High on Life is likely a divisive game. While the gameplay is more than sufficient - if you're happy with an unrefined, almost arcade-style shooter - you then come to the dialogue and "comedy", which, to me, was overdone to the point of annoyance. Funny to begin with but repeated so much that a drinking game would lead to liver failure. Fortunately, being on game pass, you don't have to fork out too much to see if you like it.

Blacktail offers so much with a strong tone throughout. While some areas could have had more polish, what we get is still fantastic.

Dragon Quest Treasures offers plenty of charm, solid core mechanics, and a certain slot-machine-style appeal, but fortune favors the bold, and the game holds back in too many ways. Unremarkable visuals, simplistic combat, and the eventual repetitive feeling of treasure hunting limit the experience. Younger players and hardcore fans of the franchise may still covet Dragon Quest Treasures, but the game could have truly sparkled with a bit more polish.

Need for Speed Unbound is the franchise’s best entry in a decade, although the competition for that title wasn't particularly stiff. The game offers polished tech, good (if slightly dated) open-world design, and a varied array of events and challenges, but still lags behind the current open-world racer pack leaders. The fantasy of becoming an underground racing champ is also hampered by a restrictive, ill-considered progression system. Nostalgic fans will find plenty to like here, and more general players might want to consider a test drive once the game is marked down, but “need” may be a strong word to attach to Criterion’s latest.

While some issues persist, such as bad story pacing in the first half of the game, mediocre writing, and limited scope, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Reunion does a great job of modernizing the original game without taking away what made it so unique. The vastly improved visuals and the combat system overhaul make Reunion the best way to experience Zack Fair's story, and one of the best remasters released by Square Enix to date.

The Callisto Protocol, throughout all of the tension and suspense, can't mask the terrors within might only be surface deep.

Marvel's Midnight Suns is a strong tactical RPG that feels like something that wouldn't be amiss in the MCU. Some elements can feel a little bloated, but it's a very strong game. The characterisation is top-notch, with some excellent scriptwriting and voice-acting to support it. Outside of the RPG aspects, combat is fun, engaging, and challenging - particularly at higher difficulty levels. I've had a lot of fun with the game, and I'm still having fun with it, and I can't help but think that fans of the genre - and Marvel - would enjoy it as much as me.

Undoubtedly less cryptic than the original PS2 remake thanks to additional content to help streamline the experience, Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song Remastered is about as pure of a JRPG experience that one can expect to get from Kawazu and new players can finally see why folks have been singing its praises after all these years.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet largely deliver the open-world RPG experience fans barely dared dream of for decades, with a huge, lively map and a surprisingly-engaging trio of stories nicely complementing the franchise’s rock-solid core mechanics. Yes, the game has more than its share of technical issues, but its shortcomings are largely cosmetic and the folks most excited to play probably aren’t going to be that bothered about its pixel count or performance. This Pokémon may be humble-looking, but it brings the fight where it counts.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet largely deliver the open-world RPG experience fans barely dared dream of for decades, with a huge, lively map and a surprisingly-engaging trio of stories nicely complementing the franchise’s rock-solid core mechanics. Yes, the game has more than its share of technical issues, but its shortcomings are largely cosmetic and the folks most excited to play probably aren’t going to be that bothered about its pixel count or performance. This Pokémon may be humble-looking, but it brings the fight where it counts.

Ship of Fools offers some spirited couch co-op fun and could be a good way to introduce the concept of roguelites to more casual players. Unfortunately, a lack of variety and depth eventually poke holes in this boat’s hull. Don't be afraid to pick up Ship of Fools if you’re just looking for a pleasure cruise with friends, but you shouldn't expect an epic sea odyssey.

While the game can be fun at points, its archaic and dated design choices can make for an overall frustrating experience. Its combat doesn't require much thought, and the game can be "difficult" for the wrong reasons. Still, it's high points are still noteworthy highlights for the overall experience, and when everything works properly, you do feel as badass as the main character is supposed to be.

With a flow of combat that rivals that of the Doom Slayer, Evil West hits its mark when taking on vampires, werewolves, and everything in between, despite finding the rest of the experience a bit lacking.

Somerville is a fantastic game, offering everything you could want from the impressive set-up. The relationship between the characters is well defined and surprisingly touching given the lack of dialogue, which may not have been achieved so well since Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. The puzzles are intricate, challenging, and rewarding, and everything else stacks up to make the experience even more intriguing. While it is not perfect, it delivers an amazing atmosphere that feels perfect for these darkening days and tells a brilliant story with little more than some lights and shadows.

