Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 feels like the hardest Sega has tried at coming up with a broadly appealing track and field collection since DecAthelete. The wide range of events and alternative control options create open accessibility while a handful of retro throwbacks and madcap minigames function as impressive novelties. Mario & Sonic’s limitations are still recognizable, but Tokyo 2020 feels like the farthest anyone can drag an Olympic videogame into the present.

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.

Type Knight is elegantly simple in its design and a fun distraction. It can run on any grade of PC, wisely confines itself to a small window size, loads instantly, has surprisingly good music and sense of atmosphere, and is all around well worth the low cost of admission of $4.

Though I could extend this article with more information and thoughts, the bottomline is that this is the type of game you’re either into or you’re not. The genre is fairly niche and from the little I have played of it in the past and from what I have read this week, there’s nothing really new here other than the crossover with Doraemon. That’s cool and all, but is it enough to get players otherwise not enamored with the gameplay loop of these type of games to buy in? That’s something you’ll obviously have to answer for yourself, but for me, I found the game to be too boring and too tedious to spend a great deal of time with.

Death Stranding reinvents how video game design can work. It takes you through an experience you didn’t expect, doesn’t hold back with its design intentions and execution, and takes the gamer through a journey like no other. This is a masterpiece that only Kojima could pull off.

esident Evil 5 is a product of its time. It is also a product of Resident Evil 4’s time. The generation-defining strength of the latter pushed against the contemporary ideas of the former, creating a surplus of vaguely Resident Evil content masquerading around in 2009’s milieu of cooperative action games. Depending on your expectations, Resident Evil 5 either remains a blissfully cooperative version of Resident Evil 4 or a harbinger of the monstrosity that became Resident Evil 6.

This year, ZeniMax breathed live into a new zone for The Elder Scrolls Online. Players recovered the Wrathstone tablet which was used to unleash dragons back into Tamriel. They explored Northern Elsweyr, Anequina, to bring the dragon threat to a halt. Most recently, players dealt with the repercussions of the scourge of dragons. Now, players must venture into Southern Elsweyr, Pellitine, and finish the job. A wonderful story, combined with fantastic worldbuilding and new mechanics, brings a fantastic conclusion to the year-long Season of the Dragon event.

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.

While I would have personally preferred the addition of three player support, or even extra stages or modes, Natsume and Project Tengo did a great job of resurrecting a classic for modern audiences and adding two new playable characters. Other cool features include a timer to encourage speed runs, with online leaderboard support, and being able to unlock the soundtracks from the original and the ’94 games. Beautiful sprite art and animation, and a nostalgic-inducing soundtrack add wonderfully to the experience as well.

Columns’ gameplay is simple, addictive, and largely fun, but it’s also quite a challenge. Despite loss after loss, Columns and Columns II are fun to go back to and try again, just see if I could top my last score. Puzzle games, good ones that is, have a way of being addictive like that. At a point, after a few hours total over the course of a few days, my interest fizzled out, for now at least. But for about $8, and to support future works of M2 and the Sega Ages line, and as a tip of the hat to recognize Columns II finally being released on a home console, I’d still recommend this release for anyone with even a marginal interest.

We’re not quite into PES vs FIFA territory yet but if WRC 8 is anything to go by KT Racing are on the right track. WRC 8 isn’t perfect and there’s a few, unfortunate failings that hold it back from perhaps being the overall winner. However, if multiplayer competition doesn’t swing things for you then WRC 8’s single-player components are compelling. Those disillusioned by Codemaster’s recent outing may find the challenge and the subsequent thrill of success in WRC 8 a more compelling package.

Untitled Goose Game is a body-swapping fantasy that transforms any would-be suburban miscreant into a waddling force of mischief and destruction. Instead of putting your finger in everyone’s freshly baked pie, you menace around town and devastate an ordinary Saturday afternoon. Untitled Goose Game is philosophical exercise to determine if the conniving will of a large annoying bird is either innate programming from a bored deity or a product of our broken society.

With Ichidant-R, M2 has rescued another Sega classic from international obscurity. As either a proto-WarioWare microgame collection or an academic dive into Japan's transitional arcade scene, Ichidant-R's ecstatic presence succeeds in delighting and illuminating its audience. It's another affirmation that M2's work on the Switch's SEGA AGES' line continues to be one of the most valuable projects in gaming.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is an exciting game. It knows what it wants to do. It wants to give players options, it wants them to feel unshackled by design decisions that offer to gently nudge them in a direction or possibility. It wants to give a platform to four friends to cause chaos in a variety of scenarios. Breakpoint is a freeing game and it has its flaws. But, above anything, it is fun.

