Kirby Air Riders is a beefy Switch 2 racer that’s constantly shifting gears, and it’s a damn good time behind the wheel.

Nobody Saves the World cleverly plays on RPG tropes, poking fun while injecting them with new life thanks to interesting mechanics that keep gameplay fresh. The story expertly balances humor and seriousness, and the world is gorgeous enough that you always feel encouraged to keep exploring. Drinkbox Studios delivers its best work yet and one of the early hits of 2022 with Nobody Saves the World.

Horizon Call of the Mountain has value in the sheer fact that it puts you behind the eyes of a character in the Horizon universe that’s not Aloy. Taking in the beauty around me at all times was a treat in this game and I liked the interactivity Guerrilla and Firesprite implemented in this experience. I liked bonking drums and throwing pottery around as much as I liked assembling fire arrows and shooting them into a machine’s opticals. I wish the game didn’t rely so much on climbing, but even in that, it provides a pretty intense and immersive experience. The game isn’t without hiccups, and it won’t give you the same vast freedom the mainline games do, but Horizon Call of the Mountain is still a breathtaking VR adventure, a fun side chapter in Horizon lore, and a great kickoff to the PS VR2’s original lineup of games.

There hasn't been a game in 2018 that's made me smile as much as Pit People. It's a weird world, where things get strange and quirky fast, but it's one that's absolutely worth exploring.

Pacific Drive is a mystery that draws you in little by little and rewards you for staying dedicated with both a better vehicle and more ridiculous threats. Every excursion left me wondering just what I’d discover, both from survival and story standpoints, as well as what kind of crazy threats were going to try to make my life harder. Fun and interesting characters and a pretty great soundtrack help to keep things fun, but maintaining the station wagon is easily the most compelling part. It’s your best friend through thick and thin, even if it’s trying to eat your mind. That can be somewhat forgiven since it makes up the core of an ultimately great rogue-lite survival game.

I wish the soundtrack had cooked a little hotter, but it’s hard to ask for much more than that out of a sequel that is otherwise improved this much. I don’t know if Nintendo will treat Age of Imprisonment as canon, but if it’s the final ribbon on the Breath of Wild era, it’s a dang good one…Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is both an excellent companion to Tears of the Kingdom and another fantastic evolution of the Musou style.

It’s worth noting that you’re still at the mercy of luck with the utterly randomized rooms and some runs can just plain out feel dirty while some have rewards galore, but it mostly feels fair. We say mostly because it felt like there was some hit and collision detection at times with finnicky spikes and holes in the floor that made for what felt like a few cheap deaths. Even so, it’s not enough to detract massively from the overall satisfying experience of adventure and progress that UnderMine provides.

Those looking for a new free-to-play activity to add to their list can certainly do worse than Omega Strikers. It may not be anything revolutionary to the table, but it's enough of a good time that it's worth a few pick-up rounds, especially given its availability across numerous platforms.

Halo Wars didn't rewrite the RTS playbook, and Halo Wars 2 is unlikely to bring on many converts who weren't convinced by the first attempt. In many ways this is an iterative sequel, with new units and balance, and a handful of additions. The campaign is well-made and the multiplayer shines thanks largely to Blitz Mode. It's a streamlined take on a genre that has faded even more in recent years, but in its own way, Halo Wars 2 is still carrying the flame.

Some movies work better in theaters. Some games work better on bleeding-edge hardware. The stars have aligned and a premium Crysis experience is available for the masses. There’s never been a better time to put on the NanoSuit than right now.

Some surprising quality-of-life additions, like the simultaneous Doominate prompts, add to an already solid package in that area. Plus, it's always easy and fun to dive into games as an audience member. The Jackbox Party Pack 11 may not go down as Jackbox Games' best overall package, but the effort to mix up the party themes is at least appreciated.

Anger Foot has a laser-targeted feel to its approach, and I can certainly see a specific group of FPS sickos losing their minds over it. There are tons of challenge, built-in speedrunning, and lots of flashing colors. There’s enough toilet humor to decimate an underfunded transit station bathroom, too. But if you fall outside of those extremely specific (and smelly) parameters, potential interest in Anger Foot is going to plummet. I don’t see the humor being enough to encourage casual audiences to stick around, even with the ability to turn dying off. Personally, I’m happy to wash my hands, uh, literally.