Pentiment won’t be for everyone. It’s bookish, sometimes a bit dry, and demands you take its questions about the nature of religion, art, and other heady subjects seriously if you want to get the most out of its narrative. If that sounds like your sort of thing, you can look forward to a rich, well-researched world you'll truly feel a part of and a fantastic story that serves up many memorable, moving twists and turns. Pentiment will leave an indelible mark on you if you just give it a chance.

With many gameplay changes that restore the original's great pacing without doing away with the deeper customization options introduced in the PSP remake, one of the best stories ever seen in tactical role-playing games and an amazing reworked soundtrack, Tactics Ogre: Reborn is, without a doubt, the definitive version of Let Us Cling Together. While some of the gameplay changes aren't exactly for the best, they are only minor issues in an experience that continues to be excellent even 27 years after its original debut.

Sonic Frontiers may not be the best Sonic the Hedgehog ever made, but it's definitely in the upper echelon of the franchise. The new open-world formula works surprisingly well even with its issues, and Cyber Space stages and combat are well-designed, engaging and, most of all, fun. With some tweaks, the Sonic Frontiers formula could be the basis for the franchise moving forward, potentially bringing it back to its glory days.

The game's simple nature binds a Little to the Left, but it achieves its aims very well. Even when testing your brain with a puzzle, it is a calming game. It offers various puzzles, some with multiple solutions, a daily puzzle to keep coming back to, and a little amusing narrative in the background that all cat owners will find familiar. This is a game I've enjoyed, and I can find myself returning to it, offering an excellent refresher and palate cleanser.

The game runs smoothly, without any noticeable frame drop even on the older console, a clear sign that the optimization process carried out by Santa Monica Studios has been flawless... God of War Ragnarok is exactly what we hoped for, and even more. It offers a masterfully told story using a more mature approach, seasoned with a unique setting, a rich characterization of the characters, and challenges that can keep even hardcore gamers busy at the highest difficulties. In other words, it is a title that is simply just too good to be missed.

With little additional story and gameplay content, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin - Wanderer of the Rift is yet another endgame expansion that doesn't introduce enough new features to make most players return to the Strangers' world worthwhile. Only hardcore players who want to explore the maximum potential of the game's mechanics will find some value in an expansion that feels even more disappointing than the one that came before it.

The Chant offers a far-out setting, unique upgrade system, and some vintage charm, but restrictive level design, listless combat, and dingy visuals strike a sour note. While old-school survival horror fans may find The Chant appealing, wider audiences probably won’t be drinking the Kool-Aid.

For a $60 (or $70 on current gen) release, don’t expect the Call of Duty Modern Warfare II campaign to be solely enough for the asking price. With a roller-coaster story that bounces from locale to locale with a lack of attention span across its four-hour runtime, 2022’s Modern Warfare 2 is disappointing after coming off the highs of Vanguard and even the first reboot of Modern Warfare. It’s a serviceable shooting gallery that really doesn’t have much to offer that we hadn’t seen before across prior campaigns. [Campaign Review Score = 65]

Warhammer 40K: Shootas Blood & Teef is a great game if you are in for some mindless fun alongside your friends. Its variety of weapons can be fun to engage with. While its campaign is short, you can still find enjoyment in the PvP mode or try new weapons with your friends.

Even if far from flawless, Star Ocean: The Divine Force is undoubtedly a return to form for the series by tri-Ace. The game delivers a solid JRPG experience that both fans of the series and newcomers will enjoy, thanks to the best battle system in the series to date, likable characters, and an engaging (though a little slow and fairly predictable) story. Some technical issues and by-the-books game design have to be noted, but for those looking for a traditional JRPG with plenty of heart, Star Ocean: The Divine Force is the game to get.

Bayonetta 3 is the series’ best entry yet, offering an engaging universe-hopping story, bombastic cinematic moments, and refined action that’s both accessible and deeper than ever before. The game can feel slightly hemmed in on the Switch, but Platinum pummels every bit of possible performance out of the hardware. Whether you and Bayonetta have history or not, this is an engagement not to be missed.

Ghostbusters by name, Ghostbusters by nature. Spirits Unleashed is true to its iconic roots, and everything from the brand translates smoothly into a frantic asymmetric experience, albeit a bit too complicated for its own good.

