From the stunning near photo-realistic visuals, to the innovative Gotham TV feature, PGR3 is everything you could ask for from a launch title.

Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles manages to take one of the most beloved fantasy RPGs of all time and update it for a modern audience, without losing the soul of what made it so special in the first place. This is a near-perfect remaster of an already near-perfect game, and I found myself marveling more than once that it even exists at all. The overhauled graphics are gorgeous, but don’t diminish the character of the original release. The story is more relevant today than ever before, but it isn’t a response to our current times, it was a warning from the past about what would come to pass if we allowed things to continue unchecked, as they have. The updates to the writing and the addition of voice acting are almost always a welcome change, and the quality of life improvements go beyond simple UI updates. Everything that you could ever want from a Final Fantasy game is here, and it is one that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

A highly addicting and energetic title that is satisfying in single and multiplayer.

TWEWY is definitely the current reason to own a DS right now, and you'll be doing yourself a disservice if you choose to not check it out.

It provides me with more loot whoring action than I can shake a stick at, and doles out a much bigger, more refined experience than the original managed to do. The inclusion of online co-op and offline co-op via LAN is certainly fantastic, but the game is still a blast even if you opt to play through it solo. It'll continue to provide me with hours upon hours of fun, and I look forward to exploring the game more fully in coming months. Definitely pick this one up if you haven't already, it really shouldn't be missed.

XCOM 2 is a wonderfully deep turn based strategy game that scratches the sci-fi itch.

Ratchet and Clank might have some of the most impressive environments yet in a game of this type.

Easily the best single player-oriented first person shooter since Valve Software’s "Half-Life," Volition has strongly stepped its foot into the door as one of the better developers in the genre.

On default, I did notice that the A.I. will make some dumb mistakes on offence and defense, but with the friendly help of provided sliders, you can customize the game so it plays perfectly to your particular standards. Once you have the game set up to your liking, the game plays brilliantly.

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

The control is spot-on, player ratings make a huge difference in checking, skating and passing, and it just feels like real on-ice action. ESPN NHL 2K4 has ironed out most of the wrinkles from last year, and turned the presentation up to 11 - you won't find a better playing, better looking, or better sounding hockey game available.

However you choose to play Machinarium, puzzling it out on your own or with a walkthrough in hand, the important thing is that you do play it. It's a feast for the senses and a treat for your brain, and there's nothing else on the Vita like it.

Overall, Star Wars Rebels is easily one of my favorite Zen Pinball tables to date. It’s accessible for just about anyone, it showcases its theme quite well, and it’s really hard to stop playing.

So all-in-all, Horizon Forbidden West is a very satisfying, extremely impressive if somewhat predictable sequel, to one of the best original titles of last generation. It’s a showcase for the PS5 platform (and not exactly a slouch on the original PS4 and PS4 Pro amazingly), and definitely worth the price of admission.

When all is said and done, Pinball FX 2 gives gamers a chance to share their love for pinball all in one solitary room that provides them with all the knowledge they need to know if they are to truly become the pinball wizard of not only their friends, but of the XLBA community. A must buy for all fans of pinball...period.

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.

If EA just introduced the new Ultimate Hockey team and washed their hands of the rest, I would say cash cow...but thankfully the team never lets me down as the introduction of this mode, along with enhanced AI, better game play, and the new physics engine that is so random I find myself catching my breath between puck drops make this an experience I've never felt before.

Graphically the game looks fantastic. The game is insanely colorful and the sprites are well animated.

Insanely fun to play and is one of those rare games where you'll have a smile on your face the entire time playing it.

I'll be playing the multiplayer for months to come, and I'm sure quite a few folks will as well. I'm a little burned out on the single player experience though, and while I feel like it's a decent enough romp for a FPS title, the storyline did little to grab my attention, and the whole Call of Duty formula is starting to feel a little tired at this point.

Like getting an unexpected gift envelope from a good friend. The single-player campaign? It's the receiving of the surprise itself - short but nice. The multiplayer component, however, is like opening up the envelope and finding a certificate for a year's supply of free lap dances at Scores - it absolutely can't be beat.

Ori and the Blind Forest is still enjoyable, obviously…it's just that those strengths are so strong that it's hard to imagine what would've been needed for that one ever-so-slightly-weaker element to match up with them. Nonetheless, it's still one heck of an accomplishment, and it's well worth your investment.

FAR: Lone Sails is fine for what it is, and I liked my time with it — but throughout it all, I couldn’t help but feel like it could’ve been even better than it was.

