The only thing that makes me leery of Elden Ring is that some of those bosses moved a hell of a lot like Sekiro bosses. I hate the combat in Sekiro. And I don't mean 'it's not my favorite, but I deal with it' I mean I fucking 'hate' the combat and gameplay loop of that game. I've played through and loved all the Soulsborne titles. I started Sekiro about 10 times and set it down within hours each time. I can't imagine this game sticking you to one style of combat, though, like Sekiro. I saw the main character shooting magic at one point so I'm hopeful that the character system works like the Soulsborne series where I can fight how I want (which is mostly as big a sword as I can carry).
I'm excited for Battlefield 2042, but I'm not excited for paying $70 for a game with monetized Season Operators, cosmetics, and (more than likely) post release content. I feel like it's going the Rainbow Six: Siege route where they charge you the same as if the game was a Free-to-Play. It looks like we're gonna get back to the Battlefield 4 style of play, so I'm in for that. The grappling hook is a HUGE addition! No more sniper nests that you have to climb and jank your way up to, so snipers should be a lot easier to deal with. Also, if that grappling hook will attach to vehicles look out. I'll be running C4 all day and ziplining to helicopters, instead of seeing one, pissing myself, and hiding under rubble or in a building till it's gone to some other part of the map.
Super stoked for Forza Horizon 5. That game looks beautiful. Love all the games coming to Gamepass. I usually bounce off of racing games within a few weeks or a month, so it's really nice to be able to just download this as part of Gamepass and get my fill of it.
Starfield seems interesting. We still don't know much about it, but if it's just the Elder Scrolls gameplay with Space and pretty visuals pasted on it, then count me in for that, as well.
Contraband was the game that piqued my interest the most. The creators of Just Cause, with an open world, co-op, Smuggler's Run style game? Yes please. The goofy shit you can get into in the Just Cause franchise is tailor made for fun co-op sessions.
Speaking of playing with friends, Party Animals is great. I played the demo on Steam last year and had a fucking blast! That's gonna be a hit with game groups and streamers. It's like Gang Beasts, except the controls are better, the netcode is better, the movement is better, the visuals are better, the maps are better, and there's weapons. Those are better. It's better.
Now, if Nintendo shows me more Breath of the Wild 2 I'll be a happy happy gamer.