Nioh 2 is a balanced and beautiful game. It will certainly frustrate you to the point where you will want to walk away, but that first victory over a big bad demon will ignite a thirst in you to continue your difficult journey through ancient Japan. This game is not for the weak of heart, but most know that going into it.

They've taken a format, stripped away any annoying features that take away from the gameplay's flow, and created enough subtle innovations to truly create a definitive experience.

In 2010, Bayonetta and Vanquish suggested action games didn’t have to compromise between style and substance. In 2020, with a remastered tenth anniversary bundle, the acrobatic precision of both titles still feels ahead of its time. Hideki Kamiya and Shinji Mikami, and their teams at PlatinumGames, created enduring action masterworks and Armature’s 4K facelift varnishes them with another decade of luster. Bayonetta and Vanquish look and feel ageless.

Finding your favorite Mega Man is an invitation to one of gaming's more respectable conversations. Declaring an answer—whether it's fueled by nostalgia, objective truth, or genuine appreciation—is drawing line in a sand, and it's a resolution Mega Man Legacy Collection is designed to facilitate. It's not only how you remember these six games, it's how you want others to see them, too.

Final Fantasy X remains a genre-defining legend while Final Fantasy X-2 still dances through its saccharine and exploitative expectations. Neither feel especially ravaged by time. As either an academic interest in turn-of-the-century gaming or a hopeful re-acquaintance with a bygone phenomenon, the collection makes it easy to invest another lifetime across Spira.

Even after a dozen years and seven (or eleven) games, Yakuza 0 is an impressive and easy invitation to its namesake's adrenalized world.

Overall MLB The Show 17 does what it’s supposed to do and builds on last year’s great game. It’s hard to truly improve year after year without any competition but the development team is able to do that with this game. The documentary style of RTTS is brilliant and the new MLB Network broadcast addition is great and adds authenticity to the game. MLB The Show 17 is a great game for any baseball fans and will provide a great experience from any of their game modes.

Death’s Door‘s brisk and satisfying story pace allows players to soak up the adventure with efficiency and delight, never dragging on because of complicated puzzles and strenuous combat. Ultimately, though, I never wanted Death’s Door to end because this is an immensely satisfying, lovingly constructed world Acid Nerve has made. Both a fairy tale and an epic journey, it’s packed with wonder and whimsy. Anyone who has a love for gaming will recognize something they adore in Death’s Door. This universe is too good to resist and it is my sincere hope that this first taste won’t be the last.

Destiny 2 is the game everyone expected when the first Destiny came out. It’s huge, engulfing and rich with gameplay. It has a bit of everything for everyone and does everything right, including provide an engrossing campaign to start things off. It is certainly a contender for game of the year in my opinion and one game you don’t want to miss.

ARC Raiders exemplifies the strength of games where players craft their own narratives, taking advantage of the systems provided to foster pocket communities of robot-killing looters. While it is rife with complexity, Embark Studios uses smart onboarding, a striking visual identity, and tight third-person action to ease players into a budding sense of progression and growth. Though time makes fools of us all, it’s likely that ARC Raiders is here to stay.

Mario Kart 7 is a strong follow-up in a series which has long straddled the line between mass-appeal shoo-in and nod to the nostalgia. It doesn't take many risks, but that rarely hurts it apart from a general lack of surprises and a disappointing presence of blue turtle shells. Regardless, it's an attractive, addictive, and accessible installment with some of the best online play we've seen to date coming from Nintendo. Don't expect to be surprised, but buy with confidence all the same.

An excellent game made even better, the Wii U version of Darksiders II is the one to own.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a successful reboot by MercurySteam. Touting a strong combat system in the vein of God of War, the game features a fairly lengthy quest that is rewarding if you stick with it.

Kiwami 2 is best thought of as remake masquerading as an encore. More separation may have allowed it to better stand out and ease Yakuza’s encroaching sense of repetition. It’s impossible to deny the charm of its weird idiosyncrasies and the power of its serpentine drama. Kiwami 2 hits the modern Yakuza standard and, with any reasonable hope, breaks it for good. It also, for better or for worse, will finally allow people to cherish Yakuza 2 outside of its legendary tiger battle.

