Like its predecessor, I’m unlikely ever to forget Emily is Away Too. What developer Kyle Seeley has created is a great reminder that excellent immersive storytelling is reliant on only two things: an unique idea, and the vision and passion to see that idea materialize.

Chroma Squad is a nostalgic step in the right direction but it might take some time before we take bigger strides in giant mech feet.

A great addition to the Switch’s library. But at $40 it won’t be for everybody on day one. I think hardcore Street Fighter fans will find the content included pretty enjoyable, and young kids who may not have had the opportunity to experience those games will find it a lot of fun too.

Tekken 7 may not be the perfect entry point for newcomers into the long and twisted narrative that follows the Mishima Zaibatsu, but they will unmistakably have fun with the rock solid gameplay and mechanics. With the addictive Treasure Battle mode, deep character customization, and strong character options, Tekken 7 is one of the best titles in the 23 year-old series.

Cladun Returns: This is Sengoku! is for gamers who want a quick and satisfying dungeon-crawling experience. The game is fast enough to pick up for ten minutes and complete a few missions, but also has some deep systems that can take hours of your time and push the game to its highest potential. While the repetitive dungeons might be a problem for some, I felt that the range of different activities that the game offers completely makes up for the redundant trips to the story dungeons. In addition, fans returning to the series will find enough updates and new systems here to warrant jumping back into the game and rediscover what they enjoyed most about the previous entries.

The art and character design is some of the best I’ve seen from a lighthearted visual novel.

The game handles the large cast of characters wonderfully and allows the story of the Shinsengumi to shine through. For new visual novel fans this is the definitive way to start the Hakuoki series and date the guys that older fans had to wait years for.

In a year that has been filled with some of best games this generation, RiME finds a way to stand out thanks to its unique world and impactful story. While it might not contain the most original gameplay of all time, its beautiful vistas and fantastic soundtrack will keep you coming back for more just to see if there’s a corner of the island that you haven’t discovered yet.

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.

Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada… shouldn’t be seen as anything less than the best companion to Samurai Warriors 4.

If you are a regular Fire Emblem fan and have previously experienced the other Nitnendo 3DS adventures, you are going to have an absolute blast with Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. However, without the high bar of quality we’ve seen in the previous two games, Echoes may not hook newcomers the same way.

Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition is arguably one of the, if not the best way to enjoy the game. The only thing missing is some online features that would make the game all the better with some friends online.

Despite some of the unevenness with its attention to some of the series’ stronger characters (and effectively developing its weaker ones), Episode 4 of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier makes up for a languid pace in its first two thirds by setting up an explosive final act.

NeatherRealm has proven once more that they are the best at crafting stories for fighting games, and may have made one of their best in Injustice 2.

Disgaea 5 Complete is an awesome addition to the Nintendo Switch line-up of games. Taking this time-intensive tactical RPG on the go with me was an enjoyably experience; I am not always at home and willing to spend 80 hours on my couch playing a game. The game’s premise feels like a soap opera at times, but it adds to the enjoyment when acted out by these silly characters. My only word of advice is to bring your Switch charger with you, because you’re going to need it.

Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop is by no means a broken game. It just wholly lacks any soul or incentive to be better than any previous game in the series. With shoddy systems, repetitive gameplay, annoying sound design and better iterations of the game elsewhere, dessert diversity wasn’t enough to keep me interested.

While it might be true that Akiba’s Beat presents an interesting premise with clever writing and a fun cast of characters, the game ends up failing at everything fans may want out of an action RPG.

The limb targeting mechanic offers up some true innovation to the combat formula established in Demon Souls. This makes The Surge the one of the first real competitors to the Souls series, as The Surge offers up its own unique gameplay style that keeps each encounter fresh in a very unique setting. Fighting multiple enemies at the same time can be a pain, and the game does suffer a bit in the narrative department, even with its interesting world, but overall I found The Surge to be a well built Souls-like.

NBA Playgrounds does not stand out more than any other basketball game before it, and I think it’ll be remembered as such.

GNOG serves as a great way to spend an afternoon and one of those rare occurrences where you’ll want that earworm (albeit a relaxed, whimsical one) floating around in your brain.

Making my way through the same area multiple times to get each character to the same totem quickly became boring and started to feel like padding.

Grisaia: Phantom Trigger Vol. 1’s premise fits in perfectly with the rest of the Grisaia titles, that includes the beautiful character designs that the series is known for. However, the introductory chapter felt rushed, which ended up hurting any chance for proper character development. As such, the climax of the story feels out of place. Phantom Trigger Vol 1. begs to be longer in order to allow the reader to care enough to want to move on to the later volumes in the series. Hopefully, now that the introductions are out of the way, the real story can start.

