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.