Despite some omissions in FIFA Football, it's as close to the full-blown console versions as a portable FIFA game has ever got, playing a precise, challenging, and--most importantly--exciting game of football. The great gameplay is backed up by a slick presentation with easy-to-navigate menus, well-delivered commentary, and crisp, detailed visuals. Deep single-player modes and smooth online play ensure you have plenty to keep you occupied as well.

NBA 2K9's game is strong, but most of its new features won't be appreciated by the average Joe.

The third Sylvio game is a worthy successor to the two supremely haunting games that came before it. Though it reverts to featuring some of the first game's lesser parts, it also carries over and improves on the best aspects of both its predecessors. Sylvio: Black Waters reaffirms what was already obvious to me: Stroboskop's audio design is on a level few other horror games can compete with, and with some future honing in on and improving the mechanics surrounding that centerpiece, the series still has room to grow. Even in this state, however, Sylvio: Black Waters will stick with you longer after the static dissipates.

Engrossing exploration, diverse development, and challenging combat return in Might & Magic Heroes VI.

Beyond the mood-breaking fetch quests and blank stares, however, Life is Strange has finally come into its own in Episode Three, shedding some dialogue and pacing problems from previous episodes.

Unity of Command 2 is an overall excellent wargame. The early going can be tough as it takes time to acclimatise to some idiosyncratic terms and learn to interpret the raft of poorly-explained icons. Persistence--not to mention some handy community-written guides--does pay off, though. Stick with it, and you'll be rewarded with one of the finest strategy games in recent times.

MLB 10: The Show may still be the best overall baseball game out there, but it's in a holding pattern this year and has some serious problems with online play.

It's not possible to recommend this version of Cave Story over all others, but it is a worthy, good-looking adaptation of a wonderful game all the same. If the WiiWare and DSiWare versions passed you by, and you'd rather do your platforming with an analogue pad than a keyboard, Cave Story 3D is a great way to discover a game that well deserves your attention.

If you seek horror, The Cat Lady may sometimes freak you out, though probably not outright scare you. But that horror is in service of a touching character portrait--a portrait that's authentically, poignantly askew.

It has fixed a lot of the critical problems from the first entry (most notably that abhorrent save system), and the writing is leaps and bounds better here, making Dragonfall the first game that truly capitalizes on this incredible universe's great potential.

If you missed out the first time around, you should absolutely hop on board for this extended trip to the Apocalypse. If you’re coming back for seconds, you’ll have a terrific time welcoming our new Triangulum overlords with Megido blasts right to their stupid geometric faces.

Octopath Traveler II is an ideal sequel. It builds upon the foundations of the original by improving on what worked, establishing common pillars of design and gameplay--combat mechanics, Path Actions, freeform progress--that will hopefully carry forth through future games. It also iterates upon concepts and ideas borrowed from other JRPGs--the day/night cycle and Latent Abilities--that enhance the overall experience. Octopath Traveler II is a delight from start to finish, and has left me looking forward to seeing where this series will take itself in the future.

Story and sidequests aside, however, The Surge 2 is absolutely worth the effort when the combat is taken in isolation. Not only does it pack a punch, but it also channels plenty of depth in its limb targeting and deflection systems, and is ably supported by a genuinely varied collection of weapons and potential character builds.

Despite the dated presentation, The King of Fighters XI is one of the best fighting games in the entire series.

Ultimately, that excruciating difficulty and the feeling it evokes are baked into Nioh's DNA, though, and its boss fights remain compelling even as they vex and frustrate. Though it sometimes feels like a curse as you play, it is a testament that Nioh 2 successfully grabs and holds your complete attention so close for so long.

What I can say is that playing A Crooked Mile was exhausting. Each line of dialogue pulsed with meaning, and at every turn, I feared that Bigby and I might tumble over the edge we kept peering over. Episode two made me wonder; episode three made me ache.

Though the game gets a little dry and repetitive after a while, the limitless opportunities found in the multiplayer modes and the insane vehicular stunts that make up a good portion of the game's action make it a worthy addition to any driving fan's game library.

Dozens of insanely catchy tracks, fantastic online support, and a few new gameplay hooks will have you craving the next race the second you finish the last one.

It's derivative, it's violent, and definitely tasteless at times - but it's almost always fun...If you like 3D shooters, give Blood a try. You might find that being totally evil - at least in a game - can feel pretty "damn" good.

Superior animation, an engaging story, and clever puzzles make Broken Sword well worth investigating.

