Atomfall

Atomfall represents an interesting experiment by Rebellion – a studio known for its World War 2-based series of games where you take control of an elite sniper taking down hundreds of Nazi soldiers. Instead of arming the player to the gills and taking them through a roaring adventure, Atomfall instead makes sure the player is constantly scavenging for resources just to survive as they slowly uncover an epic story through their own investigations. Atomfall offers a unique single-player experience that blends investigation, stealth, survival, and just a hint of intense combat to keep things spicy.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Picking up directly after the events of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth takes us deeper into an epic story about environmentalism and the evils that mega corporations are capable of when allowed an unchecked monopoly. This time around, however, we get a massive open world to explore, complete with its own set of secrets for players to discover, as well as a host of fun minigames that help further flesh the world out. Pair this with an evolution of the already-fantastic combat system from its predecessor, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth tends to make for dozens of hours of pure fun.

Silent Hill 2 Remake

Trying to remake a game that is seen by many as one of, if not the best horror game ever made is no easy task, but Bloober Team managed to make it look almost effortless with its remake of Silent Hill 2. Much more than a remake, however, Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 gives us a look at how the seminal horror game would have been if it were made in the modern day – none of its feels even remotely dated, and the game makes use of the dense atmosphere and spookiness of its setting perfectly. Pair this with gorgeous visuals, incredible level design and wonderful creature design and you basically get one of the best horror experiences out there today.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

While it may have been a bit controversial when it first came out, The Last of Us Part 2 features some downright phenomenal storytelling thanks to strong writing and excellent voice work and facial capture, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered features some of the best third-person action combat in any game today. Add on top wonderful encounter design and clever, but tense, boss fights, and you get what essentially feels like a wild roller coaster ride of emotions along with high-octane third-person action.

Elden Ring + Shadow of the Erd Tree

What hasn’t already been said about the brilliance of FromSoftware’s single-player opus Elden Ring, as well as its critically-acclaimed DLC Shadow of the Erd Tree? The base game, on its own, is a culmination of over a decade’s worth of game design that FromSoftware had originated, improved, and ultimately mastered. Add on top some excellent and tense combat, plenty of character build options, and a wide-open world where only your own skill level can really block your path, and you have a title that deserves just about every accolade it has gotten since then. And once you’re done with the base game, Shadow of the Erd Tree offers an entirely new level of challenge, complete with a brand new landmass to explore, new bosses to fight, and even more of the intricate lore to uncover.

Astro Bot

Astro Bot is a game that proves that Nintendo isn’t the only major gaming company that can make a beloved 3D platformer. The title, essentially a love letter to just about every aspect of PlayStation, also manages to be a great game on its own thanks to its excellent level design, great visuals, fantastic soundtrack and tight gameplay. While the story is simple enough, with Captain Astro trying to reunite with the PlaySquadron after the PS5 mothership is wrecked by Nebulax, what really elevates Astro Bot along with its core gameplay is the reverence it has for all things PlayStation. The game is also filled with plenty of nods and references to the history of the console, including even references to niche titles like Loco Roco.

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

While the 2017 release of Horizon Zero Dawn was no slouch when it came to visuals and gameplay, the whole game got massively upgraded thanks to the Remastered release, bringing it up to par with its sequel. Essentially an origin story, players are put into the shoes of Aloy who is trying to figure out how she can stop the wars between the neighbouring tribes. Along the way, plenty of mysteries are uncovered, including the very nature of the world and the mechanical beasts that roam its lands. Horizon Zero Dawn is an excellent open-world action-adventure game which offers a great mix of strong writing in its main campaign, as well as optional objectives through side quests as well as open-world collectibles.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

While Valhalla was met with mixed reception, especially with some of its gameplay elements, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is evidence that the genre is still capable of strong games with fun open worlds to explore. Besides Syndicate, we now get to play as two distinct protagonists in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, each with their own distinct playstyles – the combat-oriented Yasuke and the stealth-oriented Naoe. Through the two characters, we get a unique take on Sengoku-era Japan, with the duo trying to figure out the conspiracy behind not only the death of Oda Nobunaga, but also the death of Naoe’s family as well.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate feature incredibly strong writing full of interesting things to do, as well as by offering players an almost infinite amount of freedom when it comes to figure out solutions to problems. Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place during an invasion by mind flayers, with the player themselves being implanted with a tadpole that will at some point also turn them into a mind flayer. After escaping from the captivity of the mind flayers, the player finds themselves, along with other unlikely heroes, on an island, where they must work together to figure out a way to not only make it to the city of Baldur’s Gate, but also to get rid of the parasitic tadpoles that they have all been implanted with.

Days Gone Remastered

Days Gone offers a unique take on the open-world zombie survival game by giving the player one of the most important tools you can have in such a situation – a motorcycle. Along with his bike, protagonist Deacon must explore the world, deliver supplies, protect his friends, and in the process, figure out what led to the “Freaker” outbreak, and how he can save his wife. The game also has a unique system that allows for incredibly massive hordes of zombies to attack the player if Deacon accidentally trips an alarm that attracts them to his location. Coupled with fun combat courtesy of a mix of melee and ranged weapons, and Days Gone Remastered has all of the ingredients to make for a fun time.

Dead Space Remake

The original Dead Space was rightfully praised for its excellent atmosphere and strong gameplay paired with intense claustrophobia and incredible monster designs. The remake of Dead Space takes these elements and cranks it all the way up to eleven. While you’re still going to be stepping into the shoes of Isaac Clarke as he explores the USG Ishimura, several things have been redesigned, from the massive planet cracker class ship’s layout making more sense, to weapons getting rebalanced so that the Plasma Cutter isn’t the only good weapon you have access to. The story also gets some expansion thanks to Isaac no longer being a silent protagonist. The presence of a new kind of collectible also ends up adding a few more interesting wrinkles to an already-strong story.

Resident Evil Village

A few years after the series managed to reinvigorate itself thanks to Resident Evil 7, the franchise decided to take a more action oriented approach. Much like the transition from classic horror Resident Evil games to Resident Evil 3, Resident Evil Village ups the ante on not only the action, but also the scares and the story. Taking place after the events of RE7, Village involves protagonist Ethan Winters once more setting out against unimaginable horrors in a mysterious village to rescue his daughter. The title features plenty of boss fights, great combat encounters, and one of the most insane endings to a game out there. The Winters Expansion also brings with it new content, as well as a third-person mode for the main campaign.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 

The first title by studio Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur: Expedition managed to set the world on fire in large part thanks to its deep and thoughtful story, imaginative and gorgeous visuals, and a clever combat. What sets Clair Obscur apart from others in the genre is how it makes use of not only parrying and dodging as active actions the player has to time with enemy attacks, but also the fact that each of its characters has unique mechanics of their own, be it Gustave’s Overcharge system, or Lune’s element juggling, or Maelle’s stance system.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

A remastered release of a classic open-world RPG that came out all the way back in 2006, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is not only a great game in its own right, but also acts as a fun history lesson to help us understand just how Bethesda got to its follow-up, Skyrim. Oblivion Remastered takes place in idyllic pastures of Cyrodiil in the midst of an invasion from the various Oblivion realms. The player will also get to explore several cities and villages, while also partaking in epic questlines for various activities, from stealing to assassination, and even gladiatorial combat. Despite the almost two decades since its original release, the level of freedom offered by Oblivion still manages to feel unparalleled.

Cyberpunk 2077 + Phantom Liberty

With Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty expansion CD Projekt RED ended up creating one of the most ambitious urban open-world games out there. Along with telling a deep and compelling story with themes about rebellion, mortality, and the sense of self, Cyberpunk 2077, along with its spy thriller expansion, also managed to offer plenty of fun side-activities for players to do as they drive around Night City and try out their fancy cybernetic implants against gang members, corrupt cops, and corporate mercenaries.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is one of the most unique open-world fantasy RPGs out there. Along with a unique class system where the player is encouraged to keep switching between different classes to mix and match abilities, the game also features some epic boss fights in the form of mythical monsters to kill. Oh, and there’s also the Pawn system, where a player can create a companion for themselves who can also be sent out to other players’ games to assist them and come back with experience and new items. Pair this with a mind-bending plot that involves the world also getting messed up because of the player’s own actions, in turn opening up even more epic boss fights for adventurous players to take on. And now that most of its technical issues have been ironed out, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has become an excellent way to spend a weekend or two.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

While several games have tried to put players in the shoes of characters inspired by Indiana Jones, few have done it as well as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The first-person action-adventure game melds puzzle solving with intense action sequences, some platforming courtesy of Indy’s whip, and plenty of stealth as players try to avoid crossing paths with hostile soldiers.

