Really, that balance of sadness and nostalgia captures what Last Day in June is all about. You’ll come away from it feeling a little heartbroken, but sometimes that’s what great art does to you — and make no mistake, this is some pretty exceptional art.

If you have ever praised the sun, or if you have any fear of the old blood, Nioh is an absolute must play. A fantastic and deep combat system, coupled with great boss design and a difficult yet fair effort/reward loop put Nioh right up there with its not so distant brothers in Dark Souls and Bloodborne. If I were to assign a score to the game, simply for its content it would absolutely be a solid “A”. Unfortunately, even though it is the Complete Edition, this is not necessarily the superior version of the game. If you only play games on PC, this game is still a no-brainer to pick up, but if you’re like me and have consoles as well as a computer, I think the PS4 may still be the place to play Nioh.

It can’t match the visuals of other releases, but at the same time I don’t think it makes any major sacrifices that keep the experience from being enjoyable. Just be aware that there is a considerable difference between the Switch and PS4/Xbox One versions visually, and I think you’ll be fine.

There really isn’t much to say about this new Bubsy that can persuade the haters out there. It’s a simple, underwhelming platformer with a goofy plot and mediocre challenge. Many of the problems that plagued the past Bubsy games have been fixed or completely removed, at least making this new game playable, but that’s the only new thing really presented here. It’s fun in small doses, but gets boring with longer play sessions. I’m still puzzled as to why anyone thought Bubsy needed to make a comeback as no one really missed him. It’s not as bad as I originally thought it would be, but it’s nothing new at the same time. Give it a try if your curious, you might like it. Just be thankful they didn’t try to remake Bubsy 3D.

For less than $20, Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds (which was supplied to us by SIEA free of charge) is a meaty story-driven, single player expansion for one of the best games of the year and comes very much recommended. While it doesn’t significantly expand on the some of the mysteries that lingered after the conclusion of the original game, the new content fleshes out the universe in a way that has us more excited for the inevitable Horizon Zero Dawn sequel.

Unless you have a strange Transformers fetish, it’s a game that you can easily skip.

All and all this is an acceptable title for a fan of One Piece who also happens to be a Switch owner. For someone who has never heard of the series this game is not exactly a great tool to expose them to series. Something like One Piece Pirate Warriors would be more suitable. With the impending release of other major titles on the platform, this title might sink to the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again.

PC is without a doubt the definitive way to play Destiny 2, if you have a system that can handle what the game demands of it. Now that the game has launched across the board, updates and new content will be available on all platforms at once, so PC players don’t have to worry about being left behind. As long as Bungie continues to support the game and ensure that the PC community isn’t ignored in favor of the PS4 or the Xbox One family of systems, Destiny 2 is a game that I will be playing religiously for years to come.

In a year full of some of the best games we have seen in quite a while, there hasn’t been much on the lackluster side. So, if, you’re like me, with a backlog of games that goes back to the beginning of the year, choose your games to play wisely and put Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus on the top of your priority list. You won’t be disappointed.

My personal favourite, though, was Survive the Internet, a game that takes internet outrage culture to new heights as you’re explicitly asked to put your friends’ words in the worst possible light. It’s the perfect set-up for players to say outrageous and inflammatory things, and I found that no matter who I was playing with, we’d invariably have to take breaks so people could compose themselves. In fact, here’s how much fun Survive the Internet is: if Jackbox Party Pack 4 only included that game, it would make the game worth picking up by itself. Add in three other ultra-fun party games (plus, admittedly, one dud), and you have a recipe for a perfect addition to Jackbox’s pretty stellar line-up.

This is the sort of game that needs to be experienced, rather than played — and if you’re looking for the perfect time of year to do that, it’s right now, so you’d better hurry up and get on it.

There’s a chance, of course, that Mecho Tales plays better with a full controller than on a handheld. But even if it does, there’s still the question on why you’d want to. Whether you’re playing the game on a small screen or a large one, there’s no getting around the fact that doing so will sear your eyeballs. Your vision is precious, and so is your time, so you’re better off using both far, far away from Mecho Tales.

