Catherine is a fascinating experiment, but it’s rather uneven and has not aged well.

Silver Lining ends The City That Never Sleeps with grace but its grander ambitions make it more than yet another Spider-Man chapter.

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.

It’s the best single-player Smash to date, and still retains the fantastic couch co-op the series is known for, but only time will tell if online functionality catches up to the rest of the game.

Despite its lack of replay value, Gris is a mesmerizing puzzle platformer. You won’t want the experience to end, but when it does, it will stick in your head due to its poignant atmosphere and incredible visuals. It’s just a shame that it only lasted around three hours. The game’s beauty and quality make it easy to not want it to end.

It is easy to be frustrated by the overall state of the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds PlayStation 4 port. The texture pop-in is ridiculous and the gameplay still has so many rough edges. But there is a certain charm to PUBG‘s gameplay that keeps players coming back for more.

Desert Child is built upon the promise of solid ideas that don’t quite come together. And sadly, they’re so deeply intertwined that a mistake in one aspect of the game critically injures the other part of the game. Hoverbike racing is a neat central mechanic but it wears thin and is stifled by its lack of difficulty and useless upgrades.

Even while calling back to a previous era, Dusk adds on top of those legacies. This is retro first-person shooter perfection, the next evolution in a genre once frozen in time. Long may it reign once again.

Just Cause 4 fulfills the promise of what a Just Cause game should be better than any of its predecessors.

Its treatment of the soundtrack and sound effects is evident of the grander attitude toward the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection. It shows how much care and thought went into every corner of it.

The inclusion of P4D in the $99 Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection sweetens the deal somewhat, but it’s still a lot to ask for an unchanged port of P4D and two games that are sparse on substance.

A game that aspires to be both a legitimate portrayal of war and an entertaining video game, but opts to take the easy route and do rid with any semblance of mature, balanced storytelling and instead replaces it with a rushed, disjointed campaign and a multiplayer component that’s getting seriously long in the tooth.

It’s envious of better games like Dark Souls and Devil May Cry, lustful of the relevance those titles have, sloth-like in its combat, and too proud to delay itself in order to fix its glut of technical shortcomings. A better game is hidden somewhere within its depths, beneath its glaring issues that beg for more development time. But as it stands, it’s a hobbled, confused mess of a game that’s a victim of a lot of the sins it proclaims to be against.

While the fights from the show transfer well to the game’s arena, there’s just not much depth. If you’re looking for an entry point into the My Hero phenomena, steer clear of this game. It does no favors for newcomers since it requires some initial knowledge.

Firaxis Games has done a magnificent job of porting Civilization 6 to the Nintendo Switch. While the PC version offers superior graphics and controls, you won’t be able to put this Civilization 6 Switch port down. It retains the series’ effortlessly addictive gameplay and is the perfect title for newcomers and long-time Civilization fans alike. Just one more turn.

Pokemon Let’s Go is best approached exactly like Nintendo described it. It’s an experimental side game and in no way a substitute for a main series title. Luckily, we should get a chance to experience a new core title for the Switch next year. As it stands, Pokemon Let’s Go is a decent morsel which will help pass the time until then.

Pokemon Let’s Go is best approached exactly like Nintendo described it. It’s an experimental side game and in no way a substitute for a main series title. Luckily, we should get a chance to experience a new core title for the Switch next year. As it stands, Pokemon Let’s Go is a decent morsel which will help pass the time until then.

Turf Wars is a minor step backwards because of the high bar set by the main game and the prior episode.

From the moment the first dragon, Nestor, tells you how to find the balloonist until the end of the Super Bonus World in Spyro 3, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy is an utter delight.

The improvements are a hugely positive step in making the Football Manager series the most realistic version of soccer management. There’s been no finer version of a Football Manager game, and it could be a few years before we see an entry as innovative as this one.

Those areas where Tetris Effect drops the ball doesn’t completely negate how good the classic puzzler still is at dropping blocks.

Hitman 2 is another contract in the same mold as the last, but like that bomb I placed into one of the target’s prized cars, it still knows how to be surprising when it counts.

No matter if you’re looking for a goofy FMV good time or an engaging mystery to solve, The Shapeshifting Detective delivers. You can see where the corners were cut if you push too hard in the wrong places, but the story and characters drive the game past those shortcomings.

The issues with the track layout and the so-so presentation mean that this game won’t Grip you for long. It’s great for a Sunday drive, but it’s not going to hold your attention forever.

It’s hard to complain about the amount of game here, and if you’re a DC Comics fan you’ll have a lot of fun, even if you had that same fun before.

I primarily played the Nintendo Switch version of Mutant Football League, and the quick matches are a perfect pairing for portable play.

