Solar Ash is another triumph from Heart Machine, a fast-paced burst of vibrant, surreal science fiction where players get to glide and jump around fascinating worlds with terrific bits of platforming and action spread out across a series of unique worlds with jaw-dropping visuals. Be it gliding across clouds, grinding on rails to jump between buildings, or sneaking up on and successfully slashing at the one wall-based creature that fires lasers at you, virtually everything here is an absolute joy to experience. This is easily one of the year’s most captivating games, and one to not miss out on.

Everything that happens inside the octagon in EA SPORTS UFC 5 is the best adaptation of the UFC that has been seen in a video game form to date. The game is violently beautiful, playing quick and tight with adding new ways to improve the gameplay of the series. There are a ton of UFC fighters to choose from so players can set the stage in the biggest arenas in the sport to mirror what’s being shown on television. The amount of detail that has been implemented into UFC 5 uplifts the realism to unseen levels in the series. The fight atmosphere does everything right as playing with friends and creating cards and tournaments will keep things going for hours. Outside of a straightforward Career Mode and an 0nline mode that has occasional hiccups with connectivity, however, there isn’t much to do for a single-player experience. One can train and spar and focus on playing online or taking their created player online with a few different match options, but that’s about it. The focus is the fighting, as it should be, and this is where UFC 5 brings home the gold. If there is one UFC game to get, this would be it.

Amid the Ruins is an exhilarating adventure and the best episode thus far. It gives players drastic choices to partake in, not to mention building on the relationships between Clementine and her party.

This remaster improves on what needed to be updated such as graphics and gameplay mechanics, but realizes the story and pacing were fine how they were. Crisis Core is still a fifteen-year-old game originally designed for a handheld platform and as such the improvements to this version can’t erase all reminders of its origins. Even with game elements that show their age, however, this is the best way to experience Crisis Core.

Rock Band Blitz is a conflicting experience for hardcore fans. The game has its moments, but the most entertaining part of Rock Band has been effectively stripped from the game.

As a single-player campaign for Hearthstone, Curse of Naxxramas provides quite a bit of bang for your buck.

Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines is a strange, captivating experience unlike any other RPG. Its plot is bizarre and tinged with dark humor, delving deeper into Japanese mythology than just about any game on the market.

Through peerless cinematography and sound design, Dontnod imbues everyday moments like waking up or riding the bus with profundity.

Charlie Murder is a much more complex game than fans of Ska Studios’ previous works will be expecting. It’s still a rebel, but this time there’s a cause to be found. RPG-lite elements, inviting co-op play, and zaniness combine to create a likeable, refreshing take on the brawler.

This makes Bejeweled Twist easily the best in the series, and brain-consumingly addictive to boot. [Dec 2008, p.56]

It may not be the best 3DS roleplaying experience, but it’s a darn fine one all the same.

With tons of cars, multiple events and a fantastic multiplayer mode, Grid 2 is proof that the series deserves to rank among the upper echelon of racing franchises.

Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea is the perfect place for series newcomers to start. The various areas of character improvement built into the systems here means that it feels like the player is always making rapid progress, even when completing the most mundane of tasks. Coupling this with an interesting, if not revolutionary, story makes for an engrossing game that would have dug its hooks even if it were not the only digital escape hatch provided for a trip to the in-laws. PS Vita is one of the most important destinations for JRPGs on the market and Atelier Shallie Plus is another major reason why.

The Sojourn is a gorgeous first-person puzzler bursting with clever design and a rich atmosphere.

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

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

There’s no doubt that the game is fun as the grind and work throughout it gives such a feeling of satisfaction at the end because you battled for that win. Having that broadcast presentation helps with that since after the game there are so many options to do off-the-court management that it keeps the player engaged for some time. The quirks and issues become aggravating over time as you try to get better, but the core feel of the game has felt this way for a while.

Soundodger+ is a lovely and brutal exercise in pure arcade music gaming.

