For long-time Monster Hunter players, it’s always worth picking up the expansions, especially in the case of Sunbreak. For those looking to get into Monster Hunter for the first time, treat Sunbreak like dessert: it’s there for you once you finish your meal. But whether you’ve been at the banquet for a long time or just getting your first plate, you can’t go wrong with Sunbreak, it’s a stellar addition to an already excellent experience.

As you run, jump, and dash your way through Neon White, you’ll not only find yourself comfortably falling into the natural rhythm of each platforming puzzle, you’ll also find yourself eager to replay stages and beat your previous score, or your friends’ scores, or both.

I was able to go wheel to wheel in the most Netflix Drive to Survive kind of way imaginable. Oh, and I sweated. So much sweat. Prepare yourself! If you've been waiting for official VR support in the F1 series, this is it

I never thought we’d see love for Darkstalkers again outside of something like another Vs. Capcom game. Not only am I happy to have been wrong, but I’m glad it came in such generally high quality as Capcom has given us here in the Capcom Fighting Collection. More than that, having Red Earth, Cyberbots, and Super Puzzle Fighter alongside options like training modes, one-button specials, and other quality-of-life features is just excellent. I lament the lack of crossplay, and some might not be fond of the arcade-hard mentality of some of these games. Still, Capcom Fighting Collection is a delicious buffet of classic fighting goodness that plays quite well across the board.

Sonic Origins is not only an excellent trip down memory lane for fans of the series, it’s also the perfect entry point for those looking to play them for the very first time. The games are all as beautiful as ever and control like a dream. There are also a plethora of bonus goodies that celebrate the iconic artwork and music of the platforming series. While it’s easy to get caught up in arguments about the current direction of the Sonic IP, Sonic Origins is a refreshing reminder that the original games are among the best 2D platformers ever made.

I really feel like anyone who has been through Three Houses would be doing themselves a disservice to skip Three Hopes. The story diverges enough to make each house a new adventure all its own and each of the paths has a vastly different array of battles to fight. Additionally, aspects of strategy, classes, skills, and camaraderie between characters have also made their way over and are implemented well here. I wish characters fought a bit more uniquely and that the game performed a bit better in docked mode, but outside of these complaints, Three Hopes feels like another solid example of what Omega Force can do when Nintendo entrusts its IP to the Musou dev.

Each character is fun to explore, the music will stay in your head long after you stop playing, and even if the game feels a bit short, there are plenty of reasons to go back. Simply put, this might just be the ultimate intersection of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fandom and beat ’em up arcade style. Not just a slice of pizza, it’s the whole dang pie.

However, the biggest downside to Battle League is that there just isn't more to it, because we've seen that Next Level is capable of delivering more. Even if there are DLC characters coming down the road (Daisy fans, I hope you don't think I forgot about you), it won't fix the relatively low number of items, the gimmick-free stadiums, or the lack of substantial unlockables. This package could and should be so much better than what it is.

The Quarry feels like a true spiritual successor to Until Dawn. Not just because it follows a group of young people running for their lives in the middle of the woods, but the emphasis on putting characters first in the story. Strong performances and solid writing actually made me care about the characters, which made the constant threat of danger all the more impactful. With dynamically branching pathways and some truly frightening sequences, The Quarry just might be my favorite game from Supermassive.

Spacelines from the Far Out was an unexpected delight. The premise itself is just bananas, but the execution is also excellent as you figure out what will get you from A to B with as few holes in your spacecraft as possible.

It’s hard to imagine Touken Ranbu Warriors having strong appeal to anyone that’s not a die-hard Musou fan itching for a new Warriors-like. Those that played the original Touken Ranbu will surely get a kick out of seeing those characters come to life in a new way, but there isn’t much to write home about beyond that novelty. Touken Ranbu Warriors feels like just enough to maybe hold you over until the next mainline Dynasty Warriorsentry comes around.

Some dizzying tricks and cheap, sudden encounters aside, Card Shark feels like a genuine and charming mystery interwoven into a very interesting series of mechanics mimicking the fascinating sleight of hand behind card tricks.

Evil Dead: The Game surprised me in every single way. It was more than I expected. The attention to detail in the characters, enemies, and environments. The Knowby cabin is outstanding and nearly a 1 for 1 replica. The finishers are beautiful, the environments eerie and creepy, the gameplay loop addictive, but most importantly it is fun.

