I think some of the intricacies of Ghost of Tsushima’s presentation will be written off as novelties, but I really do think it boasts some of the smartest design I have seen in a video game.

A mediocre JRPG, Fairy Tail does only the bare minimum with what it offers. It's a game for dedicated fans, but fans deserve a better game.

To see a small studio like Easy Day Studios create something that is not only reminiscent of the games that clearly influenced them, but overall improves on what its predecessors did, is heartening. Sure, it has its fair share of flaws, but none of them take away from how much fun I’ve had. Skater XL has successfully brought back the skateboarding genre, and I am eager to see how Easy Day Studios supports the game moving forward.

The presentation and atmosphere on offer are fantastic, but Othercide's gameplay sadly cannot match. So much potential that's regrettably not well utilised.

Destroy All Humans is an endlessly entertaining alien-superpower playground, but tends to crush under the weight of its own structure.

As a longtime fan of the series, Paper Mario: The Origami King has its trademark humor and charm, but misses its appealing RPG gameplay.

Carrion is a bloody, intricate experience with a consistency problem that breaks the momentum that's central to a game like Carrion.

Though it has technical issues and an unoriginal story, Iron Man VR is a great game that could have delivered more from its iconic hero.

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

Radical Fish Games has raised the bar for retro-inspired indie games. You owe it to yourself to uncover the secrets Shadoon and CrossWorlds with Lea and friends in CrossCode.

Robot Entertainment's return with Orcs Must Die! 3 is good, but doesn't feel like a step forward from OMD2, and is hurt by playing on Stadia.

Trackmania features deep mechanics that put accessibility first in addition to a nice variety of online and solo modes that compliment the title to better enhance both the gameplay and community. There’s plenty of free content that will entertain casual fans for months and paid options tailored to the more devoted veterans. All in all, for being part of such a niche franchise, this is a great entry that has a lot to offer.

This is the definitive version of Death Stranding. If you were interested in Death Stranding when it released on PS4 and have been waiting to see how the PC version turns out, then go ahead and pull the trigger. However, Death Stranding isn’t for everyone. If you’ve seen nothing of the game before, make sure you check out some gameplay before purchasing it; I’ve had a blast experiencing the story and struggling through tense moments, but I know some of my friends would absolutely hate it. The new Half-Life and Portal content is great, but I wouldn’t say it warrants a replay. Death Stranding is so large that I doubt many PS4 players will be looking to replay it on PC, but for those who are, you’ll be happy to hear that the new content unlocks very early in the game.

Regardless of which difficulty you play on, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 serves as one of the best entry points into classic Castlevania. Its gameplay, while not as challenging as the classics, introduces interesting mechanics that build not only on the original Castlevania games but the first Curse of the Moon as well. It certainly falls short in a few of the places it tries to innovate, but despite its flaws, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 offers a strong dose of nostalgia with a few modern twists and a fantastic presentation that makes it more accessible and sometimes even a bit more enjoyable.

It’s a game that will have you striving to get through the levels to unlock more hacks and cores, but the endless mode is where it really lets you go to town on everything you’ve unlocked. If you were a fan of the original, you’ll be right at home in Superhot: Mind Control Delete.

Deadly Premonition 2 just wants to tell its story, tell it well, and be its own weird, little self. Your ability to either live with that or not will determine how deeply you fall in love with the citizens of Le Carre.

Superliminal is the first puzzle game that I’ve played in a long time and I came away from it genuinely wanting more. Everything about it, from its innovative puzzles to its surrealist art style, and even its unusual soundtrack, is exciting. Even when the game floundered, when puzzles weren’t clearly laid out or the game’s physics engine had a conniption, my annoyance was often quickly replaced with another more positive emotion. I can’t stress this enough, as a puzzle game fan or not, Superliminal is more than worth your time.

F1 2020 is one of the best racing games of the generation.

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

With Part II, Naughty Dog has outdone itself with some of the most meticulously crafted levels and environments that I have seen in a game.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is a nostalgia-filled time machine that brings back the golden age of the license while adding a fresh coat of paint.

Ys: Memories of Celceta features fun and challenging gameplay complemented by deeply satisfying exploration that keeps your interest.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is a beautiful example of what the RPG genre is capable of, and it is easy to recommend checking out or revisiting.

