The game offers everything that I personally enjoy in traditional JRPGs, however, I did realize that a lot of the content seemed “recycled” from other JRPGs (story, battle system, etc). While it may not be a bad thing for some, I am Setsuna delivers with a well-crafted soundtrack, great visuals, and even revived traditional RPG elements that we enjoy, such as crafting and tech combos.

With all of that said, the game is still worth the $59.99 that you are going to pay for it. It has a load of fun sitting there that outweighs the enormous loading time. Frightfully, this game is good offline and even better online.

The best part about Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is that it's a lot of fun.

Company of Heroes 2 is an all around solid effort and experience that most RTS fans will find hard to ignore.

For accessible, deep, fun, and nostalgic-rich fighting, you’d be hard-pressed to do any better than MK11: Aftermath.

EA's second stint with UFC's license shows some positive growth.

Overall, Erica is a unique undertaking in the FMV world that worked out well and has set new standards for the genre. It brings an engaging story to life with superb acting, and enough interactive choices for the player to make it a cut above the rest in its genre. It does waste time in unnecessary interactions on occasion, but nothing too detrimental to take away from the mystery and intrigue of its narrative.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved is the best workout game to date and an excellent choice for Kinect owners this holiday.

The Knife of Dunwall grabs hold of one of Dishonored’s more provocative threads and handles it with impressive respect and grace. In a perfect world this would lead countless one-off stories indulging in Dishonored’s intricate universe, but as a single piece of content its best viewed as a glimpse of its lingering potential. The Knife of Dunwall keeps Dishonored’s spirit right place, it’s just not finished yet.

Cladun is a love letter to gamers who spend hours on forums bitching about how technology has ruined role playing games for the last fifteen years. For once, they're right; a retro style doesn't go hand in hand with disappointment after the pangs of nostalgia inevitably settle.

SFIV is a proof-of-concept to how a Street Fighter game can turn out when built and utilized properly on big time hardware.

It feels like an integral piece in the burgeoning Dead Space mythos, and it does for the light gun genre what the original did for its survival/horror brethren; while it's not particularly original, it remains wonderfully engaging, masterfully executed, and, despite its brevity, a great deal of fun.

Newcomers to the series might want to start their Dragon Quest experience with IV, V, or IX but for fans or those who are looking for more Zenethian adventures, Realms of Revelation is a lengthy addition to the DS's Dragon Quest lineup.

OXENFREE is an amazing story that doesn’t ask a lot of extra attention from its players other than listening and occasionally playing out some puzzles/problems/actions onscreen.

Level 5 and 1UP Studios have done a wonderful job of creating a lighthearted adventure that should be on any completionist's radar.

The best, most complete version of a great game that offers compelling reasons for current owners and newcomers to invest in. It's not for everyone, but if you can "get into it," you're likely going to be hooked on not only the game, but the franchise.

What Killzone Shadow Fall Intercept lacks in maps and level design, it makes up with strong, team oriented gameplay and a deep points/reward system that keeps you going. Intercept certainly renews the excitement of owning Killzone Shadow Fall.

This is what arcade racing/driving is all about.

Sonic Colors Ultimate takes one of the best 3D Sonic games from the past and brings it to platforms it has never reached before, all in a fairly-priced, nicely done Ultimate package. It’s easy to recommend to any fan of Sonic games, including those like myself that never got around to playing the original in the last decade.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is most certainly a unique experience with its beautifully hand drawn environments and visual perfection. If you're an action fan and you don't mind fairly repetitive gameplay, Muramasa is one of the most beautiful games you'll ever play.

Expressed as a product, Gravity Ghost is an inventive platformer with a precarious and affecting narrative.

MercurySteam's take on Castlevania has never looked better than it does with the Ultimate Edition. Despite being three years removed from its original release, it's still a joy to play and would do very well for itself when compared to more recent genre releases.

Overall, Sakura Wars is a solid game that delivers in a lot of areas, story and dialogue choices to give your players control of their fate, and falls a little short in others, especially action/mech. There is far more positive than negative and I think the re-tooling and reboot of the series might gain more fans than lose them.

