Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is how a classic game should be remade. The new graphics style brings Dragon Quest III into the modern era while maintaining the original iconic designs. The quality-of-life improvements also make the 36-year-old game feel modern without sacrificing the core elements of the original experience. There are certain aspects that may not appeal to everyone, such as maintaining the original first-person battle perspective instead of changing it to the more animated one seen in more recent Dragon Quest games, or the omission of the Pachisi minigame. Even with these criticisms, however, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is among the best releases of 2024, reimagining the classic game in a contemporary form without sacrificing any of the original charm.

Infernax is a fantastic throwback to 8-bit gaming, and while it may not be fully faithful to the era thanks to its color palette, number of sprites on screen, and unbroken English, it gets the rest right where it counts. The grim-dark story of Alcedor’s fight against the invading darkness is broken up with moments of humor, several of which pay direct tribute to Castlevania in ways that Alcedor will immediately regret. Not to mention entering the Konami cheat code on the title screen starting up a new save in straight-up Contra mode. The story also comes with several choices along the way, allowing you to have Alcedor try to walk the righteous path or turn evil, and sometimes the law of unintended consequences makes what seems like the right choice lead to the bad outcome. It’s a dark, violent, bloody world that feels great to smash your way through, and while it might take some repetition to clear the harder areas Infernax is always worth the payoff.

Disgaea 7 is a remarkable SRPG with an unremarkable story that gives you little reason to move past Alliance of Vengeance.

Hogwarts Legacy isn’t perfect, but it’s successful in capturing the magic of the franchise and setting a solid foundation for any future games set in the Wizarding World. Hogwarts Legacy thankfully follows in the footsteps of Harry Potter, not Fantastic Beasts.

If someone is looking for one of the most entrancing, addictive RPGs on the 3DS, then they should not hesitate to run as quickly as they can to their nearest game store to purchase Legends of the Titan; it’s certainly worth every penny of its price tag, and then some.

Final Fantasy IX for PC is surprisingly well done for a sixteen year old port.

Nama Takahashi’s creation here is not the most extravagant nor is it the most lavish in detail, but that marriage of an easy-to-grasp gimmick and reliance on visual suggestion means ElecHead is not only striking, but joyous to play through too.

Nihon Falcom needn't have gone about overhauling things as radically as they have. But with a newfound energy and purpose to its real-time/turn-based hybrid of a premise, as well as a bountiful amount of new and returning mechanics to experiment with, Trails Through Daybreak is nothing less than another fantastic reinvention for what was already some of if not the best turn-based combat in any JRPG series. Aided on top by that familiar dedication to player customization, intriguing world-building and that ongoing desire to spend a bit longer in getting the most out of the systems on show. Countless entries later, Trails continues to prove itself as one of the most satisfying and engaging role-playing experiences available. It wasn't exactly begging for such reinvention, but with The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak, Nihon Falcom's opener to the Calvard arc is as close to perfect a new chapter, as you can possibly get.

When Capcom released Resident Evil 7, not only did it reinvent the Resident Evil series, but reinvented mainstream horror games as we know them. Boasting an incredible first half, Resident Evil Village is a fantastic and worthy follow-up, even though it regrettably drags on near the end.

That being said, DJ Hero is a quite fresh approach to the rhythm genre despite the areas where it obviously falters. It’s certainly an expensive game to grab, but its unique style of play and well-done mashups do a good job towards warranting it.

Even if FRU ends up being one of the last Kinect games made, it ensures that the peripheral will be going out with quite a huge bang indeed.

Its unflinching tendency to do things that were not part of its predecessor’s legacy will solidify it as not only its own game, but the best role-playing experience on Wii U.

Resogun is an incredibly fun game, but not much more than that.

Shift shows a lot of potential for the series and will go down as one of the best racing games of 2009.

