I've been playing No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle for more than a decade now as they never cease to amaze me with their untethered style, violent action, and satisfying combat.

I've been playing No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle for more than a decade now as they never cease to amaze me with their untethered style, violent action, and satisfying combat.

I came in fully expecting it to be a side story, but it was much more than that.

Astro Bot has replaced Knack as the cute Sony mascot and I’m okay with it.

Fuser does what it says on the side of the box, but there could have been a more compelling foundation to keep you going past the point where it feels like you've done it all.

Pick up the first season pass before you take a gander at the second.

When the game is fixated on familial struggles – everything circling patriarch Arakawa, his son Masato, and Ichiban – I'm glued to the screen.

For all its shortcomings, I wouldn't mind seeing WayForward get another crack at this series with a more concerted effort to bring in non-fans, with more depth.

Onee Chanbara Origin remains a cathartic, bloodthirsty, and goofy bit of chaos, whose aesthetic charms have been boosted thanks to Tamsoft's excellent audio/visual upgrade. Unfortunately, the passage of time has somewhat dulled Origin's gameplay, which has been far superseded by other franchises. Offering a short campaign, above-average action, and a slim package, Onee Chanbara Origin is for franchise fans only - and not at its $60 asking price.

Kirby Fighters 2 has the right stuff buried underneath its foundation: you just have to dig to get there.

Little Hope proves that the Dark Pictures format isn't a fluke and I'm excited for Supermassive to continue honing its craft. On that note, I love how these games tease forthcoming installments with collectible in-game premonitions. Next up, the seemingly Descent-inspired House of Ashes.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is another re-release that isn't going to blow some people away, but provides another means in which to play a potentially forgotten Wii U classic.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I was playing the unholy union of Hotline Miami and Mirror's Edge that I didn't know I was missing in my life.

Now that the season pass is in the hopper, it's easy to feel like Pokemon Sword and Shield are a transitional generation to something greater.

When you go trick-or-treating, you don't come back 100 percent with candy you love. There's some bleh stuff mixed in, stuff that you put up with to get to the candy you can't wait to eat. That's a perfect analog for Pumpkin Jack. You'll push past parts of it because this mascot platformer has some really great qualities. And, when viewed as a whole, a bucket full of candy ain't so bad.

It can be breathtaking at times, and it can also be pretty banausic, but the Musher's journey to her new home has enough beauty, adventure, and adorable dogs I just don't want to stop petting to make each trip worthwhile.

If you're desperately looking for more Doom Eternal, The Ancient Gods – Part One will give it to you.

There's a nugget of an excellent game located within G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout, but this outmoded third-person shooter unfortunately doesn't have the resources, scope, or variety to expand upon its unmistakable potential. With repetitive objectives, frustrating controls, and a lack of online multiplayer, G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout isn't fun enough to stand out in a crowded shooter marketplace, despite the obvious and heartfelt passion on display for the '80s franchise.

I thought this was a pretty solid Jackbox pack, if not one of my favorites. There were some issues with the Switch edition that I hope will be cleared up soon -- not just with Champ’d Up, but it also took quite a while for some of the other games to connect. Otherwise this was a really solid mix of games, with much more thought put into the “personality” of each game (always love a good theme song).

Carefully consider your options before you dive in, but for those of you who are up to the challenge, it actually does work far better than you'd expect it to.

I can't deny it: Darkness in the Capital is fun as hell.

There isn't much for me to love or hate here. Torchlight III is a slow burn, one that struggles to stand out like its predecessors did back when this genre wasn't nearly as stacked with great competitors. If you're down for a simpler grind, you might find something to latch onto, but don't count on it.

When all is said and done, Star Wars: Squadrons is a truly awesome (and I use this word with the classic definition of "inspiring awe") experience for anyone looking for an arcade space shooter. For fans of the universe or anyone with a VR headset, it's a must-play. Sure, it has shortcomings in the single-player and it may not be as "hardcore" of a simulator as some were hoping for, but what Motive has delivered here is more than just a strong foundation. I genuinely hope they build off of it moving forward, either with updates or sequels, because it's hard not to love everything they've built.

Hopefully Nintendo has a change of heart like they did with Jump Rope Challenge and updates the game to address some of its shortcomings: because it has even more potential than a temporary flight of fancy.

