It’s a unique, funny, occasionally brilliant experience full of colorful characters and creative puzzles.

Despite a slightly forgettable middle and a few characters being given a rushed ending, Same Stitch is a fantastic finale for Batman: The Enemy Within, as Bruce Wayne and John Doe’s uneasy alliance comes to an explosive and constantly surprising conclusion.

The Operator is a thrilling and fast-paced debut into the indie simulation scene. While the game may initially appear to be a simple investigation simulator, its snappy pace and intriguing narrative quickly draws players in within the first thirty minutes. While the alien parts of the game feel disconnected from the rest of it, it's not enough to draw away from its better elements.

Rise of the Tomb Raider’s PC debut is nothing short of phenomenal, and provided you have the PC to back it up, it can look and run substantially better than its Xbox One counterpart.

If you’re getting tired of swords and sorcery, or just looking for meaty tactical battles, few RPGs will satisfy you better.

Overall, Bangai-O is a fantastic shooter, and the sheer customizability of it is amazing. Still, if you like shooters, or puzzles in general, it is worth your time—oh-so-worth it.

Hashihime of the Old Book Town provides an engaging story from beginning to end. Despite weaving in and out through different timelines, it never becomes overly complex as can occur with time travel fiction. The only let down might be the strange note that the writers chose to end the story on. Everything else, however, makes Hashihime of the Old Book Town a game that you’re not likely to forget anytime soon.

Ghost of Tsushima is one of the few games this generation that left a momentous impression on me. This is an original, impactful, beautiful and deep game, but most importantly, it’s just downright fun. Even with so few main story quests, Sucker Punch Productions focused on quality over quantity, ensuring every second is spent on something to savor.

If you’re intoGuitar Hero, buy this game. It’s one of the most solid Guitar Hero titles yet and should keep you busy for a long time.

Aside from the lackluster co-op and slow start, Astral Chain is one of those rare games where it’s difficult to say anything bad about it. The story and world building may fall short of the masterpiece that was NieR: Automata, which also involved Astral Chain director Takahisa Taura, but I dare say this is the best combat action in a Platinum Games title to date. The dual control of one of the Howard twins and the Legion in an innovative twist in battle and makes combat as fun to watch as it is to play. The exploration and detective work make The Ark a world that I wanted to protect from the Chimeras. Astral Chain is one of the best games of 2019 so far and may even be remembered as one of the greatest Switch exclusives.

It's rare to play an FPS with gameplay this creative and exciting. [Vol 3, Issue 2, p.54]

Guacamelee! Gold Edition only helps to enhance the rich, fun, free-scrolling action platformer by strengthening the visual art style and adding a bevy of Steamworks features.

For those looking for something akin to Gran Turismo or Forza but with motorcycles, RIDE 6 is the closest thing you're going to get. A plethora of bikes, tracks and a deep Career Mode will have players engaged in a single-player experience that doesn't force a grind. Bikes are fully upgradeable with licensed parts that provide different performance increases. The racing is fun with an AI that's uniquely unpredictable, but enjoyable at times. The Bridgestone Racing School will get you ready for the in-game and real-world riding. RIDE 6 suffers in the technical areas with inconsistent visuals and bike sounds, along with a good bit of random, yet quick loading times. With more content coming in the future, this is the game that squids and twisty riders have been waiting for.

Grab a comfy chair, snacks and maybe even some tissues to prepare for playing Umineko When They Cry – Answer Arcs. You’ll be in for the long haul as the story twists and turns for at least fifty hours. While there were some slower story segments in the Question Arcs, there’s none of that here. Every event feels completely Earth-shattering and reveals prove utterly satisfying. Any visual novel fan out there who has not yet read Umineko When They Cry needs to rectify this immediately.

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition is simply a fantastic fighter. Street Fighter V featured outstanding fighting mechanics upon its original release, but felt like a bare bones husk of a game that was rushed out the door incomplete to capitalize on the eSports trend. Street Fighter V Arcade Edition fills in the negative space and delivers the fighting game experience it should have been in the first place.

Intake is the arcade-shooter to defeat all arcade-shooters, both in play and style.

