To this day, I call Assassin’s Creed II my favorite video game of the past generation. It was truly a masterpiece. Unfortunately, the Assassin’s Creed series has become a shell of its former self. Syndicate tries hard to recreate some of the magic, and even creates some smart new features, but it ultimately falls short.

The writing can be overwrought, written by committee, and occasionally forced, but it’s also a major step forward for a team that needs the win. Dragon Age: The Veilguard brings us compelling characters, excellent combat, and a world worth saving.

NBA 2K22 is less a video game and more an advertisement for the sport. The controls are obtuse and unresponsive, slowdown is constant, the story is bland, and it’s simply not fun to play.

Yo-Kai Watch is an endearing, charming title with some minor missteps, but it overcomes those with the pure joy of discovery and intrigue that can only come from a well-crafted collection-RPG, reminiscent of my youth spent behind a dim GameBoy light.

Super Mario Party is some of the most fun to be had with a local multiplayer game on the Switch. Unfortunately that is compromised by a deluge of limited modes and design decisions that pull the whole package down. Based the fun factor alone, Super Mario Party justifies its price tag for anyone looking for a new game to play with friends. However, Super Mario Party's fun factor well exceeds the title's fundamental design principles--so tempering one's expectations is a must.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam excels at RPG combat, but is bogged down by tedious minigames and a disappointing story.

Just don’t pick this up hoping to graduate from the campaign to a major and thriving online community – for all practical purposes, consider this to be a singleplayer game first and foremost. And a damn good one at that.

Be prepared to come with a strong stomach, as this game earns its "M" rating in spades.

Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido is a surprising action-puzzle game that is deep and enthralling, with a loveable cast of characters. This is the type of puzzle game that will have players hungry for more.

So where do we stand with Singularity? It's not going to set the world on fire with new features as a great many are borrowed from other games. That said, they are handled with care and given a new coat of polish courtesy of the Time Manipulation Device.

Many of the key aspects that made The New Order so enjoyable have not been carried over into The Old Blood.

With excellent writing and clever puzzles, this quirky little story adventure alternates between logical deduction and unexpected discoveries.

If you don't play Kirby Super Star Ultra, you're missing a great game. It looks great, it plays great, and there's lots of variety. What more could you want?

This game is simply fun to play and will make you remember the good old days of "Contra" (if any of you remember those).

Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a triumphant release, capturing all the nostalgic wonder of 8-bit platforming within a very unique shell. Gloomy, challenging, and only occasionally unfair, Momodora is a fantastic adventure with a fun story and lots of secrets to uncover.

Spec Ops: The Line isn't a perfect game. The multiplayer is essentially a miss, the gunplay is somewhat formulaic, and the controls have a bit of a snag, but it is a great return to the franchise.

The Golf Club 2 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, providing an unrivaled golf simulation that still lacks surrounding content to keep it relevant for months to come. The new career mode leaves a lot to be desired, but few sports games can compete with how solid the on-course gameplay is within The Golf Club 2. Societies is also a welcome addition that golf-loving friends will really appreciate. The Golf Club 2 is still a ton of fun to play, but it’s clear that HB Studios needs to revamp some of the side activities heading into The Golf Club 3.

If you are a fan of the previous titles you will also like SingStar Volume 2.

Ever Oasis offers a surprising amount of content in a fun, accessible game. Challenging yet forgiving battle mechanics mean that beginners can hack and slash away, while masters can focus on strategy and speed running. A diverse cast of characters with numerous abilities encourages playing with diverse parties, and the warp system enables lots exploration, creating replayability while making long slogs across maps a thing of the past. Easy to pick up, hard to put down, and overflowing with features, Ever Oasis really is a diamond in the desert.

In the end, it feels like the externals were worked on more than the gameplay, making the game more style than substance.

While it may look simple and even a bit silly on the surface, The Final Station is quite the captivating game. The story and survival aspects have been blended wonderfully, and it leaves you with plenty to mull over long after the credits roll.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human may begin like the shuffling corpses you run into during the day, but evolves into the ferocious horde you encounter in the shadows of night. With an engaging gameplay loop of parkour and combat, the exploration of Villedor is something you’ll enjoy for hours on end, and with up to three friends at that. Yeah, it may take a little bit to get hooked, but once you’re infected, it’ll be all you can do to stay human.

