If you're invested in StarCraft II's story already, you likely won't be disappointed by Legacy of the Void's tale. If you haven't played any form of StarCraft II yet and are intrigued by the prospect of another RTS, this is probably the strongest the game has ever been. It's a perfect time to jump in.

When it comes to gestures and the subtle VR changes, some of the wonderfully campy moments are actually enhanced by the ability to point fingers and draw old timey glasses/beards on suspects in your journal with a pen in your right hand.

Journey is a defiant bridge between art and game, managing to emotionally connect without being cloying, and succeeding in being mysterious without becoming pretentiously vague and obfuscating. Journey's interactive, visual, and aural elements work together, rather than fight with each other, in order to provide a flowing, seamless, influential, and utterly exhilarating experience...This is interactive art. This is how it's done.

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection brings together some of the greatest fighting games of all time - many of which are still top-tier titles today - complete with slick online gameplay and a fully-featured training mode, all for 40 bucks. Though SF30 doesn't quite live up to its potential as a comprehensive historical document, ultimately, The Fight is all that matters. In that regard Capcom, some 30 years later, just scored another K.O. We await your return, warrior.

It innovates enough to the point where people who are tired of the same old song and dance will find new mysteries to master; but still maintains that strong marriage of world building and sense of pride garnered from besting taxing conflicts.

Affordable Space Adventures is a game that can only work on the Wii U. Its two-screen experience is exactly what the system was designed for and the result is a unique breath of fresh air that might actually force player to hold that breath in certain situations.

Like Rayman Jungle Run, Joe Danger Touch really "gets it" when it comes to iOS gaming. You don't need to 100% replicate console experiences, and "simplified" doesn't have to always mean "dumbed down." All in all, Hello Games did a great job bringing the Joe Danger franchise to your pocket, and I highly recommend it to anyone -- former fan or not.

For fans of the genre and developer, Akai Katana is going to be one of the best times you'll have with a game this year. For everyone else, you may just find yourself ascending to bullet hell heaven if you dedicate some time to learning the game's obscure but absolutely thrilling mechanics.

MIO: Memories in Orbit is a gorgeous, exploration-driven platformer that thrives on your curiosity. What starts as a dark, confusing journey slowly unfurls into a vibrant world packed with secrets, hidden bosses, and environmental storytelling that rewards thorough exploration. While combat mechanics remain simple, fluid movement, challenging boss fights, and a richly atmospheric ship make uncovering the Vessel’s mysteries consistently satisfying—for players willing to get lost along the way.

If you came into this review with the simple question of "is this game a modern-day RollerCoaster Tycoon?" the answer is an absolute yes. I spent most of my time in Parkitect analyzing revenue graphs and tinkering with prices to try and nickel-and-dime each guest out of their hard-earned cash. While I wish the ride creation was much friendlier, managing staff, guests, and park design has never felt better or more complete.

Unrelenting and brutal, Helldivers delivers fast-paced combat, epic standoffs and a comical approach to death. Its enemies are varied, powerful and a constant threat to the players. While the full impact of the larger multiplayer experience remains to be seen, it still adds a nice little scratch to the progress itch.

Harmonix has treated the band’s music, art, and history with a respect and reverence that sets it apart from other similar collections. The question is, how will anyone held responsible for a full band game -- Harmonix or otherwise -- ever really be able to clear the bar that’s been set?

Anything it could do to irritate the player is quickly made up for with a consistently striking character, intriguing cutscene, or thrilling stand-off against an encroaching force of possessed and gibbering mountain hicks. Alan Wake wears its own anomalous sense of style with pride and that alone earns enough credit to spend on inefficient dodging or unfair ambush attacks.

Frozen Synapse manages to turn the intricate nature of turn-based tactical combat into something that is deviously complex yet accessible for all, and it does so in style. You might break it a couple of times, but you'll always come back for more.

Darksiders is one of the best action-adventure games of the current generation. Everything in it, you've played before, but never has such a collection of game mechanics been stitched together so well, not to mention feel like part of a coherent game world.