This brilliant reimagining of the spooky series' progenitor is a breath of fresh air that will stick with you despite its shortcomings.

This is a complex, complicated turn-based wargame featuring literally hundreds of authentic modern military units, as well as a big campaign, dozens of stand-alone scenarios, and a full-fledged map editor.

This microgame collection includes dozens of games, but its focus is on empowering you to create your own.

Clever combat mechanics and diverse soldier classes make this third-person shooter addictive and entertaining.

This is as authentic a portrayal of rally as you’re likely to find, and proves to be not just a return to form for Codemasters, but its best game to date. Just don’t expect it to treat you with any courtesy.

Rhythm Heaven leaves a lasting impression with simple-but-challenging rhythmic tapping and quirky tunes.

Clank's first outing as a secret agent is a funny and action-packed adventure that you'll want to play more than once.

Its setting and characters offer a fresh perspective for the series, while Supermassive's penchant for creating tension through something as simple as a QTE is as masterful as ever. It might not be particularly fear-inducing, but its action set-pieces are fraught with peril for the fate of its characters, and the final act sticks the landing with a satisfying payoff. The series might still be stuck in the smothering shadow of Until Dawn, but House of Ashes is a step in the right direction.

For the average player, this expansion has a much longer tail than previous iterations of Destiny 2. The variety and flexibility of activities established in the base game still work to make grinding a good time, and Gambit adds a consistently entertaining mode to the roster. The endgame, while difficult to reach, is also where the most satisfaction can be found.

Evolution packages this new campaign along with an improved multiplayer suite. It's basically more like an expansion than a full campaign, as it's about half the length of the original campaign.

Tetris 99 may not be a proper battle royale game, but it taps into the same emotional well, where a large number of players vying for supremacy creates an ever-present intensity that's difficult to shake. Add that layer to a game that's plenty capable of instilling tension on its own, and you've got a riveting experience that even at its worst is still a game very much worth playing. There's obvious room for improvement, but that's the last thing on your mind when the pieces start falling and the players start dropping.

For every addition, like the backtrack feature, Collinsworth, or improved visuals, there's a problem that rears its ugly head, like the unchanged Superstar mode, poor pass coverage in the middle of the field, or underwhelming online leagues. Newcomers will still face a steep learning curve, but if you're a football fan or series veteran, you can't go wrong with Madden 09.

Despite its shortcomings, The Crew 2 still displays admirable strengths, which lie in its player-friendly features, freedom of movement, and its willingness to bend the rules in order to make things exciting and varied for an accessible, American-themed thrillride.

Parts of this legacy have aged horribly, but they’re still undeniably a piece of Mega Man X history.

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is the role-playing game equivalent of a warm hug from a good friend, and sometimes all you need is love.

Stylish art and a gradual difficulty curve make Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony a treat for shoot-'em-up fans of all skill levels.

Frostpunk 2 doesn't replace the first game. Instead, it elevates its rawest themes of human nature to towering heights. It offers a significantly different challenge in its city-building that allows both games to exist in separate sectors of the genre, and it's better for it.

At its best, Sunless Skies is a triumph. Its writers have crafted a world of endless wonder where seemingly anything is possible. At heart, it's a text adventure that conjures the imagination to send you on a journey as spectacular and memorable as any big-budget graphical blockbuster.

One of the best traditional RTS games to hit the PC in a number of years.

And that's what South of Midnight is: an unapologetic love letter to the American Deep South; specifically, the gothic vibes that permeate the mythology and superstitions of the region as well as the history and culture of the people who live there. It doesn't exactly wow with its combat and platforming, but these parts of the game are mechanically sound, and South of Midnight's memorable characters, incredible visuals, and catchy soundtrack are so strong that it doesn't really matter that the gameplay is just decent. South of Midnight is the type of story that will sit with you, and a good reminder that we need more games about the American Deep South. Compulsion Games hasn't made a direct sequel to any of its games yet, but it needs to make an exception here--I am not done with this world.

Its overly plain presentation will probably turn off the casual set, but MVP 06 NCAA Baseball's top-notch gameplay is exactly what baseball purists are looking for.

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.

The classy combat and quirky characters combined with a levelling system, ranking system, gear to upgrade, and collectible badges and puzzle pieces that offer up new powers make Dream Team a rich RPG. It's also laugh-out-loud funny, even more so if you're a fan of Mario games thanks to some wonderfully self-aware jokes.

