Torchlight III doesn’t bring anything new to the looter dungeon crawler and that’s okay. It’s rather simplified and accessible, but most importantly fun and hard to stop playing. Hardcore fans of this style may be critical of the fact that it might be too simplistic and accessible, and that’s understandable since I have fond memories of working out complex character builds in other games of this nature and feeling pride when they worked out well. Comparing Torchlight III to other dungeon crawlers may come up lacking in those areas, but it’s an enjoyable game just taking it in as its own entity, making the return trip to Novastraia worthwhile.

Super Mario Bros. 35 is extremely addictive to keep playing over and over, trying to get that top spot no matter how long it takes. Matches can last a good amount of time with the final remaining group of players, so it becomes a strategy match of trying to send threatening enemies to everyone else, hoping they slip up. There are so many creative concepts here and it’s nice to see such wild ideas for the battle royale genre popping up this year that make things silly in the best kind of way. It’s a crying shame this title won’t be around forever, but as a free title for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, it’s a fantastically fun time all the same. Anyone looking for a crazy new challenging way to play the original Super Mario Bros should give Super Mario Bros. 35 a try and jump into the fray.

Ikenfell likely won’t replace the Harry Potter series as a whole when it comes to providing a signature web of tales centered around a magic school, but it still provides one impressive journey on its own. Filled with lovable characters, an enjoyable story, and a colorful world to explore filled with a nice level of challenge and a stunning soundtrack, there’s a lot here for fantasy and RPG fans to check out. Heck, it may even be something to recommend to younger gamers as an introduction to the tactics subgenre. Overall, Ikenfell is a trip to a far-out school that’s definitely worth taking.

Star Wars: Squadrons nails the inherently exciting feeling of piloting and fighting in its iconic starfighters, but the paltry single player and multiplayer modes fail to do anything ambitious or impressive with the core gameplay. The sheer amount of gameplay and aesthetic customization and clear passion for the license do their best to make up for these shortcomings, and could keep dedicated Star Wars or space combat fans invested. But as the hours wear on, Squadrons’ repetitive objectives starts to feel less like a main attraction and more like a fun diversion, ultimately leaving the game as an enjoyable multiplayer experience to return to when you feel that itch for a few rounds of frantic and fast space combat.

Wherever it takes you, Genshin Impact is a more-than-convincing proposition, not least for those adamant on never spending a single cent in-game. The grind to get there may not always feel wholly natural or that players are genuinely being left to wander without restraint, but Genshin Impact‘s meticulous approach to environment design above all pulls through in many wonderful ways. Crafting one of the year’s more immersive and surprisingly rich open-world RPGs.

I Am Dead is a delightfully quirky game about the afterlife, presenting a unique world with a rich history inside of it, all with a tone that’s a perfect level of light-hearted. While you may be able to breeze through certain parts of it, the whole game makes for a memorable experience, filled with enjoyable puzzles to solve, colorful tidbits to uncover and interesting characters to learn about. Certain parts of the story have Morris worried if he’ll actually be remembered now that he’s gone, and ironically, his story taking place from his death onward makes for a tale you likely won’t forget.

RIDE 4 is the best entry in the series and fixes a lot of problems that past games had. Its diverse mix of event types in the career mode keeps it fresh even with a few tedious tests dragging things down. The on-track action shines at all times when you have rivals with you, and no matter what track you’re on or what time of day or conditions you’re racing in, you’re in for a fun time. It’s a challenging game, but in a good way as it encourages you to get better and offers a wide variety of difficulty options to help you along the way. Put simply, Ride 4 looks and sounds fantastic and controls like a dream.

There’s a lot to love with Paradise Killer. From the cool cast of characters, to the open-ended nature of the investigation, players will find it easy to dive in. The vaporwave visual design may not be to everyone’s tastes, but those who enjoy it will love the world on display. The biggest disappointments are that there’s not more to the world exploration aspect. It’s also a shame that the open world nature of the gameplay does not carry over into the anticlimactic trials. Even so, it’s worth taking a vacation on Paradise Island. Paradise Killer is a bold first release from Kaizen Game Works and we’re looking forward to see what they create next.

While it’s nice to have a game based on the television version of The Walking Dead that’s enjoyable, this aspect falls short in The Walking Dead Onslaught. While some of the voice acting and the face models are good, the rest feels tacked on. Being able to identify targets and pick your points using guns offer a fantastic feeling, but the motion detection on the PSVR has a lot of issues. These issues may be a bigger deal if this was a full-priced game, but it’s only $30 and completely worth it for that price. I feel this would be a better experience on other platforms, but the game is playable and still enjoyable on PSVR. While I prefer a horror title that creates an atmosphere, the frantic tone of Onslaught does a good job in creating something different.

The story isn’t anything special, but Crash and Coco’s story is told with such enthusiasm and charisma that it’s hard not to get sucked in for the 6-8 hour duration. The ten dimensions are wonderfully designed, filled with plenty of intricate levels that will test your platforming capabilities. Thankfully, the gameplay for Crash, Coco and the side characters remains excellent, though the new Quantum Masks and camera issues create some frustrating moments. It’s all wrapped together in a colorful and beautiful presentation that takes advantage of this current crop of hardware. It’s about time we got a good new Crash game and Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time delivers just that.

Mafia: Definitive Edition’s gorgeous open world is weakened by its mediocre campaign and flat combat mechanics. Driving through the bustling streets and open countryside of Lost Heaven in classic vehicles is fun enough at low or high speeds, and the story, while rushed, does ultimately put players in cool locations and situations. But without any unique storylines or exciting on-foot gameplay to keep the player invested, and a restrictive focus on missions over open world exploration, there’s little here that stands out for those who don’t already have a fascination with mafia stories or mid-twentieth century history. For all the emphasis Mafia: Definitive Edition places on history and creating a legacy, this well-made but largely forgettable journey doesn’t do enough to earn its spot in the family.

Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia is a fun, but flawed action-platformer that may deliver a lot of thrills for fans of the series, but lacks enough substance to be a must-buy for those coming in cold. It’s a good game technically, but one with levels that lack soul and a rock-solid layout. What’s here is done well — but it could be done better. The graphical design in particular feels like something from a bygone era with iffy-looking character models and environments that are dull and lifeless. There’s a lot of life to the world around you, but the darker visual look of everything beguiles it and doesn’t do it much justice. Thankfully, it’s still a fun romp in part to the show’s voice cast shining and the excellent soundtrack making the adventure fun to listen to.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an action-packed mech epic for the ages. The narrative is some of the strongest ever seen coming from Vanillaware. While there are a couple plot holes and gameplay can become repetitive in certain missions, the title is a strong and original work of art that’s packed with content. There are thirteen different protagonists with their own branching stories based on player decisions. All protagonists feel like fully-formulated characters — each also serving as a classic anime archetype. The characters are believable in this frenzied drama that takes players for a narrative ride. Emotional storytelling helps to set the tone for this sci-fi mystery and arcade-like gameplay makes for satisfyingly quick encounters. It’s a title with more to discover as we go and it’s a full package for any mech fan. Any fan of the genre would agree: 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an instant mech classic.

For a title that dropped out of nowhere, Kirby Fighters 2 is filled with all the charm of the average Kirby title but without a world map to explore. The fighting is fun and challenging with a surprising amount of variety in characters. The gameplay can almost start to feel repetitive at times but with fights being so short most of the time it’s easy to switch it up and hop back in feeling refreshed. There’s a lot of value here that gives in to what could be a ridiculous amount of gameplay for people who love completing every challenge. Anyone looking for a Kirby title with faster-paced combat and a focus on fast-paced fights should dive into Kirby Fighters 2.

Serious Sam 4 is easily the richest game in the series, expanding on the character and his world while not holding back on the action that’s been the major draw from the earliest days. While it starts off gently and takes a bit to ramp up, soon enough rampaging werebulls charge in with a swarm of kleer, backed up by big green four-armed reptiloids tossing homing-spheres, plus a nice variety of new enemies to fill in the herd.

Mossmouth did the impossible with Spelunky 2 in managing to create a sequel to an incredible game that did not disenfranchise existing fans or turn off newbies. Instead, they’ve crafted another hard-as-nails experience that’s devilishly fun to play. Almost every new feature is an improvement and the new visual and audio flourishes enhance it further. Those who never played the original game don’t have to. They can jump straight into Spelunky 2 and enjoy a masterful title that will likely never grow old.

Ultimately what kills the experience are the microtransactions. While the game might be $40, literally 80% of the Superstars are locked with some that you can’t even pay for (John Cena). There was a lot of potential here but it doesn’t come close to the arcade experience that WWE All-Stars had. It’s hard to tout WWE 2K Battlegrounds as a social game with the focus on variety coming from the single player portion.

Going Under may not be the equivalent of a monolithic business worth billions, but it still ends up being a highly-successful venture that provides a fun and enjoyable service. The combat is smooth and and rewards varied approaches, the weapons are a blast to play with, and everything is nice and challenging. Throw in a clever and sweet satire of tech startups and the end package is something worth checking out. Killing hordes of monsters may sound like a thankless job, but it does end up being something that nicely pays off here.

It goes without saying that these classic Mario titles hold up extremely well. Each one is still fantastic and even Mario 64 manages to remain fun without feeling outdated aside from its slightly wonky camera. Neither Sunshine or Galaxy have seen official re-releases since their debut in most countries and Super Mario 64 only had a mediocre virtual console port that was generally hated due to severe input lag. It’s fantastic to have all three of these now available on Switch and they absolutely hold up. It’s a huge disappointment that at the time of this review Nintendo has said that this collection will only be available until the end of March 2021 but hopefully they see some other form of release so it can be enjoyed for the entirety of the Switch’s lifetime. Anyone looking to play through the games again or try them out for the first time shouldn’t miss out on Super Mario 3D All-Stars.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is the best way to experience the journey of the Fateless One. Paradoxically, this version also feels like a relic of the past and does suffer from it. For the most part this remaster feels like playing a previous gen game on a backwards compatible console using texture smoothing, which probably isn’t too far removed from what it is. It’s still a great time and a highly-recommended game, but it does suffer from the caveat of “this is a great game for 2012.” Still, anyone willing to look past the dated menus and RPG tropes can have a blast with this action RPG.

It may not be the coveted next leap forward given last year’s highly-satisfying rendition, but WRC 9 provides a satisfying-enough reminder as to the heights this series has finally achieved.

Hotshot Racing is a refreshing blast of retro-arcade racing action. Every inch of each course is filled with personality, from fans waving on the sidelines to dinosaurs wandering through jungles and caves. The racers don’t come out quite so well but you spend most of the time looking at a car rather than the person driving it, so thankfully that’s not too much of a problem. The racing action feels as good as the courses look, and while eventually you learn that the first couple times around the track don’t matter so long as you’ve got a nice supply of boosts for the final lap (Normal and Hard modes only), it’s still more than fun enough to burn up the track at top speed. Hotshot Racing plays as nice as it looks and ends up being a concentrated shot of pure upbeat racing happiness.