Ultimately, Dungeon Defenders: Awakened is a very unique experience that will only improve with time if Chromatic listens to their players and updates regularly. The early game can be boring, especially when played alone. However, co-op is exciting at any time, and the late game is an absolute blast. In nightmare mode, stages begin to reach the perfect level of balance between challenge and fun. It isn’t for everyone, but if you’ve been craving some tower-defense, or loved previous Dungeon Defenders games, you’re sure to enjoy Awakened.

Quotation forthcoming.

Persona 4 Golden, by all accounts, is still one of the best JRPGs that you can play right now, which speaks volumes given that the original game is over 10 years old. Whether you’re a longtime fan looking for a reason to return to Inaba or you’re someone who has had an eye on P4G for years but just never had the means to play it, this new PC version of the game is definitely worth snagging. Hopefully, Persona 4 Golden will be the first in a long string of new ports from Atlus, and in time, we can start to see the full series become more accessible on modern platforms.

Everything it does, it does incredibly well. Whether you’re looking to hop into stealth tactics for the first time or you’re an old pro, I would wholeheartedly recommend you check out Desperados 3. It is, without question, one of the best games I’ve played all year.

Disintegration falls short due to a generic campaign despite having some of my favorite multiplayer gameplay in recent memory.

Command and Conquer Remastered raises the bar for remasters. This is the definitive way to play these RTS classics, and they still hold up decades later.

Overall, Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a fun and graphically stunning game.

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath is a really great expansion to an already amazing fighting game.

Its low skill barrier should not be confused with a lack of quality. Minecraft Dungeons does a tremendous job translating the world of Minecraft into a dungeon crawler.

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.

Running around Steelport with my Homies again has me more than excited for whatever Saints Row 5 ends up being.

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

If Found… features some of the most realistic, human characters, that I’ve experienced in recent memory.

The Wonderful 101 is not for everybody, and while the Wii U didn’t really do it any favors, I think it’s initial reception was proof of that. But time has passed, tastes change, word of mouth spreads, and appreciation grows. So maybe, with The Wonderful 101: Remastered, “not for everybody” includes at least a few more people this time.

Super Mega Baseball 3 is not a total home run, but the franchise and its brand of wacky baseball continue to trend in the right direction.

Road to Boruto goes above and beyond what I expect from an anime-inspired game. Not a single facet of this game is done lazily and everything has the same effort and care put into it. Barring some minuscule graphical issues and somewhat shoddy plot points, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road to Boruto is this generation’s Dragon Ball Z: Budokai. It’s the eponymous anime fighting game and is one that will not only be remembered fondly but will also be revisited to see what a great anime fighter looks like.

Fort Triumph is a perfectly serviceable game built on an interesting blend of concepts.

While it has been a long wait, Sakura Wars is a satisfying blend of everything that the franchise has done well for a new generation on PS4.

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

Despite playing in a completely different style compared to the core Gears games, Gears Tactics still feels remarkably in line with the rest of the series and is a thrilling, worthwhile experience that Gears fans and strategy game veterans will enjoy, while being completely accessible to newcomers.

Neither a full-fledged sequel nor a cheap cash grab, XCOM: Chimera Squad is a solid spin-off with a smaller scale approach to the XCOM formula.

With a fun and strategic battle system, ample character class customization, impressive visuals, a fantastic soundtrack, and a post-game story episode with new classes for each playable character, Trials of Mana is an easy recommendation to both fans of the franchise as well as newcomers looking for an entry point into the series.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered is probably the most divided I’ve felt about a game in a long time.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is arguably the best non-MMO Final Fantasy game released in a very long time. Despite my qualms, it’s been a welcome Reunion.

“New Horizons makes it easy, appealing, and effortless to hop back in each day and find something new to do and to expand your island even more.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is what I look for in a game based on an anime or manga.

It’s clear that Remedy has had a clear vision for Control for a very long time.

I would absolutely recommend Resident Evil 3 and would not be surprised if a sizable portion of the fandom ends up preferring this remake.

Bleeding Edge puts quality over quantity. The people at Ninja Theory have brought their expertise in the hack and slash genre and have translated it into a competitive experience that is both satisfying and distinct. But the lack of content and the boring ranged characters hinders it from really standing out amongst the overcrowded genre. Maybe in a few months, it will feel feature complete. But for now, Bleeding Edge will only have you strapped to your couch for a few hours before you decide to try something else out.

Freedom Finger is fast-paced, over the top, side-scrolling shooter set to an eclectic soundtrack that makes the game feel like an interactive music video.

Call of Duty: Warzone turned out to be one of my favorite battle royale games thanks to its smooth gameplay and new gulag feature.

