Kirby Fighters 2 achieves nearly all of its glory in Story Mode, but there’s still some fun in short bursts if you have friends to play with or enjoy the time trials. Skip online unless you’re playing with friends. But even that risks your sanity.

There’s a lot to be excited about with Star Wars: Squadrons. It not only meets all of my expectations, it wildly exceeds them. VR support for the entire game instead of just a single mission taste makes this the game we’ve always dreamed of so many years ago. It truly is the sequel to all of those great early PC games so many years ago, but with all of the modern bells and whistles. Put simply, if you are a Star Wars fan, it doesn’t get better than this.

Crash 4 will delight fans new and old with its stylized visuals, delightful sense of humor, and hard as nails platforming. While the new characters have a few control issues, the game is an absolute blast from start to finish.

Spellbreak could be a huge hit if it was capable of filling out games with players, rather than bots. Even still, Proletariat’s fantastic sound design, music, gameplay mechanics, and art style creates a hugely immersive experience for the player; comfortably satisfying a player’s desire to experience games shaped around elemental magic. It’s a shame that such an incredibly rewarding experience is marred by bot-heavy games.

Neverending Nightmares is suffused with dread, from its haunting soundtrack to its (mostly) stylistic artistry, but it fails to deliver a compelling experience. Despite its short run-time, the game often feels like it is dragging, tense buildups of tension becoming overladen with monotony. A true horror fan will thank themselves for looking this title up, but when comparing its price point to its quality, it’s difficult to think of who would be thankful they played through the game.

OkunoKA Madness caters splendidly to its target audience and while it might be inaccessible to those looking for a casual platformer, it’s got a lot to love if you want a challenge.

Occasionally obtuse and sporting a few UX/UI barnacles, Port Royale 4 could use a little more dry dock time before setting out on the high seas. AI trading bugs and occasionally unfair combat sequences discourage combat, which takes the wind out of the sails of this pirate adventure. Developer Gaming Minds can patch the hull, but they need to do so before people find another ship on which to set sail.

It's tough because you should play the games, but this collection is only a must-have if you’ve never played them or have no means of playing the copies you own. Otherwise, the included soundtracks are not enough to make this 35th anniversary package feel special enough to warrant a buy.

Serious Sam 4 has done seriously well for a series that hasn’t seen a mainline game in nearly 10 years. Croteam went all out on this one and has filled it to the brim with rewarding gameplay, hidden goodies, and a great soundtrack to boot. Unfortunately, there are a few kinks in this pipe, such as the sub-par story, weird character models and animations, and other gameplay bugs. But no doubt, you’ll only be interested in carving through hundreds, if not thousands, of enemies with a huge arsenal of skills, weapons, and gadgets, and that’s exactly what Serious Sam 4 has done so well.

Hangar 13 has retouched every single aspect of the original Mafia, expanding the story, refining the gameplay, and wrapping it with an absolutely phenomenal new look and sound, elevating it to an entirely new and modern level. It’s good to be part of the family once more.

Shing! misses the mark of great beat 'em up by a long shot; which could have been avoided with more attention to detail. If Mass Creation put in the effort, it could have been one of the best beat 'em ups this generation. But we’re stuck with something too dull to take a bigger slice of that audience.

Journey of the Broken Circle is undoubtedly an earnest effort but confusing writing decisions and mostly bland levels mar an aesthetically pleasing adventure.

Supergiant has made another modern classic. Hades offers some of the best rogue-like gameplay out there and delivers a satisfying experience in all aspects. From the wonderfully voiced characters to the fluidity of combat, there’s a lot to love here as you die over and over again.

Paradise Killer is a fascinating murder mystery set in a strange world with even stranger characters. The game lets you put the evidence together to find out what really happened in a way most don’t. With its unique aesthetic and bumpin’ soundtrack, it’s well worth letting love die to find the facts.

While Spelunky 2 doesn’t offer the refined mechanics and enemies of the original, it does add to the chaos and fun of multiplayer. While playing alone is mostly an exercise in frustrating, unfair deaths, with friends it’s a barrel of laughs.

Avicii Invector: Encore Edition adds a few more songs into last year’s rhythm game tribute, and it’s a solid addition. The Switch version is up to par with the other consoles, and you can now listen to much of the late EDM artist’s work in one awesomely entertaining package.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a very unique experience, even in the realm of video games. It’s gameplay systems gel well together and the non-linear storytelling could only work in this medium. While some plot points aren’t as well explored as others and it uncomfortably sexualizes high school students, it’s still a game you absolutely need to play if you’re a fan of science fiction or enjoy video game storytelling.

