Zackery Cuevas
Yakuza: Like a Dragon feels like everything I ever wanted in a game. Once the game stomps on the gas, it very rarely slows down. Its unique cast of characters and gameplay had me hooked and wanting more, and it almost feels like it never stops giving. Even after the story ends at the 45+ hour mark, I was ready to fight more, complete more side missions, and squeeze out every drop of gameplay that this game has to offer.
Capcom faithfully recreates and reimagines the legendary Resident Evil 4 by improving the graphics, tightening the gameplay, and keeping the original game's core scares and charms intact.
Baldur's Gate 3 is an incredible RPG for PC and PS5 that's true to the Dungeons & Dragons experience as well as the sheer possibilities that tabletop games allow.
At just $5, Fatal Falls is a must-buy for Dead Cells fans. It adds plenty of new content worth risking it all for, and if you haven't been indoctrinated by Dead Cells, you can net both Fatal Falls and The Bad Seed in The Fatal Seed Bundle, coming soon to Xbox. Just be sure this is the right game for you. It's a fast-paced, action-packed game that's one of the rogue-likes on the Xbox, and it's not afraid to chew you up and spit you out. With that being said, the base game is available on Xbox Gamepass, so curious gamers will be able to dip their toes in the Malaise before committing.
Yakuza 6: Song of Life is an excellent conclusion to Kazuma Kiryu's story while also improving and streamling the gameplay and exploration.
Returnal arrives on PC two years after making a splash on PS5, packing many exclusive features that make this version the one to beat-if you've got the rig to handle it.
Star Renegades is a fun tactical RPG with a healthy dose of rogue-lite sensibilities. It's visually appealing, the gameplay is tight, and the dialogue is witty. It just doesn't do much different — but then again, it doesn't really have to. As it stands, Star Renegades shines like many other roguelites do. It combines multiple genres to make a cocktail that's easy to drink and hard to finish.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition is still fun to play. It's a solid 2D beat em up with lots of charm and a sweet soundtrack, but there are better games in the genre since its 2010 debut.
Hitman 3 features some of the most complex and most creative levels in the series history while polishing the gameplay to perfection. Unfortunately, it's held back by some hefty paywalls, uneven mission pacing, and some occasional clunky AI.
The Yakuza Remastered Collection adds three more Yakuza games to Xbox Game Pass, and they all are excellent story-driven action games that can be enjoyed on their own or as a single chapter in the series.
Judgment is a great spin-off of Yakuza, and is an excellent starting point for those interested in the series. However, the new detective elements don't go as far as they need to and end up feeling like scene dressing.
Knockout City is a simple concept that feels great to play, both alone and with friends. It's the kind of live service game you dream of - one that's fun and fair, packed to the gills with unlockables, and thanks to its dedicated team, will only get better over time.
Guilty Gear -Strive- will impress longtime fans of the series and has made significant changes to lower the barrier of entry for newcomers, but there might not enough content for some.
Featuring outstanding cinematic presentation, first-rate voice performances, and superb sound design, Trek to Yomi wraps Akira Kurosawa-like flair around its fun, side-scrolling samurai battles.
PlayStation's PC campaign continues with Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, an excellent port of two of the most critically lauded games from Sony's catalog.
Featuring gorgeous graphics and wildly inventive stages, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is an underrated gem of a game that's made even better by a wonderful PC port.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is an incredibly polished sequel that perfects the previous games' combat and delivers new, exciting ways to traverse New York City as you beat up bad guys.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is another excellent entry in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, one that's packed to the gills with crime drama, oddball humor, and many mini-games.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is packed with the absurd humor, crime drama, and mini-games you expect from the JRPG series.
Helldivers 2's thrilling action, absurd humor, and surprisingly fair monetization practices make it one of the best PlayStation 5 multiplayer games.