This latest entry to Mario certainly helps prove that single player experiences still have a place in an industry where games as a service seems to be the norm. I managed complete the game in about 20-30 hours, a robust post-game will keep the me coming back for more. Coupled with Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, it looks like Nintendo will need to clear some shelf space when end of the year awards are named by the gaming press. If you don’t have a Switch, I’d encourage you to get one immediately before the holiday rush begins. This is an experience you should not sit on.

Assassin’s Creed Origins manages to live up to the expectation that the preview event gave me. I dubbed it “near perfect” after that event, and the final product does not disappoint. A few pacing issues late in the story caused things to drag a little bit, and the loot system doesn’t remain intriguing after the first few hours, but finding a complaint beyond that is difficult. You can nitpick some of the graphical hiccups or complain about repetitive side quests, but even those manage to stay fun and interesting with all of the different styles of play. On a day with two other heavy hitting AAA games and an amazing TV show releasing simultaneously, your time and money are going to be precious commodities. With Game of the Year talks coming up, Assassin’s Creed Origins is a serious contender for the title in my book.

It’s a retro beat-em-up — nothing more, nothing less. If you’re not into those, this won’t be of interest to you, but if that’s something that’s been missing from your life all these years, then by all means check it out.

With servers that seem to have held up nicely and a lively community so far, Gran Turismo Sport is a well-rounded new Gran Turismo installment that should keep casual and hardcore fans happy for a while. The daily/weekly grind for vehicles, ranking and miles appear to do a good job in attracting players to revisit the game regularly, which is certainly important for a social gaming experience such as Gran Turismo Sport.

Spelunker Party is worth checking out, especially if you never played through some of the content before in Spelunker World. There’s a lot of levels to play through,and the progression system via gear and leveling will keep you pushing forward. The additional challenge makes for a more engaging experience than some like-minded platformers in this style, and the co-op is fun provided you can find people to play with. Definitely check this out when you get a chance, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I’m not even sure that it’s a fully functioning game, seeing as one time I went back to NeverEnd and found that my save file was corrupted for no obvious reason. In other words, NeverEnd looks bad, plays even worse, and doesn’t work like it should. It may not cost much, but it still manages to be overpriced at that low price point on account of the fact it’s abysmal.

I think you’ll still need a pre-existing enjoyment of Mobile Suit Gundam going into Gundam Versus to really, really enjoy it, but the framework is definitely here for a unique fighting game. There are so many Mobile Suits to pick from, and a fair amount of unlockable content, so you can easily spend dozens of hours playing. And, thankfully, the online community is present to support those hours of playing, which is certainly a plus. I’d definitely suggest checking it out, whether you’re a fan of Gundam specifically, or giant robot anime in general. There’s a lot of fun to be had with Gundam Versus.

I wish I could add something nice about it, but I’m really at a loss to name anything it does that merits praise. Touhou Kobuto V is so boring that it makes me long for the days of the relatively stellar mediocrity of Touhou Double Focus and Touhou Genso Wanderer. Those games, at least, had some interesting ideas, whereas this…this is just about the least interesting game you could imagine.

The passion is gone from this franchise and something needs to be done to get it back. The good thing is, like many other die hard wrestling fans, I’m very forgiving and this year’s enhancement talent-like performance won’t deter me from checking out next year’s release. But unfortunately, I can’t recommend this year’s release to anyone. Stick with the older games in the series for now.

Luckily for me, I didn’t go into Shadow of War wanting to re-live Lord of the Rings, I wanted to hunt some orcs. And this game delivers on that in more ways than I can possibly count — and it does so in a way that doesn’t require to spend one extra cent, near as I can tell.

If it weren’t broken, Still Time would be a lot of fun. The fact it is broken — and in a pretty unpredictable way to boot — pretty much negates the fun aspect. Instead, all you’re left with is a wish that the game could be rewound to a point in time where it wasn’t built around a feature that didn’t quite work right.

If you are or ever was a fan of the show, you absolutely can’t go wrong with The Fractured But Whole. Licensed games have come such a long way and I’m so happy to see the time and effort put in to a franchise like this and it truly pays off in the end. So warm up with a shake weight, rock out to some Lorde, put on your favorite Columbus costume, maybe snack on a little Crème fraîche (enough Randy references?) and enjoy one of the best licensed games of all time.

