Modern Warfare II is almost a perfect game. But the almost part is more significant than you’d be tempted to believe, and unfortunately, it sometimes makes the game a work-in-progress. If you’re buying the game specifically to play the campaign, there is both good news and bad news here. The campaign is insanely awesome, and you’ll have a lot of fun playing it, but on the other hand, it feels way too short. Each mission feels like a different game, and it can be completed in a different way every time. On the other hand, the multiplayer side of Modern Warfare II is what seems to disappoint most of the fans. The bugs, the crashes, the lack of multiplayer options, and the behavior of some players ruin the experience. In case you’re wondering if the new anti-cheating system works, it looks like it does, though you may still occasionally come across players that kill you with a single shot in the very first second they spot you.

As a complete package, Tormented Souls 2 has a lot of things going for it. The atmosphere it creates is great, and the visuals are fit to the world’s unique ideas and challenges. That being said, the fact that they chose to go with limited saves does make the game feel more high stakes, but it can get frustrating at times because of it as well. It’s nice that you don’t have to play the first one to understand this game, and it’s definitely one of the better horror games made in the past few years. Yes, it doesn’t have the AAA flair and all the bells and whistles, but the self-contained story is very well-made, shared in a creative way, and the game itself doesn’t shy away from being very fun. It’s an easy recommendation for horror fans, but even if you never dabbled into the genre before, it’s a good starting point.

Clash: Artifacts of Chaos is an interesting mix of ideas, most of them familiar, with some unique twists. The hand-to-hand combat focus is good, although it takes a lot of experimentation to do everything right. The world is intriguing and surprising, especially when it comes to character and enemy design. This is a hard game and any sentient enemy can become a big problem fast. But the biggest issue with the game is how confusing it can be to move through the world, especially when doubling back through already known areas. Clash: Artifacts of Chaos rewards patience and quick reflexes and shows how being extra weird can make a game memorable.

Starcraft II deserves its place as one of the most influential releases of the past five years, and this Protoss-focused chapter manages to deliver a fitting end to its core narrative while opening up the multiplayer in some interesting ways.

Headquarters: World War II features tense engagements and nice tactical scenarios, despite the familiarity of the Overlord campaign. The three factions feel suitably different in terms of units and approach. Players will be challenged by a wide range of combat scenarios. The game also gives players the tools to create their own battles, both against the computer and other humans, and has a good editor. I hope Starni Games uses the same system to cover less well-known World War II operations. Headquarters: World War II is a compact and engaging wargame with plenty of attention to detail.

Even though it draws inspiration from X-COM, Mutant Year Zero felt quite unique to me. The mix of real-time exploration and turn-based strategy elements, as well as the tactical decisions concerning each stalker's loadout, makes Mutant Year Zero one of the best games in the genre launched this year. The solid combat system, interesting setting and great voice acting, merge into an appealing formula that the alchemists at The Bearded Ladies unexpectedly discovered while experimenting with various concoctions.

A great racing simulator with a huge amount of cars, tracks, and options to customize. While newcomers might not appreciate the heavy-handed driving aids or get overwhelmed by the staggering number of things to experience, it's worth the commitment.

The Roottrees are Dead is a great video game for any players who like experiences like Obra Din or the two Golden Idol titles. It feels good to investigate, starting with a list of names, and reveal the rich history of an entire family. The feeling that there’s something more to learn, to understand, is always present and the game has a decent hint system to help players who get stuck. As cool as the feeling of discovery is, the game is limited in terms of mechanics. Players search for text strings, read results, and make connections. The cool soundtrack helps with immersion, but the loop can become repetitive after one or two hours. The Roottrees are Dead is unlikely to draw new players to the deduction genre but has all the ingredients needed to keep fans engaged in the long run.

GRIP: Combat Racing promises to fall into the first category, bringing justice to an old series of games that have become cult classics themselves. The graphics and physics engine aren't just there just to give the series a facelift, they take what it advertised as its strong point, speed and death-defying acrobatics, and crank them up to eleven!

