Die-hard fans of the original may feel a twinge of déjà vu when they dig into the update. For everyone else, though, Colin McRae Rally 2.0 represents one of the most solidly addictive racing experiences that money can buy.

The first Death Stranding was eerily prescient. Releasing in 2019, it was impossible to divorce it from the COVID-19 pandemic that followed a year later, the parallels between preppers living in bunkers and people struggling to find ways to connect with others reflecting a period of quarantine and uncertainty about the future. By contrast, Death Stranding 2 is less precise and clear about what it wants to say; it seems committed to making you ponder many things at once, inviting different takeaways. Its story touches on topics like the increasing harms of climate change, how our everyday actions are being automated with each passing day, the damaging presence of guns, the clash between governments and privately owned entities, and the importance of helping others in any way we can. If the sequel is prescient of anything, it is that fixation on the past binds us to repeat history, no matter how much we try to pretend otherwise.

Artificially lengthening games by making you do the same thing over and over again is my vote for the worst trend in gaming … even though this is a much better game than Kart 64 ever was.

Shovel Knight is a memorable re-imagining of what I grew up with, but doesn't have the longevity or inventiveness to be great in its own right.

Strictly on its own merits, this version is a good but unimpressive action adventure that still smacks of being a watered-down port of a technically superior game.

That story, like most of Pikmin 4, is gentle and unobtrusive. It's all just very agreeable and sweet, and there's a certain gratification that comes from directing your little army of plant-people to gather treasures like fruits and Game Boy Advance cartridges. The more Pikmin 4 leans into fashioning itself after a more traditional game, with competition and fail-states, the more prone it is to getting in its own way. Sometimes, it's enough to simply have a relaxing activity.

Baba is You is among the most seriously arduous games of its kind I’ve played, and when its rules are clear and its instructions legible, it’s gratifying in a way only hardcore suffering can be.

Arkham Knight is constantly trying to justify the Batmobile's presence, forcing it upon you at nearly every opportunity.

Conquest is a great game, and I fell for its hardcore lean at times, but when I was backed into a corner after a series of hard fights with no resolution but to lower the difficulty, I wished I was playing Birthright instead.

Velocity is for the most part a fun and inventive little shooter that offers lots of content for very little outlay.

Taken as a whole, Tales of Arise is a very good RPG, boasting beautiful visuals, a wonderful cast of characters, and engaging combat mechanics--but its flaws (and that odious DLC) are also difficult to ignore. If you're looking for a lengthy, charming, and engaging JRPG to play on your shiny new console or PC gaming rig, Tales of Arise is certainly a fine choice. Just don't go into it expecting an all-time classic.

With a multitude of elements that let it transcend that narrow and often underrated genre, racing fans and those simply seeking a wild, entertaining experience would do well to check it out.

The Lunar series sits alongside "Dragon Quest" and "Final Fantasy" in the pantheon of role playing, and Eternal Blue is Lunar 2's final and best incarnation.

Pentiment strives to exist somewhere between a history book and historical fiction, not quite committing to a detailed look at history or fulfilling a narrative arc. This is a detriment to the game's conclusion, dampening my memories of the game save for the stories of individual characters. I retain a soft spot for the wise Illuminata and her conversations with Andreas about literature and religion, and I have a parental fondness for a young peasant girl who I watched grow from a gurgling toddler to a young woman. Witnessing their lives play out is a narrative delight, only enhanced by the creative use of Pentiment's different fonts to better convey a person's societal station or education. But limiting how much time the player actually has to engage in the game's best parts hurts the overall experience too much.

Warhammer 3 opens strongly. The narrative hook of the prologue sinks deep and the raft of tweaks to the strategic layer and tactical battles are all welcome. But it can't sustain the early momentum. The endgame objectives feel like a distraction, even though they're the main point, and serve only to diminish the entire campaign. The factions all have different reasons for wanting the endgame MacGuffin, but none of those motivations make a difference to how the campaign plays out. They're all trapped in the same Chaos Realm, going through the same motions, in pursuit of the same unsatisfying win conditions. In the end, Total War: Warhammer 3 is a good game--there just isn't a good reason to see it through to the bitter end.

