Elite: Dangerous is a well crafted and complex space simulation in flight, combat, and a number of RPG elements such as resource management, questing, and upgrading gear. With real world science creating the games universe and some very nice graphics, the game’s downfall comes from the overly complex controls used for flight, making the game difficult for newcomers who may be expecting a more user friendly experience.

The graphics, sound, presentation, and force feedback all blend together to create a wonderful sense of speed and the sense of ever present danger that immerses you in the world of rally racing. Rally racing is tough. One misjudgment and your hopes of a podium finish are dashed.

It is a title with a real time strategic element that is blended into the shooter action that originated from the first game.

The Midnight Walk is a special game and one that tells a deeply affecting story while exploring a range of poignant themes. Its stunning art direction and masterful audio design come together to create an experience unlike any other. Though it offers little in the way of traditional challenge, the emotional journey it delivers lingers long after the credits roll.

Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium shouldn’t have much difficulty finding an audience. For folks like me who grew up in the arcades, there are plenty of nostalgic hits here that will motivate a purchase. Thankfully, gamers can purchase titles individually or as a full collection. It might be hard to justify buying the whole collection if you already own Capcom Fighting Collection. This was poor planning on Capcom’s part. Despite this, there is plenty of other content to enjoy here, including a variety of titles that can be played with a second player. I believe that this collection should have been released as more DLC for the Capcom Arcade Stadium. Still, I’m grateful to finally get a chance to play, and replay, these classic games.

Linelight is a solid attempt to change things up. It gets major points on its design and structure. The care taken trying to craft something new and original is commendable. I can’t guarantee you’ll walk away totally satisfied or with a tremendous sense of accomplishment but you will enjoy the trip. And as any true existentialist can attest to, it’s all about the journey and not the destination.

The Inner World is an intriguing point-and-click adventure with the gameplay you would expect from the genre. The strength of the game relies heavily on its off-kilter dialogue and story, despite some minor issues with controls and lengthy, tedious dialogue at times. Furthermore, the art of The Inner World is charming despite a relative lack of polish, but the saving grace is perhaps the memorable cast of characters that inhabit this inner world. While not perfect, The Inner World is a charming, memorable experience with unique puzzles and a strong narrative.

Between the pitched battles and the beautiful level layouts, I was always itching to get just a little further. If you’re a fan of CRPGs or just RPGs in general, you can’t go wrong with Tower of Time.

It’s by no means easy, but as you progress and upgrade your mech, you’ll find it strikes a decent difficulty balance. If you’re up for a somewhat challenging game with a very anime-inspired look, then Hardcore Mecha might be just what you’re looking for.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is the return to form that fans have been waiting for. Courses develop in their complexity in order to create the best single-player campaign since the sophomore release. While the multiplayer portion includes new minigames, it struggles to maintain the same level of engagement and longevity as the originals. Despite that, the dedication to improving the franchise’s gameplay mechanics ensures it’s a significant addition for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney still cleverly presents itself as one of the most memorable adventures to reside in the Ace Attorney series. Having it available on the 3DS allows returning fans as well as new players to experience the series at its best in this day and age. While nothing revolutionary is present, it simply retouches the visuals, audio, and added features that will help players experience the game in a way similar to its original launch.

As a complete neophyte to the Bridge Constructor series, Bridge Constructor Portal got me surprisingly invested.

I can live with many of Need For Speed Unbound’s faults. Admittedly, there were fleeting moments when I enjoyed the routine of earning cash, upgrading, outrunning police, and climbing Lakeshore’s underground racing ranks. But, when a Need For Speed game spits in the face of people that use wheel and pedal setups, it’s tough to feel a need for anything other than a need to play a better game. There’s a foundation here to build upon, but EA and Criterion have their work cut out for them if they ever hope to compete with the giants of the racing game scene.

A flick of an analogue stick, the press of the X button and a mind geared towards strategy is all it takes to master this game. Simple and comical, Life Goes On: Done to Death captures the best parts of a platform puzzler.

