FIFA 08 is not the first next-gen soccer game, but it's the first one to really feel like a full next-gen game.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Far Cry 4, although it's really an extension of Far Cry 3 with a more exotic location but a weaker story. Open world shooter fans should enjoy their trip to Kyrat.

Resident Evil HD Remaster is the ultimate version of the Resident Evil remake and it still looks just as amazing as it did back when the original game first released.

Quit reading this, head to the store and buy something that isn't Halo Wars.

Taking part in a pitched combined arms battle will get your pulse racing and set your nerves on edge. However, sometimes you’ll find yourself spending most of a game in transit from one spot to another.

Dark Souls II was easy; Crown of the Sunken King is the real challenge.

SSX lands the trick of relaunching the much-loved snowboarding game series.

I can understand why someone would be a little hesitant to try a game that leaves its movement and battles completely hands-off – personally, I prefer to actively play games than to passively watch them. Don’t let the idle aspects of the game fool you, though. There’s a surprising amount of depth and strategy to the game that goes well beyond what you’d expect from it. Loop Hero is the kind of game that will have you telling yourself that you’ll play “just one more loop” while the clock hands make a surprising number of circuits of their own.

Pretty basic. Without the need to manage resources beyond controlling villages, the game's economy is about as simple as it comes.

Overall Tekken 7 is a definite improvement over past Tekken games and the overall fighting system seems to be evolving well with new enhancements that seem to fit in well with established features. My only main gripes with the game are the prolonged story mode and the stripped single player content. If you're buying Tekken 7 for its online modes, you'll get the most out of the game since the online is smooth and the new tournament mode is a great new feature. No matter what, Tekken is in a league all its own when it comes to comparing it to all other fighters and Tekken 7 is easily the best version of the series yet, so you owe it to yourself to pick up this latest installment if you're a fan of the series!

Portable RPGs have become pretty stale of late, and Puzzle Quest is just the breath of fresh air the genre needs.

If you take a step back and try to pull away the The Lord of the Rings veneer, you’ll find that BFME is a competent strategy game in its own right. Add top quality production values and you have a game that holds up to the ideals and excellence of its license.

From Soho down to Brighton, it's the best videogame version of pinball you'll find.

I enjoyed my time with Broken Age. I found the story to be compelling, and I kept coming back to play the game in much the same way I keep making time to read another chapter in a book that's hard to put down.

OMDU is an enjoyable game, with a nice combination of strategy and action gameplay with enough inherent randomness to keep the maps interesting after you've played them a number of times before. 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.

For the money, I don’t think you’ll be able to find a more current racing game that gets any better than Blur.

Aside from the paint-by-numbers hero, music and voices, I can't think of too much wrong with the overall game.

New world graphics and old world gameplay.

As good a stealth game as you'll find on the GameCube.

The game has a certain charm to it, with its persistent robot, minimalist graphics, and odd collection of robots and contraptions.

If you’re a casual fan of the series or are interested in giving it a try for the first time, I think that you’ll find Project 8 as enjoyable as I did.

Injustice is now among us and it serves up some sweet justice for DC comics fans that have been waiting for a great fighter starring their favorite comic characters.

NBA 2K8 takes this year's videogame basketball crown.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 is an under par performer, which is actually a good thing!

Kalimba is easy to recommend to gamers who like a good platforming challenge. The difficulty level is probably too high for the average gamer, though, and even those with a good degree of platforming skills will require a good degree of patience to go along with those skills.

Painkiller puts the action back into action gaming and will pull you in, pump you up, and unleash the righteous demon-slayer buried within.

I don't know about you, but I prefer games that can hold my interest for more than five minutes and there are plenty of tower games out there that can do that.

Nothing like a drive-by shooting with a little Mozart cranking out of the subwoofers!

Probably the top puzzle game available for the PSP.

Supreme Commander veterans will love the new challenges in Forged Alliance, but newbies should get their feet wet with the original game first.

