Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies is definitely an Ace Attorney game. The mechanics are almost unchanged, but the writing is as fun, witty and clever as ever. It isn't quite up to par with the best of the series, but it's still an incredibly fun experience.

All in all, The Lion's Song achieves what is intended at a very high level. It masterfully tells and blends three separate stories about culture, creativity, and social influence into a cohesive story to paint the picture of an early 20th century Vienna. It's a niche project that won't appeal to everyone, and it has a few pacing issues and an undesirable control method for an adventure, but it is a good game that knows its strengths and plays to them.

In the end, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix is very good. From a value perspective, having four large RPGs ensures that it'll take newcomers a very long time before they exhaust everything. The gameplay and presentation remain as solid as ever, even though some may not appreciate the constant combat shifts between titles, and the story is more palatable now that you aren't waiting several years between releases. For those willing to jump into Square Enix's action RPG series, this is an excellent starting point.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the video game equivalent of a Michael Bay movie. There's a lot of flash and not much substance.

The faster loading times and graphical bumps still make this a good-looking game, despite the age of the assets. The solo campaign still has some allure, and the online component has proven its staying power. If you've already played the campaign to death, then you might be tempted to grab this because of the ridiculously low, temporary intro price. If you're an avid GTA Online player, then you may be on the fence given the segregation of online populations. This version means that the wait for GTA6 is going to be painfully long, but what's here is solid enough to tide one over until that finally arrives.

A fresh gaming experience with slick Live play, and it even comes with a full color instruction booklet. Phantom Dust may well make you question why you spent 50 bucks on your last game.

Despite its faults, The Witcher is a diamond in the rough as a mature, gritty and atmospheric RPG that heads into territory not often explored.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a fantastic collection for your gaming dollar.

Overall, Dungeon Siege III: Treasures of the Sun is a good DLC pack. For $10, players get three to five hours of gameplay per character in some neat new environments. You also get new abilities and a solidly written individual plot, so it's a good value for those who enjoyed the base game. Nothing here's going to change the minds of non-fans, though.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising does what any good sequel should do, and that's take what works in the first game and amplifies its strengths while also fixing some of its shortcomings. The addition of new moves involving a special meter deepen the overall fighting mechanics, but it still retains the simpler control scheme for newcomers and as a comprehensive training system to help genre rookies get acclimated to the overall Arc System way of fighting. The character roster feels much more substantial and in line with what's expected from a modern-day fighting game, while the rollback netcode gives people more confidence in entering online bouts without fear of most network conditions creating an unplayable experience. If you can shake off the fact that a good chunk of the game is directly lifted from the first title, you'll greatly enjoy Rising.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is best described as a refined and improved Monster Hunter Stories 2. It doesn't really change the core concept, but pretty much every change in the game is for the better. The new story is easier to engage with, the combat system is more fun than ever, and in general, it's a great leap forward without losing anything that made the previous games fun. Only some minor frame rate issues drag down the Switch 2 experience, and they're not enough to sour an otherwise fantastic game.

Dishonored: The Brigmore Witches is a good way for the first game to end properly while still providing enough hints for players to crave a second entry in the world. While the opening stage isn't much, the latter two stages are more indicative of the scope of the previous DLCs.

For the price, Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown is a solid purchase, even if it's not exceptional. It's a bare-bones fighter that has the most basic of extra modes and features, but the main game is good, and the price point is hard to beat. The game is easy to pick up but difficult to master, giving you a great value for only $15. In the end, it's another release of Virtua Fighter 5. If you enjoy the series, you'll love getting a cheap and improved version. The comprehensive tutorial also makes this a great starting point for series newcomers. If you've never liked the series, though, Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown won't change your mind.

The combat, while repetitive, is easily approachable and manageable with the extras added to the PC version. The narrative is excellent, with enough plot points and well-veiled twists to make it a beautiful thing to watch.

Guitar Hero Live is basically a return to its guitar-only roots, which is what made the original games great.

