Rime never strays too far from the “indie” trappings of ambiguous narrative, mysterious puzzles in a mysterious land, and a young protagonist incapable of fighting, but it delivers a meaningful and satisfying finale that shook me in a way I was not expecting.

Rime never strays too far from the “indie” trappings of ambiguous narrative, mysterious puzzles in a mysterious land, and a young protagonist incapable of fighting, but it delivers a meaningful and satisfying finale that shook me in a way I was not expecting.

The characters, their stories, and world they inhabit are divorced in a way that doesn’t make The Fidelio Incident a rewarding journey. When complete, I could look back on the story and appreciate it. But the two hours it took me to finish the game and gather the narrative components made me doubt it was worth the effort.

If you don’t mind taking the scenic route, Mages of Mystralia provides the unique opportunity to write your own spell book. Up until the end of the game, I was unlocking new runes that exponentially added to my magical arsenal. Piecing all of those runes into a new master spell made me feel like the most creative mage who’d ever lived, making this light-hearted adventure truly magical.

Farpoint is not the system-selling game the PSVR desperately needs. This competent shooter sews together a few VR thrills and benefits from the excellent PlayStation Aim controller, but the linear design feels dated by comparison to contemporary shooters. Therein lies the rub for virtual reality right now – you can’t innovate with dated concepts, even if they have a sheen of novelty overlaying them.

To call Fire Emblem Echoes a step back for the series would probably be unfair. As a remake it works on a number of levels, showing off the series’ strange roots while also serving up an entertaining 30-hour epic fantasy. However, the brutal and dull difficulty and large amounts of necessary grinding left me feeling as frustrated as I was invested in Echoes’ offerings.

Injustice 2 is a huge game, offering a lengthy story-based campaign, a great fighting experience, and a nearly endless supply of notable loot. The small tweaks to combat go a long way in creating a more dynamic flow, which resonates well in multiplayer matches. I ran into a little lag in a few online bouts, but the game ran smoothly most of the time. Even if you don’t enjoy the competitive aspects of the fighting genre, this is a game you can dive into for an enjoyable superhero story. Brainiac is a tough fight, but anyone should be able to march to him and take him down on the easiest difficulty.

I didn't mind investing over 50 hours to the grind in The Surge. I felt powerful at times and exploring every little area rewarded me with a nice bounty. It just clings too tightly to a one-note approach to world building, enemy encounters, and level design. This is a genre that has a rich history of wowing players, sometimes from the look of a boss, and maybe even the design of the world it inhabits. I was never dazzled by The Surge. I mostly felt like I was battling animated junk in a junkyard.

A delightful, daring, and different expansion that reinforces Forza Horizon 3’s reputation as one of the best racing games ever made.

NBA Playgrounds may not revolutionize arcade basketball, but it’s a welcome newcomer. If Saber Interactive tightens its gameplay shortcomings and introduces more ways to play, the game could have a healthy run as an alternative for those who don't want the heavy investment of a sports sim.

The roster itself is a healthy mix of legends like Shaquille O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain to modern-day stars like LeBron James and Steph Curry. Several team lineups have glaring omissions like Klay Thompson, Isaiah Thomas, and Giannis Antetokounmpo (though Saber plans to continually add new players).

Developer Saber Interactive has never made a sports game before, but NBA Playgrounds doesn’t show many signs of being a rookie.

NBA Playgrounds may not revolutionize arcade basketball, but it’s a welcome newcomer. If Saber Interactive tightens its gameplay shortcomings and introduces more ways to play, the game could have a healthy run as an alternative for those who don't want the heavy investment of a sports sim.

Strafe succeeds at being a suitable homage of referential nostalgia-laden trinkets, but there’s no other real reason you should play it. If you want the feel of an old shooter, you should probably go play one of those instead of Strafe.

In spite of being rough around the edges, Prey still managed to consistently impress and even occasionally hit me with a sense of wonder. Sections that had me floating around the exterior of the Talos-1 in zero-G were tense, as I explored massive hull breaches for supplies like a treasure hunter, and I loved experimenting with the Gloo Gun, using it not only to immobilize enemies but also to plug up holes spewing fire and to build bridges across chasms.

Wada says he named the game Birthdays the Beginning because he sees this as the start of a larger series. Perhaps there are some elements that didn’t make it here that could redeem Birthdays down the line. For the time being, it’s a tedious and obscure simulation that, more than anything else, made me yearn for another SimEarth.