NBA 2K20 was a fun and serious game of basketball to play. On the surface, I’m partial to the difficulty involved in shooting and the Advanced Pro Stick for NBA 2K21, as they can no doubt separate the great players from the average ones with endless combo possibilities. I like the idea of having to get better with shooting and while I’ve improved, the results are still too inconsistent no matter the player you have. What made last year’s version great with the new MyPLAYER designs are all here, but roughly not updated. The narrative in MyCAREER is enjoyable, but leaves a gaping hole at the end. The Neighborhood is also a nice change of scenery. It really comes down to the difficulty involved in NBA 2K21 holding it back from greatness. You’re not allowed to build up to it with confidence. Also, if purchasing the Standard Edition, the grind is worse when it comes to getting badges for your player or getting cards in MyTEAM. When the grind interferes with the gameplay, it becomes a major issue.

The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon adds an engaging new story to The Outer Worlds. The new content, save for the new location to explore, doesn’t change up the formula too much but that’s absolutely fine. With a game like The Outer Worlds more of the same is a good thing. The new story content seamlessly weaves into the main story and feels like a natural extension of what was already there. The time to complete The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon is enough where it feels like a worthwhile extension but doesn’t overstay its welcome and is the perfect reason to get back into The Outer Worlds.

For those who can forgive the confusing online component, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 stands as another well-crafted and well-realized remake of an old favorite. For the second time, Vicarious Visions demonstrate both a fond appreciation yet clever deducing on how this type of game should look and feel in current times. It’s this sense of harmony and of finding the treasured middle-ground — between the old we know and the implied new of a better experience — that the studio triumph on where it matters.

What makes 3 Out of 10 work is that it’s just plain enjoyable, mixing smart commentary on the gaming industry with a great cast that can weather the madness of their world. Like most TV series it takes an episode or two to fully establish itself, but I played these as they came out and caught myself looking forward to the season finale. The needs of a game are different than those of a TV show, but 3 Out of 10 does an amazing job of fusing them together into an episodic adventure that demands a hopefully-quick turnaround for Season Two.

There’s some might in these heroes, just not enough to keep things interesting.

For such a short game with so many issues, it seems crazy to recommend No Straight Roads. The story is overly drawn out, almost feeling like it was intended for a longer game, the levels are to be endured and the underlying systems meant to bring depth are just kind of there, staring at you, begging you to yell “Freebird” so it can go on a long tirade about jerks in the audience. Even the climax of the game felt tacked on. The boss fights, however, show flashes of well-designed brilliance. The game is designed to encourage experimentation to get the most of these parts, and then pushes the player into more elaborate variations that add to the challenge and fun. These parts make No Straight Roads an easy buy when it’s on sale, but it’s too bad that there’s more filler than killer here.

Even with the over-zealous use of effects and seemingly-obligated need to snapshot every significant moment mid-game, Tsubasa understands that to truly craft an entertaining sports title, it has to convince its players that the depth it houses is worthwhile. But much like the lofty heights of the best PES iterations, the game nails the tenuous, juggling of emotions that soccer can bring. Crafting on top two solid (if a touch slap-dash on presentation) story campaigns, that have all the trappings of some of the best and most resonating of emergent gameplay. I sincerely hope these issues are rectified sooner rather than later — Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is an unabashed yet joyous rendition on what makes soccer games so good.

While still supernatural, Tell Me Why provides more of a mature tale overall than Life is Strange. It’s surprisingly dark, but uplifting at times as well. This game takes chances with the cast of characters in ways that are mostly a resounding success. It’s exciting to see a LGBTQ lead character and a storyline that doesn’t plunge headfirst into tropes. Here’s hoping that this is a sign of where Dontnod will go in the future, because Tell Me Why is a step in the right direction.

Madden NFL 21 is a mix of missed opportunities. While it’s the best-looking version we’ve seen to date, EA Tiburon seems to have swayed the game in a different direction with new modes that keep you busy rather than engaged. The Yard is a mode that nobody asked for, and even if worth a shot, ended up shortsighted in its execution. Face of the Franchise continues to improve, but the fact an entire game has to be played on both sides of the ball just to extend the life of the mode is aggravating. Load times and transitions seem to be slow and it makes going through the fluff of MUT annoying. While the marketing has changed as the game lacks that true NFL feel, I do think the introductions are cool. The team also removed stats before starting a game. There are still legacy issues and bugs including Cam Newton being introduced as the Panthers quarterback even though it’s stated he’s on the Patriots. The gameplay is faster and the running game is more overpowered and that goes along with Superstar X-Factor 2.0. It’s hard to say where the franchise stands now in what it’s trying to accomplish with Madden NFL 21, but hopefully a new generation will bring a new experience.

It feels that inXile have hit their stride with this latest installment and have continued to flesh out the Wasteland world that is committed to individuality. Wasteland 3 is a world of open adventure, thrills and a deluge of blood. So what are you waiting for, Ranger? Get out there.

Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a great-playing game that falls just a bit short of being a well-crafted overall experience. The filler-filled stages and wave-based enemy rooms bog down the experience and get in the way of the fun. It’s a shame too as the core gameplay greatly exceeds the norm for licensed fare and delivers well-crafted swordplay, gunplay and melee combat all in one package. Beating up enemies is satisfying, but tackling waves of them in a weirdly laid-out labyrinth chips away at things. The graphical design is sharp and nicely matches the show, but is hurt by low-quality texture work from time to time. The sound design is top-shelf and not only fits the show, but makes you appreciate playing with a nice audio setup to better-discern enemy locations. Fans of the show will enjoy the game, while those just looking for a well-crafted action game may be disappointed.

Avoid at all cost; Gleamlight may have pretensions of depth, or at least a steady amount of enjoyment, but that’s all they are sadly.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles was already a wonderfully unique and challenging title when it originally released, but the Remastered Edition brings that all to the table with even more plus the ability to finally play with friends online. While the character models may still be clearly from many console generations ago, there’s so much wonder and charm put into it that it’s fantastic to play through and enjoy time and time again. It’s a wonder how even years later it still feels as inviting, and somewhat terrifying, to take on new dungeons and challenge whatever comes next. Anyone looking for a seemingly simple but utterly charming action adventure with tons of time to spend taking on dungeons need look no further than Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition.

