I have been a big fan of the JWE game franchise from the start, and the Dominion Malta expansion adds some great new decorations and species for you to play with in your parks. The Oviraptor and Lystrosaurus are precious, and honestly make the pack worthwhile just on that alone. A fun new Campaign that aligns perfectly with the Jurassic Park Dominion movie will keep you busy, and Update 5 brings in new Challenge Levels if the Campaign isn’t your thing. If you’re a fan of the movies and like park builders, you can’t go wrong with the JWE games, and Dominion Malta fits in perfectly.

Just Dance 2023 is a dichotomy. For all the new elements that are a fresh and welcome addition, there are just as many egregious omissions. Combine that with a second-rate song list along with Just Dance+ that is equally inadequate, and Just Dance 2023 Edition feels like dancing with the devil under the pale moonlight.

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is both a game collection and an interactive documentary, and excels in each aspect. There may be a few hits missing, but the 90 games available are perfectly emulated and serve as an incredible time capsule of a bygone era. The unexpected star of the show is the interactive documentary, filled to the brim with interviews, documents, pictures, and interesting stories all told by pioneers of the era. If you have any nostalgia for this era or just enjoy learning about the history of gaming, check out this collection.

It’d be easy to confuse Let’s Sing 2023 for Let’s Sing 2022. The same bugs, the same thin soundtrack, and the same monetization. As such, it earns the same score as it’s the SAME GAME

Samurai Maiden would have been a fun and satisfying RPG if its several stark issues didn't hinder the experience so significantly.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet try to take the franchise in a new direction, but can feel empty and hollow as a result. The open world has bright spots, especially multiplayer, however a lack of care in its design leads to a game that’s haphazard and lifeless.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet try to take the franchise in a new direction, but can feel empty and hollow as a result. The open world has bright spots, especially multiplayer, however a lack of care in its design leads to a game that’s haphazard and lifeless.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is almost undeniably the definitive version of the 2007 action RPG, as despite its issues it still succeeds at presenting the player with an unforgettable experience.

Two Point Campus: Space Academy is more of what you love the game with a sci-fi twist. The three new maps and six courses each present something new and unique with something to enjoy for players of all skill levels. While it’s not ideal for newcomers, this excellent management sim just keeps getting better.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is one of those games that oozes fun, no matter how you play it. It lends itself perfectly to all playstyles, and has this natural way of immersing the player in its world. That might be from the unique RPG system, the insanely detailed environments that make you feel like you’re really walking through this huge hellscape, or maybe it’s just the gratuitous violence. Whatever the cause, it’s doing a great job of keeping me hooked. Of course, the game isn’t without its cons, and these do detract from an otherwise solid experience. Regardless, it’s a game that I will absolutely be coming back to time and time again.

Gungrave lives by the simple principle of “kick their ass.” If that premise fails to hook you, nothing G.O.R.E. does will change your mind. If anything, its minor missteps may dissuade you from sticking with it at all. For those who love Gungrave for the kind of game it is, however, G.O.R.E. offers plenty more of it while intelligently expanding the core mechanics. This is one for all the true Gungravers out there howling at the night for more things to shoot.

The Knight Witch is an endearing tale that perfectly blends fast paced shooting and satisfying spell casting. From the sensational artwork and score to clever game design, the entire experience was remarkable.

Warzone 2.0 is every bit the sequel you hoped it would be. While minor improvements could still be useful, Al Mazrah is arguably the best map to ever grace the Call of Duty battle royale experience. The tactical pacing is a welcome change, DMZ is a revelation for the extraction shooter casual space, and it’s all built on the best gunplay in first-person shooters. Infinity Ward has knocked it out of the park.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival has a massive song list with multiple modes and addicting yet simple gameplay. The DLC and subscription service adds an incredible amount to that list, but does make me worry for the future of the game. Even so, this is a great choice if you want to jam out alone or with friends.

