The best thing I can say about Fights in Tight Spaces is that it's so easy to get lost in a run. You can start this game at 7 or 8 p.m. and it'll be midnight before you even know what's what. It takes a special kind of game for me to lay in bed overnight thinking about what my strategy will be the next day, but this one has done that. It's one of the best indie titles this year and will probably go down as one of my favorite roguelikes ever by the time this secret agent sits down to have his martini.

There’s enough variety to the levels, both visual and otherwise, to keep things interesting, and Sandman Team does a good job of iterating on concepts in interesting ways while ensuring they don’t overstay their welcome. Through the Nightmares isn’t a long game — you can get through the whole thing in about five or six hours — but it is a good one with a unique concept, and it feels custom-made to be played in short bursts. It gives just as much back as you put in, and I appreciate that in a platformer like this. It probably won’t change your life, but it might just get you through a couple of sleepless nights. Sometimes, all you need is a little help from a friendly Sandman to make it to dawn.

When you find a village for the first time and it’s been completely destroyed, with no visible context on what happened or what you could have done to prevent it. When you go to grind a little to get stronger and the monsters are suddenly different and stretch you like a slinky. When you open the menu and the clock menacingly moves forward. Each hurdle is a part of a chaotic whole such that even figuring it out is part of the journey. Except for the cutscene subtitles. That part’s just a bummer.

Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville takes the foundation of the Garden Warfare series and expands upon it. No longer is the game just about competitive multiplayer, there’s now a wide variety of co-op activities for friends to play through. Whether you’re a fan of Garden Warfare, or new to the Plants vs Zombies series, there’s something for everyone in Battle for Neighborville.

This is still the best professional sports sim you can get on any hardware and if you are a baseball fan that hasn’t played The Show in recent years, this is an experience to look out for. For others who have been waiting years for something new, this one sadly isn’t it. As a PC version of this game eludes us once anew, I will again be hoping that next year is when SIE San Diego opts to redefine video game baseball for the next generation.

In a lot of ways the early Game Boy Advance years were all over the place. The rules hadn’t been established yet, and the potential was higher than ever. Anime had penetrated the mainstream, Call of Duty didn’t exist and nobody really hated Sonic the Hedgehog yet. Experiments and sequel vomiting could happen at the same time, and games were still small enough to support niche audiences of all sizes. Battle Network, especially in retrospect, feels like a poster child of that time. It’s probably a little overwhelming to dive in now, and lord knows how corny the Y2K tech jargon reads, but you can’t find a better singular piece of media that sums it all up so neatly.

There hasn't been a new Super Monkey Ball game in over a decade and Sega certainly approached this new entry to the series like it had some catching up to do. There's a lot to enjoy in Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, from the lengthy story to the local and online multiplayer. It certainly isn't perfect, especially given that some of the series' most recognizable multiplayer modes aren't here. Seriously, no Monkey Target might cause an uproar among fans. However, even with those missing staples and some over-the-top difficulty spikes, this is no rotten banana. Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a strong comeback for the series and will hopefully keep rolling for years to come.

Orcs Must Die! 3 is an excellent outing from Robot Entertainment, as it delivers exciting tower defense action along with some truly challenging sequences. The two new protagonists serve to usher the story in a new direction, while adding some flavor to gameplay. Playing with a friend is best, as it allows the two stars of the game to shine the brightest. Now free from the shackles of Google Stadia exclusivity, Orcs Must Die! 3 is the best entry in the series.

I often felt like I was fighting the game just to get around, which was frustrating in a software kind of way rather than an atmospheric enhancement. I wasn’t scared because I was too busy squinting or yanking on the flashlight’s pull cord just so I could pull on doors and latches. No amount of spooky ambiance in the background could bring me back into the experience.

Mario has ventured to massive worlds before. He's even surfed the cosmos across different galaxies. Rarely has a world in any of his games felt this connected. Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a game about building bonds, the kind that Mario shares with his cherished brother.

Even if Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider stays almost too close to the Mega Man X formula, it still utilizes it well. The visuals and music are definite highlights that put this game apart, but it also just feels satisfying to play. The ride is over all-too-soon, but we’re happy to have taken it.

