Occasionally, you'll be reminded that, as funny as it is, the gameplay of Deathspank is nothing special, and if you stripped away the laughs, it would be a pretty average experience.

The simple fact is that Ys Seven is one of the best RPGs on this or any other console, and it's a true hidden gem for PSP owners.

It's easy to recommend Death Road to Canada to anyone who's into either zombies, roguelikes or both, as it comes with its pros and cons. If you hate roguelikes, you probably won't enjoy this one, but if you're on the fence, be assured that this is one of the best executions in recent times, even if just for the absurd story and setup.

At its barest elements, Dissidia: Final Fantasy is phenomenal.

A very solid piece of work, one of the finest that the developers have brought to the table.

The New York Times Crosswords for the NDS is made for the puzzle freak and crossword enthusiast, but it's also enjoyable for anyone who has a penchant for simple-playing games with a good deal of challenge.

One of those rare licensed games that actually transcends its license to provide a great gaming experience for anyone willing to give it a shot.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is not a perfect game, but it's an incredibly fun one. With satisfying and brutal combat, open-ended areas to explore, and fun survival and crafting mechanics, the title is a blast to play. It may be removed from the quality it can reach on the PC, but this is the full experience and works surprisingly well. No matter the sacrifices and minor annoyances, I kept coming back to the game long after I was done with it. I've spent more time in the headset for S&S than I have with many other games. Even though it's late in the PS4 life cycle, Saints & Sinners is a standout title.

Dead Rising 2 is as straightforward a sequel to Dead Rising as you can get. There are no drastic changes to the formula, for all the good and bad that implies.

I must point out that it is not meant to be played for long periods of time; it's obviously been crafted from the ground up with the handheld format in mind. If you frequently find yourself with just a little bit of extra time on your hands, this is the game to play.

MTV MG3 is a way to try your hand at mixing and sampling without spending thousands on synthesizer equipment, and find out how difficult it is to make a solid three-minute track.

La-Mulana 2 is an absolutely solid sequel. Even though there are a few additions to the core gameplay loop, they don't dilute how unforgiving the game can be. The level of difficulty doesn't feel cheap, and obtuse puzzles can feel very rewarding when solved. The game is long enough to feel like you've squeezed more than enough value out of it, but it never drags on. The game has a few flaws here and there, but anyone who's looking for a tough platforming experience will be pleased with what they find in La-Mulana 2.

In the end, A Hat In Time features enough charm to overcome its shortcomings. If you can live with the unreliable camera, then you'll find a game that offers a pleasant platforming experience, tons of secrets to uncover, and a good amount of abilities to experiment with. The variety of environments and activities is appreciated, as are some of the breaks from platforming norms. The characters may be the main reason for playing the gamefrom beginning to end, just to see what they'll say or do next. For fans of platformers, A Hat In Time is well worth your time.

It's an impressive title that champions quality and heart over quantity, mainly because there was no other choice.

I didn't have high expectations of Assassins Creed: Shadows, as I've really struggled to become engaged with the most recent entries in the series. The setup in Shadows takes a little while, but the resulting payoff is worth it. The gameplay is engaging, but the plot and characters really drive things forward. It must be challenging to develop a game within such a long-running series and have it still feel like something fresh and new, and Shadows is the closest that a game has come to that in quite some time.

Rochard is a very good side-scrolling adventure game. It puts up a well-balanced mix of combat and puzzles despite the dampened focus on exploration. The controls may be finger-bending at times, but it is a looker and has a great soundtrack to boot. It is a short adventure that's fun to experience. At $10, it's a game that adventure fans should play without hesitation.

When the game works, it is head and shoulders above any other title that uses the license. When it fails, however, it descends into frustration and tedium.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has never been a bad game, and neither is Ultimate. It's important that you know exactly what you're getting into, though. It's been built to appeal to a fan community of die-hard experts, who spent 10 years playing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 at increasingly high levels of performance, who own their own customized fighting joysticks and who've been researching their team for the new game for the last six months.

