For me, Abzu came off as beautiful, but empty. And while it certainly had parts I loved and would revisit, its entirety as a package was overall lacking.

The first episode debut of Before The Storm will make returning Life Is Strange players feel like they never left Arcadia Bay. The characters might be younger but all the familiar locations, tone, and controls are pretty familiar (except the camera controls of which I am not a fan because it’s too fluid for its own good). As a first episode, Awake performs its task of setting things up for the adventure ahead, one that I really curious to see its direction. The original game used time travel to create a story with all sorts of unpredictable twists, turns, and emotional trauma. It would have been nice if Deck Nine didn’t religiously follow DONTNOD’s design but all the same, I want to see what Chloe Price got up to during a moment in time she needed a best friend the most.

PGA Tour 2K21 is a great game of golf. There are things I’d still love to see improved like animation, replays, and further deepening of the career mode. But there are plenty of courses (with more to come), solid mechanics, insane amounts of customization including a massive course creation tool, and a foundation for a game and series that I for one am very excited for. There’s a lot to love in PGA Tour 2K21 and the good news is with real-life courses overcrowded due to COVID, there’s a great digital alternative in PGA Tour 2K21.

The fighting system isn’t bad, it seems perfectly balanced, I just didn’t particular care for the way the game moved. If the movement had been more fluid, I think I would have really liked this game a lot.

“Atlas Mugged” is a disappointing stumble to what started out as an amazing burst out of the gate and I’m left hoping the next episode can make the rebound.

Entertaining, engaging and enveloping; once Five Nights at Freddy’s clasps its paws around you, it will be hard to let go.

This will never be anyone’s favourite title, but it’s a riskless purchase for anyone who wishes that story-focused games had a little more gameplay to them.

Perhaps if it had taken a page from Gone Home and had been developed as a horror-themed exploration game sans enemies, then Outlast would have been more effective. Take away the tedious patrol route study and stealth conventions and Outlast could be the cause for many, many sleepless nights.

It is easy to appreciate the effort and creativity that went into this title, but it is probably one that you will want to tackle in thirty or sixty minute spurts.

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is easily one of the most immersive games I’ve ever played.

The sequel improves upon the original with some solid mini games, accurate motion detection and the nifty SpyToy feature.

2K Sports has done Top Spin 3 a great service with a lot of the improvements that the game has gotten.

Marvel vs. Capcom Origins is an acceptable package. While Iron Galaxy did a decent job updating these games in terms of visuals and online play, they couldn't change the basic gameplay. One of the games included in this package is fun to play and the other is pretty poor. It's not the worst HD remake you could buy, but there are just too many other ones to make this a must buy.

Mutant Mudds Super Challenge is a welcome return to Max’s sprite-based world of tight controls and inventive hover-based platforming. With 40 levels and 100 required collectible coins in each, the amount of playtime depends largely on players’ skills. Intentionally tough but fair, the level design tests even the most hardcore players, and cruel bosses may impede progress indefinitely.

Overall I enjoyed my time with Flywrench but wished there was a better process for learning what was right and wrong in terms of mechanics. It starts off so well with elements and mechanics being introduced slowly but surely. By the later stages I was sure I’d be ready for the challenge, and maybe someday I will be. But after a few too many deaths and dumb luck wins I felt put-off. There’s definitely a lot to like with Flywrench for fans of the insanely difficult, rapid-spawning games but for the more casual it will only offer a brief run through 170+ levels that will end in glorious victory, endless deaths, or sheer, dumb luck.

Impatient gamers looking for immediate gratification may have a struggle with Age of Wonders: Planetfall’s leisurely, semi-opaque early game and mildly vertiginous learning curve but the pace picks up and patience pays off as the game evolves into a challenging mixture of combat and civ-building. On console, in particular, there are relatively few 4x games of note and Planetfall is a welcome addition. For PC fans of the genre and the franchise, the sci-fi/fantasy setting is well-executed and strong enough to make the series feel new again.

If you love picross and are looking for a slightly different experience, Depixtion is a game you should consider. The twist on the picross formula gives avid players a new challenge, while being easy for newcomers to pick up. The amount of content and ability to play in handheld or docked mode make this game a no-brainer for picross fans.

If you enjoy survival horror games which rely on atmospheric and subtle visuals and audio cues instead of cheap jump-scares, you will definitely love Yomawari: Midnight Shadows. It's an extremely creative game with an adorable outlook and incredibly dark undertones. Prepare to forgive the repetitiveness later in the game, and I can assure that you will have one scary (and cute) survival horror experience.