Those who haven't experienced Donkey Kong Country Returns in the past owe it to themselves to try it out. It's a masterpiece with inspired level design, a beautiful art style, and fun that can be experienced alone or with a friend. However, those who have already taken this journey on Wii or 3DS won't really find anything new in this barrel of monkeys. It's safe to go back in your treehouse and wait for Donkey Kong to return again.

The fact that a handful of game modes and features aren't ready for consumer use feels frustrating, especially since the quality of those inclusions can't be judged until they make it into the game. Battle Lounges, Online Lobbies, and Spectator modes could be awesome, but right now, nobody can say for sure.

I Am Dead has a very interesting story to tell, a colorful and varied environment in which to tell it, and a very cool way of going about the telling. The use of ghostly powers to explore, but never directly interact with the world, yet still solve puzzles was quite fun and unique. The more I unraveled of the mystery, the more intrigued I was and the more I wanted to know about each of the people presented to me, their lives, their connections, and the island they lived on.

For anyone looking for a challenge, Cyber Shadow is going to make their day. This would have fit in like a glove with the old NES library, next to Ninja Gaiden, Contra, and Castlevania. Those who remember those days and remember nearly getting an aneurism over how crushingly difficult those old games were, maybe sit this one out.

There’s a lot going on in Dying Light 2 Stay Human. The story that’s presented is moreish, despite having predictable beats and clichés. Its movement is sleek and fast when it’s working but often stumbles over itself. The combat has glimpses of greatness but can wind up feeling a bit average. Overall, each element taken by itself has potential but when mixed together dilutes what could be a rich experience. Though there are moments of joy to be found, they’re punctuated by fetch quests and odd collision detection. Fans of the original will no doubt find fun in a return to the world, but for everyone else, you might want to wait a bit longer before you take a bite.

Modern Warfare 2 cherry-picks gameplay mechanics from other genres and incorporates them into the game under the guise of innovation. The enjoyable moments of the campaign are tarnished by unnecessary limitations, technical problems, and pacing issues. While its solid gunplay, movie-quality visuals, and exceptionally acted characters are among its most redeeming qualities, the campaign relies heavily on the nostalgia of its predecessors without creating any truly iconic moments of its own. I still recall what it was like to experience the original 2009 Modern Warfare 2’s satisfying gut-punch of a finale. Unfortunately, this year’s campaign did not end on nearly as satisfying or memorable a note.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a treat for fans of the original game as well as those who were introduced to the franchise with Luigi’s Mansion 3. It’s been properly modernized with beautiful lighting and improved features, though there are some growing pains in the jump between platforms. Still, it provides the excellent blend of spooky and silly that makes the series so endearing.

While Dragon Quest purists may not enjoy the action-RPG feel of Dragon Quest Heroes, I still was able to enjoy the experience a great deal as a long-time fan of the series, regardless of the few issues I had with it.

It’s good to see Skunkape get to continue its revisitation of classic Telltale history, instead of riding off into the sunset after finishing the Sam and Max trilogy. It’s also neat to see this little oddity in particular not only come back, but do so with tweaks and even keeping the Team Fortress 2 interactivity intact. I hope this team gets to continue working on stuff, keeping that era of adventure games alive for as long as possible. In the meantime though, I’m feeling like I could get pretty good at poker.

EA Sports FC 26 boasts some of the best on-field gameplay the series has ever seen. Casual and veteran players alike will appreciate the split in gameplay presents and just how distinct and responsive each dribble, pass, and shot feels in accordance with each. Monitization has unfortunately poked its ugly head into single-player modes now, too, so be fair warned in that regard. Still, this is the best soccer simulator I've played in years, so it is unlikely to disappoint anyone willing to look past some of its minor faults.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a beautiful journey through Chloe Price's teenage years. It's a brilliant exploration of what happens when a directionless teenager meets a special person that changes the course of their life forever. It's a journey that explores the themes of loss, love, finding one's self, and whether the road to happiness ultimately lies in truth.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream gave me a unique chance to create an ecosystem that would make a 2000s era TV producer weep tears of joy. I can’t say I ever expected a game to give me this kind of experience, but I guess that’s just what it’s like when you’re Living the Dream.

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is an extremely charming metroidvania thanks to its rich use of Japanese folklore in its world and character design. Not only is the world nice to look at, but a delight to explore. There are some rough edges when it comes to the platforming, but there is immense fun to be had if you can work past them.