Overall, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2 is an interesting and complex title with scads of replay value and an impressive level of depth.

Catherine may not be the Persona 5 that people were hoping for, but it's a good game in its own right.

Overall, People of Note is a fun and fluffy RPG. The plot isn't life-changing, but it's bolstered by a strong combat system, excellent music, and some surprisingly fun puzzles. The musical numbers may not work for everyone, but they gave it their best shot, and there's at least one song for everybody. People of Note isn't the first musical RPG, but it emphasizes that the two genres go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Given the franchise history, Driver: San Francisco is a surprisingly fresh take on a series that many thought dead and buried. It may not be perfect, but Driver: San Francisco offers up a solid amount of content along with a good variety of gameplay to keep you busy. What it loses in polish, it more than makes up for in value.

I'm in love with Metal: Hellsinger. First and foremost, the mechanics feel precise, which is critical in a shooter and doubly so in a rhythm game. The music is its heart, and it is good to the point that the OST would be worth picking up on its own. The part that makes Metal: Hellsinger special is in how well it weaves the music, the themes, the action, and the unrelenting rhythm together. It's a non-stop barrage of, "you get to perform awesome things done to the beat of a fantastic metal soundtrack." I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game until the credits rolled, and it left me immediately wanting more.

Ion Fury is an old-school shooting fan's dream. All of the mechanics are intact, from non-regenerative health to the ability to carry a full arsenal of weapons, and the level design feels intuitive and encourages exploration without needing waypoints. Some of the new mechanics fit in well, but a few, like the need to reload, only increase the difficulty on a tough game. Seeing all of this done on a decades-old engine is enough to convince you of the versatility of those old FPS engines. Unless you hate the old FPS style, Ion Fury is a must-have for your gaming library.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii gives players exactly what they expect from the title. It's a rollicking, funny, and enjoyable side story that lets fan favorite Goro Majima shine in a way he hasn't since Yakuza 0. The main plot is a little thin, and the pirate mechanics are bare bones, but beneath that, it's a darn fun Yakuza adventure, and it contains perhaps the best iteration of the game's brawler mechanics to date. Any complaints boil down to, "It's more of Like a Dragon," and that's always good.

There's enough good stuff here to recommend it to genre fans and fans of the previous game.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is a great game. The blocky world of Hogwarts is arguably the best rendition of the magical school yet.

The perfect place for a beginner to the series to start. Almost everything in the game has withstood the test of time and has been streamlined and smoothed to make it as accessible as possible to all players. However, this means that long-time veterans of the Tiger Woods series won't find much changed from last year's offering, either.

Blends strategy and action in a gladiatorial arena to stimulate both your mind and your thirst for violence.

Unless your game library must be free of anything resembling a kids' title, you must have Monster Tale in your DS collection.

Gunlord X shows everyone else what the hardcore fans already knew: the NG:DEV.TEAM is fully capable of delivering an authentic, white-knuckle, retro-shooting experience. The action is constant but not overwhelming, and your arsenal feels varied, with none of the weapons ever feeling useless. The boss fights are fun, while the level design mixes in a good deal of exploration. Really, the only complaint is that there's nothing to bring you back once you finally beat the game, but considering how enjoyable the journey is, that isn't a big deal. Shooting fans are going to have a really good time with Gunlord X.

Blazing Chrome understands exactly what made the older titles tick. It has the look and sound of classic titles, and it emulates the gameplay really well. The action is relentless, and boss fights reward skill over pure ammo dumping. The game doesn't go for adding on extras from other genres, relying instead on pure gameplay to drive the title. The short length, which was normal for offerings from that time period and genre, is buoyed by gameplay modes that feel worthwhile instead of tacked on. For run-and-gun fans, Blazing Chrome is an essential addition to the gaming library.