What makes F1 22 great are the improvements to the core technical aspects. The new cars look and sound amazing as the game is buttery smooth across the board. The new physics with the new cars will challenge even the pros up front until they figure out their setups. The supercars on the Pirelli Hot Laps are fun to play around with, but I’m assuming that licensing issues prevented Codemasters from having a deeper implementation into the game. The point is a return is needed for classic cars and to add even more from different generations. Otherwise, the new additions are slight improvements, but underwhelming. The pit box integration is better than having nothing, but once that timing is down, it doesn’t amount to much. The limited gameplay mode selection and the reduction of major aspects does sting. I will give kudos to Codemasters for trying some new things and while nothing flopped, it was played safe. What matters most is what happens on the track and F1 22 offers the best racing the series has seen.

Animal Crossing has always been a series where every little thing leads to something productive. Doing nothing and staring off into the sky is relaxing, decorating houses is fun and catching critters feels rewarding. There’s never been a real “point” to Animal Crossing but that’s what makes it enjoyable, as every person can enjoy and do what they like at their own pace. New Horizons nails this feeling more than ever, with so many options and lots of things to collect and enjoy. While it’s easy to play in short bursts, it’s often hard to stop playing when ideas keep coming and experimentation is so much fun when there’s little to no consequences. New Horizons is by far the best Animal Crossing and anyone looking for a way to relax or get creative should not miss out.

Huntdown is awesome, plain and simple. The action is intense and extremely fun, with big, superb levels, tons of firepower to work with, and a cavalcade of amazing enemy encounters and even more amazing bosses. Huntdown is an extremely enjoyable romp that does its coin-op predecessors proud when it comes to satisfying gameplay and perfectly-executed graphics, earning its spot alongside the other retro indie greats…or just alongside other great action games, period. If you’re reading this, then just go and buy it. You will most assuredly not be disappointed.

This reimagining is the ultimate Ratchet & Clank experience, incorporating over a decade’s worth of weapons, mechanics and knowledge into a single forty dollar package. Unfortunately, not everything translated over perfectly as this is far from the most challenging game, and while there are plenty of gadgets to be found, few are used properly. Fortunately, the story changes feel natural and make the narrative refreshing for newcomers and old school fans alike.

Tempest 4000 is a fantastic conclusion to Llamasoft’s work on the games and easily holds its place amidst the classics of Atari’s flagship arcade series.

Quick to learn, quick to play and delivering large doses of fun regardless of whether you’re trying to master it or just seeing how many insane card effects you have in a single match, Friends vs Friends is a gem of a PvP shooter that can easily keep you sucked in for lengthy sessions. So grab as many friends as you can (assuming you can get them to pick up the game or gift copies to them) or just jump in casual play to take on “friends” you haven’t met yet, because either way, you’re in for a blast here.

Simply put, if you own a Wii U and love Mario, then you should definitely pick it up.

Bottom line, Skydance Interactive has undoubtedly created the deepest VR experience to date with The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.

Our review of Hearts of Stone mentioned that it was a shining example of how to create meaningful downloadable content, and yet Blood and Wine manages to top it in nearly every way imaginable.

Just like his grand adventure, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is simply a delight to experience in the unique and puzzling world he explores. Those who had the original on Wii U might not get as much enjoyment the second time around due to the small amount of new content, but this is a must-have puzzle title for anyone who hasn’t picked it up before or is just desperate to have it on the go. While it may just be a port with only a few new additions, hopefully there is more to come from the adventurous Toad in the future on the journey to collect all the treasure around.

428: Shibuya Scramble is clearly the child of Spike Chunsoft as it brings together some of the best features from Zero Escape and Danganronpa into a new title. Yet, it manages to forge a totally distinct identity from both those titles. The ridiculous sense of humor and over-the-top drama is hard to tear away from. The biggest complaint is simply that, as an extremely long visual novel, its text options are not as fully featured as they should be. Simply put, 428: Shibuya Scramble is unlike any other visual novel out there.

