Persona 5 will be beautiful forever. Meticulous thought and consideration has been applied to Shin Megami Tensei's durable model of dungeon crawling and Persona's paragon of social simulation, creating a brilliant pulse visible through (almost) every aspect of its performance. Keeping this pace across a formidable length is Persona 5's most impressive trick, ensuring it will steal your heart without wasting your time.

The Game Band did a great job with Where Cards Fall as it is a perfect amount of puzzle, but without a lot of frustration attached. The main gameplay mechanic of moving and adjusting a stack (or several stacks) of cards is clever, and beautifully thought through, and well-executed. It is a puzzle game that I highly recommend.

Knights of the Old Republic is a remake of a classic done right. Despite some issues with clunky gameplay and visuals, the story is entertaining, and the gameplay is engaging. The missions encourage the players to explore every inch of the mining station. Overall, it’s an enjoyable experience with an immersive story.

In the end Xenoblade Chronicles can be revealed through the elegance and simplicity of its title screen; a neatly wrapped present doesn't need an aggressive preamble to punch up the surprise inside. In the case of Xenoblade Chronicles, the quality of its contents speaks for itself.

Goat Simulator is stupid, ridiculous, and incredibly fun. Everything from the hidden areas to the different goats make this game hilarious, and well worth the price.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an exhibition of lessons learned not only from CD Projeckt RED’s past work, but also from a spectrum of open-world and role-playing contemporaries. It's expected for games of this nature to excel at taking your time away. What's most impressive about The Witcher 3 is that rarely seems to waste it.

Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold is a hardcore dungeon crawler flaunting an old-school difficulty, yet imbued with modern sensibilities and accessibility. It’s a terrific addition to a beloved series, and it’s truly probably also the best entry to date.

There are a lot of things that are packed into this long game, but they are done very well and are able to work in tandem with one another smoothly. This game is truly unique and would be worthwhile to buy to experience how this sticker bomb of a game manages to keep its punk aesthetic and be a game that is difficult to describe but not hard to recommend in any capacity.

Team M2 has done another masterful job with this Sega Ages release and it’s another must-have as far as I’m concerned. Sure, Sonic 2 has been released numerous times over the years on all kinds of platforms, and you may have had your fill, but if you’re like me and it’s been many years since you’ve played this old classic, there is simply no better way to play it than on the Switch.

One of the best games I've played this year and my favorite from Frictional to date.

While its dystopian, futuristic London may smell of Grand Theft Auto open worlds, Watch Dogs Legion's approach to recruiting any NPC differentiates the formula in a unique way, creating a fascinating blend of freedom, action, stealth, and roguelikes.

Hitman: World of Assassination Part One – VR Edition from developer Io Interactive is an impressive and immersive VR experience that raises the bar for the Hitman series. It brings good content that will put you in the shoes of Agent 47 in an entirely different way. The only hiccups are some glitches that are wandering around the game, but the core gameplay is solid.

Crystal Dynamics did a great job with methodically thinking everything through before releasing the new Tomb Raider to the world. The story, gameplay mechanics, depth and visuals all make for an unforgettable experience, sans the multiplayer side of things.

Have a Nice Death should satisfy any player looking for a roguelike that excels at being more than merely competent. Bolstered by an incredible art style, accessible combat with a taste for encouraging lengthier and harder playthroughs sets Have a Nice Death firmly amongst the heaviest of competition.

There’s an immense value in preserving classic titles in their original forms, mainly for the better. For the case of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, it is so easy to relive the glory days of arcade gaming be it in playing any of the thirteen titles it offers OR by perusing the sheer amount of extra content in the Turtle’s Lair. And, having online play that works with little issues is the cherry on top. As a fan of TMNT, the Cowabunga Collection is a no-brainer: This is the collection best shared over pizza.