Much like its namesake, Wildfire takes a while to kick off, but once the perfect conditions are met, it can be chaos. The unique abilities make for interesting moments, which is needed thanks to the often monotonous stealth systems that plague the game. For those looking for a neat game to play co-op, you’ll find it in Wildfire.

While FIFA 20 is bogged down by the same issues that have plagued it for years, it does enough to set itself apart as a worthy installment.

I never thought we’d see love for Darkstalkers again outside of something like another Vs. Capcom game. Not only am I happy to have been wrong, but I’m glad it came in such generally high quality as Capcom has given us here in the Capcom Fighting Collection. More than that, having Red Earth, Cyberbots, and Super Puzzle Fighter alongside options like training modes, one-button specials, and other quality-of-life features is just excellent. I lament the lack of crossplay, and some might not be fond of the arcade-hard mentality of some of these games. Still, Capcom Fighting Collection is a delicious buffet of classic fighting goodness that plays quite well across the board.

The Blizzard Arcade Collection isn't a perfect compilation by any means, but for the advancements that Blizzard made on some of these games without compromising the old-school visuals make it a must-own. The Museum is also a fun look back at the making of some of these old gems. Rock N Roll Racing by itself is more than worth the price of admission, but The Lost Vikings and Blackthorne are such unique time capsules of old-school Blizzard design that they're worth experiencing.

It's a friendly introduction for people like me, a flexible platform for hardcore players, and all-around the best version of Planeswalkers yet. Wizards of the Coast and developer Stainless Games have made a great showpiece for an enduring classic of a card game.

I definitely had fun solving a bunch of puzzles, especially ones that involved finding the right visual path through a group of rings, or playing a sort of reverse Minesweeper with black and white squares. Others like hidden objects or hunting for nodes inside a boundary were annoying, but I never felt forced to try them. There’s a lot to like about that idea of zero pressure puzzle-solving. But everything else, like leaping, floating, and gliding around the open world, filling in the skill tree, or deciphering the map and other UI elements, bogged me down. Islands of Insight is a shot at blending together ambitious scale with cozy gaming, and has to try harder than it should to not collapse under its own weight.

Maybe Hundred Heroes doesn’t have me ready to run outside screaming about miracles, but I’m plenty satisfied and ready to go back and fill in some old, classic JRPG blind spots. Well, after I replay Tierkreis.

If you loved Overwatch, there’s really no reason why you won’t enjoy continuing this journey. If you weren’t a fan, this isn’t going to change your mind. That said, if the first batch of heroes, modes, and maps were any indication, it at least looks like Overwatch 2’s new free-to-play seasonal content rotation is going to keep things interesting for a long time to come.

Despite my gripes, the biggest compliment that I can give Civilization 7 is to say that this review is inconvenient. Any time I’m talking, writing, or thinking about the game, I want to play it. I’ve been writing this for hours, and those are precious hours where I could be growing my Ming empire and slapping the other leaders around. Civ 7 is an absolute banger.

I loved Wild Hearts from the moment that a giant flower-infested rat spawned an entire towering cherry blossom tree in the middle of our epic first fight, and my love only grew as I experienced its weapons, gadgets, environments, music, and other creatures.

Some of the most fun I’ve ever had with a game based on a popular franchise tailor-made for smartphones.

PGA Tour 2K25 places plenty of pressure on EA Sports PGA Tour to step up its game. The two-year hiatus has given 2K’s latest effort, with its solid gameplay and improved graphics, a slight edge over its rival. It’s disappointing that a couple of the new mechanics in MyCareer don’t go far enough, and the microtransaction shenanigans with the equipment and locked skill trees have been shoehorned in unnecessarily. Still, the game is sitting at the top of the leaderboard when it comes to golf sims and is looking back at EA to see if it can catch up or be left in the sand trap.

