Untitled Goose Game proves that you don’t need complex mechanics or an involved story to make a great game. It takes a simple premise — you’re a goose here to make trouble — and spins it out into a short but extremely satisfying slapstick journey. Untitled Goose Game is effortlessly funny, succeeding as much on its physical comedy as its clever puzzles.

A phenomenally awesome RTS, and stays true to all the games before it.

However, standing alone, Telltale Games can and has done much better than Chapter 5.

Clearly, Lord of Shadows wants to feel “cinematic” but it goes too far by sacrificing gameplay on the altar of visual splendor.

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.

Suzerain is unlike most things you can play that’s out right now. The choose your own adventure stylings are fascinating, with rabbit trail upon rabbit trail to investigate. Because of this, you’ll be able to play it again and again, and because they do such a great job with the setting and people you’re going to want to. While some sections can be long in tooth, they only make me appreciate what Suzerain is doing, creating a riveting narrative of what it’s like to be President.

A Highland Song has so much heart, it’s hard not to find something to love. I was drawn into the game due to the rhythm based traversal for running up the hills. With music from Laurence Chapman, Talisk and Fourth Moon, I found myself running up and down hills just to get the songs perfect. The story also has such a sweet progression, each hint drawing you closer and closer to the truth of it all. Plus, with how much there is to explore and the time mechanic, the replayability is insane given the cost of the game. From the art style to the music to the adventure itself, it’s easy to get lost in the Highland Song.

Creed has raised my expectations of the visuals and multi-level sandbox games; I am hoping Ubi fixes up the minor flaws for the next go-round as I am now anxiously awaiting the sequel.

Skylanders SuperChargers is hands-down one of the best kid-friendly games on the market, and the most complete realization of the “toys to life” genre to date.

I came away from Hunt: Showdown a little let down. The premise is good, the setting is something new, and many of the gameplay loop elements are unique. Better still, the combination of PvPvE sets the stage for something amazing, but that stage is just too damned small. With too deep a grind, and too few maps, Hunt: Showdown has just too little content (currently) to match its ambition. But hey...at least the hunting is cool!

Despite some annoyances, Atelier Ryza 3 wraps up Ryza’s journey in a fantastic way, while introducing new elements for both new and returning fans.

The best thing I can say about a game of this nature is that it accomplishes what it sets out to do. It creates puzzles to be solved, gives players the tools to succeed, and then makes you feel like a dextrous genius when you execute successfully. Couple that fantastic visual design and a solid soundtrack and you have something special fans will come back to time and again. Don’t sleep on this wild ride.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a fun puzzle-platformer with a huge amount of polish. The camera angles can sometimes get in the way of its greatness, but Toad’s first solo adventure is absolutely a memorable one.

Well beyond simple DLC, Escalation polishes every aspect of the base game. The campaign is excellent, and the expansion of defensive and upgradeable structures helps ease in new players. New technology amps the scale, but also provides tools to manage the larger world. Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation is a fresh coat of paint for an already-revolutionary RTS.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a quality Fire Emblem game, no doubt about it. It’ll feel strange at first for those who started with Blazing Blade or a later title, but not in a bad way. Once you get used to its little quirks, any Fire Emblem fan will love this game. It’s got an engaging story, likable characters, and multifaceted gameplay that stands together with the rest of the series in some ways and sets itself apart in other aspects. Whether you were looking for a change of pace or just more Fire Emblem, this game is sure to satisfy.

Once again, One More Level has created a speedrunner’s dream. For new players it might be somewhat hard to master, but once you get the gameplay down pat you’ll experience one of the most rewarding and unique titles of 2023. It’s so much fun to play, and the new abilities and changes are a welcome addition. The inclusion of the motorcycle, whilst somewhat janky, is a breath of fresh air to the core gameplay loop. One More Level has once again put their heart and soul into producing a fantastic game.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team could have been one of the best RPGs on the 3DS; instead, it sadly overstays its welcome.

Trials of Fire is a new legend for single-player strategy. Combining all the best of tactical board game combat, deck-building, and narrative, this game is a contender for best roguelikes available right now. It does have some flaws that keep me from recommending it categorically, but nothing that overwhelms the depth of strategy at play here. I have long been starved as a fan of turn-based combat, and Trials of Fire has finally erupted from the depths of the earth to satisfy that need.

While the maps and enemies could be more varied and interesting, there’s no denying that the gameplay is stellar, rewarding you for working closely with your teammates and punishing you otherwise.

While Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy offers little innovation or surprise, it’s still just as charming and entertaining as ever, and it’s a fitting end to a legacy of perplexing brainteasers.

Rune Factory 4 Special proves just how charming and well-written the Rune Factory games can be. The Switch remaster is just as addictive as charming as the original release was fourteen years ago, and looks even better, thanks to an HD makeover. New content and difficulty modes provide no shortage of replay value, making this a great time sink for newcomers as well as anyone itching to revisit the friendships forged in the town of Selphia.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie serves as the grand conclusion to the Crossbell and Cold Steel story arcs, tying up loose ends with an all-star crossover cast of characters. It does very little to catch new players up to speed with the narrative and context, and ultimately is not a good place to start for newcomers. However, Reverie features an incredibly in-depth gameplay experience to keep even the most hardcore of fans engaged for hours on end.

Whether you are defending a trash barge, grinding a dragon spine, or flinging bowling balls at exploding enemies, Sunset Overdrive is pure insanity – just how I like it. Come for the crazy, stay for the fourth-wall-breaking fun.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion packs all the punch you’d expect from a comic book splash page. It’s clearly made with the kind of love for the source material that I’m looking for, and it improves on Shredder’s Revenge in every way that matters to me.

With gorgeous visuals, an expansive open world, and multiplayer support, Stormland delivers a serviceable shooter with an exceptional upgrade system, and a feeling of progression. What makes it amazing is all of the ways you can glide, fly, surf, or climb -- the expansive world of Stormland is yours to explore, until it changes next week and you get to do it all again.

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.

The amount of swagger and sheer fun in “Just Cause 2” is tremendous, and needs to be played by you right this second.

Graphically there is nothing on the console that compares, and in terms of the complete package, it delivers in every way.