Ashen is a great title. The Souls formula may be adapted nearly wholesale, but the art style gives the game a different vibe. The presence of co-op at all times makes each run feel feasible, since the odds rarely feel impossible to overcome, and the presence of a community to grow gives you a real sense of progression and purpose. Unless you're completely burned out by the formula, Ashen is an adventure that's well worth checking out.

Shift 2: Unleashed is a very good racing game, but it's not quite refined enough to be a great racing game. Shift 2 is fun, but you need to know how to play it in order to appreciate it and get the most out of the experience. When played correctly, this is an intense, borderline terrifying behind-the-wheel experience, and it's worth checking out the game for that aspect alone. Shift 2 may not be ready to play with the top dogs in the genre, but it's still a wild ride from start to finish.

The lack of a foot pedal or a gun with recoil is probably the only things that make the arcade version better than the home version, since the rest of the game as a whole seems to have made the transition 100% intact.

Sound effects are excellent and provide all the "Bang" "thud" and "oompf" you would expect from the excellent sound department at Electronic Arts.

For fans of the F1 series, this all comes down to one question, and it's the same one asked last year: Is it worth picking up F1 23 if you already have last year's title? In my opinion, the F1 World mode and the improved vehicle physics are noteworthy upgrades and feel more than what could realistically have been DLC or a patch for the previous title. The improvements for controller users are especially noticeable, and I suspect that most people playing F1 23 are indeed using that control scheme. When you combine all of that and consider the continuation and improvements made to Breaking Point, it's pretty easy to recommend picking up F1 23.

It's simple and easy to play, and it offers a fair amount of value for your dollar.

Ghostrunner was a pleasant surprise. It's a short and fun action platformer that keeps you busy with challenging but fair stages, while smartly mixing things up throughout the experience. It's not quite as great in telling its story as it is with its movement and combat, and it can be frustrating at times, but when everything works well together, it's a satisfying and fun skill-based action game. If you are looking for a linear and challenging game, pick up Ghostrunner.

I thoroughly enjoyed Chessmaster 10th Edition. Whether or not you'll want to pick it up depends on several factors. The most important is, if you already have a version that works just fine on Windows 2000 or XP, and the learning tools are still working for you, you'll probably take a pass on this one.

Star Wars Outlaws is a very solid title for fans of big, open-world adventures. Although the Ubisoft open-world formula can feel a little too familiar, it still fits well in the Star Wars universe. Even if some of the systems feel half-baked, the combat and stealth feel good enough, especially if you strictly play on Nintendo consoles. An open world that doesn't go into the expected Star Wars tropes is always welcome. The presentation pushes the console without devolving into a broken mess, and it's a good showcase for the system's capabilities.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon makes for an interesting introduction to the series, but it's going to feel a bit backward to anyone who has played the "older" games in the franchise.

Untitled Goose Game is a gem that hits all the right marks. There's some real appeal in using an otherwise innocuous animal sowing chaos in a sleepy village, and it helps that the results aren't violent at all. The game's short length keeps the experience from wearing thin, but there's enough here to keep you busy. With a pleasant presentation, Untitled Goose Game is a title where you'll both cherish the initial experience and enjoy showing it off to friends to see their reactions.

The biggest draw of F1 22 may likely depend on if you are interested in the VR support, as the game's implementation of VR is quite good. Beyond that, unless you are a Formula One fanatic and need to keep up on the current season, the other new main features are best left ignored. It is still a solid racing game, and no other game delivers such a comprehensive F1 experience. Beyond VR, it's unfortunate that every new feature added to F1 22 is a misfire.

The new additions do much to add new depths of strategy.

Rise of the Pirate God does a nice job of closing out this adventure while also setting the stage for the next, but it still manages to fall short of perfection in several key areas.

