For tackling such a large real-life issue, Falcon Age doesn’t add enough gravity to its story.

King of Meat is effectively like one of the most eye-catching and elaborate LEGO kits you'll ever see. The composite parts are excellent, with soft-play-like visuals, a world that is wacky, silly, and engaging, and surprisingly nuanced combat and progression. Not to mention killer animation, a sublime creation kit, and cosmetic items that actually feel worth grinding for. However, like all LEGO kits, they don't come assembled, and you get out what you put in. As a solo experience, this game is hollow and quite one-note. Meaning that this game will only be successful and enjoyable if it gains a following, as community creations will be the lifeblood of this title. If the game gains that player base, it could be great, but it's a huge 'if'. The game doesn't have that lightning-in-a-bottle feel, and there's a genuine concern this game could be dead on arrival.

Below’s strongest element is its gripping visual and sound design.

Pathologic 2 is a narrative-driven thriller that doesn't really care if you have a good time or not. Prepare to be eternally hungry.

A bland sad protagonist with all the charisma of a rock with a frowny face, a mystery box-style narrative that only ends with more mystery boxes, a combat system that wants to be multiple entirely different games. The Callisto Protocol might function, and it’ll certainly have its launch issues patched out in due time, but in no way can I recommend it to anyone but the most morbidly curious. Everything was stacked in this game’s favor, and it still wasn’t enough. We didn’t need Dead Space 2.0 - we just needed a cohesive, focused game. Instead, it's an oddly soulless concoction of unfocused ambitions, poor planning, and inconceivably amateurish design. Whether you're winning or losing, Callisto Protocol never feels right.

Fe may be occasionally rough around the edges and gameplay derivative, but failure to look beyond that is missing the forest for the trees.

Aliens Fireteam Elite is a title that will likely disappoint you during the first few hours, but once you get past the first chapter, the game starts to open up to its potential more. If you have a squad ready for some challenging scenarios in a decent, albeit familiar, co-op shooter, then you could see yourself with an enjoyable few of hours on your hands.

The crew at Bithell Games has done it again. The Solitaire Conspiracy may not be the developer’s best-told story, but it’s one of the most enjoyable on a gameplay level. And like every Bithell Short, it never overstays its welcome. If you want to play something short and sweet, look no further.

If you enjoyed The Last Remnant the first time around give this re-release a shot. And if you’re looking for an old-school deeply challenging JRPG, this title will also be for you.

Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time feels like it's stuck in the past. As a game in 2020, it feels like a relic of a bygone era; Jack lost the battle through time ten years ago.

By adding in an interesting story and supporting cast the game proves it can stand on its own compared to some of the all time best in the genre. Touhou Genso Wanderer is a frustrating and wonderful dungeon crawler that fits perfectly into the doujin Touhou universe.

C-Smash VRS takes a swing that doesn't quite connect. There's fun to be had for those who persevere, but mostly in the online modes which, sadly, are already looking barren.

Even with its technical flaws and progression structure problems, I still can’t bring myself to dislike Little Dragons Café. When Little Dragons Café hits its stride mid-game, it is indeed a beautiful, relaxing, and wholesome experience that I would recommend to those looking for a more laid back title to cleanse their palette before this busy fall season.

SpongeBob SquarePants nails the feeling of the source material and it does a great job of replicating the free and fancy fun of those old-school platformers. That being said, it's not a great game, at least if you're over the age of 12. It's lacking in challenge, it's rather short, and there's very little replay value. For the younger players who haven't been jaded by this wonderful and wicked industry, it's a serviceable platformer with authentic voice acting that gives players a chance to be part of their favorite show. For everybody else, it's a short distraction that had the potential to be so much more.

Tokyo Dark offers some great animation and character design that reflects Japanese anime and film noir.

Enotria: The Last Song is a Souls-like experience that takes a lot of big swings, and while there are a few hiccups along the way, a lot of these risks pay off. The freedom to experiment with builds, plan ahead with pre-set Loadouts, and take on the roles of your fallen enemies are all standout features that set this title apart. Which Enotria backs up with impressive visuals, a compelling Italian folklore-inspired world, and several memorable bosses. Sadly, performance issues, a lack of genuine, consistent challenge, and some systems that flatter to deceive stop this game from being a truly iconic game within the sub-genre, but when the curtain closes, and the actors take their final bow, I feel plenty in the audience will be throwing roses and applauding regardless.