Dandy Dungeon: Legend of Brave Yamada is a treat of RPG weirdness and a fantastic way to let a surprisingly large number of hours gently drift away as one man’s epic quest to create gets completely out of hand.

Players looking for a sci-fi retro shooter experience with a bit of modernization will no doubt enjoy Rogue Flight out of the box. The replayability comes into question as it comes off more grindy than an arcade shooter or the unlockable roguelike mode should. The visuals and the experience along with the voice acting are superb, while the soundtrack is fantastic and most fans of this genre will enjoy the music alone. The steep PC requirements for an indie title may hurt this in the end, though.

It’s no doubt a value, and if you need your fix of The Walking Dead, then this will certainly tide you over until the second season, but don’t expect a consistent plot full of meaningful and difficult choices.

A very good game on a technical level, but falls short of satisfying because it feels far too similar to other games in the series.

Night School Studio’s debut release is spooky, touching, and beautiful, and an adventure absolutely worth experiencing.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden offers an interesting twist on tried and true RPGs mechanics. A form of a morality system is implemented, but instead of being simply good or evil, it's based one what Red wants to do with Antea's soul which adds a sense of personal investment to one's choices beyond choosing which side with which to align. The mix of detective work to remove hauntings blended with the action-oriented combat elements helps make the role of Banisher seem more complete, as they have to rely on several different skill sets in order to accomplish their goals. This was further enhanced by the interplay between Red and Antea. The biggest stumbling block in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is the pacing, as there are many fantastic moments in the game that are spread too far apart by uneventful travel. But even with the overall experience being uneven, the good qualities greatly outweigh the bad.

Simple fun will only get you so far and players who are looking for a truly “next generation” experience right now will find that Dead Rising 3 simply doesn’t deliver.

Hell is Us isn’t something you see every day. It’s a thought-provoking adventure that dives deep into the barbaric nature of humans, all while putting together a compelling mystery behind the supernatural elements. On top of that, it’s as much of a puzzle game as it is an adventure, truly testing a player’s will and patience as nothing is guided. There are no waymarkers pointing Rémi in the right direction or a map that shows him where he is. Instead, we have to find everything on our own and remember it, be it putting it in our memory bank or recording it. With that said, Hell is Us isn’t perfect. As enjoyable and surprisingly well-varied the combat is, it mainly boils down to the same formula through most of the lengthy journey. It’s the incredibly detailed and elegantly put-together world and lore that will have everyone immersed. At the end of the day, even with a couple of quirks, Hell is Us is a memorable and rewarding experience that’s a breath of fresh air.

It really hits the sweet spot that few games do: it’s forgiving enough for people who like simple, easygoing games to finish, but challenging enough for completionists to work at for days, even weeks on end.

Ibb & Obb is an excellent puzzle platformer best enjoyed with a good friend and an open mind. Lightbulb moments where you finally devise an ingenious solution or conquer a frustrating segment are what make the game truly great, coupled with soothing visuals and a welcoming atmosphere. Grab a buddy, hop online, and pick it up. You don’t see games like this often enough anymore.

It’s a highly-replayable adventure and something that anyone who craves more depth in a game’s story should try out. It may not be a long tale, but this pre-amble to what’s to come for LiS showcases that there is plenty of life in the franchise no matter who is in it thanks to the rock-solid storytelling foundation on display.

The debut of the Fox Engine signals exciting things to come for the series, already showing off some unique and realistic physics here. With improved player handling, new collision detection and the best visuals of the series, PES 2014 is simply another great soccer game.

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.

The bottom line with SNK 40th Anniversary Collection boils down to whether or not someone has fond memories of the included games or at least those style of games from the ’80s. The collection presents these games in a manner that should please any fan of these titles, but there doesn’t seem to be much here to convert someone who is only interested in modern games.