Whether you’re a skater (like myself) or simply a gamer who likes to virtually tear it up, Skate 2 offers a fairly complex control scheme that rewards those who dig into the moves with one of the most bold, creative, and downright fun games, like evar.

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is a good remaster that might not do much to freshen up the original experience, but it does make an already good game available to a new generation of RPG fans.

There’s a couple of fun new features implemented in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and it’s the definitive edition for newcomers, but overall there’s not enough to make it worth playing through again for veterans.

Do not dismiss Borderlands as “just another shooter.” Co-op play is all the rage in FPS games these days, and not only is it featured here, but it is encouraged.

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

Whether you’re a new fan looking to get into the series, or a veteran player wanting to revisit a classic title, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is a must-play for any RTS fan.

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

Anomaly Agent is a riot from beginning to end. It challenges you gradually and features a tough, but fair approach to fast-paced action-platforming and combat. Having fluidity in movement allows the gameplay flow to be smooth from each kind of action the player engages in and no stages ever outstay their welcome. Having different kinds of combat and platforming on display from area to area helps keep things fresh too. Visually, it accomplishes its goal of evoking the '80s while still featuring lighting effects that weren't possible in the era while the soundtrack offers a satisfying blend of synth and rock to change the mood up whenever it's needed. Anyone seeking fast-paced thrills should check out Anomaly Agent.

I’m inclined to call F1 2019 the most complete version of Codemasters’ series to date. The Career Mode has some good ideas and the inclusion of the new classic cars and the F2 cars add a bit of variety to the series. If you pay for something, however, you shouldn’t need to wait to unlock it. The AI can be a killer and racing online will have you weeding through some jobbers until you gain some experience on the Super License. Running at a silky smooth frame rate and capturing the sound of the cars while not having an overly-difficult handling model makes the core game the best that it will be this generation. F1 2019 is embracing the legacy of the sport and stays true to providing a true replication of Formula One.

Life is Strange: True Colors may sadly dim towards the end, but it’s worth checking out alone just to experience Haven Springs, with its gorgeous scenery, terrific cast of characters both major and minor, and an intriguing mystery that requires quite a bit of fun gameplay.

Fallout 4 contains what should go down as the best open world in the history of this medium considering the sheer wealth of meaningful content packed into it.

Going from frustrating, to enlightening, to comical and back again to frustrating, all in such a short span of time. To incur — revel in even — all these emotions, yet still be so consistently intriguing and engaging an affair marks Baba Is You down as one of the year’s most thoughtful and entertaining releases thus far.

Let it be known that one needs to really play Sayonora Wild Hearts in order to truly experience it. Everything here describing the game honestly can’t do it justice. The graphics are a pure blast of neon joy and the soundtrack is absolutely stellar, but when combined with simple yet addictive gameplay that takes so many wonderful twists and turns, it creates this sort of trippy experience that you only see once in a blue moon. This is easily some of Simogo’s best work and should not be missed out on. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to play this album over and over again just for the tunes alone. “Wild hearts never die, wild hearts never die…”

When it works, Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty is a beautiful, quirky, and devious puzzle platformer that deserves a spot alongside the likes of LIMBO, Another World and the original Abe’s Oddysee in the gaming canon. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work nearly often enough.

A few technical limitations show that Vita may still not be the ideal platform to play on - but for now it is by far the best handheld option available.

New Super Mario Bros. U plays it safe in the right areas while providing enough new things and challenge to make it worth not only playing, but coming back to for series veterans. Featuring tons of platforming fun, it plays wonderfully on both the GamePad and Wii Remote and has the best level design of any New SMB-series game to date. A notable improvement from NSMB 2, it does just the right amount of new things to seem different from past games, while still giving fans what they expect in a Super Mario Bros. title.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins offers the familiar gameplay the series is known for, while also making drastic changes in other areas. Longtime fans of the series will feel at home slaughtering countless enemies by themselves, but the approach to storytelling with the Wanderer character helps make things feel new again. It's interesting to watch the Wanderer's story unfold over the familiar events during the beginning of the Three Kingdoms area. The time period of which the game covers is shorter than previous games, but this allows for greater depth for both the Wanderer's story and the Three Kingdoms. This makes Dynasty Warriors: Origins a good starting point for those who are unfamiliar with the series, as many of the historically-based events will be explained throughout the game, and also a good title for longtime fans who thought Dynasty Warriors was running out of steam. Dynasty Warriors: Origins hits the right balance of familiar gameplay with new ideas, making it a great attempt at revitalizing the franchise.

