The combat in Scarlet Nexus is no doubt the star of the show. Even when it becomes hard to take the narrative seriously, those sweet, sweet combat mechanics will pull you right back in, no matter which protagonist you choose.

All in all MediEvil PS4 is a solid, well-made remake that is a Halloween treat for longtime fans thanks to its remarkably improved sounds and visuals. Other Ocean Emeryville also does a nice job of ironing out some old kinks for modern audiences while leaving the gameplay mostly intact. Most of the time, this is for the better, but sometimes it's for the worse.

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

Far Cry 5 is exactly that - more Far Cry. If you've never been a fan of the series, this doesn't do anything to change your mind. If you loved liberating outposts and blowing shit up in the Himalayas, you'll enjoy doing it in Hope County, too. Its sprawling world, varied missions, and memorable characters all make for an incredibly entertaining experience, and helped me to overlook the niggling technical issues and occasional frustrating fetch quests in my 30+ hours in Montana.

Sushi Striker is pure ridiculous fun, and while it leans heavily on its core gameplay loop, it manages to keep things engaging. Nintendo has proven they have a knack for the absurd, and Sushi Striker definitely feels like it could be the foundation of a new series.

Though its single-player campaign is a little lackluster when it comes to story, it does a good enough job at providing some context to the chaos of the online component, and the mix of platforming and shooting stopped the experience from getting too repetitive. In terms of multiplayer, Titanfall 2 is a sequel in every sense of the word. It’s bigger, better, and nips many of the issues with its predecessor in the bud.

If you want a wonderful, head-nodding score to keep you in tune with your inner psychopath, look no further. This game is outrun music at its finest.

All told, Blacksea Odyssey is a bizarre and wonderful game.

Even though it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, at the end of the day, strategy fans – and certainly XCOM fans – will enjoy the improvements that Phoenix Point makes, especially if this is just the beginning.

The Depths of Tolagal has a near-unmatched ability to take you in, turning minutes into hours and hours into days with gameplay mechanics that punch well above this small indie title’s weight.

Castle in the Darkness proves itself to be worth way more than the price of admission with hours of good ‘ol fashioned platforming action for only $5.99 on Steam.

An entertaining, challenging game that will put your resource management skills to the test. Even with a lack of any real tutorial and some bad animations this was still a game worth picking up.

Life Is Strange 2 isn’t some pleasant walk in the park, but a perilous slog across the country, staring adversity in the face and overcoming it in search of freedom and a fresh start. It’s not always comfortable to watch, but it’s a journey well worth taking for fans of the series, and narrative-driven experiences in general.

It’s also a real treat for fans of the Muv-Luv series that want to explore a wider view on the world of this awesome sci-fi visual novel franchise with a strong story topped by great audio and solid visuals.

For those who like to get something different out of their games, Shelter 2 offers a fresh take that successfully builds on the formula of the earlier title without tangling it up in new or difficult features.

After diving into Another Crab's Treasure, it's hard to understand why hasn't more been done to expand beyond the foundational souls-like element. There's clearly room for thinking outside the box, and Aggro Crab mostly nails it with this unique take. With colorful characters and an even more vibrant world, jump in for the feel-good vibes and partake in mostly satisfying underwater combat. Despite the occasional hiccups, this is still one shell of an adventure that works great for genre veterans and newcomers alike.

Red Goddess may lack a touch of the polish that players find from big-budget, AAA games, but it more than makes up for this with what it offers. Gorgeous lands to explore, artful storytelling, and well-designed controls come together to forge a great experience.

Fans of the genre will feel right at home because Until Dawn definitely nails it.

Seasons of the Wolf is a solid RPG. With excellent art, fun strategic combat, visual novel storytelling methods, and interesting characters it checks all the boxes required for a solid experience. Some might be turned away initially by the presentation, but Seasons of the Wolf is a must-play for fans of the RPG genre.

All in all, the Mega Man Legacy Collection has just enough toss-ins and challenges to make it worthwhile, while not messing with the highly-successful formula that formed the foundation of this long-standing franchise.

The difference this time around, though, is that I think The Siege of Paris does at least feel markedly different from the base game, both in ambiance and structure. Where Wrath of the Druids’ Ireland could quite easily have been another region of England in the base game, The Siege of Paris does genuinely stand apart. It’s a throwback to old Assassin’s Creed I’m sure fans of the franchise, rather than just fans of Valhalla, will love. And for that reason, in combination with the fact that it tells an interesting story, offers a great reason to reboot or reinstall the game for those who haven’t returned since completing it last year.