It's easy to write Khazan off as just another Soulslike at a glance, and it would be refreshing to see Neople create its own style and structure instead of just imitating a popular convention. However, Neople went further than most Soulslikes and actually innovated with its take on the genre's combat. That's a big positive, seeing as there's not much else to Khazan outside of battle, but at least all the time spent in combat is enjoyable.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a thoroughly enjoyable spin on the Borderlands formula, but it’s still very much a Borderlands game. Fans of the series will surely enjoy the new spin-off, but don’t expect to be the one that finally grabs you if you haven’t been a fan of the franchise up until this point. Either way, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands does enough to solidify its place among the better entries in the Borderlands franchise.

What makes Detroit: Become Human a great game, though, is that even after going back through alternate narrative branches and winding down my play time, I’m still invested. The world that Quantic Dream gave me to explore is only a short leap from the one we’re living in now, and the ideas presented have left me contemplating the role AI could play in our lives sooner rather than later.

Axiom Verge 2 was more of what I wanted for the most part. Thomas Happ’s understanding of the metroidvania formula works very well throughout the game and it even changes up quite nicely from what the first game had for us. I enjoyed exploring and discovering new abilities, taking in the atmosphere of music and pixels, and platforming through varied pitfalls and foes. Combat feels half-baked and sometimes I really wish the game would have just told me what it wanted me to do next to move the story forward. The narrative going on is intriguing, but also a bit too technobabble at times. Even so, it’s a journey that pushes you into the unknown to overcome a vast tapestry of obstacles and enemies in stark isolation. For that, Axiom Verge 2 continues to nail down the Metroidvania-style in a solid and challenging way.

Indivisible manages to be something fresh and new, without ever getting too outside of the box. The mechanics feel familiar, as they are an exceptional blend of of metroidvania style exploration with RPG character progression. The combat harkens back to traditional RPG gameplay, but introduces new systems that really add a fun sense of strategy. Indivisible also hosts one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse rosters of playable characters I've ever seen.

Like any good jawbreaker, it's worth sticking with and savoring its flavor. With fresh concepts introduced in each stage, lots of collectibles, and creative level and boss designs, Yoshi's Wooly World stands as Yoshi's best outing in a long time.

Take a cornucopia of familiar Hyrule lands, add an absolutely fantastic soundtrack to each of them, and let a collection of amazing characters loose to tell a great story on the battlefield and off, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a game no Zelda or Musou fan should pass up.

Tell Me Why stands out as one of Dontnod Entertainment's best efforts to date, which is high praise given their output to this point. It's a brilliant story about twins coming to terms with childhood trauma while exploring the mysteries of how they came to be where they are. The characters are memorable and the dialogue is some of the best to come out of a Dontnod game yet. And at three chapters that average roughly two hours each, the game doesn't overstay its welcome. Dontnod knows just what it wants to say and it says it beautifully.

Mr. Run and Jump is a fun, but frustrating game that does a good job in replicating the feel of classic Atari gameplay. The music set the tone for each Realm of Color stage very well. Some of the levels even have the enemies moving to the beat of the music too! However, the loose controls really hinder Mr. Run and Jump as a precision platforming game. Certain parts of levels felt like less like a challenge and more like a chore because of the controls and non-intentional ice physics.

Even with its issues, Granblue Fantasy Versus is still hands-down one of the most beautiful and accessible fighters I’ve played in years, and with its prominent place on the mainstage at EVO 2020 and other major fighting game tournaments, I can’t wait to see how Cygames and Arc System Works support it throughout the year.

System Shock was foundational to so many games that would come after it, but it aged like milk in its gameplay and visuals. Nightdive’s System Shock remake keeps much of its successful elements intact while doing away with a lot of its archaic issues that would drag down a modern game.

I’ve lost a lot of time to Metal Slug Tactics during this review period, and I’ll lose countless more as the year goes on. It’s a game for sickos, and I love it for that. But more importantly, it nails the run-and-gun feel of Metal Slug, and somehow transforms that into a tactics game, and that’s a hell of an accomplishment. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an itch, and the only salve is another run.

