Prey's campaign won't take too long, and it's rarely difficult, which makes it a solid choice if you're looking for an easy weekend romp. But much of the game's potential for unique thrills feels wasted by its straightforward level design, and the multiplayer doesn't add much to the package.

The ongoing and persistent nature of the game universe gives Shattered Galaxy something missing from most real-time strategy games, even those with superior technology.

For those who haven't yet played a Close Combat game, or for veterans looking for new maps and scenarios for this outstanding series, then Close Combat: Invasion Normandy provides plenty of new challenges.

It's a little rough around the edges, but it's both exciting and technically impressive enough to hold its own against its full-priced competition.

Considering both its many quests and its trial-and-error gameplay, Gothic II is a substantially long game, and its different quests and different professions allow for some good replay value.

Even though you may find moments of frustration with the game's missions and its challenging economic model, digging deep into Port Royale provides a varied and open-ended experience--along with the simple satisfaction of playing as a pirate.

An ode to the sweet science, and it's one of the most intricate and accurate sims of the sport ever released.

This humorous and enjoyable adventure is seaworthy, despite some visual choppiness.

All the games play incredibly well, though "Pole Position" suffers a bit without its original analog steering wheel. The games also sound just like their arcade counterparts.

A good game, but toward the end of it, you'll likely be far more interested in seeing how the story ends--and the jokes it tells along the way--than in its gameplay.

While it may not offer the sophistication of other racing games on the market, OutRun2 has an old-school sensibility that makes it both appealing and addictive. A wealth of content and an online mode add to the game's great value as well.

King's Bounty is a great modern rendition of an old-fashioned formula.

Metal Slug's first foray onto the GBA is a resounding success. Even though Metal Slug Advance is a brand-new game, it has all the sights, sounds, and charm of the NeoGeo games it's based on.

The game's main strength is in the way it seamlessly delivers both fighting-game-style combat and puzzle solving while telling a great story using in-game cinemas.

UEFA Euro 2008 plays a better game of football than anything else on the market, but only just.

Buckets of whimsy and oodles of puzzles make this a satisfying adventure, despite the sometimes steep difficulty.

Though plagued by technical issues, Rage creates an engrossing world full of thoughtful detail and solid shooter action.

Heavenly Sword feels like a summer action flick. It's full of nonstop action, and it looks terrific. Unfortunately, like a great summer movie, it's over far too quickly.

It's a shame that these intricacies were tempered by unnecessary simplification and unfocused storytelling. Nevertheless, Dragon Age II makes a strong impression, pulling you through with the promise of another fun quest, another character to meet, and another beast to slay.

Tales of Vesperia is the best game yet in the series, and a beautiful and entertaining RPG in its own right.

Tiger Woods 08 is a good game, but it stumbles a bit this year thanks to some unnecessary changes and some new features that don't work well or don't work at all.

A very good adventure game with impressive production values, but if it had actually shipped complete with the promised multiplayer, it perhaps could have been much more.

As a remake, Resident Evil 3 not only falls short of honoring its source, but it also doesn't quite stick the landing as a standalone horror experience. Even without taking into account the original game, or its predecessor, RE3 struggles to keep up with its pace amid a clashing of elements from survival horror and standard action. While it has a strong start and gives its principal villain some great moments, this truncated retelling of the concluding game from the original Resident Evil trilogy doesn't do it proper justice.

Too much emphasis on battles and too tight a focus on the main story--as interesting as it can be at times, especially if you’re interested in the mythology of Eora--makes the game something of a forced march that removes the wonder of exploring an open world.

This slow-starting strategy game is deliciously destructible once you learn the ropes.

SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 successfully returns to the fundamentals of intense, realistic WWE action and impressive, easy-to-use creation tools.