Having Returnal on PC is an excellent move for everyone involved, especially with the quality shown in the port. A new audience can finally have a taste of that amazing blend of gameplay that constantly beguiles players into taking one more run, enhanced by the bells and whistles made possible by the power of the PC. As one of the PS5’s best games, it would make perfect sense that Returnal maintains that form in its migration to the PC, and it proves just that.

Even with slight hiccups like this, I still adored my time with Far: Changing Tides.

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games is a really solid compilation that offers a great visual novel experience on PC (and the PS4 and Vita, for that matter).

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ few frustrations are quickly outweighed by a magnificently immersive Japan, an excellent AC-style mix of real-world and fictional characters like Yasuke and Naoe, and a fantastic cinematic-level story to let them all shine — especially if you experience the Japanese dub via the Immersive Mode.

Spellbreak runs well, it’s unique, and most importantly, it’s fun to play. If Proletariat Games sticks with Spellbreak and continues to improve it, it should be able to carve a long term niche in the popular battle royale genre.

It is tough to get a real feel for the way that The Lion’s Song will continue to play out through only one episode, but Silence still serves as a great introductory chapter.

Even so, there’s just no denying the charm of Evil Dead: The Game. It’s a brilliant encapsulation of what made the movies so iconic and beloved, and it just oozes humor and delicious campiness at every turn. It’s still fairly rare for games attached to some sort of entertainment IP to do well, but I’d say Evil Dead’s already off to a groovy start.

The Expanse isn’t the best Telltale-style experience ever made, but it’s a commendable return outing for the studio. Longtime fans of the studios’ work or The Expanse’s source material will find enough to be excited for what’s to come, while newcomers can get a solid look at what the studio can offer moving forward. With any luck, they’ll be able to build off of this to finish the series strong and set about starting a new age that surpasses the heights of their previous works.

More importantly, the developers did a good job with the color palette of the ship, the background, enemies, and gunfire, so that it’s always easy for the player to keep track of where they are on the screen.

With a solid cast of characters, nonstop action, and solid 16-bit look and sound design, it’s a treat for those of us who recall the SNES/Genesis era with nostalgia.

While it would have been expected that the series would continue with another sequel, Hopoo Games’ decision to go with the remastered Risk of Rain Returns is a pleasant surprise that we didn’t know we needed. The visual upgrade, coupled with the smart additions and gameplay tweaks to an already solid roguelike formula, make for an experience that constantly entertains and challenges the player, even with the niggling issues that will take some getting used to. Brilliantly modernized for a new generation of players, who knew death could be so rewarding?

Tribes of Midgard isn’t going to be for everyone. The solo experience features all of the intensity that comes with the time crunch, but very little of the fun, and it’s certainly not for players who might be looking for another chill Valheim-like viking experience. But for what it sets out to do, it executes it well. Tribes of Midgard successfully evokes that feeling of setting out as a united tribe in its multiplayer sessions, and the heart of the game lies in sharing the burden of fighting that ticking clock and hoping that you can all pull together in time to beat the odds.

From the fluid storyline down to its tactical combat, I was absolutely hooked.

In terms of a console RTS, Halo Wars 2 stands just about at the top. It’s easy for newcomers of the genre to pick up and play, but still has a enough meat and complexity for veterans to be satisfied. Because of how the campaign wraps things up, I truly hope it gets a sequel. But until then, Halo Wars 2 is definitely a quality exclusive to add to your Xbox One lineup.

Yoshi’s Crafted World is a treat to play and is highly recommended for any Yoshi fan out there, even for the ones who skipped out the most recent entries. Believe me, this may look cute, but Crafted World may fall into being one of the most entertaining and visually appealing games that the Switch has to offer.

The biggest compliment I can give Paint the Town Red VR is that whenever I’ve got a spare 30 minutes, I want to pick it up and play. Whether it’s slashing through a few arena levels or laying waste to a crowd of angry drinkers at a bar, it’s so easy to dip into. Not only that, but it’s a surprisingly good workout as well. If you’ve had a long day and need to decompress, look no further.

A very typical Pokemon game. It innovates a bit, messes stuff that should have been left alone up, and leaves other things alone for better or for worse just like every generation before it. The core gameplay though is still just as fun as ever and the addition of exciting new Pokemon, a beautiful new region, new more organized multiplayer activities, and a fun new open-area to explore help push Pokemon Sword and Shield over the edge to being a game worth picking up for any Pokemon fan.

Jungle Adventure for The Sims 4 is a breath of fresh air after Outdoor Retreat after all.

Puts together a well-made, interesting tale that’s entirely its own. With plenty of the city of Tin Roof to explore, and dozens of characters to question, grill, or shoot the breeze with, there’s more than enough content here to justify the $14.99 price tag on Steam.

