This reimagining is the ultimate Ratchet & Clank experience, incorporating over a decade’s worth of weapons, mechanics and knowledge into a single forty dollar package. Unfortunately, not everything translated over perfectly as this is far from the most challenging game, and while there are plenty of gadgets to be found, few are used properly. Fortunately, the story changes feel natural and make the narrative refreshing for newcomers and old school fans alike.

Whereas NBA 2K16 found a way to take a step back last year with additions that didn’t feel wholly meaningful, MLB The Show 16 is a shining example of exactly how to make a great game even better.

With its wonderfully-orchestrated aesthetic, together with a surprisingly well-written and likeable cast of characters, though the game is not without its momentary frustrations, lingering legacy issues and unflattering textures, Valkyria Chronicles 4 on the whole marks a more-than-welcome return to form for one of last-generation’s most striking RPGs.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a huge step in a new direction for the series. Many fans will say that despite enjoying recent titles, the formula had been growing stale and repetitive especially after Star Allies. Forgotten Land at its core is still Kirby, and feels like the traditional adventure, but adding this extra layer to levels, exploration and combat opens up a whole new way to experience the journey like never before. It’s not only utterly charming in that lovable Kirby way, it’s also a fantastic look at the kind of new creative ideas we’ll hopefully get to see from here on out. While the 2D-styled Kirby titles will still be around, it’d be wonderful if focusing on larger 3D adventures was the new plan moving forward as Kirby and the Forgotten Land hits the ground running with one of the franchise’s best titles to date.

With an ever increasing amount of games getting console releases, the PC gamer can typically only point to having the best version of a title. Total War has always been a hold out and is one of the few AAA quality PC exclusive series left. While Total War veterans might be justified for feeling a bit of fatigue with the battle system, there’s still plenty fresh in Total War: Three Kingdoms to enjoy. This is a game that brings an amount of depth that would be frightening if there wasn’t also systems in place to help guide a new player. It’s dripping with a beautiful style that evokes the era while still feeling modern. Indeed, the release of Three Kingdoms is an event. Just be prepared to lose track of time building that better China. Plus, it’s a bargain. After all, it’s three kingdoms for the price of one.

Its puzzles may be a bit lackluster but you’ll be too busy unraveling its dark secrets and conspiracies, worrying whether your character will survive the episode and terrified by the sudden sounds coming from next door to notice. Whether as feature film, TV series or episodic game, it matters little: bring on Season 3.

Despite having a lot of flaws, Far Cry 4 is a lot of fun.

While to many the Apollo Justice Trilogy may not be as strong as the original three entries, we strongly believe they're just as good in a variety of ways and often lean better in some stories and writing. It has all the makings of what is so utterly fantastic about Ace Attorney from an outstanding memorable cast, iconic antagonists and charming soundtrack combined with engaging puzzle gameplay to test memory and attention. It's easy to highly recommend this outstanding Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy to fans new and returning alike, and we can't wait to see what comes next from the ever-beloved Ace Attorney franchise.

At the time the first title was released, Investigations was a wonderful breath of fresh air to the gameplay people had come to know and love. It gave a different approach to a similar idea with familiar characters, while still feeling true and faithful to everything up to this point. Not only do they have outstanding stories, but memorable moments that we're thrilled can be experienced with the second title finally localized for the first time. Now that fans finally have access to every mainline Ace Attorney title on modern platforms, we can't wait to see what comes next for the franchise. Until then, however, it's well worth checking out Ace Attorney Investigations Collection for anyone who has or hasn't checked out these wonderful titles before.

Sorcery! is one of the best games that this reviewer has played on the iPhone and iPad, offering a plethora of options and an excellent story.

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse works just as well on a console as it did on a handheld.

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

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

If you somehow missed the many opportunities to tryout Lara’s rebooted fiction, then the Definitive Edition offers a remedy for that.

Picked nits aside, there is no better time to explore the world of Planescape with this enhanced edition. The content of the game has aged extremely well, providing almost endless hours of top notch exploration, dialogue and story. Beamdog has done a great job with getting it running better on modern machines while not going overboard. It ran without a hitch on my humble, underpowered laptop. As a must play for returning fans and newcomers alike, there is no real reason to skip Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition. This is PC RPG gaming done right.

Pyre represents another solid effort from Supergiant, as the awe-inspiring world, both in terms of design and depth, coupled with a lovable cast of heroes and villains, continue the studio’s renowned streak for titles with big heart and unique gameplay. The repetitive and overly-lengthy nature of the campaign, as well as a lackluster versus mode, holds the title back from reaching the same heights as its predecessors, but those looking for an original universe and an uplifting tale will be hard-pressed to find a deeper and better-looking game this year.

Instead of churning out the same old rehash of last year’s game, EA Canada has chosen to add a whole new element to their soccer sim. From the fast fluid gameplay, to Alex Hunter’s story, FIFA 17 puts together everything into what has to be the most complete package of football that we’ve seen to date.

Manifold Garden is an incredibly stylish first-person puzzler, like walking through the architectural drawings of a pandimensional designer. Some of the individual rooms are a little too sterile for their own good but these are always followed up with incredible views that stretch out forever in geometrically pleasing patterns of infinite repetition. The tendrils of darkness overrunning the garden are a passive threat at their worst, leaving you free to explore and experiment, flipping the world around to see it from a new perspective. The garden may have seen better days but chasing away the darkness is just the excuse needed to take it all in, solving its mysteries and coming to grips with a creation that only follows the rules of 3D space when it feels like it.

Infamous is everything you could want in a single player experience, from its beautiful graphics to its amazing gameplay.

Codemasters has provided enough meaningful upgrades for DiRT 4 while keeping the core simulation racing aspect intact. This should appease the hardcore fans while allowing people with interest in the series to take a drive.

Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology is a brilliant title that calls back to the classics while being able to stand alone with its own endearing twists and making it a memorable entry that every RPG lover should try.

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.

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

If you're willing to put up with an obnoxious camera and an awkward control scheme, you'll find a portable title that sometimes brushes against greatness and regularly proves that size sometimes doesn't matter after all. [Apr 2007, p.55]

428: Shibuya Scramble is clearly the child of Spike Chunsoft as it brings together some of the best features from Zero Escape and Danganronpa into a new title. Yet, it manages to forge a totally distinct identity from both those titles. The ridiculous sense of humor and over-the-top drama is hard to tear away from. The biggest complaint is simply that, as an extremely long visual novel, its text options are not as fully featured as they should be. Simply put, 428: Shibuya Scramble is unlike any other visual novel out there.

There’s no real wrong way to play Disgaea and there’s endless fun to be had in Hell with its lovable cast of characters. Disgaea 4 Complete+ is yet another wonderful addition from the franchise brought to modern consoles, and fans of the series or tactics titles should not miss out on it.

While a few more arenas would have been nice, this is the ultimate modern Bomberman, and one of the best multiplayer games around. [Oct 2007, p.66]

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom excels in delivering a top-notch JRPG by creating a magical world filled with great characters and visuals.