With solid gameplay feel, exceptional customizability, and a deep legacy mode, ESPN College Hoops is easily recommendable to any college basketball fan.

A small, simple, but incredibly affecting story that showcases the power of the ability to encourage empathy through the most basic expressions of humanity and imagination.

Players who lost touch with baseball games when they went 3D on the PlayStation may find that Slugfest is exactly what they've been missing.

Goofy humor and a bevy of wacky objectives make it easy to lose yourself in this action role-playing game.

If Capcom follows with a proper sequel to Mega Man X, this compilation provides valuable lessons on what the series is, what it isn’t, and what it can be when given the chance.

John Wick Hex has turn-based gameplay at a pace you’ve likely not experienced before, and it intricately balances its systems to give you a sense of being an expert hitman while also making it feel earned. It’s a slick and well-oiled game that succeeds in giving you a new, engrossing way to experience John Wick and its signature brand of chaotic action.

Makes me feel like a graceful performance artist, a skillful sorcerer, and a master musician all at once.

This atmospheric return to the classic Resident Evil gameplay packs more than a few surprises.

Sniper Elite 5 follows in its immediate predecessor's footprints with another massive open-ended sandbox for you to experiment in. There's a renewed emphasis on player agency this time around that factors into every aspect of its design, from the way each sprawling map is constructed, right down to the addition of a broad weapon customization system. Invisible barriers tend to break the immersion at times, and the AI can be overly finicky as it veers between competence and incompetence. Fairburne isn't the most graceful protagonist, either, but these shortcomings aren't damaging enough to seriously dampen the glee that comes from shooting Nazis in the face from 300 yards away. When it comes to long-range combat, Sniper Elite 5 has mastered the craft.

Game of Thrones is off to a slow but not uneventful start, with an almost unfairly large heap of teases and promises for the next episode. The pacing is true to its source material--slow, taking its own time--but the payoff for major scenes is worth wading through.

The highest compliment I can think to pay Falcon Age is that it evoked the same feeling I get caring for my real-life pets--including the real wince of bone-deep alarm I felt anytime my bird was at risk of injury. This is about much more than a cute animal. It's about a bond, and one Falcon Age nails.

The third time is the charm for Traveller's Tales--logical puzzles and great offline co-op play make this the best Lego game yet.

Even when its flaws are obvious, Chasm is a well-crafted adventure, and during the more than 12 hours I spent playing through my first time, I got lost only once.

Swords and Soldiers is an engaging, goofy romp that takes out the complexity of other real-time strategy games but leaves in all the fun.

With its graphical add-ons, the stability and performance enhancements, and the inclusion of all of Control's DLC, the Ultimate Edition really is the best way to experience Control--and the PS5's haptics really add an extra layer of intensity to a game that already feels great to play. If you haven't experienced Control yet, this is the best way to do so. If you have, this is a good excuse to jump back into its beautiful, strange, inventive world once again.

Castaway might just be one of the best iterations of The Sims 2 on consoles yet.

Sim-based gameplay mechanics are nowhere to be found in the game and have been replaced by a blistering pace and frenzied style of action that make for a crazy, yet enjoyable, gameplay experience.

Delivers a great basketball experience, if you can overlook the control issues.

No matter what you're looking for in a golf game, Tiger Woods 10 almost certainly has you covered.

A wide variety of games and accessible-yet-deep controls make Wii Sports Resort a must-have party game.

Light on content but deep on gameplay, NBA Street Homecourt's PlayStation 3 debut is ultimately a great one.

MLB The Show 25 plays a typically excellent game of baseball. Ambush Hitting is lackluster, but tweaks to fielding make for a more well-rounded game. Meanwhile, Road to the Show finally gets the shot in the arm it's been crying out for with the inclusion of amateur games and a reworked progression system; free agency is more engaging in Franchise, and Diamond Dynasty smartly shifts away from the restrictive Sets and Seasons model while also introducing an enjoyable new single-player mode. Whether its additions are incremental or more significant, MLB The Show 25 makes enough positive changes to justify another year out on the diamond.

By creating intriguing rules and pushing its ideas to impossible places, Closure cements itself as a great puzzler.

Whether you liked these games originally or are just playing them now, Marvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection is a great place to experience them. Put another way, it's going to take you for a ride.

Its story and themes are delivered well, but they don't come off as pretentious or preachy. The challenging boss battles deliver immense satisfaction, and the breaks of tranquil exploration offer delightful moments of discovery.

