What it comes down to is Metroid: Samus Returns feels like a game that would have killed (and in many ways belongs) in the 90’s. But in a current climate where the game has to compete with powerhouses Ori and the Blind Forest, Holloe Knight, or SteamWorld Dig 2, the title feels tepid in comparison.

Streets of Rage 4 is a great continuation of the classic series, though it doesn't do anything revolutionary.

Avalanche Software has meticulously re-created Hogwarts down to such minute details that it's sure to bring out the child in most of us — it is, doubtlessly, a gorgeous realization of the Wizarding World. Attending classes, taming beasts, exploring Hogwarts, and learning new spells could keep you occupied for hours, but it's nowhere near a groundbreaking experience. If you strip the Harry Potter IP away from Hogwarts Legacy, you're just left with another standard RPG that we've seen countless times before.

F1 2019 isn’t really all that spectacular. The gameplay is mostly what you’d expect with the potential of an exhilarating moment here and there, but it wouldn’t be the first game I’d look to for a racing simulation experience. That being said, it is enjoyable and there is plenty to do, especially for those looking for a new racing game to pick up.

Overall, the result is quite charming. I'd not call Quartet's visuals "innovative," but they're executed well, with clear thought and care put into those nostalgic sprites.

FIFA 18 is by no means a perfect game, the lack of customization and emotionless animations from players puts the game back a few steps, but this is not a bad game. Whether you have been on a FIFA hiatus or you are a long-time veteran, you should come back to this series — if only for the single-player content.

The Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle isn’t a sexy release by any means. Besides the nice steelbook that the physical version of the game comes with, there’s not a lot else included in this package other than the expected slight boost in graphical prowess. This collection will surely please both longtime fans and new ones who have been looking to give both of these titles a shot, but it’s hard to say that there is anything else all that alluring included here. This is just your pretty standard, run of the mill remaster of two great games – nothing more, nothing less.

The Towerfall-like party title Duck Game is now on Switch, and with it comes a package of wonkiness and absurdism.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition isn't going to break any new ground or change the world, but if you're looking to get a spiffy upgrade for your new machine, it's potentially worth diving into. If you're tired of the desert island theme, though, there's absolutely nothing here that will remedy that.

Stray captures the cat experience perfectly, but is bogged down by boring platforming mechanics and an unengaging narrative experience which leaves the game feeling dull.

I’m not a huge fan of how bulky the environment feels at times, and the walking sections can become tiresome, but the truth is, Requiem had me engaged from start to finish. Sure, the game has its flaws, and it’s not a very malleable experience, but that doesn’t stop it from being a good time all the same. At its heart, A Plague Tale is a narrative-driven atmospheric experience. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

For me, it was an experience that lost steam the longer I played, but I can’t deny how much I enjoyed its initial opening hour.

While Magical Delicacy can deliver cozy vibes, it drops the magic ball on almost everything else. The platforming isn't fun, cooking doesn't feel satisfying, and the main gameplay loop boils down to doing fetch quests for NPCs just to get a few extra bits of story and a generic upgrade. Both the cooking and platforming sides work against each other, and everything lacks polish, especially the animations. It's a fundamentally flawed experience with a clashing visual identity, with a great soundtrack and pleasant story being the main saving graces.

Quotation forthcoming.

What we’ve seen from NBA 2K the past two years with microtransactions is likely the new norm, and I’m going to have to accept that.

Call of the Sea is a great start for developer Out of the Blue but didn't entirely capture me on any front, despite standout moments.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is a bloated collection of uninspired quests that quickly turn into a repetitive, boring grind. While the art and history teams deserve recognition for their efforts, it's all unfortunately wasted on a narrative that goes nowhere, is poorly explained, and has no satisfying resolutions. None of the changes and tweaks that Ubisoft brought to the table move the needle, and the game is ultimately more frustrating than it is fun. This is a game that desperately needed to succeed, and instead, collapses under its own weight. Future Assassin's Creed releases need to innovate instead of being yet another rehash of games we've already played in different locations. There are other open-world games in similar settings that are much more worthy of your time.

While there’s definitely fun to be had with Fuser, the not-particularly-musically-gifted people (like myself) may struggle. The budding Calvin Harris and Tiesto’s of the world, on the other hand, will surely find enjoyment in the game.

House House's Untitled Goose Game is undoubtedly a hilarious experience, but it lacks a varied toolset to maximize said hilarity.

All things considered, it is still the same Sifu, and playing it in the palm of your hand is a satisfying and powerful experience that shouldn't be ignored if you have not played Sifu before.

A cathartic conclusion that will satisfy fans of Trails' dungeon crawling experience.

While you’re not going to find an in-depth customization, with tuning, and handling changes, you will find some of the most balanced customization I have ever seen.

Both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Campaign and Multiplayer may have some issues, but generally, I had a good time with each mode.

Fire Emblem Engage is mostly a streamlined experience that gives you a taste of what the series has to offer, but doesn’t showcase its true potential as a strategy game. It lacks genuine innovation, and doesn’t quite meet the standards set by previous entries or establish a challenging and balanced system that reflects Fire Emblem's core identity.

Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection for Nintendo Switch significantly undermines visuals for portability; there are better (and cheaper) options for Black Flag and Rogue.

I felt that Subnautica could do with a little more work to iron out these performance problems to make it even more fluid and seamless, which would then make it then a top contender in the survival genre.

Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is definitely a game that’ll appeal more to fans of visual novels as opposed to SRPGs. The strategy sections are a nice break from the game’s mountains of dialog but they’re not too memorable outside of being a short break from the bulk of what you’ll be doing early on. The game is pretty long and does drag at the beginning, but fans of the visual novel genre should find a lot of what they’re looking for.

No matter how disappointed I am with the game and myself after each "Crushing Defeat," I find myself wanting to go back and play again, even if it's just to build up relationships with Liu Bei and Sun Jian, unlock their armor sets and weapons, grind for levels and new spells and, maybe some day, finally get to use that wizard's house key. It doesn't excuse the faults, and I will die (quickly and repeatedly) on the hill that it would be vastly improved by adding difficulty settings, but if you're a fan of the Three Kingdoms and (not or) extreme difficulty, Wo Long may be a good fit for you. And if it's not, Hell, there's always Dynasty Warriors.