Lies of P + Overture

While we may not be getting ports or remasters for FromSoftware’s Bloodborne any time soon, we did get the next best thing in the form of Lies of P and its Overture DLC. The Soulslike action RPG puts players in the shoes of “puppet mechanoid” Pinocchio with a simple mission – find Mr. Geppetto. As he explores the city of Krat, however, he comes across deranged hostile puppets that he must deal with. Along the way, players get plenty of choices when it comes to what kind of weapon they’ll use thanks to the game’s unique weapon system where a player is free to mix-and-match different handles and edges to get unique weapons with their own movesets and special abilities. The Overture DLC expands things further by sending players into Krat’s past, where they get to see the city before its fall.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black

A remastered release of classic hack-and-slash action game Ninja Gaiden 2, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is by far one of the toughest games available these days. Putting players in the role of ninja Ryu Hayabusa, the story revolves around the machinations of the Black Spider Ninja Clan as they launch an assault against Hayabusa Village. As Ryu fights off these threats, players will have to learn how to effectively wield his various tools, from the straightforward katana to more advanced items. The game also allows players to dismember enemies, and while they can still attack after losing limbs, they can at least be killed off for good by using the Obliteration Technique.

Shadow Labyrinth

While Shadow Labyrinth might not look like much from the outset, it ends up being quite a clever platforming game that melds exploration with gameplay inspired by classic arcade titles. Players take on the role of Swordsman No. 8, who wakes up on a mysterious planet. As they spend time exploring this planet accompanied by Puck, players will have to discover secrets and get new abilities as they figure out how to take on many of the various challenges they will face throughout their time in Shadow Labyrinth.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

While the Ratchet & Clank franchise had gone mostly silent after the 2016 reboot, it came back with a bang on the PS5, not only acting as a great showcase for the hardware capabilities of the at-the-time new console, but also being a fantastic action/adventure game in its own right. Along with telling a fun story with everyone’s favorite Lombax, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart also introduces us to new character Rivet, who serves as a deuteragonist in the story. As the two desperately jump across different dimensions to stop the evil machinations of Dr. Nefarious, players will also find themselves making use of new, strange and funny weapons to take on the enemies they face.

RoboCop: Rogue City + Unfinished Business

RoboCop: Rogue City being such a fun experience with a surprising level of polish is the biggest example for the fact that the AA games scene still exists, and maybe even thriving. The game puts players in the shoes of RoboCop as he takes on a variety of different missions in crime-ridden Old Detroit. Along the way, players will get to make plenty of choices that further help define just how much humanity RoboCop still has within him. The standalone expansion Unfinished Business adds even more content to the game, bringing with it a host of new challenges for RoboCop to take on as he takes on mercenaries and new enemy types occupying OmniTower.

Sifu

While action games have always been incredibly popular, few have ever managed to nail the martial arts genre as well as Sloclap did with Sifu. With players taking on the role of a martial artist out for revenge for the murder of their mentor, Sifu features unique action mechanics where players can make use of their own Kung Fu-styled movesets, as well as the environment to take on groups of enemies. The title features 15 different locations, across which players will get to take on a wide variety of enemies. Along with this, the title also features a unique mechanic where a death leads to the protagonist aging, making their strikes deadlier but also making them more frail. Sifu has also gotten quite a bit more content thanks to extensive post-launch support by Sloclap.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

While Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors franchise has seen its fair share of ups and downs, the company undoubtedly struck gold with the release of Dynasty Warriors: Origins. The game, introducing a brand new protagonist, also brings with it some of the grandest battles that the franchise has ever seen. The gameplay largely revolves around the player cutting down large swathes of enemy soldiers across various battlefields as they also try and complete objectives to further continue the campaign of the various factions warring for supremacy over Mainland China.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

After the success of Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the sequel served as a way for the studio to expand on every aspect of the game. With five years having passed since the events of Fallen Order, Survivor once more puts players in the shoes of Cal Kestis as he sets off on a battle against the Empire. While things start out well enough, a mission eventually goes badly enough to force Cal to get some allies for his struggle, including brand new characters as well as returning characters from Fallen Order. The gameplay offers considerably more options than its predecessor, with new stances that offer more chances for unique gameplay, as well as a more interesting skill tree this time around.

Suikoden 1 & 2 Remaster

A remastered release of seminal RPGs that were originally made for the original PlayStation, Suikoden 1 & 2 Remaster is a great way for a new generation of players to experience a pair of the most unique RPGs to have ever been made. Along with the player taking on the role of a protagonist, players will also have to find and recruit special characters known as the Stars of Destiny into their own army as they fight off the forces of evil. Both titles also feature heavily political storylines, with corruption playing a central role throughout their stories. What makes both titles even more fun to play back-to-back is the fact that they take place in the same world, so the sequel becomes a great way to see what has changed since the events of the first game.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

While the Uncharted series has been one of the most iconic franchises for PlayStation since the first game came out on the PS3, all good things must come to an end. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves features two titles – Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy. While A Thief’s End focuses on the final adventure of protagonist Nathan Drake, Lost Legacy is a smaller-scaled game with brand new protagonists in Chloe and Nadine, as they face off against a warlord named Asav can get it. When it comes to gameplay, both titles feature third-person action, plenty of areas to explore, puzzles to solve, and in the case of Legacy of Thieves, even one larger space where more experimental gameplay can be tried out.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

While many of the best games out there can be described as being subtle, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is not one of them. Every bit as loud, brutal, and exaggerated as the Warhammer 40,000 setting demands, Space Marine 2 puts players in the power armour of Ultramarine-turned-Deathwatch Soldier-turned-back-into-Ultramarine Demetrian Titus as he ends up on Imperial planets Avarax and Kadaku in the midst of the first Tyrannic War. Facing off against hordes of Tyrannids, players must make use of the game’s hybrid ranged and melee combat system to stop all opposition and complete various objectives. Once you’re done with the campaign, the game also features extra missions in the Operations mode which, while meant to be played in co-op, can also be enjoyed solo along with AI-controlled team mates.

God of War Ragnarok

Taking place a few years after the events of 2018’s reboot, Ragnarok kicks things off with the coming of Fimbulwintr, as the player figures out how to best keep their people safe from their enemies. Ragnarok features a blend of excellent level design and offers several enhancements to gameplay, with bigger worlds to explore, and plenty of more skills to make use of in the game’s frantic, high-impact combat.

System Shock Remake

A remake of a classic sci-fi shooter/RPG hybrid from 1994, System Shock Remake does a masterful job of recreating the feeling of playing the original thanks to its unique art style that melds modern graphical technologies with a low-fi look that maintains the vibrant color palette of the original. System Shock Remake is also one of the best ways to experience the origins of iconic evil AI SHODAN, who serves as the primary antagonist for the player as they explore Citadel Station and try to figure out how they can survive, and ultimately, escape. Along the way, players will have to fight, sneak, and shoot their way through enemies that were once the human inhabitants of Citadel station.

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist

While the indie game space has many 2D platforming titles, few have reached the quality that Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist manages to reach thanks to the title’s strong level design, well thought out upgrades, and interesting story. The game takes place in the Land of Fumes which, because of unchecked science, has started turning artificial beings, dubbed Homunculi, into feral monsters. Players take on the role of an Attuner named Lilac who can save the Homunculi from their gruesome fate. Players will get to explore a variety of zones, from abandoned laboratories to ancient caverns and vibrant fields, as they explore the Land of Fumes and unlock new abilities to further aid exploration and combat.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

The genre is no stranger to crafting compelling open-world games, and this quality is shown off quite well in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. While it might be easy to brush aside as a movie tie-in game, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora ends up being a fantastic way to explore the world first seen in James Cameron’s Avatar movies. In Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, players must ultimately defend Pandora against the forces of the RDA. The game features a compelling main campaign, along with several side missions that help further flesh out the world.

Gran Turismo 7

Quite easily the standard bearer for the modern driving sim game, Gran Turismo 7 has just about everything that a fan of cars and the culture surrounding cars and driving could hope for. Along with franchise classic gameplay mechanics like license tests returning, Gran Turismo 7 also features a massive collection of cars for players to collect, as well as constant updates that further improves the car collection of the game, as well as bringing in new events across various vehicle classes that players can compete for.

Hitman World of Assassination

Essentially the most complete package in terms of the Hitman trilogy, Hitman World of Assassination features quite a bit of content for the intrepid single-player game fan. Along with an epic campaign spanning three games’ worth of locations and targets, the title also features the Freelancer mode, which combines the title’s free-form gameplay with a roguelite progression mechanic. Hitman World of Assassination offers players plenty of unique ways to take out their targets, alongside a wide variety of items and weapons that can be used to accomplish just about any task the game throws the player’s way throughout its levels, which span from the US, to South America, to India, and even Dubai.

Alan Wake 2

Quite easily one of the strangest games to have come out in recent times, Alan Wake 2 is a survival horror title that picks up more than a decade after the original Alan Wake. While the titular character serves as one of the protagonists, quite a few parts of the game have players take on the role of FBI agent Saga Anderson who is visiting Bright Falls to investigate the brutal, ritualistic murder of fellow FBI agent Robert Nightingale. Along the way, the paths of Saga and Alan intersect in interesting, fourth wall-breaking ways, and Alan Wake must ultimately figure out the best way to end the story of Saga Anderson.

Neva

Equal parts platforming game and atmospheric experience, Neva puts players in the shoes of a young woman, Alba, and a friendly wolf as they explore a world that is on the verge of dying. As is to be expected from a game by the developers of Gris, Neva features downright gorgeous art and a gripping soundtrack that adds several layers to the atmosphere as they explore a dying world. The gameplay revolves around Alba and her wolf companion slowly learning to work together as they complete platforming sections, combat encounters, and even a few puzzles along the way, all while the duo try and figure out how they can survive.

