Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a bombastic shooter with a charming cast and a gripping story. Sure, its gameplay is basically a carbon copy of Doom’s but with a 1930s rubber hose aesthetic. However, the execution is well done and it still has plenty of other aspects that differentiate itself. Jack isn’t going through Hell on Earth, but he’s determined to go to Hell and back to uncover the corrupt underbelly of Mouseburg.

Pragmata is a very fresh take on a modern third-person shooter, with a unique combat setup that is equal parts tactics and brute force skill. It also looks wonderful throughout, and the interactions between Hugh, Diana, and Cabin are a lot of fun and genuinely sweet. It may be a bit too early to call, but thus far, this is easily my game of the year.

But if the question was if Crimson Desert could really be that big and really play that well and really keep you entertained the whole time, the answer, for me, is unequivocally yes.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection delivers a grand adventure while building upon its predecessors to create something that not only will appeal to fans of the genre, but one that stands out amongst its contemporaries. With a touching story, charming cast of characters, in-depth combat, and crunchy RPG mechanics, this is the best entry in the series so far.

Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse has some small hiccups here and there. But much like its predecessor, it’s a gripping visual novel with waves of reveals that come crashing down. It’s not as frightening, but you’ll still be swept away by the currents of its raw and moving story.

Overall, Octopath Traveler 0 is a worthy prequel to the first two games, and the new town-building setup is an engaging addition to an already very solid role-playing game.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is worth the wait. The new story characters are not in any way overly chatty, and this is still the mysterious and moody alien treasure hunt Metroid fans have come to love, but now with a funky alien bike. I still rate the original Prime trilogy over this, but those games were pretty much faultless, whereas this is just thoroughly excellent.

Overall, Neon Inferno is a fantastic run ‘n’ gun shooter that’s dripping with style and gritty edge. The stages are beautifully designed, the art style is immediately impressive, and the gameplay is sharp and balanced. Even the soundtrack sets the tone perfectly with incredible synth rock music.

In today’s game industry, the argument can be made that playing old games lacks appeal. I’d never make that argument, but plenty of people do. However, releases like the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection prove that maybe the missing ingredient for a lot of folks is just context. If you didn’t live this era of the game industry, then you don’t have personal nostalgia for these games. But a package like this, which treats the material with reverence and respect, can make a new fan out of anyone.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is arguably as good as the remake of the third Dragon Quest game, if not better. The stories of both games have also been fleshed out and tied together more coherently than ever before. While the third game in the Erdrick Trilogy defined modern role-playing games, it’s wonderful that the other two parts to this story have finally been given such genuinely excellent remakes.

Keeper doesn’t revolutionize itself from other indie darling games like Journey or Inside, but it doesn’t need to. These kinds of games are all about atmospheric storytelling and having a relaxing time, and Keeper nails it. Keeper just has a noticeably higher production budget due to its vibrant visuals and Pixar-like smooth animations. It looks like a surrealist painting come to life.

Final Fantasy Tactics is still the brilliant tactical role-playing game I thoroughly enjoyed playing at the end of the ‘90s. This new and updated HD remaster in the form of The Ivalice Chronicles is a welcome addition, especially for newer players, but it’s the original game that makes this collection so very special.

Earthion is an amazingly good shmup and genuinely feels like some kind of forgotten gem. The main game mechanics are involved but also streamlined, coupled with insanely fast-paced yet still extremely detailed visuals. The music and sound effects are also excellent. In short, this is a definitive shmup and comes highly recommended.

Overall, Super Robot Wars Y is another solid entry into the series. It’s got a great lineup and a more careful eye placed on making the game more enticing for newer players. While I am always happy to see Aura Battler Dunbine featured, I do feel that this game includes a mecha anime for almost everyone.

Overall, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a massive, fast-paced open-world mecha action game that plays extremely well. The story is actually intelligible this time around, but while the mecha designs look wonderful, the characters definitely needed more work. There’s also a mountain of complexity and content here without much thought on how it should have been introduced, so you will have to persevere and figure the game out to get the most out of it. There’s genuine ambition here, though, but more focus, better writing, and stronger direction would have made this almost perfect.