The inclusion of online play is a great bonus for a PSP racing game. With a few more tracks and a bit more background sound, AOFP could have been a terrific game.

Operation Eagle adds new pieces to the board but has trouble justifying their existence outside of a challenging new campaign.

Excellent presentation, impressive volumetric technology, head-scratchingly fun puzzles, and a tight storyline come together with engaging VR interactivity to resurrect and reimagine a beloved murder mystery. This game is a must-have for anyone who loves a well-crafted puzzle game.

Park Beyond is a theme park simulation game from Bandai Namco that offers players a thrilling journey of creativity, strategy, and park management. The Impossification takes your park to the next level, making this a truly Amazing and Fun theme park building experience. The game does have a few bugs to be addressed, however, there’s so much to love here for newcomers and players returning to the genre that they can be easily overlooked once you get hooked.

Mighty Gunvolt Burst is everything that Mighty No. 9 should’ve been last year. Its excellent retro style, deep customization features, and rewarding progression system pave the way for a fast-paced, fulfilling experience.

Taking up the torch of hope against the forces of evil was never going to be an easy task, and Darkest Dungeon II makes sure you feel it. While the roster of heroes creates plenty of opportunities for build crafting, actually interacting with all of the systems in the game can feel like a slog at times. Even so, there’s enjoyment to be found in this roguelite spin on the brutally difficult combat and festering world that Darkest Dungeon is known for.

Burn Zombie Burn is a very fun arcade style action game.

Blood Bowl II is a unique tactical turn-based game with an amusing setting and a lot of personality.

Heading Out effectively combines the narrative and racing genres, then mixes in rouge-like elements to create something utterly unique. This is a game that thrives on the little details it provides the players, giving them just enough breadcrumbs to make connections on their own to concoct their own theories.

Marble It Up! Ultra applies the theory of controlled chaos to platformer design. It doles out exciting moments and frustrations in relatively equal measure thanks to the ambiguous nature of its marble physics. This unique juxtaposition often proves likable even if it can occasionally be hard to love.

Nicktoons & The Dice of Destiny is a stellar entry in the Nicktoons franchise. While the story is only alright and the game sways to the easy side, I found myself having loads of fun with this entry. Newcomers to the genre are sure to have a blast with the characters and themes presented.

LawBreakers feels like combat occurring inside a snowglobe while a five-year-old shakes it really, really quickly. It’s a shooter, like so many others out there, but it doesn’t camouflage an axis-locked multiplayer formula with a new historical setting or gimmicky abilities — its low-gravity environments and lightning-fast traversal make it like no shooter you’ve ever played.

It’s safe to say that I’m absolutely blown away by what Warhorse has put together. I’m 26 hours into the game, and the skills hit “Mastery” at level 15, so by my guess I’m roughly half way through. Stay tuned for the full review, but take this as my full recommendation in advance.

The fact that this game costs less than a night at the movies (Steam price is $19.99, though you can pick it up for 10% off for a very short span after you read this) and delivers a storyline you’ll want to play more than once, as well as the promise of infinite expansion, it’s very easy to recommend.

The game looks and runs great, controls wonderfully and is a perfect example of gaming done right on the DS.

The newest installment in the Far Cry franchise runs into a few hiccups, most namely its tiring combat system. The new taming/companion system is well executed and Ubisoft has crafted a respectable amount of detail with their sculpture of 10,000 BCE. While it sometimes feels like just more Far Cry, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Games are for relaxation and fun – copy protection that impedes that and causes the user to spend time repairing their OS instead of enjoying their purchased product run counter to that.

All in all, I'd say Alan Wake's American Nightmare is an easy pick for anyone looking for an action-heavy title with a horror twist. It's got the graphics, it's got the gameplay, it's got the diversity of weapons… all this plus a nice, dark story, for a very reasonable price. If pumping bullets into deadly, frenzied humans hasn't gotten old for you yet, be sure to check this one out.

Days Gone is the perfect PlayStation game to make its way to PC. It was already a beautiful game, but held back by the PS4 and PS4 Pro. On PC, Days Gone gets it’s chance to flourish, running at uncapped frame rates, high resolutions, and touting an FOV slider. While it is missing some cool next-gen upgrades like ray tracing and DLSS, Days Gone runs nearly flawlessly on PC, and serves as a testament to Bend’s tradecraft. Even if you’ve already played the game on PS4 or PS4 Pro, it’s worth jumping back into the shoes of Deacon St John on PC to massacre a freaker horde at the highest level of performance possible.

