Destructoid

The perfect soulslike doesn't exist. There's no such thing, and after so many years of playing them, I'm absolutely sure of it. All of them are bound by shared metroidvania design philosophies and incapacitating issues, and no matter how hard they try, they can never truly surmount them. But Valor Mortis certainly comes dangerously close to doing so, and with gameplay so fluid and a world so fascinating, it's basically as good as they come.

Gears of War: E-Day is a return to form for the 20-year-old franchise, offering up a great and beefy campaign, expanded Horde mode, and classic Gears multiplayer action in a really well-made package.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer daringly meshes two very different genres into one, pairing roguelite elements with the usual racer formula. The results are nothing short of fascinating, and the combination has probably created what seems to be the most replayable racing game to date. It also nails vehicle handling unlike any other game of this kind, ensuring you will never feel like you've lost control over your ride. However, the roguelite side can often lead to unnecessary frustration, and considering the game's overall problems with visibility and balance, we're looking at a very rough diamond.

Expanding and improving on the original game in most conceivable ways, Minecraft Dungeons 2 is an excellent advancement in this ARPG spin-off for one of gaming's most beloved and iconic franchises.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve does everything well. It has a great cast of characters, an amazing soundtrack, and iconic gameplay that did not need much changing whatsoever. The game's epic narrative unfolds in weird ways, but it nevertheless remains one of the most striking deliberations on war I've played in recent years.

FC 27 rectifies many mistakes of the previous entries to the series and listens to what the community has been asking for many years. With manual gameplay at heart, skill comes to the forefront. Backed by new game modes and better overall balance, this game will be delightful for beginners and veterans alike.

CONTROL Resonant distances itself from the original to create something unique and alluring, with top-notch combat, mind-blowing visuals, and amazing characters. Exploration and side quests are one of the strongest parts of the game, and odds are you'll continue playing long after the credits roll.

Once I finally got past the anime art style and daunting tactical gameplay, I was hooked. Fire Emblem's somewhat arduous onboarding for a newcomer is a minor roadblock in the way of an epic, sprawling, time-consuming adventure that's fun, challenging, and very enjoyable even for a noob to the series.

Aniimo is a gorgeous, charming creature-collecting adventure with an impressive amount to see, do, and discover. Its stunning character creator, beautiful open world, and seamless Twining system give every new creature a purpose beyond simply adding it to your collection, while its cozy gameplay makes it easy to settle in for the long haul. It can occasionally feel like it’s trying to do too much, and some quests and systems don’t quite hit the same highs, but there’s still an awful lot to love in this ambitious adventure.

Another well-made narrative-driven superhero story from Insomniac Games shines as an awesome adventure for a very different iconic Marvel character. Its sometimes-repetitive combat cadence aside, Marvel's Wolverine is an epic AAA action-packed adventure chock full of fun, intrigue, and exciting Marvel universe references.