Without a doubt the best the stealth genre can offer... One of the best games I have ever played.

Final Fantasy XVI is a true masterpiece that demonstrates the incredible evolution of the Final Fantasy series. With its engaging storyline, memorable characters, refined gameplay mechanics, stunning graphics, and captivating music, it offers a gaming experience that will linger in the hearts of players long after the credits roll. Square Enix has once again proven its ability to deliver a breathtaking and unforgettable adventure that pushes the boundaries of what an RPG can achieve. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the series or a newcomer, Final Fantasy XVI is an absolute must-play that showcases the brilliance of the franchise and sets a new standard for the genre.

As sad and anti-social as it sounds it’s like you're visiting old friends and, similar to previous Half-Life games, in Half-Life 2: Episode 1 you actually feel as if you are re-assuming the role of Gordon Freeman rather just controlling him.

So if you’ve never played one, or perhaps both games, then I think this collection is a no-brainer for sure. And even if you have, the upgrade discount path makes this collection a worthy addition to your growing PS5 library, and it’s sure to be the game that you pop up in when you’re trying to show off modern console technology to your friends and family. It’s a solid remaster of two excellent games, both of which are well worth playing through again.

An excellent game is now cheaper and better than it was when first released.

Visually and mechanically it will be a bit jarring for players who cut their teeth on the series with 0 and the 2 Kiwami games. However those who can forgive these shortcomings, this collection is still quite a value. With 3 titles whose play time can clock in around 20 hours each and even more if you indulge in the plethora of mini games and substories, it’s an absolute steal that the bundled price is $40. The value is even better as this package is available to members of Microsoft’s Game Pass program.

Gran Turismo fans should know what they are getting into with each and every new release, and Gran Turismo 7 is overall the very best in the franchise yet. The sheer amount of content and modes will keep casual players, long time GT fans and car enthusiasts busy for a very long while, and the online and social features should continue to keep the community alive and racing for years to come.

I really, really like DiRT 3, and while I'm going to gripe about a couple things in the game, if you like racing games you owe it to yourself to pick up DiRT 3.

If you like roguelike games, this is one you should not miss. Likewise,if you like challenging shooters or elliptical storytelling, Saros is also here for you. All three of these things run primarily beside each other throughout the experience, and playing will not disappoint you. An excellent game by any measure, I’d recommend Saros to almost anyone even slightly interested.

While complicated at first, the completely customizable schemes work extremely well. Nearly every control parameter can be adjusted and tweaked, and it would be difficult to not find a method that works.

I’ve really been impressed with Sea of Stars overall. I think it delivers the total package when it comes to retro-infused RPG’s, and it feels pretty unique in a field that’s full of like-minded games. It also helps tremendously that a lot of folks will be able to try the game out for free via Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, but I’d honestly recommend it regardless, it’s well worth checking out.

Even with controls and camera work that feel slightly like a relic, there’s nothing here that would make you think the world got it wrong 15-20 years ago as far as these games are concerned. They were pinnacles of 3D platforming then, and they remain that way today as well.

Whether you know Links Awakening like the back of your hand or have never played then you will be in for a treat. This was a great game back in the day and still is! The only thing holding it back are the distracting framerate problems and even being less sensitive to these things it was noticeable to me. I don’t think it’s game breaking but might be for some. For anyone else they will find an adventure once lost to time and now back in all it’s glory!

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.

It is gorgeous, full of different modes to play and things to unlock, and most important of all, fun to play and accessible.

I personally could have done without the majority of the hovercar and weapon-based missions, but overall the game works well, looks and sounds fantastic, and provides many hours of mostly enjoyable gaming.

The only blemish on this otherwise fine masterpiece is the God-awful story that they tried to pan off as a serious RPG style story.

By far the best college football game to date.

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.

Marvel’s Spider-Man is truly spectacular.

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!

It's certainly one of the easiest "hardcore" games to get into, but there's a lasting challenge to the design that'll keep you coming back for more, regardless of how many times you fail out at a level.

Some of the story is a bit contrived and the game may give players a bit of "been there, done that", but it's a very fun game to play through. There are enough twists in the story and surprises to be seen to keep Mario fans playing until the very end.

While there’s been no content added to either the PlayStation or Xbox versions, you’ll still have plenty to do here. There’s the main questline to engage with that’ll take you through multiple monster quest tiers, which is somewhat short compared to other Monster Hunter titles. But the online hub quests expand that out even further, offering up more story content that goes beyond the end credits of the game, and has a number of challenging fights for experienced hunters. There’s also a whole host of free downloadable quests to engage with, encompassing the free DLC that’s come out on prior versions of the game. All in all, you’ll be able to spend a lot of time exploring and hunting down giant monsters, which is pretty much what you want out of a new Monster Hunter game.

Nintendo has implemented new play mechanics, added fantastic new character-specific weapons, and thrown in some amazing new tracks to make Mario Kart: Double Dash!! the best multiplayer experience currently available on the GameCube.

I found myself hopelessly addicted to this pseudo-dungeon crawl, and I have a feeling it isn't just me.

Not as deep or as complex as some of the other competitors in the field, World Series Baseball 2K3 is the perfect blend of an arcade baseball game and a hardcore sim.

A fantastic and gorgeous “arcade style” rally racing game...that has finally bypassed GT3 in terms of visuals...The best racing game of the year, arcade or otherwise.