Twelve Minutes is an immaculate construction of narrative that manages to take an extremely compact apartment space and spin an incredibly substantial story in it. Every thread seems to lead to two more, and each one feels satisfying to complete as you head towards the final loop. The voice talents are on point, the gameplay fits remarkably well, and every loop is a new adventure. I implore you to take the time to check this one out, as Twelve Minutes is worth every minute you’ll spend with it.

If you just enjoy good adventure games with a heavy dose of action, then be sure to give Shattered Dimensions a look.

It isn't quite as good as the "Smackdown" series on PS2, but in this generation of wrestling games not much is.

Rise of the Ronin is nothing if not ambitious, and though that ambition leads to the game not being as polished as you may expect from a PS5 release, it still manages to tell an enthralling story in which your actions truly matter, while also utilizing a unique bond mechanic, an in-depth -albeit slightly repetitive - combat system, and so much to do you’ll find yourself losing sleep in an effort to complete just one more task. Those approaching Rise of the Ronin like the next Nioh will likely leave disappointed, but those who approach Team Ninja’s latest effort with an open mind and patience will find a gem that just happens to have a few rough edges.

This game is aimed for those that enjoy music and video games but maybe not as into the metal scene.

While the loss of online multiplayer hurts, there is a great deal to like here.

The PC port stands as the definitive way to experience Beyond: Two Souls, boasting a higher frame cap, solid keyboard & mouse controls, and a remix mode. These additions, however, do nothing to remedy the poorly-aged, cliché-ridden script and inconsistent chapters you may remember, but do highlight the game’s strong visuals and emphasis on variety.

They’ve created a shooter that the entire family can enjoy; a game that’s simple enough for my five-year-old daughter, yet deep and varied enough to entrance even the most battle-hardened veteran. And while there isn’t a lot here right out of the gate, there are enough zombies on this lawn to occupy you until the content does come — at a nice price, to boot.

WarioWare: Get It Together, despite its rather short campaign, features over 200 incredibly funny, absurd, and downright creative microgames for players to complete. You’ll find yourself laughing your way through the experience, fighting with your friends over who failed a game, and savoring your triumphs over the late game’s harder challenges. The addition of the Emporium, Break Room, Missions, Play-O-Pedia, and Wario Cup are nice and will keep the game fresh for many players well after they complete the story, but a few players may not enjoy the grind to unlock all the Prezzies available. As it stands, WarioWare: Get It Together is a great, though short-lived, game – perfect for a night in with a friend.

Despite Parry Nightmare’s short runtime, it makes the most of every action-packed second by flawlessly combining addictive, high-tempo, parry-based combat and attention-grabbing visual storytelling baked directly into the enemies’ sprite art and level design.

The world is detailed and interesting to be in, with only some annoying graphical issues. The dialog (written and spoken) is amazing to listen to, and funny to boot.

If you enjoy either RPGs or table top games then you should definitely check out Crimson Shroud on the 3DS.

Klaus is a thought-provoking platformer that usurps expectations and will stick with you long after you’ve finished playing.

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.

Wild Hearts brings a uniqueness to the monster hunting genre that keeps the experience feeling refreshing. The Karakuri and different weapon options are very fun to experiment with and present interesting combat opportunities. The game never felt repetitive and performance issues were minimal. Overall, Wild Hearts capitalizes on what made monster hunting games so much fun in the first place while still giving fans of the genre a new reason to get excited and dive back into the fight.

The ability to customize characters, arenas, and just about everything else in the game is a testament to how well Yuke's and THQ know what wrestling fans want. It's just a shame that the game didn't have just a bit more polish. Non-fans like myself might want to put their money elsewhere, but wrestling fans will probably really enjoy what WWE '13 has to offer.

Motiga have created a fast paced and intense game that MOBA and shooter fans will both be able to sink their teeth into. An Incredible art style mixed with fantastic hero designs makes Gigantic stand out from the crowd and offers limitless possibilities. The few problems the Gigantic has are eclipsed by the sheer fun that that it is to play and I don’t see myself dropping this game anytime soon.

A rehash of the previous game, so you won’t find anything new here, so you will want to consider that before purchasing the game.

The most realistic skate title ever made. The graphics, animation, sound, and revamped challenge system has created a game that will challenge the legendary "Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2" for its crown as the king of the series.

