Heart of Thorns may not be a perfect expansion, but it’s definitely something I think every fan of the game should check out. Just be prepared to rove about Maguuma in a pack, you’re going to need some help to get the most out of the jungle.

Shadow of Mordor is a visually stunning, narratively compelling action RPG that had me enthralled from start to finish. This is how you make a non-canon story in Middle-earth feel like it belongs, like it could be its own book or film in the world Tolkien created. It’s violent, it’s addictive, and it controls like a dream.

You’ll be able to take along any combination of 3 friends, monsters, or strangers via the internet to get the job done. With 12 Eidolons to capture, 21 jobs to unlock, and 10 different historic characters to collect there is more than enough Final Fantasy fan service offered up in Explorers to ensure that it successfully married the best of monster hunter style action RPGs and the Final Fantasy franchise.

What really sets MXM apart is its PVE, and it’s the feature I hope the game leans more heavily on going forward. Either way, MXM is a solid entry to NCSOFT’s stable, and they should be proud of what they’ve achieved. It’s had little fanfare around the web, which is a shame. If any of what I’ve described sounds like something you’d enjoy, MXM is well worth a look.

I love being able to talk like a pirate each and every day. Now that I have found my way through the combat system, I am a fan, pure and simple. Anyone who has a bent for strategic game play and goofy pirate jokes will adore this game.

I must admit that I was a bit full of trepidation when trying out Dofus for the first time, having liked Wakfu so much and being worried that its predecessor would turn out to be more basic or unpolished. I'm surprised and happy to report the exact opposite, and that I like Dofus' fun approach to traditional MMORPG gameplay even more than Wakfu's open-ended sandbox and social features, which is saying a lot.

The bottom line is that Star Legends: Black Star Chronicles is an extremely well designed mobile MMO (well, CORPG) experience that has great game play designed for short gameplay bursts. Try it on your next bus ride, you might like what you find!

For me, Mists is an excellent World of Warcraft expansion. However, in terms of MMOs in general it does not bring the thunder that a WoW expansion used too. If you are a veteran WoW player than Mists has a lot to offer in terms of game play and especially content. If you are a hardened MMO vet looking for something new this is not the game for you any more.

Magic Arena is a stellar addition to the Magic: The Gathering family. It’s here to stay and the competitive landscape will likely be better for it overall as time goes on. While its monetization is a bit too aggressive for my liking, and the fact we really can’t have full control over what we do with our cards bugs me, it’s hands down the best digital Magic experience Wizards have implemented to date.

This game is art in the good and bad sense of the word. It represents some of the best things that video games have to offer: at its most immersive, it offers a beautifully and thoughtfully rendered world to be explored that reveals itself not just through what is seen on the screen, but through the brutal and challenging experiences the player guides the in-game avatar through. The negative part of that is that the story of the game and the motivations and reasoning behind what is happening are obscure and unclear. A lot of the onus is on the player to piece things together. This is a kind of experience that is not necessarily designed to appeal to a broad swath of people, but its pitch perfect execution and strict adherence to its draconian design principles earn it a place in the pantheon of great games.

There’s a solid 20-40 hours of game packed into Battle Chasers, more if you like to build characters, dungeon delve, and explore all the hidden nooks and crannies. For $30, there’s more on offer here than most modern AAA games..What it lacks in AAA flash and pomp, Battle Chasers more than makes up for with compelling gameplay and incredible story and art direction.

I’m absolutely enamored with Pokopia. Its issues aside, this is a giant step forward in the cozy game genre. In fact, even though it’s only March, I’m already predicting this to be a serious contender for Best Family Game at The Game Awards in December. With 30+ hours in-game already, Pokopia has its claws in so deep that I don’t see any reason why it can’t be my next game to hit several hundred hours. I’ve got 5 towns to build or rebuild. I’ve got more secrets to learn and Pokémon to find. Pokopia will be at the tippy top of my list for quite some time.

Overwatch 2 simply exists in an awkward transition phase between the game it was and the game it wants to be. It's not a revolution by any stretch, at least not how the original game was, but it's still Overwatch and that means it's still a ton of fun.

Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown marks a strong start for 2024 game releases, as it offers plenty of entertaining action throughout its 20ish-hour runtime. The story offers some neat twists to discover, while the world of Mount Qaf is wonderfully designed and fun to explore. Combat, while not the game's strongest suit, is still cool, even if the common enemies wear out over time. I really dug what Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown accomplished here, and if this is the future of the franchise, maybe I can eventually forgive them for not following up on that 2008 entry.

Path of Exile is an excellent addition to the ARPG roster. Easily competing with the likes of Diablo and Torchlight. This independent hack-and-slasher manages to surpass its idols, while carving out its own particular niche; and with an asking price of nothing, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't check it out: Path of Exile is the hidden gem of the year.

Ultimately, I’ve had a blast with Chivalry 2. It improves upon every single aspect of the original game, and feels more stable and polished than Chivalry ever did. There is some jankiness to the game (I’m not sure if the aforementioned self-catapulting is actually supposed to be an option), but it doesn’t take away from the fantastic combat. Getting a kill never gets old, battles are unpredictable and memorable, and there are seemingly endless ways to take down your foes.

For a series that hasn’t had any new releases in a long time, this one from Sega really hits the mark for me. It is a game with evolving character arcs through talking and dating sim elements, which make your characters grow closer to one another. You will find yourself growing more attached to certain characters as you play through their stories and make you really connect with the game. The music in Sakura Wars is very well done and plays very well into the mood of the title. All in all, Sakura Wars is worthy of a play through if you've been itching for another great anime game in your library.Full Disclosure - This copy was provided by PR for the purposes of this review.

Madden NFL 26 is a good game to add to the library for the avid football fan or for someone like myself who has been away from the series for a few years. This installment is also a good entry point for someone looking to get into a football game for the first time or maybe just wanting to get into the game of football as a whole. As a fan of the series and the sport, I would recommend picking the game up and having some fun.

Ultimately, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is more hit than miss. Although it does little to advance the survival shooter genre forward, Cold Iron Studio has done a great job of combining the familiar source material with fun, action-packed combat. The few flaws are merely a minor distraction and don’t mean game over, man!

Fear is what Alan Wake 2 is all about. When it's working, it's a spooky and thrilling adventure with two separate-but-equal methods of scaring the heck out of me. When it's not working, I'm afraid I may run into another weird glitch that makes me lose some progress. Thankfully, the former is far more common than the latter, and the times I did have to restart, they were small hiccups rather than major time losses. 13 years passed between Alan Wake's initiation and his return, and I am happy to say Alan Wake 2 was worth the wait.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age scratches that nostalgic itch for a traditional JRPG without looking like it had to try too hard at it. It’s not leaning on the crutch of pixel art or fake imitations.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a project that should be experienced, if only to see how a musical fares in the world of video games. It's not a perfect pairing – there are traits unique to musicals which simply do not translate well into gaming – but the story being told and the voices behind that story are truly fantastic. When an all-star cast like this comes together in the same project, the work can't help but be great. Those inherent, unavoidable issues, however, keep Stray Gods from reaching true immortality.

Spider-Man 2 made me feel like the web-slinger himself – two versions of him, in fact – as I played through the game. I loved the feeling of getting around the city, fighting crime and saving the day. I didn't like how weak Spider-Man sometimes felt against bigger groups, nor did I like when the story slowed things down and took me away from the high-flying action sections. However, the overall experience was able to surpass both of these issues, and Spider-Man 2 is worthy of every accolade it receives.

If you want to get away from the real world games like War Thunder and the World of series of games, give this one a try.

If you don’t own The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing on PC already and you’re a sucker for a solid ARPG experience VH won’t disappoint. Despite its shortcomings, VH offers a solid ARPG experience, beautiful setting and some great control layouts. As a PS4 player it s a game I definitely want in my collection.

If you’ve been eying the crop of team-based shooters coming out these days, wondering which to pick, I’d recommend Battleborn. The PVE campaign, it’s multi-layered and varied progression systems, and its Borderlands-esque humor make it a cut above the others still on deck. While it can often feel like Battleborn is trying to do too much at once, I’m glad it’s more ambitious than its genre brethren, because in the end there ends up being more meat on Battleborn’s bones because of its sky-high goals.

