Gives a lackluster performance. The highlights of the game are few and far between, which make its flaws and mediocrity stand out.

If you are a fan of the series, you'll likely enjoy the new mechanical improvements. If you are a newcomer to the series, you'll enjoy the diverse roster and online play. My only suggestion is to avoid the single player mode and don't get too hung up on cranking down the difficulty level – Project Soul is trolling you by calling it 'normal'.

Cronos: The New Dawn is Bloober Team’s attempt to prove they're more than just remake specialists. Did they succeed? You betcha.

Despite some gripes about the translation from PC to console, The Banner Saga 3 does an admirable job wrapping up a grim tale of separation and loss. And it does that with challenging and fun tactical battles as well as fascinating player choice throughout.

If you've been waiting with great anticipation for Yakuza Kiwami 3, then you won't be disappointed with what it has in store for you. This remake has brought Yakuza 3 right up to modern standards; it's been unshackled from its stiffer and more unpleasant aspects for the sake of a more joyous offering that caters to the Yakuza franchise's best qualities in recent years. The new Dark Ties story adds meaningfully to the overall story of Yakuza 3 as well, and almost feels like its own distinctive entity. Dark Ties might seem a bit too serious, and the Yakuza Kiwami 3 doesn't do all that much to surprise outside of bringing an old game into the modern realm, but the value for money here is excellent and you'll be very pleased to take on Yakuza 3 again in its most complete form.

Gex Trilogy is a must-play for longtime fans of the series, and a brilliant introduction for newcomers, being a perfect way to definitely experience everything Gex has to offer. The three games in this collection are strikingly varied, frenetically engaging and are oozing with personality. Games from decades past they may well be, but Limited Run Games have done a spectacular job of balancing the preservation of their original essence with the addition of modern gameplay features.

Once Alive is a two-ish hour walking sim with a narratively rich story to tell. It might have some rough edges, but the love the developer put into it shines through. If you love games with a compelling story and atmosphere a-plenty, then pick this one up.

Marrakesh is a much different beast, and while it lacks the nuanced complexity of Sapienza or the gaudy flash of Paris, it has a flavor all its own that highlights aspects of Hitman in challenging ways. Another solid entry in this series.

The PC release of Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town has benefited greatly from all the quality of life changes which have been patched into the Switch release, making it an enjoyable farming experience right from the start. It looks shockingly similar in quality to the Switch version, a credit to the dev team, and the optional Expansion Pass adds a good deal of content, some of it cosmetic while other features expand the world, the plot, and the personalities which inhabit Olive Town.

Ikenfell has a unique battle system and story that can make for some of the best moments in an RPG this year, but unfortunately it doesn’t always use these to its advantage and has multiple boring boss fights with the plot meandering in the first half. Still, its highs are so high that it is well worth seeing through to the end.

The game is looking better every year, and controls are getting sharper.

Bouncy Bullets can seem a bit easy if you’re not looking to three-star every level, but it presents a nice challenge for those who are willing to put in a bit of time and effort. The game is short, but that may be to its advantage as that difficulty can easily turn some people off in large quantities.

The Ties that Bind Part 1 is a great start to a new entry in Telltale’s excellent series, one that does just enough to feel fresh.

I am the Hero is a short and sweet beat-em-up that mixes an accessible yet comprehensive gameplay system with some challenging gameplay and unique aesthetic. Pick this one up if you’ve got a hankering to destroy the forces of evil with punches and kicks!

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is an enjoyable little farming romp; it’s charming and calming, but doesn’t quite capture the magic of some earlier installments. While slow load times, customization restrictions, and a few quality of life issues can make parts of your play a bit of a slog, the mines have returned, you can romance any eligible bachelor or bachelorette.

