Like the first game, XCOM 2 is a little sluggish on the PS4 — likely because it was designed with PCs in mind.

The quality is further reflected in the silky-smooth online play and detailed options that let you choose how much updating you want.

All in all, Injustice 2 is a solid follow-up to the original. It has a few flaws and stumbles on the story, but they don't add up to more than a slight blemish. The gameplay is fun, it looks awesome, and there's more than enough content to justify a purchase even for casual fighting game fans. If you're looking for an excuse to have Batman and Superman punch each other in the face, Injustice 2 fits the bill.

Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut feels like the truest, purest way to experience this title, so much so that I'm willing to go through it once again from the top, when Jin rode into battle with his uncle and almost died. I want to ride through the grass, stumble into duels, climb mountains and battle Mongols for another few dozen hours while making a stop on a freaky island to fight a crazy woman who likes poison and the color purple. I want to do it all, and I would recommend that anyone with the time should look into doing the same. It's still the samurai game of my dreams: Now it looks even better, and there's more of it.

The Witness is a masterpiece of game design and an early contender for one of the best titles of the year.

Either way, you're getting a complete package that celebrates the pure adrenaline-pumping action that brought so many to the genre in the first place. Doom is absolutely a worthy entry to any genre fan's library.

The actual gameplay; in BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger; is relentlessly crazy, to the point where even two complete novices flailing away at one another will be entertained by the ridiculous crap they're able to pull off.

The only glaring flaw throughout the entire title is the lack of a damage system that has actual consequences; meanwhile the rest of the game may as well serve as the benchmark that future rally racing game designers should aspire to.

By no means a bad game, Out Of the Park Baseball is just not quite as clutch in game-winning situations as you might like, but anyone who loves the game of baseball should give it a try.

If you are looking for a masterpiece of racing as a genre, Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition Remix probably isn't quite it, but it's plenty close, with open-ended free play where you can choose what to do freely.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a love letter to the original game. With likeable characters, engaging gameplay, and clever twists and turns, FF7R does everything that it needs to. An over-reliance on pre-existing knowledge of FF7 may make it a tough introduction for new players. The strong writing and excellent gameplay should carry newcomers over the finish line, even if they're confused by things by the end. The ending might be a little controversial, but the rest of the game sets up such a strong base that I can't wait for Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2.

Pokémon White didn't reinvent the wheel. Aside from a few minor changes here and there, it sticks almost unreasonably close to the tried-and-true Pokémon formula.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is an old-school RPG with a lot of charm. It has moved toward modernized gameplay, but at heart, it's still the same Dragon Quest that people enjoy.

Pokemon X doesn't necessarily represent a massive leap forward for the Pokemon franchise. Instead, it is a major improvement of existing features.

Without a doubt, FIFA '09 is the most fun soccer title I've ever played.

Sea of Stars is a pitch-perfect nostalgic take on a JRPG, with beautiful visuals, a fun combat system, and a top-notch soundtrack. My only major criticism is that the story is a touch weak and disjointed, and the combat system falls off a bit toward the end. Sea of Stars hit its mark hard, and it's a damn impressive first effort from Sabotage Studios. If you've been looking for a simple, fun and lighthearted old-school RPG, look no further than Sea of Stars. It's not quite a new classic, but it doesn't need to be, either.

All in all, Astral Chain is a solid and enjoyable action-RPG. It suffers from a lot of Platinum Games' most common problems, such as poor instructions for basic gameplay and an over-reliance on minigames, but the charm and enjoyment of the core game more than make up for that once you get past the rough opening. It's not quite up the highs of a Bayonetta or Nier Automata, but it's worth playing for fans of the company or those looking for a fun action-RPG on the Switch.

It may not be perfect, but DiRT 3 is still an impressive package that is worth your gaming dollar.

Monster Train 2 is pretty much everything a sequel should be: bigger, better, more refined, and more fun to play. Some of the mechanical changes are more akin to sideways upgrades, but even then, I preferred the new way once I got used to it. There's so much genuine enjoyment to be had with the game that I could barely put it down and stop playing. If I didn't have other titles to move on to, I would probably still be playing Monster Train 2. Fans of the original or fans of roguelike deck-builders will find a lot to love, and it's easily a must-play for fans of the genre.

Guilty Gear Strive continues the series' legacy as a flashy fighter with loads of depth, but it also does its best to shed the idea that it's inaccessible. The tweaks and new mechanics make for a fighter that's still a blast to play, and the upgraded presentation, along with the fast load times for the PS5 iteration, make it eye-catching. Provided you don't mind the online lobby system, Strive is an excellent fighting game. Just make sure to keep it patched if you want a decent offline experience.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is easily the definitive version of the game. Almost every gameplay change is an improvement that makes the game more fun to play, and the addition of the new storyline means that even returning players have plenty of fresh encounters to experience. At its core, it is still the same game but polished and improved enough that I found the entire experience to be a delight. It's a must-have for fans of the franchise, and even those who prefer the more plot-heavy Persona titles will find a lot to enjoy in Vengeance.

Pokémon Sun and Moon is a safe and enjoyable entry in the franchise. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but focuses on polishing the rough edges and making the entire thing shine. It has enough new features to make it a fun adventure without feeling too familiar, and that's important. Some nagging flaws, like a poor frame rate and annoying Pokémon reinforcements, drag down the experience a little, but die-hard fans and curious newcomers alike should still have a great time. Pokémon Sun and Moon offers over 800 monsters to collect, so you'll be catching them all for a long time.

In a game genre that is normally filled with complex and difficult-to-learn games, Sins of a Solar Empire manages to find some good, solid middle ground. The title successfully delivers a real-time space strategy that offers 4X and RTS fans an experience that is both detailed and easy to learn.

If you're not sold on Ikaruga, then you probably aren't hardcore enough for it. Even if you are hardcore enough for it, you'll be chewed up, spit out, and left out to dry.

Heavy Rain is more of an experience than a game, and as far as an experience goes, it does an impressive job and is truly unlike anything else on the market.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a wonderful revival of the long-dormant franchise, and it combines excellent combat with an engaging pseudo-Metroidvania gameplay style. I had a rollicking good time from start to finish. My only real complaint comes from the somewhat finicky precision platforming, but even that is limited to some optional, late-game areas. If you're a fan of the franchise, there's a lot to like, but this latest ninja revival is good for newcomers and longtime fans alike.

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together may be a remake, but it's one of the best remakes out there

I found Chaos Theory to be much more experimental in nature, given the unbelievably stronger focus on stealth gameplay, made tangible by the sound meters and the knifeplay.