The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a fantastic value. It contains two Ace Attorney games, each with five stories. Considering the most recent great visual novel compilation, Famicom Detective Club, was a full-priced collection, containing two games less than half the length of the two found in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, this collection at 2/3 the cost is a steal for visual novel fans. If you’re a fan of the original Ace Attorney games, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is an excellent return to form.

For fans of futuristic survival games, Stranded: Alien Dawn is just as fun on consoles as on PC. It’s deep, engrossing, and customizable. Although controller implementation is a mixed bag, overall the experience remains engaging and addictive.

Ultimately, Lucky Tower Ultimate is a great example of focused game design. The developers at Studio Seufz clearly knew exactly what they wanted to achieve, and they hit their mark with surgical precision. It is a solid, well-crafted experience that celebrates the chaos of the roguelite genre without succumbing to its gloomiest tropes. While the finicky controls and steep difficulty may alienate those seeking a more streamlined experience, I found a treasure of wit, challenge, and a bit of slapstick brutality. It might not be for everyone, but if the premise of a “tough-as-nails comedy” appeals to you, you will likely find Lucky Tower Ultimate to be exactly what you’re looking for.

Real-world trombone playing entails years or decades of study, intense practice, sacrifice, blood, perspiration and tears. With Trombone Champ you can bypass all that sweat equity and just ascend to the trombone throne. Trombone Champ is a humble game made by folks with a genuine love of music, hot dogs, baboons and, even more remarkably, the trombone. It’s fun, funny, a little weird and an actual, genuine game despite what sounds like a silly premise. It’s no surprise that everyone secretly wants to be a trombone player, and now anyone can rise to that only dreamed-of level of coolness. Grab yourself some hot dogs, hug a baboon and go play Trombone Champ.

Jackbox Party Pack 5 can be seen as a bit of a course correction after its disappointing predecessor. Though I doubt anything will ever outdo Quiplash in terms of pure fun and replayability, most of the games here are quality Jackbox creations. Some of them could use refining, and I can only see Zeeple Dome appealing to kids, but as a whole, this is a solid addition to the Jackbox repertoire and is sure to elicit plenty of laughs each time you boot it up.

In “What Ails You,” there are enough other positives to make this a strong installment. An epic brawl sequence, major plot reveals, and a promise of a satisfying series conclusion make Episode 4 an enjoyable experience, and the climactic Episode 5 looks like it will end things on a high note. Let’s hope so.

Its characters don’t have the consistency of their predecessors, nor the emotional impact of its storytelling. But its low-points aren’t unforgivable, and after all of this, I still want to see what happens next. While the ending had me smiling just from the emotion it brought, it may have also had to do with its final words…“Clementine’s Story Will Return.”

It seems like every major franchise is getting the open-world treatment. At first, you’d assume that Sonic is a terrible fit for this system. But it works surprisingly well. Every island is broken down into a nested series of combat and platforming challenges. No matter the scale, you’re still getting that essential Sonic the Hedgehog experience. Unfortunately, this also means you’re getting deeply frustrated at times. Exhausting story missions, impossible puzzles, and brutal acrobatics await. But most of the game is incredibly fun. This is what Sonic games are all about. A rollercoaster ride full of dizzying highs and crushing lows. As a game, Sonic Frontiers has some definite flaws to be wary of. But as a Sonic game, this is some truly top-shelf stuff.

Even with its mediocre plot and heavily emphasized fan service aspects, I really enjoyed Lightning Returns. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve followed the series since the beginning, or because I’m a sucker for the characters and their relationships between one another, but this game made me experience a range of emotions that I haven’t experienced from a game in a long time.

Downwell personifies the ‘gameplay is king’ mantra and it backs up its approach with a perfect suite of controls that are predictable and consistent.

A delightfully charming game with some irritating design flaws that prevent it from achieving excellence. While the characters are fun and their abilities are creative, the puzzles they’re used for lack the level of challenge that’s become expected from modern indie games, and the fast-travel system often forces you to spend lots of time backtracking. That said, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in this world, and the beautiful aesthetic and fantastic musical accompaniment will keep you entertained at even the most tedious moments.