If this is a usual 12 month purchasing decision for you, absolutely no reason to stop now.

Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition brings a nice set of content to a two-year old experience, which includes an extended map, a new/awesome action in Armiger Unleashed, new vehicles to work with and a more open world feel to it all.

KOF XV is a heck of a fighting game that spans a massive, rich history. Personally, I would have loved a bigger focus on local play, and less-to-no focus on online multiplayer, but I get that it’s 2022 and fighting games can’t survive that way. As is, the local, offline offerings are pretty slim; fun, and serviceable, but pretty slim. Netcode and presentation are solid. I thought the graphical choices SNK went with for KOF XV were great. All-in-all, there’s a lot to like about this release. I’m not sure what SNK plans for paid DLC, but suspect there will be more than thirty-nine fighters in the roster when it’s all said and done. At release, KOF XV is technically sound on all fronts and fun to play. It’s great to see this series still getting serious attention from SNK, and hopefully the fighting community will be moved to support this classic franchise.

RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic from Atari brings what it promises to the table – a classic. Building, maintaining, and improving an amusement park while not trying to lose attendees is such an addictive gameplay experience, even if it doesn’t hit all the modern gaming notes perfectly.

Sonic X Shadow Generations makes Sonic look better than ever before thanks to its graphical makeover and additional playable campaign featuring the one, and only, Shadow the Hedgehog. With the spotlight on Shadow, players can now play as him in all of his glory while being treated to cinematic sequences that, quite frankly, look cool as hell.

The Invincible does not stray far from the borders of the many narrative-driven games it takes inspiration from. But the retro-futuristic aesthetic coupled with a narrative that shifts with tension and mystery, makes it one of the more memorable titles in the genre. Barring some unfortunate but resolvable issues, the planet of Regis III is constantly captivating, rife with alien mysteries to uncover.

Infernax truly doesn’t feel catered to anyone that hasn’t, at some point in their life, been broken by the unruly math of NES programming, quality control, and a sadistic developer. I can understand that frustrations will stem from an easy-to-spot point of inspiration but I can also understand that there will be players who have no tolerance for it. Thankfully, Infernax‘s wonderful mood and aesthetic are coupled with modern design choices. Upgrade paths, multiple spells, a brisk length, and tons of odes to the past push Infernax into a title worth remembering.

Rainbow Six Extraction may appear to be a vast departure from all things Tom Clancy’s and Rainbow Six on the surface. However, it is an often thrilling, tense PvE game that implements some of the best shooting mechanics found in Siege. Rather than focusing on swarms of fast moving zombies and floods of randomized loot, Extraction keeps things simple and often muted, rewarding careful and deliberate play. It may not have deep progression and constantly evolving objectives but it does present a challenge that only Rainbow Six can bring. While Ubisoft typically supports their games for the long term, I’m curious to see if Rainbow Six Extraction will be able to shine in this increasingly busy space and prove that the risk–and lengthy delay–was mostly worth it.

Overall, Firis is a solid entry into the long-running franchise that should appeal to previous players and newcomers.

Despite some very annoying bugs that absolutely need to be addressed, the game is both a wonderful online experience and an underrated solo adventure if you enjoy the exploration aspect of games such as No Man’s Sky.

Mothergunship is a solid title that hangs its hat on weapon customization, while sacrificing some gameplay. It’s definitely worth a go, even if only to show the insane weapon designs one can concoct.

Sifu remains an excellent third-person roguelike that taps into classic kung fu combat. With its multiple free updates thus far in 2022, patient gamers should be assured that now is the best time to try one of the most accessible but still challenging roguelikes of the year. Sure, the Switch’s port is probably a suboptimal experience compared to the PS5’s hardware. But, it runs pretty well on the Switch, and it’s quite fun despite the graphical quibbles one may expect from the Switch’s hardware. SLOCLAP has done a pretty good job with this port and free updates, making Sifu a shoe-in for those wanting a souls-like experience on their Switches.