Little Nightmares 2

A low-key experience, Little Nightmares 2 explores the wider world outside of the first game’s setting of the Maw. With players in the shoes of a young boy named Mono, as he explores the Pale City. The game makes use of a more minimalistic style of storytelling, leaving it up to the player to figure out the secrets behind the Pale City, the signal tower, and the things that lurk within the tower.

Nobody Wants to Die

While narrative adventure games can often be quite fun, few match the level of polish and visual fidelity of Critical Hit Games’ Nobody Wants to Die. Taking place in the year 2329, the player takes on the role of NYPD detective in the Department of Mortality James Karra. With the gameplay largely revolving around puzzle solving and exploring the overall narrative, players will have to figure out the strange circumstances behind a mysterious death affecting a victim that wasn’t supposed to die – a member of the New York City elite. As the mystery unfurls, players will find themselves in the hunt for a serial killer, as they also explore concepts of morality, and what immortality truly means for a person that has more money than they could spend over several lifetimes.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

A direct sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence, A Plague Tale: Requiem picks things up around six months after the events of its predecessor. The story revolves around siblings Amicia and Hugo de Rune, who decide to travel south in order to try and look for a cure for Hugo’s affliction. The gameplay is an iteration over the first title, with players taking control of Amicia and being helped out by Hugo from time to time. However, both characters also have plenty of new abilities to play around with in combat encounters. A Plague Tale: Requiem also acts as an absolute feast for the eyes considering its incredible level of visual fidelity and strong art direction.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

An RE Engine remake of a classic zombie game, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster has players take on the role of intrepid photojournalist Frank West as he is exploring the circumstances surrounding a military-enforced lockdown in the sleepy town of Willamette, Colorado. In a series of events, West, along with a bunch of other survivors, find themselves trapped in a mall that also happens to house hordes of zombies, as well as a few psychotic lunatics lurking around. West only has three days of real-world time to figure out a way to escape from the mall with as many allies as he can. The original Dead Rising, and by extension the Deluxe Remaster, is famous for the immense level of customisation offered by the game when it comes to its weapon crafting system, focusing primarily on melee weapons.

Pacific Drive

A unique take on the roguelite formula, Pacific Drive combines the sense of adventure one might find in exploring randomly-generated levels, along with the joy that often comes from working on a beaten up car to gradually improve it with better parts over time. The player is put into the shoes of “The Driver” as they explore the Olympic Exclusion Zone after accidentally getting pulled into it through a vortex. The zone is full of strange activity, however, with even roads constantly shifting and moving about, and the player must find other survivors and eventually, a way out. To help the player accomplish this, they have a car known only as the Remnant, which can be improved with new loot that you find, as well as new parts that you can craft once you get the right materials.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

While the original Citizen Sleeper was a, pardon the pun, sleeper hit in its own right thanks to excellent writing and unique gameplay elements inspired by Disco Elysium, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is an improvement in just about every aspect. Carrying over its predecessor’s strong anti-capitalism slant with an interesting story, Citizen Sleeper 2 revolves around the player trying to figure out a way to escape the “ownership” of Laine, and in the process, ending up in a lawless portion of the Hellion star system, known only as the Belt.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

While Kojima Productions’ first outing as an independent studio after Konami – Death Stranding – was an interesting and unique game in its own right, the sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, takes things up a notch in every way possible. Along with broadening the core gameplay loop of making deliveries across long treks, Death Stranding 2 also features a more grand story of wider scope, with more interesting main villains. Along with this, the core combat has also seen massive improvements, giving players more tools to take on an even wider variety of enemies, ranging from well-armed humans to massive kaiju-sized BTs. This along with a jump in visual fidelity makes Death Stranding 2: On the Beach a journey well worth taking.

Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong features some downright fantastic boss fights and is further elevated by the fact that the game’s combat can be described as being nothing short of absolutely joyous in how well it controls, how responsive the game feels, and how well the encounters are set up to get players to use every tool they have in their kit. There’s a reason, after all, why Black Myth: Wukong would launch to immense success in terms of concurrent player counts as well as copies sold.

Hogwarts Legacy

It’s easy to describe Hogwarts Legacy as an open-world action/adventure game, but that would be ignoring how lovingly it recreates the world of Harry Potter that long-time fans of the book series could finally explore in depth. While the title doesn’t really do anything new, it is still a fantastic way to spend some time owing to the care with which the titular Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its surrounding areas have been recreated. Players can live out their dreams of being an aspiring wizard in the world of Harry Potter, attending classes, getting stronger at magic, and even helping quell a goblin rebellion in the process.

Star Wars Outlaws

While Star Wars Outlaws may have been released to middling reception and suffered from plenty of problems, several updates since its release have turned the game into a must-play adventure, especially for fans of Star Wars. Now that plenty of the game’s fundamental issues, like broken stealth mechanics, have been fixed, the story of Kay Vess is quite a bit of fun to experience, especially thanks to the open-world structure of the title, complete with different factions vying for your attention. The adventure also continues thanks to the release of two expansions for the game – Dead Man’s Hand and A Pirate’s Fortune – both of which add plenty more content to an already feature-rich title.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream

A unique take on narrative games, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream has players exploring the city of Eriksholm in the shoes of Hanna. With an emphasis on stealth, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream gives players plenty of chances to figure out the story behind the world as Hanna slowly continues her quest to find her brother. The game also features gorgeous visuals, with the city of Eriksholm being one of the most interesting settings for a game in recent times. Along with this, players will also get to make use of an extensive arsenal of tools as they sneak around the guards of the industrializing city.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

While 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man was a fantastic return of the web-slinging superhero to video games, its sequel – appropriately titled Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – decided to expand on the original’s ideas in epic ways. Along with featuring two Spider-Men, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 also gives us a deeper look into the stories and motivations behind both of the superheroes. Pair that with an incredible open-world that is an absolute joy to traverse through thanks to Spider-Man’s set of abilities, as well as a fun rogue’s gallery to take on throughout the story and side-content, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is in many ways one of the best superhero experiences currently available on the PS5.

Horizon Forbidden West

A follow-up to Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West once again puts players in the shoes of Aloy as she decides to explore parts of the western coast of the continent. Along with brand new visuals and a deeper look into the overall world and lore behind the Horizon franchise, Forbidden West also gives us improved combat that feels a lot more dynamic, along with more fun and intense boss fights that will have players make use of just about every tool they have at their disposal. Horizon Forbidden West, along with its Burning Shores expansion, can in many ways be described as the ideal sequel, where it builds on the foundations set by its predecessor in new and interesting ways.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

In a genre that is dominated by fantasy and sci-fi works, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 manages to stand out thanks to its use of a real-world historic setting. Along with exploring the lands of Trosky in the 1400s, players – who once more take on the role of Henry – not only get embroiled in a plot that can be best described as a political-thriller-meets-war-story, but they most also live in an interestingly simulationist game world. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 of will have you squint your eyes as you try and make out text in a book, depending on Henry’s level of literacy, and train with swordmasters to learn new ways to swing your sword, all while also trying to make sure that you don’t die of starvation or villagers don’t run away from because you haven’t had a bath in a while. These gameplay systems makes for a great way to kill a few dozen hours.

Hi-Fi Rush

The last hurrah – at least for the time being – for Tango Gameworks before the studio was shut down by Microsoft last year, Hi-Fi Rush is a unique hack-and-slash action game that rewards players that have good rhythm. The unique hook of the game is that players are encouraged to attack, jump, and dodge their way through fights to the beat of the background music. While you can still finish the game if you miss every beat, landing the beat with good timing rewards you with higher damaging moves. Pair that with a vibrant art style, hilarious writing, an excellent soundtrack, and some downright fantastic boss fights, and you get one of the most fun and unique action games out there.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

When it comes to third-person action RPGs that have a heavy emphasis on their narratives, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is one of the most interesting releases of the lot. Taking place in the unique setting in 1695, players take on the role of Banishers as they set out to explore the lands, figure out the origins of curses, and most importantly, unravel mysteries that could lead to some very uneasy answers to important questions.

The First Berserker: Khazan

In the over a decade and a half since the release of the first game that could be called a Soulslike – Demon’s Souls – we’ve seen plenty of studios take a stab at making their own. Few have gotten as close to the standards set out by FromSoftware as Neople with The First Berserker: Khazan. Alongside taking place in an interesting world based on the DNF franchise, The First Berserker: Khazan also offers some strong action RPG gameplay, complete with a wide variety of weapons and incredibly challenging boss fights. Pair this with a downright gorgeous art style and you are bound to end up with a good time.

Jusant

At the outset, Jusant looks like it will be an incredibly simple game. Its core gameplay mechanic revolves entirely around climbing, after all. However, while the gameplay mechanics themselves might feel simple enough, Jusant also uses those same mechanics to deliver an incredibly powerful story that is slowly unraveled as the player – in the shoes of a nameless boy climbing a gigantic rock tower – makes their climb. Sure, there might not be much in the way of stakes, especially since you can’t really die in the game. However, the strong, often emotional writing throughout Jusant more than makes up for any shortcomings that might be present in the gameplay department.