As an experience built from the ground up for immersion and creating a fully-realized world, Half-Life: Alyx is truly a game-changer for VR.

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.

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.

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.

DOOM Eternal proves now more than ever that the grandaddy of the first-person shooter genre is once again the king of them all -- and it doesn't look to be ceding the throne any time soon.

If you never got around to playing vanilla Persona 5, then Persona 5 Royal is now the perfect starting point. Filled with a plethora of new story and gameplay content to go along with all of the DLC from the original, this is without a doubt the definitive edition.

Sadly, One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows lands a glancing smack instead of a one-hit knockout.

This new Langrisser I & II remake is definitely the kind of spur the series needed, and it seems that both this remake and the previously released mobile game are setting up the foundation for a full revival.

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

Fans of the series and setting will probably find validation and likable aspects here, but I wouldn’t suggest jumping in here if you’re unfamiliar. There are better strategy games out there for cheaper with more depth, options, and personality than this one. By the end, I preferred the idea of just playing Civilization VI as China — that’d probably be a more fun evening of strategy for me.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an exceptional adventure that every Xbox One owner should play.

Harrowstorm is a forgettable side quest in an ocean already swarming with far better content.

To put it simply, Gran and his skyfaring crew are tasked to save the world from an evil long-haired man named Beezelbub who plans on restarting the entire universe. I put it simply because it’s entirely forgettable.

Bloodroots is a very simple, straightforward game at face value, but it’s also one that offers tons of replayability and features a high skill ceiling. If you’re a fan of games that are all about mastering gameplay mechanics in pursuit of that one, perfect run, you really can’t do better so far in 2020 than Bloodroots. It’s a game that I’m very much looking forward to returning to time and time again over the coming months.

For players who don’t have a lot of time to invest in a long game and who also enjoy experiencing the journey of a tormented mind, The Last Sky has much to offer. The fact that it wasn’t as thorough as I would have liked minimizes its true potential. Since this title is currently in early access on Steam, my hope is that the developers will include more branching story paths that become more personal; not only to Jake but to the player’s experience as a whole. With further work, it could also provide a deeper and boarder understanding of the complex mental health condition of PTSD. [Early Access Score = 70]

While no individual aspect is the best of its kind, the overall package exudes charm and entertainment that is hard to match.

What I appreciate about Z Chaser is that while it isn’t as much of a novelty as the X Challenge run was, it incentivizes focusing on improving your skill of the games.

Like many modern fighting games, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] is so unique. While it has a really steep learning curve that may turn casual fighting game players off, it is incredibly satisfying if you put the time in. If you love fighting games and want a challenge, then look no further.

Regardless of if you’ve played every Darksiders game or this is your first one, Darksiders Genesis is worth playing. The characters and combat remain fun and exciting to play even after the credits roll. While some enemies can be annoying, combat never gets dull and new items you earn along the way always make encounters fresh. Amongst the other big titles launching this spring, Darksiders Genesis is one that shouldn’t be missed.

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.

Coffee Talk is an absolute joy to play.

Even with its faults, Kentucky Route Zero is well-written and contains wonderful art and sound design.

This wet fart of a release that Activision-Blizzard gave us feels like they’re stepping on my childhood and then spitting in its eye even as the teacher is pulling it off me.

Unlike the direction the Zombies mode from Call of Duty has taken in the past few iterations, Zombie Army 4 offers a cohesive and fun experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s engaging from start to finish and with its weekly challenges, the arcade-like setup of the chapters and leaderboards, and with Horde Mode, there’s a bunch of replay value here. Zombie Army 4: Dead War has finally broken free of its Sniper Elite shackles and will hopefully give rise to a lasting franchise of smiting out Nazi zombies.

The Turing Test is a well-made puzzle game that translates well onto the Nintendo Switch. Although its mechanics could be better utilized to create slightly more challenging puzzles in the first few chapters, Bulkhead Interactive started to perfect the formula by the game’s conclusion. Meanwhile, the narrative features solid voice acting performances and motivates you to keep playing through the game’s slow sections which are few and far between. Bulkhead Interactive did a lot right, and if they take another shot learning from the few mistakes they made, they could have a puzzle masterpiece on their hands. Regardless, The Turing Test is a very good, well-priced puzzler that is well ported and certainly worth trying on Nintendo Switch.

If you are someone who lives and breathes the Kingdom Hearts series, Kingdom Hearts 3: ReMIND will be the perfect package for you — giving you an annual injection of the heart and spirit we love from the series. But for everyone else, I’m not sure that the confusing offerings will be worth the $30 entry fee.