The MK franchise signs off with somewhat of a whimper, albeit boosting the largest character list and few enhanced features here and there.

This is a great game that not only explores the history of Sonic, but takes the best of the series and puts it into a single game. It's really disappointing then that the final third of the game is extraordinarily frustrating and poorly designed, especially when compared with how excellent the rest of the game really is.

If it wasn't for a few duds, this game would be incredible, but even still, it's the best game to show off your WiiU and a great experience to play with some friends.

Friends of Mineral Town may not feature quite everything that the newest Story of Seasons games have, but it comes fairly close and it does so while remaking one of the series most popular titles. Fans of this long-running farming series should feel good picking the remake up and playing it whenever they can, and if you're a recent convert (from, say, the breakout success of Stardew Valley), you will also undoubtedly love this title as well. Welcome back to Mineral Town!

If you liked the old Mega Man games then you probably already bought this, but if not do it immediately, and if you have never played one before, it’s a good time to start.

Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a deep, engaging and fun game that fans of the series and RPG followers will love at first glance, even though not every player will enjoy it.

The game now has a total of 50 songs, plenty of different modes to choose from in the same old DDR Style. Any fan of the series couldn't go wrong with this one.

Even if you don't want to assign a narrative to Linelight, or if you don't care about ambient music, or if you're not thrilled about the very minimal visuals, Linelight is still one of the best puzzle games I've played since The Witness. It's like weaving your way through a Piet Mondrian painting set to the tune of background study music. Sure, it has some pacing issues and some questionable puzzle mechanics, but Linelight is a puzzle game that stands alongside some of the greats in its genre and it deserves a lot more recognition.

Faith is Life Is Strange 2’s most engrossing, heart-wrenching episode and may likely stand as one of the best across of the entire franchise. What it lacks in gameplay, its excellent writing, wonderful performances by the cast, dramatic camera work and cinematic nature more than makes up for the deficit. It is how DONTNOD maturely handles sensitive subject matter like racism, belief, and family that makes this season feel far more grounded to a familiar reality than those before. As far as season finale lead-ins are concerned, Faith will have you counting the minutes until the anticipated conclusion.

Developers Headfirst brings H.P. Lovecraft's cult favorite Cthulhu mythos to life in this genuinely scary first person adventure title. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Sega seeks to reenergize the arcade racing genre, but just slaps some rehashed tracks from OutRun2 and nothing much else.

NBA Live 09 is the real deal when it comes to a great video game basketball experience. There isn’t a new mode that takes the game over the top, or a new feature that makes it best out there, but it is the combination of a vision and the hard work to get through some rough years to get to this game which is by far the best NBA Live game I have played in a long, long time.

Although a wider mix of genres would be welcome, Audica’s primary disappointment is that the musical tracks and laser pistol shooting seem more like parallel elements instead of perfectly integrated and complementary aspects of the game. There’s plenty of content and challenge in Audica, just not the same joyous highs and sensation of being inside the music that a few other VR music games provide.

Sky Force Anniversary is a polished and slick shoot 'em up but for a solo player it's more miss than a hit. It's really nothing special and there are more flashy games in the same genre available. If you have a friend to play the local co-op with the Sky Force Anniversary is more rewarding experience. Still I would have preferred the classic way of doing shooters instead of a grind festival which makes more sense in the mobile market due to the micro transactions easing up the way for the more impatient players.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a worthy inclusion for any fighting game fan’s collection. It’s a straight port of the 2011 game, but the included DLC makes the purchase worth its price. The graphics don’t feel too outdated, and its comic-book style still holds up as far as 2D fighters go. With a huge roster of fan-favorites, flashy movesets, classic game soundtrack remixes, fair online infrastructure, and medium-defying crossovers, UMvC3 is pure, unadulterated fun.

Outlaw is irrevocably everything that the first game should have been. It combines arcade and simulation gameplay in a way that is dynamic and fun but it definitely does require commitment. The space combat feels meaty but approachable. The technical graphics are great but the art style is phenomenal. The music is better than in the first game and there’s more of it. In all, I had great fun in the Dodge Sector, so much so I abandoned the main story for about 25 hours. The feeling of being a mercenary and the lure of completing “just one more job” is palpable. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is a fine, fine game. You could even call it “shiny.”

