Featuring an enormous roster of over 200 characters with revamped gameplay, WWE 2K18 is a solid upgrade from last year’s game.

Raiden V: Director’s Cut ends up being a shooter worthy of its history and does a good job of keeping alive gaming’s longest-running Japanese arcade shooter series.

The Etrian Odyssey series has the first-person dungeon crawler genre down to a simple art. Players looking for a challenging title that will keep them coming back with every tiny improvement need look no further than Etrian Odyssey V.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole is loaded with toilet humor and enough F bombs to make Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Kinison blush, but anyone following South Park over the past twenty years should be expecting that.

Raw Data is absolutely the game that every VR owner should play.

Stardew Valley brings a mix of farming and life simulation to the Switch and the platform is absolutely perfect for it.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War aims for the spectacle of the films, but falls short with a directionless, lore-breaking campaign.

The Evil Within 2 is a more coherent and purposeful journey, strengthened by its voyage into non-linear level design, while at the same time reinforcing the foundation with which the original’s gameplay often shined through on. That’s not to say the sequel doesn’t throw up a few too many unfair fail states — be it in and out of stealth mode — not to mention the occasional performance mishaps that show up. It’s during combat where the biggest flaw unfortunately shows itself, ultimately preventing the sequel from achieving a higher level of success.

Although Who Needs You provides some of the season’s most emotionally charged scenes, the episode’s inconsistency with its tone and story progression, and all-too-familiar gameplay and technical issues make for a lackluster penultimate chapter that only looks to harm the upcoming season finale. Telltale may need to find its own Eternity Forge to revive the series’ attempt at wrapping up this dysfunctional space family’s premiere story.

After Death doesn’t revolutionize metroidvanias, but it doesn’t exactly seek out to do so either. It’s simply a development team creating their own world and story in a tried and true format. Its self referential nature regarding the gargoyle statues gives an element of levity to the macabre setting with enough of a challenge to keep the game from getting boring without ever threatening to be frustrating through the varied seven unique areas. The well-designed boss fights are a highlight and the transformation Mr. Bones goes through from a useless skeleton to a force to be reckoned with at the end of the adventure is a satisfying process. After Death is a welcome addition to any metroidvania fan’s game collection.

Wonderful Everyday is an absolute enigma. It opens up with a route that lulls players into a false sense of security before a massive sucker punch. Fortunately, unlike a real punch, the storyline earns its sudden divergence and explains it thoroughly throughout. After completing the final route, restarting the game reveals exactly how cunning the intro actually is. Players need to be prepared for anything as they play, like power through horrific moments, but they’ll be rewarded with an amazing tale unlike any other visual novel out there.

Those who devour slice of life high school tales will not likely have qualms about playing this one. It tries to differentiate itself with the variety of character paths and manga author subplot, but unfortunately, none of this elevates the title above its peers. Instead, it stands as an easy, if predictable, read that can keep players company over a weekend gameplay session. If given the choice to spend their funds on this and something else from Sekai Project’s catalog (like the impressive Grisaia trilogy), WAGAMAMA HIGH SPEC proves a much tougher sell.

Speaking personally, Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online was a tonic I needed that arrived at just the right time. It’s pure, cheerful escapism that only wants to be fun for the player. Some might say that it tries too hard and this outing won’t change any minds. Fans will tell you that the damnable earnestness of it all lifts it up. This is also the first time that the series has managed to feel great in a true action form. Perfectly hitting every note that makes this series so popular, fans of Neptunia will have plenty to do with 4 Goddesses Online and those curious about the series should start here.

It’s rare to see a title with so much promise wasted. This is a game that needed some sort of oversight. Somebody needed to step up and explain that things were getting way out of hand with the currencies, that the mysterious appearing enemies style of challenge doesn’t fit with the mechanics as designed, that surprise instant death isn’t fun within the confines of a cover shooter. That didn’t happen. Instead of being pulled back from the precipice, MercurySteam merrily stepped over, embracing oblivion. The splatty mess that resulted was scraped up and released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. The actual talent that went into this game dripped through the crack in this Broken Planet.