No Man’s Sky has reached a point where not only does it meet initial promises, it now exceeds them.

If you’ve played previous Just Dance games, you know exactly what you’re getting into and that will probably be enough to sway you one way or another. However, if you haven’t played Just Dance before and you’re are looking for something fresh to play – especially with a group of friends or the family – Just Dance 2019 is an excellent option.

My only major gripes with Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince are highly subjective. It’s a game that needs to reach the kind of people who play mods of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which provide the player with more challenging combat and puzzles. Blossom Tales II has a very good world map to explore, and its dungeon puzzles and combat are perfect. It starts like a game a parent would want to get their young daughter but becomes one that will impress any old-school Zelda fan who gives it some time. So give Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince your time.

If you’re a fan of tower defense or FPS games, and you are looking for something new, Sanctum 2 deserves a close look for sure.

Livelock is a flawed top-down shooter. The dialog and its delivery is awful and the game has some glitches to work through, but it also features some well designed, fun gameplay – and ultimately, that is what’s most important. Being able to have two friends join in the adventure via online co-op is also a huge plus. If you enjoy top-down shooters, you really can’t go wrong with Livelock.

Sky Force Anniversary is an excellent attempt to bring back simple games from the past. Pretty, addicting and fun, I would suggest this game to anyone looking to bring back classic style gameplay.

Back 4 Blood is one that I’ll be playing for a long time to come. Turtle Rock Studios has committed to improving the game, both through new content and patches. And I trust that they’ll right most of the wrongs with their latest zombie-slaying simulator. It may feel light on content, and you’ll need a team of people if you want to make any actual progress, but hop on board now, and you still be pleasantly surprised at just how fun Back 4 Blood can be.

Amnesia: The Bunker lacks the story-telling and emotional heft of the previous games in the series. But, if you are in the mood for a scary and tense game of cat and mouse, this game will satisfy your needs.

The Nintendo LABO Variety Kit has some fun and satisfying aspects to it, but it lacks any real longevity. And now I’m faced with the ultimate dilemma – where the heck will I store all these cardboard projects now?

This game suffers when subjected to a reviewer’s brutal pacing. Maybe if I hadn’t been racing towards the finish line, the endless tiny loading screens wouldn’t have bothered me as much. I was also forced to discard a lot of the side content. It’s not super compelling stuff, but the act of completing it can be pretty relaxing. Searching for Sprite Bulbs scratches that completionist itch in a big way. Plus, the game is beautiful and the battles are a lot of fun. I still wish the puzzles weren’t so frustrating for me. But again, they benefit from more patience than I could spare. My momentum while playing felt wobbly and uneven, but this is still a well-crafted game. Perhaps your time (if you can offer more of it than me) will be well-spent playing Mario & Luigi: Brothership.

The extra content is neat, but given that most of it is only visual it’s difficult to justify the price point; however, beyond the layer of shiny aesthetics and ridiculous physics is a fun fighting game accessible to both casual and hardcore gamers. If you’re looking to get into the Dead Or Alive series, this would be a great place to start.

I was a little disappointed that you didn’t see any of the actual heralds from the comics, but just herald versions of characters already in the game.

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw takes the space flight simulator genre and grinds a fantastic Wild West narrative into it the likes we have only ever seen with the beloved Firefly TV series. Sporting a brilliant soundtrack to reinforce the narrative, amazing explosions, and some pretty fun dog-fighting, the game starts to stumble when it comes to its total lack of tutorial despite having multiple systems to learn both in flight and in its mini-games. As a title that would work best with a controller in hand, Double Damages partnership with the Epic Store severely hinders accessible input controls. It does offer custom soundtracks, multiple ways to play the game and guilds to join, and the freedom of trying to achieve your goals out in the black as you see fit. For fans of space flight sims, this game is a beauty to play if only it could be handled with a controller.