I can definitely applaud CE2 for not just resting on its laurels and just releasing more CEDX but with more maps and skins or something, but what they actually did with the gameplay managed to take a lot of the thrill out of it. Despite the fact that it seems to run a lot faster, there were too many times while playing this game that I just got bored in the middle of a run. “This still going, huh?” I thought to myself. For all its bells and whistles, bumping music, and sleek framerate, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 just doesn’t keep the thrill alive.

Life Is Strange: Before The Storm has its moments but on the whole, it just didn’t do enough to capture my attention the way Life Is Strange did. Though easily a tumultuous period in her life, Chloe wasn’t as interesting as she was in the original game. The whole back talk mechanic isn’t an adequate replacement for Max’s time travel ability because I feel the consequences weren’t nearly as substantial.

Bolstered by sensuous visuals and melodic, elegant heavy metal tunes, Othercide is definitely not the case of style over substance. Both sides of the game support each other in the eternal battle between good and evil. Any fan of tactical combat and challenge should break on through to Othercide!

Porting a game made for PC to consoles can be an iffy situation. It’s absolutely something that should happen when possible, as I am all for everyone being to play everything if they are able, but some just flat out work better then others. It’s a shame that the largest and unavoidable knock against Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire is something as silly as load times, but it is what it is. If you have a chance to play this game on PC, you should without question. If this is your only way to play this, just make sure you have something to do while you’re waiting.

EA shatters the curse as The Godfather does the great movie justice, drawing you into the Mafia world and backs it up with solid gameplay and engrossing plot.

First and foremost, Morrowind is a captivating place to land and an interesting island to explore, rich with lore and content but hobbled by some dull writing and bland storytelling. Like the Elder Scrolls Online base game, Morrowind feels static, lacking imagination in its mechanics and design. Fans of the 2002 RPG will enjoy the visual upgrade to what is now a very old game and current players of Elder Scrolls Online will certainly appreciate the new content as well. Gamers who became disenchanted with formulaic MMOs will have their disappointments confirmed in Morrowind, and should probably set sail for Vvardenfell with modest expectations.

Graphically the game looks gorgeous. It evokes a hand drawn style that is lovely. I wish there was more interaction with the environments though. Usually you cannot interact with it at all, and there is a distinct lack of NPCs for the most part. Figment is one of the easier adventure style games, but I don't think that is a negative. However, if you are a big fan of the genre, or want more of a challenge, this really isn't for you. I am knocking points off for the uninspired combat and the lack of interactivity with the environment and NPCs, but overall it is a fun light adventure.

Whispers of a Machine doesn’t seek out to revolutionize adventure games as its ambitions are elsewhere. Mundane wisdom and a Nordic cool ambience raise the game above the average crop that nowadays litters the once-flourished genre. It successfully does its bidding in showing why point-and-click adventures are so rewarding. You don’t need lightning-fast reflexes or to read enemy movements to make headway in them. Instead you need to be observant, thoughtful, and smart enough to interpret clues. Whispers of a Machine is a perfect game for everyone looking for a cracking whodunnit backed up by some contemplative thinking.

I will say that the Console Edition of Stellaris is bound to come out to some consternation. Merely because it’s based on a PC game released in 2016, you’re bound to have some complaints from computer players. The control scheme is an obvious one, but the lack of mods on consoles is another one. Still, I had a blast with the game and can easily see fans of the genre racking up hundreds of hours into it on their consoles, regardless. If 4X games are your thing and you’re looking for one to play on your console, Stellaris should be right up your alley!

Climax continues to refine its ATV racing franchise, adding more modes and much welcome PSP connectivity. Decent offering for what appears to be the last ATV on the PS2.

Thought the French should have won? Get inside the greatest show on earth with this sublime soccer sim, packed with trademark EA finesse and magic.

Although I appreciate what the Royal Pack has brought to the lore of Insomnia, its paltry additions may only appeal to the most hardcore fans who don’t mind replaying the definitive edition of a single chapter. If you’ve never played Final Fantasy XV, the Royal Edition or Windows Edition, both of which have all the DLC – including the character episodes and bonus content not present in the Royal Pack – is the way to go.

Don’t let the nondescript and somewhat generic title cause you to look away. Indivisible is charming as all hell, sweetened with a bit of old school flavor, and a product of high craft in every regard.

After the over-hyped console version, the handheld port fortunately delivers with a perfect blend of solid controls and challenging levels.

While there are a few frustrations that keep Anomaly 2 from being truly fantastic, the game’s additions to it’s unique tower offense gameplay makes this a worthwhile sequel.

