Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & The Secret Fairy is an accessible RPG that fans of the series will appreciate. There’s not a huge challenge for much of the adventure, but then Atelier Ryza doesn’t bill itself as being particularly demanding. The tactics mixed in with real-time battling is a good mix, and other quality of life aspects help to move the player along the rather lengthy campaign. Hundreds of side quests flesh out the story for those who wish to be fully engrossed in the world, while those who prefer to stick to the main plot can easily do so. A lack of next-generation features isn’t surprising to see this early on in the PS5’s lifecycle, but at least load times are non-existent here. Atelier Ryza 2 is an easy game to enjoy without thinking too much, and sometimes that’s just what the alchemist ordered.

Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World: The Prophecy of the Throne should please fans of the novel/anime. It doesn’t do enough to explain the world Subaru finds himself in, but the game’s album does attempt to rectify this. At any rate, The Prophecy of the Throne is an easy to digest visual novel with fun artwork and good voice acting, with a bit of turn-based gameplay thrown in for good measure. What more could Subaru ask for?

The perfect hit of nostalgia. Whether you pick it up digitally or treat yourself to any of the physical goodies on the way from Limited Run Games, this game isn’t a cult favorite without reason.

Cyberpunk 2077, when it works, is a shallow popcorn flick of a video game, not an industry shaping experience that redefines the open-world RPG genre. Perhaps the bigger problem, particularly for console owners, is that Cyberpunk 2077 doesn’t work. It’s a mess of half-baked ideas and rough gameplay that should have never been released in the first place. While the PC version faces criticism for various issues and praise for others, the PS4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 feels and looks like a whole different game that simply needed a lot more time.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is worth the price of admission. Whether you’re in the mood for some battles against the CPU, running an endless match in solo play, or willing to go to bed grumbling about your significant other somehow getting all the speed buffs and ruining your perfect Tetris, it’s a great game to pick up and play.

Worms Rumble is worth playing for a few rounds, and then a couple more, and so on until suddenly it’s 2 AM and you really should be asleep as you have work in a few hours but just one more game couldn’t hurt since you’re so close to unlocking that next skin anyway…

There sure is a lot going on in Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia. It may seem a little overwhelming at first, but as soon as you find your rhythm it goes by faster than you think. Strategy games are not my bread and butter. There were evenings I told myself I had just a few hours to play, only to be completely sucked in. Color me pleasantly surprised with my overall experience. I may never feel brave enough to attempt Hard mode but there is a strong likelihood that I won’t be deleting the game from my hard drive as soon as this review goes live.

Unto the End has a wonderfully minimalistic style and while I enjoyed much of my time exploring its world the combat did eventually start to drag. It’s unforgiving action can start to get tiresome even with the generous checkpoint system. If you’re a button mashing kind of gamer then it’s probably best to give this one a miss.

Suffice to say that Bungie is recapturing the magic that Destiny has always had at its core. It’s exploring concepts and story ideas that fans have been speculating about for years. And it’s focusing on developing a game for the players who love Destiny, not trying desperately to change things to get new players on board. As a living world, iterative in design with an evolving narrative and constantly updated content, Destiny 2 changes persistently, but Beyond Light feels like a whole new foundation rooted in the kind of space magic and vision that has made Destiny special all along. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

It’s a shame that Twin Mirror manages to create such a compelling and interesting opening but just doesn’t manage to stick the landing. It definitely didn’t take me on the same kind of emotional journey as some of DONTNOD’s previous games, and unfortunately I found myself not really caring too much about Sam or the residents of Basswood.

DIRT 5 on the PS5 is the best version of the game to get on PlayStation consoles, when it works. That’s a big caveat, and most gamers will not want to have to constantly remember to pre-emptively upload their save game after a few races, or risk losing hours of progress due to one unfortunate crash. This also necessitates a PlayStation Plus subscription, since copying PS5 save games to USB storage is unfortunately not an option as of this writing. Assuming these issues get patched out, then it is easy to recommend buying this on the PS5, because DIRT 5 is a showcase racing game for the next generation of consoles with its smart use of haptic feedback and ray tracing, all while delivering a smooth performance.

Despite being the second go-round for Chronos, Before the Ashes does feel like a decent take on the popular From Software Souls formula. It’s stripped-down design, while somewhat rewarding, does tend to leave a bit to be desired in the depth department. And though it may have been a welcome sight in the barren VR landscape of four years ago, trying to simply re-release the same experience without progressing the gameplay any further ends up leaving quite a bit to be desired. Unless you are extremely invested in learning more about the back story of the Remnant universe, you’d probably be better off dodging this skirmish entirely.