For as much I may enjoy the gameplay and story, I can’t deny that all the issues I encountered really marred my experience with Deadfire.

There’s a lot to love about Journey to the Savage Planet but most importantly, it reminded me why I started playing games in the first place: for fun. Journey to the Savage Planet offers a ton of enjoyment in both its gameplay and storytelling. Bravo to Typhoon Studios for kicking off 2020 with what might just be the sleeper hit of the year and mic dropping a brand new IP that shouldn’t be missed.

While it may remind you of your fond memories of the anime, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a drag that fails to entertain for its duration. Its repetitious gameplay, odd systems, and abridged storytelling lack the heart the anime had. If you’re a big fan of Dragon Ball Z, you might have some fun with Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. But if you’ve never experienced the Z Fighters’ epic adventures, there are better action RPGs out there to play.

Despite being a game that’s now 15 years old, [Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD] has been adapted to the Switch fantastically.

“Dense and tense” is how I would characterize this game. Not dense because of the amount of content in the game (there really isn’t too much), but by how much is happening on screen for the player to keep track of. It is tense not in story stakes or in-game punishment, but because of that internal desire to plan around these chaotic situations to avoid getting hit even just once. It is a smooth experience overall, with some nuanced gameplay wrinkles that resulted in some exasperation.

To the Moon has its quirks, but is still remembered fondly as one of the standout indie titles from the early 2010s. The core experience still holds up and has visually been recreated well by X.D. Network, and I hope they end up giving other RPG Maker classics like Yume Nikki a similar treatment. The jump to Unity did cause some unfortunate niggles, like the more noticeable loading times and control issues, and some of the slight visual alterations made me uneasy at first, but I still enjoyed playing To the Moon on Nintendo Switch almost as much as I did on PC 8 years ago. If you’re a fan of narrative-focused games, walking simulators, or whatever you want to call them and still haven’t played To the Moon, it’s definitely worth checking out.

The aesthetic, charm and gameplay Tokyo Mirage Sessions brings make it worthy to stand on its own and I hope that those who end up playing the game see it this way as well. Nintendo seemed to think that Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE was worthy of an encore here on Switch, and I find it to be a worthy encore, indeed.

Life is Strange 2 found not only a unique voice with the debut of Sean and Daniel, but an important one.

Showdown is a great first effort into multiplayer madness beyond co-op for Yacht Club Games that I am sure will carry lessons into their next project. Showdown is a compliment to the entire Treasure Trove package that does not encroach on the core experience. Some people will love Showdown’s addition and others will brush it off to the side. It’s like a cherry on top of an ice cream sundae; a sweet inclusion, but not essential to the overall enjoyment of the package.

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.

Yacht Club Games proves that their final Shovel Knight expansion, King of Cards, is no fool’s gold by making their best game to date.

Wattam is not a great video game by any definition. However, it is a great, zero-stress experience that wants to show how great friendship can be. If you’re looking for a game to test your skills or provide you with a mature narrative that makes you think, Wattam ain’t it. However, if you’re having a bad day and just want to unwind by kabooming golden poops all over your screen, Wattam is more than happy to take you under its bowler.

This is the beauty of Mosaic; it’s not just another tale made up for storytelling impact. These are feelings and situations I felt empathy with and that are a current problem within our world today. It’s great to see more developers wanting to go down this route when creating games and wanting to make a difference. I’d be surprised that when the end credits roll on Mosaic, you wouldn’t want to change even the smallest details of your own life for the better.

Disney Tsum Tsum Festival is a complete and utter failure of a party game, with only a match-three puzzle mini-game providing even a small amount of fun.

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.

Star Ocean First Departure R is an underwhelming port of an excellent but often forgotten Square Enix JRPG.

Arise: A Simple Story mixes its narrative-driven adventure with puzzle-platforming in some ways that can be deemed successful. The time-altering mechanic gives the game some variety throughout its four to six-hour runtime, never overstaying its welcome. Paired with its beautiful art direction and well-told story, there is definitely a reason to pick up Piccolo Studio’s new game. However, there isn’t any facet of Arise: A Simple Story that strikes deeper emotional chords; it just lacks any personality. In turn, it does make it very approachable with themes that are easy to understand. You may not need any tissues as you endure the old man’s tale, but if you’re into narrative-driven adventures, Arise: A Simple Story might be for you.

Some aspects of Pokemon Sword do stand out as only being possible on a home console, but the general look and feel still seems stuck in the 3DS era of the series.