I'm glad Capcom released the Arcade Edition and gave buyers a choice to get it via DLC or the full retail release ($15, $40). For avid Street Fighters, this is a solid purchase, but everyone else can do just as well holding out for a price cut.

Regardless of which mode you play, you can expect to an intricately deep and rich simulation experience of NBA basketball for the given era that you’re playing in. Visual Concepts have the passion, the funding, the skills, and the time, year to year, to push their product to new levels of detail and depth. The differences in the raw gameplay aren’t massive this year, but they didn’t need to be. However, the Jordan Challenge and the Eras modes make this an especially standout release in this long-running series. Frankly, I don’t find any fault with VC and 2K are doing other than the push for microtransactions, it just feels slimey; call me old school, I guess. Still, if you’re looking for your NBA videogame fix, you can’t go wrong with NBA 2K23. Lace’em up.

Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer from developer Clifftop Games brings to life a classic point-and-click construct featuring a difficult mystery, minor puzzle solving, and superb presentation to complete the adventure.

At the end of the day, the upgrades from the PS4 version aren’t massive, but they are significant. If you’re looking for a solid sniping FPS on PS5, not only is SGWC2 you’re only choice, but also it’s a great one.

Samurai Shodown (2019) still feels like the game it was when it was released on the console last year. The gameplay is sharp and the essence of the classic series is still very much intact, including its unforgiving brutal nature. The big upgrade with this release is the visuals, which look much sharper on PC than on consoles.

Yuppie Psycho: Executive Edition is a perfect slice of game for players looking to enjoy a few hours of eerie narrative in an uncommon setting. The surreal, demonic setting of Sintracorp’s hellish corporate office is contrasted wonderfully with Brian’s slowly decaying optimism. For players who have already dived into the game, the Executive Edition is a perfect compliment that further expands on the world and offers just enough new content to feel fresh. First days are always hell.

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.

Ghost Recon Wildlands takes the series to the (vast) open world and largely succeeds. Like its predecessors, it’s best played with friends in co-op, and while it sacrifices some realism, it adds a lot of new opportunities for fun and mayhem against the bad guys.

Lunar Remastered Collection from developers ASHIBI Co., Ltd and GAME ARTS is a sight for sore eyes in a sea of modernized turn-based and action RPGs. It’s a firm reminder that old-school gaming is still fun after all these years, and it’s a definitive reminder that the Lunar series is some of the best turn-based RPG games ever.

A wonderful story mixed in with entertaining and truly original co-op experience. It was such thrilling time to be playing a game that required teamwork. The main story is good, but then a major twist that pushes the story even deeper makes the game even better. Leo and Vincent's polar opposite personalities come together and offer for fun dialogue. A Way Out's beautiful design and thrilling gameplay bring back the fun times of binge playing a game on the couch with your best friend.

In sum, Judgment on the PS5 is a must-have for those that haven’t already paid or played through it on PS4. Unfortunately, previous owners cannot get a free upgrade, but, at least the MSRP for Judgment on PS5 is $40. This release does not offer anything new as far as gameplay, but, it is complete, runs like silk, and reminds us all how good of a game this was two years ago and still is today. Not to mention, its arrival is likely foreshadowing the imminent announcement of a sequel.

Crysis Remastered Trilogy is a must-have for any fan of the games or of the FPS genre in general. This release represents the best way to play three of the best shooters from the mid-2000s. The absence of Warhead and multiplayer is unfortunate, though. Still, for the price, the amount of quality content that you get here is well worth it.

While I think Scarred Stars’ story could be a bit more refined, the intensity of the gameplay and how airtight the world is by design truly helps to make this horror survival from indie developer Tuomo’s Games something to look forward to in the spooky month of October.

Overall, it's one of the best portable survival horror titles I've played in a while-even if it's not all survival horror.

Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is an amazing way to pay tribute to not only the music of the series but also the story. It is a great way to prepare fans for the newest chapters in the series while also taking a look back at the journey we’ve all had with Sora and the others. Although there is a lack of new content, customization, and the pacing was a little off, the creative rhythmic gameplay is worth trying out if you love rhythm games! But if you don’t and are just wanting to buy for the story, it’s best if skip this one.

courgeBringer can be maddeningly difficult in the best and worst ways. It will shove players through the meat grinder and be completely unapologetic. But it’s in this crucible that I learned to love the frantic, deadly simplicity of its combat and the agile nature of tackling tough challenges. For genre stalwarts, ScourgeBringer may not offer anything entirely new but hones its enjoyment through sheer skill and the hopes that players won’t give up until the brutal end.