The end result of The Rise of the Golden Idol is one of great success. In the midst of a multitude of puzzles and point-and-click gameplay is a gem that is worthy of the best thinky game of 2024.

No Borderlands fan should be without The Secret Armory of General Knoxx.

Imagine a Western where scouring the American frontier is as urgent as calculating the severity of a hat. This balance sustains West of Loathing's mixture of zealous role-playing and profuse outpouring of absurdity. It's proof that capable writing can not only texture eccentric maneuvers in design and presentation, but also prevail as a primary attraction. West of Loathing celebrates Western ambience and revels in disciplined goofiness.

So good to see Night Dive Studios revive this classic and make it purchasable and playable again. If you've ever uttered the words 'cyberpunk' or like games that have the word 'shock' or "Deus Ex" in them, give this one an honest try -- it may not look the part in screenshots, but it's a legend.

Wipeout persists as a utopian phantom consumed with aesthetic elegance and driven to exhibit a vivid sensation of speed. The nature of this package’s identity—Wipeout Omega Collection is three different but very similar experiences—may nudge against a wall of homogeneity, but it’s easy to overlook when you’re going too fast to focus on anything in the periphery.

If you've waited this long to enter the tournament of Mortal Kombat, wait no longer -- MKXL is a stellar release, combining exquisite fighting with a massive amount of content.

With its automation, friendlier UI, and fleshed out playstyles outside of expansion, it’s a grand strategy game that is innately fun, endlessly engaging, and worth the decade’s wait.

Ratchet & Clank on the PS4 might not be an entirely new game given that it's based on the 2002 version, but Insomniac has done such a masterful job modernizing an already classic game that I would consider it one of the best releases of this console generation.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 is an imperfect, flawed, and splendid game where the highs ultimately outshine the lows. A few seemingly minor iterations go a long way in adding a fresh layer on top of the existing battle system — which was already one of the more innovative hybrids of real-time and turn-based tactical gameplay found in any modern strategy game. Valkyria Chronicles has always been about managing risks and rewards, and it’s at its best in Valkyria Chronicles 4. And even despite some inefficiencies in plot delivery, it still manages to deliver a resonant payload through a series of small character moments, slow-building tension, and decisive moments. Also, there’s a dog with a hat.

At its core, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is an inventory management game. The more you play, the more freedom you have to do things with that inventory. You can help others. You can hurt others. You can save citizens. You can kill them. You can grow your world. You can destroy it. Regardless of your decision, DSDC is a game unlike others in that your assumptions about core gameplay loops and storytelling are pushed aside in favor of exploring a disconnected future. For those who have yet to play DS, DSDC is clearly the iteration of DS that is worthy of your time given its iterations that are increasingly respectful of your time and patience while also giving you additional creative outlets to muck about. For those of you who were unable to get hooked into this game, then DSDC may not be the answer you seek in a cinematic experience. Give it a shot, though; I’d love to be proven wrong.

A straight-forward port would have gone over well enough, but NetherRealm went the extra mile and made this a standout, compelling release that I'm happy to recommend.

Far Cry 4 is radiant with opportunities to both seize and indulge in its power. This speaks to its fondness for connected progression systems, an insistence on emblazoning its geography with scores of content, and meaningful improvements to the blueprint laid out by Far Cry 3.

Trine 2 thrives on its ability to properly behave in a solo or cooperative environment, but it will undoubtedly be remembered for its breathtaking art direction.

Under the Island, from developer Slime King Games, gives a firm tip-of-the-hat with its design and execution to games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Under the Island contains good action, sometimes difficult puzzles, and a hefty amount of exploration to keep one’s attention firmly locked into the gameplay. The difficulty of some of the puzzles might feel a bit unbalanced and heavy, in comparison to the action, but the payoff feels worth that trouble.