Genshin Impact could be a little more lively than it is when leveling, but the beauty of its world helps suck you in.

Future updates will hopefully sort out all those connection issues, but what Spellbreak needs more than anything is a glow up. Because the elemental combat here is sensational, but all that goodness is trapped in this garden-variety fantasy setting that's holding back the true potential of what Proletariat could create here.

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

The reality is: WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a game nobody will remember a year from now. It lacks so much of what made over-the-top arcade wrestling games great in the first place, while also being filled to the brim with microtransactions. The spectacle of its over-the-top moves and abilities are quickly lost in the tedium of its progression, lack of depth, budget presentation, and technical issues. It almost feels like 2K has come crashing down with the WWE license...and it hurts inside.

All this time, the first Mafia was the best of the trio. It just took a phenomenal effort from Hangar 13 to do it justice with Mafia: Definitive Edition. This feels like the rare necessary remake that elevates and builds upon the original. It's truly an offer you can't refuse.

There's plenty of room for old school style FPS games like this in an ocean of looter shooters and games-as-a-service titles.

I have to admit, I found Hotshot Racing to be quite enamoring. I don’t have much nostalgia for the early days of 3D racing games, but I do appreciate a good arcade racer, and that’s exactly what this is. Its cheery sound design and visuals are endlessly charming and the driving feels exactly as it should. If you feel the need to go back to the simpler days of racing games, this certainly fits the bill. This likely won’t be the last time I take it for a lap around the track.

At $4.99, you really can't go wrong with downloading Super Punch Patrol from the eShop. With a few adjustments this could be a really good, potentially great game, but there's easily five bucks worth of entertainment here, including 12 costumes to unlock across the three characters and an online leaderboard if you want to chase high scores. Just make sure you bring a friend along because this city is not kind to those who walk its streets alone.

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Supergiant pulling off this Herculean feat with such style.

Hey, guess what you all? I did it! I made a definitive ruling on Mario Sunshine. I'm sure this won't be debated for another 18 years.

Had Vanillaware crafted a title where the story and the action wove into one another flawlessly, we'd be looking at the greatest game the developer has ever made, without question. Unfortunately, that's not what this game is, and while what is here is great, it's crushing to see just how close 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim came to perfection.

It’s definitely a worthwhile game, especially if you’re a fan of bureaucracy simulators. If you get stimulation from organizing, considering, and processing. Entrepreneurial pirate aside, the game is well written and delivered. The soundtrack is outstanding, the atmosphere is just so, and the replay value is nice. I’m not sure I’ll be exhuming it for another playthrough anytime soon, but it was a decent experience before it was put to rest.

It innovates ever so slightly in so many ways to help give this sequel its own life.

One of my favorite RPGs in recent memory just got easier to replay. That's a win.

Although it can feel slow-going at times, Borderlands 3: Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck benefits from its lore-heavy framework and a clear focus on one major character.

Peril on Gorgon is a meaningful and natural extension of the base game. It avoids feeling tacked on, which was my main concern coming in, and it's more of the good stuff, not filler. Don't skip it! That said, without knowing exactly when or where the second half of the Season Pass will slot in, I'd potentially wait to knock both DLC stories out at the same time (and save a bit of money) if you can.

Paradise Killer is a strange experience. Even having completed it, I have difficulty putting into words what it was like to play it. It's sometimes boring, often intriguing, frequently funny, and startlingly deep. I didn’t go into this expecting such an amazing detective experience, but that’s exactly what I got. It’s rare to see a game so adeptly balance style and substance, and even though it’s not a flawless experience, it has it where it counts. We may have just fallen short of Paradise this time around, but the next cycle could be perfect.

Every time Moon would lose me with its constant waiting around or head-scratching puzzle solutions, it would win me back with its humor, characters, writing, and music. This is a game that exudes joy, and while I wasn't always having fun playing it, I am grateful that I at least got the chance to experience it.

When Avengers isn't getting in the way of itself with its tacked-on campaign, it's a bit of silly arcade fun. If a lot of these concerns are answered via post-launch patches and the DLC characters are fun to play, there's plenty of room for improvement with Avengers. At launch, it's not going to wow everyone. Maybe Marvel wanted this out as soon as possible, but it could have used another delay.

