Zone of the Enders 2 The 2nd Runner: Mars is a great recreation of a game that was amazing back in its day, and while not all of it stands up to the test of time, more than enough does to make it worth hopping in to a mech and lighting up the skies with burning robot shrapnel.

Taking in the picture that Arcade Islands Volume One paints for itself as a whole, this isn’t a very good game. There’s enough that more than half is a mix of filler, retreads and just plain bad games. When one gets more granular, though, the value proposition begins to appear. The fun titles that can be appreciated as is would warrant between one to five dollars on their own. Adding those together exceeds the asking price. When factoring in a better than average use of PlayStation and Xbox’s metagame in the form of trophies and achievements, and the fact that it’s a safe title to introduce the youngins’ to video gaming as a concept, there’s a good reason for it to exist.

Destiny 2: Forsaken presents Destiny 2 with its much-needed reset. The campaign is compelling enough thanks to its excellent boss design, though Uldren lacks the history to be a strong antagonist. The new locales are a joy to explore and provide a nice change in pace compared to the vanilla worlds. Gambit is an exciting new mode, but, like the Blind Well, is heavily dependent on what kind of teammates you have. Destiny 2 needed something to save it and Forsaken bought it a new lease on life.

While SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy has the potential to be a fun hunk of cheese and fanservice, ultimately it relies too much on the game’s premise to carry things. The core tag team gameplay isn’t anything bad – rather fun and unique, even – but extremely short matches, a lack of variety and uneven AI means that said gameplay never achieves its full potential. Only the most diehard SNK fans may want to pick this one up, and even then, odds are you’ve seen these femme fatales done better in both gameplay and sex appeal in previous fighters.

NASCAR Heat 3 is a fun and entertaining stock car racing game that needs to take more steps towards offering a simulation for racing fans. Opening up an eSports division should encourage the cream of the crop to represent the real life sport in a virtual world. Champions of other racing games have literally gone on to win great things. The Career Mode is deep and engaging and the Xtreme Dirt Series is an excellent addition to the series. The visual and audio issues are something that need an update, but there’s enough new content that the fans of this series will really enjoy.

There is fun to be had and there are much worse anime titles out there, but there are also much better ones. Dedicated Naruto fans looking for fast-paced, gravity defying multiplayer beat ’em up action need look no further, but for those looking for a worthwhile single player experience or multiplayer with voice chat can skip this one.

Sadly, Labyrinth of Refrain is a game far too convoluted with illusionary depth to be considered wholly enjoyable. With a dispensable story, poor mid-game communication (that often feels like a deliberate attempt to waste player time) and a hefty number of interfaces requiring a fair amount of cleaning up, Nippon Ichi’s attempt to alternate from their usual Disgaea forte, though intriguing in a few areas, ends up being frustrating and cumbersome to the point of cancelling out the enjoyment it initially creates.

Shadows: Awakening provides an excellent starting point for players new to the Heretic Kingdoms saga. Rich dialogue, ambiance and lore give life to the unique parallel system. Being able to swap between the Shadow realm and the mortal world unlocks new possibilities within the game and makes for an excellent concept. A lack of gameplay balance and other technical issues keep Shadows: Awakening from reaching its full potential. It can be said that this is a case of an excellent concept suffering from a less-than-excellent execution. Fans of the isometric RPG genre may still find the title enjoyable for what it is, as it creates a streamlined RPG experience with ample content to enjoy.

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.

Despite keeping an open mind with the title, its concept is flawed in its execution and it lacks a sense of identity and purpose for its characters and story. What seemed like a title that could reinforce the reason not to judge a book by its cover proves to be the exact opposite in almost every aspect.

Konami will be able to appease the PES fanbase with PES 2019. The improvements to the visuals brings the game to life at times. With over 400 teams and 10,000 players, the hardcore football fan has a lot to marvel over. While losing the Premier League license hurts, Konami hopes adding some other major regional leagues will help. Lacking the licenses makes the game less appealing, but the player selection makes myClub a good mode to go with, even if it’s currency-based. PES 2019 still plays a very good game of football, but needs a bit of modernization.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s prioritization of exploration and stealth coupled with a more reflective plot ends Lara’s origin story on a more human note, which is strengthened by the remarkable presentation.

Even as a relative newcomer to the sim game space, I found myself enjoying my time with Two Point Hospital. Minor bugs and functionality wishes aside, one can do pretty much everything they need to in order to succeed here. Information is easy to find for the most part; construction is easy to learn and handle, and there’s plenty of optional depth here for those who want it. Put it all together with a pleasing art style and entertaining comedic stylings, and the result is a simulation game that just about anyone can have fun with.

