The roguelike elements, a variety of characters with unique playstyles, and quick run times make Mooncrash easily replayable and fun in short play sessions. While Prey was a solid title, Mooncrash is a quality portion of the game that is comparable to the main game.

I went into What the Golf? expecting a fairly straightforward golf game with a few silly surprises, but it’s so much more than that. Even if its simplistic nature sometimes acts as a double-edged sword, What the Golf? is a devilishly charming experience full of good humor and imaginative gameplay wrapped up in a thoughtful and endearing package. It may be made by people who know nothing about golf, but they sure know how to make a fun video game.

This is the part where I tell old Total War fans that now is a great entry for dipping back into the franchise. The size, scale and themes feel much more like Total War than anything with muskets or wyverns. But this isn’t a backwards looking nostalgia project. Pharaoh: Total War Dynasties incorporates good ideas from nearly every entry in the series. I am more excited by the future of the Total War series than I have been for a while.

Darkest Dungeon is a grim game. The tactical strategy of both the combat and resource management comes with tension and complexity. This is not a foray into casual gaming, even dedicated Dark Souls players will find Darkest Dungeon a nightmare at times. It is, however, a rewarding experience and one that is full of character and excellent narration.

Though the mechanical elements are rock solid, the look and feel of the game is still off. At least for me, this campaign content feels subdued and a little lonely. Taken as part of the complete experience, the single-player content is something of a safe house. A quiet space where you can sharpen your skills and experiment with new weapons. Even so, the solo campaign for Splatoon 3 had me longing for the chaos of the online arena.

There is no doubt many will turn their nose at yet another Call of Duty game running on the same engine at 60 frames per second. The "ain't broke don't fix" path has certainly been taken again. This being said, Treyarch has undeniably been able to up the ante in nearly every facet of the Call of Duty experience with Black Ops 2. The riveting single player storyline features the wonderfully-designed strategic Strike Force Missions; the online Multiplayer experience is much more robust than ever before and the Zombies mode has also received significant upgrades. It is quite amazing how the development team managed to fit this much content onto one disk. Needless to say, shooter fans can purchase Black Ops 2 with confidence.

Judgment has its flaws, but it does give you a fresh take on the established Yakuza formula, and the story and characters bring some much-needed realism that sets the game apart. The gameplay additions, while they don’t always hit the mark, at least represent an attempt to keep things interesting. If you haven’t yet played Judgment, this new Remastered version is absolutely the way to play it. Disappointingly, it doesn’t offer any new content, but it does improve on the graphics, frame rate and load times to a degree that vastly improves the experience.

In terms of basic gameplay, this War of Mine is actually quite a bit like The Sims.

Puyo Puyo Tetris isn’t just an arcade puzzle game; it’s packed with loads of different mode types, ways to play with others, and approaches to the puzzle genre. There’s so much to do in many more different ways that truly brings out both Puyo Puyo and Tetris in a unique way. Together, Puyo Puyo and Tetris make the ultimate stack, match, and clear game. If you even have the slightest urge to puzzle it out Puyo Puyo or Tetris style, give Puyo Puyo Tetris a shot, you won’t be disappointed.

Battlefield 6 is an improvement over its predecessor in many ways. The single player campaign has some impressive visuals, but the gameplay and story leaves much to be desired. The multiplayer is where Battlefield 6 shines, and should keep players engaged for the foreseeable future. I do wish the devs would have given us a console-only crossplay so Xbox and PlayStation gamers could game together. All in all, I imagine I’ll be jumping into Battlefield 6 for more often than I did Battlefield 2042. Granted, that wouldn’t take much. Battlefield 6 is a step in the right direction. But for future single player campaigns, maybe consider bringing back Battlefield: Hardline or Battlefield: Bad Company.

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.

Cassette Beasts is a fantastic Pokémon alternative. It’s a fun monster catching JRPG, with lots of memorable moments. Any fan of turn-based JRPGs, 2D Legend of Zelda-like adventure games, or collect-a-thons should give it a play. Right now Cassette Beasts is a PC-exclusive, but there are Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch versions planned for May 25 2023.

MLB The Show 20 is less like that random pitcher who threw a perfect game, and more like your perennial Cy Young candidate. You can count on the franchise to come out year after year with quality content and gameplay. While the actual season may not be happening soon, MLB The Show 20 is sure to keep baseball fans glued to their screens.

NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… is the perfect way for fans of Automata to experience the original and for newcomers to engage with the franchise. With updated combat and visuals, Replicant can proudly sit amongst greats in the genre; however, the hypersexualized representation of Kainé remains and deters from an incredible experience.

Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is a technical improvement over Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. It still has some problems that should have been flagged during quality assurance testing. The cursor should just be dropped from all sections that aren’t point-and-click. But the narrative is fantastic, and the “Choose Your Own Adventure” chapter structure makes the experience feel more like a game, and less like a novel. The stylistic visuals mask Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse’s low budget, and the music is constantly phenomenal. I’m not sure if the first game has been patched, but Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is enough of an improvement that I might give it another try.

When you combine the great music, voice work, and amazing physics based pinball action with a great theme like Star Wars you get greatness in a product like this.

Zen Pinball 2: Portal Pinball is a marvellous experience which makes you want to pull out the Portal games and play them all over again.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 removes whatever imaginary stench Modern Warfare III left behind by revitalizing the franchise with a standout campaign, engaging multiplayer, and a nostalgic yet innovative Zombies experience. The seamless launch with minimal issues speaks to the 4-year development cycle, resulting in one of the most polished COD entries at launch in recent memory. The campaign’s rich narrative, enjoyable mechanics, and sheer variety adds depth and excitement to the single-player experience. Meanwhile, the multiplayer mode strikes a perfect balance between familiarity and fresh gameplay, ensuring that both new and returning players feel right at home. With its return to classic round-based Zombies, Black Ops 6 successfully appeals to long-time fans while offering enough new content to keep everyone invested all year round. Overall, this installment not only meets but exceeds expectations.

Project Cars occupies a unique bridging point between arcade racers and full out simulation games. The good news for hardcore racers is that the game’s fuel mixture is graded with a performance that pushes Project Cars more to the sim side of the starting grid.

If you’re looking for a complex city builder where you need to stress over sewage systems and power grids, Two Point Campus isn’t it. However, if you want to spend some happy hours creatively building the college that you wish you had attended, mission accomplished. Two Point Campus is first and foremost a lot of fun. It doesn’t thumb its nose at higher education so much as use it as a jumping-off point for silliness and a relatively deep building sim. Two Point Campus is a warm-hearted and good-natured take on college life, an engaging sim that’s accessible and entertaining.

If there was a place Duck Game runs foul it is in the amount of content. While there are a lot of guns and interactions the rest of the game is shallow. In a party atmosphere rotating through games is no problem but playing through online multiplayer is a different story. The $13 price tag mitigates this somewhat, but I think some people will become bored should they play multiple rounds in a row. As a party game, I recommend Duck Game highly. As a personal purchase, I still recommend Duck Game because it is a simple game done well.

I was so engaged when playing through Danganronpa Decadence. My predictions were wrong, and I was very impressed with the outcome. If you’re at all a fan of visual novels, mysteries, or anime aesthetics, then Danganronpa Decadence is a must play. It’s four games for the price of one, and I loved all of them.

Unpacking is going to stick with me at least as hard as the latest superhero movie I saw, and it’s going to make the next time I need to look for a new place that much more tolerable. Maybe even fun. I enjoyed the brief time I spent with Unpacking, and I’m not going to stop thinking about it before my next move.

The controls are simple and soon become second nature as you mine, create, and battle your way around a lush yet simplistic world.

With some impressive titles already released this year, the Nintendo Switch continues its hot streak with Splatoon 2. This may seem like a bold statement but Splatoon 2 finds itself to be one of the best shooters available right now. Granted, it is hard to compare gritty AAA first-person shooters with Splatoon 2 but it's equally hard to argue against the aesthetically pleasing visuals, smooth framerate, polished gameplay, and pure fun of the game.

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a beautiful Metroidvania that features wonderful platforming segments alongside challenging encounters. The world encourages exploration, with each route rewarding you, further incentivising you to venture into the unknown. Although the game follows conventions, it delivers a fascinating adventure that fans of the genre will adore.

Stray is much more than a jaunt with an adorable cat. It tells a story about social injustice in a form that is both clever and discreet. The gorgeous visuals and attention to detail make it easy to lose yourself in a distinct world. While the game lacks challenge, the pace and memorable set-pieces make this a tremendous trek with a tabby.

For the most part, though, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life gives fans of the series what they want, plus a new level of polish and smoother gameplay. And if you’re new to the series, this is one of the better titles to start with, and you’ll catch on to what you’re supposed to do pretty quickly.