There's lots to do, with at least 15 hours of core content for those sticking to the main plot, and more importantly for the next expansion, a bar has been set for what players could expect.

It's one of the most original and captivating games of the year — on any platform — and for $40 you can't go wrong.

Definitely a love letter to old-school gaming fans.

You probably don’t need me to tell you how Okami HD turned out, but it’s exactly what you would expect. It’s a beautiful rendition of a classic game, now available on the current gaming platforms. Well, except for mysteriously missing on the Switch. I find this an odd exception since the game was ported to the Wii and even got a DS sequel called Okamiden, so the series has been on Nintendo platforms before. Okami HD would truly be at home on the Switch right next to the other consoles, but at least we have access to this game in HD and it’s definitely worth picking up. And that’s my only critique of this port, being that it was omitted from the Switch lineup. I guess Capcom hates money!

I think Yakuza Kiwami, and the original game in general, had one of the best Yakuza plots in the series, and that holds true even today. The sole focus on Kazuma as the protagonist makes for a more focused adventure than Yakuza 4 and 5, and it’s nice to see how Kazuma builds his reputation as the Dragon of Dojima with this game. I’m also a sucker for betrayal/revenge plots, and the original Yakuza has one of the best in all of video games. So do yourself a favor and pick up Yakuza Kiwami when it releases on August 29th, it’s certainly not a game to miss.

Overall I was surprised by just how much meat there was to Theatrhythm's gameplay, which ends up being a lot more than just tapping along with icons on a screen. The whole concept of building a party, outfitting them will skills and equipment, and leveling them up over the course of 40 plus songs is really a lot of fun, and insanely addictive.

BlazBlue's online system puts titles like Street Fighter IV to shame, and the overall beauty of high-def 2D sprites put it at the top of the graphics department as well.

As far as finales go, I think Tales from the Borderlands gets things right. All the major threads are wrapped up nicely, and while there’s room for a sequel involving this cast, it doesn’t feel absolutely necessary either.

EA didn't just make their game look, sound, and play superbly, but they even brought their "A" game when it comes to features as well.

As long as you're up for a challenge, Cloudberry Kingdom is well worth a download.

Between the characters, weapons, and, the animal spirits, there is more than enough content and comedic action for everyone with a weird sense of humor.

If I had any complaint about Lego City Undercover, it'd be that it doesn't diverge too much (or, possibly, at all) from its original version on the Wii U. As I said up top, though, that means there are only about a dozen or so people who'll actually notice that. For everyone else, for whom this will be an entirely new, go out and grab this game ASAP, because it's well worth your time and money.

The only small issue is that small screen size can be a factor in handheld mode when playing on the triple and dual-screen arcade releases in pixel-perfect mode. Outside of that, this is an absolutely amazing collection of classic shoot ‘em ups that I feel is ultimately worth the higher price tag. I think you’ll agree that the overall quality of this collection is worth it.

At least in the time that I’ve spent with it, I’ve not noticed any significant issues with sound, graphics and so on. It plays, looks, and sounds just like a remember it, with a new coat of paint tossed on top to make the overall look a little more appealing. There’s not a lot else to say about Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, other than you should absolutely pick this up when you have a chance, it’s easily the best version of the game available.

Rayman Legends is an enjoyable and accessible experience with some fun social features wrapped up in gorgeous visuals and a lush soundtrack. If you have any love for side-scrolling platformers, 2D art or Rayman, jumping into Rayman Legends on any platform should be an absolute treat.

Super Mario 3D World is a master class in platforming fun, and deserves every bit of praise heaped upon it.

The best game to hit any system in the past few years. No game has captivated me more or been more fun than Metroid Prime in a very long time.

Still, the occasional bug aside, I absolutely loved Spider-Man 2, and I’m happy to see that Insomniac continues to knock it out of the park with this series. Miles has been a great addition to the Spider-Man universe overall, and if you loved Miles Morales: Spider-Man, I think you’ll be really happy with all the focus he gets in this one as well. While the limelight is sort of shared evenly throughout the game between Peter and Miles, it’s hard not to continuously root for Miles as a character, and he becomes even more central to the overall storyline here in a way that feels pretty impactful overall. So if you’ve been looking forward to the upcoming release of Spider-Man 2, then you can rest assured that you’ve got an excellent Spidey game to look forward to in the near future.

Where MLB The Show is basically just refining its (admittedly very good) formula while it waits around for the next generation, and RBI Baseball chose this year to take a step backwards, SMB3 feels like a substantial improvement over its predecessors — which I already loved without reservation. It’s fun, it’s simple, it’s got about as much depth as you could want in a baseball game. Just about the only thing missing at this point is a create-a-player feature — which, I hope, is in the cards for my presumptive 2023 GOTY, Super Mega Baseball 4.

The only small issue is that small screen size can be a factor in handheld mode when playing on the triple and dual-screen arcade releases in pixel-perfect mode. Outside of that, this is an absolutely amazing collection of classic shoot ‘em ups that I feel is ultimately worth the higher price tag. I think you’ll agree that the overall quality of this collection is worth it.

It’s a satisfying conclusion to the overall arc, that will likely see you wanting to play through it all one more time, just to see what other paths you can take, and what changes those paths may make.

Just about my only complaint about going back to Ghostwire: Tokyo was that the game doesn’t look quite as nice on the Steam Deck as it did when I played it on PS5 last year. When it rained, it made everything look a little more washed out, and it made it tougher to tell when you were entering a foggy area that was off-limits. You realize quickly enough when you’re somewhere you’re not supposed to be, but it was still a little disappointing. Overall, though, I’ll reiterate what I wrote up top: Spider’s Thread makes a great game even better. Ghostwire: Tokyo didn’t get nearly the level of attention it deserved on its initial release last year, and now that the game is free for Game Pass and PS+ subscribers (and generally inexpensive enough to buy on PC), there’s even less reason why it should be slept on. Do yourself a favour and get it now.

I cannot recommend this enough to fans of the series and anybody new curious about jumping into Silent Hill as a series for the first time with this remake of Silent Hill 2. This is an absolute must play for 2024.

It's never unfair, though, and that's what makes Stealth Inc. 2 so amazingly addictive.

Most importantly, we're happy to report that the ebb and flow of the game, the technology race, the expansionistic urges, the cycle from martyrdom to world conqueror and back, have been expertly captured in Civilization Revolution.

But I will say that this feels like an improvement over the past two episodes, both in narrative and gameplay.

Tony Hawk definitely contributed all of what he knows that makes skating fun and incorporated it into a game that lets anybody feel like a professional skater.

The biggest and most important thing to discuss is the combat. Fallout 3’s combat was lackluster and not without its share of headaches. I’m happy to report that the combat has been refined and even inspired by games like Destiny. You still have the ability to change between FPS and Third Person view on the fly. I prefer the FPS mode and you can tell Bethesda really poured their heart into making it right.