Everything about Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is such a spectacle to behold, so even though it did feel a bit longer than it really needed to be, clocking in at approximately 20 hours for a typical playthrough, there was enough nuance and consistent variety to keep me engaged throughout.

Overall, Metal Gear Solid Delta is a superb remake of probably the best stealth action game ever made. It’s even more impressive that this was achieved with an insane level of accuracy in a completely separate engine and toolset. I would even go so far as to say that this version supersedes the original in almost every way, and comes highly recommended to anyone who wants to crawl on their belly through a jungle while eating snakes.

Overall, Operation Night Strikers is an excellent collection of shmups from Taito’s glory days in the arcades. It’s a shame that the console ports are an additional DLC pack, but the core collection of games is still handled excellently by the retro game masters at M2.

Overall, TOAPLAN Arcade Collection Vol 1 & 2 covers the heyday of TOAPLAN’s arcade shmup output. It’s also a comprehensive collection, including the international variants for each of these classic arcade games. Although I suspect Zero Wing’s appalling localization will still be a draw for some of the old school fans.

Overall, TOAPLAN Arcade Collection Vol 1 & 2 covers the heyday of TOAPLAN’s arcade shmup output. It’s also a comprehensive collection, including the international variants for each of these classic arcade games. Although I suspect Zero Wing’s appalling localization will still be a draw for some of the old school fans.

Ninja Gaiden is back in a big way in 2025 with the prior release of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black earlier this year and soon, Ninja Gaiden 4 in just a few short months. But much to my surprise and delight, Ryu Hayabusa’s continuation into the realm of AAA 3D action elites once again does not mean the abandonment of where the series started this time around.

Donkey Kong Bananza does what Super Mario Odyssey did before it: offer one of the best platforming games available on a new system. The fact that the bulk of the game is about wanton joyous destruction is also another big bonus. So, if you want to tunnel to the center of the planet and destroy most of it along the way, Donkey Kong Bananza is your kind of platformer.

EA College Football 26 won’t be judged as softly as last year’s game because fans aren’t simply fired up to have college football back. That said, EA’s dev team hasn’t rested on its success, and they’ve delivered a strong follow-up with noteworthy improvements. The issues are mostly out of the dev’s hands and based on the handling of legends or legalities that limit in-game customization.

Overall, this is yet another great Irem Collection, and much like the first and second releases, this third instalment is excellent. However, its star attraction is the adorable Mr. Heli, which is still just as fun to play as when I played it in the arcades as a kid.

Overall, Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered is not only a solid visual upgrade to the Vita original but also has some much-needed functional improvements, both in terms of the controls and the backend progression flow. The only real downside is if you’re not a fan of Gundam Seed, as otherwise, this is a very nicely made mecha action game.

The only question with Berserk or Die is whether or not it’ll be able to establish the longevity Vampire Survivors has with regular updates and fresh ideas. But for four dollars, even if it doesn’t manage that, it’s money well spent.

Mario Kart World is a huge undertaking, but it still offers the classic Mario Kart progression we’ve all grown up with. Whether this will sell as much as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains to be seen, but from the off, Mario Kart World definitely has an enormous amount of content to wrap your head around, and the multiplayer will likely keep it an evergreen release for years to come, much like the other games in the series have been.

It’s a stunning game that only gets more and more stunning the further you get. It’s an easy recommend to anyone, even people like me who have previously been allergic to turn-based combat. You may have to get used to it, but push past and learn the systems to experience once of the best games you may play in years.

What Lunar lacks in gameplay complexity it more than makes up for in wonderful animations, captivating characters, and riveting music. You’ll absolutely feel the surge of excitement as you set out on these adventures, letting the whimsical charm sweep you away.

Overall, this Saturn Tribute version of Assault Suit Leynos 2 is a mecha gaming classic through and through. Not only is the game influential across other shmups and mecha games, but also a really well-wrought game in its own right. It’s definitely difficult and technical, but like most good old mecha games, that’s almost always a sign of excellence.