If you are a series veteran looking to relive the magic of Life is Strange, then there is no doubt Before the Storm will scratch the right itch.

Though I did have a couple of grievances, this game was a lot of fun. My stress levels went way down once I stopped trying to 100% every stage. The boss fights are all clever, the controls allow for precise maneuvers, and the visuals are nice and crisp. It took me a little time to get used to the controls, and I kept feeling slower than I would have liked. But the level design is excellent, the soundtrack is choice, and the difficulty never felt unfair. If you haven't played this classic Wii game, now's the time. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a terrific platformer that holds up perfectly today.

If you are a Street Fighter fan, and are looking forward to seriously competing in this console generation’s great fighting game franchise, then your time has arrived.

When the puzzles and chase sequences are pulled off smoothly, they feel incredibly rewarding.

World of Warships Blitz is a well crafted naval combat MMO that is both easy to play and offers loads of options to unlock.

I won’t sugarcoat things: I hated playing this game. But I recognize that part of my constant misery was due to the roguelite elements corralling gameplay into certain styles and rhythms. In Death: Unchained asks a lot of you, in terms of practice, patience, and persistence. When it comes to roguelites, I am mostly sapped of these things. But that doesn’t apply to everybody! You may hear my dire warnings as a clarion call, a war cry demanding your full attention. The lack of progression between runs, the unforgiving aiming system, and the complex controls all proved an insurmountable barrier. Hardier souls than myself are welcome to scale this mountain, but be warned: the ascent is a treacherous one. Download In Death: Unchained if you’re not afraid of a little suffering and strife mixed in with your satisfaction.

Overall, Othercide is a solid remix of the tactical turn-based genre. The early game will feel repetitive, and I wish there was more dynamics to the maps to compensate for the lack of cover, explosions and sightlines the XCOM games use. There are also only a few mission types: escort, survive and hunt. But despite the limited mission set, the visuals, weird world, and ramp up nature do much to carry the game forward. If you’re looking for a fresh take and aren’t afraid of a punishing difficulty, then come along for the ride. Just be prepared to die. A lot.

Capcom Arcade Stadium is a solid mix of arcade classics and some lessor known titles. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Street Fighter games not included. Having one of the X-Men fighting games would have been awesome but the Marvel rights are probably too expensive to secure. Capcom certainly went beyond just straight porting of the games. The presentation of each game is solid with a ton of options. Another nice touch is that a manual for each game is included too. This will be a boon to newbies and veterans alike and will save players from making side trips to the internet looking for tips.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II will not convince non-believers to jump into Call of Duty. If you’re a fan, you’ll be buying it. If you’re a relapsed fan, you’ll likely come back. And if you hate Call of Duty, you’ll still hate it. It’s a solid effort with a well-designed campaign that feels like you’re playing a summer blockbuster movie. The multiplayer, although severely lacking some key ingredients such as hardcore, the ability to ping, and crossplay issues, is still quite enjoyable. It’s still Call of Duty multiplayer, but it brings enough fresh tweaks to keep us fans happy.

Virginia is a quality game that isn’t afraid to be itself. While its basic mechanics and emphasis on story over gameplay won’t be for everyone, it’s a unique ride that mature and intelligent gamers should take, especially if they happen to be a fan of The X-Files or Twin Peaks. This is something different, and it deserves to be applauded for that.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a beast of a game. The amount of content is staggering, and one can definitely play for hours and hours. Obsidian has gone extra miles to create an immersive fantasy RPG adventure and truly delivered. You are in for a deep experience but, caveat emptor, you will have to dedicate yourself to learning not only the intricacies of Eora but of POE2’s gameplay mechanics.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a frenetic, atmospheric ghost hunt that’s been sliced and stacked into something safe, digestible, and slow.

The combat is weak, but the puzzles, story, and atmosphere are not. Because of the way things left off and the surefire success this title is going to garner, I have no doubt that we’ll return to this world again. Until then, I’ll be replaying Figment until I know every note of this unbelievably good soundtrack.

