ECHO is a puzzle game disguised as a third-person action-adventure game. The puzzle is everything and the action-adventure is exploring the lavish environments of the Palace. Backed by an exceptional story of intrigue, love and general weirdness, ECHO knows how to make the player think in more ways than one. Mirror enemies are nothing new for video games, usually reserved for boss battles or mini-bosses, but what happens when every enemy is the player? That’s where ECHO steps in, showing that the biggest challenge in life is ourselves.

Both games featured in Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle hold up well a decade after their original release. Aside from the visual upgrade nothing seems to be changed with the games but there wasn’t anything that needed to be changed. Both titles have great visuals and combat mechanics, and while neither game is incredibly long, they fit the bill for quality of gameplay over quantity. Fans of the newer PlatinumGames titles that missed these games during their original release owe it to themselves to check out these re-releases as they offer some of the best action combat from the previous console generation.

Despite a few flaws that harm the pacing, Mineko’s Night Market is a truly impressive life sim that stands out among a sea of similar wholesome games thanks to its jaw-dropping visuals, unique emphasis on Japanese culture and arts and crafts, and a cute story at the center of it all filled with wonder. It’s a terrific little game that can be enjoyed by those of all ages, plus, again, you get to pet hundreds of cats. Really, that alone should make it worth it.

While the PC port is a little janky, the actual game of Little King’s Story is as instantly likeable as it’s ever been.

Death Ray Manta is pure ’80s arcade, but the way we’d like to remember it rather than how it actually was.

A lone knight tears through a series of towers using parkour and combat skills interchangeably. Most abilities are used to for both fighting and parkour, making for free-flowing action that never fails to look as cool as it feels.

Life is Strange: Reunion manages to succeed despite being given the near-impossible task of closing up a branching story told across several development teams. The plot can be a bit convoluted with the different timelines and mergers, but at its core, Reunion delivers a compelling story across the board, and it's hard to ask for much more of a narrative-centric game. Longtime fans will find an enjoyable experience, while lapsed fans or newcomers can be caught up to speed quickly.

Those who want a puzzle game with simple mechanics, tons of replayability and is just plain fun should download Sparkle.

Strider hits all the right notes and winds up being an experience not soon forgotten.

On the whole the team at Red Thread Games has done an incredible job updating The Longest Journey for the modern era.

Playing Luftrausers is like jumping back to a time when the only requirement for a good game was to be fun. Thanks to varied battles, customizable planes, and challenges, it manages to improve on the classic formula of simple and addictive entertainment.

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.

While its longevity may be tied into just how willing players are to shoot for the highest score and go after as many achievements as possible, High Hell is a wicked little shooter that you won’t soon be forgetting. Its eye-popping visual style will draw you in, but the rapid, skill-testing and just plain fun gameplay is what will hook you. Whether you blaze through things as if you were powered by inferno-style hot sauce or take your time to poke around every corner to find new areas full of demonic oddities to ogle, there’s still a lot here for you to enjoy, so make sure to give this sinful delight a shot.

Zero North Zero West is an incredible journey through unexplored worlds, packed with amazing sights rendered in a riot of color and effects, and a perfect vacation when your mind needs a getaway somewhere new.

Touhou Genso Wanderer is a worthy addition to any roguelike fan’s collection, and even more so for Touhou fans as there are references to their other games throughout this one. The everyone takes one turn at a time system might not be for everyone, for this title is one of the better implementations of this format.

Rollerdrome effortlessly combines thrilling speed and adrenaline-inducing combat to create an exciting mashup of genres that will appeal to sports and action fans alike. The surface-level story, needy challenges and lack of environmental variety hinders the game from becoming something special, but in the heat of the moment, Roll7’s latest creation makes it nearly impossible to not pull off epic bits of slow-motion, high-flying carnage that will leave you wanting more. By rewarding players for taking advantage of enemy weaknesses and performing last-second dodges, Rollerdrome creates a satisfying and engaging gameplay experience that will have you returning to the arena for one more round again and again.

This is a solid debut for the franchise in North America and, at $19.99, an easy recommendation for RPG and soccer fans alike.