Overall, Xenoblade Chronicles X is a massive role-playing game that is more scaled towards the mecha than the on-foot component. The initial on-foot sections take a while, but once you get your Doll license, the world of Mira literally opens up. So stick with this one; it’s a long road but still one worth the effort of traveling.

MLB The Show 25 is REALLY good. It is stacked with options and well-fleshed-out game modes that will keep users’ attention for months individually and all year as a total package. While there are still a few elements that I’d like to see added, I feel comfortable saying this isn’t just the best version in the series—MLB The Show 25 is the best baseball video game ever made.

Aspects of WWE 2K25, like The Island, won’t be for everyone, but with professional wrestling going through something of a renaissance spearheaded by WWE’s jump to Netflix, this game at least has something for every type of wrestling fan.

Avowed is an excellent game. Yes, it may be a bit of a bite-sized, stripped-down experience in the grand scope of epic RPGs, but in many ways, I found that refreshing, and I think others might as well in this age of too many big games and not enough time to play them. I would make time for Avowed, you won’t regret it.

Overall, Irem Collection Vol. 2 makes three classic pre-Nazca games widely available again. These are all great shooters, but are also historically relevant as to how the shmup genre would evolve and how Nazca would form a few years later. If you are a fan of Metal Slug, then you should definitely check out this collection, as GunForce II is wonderfully unhinged.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is probably one of the best remakes I’ve ever played. Doubly so, as it nails what made the original game so special. While some have had issues with how Japanese role-playing games work, the Wizardry lineage is also hard to ignore, so those criticisms are clearly moot and quite ignorant by this point. In any case, if you’ve never played a Dragon Quest game, then this is the one to start with.

Overall, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is a good game but not a great one. The echoes setup is certainly cerebral, but the lack of basic combat moves outside of the Swordfighter Form is jarring and only emphasized further at the end of the game. Here’s hoping that the next time Zelda ventures out into the wild world of Hyrule, someone remembers to give her a sword.

Black Ops 6 innovates in incredibly effective ways with the Call Of Duty formula, while returning to many of the foundations that made the series great to begin with: A strong campaign, well-crafted 3-lane maps, excellent gunplay and round-based Zombies mode. Most of all, it’s really fun.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard may not be worth an entire decade-long wait, but it's very fun in its own right and a unique exploration of the world and a new set of memorable characters.

This a long-term process as we figure out how all this comes together in the larger context of the game, and I will keep my coverage going accordingly. But reviewing what’s in front of me during this period, here we are.

Overall, Shadow of the Ninja Reborn is much more than a remake. This is an all-new and lovingly crafted game that is both refreshingly technical and gorgeous to look at. Whatever they are feeding the team at Tengo Project is clearly very special. I just hope the powers that be get out of the way and let them make more games as good as this.

Madden 25 is the most complete version of the series in more than a decade. Failing to recognize the improvements essentially gives in to reflex hate more than evaluating each version's merits. The gameplay is tighter, customization has seen a significant boost, and each mode has depth. If you buy a version of Madden every five years, it should be this one.

Overall, Ace Combat 7 on Switch is as good as it was back in 2019. The performance of the game is also surprisingly good and it plays pretty much identically. You get a few extra DLC trinkets in this release too, but nothing beats unlocking and flying the mighty X-02S Strike Wyvern into the thick of combat.

When I heard EA was bringing college football back, I was fully prepared to play a game of Madden with college uniforms. In all honesty, I would have played it and been mildly satisfied. EA delivered a much deeper experience that easily carves its own identity in every way possible. Once EA learns its way around the restrictions of the NIL situation, the series will go to an even higher level.