Kandagawa Jet Girls has some rough edges to its presentation, but the core racing action is far better than expected. Many anime-based games wind up getting old quickly due to a limited concept, but by going with a time-tested genre and mixing gunplay in with racing, power-ups and tricks, you wind up with something that’s a lot of fun to play. Fans of the anime will find that it pays homage to it nicely, while even non-fans can give it a go and have a lot of fun — especially since there aren’t many water-based racing games out there and none with combat like this one has. The blend of visual novel and racing helps keep the races feel special, while the multi-layered track design adds a surprising amount of replay value. The graphics aren’t top-shelf, but get the job done, while the voice work and soundtrack are solid and nicely fit the characters and the action.

The skies may be an endless expanse of blue but the planet beneath it is infinitely detailed, and Microsoft Flight Simulator lays out the whole thing in a single game, waiting to be explored.

While some might balk at the fact that Project Cars 3 is designed to be accessible, under the hood is the same bone-grindingly difficult racing sim that the series has always been. There’s just more variety of modes and an easier on ramp for people to get into them. This newest title is a welcome mat for the new fans and the die hards alike. There’s always another fresh race to enjoy and a new challenge to overcome. While it isn’t perfect, Project Cars 3 is a solid entry to the series and the racing genre as a whole.

Aokana – Four Rhythms Across the Blue is the type of game you can recommend to someone who is interested in dipping their toe into the world of visual novels. It smashes through the stereotype that the genre is all about sexual content or sappy romance. Sure, there’s romance to be had, but it comes alongside an excellent storyline packed with Flying Circus fun. The way it takes aspects from anime also helps to make the game seem familiar. Existing visual novel lovers who passed on the game before should pick it up as well. While this might be a longer game, the hours fly by as you get drawn into the exciting world of Aokana – Four Rhythms Across the Blue.

Mortal Shell’s gameplay style is what makes it so accessible, as new combat mechanics like shell abilities and harden give players breathing room until they learn. The title is a harsh teacher, however, as death will likely occur. Enemy designs are intriguing and telegraph beautifully. AI reacts beautifully during combat for fluid play. It’s a title that streamlines a lot of the souls experience down to the bare essentials while being refreshing. Veterans of the genre may find the title too short, but may like the unique combat. Whether you’ve played these kinds of titles before or not, Mortal Shell solidifies itself as a serious contender

Phoenotopia Awakening is filled with a lot of potential from its wonderfully-charming presentation to utterly-delightful characters, but it just falls short of being something iconic and memorable with systems that often work against the player and can feel almost unfair like many retro video games most people don’t tend to pick up and play anymore. With a few tweaks it could make for a much more balanced experience, but Phoenotopia Awakening would be hard to recommend to those not looking for a steep challenge.

Despite its downfalls and legacy design issues, I simply cannot put down PGA Tour 2K21. Much like the previous Golf Club title, this is a golf game with smidgen of the PGA Tour tacked on it. MyPLAYER is designed to be a individualistic experience, but a lack of depth on the branded items and the fact that there’s no leveling up the player leaves the long-term aspect in question. Couple that with a season that is mostly full of fantasy courses with some mid-tier PGA Tour courses thrown in and those expecting a full on PGA experience will be disappointed. What matters the most here, however, is the golf and the proper representation of a golf broadcast. The addiction of building confidence until you find that sweet spot and the ability to nail shots that you crafted in your mind makes it worth it. Just avoid higher difficulties until you get comfortable, but I also feel getting too serious about your play style may ruin the experience that’s otherwise extremely fun. In the end PGA Tour 2K21 is a great game of golf and a promising start to the new franchise, and with 2K onboard, we should continue to see more of the PGA positively implemented in the future.

Battletoads revives what was thought to be a long-dead franchise without missing a step. The game benefits from modernized game mechanics but maintains the overall gameplay feel of the original titles. If you have fond memories of the earlier titles, it’s a no brainer that this is a title worth playing. The game does rely on nostalgia, but this is one of the better reboots around. Battletoads succeeds at making a game look and feel modern while maintaining the essence of what made it good so many years ago. Battletoads does offer a variety of different modes in addition to primarily being a beat ’em up title. It’s a truly ridiculous game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it’s good to see that after such a long break the ‘Toads are still on top of their game.

Spiritfarer is an absolute triumph and easily goes down as the best game that Thunder Lotus has created. It’s no easy feat to juggle a cast of charming characters with captivating stories, a vibrant world that allows for a ton of fun platforming, enjoyable bits of resource management and crafting, and genuinely moving moments, but they have somehow pulled it off. It’s easily one of the year’s most unique games, an incredible hybrid of genres that almost feels like it has something for everyone. It may be a lengthy beast, clocking in at a meaty twenty or so hours, but it’s a rewarding one. Even long after the curtain falls on the tale of Stella and all the friends that they’ve made, you won’t be forgetting this charming take on the afterlife anytime soon.

Death end re;Quest 2 follows the mold of its predecessor but is ultimately more enjoyable. There are times when the day portion of the game feels like it’s going on for too long but the story is at least interesting enough where it’s not too tedious. The battle sequences are simple but the enhanced knockback mechanics make them more enjoyable. It’s not the deepest RPG out there, both in terms of depth of a character development and combat mechanics but the gameplay is enjoyable and the story finds a way to be grisly and dark while still having an overall lighthearted feel to the game. It does have the certain feel to it that Compile Heart/Idea Factory games have, but Death end re;Quest 2 is arguably one of their strongest games overall.