Arboria’s Souls-inspired combat is solid and it does some original things with the roguelike genre. It’s a modest title to be sure, but punches well above its weight when it comes to pure entertainment value. It’s weird and irreverent, doesn’t take itself too seriously, and all its systems work pretty well together. Arboria is one of those games that doesn’t try to do everything, but it has a distinctive approach to familiar mechanics and while it gets a little repetitive, it’s still fun for a good long time.

If you’ve played previous Cruis’n games before, you know what you’re getting into. I had an absolute blast playing Cruis’n Blast and highly recommend it for any speed junkies that need a quick, fun fix on their Switch.

A pretty decent game. You can easily get your money out of this, and it’s a great four player co-op experience.

With huge and beautiful summits to explore, varied locations and events and the best snowboard and ski free riding any game has offered yet, Steep is a welcomed and satisfying extreme sports experience.

Minor issues aside, Kick & Fennick is a delight.

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 Mega Man Legacy Collection is a great retrospective for long time fans, and the perfect introduction to the series for curious new fans.

If you enjoy twin-stick shooters, rogue-likes, or both, Good Robot is absolutely worth your time and money. It’s quirky and fun, with a dry sense of humour found in the news bulletins that had me laughing out loud whenever I stopped to shop. Do yourself a favour and at the very least, take a quick look at the trailer to see if this game is right for you.

There’s a timer that guarantees games will be less than 30 minutes, and could be much shorter. That’s a perfect amount of time for me. There’s very little Minimum does wrong.

While it may not be the most convincing package to get players to return to Hekseville, Gravity Rush Remastered is by far the best way to enjoy Sony’s underappreciated action game. The combat, while still a weak link, feels much better using a controller, and the game’s art style has kept this Vita stunner looking impressive.

Some of the visuals, particularly the background visuals, were a bit underwhelming. The inability to disable crossplay makes me nervous to play online with such a prevelance of mods & hacks in other crossplay games. And the forced practice mode in Tours of Motorsport is frustrating and will likely limit the amount of tours I actually end up completing. It’s just too time consuming and, well, boring, to keep practicing the same track over and over. With that said, there is still plenty to enjoy here, and well-worth a try if you’re already subscribing to Xbox Game Pass.

For the asking price, you get a solid amount of fun, varied gameplay, and solid audio to top it off. The only thing that can drag this game down is the camera controls at times, and some issues with aiming in Demolition mode, but these issues could well be tweaked later on.

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.

Although it can be played solo, surviving The Outlast Trials is better and more fun with friends, although they’ll need pretty strong stomachs and a taste for extreme imagery. The Outlast Trials has strong survival puzzle mechanics, a good bit of macabre humor, and a confidently over-the-top presentation. It’ll need some additional content over time for real longevity, but the foundation is strong.

While I had a good time with The Teal Mask, The Indigo Disk was a marked improvement. You’ve got more Pokemon to catch, tougher battles to win, and more to do. On top of that, the story told in the two releases wraps up in a satisfying, well-crafted way. I still wish the clothing options were more robust, to be sure. And the game still doesn’t always run great. But it got me playing Pokemon Violet again, and I’m going to keep doing so. There’s more Legendaries to scoop up, after all. If you’re looking for more from the latest Pokemon game, the Area Zero DLC has some serious bang for your buck.

Pacific Drive had a unique hook and rightly deserved praise for its fresh take on the survival crafting genre. Whispers of the Woods offers an alternate starting adventure for new players and rich new content for veteran players returning to the game. It doesn’t radically reinvent the base game, but nails the perfect balance of fresh and familiar that makes DLC most effective.

Even with its flaws, Sairento VR‘s brand of cyberninja action makes it one of the most unique and refreshing shooters to date.

On its own merits, Skyward Sword HD still has a little rust on the blade. The level design leans on outdated, clumsy mechanics. Traversal between islands is boring at best, painful at worst. The motion controls, the outdated mechanics in question, are still an absolute third rail, not to be engaged with for any reason. On the other hand, this is an excellent remaster. The introduction of gamepad controls is a true life-saver. Your entire approach to the game, your stress levels, and your focus are altered on a fundamental level. 90 percent of Fi's handholding is optional now, which tightens up the gameplay loop by several degrees. With these hindrances removed, you can actually experience the game that so many fans still rave about to this day. While it's not perfect, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a massive improvement over the original release.

