Dragon Quest Heroes II is exactly what a spin-off should be. It appreciates and honors what makes a Dragon Quest game distinct from other JRPGs, while still offering something different than the main series. The gameplay is exhilarating, using over-the-top animations and simple controls to keep you engaged in every battle. The amount of content, while no Dragon Quest VII, is certainly enough to get your money’s worth.

It's tremendous fun, despite recurring problems we've come to expect from Ubisoft games occasionally threatening to derail the experience.

Knowing your role makes Intercept one of the better cooperative experiences available on PlayStation 4 right now.

The only way to ensure that players don’t forego buying PES 2019 in favor of FIFA 19 is to hope that they stick with the controls long enough for them to appreciate the deeper mechanics that make PES 2019 so good.

Getting Doom on a new platform is inherent to the series’ DNA as people find more oddball hardware to run the classic game on. Playing Doom on a pregnancy test is not the most optimal way to play it, but it is possible. And Doom Eternal on the Switch is similarly possible but not optimal. The Switch port is still thrilling and has an addictive combat loop with incredible pacing yet it’s inherently held back enough by the platform’s weaknesses to make it the least appealing version. It’s a novelty to rip and tear on the go, but it’s questionable how, well, novel that novelty really is. It runs Doom… sorta.

As a game, it's fairly simple, and playing by oneself could grow dull quickly. It's really when people play together, either locally or online, that #IDARB takes off.

If you're looking for an accessible, free-to-play MOBA that isn't trying to nickel-and-dime you at every turn, then MXM is the game for you. A few small flaws aside, MXM is a treat among free-to-play MOBAs that shows imagination and restraint not often shared among its peers.

Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour is a polished trip down memory lane of one gaming's most impactful creations. It's true to the spirit of the original while also layering in a few goodies to improve quality of life. It can be rather emotionless at times due to its age, but it serves its purpose well. Welcome back, Duke.

At its finest, Ravaged is a competitive delight.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is the perfect nightcap game for summer’s end. A perfect portable adventure that should satiate the appetites of fans that also serves as a solid entry point for those unfamiliar. Demons, dungeons and damnation await those who wish to take on the mantle of Godslayer. If that sounds like a sales pitch, it’s because I finally found a Shin Megami game that does not require a broken controller.

While Final Fantasy 16 may not appeal to all long-time fans due to its significant departure from typical franchise elements, there is still much to like in this title. It offers a fresh perspective, a richly drawn setting, and a captivating story that stands on its own. Its action-oriented fighting and darker themes are a departure but also highlight the series’ willingness to branch out. Even if it seems different and isn’t quite the Final Fantasy many of us grew up with, FF16 is still an exciting and enjoyable adventure. It serves as a reminder that the series isn’t hesitant to grow and defy expectations, even if the outcome isn’t unanimously praised.

As it is, RE Village is simply a good game with excellent production value.

Street Fighter is a cultural phenomenon and even if you're not a fighting game fan you likely know plenty about Ryu, Chun-Li, Guile and the rest of the main cast. The Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection puts together the early history of the franchise and allows you to really see how the series began and how it moved towards where it is today.

Darkness in the Capital may seem like a typical expansion and it is in some sense, but that phrasing gives a short shift to how it builds on top of an excellent experience and remains a clawed fist that’s as sharp as it ever was. Its combat is fundamentally fantastic so adding new variables that maintain the same level of quality is only going to make that loop even more engaging. Darkness in the Capital’s array of bosses bring in another set of challenges and its new weapon encourages both thoughtful play and fast action. And in a game full of challenges and fast action, meaningfully building on top of that is still an accomplishment.

Still, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask doesn't pretend to be anything else. It's exactly what you expect it to be.

While I greatly enjoyed Dr. Luigi, most of my joy can be attributed to my profound love for Dr. Mario. Those who have such a nostalgic tie to the game will love Dr. Luigi in the same way the new iterations of Tetris keep fans from the '80s and '90s coming back.

The level of execution and polish in Axiom Verge makes it seem as though it came from a well-established studio, let alone a single person. There's a confidence in the design that channels the best parts of successful Metroidvania games.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a good value for the $20 entry-level fee, provided you are willing to explore every nook and cranny of the environment and all of the possible ways of playing.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 would have been a stellar sports title, with its new emphasis on realism and online clubs, if it traded its microtransactional model for a fairer coin system. No one likes buying a $60 title that thinks it's free to play. If you actually put in the work-the weeks upon weeks of effort playing the game-you still feel shorted people who put in less work but have more money to spend. Of course, if you spend money, you've just bought into the scheme. Somehow, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is as much a financial test of character as it is a test of gameplay skill, and that's unfortunately as memorable as any sort of comeback.