Sure, it has a larger scope and a more intriguing storyline, but there are some questionable design choices mixed in with the thought of déjà vu. Regardless, Dead Space 3 retains its horror brilliance in offering a moody, atmospheric adventure full of exciting events.

Clocking in at around three to four hours to roll credits, Pepper Grinder while not the lengthiest of platforming titles thanks to its prime drilling mechanic, makes said run-time a thoroughly satisfying one. A core premise that's aided on top by a thoughtful approach to level design, not to mention a knack for continually chopping and changing the formula with one interesting new element or introduction of a neat gimmick after another. Developer Ahr Ech's ability to conjure so much from out so little a detail as how a character moves should not go unnoticed. Serviceable, bordering on unnecessary, its secondary content might feel, Pepper Grinder's ability to be just as satisfying to control, as much to work out and eventually beat, grants this particular drill-powered adventure a well-deserved identity all its own.

A combination of a streamlined length that doesn’t overstay its welcome, terrific level design, fluid controls and an overall aesthetic that’s both charming and well-integrated, Tinykin is a joy to play and an easy recommendation for any fan of 3D platformers.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Star Trek: Bridge Crew is that it’s a VR experience that encourages repeat play. Having put a decent amount of time into the title already, it’s understandable that some may hope for additional content added, such as an adversarial crew vs crew mode. What’s in the package already, though, makes for some hectic times and an incredible use of the technology. The message behind the actual game mechanics, that of the need for understanding and cooperation among the players, is possibly the most clever expression of the themes of the franchise a game has ever mustered.

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition is just that, the very best edition of the title that has been released. It offers the most content, and a wonderful quality of life changes that make it easily accessible for new or returning players.

The concluding chapters of Clementine’s journey remains as emotional and stressful as ever, but rarely feels purposeful enough to be a worthwhile finale for longtime fans. The key improvements to the gameplay and presentation sets them at an all-time high for the series, and the path AJ takes as a result of Clementine’s choices is truly impactful, but they are hindered by a lackluster cast and a meandering story that pales in comparison to previous seasons. While the real-life series of events that needed to occur for Clementine’s story to see its finale are certainly worth appreciating, it is unfortunate to see such a lengthy adventure end on such an uninspired note.

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.

A beautiful, emotional journey through some of the best looking environments on the PlayStation 4, Abzû was well worth the wait.

The best thing about Episode 1 is that you can jump in with the series here and still fall in love with it. The core formula remains so good that you can either play the series chronologically with this first or go in release date order as many will do and still have a lot of fun. For anyone who loved the first, get the season pass and have fun as each release comes out. For newcomers or those who dabbled in the series a bit, at least try out the first episode and experience a dramatic narrative that will make you a fan of the franchise.

It has its share of frustrating moments and doesn’t offer much gameplay depth, but at its best Outlast is an engaging and immersive horror experience that will have you clutching your controller in terror.

Despite a highly-questionable decision to neuter the lethality of the series’ central enemies, the core gameplay coupled alongside the electronic presentation proves to be one of the most addictive combos on the market, with the three-star perfection of Adventure mode and the constant climb up the leaderboards in Score Attack providing key motivations to continue returning to the title for another near-decade.

Eight maps for $29.99 might seem like a bit of a stretch, but for the quality of the remastering and the nostalgia that comes with playing the old maps over again, it’s hard not to pull the trigger. Even with some questionable design choices, it’s a solid pack of DLC that brings the total number of maps available in Black Ops III up to fifteen. It’s not worth buying Black Ops III for, but if you already have it and you have fond memories of the old zombie days, it’s a good chunk of content that breathes new life into the two-year-old game.

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

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a fun romp through Lumiose City thanks to its fun and engaging gameplay and stable framerate that's ultimately held back by an antiquated approach to world design and presentation.

Rapture could’ve used a more definitive conclusion, or maybe a few more illuminating hints sprinkled along the path to the ending, but still, it’s the individual character moments that will stick with you.