I ultimately did enjoy my time with Stray. I spent about eight hours total with the game--though the last hour and a half of that was backtracking for things I'd missed--and while I have a lot of questions about what exactly happened here, I am happy with the end result. The tale of Orange Catsidy and the world they lived in continued to unravel in my mind long after I'd found everything, piling up new questions that I hoped are explored in whatever future content BlueTwelve has planned. It's not going to unseat some of the bigger titles of the year, but as a fun and unique experience Stray is the cat's meow.

In the end, Assassin's Creed Mirage is a great entry into the series, even with some of the baggage it inherits narratively from Valhalla. I can't wait to see how Ubisoft expands on Basim's journey in the entires to come.

Regardless of the little bumps throughout the way, Dune Awakening’s narrative is worth pursuing. It holds Dune’s frustration with the system, reverence for the land, and respect for the figures navigating it, even the worst ones. It’s a bit cartoonish at times, and it has its values on its sleeve, but the same can be said of Dune, if we’re being honest.

Cronos feels like an exemplary concept with aesthetics and lore that make a player want to dive deep into the storylines presented before me. But its bulky movement and gritty combat slowed it down exponentially, to the point of feeling like wandering through a tar-filled dystopia with no hope of relief and a pathway that gave the facsimile of an open world but was a very directed path. We had hoped for a bit more from the game, but sadly it fell a bit haggard under the weight of its own armor.

Atom RPG is a valiant effort for a small indie team.

Overall, House of Wolves is a worthwhile expansion. The Prison of Elders adds a new, challenging activity that has levels of difficulty suitable for a variety of skill levels. The story missions don’t expand the universe greatly, but expectations on that front seem a bit tempered after the disappointment with The Dark Below. Finally, more variety in the crucible and strike playlists is always welcome and will hopefully bring back lapsed players so there will be more people to play with and against. If you haven’t already been drawn in by Destiny, this expansion won’t offer you anything that will change your mind but it helps round out and spice up content for those who are already invested.

Will you like Spellbreak? It’s hard to say. If you want frantic building and hecticly fast paced combat engagements, Spellbreak might not be the main game for you - though I’d urge you to try it. If you’re tired of dying before you can figure out where your enemy is, or not having enough mobility to collect yourself when ambushed then I 100% recommend you taking a look at Spellbreak. It’s probably my first battle royale experience that doesn’t end after 45 minutes of frustration and keeps me playing match after match. Give it a go - I don’t think you’ll regret it.

For anyone who is looking for an old school MMO Albion Online is a perfect fit.

As much as I love Animal Crossing, I suppose I expected just a lot more than what we’ve seen in New Leaf and Pocket Camp. I would even throw my hands up in elation if Gyroids made their triumphant return as audible and visual furniture once again. Despite some of these minor misgivings, and lost opportunities in my estimation, Animal Crossing: New Horizons delivers on an island building simulation that will not disappoint. If you’re headed to the island, say “Hi” to Nook for me.

Doom: The Dark Ages nails that feeling of "classic Doom in a new era," thanks to its relentless combat, interesting if not perfectly suitable levels, and hordes upon hordes of demons. The new weaponry feels great – especially my pal the Pulverizer – and some streamlined adjustments to the process makes dropping demons dead feel great, especially in large groups of them. It's not a total reinvention of the demonic wheel, but it'll offer you plenty of Hell-themed fun in a familiar setting.

For the King II is a fantastic addition to your Steam library if you’re a fan of strategy and tabletop games. There is a little bit of a learning curve if you’re new to the franchise, but once you find that groove it is an absolute blast. With new adventures to be found in every hex, you’ll easily lose hours diving into the world of Fahrul with friends as you leave chaos in your wake.

There is so much in Honkai Star Rail to enjoy. There’s a heavy emphasis on story, puzzles, and turn-based strategy, with so much content that free players will likely have more than enough to do to last months on their way to Trailblazer Level 70. With nearly identical systems to Genshin Impact, gamers that have really taken to the Hoyoverse’s tried and true systems should feel right at home here. New players that have been scared away from Genshin due to the action-combat nature will have no problems investing some time in this free-to-play gem. If you can temper your impulsiveness and only spend what makes sense to you, and not dive into the dangerous gacha rabbit hole, Honkai Star Rail will be the ride you never want to stop.

