While it may not stand up to the likes of last year’s Breath of the Wild (or many other Zelda titles for that matter), Hyrule Warriors is still an enjoyable, fast-paced, and frenetic way to play this remixed take on one of Nintendo’s oldest franchises, Musou-style.

No More Heroes 3 rarely feels stale and keeps players coming back for more with the over-the-top story that they have come to expect from the series. Fans were a little worried after the lacklustre spinoff, but No More Heroes 3 brings the series back to form.

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.

It's Marvel meets XCOM meets Fire Emblem, which isn't something I knew I wanted, but now I have it, I want the hell out of it. Firaxis deserve a lot of respect for taking risks and trying something new, especially with such a high-profile property. The dialogue and a few technical hiccups mean Midnight Suns doesn't quite stick the landing, but the rock-solid core gameplay and fun character moments more than makeup for it.

ChromaGun is the absolute standard of a puzzle game done right. While it’s not on the same level as Portal 2 or The Witness, it is an absolutely solid puzzle game.

While the full MSRP for Pikmin 3 Deluxe might be hard to justify, the port is the definitive way to experience the best entry in the series.

Despite being built from previously-used parts, The Jackbox Party Pack 6 is still one of the more solid and consistent collections.

At the end of the day, the traversal alone is enough for me to recommend The Pathless. It’s just fun to get from place to place using your bow; everything else is just a bonus. The overall story is good with performances from Laura Bailey and Troy Baker, the different environments are vast and beautiful, and while the puzzles have a wide range of difficulty, they’re still fun to figure out. It’s just a shame that there’s no synergy between each individual gameplay loop. The Pathless is absolutely worth your time if you’re looking for a game with a sense of adventure and a rich atmosphere.

Quotation forthcoming.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is an adventure to behold, especially for those who are fans of Oblivion and Skyrim. With endless build variety, a beautiful dark fantasy world, an interesting story, and satisfying combat that feels weighty, this game is a great choice for RPG enthusiasts. While the game can feel like it's still in early access in some ways, specifically with its enemy AI, outdated character models, and a world that can feel too empty in parts, none of these issues take away from what makes Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon so special. It's a project where passion is on full display and I can't wait to see what Questline does next.

Sunlight will certainly be beneficial to players who enjoy games like Flower and are looking for a meditation-like place where they can get away from it all for a while. This game would also be a great place for players to return to as a quick-fix to relax. That said, I think to keep Sunlight impactful and interesting over a longer haul, updating the stories would be needed. Overall, Sunlight is worth the short time it takes to complete and makes for the ultimate respite if you need somewhere to restore your thoughts. Even without the visuals, the music and story combined are enough to create a perfect nest that embodies calm, meditation, and awareness of your body. Given the world we live in right now, Sunlight couldn’t have come at a better time.

In its best moments, John Carpenter's Toxic Commando is an unbelievably good time. Even in its worst moments, it's still a pretty solid zombie shooter with some great set pieces. That being said, any problems with the game can and probably will be fixed in time. The janky bots and frustrating solo player experience definitely make things a little rough around the edges, but underneath that is a fantastic game that will absolutely exceed your expectations if you give it a chance.

Black Ops 6 is to Call of Duty what Battlefield 3 was to its series, something new that finally offered an alternative to a repetitive formula. Now, it is up for Activision and Treyarch to build on it. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is not the best Call of Duty release. Depending on who you ask, it may not even be the best Black Ops game. That said, in a world where the series has become synonymous with overpriced, cheap multiplayer combat and vapid campaigns, Black Ops 6 is a breath of fresh air. This game will go down in history one way or another. It is either the last good Call of Duty made, or the first of a new era with good titles again. Treyarch has a long way to go if a sequel is to be called great, but for the first time in a decade, Call of Duty may have a future again.

