Not much else can be said about Black and White that is any different from what I made clear in the first paragraph; these are the two best Pokemon games yet, and by extension, two of the very best Nintendo DS games ever released.

However, if you're an RPG fan it's hard not to like the game and the breath of fresh air it brings to an often tired genre. So go out there and stop the English … with orcs!

Crypt of the NecroDancer is a unique and enjoyable game, but don't let its ties to rhythm-based games fool you - it's also quite challenging.

Overall Sins of a Solar Empire is an easy game to recommend to strategy fans. It may put off RTS gamers who live off of rush tactics or turn-based gamers who like the luxury of taking all the time that they want to plot their next move.

The Switch version performs identically to the PS4 and Xbox One versions, running smooth as silk, sharp as ever and with no input lag when playing with Joy-Cons, the Pro Controller, in docked or in handheld mode. Surprisingly, online battles (no Nintendo Online subscription needed) work flawlessly, absent of even a hint of lag or stutter. And even at odd hours (yeah, I was playing at 4am, what of it?), I never had any issue finding an opponent to battle against. Dragon Ball FighterZ is a AAA port of a AAA game, and the Switch version is definitely the one to get.

What you are getting with Tactics Ogre is a beautifully told story, a game that plays quite well and, truth be told, is accessible to everyone thanks to the Chariot Tarot system.

The online mode is not something for the casual player, but if you take the time to learn to play the game right and to study the layout of the maps it can be an exciting experience.

It packs plenty of punch.

DiRT 3 is a crowning achievement in the potential fun that a racing game can offer. It just may be that perfect mix of hardcore realistic racing simulation and arcade simplicity with a pinch of that Fast and Furious flavor the kids love.

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is not only the best action game on the PSP, it’s better than many console action games.

Glitches and processing hunger aside, I did enjoy playing the game. The devs have done a great job of capturing the fun, spirit, and adventure of an Indiana Jones movie, and they’ve done a lot of work to make The Great Circle more like an interactive movie than a video game. If you want to immerse yourself in a great adventure, and have hardware that can handle the game, you’ll have a good time donning a fedora, grabbing a whip, and traveling the world.

Let yourself get the itch, and you'll be constantly amazed as the game's hour count ticks higher and higher with no end in sight.

It's a dream game for Dragon Ball die-hards, a great new way to test your skills for fighting game nuts and an all-around great experience for everyone else in between. The story and arcade modes present plenty of challenge and things to keep you occupied, and the roster is large enough to make no two battles feel the same. And, refreshingly, the online modes appeal to not just those who have immersed themselves in online battles for years, but newcomers and even just the mildly interested as well. At present time, the PS4 version looks to be the one to get due to a few issues with the Xbox One's online capabilities, but both versions perform even better than you might have hoped. For a game with nearly a full year of hype behind it, Dragon Ball FighterZ delivers in ways that will exceed even the most lofty of expectations. This is a fighting game for the ages.

Metroidvania games have always been hit or miss for me, too often the combat is simplistic and repetitive, it can be tedious trying to keep track of all of the locations that you need to revisit, and story is often an afterthought. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with The Lost Crown, though. It improves on all of the aspects of Metroidvania games that sometimes irritate me, and wraps it in a compelling story and setting. The game is a standout in the genre, and easy to recommend to anyone who has even a remote interest in Metroidvania games.

What do you get when you put together solid controls, a fun story, great action, beautiful graphics, and a game oozing with character? Jak II, one of the best PS2 games of the year.

It's a feature-rich game backed by solid gameplay that will keep you playing long after bowl season has ended.

In addition to the single player story mode, which, by the way, runs longer than the story mode in many full-priced games these days, let alone DLC expansions, there's a new multiplayer mode included in Undead Nightmare.

