Jason Fanelli
Great mechanics and a wild story make a solid first impression, but a shallow selection of modes keeps MK1 from a flawless victory.
Starfield is one of the best space-based RPGs ever made, one where hours fly by in minutes, and one where the only hard limit is your imagination.
Sabotage Studio unearths a time capsule in this incredible retro-style RPG.
All Elite Wrestling's first match in the video game ring is a solid outing that doesn't quite live up to its real-world product.
Capcom's flagship fighter is back in form with intricate but approachable fighting mechanics and a feature-rich package.
A potent combat system and thrilling story are slightly held back by a slow start and rudimentary level design.
A strong take on a storied Disney franchise is held back by its brevity.
Endless content and tight rhythm-based gameplay make Final Bar Line the best Theatrhythm yet.
Fire Emblem Engage has a lot of great elements, from its striking visuals to the classic Fire Emblem turn-based strategy gameplay. The story being told, however, does not live up to the bar set by other games in the series, while some battles drag on to the point where I'm fighting off a nap just as hard as I'm fighting the enemy armies. I enjoy the game in spurts, but before long I find myself wondering when I can stop engaging with this Fire Emblem. There's enough here to enjoy Fire Emblem Engage, but only the most dedicated will be able to see this through to the end.
What Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion accomplishes is something few other remasters or remakes get right: it revives the original core experience – pun intended – of the original Crisis Core release and places it on modern consoles with modern upgrades. The combat system is more refined and responsive, the visual upgrades are serviceable if not as extreme as some may hope, and the storyline is virtually unchanged – for better or worse.
Squanch Games' trademark humor mixes with solid shooting and traversal in this goofy space romp.
With Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, Digital Eclipse has set a new bar for future historical compilations in video games. It's a digital traveling museum exhibit, as the game bursts at the seams with nostalgia thanks to more than 100 playable games and hundreds of relics from the developer's vault. While a good amount of the games offered will pass by quickly, those brief life spans cannot weigh down the amazing historical value of Atari 50, and I hope Digital Eclipse has more wings of its digital history tour opening in the coming years.
With routine patches and dedicated bug fixes, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet could end up being a transcendent moment in franchise history. The ambition of its branching paths, the size of its open world, and the selection of different Pokemon available are all massive, signaling that Game Freak and The Pokemon Company wanted this to be a flagship moment for the series. Unfortunately, all of that ambition is marred by the technical trials left in its wake, creating some truly infuriating moments during a game where I should be adventuring with a smile on my face. The foundation of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is strong, but there are too many technical shortcomings in the experience to truly call it great.
God of War: Ragnarok is, simply put, the complete package. It tells one of the best stories in video games, one that will have you run the gamut of emotions while playing through it. Fighting the enemies of the realms feels a lot like the previous game, but there's enough new and refined elements to help it stand on its own.
Bustin' makes us feel good, but not for as long as we'd hoped.
That said, none of these additions are net negatives to the game either. Overwatch 2 simply exists in an awkward transition phase between the game it was and the game it wants to be. It's not a revolution by any stretch, at least not how the original game was, but it's still Overwatch and that means it's still a ton of fun.
Madden NFL 23 feels a lot like previous entries in the series, although it's a pretty good football game overall.
Warner Bros' all-star battle proves to be a worthy contender to the platform fighter throne.
It's not going to unseat some of the bigger titles of the year, but as a fun and unique experience Stray is the cat's meow.
A robust fighting system and brilliant online play make DNF Duel a worthy new contender.