EA Sports UFC 4 is a fun albeit bland fighting game. For something in a biennial release cycle, we would have hoped to have seen more evolution to the formula than what we’ve gotten...There’s a lot to like with EA Sports UFC 4 as it’s still an entertaining fighter, but it just doesn’t go beyond what we’ve come to expect from it.

The Revenant Prince is as far from joyous as one can get, resulting in one of the most frustrating, tedious and downright awfully cobbled-together RPGs to release in recent years.

Moose Life is an upbeat hardcore shooter that’s just as inviting to the casual player and a wonderfully-orchestrated fireworks show from start to finish.

Metamorphosis manages to whip up an impressive tribute to Franz Kafka in its quick story thanks to its offbeat sense of humor, style and eye-catching world. It’s just a shame that the game flounders when it comes to figuring out how merge together the various gameplay aspects needed to keep going in this tale of transformation. Still, it does have enjoyable platforming and a few surprises here and there, so if you have about three to four hours to kill, this is a crash course in abridged Kafka worth checking out.

Despite its low price tag, the vague roadmap and bare bones nature of Fall Guys is hard to ignore, raising some sustainability questions as the game aims to remain relevant in a crowded market in the weeks and months to come. But for now, Fall Guys is easily one of the most widely accessible and consistently amusing massive multiplayer games of this year, as the race for the next crown continues to remain just as thrilling after hours of matches.

Fight Crab is one of the more ridiculous games of 2020. The level of ridiculousness works to its advantage, as the game mechanics themselves are rather mediocre the absurdity makes it interesting. It’s not the deepest fighting experience by far, as the gameplay didn’t hold my interest so much as wanting to see what the next bizarre arena would look like. A game this ridiculous is best enjoyed with the company of friends to revel in the absurdity or may even be one of those rare games that might be more entertaining to watch a streamer play it. Fight Crab is a novelty title, and while it’s an amusing one, the gameplay doesn’t do much to prolong the enjoyment after the novelty wears off, but prior to that the game does provide many authentic chuckles.

Though there may be better and more narratively-intriguing entries out there already, for genre enthusiasts focused squarely on the puzzles themselves, Relicta‘s subtle self-awareness in its own pitch — as much the assortment of challenges on display — are enough to help it win out in the end.

Void Terrarium is a strange and beautiful dungeon crawling RPG, and despite the familiar genre, manages to feel like there’s nothing else out there like it.

It’s apparent that a lot of work went into Fairy Tail to ensure that it’s something fans would embrace. While its target audience is obviously fans of Fairy Tail its pacing and mechanics provide an engaging enough experience where those unfamiliar with the franchise would still find it a worthwhile experience. Taken strictly on the merits of gameplay without taking the license into consideration, it’s a good though unremarkable JRPG. Side quests were abandoned a few chapters in due to their repetitive nature, but the main story and character side stories are interesting enough to keep the player engaged to completion.

From a technical perspective, Crysis Remastered looks fantastic when taking in the sights, but that presentation is ultimately marred by consistent and noticeable framerate hiccups and technical issues. Crysis Remastered manages to outshine the PS3 and Xbox 360 console versions and stands as a solid return to the Crysis franchise. It just feels like too much was sacrificed to get such a demanding game running on the Switch.

Hellbound may not be great but it’s a short, sweet thrill ride while it lasts. The action is nice and fast with the guns packing a solid punch, and all the weapons earn their place in the arsenal. The length of the game means its limits don’t have a chance to feel grating and the sameness of the enemies is nicely offset by the personality of the levels. Even after the game is over there are still a handful of arena levels to play in, trying to survive as long as possible to claim a spot on its leaderboards. Hellbound may be restrained by its limits but there’s no question it does a lot within them and it’s good bloody fun while the ride lasts.

It’s hard to hold the positives in one’s mind without reminiscing on the kind of game Skully could’ve been. Yet take out the personal ambition of this being some grand, 3D adventure to explore in another scenario and Skully is still too much a case of good intentions marred by bad or downright odd decision-making in parts. While die-hard followers of the genre are sure to scrape together some joy in the spots of twitch-heavy platforming and hunt for collectibles the game affords, the lingering of one too many time-heavy design choices and back-end issues means the best Skully can hope for is the perception of a flawed “charming-enough” effort. Whether you can look past the inconsistent physics work, rough technical performance or the narrative’s hackneyed attempt at something resembling personality, will depend on how invested you are in the gameplay. It’s a rough, uneven, disappointingly-middle of the road trek. But for all its faults, Skully‘s acknowledging and understanding of 3D platforming’s appeal does count for something. A game whose heart is most certainly in the right place.

Fae Tactics: The Girl Who Destroyed the World is a top-notch tactical RPG and one that any longtime fan of the genre should check out. It’s great for veterans as the bright setting is unlike anything on the market today, while lapsed fans will want to try it to fall back in love with the genre. If you’re a newcomer to tactical RPGs, it does a fantastic job of easing you into the core mechanics of combat and makes it a fun story to see unfold with each battle. Having various risk/rewards systems in place encourages bold play and helps keep things fresh too. It’s a great looking and playing game with a strong soundtrack.

Othercide may challenge you harshly, but it also adequately rewards your perseverance.

Destroy All Humans! is a rare example of a remake that changes just enough to maintain the essence of the original while improving the overall experience. The gameplay enhancements give this a more modern feel but it maintains the original story and visual style to appease those seeking a nostalgia fix. Destroy All Humans! was always a fun game though hasn’t aged all that well. This version revitalizes the title, changing just enough to make revisiting Area 42 a worthwhile invasion.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 is clearly a love letter to the NES Castlvania games. Players who have played the original know exactly what they’re getting into here, although the sequel is overall an improved experience. Making 8-bit retro style games isn’t as novel a concept as it was several years when these type of titles were popping up in the indie game scene but Curse of the Moon 2 is an example of one of the better executions of this concept. Iga may be irritated with the constant Castlvania comparisons Bloodstained titles receive since the latter is filled with an interesting new world and lore but they also recreate the everything great about the former. A proper sequel to Ritual of the Night is what Bloodstained fans are really wanting to sink their teeth into, but Curse of the Moon 2 helps solidify Bloodstained as its own franchise and is a great game on its own merits for fans of retro games.