A game that takes the Left 4 Dead formula and pushes it over the edge.

A very typical Pokemon game. It innovates a bit, messes stuff that should have been left alone up, and leaves other things alone for better or for worse just like every generation before it. The core gameplay though is still just as fun as ever and the addition of exciting new Pokemon, a beautiful new region, new more organized multiplayer activities, and a fun new open-area to explore help push Pokemon Sword and Shield over the edge to being a game worth picking up for any Pokemon fan.

To say Lost Eidolons is an indie title with AAA aspirations is not a knock against it, but a true reflection of its quality and the potential it has if its edges were more refined.

The openly apparent beauty of Project CARS is the first thing that draws you in, with an equally gorgeous driving simulator hiding just below the smooth and silky skin.

Star Wars Outlaws is a truly fun action-adventure that lives up to the name of its franchise with its interesting story, awesome cast, and unique criminal syndicate reputation system. Its open-world appeal is stretched thin by the vices of its own ambition, filled with a lot of optional padding, but its core offering is more than enough on its own to be worth a dive in.

A game that any fan of Mario should play. It’s an incredibly fun experience, where the strong points of the game more than make up for its shortcoming.

A very typical Pokemon game. It innovates a bit, messes stuff that should have been left alone up, and leaves other things alone for better or for worse just like every generation before it. The core gameplay though is still just as fun as ever and the addition of exciting new Pokemon, a beautiful new region, new more organized multiplayer activities, and a fun new open-area to explore help push Pokemon Sword and Shield over the edge to being a game worth picking up for any Pokemon fan.

Zombie Army Trilogy may not do much new in the grand scheme of things, but everything that it does, it does well. Shooting is fun and engaging. The story is slightly silly but it keeps everything together. Enemies are varied and make enjoyable targets. Horde mode is an absolute blast that really makes the multiplayer portion of Zombie Army Trilogy stand out as the true champion.

2017’s iteration of Football Manager is still the irresistible management sim with a seemingly endless number of statistics to track and players to look after.

Anyone who loves the Atelier Ryza – or the Atelier series in general – is going to love this game. The slight tweaks that the sequel makes to the combat and alchemy improve upon the already solid fast-paced JRPG turn-based combat known to the series without changing what already worked. Combine that with the vast setting and all there is to do in it, and you’ve got a solid recipe for an Atelier title.

Toukiden 2 feels like it takes a lot of what made the earlier games feel a bit flat and fixes it up.

The DioField Chronicle surprised me with just how much depth its combat system offered, and powering my way through its levels proved to be a joy, despite its narrative and characterization shortcomings. The real-time strategy battles are an innovative aspect of the game that I’d love to see adapted in more RPGs, and while I do wish the protagonists weren’t as cookie-cutter as they come, I’ll take bland stories and pretty art over boring gameplay any day.

Before I knew it, my initial skepticism and complaints had begun to evaporate. Even as a silent protagonist, John manages to exude so much personality from his non-committal shrugs and sighs, and he and Sam play off each other so well it’s hard not to feel endeared to them. Everything about Eastward just feels immediately magical and nostalgic, and while my gripes with the combat and stretched out dungeon designs never really went away entirely, Sam’s journey is still one I’m glad I went on in the end.

Not A Hero is a game that rarely slows down, offers a ton of variety to both primary and secondary missions, and is seeping with beautiful nostalgia. While it’s sometimes wearisome trying to get through a single mission that keeps getting you down, when you finally get past that hurdle, there’s always something new waiting.

Layton’s Mystery Journey marks Level-5’s glorious return to this criminally underrated puzzler series, and it paves the way for brighter adventures ahead for Kat and her friends. While the case and story structure feels a little weaker because of the lack of a ‘main’ mystery or hook at the beginning of the game, this is still very much a strong point-and-click narrative adventure that fans of the genre should not miss out on.

The biggest issue you could perhaps point to with Relayer is that it really isn’t for everyone. If you don’t enjoy visual novels, if you aren’t into turn-based games, or if you hate anime tropes, this game likely isn’t for you. If, however, you enjoy your anime, mecha, turn-based tactics, and a deep and interesting story with a rich cast of attractive characters, it’s easy to recommend Relayer. It’s really as close to a playable sci-fi anime as it gets, and I’m all for it.

I enjoyed my HD revisit of Mario vs. Donkey Kong quite a bit, even to the point of earning every badge in the game. While there's not a lot here that will appeal to those who weren't attracted by the original game, it's still a solid remake that adds fun new stages and HD polish.

It’s been four years since the original release of Captain Toad, and yet, the game still feels as wonderfully unique as it did then. There’s nothing else quite like it, and the Switch version looks and plays wonderfully.