For a choice-driven experience, Bathora: Lost Haven leaves something to be desired. While it does do some clever things with the choice and duality themes, the experience falls somewhat flat due to excessive linearity, clunky and unsatisfying combat, and way too fast pacing that detracts from the emotional weight of some of the choices. The nice-looking visuals and the engaging puzzles that break the monotony of the experience and a few story beats make the experience enjoyable at times, but it could have been so much more.

The best thing you can say about New Tales from the Borderlands is that it makes you appreciate just how good the folks at Telltale Games were at what they did. While Gearbox’s latest is more technically impressive than Telltale’s series, stale, irritating characters, a slapdash plot, and choices that don’t feel like they matter turn the game’s brief runtime into a slog. These Tales are new, but they’re definitely not improved.

Gotham Knights is an enjoyable action RPG that follows in the footsteps of the Batman: Arkham legacy while striking out on its own in a slightly different direction. It's the most realistic Gotham City we've seen yet, even though the story is only serviceable and the performance is disappointing. Still, fans of the genre and the characters should have fun with the game.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a faithful follow-up to the first outing, managing to expand in every way while staying true to what made the first great. With solid gameplay, a fantastic story that's excellently acted and presented, and set pieces that could challenge even the biggest game in the industry, if you like the first outing from Asobo Studio, you will love this.

Tactical RPG fans and those that love the chaotic nature of Rabbids owe it to themselves to check out both Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and its prequel Kingdom Battle for a gaming experience you won't find on any other platform.

Grounded is undoubtedly one of the best survival games around. While it falls into some of the same traps, getting very grindy and gatekeeping progression while not signposting as well as it should do, there's little doubt that it's a very engaging game. Where many games will give you a world to play around in, Grounded places you in a living, breathing world and has you engage with every element in interesting ways.

A fast-paced combat system and operatic soundtrack from Motoi Sakuraba aren't enough to save Valkyrie Elysium from a fate worse than Ragnarok: mediocrity.

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars had the potential of being one of the most exciting ARPGs influenced by the Souls series, with its ancient Greek and Roman influences, cartoonish art style, unique approach to story choices, and a more gamey approach to combat and character customization. Sadly, it falls flat mostly due to the mediocre level design. If you can look past this significant issue, however, you'll find a decent enough game with an acceptable story and serviceable combat with some interesting twists.

Temtem is a fantastic game when you look at its story and gameplay mechanics alone. However, when you see the variety of activities it has to offer and the way its economy is structured, it will make you second-guess your stay after the main story campaign is done and over with.

Return to Monkey Island ably delivers the charm, humor, and sharp puzzles the series is known for, while offering a few tweaks to make things less intimidating for new crew members. A reluctance to try anything too daring in terms of design or storytelling dampens the proceedings a bit, but longtime Monkey Island fans ought to enjoy the voyage even if the series’ sails are getting a bit well-worn.

It has some good elements, but they are often covered by the average, meaning little gets the chance to stand out. Were it a little tighter, a little faster and not requiring you to do so much busy work, I could see this being a more enjoyable experience.

Combining a well-realized dark fantasy setting inspired by Claymore and Berserk and an engaging story with solid action gameplay inspired by some of the best character action games, Soulstice is a competent action title. Unfortunately, issues like the horrible camera and the mediocre handling of color-coded enemies and mechanics impact the experience, preventing it from being the great character action game it had the potential to be.

NBA 2K23 builds on last year’s rock-solid entry with some well-considered on-court changes, a deeper, more satisfying career mode, and an array of accessible nostalgia-tweaking content. Most refreshingly, almost none of these additions are designed to push extra spending. If Visual Concepts stays hungry, NBA 2K23 could be the beginning of a new dynasty that would do its cover star proud.

Metal: Hellsinger offers a great variety of metal songs that will make your journey through hell a very pleasant one. Combined with the relentless enemies and dynamic gameplay, this game is sure to give you hours of entertainment so long as you know how to stay on the beat.

Dream Cycle is doing a lot. And it does a lot of it well. But the parts that fall flat, bouncing off the strangeness of the game's own design, make it hard to recommend.

Splatoon 3 may be the series’ best entry yet, featuring some nice gameplay tweaks and new weaponry, an expanded and polished story mode, and more launch content than its predecessors. That said, it’s very much an evolutionary sequel, every bit as iterative as many of the shooter franchises it’s meant to be an alternative to. After a five-year absence, that may not be enough for some. Splatoon 3 is still fun and funky, but Nintendo’s squid shooter series can’t get by on freshness alone forever.