Prey often feels like mash-up of some of the best sci-fi survival horror games of yesteryear and Arkane’s previous work. And it is. But it also a title with some wildly unique ideas, an incredibly thick and unnerving atmosphere, and an exemplary soundtrack.

I would have enjoyed more interaction between me and my organisms, but the game draws the line of interaction with the world to merely altering the land. With that said, the systems introduced in the game work well for a game that is supposed to the “beginning” of a much larger idea.

Something I would recommend to those who either grew up with these games or just enjoys them in general. Since they are straight ports, if you didn’t like them before, nothing in this collection is going to change your mind. I wish I could give it a higher score because of my love for Disney, and I probably would have if these games were fully remastered, but the fact of the matter is you are more than likely only going to be playing DuckTales and DuckTales 2.

Trails in the Sky the 3rd brings the ultimate closure to the trilogy as it wraps up any important plot points that might have been missed in FC and SC.

The Caligula Effect has some of the coolest systems ever found on the Vita. The game seems to push what the system is capable of and perhaps that was asking too much. With some frame rate drops during battles and unnecessarily confusing dungeons, the game might get passed up by the more casual RPG players. However in the end, the side stories, characters, and awesome soundtrack saved the game and made me want to see it through to till the end.

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.

Cosmic Star Heroine is the perfect example of a crowdfunded indie game that might have been held back by budget and time. I enjoyed everything the game had to offer, but I was was left wanting more than a short RPG experience with an overused premise.

What Remains of Edith Finch may only provide a brief glimpse into the lives of its characters like a family photo albums filled with moments that have long since passed, but it’s sure to leave a lasting impression.

Persona 5 is certainly one of the sleekest and most polished JRPGs I’ve played in years, crowned by intriguing themes, enjoyable plot twists and uplifting moments that will make you smile. While the formula did not change that much since Persona 4: Golden, this is an instant classic that I’ll remember for a long, long time...Persona 5 made me fume, cry, smile and laugh all the way through the 166 hours I played it, and that is doubtlessly a testament to the exceptional experience this ultimate Japanese high schooler simulator provides.

In the end, Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 feels like an amalgamation of gameplay elements that were thrown together simply to check some boxes.

I enjoyed my time with Expeditions: Viking, even though noticeable technical problems can hold it back. Its engaging story kept me constantly intrigued, and made me want to survive for the sake of my village. Long load times and a few glitched out quests really held back the experience from ascending the level to other great strategy titles, but I would definitely recommend to strategy fans because of its deep and engaging gameplay.

Some of the most tense-filled experiences I’ve endured in quite some time.

Everything feels brand new, well balanced, and novel when packaged together so cohesively.

Outlast II uses its farmland setting to an incredibly effective degree, and it’s sure to keep you on edge throughout its roughly 8-10 hour run.

Dragon Quest Heroes II fits in perfectly with the other entries in the Dragon Quest series, only with a splash of that musou battle system. Being a huge fan of the Dragon Quest mainline series, I was blown away with how well this collaboration was executed and could easily call this one of my favorite games of 2017.

By keeping both game’s styles separate, but still requiring you to use both in order to be successful, the developers crafted one of the most fun puzzle game modes in recent memory.

I must say that for the $9.99 Steam price, there is a good four to six hour story here that won’t let fans of adorable cat-girl illustrations down. I only wish that the first half of the story was as good as the conclusion, but as whole this a decent visual novel.

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.

At the end of the day, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a Mario Kart game and (predictably) fantastic. With a fully upgraded Battle Mode and all the portability that comes with Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is undoubtedly the definitive version of the game -- maybe even the series. However, with limited offerings for Mario Kart veterans who shelled out nearly $100 on the last experience, the title will be significantly less rewarding.

Sets a new standard for what remakes should include, and I hope future ones can follow in these footsteps with projects that are just as passionate. While it can’t escape a few of the original title’s annoyances, it is still an engaging and enjoyable experience for 2D-platformer and series fans, and will most likely garner the franchise some new fans, who will come into contact with the series for the first time with this game like I did.

Blackwood Crossing is sure to tug at your heartstrings at some point throughout its 2-3 hours, but in a way that feels genuine and thought-provoking, rather than manipulative or forced.

Doesn’t quite capture the crackling energy that we’ve seen of the Guardians on-screen, with comic delivery that often falls flat and lacks what makes each of the Guardians characters so distinct and full of personality.