Immortals Fenyx Rising is a surprising break from the traditional Ubisoft open-world fare, perhaps hinting at some newfound creative freedoms that we’ll hopefully see play out in the future. Cribbing Breath of the Wild is a strength even as Immortals iterates and takes its own twist. And the deep dive into Greek mythology ends up being a fascinating foundation upon whose shoulders the entire premise rests. From the first magnificent glide onto the Golden Isle, Immortals Fenyx Rising is an unforgettable treat that surprised me more than I thought it would.

What you end up with is an experience that shows a ton of promise, but ends up being entirely average. It’s hard to call Watch Dogs Legion a bad game outright. It’s a serviceable, if traditional, open-world game with a boring story and novelty mechanics that play out better on paper than in execution. The PS5 version makes expected improvements to visuals and load times, but isn’t a standout example of a “next-gen” title.

Katamari Damacy Reroll is a faithful remake even if it keeps the rough with the smooth. All issues were ones also found in the original game, so they’re not exactly the fault of Monkeycraft. Fans of the franchise will have a blast replaying the game that started it all. Those who are new to the franchise might get a little frustrated with some of the dated design issues like the controls, but it’s a great place to start for anyone who’s curious about the strange ball-rolling world of the King of All Cosmos.

Is Assassin’s Creed Valhalla the best entry in the series yet? Some would be tempted to say so. While the map size might overwhelm some players, it remains an easy game to mainline with the right navigation mode turned on. In fact, the quick load times help to make this an even easier task than in previous generations. This is an iteration of Assassin’s Creed that has a bit of everything from the previous games, as refined as we have seen to date.

Exploring Iceland as a furry fox friend has been a real treat. It’s delicious eye candy with a satisfyingly chewy center. Yes, there were times when I hoped for a little more direction in solving puzzles. Those brand new help cards on the PlayStation 5 dashboard sure would have been nice (fingers crossed we see those when the game officially releases). That said, Spirit of the North is too beautiful and captivating to be disappointed for long. If you love games like Lost Ember, I can’t recommend adding Spirit of the North to your collection enough.

Demon’s Souls on PS5 is a brand new vision of a classic, one that captured the hearts, minds, and frustrations of many a player more than ten years ago. Bluepoint retains its pedigree of respecting the original while making the new update seem wholly fresh. If you missed Demon’s Souls the first time around, or maybe if you just want to relive some old traumas, the PS5 remake is an excellent archstone to pass through for newcomers and Boletarian veterans alike. Who knew that one of the best PS5 launch titles would come from recapturing the lightning in a bottle that struck back in 2009? You may have died again, but Demon’s Souls lives on thanks to Bluepoint and the PS5.

Planet Coaster is a solid theme park sim, and one I can see myself spending an unhealthy amount of time playing. I just need to remember not to be too hasty in loading games the second I get to the PS5 dashboard. Twice now I’ve immediately tried to boot it up within a minute of the PlayStation 5 getting to the home screen and crashed it so hard the console databases need rebuilding. Goes to show just how much I like theme parks, right?

Developer Eko Software has done a decent job with the 4K graphics and textures for Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition and an even better job of utilizing the powerful PS5’s SSD to almost entirely eliminate load times. Traveling between the home castle and the many dungeons that are now included in the game is incredibly fast, and you’ll be hacking and slashing through the bad guys of Warhammer in no time.

Observer: System Redux is not for everyone. Hell, it wasn’t for me. But the experience itself, where it takes you at least, is worth the ride. It’s worth the sweaty palms and the dread of turning on your new console, knowing full well the tense and often uncomfortable adventure through madness that awaits. Some may even decide that it’s worth a second go-round.

In terms of PS5 launch titles, Sackboy: A Big Adventure didn’t make headlines as a highly anticipated game, but it manages to be one of the most charming and fun PS5 games so far. Its heart was an unexpected delight, with a level of detail and polish that made it an absolute joy to play. Snipped free of the level creation side of LBP, Sackboy manages to swingamajig his way to platforming heights that the character never has before, in more detail than ever on PS5.

Melody of Memory is worth playing for both newcomers and veterans alike. While the game might not be an expected entry into the Kingdom Hearts franchise, it’s a competent rhythm title with a varied selection of music. The accessibility options mean it’s great for players of all abilities. Those who are then intending to play the RPG games for the first time may want to consider playing those beforehand unless you want the entire storyline spoiled. For fans, the extra content gives a fascinating idea of where the franchise is going next as long as you’re prepared to put in the time to get there.

Couch co-op is still the very best way to experience this zany, fast-paced restaurant game. The updated graphics are as sharp as a santoku if you’re playing on a 4K television. Another huge bonus is trophy pop-ups have shifted to the upper right side of the screen. No more blocking the orders in the middle of the lunch rush! This is the co-op game to get alongside your PS5 if you love playing games with friends and family. So fire up those ovens and get chopping.