Once Upon a Katamari is still a fantastic time and the new must-play title in the series. It manages to perfectly capture what has always made Katamari so charming and special--the writing, the humor, the music, the absurdity of it all--and refines it into the best way to experience the series, regardless of if it's your first time playing or if you're a long-time fan. Though it seems absurd to claim I wanted Bandai Namco to commit even more to the bit with this game, more intention and innovation is all that keeps Once Upon a Katamari from being truly great. Regardless, it's still a wonderful--and much-welcomed--return to the world of Katamari.

Eye of the North is largely more of the same. In this case, that's a terrific thing.

Persona 5's transition to tactics-based combat is a triumph. Every aspect of Tactica is so well conceived and moving that what's created is something truly exceptional, especially in regard to its story. I grew to adore the Phantom Thieves even more and fell in love with Toshiro, Erina, their story, and everything their characters stood for. Despite being a spin-off, Tactica has a beautiful message delivered with a clear voice. It's a fantastic addition to the Persona 5 universe--one that celebrates its spirit and resolve while also taking the conversations and ideals explored in the game to new heights.

Swordcraft Story 2 sticks to the basics to deliver an easily enjoyable role-playing game that doesn't take itself too seriously.

The unique tower defense hybrid Anomaly: Warzone Earth makes a smooth transition to the Xbox 360.

If you can stand to look at a lesser version of Doom's once captivating world, you'll find that the game plays well enough on Switch so long as you've got a TV in front of you and a Pro Controller in hand. There's nothing else like it on a portable system, but be prepared to face a handful of compromises, especially if you're used to playing on other platforms. It's an impressive port that begs you to consider gameplay over graphics, and it succeeds more often than not.

A solid, fast-paced experience that provides a nice balance between the fresh and the familiar.

Kirby Air Riders is an impressive package that makes the most of its deceivingly simple mechanics. Air Ride delivers a solid kart racing experience; Top Ride is a fun--albeit a bit straightforward--distraction; City Trial is chaotic in the best way possible; and Road Trip ties it all together with its creative encounters and satisfying progression. In the second Kirby Air Riders Direct, Masahiro Sakurai said he had no plans to continue the franchise or add any DLC. When I first heard this, I was a little disappointed, but now that I've spent countless hours exploring each mode, there's not really anything else I could want. This feels like that initial concept from 2003 taken as far as it could possibly go, and I couldn't be happier with the result.

Harry's adventure into Lego land is exactly what you'd want it to be: charming, fun, and chock-full of secrets.

Harry's adventure into Lego land is exactly what you'd want it to be: charming, fun, and chock-full of secrets.

There are no big action sequences, which takes away some of the energy, but the emphasis on character relationships is what makes this episode a good one.

The game constantly lets you know where you stand and frequently restarting the race entirely after a mishap is a common, and necessary, tactic to stay on top. The ghostly nature of multiplayer manages to alleviate any frustration from vehicle collisions while still maintaining a constant sense of competition.

Apex Legends Mobile is exactly what's being advertised: This is Apex Legends, but on mobile devices. This means Respawn has made some serious concessions to its battle royale in order to make the whole thing work, especially when it comes to visuals and performance. And not all of the new additions to the formula, like Team Deathmatch, add anything compelling. But the perk system and first mobile-exclusive legend create a strong draw for Apex Legends Mobile existing alongside Apex Legends as a companion game. If you want to play Apex Legends on the go, this fulfills that need. Just don't come into it thinking this is the best way to play Respawn's battle royale game.

The ongoing refrain of "familiar done well" is the defining quality of Call of the Mountain. There's nothing revolutionary in the game that moves VR gaming forward and it doesn't do anything unexpected, so it ends up being exactly what it looks like: a well-made Horizon game in VR that has good climbing and shooting, as well as pretty environments to look at. As a showcase of what can be done with the PSVR 2, it more than handily serves its purpose.

There are only a few improvements to help distinguish it from NHL 2002, but these changes further increase the realism of what is considered the best hockey simulation on the market.