If you’ve somehow managed to stay away from the phenomenon this entire time, then Ultra Street Fighter IV is the perfect gateway to becoming a World Warrior.

Virtue's Last Reward follows up on 999 wonderfully and delivers everything you'd want in a sequel. It's got the same kind of creepy soundtrack and cerebral gameplay 999's fans will love, but done far better. Part of that is due to it being more user-friendly, making VLR an easy recommendation for anyone who missed out on 999. Everything about how VLR plays is improved, resulting in a better experience in every way imaginable.

Her Story is a tough act to follow, and unfortunately, Telling Lies does not hit the same emotional highs that Barlow’s previous game did. Opting to use the same barebones video player both does not make sense for this storyline and introduces an annoyance that players are forced to deal with. The story is still intriguing, but not to a binge-worthy degree. Telling Lies is worth playing for Her Story fans, but can’t quite hit those same high notes despite its best efforts.

The second episode of Hitman is a satisfying adventure that’s once again dragged down by technical issues. Looking past the extensive load times and online connectivity issues, there’s a fantastic episode here, with even more options than ever before.

BioShock: The Collection successfully brings three of the best games from the last-generation to the current-generation, but not without a few hiccups. Everything you loved, or hated, about the originals is still intact. The gameplay, art style, engrossing plots and the wondrous cities continue to provide plenty of incentive to give back into the ocean or fly into the skies. While Blind Squirrel Games has done a good job remastering the original BioShock for a new generation, it is disappointing to see the effort put into each entry decline.

We cannot recommend Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 enough to those who played the first title and hope those who haven’t consider giving the series a much-deserved once over as it’s one of the most satisfying turn-based challenges to date.

Cry Wolf serves as a satisfying conclusion to The Wolf Among Us, delivering on all the promise that previous episodes held.

Crow Country is a tribute to retro survival horror games, inviting players to embark on a nostalgic adventure that will keep players asking questions and investigating everything the atmosphere has to offer. SFB Games did a wonderful job emulating what had made the classic survival horror games truly special. The puzzles aren’t amazing or innovative, but they're still solid and provide enough information for anyone to solve on their own. Crow Country is relatively easy, but the developer does have a roadmap planning the inclusion of a Hard mode to hopefully add a significant challenge to it. While it is somewhat flawed, Crow Country is a solid and compelling experience for those who enjoy the genre, and it was a blast exploring and learning about the world SFB Games has created.

While it’s not without its problems, the first season of Hitman is jam-packed with delectable content that leaves us champing at the bit for more.

Leo’s Fortune is conceptually, stylistically and mechanically one of the best iOS games on the market.

Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a tough, but fair NES-inspired Metroidvania that tests your mettle and makes it worthwhile. Each of the three playable characters is fun to use and the gradual difficulty curve makes it easy to learn from trial and error and succeed more with each new run. It controls wonderfully, looks great, and has impressive sound design too. Beyond just a killer chiptune soundtrack, there are subtle touches to the sound design that help put this above a lot of NES-inspired games on the market over the past decade. Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a must-play for anyone with a love for 8-bit gaming, or Metroidvanias.

GRIS is, simply put, one of this year’s masterpieces. Both in the sense that it looks like a work of art and plays like an absolute dream.

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.

