I can’t say enough good things about what Harmonix has created with DropMix. It’s music mixing made easy and approachable for even the most rhythmically challenged people you know. It’s made so that anyone can play, young or old, and no one feels left out of the fun. With an expanding library of cards that don’t break the bank, you’ll be able to add and continue creating insane mashups for a long time to come. If you’re a fan of music (and really, who isn’t?) then this is a game for you, ‘gamer’ or not.

Evil Genome is a Metroidvania that gets the most important part right and left me wanting in every other category. The sheer ecstasy of stringing together a dozen moves is betrayed by the game’s misunderstanding of what it wants to be. However, an unnecessarily complicated upgrade system and disappointing localization issues doesn’t stop Evil Genome from being a blast to play, for the most part.

Vindicta would’ve been a decent title had it launched a year sooner, before the release of superior shooters such as Robo Recall and Raw Data.

Shadow of War improves upon its predecessor in nearly every conceivable way. The story is more engaging and full of fascinating characters, the Nemesis System has been fleshed out to feel deeper and less formulaic, and all the additions to combat and progression are more than welcome. It may not be canon, but this is without a doubt the best game to take place in Tolkien’s expansive universe.

Morphite is a game with exactly as much depth and complexity as you want there to be.

Pylon: Rogue excels because it knows what it is; a rogue-like RPG about skill, precision, and stacking a crazy number of skills. Its presentation is nice if a bit simple and some enemies sadly tend to blend into the environment due to lighting which can lead to unfortunate hits, but it’s still a solid experience.

Cuphead impressed me in every facet, from its beautiful art style to its challenging gameplay. Studio MDHR clearly put a ton of love and time into every little detail in this game, and the entire package pays off that effort in a fantastic and challenging experience.

Forza Motorsport 7 is hardly a revolutionary racing experience but it is quite easily the best racer you’ll find on the Xbox One. Microsoft’s Xbox One X poster child can proudly take comfort in knowing this is absolutely a must buy.

Simply put, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions is a fantastic RPG for the 3DS. For those who were not fortunate enough to experience Super Mario RPG or the original Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, this is a must-have. The gameplay is fun, the puzzles are simple yet interesting, and the combat reminds us older gamers of a time when turn-based combat was at its peak.

Episode 2 – The Pact moves the series’ story forward nicely, confronting players with interesting, serious moral dilemmas. Well-rounded, complex characters continue to be added to the mix, providing the potential for an excellent narrative conclusion.

Probably the best Lego game I’ve played since Lego Marvel Super Heroes.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar represents a fascinating blend of comforting tropes and freshly-broken ground. Blistering, brainy combat is tucked into a gorgeous package rife with excitement and fun. Regardless of your spot on the RPG spectrum, Battle Chasers: Nightwar is one game you won’t want to miss.

If you’ve been looking for a good atmospheric adventure puzzler keep Xing: The Land Beyond in mind.

Robonauts is a game that knows precisely what it is: a classic arcade-inspired shooter with unique mechanics to keep it fresh.

The Solus Project does what it sets out to do — immerse you in a dangerous environment for a dozen or so hours and task you with surviving long enough to experience the story. While I wish there was a bit more to the plot, and while the controls frustrated me, it’s a fairly solid exploration and survival game. The VR component makes it worth investing some time in.

The entire game is based around exploration, puzzles, and atmosphere. It lives and dies on those three things.

Splasher manages to take one of the oldest gaming genres and deliver something new. Nothing about its novel mechanics come off as bizarre or out of place; it weaves mechanics and level design in such a way that it positively innovates. Kudos to the folks over at Splashteam for making a platformer that doesn’t rehash the same old experience.

There is a lot to really like about Project Cars 2. There’s a veritable smorgasbord of cars and tracks, enough so that there should be something for everyone. The visuals are again top notch. The handling is much improved since the first game. The issues that are there are ones that seem to be at least fixable.

Lightfield is a solid futuristic racer that definitely has some cool aspects to it. Lots of color, electronic music, and solid racing will pull you in for a time but the experience lacks depth and, for a $19.99US price tag, the variety could be greater. If you are really a fan of the genre, give Lightfield a try, but otherwise, stick to classics like WipeOut HD.

With a ton of ways to play and a spiffy new upgrade, Edge of Control is a lot of fun and held my attention better than many other racing games.

