Part political commentary, part comic-book farce, completely batshit insane, and as primal as an FPS title can be, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is certainly recommended. It has a great cast, wicked visuals, breathless combat, and unforgettable story moments. It cannot be denied that there are flaws, and they are tough to ignore, but the game's wanton carnage and narrative head-fuckery help slice through them as cleanly as a hatchet through a Nazi's cranium.

Axiom Verge works great as a portable game, and while it's been available before on the Vita, I feel like the Switch is the best possible platform since it looks spectacular in handheld mode and works beautifully as a sit-down, console experience.

I never thought we'd see Odin Sphere again, but here we are with Leifthrasir. Even if it kept all of the classic frustrations as is it would still be worth checking out, but Vanillaware and Atlus have somehow managed to cater to both crowds with the remake. This game is required reading, and now is the time to curl up and see what you've been missing.

Hermit and Pig is a cozy turn-based RPG that lacks in its story, but packs humor in its quirky dialogue and entertainment in its arcade-like combat. The gameplay switches up every so often that it never gets tired—an absolute must for its six to eight hour runtime. Hermit and Pig offers a satisfying and fun run for those looking for a chill adventure that at times, feels like a grounded social anxiety sim.

An amazing RPG experience. It falls a bit flat on characterization and writing on occasion, but nails just about everything else. It does a great job of compelling players to roleplay their on-screen characters, putting the "RP" back into RPG.

DiRT 2 is an absolute triumph, and anyone who had a hand in its production should be very proud of themselves.

I adored my experience playing Rayman Origins and I'm certain that anybody with a love for 2D platform games will feel the same. It stands tall in the field as being one of the best of its kind in this console generation and supplies ample hope that there's not only plenty of life still in that genre, but in Rayman as a franchise.

It’s the third time this joke has been told, and time hasn’t made it any fresher. So much of Return to Monkey Island is callbacks that it doesn’t feel like it stands on its own. It’s an excellent companion piece for the other games, and a love letter to the fans of the series, but I also feel like it takes a few jabs at them. I can only ever see myself playing it again in sequence with the rest of the series.

It's an amazing game, one that I see myself playing for years to come.

If there's a knock against Blizzard Mountain, it's that Forza Horizon 3 was already a robust package. Australia's bursting at the seams with all sorts of activities, and it'll take dozens of hours to complete them all. Blizzard Mountain's for those who are ready for more, because that's exactly what it is: More. The setting is just a nice novelty. Dashing through the snow is a fine form of escapism from the hot Aussie outback, but it's not an essential one.

Though there are better looking and more accessible indie puzzlers to play, there are few that will leave you as bewildered and addicted through its alien concepts. What Velocity lacks in scope and variety, it makes up for in originality.

All of the additions for Xbox Live Arcade -- most notably, new graphics and sound, competitive multiplayer, and cooperative play -- come together to flesh out what was already impressive in its earlier stages. To avoid Spelunky is to miss out on an incredibly satisfying, well-designed game.

Zen Studios has created the most interesting and content-rich tables yet, with their obvious love of the source material piercing through each of the fantastically crafted tables.

I had no idea what to expect jumping into Until You Fall, but I ended up getting a nice series of workouts on top of a pretty thrilling VR combat simulator.

Resistance 2 is a great shooter with outstanding multiplayer components that transcend its lackluster single player campaign. The campaign’s scale and ingenuity displayed in the boss fights will giver players an experience they have never had before, but it ultimately collapses on itself with poor design and execution in both level and story progression.

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

Paradox Development Studio has shown that it understands grand strategy like no other studio. Europa Universalis IV is the defining game in the genre, laying out the whole world in front of players and just letting them have at it. It's a polished, almost terrifyingly vast title that gets its hooks in you the moment you click on that first country, and simply refuses to let go.

Persona 4 Golden was arguably the game to get on the Vita, among a library that's very unsung after Sony put that little portable out to pasture. Now that it's on one of the most accessible platforms in the world, there's little to no excuse for avoiding it. $20 is a steal for something that's going to last you a full month and keep you thinking about it for months to come.

Dispatch is one of the best-written games of our generation and another proof that AdHoc studio are the best in what they do. From gameplay to characters, everything is as it should be - only if the pacing allowed it all to develop fully.

For five bucks as a digital upgrade all of these Sonic Mania Plus additions are a no-brainer. Sure, encore and maybe the multiplayer updates would have been added as free DLC in some circles, but the new characters and the package as a whole props up one of the best platformers of 2017 for a more than reasonable price.

The Pikmin series does things that no other games do, and Pikmin 3 does those things better than ever before.

