Miitopia, by its end, is too redundant, too bland, and saves its best parts for far too late in the game—in the post-game, assuming its players have stuck around that long to begin with.

Sundered isn't the only roguelike Metroidvania; the indie space is full of them. This is one that stands out though. The art alone is worth the price of admission. While I feel the combat and movement in Dead Cells is a little tighter, Sundered doesn't let you down at all; sometimes I'd just hit that flow of movement, jumping, dashing, and pulling myself from place to place. Especially when I was running from a Horde.

The fundamental gameplay is strong. Matches are fast and enjoyable. The characters are visually wonderful and mechanically distinct. But the overall experience just needs more. More Guardians, more maps, more modes. The heroes feel like they're in the right place, but the rest needs to be pumped up over time for Gigantic to truly stand tall among its competition.

There's a decent foundation here; and if Nintendo should decide to make a sequel, there's plenty to build from. But as bold experiments go, Hey! Pikmin is merely okay. And like the tiny aliens that serve as its namesake, it's apt to fade into the background.

Pyre's strengths lie in a lot of things: it's beautiful visuals, amazing score, multi-branching tale, gameplay that somehow marries the best of sports games and tactical RPGs. But it's wrapped in an expansive story that doesn't quite earn its keep over its many hours, and fails to flesh out the endearing characters you meet and spend time with all along the way. In the end though, Pyre's a quest worth taking if ou're up for the challenge and the inevitble dread you'll feel when you lose sometimes.

Splatoon 2 doesn't add much to shake up the splat-paint-everywhere formula, but I wonder if it needs to at this point. Splatoon 2 is a much stronger game at launch than its original ever was through its whole lifespan, and for that, is easily one of the best games one can own on the Switch.

I get the feeling that we've only scratched the surface of this Minecraft universe, so I want to see more. I want to know about how this world came to be, I want to see all the place Telltale has crafted to fill the place out. I just hope future episodes retain a strong focus on the main journey.

It may never have the mass appeal of some of its peers, but it's time Final Fantasy XII received some of the love and attention it deserves.

Master x Master is a damned good time. It's not the best at any one thing, but it offers such a variety that you can't help but find something to enjoy.

Master Mode is simply vicious, offering a punishing adventure for even the most hardened of Legend of Zelda players. I honestly don't think I'm up to the task. I look forward to seeing those who are though.

Tries valiantly to weave a tale of political intrigue, but it's undermined by repetitive mission design, poor menus, and an anonymous cast. If you were hoping for a worthy successor to Valkyria Chronicles, you will be sadly disappointed.

Sure, there's fetch quests, kill quests, dungeons, and raids, but what makes Final Fantasy XIV beloved by its players is that story. This grand tale of the Warriors of Light and Warriors of Darkness. Of the Eorzea Alliance, the Garlean Empire, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and the Crystal Braves. Of all the characters you meet, whether in glorious combat, or in a quiet dinner.

Light and breezy, Ever Oasis makes for a pleasant little snack while waiting for the next wave of 3DS RPGs. Some of its core concepts could have been taken further, but it's still a well-executed RPG from a long-standing veteran of the genre.

Arms has a lot to love, and unfortunately, a lot to forget too. After a year of planned updates, I imagine the Arms we see a year from now will be a drastically different game. A fuller one, at that. In the meantime, though, while it has potential with layers of depth, the core game simply doesn't have enough variety among its many arms and fighters to keep the experience feeling fresh for long.

Yes, the pacing was a bit off, some characters got the short shrift, and the technology that underpins all Telltale Games continues to struggle. But I appreciate the studio's desire to do more with The Walking Dead this time around and their storytelling methods are getting better, with some great character writing, voice acting, and camerawork. A New Frontier is an uneven experience, with highs consistently punctuated by various lows across all five episodes.

The writing is excellent, though the overall presentation can feel a little dry at times. The new Warden class needs a second look as well, but overall Morrowind is an excellent welcome mat for new and returning players.