Lunar Remastered Collection is exactly what it needs to be: a comfortably nostalgic revisit to a comfortably nostalgic pair of games. Neither breaks the mold, but they remain charming and fun enough that they don't overstay their welcome. The remastering is done with a light touch, and there are times when I wish it had gone further, particularly with the translations. It does well enough to make it the best version of the games to pick up. Sometimes you just need an adventure, and Lunar delivers that in spades.

The Quarry isn't quite what I had hoped it would be, but it's in the ballpark. Performance, animation, and dialog are usually perfectly executed, but some elements don't meet this high bar, and as a result, the experience can feel slightly disjointed. I didn't like the execution of some of the main baddies, both in a story context and on a technical level, and the story was sometimes too straightforward. Choices have interesting impacts, but the overall story beats remain largely the same — with the exception that a few protagonists are missing. What remains is a largely entertaining choice-based horror narrative that doesn't stray too far from Supermassive's tried-and-true formula.

Mirror's Edge is a shining example of when a game concept idea doesn't live up to its idea. The movement controls are solid and the graphics top-notch, but everything else just doesn't work. The level design begins excellent and grows progressively worse. The combat is awkward and tedious, and even as the levels grow less fun, the game throws more and more combat at you, as if hoping to distract you. To top it off, the title is remarkably short and the plot deeply unsatisfying.

As it stands now, Tom Clancy's The Division lives up to the hype it's generated over the years. For a game of this nature, it's too early to say whether it is definitively good or bad, but for now, it's off to a very good start.

Unless you already own the HD remakes on the Xbox 360 or PS3, you should try Resident Evil 4 Ultimate HD Edition on PC. From the story to the gameplay, the title still resonates today and stands as one of the more harrowing entries in the series.

Although Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! is a well-executed title, it's also saddled with outdated mechanics in a genre that doesn't really have that many adherents in the modern gaming world.

The newbies will graduate to deeper, better games and the hardcore will shelve it when they can’t play it with their friends, and both will be disappointed by how short it is even as they are nonplussed by its gameplay.

You'll need to enjoy all the free reading you can get out of Ghostbusters: The Video Game because you can kill the single-player campaign in one, perhaps two, dedicated sittings.

Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is an average but reasonable send-off to the franchise.

In many ways Sniper Elite 5 is Sniper Elite 4 with a few new features and a fresh coat of paint, and I'm happy that this is the case. Except for the kill cam novelty having entirely worn off at this point, most of the gameplay still feels fresh. Sneaking around and lining up shots are equally rewarding, and the large, open levels give you plenty of freedom to tackle each objective in the way that you want. Sniper Elite 5 provides players with the necessary tools to feel like an elite sniper who's using superior tactics and stealth to take down a bunch of Nazis, and the game has certainly hit the bull's-eye.

FFXIII-2 earns its score with aplomb, and I'd go so far to call it a sleeper hit. It's a genuinely great-playing game with an imperfect story, though to its credit, it eventually engages and justifies the wait. Its greatest battle now is escaping from the shadow and stigma of its big brother, but you should ignore the anti-hype, take a leap of faith and give it a chance.

It's definitely worth checking out, but I'd probably temper any nostalgia-based excitement for it.

Gamers who have not yet upgraded to the current generation of consoles and pick up MLB 09: The Show for the PS2 can feel confident in a solid, if not excellent, baseball title.

Like the scrappy movie crew that feels so much passion for a project that the team manages to create true art regardless of finances, FrozenByte similarly has risen up from near obscurity to release two of the most engaging action games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Survivor, the extended remix of Shadowgrounds, is a must-have for any fans of action-horror.

Definitely one of the X360's most visually impressive titles.

It's similar to games like "Morrowind," so if you enjoy a somewhat slow paced game that's open-ended and challenging, you'll also enjoy Gothic 2.

Just your average shooter. It doesn't really offer any innovation in the genre and the graphics and audio are rather plain.

Cat Quest is an excellent and charming action RPG for all ages. Combat is enjoyable, and the usual elements in the genre, like inventory control and stat tracking, never become overwhelming. The quests flow smoothly into one another, and the adventure is just the right length. Most of all, the game is charming, and despite the story and game mechanics not delving too deep, thisis a title you'll want to keep playing until it's 100% complete. For adventure and action-RPG fans, Cat Quest is a must-have.