The Quiet Apocalypse isn’t without problems, but Hinterland's commitment to adding new content, while refining the experience over the years, has positioned The Long Dark at the top of the survival genre’s pecking order. The Long Dark is a must-play for anyone who is even remotely intrigued by it.

In an ideal world, the remasters probably would have worked better as proper remakes. Baten Kaitos and Origins’ pre-rendered backgrounds were gorgeous on the Gamecube, and they’re just as lovely now. Some aspects would have benefited from more improvement, though. Character animations, limited dialogue illustrations, awkward battle structures, and wonky localization weren’t great at the time and don’t hold up quite so well. Both games are still worth experiencing, but there are a few more hurdles to enjoying them than there should be.

If Quantum Break is a game fractured between two worlds, the one reality set for us as players is the one in which it's a shooter that often isn't a shooter, and a story that doesn't fully explore its narrative potential. It has intriguing ideas regarding both, but in this case, two halves don't really make a whole.

Even though the game is a huge crossover event, by making everything make sense in its own world of Grymoire, the game doesn’t rely exclusively on nostalgia to hook players. Even though you’ll see Sephiroth, Squall, and other friends in your quest, even those who somehow don’t know these iconic characters can get enjoyment out of the great gameplay and light-hearted story of World of Final Fantasy.

It’s easy to compare Fae Tactics to the best parts of Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea, but it also doesn’t take long to see just how much of its own unique flavor it brings to the turn-based strategy RPG genre while mostly avoiding the more annoying grind points of these types of games.

If you haven’t played the original version, Tales of Berseria Remastered is a must-play. It tackles revenge in a way you don’t see often, especially in games that look like this. Violet is an all-timer of an anti-hero protagonist, and the supporting crew of misfits are great to spend time with as well. The combat system is fun too, although it’s not as strict or expressive as others in the series. If you already know Berseria well, there isn’t really a great reason to show up outside of convenience and a new set of trophies if you’re not already hankering for a replay. I’d love to see older Tales games get the re-release treatment instead, but I can’t deny Berseria’s banger status, either. An enthusiastic but slightly confused thumbs up from me, then.

At the end of the day, this is an inferior version of Left 4 Dead 2 that lacks the style, charm, gore, and engaging characters it tries to reproduce. That said, there is a decent foundation here and there are worse ways you could spend a weekend with some buddies.

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game is an interesting iteration on Saber Interactive's earlier off-road simulation titles that brings some new features while keeping the core challenge familiar to fans of the series. There is a lot of content available, though much of it inevitably boils down the main concept of having to deal with hard environments. Most of this works reasonably well, but some of the new additions feel a bit light and not as fully fleshed out as I'd like them to be. Overall, it is an enjoyable experience, but only the hardcore fans of the series are likely to make it through the hundreds of hours spent climbing over rocks and sinking into pits of mud.

Arms sessions are quick, fun, and satisfying. With easy-to-pick-up mechanics, solid stage design, and quirky characters, Arms genuinely feels like a fun and different addition to the fighting game genre. More than that, it feels like just the kind of game that makes the Nintendo Switch itself feel fun and different.

Will I come back to LEGO Party! over time? In this case, it’s not up to me, it’s up to the folks I played with. I will say that’s part because these are the people I play party games with, and part because I probably won’t suggest it myself. LEGO Party! is a fine enough virtual board game, and is a particular standout in the ways it uses that LEGO license to the fullest. From the look and feel of the experience to the themes and ideas in minigames, the developers thought of damn near every way you could possibly think to incorporate LEGO into a Mario Party competitor. What holds it back is both how closely it adheres to the Mario Party formula, and how rough and unfriendly the minigames can be from a gameplay perspective, especially for younger or less experienced players. It’s a cute romp, but not all the way there yet.

Darksiders Genesis feels a lot like some of our favorite parts of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance games mixed with Darksiders tone and puzzle-solving. It unfortunately brings some issues in those games along, such as enemy repetition and glitchy environments, but these are light problems among the genuinely enjoyable and accessible gameplay.

NBA 2K25 is in the same place as most modern sports franchises. There are iterative changes and refinements that improve existing modes, but so many of the game’s issues—several of which have existed for multiple games now—remain unchanged. The hardcore base knows what they’re getting and will appreciate the incremental changes, but if you’re still having fun on 2K24, there’s no pressing reason to upgrade.