The core game--and its various problems--is definitely starting to show its age, but if you've ever enjoyed The Sims at least a little, you'll probably find Unleashed to be a worthwhile add-on.

While the game is sometimes hampered by its nostalgia, it successfully and entertainingly captures the feel of controlling a giant robot like no other game has in the past.

Its additions are extremely enjoyable to play around with and, in some cases, really change the gameplay of the original in new and intriguing ways.

Though Lost Dungeons is clearly suited for dedicated EverQuest players, it offers little or nothing to bring new players into the fold or to lure back those who might have given up on EverQuest some time ago.

As a simple, yet effective translation of the German board game, Carcassonne proves an oddly addictive experience.

RayStorm is easily the best shooter currently available on the PlayStation (we're reserving judgment on "Xevious 3D" until we see the home version).

Strikes a great balance between its fantasy and Egyptian-history-based elements to create a world that is rich with character, color, and originality, and its unique method of puzzle-solving makes it an easy recommendation to any fan of the genre.

Always frantic, NHL Hitz 2002 provides some high-level entertainment for the first couple of days and works best as a multiplayer game, but the handicapping AI makes the gameplay unbalanced.

Doesn't fix what's not broken, and it delivers the same addictive gameplay the series is known for in a prettier package.

While other recently ported Capcom titles such as "Dino Crisis" are judged a little more harshly against today's standards, Resident Evil 3 Nemesis remains a very worthwhile game even though not much has been added to the translation.

One of the most captivating aspects of Worms is the diverse array of options available for each game, effectively making it possible that no two games of Worms are alike.

With plenty of opportunities available online or off, KOF 14 is a well-executed addition to the revered fighting series. Those disappointed in its new visuals may be unwilling to give it a chance, but if you remain steadfast in parsing through the multiple layers of its mechanics, you'll be rewarded with one of the most accessible, satisfying entries in the series to date.

The new QB1 career mode--which includes a barebones NCAA football experience--overall feels like a half-baked idea that doesn't deliver anything meaningful or interesting. When it comes to the on-the-field action, however, the new X-Factor and Superstar abilities shake up the familiar gameplay formula to give seasoned players and newcomers alike a fresh way to scheme plays and orchestrate strategy on both sides of the ball.

Tales of Berseria’s weak presentation and dull world design may not excite, but they only account for a piece of an otherwise enjoyable tale. The refined combat, and the darker tone, paired with the sinister characters, makes for a more engaging experience overall . In these ways, Tales of Berseria actually takes the series in an intriguing new direction.

The real reason that you're driven to keep playing Squadrons is for the pure joy of dogfighting, whether that be in the game's team deathmatch mode, campaign setpieces, or perhaps in VR on PS4 and PC, where the sensory deprivation and head-tracking give you an extra layer of physical response to your flight maneuvers, which can be exciting for as long as you can stomach it. The campaign's narrative leaves you wanting, and the flagship Fleet Battles can be incredibly uneven. But the feeling of Squadrons' core flight combat is gratifying enough to sustain you through it all. The involved nature of juggling all tasks required to operate your cool starfighter at peak efficiency while soaking in the more mechanical sights and sounds of Star Wars is a stimulating experience that Squadrons just gets right.

his care and attention to detail extends to the environments, which feel genuine and lived-in.

Race the Sun is an elegant endeavor, pairing slick action and stiff challenge with systems that make you want to come back day after day.

This riotous off-road racer provides plenty of boisterous fun, in spite of a few irregularities.

Horses and controllable cats and dogs give The Sims 3: Pets a good deal of heart.

The Second Coming is a delight to play. While the lack of gameplay variety compared to what came before is a definite disappointment, the game is just so outright fun that it's easy to forgive.