AFK Journey is a great idle-strategy game with a lot of game modes, a beautiful canvas art style, and an engaging way to interact with the community through cooperative battles. Despite allowing you to select from a small pool of characters you want for when you roll for new characters, the monetization is still incredibly predatory, and nearly every game mode is completely pay to win. Knowing this, there’s still a lot here to love whether you’re playing on PC or Mobile, as this is one of, if not the best idle strategy RPG to hit the scene in a long time.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is another slam dunk for the HD-2D genre of RPGs. It brings two classics to life in a whole new way, and it opens the door to new players to experience these games--even if that door opens a little too far at times. This remake is the best of both worlds, as new players can experience Dragon Quest's origins for the first time, while longtime DQ fans can see these mainstay RPGs in a whole new light.

Info on what skills are effective on an enemy is proudly displayed on the battle screen, you can use your last-used poke-ball without diving into the menus and so forth. Lots of time obviously went into making Pokémon feel more convenient and less tiresome to play.

Info on what skills are effective on an enemy is proudly displayed on the battle screen, you can use your last-used poke-ball without diving into the menus and so forth. Lots of time obviously went into making Pokémon feel more convenient and less tiresome to play.

For a mobile port, EVE Echoes is an incredible experience, it brings together many of the aspects of its desktop brethren while stripping moldings some of the more autonomic systems for the casual mobile gamer. It’s a game with so much variety, pilots could get lost warping from one system to the next and yet, that complexity provides a ton to discover.

Don’t expect the latest port of this Ys title to change the way you think about the modern RPGs. It definitely lacks some of the complexity that you might take for granted in recent Ys installments. Despite this, I couldn’t stop coming back to the tower for just one more try. Ys Origin is utterly addictive in all the best ways.

Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is a game I keep going back to. Even after finishing the main quest I want to keep playing and exploring the world of Yakuza. It also inspired me to get into the larger series, and as a result I just installed Yakuza 0 to start playing.

All in all, Company of Heroes 3 is great, and should be on the list for any strategy fan looking to get stuck in one more turn, or one more fight. It's a fitting inclusion in Relic's library of incredible RTS games, and continues to show why the developers there are some of the best in the business. I cannot wait to tuck myself back into the fray, delighting in its beautifully crafted RTS-goodness over and over again in the coming weeks and months.

I sincerely hope there’s no “Destiny 3” on the minds of Bungie anytime soon. Instead, I want to see them treat this game like a true ongoing service for the next five years. Let it grow, become massive in content and scope. And if there ever is a Destiny 3, you’d better make it carry over all the progress of players’ work in D2. In any case, I’m loving the direction that Destiny 2 is headed.

Harebrained Schemes have done an excellent job of continuing to do what they do well - turn-based strategic combat - while adding some new game mechanics to expand the scope of combat. They have also done a fine job creating a set of unique characters for The Lamplighters League and injected some personality into the characters without flooding the gaming experience with too many extended cutscenes. Learning the traits and motivations of each character added to the experience, and I found myself more attached to this group of agents than I generally do with the generic Rifleman I and Rifleman II units of other titles.

Although both are turn-based strategy games, Chaos Gate is also quite a bit different from Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. Unlike Rogue Trader, you aren’t walking around your ship or the planets in Chaos Gate. So if you want lets exploration or RPG aspects and more action then Chaos Gate is likely the better fit.

In many ways, this feels like the version of New World that Amazon really wanted to launch. It’s not perfect, and many times bugs and issues can leave it feeling a bit messy. But it’s a great MMORPG, and now is the perfect time to hop in if you’ve been on the fence.

Watch Dogs: Legion made some hefty promises leading up to launch, and I’m happy to report it follows through on the big ones. [...] Despite the occasional glitches found around the city -- and that one system crash -- I really enjoyed being part of Legion’s version of DedSec. I don’t know where the series can possibly go from here, but I’ll be watching for it.

While I could see some minor tuning that may still need to be done for balance in the near future, the Chaos Dwarf faction feels great once the ball gets rolling. Creative Assembly nailed the vibe of being an evil dwarf and shook up the typical gameplay that comes to mind when I think of Dwarfs. I can’t wait to jump back in and set the Total War Warhammer III world on fire again with enchanted burning metal and chaos magic.

