My Time at Portia is a visually beautiful, charming game rich in story, lore, and personality; everything about it is made better by the jump to a portable console. While this version lacks voice acting and rumble integration, the portability and surprisingly decent load times make this a great way to discover all that Portia has to offer.

A fantastic real-time strategy game that is a little overwhelming to those just moving into the series.

The Lunar games are delightful, classic RPGs, and the Lunar Remastered Collection makes them easier to play than ever. It doesn’t bring together all versions of each game for a truly comprehensive look at the series’ history, but it is a faithful update to the PS1 remakes.

The Medium proves to be an interesting look into the human psyche, one that attempts to figure out why individuals are the way they are, while still stating that your past does not excuse your current actions. I greatly enjoyed my time in Marianne’s shoes, and found myself constantly impressed with the incredible graphics and unique mechanics. Bloober Team has made an impressive product, even more so on the PS5 with their willingness to make use of the PS5’s controller’s special features.

Seventeen years after its original release, Final Fantasy IX continues to bring lovable characters full of whimsy. The new boosts ensure that the game can be played in its normal state, or with boosts that are respectful of the player’s time. While the graphical upgrade is a bit of a mixed bag, it’s amazing just how well this PS1 classic holds up. It’s a welcome surprise for the PlayStation 4, and a nod to Square Enix’s continued efforts to bring the best of the Final Fantasy legacy to new generations of players.

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.

DOOMBLADE offers fantastic combat, lore, and art direction which propel it to greatness. Despite progressing and backtracking being confusing and tedious at times, and a few lackluster boss fights, the occasional dullness was alleviated by great music and worldbuilding that spurs intrigue. The devs created a world that I was continuously getting lost in, both literally and figuratively.

The online co-op mayhem is a blast, and I heartily recommend this to any new Xbox One owner looking for an M-rated way to kill time (and reams of the undead).

NCAA Football 14 is a fun and immersive experience as always. Though not many big changes have come in this latest edition, the ones that have come are big and definite steps forward.

While it doesn’t knock your socks off graphically like you might expect for a ‘next-gen’ title, the extremely-accessible fighting mechanics make this title a must-have.

Life is Strange: True Colors is very much a Life is Strange game in all the right and wrong ways. The new characters and plot provide a refreshing new take in the series and an enjoyable experience overall.

Sometimes nostalgia can disappoint because of how childhood can blur how bad something really was. Gradius doesn’t disappoint.

Nidhogg on PS4 is just as great as it was on PC. I’m still hoping for more content, though.

Monster Hunter 4 has a lot of repetition and grinding, but succeeds at capturing the thrill of the big game hunt like no other game can. If you’re looking for a long-term game with plenty of loot to grind, quests to beat and bosses to kill, this is your game.

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!

MLB The Show 23 moves the franchise forward in several ways. The Negro Leagues storyline shines bright as the best addition we’ve seen in the series. While San Diego Studios didn’t pitch a perfect game, they delivered a game worthy of being called The Show.

The Ties that Bind Part 2 is an excellent ending to what was already a great premiere to season three. While a little on the short side, the overall experience is memorable and has me anticipating the next episode.

Tales of Symphonia Chronicles is definite must-have for any Playstation 3 owner and/or fan of JRPGs.

After seeing what they have done with this setting, I can't wait to see what the next campaign will contain.

Mario is known for surprising you with new ideas and strong game design. Super Mario Bros. Wonder contains both in spades. Although it executes on the element of surprise in a way I hesitate to call an outright innovation, it always supports the strengths of both the expected and unexpected.

If you like cute and fun, you’ll enjoy Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story. Nothing is too complicated to understand while gameplay gives you enough challenge you want to keep going. The plot is nothing too heavy but still pushes you to move forward at all times. Some of the side tasks can feel like a time waster or repetitive, but if you enjoy the style, those things become less of an annoyance and more of a time to work on time management. Make some tea, put on some cozy socks, and play Bandle Tale.

Isn’t as much of a game as it is an experience. The controller definitely adds to that experience. Just seeing the way the lights flash during the startup sequence is incredible.

Guilty Gear -Strive- is an excellent fighting game with gorgeous visuals, but feels like it's lacking in content. There are essentially only three modes of play, arcade, survival, and online. While the complex inputs and lack of a decent tutorial will leave some players in the dust, fighting feels so good you won’t want to put the controller down.

West of Loathing understands the stylistic charm that a unique aesthetic can provide and that stick figures are still, at the heart of everything, rad as heck. While the combat system is lacking, hilarious storytelling and a dynamic world make up a wonderful stroll through the western-styled landscapes.

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.

State of Decay 2 improves upon its predecessor in almost every way. Although the game still suffers from a host of bugs and lacks much of a focused narrative, it succeeds at being a tremendously enjoyable and addictive experience.

PowerWash Simulator 2 is more of the same, but it doesn’t need to be anything else. With a meaty campaign, DLC offerings in the future, and an ever-addictive feedback loop, things are only looking up for Muckingham’s local hero. Watch out for the “one more game” trap!

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.