Inmates is a textbook example of untapped potential. It’s obvious what the developer was trying to accomplish, but was only partly successful. The ingredients for psychological horror are present but they just never come together in a meaningful way. Inmates features the grand environment that is perfect to get under one’s skin but slow gameplay, linear progression, predictable storyline and reliance on jump scares takes a promising premise and leaves it mired in mediocrity. It’s a short time investment and inexpensive, so if it sounds interesting, there is some enjoyment to be had playing through it but there’s better options for those looking for a cerebral fright fix. It’s impressive for a technical project accomplished by one person, but unfortunately that is not something that factors into how enjoyable a gaming experience is.

The Pact provides a highly compelling, Bruce Wayne-focused episode that continues to push the momentum of this season forward at a fast pace. The lack of common Telltale features may be a bit off-putting to some fans, but those eager to see Gotham’s diverse cast of characters at their best will find plenty to enjoy with The Pact.

Axiom Verge was already one of the best Metroid-style games in years and it lands on the Switch like it belongs there. The game is endlessly creative with new enemies, weapons and tools, making each new area a fun challenge to explore while giving plenty of reason to revisit the older ones. The huge, detailed bosses can seem insurmountable at first, but give up their patterns after an attempt or two, and good odds of receiving a new ability afterwards makes the fight worthwhile.

A special, once-in-a-generation type of game. Cuphead would have flourished on its brilliant art-style and visual aesthetic alone, easily. Yet what truly sets itself apart from anything released over the past ten years is how well everything else binds together. A gameplay loop that constantly throws more and more unique ideas at the player; a soundtrack that energises the maddening antics of its visuals even further; a situation that is equal-parts chaotic as it is psychologically immersive. Though it misses out on being crowned a perfect game, believe me when I say that it’s not by much. Its faults may crop up at the most pivotal of moments, but even that takes nothing away from the generally electrifying sense of joy to be found from a game of this vigor and caliber. Cuphead truly is one to cherish.

Designed to play in short sessions, Pylon Rogue attempts to straddle the line between catering to casual or hardcore gamers and doesn’t quite deliver to either. Challenging games can be enjoyable, just look at Dark Souls, Nioh or any number of NES classics, but in Pylon Rogue there is no sense of progress being made to make the challenge rewarding and the shallow, accessible design doesn’t generate enough interest to continue trying.

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

The story has the laughs and the charming tone is still present despite the gameplay departure. Otherwise, newcomers to the series would be better off getting Estival Versus. People who treat the single player stuff as training for the online battles, though, will have the breast time. The pace of the matches are dangerously delicious and prevent even a blowout from feeling discouraging. The constant opportunities for powering up abilities keeps the hands glued to the controller. Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash is best played online, true, but it’s a superb experience when doing so. Assuming that the player base grows as they polish off the campaign content, this might be just the tonic for gamers that want to set aside spilling blood in favor of spilling clothes.

While not allowing for the subterranean trek through SR388 to fully flourish in its own individual right, Metroid: Samus Returns is nonetheless a highly enjoyable remake of one of the series’ more overlooked and forgotten entrants. With new items and gameplay mechanics added into the mix, not to mention the surprisingly tense confrontations with the many titular foes throughout, Nintendo’s own take on how Metroid 2 would and should fare in the modern age is frantic in its action but carefully balanced by the series’ slow-burning exploration. With Metroid Prime 4 looming on the horizon, the signs here at least are notably promising.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 was an entertaining but flawed game when it was released last year and it remains such on Nintendo Switch. If anything, this port feels like the worst version to pick up, with numerous graphical sacrifices and severe frame rate issues in the hub city whilst playing on the handheld mode. It does include the main story quests from the first game so newcomers won’t miss out on anything (even though the sequel’s story is similar), but the newly-added motion controls, while a novel idea, are far from the ideal way to play the game. The only appealing aspect for someone who has already enjoyed Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is that this version allows you to play it on the go, but even then it’s a messy port. For those new to the series, this is a solid entry point, but don’t expect it to set your world on fire.

With a patch to clean up the technical issues, The Bard’s Tale: Remastered and Resnarkled would be an incredible value. It’s a classic title that too few people played when it was new, cleaned up just enough to be visually acceptable, sold at a reasonable price. The game itself will take around twenty hours to polish off, depending on the difficulty level chosen and the dedication employed for finding the stat boosting tokens. When approaching this title, I was fully expecting to sing its praises for being the unappreciated gem that it is. It this edition’s current state that cannot be done with a clean conscious. Hopefully, InXile will take the time to address the bugs. Should they do so, this would be a title worth recommending to any one with a sense of humor and a desire to play a protagonist that deserves every piece of grief he receives.