Harmony: The Fall of Reverie won’t be for every player, but it’ll enthrall those looking for a relevant, gorgeous game at the intersections of genres: science fiction and fantasy, the interpersonal romance visual novel and the choose-your-own-adventure books of childhoods. If you like visual novels as a genre in specific, the Augural is also a neat little innovation that I think should be played through at least once. I’m sure in time, much like the world of Glory I made, ambitious developers will take this approach and build upon it in exciting ways—for now, though, Reverie is certainly worth a visit.

Wrapping up, as a big fan of the Dark Souls series, I have to say I am impressed with Mortal Shell. It may not be the most original game of it’s kind but I don’t think it matters when everything is executed so well. I never found myself frustrated with game mechanics feeling wonky and as a fan of the Dark Souls art style I felt right at home during my time with Mortal Shell. If you’re looking for a beautifully crafted, dark and twisted world that quite literally feels like it was made by the team at FromSoftware you need not look further. Mortal Shell has earned a place in my games list as a title I will continue to play and replay, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing speed run and no-hit attempts in the future.

In general, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader should be a great experience for any Warhammer fan or someone who likes turn-based RPGs. It’s strong enough to stand on its own feet in either genre but comes together for an overall good experience, even if it might not be the best RPG to come out recently.

The easy-to-learn combat system and temporary nature of characters make the game a blast to sit down and play for a few minutes, while more hardcore gamers will enjoy the challenge of survival while trying to hunt down the biggest monsters to find the best gear, and eventually top the leaderboards. While the lag in the game can be a problem at times, adventuring with smaller parties seems to alleviate most of it, and the developers are always working to improve the game. Furthermore, the combination of several popular styles of games into a single MMO makes for a fun, new, and most certainly refreshing experience. Realm of the Mad God is certainly a game worth taking the time to experience.

Remnant: From the Ashes is still an excellent game. Gunfire Game’s port to the Nintendo Switch has made an exceptionally great game accessible to a whole new group of gamers. Tight, responsive controls and consistently smooth gameplay performance make up for some downgraded visuals. This leaves you with a solid offering for the Nintendo Switch. If you’re in the market for a Souls-like with a unique story, a bit more forgiving gameplay and also like to game on the go then I can highly recommend picking up Remnant: From the Ashes on the Nintendo Store.

When the dust settles, College Football 25 is a great game and an excellent return for the franchise for EA. The development team absolutely knocked it out of the park, taking the time and care to craft something really special. While not perfect, the attention to detail put into this project shows on many levels. I would recommend the game for any football fan to jump into, as it has a little something for everyone at every skill level—even an old washed-up gamer like myself.

V Rising has many elements that keep things fun, engaging, and easy to get lost in for literal days at a time. The full launch might bring a lot of old players back, as it brings new content and massive amounts of new crafting tables, bosses, features I won’t mention for the sake of spoilers, and just better quality-of-life features than the early access version.

All in all, if you're a Total War fan, especially someone who loved Rome: Total War back in the day, Total War: Rome Remastered is a fantastic way to jump back into the older game with some modern improvements. You'll have to get past some of the more archaic bits of the design, but the core experience: conquering the world and ushering your faction through Rome's civil war period is still so satisfying.

I enjoyed the 40 hour ride through the The Outer Worlds, even though it was sometimes a bumpy one. Still, with the interesting world that was built here, it feels like there was left a lot of untapped potential on the road. Flaws similar to the Fallout series – namely a main story that is little more than a frame holding together the sandbox that the rest of the game is and correspondingly flat characters – prevent it from earning a place in the hall of fame of roleplaying-shooters next to Mass Effect.

Even with its blemishes the Division establishes itself nicely as a new tent pole for Ubisoft and the Massive Entertainment studio and lays the foundation for future expansions to come.

Two years ago Square Enix announced it had created a new studio, Tokyo RPG Factory, to create RPGs in the image of those golden age games. In that time Tokyo RPG Factory managed to catch hold of the spirit of those games and pull it forward into 2016 with the release of I AM SETSUNA. Tokyo RPG Factory managed to not only tap into that nostalgia vein but crafted a solid game that stands on its own.

