Stray is a wonderful exercise in organic worldbuilding with enough heart to hold its own against the best of this year. Despite having no people in it, Stray is one of the most human games I've played this year.
Live a Live puts together many of the things that put people off from playing JRPGs but makes it surprisingly accessible. It gives you several lives worth living and rewards you for really exploring every one of them.
Outriders Worldslayer is a DLC made for a specific type of player. It adds more endgame content and tonnes of new unlocks but doesn't revamp the story or really change all that much. If you liked the base experience and just want a little more out of it, it does exactly what it should. If you're looking for a reason to revisit a game that didn't make an impact, this isn't it.
Taking after fairy tales, Witch Strandings manages to tell a predictable story in unpredictable ways. It can often be painful to play but the experience is one I won't forget soon. Witch Strandings is a game I'm glad exists, even if I'm not sure I enjoyed it all that much.
Although Neon White goes by in a blur, that fast pace is only made greater with excellent level design, fun characterisation, and so many little secrets to find. Though I was expecting to be entertained by Neon White's gameplay for a few hours, its likeable cast and surprisingly sincere geekiness has managed to stay in my mind long after the credits have rolled. It's hard to really grasp its long-term staying power but Neon White has secured its place on many lists for the end of the year.
The Quarry is the Supermassive game I've been looking for since Until Dawn. It is well-paced, well-told, and - most importantly - genuinely spooky. Some odd characterisations and inconsistent graphics let it down slightly, but this is the most fun I've had with a game like this in some time.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a great introduction to the world that is in need of a lot more depth. Hopefully, we get that next year.
Revita is a roguelite with some pacing flaws and a big grind but it just has so much heart that its hard to ignore
In Nightmare is a frustrating and dull horror experience that can't live up to the many ideas it tries to set up. This left me not only bored, but disappointed in what it could have been.
A Memoir Blue is an interesting, emotional journey with a great atmosphere to go alongside it. Even though the story demands a little more time, the journey is worth it.
The Darkest Souls are often the brightest
Young Souls is a game with plenty of good ideas but it never really comes together to take advantage of it. While its art and tone may grip you, its tedious gameplay and lack of experimentation late-game leave me wishing for more
God of War manages to solidify itself as a wonderful standalone game that rises to the challenge set by its previous games and moves it into a more grounded and, ultimately, fulfilling area. While some may miss the over-the-top action and more distanced camera angle, it makes up for it with one of the very best narrative experiences of the last decade.
With so many studios trying to hit the coveted MMO market, one thing is clear if you want to succeed - your game has to be unique. You can make up for tonnes of mistakes if you can just carve out a market for it. Although it has its own issues of identity - with a Diablo-like fighting system and enough extra activities to feel full - Lost Ark is a game that I'm looking forward to seeing grow.
Sucker For Love: First Date is an incredibly charming and weird visual novel. Although it's held back by some technical issues and it's small scale, I hope to go on a second date
Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line is a worthy addition to the base game if you enjoyed your time there but it doesn't do enough to fix its many flaws. While the story is rewarding and atmosphere creepy, there's something just a little cynical about the whole thing.
Demon Turf is a great feeling platformer with some interesting level design, even if its a little inconsistent and a little too long
Unpacking is a wonderfully quaint experience that adds an extra punch to what it means to grow, change, and move on. Even if it could be a bit longer and more extensive, it justifies its place in my game library.
Unplugged is an interesting VR experiment that is bogged down by hand-tracking technology and strange design decisions. If you can ignore that, it's a whole lot of fun.
Rogue Lords offers an interesting Roguelike offers but fails to really live up to its devilish premise