At the end of the day, Whispers of a Machine is an excellent point-and-click mystery that I would recommend to both a fan of the genre and a solid entry point. It’s doesn’t flip the genre on its head, but the fun detective mechanics and impressively personalized story serve to make otherwise familiar gameplay feel fresh. It’s short, sweet, and although there is the promise for more, is ultimately rewarding.

Sucker for Love: First Date may be a niche title with a weird premise, but it does that premise incredibly well. If you’re a fan of Lovecraftian horror and anime, or if you think dark romantic comedies are great, this game is for you. Akabaka’s weird creation definitely isn’t for everyone, but if it’s for you, you’re gonna love it. I know I did.

Dragon Quest Heroes does an exceptional job in displaying how the beat ‘em up Warriors/Musou formula works with the beloved Dragon Quest RPG series.

If you’ve been burned by console strategy games in the past, Stellaris: Console Edition will wipe away all of your fears. It’s both innovative and ambitious as a 4X, while also, at the same time, raises the bar for what’s possible with the genre on consoles. Thanks to a clever and surprisingly intuitive controller layout, the console edition of Stellaris stays true to the PC original without any compromises. It might not come with the latest version, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one of the best and most accessible strategy games in recent years.

Humankind is a solid, if not especially revelatory, take on what has become a pretty ossified genre. Its changes — in particular the opening Neolithic stage, and its combat systems — are not dramatic shifts, but they are enough to make an experienced 4X player pay attention. Just like our hunter-gatherer ancestors, Humankind (the game) is off to a good start.

I love these RPGs. I’m psyched that they’ve come to the Nintendo Switch, and I’m overjoyed that they’ve been improved upon. But still, I recognize that these are difficult, imposing, extremely retro games. To say they’re not for everybody is a slight understatement. Even so, if you’ve always wanted to check out the Etrian Odyssey franchise, this is a perfect opportunity. With a little patience, and an open mind, you might find your new favorite series.

KSP is an amazing space flight simulator, with some issues that keep it from being an amazing game as well.

Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition and the integrated Royal Pack is an enjoyable expansion making it the definitive edition to play Final Fantasy XV. That is until we get its true “complete edition” in the future.

If you’re willing to make the best out of the awkward battles and you love those classic RPG stories that start off small and build into these epic adventures, then you’ll definitely be in for a treat with Indivisible.

Islets is a lot of fun, but it can’t quite match up to Hollow Knight’s sharp controls and design. Perhaps true to its setting, Islets feels a little floatier. There were times where I just couldn’t figure momentum out and I biffed the same jump again and again. The hitboxes on the characters feel a little wide to me; sometimes I would contact with an enemy I definitely should have missed. But different isn’t necessarily bad! It’s as if the game is incredibly easy or way too hard. The level of challenge feels like it’s just in that Goldilocks Zone. There’s enough cleverness in the level design that you can’t help but admire it. I think there’s still plenty of room left in the hand-drawn indie Metroidvania genre. (Silksong isn’t even out yet!) Islets is another standout in the genre, fun and charming.

If you’re a frostbite-loving freak like me, The Pale Beyond is the game for you. It makes me optimistic about the future of this niche genre. The amount of research and care is apparent as you play. The opaque gameplay systems draw you into the narrative, but leave you in suspense. If you’ve made it this far in the review, I have to assume one of those things is appealing to you. Play The Pale Beyond; it might just be the best novel you read this year.

If you are looking for a fun mystery that won’t take you ages to solve, then Retropolis 2 will fill that bill. Fans of film noir will find much to like here. So will fans of puzzle games. Will Log rescue Jenny? Only if you help him out.

