The First Descendant is a bland dish presented on exquisite plating, whose stunning boss fights and interwoven upgrade systems are overpowered by shallow missions and grim monetisation. Nexon doesn’t invite you to a power fantasy, it sells you one by letting you pay to skip tiresome progression mechanics.
The Final Shape is Destiny 2 firing on all cylinders, balancing a story of overwhelming odds with expertly paced combat and puzzles, all set in stunning environments. Much of the earlier complaints about the barrier to entry have been addressed, making for a seamless entry into the latest campaign.
Despite varied factions and excellent maps, XDefiant’s shootouts are let down by a lack of identity and sluggish weapon progression. Outside an emphasis on making skill-based matchmaking optional, the game plays like every shooter from the last decade, leaning into nostalgia over attempting a breakthrough. While technical pitfalls can be resolved with seasonal updates, XDefiant needs novelty to sustain a player base.
Hades 2 carefully sandwiches more nuance between the original roguelike’s kinetic combat, gorgeous visuals, and heartfelt narrative. With each end comes an opportunity to clear an obstacle, deepen a bond, and inch closer to thwarting Chronos.
In Tales of Kenzera: Zau, grief and acceptance tug at your heart between bouts of refined combat and slick traversal. While seasoned Metroidvania fans will want more diversions and mystique, the game’s platforming abilities and challenges do justice to its setting.
Dragon’s Dogma 2's commitment to unscripted monster hunts, visceral combat, and interlinked systems guarantees a story lurking around every corner. By trading modern guardrails for know-it-all handmade companions, it entrusts you with the 'venture' in action-adventure. But weak quests and animation jitters hold it back from excellence.
Snow Day’s moment-to-moment slapstick humor and inventive combat are undermined by unfulfilling progression and an acute lack of content.
Helldivers 2 delivers hilarious fist-clenching moments with rock-solid co-op shooter fundamentals but is held back by repetitive missions.
P3R’s poignant tale of acceptance is bolstered by smart combat refinements, deeper friendships, and a soundtrack you already love.
Infinite Wealth honours its dying dragon and rising star with a Hawaiian platter of side stories, memoirs, and dynamic combat.
With loadouts to assemble and coordinated teams laughing to the bank, every breath of The Finals’ destruction does justice to its game show ambitions.
Look past Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s dull story and you’ll find spectacle and freedom lurking in its Na’vi customs and breathtaking ecosystems.
While Realms of Ruin looks great and plays it safe, zoom out from its Warhammer character models and fundamentals to spot unreliable troop controls that turn traps into tombs.
Like a Dragon Gaiden might be a short ride but it stands tall among its larger brethren. Bond-like combat refinements, a tight plot, and fun mini-games build on the same old Yakuza heart.
Cities Skylines 2 is a well-loved home that picks smart renovation over a sweeping revolution. With incredible visuals and immaculate detailing, few cities can eclipse this colossal effort in terms of sheer freedom and choice.
Forza Motorsport’s refined handling, next-gen visuals, and responsive physics tempt you with an accessible yet familiar thrill, especially when you avoid spiraling into a bend.
Back with a vengeance, Phantom Liberty builds on the high notes of Cyberpunk 2077 to deliver a gripping storyline packed with both heartfelt moments and refined RPG systems.
With gorgeous next-gen visuals, spine-wringing combos, and new Kameo fighters, Mortal Kombat 1 is less a reboot and more an accessible yet fulfilling return to form.
Stunning vistas paired with a stirring soundtrack and refined combat shoulder Sea of Stars, one of 2023’s most charming RPGs.
Baldur’s Gate 3 gracefully spins atop a tightrope guided by dice rolls as it delivers the player-driven excellence of a tabletop road trip.