Windjammers 2 is here and it is fantastic. The game’s presentation is another highlight of Dotemu’s always incredible-looking catalogue of published titles and I love the blend of new and returning characters, courts, moves, and music.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season is a testament to what great writing talent can accomplish. Even with the game's increasingly archaic engine and an art style that isn't quite as unique as it used to be, The Final Season offers a story that ranks up there with the original first season. It is a marvelous piece of work and acts as a bookend to one of the best gaming sagas of the decade.

Even and Dicey’s Journey to save Odd and stop the Queen is well written and presented by the game’s action, music, and narrative, but it feels like there’s also varying degrees of jank just sitting in your periphery. Get past that, and I still feel this is a fairy-tale adventure that deserves a cover-to-cover read.

Lone Echo 2 is just as much a solid blend of narrative and puzzle solving in the VR space as the first one was and continues to show Ready at Dawn has a winning formula for VR players of all styles and comfort levels. [Tested with Oculus Quest 2 via link to PC]

For now, Marvel Rivals is a fine foray into the realm of hero shooters. It's tough to imagine making a splash in such saturated waters, but NetEase has managed to do it with its diverse hero roster, its monetization model, and its usage of destructible worlds. This will be a fun game to watch develop over time, and I'm excited to see where it is at this time next year, but for what it is now, this is a stellar debut.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a marked improvement upon the first game, despite suffering from some of the woes I had with the 2019 title. Cal Kestis’ journey across the galaxy is fraught with danger and the supporting cast are a treat to chat with whether in the midst of a mission or as you explore Koboh. While the combat and movement is still quintessentially Star Wars, it feels like the game has yet to reach its full potential. The good news is that, if you’re a Star Wars fan, you’re going to have a great time in this galaxy.

Dune: Awakening is a big game. Its wide array of content to explore makes the game a perfect one to boot up with a group, but it’s also entirely playable solo as long as you’re prepared for a slow grind. I’d argue taking it slow is what this game wants you to do, though. Dune: Awakening wants you to explore its many nooks and crannies, find the best location for your base of operations, and come into your own as you learn the ins and outs of Arrakis. Its survival systems and world mechanics did a lot to make me feel immersed in the desert planet. Some of those immersive mechanics might go a step too far if you’re not someone who wants to keep logging in consistently, but if you’re in for the long haul, Dune: Awakening has a lot here for pretty much any type of player.

>OBSERVER_ is a superior, more frightening take on the experience we glimpsed from Westwood Studios’ Blade Runner adaptation back in 1997. Outstanding level design and a perfectly paced nightmare make for one of the best adventure titles I’ve ever played. You will feel a sense of cybernetic dread that has been missing since your last run in with Shodan. This is a must play for fans of the genre or anyone looking for a solid scare.

I absolutely have to give Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs Maxi Boost ON credit for its sheer depth of goods as a Gundam fighting game. It packs a lot of fanservice into one game for a franchise so vast and full of different mechs, and it doesn’t lose out on offering a quality fighting system to do it.

If there was ever a AAA gaming franchise begging for a VR installment, it was Assassin’s Creed. What’s really special about Nexus VR is that it isn’t just a tech demo with an Assassin’s Creed flavoring—it’s a full fledged Assassin’s Creed game in VR. One that makes excellent use of the franchise’s unique sci-fi elements and properly translates the best gameplay elements.

Despite the fact that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is also launching on the original Switch, it truly feels like the proper showpiece for the Switch 2. The supreme gameplay design is beautifully complemented by the different input options, all of which are suitable ways to play through this adventure. The experience is bolstered by gorgeous visuals and spectacular performance regardless of how you choose to play.

The impatient will probably give up just a few levels in, but the devoted will find a lot to enjoy with 1001 Spikes. It's a fitting tribute to the games of old, while embracing a challenge level that today's dedicated gamers will truly appreciate. If they don't break their controller first, that is.