EA Sports FC 26 is the epitome of marginal gains. Every aspect of play has been tweaked and refined to improve your time on the pitch. Small details, shaped by community feedback, address long-standing concerns that have followed the series for years. Splitting gameplay into different modes is a smart choice, giving players the freedom to choose the style that best fits them. However, the inability to play Authentic online is a major drawback for those who prefer that experience. And while on-pitch gameplay feels sharper than ever, the surrounding modes remain too familiar to past iterations, weighed down further by aggressive monetization through FUT’s premium season pass. EA Sports FC 26 takes meaningful steps forward on the pitch, but it still needs bolder changes off it to truly move the series ahead.

As it stands in its current form, I will say that if Blasphemous’ aesthetic interests you even a little, or if you’re a fan of metroidvania-style games, then it’s absolutely worth checking out in its current form. I will also say though that despite how good the performance is on the Switch version, there are bugs and animations/interactions that could use more tuning. Blasphemous in its current state is a strong entry in the genre, and definitely stands close to the top, but with further refinement, it could turn from an interesting title to a true must-play experience.

Despite my lack of excessive enthusiasm for half of what this collection offers, Tales of Symphonia Chronicles is still an awesome bundle to have, if only for the first game alone.

Synapse is an intense shooter that imbues you with heroic powers. Each run in this addictive rogue-lite is exhilarating. The gunplay and telekinesis perfectly combine and allows you to experiment with the mechanics. Due to the upgrade system, you progressively get stronger which gives further incentive for another round. Even with the small number of enemy types and slightly repetitive gameplay, Synapse is an essential PSVR 2 title and a promising glimpse at what the future of the medium holds.

All in all, I enjoyed Master Detective Archives: Rain Code and you probably will, too. The presentation is slick, the setting is gorgeous, and the premise is genuinely brilliant. Making rapid-fire deductions while dodging accusations and falsehoods is one way to make solving mysteries a heart-pounding experience.

It’s a badass strategy simulator, one with deep gameplay and that glorifies what is maybe one of the most gnarly periods of human history. It makes for a wonderfully executed strategy experience. But I still long for the day that we leave behind this whole “historical accuracy” fallacy and devote our fantastic game development resources to something more deeply imaginative.

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree doesn’t veer off well-traveled paths, but that doesn’t mean its familiar combination of mechanics isn’t fun. Though it doesn’t necessarily stand out in any one area, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is still a substantial, visually impressive and generally engaging experience.

Observer is a decent game. The highly detailed environments and disturbing dream sections are hobbled only by the gameplay’s limited, repetitive nature during the real world sections. It features a solid voice work performance from Rutger Hauer too. As an early title for the PS5, there is much to be impressed with. Observer runs smooth and loads quickly, and it looks great even though the artistic direction subdues the impact. However, the old dictum remains – good graphics alone do not make for a great game.

Overall, I couldn’t have been more pleased with Valiant Hearts: The Great War. Beautiful art, moving music and a compelling story that has a heart wrenching and unexpected ending with plenty of subtext for you to chew on, it was an absolute treat to play.

Gameplay should be a delight, not an obligation. As a game, The Mooseman falters, but its atmosphere, tone, and storytelling all take huge strides to make up for the lacklustre gameplay. All-in-all, it’s certainly not bad, and I don’t feel guilty recommending it.

Although this Switch port evolves XCOM 2 in yet another way, it does make many sacrifices that may make or break the experience for newbies. The controls and overall gameplay of XCOM 2 is as good as ever with this port, which are two of the most important factors with it being so competent both docked and in handheld mode. If you’re willing to stomach some muddy visuals and frame rate issues when transitioning from one scene to another, it could be argued the Nintendo Switch is the best platform to own the XCOM 2 Collection. Being able to play XCOM 2 on the go is such a nice perk. 2K has evolved Firaxis Games and Feral Interactive’s deep strategy title in yet another way and I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.

The game has never been better, and now it comes bearing a heap of new and exciting content that fans are sure to appreciate.

