With no new features aside from the rudimentary 3D, this collection is meant to satisfy those who haven’t come to love the unique and colorful world of Phoenix Wright.

With its platform-like nature and the ability to demo tables before you buy, Pinball FX 2 is new the videogame destination for pinball fans.

Where the first two episodes took their time setting up the narrative machine, The Sword in the Darkness finally puts that machine into motion. Telltale's initial promise that each character's actions will ripple out and affect the others is coming to fruition. I only expect to see that even more with the next episode.

It's been a while since a Dynasty Warriors game was this addictive, and that's a huge bonus. While established fans will find the game to be incredibly fun, it's highly doubtful that longtime DW haters will be drawn into the series by this new one. Definitely a worthy purchase for those that like Koei's work.

A well-rounded package that provides a mass of content clearly produced by developers who cared deeply about what they were doing.

Broken Age: Act 1 was so perfect that perhaps my expectations were inflated when playing through the second half. However, despite the challenges Broken Age is still very much a beautiful game with a heartwarming story.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is an astoundingly good game. There is so much creativity packed into its seven different worlds that I could not stop playing it over the past weekend because I was too excited to see what was next. This is, without a doubt, the best SpongeBob game I’ve ever played, and I hope Purple Lamp Studios keeps the keys to the license for years to come.

If you're up for tackling a long, sweet, silly retail-sized RPG for a fraction of the price, the Denpa Men are sure to please.

When everything comes together, Castaway feels just substantial enough to recommend. Many will still find it too short, but it’s not all bad if your only real complaint is that you want more. I love projects like this, and it’s something I’d be keen to see more of in the future. You can really tell when a developer is channeling something they adore and doing their best to put their own spin on it and show everyone what they can do with a specific set of tools. If this proves successful, I really hope Vinet is afforded the opportunity to revisit the world, or at least one in the same vein. For now, though, at least I can rest easy knowing I got my dog back before it even had time to miss me.

Even if the most essential features in Rivals won't be meaningful to a lot of people, this expansion represents Rock Band 4 at its best to this point.

If InterWave manage to grow alongside the community, Nuclear Dawn could become the most important FPS game to arrive in a long time. Right now, it's a welcome replacement for Team Fortress 2 and stopgap until Natural Selection 2.

Earth Defense Force 2 may not be a brand new game per say, but has enough original content to keep it feeling fresh alongside the other recent releases in the series. With a lot of replayability, online four-player co-op, and a budget price tag it is easy to recommend to Vita owners looking for some campy over-the-top action in spite of its flaws.

It's a good chunk of content for an absolute steal of a price. The wackiness of grabbing your friends, flinging yourself around, making faces and noises, and just causing shenanigans all around doesn't really get old. Heave Ho is a much harder sell to anyone expecting to play it solo, but it's an absolute must-have for any local multiplayer get-together with friends.

As much as I loved Project X Zone, it's not for everyone. The story is incomprehensible. It can be pretty repetitive. And those lacking a strong attachment to Capcom, Namco Bandai, and Sega's iconic characters might want to stay away. That said, this is a love letter from Japan that just any RPG fan should seriously consider checking out.

L.A. Noire isn't the prettiest project, but it still holds up because there isn't anything quite like it even today.

Despite the serious tone set by the plot, it's best to go into Clandestine with a light-hearted approach. The movement is a bit clunky, the animations and voice acting are stiff as a board, and there's plenty of visual issues. However, the core gameplay and asymmetric ideas work well together.

Total War: Pharaoh stands atop the pyramids of grand-scale RTS. It takes the franchise in a bold new direction, adding a slew of new systems and features that enhance the gameplay. Despite choosing to play it safe with battles, the new systems are a big step forward. And while it has its flaws, Pharaoh features one of the best campaigns yet in an exciting and beautiful setting.

Like a Dragon Gaiden has games, laughs, tears, and brawls where characters dramatically reveal their resplendent back tattoos. It does what a new Like a Dragon entry needs to do, and tees up some big emotional moments for its longtime series lead along the way. If you want a deep story with twists and turns, this may not be all you hope for. But if you run off the beaten path to get a model AiAi out of the UFO Catcher, this should more than tide you over to Infinite Wealth.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a huge step up from its predecessor, mostly because it manages to tell a more compelling and personal tale. At the same time, that intimate feel is juxtaposed against a gigantic, sprawling open-world adventure that may hit some snags along the way but still comes out on top.