This is as close to perfect as a Destiny expansion can get. If my biggest complaint is “I don’t love the new shader icons” and “the Ritual Pathfinder system should be tweaked,” I think we’re doing well. Instead, The Final Shape represents a stunning finale for a plot arc a decade long that’s not just a huge event for Destiny itself, but the entire industry, as I simply do not think that has another comparison point in the history of gaming, provided you’ve been on this ride for this long. Bungie left everything on the field and delivered on all fronts.

Stellar Blade is a good game, not a (don’t say stellar) fantastic one. Its peers do a lot of the things it does but better, though that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable in its own right. Don’t go in expecting a revolution, but this may be the start of a solid series and could make Eve a Bayonetta/2B-esque star. The ensuing discourse about this game is going to be exhausting, as it has been already, but divorced from that, the game itself is solid, and that’s what matters the most.

Open Roads is a lovely way to spend 90 minutes or so. All of the elements by and large come together harmoniously in service of a story that had me hooked, and the two strong central performances elevate the entire piece. I can’t ask for much more than that.

Overall, Unicorn Overlord is one of the best tactical role-playing games I’ve played in a good while. The tactical complexity is also carefully introduced in a fairly gentle and intuitive way. With its wonderful visuals cementing this as a definitive game in the genre and one everyone should check out.

Overall, this is a good PC port of the first Dragon Quest Builders but has some weird design changes taken from the second game that take away from what originally made this game so special. If you have no other option than to pick up the PC version, you will definitely enjoy yourself, but it’s sadly not as good as the PlayStation 4 and Switch versions.

Overall though The Legend of Steel Empire is a solid release and visually updates a classic steampunk shmup that pretty much everyone loves. Even if you never played the original, this is still a lot of fun and perfectly suited to something like the Switch.

Overall, this is a great collection of both important and genuinely great Irem shmups. The inclusion of Image Fight II is also great, as that was previously only available on the WiiU. However, both the original Image Fight and X-Multiply make this collection worth picking up for anyone that is a serious fan of shmups.

I’m puzzled by all of the negative reviews from critics, though I think many outlets do not have hardcore Call Of Duty players reviewing this game. I’m just as confused, if not more so, by gamers who have finally gotten what they’ve been asking for for years and are still throwing a huge fit over it. I think the Call Of Duty community only likes one thing more than playing Call Of Duty, and that’s complaining about it...As far as I’m concerned, this game ticks all the boxes. I’m having a blast, and isn’t that the point of Call Of Duty to begin with?

Overall though, Super Mario Wonder is an excellent 2D platformer. With excellent level design, polished visuals and mad Wonder Flower setpieces. It’s not my favorite Super Mario game in recent years, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

For fans of the first game, or Spider-Man, or action games in general, Spider-Man 2 is an easy recommendation. There are about five dozen teasers and easter eggs by the end so I’m sure we’re in for more, whether that’s another Miles-sized game or another sequel down the road. But for now, yes, this is all the Spider-action you need for a good long while.

Phantom Liberty is a thoroughly excellent swan song for the tumultuous saga of Cyberpunk 2077. And after playing, you will be glad that CDPR has already greenlit a sequel, despite the fact that the initial release could have sunk the entire company. It’s a redemption story on the level of No Man’s Sky or Final Fantasy XIV, and deserves to be experienced for yourself, no matter what you may have thought of Cyberpunk three years back.

Overall, Taito Milestones 2 follows nicely on from the first release. It includes even more excellent games and does a nice job of encapsulating Taito’s long and influential gaming history into one neat little package.

I really do love this game. Yes, Bethesda doesn’t match some of its peers in many places, but in part that’s because it’s trying to do everything, all at once. But if you wanted a giant Bethesda RPG set in space with better combat and a whole lot of time to level and build things and explore and find secrets, yeah, this is it. They did it. Enjoy.

Overall, Armored Core VI is a proper mecha action game. It’s not the best game in the series, but it is solidly done. The new target assist setup works fine and is also able to be turned off if need be. The story and localization are great, and very much inline with the Japanese dialogue for the first time in the series’ history. It’s also definitely a return to form for the Armored Core series, but the never-ending boss fights do take away from the decent mission structure and pacing, especially later in the game. However, for someone like me that’s been playing Armored Core games for over 25 years, it’s nice that this series is back and finally being given a proper chance to shine.

