For the most part, however, Lies of P is content to adorn existing mechanics and ideas with its own story and aesthetic. This may be a derivative approach, but it nails the core Souls-like experience, with each of its various mechanics seamlessly coalescing to create a thrilling action game that's challenging, varied, and dripping with atmosphere. It's easy to be reductive when a game wears its influences on its sleeve as boldly as Lies of P does, but plenty of other games have tried and failed to recreate the same magic. It's not an easy endeavor, and while it doesn't shake up the formula or reinvent the wheel, Lies of P is still one of the genre's most accomplished and enjoyable entries--and that's the truth.
Armored Core VI sees From Software return to and refine its roots with a game of thrilling mech combat built on aggression, agility, and customization.
With robust combat, improved traversal, and a return to the series' surreal art style and fascinating world-building, Blasphemous 2 is a triumphant sequel.
Remnant 2 builds on its predecessor to create a rewarding and unpredictable experience that's difficult to put down.
Planet of Lana's vibrant hand-painted art style draws you into a story about working together to overcome insurmountable odds.
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun captures the fast-paced action of classic '90s shooters and accentuates it with an assortment of the Space Marines' finest weaponry.
EA returns to the world of golf with a challenging and rewarding title that's let down by a couple of inconsistencies and an underwhelming swing mechanic.
By exploring the Negro Leagues and some of its most notable players, MLB The Show 23 shines a spotlight on an important part of baseball and American history.
WWE 2K23 sees the series return to form by building on the solid foundations laid down last year to improve both its in-ring action and suite of game modes.
Wo Long has stylish, parry-heavy combat and a more approachable challenge than most Souls-like games, but difficulty spikes may prove to be a barrier.
Wild Hearts latches onto the familiar gameplay loop of Monster Hunter and infuses it with a fast-paced crafting system that lets you build your way to victory.
Hi-Fi Rush is an excellent break from the norm for the horror buffs at Tango Gameworks, meshing the energetic combat of a character-action brawler with the toe-tapping beats of a stylish rhythm game.
The Dead Space remake may not feel entirely necessary, but it improves upon the original with some smart new additions to almost every aspect of its design.
Need for Speed Unbound delights with a vibrant new art style and some exciting arcade racing, but familiar issues are as frustrating as an inopportune oil slick
Evil West's kinetic combat thrills as you dismember vampires by the bucket load, but it's dragged down by level design that's both formulaic and repetitive.
Sonic Frontiers marks a bold new direction for the series, meshing traditional Sonic action with an open-ended approach to progression and exploration across its semi-open world.
New additions to The Mercenaries make the Winters' Expansion for Resident Evil Village worthwhile, but Shadows of Rose is a fleeting slice of forgettable story DLC.
A Plague Tale: Requiem eventually expands in scope and improves upon its predecessor's stealth action, but the heartrending story of two siblings battling against the odds is where it truly excels.
FIFA 23 makes incremental improvements to last year's game, but the looming presence of Ultimate Team's microtransactions cast a shadow over everything.
The iconic point-and-click adventure series returns with a heartfelt and nostalgic adventure that any mighty pirate would be a fool to miss.