Evil Dead The Game is one of the best and biggest surprises of 2022 so far. It’s a fantastic multiplayer experience that has enough quirks and unique features to stand out against other asymmetrical titles like Dead By Daylight. A field-of-view slider and jump button would have been appreciated, and the new Castle Kandar map can’t come soon enough. Players are also right to worry about its online-only infrastructure as the game is wholly dependent on an internet connection even though it has content that should be playable offline. However, despite its few drawbacks, it’s a near-perfect tribute to Sam Raimi’s creation as the game is groovy fun whether you play as a survivor or a demon. It has a great foundation so here’s hoping Saber Interactive keeps us coming back with plenty of post-launch updates.

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.

Now that Capcom has ported all of the main entry games to console, I hope that they bring us the Mega Man X games next in a collection. Or maybe even Mega Man Legends 3 — a guy can dream, right? If you haven’t played the original six games, I’d say the original Mega Man Legacy Collection is a better buy in terms of quality when compared to this one, but nonetheless, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is still great, and the best way to replay these classics.

[Valiant Hearts] perfectly captures the cold, desperate, and horrific moments of World War I.

There’s no doubt that Death Road to Canada makes for a great time, regardless of whether you find yourself in the rogue-like or zombie survival camp. While the game doesn’t do much to innovate the genre at large, it’s hard to argue with having such a good time.

Fire Emblem Warriors delivers with enjoyable gameplay that blends mechanics from both Fire Emblem and Warriors games into something unique and unlike anything else on the Nintendo Switch.

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.

Ironcast’s gameplay makes you feel like you are inside a mech’s cockpit, constantly checking on tons of different systems, and becomes very addictive and rewarding as the game goes on.

The gameplay of Crash Team Racing has more layers to it—whether it makes the game more ‘fun’ is up to someone’s playstyle, but I’ll always appreciate manual over automatic.

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.

With some intriguing world-building and phenomenal choices, Tides of Tomorrow is a game that warrants some real investment. It isn't perfect by any metric, but it is good enough to draw you in and reward your time. Seeing everything through, even when it's tough, gives you a sensation of completion that very few games can achieve. With the innovative Social-Link system, there's a real opportunity to create a new sort of way for players to interact, but it hasn't been perfected just yet. Tides of Tomorrow isn't the next big game, but it is a game that will stay with people long after they finish it.

If you haven’t played this game, or series, since 2012 and want to experience a portable-friendly game in a genre not seen often on these kinds of consoles, the Nintendo Switch version of Sniper Elite V2 Remastered should be in your sights. Even though the game itself may be dated in a few areas and this port may technically be the worst current-gen version to pick up from a visual standpoint, the Switch port of Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is competently put together and stands out from the rest of the hybrid console’s third-party library.

Despite some flaws, The Wandering Village still succeeds in creating something unique in the city-building genre that's usually monopolized by AAA titles. It's a game that isn't entirely rooted in building the perfect metropolis or maximizing efficiency by carving a better route to take. Instead, it's about surviving together, adapting together, and the symbiotic relationship between you, the villagers, and the gentle giant carrying you all to mend a broken world. The game feels slightly overpriced for what it is, though it does offer you a lot of replayability after you've finished the story in its Challenge and Sandbox modes.

Date Everything! represents the best parts of the indie gaming scene and captures the zeitgeist of Internet culture. Date Everything! has a clear, vehemently anti-AI message among the rising tide of AI-generated content, showing just how much love and care are put into its creation, with a not-so-subtle anti-AI message about corporations trying to replace people with soulless machines. Despite some shortcomings and frustrating technical difficulties I may have during my playthrough, the good heavily outweighs the problems, and Date Everything! is an absolute riot and an emotional rollercoaster. It's sincere, hilarious, and honest, and is probably one of the most enjoyable indie games I've ever played. As a debut game, Sassy Chap Games knocked it out of the park with this sandbox dating sim. If you appreciate the talent behind voice acting, weird dating sims, and most of all supporting indie studios, then Date Everything! is the perfect game for you.