Assassins Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris is an enjoyable expansion to an already massive game. The story and characters are interesting enough to make the playthrough worthwhile. The Infiltration missions offer the biggest level of variety from the base game and should be pleasing to fans who missed the Black Box missions. But while these new additions offer more variety to the gameplay, The Siege of Paris doesn’t break a whole lot of new ground for Valhalla. As fun as this expansion can be, the new additions don’t do a ton to help prevent the “more of the same” feeling which may not be enough to convince players who have already had their fill to resume Eivor’s saga.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla brings quality of life improvements to the new Assassin’s Creed model but doesn’t stray too far from familiar territory. If you enjoyed the last two games and want more of that, Valhalla is exactly what the doctor ordered, but there may be some who after spending 200+ hours completing Origins and Odyssey are burnt out on the format.

Pragmata is a heartfelt experience not only about the human experience, but also parenthood. While we never truly see Hugh grow into anything more than he already is, it’s his genuine interactions with Diana and teaching her all about the amazing things Earth has to offer that really defines him as a character. His interactions with the curious and childish Diana are the best parts of Pragmata, and while the story is somewhat predictable, it will pull on your heartstrings from time to time. On top of that, the combat is pleasantly varied, with the numerous types of weapons at Hugh’s disposal and a decent number of enemies, ramping up as the story progresses. Diana’s hacking mini-game mid-combat is also a breath of fresh air as it adds a layer of strategy needed in a somewhat traditional third-person shooter. While Pragmata has its issues, it’s a solid, highly engaging adventure that’s difficult to replicate.

Delivering a near-endless supply of side-content and addictive combat, Saints Row IV is ridiculously easy to recommend, but Re-Elected’s limited enhancements and unwelcome technical issues keep this version from being the definitive version that it should be.

While it may not be adding tricks at every turn to the platformer genre or making a name for itself with its minimal puzzles, Forgotton Anne will surely win many over with its gorgeous, animated visuals and more importantly, its sense of wonder.

Master X Master is an outstanding MOBA for both veterans of the genre and newcomers alike. PC gamers who prefer controller-based play may have a bit of a learning curve when it comes to using a keyboard and mouse setup, but the game feels natural after a fairly short period of time and never throws you into a battle unfairly. It looks outstanding and plays well on both low-end and high-end hardware, allowing it to be accessible to many people who may generally avoid newer releases out of fear that they won’t run well. Its music and sound effects are exceptional, even if the repeated character voice clips do grate on the nerves after a while.

While Pokémon Scarlet and Violet may not be a perfect experience, it’s still an absolute delight in almost every way. Memorable characters and storylines are the highlight that pulls together the open exploration, which is truly impactful. It’s hard to stop playing with every corner having a Pokémon hiding and potentially something new to find along the way. A trainer can go through every area and still miss one or two hidden surprises that are so much fun to uncover when coming back. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the best titles in the franchise in over a decade, with the only thing holding them back being performance hiccups we hope manage to get fixed down the line.

When playing the original version of Death Stranding, I would have described it as lethargic with some horror elements when dealing the monsters. With Death Stranding Director’s Cut, this opinion was reevaluated. It’s a game about many things. It’s about society and the role each person plays in it. It’s about overcoming depression. It’s about confusing and/or boring friends when they watch me play it. This is a chill game punctuated with tense moments, with a pacing that I didn’t appreciate until this edition. As an unexpectedly-improved release, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is well worth the time for the curious or the existing fans, proving that Kojima still knows how to surprise.

A dense and enthralling action-adventure game with a winding, if predictable, story that does make you feel like the Batman both inside and outside the Batmobile. There are too many Batmobile gameplay segments, however, making this predominantly similar in theme to that Batmobile-focused Batman arcade game.

Some gameplay elements admittedly don’t fit as well into the mold — the game, like any JRPG, occasionally getting too indulgent in its seemingly-obligatory padding out of time. Likewise, those who may have been quick to pick out the repetitiveness of mission structure prior may be disappointed to learn the sequel does little to shake up that formulaic progression. Even so, minor grievances aside, NEO: The World Ends With You — for all its flash, its flair and many a sing-a-long moment — does a wonderful job at encapsulating the original’s true strengths where and when it matters most.

While Pokémon Scarlet and Violet may not be a perfect experience, it’s still an absolute delight in almost every way. Memorable characters and storylines are the highlight that pulls together the open exploration, which is truly impactful. It’s hard to stop playing with every corner having a Pokémon hiding and potentially something new to find along the way. A trainer can go through every area and still miss one or two hidden surprises that are so much fun to uncover when coming back. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the best titles in the franchise in over a decade, with the only thing holding them back being performance hiccups we hope manage to get fixed down the line.

