Streets of Rage 4 is an admirable comeback for this long-dormant series. It looks great, sounds great, and plays very well. Even if the experience is relatively short, it's the sort of game you and your buddies can easily enjoy playing and re-playing. If you're craving some classic brawling action with a modern edge, these rage-filled streets are calling your name.

Eight years after its predecessor originally launched in arcades, Tekken 8 has arrived, and it has brought the heat to match the long wait. The Heat System is an exciting addition to the fighting mechanics earmarked by flashy moves and multiple ways to use them. The roster is deep and varied, and it offers something for everyone. Both offline and online players will find plenty of things to do, and the customization options all add a personal flair. Tekken 8 is poised for another near-decade of dominance, as it's a Devil of a good time.

Patapon 3 builds upon the rhythm-based strategy formula of its predecessors and adds both meaningful leveling mechanics and a wealth of multiplayer options.

I put more than a dozen hours into Dimensions Evolved, but I already fear the dozens of hours more that I'm going to dump into Ultimate and Hardcore Modes as I try to best my own scores and those of my friends.

The occasional control issues are regrettable but hardly insurmountable, and the blend of offensive and defensive objectives and the competitive play are sufficient reasons to overlook that minor flaw as you happily commit yourself to the task of ruining the marauding Vikings' day.

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.

NHL 19 succeeds mainly because of its best-in-class controls, authentic presentation, multitude of different ways to play, and its overall excellence in capturing the essence of hockey culture. The pond hockey mode is a fun new way to play with friends in beautiful outdoor environments, but it's the only brand-new feature, and that may disappoint veteran fans.

Sharp controls and smooth physics create a great blend of challenge and fun in this retro-styled arcade game.

Horizon 2 is about careening into the sunset while Beethoven symphonies blast from your speakers, as if you might leap off the edge of the Earth and straight into the arms of God.

Fun combat and a steady flow of rewards make this journey a massively enjoyable one, especially with some fellow mercenaries along for the ride.

All of The Last of Us Part I's improvements taken by themselves may seem minor, but together they make one of the most memorable games of the PS3 era even better. In some ways, the two parts of The Last of Us are now better aligned, making transitioning between them much smoother. However, in other ways, the years of progress in game design and development are all too apparent. But while some of the level design may not have aged all that well, the vivid cast of characters and remarkable story are more poignant than ever.

Ultros is a collection of novel ideas such as these that elevate it beyond its metroidvania underpinnings and help it stand out in the genre as something distinct. While it borrows elements from other genres to do so, it uses them thoughtfully within the context of its core design, never straying from the fundamentals of engaging exploration and rewarding progression that keep fans of this genre returning for new adventures. Its complexity can veer into frustrating territory by keeping some crucial mechanical aspects a little too vague, but it's never so detrimental that it hampers what is an otherwise engrossing adventure set within a visually memorable world--one with secrets and stories that invite you to stay well beyond your first escape, and reward you well for doing so.

The boss fights remain a titanically poor decision for a series focused on lightning-fast, frenetic gameplay, but when the rest of the package has only gotten better and more varied, they're a frustrating but small price to pay.

Continuing the Madden franchise's recent tradition of story modes, Madden NFL 20 introduces a new narrative campaign. This new mode generally falls flat, but the pro football sim stands out on the field, with new additions that faithfully capture the essence of the NFL experience while making it fun to play again and again.

Even though it suffers from technical flaws, The House of the Dead: Overkill offers tons of entertainment with plenty of style.

The Switch-exclusive features--limited to the free-building non-story mode--add another layer of endearment to a game already brimming with charm.

Dead Rising 2: Case Zero does a great job of rekindling memories of the first game while paving the way for the upcoming sequel.

Super Mario RPG is one of the most interesting remasters I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Returning to 1996 and joining Mario and pals on this zany adventure that contributed greatly to my love of turn-based RPGs was a nostalgic joyride.

This faithful port of Third Strike comes with all of the pluses and minuses of the arcade version, including tight, fun gameplay coupled with a steep learning curve.

Sniper Elite 4 feels like a natural progression for this series, as Rebellion continues to refine its systems and put a greater emphasis on the long-range shooting.

While the game successfully melds Nintendo's signature charm to America's pastime, a couple of fundamental gameplay gaffes keep it from being the exceptional arcade hardball game that it could be.

With a set destination, the journey has to be the focal point of Old Skies--which is great for it, as the game is a fantastic journey. The memorable dialogue is bolstered by an incredible cast of voice actors, and the story is compelling from its shocking first hour to its timey-wimey final moments. I'm normally one to play point-and-click games in small bursts to sit with each chapter of the story, but I found myself regularly playing Old Skies in large chunks, going through multiple chapters in each sitting just to see what would happen next. And even though I didn't enjoy every step there, the overall package more than made up for it with one of my favorite stories of this year.

Kingdom of Paradise has somewhat of a steep learning curve and its flashy combat system has a few problems, but the quality of the game's presentation and the generally entertaining battles almost completely overshadow these setbacks.

While its lack of challenge may lull fans, its ease of use will delight newcomers and draw in anyone who appreciates a touch of magic.

The Lego rendition of The Boy Who lived is a seriously charming take on the life of a wizard, with loads of gameplay variety and an emphasis on discovery.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is a great adventure with a ton of heart.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a more-than-worthy successor to the 2011 original. Its brutally gory action is as riveting as ever, but it's also more considered and tactile, making for a much more satisfying experience. There's not a lot going on outside of combat, and it's overly linear at times, but these flaws are easy to forget when you're charging headfirst into battle against an enemy numbering in the hundreds, furiously fighting against a stunning backdrop that brings the tabletop game to life in all its grimdark splendor. Space Marine 2 will deeply resonate with Warhammer 40,000 fans, yet it also has enough about it to thrill those who can't tell their Horus Heresy from their Macharian Crusade. The wait might've been long, but it was well worth it.

Transistor is always a good-looking game, but in these instances, it demonstrates a rare knack for combining its visuals and music to powerfully convey both narrative information and tone, driving the story forward with Red's own unwavering resolve. So in the end, yes, Transistor is a fun action role-playing game with a neat combat system, but beautiful moments like these make it more than that. They make it a game with a soul.