KOF XV feels like a greatest hits of the series, featuring a wealth of past favorites, and is a gorgeous game to boot. Its fighting systems are deep enough for the hardcore player yet friendly enough for newcomers, which is sadly not shared with its nonsensical story. Despite its great presentation and gameplay, it lacks staying power in its few modes, which hopefully will see some love via various DLC additions later on.

Horizon Forbidden West is a damn impressive adventure with stunning visuals, a solid story, and a presentation that is often unrivaled. However, the game is also plagued by several technical problems, a map that has already labeled where all the fun is, and a collection of activities that can often feel like filler.

Shadow Warrior 3 certainly lacks the depth of its predecessor but does in some ways make up for it with its fast-paced action and focus on delivering a gory and mobility-centric experience. With a satisfying grappling hook and the ability to wall-run and rip apart enemies for new weaponry, Lo Wang’s newest adventure is a flawed but enjoyable action-shooter.

Elex II fits well into the eurojank conversation, offering a world and gameplay approach that fits well in that classification. It’s not a technical marvel or visually stunning, but it is an incredibly fun adventure to those who set certain expectations on what it’s going to offer. As you form alliances in an effort to combat an alien threat, Jax will use his numerous powers to save Magalan.

Monark, a horror-aesthetic JPRG by some of the creative minds of the Shin Megami Tensei series, is certainly an interesting game that does more right than it does wrong. While it has a largely enjoyable narrative, punctuated with a solid overall cast and deep combat system, it can often feel undermined by an incredibly poor progression system that brings the grind to the forefront of the experience.

While Dying Light 2 largely succeeds with its visceral combat and traversal systems, as you attempt to track down your sister in the wide-open zombie-filled city of Villedor, it fails at creating an engaging narrative or giving us a memorable cast through its often too overwritten story.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the breath of fresh air the series has needed in years, offering a wide-open wilderness set in the past as you put together the very first Pokedex. While its visuals are easily controversial among its fanbase, its gameplay and pacing make this adventure one worth taking.

The walking simulator has often resulted in some fantastic gaming experiences. From Dead Esther, Gone Home, to the more horror-influenced Amnesia series. While The Dead Tree of Ranchiuna is certainly a fit for the genre, it lacks any significant offering in anything that resembles a satisfying experience.

Chorus tells the story of Nara, an ex-disciple of a cult called The Circle, and responsible for the destruction of Namika Prime. Stricken with guilt over the atrocities she committed in their name, she flees to the far side of the galaxy, hoping to atone for her sins far away from her former Master.

Rainbow Six: Extraction has all the trappings of a traditional Rainbox Six game, but throws us a curveball with the inclusion of Aliens. While the game initially has Left 4 Dead vibes, the stealth nature of its early game certainly works in its favor, leading up to its intense action-packed endgame that tests your teamwork as much as your skills with a gun.

As you travel this strange world in the hopes of a big payday, vacuum arm’d Rani, will encounter a long-lost secret that will cause her to dive deep into the planet’s mystery. While The Gunk certainly sounds exciting, and can often be enjoyable, the execution of its mechanics and upgrade systems are shallow at best, making it out to be a game that will largely be forgotten.