Overall, Tearaway Unfolded is unique and charming enough to recommend to gamers.

Ratchet: Deadlocked has a lock on exciting, over-the-top gaming fun.

Other roguelike dungeon crawlers have left me cold in the past (the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games jump to mind), but Z.H.P. has sucked up more of my time than I'd like to admit to.

If the whole games as art thing is close to your heart, you are looking for a puzzle platformer or semi-Metroidvania experience or you simply want something a little a different after finishing Doom, Mario Odyssey or Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Teslagrad is one of the best options available on the Nintendo Switch.

For those that have yet to experience a Sims game on a console and want to then Bustin’ Out is the way to go.

A pretty enjoyable fighter. A deeper Konquest mode that compelled players to complete it and Xbox Live support would have made this an even better game.

Downwell isn't the kind of game everyone will like, but if you like challenging arcade platforms, you'll love Downwell.

NCAA Football 08 is a good step forward for next-gen, HD college football gaming, but there's still plenty of room for improvement

Overall, Advanced Warfare delivers a complete and enjoyable Call of Duty experience.

I can see some gamers wanting a little more combat and a little less tomb-raiding, but the overall experience will be enjoyable for most as Fallen Order is the best single player Star Wars game we've seen in quite a while.

If most RPGs were as interesting as The Witcher, I would spend a lot more time playing RPGs.

Unravel 2's gorgeous settings, clever puzzle design, and unique play mechanics make for an enjoyable game. In fact, I found that playing Unravel 2 is a great way to relax - it's the kind of game that's a good choice to play before turning in for the night. A dream-like game that makes for an easy transition to the land of dreams.

Overall, Black Ops 2 on the Wii U is easily recommendable. It proves that the Wii U can handle a modern top-tier shooter with ease, and is easily one of the best titles in the launch lineup. Unless you're buying a Wii U for the kiddies this year, you'll want to add Black Ops 2 to your new console's bundle.

The most disappointing thing about this DLC is that it's the final one.

Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown is one epic battle for those that want to fight online.

Graphically the game looks good, but thanks to its console roots does not match the best looking games available.

Classic real-time strategy action in a beautiful new wrapper.

Being a fan of almost every genre this game has smashed together into one has made it highly enjoyable, and the ending had me hoping that the next installment (should they choose to make it) gets in the development queue soon.

Toy Soldiers: Cold War will be the most fun you've had with your army men in years.

Either way, if you can ignore the faults, you'll have a great time with this ambitious and entertaining game.

Ilomilo is enjoyable enough, but it's not the kind of puzzle game that you'll find yourself obsessing over.

College Hoops 2K7 does a great job of capturing the atmosphere of college basketball, and there’s a lot of game in there for the NCAA basketball fan.

If the environments were more open, if there was more variety to the puzzles, if the game lasted longer, if ..., then you could have had the best game of the year here.

Spellwood is an interesting take on the Scrabble formula, but the core gameplay is not significantly different from that of its source of inspiration.

Echochrome is the epitome of great puzzle design in that a few simple rules are used to create a challenging and rewarding experience.

Anyone willing to put in the time and effort, though, will find Empires: Dawn of the Modern World has it where it counts. The basic gameplay is rock-solid, and fans of multiplayer RTS games will get far more than their money's worth out of it.

It's unique setting and departure from more traditional RPG elements will certainly endear it to many players.

Sims fans should bust out of their homes and bust on down to their favorite store to pick up The Sims Bustin’ Out.

Overall, The Penal Zone's story does have the feel of an opening chapter, delivering more setup than self-contained story.

That's pretty much all there is to Sunset Overdrive. You've got a skateboarding meets shooter game taking place in an irreverent Day-Glo punk rock world. And if that description appeals to you, you're going to love the game.

SSX is a return to the frantic trick-based games of several years ago with a modern online component. It is a heck of a ride.