With its setting and story, Steelrising could have been the Bloodborne-inspired Soulslike that many have been waiting for since the release of From Software's masterpiece. Unfortunately, the game developed by Spiders doesn't manage to be anything more than a middling game, with its gameplay issues making it hard to recommend to those who are not die-hard fans of the genre.

Worthy of being hailed as a potential Game of the Generation when it was first released, The Last of Us Part I is fully remade for a new generation of PlayStation consoles. With some of Naughty Dog's best graphical tech to date, this is one you'll have to see to believe.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is an engrossing social sim that offers up deep roleplaying and a wonderfully-realized universe, with fun collectible card game mechanics as a bonus. Perhaps more importantly, it’s one of the best distillations of growing up I’ve ever encountered in a video game. It doesn’t matter if you’ve left the era long behind, don’t miss out on getting these teenage kicks.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has its flaws like any other game. However, its qualities more than make up for them, bringing a beautiful JRPG experience like none other before seen in the series. The Class system is varied and fun to experiment with, the story is one of the best in the series history, and the aesthetic and production values are incredibly high. This game offers tons of content that will keep you glued to your Nintendo Switch and last a long time.

While Kirby’s Dream Buffet offers some fleeting fun and excitement, a lack of multiplayer options, laggy online action, poor splitscreen performance, and an inflated price tag combine to sour what could have been a tasty multiplayer snack.

A disservice to the original Soul Hackers mythology, Ringo and Figue's adventure to avert the end of the world feels all too predictable and lacks the risk-taking of other Shin Megami Tensei titles.

Rumbleverse occasionally delivers the type of bruising highlights that look good on livestreams, but is held back by a lack of content and unbalanced mechanics that actually discourage the brawling that’s supposed to be the game’s bread and butter. You may want to go a few rounds with Rumbleverse given its nonexistent entry fee, but don’t expect it to go the distance.

Rollerdrome produces some badass moments with its combination of X Games action and bullet-time violence, but it doesn’t replicate what made the OlliOlli games such Zenlike fun. Those looking for a challenge will find it here, but given Rollerdrome’s bland presentation, imperfect controls, and grueling approach to level design, many players will quickly skate on to something else.

A welcome change of scenery to the faster strain of Soulslikes, Thymesia gets straight to the point of sword and claw without lasting any longer than necessary.

Two Point Campus follows the track laid by Two Point Hospital, keeping the same comedic look and tone, the same humour in its courses and curses. Like their first title, this combines strong simulation and management mechanics with accessibility that works well with the aforementioned tone and aesthetic. Two Point Studios know their work, and they're no doubt leading the class in more ways than one.

With its interesting setting that combines the Old West with supernatural and occult elements and solid tactical turn-based combat with excellent pacing, Hard West 2 is a worthy purchase for fans of the genre. However, balancing issues, limited character customization, which force players to play in specific ways, and a general streamlining of the tactical combat experience make the game more shallow than expected, inevitably turning off some veterans of the genre.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins - Trials of the Dragon King is a DLC aimed at those who have played the base game beyond its ending, providing new customization options, a new difficulty setting, new difficulty modifiers and more. Beyond this, the expansion doesn't provide a lot of new story and gameplay content, making it a worthy purchase only for those who have found Chaos mode too tame, and are ready to get challenged again by the base game's foes and a few new ones.

The Riftbreaker: Metal Terror is a decent DLC expansion that, while it doesn't change much regarding the main gameplay loop, more than makes up for it with its vast array of new weapons, buildings, and an intriguing story surrounding an ancient civilization. The game has also upped its enemy variety, allowing players to be more creative with their arsenal while putting their management skills to the test. Unfortunately, it also won't really change your mind if you weren't attracted to the game the first time.

Live A Live is a fascinating lost piece of gaming history that offers up an impressively-varied cinematic saga well ahead of its time, although a slide into more traditional JRPG tropes in its third act diminishes some of what makes the game special. Live A Live is an unpredictable journey worth experiencing, but like life itself, it may leave you feeling a bit worn down by the end.

Stray may be small and scrappy, but it’s also beautiful, lovingly crafted, and bounds from one genre and play style to the next with impressive grace. Even cat skeptics ought to be won over by the game, so don’t be afraid to invite this Stray in from the cold.

