It's pretty fantastic, thanks to the various additions to the game's multiplayer, the overhaul to the story mode structure, and the implementation of new ideas like the three-way Splatfest Turf War. While I wouldn't call Splatoon 2 old and busted by any means, there's no denying that Splatoon 3 does feel like the new hotness.

Bytten Studio puts all of its creativity on display in Cassette Beasts. Not only does its sizeable roster of Monsters include some really fun and unique designs, but the thoughtful approach to combat and clever music element really set it apart from most Pokemon-likes. Although the characters weren’t as intriguing as I’d like in an RPG, just about everything else was enough to make up for it. Cassette Beasts is sure to be one of this year’s indie darlings.

If this proves to be the final Sony-exclusive baseball simulation that we ever get, the development team deserves to be proud of what they managed to squeeze onto a 50GB Bluray disc. 8/10 banging trash cans.

Ring Fit Adventure is an excellent cross between fitness and action/adventure. Nintendo manages to create their best exercise game yet while weaving in classic adventure tropes to gamify the experience. Ring Fit Adventure is a great way to usher newcomers into gaming while helping longtime gamers stay in shape.

As somebody who wasn't into the Nier lore going into this review, I'm fully invested now. That's the magic that Nier Replicant works and, even with its faults, it's a treat for both fans and newcomers.

Only those who are really into realistic driving simulators may flock towards Project Cars, although they might get bored easily considering there really aren’t any unique game modes either. It carries a sense of realism in spades, but there isn't much under the hood.

Two Point Campus is intensely good on most fronts. The game is quite pretty, its comedy is charming, and its gameplay cycle is potently addictive. The climb from the lowest, most crummy campus up to the most noble and illustrious of college grounds is an addictive grind, and Sandbox Mode awaits those stalwart enough to overcome everything else.

Its complexity can be overwhelming, but once you hit your stride, it's entertaining all the way to the home stretch.

Bastion certainly wasn’t a fluke. Transistor cements Supergiant Games as one of the sharpest, most stylish, and unique small developers. Though some of its flourishes aren’t quite as fresh the second time around, Transistor speaks with a unique creative identity, mostly successfully refreshes solid RPG mechanics, and tells a poignant story worth experiencing.

Those moments of anguish were not massive parts of the game, although they were gnarly roadblocks. Everything else, from the vibes to the storytelling, and even the combat when it was reasonable, were compelling to the end. I’m still curious about the other endings, but the trauma from that generator setpiece has me wanting to wait for possible adjustments or new settings in the future. Horror enthusiasts, especially those who revel in the weird, who are also secret gaming gunslingers and are cool with sudden spikes in difficulty will find a lot to like here.

World of Goo 2 is exactly as it presents itself. It’s a lot more World of Goo, with more levels, gameplay mechanics, fancier visuals, and a new/continued storyline. As cute (in a sinister way) as its style looks, this is as hardcore as physics-based puzzlers can get. The game does not hold your hand, often has really tight margins of error, and only offers the bare minimum of guidance when it feels like it. That said, there’s a surprising amount of variety, and you’re allowed to skip levels without being penalized. Even if you struggle, there’s a lot of cool, smart design and an interesting world to experience. For fans of the first game, of course, World of Goo 2 is a no-brainer.

Age of Mythology Retold is fun, don’t get me wrong. The visual overhaul alone is enough to make playing this 22-year-old game easier, and the quality-of-life improvements sand down some of the older versions’ more annoying edges. However, with more substantial structural improvements in later Age of Empires games, plus with the likes of Ara: History Untold just around the corner, I’m just not sure Retold needed to exist.

This game is as unforgiving at the start as it was in 2006, but if you want a solid zombie survival experience akin to Dawn of the Dead, you can’t do much better than the mall mayhem of Willamette in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster.

Madden NFL 17 is a quality Madden game. It does a lot of things right, and fixes most of the major shortcomings of previous editions. If you’ve lapsed in the series or just want to know if you should grab this year’s game, go forward knowing that you will get a lot of mileage from it. It’s good. At the same time, however, it is still absolutely a Madden game, and in the 12th year of EA’s exclusivity deal with the NFL it’s hard not to pine for a little competition. Sunrise, sunset.