A tiny mouse is an unassuming heroine, dioramas are inconspicuous puzzle boxes, and virtual reality often prefers exhilaration to gratification. Moss erases these assumptions and projects its bold ambition across a gorgeous procession of puzzles and platforming. In a medium consumed by flash and artificiality, Moss presents a mature and genuine alternative.

I got to a point where I was not enjoying playing Death Stranding, but I was enjoying watching Death Stranding to see what happened. For me, it would have been better, probably, if the game were much shorter, because I got to where I wanted to experience the story without having to deal with the gameplay. I rarely find myself in that situation! Even still, I recognize the sheer quality and accomplishment Death Stranding is, and the value the Director’s Cut offers, so I find myself still recommending this game. If you are at all curious, you owe it to yourself to try it out, and odds are, you’re going to enjoy it more than not.

Definitely the best version of Tomb Raider and it shows exactly what the new generation of consoles has in store for us in the very near future.

Whether you have played the other Devil May Cry games or not, DmC is a lot of fun and well worth the investment.

Pyre understands the primal thrill behind executing a dangerous slam dunk and the dueling probabilities of luck and dexterity necessary to make it happen. With Pyre, Supergiant Games' passion for systems-driven trials of skill and fondness for vibrant, wistful fantasy converge in the Mutant League NBA Jam daydream role-playing game I never knew I always wanted.

Outer Wilds' compact clockwork universe does more with twenty-two minutes than its spacefaring peers can imagine in a lifetime. It treats curiosity as a Möbius strip and trusts its network of divine secrets will drive the player toward a reasoned conclusion. By turning away from the zeitgeist, Outer Wilds' sublime presence can only be defined as otherworldly.

The Meta Quest 2 release of Iron Man VR shows that Camouflaj is expanding and enhancing the VR experience as the hardware capabilities improve. The game feels like what you would expect from an Iron Man experience and without all the wires to gum up the perceived reality it’s trying to deliver. The game works better, feels better, and looks better than its previous release. You shouldn’t pass it up.

Papers, Please is a game about beating the system. Or subverting the system. Or submitting to the system. Or maybe ignoring the system. In any approach, it forces the player to consider conflict as a multifaceted condition tied to its narrative and design, and it doesn't much care if you judge its sum-total as traditionally fun. Papers, Please has something to say, and it makes it very clear at almost every instance.

DiRT Rally was the entry point, the entrée if you will, ahead of the main course of DiRT 4. While sim die-hards may still prefer the former it’s hard for me to go back given everything on offer here. The simulation underpinnings are still there and the cars will still spit you off if you go over the edge but everything is much more pliable and far friendlier to those of us driving on a gamepad. There’s more to see, more to do and more importantly, it’s much more fun!

At the end of the day, whether you’re taking a nostalgia trip back in time to revisit this classic or if you find yourself in Historia for the first time, it’s definitely worth playing.

After playing SWTOR for, well longer than I am willing to admit, I was really impressed with the quality and play style that SWTOR brings to the MMORPG market. The feel of the game, along with the content and canon of being Star Wars will, be able to appeal to many people, not just the hardcore MMO gamers. That being said, SWTOR focuses on role-playing gameplay, rather than the massively multi-player one. Because of this, if you are not in to role-playing, then you will not get the most out of SWTOR. The game is slow to get started, but once it does, there is a lot to draw your attention.

Crash 4 is an enjoyable experience that will entice new and old to the series. The gameplay loop has been designed elegantly so that levels never feel taxing, but rather feels refreshing. No level makes you do the same thing over and over again, there is a wonderful mixture of features. This includes adding new masks and playable characters that break up the monotony of playing as regular Crash. The level design and graphics alone, are enough to leave you in awe. The pros of It's About Time by far outweigh the cons making it one of the best Crash adventures.