Superb. The AI is decent enough, the combat is great fun, and it's imaginative, varied, and hilarious.

A really good game. Its gameplay, at heart, is pure Metal Slug.

The gameplay is varied, with a combination of decent stealth and very solid gunplay. The levels may sport drab colors, but the variety in location and inclusion of secrets in the level design make up for that. The story works well in a series that's not really known for telling a good narrative, and the dual pathways mean that an already long campaign is made longer for almost all the right reasons.

Echo is a fun and enjoyable game defined by a well-executed gimmick. Without the adapting Echoes, it would be a standard stealth shooter. With the Echoes, it becomes distinctive and interesting. The adapting AI is as much a proof of concept as a fun gameplay mechanic, but it works very well at being both. Echo shows that modern stealth games have a whole lot of room to grow and evolve. For fans of the genre, it's well worth playing, assuming you can get past the slow start and occasional technical hiccups.

The title is by far the best single-player experience yet on the PlayStation 3 and certainly one of the finest on any platform this year.

There are occasional strong moments, but unless you're desperate for more of the Dragon Age setting, it would be best to replay Dragon Age: Origins or Mass Effect 2 instead.

It's miles ahead of games like Enchanted Arms and Operation Darkness, but that is perhaps the most interesting thing one can say about it. The plot is dull and hits every single RPG cliché, the combat system is fun but flawed, and there is really nothing memorable about it.

I say there's a point at which suspension of buying by default the latest Tiger Woods game makes sense: It's a close call, but I favor stopping here at PGA Tour 08 over sitting pat on last year's version.

Resident Evil 3 Remake is slightly disappointing after the stellar Resident Evil 2 Remake. It's still a good game, but its short length and lack of ambition mean that it will constantly be seen as the lesser sibling. The addition of the REsistance online mode should add some value for those who enjoy competitive online play, but the lack of single-player options is disappointing. All in all, it's a good follow-up to an amazing game, and as long as you're willing to forgive its foibles, RE3 Remake should be a fun return to Raccoon City for franchise faithfuls.

Greed Corp is a very surprising and entertaining title.

Finally, a fully featured wrestling game has come to the Nintendo system, complete with all of the creation systems thus far and full online play. The controls actually work for the system, making it easy for people to pull off some of the more complicated maneuvers and even do things not featured on the other versions of the game.

Nioh 2: Darkness in the Capital is a solid and enjoyable DLC. It doesn't really break the mold but offers a healthy helping of new Nioh 2 gameplay. The somewhat forgettable stage design is strongly bolstered by some amazing boss fights and the new Fist weapon set. It's a great way to further extend the absurd amount of content in Nioh 2 and its DLC. Starting a new game with the Fist weapon set would be a great way to revisit the title. The DLC won't freshen things up if you're already burned out on Nioh 2, but sometimes, "more of the same" is all a DLC needs to be.

Anomaly: Warzone Earth is an exciting strategy game that enthusiasts and casual fans should play. The role reversal does wonders in making tower defense feel fresh again; route and formation planning are excellent replacements for guiding enemies in other games. The ability to control an on-screen commander who has to worry about a myriad of things certainly adds a new wrinkle to the proceedings and ensures no lulls in game activity. The great controls and graphics make up for the sound issues, and the length and difficulty of the game feel spot-on. With the game available on more than one platform, that's one more chance for people to try it out.

Doom on the Switch is impressive. It's pretty much the same game it was over a year ago, and that is not a bad sign. It obviously isn't perfect and won't be everyone's cup of tea. Some may be bothered by the technical hiccups, while others will rejoice in the newly awakened third-party support that has brought them one of the better FPS experiences in the past two years.