Relicta is a puzzle game that tries to be like The Talos Principle and Portal, but falls flat. The gameplay mechanics, as well as the physics, are a solid and fun experience. However, it falls short due to a weak story, terribly written dialogue, repetitive puzzle design, and various technical issues. If you’re looking for a puzzler that you can easily find exploits in for a speedrun, check this out. But, if you’re looking for a puzzler with replayability, where you have to utilize creative thinking, and the puzzles are all uniquely designed, then look far, far elsewhere.

All in all, Avengers on Stadia is a surprisingly functional version of the game. While there are some issues of the game that remain consistent from platform to platform (with a few additional ones due to the Stadia infrastructure), it’s still a great way to assemble your friends for a good time. If you don’t have a PS4 or Xbox One right now (or have an underpowered PC), you can’t go wrong with this version.

Four-player sandwich-making chaos reigns supreme in. Best played with friends, but mostly capable solo, Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale delivers hours of cooperative chaos. Now we just have to hope that this VR culinary fantasy adventure can find its way onto other platforms so I can burn bread with my pals.

Vigor is clunky and brutal. There is no satisfying single-player to fall back on, so every game session feels like a strain. It’s a shame because the ideas are sound, and it could be great, but the poor mechanics torpedo any competitive urge you have going into it. Vigor’s gunplay needs to improve drastically before it can start to accrue a real audience of passionate players.

With a great campaign, and engaging (albeit repetitive) multiplayer, Marvel’s Avengers is a fun title with cosmetic-only games as a service components bolted onto it. The innumerable bugs hide what could be an amazing and ever-expanding universe -- I just hope the team at SquareEnix is up to the challenge. I want to “do this all day”...but right now we are in the “you hope for the best and make do with what you get” stage.

Peril on Gorgon is simply more Outer Worlds. It feels like a natural addition and fits right in with the rest of the game, while offering a slightly different tone in terms of story. The main quest is lengthy and replayable, but there’s not much in terms of side quests or gear.

The Sims 4 Journey to Batuu Game Pack was a fantastic experience from start to finish. I can’t wait to see The First Order quests. This was exactly what the franchise needed. I’ve enjoyed most of the expansions, with Realm of Magic game pack being my favorite. Journey to Batuu blew that one out of the water and has zipped to the number one spot. As someone who loves Disney World, Star Wars, and The Sims, this was a welcome surprise. Who wouldn’t want to play with their favorite things in one of their favorite games?

Re-Reckoning is the most barebones remaster it could possibly be. It’s only barely been touched up visually, and the most gameplay changes are under the hood. If you’ve already played the game, there’s no reason to return here.

Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars is a dark and bloody turn based strategy that hits the mark with lore, artwork, story, and music. The battles can use some work with not only making maps a bit bigger to give more strategic choices, but also the difficulty that ramps up significantly. The addition of cards in battle is quite fun, but lackluster on the map. But if you’re a fan of vampires, I think you’ll enjoy IR.

In the end, AWE is another solid but lacking chapter of Control. The gameplay is fun, and a fantastic boss in Hartman is introduced. But there’s not much more to it besides that. The new weapon form isn’t necessary, and I’m not even sure it fits in the narrative.There aren’t new abilities, and you’re going to finish AWE pretty quickly. But detractors aside, I got two things I really wanted, more of Alan Wake and more of Control, which is all that really matters. Here’s to hoping the Remedyverse has more of both for us out there.

Iron Harvest doesn’t reinvent the wheel — it doesn’t have to. Instead, the game is a celebration of the sub-genre’s tried-and-true design. It is a student of the greats that came before it, taking and presenting that core gameplay experience in a way that is familiar, but also exceptionally engaging.

Star Renegades is a perfect hybrid of a tactical RPG and roguelite battling system, with easy to comprehend mechanics. As you level so does the enemy, making the threat ever increasing and prominent throughout the whole playthrough. The unique maps with boundless variations sprawling over three varying planets will keep you coming back for more. The breathtaking visuals are more than enough reason to play this game and fight against the Imperium!

Bossa Studios took the mayhem of the first game and enhanced it ten-fold. Surgeon Simulator 2 is a blast to play, and even better enjoyed with friends. The unique gameplay, combined with unforgettable co-op experiences and a wholly polished title, makes this game a worthwhile purchase.

