Birthright may be the best place to start out of the two versions, as it’s easily accessible to anyone regardless of their experience with the series. Some story beats may be a bit cliche, but Birthright still has a captivating tale about family, love, and duty. By the same token, the gameplay and presentation is tighter than its ever been.

SUPERHOT is a game with an amazing gameplay mechanic (time), that is also bolstered by an unusual but interesting plot and equally curious art style. Unfortunately, hit detection issues compounded with SUPERHOT’s short-lived Story mode meant that once I’d given the additional modes a try, I was quite happy to put SUPERHOT down and move on.

Overall, ChromaGun is an interesting take on a genre that seems to always be brimming with fresh content.

To date, the Megaman Legacy Collection is the definitive way of playing the first six Megaman games. Loving attention to detail, collection of additional resources, and a challenge mode that should keep longtime players and new fans engaged for a long time.

The online leaderboards and tournaments alone may be worth the price of admission if you’re the kind of person who likes stacking your skills up against the general populous, but enabling online play would have gone a long way to improve the multiplayer experience.

Ultimately, the lack of a gripping story or any standout characters strips a bit too much from the experience. It’s a solid effort that opens up more possibilities for first-person action, but without the highs a strong narrative could have afforded the game, it is left feeling a bit bare.

As the EX might signify, the game is an update to last year’s Super Galaxy Squadron, which is included in the purchase. In addition, an available Endless mode means that, while you pay power through the story in an hour or so, there’s plenty of action still waiting to be found.

In the end, Zamarian does a fine job at being what it sets out to be. The unique perspective and gameplay are just enough to make it worth a look for genre fans, and while there’s some room for improvement with regards to the interface, it’s not the worst design I’ve seen.

Don’t be turned away by its linearity, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is one of the best visual novels you’ll play.

PopCap Games didn’t just recapture their old thunder, they magnified it to Zeus-like proportions. The quirky series from three years ago has managed to become a masterclass example in value.

Even with the lack of an Arcade mode and temporary server issues, though, Street Fighter V manages to shine.

If you’re a die-hard that’s looking for something new, and you don’t mind slogging through uninspired dialog and lagging controls, you’ll probably find yourself enjoying Attractio well enough to be worth a look. Otherwise, though, I’d have to say you can get a better overall experience by sticking to the more well-established titles.

Despite the fact that Red Game likely works better in its original mobile form, it still offers some fun.

If you’re a fan, it’s worth checking out simply for the unique visuals and demanding gameplay. If you’re not, there’s not anything innovative or progressive enough here to be a draw.

Layers of Fear creates an immersive experience with its stunning graphics, engaging story, and particularly well-crafted story. While players must piece much of the game together for themselves, it’s a worthwhile experience.

It takes all of the best parts of Dying Light and manages to use them as a launchpad into something new and fresh.

Though Firewatch hiccuped and jerked its way to a rather flat ending, I’d recommend it all-the-same to anyone who just wants to get lost and explore a beautiful environment, meet a great cast of characters, and escape from the real world for a few hours.

Whereas the core of Arslan: The Warriors of Legend is nothing new, it brings enough flair to the table so that it feels like it could be new. If any Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors, or Warriors Orochi fans have been looking for another great example of the hack and slash genre, this is definitely it.

The formula has worked very well and with a few tweaks this is definitely the best entry in the series. A huge roster worth using, tons of new special attacks, crisp visuals on the newest generation, and enough content for fans to sink their teeth into for hours.

While XCOM 2 is definitely not for the faint of heart, people that do not give it a chance will be missing out one of the best strategy games of all time. The combat is unparalleled in its engagement.

Unravel is a story about a family you don’t know and memories you don’t have. Its journey is watching and becoming the force piecing them together, a force that takes shape in a small, humble character named Yarny.

While the story behind the Mandrake Facility staff’s disappearance is engaging enough, the slow pace and technical issues make it a disjointed one to follow.

With its keen writing, dark theme, and wry humor, this is an easy win. Anyone who enjoyed the old LucasArts point-and-click games of old should definitely be keeping an eye on this one.

Klaus is, in a word, brilliant. While it may not exactly win the hearts of those who don’t like the 2D platformer style, it’s an expertly-designed addition to the genre that creates a challenging experience without ever seeming insurmountable. With intuitive controls and a seamless integration of its parts, it easily creates an experience worth the $19.99 price on the PlayStation Store.

It may not wow PS4 owners in terms of looks and mission structure, but there is plenty to be enjoyed here.

American Truck Simulator isn’t just a fun game, it’s one of the best simulators out there.

