There is certainly an audience for Sifu — it’s stylish as hell, and the kind of people who are happy to spend the dozens of hours it takes to master a fighting game character might find the same sort of precision-based pleasures here that the developers’ previous game, Absolver, offered. However, Sifu’s developers set out to make the player feel like they were actually doing the fighting, but instead gave them tools suitable for a one-on-one fighting game and expected them to work against six enemies at once. They don’t.

Atlas Reactor has tons of strategic depth compressed into hyper-kinetic ten-minute chunks.

The vast array of options in Etrian Odyssey Nexus could easily scare away players who are unfamiliar with or who dislike RPGs, but Etrian Odyssey Nexus is welcoming to all skill levels and would be a great starting point for players new to dungeon-crawling RPGs. It’s also an enjoyable and fitting send-off as the series’ last installment on the 3DS.

Whether one is considering the challenging campaign mode or the endlessly replayable multiplayer, Antihero is a top-notch electronic boardgame. It rewards players who learn the systems, but contains just enough random chance to keep things interesting. As a game of stealthy moves, hidden trickery and careful manipulation, this is one of those occasions where the setting and gameplay are perfectly matched, offering a great experience for any would-be thief.

With over 300 maps available as of the time this review was written, there is a wealth of content to tackle. People looking for a singleplayer experience in Wargroove should prepare themselves for how difficult the campaign gets, but those open to multiplayer should jump in immediately.

While the central narrative likely won’t inspire seasoned indie fans, Songbird Symphony might be just the thing to convince a younger age group to try some independent releases. As for me, this songbird’s notes aren’t particularly touching, but they did succeed in putting a smile on my face.

Fall Guys takes a bit of skill, a lot of dumb luck and a truckload of frustration, mixes it all together and produces one of the most imaginative multiplayer experiences around. Sure, I still might suck at online games but it’s never felt this good to be so bad.

Nostalgia and style are weak currencies to a mass market obsessed with content, and OutRun's primary commercial frailties are its simplicity, its repetition and its lack of long-term structure.

Redout delivers excitement I haven’t felt since Nintendo released the last great F-Zero title over a decade ago. I don’t know if it’s the best racer I’ve ever played, but it’s almost certainly the most exhilarating, and earns its place among the very games it takes inspiration from.

To me, it says a lot about God of War III's dreadful story that the game can be so well-paced and exciting, and yet still leave me ambivalent about having played it.

All in all, despite its sometimes too-apparent limitations in production, Battle Chef Brigade more than succeeds at everything it sets out to do, proving that any concept can become a great game. Even though some of its components end up feeling a little undercooked, the final dish is still delicious.

The game's core mechanics are all still there, neatly created and presented stunningly. But underneath this evident beauty, Prince of Persia fails to deliver on any sort of a challenge, and instead of carrying on the proud tradition of the series, deviates to a considerable and damaging extent because of its simple gameplay and excessive accessibility.

Until now, I’ve liked each new Ninja Theory game more than the last, and I can never deny the craft on display. Given that this is their first release since the Microsoft acquisition, I credit Hellblade II for not feeling compromised by corporate interests, but that only makes it more baffling that it lacks any real vision that I was able to discern. It’s not an offensively bad experience, and yet I can only offer one of the most damning criticisms imaginable – I have no idea why it was made.

This remolding of the classic action hero was a big departure from the traditional action the series was built on, and stood as a highly enjoyable, solid, and creative game worth getting into.

The Color of Madness is another welcome addition to Red Hook’s tough-as-nails Lovecraftian horror RPG, and in contrast to the way the previous DLC,The Crimson Court, was implemented, this new content is mostly self-contained and doesn’t bleed out into the main campaign — a plus for newcomers who aren’t ready for it. While the add-ons in other titles can often feel superfluous or like a grab for cash, The Color of Madness delivers a strongly-realized idea that improves the core content while also adding to it.

Kena fills the void left by a now-scarce genre that used to be far more common than it is today. It’s a simple story of love and loss with gorgeous visuals and a play loop ripped straight from the PS2 era. I would have liked a few more concessions to help players navigate the world and its challenges, but I still enjoyed my time here — it doesn’t reinvent the action-adventure platformer wheel, but it managed to put a nostalgic smile on my face.

Fun, but has only whetted my appetite for more bongo-compatible games. With time and resources, the bongo controllers can be used in better and cleverer ways as time goes on.

Minor issues and pacing aside, it’s incredibly easy to recommend The Legend of heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 2 to fans of the original. The storyline stakes are higher than ever, the additions to the battle system are intelligent and deftly handled, Laura’s back with her massive freaking sword, and the team of Class VII are as likeable a bunch as ever. For newcomers, my advice absolutely has to be repeated: start with the first game. It may a huge time investment given that both entries take approximately 70 hours each, but it’s worth it for anyone looking to experience one of the most well-crafted JRPGs in recent history.

Overall, Dark Deity may not have the polish or reach the heights of those classic ’00s Fire Emblem games, but I wouldn’t expect it to — it’s an indie title with a development team of six, but the passion of that team for the genre is apparent throughout the finished product. This is a love letter to classics that’s still accessible enough for those who may want to give the genre a try. And for those of us who miss a TRPG uncluttered by slice-of-life mechanics? It’s a much-welcome addition to the library.

While Disgaea 5 definitely had me hooked once things got cooking, it's unfortunate that so much of the game is tucked away at the start. I understand not wanting to bombard newcomers with too many systems, but doling them out at a snail's pace over ten or so hours takes far too long, and runs the risk of alienating returning vets.

Despite its lack of long-term staying power, Pac-Man 256 is a fantastic reinterpretation of an arcade classic that looks and plays great, and this port is easily the best version. That said, it’s not meant for extended sessions, so I recommend playing in small chunks to avoid burnout.

Despite those rough edges, My Time At Sandrock is ultimately a wonderful and heartfelt game. There is an incredible story here about human nature, the environment, and the desire to right the wrongs of the past. Sandrock’s residents were charming, and I cared deeply about their lives, joys, and struggles. In that sense, I think my time in the desert was time well spent. With just a little polish, I think this one could become a masterpiece.

I love when a game comes out of absolutely nowhere to knock my socks off, and that’s exactly what Dungeons of Dreadrock did. Every aspect of the experience shows a notable degree of thought and care — everything’s here that needs to be, it’s all been tuned, and the entire package ticks like a Swiss watch. Without a doubt, this hundred-floor descent into the depths of the earth has been one of the most enjoyable and pleasant adventures I’ve taken all year.

Taken on its own, though, Lego Marvel Super Heroes does not offer much that an adult player will find engaging, let alone competent.

Much like the original Bully, Scholarship Edition is entertaining enough at times, but it never rises above being merely good.

Brief quibbles and a general lack of emotional heft due to a largely absent plot only slightly mar an otherwise beautiful and consistently surprising mind-bender of a platformer. The developers also were kind enough to include a level editing tool, but it’s hard to imagine Youropa players creating content as clever as what frecle ApS spent the last decade-plus fine-tuning.

This is one of those rare experiences where the follow-up actually surpasses the original in terms of playability.

It leaves out the most crucial element: a compelling story. The story is predictable and unimaginative and little is done to move the story forward any faster than at a snail's pace.