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.

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

WWE 2K23 takes the huge improvements made with last year's game and adds all manner of polish and tweaks. The game modes are each enhanced, while superstar and custom wrestler models look better than they ever have before. You won't find as many changes in the ring itself, but the sheer amount of content and the addition of the WarGames match should prove more than enough for fans.

Whether you see it as a survival game, shooter, puzzler or roguelike, Scars Above is clever, polished, challenging and fun.

Octopath Traveler 2 offers up another impressive, if safe adventure, with loads of twists to uncover. It looks and sounds absolutely ravishing, and the battle system is as impressive as ever.

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.

Pikmin 4 is a lovely slice of zen management, giving you a frantic gang of little guys to corral and a host of moreish hubs to explore while you do so. Its extra modes are welcome, even if none of it feels radically new.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The $59.99 price tag is noticeably steep for what's unquestionably a fresh coat of paint on an already modern cinematic game.

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.

Immortals of Aveum is a first-person shooter at its core, but it swaps out traditional guns and phasers for magic powers. It has deep lore and interesting characters that go along with the fun gameplay.

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.

This cutesy platformer is ideal if you have kids you want to play with, and excels at couch co-op. For solo gamers in an older bracket, we're not sure it's got enough zip.

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.

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

Forspoken feels like an interesting blend of gameplay elements from Square Enix projects past and present, but we're not certain it all comes together. A middling story and combat make its fun parkour harder to bear.