Mafia: The Old Country

While Mafia 3 might have served as a bit of a detour for Hangar 13 with its focus on open-world gameplay, with Mafia: The Old Country, the studio went back to the franchise’s roots in more ways than one. Not only is it a linear story-based game with set missions that players will take on, its story is also taking us all the way back to the eponymous Old Country, where the Sicilian Mafia first originated. The gritty early-1990s mob story features Enzo Favara as the new protagonist, as players live out his fight for survival in his attempts to get a better life for himself after living through a brutal life filled with forced labour. Mafia: The Old Country is an incredible return to form for Hangar 13.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

While the original Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was an interesting game anchored by strong performances, especially from lead actor Melina Juergens as the titular Senua, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 cranks just about everything up to eleven. Not only has the gameplay seen plenty of improvements, the story itself, along with the presentation have been upgraded so much, the word “cinematic” hardly does the title justice. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 once again takes us to Viking Iceland where Senua has to take on difficult battles against the forces of tyranny to save not only victims, but also save herself in the process.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

When it first came out, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was widely considered to be one of the best games for its home platform – the PlayStation 2. 21 years later, we now have a remake in the form of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Not only do we get upgraded visuals and improved gameplay with modern control schemes in the remake, we also get to re-experience a fantastic spy thriller set during the Cold War, the events of which end up having repercussions for the entire Metal Gear franchise as a whole. Snake Eater has players take on the role of Naked Snake as he sets off on Operation Snake Eater to take down The Boss, her elite squad known as the Cobra Unit, as well as commander of GRU Volgin.

Gears of War: Reloaded

It’s no secret that the original Gears of War was one of the most important games on the Xbox 360, helping spawn an entire franchise that is still going on to this day. Celebrating this history, developer The Coalition has bought back the Gears of War Ultimate Edition with a fresh coat of paint. Calling it “faithful remaster”, Gears of War: Reloaded features high-resolution assets, as well as full optimisation to run on all modern-day gaming platforms, including the PS5. Along with the excellent campaign that kicks off the saga of Marcus Fenix in his war against the Locust threat, Gears of War: Reloaded also includes plenty of multiplayer features, including co-op mode for the campaign, as well as competitive multiplayer.

Echoes of the End

While a debut outing for studio Myrkur Games, it could be easy to assume that the developers behind Echoes of the End have had quite a bit of experience with game design. The game may not feature complex customization options and deep puzzles. Rather, it features fun combat, a gorgeous world, and puzzles with just the right level of complexity to not get you too frustrated. Pair that with some excellent writing and characterisation for protagonist Ryn and her travelling companion Abram Finlay, and you have a great single-player campaign that doesn’t overstay its welcome thanks to its 14-hour runtime.

Animal Well

While at first glance, Animal Well might not look like much thanks to its art style making use of stark colour contrasts, often with black backgrounds in most of its scenes. Spending a little time with the tidal, however, reveals one of the most interesting platforming titles to have come out since maybe Hollow Knight. Animal Well puts players in the shoes of a small creature that has freshly hatched from a flower, and must now explore the world to figure out their own life. What sets the title apart is how well it makes use of its art style – which features wonderfully detailed environments all over the place – not only for the sake of gameplay, but for atmosphere as well. Along with its platforming trappings, Animal Well also serves as a horror title thanks to the player not having ways to fight back against creatures that might harm you; players must instead make clever use of the world around them to figure out ways around dangerous obstacles.

Slitterhead

A bizarre mix of action and body horror from Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of Silent Hill, Siren, and Gravity Rush, Slitterhead practically screams, “Not for everyone.” As Hyoki, an amnesiac spirit who must slay the Slitterheads, you can take over the bodies of different NPCs and leverage their powers. Combat can be enjoyable, but technical issues, jank, and repetition blemish the experience. It’s an acquired taste, though, and some may enjoy the body-hopping-focused gameplay while basking in the sheer weirdness of it all.

Nine Sols

You may be asking: if Nine Sols sold well, hit all consoles after a successful PC launch, and garnered two nominations at the upcoming Indie Game Awards, is it genuinely underrated? Well, aside from a convoluted story told via overabundance of dialogue, Nine Sols is the Hollow Knight sequel we’ve been waiting for. Its evocative world with cyberpunk-adjacent tech provides the perfect playground for exploration and discovery, but – most importantly – its robust combat demanding a clever mix of parrying, combos, and powerups should be elevating Nine Sols above what its already achieved. If you’re waiting for Silksong, play Nine Sols.

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

Sony’s “Remastered” trend hasn’t received the warmest reception over the years, but Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered more than earns its flowers. It revamps and improves its environments with more foliage, better lighting and shadows, and over 10 hours of new motion capture animation. Character models are pretty much carried over from Forbidden West and look fantastic. For just $50 ($10 if you own the original), it’s a pretty good deal.

Demon’s Souls

What better place to start your journey with some of the best single-player titles on the PS5 than with the remake of a classic that also happens to be a launch title for Sony’s current generation of consoles? Sure, the remake of Demon’s Souls, courtesy of Bluepoint, doesn’t quite nail the intense atmosphere of the original, but the game still happens to be an absolute treat when it comes to visuals, and more importantly, it’s still excellent evidence that FromSoftware – the studio behind the original Demon’s Souls – knew what it was doing when it came to gameplay, combat, and level design, even all the way back in 2009.

Evil West

While the current landscape of video game releases is largely populated by massive big-budget AAA games as well as indie titles made by smaller crews, Evil West manages to prove that there also exists a solid middle-ground. While not polished to a mirror sheen like a AAA title would have been, Evil West is an excellent third-person action-adventure game that, despite looking like it was ripped straight out of the PS3/Xbox 360 console generation, still happens to be a good time even today.

Returnal

Quite easily one of the more challenging games on the PS5, Returnal is a great example of some of the capabilities of the console. Alongside featuring excellent gunplay, Returnal also makes great use of some of the PS5’s core features, including near-instant load times, the use of haptic feedback on the DualSense controller, and even offering resistance through the controller’s triggers to offer up multiple firing modes for your weapons. The plot in Returnal is also quite interesting, playing into some classic tragedies through the lens of a sci-fi time-loop story.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

How does one follow up on what is widely regarded as one of the best superhero titles out there? Why, you make it bigger and better, of course. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 builds on both of its predecessors by featuring multiple protagonists, as well as a whole new set of antagonists Peter Parker and Miles Morales to fight against. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is essentially an improvement over the last couple of games in every way, complete with more content, as well as expanded gameplay features and new abilities. Playing as Venom was just an icing on the cake!

The Last of Us Part 1

While the fact that The Last of Us Part 1 is essentially the third time the same game is being re-released, there is a good reason for this: it’s just an all-round excellent game. Featuring intense gameplay that seamlessly switches between a variety of genres, from running-and-gunning, to stealthily taking out groups of human enemies, to even a fair bit of horror as you try and avoid the horrific cordyceps as you journey alongside Joel and Ellie across America. The story and characters of The Last of Us Part 1 are especially notable, with strong writing and character dynamics good enough that it inspired an HBO adaptation.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered follows up on what is considered by many to be one of the best games ever made by giving us a wide, sweeping story that tells us a story about vengeance, and the cycle of hatred that keeps getting perpetuated. Featuring multiple playable characters throughout the game, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered goes to great lengths in not only humanizing even the enemies you often end up fighting, but also allowing us to understand their actions, as heinous as they may have been. This is paired with some excellent gameplay that expertly blends melee and ranged combat, as well as a heavy dose of stealth.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade

Final Fantasy 7 Remake kicks off what is set to be a trilogy in retelling the story of the seminal Final Fantasy 7, complete with modern visuals, as well as gameplay that blends the original’s turn-based combat with real-time action in a way that not only feels satisfying thanks to the tactical options it opens up, but also allows for some great gameplay customization. The game is also notable since, rather than just being a 1:1 remake of the original, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is also trying to explore what the very concept of a remake can be, complete with a meta narrative that shifts the core themes and foundations of Final Fantasy 7 in meaningful and interesting ways.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Following up on Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth sets players loose in a vast, expansive open world. Picking up right after the events of the first game, Rebirth not only gives us a greater look at the world, but thanks to its many bits of side-content strewn throughout its world, also allows us to understand the various nations, civilizations, and even flora and fauna that dot the landscape. While zooming out for its grand tale, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth also zooms into its individual characters, giving us a much deeper look at various characters like Cloud, Aerith, and Barret.

Astro Bot

While 3D platformers are quite rare outside of the indie space and Nintendo’s platforms, Team Asobi knocked it out of the park with Astro Bot, giving us one of the most fun, endearing, and joyful games on the system. Astro Bot features levels and characters from all over PlayStation’s history, along with a great soundtrack that pays homage to many of these games, as well as fantastic platforming gameplay that, while accessible for just about anyone that might be interested in playing games, can also offer up a decent level of challenge in its later stages.

