Primordial Malzeno – Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

The final post-launch monster added to Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, Primordial Malzeno is an enhanced version of Malzeno with way more health and damage. He’ll pummel you with smashes and swipes and unleashes Qurio projectiles, tail strikes and lasers in his frenzied state. Did we mention he can teleport around? All of this is before his insane supernova attack, which unleashes even more projectiles and energy waves before culminating in a big explosion. If that weren’t enough, he enters a Risen state near the end and goes insane with big attacks.

Dragon – Ark: Survival Ascended

The Dragon has remained a threat since Ark: Survival Evolved launched, and with Survival Ascended only having the island, it’s now the toughest boss in the remake. Regardless of which version is faced, its fire breath will deal damage equivalent to 20 percent of max health, regardless of armor or resistance (though dinosaurs immune to fire are safe). Other attacks, like its fireballs, are also dangerous, and it has Dimorphs and Pteranodons to help as well. Those playing solo should prepare for a long grueling fight.

Richter – Wanted: Dead

As the final boss of Wanted: Dead, Richter is fought one-on-one, which means no revives. He’ll dodge all bullets and can only be damaged with a katana. Which is fine, except you must parry almost every attack, and counter to stun and damage him. It’s all easier said than done when dealing with his fast strikes, and he becomes much more dangerous in the second phase, adding an insta-kill move to his arsenal. He also gains the option to heal because, of course, he does.

Horus Titan – Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores

Even with the new Specter Gauntlet, the battle against the Horus Titan can be a doozy. It’s massive and constantly moving, with Aloy needing to expose its heat vents and deal damage. The second part of the fight involves avoiding its tendrils while facing it head-on, which is also challenging. Once it finally falls, you still need to venture inside and take out Walter Londra, which isn’t as difficult but still somewhat tricky.

Metroid Prime – Metroid Prime Remastered

Sure, Metroid Prime originally launched in 2002, but its final boss remains one of the toughest in the entire series to this day. It adapts to your weapons in the first phase, so switching it up is necessary, and things become even more unhinged when its core is exposed. Not only is it more aggressive and dangerous, but you need to use different visors to find it while using Phazon pools to charge up Samus and deal damage.

King of Puppets – Lies of P

You feel bad for the King of Puppets, especially when he’s trying to rescue P from a dark fate. Unfortunately, a puppet king spurned is a puppet king mad, and his first phase consists of slow but heavy attacks with extensive range. They become more complex and tougher to parry, and when you think he’s down for the count, Romeo, the actual King, emerges from the oversized suit. The battle becomes fast-paced, as you must keep track of his movements and slices, presumably with very little healing after the first phase.

The Unbroken Promise – Lords of the Fallen

What’s scarier? Having to face Harrower Dervla with her wide-range attacks or a version of her that’s stronger and wields Umbral Magic? The Unbroken Promise proved to be the latter, unleashing powerful attacks and magic with little downtime after taking over Dervla’s body. It can manifest an Umbral set of nails to follow and strike you or circle it at a moment’s notice with surprising speed.

Kale – Hi-Fi Rush

As the leader of Vandelay Technologies, Kale proves to be more than just a snobby executive. On top of devastating slashes and lightning strikes, he reveals four mechanical tentacles, which can slam the ground, create barriers, Z-shielding and more. His final phase is even wilder, as he starts summoning pillars of fire on top of wide-arcing slashes.

Annihilation – Remnant 2

This is easily the most challenging boss in the game and especially brutal at launch before the nerfs. It has three faces, from homing projectiles and massive sword swings to a giant energy ball, while flying around the place. The second phase takes place in a different dimension with a new form and brand new attacks, with Annihilation switching back and forth between both phases mid-attack. It’s disorienting, and attacks are brutal, but even after surviving, you need to deal with hordes of enemies in the third phase before it finally dies.

Mitra – Ghostrunner 2

How difficult you find Mitra will depend on how challenging a bullet hell fight with excessive platforming can be. From that perspective, he’s especially punishing as the fight wears on, with the Cybervoid presenting all kinds of traversal challenges as you avoid his projectiles. Due to the nature of the game, a single hit is fatal, which means you need to execute everything without any flaws.

Tsukuyomi – WILD HEARTS

For all the things WILD HEARTS suffered from throughout its lifespan, the Kemono continue to pose a challenge. Tsukuyomi is the toughest yet, with excessive health, immense damage and a predisposition to attack off-camera when you can barely set it coming. The fact that you must rely on specific elements to defeat it isn’t a new concept (see Alatreon from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne), but this is still a slog of a fight.

Lu Bu – Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Good ol’ Lu Bu remains a tough boss, even after all these months. Maybe it’s the fact that he deals absurd damage from range with arrows or up close with his spear. Maybe it’s the horse running around the arena, disrupting you even after Lu Bu is knocked off (which he can also get back on whenever). Regardless, he’s still rough, especially at this point in the game.

Ranrok Dragon – Hogwarts Legacy

As a final boss, Ranrok Dragon has a fair amount of attacks in his arsenal, unleashing projectiles and sweeping beams, the latter doing excessive damage. There’s also a massive explosive field in the second phase that must be avoided. You must destroy the floating orbs to deal any real damage, which becomes more challenging in the third phase when he lands and assails you with physical attacks.

Behemoth King – Final Fantasy 16

As one of five S-Rank Notorious Marks, Behemoth King is an optional boss fight and not required to finish the game. Nevertheless, it’s a worthy challenge for those who want to push their combat skills. If the name wasn’t a clue, it’s akin to regular Behemoth in some ways, but with more health and damage. It throws out tornados and meteors casually, with Reign of Fire triggering a storm of meteors when it’s at half health. Perhaps the only comfort is that Behemoth King dies when its health is depleted, unlike the regular version.