Dynasty Warriors 8 is a shockingly great game that offers an incredible amount of value in bringing a dramatized piece of history to the masses in very creative ways.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown - Mask of Darkness is what every expansion should aspire to. It introduces an interesting new story, new challenging environments and enemies, but doesn't stray too far from what made fans love the original. It's a few more hours of what can be described as more of the same, but that's meant in a complimentary way. The platforming challenges, nonlinear exploration and epic boss battles are why Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is such a great game, and fans can expect to see more of that in Mask of Darkness. Most fans will be able to finish it in around five hours or so, but the quality of that time is well worth the price of admission.

Cotton Fantasy nicely follows up on the reboot while also sticking too close to the formula, feeling like an extension of what the reboot was visually and in terms of gameplay. It does feature more variety with behind-the-back action, but it feels like a waste to have that relegated to bonus areas instead of integrating it into at least one action stage given that the prior entry in the series was behind-the-back fully and this feels like a tease. Other than that shortcoming, Cotton Fantasy is a tremendous experience and a ton of fun for anyone who enjoyed the series before or just got introduced to it via the reboot. It’s an excellent side-scrolling shooter and one with a lot of visual and audio variety.

Certainly the best Sniper Elite to date, but Rebellion's best work too? Hey, it just might be.

Despite its shortcomings in the multiplayer — easily forgotten and waved off as an unnecessary add-on — and the rare instances of a mechanically loose screw, DOOM is undeniably one of the best looking and sounding shooters there has been for some time.

Anyone who owned or played the first MotorStorm and dug it will love MotorStorm: Pacific Rift. It’s as every bit as good as the first, and surpasses it in many areas, such as the tracks and music.

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is a fascinating exploration of a unique voice in video game history. It's an exhaustive, albeit sometimes overwhelming, homage to Minter's prolific early career. For those willing to dive into this psychedelic rabbit hole, the collection offers a rare opportunity to witness the evolution of a video game auteur in real-time. The narrative's abrupt conclusion and the repetitive nature of early games, however, may leave some players yearning for a more comprehensive portrayal of Minter's extensive catalog. In the end, Llamasoft is more than a game; it's a vibrant, chaotic museum dedicated to the wild, weird world of Jeff Minter, offering both a historical document and a testament to the enduring power of individual creativity in the ever-evolving landscape of video games.

While complaints can be leveled at Sword of the Necromancer based on repetition, that doesn’t mean that it’s bad. In fact, it’s enjoyable and recommended. Sure, Supergiant Games’ Hades devours this title’s lunch in that it’s a superior action rogue-like with great story. Barring that, Grimorio of Games built a fun and interesting dungeon crawler that’s deeper than it appears at first glance. The tale behind the stabbing is interesting and heartfelt, drawing the player further into the depths of the dungeon, while the action is exciting. An expansion to add more level and boss variety would go a long way to making this required playing, but anyone interested in this type of game should give this Sword of the Necromancer a swing.

Super Meat Boy 3D is exactly what you'd expect from Super Meat Boy, except in 3D. The controls are mostly identical, the challenge level uncompromising, the levels short and snappy, and every time you reach Bandage Girl, there's Doctor Fetus to kick you in the face. Each level feels distinct from the others, with plenty of creativity in the layout plus new hazards and toys in each new area to keep you on your toes. Do well enough poking around and the rewards start piling up, opening up new bonuses and goodies you can use to do better with on familiar levels or new ones. There's always a way to play a little better in Super Meat Boy 3D, and the game encourages this at every opportunity to drag you as a willing victim into the most vicious challenges it can devise.

Soundfall is a superb game that manages to marry several different genres together. It would be more accessible with an auto-perfect timing option, but even without it, it’s a fun experience for twin-stick shooting fans while also working as a way for rhythm -centric players to explore a different genre. As a twin-stick shooter, it’s exciting and as a rhythm game, it offers a level of variety that is unmatched in the genre. The soundtrack is top-tier and made better on PC with custom soundtracks as an option to integrate fully into the game. Soundfall is a must-have for anyone seeking out a new twin-stick shooter or just wanting to try something new that’s unlike anything out there.

In the end, Lunar Remastered Collection is a must for new and old school players alike, bringing the two classic JRPGs from the ‘90s to the modern age in a monumental way.