While Konami naturally doesn't enter the arena as gracefully as Arika did with Tetris 99, Super Bomberman R Online is a weird, crazy game that I'm going to enjoy diving into occasionally.

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

Too much of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is tied to an experience that is no longer available. The moment in time that made the GameCube original possible has long passed, and trying to capture that nostalgia with so many missing pieces, is a fool's errand.

From a distance, Windbound is a gorgeous oceanic adventure with a fun sailing system that isn't afraid to push back, but up close, the cracks start to show. The game makes a great first impression that ultimately wears thin by the time you've mastered its repetitive resource-gathering roguelike loop.

It hit me how superficial a lot of the mechanics in Best Friend Forever are. I had thought that, similar to a typical dating sim, you’d have to train specific stats to score points with your lover, but it’s more segregated and mechanical than that. The dog lends a layer of brightness to the game, so it’s not entirely wasted, but from a gameplay standpoint, it’s pointless. From a purely visual novel standpoint, the game is entertaining and well-written, but it fails to make use of the one thing that makes it unique. It has the love it needs, but it will need more training before it can truly be called a "good boy."

I finished AWE with a yearning for more Alan Wake and a yearning for more Control. Remedy has more or less confirmed we'll get more of both at some point in the future, although they might be presented through the lens of yet another series. That's the reality of the Remedy Connected Universe. As a trial run, AWE manages to be a great double-dip on some beloved narratives, even though it's not necessarily a great representation of either Control or Alan Wake individually. Sometimes the sum is greater than the parts, sometimes the lake is really an ocean.

The crashes aren’t the main issue with Elite Squad: it’s the complete predictability and lack of imagination found in every corner of the app that’s the problem. This is nothing more than "Free-to-Play Mobile Game: The Game" with a Tom Clancy skin. A perfectly adequate time-waster, but those are a dime a dozen on smartphones.

Crucially, the driving itself just isn't fun, resulting in a bland experience interchangeable with any other street racing franchise.

Kandagawa Jet Girls delights with its boisterous, glowing presentation, cast of vibrant characters, and array of fun side-attractions. But the jet-ski action itself is mostly dull, struggling to offer a decent challenge or a genuine sense of speed. Jet Girls rides waves of goodwill thanks to its infectious personality, but this eventually gives way to tepid, monotonous gameplay, hampering what could have been one of Marvelous' best releases yet.

A Total War Saga: Troy plays it safe in some slightly disappointing ways, but brings enough new to the table that I would appreciate seeing its ideas make their way over to the next mainline Total War game.

Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a weak adaptation of the series, but the action mechanics just aren't all there either; which drags down even further.

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.

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is built upon a highly inventive central concept and smartly dressed in an authentic audio/visual package that accurately captures the dangerous world of The Shelby Family. The inventiveness of this core element is not captilised upon, however, resulting in uninspired action and repetitive gameplay. Peaky Blinders fans might find a few hours of entertainment but, overall, Mastermind is a missed opportunity.

I suspect it's going to be highly polarizing (not only due to the adherence to retro style difficulty but the newness of the art and humor), but it somewhat won me over due to sheer force of will.

We've seen Ubisoft snatch victory from the jaws of "somewhat underwhelming" before: maybe they can do it again.

Despite my qualms with certain challenges and the last boss, I cannot get enough of Risk of Rain 2. I love the characters and discovering secrets while setting new goals for myself. As someone who mostly bounced off the first game, the sequel sucked me in like a Primordial Cube (an in-joke, hah!). There is so much to love here, whether you are a fan of the first game or roguelikes as a whole.

Having played through Horizon Zero Dawn on PC, my view of it hasn't changed since I first played it in early 2017. There's a lot of open world bloat present, but when it works, it works. And man is it still beautiful, especially on PC.

I did enjoy what time I spent with Lost Wing, though that didn’t exactly last long. With three tracks, a handful of challenges, and a boss rush, the content is a little thin. It’s definitely priced with that in mind, however, so if you’re looking for something to fill an afternoon, you could certainly do worse. I just don’t think it’s something I’m going to keep coming back to.

If none of our hopes and dreams pan out (I'm sure at least some of them will considering the game's early success), Fall Guys is still one of the feel-good excursions of 2020. How much longevity players can get out of it will vary from person to person, but as someone who had essentially called it quits on the all-too-samey battle royale genre, I'm having a ridiculously fun time right here and now.