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries and the Heroes of the Inner Sphere DLC represent the best mech experience on modern consoles. Piranha took what was a good game that was only on PC via the Epic Store in late 2019 and turned it into a great game with dozens of improvements across the board, with a major DLC pack available as well. For newcomers like I was, it can be a little intimidating at first boot, but a good tutorial and focused-play on your part makes this a very approachable, fun, and deep game.

Sonic X Shadow Generations on the Nintendo Switch 2 is the version of the game that all Switch owners should own. The lack of upgrade option aside for original Switch owners, Sonic looks better than ever before thanks to its graphical makeover and additional playable campaign featuring the one, and only, Shadow the Hedgehog. With the spotlight on Shadow, players can now play as him in all of his glory while being treated to cinematic sequences that, quite frankly, look cool as hell.

Serial Cleaners is an enjoyable experiment. Knowledge of the first game is completely unnecessary, except to appreciate developer Draw Distance’s ability to evolve gameplay and storytelling. Smeared against the backdrop of a dark underworld, the 90s aesthetic bolsters the narrative and style. Rather than a stealth game that shoves against the player, Serial Cleaners creates an almost zen-like experience among the chaos.

Some random good points I noted were the music, which worked nicely to add to the atmosphere. Great voice-acting and writing, excellent graphics, so an all-in-all solid presentation that deserves a hat tip. Great checkpointing, a nice mixture of puzzles and exploration, and a good pace overall as well that compels you to play this game to completion in just a couple or few sessions. In sum, The Medium is a great game with a few quirks, and it’s the best from Bloober Team to date. Available on Game Pass, it’s well-worth playing through as it makes for a nice early next-gen experience.

Crashlands 2 has been worth the wait, especially for those who want a simple crafting and farming game that can be played on an iPhone or PC. Its tongue-in-cheek charm, dubstep silliness, and approachability make it worth playing for hours on end…so long as you get past its initial learning sluggishness.

NHL 24 is definitely a step back in the right direction. The advances in on-ice play make it worth your time no matter what happens. HUT and CHEL continue to evolve for the better and are a good way to grow online play. While there are still some negative spots for the game, this is still worth the price of a ticket to play in the NHL and makes me feel excited for the future.

Presentation quality is quite good, with the protagonist’s voice-acting being especially notable. Your character at times will have a brief monologue, talking about life working for Oceannova, and the guy’s voice reminds me very much of Tom Hanks’ own voice. The dialog is brief, but well-written, and these spoken moments come up at good intervals to remind the player they’re on the right path. The graphics are also very good and the game is comfortable to play. Ultimately, Narcosis provides players with a compelling experience that’s easy to recommend.

Sam Fisher's latest is a treat, and quite possibly the most complete and robust Splinter Cell experience to date. It's not without some flaws of course, and I do wonder if it will be re-released on PS4/X1 in the next several months, but fans of the franchise should take note and suit up.

More than just a competent roguelike fresh out of early access, Skul: The Hero Slayer delivers power-swapping action and a mostly satisfying loop that should sufficiently satisfy your Dead Cells or Hades cravings.

I’ve spent several hours playing Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S and I just love it. Barring the unnecessary complexities of its Skill Battles and attempting to learn its nuances, the additional modes and Versus setup makes for satisfying, frenetic, and highly replayable puzzle gameplay. It’s an excellent game to take on the road and play with friends.

Overall, WRC 9 is a good representation of rally racing. It is a fun time for someone who enjoys racing or the casual fan just looking to run with your mates.

Shinobi is an all time classic and deserves another reboot as far as I’m concerned. The Sega Ages release on Switch gives players the arcade original with some cool optional modifications to make it more fun and engaging, not to mention easier as well. I really would have liked to have had the SMS version included here, but this is still a great, polished release as is.

Plucking inspiration from several unsettling sources of entertainment, Transference delivers a creepy, cerebral virtual reality tour through a broken family dynamic that is unimpeded by taxing puzzles and relishes in immersing players in a haunted house of tragedy.