Konami’s brazen attitude towards its stable of classic franchises (along with Hideo Kojima) is why it doesn’t have the best relationship with the hardcore video game audience. That doesn’t factor into this Castlevania: Requiem review but this collection is almost a pure manifestation of Konami’s common perception among players since it’s a slapdash port job done with the most minimal effort imaginable.

The astounding thing about RDR 2 is that there's not only a staggering amount of story, side quests, and places to explore but that it's all high quality and doesn't feel tacked on. The high level of craftsmanship in this game is evident in all its aspects, and it's genuinely one of the best games of this generation of gaming.

Spider-Man’s first episode is fantastic in almost all the same ways that the main game is. It has a great script with well-realized characters and a combat and traversal gameplay loop that is almost endlessly satisfying.

Project Warlock‘s speedy gunplay, rockin’ soundtrack, and armory of slick weapons combine in a way that make it a bit more than a repeat of past Dooms and results in a game that’s bigger than the sum of its many recognizable parts.

A title that begs for a sequel. As a proof of concept, it’s an absolute success as there are plenty of impressive moments and pieces of tech that help it stand out from other massive action games.

Infliction is an accomplished take on a well-worn genre. Minus two glitches and one unexplained story beat, it’s a game that demands your attention and refuses to let it go until long after the credits roll.

The skating dry spell may not have been completely lifted but it’s not as dry anymore, thanks to this modest splat of paint.

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.

I personally loved that so much attention was paid to the single-player experience, and because of the depth of the story and fluid combat, I found this to be one of the most enjoyable fighting games I’ve ever played.

A top-class Call of Duty experience that boasts three well-executed segments, with some minor hiccups in the bugs and glitches department.

This game aims to please anyone willing to give it a shot. Whether you’ve been away for a decade or kept up with every release, you’ll find something to like here. The character variety and self-serious nonsense mesh into a breezy good time that’s easy to recommend.

The remaster is just a timeless reminder of its importance in the pantheon of sneaking games.

If you didn’t like previous WWE 2K games, then WWE 2K19 isn’t going to change your mind. However, if you’re like me and have always had a soft spot for this series, then you won’t be disappointed.

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.

A collection of hard-as-nails platforming levels capped off by a boss fight where you get more gear so you can tackle even more hard-as-nails platforming levels and boss fights. However, its new Gear System and difficulty settings simultaneously make it more accessible and deeper while not sacrificing its core identity. The Blue Bomber may stick to his blueprint but, when it has been modernized this well, it’s hard to argue that Capcom blew it.

Although it crafts a wonderful narrative in an awe-inspiring world, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, through its stubbornness and familiarity, sometimes feels like a “best of” compilation of its predecessors without being the best of them.

Life Is Strange 2 Episode 1 is a decent introduction this new season. It stumbles and succeeds in the same areas as its predecessor, but those stumbles are a bit less severe and those victories are a tad more successful. Those heartfelt scenes and solid setup give the upcoming episodes a good foundation to stand on even if the dialogue sometimes tries its best to sabotage that goodwill.

With the changing seasons, a large variety of cars, and tighter track design, Forza Horizon 4 has done with arcade racers what Forza Motorsport has done with racing sims. It’s created an attractive package that is readily accessible and keeps you engaged even if racing isn’t really your thing. It’s fun to play for hours or just a race at a time, and it’s this that gives it the staying power that will keep you coming back for more.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season Episode 2 lacks an intriguing plot of its own and it isn’t able to write off its great character moments and writing as part of a bigger puzzle. As is, this is mostly a setup episode. And that can work but it doesn’t work as well when there is nothing to build up to.

The highs and lows of football are all here, and EA has pulled out (most of) the stops to provide a unique, utterly gleeful soccer game that leaves room for improvement but also serves as a new career best for the FIFA series.

Forsaken is a bit of a reset for pretty much everything about Destiny 2, and it’s one that gives me hope that the franchise is making a turn for the better.

Its initial focus on Lara’s character and colonialist mentality is surprisingly poignant. But it stumbles in following through on those topics and improving or changing the gameplay loop.

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.

Spider-Man PS4 continues the awesome tradition we’ve seen emerge in the last decade or so of amazing licensed games. I wasn’t a huge fan of some of the more repetitive side activities, but I had a lot of fun in general and gained a new appreciation of Spider-Man, enough so that I’ll be checking out the comics when I get the time.

It’s a delightfully lighthearted game with a seriously impressive UI, retaining all the charm of Theme Hospital while adding a slew of improvements for a modern audience.