Nitroplus Blasterz – Heroines Infinite Duel plays it too safe, to the point of taking the game’s potential and squandering it.

I’ll love my Vita forever, but Gravity Rush Remastered finally reaches its true potential on the PS4, and things for this special gem can only go upwards from here.

Final Fantasy Explorers is a game that both newcomers and veterans to the online Action RPG genre should enjoy greatly.

A good game. It is not a great game, and there’s certainly some areas that could have used improvement, but it’s a far cry from as terrible as I’ve come to expect from TV spin-off titles or other licensed titles.

Given the amount of detail that lies under Sword and Sorcery’s remarkably basic look and feel, nostalgic fans of that period in gaming history are sure to be pleased. It may be an acquired taste, but if you’re willing to look beyond the presentation and into the real meat of it, there’s plenty of time to be spent exploring, fighting, and thinking your way through the Underworld.

It’s a game with something to say while providing an emotional experience to the player. You’ll be surprised by how much you care that one of your survivors totally got shot down like a dog while scavenging. It’s a hard game to be heartless with because the developers did such a great job of really shoving their emotions down your throat.

For anyone interested in a stealth action title, or simply something different with a great core, Qasir al-Wasat is certainly gets a recommendation from me.

Besides those two slight issues, Oxenfree is a compact, fresh experience that introduces lovable characters, a phenomenal soundtrack, and one of the no doubt dopest endings this year.

The depth of organic interaction, witnessing the world melt seamlessly into itself, makes for a near perfect experience. The Witness is a constant idea just within reach and then, once you grasp it, a new perspective altogether. It won’t be quick nor easy to solve, but you can’t help but be enraptured by its beauty through every frustration and moment of clarity.

Its more direct focus does nothing to water down the grand, and often times hilarious, experiences one comes to expect from the franchise. It may not add much that is new, but it is a prime example of why you shouldn’t mess too much with a good thing.

If you’re hungry for more of that classic gameplay that involves backtracking, hunting down statues and keys to solve cryptic puzzles, and exploring enclosed spaces with fantastic horror movie camera angles, Resident Evil 0 will satisfy that hunger. It’s a wonderful Resident Evil game with a few drawbacks. But even though it has been remastered with so much love and care, it’ll still be that one game in the series that people eventually forget about.

If you’re looking for a great way to kill a few hours with a story-focused psychological horror, you could certainly do worse than Distraint.

All told, Bloxitivity is a pretty cool level designer that’s hindered by the strange and difficult in-game controls and experience.

While it wasn’t at all what I expected, I found myself enjoying it more than I probably would have, had it been the brawler I anticipated.

Crammed to the gills with campy humor and a series B-movie look and feel, this is nearly a must-play for anyone who’s a fan of the old, cheesy films of the past or who enjoys listening to C-list directors ramble near-incoherently about their creations.

Lowglow is a well-made game that’s perhaps remarkable only for the fact that, by and large, there doesn’t seem to be a single “correct” solution to each level.

With the emotionally draining effect that That Dragon, Cancer will have on you in mind, I’d still implore you to play it. If only to further understand the harm that cancer brings, not only to those diagnosed with the disease, but to their family and loved ones too.

What you essentially have here is a definitive edition of one seriously amazing action RPG.

The fast-paced, guitar-heavy soundtrack gets a bit repetitive at times, but doesn’t become so monotonous as to detract from the ever increasing difficulty of the game itself.

With its beautiful art, curious level design, and numerous challenges, Volvox is an appealing and fascinating game for both established puzzle fans and curious outsiders. For a reasonable $7.99 on Steam, players will certainly get their money’s worth simply from the number of levels to take on, not to mention the brain-testing difficulty within them, though a bit more variety to the puzzles presented would kick this game up to another level.

Amplitude may not be a perfect game that includes every single thing a fan of the previous games could want, but it certainly met my high overall expectations.

Imagine & Form proved themselves to be formidable developers with the release of SteamWorld Dig, but SteamWorld Heist just takes it to another level in so many ways. It’s simple yet ambitious with a presentation as charming as its execution. Becoming a robotic tactician never felt so good with its stellar combat mechanics.

While technically sound and well put-together, it’s little more than a digital comic that doesn’t capture the replay value and engaging emotional tale of the first.

Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair has some good features. One amazing class, destructible environments, and tons of onscreen enemies sounds like the makings of something great. But the highly repetitive missions, dated graphics, forgettable story, and lack of anything worth sticking around for make the game a largely forgettable experience.

While it does not pretend to be as haughty as its predecessor, or as convoluted, it is strong enough to stand on its own right, do its own thing, and laugh at itself. This game is sure to find itself in the spotlight very fast. There is just too much about this game that is likable for it to remain hidden for long.