With its wonderful depth in both story and gameplay, Pacific Drive is an early hit in 2024. It sets out to create a world that fits comfortably in the New Weird genre but brings its own style and substance to it. The road from unreliable bucket of bolts to souped-up charger is a fascinating one whether you're unraveling the game's many mysteries or improving your wagon for its next road trip. Though the game can be especially hard to decipher, difficulty options help to counter some of its more overwhelming aspects. I'll stick to bikes in my day-to-day life through the actual northwest, but in Pacific Drive, I'm up for another joy ride through one hell of a winding road.

MTX Mototrax may be the only game in town if you're dead-set on online play, but THQ's recent release, "MX Unleashed," is still a better game across the board.

A few issues hold it back, but Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment marks a high point for the spin-off series, iterating on its riotous hack-and-slash combat with depth and variety.

Trials Rising maintains the engrossing, challenging, and occasionally slapstick gameplay from past entries in the series, building upon it in small ways with a smartly implemented school to teach fundamental skills and modifiers to make events worth revisiting. But it also doesn't fix issues from the past, either. Its track editor remains uninviting to learn, and the more outrageous stunt events and course obstacles frustratingly lean more into random luck than calculated skill. Trials Rising isn't a reinvention of the franchise--it's an invitation to lose more hours to new exhilarating, technical, and ridiculous Trials courses.

This open-world action game set in Manhattan is proof that even viral outbreaks can be incredibly fun if they're done right.

While the game sometimes feels a little too eager to kill players and lacks local play, with a full troop online, it’s easily one of the best all-out action multiplayer games in recent memory.

Does its job quite well--it's a graphically remarkable yet otherwise conventional 2D fighting game that plays well, sounds good, and offers a memorable lineup of cool characters with countless crazy moves.

Assault Heroes takes several cues from the great arcade shooters of the '80s and '90s but manages to spin all of these influences into a unique-feeling product.

Fun for a wide range of players while still offering the complexity serious fighting fans have come to expect.

Torment is far more than just a phenomenal role-playing game. It’s a challenge to restore the depth and nuance for which the genre was once known.

Updated visuals help Perfect Dark to wear its years well, but the outdated design could hamper your fun.

Some ultimate game where nerd and jock fuse together and assume their final form.

Mostly, though, I'm deeply attached to the Tacoma crew, who I only got to know through projections and the things they left behind. Out of everything, that's Tacoma's greatest accomplishment: getting you to care about people who aren't even there.

Its parry-based combat is frequently stellar, and Team Ninja has made a number of smart changes to keep Wo Long feeling fresh, even if there's always a tinge of familiarity. It has its issues, but if you're craving a fast-paced action RPG built on satisfying combat, Wo Long ticks most of the right boxes.

Strikes a great balance between its fantasy and Egyptian-history-based elements to create a world that is rich with character, color, and originality, and its unique method of puzzle-solving makes it an easy recommendation to any fan of the genre.

It still stands in the shadow of those that came before it, and little flaws like loading hiccups and soft textures underscore the fact that Judgment feels like a lesser achievement. Still, it's a heck of a lot of fun, and if you still enjoy utterly destroying hulking monstrosities with one blast of the sawed-off shotgun, you'll find a lot to like in Gears of War: Judgment.

Halo Wars 2 carries forth enough of the series' beloved elements to make any fan of Halo feel right at home at first, but not in the long run. It’s palatable for those used to the FPS games, taking inspiration from favorite missions and putting a strategic spin on them; but just when things become more challenging and actually interesting, it runs out of steam.

Homeworld was always about loneliness. It was always about clarity and focus. Kharak isn't new in that regard, but it is special. It shows us that when you get things right -- and excel -- that formula isn't easy to exhaust. Kharak does its part to add to that, though. Its use of voice acting and efficient visuals is a brilliant addition that's far from superficial. It helps narrow the scope of what you need to manage, so that it can load you up with as much as your brain can handle. It’s a fast, daunting experience that's tough to shake, making Kharak as intoxicating as Homeworld has ever been.