Just like RoboCop himself, Rogue City is only human, but it’s still pretty great. With an intriguing narrative and stellar side missions, exploring Old Detroit is a real treat. Gunplay feels heavy, and engaging your friends and opponents with words as well as bullets is satisfying. In a year filled with blockbusters, this is a cult classic.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy only makes minor improvements to the three games it compiles, but the extras are well worth it for any fan to see. Some textures are still low resolution and the game is still capped at 30 fps across the board, but these are three fantastic games full of humor, drama, and heart.

At its core, Sneaky Bears VR is a wave-based shooter, but that doesn’t account for the excellent writing and genuinely funny premise. Sure, it’s a little short, but if you own a PSVR, this is a great title for younger audiences, as well as VR newcomers.

Lichdom: Battlemage is a clever and exciting arcade style action-RPG, which can be a lot more fun than one might expect.

Fans can only dream and hope that Bandai Namco will one day create a brand new game in the Katamari franchise, but for now, modern remasters and ports of the original games will do. We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie remains one of the most inventive and quirky games that I have ever played, with its meta-narrative premise, wildly addicting gameplay loop, and incredibly wacky soundtrack.

Rifftrax: The Game is a fantastic way to bring your funny friends together to riff on infamously-bad movies. With over 2000 groan-worthy tracks, and more on the way, it should make for some genuinely funny moments at your next party. Just be prepared to type as the Write a Riff is the best way to play.

While the less powerful Vita version of ScourgeBringer does have a few performance issues, this is a great way to get into the addictive roguelike. With some brilliant swordplay, gorgeous pixel art, and a great progression system, you should prepare your handheld and get ready to judge the Judges.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is a competent port on the Nintendo Switch. While it has obvious stutter in the online lobby and the framerate doesn’t match that of its rivaling consoles, being able to play in handheld mode with little difference in quality is a plus and will help you tackle the game’s expansive list of content from anywhere.

With creepy puzzle moments throughout, The Medium pulls off a dual-reality puzzler with precision. The game looks magnificent, with impressive lighting and shadows courtesy of RTX, though the Xbox Series X version suffers from occasional stutters and hitches, as well as level of detail pops. More classic dread than jump scares, it delivers on its promise of horror served two ways, making it unique and a must-have for horror fans, even if it's a little lighter fare.

Dungeon’s Hinterberg takes dungeon crawling, makes it a capitalist venture, and results in a personal story about the benefits and downfalls of tourism in our small towns. It’s a heartfelt story that charms you straight off the bat. The dungeons themselves are fun and feel more like a sightseeing holiday than terribly complex combat-fueled ventures, but if you’re looking for a chill time with hacking and slashing and hanging out with friends whilst saving the town from magic, then Dungeons of Hinterberg is a perfect holiday.

Ys X boldly sails into uncharted waters. It’s a sturdy vessel of combat, exploration, and heart, even if some of its individual parts could use further refinement. Ys X may not be my favorite Ys, but it does an excellent job of reminding me why Ys is my favorite.

After a small misstep in NHL 15, NHL 16 feels like a huge apology letter to fans. Many removed features have returned, but that also means improvements are few and far between.

Marble It Up is a cool racing platformer that lives in the realm of games like Super Monkey Ball. The controls are quick to learn and the gameplay is simple yet satisfying. The visuals and level designs are wonderful and no two levels look the same. Unfortunately the game doesn't take long to beat, but it's still worth the ride.

To be honest, the traffic at times was so heavy that I wondered who in their right mind would be holding a street race in the middle of it.

Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a creative infusion of card-based combat with a traditional RPG. It plays entirely unlike any other card combat game, and it’s worth a look even for those who don’t generally like the genre. While it’s light on story, less replayable than other card games, and could use some refinement when it comes to building decks and equipping characters, it’s still a fun twist on a familiar concept that’s easy to recommend.

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life does lose some of the original’s soul in this remake, but it gains some incredible convenience and quality of life updates to make it much more enjoyable for a modern audience. Returning to the Forgotten Valley is a nostalgic experience for veterans, and newcomers will discover why the original game is a classic.

