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.

If you're a fan of this racing league and play games, this is kind of a must have. For racing game fans looking for a tough challenge, look into this one. To everyone else I would say download the demo, play it quite a bit, then decide if tackling the full game is worth your full $60.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II from developer Ninja Theory and publisher Xbox Game Studios proves there is more story to tell from Senua’s journey, and that the story is still centric to the game. The sequel extends and expands Senua’s character, opens her world to more possibilities, and maintains its quest to replicate and address mental health issues and disorders caused by trauma. The gameplay mechanics and action are still essentially the same as the first title, although those elements appear to be far smoother in their execution and less of a drag to the story.

At $60, it's almost too good to be true. Black Ops III is the deepest Call of Duty ever. That I do know.

Around Every Corner finest asset may be also its least conspicuous; three second vignettes proceeding a horrific events. The rule of thirds is applied, deliberate lighting techniques are employed, and each scene is framed exceptionally well. In each case it's a still shot, but it might as well be a soliloquy. These are Around Every Corner's signature moments, and witnessing them is your fateful pleasure. Beyond that the narrative doesn't move quite as much as in previous episodes, but it's tough to say The Walking Dead spinning its wheels in lieu of a grand finale.

If you enjoy the 2D action platformer structure mixed with a heavy dose of Dark Souls, then you’ll love Death’s Gambit: Afterlife. It’s a bigger game than the original and certainly a deeper/richer experience.

Sifu gets a lot more right than not, and though I typically can’t stand to play games that force heavy-handed repetitive loops, I found myself enjoying Sifu too much to put it away for long. Playing Sifu is a cycle of emotions; it’s tough, fun, frustrating, and rewarding, not always in that order. I think Sloclap did a solid job overall and I would also point out that the game is priced very reasonably at about $50, too. If you enjoy detailed, authentic martial arts action, Sifu is not only one of the only choices out there, but it’s a great one.

Atlas Reactor is an impressive turn-based tactical game that has ground work built on fast action and a steep learning curve.

The ultimate love letter to fans of the Etrian Odyssey universe, Nexus serves as a bittersweet—and gargantuan—farewell to the 3DS for a series perfectly suited to the platform.

Lost Ark is a wonderfully fun MMOARPG with a compelling story and unique gameplay. If you can wrap your head around it all, that is. The game itself is a breath of fresh air with its 2.5D style and fast-paced combat. However, for an "open-world" RPG, Lost Ark takes its time opening the world to you. A barrage of info-dumps for lore and tutorials make Lost Ark overwhelming at first. With some time, exploring, and no shortage of patience, you can see what Lost Ark really has to offer.

God of War III is still an excellent game five years later. The Remastered version is the best way to play it, but, it's a somewhat underwhelming release because it is so similar to the PS3's Ultimate Edition. This is not a Definitive Edition technically, but more content and thus value would have been great to see included here.

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

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

One part hysterical, one part horrifying, all parts engrossing: "Affordable Space Adventures" is every bit worthy of consideration as the next addition to your Wii U digital library.

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.

Darksiders Warmastered Edition is a fantastic game that maintains all of what made it great in 2010. Its visual upgrades and smoother gameplay experience makes for a fun time at a very reasonable asking price. Maybe this will prompt a sequel? One could only hope. Until then, enjoy the hell out of this one.

Young Souls is a good and unique 2D dungeon brawler/beat-em-up, don’t get me wrong. The gameplay loop is varied enough to not be a linear affair, the characters have a meaningful purpose, and combat is mostly fun. You’ll definitely find yourself experimenting with how to incorporate new weapons and armor into enemy encounters, but…you may find yourself frustrated with the inconsistent difficulty spikes and some of the monotony associated with a tried-and-true gameplay pattern of button mashing just to defeat an annoying boss. I want more from 1P2P, and I hope that they expand the world, and abilities, of Jenn and Tristan.