Swinging across Marvel’s version of Manhattan not only looks good thanks to the beautiful lighting and attention to detail, but it has never felt so good either, being a relaxing and peaceful experience. Unfortunately, nothing is without its faults, as controls can be a bit finicky, and like all open world games, you’ll find occasional graphical anomalies. That’s not mention the side quests are a little lacking. This seems like a perfect fit to tell stories of lesser known or lower profile Spider-Man villains, but among the various side quests in the campaign, there’s only one that fits the bill. Regardless, Insomniac Games perfectly captures Peter Parker’s comical bravado, all while establishing a world ripe for its own unique expansion. In the end, Marvel’s Spider-Man is the most realized Spider-Man game yet.

Planet Alpha creates an amazing atmosphere thanks to its visual and audio design.

Morphies Law is the rare multiplayer game these days where the offline mode is the vastly superior option. While one may be able to recommend the game based on solo strength alone, the online issues need TLC. But even outside of that, a small number of equally small maps hinders what is otherwise a unique premise that has the potential for a fun and insane shooter with a ton of customization options. There’s enjoyment to still be had here, but you may be wishing for the game to morph into something better.

The Golf Club 2019 brings improvements to the table including the PGA Tour license and a Career Mode, but that should be taken with a grain of salt as these features are severely lacking. The most important aspect of the game is that the golf mechanics and atmosphere are great, even though the gameplay could be more approachable. With 2K now producing the game, things could change in the future for the franchise, and more courses will be added at some point. The Golf Club 2019 features a lot of positive and raw aspects with potential.

Strange Brigade is one of those difficult games to review, the one where for every positive thing you have to say about it, there’s a downside related to or accompanying it in some way or another. But in the end, what we have here is still some classic shooter action best enjoyed with friends, with enough eye-catching style and various challenges to potentially keep players coming back for more. So much like the pulp stories it aims to emulate, one could say that it’s corny and flawed in several aspects, but still an enjoyable romp that can be worth checking out under the right circumstances.

With its tight controls in full tow, The Messenger is a fantastic debut from a studio that may play deeply on their sole influence but, crucially, find the means to push beyond mere imitation to create something aesthetically fresh. A stellar platformer and one many will remember for some time.

Dragon Quest XI is still one of those 100 hour RPGs that deserve the attention. It may falter in some spots, but it shines brightly in others. There’s no better time to get back into the slime-slaying business.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is simply one of the best entries the series has to offer. It opens up a slew of content without feeling overwhelming and gameplay is more varied than ever with tons to do every single step of the way.

These are epic adventures and can now be enjoyed on modern-day hardware for the first time. Anyone who loved them before should get them as soon as possible to prepare for Shenmue III, while newcomers to the series have a fantastic starting point to get fully caught up on Ryo and his adventures.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 is the best remake yet for the series and the absolute best way to enjoy the franchise’s second entry. It’s a must-buy for any Yakuza fan and also makes a fine starting point thanks to its thorough recap of the first game.

Developer Serenity Forge might not get away with the whole artistic storytelling approach in the backdrop, but up front, The King’s Bird — while not without some unnecessary frustration to begin with — does deliver, where it matters, on its challenge and integration of physics to end up a satisfying precision-platformer overall.

Little Dragons Café first appears as though it requires constant attention to every little detail, but actually makes for a relaxing time. Exploration is well paced with each step further getting more creative and exiting, and managing the café is simple without feeling overly stressful. It’s a laid back title that is easy to get absorbed in and focus for long hours, but also makes for a wonderful time to pop into every once in a while and just explore what it has to offer. Little Dragons Café makes for a memorable, sweet journey that any person can pick up and enjoy without worry.

Exactly the kind of game a sequel should be in terms of its gameplay. Everything that worked in the first is back, but there’s more added to the foundation.

Done Running is proof that Telltale still has plenty of ideas to innovate and reinvigorate the adventure genre, where even small changes including new camera perspectives and an improved presentation can go a long way, even if the story hasn’t quite found its footing yet. There’s plenty of time for the season’s plot to turn itself around and wrap up Clementine’s journey on a fitting note, and she deserves it after all the character’s been through, but the promising changes from every other perspective seems to indicate good things to come for the remaining three episodes.

Fire Pro Wrestling World is the best entry in the longest-running wrestling game franchise. It combines the modern era of New Japan Pro Wrestling with a gameplay style that does not only that company, but many others justice with its diversity. The learning curve may be tough on newcomers in theory, but the training and Fighting Road modes ensure that you never feel too out of your depth even if you haven’t played a Fire Pro game before. Fire Pro Wrestling World is a must-buy for any fan of New Japan or pro wrestling as a whole.