God of War Ragnarok

Following up on the story of the 2018 reboot, Fimbulwintr has arrived, and things are looking quite grim in all the realms. While Atreus has to figure out how he can deal with the coming apocalypse as well as the machinations of their foes, Kratos, on the other hand, has to figure out how to deal with a particularly vengeful mother, while also keeping his son safe. Ragnarok builds on the gameplay foundations laid by its predecessor, bringing with it a large variety in terms of not only combat options, but also enemy types, locations, and challenges that can be taken on.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

An excellent entry in the long-running franchise, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart brings with it quite a few new interesting gameplay twists that make full use of the PS5’s hardware. One of its biggest contributions to the franchise is the introduction of a new protagonist in Rivet, who, much like Ratchet, is a Lombax that has a knack for using improbable weapons to deal with problems at hand. The game also features excellent visuals, as well as frantic combat thanks to the rift mechanic that allows players to instantly transport themselves between various places during a fight.

Final Fantasy 16

While far from the most-loved game in the RPG genre, Final Fantasy 16 still proves itself to be an excellent entry thanks to its fantastic combat mechanics. Final Fantasy 16 tells the story of former slave Clive Rosfield, who has set out to rid the world of slavery, while also fighting to take on challenging encounters that threatens the existence of all humanity in the land of Valisthea. Along with its fast-paced action gameplay, Final Fantasy 16 players can also expect to enjoy epic boss fights where Eikons clash against each other in arenas of improbable scale and size.

Control Ultimate Edition

Control is quite easily one of the strangest modern games to have been released. Taking place in a mysterious building known as the Oldest House, which also happens to serve as the headquarters for an inter-dimensional government agency known as the Federal Bureau of Control, players take on the role of Jesse Faden, who is exploring the building in an effort to find her long-lost brother. Thanks to a series of strange events, Jesse finds herself becoming the new Director of the FBC, uncovering and using new powers as she continues her exploration. The gameplay in Control revolves around fast-paced shootouts, coupled with players making use of Jesse’s psychic abilities to throw things around and fly in the air.

The Nioh Collection

Two of the most unique takes on the Souls-like genre, both of the Nioh games have an emphasis on precise, fast-paced combat which serves a sharp contrast to the more slow-paced gameplay the genre is known for. Players also have an incredibly-vast arsenal of weapons, each with different movesets that also change depending on the stance the player takes. It’s also worth noting that both games also feature loot-based progression along with character-based mechanics, which encourages further replayability, thanks to the presence of ever more challenging encounters as the players experience their own rise in power.

Baldur’s Gate 3

One of the most celebrated titles of recent times, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an expansive RPG that is absolutely stunning. Playable characters tend to have their own stories, motivations, and goals. The game also features an in-depth turn-based combat system that gives players an immense level of freedom in taking on encounters, which can range from simple hack-and-slash tactics, to throwing your Halfling friend at an enemy Ogre to keep them distracted while you lay explosive traps all over the place.

Elden Ring

FromSoftware’s most recent Souls-like release has essentially become one of the definitive takes on the genre. The game features excellent combat that rewards players striking their enemies with efficiency, along with a large open world that players are completely free to explore, as long as they can survive. Elden Ring got a DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, which takes place in the Land of Shadows, where players take on a journey to discover why they decided to come to the Lands Between to begin with.

Resident Evil Village

While Resident Evil Village is more action-oriented than its predecessor, it still manages to maintain the classic horror vibes that the series is well-known for. The game puts players in the shoes of Ethan Winters, who has set off to a rural European city to find his daughter. The game features a number of different styles of horror, ranging from classic gothic horror in dealing with Lady Dimitrescu, to more stealth-based body horror when the player finds themselves trapped in that haunted house. Resident Evil Village also serves as an ending to the story of Ethan Winters, complete with an expansion that explores the physical and mental state of a grown up Rosemary Winters.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Following in the foundations of the new gameplay systems laid by Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth once again returns players into the shoes of Ichiban Kasuga, who finds himself traveling to Hawaii because of events that derail his life in Yokohama. The game sees the return of the turn-based combat system from the previous game, but with more gameplay features to make better use of environmental weapons, as well as an expanded list of Jobs that players can switch between for a larger variety of abilities to use in fights. And if that isn’t enough, there’s also an entire Pokemon-style game, complete with its own combat system and storyline.

Alan Wake 2

A sequel more than a decade in the making, Alan Wake 2 is one of the best horror experiences out there. The game features some downright fantastic gameplay, dual protagonists each with their own unique gameplay mechanics, and a story that, while also tying up the threads left dangling by the original Alan Wake, also manages to tell its own tale in a fun way. Alan Wake 2 puts players in the shoes of the titular Alan Wake, as well as FBI agent Saga Anderson, each of whom is trying to solve the mysteries surrounding Bright Falls. A big theme in Alan Wake 2 is light, and along with some great level design and fun combat, the game also features a fantastic two DLCs that are an absolute must play.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 puts players in the shoes of protagonist V and sets them loose in Night City where they aim to build up their own legend and become remembered like the mercenaries of old. The game features a fantastic story that has V grapple with their own mortality, as well as question the very nature of a person’s soul. Along with a fun cast of side characters, including Johnny Silverhand played by Keanu Reeves, the game also got a DLC release – Phantom Liberty – which features a whole new area, as well as a new story, and new characters. Cyberpunk 2077 is also a visual treat, pushing even modern console hardware to its limits in its gorgeous rendition of Night City.

Hi-Fi Rush

Developed by the studio behind The Evil Within and its sequel, Hi-Fi Rush is a bright, cheerful, colourful third-person hack-and-slash action game with a twist: it’s also a rhythm game. The protagonist, Chai, has a music player implanted into his heart, which not only ends up giving the game a rather fantastic soundtrack, but also encourages players to hack-and-slash their way through enemies to the rhythm of the music. The unique title features a fun cast of characters, as well as some rather fantastic boss fights, all with excellent gameplay mechanics.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 offers one of the most unique open-world RPGs out there. The game features a dynamic combat system that encourages players to come up with their own combinations of attacks and special ability, as well as a progression system that doesn’t limit the player to any single archetype, allowing them to freely switch between ranged combat as a Ranger, to melee combat as a Knight, and even spell-casting. While the game suffered from performance issues at launch, constant updates since then have made playing the title a much smoother experience.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

While Mass Effect 3 stumbled quite a bit in its storytelling, the original Mass Effect trilogy is still remembered fondly, and the Legendary Edition proves that nostalgia doesn’t have anything to do with it. Even when compared to modern contemporaries, the Mass Effect trilogy features a downright fantastic sci-fi story set in a believable galaxy where humanity finally achieved interstellar travel. The game also presents players with plenty of choices to make along the way, which further define not only how the world reacts to them, but how the story plays out as well.

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Set during the Mongol invasion of the island of Tsushima, Ghost of Tsushima revolves around Jin Sakai, who takes up arms and rallies the survivors into driving the Mongols out. Throughout his time on the island, Sakai is forced to grapple with the duality of the Samurai code of honor, as well as the need to take out powerful enemies stealthily. The game features fast-paced combat, a fun stealth system, plenty of tools to use in and out of fights, and a drop-dead gorgeous island to explore in order to find better equipment and materials to upgrade your swords. It can also often be just as fun to relax in a hot spring, pet some foxes, or write a haiku every once in a while. Oh and don’t miss its fantasy expansion, Iki Island!

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown provides a platforming experience that would rival some of the best titles in the genre. The game puts players in the shoes of Sargon, who finds himself trapped in a temporal labyrinth. In his quest to discover the mysteries surrounding the kidnapping of a certain character, Sargon must fight his way out of the labyrinth as he explores the game’s intricate world and unlocks new powers to unleash on his enemies.

Stray

Far from a high-stakes action game like many other titles in this list, Stray is a more relaxing adventure title where players take on the role of a cat that is trying to get back to their family. The game focuses more on environmental storytelling than using traditional methods, and has players explore an intricately-made cyberpunk world where humans don’t seem to exist anymore, and the world is instead populated by robots.

Jusant

A unique title about self-discovery, Jusant is a game about climbing. Taking on the role of an unnamed boy, players will get to work, climbing up a gigantic rock tower. As they get higher and higher, players will discover just what happened to the world through environmental storytelling, as well as notes or pieces of art left behind. Interestingly, players can’t really die in Jusant, which acts as encouragement to continue exploring and discovering the secrets of the tower.

Horizon Forbidden West

A follow-up to Horizon Zero Dawn, Forbidden West once again has players take on the role of Aloy who must respond to a new threat, since the Derangement hasn’t yet stopped. As its name might imply, the game takes place in the lawless land in the west, where Aloy is equipped with new abilities and tools at her disposal to explore, as well as take on new machines. Along the way, Aloy will also find new technologies, as well as secrets about her own past. Its expansion Burning Shores is a visual masterpiece and something you should not miss.

Lost Judgment

While protagonist Takayuki Yagami developed quite a bit thanks to the events of Judgment, Lost Judgment puts his convictions to the test with an intense story about schoolyard bullying gone too far, and resulting in a series of deaths. The game takes place in Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon’s setting of Yokohama, revolving around the local high school. When it comes to gameplay, Lost Judgment features a number of enhancements to its combat system, including new stances that Yagami can learn to help him better take on enemies through either counter-based gameplay, or straight-up boxing.