It may not last that long, but it also never comes close to wearing out its welcome. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an excellent sequel to an equally excellent game, and now that it’s out on PC, it’s absolutely worth your time (even if that time is over far too soon).

It's a fantastic game, even set aside from playing the original Witcher, so don't be put off by the fact that you might not have played the first game. For console only players that have heard PC gamers talk endlessly about the merits of this particular title, you'll finally get a chance to see what all the hype has been about. I don't think you'll come away disappointed in the slightest, as The Witcher 2 really delivers in every way imaginable.

Rockstar has cut no corners in crafting the game for the PSP and it shows. This is the real deal... A few control issues hold it back from getting a perfect score, but we'll save that for "Vice City Stories" (we hope).

If you've been on board with the game up to this point, Episode 3 will fail to disappoint. It's another excellent entry in what is easily shaping up to be Telltale's best work yet, and there's no reason to stop playing the series now.

Those not familiar with the series and who are interested in a great looking, stylish and unique stealth/platformer, should give Sly 2 a try.

The one shining part of online play is the addition of being able to play through the game cooperatively with a friend.

Fortunately, there’s absolutely no lag during gameplay, so bombing friends is every bit as fast as before.

The ball physics look strikingly accurate, whether it’s a bullet pass or lofty shot to the end zone, the ball just looks alive. EA didn’t skimp on the animations either.

It's not the "perfect" game, but when you combine great visuals, massive depth, multitude of modes/characters, load times better than most consoles, and then put it on a portable platform it's hard not to be impressed.

So I definitely think Guacamelee! is worth picking up if you haven’t done so yet. If you missed out on the PSN version, or hell, just want to play through the game again, it’s well worth checking out. This remains one of the more impressive independent releases this year, and certainly makes me curious to see what developer Drinkbox Studios is working on next.

The fantastic setting and light RPG elements really pull you in, and the customizations, challenging game play and new online multiplayer modes will keep you coming back for more. It's definitely worth it to book a trip back to Rapture.

If you’re a Switch owner who is still a little sore that Capcom never ported Monster Hunter World to the Nintendo console, then I’d argue that Monster Hunter Rise is a really great consolation prize. I’d even argue that Monster Hunter Rise might actually beat out World in a number of ways, and I’m glad to have a new Monster Hunter game to sink time into as we roll into Spring. It’s a really fantastic experience, and I’d highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already.

The default difficulties are done so well that you'll have to play a lot to even consider going into the slider screen.

I have no doubt that if you loved Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door the first time around there’s nothing here that will detract from your memories – and if you’re looking to check the game out for the first time, it’s probably aged better than most of its contemporaries, the occasionally slow pacing aside. But throughout my time with Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, I found my attention wandering and my interest waning far too much to be able to say I have the same amount of love for it as others do.

It’s fine for what it is, and I certainly wouldn’t begrudge anyone who does love the game and hold it in insanely high regard, but if I’m being completely honest, I just don’t get it.

The biggest selling point for me with the Separate Ways DLC is how much I wanted a game centered around Ada and her mysterious story. We always get her with background plot points and the story has indeed aged like fine wine, but still so little is known about her. I feel Resident Evil 6, which I hate to talk about, gave her the most screen time, but I think it’s time. If this remake and the DLC is any indication we are in for a solid remake of the next game or sequel in the series. I’m looking forward to it regardless as always.

Seriously, I can’t recall ever seeing the game hitch up or slow down, whether docked or undocked, which is a huge plus.

I cannot wait to see what the Inhabitants team has up their sleeves for the next segment in the Oddworld franchise. This game is a must buy.

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.

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.

If you have a PlayStation Vita, and whether or not it's gathering dust right now, you owe yourself a copy of LittleBigPlanet PS Vita. It's not only a great LittleBigPlanet game and a great Vita game, it's a great game, period.

Even if the typical story-driven adventure game isn’t quite your thing, I think the overall experience is so unique that there’s a good possibility you’ll see past the style of gameplay, and still manage to see what makes this game so affecting. So give it a shot on whatever platform you have access to, you won’t be disappointed.

You have all the trimmings expected in a baseball game, and the action is quick and enjoyable, so much that you can get games in under a half an hour if you wish.

If you haven't had the pleasure of playing Joe the first time around, then this game is a no brainer as a purchase. If you have already played it, I still say buy it, as the Lab mode is basically another version of the game's original career mode, but twice as hard.

Although Dark Age doesn't innovate much, it's the best and most viable MMORPG out there right now.

