As a result of all the hard work, this is a rewarding game to play and one that everyone should experience.

Sakura Wars is a blend of adventure, visual novel, dating sim and action game. Trying to blend all these different types of gameplay together to create a dramatic adventure is a tricky tightrope to balance, but the game succeeds more than it doesn’t.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory may not be a true sequel to the 2016 original, but it’s a better version of a familiar experience. The visuals don’t shine as brightly on PS4 and players will have to wander through a lot of recycled content before encountering much new. While it would have been nice to have new areas, Hacker’s Memory is carried by its profoundly personal story, engrossing combat and progression mechanics, and various quality of life improvements. While newcomers may find the experience a little confusing, returning players will appreciate meeting up with returning characters and experiencing the enhancements implemented to improve the experience. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory may not be a true sequel, but the quality put into the story, combat and progression make it a worthy successor.

These two ports prove that HD re-releases still have the potential to feel like more than cheap money-grabs; the seamless God of War Collection seems like it was meant for a handheld all along.

Don’t let the letter tiles and cute characters fool you: Letter Quest: Grimm’s Journey is an addictive experience that will steal hours of your gaming time without you even noticing.

Secret Ponchos: Most Wanted Edition is the thinking man’s western shooter.

Haunted: Halloween ’86 maintains the essences of its predecessor while generally improving all aspects of it. It succeeds in reminding us that video games were still great even with simpler and more limited hardware, but those limitations remind us how far the medium has advanced. The appeal of this title is pretty much going to be limited to the niche market of retro gamers but after spending some time in Possum Hollow I wouldn’t object to there being a Halloween ’87 in the future.

Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl is tons of fun for fans of 8-bit brawlers. This is a great freebie for people who backed Chronic Blunt Punch, and for those who didn’t it’s easy to get your money’s worth from the cost of admission. As an NES beat ’em up rated E10, it’s a short title with simple gameplay and the tone is more in tune with the short-lived Clerks animated series than how Jay and Silent Bob are portrayed in Smith’s films. But that may have also been intentional since the NES did have puritan content standards that would have never allowed Jay’s rap to exist in glorious 8-bit chiptune. Either way, Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl is a fun title that retro gamers and Kevin Smith fans can enjoy while they wait for Chronic Blunt Punch or his next film.

There are genuine elements of greatness in Beyond Light, including an intriguing subplot that should have been the main campaign and a great raid, but it’s not enough to replace everything we’ve lost. Destiny 2: Beyond Light is another enjoyable Destiny adventure thanks to the lore and gameplay, but it does little to move Destiny 2 beyond the status quo.

Soundfall is a superb game that manages to marry several different genres together. It would be more accessible with an auto-perfect timing option, but even without it, it’s a fun experience for twin-stick shooting fans while also working as a way for rhythm -centric players to explore a different genre. As a twin-stick shooter, it’s exciting and as a rhythm game, it offers a level of variety that is unmatched in the genre. The soundtrack is top-tier and made better on PC with custom soundtracks as an option to integrate fully into the game. Soundfall is a must-have for anyone seeking out a new twin-stick shooter or just wanting to try something new that’s unlike anything out there.

Reigns: Beyond is a unique game that combines strategy, simulation and a choose-your-own-adventure styled narrative, making it an appealing choice for indie game enthusiasts and fans of the series. The game's appeal lies in its blend of humor with engaging card-based gameplay, all set within a space adventure and indie music. Although the game can be confusing initially, and the instructions may not always be clear, players who stay with it will find a satisfying, albeit quirky, experience. There's room for improvement, though, as some elements are not explained enough. While the level of engagement may sometimes dip, the fresh dialogue, intriguing card mechanics and delightful visuals make it worth playing for those who want a unique experience.

The PC version won a number of awards and the PS3 version holds up quite well. [June 2007, p.60]

On the whole the team at Red Thread Games has done an incredible job updating The Longest Journey for the modern era.

The game mechanics are on par with some of the better known stealth titles out there, and taking place in a massive and beautiful fantasy world only enhances the experience. The typical stealth elements such as hiding in the shadows and hanging off building ledges mix well with the more unique abilities such as invisibility and having a clone run amok to take the focus off of Styx.