All I really wanted was more Dishonored, but what I got was something that surpasses it. Intricate level design, nuanced worldbuilding, and gameplay that demands a thoughtful approach even when resulting in flashy, bloody violence -- The Brigmore Witches is setting the bar very high for future stealth romps.

Ready at Dawn have done an admirable job of mimicking everything that made the action of the series so great.

Deceptively cute, because behind its adorable facade is a complex game. It's well designed, which you know because you can't see the seams, yet, given all the working parts, you know that every piece of the game is part of an intricate, balanced relationship. What's more, the experience that the gameplay creates subtly, inexplicitly facilitates the sparse, minimalistic narrative bits.

Short but sweet. $15 is a tall ticket for three hours of content, but this content is just as beautifully crafted as the original game was. More importantly, it gives fans of The Last of Us another chance to revisit its world and further explore the life of Ellie. For the first time they'll see her in her element, with her guard down, letting you connect to her fully.

Unless you don't find Penny Arcade remotely funny, or if you demand that your action-RPGs be really deep and really challenging, then I'd highly recommend Episode One.

I don't want more Wolf Among Us -- I need more. It delivers a tone unlike anything Telltale has given us before, and really shows us how they've matured as a studio.

I’m happy to report that just as bread still makes you fat, Scott Pilgrim continues to be the happy time sink it once was. My one gripe is that Knives, although advertised as part of the “Complete Edition,” can only be unlocked via creating an account and signing into Ubisoft Connect. So if Ubisoft ever decides to deprecate their service, Knives would basically go along with it.

Its consistently funny writing and duo of unreliable narrator protagonists set the stage for a great overarching story, and it feels very much like it belongs in the Borderlands franchise. If the rest of the season maintains this level of quality, Tales from the Borderlands will be up there in history with the other great recent Telltale adventures.

It's a game that has a little something for everyone, all without compromising its unyielding, unique, and undivided attention on its mission to blast pure adorableness into the world in all directions. If Kirby and the Rainbow Curse doesn't make you smile, you may need to see a doctor for that.

Stellaris is easy to comprehend and exciting to execute, which is a perfect combination for a genre notoriously difficult to break into.

If you have any fondness for the series, or if you're just looking for a solid side-scrolling shooter that's about as hard as can be, R-Type Dimensions faithfully re-creates the original experience and before long you'll be wondering why you did this to yourself.

A year ago, I couldn't imagine another game mixing tower defense and third-person action as well as Orcs Must Die! Clearly, I was wrong.

Creative Assembly's most polished game to date, and serves as a reaffirmation of the values that made the series the revelation it was more than a decade ago. It seems only fitting that those values were reaffirmed in a game based on the same setting as way back then.

While not every new track is memorable, there is a consistent quality here and a few of them represent Mario Kart at its best.

Similar to Katamari Damacy, WarioWare, and other inane Japanese creations, the heart of these games are really in their core, catchy repeatable gameplay.

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure is one of the most unique games on the Nintendo DS, and a blast to play.

Atlus has worked hard to improve every aspect of the first title in this sequel, and the result is a shining example of what happens when game developers listen to their user base.

Tiny Bookshop is a delightfully charming shop management game with an incredible amount of depth, warmth, and heart. It’s a book lover's dream come true, with thoughtful gameplay systems, cozy storytelling, and a world that rewards curiosity and care.

The reality-television fiction that is Split/Second delivers a brilliant first season, Disney Interactive Studios has published what is undoubtedly just the beginning of what is sure to be an outgoing series. If you hate racing games, you'll love Split/Second. Don't wait around for the season finale, tune in now.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart isn't afraid to revel in its mascot-platformer roots, but it manages to knock so many of its competitors completely out of the water.

Thomas Was Alone tells a story that's more complex than games orders of magnitude more expensive and difficult to develop. It's also a triumph of narrative's ability to convincingly superimpose human qualities onto nonhuman objects, telling the audience what's what (who's what?) and letting the imagination take over. It proves that you don't need tens of millions of dollars and hundreds of staff to make a game story worth telling, just a good hook, an engaging vision, and a whole lot of heart.