Little Red Lie is depressing and misguided. However, it curls up so much in its self-pity and vitriolic hate towards everything that you can’t take it seriously anymore. And the game is meant to be taken very, very seriously. Not all entertainment is meant to make us feel good, but Little Red Lie pushes the envelope. At the very end, the game even falls into mocking at the player who has suffered the self-indulgent boredom of it all. I’m not sure that’s a good sales pitch for Will O’Neill’s future projects… I played this game through for you, and I hope you won’t ever make the same mistake. I’m sure the author meant for us to go all reflective on ourselves at the end but the game didn’t make me look into the mirror. I’m better than that - and so are you. And I’m not lying.

I was surprised to find that 2K Sports actually seemed to have more success this year with their freshman arcade baseball series, which actually comes out as a big success.

The Last Guy is in no way a bad game. It is just too much of a love it or hate it title to recommend to all, and the best way to decide is to play the demo.

It offers an appreciation of the smaller struggles during The Great War while exposing its horrors. The characters are charming, the gameplay is interesting, the storyline is gripping, and the visuals are full of heart.

Although it retains all the good stuff, the game does not get any next-gen treatment at all.

Midway has almost got their series down, just add more depth, and some more interesting features, and I can see next year's game is going to be a true winner.

Between the challenge, the mission variety, and the rock solid gameplay, there’s an incredible amount to like here and the ability to do it anywhere you want is enticing. The issues I mentioned definitely put a damper on the experience, though, and while some, like the bugs, may improve in time, I doubt we see those load times going anywhere. If you have no other way to experience XCOM 2, it’s still well worth your time. If you are in love with it and need a handheld version, you can feel confident that this is a very solid port. If you’re going to pick any version of the game, though, and handheld play isn’t your top priority, there are better options available.

Light-hearted and surprisingly solid.

The best way I can describe Quantum Break is that it’s a game that I never felt compelled to come back to. I never got invested in the experience; when I sat down to play I always enjoyed myself, but I never found any part of Quantum Break to be all that satisfying. It’s obvious that some masterful developers put this game together but the game lacks the intangible grab that truly great games have. Quantum Break for me ends up being a middle of the road third-person action game with some pretty spectacular ideas with shaky execution.

Spin-off or not, and not going into long-winded arguments for and against, the game does some things better than some of the latest main series entries. The turn-based combat is not only welcome, but it’s implemented on a level that surpasses the nostalgic legacy of it. Also, the writing is worth of a praise. As one half of the twins myself (with a brother though, not a cute thing like Reynn!), I really appreciate the banter between Reynn and Lann. It’s so fun, acute and savvy! World of Final Fantasy might be a bit of a slow burner, as it takes some time to get familiar with it, but when it opens up, you’ll be lost in the beauty of it, hunting mirages and resolving the mystery of the twins and the world around them.

Super Crush KO offers fantastic style and solid gameplay which is a strong opening combo for any action game. Far too little variety, even for a game this short, keeps it from being a must play, but there is fun to be had if you go in with the right expectations.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing was a treat, and hopefully, we’ll be able to have more in the future.

Herald: An Interactive Period Drama achieves what it set out to do: It weaves an elaborate story full of entertaining characters, without being squeamish in terms of pointing out racism and cultural bias. The atmosphere is a vivid landscape of bold, striking hues, and the dialog is ripe with interesting conversation choices. I felt genuinely interested in Devan’s experience and personally invested in my decisions along the way. Each choice felt like it carried true weight, given the context and underlining exploration of very serious themes. The voice acting is top-notch, and the soundtrack is a lovely element that compliments without overshadowing. I’m a huge fan of the Point & Click genre, so titles that challenge the norm and think outside the box always capture my attention. Fans of historical themes, story-rich adventures, and compelling characters need to look no further than Herald for a great new experience.

As a standalone arcade game it isn’t worth much. The multiplayer is what makes it great, whether it be local or online. It offers a face paced and ever-changing game space that can be fun for everyone.

Life Is Strange takes Telltale’s formula of consequence driven storytelling to create something original and extremely compelling.

With the additions and improvements, you can actually enjoy slicing up a few of the enemies for a while and attempt to enjoy the story line.

Lumo is a disappointing example of good intentions leading to bad results. While it pays admirable homage to the old-school, fixed-camera video games, Lumo falls victim to frustrating difficulty spikes and unwieldy movement. A short run-time coupled with a lack of depth perception spoils the fun, ensuring that Lumo is best left for those craving old-school puzzle games. The game isn’t without its charms, but it's hard to recommend it. Those interested in an old-school take on puzzle platforming may be willing to overcome its flaws, but modern gamers will want to reconsider their options before doubling down on Lumo.

