I was pretty impressed how much depth the game actually had overall, considering its flat beginning.

Spintires: MudRunner is an off-roading simulator with serious potential to be a surprise hit for fans of simulators – particularly the Farming Simulator series. It creates a sense of purpose and duty in the job you set out to complete, and you desperately want to complete the task at hand, however, the almost complete lack of instructions on advanced yet core mechanics of the game will definitely be a point of frustration for gamers who have not previously played Spintires. For everything this game gets right – the attention to detail, the physics engine, and the freedom before you – it means very little if you can’t complete a single delivery.

Conga Master Party! is a blast to play. It’s simple but challenging in such an addicting way.

If you’ve been a fan of the series since the very beginning, let your faith in the series be restored, because Assassin’s Creed Origins is definitely the best title to come out of the popular series in a long time, if not ever.

The Mummy Demastered just feels too generic of a Metroidvania overall to give players any real lasting impression. It’s the kind of game that you’ll play through and mostly enjoy, but when it’s over you’ll have a hard time recalling any defining moments.

It’s hard to believe that both The New Order and The Old Blood have been topped, but MachineGames has done it again with The New Colossus.

Spelunker Party! hearkens back to the old days of platformers, featuring simple yet challenging gameplay. Playable individually, Spelunker Party! is likely at its best when played with others. For those looking for a simple, classic platformer, this game is likely to be right up your alley. On the other hand, players should not go into this expecting something more contemporary. Overall, Spelunker Party! is what it sets out to be, and it does it well.

Music notwithstanding, Riskers lacks the character of its peers. There’s a big city in which I can steal cars and shoot bystanders, but there’s not much else. The narrative may have helped the game standout, but there’s not enough there to have an impact.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm – Brave New World is a great middle installment to the three-part series, and it offers a nice balance of gameplay, tough choices and gripping story that I found interesting and fun to play through. Despite its shortcomings in the area of puzzle challenge and the integration of the Back Talk mechanic, the narrative momentum is strong enough to overcome any of these. Although I know, from playing the first series, that Rachel and Chloe’s relationship cannot end on a positive note, I still can’t wait to see the tempestuous conclusion nevertheless.

Super Mario Odyssey is a masterpiece. It surprised me regularly, delighted me constantly, and smashed my expectations in ways I’d never have predicted. The deftly woven combination of nostalgic themes, intuitive gameplay, and incredibly inventive design make this not only the best Mario game to date, but one of the most joyful and compelling games ever made.

To truly get that cosmic Superman feeling, this is one game you want to play in virtual reality.

If you decide to pull the trigger on it, I can guarantee that you’ll have an absolute blast. It’s 2016’s DOOM on acid.

Whether I’m popping Cabal heads, tossing grenades, or making swift 180 degree turns, the game feels outstanding to play.

Freaky Awesome has a fascinating premise, incredible music and delightful enemy design. Unfortunately, my biggest problems are with the game’s core mechanics.

88 Heroes is an amusing and challenging platformer with a big heart, yet beyond its pop culture references, humor, and numerical gimmick, there isn’t a whole lot to offer gamers looking for a lengthier experience.

Nights of Azure 2 doesn’t stray too far away from its predecessor but effectively deals with what it originally lacked – namely, making it highly customizable and providing variability. Battles are significantly more enticing and connected to the overarching story.

It is the epitome of the “just a few more minutes” addictive gameplay that many games attempt, but few achieve. If you were a fan of the original, check it out for a nostalgic rush. If you have never played it at all – this one is a must. Trust me, once you start RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic, you’ll have a very tough time stopping.

After completing ECHO, I can’t wait to see what ULTRA ULTRA does next, hopefully refining and then incorporating the system they’ve developed for this learning AI. Beating yourself at your own game feels satisfying, and losing yourself feels fair. Now, if they can just make the protagonist feel more powerful but throw in some enemy variety and more complications to deal with that power level, they’ll be set.

WWE 2K18 brings a lot to the digital squared circle, giving the wrestling fan in me a lot to like. New mechanics and match formats offer different ways to take on opponents, the new graphics and audio enhancements bring a hint of realism, and there are more wrestlers from yesterday and today to play then I really know what to do with.

Gran Turismo Sport is a game that is both very good on the track and incredibly important for the future of the genre and the eSports fascination at large. While I would still love to see a return to a traditional game in the form of Gran Turismo 7, Sport is in a league of its own and makes going back to games even outside its genre, like competitive shooters, that much more difficult because of how forward thinking it’s online suite is. The focus on sport and competition is the game’s most impressive asset, putting it in the category of the greats that came before it.

Warbanners becomes quickly unplayable. It’s not pretty to look at or listen to, the story isn’t all that engaging, and the interesting tactical elements are hard to find under all the tedium. I would say that only a die-hard of the genre would appreciate it, but then, a die-hard would be turned off by the design flaws. It looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer for the next turn-based masterpiece.

With a refocus on the dynamics of the Guardians as a team rather than the main plot line, Telltale appears to have repositioned themselves into a better perspective with which to enter the final act. With this episode, we can also begin to see how certain plotlines are coming together now that we near the end. We expect some great things from the final episode, perhaps aptly named Don’t Stop Believin’.

Story aside, Raiden V: Director’s Cut is a solid vertical scrolling shmup.

Fire Emblem Warriors does well in combining elements from the two series it combines. The story, although predictable, does an excellent job of incorporating the characters from the different titles and having them interact together. The game performs well both in docked and handheld modes, with strong voice acting throughout. While the game is on the easy side, the game has a lot of content to offer, and fans of the Fire Emblem series will feel that the developers have done the series justice with their take.

Rogue Trooper Redux is a third person shooter that surpasses the original by adding depth, a story of betrayal, an interesting dynamic with Rogue’s squad, multiple tactics, and fantastic controls. The game looks great and it’s easy enough for newcomers to enjoy without feeling overwhelmed. Rebellion and Tick Tock Games did a fantastic job keeping it authentic to the source material and it’s a game everyone should try.

Elex demands a certain species of patience, a particular brand of mental acuity.

While it didn’t scare me as much as I wanted it to, it packs plenty of tense moments and interesting situations into its somewhat inflated length and is definitely worth investigating for its atmosphere alone.

It’s held back by its repetition – the music, the modes; even the four bears get old after a while. Bust this out at a party for 30 minutes of fun, but don’t expect your friends to beg for more at the next get together.