Because of the lightness in content, Everybody’s Golf feels like an early access version of the game. At least the game is priced accordingly. Fortunately, the paucity of content is offset by the strong technical and gameplay aspects of the VR presentation. Further, the VR mode really captures the finesse of setting up a shot. You can take practice swings which will project how the ball will fly before you switch to address mode and ‘really’ hit the ball. Everybody’s Golf VR is another shining example of a VR implementation of a game that has to be experienced to feel how immersive it is.

Dark Crystal Games’ passion for this type of game shines through in every facet. They have made every attempt to make the game as accessible to a wide range of players as possible. The game feels tight in terms of performance and I encountered no bugs. How much one will enjoy the game really depends on how much one will put into it.

Onimusha: Warlords is a fun remaster for those who have not experienced the franchise. While the remaster may not provide much new content for past players, it is undoubtedly a worthwhile experience for everyone else. Despite some design decisions of the past which haunt the remaster, namely the fixed camera and save system, Onimusha: Warlords is a classic title worthy of a playthrough. With Capcom re-establishing itself as a force in the industry with some of its latest releases, one can only wonder where the Onimusha series goes from here.

I’m thoroughly enjoying playing this game and I appreciate being able to keep the level of difficulty at a setting I feel comfortable with before each mission, which can be adjusted or decreased if you so choose. I just wish they had a bit more to offer to offer in terms of objectives.

Overall, I can easily recommend A Pixel Story. Although I was ultimately bested by the game’s brutal difficulty, I can still recognize the excellent design philosophy at work here.

Sonic Superstars manages to capture the magic of his earlier releases. The multilayered levels and innovation throughout make this one of the best Sonic games in years! While the multiplayer aspects are not as strong, the single-player portion undoubtedly proves that Sonic is back!

Life is Strange holds something unique – a sort of nostalgia and reflection of reality. While at times the stereotypical teen life is overplayed in the dialogue, the characters and Max’s world grew on me. Even in a short span of an episode, I felt the pains, struggles, and happiness of the characters and inevitably wanted to learn more about them.

Hardline is a Battlefield game in every sense of the word. The campaign is still not worth anything near the asking price, it has some annoyances and it’s meant to be played with friends in a squad. Just like BF: Vietnam and BF: 2142, it does not reinvent the wheel, but it does enough unique things to be called its own, and if you’re looking for chaotic multiplayer fun, you can never go wrong with Battlefield Hardline.

At first, Lila’s Sky Ark made me think I was getting sick of indies in this style in general, not just platformers. But the more I played it, I realized its weak opening was hiding a real gem. Once you dig into it, Lila’s Sky Ark is full of interesting characters, sweet story beats, and engaging gameplay.

If you have some nostalgia for classics like Forsaken or Descent you’re going find a lot to enjoy here in Sublevel Zero Redux and if you’re new to this type of gameplay experience, well, this is a great place to jump in too. Pleasing on the eyes and ears and featuring smooth gameplay that deftly balances relaxing exploration and intense combat, Sublevel Zero Redux will keep you up late at night as you continuously say to yourself… “Just one more try”.

Your enjoyment of this game depends on your expectations. While there is a cohesive story, it’s tucked away for the most part. You stumble across the plot every couple of hours, but much of your playtime is spent staying alive. The various gameplay loops have been tweaked, modified, and expanded from the original, but fans of the first game will find a lot of this very familiar. On the other hand, if you’ve been starving for more Subnautica, Below Zero is an absolute feast. You’re constantly scanning, salvaging, crafting, cooking, and expanding your little empire. Depending on your tolerance for stress, this can either be a serene little salt-crusted sandbox, or a nail-biting marathon. Either way, Subnautica: Below Zero is one ocean expedition you won’t want to miss.

With new upgrades, new armour, new merchants, pretty much everything has a little bit of something new to it, Hearts of Stone is an add-on that you won’t be disappointed with.

