It's a no-brainer: Nier Replicant is for the books.
Dive deep in this immersive 2D pixel-savvy world Studio Koba has created; just mind the controls.
You know you have a masterclass of a game if you're craving more out of what's already laid out. More fights, more stages, and just more out of this title's luscious design & aesthetics. Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is definitely a keeper!
[T]he latest Outer Worlds DLC is worth the 6 hours just for its premise, its colourful location, and the payoff for both sides of the story.
Loop Hero is a must-buy for PC if you want a fresh new take on roguelike RPGs in 2021.
If you are one of those RPG enthusiasts who want another improved version of Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy Tactics' Job system to mess around with in 2021, right down to its archaic trappings, Bravely Default 2's got you sorted.
If the prospects of anime erotica do not turn you off, and if you don’t mind a not-so-serious dating sim with challenging puzzle bits that require a ton of focus-switching, you can do worse than HuniePop 2: Double Date.
Despite having pretty big shoes to fill, Ys IX is a standout action RPG title with a decent plot and features top-tier gameplay that's challenging and addictive. Sometimes, that's more than enough when you're an RPG maker who has to be creative with a budget.
I honestly want to see more Bloober Team horror games of this nature, because it seems this big ambitious project is the best direction to go. In short, The Medium is a great start to bigger and better things.
Yacht Club and Mechanical Head have clearly made a title for acquired tastes, specifically the masochistic kind, but they at least had the decency to be generous with its continue system and new-age game design nuances like refillable energy for your skills.
Ocean’s Heart is a well-crafted love letter to the 2D Legend of Zelda games on the NES and SNES featuring a charming setting, a short-but-sweet play length, and fun gameplay. I do wish the bosses were actually challenging and mentally stimulating, but the overall journey is more eventful than the destination.
[Umurangi Generation's] unfolding story, unnerving setting and atmosphere, hip soundtrack, and simple breezy gameplay are enough to make this an adventure that stands out amidst its indie peers.
Cyberpunk 2077 is definitely a massive CRPG undertaking. If it weren’t for the glitches and bugs in the way, I’d say CD Projekt has a helluva masterpiece in its hands.
Still, Drawn To Life; Two Realms balances its cutesy art style with its surprisingly emotional storyline that serves as a bookend for fans, while also ramping up the hardcore difficulty one would expect of a 2D platformer with nerve-wracking brain teasers.
Despite its outerworldly setting, Haven’s message & writing highlights the pros and cons of a relationship that many couples, and even ex-couples, can relate to. Except for maybe the bit where you feed a marble cake to attract a giant alien manta ray to serve as your makeshift taxi cab.
Immortals: Fenyx Rising is not going to win any awards for originality. But it is charming most of the time, features a lush Greek god island to explore that’s filled with secrets and discoverables, and contains a ton of brain-teasers mixed in with some light-yet-hearty combat.
Just like past games, Yakuza: Like A Dragon still retains the magic of balancing the serious and the absurd side-by-side with deft precision and skill. You won't regret this trip down Isezaki Ijincho and getting enamoured by its 40-hours plus journey.
[The Pathless'] presentation, its challenges and puzzles, and its unique one-two archer-and-falcon punch are noteworthy enough to pick it up as either a PC indie darling or a lovely launch title for your newly-acquired PS5. In other words, take flight.
Xuan-Yuan Sword VII has promise, but it fails in delivering a consistent and manageable experience. In meshing hack and slash games like Dark Souls, Bayonetta, and any mid-2000 mid-card action game out there, this action RPG feels like a hybrid that doesn’t know what to excel & focus on.
Even if you're burned out by simulations like Project CARS 3 (a pretty inferior sequel, to be frank), you should give DIRT 5 a chance if you aim for a simple arcade racing game with great-looking frills, noteworthy challenges, and a straightforward path.