The Subspace Emissary mode is a bit weak, the loading times are a bit hefty, and the online gameplay suffers from some lag and the usual Nintendo online awkwardness. However, those issues are far overshadowed by the excellence that permeates the rest of the game.

Overall, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition lives up to its name. The changes are almost universally for the better by taking an excellent game and smoothing out the faults, flaws, and weak points while providing additional content. Considering Xenoblade Chronicles was one of the best JRPGs of the last console generation and arguably one of the best JRPGs of all time, this improves upon an already outstanding title. Fans of the original and newcomers alike should find Definitive Edition a wonderful way to experience Xenoblade Chronicles at its best.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii may not be as innovative as Super Mario Bros. or Super Mario Bros. 3, but it stands on its own through pure quality and is easily one of the best Mario titles.

Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut is a masterpiece from start to finish. Every element of the game fires on all cylinders, and it's a great example of how even something as simple as a choose-your-own-adventure story can be elevated by being part of an interactive multimedia medium. The writing, voice acting, artwork and general tone all create something memorable, distinctive and interesting. If that sounds like a game you're interested in, then try out Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut.

Resident Evil 4 Remake does a hell of a job arguing why a video game classic needed a remake. It straddles the line between loyalty to the original and providing a fresh experience better than even Resident Evil 2 Remake did. Pretty much every new gameplay mechanic and design choice leads to a more engaging and enjoyable game. I can't say that it replaces the original, but it's a damn fine companion, and most people wanting to experience RE4 for the first time will likely gravitate to the remake. Either way, it is a must-play for Resident Evil fans, and RE4 Remake is already a strong contender for one of the best games of the year.

Everything — from the story to the combat system to the dungeon crawling and Social Links — has been improved. Considering that Persona 3 was already an excellent game, Persona 4 is a true standout.

The Xbox One finally has a console-exclusive shooter, and TitanFall is such a damned good one that it's tough to go back and play others.

Trying to wrap my brain around every aspect of this package has proven difficult, because each feature has such a distinct offering that it almost needs to be reviewed separately.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is everything one could want from an Elden Ring DLC: a huge new area to explore, new bosses to fight, new weapons to try, and new lore to unravel. It is a genuine joy to play and easily one of my favorite DLCs of all time. Its quality is high enough to even justify the $40 price tag. If you like Elden Ring, then Shadow of the Erdtree will give you everything you could want. If you're a newcomer, it's probably best to play through the game first before taking on the DLC. After all, Mohg, Lord of Blood is only the beginning.

Ultimately, DJ Hero 2 is a rare game that delivers exactly what it promises and does it exceedingly well. It's not quite perfect, but it does improve on the original effort in a number of noticeable ways.

Looking back over this generation, it can be argued that Modern Warfare reinvented the way we play shooters, and now, Modern Warfare 3 may have come as close as we'll ever get to perfecting it. What few complaints we do have feel negligible in comparison to everything the game does right, and both the campaign and multiplayer components deliver on all fronts. If you've always been hesitant to try Call of Duty, this might be the time to jump in. It honestly doesn't get much better than this.

It's one of the best hybrid RPGs I've played, as well as a serious game of the year candidate. It's the video game equivalent of "Battlestar Galactica" or "Babylon 5": a space epic that reaches for the stars and manages to hit most of them.

In the end, Fallout 3 feels like a Fallout game, and that is absolutely the highest compliment. Despite the changes, much of the charm and fun of the franchise remains intact, and despite the similarities to "Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion", I never felt that I was playing anything but a Fallout game.

Basically, if you own a Vita, you should own Tearaway.

Humankind is nothing short of incredible. It has truly set a new bar for 4X games, and Firaxis is going to have its work cut out for it to make Civilization 7 visible beside the bright shining star that is Humankind.

For people still scarred by their Dark Souls, Sekiro or even Returnal experiences, consider this: This edition of Hades comes with a "godhood" mode, where you start out at 22% resistance, and then another 2% gets added each time you die. This might make the most ultra-hardcore elitists raise an eyebrow, but I think it's a brilliant way to make the game a little more accessible without doing a full bow to add a full-blown "easy" mode, which in my opinion mostly goes against the ethos of roguelikes. In this instance, you still have to go through a lot of pain to get stronger. You have to earn your easy, so to speak. To that end, I'm headed back into Hell with a smile. Hades is some of the most fun I've had playing something, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Unique puzzles and collectibles encourage exploration and advance the story to keep players engaged. It's an unorthodox type of horror game, but Bendy and the Ink Machine utilizes two opposite genres that complement each other to create a solid title. The use of cartoon characters in a horror atmosphere blends the purity of animated characters with the terrifying ideals of a scientist gone mad. As we progress, we learn sad truths behind the animation team that led to the spiraling downfall of innocent people. Bendy and the Ink Machine may be a sleeper hit, but it's worth any survival-horror fan's time.

Dreams is a social network, a content platform, and a creative suite all in one. It's probably the hardest game to review, but it is easy to fall in love with it. It is incredibly polished and does exactly what it promised to. It isn't perfect, but it is as close as it can be given the game's incredible scope and ambition. There are only minor gripes I can report, and even those pale in comparison to the many things that it does right. It's unknown whether Dreams' potential is going to be realized by the community. It isn't at the point where Dreams is a must-buy for the content alone, but it's vital if you're curious about the game development process.

It's not just the best DS game I've ever played, but it's also one of the best games I've ever played, period.

Deadfire feels like the game of my dreams. It features an epic story that still manages to feel personal, with the right amount of humor and the occasional eerie atmosphere. Also pirates. It should feel scattered, but it takes the best parts of the settings and blends them into something new.

The blood, gore, and blatant nudity will be enough to attract any mature gamer, but the action and detailed storyline will keep any gamer addicted.

Company of Heroes is without doubt a fun and addictive game. In many ways, it has done for real-time strategy what the "Battlefield" franchise did for first-person shooters.

In my opinion, Disco Elysium is the game of the year for 2019. It shows how you can make creative, engaging, and well-written games entirely using writing and player choice without falling into the simple "visual novel" style. It's biting, clever, and witty, and it deserves to take its place among Planescape and Fallout: New Vegas. It's a must-play for any fans of RPGs and a genuine modern classic that will hopefully set the stage for many things to come.

The bottom line is if you're a Metallica fan, there's no reason for you not to be playing Guitar Hero: Metallica right now.

You'll wind up playing through levels a couple of times past the point when you've unlocked everything - without even knowing there's nothing left to figure out - and it won't be a minute wasted.

Xenoblade Chronicles is an amazing RPG. In some ways, it's like a single-player MMO that effortlessly blends together advantages from both JRPGs and Western RPGs.

Forza Motorsport 4 feels like a proper sequel for the series instead of a glorified car roster update; it's not quite so easy given how much you could do and experience in the previous game.

The graphical intensity of the 3D environments is breathtaking.