OPUS Prism Peak from developer SIGONO, INC. brings one solid narrative to the gaming table. It features humor, drama, compelling characters, and a worthy journey for the player to take on. All of this is wrapped in simple gameplay elements that don’t take the adventure too far away from the story.

This is a unique product because it has toys-to-life elements but refuses to push players down that path if they don’t want to. Though the gameplay loop can grow repetitive over a long play sessions, the fact that players have so many customization options and a beautiful world at their hands keeps most frustrations away. Ubisoft Toronto has a vision for this game and it’s apparent there are more stories to tell since each character of the Equinox brims with personality. Space is a vast expanse, full of new worlds to explore and toys to make.

Borrowing from greats like Binding of Isaac and Dead Cells, Neon Abyss throws every type of weird ability and gun imaginable at players, making for a roguelike not lacking in substance but strangely missing a touch of style.

Making Destiny more accessible in this way is a welcome addition to a game built around its cooperative environment. This remains a game best enjoyed with friends, so the more people playing, the better.

Arkham fans can expect to really enjoy Origins, so long as they don't go into the game expecting to experience sweeping changes to the gameplay that made Asylum and City so great. Origins is a great game that can proudly stand outside of the shadow of its predecessors.

I saw this experience as Monster Hunter meets Pokemon (which are two of my favorite series.) and if you consider yourself a fan of either of these, then you will probably find joy in giving this title a try no matter what age you are.

Overall, while I still have a lot of WKC2 ahead of me, and more online to partake in, WKC2 has done something for me that many JRPGs have not been able to: it's kept me playing and pleasantly entertained.

Halo 3: ODST brings enough to the table to make it easy to recommend to anyone, including people who have purchased Halo 3. Oh, and the inclusion of a Halo: Reach beta code is pretty sweet too.

Sonic CD's obtuse level design and time travel gimmick remain as divisive as ever, but for $5 it's easy to pull the trigger for fans and newcomers alike.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is translated well from its big brother. While there is a drop in visuals, the gameplay design and delivery that make this JRPG great is still very much intact. The added 3D visuals, superb story and voice acting will make this game worth your time and effort.

In sum, Lamplight City is a bit of a departure from a typical point and click adventure, but it more than holds its own. While a little bit light in terms of gameplay and difficulty, it’s well compensated for with good characters, stories, multiple endings per mystery, and a fine presentation. Any fan of the genre or a good mystery should give this a serious look.

High Moon Studios did a great job with Transformers, finally bringing gamers a vision of Cybertron and its popular inhabitants that we've long wanted to see. Both the campaigns and multiplayer sides offer a lot, making the total package impressive and one I happily recommend.

Rhythm Heaven Megamix proves that there’s still room in the market for a well-made minigame collection—provided they’re unique enough. The series is still just as fun as it was back in 2006, and honestly, this is the best implementation of the concept to date.

When I look at The Elder Scrolls Online I don’t see an MMO that is finished. I see an MMO that has a solid foundation built for it with a vibrant, adventurous future ahead of it. The notion of expansion into the worlds we love and know from the non-MMO games is an exciting one. ESO brings together a solid amount of single-player experience that we know and love from previous Elder Scrolls titles and mixes it in with intriguing and grounded MMO elements. That mixture sometimes doesn’t work, but there’s plenty of room for adjustment.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel refreshes gameplay through some new mechanics and a whole new story, including a cast of familiar characters and brand new characters, while diving into the events that lead up to Borderlands 2.

Quite possibly the best value on the Vita right now. This is a neat, fun platforming adventure at a great price.

Much like the original SHIFT, SHIFT 2: Unleashed does a great job of being that hardcore sim that's not too hardcore for the more casual, arcade racer to get into. It's a perfect bridge between something like NFS: Hot Pursuit and Forza.

