Echoes of Wisdom feels like a top-down take on Tears of the Kingdom's core building concept. It's one of the most inventive titles I've played all year and I've had a blast with it so far, despite its rampant technical issues. Creating Echoes and watching them do your bidding as Zelda is just as compelling as slashing away at foes directly as Link. But I can't help but wish the game ran smoother and was locked to 30fps; hopefully Nintendo releases an update at some point.

I’m a firm believer in there being too much of a good thing. So in my first few hours of Astro Bot, I kept thinking, “Can this really be sustained through to the credits without losing its charm?” The answer is a bonafide yes. The reason is nothing ever felt half-baked. Team Asobi brought so much creativity and thoughtfulness to their game, that you can’t help but want to spend more time playing. From the intricate ways, Astro Bot pays its respect to the nearly 30-year-old brand to the music. There wasn’t a minute across my 12-hour playthrough to gain the Platinum Trophy that I wasn’t smiling, humming, or laughing.

As disenchanted as I was with both the source material and general output of publisher Ubisoft, Developer Massive has convinced me that there is still magic to be found in a galaxy far, far away. By unleashing itself from the restrictive canon and need to reference the core trilogy at every turn, Outlaws is afforded the freedom to tell a story at a more relatable scale. Combat pulls its weight thanks to the solid feel of your main blaster, and each additional layer you add on top opens up more ways to turn each encounter into a sandbox. You may just have to suffer through a few early stealth sections before you get there.

If you were hoping for a more approachable and interactive dive into the classic story of Journey to the West, Black Myth: Wukong will make you work for it. The few cutscenes bookending each chapter are fantastic, but too much of the lore and mythology is relegated to long text dumps in the menu. The game is punching far above its weight in visuals and boss variety, so anyone looking for a meaty quest that cuts the fat between visually spectacular boss battles will be more than satisfied. Just be willing to be patient as Black Myth: Wukong finds its pacing.

Cat Quest 3 wastes no time letting you board your ship and set sail on a lighthearted pirate adventure. Despite being mostly water, the world here is packed to the brim with charm and vigor. If it weren't for a forgettable main story and reused dungeon designs, this might've been the perfect answer for the current trend of RPG bloat. Even with those flaws, Cat Quest 3 kept me smiling through my entire playthrough. That's not something many games have done.

If you've played these titles before and think a competitive twist on them might be appealing, there's a lot to like about Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, despite the game's lack of content.

EA brought back Ben Haumiller who worked on the original NCAA series for a decade. To help build the game, they hired a team of guys who helped create NCAA Revamped, a modded-out version of NCAA Football 2014 that helped to keep the aging game alive. They worked with 134 teams to get every important facet of college football programs into the new game, including rebuilding every stadium for the new game. And they nailed every single detail.

Animal Well is a must-play if there has ever been one. The game should offer a great experience for fans of the Metroidvania genre and total newcomers to the genre alike. While it has many of the familiar trappings that have made the genre stick around for so long, it also adds something interesting and new with its setting and game mechanics.

Senua's Saga is a thoughtful and honest portrayal of living with psychosis. It highlights the good and the bad without talking down to the audience or miscasting mental health as something that needs to be "fixed." The narrative is no longer than it needs to be but is broken up by puzzles that don't challenge the player or reveal more about the character. Combat, while initially striking in its brutality, never evolves and cannot remain impactful for the entire duration. This is a game with a message I believe everyone could benefit from experiencing, but the path through it is not as smooth as it could be.

I can't say I came away from my time with Tales of Kenzera: Zau disappointed. There were many moments where I was given some genuinely interesting and touching perspectives on death and grief that will stick with me. Even as someone completely foreign to Bantu culture, and the exact loss that is being explored, there are universal truths and lessons that are delivered in a way only games allow.

Calling Snow Day a rehash of its predecessors wouldn't be fair. In fact, that would be a compliment. While the last game had enough content to keep players engaged for 20-30 hours, you can plow through South Park: Snow Day in less than five hours. Since Snow Day is less expensive, it's fair to expect less content. However, it's also fair to expect some effort, and it pains me to say that Snow Day feels like a cold-hearted cash grab.

If you weren’t a fan of WWE 2K23, probably not enough has changed to win you over. If you thought WWE 2K23 was already perfect, the minor additions in 2K24 might not be enough to warrant the cost of a new wrestling game this year.

The combat is brutal and amazing to master, but it's bogged down by excessive loot requiring you to be locked into menus for far too long. The setting is interesting and genuinely fun to learn about and explore, but your character's involvement feels almost secondary. It's like a fast-food meal. You'll enjoy the experience while engaging with it, but won't think back on it afterward or get any real nourishment from it.

What sets Showtime apart is that each level almost feels like its own game.

If you dive into Dragon's Dogma 2 and accept its quirks, you'll discover an experience unlike anything else on the market.

I'm blown away by the feel of the game and just how much fun it is to play online by myself and with my brothers. The leveling up system, replayability, variety of the missions, and the story have made it worth dusting off my DualSense controller.

Palworld is honestly a refreshing experience for older Pokémon fans who've long wished that The Pokémon Company would experiment with different types of games. The survival and crafting elements may also interest other gamers who've never played Pokémon before. [Early Access Score = 80]

Super Mario RPG is a really direct and loving update of an old classic - with lovely battles and some really funny little twists. It's not exactly a deep story, of course, but there's a reason it still has so many fans. This is now the best way to play it.

Modern Warfare 3 is a major disappointment in many ways, although its core gameplay is still rock solid. Its campaign is a mess, and multiplayer feels as iterative as ever, so a fun and new Zombies mode is all that really holds it together.

Alan Wake 2 presents a thrilling narrative journey, experienced through two different characters' perspectives and with some wild moments to get through. It looks simply jaw-dropping, even if its combat isn't necessarily the best.

Wonder is a beautiful thing, a game that totally and confidently carries off its new ideas, while remaining immediately and clearly faithful to its heritage. It's a must-play for Mario fans and Switch owners.

Spider-Man 2 is a joy to play, even if it doesn't break that much new ground in gameplay terms. It's just so polished, and tells its heartfelt tale nicely, punctuated by incredibly impressive set pieces that ooze with detail.

Mirage is an accessible throwback to when Assassin's Creed games didn't demand 100-hour commitments, and it's a brisk fun adventure, too. Its story didn't blow us away, but its gameplay loop is simple and satisfying.

Forza Motorsport is terrific, an enviable sim racer that looks and sounds incredibly impressive and has loads of cars to master. It has some foibles but there's real depth to be explored here, and its time-of-day wizardry is a superb asset.

FC 24 is a decent step forward for the franchise, but is also yet another missed opportunity to actually make substantial technical leaps. If you're a longtime FIFA player, it's more of the same with some welcome tweaks.

Mortal Kombat 1 is a brilliant time, albeit one that might not quite have the staying power it could have, thanks to thinner modes than you'd expect. Its story is a barrel of fun, though, and it looks about as good as any fighting game I've played, so fans of the series should absolutely pick it up.

Motorfest is an odd beast - in some ways one-upping Forza Horizon 5, but in others cribbing from its notes a little too shamelessly. It's a great time, though, and its Playlists feel like a smart way to package up this sort of all-action driving game.

A simply huge game, Starfield is wonderful at times but also confoundingly awkward and janky. Its storylines are brilliant, and its characters memorable, but there are gameplay frustrations that linger.If you want a massive set of worlds to explore and sink into, though, it's still a cracking choice.