Undoubtedly the best thing to happen to the Blair Witch since the 1999 film.

Ra Ra Boom is an excellent local co-op game that's perfect for a weekend playthrough with loved ones or friends. It's a wonderful love letter to retro side scrollers with a modern look and feel that represents the best of indie games. While the main campaign is on the shorter side, and ultimately the game feels a little too easy at times, it's still a fun time and well worth checking out.

Man of Medan is built from the same mold as Until Dawn, but the writing lost a bit of charm on the way, and the technical performance hinders the game greatly. After multiple playthroughs of the game, I’m still left with several questions—not about the story, or about what’s next to come for The Dark Pictures, but about the sustainability of this long-term eight-game project. Is one game every six months too much of a workload? Will there be enough variety to keep the tropes from being stale? And will these neat co-operative modes be good fits for whatever story is to come?

While West of Dead is subdued in many ways, I find it to be an easy recommendation for any fan of roguelike titles.

While the developers did squeeze as much potential as their studio could out of this concept, to sometimes remarkable results, Kingdom Come: Deliverance may have been a tad too bit ambitious for them on a technical level.

If TumbleSeed intrigues you at all, I would recommend picking it up. The game is as unique and engaging to play as it looks, just be aware of the steep difficulty curve you will most likely run into once you get more serious about passing the starting area. Games this original don’t come around to often, but its always a treat when they do.

Warsaw is a complex and deep game that forces players to fight against seemingly impossible odds while making difficult decisions. You must fight against the looming threat of an enemy hell bent on conquest as you deal with the horrors left to fester in the cracks of the battlefield. The combat is fast-past with a fun system that rewards you for battling smart, and the storytelling is simple yet compelling, leaving you wanting to learn more. It’s captivating, exhilarating, terrifying, and crushing with just enough slivers of hope that attempt to motivate you to keep fighting the good fight. And despite a few hiccups, Warsaw most certainly succeeds in that regard.

A new coat of paint improves both Blood Money and Absolution but with few other additions, Hitman HD Enhanced Collection is a hard sell.

After years of the series feeling running in place, the roguelite and hero-based approach to Orcs Must Die’s decade-old tower-defense formula feels perfect. Deathtrap is a return to form with much-appreciated new twists like 4-player co-op, upgradable traps, hero abilities, and much bigger maps. Although the barricade limit is a solid deal-breaker, Deathtrap feels and plays like a solid Orcs Must Die! game and finally feels like a proper step forward for a series that felt like it was doomed to be forever chasing past successes.

For people such as myself who fall in the middle, the title acts as a nice distraction to pick up and play everyone once in awhile. The racing element is bogged down with all the minutiae and it’s hard to get really into everything without becoming frustrated. Too much detail in the wrong area can cause even the nicest ride to become bumpy and unpleasant.

Destiny 2: Lightfall offers an action-packed campaign that feels more like a filler story than an essential narrative. It also presents extremely well-designed levels, enemies, and combat loops, as well as several overhauls and improvements to the game's core systems.

Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission does an admirable job at replicating the original Japanese arcade game on the Nintendo Switch.

The writing during the story and in collectibles is typically great, the boring moments in gameplay are hard to come by (especially during the first playthrough), and it’s a rare well-priced PlayStation Vita release that offers replayability on the go. I doubt Twin Breaker will manage to find much of an audience outside of Sacred Symbols listeners, but I’m glad that the game Sacred Symbols fans are receiving is a solid and unique one.

Captain Tsubasa is a simple tactics-adjacent sports game with characters you’ll quickly grow to love. Nothing here is particularly groundbreaking, but it is so much fun seeing Japan’s Golden Generation grow into tomorrow’s stars. The game probably doesn’t have much of a competitive future. That said, it did make me go out and pick up the manga. So, it’s a win-win for creator Yoichi Takahashi. If you’re looking for a game that’s easy to get into and hard to put down, Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is as good as any.

Frontier Developments really took care with using the Jurassic Park license to its fullest.

