It’s not a long game and the adventure arrives at the credits before you know it, but for what it has going, FAR: Changing Tides is a compelling and gorgeous puzzle full of satisfying mechanical engagement and incredible breakthrough moments as you sail ever forward.

KeyWe does a great job at delivering exactly what’s on the parcel: it’s a cute and charming co-op experience that will challenge your communication skills. So grab a friend and get ready to sort the mail, because this one is something special.

Like many sports franchises that release yearly iterations, EA Sports FC 25 is going to be much like the game you remember from last year. While FC IQ and roles do a good job of making tactics feel varied and exciting, there are many adjustments and improvements that need to be made to AI before things feel balanced. When slide comes to tackle, not too much has changed this year.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 offers an excellent framework on which more can be built. The world, especially the Zone, is just oozing with style, and the systems that are present are worth investing in, despite how shallow they can feel compared to other games in adjacent genres. Honestly, if I wasn’t so enamoured with this gorgeous world, I’d be scoring this lower. Similarly, if there was just more to do and richer systems in place to engage with, it’d be higher. I think that those out there who love the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise will feel at home in this game, as the world is stunning, the sense of loneliness and isolation permeates everything, and the combat against the human factions is intense. Fortunately, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is still on its path to greatness. It’s just going to need a little more love to get it to its destination. I just hope the rest of the journey is a bit faster than Skif’s walking speed.

I hope the servers hold up going forward, but for all of its issues, when all of Enoch is in working order, Outriders' spectacle and progression are quite a rewarding experience I want to keep returning to for a long time.

The sequel is definitely stronger than the original, but the improvements are incremental, and I can't help but wonder what a strong game we might have had if Nintendo had combined the best parts of both.

Bread & Fred has solid platforming mechanics, and the introduction of the rope opens the door to brand-new frustrations and gameplay elements. It succeeds greatly at producing a co-op experience that’ll either have you at the throats of your friends and loved ones, or laughing uncontrollably, even if it feels like there isn’t much more substance beneath the surface.

Reviews aren’t the place to weigh in on how to fix things, so I won’t do that here. Deep down I hope the developers who are making this are kicking down Electronic Arts CEO, Andrew Wilson's, door asking for more time, budget, or anything really. Developers tend to be super fans who love making amazing games. I believe that about EA Vancouver, but this is not good enough and hasn’t been good enough for years. The players who return year after year deserve better.

By its very nature, it feels more at home on a handheld. Just in this case, it's a handheld system that's tethered to your living room console.

If you're aching to go dancing with your favorite Persona characters, Persona 4: Dancing All Night remains the best choice for now. If you want to listen to Persona 3 or Persona 5 songs instead, opt to borrow these games if possible instead of investing in them for now.

This action RPG follows the quests of five different individuals in an American West full of zombies, werewolves, and dark magic, and while its functionality sometimes leaves something to be desired, its choices, progression, and aesthetic are quite solid.

It may be easy, at a glance, to look at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate and dismiss it as “we have Hades at home.” There’s a nugget of truth there, as we are looking at an action roguelike clearly inspired by Hades, with a smaller scale in many ways. But does Hades have co-op, or the TMNT? Nah, dudes. Splintered Fate has a specific goal, and it definitely delivers on that goal. It’s a fun time, with a lot of structural solidity and the fun co-op gaming vibes you should expect from a TMNT game. It doesn’t feel cheap or sloppy at all, and even singleplayer can keep your attention for several runs over dozens of hours. I’m still working on it despite winning several loops already, and spinning around like a maniac with my boy Mikey still doesn’t feel old yet.

When I finished Directive 8020, I immediately wanted to replay it. I was content with the ending I got, but was fascinated by all of the other possible endings and diverging paths that led to them. There are so many permutations of the storyline and secrets to uncover; I know for sure that I’ve got a couple more playthroughs in my future. It’s the mark of a great choice-based game.

To a T is just the sort of whimsy that one would expect out of a game with Keita Takahashi's name on it. It's wholesome, hilarious, and at times just plain bizarre. This game has all of that, but it's also wrapped in a story that's inspirational to kids and adults alike. The game may not be perfect, because there are some dialogue issues that point to some localization snafus and occasional bugs that forced me to start from a previous save point. With that said, it won't take much to have you singing the main character's praises. He is, after all, the perfect shape.