As Dusk Falls is a fantastic game that puts your attention where it rightly deserves to be, on the winding choices and tough decisions of desperate people caught in a desperate situation.

The Phantasy Reverie series also offers an Easy mode that cuts the damage you receive in half and gives you infinite lives to retry the more challenging sections of the game. Once you complete either of the games, you also gain access to a Hard mode which essentially is a "zero hit challenge" mode where any hit you take is lethal, and you only have one life to play with.

While quite different from the previous single-player GWENT experience, GWENT: Rogue Mage is an extremely solid title that masterfully combines mechanics from the card game introduced in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with roguelike mechanics. With tons of different cards and different strategies, Alzur's search for the mutagens that will create The Witcher is an extremely engaging one, despite the smaller focus on story, compared to other games belonging to the popular series.

Rune Factory 5's combination of features from simulation games and action role-playing games works as well as it did in previous entries in the series, but the lack of innovation, underwhelming exploration mechanics and a certain disconnect between the urgency of the main quest and living a calm farm life do damage the experience a little. The endearing cast and improved action combat, however, make for an enjoyable experience, so those who venture into Rigbarth without expecting to find a revolutionary title will find plenty to like in the game.

DNF Duel is a broken fighting game that lives by the philosophy of "Everyone's busted, so it's balanced." The game is going to push the right buttons for a lot of fighting game enthusiasts. At the same time, its mechanics are easily approachable for casual audiences who want to see cool moves executed easily. I believe that the game will be in the same category as games like Fantasy Strike in terms of accessibility (it will also be better than Fantasy Strike overall).

Cuphead: The Delicious Course is excellent fan service and the perfect continuation of a game that felt almost impossible to replicate. From the new boss designs to the addition of Miss Chalice, there is so much for everyone to enjoy, whether they just want to beat the new challenges or conquer them entirely.

While Redout 2 is a fun experience for the single player, it definitely lacks in a lot of areas and can become overwhelming to a lot of players for a myriad of reasons. The game's AI is also very incompetently designed with incredibly slingshot-like rubberbanding that makes competitors look like absolute klutzes when you're falling behind them or like they have hyperspeed devices on the slightest advantage. Everything is locked behind stages while most of the unlockables are just cosmetics rather than any substantial upgrades.

With its huge number of new and returning monsters, new gameplay mechanics, and great refinements to the formula, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is the massive expansion that the latest entry in the series deserved to get. While the jump from High Rank to Master Rank doesn't feel as big as it was in previous entries in the series, Sunbreak does so many things well that most of the hunters traveling to Elgado and the Citadel will hardly be bothered by it.

Outriders: Worldslayer provides an exceedingly brief albeit intense story campaign, though its meat is clearly in the vastly improved endgame experience. The Trial of Tarya Gratar, the Apocalypse gear, and Ascension and PAX systems all contribute to a better, deeper endgame. Ultimately, though, the game plays exactly the same as the original Outriders and is unlikely to win over any new fans.

Starship Troopers: Terran Command is most certainly the game of the film. It gives off the same feel like the film and sticks very close to the source material with the use of bugs, the actions of the empire and the tactics of the Mobile Infantry; all that is an unequivocal positive. However, there are a few issues in gameplay. It feels like an older strategy game than it is, lacking some modern sensibilities, limited game modes, and featuring poor pathfinding. Still, despite these issues, it is a genuinely fun and strategic title that fans of the franchise will thoroughly enjoy, and general strategy fans should also enjoy.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a great game that offers loads for the hours you'll spend on it. While it doesn't feel revolutionary, it's still a lot of fun to play especially for fans of the two series.

Sonic Origins does well by Sega’s classics, but only to a point. While the action feels true to the 16-bit originals, an abbreviated list of games, lack of features and archival goodies, and frustrating crashes keep this collection a step short of greatness. Hardcore Sonic fans looking to relive some of the hedgehog’s best games in widescreen HD ought to have fun, but others may wish Sega had reached harder for that shiny gold ring.

A second series of serial killings is fair game in AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative, a title focused around the established world of the prior game with newcomers that are just as hungry for the truth as Kaname Date once was.

