It might not blaze the trail on anything new like a few other recent Inti Creates projects have, but it does exactly what it needs to do, and helps bolster the new legacy of Bloodstained proper before it's even out.

The melancholy tale is matched with some wonderful visions to make a game that really sticks in the mind.

Despite introducing so many characters in a short space of time, Telltale has managed to plant the seeds of emotional connection; which I can only hope leads to more intense drama and difficult decisions. Its limited opportunities for interaction is probably its biggest failing beyond the bugs, but there's a lot of potential here.

If you like tilt controls, it's a fantastic little game that you can't go wrong with. If you don't, then stay the hell away from it.

At the end of the day, there's no justification for a game that forces two loading screens on you before it even begins.

Crown of the Iron King didn't blow me away, but it's a very nice zone that feels like a natural extension of Dark Souls II, and it's meaty enough to feel like a real DLC and not just a bonus area.

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.

Even if not every minute of HoPiKo is classic, I definitely think the game is worth playing. You can grab this new PC release or opt for one of the many other platforms it is available on, but don’t miss out. If nothing else, that soundtrack is worth the price of admission.

One of the very best experiences released on a console in a long, long time. The game's eight- to ten-hour quest truly does feel like a journey, one that is compelling, exciting, and incredibly memorable.

We travel back to the continent of Orsterra in Octopath Traveler 0, but the franchise doesn’t just return to its old ways and slap a new number on it. 0 is full of new features, companions, and collectibles to find, making for a gameplay experience that truly pushes the series in a new and exciting direction—and it's all done against a gorgeous backdrop that will have you hooked for hours to come.

Vermintide 2 is an improvement over its predecessor with more beautifully designed sprawling levels, more varied enemy types, an addictive loot system, and a whole lot of character skills to try out. The sequel is at its best when it's creating tense moments, even if it can quickly get a little bit overwhelming. I also apologize to all of those I left to die in matchmaking.

Strong Bad Ep.5 is also the least linear of all the games in the series.

Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is a fast-paced steal ’em up that wears its purposefully repetitive hook on its sleeve. There’s a genuine sense of discovery in these steel-reinforced walls, and it’s nice to see Snoozy Kazoo improving upon the art of the first game to create a more unified pixel aesthetic that extends from the gameplay to the character art during dialogue exchanges. It’s also dumb as hell, which appeals to me in the most primitive way possible.

Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics might sound generic at first blush, but it's secretly one of the best Nintendo Switch games of 2020. It's the right game at the right time with the right temperament.

One other major issue with the game is the horrible navigational map that just shows everything as a circle of cluttered brown mess. With so much going on during a standard mission, it's understandably difficult to create a map that reads clearly and informs the player of what's happening. However, this impossible creation doesn't even come close.

Ultimately, Gnosia is worth playing through to the end thanks to its strong narrative. The story goes in unexpected directions, and the revelations I learned along the way were compelling enough to push me past my frustrations. Make no mistake, I wanted to give up on this game multiple times. But every time I considered quitting, I'd start one last loop that would pull me right back in because all of the elements were in place for another bit of tasty narrative to reveal itself.

Where it succeeds best, however, is in being a terrific introductory horror game. Whether or not you’re a youth whose parents disapprove of gore or if you’re just one to hide beneath a blanket when a zombie appears on screen, My Friendly Neighborhood provides the depth of the Resident Evil experience without any of the violence. Not only does it fill an important niche, it proves that this sort of horror game can stand on its own without any of the blood.

I ran into a few issues -- namely the occasionally frustrating level design, which is inconsistent at best -- but there's so much to love that the problematic aspects don't sully an otherwise terrific game. Between character leveling, equipment, hundreds of drops, and rivalries with friends, SSX is going to provide months of entertainment for most of us.

The models look great, especially on a high-end PC with all of the settings jacked up. It blows the GameCube version out of the water, and looks incredibly smooth and fluid.

If you’re looking for a solid RPG in a beautifully built world, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is certainly that. The combat is fluid and satisfying, and the world of Thedas is well-designed and fun to explore. The story has its drawbacks, but overall it’s still better than most. Whether it will live up to the prestigious storytelling of the previous Dragon Age games will very much depend on the RPG’s curtain call. [Review in Progress]

Cyber Shadow is a bit disjointed at times, but right when it's chugging, it begins to crescendo and pick back up again.

Dungeon Encounters is one of the best games I’ve played this year. I get that may be kind of hard to believe given its stripped-down presentation. After all, this isn’t exactly the type of game we expect to come from Square Enix, a developer that is no stranger to extravagant graphics and battle systems. But if you’re judging it on looks alone, you’re really not going to be able to see the rewarding dungeon crawler found within. Give it a shot, and once you get into it, you might see it the way I do: as a gripping, strategic adventure that is not only a game but a celebration of one of the great innovations of the turn-based RPG genre.

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.

I was pleasantly surprised with Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, and will be keeping up with the meta and pro scene for the first time in years. While Harada and his crew could have easily given us a little more to do long term other than chase more treasure, it doesn't feel like grinding in the slightest given how fun it is to play.

As a default experience, Metro: Last Light is a good game that forgets why Metro 2033 was a great one.

Rising Storm needs a bit more polishing and a few more updates to really shine, but as it stands it's an excellent escape for old-school FPS fans. If you were a hardcore fan of Heroes of Stalingrad, this is basically an expansion in the Pacific with more gameplay you know and love.

Aside from lacking robust online options and a few clunky menus, Lethal League is an amazing package. It’s my personal favorite of the revival of couch co-op games, and may be my favorite “tell a friend” game of all time.

It succeeds in pulling off the gargantuan task of getting people to care about Mega Man again.