Given sufficient time, Sun and Moon has the power to ensnare just as profoundly as many of the previous games in the franchise. And with its valuable combination of depth and accessibility (imbued with modern conveniences such as the integrated type chart hints), the game feels equal parts conservative and progressive—and is thus quite likely to please both traditionalists and newcomers.

Observer was a fine game three-plus years ago, but this re-make is head and shoulders above the original thanks to an awesome presentation, three new side missions, and a price that’s hard to pass up when compared to many games being more than twice as expensive. While we all look forward to Bloober Team’s next one, The Medium, you can’t go wrong with Observer: System Redux if you’re looking for a captivating cyberpunk mystery thriller.

Dishonored 2 is a complex game with a simplistic first-person action wrapper. It offers up a variety of different gameplay options to run through the game with, while presenting a bigger world for you to stretch those options out in. It’s a great follow-up to the first game and certainly improves on its ideals.

Tekken 6 on the PSP is a fully competent and feature packed release. No corners were cut in this port of this excellent fighter.

While gamers anxiously await the arrival of next generation games in November, EA Sports reminds us that there are still great games on this generation. While not completely perfect, FIFA 14 delivers on its promise of an improved and lasting gameplay experience.

Payday 2 Crimewave Edition brings all the fun of Payday to the console. It's the game to buy if you're looking for a new, smart shooter.

Year Walk is a two-hour, seven-dollar experience that far transcends both its duration and price tag. It’s a can’t miss for anyone who appreciates dark, nightmarish, and heady storytelling with a (relatively) historically-accurate mythical slant.

Marvel Super Heroes is the latest, possibly greatest, in the revered LEGO games franchise. The Wii U's exclusive benefit of each player having their own screen is a big deal, but this is a fun game regardless of the platform you play it on.

Madden's debut release onto next-gen is impressive and a solid first step.

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

WildStar is a remarkably funny and action packed MMO that oozes with personality. Though many features aren't exactly groundbreaking, WildStar manages to build on many tried and true MMO elements. A wealth of features tailored to both casual and hardcore players ensure an enjoyable experience for all.

An impressive follow-up to 2010's Lords of Shadow that you shouldn't miss.

The Komplete Edition shines on PC other than Story mode cutscene quality and, more importantly, some annoying online lag issues. Neither is a deal-breaker for me though, and at $30, I have no problem recommending it for purchase.

There's plenty of improvement from Bioware here, but more importantly the story continues and it's still a fun ride. If you liked the first then you'll like the expansion pack.

Amidst an important layer of absurdity brought to you by the likes of Suda51, James Gunn, and Jimmy Urine, Lollipop Chainsaw has a lot in common with the delightful 8-bit games of my youth.

Remastered versions of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel are gems on their own that offer deep, fun and different experiences. Having them together in one package for a reasonable price point is something you can't pass up, if you don't own them on PC.

Everything its predecessor should have been. It’s gritty, stylish, tasteful, and riveting all at once, and the action is a lot of fun. The incorporation of the motion controls truly does feel integral to the combat experience… they’re not at all a chore, but instead a valuable ingredient of the formula—the way it ought to be.

The lack of competent online play and the unusually long load times are disappointing for hardcore enthusiasts, but Tekken's heart and soul, the fighting engine and the joy of skill based competition against your friends, is delightfully intact.

Ultimately while this theme of epic revenge may ring familiar, CyberConnect2 has done an excellent job with their specific story details and in how they present it. Asura's Wrath is maybe just a little bit too hands off for my tastes, but I had an absolute blast from start to finish.

Unravel is a unique piece of art in a gaming world filled with first-person shooters and epic AAA titles. It’s not perfect, but it does a great job challenging one’s brain, while delivering some visually stunning scenery to make you forget you’re working hard to progress and push through.

Yakuza 5 is a response to the complacency of Western development. While previous Yakuza games dabbled through extraneous minigames, divergent player-controlled characters, and eccentric sidequests, none sewed its threads together with the consequence and commitment of Yakuza 5. Bloat is the inevitable negative, and Yakuza 5 shows some superfluous heft, but it's such a mountain of effort and arrangement that it's tough not to stand in awe of its accomplishments.

Left Behind is pretty short, but very sweet, and for what it lacks in length, it makes up for in quality. Well worth the investment for those who want to revisit or otherwise experience a new story (well, two) within the despair-filled world of The Last Of Us.

