Elliott Gatica
The best way to describe how Wo Long feels is if you combined the visuals and swordplay of the Dynasty Warriors and Nioh games with a pinch of Sekiro. What then happens is that you have a game that is quite difficult, but oh-so-rewarding when you conquer the seemingly impossible.
Sonic Frontiers really picks up the slack where this franchise started to falter. It's still a Sonic game at its core and makes sure to stay true to the name even when branching out into other areas unfamiliar to the series.
Gotham Knights does a spectacular job of creating a world that's fun to explore and learn more about, but not without its technical faults.
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a game that's carried mostly by its local multiplayer and gameplay. There was so much missed potential for this game to shine brighter than its predecessors. From the lack of single-player modes, content, and limitations to its online, it's very tough to justify buying the game in its current state.
Gran Turismo 7 is a love letter to people who enjoy cars in general. Its next-gen capabilities create an immersive sense of realism down to driving on its expansive list of tracks.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus proves that graphics are not the only factor in what makes a game great. Although it can look very rough around the edges, the package here is an extremely fun one that hopefully outsources the overdone formula from previous titles.
Rainbow Six Extraction is a mixed bag of right and wrong. It's carried primarily from its tactical, yet intense gameplay. In concept, it strays completely away from what actually defines a Tom Clancy game.
Serious Sam 4 on consoles is a beautifully fun mess. It's more Serious Sam, which isn't a bad thing, but there are performance problems that cannot be overlooked.
Mario Party Superstars is a blast from the past put into a very clean and modern package. It'll definitely be more appealing to older generations of gamers who grew up before the early 2000s. The minigames and maps have aged well and showcase moments that truly defined the Mario Party franchise more than 20 years later.
It's safe to say that we're probably not going to be getting a Left 4 Dead 3 in our lifetimes, but Back 4 Blood is going to be as close as we'll get in the time being. The game preserves mostly everything that made the two Left 4 Dead games so great while integrating it into the modern gaming sphere.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a solid celebration for the 20th anniversary of the series' inception. It caters to fans who have stuck around to see the next big thing and does so in a complete package with new surprises and things to come.
WarioWare: Get it Together! is a very fun game from the moment you pick it up. It has a generous selection of over 200 micro games to sink your time into. Pair that with the various playstyles of the characters, and you have yourself a lot more than just a one and done game.
Cruis'n Blast is as arcadey as an arcade racer can be. It has the high thrills and high stakes that are so over the top, but that's the charm of the Cruis'n series. It doesn't require so much setup to just get a few races in. If you are itching for wild thrills and quick rides, this is the perfect pickup.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate provides a good time from start to finish. It's as true as a modern Sonic game can be.
Tetris Effect: Connected is the definitive Tetris experience to this day. It boasts a plethora of single player and multiplayer modes. There's something for everyone when it comes to this game.