It's rare to play an FPS with gameplay this creative and exciting. [Vol 3, Issue 2, p.54]

Mario Party Superstars is a worthy compilation of all of the series’ greatest hits. It has a great selection of minigames with plenty of different ways to enjoy them. The core board game works well for the most part, albeit somewhat hampered by Nintendo’s online infrastructure and some imbalanced design decisions. Online itself is functional enough, but expect to experience lag and the occasional dropped player. Rounding out the whole experience are the various unlockables on offer; all of which enhance the player experience in some way and give fans reasons to keep playing beyond just enjoying the occasional round with their friends. Indeed, Superstars is every bit the game Mario Party fans were hoping it would be, even if it does suffer from minor issues.

While the difficulty level is unbalanced everything else in Shantae and the Seven Sirens works together to create an incredibly entertaining platform-adventure. The series leans more heavily on sex appeal than it needs to, but the world and characters are a huge amount of fun, bursting with color and personality. There’s a good variety in challenges, with the levels alternating between straight combat, platforming and even the occasional puzzle. Secrets are frequent enough that it’s always worth going back and re-checking an area, and even though I thought I’d done a thorough sweep for a first play-through, I still only ended up finding 84% of all items. They’ll have to wait for another play-through, though, because while my first save is still playable New Game+ is waiting with more magic, less defense, and a new outfit. Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a big, ambitious outing for the half-genie hero, and while she may not have gotten the vacation she was hoping for, it’s an adventure worth having.

The story and morality system may not be up to par with the previous inFamous games, but Second Son excels at everything else it tries to do.

The song selection is impressive, the FMV videos are well produced and the GHTV concept is incredibly exciting. While there’s still trepidation due the fact that much of its appeal rests on unproven promises and its currency system is needlessly complicated, the idea of new songs being added on a weekly basis could render Guitar Hero Live into a persistent experience for rhythm and music lovers alike.

Developers Teku Studios clearly poured a lot of love and effort into Candle and it shows. From the breathtaking scenery and artwork to the terrific puzzle designs and unique worlds to discover and characters to interact with, Teku’s journey is easily one that deserves to have a light shone on it as well, as a showcase of a terrific platformer and adventure game.

Ghostrunner 2 is a high-speed adventure that combines punishing difficulty with satisfying rewards. The challenge level is on the higher side, but victory never seems out of reach. Due to the generous checkpoint system it’s easy to stay motivated to keep pushing oneself through each checkpoint, which can lead to some play sessions lasting longer than intended. While this feedback loop can keep the player going for a while, it can’t sustain enjoyable gameplay indefinitely. It can be thrilling for a few hours, but the charm is likely to wear off after a while for most players. Ghostrunner 2 does succeed in what it set out to do which is create a challenging, fast-paced action game that can make the player feel like an invincible ninja, but the end product is something that would only really appeal to gamers seeking out this specific type of experience.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink has a short and sweet story campaign with the potential for endless grinding after the main credits roll. The story is an enjoyable ride from start to finish that blends a captivating story filled with interesting crew members and exhilarating action-packed gameplay. Most of the characters' backstories are revealed through Fate Episodes in town and watching these stories adds a great deal to how invested the player can get in their individual stories. The content after the main story promises countless hours of completing increasingly more difficult missions to extend the life of the game. These missions after the main campaign deliver story content at a much slower pace, however, and after a certain point these activities amount to little more than grinding for better resources. Multiplayer helps with these missions, but most players will likely move on before completing all the content the post game has to offer. But up until that point, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is an incredibly fun adventure.

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.

As a whole, Wargame: Airland Battle is a bizarre mix of exciting, engaging multiplayer and an abysmal solo campaign that feels like an afterthought.

It may not be the coveted next leap forward given last year’s highly-satisfying rendition, but WRC 9 provides a satisfying-enough reminder as to the heights this series has finally achieved.

EA SPORTS WRC makes a few moves that are different for the franchise that work, but the difficulty that made DiRT Rally 2 so challenging yet rewarding is missing. Yes, this game offers that same sentiment to a degree, but it feels like there was more of a focus on making a complete game with a love letter to the history of the WRC rather than just making a difficult racing game. The Career Mode is a good change from typical modes seen in other racing games but outside of building a car, isn’t deep. The Moments will keep things fresh and allow varying experiences for players on a daily basis. The handling model remains challenging with a lot of tools to help new players, but it doesn’t feel as punishing as the past and I would prefer the game to be punishing.