The Evil Within 2 trumps its predecessor in every way, inevitably making this one of the best forms of survival horror in recent years. Dare I say? Evil Within 2 is Survival Horror, evolved.

It’s another stellar entry in a franchise that’s full of them, and if you’re after an RPG that pushes the Vita to its limits (without ever breaking them), it’s a definite must-play.

I would absolutely recommend this game to anyone, whether you’re familiar with the first SteamWorld Dig or not. Image and Form have done a fantastic job with this follow-up, and much like their track record so far with the SteamWorld universe, the experience here is impeccable.

Normally, of course, solid wouldn’t be a descriptor you’d apply to the best basketball game of the year. But when the alternative is the hot steaming garbage that is NBA 2K18, solid will more than do. It may be a tainted victory for NBA Live 18, but after years of being second-best, they deserve applause for eking out a win this time around.

Funny games are, of course, one of the hardest things for a developer to pull off. Humour is almost entirely subjective, and what one person finds hilarious, another just won’t. As such, I recognize that someone, somewhere, might find Maize to be the funniest thing ever. I, however, did not, which means I can’t wait to be done this review so I never have to think about it again.

After I situated myself in the controls, leveling and managing my squads, and making my way through some missions, Fortnite works. Missions are fun and engaging, rewards are plentiful, and it feels good to shoot things. Replayability is there too, as the enemies and resources are randomly placed when you load a mission. Forntnite may be slightly repetitive at times, but is overall an enjoyable experience.

At 20 dollars, it is a tough ask as a purchase since this developer with no discernible track record in the west. Those who take the leap will find a rather solid title with high replayability and a visual style seldom seen on our shores. One can only hope that the publisher can put some more marketing dollars towards this title so that it can find some sort of audience.

Overall, I’ve really enjoyed Forza 7 so far, and look forward to playing more of it. The game isn’t without faults, but I’ve managed to progress at a steady pace despite the mod system and collection tiers put in place. There’s a whole host of optional events in addition to the standard races, and a nice variety of vehicle types that in turn help make most of the race experiences feel fresh and unique. If you’ve ever enjoyed the Forza series in the past, I’m sure you’ll find something to love here, regardless of what brings you to the game.

Overall, for $19.99, it’s a bargain to play a solid entry in the Resident Evil series in HD with a solid framerate. As of this release, we now have most of the major Resident Evil titles to be released on one platform. At this point, I would even take a Remastered or Remade Re: Outbreak, which was a game well ahead of its time.

Raw Data is hands down the best shooting experience to come to VR in its life so far. I loved the gameplay in the single player element and can’t get enough of the multiplayer. The inclusion of classes brings a new aspect to the genre and adds replayability, and as long as the developers keep up with new content for the multiplayer and the communities sticks with it this will be the VR game that everyone talks about when bringing up the pros of the technology.

The new and improved Pinball FX app delivers a great pinball experience without costing you an arm and a leg. Not all of your old tables will work with the new app, but the ones that do offer an almost brand new feel with the graphic overhaul and fine tuning to the physics. Combine that with the new challenge modes and great multiplayer options and you have yourself a great package for pinball fans and casual players alike. As a huge pinball fan, you owe it to yourself to give Pinball FX3 a try, you won’t be disappointed!

A shorter experience keeps Death of the Outsider from reaching the same level of success that Dishonored 2 had, but the experience here is one definitely worth it. This is far more than simple DLC, it is a self contained albeit short game. My experience on PC was fantastic, running on max settings with no issue at all. Death of the Outsider feels like the first thing that Arkane made with the PC in mind, not an afterthought.

Axiom Verge feels even more like a definitive version being on the Switch. I’m seeing a trend of games finding a solid home on the platform and they just feel right at home here. If you haven’t checked it out, then this is a great opportunity to do so. Tom Happ brings a unique twist from a developer’s perspective and brings it all together in a classic genre that’s worth taking a look at when done well.