Most sports would probably be better if human participants were replaced with cars. While this thesis is typically reserved for late night conversations with close friends, Psyonix accepted it as a genuine assignment and produced Rocket League. It's soccer with cars—and the execution of this idea has no business being as good as the fantasy.

I have been, and continue to enjoy S:A enough that it’s hard to find much fault with it. That said, for some genre veterans looking for a stout challenge, the default difficult setting is likely much too easy. Additionally, some quest and puzzle design could be considered a bit repetetive, but for me, these concerns were greatly overshadowed by the positives of the experience.

Etrian Odyssey IV carefully balances classic and modern to produce a truly accessible dungeon crawling RPG without compromising significantly in terms of core values. It is a seriously challenging game, but one which—by way of two straightforward difficulty selections—can hope to appease those who normally would not put up with such punishing gameplay.

The addition of Real Player Motion to the package improved Madden 19 dramatically. The controls felt great because of it and the gameplay felt tightly woven, which translated to one fun experience playing football in a video game.

The PlayStation 5 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the best in the bunch. It tells a solid campaign with branching narrative choices, contains some of the best visuals that you’ve seen on a system not called ‘PC’, and it has some good, new faces on the multiplayer scene. Is it all perfect? Not at all, but it’s a good way for Call of Duty to start on the next generation of consoles.

Life is Strange: True Colors is a rumination on loss, empathy, and finding your place in the word. A great cast is bolstered by improved visuals, animations, and a truly remarkable protagonist in Alex Chen, making this the true highlight of the series.

While short, SUPERHOT VR is very accessible, addictive, and simply fun to play. It’s also very comfortable to experience, and the Forever Edition adds more reason to come back for additional challenges should you desire. If you haven’t checked it out yet, this is the way to play it.

Spindle from developer Let’s GameDev and publisher Deck 13 is a marvelous action-RPG adventure that hits all the right notes when it comes to action, puzzles, and payoff. It’s incredibly balanced with all three, which makes it feel like you don’t waste a minute playing it.

Watch Dogs doesn’t have the depth you’ll find in a Grand Theft Auto title, but it does have a unique gameplay experience through hacking abilities, a gorgeous gaming environment to play in and enough added content via side quests and online play to make it worth your time.

Though Immortals Fenyx Rising may borrow familiar elements from other series, this new IP from Ubisoft establishes a unique identity through the lens of Greek mythology by using humor, intelligent puzzles, powerful combat, and clever world building.

LISA: Definitive Edition from Dingaling Productions is a warped, twisted, dark game that doesn’t pull its punches with any of its storytelling. The complementary gameplay helps to enhance the story and create some major connection between game and gamer. It’s something to behold, even if the beginning feels impossible to overcome.

Escape Academy is a good game. It emulates the structure of an escape room while allowing the idea to go beyond real-world confines. It might be quick for some players, but it’s nonetheless enjoyable, especially with a group of friends.

A must-have for the Xbox One X. It’s a beautifully re-created/remastered trilogy that maintains the wonderful essence, as well as difficulty, that came with the original releases way back in the day. Vicarious Visions did a superb job with this one.

An exemplary roguelike incentives and broadens its intrinsic repetition. An ideal narrative adventure paces its characters and their conflicts across a finite timeline. Hades is a vantage point engineered to view a singular setting of both perspectives. Whichever side you ultimately settle on, Hades is a capable ascent from the dregs of genre stagnation.

While 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim‘s monstrosity versus mech action may have faltered in key ways, it is impossible to turn a blind eye to how absolutely captivating the entire package is. Gaming allows the most bizarre, gut-wrenching, poignant stories to be told in such broad, creative strokes. Vanillaware’s ability to reach into decades of inspiration and craft their own intricately wonderful narrative about growth, loss, and a million other things should not be ignored because it is delivered in such a complex, entertaining way. This is a game that does not have to beg for players’ maximum attention as each new revelation leads to yet another unmissable moment.

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!