Merchant of the Skies is just disappointingly flat. It’s enjoyable enough to play through — once. However, after you’ve accumulated your wealth, there’s little left to be done. Another layer of challenge would have done the game a world of good, but as it stands, it’s just a one-way trip.

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxiboost On is what Gundam Versus should have been in the first place. A more properly thought-out offline suite, split-screen support, LAN mode, a deep roster, and an improved netcode all lead to a superior package that can appeal to even non-Gundam fans. However, the lack of a proper tutorial and some questionable decisions with the online hold it back as a whole. Regardless of these issues, it has absolutely lived up to the hype of players who experienced it during its arcade reign.

Hellbound is pretty upfront with what it is. If you've already burned through most of the homages I listed above, give this a shot.

Over the course of its roughly three-hour runtime, I laughed and smiled a bunch. That’s more than enough for me. This could have easily ended up as an embarrassing attempt to relive and milk the franchises’ past success, but it turned out to be something much more enjoyable. It’s not the flashbang of passion and possibility that the original offered, because few things in this world are, but it feels like it has something unique to say, and I think most fans will walk away happy if they take the time to listen.

For those of you who are curious about this series and want to jump in, you could do a whole lot worse on the Nintendo Switch. If you want to play Crysis in the most shiny way possible and own another platform, it's best to wait.

The Tengu's Disciple is more of the same and that's largely okay. The historical figures and all-new yokai are memorable, the two main missions have good pacing, and the Splitstaff is just plain cool to wield.

Beneath the veneer, there isn’t much that makes Hotel Sowls shine. The plot, the characters, and the gameplay are all wax-paper thin. The game ticks away mechanically under its inspired art style. I’m actually taken aback by how soulless Hotel Sowls really turned out to be. I guess it just goes to show that you can’t judge a hotel by its chandelier.

Void Terrarium is tough, and it can be unforgiving with a lot of different systems to keep track of. But it's always a satisfying experience. It's not the greatest roguelike/Mystery Dungeon title I've played, but it might just have the most rewarding gameplay loop I've seen in the genre.

Crypto-137 is hellbent on ensuring that humanity meets a terrible fate. By comparison, Destroy All Humans has met an enjoyable-enough-but-certainly-not-amazing fate. That's fine, but it's tough to not feel as though something truly great could've happened with some more creative license. If nothing else, this remake left me thinking that Destroy All Humans is still a viable property and that a brand new game might not be such a bad idea. But maybe that's because an extraterrestrial has control of my cortex.

When it comes to gameplay and longevity, Death Come True suffers from the exact same issues as many titles in the FMV genre without breaking new ground. But Izanagi's engrossing tale of love, regret, and murder redresses the balance with superb performances, dramatic twists, and a genuinely impassioned climax. It's a short, somewhat expensive trip, but one worth taking when it hits your personal price-point.

Other than a few finicky control issues with grabbing the wrong object in a cluttered room or getting momentarily caught up in tight passages when playing as the beast's largest form, I had a breezy time. If you're looking for a cathartic pick-up-and-play game with little to no fat that you can slip in between this summer's massive story-driven titles, that's Carrion all the way. It's a devilish snack.

For anyone interesting in a wholly unique story that is almost guaranteed to sink its hooks into you, look no further than Necrobarista.

Rainswept is a heavy game. Its sad piano music and endless poetic rainfall underscoring the human tragedy depicted. If you're capable of shouldering the game's baggage, Rainswept provides an "entertaining" tale. I certainly "enjoyed" it. However, if what you're looking for is a fun murder mystery to sink your teeth into, you might be better off seeking clues elsewhere.

It's a power fantasy that makes you work for the right to feel like a god and when your plans come together it's a joyous romp to play.

Tribute Games tapped into a treasure trove of classic games, and that adoration shines bright in Panzer Paladin. In a year already full of great action-platformers, this one shouldn't be skipped.

This is a great example of how stories about LGBTQ characters don't have to be aimed exclusively at LGBTQ audiences, and even without my personal connection to the story, it's the most brilliant game I've played this year.