Ultimate Tekken Bowl is exactly what the name suggests: Tekken 7 characters bowling with nothing more. It is the basic of basics that doesn’t offer anything new or exciting to set it apart from the likes of other bowling games. Even if you’re a fan of the Tekken 7 cast, you’ll be rather disappointed that all the animations, greetings, and ending animations are copy and pasted right into the Ultimate Tekken Bowl giving the feeling that it’s a cheap regurgitation of the main game, just in a bowling setting.

NBA 2K18 is a solid title but does little to improve overall, featuring relatively the same experience as years past.

Gust’s attempt at creating a brand new world with Blue Reflection shows. The development team brought innovation to the table demonstrating they can step outside their comfort zone. However, production value and time may have hurt the project as the game suffers from random graphical stutters, a lack of rich animation, and a failure to utilize the entire cast of characters. Nonetheless, the party customization, character interactions, art style, and overall design is admirable and keeps things entertaining.

RUINER is a tight experience that transcends its inspirations and becomes an experience of its own.

The minor issues encountered while playing 3030 Deathwar Redux are just that: minor. If you like space exploration with a decent story, then this is easily the adventure for you. The price tag is low, the systems and mechanics are fun, and you are absolutely sure to get your money’s worth if you can get past the UI and influx of information at the start of the game.

The story is a bit dull, featuring a “mysterious Pokemon” that really isn’t that mysterious, even to casual fans like myself.

On its own this is still an excellent story, albeit one bogged down by all the most insufferable visual novel tropes. But without the first two parts, the story still feels incomplete.

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.

When I think about my time with Death of the Outsider, I don’t immediately think of the shortcomings in the story, I think about that oh-so-sweet combat that exemplifies my love for this series.

This is a step in the right direction, unfortunately, that still leaves things average at best.

NBA Live 18 is a step in the right direction.

The game teeters close to punishing the player with its brutal difficulty but it never felt frustrating to the point of quitting. The simple mechanics and graphics make Lichtspeer approachable to anyone and lends itself well to the Switch’s pick-up-and-play ideology. Grab it if you’re looking for some mindless fun.

With an absolutely gorgeous setting, deeply rich and complex character development, intelligent and tactical combat that is still user-friendly, and literally hundreds of ways to play through the game, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is an absolute must-have for fans of fantasy RPGs.

An interesting concept with a relatable story that is well executed in some aspects but done poorly in others. The game attempts to tell a thoughtful story about an invasion of privacy by requiring the player to snoop through a stranger’s phone, and the further you get in uncovering the depth of Laura’s problems, the more it feels like voyeurism. It requires some cognitive dissonance on the player’s part, drawing you out of the game and making you question why you are fishing for passwords and so aggressively digging into someone else’s life.

For all its playful polish, this is a Senran Kagura game at heart. The story battles take time to ramp up. The dialogue between said story battles can get a little tedious. The controls are pretty good, though at times I felt like they were rough around the edges. The fan service vibes are at full power with Peach Beach Splash.

Other than wishing for some more of that story, the only other drawback was that the default configuration for a controller didn’t have the brake mapped to it. You can change it of course, but should probably be there somewhere, to begin with. This game is worth your time, whether for nostalgia, the car combat or both.

PES 2018 is great off the pitch, but its very foundation begins to disintegrate when the whistle blows for kick-off.

The game’s focus on the art of defending and the long-awaited addition of authentic player styles makes the play experience a joy to take part in

Minecraft Story Mode Season Two started out on a high note for me, but as I wrap up Episode 3, Jailhouse Block, I’m to the point where the only notes worth appreciating are the musical ones. A story is slowly progressing, but I don’t feel like I’m having a hand in it, and quite frankly, I don’t know if I’d want to. Here’s hoping there’s still time to bring players back in on the action.

Though it might not take long before you give up in a fit of rage, while it lasts, Blasters of the Universe is one for the books.

Although I cannot discredit Infinity Ward or Activision for their good intentions, they simply fail to execute their plan in a really enticing way for veterans and newbies alike here in the final DLC.

If you’ve got an ear for French house music and an eye for Salvador Dali, this game will be a sumptuous feast. The soundtrack and the scenery weave together to create an experience greater than either separate element could offer. What you see and hear has the power to pull you in, to get you hooked almost immediately. But be warned: this game is crazy short.

There’s an existential discussion to be had over whether or not games need to be fun, and I’m not prepared to have it. Dark Train is not fun, but it is beautiful.

There are issues to be ironed out, the Auto Combo being a huge one right out of the gate, but none of the issues I have with the game can’t be fixed with patches or updates in the future. The core of Marvel vs Capcom Infinite shines like the Infinity Stones it features, and there are Infinite possibilities of where the game can go from here. It’s Mahvel baby, and it’s back in a big way.