I had no idea what I was in for with Gori: Cuddly Carnage, and I certainly didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. Its crassness is kind of a take-it-or-leave-it for me, but it fits a ridiculous world taken over by crazed toys that are in desperate need of murder by a sentient cat friend and his blade hoverboard. And that feels like a good way to look at most of Gori. It sets out do all sorts of things gameplay-wise and it does all of them pretty well to make a ridiculously graphic world and narrative pretty dang fun. Mind the tykes in the room when you’re playing this one.

Having now completed every side mission, substory, and objective in a little over 25 hours, I can only hope Ryu Ga Gotoku learns from this game and works on more bite-sized spin-offs fleshing out the rest of this universe roster of loveable weirdos, gallant heroes, and snarling villains.

There's just something magical about how Choice Provisions approaches rhythmic platforming, and the team's latest formula is better than ever. Runner3 is a perfect example of the genre done right, offering up another welcome serving of the signature style, content, humor, and polish that series fans have come to expect.

Musynx is a light, quick, and challenging music game with plenty of reasons to keep you coming back for more. It may be devoid of endless options, additional difficulties, and all the window dressing that comes with the "bigger" rhythm games out there, but it's well worth taking for a test drive.

It’s short and sweet, sticking around just as long as it needs to tell its cute, little story and give a pair of buds a nice afternoon of game time together. It’s a kind of experience not unlike taking the time to put a real Lego set together with a friend.

Unravel's strengths lie more in its heart-warming story than offering compelling gameplay. Even though there are some thought-provoking puzzles, they’re few and far between. There’s no doubt Yarny is quite the adorable little mascot who has good intentions, but a video game can’t succeed on good intentions alone.

If you're looking to expand your horizons or simply get your start in the horror genre on your shiny new handheld, you could do way worse than this double shot of high-octane zombified horror game. It's not the classic Resident Evil adventure you may remember from your original PlayStation or GameCube endeavors, but it's certainly a worthy buy, motion control issues and all.

Sonic Origins is not only an excellent trip down memory lane for fans of the series, it’s also the perfect entry point for those looking to play them for the very first time. The games are all as beautiful as ever and control like a dream. There are also a plethora of bonus goodies that celebrate the iconic artwork and music of the platforming series. While it’s easy to get caught up in arguments about the current direction of the Sonic IP, Sonic Origins is a refreshing reminder that the original games are among the best 2D platformers ever made.

I had a good time with Part Time UFO for what it was: a quick puzzle game and a good way to kill a few minutes. It's not going to monopolize anybody's time, but the game is competently put together, has a fun premise, and fits great on the Switch. There aren't a lot of failings here outside of the difficulty spike and its simplistic visuals that make it feel closer to a 3DS game. It's just good, clean fun.

As it stands now, Road to Eden feels less like a full release and more like an extended demo.

While Capcom Beat’Em Up Bundle does have some online multiplayer issues it’s still a ton of fun overall.

Another Crab’s Treasure is a shocker of a good time. The combat is mostly fair and interesting with all of the stuff you can do involving shells, level-ups, Stowaways, and other options. The world is also fun to explore, beautiful, if a little bittersweet, and full of secrets. Mix that with a good soundtrack and a funny story full of cute little crustacean characters, and Another Crab’s Treasure might be one of the most surprisingly sturdy Souls-likes I’ve seen in years.

Riders Republic is a surprisingly good time with arcade-like extreme sports that feel thoroughly unique from one another. Online events are the best parts of the game, though it can get bogged down by glitches and server-related issues. Despite that, Riders Republic is still one of my surprise pleasures of 2021.

Mageseeker is perhaps my favorite thing to come out of Riot Forge publishing yet. Digital Sun has already proven that they have a good grasp of what makes an action-RPG fun, but they put their chops to great work here, bending a highly interesting corner of League of Legends lore to their style. Sylas fits them well, and they make his story sing in turn. Between compelling ability-stealing combat, chain-flinging traversal, an ever-expanding and upgradeable arsenal, and a beautiful musical score guiding another awesome visual and narrative interpretation of League of Legends, Mageseeker is an incredible time. Whether you’re a fan of League of Legends or not, this is a journey worth seeing through to the end.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is another fascinating new universe from Don’t Nod Entertainment. The studio’s narrative and character design shine through several times throughout the story, but it wasn’t as consistent or compelling as I hoped. The combat was generic and harmless but eventually grew tiresome as it felt like a means to reach the next story beat. Still, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a gorgeous game with plenty of meat on its bones, and I hope it’s not the last we see of this world.

