If you, like me, occasionally need a rest from fast-paced, action-first gaming, I truly cannot recommend Seasons after Fall enough. The art alone is sufficient to offer a unique and worthwhile experience, and the light yet engaging gameplay offers a wonderful way to experience it.

When it all clicks Killing Floor 2 is a fantastic, thrilling experience that delivers tense gameplay moments in a brilliant bloody display.

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.

Contemplation certainly doesn’t let up in terms of action and horror. The increased variety in enemy types and game mechanics is certainly welcome, and with the story picking now too, it will be exciting to see how the mystery unfolds.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 isn’t a groundbreaking game by any means. It is a noticeable step forward for its series as a whole though, and boasts some worthwhile high points and potential that fans of the One Piece series and Musou games alike will be able to appreciate.

Memories of Celceta is a perfect onboarding point for anyone looking for something more exotic than the ATB system, but with the look and feel of a classic game of that bygone era. It’s engaging, satisfying, and perhaps most telling of all has me excited to check out other entries in this storied franchise.

When Maskmaker shines, it shines bright to the point I had a beaming smile on my face. It’s just a shame these moments only tend to pop up towards the very end. If you’re looking for a circa five-hour VR adventure with some magical moments, you could do worse. Just don’t expect a groundbreaking VR experience.

The best thing that can be said of Atelier Ryza is that it is accessible. Down to its core it is meant to be enjoyed by new players or by series veterans who might be looking for a nice light addition to the franchise. This is the ultimate distillation of what makes Atelier so great in one package, with better combat to boot. Any previous notion of the best jumping on point is erased in favor of Ryza and the enjoyable journey that the game presents.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar is 40-or-so hour JRPG experience that’s well worth the time invested. Although its storytelling likely won’t inspire anyone but diehard fans of the comics, it has enough clout to keep franchise newcomers motivated, and importantly, it’s accessible enough for those unfamiliar with the source material to jump in too.

It may not wow PS4 owners in terms of looks and mission structure, but there is plenty to be enjoyed here.

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.

Through its celebration of both the art and intricacies of driving and the cars that make it such a joy, GT Sport is a stunningly classy racing experience. It handles wonderfully and does all it can to make you a better driver through its campaign’s structure. If you’re looking for a more traditional Gran Turismo experience, however, one that is solely single-player focused, GT Sport may feel more like another prologue experience than the winning entry you’ve been waiting for.

It is a deep experience, entrenched in mystery, and doused in activities and hunts for fans to get into. Bethesda wasn’t lying when they said they had something big in store, and this visit to a faraway land shows that the team went above and beyond.

While it didn’t quite deliver the emphatic finale that Batman and Bruce deserved in terms of pulse-racing content, it did resolve the overarching issues plaguing Gotham and set things up for the seemingly inevitable sequel. And it’s thanks to Telltale’s dedicated efforts in creating a believable, unique, and unpredictable story, that I’m eager for its arrival.

Stikbold may not be your typical sports game, but it’s got a solid backbone of fun and wackiness.

An action game that is fun in the moment, but is quickly forgettable thanks to a poor story, one-note characters, and mixed visuals. While the actual gameplay itself is incredibly enjoyable, there just isn’t enough new content to justify this game’s existence.

Although the game only features four planets, all the maps available are tremendous amounts of fun.

Despite some performance issues and awkward camera controls, I would recommend Wild Hearts not only to long-time fans of monster hunting but to players like me who never quite understood the hype before. Wild Hearts will make you understand as it made me understand. From its immersive world to its unique building system, this is one big release you will not want to miss out on.

Despite the punishing difficulty, Road to Ballhalla just has that special something that can keep players coming back.

Onrush’s blend of classic arcade racing, stunning visuals, and online team-based shooter ideas make it unique enough to stand out even against the competition of old. It’s an unconventional idea, but it’s the most fun you’re likely to have with a racing game this generation.

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.

Based on the roadmap, the game definitely has the potential to become something more, including the upcoming addition of bartenders, seasonal festivals, and separate save slots. Don Duality has all the makings of an excellent management game, combining two different concepts for a brand-new experience. And, if you enjoyed Dave the Diver’s dual lifestyle, you should pick this one up to become the ultimate multi-tasking gamer.

It has the unlockables and online functionality of its modern contemporaries, while sticking to its roots and showing us that a good game can still be a good game, even after all these years.

Move It! stands out not just as a return to the beloved mechanics of the series but as its crowning achievement since Smooth Moves. It’s a game that knows its audience, delivering a perfect blend of nostalgia and innovation that fits right into the Switch’s lineup.

Ask yourself two questions: Did you love the Mortal Kombat 11 campaign and want more? Are you dying to play as Fuijin, Sheeva, and/or RoboCop? If the answer is yes to either of these questions, then MK11: Aftermath is a definite buy if you enjoyed the gameplay of Mortal Kombat 11. If not, then I’d hold off.

If you’re looking for something to pass the time on a flight with a friend, or just something to occasionally whip out once you’ve had a few drinks then it’ll do the job, but it’s unlikely to be a staple party game for years to come.

Sure, it may feel like the shadow of a much hotter and brighter bonfire, but the embers of something truly special burn here.

While the story may take a bit of time to really get going, once it gets there it will grab a hold of your attention and refuse to let go. It is, ultimately, what the Utawarerumono series could have (and should have) been from the very start.