This game is all around faster (than "Madden 2001") which makes the controls feel even tighter.

The definitive version of one of 2005's biggest action games. It's fun, it's fast, and although the Wii's controversial controller is at the center of it, it facilitates instead of hinders the gameplay.

Refunct won’t challenge you in any way, and it’ll be over before you know it. But — as someone who still has fond memories of playing the game when it first came out on Xbox a few years ago — I can tell you from firsthand experience that its pleasantness will stick with you long after you’ve finished its very short run time.

An extremely impressive balance of considerable complexity, Viva Piñata provides an experience unlike any other on the Xbox 360.

It's well worth picking up, and even if you missed out on the original, there's no reason you couldn't pick this one up and enjoy it just as much as the rest of the fans, making it one of the more accessible "hardcore" FPS experiences out there.

The sequel improves on its predecessor in many departments, and it’s just plain fun to live in the net world.

With AI that is light years ahead of EA Sports, a simulation experience that's second to none, and a fun - if somewhat fickle - online experience with Xbox, the serious hockey gamer should only look at one title this year.

Hitman: Blood Money is an extremely solid title, with small problems here and there. If you’re looking for a game where obsessive-compulsive tendencies and people watching is valued over hide and seek gameplay, you really can’t go wrong with Blood Money—but just don’t expect it to be an easy ride.

There are some nasty frame rate problems at times, which is mostly the factor that keep this from an A grade, but don't let that stop you from picking up Rare's latest.

The only thing that would have made the figure sets even better, would have been the inclusion of Star Wars, Tron and other series vehicles.

They're fun, they play well, and they still feel like they're worth playing a decade after the fact. Throw in the whole on-the-go aspect you get with the Vita, and it makes it easy to recommend picking this up.

A great Wii Ware title, and an excellent follow-up to Beat, and definitely more my cup of tea than the original.

The best racing game I’ve played in months, and anyone looking to release a title in this genre now should look long and hard at what Rockstar’s been able to pull off here.

Uncharted 3 doesn't make any huge strides over its predecessor, and might not be as technically impressive as the leap from Uncharted to Uncharted 2 was. But it's more of what made Uncharted 2 so damn good, and it's hard to complain about that.

Ultimately, though, it all comes back to the gameplay, and on that front, OlliOlli delivers: it's hard, it's addictive, and it's got tonnes of replay value. If you own a PS Vita, it's most definitely a must-own.

The audio in inFamous is incredible, especially when piped via HDMI to a capable 5.1 receiver.

A true upgrade to the previous years, and as I mentioned before, is possibly the best version of the series since its inception.

It looks great, and more importantly, it plays great.

I'm gonna sum it the same way I started; all of the character and charisma that you enjoy about the Motorstorm franchise is captured with vivid exactness in Arctic Edge... That should speak for itself.

A franchise mode, season mode, exhibition, playoffs, and even a deep street mode that could be a game all to itself, round out the massive game that is NBA 2k2.

Overall, the port from PS1 to PSP has been handled exceptionally well. The redone translation adds a new layer of detail to an already deep experience, and it's definitely enough to bring the old school players back into the fold one last time.

The commraderie, exciting combat, and RPG elements make Shattered Galaxy an incredibly unique and addictive game, able to take parts from other strategy titles and turn them into something that feels completely fresh.

It provided more of what I loved from Human Revolution, and certainly scratches a stealth-action itch that few games not called Metal Gear Solid fail to provide. I love the level of freedom granted to players with this series, and Mankind Divided capitalizes on that concept constantly.

One of the most enjoyable baseball games on any platform.

The only thing missing is something like an auto-battle feature which would’ve been nice, but I’m also getting old and lazy. If you’re into first-person dungeon crawlers or just stopping by to revisit an old classic then it’s an easy recommendation.

While you can certainly play it straight, it’s a lot better if you take all the weird detours it offers — and the end result is a game that, even if it’s not 100% unique, is still well worth checking out.