Ultimately, Darksiders II often makes you think of how it is similar to other games in certain respects, but it still feels like its own creature. The combat is enjoyable if a bit mindless, but considering how some of the puzzles can be, that might not be a bad thing. However, since skills and gear have such little leverage in the game, it feels like something substantial is missing. The rest of the game doesn't suffer, and the title is certainly engaging, but Darksiders II feels like it hasn't lived up to its full potential.

Even though Toy Soldiers: Cold War has a few new features, it doesn't seem to have quite the depth of the original.

Assassin's Creed is fun, but it isn't the system seller that everyone was expecting it to be. Climbing around and exploring the city is initially a lot of fun, but there isn't much to do beyond that. The investigations and the side-quests are repetitive and quickly become tedious instead of entertaining.

Overcooked 2 is still one of the best local co-op experiences to make your friends hate you. The sequel plays it safe, though, with few overall improvements apart from an online mode and a throwing mechanic. Add to that the inconsistent difficulty, which ranges from ridiculously easy to punishingly tough, and you have a game that is familiar but doesn't push the envelope as much as you may have hoped for a sequel.

Skylanders SuperChargers is a solid entry in a series many thought would've run its course by now.

Yes, ilomilo may be designed to appeal to casual players, but there is more than enough challenge present to satisfy hardcore gamers. It's rare when a game has universal appeal, but ilomilo nails it.

Aside from those minor quibbles, I really enjoyed Dawn of Discovery, but keep in mind that if you're not already a fan of real-time strategy games, this game might not be the one to suck you in, especially not on a console. It's certainly well-adapted, but the difficulty curve is pretty high, and I'm not sure that people will have the patience to go through the tutorial that's masked as a story mode. However, if you're willing to stick it out, there's a ton of depth here that can keep you busy for hours on end, and it's a great value at $30.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is an interesting, experimental and awkward game. When it shines, it really shines, but moments of iffy design both leftover from the NES era and baked into the new gameplay changes drag it down a little. It's a fun game if you're willing to look past some rough spots. It's different enough from other Fire Emblem titles that longtime fans are not necessarily going to love it, but it's also good enough that those who don't normally like Fire Emblem may enjoy it. It's a welcome breath of fresh air for the franchise, and it's a solid send-off to the 3DS for the Fire Emblem franchise.

Aside from these issues, I really enjoyed NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. It is certainly reminiscent of old-school NBA Jam, which is what I'm looking for.

Ghostrunner II finds itself right on par with the first game. The action remains razor-sharp in the beginning, with tight movement and combat that feels rewarding when you master it. The tweaks to existing mechanics and the addition of new moves keep things from devolving into being just "more of the same" when compared to the first title. The more open areas of the desert wasteland feel too freeing, and the various inconsistent issues put a damper on the game when players are experienced. Overall, Ghostrunner II is satisfying for those who can get a thrill from quick bursts of well-executed playthroughs.

Any RPG fan with a 3DS should try the game. Just don't be surprised if everything feels a little familiar.

The whole thing is fun to play, and with a good presentation accompanying a great game length, SteamWorld Heist is a worthy addition to any game library.

A solid game with some good personality built into it compared to Stainless Steel's first offering, "Empire Earth."

While they did add various goals to keep console gamers occupied, they end up turning the game into more of a stressful mess than the passive pace of the original.

Overall, Sifu is an amazing indie game that emulates martial arts perfectly in an interactive video game with flashy fights in cool environments, a satisfying learning curve, and a decent amount of content. I'll return many more times for just one more fight sequence, and the Switch version is perfect if you can overcome its unavoidable performance limitations.

In short, there are a lot of moving parts that take time to master. The fast-paced nature of the campaign leaves little room to take a breath when in the middle of a mission. While this is a little overwhelming for new players, it certainly offers an awful lot of excitement and replay value.

R-Type Dimensions EX is a solid tweaking of a remaster that was pleasing to begin with. The original titles are classics, and while their difficulty is well known, the tweaks and additions make this more accessible to new players by getting them interested in playing the game the right way. There's already plenty of good shooters on the Switch system, but EX is still a great addition to that growing genre library.