Veterans to the series who want their NHL game to be as realistic as possible will still want to go with the PS3 or 360 versions. But gamers who want a fun, faster paced version of the NHL, coupled with good use of motion controls, will definitely want to check out NHL Slapshot.

More than anything, The Heist leaves you begging for more, and I guess that’s what the idea was. It’s just enough more Spider-Man to get you back into the swing of things, but it leaves you hanging with an abrupt ending and minimal new side content. But at only $10, it’s worth it to get back into Insomniac’s lovingly created New York.

Namco Bandai has managed to do one of the rarest feats in the video game landscape. They have created a really good game based on an anime series.

Despite long stretches of anger-inducing logic in Act II, Broken Age as a whole is a poignant and clever adventure game that is worth playing through, even if it never lives up to the promise of its midpoint.

Tom Clancy’s End War is much like a supermodel; pretty and fun to play with, but ultimately lacking substance.

As Michonne concludes it becomes clear that this mini-series does little to nothing to differentiate itself from everything The Walking Dead has already offered, nor does it do much to excuse the general sameness of everything Telltale is doing these days.

Despite having dull gameplay mechanics, As Dusk Falls is a thrilling narrative drama with an endearing cast.

Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Fallen is very light on story, but provides some of the most fun combat scenarios in the game. If you enjoy the battle system, this is more of that at its heights. It’s not the most impressive or interesting DLC out there, but it’s very fun and provides a lot of spectacle.

Pode is breathtakingly beautiful, and a must have for any lover of puzzle games. The characters are simple but expressive, each with their own mechanics, physics, and skills, wandering a barren mountain which comes to life before your eyes. A co-op title at its core, Pode can be played in single-player with the same level of fun, and overflowing with puzzles that are fair and approachable while still offering plenty of challenge.

Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption is fantastic. It’s a highly immersive experience with great writing that will have you fall in love with some characters and hate others, while also giving you the opportunity to live out your rogue fantasies. Every minute is a genuinely fun DnD-esque experience, even when having to study for a test or have the protagonist complete tasks like learning how to lockpick or fight. A definite must-have for any isometric RPG fans.

With incredible combat, a solid story and voice acting, and gorgeous graphics from top to bottom, the handful of bugs in Chorus can’t hold it back. Come for the story, and stay for the high-speed power drift as you unleash your vengeance.

En Garde! is a playable cartoon, with a charming heroine, hilarious gags, and colorful visuals. The combat and platforming are simple yet fun, with the former being quick yet deadly. While it is very short, it has enough replayability to keep you coming back for more.

Evolve is a brilliant concept that, when matched with the right players, can be a lot of fun to partake in. The many unlocks and well-balanced characters build upon that at every step.

Black Ops has absolutely returned with a vengeance. The fast, frantic pace is still there, and the gunplay is still just as great as you remember it. While the campaign may be the weakest part of an overall phenomenal package, it’s still very satisfying and the espionage narrative packs a punch. The modes people are going to play the most, multiplayer and Zombies, are the strongest parts of Black Ops Cold War, and offer the best first person shooter gameplay in video games. PS4 and Xbox One players may be missing out on several improvements offered by the next-gen systems and PC, but it’s not enough to detract from an amazing experience. My appetite for Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is definitely growing, and like Duran Duran, “I’m hungry like the wolf”.

Necrobarista is still a great story, but has a lot of issues a rerelease should have fixed by now. Everything from typos to not paying workers, this isn’t the ideal version of the game by any means when you add the terrible performance on top. It’s nice to cozy up with this game in bed with headphones, but it may still be better to wait for the PC update if you have a beefy desktop.

Skyrim: Anniversary Edition is full of lackluster additions to a fantastic game. Some new areas are blocked off, quests feel like busy work, and the new items aren’t all that useful. The best parts are already in a free update, so stick with that.

A simple concept that is so well executed that you can’t put it down.

With all of the great changes and smart moves made this year by EA Sports, Madden NFL 25 is a surprising success in nearly every facet of sports gaming. While there are still small issues that need to be worked out, Madden 25 is a vast improvement over the lackluster entries in the series over the past few years.

Mass Effect Andromeda is a return to the original Mass Effect game in ways both good and bad. Interesting characters, solid gameplay and RPG mechanics, and the revival of the open-world elements of the series will immerse and delight longtime fans. However, wooden characters, a light story, and plenty of glitches hold this title back from fulfilling its full potential.

