Perhaps the softest launch in Activision Blizzard's historic FPS series, Call of Duty Vanguard shows that there's much potential for this year's entry to grow. However with the weakest Zombies mode in series history, a shortage of cosmetics and upgrades for anything save your primary loadout, and a Campaign that could've offered so much more, Vanguard is a tough sell if you're looking for anything than your next TDM fix at the moment.
Yoko Taro's storytelling is laid out on the table in a card-based adventure that'll appeal to tabletop and JRPG fans alike in Voice of Cards.
Easily the best way to experience building bridges across America, Death Stranding Director's Cut is less of the final cut one might expect from Kojima himself and moreso a collection of novel enhancements to make this the best looking and best feeling way to experience this unique title.
A timeless classic marred by conflicting visual identities and a disjointed formula, Legend of Mana is an experimental PS1-era title that planted the seed for many of Square's greatest RPGs to come in future years.
Accessibility and style are both Guilty Gear -Strive-'s strongest suits but some baffling omissions and online problems keep Arc System Works' latest from entering the pantheon of elite fighters.
Knockout City plays with some interesting ideas to turn Dodgeball into a simple competitive shooter, but it's clear Velan Studios has spent more time building a robust microtransaction system than appealing content.
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is less about being a satisfactory remaster and more about just bringing this fantastic JRPG onto a new generation of consoles.
Hood: Outlaws & Legends offers a barebones experience that is best played with a dedicated team of wolves. Those seeking fame and riches on their own may find themselves lamenting the lack of content both available day one and what's to come in the first year roadmap. Hood may certainly grow in the future, but the first impressions leave much to be desired.
Barring a sci-fi horror tale that doesn't quite nail the slow building reveal, Housemarque has absolutely succeeded with their fusion of third-person shooting and roguelike elements in Returnal, one of my personal favorite PlayStation 5 titles so far.
Once players get past the poor onboarding experience, Monster Hunter Rise might offer the series' best entry for first time players while series veterans will fly over the competition with the new Wirebug mechanics.
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... restores lost content alongside a brand new ending but requires players to retread the same 60+ hour grind to experience what's unique to this oddly numbered JRPG.
SaGa Frontier Remastered shows the two-decades old JRPG such great reverence by restoring lost content along with modern conveniences. With a high learning curve and an explorer's mindset necessary to truly enjoy, SaGa Frontier does require more experimentation and desire for less-traditional storytelling to get the most out of it.
Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection plays it a bit too safe when it comes to being the first sequel in 15 years, instead opting for a polished up retelling of Arthur's quest to rescue his fair maiden from the clutches of evil demons not once but twice.
Persona 5 Strikers is a fun sequel that builds off the first year of the Phantom Thieves and might be the kind of action-packed sequel that only true fans of the original Persona 5 will desire for.
Marianne might be able to jump between two realities, but The Medium is trapped somewhere between being a worthy Silent Hill successor and another mediocre hide and seek horror game.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light is a negative net sum, with so much content vaulted in favor of a meager campaign set in Europa. So much is teased and promised to bring the original Destiny vision together with Destiny 2 that we can't hope but be excited to see what Bungie is promising in seasons to come. However, what's available right now is less than the exotic content that players might've hyped themselves up for.
Scott Pilgrim Versus the World Complete Edition certainly aims to be a faithful collection of this decade-old RPG brawler but with a near-zero list of improvements, it's tough to call Scott Pilgrim's adventure anything more than a pre-wrapped gift to the fans.
Sackboy's first foray outside of the Media Moleculeverse without an editor to guide his way is not only a fantastic 3D platformer for all ages but also one of the best PlayStation 5 launch titles for younger audiences
The quality of life changes, the return of an orchestral soundtrack, the new side stories and Tockington challenges all add up to make Dragon Quest XI S the best way to play this JRPG classic (as long as you mind the graphical downgrades), but with no new content that wasn't already added to last year's Nintendo Switch release, it's a tough sell for players that have already enjoyed the Luminary's adventure once or twice already.
While not our final score for Godfall, we're reserving the opportunity to adjust the tally for Godfall based on the endgame content. If it somehow redeems the lackluster loot that players will carve through during the campaign, that number might change. Otherwise, go into this one looking for some quality swordplay and subpar swords.