Cannon Dancer: Osman isn’t a perfect port due to some clunkiness, but it’s the definitive way to experience a long-forgotten classic that can finally get its just due. It never got a console port and would have been a nice fit on the Saturn, but having it come out now when the market is more open to spiritual successor-style games, it almost feels like the best possible timing. It’s a near-perfect Strider clone with more visual flash than anything that series ever had thanks to its stunning pixel art and lush animation. The soundtrack is also full of killer tracks and anyone who loved any Strider game should check out Cannon Dancer as soon as possible.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered takes players back to what these games used to be and looks great doing it. As it includes all of the major expansions and comes at a discounted price, it’s also a fantastic value. Despite playing the original to death, I’ve put way too much time into this fresh release and feel like I haven’t done even half of what I want to do with it. A perfect companion to the also highly-recommend Burnout Paradise Remastered, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered should serve as a baseline for what these titles should be in the future.

For those who missed out on Sleeping Dogs two years ago, the title is correct: this is the definitive version. Unfortunately, those who already visited the compressed streets of Hong Kong will have almost no incentive to go back.

The lack of single-player options is going to be missed by many while they look to dive back in and feel the nostalgia of the series. The soundtrack, visuals, sound design and actual gameplay are still solid but can seem dated. These aspects are still special in their own way and almost seem to add more charm to this classic fighting game. While the foundation of what makes Virtua Fighter special is still here in Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., it's still lacking in a lot of aspects. With that said, it's still a cheaper fighting game that's reliably fun and a good game to play while you wait for the newest entry in the series to make its debut. What we have here is a solid PC port of the PS4 remaster and its still a welcome addition to the PC fighting game community. This isn’t an overwhelmingly huge update and new release of the game, but rather a way to give new and old players alike a taste of the classic fighting game.

It’s been a full four months since Episode Five ended on a massive decision that left players reeling. Given Telltale’s past work on the series, it was hard to imagine that Episode Six would actually do right by that decision and manage to wrap the season up in a remotely satisfying way. Sure enough, huge chunks of Episode Six are just as middling as everything else in the season, and on a technical level, it’s even worse.

The crux of the problem with In Sheep’s Clothing is that we’re still not getting much in the way of payoff. A lot of questions are answered, sure, but the episode presents itself as one final buildup to the confrontation with The Crooked Man.

The Ninja Saviors: The Return of the Warriors is a revival of an old game in a style that is rarely seen these days. It’s a game that showcases how fun the style of game can be but also shows off all the limitations that were around in the ’90s. It’s a fun and challenging game that can be completed in an hour or two. The remake did a good job of making it look nice on modern consoles and the two player co-op mode was an essential addition. Like many retro titles, however, this is targeted to the nostalgia market and while playing it can remind people that good games existed in all decades, the limitations of its era are glaringly apparent.

Without spoiling any of the story elements, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is captivating so far with the first act. The characters are well-written, the narrative, albeit slow, is gripping, and the game is gorgeous to look at as you take videos of the wildlife and characters around you. It'll be exciting to see where the narrative goes when the second part releases this April. Let's just hope those frame rate hiccups and performance issues get fixed by then.

There is not much to be said about Green Day Rock Band that isn't covered by the simple fact that if you enjoy Green Day as a band, you will likely enjoy what the game has to offer.

Those looking for a truly rewarding challenge are better off looking elsewhere.

Ode is a unique mix of platforming, exploration and music. It’s accessible to everyone and can be enjoyed by casual and hardcore gamers alike. As much as it succeeds at providing a unique experience, it also fails to scratch a lot of the common gaming itches. Ode is short enough to not overstay its welcome and simple enough for something to pick up and play when you’re in the mood for something different. It’s not a title most people will want to play all the time, but every now and then it can be the perfect title to break up the repetition of more traditional titles.

In the moment, it can be thrilling to spar words with Cersei or choose whether to execute a thief or send him to the Wall. For that to work, however, you have to be willing to put up with a lot: the slow pacing, the exaggerated visuals, the awful animation and the fact that those choices don’t make much of a difference at all. Things could improve over the long haul, but based on this first episode, committing to a season pass is not recommended to anyone but the most diehard Game of Thrones fans with a high tolerance for mediocrity.

Those who experienced Guilty Gear XX Accent Core first on the PlayStation 2 back in 2009 will feel right at home with Plus, as it looks and feels the same - which is both a positive and a negative. Overall, though, the transition to this console generation has been kind to Accent Core Plus, with astoundingly deep mechanics that still play impeccably in the year 2013.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is the remaster the game deserves. The overhaul of aesthetics in gameplay make it look better than it ever has. This Definitive Edition comes supersized with all the previous game’s content plus new missions, campaigns and factions. The new additions are fully developed and integrate masterfully with the base game. While the game is beautiful to look at and still holds true to the formula that makes AoE such a great franchise, it’s also riddled with frustrating glitches and inconsistencies. While I’m sure a post-launch patch will be released to add fixes, players will have to deal with these inconveniences in the the meantime. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, however, does justice to the franchise by recognizing its flaws and working towards a better product. The collaboration with Indigenous consultants helps it regain its dignity by providing historical accuracy. Through these collaborations, developers were also able to solve gameplay issues that plagued all fans of the game. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition is by no means a perfect product, but it perfectly honors the spirit of the franchise.