Book of Demons is designed from the ground up to be an accessible, lighter take on the classic ARPG. And it manages to do so without being dumbed down, or too simplistic that it’s not fun. In short, it aimed to pay homage to Diablo but instead has gracefully made its own impact on a crowded genre.

The trilogy wonderfully recreates the feel of the tabletop game, and each mission plays like a cyberpunk detective story infused with tactical turn-based combat. Each stand-alone story has a well-written main storyline and secondary and companion missions. In true classic cRPG fashion, there are branching dialog trees with additional skill and stat-based options added in, some of which actually affect the outcome of your playthrough.

With the additional playtime, Age of Wonders IV still impressed me even though I am concerned about the AI. The other issues I have brought up are all easily fixed over time, if not on day one. Between the customization options, atmosphere, and Pantheon system, Paradox Interactive and developer Triumph Studios have a great start to the next entry in the Age of Wonders series. I can’t wait to see how they expand the spells and Pantheon systems further, for fans of fantasy 4x strategy games, Age of Wonders IV is worth checking out if you want to evoke that old feeling of needing to take just one more turn.

Earthlock: Festival of Magic from Snowcastle Games is an absolute nostalgic joy to play. Feeling at once both reverential for classic 16-bit JRPGs and novel due to its western stylized setting and systems, Earthlock is a grand start to an RPG trilogy, and well worth the meager price of admission.

I’ve really enjoyed my time in Fate of Gundabad, and while it’ll be interesting to see how the story of the Dwarves progresses from here, the journey has been worth it overall. The Dwarves are an interesting race in Middle-earth, often overlooked in favor for Men or Elves, so seeing them get their due after years of fast tracking the War of the Ring story has been a nice change of pace. The Lord of the Rings Online: Fate of Gundabad reminds me of LotRO of old, and that’s a good thing. I can’t wait to see where they take us next.

It’s clear now that Torna - The Golden Country is a more refined and much better experience. The story of Lora and Jin, Addam and Mythra, and the rise and fall of Malos is actually far more engaging than the tale of Rex and Pyra was.

Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below won’t entirely scratch that JRPG itch for a true Dragon Quest, but fans of Action RPGs will find it more than filling. With several dozen hours of gameplay, loads of side quests, items to craft and collect, and achievements to earn, DQH is a lot like a JRPG fan’s version of Diablo. It would be nice if the game was coming to other platforms, but this one’s a PS4 exclusive in the West. October is a really full month for games, but if like me you enjoy a solid Action RPG more than most other games, this one’s a no brainer.

It specifically brings both a unique new PVEVP mode as well as a diverse cast of characters with unique traits and skills. All of these things put together really to offer a gaming experience that can keep gamers interested for quite some time. If you’re on PS4 or PC I would recommend trying out Orcs Must Die! Unchained.

War Thunder is easily among the best of what is offered on the PlayStation Store. It stands head and shoulders above the other free to play offerings and even over many at cost. The core of this lies in the generous free to play model which allows you to play for hour and hours without paying a dime. Though microtransactions were disabled in the pre-release version, I did get to explore the store and actually make some purchases in the EU release. A pillar of War Thunder’s longevity lies in its generous free to play model that allows you to play for hour and hours without paying a dime. That's the way free to play should be done.

The content of Wrath Classic is still great and has held up over time really well. However, the many issues and bugs of the launch have dulled the experience, particularly for players on very high-population servers or players who were hoping to join friends already on high-population servers. I’m hopeful that as we move through phase one and into phase two Blizzard will continue to polish things up and get everything righted. However, their history of solid Classic launches has been a bit tarnished with this one.

This game is not going to top of the RPG giants, it still has some work to do to earn that title match, but WrestleQuest is definitely a scrappy up-and-comer with plenty to be excited about.

Simply put, The Lords Of The Fallen beat the crap out of me. I languished, I lamented, but I lingered on, and as I'm sitting here now I am looking back fondly on what I did. The dual-world idea is phenomenal, even if it contributes to the game's worst technical tendencies. The mood set by each world, however, is downright creepy and gross, which serves as a strong foundation. Enemies can be bruising, while bosses aren't quite as difficult, which doesn't quite jive right throughout the game. As much as I wanted to toss my controllers around, I would be lying if I said I didn't have fun with The Lords Of The Fallen.