Even if it was all-action/no-brain, Panzer Paladin‘s retro-look is bursting with style in a way that other NES-throwbacks frequently miss. There’s a lot to love here, including harder remixed versions of the levels and a speed-run mode, but its mean-spirited death penalties mean you have to work for it.

Disappointing it may be to see the same infrequent defining of difficulty — as much the over-reliance on visual gags at the cost of gameplay variety where it matters — Rock of Ages III: Make & Break still manages to entice, but not impress. At the very least, ensuring players will gladly once again come back for another roll down a winding level or two.

Rocket Arena is a fantastic game with well-crafted shooting mechanics and a diverse mode lineup that manages to be both fun in short bursts and long play sessions. There’s more tweaking that can be done to make it a more robust experience as the roster is lean at launch, but what’s here is great and every character manages to feel different from one another. The mix of shooting and platforming skills helps make it a great gateway shooter for those who may not otherwise enjoy the genre and its quick pace ensures that no match is ever boring. The graphical design is sharp, but the soundtrack could use some work even with strong sound design that helps amplify the effects of your rocket-filled arsenal.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is a wonderful new entry that helps sell the idea that trying new things was the right move. While the series has had some ups and downs, Origami King nails the mix of enjoyable combat and fun gameplay. It would be nice if there was a little bit more depth to the story, but there’s enough to make everything fun and lighthearted while occasionally having dynamic story moments that bring the characters together. The combat could potentially be more difficult for younger players, but it’s hard not to recommend picking up Paper Mario: The Origami King when it’s simply a blast from start to finish.

Despite the short length and minor replayability factor, Phobia Game’s debut is still a cleverly-concentrated experience. One that wastes little time on padding, even if it means its more repetitive segments are more visible to spot. It may not be firing on all cylinders, but Carrion‘s frantic, do-or-die action mixed with pleasant strides in its aesthetic make for an odd yet entertaining few hours.

Necrobarista may have changed since it was first seen, but the end result is still an engrossing visual novel that succeeds thanks to a cast of memorable and fun characters, a stylish and cool presentation, and a well-crafted story that hits all the right notes, providing a terrific tale of having to move on that has room for bits of both laughter and tears in your coffee. Despite a few hiccups along the way, it’s an adventure that was both worth the wait and visiting the Terminal for.

Neon Abyss is a highly playable action-roguelike with a huge number of perks and weapons to take on the ever-growing horde of monsters that show up in each room. The powerup progression in a run is almost always satisfying, assuming it doesn’t take too long for the random drops to start piling up in a helpful way, and while sometimes the chaos can become unreadable it’s usually due to becoming trigger-happy on entering a new room.

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.

It’s a fun game with a deep Career Mode and it still manages to do a good job of capturing stock car racing in game form. PC would be the visual preference, but with some other options on PC for stock car racing, it may take a back seat. The lack of an online community to race against on PC is also alarming.

More than four years on, SUPERHOT remains as instantly recognizable and immensely appealing a gameplay concept as it ever was on day one. MIND CONTROL DELETE may feel more like a continuation of a good run, rather than a full expanding upon the foundation, but that doesn’t mean that what new features it does offer up fail in helping to bolster what still remains a fun and ingenious interpretation of first-person shooting and puzzle-solving fused together. While it’s easy to pick out the over-reliance on repeated environments, as much the disappointing lack of committing to the subversive elements of previous, there are just as many — if not more — new additions brought into the fold, that ultimately, rightfully, claim most of the attention. A familiar reflection of what the base game managed it may be, a slew of new threats, devious twists and further reinforcing of smart tactics to compensate for such unpredictability result in MIND CONTROL DELETE ending up a great addition to the SUPERHOT experience.

Despite technical hiccups and awkward moments, the gleefully bizarre characters, twisted and intriguing story, quirky dialogue and loads of fun content to fiddle around with in Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise provides an experience worth checking out, albeit one you may find yourself questioning at certain points.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a charming farming game that lives up to its original release. This remake succeeds because it improves upon the 2003 title. Farming and befriending townsfolk is as fun as it has ever been, and is as enjoyable for longtime fans as well as it is newcomers.

F1 2020 is as good as it gets on the current generation of consoles. Codemasters has perfected its craft to make F1 2020 the pinnacle of the series. My Team is fantastic and will keep people interested in a single player experience engaged. Featuring Michael Schumacher was the right decision for the adding the classic cars, but having him as an actual presence in the game would be better. The casual difficulty should help attract some new players, while the overall racing gets a boost thanks to refinements and the new Overtake Button. The online multiplayer needs a new innovation as the current state still leaves a lot to be desired.

Crushed beneath a monotony of drones to trash, muffled dialogue to decipher and environments to float amidst, there are brief pleasantries and welcome respites in Marvel’s Iron Man VR. Distractions that unfortunately amount to the only genuinely welcome highs in a VR effort that, commendable an effort it is to move out of the regular shooting gallery format, are wound up in one too many technical follies and lackluster mission objectives for the implied liberties to feel substantial. Yet in a game with such dire over-reliance on its players treating its controls and combat — both at the same time — like second-nature, when the erroneous ways with motion controls crop up, the damage to one’s time (and thus one’s enjoyment) is far more detrimental. Appeasing fans with its source material, on its own, is a harmless endeavor. So long as there are little difficulties and confusions with the gameplay accompanying it. Marvel’s Spider-Man proved what good-will can be generated out of such licensed iterations, when wielded properly. Marvel’s Iron Man VR, however, is a flawed but ultimately frustrating effort to sell. Twisting the once-attractive proposal of being Iron Man into a clumsy misdirection.