Super Mario RPG was one of the best titles of its era, and based on the Switch remake, is just as good today. The remade graphics maintain all the charm of the original while transforming a decades-old game into one of the better-looking titles on Switch. The quality-of-life improvements such as splash damage from timed hits are fun additions, though some may criticize that this makes a game with a rather low challenge level even easier. Aside from those additions talked about earlier, this is the same game players loved back in 1996 with a fresh coat of paint. Super Mario RPG succeeds at invoking feelings of nostalgia for the 16-bit era while looking good enough to pass for a modern game. It’s short and simple compared to many RPGs, but while the time with it may brief, there are no wasted hours.

Oh Katamari, what a vibrant collection of randomness you are. From a funky soundtrack to colorfully-vibrant aesthetics and even its irreverent humor, it’s a game that’s never boring with all the objectives and secrets it offers. We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie is a great remaster of its original title, while still bringing something new to the game. Fresh secrets and collectibles entice players to roll around over and over for completion. Updated sound and visuals keep Katamari as vibrant as ever, while also looking better than ever. Newly-implemented UI elements that help you navigate the world create an ease of access for play. It’s now a nice assistance to see objective indicators appear when time is running low instead of having to waste precious seconds searching the map. These changes in addition to the Royal Reverie training missions elevates the title to be more than just a repeat of Katamari Damacy. While limited options in multiplayer and eternal modes hinder the variety, it doesn’t make Katamari any less addicting in its chaotic absurdity.

There’s a strong variety of unique puzzles, and with the gorgeous world that can be taken-in, Trine 2 ends up being a luscious adventure. If you haven’t had the chance to pick it up on the many platforms it has been released on, then now is the best time.

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

Dark Souls Remastered is a good reminder how far we’ve come in the last seven years. This is almost all nostalgia, with the potential to grab newer players and show them where the series more or less started. It’s beginning to feel a little dated, with adjustments to combat and movement from newer games not being implemented, but there’s still the sense of overwhelming gratification when playing, not to mention intense strategy.

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

Ravenswatch is a solid tried and true roguelike with many different ways to play through the options of heroes available to players. It's difficult and rewarding for solo or co-op parties and does its best to be an interesting experience. With the diverse cast of heroes and challenging side quests, it's hard not to queue up several runs a day. Every character we have was given the care of a compelling story on why and how their tale took a darker turn. We see the developer taking something old and making it new for us once again. It's truly awesome to see old stories given new life to become something else altogether.

From its gripping story, tactically-grounded combat, vast ensemble of well-written characters not to mention the sheer amount of side content to conquer and smile at, and the most graphically-impressive game in the franchise to date thanks to the Xbox Series X, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is no less than a brilliant reinvention for the Yakuza series and one of 2020’s best, most complete experiences.

Even as a relative newcomer to the sim game space, I found myself enjoying my time with Two Point Hospital. Minor bugs and functionality wishes aside, one can do pretty much everything they need to in order to succeed here. Information is easy to find for the most part; construction is easy to learn and handle, and there’s plenty of optional depth here for those who want it. Put it all together with a pleasing art style and entertaining comedic stylings, and the result is a simulation game that just about anyone can have fun with.

SuperHot VR is one of the best games VR has seen yet. It’s a little bit short and on rare occasions the AI goes a bit loopy, but during the 99% of the time when everything is trying to kill you, it’s an incredible rush.

While the fluid and highly enjoyable combat remain intact, the restructuring of collectibles and scenarios such as the final boss tarnish the experience. That’s not to mention that the Definitive Edition doesn’t hold a candle to the two year old PC version from a visual standpoint as there’s a lack of anisotropic filtering and a shinier gloss to Dante’s skin.

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.