Total War: Warhammer 2's inability to solve some longstanding franchise-wide issues don't really dampen the sense that this is the biggest, and one of the best, executions on the same formula. Adding that this is only the second game in a planned trilogy ends up only making me more excited to see what's in store for Total War: Warhammer 3.

When I think back on Tales of Arise, the combat will definitely come to mind. The big boss battles that blew me away, and the wonderful feeling of free-forming a combo into a Mystic Arte and then closing the battle off with a Boost Strike. The story was ultimately good, and the world was gorgeous. But really, it’s going to be the campfire moments. It’s going to be how Alphen, Shionne, Rinwell, Law, Kisara, and Dohalim came together as a party, grew closer, fought and struggled together, and saw it all through to the end, one hastily thrown-together outdoor meal at a time. Tales of Arise nails that, and so it feels like a strong step forward for a series with a bright future ahead of it.

For someone who also works in music journalism, my skills are shaky, to say the least. But, having taken the time to improve these skills, I now feel better equipped to appreciate the game for what it is: a fun, quirky, sometimes weird, and often cheesy critique of capitalism. When I was less focused on how perfectly I was playing, I had a much better time headbanging through each stage. Just give me a wider variety of music next time and I’m sold.

The Following was larger than I expected, and it maintains a high level of quality throughout.

Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels works even though it occupies a weird space. It doesn't play to Forza Horizon's strengths and, eventually, it doesn't even feel much like Hot Wheels anymore. It's claustrophobic and constricting in a way this franchise hasn't been before. In a twist of irony, it's the Hot Wheels aspect that prevents this expansion from ever performing anything spectacularly perilous.

A lot of us have been recommending this game for almost four years now, and with the slick visual upgrade, it's even easier to vouch for.

Everyone should play Antonblast least once.

If I had one piece of advice for people on the fence with Halo Infinite, it would be to not worry about the open world and embrace how it's handled here.

PixelJunk Shooter is still an absolute blast (no pun intended) to play, with enough charm and originality to make it another strong addition to Sony's already solid downloadable game library.

Instead of going the easy route, Monolith Soft went the extra mile and added meaningful new content and quality-of-life features that actually improved on what was already a masterpiece experience. The Definitive Edition treatment makes Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition one of the best JRPGs on the Switch, and a must-play for fans of the genre.

Absolum blends nostalgic, arcade beat 'em up gameplay with addictive progression, a charming Saturday morning cartoon-like aesthetic, and a cool storyline and setting to create the latest and greatest triumphant evolution of the roguelike genre.

One of the funniest goddamn games I’ve played all year.

It’s a delightful surprise, the kind that doesn’t come around often enough.

For those of you who've never embarked on an adventure with the furry-faced hero and his brainy metal friend, you've got a lot of catching up to do, but it'll be worth it -- Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time is easily one of the best in the series.

Again, PixelJunk Monsters on the PS3 was already a great game, but this PSP update is the ultimate version. Both the original and the expansion are included, as well as online play, new stages and new weapons.

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.

The game is simply an absolute joy, and while I would have liked a few more boss battles here and there to lengthen the entire thing out, I can hardly complain about anything else.

It’s not the most wide-ranging appeal, but for those within that niche, it’s hard to find too many complaints. There’s rollback netcode, some fantastic games, and a Punisher beat ’em up for when you’d rather co-op than fight. If you’re a nostalgic fan of the originals or someone curious about one of the most storied games in fighting history, this collection makes it easy to take a ride back in time.

It's just a wonderfully crafted, well-paced story about a family. And that's really it. There's not much else out there like it. It may not sound like much on paper, but Gone Home had such an impact on me that I'll be thinking about this game for years to come.

Kirby's Epic Yarn is an absolute delight. Oozing cuteness at every turn, from the wonderful animation to the gorgeous music, this is a game that should have pride of place in any game collection.

Turbo Overkill loses itself in its constant push for escalation. It’s often not as clever as it thinks it is, and there’s a real sense of quantity over quality. Packing in more mechanics is certainly a type of progress, but a better focus on fewer concepts probably would have elevated the game as a whole. As it is, it’s still a perfectly fun time, and I’d be completely willing to revisit it in a sequel, but it just doesn’t quite climb to the lofty top of the retro-inspired scrap heap.

Small issues aside, DJ Hero 2 is a solid music gaming experience from top to bottom, even more enjoyable than the current iterations of Activision's other cash cow, Guitar Hero.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles as a unified duology really captures everything that draws players into this series in the first place.

And because she’s finally making her debut in Deluxe, this review will be all about Birdo.

Try FNR4 if you’re looking for a good boxing game or want to experience the glory of current generation pugilism all over again. It’s worth it. Just don’t venture online with wide eyes and innocence. You’ll be rocked.

This is one of my favorite shoot-'em-ups in years, and fellow STG enthusiasts would be remiss to overlook such a gem. Astebreed is a masterstroke. Spread the word.