This expansion is about the same level of enhancements that we saw with Summerset and Elsweyr, and for people hungry for Skyrim nostalgia there’s some here, but the experience is clearly in the vein of the MMO and not the single player adventure. Greymoor is a good starting point for newcomers and a welcome expansion to veteran players, while the added Stadia compatibility also offers a nice portability option.

Ninjala is a well-crafted game and another fine example of free-to-play done right. You can make steady progress in the online game without spending real-world money and the only part of the game behind a paywall is the single player campaign — which is currently in its first phase. GungHo has done a great job early on at making a fun experience for players of all skill levels and still providing enough depth to sink your teeth into things when you want to. Ninjala isn’t just a great free-to-play game, it’s a great game period and one well-worth checking out on Switch.

Mr. Driller DrillLand is a top-notch puzzle game eighteen years after its initial release and doesn’t look or feel its age at all. Quite a bit of care clearly went into making sure the game looked and played better than ever before and things like a revamped UI and border art help it look like a newer game than it is. The core gameplay is far more robust than any other entry in the series, and for that matter, many puzzle games since. It’s an addictive game and the theme park trappings help it play host to diverse themes that you normally don’t see in puzzle games, alongside adding in gameplay mechanics from other genres to keep things fresh. It’s a must-buy for any Mr. Driller fan or any puzzle fan in your household.

Thanks to impressive level design, a nice range of cool abilities to try out and a spark of something truly unique (pun semi-intended), Wildfire succeeds at delivering a great stealth experience, even if it can be demanding at times. The controls are top-notch, the gameplay is simple to learn yet nicely tricky to master, and the numerous optional objectives provide a decent dose of replayability (definitely one for speedrunners). For those wanting something new in the genre, Wildfire has nice and crispy tricks up its sleeve.

Desperados III is a downright fantastic real-time tactics title. The gameplay is simple to understand and get started with and each stage puts players to the test. While each stage is contained in size, it provides a sandbox of open opportunity for players to experiment. Rarely does failing leave a bad taste in a player’s mouth. Instead, it simply inspires players to keep trying until they finally succeed. The utterly compelling gameplay immediately ropes you in and simply doesn’t let up. The real-time stealth tactics genre is back in grand fashion thanks to Mimimi Games and Desperados III.

Nickelodeon and Stephen Hillenburg stumbled upon something unique when they created SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob’s infectious positivity has allowed the show to continue to this day and spawn numerous films and games alongside it. SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated is a solid remaster of the 2003 original. Though the story hasn’t changed, the charm and wit that defined the original release remain as strong as ever. Exploring the faithfully-recreated locales is quite the experience for any SpongeBob fan, and the beautiful presentation and original voice actors ensure you remain immersed. It’s unfortunate that the gameplay remains as simple as it was in 2003 and that the new multiplayer mode lacks any of the charms of the campaign. There’s little new for returning players to sink their teeth into, and if you’re not already a fan, not a lot of depth to keep you engaged. For fans and those who want to relive the joy that is SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom, however, Rehydrated still delivers all the humor of the original all while sporting a slick coat of new paint.

Song of Horror: Complete Edition is a lot to take in all at once. The slow pacing and puzzle difficulty make it an exercise to get through, making the episodic pacing seem like the better choice. What is special here is the right way to do a paranormal horror game that involves something you can see but not control. A few variations of quick time events used to defend yourself and having to also think on the fly is a new exercise in horror games. The atmosphere is fantastic as dark environments mixed with excellent ambiance goes unrivaled, especially when it comes to indie titles. The Complete Edition is also only $30 at launch making it clear that Song of Horror: Complete Edition is worth a play for any old school horror fan.

Darius Cozmic Collection does offer a lot of enjoyment for fans of shmups, regardless of which version is played. It can be criticized for being a cash grab attempt for splitting the arcade and console titles into two separate collections when combining them into one would still be comparable to many other retro collections. But those complaints aside, each collection does a good job at preserving an authentic classic Darius experience as there is something inherently fun about teaming up with a buddy to blast some robot fish. The Darius games aren’t readily available on too many other formats so it’s nice to finally be able to enjoy them on modern consoles. During the review process both collections were enjoyable, but if you were to only get one, the recommendation would go to the Arcade version unless you have specific nostalgic feelings for a console title like Darius Twin.

It would be easy to dismiss a game like Monster Train as nothing more than yet another entry into the ever-increasing deck-building genre upon first glance, but after just a short while playing it, its various complexities begin to reveal themselves, making for deep gameplay that keeps you coming back for just one more run. Much like the best puzzle or strategy games, Monster Train excels in being insanely addictive, all while being easy to learn yet hard to master. Shiny Shoe should be commended on this labor of love, an absolute gem where controlling the forces of Hell feels like a blast of heavenly fun.

Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics may not be anything revolutionary, but it’s a fantastic collection of classic games from around the world that creates an easier way to enjoy them with others or alone than ever before.

While the difficulty level is unbalanced everything else in Shantae and the Seven Sirens works together to create an incredibly entertaining platform-adventure. The series leans more heavily on sex appeal than it needs to, but the world and characters are a huge amount of fun, bursting with color and personality. There’s a good variety in challenges, with the levels alternating between straight combat, platforming and even the occasional puzzle. Secrets are frequent enough that it’s always worth going back and re-checking an area, and even though I thought I’d done a thorough sweep for a first play-through, I still only ended up finding 84% of all items. They’ll have to wait for another play-through, though, because while my first save is still playable New Game+ is waiting with more magic, less defense, and a new outfit. Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a big, ambitious outing for the half-genie hero, and while she may not have gotten the vacation she was hoping for, it’s an adventure worth having.