The Capcom Fighting Collection is a nostalgic trip through fighting game history enriched with new features like online multiplayer and an extensive Museum Mode that breathe new life into these all-time classics. The lack of cross-platform play and the extremely limited single-player modes, however, make the collection a worthy purchase only for those who live and breathe fighting games.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge brings the best of the arcades and the modern-day improvements like higher fidelity visuals and online play to magnificently bring together an amazing beat'em up that can be enjoyed by just about anyone. You will be able to enjoy this beat'em up even if you don't have any sort of investment in the IP as the game's accessible mechanics and replay value will keep you coming back to kick some bad guys out of Manhattan.

Kao the Kangaroo is a mixed bag. Far from bad, it offers decent platforming across several well-designed levels, though some issues hold it back. Some bugs certainly impact gameplay, with camera control also a gameplay-inhibiting factor. The lack of real challenge throughout most of the game will also be a limiting factor for replay value, though there is a level of exploration and several collectibles to find. While certainly not up there as one of the best platformers, Kao isn't a bad way to pass your time, and it's fortunately not priced as high as most new releases.

Hardspace Shipbreaker does everything it wants to do, and does it well. The shipbreaking is fun, tactile, and rewarding. The story is humorous, thoughtful, and engaging. And the music is relaxing and thoughtful.

Mario Strikers: Battle League delivers the frantic fun the franchise is known for, but it feels like it’s only fielding half a team. It’s hard to overlook the missing characters, stadiums, modes, and mechanics from previous entries in the series, and new online modes and character customization options aren’t fleshed out enough to make up for what’s been left behind. Battle League will likely be worth it for hardcore fans with a good collection of friends to play with online or locally, but those hoping for more may find the game drifts just wide of the goalposts.

The Quarry is yet another impressive title by Supermassive Games. While it doesn't veer away from their previous titles, their ability to write an interesting story with compelling characters is only improving. Featuring several red herrings and twists, The Quarry will keep you guessing and gives you an ever-increasing impact on how the story turns out. There are still a few niggles here and there, such as the sloth-like character movement and a few facial animation and audio quirks, but this looks better than ever and features an excellent soundtrack. If you're a fan of Until Dawn or The Dark Pictures games, you'll like this; particularly as the larger budget comes with a much bigger cast and a much larger and more branching story.

While going back to World War II might not be on the top of players' minds when it comes to a new shooter, the new Axis Invasion mode brings Dark Souls competitive PVP to a stealth series in a way that might be impossible to top.

The game is solid and feels good to play. The plans for the game's first year sound interesting, with each Season introducing new content revolving around a theme and new quality of life features. Hence, the ball is literally on Ubisoft Montreal's court now. Will they be able to complete their three laps of the arena and score five points? We will just have to wait and see. [Review in Progress]

Evil Dead: The Game does a solid job of carving out its own bloody, aggressive take on the asymmetric multiplayer formula, but some nagging gameplay issues, frustrating single-player content, and a failure to fully capture the series’ groovy attitude hold the game back. Hardcore Evil Dead fans should find plenty to like here, but with competitors like Dead by Daylight around, this game hasn’t really earned its “hail to the king” moment.

Dolmen innovates the Soulslike genre with how it handles Energy and ranged combat but lacks a clear vision of what makes these games enjoyable beyond just some interesting mechanics.

DEADCRAFT's zombie farming and crafting mechanics definitely offer a breath of fresh air for wasteland adventurers. However, the survival aspects and other small problems keep it from being a truly wonderful experience. It still is a fantastic game that offers more grounded characters while retaining its post-apocalyptic sense of humor.

With its intricate and well-realized setting, engaging story, compelling characters, and well-implemented RPG mechanics, Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is a truly groundbreaking game that no fan of narrative-driven games should pass on. Some aspects could and should have been better, such as facial animations, but there is no denying that Big Bad Wolf has done a terrific job creating what is not only one of the best Vampire: The Masquerade games, but also one of the best narrative-driven games seen in recent years.

Kapital: Sparks of Revolution is a perfectly serviceable city building game that attempts to add class struggle and other aspects such as state corruption and intervention into the mix. While it doesn't achieve everything it set out to do, the ideas are there and offer something interesting to play. Where it added some of these interesting ideas, it has also sadly skimped on other core areas; there is only one map, and the balance isn't great with the game constantly threatening to overwhelm you. All things considered, I'd still recommend it for fans of the genre, just with the knowledge that it isn't the most detailed and better options exist.