Bode Akuna (2nd Fight) – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Unlike the first fight, you’re taking on Bode proper, with Merrin assisting. The first phase isn’t too rough despite several fast attacks and his unorthodox fighting style. However, when he starts dealing with wide-ranging attacks and chucking grenades, it becomes tougher. The second phase sees Bode throwing his lightsaber, which follows you, and throws stun grenades while firing at range. He also throws some unblockable attacks, and having to complete another phase after this while not being able to recharge health or Stims makes this the most challenging encounter in the game.

IB-01: CEL 240 – Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon

As one of the C-weapons powered by Coral, the IB-01: CEL 240 is fast, unleashes waves with its energy swords and even relies on remote satellites to hit you with lasers, often all at once. Getting a bead on it can be difficult, but with enough perseverance, it’ll fall. That is until it suddenly reactivates and adds new moves, like unleashing even more satellites to rain down lasers, more aggressive melee attacks, and even transforming into a firebird to ram into you.

Halo 3: ODST

The Halo games have continued to be system sellers for Microsoft for generations at this point, but Halo 3: ODST always ends up being one of the more under-appreciated games in the franchise. And that’s a shame really, because ODST had some really interesting ideas that were executed reasonably well – including but not limited to large open environments and a setting that didn’t rely on Master Chief or Cortana. It’s a unique game that has a lot to say, and fans should definitely give it a try.

Quantum Break

Quantum Break was an ambitious project from Remedy Entertainment, and it sought to combine elements of a TV show with a game. Sure, some of its concepts didn’t really stick the landing – but Quantum Break is an extremely fast and frenetic shooter that features some interesting time-based abilities and a story that’s about as weird as one would expect from the developer. It’s easily one of the more underrated Microsoft exclusives, but one worth trying out nevertheless.

Sunset Overdrive

Sunset Overdrive comes from the now Sony-owned Insomniac Games. It’s a post-apocalyptic adventure game where you grind on rails, jump on bouncy surfaces, and use a vast array of weapons to gun down waves upon waves of enemies. It features a colorful open world with likable characters and quality writing, but the game wasn’t really able to make an impact in the end. Sunset Overdrive is emblematic of the developer’s biggest strengths, which makes it a really underrated game that deserves a lot more love and credit than it gets.

Mafia 1

The original Mafia was a game that was well ahead of its time. In a market where every developer was trying to copy Rockstar’s formula of an open world, Mafia provided its own take with a more realistic world that operated on brutal rules and a story that was a complex tale with plenty of loyalties and conspiracies. It was a special game that unfortunately never got the audience it deserved, most likely due to its demanding gameplay – which is honestly a shame.

The Saboteur

Developed by Pandemic Studios, The Saboteur thrusts players into a beautifully realized rendition of 1940s Paris. You play as a racer-turned-rebel who embarks on a quest to prevent evil schemes from happening, and that story remains engaging from start to finish. But what’s more impressive is the set of mechanics that beautifully combines social stealth elements with action gameplay in an open-world setting, and it’s honestly a surprise as to why such a special game went unnoticed by the masses.

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is developer Ninja Theory’s take on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, and it tells the story of two people who must work together to ensure each other’s survival. The game uses a simple but fun combat loop for its gameplay, but what makes it special is the interesting scenarios it keeps on creating at every turn – which makes it such an engaging experience.

Vampyr

Vampyr is all about a doctor juggling his personal life at a hospital and his struggles with turning into a bloodthirsty vampire. The combat is all about balancing stamina and dishing out damage to your opponents, and the game does a great job of creating a well-knit set of systems that beautifully interact with one another to create a fully realized world. There are a few rough edges here and there, but it is a game that’s worth trying out.

As Dusk Falls

As Dusk Falls is a narrative adventure that starts out simply with a family embarking on a road trip, but that soon evolves into something greater. The art style here is fantastic, and the story is pretty engaging from start to finish. It’s a simple game that does just enough to keep you entertained for its runtime, and sometimes that’s all you need.

Gears of War Judgment

The Gears of War series has continued to be one of the most valuable first-party games for the Xbox platform, and almost every mainline entry has been showered with great critical and commercial reception. Gears of War Judgment stands out as an exception, not because it suffered from bad reviews – but that not many people actually played it. And this is a shame because this prequel provides a ton of context to the events of later entries – and that information will be highly appreciated by fans of the franchise.

Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct attempted a shot at revival in 2014, which ended up receiving a rather tepid reception from fans. While it wasn’t on par with contemporaries like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter, Killer Instinct was certainly a quality first-party game from Microsoft that never really got the love and attention it deserves.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments is widely considered to be one of the best games in the long-running series, and a lot of that praise can be attributed to the game’s excellently crafted story. Crimes and Punishments never fails to keep you guessing, and the writing is also quality stuff. The gameplay revolves around carefully assessing clues and deducting solutions to these cases, and that provides a very distinct fantasy of being a great detective.

Gears Tactics

Gears Tactics does a great job of translating the series’ signature third-person shooting to a top-down tactical game without losing the game’s identity in that transition. The resulting product is a game that shouldn’t work but somehow feels like a natural evolution of the franchise. It constantly ramps things up with new kinds of obstacles and more complex levels, and that keeps you engaged for a long time.

Wanted: Dead

Wanted: Dead takes inspiration from multiple action adventure classics like Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, and crafts an experience that feels equal parts a glorious homage and a fresh experience. Wanted: Dead features a solid combat loop where you can effortlessly switch between slashing your foes with a sword and gunning them down with weapons – and that foundation of ideas rarely gets stale.

State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition

State of Decay 2 didn’t launch in the best of states, but over the course of multiple major updates – the developers were able to not only fix the game’s technical issues but also realize its potential with new content changes and mechanic overhaul. But for many fans, the boat had already sailed by then – and State of Decay 2 became an underrated game only appreciated by a small group of people. If you are one of those who gave up on the game, give it another try – and you might be surprised.