The story, despite being on the short side, was warm and heartbreaking at the same time, and it all comes to a head when an epic ending reveal sets up what could be an impressive and unexpected springboard for the story in Life Is Strange 2. It’s good to be back in this strange universe.

Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer is the ideal experience for those looking to exercise more regularly, with fun boxing gameplay and gamified mechanics that reward consistency and progress.

Memories of Celceta is a perfect onboarding point for anyone looking for something more exotic than the ATB system, but with the look and feel of a classic game of that bygone era. It’s engaging, satisfying, and perhaps most telling of all has me excited to check out other entries in this storied franchise.

Despite some performance issues and awkward camera controls, I would recommend Wild Hearts not only to long-time fans of monster hunting but to players like me who never quite understood the hype before. Wild Hearts will make you understand as it made me understand. From its immersive world to its unique building system, this is one big release you will not want to miss out on.

The mystery surrounding the disappearances, and the hearts pulled into the gripping narrative are well-thought-out and beautiful, in an eerie way.

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is a true gem of an action RPG, and this HD remake certainly does nothing but improve upon the original release. The story certainly has its fair share of emotional drama and plot twists, complete with a handful of light-hearted moments too. If you’re looking for excellent brawler gameplay with RPG elements and absolutely gorgeous artwork and uniquely designed bosses, you can’t go wrong with Leifthrasir.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is a wonderful mix of the two ideas. As a platformer, the game wouldn’t have enough driving force, and would wear out quickly. For farming, while it’s truly lovely, there’s too much downtime with not enough to do. Each of these things in a game of their own would be draining, but together it creates a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of a game that deserves recognition and continues to feel fresh and enjoyable even after 20 hours in.

Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is exactly what it needs to be: A quality rhythm game experience that lets fans of the series look back on it fondly. Its flaws are minor, and its strengths lay the groundwork for a promising future of bigger and better spin-off titles in the genre. It’s a great first step into the genre and will keep fans of Kingdom Hearts and rhythm games alike engrossed in its different modes for hours on end.

The Evil Within 2 is held back by a forgettable story and annoying AI issues that would probably put a serious damper on your gameplay experience if you were playing on Nightmare difficulty. And yet, it also does exactly what a horror game should do, and it does it well. Despite its flaws, The Evil Within 2 is a thoughtfully constructed horror rollercoaster ride that strikes a delicate balance between giving the player the power to fight back, and also making them realize that sometimes, all those guns and gear won’t save you from the terrors you can’t understand.

A New Frontier does Telltale’s The Walking Dead series justice, and its finale brings almost all of the closure that fans have been asking for.

Cadence of Hyrule might not be the challenging follow-up that Necrodancer fans were looking forward to, but it serves as a charming homage to the music of The Legend of Zelda series, and as a celebration of its classic 2D formula.

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.

Hogwarts Legacy fulfilled a long-standing childhood dream of mine: the dream of receiving my Hogwarts acceptance letter as a kid, and waving a wand around to do all sorts of cool magic tricks. Bad fanfic or not, it’s hard to ignore the amount of pure, unbridled joy I got out of the game simply by being present in its immersive world. Hogwarts Legacy gave me the rare opportunity to be transported back to a time that was harder in some ways, but also simpler in many others. The fantasy of what could’ve been was sweet and lovely, but also devastatingly fleeting. Then again, perhaps that’s really all I could ever ask for.

Road to Gehenna serves as a fantastic addition to an already-great game.

Overall, Windjammers 2 is a massive success that fans of the franchise will surely enjoy and those new to the game will quickly understand why the fans of the original game love it. The lack of game modes with meaningfully different gameplay is unquestionably disappointing. Yet, the core gameplay is just so good and enjoyable that hours will pass in the blink of an eye.

Concrete Genie has outstanding design and a style which bring the game to life, and keep it from fading into the background alongside every other game on the market. And yet, due to its odd design choices in the final stretch of the game, it’s hard not to say that it falls short of becoming something spectacular, mired by incongruous gameplay designs and an unclear vision on what kind of game it wants to be remembered as in the end.

While I’m not convinced it’ll ultimately live up to Rhys, Fiona and Loaderbot’s escapades (my own personal favorite series), for sheer enjoyment, it’s shaping up to come mighty close.

While War of the Human Tanks: ALTeR probably isn’t in-depth enough for hardcore strategy fans, it’s got a certain charm and the novel-style story and human drama inserted through it add a wonderful depth to the experience.

My hope is that it finds its audience so that we might yet again see Dr. Reid on an even grander scale in the future.