Well, there you have it. Guacamelee! 2 is a good time, but it’s not without its faults. Speaking frankly, though, my complaints are mostly just long-winded nit-picks. If you liked the first one, you’ll like this one. It’s as simple as that. I honestly can’t think of anything that this game doesn’t do as well or better than its predecessor.

While Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2013 may not have as many of the more fun activities as the previous games on the Kinect, there is a little bit of everything here to keep things fresh and keep you interested while you work towards your customized fitness goals.

Hindsight struggles to find a place within traditional expectations of a video game, but aside from some finicky controls, it achieves what it sets out to do. It’s up to you to decide if that journey sounds like a worthwhile endeavor.

Perhaps mislabeled as a Soulslike, Blades of Fire is a third-person fantasy action game with RPG elements. Its combat is exemplary. Finding the right weapon and the right place to strike each enemy is a well-thought-out system that feels great. While story is a bit bland, it’s told through an impressive blend of cinematic cutscenes, and a cryptic info drip. I loved the amount of detail in the environments. Like its title, Blades of Fire suffers from aspects that are kind of generic. The visual design and musical score emulate Hollywood fantasy to a fault, and the gameplay is excellent. Fans of action RPGs can safely ignore the Souslike label and enjoy this very accessible game.

The Jackbox Party Pack 11 is another fantastic set. One of its strengths is that it has three games that are variations of classic Jackbox Games. But that could also be a deterrent for people who own some Jackbox Party Packs already. Suspectives and Legends of Trivia are both fantastic, unique additions to the Jackbox Games library though. As with past Jackbox Party Packs, The Jackbox Party Pack 11 is half the price of a triple-A game. It’s a lot of value. Whether or not it’s a must-buy for Jackbox veterans will largely depend on their love of trivia.

All in all, Young Souls is a charming coming-of-age story that veers much darker than I expected. It’s a world I was happy to lose myself in, even if the characters weren’t always happy themselves. I’d recommend it to any fan of beat ’em ups and modern fantasy. Those button-mashing minigames are incredibly frustrating, though.

The final score-card on Punch Club is that it packs a huge amount of game into a tiny little package. This game, despite its cutesy appearance, is actually a pretty deep and sophisticated recreation of a struggling fighter’s life.

Runbow has impressed me with its gameplay and simplicity, and all I need now are more friends to play video games with.

The simple gameplay mechanics, slow pacing and amount of focus the game requires may turn off some gamers off. However, those who are open minded, love exploration and want an emotional experience will enjoy the game.

Overall, Super Mega Baseball 4 is the best arcade-inspired baseball game on the market. It also does a great job with its simulation aspects while keeping the Super Mega Baseball form. My favorite part of the game, aside from its strong gameplay, is the amount of customization there is. Whether you want to customize players, teams, leagues, or difficulty levels, there is something you can change. Overall, Super Mega Baseball 4 is a great baseball videogame experience, especially if you want a departure from the MLB.

Provides a solid amount of goodies to keep Breath of the Wild fans occupied through the summer months.

The lack of interaction with the Wii U version is a huge disappointment and the removal of some assets (like Mystery Mushrooms) makes the 3DS version feel like a “lite” version. It’s also bizarre that Nintendo didn’t include any 3D effect. On the flip-side, the inclusion of 100 exclusive, Nintendo created levels was pretty cool. Without a doubt, if you haven’t played the Wii U version, this game is an absolute must.

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

Harvestella isn’t trying to innovate anything. It’s a cozy throwback JRPG that stands apart by having a heavier emphasis on life sim elements. But it’s a story driven action JRG at its core, not a farming sim. Harvest Moon fans will probably be disappointed by its lack of farming mechanic depth, but fans of classic JRPGs who don’t normally love life sim games might really love it. Anyone who really enjoyed Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, or the multi-gameplay-style of the ActRaiser games should really take note.

Noctuary is simple yet intentional, made for players who want to sink into a story and savor it. The true stars are the storytelling, art, and music – along with that slightly corny anime flair you can’t help but love. Gorgeous combat animations and satisfying level-up moments keep things engaging between chapters. For the patient adventurer looking for something heartfelt between the sword swings, Noctuary is a little gem well worth playing.

