It’s what The Chinese Room does best. Still Wakes the Deep is exactly the kind of game that made the studio well-known in the first place, and it shows that even after a few years away from the genre, they’re still the masters of it.

Featuring unparalleled 3D environments, a deep and involved quest, brilliant and intuitive play controls, and a well-developed cinematic quality that enhances rather than overwhelms the whole game experience, Miyamoto's latest soon-to-be-classic title deserves to be played by each and every person who might deign to consider themselves a fan of great games.

Does Princess Peach: Showtime! reach the level of, say, Super Mario Bros. Wonder? Probably not. But it’s certainly on par with any of the solo Luigi or Yoshi outings we’ve had. Here’s hoping that we don’t have to wait another two decades for Peach to get another starring role, because this one is well worth your time.

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn is a perfect example of taking a classic title, expanding on it just enough to not ruin the legacy, and making a fantastic game. While it is a little short with only six stages, it will give you enough challenge and replay value to keep you coming back for a long while. NasumeAtari and ININ Games really knocked this one out of the park. I cannot recommend this title enough, download this one as soon as you are able to, you will not be disappointed.

I’m still skeptical of the remake and I am a purist when it comes to the original Final Fantasy games, and my favorites of the series are turn based. Would I have liked to see Final Fantasy VII Remake be a full turn-based game? Yes. I’m not going to allow that to Cloud my opinion on if this is a good game by itself. The answer to that question is a solid yes. This is a great game. The next chapter in the Final Fantasy VII remake saga, Rebirth is coming to Switch 2 and Xbox, hopefully later this year. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has convinced me to give them all a shot, and I highly recommend that you do too.

Pokémon Pokopia is a genuine treat and I cannot recommend it enough. Whether you’re a fan of the Pokémon franchise in its usual form looking for something new, a fan of the almost life-simulation style of games, or just a creative looking for a sandbox to let you go absolutely crazy with, Pokopia has something for you. It’s great for all ages too so anybody can pick up and play it without any issues. With the last couple releases of the mainline Pokémon series being some stinkers, we’re reminded that Pokémon can be nothing short of fantastic with the right bells and whistles and the time it needs to cook. If you’re looking for something new to play as we enter this spring season, this might just be the perfect game to consider.

Ninja Gaiden II Black is absolutely the definitive way to play the classic and challenging title. With the stigma of how Unreal Engine 5 can treat modern releases, it is outstanding to see a game utilize the technology to recreate something lots of people have fond memories of that runs seemingly flawlessly. With availability on all modern platforms and the inclusion of its release on Xbox Game Pass, everybody has the chance to play it. Other than the camera still being quite whack, it’s a genuine must-play, especially if you’ve never had the chance before now.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is everything I’d hoped for in a follow-up to the second game, so seeing it realized so well is nothing short of fantastic. With excellent characters, a decent story, an enjoyable gameplay loop with as much grinding as you want there to be, and a really gorgeous appearance and world, it’s a genuine must play for fans of turn-based RPGs. In a year of Capcom releasing some of the most exciting titles, Monster Hunter yet again stands out with Stories 3. I’d say it’s a treat to play through, but it’s more like a full course meal you can’t get enough of. Whether you’re a fan of Monster Hunter or RPGs, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not playing.

Black Ops 6 is a stellar entry to the Call of Duty franchise, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s coming in future seasons. I’ve had a ton of fun playing multiplayer and zombies with my friends, as well as running through the campaign. If this is how the expectation of quality is set for how the series should continue, then consider me hopeful for the future.

The world is well-imagined and the aesthetics are perfection, but the fact they’re all built around an absurdly fun first-person shooter makes this a game you absolutely need to play.

As criticisms go, that’s hardly a terrible one: saying that a game gives you freedom to play it as you want to is probably something more games should aspire to. That The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom gives you all that freedom without ever feeling unfocused or overwhelming is evidence that it lives up to its iconic lineage.