Despite a bit of a hurdle when it comes to difficulty at the beginning, Ruiner is quite the addictive action game, one with a lot of variety in its combat that packs a lot of experimentation into a small package. The visuals are amazing when it comes to depicting the grittiness of Rengkok, the characters and enemies are well-designed, and the speedy gameplay works exquisitely, perfectly capturing the feel of a futuristic action film. The more you get involved, the more you discover just how much of a blast it is, so give it a shot. Seriously, the ice sword alone is worth it. I love you, fox blade.

While many Total War fans might scoff at playing with elves when they could be conquering Europe or Japan with historically accurate techniques, Total War: Warhammer II is the best place for the typical gaming nerd to start. It succeeds on that long promised, but never really delivered idea of taking part in battles akin to Lord of the Rings.

Blue Refletion provides a unique twist on the JRPG format. Having the protagonist reflect on her own feelings of loss while trying to gain insight into other characters’s feelings in order to acquire their friendship is an interesting idea. The problem is the game doesn’t delve deep enough into this territory, and while this is a great design concept, it could be so much better if they took the idea further and added more depth to the characters. The mix of the real world with the Common is a good blend of environments and the gameplay in both is enjoyable but the time we spend in the Common exploring and fighting demons feels disproportionately short compared to the massive usage of cutscenes.

Culdcept Revolt tries its best to combine classic board and card games, but the execution is lacking in more complex strategies, making players feel as though they’re not building towards a strong end goal. Those interested in Culdcept Revolt will likely find the most enjoyment in competing against others online, rather than NPCs who feel as though they’re wasting the player’s time going through every motion another human player would do in full detail. With a likable cast of characters, interesting story and a wide variety of cards to create unique decks, Culdcept Revolt has a good premise that doesn’t pay off quite as well as intended.

While it won’t blow anyone away, Mary Skelter: Nightmares is a well put together, enjoyable experience and a worthy addition to any dungeon crawler RPG fan’s collection.

If you needed proof that some games end up putting out what you yourself put in, WRC 7 is likely the closest the series has gotten into successfully drawing in the more casual players, all the while maintaining the series’ raw and challenging simulation edge.

FIFA continues to show no signs of slowing down its dominance, as this year’s title further enhances the consistently enjoyable gameplay thanks to improvements to the on-field animations and varied, but realistic presentation. The core modes could have been better off with a similar amount of enhancements, particularly FUT and Career’s reliance on an unnecessarily complex menu system, but as a whole, FIFA 18 will once again reign supreme as one of this year’s most accessible and crowd-pleasing titles both in and outside of its genre.

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.

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.

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

For a seventeen-year-old game, Final Fantasy IX has aged incredibly well.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is a fitting resolution to a familiar story. Billie Lurk is an excellent character to showcase the underside of a world already known but with plenty of mystery left in it.

SteamWorld Dig 2 is a huge, expansive and utterly fantastic mining/platformer, with a great variety of challenges and plenty of tools to attack them with.

Overall, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is yet another excellent installment in the franchise, delivering up another set of grisly murders and the well-crafted conundrums and kangaroo courts that result from them while still keeping a focus on black humor and twisted school life. While it does suffer from a few bad apples in the cast and one of the most “WTF” finales in recent video game history, the gameplay has received enough of the right changes that it needs to make things more balanced and allow for some intense count sessions while still keeping you hooked on where all of this insanity is going yet again. One has to wonder where the series will possibly go from this, but for now, Monokuma has indeed gifted us with one more killing game that’s worth checking out.

NHL 18 introduces two major modes to its solid array of dated options. The near-revolutionary Expansion Draft takes center stage and needs to be incorporated by other sports games. Hopefully, this won’t be a one-and-done for the series. NHL Threes is a solid change of pace, but ultimately lacks the feel of an excellent arcade experience. Otherwise, balance flaws and lack of innovative gameplay mechanics don’t differentiate between prior years of the game. While it’s still a solid game of hockey, you’ve skated this rink before.