The Last Tinker: City of Colors is certainly not for challenge junkies, but anyone looking for a downright pleasant experience full of charm and whimsy will not be disappointed.

An action RPG that is designed to consume your life. With countless quests that can be tackled solo or with friends, it is easy to sink hundreds of hours into Generations, but this should not surprise anyone who is familiar with the franchise. Doing all the training missions makes everything get off to a slow start, but given how much there is to do here it is a worthwhile endeavor since they take all the complexities of this title and break them down to their simplest components.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a great Switch re-release, making it a must-play for newcomers of the series as well as a nostalgic adventure for returning fans of the 2013 game. While the title doesn’t bring in any new features to add to the mix, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD shines with its updated look and design which matches authentically with the roster of current Nintendo Switch titles. If you can look past the few kinks in the road, you're in for an all-out spooky good time with Luigi. Just make sure to look behind you from time to time.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order built a solid foundation on which to build a sequel, and Respawn Entertainment has happily obliged. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor takes what worked in that first game and expands it significantly. It’s bigger, grander and more ambitious, with a few trade-offs.

Other than having vague missions at times to get to story-essential races, LEGO 2K Drive is an incredible time. There’s so much fun to be had that it’s impossible to be bored by anything that goes on and the mission variety is far more of a blessing than a curse — although work does need to be done to explain how to accomplish mission objectives. The racing action itself is top-shelf and a fantastic basis for a long-term series if that works out. The roots of arcade-racing fun are here, with a lot of depth to the gameplay thanks to things like platforming-style jumps enabling more ways to pickup weapons and power-ups. Anyone who wants a racing game they can spend hours at a time with and never run out of things to do will be overjoyed with LEGO 2K Drive. It plays great, is the best-looking LEGO game yet and has fantastic sound design across the board.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii succeeds in making the return trip to Hawaii worthwhile. While smaller than the mainline games, Pirate Yakuza is still loaded with content to provide hours of entertainment beyond the main story campaign. The premise of Goro Majima becoming a swashbuckling captain of a pirate ship after suffering amnesia is a bit contrived, but it does create the environment for a highly-entertaining side story. The story doesn't reach the highs of the best Yakuza/Like a Dragon games, but provides the opportunity for a popular supporting character to take on a starring role. It may not have everything one would get from one of the mainline Like a Dragon entries, but one would be hard-pressed to get more enjoyable content from a spin-off. Pirate Yakuza is a welcome addition to the series. While it may be a shorter story than one would hope for, it isn't lacking in quality.

There's more than enough in Crashlands 2 to make the return to Woanope a thoroughly enjoyable journey. The 2D art looks great, with lots of details everywhere from the thin lines of the reed walls to insects and other crawlies wandering around the landscape. The various native races are all creative and distinct and it's always fun to interact with them in each new cutscene. The writing in particular knows when to have the characters rib each other and when to back off, leading to dramatic scenes that actually feel like recognizable interactions rather than overwritten melodrama. The crafting, building, exploration, story and even the combat all come together to make a ridiculously fun adventure, with Flux and Juicebox running from one side of Woanope to the other to solve all the problems a world in need can throw at them.

Despite minor technical issues, though, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 is for the most part a polished and enjoyable golf sim.

Nintendo and Camelot have created an extremely accessible game that pulls you in early and doesn’t let go.

The atmosphere, music and overall writing of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice are spot on. While there are a lot of callbacks to previous games, it never feels like they are there just for nostalgic purposes, yet the experience seems reminiscent of the original trilogy in the best of ways. The game is not recommended to those who have never played the Ace Attorney series.

Overall, Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition is a fantastic remaster with beautiful visuals and remade music. Hopefully Ubisoft follows this with stunning remasters of other classic series like Rayman. Beyond Good & Evil still has engaging characters, fun puzzles and stealth sections that make you think. The world is also glorious to explore and shows Beyond Good & Evil was ahead of its time with how it built Hillys with multiple creatures, cultures and species of people. Unfortunately, the lack of manual saves and camera issues do let down this 20th Anniversary Edition.

EarthNight has limited scope, but does what it does very well. Its fast-paced platforming meshes in nicely with a soundtrack that doesn’t stop delivering satisfying music. It has some of the best gameplay/soundtrack integration out there and is a must for anyone who loves endless runners. It’s challenging and unlike a lot of runners, tests your platforming skills early and often with a blend of perilous jumps and tricky enemy placement. It looks gorgeous with a painted art style that works well still and in motion. Anyone who enjoys a challenging runner will want to give EarthNight a try ASAP.