Doom: The Dark Ages is AAA gaming at its best, with huge set pieces and memorable moments around every corner of the beautiful environments that only add to the highly-polished and heavily-addicting gameplay. Id Software hasn't held back any punches in creating one of the most grandiose and large-scale games in recent memory, utilizing their big-budget funding to create a 100% user-focused experience that makes the player feel immensely powerful without forgoing a sense of challenge or difficulty. The classic Doom formula has been deconstructed and reformed into a techno-medieval bloodbath, with gaming's original one-man army going on an unbridled rampage of demon-slaying destruction that somehow tops the scale of the iconic franchise yet again.

The battle royale mode is slick, tense and the most exciting addition to Call of Duty in years. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a solid entry in the franchise thanks to Blackout and Zombies, and though multiplayer may not having any exciting new features, there’s still plenty of fun on offer. This Call of Duty can safely be declassified.

Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy Deluxe Pack puts three expansive and high-quality Japanese RPGs in a new package. For anyone who hasn’t played them yet, it’s worth going for this version instead of the old ones to get a more complete experience. Nonetheless, this pack doesn’t offer anything too substantial to make it essential for those who bought the original games, especially when there’s no way to simply get a Deluxe Upgrade pack with the new additions instead of buying it all again at full price.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is everything Castlevania fans could possibly want and is a great 2D action platformer in its own right. Played by someone without no familiarity with Castlevania, this is a great game that does everything one would hope from the genre, but this really is a nostalgia goody bag for Castlevania fans and because of that it’s so far my personal favorite 2019 title. The developers did play it safe with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and drew heavily from previous Castlevanias instead of introducing some new ideas and concepts. The result is an excellent game and it would be great to see Bloodstained grow as a franchise, adding more innovations to help balance out the heavy-handed sprinkling of nostalgia.

With a kickass, overcharged aesthetic and silky-smooth mechanics, BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma is one of the finest fighting games available today.

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

The Zodiac Age brings what we loved from this twelve-year-old release to a new set of gamers in the best way possible. The PC version is an added bonus for fans, not to mention newcomers, as it’s easily the best way to playthrough the lengthy adventure, provided your machine is capable of running it well. Sure, the protagonist doesn’t seem all there and is arguably one of the worst in the entire franchise, but we are treated to an intriguing political plot as it unravels slowly in the background. This is a remaster for the ages, introducing high speed mode to eliminate the needless grind and the various new graphical options only help exemplify the quality of late-PS2 games. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age for PC is the complete package.

The Coalition has gone all out to create one of the best Xbox Series X launch titles, which is both great and sad about the state of things. It’s no system seller like a Gears game should be, but it allows those who experienced it last year to marvel in its glory once more and introduce new players to the world of Sera in the most vibrant way possible.

Tales of Vesperia as a whole is a masterful game that deserves to be played by anyone who enjoys a good story. It’s not only one of the best Tales games, but it’s up there in the pantheon of impeccable RPGs. With so much new and enhanced content on an already impressive base, Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition starts 2019 off with a bang.

Do not under any circumstances give this one a miss: Everhood is likely to be one of the most surprising, smart and moving games to surface in 2021.

The Yakuza Remastered Collection is about as perfect a rendition of the three included games as one could ask for. The three mainline PS3 games are here and look and feel better than ever. The redone scripts allow the stories to flow better and for humor to come across in ways that weren’t possible before. The visuals have been improved a bit — not radically, but more akin to a fresh paint job on a car that needs one. The bump up in visual clarity helps the games nicely, but doesn’t make the prior versions look awful either. It’s very much like the original Xbox version of GTA III receiving some mild quality of life visual upgrades, but nothing that affected the core story. Here, it just makes the story look a bit nicer while it’s being told.

Astro’s Playroom is an irresistible delight. Going into it, I thought it was just going to be a short tech demo, and while that’s partially correct, it’s more than meets the eye. It’s overflowing with PlayStation nostalgia that ’90s and ’00s kids will get an absolute kick out of it.

On the whole, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D offers up one of the most challenging and rewarding platforming adventures in recent memory. Take note, developers, this is how a port should be done.