This isn’t the game for everyone. Dragon Quest 11 is unabashedly a traditional JRPG. For some, the slower pacing and linear experience aren’t going to be appealing. However, for those who have fallen in love with the genre, and grew up adoring Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and others, this game is the ultimate expression of the traditional JRPG.

It may occasionally feel like a relic, but like the members of the Strange Brigade have shown, sometimes that’s just what you’re looking for.

It built a hilarious narrative around that silly concept and used that concept as a vessel for its heartwarming story and incredible humor that comes out in its writing and irreverent gameplay. For a game about garbage, its wholesomeness and “holesomeness” make it the very opposite of trash.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is one of the best games ever made.

Ingenuity is the key differentiating factor and that’s what drags down Guacamelee 2 from achieving the same level of greatness. It sacrifices originality for comfort. And that mask is still quite comfortable but, like dressing up as a luchador in back-to-back Halloweens, it’s not as impressive the second time around.

Its better camera, updated presentation, and deeper gameplay mechanics have me interested in whatever new things the studio is cooking up after it puts Clementine’s story to rest.

For $60 I needed to see more quality, and instead became overloaded with quantity.

The narrative and character interaction leave a bit to be desired, but the overall quality of the game overshadows its deficiencies.

It harnessed that frantic pace inherent to the food service industry and built a co-op game around it; one that surpasses its predecessor in every way.

Although the game sadly doesn’t use mechanics to tell its story, it represents both the good and bad extremes of what only gaming can do: imbue an emotional tale through interactivity and be technically busted. While Anamorphine’s story is still worth seeing through, it’s a shame that its shoddy optimization tries to actively thwart its touching message at every turn.

Technical hiccups and a few narrative shortcomings hold it back a bit but its honest look at the Iranian Revolution is unflinching, educational, engrossing, and hopefully inspirational for those trying to make games capable of enabling cultural empathy in its players.

This series is better than it has any business being. If you’re tired of the cookie cutter, hum-drum crap coming out of big studios, Yakuza 0 is the prescription for you.

This is another retro collection that does an excellent job of preserving a classic franchise in an accessible form on current-gen platforms and is worth your attention whether you’re a long-time fan or someone who’s looking to get into the Mega Man X series for the first time.

Unfortunately, a recipe is only as good as its ingredients. Narcosis’ voice acting and writing might hold water but the outdated visuals, laughable horror, and poor gameplay weigh the game down and cause it to sink faster than a corpse with cinder block shoes.

Bomb Chicken isn’t an innovative, genre-shaking, powerhouse. It doesn’t set out to be. Instead, you get some real solid 2D platforming action with a unique mechanic that sets it apart from its predecessors. It’s a welcome addition to the Switch’s growing library of quality indie games and a smart purchase for anyone who’s looking to kill a little time.

Red Faction Guerilla ReMARStered is far from perfect, but it’s fun, and it’s proof that not every game needs to have a serious, super in-depth narrative to please.

Fast gunplay, likable characters, and its weapon crafting system work incredibly well when the difficulty doesn’t spike too hard and kill the pacing and framerate. It’s almost there in many respects which make the prospect of a sequel awfully alluring but it’s executed well enough to make it a good game in its own right.

For only a $5 upgrade fee, they get all of those warm fuzzy feelings but with two great new characters and a small handful of remixed content that doesn’t quite break the bank nor provide a ton of value. However, the early 1990s infrastructure that the game prides itself on hasn’t aged quite as gracefully and, while it still has plenty of charm, it doesn’t fit in as elegantly with the current 2018 era that it’s being released in.

$60 for a game that’s approaching a year old is a bit much, especially given that it doesn’t include the DLC.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is a loving remaster of a series of fan-favorite games. If you need a dose of 32-bit nostalgia, or if you want to see where one of gaming’s iconic characters started you can’t go wrong here.

Rather than spend time with this frustrating game, do yourself a favor and just import Gundam Breaker 3.

I would have liked to have seen a more smooth difficulty ramp in the Adventure Mode, and more options when it comes to multiplayer matches. However, those are things that can be fixed with patches, and fundamentally Mario Aces Tennis gets things right much more often than it gets them wrong.

If you’re a fan of puzzle games, rhythm games, or just chilling out with a game that gives more than it demands, I heartily recommend Lumines Remastered. It’s a great addition to the Switch library and an excellent starting point for those who have never experienced the franchise before. For those who are longtime fans, it’s a love song to the original and the definitive form of the first Lumines title.

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit captures the awkward nostalgia of being a child quite well even if it falters in other areas.

Bethesda could have written Prey off with no further support, or released a DLC that just did more of the same, but it didn't. Prey: Mooncrash is an excellent expansion to a great game and adds enough of a twist to feel fresh and exciting.