NHL 2015 truly has glimpses of being a fantastic sports title on its own merit, given the improvements in the gameplay mechanics, visuals, physics and even sound. That being said, we have been spoiled to a degree by some outstanding previous versions with all the features and now I find that the series has lost a bit of its lustre given what they cut out to get this one out the door. The omission of key modes really hurts the end product, and in a way it feels like we stepping back somewhat.

Overall Watch Dogs 2 is an improvement over the original. A fresh new protagonist and setting drastically overhaul the sombre nature of the original and create an enjoyable sandbox in the process. While Watch Dogs 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to open world gameplay, it does provide enough creative ideas to keep even the most seasoned gamer amused.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 continues to evolve into a first-rate sim. The Dominion Malta expansion does something more than just adding stuff, though it does that, too. The Dinosaur Exchange adds an interesting ethical element to the mix, and the tie-ins to the movie bring a little blockbuster shine to the game as well.

If you are a grand strategy fan, and you are one of those people who avoids war whenever possible (I know you’re out there), Victoria 3 is the game for you. What it lacks in breadth it makes up for in depth. There isn’t a more sophisticated nation simulator around, and the game will only grow in time. Much like The Sims before, Paradox games tend to have dozens of expansion packs. I will probably leave Victoria 3 installed in anticipation of those. This is a gigantic, excellent strategy game and for some people (nerds), it’s going to be a fave.

Assuming you have any taste for frenetic action games, these two titles represent the cream of the crop.

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland is the perfect way to conclude this now tetralogy. That said, Gust could surprise us with another game set in the world of Arland. For now, though, Atelier Lulua is a crisp and clean experience with cute visuals and an even cuter cast of characters. While the gameplay is simple, it’s engaging enough to hold your attention and the best part is that you don’t need to have played the previous three games in order to understand this. With the added bonus of the simplified alchemy procedure, it’s an overall great title to pick up if you’ve been curious about the series.

Q.U.B.E. is a great puzzler that is both fun and challenging without delving too far into the ‘too complicated’ area that most puzzlers love to go to.

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.

Gunboat God is an addictive, bullet-hell adventure. Thanks to its unique premise, approach to manoeuvring, and striking art direction, it instantly sets itself apart from the competition. Tight controls make each scenario a thrill, keeping you enthralled throughout. While it can take some time to get to grips with its rhythm, once it clicks, it’s exhilarating.

This expansion may not appeal to everyone right out of the gate. While there may be a little something for everyone, your personal preference to building missions might sway whether you feel it’s worth the price tag. What’s there is very good, but only if that’s what you are interested in.

I loved Contra: Operation Galuga. The run-and-gun gameplay is perfect, and all the new levels, characters, modes, and gameplay additions add lots of depth. I just wish there were some options with the graphics. And I wish there was online co-op in addition to the classic couch co-op. But what’s here is great. I hope WayForward makes a Contra: Operation Galuga sequel, or maybe gives Super C similar treatment in the near future.

RPG Time: The Legend of Wright is unassailably clever. There is nothing remotely like it, at least visually. Many elements work really well, from the hand-crafted animations to the idea of the game springing from the imagination of a precocious, game-loving kid. I wish the story had been a bit more layered, and I wish actually playing the game matched the fun and panache of its presentation. Still, RPG Time: The Legend of Wright deserves praise for the audacity of its ideas and their generally successful implementation.

Storm Boy: The Game’s biggest flaw is its length. The price point, as of writing this, is unreleased, but it took me less than twenty minutes to beat the game, and so I hope the game stays accordingly affordable. I didn’t skip the minigames—sure, I didn’t get lost in them either, but I did play them all until I was bored. Of course, kids might spend considerably longer on it, getting lost collecting shells and feeding pelicans, but it still couldn’t take much more than half an hour.

No matter what genre of games interest you, Superhot is one you’ve got to play.

Kôna doesn’t inundate the player with a complicated story, and Parabole allows this captivating narrative and stellar graphics to speak for themselves. While there are a few issues within the game, they are not enough to spoil the fun of the game. If you are one that loves investigative story lines, this is for you, however, if you aren’t totally sold on the premise of the game, you might want to wait until the price of the game drops a bit.

