This is a wonderful port that has a lot going for it, but it’s still probably the worst version of the game unless you're determined to play in Handheld Mode despite the lighting issues that come with doing so, or you really love gyro controls. You'll still have a great time with the conversion, and I commend 4A games for translating these games so well, but you will be making a trade-off. If the Switch is your only option to play Metro Redux, though, I can recommend conversion without hesitation. There's nothing else quite like it on the system.

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.

Expeditions: Viking features some admirably nuanced turn-based combat that is in service of a larger story and interesting characters. It is a game that probably demands -- and certainly rewards -- multiple playthroughs both to gain mastery over the systems and to explore different choices in the story. Relatively minor quibbles with the game's visuals, camera, controls and occasional bugs aside, playing Expeditions: Viking is an unexpectedly rewarding experience.

Sure, it’s derivative and predictable too, but it’s there where the game gets its strong footing. Also, we need more protagonists like Richard. His imperfection makes him more realistic than typical squeaky-clean heroes who are never wrong and act always in an altruistic manner. True to European branch of fiction, State of Mind doesn't feel like underlining or sugarcoating matters. Either you get them or don't, and the game gives a damn if you don’t.

Wasteland 2, for the most part, provides everything that its Kickstarter backers and fans of the genre are looking for.

There is so much material packed into Mortal Kombat X that even with a $60 price tag, there is value for the cost.

Do Not Fall was a bit of a pleasant surprise, offering some nice challenge with an interesting mechanic.

If you’re willing to put in the effort and learn what Total War: Rome 2 wants to teach you then you’ll find a game that is deeper, more robust, and more detailed than any strategy game that’s come before it.

Sick of the MLB? Let the legendary plumber take your troubles away with this challenging baseball title, complete with the good-old Nintendo charm.

Although not the optimal version of Plants vs. Zombies, I would say that this is a worthy entry into the Nintendo DS lineup. If you haven't yet tried this amazing game the DS is a good version to see what all the fuss is about.

After her horrendous PS2 debut, Lara gets back into top form on the 360 with a back-to-basics exploration-based gameplay and tasty puzzles.

If you enjoyed the previous Age of Wonders games and you had any reservations about this game, then rest easy – it is a very good one.

At the end of the day, NBA 2K21 is still an insanely good game of basketball that feels and plays like a game that hit its stride a couple of years ago and is now coming to the end of the generation. I still am amazed at how good the moment to moment action is in this game. And although I would have loved to see them really go for it in the MyCareer mode and revamp the microtransactions more than they did, this is still a game that I adore and continue to be impressed by. I have no idea what to expect from the PS5/XSX versions of this game but if its roots are still planted in the foundation of the last couple of years, we could have a very exciting game of basketball to look forward to.

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.

In a year packed to the brim with sprawling AAA blockbusters, the nearly claustrophobic hybrid that is Monolith still manages to leave a mark. It’s not revolutionary, but it deftly merges two genres that have largely been left separate. Most of all, it takes a lean but rock-solid framework and bolts just enough onto it to meet its goals. It accomplishes every one of them with ease, and it never attempts to do something it can’t excel at. It’s an example that more games should strive for.

In spite of its uneven difficulty, Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is an easy recommendation for fans of JRPGs. Its world is large, combat is varied, and solid pacing makes it an easy game to digest – especially from the comfort of the Switch's handheld mode. The writing could be better, as could voice acting during most of the game's more important scenes. However, Vesperia still holds up surprisingly well, even after all these years. If you're in need of a game to tide you over until the next big modern JRPG, or if you missed out on Tales of Vesperia the first time around, Definitive Edition makes a compelling case for your hard-earned cash.

When faced with challenges of a certain magnitude, many people seek escape through emotional-altering substances, mindless activities, destructive relationships or even by escaping physically to someplace remote and isolating. Eventually, they come to realize — perhaps suggested in Firewatch — the ultimate futility of trying to escape that which they carry with them all the time and they begin to accept and understand themselves a little more clearly.

The gameplay is decent and death is typically a result of taking risks that don’t pay off (or being screwed over by some last minute negative affliction). Learning how enemy’s behave, following their tells and knowing how to respond is the best way to conquer the game. Just know that it’s going to take a lot of practice and a whole lot of deaths to reach that point. What really sells the game, though, is an exquisite visual design that demands a coffee table art book. Dark Devotion is for those who swatted Quelaag, scoffed at Father Gascoigne, snickered at the Nameless King, and yawned at the entirety of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

As a first episode, Done Running managed to hook me in with its quiet, character moments, allowing for a closer connection to a character I have watched grow from a child into a young woman. I know there’s a lot left to come, but if these moments are any indication of where this season is headed, I am quite sure that the combination of Clem and AJ will have me breaking down in a flood of tears at the end. While the action detracts from the overall experience, I can’t help but look forward to the end, and the hope, that maybe, there is a happy ending inside the world of The Walking Dead.

The narrative that runs through that world isn’t always focused as it could be, but Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies is a largely excellent visual novel adventure.

A great game but is definitely more of an expansion then anything.

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

Even with a few issues, though, we're still dealing with a dream of fan service wrapped around a very solid arena fighter. There's not a lot of meat in the various modes of play but the pure gameplay variety should be enough to keep fans of this sort of title coming back for a long time to come. Any fan of Gundam should have a great time and anyone who enjoys an arena fighter should have a great time as well.

A much more upbeat entry chock full of streamlining that lets its new ideas really shine, Pokemon Sun and Moon are the most friendly and modern-feeling games the series has put forth in a long time. Though it shifts away from the exploratory aspects I've loved in past games to focus more on a main quest, S&M have some of the most memorable parts I've seen in the series in a while. It feels like Game Freak finally took cruise control off and are willing to try something new, and I just hope they expand on some of the more offbeat ideas in the future.

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.

Overall this game is perfect for pick up and put down play.

A much more upbeat entry chock full of streamlining that lets its new ideas really shine, Pokemon Sun and Moon are the most friendly and modern-feeling games the series has put forth in a long time. Though it shifts away from the exploratory aspects I've loved in past games to focus more on a main quest, S&M have some of the most memorable parts I've seen in the series in a while. It feels like Game Freak finally took cruise control off and are willing to try something new, and I just hope they expand on some of the more offbeat ideas in the future.

There are definitely some mechanics to be fixed, namely the monotony of the combat, but I enjoyed my time in this bleak world thoroughly.