I had a great time taking on the new shrines and the obliteration silliness. Breath of the Wild is still a blast, so even if everything feels familiar, I couldn't help but take myriad detours and comb through areas I had already been before just to ensure that I didn't miss something. Keep your expectations in check and you'll enjoy the ride.

Puzzle Quest 2 is as fun as the original, and offers enough new content for old hands that they should want to revisit the series. Fair warning, though -- while killing that rat swarm is of the utmost importance, remember: you have people who love you and don't forget to bathe.

If you like tower defense games and have $20 to spend, Defense Grid: The Awakening is absolutely worth checking out and will provide you with some solid entertainment - just don't expect to get 40 hours of playtime out of it.

Battle Chef Brigade is a delightful concoction.

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.

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.

Nearly every Dragon Quest has added something unique to the gaming landscape as a whole, but Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is one of the best of the lot. As an RPG, VII simply begs to be played, though not necessarily on 3DS if you can swing it (or dig it out of a box somewhere).

I wouldn’t call Kena: Bridge of Spirits overly ambitious. More like “strategically ambitious.” Ember Lab avoided biting off more than it could chew with its first game, and I dug it. I hope there’s a sequel! After a much-deserved break, of course.

A great example of how to offer a classic game to a new audience with improved graphics and sound for a low price. Another World - 20th Annivesary is every bit as hard as it once was, but this iOS version is far from a lazy port. It offers an improved core experience with the option to play the 1991 version, features excellent touch controls, and gives a new breed of gamers the chance to explore why this classic was such a big deal.

Squall and his gang are welcome in my home anytime.

All my quibbles are on the periphery of Gears Tactics, though. The core -- getting onto the battlefield and agonizing over every move -- is excellent. There's a smart experience here, one that feels both authentically Gears and tactics. That's the best possible outcome. Gears Tactics is a great Gears game and a great tactics game. This 90% doesn't miss.

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

The hub world is a far more realized slice of the wider Plants vs. Zombies universe, and it's so delightfully odd.

There's no denying it's one of the most beautiful 2D games I've ever seen, and it might have taken the title easily if Owlboy hadn't come out just a couple of months ago. It ran flawlessly on the Wii U, so I have no doubt it'll look just as breathtaking on more modern consoles and PCs.

Alliance of Vengeance may not have the best story or cast in the series, but it gets the job done, and brings a ton of advancements with it in the process. I'll probably be playing this one for years to come, and I sincerely hope NIS is able to continue this series. It's still one of the best SRPG franchises in the business.

What sets TOEM apart from the many other wholesome games that plateau at mediocrity is its excellent execution of the concepts it puts forth. There is no design here that is questionable, no idea that feels unfinished. This is simply a well-crafted jaunt through a charming world. And it’s one that beckons me to return long after I’ve done everything I can possibly do in the game just to see what other amusing pictures I can take.

Gods and Kings is a strong expansion overall, but it fails to live up to the series' own pedigree. Religion adds so much subtlety to advanced strategies that, by comparison, espionage comes off as a half-assed attempt to add back an old mechanic.

My biggest takeaway from Chapters of the Chosen is that despite it's sexy new makeover, it still feels like an old school adventure.

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.

If you were overwhelmed by Three Houses, this is a great follow-up that doesn't just follow that same formula: and in many ways, gets back to Fire Emblem basics.

Bayonetta Origins is a really breezy game to play if you're enamored by the storybook look and feel, which does some of the heavy lifting.

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.

While The Bit.Trip could have been made marginally better with the addition of any kind of bonus content (such as the extra challenges found in Bit.Trip Complete), it's still a solid compilation of an excellent series of games. Thankfully, they hold up just as well on PlayStation consoles as they did on the Wii.

Sure, it's in LEGO form, but whether you're a casual super hero fan or take a trip to the local comic book store every Wednesday, there's no question there's something for everyone here.

I waited more than 10 years to finally play Alan Wake, and now that I’ve seen the credits roll, I can’t get it out of my mind. It’s firmly sunk its teeth into me, and like with many of the other greats, I’ll be returning to this world again and again for years to come.

It's one of the most expensive propositions in all of gaming right now, but the gameplay is there and the Starter Pack stands on its own. While the campaign can be a bit uneven at times, the always reliable LEGO charm and the innovation of the physical aspect of Dimensions allows it to excel.

There's a lot to like here if you give it a chance, and even if strategy isn't your preferred genre, you might find that it's worth your time to give ES2 a shot.

I spent more time plumbing the world for ingredients and rewards than I did with the Ryza games, and that means one thing: it really nailed the recipe.