Lara Croft GO is a great adventure-puzzler, filled with clever problems that require either a nice amount of thought or a lot of trial and error, and usually end up with a good combination of both being used before finally earning a victory.

Exactly the kind of game a sequel should be in terms of its gameplay. Everything that worked in the first is back, but there’s more added to the foundation.

Surprising as it may be, Persona 5 Strikers is a solid follow-up to Persona 5. Atlus and Omega Force resisted the temptation to just make it yet another Dynasty Warriors clone, putting in actual effort instead. Its Warriors-style action combat integrates much of the quirks from Persona 5 and still manages to retain the fun factor too.

With Darksiders II, the franchise has cemented itself as an essential property among the likes of Devil May Cry and God of War. Even with the scale increasing in practically every area, the game manages to be less intimidating than its predecessor.

Clannad is a visual novel that everyone should complete at least once in their lives. The hard part will be securing enough time to persist through every route in the proper way to see the true ending.

Considering the significantly lower price point at launch and the hundred plus hour package, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster for PC is a joyous occasion that allows for an additional audience to dig their teeth into the classic.

Kaze and the Wild Masks is a must-own platformer — especially for anyone craving a new Donkey Kong Country game. The flow of the action is in line with Rare’s classic trilogy, and outshines the Returns games as well as Yooka-Laylee: The Impossible Lair. It features smooth controls and a lot of anti-frustration features to craft something that still offers a fair challenge, but scales the difficulty better than most and finds a healthy balance between collecting things and making doing so a chore. It’s genuinely rewarding to collect everything in a stage, but beating a stage on its own is still a lot of fun. It looks great and has a fantastic soundtrack to boot. No matter what platform you have, you’re in for a fun time with Kaze.

Final Fantasy IV is one of the best 16-bit RPGs with a strong story that holds up after all these years. Even though the turn-based combat and exploration with random encounters may seem simple compared to modern games, it’s still an enjoyable fourteen hour playthrough. This may not have been the remake everyone was hoping for, but Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster is a great version of a great game.

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.

EA put all of its chips into College Football 25, and it truly paid off. People are buying consoles just to play this game. It's a cultural phenomenon and the experience that's provided isn't replicated anywhere else. All the new additions to help make the game stand out including Wear and Tear, Turbo Mode, different coverage shells and added hot routes for pre-play, and basically everything added isn't just a gimmick, it's a substantial change. While some bugs and logic need to be addressed, College Football 25 is undoubtedly the most fun football game to come out in years. Everything College Football is here.

Shin Megami Tensei IV manages to meet its hype in some respects and fall short of it in others. Its combat is stronger than ever, adding in components that are deep, unique and reward the strategically-inclined, while the character customization options will excite those who like to build their ideal fighter.

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

Between the new campaign and Firefight mode, Halo 3: ODST shows that the Halo franchise can have a Spartan-free title that can still rise up to the same level of entertainment that is to be expected from the series.

With a robust adventure mode that serves as a great introduction for new players and a welcome challenge for veterans, plus a varied roster of characters and tracks that feel just as vibrant and detailed as the remaster of the Crash trilogy, the title is more than capable of appealing to players of all skill levels. Not every aspect of the game shines brightly, as a lacking battle mode, overly-lengthy progression and a rough online launch put a damper on the bandicoot’s return to racing. Thankfully, the core gameplay is as strong now as it was nearly twenty years ago, opening the door for plenty of hours of arcade racing fun that serves as a welcome reminder of the past and a new path ahead for the future of the series.

Pixeljunk Monsters is a constant struggle to properly allocate gold, gems, firepower, and time as the horde advances single file, with each level being more addictive than the last. [Spring 2008, p.61]

Weak continuity and weaker dungeon crawling gameplay make this hard to recommend to anyone who enjoys the series for its depth. If you’re not bothered by a bit of stupidity, give it a play.

It’s the type of ending so few stories get these days, and it’s told with strong performances from talented actors and gorgeous graphics that capture all the spectacle.

