The tunes’ over-the-top excursions into sensory overload are a ton of fun, and their brief length makes them ideal for portable gaming.

MLB 14: the Show brings with it some welcome changes and the game save advancement on to 2015 alone is enough to warrant a step into the 2014 edition and the new RTTS features enhance that mode to a new level of realism.

Assassin’s Creed Origins blew my expectations away in so many areas, but there’s still something missing that made the likes of Assassin’s Creed II and Brotherhood so special. However, this is most definitely the best title since then, and one that I’ll be jumping back into very soon. The new combat system makes for some incredibly satisfying moments, while the design of the world is only matched by the likes of The Witcher III.

Ultimately, the question for many will be if Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is worth picking up even if players have experienced it before. The answer, at least in my eyes, is a resounding yes.

While the adventure may be incredibly short, it is one that groups may enjoy, to see how others react to the horrors that await within. However, much like a scary movie or haunted house, once you know where the scares are located, they don’t have the same oomph as the first time through.

It's a competent fighter, yes, but nothing about it really screams "must-have" unless you are a diehard SoulCalibur fan.

With the variety of game modes, tournaments and unlockables, the novelty of the title sticks around for longer than one would expect. In my opinion, Pool Nation is well worth the price of entry and perhaps the best pool sim on the PS3.

There is just so much to love about Kingdoms of Amalur. Its genre-elevating combat and gorgeous visual design are unparalleled and will undoubtedly be emulated in years to come.

It’s great because of the way it uses genuinely interesting mechanics to try something new.

It is an awesome piece to a whole story that is shaping up to be one of, if not the best, Telltale Games series.

Gameplay here is simple, but it definitely has that "one more go" feel about it to see if you can get further than you ever have in the main game.

The PlayStation 5 version of Avowed is a total blast, allowing Obsidian’s action RPG to truly shine with its Anniversary Update included. Those who have waited are in for a treat as the world is thrilling to explore and well worth the adventure. Obsidian’s latest fantasy RPG is some of the studio’s best work to date, and it’s great that more people can now enjoy it.

It’s all here in one gloriously gratifying package that will have you coming back for more, more, and more again. An incredible dungeon crawler with a cutesy consumerist twist that’ll provide you with some of 2018’s best moments – and capital fun it is, too.

If there’s one criticism I think will be levied against this new collection of games, it’s that, at the end of the day, it’s simply more of the same. Series diehards and more casual fans will undoubtedly find a lot to like here, and I certainly hope it’s a sign that we’ll be seeing much more of the Ace Attorney franchise in the coming years. For those who weren’t sold on the original trio of Phoenix Wright games, this second collection won’t do much to sway your opinion.

Far Cry 5 takes steps forward by upping the stakes with a sinister villain and bold new setting, while also stumbling backwards with its non-linear approach and separation of character progression from the world.

Newcomers to the series have a great adventure awaiting them, and past fans will have a nostalgic time while collecting 3 platinum trophies for reliving the experience.

Danganronpa 2 is a masterful piece of dark mystery storytelling, with a focus on exploring morally ambiguous facets of the psyche.

While it’ll never be optimal playing a dense city-building game on a console, Frostpunk 2 is the latest example that it can be done well. The survival game is still thrilling to play with a controller, even if it might take a while for the controls to become second nature. With proper UI scaling and PSSR support, 11 Bit Studios has done a great job with this port.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter sets out to achieve a very specific goal and despite some slight missteps along the way, it largely succeeds in offering players a sense of spectral wonder through simplistic gameplay and stunning visuals, all wrapped in a well written mystery that leaves its mark.

This might have been fantastic as an anime series, but the lack of real choices in how the story goes kind of kills the interactive vibe a visual novel is supposed to have. Even though the text messages and phone calls alter the story, the length of the full story, complete with monotonous gameplay, doesn’t make replaying it for all the endings very enticing.

An insanely full featured game. If code was a physical thing, this game disc would be bursting at the seams with how much Treyarch has packed onto one Blu-ray. There’s a little something for everyone here. Players looking for a dark, rich narrative have the campaign. Competitive players have a whole new way to play in multiplayer. Fans of roguelikes and horde modes have Shadows of Evil.