EDF6 is by far the largest EDF game, with nearly 150 missions, excluding the DLC, so you’re looking at a good three dozen hours on your first playthrough, and there’s plenty of replayability because of the other classes and higher difficulties. And man, is it a good time. So grab your crew, pour yourself a drink or three, and get ready to listen to some of the most “they-hired-this guy-off-the-street-to-voice-this-character-for-five-dollars” line reads you’ve ever heard. No, EDF soldiers, the giant alien frogs don’t look like us, but I love that you think they do. And yes, you can still sing the silly fight songs. If you’ve played EDF before, you know the drill. If not, man, I’m jealous; you’re going to have a great time. EDF6 is a welcome throwback to the era of the AA game at a time when everyone and everything takes itself far too seriously, and I’m glad EDF6 is finally making its Western debut.

Disney Illusion Island can best be compared to the average Disneyland ride. It's short, doesn't outstay its welcome, and shouldn't be experienced alone.

The amount of room for experimentation in regards to mixing powers, the tandem abilities, and the tried-and-true level design are enough to make this feel like one of the better Kirby games in recent memory. But it's the drop-in, drop-out co-op that makes Kirby Star Allies truly stand out, making it one of the best couch co-op games to grace the Switch in this early life cycle.

Short, sweet, and smart, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown took me by surprise. It’s not just about how much I enjoyed it, but how intelligently Strange Scaffold came up with a gimmick that sounds bizarre on paper, but absolutely nailed it in practice. I never could have guessed what a turn-based beat-em-up could possibly be, but now I perfectly understand the concept. As someone who’s more keen on brawlers than being a general on the battlefield, this is an approach to tactics that lit up all the best parts of my brain, and kept on cooking until the credits rolled. And then some, because the song that plays at the end is a banger.

Night School's writing can't be praised enough, because the team is able to be whatever it needs to be in the moment. It can be a supernatural thriller when the time calls for it. It can be a coming-of-age tale when the moment is right. It can go from buddy comedy to buddy drama in an instant. All of it works, and it's a credit to the writers and the voice actors. Oxenfree 2's story will put players through the emotional wringer, but it's a ride that's worth taking.

For fans of Namco Bandai, Capcom, and Sega, Project X Zone 2 is full of the characters you love, in-jokes you'll laugh at, and over the top attacks and pairings that would make a FanFiction.net author blush. However, if you're just looking for a turn-based RPG to sink your teeth into, there's better to be had on the Nintendo 3DS.

Most of Stories: The Path of Destinies is hinged upon the idea of discovering the best possible outcomes of its story, no matter how nonsensical it may be at first. It’s a clever way to build a narrative, because it’s built around the assumption one will fail multiple times while still retaining useful knowledge to apply in a different run.

There are some much-needed quality of life improvements, and the games are well polished and run really smoothly on the Switch. It’s hard to see newer fans finding much to appreciate here, but those that have fond memories of the original Diamond and Pearl will have a lot to love about Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Technical hiccups aside, Layers of Fear wraps up the series in a graphically enhanced package that is easily the best way for players both new and old to experience the franchise.

While Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition offers a rich representation of the original 8-bit console's history, this feels like the first leg of what could be a longer marathon. While we appreciate a good sprint, we're hopeful for a longer marathon down the road.

If you’re looking for a game to kick back and play race after race with a sizable campaign and other options including an online mode, Need for Speed Unbound has plenty to keep you busy and entertained. That said, it’s also one of those games that’ll likely feel more enjoyable and worthwhile when purchased on sale rather than its arguably steep $70 (USD) purchase price. I can’t in good conscience recommend it at $70 but closer to $40-50? Absolutely, especially given the performance, campaign length, and fun assortment of races on offer.

Bury Me, My Love is an ambitious game with a great premise. I just wish it didn't feel so disingenuous so much of the time.

The amount of replayability Lego Batman 3 offers is mind-blowing, and it will take some time to unlock all 150 characters as well as other hidden gems and secrets.

If you enjoyed the first Lego Marvel Super Heroes, there's no doubt you'll love this one too. If you're looking for a sandbox where you can play with just about any of your favorite Marvel characters you'd like, this is your stop. If you're looking for a challenge, look elsewhere.