The Old Hunters could not have dropped at a better time. After months of being away from Bloodborne, the game has once again wormed its way into my life, and once again, it’s all I can spend every waking moment thinking of. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have more new weapons to hunt down.

Just Cause 3 is a great game plagued by two issues that constantly rear their ugly heads to break up the fun. The unbearable load times and incessant login attempts can often times sap the energy right out of the excitement. Luckily, just a few seconds with the game can bring the life right back for those willing to deal with the constant frustration.

When the game works, it certainly works. Getting past the camera issues and annoying padding is a fun game that’ll definitely keep you entertained. Plus, you can become a giant spectral reaper and pick apart enemies the size of a Transformer with a single swing.

Concrete Jungle is solid in its execution, especially considering the apparent mismatch of genres at play. There’s a lot here for those who love unique strategic play. The amount of content and available randomly-generated maps certainly helps fill out its total content. It may not do enough to draw in those who aren’t already strategy fans, but it’s a great pick-up for those who are.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is a deeper and more polished version of its predecessor. It offers similar action-adventure thrills as its competition such as Uncharted but goes beyond that as well.

As an entry that’s meant to celebrate the series’ 20th birthday, Tales of Zestiria could have used a little more polish. As it stands, combat is fun but it needs to be streamlined a little more, along with the gear management system. The story may not quite be up to snuff, but longtime Tales fans will find a lot to love in the characters themselves. And hey, at least the opening song’s pretty dope too.

Yet, even with its wonky camera and story that sometimes alienates newcomers, Sword Art Online: Lost Song is a solid game.

Secret Ponchos is a relatively simple, straightforward game with some very nice flair. Great visual and sound design bring the dusty Western setting to life, and a great cast of varied characters means tons of strategies to explore and refine.

Some difference between characters would go a long way, but the pace and design of the game make it a blast to play. There’s a multiplayer option, as well, but it’s local only — no online play here. For the $12.99 price on Steam, I’m not sure that style alone is enough to make a solid case, but if you’ve got a hankering for a unique style of fighting game, you may find it worth the buy. Otherwise, you’re likely better off finding something with a bit more substance to fit the flash.

Although the game only features four planets, all the maps available are tremendous amounts of fun.

200% Mixed Juice is an easy recommendation for fans of prior Orange_Juice games, but it fails to bring much to the table outside of that.

If you’re a history buff or into interesting sim-style games, Painters Guild should certainly be on your radar. Outside of that, it’s a pretty interesting take on a time period that I’m surprised hasn’t been more represented in video games. If micromanagement isn’t your cup of tea, you may not find it to your liking, but it still gets a hearty recommendation from me if only for the growing pace and highly-addictive gameplay.

The various stories told through Yo-Kai Watch feel like they’ve been written to impart life values and lessons most of the time, which may not exactly jive well with a mature audience.

Even with its issues, Fallout 4 never fails to impress. It took the dead expanse of previous iterations and breathed a type of life that takes good care not to betray the experience fans have come to know and love.

It’s tough for me to say that Mushroom 11 is a game for everyone. Still, fans of puzzles or platformers definitely owe it a look, and those who enjoy trying out new things are sure to find something here.

Need for Speed is likely to disappoint just about anyone who tries it out. Whether you’re a casual fan looking to scratch a racing game itch, a younger player, or a loyal fan, there’s bound to be something that frustrates you. Its story is run-of-the-mill, its competitive gameplay is undercooked, and its open world features are dull. Need for Speed tries to cast a wide net and instead comes up empty.

Halo 5 has come through addressing a lot of the concerns that fans had leading up to its launch. The online multiplayer is stable, delivers classic Halo multiplayer, and freshens it up all at the same time. The single player campaign is enjoyable enough for those looking for a classic FPS experience, but not all too bothered about a strong story.

Ultimately, FreeCell Quest is an enormous and very interesting take on a game that’s synonymous with wasting time on the PC. By adding in the RPG-style frame, it puts a whole new spin that changes the way any given play is approached, and the variety of spells and strategies makes it wholly unique.

If you’ve got no problem delving into some of the darker corners of the human mind, this is a solid pick-up.

With dashes of humor thrown in through some of the titles and works of art, there’s also a good amount of light-hearted fun surrounding the whole thing. Paint it Back may not break any entirely new ground, but it’s a cute and enjoyable experience for those who enjoy using their brains for leisure.