Warhammer 40K: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters successfully separates itself from most other tactics games on the market while also capturing the gritty spirit of Games Workshop’s universe. Daemonhunters’ punishing difficulty spikes may turn some away, but hardcore strategy fans looking for an uncompromising challenge will likely embrace the chaos.

Nintendo Switch Sports is a fun and nostalgic romp that offers nicely-upgraded visuals and well-implemented motion controls, but there simply isn’t enough of it. With a meagre six sports (only two of which bring anything truly new to the table) and very few extras, this one probably won’t compete for your attention for long.

Despite a few shortcomings, King Arthur: Knight's Tale is one of the best strategy RPGs I've played. While the SRPG aspects are pretty great, this alternate take on the Arthurian Tale can keep you engaged with its characters and stories.

Galactic Civilizations IV is another satisfying space-faring extravaganza that introduces some smart tweaks to the long-running series’ formula, although a lack of guidance, bloated tech trees, and some other minor lingering issues hold the game back from true top-tier status. Hardcore sci-fi strategy fans will undoubtedly find plenty to enjoy here, but this game may not quite have the gravitational pull needed to separate you from your 4X favorites long term.

The Back 4 Blood - Tunnels of Terror expansion introduces some new quality content such as the Ridden Hives, new Cleaners, and new cards that enhance the base game's experience without revolutionizing it in any way. As such, only those who have enjoyed and continue to enjoy the base game will truly appreciate the additions included in this expansion, as the new content, while well-crafted, doesn't really change how Back 4 Blood is played.

Chernobylite's graphical detail is one of the greatest aspects behind it. Additionally, the game's nail-biting story, the memorable characters, and the freedom to explore the areas of the Exclusion Zone provide a great sense of dread and loneliness that's both fun to play and make for an excellent Action RPG with team management mechanics.

Godfall: Ultimate Edition addresses many of the shortcomings of the original release by bringing in a greater focus on Endgame content and reducing much of the grind it takes to get there.

Despite being a masterpiece of split universes and the often futile attempts to fight fate, we're living in the timeline where the original source code for Chrono Cross was lost to the scars of time and the remaster that exists in this age wasn't given the focus that one of the greatest JRPGs of all time deserves.

MLB The Show 22 is one of the most conservative annual sports titles I’ve played in some time. Aside from a few minor mechanical tweaks and a handful of ancillary features like online co-op and new commentary, this is essentially the same game we got last year. It’s a shame because the franchise’s core gameplay remains rock-solid, but it’s increasingly difficult to ignore its lack of ambition. Those new to the series can add at least a point to my score, but longtime fans aren’t getting much to cheer for.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga sets its sights sky-high and largely does justice to that galaxy far, far away. Its truncated treatment of the movies occasionally disappoints, but charming, content-packed sandbox stages mostly make up for any story mission shortcomings. This blocky take on George Lucas’ family drama is worth enjoying with yours.

Expedition Zero is an interesting game with some good ideas and exceptional atmosphere use. Still, the positives are let down by several bugs, issues around areas of the game feeling unfinished and other frustrations. There's certainly a chance you'll have some good moments with the game, but I can only imagine these moments will be outweighed by other less fun and more annoying moments.

With its gripping story, wacky characters, solid action role-playing game mechanics, and masterfully crafted immersive simulation features, Weird West is one of the very few role-playing games on the market where players truly shape the world with their choices and actions. Some balancing and technical issues damage the experience, but if you're looking for a truly immersive RPG to play, you won't find anything better than Weird West.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands offers some new aspects of the series, with more of the classic, almost unbeatable gunplay and wild combat encounters. It is a vibrant, slightly disjointed world ripe for exploration and trouble. Although it misses a few marks, it’s a spinoff series fans will enjoy and high fantasy fans will inevitably laugh or roll their eyes at.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is one of the absolute best first-party titles the Nintendo Switch has to offer. The game feels great to play, looks lovely, and introduces a vibrant and surprising world packed with new mechanics, challenges, and content. Kirby fans have been waiting a long time for his first 3D game, and Forgotten Land truly is the pink one’s Super Mario 64 or Zelda: Ocarina of Time, so puff out a sigh of relief and eat heartily.

Shredders fills the void left behind by SSX and Amped with its beautiful visuals, easy-to-pick-up nature, and a story that knows (and pokes fun of) the limitations brought by the indie space. While the game might be a bit jank in some areas, it's still a decent experience that's easy to recommend for Game Pass owners.