Genesis Noir is a very curious game, and mostly in a good way. The cosmic nature of its narrative is tied down interestingly in its humanized elements and the animation and music do a good job of giving every moment life and charm, even if it can sometimes get confusing. It’s not a long game, and some of its stretches are a bit too simplistic for their own good, but Genesis Noir also features a lot of creativity in prominent portions of its puzzles and progression. If you enjoy a good point-and-click adventure and don’t mind a game that just wants a moment to share its bombastic narrative of cosmic creation and love, Genesis Noir might very well be narrative worth your time and interest.

For the most part, Stealth Inc. 2 is a very enjoyable stealth based platforming game, but the sudden switches from planned stealth to frantic reflex based gameplay might be a turn-off for those like me.

Olija is incredibly cinematic, despite its minimalist approach to art style. The game still feels fantastical thanks to an incredible attention to detail with both the visual and sound design. In addition, Olija tells a heartfelt story with important themes, while keeping satisfying gameplay at the center of it all. It becomes even more impressive when you realize the game was practically developed by one person, Thomas Olsson of Skeleton Crew Studios. Olija is a pleasant treat and likely an early frontrunner for one of the best indie titles of 2021.

Despite the snags I’ve mentioned, I’m still thinking about Read Only Memories: Neurodiver well after I finished the story. It’s such a pitch-perfect execution on its premise, mixing the worlds of modern cyberpunk with ancient PC technology and western anime fandom. I had a blast spending several hours with these characters and the world they inhabit, and would gladly have spent several hours more. A little more narrative depth and some puzzle guardrails and we’d have a true all-timer on our hands. But as it is, Neurodiver still stands out as a dope slice of niche gaming in a month stupidly crowded with that kind of thing.

Tales of Graces is an entry in the series I’ve heard about the least over the years, partially due to its absence on the Wii when it was new, and the PS3’s relative struggle to get eyeballs in front of RPGs. So having Tales of Graces f Remastered out, with all the DLC included, modern visual updates and other neat, little quality of life touches, is a nice way to comfortably explore the past. If you’re someone who has only come to the Tales table recently through recent entries like Zestiria, Bersaria, or Arise, this is a comfortable way to visit what the series looked like in a previous era. It isn’t an all-time entry like Symphonia, but it isn’t an easier skip like Tales of Hearts either. And if the somewhat clumsy combat system clicks on top of the endearing characters and fun story, you’ve got a lowkey banger on your hands.

Herdling is a fairly linear game that wraps up in about six hours. Despite its relatively short playtime, Herdling does a decent job at capturing the unspoken bond that forms between a herder and their animals, while showcasing the many facets that come with the role. Although Herdling could certainly stand to be longer, artificial length may not necessarily improve the game. As much as I would have liked more time with my loyal companions, the length is appropriate for the type of story Herdling is trying to tell, and its brevity doesn’t diminish the journey it offers. This is an adventure that will tug at your heartstrings, while leaving you with a handful of bittersweet memories and screenshots to hold on to. If you are willing to spend an afternoon opening yourself to a moving story told through guiding gestures and the steady rumble of hooves, it would behoove you to give Herdling a go.

The title does a phenominal job of tracking the player's movements, bridges the gap between a video game and its player through the use of a highly-interactive medium, and can make the player really feel like they're in control of the music better than any other music game ever.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 isn’t a well-reasoned, but flawed remake of an old PS2 game not easily playable anymore. It’s a meddled-with version of a PS3 game that already has an accessible PS4/PC remaster, which is being removed from sale for this. Major features are missing from the original. The story seems to have been changed in ways returning fans will take issue with, continuing a trend that’s upsetting more and more people. And to top it all off, this game (perhaps accidentally) is the tip of the spear of an effort to culturally rehabilitate a sex offender who is on the public record as going beyond “allegations.” Feels bad.

Ultimately, Bloodless is an interesting, straightforward kind of game that is exactly what it says it is on the box. There’s a central premise, and the gameplay revolves (almost) entirely around it, even if it wavers a little out of an apparent necessity. And even then, takes the care to justify the shift in a way that lines up in the fiction. The non-lethal combat is fun to engage with, and doesn’t simply feel like another samurai game about parrying. There also isn’t a ton more to Bloodless than that, which is totally fine. There’s a target, the game lines up its shot, and hits it dead center. Good stuff.