The Library of Babel has a solid setup and some nice narrative moments. It’s well presented and the central quest is good enough to keep players engaged. The title’s problem is that it struggles to make gameplay fun or varied. Stealth is never very interesting while the platforming sections can become frustrating, despite the good placement of save points. This is the type of game that would really benefit from an option to simply skip a gameplay segment. The Library of Babel should tweak character movement and item interactions via patches if it wants to appeal to a wider audience.

There aren't too many things that Wings of Ruin doesn't do right for a turn-based game set in the Monster Hunter universe. Too many loading times and the rather ugly visuals (in the first part of the game) might detract from the game's appeal, but the addictive Pokemon-like monster hatching mechanic and the deep combat are more than enough to keep players invested throughout an entire playthrough. Despite the cliché story scenario, the game does have its surprising moments that can get you emotional rather quickly. At the end of the day, I believe Wings of Ruin's lighthearted narrative is perfectly suited for a Monster Hunter game that's all about hatching monsters to help you hunt the same monsters.

Saviorless shines when players control Antar, evaluating a puzzle that might stretch across a few screens, then testing possibilities and contemplating how to reach a collectible. Combat isn’t as engaging as the platforming or the puzzle solving, and checkpoint placement is pretty bad. Thankfully, the world is intriguing enough to counter potential frustration. The impressive art style is another draw and it’s worth playing through the narrative, even without getting all the torn pages, simply to see how the developers bring this fantasy universe to life. Saviorless is a solid debut title from an indie developer and its mix of ideas is good enough that I look forward to seeing what Empty Head Games delivers next.

Without a doubt, Back 4 Dead is all about the co-op gameplay and mixed with the newly introduced card system. If you combine the two, killing those ugly creatures is extremely fun, though be warned, it’s also extremely challenging as well. On the other hand, if you’re not the biggest fan of co-op multiplayer and would rather stick with the solo mode, this isn’t as exciting as it should be. Though, as I said, even the co-op multiplayer has a bad side, as the overall experience depends on your team and their way of playing the game.

Miasma Chronicles is one hell of a ride from start to finish. Although the package comes with a compelling story, my number one enjoyment was to find new ways to finish a fight faster since I treated these as puzzles with complex solutions. If you love turn-based games, Miasma Chronicles is a must-play.

Football Manager 2023 is as solid from the mechanics' point of view as any of its predecessors. Working out tactical problems is as engaging as ever. Winning championships, or even avoiding relegation as the right team, is thrilling. I will probably play at least a few hundred hours before spring, trying to improve some of my favorite teams, and maybe pick up a Premier League title and the Champions League in the process. But, while the game is engaging and has depth, it might be time for the series to take a break. Sports Interactive could release databases or other tweaks for a small price next year. And, for 2024, they can work on bigger innovations. Football Manager 2023 is game enough to keep fans engaged until then.

AEW: Fight Forever is a great video game for fans of wrestling who have been watching All Elite Wrestling since it launched. It gives them a chance to fight using their favorite performers, experience the spectacle of their biggest events, and create a custom character that can then aim to win against the champions of the moment. It’s also a chaotic and fun experience with friends. But I don’t think the title can bring new fans to wrestling or to AEW. Gamers need to know at least some things about this world to enjoy matches. The game never acknowledges that results are predetermined. AEW: Fight Forever offers a good foundation to build on if the developers aim to create a future title that will capture the entire breadth of wrestling and gives any gamers a way to become engaged with it.

Ska Studios clearly loves Dark Souls and Salt and Sanctuary is a very effective love letter that can appeal both to long-term fans of that series and to players who simply want to feel challenge in a world that’s filled with mystery and clever opponents.

In all honesty, I have to admit I spent a good portion of my time playing the game in the level editor mode, and it all seemed so exciting knowing I could make a level just the way a like it. The story mode isn’t all too shabby at all, but the fact that you always know you still need more coins makes it feel a bit grindy as you always keep your eyes on the score, even if you don't do it on purpose. All in all, I have to admit I had fun testing Super Mario Maker 2, and as soon as I’m done with this review, I’m going back to designing yet another level!