Visage isn’t going to be for every horror fan. It’s slower pace, difficult puzzles and lack of direction are going to make many struggle, but that’s also kind of the point. For every moment where I didn’t know what to do and felt like I was on a wild goose chase, there was another moment of gratification for finally figuring it out. Throughout all of those moments, I was scared and that’s indicative that even if I didn’t, Visage knows what it’s doing.

It’s the absence of stand-out creature encounters that weighs heavy on The Pathless as a whole. And there’s a redundancy to said moments that never rears its head when freely exploring and solving puzzles. Undoubtedly, the exploration and puzzle-solving represent The Pathless at its best. Giant Squid’s latest manages to perfectly capture the calm before the storm, along with the post-battle respite that few games master in equal measure. In that case, it would seem the disappointing creature confrontations do serve a greater purpose to some degree.

Godfall is a beautiful game with a shallow story, but could have been so much more had someone taken the time to really hash it out and tie each Valorplate into a different character and expand on the realms. Instead we are given a confusing story that doesn’t fit the equipment and realms that really don’t care which suit you are wearing. While the weapons and armor gave the game a serious chance at success, I’m afraid the storyline and repetitive gameplay will doom this game to the bargain bin. It is beautiful, though, and that is its greatest achievement as a launch day PS5 title.

Playing a game set during lockdown is definitely unique. Rather than focusing on some of the negative aspects of the pandemic, Wales Interactive has managed to spin this into a light-hearted rom-com. It’s a fun experience that manages to turn social distancing limitations into something positive and fun.

Bugsnax is a delight in the most unexpected of ways. Despite its cartoonish and exceptionally goofy exterior, it’s got deep messages of community, relationships, and belonging. Though there are certainly missed opportunities for a bigger gameplay loop around catching the various Bugsnax, everything about Bugsnax is a joy, perhaps the reason that I wanted more from it. It may not be an obvious showcase of the PS5’s power and capabilities, but it’s certainly a unique game that shouldn’t be missed.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a return to form for the franchise sub-series. While perhaps not as visually splendid as last year’s Modern Warfare, it gets the Black Ops series back to boots on the ground, introducing new characters and elements while lending adequate time and attention to series favorites. Treyarch expertly steps in to continue the recent interconnected Call of Duty franchise shift, exploring and evolving the series while still creating a game that not just retains but oozes that signature Treyarch style. Perhaps more than any Call of Duty game before it, I’m more excited than ever to see where it goes in the future.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the Yakuza many have come to know and love. An engrossing story, even if it does veer into the quirky and downright bizarre all the time, keeps players invested in Ichiban’s quest to become a hero. The turn-based battles make the game even more accessible than earlier entries, with a few real-time aspects such as dodging and damage multipliers thrown in for good measure. Some odd monetization makes getting the complete version of the game pricier than usual, but it seems some next-gen games are priced higher these days as the norm. Still, you’re not missing anything essential if you opt to buy the base version of this game. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a seriously fun time and a great soft reboot of a beloved franchise.

However you choose to experience the game, Little Hope restores players’ faith in Supermassive Games to continue making decent narrative horror titles. The story ties together well regardless of player decisions, and there’s a great mix of character personalities. Friendlier QTEs and better character movement make the title an improvement over Man of Medan, and there are barely any technical issues. The Dark Pictures Anthology has a bright future ahead.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is charming and challenging in all the right ways. Even now, as I sit here spending time working on this review, I wish I were playing the game. In spite of a few frustrating puzzle sections here and there, Hinoe calls to me. Knowing that my rice needs tending to and my pantry probably needs more dried meat so we can make it through the winter is all I want to focus on. That’s when you know a game has its hooks in you. Pretty, addictive hooks that have me all in.

FUSER is all about player creativity and freedom. It’s less focused on technical recitation of precise button presses and more on how in the groove you can get yourself. For decades, Harmonix has been harnessing the power of music and delivering a feeling of super stardom to players. FUSER puts that directly into the players’ hands more than any game before it. Even with a PS5 and next-gen games in hand, I can’t turn the music off. If you yearn for the days of the plastic instrument revolution, just without all that junk taking up space, FUSER will put you as close to the stage as any music game possibly can.

Astro’s Playroom is the epitome of the PlayStation 5. It’s the foundational software kicking off the next generation of PlayStation gaming. ASOBI Team from Japan Studio could have just phoned it in with a handful of gimmicky levels to distract players while they wait for Miles Morales or Demon’s Souls to download, but they didn’t. They developed a full fun platforming experience that not only demonstrates the PS5, but celebrates 25 years of PlayStation history in some pretty special ways. It’s a powerful showcase that honors everything that led to the “5” in PS5, while also providing a pretty clear picture of what makes this new generation so special.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales is the perfect showcase of the PS5, espousing multiple enhancements to its last-gen predecessor while also feeling familiar. Even apart from its standing as a flagship PS5 launch title, Miles Morales is Insomniac perfecting the formula from the original game and offering an experience that is more concise, focused, and full of heart than the first.