Catherine remains a skilled caricature of a hysterical, impossible man’s moral frailty and romantic insecurity. Characters and complications introduced by Full Body, however, lack the connective tissue and social maturity to support its expanded ambition. A tower-climbing puzzle game fused with a supernatural infidelity meditation, even in its spiraling convolution, still survives as a provocative oddity.

Final Fantasy spent a decade constructing idols and Final Fantasy VIII demolished every one of them. Its elaborate, extravagant, and chaotic parade of ideas marched toward an evolutionary dead end and ensured there would never be another game like Final Fantasy VIII. Even by Remastered’s distressing modernization, Final Fantasy VIII’s paradigm shifting idiosyncrasies still showcase one of the most fearless and contemplative models of its medium. Final Fantasy VIII is a classic for people immune to the charms of classics.

Buzz! Quiz World is a nice step up from the already proven Buzz! Quiz TV and should appeal to fans of the series and attract newcomers alike.

From ambulances driving on field to cart off the injured to cones projected on the field to aid your passing, a lot has changed in Madden over the last 25 years. This latest edition boasts the most dynamic rushing controls to date. And with all the tweaks to the physics, Madden 25 gives you a nicely touched up version of the franchise you have loved for a quarter century.

In sum, Like A Dragon: Ishin! is a cool game with a lot to offer for those curious about the series or those who love it but want a fresh take on the characters, setting, time period, and combat. Much of what makes RGG Studio games so great is here, and there is no shortness of characters, story, and content for players to sink themselves into if they so choose. I enjoyed my time with Ishin!, and while I prefer the more modern settings the series is known for, I tip my hat to RGG for stepping out into this time period to take a fun look at a piece of Japanese history.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, from developers Square Enix and HexaDrive, keeps the essence firmly intact that made the old release so good, while improving and polishing the actual gameplay through a newly built backend system that is as easy as it is efficient. Ultimately, it’s a fantastic reimagined game that is a treat to play.

The developers have outdone themselves once more and somehow managed to make an already fantastic MMO all the more awesome. The expansion whisks players away to the homeland of the Khajiit. Players must face the dragon threat looming over Elsweyr, though you do not possess the power some players may be used to if they played Skyrim. You are not the Dragonborn, and these dragons are no laughing matter.

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.

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.

It is not a sin to put storytelling and intrigue above interaction and engagement. Abzu is successful in telling a sophisticated story inside of a game, I just wish its power had been used for surprise instead of satisfaction.

Pokémon is as complex as it's ever been but still extremely accessible to those who want to play for the first time. With Black 2 & White 2, Game Freak has actually created an entirely new story to accompany its usual 3rd (and 4th) installment to generation 5. Unfortunately, the story feels like a less enthralling narrative than the original installments.

Overall, Lacuna is an interesting adaptation on the traditional point-and-click gameplay design. Though my interest in the characters and story plateaued around the halfway point of the game, they are both pretty well thought out and your mileage/interest in them may fair better than mine. At $20, it’s worth a look for fans of sci-fi noir adventure games.

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

There’s little to fault here and that's because SI Games takes the iterative approach. Whilst there hasn’t been a big shift on the game's workings since tactical sliders were removed in FM 2014 each version is a step forward.

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

For $20, Snipperclips is a pretty easy investment to recommend. Most players are likely to extract at least a handful of really entertaining hours out of it—that is, if they can ever muster the willpower to peel themselves away from Zelda.

The best way to play Resident Evil 4 requires taking a time machine back to its time and place in 2005. A myriad of ports, especially on the Switch, continue to provide a more practical method. From a historical standpoint or modern approach, Resident Evil 4 remains one of the finest ways to survive horror.

This is certainly a leap forward in the series thanks to some sweet customization, but there is work that still needs to be done to improve the overall gameplay experience.

Nupixo has done a fine job with Detective Di, all things considered. Anyone that enjoys a good mystery story or point and click games would do well to make time for this one and hopefully we’ll see Nupixo continue to invest in the genre.