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?

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.

This still remains the best entry in the series to date. Pick it up if you want to see Kratos at his greatest.

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.

Overall, Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse brings an amusing story, with great writing, and mixes that together with some terrific gameplay.

It’s pretty amazing to think that Kena: Bridge of Spirits is Ember Lab’s very first game. With absolutely stunning visuals and impactful music this is sure to leave an impression on people. Gameplay-wise it doesn’t do anything particularly new or innovative but that doesn’t stop it from being loads of fun. This is a small adventure with enough challenge and heart to keep you entertained for the full 10–15 hours that it’ll take for you to reach its conclusion.

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is the definitive version of this game. The core experience is still here, but with some added flourishes, mainly the beautiful character models. But other additions, like the “cheats,” can also add up to make this a much more inviting experience for all fans. Final Fantasy VIII is one of the strangest entries in the Final Fantasy pantheon, but that’s what makes it so special at the end of the day.

The exciting, fun turn-based combat, too, is an absolute treat to revisit, even if I’d have liked to see more meaningful changes and improvements made to its systems. If you didn’t play the original game and are interested in diving into Trails of Cold Steel II right away, I implore you to go back and play its predecessor first; not only do I find that a superior game, but I can already imagine the bewilderment of the poor soul who attempts to go into this one’s insanely detailed lore without a hint of background information. On the other hand, for those folks who did play and enjoy, know that this second entry is just more of the same great thing, and that was good enough for me to have a really fun time.

Sound issues notwithstanding, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is the first worthwhile exclusive for Japanese RPG fanatics on PS4. It has everything that made its predecessors great: a fast-paced, addictive battle system, an abundance of content and a cast of humorous characters.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series Episode 1 is a strong start for the series and this iteration of Telltale Games. Fans of the show will enjoy getting to learn more about Drummer’s backstory, and Cara Gee delivers a strong performance that meets expectations. The following episodes will determine if the story is able to pay off on its promising start, but the production quality and polish are clearly an improvement from Telltale’s past titles.

The focus on setting up Watch Dogs as a new franchise will pay off in the years to come, but it does come at the main game’s expense.

Rarely have I had as many conflicting feelings about a game as much as I do with NBA 2K18. So much about the basketball sim is top-notch, but there are also so many elements that make me want to put it down and never touch it again.

While it may not redefine the Metroidvania style of games by any stretch of the imagination, F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is a stellar example of the genre done right. Featuring mildly interesting characters, a world teeming with life, and a well-designed map that is very player-friendly, it genuinely feels like it does damn near everything right. As long as you don’t mind an occasional table flip encounter here and there, this is a hare-raising adventure for the ages.

Revelations is a fantastic game, and is more than worth your money, but a repetitive mission structure and the fact that the game is still following Ezio is rather disappointing. Overall, the positives far outweigh the negatives, with the game an improvement over Brotherhood in almost every way, making it one of this holiday's must-haves.

By the end of my adventure I almost felt embarrassed that I’d missed out on the Ys franchise for so long. It has some pacing and technical issues, but the loveable characters, intriguing story and fantastic combat and movement far exceeded my expectations and made me want to experience everything I’ve missed. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has made me a Ys fan and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I was blown away by Subnautica. What initially appeared to be a knee-high kiddie pool worth of depth, suddenly gives way to a literal ocean of gameplay opportunities.

With a campaign this good and plenty of graphically astounding action in single player and multiplayer, Battlefield 4 is a complete shooter package.

Transpose came completely out of left field and knocked my proverbial socks off. It was a genuine pleasure to play. I went in with virtually no expectations and left feeling like I’d been swept up into something I never realized was even possible in VR. If you’re looking for a no-frills puzzle experience that can scratch that Portal itch, look no further. This is the kind of perception-altering title that PSVR owners owe it to themselves to play.