Metro 2033

The Metro series came into the limelight with Metro: Last Light and recent entries such as Exodus are widely praised for their brand of survival gameplay. As a result, Metro 2033 ends up being a rather underrated game in the series – which is a shame because many of the ideas that we have come to associate so dearly with the series were actually founded in Metro 2033. It’s a really well-made game, and more people should give it a shot.

Redfall

Initial reveals of Redfall didn’t look terrible. The lighting, shadows and overall mood that Arkane Lyon was going for looked intriguing and could have made for intriguing supernatural action. Things took a turn when it was confirmed not to launch with a 60 FPS Performance Mode on Xbox Series X/S.

Nothing could have prepared us for the actual game, though, with its broken animations, lackluster facial animations, terrible effects, pop-in, bland world with lifeless textures and overall lack of polish. The 30 FPS mode wasn’t the worst on Xbox Series X, but the motion blur still isn’t ideal. Having no animated cutscenes throughout the game feels like the cherry on top of this dumpster fire of a presentation.

AEW: Fight Forever

When AEW: Fight Forever was announced, it was hyped as paying homage to WWF No Mercy on the Nintendo 64. You can feel that with the perspective and some of the idle animations. However, it also feels like it wants to be a major wrestling title with its price without doing the appropriate groundwork with its mechanics, animations, features and much more.

The animations during actual combat look and feel incredibly janky. Some wrestlers barely resemble their real-life counterparts, and the glitches and bugs, like wrestlers clipping into the environment or phasing through ladders, are just terrible. The fact that so much work went into nonsensical mini-games rather than polishing the overall presentation – like having full entrances, fleshing out Road to Elite or improving the character creator – says a lot about the overall focus.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

On the one hand, you have to feel bad for Daedalic Entertainment. It probably wanted to make an adventure game and explore different avenues for the legendary character, like the moral choices between Smeagol and Gollum. However, unlike Deponia, it went with an action-adventure focus in full 3D. It also focused on some of the least interesting parts of Gollum’s life imaginable, like spending time in prison guiding a bird and then, get this, guiding a fellow prisoner.

Throughout all of this, the facial animations, texture quality, environments, and so on look horrible. The performance is also horrid with all the glitches, clipping and whatnot. If priced lower, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum may not have received much blowback. Unfortunately, at $60, with day one DLC costing extra, it just looks so much more awful.

Crime Boss: Rockay City

When you’re watching glitzy, edited trailers for it, Crime Boss: Rockay City looks decent. The lighting and shadows aren’t the worst, and sometimes, the city seems to come alive due to multiple light sources. On closer inspection, the textures on environments, characters and weapons look off.

The enemies animate in such a rudimentary manner. All NPCs suffer from almost no facial animations, and the big-name Hollywood actors fare only slightly better, looking uncanny at best and wooden at worst. One could forgive this if the script was better or the gameplay was compelling, but alas.

Ravenbound

Ravenbound could have done something with its lore and presentation. Not many games dip into Scandinavian folklore with its dark themes and whimsical yet terrifying creatures. Unfortunately, it seems that developer Systemic Reaction’s reach exceeded its grasp. The massive open world feels dull and lifeless with the same enemy camps and the same-looking enemies with the same limited animations (right down to the same telltale charge before an attack).

Texture quality in the environments and on models is poor, while Ravenbound’s performance was very iffy at launch (visibility during rain while activating Ravensight was non-existent). All in all, its mid-tier presentation needs a lot of work and polish.

Wanted: Dead

Wanted: Dead is a game that badly wants to emulate the look and design of sixth-generation console titles. Which is fine, but it didn’t need to look this poor. The textures on characters and environments already look pretty average, but outside of finishers, the character models animate stiffly with little by way of facial animations. There’s a constant jank to it all, but at least it’s over-the-top and crazy, right?

It feels like the same problem as AEW: Fight Forever – that developer Soleil wanted to make a throwback title instead of polishing the presentation but slapped a “homage to the classics” label on it to excuse the same. “It’s supposed to look like this, you see!” Regardless, the overall result is awful, even with the random wackiness.

Farming Simulator 23

It should be reiterated – when I saw the critics panning this game, I had to do a double take because Farming Simulator is generally well-liked. Farming Simulator 22 sold over 1.5 million copies in its first week and has 94 percent positive user reviews on Steam. So how did we get here? Farming Simulator 23 didn’t release on Xbox, PlayStation and PC like other platforms.

It arrived on iOS and Android and was ported to Nintendo Switch. The production values are not up to par, and the overall scale, sense of freedom and feature set also suffer from this paring down. The worst part? Despite looking so middling, it runs terribly on Nintendo Switch.

Redemption Reapers

Considering the experience of Adglobe and Binary Haze Interactive on the stunning Ender Lilies, the shift to a more realistic style for Redemption Reapers is somewhat puzzling. Given the post-apocalyptic nature of this medieval world, the gritty monotone visuals make sense, but they still feel overly washed out at times. While the cinematics look decent, the environments look extremely dull.

Character models also feel low-res, with animations that could have been better. It’s harsh, I know, especially since it doesn’t have the biggest budget, but even Harvestella from Live Wire (who also worked on Ender Lilies) looks better.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

It’s not that the aesthetic of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is bad. Team Ninja has always done good with its action hack-and-slash titles (except maybe Stranger of Paradise in terms of fidelity), and Wo Long’s showcase of Romance of the Three Kingdoms is quite good. Unfortunately, it’s weighed down by dull textures, lackluster facial animations outside of cutscenes and average-looking environments.

Its fidelity is probably on par with Nioh 2, which isn’t terrible, but considering the latter is a 2020 title originally exclusively for PS4, you’d expect some improvements at this point. Of course, the fact that Wo Long continues to have performance issues on PC also doesn’t help.