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is a triumph that successfully blends JRPG with components of kingdom building, third person action, and real-time strategy. It tells an interesting story with intriguing characters and the presentation quality from the in-game visuals, cutscenes, soundtrack, even the menus, are masterfully done. Whether you played the original NNK or not, Revenant Kingdom is highly recommended.

Project Cars 2 final offers a real alternative to console racing fans and brings to the table a fantastic roster of cars and tracks. Combined with an excellent simulation of track and weather conditions Project Cars 2 is pretty much the pinnacle of racing on console.

While Valkyria Chronicles always had presence of a seminal classic, its latest remaster on PlayStation 4 sets it up for a wider embrace. This is the advantage of being favorably advanced or, at least, distant from genre contemporaries; no matter when or where Valkyria Chronicles is found, it can create personal definition on its own beautiful terms.

Do I recommend the set for any longtime fan of the series? If you hadn’t picked up the individual 1.5 and 2.5 collections on PS3 back in the day, now is the perfect time to catch up on the series ahead of Kingdom Hearts 3. Actually, the real benefit I found playing this collection on PS4 as opposed to PS3 was using the Dualshock 4, which is inherently more comfortable to use. But if you’re a first time player of the series wanting to know what all the fuss is about, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 ReMIX is the perfect place to jump in; even if you’re only going to play the two main games.

Most people will talk about how pretty the visuals are in Crysis 2, and that's fine. Don't discount the rest of the game while you're enjoying the scenery, as it sports balanced level design, smart enemy A.I. and a good amount of weapons (and customization) that make the overall package deep. It's not a completely perfect game, but it's damn close.

Ultimax could have slammed the gas pedal in one direction and been fine, instead it takes its time to stop and make sure the view is great, too.

Rare Replay is loaded with gems and classics that by and large have stood the test of time. Modern tweaks and goodies make it all the more worthwhile. It's the best value in gaming, and sets the bar for any compilation going forward.

Hitman 3 is about the highest bar IO Interactive could set with the franchise. This is a universe the developer has lovingly crafted over the years and a perfect opportunity to let Agent 47 rest awhile. Hitman‘s laughable dark humor is here in spades, as the community devises weird challenges for each other that were never part of IO Interactive’s original plan. There are flaws–one’s that haven’t changed since 2016–but they are merely quirks that fans have embraced and come to terms with. As Escalations, Contracts, and new content trickles out over the months to come, Hitman 3 will continue to delight in its murderous, unique intent. Though 47 will eventually be traded for 007, it would be foolish to not recognize IO Interactive as an accomplished developer, responsible for an incredible game.

OlliOlli World is an absurdly intricate game. Yet it is lovingly approachable. Roll7 has been working with this series for almost a decade and their efforts have bore exceptional fruit. In the path to achieve Gnarvana, players will encounter an exuberant world populated with a wild cast of characters. The series’ move to 3D has paid off. But more importantly, the complex mechanics of its tricks and combos have been polished to a luxurious sheen, rewarding players of all skill levels and degrees of dedication. I can think of few things I would change about OlliOlli World aside from more and more levels and hundreds more cosmetic options. As it stands, though, the game is bursting at the seams with finesse, eclipsing what was already a near-perfect harmony.

Painfully, there is so much to be said about Immortality that would only betray the trust of the player if it were to be openly discussed in such a manner as a simple internet review. What better endorsement could I give of Immortality and its profound impact than the deep emotional ripples I felt when its final revelations were unearthed. Was it sadness? Lack of control? Elation? Regardless, Marissa Marcel’s destiny was the perfect voyeuristic vessel in which to participate in the medium of art, searching for unforgettable meaning.

A beautiful third-person action title that has deep role-playing game elements embedded firmly into it. You also get enormously detailed and deep environments, with unique enemies to populate it. This is simply a superb game.

There were a lot of strong points in this game, and they outweigh the bad. Mantine surfing, the Ultra Recon Squad, heck, even the new/updated trials! The game took Sun and Moon, which may be story-heavy, but empty in its postgame, and made it into something that can really be called “Ultra”. It’s certainly several steps up from Sun and Moon.

