Resident Evil 4 Remake comfortably sits atop every other release this year with its excellent action, memorable characters, ridiculous replayability, and insane one-liners. RE Engine continues to look phenomenal, and Leon and Ashley have never been better. The remake does a brilliant job of becoming a modern example of improving upon perfection.
Dread Templar is a game for hardcore FPS fans looking to return to the pinnacle of fast-paced shooters. It's a treat for old and new fans alike, with tons of variety in weapons, enemies, and environments. The story is a bit lacking, but the game makes up for it with practically everything else.
Monster Hunter Rise is a breath of fresh air that elevates the series with its faster traversal, improved combat, and added depth. It looks and runs exceptionally well on modern consoles and is a delight to spend hundreds of hours in.
I had a fantastic time with Like a Dragon: Ishin, and it’s a worthy addition to the Yakuza series lineup. Like other modern Yakuza titles, this release is filled to the brim with enjoyable content, memorable characters, and an addictive combat system with tons of variety. The character work is fantastic, and the series’ invaluable skill to switch between serious and hilarious tones is present here as well, with some of the best moments in the franchise.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a fantastic sequel that improves upon basically every aspect of the original. Its excellent cast of characters, improved combat, expanded world design, and plot tie into one of the most satisfying Star Wars experiences we've ever had only held back by performance issues on every platform.
Venba is a beautiful cooking game that emphasizes the meaning of family, culture, and tradition. It's a game that will hit home for many who had to make the difficult choice of moving away from home, and one where you might shed a tear at the end.
Sonic Superstars is a fantastic return to the 2D Sonic series and offers a wealth of content and playable characters, all wrapped up in a pristine package that's easy on the eyes, wonderful to play with enough replayability to last you a while.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a fantastic new entry to the series and bridges the gap between the most recent mainline releases. It's an absolute delight to play as Kazuma Kiryu again with his new skillset and tools. With a plethora of new additions to the franchise, this is one that fans won't want to miss out on until Infinite Wealth in 2024. It's a game packed with rich content for story enthusiasts, and fans of the known and new side activities in the series. Like a Dragon Gaiden is a great package that offers a lot of variety to different ranges of fans.
The Callisto Protocol is definitely not going to be for everyone. It’s a game with a more rigid combat system that requires mastery to play the game, but it has a good story with a good redemption arc toward the end. I do have my fair share of complaints with the game, particularly with how healing is handled, the lack of an objective marker, and learning the near unforgiving combat mechanics of the game, but overall, the game is worth the journey if you are willing to put up with these minor gripes. With a strong visual and auditory presentation, the title is one that I won’t forget anytime soon.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a forgotten title that is getting a second chance at life by coming to the West for the first time in 15 years. The title offers a classic survival horror experience that few modern-day games are able to deliver and with improved visuals paired with quality of life changes, it is easily the best Fatal Frame entry you can play on consoles currently.
Coffee Talk Episode 2 is a relaxing, and absorbing title with an engaging gameplay loop, memorable characters, and excellent writing. It's a great game to play when you to unwind, and immerse yourself in a cozy well realized world with a cast of characters that will stay with you after you've finished your cup of hot brew.
Killer Frequency is a fun title that you should get if you are really into puzzles, enjoy the 80's atmosphere, or enjoy games with multiple endings. With a decent cast of characters, the game is one you don't want to change stations on.
Maquette is a brilliant yet short adventure that is well worth a visit if you have Game Pass. Great story through strong visuals, great voice acting, music, and some good puzzle mechanics delivers a great package of emotions.
Stray Gods does stray from the path of its competitors by doing a lot of new and unique things and it does so with pride. With a great cast of voice actors, a memorable story, and a unique dialogue system, the game truly stands out in the genre. However, the lack of ability for players to explore the world on their own outside of a static scene feels awkward at times, particularly when the world looks stunning.
Moving Out 2 is a fleshed-out party game that packs a lot of heart and spirit into what a sequel should be. It offers a lot of engaging features and mechanics to test your "moving" ability and improves upon an already great game even further. If you have any friends who enjoy cooperative games, this is a must-buy, but it's hard to recommend if you want to go it alone.
Kentucky Route Zero is a fantastic story that took 7 years to tell, 12 hours to play, and will forever be one of my favorite point-and-click adventure games for a long while. It's rare for a game like this to captivate players with its deep characters, and excellent presentation and it does so brilliantly.
Party Animals is a lot of fun, and it innovates in multiple unique ways to stand out and keep the genre fresh. There are tons of game modes to try out, and the superb presentation and customization keep things fresh. While it can be played alone, the real fun comes with friends.
RoboCop: Rogue City is a fantastic title that does the IP justice. Being able to play as the titular character feels satisfying he's essentially a walking tank with weight behind every punch and throw. The RPG elements not only let you customize RoboCop's abilities but provide some narrative decision-making opportunities as well. Fighting for a crime-ridden Detroit with its fantastic visuals consistent with fims' art direction further helps with the fantasy, and this is definitely a must-play for fans of the forgotten character.
WRATH: Aeon of Ruin is a fantastic entry to a genre catered to a niche audience. Its high-octane combat and design choices will take you back to the glory days of FPS gaming, and with the help of the engine that powered those days, you'll be blasting demons like it's 1996. Despite some uneven presentation and a paper-thin story, WRATH lives up to the promise and delivers where it counts.
Alone in the Dark is a strong return to form for the series that helped kickstart the survival horror genre. Its excellent atmosphere, strong mystery, and largely engaging combat design lend to a satisfying and thrilling experience. Some of the character work feels underdeveloped, and a few design choices don't always make sense, but Alone in the Dark is worth the scares, and offers a decent amount of replayability for multiple playthroughs.