The Odd Gentlemen have done a fantastic job at reintroducing us to the King’s Quest series. Clearly inspired by, and respectful of its source material, they manage to meld old school nostalgia and new school gameplay together into one charming package.

To be a successful fantasy RPG, even one that goes for the nostalgia crowd, one doesn’t have to emulate the old right down to the endless grinding and watered-down story (and some pretty cringeworthy gender stereotypes included in a quest that feels like it’s goading me to enjoy killing a bratty teenage girl). It’s okay to combine the old with the new. Shadows: Awakening’s Devourer and his small army of devoured souls are the new part of the equation, but it doesn’t tip the balance. Instead, by the time I finished playing, I was just grateful I’d never have to fight another wolf.

RPGs don’t always age well. Things like combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving can change drastically in a handful of years. The Baten Kaitos games hold up pretty well, all things considered. The visuals are great and the combat is excellent. The Remaster also does a great job of smoothing over certain rough patches. There’s a generous autosave system in place, for one thing. The modern combat upgrades also go a long way to making those slow battles feel faster. On the other hand, the story feels very by-the-numbers. I felt like I was running down a checklist of tropes within a few hours of the first game. But if card-based battle systems are your thing, this collection is a godsend. If nothing else, Baten Kaitos I&II provides a fascinating snapshot of a lost era of GameCube RPGs.

If you’re a Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast that demands slavish adherence to licensed and familiar content, then Solasta: Crown of the Magister may disappoint you. If, on the other hand, your concept of D&D is more defined by the mechanics of character and party creation and the flow of exploration and combat defined by rolls of the dice, then Solasta will deliver a very authentic experience. It often doesn’t look pretty and it still has a few ugly bugs to iron out, but the inclusion of an excellent level creator and a superlative UI put Solasta: Crown of the Magister in the must-play column for both fans of the Fifth Edition rules and CRPGs in general.

In a deluge of Soulslikes and 2D Metroidvanias, 2021’s Tails of Iron stood out, thanks to its beautiful art, excellent combat, and engaging premise. All of that’s true for Whiskers of Winter. The sequel is just as visually distinctive and narratively interesting. The game’s combat can be extremely challenging, but this time there are options for dialing back the difficulty, which makes the game slightly more accessible to less hardcore ARPG fans. Tails of Iron 2: Whispers of Winter doesn’t radically reinvent the first game’s art or approach but definitely improves and deepens it. Anyone feeling fatigued with copycat pixel art Soulslikes should give Whiskers of Winter a try.

Remedy has crafted a fine game that blurs the line between interactive and sedentary entertainment. The ambition to combine the two into something that is more than just a novelty, but a new avenue into the way we play games is to be commended. A truly all-star cast deftly leads you on a well-scripted journey that you get to take control of, and the results speak for themselves.

Ittle Dew 2+ is a perfect fit for the portable Switch, and a supplement if you’ve been missing a top-down Zelda title on it. It has its own brand of humor and is chock-full of creativity with its visuals, dialogue, and puzzles, but can be found lacking with regard to its repetitive, unrewarding combat.

A surprisingly unique and entertaining addition to the Final Fantasy franchise that uses its cuteness, humor, and accessibility to draw you in.

Even if you haven’t played a Vertex Pop game before (you probably should, because they’re great!), Super Crush KO is the one you should start with. It plays like a dream thanks to responsive controls and smooth as silk gameplay. It’s an arcade brawler through and through, so combat takes the spotlight. Stringing combos is the name of the game and it feels awesome when you’ve conquered unbeatable odds without taking a single hit. It might be a bit on the short side, but man does it feel good to play. Don’t ignore Super Crush KO, it demands your attention.

The Rally Adventure expansion is not a bad way to close the chapter on Forza Horizon 5. It’s definitely not as epic as the Hot Wheels expansion was. However, it brings with it a pretty significant new area, new vehicles, and a new variation on racing that the Forza Horizon 5 hasn’t fully explored before. The price of admission isn’t too pricey, so if you’re still engaged in Forza Horizon 5, or looking for a reason to jump back in, the Rally Adventure expansion isn’t a bad investment.

