It really is the best Lego and best Marvel game that I've played—an excellent ride.

While My Time At Portia does stretch a bit too far into the realm of realism, it also offers an accessible entry point into this style of gaming. It’s constantly surprising how much fun it is to sit down, turn on a podcast, and farm for hours.

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.

This full-fledged expansion is no less than amazing and has delivered on many occasions through it’s addictingly raw gameplay.

Where the title lacks the ability to teach you real art skills, it’ll provide dozens of hours of entertainment for a gamer aware of what they’re getting into.

It allows you to do far, far more with what The Sims 4 already has. That said, the expansion doesn't have much supporting content in terms of useful skills or additional professions; in fact, bringing in the dancer and DJ as professions would have boosted the value of the expansion without being outside of the box. Still, Get Together is an expansion worth tagging along.

Honestly, Hustle Kings is almost the perfect handheld game. It's deep and engaging, without being so engrossing you'll hate yourself for having to turn it off quickly. The music is fantastic and even if you think you'll never play pool, you might be inspired to after this game.

Will of the Wisps doesn’t jump as high as Ori and the Blind Forest and falls in a few extra pits yet it is still a worthy enough successor. Comparisons between the two are not always favorable to the sequel, especially considering how it repeats some of the same beats. But that same familiarity is also what gives Will of the Wisps its vivid art style and well-paced, difficult platforming that make both titles such noteworthy entries in the crowded Metroidvania genre.

What 3DS features are present in Black and White Version 2 are negligible and feel tacked on. It's instead best to consider Version 2 as the Fire Red and Leaf Green of the original Black and White pair. In the end, it's possible to skip these two, but the hardcore won't let it go. After all, you can't be the very best if you're not also exacting your commanding power over the latest installment in the series. Still, lapsed trainers would do well with Version 2, despite feeling like a stepping stone to the next generation of Pokemon games on the 3DS.

Despite a few issues with the camera and the absence of a customizable mode, Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions proves that the multidirectional twitch-based shooter is still a blast.

It's hard not to recommend Soul Calibur V. The balanced gameplay makes for an open invitation to new players, and stalwarts of the series will find a return to form for the series. Even if you're not that into fighting games, the depth and variety in Create a Soul is a game unto itself.

Judgment at this point is the best of the series, and though there are several unanswered questions at the end of the episode, it feels like the disjointed condition of the two stories are about to come together in some bizarre, just-go-with-it fashion that Resident Evil fans are used to at this point.

Taken altogether, New 'n' Tasty still makes the Oddworld experience totally worth it.

With Gears 5, there’s a lot to love. The campaign is solid, making bold pushes in brave directions, and continues to be a hoot with friends. The story ultimately failed to fulfil its potential, but compelling gameplay keeps things moving. Horde continues to be a brilliant binge of violent goodness, with new mechanics and rewards that help boost longevity. Escape is a worthy addition to the roster of modes, oozing potential for more creative players to realize. Versus is back in a big way, helping newcomers find their feet, while keeping loyal fans of the franchise happy with classic game types and the thank-god-it’s-not-terrible shotgun. If you’re any kind of shooter fan, this game has earned your attention.

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.

What 3DS features are present in Black and White Version 2 are negligible and feel tacked on. It's instead best to consider Version 2 as the Fire Red and Leaf Green of the original Black and White pair. In the end, it's possible to skip these two, but the hardcore won't let it go. After all, you can't be the very best if you're not also exacting your commanding power over the latest installment in the series. Still, lapsed trainers would do well with Version 2, despite feeling like a stepping stone to the next generation of Pokemon games on the 3DS.

Minor worries shouldn’t hold you back if you simply want the game, and if you do opt for Full Clip Edition you’ll surely have a blast with its wacky Skillshots and outrageous, funny, and somehow oddly affecting story just like before.

The masterful character work and slowly building absurdity prove that this game isn’t just a joke, even if it does have a giant purple dildo bat in it.

As an extended epilogue for Kazuma Kiryu, The Man Who Erased His Name is well worth the time. While the game could be longer, it’s a strong send-off for a character that has made Yakuza the thrilling, dramatic series it has been for nearly two decades. As the franchise transitions to Ichiban Kazuga as the main protagonist, I will still fondly remember him, with or without his name.

While the single-player will leave something to be desired, you'll find more than you need to stay entertained in online matches and the challenges, levels, and weapons therein. Kratos may have a lot of miles on him, but the gladiators that take to the online colosseum are fresh and eager for blood.

Rune Factory 5 definitely benefits from being on PC. The Switch version had plenty of issues, most of which are ironed out by jumping to a more robust platform. So, if you were holding out because of poor performance, now’s the time to pull the trigger. There’s a lot of fun to be had here, but don’t expect something vastly different from the previous games in the series. However, there are no glaring omissions either, which is great.

Utopia has given me plenty of reason to go back out into the far reaches of space, so much so that I now fear for the prosperity of my social life. With so many enticing updates rolled into Utopia and the Banks update, there’s even more to make me say “let me just do one more thing,” until it’s 4 a.m. and I’m out of luck. Thanks Paradox.

Catching your ball in the bucket below or racking up enough points to gain an extra shot satisfies like never before, but the title will absolutely appear on a device you probably already own sometime very soon.

Thanks to one of Bandai Namco’s best localization efforts and the fantastic work of both Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is still a joy to experience almost a decade after it was originally released. Both the story and the world it takes place in is full of heart, and the new Switch port is a great way to take it all in. While this adds nothing new besides the ability to play the game portably, the core product is good enough to earn its spot on your Switch.

Beatbuddy feels well worth the $15 sticker price on Steam for Mac, PC, and Linux. While sometimes it feels like its musical ambitions are inhibited by the game design, it's still a strong game in its own right and it's fun to see how the musical elements and enemies combine together as gameplay features.

Overall, FIFA 17 performs well and keeps the trophy for football greatness, but it can certainly do better. But with the exclusive licensing and creative game modes, it's tough to beat. However, Pro Evolution Soccer is making great strides in competing against EA's series this year.

Ambivalence aside, this is definitely an engaging and challenging story worth imbibing.

Playing Far Cry 3 in short bursts or actively distracting yourself with a mini-game will take your mind off its underdeveloped and restrictive story, but the tedium of its objectives still wears thin after a while. It's not a problem of "all style, no substance," but "all style, partial substance." That said, it's hard to deny its prowess for gunplay, exploration, and graphics, with the exception of minor pop-up issues and framerate drops. As long as you don't take the game as seriously as the game does, you'll be entertained.