As a new entry in an old-school racing series, Screamer hardly bears resemblance to its origins. But at the same time, it shoots for a similar target. This is an over the top spectacle of a racer that needles in an interest in sim-adjacent car physics and handling. The target just looks a lot different these days, as the definition of “over the top” is subject to inflation here in the video game world. Three decades later, a realistic setting with cool, intense animations has translated to realistic physics in an epic-length anime story with similar production values and style to something like Dispatch. It’s absurd, but that absurdity is executed with such confidence that it sells the whole package, warts and all. Prospective fans who are more on the casual side will struggle, but in this case that struggle has an excellent reward system in the form of a storytelling strength you almost never see in this genre.

With a grand number of game modes, maps, and interesting characters with unique abilities alongside their personalized explosives, Rocket Arena certainly has more than enough personality to set itself from the pack.

It really is the quintessential Vita game. It tries a lot of things, hits really hard on a few, and everything else doesn’t quite come together. It’s from before even Capcom struck gold with Monster Hunter World, still figuring things out and building momentum itself. The gameplay along can sustain hours of squadded up, monster wrangling, gear upgrading fun. But the storytelling really whiffs despite a strong start, disappointing more as a result. And in terms of interesting stuff going on besides the main loop, Freedom Wars fails to find the sauce as well. This one is here for a good time, but not a long time. I should probably go to jail myself for that one, yikes.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 retains much of the formula that made the original games the best of their genre. It has a massive roster of comic book favorites, a slew of recognizable locations, some well-designed boss battles, and an intricately crafted storyline that touches upon every cornerstone of the Marvel pantheon. What holds it back from true greatness is a wretched camera and a few missteps with the dialogue system. Outside of that, this is a fine return for one of Marvel's great gaming franchises. Ultimate Alliance is still the best it is at what it does and what it does is very nice.

Monster Prom had so much potential and so much to offer that I couldn't wait to tear into it. And on a superficial level, it's an interesting experiment that I thought I would love. Unfortunately, just like the monsters you're courting, once you get to know it it's only a great-looking shell with some fairly rotten insides.

Even the things that were off-putting felt more like small stumbles than full-on faceplants. With so much to explore and unravel in this game, plus accessible daily puzzles, Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy feels like a game we could get lost in for a good, long time.

To offer a mobile iteration that has even less value than the regular version of the game feels like a nonsensical move.

The Crush House feels like a victim of its own confidence. It’s so self-sure of its premise and big-brained twist that it fails to dig a little deeper under the surface to actually justify any of it. The gameplay itself is incredibly shallow and dull when it isn’t being a frustrating exercise in dice-rolling. The characters are basically all the same person and interact with each other the same ways, repeating the same small set of possible events over and over. Your involvement in the whole equation is to sit there and watch, and hope the emojis and numbers on the screen are doing the good thing instead of irritating you. The payoff is just as shallow as the gameplay, making the whole subversive twist as commentary gimmick a bust.

Between the middling voice acting undermining the story, the barely-there puzzles, and the sterility of the visuals, it feels like the magic of adventure games on Nintendo’s older, gimmicky hardware hasn’t been recaptured. But I still had a great time taking it all in. Weird, huh? That’s what being a history nerd feels like.

At launch, Killer Instinct serves as a solid foundation for what could eventually become a good fighting game. More characters and stages are coming down the line, but at launch, the game's limited single and multiplayer modes are glaring and will grow stale quickly.

SNK Gals' Fighters is a pocket-sized triumph with exciting combat, a fun selection of female fighters from throughout SNK's various franchises, and collectible items to keep coming back for. It may be a very short play and there's nowhere near the amount of mods you'd find in a modern brawler, but it's a fun distraction and absolutely adorable throwback that you can throw down a few bucks for on Switch – especially if you're an SNK Heroines fan.

If Sonic Superstars is the future of the franchise, then it's bright enough that the blue hedgehog will have to wear shades.

Despite the roughness that comes with some of its systems, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is one of the best Dragon Ball Z games we’ve ever seen. CyberConnect 2 has really brought some of the most iconic bits of the Dragon Ball saga to life with its work on the cutscenes, and the game has plenty of offer fans looking to get lost in the world. You just have to be willing to look past some of the more shallow systems and repetitive combat to experience the good.

As much as I wanted Rage 2 to work, it just doesn’t deliver the best that it could from the two top-notch studios working on it. Right now, I can’t rightfully recommend picking it up at full price, as I just don’t feel there’s enough content here to warrant what they’re asking.