I enjoyed the game’s atmosphere, visuals, and distinctive gameplay style. I do think that the game would have been a bit better if it didn’t try to introduce new, more complex bullet controls in the later levels – I would have enjoyed making my way through the game with just the fundamentals. There would have been more an emphasis on planning and a little less on tricky controller combos. I don’t want this to discourage you from giving the game a try, though. It is a rather unique experience, and even if the later levels prove a bit of a trial, replaying many of the game’s levels in an attempt to find the perfect plan that will push you higher in the leaderboards is in and of itself quite enjoyable.

There's a ton of gameplay in Just Cause 2 and there's a lot of fun to be had with it, but that fun is tempered by the game's shooter mechanics, bugs, and repetitive aspects.

An outRAGEously fun shooter.

If you're a fan of Samurai Shodown, you definitely need to check out this game. Even if you've never played a SamSho before, check out this game. It's easily the most unique fighter out on the market at the moment thanks to the emphasis on precision attacks and punishing the opponent for high damage rather than trying for long combos and guesses with mixups. Samurai Shodown is honestly the best game that SNK has given us in recent years. It's very polished and it looks and sounds fantastic!

The pandemonium of a castle siege can be fun to watch, but experienced gamers may find that this does not compensate for the game's frustrating points.

The key to enjoying RO is embracing the realism. Still, this does not negate the fact that the intensity of the gameplay is reduced, and the general pace of the game is slowed.

NBA Street Homecourt is pretty much a no brainer for anyone looking for a fun exaggerated game of hoops.

Sims fans should bust out of their homes and bust on down to their favorite store to pick up The Sims Bustin’ Out.

It is one of those indie games that's rather unique and makes for an interesting change of pace from other games.

Most gamers will get through Little Nightmares in short order, about a half dozen hours, due both to the game's length and the fact that the puzzles can all be solved within a couple of tries. It's worth playing through even if you prefer more challenge in your games, though, as the game's world is so dark and imaginative that it makes for a unique experience. You'll remember scenes and moments from Little Nightmares long after you've finished the game.

The Gardens Between's aesthetics make for a relaxing and enjoyable experience, albeit a rather short one. You can complete the game within two hours, and once you do there's not really any reason to go back and play it again. If the game were longer and the puzzles more challenging towards the end, it would be easy to recommend the game to puzzle game fans. If you're OK with the short length and approach the game as something that you'll enjoy a quiet evening playing and then move on, you'll probably enjoy the experience.

Okinawa Rush is definitely worth a try for fans of 90’s and early 2000’s arcade games. It has a very arcadey setup and is quite satisfying to play through. Harder difficulty will give you a level timer that you’ll have to constantly add to by defeating enemies – sort of like a survival mode. With only having five levels, the game is very short (only takes around 2 hours to complete), but it has a lot of replay value in its difficulties. It also has its own in-game achievements on the Switch and many of the achievements are VERY challenging!

Great Shooter.

Aside from two small control issues, this Goldeneye is every bit as good as its classic predecessor.

As I stated starting out, you've got to like side-scrolling action games in the first place to enjoy The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile, but if you do you'll love the love. It has so much style and character that you'll thoroughly enjoy your time spent with it.

A game with as much combat as Shadow of War runs the risk of becoming repetitive and boring, but Shadow of War never manages to devolve into an endless slog of orc fights. There are plenty of other activities and side quests available to provide a good degree of variety to the game, but the Nemesis system and the duels with orc captains really make the game feel more like a war than an endless battle. And even the battles themselves never grow boring - the quality of the game's combat system, the variety of powers available, and the feeling of near-invincibility you gain when surviving a battle against a dozen orc enemies make the game as interesting in its twentieth hour as it was in its first.

The question is, if you aren't already a fan of the Borderlands "stinky cheese" vibe will you take a chance, pinch your nose and take a bite? I myself had a ton of fun blasting my way through the galaxy, laughing at the corny jokes, and enjoying the funk.