It's also a strong way to put the Shovel Knight saga to bed, essentially bringing everything full-circle in such a way that it encourages players to go right back to the original Shovel Knight story. King of Cards is aces, in ways I never expected it to be.

Octopath Traveler succeeds where other classically-styled RPGs fail: the presentation is spot-on, the combat is addictive, and the potential for party customization is tremendous. Small stumbles with dialog and framerate can be forgiven simply because the rest of the game is an absolute delight. This is an experience that players can easily get lost in for dozens of hours, and it's sure to be counted among the best Nintendo Switch exclusives released to date.

If nothing else, Triangle Strategy shows that Square Enix has some fire in its turn-based tactical engine. It just needs to balance its scales between exposition and gameplay a little better.

If you're a fan of the Turtles, this is the collection for you. If you're a fan of arcade brawlers, this is the collection for you. If you're simply curious about this specific time in gaming history, the Cowabunga Collection is still worth owning. It's a phenomenal piece of work and a reminder of why the Turtles remain such a relevant franchise in video games to this day.

Where Trials Rising falls off is with its presentation. While the tracks are all unique in appearance and boast expert level design, the visuals on PC felt dated. I’m not looking for realism, but I was disappointed to find low-quality textures and an overall lack of polish. Console players might not share that view, but it was noticeable in my experience.

Aside from those moments when you have to grind, Cat Quest 3 is a cute, breezy experience that shows why making more of these has been a good idea. And there are hints of plenty more to come, which is exciting considering how much playing with the setting has been established. The writing remains simple but fun and silly, and the number of secrets and side activities has grown a lot. There’s a winning formula here, and so long as the series doesn’t get too ahead of itself, there’s plenty of potential for Cat Quest 3 as a springboard to even greater adventures.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a successful pivot from traditional Yakuza mainstays. The game goes heavy on style, while still packing in enough substance to keep players satisfied. The party system and new RPG elements give players more ways to play than ever before. The turn-based combat is solid, and never feels too foreign. Longtime fans of the franchise will appreciate what Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA have to offer in Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

So while it’s rough around the edges in some ways, and a little confusing in others, the core of Popucom is a fun, creative, and thoughtful co-op challenge that combines a set of ideas you don’t see put together often. I mean, if I asked for an example of Puzzle Bobble as a shooter, I doubt I’d get many answers. Add the other gimmicks on top (I love that kitty UFO drone so much, folks), and you have a compelling set of challenges that ramps up intelligently and in ways that always feel surprising and fun to solve. I mostly just wish it was easier to pick up and play!

Fans of the original Super Mega Baseball will find lots to like about this sequel. New players can expect a solid game of baseball with enough arcade magic to appeal to almost any type of player. Baseball purists will find a good time if they enter with the proper expectations.

V Rising offers something distinct, and pretty cookie cutter at the same time. It’s a survival game, but with a novel genre blend meant to attract a different kind of audience. There’s a lot of these, but V Rising brings the action-RPG and gothic styles to the table in a way that feels unique. So that’s fun, but the survival and crafting part is about as boilerplate as it gets. Therefore, if you’re the type of person that shrivels up and shrieks at survival game systems like a vampire considering the concept of brunch, V Rising won’t change your mind. But if you can hang with the concept and also enjoy some Diablo-like combat, having those two things together in one game is pretty rad.

The game is a tight package that hits all the right notes when things are working well, though it can possibly push you into madness if you falter. 8/10 dismembered arms.

Between the extra Fatalities, dozens of Brutalities, and match modifiers locked up alongside costumes and art in the interactive Krypt, players should be prepared for a long grind before they can unlock the "entire" game.

Katana Zero is an inspired effort. Askiisoft could have easily relied on the action formula alone, called it a day, and it would have been a solid indie release. However, Katana Zero dares to go bolder, with a story that takes more than one left turn, and an innovative dialogue system that can paint both the story and the main character in a different light. No matter how you opt to play this game, Katana Zero is one of the best Hotline Miami homages I've seen yet.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is a great experience overall, and will likely find a passionate audience among those who love this series, but it also won’t do much to convert people who simply don’t enjoy the silly simplicity of the genre. It is both a worthy exploration of Batman and a fantastically fun LEGO title that takes full advantage of how loaded that premise has become over the years.