The Sexy Brutale is a refreshing new take on the classic murder mystery genre. Throughout my journey of the mansion I went through many different emotions as I raced against the clock to save the guests from their unfortunate demise. The rather short campaign should not outweigh the brilliant music, gorgeous graphical style and unique game mechanics that make up The Sexy Brutale as a whole.

The Silver Case HD Remaster might seem visually dated and it has that unapologetic approach to puzzle solving that only retro games can provide, but the characters and story connecting them truly stands the test of time. I was completely drawn into the mystery and world of the game that it became difficult to take breaks or attend to daily activities.

Even if its story falls into many amnesia tropes and the graphics are a bit dated, the innovative and enthralling gameplay coupled with its over-the-top-nature make Bayonetta a wild ride that you won't ever want to get off. Sega has mentioned that they want to do more PC ports in the future and, if they are done as well as Bayonetta, I can't wait to see what they bring over next.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is a blast from the past in some amazing and awful ways. Despite a horrific ending sequence, the gunplay, graphics and frame rates are enthralling even compared to current FPS games -- an easy recommendation for those who missed out the first time. You will just find yourself wishing People Can Fly polished up some more archaic points of the game that drag down the experience.

Kero Blaster does feel much smaller and less monumental than Daisuke’s previous game Cave Story, but is a well crafted title nonetheless. While there sometimes are a few control problems with the DualShock 4, and the game is too short, the nuance in the level design, story, and soundtrack make Kero Blaster worth playing for 2D platfomer and Pixel fans. Cave Story this is not, but Kero Blaster is crafted just as well, and proves how talented of a developer Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya is.

David Jaffe and co. have created something wildly novel, moderately fun, and slightly frustrating with Drawn to Death. In the finished product lies a blueprint for a great game, but mediocre shooting mechanics and a slightly shallow level of content holds back Drawn to Death in the end.

A Rose in the Twilight’s story and style earn it much more praise. Rose’s past drives a tale of imprisonment that is as dark as what she must do to escape. Every memory she relives becomes a ghost that haunts her and the player alike -- ultimately a much deeper, cerebral experience than other PlayStation Vita titles.

Yooka-Laylee is a fun, familiar, and nostalgic trip to a genre from the past that still holds up incredibly well in the present. It certainly proves that there is a place in the current landscape for games of this genre. If you miss the mascot platformer of yesteryear, then Yooka-Laylee will almost certainly give you your fill and make you feel warm inside.

Given that we’re now officially halfway through the season, Episode 3 of A New Frontier feels more like it is just getting started rather than reaching a big revelation or story point that feels like it will guide the remainder of the season.

Fast RMX isn’t the best looking arcade racer on the market, and it lacks the polish that other games bring to the equation. However its tight gameplay and impressive tech (for Nintendo Switch) elevates Fast RMX to something better than its individual parts. For those searching for recommendations, Fast RMX easily offers $20 worth of racing entertainment as you wait for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and is an easy buy to any fan of the genre.

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.

Thimbleweed Park shows that adventure games very much have a place in 2017 as they did in the ’80s and ’90s thanks to its loving callbacks to the genre, but also its willingness to improve upon them in many ways. As the game’s trailers have used the slogan that “a dead body is the least of your problems” in the game’s dilapidated town, Thimbleweed Park hides many more secrets and ways of enjoying it beyond its murder-mystery plot, for those willing to look just a little bit deeper.

A terrific bundle, and without a doubt the best way to experience the decade-old series. Offering not only convenience but a hearty technical upgrade, anyone looking to catch up before Kingdom Hearts III couldn’t do any better than picking up this rather affordable bundle. That said, gamers and Kingdom Hearts fanatics who have already grabbed this game on PlayStation 3 should consider their purchase a little more rigorously — without new bells or whistles, you might feel the tiniest bit swindled for buying the same remakes twice.

Old Time Hockey by and large was a disappointing experience. On paper, it had potential to be a good game. But as a finished product it is disappointingly held back by wads of jank and unpolish, and a few too many half-baked features.

To a very limited extent Bridge Constructor reveals the reality of building and maintaining bridges in today’s world. Sometimes, to some people, creating something with fewer resources is considered more valuable than something that’s safe. And in this game, that can be a fun, devious, and humbling experience. Headup Games gets that right. However, little can save the game from simply underperforming in every other regard. Frequent crashes, game-altering performance slowdown, and tutorials that leave only the most resolved standing truly hurts the final product.