The tracks are awe inspiring in their beauty and complexity, the gameplay is tight, and it is just plain fun. This is a game that almost anyone can enjoy by themselves or with some friends.

The remaster effects are really well done, and I can’t overstate that fact enough. It also helps that Final Fantasy V is an excellent Final Fantasy entry in general, and one that tends to be overlooked in North America due to the lack of an original SNES release. So if you’ve never played it before, or haven’t pulled the trigger on one of these Pixel Remaster releases yet, then I’d urge you to give Final Fantasy V a try, you won’t be disappointed.

It’s pretty cool to see a port of this relatively obscure action-platformer make its way to consoles nearly 30 years after its original release. My only real complaint is that I wish there was a little more to the overall package in the way of supplemental material, background info, concept or flyer art, cabinet shots, etc. The cheats and enhancements are cool, and borderline necessary considering the overall difficulty of the game, but for the asking price I’d expect just a little more. Depending on how hardcore your love is for 90’s arcade action games you may want to hold off for a sale down the road, but if you have any affection for Strider or games of its ilk, then Cannon Dancer – Osman will likely be right up your alley.

Quite simply, the best arcade racer in years and a worthy follow-up to its PlayStation granddaddy...if you have a PS2, that is.

Sure, it’s overly serious, and sure, my experience had a few blips along the way, but ultimately, it allowed Agent 47 to do his thing — and finish up this part of his story — in a way that felt true to this reborn version of the series. It may not be my favourite entry in the series, but it’s a good way to finish things off, and for that reason, it’s well worth your time.

I would absolutely recommend Bravely Default II to any RPG fan out there that’s in the market for something new, regardless of whether you have any prior experience with the series or not. It’s a really solid, charming RPG that will provide you with hours and hours of entertainment. The job system is remarkably diverse, and the battle system is just unique enough to keep it from feeling like a chore even after countless encounters. Definitely check out Bravely Default II when you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

Obviously, being the best in a field of two isn't exactly a momentous achievement, so that label is a little hollow, but at the same time, Reel Fishing is a good enough game that it would probably deserve the title even against much stiffer competition.

A strategically intelligent game with a polished edge keen enough to slice through many jaded preconceptions about the future of RTS titles.

If you’ve played previous Sniper Elite games, you already know if you’re going to like Sniper Elite 5. If you haven’t, I can’t recommend it enough, as well as the previous entries. The quality is consistent all the way back to the first entry, and it’s a ton of fun. Don’t forget to check out the Nazi Zombie Army games as well. As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, Rebellion knows the meaning of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and they’ve used that to pump out a series of great games.

The real reason to pick up this version over last year's are the presentation upgrades.

One of the finest RPG titles released in the past decade, and is a crucial game to grab for the Nintendo DS.

Regardless of which is true — whether it's a legitimately awesome game, or simply one that looks like it because it's miles better than the execrable Full Frontal Assault — I can say this with certainty: if you're a fan of the Ratchet & Clank series (or even if you just want a good 3D platformer) you owe it to yourself to check it out.

While there are some classic remasters and remakes that leave you wondering what made them so great in the first place, that’s not the case with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. It’s been remade in a way that makes it feel thoroughly modern (in a good way), and even if you’re entirely new to the series, you should find plenty to enjoy here.

With visuals that could easily be mixed in with a dozen of modern-day cartoons, Drinkbox's magnanimous initiative to maintain a level of artistic fidelity in a 2D action-platformer has been whittled down to core values of new, shiny, and fun. Best of all, it works wonderfully and leaves us wanting simply more to do.

It's not quite flawless, and it would be great to see a current gen Ace Combat that would run at 60fps, but Namco's attempt at revitalizing the series is actually pretty solid.

Chicken Police is an off-kilter approach to a well-worn genre, but it’s so well done that it’s worth playing if you’re any kind of fan of adventure games or visual novels.

With smooth graphics and animations, a true feel for the art of street ball, fantastic controls, and a multiplayer mode that brings out the trash talker in even choirboys make NBA Street a must have for owners of any major console.

