The barely contained chaos and sheer variety of things to do keep Final Approach interesting. It’s action packed while still being family friendly, all while offering a lengthy campaign. The fact that the scoring system keeps the missions replayable seals the deal. Phaser Lock Interactive has released one of the best games for VR. [Tested with HTC Vive]

Last year’s iteration attempted to change the genre of the series, but Imaginators grounds it in platforming again, this time simply crafting the best gameplay experience possible.

Putting aside the technical complaints, Shadow Warrior 2 is legitimately one of the best shooters of 2016 thus far. From its quick, snappy gun and sword combat to its satisfying Diablo-style loot system, this is the type of game that players will find themselves coming back to whenever they’re seeking a good time. Yes, it’s blatantly trying to be offensive in the dumbest ways possible (lest we forget, your character’s name is Lo Wang), but its self-awareness has a way of bringing a smile to your face.

Were one to be completely honest, the gameplay found in The Silver Case would garner it a middling score. The controls are a bit too clunky, leaving the excellent puzzle design to carry the work, but the game is more of a showcase for the story. On that front, The Silver Case succeeds.

The UI leaves something to be desired and backtracking to previously explored areas is not terribly exciting, but neither of these issues ruin the game and there are more than enough positives to offset those imperfections.

Outside of a sub-par soundtrack, Mantis Burn Racing is the finest overhead racer in years. It combines skillful racing with a level of excitement that is usually absent from the sub-genre.

It does a good job of recreating the atmosphere of those early 90s shooters despite having a very different play style. This title is geared toward a niche market and as such is not going to be a must play for everyone, but for those who love old school ultra violent and ultra challenging games, this is not one to miss. For fans of retro games, everything about Butcher screams 1993.

At the very least, it earns points for its attempts to make the most out of this subgenre thanks to its unique hook in the way they achieved their setting and some fine acting, but much like the titular bunker itself, a lot of it does sadly feel a bit empty after a bit.

While not without some issues, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour is absolutely a worthwhile release of an absolute classic. It is admittedly better played on a keyboard as designed, but the original title is given a clean representation with this version.

Thumper is a beautifully dark, unforgiving and utterly fantastic rhythm game, and its sense of menace is only matched by its wonderful playability.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration is a joyous occasion that properly commemorates the evolution of Lara Croft and her franchise.

It wouldn’t be surprising for Mafia III to emerge as the AAA game with the best story of 2016 as Lincoln Clay’s revenge tale, and its wonderful documentary-style presentation, are engrossing from beginning to end, with a host of unique characters that make New Bordeaux feel unlike anywhere else in video games. You’d be hard pressed to find a game that presents some of the most shameful times in our nation’s history in a more elegant way, though the realism that comes from being so on the nose is shocking.

Thoth is a solid and clever twin-stick puzzle/shooter hybrid, sometimes frustrating in its progress but nicely creative in its challenges, and a little determination mixed with practice and copious swearing will earn the sense of satisfaction from the final credit roll. And a string of randomized levels afterwards, because why stop at the end?

Most interested in Mad Father, however, should wait until confirmation of a new patch which resolves these massive issues before diving in.

The episode doesn’t really close out the story of the Order of the Stone as a whole and really only makes it an addition to one of the many adventures that Jessie will have.

There’s a lot to like about Carrie’s Order Up! The charming concept and visuals enhance its core frantic arcade gameplay. Serving customers is hectic fun and failures usually seem fair. Completing the main mode might not take very long, but the game continues to add value with additional modes and challenges.

Don’t go into Gears of War 4 expecting a thought provoking story; go into it for its action packed scenarios, superb multiplayer experience and top tier shooting mechanics.

RunGunJumpGun is simple arcade action taken to its extremes. The basic controls don’t get in the way of the gameplay being run through endless permutations, with each of the 120+ levels giving a new challenge distinct from the previous ones.

Despite the occasional dips in performance — be it visually or aurally — and the rather unavoidable slip-ups with its 3D animation not quite flowing as majestically, Aragami‘s methodical and gracious pacing offers an interesting tale on stealth based on more than just the merits of its unique shadow-manipulation mechanics.

The puzzle design misses the cleverness that made the previous chapters so much fun, rendering the penultimate chapter an extreme disappointment as a game, doubly so as the previous chapter was the best in the series.

Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 doesn’t radically change the formula of the first game beyond adding a new character. Fortunately, Copen plays slightly differently and does offer up a fresher experience.

To put my enjoyment in perspective, I am a huge Dragon Quest fan, and while I appreciate what Minecraft is and what it does, it never held my interest for long as a game. I couldn’t stop playing Dragon Quest Builders and it is one of those experiences that I look forward to continue playing even after the review is done.

A testament to the design philosophy that if an idea is good, it’s usually very good.

Chapter 3, though, shows that the studio has their legs under them and are ready to round out the series in epic fashion.

The Metronomicon is bright and upbeat fusion of two genres that shouldn’t fit together as well as they do. There’s a great sense of humor running through the entire game from the character and monster designs, background details, and even item descriptions, and the audio holds up its end with an energetic soundtrack holding a large number of tunes that are fun to tap out attacks to.

System Rift is a short but sweet experience...Had Eidos Montreal added an extra couple of sections or puzzles, System Rift could have been something great.

As a penultimate episode to the first season, Freedom Fighters makes an effective statement, even though there are flaws in its execution.

Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice has a forgettable story and some rather tedious, but optional, side missions. While the main 2D levels can be fun, they start to feel repetitive before long.