Anyone who already owns either Dead or Alive 5 or Dead or Alive 5 Plus already knows a lot of this stuff, so why am I repeating it? Because it's probably only worth buying if you don't already own it in one form or another, unless you absolutely must have the few additional characters or environments. However, if you don't already own Dead or Alive 5, this is certainly the best version of the game.

But it mostly excels at being a lesson that as much as you can "game-ify" elements of life, you will be confronted with perma-death—real death.

WipEout is just as visually impressive and, more importantly, every bit as fun as it's ever been in 2048. It's not without a few small problems, but it provides an exciting experience for racing fans, be they series newcomers or longtime WipEout followers. As of Vita's release time and much of the foreseeable future, this 17-year-old franchise will lay claim to the title of the system's overall best racing game.

Deus Ex GO is most definitely a casual game, but it also appeals to core gamers who are fans of the franchise.

Honestly, if you can get past the idea that Akihabara nerds are coming off just a little too rape-y for the average player (and Japanese tentacle monster), the game itself isn’t bad at all.

There are more challenges to unlock in Fenix Rage than I should bother mentioning, including one that butts heads with my infinite-jumping utopia, so it’s worth noting that on top of an already enjoyable and cookie-filled game, you’ll find yourself revisiting earlier levels again just to maximize your investment.

It's the hardcore game Nintendo fans have always wanted on their platform, leaving nothing but your console friends list behind.

Unfortunately, the weak recon missions made too easy by the lack of challenge from AI enemies, the small number of maps that are quickly mastered, and the limited variety in gameplay burdened by uninspired upgrades, ultimately prevent Deathloop from reaching the highest of highs. With online multiplayer enabled and embraced, however, it becomes easier to overlook the weak points and Deathloop comes out on the other side as a compelling lesson in how intimate multiplayer can greatly enhance the single-player formula.

While not a hefty time investment, any player will experience a narrative that reasonably mixes fantasy with common storytelling tropes. I just felt that there could’ve been much more to absorb and more game to play.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a competent platformer with tight controls. However, the generic craft theme and lack of memorable characters prevent it from being outstanding. The 3D platforming genre is filled to the brim with classics, and to stand out, a game has to do more than just be playable. There are plenty of costumes to collect and bits and baubles to pick up throughout levels, but Sackboy lacks that hook that’ll keep gamers coming back.

It is safe to say PES 2016 is one of the best sports releases to the genre in recent years.

It may not convert those who avoid the tower defense genre at all costs, but it does prove that a few small but important tweaks can change one's perception in a big way.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax could have easily been a cash-in, a weak standalone expansion that merely included a few extra characters and call it a day. But both the extensive episodes in story mode and the lengthy Golden Arena mode bolster the already strong multiplayer modes, all of which should satisfy casual fans of the Persona series and hardcore players who wish to perfect their battle skills.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition is worth it for anyone looking to build out their launch library on Nintendo's new console. It's got everything Namco packed in earlier this year, and that's about all you need to know. Tekken Ball and Mushroom Battle, while briefly entertaining, don't add much. Still, TTT2 is strong enough in its own right that we don't need to tag out just yet.

While some more important platform-specific content would have been ideal, the Catherine: Full Body Switch version is one of the few ports that can stand right with its peers on other systems. The modesty of the original benefits this rendition in a handful of ways since the anime-inspired art style looks fantastic on the smaller console and its humble systems don’t push the Switch past its technical breaking point. Imperfect controls don’t hamper the rewarding puzzles and the story, while still engrossing, is only inhibited by its sometimes dubious and dated depictions of certain groups of people. And because of those reasons, Catherine: Full Body is one of those rare full-bodied ports that’s just as enjoyable when poured into a to-go cup.

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is conclusively a must-have for anyone who wishes to continue being relevant in competitive play. For casual players who merely enjoy building a base and waging war in sci-fi space, it’s a worthy, although non-groundbreaking, expansion.

Hopefully, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will give fans that opportunity, either in retreading steps worn throughout Hoenn or acting as if it were a brand new universe on 3DS.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe does what Starcraft 64 could not: make a real-time strategy game work well on console. It does have its aggravating flaws and quirks, but these are balanced out in part by robust quality-of-life features and sensible design. Despite its flaws, Pikmin 3 Deluxe gets most of its gameplay right and will hopefully serve as the blueprint for the continuation of the franchise on the Nintendo Switch.