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

I have not replayed through the Warmastered Edition on Switch as I write this, but I have played it some — enough that I feel ready to report that the game is still great but that this release is quite simply a direct port to the Switch with no new features or changes that I can discern.

By all accounts, Thimbleweed Park on the Switch looks and plays very much like its PC counterpart that I played several months ago. Just as was the case then, this is a must-have for point and click adventure gamers who either don’t have it on PC or prefer to play on Switch.

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.

Scribblenauts Unlimited is a bigger game than the previous. It offers more chances to put your creativity to the test and its replay value is through the roof. Granted, it doesn't offer the same type of challenge as previous version, but that also decreases the frustration that might come with said challenge. If you're looking for a game that is fun for the kids, and the adults, in the house then look no further than this.

The stellar pace and production of Persona 5 did not require adjustments and additions to its one hundred hour run time. And yet here is Persona 5 Royal, presenting that package with integral new characters as it remodels the structure, combat, and whimsical ephemera that binds them all together. Persona 5 Royal is the most articulate and realized expression of Persona’s ethos, provided one has the time (and patience) to see it through.

An excellent 'western' fighter that is more about accessibility and fun than mastering techniques and detailed strategies.

Baby Steps is not a game for a broad audience. But it’s not just rage bait trying to frustrate players while providing amusement to passive observers. There are lessons to be learned and accomplishments to be felt. It tiptoes on the knife’s edge of punishment and profundity, victimizing or enthralling, depending on the player. That fine line opens the path for both a brilliant anti-game or a fist through your screen, your mileage simply may vary.

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.

To sum up, if you already have these games, Qubed doesn't offer anything new or compelling to warrant a re-purchase, but if you've held out on getting these great, addictive, and beautifully presented puzzle games, Qubed is a great value.

Overall, MLB The Show 19 shows that San Diego Studios isn’t sitting on their butts doing nothing to improve the player experience. They are still making this game better and better each year. This year’s game brings more refined game modes, a more engaged baseball experience, and it does enough to stay fresh. It isn’t perfect, but it’s damn near it.

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.

A performance of power. Naughty Dog realizes their profound technical ability, showcases a relationship between gorgeous locales and engaging level design, and executes a progressive yet agile and animated narrative. The viability of Uncharted's action—safe but nimble platforming and brisk cover-based shooting parallel to limitless coincidences and explosions—can feel out of sync with 2016, but A Thief's End is easily the best it has ever been.

The newest entry into the acclaimed Forza series is nothing short of excellent. Forza 3 is packed with content and offers something for every type of racer. Sit down, buckle up, and drive.

The ending of this first installment of the DLC certainly ends on a cliffhanger, leaving us excited for November’s content. Whether you play it now or wait until all three DLCs are out, The Heist is definitely worth the price of admission and the four hours it takes to complete.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is the latest Dragon Quest adventure to capture my heart. From the incredibly deep character building and item alchemy to the sheer depth of the game (compared to previous DS remakes), DQIX is one of the best RPGs on the DS to date.

Duelists of Eden is an excellent bite-sized grid-battler and deckbuilder fighting game that is properly fit for competitive play. Despite the chaos and learning curve, it’s worth the time investment to experience the chaotic, frenetic, yet strategic battles. I cannot wait to see this game grow!

The creative energy fueling Sunset Overdrive is an agent of change for a genre in creative decline. Its jubilant deluge of light and color, meaningful revisions to control and combat, and the sweeping diversity of skill-based missions push the open-world paradigm harder and faster than any of its peers.

Dragon Quest Builders is an absolute delight on the PC. It balances story with building and still has time to sprinkle some familiar Dragon Quest RPG essence into the mix. While the camera is still a pain within tight spots, and when building large walls, the overall body of work is still solid.

EA's move to break up the online and offline development certainly paid off in the end for Medal of Honor. It's refreshing to see two teams create a new first-person shooter experience and put so much care into each side.