Those who haven’t experienced the original incarnation of the game will find Plus to be the premier version, and the fact that it’s the handheld rendition of a graphically-intense six month old game makes that fact alone worth the price of admission.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a solid, albeit flawed RPG. It features a robust skill tree system, an engaging story and half-decent combat. Unfortunately, a lot of the side quests leave much to be desired and certain components, such as stealth and athletics, aren’t as finely tuned as the rest. Having this revolve around King Arthur is an entertaining concept, but you’ll tend to forget he’s part of the plot most times. The world is tuned with a grungy, almost heavy metal aesthetic, but this striking visual art style is marred by most of the open world being on the dull side. Regardless, players who are fans of games such as The Elder Scrolls or Kingdom Come: Deliverance will get a kick out of Tainted Grail.

Even with its faults, Stealth Inc. is a thought-provoking experience that should give most gamers a run for their money.

There’s no shortage of content in Project Mirai DX, it’s just a shame that Sega failed to follow through on what could have been the best Hatsune Miku title to date.

It’s not for everyone, but if you surrender yourself to its intricacies you may well find yourself crafting your own ornate strategies for victory long into the night.

One just wishes that the game went on for a bit longer, but for 600 Wii points it does a good job of delivering a solid amount of entertainment for what you might be able to find digging through your couch after you are done bobbing along to the mus

It’s as beautiful as it is deep, and will keep you glued to your television screen as the hours fly by.

Ys X: Nordics brings welcome changes to the template that made its predecessors enjoyable. The ship exploration and naval battles add a new dimension to exploration that wasn't present in previous games. The shift from a three-member party to two does put limit on play variety, but having two constant playable characters brings a different dynamic which works well in the greater context of the story. These changes help differentiate Ys X: Nordics from other entries in the franchise, but it maintains the elements fans have come to expect, such as recruiting people for their base and watching it grow. The story takes interesting turns, especially later in the game, and all is done with a great accompanying soundtrack and frenetic mana-enhanced combat. Returning Ys players will find many elements that are familiar, but enough changes were made to make this new entry stand out from what came before it.

Gravity Rush Remastered is close to perfect. The original Vita game was very well received, and while this update doesn’t exactly push the PS4 to its limits, it still looks and plays extremely well.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is a wonderful new entry that helps sell the idea that trying new things was the right move. While the series has had some ups and downs, Origami King nails the mix of enjoyable combat and fun gameplay. It would be nice if there was a little bit more depth to the story, but there’s enough to make everything fun and lighthearted while occasionally having dynamic story moments that bring the characters together. The combat could potentially be more difficult for younger players, but it’s hard not to recommend picking up Paper Mario: The Origami King when it’s simply a blast from start to finish.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom checks all the boxes of what players would want from their annual expansion and then some. The new arcanist class was a joy to play and helped make the nine-year-old game feel new again. Storytelling is an area where The Elder Scrolls generally has no deficiencies, but even so Necrom’s story goes above and beyond in weaving an unpredictable and memorable tale where it’s impossible not to become emotionally invested. The new areas and companions were masterfully crafted in such a way where it’s easy to lose oneself in exploring the new landscapes and learning the backstories of the new characters. The Elder Scrolls Online has gone through several evolutions since its launch and Necrom shows that there’s still a lot great adventures to be had in Tamriel.

There’s so much going on here that it can be overwhelming at times – a problem not helped by the cumbersome UI – but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more accurate depiction of what it’s like to wage war.

DNF Duel successfully brings the world of Dungeon Fighter Online to a fighting game arena with all the ingredients that made previous Arc System Works games great. The Story Mode provides interesting background about each character’s reason for fighting while the smooth mechanics give reason for having them continue to fight. The animation quality and art direction make this one of those games that is almost as entertaining to watch as it is to play. All the design elements of gameplay, graphics and music come together in a way that proves that while most current games embrace 3D, there’s still relevance in 2D tournament fighters.

Taiko is not only an enjoyable rhythm title, but easily one of the best and most well-put together ever created. Rhythm Festival in turn also feels like one of the best to date with a wide variety with tons to play and unlock. It’s addictive and easy to get sucked into song after song trying to perfect mastery or just enjoy an absolute favorite. Fans of Taiko will likely be thrilled with this latest entry, and those looking to try out a new rhythm title should consider giving Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival a shot because there’s nothing else as gratifying as sitting down to play a song to the beat of a drum.

World of Tanks has arrived on the PlayStation 4 in spectacular fashion. It plays better than it ever has before on a console, looks fantastic and features some PS4-only content to add extra value.

Top notch platforming mechanics combined with a brilliantly captivating soundtrack that seamlessly meshes with the unique visuals and gameplay turn it into an experience that shouldn’t be missed. 140 is gaming minimalism done right — just don’t expect it to last you very long.