While Infinity Ward might have played it a little too safe when it came to the competitive multiplayer mode, the improvements in the single-player campaign and Call of Duty: Zombies are substantial. The single-player campaign, in particular, hooked me, and I hope that future campaigns in the Call of Duty universe get the same care.

A fantastic gem, and an excellent spin-off for one of gaming's most celebrated strategy franchises.

Crimson Desert is an exercise in excess, and it is worse for it. If you believe more is always better and are so enraptured by “world big” that you are willing to overlook substantial, glaring flaws (and there are many), you’ll love Crimson Desert. Perhaps the most damning thing I can say about Crimson Desert is that it is an enormous game with a ton of content, and I spent most of my time with it wishing I was doing anything else.

There's a lot that I like about Time on Frog Island conceptually. It heavily encourages exploration, opens the way for players to experiment with items that they find, and allows them to observe weird frog people in their natural habitat. I don't even mind that the game is one giant daisy chain of fetch quests, because at least it looks pretty and new activities gradually open up over the course of the journey...However, there are several aspects of this trading title that didn't sit well with me.

Rebellion’s Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a great take on a classic genre. The developers experience in crafting satisfying shooters is abundantly clear here, as ZA4’s combat is airtight. The campaign features unique locations and fun co-op opportunities. Horde mode is home to some of the most chaotic and high tensity gameplay I've ever experienced. Some technical choices and limitations impeded my experience, but not enough to stop Zombie Army 4: Dead War from being the romp that it is.

Sniper Elite 4 offers more of the same great gameplay that its predecessors were known for while tightening it up for the current generation. Rebellion has crafted a sniper simulator that, while not for everyone, has the complexity and polish to be one of the best shooters of 2017.

This was a huge and delightful surprise for me and I’ve enjoyed exploring every bit of Actraiser Renaissance’s reimagined take on one of my classic gaming loves. Yuzo Koshiro crushes it with both the classic and rearranged soundtrack, the gameplay is fun and a little bit improved in some cases, and the world is more enjoyable than ever to take in from the skies above and on the ground. I wish some classic pain points hadn’t come along for the ride and that the sprite work was a bit better, but Actraiser Renaissance is still a fantastic title whether you’re walking down memory lane or playing it for the first time.

Bramble: The Mountain King is as gorgeous as it is horrifying, with surprises lurking around every corner. The game excels at building tension and suspense while maintaining visual splendor throughout. Although the game isn’t particularly long–I rolled credits around 7 hours–it is an experience that horror game enthusiasts will not want to miss.

EA Canada took NHL 20 all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals this year but fell just shy of the perfect season. Unlike the Boston Bruins, though, there is no reason for EA Canada to mope. NHL 20 is close to the best video game hockey experience ever made, and that should be celebrated.

Bloober Team took what they learned from combat and survival design on Silent Hill 2, blended it with its expertise in environmental design, and told a story that sinks its hand-claws in and leaves you uncertain of your decisions at pivotal points. It’s not always ticking at a good pace, but Cronos is an intense time-hopping journey that adds frightful new flavor to the horror universe.

South of Midnight is an impressive narrative feat from Compulsion Games. It’s a well-paced adventure that goes big on characters and story, though combat and platforming feel a bit uniform. I hope it’s not the last we’ve seen of this world and these characters.

Valhalla is a dark and moody dystopic game with an infectious underlying optimism. It’s comfort food, a relaxed experience welcoming you with soothing music, cooly-colored visuals, casual conversation, and a calm sensation. This, mixed with its brilliant approach of telling a story through the experiences of its characters, makes it a smart and inventive new take on the science fiction visual novel.

Outlaws is at its best when it’s telling you a story. I was immediately invested in Kay and Nix and loved going on this journey with them. I didn’t skip a single cinematic or hurry through dialogue and, as a casual Star Wars fan, I would say that’s a big win for the folks at Massive Entertainment. There were certainly some places where the gameplay felt repetitive, but climbing, grappling, and taking out my foes in chaotic battles with my Blaster always felt satisfying. Working with Nix to solve puzzles or stealth through areas was a treat. Now that I’ve beaten the story, I’m not sure I’ll spend much time in the open world, but Outlaws did such a good job that I’m thinking of digging into some of the movies and television shows I’ve been passing on. That’s about as big a compliment as I can give the story.