Astro Bot Rescue Mission neatly unfolds platforming’s trick and tropes with immunity from the traditional hazards of virtual reality. Immersed in Astro Bot’s kinetic charm and engaged by its clever novelties, you’re left admiring the medium’s strengths rather than cursing its limitations. Astro Bot is a treasure for PlayStation VR enthusiasts.

For me, my bottomline is that Darksiders is a tremendous amount of fun because it's very well designed from top to bottom with just a handful of drawbacks. None of these drawbacks are critical enough to thwart an epic, and truly enjoyable experience.

If you’ve ever been wanting the bite-sized Vampire Survivors in VR form, Poncle has delivered in ways that makes it the most optimal and fun way to play the game. I never thought I would get Vampire Survivors VR on my Quest 3, but it’s become my favorite Quest game yet. It may lack some of the features and content updates from its flatscreen counterparts, but here’s to hoping that it gets additional support to bring the VR port to parity.

This is literally and figuratively a game changer for Destiny, and in a good way.

Monster Hunter: World takes the formula of what’s worked with the series and turns it up to 11. Every monster encounter and every armor set to be had feels so uniquely crafted that it’s hard not to marvel at the scale and complexity of the game. While new players such as myself may feel a little daunted at first glance, the game does an excellent job of easing you in before throwing everything at you. If there was ever a game in the series to feel like a jumping-in point, it would be Monster Hunter: World.

Though far from a departure, A Crack in Time throws plenty of new stuff your way.

The Plucky Squire is absolutely a rewarding journey for players wanting a diverse, creative experience that celebrates the interactive medium. While its gameplay and puzzles never border on too difficult or complex, its implementation of so many unique elements are striking in both consistency and variety. Be drawn in by its stunning artistry and stay for the incredible adventure.

Xenoblade Chronicles X is a boundless exhibition of the relationship between scale and structure, and its myriad of frenzied ideas are willed into cohesion only by the congruence of its supporting systems. Xenoblade Chronicles X may be obsessed with scale (and proudly so), but it doesn't leave the player feeling consumed by it.

My Brother Rabbit is a pleasant surprise, a welcomed departure from the norm (for me), and a game I’m happy to recommend.

Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town from developer h.a.n.d., Inc. and publisher Neos Corporation, is a wonderful introduction to open-world games for a younger gaming audience. It features beautifully drawn animation, fantastic environments, deep gameplay, and plenty of exploration to keep players engaged and locked in.

Despite some very minor frustrating moments in the F1 2010, Codemasters has worked hard to bring F1 experience to the small screen and for the most part they have succeeded.

At first glance, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons seems to be asking a lot from a prospective player. Its narrative is exposed exclusively through its emotive cast of characters. It provides a grand sense of adventure neatly tucked inside a three hour running time.

Football Manager 2019 takes the series to a whole new level and finally brings in some long needed refreshment. What we have is easily the most accessible Football Manager in recent memory but one that can still many moons to master.

Dishonored respects its audience by not only trusting them with a myriad of options, but also having the courtesy not to stand in their way. Its gameplay systems are open and intuitive, and reaching their potential feels special in a manner unrealized by any of its contemporaries.

Though gameplay mechanics and visuals haven't jumped far from last year's title, there's still enough 'new' here to make the purchase worth your hard earned money.

Although the series’s core gameplay is action-adventure, it offers much more than that. You progress through levels and different parts of the world, and they are quite challenging with no guidance provided. Tomb Raider is a game that requires a lot of trial and error, so it’s always a good idea to save your progress frequently. Numerous traps in the game can catch you off guard, such as rolling boulders, spike pits, and even a T-Rex lurking around the corner. If we view the trilogy through a modern lens, we can see that it has the same level of difficulty as a Soulsborne game, while also featuring a Metroidvania-style design.

EA Tiburon continues to find new ways to improve their Madden series and so far, at least in the last few years, they’re doing a good job of bringing worthwhile experiences to gamers.