Mundaun succeeds in taking a first-person adventure/horror game in a direction that feels unique. Games inspired by folklore and the blending of the supernatural and natural are nothing new, but Mundaun is able to execute this in an engaging manner through its storytelling and artistic direction. The lack of cluttering up the natural beauty of the game with quest markers and the like enhances the feelings of being alone in a strange land though people accustomed to such things may miss them. Mundaun is a game designed for those who wants to explore an area without their hand being held, and while the objective at hand may not always be clear, eventually finding and solving it does have a greater sense of satisfaction to it. The look and feel of Mundaun’s gameplay is reminiscent of older adventure games while still being relevant to contemporary gaming.

Evil Dead: The Game is undoubtedly the best Evil Dead game yet. There’s a lot here that fans of the franchise will appreciate with Easter Eggs and the overall atmosphere. The game is a lot of fun to play thanks to the strategy, upgrades and combat, but playing as the Kandarian Demon offers a deeper experience and removes the need to worry about communicating with teammates. While there’s DLC coming if you go with the Deluxe Edition, there really is only this mode and while upgrading the different units adds longevity, it’s a bit of a cop out going this direction with adding length to the game. It also only costs $39.99 on all platforms for the standard version, and the price is well worth the fun. If the player base stays with combining platforms, this should help out with the experience down the road.

Whether you focus on story, decorating the island, collecting everything that isn’t nailed down, or some combination of the above, there’s a lot to do on the island of Cozy Grove and all the time needed to get it done. The long passage of time is more a concern for the living than the dead, and hanging out with the ghosts of Cozy Grove is a lovely, chill way to unwind for a few minutes as one day flows into another.

For an odd spin-off to an RPG series, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight is very well executed. Its song library is more than a little sparse considering how many of the tracks are remixes, but each song offers its own challenge and is fun once one gets into its groove.

For a game with a limited concept, Headmaster does succeed nicely. It sets out to do two things — providing a soccer-style game that shows VR can work with sports-themed games and throw that concept a curveball with some dark comedy. It succeeds at doing very little, and while that may sound like we’re damning it with faint praise, it really is a lot of fun to play. It’s probably the best party-style game of the launch lineup and something that any potential VR owner with a large circle of friends will want to pick up.

Dragon Quest Treasures offers a glimpse into the early years of two intriguing Dragon Quest XI characters. The world of floating islands is a wonderful setting for open-ended adventure, where hunting for treasure and monsters can become equally addictive pursuits. The numerous callbacks to other Dragon Quest titles are sure to bring a smile to longtime fans, whether it be familiar pieces of music or the fan service treasure items. This is not only a brand new adventure, but a love letter to the franchise. Dragon Quest Treasures is enjoyable from the start and only becomes better as the story gradually unfolds and players gain access to new areas and monstrous companions.

Much like its title, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow — Mirror of Fate plays with multiple concepts attempting to garner widespread appeal, but would be better suited focusing on just one.

While Capcom Vancouver enhanced the melee combat with the new exo-suits, sadly the shooting mechanics aren’t improved. Dead Rising 4 is a Dead Rising game, warts and all. A zombie slaying experience unlike anything else on the market. It’s a riot, it’s a hoot and it’s on Santa’s nice list.

NHL 21 has taken the best of what has been offered this generation in the series and sprinkled goodness on top. Be A Pro is a much-needed change and is the first innovative offline mode since implementing the expansion draft. It’s deep enough and feels fresh and could rejuvenate buzz into the series. HUT remains HUT with just more ways to grind for cards. Franchise Mode’s new coaching options are a good update for the league, but it’s only a surface change. The NHL series can no doubt benefit the most from a next-gen overhaul, but there’s enough here for yearly NHL players or those that have skipped a few years. Also, it’s worth mentioning EA is adding NHL 94 for those that pre-ordered later this month.

It’s a solid value given how much time can be spent with the new maps.

Hatoful Boyfriend is the food fight of video games. While you can derive a great deal of entertainment from its complete insanity, this doesn’t negate the fact that the end result is a total mess.

As it is, though, it's merely a very fun game for those willing to overlook its problems. [Oct 2007, p.55]

If you’re looking for something to scare you for an hour or two on a dark night, then this is a title you should consider picking up. If you’re looking for the next great horror title, however, your efforts will be better served elsewhere.

While cumbersome controls and an oddly-behaving combo meter can betray the underlining intention of pace and of orderly chaos ruling over, Zombie Army 4: Dead War does just enough to shun these unfortunate moments. Players voluntarily, not forcibly, involving themselves with such madness with sufficiently-positive results.