Worth Playing
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Dawn of the Monsters is a very good beat-'em-up made just a bit better because you finally get to be a towering creature that dishes out pain. The combat system is flashy yet deep, and the card upgrade system keeps things fresh as you try to find the perfect build for all four heroes. The campaign runs at a good length, with some reason to keep coming back for higher rankings. The game is fun even if you're going solo instead of co-op. Minor gripes with the game aside, beat-'em-up fans are going to enjoy having this title in their libraries.
Small gaffes aside, Horizon: Forbidden West is everything I'd hoped for from the first game - and a lot more. It's a beautiful piece of work that deserves all the time a PS4 or PS5 owner can give it. It's a must-have in any game library and should be at or near the front of your rotation.
Lovers of horror games will recognize Horror Story: Hallowseed as a great example of their favorite genre. Costing less than $20 USD on Steam, Hallowseed won't disappoint.
Ultra Age gets the combat mostly right. While it isn't perfect, the combat system feels fluid enough that you can make a spectacle of dashing around mobs and tagging them with dazzling combos. Everything else about it feels half-baked, from the pacing to the story to the sound and pick-up system. Those who crave action may overlook these things because the combat is good enough, but those who are looking for something with better quality would be better served looking elsewhere first.
Submerged: Hidden Depths feels like what the first game should have been. The main story is more interesting now, but the ancillary story lacks gravitas since the game can spoil the ending for you. The actual gameplay is easy for anyone to manage, which makes for an enjoyable experience. Some of the stuff you're collecting now actually serves a purpose, even if it's cosmetic. The experience is short if you're just going after the main storyline, but it feels just right. For those who want the equivalent of a walking simulator with more to do, Hidden Depths is well worth checking out.
If you've somehow held out on getting Grand Theft Auto V until now and don't play games on your PC, then the PS5 version is the one to get. The faster loading times and graphical bumps still make this a good-looking game, despite the age of the assets.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a perfect game for the Switch. The visual novel adventure gameplay translates almost perfectly to a handheld format, and I found it to be more fun to pick up and play in short spurts versus needing to park myself in front of a TV. Even the more obscured mecha combat work well in a handheld format. The gameplay and story still feel fresh and engaging, and those who've already finished it once might find something to enjoy here. It's easy to recommend to anyone who has a taste for mind-bending 999-style games, and it's likely to please a few newcomers as well.
Your impressions of MLB The Show 22 are going to vary depending on the platform you're on. For Xbox players, this remains a solid baseball game that players of all skill levels can enjoy thanks to numerous options and modes. With it being available on the Xbox Game Pass on day one, it's an easy reason to try it out. Those who lived and breathed The Show 21 will find the improvements to be minimal. For Switch fans, there are some rough parts that dull the game's impressiveness, but the presence of a sports simulation on a system that's starving for them should catch players' attention. The Switch is going to be a boon for those who like to play on the go, especially since The Show 15 was the last time it went portable on the Vita. Now if only the series could make its way to the PC ….
Chrono Cross is a weird little JRPG that is arguably hindered by its connection to one of the genre greats. It has a distinctive feel and style, an interesting plot, and the craziest cast of characters you'll ever see in a JRPG. Weak characters and many nagging PS1-era flaws keep it from being a hearty recommendation. If you've passed on Cross because it's not Trigger 2, it's worth a shot, and Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is probably the best way to experience it.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga genuinely hits the mark. It's a love letter to the nine main movies in the Star Wars franchise, and it feels like something that's made for anyone to enjoy, whether their favorite movie is "The Phantom Menace" or "The Rise of Skywalker." It doesn't reinvent the wheel as far as LEGO games go, but it's darn fun with a load of content that is sure to keep fans happy for a long time.
I hate to be this negative and scolding in this review, but in its current state, Babylon's Fall should not exist, especially not with such a hefty price tag. It's a live service game that's hell-bent on monetizing everything, but it's uninterested in being engaging, rewarding, or nice to look at. There are plenty of glimpses of the familiar Platinum Games talent involved, teasing the game that could have been, but it ultimately fails to make an effort except for microtransactions. Even hardcore fans of the genre or Platinum Games should likely avoid this title.
Alas, there's nothing to recommend Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires. DW9 is probably one of the lower points of the franchise, and what Empires does to improve on it is fairly minimal. There's absolutely no reason to buy it over the bucketload of better Warriors titles available on the PS5. Even if you're looking for something in the same setting, there are plenty of other Dynasty Warriors options. The most positive thing I can say is that it's a better game than the original, but it's an easy one to skip with so many other titles available.
It's obvious that whoever oversaw production of Far Cry 6 x Stranger Things - The Vanishing DLC is intimately familiar with the show. It's a great template for expanding the Stranger Things universe without retreading events that we've already seen. I'd love to see a full Stranger Things game developed from this mold.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a delightful cotton candy fluff of a game. It isn't difficult or complex, but it is frequently fun and always adorable. It's almost more of a theme park ride than a platformer, but it does a great job of keeping itself engaging and interesting with a constant shift in mechanics and level design. The only flaw holding it back is the poor performance when docked, which could be a game-breaker for someone hoping for a Mario Odyssey level out of everyone's favorite pink puffball. If you enjoy Kirby, you'll enjoy Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and I'd be hard pressed to name a better choice for younger gamers.
Shredders is an enjoyable game if you temper your expectations. The campaign is quite good and comes in at just the right length while also providing some incentive to return and complete all of the challenges for each mission. Free roam mode is fine if you can forgive some of the performance hitches and inability to do much with others in a structured setting. The controls are good, but you'll lament the game momentarily forgetting about its momentum system. The relaxed feeling of snowboarding without restrictions makes things enjoyable. It makes for a perfect game for Xbox Game Pass and a decent purchase for those starved for a purely snowboarding-focused game.
Triangle Strategy is a little too safe to call a new classic, but at the same time, it's one of the best SRPGs I've played in ages. The solid level design and fantastic character variety keep the game engaging all the way to the end. The plot is a touch mundane, but I ended up being quite fond of most of the characters. Triangle Strategy is an example of a title that does almost everything right. If you're a SRPG fan, then Triangle Strategy is right up your alley; if you're not, it's a great place to start.
In the end, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection nails the visual update but stumbles when it comes to gameplay. Hardcore fans of the franchise can look past the rough edges and find the fun buried underneath, but if you don't feel like putting forth the effort, you'll probably be happier playing the original arcade game via Capcom Arcade Stadium.
Do you want a completely average, by-the-numbers strategy RPG that revolves around giant robots? Relayer will probably scratch that itch. If you're looking for anything more than that, it falls flat. Nothing the game offers excels beyond "average," and there are enough nagging flaws and problems that you have to put some effort into getting to the good bits. There's the makings of a better sequel here, but for now, Relayer barely makes the grade.
In the end, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a solid spin-off to the main Borderlands series. The core game remains the same as before, but new additions, like the melee system and class combinations, make things feel fresh. The campaign runs at a good length, while the side-quests and post-game dungeon randomizer are enough to keep you going before the need for DLC kicks in. It really is the shooter that you already know with a medieval RPG skin on it. Since the moment-to-moment gameplay is still enjoyable, fans won't mind the offbeat detour.
Rune Factory 5 is about as safe and unambitious of a sequel as you can get. It feels and plays a lot like Rune Factory 4, with a different camera angle and new characters. It still contains all of the fun, addictive farming-and-fighting action that the franchise is known for. It's a solid and enjoyable game, and it absolutely scratches the Story of Seasons itch in a very satisfying way. But don't expect Rune Factory 5 to be anything more than a new Rune Factory game.