Nobody Saves the World is an enticing adventure through and through. The first time I stumbled upon a decaying dragon corpse or the rusted remains of a giant robot and knew I had to fight baddies inside their guts, I was sold. But DrinkBox Studios transformed the combat of a top-down adventure game into a magical experience by literally allowing the player to transform into the most typical and bizarre forms imaginable. Who knew an action game would allow players to become an egg that helplessly rolled through cat warlocks or a horse that could only attack when facing away from danger? These unique forms make for equally unique combat that merely ask the player to constantly experiment with the tools they are given. And who can say that isn’t fun? Nobody.

All that aside, PoE is an experience I am still working through at the time of this article. It’s tough and long, but absolutely rewarding, and it makes it very clear why games in the lineage of the genre — Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and so on — are still held in such high regard today. Someday I hope to tackle those, but until then, PoE will keep me very busy.

This is an easy release to recommend to anyone that loves a great adventure game that has been revamped for modern play, but maintains all of the timeless quality and charm it had originally.

Overall, the Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus release for the Nintendo Switch is a one-up on all the other releases of the game previously. It has the original game very much intact and this new ‘plus’ game that turns the established gameplay design on its head (in a good way). Two beautiful forms of frustrating entertainment in one must-have package for the Nintendo Switch.

Stellar Blade is a welcome experiment to the PlayStation brand. Developer SHIFT UP has created an action game that should catch eyes for more than just its female protagonist. Though not a risky game in its own right, a complex web of combat skills and harrowing enemies breathe life into a mysterious world that provides just enough intrigue. Nostalgic in all the right ways and evocative of an era where the bizarre and bombastic thrived, Stellar Blade is a satisfying distraction.

Neon White from developer Angel Matrix and publisher Annapurna Interactive is a unique and fluid speed-running shooter that uses gameplay elements methodically to create a game filled with strategy and fun.

SPRAWL from developer MAETH is a well-made, intricately designed first-person wall-running game that hits all the right notes with mechanics, gunplay, and level design. It does come with a mechanic learning curve that might frustrate some gamers but the reward of learning the mechanics is far greater than the frustration produced by them.

Earthion is a perfect encapsulation of the timelessness of the SEGA Genesis. Ancient and Yuzo Koshiro have set the gold standard on how to breathe life into a shoot-em-up while innovating its reach to be fun for all players. Despite it being a Genesis title emulated on PC, it’s a must-have for anyone who loves retro games with just the right amount of challenge.

Details are a golden currency in Ueda’s games, and The Last Guardian greatest puzzle is their ultimate assembly. The impact in its final act is both somber and spirited, and it’s the pinnacle of the ideas it tries to put forward. I knew where The Last Guardian was going and I still couldn’t help but respond with deluge of raw emotion.

Minishoot’ Adventures avoids being a shameless ripoff of classic Zelda by incorporating twin-stick shooter elements into its fluid gameplay. Tackling friendly bullet hell enemies is made more exciting through a colorful world packed with a flood of rewards and a constant feeling of discovery, making this brisk adventure enticingly unique.

Aeterna Noctis is a delightfully difficult Metroidvania that pushes the boundaries of difficult platforming and combat in a way that keeps the game fun and exhilarating. This hand-drawn action platformer is perfect for those who wanted just a bit more from similar games in the Metroidvania genre, albeit less charming. If you’re looking for a solid indie GOTY that effectively utilizes your PS5, look no further than Aeterna Noctis. Good luck, you’ll most definitely need it.

Little nightmares is a very good game. The story of Six is a quick one, but you gather everything you need to know as you move along in the game. Think you can brave your childhood fears? If so pick up Little Nightmares and learn about Six’s story.

If I could go back, even for a moment, to the mid-90s era of coin-operated arcades, I would seek the closest facsimile to Nosebleed Interactive’s arcade that is so perfectly constructed within Arcade Paradise VR. Until a time machine becomes available, I’ll settle for putting on my PSVR2 and playing some familiar arcade titles that translate pretty darn well in the VR space, Sense controllers and all.

