Lost Ark could feel like too much of a good thing and overwhelming with the amount of gameplay mechanics. But it all merges into an addicting gameplay loop filled with exciting set pieces, fun and customizable classes and attacks, and enough varying content to keep you happy for the foreseeable future.

The Champions’ Ballad hits a few stumbling blocks in its execution, but by and large is an excellent coda to the soaring symphony that is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. With a balanced mix of combat, exploration, story, challenge, and discovery, there’s no reason to stay away from the DLC if you, like most of us, enjoyed the game to begin with.

BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! is a solid puzzle platformer, especially if you have that itch for short and on-the-go gaming sessions.

Trinket Studios clearly put time into Battle Chef Brigade’s art, story and voice acting, but the gameplay often feels lackluster. The sidescrolling combat is often repetitive, lacking a sense of progression as you continue.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II sets the bar for what a sequel should be. A truly immersive and powerful story experience equipped with graphical and audio prowess never before experienced in a game.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits takes us on a whimsical tale that’s both predictable and familiar, but also something brand new with the way that it’s presented. Between the the back and forth moments of polish and unpolished gameplay lays an absolute gem of a game.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a fresh and exciting reboot that feels completely new yet satisfyingly familiar. It breathes new life into the franchise by updating and modernizing what many consider to be one of CoD‘s best sub-series. Not every new addition or tweak lands perfectly, but overall Modern Warfare is a great package.

Cursed to Golf really takes golfing to the next level. The wide variety of holes, traps, and Ace Cards really makes you want to play this game over and over again. With a golf game taking a risk to join the Roguelike genre, it swung and definitely did not miss. You will find yourself playing Cursed to Golf many times over just so you can finally see if you can conquer Golf Purgatory and ascend back to the real world.

Fire Emblem: Engage feels like a massive step backward from both Awakening and Three Houses. Losing many of the features that made modern Fire Emblem games, ironically, engaging, we’re left with a barebones game that barely feels like a Fire Emblem title. Stories are poorly written, characters are barely fleshed out anime tropes, graphics are muddled, and the series’ signature bold and clear tactical battlefields have been replaced with PS2 era maps with indistinguishable tiny 3D models on them that look near identical until the camera swoops in.

If you're craving a slice of digital zen and a dash of creative freedom, Spirit City: Lofi Sessions was made for you. Don’t walk; float to get this game - your soul will thank you for it.

NBA 2K18 is a game that really understands a ton of the community around basketball and what makes it special. Unfortunately, it requires a bit of microtransactions patience and an internet connection to enjoy a lot of it.

Don’t let minor transgressions get in the way of the stronger praise, here, as The Evil Within 2 answers criticisms of the first game with a resplendent title worthy of your time. From the moment you set foot in the unnerving, unsettling city of Union, you are in for a hellacious hailstorm of demonic doom.

Snipperclips is what you make of it. It’s a non-stop puzzler joy that you can share with friends to demonstrate what the Nintendo Switch can actually do. There’s fairly little depth in terms of replayability, but at a budget price, it fits the niche that can serve seasoned players and newcomers, alike. Try getting through this without a laugh or two.

The art style, music, and core gameplay offers players a unique gaming experience unavailable elsewhere. Lady Luck isn’t always kind, however, and when combined with the occasional graphical issue, unwanted frustrations arise. Despite its flaws, it’s still worth the effort for those with patience and determination.

Yakuza Kiwami represents a solid reimagining of the Kamurocho of old.

Blood & Truth from SIE London Studio sets out to put the player in the starring role of an action movie by combining a polished, set-piece driven first person shooter campaign with the immersive qualities of virtual reality.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a fun-filled cosmic adventure. No aggressive microtransactions, no tacked on multiplayer, just a good ol’ fashioned single-player adventure with MCU-worthy blockbuster sequences and heartfelt story moments. The combat offers just enough variance and depth to remain entertaining throughout your playthrough but the magic truly resides within the colorful cast of characters.

Torna the Golden Country could’ve been a welcome expansion with some insight into the past of several key characters and a welcome twist on combat. However, the new “community level” mechanic that is forced upon you makes a good portion of it just a slog to get through.

The End is Nigh is a marvelous and challenging game, and is both familiar but also somewhat alien for fans of both Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel’s past works. Its excellent level design and numerous hidden secrets and challenges will offer those willing to take it on hours upon hours of grueling, satisfying gameplay.

Etrian Odyssey V can offer the right player a fun experience, but many players will find this game either lacking in story or just flat out too hard. Those with series experience, however, will enjoy the robust customization options and the extreme challenge.

Vicarious Visions dresses Crash up with a swanky new outfit that looks and sounds superb in the N.Sane Trilogy, but this dogged commitment to recreating the franchise’s authenticity comes at the expense of some much-needed modernization.

Repetitive dialogue and humdrum filler gameplay will put off anyone who doesn’t already enjoy dressing up characters. But those who appreciate fashion for its power to transform encounters will have a ball with the goofy banter and seemingly infinite design and outfit possibilities.

The Jackbox Party Pack 6 pushes the franchise forward in the right direction with a variety of refreshing, exciting minigames. Whether it’s socially deducing aliens among humans, working on your stand-up craft, discovering new roles for you and your group, creating brand new words, or escaping a ghoulishly menacing ghost hotel, there’s an exceptional time to be had for all.

By revamping its multiplayer efforts and focusing it in a hub that promotes creative expression (both cosmetically and through gameplay preferences), NHL 19 marks the best representation of simulation hockey video games this generation.

While definitely a niche title, Capcom Arcade Stadium is perfect for those looking for a classic arcade experience. It’s a wonderful old-school arcade simulator featuring 32 different titles with a ton of options to adjust everything from visual appearance to in-game settings. Local multiplayer and online tournaments and leaderboards keep you engaged and make this worth every token.

Fantasian was designed by legendary RPG king Hironobu Sakaguchi as a love letter to games like Final Fantasy 6. It doesn’t really reinvent the wheel as it more adheres some pretty stickers to a wheel we’ve already watched spin for years. But for those looking to take that old wheel for a spin, you’re in for a smooth ride.

The attention paid to solo players in MUT and some Franchise improvements are certainly noticeable and deserve credit. However, when the game is littered with a multitude of glitches, a weak story mode and no other big notable changes, it makes Madden’s price tag more difficult to justify.

Ultimately, the expansion is about the bond between human and animal, and with evolving relationships, dog training, and plenty of toys, it’s hard to put down. It may not have the bells and whistles that some players expected, but Cats and Dogs still gets my recommendation if you’re a pet lover.