Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's outstanding visuals and fun freeflowing gameplay can't save it from feeling like a forced live service game constantly at odds with itself creatively.
Tekken 8 stacks content in an excellent feature-complete package, boasting the great Heat system, refined yet accessible gameplay and one of the best story modes ever put to a fighting game.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered's technical improvements are minor (many will question if it's even necessary), but the side content like No Return is great and worth the upgrade.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is exceptionally good and marks Ubisoft's best game in years - a shot of old-school 2D platforming action that jolts the franchise back to life.
Alan Wake 2 is an innovative, bolder, and scarier sequel that pushes the survival horror genre forward. Remedy have turned its strangeness dial to 11 and it's magnificent.
Lords of the Fallen looks and plays great but frustrating difficulty spikes and an undercooked narrative hold it back from reaching the heights of its Soulslike counterparts.
For fans of Bloodborne (and Sekiro, to an extent), Lies of P is absolutely going to deliver on all those dreams of a spiritual sequel. It's a masterfully crafted Soulslike that doesn't do anything innovative but simply doubles down on what works - and shoots for the stars.
Mortal Kombat 1 takes a back-to-basics approach to its combat, characters and story that rewards both newcomers and long-time fans in equal measures. It's a narratively satisfying, fresh restart that the series desperately needed after nearly three decades.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a once-in-a-generation masterpiece made with care and passion by the talented Larian Studios that elevates not only the RPG genre, but the entire gaming medium - packed with creative spins on classic fantasy tropes, excellent writing, terrific world-building and some of the most well-written characters in gaming.
It's not a deep experience and many might leave unsatisfied by its sluggish pacing, dialogue and story. Atlas Fallen is an easy recommend on sale but for now, 2023 has a lot more to offer.
Synapse makes good use of virtual reality and the DualSense controller through its mind-bending action and distinct visuals but repetition sets in far too quickly.
Final Fantasy XVI is not perfect and won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it personally hit almost all of the right notes for me to consider it an absolute must-play and a refreshingly mature take on the franchise. The combat is highly addictive, the story is captivating and the Eikon battles are jaw-dropping spectacles.
Diablo 4 is undoubtedly one of the best games that Blizzard has ever made with a well-written story, though the company's poor handling of post-launch content has dampened what could've been an otherwise phenomenal experience.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a worthy successor to Breath of the Wild and one of the best games on Nintendo Switch. While it won't win over players who weren't swept away by its predecessor, the sequel does everything in its power to be a true evolution of the formula. Inventive gameplay, a gorgeous presentation, beautiful soundtrack, and incredibly immersive exploration all add up to create a near-masterpiece of endless possibilities.
We know Arkane is capable of so much more which is why this feels like such a disappointment and a step back for the studio. Some inspired ideas and a creative concept can't hold Redfall up from buckling under its own blood-drenched weight. On the bright side, it's on Game Pass.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a bigger but not necessarily better sequel to Fallen Order. However, it excels in key areas including slightly improved combat, locations that are larger in scope, more nuanced and introspective character writing, and a terrific, gripping narrative.
If you can get over the often daft AI, mild learning curve with systems that might be pretty complex for younger players, and few performance issues, then you might be swayed by its charm. It has a lot of heart and that's where it shines the brightest.
It's a welcomed change of pace for the Bayonetta series that not every fan will find as fulfilling as the main games, but as a smaller project bursting with heart and creativity, Bayonetta Origins is a fun, charming diversion.
Capcom have done the impossible and made a remake that not only stands toe-to-toe with the original, but outshines it in plenty of areas too. The Resident Evil 4 remake is an extraordinary reimagining that honours its counterpart while giving it a more impactful coating of horror and suspense.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is another highly enjoyable effort from Team Ninja that wears its Sekiro inspirations proudly on its sleeves, but it may lack the brutal challenge that usually accompanies these games.