To be perfectly honest, Tomba! isn’t a game for everyone. It’s silly, often feels directionless and random, poorly-explained, and looks a little wonky in that old PS1 game way you love or hate. And the controls can feel fumbly, not just with Tomba’s comically huge jump but with the game and emulator itself. I still find myself forgetting which button to press to do which action, and there isn’t an in-game controller menu aside from the scanned manual (which has the controller glyphs blanked out for maximum legal efficiency). You also can't pause the videos! for some reason! But where Tomba! lacks polish and clarity it more than makes up for in charm, humor, and the fun of discovery. And this Special Edition release treats it with a level of admiration that’s long-past due.

I wish the writing was a bit less shallow, which feels like a side effect of trying to cram so much in a small space and doing so with a sandbox-style structure. Visual novels benefit from guardrails preventing them from catering too much to the player, and Date Everything abstains to its own detriment. But it’s still cute and fun, and there’s no denying the dopamine hits and humor from each new character reveal. Sassy Chap’s debut game is a commendable effort, and more like this can only benefit visual novels as a whole.

People of Note has lot of heart. However muddied its story might be, I can't say that it doesn't have charm. Its turn-based battles are some of the best I've seen in an RPG in a long time, making the most of its musical motif. Plus, the musical performances go a long way toward making this game more memorable than it would have been without them. I wouldn't say it's worthy of topping the Billboard charts, but it's certainly worth a few plays.

The controls may be cumbersome, and the pacing may be faulty, but it's a romp worth sticking with. With its superpowered premise, memorable characters, and fascinating gameplay gimmick, The Wonderful 101 is a theatrical blockbuster that's perfect for Wii U.

Between the varied courses that are available, the multiplayer options and the excellent gameplay dynamic, Mario Golf: World Tour offers a little something to everyone, both pro and casual players alike. What it lacks in innovation (and in some cases, quality audio- your Mii sounds too much like a doofus), it more than makes up for with a swinging good time.

As a big-time fan of MLB The Show, I am rather disappointed at how the next-gen version of the game panned out this year. The lack of a rock-solid 60fps and virtually no graphical embellishments other than lighting make things feel like a half-step rather than a new experience. I can fully understand that SIE San Diego’s attention was focused on some other super-important considerations this year, though. AAA-quality baseball is now available to all console owners (please Sony remember the PC in 2022) and the sun is shining on virtual big leaguers who are down for crossplay. MLB The Show 21 is once again an incremental step, but still an important one for the series moving forward.

If you're a fan of the ol' ultraviolence, sentient pieces of fruit, attitude akin to that of games like Hotline Miami, or dizzying gorefests, My Friend Pedro is for you. Give it a look, and give the trigger a squeeze. You'll find it has quite the ap-peel.

I, for one, will be anxiously awaiting the day when we get a host of all new WarioWare microgames for the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo, call me. I've got tons of ideas.

Remnant: From the Ashes is immediately familiar and infinitely enjoyable. Gunfire Games has created something really special. The randomized experience means that subsequent playthroughs feel fresh while offering continued purpose through leveling, alternate boss kills, and weapon acquisition. Though it does have a few rough edges with pacing and story, Remnant: From the Ashes takes its rightful place at the Soulsborne table.

Unbound: Worlds Apart is a refreshingly original platformer, as its portal mechanic makes for some genuinely creative and challenging puzzles. The platforming is also bolstered by this same portal mechanic. The game is also quite gorgeous, thanks to its hand drawn art style. The way that the portals reveal another side of the world worked to make exploring that much more exciting. Alien Pixel Studios’ Unbound: Worlds Apart is an impressive outing from the indie developer and one of my favorites of the year so far.