Ten years after its initial release in Japan, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition has proven that sometimes classics can still get better with a little extra love and care to make them shine brighter than ever before as a true masterpiece.

Those Who Remain deserves major points for creativity of ideas and premise. The title holds a lot of promise, but ultimately fails to deliver a memorable, cohesive performance. Because puzzles force players to run back and forth to find solutions which can take time away from immersion into this world. Those Who Remain is a title committed to psychological horror, but has self-sabotaged with mediocre gameplay. It lovingly sets up a thrilling ambiance, but doesn’t allow players to fully experience the title. The use of various ideas like alternate dimensions and ever-persistent shadow people are great, but aren’t executed well. Additionally, characters are not uniquely fleshed out and don’t support the flat story that held a lot of promise. Characters feel generic to the point where it’s difficult to even like them. Edward is truly an everyman but doesn’t have enough uniqueness to capture attention. Even the “choices” made don’t ultimately make drastic changes you may have been hoping for. I wanted to like Those Who Remain, but it failed to capture my attention as a standout indie horror.

Should you be looking for a brief distraction or simply a game with a bare input to see most of what it has to offer, Beyond Blue provides a quaint, if a touch short, detour away from the regular catalog of current-year releases. While everything around the core presentation is not exactly extravagant or worthy of anything but a passing glance, that’s not to say E-Line Media haven’t at least made the feeling of moving about bodies of water one you can easily immerse in. An immersion that doesn’t bang you over the head with some last-minute lecture. Aided more appropriately by a well-integrated, ethereal score — complete with a tasteful selection of licensed tracks alike. The educational side of the content will naturally live or die by the player’s own personal interest on real-world sea-life. It may be far from the most complex of voyages, but Deep Blue‘s more laid back and meditative (if unremarkable) envisioning of life under the sea is sufficient enough in its intentions.

Persona 4 Golden is slowly starting to show its age in the gameplay department, but that doesn’t detract it from being one of the best RPG experiences you’ll find. The lovely cast of characters and goofy, yet shockingly serious story will have you enthralled for the 100+ hours it has to offer. The PC port itself is also well optimized; it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles most PC titles come with, but considering this is a remaster of a handheld port of a PS2 game, there’s more than even I would have expected. Persona 4 Golden is an absolute must for all JRPG fans and the PC version only highlights this further. Even if you owned it on PlayStation Vita, this is a tale well worth experiencing again at a higher resolution and 60fps.

The entire package is wrapped together in a gorgeous presentation that serves as Naughty Dog’s PS4 swan song. The Last of Us Part II’s harrowing tale and exploration of violence may not leave everyone happy by the time the credits roll, but it’s another stunning home run for Naughty Dog.

It’s astonishing to see just how far off the mark Disintegration is in terms of how it looks and plays. An astonishment made painfully evident across both of its equally-unflattering, technically-flawed game modes devoid of any quirk, personality or lasting impression. Impressions that are of anything but the feeling of eliciting a smoke-screen so as to mask the game’s evident lack of ingenuity or creative endeavor. It’s more astonishing that, in a vacuum, the design philosophy underpinning its gameplay mechanics feel oddly “complete.” That the conceptual attempt to mix a decade-old mentality on “cinematic” shooter campaigns with some occasional strategy are on show. Showing us that yes, this concept appeals to neither camp — the shooter fan and detractor alike. But it’s the utter lack of care with its narrative, world, progression and above all set-pieces that stings most. Whittled down to the lowest common denominator in such a way you can’t help but feel this is a game ten years too late. One can only hope V1 Interactive can move on and lay claim to greater things in the near future, because Disintegration is a shockingly empty attempt at standing out.

Command & Conquer comes back after decades with something for everyone. With two important RTS games in one bundle, this is a serious collection for anyone wanting to get into the series and those of us wishing to return.

There’s some charm and striking art to admire on one’s travels, but other than the well-crafted pixel aesthetic, the other half-baked ideas on show in Resolutiion fall short on delivering a world you feel adamant is both realized and worth unraveling.

Skelattack doesn’t know what it wants to be but despite this I did end up getting just a little more enjoyment than aggravation out of it. There were two areas I simply got through rather than explored, because they just weren’t worth the annoyance, but for the most part the story and characters carried it along. It didn’t hurt that the game is short, and I beat the whole thing in a single four-hour sitting, which meant that when any one section was in danger of wearing out its welcome another was coming right along to replace it.

Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot to be said about Sludge Life without giving away its more memorably bizarre bits, of which there are many. It’s a twisted, hellish, yet surprisingly charming playground that you’ll want to spend a good (if small) chunk of time in, soaking in the off-kilter surrounds, humor and visuals. For a game that basically revolves around a filthy hellhole, there’s still a lot of care that was put into making it a unique and fun hellhole and it shows.

As an expansion, Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath features a quality addition to the campaign and three new characters that are mostly high quality. While quality should always trump quantity, Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath is a case where the quality can’t justify the high cost.

There have been plenty of outings over the past few years that take the basic template of golf, as a sport, and manage to transform into something else. Whether it’s deep in strategy or surreal in delivery, fans of golf have been well serviced. Golf With Your Friends, by contrast, comes across as the antithesis of this approach. A game that goes out of its way to antagonize, despite its variety and ridiculousness in course design. In some parts, that philosophy does find a way to delight and entertain, without descending into an unnecessary leap of faith or threading the needle-like situation that most of its holes unfortunately end up forcing players into. Those who can find joy in such random, unearned chaos may get a small ounce of fun here, but for everybody else, Golf With Your Friends‘ unpolished, finicky and messy delivery takes little time to put even the most patient of mini-golf enthusiasts off completely.