Soundfall does quite a few things right. Its loot and shoot design set to a lot of good music is commendable. The tracks included in the game are of a wide variety and even if you get through the entire game, the ability to play levels to your own favorite music is pretty great (on PC). The problem is… Soundfall’s gear and enemies just aren’t all that compelling. The music and rhythmic gameplay are good enough to carry a lot of this game, but I can’t help but wish it had a more rewarding variety of gear to look forward to and enemies that didn’t quickly end up feeling like repetitive drones. Even so, if you can get down with a good rhythm action game alone or with friends, Soundfall might be worth it whether you play to its soundtrack or bring your own.

Despite the issues, bugs, and nitpicks I have with 2022’s take on Kao the Kangaroo, at the end of the day the game is functionally playable, looks gorgeous, and there’s plenty of fun to be had with it especially in regards to platforming and combat.

Sniper Elite 5 is a game that knows exactly what it is, and delivers on all fronts. The x-ray kills are as good as ever, and improvements to stealth and level design make the campaign enjoyable between the moments where you’re shooting through a guy’s eyeball. The Axis Invasion mode adds an entirely new dynamic to multiplayer, which still features the standard modes for a more traditional experience. It’s hard to imagine fans of the series not being satisfied with what’s there in Sniper Elite 5.

Unfortunately, it's tough to center a game's progression around cosmetics when the skater that's being customized looks so bland. Add to that a limited availability of game modes at launch and Roller Champions gets off to a rough start at the track. Fortunately, the core experience is enjoyable enough that it could feasibly pick up some momentum and score some goals down the road.

Dolmen is a solid sci-fi spin on the Soulslike formula, even if there are some places where it falls short. Not being able to jump is a simple but detrimental design flaw, and the mediocre cinematics bog down what could have been a very cinematic experience. Despite that, Dolmen still features challenging combat, as well as a variety of ways to play to your own unique style. I look forward to seeing if and how Massive Work Studio will build upon this foundation in the future.

Rifftrax: The Game still gives players a fun way to engage with the style that the Rifftrax crew has built. It doesn’t always hit in the way it should, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had.

I’m not fond of collecting berries for my healing flask and I feel it can get unfair when mages team up on me. However, getting stronger and coming back with enough might that not even multiple mages could stop me made Salt and Sacrifice’s 2D Soulsborne exploration and mage fights an intoxicating quest to wield the very power I was hunting.

Trek to Yomi is presented like a very different type of video game experience and that's largely attributed to its presentation. Flying Wild Hog went into this project with the goal of making a playable samurai film and they've capably accomplished that objective.

Essentially, no matter what you’re looking to get out of Dorfromantik, you should be able to find it thanks to the assorted game modes on offer. The approachability of its tile placement and point system mixed with relaxing visuals pull you in and invite you to kick up your feet and rest for a while.

Calling it a game may be a bit of a stretch on account of its loose structure, but you can’t argue with the fun.

If you loved the first Rogue Legacy, then Rogue Legacy 2 is very likely to capture your heart as well. If you’re jumping into this series for the first time at Rogue Legacy 2, you’re in for one of the most fleshed out, fun, and varied rogue-lite action-platformers that the genre has to offer.

As an offline package, Nintendo Switch Sports is a hoot just for Bowling and Chambara alone. The other games are worth trying at least once. Volleyball might even grow on some people. Unfortunately, Badminton, Tennis, and Soccer lost steam with me after a while, but half a package that I'll return to again and again is certainly nothing to sneeze at. I hope this is a collection that will continue to grow, because I had forgotten what a crowd-pleaser the Wii Sports era was. It's good to have that spirit back.

A game with a dedicated ‘pull your dick out’ keybinding in 2022 should be way more clever than this. No amount of John St. John voice-over work or copyright-dodging music jingles can cover up the odor emanating from this pile. 4/10 BBQ’d dead dogs.

This is still the best professional sports sim you can get on any hardware and if you are a baseball fan that hasn’t played The Show in recent years, this is an experience to look out for. For others who have been waiting years for something new, this one sadly isn’t it. As a PC version of this game eludes us once anew, I will again be hoping that next year is when SIE San Diego opts to redefine video game baseball for the next generation.

Throughout my time with Cosmonious High, I was regularly delighted by the colorful visuals, fun cast, interesting classes, and overall variety of activities in the game. Not only is this a solidly expanded adventure from the delightful experiences Owlchemy Labs has shown us in the past, but I think it’s the first time I’d ever specifically recommend a VR game to younger players. [Quest 2]