Shadow Labyrinth earns the right to have its darker version of Pac-Man be taken seriously. Its solid exploration and combat mechanics make for an excellent game that gets further elevated by its fun integration and celebration of Namco history into its design. While at times the game can feel a little too bloated with ideas, it’s okay to overeat during a celebration.

The Indie gamer’s dream, Revita is sure to be a hit with many people. Never knowing what each run will hold makes it easy to keep going back, especially for the completionist who wants to find all of the secrets and unlock all of the things!

This is the way I want to play tower defense from now on. The Last Friend isn’t a challenging first attempt at combining tower defense and beat ‘em up, nor good at telling a quality story, but it has fantastic mechanics. Weak difficulty aside, each world brought imaginative enemies and bosses and surprises that made it worth seeing what came next.

With mods, this game is gorgeous, and you can trick out just about any aspect of the experience, though the menus and overall object interaction is still very much stuck in the pancake world. Still, there’s nothing quite like standing your ground and taking the fight to the enemy. In VR, I am the Dragonborn, and that’s what virtual Skyrim is all about.

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.

Glossed up slightly, but with very little to no changes since the last re-release, Phantom Brave PC is the least impressive of all. That said, the game itself is still wonderfully great, and new players will be rewarded with the cool breeze of phantoms coming in the air tonight.

Breakers may not be the most original fighting game franchise around, but it is an extremely solid one that offers some fun spins on its inspirations. If you’re willing to give it a break, the Breakers Collection is well worth playing.

The Crown of the Sunken King is a very promising start to a challenging trilogy. The added puzzles, tougher bosses, and unique environments make this DLC a must-have for any Dark Souls fans and a welcome addition to a game that already offers so many unique challenges.

8 Bit Armies is a charming cartoon-like RTS game that offers a good challenge. It can be unfair at times due to the enemy having advanced tech, larger forces, and even nukes. Planning and strategizing is necessary, and fills you with pride when successful. Unfortunately it seems as if the multiplayer lobbies are empty.

A great reintroduction to what are arguably the most iconic games in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The Switch Edition allows for anyone to play the game the way they want; TV, handheld, or with the kickstand. Each game looks great however you want to play.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong is a fantastic, yet very messy game. It lacks some desperately needed polish and refining, but the core is so fun and engaging you can put the problems to the side for a time. They’ll rear their head pretty frequently, but pushing past them is well worth the rewards.

Despite my minor complaints, Salt and Sacrifice is an insanely fun Souls-like featuring brutal challenges, great level designs, beautiful hand drawn graphics, interesting enemies and boss fights, cool gear to find and upgrade, a fun leveling system, and one of the most enjoyable co-op experiences I’ve had in quite a while. The fact that this game was designed by so few people and is of such high quality for a relatively low MSRP of $19.99 is nothing short of astounding. While not perfect, Salt and Sacrifice kept me entertained for well over 20 hours and made me excited for the next entry in this incredible series.

Rematch is a great arcade sports title that’s sure to win over both hardcore and casual fans. With tight controls and excellent customization options, the title’s fun and easy to pick up. While the soundtrack feels lacking and matchmaking can occasionally balloon, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything like this rooted in traditional soccer. If you dig arcade soccer and are tired of gasoline fumes, you’ll have a great time with Rematch.

Overall, Octo Expansion is an absolute steal. At $20, you’re getting a very creative and engaging campaign that expands the world of Splatoon 2 with diverse gameplay, although a small portion of these levels feels like monotonous filler. Luckily, the ability to skip them mitigates this issue, but does little to assuage the fact that the majority of the bosses are rehashes.

Agartha is a charming, pixelated platformer that relies on blasting your way through the environment. There are plenty of levels and extra paths to explore, although the game doesn't take too long to get through. Buying and playing multiple adventurers is recommended.

Sakura Wars is a great entry point to a fascinating series. If you wish Persona had a bit more action, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for here. While the “sexy misunderstandings” are cringe worthy, the characters are fun to interact with and the giant robots are a joy to pilot.