Greyhill Incident

Once again, when viewing the Greyhill Incident in trailers, it appears to be a low-budget B-movie-style game that could offer some fun and decent visuals. However, you’re exposed to wooden animations and awful character models during gameplay. The facial animations fare worse – the little grey aliens have very little, not even when taking damage or getting shot in the head.

Expected, but still lame, as their bored walking animations make you ponder their existence instead of feeling threatened. At the same time, while it does offer some interesting lighting and shadows, Greyhill Incident piles on the motion blur and washed-out textures. On the bright side, at least it’s true to the name with all the “grey” you’ll see.

Atomic Heart

Mundfish’s action RPG/FPS combines an alternate history setting with its trippy retro futuristic art style, killer robots and pseudo-immersive-sim gameplay. As agent P3, it’s your job to investigate facility 3826, a scientific hub whose robots have gone out of control. Armed with firearms, melee weapons and a polymer glove, you’ll encounter all kinds of horrors while utilizing the environment and abilities to take them down. Atomic Heart launches on February 21st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.

The very first scene of the game is Hannah being recruited from her jail cell to join an elite task force, which she responds to with the kind of blasé compliance you might expect from any classic action star. While it’s endearing and definitely sets the tone for the rest of the game, this is only scratching the surface of what Wanted: Dead actually is.

The game’s developers describe it as “a love letter to the sixth generation of consoles”, and that sentiment can be felt in every aspect of the game, in a good way. Wanted: Dead is wildly adventurous, deliberately goofy, and it takes risks by throwing a ton of different, often conflicting tones and gameplay distractions at you.

"Wanted: Dead is wildly adventurous, deliberately goofy, and it takes risks by throwing a ton of different, often conflicting tones and gameplay distractions at you."

Where most modern games might try to do this and fail, Wanted: Dead manages to somehow take its weirdness in stride, and it does this by embracing a bygone era of gaming. Despite being made for release in 2023, it feels more like the kind of game you would have played back in 2003, a time when developers were less concerned with making “perfect 10s” and long before live service games.

Soleil doesn’t appear to have set out with the intention of making either of those things. Instead, what they have created is a very weird, very fun action game that knows exactly what it is and isn’t ashamed. It has hilariously bad voice acting, occasionally off-putting character models (just take a look at Hannah’s massive-eyed dead stare), and dramatic tonal shifts that could give you whiplash. In the first hour of the game, it is possible to go from intense action, to a heartfelt scene of Hannah comforting a child at a crime scene, to an inexplicable anime cutscene. You’ll also be treated to live-action cutscenes out of nowhere later in the game.

So yeah, Wanted: Dead is kind of all over the place, but it doesn’t come across in a bad way. The game is so competently made that all of the weirdness feels intentional. But, let’s put the weirdness to the side for just a bit so we can talk about what makes Wanted: Dead work so well.

The core of the Wanted: Dead experience is its combat, which was designed by former Team Ninja devs who now work at Soleil. You can definitely feel their influence, because Wanted: Dead’s core gameplay is only a few steps removed from a Ninja Gaiden game. Players have access to a katana and a handgun for close-quarters melee, where they will block, parry, and dodge roll, zipping from enemy to enemy with quickness and skill that puts Ryu Hayabusa himself on notice.

"Where most modern games might try to do this and fail, Wanted: Dead manages to somehow take its weirdness in stride, and it does this by embracing a bygone era of gaming. Despite being made for release in 2023, it feels more like the kind of game you would have played back in 2003, a time when developers were less concerned with making “perfect 10s” and long before live service games."

But that’s not all there is in terms of combat. Hannah also has a primary assault rifle to use for cover-based shooting, and you can pick up an assortment of other weapons on-site, including SMGs, shotguns, grenade launchers, and more.

When the bullets start flying, Wanted: Dead really does feel like a Ninja Gaiden game with guns, and that’s a huge compliment. You can switch between shooting and slashing on the fly, but the relatively low supply of ammo along with the variety of enemies you’ll have for each encounter means you’ll find yourself getting your hands dirty with the katana more often than not.

Thankfully, melee combat is as satisfying as you would expect from Team Ninja. You won’t be able to get by just mashing the attack button, and the combat system is designed so that you won’t want to. You can block enemy attacks and hide behind walls, but getting up close and personal to parry a combo successfully (or do enough damage) will open up your attacker to one of Wanted: Dead’s more than 50 different takedown animations.

Sure, limbs will fly off and blood will spatter during regular combat, but the ultra-violent, ultra-stylish takedowns feel like the real reward. Hannah becomes John Wick as she throws, shoots, and slices opponents up in numerous ways, even occasionally whipping out some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to tackle enemies to the ground and take them out point-blank. It’s awesome.

"Hannah becomes John Wick as she throws, shoots, and slices opponents up in numerous ways, even occasionally whipping out some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to tackle enemies to the ground and take them out point-blank. It’s awesome."

Even better, the combat experience improves over time. The range of maneuvers and combat options available to you increase as you unlock skills on the three different skill trees: offense, defense, and utility. By the time you’ve unlocked every last one of those skills, Wanted: Dead basically feels like a completely different game. You’ll go from a limited set of moves to an unstoppable force, light-stepping around the battlefield and calling in your squad mates as strikers to weaken enemies for you.

The progression is awesome and gratifying, but you’ll need every last one of those skills. Outside of the tough-as-nails boss encounters, the grunt enemies and their attack patterns change from mission to mission, and you have to adjust your approach to combat each time. Finding the key to accessing those takedowns while you zip and roll around, take cover, and shoot at enemies is enough to carry the entire game, but that’s not all you’ll do in Wanted: Dead.

To complement the perplexing narratives and characters, you’ll also be presented with a host of different things to do. This ranges from karaoke with your co-workers to crane games, retro arcade games, and more. It’s not quite Yakuza in terms of side activities, but there are definitely enough to keep you busy outside of normal missions.

