Overall Final Fantasy XVI is one of the best entries in the series. While I do prefer my turn-based games, IX being my favorite, this entry is a fantastic entry into the series. Very few games are able to pull me into its story like this one did. Some of the plot points I saw coming, many of them I did not. Graphically this game is visually stunning, no matter the platform. The soundtrack for the game is also one of the best they have done. Nobuo Uematsu did an amazing job getting the series started with his music and Masayoshi Soken has done a masterful job making this soundtrack his own. If you are a fan of action games, high fantasy, great music, any or all of the above, you owe it to yourself not to miss Final Fantasy XVI.

Combine all those things – the unique visuals, the packed world, and, above all else, the fun platforming – and you can see why I’m so fond of Ruffy and the Riverside. It’s a 3D platformer you need to play if you have any kind of interest in the genre, and it’s good enough that even if you don’t, you may want to give it a try.

If you enjoyed Death Stranding, you will almost certainly love Death Stranding 2. If you bounced off of the first game for any reason, it has most likely been changed for the better in On the Beach, and you may very well find yourself enjoying it this time around. I am looking forward to continuing to play throughout the coming months, wrapping up the side missions and helping other people build their roads across Australia. Death Stranding 2 asks, “Should we have connected?” My answer is a resounding “Yes”

It runs well and it looks great, and it gives hope that, at least for the next little while, Switch 2 ports won’t require you to make a few allowances for subpar performance.

I do think it’s worth at least downloading the game and testing it out, as I definitely have had fun with it despite its shortcomings. That said, I also don’t see myself sticking with it in its current state, but hopefully as new additions and patches roll out I’ll have reason to return to FBC: Firebreak.

It may not feel original, but The Precinct knows how to take that familiar beats and give you room to uphold law and order/cause chaos to your heart’s content.

If you are a fan of turn-based JRPGs, games with a lot of customization, or a simple story done really well Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster is a great game that has a lot of great gameplay, a fun combat system, and a lot of different ways to be able to create your party if you want to replay the game. It is a game that has had such a consistent following for a very long time that I would keep on your radar, even if the midgame can feel a bit repetitive and grindy.

The Gex Trilogy is a faithful adaptation of three fun games from a company with a storied history as Crystal Dynamics was involved in games like Legacy of Kain and Tomb Raider. It can take some getting used to, but Limited Run Games are dedicated to keeping the original experience as close as possible to the original. And although we did get a nice improvement with the ability to reverse time, there are still some improvements I would like to have seen in these games such as that full free roaming camera, but I do understand them wanting to keep to the original experience as much as possible.

It definitely shows promise, and if it were to add in more objectives for solo players or game modes for multiplayer I could see it achieving that promise. At the moment, it’s definitely not there, but it may be worth keeping an eye on the game to watch how it evolves.

It’s hard to explain the joy that a good puzzle game brings, and I want to take this game outside with a projector and just play it on my garage door and see if anyone driving by my house wants to join. When I was in college, I spent a weekend with a friend of mine in his dorm playing Tetris Attack until 6 in the morning, and it was an amazing time. I feel like Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is almost the same caliber. I still prefer Tetris Attack, but when playing with a couple of friends locally, the screams of happiness and smiles on their faces while playing Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is well worth the asking price.

It’s a gorgeous game set in a well-imagined world, and even if its gameplay isn’t as absorbing as its environments, it’s still a solid puzzle-platformer.

Overall I do really enjoy Dune: Awakening, and while I still think the fact that it’s always online takes away from what it could be a bit, it doesn’t bring it down so far as to being unenjoyable. The framework is very positive and I had fun with my time in the game. I am intending to continue playing after writing this review, so I know it’s definitely good. I would recommend it to anyone who already knows and enjoys the world of Dune, but am not so sure people who aren’t otherwise would have the same ease of drop-in enjoyment I’ve gotten. It is one of the few games on the recent pattern of releasing at a lower price than average, so you can pick it up for only $50 if you’re wanting to try it! Dune fans, get in on it: you will enjoy it.

I absolutely recommend checking out Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. It’s a great RPG with a lot of elements that come together really well, allowing you to focus on various professions that are sure to cater towards a variety of gaming tastes. The storyline is light and whimsical, not particularly deep, but fits the world and aesthetic of the game really well. The ability to play online with others is also great, allowing you and your friends to form up a party and take on a lot of the optional content as well. It’s a fantastic follow-up from developer Level 5, and shows that Fantasy Life deserves to be held up amongst some of the greats in its genre.

While I largely tend towards the latter point of view, it’s nonetheless neat to see KreatureKind attempt to try something new, even if it doesn’t succeed. Add in a very chill-sounding soundtrack and visuals that are pleasant to look at, and you can see what KreatureKind’s developers were trying to do, even if they don’t quite succeed in the end.