All in all, the line on the graph that is PES’ progression as a series has gone up with Pro Evolution Soccer 2018. A game that might have ran the risk of deterring its loyal fan-base, the improved physicality to player animations and actions only adds another layer to the series’ already layered strategy that feels genuinely entertaining to watch as it is to play, regardless of the outcome. But while this year’s improvements are at the forefront more than 2017‘s showing, the return of series-old issues both on and off the pitch prevent this year’s iteration from reaching the same champion-level heights the likes of PES 2016 so wonderfully claimed. But it says something when even a fair handful of criticisms do little to detract from the pleasure of the core gameplay. Cliche as it may sound in the context of the sport, but it’s what happens on the pitch that matters and PES 2018 proves once again it’s the king of football titles.

NASCAR Heat 2 offers a lot to do for players. It might feel a bit rushed, but it’s extremely addicting and fun. The racing is a consistent experience and Career Mode features aspects that haven’t been seen before. While it may lack the options of true simulation racers, the admirable A.I. should make up for that. Top that off with some excellent visuals and a coupon for a real race ticket, and Heat 2 continues to trend in the right direction.

Divinity: Original Sin II is not only a contender for best game of 2017, but one of the best RPGs ever created. The game could easily take a hundred hours to complete and the interplay between the well-constructed story, gameplay mechanics and player freedom creates a world I could see myself revisiting with different parties just to watch the story unfold differently. Simply put, Divinity: Original Sin II is truly divine.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite continues the franchise’s tradition for packing a punch with its depth and replayability, but the lackluster campaign, abysmal secondary modes and middling presentation do little to help justify the full-price tag. Those dedicated to the series and genre will likely be pleased with what the latest entry has to offer, but those outside the bubble would be better off waiting for a bigger roster, and hopefully, updates and additions to the current offerings.

There’s some fun to be had with LEGO Worlds, but you will need to trudge through a lot of problems to get to it. The UI is unintuitive, especially on the Switch, the combat is clumsy, there’s a serious lack of drive in the adventure mode, the missions are beyond repetitive and it’s buggy, just to name a few. With that said, there are a plethora of worlds to explore, and even after countless hours with the game, we were still seeing new environments. Creating a custom world is also an entertaining feature, even though it’s purely tied to the Free Mode. In the end, though, LEGO Worlds had incredible potential to be the next Minecraft, especially considering the pedigree of LEGO, but it winds up being weighed down by a lack of vision.

Calling this the Definitive Edition may not be the most apt description. It is a fantastic version of the four-year-old platformer, especially considering you can play it on the go, but there’s little here that’s new or enhanced. The touch screen capabilities were pretty much in the game since its arrival on the Wii U and the Kung Foot update is just a tournament mode. In fact, the game’s load times are actually longer on the Switch, even though they’re still not too bad overall. Still, Rayman Legends holds up as a fantastic platformer even after all of these years, creating a memorable and highly-addictive experience that’s hard to match. The art style is one that fans will remember for along time and the musical missions standout as some of the most engaging stages in any Ubisoft game. There’s an incredible amount of content stuffed into this package, and even though it may not be a revolutionary upgrade, the Switch version feels like the perfect platform for Rayman Legends.

For a spin-off that manages to change the core of what makes the mainline series so popular, Monster Hunter Stories does an amazing job becoming a stand-out title for the series. There’s loads to be discovered in Stories, with a perfect level of challenge for those who want to take their time or those looking to speed their way to the end-game content. While the story is simplistic and predictable, it still manages to throw in a few twists with plenty of good laughs along the way. Although it may seem most appealing to fans of the long-running series, there is plenty for any player to enjoy on their riding adventure through Monster Hunter Stories.

Titles like Senran Kagura or the Hyperdimension Neptunia series are incredibly dumb, but are also entertaining. Despite their glaring flaws, they warm this cold heart in my chest. Drive Girls drops the ball on every front that could redeem it. It squanders its concept with poor stage design, ruining the sense of momentum. It takes what should be a simple hack and slash action game and complicates with the most poorly considered control scheme this side of playing Dark Souls with a Guitar Hero peripheral. Even the story, which could have been a redeeming factor by way of just being amiable nonsense, is tedious and dull. If Senran Kagura is the one that gets too drunk at a party and embarrasses itself to the amusement of onlookers, Drive Girls is the one that pukes on the host’s pets and is confrontationally annoying. It’s unpleasant for everyone and people just want it to be gone.