Blasphemous is a delightfully dark game with superb style. This Kickstarter success pairs magnificent world-building with clever combat mechanics. A player must have precision timing, as every hit point is vital. One wrong move could be a fatal error. This intense game feels very much like a 2D platforming version of games like Dark Souls or Bloodborne.

I haven't had a game hit me emotionally quite as Concrete Genie has. An emotional story blended with beautiful artwork and seamless gameplay creates an incredible experience. I am beyond impressed with Pixelopus's work and you can easily see all the blood, sweat and tears poured into the game. Concrete genie may not scratch the gameplay itch that you have but rather it delivers an important story to tell. I highly recommend it for any hardcore gaming fan as well as the creative types.

Without a doubt, The Surge 2 builds upon the structure of what came before. Making already fun combat systems even more enjoyable is not an easy task, but Deck13 achieved it. The dedication to building Jericho City into a viable arena for death and exploration comes across in its intricate paths and hidden bits. But I do think just a bit more time and polish could have not only made the game a bit prettier but also resulted in a handful of additional bosses that really put players through the ringer. But The Surge 2 still rewards those looking for a hardcore game in a new setting. And who knows where a third game might go.

Code Vein is a pretty strong entry into the genre and it’s always refreshing to see new IP. While it has a few (mostly patchable) drawbacks, Code Vein is one I would recommend with just a little bit of hesitation.

For Pinball on the go, you would be hard-pressed to find a better option than Zen Studios’ Star Wars Pinball. From design to execution, Zen did an excellent job.

If you enjoy Devil May Cry, or third person action games, DMC2 is worth playing through. While being the worst in the series, it’s still canon and still fun. It’s also not very hard nor will it take more than probably about ten hours to play through both campaigns.

The cost of admission is about four times what you might pay for a copy on the PS3, but obviously your mileage may vary. For those that missed NNK the first time around or maybe sold their copy with their PS3 over the years, the remaster makes a strong case for itself simply because the game is still great and time has not tained the experience.

I think most players know what to expect when going into Borderlands 3. Gearbox is devoted to this franchise and has a certain reverence for not changing it up too much. What are you looking for in this game? With three other friends and a laid back attitude, Borderlands 3 rewards on so many levels. Laughs, rewarding but loose gunplay, and constant loot are a specific pleasure. But this game is not going back to the drawing board. It’s hard to say this is a tired formula because Borderlands has been so quiet for such a long time. Yes I wish the story was better and the jokes didn’t work as hard. Despite all that, it is such a fun game especially when you pass the hurdles. And for that, I can’t help but recommend Borderlands 3.

Neo Cab’s malevolent tech-noir is a vehicle for exploring, and ultimately surviving, the tenacity of its passengers and the ambivalence of its driver. As a narrative adventure Neo Cab is full of conflicted, enigmatic, and sophisticated characters all vying for validation in a tortured world. As an opaque lens on social responsibility and morality, it’s as distressing as it is compulsive. Neo Cab’s tech-addled dystopia functions a travelogue to the pain and purpose of being human.

Overall, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a perfect experience. It may not last long, but it will certainly draw you in with its story, keep you there with its variety of gameplay, and then bring the entire experience together with its amazing visuals and music.

I think it’s critical that publishers and studios offer more than just tweaks to gameplay and new lines of dialogue. EA Vancouver and Romania have done quite a bit in that effort this season. VOLTA is an adept component with surprising depth. Yes, it is ostensibly inspired by 2012 Street and borrows heavily from its bag of toe flicking tricks. But the iteration isn’t chintzy. It’s implementation isn’t some hasty, tacked-on remastering. The mode is fleshed out, thought out, and plays out effectively. It also seems to set an influential tone of fun across the 20 landscape. This is the most enjoyment I’ve had kicking it around on the FIFA pitch since 2015 and should be this addition’s memorable stroke.

Built from pieces thought too inscrutable to survive 2019, Daemon X Machina is sincere in its appreciation for a bygone era of mech action games. It understands the charm of assembling giant robots, the appeal of blasting exotic weapons, and the fantasy of combining both together in dozens of pleasing arrangements. Daemon X Machina revels in its esoteric reverie.

Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece encapsulates the majesty and depth of Assassin's Creed Odyssey into a full-blown learning experience. Ubisoft's expansive recreation of Ancient Greece becomes an open book of educational opportunities that should thrill anyone with a thirst for knowledge.

Another amazing platformer is now on the Nintendo Switch. Spyro the Reignited Trilogy is a wonderful remake of the original games that will leave you wanting more. It is a lot easier than the originals, but that should not stop old fans and new fans from playing the game. Its a good game for the Switch, but I would recommend just getting it on PS4 or Xbox if you want the traditional Spyro experience.