Not the huge advancement many might expect from a new year and especially a year when they are the only game in town, but the game still plays solid, the rosters are updated, and the new modes may appeal to those coming over from the competition.

Overall, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is just more of what you already know and love from the game. It provides further functionality to existing weapons and some new monsters but makes sure not to change too much. For me, it took about 16 hours to complete the main questline of Sunbreak, but as usual, there are easily hundreds of hours to pump out of the content if you want to. Just don’t buy it until you’ve finished Rise’s main story.

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.

So overall Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is a retro inspired platformer and shows the genre at its finest. Not to mention it feels right at home on the Switch despite being a multiplatform release. If you’ve never played a Monster Boy game but have been looking for anything to scratch that Metroid or Castlevania itch then this is for you. And if you’re a Monster Boy fan wondering if this installment is any good then you should probably already own it. But if you don’t then take it from me you won’t regret your time with Cursed Kingdom.

And for that, warts and all, Saints Row IV became my favorite gaming experience of 2013. Cynicism couldn’t hinder that.

Overall, it's not worth a double dip if you own the game on another system, but if you have a younger child and/or are really interested in jumping in, I do highly recommend the Wii U version.

The PC port for Monster Hunter Rise is the definitive way to experience this game. I am excited to see where the franchise goes from here, although I will find it hard to slide back into any Monster Hunter game without the new traversal and streamlined elements. Whether you want to hunt alone or play with your friends, play “Fashion Hunter” or experience the main quests, there is something for everyone in Monster Hunter Rise.

Combining hardcore action gaming with a grand environment and an intense feeling throughout... A crucial title that needs to be experienced to be truly believed.

It has beautiful graphics, eerie music, and a very low learning curve. Each level is different enough to keep the gamer interested.

For fans of the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero: Metallica might be the best entry we've seen yet. I was somewhat lukewarm on my reception to the other band-themed title that Neversoft put out with GH: Aerosmith, but Metallica absolutely blows that game out of the water, not only with the track listing, but the overall time and attention put into the actual presentation, and how the band seems to be infused into every aspect of the game.

With a pleasant mix of a fantastic storyline, great character development, good pacing of action and adventure, pleasing graphics, and challenging, but fun puzzles, makes Golden Sun practically the “dream” game for fans of the RPG genre.

Addictive, fun, and remarkably exciting.

Overall, Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a fantastic game! As a fan that has played all three it’s hard to say which version I like best. I like the system changes made in Tactics Ogre: Reborn, simplifying removing skill points from the game and entirely relying on magic points in fights makes a lot more sense. The biggest problem with this version is removing random encounters from the game. While I understand the choice, they could have just added the level cap and possibly kept random encounters — which is something I enjoyed doing in other tactical RPGs such as Final Fantasy Tactics. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Tactics Ogre: Reborn and look forward to many more hours with the game.

Rolito's designs really stand out and are a huge part of what makes the game so damn lovable.

I’ve found Dragon Quest Builders 2 to be an absolute blast, and I’ve had a hard time putting it down just to write this review. I’d absolutely suggest checking it out when it releases, regardless of whether you’ve played any type of Dragon Quest game prior to this. The heavy emphasis on exploration and building mixed with breezy action is a real joy, making Dragon Quest Builders 2 one of my favorite games so far this year.

I can recommend Steins;Gate Elite to anyone who wants to experience a fantastic visual novel with multiple endings. I cannot, however recommend this if you are hoping for full interaction or solid gameplay because there really isn’t anything like that here. Outside of a few button presses here and there, there is no game to be played. I am not usually a fan of visual novels, but I didn’t feel bored with this one. Check this one out if you love science fiction stories that captivate.

Overall, I really think NBA 2K16 is worth picking up this year. There’s so much to do, and the gameplay is really top-notch. It’s not perfect necessarily, but it’s remarkably close.

Death Stranding still stands as one of the absolute coolest and most unique games of this current generation, and maybe one of the most unique of all time. It is such a wild blend of third-person action, open-world exploration, inventory management, “fetch quests” and incredible cinematics. It stands out even among the other wild games that Hideo Kojima has created, which really says something about it. I love Death Stranding, and I recommend that everyone who has any sort of interest in it try it out, and if you have a PC capable of running it the way it is intended to run, the PC is without a doubt the best place to check it out.

While Titanfall sadly lacks any single player story mode, it is how wonderfully the game looks and plays along with some exciting game modes that will draw gamers in and keep them sucked in for quite some time.

All in all, this Tomb Raider reboot isn’t perfect. But it is a step in the right direction for the series, and again marks the most fun I’ve had with a Tomb Raider title in a while. It’s got enough of that AAA polish to make it a contender, but I feel that the series is going to need some fresh ideas if it really wants to compete with the big hitters.

Not that being more emotional and being fun are mutually exclusive – as Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart proves time and again. As the series enters into its third (!!!) decade, this PC port is a fine way to show that the Ratchet and Clank are still compelling characters, and even if there are a few points where it feels like the game could use a little more polish in terms of performance, they can’t take away the fact that Rift Apart is an outstanding game.

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

But look no further if you are among the game playing ranks that is looking for a Herculean challenge, a complex and involving story, and tight, responsive gameplay.

I thoroughly enjoyed my trek through the games' magical world, and the only thing keeping this title from achieving an A rating is that it shares the common problem with most RPG's today: once it's over, it's over.

If you have Pinball FX 2, then you would be doing the pinball world an injustice by not grabbing this bargain of a DLC package.

The sound design is incredible, with many varied tracks with authentic and unique sounding instruments that organically change depending on the on-screen action.

Next Level has taken one of my favorite NES titles and turned it up a notch, making it feel right at home on the current-gen hardware but still managing to capture everything that worked so well in the original. Wii owners owe it to themselves to pick this one up; it's not one to be missed.

A true workhorse, it does everything strongly and efficient, and doesn't have any real weaknesses that can't be overlooked over a short bit of experience with the title.