Donut County presents a simple concept to players: collect objects to make a hole larger until the entire stage is clear. Done poorly, no one would remember the experience whatsoever. Developer Ben Esposito turns something mechanically simplistic into a joy via smart design. The adorable world inhabited by colorful characters is something we desperately need more of in games. Donut County might not be a long experience, but it’s one that players can’t help but cherish.

Fighting titles have long been the most competitive and often hardest for new players to get into, but ARMS enters itself extremely well to the genre by feeling like nothing that has ever been played before.

Although the visuals may not be much to look at, the combat and story are the soul of Caligula Effect 2 that holds it all together. The music and characters are far more enjoyable than the first title, with a combat system that feels more fine-tuned and makes it flow at a better speed than the first entry. It’s harder to recommend for those who haven’t played the first as they will miss out on important references to the first, but it may be worth popping open a synopsis of the first or playing through it to get to this sequel which improves upon basically every aspect. There’s so much to love here, but the experience would be improved with amped-up visuals and more English support for some of the smaller dialogue. The Caligula Effect 2 is a unique story that touches on sensitive subjects with a lot of respect wrapped up in a wonderfully-enjoyable RPG that’s the perfect length without overstaying its welcome.

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is a great example of how a remaster should be, making three unique DS titles accessible once again on modern devices. Although Star Force comes as one possible evolution to what the Battle Network series proposed, the titles are still unlike anything else on the market in its combination of deckbuilding and action. The new collection is a complete pack that anyone interested in exploring the games for the first time or coming back to them should get.

From the presentation to the deep franchise mode, NHL 17 has everything away from the on-ice action nailed down to a T. If the experience of playing the game fell into the same pristine category instead of being too overbearing for its own good, this would be a near-perfect game of hockey.

At the end of the day, Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara packs together two splendid side-scrolling brawlers that have withstood the test of time.

Eldritch is brutally tough until you learn it, and then settles down to be pleasantly challenging, It’s a big random first-person dungeon crawl dripping with atmosphere, evil and fun in equal measure, and as a bonus you get to be a librarian reigning in the power of dark tomes of terrible knowledge.

The puzzles are a blast, the graphics and environments are jaw-dropping, and little bonuses such as the challenge levels provide a good incentive to keep coming back for a while. It may not hit the same emotional heights as before, but the latest outing for our stringy heroes is one that cements them as the stars of a classic franchise in the indie gaming scene, so don’t miss it.

It would have been an absolute travesty to see one of the highest regarded mobile games in recent memory suffer on the big screen, but Hitman GO: Defintive Edition is a stellar way to play Square Enix Montreal’s debut title.

It’s a bit pricey, but if this is a genre that’s interesting to you, the time and perseverance needed to attain the title’s full enjoyment is well worth it.

Lumo is a wonderful little thing, gorgeous and intricate and tricky, and a perfect example of what a game from the past made for the present can be.

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.

Olija doesn’t do enough to be regarded as generally good, but at the same time doesn’t frustrate to the point of truly damaging the experience. Had Olija been without its frantic, harpoon-wielding combat, the story might’ve been different. Then again, the similar emphasis on a story and a world that feels neither purposeful nor refined, could’ve had the result land in more promising waters too. Perhaps this middling indecisiveness is the real conclusion to draw from a game like Olija. A short, platforming-of-sorts release that doesn’t commit to any one definable trait and ends up a scatterbrain of ideas that don’t gel or add up to anything remarkable. At the same time, providing little to evoke any manner of meaningful investment. That’s not to say there isn’t enjoyment and moments of delight to find here, but there’s something equally dispensable about Olija‘s design and equally “seen before” with its tone, that doesn’t hit home as effectively as it may want to.

The Smurfs - Dreams is a delightful platformer and a fantastic pickup for anyone who loves Mario 3D Land or 3D World. This is very much inspired by it on a surface level, but with more rhythm to its platforming action. It's a trickier game than one might expect given the license, which has usually been used in simpler, less-challenging games. It plays nicely across the board and doesn't have a lot of flaws in its gameplay beyond having a set formula that changes up based on the weapons you have access to in the stage itself and a soundtrack that's hit or miss.

Phantom Brave is sure to be a fun, but possibly underwhelming, return to the franchise for fans of the original title, as well as of other NIS titles like the Disgaea series. For newcomers, however, the game has failed most of its attempts to make gameplay accessible to even well-versed veterans of the turn-based strategy genre. The end result is a niche-interest title that will likely be hit-or-miss with hardcore fans, due to the rough and messy assembly of its multitude of interesting parts.