Rune Factory 4 for the 3DS was one of my favorite games in the franchise, and the years have not dulled its qualities. If you enjoy farming, collecting, and casual dungeon-crawling, it's hard to think of a game that does everything as well as Rune Factory 4 Special. It's still a seven-year-old game at heart, and it sometimes does feel dated. Hopefully the upcoming Rune Factory 5 will keep everything that was improved in RF4 and give us a true successor to the 3DS classic.

Trails Into Reverie is a hard game to recommend at the best of times. Are you a long-time Trails fan who wants one last hurrah with some of your favorite characters? Do you find it exciting to see how that baker NPC turned out? Then it has a lot to offer you. As a stand-alone RPG, however, it's almost inaccessible, and you should play the other games first. The extremely poor QA work in this title means that even die-hard fans will likely have a hard time enjoying the game; the well-translated script is surrounded by a truly unacceptable amount of bugs. If you're still on the fence, I'd recommend waiting for a patch. Otherwise, it's a crappier experience, as without those problems, Trails into Reverie could've gotten a much higher score.

For action fans, Sunset Overdrive is a must-have title.

As mentioned before, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a very good title, and Tribute Games shows that it knows how to do a beat-'em-up well. The additions to the standard brawling mechanics make it a deep game for those wanting an evolution in the genre, but it remains simple enough for button-mashers to enjoy. The game runs at a good length and initially seems easy, but that changes once you start unlocking the modifiers. The amount of unlocks and challenges provide completionists with a good reason to return again and again.

Thus far, the first two episodes of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier set up the intrigue. Javi is a decent character for the player to control, and Clementine is much more complicated than before due to her experiences. The story beats seem to replay some of the events of the TV series and comic, although with different characters and locations, but the ending of the second episode is enough to capture the attention of those who may already be tired of the franchise general. With only three more episodes to go, it'll be interesting to see if Telltale can keep the momentum going.

When you look past that and get to what really matters, actually carving your way down a mountain while pulling off stunts that Shaun White could never even dream of attempting, SSX is an absolute joy. Piling the tricks on top of each other, activating Super Tricky mode, and then nailing a Signature Trick while listening to a remix of Run DMC's "It's Tricky" thump through your speakers basically guarantees that all is forgiven. Welcome back, SSX. You have been sorely missed.

Children of the Sun has a specific gimmick, and it absolutely nails it. It's a simple but engaging premise that remains fun throughout the entire runtime. It's not overly long, so it's short enough to finish in one sitting, but the potential for high score runs gives it some extra bite. Children of the Sun provides exactly what players want: the chance to play out the raw insanity of Wanted or Guardians of the Galaxy's Yondo, and it nails that concept perfectly.

Just Cause 2 is the sort of game where you're willing to put up with a lot just because it's so darn enjoyable. Any time you get annoyed by something, you can take comfort in knowing that there's something to blow up just over the next hill, and sending a tower of flames into the sky will make it all better.

Overlord delivers a fun experience and is well worth the $39.99 retail price of admission.

At the same time, it's difficult to really get excited about Table Tennis. That seems to suit Table Tennis just fine, as it doesn't seem to want to put a lot of effort in to excite you.

If you missed out on the Jak and Daxter series when it first debuted or haven't spent any recent time with the games, I'd highly recommend that check out The Jak and Daxter Collection. It's a great set of platformers with a whole lot of content for $40. They look gorgeous on an HD set, and age hasn't deteriorated the gameplay.

Beyond the already present fans of the series, anyone looking for a fun game that can be picked up, played, and put down at whim, will find what they need here.

Because Red Orchestra is not reliant on a story or linear gameplay and has plenty of variety, it remains a fresh and a different experience just about every time it's played.

Personal Trainer: Cooking is perfect for bored housewives (or husbands — let's not discriminate) who have extra spending money and a passion for new flavors and tastes.

The most impressive quality of The Crusaders is the cohesiveness of the RPG, RTS, and action elements. Strategy fans that are looking for a deep, long-lasting console experience with frequent bouts of hacking and slashing should definitely check this game out.

