Diablo IV was, in a lot of ways, under a great of pressure to perform, especially given that modern Blizzard Entertainment hasn’t had a much-needed win for years, especially given the reception of Diablo Immortal. Nonetheless, Diablo IV succeeds in providing a captivating story and enthralling gameplay, all designed around a long-awaited return to its bloody and gothic aesthetic.

Tears of the Kingdom does a lot to improve on nearly every issue I personally had with BOTW, creating a very sandbox-heavy experience that often results in a very satisfying game that does the best it can to offer the experience I had hoped for.

Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters is a spin-off, taking place after the events of Megadimension Neptunia VII, and while it can be fun, a barely there difficulty and bland level design sadly place this title as one of the more disappointing entries I've played so far. 

Redfall, developed by Arkane Austin, is the developer’s follow-up to 2017’s Prey. However, with development troubles and an unclear vision, Redfall is a game that not only fractured the studio, but shipped with a host of technical issues, bland design, and a lack of understanding of what it wants to be.

Layers of Fear is a reimagining of 2016's Layers of Fear, its Inheritance DLC, as well as 2019's Layers of Fear 2. It also contains two new additions in the "Writer's Story" which ties the events of each game together via a brand new character and the "Final Note" chapter which bookends the events of the first game. 

SENSEs: Midnight is a standalone sequel to Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story, and while it is far more ambitious than its predecessor, its reliance on frustrating controls and excessive backtracking, drains the soul out of this paranormal mystery. 

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a stealth platformer that follows the story of Gollum escaping his imprisonment within the walls of Barad-Dur. While the idea of playing as Gollum is an interesting one, this whole adventure is bland, often boring, and plagued with a host of technical issues.

While Bat Boy can often strike out with a few issues and some frustrating performance woes, it is nonetheless a fun action-packed take on a proven formula. 

Warhammer: Boltgun is a fast-paced retro shooter that brings the action, spectacle, and brutality of the Warhammer license. Unfortunately, a paper-thin story, repetitive enemy variety, and level design cause this title to overstay its welcome.

Showgunners is the perfect mix of XCOM meets Smash Tv. It’s a brutal game show where you’ll use a variety of skills, guns, and items to decimate your opponent. Survive a series of events run by the showrunner as he attempts to make your life a living hell. Showgunners is one hell of a ride.

Stray Blade is another in a long line of games to adapt the Fromsoft formula. While its world and characters can often be charming, Stray Blade is full of several undercooked systems, inconsistent mechanics, and is ultimately not fun to play.

Releasing day and date on Xbox Game Pass, Ravenlok is a charming and voxel-based adventure game, taking the titular character through an Alice in Wonderland-inspired outing. Despite its short 4-hour length, Ravenlok offers fantastic boss encounters, enjoyable combat, and is absolutely gorgeous to boot. 

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a fantastic if technically flawed sequel. It continues the story of Cal Kestis as he continues the fight against the Empire. Joined by a new ally, Bode Akuna, Cal, and his fellow companions now seek to discover a safe haven out of the reach of the empire.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox is an aesthetically pleasing Metroidvania that expertly nails its setting and tone. While the quality of its combat and puzzles will vary from player to player, the game suffers from plenty of inconsistent mechanics and a few technical issues.

Cassette Beasts is an innovative take on the classic Pokemon formula. Trapped on a mysterious new world, you’ll use a cassette player to record the forms of strange monsters around you as you attempt to find a way home. Oh, and you won’t be capturing these monsters, you’ll become them.

Gun Jam is a rhythm-focused shooter that is visually pleasing, kitted out with an energetic soundtrack that absolutely rules, but its lack of impact with its weaponry and limits on levels and characters greatly hold this title back, making its offerings feel surprisingly shallow.

Resident Evil 4 Remake is, without question, the definitive remake. From improving its story and characters across the board, all wrapped up in gorgeous visuals thanks to the RE Engine, RE4R is a damn impressive game that simply needs to be played.

Hunt the Night is a retro-style action-adventure game that combines The Legend of Zelda with Bloodborne. Its brutal difficulty may deter most players, but a solid story and ferocious combat reward those who stick around.

Batora: Lost Haven is the very definition of a mixed bag. While its combat and art design perform a lot of the heavy lifting, its story ends up feeling emotionally weightless due to the game’s fast pace not letting those choices have the time to feel impactful.

Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem’s current state is unfortunate, as the game is littered with bugs and a pretty unwieldy controller layout. Regardless, if you can weather the rough edges, there is a truly fantastic action RPG to really lose yourself in.