If you are not a fan of the racing simulation genre, sadly Project Cars 2 will probably not convert you. It’s a very robust and packed game with thousands of options that will intimidate if you aren’t into this type of experience. Couple that with the slight difficulty using the standard game pad, and you’ve got a game that may not appeal to many gamers. If you are a fan of sims though, than you can probably do no better than Project Cars 2. Even though I am not a fan, I did have fun playing and am looking forward to dive deeper into the title. It’s definitely not for everyone, but I still recommend at least checking it out.

I ended up finding Battle Chasers: Nightwar to be a bit of a mixed bag. I love seeing the concept of Battle Chasers come back, and I think Nightwar does a pretty good job of continuing the Battle Chasers story. I absolutely love getting more of Joe Madureira’s character designs and artwork on display here, and I think the classic turn-based RPG approach makes a lot of sense. But there is definitely room for improvement here, and unless you’re petty enamoured with the classic style of RPG mechanics, you might burn out a little too soon with Battle Chasers: Nightwar. Ideally some things will be fixable by patches, but this wasn’t quite the home run I was hoping for.

Metroid: Samus Returns is an easy recommendation and you can’t go wrong with this in your 3DS library. The team put a lot of work into polishing this remake and it shows. I can’t even tell who gets the better deal here between fans of the original or newcomers like me. All I can say is that this game makes me realize how much I miss a true Metroidvania game made by masters of the craft. If this is how Nintendo wants to pay homage to classic games, I say let’s go for more!

What’s especially annoying about that is that I know for a fact that these games can be better, since the first two SAO games on Vita were decent. You wouldn’t think that such rapid regression would be possible, but Accel World VS Sword Art Online is proof that it absolutely is.

My opinion on sports games comes down entirely to two factors: how good is the career mode, and how well does it represent the sport. And on both those counts, FIFA 18 delivers in spades.

It will probably come as no surprise, but Pokkén Tournament DX on the Switch is the way to go. It offers everything from the original, but with added content and a much better platform to play it on. Yeah they probably could have spent more time with technical improvements like a higher resolution, but we also didn’t get a disaster on our hands as some ports can tend to turn out.

Where other sports games have stepped up their games to provide a comprehensive experience, NBA 2K18 has taken a huge step back, and seems more focused on getting more money out of players than doing anything else. If you just want a game where you can play as Lebron James or Kevin Durant in exhibition games, it’s fine for that, but if you want to do anything else, stay far, far away.

For that matter, I don’t know that I’d quibble too hard with anyone who looked at the damsel-in-distress and the obnoxious characters, shrugged, and wanted to play anyway. The game practically asks the question, What if Danganronpa were a romance novel? — and if you’ve ever wanted to see how that plays out, Collar x Malice offers an intriguing answer.

Obviously, there are some people that probably won’t enjoy Yonder too much. If you want action and adventure, of course, it’ll probably bore you, and if you want a fast-paced story, you’re not going to find that here. But if you’re just looking for a delightful game that allows you to explore to your heart’s contest, Yonder is exactly what you’re looking for.

At its core, Destiny 2 takes everything you loved about the original and cranked it up to 11. The graphics are flashier, the sound effects are louder, the content is meatier, and the overall experience is better. Plus, there is a ton of stuff to do after you see the game’s ending credits.

Environments are beautiful, fights are intense and my frames were smooth. All in all, my personal opinion would be if they have fixed the crashing issue, this is a definite must play for any fighting fans on PC.

As it stands, I’m not sure it’s worth playing for most people. Quibbles about terminology notwithstanding, Polara is, at its core, an endless runner; whether you’ll want to play it depends entirely on whether you need another one of those in your life. It’s a pleasant enough diversion to have on your Vita or your 3DS, but it’s certainly not something you absolutely have to play.

It feels like deja vu when you’re playing an exhibition game in NHL 18 because it’s very very similar to NHL 17, but that’s not a bad thing. If you’re a fan of the NHL and you buy this release annually, this review isn’t going to tell you anything to prevent you from your purchase. If you listened to my review last year and picked up NHL 17, as a casual fan who doesn’t pick up every release, this year is probably going to be a skip. There’s just not enough of a change year over year. Threes is a fantastic new mode and a way to enjoy some arcade style hockey (and would be perfect on the Switch wink wink), but it’s just not worth a $60 investment for a casual fan. Die hards will have a blast with NHL 18 and Threes is just an added bonus to what is already a tight, feature packed hockey power play.

