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.

The combat itself is a bit lacking, and it may be on the shorter side for some at about 10 hours, but it successfully delivers on its unique concept to provide a fun, concise experience. When you combine all of the above with the lower price point, Islets is an easy game to recommend to fans of the genre looking for a more relaxed Metroidvanian jaunt.

Blasphemous is a fun game. It provides challenging enemies and platforming sections, but some challenges are less difficult and more unfair. Still, Blasphemous is a demanding experience that will make you feel rewarded for your tribulations. Just don’t play the game if you can’t stand a little religious ribbing.

Whether you are a fan of Spike Chunsoft’s previous work or a detective enthusiast, you should certainly pick up Master Detective Archives: Rain Code. Persona fans may even enjoy the RPG mechanics and the environment that almost seems reminiscent of its layout. I hope to see more projects like this from the developers, where it can potentially step away from its predecessor to become something else entirely.

The game’s tongue-in-cheek humor and over-the-top satire of joyfully ’90s tropes is similar in wit and execution to Grand Theft Auto. It’s akin to looking down at your feet and seeing the culture around you reflected in a filthy, muddy puddle – and then jumping wholeheartedly into it with both feet and making a fine mess.

It is clear that Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is a work of love, combining a well-written narrative, engaging characters, and a world worth exploring and experiencing. The combat elements add to a familiar formula, and the turn-based elements are not that hard for anyone to wrap their heads around. Save for a few yet annoying bugs and glitches, it is hard not to see Ruined King: A League of Legends Story as a bonafide breakout hit for Riot Forge and Airship Syndicate.

Overall, New World: Aeternum is a fun, engrossing open-world RPG. There is an amazing amount of stuff to do, from harvesting and crafting, to combat and adventure. The main story is nothing groundbreaking but it is entertaining nonetheless. Player progression feels easy and relatively quick, but there is so much to experience that it feels like it will take a long time before I start to get bored. I particularly enjoy the interactions with NPCs; the voice acting is great and the scripts are reminiscent of old-school Fable. It's all very friendly and tongue-in-cheek much of the time.

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.

Herald’s narrative focus and somewhat dark themes may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Having said that, I really can’t stress enough how well-done the game is within this scope. The beautifully rendered world, intelligently written script, and engaging story put Herald among the best I’ve seen in the genre.

In spite of its shortcomings, though, Back 4 Blood is already starting to feel like it could very well become my go-to zombie shooter whenever I just want to have a fun, social experience with friends. Despite how saturated the zombie game market has become, Back 4 Blood cuts through all the noise and delivers a solid co-op shooter that oozes charm and prioritizes fun with friends over everything else.

For everything it brings to the table, it still left me wanting just a bit more.

ARMS might not exude that same 'hardcore' draw that other fighting games have, but it's the very epitome of the well-worn phrase, "Easy to pick up, hard to master." There's something for everyone here, and it's certainly a unique gem of a game that Switch owners would be remiss to pass up on.

Warhammer 40k: Shootas, Blood and Teef is a very enjoyable game and worth playing. Time will fly running through the story with friends, which is definitely the recommended way to play the title. There are a lot of interesting events and cutscenes, loyal Warhammer 40k fans might find some encounters questionable, but it is advised to just have fun with it.

Darksiders Genesis pulls off the change in perspective. It feels like a true to form Darksiders game and should not be skipped by any fan of the series.

Unravel Two may not have been at the top of players’ wishlists, even those who enjoyed the first, but the addition of co-op breathes fresh air into its yarn-based platforming. There’s still not a whole lot of content here, and its additional Challenge levels will ultimately depend on if you’re desperate to put your skills to the test, but if you want to embark on another platforming adventure, you could do a lot worse than Unravel Two.

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.

By focusing on the gameplay experience first, On Rusty Trails has put together a rather simple yet cunningly effective game.

Digimon Survive was lovingly crafted for longtime fans of the series, and it truly feels like playing through a season of the show. The visual novel is consistently engaging, and the battles are an excellent supplement to give players a connection to the Digimon they recruit.

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a must-play for anyone who loves action-adventure, even with some less than inventive design choices for its structure. And even though it is set in a city where the only other inhabitants are spirits, yokai, and The Visitors, everything about Ghostwire: Tokyo feels so alive. It has fantastic stories, a rich setting, and addictive gameplay that keeps getting better as the game progresses.

If you’re looking for a new The Sims 4 expansion pack, you can’t go wrong with choosing this one, but you also have better options if you haven’t bought any in awhile.

Sherlock Holmes Chapter One takes the series in a completely opposite direction of its predecessors, souring its potential in favor of adding gameplay elements that pad runtime and take away from the investigations. Fans of the series may find some joy in getting to experience the original content or solving clues the hard way, but I was certainly not one of them.

XCOM: Chimera Squad is a worthwhile and rewarding experience that takes the essential elements of the series and puts them under a microscope. In doing so, Firaxis has put a fresh new spin on a genre they were already responsible for revolutionizing.

The episode ends on a bit of a low note as things seem to end rather abruptly. Episode 4 also feels like the shortest one of the bunch so far, with major characters taking a backseat.

I will admit that it took me some time to really get into Kathy’s story, but once I reached past the initial pieces, I was soon hooked. As the plot deepened, I found myself captivated and driven to finish the game and see what lay ahead.

In its worst instances, the game crashes and breaks, which is something that should never happen in any video game.

Fans who want more combat without all the interrupting dialogue can test their mettle against other players at the online coliseum, so I’d highly encourage series fans to give this one a go. On the other hand, if you’re looking to play a Final Fantasy game for the first time and are wondering if this is a good entry point, it is not. Newcomers will have a far better experience playing one of the classics instead.

Evolve is great now, but it will only make its way to incredible if the players keep on playing. Should they get bored or be distracted by another game, Evolve stands to suffer a great deal.

NHL 20 is a great package if you skipped out on last year’s entry. However, if you already own NHL 19 there isn’t enough new to recommend picking this one up.