Chapters of the Chosen is a charming, absorbing, and addictively fun role-playing game that offers the best chance Westerners have ever had to experience Dragon Quest IV.

Given the unique demands of anti-gravity gameplay, the PC version's comprehensive yet concise tutorials turn out to be crucial for onboarding new users. That makes their puzzling omission from the PS4 version disappointing.

It may only take two to three hours to see everything The Gardens Between has to offer, but the warm and fuzzy feelings from start to finish ensure that your memories of playing it will live on.

One of the most highly evolved 2D fighting games yet, and it's another clear sign that fighting games definitely have some life left in them.

It can sometimes be tough to appreciate games from the past because so much of game design is built on iteration. That isn't a problem with Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered. There are archaic elements to both games, yet it's surprising just how well they hold up today. There's no doubt that improvements to the game's controls and, to a lesser extent, their visuals contribute to this, but the main reason they persevere is because of their masterful melding of story, worldbuilding, and mechanics with a handful of innovative ideas. Much like Raziel, this isn't a perfect revival, but it preserves a pair of classic games and, in an ideal world, will attract a new audience to a series that has been dormant for far too long. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of its resurgence.

This clever puzzle game has plenty of variety and makes great use of the PlayStation Move.

A game that's generally pleasing but heavily reliant on a few new moves that seem more like gimmicks than gameplay innovations.

Danganronpa is an excellent adventure with a story that celebrates the human spirit, even during the darkest times, and that optimistic viewpoint made me smile even when everything seemed to be going wrong.

Although you can't escape it, Mortal Kombat X's violence doesn't come at the cost of great gameplay design; it's either your punishment for failure, or your reward for mastering the art of kombat.

Banana Mania doesn't reinvent the wheel (ball?), but it doesn't need to. Having the ability to play classic Super Monkey Ball levels and minigames without having to drag your old consoles and CRT TV out of storage would be enough of a selling point on its own, but the additional gameplay tweaks and charming extras sweeten the deal quite a bit. If you're a longtime roller who's missed AiAi and his jungle buddies--or if you're a newcomer looking for an easy-to-learn action/puzzle game that will keep you busy for a good while--you'll want to take Banana Mania for a spin.

Ninjatown is an intuitive strategy experience that anyone can enjoy.

Another very good entry in a solid series of motocross games. It plays well, and it has great control and a lot of tracks and objectives.

The PlayStation action adventure classic makes an unlikely appearance on the Nintendo DS, complete with some surprising new twists and all the gory scares that made the original so memorable.

By and large a very good adventure role-playing game, with a memorable cast of characters and plenty of pure action.

And while the fruit of its efforts may not be the miracle this genre needs for a complete revival, it's just about as good as shooters get.

The game's level of challenge often borders on being punishing, but fans of tactical strategy games will find that the effort is worth it.

Those purely looking for a first-person shooter won't find that NightFire is the best choice around, but as a Bond game, NightFire successfully re-creates the style, presentation, and action of its source material.

Overall, Rogue Squadron is a good mission-based shooter. The mix of levels really keeps the pace of the game fresh and exciting. Any fan of the first level of "Shadows of the Empire" really should check out Rogue Squadron.

Almost identical to the first Ultramix. This might have been a big disappointment if this entry in the series wasn't still the best value to be found in a DDR game.

Pairs third-person and new first-person gameplay with an emphasis on combat and item management. The resultant hybrid has some flaws, but The Room retains the dark, disturbing soul that is the unsettling center of the Silent Hill experience.

Makes up for its simplistic gameplay and brief quest with a great deal of variety.

The well-designed mechanics, combined with its sheer amount of content, make Culdcept easily recommendable to fans of strategy games and even to fans of role-playing games.

LostMagic is a role-playing game that starts well and gets deeper and better as you spend more time with it.

It may not be as visually stunning or control as well as some other racers, but the game does a little bit of everything and does it all well.

A surprisingly accomplished, by-the-books, futuristic racing game.

Despite its bugs, The Temple of Elemental Evil stands as one of the most authentic PC Dungeons & Dragons experiences of the past few years.

A slower, slightly clunkier wrestling game than what the PS2 version was able to deliver, but it still works great for the PSP's capabilities.

Mostly geared toward EverQuest's dedicated, hard-core following.

While NightFire is hurt by its relatively short length, the game's single-player mode is well constructed, and its multiplayer mode is good too.

Although the graphical experience emphasizes clarity over extravagance, even the game's graphical palette exudes quality.