With so many incredible releases over the past few years, Exoprimal feels like an odd misfire from Capcom. Its combat and graphics are good, but the live service elements, PvEvP focus, and more detract from the experience.
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg finally allows Western players to experience the series' beginning. However, despite some cute visuals, it's wholly unexceptional compared to the more recent Atelier titles.
Final Transmission is the proper "ending" for The Callisto Protocol, and while it closes Jacob Lee's story, the overall execution and content leave a lot to be desired.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Reverie is the epilogue players deserve after Cold Steel 4. It's a strong send-off for many of its characters and sets up the future well, even with its flaws.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective isn't looking to overhaul what made the original version so memorable. It offers sleeker HD visuals and rearranged music while retaining the same great music, writing and characters. Some of the newer features feel superfluous, but the game's core is still strong.
Diablo 4 will provide dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of entertainment for those seeking a solid action RPG looter. However, some may be left wanting by the story, power fantasy and some of the endgame.
Amnesia: The Bunker is Frictional's best entry in the series since The Dark Descent. Its environmental design and mechanics offer multiple solutions for problems, and its use of darkness leads to some genuine dread. Just don't go in expecting a very long experience.
With heavy doses of action platforming, a dash of Metroidvania and some striking visuals, Convergence: A League of Legends Story provides a compelling side-story for Ekko.
Street Fighter 6 is more than the sum of its individually excellent parts. It's a return to form for a franchise that's been on the back foot for years, and a stellar fighting game as a whole.
After Us combines solid platforming with a wonderfully realized post-apocalyptic vision of over-consumption. Even if Memories feel like a missed opportunity, the overall narrative and gameplay make it a worthwhile trip into a morbid future.
Planet of Lana is an incredible journey. It's a down-to-earth traipse through a unique but endearing off-world setting, with tight pacing and excellent presentation underscoring a tale of camaraderie and familial devotion. Whether it's the incredible visuals or the stellar gameplay, it's worth your time.
Honkai: Star Rail upholds miHoYo's strong reputation for compelling RPGs. Even with the gacha systems, it offers a fun free-to-play experience with fun story-telling, interesting companions and sleek gameplay.
Darkest Dungeon 2 is a wholly different beast from the original, wrapping branching paths and compelling combat into a rogue-lite package. There are some hiccups and it may not appeal to all fans of the original, but it's still a fun journey to suffer.
Its performance leaves something to be desired, but Star Wars Jedi: Fallen is still an essential experience for genre fans and Star Wars fanatics.
Stray Blade has promise and could be improved with more polish and balance changes. However, the flawed combat, story-telling, progression and lead character often bring down the experience.
The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story is another compelling spin-off from Riot Forge. Despite some imperfections, it offers fun gameplay, a well-realized world and a likable, if headstrong, protagonist.
Minecraft Legends isn't going to rewrite the book on action strategy games. However, it offers compelling gameplay backed by mechanics from the main game that rewards exploration and ingenuity, on top of having an easy control set-up.
Ravenbound has the potential to be something good, if not great. However, it needs some serious overhauls and improvements to even start down that path.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key doesn't completely rewrite the series' rules, so much as expand and improve on them. It's still a relaxing traipse with Ryza and friends, but evokes a sense of nostalgia and hope for the future.
Overwatch 2 is a soft reboot of the hero shooter, enabling a quicker pace thanks to 5v5, well-designed maps, and extensive rebalancing. There are still some progression and monetization issues to sort out, but this update/sequel establishes a solid foundation for the series' future.