Overall, WWE 2K23 is better than 2K22 and it’s worth a pick up for hardcore fans and especially those that missed out on 2K22. The graphics engine really does help in making all wrestlers look better and it definitely makes created wrestlers look better. The loading is way, WAY shorter on 2K23 compared to 2K22. The additions are more like “touch-ups” when compared to the complete overhaul that we saw in 2K22, but it definitely tunes up modes in the right areas and makes them more interesting in the process. Just like 2K22 made me not want to return to 2k20, WWE 2K23 makes me not want to return to 2K22, so that in and of itself makes it worth the purchase.

Patapon 2 is a bit different; the first was an excuse to break out the long dormant handheld, the second comes with marching orders - go buy this game. And if you don't have a PSP, make sure you pick one up while you're out… you'll need it to play Patapon 2.

If you're looking for a third-person shooter and are a patient gamer, then you'll have a good time with Metal Arms. If instead you're just looking for a platform game along the lines of Ratchet & Clank, then you may want to pass on this one as it can prove to be frustrating.

The only complaint that I have about the music feature is that the only way to hear the music is to zoom in very closely on the ride or to ride it yourself.

Patience is indeed rewarded, but in a world where people expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter I am not sure Dragon's Dogma does enough that's enticing in order to keep people wanting more.

A fine golf game but there's little “next-gen” going on here.

The Sims do college right, with all of the fun but none of the pressure of the university experience.

Showing some age, but still a solid home run.

Assassin's Creed Origins delivers at least 30 hours of gameplay if you stick to the story and enough of the side quests to help you level up along the way. There's plenty in the game to keep you occupied well beyond that mark, and it's a testament to the game's design that the game world provides a legitimate and tempting distraction to what's an intriguing and exciting story in its own right. Hopefully Origins is the origin of a new renaissance in the Assassin's Creed franchise.

Still not quite up to being a real NFL sim, but a lot of fun to play nonetheless.

A true strategy gamer’s strategy game.

It's not quite the thunderous dunk that you would hope it would be, but College Hoops 2K8 manages to lay it up and in.

There’s a lot to like in Midnight Club: Los Angeles, but the rubber band races mar the experience. Street racing fans will enjoy the game, but others may find it less frustrating to stick to Burnout Paradise.

The game looks good whether on the big screen or handheld. With most games, I feel they look better one way or the other but with this game, it looks just as good either way. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is definitely a game that every Switch owner should check out if you like JRPGs. Besides some slight performance issues, the game fits the Nintendo Switch in almost every way.

Even with the minor arguments, Signalis is a fantastic survival horror game, especially for an indie title. It’s honestly one of the closest recent games that I have found to be compared to old-school survival horror. The limited inventory and the fact that you eventually have to run by rooms full of enemies eventually gives that old-school feeling all too much. Fans of old-school survivor horror should run out and buy this right now.

Catan introduces videogamers to a classic strategy game that board gamers have enjoyed for quite some time.

It's Madden and it's got the NFL license and plays a nice game of football. But it's not a great game because of too many mistakes and lame little problems throughout. I just expect better after this long.

All in all, this is a nice little collection of portable games from the aughts. The gameplay isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy, or don’t mind the occasional, interactive fiction/visual novel game, you’ll enjoy your time with Apollo Justice.

I've always enjoyed playing Far Cry games, but Far Cry 5 is probably my favorite. It has a few flaws and some missed opportunities, but overall it takes the Far Cry formula that's worked in the past and improves upon it. If you've never really enjoyed Far Cry games in the past, then those improvements may not be enough to change your mind about the game. However, anyone who's a Far Cry fan, or anyone who has yet to experience a Far Cry game will probably really enjoy their time in Montana.

This is not a game for those new to strategy games - the challenge and complexity make Empire Earth too much to digest for these players and it may easily prove to be frustrating to them.