If sharp visuals and higher frame rate are huge factors in your enjoyment, then you're better off playing L.A. Noire on PS4 and Xbox One, which sport added bells and whistles that elevate the game's performance. But if you're charmed by the idea of experiencing it portably, then L.A. Noire on Switch comes recommended. It may not work the best under pressure, but it's well worth replaying or experiencing for the first time on Nintendo's convertible console.

Survival and crafting take a turn for the brutal in this fascinating adventure.

If you've ever been at least slightly captivated by the romance of the rails or have perhaps thought of dabbling in model railroading, Trainz could easily make an enthusiastic convert of you.

Despite its unusually deficient single-player mode, Bomberman Party Edition still manages to succeed where many previous attempts have failed, delivering an uproariously enjoyable multiplayer experience.

Fast, colorful, and fun to play. It's true that the single-player modes can get repetitive, and the two-player mode doesn't seem polished.

The enjoyment NHL Hitz 2002 deteriorates rather quickly due to its negligible computer AI and simplistic gameplay, but if you're looking for some quick-hit fun from your hockey games, it's an excellent choice.

It has a deep franchise mode, accurate player ratings, and all the small details that make baseball fans giddy with excitement.

Between getting the fundamentals right and offering up a boatload of extra features, this literally is the only chess video game you'll ever need to buy for the forseeable future.

Easy enough for anyone to pick up, yet it has enough multiplayer appeal to stay interesting for a good long time. So, if you've got a crew of friends ready to pick a Nintendo character and throw down, then Super Smash Bros. is definitely worth a purchase.

Observation is a wonderful example of how to do focused, self-contained science-fiction storytelling in a game. It's well-written and clever, and nails the sci-fi tropes and aesthetics it both plays to and builds upon. It's a game that demands to be analyzed and thought about further once you're done with it, and while the internal world of the game is small, inhabiting it is a real pleasure.

Fans of the films will definitely want to pick this one up, but those who enjoy action games in general will also find a lot to like about it, in spite of the game's short length.

EA Sports' latest golf sim is a significant improvement over its predecessor in almost every way.

Visual irritations aside, Alan Wake Remastered is really just a game I'm glad exists. This is the nicest-looking, best-realized version of Remedy's 2010 title, and it holds up today just as well as it did when it originally appeared on the Xbox 360. If you're sitting on a copy of Alan Wake on PC, this is an upgrade you can probably skip--though the enhanced visuals are nice, they likely don't represent a big-enough change to warrant snagging a whole second copy of the game.

A colorful cast of characters, a great presentation, exciting shooting action, and support for wireless multiplayer competition over the Internet combine to make this game one of the safest bets you can place when choosing your first PSP games.

The control scheme has its quirks, but this is still an intense and enjoyable shooter.

The PSP version of FIFA 08 is packed with features and game modes, although the football itself could use a bit more work.

Capcom Fighting Collection does a good job of revisiting the past, but it doesn't quite go far enough. Hyper Street Fighter II is a stalwart, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo and Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix are goofy and fun, and Cyberbots and Red Earth are unique and good examples of what a collection should include. The overabundance of Darkstalkers games--as good as they are--does not help the overall package, as there are still some forgotten Capcom fighting games that could have used the exposure instead. Reliving these games is a lot of fun but, like most reunions, there's that one member of the family that's demanding a bit too much attention.

Sonic Advance 3 actually brings something new to the table--a tag-team play mechanic that ultimately enhances the overall product rather than mucking it up.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a better version of a classic, flawed game. Those blemishes are sometimes more glaring today, but some great fixes to the overall package also erase some other issues entirely. Its timeless qualities, like an absurd story and a fun setting, keep it from feeling like an unwelcome retread. Still, I'd hope the next Dead Rising fixes a lot of what this one does poorly--and even some of its sequels did that, so it seems likely. In 2024, Dead Rising is no longer the sort of game that would make me run out and buy a new console, but it is a game that I'm happy to revisit in this improved form.