OMDU is an enjoyable game, with a nice combination of strategy and action gameplay with enough inherent randomness to keep the maps you've played a number of times before interesting. That being said, you should be aware that progression in the game comes in terms of access new traps, trap upgrades, and trap mods, as well as gear and perks, rather than in making your way through a campaign or a large number of levels. I found it odd and a little frustrating that trap upgrade points are awarded as random drops rather than through using the traps in the game, so it can take a while to upgrade the traps in your favorite loadouts while traps that you don't really use have reached higher upgrade levels. While there is variety in terms of enemy types at different difficulty levels and the number of heroes and traps you can use, the number of maps in the game is naturally limited. Achievement chasers will be in heaven, though, as the game features over 100 achievements to unlock.

I must say, I'm not one for racing games, but Forza Motorsport 6 easily wins me over with the overall cars to choose from and easiness in picking it up and playing it.

SuperChargers is as good as the Skylanders have ever been, and old fan or new, this is a ride you really need to strap in for and enjoy.

In a world where some game franchises seem to just be releasing uninspired updates, MLB 13 The Show shows what happens when the developers really care about their game, both the video game and real world variety.

Kohan took a chance by applying some new ideas to real-time strategy and it's gamers who will reap the rewards.

Let yourself get the itch, and you'll be constantly amazed as the game's hour count ticks higher and higher with no end in sight.

Buy it if you have even the slightest interest in football.

The graphics are dated, the battles are like pulling teeth and while there is a lot to accomplish, none of it ever actually borders on being fun.

A cool game with a wonderful style and just enough gameplay variety to keep you around until the end.

If you're even the slightest fan of the original then you owe it to yourself to pick up this downloadable title.

Overall, I had fun with my time with Titanfall 2. The single player campaign is a huge improvement over that in the original game, and although it starts slowly it does eventually come around and provide for some enjoyable gameplay. The multiplayer gameplay is a lot of fun, both as a pilot and at the controls of a Titan, but a lack of modes may ultimately hurt the game's longevity.

Not much else can be said about Black and White that is any different from what I made clear in the first paragraph; these are the two best Pokemon games yet, and by extension, two of the very best Nintendo DS games ever released.

If you’re a Call of Duty fan then you’ll find a lot to like about it. However, the mission difficulty adds a level of frustration not found in the original game.

Owners of the Wipeout games on the PSP will appreciate the chance to play the game on a large screen, but other than that, Wipeout HD is more like the PSP games than it is different.

Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts does what every expansion pack should do: take a great game and make it even better.

Those who tried playing Destiny but didn't stick with it should probably give Destiny 2 a try as it has addressed a number of issues that were present in the original game. Regular Destiny players will undoubtedly have their own personal list of complaints about the sequel, but none of them should be a deal-breaker and after an adjustment period of getting used to the changes they should find themselves playing Destiny 2 as much as they played the original. As for new players, Destiny 2 provides enough content through its campaign and related mission that you'll get more gameplay out of it than you will a standard shooter even if you don't continue playing much beyond the campaign. And after that, many of you will find yourself getting hooked on the drive to push for better gear so that you can take on the top challenges the game has to offer.

As far as games go, Botany Manor is a little on the shorter side, but that’s OK in this case. The gameplay fully tells its story without trying to extend things with inconsequential busy work or unnecessary padding. It’s a relaxing and peaceful game that will exercise your brain just enough without taxing it. If you’re looking for a game that will help you to relax and unwind without boring you in the process, then the botanical puzzles of Botany Manor will meet your nutritional needs.

If you’re a fan of the old TMNT arcade games, you’re a shoe-in for liking this game already – it was practically made for you! If you’re not a fan of the TMNT arcade games, well, you need to become one, because this co-op beat’em up is too good to pass up and everyone needs to give this game a try. It’s clear that the developers spent a lot of time with the old games to help them create this nearly perfect recreation of old TMNT beat’em ups. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is the ultimate party game for when friends are over or just whenever you want to go online and kick some shell.

Resistance was one of the first shooters available on the PS3, and now its sequel is one of the best.

Flower is as much an experience as it is a game.