The action-packed missions and delightful diversions are interspersed with cutscenes that can be in-engine, animated, or live-action. Funny enough, it’s the anime-style cutscenes that give the game its limited serious moments. The animation is high-quality and well-directed, and they serve as a welcome grounding for the game’s narrative elements. The in-engine and live-action cutscenes actually end up feeling sillier and more cartoony by comparison thanks to the over-the-top characters and some janky animations.

"The action-packed missions and delightful diversions are interspersed with cutscenes that can be in-engine, animated, or live-action. Funny enough, it’s the anime-style cutscenes that give the game its limited serious moments."

There are times when a strange, drawn-out, in-engine cutscene will play (there are plenty of those), and you might question if it was supposed to be that weird, or if it just didn’t land how the developer intended. Then the meme-parodying loading screen appears, and you realize, “oh yeah, that was intentional.”

This is what makes Wanted: Dead stand out from its contemporaries. It’s the intentional silliness and jank that hearkens back to the PS2 era, perfectly encapsulating the games that defined the childhoods of an entire generation. Those kids are all grown up now, and the way the industry is heading often looks like it will alienate us. So, it’s fantastic to have a game that doesn’t want to squeeze every last penny out of you or try to be a 100+ hour experience. Wanted: Dead just wants to be weird and fun, and that’s exactly what it is.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox Series X.

As Hannah Stone, part of the Hong Kong police squad’s zombie unit, the plot plays out across a week. During that time, Hannah and her team battle criminals but also run afoul of powerful figures. Confrontations with Private Military Contractors, Synthetics, and more await, and the police don’t seem squeaky clean either.

For those who are only in it for the action, Wanted: Dead features dozens of stylish executions, weapon customization, and heaps of gore. It’s a homage to the sixth generation of consoles, complete with mini-games like the side-scrolling shoot ’em up Space Runaway. Head here for more details on the world and its characters, and here for information on its enemies.

Monster Hunter Rise

Monster Hunter Rise enjoyed a great critical and commercial reception on the Nintendo Switch, and naturally – fans on other systems wanted a chance to experience this latest entry in the long running saga. The developer has delivered just that with the subsequent release of Monster Hunter Rise on PS4 and Xbox One, and the Sunbreak expansion for the same is set to follow soon. The base game released on January 20 this year, so interested fans can already try it out.

Deliver Us Mars

KeokeN delivered an excellent adventure in the form of Deliver Us the Moon, and fans are naturally curious about the next project from the developer. Deliver Us Mars will be expanding upon the strengths of its predecessor, and fans can expect a more engaging gameplay loop this time around with better exploration options and clever puzzles among other improvements. Deliver Us Mars released on 2 February 2023 for PC and all last gen and current gen consoles.

Little Devil Inside

Little Devil Inside caught the attention of many players with its intriguing premise and fresh art style, and we are really excited for this game as well. Players will be embarking on a grand adventure spanning multiple areas, and you will be tasked with hunting down hideous beasts of different shapes and sizes. It’s been in development for some time now, and we are still waiting on its release date at the time of writing this feature.

Wanted: Dead

Wanted: Dead looks like a thunderous throwback to middle market action adventure games of the PS2 era, and we are here for it. Currently in development at Soleil, Wanted: Dead thrusts players into a conspiracy tale and asks them to use their wits and swords to crawl out of the many dangers that punctuate this adventure. The action is brutal, with fast and frenetic gunfights and melee finishers making for a dynamic gameplay loop that should be a joy to engage with. It is set to release on 14th February, 2023 for PC and current-gen and last-gen consoles.

Atomic Heart

Set against the backdrop of an alternate history Soviet Union, Atomic Heart tells the story of Agent P-3 fighting back against the machines that are posing a threat to the existence of humankind. Players will have plenty of options when it comes to dealing with enemies. You could use your guns, a handcrafted melee weapon, or supernatural powers like telekinesis to clear your way through the varied hordes of machines in this one hell of an adventure. Atomic Heart releases for PC and consoles on 21 February, 2023.

Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Like a Dragon: Ishin! is one of the most underrated games in the Yakuza franchise, and that largely comes down to the game being available only in Japan. Now though, R.G.G. Studio is working on bringing this cult classic to a global audience with a full fledged remake of Like a Dragon: Ishin! The project is being built using Unreal Engine 4, and players can expect a ton of gameplay overhauls in addition to the visual facelift which should make this remake a worthwhile experience. It will be released on 17 February 2023 for PC and last gen and current gen consoles.

Scars Above

Scars Above is set in a mysterious alien structure, and you assume the role of a scientist who finds herself trapped in this hostile environment. You must use everything at your disposal to find a way out of this environment while engaging in a deeper mystery revolving around this structure. The developers have stated that the gameplay will be a challenging affair, so you will have to make judicial use of your firepower and abilities to get through tough enemy encounters. It releases for PC, last gen, and current gen consoles on February 28.

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened

Sherlock Holmes The Awakened is a modern remake of the 2008 classic by the same name. This adventure pits the famous detective against grotesque monsters and otherworldly threats inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulu’s mythos. Much like Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One, you will have to collect clues to build up to a conclusion in order to get to the epicenter of this mystery which should be a fun time for fans of the franchise. It releases for all major consoles and PC sometime during Q1 2023.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Team Ninja has done a wonderful job with Nioh and its sequel, so it stands to reason that the hype for its spiritual successor Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is off the charts. You assume the role of a warrior as he rises from a nobody to a legend, and that journey is filled to the brim with plenty of tough boss fights set against varied locales. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty will feature a dynamic combat loop where players can mix and match different weapons, Elemental beasts, and other tactics to defeat enemies. Suffice to say, it looks amazing. It releases for PC and all current gen and last gen console platforms on 3 March 2023.