You may not be constantly smashing skulls with nunchucks and slicing through robots with katanas, but the game still doles out action in smaller chunks, move by move by move. It’s also fun to think strategically, figuring out how you can dance across the board without sustaining too much damage while also taking out key enemies along the way. Of course, I shouldn’t have expected anything less from a developer like Strange Scaffold. Whether it’s games about airports run by dogs, match-3 games based on a franchise that doesn’t exist, or a horror-infused homage to Max Payne, they know how to give their games a spark of originality. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown shows that even when they’re working with a more known quantity, they’re still adept at finding an approach that no one has ever taken before – and at making that work.

If you’re jonesing for a fresh action adv…yoyovania, then Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo will absolutely fit the bill. The game steadily grants you new abilities as you traverse a charming contemporary world which I would dare compare to the one found in Nintendo’s Earthbound. As the adventure heads to its conclusion, it becomes a test of all the skills you’ve accrued along the way. Thorough players will find every badge, pay off every contract, conquer every mini-game and collect every Rose and BP shard, but even if you don’t, at least you’ll be treated to a grand story about an unlikely hero with a heart of gold.

To be sure, most of what goes on in Promise Mascot Agency is utterly insane if you view it with any kind of detachment. This game is unquestionably bonkers. But it’s also the kind of game you can sink your teeth into in many, many ways, and if you want a unique experience, Promise Mascot Agency offers exactly that.

Once Upon A Puppet reminds me of Puppeteer because of its overall aesthetic – not just the fact both are about puppets, but the whole gorgeous look of the game, and the way that it’s able to go from light and whimsical to dark and mysterious without breaking stride. To be sure, that’s not something unique to these two games specifically, but when you factor in the rest of the similarities, it’s hard not to feel like the games share some DNA. Of course, as noted above, Puppeteer had the misfortune of coming out at the tail-end of a generation, when people were eagerly awaiting the next one to start. Once Upon A Time has no such issues, so hopefully it meets a much more favourable fate.

Elden Ring Nightreign does offer a new and interesting step in a different direction for FromSoftware and Bandai Namco, but I’m not exactly confident that this is the best choice. I think it’ll be an enjoyable title to mess about in with your friends, lending itself more to games like Risk of Rain with the roguelike/roguelite aspects, but as a FromSoftware game boasting the Elden Ring title, I think it’s missing the mark from what we expect from the studio. It’s a hard recommendation unless you can get two of your friends to jump aboard with you, so I’m stuck in a middle ground. It has merits to it, but the flaws really do put a damper on overall enjoyment. If you’re REALLY seeking more Elden Ring, you’ll find it with Nightreign, but it’s different enough that I have to give a warning to those expecting more of the same with just multiplayer as the focus.

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.

Obviously, Aureole – Wings of Hope isn’t a particularly complicated game – but it doesn’t need to be. It’s built around a great idea for a simple-but-addictive platformer, and it pulls it off nearly perfectly.

It’s not a good game – and again, the voice acting and cutscenes and script are abysmal – but on the whole it’s not interesting enough to generate really strong feelings. It’s a bad game that’s also incredibly boring, which is just about the worst combination imaginable.

It’s definitely an improvement over its predecessor, but some annoying design decisions mean that it’s still not as good as it could be.

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos’s remaster is really good, and I think it’s worth playing even if you didn’t play it back in 1997. You can find it on consoles and GOG, which is also a huge plus for everybody. It plays better than before, offers new and overhauled visuals, and yet still keeps all of that original charm it had back in ‘97. Argonaut Games returns with a real blast from the past and boy is it ever wonderful. With all the new updates for modern platforms and smooth performance without hiccups, it’s a fantastic port for PCs and modern consoles. If Argonaut is bringing quality of life like this to older titles, I can only be excited for future releases and work from them.

Annoying or not, it’s a neat mechanic to build a platformer around, and Pecker does a good job of doing just that. Its name may evoke some of the lower points of 3D platformers from a few decades ago, but its gameplay recalls some of the better ones, and for that reason it’s worth investigating if you’re a fan of the genre.

It’s an absolute blast to play through, with impressive visuals, an appropriately metal soundtrack, and some really wild set-pieces that deserve to be seen. Absolutely pick this one up when you get a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

Really, it’s just worth playing if you want a love letter to late 2000s action games – or, I guess, if you want a time capsule from the same era that never saw the light of day due to a confluence of crazy factors. Either way, if that applies to your very specific gaming interests (and, weirdly, it does mine), then Captain Blood is a game you need to play.

I don’t know that Jaleco Sports: Bases Loaded is necessary for anyone other than video game historians and baseball diehards, but I’m still glad it exists.