Blending an absorbing tale across worlds, with a novel but mechanically-engaging interpretation of player-choice, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie sets a new standard for Don’t Nod with what might be their best, most rewarding work to date. A narrative chock full of interesting characters and equally-interesting curve-balls to manage — with truly great performances from its cast to match. A game that spends as much time on the smaller moments as it does the grandiose ones, what truly gives Harmony that cutting edge, is its puzzle-like subversion on offering choice to its player. A system, as much means of presentation, that balances long-term planning with short-term deductions on the right course of action versus the more helpful one. All while still finding the means to surprise and leave its players in suspense at just what lies around the corner. Intriguing from start to finish, for any fan of player-choice narratives and/or visual novels alike, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie can not go overlooked.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is one of the most oddly-named collections ever, but features two top-notch platformers in their definitive editions. Both the first and second games are wonderfully recreated, with better graphics and audio than ever before. They both benefit from having the same control scheme game to game thanks to being available on the same platforms for the first time ever. Those who missed out on them should give them a shot now, while anyone who enjoyed them before will want to check them out again and experience the best-possible incarnations of them yet. Hopefully, this leads to more full-on remakes throughout the series and maybe a collection of all of the original games down the road.

Warriors: Abyss is a massive combat action-fest that's got no interest in dumbing things down, and whether you're learning its systems or exploiting them, it's a fantastic brawl through Hell.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, by no means a flawless entry in the nearly three decade-old franchise, may well be the closest the series has gotten to somehow finding a happy medium between past legacy and contemporary appeal. Robust, entertaining and perilously engaging, while it may still find itself tainted by contemporary RPG standards in its character cast-listing or adamancy in offering “more” for the pure sake of it, Fire Emblem’s own “remake” phase in the end pays off in ways both clear and subtle alike. Ways that will appeal to either end of the fanbase spectrum. Its core gameplay and the many grid-based maps may not have evolved as much (perhaps less so here), but it’s everything going on around the combat that makes Shadows of Valentia a game you’ll look to beyond the avid necessity of leveling up your units. An interesting detour if nothing else, Nintendo would be wise to look at Echoes’ many entertaining and delightful offerings when the series, inevitably, makes its long-awaited return on home consoles.

Audica is a fantastic rhythm-shooter but it does come with a small disclaimer. Playing it at its best took a certain amount of tweaking, adjusting various options until the game felt right. Thankfully those options are all waiting in the Settings screen and difficulty selection, but playing it vanilla/Standard felt kind of bland. Once corrected, though, Audica transformed into an incredibly fun and nicely challenging musical target range, where each new stretch of song brought a note pattern that lit up the sky with the pyrotechnics of its destruction. It’s an arcade light show set to an energetic soundtrack with note patterns that stream in from all around, keeping you constantly on your toes as the music comes to life through firepower.

Anyone looking to get wrapped up in an entertaining storyline for a weekend should give this a read.

While some overly long levels and a few frustrating hazards threaten to hamper the game’s enjoyment, the amazing and cathartic action in Bloodroots still finds a way to power through these flaws in order to help deliver one highly enjoyable game. Be it the swift yet nicely chaotic gameplay that offers a good chunk of strategy and buckets of blood, the stylistic and attractive art style with a lot of flavor in every bit of scenery, or the simple yet captivating story, there’s a lot here to enjoy. Rain bring Paper Cult the strength, for they have earned it.

A host of unlockable content, including graphic filters, extra lives, and single-level score runs rounds out the package, providing plenty of replay for your trippy musical abstract gaming dollar. [Dec 2007, p.69]

Disaster struck and the world is broken, but RoadCraft lets you rebuild it one satisfying step at a time.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle doesn’t do anything to revolutionize the crossover tag team fighting system, it simply sticks to a formula that has worked before and does a great job with it.

While the mechanics are stiff compared to modern games, it’s a blast from the past that will invoke nostalgia for those who haven’t played it since its initial release in 2005.

Rune Factory 4 is boundless fun that’s a great time to replay after beating to try new things and experiment with different things each time, marry new partners and perhaps take on a harder challenge along the way. Anyone looking for that farming itch with a dash of adventuring should absolutely play Rune Factory 4 Special.

