Dragon Ball FighterZ seamlessly blends accessibility and complexity, making for a feverishly-paced fighter that makes the learning process gradual and engaging, and gives casual players hours of worthwhile things to do solo and potentially turning fighting game fans on to the world of Dragon Ball. Even after dozens of hours in single-player, training mode, and online, I’m excited to keep digging into its combat and see just how many more gorgeous flashes and explosions I can cause. If I happen to blow up a few more planets along the way, all the better.

Regardless of how the finale plays it, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the journey of trying to rehabilitate one of comic’s greatest villains.

In many respects, Fireproof Games offers more of the same with The Room: Old Sins. However, the original concept is so strong that I can’t complain about getting more, especially since the puzzles continue to feel fresh and interesting. In a market churning out free-to-play loot-box grinds, this meaty mobile experience is refreshing.

Monster Hunter: World is the best game in the series, and a welcoming gateway for newcomers to get in on the tail-chopping, rodeo-riding, and titan-slaying. I never want to play the series on handheld again after this, as the grainy graphics and clawed clutch can’t compare to the redefined experience core platforms facilitate.

Lost Sphear has some good ideas and mechanics working together when it comes to battle, but everything else falls short and feels dull. The reused dungeons, backtracking, and slow-paced story don’t give me much to fight for, even if the end does come together in an interesting way. Sadly, the tedious grind through a milquetoast adventure is sour for far too long before coming together.

Lost Sphear has some good ideas and mechanics working together when it comes to battle, but everything else falls short and feels dull. The reused dungeons, backtracking, and slow-paced story don’t give me much to fight for, even if the end does come together in an interesting way. Sadly, the tedious grind through a milquetoast adventure is sour for far too long before coming together.

Lost Sphear has some good ideas and mechanics working together when it comes to battle, but everything else falls short and feels dull. The reused dungeons, backtracking, and slow-paced story don’t give me much to fight for, even if the end does come together in an interesting way. Sadly, the tedious grind through a milquetoast adventure is sour for far too long before coming together.

The Inpatient is a difficult game to recommend, with inconsistent scares and a mundane cast. It still offers some frightful moments, but they aren’t wrapped up in a captivating enough narrative to keep you engaged. Even if you’re a hardcore Until Dawn fan, this watered-down horror experience is probably worth skipping.

Despite some poor controls for minigames, The Red Strings Club conceptually flourishes, with fascinating subject matter, well-written characters, and unique approaches to gameplay. I enjoyed feeling like a puppeteer as I made others do my bidding by exploiting their emotions or deceiving them through phone calls. However, these actions begged a bigger question: Was I just as bad as the mega corporation? Was I playing god? The Red Strings Club had me pondering these moral questions for days.

Fun puzzles, exciting dungeons, and satisfying exploration makes this retro-style title a joy to play through. With loads of Zelda inspiration and fun, new takes on puzzles and boss battles within the beloved formula, Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King is a delightful take on a familiar style.

Sky Force is a long-running series, but this is the first entry that truly hooked me and made me want to play more just to see how ridiculously overpowered my ship could become.

Brawlout probably isn’t for most Smash fans, including me. It simply can’t compete in terms of roster size, interesting characters, and overall personality. All of those things are critically important. Gating what little it has to offer behind a slow-drip progression feed is a mistake, too. Players who don’t have the time or patience to unlock everything can console themselves with the knowledge that they aren’t missing out on much.

Crawl appeals especially to fans of local competitive arcade multiplayer experiences that aren’t fighting games. This group is a niche one with a lot of qualifiers, but developer Powerhoof knew exactly who they were going after with the game. Crawl isn’t hard to play, but it takes study to be successful at it. When you have a group that knows the game, however, it leads to close calls, upsets, and victories at a brisk and rewarding pace.

Tiny Metal’s visual style pays homage to Intelligent Systems’ dormant Advance Wars series, but its under-baked action isn’t as cute. The battles never feel like a chore and I enjoyed basking in my easy victories, but Tiny Metal needs a few more tools in its arsenal if it wants to take on the legacy of Advance Wars.

Despite repetitive gameplay, Floor Kids presents a distinct approach to the rhythm genre and allows you to enjoy the music in unique ways. I had a good time in small chunks, but the gameplay of every track just blends together extended gameplay.