Momodora: Moonlit Farewell is beautifully simple, perhaps to a fault. Switch owners who take the chance on this 8-hour metroidvania will enjoy its fluid combat, glittery spritework, and mild platforming. I’m sad to see the Momodora series conclude, but I have hopes that developers Bombservice continue to design gorgeous metroidvanias.

Metal Slug Tactics is refreshing, leaning into its roots as a charming 90s arcade title while reinventing itself as a tactical RPG. You needn’t be a Metal Slug fan to enjoy the amount of depth here – it’s a treat of highly engaging gameplay and a must-listen of a soundtrack. I want more from Leikir Studio and sincerely hope they make the UI more user-friendly to ease the learning process.

World of Final Fantasy has some great gameplay design that honors the traditional turn-based role-playing game structure. The additional Pokemon elements of capturing and cultivating the mirages creates motivation to keep the ball rolling, even if you’re grinding out the gameplay a bit. The gameplay certainly isn’t perfect, as the younger audience that Tose and Square Enix are trying to reach rears its head in the gameplay structure once in awhile through the game's flow and simplicity, but World of Final Fantasy is diverse and deep enough to keep the excitement going from beginning to end. Just come prepared with a good GPU to push it on the PC.

Other than the roguelite gameplay levers that are more punishing and artificially slow in gating variance for the player, ROBOBEAT is a fun rhythm mashup. I highly recommend it for those wanting to show off their FPS and parkour skills while shooting along to the beat of an incredible soundtrack.

You will definitely get your money’s worth if you're a fan of stealth strategy games and want a game that you can replay over and over. If your not into this type of genre Hitman doesn’t do anything that will make you a fan. It’s a very rewarding game and one of the best from the series.

A delightful little dungeon crawler, Riverbond, is fun for everyone. The voxel styling paired with the abundance of skin choices makes for a wonderful visual experience. The drop-in/out multiplayer means the whole family can hop on the couch and play as much, or as little, as they want to help clear a board. In a medium full of ever-increasingly realistic graphics, Riverbond is a breath of fresh air with its colorful world and characters.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage is the same, already great 3D fighting experience that PC players got last year and fans of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown have been familiar with since 2021. It brings Nintendo Switch 2 owners to parity with crossplay and rollback netcode, meaning that it should be easier than ever to find an online opponent.

DK Island and Emerald Rush is a dichotomous, albeit controversial, DLC addition to the already fantastic Donkey Kong Bananza. The former is a love letter to DK’s past; it’s a letter that is best appreciated by those who want that trip down memory lane. The latter, though, is a highly replayable and ever-so-engaging roguelite mode that takes things up several notches to truly test your mastery of Bananza’s mechanics. You shouldn’t consider this DLC unless you’ve completed Bananza or intend to do so.

The Director’s Cut of Wasteland 2 is no doubt an excellent game at the top of its genre, but the Switch version has some technical issues that keep it from being a clear cut recommendation. Still, priced at $30, and given the quality of the game outside of some technical gripes, it’s well worth your consideration.

Indeed, Strangeland is on the smaller side in terms of length, but also in scale as far as the number of areas, puzzles, and NPCs. Furthermore, it’s just a little bit on the easy side (even without using the payphone), too. I also found some of the ideas in the game just a little underdeveloped, which actually manifested as my own curiosity to know more about Strangeland — certain NPCs, or rooms, for example — but the content just wasn’t there. All that said, though — keep in mind — this is only a $15 game, and at that price, it’s an excellent value.

The Double Dragon & Kunio-kun Retro Brawler Bundle is a quirky, cool, unique release that gives players a big dose of retro gaming including several titles that have never been published stateside. I appreciate the history here, and the preservation, as well as the modernization efforts by Arc System Works. Even though several of the games didn’t hold my interest at all, and four of them are almost identical clones of other games in the same set, there’s still enough here to make this a release that retro gamers should take note of.

As a third person monster hunter with JRPG elements, Toukiden 2 gets a lot right. It has some important limitations that you should consider before diving in, but if you enjoy the franchise or the monster-hunter genre, keeps this one in mind.

Overall, Transpose is a pleasant, complicated surprise puzzle VR game that will put your patience to the test, as well as your cognitive skills. If you enjoy puzzle games, such as The Witness, then this one will probably be up your alley.

