We've waited far too long for an Aliens game this good, but it's finally here. With an exciting campaign, five exciting classes, a dazzling array of weapons, and a staggering array of monsters to use them on, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a perfect organism.
A mashup of many genres, Tribes of Midgard manages to do many things well. It does ask a great deal from you, and it offers little in the way of instruction, but if cooperation and discovery under pressure is your jam, this is the game for you.
Ghost of Tsushima Tales of Iki delivers an absolute masterpiece to Sony's PlayStation 5, alongside a remarkable expansion to an already phenomenal game. Some new mechanics keep things fresh, as does another excellent story from Sucker Punch. While there are a few hiccups to contend with, this is easily a must-have title for the year.
Delivering on the potential of the original launch, the Fire & Darkness expansion for Godfall finally gives us the absolutely gorgeous game we hoped it could be. With a fresh storyline to chew, a new realm to explore, and a massive expansion to the endgame content, Godfall: Fire & Darkness is a must-have.
Capturing the cyberpunk aesthetic perfectly, The Ascent is a fantastic example of twinstick shooters with a few tricks of its own. There are a few rough edges, especially with online multiplayer, but the RPG elements and gorgeous graphics and voice work more than keep you locked into this neon soaked universe.
While it is a short experience, Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series offers up the most immersive virtual Jedi experience you can find. Authentic in every way, meeting Darth Vader face to face, and squaring off in the Lightsaber Dojo makes it worth every penny.
Filled with non-sequiturs, excellent writing, fantastic voice work, and hours of minigame and puzzle fun, Sam & Max: This Time It's Virtual! is a great entry into the entertainment pantheon of lunacy that'll leave you wanting more. More please!
Sniper Elite VR is an absolutely fantastic transformation of the flat-screen game, trimming the fat to just the parts that'll be fun in virtual reality. Translating the sniper rifle into a VR medium makes the game immersive in a way we've not seen capitalized in many games to date. This one should be in your library, if you can handle the gore, and the occasional braindead AI.
With a focus on multiplayer, Red Solstice 2: Survivors tackles the action/tactical genre, offering up hordes of foes and beautiful presentations in the field. Where it lacks is connection with the player, bugs, and some difficulty spikes that make it infuriating.
Infested with bugs from start to finish, Dark Alliance is a button mashing affair that drops the 5E rules in favor of flash. The bosses are great, but the parts in between less so. Here's hoping developer Tuque can pull this out of the Deep Wastes with their post-launch plans.
With exhilarating moment to moment gameplay, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 delivers on its promise of longer shots, new gadgets, better contracts, and everything you've come to expect. Sure, it brings bugs and design choices that'll make you scratch your head, but that's no reason to avoid this one. Lock and load.
A roguelike where discovery of what to do is as important as how to do it, A Rogue Escape is an imaginative blend of escape room discovery, storytelling, and all the interactive elements you could ask for. While it is relatively short, that doesn't make the journey any less worthwhile.
Riddled with repetition, Biomutant is as grand in ambition as it is bland in execution. Where it shines in character creation and choice, it fumbles in its narrative and empty morality system. Where building your powers, weapons, and toys is great, finding all the parts to do so is simply a chore. Odd to say, but in this case, less might have been more, but what is here is fun. Just not as fun as it could have been.
The fact of the matter is, there are over 100 hours of game ahead of me across three games and more than 40 pieces of high-quality DLC like Lair of the Shadow Broker, Leviathan, and Overlord now folded directly into the story. So the saying goes, you can’t step into the same river twice, but Mass Effect Legendary Edition is certainly going to make one hell of an attempt at it. Now, if you will excuse me, I’ve got some Keepers to go scan.
The Lost Gods gives us a completely new way to explore the world of Immortals, as well as a natural extension on the events of the first DLC, A New God. While the camera can be problematic, the charm, puzzles, humor, and brand new ways to play are worth pushing through it. It's a great cap to the game, and the team's willingness to try new things speaks volumes.
Despite all of the ways that Outriders is stuck in the past, the moment to moment gameplay is so compelling that it's impossible to say it's not a blast -- especially with friends. It's also remarkably expansive in its crafting and skill trees, with plenty of ways to customize your playstyle. I may not be that invested in the story, and this certainly isn't that different from most first person shooters, but Outriders is well worth the time and effort. Even if there may be extra effort put in because of crappy server connections.
In some ways falling short, but in many ways vastly exceeding the original, Evil Genius 2: World Domination is everything we wanted in a sequel to one of the best evildoer simulators ever made. It recaptures the spirit of the original, brings it up to modern standards, and lets us play in an evil sandbox of our own making.
Immortals Fenyx Rising: Myths of the Eastern Realm gives us a fresh protagonist, a completely new setting, familiar mechanics and a few new tricks. With fantastic logic puzzles and the same tight combat as the base game, Myths of the Eastern Realm represents a great new way to experience everything we loved from the original. Let's hope Ubisoft continues to take risks like this as they seem to pay off in a big way.
There's a lot to like in The Sinking City on PlayStation 5. With updated textures, 4K/60 FPS support, faster loading times, and activities support, it's a solid detective story. While the combat may be shallow, and it has enough havok bugs to make a Deep One scared, it represents some of the best work Frogwares Studio has made. If you are an H.P. Lovecraft fan, don't let this one sail past you.
The Nioh Collection does come at a premium asking price, but for your $69.99 you'll pick up a pair of games with easily over 150 hours of gameplay, with brand new visual modes to make it look its very best. Granted, this is a Team Ninja game so you can expect that it will punish you for each and every inch of ground you gain, but when you do succeed it makes it all the more sweet.