I can't recommend this game as the payout of eye candy isn't worth the time you have to put in slogging through hell behind the eyes of a depressingly slow husk of a dead man.

Arguably the best Jurassic Park-themed game to date, and a must-buy for fans of the films.

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.

There are around 30+ hours of content to be had in Summerset, and although the game is four years old at this point, ZeniMax Online Studios is still bringing it's A-game. There's still a significant player population in ESO, and if you're an Elder Scrolls fan, or just looking to get into a game you can play for a while, Summerset is a good fit for you.

Onrush isn't the MotorStorm Apocalypse spiritual successor I had been hoping for, and though there's a lot of fun to be had in its Lockdown and Switch modes, there isn't enough here to justify its steep $60 price tag. This is a light package that never reaches the heights of Evolution Studio's previous games, but for those seeking an arcade racer offering quick thrills, it does the trick.

With my review, I set my sights on putting this to the test. Could I save London while resisting the temptation to feed? During my time with Vampyr, a more important question emerged. One that strikes at the heart of the matter. The killing blow, as it were. “Does it really matter when everybody in this town sucks?”

If you're a long time CRPG fan, or you never really gave them a try, Pillars of Eternity 2 is an excellent choice. It has the complexity of CRPGs of old but without the clunkiness. It's a much bigger, more polished game than the first in almost every way and a worthy successor.

Just a polished version of an already great game, but for me, it was a bit more special. With the technical issues eliminated, Dark Souls can shine and is a much more satisfying experience.

While there are certainly glaring issues present in some of its branching paths, Quantic Dream has managed to craft a compelling world in Detroit, enriched by fantastic performances and state-of-the-art motion-capturing.

State of Decay 2 is a flawed game, and it seems to suffer from Microsoft's increased demand for exclusive titles. If it had about six more months or so of development time, it's likely that the tone of this review would be very different.

Laser League presents a simple but original idea done incredibly well, and I hope that its player base stays strong. With its low price point and accessible gameplay, if you're into your competitive games, then you should give this one a shot.

Warmind is a big let-down that threatens to wipe out any sort of enthusiasm for the game that might be left. After all, if this is what you have to look forward to, why keep playing?

It's possibly the best example of what the PS4 has to offer, and I feel like it's going to be one of those games that instantly comes to mind when they think of this console generation...The graphics, sound, combat, world, and plot all come together to make an exquisite package that is a prime example of why games are art and God of War is right up there with the best films and novels when it comes to storytelling. If you have a PlayStation 4, you should play God of War. If you don't have one, you should consider getting one to play this game.

A few hours in and several crewmates later, I'd heard its handful of songs on repeat and I wanted to throw myself overboard as a result. This is representative of the full Sea of Thieves experience right now, where that initial excitement is eventually replaced with a longing for it to present anything new for the player to enjoy.

This game was all over the place regarding quality. There are some things I really like about Far Cry 5, and others I just think are awful. If the story had been told in a more linear, coherent way I think it would have been much better. This game almost gives you too much freedom to the detriment of cohesive gameplay design. Each thing you do has so little effect on the rest of the game world that it feels futile. The only bonus from this is that it facilitates co-op gameplay well.

A Way Out may not be the perfect local multiplayer game, and though Hazelight made the excellent decision to allow two online players to play the game using only one copy, it lacked the replayability required to inspire me to complete it with another friend after I'd finished my first playthrough.

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.

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is a game that is built on extremities. Its weaknesses are extremely flawed, but its strengths are profoundly great. The story and characters are woefully brought down by such uneven pacing, which is unfortunate given the relevant commentary that is sprinkled throughout.

I could go on and on about how utterly incredible Kazama Kiryu is as a character, and how the Yakuza series has broadened my horizons when it comes to Japanese games. If you've played Yakuza in the past, I think you'll get a tremendous amount of enjoyment out of this game.

The Council does away with a lot of the superficial feeling that modern adventure games have, and with its skill system, invests you in the personal development of the main character. I was able to get into this game in a way I've been unable to with adventure games for the last few years. It was a treat to play, and I can't wait for the remaining four episodes.

The ease of access and quick time to beat each mission is what separates this game from other turn-based strategy games and makes it more appealing for those who don't necessarily have 30 minutes or an hour to complete a map.

A paradox. Equipped with a purring, powerful new under-the-hood upgrade, the game delivers a pure driving experience that is on-par with many of its contemporaries in the looks and feel department. Unfortunately, it’s also running on well-worn tires. Some of the quirks, acceptable in 2008, haven’t been ironed out, and the game can feel sparse and comparatively tiny when scaled against later titles.