Codemasters has put a good amount of thought into reinventing the GRID experience. GRID Legends is no doubt the best GRID to date with the amount of new options and the power of the PlayStation 5 and added tech included. I simply had a lot of fun playing this as the racing model is as addictive as ever. The story mode deserves recognition due to its design and a solid enough story, but feels more like a tutorial to get players acclimated with the series. The visuals have highlights and lowlights, but the weather effects and the reflections are where it shines the best without having to implement ray tracing. The game needs to be experienced with a headset on this console and it also gives a possible idea of what a game that launches in a week might have in store. GRID Legends pushes the series forward with new additions while the core game remains intact.

Players with a half-decent computer and a controller will find themselves lost in a game that goes above and beyond what’s expected from the genre.

Guacamelee! is a rich, fun, free-scrolling action platformer with a fantastic fighting engine, some truly tricky platforming challenges, and a vibrant style all its own.

RunGunJumpGun is simple arcade action taken to its extremes. The basic controls don’t get in the way of the gameplay being run through endless permutations, with each of the 120+ levels giving a new challenge distinct from the previous ones.

Blasphemous 2 has earned its place as one of the great metroidvanias. While it can be punishingly difficult, it’s equally rewarding to overcome all challenges the game has to offer. It maintains everything that was good about the original but also improves on its shortcomings, putting a greater emphasis on exploration and character building. When it comes to overall gameplay, Blasphemous 2 is not a terribly innovative title, but it does an exceptional job of following the best examples of the genre and creating its own unique and unforgettable world. For any metroidvania fan, missing out on Blasphemous 2 would truly be a sin worthy of penitence.

If Severed does turn out to be the Vita’s swan song, Sony can hang its hat knowing that the Vita’s last hurrah was a grade-A banger from a premier independent developer.

Terraria was utterly fantastic on PC, and has made a near-perfect jump to console.

God of War Ragnarök is to God of War (2018) as God of War II was to God of War. God of War II may not have changed much mechanically, but it made nuanced improvements to gameplay, story and level design, all while injecting much-needed variety into the enemies and environments. These improvements yielded a fantastic sequel that remains one of the best entries in the franchise.

F1 2017 is the best representation of a complicated sport that Codemasters has offered. Offering its deepest and most authentic career mode, it draws players into the sport like no other F1 game ever has.

To put my enjoyment in perspective, I am a huge Dragon Quest fan, and while I appreciate what Minecraft is and what it does, it never held my interest for long as a game. I couldn’t stop playing Dragon Quest Builders and it is one of those experiences that I look forward to continue playing even after the review is done.

It’s an amazing title that exceeds all expectations, and even during some of the more difficult sections is hard to put down for more than a few minutes. There isn’t a single recent title that comes to mind that truly captures what made retro titles great while also managing to be outstanding all by itself. Save Me Mr Tako! is a title that is for anyone who loves amazing platformers with a perfect balance of puzzles, combat, challenges and story.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a cinematic RPG experience that showcases both visual and audio prowess. The tone is depressing, but is countered by the beauty of this world and the hope from its characters to succeed on their mission. The combat is engaging enough as it relies on Quicktime Events and a parry system to keep players engaged. This is a solid leap in this turn-based RPG genre that normally would get stale due to the repetition of combat. The overall experience is a slow burn, but comes alive once reaching the halfway point. The main narrative comes in at thirty hours and there's some other content that can clock in at sixty, but a lot of this feels like dead air time because the world is rather empty and there are times where you're walking for the sake of walking. If you're a fan of turn-based RPGs or this type of lore, it would be hard to pass this up for a playthrough.

Even if it still doesn’t lead to some sort of resurgence in extreme sports games, OlliOlli World can still stand as one of the most unique and fun skateboarding games of all time, one that’s perfectly suited for both novices and masters alike thanks to its intense and immaculate level design, massive variety of tricks to pull off and tons of challenges to keep players coming back for more. Top it all off with a superbly psychedelic style and setting to make things pop, and what you have is a skateboarding experience that may very well indeed be the closest to Gnarvana that you can get.

If you decided to wait for the PC version of Dark Souls II before jumping in, you’ve made the right decision. It’s not leaps and bounds better than its console counterpart, but the graphical enhancements aid the immersion.