Watch Dogs could've easily been Grand Theft Auto with tech equipment. But Ubisoft Montreal has managed to flesh out this experience as something more, making fantastic use of the technology and applying it just right to deliver a remarkably deep experience.

Rhythm Psychosis is a heck of an experience that, depending on how much you know about this stuff going in, can be a window into an unfamiliar world, a push down a rabbit hole you had no previous plans to enter. And that’s fascinating, and a cool central theme to wrap a whole music game around. Combine that with some brilliant localization for what had to be some mind-boggling source material, an admittedly strange but catchy soundtrack, solid enough rhythm gameplay (think DJMAX but a bit simpler), and some storytelling chops unafraid to tackle dark material in an empathetic way, and you have a deranged feast of a game to sift through. That said, having to grind out levels far beyond what the tracklist can reasonably support just to finish the story is criminal. Yunyun Syndrome’s momentum plunges off a cliff about halfway through, and that’s a real shame considering how much energy it has out of the gate. I feel like I’ve wasted hours of my life on this game despite loving it at first, and that’s a sense of conflict I wish I didn’t have to contend with.

After being in early access on multiple platforms, Inkulinati delivers a satisfying game with an original art style in its full release. The colorful, humorous character art and animations are impressive and entertaining. A lot of effort went into creating a dense and intense combat system. However, Journey Mode becomes predictable within a few runs and could have been more innovative. The lack of online multiplayer is unfortunate too, especially for a game based on dueling. Inkulinati is a fun page-turner, but it’s still in need of several revisions.

Tropico 6 is the best game I've played all year.

Solar Ash is another hugely stylish venture from Heart Machine, though it’s not terribly long. Exploring any area to its fullest ran me about two to four hours and the whole thing ran about 11 hours for me when it was all said and done. Nonetheless, the graceful feel of movement, platforming, and combat in this game can’t be denied, and it’s accompanied by a lush and interesting mix of neon, natural, and industrial landscapes caught up in Solar Ash’s Voidspace. There’s a little jank in the controls here at here, but generally, for such a quick game, Solar Ash glides like a cosmic dream.

It isn't a terrible game by any means, and I'd rank it much higher on the totem pole than the previous installment, Assassin's Creed Unity. But that doesn't change the fact that Ubisoft's latest assassin-centered story is only a few shades above mediocre.

I had some mixed feelings by the time I rolled credits on Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion. When I played FF7 Remake, I felt like I had played something noticeably grander than its source material. I didn't get that same sensation out of Crisis Core. Instead, I felt like I was playing an updated version of the PSP original. After thinking it over, I ultimately determined that the PSP original was pretty good and given the visual upgrades and the quality-of-life changes, I felt generally satisfied by Reunion. As a whole and in a vacuum, I heartily give this game a thumbs up. To Final Fantasy 7 fans, specifically, I have to say that Reunion is an absolute must play, especially given that nobody knows where this is all heading.

If there is a piece of good news here, I feel confident that Asobo will continue to resolve these issues and, given enough time, we'll end up with a Microsoft Flight Simulator that is as stable as 2020 and benefits from all the additional technical improvements. We're not there now though, and now is when folks have spent their money on this product. The '2024' title feels premature; this game needed another 6-12 months of development and testing. It's apparent that it's simply not ready and much more work is required before it is. Flight simmers now have to decide if they want to go back to 2020, like many have, or be the beta testers for 2024 and accept that it'll take time before things are better.

A strange kind of beast. Its level design is as strong as ever and the villain trapping gimmick is a strong addition with some great gameplay implications. At the same time, the character designs are getting tired.

While it isn't without a few faults, it's very much an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon or two with, then return to later in the week to see how much more you can take on. I'm all about the grind in my day-to-day life, so seeing something similar in such a fun and rewarding little game was right up my alley.

This dungeon crawling RPG builds upon familiar mechanics to craft something fresh and new.

While the first Life is Strange was a fantastic story that I felt stumbled to the finish line, Life is Strange 2 feels the opposite. It started rough and gradually grew into a strong tale of sibling's rasing one another. How they go about raising one another is ultimately up to you.

