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After spending 50-plus hours playing it, I can confirm Elden Ring is the most developed and welcoming Souls-series game ever made, with the added narrative and open world making Elden Ring feel far more accessible to From Software newcomers.
We haven’t played Total War: Warhammer 3 enough to give it a final score just yet, but this is still a very promising game after 10-hours of play, with the new factions featuring great new mechanics to make every playthrough feel completely different. The story campaign has also seen improvements thanks to the new ‘survival battles’, while it’s also great to see Creative Assembly improve diplomacy and making it less intimidating for newcomers.
With an underwhelming launch that was riddled with bugs, Battlefield 2042 has become well known for its problematic servers. But even with these superficial issues, there is still a lot of fun to be had here, you just need to be willing to work through the snags.
Horizon Forbidden West is a superb sequel, adding even more robot monsters to slay while introducing a deep crafting and upgrade system that creates a rewarding Monster Hunter-style gameplay loop.
I’ve had a lot of fun with Dying Light 2, mainly dues to its fantastic parkour platforming and engaging story that can be shaped by your in-game decisions. Those hoping for a terrifying zombie slasher will likely be disappointed, but the thrill of escaping a zombie horde by hopping from rooftop to rooftop ensures this is still an exhilarating action game.
In its current state, Rainbow Six Extraction feels like an excellent expansion pack to Rainbow Six Siege, or the starting point of a free-to-play game with a bright future. But I just don’t believe the content in Extraction currently justifies its high upfront cost, especially when you have to spend even more money to unlock cosmetic items.
Football Manager 2022 packs in a number of new features such as the Data Hub, an expanded Transfer Deadline Day and new Staff Meetings which all help to improve the immersion of the life as a head coach. These new additions result in one of the best entries in the series yet, although owners of FM21 may want to hold off until next season if you want more than just an incremental upgrade.
WRC 10 is a solid racing game with an Anniversary mode that celebrates the history of the motorsport. However, the management aspect of the game is a bit on the repetitive and dull side.
Halo Infinite features a captivating story, tying up loose ends from previous entries while introducing strong new characters. Combat is basic, but it’s still just as fun and satisfying as ever, especially with the introduction of the Grappleshot. And while the new generic open-world segments fail to elevate Infinite to the best in the series, they at least offer welcome breathers between each action-packed linear level that offers the classic Halo experience.
Call of Duty: Vanguard does have its moments, even if they are quite few and far between. The campaign goes back and forth between innovative and entertaining, to repetitive and bland, while the Multiplayer and Zombie modes don’t bring anything new to the table other than how impressive they look.
Mario Party Superstars is an enjoyable ‘Best Hits’ collection of the series, including 100 classic mini games and 5 boards that all feel distinctive. But with the lack of modern features such as co-op play and motion controls, it’s clear this entry is prioritising nostalgia over innovation.
After stumbling out the gate with last year’s Avengers, Square Enix has managed to steady the ship with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. For the story alone, the game is well-worth playing, but it’s the abundance of lore, well-written dialogue and gorgeous locales that elevate it as one of the best Marvel games to date.
Back 4 Blood is an excellent co-op zombie shooter, with a card-based perk system and wonderfully satisfying gunplay building upon the fantastic foundations of the Left 4 Dead series. But if you’re planning on playing solo you may want to stay clear, with a design clearly optimised for multiplayer.
Forza Horizon 5 is more of the same for the series and it makes a glorious impression. It’s a visual treat on Series X, with fun and approachable gameplay that always feel varied.
Metroid Dread is one of the best games I’ve played on the Nintendo Switch. While staying faithful to the Metroidvania blueprint set by Super Metroid back in 1994, it’s also benefited from many improvements that will appeal to a modern audience.
Alan Wake Remastered is a solid visual update to a classic survival horror game that first debuted on the Xbox 360. Though the gameplay does on occasion feel a little dated by today’s standards, the game’s solid writing and upgraded graphics make it an excellent game nonetheless.
FIFA 22 offers a better game of football than before and a whole load of new features for PS5, Xbox Series consoles and Stadia. Shame it’s let down by countless bugs and a lack of true improvements in many modes.
Deathloop is one of the most innovative games from a major publisher that I’ve ever played, using the time loop mechanic to fantastic effect. With lots of clever puzzles and engaging combat, as well as a genius multiplayer element, this is one of the best games of 2021 yet.
Deck Nine and Square Enix took a gamble on making Life is Strange: True Colors a full game from the get-go as opposed to an episodic adventure. But the decision has paid off, delivering one of the series’ more refined entries to date. Haven Springs is a joy to explore, and Alex’s emotional journey is one that will stay with me for a long time to come.
Nearly two decades after its first entry, the WarioWare series still knows how to keep things feeling fresh, and the series’ chaotic bombardment of microgames is as addictive as ever. While the experience might not be as rich as say The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey, Get it Together! is still tons of fun to play.