After a dozen or so hours in Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, I can safely say that it's the real McCoy. This is not a watered-down port to give Microsoft an easy first-party Xbox Game Pass release. It's the real deal and as feature complete as the PC edition, which is quite an accomplishment. A myriad of quality-of-life improvements makes the original game, while still a classic, very much redundant. The only reason to keep hold of the original is to preserve those big beautiful boxes PC games used to ship in. We're in a new age now, and Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is the perfect example of taking an ancient game and giving it just enough love to make it feel almost new, something that many other remasters and re-releases so often miss the mark on.

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.

A slice of life approach to storytelling with a cast of characters that I’ve had the honor to see evolve over the past seven years. Aside from taking on missions and wrecking thousands of enemies, the story and characters drive this game forward which is important because there is a lot of story here.

There are a few issues like the disconnect between the player and the characters or the omission of any challenge, but the story and the way it is told is done exceptionally well. Quarantine Circular is worth every minute of your time.

Love Eternal delivers on the promise of a psychological-horror platformer in most ways. Its setting and presentation create a world where you're never quite sure what reality you're in, and a big mechanical switch-up halfway through is a wonderful, creative surprise that I'll be thinking about for a long time. The game gets more meta in ways than I could've predicted, and left my own brain scrambled entirely by the end of the short four-hour experience. As a platformer, it's easy to understand, though the unpredictable momentum of movement unfortunately keeps it from feeling as precise as genre enthusiasts will surely prefer. Still, it's one of those "play in one sitting" type of games that you won't want to miss if anything about the premise speaks to you.

Persona 5 Tactica takes a while to really get going, but once it does, you'll have no choice but to stick around for the ride.

Unravel Two is one of the finest puzzle platformers and couch co-op games in 2018.

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.

The game has a decent amount of modes that ultimately all work together in helping the player learn and progress through the game. So if you’ve been itching for a cheap shoot’em up game on the handheld-console hybrid, maybe do yourself a favor and check out this one.

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

The game took the developers six years to make, and this is seems to have paid off when looking at in the quality of the visuals, controls, and how well the Chasm’s take on procedural generation and the placement of its rooms works out.

Altogether, this year’s entry in the Call of Duty franchise is as solid it gets.

Scorn's ways are obscure, and often frustrating in a way that gamers who didn’t grow up in the 90s may struggle with more than myself. It's a work of breathtaking vision and uneven execution - from its combat, to its unsatisfying ending that sadly doesn't do justice to the gruelling yet oddly poignant odyssey you embark upon. But for its flaws, Scorn makes a hell of an impression, filling me with equal parts immense curiosity and dread. I don't want to return to it any time soon - maybe ever - but I will be scouring the Subreddits and the Steam boards in an attempt to decipher it for a long time yet.

While it's nowhere near a perfect game, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an open-world adventure that fans of the franchise will love. DualShockers was provided with a copy of the game for review purposes.

Once you get down into the dilapidated yet impressive levels of the Hive and start swinging, Darktide is as great a swarm shooter experience as any, but it needs to improve much of the surrounding infrastructure to make that core combat experience feel rewarding and meaningful. Who knows? I may even come back in a year to re-review the game (which is something that should generally happen with more game reviews), but in the meantime it’s a simmering cauldron of potential that still feels a little raw.

A beautiful, dark, and atmospheric game set in one of the most alluring Souls-like game settings of recent years that hits too many of the same notes as its predecessor to have quite the same impact.

As the penultimate chapter of the season, Life is Strange 2: Episode 4 brings the story to a head with several challenging situations.

All in all, Elli is a cute, fun, and semi-challenging puzzle platformer, full of variation and surprise to keep your interest through its journey.

Culdcept Revolt is a niche game that is directed at those willing to take a chance on a series that disappeared for quite awhile.