Time Recoil is a competent action game with a gimmicky but cool mechanic that controls pretty darn well too. But it’s not a good sign when that central idea becomes old and tiresome. I wished there was more variety in levels because the overall story is interesting despite not being entirely original. The Time Attack mode surprised me with how deep it actually was but by the time I finished the campaign, I felt like it was too little too late. There’s some fun to be had, but your time may be better spent elsewhere.

Monster Hunter Stories is an unlikely alternative to the main series of the Monster Hunter franchise that effortlessly packs a punch. With its adorable cast of characters and art style, it’s inevitable to be drawn by it. With changes in the battle mechanics and role as a player, returning fans might be skeptical with how it holds up, but rest assured it’s a game for both returning fans and newcomers to enjoy and seamlessly fawn over.

If there’s a sale or you’re really into these experiential games, then Planet of the Eyes is absolutely worth a shot. It’s a great way to kill a couple hours and relax during your time off, especially if you’re a much more casual gamer. Otherwise, you won’t be missing much if you pick up something that gives you a bit more bang for your buck.

I came in cautiously optimistic, and I left bruised, battered, and brain-dead. Loose controls, bad graphics, and a painful narrative add up to a lousy time. If you’ve already bought into the Senko no Ronde franchise, you’ll probably find something to like here. No others need apply.

Though the game bears imperfections, Bungie has transcended my expectations for Destiny 2. The narrative succeeds in engaging me as a player, every great idea from Destiny 1 has been vastly expanded, and progression rewards are unyielding.

Warriors All-Stars won’t bring the Musou games to a new stage of prominence, but carving up swarms of enemies with a catalog of famous Koei Tecmo fighters has its fun moments. Controlling multiple fighters at once is particularly neat, as I can really cause some havoc when it’s not just one character on-screen. Unfortunately the story to earn this all-star cast isn’t enthralling enough, so any interest in plowing through it will have to come from the combat experiences alone.

Metroid: Samus Returns doesn’t merely hope to satisfy a sense of nostalgia, it transcends those aspirations to become a much more compelling experience. It takes nearly everything about its predecessors that made them great and introduces new elements that make gameplay feel fresh and exciting.

I don’t believe there’s anything new that awaits you with this PC re-release. But for gamers who enjoy bashing baddies in good-looking locales, I’d recommend you give One Piece: Unlimited Worlds Red Deluxe Edition a try. Even without knowing much about Luffy’s overarching story, this game will keep you entertained for a good amount of time.

While EA Sports has done a great job deepening fan-favorite modes and giving players a ton of exciting new content to choose from, there are a couple of areas that simply feel outdated. With that said, NHL 18 is still the most innovative hockey game to date, and regardless of your level of experience with the franchise, it will leave you wanting more, coming back for more fun time and time again.

Dead Alliance may not have the best visuals or the biggest budget, but it implements a MOBA-like system into an appropriate zombie shooter mold and provides a unique experience, unlike anything I’ve played in the genre. Other developers would do well to take notes from Psyop Games on their brilliant combination between MOBA and multiplayer shooter.

As a sprawling and interconnected 2D world, the bright and vibrant graphics pull you into the game even more. Now, if you’re looking to reminisce about the times you spent with friends at the arcade, you may have found the perfect game here. Between the graphics, the modern 16-bit soundtrack, and the entertaining gameplay, if you didn’t know what year it was, you might just feel like you’ve been transported to the late 1980s or early 1990s! This versatile little gem will have you playing for hours, as you try to mash your way through the waves of enemies and honestly, who doesn’t find that enjoyable?

Despite its flaws, I kept coming back for more. It’s quite possible that developer 34BigThings could have a successful franchise in their hands – I suppose we’ll know for sure in the future.

Clocking in at such a short length, FORM feels more like a great tech demo than a full title. It’s a shame the story left me with so many questions because there is definitely far more here worth exploring. Nonetheless, FORM’s strong atmosphere and expert combination of gameplay and sound simply demand to be experienced by anyone with a VR headset. Besides, as the old saying goes, it’s better to leave your audience wanting more. With a powerful debut, I look forward to whatever Charm Games comes up with next.

There is a deep sense of melancholy in Last Day of June, created through narrative tension and player resignation to seeing the same cutscene for the fifth time. Its solid story and dreamy visuals are the game’s saving graces in the end, through the repetition kept me from being completely drawn into its magic — a tragedy unto itself.