Thank Goodness You're Here is a resounding triumph that showcases how comedy and gaming can thrive in perfect harmony. This ability to be at the heart of this interactive comedic experience enhances the belly laughs, the surreal silliness is a joy to behold, and the level design, ever-changing environment and exquisite animation all play their part as well. It's a title that captures the essence of small-town British life and then pushes the stereotypes to the nth degree to offer over-the-top characters and gags that will live long in the memory. It is an admittedly short experience, but it's one that serves as a blueprint for anyone who wants to create a game where humor is the USP.

To get straight to the point, Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp is pure fun, plain and simple. And this is all thanks to simple yet highly-addictive gameplay that will have you hunting down every possible event and ending you can, sharp writing that isn’t afraid to get as bonkers as possible and delivers impressive black comedy, a roster of characters that continues the series tradition of giving players the most lovably insane misfits possible, and memorable multiplayer action that deserves to be shared with as many friends as one can gather. Developer Beautiful Glitch has been open about the possible updates and sequels in development, but even as is, this is one bizarre and amazing camping trip that you won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Every Vita owner needs to experience Murasaki Baby. By creating a personal and engaging story, all while wrapping it in a hypnotically original art design, Ovosonico have gone where most other developers fear to tread.

Ultros is already a solid, extremely fun metroidvania game when played straight, with nice combat, an interesting story and a gorgeous world filled with intrigue and a great use of organic life as a major theme. But it's when the game focuses on exploration and the possibility of greater secrets that it becomes something truly special, showcasing clever puzzle design that ramps up the challenge even further, also highlighting its innovative gardening mechanics in the process. It's easy to get sucked into Ultros for long periods of time or even multiple playthroughs, and it's all time well spent.

Monster Hunter World is a fantastic entry into the series and stands as a pinnacle of accomplishments for Capcom. Iceborne does everything within its power to improve upon that and does it fantastically. From the wide and varied amount of new monsters and sub-species, to the quality of life changes in the new village, Iceborne nails it extremely well.

Tembo the Badass Elephant is easily one of the most memorable releases of 2015 and hopefully the beautiful beginning of Game Freak branching out from Pokemon (and Nintendo) to deliver more pleasant surprises.

Whether you missed out on the original two years previous or are looking for a worthwhile part of the Xbox Series X/S launch line-up, Tetris Effect: Connected is an even more joyous and grander expansion on what remains one of the puzzle great’s most creative interpretations.

The lack of multiplayer holds Berserk and the Band of the Hawk back from being the greatest Omega Force title, but players who are okay with this will find an experience that both captures the soul of the source material as well as one of the purest, most hyperviolent, titles to hit the market.

Firewatch is one of those games that you need to take a step back and think about after it’s over. This tense four-hour adventure might lead you to believe it’s going places it never goes, and while some might wish for a grander tale loaded with conspiracy, what’s actually there stands on its own as wonderful. A touching human story sprinkled with player agency, Firewatch succeeds in causing players to consider what it truly means to be alone.

Whether you were a fan of the original game or a newcomer to this twisted world of dioramas, Bleak Sword DX provides a perfectly action-packed experience that’s sure not to disappoint. The eye-popping use of pixel art and monochrome visuals combined with the challenging combat and impressive level designs easily makes for a classic bit of hack-and-slash fun, a journey of 8-bit brutality that’d not to be missed out on. Sure, you may die several times along the way, but it’s still a journey worth taking.

The gameplay is still far from perfect, and I’d be interested to see how FIFA develops its machine-learning AI and if that would be accessible for Madden in the future. Hits can be brutally nasty using the Hit Stick and seeing different tackles, catches or sack-evading animations will leave you impressed.

Lunar Knights is a game that manages to feel really fresh and original despite sticking to material that's as traditional as it gets in a video game. [Apr 2007, p.48]

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon encapsulates what the heart of the series has always been about. Its engrossing story combines finally bringing forth some of the huge bombshells that the Calvard arc had in store while also not forgetting the importance of fostering the vast world where even the most mundane NPC truly matters for those who have been following the tale so far. Meanwhile, the gameplay is truly remarkable in its customization and strategic elements while finally showcasing, along with last year’s Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, that Falcom has found a great balance between the action-oriented and turn-based formats.