By most standards, Grey Goo is an excellent real-time strategy game with fantastically unique factions and stunning graphics. Its campaign undermines some of its positive aspects with a steep difficulty curve, some annoying "gotcha" moments, and maps that can make it difficult for expansion.

I went into The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters expecting nothing, but aside from the initial frustration I had with its combat elements, came away having enjoyed this nice little slice of K-horror a lot. Now that it's over (it's rather short), I find myself thinking about going to the original game and giving it a try. If you're looking for a unique take on survival horror that isn't part of an established series already, this should whet your horror whistle nicely.

Much like Danganronpa before it, despite its problems my time with Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus will be hard to forget. I’m thankful I waited until this updated version to give it a whirl; with a silky smooth frame rate and high resolution, the visual elements really get to sing. Even when I wasn’t fully on board with where the story was going, Rain Code made me think, which is high praise for a game about a deadly goth girlfriend puking rainbows and shooting heart-shaped laser beams from her face as a means of exposing criminal conspiracies.

Studio Folly and Toot Games have dealt players a good hand with Dogpile. Tetris dreaming is one thing, but it's another to see falling dogs in your sleep. It's a good problem to have, especially since they're all such good boys.

I can’t make heads or tails of Eternal Strands. If we talk about polish, art direction, music, and combat I think it is a great title that will entertain for quite some time. But once all was said and done, I struggled to remember anything aside from a few cool combat encounters. The progression system aside from spells is a little uninspired, and the story outside of its charming cast isn’t much to write home about either. If you want to know if this game is for you or not, I highly suggest you give the demo a go. If you like what the game is putting down after completing that, I think you’ll enjoy it. If you don’t, I doubt the rest of the game will make you fall in love with it either. While I’m walking away from Eternal Strands with my hunger sated, I would’ve liked more adventurous appetizers and a dessert alongside the filling main course.

Even if it does get monotonous sometimes, I certainly can't fault the originality of the pickpocketing idea. The Big Con is not the kind of adventure game I see every day and credit to Mighty Yell for trying something different. I don't know if it's because I was hoping more would be done with the idea or because the game felt too short, but I ultimately came out of this game wanting something more. Maybe that's just the hunger for a bigger score.

What we have at the end of the day is a strange, silly game that is a little too sure of itself to stick its landing effectively. It stretches itself too thin to be consistently funny and its story is clumsily told despite its put-on air of poignance. It has its moments though, and for as grumpy as I was by the end I still look back at its early hours with some fondness. Watching a dumpy nerd slide down a muddy hill is pretty funny the first few times; it just doesn’t stay funny as long as Baby Steps wants it to.

This is the closest we'll ever get to a video game based on William Friedkin’s classic thriller Sorcerer. If you are a fan of non-conventional PC games, I cannot recommend Spintires:Mudrunner enough.

Furi's beautiful art and interesting ideas are somewhat undermined by obtuse story and janky mechanics.

As Dusk Falls is an impressive debut from INTERIOR/NIGHT. It tells an emotionally impactful story with some solid vocal performances. The branching storyline is cleverly implemented and the multiplayer features offer a convenient way to play with friends. As Dusk Falls is a clear indicator that the future is bright for INTERIOR/NIGHT.

Massive Damage’s Star Renegades is a really solid roguelite, despite lackluster campaign elements. The combat system forces players to outsmart their opponents, rather than simply beat them to the punch and is also anchored by a robust adversary system. There’s plenty to see with the world itself, as the pixelated art style, vibrant colors, and various environments work together to make a vast series of game worlds. Star Renegades is a great offering from Massive Damage and Raw Fury.

Minor quibbles aside, Full Throttle hits all the right notes as deftly in 2017 as it did in 1995. Not only do its story, voice acting, puzzles, and audiovisual accoutrements hold up, younger fans weaned on Telltale's interactive movies might take to it due to its balance of puzzles and plot.

Much like most people's first efforts with Game Builder Garage, it's a good first effort. It's just not something people will be revisiting after a few weeks pass.

Season: A Letter to the future feels like the perfect antidote for someone that’s grown a bit tired of epic, action-heavy adventure games. Scavengers Studio delivers an adventure game that’s warm and peaceful, but still fulfilling and thought-provoking. Although the movement controls can feel a bit clunky, Season: A Letter to the future is an easy recommendation.