Double Kick Heroes is, by far, one of the most unique rhythm games I've played. While some of the early songs are dull and the difficulty modes need adjusting, I can still confidently recommend this to hardcore rhythm game fans.

Pro Skater 1 + 2 not only perfectly recreates the pure joy of the originals, it improves on them greatly. The visuals have obviously been improved, but so have the responsive controls. If you have liked a Tony Hawk game in the past, you’ll feel right at home here.

Skully is a simple platformer that boasts fun characters, a great soundtrack, and creative gameplay; all of which provide a rewarding experience by the end of it. However, good things only last for a while, since the quality of the story drops off significantly by the end, and the poor music looping quickly becomes boring. And yet, it’s an underrated gem that you’ll likely want to platinum as soon as it’s done.

Super Bomberman R Online is THE reason to get a Stadia account. While the paid premium pack can deal some unfair advantages with the initial release, the innovative mixture of classic Bomberman gameplay and a Battle Royale twist make this the best exclusive, and perhaps game available on Stadia, so far.

No Straight Roads is a rockin’ good time with a friend, but beware of the many glitches, bad camera, and attacks not syncing up with the music.

Root Digital is another phenomenal adaptation that I have just scratched the surface of. The game has lowered the barrier of entry for many fans, and there are hours of fun challenges that I will enjoy continuing to explore. With a few small tweaks from the developer, this could be one of the best digital board games on the market.

Street Power Soccer focuses more on fancy footwork and style rather than traditional gameplay, but doesn't live up to what it alluded to. It offers multiple modes, although some of them are lackluster compared to others. Matches feel very short and some gimmicks don't feel as prominent, but at least the soundtrack is really good.

Madden NFL 21 is a solid product. It excels in several areas, like the presentation and Ultimate Team. The core gameplay is as fun and smooth as it’s ever been, and I’ve been playing since Madden NFL 2005. But the new jewels in the crown are flawed and need to be polished a bit more. Face Of The Franchise and The Yard both have tons of potential, but they aren’t realized here. Content updates may help with The Yard, but in the end it’s like scoring a touchdown but missing the extra point.

Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is an almost great update on the original. While the game itself is still fantastic and the new content is fun, the online only multiplayer leaves a lot to be desired in terms of quality and features.

Wasteland 3 is one of the best RPGs around. The world is fantastic, the characters are interesting, it is packed with content, and combat is engaging. It has a few issues, but the game is just too good for them to distract me.

The bottom line of my playthrough is that not much I had done mattered in the end. If you are interested in playing Cinders, be prepared to play it to completion for the best experience because it is clear that not every door has a prize behind it, and not every ending suits a fairytale.

Hellbound is a fun shooter that’s got all the hallmarks of what made the 90s FPS genre so great. Unfortunately, just like the 90s games before it, it’s pretty dated in both optimization and graphics. There’s a large number of bugs and game-breaking glitches to be experienced, all of which tarnish what is otherwise an incredible experience.

Fight Crab is a wacky, fun game. While it doesn't have much depth, the sheer silliness of it will keep you entertained for an afternoon. It does support multiplayer, and I found it to be a lot more fun when teamed up with my son. With easy to learn controls, and fast paced battle, you can't help but love Fight Crab.

Mortal Shell is an action RPG that uses the sleeve of the soulslike genre to create something unique enough to stand on its own two feet. Though its campaign is short and predictable, the beautiful world, interesting body-swapping mechanics, and strong technical performance more than make up for how liberally it borrows from other games.

Battletoads (2020) keeps the soul of the notorious original game intact while revitalizing it with interesting minigames, hilarious writing, and couch co-op that makes this a worthy reason to revisit Zitz, Pimple, and Rash. While the absence of online co-op is pretty disappointing and the beat ‘em up gameplay can become dull by the end of the campaign, this short ride is one I can full-throatedly recommend.

Raji; An Ancient Epic has a lot of potential and a unique style and story, but seems to be actively working against the player’s enjoyment in many ways. While the first level is enjoyable, the rest of the game is plagued with performance issues and incomprehensible design decisions.

One Line Coloring is a charming little puzzle game that revolves around tracing objects using only one line. It's relaxing and offers little in terms of challenge, but its colorful visuals and cute aesthetic helps alleviate that. Unfortunately it doesn't take long to trace all 110 objects though.

Although Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time has the occasional frame rate drop, and it doesn’t pose that high a challenge, Soleil’s game direction has proved worthwhile. Having all the tools to shape your experience provides a thoroughly enjoyable experience for the player, and it’ll keep long-time fans of the series happy seeing Jack’s old allies in action once more. However, with such a short time-to-complete and weak story, it will have you yearn for more.