Tokyo RPG Factory's Oninaki is the studio's most ambitious project yet with characters and themes that are as fascinating as they are tragic.

Sea of Thieves is a mixed bag of emotions for me. It’s a great social experience to play with a group of friends and sail on the prettiest water you will ever see in a video game. It’s also bogged down by tedious and repetitive voyages that reward you with meager pay. When you can eventually purchase an item, it will only affect how you look. If that is the case, it seems puzzling that I can’t create a character I want to flaunt to any passerby. There is enjoyment to be found in Sea of Thieves, but not enough to keep you interested in the long term.

Despite some technical issues and a story that ends too quickly, Raji: An Ancient Epic is a great narrative-driven game that's worth playing.

Hey! Pikmin is an incredibly fun platformer that’s easy to pick up and doesn’t take a ton of hours to finish like many games that have come out this year. While I was able to get through the game in a couple of days, reaching 100% completion on each level will take some time and serious dedication.

Overall, Mario & Sonic is a welcoming surprise that I can see myself playing with friends regularly.

All in all, the mechanical issues—particularly being forced to walk through empty dungeons over and over again—really killed the hype I was feeling at the start of this game, which is a shame, because there are some great moments here. Toss in a world map, a minimap, and most importantly, a fast-travel feature, and this game would be leaps and bounds ahead of what it is. Still, if you don't mind the monotony and you've got a nostalgic love for Golden Era wrestling, WrestleQuest might be worth a look.

The Church in the Darkness is marred by several technical shortcomings that draw players out of the experience and kill the pacing.

State of Decay 2’s experience will boil down to how talented you are at surviving. The game challenges you to last for as long as possible. It has its moments where it can drag on, and if you’re after a game where you just want to kill mindlessly, this isn’t for you. Zombie survival simulator though? It does what it set out to achieve.

Dragon Marked for Death’s special spin on the genre is something I hope to see tackled again in the future by Inti Creates.

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is the best entry in the series. It’s also just a ton of fun, in case you were worried at all that killing endless waves of giant bugs and aliens could be boring. I hope future entries will adopt and adapt everything Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain has added to the series. It’s certainly a better game for it and retains so many of the things longtime fans have come to love about the series. I’m happy to report that the EDF is back in business.

Snake Pass is held back from greatness by a troublesome camera and poor textures, but it is quite charming and innovates with its snake gameplay, which still has tons of untapped potential. I can’t wait to see what Noodle and Doodle get themselves into next, as Snake Pass’s mechanics can only be fleshed out even more from here.

As an installment that mostly revolves around setting up Clementine and her group for a dramatic confrontation that would have unfolded in the next two episodes, Episode 2 of The Final Season doesn’t quite deliver the same thrills that the first episode of the season provided, but is still an entirely worthy entry in the story so far. However, the question now is what “the story so far” really looks like.

State of Mind is extremely cinematic, from its sweeping cutscenes, to how the story’s drama unfolds.

Darksiders III strays too far away from the formula that made the first two entries great while also being mired by bugs and performance issues.

Is Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX a must-buy? No. Is Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX a good remake? Yes. Could more have been done with such a promising story, rather than giving a fifteen-year-old game a fresh coat of paint? Almost definitely.

The game is pretty simple to understand, and can even be a tiny bit exhilarating at first in dogfights, and relaxing in the exploration segments. Once that incredibly short space-shooter honeymoon phase wears off though, Manticore – Galaxy on Fire turns into a repetitive, unattractive slog to get through.

Sea of Solitude has the heart to pull through and guide players to the end, where its messages really start taking shape.

Erica stands as the best FMV game available on consoles.

Daemon X Machina may very well be one of the most refined mech-based shooters, but some questionable design choices leave more to be desired from the game.

Borderlands has always been known for its likable characters, and the protagonists introduce in New Tales From The Borderlands continue this grand tradition alongside a well written story. The characters play very well off of one another and grow before our eyes as they each dive deeper into their own psyches. But the lack of innovation in the gameplay is disappointing after this many years, which makes New Tales From The Borderlands mainly worth checking out for fans of the series.