A must-own for anyone at all considering a purchase of a PlayStation Vita. It shows what that little portable with plenty of power can do, from the graphics, to the controls, to the Vita-specific touch features – it's truly amazing.

As a remake, Kiwami is a triumphant success. Not only is it leaps and bounds more playable than the PS2 original, the additional scenes help flesh out character motivations. This all makes the story of Kiryu’s rise feel more special, and it’s a perfect continuation for those who recently played Yakuza 0.

Blood & Truth isn’t doing anything completely revolutionary for VR, particularly because we saw many of its own bullet points back at the PlayStation VR’s launch. However, it packs these ideas into a cinematic package whose presentation can hardly be rivaled. If you want to step into the shoes of an action hero a la James Bond or Jason Bourne, Blood & Truth lets players live those experiences. From high-octane explosive thrills to intimate emotional moments of character connection, it exemplifies everything that an interactive VR action movie should be.

I would never recommend it to a casual player; but to everyone else searching for a challenging single player first-person game—Metro: Last Light is what you have been waiting for.

At the risk of sounding overly infatuated, I cannot begin to understand how the hell Torchlight II has aged so well. The art style, combat mechanics, and even loot drop loop are so finely tuned that it feels like the game fits in as well now as it did, seven years ago.

Disgaea 4 brings a kid-like excitement to the table, with its energetic presentation to go along with extremely deep gameplay.

Despite some initial skepticism that they could pull it off, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is everything I want a Guardians of the Galaxy game to be. It is character-focused first and foremost, retaining the comedic heart and ’80s vibe that is core to the franchise. As a single-player game, it doesn’t get bogged down by expectations of some kind of grind or endgame. While combat can sometimes be rather chaotic and there are a few bugs, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy understands what Guardians of the Galaxy is—character, comedy, and heart.

To be able to pause a battle, and take over on the Vita when someone decides they want to watch something on cable, is a great way to continue your battles without creating a battle in your living room.

Tetris is for gamers young and old, from casual to the most extreme of the hardcore. EA somehow managed to improve on the unimprovable, and they definitely made for that debacle of the mini released in 2009.

A fast-paced, non-stop downloadable title, that makes sure to leave everything it has on the table. Fantastic environments, explosions, and weapons make for an experience that is fun to play solo but better with friends. However, the game is around 3-4 hours to complete and the online is the same maps from the single player that can become way too easy.

Space Marine 2 is a great hack ‘n’ slasher regardless of whether or not you’re a Warhammer fan. Its true-to-life recreations of the tabletop game’s painted miniatures will please fans, but its satisfying combat will please anyone. However, it’s definitely best enjoyed in multiplayer given some AI frustrations, and its Operations Mode is a few pieces of content short of being an excellent addition to the package.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare sets a benchmark for the future of games. The amazing new technology it utilizes gives it a level of quality and polish that’s rarely seen outside of first-party studios. A bold approach on a no-frills campaign mode helps it stick the landing, while going back to the drawing board with multiplayer rekindles a classic Call of Duty feel long lost.

For Zoink’s first foray into the VR space, they’ve done on incredible job. Ghost Giant is one of those unique must-play VR experiences that effectively demonstrates just what VR can do that traditional screens can’t

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a challenging romp through a dark fantasy version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and works well as a Soulslite. Each level is a bite-sized Souls experience to be conquered and moved past. The tight, challenging combat will thrill fans of the genre, but the lack of an interconnected world might turn off those that love the thrill of exploration.

God of War III left so little left unexplored, so few Mythological figures left unchallenged, so instead Sony Santa Monica broke new ground with a multiplayer offering that lives up to the franchise’s staple combat and brutality, while perfectly complimenting it.

Before the Storm‘s bonus episode doesn’t feature the series’ best writing or any pivotal choices, but it all works as intended here. It’s just a fond farewell to a friend. One that gives players one more opportunity to see two of their favorite characters interacting with each other, and one final chance for the player to say their own goodbyes.

It’s undeniably entertaining to explore every level, backtrack for new upgrades, and go toe-to-toe with themed bosses. I miss the save functionality and don’t see the point of having two separate games, but the Mega Man X Legacy Collections are fully worth a play.