If you ever wondered what made the Ray series of shmups so special, then this collection should hopefully help you with that, along with an abundance of homing lasers.

My impressions are overwhelmingly positive based on what I’ve experienced so far, from the map to the gameplay to the new systems to even the story, which I was not expecting. Blizzard really seems like they’ve nailed this, and I’m going to say the only way this will be poorly received at launch is if technical issues kill people’s ability to play. But once it gets rolling? Yes, I think you’re going to like Diablo 4.

Overall, Tears of the Kingdom is a genuine improvement and evolution over Breath of the Wild. While I still think the Link’s Awakening remake has been the best Zelda game on the Switch thus far, Tears of the Kingdom comes very close to that. The story is also a lot more poignant than many of the other games in the series and consequently Tears of the Kingdom feels a lot more considered. So get ready to go back to Hyrule, because it’s all very new again and entirely massive with it.

Overall, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is an excellent collection and remake of a pair of highly regarded Game Boy Advance strategy games. This game may look cute and simple in terms of its artstyle, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth in terms of its technical and exacting strategy-based gameplay.

Overall, Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is a very nice remaster of a solid Wii game that had a great deal of affection from longtime players of the series back in the day. This remaster also runs very well on the Switch and is definitely worth picking up if you are a Kirby fan. However, if you are new to Kirby and want to experience the best of its 2D offerings, then I would have to recommend Planet Robobot instead.

Overall, Octopath Traveler II is an excellent sequel to the endearing and much loved first game. It doesn’t offer up anything all that new in the gameplay department, but all the new characters and their stories are nicely engaging, as is the excellent combat.

Overall, Metroid Prime Remastered is an astonishingly accurate remake of a definitive gaming classic. Not only in terms of its excellent visuals but also how it plays nearly identically to the original. Even for a game that’s now over two decades old, Metroid Prime still feels as fresh and as functionally relevant as ever. If only more modern first-person games had level design as good as this.

Hi-Fi Rush is going to stay with me. I absolutely adore this game, far, far more than I would I would have imagined, given everything said above. It is, quite literally, infectious, as you will not only find yourself involuntarily bopping along with the beat as you play, but even after you’ve shut the game off... It’s joyful, addicting and something I may play twice just for the hell of it. An absolute win.

Overall, Sonic Frontiers takes the lovable blue hedgehog into new open world territory, while staying true to how Sonic should feel in a functional sense. There’s also a lot to unpack here, so don’t take on too much at once and just go with the high-speed flow.

God of War Ragnarok is a beautiful, moving game, no longer purely centered on a father getting to know his son, but also about vengeance, forgiveness and attempting to change both prophecy, and the people we used to be, both of which prove to be equally difficult. It’s almost impossible for me to imagine those who loved the last God of War will not also appreciate this one just as much, minus a lagging stretch here or there, and the fact that it can’t be as transformative as the initial leap from the Greek games.

Overall, Bayonetta 3 delivers a frantically intense approach to “stylish combat”, with a complex and multi-layered combat system that has remained remarkably robust across each game in the series. While the presentation is hugely over the top, Bayonetta 3’s real worth is in how it plays and as such comes thoroughly recommended to anyone that can keep up.

There is less to dislike with FIFA 23 than there was with last year’s game, but I also wasn’t blown away with the advancements in several features such as career/franchise mode or the visuals. While it’s technically a better game than FIFA 22, it may not seem like it to those who don’t spend most of their time in FUT or VOLTA. Color me satisfied, but not overwhelmed.

At launch, Overwatch 2 is a launchpad for something much, much grander. It’s rough around the edges, but the controlled chaos of the actual gameplay is right up my alley. Given the live service nature of the game, it’s something I’ll likely re-review every so often. Still, Overwatch 2 is in pretty great shape overall.

