SHOULD I PLAY PHANTOM BLADE: EXECUTIONERS? Absolutely play it. Phantom Blade: Executioners is a flashy action game that mixes the best elements of classic side-scrolling 2D brawlers—think Streets of Rage and Golden Axe—with a deep yet approachable combo-based fighting system that feels like something out of Devil May Cry. The result is a brilliantly fun, bite-sized title that’s worth some time even if you’re tired of gacha games.

It may not be as big or well-known as some other franchises launching new games this week—looking at you, Mario and Spider-Man—but Amplitude Studios' Endless series has been proving itself incredibly versatile ever since 2012's Endless Space. From fantasy to sci-fi, from strategy to tower defense, an Endless game can be whatever the developers want it to be. And this time? This time it's an action-packed roguelite with stylish visuals and an endless supply of firepower.

SHOULD I PLAY FORT SOLIS? Fort Solis is absolutely worth playing, as long as you know the type of game you’re getting into. And that is, to be clear, a one hundred percent narrative game. Virtually all of the “gameplay” in Fort Solis is made up of walking around the titular creepy abandoned base on Mars, with a small handful of very simple puzzles and quick time events. That said, if you’re down for a creepy, suspenseful story, this one will get under your skin in all the best ways.

It's been a long time since we've seen a fall from grace quite so spectacular as The Day Before. The latest twist in that saga comes with today's news that developer Fntastic is shutting down just days after the game finally launched in early access. This survival zombie shooter first came on gamers' radars a couple years ago with an impressive first trailer. Despite few people having heard of Russian developer Fntastic, the trailer built a huge amount of buzz, and The Day Before quickly became one of the most wishlisted games on Steam of all time. Equally quickly, however, more discerning gamers started questioning whether the trailer was showing actual gameplay or if it was all nonsense.

If you played the original Blasphemous anytime since it came out in 2019, then you know it was a disturbingly bloody little game that proved that pixel-art graphics can still bring the gore and grossness. And if you played it, you'll also know that on top of being filled with messed up enemies and cutscenes, it was also an extremely good Metroidvania. But whether you played the first game or not, you should take note of the impending release of

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom came out way back in May, but from the first time I glued a sword to another sword, I knew it would be one of my favorite games of the year. It manages to be so many things at the same time, from a physics sandbox to a puzzle-lover’s playground to a shockingly detailed engineering simulation. Oh, and it also happens to be a phenomenal Zelda game. Most games are filled with boundaries and restrictions, but in Tears of the Kingdom, you can do just about anything you want to do if you can find a way to make it work. Sure, you can’t walk up to dogs and pet them, but

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Wow, this is way harder to answer than it usually is. I would say skip Garten of Banban 3 if you’re looking for what might traditionally be called a “good” game. But on the other hand, if you’re looking for something almost inexplicably weird—like just so strange that you almost can’t help but enjoy it—then it might just be worth playing. As with previous entries in the series,

Awesome game, it's worth the money, the main problem is that game is short and sometimes it becomes unclear where to go, but that's not so bad, so give it a try

[Music credits: "Fantasy Orchestra 3 BGM 86" by Nico - "Fantasy Orchestra 2 BGM 112" by Nico]

SHOULD I PLAY SWORD ART ONLINE LAST RECOLLECTION? Play it, especially if you’re a fan of the Sword Art Online anime/manga/light novel series. Sword Art Online: Last Recollection is an action RPG set during the third season of the anime. It’s a great representation of the series, but it suffers in a few ways mostly tied to its presentation: ugly visuals, poor animation, and delayed actions. I’d still recommend it to fans of the series, though, who’ll find plenty to enjoy here.

It's acceptable to have reservations about buying massive games published by anyone, especially by new or even long-standing studios, with titles like Stray fully blowing up because of the internet when the reality remains that it wasn't much of a game, but rather a feline experience that was the first to really get a massive crowd. Black Myth Wukong does not do it to you. It treats you like a paying customer, delivers what you paid for and expect, avoids dumb ideas or gimmicks, and remains loyal to the source material,

Diablo IV has been through some big ups and downs since launching last summer, but the game's third season is about to begin, and it may be the biggest and most interesting one so far. The world of Diablo may be mostly known for angels and demons, but this time mechanical monstrosities will be getting in on the action. Titled "Season of the Construct," this season will see players journey to the depths underneath the desert of Kehjistan, where ancient robotic technology has sprung back to life and been made to serve the forces of evil. Players will make camp at the town of Gatehall and explore various vault dungeons full of the titular constructs as they attempt to master this powerful force for themselves.