Ultimately, there are few issues that could detract from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla‘s numerous triumphs. It closes the chapter on a long legacy but ensures the journey is not done. By taking what made the series work and improving upon it, Ubisoft has created one of this year’s most memorable games, and an open, breathtaking world that must be experienced.

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

While Battlefield 4 isn’t perfect, but it’s a much better, more refined experience in comparison to BF3.

The Nintendo Switch release of Stray from BlueTwelve Studio features the same great gameplay and challenging puzzles that were featured on prior console releases. While the Switch certainly takes a hit with its graphical limitations and far from comfortable controls, it is still a blast to play Stray at the end of the day.

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

For $29.99, it’s worth the experience, especially if you’re a fan of the original series back in the heyday of Yakuza. Sega did a fantastic job of pulling this older title up into current console expectations. They could have sold this puppy for $49.99 and it still would be worth it. If this is your cup of tea, then you need to get it immediately.

PGA Tour 2K25 from developer HB Studios and 2K Games is probably one of the best entries to the franchise in the last three years. It brings better gameplay, gorgeous graphics, and just enough modes to keep the game consistently interesting as you play. It is one of the better sports games to arrive in the last year.

It's tough, addictive, and offers a lot of content for the cost of admission. While not a traditional Hitman game, it's a smart entry into the franchise that I would encourage Vita owners especially to strongly consider.

Blood & Truth is a savvy and seasoned virtual reality thriller confident in its suave posture and meticulous operation. It is simultaneously a bonkers riff on outrageous action cinema where it’s just as easy to imagine its main character as narrowly sentient tank treads with gun-hands born to decimate cloned hordes of bungling bald men. Blood & Truth works even as its internal truth is a grinning mystery.

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

MLB The Show 24 is spectacular this year. It hits more than it misses. It takes some bold chances and they pay off. It’s just another example of how to do a sports game well.

Fashion Police Squad (FPS) is a delightful first-person shooter that’s in on the joke of policing obnoxious neons, socks in sandals (who DOES that?!), and the faux pas of ill-fitting suits. Its DOOM-esque shooting and platforming hearkens back to a time where games were less serious, more simple, and in some ways, more fun. If you’re a fan of shooting in style, Zoolander, and DOOM, look no further than FPS on the Nintendo Switch. Overly baggy jeans be warned — Sergeant Des will slap you right into shape.

A solid, true sequel to Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light has some flaws, but they're over-matched by the positives that make Last Light an excellent FPS experience.

The PC version of Assassin's Creed III is above and beyond what you will find on the console version. It's got better visuals, smoother frame rate, easier controls and better gameplay mechanics. It's not a difficult choice whatsoever when deciding on a platform to play this 'Game of the Year' contender on.

Assets that were highly valued in 2001—visuals, voice acting, narrative/gameplay balance—now feel tired, awkward, and expectedly dated in 2015. With that in mind, a novel battle system serves as a decent shield for Grandia II's shortcomings. Combat drives the entire experience. Everything else is just along for the ride.

Fostering a reaction as elusive and subjective as fear and then circulating it through a game presents a vicious assignment. Outlast nearly completes this task before exhaustively collapsing under the burden of its medium. While Outlast doesn't crack the code, its dreadful atmosphere and relentless tension move the entire genre closer to figuring it all out.

Guardians of the Galaxy is a strong contender for Game of the Year in 2021. Constantly, the game surprises with its inventive use of the Marvel formula. Eidos-Montreal has managed to do the impossible, creating a vision for the Guardians that isn’t beholden to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and can stand on its own. Featuring rich dialog and a character- and personality-driven story, players will be able to forge their own path as Star-Lord, leading his ragtag group of miscreants across the universe. Combat may not offer many surprises but is explosive and fast-paced enough to allow for exciting tactical teamwork. Guardians of the Galaxy has set a new standard for games based on comics and while there may be competition in the future, this game proves the genre can evolve to new heights.

