Jonathan Toyad
The Knight Witch can join the ranks of indie Soulslike & search action titles as one of this year's more challenging offerings. You'll die countless times getting the hang of the game's bullet hell patterns, but at the same time find joy and satisfaction in defeating the opposition with your correct choice of Spell Cards and playstyle, alongside its tight controls and fun levels.
Flying Wild Hogs did well here with the Wild West take. Evil West’s flexible combat, challenging fights, and cowboys-versus-vampires setting are enough for me, and probably for you if you need more action games on your PC and console. It does remind me of the old days of 2010s third-person action games, but the good parts.
It's amazing how this 2022 follow-up ended up being a huge downgrade that didn't learn & improve jack from a pair of its prequels made 20 years ago; that really takes talent. Yasuhiro Nightow's cool-as-heck series deserves better than Gungrave G.O.R.E.
In a sea filled with serious triple-A or so experiences featuring ex-Greek gods and rats, I'd recommend Goat Simulator 3 if you need a goofy laugh playing as a goat in an open-world setting filled with secrets, goofy quests, and easter eggs.
Somerville attempts to be the next Inside or Limbo, but with colour and a lot more sci-fi. It mostly succeeds, as some of its off-kilter segments, vistas and art style, conclusions, and developer choices will be seared in your mind for the remainder of 2022.
As far as game license cash grabs go, RWBY: Arrowfell could have been worse. At the very least, there's a serviceable action platformer game here with loads of potential, but it's squandered by boring-level design and all-around simplicity.
God of War Ragnarok is not only a fitting end to a saga that had no right to be this enthralling and engaging, but it does more than enough to justify players to buy this off the shelf. And perhaps even get a new PlayStation console to see it in its 60fps high-res majesty.
I just feel that the quality levels of the third game aren’t as top-tier when compared to parts 1 and 2. On its own merit, however, Bayonetta 3 is still a shining star in the pale moonlight.
[T]he Mario + Rabbids sequel is anything but soulless, though its appeal may depend on your tolerance of the turn-based strategy genre's ever-dreary pacing and Rabbid slapstick in general.
LEGO Bricktales is still a fun time to be had. Whether it's the soft-but-distinct "click" sound you hear when you're piecing LEGO bricks together, or you spend way too much time with a puzzle you solved hours ago because you want to stack it up with more vertical bricks, you'll have a ball with this relaxing building simulator.
Valkyrie Elysium may not look like much, but underneath its modest budget lies a really fun and "chillax" action game you can grind and have fun with. The Einherjar summoning system and elemental exploitation system, coupled with chain attacks and your Spider-Man-like Soul Chain grapple all gel together for one entertaining action-packed experience.
Despite how pretty it animates and how unique it looks, [Moonscars] punishing gameplay isn't for everyone.
If you're in the camp for short-term but challenging "devil may care" fun, dig in!
Soulstice has a lot of, well, spirit to make it more than above-average hack and slash 2000-era fare. "A" for effort, at the very least.
As far as combat flow and challenges go, Steelrising is decent and is a good first attempt from Spiders in mixing it up in the genre they're synonymous with.
Compared to Saints Row IV and Saints Row The Third, this reboot feels more like a glorified retread than an evolution. But to people new to the sandbox crime game genre and who just want a lot of punchy fun & surprises out of their crime games for 25+ hours? It's a decent introduction and a case study on how to make the genre seem fun again, as well as keep the series grounded to its Grand Theft Auto-inspired roots.
If you’re a fan of the genre or at least have an inkling of interest in just being a real-time John Wick archetype, give this one-man army-developed game a shot. Or a few punches in the throat; whatever move suits your fancy.
[Rollerdrome is] essentially is a thrill ride that comes with guns blazing, a reason to welcome crossbreeding between two genres, and a nod to classic 80s films with dystopian carnage marathons where the strong survive. Give [it] a spin; you'll be glad you did.
This indie title impresses with its fun simulation aspects, great controls, lovely-if-simple action roguelite portions, and all-around cheekiness of making the act of running your own version of Heaven's Gate look almost endearing.
Frogun’s aesthetics belies an annoying kind of 3D platformer that demands precision. For that, I’m not sure if I should recommend the game to everyone but the most hardcore of platformer enthusiasts.