Though some elements haven’t aged well, the level design and music are still superb, and ultimately 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is likely the best way to experience an irrefutable classic.

Velocity 2X isn’t just one of the best games of the year, it might just be the best downloadable title exclusively available on the PlayStation 4.

The gameplay is fun, varied and challenging, and will test the skills of even the most hardcore platforming fans.

It Takes Two is thus far one of the year’s best platformers, best overall games, and can likely stake a claim as one of the best co-op games ever created. It merges a grand platforming adventure with sublime co-op play through a blend of perfectly-crafted challenges and jaw-dropping levels and setpieces that you need to share with someone close to you. It’s a triumph in almost every area, with such a wide range of expertly-executed ideas and gameplay concepts that it deserves to be called a true passion project in almost every sense of the word. You need to experience this as soon as you can, so grab a friend and prepare to be wowed.

Once again, Turn 10 Studios proves that they’re at the top of the heap when it comes to creating impeccable racing mechanics. Car porn is a term thrown around a lot by racing game fans and Forza Motorsport 7 is just that. It’s beautiful, a pleasure to the ears, mechanically sound and just incredibly fun to play. Variety is a huge component to what makes this such an appealing and sought after series and nothing was skimped this time around. With around 700 cars to collect, 32 tracks with multiple variations of each, a diverse set of tuning and customizations and dynamic weather effects, there is enough content here to last a long time. Also, playing online will always be a highly-engaging and especially entertaining activity, having seen so many crashes and overly assertive drivers. Sure, the campaign mode won’t win over any fans and the implementation of loot boxes can be a concerning trend for the future, but they are small blips on an overly comprehensive racer. For fans of racing games such as this, Forza Motorsport 7 offers more than you can possibly hope for. It’s a top-tier racing experience.

With a sports-like feel dripping from its commentary and team-based play, RIGS is a fantastic first-person shooter that works in either short bursts or for longer play sessions when you get in the zone. It gives you a sense of awe that no other game in the PlayStation VR launch lineup can rival, offering the most rewarding gameplay as well.

The Stanley Parable is many things all at once, and all of them are clever and fun. It’s a story made of stories, an exploration of the limits of freedom in gaming, a battle between narrator and narrated, and a giant self-referential meta feedback loop.

Persona 5 Royal is a shining beam of light for the JRPG genre and one you won’t want to put down despite its massive time commitment.

Visual novel fans simply must play Steins;Gate at some point in their life. Whether it be the original or Elite is up to personal preference for the game’s initial artwork versus its totally animated visuals. Fortunately, animated scenes in no way hinder the excellent storytelling at work in the game. It expertly weaves scientific concepts, humor, drama and even horror together in one package. Thanks to Steins;Gate Elite, many more people will finally get to experience the incredible world of Steins;Gate for themselves.

The Swapper is yet another indie coup for Sony, as it is very clearly one of the best puzzle games to come out in years.

At the time the first title was released, Investigations was a wonderful breath of fresh air to the gameplay people had come to know and love. It gave a different approach to a similar idea with familiar characters, while still feeling true and faithful to everything up to this point. Not only do they have outstanding stories, but memorable moments that we're thrilled can be experienced with the second title finally localized for the first time. Now that fans finally have access to every mainline Ace Attorney title on modern platforms, we can't wait to see what comes next for the franchise. Until then, however, it's well worth checking out Ace Attorney Investigations Collection for anyone who has or hasn't checked out these wonderful titles before.

3D Don't Die, Mr Robot! is a ridiculously-playable arcade game that feels great whether just making things explode or chasing after a new score for the leaderboard, perfect for a moment's break or digging in to a proper high-score run.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s prioritization of exploration and stealth coupled with a more reflective plot ends Lara’s origin story on a more human note, which is strengthened by the remarkable presentation.

NBA 2K18 is once again king of the court, proving why the series has managed to remain so superior in recent years. While not each of the updates to the signature modes prove to be as beneficial as intended, the ones that do work, particularly in MyCareer, are further boosted by rock-solid gameplay and a presentation unrivaled within the genre.