As a survival horror game, it doesn’t add much to the genre but as a Resident Evil game, it changes up quite a bit of things to keep the series fresh and relevant, which is something it desperately needed.

There's a large number of puzzles, keycard scenarios, platform jumping, etc, etc. For some this has become old-hat, but I think theres still fun to be found here.

The Way of Kings, Escape the Shattered Plains is a treat, allowing fans to experience the world of Sanderson's Stormlight Archives first hand. It will likely be a little less enjoyable for those unfamiliar with the books, but holds no fewer secrets for those imaginative enough to poke, grab, and fill with Stormlight.

Steep is a triumph at merging gameplay and presentation to deliver players a sense of place in its beautiful open world. Controlling each sport feels simple yet laser precise, and the diversity in sports and challenges encouraged me to stay in the game even when challenges became too frustrating or uninteresting. Add to this a solid layer of social functionality, albeit shallow when playing with strangers, and you have a game that reaches the great heights it endeavors to recreate.

Metro Awakening is another good entry in the outstanding Metro series, though at times it feels like more of a side quest than a main entry. Still, the graphics are gorgeous, the metro underground is equal parts fun and creepy to explore in VR, and the game makes great use of VR to bring the world to life and really immerse the player. Despite a few minor issues, Awakening is a great VR experience and well worth picking up, especially if you are a fan of the series.

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.

Dungelot: Shattered Lands is a fun combination of Minesweeper and a dungeon crawler that you’ll surely keep coming back to. While not without its moments of frustration, overall this game rewards you for skill more than it ruins you with bad luck. What it lacks in story it makes up for in its variety of creatures, items, challenges, and treasures.

Mechstermination Force is a wonderful follow-up to Bertil Hörberg’s Gunman Clive series. While it can get a bit frustrating at times, the silly atmosphere and tough but entertaining gameplay make for a great time for those who want some simple, unadulterated fun.

Don't buy this game if you don't plan on getting the whole series. It would be like watching "The Fellowship of the Ring" and not bothering to watch the rest.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is oozing with charm and bursting with activities. While it all feels a little shallow, the constant feeling of progress is great and there’s a ton to customize. The story isn’t great, but it doesn’t need to be when there’s always something to do around the next corner.

Despite the bite-sized mission structure and constant interruptions, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is still a great game, full of funny moments, quirky segments like Luigi humming along to the background music, and a gorgeous HD makeover which leaves no hint that this is a port of an 11-year-old handheld game. I admit that I was a fan of Dark Moon when it was first released on the 3DS, so my judgment may be a bit biased, but I still believe that Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is well worth picking up and that this HD remaster has done a fantastic job bringing a handheld classic to modern consoles.

Perfectly encapsulating the Paul Verhoven film, Starship Troopers: Terran Command strikes the right balance of cheesy and challenging, at least in the latter missions. While it doesn’t have multiplayer or a scenario editor, the single player is a blast. We’ll fight, and we’ll win, I just wish my troopers weren’t so dumb while we do it. Oh well, more meat for the grinder.

A visually striking take on the survival horror genre, The Chant solidifies its own identity within the alternative science of prisms and natural remedies. Unique game mechanics serve to create an unusual but fun experience, even if at odds with the overall narrative at times.

While World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth hasn't been my favorite expansion in the franchise, it brought with it some great new dungeons, fantastic new raid encounters, an excellent new story, and gorgeous scenery. I have hope that what is lacking, or not working as intended will be adjusted over time. My love for the game, and the thriving community I have built within it are what keep me logging in week after week.

Superdimension Neptune vs. Sega Hard Girls is a match made in gaming heaven. A JRPG with some expanded and fun platforming mechanics throughout, this game improves on the Neptunia series model while sending the player on a lighthearted romp through an alternative Sega universe.

It Takes Two is a fantastic co-op game, and feels right at home on Switch. Sadly the visuals take a big hit, but in return you get a few more options on how to play. It still remains difficult to get a co-op partner for the full game let alone enough controllers, however if you can manage you’re in for a great time.