Star Wars Outlaws is a great port and a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch 2 library. While it sticks to the tried-and-tested Ubisoft formula, it still delivers plenty of memorable moments in a beautiful open world. Other versions may run at a higher frame rate and feature sharper textures, but this iteration works incredibly well on the hybrid console – enough that its shortcomings are easy to overlook. If you passed on the first opportunity to delve into the seedy underbelly of the franchise, then this is the perfect opportunity to live out your scoundrel fantasy in a galaxy far, far away.

For fans of the franchise, Gundam Breaker 4 is a successful reward for the patient faithful. For casual Gundam players not deeply invested in the series, Gundam Breaker 4 is a surprisingly good introduction to the experience. After a few hours in its virtual battles, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll want to start building a collection of Gunpla. Clear your shelves and enjoy.

Like another rhythm game Thumper, Rez Infinite showcases the power of PSVR. While many people may look at a reboot or relaunch of a game as something lazy, Rez Infinite doesn’t fall in this category. Instead, Rez Infinite proves that the PSVR can breathe new life into old classics.

I love that there are many different options for how your Sims can achieve fame and the kinds of people they can shape out to be depending on how fame affects their lives and personalities. Overall, this expansion pack is solid and entertaining, and while $39.99 still seems like a high price to charge for DLC, it is pretty much worth it for any player who sees themselves using the fame system often.

It’s fun, looks great, elicits a lot of tense moments as you run into an empty room to reload your shotgun before a small band of soldiers comes marching through to their death.

Dusk is a fantastic game. I think it loses a little bit by being on the Switch as controlling such a fast character with a controller just doesn’t feel as good as it does with mouse and keyboard. Combine that with a weapon wheel that doesn’t slow time, and you can have some chaotic moments that come from annoyance as you struggle to get the weapon you want while bunny-hopping around. Still, the atmosphere, level design, and pure frenetic gameplay are more than enough to make up for these minor drawbacks. Dusk on Switch is a horrifically good time, and being able to take it on the go is worth a few compromises.

A good mystery should hook you right from the beginning. Solving your own murder is a juicy hook, to say the least. Better still, there’s a fascinating narrative beyond that elevator pitch. The mechanics are unique and engaging, the graphics are slick, and the writing keeps you plugged in until the very end. While I wasn’t a perfect fit for the puzzle design, that’s alright. Players more interested in a tense experience will find a lot to love here. I still appreciated the mix of frustration and elation, even as it burrowed into my brain. If you’re looking for a unique, puzzling mystery, definitely give Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective a shot.

If you can go into The Last Guardian with an understanding that its most important piece is the story of the boy and Trico then you will adore it. If you’re the type to trumpet gameplay over narrative no matter what then you’ll have a hard time forgiving this game its plethora of quirks.

The boss fights are an absolute delight. The dialogue is a ton of fun to read, so much so that it bolsters the story and keeps you engaged throughout the whole affair. Whatever problems you might glimpse on the surface, Ys Seven is an easy recommendation for any and all JRPG fans.

A pretty solid VR experience. The single player (or co-op) provides a great atmosphere. When it comes to getting the horror aspect to be actually horrific, Tripwire Interactive has done an excellent job. It’s really that experience that sells it. No, the enemies aren’t terribly varied, but Zeds seldom are I suppose.

While Reckoning won’t exactly blow your socks off or introduce anything incredibly innovative, it does enough to satisfy those hardcore fans still playing the game with only three months to go before Black Ops 3 drops.

I’ve played a lot of Ninja Turtles games recently. Though I’ve got a strong nostalgic connection to the franchise, the games don’t usually hook me. This one was a little different. The mechanics, along with the smooth challenge build-up and robust progression systems, snagged me immediately. I bounced off the story pretty hard, but I kept coming back anyway. You just want one more run, until it’s something like one in the morning. Between that and the multiplayer, TMNT: Splintered Fate is a worthy addition to an exclusive list of roguelike gems.