Hopefully, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will give fans that opportunity, either in retreading steps worn throughout Hoenn or acting as if it were a brand new universe on 3DS.

There’s little doubt Complete is the definitive version of the game, with all of its DLC scenarios on Switch included and worth exploring. Handheld mode is what really seals the deal, in effect “improving” the game’s visual presentation and exposing Disgaea 5, of all things, as far more pickup-and-play-friendly than anybody probably ever expected.

While this game has already released in Japan, it fizzled out for reasons I don’t understand. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE seems to be mostly faithful to both wildly popular games from which it draws inspiration. Hopefully it will find a second wind and catch on in NA and EU, as I’ve stumbled upon quite the treat with Tokyo Mirage Sessions.

The world design is second to none, and the game’s intertwining stories come together in a way that From Software—and its imitators—have failed to match. I continue to experience and find new things hidden away in Lordran’s darkest corners, and the Switch version lets me do that on the bus.

With the new limited reversal system and a much higher overall production value, WWE 2K16 is the competent fighter we always knew it could be. The fuller roster and a wealth of creation modes mark this year's installment as a notable comeback for the series. Only the submission system, the occasional glitch, and the some issues with the UI for creation modes hold WWE 2K16 back. Otherwise, WWE 2K16 crushes its predecessor with the impact of a Stone Cold Stunner.

The Old Hunters aims to deepen the experience of the original by taking the good ideas in Bloodborne and expanding on them. And on those terms it’s a success.

After testing the Switch version I do recommend handheld mode wholeheartedly, as I’ve only ever enjoyed puzzling on the go and it bolsters pickup-and-play exactly as needed. Regardless, this is a game that delivers exactly what's described on the tin, and if you enjoy those things, you’ll surely enjoy Puyo Puyo Tetris.

The loading times are lightning fast compared to earlier installments and the extraordinary roster has more than one hundred wrestlers, in addition to a wealth of DLC characters.

For the price tag, Gotham City Impostors is incredible. It has bazillions of unlockable items including costume designs for each for your characters for both the bats and jokers. The game hosts a ton of weaponry and gadgets that rival the armory of Call of Duty. My only big gripe are the micro-transactions they added that help boost experience, buy costumes, unlock certain mascots, and expedite the time it takes how long to queue players into a working lobby.

While Awesomenauts is a basic game-attack and destroy-it's a great online-only brawler to share with friends.

If you’re new to the game, you might check it out and keep an eye out for patches and updates that improve stability. If you’ve played the original I’d say skip this one and wait for Project CARS 2.

For those who already love the franchise and are simply hoping for a spruced-up version of the original game, then the Dead Space remake is an easy recommendation, so long as you’re okay with paying the $70 price (or waiting for a sale)...However, for those who have no pre-existing affection for Isaac and his dismemberment skills, more convincing is likely required. Happily, even with my modern expectations, the Dead Space remake still delivers a fantastic narrative, a wonderfully presented setting, and compelling gameplay that satisfies from the first terrifying moment until the horrific last.

WRC 8 is the best game yet in the series and has a major edge on its chief competitor due to its far more accessible racing.

It doesn't keep quite the same appeal so many years later, as good as it still may be.

If you can stick through the starting areas to around Level 10, find several friends to group with, and stomach the litany of technical flaws, The Elder Scrolls Online will more than grow on you. Whether it remains that way will be determined when I review the endgame content more thoroughly several weeks from now.

For the few songs that will catch your ear and push you to finish even on Extreme difficulty (which lives up to its name) and fiddle with the virtual pet aspects of finding the right gifts and such, Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F 2nd is a funny name, but a solid rhythm experience.

It’s got a lot of the fourth-wall breaking humor that made that game so famous, while still going its own way when it comes to narrative and world design. I ended up loving the whole ridiculous thing, and it’s a great play, and something different, for anyone who likes RPGs.

Valiant Hearts could very well be the most poignant World War I game ever made, especially as it tells a tale from both sides of the conflict without getting bogged down in the unnecessarily stupid allegiances and battles that wasted thousands of precious lives.

Overall, the small adjustments Atlus has made in porting this game to the 3DS has definitely helped to even Soul Hackers out.