Likening this game to the movie Up, Arise: A Simple Story is much more than what its title lets on. It forces us to take a step back and analyze life. With its time control mechanics that manipulate the world in so many ways, platforming style of play, and its ability to tell a narrative story without dialogue, Arise is one of those games that makes you question whether small titles like this are becoming the status quo.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection – Volume 1 serves as both a fantastic collection of video games and as an impressively detailed look at the evolution of the iconic video games series, but is unfortunately hampered by a sense of déjà vu due to providing few upgrades to the core games from the previous HD collection release. Despite this, the Master Collection remains the only way to be able to experience these games on modern consoles and each title is well worth revisiting. The real stars of this collection are the screenplay and master books which provide meticulously crafted breakdowns of each game and serve as a treasure trove of information for die-hard fans to pore over.

If you are looking for just a fun time with some friends and don't care about franchises or online play, you might be better off with a previous version of Madden. If you want to control your own franchise or build your own team, then there have been enough enhancements to justify the purchase. Just realize that some on-field issues still exist.

Override 2: Super Mech League is a vast improvement from its predecessor, with a great, varied roster (and more Ultraman characters in the future!), revamped combat system, and some gorgeous combat. The base game is currently half the price of a full-priced last generation title, so you should pick it up if you and your friends want some building-sized destructive fun.

A very solid roleplaying game, and definitely worth the $40 that it's fetching on the retail market. If you're a fan of RPGs or NIS at all, you owe it to yourself to pick this title up.

Familiar series hang-ups lead to signs of aging, but Resident Evil 0 HD’s core gameplay and horror element hold up remarkably well. Updated visuals and controls make the return trip to Raccoon City worthwhile.

Mario Kart World has a lot of big ideas, but its execution on them can feel shaky. It has a massive, interconnected open world, but there’s not much to do in it and you barely spend any time on the carefully crafted racetracks. It bumps each race up to 24 participants, but can feel so chaotic as to be unparsable at times. The driving in and of itself is great, it’s just everything that surrounds it can feel half baked.

Despite all of the ways that Outriders is stuck in the past, the moment to moment gameplay is so compelling that it’s impossible to say it’s not a blast -- especially with friends. It’s also remarkably expansive in its crafting and skill trees, with plenty of ways to customize your playstyle. I may not be that invested in the story, and this certainly isn’t that different from most first person shooters, but Outriders is well worth the time and effort. Even if there may be extra effort put in because of crappy server connections.

While the narrative is a bit disconnected, Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments uses the short story framework to its benefit, keeping each of its cases focused on pure, thrilling detective work.

The football section of the game is flawed enough that it seriously detracts from the enjoyment of the game.

A really great chess game. The presentation values are excellent, and it has a wonderful training mode which includes fully-voiced tutorials from Josh Waitzkin.

While it starts slow, RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business finds its groove and keeps going. The gameplay is as ferocious as ever, with some great character work balancing it out with several heartfelt moments. If you liked Rogue City, you have no excuse not to grab Unfinished Business, and if you’re new to Teyon’s take, prepare to have a heck of a time.

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.

The game feels largely the same through all the levels, even with new weapons gained through the game. Move through the level, fight monsters, get through more parts of the level, fight more monsters, collect glyphs, and fight the boss. However, this game does make good use of the license.

When you create sandbox worlds, it’s very easy to leave the player to “make their own fun”, but here the mixture of intuitive controls, player agency, and tongue-in-cheek humor makes Job Simulator a must-have. While it’s a little on the short side, Job Simulator is the easiest VR title to recommend. If you have a VR headset, this game needs to be in your library.

Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny is a lot of fun. The HD update looks fantastic, while the classic gameplay remains intact. There are some solid quality-of-life updates added that fans are sure to enjoy. The enemy and boss designs are great, and the ensemble cast keeps things interesting. For better or worse, the gameplay is still totally on the classic end and, while most burrs have been buffed out, a few snags may remain for newcomers. This remaster is responsible for winning me over to the Onimusha franchise, and I hope more folks feel the same.