The team left no stone unturned for FIFA 22 and went all out in making a supremely-improved football game. The gameplay is the best the series has ever offered and makes the game fun no matter what mode you choose. The managerial career is the stand-out mode here with the ability to create a club and manage every aspect of the team. The player career offers a ton of meaningful upgrades that actually make you feel like you’re accomplishing something. VOLTA has been simplified but made more fun. But it all starts with the gameplay thanks to HyperMotion and the machine learning technology that brings excellent realism to FIFA 22. Even if you’re not a soccer/football fan, the controls of this game make it worth a try to at least play with friends. FIFA 22 may just be the best sports game of this generation so far.

The formula may be a little over 22 years old, but Mega Man 10 shows that it’s still more than capable of delivering just as much fun as it did all those years ago.

If you liked the previous Top Spin games, or if you wish to study the grand, majestic sport of professional tennis, then you should definitely buy Top Spin 3. But if you want to play tennis, the game, then you should probably go snag a copy of Virtua Tennis 3 (or even Sega Superstars Tennis) on the cheap right now.

The Following expands Dying Light in a meaningful new way, giving fans something fun to salivate over.

Dungelot is an enjoyable roguelike that can provide a challenge to players of almost any skill level without becoming frustrating.

Still, if you’re a fan of the WarioWare games and want a game that scratches that itch, Peter Panic is a good choice, even if it does leave you wanting.

Whatever platform you prefer, Mutant Mudds Super Challenge is at the very least a worthy pick for those who thrive on short-term adrenaline.

Flywrench is a deceptively simple challenge that requires nerves of steel and a vast reservoir of patience if you want to see everything it has to offer. When the game clicks it’s a fantastic challenge, with the difficulty offset by the short levels that make you feel like a pure ninja master when cleared.

When Slime-san works as intended, it’s an incredibly clever platformer, filled with endless challenges that constantly come up with new riffs on its themes. Its controls are tight and the levels take advantage of this, relying on the precision that comes from a simple move-set to make levels that are incredibly tricky but not unfair to get through.

Clap Hanz’s effort to evolve Everybody’s Golf is a successful way of thinking outside of the box. While there aren’t a ton of modes, there’s enough here to keep players coming back for more. Keeping its challenging and addicting gameplay, Everybody’s Golf manages to blend frustration and enjoyment successfully. The online aspect has no hiccups and it’s easy to play with other people. Turf War is extremely hectic and fun at the same time. Clap Hanz took full of advantage of the technology that the PS4 offers to create the biggest leap of the series and offering fresh new innovations. Not to mention, you can literally fish.

With Wavetale, Thunderful have managed to put a unique spin on post-apocalyptic worlds through its joyful tone, characters, style and more, making one want to spend as much time in it as possible and discover every sight to see. Of course, it helps that zipping around on the water is fun and makes for terrific gameplay, and the platforming easily evokes the classics. Audiences both young and old should give this a chance, as it’s a terrific action/adventure game with a lot of heart that shouldn’t just be ignored like mere flotsam.

Anyone seeking a new spin on a Metroidvania should give Rusted Moss a shot. The title itself is odd, but like ARES over a decade ago, it blends twin-stick shooting with the sub-genre well. The addition of a swing mechanic is something that adds a new wrinkle to the challenge when compared to most other games on the market, and if that part doesn’t work for you, it’s easy to just switch it off and soar all over the stages. The emphasis on accessibility is nice to see and something that helps make the Metroidvania sub-genre more approachable. Rusted Moss plays wonderfully with smooth and responsive controls that can be fully-customized, yet looks great in motion and sounds ominous with a frightening soundtrack and impactful gunplay.

Minami Lane is a testament to the charm and depth indie games can offer. With its engaging blend of management and strategy wrapped in an irresistibly-cute package, it's a delightful journey that invites players to create, manage and grow their little slice of paradise. The presence of a talking tanuki guide is just the cherry on top, adding a unique, whimsical touch that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Minami Lane. Whether you're strategizing your next build in Mission and Planner Mode or freely decorating in Creative Mode, Minami Lane will surely captivate and charm your heart.