Played on its own, without worrying about whether it effectively changes up the hallowed tropes of early JRPGs, or conversely, sticks a little too closely to them, Echoes of Aetheria is fun.

God of War: Ascension is another great entry into the beloved series that fans will eat-up, but it’s just that — another entry. While other hack ‘n’ slash series like DmC have been reinvented and boast fresh mechanics and tone, Ascension is content with simply being another God of War.

GSC Game World should be proud that their once-PC-exclusive trilogy from the early 2000s has come so far. In terms of atmosphere, tension and challenge, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy - Enhanced Edition is a triumph of survival gaming. The new textures and enhancements add to the grim visuals of the inhospitable Zone without detracting from the horror that made the games into cult classics. Sure, the lingering bugs can get frustrating, but never to the point where you want to stop playing. Players willing to overlook the present issues will come to enjoy the feeling of roaming and surviving in the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., with its plentiful variety of weapons and enemies, as well as the brutal combat and exploration. So, get out there, Stalker.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for Switch remains a stellar platformer, both in its presentation and more importantly, its finely-tuned challenge. Grueling in its difficulty, yet cunning in its delivery more so, the necessity on getting every split-second move or decision right may put off some, but those keen to stick with it — even replay a level a few more times thereafter — will quickly discover Tropical Freeze’s loop isn’t so easy to put down.

The biggest let down is that the game engine leads to a great deal of frustration when playing. If not for that total annoyance, this release would be the ideal way to experience Umineko When They Cry.

I’ve attempted to stick to reviewing Pokkén Tournament DX on its own merits and not compare it too much with its predecessor. Of course this is the definitive version and superior choice. Fans of Pokémon will have a good time checking out the title. If there is any future content coming or major league gaming events, then it will have a bright future. Regardless, its entertaining gameplay should appeal to Switch owners and earn it a deserved fanbase.

Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance implements some of the smartest choices the series has seen since its debut in 2003, making this not only the best Disgaea game to date, but one of the best Strategy-RPGs available.

Despite a short wish list of things that would improve it, Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission VR is a pleasant surprise. The assumption was that it would trade on the name but be a big standard VR rail shooter with nothing to really add. Instead, newcomer developer Virtuallyz Gaming threaded the needle, making a title that is reverential to the original arcade, while doing new things to amp up the action. It’s not the second coming of a VR rail shooter, but it’s extremely solid and just darn fun. It’s understandable if people see this and think it’s just another VR shooter, but this game is a reminder that, when well made, sometimes simple is better.

Whether it’s the complimentary add-on of its voyage through the environment — and the way the game makes one’s trip a pleasant scurry from one city region to the next — or the ample ways the game adds-to, subtracts-from and so easily flips former rules/conventions on their head, The Pedestrian taps terrifically into the many joys, frustrations and epiphanies that this genre of video game is so good at carving out. Clever, confident and a fine debut for Skookum Arts, The Pedestrian has established a clear high bar — marking itself down as this year’s first must-play for puzzle enthusiasts far and wide.

There remains a strong lack of visual parity between the character models and the environment, and some of the voice acting remains stiff as a board. Regardless, Tales of Graces f Remastered brings one of the best Tales games to the modern day in the best way possible, sacrificing none of its core values and only adding to the charm.

If one can get past these early hours, especially newcomers to the genre, then Surviving Mars will prove to be a joy. It's a truly-rewarding game and feels even better building a city with such unforgiving odds, backed by the strangeness of classic sci-fi. Surviving Mars is a gem and is sure to only go further through the stars from here.

Whether you’re a fan of exceptional adventure games, science fiction, or even its apparent influences, there is a memorable adventure in Technobabylon backed by a believable setting and driven by a strong narrative.

There may be a few spots where combat feels repetitive and the stealth elements are half-baked, but the sheer audacity on display here deserves commendation.

With tons of references and entertaining gameplay, Portal Portal is a great new table. It’s a little thin on content and will require the purchase of either Zen Pinball 2 or Pinball FX2 to play it, however, so it’s an investment that those coming only for the Portal aspect might need to rationalize.

Despite the Race Director that has it out for the player, and some issues with perspective in cockpit view, Project CARS 2 is one of those games that can fill an entire niche on its own. The expansive career mode will eat up the time, quick race will allow for a wide variety of variations and multiplayer is set up to be the perfect destination for the gearhead. Being a realistic racer that’s welcoming to the neophyte is an accomplishment in and of itself. To do this on top of the sheer variety of gameplay that this title has is laudable. Project CARS 2 might very well be the best simulation racer on the market.