Toukiden 2 shows that an already impressive series can be made even better by taking chances on new systems. The story stays in scope of the premise throughout the game even after accepting multiple side-quests, theres always clear knowledge of what to do next. Although the open world map by intimidating to some, the game offers easy quick traveling options to seamlessly get players from one place to another. After playing the game for well over 30 hours, I feel like I can continue playing for another 100 and with that I happily say, “Bring it on!”

It isn’t without its problems; the lack of almost any UI or detail on the map can be annoying, and the gameplay can be stiff and frustrating at times. Fortunately, the other parts of the game create such a undeniably enjoyable atmosphere that I even found myself relaxed and smiling in some of the more frustrating parts of the game as I made my way through this foreign world that I can’t wait to hop back into and explore again.

Despite the flaws, I really enjoyed Mass Effect Andromeda, its lovable alien buddies, its beautiful exotic planets, its story full of mysteries and surprises to uncover. The tight combat gameplay definitely adds to the package, making this a game worth playing...Perhaps Mass Effect Andromeda will serve as a wake-up call for BioWare, letting them realize that it’s time to evolve beyond the change of setting and cast. In the meanwhile, we’re still given a game that might not be the monumental fresh start that the masses expected, but is still a quite solid experience than many will enjoy.

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games is a perfect addition to any visual novel fan’s collection. Both games are truly a work of art that combine mystery and horror to tell a story that is so gripping that it’s almost impossible to put down. The only thing missing is the inclusion of the third entry of the series, Zero Time Dilemma.

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.

Blaster Master Zero does everything right in terms of rebooting an old franchise. The game retains all the quirks and cues fans of the series adore and presents them in a way that a new generation of gamers can enjoy. The pacing and difficulty is set just right to keep gamers entertained for hours. In short, this is now the definitive way to play a game from my childhood that I’ve held so close to heart.

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.

I admire Gust for delivering a product outside of their comfort zone. However, even though the open world is the most exciting new addition, it also tends to bring the most problems with it. Atelier Firis will surly impress fans of the franchise, but could feel dated to modern RPG fans.

While the game’s fairly high skill ceiling and emphasis on micro-transactions might be off-putting to some players, For Honor is an experience that’s truly fit for those that are warriors at heart.

How Night in the Woods manages to capture the anxieties of being stuck in the gap between adult and childhood, how it tackles serious topics like depression, and how it brilliantly understands and recreates the hardships of rural America, is worthy of admiration. Put more simply, Night in the Woods is a unique breath of fresh air, and an experience I’m likely to not forget for a long time.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is no mere Zelda game — it is a return to form for the decades-old series, showing that Nintendo still very much understands how to handle their property. Breath of the Wild may not only be the best Zelda game ever produced, but it rivals Super Mario 64 and Halo: Combat Evolved for the best launch game ever shipped with any console. With no exception, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a masterclass in game design and creativity, unprecedented from even Nintendo.

It’s a fantastic and well balanced mix between sleek PlatinumGames action and JRPG gameplay, resulting bigger than the sum of its parts. It brings forth an absolutely fascinating setting, and charming, likable and memorable characters that will both make you smile and tug at your heart strings.

The game removes the stress of time limits and boss battles and instead presents itself as an easy going simulator that can be played at the pace of the player. I am happy to say that Trio of Towns is a game that I plan to continue to return to over time and become the best farmer I can be.

An absolutely fantastic game. It’s very polished, and comes with a compelling story, relatable characters, an absolutely fascinating setting, and top-notch gameplay. On top of that, its visuals will make you wonder if Santa secretly sneaked into your room to replace your PS4 with a gaming PC while you were asleep. It simply looks that good.

I appreciate what DotEmu has done with the console port of Ys Origin. A story localized this good deserves to be easily accessed by gamers on as many ports as possible.

Berserk and the Band of the Hawk's gameplay would definitely stand toe-to-toe with other licensed musou games like One Piece: Pirate Warriors and Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, but maybe this game could have strayed further away from the typical musou formula like what fans saw with Attack on Titan. Instead, it seems Omega Force played it a little too safe.

Halo Wars 2 is still a highly recommendable title — in fact, likely one of the best RTS games that can be found on the current generation. However, accessibility on consoles came with a price to both controls and gameplay in both campaign and multiplayer modes.

There is a good game buried underneath all the usual tiny developer fodder: unfunny in-jokes, unneeded cameos, the ultra-hard mode(s), the obsession with 80s and 90s gaming and pop culture, the detailed sprites. More energy should’ve been put into making more memorable environments and bosses, a more well thought-out leveling system, and a stronger story that used NPCs more than once, and fleshing out the already engaging ‘gunseed’ mechanic.