Despite Hollow Knight Silksong’s relentless difficulty, it’s one of the most rewarding games this year. Pharloom is a lively world with surprises waiting in every corner, and the suspenseful combat and exploration makes Hornet’s arduous journey memorable. Silksong can feel a bit unfair at times, but its challenging nature forces players to adapt and learn to be patient.

In the end, is Type-0 worth the full $60 price? I’m one who believes gameplay is a greater than graphics alone, and while Type-0 looks a little dated due to its ported status it definitely makes up for the visual shortcomings with great gameplay. If you like Final Fantasy and third-person action combat… get it, and love it. It’s worth your time.

What Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion accomplishes is something few other remasters or remakes get right: it revives the original core experience – pun intended – of the original Crisis Core release and places it on modern consoles with modern upgrades. The combat system is more refined and responsive, the visual upgrades are serviceable if not as extreme as some may hope, and the storyline is virtually unchanged – for better or worse. That said, there were some areas that Square Enix could have made some adjustments and didn't, meaning we all have to sit through ghastly lines of dialogue that were awkward the first time around, let alone now. That's not enough to completely dull the effort, however, as Crisis Core is one of the best remasters available today.

Overall, Costume Quest 2 is one of those rare occasions where I can say that more of the same is just what the doctor ordered. With the right level of new polish to shore up some of the first game’s rough spots, along with a funny and interesting new story, this is one sequel that might be better than the original in every way. If, like me, you love the Halloween time of year and are nostalgic for the days of trick or treating and sugar-fueled nights… pick up Costume Quest 2 for its budget price of fifteen bucks and make it a new tradition every year. You’ll be glad you did.

Overall, I enjoyed my time playing GreedFall immensely. The setting and lore of the world helped to cement me deep into everything. If you're looking for an in-depth RPG that lets you make choices in a seldom seen world with both muskets and magic, then GreedFall is right up your alley.

Evil Genius 2 allows me to tap into my inner mastermind, creating an evil empire worthy of Blofeld himself even if the game is more Dr. Evil in its demeanor. It’s not a perfect empire, as some technical aspects are more frustrating than fun, but I still had a nefariously good time tapping into my inner evil.

Star Wars: Squadrons is a great overall package, though. At just $39.99, it doesn't have to include all the features you'd expect from a full priced triple-A studio title. For the money, it delivers a lot for the money. It's definitely one that will stay in rotation on my PC for quite a long time. Especially for the VR immersion.

While the mechanical redundancies and mid-game pacing hurdles keep it just shy of perfection, DRAGON QUEST VII Reimagined is a triumph of art direction and quality-of-life design. The bottom line: this is the Definitive way to play DRAGON QUEST VII, just don't be surprised if some things have changed since the last time you set foot in Eden!

Salem is a stellar and charming sandbox title from Paradox Interactive. Set in the 17th century, Salem boasts a charming art style, while offering a hardcore and innovative free-to-play gaming experience. Something which is rare to come across in the current MMO market. The building and crafting system allow your character to progress and your homestead to expand, giving a rewarding and unique experience.

Elder Scrolls Online may not be for everyone. But I’m happy and proud to say it’s a game I can stand behind and support with my wallet. It strives to be different from the usual theme-park MMORPG, and it also faithfully represents the Elder Scrolls universe through lore and gameplay. ESO is an excellent MMORPG, with a lot to offer fans of The Elder Scrolls. It does need a few key refinements, but I will be subscribing for a good time to come, and I can’t wait to see how the game improves over time. If you’re on the fence, give it a go, or at least be ready and willing when the inevitable free trial system shows up. You just might be glad you didn’t listen to the critics.

Myst Online: URU Live is not your typical massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It is unique in many, very distinct ways. I must stress one point: If combat and PvP are your primary reasons for playing MMOs then you'll want to pass this one up. There is no combat or PvP at all. Its central gameplay is puzzle based instead of combat based. Your Relto and the Ages that you visit are instanced and cannot be entered by anyone else unless you invite them. The world is one huge sandbox that you have to fully explore in order to discover clues that will lead you to the next step in a puzzle.