I think Tekken 7 is a fantastic fighter – albeit one that’s hobbled by a front-and-center single-player mode that’s unsatisfying on its own and does little to help players understand what makes the core gameplay so solid. Players have been waiting a long time for this game, and more than anything, I’m glad that it’s finally in the hands of Tekken fans worldwide. But in an increasingly competitive market for the attention of both casual and competitive fighting game players, it feels like the iron fist doesn’t hit quite as hard as it should.

On Tokyo 42's website, the developers boast the game as a beloved blend of Syndicate and Grand Theft Auto, and honestly, they couldn't be more wrong and right. It's both those games in spirit, but twists them into something wholly its own. Tokyo 42 is an isometric cyberpoppunk action-shooter with a city that's worth getting lost in.

Crusade is everything that an expansion should be. It takes Galactic Civilizations III, sands off the rough edges, and adds new options for a deeper, more strategic experience. The new Citizens system offers more late-game options, espionage returns, planetary invasions are more tactical, and alongside the three new races, there's a new Civilization Builder letting you craft your own. If you're a GalCiv fan, it's an instant pick-up. If you're not, this might be the time to pick it up.

Where other 4X titles lean towards a more utilitarian presentation, Endless Space 2 starts with a great 4X game and layers on good art, great writing, and excellent UI design. There's a wide variety of play in the available factions and a deep political system that underpins the entire thing. The combat disappoints and the AI could use some improvement, but Amplitude is known for its expansions and improvements. What's here is already a 4X class act.

Vanquish is a fun, dumb game that feels good to play when you get into a zone. If you're a fan of Escape From New York or other B-grade action films, Vanquish will appeal to you as well. While I wish that Vanquish would let me fully indulge in the many joys the game has to offer, budget and time added roadblocks to the experience. For 20 dollars, I can certainly recommend this to new players or true fans of the original. But if you didn't like Vanquish the first go-around, there's not a lot here other than a prettier looking version of the same game from the previous generation consoles.

Rime is a beautiful, beautiful game that manages to feel remarkably empty, even in the face of its earnest attempts. The aesthetic that breathes life into the island of Rime feels a bit too familiar, but it doesn't dampen its vast, ever-photographable horizons. Nonetheless, Rime is a light third-person adventure game with quiet puzzle solving, in a year where we haven't had much of those, which alone makes it a worthwhile respite.

Ultra Street Fighter II is an admirable effort; a pitch-perfect version of Street Fighter II on the Nintendo Switch. Capcom has re-balanced the game from its Super Turbo release, thrown in the Super Turbo HD Remix art, and added some additional Switch-only modes. Unfortunately, the whole package just feels adequate. Ultra Street Fighter II doesn't feel like it goes above and beyond for the series' 30th anniversary and the asking price is steep for what's there.

The first Injustice was a well-done fighting game, but it's completely outclassed by its sequel. NetherRealm Studios offers up a love letter to the DC Universe and fighting game fans. An accessible combat system underpins a game with a great roster, tons of character customization, and several robust gameplay modes. The story mode alone is worth witnessing. As a complete package, Injustice 2 sets the bar for fighting games.

Disgaea 5 Complete is everything that Disgaea 5 was, including all the downloadable content, on a system that you can take with you whenever you go. It's the same game, but the Disgaea series has always been a more enjoyable experience in its portable iterations and that's no different here. If you own it on PS4, it's still worth a re-purchase here. If you don't, welcome to the world of Disgaea.

I both love and hate this game. The bulk of the package is so good that it's tempting to forgive its unbalanced difficulty. But alas, the combat comprises the majority of the game, putting Shadows of Valentia's more obnoxious qualities front and center. It's worth checking out, but be ready to be immensely frustrated.

Farpoint is a game that does it's job well, showing off PlayStation VR and the PlayStation VR Aim Controller. The act of shooting feels great and intuitive in the game thanks to the controller. Unfortunately, while VR adds to the experience, it doesn't hide what's a fairly rote and basic shooter from an earlier era of gaming.

The Surge gives a lousy first impression with it bland sci-fi setting and grab bag of obvious influences. Given time, though, there’s an unrefined gem in here for those willing to put up with its quirks. If this is Deck 13’s next step to building something truly great, it’s solid, if flawed one.