Advance Wars 1 and 2 are timeless classics and I know those are big words but these games are deserving of that honour. I was obsessed with Advance Wars 2 back in the day and now, I'm loving the franchise yet again. Plus, fans of the series can rest easy knowing that Nintendo hasn't abandoned the Advance Wars franchise and it makes me wonder what's next.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an awesome and unforgettable adventure and I'm happy to say that the Zelda series is still killing it in 2023. With that being said; please, Nintendo: we really need to experience a brand new Hyrule in the next Zelda game.
Everspace does so much right.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne takes what was great about the base game and provides more of it.
Anima: Gate of Memories - The Nameless Chronicles is undoubtedly a great RPG with little downsides.
Levelhead is one of the best platformers so far this year. If Butterscotch Shenanigans fixes some annoying issues that I had with the level editor then I'd consider it golden.
No Man's Sky Next is a fun laid-back exploration experience and it has the unique honour of featuring the largest open world in all of gaming.
If you're a new player looking for your next strategy game fix, you definitely can't go wrong with Sid Meier's Civilization VII. However, other than the ages system, I'm hard-pressed to think of what I'm excited about in this new entry when I could just play the previous installment. 🏛️
In the end, making it through the City of Brass is much more enjoyable and gratifying than it is frustrating.
Ignoring the huge hassle of powering your base and how difficult it is to use the industrial hotspots, I still enjoyed all of the changes in No Man's Sky Beyond.
Orcs Must Die 3 provides excellent orc-killing mayhem. With many imaginative traps and weapons, tower defense fans are sure to find something that catches their fancy. Plus, its gameplay is similar to the original so you enjoyed that, you're sure to love this, too.
If you're a pixel enthusiast and enjoy classic games like the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, you're sure to love Arietta of Spirits. It has an awesome heartwarming story and tries to be like a classic SNES adventure game and it succeeds well at doing so.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus definitely provides a great experience with a novel take on the classic franchise but I still feel that grinding is not needed in a Pokemon game which I've always felt should primarily be about simply having fun in a laidback world.
SpellForce III Reforced is a very ambitious RPG that I'm sure you'll enjoy if you're a fan of classic CRPGs like Baldur's Gate. However, learning how to manage an economy in this RTS game has a fairly steep learning curve. Then again, maybe you want this because you're an experienced RTS player and you've never played Baldur's Gate; I won't judge.
Although it's a mostly great experience, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a clear step below the S-tier Zelda games like Twilight Princess, Tears of the Kingdom, and so forth. There's still plenty of fun to be had if you're a fan of the classic Zelda games and perhaps this return to that formula is the shake-up that the series needed following Tears of the Kingdom.
My main gripe is that Monster Hunter Wilds plays too similarly to previous entries but there's still a lot to love including its thrilling hunts against creative monsters, weapon and build diversity, and, of course, the chance to pet Poogie. 🐖
Moonlighter has something to offer for casual players, completionists, and even speedrunners.
There's quite a lot that I like about Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered and some parts, not so much.
If you're a Pokemon fan and haven't played the original Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum then you're missing out. The Sinnoh region is an absolute joy to explore and it's super-fun trying to catch as many Pokémon as you can.
As a Wii veteran, I can't help but feel a little let down but that isn't entirely Donkey Kong Country Returns HD's fault and it doesn't change how special it was when I played it originally in 2010 so if you play it as a newbie, I'm sure you'll have a great time.