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.

In single, isolated moments, Sniper Elite 4 is a great game. However, mediocre AI, a throw away story, and a lack of polish in some key places, prevent it, as an entire package, from being a great game.

The story is gripping from the very beginning and keeps hold throughout the entire game. When it comes to the new battle system, I felt that Tales of Bersaria proved to be easily accessible to newcomers as well as offer extra benefits to those who’d like to master it.

Sadly, I would only recommend Double Dragon IV to you if you are a Double Dragon fanatic or very die hard beat ’em up fan, and if that’s the case, you probably already own it. It is fairly cheap, but even then, I have played much more enjoyable games for the same price.

If you love roguelikes, or have fond memories of the old ASCII games, you will absolutely enjoy Brut@l. Even if it lacks the depth of some of its competitors, it makes it up in spades in old-school retro charm, and will hook you for hours.

Divide has the potential to be a decent game, but it’s over ambitiousness in the face of its low-budget ultimately nets a forgettable, half-baked sci-fi game. If Exploding Tuba Studios dumped the twin stick gameplay, and instead fully-embraced the adventure genre, I would be interested in seeing it take another stab with a new game. But more Divide? No thanks.

The ultimate frustration is that I was left wanting to play more of the game and get wrapped up in the story again, but the choices around skipping text and saving made that an unexciting experience. That coupled with the voice audio issues and narrative still being on a mostly locked path means that I probably will never unlock all the mysteries of Cypress Knee.

Whether you’re a hardcore fan of the show, someone who watched the original series as a kid, or someone who’s excited for the new movie, I’d stay away from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle. The Rangers deserve something that’s more than a cheap cash-in, but I doubt we’ll see anything like that anytime soon.

Ultimately, NiOh is a really fantastic game. It comes with some flaws, and a few elements that are a bit rough around the edges, but it hits almost all the right notes. Team Ninja’s latest labor of love is packed with charm, atmosphere, and one of the best action battle systems that you’ll find across the industry.

Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers is a great attempt by developer Omega Force at merging classic Warriors style gameplay with SRPG mechanics. However, the game might be a bit too easy when compared to more hardcore tactics games like those found in the Fire Emblem series or Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together. Even so, Godseekers provides a great entry point for fans to be introduced to a new genre while keeping that over the top action gameplay.

Steins;Gate 0 will not disappoint those close to the franchise. However, that being said, this will require a certain understanding of the previous game and the various endings that the game had. One would truly be lost jumping into this game without at least watching the anime series.

I couldn’t ask for better virtual friends than Ignis, Gladio and Prompto. I laughed with them, cried with them, and I really love them.

While Redie is really fun, you always feel like you’ve played it before if you’ve ever played Hotline Miami.

But it wasn’t. I thoroughly enjoyed my 15 hours with it, but I’m also well aware of its numerous, easily identifiable, shortcomings. If you’re a dwarf connoisseur, then I can recommend this game. If you enjoy fantasy RPGs, and don’t mind tactical (though it’s hardly that) combat, then I can also recommend this game. But if you don’t particularly love either of these things, then The Dwarves from KING Art Games, may not be the dwarves for you.

The game acts like a quick Super Mario campaign with an accompanying endless collection of levels — and endless Super Mario levels is never a bad thing. Despite a fantastic new delivery system found in Super Mario Challenge, too may of the downgrades strip the components of Super Mario Maker that made it a breakaway success on Wii U.

If The Last Guardian and its charming duo of characters click with you (or more properly, if you click with them), this is an unforgettable experience that you will probably carry in your heart for your whole life, just like many did with Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, and possibly even more.

Aside from those few stumbles, City of Light overall succeeds as an action-packed finale to Batman: The Telltale Series and Telltale’s vision of the Batman universe.

While the physics and collision problems and dying online community can dampen the experience, Drive!Drive!Drive! is like no game I have played before, and probably won’t be like any game I play after. For such a tired genre, it was awesome that developer Different Cloth could breathe new life into it with solid innovation.

If visuals were the only parameter to judge this game, the score at the top of this review would be a ten out of ten.

If you’re looking for a difficult game and nothing else, Hunter’s Legacy delivers in the end. Parts of it are fun, but so much of the game feels like a missed opportunity, especially in terms of its plot, characterization, and world-building. The relentless gameplay near the end does nothing to redeem Hunter’s Legacy from what it’s ultimately missing.

Through intuitive level design and a steady difficulty ramp, Linelight is able to punch far above its weight class.