Mitchell Saltzman

Best-in-class combat and a triumphant move to an open-world structure.

A clever martial arts roguelite that will test your wits and reflexes in equal measure.

Returnal's runs are too long for their own good, but the moment-to-moment action is phenomenal in this surprisingly lengthy and deep third-person shooter roguelike

NieR Replicant is an action RPG with obvious flaws involving outdated quest design and repetitive combat, but those flaws are easily forgiven in light of its incredible characters, along with its unconventional and emotionally resonant story.

Narita Boy has the look of a stunner, but it's let down by poor exploration, one-note combat, and one particularly bad level that puts a dark cloud over what would otherwise be a ray of trichroma sunshine

Curse of the Dead Gods is an excellent roguelite that bolsters its fantastic combat with an added level of strategy thanks to the unique curse/corruption mechanic that tempts you to make dangerous deals for powerful loot.

Olija leaves a strong impression with its unique look and fantastic combat, but its over all too quick and gives little reason to return.

A great modernized take on the NES Ninja Gaiden formula that starts simple and adds just the right amount of complexity to find its own unique identity in a crowded genre

EA Sports UFC 4 doesn't rock the boat all that much, but its reworked clinch system and new grapple assist feature are welcome changes, along with a tighter career mode that does a better job of teaching the basics of MMA.