Whether you’re a seasoned Jurassic World Evolution player or brand new to the franchise, I can guarantee you that you will have a blast with Jurassic World Evolution 2. While I think a couple of things could be tweaked to make certain things more obvious, it doesn’t stop you from having an absolutely wonderful time playing the game. The addition of the flying and aquatic dinosaurs has been excellent, and I really hope for more content and DLC to go along with it!

It’s certainly not perfect, but Hyrule Warriors’ combat and treatment of the typically sterile Zelda franchise is just big, dumb, loud fun.

The Crew Motorfest continues the franchise’s legacy of delivering a fun and exhilarating racing experience set in a visually stunning open world. It’s packed full of cars, customization, and content, which is sure to cater to both casual gamers and harcore racing enthusiasts alike. However, it does suffer from some poor design choices and repetitive grindy gameplay that keeps it from achieving the heights of its inspirations.

While the story isn’t especially long, it’s absorbing and gives you a lot to think about.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series contains two of the best 2.5D platformers out there. With adorable characters and a heart-wrenching story, it’s well worth diving into the world of dreams despite the less than bare minimum updates made. Wahoo!

Dead Take succeeds in harnessing terror by means of anticipation and stellar environmental horror. The performances of the cast are on point, delivering interesting themes, but that aren’t always tied up in the end. Even with a bit shallow of a narrative, Dead Take kept me on my toes from beginning to end, a commendable effort from Surgent Studios.

Rune Factory 3 Special is a reminder of why the series is so near and dear to my heart, but also less of a remaster and closer to a port with a few upgrades sprinkled on top. The visuals are much cleaner and higher resolution. The new dub is good, but you can barely hear it over the chiptune music. This is still a great game, but with less than the bare minimum of quality of life added.

I think that anybody who wouldn’t enjoy this game knows who they are. While I wouldn’t put Forgotton Anne into the category of an essential for gamers of all types, I would easily recommend playing this game to basically anybody who would give it even a passing interest. It is the type of game that punches way above its weight, and it managed to surprise me.

Phantom Brave: We Meet Again is essentially a five year old SRPG that should have been left in 2004

When put up against the likes of Midnight Club 2 it fails to impress because the single-player part of the game is just horrible.

Journey to the Savage Planet is an amazing experience of alien planetary exploration where the developer’s imaginations were allowed to paint a canvas of fun, art style, and humor that never felt forced or over the top. Once you temper expectations and remind yourself that this is a game about exploration and not an alien shoot em’ up or a fully packed RPG, you begin to realize how special this game is. The game offers 2-player co-op online which many titles like this wouldn’t even think twice about.

SingStar Amped! continues in the same vein as the previous titles, good and bad. Whle the game doesn’t make any huge improvements other than the soundtrack, it also doesn’t make any new mistakes.

Immortals of Aveum is a bright and ambitious title that lays a solid foundation for Ascendant Studios’ future in the industry. The gameplay is solid, the world is beautiful, and I feel compelled to return to continue exploring.

The games provided on Konami Classics Series Arcade Hits are a mixed bag from mediocre to bad. Unless you are a collector of classic game series like this, there really isn’t any reason to add this to your collection.

The fun of this game is that you can pick it up at any time and swing around for a while and then shelf the title for the day. It is a rare game that you can do that sort of thing. Even the full missions are short enough where you can plow through one or two on a lunch break.

While it does have some dents in the armor, there is no doubt that it is a worthy title.

This game will have limited appeal, and only those who are fanatics of King of Fighters are likely to pick up this game.

Taking into account the stuttering, low resolution textures, and downgraded 3D models, this is still an incredible game. When I started playing, the game was a bit harder to look at, but as I continued and got back into the flow of its platforming I stopped caring about the visuals. While the glitches are still bothersome, it’s a testament to just how good A Hat in Time is that I still adored the game in this compromised state.

The Sims 4 Paranormal Stuff Pack has a lot of potential but needs some tweaking with the emotion buffs. A little more guidance on how to get things set up to be Haunted would make it easier for the player to jump in. The Medium skill is a lot of fun, and the new Paranormal Investigator career, while frustrating at times, is definitely something new and fun to try out if your Sims have been in a rut. At $9.99 it’s worth the purchase, and a welcome addition to the game.