Despite its few faults, Deus Ex Go remains an increasingly fun, rewarding puzzle-solving experience.

Erica has a strong, fleshed-out narrative full of twists and turns that each bring their own unique piece to the story. Its cryptic tone is carried through the audio, visuals, and writing; it never lets you relax. Sometimes weird controls jolt you out, but there is an abundance of enticing threads to follow, and it's a treat to be able to mold your own adventure out of it. Using a combination of crisp cinematography and FMV-specific game mechanics, Erica never fails to hook you into its haunting, mysterious world.

The latest entry in the long-running Worms series further refines the 15-year-old formula and is one of the best yet.

Void Bastards succeeds because it keeps you moving forward and rewards you on the way, without feeling like a pushover as a result.

This game of exploration and city building hits the occasional rough patch, but it's a captivating adventure nonetheless.

This year's entry is incredible in so many ways, from graphics, to soundtrack, to the different modes and ways to play hoops. It becomes clear early on that the fastest and easiest way to progress is by spending real money, slightly marring an otherwise tremendous experience.

The masterful fusion of jazz, pop, metal, and rock make for a great playlist that feels like a trip through the struggles and triumphs of Persona 5 all over again.

The Veilguard is a mostly sound game that works when you're playing as a class that can take advantage of its combat. I haven't run into any glitches or game-breaking bugs. No side quest feels too obtrusive or too fetch quest-y. And now that I've distanced myself from the mage, each combat encounter is snappy and avoids feeling too tedious or frustrating. The Veilguard feels like BioWare making a good BioWare game again, and that in itself makes me extraordinarily happy.

This debut episode from The Wolf Among Us crafts an excellent illusion that usually veils the systematic gears that click and whir whenever you veer down a particular path. More impressively, it nails its atmosphere.

Minecraft Story Mode's third episode is the best so far, weaving action and story in a tight, focused package.

But for series newcomers and PC-focused players, Megamix+ is an easy recommendation. There's a ton of content here, built upon a strong rhythm-game foundation that challenges you to grow your skills and aim ever higher--all while having fun watching music videos, playing dress-up, and collecting all the cool and wacky customizations for the entire cast. But most importantly, Megamix+ is the best showcase of Miku's legacy to date, showcasing the unbridled creativity and variety of the online musical and artistic subcultures she's inspired.

There may not be much more to the game than the constant adventures, but it's tailor-made for short, easily-digestible chunks of gameplay.

It has all of the characters and story events--and a majority of the essential gameplay elements--that made the Baldur's Gate series so addictive in the first place, but now they're all on a highly portable GBA cartridge.

Gwent clearly learns from other digital collectible card games that have carved their niche out of the market, but its play style offers up an entirely different type of challenge. It's one that requires some investment, and hard decisions on which Faction you'd like to invest in, but Gwent also respects your time by rewarding you for nearly every action in a match, tempting you to play just one more. Its matches could use some fine-tuning in their pacing and presentation, but Gwent is otherwise a refreshingly new take on card games that establishes itself firmly outside of the simple side activity it was in The Witcher 3.

Cityscapes are cloaked in deep purple haze and long shadows, and droning minor-scale chords heave and sigh, suffocating you with their smoky nuances. No matter how this story unfolds, it's hard to imagine a happy ending clearing away the pervading darkness.

This is another short episode (my first playthrough clocked in at less than 90 minutes), which makes Story Mode a little on the brief side compared to recent Telltale offerings. But that brevity is my biggest complaint, which, if you look at it from the most charitable view, means the game never outstayed its welcome. Story Mode remains a great experience--especially if you're playing with younger fans of Minecraft--and my anticipation for the next episode remains high.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a remarkable synthesis of artful design and beautiful moments.

I'm not going to lie, Nier Replicant made me ugly-cry on several occasions. Kainé, Emil, and Weiss will win your heart with their earnest and endearing personalities, making their tragic journey with you and tremendous story moments hit hard. Despite some significant gameplay enhancements, the lengths you have to go to see the story all the way through will be a test of your willpower. But for all its antiquated designs retained from the original version, it's worth the effort in the end. Thus, Nier Replicant is essential for anyone who has love for Automata, and it's a special experience on its own.

MLB The Show 17 continues the series' fantastic tradition of consistency and refinement. Improvements to its various game modes give you more ways to play the game how you want to, and the action on the field has never been better, with smarter fielding AI, and enhanced ball physics that bring the hitting to life. Commentary is still a little too stilted for my liking, and there are other blemishes lurking throughout. But when you connect with a fastball and send the ball spiralling into a gap in center field, any issues retreat to the back of your mind. This is America's National Pastime at its best.

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.

Endless Space is a relentlessly difficult sci-fi strategy game, challenging your intelligence at every turn.

FIFA Soccer 13 isn't all that different from last year's outing, but it still remains the most in-depth, entertaining, and compelling football game out there.

What's so remarkable is how the upgraded visuals enhance the overall experience. Smooth animations and lifelike faces aren't just eye candy; they affect you on an emotional level. By chipping away at that barrier between digital players and real life, you feel even closer to what's transpiring, which makes it difficult to pull yourself away.

Odyssey makes great strides in its massive and dynamic world, and it's a joy to venture out and leave your mark on its ever-changing setting.

Improvements have been made to such an extent that this latest release stacks up well against the pedigree established by the console versions of the franchise.

An original game that some will undoubtedly love, but others won't enjoy at all because of its trial-and-error approach and high degree of difficulty.

It's the kind of failure many developers work their fingers to the bone to achieve.

Fun while it lasts and definitely recommended for anyone who enjoyed the first game.