Active Soccer 2 DX obviously has its share of flaws, but it has plenty of good points, too. Even though it’s lacking in bells and whistles, it’s still a solid game — which, when you think about it, is more than can be said for any other soccer game on the Vita.

It shouldn’t be too surprising, I suppose, that Fairune got its start as a mobile title — with its basic mechanics and relative lack of plot, it feels like the sort of game you can hop into and out of with minimal difficulty. And, let’s be honest, there’s certainly a place for pick-up-and-play games on the Vita and the 3DS. But there’s a difference between being able to pick up a game and immediately start playing it, and a game being so undemanding it barely feels worth it. Fairune falls into the latter category.

Now, I admit that I’m clearly not the target audience here. The tender story of a young woman coming to terms with her sexuality while also figuring out her career path isn’t the kind of thing I’d normally read, and Asuka’s not compelling enough a character to win me over. All that said, I’m glad it exists for people who do like those stories, and if you want a slow-moving visual novel that’s more character-driven than many of its contemporaries, you could do a lot worse than to pick up Nurse Love Addiction.

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is a must own for veterans and new players alike. It doesn’t matter how many hours players have put into the original XCOM 2 campaign, starting over with War of the Chosen is completely worth the time.

I think Rock of Ages 2: Bigger and Boulder is pretty fantastic, and well-worth playing. I was genuinely surprised that a sequel was even made, but I’m happy to see that ACE Team managed to recapture all of the magic from the first, and expand on it even more.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a good addition to the current Switch lineup. I’m not sure if I would say that in a year from now once more exclusives are available, but for anyone starving to play a new game with Mario, Ubisoft has you covered! You could also play it if you miss the Rabbids, if you wanted. I did enjoy my time with this, but found the pace of battles to be awkward without any way to customize the settings. I’m no developer, but if they could patch something in, this would be a lot more enjoyable and probably even fun! Don’t expect this to replace the games it rips off, but there is a good time to be had in this weird mashup.

Long story short, Knack II isn’t the greatest looking game out there, but it does what it needs to and holds its own. Considering the modest $39.99 price tag and the audience it is intended for, it’s difficult not to recommend picking up Knack II for those looking for a fun and family-friendly PS4 adventure. Knack is back!

As frustrating as Ninja Usagimaru: Two Tails of Adventure can be, I don’t detest this game anywhere near as much as The Witness, for the simple reason that there’s not nearly as much here to detest. It never aspires to be anything more than a simple puzzle game that you can play on the go, albeit one that will make you want to throw your handheld of choice out a bus window. I can’t say it appeals to me, but if you’re after a brain-twister that’s easy to pick up and put down, then I could see it kind of doing the trick.

ChromaGun is undeniably fun for what it is. If you want more Portal in your life — and who doesn’t? — then it will give you precisely that. But at the same time, it constantly gives off a feeling akin to watching a cover band plod its way through a classic song. It may feature a lot of the same notes, but in the end, it’s all just a pale imitation.

The Metronomicon: Slay the Dance Floor went from being a game that wasn’t on my radar, to being one of the more engrossing blends of video game mechanics I’ve played all year long. The stellar soundtrack combined with a solid base of RPG trappings makes for a really enjoyable time, and something that I doubt many developers could stick the landing on as well as Akupara Games and PUUBA have done here.

If you aren't a part of that coveted 2-year-old demographic (or at least know someone that age), you probably won't get too much out of this game, though it's interesting to consider how similar It's Spring Again is to artsy games like Hohokum, Eufloria, or Flower. Obviously they all have more content, but if you were to stretch It's Spring Again out for a longer period of time and take out the narrator, it'd be tough to tell the difference. And, if nothing else, if you want to see a 100% in your trophy list and want to achieve that with only a few dollars and a couple of minutes spent on it, then at approximately $2 and 10-15 minutes, respectively, It's Spring Again will absolutely do the trick.