Oxenfree is here to tell a story, and it doesn't lose sight of what contributes to making that story feel relatable and consequential. Alex and her friends are in a time when every move is called into examination from a jury of ruthless peers. Oxenfree responds not by accepting or escaping from resolution, but accurately relating the tension of a time when every answer is on one side of zero. Whether the context is supernatural or merely personal, Oxenfree makes it feel powerful.

Sacrificed (somewhere) were elements of surprise and spontaneity, locking Tokyo Mirage Sessions to a rigid course, but its overall performance leaves little doubt of its capability; Nintendo and Atlus saved one of the best for last.

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.

Overall, the puzzles are clever, increasingly challenging, and packed with humor and personality. Yes, ChromaGun 2 Dye Hard takes a page out of the Portal handbook, but it does it respectfully well.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare puts the franchise back where it needs to be. You get a wonderful campaign, team-oriented spec ops, and a variety of multiplayer options that cater to those who love large and small scale warfare.

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.

Overall, Ghost Giant has been a fun experience for the PSVR. The characters are endearing as the story, the VR is very engaging and engulfing, and the simplicity of the controls helps to keep focus on the fun and side-experiences you happen upon. There’s a lot to love about this title.

The game is a spectacular experience. It is masterfully crafted with the right amount of South Park driving it. It certainly has a few minor faults here and there, but it is built to entertain and it doesn’t falter in that area. It’s a big game with a properly built turn-based personality and it all works beautifully within its humorous South Park wrapper.

Ascension is another 'instant classic' entry into the amazing God of War series.

Darkstalkers Resurrection might be just a gauge for future releases of the series, but the effort put into it from Iron Galaxy and Capcom certainly says otherwise. The HD upgrade mixed with the extras and online play make this a solid package that any Darkstalkers' fan will want to snag.

If Sly's your thing - and it's not an exclusive club - this is another fine way to enjoy three classic games.

Pokémon is as complex as it's ever been but still extremely accessible to those who want to play for the first time. With Black 2 & White 2, Game Freak has actually created an entirely new story to accompany its usual 3rd (and 4th) installment to generation 5. Unfortunately, the story feels like a less enthralling narrative than the original installments.

Skate 3 takes a great game in Skate 2 and brings it to the next level. If you're looking for a great skateboarding game, look no further.

Valfaris is a collection of conventional run ‘n gun elements amplified by one of the gnarliest and most committed heavy metal aesthetics ever pledged to pixels. Ideas that belong to Valfaris may not be as well tuned as the Greatest Hits it so liberally samples, but it’s easy to overlook in light of the vibrant carnage. Valfaris, in the parlance of its god, shreds.

Overall, The Eternal Cylinder is a fun romp through a weird and wonderful world and I would consider it to be a must-play indie game for 2021. While its survival mechanics are typical of the genre, the transformative abilities of the Trebhum allow the player to get creative with their choices on how to survive and outrun the colossal cylinder bearing down on them.

Like most (perhaps every) Sega Ages releases, Team M2 has done another great job. There’s an argument to be made for the lack of including the Genesis and SNES versions of the game given that they are a bit different than this arcade port, and seeing as how Sega Ages titles in the past have sometimes included the other versions of games, too… I suppose we maybe got a bit spoiled in having the best of all of the versions included in one release, but I did want to mention that this particular release is just the arcade one. Still, it’s a great game, arguably one of the better SHMUPs of at least the early 90s, and M2 has done another great job of making it available on the Switch.

Creating a candid simulation of a correctional facility is Prison Architect's purpose. Its power is allowing the player to decide if moral indifference—their own or Prison Architect's—is either a strength or weakness. Prison Architect's trip to the PlayStation 4 undermines its capability with an unnecessary layer of obstruction, but the interference it creates isn't impossible to overcome.