Fate/Samurai Remnant is Koei Tecmo's upcoming action RPG and one of the latest developments in Type-Moon's Fate series. Unlike previous installments, Fate/Samurai Remnant takes place further in the past during the Edo period in the mid-17th century, and features traditional Japanese themes and styles. As someone that's watched the anime series from time to time, I'm particularly interested in how this game will build on the Fate series and what combat could be like in the Edo period. I think the visuals are pretty cool too. The vibrant colors mixed with the anime-style look, makes the game appealing but not too far from any of the other Fate games or shows.

SHOULD I PLAY BLAZBLUE ENTROPY EFFECT? Definitely give this one a shot if you’re a fan of great roguelites or the action-packed anime aesthetic of the BlazBlue series. This spin-off, BlazBlue Entropy Effect, sees familiar characters, move sets, and thumb-crushing combos of the BlazBlue fighting games translated into a roguelite action game formula. That makes for a challenging experience, but thanks to a tightly designed progression system and an intriguing story, I found it hard to put this game down.

UnHoly Neighborhood emerges as a distinctive entry in the realm of point-and-click adventure puzzle mystery games, offering players a captivating journey through a gloomy neighborhood teeming with surreal elements. Background Story: The narrative centers around Peter Grim, the protagonist on a quest to solve the mysterious kidnapping of his wife, confront a strange storm, and navigate a city overrun by giant rats. The dark riddles of the neighborhood serve as the backdrop to this intriguing storyline.

Dwerve is love🤩❤️ Dwerve is a TD dungeon crawler RPG where you play as the titular character who is a dwarf and battle the witch-queen Vandra and her bloodthristy troll army. Dwerve's grandpa teaches him that because dwarves are frail creatures, they need to stay behind a turret and fight. There are over a dozen turrets and traps in the game each with their own upgrade tree with 100+ upgrades. Dwerve only attacks when he stays still but when your turret is destroyed, you have to escape. You can dash through enemies every 3 seconds. Because the enemies are always targeting Dwerve, you have to move around and strategically place your turrets/traps after recalling them. This makes sure that the gameplay doesn't become stale.

SHOULD I PLAY UNSORTED HORROR? Play it if you like horror games at all. I mean, it’s totally free, what do you have to lose? Unsorted Horror is a compilation of five brief but memorable horror experiences created by developer Mike Klubnika. While the actual gameplay is somewhat minimal here, the sense of atmosphere that Klubnika builds is second to none. This free collection operates as a first glimpse of someone who is likely to become a major name in the world of horror games, so you might as well get on board now.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Play it! Doomblade is a challenging but charming Metroidvania that gives off Hollow Knight vibes but manages to have a unique identity all its own. Stepping into the shoes of a tiny, tentacled creature known as Gloom Girl, I picked up an evil, sentient sword and set out on an intense adventure to take out the Dread Lords, otherworldly baddies who’ve wiped out the Gloomfolk and created a dystopian world. That adventure challenged my skills as much as anything I’ve played this year, but it was well worth fighting through to explore this wild, interesting world.

SHOULD I PLAY PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE LOST CROWN? Yes! As a long-time fan of the Prince of Persia franchise, I was excited to see it coming back, but even gamers who are totally unfamiliar with previous games should be able to find plenty to love in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. This reboot puts players into the role of Sargon, a warrior of Persia who must venture into the dangerous region of Mount Qaf after the prince is kidnapped. In gameplay terms, that means exploring a fascinating region in the form of a tightly designed 2D Metroidvania-style adventure.

CORRUPTOR "A monster born from Mania, with a deformed body and no sanity. Mania is a mutation unique to humans that causes abnormal mental and physical changes in individuals. First discovered in DisCity in N.F. 84, its cause is still unknown. People infected with Mania will become slaves to extreme feelings and emotions, such as hysteria, paranoia, and insatiable appetites for sensual pleasures; at the same time, their physical strength will increase exponentially, and their physical appearance will change beyond recognition. Eventually, they will go deranged and turn into grotesque monsters that have no will of their own."