Nihilumbra is the kind of game that many will look over because they think they’ve played things like it hundreds of times before. It’s not. This is a project filled with incredibly smart puzzle design and an important message at its core.

While still supernatural, Tell Me Why provides more of a mature tale overall than Life is Strange. It’s surprisingly dark, but uplifting at times as well. This game takes chances with the cast of characters in ways that are mostly a resounding success. It’s exciting to see a LGBTQ lead character and a storyline that doesn’t plunge headfirst into tropes. Here’s hoping that this is a sign of where Dontnod will go in the future, because Tell Me Why is a step in the right direction.

Blending an absorbing tale across worlds, with a novel but mechanically-engaging interpretation of player-choice, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie sets a new standard for Don’t Nod with what might be their best, most rewarding work to date. A narrative chock full of interesting characters and equally-interesting curve-balls to manage — with truly great performances from its cast to match. A game that spends as much time on the smaller moments as it does the grandiose ones, what truly gives Harmony that cutting edge, is its puzzle-like subversion on offering choice to its player. A system, as much means of presentation, that balances long-term planning with short-term deductions on the right course of action versus the more helpful one. All while still finding the means to surprise and leave its players in suspense at just what lies around the corner. Intriguing from start to finish, for any fan of player-choice narratives and/or visual novels alike, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie can not go overlooked.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a solid throwback FPS that makes up for being too generous with the resources by its excellent weapon, monster and level design. The world of Warhammer 40,000 translates fantastically well to this type of game, with decades of lore and design to draw from to create a fully-realized backdrop. The enemies come in a variety of styles from various normal humans to huge and deadly aliens, and they all mix together well to create firefights that need just enough in the way of tactics to keep the brain a little bit active. The only real challenge, though, comes from the game encouraging sloppy play in its frequent less intense sections, so when it’s time to pay attention it can be easy to get caught off guard using bad habits. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is an oddly slow burn, but when it finally fires up in the latter half, the action feels worthy of the righteous might of a Space Marine.

After over a decade since a proper numbered sequel, No More Heroes III brings back the franchise in what could arguably be called its strongest entry yet, and one of the best overall games that Suda51 has helmed. No More Heroes III is unapologetically ridiculous and violent, even if the aliens bleed pixels most of the time.

Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi is an excellent example of how to pen a visual novel without a horrific female lead, and an intriguing tale to boot. This is a gripping read, with the mystery surrounding Chizuru’s father taking center stage rather than the romance plots.

This is a tremendously unique, wildly creative endeavor that is a blast to play and even more enjoyable to listen to.

Echo Generation is visually striking, with a lot of intriguing concepts and solid combat and gameplay at its core. Unfortunately, a lack of focus with the narrative holds it back from being a truly impressive RPG. The boss battles alone might be worth the price of admission, and there’s still other bits to enjoy, but those looking for more meat would best be off searching for another tale of adventurous kids from decades past.

It's a unique and fun shooter boasting a far more vibrant color palette and better default soundtrack than Beat Hazard. Vertical shooter fans will adore it, as will those with extensive music collections.

Doraemon Story of Seasons is one of the most unique crossovers for both franchises. While many players may be unfamiliar with Doraemon, it’s still a wonderful time for anyone who wants a relaxing farming adventure. One of the best things about this unique scenario is not having to worry about romantic relationships, instead just focusing on getting to know villagers and creating a wonderful farm while trying to get Noby and his friends home. It may not be the most innovative take on Story of Seasons, but the unique elements it brings to the table are well worth giving it a try especially when it’s so easy to sink an entire day or more farming through each season in one sitting. Story of Seasons fans will be delighted with just how wonderful this unique take on the series fits, and it’s worth it to get to spend some time with Doraemon and friends.

Black Future ’88 is almost a quintessential throwback to ’80s arcade games, with rock-solid gameplay taken straight from the era and mixed in with several interesting and unique gameplay twists. You may only get eighteen minutes at a time to take everything in, but what you’ll be hit with is a heavy dose of fast-paced action, a killer soundtrack, and and a ton of weapons and gameplay features to work with that reward you for experimenting and exploring every bit of Skymelt. You may be trapped in the ’80s here, but at least you’re trapped alongside some of the best parts of it. Well, at least when it comes to video games. We can’t help if you get permanently trapped alongside Kajagoogoo or something similar, after all.

Super Mario Bros. 35 is extremely addictive to keep playing over and over, trying to get that top spot no matter how long it takes. Matches can last a good amount of time with the final remaining group of players, so it becomes a strategy match of trying to send threatening enemies to everyone else, hoping they slip up. There are so many creative concepts here and it’s nice to see such wild ideas for the battle royale genre popping up this year that make things silly in the best kind of way. It’s a crying shame this title won’t be around forever, but as a free title for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, it’s a fantastically fun time all the same. Anyone looking for a crazy new challenging way to play the original Super Mario Bros should give Super Mario Bros. 35 a try and jump into the fray.

Swords & Soldiers II has something to offer RTS veterans as well as those with zero experience with the genre. It’s accessible without sacrificing depth, and varied without being needlessly intricate.

For the $29.99 price tag, The Dark Eye: Drakensang, offers you a full 40 hours of well-written story filled with missions and side quests to complete.