Travis Bruno
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life streamlines old elements of the most unique entry in the franchise and offers improvements to a game with plenty of focus on not just farming but also on family.
Final Fantasy XVI is an incredible action game that offers an epic tale with gorgeous visuals and an amazing soundtrack but lacking content will be noticeable to fans of the series.
Loop8: Summer of Gods’ interesting characters make for an interesting story set in a gorgeous world but simplistic combat and loops that quickly grow repetitive drag this unique JRPG down.
Street Fighter 6 brings the series to the modern era with plenty of quality content spread across three modes and fluid online play that allows its impressive fighting mechanics to shine.
Though it may have some small issues Killer Frequency creates a unique blend of horror, puzzle, and adventure that will delight slasher fans with plenty of camp and solid storytelling.
Cooking up monsters in Monster Menu: The Scavenger's Cookbook is a delight but simple gameplay and generic dungeons prevent this unique SRPG from making the most of its potential.
The vibrant open world of LEGO 2K Drive features solid racing mechanics that give the game a feeling of fun controlled chaos but grind and troublesome monetization plague this child-friendly game.
Redfall struggles to find its identity with mundane loot and attempted co-op focus that drags the game's interesting potential down to being a mediocre and disappointing FPS.
Crime Boss: Rockay City has some potential but lack of polish across the board combined with repetitive gameplay does more harm than its poorly included celebrity cast could ever help.
Dead Island 2 offers some of the most visceral and realistic looking first person combat around but its unfinished story and lack of challenge prevent it from reaching its potential.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure manages to improve upon nearly every aspect of Zero to create an RPG that is a must-play for fans of the genre.
Dredge’s enjoyable gameplay loop of fishing, selling, and upgrading all set on an ocean where horrors await beneath the waves and beyond the fog makes for an unforgettable indie experience.
Lunark does an excellent job mimicking cinematic platformers of the ‘90s to its benefit but also to its detriment, resulting in a solid sci-fi tale that can be a bit too frustrating at times.
Atelier Ryza 3 serves as an emotional and satisfying conclusion to Ryza’s journey while also delivering some of the most expansive gameplay the series has ever had.
Strong storytelling does little to make up for the poor gameplay mechanics that drag Mato Anomalies’ potential down.
Resident Evil 4 hits all of the right notes as it delivers a masterclass in action horror that lives up to, and surpasses, the original in nearly every way.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse combines its limited controls with a haunting atmosphere to create a great Japanese survival horror game that still shows its age from time to time.
Little Witch Nobeta’s charming character designs belies a dark world that the simple but enjoyable story is set against all while offering entertaining fast-paced spell-shooting combat.
Although technical issues and poor loot system hold it back, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty’s difficult but incredibly rewarding gameplay makes it an outstanding game in its genre.
Scars Above's premise and storyline are the best parts but poorly balanced combat and lack of extra content make this sci-fi tale one that is over far too quickly to be memorable.