Tormented Souls 2 is a fun, albeit thematically predictable, sequel to a game that served as a delightfully nostalgic surprise to longtime horror fans. It's abundantly clear that Dual Effect has put their heart into this ongoing love letter to classic survival horror, utilizing elements that few other horror indies have dared to touch in favor of modern playstyles and concepts. Charmingly familiar tank control gameplay, ambitious puzzle mechanics that can still feel a bit too heavy-handed for the average player, and thematic horror elements that do work well for the most part. Like its predecessor, Tormented Souls 2 still struggles with storytelling and character elements that just don't quite hit the mark. While it doesn't go as deep as I would like, above all else, it still serves its grandest purpose with all the passion you could ask for.

Oxenfree 2 may lack the surprises and 'WTF' factor of the original game, but the older protagonists and solid writing make this return to the Pacific Northwest worthwhile.

Discounty is the right type of cozy game that you can get completely lost inside for a few days. It thrives in the "Just one more day" zone and has an addictive loop that feels good as a distraction from the real world. At the end of the day, I wish it went a bit deeper with some of its systems to make the grocery store sim aspects a little more fleshed out, and some optimization hiccups are genuine bummers and frustrations at times. Still, I've enjoyed my time in the small town of Blomkest and feel ready to run my own store someday.

In the same way that Counter-Strike‘s early days led to it dominating the competitive scene and Minecraft‘s years of beta access led to it becoming a game that defined a generation, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds isn’t necessarily the first “battle royale” game out there, but it is the one that’s leading the charge on making players fight to survive, and it’s thrilling in every way.

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.

Starbites is that JRPG that stays true to its promise, delivering exactly what is on the tin. Its turn-based gameplay borrows some formulas and mechanics from other JRPGs, which may feel uninspired to some fans but can be a novelty to others. It's delightful in the first hours, but it can get a bit stale and repetitive by the second half. The narrative is solid, and the story is very coherent with everything presented, with great highlights given to the charismatic cast. Despite being only a 20-hour journey, it still suffers from pacing issues here and there. Overall, Starbites is a neat, straightforward experience for those who need a break from 100-hour JRPGs.

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.

Although God Eater 3 boasts some stellar gameplay mechanics that allow you to play how you'd like, the surrounding aspects keep it back from being otherwise a great game.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider fails to stand out among the two games that preceded it simply because it lacks an identity of its own.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin delivers a remarkably in-depth set of mechanical systems. The interplay is impressive, even if the execution is somewhat flawed.

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

There’s is so much content in Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy which justifies the one-time purchase. Even though this is clearly a game for another platform, it can pass as a console quality game on your mobile phone.

Sleep Tight’s art style and gameplay make it stand out above other twin-stick survival shooters.

If you can get past the slow start and some of the glaring technical problems of The Mad Ones, then you will find the most innovative episodic adventure game to come from a studio other than Telltale.

Steins;Gate has been re-released with new anime visuals that completely revitalize an already interesting storyline.

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.

Sadly, the campaign is the only offline mode in Splatoon 2, and made me wish for something a bit more to complement it, especially given the Switch’s handheld capabilities suited for on-the-go play. Even if there was something as simple as bot matches against enemy AI for practicing on the train or bus and then hopping into online matches at home, it feels like a missed opportunity for Splatoon 2 to have some other offerings that aren’t so online-dependent.

Hunter's Moon: A Sovereign Syndicate Adventure is a deckbuilder that I absolutely loved early on. The presentation is fantastic, and the Slay The Spire-esque gameplay is top-tier. Unfortunately, the more I played, the more I'd encounter substantial performance issues and an overall feeling of imbalance. Give this one some more time to be optimized, and it'll be one of the best titles in the genre. Until then, it's still a good time, but hasn't yet reached its full potential.

All-in-all, a second portion of Overcooked‘s co-op insanity was exactly what I was looking for.