A mostly pleasant game marred by the possibility of moments so frustrating, they threaten to overshadow the entire experience. These missteps are all the more disappointing because the better elements of the game are so charming. You may still want to take up the PolterGust 5000 and explore these haunted houses, but be warned: the things lurking in these dark places aren't likely to scare you, but they may well have you seeing red.

Your mileage may vary, but in our experience, the bugs are obtrusive and substantial across the board, often forcing us to reload saves or exit the game entirely. It's hard to get really into a world you constantly have to leave. But then it's hard to get into Cyberpunk 2077's world in general. So much of it is superficial set dressing, and there's so much happening all around you--ads going off at all times, gunfights breaking out in the streets, texts coming in about cars you'll never buy--that a lot of the game feels superfluous. The side quests and the characters they showcase are the shining beacon through the neon-soaked bleakness of Night City, and they give you room to explore the best the core RPG mechanics have to offer. These are what carried me through an otherwise disappointing experience.

Ultimately, my feelings toward Dragon Quest I & II HD Remake boil down to "Would I recommend it over DQIIIHD or Dragon Quest XI? Well… no." Both of those games are far better experiences for both new and old DQ fans. That's not to say DQI&IIHD lack any value--there's good times to be had, especially with DQII. You're not forced to play either of the games before enjoying the other, so if you just want to play one, you're free to do so. But the games don't quite stack up compared to other recent Dragon Quests, even with all the new bells and whistles, and Dragon Quest I's remake in particular feels like a lot of wasted potential. But if you're looking for another source for that distinct Dragon Quest flavor of turn-based charm and whimsy, there's certainly nothing wrong with revisiting these two adventures.

Altogether, Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup at Bellabel Park gets my qualified recommendation. If you're primarily interested in single-player Mario platforming, and especially if you've already played through the Mario Wonder campaign, this upgrade gets you a fun but short series of creative Koopaling boss fight stages, a bunch of challenge stages, an additional power-up, and new build options thanks to the Dual Badges. Those are all nice to have, but they don't offer a lot of playtime in isolation. For those of us who have a household full of Mario fans to play with, or if you want to go online, it's a rollicking good time full of chaotic multiplayer action. This isn't quite what I expected out of a Switch 2 upgrade for Mario Wonder, but like the core game's Wonder effects, it kept finding ways to surprise me.

It performs well, but there are definitely more-interesting PlayStation 2 driving games on the market.

The game may not have the lasting appeal of Psygnosis' "Wipeout" or Namco's "Ridge Racer," but it has enough gameplay, eye candy, and bonus secrets to put it near the top of what the PlayStation has to offer.

Most of Tomb Raider II's improvements are cosmetic, and even those aren't really anything special.

The game offers strong graphics and sound as well as a good variety of modes, but it's held back somewhat by its lack of polish.

Assassin's Creed has undergone many changes in its long and storied history, and Origins feels like the first step in the start of a new journey. It has its fair share of problems, but the vision for its future is one worth pursuing.

Does the phrase "anal beads" make you giggle? Have you daydreamed of tossing poop at the people you hate? Then you know where you can shove The Stick of Truth: right into your console's disc drive.

Its incredible similarity to previous Hot Shots Golf games may disappoint those looking for something fresh and new...[but] anyone looking for a consistently goofy, lighthearted golf game, will surely be pleased.

Defenders is a worthy addition to an already great game that will no doubt please anyone with a fondness for fighting within an inch of their life while also blowing up everything in sight into tiny, beautiful pieces.

If you have room in your heart for yet another Robotron clone, Super Stardust HD is a good addition to this well-worn genre.