As LEGO’s first foray into toys-to-life games, they’ve done an impressive job utilizing the full power of their roster to create a great game that respects the properties it features, from Doctor Who to GLaDOS to Simpsons. It’s lamentable then that a great LEGO adventure is fragmented by the staccato nature of reminding you what you don’t have.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the next patch fixes this particularly nasty bug.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to indulge in one of this brand’s prior incarnations, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a fantastic chance to explore your inner gumshoe. The amount of content delivered in this package will keep you gleefully badgering witnesses, in glorious HD, for far longer than the price would indicate. However, for those considering a second trip into the courtroom, you may want to consider if you hold high definition visuals at a premium.

The Ready or Not PS5 port is excellent. The measured, tactical gameplay features action-packed moments and some of the most memorable co-op gameplay you can have. Unafraid to deal with content that most other shooters would shy away from, this is a brave shooter that is as interesting as it is to play. Anyone looking for something different from standard FPS games should give it a shot with friends.

The game plays well, but at the same time the controls are nothing to write home about. Despite Kutaro’s tricks, the gameplay is relatively simple.

At its core, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late is a complex game that rewards players for taking the initiative. Its variety in character and combat types helps make up for a beefier story mode – though to be honest given the base story I’ve love to see more.

Prison Warden is what will offer me some longevity in this game, since I can mess around with how the wardens affect the gameplay, and how each map runs differently. I get bored easily, and I will say that I found myself unchallenged after I got the hang of things. Prison Warden can help with that.

Metro Exodus is an entertaining post-apocalyptic shooter that isn’t afraid to take chances with the series’ formula.

The offline mode can get tiresome, but the online modes are enough to keep arcade gamers busy for some time.

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.

It’s a pristine release that’s being saved from fading into history with this re-release and delivers all the content as a thank you. For the double dippers considering this, a stern word of caution. Very little has changed since you left Dunwall but if you really get a kick out of your controller talking to you then by all means, go in for the kill.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, however, has managed to effortlessly fly back into battle without missing a shot. Everything that you loved about the old iterations has evolved with the times and delivered a solid new combat flight simulation experience.

A wonderful game.

Rime is a game about loss. Rime is a game about grief. Rime is a game that I’m not ashamed to say made me cry. It’s a beautiful journey and doesn’t seek to simply entertain, but rather to touch the player’s soul on a deeply emotional level through engagement and interaction.

Trine 4 feels like a return to what made the series great to begin with. A beautiful world filled with challenging (but not too difficult) puzzles to solve, combined with drop-in/drop-out co-op, makes for a great game to play with friends.

Significant replayability and an excellent entry price point make the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy a benchmark for how future classic game remakes should be handled, the originals left intact, imperfections and all.

You won’t be disappointed.

DATE A LIVE: Rio Reincarnation is great for fans of light novels, but especially for fans of the DATE A LIVE series. Even those who aren’t familiar with the series won’t be too confused with what’s going on, as the reading is easy and characters easy to like.

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.

Doki Doki Literature Club works best if you go into it knowing nothing about it. It’s still a visual novel dating sim, and the Plus! version really doubles down on the visual novel aspect, but it breaks the status quo and does the unexpected, making a deeply disturbing psychological horror game out of something that looks cute and adorable on the surface. The console version diminishes some of what made the PC version’s twist work so well, a necessary sacrifice to get the game to a wider audience. And if you are just looking to return to this world and these characters, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! feels like the version that was made for the fans.

Overall, NEO: The World Ends With You is a wonderful homage for fans of the series, in many ways it seems like a remake of The World Ends With You on a bigger screen and a fresh set of faces. However, if you were not a fan of the original game, NEO may come across as lacking in plot and game mechanics; perhaps it is worth a rewind to really appreciate the lore of this franchise.

Trigger Happy Havoc could use some more polishing, but fans of mystery or oddball characters will want to snatch this up.

Telltale has given us an excellent first chapter in what is gearing up to be one of their best series.

