Though it blends familiar elements from multiple genres, Othercide is a wholly unique game wrapped in a surreal aesthetic, challenging players to maximize their tactical prowess by employing thoughtful sacrifice.
EarthNight's impossibly stylish gameplay and art direction draw players into a whimsical fantasy of dragon slaying. Its multitude of secrets, carefully rewarding platforming, and retro heartbeat allow each moment and each run of this gem to always surprise and captivate.
No More Heroes 3 is enticingly irreverent, throwing a barrage of stimuli at the player. While repetitive side missions may pad out its length, SUDA51's bizarre vision shines through, creating a can't miss roller coaster of action, laughs, and assassinations.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a refinement of the series as a whole, curating years' of mechanics and ideas into a generational bookend that should please open world adventurers and devotees of the hidden blade.
Riddled Corpses EX has enough indie charm to land without a thud in the niche twin-stick shooter space. An enjoyable foundation allows tense gameplay to occasionally shine but a repetitive loop that leans towards heavy grinding slows down what could have been 16-bit gem.
The HD version of Onimusha: Warlords is reminiscent of the wave of remasters that hit the PS3/360 era, which served as a passable way to introduce players to popular games from the previous generation. Rather than taking the route of the stellar Resident Evil HD Remaster, Capcom has put out a version of Onimusha that is easily accessible to a current audience and seems to act as a way to gauge player interest for the future of the franchise.
Arca's Path strips away familiar virtual reality gimmicks and gives players a serene, occasionally challenging puzzle game that requires no controllers, just the simple motion of your head. Though it runs quite short, it's a peaceful space that offers another glimpse at what the platform offers.
Through the eyes of an exasperated protagonist, Those Who Remain borrows from better games to tell a by-the-numbers horror story with the illusion of morality. Rife with puzzles so simplistic they become tedious, its delivery may leave players in the dark.
The Terminator live event underway in Ghost Recon Breakpoint may just be the fun distraction lapsed players need to get back into the hostile world of Auroa.
The path towards competent and engaging virtual reality games is littered with the corpses of tech demos and half-baked products. The Mage's Tale fires on many cylinders and becomes one of those mythic "must haves" not because it is simply decent but because it proves that VR has magic in it.
Boomerang X offers a specific, thrilling power fantasy of speed as players use a magical boomerang to zip around increasingly complex combat puzzles that offer little to no excess in a colorful, stylized world.
Hitman 3 is both continuation and conclusion. As the five-year narrative of Agent 47's cheeky, violent death spree comes to a close, IO Interactive proves they are masters of the craft and ready to take on what lies ahead.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a celebration of the series' highlights, transforming the open world genre with its breathtaking scenery, meaningful choices, and exhausting amount of detail that rewards players every step of the way. Ubisoft Quebec's brave quest to make an RPG results in the best entry in Assassin's Creed's historic treks through time.
PixARK straddles the line between Minecraft's accessibility and ARK's genre-bending setting, bringing a sandbox of crafting fun with countless options that is hindered by clunky console interaction and menu navigation.
The Medium finally arrives on PlayStation 5, bringing over Bloober Team's horror experience to a new audience with packed DualSense implementation and a few persistent gripes from the Xbox Series version.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a breathtaking thrill ride of action, utilizing the PlayStation 5 architecture in truly impressive ways. A heartfelt story and gorgeously crafted worlds are complimented by stunning combat bursting with visual flair.
By blending FPS and RTS mechanics, Disintegration carves out its own niche but despite a promising world and engaging multiplayer, the main action is often undercut by a generic campaign.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint expands on the sandbox structure of Wildlands. By adding new systems to this massive game, Ubisoft creates a constant reward loop for players wanting a harsh, stealthy playground that can be gobbled up by a band of friends.
After spending several years on mobile devices, Growtopia is bringing its seemingly limitless worlds to consoles. In a game where everything grows on trees, young players will gobble the chance to punch and build while those looking for depth may come up short without searching for intricately crafted worlds.
Though abandoning the episodic format, Hitman 2 continues the incredible promise of the 2016 reboot by giving players the exquisite task of cleverly eliminating targets in densely creative sandboxes on the quest to become the world's premiere bald assassin.