It's really difficult to hate on much of anything in Everybody's Golf for the PS4. It's an addictive, enjoyable golfing experience "for everyone" with plenty of replay factor and the added hook of daily challenges which should funnel players into the online modes. We're certain that veteran Hot Shots Golf players know what they are getting into with Everybody's Golf and hopefully potential newcomers will be enticed by the very reasonable $39.99 price tag.

I may not love it, but I appreciate that it does what it aims to do pretty well. If you're in the mood for a fast-paced, pick up & play dungeon-crawler, I'd be hard-pressed to name a game that does it better than this one.

A broken game with crappy controls, no autosave, and a bunch of nonsensical puzzles. In other words, you'd be wise to avoid Mr. Pumpkin Adventure at any and all costs.

It seems more like an anachronism from 10, 15, or even 20 years ago than like a game that's rooted in the present day, but seeing as there aren't a whole lot of other games like this coming out now (and, as Natural Doctrine shows, those that are coming out are nothing to write home about), it makes it easy to say that God Wars: Future Past is worth checking out if you've got an itch for tactical RPGs.

I may not entirely love where it winds up, but the journey getting to that point is so pitch-perfect, it'd be wrong of me to say it's anything other than a must-play experience for people who enjoy a good walking simulator.

Overall, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a fun romp through a little more of the Uncharted universe and I can't imagine that players invested in the franchise will disagree. Naughty Dog did a really nice job fleshing out a pair of once-supporting characters and made us care about who they are and where they came from, and not just because they are women and/or persons of color. Check it out.

Plague Road looks great, and that, in itself, is an accomplishment. But it's also the sort of thing that can be appreciated in screenshots — since once you get to playing, you may find that it ruins the overall experience.

There's only so far you can go in commending Operation Babel. As should be abundantly clear by now, if you loved Operation Abyss, then this game offers more of what that did, but otherwise, you won't need to bother with it.

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.

I really wanted to like Arizona Sunshine, but as it is I really have a hard time recommending it. The horrid snap movement controls and twitchy aiming make it very difficult to have fun with, even though the concept is sound. Everything this game does wrong, and games like Farpoint do much better, and the things this game does well are plagued by the mediocre presentation. I truly love the concept and some ideas that Arizona Sunshine presents, but overall, it's just too broken of a game to get a high level of enjoyment out of.

Namco Museum is a worthwhile release and the inclusion of Splatterhouse was a win-win for me. For $30 I think it’s worth the price to revisit some of Namco’s classic games and have the option to play them anywhere.

Madden 18 provides all the things I want in this year’s game; updated rosters, a brand new engine, and gameplay tweaking makes me a happy fan. The Longshot mode is a turnover on downs, but again it doesn’t take anything away from the main game, so I can’t fault them too much for trying something fresh and original.

It's the classic on-rails shooter with style, and all the extras from each iteration since the original. It's also about half the cost of its release back in the day, and I would have gladly paid $50 to have this in my Steam library. As I mentioned, this is a game which I will always be collecting as it releases on each platform. Now that the game is available on Steam it feels like the culmination of what Rez will achieve. This version will always be with you as long as you have a computer, and I find that incredibly satisfying.

It's not a bad game. It is, as I said up top, perfectly fine. The setting and the characters and the action: all fine, if totally unspectacular. Given that it took the same developer a couple of tries to get both Red Faction and Saints Row just right, I have no doubt that, eventually, Agents of Mayhem could evolve into something interesting. For now, though, it merely is, and it's hard to be too excited about any of that.

At first I wasn't sure about Tiny Rails, but once I started playing it and progressing, I was hooked. It's simple, fun, and very addicting. The visuals and overall presentation make this a joy to play. Those looking for nonstop action or hardcore game play found in many other games on Steam, may not find Tiny Rails to their liking. But, those looking for an involving challenge and enjoy simulation games will find something to like here. I may not be the biggest fan of Sim games, but I can recommend giving Tiny Rails a try!

It’s a fantastic entry for the franchise, and it certainly has helped to reinvigorate my interest in the character going forward.