Lies of P

While most Souls-like games tend to be more inspired from titles like Dark Souls, Lies of P instead decided to take its lessons from Bloodborne. Taking on the role of a Pinocchio in a dark retelling of the classic tale, players will explore the city of Krat as they try and look for Mr. Geppetto. The game features an intense, fast-paced combat system that also has players mix-and-match between various weapon parts to violent results.

The Quarry

The first standalone game by developer Supermassive Games since it started its Dark Pictures Anthology, The Quarry is a throwback to classic horror movies of old. The game puts players in the shoes of a number of teenagers who manage to find themselves at the mercy of a mysterious, seemingly monstrous killer on their last day as camp counselors. As they play through the game’s story, players will find themselves making choices that not only affect the story in minor ways, but will also essentially decide who survives the whole ordeal. It’s worth noting that The Quarry has quite an impressive cast, played by actors like David Arquette, Ted Raimi, and Justice Smith.

Black Myth: Wukong

Set some time after the events of the Journey to the West, Black Myth: Wukong puts players in the shoes of the Destined One. His enemies launch an assault on the monkey people, which prompts the Wukong, into action. Along the way, players will have to take on several challenges, including combat against mysterious creatures. The graphics are outstanding, the gameplay is simply superb and there are a ton of secrets to be found. Quite easily, Black Myth Wukong is this year’s game of the year contender.

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon

Taking place in a distant future full of giant mechs, Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon puts players in the shoes of a mercenary Armored Core pilot that is taking on missions from the highest bidder in order to carve out a place for themselves in a war scarred world. The game features fast-paced mech combat that not only rewards reflexes, but also strategy thanks to the in-depth mechanics of your mech’s loadouts. The game also features an intricate story that tells the grand story of an epic war through the lens of the various missions you take on.

System Shock Remake

While it doesn’t really deviate too much from what the original System Shock, the remake certainly manages to make itself the definitive way to experience the classic first-person horror title. Not only does it feature more modern gameplay, complete with a redesigned HUD, it also expertly simulates the original’s visual style in a modern way by making use of high-resolution visuals that somehow look retro in all the best ways. System Shock Remake is one of those rare remakes out there that manages to hang on to its roots, while also bringing in more accessible gameplay that would allow more players to experience the classic.

Nobody Wants to Die

A narrative adventure game, Nobody Wants to Die is a cyberpunk noir story that puts players in the shoes of James Karra, a detective with the NYPD’s Department of Morality. Karra is tasked with figuring out the secrets behind a murder of an important person in a world where dying – especially for the rich – isn’t really a problem anymore. As players uncover layers of conspiracies happening all around them, they will also find themselves making choices that affect the world, all while they’re hot in the trail of a serial killer that is targeting the elite of New York.

Dead Space Remake

Dead Space Remake manages to be more than just a fresh coat of paint. While it manages to hang on to the original’s core identity, the remake also brings with it a host of changes to various aspects, including a better-balanced arsenal that protagonist Isaac Clarke has more reason to use, as well as some impressive gory visuals thanks to how detailed the horrifying necromorphs can look at times. The Dead Space Remake is definitely well worth your time, especially if the thought of dismembering your enemies from a distance sound like an appealing prospect.

Sniper Elite 5

Taking place directly after the events of Sniper Elite 4’s Deathstorm DLC, Sniper Elite 5 once again puts players in the shoes of Karl Fairburne as he takes on Nazi forces. The game takes place before the events of the infamous Normandy’s landing on D-Day, with players tasked with taking out key targets and gathering intel that will allow the allied powers to take on the Nazis. While a third-person shooter, Sniper Elite 5 places a heavy emphasis on scouting and sniping enemies, as well as stealth–based gameplay. Much like other titles in the franchise, Sniper Elite 5 also features the special camera angles that allow players to see exactly how they’re killing enemies from a distance.

Sifu

An intense martial arts experience, Sifu tells the story of a student who sets out to avenge the murder of their master. The game features a unique mechanic where, the more the player dies, the older their character gets, allowing them to do more damage. On the other hand, being older also means that you have less health, and can’t take as many hits from enemies. The game’s fast-paced combat system allows players to live out their favourite martial arts movie fantasies, allowing players to take on enemies with quick hand-to-hand combos, intricate grapples, and even improvised weapons grabbed from all over the level.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy has players taking on the role of Star-Lord, joined by other members of the eponymous Guardians, including Gamora, Draxx, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot. The game features a unique combat system that has players make use of all of their crew members’ various abilities, each with unique effects, along with a fun story that could just as easily be ripped right out of the pages of a comic book. The game is well-regarded for its excellent dialogue and writing, and the scoring system manages to keep the combat interesting throughout its runtime.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Developed by a studio known for its work in animation in the film industry, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is definitely a visual treat. The game features some downright wonderful art and animations that could just as easily be ripped out of a big-budget animated movie, while also featuring good action gameplay. The story revolves around the titular Kena, who is on a journey to uncover the secrets of an old abandoned village. Kena: Bridge of Spirits features fast-paced combat, adorable critters, and downright jaw-dropping visuals and animations.

Conscript

A unique take on the horror genre, Conscript throws players into the trenches of the World War as they take on not only enemy soldiers, but also try and scavenge for supplies. The game features pixel-art visuals that, despite their simplicity, do a great job of instilling a sense of dread and urgency in players. As they continue their journey of survival through the trenches, players will also find themselves trapped in an intricate web of trenches and bunkers that they must navigate if they want to have any hope of surviving. There is also quite a bit of replayability, thanks to additional difficulty options, as well as endings to unlock.

Stellar Blade

A stylish sci-fi action game Stellar Blade, the player is tasked with reclaiming Earth for humanity. The game features fast-paced combat, and players will take on a variety of different enemies with various weapons and abilities that they find throughout their time.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

A remaster of a game originally released on the Xbox 360, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster has players take on the role of reporter Frank West, as he sets out to investigate the mysterious events surrounding a mall in Willamette, Colorado. The game features a unique gameplay structure where players are expected to make slow progress, often involving dying and restarting, and finding more powerful improvised weaponry, as they take on massive zombie hordes in a mall. The game also features a 72-hour time limit, giving players a sense of urgency in their hunt for answers and fight for survival.

Until Dawn Remake

While the original PS4 release is well-regarded in its own right, the remake for Until Dawn allows more players than ever before to experience the classic schlocky slasher horror story. Featuring a memorable cast and crew, the actions of whom lies in the player’s hands depending on the choices they make, Until Dawn also promotes replayability thanks to the fact that the story and endings can change in interesting ways depending on who lives and who dies throughout the harrowing encounters the game offers.

Silent Hill 2 Remake

Developed by Bloober Team, the remake of Silent Hill 2 pays homage to the seminal PS2 horror game while still maintaining its own identity. While it focuses on retelling the story of protagonist James Sutherland who has reached the eponymous town in search of answers to mysterious questions, the remake features a number of new gameplay elements, including a new over-the-shoulder camera, as well as brand new visuals and voice acting that aim to give a new life to what is widely regarded as one of the greatest horror games ever made. And boy, it succeeded with a bang!

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

A follow-up to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Survivor once again puts players into the shoes of Jedi Knight Cal Kestis. The game takes place five years after the original, with Kestis taking the responsibility of rebuilding the Jedi order on his own shoulders. The title features the same gameplay as Fallen Order, along with new additions, including the ability to make use of different types of lightsabers, including the iconic dual-bladed lightsaber first introduced in the hands of Darth Maul in A Phantom Menace. The game also features new force abilities, as well as additional lightsaber stances that players can make use of to take on the various combat challenges the game throws their way.

Hitman: World of Assassination

Hitman: World of Assassination allows players to play through the entire storyline of the Hitman games, complete with new gameplay mechanics. Taking on the role of Agent 47, players will travel to various locations as they take on contracts to eliminate key characters in a vast criminal conspiracy. The game also features its own unique take on the roguelite genre in the form of the Freelancer mode, which gives players randomised targets and methods of assassination as they build up their arsenal of weapons, tools, and even disguises by making money.

Hogwarts Legacy

Widely accepted as one of the first great games set in the expansive Harry Potter universe, Hogwarts Legacy divorces itself from its source material by taking place in the past, well before the events of the original books take place. As a fresh transfer to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, players will have the chance to create their own character and live out their fantasies of learning magic among the school’s iconic teaching staff. Along the way, players will also take part in magical duels, as well as take on threats including a goblin uprising, as well as wizard criminals.

Dead Island 2

In Dead Island 2, players take on the role of one of six survivors who find themselves in Los Angeles. The world has moved on from being scared of the walking dead, and some people have even found themselves enjoying the carnage that results from fighting the shambling hordes. The game features crazy weapons, as well as a host of new tools and items which will allow you to pull off some crazy zombie kills.

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals

Taking place six years after the events of the original Oxenfree, Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals is a brand new coming-of-age story, this time around focusing on Riley Poverly, who is investigating a mysterious radio interference coming from Edwards Islands. Players have to explore the island while completing their mission of placing transmitters at key locations, and ultimately deal with a malevolent force that is threatening the world. Much like the original, gameplay in Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals once again revolves around the player interacting with the locals as they try and figure out what is happening on the island.