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville may have a few technical hiccups and design missteps, but it remains a fun, cheerful shooter that’s engaging for players of all ages.

Yomawari: Midnight Shadows is wonderful, strange, scary, sad, creepy, startling and cute in equal measure. It deftly juggles a large number of emotions from one moment to the next, and if the story progress is frequently interrupted by exploring the town or getting killed while figuring out the next challenge, it never takes too long to get to the next part to be a serious interruption. If you played Night Alone you can jump right in with no learning curve, but if you missed the first one there’s only a small connecting point between the two games that’s more for fun than any level of necessary continuity. One of the things that took me by surprise with Night Alone is how the game stayed with me after it was done, getting better in memory than it actually was to play thanks to a story that made the rough parts worth fighting through. Yomawari: Midnight Shadows clears those issues away and looks good doing it, effortlessly turning a quirky one-off into one of the best new horror series in a long time.

Wii owners waiting for the next big game will not find it in Excitebots: Trick Racing. It suffers from some over-responsive controls and lacks the depth of contemporaries like Mario Kart Wii.

Graceful Explosion Machine is a white-knuckle shooter that barely allows for a moment’s rest as swarms of weird alien creatures arrive one after the other to crowd you off their planet, never quite realizing that the denser they swarm, the higher the multiplier can get. They’re not too bright that way, but with a little careful weapons management, it will all work out fine.

If you’ve never played République before, this is the best way to experience it. If you have, I’d say the graphical improvements alone make it worth a second look.

Those who already own the release on consoles have no reason to double dip unless they want to play it on the go, but for those who prefer the portable experience, Mega Man Legacy Collection is a winner on 3DS.

MLB The Show 22 continues the tradition of being an excellent emulation of the sport of baseball, but this is another year without major changes. The team seems to be playing it safe and while there will be new players that are blown away, PlayStation players continue to clamor for something refreshing. The cooperative play is fun and it works well, but a portion of this requires going down the rabbit hole that is Diamond Dynasty. It’s the look and the feel of what’s on the field with the updated presentation and the new announcing team that helps to bring some light to the series. Regardless, there’s nothing like the experience of playing MLB The Show 22 alongside opening day.

Capcom is quickly running out of Mega Man games to remaster, with notable exclusions being Battle Network Transmission, Command Mission, Legends and Star Force, but they continue to release incredible value propositions that bring these classics to a brand new generation of players.

Despite Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix being a little rough around the edges, it’s still one of the best HD collections around. Things like the controls do take away from the overall experience, but these are fairly minor next to the value you’re getting. The updated graphics make it a must for fans or eager newcomers to experience.

The series’ unrelenting, doubling-down on the simulation approach — and barely giving its players room for error — is still as prominent and bound to put off those looking for an easy ride. If you’re the kind of person who appreciates the finer detail and are looking for a racing experience that rewards smart, split-second decision-making, however, this is the kind of package that can offer so many great and engaging moments. Even if the road there may be paved with a few harsh lessons. In the end, with an expanded and much-improved career mode, some thoughtful, small-and-subtle tweaks and even more unpredictable elements to keep wary of — on top of all the care put into the physics, feedback and very sound — Kylotonn’s latest in WRC 8 stands as the studio’s best interpretation yet.

Anyone looking to spend a solid 40+ hours on a roguelike should look no further than this.

Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium shows that Capcom has created so many memorable arcade games that it takes more than one collection to hold them. The variety of games that span decades and genres provide something for everyone, though fighters and shooters seem to occupy most of the real estate in this arcade. Whether this collection is used to revisit childhood favorites or discover games before one’s time, there are opportunities for dozens of hours of entertainment. Options like being able to adjust to the display to either fill the television or create the illusion of an arcade cabinet are nice modernizations, as is the ability to adjust difficulty and other settings of each game. For retro gaming fans this collection is the next best thing to having a dedicated room filled with arcade machines.