Much of the fun in Carto is that you never know what new things you’ll discover next. It’s a real joy to find new map pieces and see what new areas you can explore, as well as the new characters that you’ll get to meet next. This is a super chilled out puzzle game and quite possibly one of the most relaxed and wholesome adventures that you’ll have this year.

As I came away from Ghostrunner and started writing about it, I realized that I genuinely wished there was more game to play. That’s not a comment on the game’s length, which is very well paced, filled with bonus collectibles and perfect for speedrunners, but more a comment on how much potential there is here. Give me more levels, more platforming gauntlets, more cybernetic abilities to use, just give me more Ghostrunner.

Even when taking the game’s minor foibles into account, Cloudpunk provides a brief journey into a deceptively fascinating city in the clouds. Rushing through the story means avoiding the game’s best bits, because Nicalis’ real stars are its residents. Now that a patch has addressed the major bug that blocked progression, there’s little reason not to recommend a foray into the dark world of this futuristic dystopia.

Everything comes to a head in the final chapter. “The Last Session” does a serviceable job rolling my previous experiences into a cohesive yet predictable end. It may not have been a stunning revelation, however it was a satisfying one. All in all not a bad way to spend about three hours on a Saturday afternoon. Stories Untold is a great journey to take part in and one I’m glad to have taken.

DIRT 5 is the fun one in the DiRT family now – this is the racing game you boot up when you want to have a great time without really thinking about much else. It’s funny, coming from the seriousness of DiRT 4, to see just how much has changed in three years.

Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars is a strategy game that has the perfect atmosphere for the season we currently find ourselves in, and we’re not strictly talking about Halloween here! Some cumbersome menu navigation and mostly unchallenging AI means that without even local hot-seat multiplayer, players looking for more challenging opponents will unfortunately need to look elsewhere. Still, console gamers who are desperate for more strategy games should look to Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars to get their fix, and at a wallet-friendly price point of $49.99 to boot.

If you’re a fan of rhythm games then it’s definitely worth checking out Mad Rat Dead. The vibrant punk aesthetic and catchy soundtrack alone makes it worth a gander. But for those of you that are rhythmically challenged then this is a harder sell. The repetitive levels and dull story aren’t going to do much for those gamers that are just looking for a fun platformer.

I appreciate that The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is here. I’m glad this is finally over and having this sense of resolution. It’s a sense of finality, and it does an admirable job of bringing everything together and to a close. But it also very much is more of the same, only on a much grander scale and with an overwhelming amount of characters and exposition. This is a game for those who have been following along for the last five years and understand it is more about concluding a story than offering major innovations. While it can be exhausting and overwhelming, I would say it is worth it.

In a year that likely not see any more hockey at the NHL level, it’s nice to see that NHL 21 is allowing us to indulge our inner superstar. There may not be a ton of other huge innovations, but the enhanced take on Be A Pro alone makes this installment worth investing in. If you’re looking to only dive into the season mode, this may be more of an off-year, but for everybody else, it’s high-time to return to the ice with vengeance!

More than seven years after its initial announcement, Ray’s the Dead just doesn’t feel like a finished game. Clunky gameplay and numerous bugs don’t do the imbalanced and overly difficult encounters any favors, while certain other concepts in the game feel underexplored and go unutilized. It’s potential to delve into unique puzzle mechanics is overshadowed by obnoxious and frustrating combat segments and bugs impacting critical elements of the gameplay. Ray’s the Dead might have a lot of heart, but that heart is contained within a cumbersome rotting corpse crawling with bugs that make coming back from the dead more chore than triumph.

It’s frustrating to not be able to talk about the bits of Rebirth that I liked the most due to a fear of spoiling things, but just know that there’s a lot to uncover that makes the bits that I liked less worth going through. Although the pacing and second half of the game let things down a bit, an awesome story and a campaign full of tension make Amnesia: Rebirth worth playing through for both the horror fans and the horror fearful.

RIDE 4 is the motorcycle racer for motorcycle fans. This is a double-edged sword, of course, because outside of this core audience there won’t be much pickup from non-fans. The demanding physics helps to achieve great immersion in first-person view, custom liveries can easily be crafted, and the career mode gives a nice sense of progression, even if it is very low-profile. This all adds up to a neat package that fans are sure to enjoy.

It’s hard to shake the sinking feeling that FIFA 21 has almost been frozen in stasis since last season. While there are the expected seasonal enhancements, nothing stands on its own to make this a “must buy” installment. If you picked up the game in 2019, you’d probably be forgiven for taking a pass this time around. Hopefully they have more innovation in store for next year, because it definitely feels like EA is trying to run out the clock on this generation.