The NBA 2K franchise is back and moving in the right direction. After years of stagnant gameplay mechanics and subtle improvements to its franchise mode, this year’s game has taken huge, direction-defining steps. NBA 2K23 offers an amazingly customizable experience. With the exception of a few perhaps philosophical issues and some lingering old assets still in use, this year’s version registers as an All-NBA first team selection within the series’ storied history.

Overall, SD Gundam Battle Alliance is a solid mecha game and one that shows how far Artdink has come since their PlayStation Portable days. It’s also a very accessible game in terms of its controls and combat, which the cute approach only helps to accentuate.

If you’re looking for something a bit different to play this summer and have a Tony Hawk-sized action sports itch you need to scratch, Rollerdrome is absolutely worth checking out.

Overall, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is arguably the best game in the series and builds upon the prior entries in both a deft and quite magnificent way. Much of the performance issues seen in prior games have been resolved and the game itself is very enjoyable to play. It may seem somewhat of an enormous undertaking but the world of Aionios has a lot to offer to curious and somewhat patient players.

Overall, Sonic Origins is an excellent collection of games to introduce newer players to what made Sonic the Hedgehog so interesting and unique. However, after Sonic Mania it does feel a bit of a step down with the reduced difficulty.

Elden Ring is a stunning achievement from a literal video game architecture perspective, along with creating a difficult but not wildly punishing game that everyone, even non-Soulsborne devotees, should be able to enjoy. I have not been this impressed with an open world since Skyrim, and Elden Ring even surpasses that in many ways. It’s an easy game to recommend to anyone and everyone, and deserves the explosive sales success we’ve seen, dwarfing old FromSoft records. Elden Ring is a gaming achievement the likes of which we rarely seen, and you will be remiss to not pick it up and see what the hype is about for yourself.

Overall, Andro Dunos 2 is genuinely a brilliant shmup that feels like something that was released during this genre’s 90s heyday. From the gameplay, to the graphics and the music, Andro Dunos 2 is a pixel perfect shmup.

Overall, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an amazing and involved modern platformer, with a surprising amount of content. While Super Mario 3D World gets a lot of attention on the Switch, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is actually the better game and pushes the platforming genre forward in a surprisingly involved way.

MLB The Show 22 plays too strong of a game on the field and offers too much with Diamond Dynasty, March to October, franchise mode and a general cohesiveness to be a bad sports game. However, some of the missteps are impossible to ignore because of what other sports games offer, and because of what the Show series has offered in the past.

That fact is what I really want to see is some substantial leaps forward for this series, as it’s starting to feel pretty dated in a lot of ways, but I also have to understand what Wonderlands is, a game Gearbox made from home during the pandemic that’s meant to be a stopgap before Borderlands 4. And I do think it succeeds at that job well enough to please most fans.

This is a re-establishment year for the WWE 2K series. Let’s face it, WWE 2K20 was rough and while it took more than 2 years to develop, 2K has re-emerged with a strong and not only playable wrestling game, but a fun one. The engine is better and the basics are tighter, but we’re looking forward to more layers in the future.

Overall, Super Robot Wars 30 is an excellent tribute to the 30th anniversary of the series. The new mission setup is a bit daunting at first but works well on multiple playthroughs and with the new DLC. Considering the challenges the development team must have faced during the pandemic to get this game done, it’s remarkable how well it all turned out.

Halo Infinite might be the best campaign 343 has done, but considering I didn’t love the last two, I’m not sure how much weight that carries. Halo Reach remains the gold standard for me in that department, and while I had a lot of fun here zipping around the open world, and I can see the potential of the concept, something about Infinite feels small and unfinished to me compared to both other Halo campaigns, and other open world titles. I don’t need (or want) a sprawling Assassin’s Creed map that takes 200 hours to clear, but I think I need more diversity than what’s here, and a better story with better characters told within it.