Hey! Pikmin was surprisingly more fun than I expected it to be, although I can't really say what I expected. It plays at a quicker pace than it might let on, and keeps a lot of the mainstays of how Pikmin plays on consoles but without sacrificing the fun of a 2D game. I also like how the story is directed less toward Captain Olimar trying to get off the planet and more toward cute cutscenes that show how playful and silly the Pikmin are. This is a great diversion and I'm glad Nintendo is still experimenting with franchises, but after spending my brief time with Hey! Pikmin, I'm more ready than ever to see a Pikmin 4.

Outside of the charm of watching your party interact with each other in battles, there's nothing really special about Miitopia. Not even the music or look of it. It actually makes me want to go back to Tomodachi Life, as that game seemed to know more about its identity than Miitopia. Both do make me laugh, but I like a game that's designed to be a simulation instead of Miitopia's RPG elements that feel a touch too light to make playing it feel that appealing.

This is one of those games that I would enjoy having friends come over and experience VR for the first time with it. Since you are completely seeing your character in a third-person, there is a minimal risk of motion sickness. Most of the time, you are simply moving Theseus forward and at other times, you need to really look around your surroundings to see where to go. That’s when you really get a sense of appreciation for the way Forge Reply designed the game. The only real shortcoming, is the overall length of the game. At the same time, there's some replayability with item collection which in turn will give you a different ending. Other than that, the biggest challenge will be justifying the price to the majority of PSVR players. I think $20 is a fair price and would recommend checking it out and blowing the dust off your PSVR like I did.

I wouldn't say that Oceanhorn is flawless, mind you. It's a little stingy when it comes to save points, which is kind of annoying if you want to, you know, save your game, rather than just putting your Vita to sleep. And also… Actually, that's it. That's my only major problem with Oceanhorn. It's tailor-made for the mobile experience, and it's about as exceptional an RPG as I've ever played on the Vita.

The Enemy Within really begins to delve into the mind of Bruce Wayne and finds him fighting both against outside forces and his own guilt as he struggles to remain the force for good that he intended to be. I think The Riddler is the perfect villain to help get to the bottom of who Bruce is and what he is capable of doing in the name of justice as Batman. Episode One really set the bar for the rest of the season and I cannot wait to see what Telltale has in store for us next.

One conclusion that I think everyone can agree on is this: Salt and Sanctuary is one heck of a game.

The positives in Shantae: Half-Genie Hero ultimately more than outweigh the negatives. Again, you'll probably like the game much more if you're going in as a Shantae fan to begin with, but this game is enjoyably pleasant enough that that's by no means a prerequisite.

If you enjoyed Patapon back for the PSP, it’s a safe bet to say you'll still enjoy it in this glorious HD remaster. The remaster is completely barebones and features no new special features, which is kind of disappointing. I also wonder why they didn’t just remaster all three Patapon titles and release a pack, similarly to what they did with the Crash N-Sane Trilogy. The Patapon titles got better with each new sequel and going back to the original can seem like a bit of a step back, but I still recommend Patapon overall. Patapon is a great looking, affordable digital remaster for rhythm fans, and of course it plays and holds up much better than PaRappa the Rapper.

All in all, this initial DLC pack is worth picking up, especially if you’re still toying around with Breath of the Wild. Granted, the next story focused pack is probably the more hotly anticipated of the two, but the gameplay features, additional difficulty, and the Trial of the Sword challenge are nothing to scoff at here. Definitely pick this up, it’s well worth the asking price.

CastleStorm Definitive Edition is a fun game, but playing it in VR is something I cannot recommend. If you already have the original release, then you are gaining nothing with the VR version. This feels more like it could have been added to the original release as DLC rather than being it's own download. If you are really hurting for more VR games in your life, this might fill some kind of void, but there are much better offerings than this.

Whether you’re new to the Splatoon series or a repeat customer, Splatoon 2 has enough to keep players entertained for hours on end. There’s enough variety in the different modes of play, and the solo campaign is almost worth the price of admission alone. The new Salmon Run is gloriously fun and the promise of even more weapons, gear, and modes make this game an easy recommendation to all Switch owners. Really the only glaring issues at launch are the cumbersome and lackluster voice options via the Switch Online App, and perhaps the lack of multiple new modes to play in for veteran gamers. I can see some longtime players experience a “been there done that” in Splatoon 2, but the formula works so well and the game is so much fun to play that I don’t think that will be a major concern for most players. Be a kid (or a squid) again and have some fun!