Blades of Fire is probably going to end up as one of those games people refer to as a PS2-ass video game (complimentary), and I feel that. It’s a kind of game that feels out of place in time, but benefits from its accidental time travel by doing things a PlayStation 2-era console simply can’t. And in turn, it benefits from not being beholden to several more decades of convention that burden so many games coming out today, in a much more risk-averse and audience-starved environment. In that respect, Blades of Fire is pretty cool and interesting. It also annoys the bejeezus out of me at every possible opportunity. But I’m glad I played it, which is way more than I can say about Samus Returns.

Star Trucker shows a lot of promise. Its ease of entry, limited learning curve, and beautiful environments promise many hours of enjoyment. However, this welcome simplicity is also one of its main drawbacks. There's so much more that could have been done to improve the user experience. The biggest problem, however, is the skewed economy. Resources essential for enjoying Star Trucker are too expensive and hard to come by, making it more of a power management simulator than a space truck simulator. Choosing an easier difficulty level may alleviate some of these issues, but it points to an overall imbalance in the game. Nevertheless, given its low price and easy approachability, Star Trucker can be a lot of fun for fans of space and truck simulations, but you may not want to visit this truck stop very often.

Nidhogg II is a case where bigger isn't always better. It's like trying to improve on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sure, it's possible to add things to it, but the PB&J isn't something that really needs improving. That's how I felt coming away from Nidhogg II. It's a good attempt at improving on the original, but the end result didn't leave me feeling the same magic that I did when playing the first game. But with that aside, for those looking for chaotic dueling action, it's hard to argue with either Nidhogg game.

Between the bloodlines, research, and combat, Massive Chalice tosses a ton to micromanage, and it can feel overwhelming. But it all builds up to a spectacular ending that makes it worthwhile and satisfying.

There are some much-needed quality of life improvements, and the games are well polished and run really smoothly on the Switch. It’s hard to see newer fans finding much to appreciate here, but those that have fond memories of the original Diamond and Pearl will have a lot to love about Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Rad Rodgers is a familiar yet satisfying platformer that doesn't always hit all the high notes, but it does so often enough to feel like a hit for anyone looking for a reminder of the way things were when it comes to these kinds of games.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 feels more like a 1.5 or “definitive” version of the original game rather than a full sequel (voice acting and alternate costumes were added to the first game post-launch). It’s the game I expected to play when the first one was announced a couple of years ago. Fleshed-out single-player options actually give me a reason to log on, and the addition of voice acting and cinematics makes the game feel more alive. However, the removal of several fighters from the roster and lack of large-scale innovation makes it a fine, serviceable platform fighter.

Evil West is a straight shooter. It doesn’t pretend to be something more than it is — a game about cowboys slaying vampires without mercy. Despite being a tad unvaried, the combat is viscerally gratifying and confidently uncomplicated. And for that alone, the game is largely able to overcome the hiccups with the limited multiplayer, graphics crashes, and awkwardly edited story. Though the campaign is fairly short given the asking price, it has a permadeath mode and new game plus for replayability. Evil West may be rough around the corners, but it’s worth a shot of whiskey down at the nearest saloon.

Muse Dash is an exceptional rhythm/action game that thrives on the Nintendo Switch. It takes advantage of the Switch in terms of the variety of ways to control and experience the game. Finely tuned gameplay is surrounded by a charismatic world that features a sizeable catalog of fun and exciting music.

Infamous: First Light is at its best when it's iterating on and riffing on Second Son. In many ways, the abbreviated length of First Light makes it a better bite-sized package. It's more linear and less surprising than fans might expect from the series, but exploring this world as Fetch is just as fun as it ever was.

However, the biggest downside to Battle League is that there just isn't more to it, because we've seen that Next Level is capable of delivering more. Even if there are DLC characters coming down the road (Daisy fans, I hope you don't think I forgot about you), it won't fix the relatively low number of items, the gimmick-free stadiums, or the lack of substantial unlockables. This package could and should be so much better than what it is.

Upstream Arcade’s West of Dead is an impressive roguelike. With a solid twin-stick shooting system, West of Dead has a more than serviceable gameplay loop. However, the game is truly anchored by it’s incredible visuals and art design. Add on top of this an excellent voice performance and unique sense of worldbuilding, and you’ve got a roguelike formidable in any standoff.