While it's true that it doesn't really breath a whole lot of new life into the series, it still should be able to conjour up enough interest in Sims fans.

Sure, it's not the second coming of extreme sports games, and some people might even be a bit disappointed, but if you've never played an SSX game before, this is definitely a great starting point.

All in all, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a solid and polished, if not overly risky, addition to the franchise. In some ways, it feels like a soft reboot that goes back to the franchise's core mechanics and refines them. That makes it a strong introduction to the series for newcomers and a great game for existing fans . The only really flaws include some unnecessary padding and backtracking and its short length, neither of which is enough to be more than a minor blemish. If you're a fan of old-school platformers, Half-Genie Hero is a game for you.

If you're looking for something that massively overhauls the Madden experience, you're probably not going to find it in Madden NFL 19. Instead, I see it as a generally solid dose of improvements and consistency, with an emphasis on tightening up the on-field product for better, more natural football action. It's got me looking forward to binging the next season, at the very least.

If you can brush aside the lack of single console multiplayer, Torchlight II remains an addictive action-RPG experience. The combat system isn't needlessly complicated, but it remains engaging due to the ease with which you can access each of your powers and the depth of the skill trees for each class. The loot is plentiful, and the ability to sell or use everything almost immediately means that you aren't going to pass up loot like you would in other titles. Whether you play alone or with friends, Torchlight II on the Switch is absolutely fun, and its low asking price makes it hard to resist even if you're knee-deep in similar titles.

Your impressions of MLB The Show 22 are going to vary depending on the platform you're on. For Xbox players, this remains a solid baseball game that players of all skill levels can enjoy thanks to numerous options and modes. With it being available on the Xbox Game Pass on day one, it's an easy reason to try it out. Those who lived and breathed The Show 21 will find the improvements to be minimal. For Switch fans, there are some rough parts that dull the game's impressiveness, but the presence of a sports simulation on a system that's starving for them should catch players' attention. The Switch is going to be a boon for those who like to play on the go, especially since The Show 15 was the last time it went portable on the Vita. Now if only the series could make its way to the PC ….

Overall, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a very solid spin-off of the franchise. It does a good job of capturing what makes the Rune Factory games enjoyable while throwing enough twists and turns into the mix that it doesn't just feel like Rune Factory 6. The town building is engaging enough that I worry that a Rune Factory without it might feel lacking now. The combat is solid but simple, and the cast is likable but not super special. Only the general poor performance drags down the game somewhat, but fans of the Rune Factory franchise should find a lot to like.

Overall, I found Back to the Dawn to be an incredibly fun and well-crafted game, especially for its budget cost. The excellent visuals and compelling gameplay systems make it one of the best prison escape games I've ever played, and I quickly wanted to hop back in and try a different run even after a successful prison escape. It's just a well-made game from start to finish, and I wanted to go back for more. If you're even slightly interested in the concept, Back to the Dawn is well worth playing and a great example of how indie RPGs can shine.

If you've never played this title before, then the 3DS offers the best version of the game, but anyone who's already saved Slippy (or let him die) more times than you can count and explored every nook and cranny of the Lylat system may as well stay retired.

Darkest Dungeon II is not the game I wanted. It's its own thing that is a darn fun game with a lot of interesting mechanics and beautiful artwork. One can't pre-judge DDII based on a player's opinion of the original. It shares a tone, a combat system, and a general aesthetic, but the flow and style of gameplay is so different that it is entirely its own thing. It will take hardened Darkest Dungeon players a bit to adjust to the change. If you're willing to go with the flow, it's an engaging and exciting title, if not quite the masterpiece of the original.

A solid addition to the franchise. At times, it feels like it's more of the same and just spinning its wheels, but even at that point, it's charming and fun to play. The cases are strong, the characters are funny, and the visuals are delightful. It doesn't reinvent the wheel or drastically change up the series, but it doesn't need to. The title provides enough satisfying payoff for long-term subplots that it carries itself through the weaker moments.