Bye Sweet Carole is an ambitious game that shoots for the moon and ends up among the stars. The Disney-style presentation is damn near flawless and evokes a sense of childish nostalgia that hardly any game has managed to do before. Not to mention, it's a pretty competent puzzler that feels cut from the same cloth as LucasArts classics in many ways. However, due to a slew of technical issues and some of the most cumbersome and unsatisfying platforming, stealth, and action sequences I can recall enduring, the game undoes a lot of its fine work to ultimately end up being a unique, but rather average experience.

Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition brings together five different versions of the classic Ubisoft platformer. The presentation and design of the package is stellar, acting almost like a living museum to celebrate the game's impeccable legacy. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of variety here between each game variation, and it feels like there could have been more time spent on polishing up Rayman 2 and 3 for inclusion. As it stands, Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition is a great celebration of the first game, but leaves out his most entertaining adventures.

Maneater is an enjoyable open-world romp that is just a bit too straightforward and contains more than a handful of bugs and performance issues.

Since finishing Lost Sphear, I can’t stop thinking about it.

Night Call is, at its best, a story with engaging characters that make you want to learn their secrets.

This re-release of the 2007 Wii horror game has echoes of what make this classic horror series great, but is stifled by a lumbering pace, cumbersome controls, and lack of genuine scares.

Espire 1 is a decent stealth action game. It contains replayability through its Challenges mode, but what it offers in terms of main story is a bit short – roughly four hours of story, padded to five or six hours via gates that force you to finish a certain number of Challenges to continue to the next mission. Of course, the main draw of Espire 1 is that it takes place in VR, and it uses that to its benefit. Sneaking around and using the bevy of Espire gadgets and traversal options available to do so feels great, but is overshadowed by a combat system and AI that is so exploitable that sneaking around quickly loses its purpose in the first place.

Easily one of the best VR shooters on PlayStation VR at the moment.

It's a huge shame that levels tend to repeat themselves occasionally and are rather short, but this is likely just a product of the game having its roots as a mobile title. Despite that, the simplicity keeps it friendly and does feel somewhat old school in terms of handling like in PS1 games like Wipeout, and Formula 1. If you?re into the good ol’ PlayStation racing titles such as these, then Table Top Racing: World Tour – Nitro Edition might be for you.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss successfully nails the elements I love most about cosmic horror: the crushing weight of thalassophobia, a dense atmosphere, the chilling descent of humans into madness, and Cthulhu himself. I mean, we usually watch civilians become his victims in most stories, but in this one, we have scientists losing their grip and believing his mad cult, on top of some investigative systems that are genuinely clever. So it is very interesting! However, there were some stumbles along the way that were hard to ignore and ultimately took some of the shine off the overall experience. Ultimately, the game did make me lose my sanity, but not always for the reasons I expected. While the atmosphere is great, the lack of technical polish in the latter half of the game is a significant hurdle. If Big Bad Wolf can iron out the performance following launch, this will be an indispensable title for fans of the genre. For now, it's a brilliant but bruised descent into the abyss.

It’s hard not to feel like Star Wars Battlefront II should’ve been better than what it is. While some like to think that the implementation of loot crates is a worse crime than that of killing younglings, in reality it just proves to be uninteresting and makes it more likely for me to bounce off of the multiplayer sooner rather than later. The real disappointment falls upon that of the campaign which I clearly had too much hope for. It’s not a story that I would say I hate more than sand, but it also isn’t memorable at all.

Hell Let Loose can often feel slow-paced and tedious, but if you’re a strategic thinker looking for rewarding and realistic gameplay, then this could be the game for you.

Pixel Ripped 1978 sticks close to the formula that has kept the series more relevant than the games it pays homage to, and that's not a bad thing. Full of quirky fun and many nostalgic throwbacks to the days of Atari, there's plenty here but more so for the older folks who were around when wood-panel finishes were all the rage.

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is filled to the brim with tons of content and story details that makes it more than worth the reasonable price tag. Fans of the Sword Art Online franchise have a lot to do and tons of easter eggs to uncover with allies from across the anime, and will undoubtedly enjoy this new foray into Ainground.

Of Mice and Sand -Revised- is a positively charming title. It’s a cute and entertaining world that I would love to come back to if Arc System Works could find a way to make a second trip more compelling with additional gameplay options.