Make no mistake: Cities: Skylines is still pretty fun. It's deep enough so that people who thrive on depth and complexity will find more than enough to sink their teeth into, while the more shallow among us (i.e. people like me) who just want to build huge megalopolises without putting too much though into it can do that too.

Despite spending a majority of the game running for your life, the atmosphere, enemies and environments contain some of the most eerily disturbing assets I’ve seen in a game. As a horror movie buff, you get a real sense of appreciation and inspiration for some classic horror movies. While clearly not for everyone, Outlast 2 is a memorable fright fest that packs the appropriate types of jump scares and gore galore. If you haven’t tried, make sure to play the original first. I will be going back to the first games DLC entitled The Whistleblower in the near future.

Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception may try and sell itself as a visual novel-SRPG hybrid, but that's not really an accurate description. Sure, it possesses a few SRPG elements, but in the overall scheme of things, we're talking about less than a quarter of the game. More than anything else, Mask of Deception (not to be confused with Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth, its sequel, which is due out in a few months) is basically a visual novel that just so happens to give players a little more opportunity for interaction than most of its peers. Actually, that's not the only way that Mask of Deception stands out from other visual novels. It also does that by being surprisingly good, with a some legitimately funny humour and interesting characters.

I would highly suggest picking up Pyre at your earliest convenience. I absolutely believe it will be one of the best games you play all year, and quite frankly I can’t think of another game that easily compares to it. The story, mechanics, and world featured absolutely stand-out compared to other releases this year, and it’s well worth experiencing. And even if you’ve felt lukewarm on Bastion or Transistor, Pyre is such a different experience that I’d still say it’s worth checking out whether you are a fan of Supergiant or not. But if you are, then there is no reason to miss Pyre.

Infinite Minigolf is a great game. Either playing solo or with friends, you will have a fun time with everything here. Creating levels and beating the tougher courses always feels great. Playing normal or in VR both look fantastic and the control is perfect. Zen Studios has a winner here.

Archangel is a great game, but it's overall length and high price tag may put off many players. It's not hard to learn and super fun to blast everything in site like a futuristic Rambo, but I wish there was more to it than what is presented here. Side missions or maybe even some extra challenges would have helped out greatly. You can replay any mission you have completed, but that can only keep you busy for so long. Bottom line, I do highly recommend Archangel, as you will have a kick ass time. If it's length and price don't bother you, well, get it now and start blasting everything in site!

The Caligula Effect's combat is undoubtedly a major point in the game's favour, but when you stack it up against a forgettable story, terrible music, and a camera that doesn't want to cooperate, it's hard to say that it's nearly enough to make the game worth checking out.

Shu is a very pleasant-looking — some might even say "cute" — game. The characters are delightful, from the adorable main character to all his little friends; even the villains and dangers are liable to make you say, "Awww." Likewise, the music strikes a good balance between being frenetic enough to get you to keep going, while at the same time not being so obtrusive that it harshes the overall friendly vibe. But it's more than just aesthetics. The controls feel fairly tight, which is important considering there's the odd part where you need to move with a bit of urgency. Shu's world is also designed pretty nicely — the levels are fairly lengthy, and they're all full of secrets and treasures just waiting to be uncovered. A well-made platformer that's sure to please people who like those things, and it's pretty darn cute, to boot.

Which is how, ultimately, I arrive at the same place as all those people who disliked Valkyria Revolution for very different reasons than me. I may not share in their distaste for the game's move away from turn-based combat, but I definitely agree with them that this game features far too much pointless talk to be engaging. It's quite possible that a judicious and frequent use of the "Skip this scene" feature might uncover a game worth checking out, but that's making players do the work that the game's creators should've done in the first place.

If you were ever a fan of Diablo III, or even if you’re still actively playing like myself, I can’t really see a reason not to pick up the Rise of the Necromancer pack. It’s priced appropriately, and the new class is a ton of fun to play. And with a new season coming up this Thursday, you’ll have a perfect jumping on point to level a fresh character up to 70. Definitely pick this up, you won’t be disappointed.