There’s little doubt that Octopath Traveler 0 is one of the best JRPGs of the year, if not the best entry in the series. Its novel additions alongside the series’ staples elevate it to new heights. Despite having enough content for a hundred or so hours, it respects players’ time more than any other JRPG I have played.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, from developer MachineGames and publisher Bethesda Softworks, brings the same great story, gameplay, and adventure to the Nintendo Switch 2. It might have a slight drop in visuals, but it delivers on all other gameplay fronts.

Overall, there is no doubt in my mind that Horizon Zero Dawn on the PC is the best version of the 2017 title if you have the right hardware to handle it. If you don’t, you can still bring down the quality to near console and find one of the best games in this generation.

Ultimately, there is very little bad to say about SoT. It’s an excellent 2D action platformer with some good RPG elements, and its balanced difficulty lets genre hacks like me struggle through while more seasoned players can still expect a good, but not overly difficult challenge. To be honest, some of the early bosses proved harrowing for me, but I liked that I could try going after the different knights out of order, find checkpoints, and have a lot of opportunities to continue at those checkpoints, too. Much like the old games its inspired by, it’s a tough, but short, and arguably more memorable than many of those older games. Additionally, with New Game+ support for more nooks and crannies to explore, as well as Feats and Challenges, there’s a solid value here for $10. The only better value would be to get SoT via the Treasure Trove release instead.

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes is an addictive puzzle/RPG/strategy experience that looks and plays great on consoles.

F1 2021 continues to grow on what 2020 built. It’s a technical, story driver, fast, and fun ride. It’s a continuation into a franchise that has become what any F1 fan, or honestly racing fan in general has been wanting for years.

BlazBlue Entropy Effect X brings the stellar roguelite by way of fighting game to a broader audience. Incorporating a massive roster with deep combat turns it into one of the genre’s flashiest and most entertaining spectacles.

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

Overall, a ticket to Plant Coaster: Console Edition is a great buy if you’re at all into theme park management. Frontier did a superb job bringing their excellent 2016 PC game to next-gen with console-friendly UI, controls, and everything you could need to get a big jump on your theme park building and management gameplay.

I loved Star of Providence to the point of having trouble putting it down because of its fast-paced shmup gameplay, punishing bullet hell patterns, and replayability. Defeating its astoundingly difficult boss battles is satisfying and encourages the player to improve mechanically and thoughtfully. If you make it to the Hard mode, you’ll be treated to bullet patterns that will test your dexterity like few others have done before.

Sound Shapes boasts an effortless dedication to intoxicating the player's senses through its sights and sounds. Call it distilled bliss or displaced affection, but there's an explicit sense of euphoria acquired by absorbing Sound Shapes' rich presentation. It's great at being a game, but it's better understood as a favorite song or album. It's something to be played and enjoyed if for no other reason than the sheer pleasure of repeating the process.

Gamers wanted a boxing game that was close to the actual sport and EA has delivered.

Overall, this is the best version of Hitman you can get, as it is the complete version. This is especially nice, if you don’t own any of the prior content.

Dead in Antares, from developer Ishtar Games and publisher Nacon, is an impressive game that is led by survival management, player choice, and paying attention to crew members’ attributes and stats. The gameplay lies within its details and depends on players making a logical decision on how best to keep the crashed crew alive in the game. It can be overwhelming for those uninitiated to the series, but it’s impressive nonetheless.

God of War: Origins Collections is the best reason yet to embrace these HD collections many publishers are bringing to the PS3. Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta feel right at home here, and I'm really happy to be able to enjoy these again without a PSP.

Sometimes it just takes time to get to know a game, and that’s certainly the case with Monster Hunter Tri. While it's initially overwhelming, if you can take some punishment and you don’t mind a deep game, at some point you’ll find yourself inexplicably hooked—and more than likely, it will be the online multiplayer that does the hooking.