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.

Visually, Crimson Skies is a great looking game, and definitely a step up from the PC original. Absolutely huge environments, with impressive undulating environments, deep canyons, congested cities full of skyscrapers, and those amazing trademark Xbox water effects in the ocean, ponds and rivers.

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.

It uses the upgraded visuals of previous ports, and does feature multiple soundtrack options, but outside of that it’s essentially Cave Story as you remember it. Of course that is still a positive thing, but as someone who has played through the game a few times, I’d only suggest it to fans if you’re either dying to play some more Cave Story, or looking to scratch a Metroidvania itch on the Nintendo Switch.

The game looks great, handles fantastically, is fast as hell, and has a large amount of licensed cars.

Thanks to the responsive controls, the over/understeering necessary for drifting soon becomes second nature. The d-pad and analog nub both provide for excellent handling, with neither having a clear advantage over the other.

It’s an amazing adventure that feels more like Indiana Jones than the film series has in quite some time, which is definitely an accomplishment. Absolutely pick this one up, you won’t be disappointed.

To say that this is the best career mode for a boxing game to date would be an understatement.

There’s charm oozing out of every single corner (across both screens!), and even if you’re not a long-time fan there’s a good chance this will be the entry that draws you in.

The music is just plain amazing and it is perfect for the game.

While it isn't an equal to GT in terms of depth, it still provides enough diversity and play modes to keep just about every person with a yen for high-speed auto racing satisfied.

Along with great platforming action and pretty graphics, Abe’s Exoddus is riddled with some of the highest quality and most hilarious video sequences I’ve ever experienced.

Even though the overall look and presentation has not received a glowing amount of attention, it is what EA has done as far as tweaking the controls, A.I. and adding a monster amount of modes and options that will keep fans of the links playing for another year to come.

Such a f..king treat. Rarely does a series so lavishly reward its fans for participating in a game's fiction as the Witcher series aims to do, but the fruits of CDProjekt RED's labor are readily apparent in Assassins of Kings, and a total joy to experience.

There isn’t much to come back to once you’ve beaten the game, so replay value is basically non existent here. Overall, Pixel Ripped 1995 is a fun and very unique experience that everyone should try. Definitely a good addition to the ever growing PlayStation VR2 Library!

Rocksmith 2014 Edition is the most fun you will have learning how to play guitar hands down.

A fine racing game indeed. I only wish there were more Road Rage modes and other varieties spread along the map as I would say a good 65% of the modes are races. While this is fine and certainly fun, I don’t buy Burnout titles to race, I buy them for the carnage.

I absolutely loved Guacamelee! when I played through it the first time, and that fact hasn’t changed here. This is, by far, the best version of Guacamelee! you’re likely to see, until the inevitable sequel arrives.

I can only strongly recommend this to a particular group of people. Fans of horror, fans of relentless shooters, and those who have a fantastic PC. The rest of the crowd will leave underwhelmed.

I'd definitely suggest picking up Grid though; it's a game that can appeal to a wide variety of racing aficionados out there.

I was extremely impressed with Death’s Door from start to finish, and would absolutely implore you to check it out when it launches this week. Again, it’s just one of those games that was extremely hard to put down in order to write this review, and I’m already looking forward to going back and trying to suss out the additional secrets and puzzles I have yet to solve.

It's also hard to deny that Halo 4 is a hell of a visual step up for the series. Part of that comes from the art design, featuring bright, neon like colors that infuse the new world of Requiem with inorganic life. But the texture work and character models are a step above what Reach produced, and help to show that that 360 still has a trick or two up its sleeve from a power perspective.

If you plan on tanking through and have the chops to get it done, I still feel the $20 price more than worth it to get some new weapons and clothing to carry into your NGP.

That doesn't mean the online play is perfect. In fact, many people have reported matchmaking issues and assorted glitches. Matchmaking shouldn't be a problem when playing with friends via invites (on either PSN or XBL), but when playing random players it's a mixed bag.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Pragmata. It does a great job of breathing fresh air into the third-person shooter genre, while offering up an interesting story, great lead characters, and some fantastic looking designs throughout. I certainly hope to see more from the Pragmata universe in the future, as it seems like there’d be plenty of room for a sequel down the road, and I think players will really have a great time with this one when it launches at the end of the week. Definitely check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Honestly, I don’t know what else there is to say about Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut other than that it’s a must-play. That was true of the game last year when it first came out, and it’s just as true now that they’ve refined and perfected it on PS5.