It shows just how much the company cares about this series, and the hard work and dedication have paid off in spades. All I can say is even you have played or preferred the 2K series in the past; you owe it to yourself if you are a fan of the game, to take this one to the hoop.

There are elements to Charlie Murder that are certainly less unique than others, but as a whole this is one of the better RPG/brawler hybrids that I’ve ever played.

There's not really a lot to mention outside of the fact that it's a great port of a great game, and if you want another device to play Plants vs. Zombies on, it's worth checking out.

A fast, fun, deep, and graphically impressive game and it’s been well worth the two year wait since Sega released the original.

If you've never played the series before, then I'd consider this a must buy, and even if you've played the hell out of these games before, the addition of upscaled graphics and achievement/trophy support is bound to be appealing enough to play through them again.

Even more impressive is the fact that the game is set in real mileage (or kilometers depending on your region) which means you may be in for a very long ride if your race spans over 100 miles. With over 1000 miles of terrain, you will be driving well over 100 hours if you want to do or see everything in the game.

Over the past year or so the PSP has really seen a surge in awesome role playing games, and Persona 2 is no exception.

It's not perfect, but it's pretty freaking fun!

The multitude of options available for single and multiplayer modes is outstanding and the game is just plain fun to play.

Honestly, this dunk contest is the most fun I have had with this style mode since "Jordan vs. Bird."

As it stands, this is a great port of a unique, obscure fighting game that I’m happy gets to see the light of day again. Hopefully, this will pave the way for more Neo Geo Pocket content on the Switch, which seems to be a perfect fit. Definitely check it out when you have a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

Ultra Hat Dimension is a throwback in the best sense of the word, a retro-infused puzzler that fully understands the era it’s trying to mimic. If you’re looking for a game that’s weird — but also fun — as heck, this will most definitely do the trick.

Where all the other Warriors games and their variants make you run from point A to point B, here you’re literally flying through the air. That may be disappointing to anyone who likes running through long, boring pathways, but for everyone else, it means you get to go from battle to battle without the dull bits in between that usually stop momentum dead. And my goodness, does Fate/EXTELLA LINK every have momentum. It has that to spare, even if it may not know what to do with it, nor does it ever stop and explain where it’s going. As I said, however, your only options are to go with it, or to get off the ride — and if you like nonstop, nonsensical action, you couldn’t do any better than go with Fate/EXTELLA LINK and enjoy every insane moment.

This IS soccer in it’s raw and truest form. The game offers many more features, including a newly improved career mode to keep you busy for months on end.

One of the best games in the crowded squad-based war genre. It has a few off and online glitches and bugs, but overlooking them there's a ton of authentic and addictive war gaming to be had.

This game is a big step up in visuals compared to the Thunder series of old, which gives even more hope for future titles to come.

It’s always refreshing to come across a visual novel that’s as good as what it does as Spirit Hunter: NG. Like Death Mark before it, it’s a game that wants to scare you and knows how to do it, and it makes for a visual novel experience that’s well above most of its competitors.

Despite my qualms with elements of Spelunky 2, I still can’t help to get “one more run” in hopes of getting that elusive win (over 1000 attempts and still a 0% victory rate). Even if I’ve achieved a victory, there are plenty of secrets waiting to be discovered! Rescuing the Spelunkys might end up in my list of unfulfilled rougelike checklist, but at least I’ll have had plenty of fun while I was attempting it.

This might not be the year that Sega's series tops Madden in the sales charts, but we might look back at 2003 as the year Sega's NFL 2k3 became the better game.

Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) is a great, family friendly game all around.

As it is today, Driveclub is a still a pretty darn compelling package for racing game fans, and an enjoyable and addictive racing experience for PS4 owners. It's worth taking for a test drive at the very least.

I think if you're already an established Dynasty Warriors fan, then you'll probably love what Strikeforce is doing for the series. Likewise, if you were a fan and fell off the wagon at some point, this is a great game to jump back on with. Finally, if you've never played a DW game before, or if the series hasn't held much appeal, I think Strikeforce can even be the game for you.

