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.

Amerzone from developer Microids Studio Paris is a Myst-like experience that features a heavy narrative, great characters, and incredibly challenging puzzles. It may not be for everyone, but those who want this type of gaming experience will certainly be thrilled with the delivery.

Yakuza Kiwami is a blast! Play as the no-nonsense badass Kazuma Kiryu as you take back your city. Be the hero and you crush enemies or spend your time eating and visiting the racetrack, the options are all yours. The combat and story come together perfectly to make a game you will not want to put down. If you are looking for something completely over the top, then you will love Yakuza Kiwami.

Kinitsu-Gami: Path of The Goddess yet again shows a Capcom willing to take risks. Who would of thought a niche hybrid of action, strategy, and tower defense would translate into a Japanese mold like this? While the game suffers from familiar genre tropes like a sluggish pace and busy menus, players won’t deny the clever, tense implementation of building an impeccable line of defense. From fighting dinosaurs from the future to dancing away evil spirits, I’m excited to see what new experiment Capcom brings us next.

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.

Overall, in a deal of 6 games in one collection with added features for new and casual players, the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy collection is certainly an enjoyable and potentially challenging experience worth its $29.99 price tag. If you are at all like me and haven’t experienced the Mega Man series, this may serve as a good entry into the franchise in terms of gameplay.

The cutting mechanic is smartly embraced as Revengeance's signature rather than its limitation, a crescendo earned by appreciating the profundity of its stylish combat. This is actually expected of Platinum, but the real surprise is their respect and dedication Metal Gear’s established doctrine. By any definition, Revengeance is beautiful symmetry.

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

This is a complete and very nicely done port of a really great fighting game.

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.

Persona 3 Reload is not a carbon-copied remaster of Persona 3 Portable or even Persona 3. It’s a refreshed perspective of Persona 3 that removes a good bunch of pain from older RPGs while retaining the charm and character of the original. It feels like many thoughtful decisions were made to better the game’s flow without compromising on its core experience or watering it down. Framerate quibbles of the Switch 2 version aside, owners of 2023’s Persona 3 Portable might feel like there aren’t enough changes to warrant a replay. But, if you haven’t yet experienced its source material, Persona 3 Reload is without a doubt the best version of the game to play.

Dreamscaper is a permadeath RPG that took my breath away. This is a game that carries weight behind it. The overall moves and story arcs are impeccable to take it and watch. The visuals are staggering and impeccable. It’s a wonderful game. It’s a moving and relatable narrative that allows you inside our protagonist’s life and personal experiences of her subconscious. It’s a damn good game.

What BOXBOY! lacks in visuals and style, it makes up for with complex level design and intricate gameplay that will keep your brain churning for hours. It may not replace any of the bigger puzzle games out there, but HAL Laboratory’s little box opus brings some good, easily addictive puzzle entertainment.

Ultimately, there are more reasons to praise and play LCU than not, especially for Wii U owners looking for something new and exclusive that doesn't involve a Nintendo icon.

While Dragon's Crown remains the most refined and candid of Vanillaware's neo brawlers, it's absent of the range of improvements and adjustments that marked Odin Sphere Leifthrasir's transition to modern hardware. Dragon's Crown Pro is Dragon's Crown on the PlayStation 4 and it has no interest in being anything else.

Luftrausers' success is its addictive duel between confidence and doubt; what's the best option when every choice is conceivably the best option? Providing the player with heaps of ways tackle problems is nothing new, but creating a large number of choices and making each one uniquely viable? That's special, and it's Luftrausers' specialty.

KOAR is simply staggering; it's a tremendous achievement and an experience you shouldn't miss.

Arise: A Simple Story is worth a go and worth your time and attention. It carries a heavy-hearted story that is backed by stunning visuals and few flaws.

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

Kirby: Triple Deluxe is exactly what you would expect it to be: multiple game modes, creative level design, fun lighthearted style, colorful presentation, and crisp precise platforming. Kirby continues to live as a creative series built around a simple mechanic of move stealing and move-set freedom and will always be regarded dearly in this gamer's heart.

GRIME II from developer Clover Bite and publisher Kwalee is a massive Metroidvania that is driven by its creativity and storytelling, backed up by amazing visuals and soundtrack, and does everything on the gameplay side that you would expect from the genre it lives within. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s worthy of your time.