Tchia's ambitious ideas and brightly textured open world come together in harmony. Despite an air of familiarity, there's simply nothing else like Tchia, and I have no doubt it will be high on my game of the year list.
As a follow-up to the highly successful Forgotten Land, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe may tread on old ground, but it does so with confidence and colour aplenty.
Blanc is a wonderful journey, whether played solo or with a friend, that will have you cooing in delight at its black and white cuteness.
Despite some moments of genuine enjoyment, with a combat system that does its best to entertain, Forspoken never makes the most of its potential. Ultimately, there are bigger, bolder and more inventive action games both already out there and soon to be upon us in an already stacked 2023 release schedule.
ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree sets out to do a lot in a short space of time and manages to pull it off impressively, even though I wanted to spend even more time within its take on Midgard compared to what it holds.
Even after all this time, there remains very few RPGs as creative, colourful and enjoyable as Persona 4 Golden. Though these new console additions don't add too much to the experience, it was a journey already at a high level of quality and now more fans can experience and enjoy the murder mystery mayhem. Long live Teddie.
Sports Story doesn't hit the heights of its predecessor, overstuffed with new ideas and sports that probably should have been left on the cutting-room floor. There's still plenty here to enjoy, both golf and tennis fans will find something to like and fans of the original likewise, but the trophy could have used a polish.
Melatonin is a short but kind experience, a hint of melancholy and a splash of retro vibes. It's less about the challenge (though it's there for those who seek it) and more about chilling out to some cool tracks across some fun levels, with accessibility that should be applauded.
It does feel a little patchwork in places, but Crisis Core is a reunion worth going to. The emotional gut-punch of a finale remains one of the best in the long running series, and that alone is worth the price of admission.
Somerville is a fantastic debut for Jumpship that should be commended, but a little extra polish in some key areas would have made an already great game even better.
Rose is a fascinating character that deserves her own, full-blown sequel, but for now Shadows of Rose is a worthwhile adventure for those looking for a little more from an already brilliant Resident Evil tale.
The Switch has had a good run of major ports lately, and Persona 5 Royal is no exception. It may have taken a while to get here, but the journey is more than worthwhile for new and returning Thieves. And now, Smash fans will finally know who Joker really is.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed stands as Illfonic's best game to date, a respectful addition to the Ghostbusters legacy that, despite a lack of content, is incredibly fun to play.
Your experience with The Tomorrow Children will vary, especially if you don't get any players visiting your space. But when everything clicks like a well-oiled machine, there's a strange sense of appeal here that makes it intriguing enough.
The sense of colour isn't just in looks, meaning Wylde Flowers is an island highly worth visiting and another Aussie indie classic.
Without a focus on MJ's career, 2K23 doesn't offer too much more than last year's iteration. It's a serviceable experience for newcomers and pros alike, it's just a damn shame it's becoming more and more a marketing tool than a game. What concerns me is, where do they go from here?
To finally have proper, unspoiled versions of TMNT Arcade and Turtles in Time that I can play whenever I want without having to spend hundreds on a replica arcade machine makes the TMNT: Cowabunga Collection worth it alone. Everything else is a welcome bonus.
There's nothing abhorrently wrong with Soul Hackers 2, it's a solid JRPG with plenty to like, but nothing here feels as unique or creative as it could be given the source material. Fans will no doubt still enjoy it, but it's a missed opportunity to push the boundaries further.
If you loved the original Life is Strange, We Are OFK should be on both your list of games to play and most definitely on your music playlist. It's a banger, though it should be said, Debug deserves its own game.
Cult of the Lamb stands as a true masterpiece of not one but two genres. I just couldn't find any issues that got in the way of my enjoyment of its various mechanics, and the love I have for my clan will continue long past the final boss encounter.