Obviously, the big problem with Gnosia is that it seems to exist more in relation to other, better (or at least better-known) games, rather than standing out on its own. While this status is mostly deserved, compared to most visual novels I’ve played/read, there’s still lots here you’ll find interesting if you want to give it a chance.

All in all I would definitely recommend Prey to anyone interested. It is very reminiscent of Bioshock with some hefty Dead Space elements thrown in and some solid Deus Ex mechanics driving it all. It is a well-balanced, lengthy game with a substantial story that is intriguing enough to keep you interested for an extended period of time. Lackluster combat can make some stretches a drag, but that next room to explore and that next secret to uncover keeps you going. If you are on the fence, I would suggest you pick this one up. In a year that seems to just keep on delivering, Prey is yet another success story.

Episode 4 dovetails nicely into what is sure to be a hell of a conclusion, and I'm definitely anticipating the end with a level of anxiety that most episodic releases never manage to evoke.

In the end this isn't the SSX you grew up loving, but this isn't just another snowboarding game either. This is a reboot of a franchise that feels not only fresh and original, but has enough depth and difficulty to keep gamers constantly wanting to learn the drops to increase scores, and completing those drops is a challenge in itself.

If you don't want to spend every waking hour of the next few months grinding and grinding and grinding, then you may want to look into something less demanding. If, however, you're already a fan of the series, then you'll soon find Disgaea 4 has everything you've come to know and love of Disgaea: it's long, it's deep, and it's funny. If that's you (and I have to admit, it's certainly not me), then grab it now, and empty your calendar for the foreseeable future.

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.

Depending on expectations, Dragon Age: The Veilguard can provide an enjoyable action RPG experience. If you’re seeking a worthy successor to Dragon Age: Origins or even Inquisition in companions or plot, it doubtless falls short, feeling more comfortably bland than outright terrible. The combat may be worth the price of admission if you’re keen on real-time action without too much thought for your companions beyond choosing which targets to detonate. Similarly, the visuals can be gorgeous, backed by incredible music, even as the facial animations, odd image quality, and voice acting can feel uneven. It’s nowhere near BioWare’s best, especially in the storytelling department, but after all its past failures and uncertainty, there are certainly far worse alternatives than “good enough.”

To all the PC nuts that are reading this, imagine "Motocross Madness 2" with 4 wheels and you know what to expect from this PlayStation 2 classic.

Even with 73 episodes and online play, the $30 price tag still seems a little steep especially with how the game is structured and the relative lack of customization or options. Fans may want to check it out though.

Even though they did try to clear up a lot of issues some people had with the game, it just didn't seem to come off like the epic that was Suikoden I. It's not a bad sequel at all, it's just more of the same.

What's much easier to rationalize, however, is this: Toukiden: Kiwami is unquestionably the best monster-hunting game the Vita has to offer.

It works best if you know the genre, since it's a cool piece of history and it's neat to see how they've evolved over the last few decades, but if you don't have that, Day of the Tentacle Remastered is probably going to be a little too niche for your tastes.

It’s an enjoyably challenging platformer that’s sure to scratch any Mega Man or roguelike itches you have. Factor in Maker Mode, and you’ve got a recipe for a platformer that’s a huge – and hugely fun – time sink.

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is simple, fun and addicting, and you’ll be hard pressed to stop playing and rejoin the real world. Highly recommended.

This is a very, very fun game, and if you missed out on it the first time around, don't make that mistake twice.

At its core, Tekken 7 is the ultimate Tekken experience. While paying tribute to previous games in the series, it’s also made for the hardcore Tekken fan in mind. Newcomers will also love it once you get a feel for the unique fight system. There isn’t much I didn’t enjoy with during my time with Tekken 7, other than it makes me want a new Soul Caliber with the same TLC that went into this game. I highly recommend picking up Tekken 7.

Metro: Last Light improves on a lot of what 2033 left behind.

Mega Man 11 is truly a memorable experience and is one of Mega’s finest adventures and it is highly recommended. The 8 bosses are all clever in design and their levels are very appropriate as well. Even if one made me almost rage quit. (Yes, you Bounce Man!) In a year with amazing games, I can see Mega Man 11 in my top 5 of 2018.

What pleasantly surprised me about Hudson Soft's effort is its sense of difficulty. It doesn't wimp out on making the player work through a stage several times before picking up on the timing of the jumps, what order to kill the enemies and the like.

Just like you’d expect, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is the complete package on the Switch. It’s a straightforward port with a couple add-one that don’t feel stapled on, but as always the real draw is having a game on a console with more staying power and appeal than the Wii U offered. If you’re not familiar with Captain Toad then definitely check this out, but if you had the game on Wii U then you’ve probably already made up your mind about if you’ll be migrating the recent ports over to the Switch. Either way you cut it, this is a great game and a definitive port.

I really, really dug my time spent with Arcade Paradise, and thought the sheer variety of arcade games was pretty impressive, as was the actual amount of upgrades and story content available. It took a lot longer to complete than I anticipated, right around the 20-hour mark or so for me, which makes for a pretty hefty “arcade” experience to be sure. My only serious complaint is the sheer number of bugs I encountered while playing. Nothing that was necessarily game-breaking, but I did have a lot of recurring issues while playing through our review copy on the Switch, which has not been fixed yet. However, a PC patch was just made available this week that does seem to address the bugs I encountered, and my understanding based on the official Arcade Paradise Twitter account is that this patch should be going live for consoles next week. I would advise holding off on purchasing the game until that patch goes live, assuming you’re considering a console version of the game, but outside of that, I think Arcade Paradise is well worth your time.

Online play is a blast.

It is easily one of the best downloadable games to come out this year, and more than worth the price of admission.

WWE 2K23 makes all the right moves and improves on the great foundation 2K22 set out to establish following some rocky years (no Rock pun necessary). Some of the entrances and visuals this year really rival the on-screen product and really make other products look absolutely terrible, despite them not even being released yet (cough—AEW Fight/Delayed Forever—cough). With the already announced DLC plans, the roster (when all is said and done) is the most complete it’s been in a very long time and it’s damn impressive. Pair that with the creation suite and your dream match options are only limited by your imagination. As you can see, I’m really smitten with this year’s release and I highly recommend it.

Along with the bright and colorful visuals, the music really plays a big part in de Blob as well.

If there’s one thing that could have taken this from alright to great, the game could have treated its mechanic as an actual puzzle instead of a gimmick. More Zelda-style instrument playing than Moonwalker-inspired song and dance.

Despite the occasional on-rail hiccup, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Ninja Gaiden 4, and it’s easily a game I can see myself revisiting as I try to improve my own abilities and end of level scoring, offering up an easy reason to replay stages over and over again. It’s certainly a far better effort than its predecessor, and while it’s a very different Ninja Gaiden game compared to the recently released Ragebound, it’s a worthy follow-up to one of the more beloved action franchises out there. Hopefully the release of Ninja Gaiden 4 breathes new life into the franchise, as I’d love to see even more Ninja Gaiden titles released in the near future.

Hitman: Blood Money is an extremely solid title, with small problems here and there. If you’re looking for a game where obsessive-compulsive tendencies and people watching is valued over hide and seek gameplay, you really can’t go wrong with Blood Money—but just don’t expect it to be an easy ride.