Despite its old-age, the Sega Ages treatment was able to add to the game's value by including some essential modern-day features that make it easier to play on the Nintendo Switch. Additionally, the new Switch version also includes tons of display customization options and was able to retain the fast-paced but balanced gameplay that made Sonic the Hedgehog 2 one of the most loved games of all time.

Those looking for a deep challenge won't find it in The Plucky Squire, but any gamer looking for something fun and charming will be entertained by the story of Jot and his friends. Despite its lack of difficulty, it's easy to think that most users will want to finish the story once they've started. Its creativity and level designs go a long way in turning something mediocre into something artfully enjoyable. Be it for the children who remember their parents reading stories to them or for the parents who remember reading to their kids, both will find a bounty of nostalgic adventure in The Plucky Squire.

It seems the idea here was to make an accessible, stunning, and fun-focused racing game that opens the door to new players as the next generation begins, and in that regard, Dirt 5 knocks it out of the park. Its driving is exceptionally precise, making players feel like a master behind the wheel, while the sheer variety of gorgeous, globe-hopping tracks with treacherous terrain to conquer create a wonderfully diverse gameplay experience. It runs out of steam towards the end of its campaign and lacks much meaningful vehicle progression, but on the whole, this is one of Codemasters' most confident racing packages to date.

Revita is an excellent addition to the rogue-like genre’s ever-expanding library of games and one that fans should have on their radar. It doesn’t challenge current genre conventions much, but what it does do, it does well.

Feels like a return to form for the long-dormant series. The new control scheme courtesy of the Wii U GamePad makes it standout, alternate vehicles like the Arwing’s Walker form change up gameplay from existing predecessors, and the pure challenge present throughout every new area makes this a game that players will come back and jump into at a moment’s notice.

Much like the game shows it's based off, Fall Guys isn't meant to be taken seriously, and there are few multiplayer experiences out there that so wholeheartedly put approachable, inclusive fun at the forefront.

Like a Dragon: Ishin is a joy to play for many reasons. It has a compelling story dealing with revenge and identity, combat that is incredibly satisfying despite being a bit dated, and a setting filled with many fun activities. Unfortunately, there are technical issues that grind the pacing to a halt and can take players out of the experience. Still, when looking at the game as a whole, it is an easy recommendation, and the extended wait for fans to play it in English seems well worth it.

Dead Take clearly wants players to focus on uncovering its story, and the mansion is built in a way that makes exploration feel rewarding even without much resistance. The atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting, with sound and lighting creating an ever-present sense of tension that kept me leaning forward the whole time. Dead Take might not break the escape room genre wide open, but it finds a creative way to pull players into its world, and it's worth seeing through to the end.

Reach on PC generally runs quite well and the mouse and keyboard controls will make it difficult for anyone to go back and play the game on console.

Nintendo’s Kirby: Planet Robobot introduces the pink protagonist to a brand new platforming mechanic in the form of a giant mech suit, and the end result is rather refreshing.

Outriders is the type of game where players get what they put in. For those who want a pick-up and put-down RPG with an emphasis on story, Outriders has that covered. For those who want hundreds of hours of gameplay in tense and adrenaline-pumping combat with powerful builds, Outriders has that covered too. Ultimately, the strength of Outriders is how it connects to its players and what they want out of the game, meaning everyone walks away feeling different about it, and that can only be a good thing.

Overall, Age of Mythology: Retold feels like a strong remake of the original. Ensemble seems to understand how to craft an engaging RTS that not only feels great for newcomers but also honors the past. However, its graphical style may be a bit too rough around the edges for some, and it may not be modern enough for others. That being said, it still feels well worth the price of admission for anyone looking to sink their teeth into a brand-new RTS. And with all the content on the horizon, the fun may never have to end.

With a greater focus on receivers/cornerbacks and a fantastic new Draft Champions mode, Madden NFL 16 represents a vast improvement over last year’s game in nearly every way.

Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a bit pricey, but it offers a really creative experience that should garner the attention of a wide variety of gamers. It is built on a gimmick, so those who don’t find that cool will not be as entranced as others. However, Velan Studios has put together an experience that works well and delivers exactly what one would expect. Hot Wheels: Rift Rally is a racing game that plays out right in the living room.

Winning Putt has the potential to be a must-play title for anyone looking for an engrossing golf video game, but a few rough edges detract from the overall experience in its current form.

Doom Eternal is an excellent first-person shooter. From the very first fast-paced mission, it never lets up. Developer id Software manages to create a game that feels like a blast from the past while also bringing the genre forward.

ARMS is a success that will rope players in for hours through its multiplayer and online modes, but will only garner interest from solo consumers for a short amount of time. At its core, ARMS isn’t a flawless technical fighting game, but that’s never what Nintendo wanted it to be. It’s accessible without feeling primitive, and the layers of depth that are present are easy for fight aficionados to get lost in.

A high quality collection that will enthral new players and offer those who haven’t picked up the series in a long time an excellent reason to revisit it. Minor technical issues and dated gameplay aside, it is hard to find a compilation with this much value built-in, and Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX is the best excuse Square has given players to brush up on Kingdom Hearts yet.

The lack of checkpoints can prove to be brutal in some of the more challenging worlds, and the inclusion of co-operative play would have made building and playing through these levels feel a lot more like a team exercise than a solo affair.

This is a one-of-a-kind horror FPS delight. All the game’s nuances and features come together to craft an ode to H.P. Lovecraft that the author himself would be proud of. With incredible gunplay, myriad secrets to uncover, a gorgeous aesthetic, and memorable boss encounters, its technical issues don’t quite stop Forgive Me Father from being something a die-hard FPS fanatic looking for a fresh, new experience should miss out on.

Obviously, it's not a perfect game, but Genshin Impact deserves a try from RPG fans. There's plenty of in-game content to explore, and while many assumed this was just Breath of the Wild with microtransactions, Genshin Impact has a surprising amount of depth and content for players to enjoy.

The real draw of Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is its gameplay, and to the game's credit, it's strong enough on its own to generate that "just one more run" feeling that the best action roguelikes do.

It’s exactly what fans expect from an Igrashi-produced Metroidvania game, and even the inferior Switch port is still a fun time that should satisfy Castlevania fans who are tired of waiting for Konami to properly continue the series.

With its high production values, impressive on-screen talent, and an engaging story told in a truly spectacular way, Telling Lies is a truly unique and compelling experience. Whether one prefers to absorb their stories through video games or film, Telling Lies is a must-play for fans of storytelling in any form.

The game is a snapshot of the lives of three women, uncovered over the course of a few days, the discoveries they make about each other, and how the whole experience brings them closer together. And like most people’s lives, it’s not all action, dungeon crawling, and loot collecting. It’s mainly emotions, arguments, secrets, heartache, and love; in other words, what the game has to offer simply won’t seem very interesting to everybody. But for anybody looking to spend a relaxing afternoon with a heartwarming tale, taking a brief road trip with Tess and Opal in Open Roads may be just the answer.

This is the current-gen Mortal Kombat we all wanted: it’s smooth, mechanically sound, unbelievably gory, and looks great.

Despite a few shortcomings, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a solid action-adventure game and an impressive debut effort by Ember Lab. It will scratch the itch for anyone looking for a Zelda-like adventure on PlayStation, but while it's been compared to games like Zelda and Pikmin, Kena: Bridge of Spirits still stands on its own. Hopefully, this isn't the end of Kena's story, as it would be great to see the ideas here expanded on in future games.

Even with these console-specific issues, Orcs Must Die! Unchained from Robot Entertainment is one of the better free-to-play games on the PlayStation Store. The controls may be tighter on PC and there’s clearly room for improvement in some other areas as well, but Orcs Must Die! Unchained is still worth taking the time to download on the PlayStation 4.