Phantom Blade Zero is a genre-defining game that stands as one of the best current-generation titles to date. Effortlessly marrying the fluidity of a combat system that masterfully balances offense and defense with tight world design, staggering weapon variety, and some of the most memorable boss fights in recent memory, S-Game has delivered a masterpiece with its first major PC and console release that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the absolute peak of the genre.
Final Fantasy Resonance marks a triumphant return to the series' turn-based roots. Blending classic storytelling and charming characters with a solid combat system, a deep character customization system, and the best HD-2D visuals to date, the game delivers an engaging RPG experience that honors the series' legacy and would have every right to be a new beginning for the entire franchise.
Stupid Never Dies is an eccentric, punk-rock action roguelite that combines a wild story with fast-paced gameplay. While it takes a while for the experience to come into its own, as the first five-to-seven hours feel clunky and overly restrictive, pushing past the slow onboarding reveals a gameplay loop that stays fun for its 20 hours duration, although some design choices will inevitably put some people off.
Valor Mortis starts strong with responsive first-person combat and a fascinating Napoleonic setting, but loses steam past the midpoint, only reecovering towards the endgame. Level design not fully taking into account first-person combat, limited enemy variety and character customization options, and technical issues on PC hold it back from greatness, though it remains a solid and somewhat ambitious soulslike that many will like for trying something different within the genre.
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is an excellent remake that successfully modernizes Falcom's classic JRPG without compromising its stellar narrative. By integrating the snappy hybrid combat mechanics from Trails through Daybreak, a seamless world structure, and quality-of-life additions like High Speed Mode, the game eliminates virtually all dated gameplay friction, making it a must-play for every fan of the genre, even with its slow-paced nature.
After a two-decade hiatus, Onimusha: Way of the Sword delivers a great modernization of the classic series' formulas without losing its identity to the Soulslike trend. While the semi-open Kyoto and narrative aren't memorable, its sharp combat system, excellent enemy design and difficulty balance make the game a triumphant comeback for returning fans and newcomers alike.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is a highly accessible 4v4 tag fighter that manages to offer deep combat without overwhelming newcomers. Its phenomenal character design, impressive learning tools, and solid single-player modes establish it as one of the best fighting games of the generation, but a flawed PC version and long matchmaking times drag the experience down
With a compelling, NieR-meets-Princess Mononoke narrative, solid level design that makes the most of its linear world, and a hybrid combat system blending Sekiro-style parrying with turn-based mechanics, Beast of Reincarnation is among the most interesting action RPGs of the year. While a slow start, technical shortcomings, and other flaws may be off-putting, action game fans shouldn't be deterred from experiencing what is, overall, a very solid title.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok is an excellent expansion that makes the game even more fun, while improving the brutal endgame grind. By introducing a brilliant single-player roguelite mode alongside the most challenging content to date, game-changing character traits and giving Lyria an active role in combat, Cygames has exceeded expectations once again, delivering a must-get for newcomers and veterans alike.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales serves as a charming love letter to the golden age of top-down action RPGs. While its narrow world design fails to capitalize on its time-travel setting, the experience is heavily elevated by snappy and surprisingly deep combat and a flexible character customization system, making the game one worth experiencing for fans of the genre looking for a modernized take on a classic formula.
Crimson Desert is among the best fantasy open-world games in years. While the narrative is thin and the controls complex, the incredible world density, sandbox mechanics, incredible combat and stunning visuals make Pywell a continent worth visiting for anyone looking for an experience to lose themselves in for hundreds of hours.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake is a hauntingly beautiful reimagining that successfully modernizes one of the series' most iconic entries with modern visuals and new mechanics. While the atmosphere and puzzles are masterfully executed, the experience is slightly dragged down by a combat system that can feel more frustrating than fun. However, the expanded story and atmospheric overhaul still make this a must-play for fans of the series and survival-horror fans in general.
Styx: Blades of Greed is the definition of a solid 'AA' game. It struggles under the weight of its own ambition and some Unreal Engine 5 optimization woes, but its charming main character and the quality of its sandbox level design make it a game that those looking for an almost pure stealth experience will love.
ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN is a brilliant, fever-dream rollercoaster, made by Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture at their absolute peak. By leaving behind the empty world of No More Heroes III in favor of a tightly paced, linear, almost "Soulslike on steroids" experience, the studio has delivered its most mechanically polished and visually eclectic experience to date, and a statement against the sanitized, risk-averse nature of modern AAA gaming.
Nioh 3 is the culmination of Team NINJA’s evolution. By masterfully blending the engaging exploration of an open-field structure with a deep, dual-style combat system that bridges the gap between 'Masocore' and character-action, it has evolved into a genre of its own. While technical issues hold the game back, it is the definitive samurai fantasy and a modern masterpiece of action design.
Where Winds Meet delivers an exceptional open-world experience, successfully blending an engaging story, meaningful activities, a solid combat system paired with competent character progression, a wealth of multiplayer options, and one of the most lively cities in the genre. Though some of its features and mechanics suffer from the constraints of the free-to-play model, the good undeniably outweighs the bad, making it a rare title that can captivate even players who typically avoid similar open-world games, easily providing hundreds of hours of content even in its launch state.
With a gripping and often disturbing story, a setting unlike anything seen before in the franchise, and gameplay that blends new ideas with a familiar framework, Silent Hill f shows that the series is not only back, but stronger than ever. While performance issues and a short runtime do impact the experience, they in no way diminish what is a triumphant return for one of the most important survival horror series ever.
With its by-the-books survival horror experience, its first few hours feeling more frustrating than fun due to clunky combat and average enemy design, Cronos: The Dawn seemed to be nothing more than an unremarkable survival horror heavily inspired by the Dead Space series. Push past the around two hours mark, however, and the game blossoms into one of Bloober Team's best titles to date, thanks to its quirky mechanics, solid level design, unique setting, and mystery-filled story.
Adapting the traditionally slow-paced Souls formula into a fast-paced, co-op-focused experience with roguelike elements was no easy feat, but the Japanese studio has fully delivered, once again proving why they remain masters of their craft.
Empyreal's ambition to do something different is commendable, but it's ultimately the only thing it truly has going for it. While character customization and the Cartogram system are solid enough, the forgettable and generic story and characters, average and clunky combat and the lack of proper multiplayer mechanics make the game a frustrating experience that gets tiring very quickly and one that only the most diehard ARPG fans might briefly appreciate.