The experience is not flawless by any means, with a story mode that stumbles over too many frustrating sequences and not enough narrative pay-off to make it worthwhile on its own. But taken as a whole -- with its frequent bits of brilliance and its delightful, heart-pounding moments -- Mirror’s Edge is a leap of faith worth taking.

In terms of addressing and incorporating the new standards established by Kinect, Kung Fu High Impact has done well. It's fun played alone or with a group, and is even a great workout.

I found myself largely enamored with Phoenotopia Awakening. Its often humorous and sometimes sentimental dialogue got through to me, and its challenging but tight platforming action really appealed. I’m a little bit weary from my trek through its expansive campaign, but I’m satisfied all the same. It’s an aesthetically pleasing, unforgivingly mean, but an altogether lovingly assembled experience.

Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is worth it for 9 alone, but you'll also get to experience several legacy games that were passed by.

Simply put, it’s a title that knows what it is and seems to hit all its targets with deadly precision. This results in a game that isn’t exactly transcendental, but is as solid as bedrock. Even if you’re not a fan of the Record of Lodoss War source material, it is worth a look. At the very least, it took me back to my days of binging on Castlevania’s Game Boy and DS titles, which I mean as a compliment. It may not be the freshest meal in the cafeteria, but it’s still a tasty dish at the right price.

Although GNOG is brief enough to be a single-sitting game, that length feels about right, give or take another puzzle or two to really round out the package. Most everything is well-thought-out, polished, and delightful, so even with those quibbles, there's a lot to love.

Drawful 2 is a phenomenal vehicle to waste away an entire evening with your friends doubled over in fits of laughter. It's hard to care about the lack of real innovation when tears are blurring your vision and you can't catch your breath from laughing so hard.

It’s a loving tribute to Atari’s early console and the games that defined it, and it provides a nostalgic vision of yesteryear’s gaming laced with a bit of horror. The final act might be a bit too much torment, but it doesn’t crack the polish of the game’s bulk. It’s absolutely worth it, just maybe chamber a few swears in preparation.

Everything is pretty clearly laid out for you and none of the puzzles are excessively challenging or logically obtuse, leaving you free to enjoy the humor and absurdity.

Gunbrella is a rather easy recommendation. It’s a solid platformer with a lot of charm. I’m not sure it will be at the top of my mind when I think of my favorite games, and I don’t think I’m going to be eager to scoop up a physical copy sometime in the future, but I undoubtedly enjoyed my time with it. It’s worth keeping for a rainy day.

Perfect Gold is one such game that did manage to hit paydirt. It’s absolutely solid, and finding a narrative, even in the VN genre, that deserves to be called that can be difficult. The characters are flawed without being annoying, interesting without being archetypal, and the storytelling does a great job of focusing on them. It’s worthwhile if you’re into watching two people in love while figuring themselves out.

It's not likely that Your Shape will or should replace an actual in-the-gym routine, but it's a great supplement and a step in the right direction for the more sedentary gamers among us.

Blackguards is a wonderful tactics game with some rough edges. The core gameplay and character progression elements are easily some of the best in the genre, but as battles tend to drag on and more and more enemies scream “owAUGH,” the interest tends to fade.

Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters is certainly one of the most unique titles the Vita has seen or will see by far, and while it can take an astronomical amount of getting used to, it's absolutely worth investing time in.

Rain is not quite the model of refinement that some of its PlayStation Network peers have been, but it's an overwhelmingly amiable, effectively cultivated little adventure. Calming and scary, amusing and sorrowful, Rain is a game that jogs calmly through a gamut of emotions, rather than sprints headlong into mood whiplash, and it's incredibly difficult to ever dislike it, even during its twitchier moments. Rain is, above all, a most balmy experience.

Toy Soldiers is a great tower defense game for fans of the genre, and a pretty solid experience even for those who normally don't like such titles. Well worth checking out and could easily provide a day's distraction at the very least, with potential to become addictive for those who just love watching plastic army men burn.

As long as you can deal with a little skin and a silly plotline, Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed is a fun little action romp.

This is a playground that doesn't feel overly gamified. It's something I'd want to periodically return to just to roam around in it and take in the sights.

Krunch is a title that is sure to please anyone who stayed up late completing the Skyscraper Warp Zone in Super Meat Boy or ripped their hair out completing the Veni Vidi Vici room in VVVVVV. Fellow masochists, rejoice!