The game suffers from some obvious bugs here and there, but the enthralling single-player missions and addictive online multi-player modes offset the problems to an extent. The game absolutely has to be experienced with the USB headset for full effect.

It’s such a blast to play, and I could easily see DOOM showing up on a number of top ten lists at the end of the year, just for the campaign alone.

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.

It's also fun and offers excellent competition – practice and skill pay off – making it as addicting as it is beautiful.

Obviously, if you’ve played Quake at any point in the last 25 years, there’s probably not a pressing need for you to pick it up on current-gen systems — it’s basically the same game here that you could’ve played at any time in the last few decades. But if you want to see a seminal first-person shooter that’s aged surprisingly well, be sure to hunt this one out.

Overall Nioh and its sequel are a worthy additions to the Soulslike genre, both games are fun and incredibly challenging and the Yokai look every bit the part of a Japanese demon. The biggest issue with this collection is the popup on the original Nioh, though aside from this it is a good collection. Also if you already own Nioh on the PS4, make sure you are playing the PS5 version by clicking on the options button and selecting the PS5 version (the first time I launched Nioh on PS5, I was playing the PS4 version). Also, of note, if you have the PS4 version of Nioh 2, you can upgrade that to the PS5 version for free, but the original game you will have to purchase in order to get the remastered edition.

So yeah, I really found myself loving Final Fantasy VII Remake, to a degree that I’m likely going to go back through it on Hard mode (which unlocks post-game) and try to platinum it if I can find the time. Even after 40 hours spent with it I’m finding it hard to pull myself away from the game, and I think there’s a good chance you’ll feel the same way too.

This is a must have for anyone who owns Red Dead Redemption. In case you are wondering, yes it is worth it even if you don't play multiplayer.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinel of the Starry Skies is an epic game that will keep most players enthralled for hours on end.

Forget "Lemans," forget "Ferrari F355," forget "Gran Turismo 2," and forget "Ridge Racer V," this is the new king of racers.

That Studio MDHR were able to make an aesthetic that’s nearly a century old seem fresh and new at the same time as they made an enjoyable game is just a bonus.

The game is a must have for fans of the genre; it's very good looking, the music is excellent, and the game is just all around fun. Make sure you pick this one up to save France... again.

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.

I know that it’s weird to rave about a game without actually saying what it’s about, or what happens in it, or what you do. But as I said, the joy of The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is simply playing it, and watching as everything unfolds…and unfolds again…and then folds up and starts anew. It takes you in all kinds of unexpected directions with every playthrough, and you absolutely need to play it to fully understand what makes it great.

I have to give Astral Chain a lot of respect. It’s a concept, a theme, and a design philosophy that feel a little dated–but are delivered really well. A rare breed, and one that’s welcome.

By far the best college football game to date.

Critter Crunch turns the traditional chain-crazy puzzle genre onto its organic head for a Tropicana of colors and need to feed, with enough substance to call it smart as well.

It’s a unique, fun, and wildly imaginative take on the roguelike formula that stands out, despite being in the company of other A-class titles within the genre.

What we have here is a prime example of how to do fighting games the right way. Guilty Gear -Strive- has enough for single players as well as the online crowd. It doesn’t just cater to the advanced player, but rather keeps a good balance whether you are an expert or just a beginner. Stunning to look at and listen to, and a total joy to actually play, Guilty Gear -Strive- is one that should not be missed. Even if you’ve never played a GG game before, you owe it to yourself to experience this title.

If you're at all a fan of shooters, then I urge you to run out and pick up Max Payne 3. It's a great follow-up to one of the best third person shooter franchises around, and while it certainly changes up familiar elements of the series, pretty much all of the changes work out really well. The shooting is, bar none, some of the best you'll see out of this generation of consoles, and really begs to experienced. So do yourself a favor and pick this one up, it really shouldn't be missed.

Fight Night Round 4 can honestly claim to be what Mike Tyson once quoted many years ago, "...I'm the best ever, my style's impetuous, my defense is impregnable, I wanna eat his children..." Well, okay, maybe not the last part, but damn if this isn't a great boxing game! If you are a fan, you are doing yourself a disservice not picking up a copy.

Heavy Rain is a unique and ambitious, once in a generation type of game with exceptional production values and an enthralling story.

I have been playing MW4 ever since the beta came out around a month ago, and I still don't think I will be putting it down for a while. MW 4 has everything that MW 3 failed to offer.

The missions themselves are so incredibly enjoyable and entertaining to play through, and are what make Thief II such a fantastic title.