Stellar Blade is a provocative sword guard thumb-pop that ought to make every fan of the genre snap to attention.
Providing Team Ninja iron out some of the creases in a post-launch patch, this could still be seen as a retainer—possibly a worthy companion piece to anybody hooked on the Shogun miniseries.
I cherished almost every hour I spent with this sequel, and I’m already Buster Sword hilt deep in a second run on Hard. Rest assured, the phoenix rise of this remake is still soaring on an upward trajectory.
When it comes down to that final eulogy, I have way more fond memories of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden than I do regrets.
Tekken 8 is a hugely entertaining powerhouse of a sequel that’s been well worth the wait. What else is there left to say other than get [your wallet] ready for the next battle?
At the very least, acquire The Last of Us Part II Remastered for its unmissable base combat, then become hopelessly infected by its new fun[gal] layer of arcade challenge addiction.
Whichever way you look at it, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is another fine entry in the modern-era Metroidvania renaissance. It absolutely deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as games like Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, and Metroid Dread.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is quite a bit better than I thought it was going to be, on the whole. Despite some half-baked mechanics and ideas, I still had a blast shredding outposts in this overwhelming, sumptuous sandbox.
At the end of the evaluation, Armored Core VI may stand as the best at what it does in its particular arena, but that’s largely due to a lack of stiff competition. From could have assembled something truly S ranked here, but didn’t.
I could barely put my controller down during my 57 hours with Final Fantasy XVI. It represents a huge milestone for this franchise, thanks to its bold shift to more adult story-telling (and language), addictive real-time combat, and gargantuan VFX spectacles that are best in class. Marry all that with what the series is already known for — epic orchestral OSTs and phenomenal world-building — and Final Fantasy XVI is nothing short of a must-own.
Despite its rough edges, Aliens: Dark Descent has my thumbs up as the sleeper hit of 2023. It’s an addictive, unabashed love letter to one of the greatest action films of all time.
Hogwarts Legacy is an ambitious triumph.
This sequel raises the baa, but I just wish the silliness was a bit more stable.
Smash open every jar in your vicinity and gather some Hacksilver together. God of War Ragnarok is an essential purchase.
Basically, Gotham Knights got pushed out of the belfry when it was only barely, kinda, sorta ready to fly.
Part I is like the in-game axe upgraded with a roll of tape and a pair of scissors. Obviously, the original item was massively bloody capable already—of near perfect design in form and function. Even still, this thing has now somehow become waaay sharper than any sane person could have imagined. Give it even half a chance to get a piece of you, and it’s gonna cut deep.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is the gaming revamp equivalent of the time Donatello took a perfectly good Volkswagen bus and upcycled it into the high-tech, tubular AF Turtle Van. Hitch a ride, dudes.
When the twin suns set on my time with LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga, it was obvious to me that this production is lavished with love and worth every stud of its asking price. I've been around the block(s) with TT's games for some 15 years now, and this is without a doubt the best thing they've ever snapped together. If you're a gamer who's young or young-at-heart-container, I'd be very surprised if this didn't instantly click with you.
Gran Turismo 7 is a triple threat: it's one of the best sounding, most luscious-looking and phenomenal feeling racers I've ever played in my life
Horizon: Forbidden West is still a top-tier game that’s well worth emptying one’s pouch of metal shards to purchase.