While I’m still a bit bitter that it’s taken 15 years for Nintendo to deliver a new Punch-Out!!, it was unquestionably worth the wait. As a Punch-Out!! fan, I couldn’t ask for more -- classic gameplay that feels familiar, with a handful of fresh and unexpected challenges that are as entertaining as they are challenging.

The overall experience of Fallout 3 is unmatched, and the amount of game Bethesda has packed into this $60 title can’t be ignored. Flaws aside, taken as a whole, Fallout 3 is an astounding effort and easily one this year’s best gaming experiences.

The more I played Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, the more I liked it.

The combat and movement often left me slack-jawed and giddy, a perfect homage to the '90s RPGs that obviously inspired Heart Machine, while still feeling completely fresh and constantly surprising.

A massive step up from the original game. It's a gorgeous, worthy successor that's even more absorbing and difficult to put down. Get ready for your next gaming obsession.

Mario Kart 8 is my favorite series entry since Double Dash, and if it gets arena battle tracks at some point by way of DLC, it will be a near-perfect package. Its vibrant visuals will hold up for years to come, ensuring that the game will withstand the test of time, and it will be a staple in my household for a long, long while.

The Eye isn’t perfect and, in the end, it wasn’t my home. But it is the place where I discovered a different one. Citizen Sleeper elicits feelings like that incredibly well, while providing a practically catered experience that will stick with me, long after my departure from Erlin’s Eye.

Lock's Quest is everything a portable strategy game should be. Its battles are exciting little bursts of bite-sized panic attacks, lasting only minutes at a time, but feeling much longer. Despite a few niggles, the stylus controls work pretty damn well, helped by the clean and simple methods of control used. It's just a really, really, really good portable game.

Against all odds, Destructoid managed to save the galaxy, even though we barely manage to keep this site running. That's a story worth seeing to its end, even if I'll soon forget it as many more stories play out in my future XCOM sessions. All the small nagging complaints I have with the game fade away when I recall all the great moments I've had with it.

I sincerely hope that Activision entrusts Toys for Bob (and Vicarious Visions) with the keys to the Crash kingdom from here on out.

The controls could do with a bit of work and I still think that vastly increased challenge either through puzzles or conflict would more appropriately match the tone of the game, but all of these are things I thought after I was done with it. None of them got in the way of the experience.

For $50 ($60 with the Classic Controller Pro), Monster Hunter Tri provides a World of Warcraft-quality experience without the $14.99 monthly subscription. That makes Monster Hunter Tri the best value going in MMORPGs today. Add to that a more-than-adequate single-player mode, and you get a...[90].

If you're a lover of games that require you to put in before you get out, and you recall the glory days of the Eastern RPG, where experience points were the lifeblood and the grind was king, you have literally no decent excuse for not finding a way to play Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. A classic of the modern age, built entirely from classics of the past, it's advised you get comfortable, cancel all your plans, and prepare to enjoy a game that will dominate your life for the next few months.

For series fans, everything you love about Etrian Odyssey is here, and then some -- better music, art, monsters, and mapping. You will not be disappointed. For everyone else: fans of classic dungeon crawling, fans of planning and plotting, or fans of a sizable challenge, I cannot recommend Etrian Odyssey IV enough.

This may not be the definitive way to experience the series, but it's damn sure the most accessible, and it beats the hell out of the neutered anime adaptation. For new fans, this is a fantastic entry point. For returning fans, Steins;Gate Elite is a solid reason to revisit a beloved series with a fresh set of eyes. I adored every second of it.

This a perfect example of keeping the best graphical fidelity possible and including an already astronomical amount of content, while adding an even more extensive set of missions for players to explore that masterfully uses various features the PS Vita has to offer.

You can just tell the developers had a ball working on Iceborne – it shows. And it's infectious.

This is one of the more interesting reviews I've done as of late because I know Xenoblade Chronicles X will be divisive. But it truly feels like an MMO world I've been living in for several weeks now. The more grimdark theme isn't quite as charming as the original Xenoblade, but everything else makes up for it.

In case you don't have a computer to play games on, this XBLA version of Anomaly Warzone Earth is just as good the original, and one less reason to avoid putting off playing this game.