All told, Call Of Duty: Vanguard has exceeded my expectations, especially after a less-than-promising pre-launch Alpha and press event. Then again, the Beta was drastically improved overall so I was already feeling more optimistic by launch. I’m also very excited for post-launch content like Shipment, League and Gunfight, as well as more MP and Zombies maps. Now that maps are always free—replaced by a Battle Pass and cosmetic Item Shop—these games stay fresh and populated much longer than before, and I foresee a great deal of Vanguard in my future, though I’m sure I’ll dip back into Cold War frequently as well.

I suppose we can now venture into the old “is Guardians worth $60?” debate. If you miss hyper linear story games with no live service BS, and are a big Marvel fan, then this might be the game for you. If you are hoping for Devil May Cry level combat and God of War type puzzles and exploration within a linear story, you will be disappointed. But I can safely say this is probably a better end product than most people were expecting, and that alone is a pretty big win for a game that felt like a bit of a risk and like it’s been lacking in buzz leading up to launch here. It has issues, but it gets a lot right, and pushes storytelling in ways I haven’t seen in this genre before.

Overall, Metroid Dread brings a narrative close to a decades long story with excellent level design and combat. It also looks great as well. So until Samus Aran is needed once again to save the Galactic Federation, I am happy to just savour the joy of another successfully completed mission.

EA Sports has delivered a strong next-gen experience with FIFA 22. The primary focus was on gameplay and the attention led to a tangible improvement overall. However, the feature set is still in need of more layers.

Overall, Actraiser Renaissance stays true to the original game, while building it out even further and keeping the essence of what made it so special intact. If you never played the original Actraiser, then you are definitely in for a treat as it’s not every day you don the mantle of the Lord of Light and defy the will of Tanzra.

Overall, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is a fun remix of the Earth Defense Force formula. Not only is the art style almost entirely adorable, but the way the gameplay has been split across your team members keeps the game fresh and fun.

Madden 22 is a significantly better game than Madden 21. The gameplay is smoother, franchise mode has more layers and MUT will remain a powerhouse. However, while each of the three areas deliver on one had, they each have a drawback. Also, modes like Face of the Franchise and The Yard fail to deliver in a way that moves the needle. The good outweighs the bad overall, and you’ll likely enjoy Madden if you’re a fan of the series. Still, it feels like we’re one year shy of delivering the kind of complete Madden release that really breaks new ground for the series.

Overall, Skyward Sword HD is a wonderful remaster and is a joy to play. However, it requires more effort than your typical Zelda game, not least due to the new control options available, but with diligent practice the game opens up into something genuinely beautiful.

There isn’t a ton to dislike about F1 2021. The latest version adds to the series’ win streak with another strong iteration. With a few additional layers to the visual and audio presentation, we could have been looking at a form of racing perfection. As it is, F1 2021 is still really good.

Overall, this is not your typical “game”, but it is still a lot of fun one to play. Game Builder Garage is also a game that is uniquely important and necessary for people to understand how games work. While all of this may sound like a chore, it really isn’t, as Nintendo is probably the only company that could make visual scripting actually fun. That alone is a huge achievement and one I am excited as well as relieved to champion.

Overall, R-Type Final 2 is a significant improvement over R-Type Final and has decently solid level design throughout. As R-Type games go though, R-Type Final 2 does not live up to the masterful R-Type Delta. That said, it is still a proper R-Type game and a well-crafted shmup. So blast off and have fun destroying the Bydo Empire all over again.

Overall, New Pokémon Snap is a relaxing but still a quite involved game There’s a lot to do in the Lental Region and the game definitely turned out better than I ever expected it to. While it can get a bit repetitive, there are enough surprises to keep you engaged.

Outriders has surpassed my expectations in almost every way. Months ago, I figured this would be another looter flop, but now, it’s one of the best current entries in the genre, and even with no “live service roadmap” at hand, it’s clear you could potentially extract hundreds of hours from it regardless. I plan to do just that.

Overall, Demon’s Souls is still the most interesting and varied game in the Souls series. This remake not only looks lovely on the PlayStation 5 but is also a joy to play with all the tweaks and improvements that have been introduced. Now if only people would look past its supposed difficulty and see its carefully crafted intricacy instead.