William Caruana

Enter Geoff Keighley and his Summer Game Fest. A month-long celebration of games, Keighley once again hosted a kick-off to the show. However, this year, it came with a little twist. For viewers in select regions of the United States and Canada, the show would be played in IMAX format at local multiplexes.

A game where Batman and Bugs Bunny team up to fight Shaggy and Arya Stark is just such a cool concept. Fingers crossed the final Multiversus product sticks the landing.

Enter Metal: Hellsinger, a heavy metal musical FPS that takes as much inspiration from the Guitar Heroes of the world as the Dooms and Call of Dutys.

Century: Age of Ashes is an undeniably fun time. From the gorgeous graphics to the fun gameplay to the decently fair monetization, there is a lot to love here.

One trend, which is in some regards truly representative of this strange new industry, is the prevalence of game and media crossovers. Halo Doomed: The Fallout of the Perfectly Dark Prey of Castle Wolfenstein when?

The Anacrusis is definitely one to watch. It has great style, some clever AI and some exceptionally designed levels. However, it still needs to nail down some of the basics to reach the lofty heights of its inspiration.

Among Us is a great game. It has kept people connected over the pandemic. It's a hoot with friends and randoms. I have played a ton of matches for a reason. But Among Us on console, while still the same great core game, is nowhere near as enjoyable when played with a controller.

Xbox owners are in for a treat with Rune Factory 4 Special. A masterwork of an RPG, this is a game you can easily spend real-life days playing away. A perfect fit for fans of Rune Factory and Animal Crossing, as well as an exciting action JRPG for fans of old-school Zelda, there is something in this game for everyone. While the port from 3DS to Xbox isn't exactly the most graceful, after a few hours, it's unlikely you will care.

Lemnis Gate is a very pleasant surprise. A unique, strategic mind-bending FPS, it is mechanically strong and content-rich. There are still some technical issues that need to be resolved and the progression system is very stingy, but what is here is a hidden gem.

Lost in Random is a very unique game. It has great writing and some of the best art direction of the year. However, the combat system plays a risky gamble that I don't feel quite works out in the game's favour. Still, if you're willing to look past the combat or if its particular eccentricities hit the spot for you, there is a lot to love here.

The Artful Escape is well worth the wait. An exciting, well-acted feast for the senses, it does not disappoint. There are a couple of technical issues that need to be sorted, but on the whole, games this imaginative and enthralling don't come along very often.

Riders Republic has made a strong first impression. The game is just a blast to play and I think its blend of extreme sports edge and crazy customization will go over very well. In many ways it feels like it looked to Steep and built upon it, resulting in an exciting next step for developer Ubisoft Annecy.

Ultimately, I had a good time with Twelve Minutes. It's a game that is able to usher forth a great narrative experience and a refreshing change of pace. It's one to give a whirl through Game Pass as while it won't be for everyone, it will connect with a lot of people.

While the start of the year was looking kinda barren for Xbox, the latter half of the year is quickly looking to make up for any shortcomings. Death's Door and Microsoft Flight Simulator were released to widespread acclaim. The Ascent has just launched and shows tremendous promise. 12 Minutes looks incredibly promising. Of course, I'd also be remiss not to mention two little games called Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite. However, sandwiched between these incredibly promising games is The Artful Escape, the debut title from Beethoven and Dinosaur.

When Andrzej Sapkowski's classic series Wiedźmin was first translated into English, it was known by the name 'The Hexer'. Obviously, the name never stuck, and the series was later rechristened 'The Witcher'. However, it is arguably two decades after this event, that a game kinda fits the Hexer title to a tee - King's Bounty II.