Once Human's setting and gunplay have merits, despite some unoriginal ideas and systems. However, its faulty foundations, from the blueprint system and the building to the story-telling, keep it from truly standing out.
A surprisingly deep first-person title, Anger Foot is easy to get in, despite the crass humor. Some elements may frustrate, but it's hard to deny the fun of kicking everything into oblivion.
Zenless Zone Zero excels at everything advertised - combat, visuals and music - while offering a surprisingly well-developed narrative. How it develops remains to be seen, but for now, this "Apocalyptic Neverland" is worth diving into.
On the surface, The First Descendant feels like an unoriginal but otherwise competently put-together looter shooter. Dig deeper, and its flaws, from the mission design and the story to the awful monetization, become more apparent.
The glory days of Super Monkey Ball may be far behind, but Banana Rumble is a new beginning. Tight stage design, responsive controls and an appealing aesthetic make it one of the series' best in years.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak establishes its own identity in the extensive franchise, offering fun new characters, compelling combat and a relatively strong presentation despite some familiar flaws.
When Destiny content is bad, it can be some of the worst out there. However, when it's good, there's nothing quite like it. The Final Shape delivers on all its promises and then some, providing an emotional catharsis for long-time fans while paving the road ahead for the future.
Despite its open beta falling by the wayside, MultiVersus had a ton of potential heading into its full launch. While the netcode, characters and gameplay feel solid, everything else needs extensive improvements.
Wuthering Waves won't unseat Genshin Impact in the open-world action RPG gacha department, but it's still very solid out of the gate and worth keeping an eye on in the coming years.
F1 24 could have been the ideal follow-up to last year had its handling not been radically revamped. However, as it stands, it's still a compelling racing sim with fun Career Modes and a strong presentation.
The Rogue Prince of Persia combines a non-linear narrative and rogue-like structure with the excellent combat and movement that Evil Empire is known for. Though some rough edges remain, it's a great start to early access.
XDefiant isn't a Call of Duty killer or even a close competitor. It has potential despite its many issues, but it has a long way to go before living up to it.
Braid Anniversary Edition is a celebration of the indie title that surprised the industry in 2008. It's also the best version of an incredible platformer. Add extensive commentary to delve into its secrets, and this remaster comes highly recommended.
While not as trailblazing as its predecessors, Homeworld 3 is still a well-made and worthwhile sci-fi real-time strategy with a solid story and exceptional production values.
Hades 2 isn't just one of the best early access titles right now - it's also a top-tier rogue-lite experience that fans and newcomers should experience immediately.
PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs isn't quite as endearing as Pac-Man 99 and has its share of shortcomings. Its core gameplay will keep you busy for a time but lacks real staying power.
Sea of Thieves has grown into one of the more beloved live service titles over the years and it's well-deserved, offering a gorgeous and engaging pirate fantasy.
From the inside looking out, The Forgotten Kingdom is more content for the Remnant 2 hardcore to sift through, earning new guns and equipment while facing a few fresh challenges. Nothing more and nothing less.
Manor Lords still requires time to develop, especially when building out several of its more intriguing features. Nevertheless, its emphasis on medieval city-building with dashes of combat can prove enjoyable.
No Rest for the Wicked isn't bad - in fact, there's so much potential in this mishmash of genres that it's worth keeping an eye on. At this stage, however, there are a lot of rough edges to smooth over.