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse

Koei Tecmo has been doing a great job with the Fatal Frame remasters, which have proven to be the best way to experience these classics on modern platforms. The developer is hard at work on remastering the 2008 Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, which will modernize the gameplay along with new additions like a photo mode, new costumes and of course updated visuals. It will be released on March 8 2023 for all major console platforms and PC.

WWE 2K23

After a rough last couple of years, the WWE games made a grand return with WWE 2k22 which proved to be a solid experience with plenty of highs along with few apparent flaws. This year’s entry will feature improved graphics, better gameplay, and the showcase mode will be putting the spotlight on popular wrestler John Cena. It releases for all major last gen and current gen console platforms and PC on March 17 2023 though fans opting for the Deluxe Edition will get early access on March 14 2023.

Resident Evil 4 Remake

Resident Evil 4 is considered by many to be one of the best games in this long running survival horror franchise, and for good reason. Resident Evil 4 features a solid and enjoyable gameplay loop with plenty of variety amongst its levels, and the game has surprisingly stood the test of time so many years after its release. The developer is hard at work on a full fledged remake of this classic which would open this gem up to a broader audience, and fans can expect many new additions including but not limited to new side quests and new weapons. It releases for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on March 24 2023.

System Shock Remake

System Shock is easily one of the most influential games when it comes to immersive sims, and countless fans would have fond memories of carefully inching their way through the game’s corridors while the rogue AI SHODAN plots its next move. Those fans and many newcomers will get a chance to experience this classic in a new light with Nightdive’s remake of System Shock, which will add modern gameplay conveniences alongside better visuals. It releases for all major consoles and PC sometime in March 2023.

Street Fighter 6

The beloved fighting series is making a grand return with Street Fighter 6, which is bringing a ton of new things to the table. But the star of the show is undoubtedly the move to an open world in the form of World Tour mode, which should hopefully open up new avenues for gameplay. This entry will also be adding a commentary system alongside the usual PvE and PvP content that one would expect from a game of this ilk. It will be released for all major consoles and PC on June 2 2023.

MLB: The Show 23

MLB: The Show 22 was a great game, and this year’s entry is set to bring better visuals and marginal gameplay improvements to this well established formula. While not a lot has changed with MLB: The Show 23, fans of annualized sports releases know this and they are there for it. It releases for all major consoles on March 28, and preorders for the same are live now.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure released to great critical and commercial acclaim in 2011, but the game was exclusive to the Japanese region with no English support available. While fan made patches have been around for some time now, the developer is working on an official global release for the game with English language support – and it is scheduled to release for all major last gen and current gen consoles and PC on March 14 2023.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie

Much like Trails to Azure that we discussed previously, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is also being introduced to a global audience with a re-release. Players will be taking control of a group of warriors as they embark on a grand adventure in this fantastical realm, and you will be able to freely change between characters with the Crossroads system. The combat is largely rooted in turn based traditions, but the developers have stated that it will have a lot of dynamic elements to it which should make it more engaging than before. Trails into Reverie releases for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on July 7 2023

Lies of P

NEOWIZ’s upcoming Lies of P is based on the popular story of Pinocchio, but it takes place in a dark fantasy world filled to the brim with all kinds of hostile threats. And you must best these threats in the game’s Soulslike combat to complete your quest to become human once again. Players will be able to attach equipments like flamethrowers on their bodies to help in battle, and you can also unlock different skills to expand your moveset before facing the toughest foes in the game. Lies of P will release for all major consoles and PC sometime this year.

Armored Core 6: Fires Of Rubicon

FromSoftware is returning to this long forgotten franchise with Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon, which is set to usher in a new era for this mecha brawler series. Players will once again be customizing their mechs with different weapons and abilities to get through enemies and bosses, which will obviously be challenging like the Souls games. Of course, fans are really excited to see FromSoft’s new take on this franchise and hopefully we won’t have to wait long. Armored Core 6 is probably set to release sometime this year for all major console platforms and PC.

Crash Team Rumble

In development at Toys for Bob, Crash Team Rumble is a multiplayer game with a simple goal that is to capture more Wumpa fruit than the opponent. Matches will take place between 2 teams of 4 players, and the maps are going to be elaborate platforming jungle gyms complete with level specific obstacles and opportunities to grab more fruit. The game modes seem rooted in genre traditions like CTF and free for all, but it looks like a fun time regardless. Crash Team Rumble will release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series consoles sometime this year.

Minecraft Legends

Minecraft Legends is a strategy game set against the backdrop of this popular universe. You will have to command your army against entire fortresses, and it looks like a really fun time. It will be released for all major console platforms and PC on April 18 2023.

Lord of The Rings: Gollum

Set against the backdrop of a fantasy universe, Lord of the Rings: Gollum will put players in the shoes of Gollum as he navigates through this world while dealing with its split personality disorder. The gameplay will have stealth as a major focus, and Gollum will also be able to use its agility to climb and get around environments with relative ease. It looks like a promising project, and it is set to release for all major consoles and PC sometime this year.

Beyond Good and Evil 2

Beyond Good and Evil 2 is one of the more interesting games on the list, mostly because it has had a turbulent development cycle lasting almost 15 years and counting. It’s obviously a pretty ambitious project with a lot of moving parts, but with departures and delays left right and center it looks highly unlikely that the game will see the light of day anytime soon. While it’s officially slated to release for PS4 and Xbox One, only time will tell whether the developer will release this game for these decade old machines or not – if it manages to reach the finish line.

Dead Island 2

Much like Beyond Good and Evil 2, Dead Island 2 is also famous for its infamous development cycle. But thankfully, the game has managed to crawl out from the depths of its development hell and is finally approaching its imminent release of 28th April 2023. Dead Island 2 will feature the same brutal melee combat that fans love along with RPG esque progression mechanics and support for co-op gameplay – and we will be diving into this game when it launches.