I think what it comes down to is how much you need a strong narrative framework to guide you through a game. CrossCode asks for a rather large time commitment -- over 40 hours in my case -- and if you’re expecting a compelling plot to keep you glued to it, you may never find it. On the other hand, if you can push all that story into the background and focus on the sheer thrill of the game’s combat and the challenge of its puzzles, it has a lot more going for it. CrossCode puts its mechanics to good use in inventive ways, and at times, I found it to be legitimately impressive. However, without the beating heart of a convincing narrative, you may find yourself logging out too soon.

There's room in my heart for both styles of Paper Mario. The old games still exist and this newer, sometimes thinner formula is fine too.

Stadia is going to be a dealbreaker for a lot of people though, so that timed exclusivity can't end soon enough.

With Ghost of Tsushima under its belt, Sucker Punch deserves to be in the same conversation as Insomniac, Naughty Dog, and Sony Santa Monica.

Ninjala definitely has the look of something I should be in love with. It's bright and colorful, and the world-building happening here is genuinely fun. What's not fun are the poorly implemented mechanics that can ruin the fast and fluid combat. There is a solid template for something great here, and if GungHo can iron out all its wrinkles, it might have a genuine blockbuster on its hands.

Inti Creates could've done "more of the same" and called it a day, but the new characters lend Curse of the Moon 2 a ton of flexibility, the co-op support is commendable, and the subtle refinements can be found far and wide if you go back to play the original game after spending a weekend with the sequel. Curse of the Moon isn't just some quaint offshoot of Bloodstained. It's leading the charge.

Despite its age, simplicity, and lack of embellishments, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town proves the Bokujō Monogatari franchise has been on the money since the very beginning. Its content may feel a little sparse compared to its successors and competitors, but I can see myself returning to these lands long after the next harvest moon.

How many times can you say that you hexed an old widow so that you could go bowling in the past...oh say decade or so?" Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise is another trip. You've been warned.

It was a joy to revisit the world of Mr. Driller again, and the Switch is one of the best places to do it given the pint-sized level-by-level format.

Hardcore VR players have already likely flocked to Covert Ops: it's the next big thing from Oculus Studios, of course they're looking for an excuse to get some use out of their headset. But for everyone else, it's definitely one to keep on a list somewhere for when you eventually pick up a Rift or a Quest.

Right now, however, it has not reached that point of player exploitation where I'd recommend deleting it off your phone entirely. Pokémon Café Mix is currently in that sweet spot where it's mostly harmless with only a few bits of frustration. The puzzle formula is entertaining enough to bring me back two or three times a day to try and get past those roadblocks, but really, I'm firing the app up far more often than that just to get a look at those delectable Pokémon dishes.

I hope that Camouflaj gets their hands on Iron Man again: if only to see how they can top themselves and mend their mistakes.

Like many recent indie games, The Almost Gone isn't afraid to tackle difficult subject matter. And like a lot of its fellow developers, Happy Volcano opts not to get too far into the weeds of the topics it covers. Certainly, there will be players who take the narrative to heart more passionately than I did, but I do find it a curious enough of an experience to recommend to mobile gamers looking for something more melancholy than the newest match-3 puzzler.

Bounty of Blood just tries to do so many things that it ends up becoming a cacophony of concepts.

If you're thinking of playing Among Trees and you know you need extrinsic motivators to hold your interest, you'll want to wait until the Early Access schedule is further along. If you're down for a laid-back forest hiking game and you enjoy charting your own course just for the heck of it, give it a chance. [Early Access review]

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.

I can just imagine some kid saving up their allowance to buy this pricey meatball and crying afterward.

With a remake, all of this, along with the often questionable level design, could have been corrected. But with SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated aiming to be as faithful to the original as possible, these issues only serve as a reminder of how much better the industry has become at making 3D platformers.

Through it all though, I'm still going back and playing it. The live, die, repeat roguelite mechanic has its hooks in me and although it's frustrating at times, I'm working through gritted teeth to unlock more items to help me in future runs. The aesthetic beauty of the game helps keep me going as well as the music but I only wish some more tweaking had been done to some of the shootout mechanics. If you pumped hours upon hours into Enter the Gungeon then chances are you'll find a similar grab in West of Dead, but be fair warned that there isn't as much polish here.

You're getting a very small narrative and another big interconnected Wild Area: that's pretty much of the gist of it.