Evil West doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't have to. It's fun and a great time, which is all it needs to be. It reminds me of a wonderful B-movie; I watch it because I like to turn my brain off and just enjoy myself. Evil West is just a blast, and worth sinking your teeth into.

With improvements in literally every single area of the game, Tactics Ogre: Reborn is the new standard for remasters.

ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition had a suspect launch, but with the commitment and care of the developers, they have rallied back and the game makes for a fun time with friends or by yourself. The Island and Scorched Earth will test your survival instincts for sure. With the addition of the lovely ARK Dinosaur Discovery game you can download from the eShop for the kiddos and the new maps having a timeline in the future, you and your family will have plenty of things to do for the near future.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a triumph of a game, and now even more people can experience it. That experience may not be as stable as on PlayStation 5 given the diversity of hardware, however there’s also a lot more under the hood than you’d get on a console. With all of that in tow, including gorgeous ray tracing and a glut of accessibility options, it’s like Miles getting Venom abilities: more power to an already powerful entity. Just like Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered before it, Miles Morales makes the leap and sticks to the wall.

While The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me contains some incredibly effective horror, it has the rug pulled from under it by a flubbed finale and some immoral choices the game considers “correct.”

For a studio that hasn’t previously made any Lego titles, I feel they checked pretty much every box on what makes a Lego game a Lego game. This isn’t for everyone but isn’t made to be for everyone. If you are someone who seeks building in a game, I highly recommend Lego Bricktales. People often say that they don’t enjoy Minecraft because there aren’t guidelines or a direction to the building. I believe Lego Bricktales is the perfect solution and encourage people to give it a shot.

Return to Monkey Island is a fantastic end to Guybrush’s compulsive search for the secret of Monkey Island and perfectly encapsulates what made these iconic games so popular in the first place. Despite the 30 year absence, not a step was missed, as Return is just as funny as its predecessors and seeing Elaine, LeChuck, Stan, and the rest of the gang together again is rather bittersweet. Charming characters – old and new alike, great dialogue, fun puzzles, an intuitive hint system, and a story which sees Guybrush visit multiple islands, all blend to make Return everything I had hoped for. I’m glad that I was able to finally uncover the secret of Monkey Island.

Pentiment does what it does with a magnificent blend of dialogue, characters, and narrative. The winding path you’ll take has plenty of off ramps, and while all roads lead to Rome, the journey there feels unique to you. It’s so fascinating getting to your specific ending, you’ll probably even play it again to see what other decisions look like. Pentiment might not be for everyone, but for the genre, it’s a magnificent and compelling work of art.

Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate Episode 1 has a lot of rough edges, but is still an engrossing murder mystery with some unique VR elements. The seven hour adventure can be tough to get through thanks to some UX and technical shortcomings, but it’s more than worth it for the exciting finale. [Provisional Score = 70]

The Entropy Centre is a mind bending puzzle game that’s constantly introducing new ideas to feel fresh. Rewinding objects never gets old, and will change how you think for hours after you put the controller down. Add on top some hilarious writing, charming characters, and an intriguing mystery and you’ve got an instant classic.

Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is a humorous mashup between Ultraman and Monster Rancher, allowing you to raise and train your very own Kaiju. It’s quirky and great for passing the time. The battle system could use a little tweaking to resolve issues with Kaiju not being able to land any attacks at all and then losing because the opponent knocked 50 Life down. My Kaiju, Boris, will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Bayonetta 3 has a lot of issues, especially in terms of story, but is well worth playing for the core combat. While the game seems to be doing its best to get you away from that, once you’re fighting, there’s nothing like it out there.

Frontiers boldly plants one foot into the future with its “open zone” structure while keeping the other stuck in the past with mechanics and level ideas that are over a decade old. This approach results in a satisfying game even if it does not push the series into as many new frontiers as it could. It still hits many of the right notes that long-time fans will appreciate and works especially hard to satisfy those who have felt like the past few Sonic games have been missing some personality.

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.