If you have any affinity for Atlus RPG’s in the vein of Shin Megami Tensei or Persona, then I think you’ll get some enjoyment out of Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore. You can argue that it’s not quite as “mature” as those titles, but it is a fun, light-hearted take on that formula that can still present a sizable challenge throughout. The Fire Emblem nods are cool too, but you don’t really need any working knowledge of Fire Emblem to appreciate the game overall. So while you still might be nursing your disappointment in the lack of a Switch port for Persona 5, I think Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore will be a pretty good way to pass the time until that (probably?) happens.

If you’re thinking of revisiting Onimusha or just curious to try it for the first time then it’s a solid recommendation as a short and action-packed classic game with some good replay value after your first run. This just goes to show that a port in the right hands means it’s a good time to revisit older series that might now be forgotten.

What I found was an extremely intelligent, involving quest through what is one of the best thought out, most beautiful worlds ever. If you're looking to test your brain, give Riven a try. Just remember, the world is a window into the psyche of the man who created it.

So is Costume Quest worth picking up, even if you're not a huge RPG fan? Absolutely. It's great as both an entry point for players that don't have a lot of experience in the genre, and it also serves up a lot of fan for people that aren't really RPG fans to begin with.

A Must Buy title, 'nuff said.

To be sure, none of this will be that new if you played Slayaway Camp. But this is one of those cases where that doesn’t matter. It basically comes down to “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” — only with the added bonus that everything that was broken when it came to Slayaway Camp is entirely fixed in Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle.

WWE 2K23 makes all the right moves and improves on the great foundation 2K22 set out to establish following some rocky years (no Rock pun necessary). Some of the entrances and visuals this year really rival the on-screen product and really make other products look absolutely terrible, despite them not even being released yet (cough—AEW Fight/Delayed Forever—cough). With the already announced DLC plans, the roster (when all is said and done) is the most complete it’s been in a very long time and it’s damn impressive. Pair that with the creation suite and your dream match options are only limited by your imagination. As you can see, I’m really smitten with this year’s release and I highly recommend it.

It's the best thing since Sliced Bread, other than its sequel, Sliced Bread II: Electric Boogaloo.

Without a shadow of a doubt this is the most addicting off road game to date, it's gorgeous in every aspect, provides hours of game play in single player mode, and even more in multiplayer events, handles wonderfully, and even has adjustable A.I. for various skill level gamers.

All together, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks doesn't quite knock one out of the ballpark, but it's still a better game than Phantom Hourglass for the much needed changes to the Spirit Tower / Ocean King Temple mechanics.

The core hook of dying and restarting while progressing just a bit further each time is as solid in Rogue Legacy 2 as it was in the original game. I’d be hard pressed to point out significant differences between the two games, outside of a spruced up presentation and just more content in general, but honestly there wasn’t much to improve on with the original Rogue Legacy, so I can’t really fault the sequel for not deviating too far from the original formula. It’s still a wildly addictive game, and the short bursts of gameplay make it perfect for a few quick rounds, or lengthier play sessions.

So is Costume Quest worth picking up, even if you're not a huge RPG fan? Absolutely. It's great as both an entry point for players that don't have a lot of experience in the genre, and it also serves up a lot of fan for people that aren't really RPG fans to begin with.

It's not quite as great as Patapon was, but in the absence of such a game ever coming to the Vita, it's a perfectly acceptable substitute.

Like I said, the addictive quality of Hot Shots Golf is here in full force. It's a perfect game for travelling because you can knock out a 9-hole challenge in no time, and there's always new items in the shop that drives you play just one more round. Absolutely a great Hot Shots game, and absolutely a great game to pick up with your PS Vita.

I’d absolutely suggest giving World War Z a shot, even more so if you were a fan of Left 4 Dead. It really scratches that itch, namely a fun, zombie focused co-op shooter with a solid progression system that’ll keep you hooked for a while. So despite its association with a so-so horror film, World War Z manages to rise above its source material into something that I found to be a lot of fun.

