Despite some of my frustrations with how boring PGA Tour 2K23 can feel, that also just feels like golf in a nutshell. Golf is an old game with very little innovation, so watching the most popular golf game franchise follow that same path makes sense. As a golf simulator, PGA Tour 2K23 is as good as it gets, but for players who aren’t into the extremely accurate golf representation it’s going to always feel a bit boring.

As a visual novel, Necrobarista: Final Pour works hard to try to set itself apart from the genre. At times it does a really fantastic job, and even the negative aspects aren’t nearly enough to stop me from recommending the game to visual novel fans. Necrobarista: Final Pour is a unique take on a common theme, as well as a fresh approach to a genre that can feel a tad paint-by-numbers at times. I absolutely enjoyed every second of my time in Melbourne, and the way it made me think about death and my own mortality was truly fascinating.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is well worth the money. It’s an expansive game that has a little bit of everything for everyone without skipping a beat. There is nostalgia, challenge, and just pure fun. You get science and you get entertainment park, and a lot more. I can say, having put nearly 100 hours into Jurassic World Evolution, picking up the sequel feels like a new experience.

Bandle Tale ties together a beautiful world, fun characters, and an immense but enjoyable crafting experience with a narrative that should resonate with anyone who’s ever doubted themselves.

Rune Factory 3 Special is a well-done remaster that gives new life to an older game. While nothing sticks out as entirely revolutionary, that doesn’t stop the experience from being an enjoyable one.

Afterimage is a truly beautiful experience, one worth taking the time to enjoy. There are some frustrating moments like a lack of clarity in direction or forced moments of experience grinding, but a compelling story and fascinating world kept those from ruining the experience.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical does an excellent job of blending video games and musical theater in a way that should appeal to virtually everyone. Excellent storytelling and a masterfully crafted soundtrack combined with incredible visuals give a new take on Greek mythology.

Powerwash Simulator is a very zen game. I lost hours of my life just spraying away doing something that felt menial but scratched an itch I didn’t even know I had. This game isn’t for everyone, though. If you don’t find cleaning relaxing, or have issues with finer details, don’t play this. But if you give it a shot, you’ll find a game that is the perfect wind-down game after a long, stressful day.

The Modern Warfare 2 campaign is middling. Some missions are more fun than others, and the pacing is a bit off in certain spots. Despite this, there’s still plenty of fun to be had, and seeing Task Force 141 again is always a treat. [Campaign Review Score = 65]

Cozy, dynamic, and fun, Fae Farm is well worth the many hours you’ll spend in Azoria.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is more than just a game—it’s a celebration of everything that has made Power Rangers a beloved franchise for generations. Digital Eclipse has crafted an experience that pays tribute to the past while embracing modern sensibilities.

While Sonic Origins does little to innovate or make this set of ports stand out besides some forgettable Museum unlockables and some nice new artwork, it remains a perfectly fine addition to the accessibility of classic Sonic games on modern consoles. I wish it were not at the expense of the ability to purchase them individually from older ports; however, even with its flaws, it’s as fun as these games have ever been.

Visions of Mana simplifies modern action RPGs to fit the classic brand for better or worse. On the one hand, combat can be exhilarating as you get in the groove and make every character work in the best way for you. On the other hand, the story, while beautiful, is too paper-thin for its own good. But this culminates in a game that feels like any player of any age can enjoy it.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 doesn’t do much different than its predecessor, for better and worse. If you liked the original, this sequel offers basically more of the same with some new cars and environments. Regardless, it’s a well-made arcade racer with endless combinations of tracks to master and excel at.

The modernization of the series has yielded amazing benefits that make it feel like the definitive Homeworld experience unless you are looking to go back and experience the whole story for yourself. It isn't easy to make a sequel worth a decades-long wait, but Blackbird Interactive has managed to pull off just that.

People of Note is a great mash-up of the people behind music. Music may have divided the people of Note, yet it also slowly brings them all together for a brighter, more rockin’ future.

High on Life 2 is an improvement on the first and one hell of a time. The humor shows just how much in-tune the writers at Squanch game are with their players and that speaks volumes… making it a good time even through its complications.

Under the Waves is a fantastic game that uses the vastness of the ocean to craft wonder and solitude, moving you from avid adventurer to sad man in a way that feels dynamic and intimate no matter the task you’re completing.

Lemnis Gate feels like a bold breath of fresh air. The game is a dramatic new take on the genre that has been fully embraced to its bones. Lemnis Gate is a must for any fans of shooters and strategy titles, especially for players who have a friend to bring along for some 2v2 matches. The future looks pretty bright for Lemnis Gate, and it has more than earned it.

I think there is a certain rhythm game fan that can have a lot of fun challenging this game for high scores. However, for anyone more casual, the way Rhythm Sproat presents its challenges will never feel quite right, either out of your reach or doing far too much to hold your hand.

Aliens: Dark Descent is a fun real-time strategy squad game that manages to feel tense and rewarding at the same time. It isn’t a perfect game, the loop can get a bit repetitive, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every second of it.

Eternights ultimately get more things wrong than right. It lacks a general sense of polish, and the writing is legitimately baffling at times. The combat feels great more often than not, but it’s hard to justify spending too much time on this title.

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X pulls players in with fast and fun gameplay that is given incredible depth thanks to a myriad of elements players can use to craft their preferred playstyles.

Everything is Crab delivers a lot of fun, with just the right amount of challenge. Allowing players to pursue survival however they wish adds some overarching variety to the game, despite its fairly shallow moment-to-moment gameplay.

Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story is a triumph of fun, wonder, and heart-warming storytelling. With gameplay that mostly succeeds in enhancing the adventures of its two main protagonists, the game is a fantastic experience that cannot be recommended enough.

The Crew Motorfest definitely brings the heat, but in the end, it’s sitting at a distant second until it learns what exactly it wants out of itself.

WarioWare: Move It! is a great entry in the series, making excellent use of the JoyCons’ high-definition motion controls in classic absurd Wario fashion.

Ghostwire: Tokyo offers a lot of good but it’s hidden behind even more tedium. I'm left wishing that the team had more time to polish their ideas, so it's hard for me to recommend Ghostwire: Tokyo. That isn’t to say I didn’t have fun with what's well made. What doesn’t, though, feels like a patch was thrown on instead of fixing the larger issues, which ultimately bogged down my experience.