New Super Lucky’s Tale is a charming platforming with tons of variety in its theming and level design that, while short and easy, will put a smile on your face and remind you of classic platformers like Spyro the Dragon.

Lovingly Evil is a funny and charming dating sim with interesting characters and frustrating minigames. While it is well-written, don’t expect the game to get too deep or go beyond the start of your relationship with one of the characters.

Bird Alone is simple, it's wholesome, and it's a surprisingly good tool for tracking your mental well being, something that many of us can likely use these days. Part virtual pet, part mental health coach, this simulated friendship can be quite entertaining, and surprisingly deep at times. While certainly not a full length game, it's a delightful distraction that scratches the itch of old school Tamagatchis, swapping out pooping, evolving monsters with a brightly colored, easily excitable bird friend.

Spiritfarer excels in every genre it dips its toes in. It’s a joy to see what’s in every corner of the game’s ocean, explore every nook and cranny of the various islands, and play various minigames all while managing your ship and making sure your passengers are happy before you see them off. It’ll make you laugh, cry, and feel terrified all at the same time. It’s one of those games that, after finishing, you immediately want to play again.

There is nothing out there like Microsoft Flight Simulator. It delivers the entire world in unrivaled quality, combined with pinpoint precise controls and realism at a level that is unmatched. If you want a taste of the sky, this game is virtual perfection, and if you are learning to fly in the real world, nothing will reinforce what you’ve already learned more than Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Buried Stars will slip under the radar for most people; I implore you to check this wonderful visual novel out, as it’s perhaps one of the best narrative experiences this year. With a relatable and fleshed out cast of characters mixed with simple yet engrossing mystery mechanics, this one deserves your time and attention.

With upgraded grappling and submission mechanics, better training and fewer flash knockouts, UFC 4 manages to deliver on the promise of its predecessor. Cosmetic microtransactions come across greedy, but there’s nothing lacking in the main product. Framerate hitches and a few bugs remain at launch, as does persistent voice repetition, but overall if you enjoyed UFC 3, there’s a lot to like about UFC 4.

Bite the Bullet is a 2D side-scrolling shooter with an interesting eating mechanic. Choosing your food preferences and acquiring skills based on them is neat and clever, as is managing calorie, fat, and protein intake while devouring foes. Levels and enemies can get repetitive, but it's not that big of a deal.

Darkestville Castle is a humorous point and click adventure game that doesn't add anything new, but offers a very polished experience. Some control annoyances do little to hamper the experience and jokes land more often than not.

Total War Saga: Troy is a step in an interesting direction. The “Saga” distinction allows the team to try some new concepts without disturbing the main franchise, and it does while remaining faithful to the historic roots of its predecessors, with a dash of the fantastical. Some technical wobbles remain, and the game can be occasionally obtuse, but there’s a lot to enjoy here.

I found this long awaited Season Pass and DLC to be worth every minute, even if I died hundreds of times. The new locations, Yokai boss battles, weapons, and enemies all intensified the demanding and challenging game. While I do wish the overall story was a bit deeper, maybe more will be explained in the two upcoming expansions.

All in all, Boomerang Fu is undeniably fun for short periods of time. The characters, levels, and music is cute, the surprisingly violent killing is satisfying, and it is definitely worth a laugh or two. It put me in a good mood. I would only struggle to recommend it because of its lack of online play. Cranky Watermelon wants to bring people together, so the timing of this release is the exact opposite of ideal, and most gaming households won’t have enough controllers or players to make up for that.

Hellpoint is an interesting entry to the popular Souls-like genre and I think it is one worth playing. I wish it was more clear on the rules of the world and I’m not a fan of fast travel being restricted. Still, the black hole and rewarding exploration make Hellpoint a fun and rewarding game.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a contender for the best game in this consistently excellent series. Its crime drama story of family, love, revenge, and pride will have you hooked. Combat has never felt as smooth or involved before, outside of certain moments. This is a gorgeous, fun, heartwarming, and extreme remake of one of the franchise’s most beloved entries.

Ultracore is a blast from the past game that really nails what many side-scrolling shooters were like in the 90s; and coupled with modern controls, it’s a game worth playing. Though there are a few oversights like getting hit and not knowing it, unlabeled special items, and low difficulty, it’s worth a try.