When it comes down to it, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is an exciting and worthwhile entry in the acclaimed series. There's a lot to enjoy for newcomers and fans, from new levels and characters to multiplayer and modes. The Nintendo Switch does the title justice in the gameplay, though it hurts the graphical fidelity some of the stages and sceneries may have had. Still, it's an essential title for those looking for a fun, challenging and vibrant experience, and is definitely worth all the monkey business and your time.

By bringing Apollo Justice to 3DS, every main title in the Ace Attorney series is now readily available to fans looking to dive into court cases on the handheld. Upgraded audio and visuals make this more beautiful than ever, even trumping the work done on the original trilogy’s remake for 3DS. Fans of the series will be satisfied to know that the effort put into this remake is well worth picking it up again and players who haven’t been able to play this middle entry prior now have easy access to one of the early turning points in the series. Although it was a nine year wait, it’s more than satisfying to enjoy Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney once again looking as great as can be.

Take Us Back is a well-constructed but ineffective conclusion to Telltale’s The Walking Dead series. While the gameplay and presentation remain well-suited for the final hours of this journey, the waffling narrative holds back some of the episode’s final decisions from being truly meaningful. Although Take Us Back is not the lowest point in the series by any means, having the series finale falter in these crucial concluding moments makes each misstep seem that much larger as both Clementine and Telltale’s lengthy adventures reach their end.

Episode 4: Faith delivers a fantastic story-focused episode and sets up the perfect springboard for the Diaz brothers’ next stop of Puerto Lobos. Sean might have been battered, bruised and forever wounded by his scars, but Life Is Strange 2 charges to the finishing line with significant momentum behind it.

Need for Speed Unbound brings plenty of style and builds upon the high stakes dynamic established in 2019’s Heat to create an engaging and enjoyable open world racing game. The large emphasis on story falls flat once again particularly during the slow opening hours, and the online mode lacks some of the best aspects of the single player mode, including police and Takeover events. Fortunately, the excellent performance and smart overhaul to the turbo system ensures the moment-to-moment gameplay always feels great, and the huge amount of unlockable vehicles, customization options and optional activities and collectibles means there’s always plenty to do each time you make the trip to Lakeshore City.

While an excellent step in the right direction and a guaranteed hit among fans, the layperson may find too many faults to enjoy the experience extensively.

This is a game where you literally step over the dead bodies of your companions to reach a goal and doing so has never been so much fun.

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.

Back 4 Blood delivers the joy of zombie slaying in small bursts, but can become a slog the more prolonged the play session. This is blood you’ll want to return for because it’s fun to slay zombies with friends, just don’t stay too long.

Mario & Luigi: Brotherhood succeeds at creating a loyal sequel to the previous installments in the franchise, but fails to successfully bring that franchise to the level of quality synonymous with Nintendo's console games. Slow progression, major quality-of-life issues and unbearably-boring lengths of dialogue and gameplay heavily bog down this fun and lighthearted turn-based RPG, with the final product ending up as a 50-50 split of soul-sucking boredom and family-friendly fun.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider conjures the spirit of the golden age of 16-bit gaming. Everything from the graphics to the soundtrack perfectly recreates the essence of early ’90s gaming, while the gameplay mechanics feel contemporary enough where it hits the sweet spot in blending modern with classic. The most important element that Moonrider recreated is making a modern 16-bit game that is just as fun and exciting as the titles that inspired it were back in their heyday. Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a retro-inspired title that shows just how fun a trip to a dystopian future can be.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 shows its age visually, but is still as fun to play now as it was in 2011. The single player modes are only entertaining for so long, but the real fun is playing against other people. The only real difference with this version versus the original are slightly-improved visuals and DLC, making it a hard sell for those who can still play it on last-gen consoles, but it’s an easy way to revisit a classic for anyone who missed out on it or regrettably traded in their copy.