Steins;Gate is a taxing game, but it's also quite beautiful, from the talented Japanese voice cast (no English dub, unfortunately) to artist huke's unorthodox visuals. It's an exemplary visual novel with a thrilling premise, memorable characters, and a fantastic "true" ending that may very well move you to tears.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is certainly not a perfect game, but for all its flaws, it’s my favorite CoD game that I’ve played so far. The story mode was a blast, and the multiplayer is just as addicting as ever. It’s one of the best looking games we may have so far, and I recommend playing it on a next gen console or souped-up PC if you can to see it at its full potential. Infinity Ward has proven yet again that Call of Duty is at the forefront of the FPS genre, and I’m really impressed with how they continue to drive the series forward.

Really, you can’t go wrong with Kiwami. I would have liked it if every aspect of the game had been fully redone, but we don’t see remakes like this come along often. I can deal with a few stumbling blocks when the core quality of what makes Yakuza so unique and engaging remains untouched. At least now more people can have a chance to experience this classic, which is the best thing about Kiwami’s existence.

I absolutely love the colorful art style that makes up the set pieces that themselves tell a story of a forgotten post-apocalyptic world, and the soundtrack is composed of retro-inspired chiptunes.

At the end of the day, Sam & Max Season One is an excellent game with enough punch to overcome its deficiencies.

Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is a masterclass in how to re-energise a classic title. There's no denying that the 25-year-old gameplay doesn't quite hold up to its modern contemporaries, but with over 100 missions, progressive options, revamped multiplayer, and full mod support, C&C Remastered is both a solid package and a proud testament to Westwood Studios' genre-defining work. Now, about Red Alert 2...

The Coalition has achieved a lot with Gears 5. The writing and action often rivals the best moments in the series, even surpassing its predecessors at times. The overall package is the most robust Gears has ever seen. But, the big structural alteration feels like an unequivocal misstep. Gears 5 is a rousing success, but it could've done without the needless change.

This fusion of visual novel of rhythm game isn't exactly perfect, but speaking as someone who loves Persona (and Shoji Meguro's work in particular), I really enjoyed my time with this one. It might be pure fan service, but sometimes maybe that's enough.

Azure Striker Gunvolt is a wonderful return to the technical Mega Man formula found in multiple subfranchises after the "Classic" series ran its course. Between mastering every stage, collecting every jewel, and beating Mighty Gunvolt, Azure packs in more than most platformers on the market.

Superliminal's satisfying every time a puzzle clicks. It sounds obvious, but that's the most redeeming trait a puzzle game can have. Sometimes it'll take you by surprise, sometimes you'll train your eye to see it coming. But analyzing a situation, exploring possibilities, and approaching it from unique angles never fails to be rewarding. Is that enough to offset the realization that you're starting from obtuse and working backward toward logical? It all depends on your perspective.

The classic games aren't quite the selections I'd have made, but they're all worth checking out, and when combined with the extra content, they become one of the better anniversary packages out there.

Koei Tecmo could have used this opportunity to further strengthen the weak link beyond what it already did, but the first two games still stand so tall that it justifies the preservation altogether.

Spend enough time with Get Even and you're likely certain to see why it's so arresting. There's something unique and original and intriguing at the core of this game. But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this is just the Stockholm Syndrome talking.

A truly new adventure, and deserves to be treated as such. As much as it will likely be enjoyed by fans of FFVII, I can also imagine gamers who missed that game playing this could become genuinely curious about going back in time to meet those old characters and learn about how their histories are connected.

I finished the game in just under four hours. After that, it was another four hours to collect all the Easter eggs and unlock the bonus level. Eight hours of cosmetically solid, wholly original gameplay is worth the ten bucks in my opinion.

It’s not so much a deconstruction of the dating sim, but rather a warped version of it. Dialtown applies its unhinged writing to the genre, and it works exceedingly well. There were many times when I’d elbow my husband to look at whatever the heck was on my screen at that moment. I tried to explain the concept of the game to him and he responded with “please stop.” That’s a win in my books.

A great game that does everything a first-person shooter should. It has a great presentation, good shooting mechanics, decent AI, a long single player experience, impactful choices, an enormous multiplayer component, and some of the more memorable injury scenes ever witnessed in a videogame. The pitfalls come with the redundancy of some missions, the sparsely populated world, and awkward saving system that can often throw players miles away from objectives with nothing but a long, pointless drive to look forward to.

Outside of the addition of Attitude Mode, '13 is very similar to '12, but that isn't a bad thing. Although THQ has a number of issues to fix either by way of a patch or in next year's iteration, people looking for a solid wrestling game shouldn't be disappointed.

Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition excels in the places that matter most to Tales game, and in doing so earns the timeless adulation lavished on it by its fans. I can't tell you if it's the best Tales game, but it's everything a Tales game needs to be, in order to be considered great.