My favorite MMO since World of Warcraft. It has a lot of things going for it, tons of content to explore, and best of all -- lots and lots of support.

While it is, at its core, the same game that you've played many years ago, it still manages to feel new and the updated features bolster the original experience in a manner that never intrudes and only enhances. Put short, this is a lot of fun and something that a huge amount of DS owners should look into.

MLB 09 The Show adheres to the age-old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and that is its greatest strength. Rather than implementing changes in the name of innovation or back-of-the-box bullet points, Sony San Diego has refined the winning formula of MLB 08 in nearly every imaginable way, and they’ve delivered the best version of The Show yet.

If you're looking for something laid back, beautifully drawn, and well orchestrated with some intense, but not overly difficult, boss battles, then Jotun is easy to recommend. It's a magical ride that I'm sure I'll revisit from time to time in the future. Even though the whole experience only lasts just over five hours, it is five solid hours.

A solid cyberpunk action game that has exceptional gun and melee based combat taking place in a beautifully fleshed out world that it, unfortunately, doesn't utilize to its full potential. It may not be perfect but I can wholeheartedly recommend RUINER if you are looking for a good challenge or a game that would fit perfectly in a dark room with your headphones cranked to maximum.

What you're getting is basically more of that classic Plants vs. Zombie experience, with just enough tweaks to keep it interesting -- and that's more than enough for me.

Guilty Gear is still one of the most badass fighting franchises out there, and Xrd -Sign- honors that legacy. It looks breathtaking, the action is constant and in-your-face, and although the roster is smaller than I'd like, there is a lot of variation to be found once you start digging into the game.

If you enjoyed the original or skipped it purely because you needed online multiplayer support, Overcooked 2 should be a no-brainer. While the sequel runs the risk of being slightly too familiar and lacks any big surprises, it's still a winning formula. Co-op gaming doesn't get much better than this.

Jank and sometimes dumb mutant cannibals aside, what Endnight Games accomplished with The Forest with only a team of four people is simply extraordinary. It's one of the best survival games I've played in recent memory.

Sonic CD is a great game. I paid $300 for an attachment and $50 for the game back in the early '90s to see Sonic at his best. Now all you need is $5 and a few minutes for a file download. Sega could have easily charged twice as much for this much-loved classic.

Engaging gameplay and an excellent story make this a must have title for fans of simulation titles such as the Phoenix Wright series.

It might not be as graphically impressive as many other recent roguelikes (although the screenshots and trailer don't do the game justice as it certainly runs at a buttery smooth framerate certainly 60fps or above), but for me, the gameplay loop makes Monolith one of the most addictive roguelikes I've played.

When I finally finished my first full run my heart was pounding. Then it's time to repeat the process again, experimenting with a wild newfound power that's unlocked after completion and items I've never used before. I'll probably be doing that for longer than any roguelike in recent memory.

Between its fantastic combat, shooting, presentation, storytelling, and RPG elements, Sleeping Dogs has just raised the demands for what it'd take for GTAV to get the throne back.

After all these years there still isn't anything quite like Cuphead.

I don't think HAL is very interested in drastically altering the Kirby formula at this point, and that's perfectly fine.

World Invitational continues that tradition of a really nice blend of arcade-ish accessibility and sim seriousness. If you want to kick back and relax, fine -- but you can also dig in, get deep with strategy and complex swing tricks, and feel rewarded when you master them all. With its massive array of play options, courses, unlockables, and online challenges, not to mention its portability and always-on 3G connectivity, this is easily the biggest and best Hot Shots Golf game yet.

Lone Survivor is easily among the best survival horror games that I've ever played, a feat that's truly remarkable when one considers the 2D perspective and visual limitations.

Stray‘s expressive art direction, curious music, stop-and-snap-a-pic lighting, and thoughtful level design coalesce into one of my favorite gaming experiences of the year.

You're not going to find a wholly original gameplay experience with Dante's Inferno, but that doesn't mean it's not a hell of an entertaining package -- it's one that fans of action shouldn't miss.