Clearly designed for and best experienced on the Wii U, it’s a rare non-exclusive killer app that should be purchased immediately to ensure its franchise lives a long and productive life.

With a renewed focus on tangible gameplay improvements and general realism, this year’s iteration of the longstanding franchise feels like the best yet. Being able to execute more accurate dribble moves and jump shots is fantastic on its own, but hearing engaging and varied commentary at the same time makes the entire experience feel fantastic.

Those who missed out on the XBLA release of Spelunky and want a good tough rogue-like should pick it up from Steam. It’s a little more based on reflexes than most rogue-likes, but even if you find out you’re not that good at it, it is still a riot to watch friends try to get as far as the can before making the wrong step and getting crushed by a boulder.

DoDonPachi Resurrection is a monster of an arcade shooter.

Killing Floor 2 is dangerously habit forming. There is always something new to level up, some new difficulty to master, a new way to mess up the piles of biomechanical flesh. Whether with a pick up game or a group of friends, Killing Floor 2 mainlines cathartic bliss.

Something about the Wii remote makes this game feel very immediate and real, leading to a more fun gameplaying experience. [Mar 2007, p.59]

With new content, minor balancing and smart new formula tweaks, Drinkbox has managed to improve their already fantastic Mexican Metroidvania title.

This episode has a fairly basic story, driven forward by great character writing and a compelling air of mystery, but it’s plain to see that there are many dramatic, earth-shattering moments yet to come.

Battleborn has done what I would have previously thought was impossible: it has kept me interested in its multiplayer. I typically grow bored with adversarial multiplayer after about an hour or two, yet I have spent so much time with this title already and want to keep going.

Anybody who’d like to replay the series or experience it for the first time before the looming release of Unharted 4 have no reason not to pick up The Nathan Drake Collection; it’s simply the best way to experience three great games.

An absolute blast at every turn and just pure concentrated fun overall, Enter the Gungeon is an absolute gem that is not to be missed out on and Dodge Roll should be congratulated for it.

Higurashi weaves such an intense tale each and every chapter. After being involved for this long, it’s nearly impossible for fans to stop playing now. We’re finally being rewarded with an Answer Arc and getting to learn far more about the events which transpired. As future chapters release, players will finally begin to hone in on the actual truth of the matter. Higurashi When They Cry Hou – Ch.5 Meakashi offers a rather bloodthirsty introduction to Answer Arcs and also a much-needed explanation for earlier events. There are still more chapters to go, but if they’re anything like this one, players are going to be in for an amazing ride.

Sure, there’s a few oddities here and there, but overall Gahkthun of the Golden Lightning has rocketed up the list of must play visual novels on Steam.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is the very definition of escapism, offering a mindbogglingly large amount of content. One could spend upwards of fifty hours exploring the world without completing more than a few introductory missions in the main story — which itself can offer over twenty hours of gameplay.

While it’s a bit creaky around the edges at times, Sairento VR‘s ninja action is truly fantastic when it gets moving. Hopping from wall to wall while picking off headshots then diving to earth in a slide that ends in decapitation feels amazing, as does holding the high ground and raining arrows down for stealth kills. You can pull out the guns and go in blazing or pick your way carefully and be sneaky, although once one enemy has seen you, all enemies always know where you are so you need to be ready if things go wrong. There’s a huge amount of depth in its gameplay and every moment can be dealt with in whatever way makes you happiest. Dive in with the sword, dual-wield pistols, break out the sniper rifle, toss kunai around or machine-gun everything that moves. If you can combine speed, grace and firepower, there’s not an enemy out there that can stand against your ninja might.

Being the fifth entry to this offshoot of the larger Mystery Dungeon series means that existing fans will know what to expect going in and those players should know that this is arguably the best entry to the series. For new folks interested in seeing what some of the more obtuse genre entries are all about, this is the perfect place to start.

With its charming and unique pinball mechanics that get subtly, cleverly more complex and elaborate the further you progress — as well as a charming art-style present in its environments and characters alike — what it lacks in some grandiose narrative or punctuating tone, Villa Gorilla more than make up for with a gameplay loop that excels on its originality — garnering a wide smile to one’s face in the process.