Star Wars Squadrons is nothing if not an authentic experience. It’s goal is to put you in the cockpit of a starfighter in the Star Wars universe, and to that end it succeeds admirably. An uninspired story serves as training for Fleet Battles, an epic multiplayer experience that recreates the best of Star Wars space combat in ways that no other games have. EA and Motive’s firm stance on Squadrons as a standalone one-time-purchase experience is both commendable and the very thing that limits the viability of what it could grow into.

Deep down, Torchlight III could be a great game. If the developers revamp the map and UI issues I pointed out I’d be over the moon. But in its current state I can’t in good conscious tell you to pay full asking price. Hold off until this is either patched or on sale.

I’m going to level with you, reader: I went into Mafia Definitive Edition expecting to be underwhelmed. What I ended up playing was far-and-away, infinitely better than I was expecting, featuring fantastic storytelling, compelling, yet immensely flawed characters (in a good way), and a world that is teeming with life. You don’t have to be a fan of the original game in order to feel like a member of the family. Don’t worry! There’s more than enough hot lead to go around.

While the ties to the AMC series are fun and interesting, Saints & Sinners is simply a better game.

As a Crash Bandicoot fan, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is everything I’ve dreamed of since the original trilogy ended all those years ago. It’s a jam-packed, brutal platformer that expands on what makes Crash great with some really cool twists and turns. The challenge may get a little too much sometimes, but it is more than worth fighting through and proof that Crash Bandicoot is king of the platformers.

Many games fall into the roguelike genre, but few define it. Spelunky 2’s secrets and danger-infused caverns make it simultaneously one of the most frustrating and rewarding games I’ve ever played. Yet, having barely scratched the surface of what it offers, I can’t wait to start another run—whether in search of secrets or just to see how far I can ultimately get. And in the end, isn’t the desire to continue playing the hallmark of any great game?

While many a fan of the franchise hopes Crysis 2 and 3 rereleases are also on the cards, this particular outing doesn’t inspire much confidence that those two games will receive the love and care they deserve.

The fourth instalment in the Port Royale series will keep fans happy with its upgraded features and a bigger map than can be found in Port Royale 3. For newcomers to the genre, they’re likely to be overwhelmed at first with all of the aspects that need to be understood to create a prosperous empire. However, developer Gaming Minds has tried to make the game as accessible to those players as possible. In this, they’ve largely succeeded.

WRC 9 continues to give the Dirt series a run for its money. This year saw a safe update to the series, with extra content being the main new feature. If you enjoyed WRC 8, picking up WRC 9 is a no-brainer. If you skipped out on last year’s entry, however, it can be had for a cheaper price these days, and by the time you’ve seen all that game has to offer, WRC 9 will then be an even better deal. This is the off-roading game to play while we await DiRT 5 later this year, when the competition should really get interesting.

You know a game has consumed your life when it seeps into your dreams. That’s exactly what happened to me. I’m seeing Triangles floating atop heads and planning strategy in my sleep. Not the worst way to sleep but also not the most relaxing. I’m craving yakisoba pan all the time. No other games exist while you’re playing 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Don’t even bother trying to play anything else. Your brain simply won’t let you.

For all of my criticisms, Marvel’s Avengers is still a game I can’t wait to get back to playing. While there’s a lot of work to do, it gets one main thing right: it’s fun to be an Avenger. Crystal Dynamics captured this incredible feeling of being a superhero and distilled it into a digital environment. Combat is deep and nuanced, with far more complexities and character than your traditional superhero brawler. Right now, Marvel’s Avengers is a bit rough around the edges, but “good isn’t a thing you are. It’s a thing you do.” If Crystal Dynamics can smooth performance and squash bugs, as well as build out a more compelling endgame experience, it has a lot of potential to be one of the most memorable and replayable loot brawlers of this generation and next.

I’d recommend Doraemon Story of Seasons to fans of the series and farming sims alike. Sure, you won’t get to experience marriage like other SOS games, but you do get fancy doodads. There’s plenty to do, lots of ways to spend your coin, and fishing is super easy and relaxing. Just a great way to unwind at the end of a long day.

Spellbreak‘s magic systems and fun take on the battle royale genre show that with some more time and development it’s going to be something really impressive. Whether or not it has the staying power is up to time and how much its community sticks with it but already there’s a lot of potential brewing here.

Project CARS 3 represents a huge shift in Slightly Mad Studios’ attitude towards racing games. I suppose this means the studio lives up to their name! What Project CARS 3 lacks in realism, it now makes up for with accessibility. However, lacking the flair of other established racers in this arcade-sim genre such as The Crew 2 or Need for Speed will make it a tougher sell. Still, there are a couple hundred new events to try, with hundreds of cars to tweak, upgrade, and drive. So, if Project CARS is to continue down this path of more friendly racing, then they are on the right track, but whether their regular fans will be along for the ride is another question entirely.

