Guilty Gear -Strive- sets a new gold standard for fighting games. Everything from the netcode to the presentation has been polished to a shiny sheen, and its incredibly high skill ceiling will keep players coming back for years to come.

There’s no better way to see the Dragon Ninja Ryu Hayabusa in action than with the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection. Those that can deal with the odd loading stutter can experience some of the finest hack-and-slash combat on the market today.

The three button setup of Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown has stood the test of time, providing an incredible amount of depth with a strong emphasis on the fundamentals. It’s just a shame that the spotty netcode drags down the overall experience; those looking to seek out new challengers best come with a bit of patience.

Superstorm Melon Date’s dystopian world tries to be original with its bizarre premise, but this visual novel follows the standard tropes of the genre a bit too closely to make a splash.

Describing a game as abstract and surreal might make it seem like it is cutting edge, but A Long Time and its inoffensive world plays things far too safe. While it doesn’t waste the players time, it also feels like there should be more to it.

Biomutant is a charming entry into the open world space. The anthropomorphic creatures that inhabit its world are easy to love, the excellent narration of the story fills its world with character, and the combat is fluid, fast, and deadly. If you're a fan of open world games and want to experience a new setting, it's an easy buy. Just be warned that you'll instantly recognize many of its gameplay loops, and not in a good way.

Bacon May Die plays it safe, featuring combo-heavy action that has a low skill ceiling. While it can be a fun way to get out some pent up aggression, this little piggy just isn’t king of the hill.

Sometimes you need a AAA epic to get lost in, and sometimes you just need some good ol’ fashioned dumb fun. Bite at the Museum most definitely fills in the shoes of the latter, doing exactly what it says on the tin and nothing more.

Resident Evil Village shines brightly as one of this year’s early Game of the Year contenders. Whether you’re a fan of the series or a survival horror fan in general, be sure to pick it up.

Wrath of the Druids is near perfect in its execution, a flawless combination of challenge and accessibility that paves the way for a glorious adventure into the darker side of Irish mythology and legend. Everything has been carefully packaged with incredible visuals, worthwhile new endeavors, and a cast of characters just as memorable as the original game.

Nyaa-kuza!! is a solid game paired with a mediocre one. Those with a penchant for puns will love diving into its visual novel segments, but the lack of polish in its action sequences drags the whole experience down.

Hamster All-Stars is pure, unadulterated goofiness. While the racing aspect is rigged, one cannot deny the allure of building the perfect racetrack for your little furry friends.

Controlling Parallel Shift’s protagonist duo at the same time sounds like an interesting concept, but the execution ends up feeling like an awkward affair. When paired with its bog standard retrowave aesthetics, the end result feels like something players have seen before.

The electronic beats of Beat Rush make for a prime world to race in, but the simplistic controls limit its long term replayability.

Using a mouse with a shmup sounds like it wouldn’t work, but Sniper Ships: Shoot’em Up on Rails’ unorthodox control scheme manages to be its strong suit. Although the cluttered graphics prove to be a handicap, this title hits all the right notes for the genre.

Despite being a great game and a worthwhile remake, NieR Replicant ver.1.22 is not for everyone. Some of the dated design elements are frustrating and needlessly time consuming. The story, while incredible, is locked away behind multiple playthroughs and endings, with its true value being entirely subjective depending on how much time you're willing to invest. However, none of this is news to fans of NieR: Automata. Put simply, if you've been waiting for a deeper, darker dive into the world of NieR, ver.1.22 will not disappoint.

Endro is a game without purpose. The poor, minimalistic presentation and gameplay devoid of strategy makes this title feel like a waste of time.

SaGa Frontier Remastered is a good slice of JRPG nostalgia that will please fans of the original classic.

While Disco Elysium: The Final Cut won’t appeal to everyone, those that do enjoy it will sing its praises for a long time to come. Just be prepared for a few bugs if you play on console.

SKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID’s minimalistic nature is both its greatest strength and its biggest weakness. Boiling the racing genre down to its most basic elements means that there’s absolutely no fluff, but this ultimately kills any replayability it may have had.

Tadpole Tales may be a simple shmup at its core, but its stellar audiovisual presentation and tight controls make it worth a playthrough for fans of the genre.

You will struggle to find another third-person shooter that has innovated as much on the formula as Outriders, not since Gears of War took the genre to new heights. The combat is absolutely incredible, the classes ooze with potential and development, the world is gritty and engaging, and the ability to enjoy all of this alongside good friends just heightens the entire experience.

Monster Hunter Rise is not only an excellent Switch game, but also an early game of the year contender. If you don’t mind a bit of grinding, you won’t be disappointed.

Miska’s Cave is a simple game at its core, but its checklist of challenges and wealth of unlockables will keep players running along.

Super Raft Boat’s action-crafting hybrid is a bit awkward, but is still unique nonetheless. Those that can deal with a bit of frustration will be treated to a unique take on the shooter formula.

For better or worse, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is exactly what you'd expect from the series. If you're a fan of farming games like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley, be sure to check this one out.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time carries the torch for the series, providing a worthy follow-up to Crash and Coco’s adventures. The trial and error gameplay isn’t for everyone, but those eager for a challenge will enjoy doing so with the next-gen prowess of the PlayStation 5.

Aurora: A Child’s Journey has a strong message on the dangers of pollution, but the gameplay is far too ordinary to make it worth your while.