Honestly, I do love the gameplay. But literally everything else tangential to and surrounding the core gameplay experience is a genuine pain. What’s worse, these pain points have been solved so easily by the games Valorant is so clearly inspired. It’s a damn shame that these existing easy solutions were simply ignored. A veteran team with the experience and containing the caliber of talent like Riot should simply know better. I cannot overstate just how much this frustrates me.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor isn’t a bad chapter by any stretch. It’s dark themes really shine through in the storytelling, and while the main questline felt lackluster thanks to its predictability and my issues with the buggy boss fights, the side quests told complex and entertaining stories - the kind I’ve come to love from the ZeniMax team.... But it’s greatest enemy wasn’t the Vampire coven at the center of the year-long Dark Heart of Skyrim storyline, but rather the unpolished feeling Greymoor gave me as bugs and performance issues plagued the experience, even after the team deployed multiple fixes. In the end, it leaves me wondering whether or not Greymoor should have been delayed longer and given more time to stick its landing

I think that, despite showing its age, Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition lives up to being one of the greatest JRPGs in the last couple decades. Its story and gameplay are timeless and, although I was personally overwhelmed by its inventory system, the amount of customizability and freedom that comes with the plethora of gear available makes it highly replay-able to boot. The additional content, including the new Casual and Expert modes, the Time Attack Challenges, and the extra story Future Connected epilogue, makes this the best version of Xenoblade Chronicles available to date, as well as cements it as one of the best values in gaming on the Nintendo Switch.

Overall, Predator: Hunting Grounds hits only on a few cylinderswhile leaving you wanting more than is currently available in the title. A universe such as this one should be shown the proper respect, instead it relys too heavily on our nostalgia with the movie franchise to entice players into taking control of an iconic film character to sell itself. And while it’s sound design is fantastic, and the combat itself can be fun for a while, it just doesn’t do enough to keep my attention for too long, making me long for a single-player campaign to bolster my fun.

The world building, cities and some of the characters are instantly memorable and made me want to learn more. But when coupled with an unpolished backdrop, laggy and uninspired combat and a boring, frustrating grind, it makes it hard to recommend to anyone who is looking for a good free-to-play MMO to check out, especially when alternatives like Warframe and Phantasy Star Online 2 exist on the same platform. Hopefully time brings Bless Unleashed to the level we were all hoping for – but right now it’s just not there. It honestly feels like it needed more time to bake before being released – feeling rushed out to hit a deadline, and it definitely shows in the final result.

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.

The problem is, Phantasy Star Online 2 still feels like a game nearing a decade old mark. Like man MMOs of our current generation, however fun they continue to be, and however nostalgic PSO players may feel when playing, it still has a quality of being a little dated. Still, there is plenty of fight left in PSO2, and if you haven’t played it, or any version of Phantasy Star Online before, then it’s going to be new to you. Phantasy Star Online 2 is a fantastic game with a lot to offer. With a generous Free 2 Play payment model, PSO2 is certainly one of the best options out there for gamers looking to try something different, without overspending.

Trials of Mana is a fantastic remake of an Action RPG that tragically never came to the West until recently. It is evident that great care has been taken to create an experience as close to the original as possible, although liberties to improve upon the story should have been taken on. Even the legendary soundtrack was beautifully remade with full orchestration, and Trials allows for either the remake or classic 16bit soundtrack to play via the options. Although the combat may get repetitive and boss battles are rarely challenging, Trials has a ton of charm and fun that is easily accessible for new players and old fans alike. For the amount of gameplay offered – especially in terms of replay-ability if you want to see everything – there are few JRPGs that are as enjoyable to play as Trials of Mana was.

I’m honestly happy I waited until Persona 5 Royal came out to play Persona 5. It is well polished and feels like a game that could have come out for the first time this year. This is absolutely an excellent example of how to rerelease a game and make paying full price for it worthwhile. For me to only have minor complaints about a game, which is easily well over 100 hours of gameplay, even if you don’t do everything is rare. If you loved original Persona 5, Royal is worth your time. If you’ve never played the original or any other Persona game, Persona 5 Royal is a perfect game to pick-up and get into the series.

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.

In the end, Final Fantasy VII REMAKE is a fantastic game – one that fans of the original should play. The new story beats and incredibly jaw-dropping conclusion left me yearning for more. And while some might be bummed this is simply the first installment in an episodic series of remakes, I don’t feel gipped by the episodic nature here. After forty hours with the JRPG, I’m eager to go back to relive chapters of the game, finding collectibles and powerups I might have missed throughout my first playthrough.