Nearly 14 years after first bursting onto the scene, Melty Blood has aged to the point of near-perfection. While a few aspects of the package leave something to be desired, the fact remains that, at its core, this is a supreme fighter with a diverse roster and deep, compelling mechanics that merit your attention.

There's very little fluff or padding and while the game is not always focussed on guiding you down a certain path, it's hard to get sidetracked and lose what your goal is.

Hue is a well-crafted, enjoyable experience. I don't usually like physics-based platformers, but the controls are simple and responsive enough that I never felt like a death was anyone's fault but my own. Its visuals are sparse but clean, and the puzzles gave my brain a workout. It's a little brief, clocking in at four to six hours, but that just means it doesn't overstay its welcome, and it left me wanting more.

All in all, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a fine remaster of a wonderful title far too many people missed out on.

Bluepoint deserves credit for managing to bring out the best in an already-pretty-good game, allowing PS4 owners the chance to experience the charm of Gravity Rush unhampered by the limitations of its original platform.

It so effortlessly executes its central premise that thinking up any negatives would mostly be nitpicking.

State of Decay 2's unique approach to survival and management might not appeal to everyone, but it certainly feels like an instant cult classic.

There's a staggering wealth of content, but it can be tiring in its repetition. Battles are frantic and fun, but can be exhaustingly annoying if you choose the wrong friends. Very much like the game's Lacrima system, however, many of the sacrifices one must make to enjoy the game are negligible in the long run, and there's nothing that should stop one having a damn good laugh and getting utterly hooked on an adventure that really can be played until the Vita's batteries run dry.

The gorgeous visuals, superb motion controls, and refined gameplay elements come together to create a satisfying game.

Death or victory come quickly because, for the most part, the titans are designed to leave you few opportunities to win. Running around and staying alive isn't an impressive feat because you're no closer to winning.

Blemishes aside, Activision is doing so much right this time beyond just putting Vicarious Visions in charge.

If you're looking for an epic sprawling all-star experience this isn't it, but I hope this fun brawl-focused base eventually leads to that and continues to improve over time with the promised upcoming support.

Though it has some issues with framerate drops and its approach to control is definitely not for everybody, Dadliest Catch kept a smile on my face for most of its duration.

As a port of the full game, however, it is a triumph, packing a ridiculously huge amount of content into a humble UMD.

Hills and Rivers Remain will keep you on your toes and keep you coming back.

A wonderfully tight production that brings an authenticity and intensity befitting Games Workshop's beloved universe. While there are some vexing design decisions and the campaign is disappointingly brief, there's nevertheless plenty of content to get stuck into and exquisitely savage combat on offer.

I’m not certain if I’m personally going to return to Dorfromantik following this review, simply due to my mind’s response to its relaxing gameplay. On the other hand, I would at least recommend giving it a try. The price seems right for something that you may either embrace as a calming way to take a moment, or bounce off of because it’s just not for you. However, in terms of execution, I’d argue that Dorfromantik absolutely nails it.

Tales of Berseria may not be the most ambitious or innovative game ever, but that's entirely okay. It may have a handful of issues, not least of which includes its forced backtracking, occasional reuse of dungeons and its uninspired puzzles. At the same time, its characters are often likeable and entertaining, its tale of revenge is intriguing, and its combat system is fast-paced and responsive. If you're already a fan of -- or are curious about getting into -- the Tales series, this is one to check out.

High Hell is a challenging, cathartic, and unique shooter. There is beauty in its obnoxious aesthetics, and satisfaction in its fast-moving, mouse-mashing violence. It is a very short game, but one I expect to see become a darling of speedrun weekends and Twitch streams. High Hell is an anarchic injection of neon-pink adrenaline, made with a dirty needle. At only ten bucks, it's a dang cheap way to stick it to The Man.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a fan's dream. This heartfelt remake is bursting with colour, character and adventure, even if it has been developed with an cautious approach to reinvention. Though some might find its retro-fused action a little simplistic in this convoluted era of gaming, Spyro has the ability to entertain even the most cynical player with its wonderful worlds, slick design, and ability to spark the flames of nostalgia.

A simple but incredibly enjoyable game, packed with content should you decide to explore every nook and cranny. Despite the fact that a lot of the characters are pay-walled behind what is essentially physical DLC, it's still perfectly serviceable even with just the characters in the standard package.

If Above the Law is any indication, the next two episodes are going to be something special.

Outlast 2 is harrowing. It is a horror game that will make you want to take a shower after you’re done with it. It’s a horror game that will make you want to hold your loved ones just a little tighter next time you embrace them.