PGA Tour 2K21 appears to be taking the series in a good direction, with a larger PGA license to boot. The presentation may be lacking, but the feel of the game is spot-on. Tuning up the graphics, expanding the license to include more pros, caddies, and the like, and filling out the commentary will really help to sell the immersion that games such as this rely on. Despite the issues present in the game, PGA Tour 2K21 is a solid golf game for fans of the sport.

Whether you played this back in 2012 or missed it the first time around, this is definitely an action-RPG worth experiencing. The fluid combat, gripping story, and detailed lore makes this a thoroughly enjoyable experience. There’s not a lot of new stuff been added but the tweaks to the area level system and new difficulty are very welcome additions. Now is the perfect time to refresh your memory of this delightful adventure and get ready for the expansion next year.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 not only lives up to the beloved classic games, but it lives up to my memory of the beloved classic games; an important distinction. It walks the fine line of recreating the classics for a modern era, while never feeling either dated or burdened with new and unnecessary changes.

Even with some of its mechanical and story-telling shortcomings Rise of New Champions is a fun time that shows why this is a beloved series. There’s a lot of joy to be had in following Tsubasa’s story and creating your own and the flashy football action has some shining moments. With some more tuning and gameplay focus, there’s a really bright future for Nankatsu’s football star.

In general, Nexomon Extinction is a novel Pokemon-like. Its story is quite enjoyable and packed with personality, humor, and even some twists about the state of the world. There are lots of cool monsters who are really appealing, with movesets you could really work with and build parties around. But it doesn’t have everything you might expect from a game in this genre, since there’s no multiplayer element. Also, it can feel quite tedious due to the rate of experience you earn and amount of money you (aren’t) getting. Still, it’s definitely worth a look, especially when you consider its price.

I sincerely wanted to enjoy this adventure. Everything I had read about it excited me but here I am, feeling as though I wasted too many hours and grew a dozen new white hairs stressing over a game that was just not ready to be released. From in-game glitches to progression-halting bugs, what little fun there was ended up marred by a game that just didn’t feel finished. Who knows, maybe the other versions of the game don’t have as many problems as the PS4 version. That’s just not a theory I want to spend time to test myself.

Control: AWE is good in that it’s more Control. But it feels like it was leaning a little bit too hard on being a teaser for its Alan Wake connections and the Remedy Connected Universe, which hurt its ability to be a really fun and engaging expansion for the Control side of things. For as brief as the expansion is, much of the runtime feels like it’s just spinning its wheels and never really going anywhere. I’m always happy to step into the shoes of Director Jesse Faden again, but AWE never gains its own identity as anything more than an interactive MCU-style post-credits scene; a lot of set up that we’ll need to wait years to see payoff. But hey, now you can replay the Ashtray Maze while you wait.

The story isn’t given as much airtime as it needs. Exploration is thwarted by the survival elements, and although the latter are the most satisfying of them all, clunky combat, the driving need to find food, and constant resource management means that there are better and more balanced survival titles out there.

Madden NFL 21 feels very much like the byproduct of a game being developed in a vacuum, devoid of any true competition. Why bother reinventing the wheel when you are the only person manufacturing them? This lack of inspiration feels like a breeding ground for many of the franchise’s biggest complaints, most of which have been festering for far too long. It’s a good thing that the next generation is on the horizon, because without that new tech boost to hang their hat on, there’s nothing substantial enough to recommend this fumble over last year’s outing.

There’s some good stuff here and it is definitely a piece of gaming history that should be honored and remembered. It just doesn’t compare to more modern conveniences in cooperative RPGs, and things like needing to constantly create new lobbies or make sure you have a certain number of party members can hold you back.

It’s a real shame that even though the game looks so bright and colorful the whole package is just incredibly dull. With only a handful of game modes, a bland story, and no local co-op mode to spice things up a bit, it’s not going to take you long to tire of this. Even if you’re a fan of the anime it’s probably better to give this one a miss.

It’s not a bad game, and if Metronomik updates it to address my concerns I would be glad to get back into the groove of things. The story is engaging and the music sticks in my head for hours but poor controls and bad camera angles have ruined what should be a fantastic game.

The biggest sin that Crossroads commits is being boring; a sad take for a franchise that is definitively not. Whether you like the series or not, you can’t argue that the films are almost always bombastic and entertaining, whereas here it’s just really uninteresting and flat, doing both the Fast and Furious franchise and driving games both a disservice. There are some bad licensed games out there that I could still recommend to the hardcore fans out of love for the series but Fast and Furious Crossroads is so bad that only the absolute die-hard fans will get any enjoyment out of this one. And even then, you may want to strongly reconsider this stain on an otherwise loved franchise.

The Alto Collection console release is more or less a straight port of the mobile titles made to work on a big screen with a controller. That’s not a bad thing at all, as the mobile releases were deservingly award-winning games, but it’s a missed opportunity to make some slight UI and gameplay optimizations that could have really polished the experience on console. Still, The Alto Collection is deserving of your attention, a peaceful mountain adventure that’s designed to be played in short spurts, but almost impossible to put down once you get going. “Just one more run,” never looked so beautiful or felt so zen.

