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,

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.

Hollow knight has to be one of the most mysterious games about it's lore. You can make a full playthrough and know little to nothing about the secrets this game has. Hollow Knight keeps its lore hidden in mysterious tablets, items, people, etc. So far we don't even know everything about Hollow Knight yet. The craziest thing is the sequel is coming out sooner or later and this game franchise will be a pile of lore for any new players.

SHOULD I PLAY BLASPHEMOUS 2? This is the easiest “YES” I’ve given in ages, unless you can't handle how nasty it is. Blasphemous 2 is a sequel to what was already one of the best and most memorable Metroidvanias of the modern era. But much more than just retreading the exact same territory, this sequel builds wisely on the strengths of the first game. It’s not just a long adventure and not just a return to the disturbing, gothic world of 2019’s

"The Silent Age" transports players into a mysterious blend of a dystopian future and the vibrant 70s, offering a point-and-click adventure filled with puzzles and an intriguing narrative. Background Story: Set against the backdrop of a vanished humanity, the protagonist, Joe, an average guy stuck in a dead-end job, becomes the unexpected hero amidst the winds of change in 1972. The narrative promises a departure from the ordinary, adding depth to Joe's otherwise unremarkable life.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Play it. Disney Illusion Island is a charming, cartoony platformer starring iconic characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. This enchanting Metroidvania only falls slightly short due to its lack of difficulty and lightly repetitive gameplay. Regardless of those issues, it’s one of my favorite games to play with friends right now and one of the best platformer titles I’ve encountered this year.

[Music credits: "Plains of Illeyneth" by Dragon Tamer -  "Orchestral Fantasy Fairy Village" by Frequently Asked Music]

Lost Echo presents an immersive sci-fi mystery adventure that captivates players from the first click. As Greg embarks on a desperate quest to find his vanished girlfriend, Chloe, the game promises a visually stunning and emotionally engaging experience. Background Story: The narrative unfolds in the near future, blending suspense and sci-fi elements seamlessly. Greg's search for Chloe sets the stage for a thrilling journey filled with twists and turns, keeping players hooked with each revelation.

The biggest console and PC release of this week appears to be something of a mess. Redfall is a co-op-centric looter-shooter that just launched for PC and Xbox Series S and X. It’s the latest game from Microsoft- and Bethesda-owned Arkane Studios, a developer that has created some truly great games such as Prey and the Dishonored series, so it’s understandable why some gamers were hyped for this one.

I really love the lore behind the Rusty Lake universe. The lore spans over 300 years and involves the stories of multiple families. All works from the Cube Escape series/Rusty Lake series contain various details and are related to each other, making the lore more complicated yet intriguing. Would definitely recommend the series to those who love lore-rich puzzle games.

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.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? If you’ve got any appreciation for the Metroidvania style of game at all, then you owe it to yourself to play Afterimage. Coming off a successful Kickstarter campaign just a year ago, developer Aurogon Shanghai has released the next masterpiece in a masterpiece-heavy genre. With tight controls, compelling progression and exploration, and especially a stunning hand-drawn art style, Afterimage pays homage to the classics while also undeniably forging its own strong identity via a fascinating and diverse fantasy world. It’s really good.

Since it arrived last month—heck, even since it was first revealed way back in 2020—one of the most oft-repeated opinions about Final Fantasy XVI has been that it doesn’t feel like a Final Fantasy game. After spending eighty hours with this latest entry in one of gaming’s biggest franchises, I can finally definitively respond to that opinion: Yes, Final Fantasy XVI doesn’t feel like a Final Fantasy

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? 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.

Without a doubt, the Runeterran lore of this game is one of the best there is. It's what got me hooked in the game. You can pick up a champ and eventually know who they are and what they are fighting for because their respective stories are reflected on their gameplay mechanics, voice line interactions and visual design. It's well-executed than other games and genres out there. Also, their alternate universes for their various skin lines are as vast and as rich with amazing storytelling. Arcane, the series on Netflix was based on this game's lore and set of champions.

Interested in Ashfall? Read more about it in this quick first impressions! 💬 Are you going to play Ashfall or do you plan on skipping it? Let me know down in the comments! [Music credits: "Hard Metal Intro" by WinnieTheMoog]

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 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.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Play it! Honkai: Star Rail is a sci-fi RPG that’s better than developer MiHoYo’s Honkai Impact 3rd and comes very close to the charm of the much-loved Genshin Impact. Star Rail’s immersive storyline, beautiful graphics, and deep turn-based combat have kept me thoroughly entertained. TIME PLAYED I played Honkai: Star Rail for seven hours. The tutorial took me around forty minutes, and the rest of my play time has been dedicated to various lengthy questlines. I’ve also acquired seven characters and leveled five of them to their current max of level twenty.

SHOULD I PLAY WARM SNOW? Absolutely play it if you enjoy action-packed roguelites with tons of unlockables and a unique setting. Warm Snow takes place in a fictionalized version of seventeenth-century China where the kingdom has fallen into chaos thanks to a strange phenomenon known as “Warm Snow.” I had to slice my way through multiple locations and thousands of mutated enemies to get to the bottom of this bizarre event, equipping myself with different relics and weapons as I did so. This is as tightly designed and fun of a roguelite as I’ve ever played and definitely worth the dozens of hours you can put into it if you want to unlock everything.