Blasphemous 2 felt incredibly good to play despite its challenging nature and complex combat. It’s a great Soulslike 2D action-platformer that doesn’t rely on nonsense gimmicks that make the game artificially difficult for the sake of being punishing. Its exploration, art direction, and worldbuilding are unmatched in a sea of modern Metroidvanias released in 2023. If you’re down for a good challenge or path of penitence in a Roman Catholic-inspired 2D platformer, look no further. Like it or not, you will pay for your gameplay sins.

Ubisoft continues its upward trend with its golden goose of a series. It brings a deeper amount of gameplay, story and enjoyment to the mix with Assassin's Creed III. It's certainly not perfect, but it's good enough to be considered for 'Game of the Year'.

Style and substance creates a very solid game. The core platform mechanics are right up there with the best, and the added element of switching between "hot" and "cold" creates just that much more frustration and fun. The different but pleasing visual presentation with a good library of dependable sounds fleshes out the strong gameplay foundation quite well. Download the trial and if your first impression is positive, the 800 MS Points will be well spent.

At $20, this is honestly a bargain, especially considering the appeal of the first three titles in particular. In terms of quality, I’d rank them (perhaps unsurprisingly) as such: X, X2, X3, and X4. But they’re all worth experiencing if you’ve never done so before, and with the terrific presentation, true-to-form gameplay, and extensive bonus content, Legacy Collection is certainly the best way to go about it.

Campaign is worthy of its ancestors and will probably prompt more than one play through for hardcore fans. Versus and Horde 3.0 both add tons of replayability and the presentation package is the best in series history and is contemporaneously adroit.

Guardians is a very good game. Campaign is very strong while adding a few items here and there that make it an independent experience. Multiplayer stands tall along side the best in series history, and time will tell where it ultimately ranks among H2 and H3.

You may not find the real life 2017 Formula 1 season engaging and exciting but in the gaming sense it’s the best its ever been. The addition of historic cars is wonderful and weaving them into the career as special events a masterstroke. Codemasters have paid careful attention to where they needed to improve and left well alone the areas that they didn’t. This was mostly in the career mode and the cars themselves as really very little had to be done in regards to time-trials and multiplayer racing. It’s paid off in spades and I’m even more excited to see how much better things will look post-XBox One X release given that F1 2017 is one of the games that will be enhanced for Microsoft’s new console. Gaming F1 fans like myself have been waiting for Codemasters to realise the potential of their past titles since they took up the license in 2010. They’ve taken their time and had a few missteps along the way but my word have they got it right.

You won't find a more complete version of one of the best indie games ever than on the Wii U eShop.

Through its characters, its designer, and its player, Gorogoa keeps an outsider’s perspective in a present state of mind. Straightforward action—shifting panels and considering different points of view—doesn’t preclude logical twists or emotional complexity. In only a couple hours, Gorogoa creates a window into a daydream and a companion to despair.

Hopefully, Codemasters are well underway with 2019’s development and I look forward to eating humble pie when they announce a raft of new features and updates. Until then F1 2018 is worthy of a spot in your library and takes on the mantel of the best ever official F1 to date.

No More Heroes 2 has some minor shortcomings and a few unnecessary quirks in the gameplay, but to its credit, it is not a button masher and it is not a waggle fest. The interesting and well-developed boss characters at least attempt to force you to make a lot of in-the-heat-of-moment adjustments to your game plan.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat is a delightful game. My sister has asked me more than once to bring it over so we can play. It’s a game the entire family will enjoy. My parents, though not gamers themselves, enjoyed watching us play. The chaos that comes with it is all part of the fun. Just take my advice and watch how loud you get. But I do agree with that officer. It is “one hell of a game.”

This Missing is a heartfelt affirmation of identity expressed through emotional turbulence and macabre staging. Its performance as a puzzle-platformer—suspiciously slapdash and presumably exploitative—revels in instability, but finds resolution through a singular and concordant message. The Missing's pieces fit its puzzle, even if the player (and The Missing's protagonist) believe they won't.