All-in-all, the Layton series has been and will always be a wonderful break from some of the more established gaming formulas.

I think that the game, for the most part, is a blast. The PC transfer was a bit rough and it needs some help (patches/updates), but as-is, it's pretty solid. It's got enough proper action and adventure to keep you occupied for a large amount of hours. It may not be Skyrim or Kingdom of Amalur hours, but it will be enough for you to be satisfied with the purchase.

Capcom and Pipeworks did a great job with this HD Collection and it shouldn't be missed by anyone who enjoys third person action.

It's a solid and competent RPG with some innovative and really cool online features, and it goes highly recommended.

If anyone reading this has a One but hasn't experienced Gears first hand, this is a must buy right before the rush of the holiday releases really gets going in a month or so. For long time Gear heads, I still think this is a worthy hard drive partition, and makes retiring the 360 from your HDMI ports that much easier.

Spirit of Justice has an even balance of good writing, new gameplay design and fantastic presentation. Bringing back familiar faces to push the story and containing a healthy dose of difficulty, which is what most fans of the series adore, only helps its overall case. Definitely a worthy addition to the Phoenix Wright family.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a solid pick for anyone that has yet to try Capcom's open world RPG.

The Komplete Edition is a compelling release, especially for those who held off on purchasing Mortal Kombat to this point.

Darknet is one of the early VR games that should be on anyone's short-list of great titles. [Tested with Rift]

The gameplay certainly isn’t perfect, as the younger audience Tose and Square Enix are trying to reach rears its head once in awhile through the gameplay’s flow and simplicity, but World of Final Fantasy is diverse and deep enough to keep the excitement going from beginning to end.

Overall, the DLC adds some fantastic story elements to Shadows: Awakening, if you take the time to read the documents within the quest. The story is well written and goes into some depth about what the mages were up to in the Arcanum Laboratory. As well as their ultimate demise. As with the rest of the game, the graphics are awesome and the sound design is phenomenal.

FIFA 16 delivers another deeply satisfying game of soccer replete with beloved franchise staples such as Ultimate Team, Co-op Online Seasons, etc. The core game is largely the same. But key additions in the Women’s International Tournament and the new Ultimate Team Draft add depth to a game already full of immersive play options. With the addition of Ultimate Team Draft, EA could honestly put out Ultimate Team as a stand alone release.

It sets a fun vibe without coming off as silly or childish. The racing is serious business, but there are plenty of ways to play that aren't so ardently competitive.

It's literally Crysis on a console, which, as simple and silly as it sounds, is more than most expected.

It's the acquired and applied knowledge of a roguelike against the demanding drive of a rhythm game, and yet Crypt of the NecroDancer escapes the gaze of a simple curiosity and leaps to an ideal hybrid of two disparate genres.

The original Splinter Cell games are classic, and it's nice to see Ubisoft give them the HD treatment. While not as complete as I was hoping for, this Trilogy is still a great addition addition to your collection.

Kirby's Return to Dreamland is the game die-hard fans have been waiting for for years. Though recent bouts have found the series moving in more of an experimental direction, the traditional Kirby game is what gamers will always want the series to revert back to.

Dirt 2 has everything you want in a rally race-esque type game and nothing you didn't want (such as crappy controls and poor presentation).

Half-Minute Hero is a stunning example of why all games don’t have to follow the same rules, but, even with as much as I loved playing it, I'm well aware of its limited appeal.

Normally when you think of a mobile version of the game, it's a stripped down, "flimsy" version of the console version, but Superchargers on iOS is quite impressive. The Starter Pack is a solid value for anyone that does not have the option or interest in playing on consoles, and I think you may find as I did that the portability of playing on iOS is very convenient.

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.

The Sims 3 for PS3 is the first of its kind: a fully-featured translation of the hit PC series to the console. It isn't without some occasional gameplay snags-load times, laggy menus, and the like-but that's all overlookable in context with the accomplishments seen here.

I'd recommend this game on any platform, but the PC version is overall the best in my experience. Well worth adding to your RPG library.

After the patching it’s undergone in the last several months, Enotria: The Last Long is a solid Soulslike for not just hardcore Souls fans, but for anyone that likes a third person action RPG with a beautiful visual and aural presentation. For me, it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of Souls games that I have played; I liked the old, and new, Lords of the Fallen better, and Lies of P — but Enotria is significantly better above Mortal Shell and Thymesia. Ultimately, I’m happy to recommend it.