The Crew Motorfest‘s beating heart is its diverse playlists, exemplifying the vast beauty of Hawaii and its many racing opportunities. Extolling the virtues of car culture and history, players will interact with unique scenarios meant to hone their skills and extract blistering speed out of a massive roster of vehicles. With one of Ubisoft’s best worlds to date and a constant stream of rewards, The Crew is in top gear.

The simplification of the GUI, the easier, faster and better career mode and the inclusion of a bigger deeper online component make GT6 one of the best in the series.

Although the game can feel a little underwhelming when it comes to rewarding you for collecting all of the Grenkins and got a bit glitchy towards the end, the real reward from playing I Am Dead rewards you with good storytelling and a life lesson about life, death, and knowing where you come from.

Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection from developer and publisher Digital Eclipse exceeds expectations. While the collection doesn’t bring all gaming gems to the surface, it brings enough good arcade and console translations with new features and improved controls that make it an easy sell. To boot, the documentary about the series’ history is well done and also worth the price of admission.

Shadows of the Damned has a lot going for it, and a few drawbacks as well, but the point to take away is that it's just a really fun game to play through.

In realm of creative game design, Stacking is a champion and the star of the show, Charlie Blackmore, is a video game folk hero. In the way that it fuses its charming atmosphere with its witty mechanics, Stacking is endlessly delightful.

Ultimately, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is a superb adaptation on an established and great franchise.

NHL 18 continues to build on the success of last year’s title by making subtle but impactful refinements throughout the game. The new skill stick options give you a wealth of ways to slice through defenders, fake out goalies and light the lamp. And the improved AI make pretty much every on-ice engagement a smoother, more enjoyable ride. The real surprise of this release, though, is the NHL Threes mode. Far from the cheap schtick it appeared to be, Threes actually offers roster management, unlockables and a lengthy tour of opponents spanning multiple regions and leagues requiring a significant investment of time.

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.

Treyarch puts together a solid care package for Nintendo gamers with a very competent, competitive, and nigh complete version of Black Ops 2.

Often in spite of itself, SEV2 is a really fun and captivating experience whether played solo or with a friend.

NHL 13 has definitely improved in all important areas from last year. You get better presentation, better AI and a better overall experience. NHL fans will love this game.

Crackdown 2 is as fun and addictive as the original. It may not be the sequel everyone was hoping for, but if you enjoyed the original you will find plenty to like here. Easily one of the best games of the summer, and one I will be playing for a long time to come.

Madden NFL 13 is strong in certain elements of gameplay, such as the addition of Connected Careers and its improved presentation. With that said, it still has room to grow, but it certainly is more focused and enjoyable, as a whole, than any other Madden titles prior.

An old classic revitalized and modernized in the right ways, preserving its core and best features while streamlining other elements to make it not only more enjoyable, but also more penetrable for the average player. Highly recommended.

Knights in Tight Spaces from developer Ground Shatter and Raw Fury is an exceptional game that shows how well a turn-based card game can be when given a thick amount of strategy from good gameplay design and a branching story to help push it all along. While it isn’t perfect, it’s still a bar set for future games in this genre.

Persona 3 Portable remains the definitive version of Persona 3, albeit a relic of Persona‘s past. Compared to the star quality of the entire Persona 5 series, I can see a world where a newer Persona player may be confused about the lack of animated cutscenes, a battle system that is focused around solely controlling the main character by default, a point-and-click-esque navigation system outside of dungeon-crawling, and a forgiving-but-still-simple Social Link system. I can also see a world where veterans may be expecting a remaster that incorporates the media from Persona 3 into the skeleton of Persona 3 Portable, breathing new life and character into a classic RPG. Looking past these quibbles, Persona 3 Portable remains a stellar JRPG, and it looks, sounds, and plays better than I remembered.