Hell is Empty perfectly pays off what was built up in the first two episodes while also providing a bridge to the original series. Acting as a prequel series put Before the Storm in a tough spot, but the third episode shows that you can pull of a lofty goal like that near-perfectly. It’s a fantastic conclusion to the prequel series and a must-play for anyone who enjoyed the first two episodes. You’ll see proper payoffs to many things here, while the main game serves as a payoff for other storylines and characters introduced in this series — allowing this self-contained part of the tale to do its own thing without having to wrap up every part of the narrative.

Third time is the charm with Donkey Kong Country Returns HD as this is the best version of the fifteen-year-old game. It offers a challenging but fair level of difficulty, with the optional Modern Mode knocking down the challenge enough to make it more accessible without sacrificing the original challenge found in Original Mode. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a reminder of why this series was so popular in the mid ‘90s, as it brings back all the classic gameplay elements. It may be a remaster of a fifteen-year-old game which was a throwback to a series that was of comparable age, but it shows that great game design is timeless and there's a place for Donkey Kong Country in the modern gaming world.

It’s such a shame that Street Fighter V launched in the state it did; it’s impossible to wholeheartedly recommend to everyone as a result. If you’re on the fence or a newcomer, you’re better off waiting for another update or two for the game to get fully fleshed out. But even right now, beyond all its rough edges and missing modes, Street Fighter V is a tremendous fighting game at the top of its class.

Though it doesn’t navigate through every hairpin turn with perfection, F1 2013 still manages to cross the finish line with an impressive lead on its competition.

Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman’s Mine is a reminder that while games come in many forms nowadays, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a classic adventure.

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.

While a stronger story and better release period would have benefited Shu’s impact on the consumers of the gaming industry, Shu’s consistently solid gameplay make this platformer one that’s sure to satisfy fans of the genre as well as parents looking for a more kid-friendly title.

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.

Although it could have been a quick cash-in, Heroes is a love letter to Dragon Quest fans that stands as its own charming adventure.

Indivisible is a rare game that can rise above so many things not coming together, and whether you decide to dive in now with all its faults or wait another year for the ongoing polishing efforts to pay off, it will deliver a fantastic adventure that should easily stay with you long past the final closing credits.

EA SPORTS FC 26 is extremely fun to play and you don't have to be a fan of the sport to enjoy it. The changes to the gameplay from community feedback not only add variety, but provide some of the best results in the series. While there's slight AI logic issues, the responsiveness of the gameplay plus the option to slow it down with Authentic Gameplay shows just how well the strategy element works. Besides some touchups on the game modes, there really isn't anything new here, but there's still an abundant amount of ways to play. Clubs Rush is still fantastic to play and the game remains beautiful and authentic. The presentation elements bring out the greatness that drives this sport. The portion off the field just feels too familiar.

Before the Storm is a must-play component of the series and the franchise is something that anyone who enjoys a strong narrative should try out.

Overall, though, this is a bundle worth its price of admission for the first game alone, especially because it’s been taken care of so well by Namco in this remastering project.

Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE feels a bit like another entry into the Danganronpa series simply without the school approach, leaving it feeling like it’s not really standing on its own two legs. The highlights end up being the investigation elements and many side quests which are the most somewhat original parts it could manage. The main story will keep players engaged, but it’s a shame it’s held back by outdated elements disguised as “humor” that only those stuck in an edgy school kid mindset could enjoy. It’s easy to see how many will still be able to look past the flaws and enjoy the overall experience, but it’s a shame they had to exist at all due to poor writing that feels as though it’s from those who never consumed anything but their own creations. For those who have enjoyed Danganronpa this will likely be at least mostly enjoyable through and through, but it’s a shame Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE couldn’t find a good footing to stand up and feel like a truly original title.