Depending on what you’re looking for in your next third person stealth game, Styx may fit the bill. It gets a lot right and is a noticeable improvement from the first game, which itself was pretty good to begin with. It may not carry the history or prestige of some of stealth’s bigger franchises, but if you like the genre at all, Cyanide Studios’ latest effort deserves your attention.

Bottomline, Sniper Elite 4 on Switch is nearly four years late to the party, but better late than never. It’s regrettable that all of the DLC wasn’t included and that this release was not given the Ultimate version treatment, but, for snipe-hungry Switch players, this is still an excellent game that’s well worth your consideration.

Ultros is a psychedelic cosmic loop of a metroidvania. Its combat is approachable and simple, while its gardening encourages creativity and problem-solving that is rarely seen in the metroidvania genre. I had a good time playing Ultros; it mystified me while giving me room to stress-test its cosmic universe and fully explore its boundaries. While I wanted more complex combat and intentional varieties of color, I was quite satisfied with my journey to warrant a play in the future. Ultros is a trip worth taking at least once.

The base Xillia content is notable for its incredible combat and emotional story, and the additional quality of life content makes the game more palatable than ever before. If you’re wanting to relive Tales of Xillia or are down to experience it for the first time, Tales of Xillia Remastered will give you the nostalgia and emotional depth you need.

While ESO is certainly growing and filling out the map of Tamriel, it feels like it is stagnating some. New additions like the Antiquities system and Tales of Tribute give players some variety in the gameplay. However, the core of the stories feels the same. While it can feel stale, I do still enjoy playing each new chapter. The new locales and characters usually make up for it. As do the new systems. I am interested to see what the devs bring us next as well as where the Legacy of the Bretons will go.

Severed is a short adventure that has a lot of major gameplay elements packed into it. Its unique art style will keep your eyes engaged, while your brain will be firmly occupied with the puzzles and sword play. There’s not a lot more you could ask for from a $14.99 game.

While Call of Duty: Black Ops isn't without flaws it does still maintain that core Call of Duty goodness that we've all come to love from the game.

Given the content and the price, I feel comfortable recommending this to previous players and newcomers alike.

he tale Ethan Carter ultimately aches to tell isn't as complex or natural as its influences, but it finds ample success in directing a curious story through an interactive ensemble.

An indie gem that shouldn't be missed regardless of your platform of choice. It would have been ideal to see this re-release separate itself more from previous versions, but it's still a very good and memorable experience.

Elite Dangerous is a very compelling and adventurous game. It's a story you get to tell based on your decisions. This is more than just a game. It's an ever-changing experience you get to participate in. Elite Dangerous is not for the Casual Gamer, and it's certainly not for everyone.

If a colorful, morbid, corporeal, dungeon-crawling Punch-Out!! isn't sweet enough to sell Severed, consider it a vision of a world where the PlayStation Vita remained a stronghold of original and endearing creation.

It's not always up for the traditional definition of fun, but it perfectly captures the disorientation and despondency of balancing dire problems between the dearest of friends.

If you love turntables, you love scratching and you love hearing music from different generations cleverly mixed together to create a unique beat then you'll just fall in love with DJ Hero.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate makes for a very solid gaming experience. The game offers up so much to do and see through a massive amount of quests, crafting elements, customizations and a compelling online mode. Prepare your day-to-day schedules accordingly for this one, but please be mindful of the control issues the game tends to have.

Bottomline, Thymesia does not stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the giants of the genre, but it’s a great game in its own right. Though it falters some in areas like presentation, story, and level design, the combat and upgrade systems are a lot of fun, even if the enemy variety gets to feeling a little thin by the end. Personally, I hope we see a lot more from Overboard Studios and Corvus in the future as there is a lot of potential to be realized yet.

Despite some parts of the game being more simplistic overall, the exploration of the catacombs is far more enthralling than the over world from Challenge of the Warlords.