In sum, Metro Exodus takes the best elements of 2033 and Last Light and adds a major evolutionary component with open world exploration and crafting. A potent balance is struck between the claustrophobic atmospheres of previous games alongside the new design of expansive open world areas. The blend of full-on action with stealth and survival horror is nicely done as well. I found Metro Exodus to be a more engaging and hard-to-point down experience than I anticipated, and whether you have played the series before or not, Exodus is well worth checking out.

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.

The violent and gory world of Doom Eternal is just amazing and playing as the Slayer makes you feel powerful when faced up against terrifying Demons. Being able to play under my comfy blanket made me feel immersed in the world, something that the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions wouldn’t be able to make me feel. Usually, Nintendo Switch versions of games feel like lesser versions of games released on other consoles, but id Software did an amazing job at making Doom Eternal on the Switch feel just as good. If you’re a longtime Doom fan looking to give it a try on the Nintendo Switch I highly doubt that you’ll be disappointed and I would also highly recommend giving Doom Eternal a shot even if you’ve never played any other game in the series, because you are missing out if you haven’t.

Fly back to Strangereal for the next installment in the Ace Combat series. The game is beautifully crafted and takes you on the ride of a lifetime. Easily one of the best flying games I have ever played, I know I will find myself returning to Ace Combat 7 quite often.

MLB 15: The Show smoothes out some issues that MLB 14 had last year. The graphical portion of the game is the biggest improvement with MLB 15 and something you’ll see right from the start. In addition to visuals, the game’s upgrades and additions in its modes, as well as some unexpected elements, make it a much better experience than last year’s title.

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

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.

Ultimately, there’s a whole lot to like about this release and very little to gripe about. My increasingly busy self would have loved some kind of realtime save or a rewind feature (Prince of Persia style) just to help getting through these games less painful, but even without that crutch these games are a lot of fun and provide a good challenge, the first game especially. Taking a step back from the games themselves, the job that Vicarious Visions and Activision have done here is really commendable; from top to bottom, they did a textbook job of reviving these classics for a whole new generation.

Wii Fit Plus isn’t a sequel; it’s an update. But at $20, it offers a good bit of additional content, features, and refinements—enough for fans of the original to consider upgrading and replacing their old game disc.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel was a surprising favorite of mine when it released on the Vita back in 2013. It was a pleasant surprise seeing it on PC, especially with all of the new voice acting they have added in. If you’re looking for a JRPG on the PC, this one is certainly an option, but it would not be my first.

It’s safe to say that if the gods of gaming are indeed good, then we should expect to see further installments in this longstanding staple of action/platforming entertainment.

Superliminal is a lesson about perspective on life. You can look at a situation and try the same solution over and over again. But if you take a different look at the situation at hand, you may find a new perspective. In that new perspective, you can find a new solution that can create a more favorable outcome. As a metaphor for transforming inane frustration into gratifying solutions, Superliminal was a profound experience. One of its particular moments stuck with me. It tells the player, “The problem is not that the problems we face can’t be solved: the problem is that we become so afraid of failure that we refuse to see our problems from a new perspective.” 2020 has been far from normal, but as Superliminal suggests, you could look at it from a different perspective.

Ash of Gods: The Way from developer AurumDust sets a new standard with how deck-building games should be made. It has the core structure that makes the deck-building fun and familiar, while also adding a thoughtful narrative and a variety of gameplay structures to keep the game engaging and entertaining.

To say that Trinity Fusion is missing the mark would be overlooking its other successes as a roguelite. It boasts fluid combat and platforming that keep its gameplay fresh. The weapon/spell management tied with the Amplification system creates a persistent set of variance that avoids becoming stale. My main two critiques of the game are that of its hazy progression system and its lack of a concrete pull that keeps players engaged for longer periods of time. I know that Angry Mob Games has additional content on the way, but waiting a smidgen longer may let Trinity Fusion hit its stride as a roguelite.

Sumerian Six fills a very niche hole that few developers have capitalized on. Its six characters and complex maps give players a wealth of options to creatively take out power-hungry Nazis, where careful planning is the best reward.