A remarkably simple, addictive game. The no-nonsense gameplay and furious action make it one that’s easy to jump into over and over, and with numerous styles, powerups, and weapons to use along the way, each plunge through the randomly-generated world is unique.

Finally wrapping up a game you’ve been gradually playing over the better part of a year is always bittersweet, and if that finale falls short the entire experience feels soiled and tainted as a result. Happily, the Tales from the Borderlands finale will make the 10-month lead-up completely worth it, and you’ll likely find yourself wanting to go back through and play it all from the beginning in rapid succession.

Despite being marred by some dull gameplay at times, Life is Strange Episode 5: Polarized successfully pulls off what many other games have failed to do: delivering a satisfying ending to a player-driven, choice heavy game.

Hearts of Stone never feels tacked on at any point, and although the side activities are a bit lackluster there are more than enough highs to make the singular low seem insubstantial. This is a true expansion, one that builds excellently on the already amazing base game.

A stylish and fast-paced game that’s got plenty going for it, yet suffers from some lack of consistency.

Ravenmark: Scourge of Estellion is built on one of the more strategy-focused systems I’ve had the pleasure of playing recently, and the formation and command systems are top-notch ways of adding some additional depth to the typical tactical style.

If you plan on having your friends over to experience the game with you, it’s absolutely worth it — if not, this game might be better left off and unplugged.

Bedlam is like a love letter to gaming’s history, and a relatively well-written one. By staying true to the idea of the game in which Quinn/Athena is trapped, it keeps itself well-centered.

It may not have the depth of some of its genre, it makes up for it with the approachable gameplay and plentiful replay value.

The systems are surprisingly complex, given the cartoonish presentation and focus on enjoying yourself. While mastering it isn’t easy, it’s plenty forgiving if you want it to be, and the replay value alone easily makes it worth the $19.99 price on Steam.

While the characters offer that variety, you’re not going to be playing Dragon Quest Heroes for the story, though. It’s a very generic “monsters are invading so let’s make friends and stop them” tale. So definitely don’t walk in expecting to be getting a game that’s anything more than focused on its gameplay.

The story may be a bit disjointed and disorienting, but it feeds the thematic piece very well in this regard as players dive deeper into Adams’ attempts to cope with his experience.

If you’ve never played an Uncharted game, by all means, fire it up. Go hunt for El Dorado; go to Shangri-La; go find the Atlantis of the Sands. The core gameplay might tire you out a little, but you’ll be handsomely rewarded with lovely cinematic shots, quirky dialogue from a group of affable characters, and stories from adventures you’ll likely never forget.

Prison Architect is an incredibly detail-oriented game that’s an easy pick for fans of the genre. While the level of detail and difficulty may push away outsiders looking to test the waters, it’s not an insurmountable feat.

With poor narrative consistency, troublesome sneaking, and a lack of real coherence or objective, Albino Lullaby ends up falling well short of great despite the fantastic design and wonderful look to it all.

It’s chess with Space Marines and Orks, and a few twists in the title game mode.

If you’re a hockey fan, there’s no real reason you shouldn’t buy this game; it’s leaps and bounds better than the version we received a year ago and worth sharpening your blades for.

It isn’t perfect, but it’s much better than what existed before. The new content, namely the raids, subclasses, and progression systems all land exceptionally well.

All in all, I Can’t Escape: Darkness is a very simple, though difficult, game. It’s squarely rooted in the past, with the only modern touch being the Steam-based scoreboards.

While others may be trying to come for the throne, this old dog certainly picked up some new tricks to keep itself in the fight and show everyone how it’s done.

If you’re a big fan of the hyper-precision platforming genre, it’s got a pretty good take on it with some great dressing. If you’re looking for an action-oriented stealth experience, though, steer yourself elsewhere.

If you’ve been looking for the next great cyberpunk RPG with some added flair, look no further than Satellite Reign.

While the story definitely missed on some untapped potential, this is a perfect benchmark that leaves the studios future one to definitely look forward to.

Dancing All Night looks like it’s set to be the final game before we have to say goodbye to our favorite cast of characters in Persona 4, and I’m perfectly fine with that. The Investigation Team solves one more mystery, and they’ve once again reminded us never to lose sight of our ‘true selves’. I’d say that’s a job well done.

All in all, SOMA is a fantastic game. From the detailed world in which it takes place, the engaging plot, and the perfect amount of creeping terror and suspense, there’s a lot to love if you’re into horror.

It’s more of the same, only this time you get to have Yoda narrate the whole ordeal.

It’s hard to really define what makes Circa Infinity so compelling, but it is. The frantic pace, on-your-toes reactions, and pulse-pounding soundtrack lend themselves to a great overall experience.