely compatible mechanics give Dawn of War 3 a strong base of operations.

Hard West 2 has some refreshing ideas to consider, such as perks based on your deck of cards, and consistently refreshing action points by way of kills. Unfortunately, its over-reliance on a puzzle-like, kill-all-in-one-round concept also leads to a repetitive and tedious romp as time wears on.

Warriors Orochi 4 performed admirably well in our benchmark test, and it seems Koei Tecmo have learned from lessons past. The magic system and seamless transitions between attacks make for a freshly dynamic gameplay experience. However, as with all Warriors games, it can get repetitive after a while. The visuals and effects are beautiful, but a gigantic cast, lousy officer AI pathing, and tacked on mechanics make it bloated at the same time.

While Sovereign Syndicate offered a rich world with colorful characters and an enticing story, I left it feeling like there was more to see. Luckily, its unique Tarot system and detailed dialogue kept me intrigued.

Deck Nine have finished off Life is Strange in sterling fashion. Saying farewell to Arcadia Bay with Before the Storm is sad, but the best farewells usually are.

A mid-season episode which keeps the narrative wheels turning, steps up the action in places, and (at last) gives the Ironrath Forresters some brief moments of triumph.

Backpack Hero offers some neat adventures worth experiencing, but you'll have to grapple with a persistently irritating interface and other rough edges to find them all.