Pepper Grinder has a very good core idea and builds fun platforming levels and puzzles around its big drill. The four worlds introduce new ideas and challenges, as well as boss fights. The pixel art makes the world come alive more than the narrative. The focus on replaying levels and collectibles isn’t up my alley but the design is good and will satisfy gamers interested in it. Pepper Grinder is fast and tense, with plenty of variety, a steady increase in difficulty, and has the potential to reverse grinding’s bad reputation.

Dungelot: Shattered Lands features an interesting mix of gameplay mechanics and pulls them off, offering a fun experience. The RPG mechanics are surprisingly complex, and you can sink a lot of time into its myriad of dungeons.

Fabledomis a relaxed city builder that doesn’t introduce revolutionary new mechanics but executes classic ideas very well. I loved spending time zoomed in, looking at my peasants and commoners as they worked and walked. It’s equally fun to find the way to another ruler’s heart by sending truckloads of tulips and running missions. The laid-back nature means the challenge level isn’t very high, even when some of the more annoying random events pop up. And the military aspect feels like a weird fit for an experience where making sure that everyone is happy and getting along is the natural approach. Fabledom’s gameplay and setting work well together and will satisfy any city-builder fan who likes a fantasy setting.

The Spirit Lift is a joyous and easy-to-play mix of runs and card combat. It uses familiar mechanics well, giving players multiple ways to engage with a solid group of enemies with unique designs. Its characters and their unique sets of cards can be mixed and matched in varied ways while players uncover more of the narrative. The exploration elements don’t add much, and the game needs more events and choices. But the characters and the atmosphere fit well with most of the gameplay. The Spirit Lift doesn’t try to revolutionize the genre but finds smart ways to stand out.

Wednesdays isn’t a traditional video game that gives players a clear problem to solve using a particular set of mechanics. The title seeks to explore a very difficult theme, sexual abuse during childhood while giving players the space to process their own emotions. The entire effort is sustained by good writing and by a focus on healing and what the future has to offer. The Orca Park game-within-the-game is simplistic but works well as a framework for the conversations. Gameplay is easy to understand and serves the theme well. Wednesdays manages to explore Tim’s life without being preachy and without giving into despair, offering hope that healing is possible.

HOTEL BARCELONA is good, with a unique take on combat and some nice narrative touches. Phantoms initially seem like a diversion, but they give players a ton of ways of influencing every level and, with some preparation, make it trivial to take down the powerful bosses. Fans of horror will also have fun exploring the hotel and the story. But the game will struggle to bring in players who don’t already like side-scrolling action titles, and even some fans might have an issue with the slow start. HOTEL BARCELONA wears its influences on its sleeve and is a bloody good time once a few phantoms roam through a level.

Cities: Skylines - Snowfall is a good expansion for dedicated fans of the city builder genre who have seen everything that the core game and the After Dark expansion have to offer regarding gameplay.

Cult of the Lamb has all the elements it needs to succeed in the modern action and rogue space. All combat mechanics are tight, the premise is weird but easy to grasp, and almost every action the player engages in has a clear payoff. I like the way being a good cult leader makes it easier to deal with combat sequences, powering a cool feedback loop. The biggest issue is that, for all its wealth of ideas, the game emphasizes spectacle over substance. And it’s a good and fun spectacle but many fans of this mix of genres might find it shallow. Cult of the Lamb makes a great first impression but it’s left to the players to discover whether it has staying power.

Scarlet Nexus does a lot of things right, but it fails to offer a cohesive gameplay experience. I think it would be best described as a visual novel with action-RPG elements rather than vice-versa. While the story is compelling enough to keep you going until the end, the game is full of bloat that needs to be cut. Despite its shortcomings, Scarlet Nexus is one of the better action RPG titles coming from Bandai Namco. I just wish it would have more respect for the player's time, and do away with all the uninteresting fluff that doesn't tie in the story.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is an amazing game. I had a lot of fun with the new stances and the story is enthralling. If not for the performance issues, this game could have been easily among the best released this year.