The Wolf Among Us 2

The Wolf Among Us is considered by many fans to be one of Telltale’s finest works to date, which is why fans are extremely hyped at the prospect of a sequel. The Wolf Among Us 2 is being developed with the assistance of AdHoc studio, and expectations are naturally high from this project. While we don’t know much about the story side of things at the moment, we know that this game will be released in full unlike the last entry which was released in an episodic fashion. The Wolf Among Us 2 is set to release for all major last gen and current gen console platforms sometime this year.

The three-minutes long trailer talks about a variety of different enemies, from random people with construction equipment all the way to the bosses of major crime families. Players will need to constantly stay on the move to survive, and will have to constantly adapt their strategies to take on different waves of enemies.

When it comes to boss fights, Wanted: Dead will feature a good variety, like mechanized walking tanks with absurd amounts of firepower, a mercenary sniper with a cloaking device, and a health-regenerating sword fighter with incredible speed.

Wanted: Dead has previously used these trailers other aspects of the game, including the finishers, as well as the combat.

Wanted: Dead is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on February 14.

Deliver Us Mars

As the follow-up to KeokeN Interactive’s sci-fi mystery thriller Deliver Us The Moon, Deliver Us Mars is a more high-octane action-adventure title. The stakes are higher, as astronaut Kathy Johanson must venture with the Zephyr to Mars to recover the ARK colony ships for humanity’s survival. The environments are bigger, with platforming across harsh environments and puzzle-solving necessary to progress forward.

It’s a big step up over the original with ray-traced shadows and reflections, detailed motion capture, and more polished production values. Whether it finally answers all of our questions or not, Deliver Us Mars is out on February 2nd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.

Hogwarts Legacy

Harry Potter fans are finally getting what they’ve (probably) always wanted – a big-budget title set in the Wizarding world, even if it takes place 100 years before the main series. As a fifth-year student in Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, players must stop some Dark Wizards and a goblin rebellion. However, they also wield ancient magic and possess a secret that could alter the world of Wizarding as they know it.

In between, however, there are the four Houses to join, over 100 side quests to complete, animals to raise in the Vivarium, several spells to master, Dark Arts Arenas to battle in, and much more. You can even wield unforgivable Curses with no consequences, which sounds a little lore-breaking. Nevertheless, Avalanche Software and Portkey Games have recreated and expanded Hogwarts significantly – all that’s left is to see if this translates into a memorable title.

Hogwarts Legacy is out on February 10th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Wanted: Dead

Soleil has been one of the stranger studios in recent times. Its pedigree of former Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive developers hasn’t translated to mega-hit hack-and-slash titles. Nevertheless, Wanted: Dead looks pretty sick.

Not in the cutting-edge visuals or awe-inspiring set-pieces, but just in terms of the overall mood. The grungy cyberpunk story follows Lt. Hannah Stone and her squad for a week as they investigate corporate conspiracies and run afoul of mercenaries. The mix of live-action commercials and anime cutscenes. The irreverent characters and atmosphere inspired by Cyber City Oedo 808 and Dominion Tank Police. The mini-games like Space Runaway. It feels like a homage to the PS2 and OG Xbox era in the best ways.

Thankfully, the gameplay has some interesting hooks, mixing third-person hack-and-slash combat with parries, finishers and combos with over-the-shoulder shooting. There are several ranged weapons to use, but you’re encouraged to stay on the move, adapt on the fly and not die. Wanted: Dead is out on February 14th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

WILD HEARTS

From the developer that brought us Toukiden and several Musou games – including the once-king of the genre, Dynasty Warriors – comes WILD HEARTS. It’s a hunting action RPG exclusive to current-gen consoles, which is unique considering the competition’s cross-gen releases. It’s set in the land of Azuma, a once-peaceful domain now threatened by the Kemono. Eliminating them is paramount, and when you, someone with proficiency for the long-dormant Karakuri, arrive, it’s time to hunt.

Like Monster Hunter, WILD HEARTS features several weapon types, numerous regions to explore and massive beasts to slay. The weapons are far from your typical fare, though. The Karakuri katana can transform into a whip sword, the staff can bloat in size to become a great sword, and the Wagasa is a parasol that allows for gliding and beating monsters, letting you live out your murderous fantasies. There’s even a cannon which can double up as a bazooka that fires a continuous beam.

However, it’s not the massive scale of its regions or the lack of a free trial before launch that sets WILD HEARTS apart. The Karakuri is capable of powerful inventions (provided you have enough thread), capable of transforming into gliders, springs, giant mallets, bombs, harpoons, and even vehicles. It’s intriguing and adds a whole new dimension to the combat, but will it be enough to compete with Capcom’s hugely successful Monster Hunter franchise? We’ll find out when WILD HEARTS launches on February 17th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Atomic Heart

Alternative history Soviet Union, 1955. Following the boom of robotics, humanity’s lives have gotten a lot easier. Unfortunately, in facility 3826, something has gone wrong. The robots have gone rogue. Hideous experiments have emerged, and strong anti-human programming seems to be spreading. As Major Nechaev or P-3, it’s your job to stop this, armed with a polymer glove with abilities like telekinesis, the Chaika 3.0 to craft weapons, and a quickly deteriorating grasp on sanity.

Mixing FPS and action RPG elements, Atomic Heart is a mix of gorgeous retro-futuristic environments and hard-hitting combat set to adrenaline-inducing music. There are several types of melee weapons to discover and the potential for stealth. However, you also have an assortment of firearms, from the AK to a portable nuke launcher. It’s a trippy experience, and that’s before you encounter the manic, bouncing hedge-cutter robot.

Atomic Heart has been a journey for Mundfish, whether it’s the long development period and delays or various reports of reboots, crunch and mismanagement. It’s finally out on February 21st for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC, and launches day one on Game Pass.

