Street Fighter 6 feels like a celebration of fighting games as a whole, offering newcomers one of the most in-depth onboarding programs ever seen in the form of the new World Tour mode and showing them what makes the FGC so special in the Battle Hub that awaits them when they're ready.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered adds some additional visual flair to a game that didn't really need any, but the new No Return roguelike mode makes it well worth the upgrade.
With a refined battle system, a stellar supporting cast, and the best side content the series has ever seen, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is one of the best RPGs of the modern era.
Gorn is, simply put, one of the best games VR has to offer. The combat is hilariously brutal, and the endless possibilities will keep you coming back for more. I punched my wall and was happy about it. This is a must-have for any VR owner.
Although the story is paper-thin and subspecies of existing monsters take the spotlight a little too often, Iceborne breathes new life into Monster Hunter World and makes me want to sink many more hours into a game I’ve already spent hundreds with.
Put simply, Synth Riders stands proudly among the best rhythm games VR has to offer. It takes the formula that so many have emulated and innovates upon it in meaningful ways. A rocking soundtrack, wealth of content, and appealing aesthetics make Synth Riders an incredibly easy game to recommend, even for those that aren't typically into rhythm games.
Gears Tactics perfectly translates the aggressive, bloody action of the series to a turn-based format.
Desperados III is definitely worth seeing through to the end, whether it be for the fun western tale it tells or the deep tactical stealth gameplay it offers.
It's hard to not fall in love with Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.
Minecraft Dungeons is an incredibly charming dungeon crawler that doesn't have the depth to replace its counterparts, but it's still a blast while it lasts.
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty is a great remake of a classic platformer that feels right at home on Nintendo Switch.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War brings the Black Ops subseries back to its roots, delivering an explosive campaign, fast-paced multiplayer, and a compelling Zombies experience.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is dripping with charm and makes excellent use of the DualSense controller.
Ubisoft has a knack for creating beautiful, expansive open worlds, but none of them are as compelling to explore as Immortals Fenyx Rising. It's a sprawling, colorful playground with plenty of nooks and crannies to get lost in.
Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition is, simply put, the best way to experience the game. The hardware requirements are steep, but if you’re lucky enough to have a ray-tracing enabled graphics card, there’s no reason to play the original release instead of this version.
Resident Evil Village is a great survival horror game that leans into the action and silliness of earlier entries in the series to mixed results. It's not as good as Resident Evil 7, and it's not as good as Resident Evil 4. It feels like a strange mixture of the two, and while it seems like it might be able to strike a good balance in its first half, the second half dashes any hope of that. It’s still a beautiful game with its fair share of scares, but it doesn’t really feel like a true next step forward for the franchise.
Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne remains a solid JRPG even today, but the remaster could have gone a bit further at this price point
True Colors is a big step up for the series and shows that Life is Strange is in good hands with Deck Nine.
Overall, Death Stranding Director’s Cut is solid as a PS5 port, but underwhelming as a Director’s Cut. If you were expecting a big new story expansion akin to Iki Island, then you’ll be disappointed by this Director’s Cut. If you just want to jump back into Death Stranding for a few hours in 60 FPS, then you’ll have a decent time. I wish more could have been done on the story front, but Death Stranding Director’s Cut is still a solid experience on PS5.
All in all, Call of Duty: Vanguard is a solid yet unremarkable entry into the long-running franchise. On a technical level, it's one of the most impressive games out there right now. On a gameplay level, it's nothing you haven't seen before.