Warhammer: Chaosbane is an incredibly entertaining game but at this point in time, that fun lasts as long as players continue to be invested in the repetitive nature of an ARPG. Right now, the pool of enemies, while aesthetically cool, begin to feel tired after awhile. It takes a considerable amount of time before modified enemies show up and the variety of equipment might not be enough for some players to invest the time it will take to soar to the highest echelons of skill.

Truth may be the driving force of any revenge tale, but whether Westerado's truth is fabricated, earned, implied, or rejected is left to the player. You can practically do whatever you want, and, rather than damn the consequences, Westerado makes it easier to embrace them.

A great piece of DLC that really extends and adds to the original game.

Blasphemous is a delightfully dark game with superb style. This Kickstarter success pairs magnificent world-building with clever combat mechanics. A player must have precision timing, as every hit point is vital. One wrong move could be a fatal error. This intense game feels very much like a 2D platforming version of games like Dark Souls or Bloodborne.

The King’s Bird offers up a unique platforming experience through its gameplay and design, that leads to some pretty spectacular moments. The feeling of flying is captured masterfully here, and simple controls that are hard to master keep you coming back until you finish the story. The sound and art design, while done before give unique spins that make the world all the more rich in detail. While the story is nothing to write home about, only a handful of other small issues really caused me any annoyance or trouble while playing, and I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who needs a good stress reliever or an excuse to unwind at the end of the day.

With the sport growing rapidly, and no intentions of slowing down, ‘F1 23’ continues the yearly release, but gives the player a good experience. Whether you’re a total rookie on the controller or a pro on your Fanatec wheel. ‘F1 23’ is a fun time overall. There is a little bit of ‘clutter’ at times. You feel like you’re having to sort through a lot to even just mess around at Montreal in a quick race, but the overall racing experience is gonna give you your fix. I will say that if you’re a hardcore sim racing driver, then this might be a pass for you. However, ‘F1 23’ is still worth your time on track.

I'm happy that this staple JRPG series is evolving. Dusk Sea brings with it several key gameplay changes that should keep series fans happy while making itself more accessible and interesting to others.

While it is certainly geared towards a younger audience, there's plenty of adventure here to be had by all ages.

The Rebel Collection is an all-around enjoyable and if you can understand that these games have some age to them, then I think anybody will find themselves enjoying it. Even those who have grown up with butter-smooth controls.

I think Valve and EA have stepped the game up in the sequel. I really believe they fully understand the value of players going online and playing the game with and against each other.

Sniper Elite V2 is a good game at face value, and a great game if you’re into the genre or the franchise. The Remaster is very well done in terms of being complete, providing a massive upgrade in visuals, and sprinkling in a few new goodies as well. The core game still has some quirks and rust as it did originally seven years ago, but the overall experience, especially when played co-op with a buddy, is well worth it.

With achievements, goals and a goofy storyline there's so much to love about Risk: Factions.

Looking for a fun, engaging racing sim? Look no further than Dirt: Rally. The game offers plenty of challenge, and even requires a new mental approach to racing games.

Mytran Wars is a solid turn based title that has a whole lot to offer.

A much different Silent Hill game than the norm, which will infuriate some but intrigue others, myself included. Series veteran or not, every Vita owner should at least try the demo.

People thought that the previous expansions were too simple, and they were right, so Bungie kicked it in the other direction and now we have gotten what we have asked for, even if it feels like it’s too difficult. The balance between effort and reward is now a right of passage and something that is respectful instead of expected. Warmind is a good way for Bungie to begin to right the ship of their D2 game and make it closer to what was promised at the beginning of this Destiny journey.

Codemasters did an outstanding job by delivering a medley of racing options and styles with GRID Autosport. It’s not perfect, but it’s damn close to a perfect experience when you want to try everything on the racing menu.

Vergil's Downfall is worth playing through if you enjoyed DmC at all, and you could do a lot worse with $9.

Tembo The Badass Elephant is a high quality, gorgeous, fun, and challenging 2D platformer that I'm happy to recommend.

While not a massive step forward for the series, FIFA Soccer 12 manages to add a few interesting features and maintain the series' top spot in the genre.