The load time in the XSX version is lightning fast in single player. I don’t even get the chance to read but about three words of the loading screen descriptions before it switches to the next area. The graphics are equal to the PC version – I compared the two and didn’t see any noticeable differences. The only real flaw with this release is that it doesn’t include the Sunbreaker expansion. It does mention in-game that the Sunbreaker expansion will be coming soon however! If you have yet to experience Monster Hunter Rise, then be sure to try it out on Xbox or PlayStation now since it’s just as good as the PC version overall.

If you loved "Caesar" and "Pharaoh," you'll probably really like Zeus. You'll probably enjoy the game also if you enjoy the challenge of building a city and an economy to run it, provided you have the patience to wait for your efforts to bear fruit.

It wraps up the other two stories nicely, even managing to tie things back to the original Dark Souls, gives you a great final boss to deal with and rounds out the complete Dark Souls II experience.

I’ve played plenty of XBLA games, and many are fun for a little bit and then lose their appeal. That’s not the case with Puzzle Quest. The game has the depth of a regular title and so delivers the kind of game experience that will keep you coming back for more.

Simply a terrific RPG that is so well polished you might need sunglasses to play.

Offering detailed maps, excellent graphics power and an extra single-player mission exclusive to the PS2, players who love stealth-action games cannot go wrong with this title.

A Crack in Time is simply fun to play. The puzzles are well-designed, the platforming fun without being frustrating, and the battles are a blast ... and it all takes place in a humorous and imaginative galaxy that's a joy to explore.

Overall, this DLC is fantastic. At such a little cost, you get quite a bit. The new characters are worth the asking price alone. I’m not a huge fan of survival modes, but this one can get addicting with all the helpful power-ups. The boss characters are very fun to mess around with as well.

Supreme Commander’s enormous scale makes for some enormously exciting gameplay.

OOTP 14 is a complicated, in-depth simulator geared towards the hardcore gamers of fantasy leagues.

Everyone with a PC should play this game; it's worth ten of most games out there today.

If you've ever enjoyed UFC, fighting games or even games in general, give this game a look. You'll thank me later.

Call of Duty 2 is like a good war movie, it may not be a realistic portrayal of war but it is dramatic, compelling, and epic in scale.

I greatly enjoyed my time with Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. It’s not really the type of game you can simply jump into. It does have a bit of a learning curve from the beginning, but once you get over that, it’s a lot of fun to go questing about. The new additions with the Sunbreak add-on give a lot more options to a game that already has a lot to do. Overall, if you like Monster Hunter Rise, you’ll enjoy Sunbreak just as much. Capcom seems to be adding more to the game with extra updates as time goes by as well!

Still the same loud, in-your-face action game that was released two years back, but much smoother and with tweaks and extras for returning fans.

Guitar Hero Metallica is a great Guitar Hero game, but it does have one big knock against it and that's that it doesn't support downloadable tracks outside of Metallica's Death Magnetic album.

Patapon's only drawback is that there aren't enough hours in a day to play as much as you'll want to, and we certainly can't blame Sony for that… or can we?

If games were rated on story alone Dragon Age: Origins would sit at the top of the scale, but you simply can't ignore the gameplay issues.

Titanfall is a lot of fun to play, but some of its shortfalls left me a little disappointed.

The PS4 Remastered Edition moves super smooth throughout its gameplay segments. The visuals are clear and run at a high framerate all the time. Overall, I feel the game comes out as being equal on both versions since the Switch version has the added bonus of being portable. You really can't go wrong with either version. Just ask yourself, will you be playing it on a HDTV or on the go? Either way, buy it and experience it for yourself because you will be pleased either way.

Complaints aside, Ghost of Sparta is one of the better PSP games in a while and it fits nicely into the series' timeline.

If you're a fan of the original Punch-Out!!! you probably already have this game. If you're a causal gamer and want a more fully featured Wii Sports boxing-type game, give this a shot. If you're hardcore and starved for a true challenge, give this a shot. And last but not least, if you're as nonplussed with the Wii as I have been recently, give this a shot.

