Street Fighter 6 simply lives up to the hype. From its smooth graphics and fresh presentation to its approachable controls and intricate fighting system, pretty much everything is on point. Not only is the Battle Hub a fantastic multiplayer venue for online play, but World Tour is a revelation. It’s clear Capcom has learned many lessons from Street Fighter 5 and has poured everything it could into this sequel. And in today’s age of modern, live-service gaming, it’s rare to see a game like this come out of the gate swinging with tons of content. In what marks a triumphant comeback for the series, Street Fighter 6 sets a new standard for all future fighting games to come.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a fun addition to the consistently solid Uncharted franchise. While this entry may be quite a bit shorter than the main numbered games, that doesn’t mean the key components that constitute an Uncharted game aren’t just as present. Indeed, you’ll rarely see a game with this high of production values for only $39.99. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a tight, action-packed adventure in India, and a trip well worth taking.

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.

While the new defensive control scheme is certainly a bold move, it is a double-edged sword that may alienate veteran players at first. It does grow on you over time, but prepare to set aside some time to learn the new system.

Not even an intermittent crash or clunky load screen can minimize what Amnesia: The Bunker does so well. The intimate world, wonderfully interwoven mechanics, and semi-random nature make The Bunker a nerve-racking experience that’s a natural evolution of its landmark first entry. On a surface level, it’s still about creeping through a dimly lit hellhole and evading unspeakable horrors, but Frictional has spent the last decade advancing that formula to create the best version of it so far.

Greak: Memories of Azur provided me the opportunity to experience a beautiful hand-drawn world in a way that best suits my gaming time and style. As I get older and find myself more and more selective with my gaming, intimate experiences like Greak are so much more rewarding than the biennial installment of a huge triple A title. Perhaps you’re noticing the same habit forming with your gaming. If so, this hidden gem might be exactly what you’ve been looking for, too.

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.

InnerSpace is a game that you should be playing. The well-realized worlds, exceptional aesthetic and compelling exploration mechanics complement each other tremendously well. If you can get past the occasional bout of unnecessary complex exposition, the evolution of each environment tells a compelling enough story to keep you enthralled from start to finish. Drop everything and check out what deserves to be one of the sleeper hits of 2018.

Tales of Arise is gorgeous. The lands are lush and vibrant, even those trapped in extreme weather patterns. Calaglia’s arid landscape makes me thirsty and trudging through Cyslodia’s tundra reminds me of long Canadian winters. Sadly this all seems to be lost when it’s time to throw in some anime. The switch from game graphics to anime cutscenes is actually rather jarring and I’m not a fan. I like the anime separately as its own entity, just not within the game itself. If the coloring matched the game, sure. But it washes out all of the hard work the level design team put into the game. Pair this with just way too much going on with the artes system and you can see how, though a fantastic game, it falls just shy of hitting a perfect ten.

The WipEout Omega Collection is all the WipEout goodness a fan could want. You’ve basically got the most modern rendition of a PlayStation classic in UHD and HDR, at a blistering frame rate and with an accompanying booming soundtrack. Yet for those of us who played these three games to death, this collection will serve as a painful reminder that we haven’t seen new WipEout material on a home console in a long time.

L.A. Noire combines the best of action games, the best of adventure games, the best of cinema, and the best facial animation in video games to create an experience unlike any other.

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?

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.

Tumble is an incredible PSN title that will keep your Move controller in your hand for many hours to come. And at only $10 dollars, it's a great return on such a small investment.

Roboquest is filled with great ideas and is one of the most refreshing shooters in recent years. With no shortage of interesting guns and upgrades, it’s a roguelite that you’ll keep going back to. I’ll certainly be coming back thanks to its massive replayability, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming PlayStation VR2 version, which will certainly be a wild trip.

It's also a concept that is incredibly well executed.

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.

It’s pretty, charming, original in its execution and its obvious from the get-go that it was designed with a love for video games and a passion to do something different with them.

Between the marvellous story, perfect pacing, evolving/subtle soundtrack, challenging but not frustrating puzzles, and one of the absolute best ending sequences the likes of which may never be seen again, there is literally nothing to complain about this game.

An immense stealth game that features dozens of satisfying mechanics and an undying focus on the art of tactical warfare. Even on normal difficulty, the game will force the player to use every iota of their tactical nuance as they assassinate their way through an emotional story-line that takes them to all manner of settings across the island nation. The game’s camera system is the only misstep in an otherwise superb port to console.

Detractors might cry foul that Capcom has forced two wildly different experiences into one package, but I prefer to think of it as two sides of the same coin. It’s an endless buffet of nail-biting, pulse-pounding action, and, I would argue, survival horror at its finest.

Life is Strange: True Colors is just as much a story about Asian American heritage, mental illness, broken homes, and systemic failure as it is a drama centering around dealing with loss, regrets, and trauma. Alex, up until the events of the game, is forced to hide her emotions for fear of alienating everyone around her and appeal to potential foster homes. She despises her father—a first-generation Chinese immigrant—for leaving her and her brother after their mother died from an illness. Alex calls herself “broken,” and it’s only until she reunites with her brother Gabe that she finally begins the process of healing.

If you’ve ever dreamed of being a cosmonaut, of starting with practically nothing and amassing a fortune, of becoming a notorious space pirate, or had any other of the countless sci-fi fantasies out there, this is probably the game for you. Now, those fantasies might not play out exactly as you’d have hoped in No Man’s Sky, but this is a game that begs those who put in the time to come back just once more and see what lies just over the horizon. If this game is right for you, you won’t be able to put the controller down.

Ultimately, playing Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition on consoles is a fantastic experience. It may not be the best way to play, as PC still reigns supreme, but it’s a fantastic version of an already great game. If you’re willing to roll the die, and have luck decide your fate, then you’ll have a blast playing through Larian Studios’ update of Divinity: Original Sin.

It Takes Two is endlessly creative. Gameplay speaks to narrative, while narrative informs gameplay, and the entire experience just feels incredibly polished and detailed. It nails relationships in ways that so many games—and even other forms of media—just can’t. It asks the player to engage with the the story through mandatory co-op to tell the tale of a couple on the verge of divorce, rediscovering the good in their relationship. It’s not just one of the best action platformers in recent memory, but also a fantastic and unique story representing a dynamic that you don’t often see represented in games, at least not to this depth and nuance.

Even with the occasional tricky platforming section The Touryst is an absolute joy to play. There’s a diverse range of puzzles and silly mini-games for you to discover and have an absolute blast with. It’s a delightful bite-sized adventure that, just like a real holiday, is likely to leave you with fond memories and wishing you could spend more time there.

The PlayStation 4 finally has its exclusive killer RPG.

As usual, MLB The Show remains the series to beat in the baseball simulation category (not that there’s much competition). Unlike last year, which served mostly as a spit-shine to a venerable series, MLB The Show 16 features meaningful upgrades, including a few new modes to change up the way baseball is played.