Rocket Arena is a fantastic game with well-crafted shooting mechanics and a diverse mode lineup that manages to be both fun in short bursts and long play sessions. There’s more tweaking that can be done to make it a more robust experience as the roster is lean at launch, but what’s here is great and every character manages to feel different from one another. The mix of shooting and platforming skills helps make it a great gateway shooter for those who may not otherwise enjoy the genre and its quick pace ensures that no match is ever boring. The graphical design is sharp, but the soundtrack could use some work even with strong sound design that helps amplify the effects of your rocket-filled arsenal.

Braid: is excellent and gorgeous, a little over-hyped, but maddeningly fun overall. [Fall 2008, p.55]

Moose Life is an upbeat hardcore shooter that’s just as inviting to the casual player and a wonderfully-orchestrated fireworks show from start to finish.

With impressive storytelling, amazing combat and interesting upgrading systems, Throne and Liberty excels where many MMORPGs fail right off the bat. My main concern is that I just don't know if there is something there to keep me coming back and wanting to improve my character. If I don't know how well I'm performing and how much I'm contributing to the group, how will I know I need to improve? Furthermore, if there are further ways to optimize my character, how will I know the changes I make are making a large difference, other than a "gut feel" when attacking enemies.

Madden NFL 24 feels like the most complete game since jumping to this generation. EA Tiburon continues to build on the core that was established four years ago. The changes for this year’s game are numerous, but results with inconsistencies and ultimately need more polish. Hopefully this will come in the coming months with patches. When everything works, it’s cool to experience it all coming together that can result in a big play. This also ties into the resolution mode which is playable and offers excellent image quality. There could have been more implemented with the Training Camp mini-games, but they’re a fun change of pace that add to the Franchise Mode experience. The games also do not feel as scripted, even though the division games in Franchise Mode aim to level the playing field no matter the difficulty. I have had enjoyable and drama-filled tight games this year and the AI brings more of a natural level of opposition compared to something that’s pre-designed. There are bugs, but the overall experience in Madden NFL 24 is getting closer and closer to properly replicating an NFL broadcast.

Considering there are untold amounts of quality gaming to be found here at a reasonable launch price, LawBreakers is an easy recommendation for anyone that truly wants a competitive game with which to test their mettle.

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds is a splendid brawler.

Those looking for an engaging story to keep them reading for hours on end will want to pick up The Devil on G-String.

Anyone looking to spend a solid 40+ hours on a roguelike should look no further than this.

For a title that dropped out of nowhere, Kirby Fighters 2 is filled with all the charm of the average Kirby title but without a world map to explore. The fighting is fun and challenging with a surprising amount of variety in characters. The gameplay can almost start to feel repetitive at times but with fights being so short most of the time it’s easy to switch it up and hop back in feeling refreshed. There’s a lot of value here that gives in to what could be a ridiculous amount of gameplay for people who love completing every challenge. Anyone looking for a Kirby title with faster-paced combat and a focus on fast-paced fights should dive into Kirby Fighters 2.

Even with iffy combat, Haven ends up being a dose of pure joy, letting you experience a well-written whirlwind romance with lovable characters, or just letting you hover around a planet at fast speeds, enjoying satisfying gameplay as you swiftly gather up more Flow or escape corrupted creatures. Top it all off with sweet visuals and one of the year’s best soundtracks, and you have a unique blend of adventure and RPG games that provides a terrific experience. Indeed, you’ll more than likely fall in love with it.

Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 2 is a must-have for tactical RPG fans who missed out on either included game. Both Makai Kingdom and Z.H.P.: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman are excellent, with Unlosing Ranger being a game that slipped between the cracks in its time and now truly gets a chance to shine on a greater stage. There’s still nothing like it on the market, and after nearly two decades, Makai Kingdom‘s take on tactical combat still has elements that haven’t been copied. This second batch of NIS Classics is a great one and something that offers two titles that have not only held up well, but have concepts that we haven’t seen done to death since their original release.