No matter your origins, you owe it to yourself to at least give this one a shot (or, more accurately, several thousand).

Rise of Iron is a rather fitting end for Destiny and is worth the purchase for those who've followed the game thus far. The changes made by Bungie over the course of its lifespan have made the game a much more fun place to be. There are still the old drawbacks of the grind for gear but given that it's something so integral to the game it's not surprising this hasn't changed.

Creative Assembly has yet again produced another engaging and time-eating RTS that joyfully lets you create some of the earliest civilizations in a matter of days. The new features should allow many first-time RTS gamers to jump right in and find hours of enjoyment while the expert strategist of Total War will find a new challenge in building their empire in the more specific choices of construction, character abilities, and conquest.

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.

A great game as is, although it has a few very patchable issues that could really put it over the top.

I had a great time with A Golden Wake and I think anyone who can appreciate an old school point-and-click adventure will too.

Off the top of my head I can’t think of another game with a backstory like Cyberpunk 2077. It’s fortunate that CDPR were able to spend the last year-plus continuing development of the game, listening to feedback, adding content, and fixing tons and tons of issues. Many games would simply not have gotten the extra time and money spent that Cyberpunk got, but this time CDPR got it right. Now is the right time to play this game; I’m not saying it’s flawless and perfect, but it’s nearly so, for such an elaborate, massive game. This is the game we were hoping for back in December 2020, but I’m reminded of the adage ‘better late than never.’ And that certainly applies here.

Project Soul got a lot right with SCV, and I enjoy it, I just wish there were more content, specifically more offline modes of play. I find myself bouncing back and forth between offline and online play, slowly becoming content and fatigued with both.

Loop Hero was a great surprise for me. The idea of a game just going in circles had me hesitant at first. It turned out to be a wonderful little treat. The story and art style are solid and the music is fair, but the meat really lies in the gameplay. The world-building allows you to personalize it, but also to develop your own strategy. It becomes addicting and enticing to anyone. Even someone like me who struggles with in-game strategy began to just stop, think, and develop the plan for a long game even in the first run of a loop. These mechanics are really what help bring the game to a higher level and pull it up than just a normal 16-bit Adventure/RPG game. While a simple concept on the face, Loop Hero has mountains more depth behind it.

Tt Games does a great job with taking the Marvel universe and applying it to fun gameplay and big, somewhat sandbox-like, environments. There’s plenty to do and discover with this LEGO entry. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed.

The game is damn fun. You’ve got a bit of everything that you’re supposed to have with a Call of Duty title. An entertaining campaign mode, a fast/furious MP experience and a co-op mode that does everything you’re used to doing with a bit of a change to keep it different from previous iterations.

It's still an excellent game over three years removed from its original release, and having all of its content in one place here with spruced up visuals and tweaked loot distribution is nice -- but the graphical hiccups are a disappointment, although likely patchable. Still, for $30 or less, this is one of the best buys in gaming this holiday for anyone that hasn't played Darksiders II before.

Bottomline, it's a great game that is certainly worth your attention.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is a very accessible, captivating, and fun game that mixes up a few genres very nicely to provide a robust and enjoyable experience.

They Are Billions' crucible of experimentation and failure molds players into rugged survivalists. The RTS-style resource management and tower defense test the ability to aptly devote time to the bare necessities that will fend off countless hordes of undead. Harder to master console controls may add an extra layer of tension but living another day remains the sweetest of rewards.

The Sims 3: World Adventures is a valiant effort at creating an expansion pack that does more than simply expand.

There's no question DmC is a great game that any action gamer should play, but if you already have the original versions, there might not be quite enough additional content and changes here to warrant a re-purchase right now. However, if you missed out on DmC, then the Definitive Edition is a must have.

An impressive, feature-rich port of the best soccer game out there.

Dark Souls II delivers on its promises. It wants to challenge you to death — literally. It’s more of the same from the last, though the scope of the world seems to be a lot bigger with more challenges to overcome. If you enjoy this sort of difficulty and seemingly impossible gameplay then it’s right up your alley.