So with every repeated loop, and every new piece of info that leads to more narrative threads to pull on, Twelve Minutes is certainly fascinating to unravel. Some of it might start to feel a bit clunky, when dialogue starts mashing up against itself and characters move in awkward ways, but on the whole, it’s a puzzle I kept wanting to piece together, both fascinated and afraid of the answers I might find. It keeps the story driving forward, and if some deep, dark character drama set in a time loop sounds appealing, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

A huge impact was left on me by Psychonauts. While that’s not likely to be the same story for Psychonauts 2, I wasn’t disappointed. There was no single place that let me down so severely that it soured the overall experience. Nothing that struck me as starkly inferior. It’s maybe not quite as genius, but it’s still a mind worth exploring.

Death Stranding is not the overly-strange inaccessible walled garden the marketing campaign has made it out to be.

Other than the SD graphics, variations on multiplayer, and pointer controls, this is still Modern Warfare. It's still the first game in the most popular series that this particular genre has ever seen. Not enough has changed about the game, for better or worse, to make a dent in that.

Shinobi is a great game with tons to do. Some of the old-school elements are sure to turn many players off, but if you can surmount the steep difficulty curve, there is a substantial amount of satisfying gameplay to be found. Those who want a cohesive narrative or who can't afford to endure a few hours of frustration should look elsewhere, but those who can make it past the hump can wring out a lot of fun.

Whether you’re a fan of sci-fi, real-time strategy, or simply just video games in general, Homeworld Remastered Collection is a must-have if you haven’t played the series before.

Slowly but surely XII has wormed its way into my heart -- it only took 11 years.

A pleasant surprise. As a massive fan of the Panzer series, I was worried that this wouldn't quite honor it, but there's plenty here for gamers who have been longing for an entry since 2003's Orta. There are some mechanical problems, but any old-school rail shooter fan will be able to handle them.

It's maybe not what I'll reach for the next time I'm in the mood for a metroidvania, but it's a symphony in its own right.

Even though Mortal Kombat 1 is no Flawless Victory, it still feels like a step forward for the franchise. The core gameplay is the best it’s ever been, which I think is the most important thing for the genre. It’s a great entry point for newcomers to fighting games and even fellow casual players like myself looking to delve a little deeper than usual. The Story Mode is peak cinematic Mortal Kombat which alone is a worthwhile adventure for those interested. Despite a lackluster lineup of modes with an unnecessary grind for cosmetics, Mortal Kombat 1 is still fun to play. Ultimately, it’s a brilliant reboot, and I’m on board for wherever the universe takes us next.

Hammerin' Hero is fun, funny, and refreshing. I can't think of another locally available PSP game that has this much wierdness and Japanese quirk.

World of Horror seems to hit all its goals. While its approach to horror is rather derivative of Junji Ito, it’s applied in a creative way and with a vision of its own. I can’t say I was blown away because it really is exactly the game that it claims to be. However, I was immensely satisfied. It’s a wonderfully modular experience, but if you’re deathly afraid of numbers, then that’s where you’ll find the real horror.

I’m not sure I’ll go back to beat it on all five Mind Level difficulty tiers (twice is enough for now), especially with more DLC packs on the way. But I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Vaas: Insanity, and I hope I feel the same about Far Cry 6‘s next two villain stories. I’d give it a nod even if you don’t always mesh well with roguelites. Because it doesn’t outstay its welcome, the format works well for Far Cry. A lack of true variety hurts the long-term appeal after the first successful run, but that first win is exciting.

Enix, and by proxy Square, have found myriad ways to repackage the journey of Dragon Quest and Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age proves that they haven't run out of ideas yet.

Here's the bad news for those of you who already bought the original. While the new story is enjoyable and the Studio is fun to mess around with, you aren't really getting a substantial new expansion to pour over for weeks here -- think of it more like a hefty DLC package. In other words, unless you absolutely love Deception, it probably isn't a good idea to shell out $50 for Nightmare Princess.

El Shaddai isn't perfect, but it has more than enough breathtaking moments to make the journey worthwhile.

Skullgirls has quite a few signs of rushed development, but at its core, it is one of the most well-thought-out and impressive fighting games on the market right now. Future games of the genre are advised to take notes.

Rainbow Six Siege has a lot going for it when it comes to the long haul. While three modes doesn't sound like a lot, the sheer volume of variables involved will result in an experience that constantly stays fresh, even with the current pool of 11 maps. While a few other major shooters have let me down this year, I think Siege is one of the games I'll be playing the most going forward.