I would have liked to have seen this game get a more polished release, lessening the grinding and leveling, improving the world-swapping abilities, and adding more things to participate in overall that aren't just hacking through enemies. It's pretty enough, but perhaps it was mainly meant to inhabit the Beyond.

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.

There are not a lot of flaws in Ion Fury, but it is hard to not compare the game to its Build Engine predecessors. The game definitely succeeds in carrying the torch from the Duke series, and little details like ultrawide monitor support and a jazzy soundtrack will go a long way to winning players over.

Roguelikes don't get much more bodacious than RAD. If you take a trip into the Fallow, good luck making it out. You're going to need it.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood feels like a short co-op experience stretched out over a barebones RPG skeleton. It doesn’t feel comfortable in its own skin. It’s too thin in some parts while being bloated and lumpy in others. Whatever it is, I don’t really want to touch it. Ultimately, it’s just a disappointing sidestep in an otherwise fantastic franchise.

Madden NFL 20 is the worst major sports league video game out there. Despite some despicable microtransaction design, NBA 2K is an exponentially better representation of its real-life counterpart and has an ever-improving Franchise mode that offers real depth and year-over-year growth. MLB: The Show is the blueprint of excellence for which other sports titles should be judged. Save your money for a series that still respects its fans. 4/10 butt fumbles.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is pure fun, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. Diving back into creator Koji Igarashi's iconic style of gameplay has been deeply nostalgic for me; I even found myself humming old Symphony of the Night tunes after playing the new release for a few hours.

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

This colorful burst of anime goodness may not be flawless, but it's exemplary for the genre, and another of Arc System Works' great efforts. It's quite short and a bit on the shallow end, but when it comes to presentation and sticking close by to the anime, few titles have done it better. For newcomers, it's best to watch the series first, but for Kill la Kill faithful and Trigger enthusiasts, it's a great weekend rental or purchase.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses does a great job of bringing the series to the Nintendo Switch. The graphics are fantastic, bringing the heroes to life with stunning artwork and visuals. Performance is smooth in both docked and handheld mode, allowing you to enjoy Fire Emblem in its traditional portable form, or from the comfort of your favorite spot on the couch.

All in all, Night Call sets itself up with an inspired idea and premise. The concept of a man living the simple life as a city taxi driver going through regular life while trying to catch a sinister serial killer is fascinating. When the different systems are firing on all cylinders and you can see the mystery unraveling, it’s a wonder to see. On the down side, the cabbie sim gameplay gets boring and the gameplay loop grows repetitive quickly.

Overall, Etherborn is a short and sweet puzzle platformer that centers around ideas of identity and purpose. The story has something to say about human existence, and what it means to be a person. Not only does the narrative provide some food for thought, but it works to drive the gameplay. The platforming and puzzle solving is exceptional thanks to the neat gravity mechanic and the well executed camerawork. Etherborn is a unique puzzling experience that brings something special to the genre.

Twisted Pixel Games and Oculus have created a wonderfully immersive and polished VR experience with Defector. Your journey will leave you wanting more so much so that you’re almost bound to go back for seconds. The graphics, sound design, voice acting, and freedom of movement are a great representation of what VR gaming can be today, and everyone should give it a try.

I had a really good time traveling through the world that has been brought to life within Dragon Quest Builders 2. If you’re looking for a good game that has plenty of content to keep you logging in every day, then this is one title you’ll want to check out.

The Contra Anniversary Collection could have been so much more. At $19.99, it’s far from expensive, yet still feels underwhelming when judged against what Konami’s rivals are offering in similar packages.

SolSeraph is an interesting riff on the same package ActRaiser introduced years ago, but unfortunately it doesn't go the distance when it comes to replicating the experience players had with the Super Nintendo original.

It's a boat ride worth taking at least once given the gravity of its narrative.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is another exemplary update for a classic game that desperately needed refreshing after remaining somewhat dormant for several console generations.

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

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

Samurai Shodown manages to present a superb alternative to quicker, more bombastic fighters. This comes across as more of the thinking man's fighter, testing a player's reaction time and rewarding those who are able to read their opponents over those who try and go for meaningless combos. Samurai Shodown doesn't need to stand atop a crowded fighting game mountain, because it's done a nice job staking a claim over on a nearby hill.

Super Mario Maker 2 is a worthy successor to the original game. The additions of the new Super Mario 3D World style and host of new features really make this feel like a solid evolution of that creative explosion that began in 2015 on the Wii U. For many players, Super Mario Maker 2 will feel like a revolution, while veteran creators will take their knowledge into a whole new wave of level design. Nintendo has provided players with the tools to create an infinite amount of challenging, fun, and ridiculous Mario levels. Now we can all play with power. Infinite power.

The Sinking City feels like a mystery novel brought to life within a video game. The developers have captured that feeling of intrigue and danger perfectly. Sure, there are some rough bits attached to the entire ordeal, but overall Frogwares’ latest title is a fun romp through a dark and dangerous world that’s rife with problems for players to solve. If you’ve ever been a fan of Lovecraftian horror or just mystery stories in general, The Sinking City is one stop you’ll want to make a little time for on your trip down the rabbit hole.

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.

Cadence of Hyrule is a brilliant but short adventure that expertly blends the Legend of Zelda series with the intensity of a rhythm-based game. The characters are great, drawing off iconic people from the Zelda series, while also feeling refreshing in the minds of the players.

Warhammer: Chaosbane is an absolute treat for fans of the Warhammer universe. If you like dungeon crawlers or Warhammer in general, you should definitely pick this up – especially if you don't have a phone. Be sure to check out the full review above for an exciting look at Warhammer: Chaosbane, which should absolutely be on your radar when it comes to Game of the Year considerations later in 2019.

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

Vectronom is a superb platformer that utilizes music in a creative and dynamic way. Ludopium and ARTE’s collaborative effort shines bright in this rhythm platforming hybrid. Although the lack of additional content/ game modes feels like a missed opportunity to truly up the ante, Vectronom is still a romp that’s easy to pick up, and hard to put down.