The difference this time around, though, is that I think The Siege of Paris does at least feel markedly different from the base game, both in ambiance and structure. Where Wrath of the Druids’ Ireland could quite easily have been another region of England in the base game, The Siege of Paris does genuinely stand apart. It’s a throwback to old Assassin’s Creed I’m sure fans of the franchise, rather than just fans of Valhalla, will love. And for that reason, in combination with the fact that it tells an interesting story, offers a great reason to reboot or reinstall the game for those who haven’t returned since completing it last year.

Having Returnal on PC is an excellent move for everyone involved, especially with the quality shown in the port. A new audience can finally have a taste of that amazing blend of gameplay that constantly beguiles players into taking one more run, enhanced by the bells and whistles made possible by the power of the PC. As one of the PS5’s best games, it would make perfect sense that Returnal maintains that form in its migration to the PC, and it proves just that.

Even with slight hiccups like this, I still adored my time with Far: Changing Tides.

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games is a really solid compilation that offers a great visual novel experience on PC (and the PS4 and Vita, for that matter).

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ few frustrations are quickly outweighed by a magnificently immersive Japan, an excellent AC-style mix of real-world and fictional characters like Yasuke and Naoe, and a fantastic cinematic-level story to let them all shine — especially if you experience the Japanese dub via the Immersive Mode.

Spellbreak runs well, it’s unique, and most importantly, it’s fun to play. If Proletariat Games sticks with Spellbreak and continues to improve it, it should be able to carve a long term niche in the popular battle royale genre.

It is tough to get a real feel for the way that The Lion’s Song will continue to play out through only one episode, but Silence still serves as a great introductory chapter.

Even so, there’s just no denying the charm of Evil Dead: The Game. It’s a brilliant encapsulation of what made the movies so iconic and beloved, and it just oozes humor and delicious campiness at every turn. It’s still fairly rare for games attached to some sort of entertainment IP to do well, but I’d say Evil Dead’s already off to a groovy start.

The Expanse isn’t the best Telltale-style experience ever made, but it’s a commendable return outing for the studio. Longtime fans of the studios’ work or The Expanse’s source material will find enough to be excited for what’s to come, while newcomers can get a solid look at what the studio can offer moving forward. With any luck, they’ll be able to build off of this to finish the series strong and set about starting a new age that surpasses the heights of their previous works.

More importantly, the developers did a good job with the color palette of the ship, the background, enemies, and gunfire, so that it’s always easy for the player to keep track of where they are on the screen.

With a solid cast of characters, nonstop action, and solid 16-bit look and sound design, it’s a treat for those of us who recall the SNES/Genesis era with nostalgia.

While it would have been expected that the series would continue with another sequel, Hopoo Games’ decision to go with the remastered Risk of Rain Returns is a pleasant surprise that we didn’t know we needed. The visual upgrade, coupled with the smart additions and gameplay tweaks to an already solid roguelike formula, make for an experience that constantly entertains and challenges the player, even with the niggling issues that will take some getting used to. Brilliantly modernized for a new generation of players, who knew death could be so rewarding?

Tribes of Midgard isn’t going to be for everyone. The solo experience features all of the intensity that comes with the time crunch, but very little of the fun, and it’s certainly not for players who might be looking for another chill Valheim-like viking experience. But for what it sets out to do, it executes it well. Tribes of Midgard successfully evokes that feeling of setting out as a united tribe in its multiplayer sessions, and the heart of the game lies in sharing the burden of fighting that ticking clock and hoping that you can all pull together in time to beat the odds.

From the fluid storyline down to its tactical combat, I was absolutely hooked.

In terms of a console RTS, Halo Wars 2 stands just about at the top. It’s easy for newcomers of the genre to pick up and play, but still has a enough meat and complexity for veterans to be satisfied. Because of how the campaign wraps things up, I truly hope it gets a sequel. But until then, Halo Wars 2 is definitely a quality exclusive to add to your Xbox One lineup.

Yoshi’s Crafted World is a treat to play and is highly recommended for any Yoshi fan out there, even for the ones who skipped out the most recent entries. Believe me, this may look cute, but Crafted World may fall into being one of the most entertaining and visually appealing games that the Switch has to offer.

The biggest compliment I can give Paint the Town Red VR is that whenever I’ve got a spare 30 minutes, I want to pick it up and play. Whether it’s slashing through a few arena levels or laying waste to a crowd of angry drinkers at a bar, it’s so easy to dip into. Not only that, but it’s a surprisingly good workout as well. If you’ve had a long day and need to decompress, look no further.

A very typical Pokemon game. It innovates a bit, messes stuff that should have been left alone up, and leaves other things alone for better or for worse just like every generation before it. The core gameplay though is still just as fun as ever and the addition of exciting new Pokemon, a beautiful new region, new more organized multiplayer activities, and a fun new open-area to explore help push Pokemon Sword and Shield over the edge to being a game worth picking up for any Pokemon fan.

Jungle Adventure for The Sims 4 is a breath of fresh air after Outdoor Retreat after all.

Puts together a well-made, interesting tale that’s entirely its own. With plenty of the city of Tin Roof to explore, and dozens of characters to question, grill, or shoot the breeze with, there’s more than enough content here to justify the $14.99 price tag on Steam.

A game that takes the Left 4 Dead formula and pushes it over the edge.

A very typical Pokemon game. It innovates a bit, messes stuff that should have been left alone up, and leaves other things alone for better or for worse just like every generation before it. The core gameplay though is still just as fun as ever and the addition of exciting new Pokemon, a beautiful new region, new more organized multiplayer activities, and a fun new open-area to explore help push Pokemon Sword and Shield over the edge to being a game worth picking up for any Pokemon fan.

To say Lost Eidolons is an indie title with AAA aspirations is not a knock against it, but a true reflection of its quality and the potential it has if its edges were more refined.

The openly apparent beauty of Project CARS is the first thing that draws you in, with an equally gorgeous driving simulator hiding just below the smooth and silky skin.

Star Wars Outlaws is a truly fun action-adventure that lives up to the name of its franchise with its interesting story, awesome cast, and unique criminal syndicate reputation system. Its open-world appeal is stretched thin by the vices of its own ambition, filled with a lot of optional padding, but its core offering is more than enough on its own to be worth a dive in.

A game that any fan of Mario should play. It’s an incredibly fun experience, where the strong points of the game more than make up for its shortcoming.

A very typical Pokemon game. It innovates a bit, messes stuff that should have been left alone up, and leaves other things alone for better or for worse just like every generation before it. The core gameplay though is still just as fun as ever and the addition of exciting new Pokemon, a beautiful new region, new more organized multiplayer activities, and a fun new open-area to explore help push Pokemon Sword and Shield over the edge to being a game worth picking up for any Pokemon fan.

Zombie Army Trilogy may not do much new in the grand scheme of things, but everything that it does, it does well. Shooting is fun and engaging. The story is slightly silly but it keeps everything together. Enemies are varied and make enjoyable targets. Horde mode is an absolute blast that really makes the multiplayer portion of Zombie Army Trilogy stand out as the true champion.