Parasite Eve has been one of the only RPGs since Final Fantasy 7 to genuinely deserve any kind of hype, or at least anticipation.

If Time Recoil truly represents 10tons’ Vita swansong — and they’re currently saying it is — then they’ve picked one heck of a high note to go out on. As far as I’m concerned, Time Recoil is the very best twin-stick shooter the handheld has to offer, and it’s well-worth checking out.

Overall, I think “Atlas Mugged” is a better episode than the first, and has enough story related hooks to keep me intrigued for whatever might happen in episode 3. The story-to-action ratio is a bit more balanced here, the jokes are certainly improved, and the inclusion of a number of recognizable Borderlands characters provide ample reasons to revisit Telltale’s interpretation of Pandora.

Everything from the visuals, audio, and presentation have been bumped up a notch to a level that would make any fan who has turned their heads for the last 3 years take notice.

It's super addictive, incredibly fun, and comes off as an extremely worthy successor to Trials HD. If you skipped out on the first XBLA entry for whatever reason, then don't miss this one. It's seriously better in every way imaginable, and it manages to exceed my every expectation.

Retro Goal is just a really fun game all-around. It captures not just the spirit of the sport it’s trying to emulate, but also the essence of what makes a great soccer game. It may not look like the new standard for soccer games on the Switch, but if you pick it up, you’ll soon find it makes a very convincing argument.

The Walking Dead Episode 2 is something that begs to be talked about once it's finished, and not beforehand, which makes writing this review a little challenging. If the first episode didn't convince you enough that the series is worth continuing, than I'm not sure that episode 2 really does much differently to make you think otherwise.

When this game clicks — and make no mistake, it clicks pretty often — it's a thing of beauty to behold.

Still fun, despite its age, and despite the fact these games aren’t being played the way they were probably originally intended. This year’s version faces an obstacle that could’ve killed it — since the whole point of party games is to play them at a party — but it’s come out as strong as ever.

Even if you aren't interested in the online portion, Activision and Neversoft have still nailed down another extremely solid sequel to the Tony Hawk franchise.

All in all, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Persona 5 Strikers. I’ve played a whole lot of Dynasty Warriors and spin-off games in that genre, and I would argue that Persona 5 Strikers feels like one of the more unique takes on a Musou game that I’ve ever seen. It really, honestly feels like a full-fledged Persona sequel, in both story and combat, but with a heavier emphasis on action. Combining these two distinct flavors of video game franchises works exceptionally well here, and if you’re into either type of game, you’ll likely find something to love about Persona 5 Strikers.

One of those rare games that can be appreciated by both hardcore and casual fans alike, Final Fantasy XII may very well be Square's last great adventure, and a fitting sendoff, for the PlayStation 2.

This has to be one of my favorite downloadable games to date. With great game play, great co-op, tons of collectibles and a great price, you can't go wrong with Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light.

Even if it’s not lengthy or challenging, Fire Tonight still wins you over on the strength of its personality. The game does an outstanding job of giving Maya and Devin personalities within its limited time, and it’s easy to root for them to achieve their modest goal. Even more importantly, the game looks and sounds incredible, with visuals that scream 1990 without being too obnoxious about it, and an incredible synth-pop score. It’s those things — the great music, the engaging characters, the nice graphics — that make it easy to overlook Fire Tonight’s short length. It’s not the sort of game that will swallow up days and days from your calendar, but if you’re looking for a fun way to spend an hour, Fire Tonight is definitely that.

Instead, I was thinking, "This game is so awesome." That, or silently cursing Curve Studios for making a game that's equal parts insanely addictive and fiendishly difficult. That's a dangerous combination if you ever want to put a game down — though why you'd ever want to put Stealth Inc. down, I don't know.

I particularly enjoyed the unique Mysterious Pushmo puzzles, but the overall package is really top notch work out of Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.

This is the definitive Mortal Kombat title. You have more fatalities, self-fatalities (hara-kiri), stage fatalities, more characters, four deep modes of play, unlockable Krypt items, and online play.