Neocore hasn’t strayed too far from what made the first game so amazing, but it has managed to add a layer of refinement by improving the some of the game mechanics, UI and visuals.

Orcs Must Die! 3 isn’t much of a step (let alone, a leap) forward from the last installment, but after eight years maybe it’s just enough to remind people that hey, this fun fantasy franchise is still alive and kicking. It has modest ambitions but it’s certainly not a disappointing installment, and Orc Must Die! 3’s blend of action, tower defense and puzzle-solving remains unique and entertaining.

Games like Cryptmaster are rare. Not just because of a particular aesthetic or unique mechanic, but because they take a core idea and focus it. Cryptmaster is ok with not being for every gamer, but puzzle-RPG fans with a love of words, a wicked sense of humor, and a taste for the macabre will enjoy it.

If all you want is a series of complex battles marked by escalating difficulty, you can’t go wrong here. There was just something about the narrative and the pacing that kept me from getting fully hooked. You can tweak the game speed, but this doesn’t change the fundamental flow of the battles. Perhaps my time in the Disgaea trenches has permanently scarred my psyche, or maybe I’m onto something here. Either way, beyond my minor grievances is a tactics RPG built from countless layers of approachable mechanical complexity. Fans of this sleepless, neurotic RPG subgenre owe it to themselves to give Fae Tactics a shot.

Aside from the less than stellar implementation of the multiplayer #IDARB is a boat load of fun, easy to pick up and will have you laughing for hours. This Canadian made game manages to shine in nearly every department.

Space Junkies possesses a strong foundation. It’s frantic combat and responsive weapons no doubt appeal to those looking to spend quick bursts of game time in VR. Developed in-house by Ubisoft, it’s also one of the best VR experiences one can have in terms of comfort and ease. However, the admission fee alone for this arena shooter might turn away potential fans, and with an already low player population, it remains to be seen whether Space Junkies is here to stay.

It all ends up coming across as an ‘almost’ experience. Pacer is almost a successor to Wipeout, but poor track design, a lack of strong audio design, and lackluster weapons all add up to a ho-hum experience that leaves you wanting for the early Wipeout days. If you really need something to scratch that old itch, then give Pacer a whirl. If you’re looking for the next S-Class zero-g racer, you’ll likely want to dust off an older PlayStation.

Is Tales of Berseria Remastered worth a double dip? Absolutely not. There’s no reason to get it if you already own the regular game (unless you have completionist OCD). Bandai Namco needs to be careful they don’t lose any good will with their fans, when so many other companies are offering free PS5 upgrades to PS4 games. But Remastered is now the best version of Berseria because of its few changes. It’s an excellent action JRPG. If you don’t already own it, Tales of Berseria Remastered has a phenomenal story, and fun combat. So get it if you haven’t already.

This is an installment for the fans that love everything Naruto – others will have a hard time sticking this one out. For the average gamer, not enough is offered in a manner that would keep their interest.

Setting aside its sometimes sluggish combat controls and a few frustrating mechanics, there’s a lot to enjoy about The Lonesome Guild. With beautiful art and a much-appreciated theme centering on connection and communication, The Lonesome Guild should appeal to fans of puzzle-heavy action RPGs looking for narrative depth.

World of Tanks really does take me back to the good old days of tank battles; but with a whole lot of extras added.

Lumo is a game with something for everyone. It’s nostalgic in its inspiration from classic dungeon crawling and puzzlers; it’s fresh for its minimalist style and calming yet challenging experience.

The Turing Test, despite being four years old, still holds up and makes for a perfect Nintendo Switch puzzler. The Portal influences hang on its sleeve, but the darker story, compelling dialogue, and engaging puzzles kept me hooked till the very end. It might run a little long in the tooth around the midway mark but, thankfully, it rebounds in the last act with a memorable finish. As a port, it’s remarkably polished on both the big and little screen. In a nutshell, The Turing Test is totally worth your time and money.