Call of Duty: WW2 is competently made by a skilled team. I just wish some of that talent and skill could be put towards anything other than this yearly pile of linear shooting rehash. The game runs well and is very playable, so things aren’t all that bad, they just feel soulless. All I could think of while playing is how I would rather be killing Nazis in Wolfenstein 2. [Provisional Score = 50]

Wizard of Legend is a satisfying and thoroughly challenging roguelike with plenty of arcana to discover, relics to purchase, and several ways to help players feel as though they're customizing the game to make it totally theirs. With online and couch co-op, you can share the adventure with your friends, which makes adventuring throughout the Chaos Trials even more fun.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is evidence that there's still room in Nintendo's world for this series. I would have liked to see more than 20 mini-games and certainly would have liked to see more new ones, but what's on display serves as a fun refresher for veterans and a strong introduction to newcomers. The ghost system is a great feature, as is the ability to take on a friend with touch controls.

While the campaign story itself feels silly, co-op is a marvelous addition and a far better way to experience the narrative for those that don't feel like killing zombies. Meanwhile, multiplayer feels like a huge difference from previous CoD games and much of it is for the better. With a faster pace, more fluid movement, and cool Specialist abilities, it feels like a refreshing twist on the CoD multiplayer formula.

Crisol: Theater of Idols shoots for the moon (or the Sun, considering the narrative) with some bold ideas. The blood curse is a cool concept and opens some doors, both mechanically and narratively. Not everything hits, unfortunately, and that brings the whole experience back down to Earth. It's unique enough that I won't forget it anytime soon, but not quite good enough to make me a Sun worshipper.

Quest structure and design centered on pacing are unfortunate obstacles for this experience, but Windlands is still a lot of fun. It's even more fun when you can get a few friends to swing around with you. Just make sure to optimize your VR sensor setup before swinging into action.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is another fun horror romp from Supermassive games. The game improves upon its predecessors by finally removing the fixed camera, and I found several of its characters to be endearing and worth caring for. Though it still falls into some of the same issues as past games in the franchise, The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is worth playing if you’re a fan of the interactive horror/drama genre.

Mundaun is a horror adventure with a compelling mystery, all wrapped up in some well-executed horror. Unfortunately, the game is often weighed down by some of its core mechanics, such as combat and inventory management. Despite that, it’s still a unique experience that offers a fresh approach to the horror genre.

Evil Dead: The Game surprised me in every single way. It was more than I expected. The attention to detail in the characters, enemies, and environments. The Knowby cabin is outstanding and nearly a 1 for 1 replica. The finishers are beautiful, the environments eerie and creepy, the gameplay loop addictive, but most importantly it is fun.

Cozy Grove is a far more relaxing, yet in-depth experience than I ever could have expected when I jumped into it. Much like the best parts of Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, it had a way of hooking me and I can wholeheartedly say that even if I wasn’t reviewing it, the way in which it caught me made it an experience I'm happy to return to daily.

If you're aching to go dancing with your favorite Persona characters, Persona 4: Dancing All Night remains the best choice for now. If you want to listen to Persona 3 or Persona 5 songs instead, opt to borrow these games if possible instead of investing in them for now.

It's fitting, somehow, that a game series so lovingly modeled after a famous B-movie would itself result in a B-tier game. Dead Rising 4 is uneven and less polished than many other games this fall. It's the kind of light, airy game I would have expected earlier in the year, when it wouldn't risk being swallowed up by the holiday season. At its core it's a pulp adventure, with winking witticisms and bloody messes strewn throughout. That makes it, if not entirely memorable, at least a bloody good time that understands the ephemeral nature of camp.

Frustrations aside, Men of War 2 is a fresh and ambitious take on a genre that's usually comfortable staying the same. I wish I had more time to sink into its massive multiplayer matches, but even when I don't, I'm still pleased with how strong the single-player experience is. Sure, it doesn't require the same level of strategy as taking on a human opponent, but Men of War 2's inventive mechanics keep you on your toes anyway.

EA Vancouver tried to sell dekes, cosmetics, and the idea of being a superstar, but what resonated with me, an old-school hockey guy, were the core gameplay improvements.

"Like Dark Souls" has become a frequent and often eyerolling-inducing comparison, albeit with good reason. Love it or hate it, Dark Souls has informed countless games since it burst onto the scene in a spray of blood and smashed controllers. The Surge excels by knowing when to take cues from the king of the genre, and when to turn left where its predecessors turned right. I'm over a dozen hours in, and I'll happily play dozens more.

A lot of this game's PSP heritage appears to be on display. While the characters appear to look fine for an HD remaster, many of the environments and menus look awkward and even blurry.