It might be a bit obtuse, but Any fan of 2D JRPGs must experience Legend of Mana. It was released when they were at their zenith, a time when it seemed like every month Square Enix was dropping a new banger. Hopefully, if these continue to do well, we’ll see games like Threads of Fate and (dare I say it) Chrono Chross get another chance to shine. These remasters are a way to go back to one of the golden ages of gaming, and they can keep them coming.

Still, Defense Grid 2 represents the pinnacle of tower-defense design at this moment and for that it gets a firm recommendation from this reviewer.

Whether it's exploring the open city of Los Angeles or pointing fingers at suspects, LA Noire feels right at home on Switch. The mature, serious film noir storyline is just as effective as ever, filling a much-needed gap in the Switch's lineup of games.

Aside from some outdated appearance issues, JRPG cliches, and forgettable music, there isn’t anything terribly wrong with this game.

The lack of meaningful obstacles lessens the overall experience a bit, but Shantae and the Pirate's Curse still stands as an excellent addition to a series with a devoted fan base. The Pirate's Curse adheres to the Metroidvania formula from previous games, but everything here feels bigger and better. I imagine the devoted fan base will only grow after more people play it.

Vita owners looking for another standout indie title for their collections should definitely give Dustforce a shot.

If you expect more bang for your buck despite its budget pricing, then you might be left feeling a little underwhelmed by this short-but-sweet adventure.

Longtime fans of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series should not miss out on this 2014 installment, as nearly every change and enhancement is meant to cater to their every desire. New players may be frustrated with the higher standard of difficulty and the presentation has become worn and dated, but there is no question that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 is, despite being the only one, the best golf simulation yet to date.

Full Body’s occasional well-intentioned but problematic narrative additions don’t suffocate its core, choice-laden plot as it is still strong enough to persist despite how outdated the new branches can be. Aside from being open to more people, its block puzzles didn’t see as much of an upgrade but they remain as tense, thrilling, and sometimes frustrating as they were in 2011.

If all you did was buy someone an Xbox One console and a copy of this, you’d have them covered for the next year should they really take to multiplayer or definitively clearing each campaign on the hardest difficulty with and without friends.

While the gameplay definitely shows its age in spots, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! is exactly what was advertised to Kickstarter backers in 2015. An updated version of the duo’s original Genesis exploits both in spirit and design, it manages to remain a charming experience no matter how ruthless its old school gameplay can be at times.

If you're in the mood for a solid 2D brawler that will keep you and your friends entertained for hours on end, I strongly recommend you give this game a look. Sacred Citadel takes the genre in an exciting direction forward, proving that older genres still have a place in the industry. Seriously, check this one out. You won't be disappointed.

If you don't take the genre too seriously, Injustice is likely the most entertaining fighter of all-time. Its witty, tongue-in-cheek humor and blockbuster production are a joy. Duking it out with friends online or on the couch provides hours of fun. Competitive fighting game fans will find a more even and balanced playing field in another game, but patching down the line will likely fix that shortcoming anyway.

Forza Horizon does more for the Forza franchise than it does for the open-world racing genre. It shows off the freer side of the series with high-production visuals and music, though it sometimes tries too hard to be cool and could have included a stronger range of content and weather effects. Still, as a casual departure, Forza Horizon deftly navigates the world between technical and casual racing, and is worth well more than the usual test drive.

Max Payne 3 is yet another amazing Rockstar game. It's worth your money and your time, especially if you enjoy competitive multiplayer. Still, know that you'll get the most out of the single-player if you pace yourself.

Though Foul Play can become repetitive and the story would have been bettered by voice-acting, its stylized gameplay is entertaining, memorable, and conceptually well-designed for a 1200 MSP title. Its ability to juggle all of its concepts into a cohesive beat-'em-up that lasts at least full weekend is to the credit of the indie developer Mediatonic. I take my hat off, good sir.

If you can overlook (or enjoy) the cringeworthy perverseness found here, you'll find an enjoyable little shooter.

Mortal Kombat 11’s blemishes have carried over to Aftermath yet they are far outweighed by the accompanying strengths that have also made the jump.

Some parts of Stranger’s Wrath could use an upgrade. Its actual upgrade system never requires you to pinch your pennies and bring in targets alive, a few of the ammo types don’t work as well as they should, the stealth never seems to work, its ending goes on for too long, and the world could use a bit more life. Yet, true to its name, Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath is a strange game that still sticks out because of its unusual but fantastic tone. It’s strong enough to deserve a sequel or actual remaster from the ground up but, given the unlikelihood of that, a strong port will have to do.