Viewfinder

A unique game that relies more on the player’s sense of perception and logical puzzle-solving than their twitch action reflexes, Viewfinder gives players a camera and sets them loose in a virtual reality world. The game features many themes, especially ones dealing with environmental issues, as players are forced to deal with the problems created by man-made structures, including a weather-control machine that might end up being the solution to the global problem of climate change.

Lords of the Fallen

Lords of the Fallen is a unique take on the Souls-like genre. Lords of the Fallen takes place in a Mournstead that is on the brink of collapse. The player, referred to in the game as the Lampbearer, has to travel between the material and Umbral world as they take on the hellish new challenges throughout the land. The game features an excellent combat system that gives players a greater level of freedom in how they tackle enemies.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

Featuring Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is a bundle that tells the story of the final adventure of series protagonist Nathan Drake, as well as a side adventure featuring characters that Drake has encountered throughout his different games – Chloe Frazer from Uncharted 2 and Nadine Ross from Uncharted 4. While featuring the same over the top action that the series is well-regarded for, the duo of Uncharted games in the bundle also feature their own unique twists in the series, including the addition of a small, open world in Uncharted: Lost Legacy where players have more freedom to take on objectives in a variety of different ways.

Dying Light 2: Stay Human

Taking place in a time well after the zombie apocalypse has ravaged mankind, Dying Light 2: Stay Human puts players in the shoes of Aiden Caldwell, who finds himself in the city of Villedor in search of his missing sister. The game features a number of new gameplay mechanics over its predecessor, supplementing the melee combat and parkour-based movement with a variety of new abilities, including a glider and a grappling hook that greatly increases the mobility offered to players. The game also got a series of DLC releases, each of which added new gameplay elements as well as new story content for players to experience and earn epic loot in.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

A single-player action-horror title, Ghostwire: Tokyo is an interesting game thanks to the unique look it offers players with Tokyo’s famous Shibuya district. The city has been struck by a strange fog that has allowed spirits to roam its streets, and the protagonist, Akito, finds himself torn between the living and dead thanks to the machinations of the spirit KK. The game features a dense open-world where players can explore the various nooks and crannies of Shibuya to their heart’s content, while also taking on malicious spirits with a host of spiritual weapons. The game also got a DLC in the form of Spider’s Thread, which brought with it a new map, along with new abilities, and even a new roguelite game mode.

Grand Theft Auto V

Sure, the game might be more than a decade old at this point, but few other titles out there can provide players with the same experience as Grand Theft Auto 5. The single-player campaign of the game puts players in the shoes of Michael, Trevor and Franklin as they pull off a series of escalating heists, all of which ultimately pits them against more conspiratorial forces, while also making each one of the characters question their loyalty to each other. GTA 5 also features the multiplayer Grand Theft Auto Online mode, which allows players to become the ultimate crime boss in Los Santos, while also teaming up with, or fighting off other players with similar aspirations.

Sword and Fairy: Together Forever

A unique take in the RPG genre that makes use of the developers’ East-Asian influences, Sword and Fairy: Together Forever sets players free in a world that mixes classical Asian aesthetics with ancient stories. The game features a whole party of unique characters, each with their own personalities, motivations, and abilities, as they take on the massive challenges that will ultimately decide the fate of the game’s world. Despite being the latest entry in a long-running franchise, Sword and Fairy: Together Forever is meant to be a good point of entry for newcomers to the series, featuring a standalone story that doesn’t rely on a player’s knowledge of the previous titles.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is the first mainline entry in the classic platforming franchise since all the way back in the PSOne days. Featuring the return of classic mascot character in Crash Bandicoot and his friends, the game involves players trying to fix a hole in the space-time continuum that was caused due to the events of Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped. The game features excellent platforming gameplay that players expect from the series, along with new gameplay mechanics, as well as incredibly trippy visuals.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

A follow-up to A Plague Tale: Innocence, Requiem once again puts players in the shoes of Amicia and Hugo de Rune in their journey through hell. The game picks up right where its predecessor left off, with the two siblings trying to find the cure for the ailment Hugo is suffering from. A Plague Tale: Requiem will have players fight and sneak their way through plague-infested locations, while making use of Amicia’s new abilities thanks to her experience in dealing with fraught situations in the first game. And the rat hordes…those are hordes are absolutely massive this time around.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Although admittedly not Bioware’s best work, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a decent action role playing game that will give you dozens of hours of gameplay. Sure, the game has issues but it features excellent combat mechanics, beautiful graphics and great looking environments that are filled with details. If the developer had put in more work into the game, The Veilguard would have surely been a better game but as it stands right now, it’s a fine single player experience that is fun in more ways than one.

Nobody Wants to Die    

Dystopian crime drama Nobody Wants to Die provokes intriguing questions on immortality’s morality and dangers of transhumanism, but narratively it doesn’t always stick its landing. That said, this glorified walking sim posing as an action-adventure exhibits truly next-gen graphics; a rain soaked, neon daubed, noir version of New York is impressively lit and intricately detailed. Detective James Karra’s time manipulation device, whereby fractured crime scenes can be rewound, is a marvel to look at. Here, a thousand shards reconfigure pleasingly giving visual aplomb to an already photorealistic experience, a saving grace showcasing the power of Unreal Engine 5’s particle tech.

]]> 604975 https://gamingbolt.com/15-unreal-engine-5-games-that-look-ridiculously-good Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:41:55 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=602689 A game isn’t guaranteed to be a visual stunner purely because it’s using a particular engine, but a good engine certainly can make it easier for developers to deliver much more technically and visually impressive games than you’d expect in ordinary circumstances. Many, for instance, have already been able to use Unreal Engine 5 and its particular toolset to craft some genuinely gorgeous games- which is exactly what we’re here to discuss. Here are fifteen games built on Unreal Engine 5 that will take your breath away with their visual accomplishments.

TEKKEN 8 

Post-launch missteps notwithstanding, there’s plenty to love about Tekken 8 itself, and its visuals are high on that list. From the intricately crafted character models and the insanely detailed environments that all of the game’s explosive bouts take place in, to, of course, the fights themselves, everything in the game looks incredibly crisp and high-quality, helping elevating the on-screen action to even greater heights.

]]> 602689 https://gamingbolt.com/nobody-wants-to-die-review-the-meaning-of-life Mon, 22 Jul 2024 12:45:00 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=593853 When taken seriously as a genre, cyberpunk tends to have many themes within its thick, layered worlds, from political corruption, to the socio-economic divide. Aside from these themes, however, just about every serious work of cyberpunk fiction also tends to revolve around pontificating on the meaning of life and death. A notable example of this is TV series Altered Carbon, as well as CD Projekt RED’s Cyberpunk 2077, with the latter playing out its thoughts on life and death through the conversations between protagonist V and Johnny Silverhand.

It’s clear that Nobody Wants to Die also wants to be counted among cyberpunk stories that are to be taken seriously, since it also tends to have quite a bit to say about several subjects, from the political, to the commercial, and even the spiritual. Nobody Wants to Die is a narrative adventure game that masquerades as an investigative title where you’re going to be solving puzzles to solve cyberpunk crimes.

Before we start talking about the gameplay, however, let’s get the most obvious thing out of the way; Nobody Wants to Die is drop-dead gorgeous. From the moment you start a new game, you’ll be hit in the face with a beautiful depiction of New York City through the lens of a cyberpunk future in the year 2329. Taking design cues from genre staples like Blade Runner and Cyberpunk 2077, the future in Nobody Wants to Die is one where the city skyline is filled to the brim with neon signs glowing through an incredible amount of haze and smog due to the rampant pollution in the world. The game also tends to hang on to its noir trappings by having the game take place entirely in the night, which helps add quite a bit to the game’s already-brilliant atmosphere.

Even at smaller scales, like the crime scenes you’ll find yourself investigating, Nobody Wants to Die tends to look stunning. Even smaller details that wouldn’t otherwise be interactive have had quite a bit of attention paid to them, which is great since these smaller intricacies tend to help the title’s environmental storytelling. The attention to detail for smaller objects in the environment also go a long way in helping one of the core gameplay mechanics in Nobody Wants to Die, which we will talk about in a bit.

Now, let’s talk about the gameplay. While initial impressions may make you think that Nobody Wants to Die is a game where you get to uncover mysteries by using your own powers of deduction, in reality, it is actually more of a point-and-click adventure game. You’re never really going to be given the chance to fail at deducing something since the game is tightly scripted. This becomes clear in the game’s opening minutes, where you don’t even get to move around or drive about the neon-soaked city of New York. At most, you’re going to pick out a location by looking at it through the skyline and hitting a button, with your car slowly flying there.

"Even smaller details that wouldn’t otherwise be interactive have had quite a bit of attention paid to them"

While this may sound like a bad thing—very limited gameplay can often be constricting for many players—instead, Nobody Wants to Die ends up feeling like a throwback to classic adventure games developed by LucasArts and Sierra. Nobody Wants to Die quite easily sits alongside other titles like The Curse of Monkey Island or any of the King’s Quest and Space Quest games in how it plays. The gameplay revolves more around continuing the story as you peel back layer-after-layer of a vast conspiracy rather than setting you lose in a puzzle box that you have to solve your way out of.