NEO: The World Ends with You was absolutely worth the fourteen year wait. Its unique battle system, beautiful art, and accessibility for multiple audiences make it a must-buy for those wanting a new JRPG to play. Beyond that, the lack of a grind and ability to play as you want make this JRPG worthy of being added to your collection. Although the menus can contribute to information overload and the game itself is fairly linear, NEO: TWEWY succeeds in telling a unique and engaging story without the slog of other games in the JRPG genre. In short: NEO: TWEWY is outstanding; be warned: you will become addicted.

MARVEL Cosmic Invasion is an excellent excuse to play a satisfying beat ’em up with friends. It covers a wide variety of content and characters spanning the decades of comics and other media. By pulling well-known heroes and a few oddballs, Tribute Games offers a unique feel for each member of the roster. While the levels and bosses offer Easter Eggs for everyone, it doesn’t make up for combat that may eventually grow a bit stale for players who don’t find thrills in dropping into matches from time to time.

Accessible controls, beautiful in-game physics and few, but strong game modes make for an overall addictive experience. Perhaps it's the NHL rookie in me talking, but it's hard to believe this isn't the best iteration of the franchise yet.

At the end of the day, Ruined King: A League of Legends story is great RPG for two sets of fans. League players (and those from other Riot games) get the opportunity to explore worlds they may have heard about, but never visited. For those unfamiliar with League, you get the opportunity to explore a land of pirates in an accessible story-driven RPG and expose yourself to Runeterra’s universe. The story is compelling and beautifully told, and the lands of Bilgewater and Shadow Isles are full of secrets. While it’s great you need not grind, the combat system feels like it was changed for the sake of change. Airship Syndicate knocked it out of the park in most ways (be it soundtrack, world design, storytelling, and gameplay), and I’m so excited to see more!

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

As I wrap up this review, I find myself in a similar position as I was one year ago when I reviewed GR Remastered — having a ton of fun and finding very little to complain about. That’s not to say GR2 is perfect, or that any game can be, but any gripes I have would be minor and far overshadowed by the game’s resounding positives. It’s fair to say it’s 2017’s first must-have game.

In sum, another year and another solid NHL release; it might not have enough to stir series veterans, although the inclusion of the World of CHEL and the Legends is certainly cool. Furthermore, the investment EA Canada has made to those who have long sat out on the series or always wanted to give it a shot is quite strong, so if you’re in that boat, NHL 19 may be what you’ve been waiting for.

The Artful Escape is a visual and audio masterpiece that creates a sincere narrative that gives hope to any struggling would-be artist that they will find their own voice at the end of a tough journey. As good as that message might be, the gameplay mechanics don’t nearly live up to the hype the rest of the game creates.

Fatal Fury: City of Wolves from SNK Corporation is a long-overdue fighting experience that does its best to throw variety and meaningful content into the mix. Most of what it tries to do is on point, though the experience, especially on the campaign side of the tracks (Episodes of South Town) could have been a bit longer.

Rivals serves as a refinement of ideas and principles established over the last three iterations of Need for Speed. This can lead to a feeling of sameness bleeding over Rival’s rough edges while also serving as a condensed interpretation of the series' better ideas.

I wanted a new distraction to pull me away from my dull adult responsibilities and force me to consider living on 5 hours of sleep. And NHL16 almost gets me there. For the majority of my time in game, I get lost in the flow crisp passes, smooth break outs and well crafted scoring opportunities. But I suddenly find myself escorted back to said world of dull adult responsibilities when my AI defenders gift wrap scoring chances for opposing attackers.

If you're looking for a competent, although not quite as complete or well rounded alternative to FIFA, give PES 2012 a look.

Pokémon Conquest is a solid addition to any Nintendo DS library. Fans of the RPG series should enjoy this twist of tactics battling and will appreciate the level of complexity available with castle management, team building, and Pokémon training. It's nice to see a spin-off mash-up turn out to be a quality game.