Great graphics and some innovative concepts make this one worth a close look, but a thin plot, linear play, and monster AI issues prevent it from achieving true greatness.

An adrenaline-packed rush of a ride.

If you're a fan of RE games then be sure to pick up RE7 since it has a feel that suits both old and newer fans of the series. It has the survival horror of the older games and the intensity of the newer games combined into a new first person style of gameplay. The survival feel doesn't get out of hand to where it feels overwhelming and the intense feel doesn't get too heavy on the action - it's just a nice blend of the two. RE7 provides a truly refreshing feel for RE and one that I hope Capcom sticks with for future games in the main series.

Hillys is an intriguing and beautiful world - part Venice, part Naboo, and entirely fascinating.

A cinematic game that plays like an interactive movie, a stylish film noir experience that no gamer should miss.

While Star Wars Pinball is all pinball, the number of available tables and modes make for a good variety of gameplay. It's a perfect game for the Switch, providing you with bite-sized to hours long play while on the go, and connected play options while you're at home and logged into your WiFi. The game is a real treat for Star Wars fans, but even those with only a casual interest in the saga will find themselves enjoying the excellent pinball action.

Galactic Civilizations 2 is this galaxy’s best space strategy game.

I’ve played plenty of retro collections that either just give you a library of games alone, or accompany the games with a bunch of box shots and manuals that you often have to unlock through play, all thrown together under a menu almost as an afterthought. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is nothing like those game collections. I thoroughly enjoyed making my way through each chapter - the videos are fascinating and playing the games after learning about the story behind them made me see some old favorites in an entirely new light. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is a game-changer – it’s the way all future retro game collections should be made.

DmC: Devil May Cry shows the story of Dante from an alternate perspective and it does so very stylishly.

Amplitude has two great qualities going for it: it's addictive to play and the music really pumps you up. This is one of those rare games where it is actually fun to go back and replay the levels you've already cleared.

If you enjoy classic action-RPGs you're probably sold on Bastion at this point, and you should be. Otherwise, you may not think as highly of it since at its core it's still a throwback to a bygone day of gaming. It's a good game for what it is, but it's not for everyone. If you're still on the fence give the demo a try; you'll probably know on which side you'll fall pretty quickly.

Overall, this game is very much like the first game. The main thing Dragon’s Dogma 2 has going for it are its visuals. It has slight improvements here and there and some additions, but overall, the gameplay is nearly exactly the same as the first game. This isn’t bad at all though, considering the first game was so good. If you like the first game, you’re going to love this game, but if you don’t care for the first game, this one will not change your mind. Capcom played it safe with this game, which is really fine with me – it’s better to not change what isn’t broken. I do have some of the same complaints with this game that I did with the first game, but they are overall still minor (see the minuses below). If Capcom would give this game a 60 fps option, that would please me the most.

A fast-paced, fantastic looking fragfest that is an absolute blast to play... It would be nice if there was more to the single player game, though.

The sheer variety of units and maps alone make for a wide variety of strategic approaches - unlike some games you can not rely on the same basic strategy while mowing your way through the scenarios.

The 1-900 telephone number that has to be called in order for the secrets to be unlocked. What the heck was Codemasters thinking?

The online version of Middle-Earth is certainly worth a visit, especially if you count yourself among the legions of Tolkien fans out there.

Finally, a Warhammer game worthy of Warhammer... and one of the best strategy games of the year.

Overall, Mortal Kombat 11 is a fantastic fighter. If you love fighting games at all, be sure to check it out. It's going to be awesome to see how this game grows in content as the DLC characters are released and improvement is made on the fighting game engine and existing characters. I feel this game could easily be NRS's Street Fighter that they could update for years to come if they actually stick with it. It would be so nice to see a Mortal Kombat with loads of support like a Street Fighter.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 allow the series to grow up and it’s truly a refreshing experience. It’s still very much on par with the past two games – it doesn’t do all that much outside of them, but you can definitely tell that the series is now on more powerful systems. I feel that this game will please both longtime fans of the Stories series and newcomers. If you didn’t like the past games, you may want to give this one a try and it might change your opinion on the franchise. It doesn’t change the gameplay that much at all, but visually, it all looks so much better this time around.