The Disney Afternoon Collection may not have the consistency of Capcom's previous work with the Eclipse Engine, thanks to its library varying in quality. But it is just as reverent and breezy, and the addition of the Rewind feature helps ease the journey into the past. If you were a fan of even a few of these games, you owe it to yourself to see them presented so respectfully for a modern audience.

As a story of loss, grief, and acceptance, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a game like few out there. It's short and, in some ways, it can be basic. Given the story that it's telling, that's just fine.

Bravely Default 2 is a modernized classic that draws upon the best and worst of JRPGs.

D4 is bizarre. There's no other game out there where you'll find someone playfully tossing a rat in your mouth or strutting around with their lover that also happens to be a mannequin. But underneath all of those quirky story beats is an intriguing mystery, bolstered by a solid use of Kinect.

As it is, Destiny is an ambitious project that isn't quite meeting its potential yet. All of the pieces are in place for a great dungeon-crawling playground, and I've enjoyed my time with it, but I'd like to see it come into its own as a more cohesive experience.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is a great installation in the Pirate Warriors series and feels like a love letter to fans of the franchise. While the Musou style combat can feel extremely repetitive, it’s also quite satisfying and fun to mess around with. The story is exciting and does a good job at capturing the sense of adventure from the anime, even though we have seen many of these stories before. Bandai Namco’s action-adventure franchise is at its best with One Piece Pirate Warriors 4.

What I’ll remember about Demonschool are the little things: the jokes, the quiet character moments, when a fight clicks and what had seemed impossible becomes routine, the bliss of a plan well-executed. When I beat ol’ skeleton face from the opening paragraph, he and his minions barely touched me. Namako survived the whole thing with barely a scratch, and my whole team ended the fight feeling like they could lasso the moon. I came, I saw, I conquered. And you’d best believe I got that A rank. And then we did some karaoke. It was a good day.

What stands out to me is how all of the new elements and tweaked versions of older elements combine together to create something that, in many ways, feels less like a Warriors game and more like a proper Action-RPG. It's almost as if the team had ambitions of moving in that direction, but felt unsure about pulling too far from its roots. Who knows if we'll ever see a third game that will go all-in on that approach, but what we've been given here is a decidedly fun, if flawed, Dragon Quest adventure.

Mario Tennis Fever is a strong rebound from an era of Mario Sports games that left plenty to be desired, even if there are still some glaring shortcomings. The actual on-court gameplay, wide character roster, and abundance of Fever Rackets were enough to keep me experimenting every time I fired the game up. I’m itching to jump into Ranked and see what I’ve really got once the rest of the world can join in on the fun.

Tacoma lays the foundation for a truly great story, but a short length and some unexplored ideas leave it feeling lacking. I loved the characters I met over the course of the story and there are some standouts. ODIN, voiced by Justice League Unlimited alum Carl Lumbly, is particularly a treat. But by the end, I was hoping for just a little more from them, as well as more from the whole concept as a whole.

Tchia is a beautiful piece of art that is equal parts enriching and enjoyable. The heartfelt story is reinforced by a lovely tribute to the unique culture of New Caledonia. Outside of some standard open-world woes, Tchia is an endlessly charming game with an endearing protagonist at its heart.

Ultimately, Black Myth: Wukong is what I like to call “Peak Fine.” It’s great when it finally opens up and lets you play it, and has a number of memorable bosses to fight. There’s a lot to explore and see and do, and I imagine most players will miss a good chunk of the game’s optional content on their first playthrough. But even at its best, Wukong never reaches the highs of the genre’s greats, and never completely comes together in the way the best action games do. It’s not bad, but it’s not special. It’ll take you to the dance and it has a few killer moves, but how much you enjoy it will depend on how much you’re willing to put up with when you get there, and how much you don’t mind if it steps on your toes now and again. Me? I prefer an Action Jackson that lets me lead now and again, and that can hit the high notes.

Trials of Mana amazed me with just how robust a story it has to offer. There isn't a lot in terms of side quests, but this is not a game that needs any. There is a lot of story to go through and a lot to explore well after the credits roll. And while I'm not a huge fan of the characters, they didn't sour me on the game to the point that I won't keep exploring. Lore-hungry RPG fans will have a lot to feast on with this game. It has its problems and its quirks, but I've greatly enjoyed Trials of Mana. I would easily call this the best RPG remake that Square's made in a long time.