While INTERmission doesn’t push the overarching VII Remake narrative forward, it’s a fun slice of content that delves deeper into VII Remake’s world.

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.

At the end of the day, Sweet Fuse: At Your Side is downright fun.

DariusBurst Chronicle Saviours is a welcome return for one of gaming’s longest-running series, digging deep into its history to create a modern shooter with a depth of content unmatched in its genre.

While a bug-squishing patch would be nice, Civilization Revolution is an excellent revision of the series despite the trades it makes for accessibility over depth.

Ys Origin is over a decade old and holds up well despite showing its age. It’s not a lengthy game and a single playthrough will only take roughly ten hours, though if one were to want to see the full story with every character, its brevity makes that much more feasible. Being as this is a dungeon crawler centered around climbing a massive tower, the short length makes it just long enough to feel like it is a complete game without overstaying its welcome. Even on easy, the boss fights won’t hand over a victory without a fight, and the nightmare difficulty will challenge even the most seasoned Ys veteran. While this is a fun game and should be played by all Ys fans, I would be more inclined to recommend it to people who are already fans of the franchise.

It’s a testament to sound design when the worst aspect of a video game is indeed its actual title. Even with it, though, Grey Goo is a stand-out RTS that has found an expert way of blending old with new to create something familiar but fresh.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade won’t make the wait for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part II any easier, but it does at least make its best moments look and play better than before.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 is clearly a love letter to the NES Castlvania games. Players who have played the original know exactly what they’re getting into here, although the sequel is overall an improved experience. Making 8-bit retro style games isn’t as novel a concept as it was several years when these type of titles were popping up in the indie game scene but Curse of the Moon 2 is an example of one of the better executions of this concept. Iga may be irritated with the constant Castlvania comparisons Bloodstained titles receive since the latter is filled with an interesting new world and lore but they also recreate the everything great about the former. A proper sequel to Ritual of the Night is what Bloodstained fans are really wanting to sink their teeth into, but Curse of the Moon 2 helps solidify Bloodstained as its own franchise and is a great game on its own merits for fans of retro games.

Tactics Ogre Reborn is the best overall way to enjoy this classic game. Some may prefer the older versions keeping the original pixel art, while this version smooths out the rough edges in ways that may not be for everyone. The addition of voice acting helps tell the story and give it a greater sense of pathos and it’s good work overall. The story is a serious one and no one plays anything for laughs. Reborn offers up a new way to enjoy a legendary title and shows off just how perfectly-crafted it was to begin with. It’s a minor shame that the original game isn’t included here for historical purposes, but what we have here is largely the best way to play it outside of the filtered pixel art. Tactics Ogre Reborn is a remarkable tactical RPG and a landmark entry in the genre over 25 years after its original release.

The many unique twists of Magnetic: Cage Closed do so much to set it apart from the other first person physics puzzlers that have tried to dethrone the genre mainstay.

A highly-entertaining brawler. The visuals are stunning, the ambience a perfect fit for a world of martial arts, and the incredibly deep fighting system is fun to experiment with, making the game accessible for both seasoned veterans and button-mashing newcomers to fighting games, with unique features that allow any of those players to hone their craft. Overall, it’s one of the year’s most unique and enjoyable fighting games, and one worth checking out.

There’s not much wrong with The Big Bank Heist solely as DLC, but the game it’s built upon contains flaws that carry over here (enemy A.I., general glitches, etc). Still, PAYDAY 2: The Big Bank Heist does exactly what DLC should do by expanding upon the base game with new features and challenges that can’t easily be replicated in the base product.

While there are some nice tweaks to the affair, DOA fundamentally remains the same. Considering the loss of its Lead Designer, though, that must be considered a victory. Combat is as enjoyable as ever and the game looks better than previous incarnations. It's a natural step forward for the franchise that should soon lead to a next generation leap.

Samorost 3 is a fantastic point & click adventure game, and a perfect sequel to the previous two.

Even with the upgrades and competition, Turmoil is the epitome of simplicity. It is more about betting against oneself when drilling, playing an extremely simple market, and exploiting upgrades for the most gain.