It's a campaign that merits multiple playthroughs, and a story as strong and daring as those of Bioshock, Shadow of the Colossus and Dead Space 2. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that it achieves this in spite of mechanics that are noticeably dated and bereft of innovation. For that reason, the game is best taken as a whole, and not as something that can be played simply on the strength of its mechanical composition.

Game of Thrones Episode 3 continued to build on the tension of the previous entries.

The world is your skatepark, or Los Angeles in this case, as Neversoft's premier skater continues to impress with a seamless environment and solid gameplay.

In the end NHL 17 is a really great game of hockey. It’s got a full suite of features and modes that are complimented with excellent on-ice action. I found myself more engrossed in NHL 17 then I’ve been with a hockey game in quite some time. It’s a well-rounded and extremely polished game of hockey that fans of the franchise will be mighty happy with.

Deliver Us The Moon is a short adventure but a memorable one. I like how the story concludes in a manner that leaves loose threads, leaving you to speculate how things might have turned out for everything outside the player character’s sphere of influence. The puzzles are modest and easy and for as much backtracking you end up doing, the journey never felt arduous. And right when I felt like things were getting boring, I was treated to strategically placed views of a hauntingly beautiful lunar surface and a dying, lonely Earth floating off in the distance.

Frankly, Unravel Two is honestly just as enjoyable as the first Unravel, only instead of leaning heavily on the feels from a story perspective, it has upped the quality of its platforming. I would have loved for them to have found a way to highlight both sides of the equation, but based on my 4-5 hours of playtime, if one side had to fall even a little, they chose the right one. Unravel Two is a glorious little game and you’ll be better off having played it than not.

If you are a player that enjoys exploring while maneuvering your way through a dangerous platforming world, then On Rusty Trails is sure to deliver a memorable experience.

In the end, 20XX may not spin a tale warning us humans of a robotic future (or feature robots continuously wondering why they fight), but the gameplay here can't be denied: this is the spiritual Mega Man X sequel you've been waiting for. If that sounds like music to your ears, you owe it to yourself to give the game a try! For everlasting peace!

If Uncharted rose to fame with weapons it stole from washed-out Tomb Raider (before its reboot), Shadow of the Tomb Raider grabs them back, making it visually and gameplaywise the most essential action-adventure you can imagine. It not only builds upon the series legacy, it goes to its roots and successfully brings back the exploration that we were busy not to even notice was missing while tackling through many exciting action set pieces of the previous games. Doing so, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the most poignant entry in the long series since the very first game.

By its nature, a game trivializes its subject matter to some degree, no matter how seriously the subject is presented. One could argue that making any kind of game relating to the Holocaust is bad mojo, but on the other hand, it might engender some awareness of history and My Memory of Us —made by a Polish developer—obviously comes from a sincere place and not crass commercialism. Philosophy and aesthetic arguments aside, where My Memory of Us both occasionally succeeds but equally often stumbles is in its puzzles and gameplay and mechanics.

Olija’s atmosphere is spot on and despite its huge pixels, the game manages to channel Hugo Pratt’s fabled Corto Maltese graphic novels that take place in similar exotic corners of the world. The gameplay also works most of the time, but as is often the case with indie games, the authoritarian developer has gone overboard. The less is usually more but here, the style simply went over the substance and 12 hours of playtime more than overstays its welcome considering the game's ultimately shallow bounty.

Dungeon Defenders is ambitious, pretty and highly addictive; co-op junkies will no doubt eat this one up.

Some unfortunate issues with the online multiplayer, frustrating bosses, and a tutorial that is merely average prevent it from being the dominant fighting game it could have been.

Sanctum 2 is a good game, especially if you have friends to play it with, but if there is a Sanctum 3 in the future then I hope the developers take a more critical, iterative approach to their craft.

Criterion applies the lessons from the crash-laden Burnout series to make an over-the-top, explosion-heavy and beautifully flowing FPS.

In the end, Stranglehold is a good solid action game that struggles from being too repetitive and lacking a lot of what you need to have a long lasting action experience.

Kim Swift will make amazing games for family audiences at Airtight Games. But as a watered down version of Portal with a forgettable world and gameplay that makes you pound your desk in fury, Quantum Conundrum is a step backward.

While not pushing the boundaries of the genre in any significant way, Xeodrifter is a well made game which is sometimes all we need.