It’s a satisfying RPG with a steady pace and great gameplay. There are also plenty of sidequests if you want to pursue them, but it’s optional. One thing I really like are the raids which will happen on your little castaway village. These happen throughout the game and you can choose to participate in defending everyone from a monster raid. They’re also good for friendly competition with Dogi, and if there’s one thing I think Ys VIII does really well it’s things like this that keep things from ever getting too serious.

OlliOlli: Switch Stance isn’t going to make you rethink anything you thought about them first time around — but if you thought they were great games back then, this package will serve as a nice reminder that they’re every bit as good as you may remember.

Does that mean you should give Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3 a chance if you've previously written off musou games? Probably not; it's different, but it's not that different. It's also, however, a very, very good musou game that was clearly made to be played on the Vita, which means that if you tried one of the previous handheld entries and weren't impressed, that's not a reason to write this one off, too.

Again, it’d be nice if Justice League: Cosmic Chaos allowed you to play through that story with a friend (or, better still, a son/daughter/niece/nephew just getting into gaming), but even as a solo experience, this is a surprisingly good time.

Sadly, I don’t have a Steam Deck. (Note to self: somehow obtain a Steam Deck.) But I do have Rogue Legacy 2, and I can say that even if it’s not portable on the Xbox, it’s still every bit as fun as it was the first time around.

With AI that is light years ahead of EA Sports, a simulation experience that's second to none, and a fun - if somewhat fickle - online experience with Xbox, the serious hockey gamer should only look at one title this year.

It's a great spin on a tired formula, with some fantastic art design and a quality soundtrack to go along with it. Definitely pick this one up and you won't be disappointed.

With smooth graphics and animations, a true feel for the art of street ball, fantastic controls, and a multiplayer mode that brings out the trash talker in even choirboys make NBA Street a must have for owners of any major console.

If you've ever played solitaire in your life, you'll be able to pick Strike Solitare up incredibly quickly.

Aside from the true graphics engine, Square has gone above and beyond the call of duty with FFVIII's Full Motion Video sequences. The CG's quality is unmatched.

All in all, I really enjoyed Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. While the game had always been on my radar, I still find myself pretty surprised with how fantastic it ended up being.

It probably says as much about its competitors and peers as it does about Cursed Castilla itself that things like fairness and non-sucky controls are considered points in its favour. But given the state of retro-inspired gaming, that’s where we are. Cursed Castilla shows that it’s possible to recreate the vibe of 8- and 16-bit games without making those games feel like a chore to play, and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

The fact that it costs half of my proposed cost-against-value, it's impossible for me not to recommend any fan of platformers or 2D games to wait any longer to play it.

Given the game’s structure will usually lead to short playthroughs, these short sessions won’t feel that empty and with the amount of unlockables means I’ll be playing for quite the while before all the empty jars in the opening area are filled. With this summer having other similar platformers releasing (La-Mulana 2, Iconoclasts, Chasm, Salt and Sanctuary, Death’s Gambit, and Guacamelee 2), Dead Cells definitely will hold its own and it will be in contention to be one of 2018’s finest.

A nearly perfect conclusion to the Child of Bhaal saga, combining deft storytelling , an intelligent abilities system, and the trademark high quality fans of the series have come to expect into one superlative package.

It takes the absolute best of all worlds – features, gameplay, presentation – and puts them in one game. Someone finally removed the flaws from the best games and made one with all the highlights, and that evolution has produced one of the best first person shooters ever.

Just about my only qualm with Laser Disco Defenders is that aforementioned insane level of difficulty. Normally, that might be a dealbreaker for me, but when the overall package is as enjoyable as this one is, that's a problem I have no issue overlooking.

So whether you’ve played Madden year after year, or have been a hold out since the 2K franchise’s demise, all fans of the pigskin will be happy to hear that this is the Madden to own no matter who you are. Not only is this the best representation of the franchise to date, but is quite possibly the best football title to date.