Horizon Chase 2 is a bit of a mixed bag. The great multiplayer, improved visuals, and incredible soundtrack make up for the relative lack of tracks and simplified challenges, but one can’t shake the feeling that this sequel, which originated on iOS, was made to appeal to casual players rather than the hardcore arcade racer crowd that embraced the original game.

You can’t go wrong with Spider-Man 2 if you were sold on the original game - it’s a fantastic use of the source material, and I think the studio has found its new specialty as they’ve delivered a superhero video game that might not only make one a fan of Spider-Man but a fan of Insomniac Games as a studio.

If you’re a masochist or enjoy glitch-fests, you might find something salvageable in the Switch version of Mortal Kombat 1, but I strongly implore you to reconsider, and to warn your friends. Buy a new console if you must, but do not spend your hard-earned money on this travesty.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is proof that the original, stealthy approach to the series’ formula still works just fine in 2023; Ubisoft’s commitment and focus on a single concept is a testament to its core strengths. Mirage lacks ambition, but it’s a welcome correction from recent bloated series entries.

Starfield isn’t as groundbreaking as one would expect it to be, but the developers held true in delivering the game fans have come to expect from Bethesda Game Studios, and in that regard, they succeeded, as this game has the potential to be relevant to players years after it was released, similar to what The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim is to this day.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a hell of a mic drop. While it’s no reinvention of the wheel, it’s definitely a more compelling and accessible take on the formula that has a lot to recommend it, both for fans of those titles and younger gamers in search of something new.

FromSoftware did not disappoint at revitalizing the Armored Core series with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, a title that superbly balances the parts and loadout of a fantastic Armored Core game while injecting the studio’s now-well-known specialty.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is still a visually stunning action adventure, even for someone running the PC version on an RTX 2060. It’s just hard to recommend as you won't get the most out of the experience, especially with it launching at full price.

The Xbox Wireless Controller is not a revolutionary product by any means but If you already love the Xbox One model, you’ll feel right at home once you get your hands on his controller. It does the job of ticking all the right boxes in being a great controller for either PC, console, or mobile gaming in 2023.

Tears of the Kingdom accomplishes its lofty goals, improving upon the masterful Breath of the Wild in nearly every key aspect; Tears may not be my favorite Zelda, but for millions of fans, it might be one of the greatest gaming experiences of their lives.

I was worried about the series shedding more of its JRPG roots when this title was first introduced, as recent entries have been straying away from more traditional forms for years. But my fears faded in the first five chapters of FFXIV; the essence of what makes Final Fantasy so great shines brightly here, and as such, this is one of my favorite high fantasy adventures this generation. 

In the realm of punishing roguelike experiences, Darkest Dungeon 2 stands as one of the greats. With its immersive art style and complex gameplay mechanics, paired with relentless difficulty, players will be left more battered and bruised, but also wiser and more satisfied as they keep on playing.