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.

Ghostwire: Tokyo may be the best game yet from developer Tango Gameworks. It's a great action/adventure game featuring an enticing universe, solid combat, and excellent exploration of the wonderfully designed Tokyo.

Elex II is a baffling game. The combat is clunky and can be very difficult, and the game has more than a few bugs, with other issues like a glacial pace. However, the game is genuinely interesting to explore and fun, for all its problems - and there are many. The story and its turns are engaging, and it's impossible not to see the care and enthusiasm from Piranha Bytes. Elex II is Eurojank, and I can't help but enjoy it because of (or despite, take your pick) that.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax brings the best version of the game for fighting games and Persona series fans alike. People will be incredibly pleased by the beautiful fusion of easy-to-control characters alongside the highly detailed sprite animations and the wide variety of gameplay modes that are sure to keep various gaming genre fans hooked.

Tunic is a charming, absorbing adventure that recaptures the feel of the original The Legend of Zelda better than almost any other game out there (including some of Nintendo’s own efforts). The game’s enigmatic nature won’t be for everyone and a late-game difficulty spike may frustrate even old-school fans, but overall, Tunic is a successful link to the past.

Syberia - The World Before is a return to form for the series, and an all-around solid adventure game featuring an engaging story that nicely blends together two different timelines, charming characters and good puzzle design. The experience, however, leaves something to be desired when it comes to innovation, making the game a must-buy only for fans of the series.

Phantom Breaker: Omnia brings the game to western countries for the first time. However, it also brings what seem to be vestiges of old and outdated game design that work against it. While the fighting mechanics might be easy to understand, every character feels like they play the same way and the combat is so unintuitive it feels like you're just in a button-mashing contest. It works as a novelty and not much else.

Final Fantasy Origin: Stranger of Paradise is a chaotic alternative retelling of the very first Final Fantasy, following the story beat by beat until it transforms into something unique in its own way.

Not Tonight 2 looks to build upon Not Tonight and the Papers, Please formula, but veers too far away from what gave the first its impact. One-off challenges and the veering between serious and slapstick make the game feel too unfocused, ultimately detracting from the game. It's not bad by any stretch of the imagination, it still looks and sounds great, but there are a few too many negatives and it's ultimately a shadow of the first.

WWE 2K22 is a major improvement over its insulting predecessor, featuring some smart tweaks to core gameplay and fan-favorite modes. That said, promises of a “completely rebuilt” experience ring hollow as it’s clear old tech is still being used, and while the action has been refined, it remains a notch below most other fighting or combat sports games you could name. Your reaction to the game will largely hinge on how you felt about 2K’s series before its hiatus, with those that still saw promise likely to have a good time. That said, don’t expect WWE 2K22 to transcend mid-card status if your patience was already at an end.

Babylon's Fall is a terrible experience all the way throughout. Reaching the endgame and postgame content (when the game actually becomes quite good) doesn't matter because the journey to get to that point is the most painfully boring affair in gaming. The game's dull story and horrendous visuals certainly don't do this game any favors.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok is a solid expansion that introduces some interesting gameplay mechanics and plenty of new content that, at the end of the day, doesn't change how the game is played in a significant way. After a long base game and two expansions, Dawn of Ragnarok definitely needed to be something more to become an essential purchase, as only those who haven't had enough of Assassin's Creed Valhalla will fully appreciate the coming of Ragnarok and the end of an age.

Shadow Warrior 3 offers some competent (albeit mostly borrowed) core shooting mechanics and first-person platforming, but uninspired, repetitive level design, irritating enemies, and a withering onslaught of dad humor may leave you longing for relief before the game’s relatively-brief campaign wraps up. Shadow Warrior 3 isn’t without its moments, and may be worth a shot at a considerable discount, but this franchise is still eclipsed by the FPS big boys.

With its new tightly designed stages, and new parkour and combat mechanics, Ghostrunner Project_Hel is a more than worthy purchase for fans of the base game. The new mechanics, however, do not change the experience in any significant way, so those who did not like Ghostrunner will not change their opinion with the expansion. It is good for the most part, but it still is more of the same.

Gran Turismo 7 is an excellent game. It looks fantastic, with features like the photo and scapes modes, making the game look eerily photo-realistic. On the track, racing is top-notch. Every car feels unique; every change in the garage and every decision on the track matters. However, it doesn't mean there aren't issues. Always online requirements have failed me numerous times and lost progress when the servers have died; this is before launch. In addition to this, there's just a looming issue of time; the game doesn't value your time with the campaign (cafe menus), having it move at a glacially slow pace at best. Also, the soundtrack is atrocious. Still, whatever faults I find, they are far outweighed by overwhelming positives.

Regardless of my complaints, Atelier Sophie 2 does many things right to warrant a recommendation. It’s a great entry-level RPG with some intricate systems that will keep you entertained. The turn-based system might be a turn-off for some players, but I believe that we could work more with this genre, and Gust seems like they are willing to experiment more with it.

Ultimately, Grid Legends is a good pick-up-and-play experience, and folks motivated to grind through every challenge it has to offer will remain occupied for a while. That said, those with less patience for repetitiveness may be looking for the off-ramp sooner.

Martha is Dead meets every expectation and exceeds most of them. It is a true ghost story, perfectly designed to demand you keep playing while making you want to stop. Its near-flawless design sets a new benchmark in the quietly, weirdly, horrible.

Elden Ring is not only the best action RPG developed by From Software but one of the best open-world titles ever made. A masterclass of game design, Elden Ring isn't just a game but an epic dark fantasy journey that no one will be able to forget for a very long time.

I can’t recommend an imbalanced and severely dated multiplayer offering and a campaign that doesn’t come anywhere close to the highs of Remedy’s other titles. If nothing else, at least look at CrossfireX’s dollar store variant of de_dust2 for your own curiosity.

As the culmination of the Total War: Warhammer trilogy, the story-focused approach combined with massive multiple-part battles feels like the right thing to do. While aspects can make you feel rushed, this is undeniably intentional as you're in a race against all other factions on the map, and the more I play it, the more I like it. The battles feel genuinely epic, with even regular ones seeing significant improvement thanks to excellent design. AI improvements on the campaign map, combined with the unique features of factions, also add another layer to the game. There are a few niggles here and there; the AI has issues during battles. Corruption on the campaign map also feels imbalanced, but while these can be irritating (corruption mainly), they are minor issues in the grand scheme. All in all, Total War: Warhammer III is an excellent game.