EA and Ghost Games set out to make the quintessential Need for Speed by bringing in aspects that worked in the past and has mostly succeeded. The unnecessary narrative ultimately holds the game back, but it’s a blast once the world is made available to the player. The off-road racing is addicting and the search for Derelicts could remain a mainstay with the franchise moving forward. This is much less of a CAR-PG than the previous game, as players will be able to build a great library of cars much quicker. Add to this an excellent livery editor and community features, and the core elements of Need for Speed Payback will keep fans playing for quite a while.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is tactical arcade sports action at its finest, and an easy way to lose far too many hours maneuvering a bouncy black and white ball into a net at the end of a grassy field.

Treating the game on its own merits, the re-release of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax comes highly recommended. It has fun characters embarking on a fresh adventure in a new genre. The story can be padded, but it still scratches that itch. The most fantastic part is that this old game has systems and gameplay that still holds up favorably to modern fighting releases. There are few fighters that can boast that.

If everything about Hard West was as great as its combat and strategic layer, it would easily sit near the top of a list of memorable Old West-themed games. Take away the cowboy costumes and it’s still an excellent turn-based game with some clever mechanics to mess with.

Turn 10 Studios and PlayGround Games have improved the simulation racing aspect with Forza Motorsport. The racing is clearly the focus and the results are best experienced with a wheel as the tire model physics have helped to push this more into sim racing territory.

Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- serves as a worthy expansion/sequel to Sign in many ways.

There’s never a moment that pushes the boundaries of the console, but it feels like a 2015 PS4 title through and through. The main issue with this release is the fact that there’s not a whole lot of value here.

Outside of the HD remastering being a mixed bag and the camera controls not being completely fixed, JSR is still a blast to play and well worth your time and money. A mere $10 gets you the best version available – not possible, but available - of an outstanding game with a sense of style all its own.

It offers up dozens of stages for a small amount of money and is a lot of fun to play.

Surprising as it may be, Persona 5 Strikers is a solid follow-up to Persona 5. Atlus and Omega Force resisted the temptation to just make it yet another Dynasty Warriors clone, putting in actual effort instead. Its Warriors-style action combat integrates much of the quirks from Persona 5 and still manages to retain the fun factor too.

While survival horror purists may balk at the concept, anyone a fan of top-down action/RPGs, deep gameplay and a interesting story will find not only the most addicting multiplayer Vita game to date, but the best Silent Hill in recent memory.

Counter-Strike 2 is a mostly positive update to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The enhanced visuals that range from improved textures to lighting and particle effects help bring the graphics up to date while keeping the required specs low enough where the experience isn’t limited to those with super expensive gaming rigs. The removal of Demolition and Arms Race is choice that likely won’t sit well with most fans, but there’s hope these modes will return someday. Even with all the changes that were implemented, Counter-Strike 2 plays like an old friend who is returning after a prolonged absence. It has a new look and made a few changes, but essentially it’s still Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and those who enjoy team-based shooters will still enjoy spending countless hours with the upgraded version.

Make no mistake — it’s a compelling, challenging and rewarding JRPG in it’s own right, but with little fresh content and some lingering accessibility issues, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 might not be the title everyone was hoping it to be.

You will die in Wasted. You will die a lot, it is a given. But thanks to its easy-to-learn, enjoyable gameplay, great use of roguelike elements and perfectly implemented Thunderdome-esque 1980s atmosphere, you will easily find yourself coming back again and again, ready to cough up more extra lives like the the arcade games of its era.

As a side-scrolling brawler, Dragon’s Crown is deep and loaded with replay. As an example of 2D art in gaming, it’s unequalled.

Given our memories of the first game, it would have been a miracle if Submerged: Hidden Depths had just been a merely fine distraction. So it’s a shocker to see a perfect example of what a sequel should be, making terrific use of the strengths its premise provides, allowing you to truly chill out and explore the drowned city, coming across something that feels fresh at every turn, backed up by breezy visuals and a nice soundtrack. While still linear at times, Submerged: Hidden Depths is a vastly-improved adventure that should easily stand a shot at being the year’s best sequel, and Uppercut should be proud of what they’ve done.

Sky Force Anniversary does a fantastic job of bringing what had already been a good shooter to the PC, and it’s great to see it become the fully-featured game it always had the potential to be.

Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & The White Guardian is a stellar entry in the series as it provides a solid gameplay loop, a fun battle system and gorgeous visuals to boot. Despite the cameo characters from past entries being present, the main storyline is still engaging and focuses on the two protagonists well. While Slade is one-note, Rias is a delightful hero to follow once you get used to her higher pitch in tone. The lack of English voice acting is disappointing, but the Japanese performances are great and fit the characters well. While there are a few issues, like the ridiculous boss battle in Chapter 6 and the lack of important information in some aspects of the game, it's an experience that will keep you hooked for hours upon hours.

An easy-to-grasp premise coupled with a campaign with an abundance of clever twists and turns, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess stands as one of Capcom's most interesting ventures into smaller-scale experiences yet. A game that doesn't shy away from its smaller stature, yet never feels like it's sacrificing the quality of production we've come to expect and praise Capcom for. Some great artistic use of color and lighting on top, only emboldening further a game that feels miniature yet grand at the same time. The surprise isn't that Capcom can excel just as well on newer, smaller-scale projects. It's that for a premise revolving around a combination of combat, real-time tactics, overhead management and tower defense-style adaptation, Capcom and Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess have found a way to make such anxieties of the Strategy genre a still-perilous but altogether more exciting and interesting path worth taking.

Featuring an enormous roster of over 200 characters with revamped gameplay, WWE 2K18 is a solid upgrade from last year’s game.

Triangle Strategy is a unique tactical JRPG, excelling in delivering enjoyable tactical combat and developing an intricate world where the complexities weigh heavily on the choices players have to make. It isn’t without its issues as the execution of such rich world building and interpersonal relationships requires a lot of exposition which leads to pacing issues. Even if the player is interested in the developing narrative, some of the early cutscenes drag on for too long and simply end up being boring. The tradeoff is that those who can get through the slower-paced games are rewarded with a challenging battle system and choices that have a significant impact on the story. A New Game Plus feature allows players to carry over their progress to see how different decisions play out and unlock the multiple endings and the game is enjoyable enough where repeated playthroughs sound like an inviting prospect.

If you’ve been looking to get back into fighters and somehow missed the boat on Street Fighter IV or have been waiting for something to bring you back into the world of Street Fighting, I doubt there is a better option than a game full of characters, awesome music, and a robust fighting system with great online support.

Most games based on movies are cheap shovelware that are released to capitalize on the popularity of the franchise they're based on. The Bourne Conspiracy, however, is clearly a labor of love.

While Signalis won’t be leading to a full-on fifth-gen survival horror renaissance, if only because some of the genre’s past sins still linger, it still delivers an enjoyable adventure that perfectly captures the feel of the classic era while also doubling down on more detailed cosmic horrors and twisted visuals, capped off with some sturdy combat and impressive puzzle design. Those in the mood for a quick yet quality-filled horror game should check out Signalis, as it delivers welcome sci-fi scares.

Valkyria Revolution is an excellent action-RPG if you’re looking for something new after playing through Final Fantasy XV.

The world is fun to explore, filled with a batch of great side activities, and never once compromises the story’s pacing. The gameplay is smooth and responsive, though the AI needs fine-tuning to be more consistent. It’s all wrapped up in a beautiful presentation that truly transports players to paradise, at least when nothing terrible is happening. That’s not to say the game doesn’t have its quirks and questionable decisions, and many of its core gameplay loops contradict themselves when a setpiece moment shows up, but there’s still a lot of good to be found here. Yara may be an awful place to live, but playing Far Cry 6 is well worth the trip to the rotten paradise.

Clap Hanz’s effort to evolve Everybody’s Golf is a successful way of thinking outside of the box. While there aren’t a ton of modes, there’s enough here to keep players coming back for more. Keeping its challenging and addicting gameplay, Everybody’s Golf manages to blend frustration and enjoyment successfully. The online aspect has no hiccups and it’s easy to play with other people. Turf War is extremely hectic and fun at the same time. Clap Hanz took full of advantage of the technology that the PS4 offers to create the biggest leap of the series and offering fresh new innovations. Not to mention, you can literally fish.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is a fitting resolution to a familiar story. Billie Lurk is an excellent character to showcase the underside of a world already known but with plenty of mystery left in it.