Mushihimesama (Switch) is a great replayable shmup to play on your Switch console. For Switch owners new to the bullet hell genre, Mushihimesama is a fantastic place to get your feet wet. For Switch owners itching to replay a classic bullet hell, look no further than Mushihimesama! Either way, you will have a great time navigating the seemingly endless waves of bullets in beautiful bug-filled arenas.

The Remastered version brings this masterpiece to a new generation, and does nothing to compromise the genius of the original.

With an innovative and engaging asynchronous and traditional multiplayer package baked into their top-notch open world framework, Criterion has created a modern standard for arcade style racers.

A stellar sequel and an outstanding game in its own right, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a AAA experience worth your attention.

Little Goody Two Shoes from developer AstralShift is a hodgepodge of well-put-together intentions that all work out beautifully. You get this innocent backdrop and this thick horror-filled narrative that drives it all. While it might seem like a simple RPG that typically is found in Square Enix’s past published works, the underbelly is more expansive than that and the multiple endings make you want to revisit the warped experience.

In any other universe, I would balk at Nine Sols’ difficulty. Yet, I gave it a chance, and it more than rewarded me for giving it a moment of my time. Over 20 hours later, I came out of it bruised, battered, and wanting more Taopunk goodness.

No matter what mode you play, KZ3 looks great. I don't have a 3DTV to test the 3D mode on, but your eyes and ears are in for a visual treat nonetheless.

Thumper wraps a trip through spectral hell, the sensation of travelling down an interminable barrel of a gun, and a pounding rhythm game into an articulate package. It condenses to a sensory rampage that feels as concerned with survival as it is as consumed by perfection. Hitting notes on highway isn't a new concept, but performing it under the threat of phantasmal horror, and somehow empowering progress, positions Thumper as a modern apex.

F1 2011 may not be a huge leap from 2010, but it's an improved leap. It brings better car physics, improved graphics, smarter AI and just an overall tighter feel to every facet of the title.

Umurangi Generation's vibrant ambience validates the rebellion of its doomed youth culture. It also renders the player a transient witness to a surging tragedy. Umurangi Generation's key is its camera, as it allows its protagonist and its player the agency to access and capture a world beyond their control. It creates a vantage point untended since Jet Set Radio, and Umurangi Generation didn't even need skates or spray paint to get there.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake brings gorgeous graphics, wonderful RPG gameplay, and a fantastically retooled front and back-end system. It captures the majesty of the original releases, while putting its own stamp of modern gaming on every aspect of each adventure.

Super Bomberman Collection from developer Red Art Games and publisher Konami is a good collection that maintains the wonderfulness of some classic Bomberman titles, reignites the fun competitiveness included in them, and lays the groundwork for more classic Konami titles to come back to life in a modern gaming world. The collection may not have every great Bomberman title in it, but what you do get is darn good.

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.

Football Manager 2020 manages to improve upon last years outing in enough areas to justify an upgrade for owners for FM 2019 or before. However, I do feel it's getting closer to the point where a marquee feature will need to be introduced or an existing one improved dramatically such as the 3D match engine.

Polybius' tempestuous pace and kaleidoscopic assault indulge its urban legend while its principled operation betrays its sinister infamy. It's a spiraling supersonic tunnel shooter that only seems like it's bulldozing cognitive ability, and parsing its putative chaos tips its scale from pandemonium to precision. By allowing fury to give way to Zen, Polybius lives up to its legend.

If you enjoyed Stellar Blade on the PlayStation 5, then you’re going to enjoy it on the PC. At its core, it’s a fun action-adventure game with a complicated backend system. There are some minor hiccups, but it still delivers a solid action-adventure that should keep you occupied for some time.

On the whole, Soulcalibur VI does an excellent job of advancing the series while also stay true to its roots. Character creation, two new battle mechanics, new playable characters, two story modes, online play — there’s a lot of meat here for fight-hungry fans to dive into and it’s crafted and presented with the skill we’ve come to know from Project Soul.