It's certainly not perfect and could use some work in a few important areas, but if you have nothing but a Wii and need to get your football on, Madden '09 is your best bet, and you'll probably have some fun while you're at it.

For eFootball PES 2021, all of this adds up to a soccer game that feels great to play, even if it is slightly lacking in other areas. The $40 price tag makes that pill easier to swallow, though. Depending on what you're looking for on the virtual pitch, that will determine whether PES is the right option for you. If you're like me and enjoy playing through a season with some random teams that you've never heard of, then PES may be exactly what you're looking for. With solid controls and decent AI, PES 2021 is a competent alternative to FIFA from a gameplay perspective, but those who get excited about seeing their favorite teams succeed against their biggest rivals may want to pass on PES.

Wedding Dash is a good example of how you can make changes to a core game formula and still have a completely fun experience.

This is an arcade blast based on timing and violence, and it’s a ton of fun if you don’t approach sports games as simulations of the real thing. This is a videogame in every sense of the phrase.

It might be a joke to hardcore gamers, but Band Hero does an admirable job of playing the right tune for its intended audience.

Atomic Heart is a good game that buries itself in the shadow of great games. There's a lot of creativity, flair and intriguing design, but the game seems to lack confidence. This leaves the plot feeling a little halfhearted and some gameplay features feeling like they were there to check a box rather than actually add anything to the game. When Atomic Heart is on, it is on, but it spends too much time in the doldrums to keep it from truly reaching excellence.

Aside from those pesky loading times, the game does a very admirable job of translating the console experience to a handheld system.

A great game for skaters on the go, or fans of tricky, point-based play.

It's not a masterpiece, but it's hilarious, brilliantly moody, and worthy of attention from any fan of adventure or humorous games - or graphics effects nerds.

The controls, while being intuitive, definitely required a little bit of time to adjust to.

The overall strength of Test Drive Unlimited on the PS2 isn't in its presentation — these sights and sounds are far better on other consoles — but the scope of what it set out to do in the first place, which was to really bring about the next evolution in the genre.

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.

As an overall package, Far Cry New Dawn delivers a focused expansion of the world that was established in Far Cry 5. You don't need to play the prior game to enjoy what's here, but those who have done so will come into New Dawn with a greater appreciation of the world and the characters. The more limited scope means no add-on features (like Far Cry Arcade) and no season pass, but it also allowed for some experimentation that you don't usually see in a AAA title. Put this one on your purchase list, but you should stick with the regular edition and skip the deluxe edition. The deluxe edition is $10 more, with nothing to offer except some early weapon unlocks with alternate skins.

I would recommend NBA 2K23 for its sheer breadth of material and the fact that it really tries to be a basketball universe unto itself (hence the massive file size). It's certainly not perfect, as I still keep running into odd glitches now and then, and even some strange things that carry over from the last game (Do I really have to keep walking through the Dallas Mavericks shootaround to get to my guys? Why is that still a thing?), but it is and shall likely always be the sports game I play almost every day, no matter what time of year it actually is — even when the fans tell me I stink.

Ultimately, Wet is a fun, if slightly flawed, single-player romp.

You may not be worthy of playing Izuna. Chat with the Oracle a few times, and maybe you'll figure out if you are.

While it may not exactly win hearts and minds back from "Half Life 2" or "Thief," Resurrection of Evil is a fine aperitif for the Marine who's still got some rounds left in his pistol and gas in the chainsaw.

If you're looking for good-to-great football, you'll likely find what you're looking for in Madden NFL 20. The game plays faster, the new superstar power system adds a dimension of fun that doesn't compromise the spirit of the game, and its third year in the Frostbite system has given it time to refine its overall aesthetic. I also feel like every year, we're still waiting for Madden to make some kind of next-level jump, and it hasn't quite gotten there yet. There were plenty of yards left on the field in terms of the Story and Franchise modes, but I have hopes the next Madden experience will be the one that puts everything together. Until then, I'll be trying to no-look throw the ball over the field as much as possible.

Neversong is one of those games that feels like an impactful and interactive art piece rather than the kind of title you envelop yourself in for hours and hours at a time. As with many indie projects, you can tell it was crafted with great care and a message that doesn't need a lot of time to register. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a little dark adventure.

It all comes down to what you're looking for in a racing game. Test Drive Unlimited for the PSP has the potential to keep you playing for months on end, as long as you don't sit down for extended sessions.

If you can't play the game on another console, it's still a great buy.

If you're reading this review, having never played a Metal Slug game before, then all you need to know is that it's an insanely over-the-top 2D action game in which you play the role of a commando who kills a lot of people.

There is no aspect of this title that is completely perfect, but every aspect is almost completely perfect, making for a pleasant diversion whose flaws are comparatively minor and won't detract from the enjoyment of the game.

Overall, We Cheer 2 is a fun rhythm game.

Even in the face of those hiccups, I enjoyed every moment of playing Assassin's Creed: Syndicate and have returned to highly anticipating the next chapter. I still find time to bounce around London with the Frye twins, and I hope whoever comes next can provide the same kind of company.

Apart from the repetitive nature of gameplay and environments and the aforementioned pacing issues, there is not much to dislike in The Pillars of the Earth: Book Three – Eye of the Storm. If you enjoy point-and-click adventures and visual novels without the need to solve puzzles, this is certainly a trip worth taking. Gorgeous visuals, strong characters, and good writing make this a very engaging story for fans and newcomers alike.

Overall, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Mobilized is a solid FPS effort on the Nintendo DS.

Marvel's Spider-Man: The Heist might not have been revolutionary, but perhaps it's not supposed to be yet. It is the first part of a series of DLC, and as such, it leaves a lot of unresolved questions. I feel like I've officially "met" Felicia Hardy, and I'm certainly looking forward to where her story goes next.