With a compelling overarching narrative and more engaging gameplay, Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two is an improvement over the uneven and inconsistent first season. I enjoy the Admin as both a character and a threat to the world, and seeing Jesse face off against him is entertaining. While the story takes unnecessary and uninteresting turns and gives you few choices of consequence. Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two is a fine continuation for those who wanted more from Jesse and crew.

With a compelling overarching narrative and more engaging gameplay, Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two is an improvement over the uneven and inconsistent first season. I enjoy the Admin as both a character and a threat to the world, and seeing Jesse face off against him is entertaining. While the story takes unnecessary and uninteresting turns and gives you few choices of consequence. Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two is a fine continuation for those who wanted more from Jesse and crew.

With a compelling overarching narrative and more engaging gameplay, Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two is an improvement over the uneven and inconsistent first season. I enjoy the Admin as both a character and a threat to the world, and seeing Jesse face off against him is entertaining. While the story takes unnecessary and uninteresting turns and gives you few choices of consequence. Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two is a fine continuation for those who wanted more from Jesse and crew.

With a compelling overarching narrative and more engaging gameplay, Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two is an improvement over the uneven and inconsistent first season. I enjoy the Admin as both a character and a threat to the world, and seeing Jesse face off against him is entertaining. While the story takes unnecessary and uninteresting turns and gives you few choices of consequence. Minecraft: Story Mode – Season Two is a fine continuation for those who wanted more from Jesse and crew.

Even with some foibles, Hell is Empty does a fantastic job filling in the blanks of what happened before Chloe was reunited with Max. As a fan, its references to the original shed light on how many things came to be, such as Chloe's transformation. Yes, I knew the conclusion, but it still has enough interesting developments to keep me invested. Before the Storm accomplishes what so many prequels fail to do; it tells its own story that leaves you content, while also connecting to the original game in a meaningful way.

Even with some foibles, Hell is Empty does a fantastic job filling in the blanks of what happened before Chloe was reunited with Max. As a fan, its references to the original shed light on how many things came to be, such as Chloe's transformation. Yes, I knew the conclusion, but it still has enough interesting developments to keep me invested. Before the Storm accomplishes what so many prequels fail to do; it tells its own story that leaves you content, while also connecting to the original game in a meaningful way.

Even with some foibles, Hell is Empty does a fantastic job filling in the blanks of what happened before Chloe was reunited with Max. As a fan, its references to the original shed light on how many things came to be, such as Chloe's transformation. Yes, I knew the conclusion, but it still has enough interesting developments to keep me invested. Before the Storm accomplishes what so many prequels fail to do; it tells its own story that leaves you content, while also connecting to the original game in a meaningful way.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds brings the battle royale genre to a smashing mainstream success, packed with memorable moments and action-packed adventures. Solo or with friends, you’re in for an intense ride that’s different every single time.

Never Stop Sneakin’ tried to appeal to my nostalgia for the original Metal Gear Solid. Unfortunately, you can’t judge this book by its cover. Dodging enemy sight cones and building up a stealth combo is only compelling for a short while, and the lack of overall variety made me want to sneak away to play other games.

Even if some features, characters, and new locations deserve more depth, this first DLC pack hides some thoughtful renovations and new opportunities for adventure behind an underwhelming first few hours. The robust community has a lot to say about the game, and I share some of the concerns being voiced. Simultaneously, my frustrations are tempered by several fun activities and loot chases that continue to keep me engaged.

As a huge fan of Doom and someone interested in the possibilities of virtual reality, I came away from VFR immensely disappointed. Outside of some nifty moments involving the slo-mo mechanic, VFR just isn’t compelling. The finicky teleporting mechanic hinders movement, the levels don’t accommodate VR well, the protagonist is annoying, and the combat isn’t fun. The biggest selling point for VFR is that it’s a full campaign in virtual reality, but with stiff competition in the genre like Robo Recall and Superhot VR, it’s hard for me to recommend Doom VFR to anyone.

This content neither plays to Steep's existing strengths nor gives gamers looking for Olympic competition anything satisfying.

Despite the unfortunate boss retreads and disappointing final dungeon, The Champion’s Ballad is a great excuse to revisit Breath of the Wild’s enormous world. Its new challenges highlight what made Breath of the Wild great in the first place, giving you some fun new ways to utilize your old toolkit. Figuring out where the new shrines are, puzzling out how to complete them, and finding several new secrets along the way gave me the same exciting wonder I had when I first started exploring Hyrule, and make me eager to continue exploring it and see what other secrets I’ve missed.