Michael Leri

Luna Abyss makes players work to see its best elements, but this process results in a enrapturing universe with solid bullet hell combat.

Constance is a visually arresting platformer that is further boosted by its fluid controls and novel, dual-layered story.

Call of the Elder Gods has some amazingly well-designed puzzles, and those are barely enough to make up for its many other flaws.

Invincible Vs isn't always the smoothest experience, but it has a solid and chaotic mechanical foundation with tons of panache.

Saros' hostile alien worlds are gorgeous and its controls are tight, but it is an ultimately disappointing spiritual successor to Returnal.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire's ability to splice in 1920s animation techniques into a boomer shooter is impressive, but the game is far too long.

Tamashika is a strange yet alluring first-person shooter with a killer visual style that cuts out all of the filler.

Despite a lengthy development cycle, Pragmata is a commendable game with wonderfully layered combat mechanics.

Darwin's Paradox has a charming aesthetic and visual style, but its gameplay is shallow and often frustrating.

High on Life 2 is bigger, funnier, and more confident than its predecessor but still manages to trip over itself in a few areas.

Reanimal outclasses some of its most obvious inspirations through its variety and commitment to unsettling weirdness.

Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow holds some promise at first but is a bit too rudimentary to fully come into its own.

Lumines Arise is a beautiful audiovisual feast and puts the series back on top of the block-dropping puzzle genre.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is more than a bundle of classics, as the included documents and interviews yield some much-needed context.

Ball x Pit is a mesmerizing and unique auto-shooter/brick breaker that expertly doles out dopamine hits via constant, flashy upgrades.

Forgive Me Father 2 is an occasionally thrilling Lovecraftian boomer shooter that’s held back by stingy upgrade systems.

Dying Light: The Beast is not the focused standalone expansion it should be, instead revealing how fatal a lack of focus can be.

Cronos: The New Dawn is a dreadful action horror game with awful combat, a poorly told story, and a distinct lack of quality scares.

Metal Eden is an impressively tuned first-person shooter that prioritizes player empowerment and speed above almost everything.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a rousing trip through hell with thrilling defensive-based offense, yet falters in a few areas.