As you investigate a scene, you’ll find clues that allow you to reconstruct the final moments before the crime was committed. The mystery is gradually unraveled through reconstructing the crime scene, and you will often have to jump forward and backward in  time throughout your reconstruction timeline to find new clues. Since Nobody Wants to Die is played through a first-person perspective, this means that you will have to try and look at your reconstructed crime scenes from different angles in order to find new clues. Thankfully, there’s also a hint button in the game that basically just shows you the thing you’re supposed to interact with in order to progress further through the investigation.

The Reconstruction mechanic is a cool tool, especially visually, since zipping forward and backward in time has all been wonderfully animated, complete with fancy visuals for some added flair, like an explosion, for example.

"The gameplay revolves more around continuing the story as you peel back layer-after-layer of a vast conspiracy"

One key aspect of Nobody Wants to Die is that players will have to make choices throughout their time with the game, and those will impact the story in some way or another. These choices can range from something as minor as responding to a question in a certain way, to deciding whether or not you want to burn up evidence that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of corrupt politicians and CEOs. Just about every choice you make feels like it would be perfectly in character for protagonist detective James Karra.

The story in Nobody Wants to Die starts off like many noir stories do—with a murder that just doesn’t seem to make any sense. Karra, who works at the Mortality Department, is unofficially tasked with investigating the death of an important man in a world where death doesn’t really mean much to those with money, since they can simply have their consciousness hop over into a new body. On investigating the crime scene—which also happens to act as the first major tutorial in the game’s “investigative” mechanics—Karra discovers that the victim’s death is permanent, and that jumping into a new body just won’t be possible for him. With more and more evidence pointing to some foul play, Karra has to quickly flee the scene of the crime before the federal investigators arrive and implicate him in the crime as well.

Writing is an incredibly strong aspect of Nobody Wants to Die. It manages to build up an incredibly interesting world—one where the hard lines between the rich and the poor have become thicker—and tackles some difficult questions about living in such a world. The game doesn’t shy away from the political implications of several of its key plot points, such as humans no longer having ownership rights of their own bodies, which tends to make for a more believable world where even smalltalk between characters can be quite interesting.

"The game doesn’t shy away from the political implications of several of its key plot points"

James Karra himself also feels like quite an interesting character—a recent victim of what is referred to only as “the accident”, Karra’s mental state is in quite a flux, with vivid hallucinations of a woman that seems to have at some point been his partner. To cope with this, Karra tends to freely avail himself of illicit substances, which are now illegal since people need to keep their bodies in tip-top condition so that they can be sold to rich people who need a new body.

Nobody Wants to Die is a great addition to the storied cyberpunk genre. Rather than shying away from the socio-economic and political implications of the world created by developer Critical Hit Games, the game instead leans into them. This tends to make for a much more compelling world that is more interesting and fun to explore. Throw on top an intriguing protagonist with enough internal conflict where just about every story-altering decision feels like it could be in character for him, as well as an interesting mystery laid out in front of you right from the beginning, and you get one of the more interesting narrative adventure games out there.

Sure, the game is mostly on rails and you don’t really get the chance to conduct investigations on your own terms, but the flipside is that this tight narrative control lends the game a cohesiveness to its story that would be difficult to achieve otherwise.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

With a cinematic announcement trailer that’s generated tons of buzz, not to mention a recent extended gameplay showcase with almost half a million views, Nobody Wants to Die is certainly worth keeping an eye on. Here are some things you should know before buying.

Setting

Nobody Wants to Die takes place in New York circa 2329. The metropolis is very 1930s-esque with its neon signs, drive-thru movies, architecture and clothing, but traffic consists of hundreds of flying cars at different elevations. Certain monuments are also in ruins, and masses of wiring can be spotted between buildings. Then there are the facilities where bodies are stored and possibly repackaged for those who can’t meet the “subscription program.”

Consciousness Transfer

The central theme is humanity’s conquering of death, but not through some magic elixir or straight-up immortality. Instead, humans can choose to store their consciousness in memory banks, allowing them to prolong their life beyond their mortal shells. If you pay the subscription, you can transfer your consciousness into another body. Naturally, this poses serious questions on the nature of life and death, but it’s also led to things like nature and culture effectively dying out due to humanity’s stagnation. Of course, there’s also that bit about people who can’t pay the subscription fee having their bodies auctioned off. Surely, that won’t come into play at any point. Right?

In-Game Choices and Conflicts

As interesting as the theme sounds, it also ties into certain choices that players will have to make. Some conflicts may also emerge, though Critical Hit Games didn’t outline whether these would impact the overall direction of the story or result in a different ending. Regardless, it wants to “inspire players to think about contemporary values, the rules of the world, and what is important in life.”

Characters

The protagonist of this story is James Karra, a 120-year-old detective with the Mortality Department. Not only has he suffered a “near-death experience” but he also acclimates to his new body. Extended gameplay shows that he’s suffering from hallucinations, perhaps from his past body (or bodies).

Nevertheless, when a serial killer begins targeting the wealthier citizens of the city, James unofficially takes up the case. Assisting him is Sara, who’s relatively new to the force, and acts as a liaison, providing advice and understandably losing her mind when encountering true death. Then there’s the mysterious object that James discovers, which seems to have its own mind. How it connects to his hallucinations and the mysterious woman that keeps appearing remains to be seen.

While James has a lot going on, Sara also has secrets. As the two spend more time together, various facets and potential revelations about their characters will be revealed. The developer also notes that both are protagonists, indicating that Sara may be playable at some point.

Time Manipulation

As a murder mystery, you won’t just arrive at a crime scene and investigate with standard forensics. James possesses an augmentation that allows for manipulating time. Using reconstruction, he can rewind events to see how they played out. It’s then possible to slow them down, isolate and completely stop specific portions for closer examination and analysis.

This can lead to some more grisly moments, as you’re watching a murder victim slam their head into the floor rapidly before their subsequent death or a knife realistically entering or exiting someone’s head. On the other hand, there are some pretty cool effects, like Matrix-style bullet trails or extensive particle effects when something blows up. You may even spot objects, like a pocket watch, floating in mid-air at specific points, which can be more thoroughly examined.

Taking Photos

The camera is another investigative tool and arguably as important as time manipulation. It allows for taking pictures of crime scenes and locating opportunities for evidence, whether it’s from a victim’s charred face or a set of numbers inscribed on a tree. That same evidence can lead to other clues that further aid James’ investigation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem as freeform as a proper Photo Mode, but maybe there’s one for those who want to capture all the sights of Nobody Wants to Die.

X-Ray and UV Light

At certain points, you can also employ a handheld device with various modes, like X-ray, to locate and follow the wiring to interactable sections that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. It’s also obviously useful for spotting fractures and broken bones in victims, though how that comes into play is unknown. You also have a UV light for spotting things like blood trails, identifying a victim’s blood type and following the trail while opening up more opportunities to reconstruct events (like the aforementioned victim slamming their head into the floor).

Arranging Evidence and Clues

During certain points, you’ll return to James’ apartment to piece together the evidence collected thus far. At one point during the first gameplay reveal, a grid-based arrangement of pieces is showcased, allowing players to organize clues. On top of evidence, you may also have to consider certain doubts and questions Sara may have for a certain case and how to resolve them.

Unreal Engine 5 and Visuals

While Unreal Engine 5 has had its share of praise and mixed reactions over the years, there’s no denying that it brings New York 2329 to life in gorgeously vivid detail. The extended gameplay walkthrough alone features immaculate weather effects, with rainfall and droplets realistically coating windows and spattering against the hood of a vehicle. The ambient light, coupled with the real-time reflections and neon signs, is also incredibly life-like. One of the more impressive bits is viewing the cityscape through rainy glass, as the surroundings look foggier and less distinct. Of course, other aspects like particles and fire effects look fantastic, especially rewinding or fast-forwarding through the destruction of environments.

PC Requirements

If it wasn’t obvious already, Nobody Wants to Die has somewhat demanding system requirements. By default, you’ll need a 64-bit CPU and OS, preferably Windows 10, and 30 GB of installation space (no mention of a solid-state drive being required, but it’s undoubtedly preferred). Minimum requirements include an Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, 8 GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super, AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 or Intel Arc A750. The recommended requirements include a Core i5-10400 or Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB of RAM and a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, Radeon RX 6750 XT or Arc A770. While it doesn’t appear too heavy on the CPU side, you’ll need an above-average GPU to truly appreciate New York’s dystopian fidelity.

Set in New York City circa 2329, technology has advanced so much that humans can theoretically live forever. One’s consciousness is stored in memory banks and transferred into new bodies (for those who can afford it). Karra is in the Mortality Department and investigates a case involving a serial killer. Unfortunately, it becomes clear that they have bigger plans involving the entire system.

Players will explore various crime scenes, taking photos and searching for clues with an X-ray and a UV light. Karra can also use time manipulation to reconstruct events, learning how crimes occurred. Developed on Unreal Engine 5, the title boasts incredible visual detail, effects and lighting. Check out our feature for more information.