If Fall Guys can keep up its current momentum with a steady stream of skins and minigames, I see no reason why it can’t be one of the top contenders in the battle royale genre. It’s got the charm, the fun gameplay, and the multiplayer communituy focus that’s as fun to watch as it is to play, and these beans don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

A strange bug meant that I twice lost control of the golems, watching helplessly as they plunged into the nearest hazard. Sometimes when climbing vines, Skully would fall off for no reason. There were invisible walls, times when Skully deflected off platforms at an unnatural angle, and times when the lava would just disappear. A lot of players will likely give up before they reach the end of the game. It’s a shame but completely understandable when the game has a heart that’s let down by myriad problems.

Pistol Whip is likely to be the PlayStation VR game of the year. It’s simple concept works incredibly well and has few faults. If you’ve ever wanted to be John Wick, or any other badass gun-wielding gangster for that matter, this is the game for you. Modifiers and multiple difficulties extend the life of the game even further, although this may not be enough for some. Once free content updates and extra DLC tracks arrive, though, there’ll be plenty of content to enjoy.

Cuphead perfectly balances it’s simple nature, difficult mechanics, and audiovisual style for a game that’s rather unmatched. It’s a work of creative genius that allows the player to feel a sense of accomplishment through learning to overcome tough boss mechanics, and the cartoon visuals and big personalities of each keep them entertaining throughout repeated play. There’s simply nothing else like Cuphead, and even three years after its initial Xbox release, it deserves to be experienced by the PlayStation crowd who may have missed out the first time around.

Gundam Extreme Vs Maxiboost ON may not be completely perfect, but it is a game people have been waiting for. It brings a classic arcade experience home, giving people everything to enjoy. It drives you to do better with its offline and online, solo and multiplayer modes. There are even cosmetic unlockables to encourage you further. It’s the sort of game that can become a staple, due to how much it offers and the investment required to truly “git gud.”

The very best thing about FAIRY TAIL is just how much fun the game is. Absolutely nothing about this game feels like a chore. It’s a delightful romp through Fiore following Natsu’s story from X791 arc onward. Not having to grind for hours on end may be the most refreshing part of it all. My JRPG junkies know all too well how much time we tend to spend power leveling characters just so we can move the needle forward. Every aspect of Fairy Tail has been expertly crafted and balanced perfectly in this reviewer’s opinion.

Despite being rather rough around the edges, Tannenberg’s unique nature breaks from the trends of most AAA first-person shooters today. It’s hardly what I would call a “good” game, and the console version needs a lot of work to feel like more than just a quick PC port, but in spite of all that, I enjoyed the time I spent with it. It was a refreshing breath of fresh air, something just a little bit different. To that end, I commend the development team for not making yet another action-packed blockbuster-style FPS. While it’s not going to replace my old multiplayer standbys of Warzone or Destiny 2, Tannenberg is a game I’d definitely consider going back to if I’m craving a bit of a different approach. I’m just hoping for a bit more polish and console accessibility by the time I return to the Eastern Front.

Hellpoint is a sci-fi Souls-like with one killer feature: local split screen co-op. The rest of the game lacks the polish of its obvious sources of inspiration, and ultimately the technical issues including a wildly inconsistent frame rate, hit detection problems, and interface glitches hold Hellpoint back from achieving more. But if you’re looking for a Souls-like hit that you can take with a friend, you may want to check out Hellpoint, albeit with tempered expectations.

Hotel Sker may have seen better days, but it’s well worth a visit for fans of the horror genre. The hotel is interesting to explore and rewards players who take the time to unravel its secrets. You feel constantly in danger not knowing where the next threat is going to be but knowing you can’t defend yourself. No, there’s nothing really new here, but that doesn’t matter if you just want to sneak around a Victorian hotel where the welcome is less than inviting.

Othercide provides a challenge without breaking the player’s spirit. It hits on all the right notes of an engaging turn-based game, accentuated by the integrated roguelike elements, and an artistic beauty. Add in the lore and you have a pretty solid title worth checking out.

Destroy All Humans’ impact on you is definitely going to depend on how much you played the original release. As a fan of the original, I was sat gleefully destroying all the humans and basking in the improvements, but I could also see people who haven’t played the 2005 release not quite “getting” it. For those in the same boat as me, it’s exactly what it needs to be: a faithful improvement on the original game, and an indication that Crypto has plenty of life in him yet. Hopefully it can pave the way for an all new adventure someday soon.