Capcom Vancouver shot for a much larger world and, in the end, that idea wound up taking away from the overall experience. In the case of Dead Rising 3, I feel like less would have been more.

Hell is Us initially hooked me with its horror vibe and cool-looking action. After a fifty-hour playthrough, I’m happy to report that the combat is indeed cool and the vibes are indeed horror-adjacent, but Hell is Us is much more than that. It tells a story, rooted in realism, about the effects of war and how people become divided. It’s also a supernatural mystery with extremely elaborate lore and worldbuilding. One that you can spend hours diving into. Hell is Us trusts the player to investigate and uncover the mystery of Hadea without any guidance, and it’s a mystery worth solving.

I walked away from Captain Spirit wanting to know more about where the story is headed, but even without the game's overt hints pointing to the eventual Life is Strange sequel, I enjoyed Chris' story for what it was. And given the current state of the world, it's nice to experience a story from the eyes of an innocent child. Captain Spirit challenges players to approach it with a different perspective and that challenge is one everyone should welcome.

Far Cry 5 was a good game that could have been great. Had Ubisoft not been so concerned with holding my hand, or overwhelming me with clutter to keep me from getting bored, Hope County would have gone down as one of the better open worlds I’ve stepped foot in.

Going Under is a fun dungeon crawler that parodies capitalism and the culture surrounding it. While a shorter experience, the game is given a solid level of replayability thanks to the procedural generation and wide variety of weapons. Though the combat feels like it’s lacking depth at times, it’s still fun to sling office equipment around at foes. Going Under is a great offering from the team at Aggro Crab and Team17.

While I found the first-person cameras lead me to slower lap times, they were my preferred way to crash the bikes. I’ve still yet to win at the Isle of Man on a modern bike, but hopefully, that time arrives soon. 8/10 Ninja wheelies

While I personally already own much of SNK’s NES catalog on cartridges, having portable versions of several arcade classics that I can take anywhere on my Nintendo Switch along with their 8-bit counterparts is definitely a bonus. While most of them are gems in their own right, the actual arcade cabinets can be rare and hard to come by in the wild, especially since most titles like the Ikari Warriors series had a proprietary joystick that twisted as opposed to a twin-stick shooter setup.

Pepper Grinder is a digestible adventure that can be completed in about six hours. While there is some replay value to be had, the short runtime helps ensure the game does not overstay its welcome, making it perfect for those looking to play a satisfying platformer in manageable doses. Despite its brevity, the fluid mobility provided by the drilling mechanic and overall frenetic gameplay make for an engaging retro romp that will likely tunnel its way straight to your heart.

Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition offers up a lot of content and does a great job of compelling players to unlock more of it. As long as everyone knows what they’re getting into though I would definitely recommend this game to fans of the Dynasty Warriors franchise regardless of their familiarity with Zelda. I’d also give a thumbs up to fans of the Zelda games that are into arcade-style action every now and again.

The gameplay of UFC 4 is stellar and rewarding, but once the novelty begins to wear off, there’s not much more to keep players invested.

Simultaneously a franchise cash-in and love letter to the classic LucasArts PC space combat games of the 1990s, Squadrons sticks to its mission and comes out the other side of a warp-speed jump successfully. Pummeling a star destroyer against the Wild Berry Skittles-esque backdrop of Yavin Prime doesn’t require my undivided attention or multiple scans of my credit card. Seems like a fair deal to me. 8/10 burning embers of Alderaan.

An amalgam of excellent new augments, though for the most part it stays the same and implements new looks and skins. I'm not sure there's enough that it actually changes from the other game, but there's still plenty here to enjoy and hungrily devour, like Pac-Man and ghosts, if you're a diehard fan or even have a passing interest in the game.

Roadcraft brilliantly evokes the feeling of being a kid in a giant sandbox - only with grown-up tools. Jumping between massive machines, loading materials, flattening asphalt, and restoring order to disaster zones is immensely satisfying. Once you get past some UI quirks and minor annoyances, Roadcraft offers hours of engaging, mud-slinging fun. Bring a few friends, and the experience becomes even more rewarding.