WarioWare: Get It Together! is a fantastic game that is nothing like anything currently on the Switch. Due to this, the game is an essential title for anyone who enjoys local multiplayer madness. Bubbling with content, you will have plenty to do even after completing the relatively short campaign. With a range of modes, there are tons of options to accommodate up to 4-players in cooperative or competitive mayhem. Although lacking online multiplayer, this is a rock-solid title that manages to be accessible, frustrating, and fun at the same time.

Summerset is a wonderful expansion for fans of ESO and people looking to jump in. The expressive new soundtrack and change of scenery are elegant and grandiose, and the detailed landscape provides endless corners and coves to explore. As expected, the lore is incredibly deep and offers an intimate opportunity to get to know the striving, high-brow Elves who inhabit the land.

In the smaller moments, Kingmaker captures the tabletop experience better than any single player game I’ve ever played. I’ve never had to set up watch rotations before or go hunting for meal ingredients. I love how every character has a favorite food and how it affects their stats. There’s a lot of game to this game, and I can’t imagine I’m going to want to stop playing it any time soon.

Serious props should go to Panic Button, by the way. It’s almost surreal to realize you’re essentially playing a AAA game on a console that is a step behind in processing power.

If you’re looking for a fun party game or just want to improve your dance skills – Just Dance 2020 is a must-own. My kids and I had a ton of fun with Just Dance 2020. If you’re a parent like me looking for a video game solution that gets your kids off their butts and moving, I highly recommend Just Dance 2020.

Age of Mythology: Retold-Immortal Pillars stylishly fulfills its mission of bringing back Chinese units to the game, much the way Tale of the Dragon did with the original. But that’s where the similarity ends. With a new story, heroes, gods, units and mechanics, Immortal Pillars adds its own flavors to the original recipe. The campaign is relatively short but fans of the game will enjoy throwing these units down against those from the Greeks, Norse, Egyptians and Atlanteans civilizations.

Playing Fracked is very enjoyable. The short length of the game leaves you with a sour taste, which is too bad because it is so entertaining to play. The environments are beautiful and the game mechanics and scale really immerse you in the virtual world. What also hurts Fracked is that the brevity of it is paired with a lack of replayability. There are no challenges or online leaderboards to compete against. There are coins to collect but you cannot use them for anything like say customizing your character or weapons. The top-notch production values make this a tight and exhilarating VR experience. Despite the shortness of the campaign, Fracked is a virtual action playground worth playing.

Overall, this game may lack the polish to make it a hallmark VR experience, but it excels where it matters most: blasting demons. Playing Doom 3 in VR is a real hoot.

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.

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles does its best to present you with a steady stream of breathtaking vistas, serene escapes and idyllic moments that snap to a picture frame with flawless ease. The core game has all of its slight flaws that came with the other versions, but I found that taking time to frame and save some of what I saw gave me a deeper appreciation of Yonder’s many high points.

I’ll be playing this one for a long time. After a dozen or so hours, I’m completely hooked. An impressive number of cards, enemies, items, and more to discover is going to keep me on this train, and the excellent visuals and music will help make the ride to hell… heavenly. It could use a patch or two, but Monster Train is a smash hit.

Code Vein II is a deep, stylish, and highly accessible entry into the “Soulslike” genre that prioritizes player empowerment over brutal punishment. While it lacks the technical polish of the titles that inspired it – most notably Elden Ring – it successfully carves out its own identity through an exceptional character creator, a unique time-traveling narrative, and a “Partner System” that provides a significant safety net for newcomers.

Knowledge is Power is a quirky, fun, bite-sized, quiz game show that utilizes nifty mechanics keeping the categories, questions, and competition entertaining. It’s visually pleasing with its charming cast of characters that surely a group of two to six people will enjoy.

The fact of the matter is that Dynasty Warriors 9 works as an experiment. This is Omega Force’s first attempt at an open-world title, and though not every aspect is great, it is a package that over-delivers where it counts and that, at its core, retains and improves upon the original hack and slash experience.

It’s just one of those games where you build that connection with players over a common goal, and doing it in such a simple way is certainly worth mention. Dreii is simply designed, pleasing to look at, and a ton of fun, be it with friends or the occasional stranger.