It's not the greatest concert you'll ever witness, but Persona 4: Dancing All Night gives a solid performance, one that does its catchy soundtrack proud.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a solid entry in the long-running franchise, and a return to form for one of the most iconic titles in first-person shooters. The campaign goes big on thrilling espionage and exciting set pieces, though it does feel quite tone-deaf at times. Multiplayer is more of the arcade-feel that became synonymous with games like Black Ops 2, and will likely only get better once Season 1 kicks off and adds Warzone integration in December. Zombies doesn’t disappoint, as it once again proves to be the best alternate mode in Call of Duty. Treyarch reminds CoD fans that they’ve still got it with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

Sable is a beautiful story about self-discovery. It’s themes of solitude and what it means to be independent strongly resonated with me. The game is bolstered by a one-of-a-kind art style and an excellently crafted original soundtrack. If you can handle a slow burn and push some UI issues aside, Sable is an overwhelmingly pleasant experience.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a worthwhile experience for invested fans of the series. It’s going to give you that stealth and stab gameplay that you’ve enjoyed before, even if it doesn’t build upon it outside of the tools. It’s bookended by exceptional first and third acts, but Ubisoft has again failed to create a detailed and meaningful world that you want to explore beyond its waypoints.

ScourgeBringer manages to work on the strength of its controls and the overall smoothness of its combat.

2064: Read Only Memories is a great game for anyone who agrees 100% with what its heavy-handed, politically-charged plot forces down your throat without question. However, like a political conversation on social media, 2064 is long-winded, overly aggressive in its message, ill-presented, and accomplishes nothing.

In theory, I understand why people like Patapon so much. It’s cute, there’s a primal satisfaction in staying on beat, and the shrill “Pata-Pata-Pata-Pon” chanting along with your commands is something I can see being infectious in a Tetris Effect sort of way. But every time I played, all I could think was, is this really it? This is the PSP’s premiere music game that everyone loves? Parappa was sent to cross the rainbow bridge for this? How can I be this bored playing a game about music? These questions may haunt me forever. Or at least until I go back to the local arcade for a few rounds of Pop‘n Music.

Remarkably, Double Helix has managed to nail down the classic feel of what Strider Hiryu is all about: athleticism, agility, and destroying everything in his path. At the same time, the game modernizes the design into something unique, even if it borrows heavily from the Metroidvania genre.

What changed and what remains the same in Mario Vs. Donkey Kong on Switch is a little confusing at times, and it raises the question of why a remake was the best choice and not a full new game. Still, "if it ain't broke" and all that. The original Mario Vs. Donkey Kong holds up nearly 20 years later, and nearly every new addition makes the already-strong puzzle game even better.

Priced at under $20, Dome Keeper will keep you on your toes for several mining sessions. Its cyclical design is simple and executed fairly well, keeping the tension consistent throughout a run. However, upgrades quickly become restrictive in terms of effective builds, and both mining and defense become predictable in subsequent playthroughs. That said, the game has plenty of room for future updates that could help balance things out. Dome Keeper, without taking too many risks, fits simply and innocuously inside the world of the iterative survival genre.

Mortal Shell is a valiant attempt at the Souls-like genre. Its dark and brooding aesthetic are unnerving, while the unique mechanics, like the shells and Resolve, offer fresh takes on the tried-and-true combat. These slight changes from the formula create a challenging experience that will have those intimately familiar with the Souls-like genre relearning the basics. Unfortunately, while Mortal Shell has a heart of gold, there are mechanics and core decisions that prevent it from being a truly great entry into these hallowed halls.

Marvel’s Deadpool VR doesn’t hit the immersive highs as Batman: Arkham Shadows did last year, but it’s still a fun superhero romp from Oculus Studios. The developers at Twisted Pixel make great use of the Deadpool IP, and there’s no shortage of havoc to wreak if you’re just looking for an action-heavy VR experience.

Pharaoh: A New Era’s visuals, music, and gameplay tweaks make for a very easy-to-grasp, complex-to-master setup, and there are loads of options to soften the challenge whenever you feel like it. More than that, when you get your cities bustling with farms, markets, industry, entertainment, religion, and monuments the whole thing is a busy spectacle of beauty. Some archaic bits can make things difficult, and this isn’t my favorite city builder I’ve played, but it’s still an excellent spin on a classic.