Children of Silentown delivers a compelling story told through stunning hand-drawn graphics and spearheaded by a hauntingly beautiful score that perfectly encapsulates the feelings of melancholy and dread that pervade Lucy’s thoughts. Silentown’s unique focus on discovering notes to uncover songs which can then be used to unlock puzzles provides a new dynamic to the point-and-click genre, and despite having gripes with one of the puzzle types, I still enjoyed my time unraveling the mystery of Silentown and the monsters that haunt it.

Brutally frustrating, exasperating, and exhilarating, Baby Steps is a journey befitting the legacy of its creators. While the humor may be a bit too crass for some, there’s a surprisingly poignant narrative wrapped around a fairy tale in the bizarre, uncomfortable world Nate finds himself…and a constant reminder to get back up every time you fall, to continue putting one foot in front of the other. Hooroo.

If you enjoy Choose Your Own Adventure type games, you’ll love This is the President. It scratches a Schadenfreude itch for the dystopian hellscape we currently live in, and it’s equal parts fun, funny, and quite disturbing along the way, even with the odd choice baked in..

Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is a good remake, but new features and graphical updates make it a hard sell for those who have already invested many hours in the originals.

For an indie game it’s a good overall buy.

One Piece Odyssey Deluxe Edition is a solid port of a good game. It looks great and runs fairly well in both docked and portable modes, though sitting through loading times for every single battle can get very tedious.

Every aspect of Flower serves its singular vision: nourishing and maintaining a 1-2 hour Zen-like experience. Vibrant colors, an incredible score, and meticulous eyes overseeing the game’s pacing—Flower rises to the occasion. A decade later, little has changed, though the PC port suffers a good deal on account of its mouse and keyboard controls.

Minecraft: Story Mode settles into a new identity and story with “Order Up!,” one that isn’t beholden to past mistakes.

It’s hard to give a definitive rating or opinion on an MMORPG, as the game is always changing and evolving, hopefully for the better. But it is without a doubt that New World: Aeternum is leagues better than what it was 3 years ago, with an enhanced beginner experience, a fleshed out endgame, tons of content, and availability across 3 major platforms. I’m so glad that the team at Amazon Games didn’t give up on this project!

Stardrive 2 is an extremely ambitious title which I’d strongly suggest for fans of compulsively intricate gameplay.

Downwell is a simple and fun 2D platformer. Its unique gameplay makes it fast-paced and challenging, and its roguelike qualities keep it from growing bland or frustrating. Spend a little time with this game and you may get hooked too.

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.