My Hero One’s Justice 2 ended up just making me sad. The game had immense promise but was dragged down by its setbacks. With an interesting story, intense battles, and different ways to play, I should like this game so much more. Instead, I have to draw attention to the issues that have brought down what could be a fantastic gaming experience. I mostly feel bad for this game’s developers, who demonstrate that they have a clear understanding and passion for their source material. Unfortunately, this hero based game proved to be a zero.

The 25th Ward: The Silver Case takes chances and pushes the boundaries of storytelling and character development.

Songs of Silence is a solid strategy game that does enough to make a name for itself in a crowded genre. Through its addicting army management, unique card system mixed with real-time combat, and fantastic Skirmish Mode, it's hard not to come away satisfied. However, the game's Campaign mode doesn't consistently deliver and has frustrating balancing issues that work against it, resulting in lost momentum and an exhausting state of tedium.

Snack World combines a tongue-in-cheek story with dungeon crawling, a loot system, and roguelike mechanics to make one surprisingly fun package.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master provides a very linear open world experience that only becomes fun after a few hours, and even then, will continue to provide missions that are either frustratingly specific or boringly easy. It may appeal to the hardcore racing game enthusiasts with a full racing sim setup, but for people who play these games on a controller and sit down to have a fun time, this game will feel mind-numbing at times. It has moments that shine through, and the arcade controls feel pretty satisfying, but it doesn't make for a great game.

Rocket Arena is a hero shooter that tries to make a mark, but doesn’t do nearly enough to help itself stand out.

The Falconeer is an ambitious title developed by one person. It aims to be an open world air combat title but doesn't completely stick the landing.

I would say that Zwei: The Arges Adventure is best played by gamers with an eye for charm and adorable characters that you’d want to spend hours with exploring dungeons and going on adventures. Sadly, the decade-old dungeon design and repetitive action don’t hold up as well as its sequel, but it’s still a game that Falcom fans will enjoy until the end, I know I did.

Spirit of the North 2 has its moments in its beautiful landscapes, relaxing music, and overall cozy vibes. Unfortunately, everything else is pretty underwhelming. The open world has nothing special to discover and mostly feels like a chore to navigate through, which is a shame considering the game forces the player to search the map for necessary items to progress. Even worse, the game has a ton of bugs that are downright frustrating, such as a boss refusing to attack, audio cutting out, lighting issues in some areas that make it nearly impossible to see, and environments refusing to spawn. Spirit of the North 2 isn't a bad game, and some dungeons are a ton of fun, but it's clear the game needed more time in the oven and would have benefited in a linear format.

You can tell developer Byking put a whole lot of care into My Hero One’s Justice and the payoff is something that can be enjoyed by any fan of the widely popular anime and manga.

Throughout my 35 hours of playing Digimon World: Next Order I began to feel like I did the first time a discovered the series. Every Digimon that joined my team made an impact on me and I wanted them all to be the best they can be. The game can be frustrating, but in the end there’s nothing like raising two healthy Digimon. The old mechanics of the Digimon World franchise prove to stand the test of time and can now be experienced by a new generation of gamers to discover and immerse themselves for hours in the digital world.

Worms Rumble comes just in time to celebrate the franchise's 25th anniversary with a fun and chaotic albeit very bare-bones entry.

Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed is a really good game that doesn’t take itself seriously. In some ways, it’s a relic from another era, a reminder of how simple and fun games used to be; a time before the endless grind. Heck, there’s even couch multiplayer, once a standard feature in games that has slowly faded out over the years. Despite its heritage, Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed feels and plays modern enough with refined controls, decent visuals, and enough over-the-top fun to easily overlook the few shortcomings.

More importantly, each character has left a lasting impression on me and the growth that they experienced during the story makes the game feel even closer to the timeless stories of early RPGs. Legrand Legacy: Tale of the Fatebounds expertly brings the PlayStation era RPGs to 2018 with an attention to detail that brings the genre to modern consoles and satisfies that nostalgic itch.

Super Bomberman R is living among a wave of re-imagines of classic titles and often feels too traditional for its own good.

Crystar is a competent Action RPG with a compelling narrative but suffers due to mostly everything else it has to offer.