Pokémon has never felt more alive to me than it does in Sun, and while I did have high expectations coming in, I can't say I saw that coming. This series is catching up with our imaginations.

One of the benefits of the Race for the Galaxy app is the AI. It's not just any old bot, it's a project developed by "AI Expert" Keldon Jones, and learns from player wins and from experimentation. It weighs all of that data through tens of thousands of games, and then acts accordingly. It makes even the easy bots challenging, and it's perfect for honing your skill at any level if you don't have anyone to play with.

In a world full of fear and uncertainty, Dave the Diver is here to offer a lighthearted story and engaging gameplay. It doesn’t try to follow trends or emulate big AAA titles. It doesn’t have an in-game shop to try to get you to spend more money. It’s simply a silly, fun game about a diver named Dave, and I can’t put it down.

One must take note of a very simple fact -- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is so damn good that it single-handedly justifies the $49.99 asking price. I would happily pay that for the game on its own, so the fact that it comes with the still-engrossing Sons of Liberty and an extraneous Peace Walker is pure gravy.

I had a ball playing it, and seven hours passed without me noticing. I recommend Blocks That Matter to fans of blocks, and just about anyone who loves indie games.

Silver Dollar Games has wholeheartedly delivered on the promise of the original and managed to outdo my expectations spectacularly. One Finger Death Punch 2 is everything I love about the series turned up to 11, and it’s a fantastic example of how minimalist design can effectively carry a game, even when pared down to just two simple inputs.

No hyperbole, Kathy Rain is yet another milestone in this resurgence of old-school point-and-click adventures.

If you remotely like Kirby and haven't picked any series entries up in a while, it's hard to go wrong with this one.

There are no other games like Quadrilateral Cowboy, and it will likely stay that way. It’s a unique blend of computer science, puzzles, and beautiful storytelling that could only come from Blendo Games.

While certain aspects of System Shock don't hold up in today's world, a surprising amount of them do. New players, like myself, can jump right in and have a very enjoyable experience, full of atmosphere and action. The enhanced version is exactly what it claims to be, and makes the game way more playable than the original version.

Avowed is one of the best RPGs I've played in 2025, and I'm not even much of a role-playing genre fanatic.

Everything that makes Castlevania what it is; huge bosses, monster-slaughtering, as well as weapon-gathering and castle-raiding, is all here, and it's done spectacularly.

Despite its thin selection of modes, the core of the game is so remarkably solid that anyone with a passing interest would be a fool to pass it up what’s clearly solidified itself as the new standard for the future of fighters.

The Wii MotionPlus definitely makes the game. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 might not have been as good of a game without the added control sensitivity and accuracy, but now it has evolved to the point that I can't imagine another golf game without it.

This last episode maintains the action, drama, and comedy present throughout the series. It ties up all the major loose ends while leaving just a hint of room for more to come. Most of all, it solidifies Tales from the Borderlands as Telltale's best series to date, a pinnacle of modern adventure gaming.

It's the little things that add up and really make Hitman 3 special.

This remaster also has a lot of extra stuff that fans will absolutely love to dive into.

The word is "impressive." Impressive polish and control, impressive storytelling and visuals. The originality factor? Not as impressive. But even with its obvious influences, N.O.V.A. is still a game that stands on its own, and is a game that is well worth your time and money.

There is no better example of the boundless creativity of their collaboration than Luigi’s Mansion 3.

Looking back, although I did enjoy Captain Scarlett and Mr. Torgue, neither of them were nearly as in-depth as this DLC, which is a benchmark for future Gearbox add-ons. Although they could have stood to have gone a little farther with the concept, if you can only choose one campaign, this is easily it.

It's not often that I stick with a multiplayer game for any length of time, but this one has its hooks in me deep. At the end, yes, you're fighting the same enemies with the same weapons over and over again, but the level of challenging chaos keeps me coming back.

If you like JRPGs and own a 3DS, Bravely Default is easily one of the best available for the system.

The story and characters are delightful, and an engaging battle system rounds out a mesmeric package. Simply put, Tales of Xillia is one of the finest role-playing games in recent memory.