Particulars combines an interesting and highly progressive style of narration with an old school arcade experience.

While Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 doesn’t try to make any drastic changes, it’s still a worthy entry in the series.

Dying Light: The Beast may have begun life as a DLC, but it's released as a full-fledged game that can proudly stand on its own.

There's a ton of excellent shooting arcade action in Under Defeat HD, and it's absolutely worth seeing what Dreamcast importers got to play 6 years ago.

In DarkMaus, Daniel Wright has created a focused, challenging experience that successfully translates the core tenants of Dark Souls — careful approach to combat, high level of initial difficulty, wise use of resources and character development — into a game that looks deceptively innocent and benign.

It’s as much environment as level, alien and weird but also beautiful, and that remains true for every stage and scene from the weird J-pop beginning all the way through the end of Paper Beast‘s deteriorating digital world.

Mamorukun Curse! is an exciting, frenetic time, especially for those waiting for localization of the popular Japanese shooter. It’s a hefty price tag to be sure, but it serves up hours of challenging fun and plenty of unlockables for those skilled enough to look for even more to do after the game has been completed. If you’re looking for a new shooter to add to your collection, you could do far worse than this.

Sword of the Stars: The Pit — Mind Games is incredibly difficult — sometimes unfairly so — but along with that comes fun.

Race the Sun is very close to a perfect pick-up-and-play game, except for the bit where it’s very hard not to keep playing once you’ve started. A quick break easily turns into one more attempt, trying to plot a different course over the cluttered plains, maximizing Tri collection while minimizing the risk of turning into a cloud of debris.

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.

Atelier Rorona Plus is a charming, lighthearted JRPG that’s more open-ended than most of its brethren. It can be a little on the repetitive side, but there’s just enough variety to make it a delight in short bursts.

The inability to roast anything on two legs from an overpowering distance away aside, Divinity 2 is a solid RPG if you are looking for a nice real-time romp though a fleshed out fantasy world.

DOOM VFR is an outstanding, but limited, game. The lack of arcade and multiplayer content hurts the overall package, but it does its sole purpose of replicating the campaign in VR incredibly well. The fat has been trimmed from it resulting in an all killer, no filler approach that keeps the tension and action levels at a high point that exceeds even the base campaign from the reboot. Anyone who enjoyed that and wants to play it in VR should do so if they have a Vive or a PlayStation VR.

After a few submissive years, Konami has put forth a game that caters to soccer fans with superb flexibility for creative expression, fluid gameplay and astoundingly intelligent AI.

Moss is an exceptionally thoughtful, beautiful and unique experience. It’s deceptively simple, but surprisingly deep in unexpected ways. While $29.99 USD is a steep asking price for an experience that feels unfinished, if you have a PlayStation VR and are dying to try out something fresh, you’d be remiss not to give Moss a go. It’s a game that wouldn’t feel right without VR, yet doesn’t rely on the technology as a lazy gimmick in lieu of proper game design. We haven’t seen the last of our little pal Quill and something tells us that her next adventure will take virtual reality to new heights.

It feels like a dream seeing Bayonetta on PC, and thankfully, it’s no nightmare. While the frame rate is locked during cutscenes, everything else about the optimization has been done near perfect. Maxed out at 1080p60 is an easily achievable feat, even for older hardware, and the graphical enhancements only shed light on how well the visual aesthetics hold up so many years later. The controls are also done well for keyboard and mouse, so with the option of a gamepad, this is undoubtedly the best version of Bayonetta yet. As for the game itself, the story isn’t for everyone, especially considering how extraordinary deranged it is, and there are a couple of unforgiving combat scenarios. Fortunately, Bayonetta is still an alluring adventure that will hold a smile on your face until the credits roll.

Episode.02 improves on Episode.01 in basically every way possible. It reunites us with characters who have grown over the past four years into truly intriguing protagonists, rather than one dimensional annoyances.

Packed with solid gameplay and a small learning curve, Blue Estate breathes new life into the dying rail shooter genre.

If you loved Germinator, you’ll enjoy this, but it’s difficult to recommend a purchase for anybody who still has a lot of levels left to play that game.

In short, Pac-Man Museum is the best representation of what has been a truly illustrious video game career.