1bitHeart caters to a specific target audience, but what it does for this type of experience it does well. It takes about four hours to complete which feels like about the proper length for it. Solving mysteries and making friends is the goal Misane has for Nanashi, and watching him panic and squirm while awkwardly fumbling through conversations has a certain endearing and relatable charm to it because of how accurately the game captures the internal monologue of introverts going into social awkwardness panic mode. People looking for action or something fast paced won’t find it here, but fans of visual novels or the questioning sequences from games like Ace Attorney or Danganronpa will likely enjoy 1bitHeart. It’s a casual friendly game, but sometimes those can be quite nice.

Those looking for a hot new strategy game should look no further than Tooth and Tail. Providing endless amounts of fun with fair and fast-paced action, Tooth and Tail fights tooth and nail for its place in the RTS pantheon. It proves that innovating on an old school genre is sometimes the best thing needed. This doesn’t mean other games have to follow this design from here on out, but it shows that things can be done differently while being immensely enjoyable.

The game in general is worth the time for fans of the series and someone just looking to play a lighthearted action/RPG. The tough part is deciding if Deluxe or the Vita version is the definitive entry. Each has their Pros and Cons over the other, not the least of which is the fact that the older versions have a lower price when compared to this gussied up version. One needs to choose if they want the complete edition or one with a less temperamental camera, if a higher framerate is worth the lack of portability. Of course, there’s also a Switch version of Deluxe which has that benefit… I’m not quite sure where I land on that choice for myself, but this game is fun in any incarnation.

Darkwood is one of those games where it’s easy to have a mixed opinion on it. The control mechanics leave something to be desired, which is never any more true than in combat. Once we get past that, Darkwood actually gets a lot of things right. The story is shrouded in mystery as bits of the narrative are gradually revealed as the player progresses through the game. The very nature of the game is puzzling, but without any hand holding the player can figure out what needs to be done and this feels rewarding. Tension is built through a constant sense of danger and the unknown, with a visual style and sound direction that contribute to the overall sensation of dread. The end result is a more psychologically-driven sense of fear and not one made by the cheap use of jump scares. The lack of direction and poor combat controls could be enough to keep some from entering Darkwood, but horror fans that are willing to forgive these aspects can find a rewarding and chilling experience within.

An actual campaign, a good amount of Strikes, the Crucible and a plethora of side activities ensure that Destiny 2 will remain in your console’s disc-drive for a long time. In other aspects, however, Destiny 2 feels more of an expansion than it does a sequel.

During the later stages of Knack II, the titular hero says, “We all make mistakes. What matters is what you do next.” Knack II addresses some of the previous title’s mistakes, pushing forward the combat depth and enhancing the satisfying loop of gradually overpowering the world around the player through size management. Unfortunately too many of the past mistakes remain, including an unapologetically bland story and presentation, to have Knack’s return be justified to anyone but young players or dedicated 3D platformer fans.

Tyranny: Bastard’s Wound is an impressive piece of DLC as it takes the choice-heavy gameplay of Tyranny and seamlessly weaves it into the previously-made choices by the player. Whether or not this content is essential depends on how much someone enjoyed Tyranny and if they want more of it.

Overall, Tokyo Dark stands as yet another impressive and surprisingly gripping entry into Square Enix Collective’s portfolio of diverse titles, given its scale but more prominently its tone. One that executes the seemingly-impossible task of fusing the elegance of traditional point-and-click gameplay with the engaging story-telling of a visual novel. Doing so in a way that reaps the beneficial joy of both genres, yet still making sure to ask many a question to its player on what the next logical step should be. While it doesn’t re-imagine or reinvent the conventions, Cherrymochi’s take on the choice-driven style of play — fed notably through the lens of its uneasy Tokyo setting — makes this a must for either community. Be it those of the point-and-click sway, the visual novel variant or perhaps neither of the two. Because even if your decision in-game turns out to be the wrong one, there are plenty of twists and turns to discover in Tokyo Dark‘s hybrid of narrative and investigative gameplay to make the experience all that more focused, all that more perplexing, but ultimately, fittingly satisfying to resolve.

An Oath to the Stars needed some gameplay balancing, a better scoring mechanic and a complete rewrite of its story to become a really good shooter, but without that it’s just a semi-decent way to blow off an hour or two before playing something else.

A Robot Named Fight combines a blaster-centric Metroidvania with a roguelite and works wonderfully. It blends the sub-genre with a bit of Turrican, and much like that classic series, this one man game delivers the goods.