When a game like Lost Records: Bloom & Rage shows such potential, I feel a grander sense of disappointment when it doesn't stick the landing. The game's characters aren't going to be everybody's cup of tea, because they can be over-the-top at times, but their love and friendship made me fall for them despite their imperfections. The refinements in the formula that began with Life is Strange ten years ago make this story resonate more, because you gain a more intimate insight into everybody's mindset.

Invincible VS is a satisfying fighter when you learn its tricks, and while a few caveats keep it from being a perfect start for Quarter Up, I’m excited to see how it grows over time.

As it is now, Battle Train is a fun ride, but maybe not everyone should ride these rails just yet.

Your goal in Atomfall is to escape, but the reality is this world is far too interesting to want to leave. I cared very little about finding this Interchange at first, and instead preferred to hunt for buried caches, find recipes, read notes, and uncover secrets. I killed characters just to see what was in their pockets, but not before I heard what interesting things they had to say. It wasn’t personal on my end, but those three bullets and the key to the secret room behind them was far more valuable to me than their life. If that seems harsh, no problem, because you’re free to play the complete opposite of me, and I promise it will be just as entertaining.

Robocop: Rogue City is an argument that not only can licensing IP work well in smaller-scale games, but given the right combination of creativity and focus a more dormant IP can be especially effective. A property like Robocop does not have a clear position in pop culture right now, beyond the obvious late-80’s movie nostalgia. But the team at Teyon, with a combination of awareness and sincerity, definitely found one. I had so much fun blasting through waves of jabronis and laughing at Robocop’s earnest policing antics. In a crowded year like 2023, Rogue City is an unexpected gem.

Team Sonic Racing is a strong return to form for Sumo Digital’s kart racing spin-off series. Built on a solid foundation of gameplay, the risks taken with the implementation of the team dynamic pay off big time and sets Team Sonic Racing apart from other available titles in its class. Although it could use some beefing up in terms of side content, Team Sonic Racing is a versatile experience that fans of the franchise will adore.

Renowned Explorers is the perfect example of a game that's easy learn but difficult to master. I don't usually enjoy games that have a big element of chance, but I like this one. It's too easy to get stuck on a boss, but that's part of what being an explorer is all about.

A frustrating mess of bad design decisions, bugs, glitches, and narrative missteps. It could have been so much more, but it ends up falling flat on its face. While there are things to enjoy about it, they're few and far between -- your time is much better served replaying the original trilogy or exploring the widely available mods out there. You'll end up being much more fulfilled and feeling as though you've used your time in a productive manner.

I am disappointed by the mixed feelings I get from Backbone. It is absolutely worth a look solely on the merits of its audiovisual presentation, but its attempt to offer commentary or insight into the topics its narrative broaches repeatedly fall flat, particularly in the latter half. EggNut clearly has the goods in the art and music departments, so I would love to see what they can do with a stronger narrative in the future. If you do choose to give Backbone a shot, make sure to get the Artifact Edition, as it includes the wonderful soundtrack. 6/10 otters in 3-piece suits.

GameDec does right by the cyberpunk genre by using it as a backdrop to an excellent detective story. The series of virtual worlds makes for a diverse range of environments, filled with characters that all have their own unique characteristics and motivations. The lack of a fail state raises the stakes, and makes it important to learn the ins and outs of dialogue and deduction. Though some bugs and missing functionality can make it rough around the edges, GameDec is still an overall quite enjoyable experience.

Annoyances and bugs aside, The Invincible is as bold and smart as its protagonist, and I can only hope it starts a trend of equally thoughtful takes on big ideas from history and literature.

Boyfriend Dungeon is an impressive matchup of two genres that I’d never think would make a decent pair. It juggles interesting personal entanglements with challenging action gameplay via its dungeons. Though it could really benefit from some depth to its romantic structure, it’s not enough to sour what is overall a fascinating experience.

I’m not fond of collecting berries for my healing flask and I feel it can get unfair when mages team up on me. However, getting stronger and coming back with enough might that not even multiple mages could stop me made Salt and Sacrifice’s 2D Soulsborne exploration and mage fights an intoxicating quest to wield the very power I was hunting.

As an offline package, Nintendo Switch Sports is a hoot just for Bowling and Chambara alone. The other games are worth trying at least once. Volleyball might even grow on some people. Unfortunately, Badminton, Tennis, and Soccer lost steam with me after a while, but half a package that I'll return to again and again is certainly nothing to sneeze at. I hope this is a collection that will continue to grow, because I had forgotten what a crowd-pleaser the Wii Sports era was. It's good to have that spirit back.

