Metaphor ReFantazio feels like Atlus' Final Fantasy 7 moment. It's an evocative, empowering, near-perfect JRPG which people will be talking about for years to come.
Whether it’s the visuals, gameplay, or soundtrack, Astro Bot picks up the best pieces of PlayStation’s most memorable franchises and mashes them all together in the most endearing way possible, all while effortlessly balancing its own identity through its innovative platforming set-pieces.
Dungeons of Hinterberg immaculately captures the idyllic spirit of a small mountain village with its vibrant characters, and the heightened sense of adventure that comes from exploring its many intricately designed magical dungeons.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is Ninja Theory's magnum opus. It's a sequel that's ambitious but not overbearing. With this game, the studio has perfected its craft of portraying immaculate cinematic experiences, glimpses of which can be traced back to its earlier games, like 2007's Heavenly Sword. Most importantly, with Hellblade 2, Ninja Theory has created an utterly refreshing AAA single-player experience that is unlike anything Xbox has currently to offer this generation.
Despite its half-baked story, forgettable characters, and insincere world-building, I couldn't help but enjoy my time with Stellar Blade. Perhaps it's because it knows what it is, and I knew what I was getting into. What you see is what you get. The combat is the heart of the experience, but so is playing dress-up with Eve. If you're okay with all of that, Stellar Blade is a game worth your time and money.
Rise of the Ronin isn't just Team Ninja's most ambitious game to date; it's also its most important one. With this title, the studio has pivoted into a bold new direction while still retaining the essence of its classic titles. However, if the studio's past games didn't click for you, it's unlikely that Rise of the Ronin will. But if they did, this will feel like a radical improvement from Team Ninja's previous titles, with plenty to be excited about what lies ahead.
Helldivers 2 is one of the most refreshing multiplayer experiences out there and easily the best PvE extraction shooter to date. Its robust shooting mechanics and unique gameplay ideas make up for a stellar moment-to-moment experience. Despite being plagued with a plethora of game-breaking issues, Helldivers 2 feels like a solid multiplayer experience, which, for the first time, paints an optimistic picture of PlayStation's live-service-centric future.
Persona 3 Reload feels like a first draft of the intricately crafted stories, characters, and social sim elements of latter Persona games. While the visual and technical overhaul makes it pretty to look at, satisfying to hear, and fun to play, its story, characters, and social sim elements feel inadequate. Still, it's not difficult to appreciate Persona 3 Reload for what it is as long as you keep your expectations in check.
The Last of Us Part 2's No Return mode may not have an in-depth progression system nor offer rewards that keep you hooked for hundreds of hours, but it's still a lot of fun to play. The moment-to-moment gameplay is satisfying, and if you're a fan of Resident Evil's Mercenary mode, this could be your next jam - for a little while, at least.
Persona 5 Tactica sends off Phantom Thieves in style. It's your "one more time with feelings" adventure that packs many memorable moments that do these beloved characters justice. Add to that an endearing art style, satisfying gameplay, and spectacular music, and you have one of the best games of the year in a year that has already produced so many incredible games.
If Spider-Man 1 was about what it means to be Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, as its natural evolution, is about what it takes to be a Spider-Man. Insomniac Games has crafted a sequel that feels better than the original in almost every way. It has numerous shortcomings, especially when it comes to its gameplay, but like 2021's Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, it's also a shining example of why superhero games will continue to thrive as long as there are great stories to tell.
Shark! Shark! is a nostalgic and endearing experience that's a lot of fun to play. While the Voyager mode ends more quickly than I would have liked to, I was always eager to climb the leaderboard and challenge other players in the world or indulge in a shark role-playing contest with a friend in a game of couch co-op.
Moonstone Island offers a more thrilling experience than a cozy one. Taming cute Spirits and partaking in combat is far more exciting and rewarding than staying put and building a farm or talking to NPCs. If only its life-sim aspects were as fulfilling as the game's other elements, Moonstone Island would have been a much more consistent experience throughout.
Fort Solis' strengths are quite apparent from the get-go. It's a short, interactive thriller with a great cast, jaw-dropping visuals, and some frantic moments tucked in between. It has a great premise, and the slow exploration-based gameplay has its appeal. However, shallow writing and inconsequential QTEs make it an unfulfilling thriller experience.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a thing of beauty and a breath of fresh air among other AAA games of this generation. It's a short, sweet, and spectacular nostalgia-inducing adventure that revitalizes not just a classic franchise but a genre of games that not many modern AAA studios dare to make anymore. On the PC side of things, it's a solid port from Nixxes Software that continues its streak of putting console games to PC in the best possible state.
For the most part, Remnant 2 is a satisfying souls-like that feels like a major step up from its predecessor in every single way. The gunplay is tight and precise, and there's an unprecedented potential for build-crafting. Having the option to hop on to a friend's game to play through a different biome means progression never stops, even if you get stuck in your world. If it wasn't hell-bent on making me miserable all the time, Remnant 2 may have been one of the most memorable games of this sub-genre.
Redfall feels like a cluttered and unfocused experience that doesn't compare to the studio's previous endeavors. Arkane's feeble attempt at fusing two genres robs Redfall of everything that made its previous games special. There's no saving Redfall from its bloody fate.
Dead Island 2's engaging combat, the sheer number of customization options, and its laid-back satirical world-building make it a worthy sequel. There are a few gameplay and quality-of-life issues that make this a somewhat frustrating experience though nothing major that would rob the overall fun factor of this game.
Resident Evil 4 is a masterfully streamlined reimagining of Leon and Ashley's 18 years of the original adventure. It smartly evolves several aspects of that game to make it more exciting to the modern audience. By doing all this, it once again cements itself as the greatest action horror game of all time.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a top-notch time-efficient action RPG with exhilarating combat and vibrant cinematic sequences, both of which are a step up from the studio's past titles. However, forgettable boss battles and lackluster loot leave much to desire, preventing this from being Team Ninja's finest.