If Moon sounds like an innovative, ahead-of-its-time game, well, it is. I can honestly say I’ve never played a game quite like Moon. You can definitely see the influences to Undertale in the lack of a battle system, the skewering of RPG tropes, and emphasis on non-violence. I would recommend that classic RPG fans check it out, if only to see what the fuss is about. For everyone else, I think that the oddity of the gameplay and the old school mechanics might make this one a tough sell, but it’s worth your time if you are looking for something different.

If you can look past Skyrim VR's visual downgrade on the PlayStation VR, then there’s absolutely no reason not to dip back into the well. It's not perfect, as you can definitely see the limitations of the PSVR compared to the higher end VIVE and Oculus, but Skyrim's award-winning gameplay and storytelling, which is brought in completely intact, survives the transition completely unscathed. It's also a really great VR game to show off to people and let them explore a well-realized fantasy world. Skyrim VR also represents a good first step towards future VR ports of open world Bethesda games.

Like many of the sports games I’ve reviewed this year, FIFA 21 is a very small step forward for the franchise. The on-pitch action has never been better and although I think career mode could use a lot more love and attention, the moment-to-moment gameplay is still as compelling as ever. It’s just a very difficult game to recommend if you have FIFA 20 and that’s really what it comes down to. If you have last year’s game, you really don’t need to go to FIFA 21 but if you missed it for whatever reason, then this is a great game to jump back into.

With its tagline, Solo promises an experience that is both introspective and puzzle-based, and it lives up to that promise. Its unique presentation of the theme of love is backed by solid, well-designed puzzle gameplay. It's refreshing to play a game that not only makes you contemplate a theme in a way that other games do not, but also does it in a manner that does not neglect the aspects of games that make it a unique medium.

The Mega Man franchise strives ahead with the same solid and addictive gameplay, plus some added RPG elements and tweaks to please the fans.

Fans of strategy games and those looking for something a little different would be interested in the title. For beginners, there is a bit of a learning curve to get through and with an adjustable difficulty setting, you can easily take things slow. I just wish certain aspects of the game were explained a bit better.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare does little to really push the series forward in a meaningful way, beyond the addition of space combat. Although well written and acted, its story is still too binary and lacks the subtlety of real-life geopolitical conflict. Amazing, its short campaign can feel too long in places, and its stop-and-start pace suffers in comparison to its shooter peers. Multiplayer and Zombie modes fare better, and for many players, that will be good enough.

EA takes advantage of the drifting craze with a new NFS street racer, and backs that up with the team play and solid online mode.

For those of you fans of the original wishing for better online support should definitely check out Return to Arms, because I think it just may have what you are looking for.

Chimera Squad is XCOM, despite the colorful shell and slightly less permanent mechanics. The turn-based structure changes for the better with the introduction of individual turns and smaller maps, leading to less overwatch shuffling around maps. However, it loses steam when it comes to mission variety and it literally fails at one of its core areas by way of bugs. Does this stop me from recommending this game, especially at its seemingly budget price point? No, not really. But I can tell you that I am going to wait for a few updates before diving back in, to see which team members I missed and whether or not I can actually hit that 90% shot this time.

At its best, Panzer Paladin leans into its great core platforming to offer genre comfort food. Its movement tools feel rewarding, with twitchy controls and a fun variety of traversal options. The game's aesthetic is similarly successful, capturing the buoyant energy of 80s mecha anime with period-appropriate character designs and vivid coloring. But unfortunately, the game’s level design isn't always as compelling. Only the boss encounters and the final few levels fully take advantage of the tight controls, resulting in stretches that fall flat. Panzer Paladin may not eclipse its influences, but it is still a very competent retro throwback.

If you like turn based strategy games and want one that takes place in space then Endless Space can surely scratch that itch.

Just when I think Telltale has run out of places to go, and that I’ve finally figured out the hook to their plans with John Doe and his eventual transformation into full-fledged Joker-dom, they pull Crazy Ivan and give me a gift like Episode 4. Titled What Ails You, this episode is less a set-up of the finale then a stack of C4 primed to take out every story thread that’s been built up so far. Telltale continues to tell one of the best Batman stories out there right now. If you are at all interested in comics, or characters related to the Dark Knight, this is 100% not optional. Honestly, no one else should be sleeping on this either.

The music where deep, desolate bass contracts with upbeat melodies of street musicians tells about hope beyond gloom. Occasionally, when giant feet trample you or you’re sent literally through a grinder, the game falls for some heavy-handed symbolism. However, a good story is often a collection of proven clichés and metaphors and Mosaic compiles them into a compact and meaningful package.