Owlboy was an incredible experience in every sense. Visually and audibly, it was a masterpiece. The characters were lovable, especially the protagonist, Otus. The story was compelling, and each new chapter gave something new and challenging to the players. D-Pad Studio clearly put a lot of love into this game and it paid off immensely.

Gurumin 3D does what it needs to, and does it well. A charming throwback in form and function to classic PS1 RPGs, this re-release is a fun romp down memory lane.

While repeat visits become somewhat predictable, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood offers up some genuine scares by tapping into some of our most twisted fears. While the game doesn’t take long to complete, watching your friends play it never stops being fun.

While Dragonball Xenoverse 2 has plenty of content based off of the franchise’s long history, the gameplay will most likely start to feel stale long before then.

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.

World of Final Fantasy offers up a great tribute to the history of the franchise, but as its own game it has little to nothing of substance to say.

Overall, Titanfall 2 takes the great ideas of its predecessors and expands upon them to create a far superior experience. While the campaign is a little short, it’s still a lot of fun and incredibly replayable.

Rez Infinite is a treat for the senses, and while there might not be a lot in the way of content, you’ll surely come back for more several times. The simple but addictive gameplay will draw you into a musical neon trance that you won’t want to leave, and it’s the perfect length for sharing with friends.

There is nothing quite like experiencing the catapult launch in EVE Valkyrie in VR. The game looks amazing, and the cross-play is seamless. The single player is a welcome addition, albeit a short one, and the new Carrier Assault mode shows commitment to expanding the game by developer CCP.

RIGS is a fantastic foray into high-speed sports-like mechanized combat, and a great use of virtual reality as it realizes our giant robot fantasies. The long loading screens, canned animations and repetitious voice work aside, RIGS brings a lot to the table. From a fully-baked progression system, to gorgeous graphics and fast-paced and balanced play, it’s an exciting sports title. I just hope the nausea factor subsides quickly.

Shadow Warrior 2 is a fast, gorgeous shooter with smart loot components, trapped inside a world and age that lost its luster ages ago. Where the core gameplay still feels fantastic, the story, world and mission structure gradually drag it down short of being a successor to the grandeur of its predecessor. An excellent shooter that could have used 99 percent less Wang.

I enjoyed Necropolis enough to try and keep playing to get the full experience, but I myself never got past Level 2 out of 10. And there is no option to adjust the difficulty, so it ends up being a grind just to survive. Perhaps that’s what some people want out of a game, but for me, I want to feel like I’m getting some sort of progress, and constant permadeath doesn’t quite do it for me.

A brief but thrilling experience, Batman: Arkham VR taps into the desire to be a hero in all of us. The tactile manipulation of the environment is incredible, leaving me wanting more. If you ever put on a cape as a kid, you absolutely must try Batman: Arkham VR.

While addictive in short bursts, Pirate Pop Plus doesn’t have the staying power to compete with the new retro classics in the market today.

Like a bayonet charge to the face, Battlefield 1 packs a serious punch, and it looks damn good while doing it. With a revamped, emotionally charged campaign, the single-player experience is, without a doubt, the franchise’s best. The multiplayer combines solid classics and unbeatable mechanics with new modes that fit the WWI setting brilliantly. Could this be the Battlefield to end all Battlefields? It just might.

Eternal Crusade shows a whole lot of promise as an exciting team-based multiplayer shooter. But ‘promise’ is less than what’s demanded when we’re talking about a game which is released, rather buggy, and not always as intuitive as an action-heavy game should be. At $49.99, it’s hard to justify the investment until the price drops or the game is patched up respectably, but the potential and the fun it offers is real all the same.

There’s a lot to like in Mafia III, the presentation is very impressive and the discussion of race is brought up appropriately. The story unfolds well and doesn’t disappoint, but the mission structure brings about a host of disappointments. Missions rarely give the opportunity to let side characters develop, and the main story consists of doing the exact same objectives over and over until the credits roll. Unfortunately, Mafia III is as disappointing as it is impressive.

The ability to create your own Skylanders adds a great new twist to the series. The new sensei figures are nice additions, and using them in the gong battles pose a refreshing challenge. Aspects of the story can be a little underwhelming but the target age group probably won’t have any problem with it. While the Boss battles were repetitive and easy, the overall level design and experience is very enjoyable.

With quite a few twists on the traditional 4X formula, Sorcerer King: Rivals has a lot under the hood. The combat is a substantial improvement, offering a new way to engage the enemy, and the RPG elements expand gameplay even further. The editor is a cherry on top of an already full package. While it has a few balance issues in the endgame, Sorcerer King: Rivals shines brightly in a crowded genre.

A magnificent game that has taken me completely by surprise with its quality. A mix of 2D and 3D platforming, RPG, and adventure gaming blends with a gorgeous art style to form this hidden gem just waiting to be uncovered. All the while familiar and unique, Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity is a game that all should give a chance, enjoyable by the most hardened veteran gamer down the most green of newcomers.

A highly strange game, mixing graphic novel gameplay with a tactical RPG. The game is very fun, but not everything works as well as it should. The art style is wonderfully detailed and there are lots of quirky art details that add to the experience, but overall the game fails to really shine in either of its styles, and leaves much to be desired.

Gears of War 4 also has the most stunning presentation we’ve seen in any Gears game. For the first time in the series, characters look more photorealistic than they do cartoonish, and the environment is alive with insane weather, deep darkness, and particle effects that are truly stunning.

Bringing a whole lot of lore and content to a well-established favorite, Legion injects some new life and new fun into the World of Warcraft universe. A huge addition of content and a new take on advancement promises to give current players a lot of bang for their buck, while the included level-boost lets new players catch up with their friends quickly.

Console ports don’t exactly have a brilliant reputation. So, how does the Xbox One version of XCOM 2 stack up against its PC counterpart? The short answer is: pretty damn well.

The Journey is a smart addition, though it can be a little tedious at times, top-notch presentation and decent performances make the tedium tolerable. The actual gameplay is still enjoyable, but mostly unchanged from previous iterations.

Definitely a step up from the original iteration. It has more of its own style, and the gameplay mechanics rarely feel clunky. Though it hints at a meaningful narrative, ultimately it isn’t very substantial.

A fantastic game in practice, but has a terrible presentation elsewhere. At the end of the day, this makes NASCAR Heat Evolution a disappointing title rather than a full-fledged trip into victory lane. With some amazing features available, but near impossible to enjoy, NASCAR Heat Evolution is a game that will only please hardcore NASCAR or racing game fans.

A faster, more frantic, and fresh take on the old Pac-Man series, and this sequel does a great job of furthering what the original Championship Edition presented. The game is fun, and Pac-Man fans will enjoy the game while also getting a new set of challenges to face. In the end, the game is fairly simple and something you’ve seen before many times, but if you are craving a return to Pac World, this is a great place to look.