Mask of Truth continues the trend of the first game and improves upon its combat. The visual novel aspect of things remains enjoyable, while the tactical RPG gameplay is more focused and refined. Graphically, it still falls short of what many would expect on the PS4, with Vita-level graphics that work fine for that version but don’t hold up well on the big screen. Its gorgeous soundtrack helps overcome that issue and allows even the most intense battles to be relaxing. Mask of Truth is a solid follow-up to Mask of Deception and a must-buy for all who enjoyed that game.

Although it should take most ten hours to complete, A Hand in the Darkness provides something unique in the visual novel space. Not only is it a rare English yaoi tale, it also presents itself in a more realistic way than, say, Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator.

Last Day of June is a beautiful presentation of a heart-wrenching tale that is hindered by less-than-stellar game mechanics. It should be noted Last Day of June was partially designed to appeal to people who don’t regularly play video games. It succeeds as a story and as an interactive work of art, but as a game there are some mechanics that could have benefited from some further tweaking. As unique as this title is, however, it allows it to be one of the rare exceptions to the rule that mediocre gameplay trumps excellence in areas like graphics and sound. The story and concept are compelling enough where playing Last Day of June is worthwhile despite its shortcomings. Depending on the player, it can take four to six hours to complete. It’s not something that will appeal to everyone, but it’s worth looking into for those willing to forgive lackluster gameplay for a compelling story with a unique presentation.

Windjammers might not be as glorious a return of a long-forgotten gem as we hoped for, but still provides some fast and addictive old-school arcade action that does indeed showcase why such a game ever became a cult classic in the first place. It remains an innovative twist when it comes to sports games, even to this day, and serves as a reminder of just how varied the Neo Geo’s lineup could be at times. DotEmu did a fine job in bringing this bit of quirky athletics to a new audience and should be congratulated for it.

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.

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.

A highly-entertaining brawler. The visuals are stunning, the ambience a perfect fit for a world of martial arts, and the incredibly deep fighting system is fun to experiment with, making the game accessible for both seasoned veterans and button-mashing newcomers to fighting games, with unique features that allow any of those players to hone their craft. Overall, it’s one of the year’s most unique and enjoyable fighting games, and one worth checking out.

If Wizard Fu set out to make the most faithful of homages to the original Legend of Zelda specifically, Songbringer fits the bill with its hands-off approach to exploration-driven adventure. Unfortunately what the game initially builds up with its environments and keen visual style is partially swept aside by some unruly technical aspects.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana doesn’t deviate far from what Ys games are known for, it just takes what they do and expands on them. The story isn’t Shakespearean, but it’s more developed and interesting than what was shown in previous titles, and while the characters are still trope-based, they have more depth than seen in previous entries and this is on top of improvements in graphics and music composition. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana shows the series maturing a bit but without deviating too far from what made us fans in the first place.

Despite the fact that there are some technical and acting issues, Observer absolutely excels. Not only is it a great genre entry, but a fine example of interactive entertainment as a whole. The world that Bloober Team has created is one that is wide open for more exploration. I wouldn’t mind prequels exploring the fall of modern society or alternate perspective takes on the tale. Heck, even a Chiron management sim, where the company needs to keep the people just happy enough to accept their oppression would be interesting. This is not reggae, but it deserves to be as popular.

Ys Seven might look like an old game trying to appear new under some fresh coats of polish, but putting that aside, it's just as fun now as it was seven years ago.

Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition is a proper send off before Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is released next year. Simply the PC game and its expansions released for console in their original form -- with the only changes being ones that make it playable on console -- those already familiar with Eora don't need to revisit on console, but any RPG fan who prefers console to PC gaming owes it to themselves to check this one out.

Lack of local multiplayer notwithstanding, Warriors All-Stars is another worthy entry into the Musou series. This is one for fans who want to get a little silly with it and ones who have an affinity for other Koei Tecmo titles.

Resident Evil Revelations was a step in the right direction five years ago, but has since worn out its welcome. The game is enjoyable and features a undeniably spooky atmosphere, but at the end of the day, it's a five year old 3DS game on its third life.