While not a groundbreaking game like its predecessor Resident Evil 5 offers up one of the most fun co-op experiences to date. Any fan of the RE franchise or action games in general will find a lot of enjoyment in RE 5.

Those who want the best Runner 2 experience, however, should seek it out elsewhere. If you only have a Vita to play with, though, then this is still a mighty fine way to get your dose of Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien.

What the Golf is the ultimate parody of the titular sport by boiling it down to its fundamentals and constantly upending the player’s expectations to create a humorous and memorable game. With smart and infrequent references to other games, an appealing aesthetic and reliable mechanics, the relatively brief campaign works well as either a pick-up-and-play title or a fun undertaking to blaze through in an afternoon. Thanks to a core concept that should appeal to sports, puzzle or comedy fans, What the Golf is a promising debut from the small team at Triband that is sure to please gamers of all ages.

While we might have to arguably wait for future games to unlock the series’ true potential, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is still a great first outing for Ember Lab. If the breathtaking visuals don’t suck you in, then there’s the satisfying and challenging combat as well, or the wide world to explore. Or maybe you just want to find all the teeny hats for the Rot in order to make them as ridiculously adorable as possible. Whatever the case, there’s going to be something satisfying for everyone here in Kena’s debut.

As it stands Splatoon 3 feels more like a delayed expansion than a brand new experience, but for those who just wanted more of the same old Splatoon, this will offer up more inking and splatting for them to partake in.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II continues the trend of a Michael Bay action film packed into a video game format. There's spectacle, voice talent, zombies, and finally a story with a good set up and player agency to boot. It may lack significant innovation, and the missions set in the 20th century are far from compelling story pieces, but with a robust multiplayer experience and a half-decent story, Black Ops II does the series proud.

There are certain games that are ubiquitous for the Steam user. Pretty much everyone has Portal in their Steam library. Copies of Thomas Was Alone are more common than sand in the Mojave. Bleed 2 needs to be one of those. As a game, it is side scrolling action perfected. There are no truly cheap parts or dull moments; everything is designed to be learned and surmounted. This is something that just cannot be said about even some of the best games on the market. Considering that even its base price is under ten dollars, there is no reason to miss out. Skipping Bleed 2 is like shoving toothpicks under your fingernails. Sure it can be done, but it hurts and there is no point.

Devil Daggers is laser-focused on providing a very specific type of shooter experience, suggesting old school classics stripped down to their fundamental core. It’s simple but not simplistic and the very definition of addictive.

Strange Horticulture is a true hidden gem and a pleasant surprise to start the year on, a delightfully quirky and charming puzzle game that puts a unique spin on botany and requires you to develop a green thumb in order to succeed, largely thanks to puzzle design that truly excels in creating simple yet challenging orders. Backed up by an intriguing world that allows for a lot of interesting lore behind each plant and a relaxing atmosphere, this is something fans of puzzlers should check out. Pardon the awful pun, but it’ll grow on you.

Other than one minor imbalance that could potentially be attributed to personal skill, there’s no reason not to pick up Puyo Puyo Tetris. Even those who have long grown weary of the component games will find the well worn gameplay injected with new life with this melding. With no real learning curve, this is a game that allows for a meditative, self contemplating state of mind through the arranging of shapes and colors, or a frenetic and action filled battle against a dirty foe that just cheats. You know they cheat. Either way, this is a title that offers an extreme value for its price, and absolutely deserves to be added to any collection.

Life Is Strange does suffer from different technical issues — much like its console counterpart in 2015 — but it’s not enough to detract newcomers from experiencing its riveting narrative in full effect. With the addition of features like Photo Mode and bonuses like the iMessage stickers, Life Is Strange reiterates why fans need to rewind time and once again step into the shoes of Max.

It’s sad to see the series go but the satisfying revelations and conclusion makes Blackwell Epiphany a must play.