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus fits right in with the Warhammer 40K universe, and fans of the series would do well to give the game a shot. This is a franchise that is steeped in lore, though knowledge of the story is not a requirement to enjoy the tactical turn-based action on offer here. A few technical hitches keep things from running as well as they should, but there’s nothing game breaking. Alternate endings along with a campaign designed with more missions than time allotted ensure that many gamers will play multiple times, since the game is designed to be played as such. Omnissiah be praised, console Warhammer 40K fans have some weak flesh to upgrade with blessed mechanical augments this summer!

Superliminal’s final message is one of growth and discovery within the self. It’s about feeling proud of your ability to think outside the box and uncover the unconventional solutions to its bizarre puzzles. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but its bold and unorthodox approach to the puzzler genre helps it stand out. In an era of increasingly longer and bigger games, Superliminal’s brevity is a nice palate cleanser, even if I hope a hypothetical follow-up does more to explore its out-of-the-box and perception defying nature. If Superliminal caught your eye, let curiosity get the better of you. While it may not quite be cohesive enough to break into the pantheon of top-tier puzzle-games, it’s a conceptually fascinating adventure through the shifting reality of the mind that never allows your expectations to settle.

Ghost of Tsushima ends the current generation of consoles on a high note. A fantastically gorgeous world sets the stage for high-stakes close quarters combat, with multiple enthralling stories told over many chapters that keep the player moving across the island. Core combat is rewarding, and while enemy AI is disappointing outside of combat, all other aspects of Ghost of Tsushima have been lovingly crafted, and will be thoroughly enjoyed by players of all types. It’s not Sekiro or Dark Souls/Bloodborne difficult, but challenge can be found for those who seek it. Ultimately, Ghost of Tsushima allows you to pick up a sword and become one badass samurai, and have fun while avenging your fallen brethren.

Marvel’s Iron Man VR is two distinct games separated by long load times. There’s the thrilling and immersive Iron Man side of the game, letting players actually become the superhero in a way they never have before. And then there are the more sluggish Tony Stark moments, saddled with basic point-to-point VR teleportation movement as a channel to deliver story moments to the player. Don’t get me wrong. I loved being Iron Man. Camouflaj achieved that true superhero feeling when you’re flying high above the earth. Marvel’s Iron Man VR has a strong iron heart, it feels like they are squeezing all they can from the tech, but PSVR inherently anchors the experience with technical limitations that repeatedly interrupt the immersion with yet another loading bar.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is a fun enough game in its own right, but it’s encumbered with the weight of near-ancient game design practices. It’s new bright visuals bring Bikini Bottom to life in a whole new way, with character animations now better portraying the classic cartoon than ever before, but its gameplay is still firmly anchored to 2003, some of which has been negatively impacted by its updated visuals. At its core, Rehydrated is a repetitive and cumbersome 2003 platformer. A bit of water in 2020 isn’t enough to soak new life into this old dried up sponge.

Edna & Harvey: The Breakout – Anniversary Edition takes the much maligned English version of the much lauded German original and gives it a fresh coat of paint that feels right at home on modern consoles, yet still retains some of the original problems that kept it from joining the point-and-click pantheon of greats. It’s got a great new art style and a fantastically intuitive console interface, but never breaks out of a kind of plodding mediocrity that keeps it from moving up from being just okay to something better.

Skelattack is a game of exceptional mediocrity, a frustrating adventure with an identity crisis and a balance problem. It screams potential that it never even comes close to reaching as it draws obvious inspiration from numerous places, but fails to capture the charm and intention behind those progenitors. Its story and art is its strongest aspects, but the stagnant gameplay drags down what could have otherwise been a pretty good concept. There’s a core of a good idea here, but like it’s lead character, there’s simply no meat on these bones.

Beyond Blue excels at being a relaxing experience set in a beautiful ocean. The waters teem with wildlife and its environments are diverse enough to tempt multiple visits. The result is a great educational tool to teach people of all ages about its wildlife. Unlike its partners, it misses its chance to drive home the importance of conservation, though. With more time devoted to the important issues it raises, it could have taught us so much more.

Project Warlock is a fun, affordable ($14.99 USD) homage to a bygone era of first-person shooters that did not hold your hand and only allowed you to progress after you earned it. Fast-paced gameplay, tight, secret-filled levels, a fitting soundtrack, and sprite-based graphics all add up to a game that feels ripped from another era, while introducing a few ideas of its own to keep things fresh. Some balancing issues and an occasionally-glitchy weapon wheel hardly detract from what is ultimately a modern blast from the past.

There are a lot of great strategy games on the PlayStation 4. Maybe, if that weren’t the case, it would be easier to forgive 1971 Project Helios being a bland adventure with largely forgettable characters engaging in claustrophobic encounters against enemies that all sort of blend together. I mean, it works well enough on the system. The loading screens are a little long for something so basic, but that isn’t an egregious offense. You can even see how sometimes it is trying to push people to be aggressive. Unfortunately, I found it completely unappealing in every way, which isn’t great when it was surrounded by better games every time I turned on my system.