An already gorgeous game in its own right, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition celebrates this amazing title on PC with a host of improvements. Catch up on an amazing adventure and get ready for Horizon Forbidden West next year.

Crysis Remastered is an amazing technical achievement to have it run on the Nintendo Switch, but at what cost? On the surface, in handheld mode, it suffers from framerate issues and stability; in docked mode, things get better and make the gameplay tolerable. Unfortunately, it’s the technical issues that hurt the game the most.

Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise is somehow much, much worse than the original. The game looks and feels awful, with an unacceptable framerate and PlayStation 1 level textures. While the story is great, it’s brought down by even more tedious gameplay and some harmful stereotypes.

While Röki doesn’t do anything particularly new or interesting, it does present a gorgeous world and introduces those unfamiliar with many myths and legends to learn more about.

Into The Radius is a great VR survival game with an amazing atmosphere, rewarding experience, and a very interesting set of enemies. It’s especially suited to VR veterans, who may think they’ve experienced all that’s to see and do with the platform. Do beware however, as this game has recently come out of Early Access and has some hallmarks of it.

I found the Nifty Knitting Stuff Pack to be a relaxing distraction after the Eco Lifestyle expansion. Though it isn't filled to the brim with content, what is there is fun. The new knitting hobby will keep you busy and you'll make some profit with the new Plopsy marketplace.

Othercide is an engaging tactical rpg and I’m going to hop right back in. There are so many different strategies to employ that it never gets boring. The timeline is a fantastic idea that adds a lot of strategic options. It can be almost too hard at times, but I know I’ll get through anything given enough time.

Neon Abyss plays like a panic-stricken, action, rouge game that knows exactly what it wants to be from beginning to the end. The guns are big, the options are plentiful, and randomness is the name of the game. The boss battles left me a bit empty, but this game is definitely more than a glass half full.

Sisters Royale is a decently fine title for die-hard bullet hell fans (or those that yearn for the craziness of Castle of Shikigami), but some glaring issues and uninspired presentation makes this a quarrel from which you’ll want to step away.

Rigid Force Redux is a charming little side-scrolling shoot-em-up that separates itself from the pack with a wide array of abilities and attacks. The smooth performance and abundance of achievements are a wonderful package that you should definitely play if you love the genre.

This standalone expansion to SUPERHOT is a welcome addition to the formula. What it lacks in bespoke puzzle elements, it makes up for in a completely fresh and vastly expanded approach to the central concept.

Rebuilt from the ground up in every way, Destroy All Humans! (2020) puts every other remaster on notice -- this is how it’s done.

CrossCode is an amazing puzzle action RPG with a touching story and a beautifully detailed world. Combat has tons of options and puzzles require a lot of critical thinking and creative solutions to solve. It draws inspiration from classic SNES RPGs and the Zelda series, but stands proudly among them as a modern classic.

While Paper Mario: The Origami King makes excellent strides in terms of humor and adventure game design, it’s still sorely lacking aesthetically and features a horrendous battle system that only gets more frustrating as you play. I’ve given up on the series returning to the style of my childhood’s classics, but if the series ditches battles entirely it could make for some extremely fun adventure games.

Rocket Arena is an interesting rocket-based twist on the team-based shooter genre. With unique rockets and abilities, each character plays differently and entices you to try them out. Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed by enemy attacks, especially with the slow movement speed, but that doesn't drag it down much.

There just isn’t a reason to play Carrion. There is little narrative, repetitive combat, limited puzzles, and almost zero horror elements. The atmosphere is okay and it reminds me of Alien but that’s about as far as it goes with horror. Just leave this monster stuck in the vent.

I would be remiss if I did not take the time to properly talk about how glorious the soundtrack is. Every song is amazing; from the melancholy Confluence, the main theme, to my personal favorite track, the upbeat, slightly suspenseful Nostalgia Trip, which I have found myself humming daily since I first got my hands on this game. I don’t often get excited about video game music, but I’ve found myself listening to these tracks on loop while working on other projects; the music, much like the Terminal’s coffee, is to die for.

Warhammer 40k Mechanicus contains a bevy of interesting narrative and mechanical decisions, but this tactics game is also marred by questionable implementations of those decisions. This Switch port often feels poorly thought out, but if you can make your way past its annoyances, you will find an engaging experience, filled with love for 40k lore. I hope to see more from this team, as their creativity and skill shows through with charm, even if this entry was not ultimately without flaws.