Gran Turismo 6 is a very good racing game that simultaneously improves upon its predecessor and fails to live up the high standards set by the series.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is in an easy running for the best Dragon Ball game ever made. The surprisingly in-depth gameplay is combined with a love for the franchise that seems to radiate from every aspect of the game. The combat might end up being a little frustrating for someone who just wants to bash together their favorite characters, but once you've learned how to play, it feels absolutely fantastic, and it's a genuine labor of love that fans will adore.

GoldenEye 007 is the best Bond game in years, and Wii owners should not hesitate to pick it up.

Even with its few faults, this title serves as a shining example of its genre, and I wish game companies would make more of this type of game.

Perhaps one of the best compliments I can give to Sifu's essence is this: Playing and improving in this game actually seemed to make me better at other games. What's more kung-fu than that?

If you can live with some bugs, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a solid follow-up to Shadow of Mordor. Everything that made the first game such a treat is still fully intact, and the addition of loot makes it even more difficult to decide whether to keep or kill orcs. The new fortress mechanic is very intriguing, especially when multiplayer is thrown into the mix, but it makes concessions so it doesn't heavily punish those who don't always maintain their bases. All of this is thrown together with a wide variety of activities and an overall journey that is rarely boring. Fans of grand adventures absolutely enjoy this title.

Overall, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is an absolutely fun title if your main exposure to the series was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2. You're essentially getting more of the same, but the formula was already solid enough that getting more of what you know in newer locations is a good thing. The conclusion is more complicated if you were an aficionado of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. With the types of changes and omissions made, a portion of the game feels more like it was inspired by the fourth mainline entry in the series rather than a remake or remastering effort. Purists will be disappointed by these decisions. If you aren't bothered by the changes, you'll find this to be a very good title overall.

With solid quests adding flavor to the endgame and with new ways in which to scratch your itchy trigger finger while Perking out your Monty Haul avatar, fans who haven't gotten their fill of Rad Away, Nuka-Cola, and Fancy Lads Snack Cakes may find that this add-on might be as good a reason as any to head back into the wastes.

Fate/Samurai Remnant is a perfectly fun action-RPG, and it is as a great introduction to the Fate franchise for those who find the convoluted and complex series too difficult to get into. The story and gameplay are engaging and fun but don't reach the highs of something like Persona 5 Strikers, largely because of the focus on Iori's "weakness."

While there are a couple of small blemishes, Patapon 2 manages to shine in a glorious way. The original game was a triumph, showcasing the fact that we haven't run out of good ideas yet, and the sequel continues to drive the franchise in the right direction.

This is exactly the game the mature, hardcore Wii crowd has been craving, and it's just too bad that Nintendo is too busy making the next Wii Play, Wii Fit or Wii Music to put more resources into projects like this.

An awesome game. It flexes great graphics despite being limited by PS2's hardware and multiplatform snags. The only major weakness to this game is the lack of multiplayer.

It bears all the scars of troubled development, and it has a list of nagging issues a mile long, but it's more than the sum of its parts. It's fun to play and has plenty of charming and likeable moments that balance out the frustrating time-wasting elements and weak plot. FF15 is a solid entry into the franchise and is as accessible to newcomers as it is to longtime fans. It might have some rough patches, but FF15 shows that it cares about the most important thing of all: fun.

I had a lot of fun with The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. The combat is fun and downright brutal at times. The story falters at the end, but it's an enjoyable ride that carries you through the 10-20 hour journey. VR desperately needed a longer experience like this, and Skybound and Skydance have delivered with great success. This isn't a four-hour, story-driven, escape room-style game. It's not a shooter on rails or an arena shooter. This is a full-fledged game, and it's great. This is not quite the "killer app" that VR needed, but it's one massive step in the right direction for VR. Any owner of a dedicated PC VR headset owes it to themselves to buy and play this game. Saints & Sinners sparks hope in me that VR still has a bright future ahead — even if that future is a dark, damp New Orleans.