New World: Aeternum isn’t perfect, but it’s a fun experience that feels like the definitive version of Amazon’s flagship MMO. The question still remains whether Amazon can stick the landing with post-launch content, but the MMO is the best it has ever been and well worth a visit to the Eternal Isle if you’ve ever thought of dipping your toes into its Azoth-laden waters.

Seven: The Days Long Gone is a game that tries to fit a lot of ideas into it. For a first time indie studio It feels like a lot of these ideas have been developed well. However with some clunky combat and stealth mechanics as well as the frame drop issue Seven would benefit from some more time in testing. This being said it is shaping up to be an incredibly immersive iso-RPG that offers some unique approaches to handling the genre.

Gamers looking for a mobile MMO that they can pick up for a minute and drop in a manner of seconds will enjoy Arcane Legends. Players of Spacetime Studios' other mobile games may wish to take a few minutes to familiarize themselves with how Arcane Legends functions. There are differences. It may be slight enough to ignore in the early levels, but if you don't like to die, you'll need to pay attention. The game is in its early stages of growth and may be missing some features, but it is totally playable and absolutely fun.

If you're expecting epic quests, great loot, a compelling storyline and larger than life battles, then maybe Wakfu isn't the game for you. But if you're interested in exploring a drop-dead gorgeous world without getting aggro from every single mob you come across and being able to chat freely without restrictions to all the other players in the game, then you'll probably love this game.

As a free to play game players get a ton of content with none of it locked behind a paywall. The cash shop is setup very well and isn’t obnoxious about trying to get players to spend their money. The normal cash shop items of mystery boxes, XP boosters, inventory expansion, convenience items, and costumes can be found there and everything seems to be pretty fairly priced. I am mildly concerned by some stated items and the selling of XP books, but nothing just out as being objectively bad.

Red 5 are gamers who were sick with the same ol’ shooter and the same ol’ MMO. So they went out and started making a game they’d want to play. Somewhere along the way, they got a little lost, but they’re back on track and with a thriving but small community they’re onto something very special. It’s a little rough around the edges right now, but I’d heartily recommend Firefall to anyone who’s sick of the same old MMO fodder. Just be prepared to roll with the work-in-progress nature of the game, and you might be pleasantly surprised at the fun on offer.

I like SMITE. I like it a lot, and I wish it well. I’ll probably continue playing the game in my off-time, as it provides an easily accessible source of fun. This MOBA is quick and flashy, has great combat. It’s a model that seems to be what HiRez is sticking to, so I can only hope that they don’t make a huge bunch of changes just a few months after launch. If you like the idea of MOBAs, but haven’t really dug into them because of whatever reason, give SMITE a try. It’s different without being alienating, and has a lot going for it already.

TERA stands mightily on its own as a unique, inherently fun, MMO experience. Even if you don't wind up loving it as I have, you should definitely give it a try. Just get past the Isle of Dawn before you judge it, fight a BAM and try a dungeon. Chances are, you'll see why I've been so charmed.

It might be a bit disjointed, and not put together completely right, but for the adventure it is definitely worth it. Go forth, and be slaughtered a thousand times in a multitude of different ways my friend. It can actually be very entertaining - after the fact.

All in all, the duo multiplayer experience of Far Cry 5 is fantastic. The aesthetics alone manage to overshadow the frustrating mechanics that the game brings to bear and keep us wanting to play...If you’re looking for a fun, engaging, exciting game to play with a partner, this is definitely one to try out. Let’s hope that the games industry creates more partner play experiences for those who love to game together, but not necessarily in huge piles.

Pokémon Go is fun. It’s just a beginning, but I can’t put it down. It’s free, and what you can spend money on can also be earned in the game easily. If you’re into this sort of thing, if hunting down fake digital monsters in the real world with friends or alone sounds fun, then try it. You may be disappointed in the combat, but the real world adventures are worth the data plan overages.

Darkfall: Unholy Wars is a unique title. Full-loot, full-PvP, in a huge sandbox is a daunting and grueling mechanic for an MMO. But it makes for an experience like no other MMO. The combat is fast paced, crafting is integral and character progression is constant. In addition to this, clan warfare is highly encouraged, allowing for full on clan battles, which is where the fun starts. Aventurine have made a good go of polishing up their game from the first iteration of Darkfall. Unholy Wars truly shows off what a hardcore MMORPG really is and can be.