The First Descendant may not come to the table with terribly original ideas, but it conveys what is there into one gorgeous and entertaining package. As humanity is on the ropes, a collective of attractive super-powered individuals is all that stand in the way of their complete annihilation. 

As Luisa, you’ll visit the magical village of Hinterberg, a town beset by magical dungeons. As she will escape her mundane life, a dire secret begins to reveal itself, causing Luisa to dig deep into the history of the village and the origins of its magic.

While Shadow of the Erdtree is a familiar experience to that of the base game, Elden Ring was a damn near masterpiece of its own. This 60+ hour adventure to conquer its lands, to vanquish every beast, and to add to your ever-growing collection of weapons, armor, and summons, is certainly worth your time and money.

Kaku: Ancient Seal offers a gorgeous world to explore with an emotive and fantastic character model in the titular Kaku. While combat is very serviceable, with numerous enemies to fight and bosses to conquer, the story and writing, among other issues, currently hold it back.

Trails through Daybreak begins a new story arc in a whole new land that is ripe for potential. It has a great cast of characters and returning favorites and does a lot of good with them, even if the voice acting is inconsistent on when it is used.

Tchia blends the experiences of several other games to create a passion project worth exploring. As Tchia’s father is abducted, she will use her newly discovered powers to track him down and uncover a plot that will shape her future forever.

Forges of Corruption focuses directly on what was great about Boltgun and offers up just enough new content that it feels like a worthwhile purchase. The level design is far more impressive than the base game with massive open areas that showcase the world of Graia in all its glory.

Racoon’s Pinball Panic is a bland and visually disappointing experience in its own right with pinball tables and physics that simply don’t hold up or keep your interest. 

RIPOUT can often be a good time, but a vastly repetitive loop throughout procedurally generated environments only grants the occasional impressive moment.

XDefiant has a chance to be something pretty impressive and while there are traces of that excellence here, it’s too soon to say considering the lack of significant content and the slim variety within each faction.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a spiritual successor to the Suikoden series, even helmed by the game’s original creator. It follows Nowa, a fresh recruit ready to prove their worth. As war brews on the horizon, political machinations start to unravel as Nowa and his team are set to save the land of Allraan.

Horizon Chase 2’s visuals and approach may deter the more hardcore audience, but it’s a solid throwback to the arcade racers from years past that is ultimately a very satisfying experience.

System Shock has finally come to consoles and is a very rewarding and rich experience despite the transition to controller not always feeling great. As you explore a space station under the control of a AI, you’ll use the tools and weapons you find to track them down and escape with your life.

Like Senua's Sacrifice before it, Saga is a showpiece of technical innovation by an incredibly small team. Its use of mental illness as a narrative device continues to be a core pillar of its experience, tapping into nearly every avenue of combat and narrative.

Hypercharge: Unboxed has been an absolute delight in being one of the only true gaming experiences that allow you to really relive your childhood. The battlegrounds are filled with so many toys that I remember playing with to set pieces and encounters that feel ripped directly from my memory.

Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters was the first title in the series to really disappoint me, and yet Game Maker R:Evolution hands down disappoints me further, making me question if this series is even for me anymore. Its combat and level design are barebones and empty of anything remotely engaging.

Heading Out is a stylish driving game with rogue-lite elements that have you outpacing your fear as you cross America. As you take part in races, out run cops, and meet an eclectic band of characters, you’ll make choices that will dictate if you can escape your fear or succumb to it.

Mullet MadJack is a tour de force of sensory overload and pure chaos, wrapped in a tight 2-3 hour package that begs to be played over and over. And thankfully, once you wrap credits, you can jump right into the endless mode that gives you more reason to keep the party going.

Clocking in at around 18-20 hours, Terra Memoria certainly feels inspired by titles such as Grandia and delivers a fairly decent adventure by its end, even if doesn’t really bring a lot of new ideas with it.

The Untitled Goose Game approach certainly works and the game is extremely digestible that you can easily polish it off in a single day or a more casual weekend. If this is the start of a Little Kitty Big City franchise, then Double Dagger certainly has my attention and my time.