The best UBoat sim since Silent Hunter 3. Varying levels of realism for different tastes/skill levels. It is a very slow game that requires a lot of patience so if you're looking to hop straight into action then maybe looks elsewhere.

They're pretty slick for this

Kojima Senpai

Do not buy if you are employed

I really love this game. Gameplay and world building are excellent as you can expect from Monster Hunter. The game is quite demanding on my rig so I would not buy if you aren't sure you can run it. Good amount of content for the price if not a bit "lite" difficulty. I've played a lot of Monster Hunter and understand the grind and slow addition of content with DLC and updates and can tolerate that.

Huge fan of the first game. This feels very similar with upgrades to almost every system in the game and adding in a bit more sandbox/emergent gameplay. If you didn't like the first this is not going to be for you. If you enjoyed KCD 1 or really enjoy learning about life in Medieval central Europe, or like a good slice of life drama about normal people than this is definitely worth the price of admission.

P.S. I studies Broadsword for stage combat in college and the combat in this game is the closest you can get to experiencing the real thing.

In 2024 this game is truly one of the most immersive open world games I've ever played. Right up there with Red Dead 2. The gun play is also quite good for a single player RPG, though melee is similar to skyrim after a while with mostly mashing one button (though there is heavy/light attacks and blocks). So gorgeous as well, love visting Night City!

Tl;dr: If you are a fan of soulslike games, or exploratory open world games such as breath of the wild, where most of the fun is finding your own adventures and digging into the rich worldbuilding this game is definitely a buy even in its current state.

First off in its current state Elden Ring struggles to maintain 60 FPS in the open world but does better in dungeons. This can be an issue for a few bosses in particular as the frame drops can make dodging difficult. I had the game crash twice but with the most recent patch I haven't had any more crashes.
Performance issues aside, Elden Ring is one of the best games I've played in years. The music and voice acting is immersive with the voices adding much character to the various NPCs you meet along your journey and the music making riding through the open world feel adventurous; and the delving into dungeons creepy and unsettling. The operatic boss music makes for epic encounters and the sounds of combat (which will be familiar to most souls players) is crunchy and satisfying.
The world building is like being transported to another time and place entirely. The lore that has been crafted by FromSoftware and George R.R. Martin is unlike any other in its grimdark uniqueness and rich stories and characters. The visual worldbuilding is also excellent with landscape and architecture reflecting the bosses that reside there, and giving clues to what damage types and enemies can be found within.
The story is not forced upon you and is easily forgotten once you begin your adventures. There are also no quests in the game in the traditional sense. There is only guidance pointing towards the main bosses that must be defeated to complete the game. The best stories however are the side stories that can be found at different locations and from the NPCs you meet around the world that sometimes present levity to the dark setting and other times can crush you emotionally.
The gameplay is where this game really shines with difficult encounters and bosses that feel incredibly satisfying to learn and defeat. The gameplay never feels unfair and I don’t get overly frustrated throwing myself at a boss for hours. I find that the encounters are some of the most difficult in the FromSoftware series of games, however with player summons and ashes summons (spectral ally npc creatures with different abilities) it also makes Elden Ring one of the most accessible games they have made. The enticing open world also helps relieve bottlenecks where a boss must be defeated before you can move on to anything else.

If you are a fan of soulslike games, or exploratory open world games such as breath of the wild, where most of the fun is finding your own adventures and diggin into the rich worldbuilding this game is definitely a buy even in its current state. If you are new to the genre or want a more bugfree experience it would be worth waiting for a sale or for the problems with frame rates to be fixed in my opinion.

I played No Man's Sky on Playstation at launch and it has come a long way. It is one of the best sandbox experiences out there with excellent coop base building with friends. If you like to make your own adventure and don't mind a game without a strong narrative and especially if you have friends with the game I would recommend it at full price. For everyone else I would wait for a sale.

The best turn based strategy game I've played. There are no random rolls for attacks like XCOM so the victories feel better earned and the losses more deserved. The theming is great as well, time traveling mechs fighting alien bugs. The enemies feel varied and the squads you unlock as you progress each feel very unique. This game is definitely a buy.