Polygon

Gears of War has languished for a long time. It's been seven years since the last mainline game Gears 5, and while it was a solid entry (there hasn't really been a disappointing Gears of War game, excluding spinoffs), it hasn't received the active, continuous support the series needs. It's not the only Xbox shooter to find itself in this position. Despite Halo: Campaign Evolved being well-received, a remake of a 25-year-old game isn't quite what Xbox's flagship IP deserves, either. Given the recent news that Halo is being absorbed by Activision, Gears of War: E-Day has an opportunity to step up and take the Xbox franchise crown from atop Master Chief's helmet. It's just about good enough to. Long live Marcus Fenix.

Open worlds may never lend themselves to protagonists with the most depth moment-to-moment, and Ghost of Yōtei is no different in that regard. By focusing on adding new layers to Atsu and exploring the ramifications of her actions, Echoes of Sekigahara shines in ways the base game didn’t.

Strong atmosphere only goes so far to carry a sometimes ho-hum Metroidvania, but Section 9 Interactive still effectively taps into a primal sort of fear in its commendable debut. Its minimalistic world is both towering and claustrophobic, a contradictory combination that requires skill to pull off. With no sense of space, time, or place, End of Abyss does a great job of convincing you that there are no exits in its structure. It feels like drowning under a sheet of ice, desperately looking for a hole to poke your head out of. Or, more familiarly, it feels like getting lost in a Kohl’s at 6 years old. The coat racks stretch above your head like skyscrapers, and the racks of jeans stretch out for miles. There’s no chance for a child that small to escape the labyrinth; all you can do is sit down and cry loud enough in hopes that mom comes to the rescue.

This isn't a cozy game — there are none of the farming or life-sim elements that are usually associated with that genre — but it is a game that is best played when you're cozy. It's wholesome, whimsical, and wonderfully funny. It'll make you think outside the box, but not too hard; just the right amount to make you go "aha!" when you solve the final puzzle in an area and collect the last stamp. I just need more of it in my life.

Maybe at another time, I would have been quick to chastise Wings of Theve for its lack of bite. I’m sure some will rightfully question if a series that makes dogfighting and military operations look as cool as possible can offer any sincere wisdom. But at this moment, where despair is in high supply, I find myself willing to embrace Wings of Theve’s radical optimism. I want to believe in its conviction that our skies should not be battlefields, but a place of boundless freedom that welcomes all.

By laying out its greater meaning so plainly, Silent Hill: Townfall lacks the spiraling dread of games like Silent Hill 2, where sudden truths clanged like a steel pipe smashing a skull. Townfall understands this series, but it doesn’t know how to fully convey that understanding through a grotesque language of self-made hells, fleshy monstrosities, and corroded metal. Maybe it’s not fair to compare this game to some of the greatest works of horror ever made, but that’s the burden that comes with approaching Silent Hill.

With all my disappointment in Control Resonant, I can still say it is a perfectly serviceable game. But that is exactly the problem. As games like Final Fantasy 16, Star Wars Outlaws, and this year's Marvel's Wolverine have made abundantly clear, it is no longer enough to rehash the same handful of game templates that have become standard for the medium.

Fortune’s Weave demands much — both in terms of time and of mental investment — but gives just as much in return. It's a monumental achievement for Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. I've spent more than 120 hours playing this game, including more late nights than I should admit to, just completely absorbed in it. Yet I still haven't completed every path or done all there is. It's a game worth savoring and taking your time with, and even with the crammed release calendar over the next few months, I can see myself coming back to Fortune's Weave again and again for another turn of fate's wheel.

There’s enough heart and sincerity in Woodo it’s hard to get too annoyed about a well-meaning puzzle game, though. Call it easy nostalgia, but there’s something sweet about its reverence for building blocks, coloring books, and other tactile childhood staples. Woodo carefully pulls so many of those experiences together into a gentle game that reminds you of the little memories that are so easy to take for granted. You’ll want to dig a box of old toys out of the attic when you finish the last puzzle, just to grab a smooth, wooden block that feels like home in your hand.

I’m left feeling like Marvel’s Wolverine was born from a directive to make a game like God of War, rather than to make a Wolverine game. Logan was just angry enough to pass the Kratos audition.