Never Breakup is an attempt at a co-op game without the excitement most party games bring. The rope doesn’t add much to the experience, it’s slow paced at the best of times, and it lacks polish. If you're absolutely starved for a tethered-together title, you may enjoy it briefly, but this isn't a party game I'd recommend.

Paws and Soul is a peaceful journey through the woods, filled with orb collecting and ghostly visions. You'll learn about David and his family along the way, and further exploration lets you learn about Michelle as well. The dialogue feels unrealistic and the gameplay can be repetitive, but the story keeps you going.

REZ PLZ is a platformer with a fascinating resurrection mechanic built in. The limited lives, precise jumps, and puzzles may frustrate you, but it's not enough to ruin the game too much. The goofy way the premise is presented will make you smile, but just know that you'll be the cause of plenty of death if you want to move forward.

I expected ELEA: Paradigm Shift to at least be an interesting and artistic game for the Nintendo Switch. As it turns out, it’s no way near that level. Not only that, but it’s plagued with problems in its controls, its visuals, and its gameplay. Though the beginning of the game showed promise, I was left with a resounding feeling of disappointment.

This k-horror survival game gives us a breath of fresh air by using contemporary survival play strategies, while giving us the freedom to choose our own path. Having two endings in the game so drastically different just makes the gamer want to play over and over. Coma 2: Vicious Sisters is a must buy for its unique gameplay and 2D design along with great character development.

Ghost of Tsushima is easily the biggest and most ambitious game Sucker Punch has ever undertaken. It’s also the best game they’ve ever made. Akira Kurosawa would be proud.

Burnout Paradise Remastered for the Nintendo Switch comes with its fair share of issues. You’ll experience a lot of blurriness playing it handheld, and might struggle making out what's what at high speeds even when playing it docked. Plus, there’s that big $50 price tag for a 2008 game. Yet, included in the remaster is eight of the nine premium DLC, which comes with nearly all the vehicles unlocked, as well as one of the best racing soundtracks to ever exist.

Red Bow has a lot of potential to be great, but it’s simply not. There are a lot of strange technical issues and downright poor creative decisions that make up for a dismal experience. While the story is effectively the only thing holding this title together, it’s not nearly enough to warrant a recommendation.

Clash Force is a nice attempt at recreating the classic 2D side-scroller. The 8-bit graphics and game design feel right, but the final stages of the game take a dramatic difficulty spike. If those were tweaked, the game would be less frustrating and more enjoyable.

A Summer with the Shiba Inu has an intriguing premise with a curious story. However, because of the engine limitations and limited nature of presentation and choices, it might only appeal to those who want a short visual novel with an interesting hook.

Like Codi’s review of the game, I found myself surprised by just how much this strange game about delivering goods from one end of the country to the other could be simultaneously thrilling, frustrating, peaceful, and somehow hopeful. It reminds us that we are all connected, but that real monsters also exist. It reminds us that friends and family are the most important things of all. It reminds us that Kojima and his team are the strangest cats on the block, but that they may be some of the best storytellers around.

Neversong is an amazing adventure through a world that feels uniquely crafted. It stands out in its genre because it takes platforming, thriller, and side-scrolling game elements, mashes them together, and what we get is a well-balanced narrative adventure game.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is simple and charming, but beneath the rather basic gameplay loop hides some surprisingly deep secrets. It brings back elements of farming games past, including marriage rivals and transient characters, while providing some major quality of life updates as well as a more freedom, such as limited character customization and a truly bizarre variety of farmyard pets. It’s a cozy, welcoming little village, sure to charm any farming fan.

F1® 2020 is an amazing step in the right direction for Codemasters. By adding the My Team mode to the series, it gives this racing game a different personality; one sprinkled with adventure elements, and it works.

Liberated wants to be so much, but it trips on its own feet within the first comic issue. The idea to read a comic book on your Nintendo Switch, and also play within those same panels, was a fantastic creative decision. However, the developers seem to have put more effort into that idea than filling out the rest of the gameplay, which is nothing short of lacklustre. If, at times, the cliche story didn’t read like a low quality YA novel, then I’d have appreciated it more.

With a fresh story, AAA quality and length to match, excellent tech, and fantastic gameplay, Marvel’s Iron Man VR is the reason to own the PSVR. If you own Sony’s HMD, this game is a must-have for your library.

KARDS: Theaters of War is a great addition to an already enjoyable free to play card battler. The missions are challenging and feel satisfying to win, but they often put you in losing situations that are hard to crawl out of. Having to pay for an expansion to a free game may turn some players off, but there will be an option to purchase with in-game currency as well.