Blood Bowl 3

Blood Bowl asks a simple question – what if American football but with Warhammer races and more violence? Based on the board game’s Second Edition ruleset, Blood Bowl 3 is a turn-based fantasy title with up to 11 players on each team battling it out in the name of sportsmanship (and also violence).

There are 12 races available, with the Chaos Renegades and Black Orcs making their debut. Players also have freedom over customization, from creating and recruiting team members to customising their armor and emblems, hiring cheerleaders and more. Don’t be surprised if a prize player is removed from the sport due to a sudden injury or three. In addition to a new competitive mode with leagues, tournaments, and seasons, a new solo campaign is included, which sees players attempting to win the Clash of Sponsors.

Blood Bowl 3 is out on February 23rd and will be playable on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Plenty more content is coming post-launch with the Blood Pass system adding new factions and other rewards every three months.

Sons of the Forest

If there’s one thing you have to praise Endnight Games for, it’s pulling out all the stops to create some truly disturbing horror, that too in the confines of a survival sandbox. But Sons of the Forest isn’t your average follow-up to the 2014 breakout hit, despite following the same template of crashing on an island teeming with cannibals and mutants.

The story this time is about finding a missing billionaire, though once again, this is only one way to spend your time. With a world, four times bigger than the original, revamped building methods for more intuitive construction, improved enemy AI and more organic interactions, and dynamic seasons, plenty else can keep you occupied. Co-op returns, but solo players can rely on an AI companion to help them gather, build and defend against hostiles.

Sooner or later, you’ll venture into the Underground, where all kinds of horrors await. Maybe you’ll encounter the locals trying to sabotage your base or meet a multi-limbed woman who can join your cause. Whether you go about creating conflict, building peacefully or simply pursuing the island’s various mysteries, Sons of the Forest should prove an extensive timesink. It’s out on February 23rd, exclusively for PC.

Like a Dragon: Ishin!

The Yakuza series has seen incredible popularity in the West, thanks to the success of Yakuza 0. However, with every game receiving a localized or worldwide release, one title has always felt conspicuously absent: Ryu ga Gotoku: Ishin!, which was released in 2014 for the PS3 and PS4 in Japan only. Praised for its combat and mini-games, it’s finally coming West as Like a Dragon: Ishin! to Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC on February 21st.

Set in Kyoto (or “Kyo”) during the Bakumatsu, it sees master swordsman Sakamata Ryoma joining the Shinsengumi to search for his master’s killer. Unlike one Kazama Kiryu, Ryoma kills and is very good at it, using four different Combat Styles – Sword, Gun, Wild Dancer and Brawler – to shoot, stab and beat enemies into submission. But despite featuring a dark storyline rooted in a chaotic era, Like a Dragon: Ishin! offers plenty of fun Sub-stories, mini-games and activities to keep players busy.

Chicken racing, managing a restaurant, farming – it’s all here, and looks phenomenal thanks to the remade visuals. The more combat-oriented players can look forward to the dungeon, except its Trooper Cards can now be used in regular combat for unleashing energy blasts, black holes and other insane moves. If you’ve been itching for a new Yakuza experience, that too with real-time combat, then Like a Dragon: Ishin! may fill that gap.

Destiny 2: Lightfall

All these years later, Destiny is still going strong, with its next big expansion, Lightfall, releasing on February 28th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC. You probably know of The Witness, the Black Fleet, and the Guardians’ upcoming battle with them.

If you don’t, that’s perfectly fine since the series’ gameplay is still pretty fun. Lightfall takes place in a new, neon-lit city, Neomuna, on Neptune and sees players battling against Calus, who now serves The Witness and his Shadow Legion. A new Darkness subclass called Strand helps in that regard. It grapples, unravels things, and if you’re a Berserker Titan, it slices.

New weapons and gear, a new campaign (complete with a Legendary difficulty option for increased rewards), a new raid arriving on March 10th, and much more await players. That doesn’t even account for the quality-of-life features like loadouts and changes to the seasonal Artifact, mods, armor, Anti-Champion weapons, and much more.

It’s still a burden for new players to jump in, but Lightfall should provide a memorable story experience and tons of content to play. It even comes with the Season 20 Pass for even more loot, Exotics, and activities.

Horizon Call of the Mountain

Sony has made major strides in VR gaming, as seen with the first PlayStation VR. However, PlayStation VR2 aims to go even beyond, both in power and price, with its 4K resolution support, eye-tracking, foveated rendering and Sense controllers that use the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. All of this would be meaningless without games to show them off.

Fortunately, Horizon Call of the Mountain looks to be the headset’s premier showcase title. Developed by Guerrilla Games and Firesprite, it’s a spin-off of the open-world series that features a new protagonist in Ryas. A former Shadow Carja atoning for his acts under the Mad Sun-King Jiran, Ryas investigates a new mysterious threat to the Sundom. His skills as a hunter and climber translate well when scaling mountains and using weapons like a bow to take down various Machines.

While little about the scale or how extensively it mirrors the other titles’ mechanics, like crafting and quests, is known, Horizon Call of the Mountain looks to up the triple-A standard for VR titles. If nothing else, it should be fun to hunt Machines from the first-person perspective. It’s out on February 22nd, launching alongside PlayStation VR2.

According to the trailer, Wanted: Dead features over 50 different finishing moves, depending on the situation, environment, and enemies. Finishers include situational kills, environmental takedowns, and unique finishers for specific enemies.

Alongside being a stylish way to take out enemies, the finishers also serve an important gameplay mechanic—they allow players to heal in the midst of combat.

The trailer explains that all enemies in the game have invisible stamina bars, with melee enemies having more stamina than ranged enemies. Once their stamina is reduced to zero through attacks, enemies become staggered, opening them up for a finisher.

The trailer also shows off an ultimate attack. Unlocked quite early in the game, the ultimate attack allows players to stagger several enemies in an encounter, letting them pull of chain finishers to take out a room full of enemies.

Wanted: Dead is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on February 14.