Although Ghost of Yotei lacks a cohesive and well-executed main story, it makes up for that with its vastly improved combat and world design. It obviously doesn't do anything mind-blowing for the open-world genre, but it refines nearly every aspect that made Tsushima special while carving out its own unique identity. Atsu’s journey delivers both emotional depth and visceral action through her mastery of various weapons, supported by a beautifully crafted world that feels alive without overwhelming you with a boatload of recurring side activities. It’s a love letter to revenge tale media rather than the traditional samurai cinema and players who still adore the gameplay-focused prowess of Sucker Punch—moreover, it's also a reminder that sometimes, a safe sequel can still be satisfying to play.

JETRUNNER is a game that proudly sets out to be a worthwhile blend of Neon White, Ghostrunner, & Titanfall's FPS parkour action, and against all odds, this plucky indie pulls it off with aplomb. While the story is a little lukewarm and forgettable, the stunning cel-shaded visuals and smooth, fluid gameplay more than make up for this, allowing players to enter a state of flow and achieve feats of acrobatic skill that are beyond comprehension. The main shortcomings of the game are that some mechanics could use tiny tweaks to avoid players adding fractions of a second to their time through no fault of their own, and the game isn't difficult or deep enough to get the most out of the limited number of courses. But, all in all, if you're looking for a new FPS-focused parkour game, you'd be hard-pressed to find one better than JETRUNNER.

NBA 2K18 is the biggest departure that the series has had in recent years, which is both good and bad. Elements such as MyPlayer feel like they have the potential to be fantastic, but are still too mired by microtransactions and bugs in its current form to truly be the experience that I was hoping for.

Combat is easily the strongest part of Metal Max Xeno. It’s quite awesome seeing different developers take on the turn-based combat fans of the genre know and love, and modernize it in different ways.

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.

A solid addition to the long-running MMORPG.

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

IDUN – Frontline Survival definitely has its moments, with smart twists on classic tower defense mechanics and a fresh take on progression. The ability to move towers on the fly and the unique vermin enemy types keep things interesting, but the game falls short in a few key areas. Sound design issues and a lack of real replayability make it hard to stay fully engaged. The visuals, while functional, have a mobile game feel that doesn’t quite match up to the experience. It’s a promising effort, though, and with some fine-tuning, IDUN could really hit its stride. For now, it’s a fun but flawed ride.

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.

All in all, Cubic Odyssey is a good game that gets a little bogged down by its own complexities, like character abilities and battery power. It's a solid game thanks to all the quality-of-life changes it brings to the genre, along with the strong atmosphere and interesting visuals. While it probably isn't a game that I'll add to my repertoire, I think it will certainly make a name for itself in the industry. If you really enjoy survival exploration games, then this will be a game you can sink countless hours into. Cubic Odyssey is a solid game that simply gets dragged down by some odd design choices that clearly serve to add difficulty, but that difficulty ends up becoming inconsequential at a certain point. Still, it is enjoyable, and all the things the game does right make it a meaningful addition to the genre as a whole.

While I think I’d prefer the next Wolfenstein game to be more traditional, it was refreshing to see some new ideas here with Youngblood.

Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun, even if the series is experiencing growing pains with the transition to home consoles.

Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn is a solid 3DS port that both builds upon and takes away from the original Wii title's charm.

Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun, even if the series is experiencing growing pains with the transition to home consoles.

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.

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.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is still a fantastic game today. The fact that it stands tall compared to other platformers is a testament to the original release's quality. However, this is the third re-release the game has seen in 15 years, and this one carries a $60 price tag with virtually no new content. For longtime Nintendo fans, it's a hard pill to swallow, especially if you already own past copies. Nothing here, besides HD visuals, makes Donkey Kong Country Returns HD worth buying unless you want to own it on modern hardware. However, if you missed out on the game, it is well worth the price. Returns HD is the definitive version of an incredibly 2D platformer. Those who aim to collect everything in sight will spend dozens of hours here.

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.

FIFA 20's excellent Volta mode, engaging changes to Ultimate Team, and potentially cool features to Career Mode don't make up for subpar soccer gameplay.