Formula Legends is simply fun. The racing is exciting, the attention to detail and depth is a welcome surprise, the love for F1 is charming and hilarious, and I just can't stop playing it. Still, it's probably not as feature-rich as some might desire. It desperately needs multiplayer functionality, the modes are fairly sparse, and there are some visual hiccups. Regardless, at the end of the day, I'm having an absolute blast with this game. This is an arcade racer I plan on working into my regular rotation of long-term gaming titles.

Disjunction has so much potential — it has a great soundtrack, interesting ideas for combat, and a serviceable story. These are all bogged down by frustrating and imbalanced combat mechanics, unimaginative stealth, and plain visuals. Disjunction impressed me when I originally played it some time ago, but it may have benefitted from being bite-size. Taking in the entire game, I couldn’t help but want the experience to be over and done with.

It improves on the game’s core gameplay, graphics, and creation tools giving wrestling fans a fun experience they will enjoy. However, like previous iterations, the game poses a ton of excellent ideas that fall flat. MyCareer, Road to Glory, and Universe Mode are all fantastic features on paper, but lacks the depth players would want. This is a game built for the WWE Universe; it is for fans of all generations. However, if you play WWE 2K18 without an appreciation for the sport, it would be hard to convince you that it is entertaining.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a great horror game in a vacuum, but it is held back by trying to double as a quasi-adaptation. The brilliant mechanics and environment can distract you from its shortcomings most of the time, but it periodically reminds you that this could have been so much more. The foundations are well laid out though, and if Stormind can improve the storytelling and optimization, any sequel to this would earn an easy 9/10 rating.

The Town of Light is an experience with the power to enlighten many to the anguish of those few still lost in the dark.

While Gravel looks good and plays well, it suffers from never deciding whether it wants to be a simulation game or and off-road arcadey racer.

White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is a great game for fans of the survival horror genre, you will feel right at home throughout the entire game.

I’d be lying if I said it didn’t keep my thumbs busy for a few days and a smile across my face. Filled with light-hearted comedy, the game is a breath of fresh air for those looking for lighter fare in their Fall lineup. And while the game certainly feels limited due to it being so tied to the underlying movie it is based on and technical issues, the game is a solid purchase for both children and children at heart.

While I enjoyed my time with the single-player campaign in Marvel’s Avengers–which surprised me with its warmth, fun, and energy–its multiplayer components haven’t quite come together just yet. As a game that revolves around assembling its team of iconic heroes, Marvel’s Avengers at this time still feels a bit at odds with itself. Granted, Crystal Dynamics clearly is planning to make this experience evolve over time with the introduction of new heroes and storylines into its online modes, so the Marvel’s Avengers a year from now may look very different than today. For now, we’ll have to see if these heroes can find a way to regroup to face the challenges ahead.

The Longest Five Minutes is almost the standard definition of an RPG, brought to life with one of the most interesting storytelling techniques for any Switch game.

There are tons of minor issues with almost every part of the game that combine to make Shiness a more frustrating experience than it should be.

Guns of Icarus Alliance works as a competitive multiplayer game still. It offers a unique steampunk setting with ship battles that are highly intensive and a lot of fun when you get a good lobby of people together. But with an annual player count of 80 to 200 players, newcomers should be prepared to prep themselves with tutorials and PVE content.

Hive Jump is certainly not the next best roguelike on the market. Many of the levels blend together too much and makes everything feel way too familiar.

I enjoyed my time with Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star as it satisfied my craving for a game in the Fate universe. The fighting controls are tight and responsive, and the action is intense. The lack of enemy variation was disappointing, but it didn’t take away from the frenetic fun of pulling off well animated combos against thousands of aggressors.

Exit the Gungeon is an extremely simple and repetitive rogue-like that doesn't feel worthwhile as a PC or console experience.

Shenmue 3 is filled with antiquated design choices, a whole lot of charm, and is ultimately a promise fulfilled. Fans got a legitimate Shenmue title in every way possible, warts and all. Nobody else is making 2019 games in the (hilariously named) “full reactive eyes entertainment” genre, but Yu Suzuki is. That’s a beautiful testament to the stubbornness that made this unlikely revival possible.