Valkyria Chronicles is a visual feast. It maintains a high level of difficulty in a new and rather innovative renewal of the tactical genre that provides enough of a challenge to entice fans of the genre, but is not so stuck in its ways as to keep normally averse gamers away.

Since its release, Killer Instinct has slowly become one of the most competent fighters in the genre. It's accessible at all levels thanks to its approachable yet deep combo system and extensive tutorial. Its characters, including the new ones from Season 3, all have unique mechanics and tons of small touches that bring them to life. With an efficient and non-scummy free-to-play model and PC availability, there are few reasons not to jump into Killer Instinct.

The Messenger is without a doubt one of the best indies available on the Switch right now. It has a lot of competition with the sudden sea of metroidvania games available, but its stunning look, fantastic soundtrack, and clever writing coupled with the amazing gameplay put it a step above the rest. When I walk away from a game every night only wanting to play more, there's little to complain about.

Addictive and inherently fun (knocking stuff over never really gets old, does it?), Boom Blox Bash Party is a must-have for your Wii collection. The only question now is, how much trade in credit will you get for the original now that the new model’s rendered it outdated?

For series fans, Diablo 4 makes a compelling case to become your next main game. For everyone else, the specter of cosmetic microtransactions and live service elements hang heavy over this refined action-RPG formula.

That's all well and good, but a lot of the ideas pitched in Telepaint have been seen before, and several levels actually retread over the same material, seemingly to pad the experience. While that doesn't happen often, when it does, you'll notice it, and will likely feel the urge to take a break before diving back in. Since the price tag is only a few bucks, it makes that pill a little easier to swallow, especially when the fatigue sets in.

Developing this project must have been a massive undertaking, because it somehow manages to not sacrifice the core tenets of the series while staying true to the ever-expanding source material of the Warhammer universe. After nearly two decades of historical battles, having the chance to command a magical undead army is a breath of fresh air.

Fortunately, Rakuen on its own justifies the Deluxe Edition. Though a bit uneven, its best moments are spectacular enough to warrant a recommendation for anyone in need of a good cry or two. I do wish Mr. Saitou reached the same emotional heights, but it’s serviceable if viewed strictly as a bonus. That said, if you wanted to save money and get vanilla Rakuen on PC, I wouldn’t stop you.

What I love most about IV is how it puts the player first -- absolutely every new feature and ability gifted to the player seems designed purely to make the game more convenient to enjoy, and more fun to play.

Mushihimesama is required reading for shmup fans. Whether you're going at it solo or with a friend, on the highest difficulty setting or the lowest, Mushihimesama is incredibly easy to spend an afternoon with for years to come.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is about mastering a craft and being proud of it.

A game that takes real chances to stretch the gaming medium without sacrificing the joy of play and discovery that makes the medium great. It's a bold experiment in having the adventure game genre take a meaningful, humorous and fun look at itself. Gaming doesn't need to find its Citizen Kane, but it may have discovered its Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead without even trying.

The game is just as prone to causing misery as it is happiness, as I discovered early on when my axe-wielders had been killed off and I was left with only ranged attackers who fell, one by one, to close quarters enemies that they just couldn't hit.

It's easy for me to say Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a good game because it'd be a lie for me to say otherwise. The groundwork laid by the first title is still sound, but it just didn't grab me the same way its predecessor did. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop playing anytime soon -- I still have my home island to complete -- but it does mean it's not going to get my undivided attention for weeks-on-end like the first game did.

It has a great story, high production values, and one of the most immersive worlds ever created in a videogame. Tragically, Origins' considerable high points have been squandered on a frustrating, unbalanced combat system, and a customizable A.I that's just too broken to adequately customize.

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.

The water physics are top-notch and, in combination with the various creative puzzles and obstacles, provide a healthy dose of challenge, though some players may feel put off by late-game difficulty spike. It's clever, at times calming then nerve-wracking, and all around fun.

Titanfall has all of the pieces to make a very nice FPS puzzle -- a wide variety of well crafted maps, a decent amount of familiar game modes, and a prestige system to hold the interest of veterans. In that sense, it's a very welcoming game that many disenfranchised genre fans will enjoy. Just don't expect anything monumentally different, or a worthwhile world to enjoy while you're having fun shooting everything in sight.

Simply put, Super Hexagon is one of the best mobile gaming experiences I've had this year.

Tightly produced, competent in both its puzzling and its combat, this is one reboot that manages to be unequivocally superior to its predecessors.

This game is comfort food, and it's a dish I won't mind having every single day.

Given its free-to-play nature, one can only hope that the vehicle imbalances will be fixed and additional worthwhile game types will be added in the future. For now, it's still an incredibly enjoyable and unique FPS experience that you have no excuse not to download and GO FAST.

