New World has the mechanical foundations of a decent MMO, with passable combat and good visuals, but its hopes are extinguished at the hands of dreadful PvE design. The few distinctive experiences that it does have, locked away behind high levels as if the game knows it has precious little to offer, are not worth the hours of mind numbing grind to get there.
NHL 22 makes a careful and mostly smooth transition to a new engine and the new console generation. The new ice looks great, and some gameplay tweaks are enjoyable, but beneath the surface the experience still feels very much the same.
The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes certainly changes things up for the anthology, with a cliché over the top story and a new tone that returning fans may not enjoy. But the strong cast and some interesting choices help prod the adventure along, even as its awkward new camera and dated visuals try to get in the way.
Despite a full year since the launch of the new console generation, FIFA 22 doesn't offer anything groundbreaking, on or off the pitch. The changes are largely minor and exclusive features are not worth fretting over. It plays a solid game of football, as always, but we're still left waiting for a true next-gen leap.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a title of high artistic value, but one that stumbles in gameplay. It's got charming characters and setting, a decent story and great looking cutscenes, but actually playing through the experience is largely underwhelming.
Deathloop is able to break the cycle of repetitive AI encounters and uneven performance thanks to an interesting story, strong characters, and enticing exploration.
Song of Iron starts off as a promising minimalistic Viking adventure, before running out of steam and dipping in quality the longer you play - which isn't long, thus also putting its asking price into question.
The Artful Escape is a joyous intergalactic trip with an electric guitar and vibrant visuals. Like a good solo, if you get swept up in the experience, you'll forget all about its flaws.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite does no favors to the franchise's reputation in video games. It's a mostly functional, but very repetitive and bland shooter that may only grab the interest of the most hardcore Xeno enthusiasts.
Humankind is a decent 4X entry for fans of the genre looking for something different - and yet very familiar. Newcomers are probably better off trying Civilization and giving Humankind some time to address its issues.