As great as Dirt 5's presentation may be, the gameplay is lacking. It looks and sounds incredible at times, but there isn't too much engaging content here to challenge players to do more and perform better as the driver. That changes if you're primarily racing against friends online or offline, but as a single-player experience, it feels flat once you peek under the flashy hood. It's fun for a few races at a time, and it's easy to jump in, but it's even easier to drop once you've had your fill.

Final Fantasy III: Pixel Remaster is the best version of the game to date. It feels more modern and polished than the NES version, and it lacks some of the annoying foibles and flaws of the 3D version. It's still a dated JRPG, but with the Pixel Remaster, it feels a lot easier to pick up and play. I had previously said that FF3 was my least favorite of the NES trilogy, but I enjoyed this title the most in the three Pixel Remaster offerings. If you're only going to get one of the Pixel Remaster titles, then FF3PR is the one to get.

Tales of Berseria is a solid JRPG that doesn't excel in any one area but manages to hit all the marks well enough to be enjoyable. It's not ambitious and focuses on providing a pleasant experience. It suffers from being too easy and spending too much time clearing up its predecessor's flaws, but it's balanced by fast-paced combat and an entertaining cast. It's not going to change your world, but Tales fans should find a lot to like, and for casual players, it's a good introduction to the franchise.

Star Wars: Squadrons is exactly what it sets out to be: a modern revival of the old-school Star Wars flight simulators. It isn't particularly ambitious, but it is a lot of fun. Just being able to zoom through the wreckage of a ship battle while trying to get a bead on that darn X-Wing is enough to keep your attention for a while. The game lives and dies by its multiplayer, and hopefully the community is thriving for a while. Do you want to pilot an X-Wing? Then Squadrons is the game for you. Die-hard simulator fans might find it to be too simple for their tastes.

This fun off-road racer is easily one of the best racing titles on the system and absolutely shouldn't be missed.

When you get down to it, Pacific Drive is a quietly brilliant game. There's nothing that comes to mind that is like it, and it's an outwardly simple concept that also has a variety of layers. While out on a run, you deftly drive around anomalies and sometimes escape a junction with a tattered car by the skin of your teeth. Other times, you're outfitting your car in the garage while the jukebox is playing, carefully considering what to bring with you and which parts you should have on the car. This game is exactly what I had hoped it would be when I initially heard about it, and it's been a long time since I've played something so boldly different.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is everything a remake should be. It polishes and shines the strongest elements of the original game while adding just enough modernization and new features to make it feel accessible to a newer audience. Everything from the gameplay to the graphics absolutely sparkles, and it is easy to understand why Romancing SaGa 2 was a cult classic. Only a somewhat thin SNES-style story holds backthe game slightly, and even that is a minor complaint. In a year filled with incredibly strong RPGs, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven might still be one of the best.

Most importantly, the sessions are short enough that you can spend a few minutes with it and be done, but that call of "one more round" is enough to keep you glued for hours. Cheap but ultimately satisfying, Pac-Man 256 comes highly recommended.

Trials Rising is a very good game and a return to form for the series. The tight physics are put to good use in the numerous tracks, and you always feel like you're in control of your bike and rider. The contract system gives you a reason to replay levels, and while the new unlock system via XP is a good way for dedicated players to finally see end-game content, it means that you don't need to perfect your skills like you did in the past. Customization and the pseudo-racing system might not be that exciting, but the core gameplay is good enough that fans won't mind their inclusion. As long as you don't mind having to crash and burn several times before getting a level right, you'll enjoy your time with Trials Rising.

Prototype has a few flaws. It seems to forget what it's good at with all its focus on the sprawling overworld, and the open-ended gameplay has no real purpose other than prolonging the progression of the game, but it's still a remarkably well-made package.

Ultimately, the objectives in Alienation aren't anything special, but the good shooting mechanics and abundance of things to do make up for that.

As a fighting game, Street Fighter X Tekken is a solid offering that is sure to appeal to both Street Fighter and Tekken franchise fans. If the PC is your only gaming option and you play primarily offline, then go ahead and pick up this one up. You won't be disappointed. If you also game on a console, though, there is little reason to go PC. Sure, you can get a higher resolution image and minimal loading times, but in terms of overall patch level and feature set, the PC version is currently inferior to the console options.