After NES Remix, I knew I wanted more. NES Remix 2 is definitely a step in the right direction, but due to featuring fewer games than the first Remix (which had 16 as opposed to the sequel's 12) and not including the best from the first, there’s still an air of incompleteness about it.

For a game with so much content, it’s at home on a portable screen, even if the 3D isn’t anything to write home about.

The mission structure and narrative leave something to be desired, but when I think of Galak-Z, I think of my many triumphs and the elation I felt when I completed a season. Few games manage to instill that feeling of triumph quite like Galak-

The combat system stands as the game's strongest and most important pillar, which masks some of the minor imperfections with the graphical clipping and online performance.

Ultimately, The Division 2 is a safe sequel for Massive Entertainment to have made and is a safe purchase for anyone looking to grind for loot in a well-paced, co-op experience set within a gorgeous open world. It might not push the envelope in a significant way, but it still provides a rock solid foundation at launch, and I’m excited to see what the developers add in the months and years to come.

If you prefer your puzzles to require more thought, Motley Blocks probably isn't for you, but building an item back together, piece by piece, makes for a worthwhile time waster. Motley Blocks is available in both free-to-play and paid versions, so check the game out and spring for the later levels when you're sweet tooth kicks in.

If you dream of a single-player Star Citizen, or loved games like Freelancer, then this space sandbox will be a breath of fresh air in a much too sparsely populated genre. However, even though X4 is more accessible than X1–X3, it’s not a casual game. You have to work to figure out the mechanics behind Foundations, and if you put in the time, you’ll be rewarded with an experience that can last 100 hours or more.

Like any other episode, you can coast through this and learn absolutely nothing, but it would be a waste of a fascinatingly rich narrative not to pursue the audio logs and television sets.

Making History expands vanilla Kerbal Space Program to a point in which you’ll be receiving your time’s worth. As to the underlying quality of the title, even though the baked-in missions are inspiring and well-designed, how the fanbase for Kerbal eventually uses the mission creator will be the deciding factor.

Aviary Attorney may not make any new fans in the legal investigation genre, but those who already like that sort of game should be well pleased with Sketchy Logic's debut.

For its flaws, Rune Factory 4 Special brings an incredible life-sim/Action-RPG to the Switch. There are few games in the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons series that match the complexity and fun of Rune Factory 4, and this port has me excited to see Rune Factory 5.

What resonates most is that feeling of something that has passed by. Whether that’s one’s own nostalgia or solely heroine Alex, OxenFree won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Perhaps it’s best to think of it this way: If the occasional AI glitch or incoming onslaught of paid DLC gives you unbearable or unwanted flashbacks to Rome II, then you may want to avoid Attila altogether. But for everyone else, you’d be remiss to deprive yourself of a rich, captivating experience that, though not quite perfect now, will likely achieve true greatness via updates well before its successor arrives.

As for extras that are included in BioShock: The Collection, BioShock is featured with Museum of Orphaned Concepts which was on the previous PS3 version, and the new director’s commentary in the form of golden reels. BioShock 2 has Minerva’s Den and Protector Trials DLC. BioShock Infinite has all episodic add-on content and weapon backs.

It’s one of the more memorable titles in the past few years not only for its dark, hilarious lines that hit far too close to home, but because of how it adeptly skewers the very time period it was released in.

Despite a few pre-existing flaws carried over from Civilization V, Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth evolves the franchise and has the potential to become an outstanding spin-off of its own.

There’s an elusive elegance to The Gardens Between. It’s short, charming, and shows its rewarding puzzle mechanic in just a couple hours without stretching the game to its breaking point.

Old Iron King's focus on fire is a welcome change, and despite some uninspired moments, it has the atmosphere and challenge we've come to expect from the series. Souls fans will likely find something to enjoy here.

Low content quantity and some roughness around the edges might keep this game from being a premier shooter of 2017, but it's still a wonderful breath of fresh air that has arrived just in-time for the Summer drought.

After Trine 3‘s failed experiment, Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince is a glorious return to form.

The combination of fun rhythm gameplay, impressively choreographed dances, and costume variety make Persona 4: Dancing All Night a worthy addition to the Persona 4 universe.

DmC doesn't feel old and stale. It feels new and fresh and furious, eager to prove itself and more than capable. If you're an old DMC diehard, this new vision won't disappoint, it'll delight.

Its reluctance to properly evolve keep it from being the king of its genre, but its commitment to its stylish and responsive mechanics still makes it one of the best hack and slash games, crown or not.