Demagog Studio is on to something with Golf Club: Wasteland, and it’s absolutely something they should be proud of. This is a developer I’ll now be watching with a close eye, as I can’t wait to see what they come up with next. Whatever this small Serbian team has in the pot, rest assured I’ll be first in line. Check out Golf Club: Wasteland and the original soundtrack “Radio Nostalgia from Mars.” And bring some tissues.

ARMS is a great package, subverting and exceeding most of my expectations while offering modes of play that cater to a variety of players. The offline Grand Prix mode leaves much to be desired, and the 2 v 2 tethered fights are lame, but all that is made up for by an assortment of other entertaining modes, slick online lobbies and surprisingly deep and addictive gameplay. At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun, and ARMS provides that in spades.

There’s a lot of fun be had here, a great challenge for those looking for a new retro-style platformer like this to take on, but 20XX never truly finds that “retro” charm. Instead, it’s a new idea pretending to be a retro experience, and the more astute players out there will be able to sniff it right out.

I still commend the studio for its bravery and innovation. Before Your Eyes is unique enough to try out if you are interested. It’s just that although the game is backed by many wonderful talents, it lacked that little “umph” to turn it into something truly memorable.

I think Darksiders Genesis has a really solid base, is greatly entertaining, and is definitely worth its price tag. The previously mentioned technical flaws can (hopefully) be addressed in future updates, and I would then have little gripe with the game itself. If you are a Darksiders fan, or simply want to feel the power of slaying demons left and right, I would definitely recommend picking this title up.

Deliver Us The Moon turned out to be a fun little distraction from the bigger, more intensive games I’ve been playing. It certainly doesn’t do anything to reinvent the wheel, but it manages to nail a few of the key things it tries to do, and for that, I have no problems recommending it for a quick playthrough. I’ll be the first to tell you, though, that there’s going to be some stuff that will bug the hell out of you. Still, for the most part, the good outweighs the bad, and I’ll be keeping my eye out for KeokeN Interactive’s next project.

Yooka-Laylee was a platformer I wanted to love, but struggled with because of the controls and camera. Many also hated the backtracking and linear structure. Those issues have been addressed in Yooka Re-Playlee, making it the superior version. I actually really enjoyed unlocking abilities and levels in the original game. And feel like some of the attempts to make it more open, and to have more collectables, don’t work super well. I wish there was a choice to play Yooka Re-Playlee with just the improved visuals, camera, and controls. It would be a dream come true for me if Yooka Re-Playlee offered an in-game choice between an original version and a Replay version. Although flawed, Yooka Re-Playlee is the best version of an excellent N64-style 3D platformer.

I immediately fell in love with Yarny and his companion, and the puzzles and platforming were consistently solid. It’s unfortunate the story was sidelined a bit, but the implantation of couch co-op surely helps makes up for it.

Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World is a great game. The yarn style look is a fun change from most other platformers and while the game has a handful of challenging moments, generally the difficulty is nicely balanced. If you’ve never played the Wii U version, and you’ve enjoyed Yoshi’s previous adventures – or if you just generally enjoy side-scrolling platformers – than you really can’t go wrong with this game. However, if you’ve played the Wii U version, there really isn’t much new content here to warrant a new purchase, unless you absolutely need a portable version or more Poochy.

The Pathless is a great game. It’s beyond stunning, with a remarkable soundtrack and phenomenal sense of place. Refined traversal mechanics do a lot of the heavy lifting, while puzzles and boss battles could use an extra dose of variety. Though the formula gets tired by the end of the tale, The Pathless proudly stands among giants of the genre like Journey.

The chuggy frame rate (particularly in in Arkham Asylum) is disappointing but it won’t ruin your enjoyment of either game.