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.

I heartily recommend Badland to fans of side-scrolling platformers or anyone looking for a game that’s easy to pick up and play.

NieR: Automata is a masterclass action game with deep RPG mechanics, and a beautiful open world. While it’s held back by a weak narrative and a clunky game format that mandates replaying hours of content, it offers a wide variety of enjoyable experiences that make it well worth the asking price.

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.

Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition is a great enhanced port of the original game. While it does have a few more issues than its other counterpart, the additions of co-op and updated save mechanics make this an easy recommendation if you want a cheap indie title to play with friends.

With a message that is guaranteed to piss off half of the American populous in a hilariously vicious way, The American Dream is one of the most entertaining games in the virtual reality space. What it lacks in longevity, it makes up for in snappy writing, unique aesthetics, and excellent voiceover. Come for the gunplay, stay for man’s best friend, Buddy.

Ruiner is a cyberpunk-style, guns blazing, top-down shooter that pulls no punches when it comes to action. Where the levels lack depth and unique flair, the gameplay makes up for it with a diverse of ways to approach playing.

Daymare: 1998 is an interesting homage to the Resident Evil franchise, complete with 90s graphics, cheesy characters, and a tough difficulty. Inventory management forces you to think carefully, while boss fights can be tedious and unfair.

Amnesia: The Collection proves why it’s one of the most imitated horror games of all time: it’s also one of the best. While there’s not a lot of new content for any returning players, if you haven’t played Amnesia, now’s the perfect time to change that.

While I wouldn’t call Atomfall revolutionary, Rebellion has done a great job of taking a unique setting and putting the right pieces around it. Figuring out where less is more is tantamount to the formula that works for Atomfall, along with offering players a streamlined experience that can be enjoyed for multiple playthroughs. Atomfall is brilliant, and solid in the right places.

If you are a fan of pinball or Star Wars or both—buy this DLC. It’s clear that the people at Zen Studios are experts at both, and $10 is a low price to pay for a few entertaining hours of bumper-slapping.

Lost in Harmony is a very ambitious title that mixes a surprisingly infectious soundtrack with frantic and fun rhythm-platformer gameplay. It’s one musical romp that’s great for rhythm game players of all sorts, and I can’t wait to see what DigixArt does next!

Madden NFL 17 feels like more Madden NFL 16, which isn’t always a bad thing.

It would have been very easy for Digital Domain to make a low-effort Voltron knockoff, but instead Voltron VR Chronicles feels like a small slice of the show brought to life. While it is a little short, and the interactivity is somewhat basic, if you are a fan, this game is a must have. Next time, just let us form Voltron and give us sword and shield VR controls to take out the next episode’s Robeast!

There are plenty of archery, wave-based, and shooter VR titles out there, but none that scratch the spellcasting itch. Thankfully, The Wizards fills that gap with style. What it may occasionally lack in finesse, it makes up for in style, voice work, and gameplay. The Wizards is a solid addition to any VR library.

Puddle is relatively brief and can be tackled within a lazy afternoon or two. There’s not much to the game once you’ve gotten through it – other than going back through to unlock in-game achievements and trying to get gold on each of the levels – but it’s fun while it lasts. It won’t set the world on fire, and it can be crushingly difficult at times, but it’s got a ton of nifty ideas and wrings every single drop out of them – and in that, Puddle greatly succeeds.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest is a great visual novel with tons of impactful choices, great visuals, and excellent sound design. While it slowly loses steam after the introductory chapters, it’s still well worth multiple playthroughs.

Those who are Ghost Recon fanatics will enjoy this, but those who want to take a look at the series might be better off picking up the original.

A few bugs continue to hold it back, but about 50 hours of fun is yours for the asking. While it doesn’t take any risks, the Spaceport Expansion for Construction Simulator lets you build an entire space program for a small island from scratch, and that’s satisfying.