Much like PS Mini titles, games under the PS Mobile banner are often overlooked. It would be a shame to do that with Surge. It's a bite-sized puzzler that costs about the same as a Starbucks latte, and is a perfect fit for short play sessions. Sometimes, less is more.

If you can live with the technical hiccups, Torment: Tides of Numenera is one of the more fascinating RPGs for any platform. The setting is fantastic, with enticing environments and loads of lore to flesh out this RPG world. The focus on dialogue and non-combative solutions is refreshing, especially since the combat can be too simplistic. The game offers many possibilities since there are multiple solutions to any quest. At the same time, the absence of a journal to record things is a disappointment, since the lore can be too deep, and mechanics like the Tides can be rather obtuse. For those looking for something offbeat in their RPGs, Tides is certainly worth checking out.

Wizard of Legend may not be your all-time favorite roguelike dungeon crawler, but it's very good at what it does. The fast-paced, action-oriented angle is exciting, and the addition of co-op makes the game as fun as solo runs. The item system suffers from a lack of descriptions until it's too late, but the many combinations you can conjure up give the game some replayability. Both genre fans and newbies will like Wizard of Legend.

The Last Show of Mr. Chardish is a gem of a title. Although some may wish that the story encompassed more than just one character in a detailed manner, the tale is fascinating due to the subject matter and the flashback/reverse order in which the tale is told. The actual gameplay sections are engaging even though most of it is rather simple, and the inclusion of a few secrets rewards those who would rather spend some time exploring each play rather than rushing through them. It's short but feels perfect in length, and those who enjoy a good narrative would definitely enjoy this game.

If you like mecha anime or even mecha-themed SRPGs, Super Robot Wars 30 provides a strong introduction to one of the longest-running SRPG franchises. It's a great encapsulation of what makes the franchise shine, and it's filled to the brim with fanservice in a way that will warm even the coldest mecha fan's heart. On its own merits, it is a lengthy and enjoyable (if easy) SRPG, but it really shines if you know the source material. It's not for everyone, but if SRW30 is for you, it'll give you everything you could possibly want.

F1 Manager 2022 drives a perfect line by clearly taking some inspiration both from that game as well as from the series' own (distant) past, but it feels like something fresh. Every element of it feels refined in a way that is clearly specific to the real-life sport, and it is both defined by and pays homage to reality. It's a game that has shockingly few true flaws, and while it is also very much geared toward a specific crowd, I had a great time elevating Haas to (just a little bit more) glory.

When all is said and done, Gears of War: Judgment offers up exactly what it promises on the cover: a romp through the world of Sera. Aside from the multiplayer modes, Judgment doesn't really bring anything new to the table.

Pool Nation isn't a perfect pool game, but it's a huge step up from what's come before. If you're not already a billiards fan, Pool Nation won't make you one. Conversely, for those dying to scratch the billiards itch, Pool Nation is sure to satisfy. It is the best pool game currently available on Xbox Live Arcade.

Halo Wars 2 is a better game thanks to the improvements of the ideas that were established by the first title. Better camera/cursor speed and the addition of custom groupings makes it feel closer to a PC RTS title while still maintaining the ease of control that console players want. The campaign and standard multiplayer modes are solid, while Blitz is a great addition for those looking for quicker RTS matches. While the game is undoubtedly better on a PC, the gameplay and presentation do well on a console — if you can overlook some of the issues mentioned earlier. Halo Wars 2 may be the only RTS game on the platform thus far, but it is a good one that's worth checking out.

All in all, L.A. Noire is still an enjoyable story-driven adventure game with an incredible atmosphere. The issues that it had in 2011 are still present, but they're more noticeable today, so it's not as enjoyable as it was back then. It may make more sense for people who skipped it in 2011 to enjoy it in small doses while they're on the go. It is unfortunate that the Switch version is priced higher than the other versions. Players who have access to another platform and aren't interested in a portable gaming experience may be better served by the PC, PS4 or Xbox One version.