Rebirth is an incredible experience that can't be missed. Descend into the basement, lock the trapdoor behind you, and don't look back.

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.

Some restraint when it came to the length of the remake would have done wonders. But aside from the needless bloat and technical problems, there’s still a lot to like. Remaking Silent Hill 2 could have gone horribly wrong, and maybe this modernization won’t replace the original for some, but it’s at least a worthwhile new perspective.

While it was easy to ignore the first time around, nearly two years later this non-starter of a mode stings a bit more. Sure, the core is just as strong as ever and arcade mode still exists, but even with that in mind, Revelator's new narrative isn't even compelling.

If you enjoy a good story that can make you laugh one minute, hold back tears the next, then audibly mumble “WTF?” right after that, do yourself a favor, and check out1000xRESIST.

It also feels like one of the tightest games in the series, with a satisfying, revealing narrative that a few of the games in the series has lacked.

While you don’t necessarily need to enjoy racing games to fully "get it," I'm sure it'd certainly help. There aren’t many games like Trials HD in existence, especially not on Xbox LIVE Arcade, which should be reason enough to get you looking in the first place.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a platformer that needs to be experienced by as many people as possible.

If you like the idea of an open-ended '90s murder mystery with no guarantee you'll find a solid answer to its mysteries, then I can't recommend this highly enough. Her Story is a spectacular video game, and one of the most gripping personal narratives I've experienced in some time.

Mario Kart World is the latest and potentially greatest in the long-running arcade racer franchise, brought to the next level with the Nintendo Switch 2's hardware and an expansive roster of racers, tracks, and endless fun to be had.

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.

There's a slight feeling that this has been done before, and with more personality, in recent game releases, but you won't find an experience like it on your iOS device, not with controls this tight and user-friendly. Fans of challenging platformers and nostalgic design would do very well to pick it up.

Radiant Silvergun doesn't just hold its own against the contemporary competition, but offers the classic game with different graphical skins and a host of options to reach a far wider audience than ever had the chance to experience its excellence before.

Heart of the Swarm is a fantastic addition to the StarCraft series, and quite frankly feels on par with a $60 game. It brings almost nothing new to the table, but there's nothing wrong with sticking to a formula you know works well.

If you are a fan of Metroidvania-style games or even just a fan of fast-paced combat with a focus on boss fights, you’ll love this iteration.

When playing Bayonetta 3, much to my delight, I had no clue what was going to happen next at all times.

And if you loved Mass Effect 2 , this is absolutely required if you didn't already get it. An example of how to do great, if not perfect, DLC in a story-driven game.

After all the good Phosphor did with Dark Meadow, it's sad that Horn will likely be used by detractors as proof that mobile gaming just doesn't work. It does. It's just that Phosphor went too far trying to prove it this time, and Horn is a worse game because of it.

If we’re setting off to new horizons and, eventually, a new Mass Effect, then Mass Effect Legendary Edition serves as a solid collection of this trilogy. This is everything these three games were, and still are to many fans, preserved for time. Just like the capsule Liara makes during Mass Effect 3, this is what can hopefully stand the test of time and carry what this trilogy is—its characters, its worlds, and its stories—forward for ages to come.

But when it comes down to it, it really seems like the PS3 is the best fit for Mortal Kombat. (With that said, I'll probably end up doing most of my playing -- reluctantly, mind you -- on the 360, where it seems the bulk of my personal network of friends is competing.)

That's precisely what makes Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons so endearing -- the undeniable contrast created by the highs and lows that come with the entire experience being driven by love. It's so strong that it even dwarfs the game's core mechanical flaws, making them feel trivial when they should sully the whole affair.

There's still room for improvement, but for the first time in I can recall, I actually feel like I'm playing a college football game and not just Madden: NCAA Edition.

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

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.

ARC Raiders is at times punishing and unforgiving, but it's also the most accessible game yet in the extraction shooter genre. It's simultaneously one of the most technically impressive games of 2025 and one that genre veterans and newbies alike can find a ton of fun in. This game will likely be around for years to come.

Rayman Fiesta Run flirts with the concept of unacceptable microtransactions, but thankfully, there's still a ton of bang for your buck here if you can deal with the progression requirements. With a wonderful set of visuals and an even better control scheme, Rayman fans have a lot to be excited about.

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.

This game really is a must-play for anyone who loves storytelling or the RPG genre — that is if you're on PC, or if you can wait for subsequent patches for console versions. In spite of everything though, Disco Elysium's twisting, tumbling adventure is one worth waiting for.

A beautiful, bold, and supremely enjoyable videogame in its own right. It deserves to be praised...Action games may come deeper and harder than this, but few are as pleasurable.