Gwent became a means to an end by the finale, a necessary thing to do to unlock the next story segment, and something I would avoid when possible. Its a shame because Thronebreaker does some good work modifying the familiar Gwent rules, they just get easily overshadowed by the main storyline and the various decisions you can find along the way.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown reaffirms I am way too invested in this Strangereal universe and that arcade flight sims are capable of telling compelling stories about war.

Bravely Default may not have aged well, but there's still plenty of enjoyment to be found. Sadly, if you're already familiar with how the adventure goes, there's little to no reason to pick up the Flying Fairy HD Remaster unless you're a true, diehard fan. If you never had the chance to play Bravely Default on the Nintendo 3DS over a decade ago, however, it's certainly worth your time to enjoy an old-school JRPG experience. I'd argue there are better options available, such as the Octopath Traveler games or the Yakuza 0 Director's Cut, but if you're looking to see what all the hype was about back in the day, it's worth a purchase.

Total Chaos is an exciting survival-horror game that follows a man descending into madness within his own mind. The story and combat are the standouts here, as both are engaging enough to keep the player on the edge of their seats, pushing them further into the depths of the game's world to learn more about the protagonist and take down deadlier foes. Discovering the lore of Fort Oasis, the game's main location, and how its hidden meanings connect to the main character's mental state and sickness shares a strong resemblance to Silent Hill 2, and it's fascinating to uncover. The biggest negative is the game's core survival mechanics and how it often feels too punishing because of its lack of resources, to the point that some players might be forced to go back to an earlier save depending on their situation. The extreme lengths it takes to make the player feel hopeless may be too much for the casual player, so it's definitely not a game that could be recommended to everyone.

Those Be A Pro changes are great and all, but it isn’t too much of an incentive for those who already own NHL 20 to go out a grab NHL 21. While there are some new gameplay features, it doesn’t really feel like it differs much from last year’s installment. If you missed out last year, now may be a good time to check out EA’s take on hockey, but if you’re looking for something new and exciting, maybe wait for a next-gen entry.

If you haven’t picked up an NHL game in years or play mainly for the online experience, you will really like NHL 19.

Trombone Champ is exactly what you would expect if you've played the original 2D title. It's hilarious rhythm game action that doesn't take itself to seriously, but if you peel back the quirks and the ridiculousness, there is a competent rhythm game humming under the hood. Mileage may vary due to the games reliance on classical songs, not to mention a rather one-note and repetitive gameplay experience. But all in all, if you love Trombone Champ and want a more involved, laugh-a-minute experience, you can't go wrong with this one.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a remake that dares to change just enough to feel fascinating—and frustrating in equal measure. There’s genuine heart here, especially in the expanded Morning Glory content, both games' sub-stories, and Mine’s surprisingly compelling Dark Ties storyline. Yet, those highs are constantly at odds with combat changes and narrative deviations that feel less like refinement and more like overcorrection. As someone who deeply adores the original Yakuza 3, this remake constantly left me torn between appreciation and disappointment, because it’s occasionally brilliant yet so undeniably polarizing at some levels, serving as fine evidence for me that not every black sheep in a series needs to be remade.

Everything is Crab combines Roguelike gameplay with Spore-like evolutions to create something that feels wholly unique. That doesn't stop the game from falling into the trap of having a bit too much RNG. It's visually interesting with a fun art style that showcases those evolutions well, but gets weighed down by some of the more pressing issues. All in all, Everything is Crab is a good game that is hopefully well on the way to becoming a great game.

The Golf Club 2019 is a comprehensive simulation, and will undoubtedly please those who are looking for one.

Steelrising is a good if challenging time. If you’re thirsting for your next Souls-like after milking Elden Ring dry, then the combat here will feel oddly familiar and you’re sure to find something to enjoy, but it isn’t without its faults. Overall Steelrising hits way more than it misses, but a forgettable story and a few repetitive boss battles hold it back from achieving true greatness.

Lapis x Labyrinth shields its repetitive nature with a flashy presentation and interesting RPG mechanics.

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.

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.