While Bleed 2 is a romp that makes it feel good to shoot the bad guys, the experience fades quickly, and the player may not want to replay the game at all, losing the worth of the depth of abilities, characters, modes, and weapons. Can nostalgia be balanced with originality to create something fresh enough? Absolutely. However, Bleed 2 stretches itself too thin in both of these respects and ends up feeling less like a love letter and more like fan fiction.

Road 96 shows that it is possible to do a "roguelike," narrative-focused story and do it well. It's a shockingly engaging and well-written game with likeable characters. It's sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying, and sometimes thought-provoking, but no matter what, it never gets boring. Each setback or revelation made me eager to see the next, and my ending felt like a satisfying resolution to the plot that I'd been building. If there were ever a game that defined, "It's the journey, not the destination," it's Road 96, and if you're a fan of quirky, narrative-driven games, then this is well worth a shot.

The work done on Crysis 2 and 3 makes the Crysis Remastered Trilogy a better proposition than the first game alone. The more stable frame rate and presence of DLSS right out of the box provides a much better first impression compared to the unstable frame rate of the first game; the ray tracing is equally impressive yet flawed. The gunplay feels tighter in these entries, but newcomers may be more disappointed in seeing how the game constrains itself with each subsequent entry. There's still room for improvement, but the whole thing feels like a safer purchase for those who want to experience some good games with minor updates.

NBA 2K25 still carries a lot of the standards for how sports games should reflect and celebrate their sport of choice. I just wish it didn't have this odd economic quandary hanging over it. If it were to somehow address that problem and leave it on the cutting room floor, we'd really be onto something.

The enjoyable combat and in-depth combat system carry the by-the-numbers plot, and the entire experience is fun. In a genre filled with world-saving, melodrama, and danger, it's nice to have an RPG with such relaxing goals.

Observation is an enjoyable experience. It has its flaws, ranging from an awkward UI to tedious puzzles, but they are overshadowed by the excellent plot and atmosphere. It's pretty much a one-and-done experience (aside from a few collectibles), but the game provides a genuinely fun time. If you're a fan of sci-fi drama in the vein of Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, give Observation a shot, but be prepared to work through some rough spots.

Anger Foot is a very good game if you're fond of its mashup of ideas. The short levels, fast speed, and mostly one-hit kills all work well with the game's offbeat and goofy nature. It's a boomer shooter that demands near-perfection in execution but has enough tools to accommodate those who may not vibe with that ideal. Anger Foot has a good campaign length and a stylized presentation, so it is a strong option for fans of pure action.

If you have any interest in golf, you should give Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 a serious look. It's not perfect by any stretch, but it's addictive and fun, and there's plenty to do before you'll get bored with it.

I'd classify River City Girls as a fun, anime-inspired romp that's worth the time if you're looking for a balance between the visceral satisfaction you get from pummeling enemies on-screen and some of the off-center humor one can find in pieces like "Scott Pilgrim vs The World." It has that kind of vibe, and it's a great change of pace from the more heavy-handed stuff out there.

Alan Wake Remastered is exactly what it says in the title, and that is a good thing. Alan Wake has received a thorough and clean remaster that doesn't compromise its original look and vision but enhances the gameplay by using all of the PS5's central features, including fast loading times and DualSense feedback. Its story and gameplay, while not perfect, still hold up well today. There is no story-driven game quite like Alan Wake, and being able to revisit this Xbox 360 classic on the PS5 is a dream come true — especially since this likely means that we will get that long-promised sequel.

Fans of Twisted Metal will be happy to know that the game lost almost nothing in the transition to the handheld platform, since it looks, feels, and plays just like a console iteration of the classic series.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies is like nicotine in game form. It is bright, fast and fun; it does everything a handheld game is supposed to do and doesn't pretend to be something it's not.