Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a worthy successor to Vermintide. Fans of good first-person melee combat shouldn't hesitate to check this one out.
While I don't think Evil West will be anyone's game of the year, it's rare to get such a pure action game these days. For those looking for pure vampire punching, this is your game.
A Plague Tale: Requiem takes what made the first game good and improves upon that. If you can handle the constant stealth sections, this game is for you.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope improves on Kingdom Battle, but drags things out far too long near the end. Fans of the original – or tactical combat games in general – should still check it out.
The Word of Cult of the Lamb is good, providing roguelike action with heaps of that good ol' fashioned ultraviolence. Those that don't mind a lack of depth with its cult management shenanigans - and can also turn a blind third eye to its hit-and-miss weapon selection - have found their calling.
Thymesia is a Soulslike that rewards aggression and precision; more methodical or sword and board players might want to look elsewhere.
Tyrant’s Blessing is a fun tactical game that tasks players with controlling their opponents as much as destroying them. If you’re a fan of tactics titles, add it to your queue.
It’s simple: If you want to play as a cat, then Stray is the game for you. However, if you’re more of a dog person, then skip it.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is an excellent callback to the Turtles beat-’em-ups of old. The game is an easy purchase – if you can handle the chaos happening on screen.
Sniper Elite 5 knows what it is excellent at and sticks with it. If you like gory headshots and taking out Nazis, this game is a good time.
Salt and Sacrifice has a lot going for it, but some bad design choices hold it back. I’d recommend watching some gameplay footage – especially of its bosses – before buying.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a grind fest that only a select few will enjoy. Those that overlook that will enjoy its well-written characters; for everybody else it’s an easy pass.
People looking for a short and intense samurai game should check out Trek to Yomi. It’s quick, fun, and makes you truly feel like a samurai.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands might as well be an expansion for Borderlands 3. Only fans of Borderlands who can tolerate Tiny Tina should consider this game.
While no one wants to call Game of the Year in March, Elden Ring stands at the top of a very tall hill. If you play one game this year, make it Elden Ring.
Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires does not give us faith that the series can be saved. Put simply, it might be best to put this series out to pasture and focus on other Warriors entries.
Fans of beat-'em-ups or kung fu movies will instantly fall in love with Sifu. If you can handle replaying levels multiple times, it's a must buy.
Dying Light 2 is so close to being great, but it is held back by a myriad of technical issues. It's fine with friends, but wait for some patches if you intend to fly solo.
For those looking for some co-op fun, Nobody Saves the World is your game. If you've got a buddy that likes top-down action RPGs, make sure to add this one to your queue.
I'll make this as simple as possible: If you like the idea of controlling a Roman Legion and conquering in the name of Rome, you will like Expeditions: Rome. If that doesn't sound like fun, then this game won't be for you.