Zet ZIllions is a game that isn't afraid to head to crazy places, be it sentient planets sucking on pacifiers or more legit terrors from other dimensions. And not only does this make for some great characters, visuals and a wild world to explore, but this extends to the card battles and their spread of unique mechanics, making for a ton of fun as you work with them to create the best deck possible. It's a sheer blast of creativity that's worth checking out and makes the game stand out among all of the other roguelike deckbuilders. Truly weird and wonderful stuff.

I, Robot is an incredible sequel to a lost arcade classic, instantly playable by fans of the original, but with more than enough new gameplay hooks to make it stand on its own. All the features of a Llamasoft game are present, from the occasionally rude level name to an audio soundscape comprised of baa-ing sheep and endless samples, plus the visual overload that dials it back on the main part of the level and goes for broke during the shooter sections. Each level is its own little arcade puzzle, with the player needing to untangle how the enemies are going to move this time and what the best path through looks like, and whether you want to do a full run from Level 0 to the end or just take it a couple levels at a time and continue as needed, I, Robot is happy to accommodate. The authoritarian eye should probably be paying much closer attention to the robot's moves, but its laziness means you can cram an entire level of rebellion right through its all-seeing cornea.

With so much to love about BUSTAFELLOWS, it’s an easy recommendation for all otome visual novel fans. It’s not perfect; the inability to save at dialogue choices is annoying for completionists, but that’s a small complaint in the grand scheme of things. Excellent characters, storytelling, localization, voice acting, art and more make this one of the best releases this year. Here’s hoping BUSTAFELLOWS is just the start of PQube’s otome localization career. Give it a look if you want a taste of the criminal underworld alongside delectable romance.

A year later, its still hard to say bad things about this compilation. Final Fantasy X is still one of the best installments in the franchise, and the fresh coat of paint is a delightful treat.

If you feel that you’ve already braved the darkest, scariest secrets of Hinamizawa then you will be surprised by the latest chapter.

The Swapper is a wonderfully clever game that’s as smart as it is atmospheric.

Kirby's Epic Yarn is one of the most enjoyable platformers out there. While some may balk at its ease, it does offer more of a challenge for those who come into it with an open mind.

Just like both of its predecessors, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a fantastic turn-based RPG with monster-raising elements. With satisfying challenges and depth to its mechanics, it’s an impressive new entry to its franchise, rewarding fans with an epic experience.

For those willing to take the chance, what awaits is a fantastic, mesmerizing trip across America and its parables and oddities throughout the ages, with a journey that’s easy to get lost in full of amazing writing, splendid characters and superb performances all around.

Those holding out for a showpiece title for their PS5 now have it. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart utilizes the power and functionalities of the PS5 to deliver a must-own experience while also standing as an excellent game on its own. Rift Apart follows Insomniac Games’ tried and true Ratchet & Clank formula, providing excellent gameplay, plenty of content and the signature humor that’s made the characters so endearing.

Despite being left wanting a bit more, What Remains of Edith Finch is a one of those examples of truly interactive storytelling. In gaming, there are many examples of titles that are lauded for their narrative that don’t quite hold up when compared to genre contemporaries in other mediums. There have been and will certainly be many more diatribes that explore this phenomenon. Giant Sparrow has created a title that can be held up against books and movies for storytelling prowess and stand strong. With its contemplative story and consistent interesting use of design, this is a title that should be experienced by anyone interested in what video games can do.

Given its somber tone and grueling difficulty, I’m not sure if I should refer to Brandish: The Dark Revenant as the PSP’s swan song or its funeral dirge, but either way it’s among the system’s best RPGs.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has taken all the best parts from the Wii U version and improves quite a bit upon where it needed some adjustments. From the entirely revamped battle mode to all the brand new characters and features, Deluxe is far more than just a port. Those who have never played Mario kart 8 and have a Switch should consider this a need to play title, and those who had it on Wii U should know that this is still worth picking up as it is the definitive version by far. Whether racing on the track or taking down opponents in battle mode, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a perfect addition to the Switch library and remains the best Mario Kart title to date.