NBA 2K24 features revamped gameplay through ProPLAY and small game mode tweaks that make it a worthwhile upgrade. Not everything is perfect, and there is still so much room for growth in future games, but NBA 2K24 is a promising step forward in a franchise that has been complacent in recent years without any real competition.

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.

All the DLC packs add quite a bit to the game and help it feel more fleshed out and realized, but the sheer number of options one has can be overwhelming for new players who aren’t sure what is worth focusing on and what isn’t. Regardless, the DLCs help make Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition feel like a sprawling experience on an epic scale. Even if some of the content feels a bit middling, there is more than enough of a higher quality to justify the price.

World War Z may not do anything to really stand out in the genre, but that doesn’t mean it is not a fun time. The core of the game is very basic, and at times can feel like a simple reskin of other similar games, but that should not turn anyone away from checking it out. I would especially recommend it if you are looking for a zombie game on the Switch, as it is probably the best option out there for you.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a good addition to the world of racing games, with enough to make it totally unique but not too much to overcomplicate it. There are a few things I wish would make it feel more full, but for what it does deliver, it delivers it well.

Koira lacks in-game substance as it offers little encouraged progression like collectibles or various ways to experience the journey more than once, which could otherwise make it one to remember… Still, the way the game embraces music as the language evokes emotion that players can build upon is introspective. This is where Koira succeeds.

KASSO GAIDEN Escape from the Skaterverse bucks expectations by having engaging gameplay, some catchy tunes, and a pretty reasonable price for additional perks.

I enjoyed playing the Nintendo Switch port for DDA. Outside the issues with scaling while playing handheld, the experience was virtually identical to my experience with the PC version last year. Even though I only played offline, I can certainly see DDA being a great party game for Discord communities and game nights, given its easy learning curve and fast-paced playstyle. The variety of hero combinations and playstyles, several game modes, and different game difficulties allow endless hours of replayability, a great moniker for a Nintendo Switch game. If you can get past the minor accessibility issues, you may find yourself fighting wave after wave and hour and hour in Dungeon Defenders: Awakened.

Decarnation’s story is thrilling and unsettling, and every point the game gets is because of how well-crafted the winding nightmares are in relation to the overall progression of Gloria’s life.

Soul Hackers 2 takes inspiration from both the Persona and the mainline Shin Megami Tensei series while including new things into the mix to varying degrees of success. As a result, it is best to not compare it to any other title in the franchise.

GIGASWORD is a fresh 2D metroidvania that balances puzzles and action quite well. Yet similar to the massive sword Ezra wields, the game at times weighs itself down.

Sonic Frontiers is ultimately a unique and satisfying ride through some of the best Sonic has offered over the years. The sensation of speed is at its best, and the combat feels strong. The levels and environments in the open world leave a good bit to be desired, but the flow of the game through its hundreds of objectives and currencies to obtain is nearly always fun to progress through.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake resurrects an old fan favorite title from the early 2000s. While it has a shiny new coat of paint and an engaging gameplay loop that’s sure to make long-time fans marvel, it’s nonetheless bogged down by incompetent AI-controlled allies, curious design decisions, and oversights when it comes to core mechanics.

As a whole, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the most fun I’ve had on a Pokemon adventure in a long, long time. But this is completely in spite of itself. There are unforgivable graphical issues, and despite endless charming creatures and characters, the open world itself lacks nearly completely in personality or a sense of progression. Nonetheless, it has never felt better being a Pokemon trainer than it does in Gen IX, thanks to the smoothest mechanics yet and quality-of-life improvements.

As a whole, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the most fun I’ve had on a Pokemon adventure in a long, long time. But this is completely in spite of itself. There are unforgivable graphical issues, and despite endless charming creatures and characters, the open world itself lacks nearly completely in personality or a sense of progression. Nonetheless, it has never felt better being a Pokemon trainer than it does in Gen IX, thanks to the smoothest mechanics yet and quality-of-life improvements.

So, while I enjoyed my experience playing Just Dance 2023 its value feels like it will vary greatly from person to person. While it has a sizable track list from a solid variety of artists, how much play you can get out of this game will depend greatly on your desire to chase high scores and unlock simple cosmetics, how many friends you have to clown around with, or if you are want to work it into your routine as a way to get some exercise in that provides a bit more fun than a morning jog.

Monster Harvest is a good game that a little too closely resembles Stardew Valley and does not execute its Pokèmon-like mechanics cleanly or uniquely enough. Fortunately, it’s mostly visually beautiful with nice music and more than plenty to do.

There was a lot of thought and care put into the narrative of Tin Hearts, so much so that players can probably overlook some of the gameplay flaws.

The vast majority of the game is an extremely engaging and rewarding survival game that is made only more fun when you have friends to jump into a server with. Advancing through the research trees and advancing from merely surviving in the wasteland to comfortably living in it is a great experience, and is one that CryoFall offers players in a unique way.

At a price point of $40, Rainbow Six Extraction is definitely a game I'll be playing with my friends.

Ultimately, Rise of the Ronin will be a mixed bag for people. The combat will carry it for many, but the lack of variety in the open world, messy story, and performance issues will take away from others.

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.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink offers a captivating albeit simple narrative, mesmerizing visuals, and a fun gameplay experience. If you’re a JRPG fan looking for a great new experience, then you’ll do no wrong with the game, but don’t expect anything out of the ordinary.

Finish this final mission pair if you want to put a bow on your experience, but don’t expect enduring rewards or any real challenge.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a fun fighting game with iconic characters and easy to learn but challenging to master mechanics. They nailed the feel of a good fighting game, but the game still feels like it has a ways to go before it reaches the level of an iconic franchise like Smash. The potential is absolutely there, and after we see a few DLC launches who knows where it will stand, but for now it’s hard to imagine myself inviting friends over to play All-Star Brawl when Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is still around.

MLB The Show 22 is a finely-tuned baseball simulator that offers a nice range of options depending on your patience but is possessed of a nearly insurmountable difficulty curve for beginning players, especially those who are either uninvested in the sport, more accustomed to simpler arcade-style baseball games, or even fans of other popular sports simulators that require less pinpoint accuracy to succeed in. Fortunately, if you’re determined enough to learn to play the game, there are endless pitches to swing at and new games to start over as you fine-tune your button-pressing timing.

Tales of Symphonia Remastered does what it set out to do—allow a classic JRPG to be playable on modern hardware. However, even then, this remaster falls short.