If you’re looking for a party game, Windjammers is a totally tubular choice. If you’re looking for a deep and engaging game that’ll keep you occupied for a long time – this isn’t it. Still, the core gameplay is fun and exciting as long as you’re playing with humans, so consider Windjammers an option the next time you’re wanting to elicit controller smashing rage from a fellow human.

If you have a VR setup and want that sort of introductory horror game to show your friends or family, Don’t Knock Twice is a great buy. It’s not overly expensive and a playthrough should take over an hour. If you consider yourself a horror buff and want the ultimate thrill, you have not found it here and I suggest you keep looking.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm gets a lot of things right about Life is Strange, and I for one am hella excited to ride this train with Chloe and Rachel right to the end.

Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth is a great game for those who have played the previous one; however, it isn’t entirely suited for new players. I would definitely recommend picking up the Mask of Deception first to get a feel for the story. That being said, once you have finished Mask of Deception, Mask of Truth will unveil many unanswered questions and with over 80+ hours of story, players will be in for one heck of an emotional rollercoaster.

If Knack’s track record has you worried, I’ll say this; Mark Cerny and company heard the complaints, and this is their response. Knack 2 is all fast-paced action and dramatic plot twists and tight, skillful platforming. It’s not perfect, but it makes a compelling case for the character platformer as a genre. In this era of first-person shooters and gritty action games, that’s a victory unto itself.

I was honestly very surprised at how short the game was, and though I really enjoyed my time spent playing through Reaching for Petals, I find it difficult to recommend paying for something that won’t give you much more than an hour’s worth of gameplay with little to no replayability. I feel selfish asking for more of the same, but if Reaching for Petals carried on for a few more hours I’d be singing a completely different tune.

Regardless of how well-received their initial product was, Halcyon 6: Lightspeed Edition is an evolution of it.

If you’re a fan of the original Rock of Ages, you will absolutely love Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder. Rock of Ages 2 brings back everything that made the original so fun and unique, then cranks the dial to eleven.

Playing this game on your own is a punishment. With some friends, however, it’s pretty fun.

If you’re interested in surfing or if you just want a fun game to blow some steam off with, you should really think about Surf World Series. You’ll be shouting ‘cowabunga’ at the top of your lungs before you know it.

It’s not a perfect adventure, and there will be some frustrating moments, but I’m ready to hear more of the song that this game brings.

Absolver isn’t for everyone. Fighting game fans will likely get loads of mileage out of building their own Combat Decks. But until Sloclap releases new content, the only endgame here is in PvP duels, which some players may find off putting. For anyone with even a slight interest in kung fu or martial arts movies, give Absolver a shot. It just might hook you.

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.

Although this isn’t the most thrilling episode so far, it seems like all of the conversations and emotional moments will act as a bridge between the first couple of episodes and the last two. While the excitement is rather lacking in the majority of this episode, Telltales gives us a more believable story overall, especially where all of the characters are concerned.

If you’re a fan of classic RPGs or didn’t have a PC to play Pillars of Eternity when it originally released, pick this up. Pillars is hands down one of the best RPGs I’ve played within the past few years, and the amount of gameplay you can walk through is staggering.

As repetitive as it is to keep saying for remasters, this is the definitive version and best way to play Resident Evil Revelations.

The best way to describe The Escapists 2 from its predecessor would be comparing an NES game to a SNES game.

Hangry Bunnies From Mars is an enjoyable game in short bursts. There isn’t much variety in it, you just kill bunnies. It is a bit above average as far as wave shooters go in VR, since shooting feels goods and weapons are fun. The reality is that while it is a fun diversion from time to time, it isn’t much else.

This is a fast-paced tactics adventure with a deep combat system and a charming cast of characters. Beyond the regular campaign there’s challenges to master, perfect scores to wrap up and collectibles to hunt down. Every level represents a puzzle with multiple solutions. The presentation is an absolute delight, and the play style is perfectly suited to the Switch. If you’ve any interest in turn-based tactics, Nintendo or Ubisoft games, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a slam dunk.

It has the perfect blend of balanced gameplay, multiplayer options, incredible story, and nostalgia all rolled into one, and any StarCraft gamer should be drooling at the chance to return to the Koprulu Sector.

F1 2017 took that momentum from 2016 and built on it to create an excellent experience.