If you are a fan of Max Payne, this game must be played. The gameplay is very fun and it's easily the most cinematic Max Payne game yet. The story clocks in at about 10-12 hours of gameplay and the game has several unlockables. There are many reasons to go back and play the single player mode and the game offers many extra multiplayer modes as well. It's truly a crime to miss out on this one if you've followed the series up until now. Max Payne 3 is just as pleasing as the other games overall and has the best gameplay out of the series so far!

As I said before, THPS had a good run, but its time to grow up. SKATE is the game that will force us to do just that.

Overall, Warhammer Online is a thoroughly enjoyable game.

Overall, Rise of the Tomb Raider is easy to recommend. The gameplay is compelling and the tombs are a joy to explore, but Lara herself is the star of the show.

DJ Hero makes you more of a mimic than a mix-master, but it's still fun to play.

Imaginative new units and missions and an entire new faction, make this a no-brainer purchase for Red Alert 2 fans.

Those that invest the time it takes to learn all of this game's subtleties will be rewarded with a rich and engrossing gaming experience.

The game does a good job of ramping up the difficulty in all modes of play. The tracks get progressively more difficult to navigate, and the AI competition becomes tougher.

By golly, Cuphead is a swell shooter and then some! Music, graphics, gameplay - it's got it all! If only the animators Ub Iwerks and the Fleischer brothers could see this great work that they inspired...

For eight dollars, you simply can't do any better than Shatter. It, in all honesty, is about as perfect a game as you'll see anywhere.

The Guitar Hero franchise takes a few baby steps forward.

If you're looking for an RPG similar to The Witcher 3 or Skyrim, or even Final Fantasy XV, Dragon Quest XI is not that game. Dragon Quest XI is a modern take on a classic formula and stays close to its roots with a linear world and quests and strictly turn-based battles. If you're looking for a game that emphasizes character and story over open-world gameplay, though, and in the mood for some JRPG nostalgia, then you'll really enjoy Dragon Quest XI.

I had a great time with The Taken King. There really is more to it than a new set of story missions and some new strikes and multiplayer modes - it has improved upon Destiny in many of the areas in which I thought that the original game fell short. And, unlike the original, I'm compelled to keep playing the game even though I'm am through with it from a review perspective.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is a great platform game in its own right, but what’s even more impressive is that it’s managed to capture the feel and spirit of its predecessors while adding new gameplay features that fit perfectly alongside the old. It’s both a great tribute to a storied franchise and a game that feels completely modern. Crash Bandicoot 4 will appeal to those with a sense of nostalgia for the bandicoot’s adventures past, as well as those new to the franchise who are looking for a challenging, enjoyable, and gameplay-packed platforming adventure.

NHL 08 is a marked improvement over last year's game and is the first next-gen hockey game to really feel next-gen.

After nearly 20 years of almost universally horrible games, the 16-bit icon has returned to his former glory and redeemed himself in the eyes of this long-suffering fan. Sonic Mania does a great job of reminding us what made Sonic great in the first place, while also FINALLY bringing the mascot into the modern era. Everything comes together - the music, the stages, the boss fights and the secrets - to form a package that is both appealing to the retro gamer and irresistible to anyone who enjoys a good game of run and jump. Whether on the Nintendo Switch or any other system, Sonic Mania needs to be in your collection yesterday.

Tetris Party packs more Tetris fun into a downloadable game than you'll find in most "full" versions of the game

Sure, the game is challenging and fun while you're sitting on your couch, but it's the perfect time-killer when you're away from home. The simple rules that lead to a surprising depth of challenge will make it easy to while away the hours on a long flight.

Ni no Kuni gets so much right, and is an amazing and timeless game.

The combat in this game may have achieved a perfect balance of what is possible when two un-armed humans engage in combat. Throw in an addicting career mode and you have a new standard in fighting games.