When it comes to first-person shooters, Doom Eternal is one of those games that you can get lost in. The combination of graphics, story, and intense action is enough to keep you playing for hours, pushing for “one more try” after a demon inevitably eats your lunch. In a time when people are grasping for something to occupy their minds, Doom Eternal couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Division 2: Warlords of New York is certainly a worthy expansion, rife with new challenges, a huge gorgeous world to explore, a completely revamped end game, and some welcome new progression features to entice players to keep coming back.[...] We have been on the cusp of some of the best content Ubisoft has ever presented, with Manning National Zoo, Coney Island, and now Lower Manhattan. While not every egg this goose has laid has been golden, Warlords of New York has me waiting expectantly, wondering what will happen next. There is no better time than right now to get into The Division 2.

Overall I enjoyed the Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind DLC and finding out about the endings and what it could hold for the future of the series. The Re:Mind DLC was not long, but I didn’t really expect it to be long at all as it was just neat wrap up to a great story so far. The Limit Cut Episode brought a lot of questions, and I have so much speculation with how it ended, which I’ll not state here in order to avoid spoilers. I did not like high level requirements for the Limit Cut Episode, but I love the game so I will level up to unlock the endings for myself. Either way, the KH3 Re:Mind DLC was very cinematic with its cutscenes, and a very enjoyable DLC for a very enjoyable game.

Kingdom Under Fire 2 has gotten off to a solid start, and I honestly had a ton of fun playing. Unfortunately, for me, the gender locked classes are a pretty big deal, and having issues with finding groups to do things can be frustrating.

I greatly enjoyed my time playing Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The combat feels great, even though it can get repetitive, and the lightsaber gameplay is some of the best there has ever been in a Star Wars game... There are so many aspects of Jedi: Fallen Order that I loved, and I hope we get to see more from Respawn in the future. For now, I think this is the Star Wars game we’ve been looking for.

Small quibbles aside, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the best Call of Duty game we’ve had in years. It’s far from a wholesale reinvention but the shift toward more realistic, strategic, and grounded play leads to an experience that feels fresh and familiar at the same time. If, like me, you’ve been off the Call of Duty bandwagon, you owe it to yourself to hop back on and give it a try.

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.

Despite some of the great features Astellia brings to the table, the Astel collection system, the detailed world, and a fairly balanced combat system, it isn’t enough to break from the sheer monotony, bugs, and lack of character attachment[...] There is certainly a lot to like here, for the right MMO gamer, but I wouldn’t expect Astellia to take your heart away from your main MMO squeeze for long.

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.

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.

Legend of Zelda - Link’s Awakening is great remake of the classic. Beautiful visuals, updated controls and an added Dungeon builder all breath new life into the title. Despite some frame rate issues, the game is a blast to play through and worth picking up not only if you love Zelda but also for those looking for an easy point of entry into the franchise.

Overall, Dauntless is a ton of fun and a great game to play alone or with friends. It occupies realm of easy to pick-up hard to master perfectly and offers a ridiculous amount of gameplay for free. There are seven different weapons which you can freely switch between, and all of them offer a unique playstyle and abilities to master. Dauntless is the perfect game to run around with your friends in or to play by yourself focusing on your goals.

The new monsters in Iceborne are the main topic worth talking about. The return of some from other games in the Monster Hunter franchise is enough to make Iceborne a worthy purchase. It’s a chance to see monsters in higher definition quality than the graphics of older consoles and in many cases, handheld ones. Capcom presents a way to appreciate old monsters as if seeing them for the first time through new eyes.

The Bard's Tale 4: The Director's Cut is an epic tale of corruption and evil, suffering and loss, of lessons learned too late and and the bitter consequences. It's also a story of hope and triumph and perseverance. It's a game that challenged me and a story that tugged at my heart.

Green Hell is a survival game set in the Amazon jungle where I played as a man lost trying to figure out what was going on while searching for his lost wife and making sure I didn’t die of dehydration along the way. At the normal settings, the survival aspects of Green Hell were harsh enough to make me wonder whether I would actually finish the story. However, after some tweaking, I was able to enjoy most of the game. Though, in the end, I was left wondering whether the experience was worth it in the end.

My overall experience with the mechanics of Planetfall is that their complexity brings the worlds to life, but the mechanics described above may be too much for beginners, even with the comprehensive tutorial system. That said, I really hope that Triumph Studios takes some design decisions for future fantasy installments.

Both a fantastic port and still a fantastic game.