Gravity Rush 2 lacks quite a bit in the story department, even with the side missions, but the improved combat and series-unique exploration make it difficult to put the game down.

Virtually everything about NHL 19 is a genuine step forward in quality. While some modes received the lion’s share of the attention, it feels like damn near everything received SOME love. If you have been on the fence, now is the time to lace up and hit the ice. We’ll see you between the pipes.

Need for Speed Rivals is clearly ready for the next generation of gaming, and so are we.

Dead Rising 2 is extremely fun and at the same time very satisfying, but it is riddled with minor setbacks such as lackluster visuals and the exasperating save system.

Magic 2014 isn’t much of a sequel to Magic 2013 - more of an iteration – but it is more Magic, which is a good thing.

If you haven’t played The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel before, I wholeheartedly recommend playing the new PlayStation 4 version. It’s the most complete edition after all, even if that doesn’t mean much in terms of additional content volume.

Developer Microids Studio Paris took a well-written story and a well-made game (for 1999) and completely reimagined it for 2025. Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy shows that they dove into the PS5 hardware with both feet and utilized haptics with the controller, as well as utilizing the adaptive triggers in several different areas. They recreated some of the original puzzles while creating a bunch of new puzzles that may test your overall IQ.

Like watching a classic old movie, Grim Fandango Remastered feels like a hearkening back to the golden days of gaming, when PC adventure games ruled and games didn’t have difficulty settings so easy that it seems like the game is playing itself. This is as much a history lesson as it is entertainment, lest we forget the roots of great gaming.

They’ve made strides forward on many fronts, including more realistic controls, new ways to interact with lineups in franchise mode, and several additional Ultimate Team experiences. Sure, there still might be the occasional physics quirk, but Madden NFL 19 still cements itself as the premier football simulation on console.

The worst part about completing The City That Dares Not Sleep is knowing that it will probably be a long time before we see Sam and Max again, and that's a shame.

For a series known for having some of the most memorable villains and boss fights in video game history, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance has some of the most pathetic, bland villains I’ve seen. I didn’t fear them for being ferocious, I feared them because I knew how poorly designed each fight was and how infuriating the next one would be.

The sound is also well-done, with voiceovers ripped straight from the movies and all the sci-fi sound effects a fan can handle.

It's fun, it's got appeal to comic book fans, it's got appeal to game fans far beyond the limits of Street Fighter, the online play is well put together, and the game constantly looks and sounds great.

If you can get past the UI and control issues, then by all means, get Wasteland 2: Director’s Cut on PlayStation 4. It offers up hours of engrossing and strategic gameplay, and is probably worth the $60 if you’re a fan of old-school RPGs. However, if you have a decent PC, then I recommend getting it on there – it’ll be a better optimized experience.

What you end up with is a precise golf simulator full of features, but lacking emotion. If you're looking for a golf game to get your hands on, then this is a safe bet, but if you're just stopping by to see if Tiger Woods has anything special in store to drive you to pick up a club and play, then you'll just have to wait another year.

Dragon’s Crown Pro is that same Dragon’s Crown we all loved and remember from 2013, it’s just shinier, prettier, and on the latest console. If you’ve already played it to completion (or simply to death) on other platforms, there’s very little reason to come back for a second purchase.

In some ways, Arise: A Simple Story is perfectly named because it forgoes traditional dialogue or text-based narration for visual storytelling. However, through the inventive environmental game design that pushes the narrative forward to its well-realized and emotional conclusion, there is a complexity to Arise that left me misty-eyed by its affecting story of love and loss.

The overarching story is a bit stunted and combat can feel somewhat repetitive. What holds Second Son together is how solidly all aspects of the game were made. You can feel the passion that each person at Sucker Punch has for their individual role as each element solidifies and interfaces into an extremely well made game overall.

Add in the brilliant new game mechanics that come from the reconfigured guitar controller, and combining our old love of rhythm games with the modern way we consume music, and Guitar Hero Live is the worthwhile reunion of an old favorite that we’ve all been waiting for.