At the end of the day, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora just feels like a game that’s been made a million times before. You run around and grab resources, craft items, fill out skill trees, shoot bad guys, and search for sets of similar landmarks as you explore a massive map. But it’s all Avatar-flavored, so it’s blue and there are giant cat people running around alongside the humans.

Rock of Ages 3 is an additional serving of the series in a party-sized bag. What could have been the culmination of a decade of progress feels more like a thrown-together greatest hits collection. Diehards will find lots to like about the potentially endless supply of community creations and this also drives up potential value for newcomers. A high level of patience will be required as the bugs nearly derail the experience but the current version of the game can be made solid with the help of a few patches. It is not as exciting as it once was, but you could certainly do worse.

FIFA 21 is about what you’d expect from a new FIFA release. Some quality of life improvements over the previous title though nothing that really signifies a leap in class from past games. That being said, the quality in the FIFA series is fairly high, giving EA Sports a nice cushion to fall back on every year. FUT maintains the same inherent issues as it did last year, despite some shiny new features. FIFA 21 is another serviceable, yet standard entry in EA Sports’ soccer/football simulation series.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando feels like the kind of game I would’ve rented on the Xbox 360, for better and worse. It’s a simple, no-nonsense shooter that offers some classic arcade-like fun. That comes at the cost of narrative and mechanical depth, but it’s still a good time if you’re looking to restore that old school feeling.

Gato Roboto is one of my favorite indie games I’ve had a chance to play this year. The only downside is that the short playtime of only four-five hours (it took me five and a half because of some issues with one of the bosses), means the game never really feels like it finds its own identity. If you can look past this, though, you’ll find a fantastically crafted platformer that mimics the Metroid days of old.

Despite its sudden conclusion and its familiar gameplay, LEGO The Hobbit is a fitting adventure, adapting the films for younger and older players alike.

If you're curious about what Final Fantasy would look like as a Souls or Nioh-style action game, Stranger of Paradise is a solid effort. It's just a shame that it's bogged down by its oddball narrative choices and its cumbersome loot system, which makes the total package such a mixed bag. I suppose it's the nature of this chaotic beast.

MXGP 19 is a solid PC port that doesn’t feel like an afterthought. With more time in the garage, I could see this series making a leap into something great in the future. 7/10 four-strokes.

I'll throw Kitfox Games and Sundae Month a bone in this sense. Gaming needs more wholesome experiences like this and I'm glad Pupperazzi exists. If the team revisits this concept in the future, I'm excited for what it's capable of delivering. For now, I'll just look at this game as a ruff draft of something potentially greater.

I was always going to pick up Amber Isle, so I was very happy to review it. Even though it has a few bugs related to the camera and UI, as well as some progression issues to be worked out, I know I'll be spending a lot more time in my shop crafting items to sell to my dinosaur customers. There’s a lot to like about Amber Isle and the team at Ambertail has tried its best to create a wholesome experience. All of these adorable dinos will be my friend before I’m through here, even the grumpy mayor.

Carmen Sandiego is a fun romp through a genre that I had figured was lost to mobile marketplaces and predatory YouTube channels. If I was a kid, I bet I would absolutely love it. It’s not much of a challenge in terms of knowing things, but it does use historical and geographical education as a backdrop for a fun mystery-solving loop that tests your deduction skills just as much as your ability to soak up facts. I do wish there was a little more friction when it came to identifying the criminals, and the loop itself does run out of ideas pretty quickly. The minigames don’t add a whole lot aside from vibes, but the writing itself is often a hoot. At the end of the day, I really enjoyed this unexpected blast from the past, and appreciated how committed to the originals it ended up being. If you’re a parent looking for something of substance for your kid for a real video game machine that isn’t some app trying to needle your wallet in exchange for low-rent Sesame Street lessons, Carmen Sandiego might just be the ticket.

It’s a thorough re-imagining, and even just sitting down with it to make the comparison is a fun and engaging exercise. I disagree with the way some of the edges have been sanded off, but Yooka-Replaylee is still a great time. And Trowzer the Snake is still hilarious.

It's a heavy plot, wrapped in psychological terror, intricately-placed jump scares, and monstrous creations. It's worth experiencing, but make sure you turn out all the lights and grab your headphones to get the full Amnesia experience.