I started out thinking this game was charmingly fun, especially with the resource management adding an extra layer to the gameplay. As I progressed further, this feeling turned to pure frustration at the difficulty and the repetitiveness of having to commit an entire level to muscle memory just to progress far enough to even attempt the really tricky part. And then you have to start the process over again.

Silver Lining is another excuse to strap on the web shooters and play more of one of 2018’s best games, but it makes that excuse in a way that feels complacent.

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.

Jurassic World Evolution is – in many ways – the game that you make it. Fans of the franchise will jump for joy as they stumble across the classic original movie skins for the ranger jeeps while Dr. Ian Malcolm explains his theory on the meaning of life in a voiceover. They’ll be so happy that a lot of the flaws can and will be overlooked by those people.

Considering the amount of content that Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone offers, it really had the potential to be a standout game. Instead, it’s only a paradise for hardcore fans as anyone else will likely grow tired of going through the extremely long tracklist.

Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a relaxing game where players can spend hours tending their farm without even realizing it. The experience never gets frustrating but there are a few design decisions that stop it from being great, mainly the machines that become time wasters while players wait for resources. The residents of Olive Town could be more interesting, but then the point of the game is to build a farm rather than socialize into the night. There are far worse farm sims out there, but this isn’t the best of them either.

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.

Considering the amount of content that Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone offers, it really had the potential to be a standout game. Instead, it’s only a paradise for hardcore fans as anyone else will likely grow tired of going through the extremely long tracklist.

Modern Combat: Domination is a valiant attempt at trying to go head to head with shooter genre giants such as Call of Duty and Battlefield and is, to some extent, successful, but overall the title fails to bring anything new to the table, or build upon other titles.

Dead Cells may not shift the genre’s trajectory or implement rogue-like mechanics in any new or inventive way, but it remains a consistently exciting and thrilling experience, even when you’ve seen that rapier for the fourth or fifth time.

In many respects, this entry feels more akin to an Arkane game and not enough like the Wolfenstein experiences we’ve come to know and love. At the very least, the future is bright, especially if Soph and Jess come along for the ride. Their brilliantly written and performed sisterly banter somewhat makes up for this largely disjointed and underwhelming venture into the franchise’s broader horizons.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then ChromaGun is one of the most lovingly crafted manifestos I’ve ever seen. It effortlessly parallels the world of Portal, while injecting more than enough originality to be able to stand on its own.

If you've traveled this path before, the only new things that are really offered are trophies and the option to enable 3D if you've got the hardware. However, if you haven't had the chance to experience the lore of Sam Fisher (and you're not an inverted player), the Splinter Cell Classic Trilogy HD has the potential to offer you a unique and memorable journey.

There’s still a magic here, but it’s weighed down by unnecessary baggage that feels disconnected and separate from the central conceit of the game.

It’s highly unlikely that The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics is going to be winning any awards for originality or genre-defining evolutions. That said, it’s a perfectly competent tactics experience, set in a world that many have grown to love. If you’re looking for solid gameplay mechanics, featuring an interesting narrative and meaty campaign, this may be just what the Mender ordered.

While it marvelously blows up during the final moments of its descent, Fort Solis is a mostly successful voyage. Puzzling together what happened at the station is an engaging exercise that incentivizes players to inspect every computer and voice recorder in order to shine light on its dark mysteries. Its narrative doesn’t seem to branch much or push forward in any new directions, yet it achieves its modest goals rather well. Fort Solis was misused as a facility by its staff, but Fallen Leaf and Black Drakkar have utilized it well to tell one effective sci-fi thriller.

As you can gather, if you didn’t play the first two games in full, and I mean in full, you will not enjoy a second of Wintertide Miracles. This is strictly for the absolute hardcore fans who have been dying to know what happens next with Cardia and her beloved. There’s a strong emphasis upon the word “fans,” mind you. Filthy casuals need not apply.

Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr isn’t perfect, but it’s the first enjoyable WH40K action title to grace the consoles since Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine.

Strategy gamers rejoice! There is finally a game worthy of your time on the PlayStation 4.

For fans of the first game, and fans of JRPGs structure, White Knight Chronicles II is an engrossing trek through a large, beautifully rendered world. It's a game that provides a large foundation of content to explore, which is only prohibited by its average gameplay.

The appeal might not last forever due to a lack of content and depth, especially in the game’s story mode, which doesn’t fully explore all the great wacky ideas it seems to have. Even so, this is a standout indie that will bring a lot of people back to the couch — both the literal one and the figurative one of their past.

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.

What holds the game back from being a truly stellar title is its dreadful combat system, as well as its lack of originality.

If you’re looking to experience one of the smartest, wittiest, and thought-provoking stories of the generation, then do yourself the favor and play through both the first game and Part 2: Unbound.

High on Knife generally stands out in the context of High on Life because it has some of the game’s best overall moments. It hasn’t completely shaken all of the eye-rolling humor that powered the original, but its conciseness and ability to spotlight more deserving characters makes it significantly less grating. Its unique gunplay similarly benefits from a shorter runtime and has also only gotten better with its new pinball-operated weapon. While High on Life showed how Squanch Games has grown over the years, High on Knife demonstrates that there’s still value in brevity.

Technical issues and some repetitiveness keep it from being labeled as great.

Gravel is a nice change of pace from the simulation-heavy racing games available elsewhere in the industry. While decidedly light on content outside of the main campaign and devoid of any real multiplayer options to speak of, the most important part of any racing game, the driving, is consistently fun.

There’s not much to Fairy Fencer F beneath the surface. You’re out to reluctantly save the world, and combat quickly becomes too easy.