As much as I can break down all the great things about Returnal, I think a simpler statement would be that this is the strongest candidate for Game of the Year so far for me. More importantly, is the addictiveness that is repetitive insistence in trying to conquer a challenge that has done nothing but beat you down. The joy and elation when you finally beat a section you have struggled with, or a boss that has given you your backside, is a feeling that is indescribable, and that is what Returnal is: indescribable.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart not only exemplifies what the PS5 is capable of, but it's also everything that a video game should be: fun. The story has been masterfully crafted to engage with new audiences, as well as long-standing fans that have been with Ratchet and Clank through the past 19 years without having to beat the nostalgia-machine to death.
The Saints Row reboot perfectly embodies what a video game like this should be - fun, chaotic and over-the-top all while reigning itself in just enough so that it doesn’t become nonsensical and a parody of itself.