There will be work to do to ensure that Beyond Light’s content remains interesting for an entire year and that Stasis is kept in check, but overall Destiny 2: Beyond Light is a solid effort from Bungie and is a worthwhile expansion to pick up for anyone that enjoys the series.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is a great crossover with a fun story and enough modes to keep things fresh for quite some time. The only downside is that it is exactly what it advertises itself as, a mix of Puyo Puyo and Tetris.

SD Gundam Battle Alliance is a game for Gundam fans, but actual knowledge of the series isn’t wholly important to your enjoyment. If you just want some great action RPG gameplay featuring some of the best mechs ever introduced in anime, this game has you covered. The array of available Gundam to choose from will keep you replaying missions just to find the one suit perfect for you.

Atomfall is a testament to intricate, compact, RPG design. A proof that 'bigger' isn’t always the answer to immersive RPG design. It also shows just how wonderful games can be when they respect player freedom. With a solid gameplay loop, enchanting locales, and some absolutely delicious quest design, Atomfall is a delightful success of the classic ‘Fallout’ RPG formula, despite its flaws.

Stranger of Paradise is a peanut butter and chocolate combination of Final Fantasy XV and Nioh. The beauty of it is that you don’t even have to be a fan of Final Fantasy I to enjoy Stranger of Paradise. The story explains everything you need to know and anything you bring into it from previous knowledge is just extra. The combat is just spicy enough that you can feel like a powerhouse, but lets the players somewhat tweak the difficulty to their own desires if they’d rather face a tougher challenge. If this is the way that Square Enix will be remaking the early Final Fantasy games I am entirely in. This iteration takes modernization to the best possible level.

Overall, I am happy to have a modern way to play Chrono Cross and Radical Dreamers. Could Square Enix have polished this up a bit more to fit the standards of a remaster in 2022? Absolutely. Is Chrono Cross still a stellar game regardless? Absolutely. I am eager to play through it again in New Game+ to make different decisions and recruits.

Before the Storm is the more personal take on the series’ formula, forgoing the supernatural elements of the first series in favor of something more real, and I’m so glad it did.

While LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is more of an evolution of the franchise than a full on revolution, it’s still quite possibly the definitive Star Wars video game collection right now, not only from a content perspective, but from an authenticity and a fun factor perspective as well. Equally charming as it is nostalgic, it’s a wonderful experience, especially for those with a soft spot for that galaxy far, far away.

The game feels like it’s meant for those who miss the GBA-era glory days, and it may just satisfy if these particular limiting factors can be overlooked. And, with all that said, it’s certainly a step in the right direction when looking toward the future of a genre that’s more or less being monopolized by Pokemon.

New players will get the full, unabridged experience at a decent price, while old fans should find this treasured classic is still just as fun to dive into as they remember.

All in all, Zombie Night Terror doesn’t bring a whole lot of full-scale innovation to the table, but it’s an interesting and fun spin on a classic.

The gameplay can get exciting at times, with the fast-paced gun battles and gorgeous abilities, but it’s clear that wasn’t the primary focus for this experience. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing – after all, I thoroughly enjoyed both of my playthroughs. However, if you were expecting battle after battle where you bend time to your will, you will be left wanting.

An engaging narrative, beautiful visuals, varied gameplay, and top-notch multiplayer (that works well) all fit together to deliver one of the biggest and best experiences to be had this year thus far.

A few different design decisions might have helped the game in the long run, but it’s still a charming adventure worth the time investment.

Aside from the repetition, which is, in retrospect, how many gamers got longevity out of old Castlevania games, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a superb game. It is ideal for gamers who want an old-school challenge as well as an old-school game in both aesthetic and design.

New World order was an enlightening episode with one hell of a latter half. The highs were huge and while a few of the quieter moments lacked quite the impact players may expect, were certainly providing a platform for the finale to spring from.

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.

Choice Provisions has done something special with Runner3; it’s a game that might make you want to scream internally over and over again, but at the same time, will make you smile from ear to ear while jamming out when you finally overcome those pesky obstacles.

There’s polish to its presentation and controls, invention in the way it strings together the combinations of different abilities, and oodles of charm in its aesthetic. Especially as a game to play while in portable mode, Shu is a platformer that any fans of the genre should consider trying.

Gunslugs 2 just hits that sweet spot to keep fans of arcade shooters happy for many dark nights to come.

It gets so many things right, with its combat that feels like a substantial improvement over its predecessors and a solid roster that includes Akuma, one of my favorite fighting game characters of all time. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy my time with the game, and I certainly plan on returning back to my PS4 for more. However, I can just as honestly say that the single-player component often felt like a chore that got in the way of the series’ best story.