Gnog is a simple puzzle game that never pushes the player too hard. Opening each box to rotate its wheels, push its buttons, and solve its puzzles is relaxing. It surprised me with its charm and made me eager to pursue each new box as I unlocked them. Putting together solutions and watching the resulting animations and musical numbers simply made me happy.

Dawn of War III is a mixed bag, featuring a forgettable campaign and enjoyable multiplayer, assuming you are willing to make some compromises to the traditional formula. I’m glad Relic is attempting some new tweaks while maintaining the sanctity of the almost-untouchable legacy of Warhammer 40,000.

The Syberia series is a product of its time, and Syberia 3 doesn’t bring back any excitement. It is plagued by bugs, a disappointing storyline, cliché characters, and puzzles that are more frustrating than fun. This return fails to do the series justice, feeling more like an unpolished and dated adventure game instead of a revival.

Perhaps what’s most impressive to me is how effectively lean Scanner Sombre is. The entire game is only three hours. Mechanically speaking there isn’t much you do outside of using the scanner to solve puzzles, find your way, and outwit foes. However, the foreboding atmosphere and where its plot ultimately leads is satisfying enough that its gameplay and storytelling are compelling. Whether you’re coming across a new upgrade for your LIDAR or slowly mapping out a spooky tunnel and inching toward danger, Scanner Sombre is a consistently spooky and somber game that’s worthwhile for those who want to scratch that horror-adventure itch.

I have a hard time putting together what exactly happened in the The Silver Case, but it’s a testament to the writing, characters, and mood that I want to figure it out. Portions are often slow, dense, and overbearing. However, the relatable character moments, intriguing short stories, and strong visual style eventually won me over, even if I had to wade through some rough edges to get to them.

As a movie, Late Shift is an enjoyable time. The acting is good, the script is well-written, the cinematography is serviceable and occasionally great, which all results in a competent genre film. However, Late Shift’s rigid structure makes it less appealing as a game, with the high production values failing to hide the fact that your choices don’t amount to much at all.

Players who like getting explicit answers are likely going to feel let down by the Little Nightmares’ conclusion. Things aren’t spelled out for you in the end, but I wasn’t disappointed. If anything, its ambiguous nature made me want to play through it again and pick up smaller details that may have gone unnoticed. The specificity of some of the references – nooses, masks, and those shoes – points to a greater mystery that fans will probably be discussing long after release. Thanks to Little Nightmares' respectfully short length (I took my time and finished that second playthrough in a couple of hours), it’s a great game to show to friends who appreciate imaginative horror.

Wilson’s Heart gets a lot of things right. The spooky atmosphere, charming camp, and long-form narrative are great proofs of concept for virtual reality adventures. Considering most VR titles available right now feel more like glorified tech demos than full-fledged games, I enjoyed the extended sessions of this six-to-eight-hour experience. But Wilson’s Heart’s limited interactivity, lack of freedom, and wooden combat show developers still have a lot to learn about creating truly immersive virtual reality experiences.

Despite the title, Bye-Bye Boxboy does not feel like the conclusion of a trilogy. The second game added more variables to the main puzzle-solving mechanic, but the third entry feels new and different. I would absolutely play another Boxboy if it continues to experiment with abilities like it has here. But if Bye-Bye Boxboy does mark an end for HAL’s quirky puzzle series, then it ends on a high note.

Deformers has some rough edges to put up with, but none of them are reason enough to avoid the game completely. Though it may not have the staying power to tussle with stronger multiplayer offerings, at the core of Deformers is a strong multiplayer experience with a great mix of simple basics and potential for the once-in-a-blue-moon moments that define multiplayer games.

Thicker than Water is the best episode this season. It offers a great blend between relationship building and intense reveals. I hesitated before making my big decisions and was blindsided by what followed. I'm more excited than ever to see how it all shakes out. I'm guessing the death and devastation are far from over.

For all its shortcomings, Dragon Quest Heroes II ends up a perfectly adequate beat-em-up. I encountered few surprises during my playthrough, but the simple fun of being a single soldier against an army of colorful Dragon Quest baddies is undeniable. I still prefer the original Dragon Quest Heroes, but this sequel continues to inspire confidence in Omega Force as it continues to experiment with its brand of action.