While Sanctum 2 is still a tough game, it’s tough in smart substantive ways that add up. Opting for this instead of the punitive approach that Sanctum was built on has made for a far superior product in the form of Sanctum 2.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown seems lacking for a game having the word “ultimate” in its title. On one hand the fighting system is every bit as great as fans of the series remember and with regular online matches and the Room Matches players who love taking the fight online can have countless hours of fun. Unfortunately, players looking for some solo time with it are left out in the cold. Restoring the Quest mode from the original Virtua Fighter 5 would have helped make this feel like the definitive Virtua Fighter 5 experience. Instead we have a budget game that feels like a budget game which is a shame because what’s included is fantastic, but still seems incomplete. Unfortunately, the Arcade mode is only enjoyable for so long and without other offline options the amount of time someone wants to fight online is the main determining factor on how much mileage a player will get from Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown.

There are those who would call a game such as this "shallow", and with good reason: most games like this are. However, most games that subscribe to this concept don't allow you the freedom of movement or tactics that Stranglehold does. [Nov 2007, p.56]

Riders Republic makes a strong case as one of the best and most varied extreme sports games to date, with a solid offering of unique vehicles that are fun to use and master. The expansive open world and huge number of events will ensure that players could spend countless hours completing every challenge and finding every secret, all on top of the exciting multiplayer options. There’s still technical issues to iron out, but whether you want the chaotic thrills of Mass Races or the chilling exploration of Zen mode, the accessible and deep nature of Riders Republic makes it a must-play for racing fans of any skill level.

Devastation takes some of the best pieces of Bayonetta and throws them in a package you can feel unadulteratedly good about while also producing the best Transformers game yet.

As a children’s game, LEGO City Undercover will surely entertain those of the proper age with plenty of witty wordplay and slapstick humor, as well as a varied open-world to cause chaos in by themselves or with a playmate. But for everyone else, the dated movie and TV show references and numerous new abilities won’t manage to keep older gamers hooked for long, as the shallow gameplay pales in comparison to the open-world antics found in other titles this year. While the sheer quantity of content may make it seem like a worthwhile timesink, the core LEGO formula, despite its storied history, has reached a consistent level of mediocrity, becoming one that desperately needs a overhaul if the franchise is to survive for future generations to come.

Anyone who enjoys Metroidvania gameplay will enjoy this; even if its repetitious boss battles stand out as a glaring weakness, the core game is a blast to play and surprisingly diverse as well.

Mostly it’s just a bummer that A Nest of Vipers doesn’t continue the steady uptick in quality we saw over the previous two episodes, but Episode Five nonetheless proves itself a necessary step in the lead-up to the season’s conclusion next episode.

Cleverly-orchestrated, if sadly a little on the abrupt side due to its short run-time, Melatonin‘s way with visuals is matched only by its delightful and genuine sense of challenge across its myriad of rhythm encounters. A shame then that despite a more than solid foundation, the game doesn’t go out of its way to fully explore its concept — the absence of other time signatures the most notable exclusion here. Even so, what it may lack in some true wealth of ideas, developer Half Asleep make up for, to sufficient lengths, in this ongoing series of mind games with its player. Drawing them in, aiding them, suggesting said scenarios have been solved, to then shake things up and catch them off-guard time after time. A trick, though repeated, that rarely gets old thanks to some cunning creativity and way with visuals, Melatonin is a satisfying if short distraction you’ll adamantly want to prove won’t get the best of you.

If you love adventure games and have yet to play The Lion’s Song then jump aboard as soon as possible. Those who don’t dabble in the genre due to challenging puzzle gameplay should also take notice given the relatively simplistic gameplay here. Finally, anyone who loves to be taken for an emotional ride will absolutely get that by playing through all four episodes. Whether you opt to play on Steam or mobile you’ll be in for a splendid storytelling experience with The Lion’s Song.

Thanks to the shift to a service model, Just Dance 2023 should be something that players get years of enjoyment out of. The default game is already an easy recommendation for veterans and newcomers alike due to its diverse track list and wide variety of difficulty options for every genre, and having an ever-growing song library through a subscription is going to help in the long haul since players don’t have to worry about grabbing a new entry at full-price to enjoy a new song lineup and a largely incremental shift in core gameplay.

Skyrim offers the most complete VR experience on PlayStation 4, but it comes at a cost. While RE7 might have been done better, it wasn’t for everyone. The nausea issues with Skyrim VR are going to be an issue due to the amount of time needed for grinding and exploration. Every piece of content that’s been released is included, but it’ll be hard for fans to shell out more money for a game they already own. Nobody should have to buy the same game three or four times to get enhancements. After playing through a game of this scale, is it worth doing again especially with the threat of sickness?

Bore Blasters may have one rough edge in terms of its time limit, but the rest of the game is a solid blaster through a large series of fully-destructible levels backed by a pounding soundtrack. Each biome has its own hazards, like growing blocks that can regenerate right in your path, or lava blocks shooting fireballs, and all the firepower in the world isn't going to be a substitute for paying attention to the level hazards. Even a failed Bore Blasters run is a lot of fun packed with satisfyingly-explosive moments, but there would be a lot more them if there was time to amble to the end rather than sprint.