While the slow movement speed drags things out, Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is a must-play for anyone wanting a game to tell a narrative that doesn’t talk down to the player. Think Masterpiece Theater instead of Guardians of the Galaxy. Both are interesting in a different way, but The Pillars of the Earth engages with players in a way that one would not expect from the medium, even at this point in time. The stylistic animation brings everything to life in an interesting way and there is a sense of control for the player to explore. This is an interesting experiment in subject matter and execution that is worth the time investment. The current package is only the first seven chapters, but seeing how it plays out should be intriguing.

The new levels are a treat to play in with eye-popping visuals, the humor is as chuckle-worthy as ever and the increase in options when it comes to boulders and units to work with allows for deeper strategy and more insane skirmishes, be it against the AI or a friend.

While not a traditional Mario or Rabbids game, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle contains enough elements from both franchises to appeal to fans of either series. The lighthearted humor and silly visuals combined with a surprisingly deep battle system make this unexpected crossover a delight to play.

Odd as it may sound to recommend a game moreso on its story, Ninja Theory’s latest is an interesting, if flawed, entrant.

More Than a Feeling takes two steps forward and one step back, as the team at Telltale finally demonstrate their sense of direction for the season ahead in the most humorous and intriguing episode this far. The lack of diverse environments makes the gameplay seem less subtly formulaic than other Telltale titles, but the significant plot improvements bodes well for the remainder of the season.

There’s a real push and pull between wanting to love the game and finding it too annoying at points to proceed. Fortunately, the pros outweigh the cons and the journey into a haunted school is still worth taking for horror lovers.

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

Yakuza Kiwami remakes the original game in a near-perfect way. Some may be disappointed over the lack of English voice acting, but the use of Japanese with English subtitles greatly increases the authenticity.

Fortunately, Naughty Dog has made sure that that core is as human as ever, and as a result, have produced another stellar title that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with not only some of the studio’s best works, but some of the industry’s best action-adventure games ever.

It’s a truism that writing up reviews on mediocre games is the most difficult aspect of games coverage. There is no reason to tear into them, nor do they inspire the author to invent new ways to praise. Despite the score seen below, Defenders of Ekron is not a mediocre game. Instead, it is either a great game with a lot of bad parts or a bad game with a lot of good parts. It is a refreshed take on the “glass half full/empty” test. I’m going to say that it’s a good game with a lot of bad parts, as the time spent exploring the warzones and discovering new powers stuck with me more than having to solve that one danged magnetic ball puzzle again. People who decide otherwise are not wrong, though.

Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy is a solid first step in crafting a new generation of adventures for the franchise, but future installments had best concentrate more on crafting a better bunch of puzzles to be strung together, as well as a deeper narrative, in order to match the glory of the earlier games. And future installments we should indeed hope for, because the charming art, characters, and dialogue all help to create an interesting world that deserves more love (that, and the fact that the game ends on a rather mind-blowing sequel hook). It isn’t the greatest journey a Layton has taken, but it’s still an entertaining one nonetheless.

Over Fence has an average game on their hands with Flip Wars. There is so much potential here for bigger and better things, but for the time being, it’s fun and worthy of parties. If you’re into multiplayer games, it isn’t a bad choice at all. That being said, patience is key when waiting for matches to start and actually playing them. It has only been available for several days now so the fan-base is slowly developing. If purchasing Flip Wars, make sure you have others to play with in person or good enough internet connection to play online. The free access to Nintendo’s online connection is limited, but at least you can enjoy it with friends.

Cities: Skylines – PlayStation 4 Edition brings an excellent city-simulator to consoles offering an amazing interface and excellent visuals. Everything is straightforward in terms of gameplay and the game feels like a modern take on the older and excellent versions of Sim City. While the console version may lack some of the content the PC version does, there is more than enough here to keep anyone busy.

Madden NFL 18 may be the biggest leap forward in the franchise since going to 3D in 1999. The tightest and crispest Madden to date, it looks and performs stunningly, all while adding tons of little things to correctly represent the game of football.

Sonic Mania is one of those games that your childhood has always dreamed of. One of the biggest icons in the industry gets the old-school game it deserves, a nice and lengthy throwback to Sonic’s glory days that’s still spiked with the kinds of creative juices to keep things fresh, even after twenty-five years. With adrenaline-fueled gameplay, jaw-dropping visuals, and massive levels that encourage exploration, this is an absolutely terrific platformer and a true gem that’s guaranteed to please fans and newcomers alike. So yes, add a third checkmark, because this may be the greatest Genesis game never made.