Fans of the original game will be dying to jump back into the terrifying school to explore the familiar halls of horror while new fans may be put off by the somewhat outdated graphics. One thing is for sure, White Day: A Labyrinth Called School has a strong and very compelling narrative. Finding out the school’s hidden secrets and more about the ghouls that meander the halls will be a riveting experience to gamers.

Daedalic has a strong reputation, and they’ve maintained it with this release.

But even if it can’t quite measure up to Yakuza 0’s near-perfection, Yakuza Kiwami is still a thoroughly enjoyable experience for series veterans and newcomers alike. Whether you’re playing it as a sequel to Yakuza 0, or just want to see the original game in its newly-polished state, you’ll find it is packed with great stories, interesting diversions, and cool surprises – and all of that at $29.99 US. This series just keeps getting better and better.

Hey! Pikmin is a solid spin-off from the existing Pikmin franchise. While it doesn’t feature the tactical style gameplay of past Pikmin games, it also doesn’t feel like Pikmin was shoehorned into some random genre either.

Ultimately, this was two hours in which nothing was accomplished. I feel no closer to the new members of the team and I don’t see any reason why this journey was worth telling. It was recycled, mundane, and lacking in every way. Episode 2 is a huge letdown compared to the solid beginnings of Episode 1. There’s still time to right the ship, and I’m really hoping they manage to do just that.

There’s a good formula hiding somewhere in Agents of Mayhem, I just don’t think the solution was ever found. Perhaps in time with some improvements, my mind will change, but right now I don’t know if I’ll enlist with the Agents of Mayhem again.

Bottom line; this is real Uncharted. It may not have been written and directed by Neil Druckmann, but it bears his fingerprints. Action-packed, full of trademark Naughty Dog humor, and a surprising amount of character development and heart make Lost Legacy a full Uncharted experience.

EA Sports rolled the dice by going all in with a new engine and single player story mode. For the most part, they pulled it off as it features interesting characters and a compelling story. While it is predictable, a little too short and contains some goofy quick time events, it's a hearty addition to the franchise.

Is it a sequel or does it feel more like a remake? The immediate analogy that popped into my head was similar to comparing The Evil Dead to The Evil Dead 2. They both felt very similar even though not entirely the same. I guess in this case it’s a good thing that the original Nidhogg was so well received, it was a pretty great game and so is Nidhogg 2.

Using time as an enemy in such an ingenious fashion only makes the game more fun and the challenge more dangerous, and I can’t get enough of it.

The scary bits aren’t scary and the story goes flat almost out of nowhere, leaving for an experience that is very stunted.

Hellblade’s rewarding combat system and its larger story that deals with mental health in a significant way make for a great cinematic journey that isn’t afraid to embrace its linearity. While I would have liked to see the same kind of ambition in the puzzle design, Senua’s Sacrifice is a worthy addition alongside the likes of the severely underrated Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.

Crashday: Redline Edition stays true to its roots, offering gamers a variety of ways to play, however, as a whole the game just doesn’t mesh well together. One part car mayhem, one part stunt driving, and one part driving simulator, all narrated by cheesy mobster talk. With a name like Crashday: Redline I was expecting something akin to Twisted Metal or the Death Race films. Instead, we have a collection of moderately functional modes that offer a satisfying challenge, but odd and sometimes unresponsive controls.

Matterfall is an absolute gem to play, taking gameplay we know and love and adding just the right nuances to give us something great.

Contrary to its name, Original Journey is far from an original adventure, offering little to motivate players to see its campaign through. If not for the sake of this review, I would have thrown in the towel long ago. Unless you’re really keen on checking out some hand-drawn art, steer clear of Original Journey.

There are far better RPG’s available on the 3DS and there are far better “casual” games on the 3DS. But, those quirky Mii’s might still have the power to draw some of you into this grand adventure.

For better or for worse, this is classic Sonic the Hedgehog at its purest. The graphics, the sound, and the controls are all pixel-perfect reproductions lifted straight from your memories. Everything you loved and hated about the old games is back. If you took the time to master the special stages back in the day, you’ll find many opportunities to dust off those skills.

LawBreakers is downright fun. I can’t wait to get back to slide stabbing my enemies and zooming across maps at breakneck speeds. On top of the stellar gameplay, the game is bursting with personality and a keen sense of humor both of which serve the game in standing apart from its competition in addition to the inventive, gravity-defying combat. LawBreakers injects profound energy into the modern FPS genre, and I can’t wait to see how the meta develops and the game evolves over time with new game modes and characters.

Aztez certainly is a fun game and very quick to the action, but I felt the tactical layer hid too much of the great brawler underneath.