This is what a sequel should be ' they aren't trying to reinvent the genre or completely change how the game is played, they are taking what worked before and adding logical next-steps to it, making it better and fuller.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a great RPG that can really shine on more powerful hardware.

Bakeru is a cute, fun, instantly accessible game for kids of all ages — and maybe even some adults. It doesn't reinvent the genre, but it's a pleasantly comfortable platformer that provides the sort of pleasant experience you'd expect from a developer named Good-Feel. The only things potentially holding back the title are that it's a bit simple and basic for older gamers, and there's some occasionally poor performance. If you're a parent looking for a safe and comfy game for your kids, Bakeru is a great choice.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is a chaotic puzzle masterpiece. The mechanics of each of the core games remains untouched, so veterans of either one can jump in quickly. The interaction of the two games throughout the various modes blends in so well that the mash-up feels right instead of strange. The modes gives the player plenty to do, and the multiplayer is so expansive that there's bound to be at least one mode that someone will grow fond of. Fusion is where the challenge lies, and the blending of both core experiences into one hybrid mode is done so well that it's bound to get just as much playtime as the vanilla versions of the games it was inspired by. Though it is the only puzzle game on the system now, it is still the gold standard to which future puzzle games on the Switch can aspire. Unless you absolutely hate puzzle games, pick up Puyo Puyo Tetris.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire is absolutely excellent. The presentation is stellar, with graphics that accomplish their goal of creating an interactive version of a 1930s cartoon. The soundtrack is good enough to convert players into fans of big band jazz. The shooting and platforming feel right, while the game clocks in at the right length. For fans of both shooting and action in general, Mouse: P.I. for Hire is a must-have title.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is a rather bloated blockbuster crossover event that's shaped like a JRPG. If you're a die-hard Trails fan with a deep love of the franchise, then seeing your favorite characters interact will probably make up for the somewhat disappointing story. Anyone else should stay far away until they've played the first three Trails of Cold Steel main games in the series, and looking up the other games in the franchise couldn't hurt. I had fun with ToCS4, but it's a bit of a mess, and your enjoyment will depend on how much that mess appeals to you. I still have a soft spot in my heart for the series, but I can only hope the next game is more focused than this offering.

Skulls of the Shogun is irreverent, challenging and, most of all, fun. It masterfully mixes humor with well-balanced gameplay to keep players coming back for more. If strategy is your thing, this is a must-buy.

Although it wasn't meant to be taken seriously, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is a surprisingly good game.

Despite Assassin's Creed's smooth, almost deft controls and not infrequently gorgeous, gritty ancient urban settings, it is ultimately a game by rote, not salvaged by a compelling story and also burdened with a shell plot that is both trite and superfluous.

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch may be an awkwardly named game, but it is also a solid Metroidvania title. The game may follow the genre blueprint faithfully, but the environments feel more than a series of corridors, since there are a number of open-air areas to traverse. The combat is fluid, and the movement tricks make you feel powerful very early in the game. The adventure flows by at a good pace, and the amount of secrets will keep you exploring each environment for quite some time. Genre fans and those who love a good 2D adventure will be happy with this title in their collection.

Passive AI and lackluster online support from the community isn't enough to make Civilization: Beyond Earth a total wash. If you've enjoyed the series over the years, you'll likely spend many hours with this entry as well.

Marvel's Midnight Suns is probably my top shocker for the year. I'm surprised at how well everything comes together. It almost seems like a bit too much on paper, but it feels amazing once you get your hands on the game. The combat is addictive and incredibly fun, and the story is pure comic book schlock in the best sort of ways. If you are looking for Marvel XCOM, you'll be disappointed, but that's the most significant "flaw" I can think of. Marvel fans of all types will be delighted with Midnight Suns, which is a love letter to the spooky side of the universe. It's a game that I easily see myself coming back to time and time again.