The story itself is a highlight thanks to the insane villains, although it takes a few chapters before things pick up. It’s disappointing that the remaining activities are so repetitive and lack the imagination of what Volition is known for, and with a myriad of technical issues, it feels like Agents of Mayhem was shoved out the door earlier than it should have.

Despite the obvious changes, Nidhogg 2 absolutely succeeds at keeping the game’s spirit alive and just as enjoyable.

Crashday: Redline Edition is an excellent pickup for anyone who loves intense racing action. It combines core racing with car combat and it’s surprising how well everything meshes together. There’s a healthy number of modes available and everything controls well, with a surprising amount of precision with things like gunplay and missile usage — even when you’re speeding around the area. It isn’t a visual tour de force, but remains a good-looking game consistently and never slows down even if a ton of stuff is blowing up all around you.

The Enigma offers plenty of teases for the season ahead while also improving upon the combat and presentation for Telltale’s take on the powerless superhero. Those mere hints are all that separate this episode from feeling like a standalone story, though, albeit an intriguing one at that. Once the full season comes into play, this debut episode may feel a little less out of place, but for now, The Enigma represents a strong start for Bruce Wayne’s latest struggle to keep his city, and his relationships, intact.

For the pure cool factor of having the last four numbered games from the original Mega Man's career in one set on a current machine, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is absolutely a must buy. This collection could have been so much more, though.

Considering there are untold amounts of quality gaming to be found here at a reasonable launch price, LawBreakers is an easy recommendation for anyone that truly wants a competitive game with which to test their mettle.

Tacoma doesn’t match the excellence of Gone Home in the story department, but nonetheless manages to provide a quick yet engaging adventure. The central mechanic of being able to listen in to several different discussions from a variety of different directions and perspectives makes for something incredibly fun to play with and helps provide insight into a (somewhat literally) colorful cast of memorable characters. It’s an impressive little spacewalk.

The Shrouded Isle is a perfect game if looking for something quick and easy to play. With simple mechanics that only require the pointing and clicking of a mouse, a narrative that is heavy handed but deeply satirical, it’s easy to get on board. The Shrouded Isle doesn’t ask a lot from the player because it knows it’s delivering a finite ending. The beauty is that each game is relatively quick and the longest it takes to close out the three years is a little over half an hour. It would be nice if it was accompanied by a few more menus or ways to look back on certain stats but it doesn’t hinder the game. Who knew being the High Priest of a sacrificial cult could be so fun?

Redeemer is at its best when being a brawler, which it does most of the time. Guns are nice to take out the small fry and leave room to concentrate on the bigger threats, and the occasional trapped room is best bulled through and forgotten, but when you’ve got a room full of enemies of different abilities and are darting about, looking for environment kills or things to throw while performing counters and working on chaining attacks together the combat flows incredibly well. Heading into a room, assessing threats, coming up with a plan, and adjusting it on the fly to pound cyborgs and mutants into the floor feels great, especially when you fall into the fight’s rhythm and come out with barely a scratch. At the end the difficulty increases by enemies that take a few too many hits to go down, frequently joined by armored sniper that require you to keep moving rather work on offense, but by then you’re almost done and can push on through to the final encounter. Ignore the story and show up for the fighting and Redeemer provides a nice, long quest with plenty of unique areas to wreak bloody violence through.

Skeleton Boomerang is a challenging 2D platformer with a lovely variety of levels, weapon variations and goofy enemies to battle against. There are times when design decisions negatively impact play, such as the choice to work with a cramped square screen resolution in the widescreen era. There are a few glitches as well, though nothing that likely can’t be ironed out with a patch or two. With that out of the way, you’re left with a charming — and tough — game with an awesome weapon to use in Hunter’s quest against evil.

The arcade ports are proper versions of the included games and the addition of Pac-Man Vs. and the ability to get the full multiplayer experience over two Switches with just one copy of Namco Museum is nice.

There is a reason that Aksys website for this game doesn’t stress that this is an otome as the story is engaging for visual novel fans of all types. Collar X Malice is a well-crafted title that leans hard on its mystery and creates a sense of foreboding while keeping it from becoming too much. Idea Factory walked a fine line here and ended up with a cool, stylish experience for anyone that just wants to chill in an easy chair with a cool story.