A small issue I had with the game is the replayability; while you can go back and clear out all areas, there is no real payoff for doing so. Even with these minor issues, Psychonauts definitely comes strongly recommended.

Dragon's Dogma II doesn't feel like anything else on the market. Despite fantasy action-RPG being one of the most common genres, Dragon's Dogma II manages to stand out from the crowd. The unusual atmosphere, excellent combat, and general sense of place and weight make it feel distinct in a world full of Soulslikes or Skyrim clones. It's a boatload of fun to play, and it manages to make what could be a tiring genre feel fresh and full of life. If you're looking to hunt some monsters and cast some spells, Dragon's Dogma II is easily one of the best titles on the market.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is a darn fine entry into the franchise. The buttery-smooth gameplay and incredibly cool combat make it an absolute delight to play. It's easily one of the best mecha action games, and only Gundam Breaker 3 has a more involved and enjoyable mech customization system. If you're looking for a really fun and well-crafted robot bashing experience, look no further than Armored Core VI, which is a delight to play.

The new mechanics work extremely well, and the visuals have received a nice new coat of paint to really make performances pop and give you the feeling that you're watching actual concert footage instead of a simple video game.

All in all, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a standout example of the franchise. It's undeniably safe, but on the flip side, it's engaging, enjoyable, and polished, and it showcases almost all of the franchise's strengths. It also has its share of weaknesses, but in terms of nostalgia for the olden days, it's an example of how to do it right. It might be a bit too repetitive for longtime Dragon Quest fans, but if you were going to play one Dragon Quest, DQ11 is the one I'd recommend even over my personal favorite. It's a great entry point to the franchise, and it's a charming, fun, and likeable JRPG on its own merits.

Octopath Traveler II is a case of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Almost everything is very similar to the first game, but there's more content, and the features are smoother. There are a number of areas where the developers clearly had more confidence than they had in the original Octopath. I loved the first game, and I found the second to be a more enjoyable experience in pretty much every way. It's a charming, delightful, and incredibly fun JRPG experience that fans of old-school RPGs should relish.

The game is appealing to both casual and hardcore players, seamlessly splitting them into different player groups. If you've never given a MOBA a try, Heroes of the Storm is the perfect entry point.

The tactical level of this game is brilliant and the strategic significance of many of the Conquests scenarios really up the ante in terms of involvement and fun.

If there's a sticking point to Returnal, it's that it's a big PS5 exclusive that is most definitely not for everyone. It's next-gen beautiful all the way, but if you've never played a game like this before, even all that beauty and amazing design might not be worth the sense of dejection you might feel as the body count starts mounting. Returnal and other games like it will force newer players to ask questions about what kind of games they want to experience. It takes a little bit of weird thinking to relish the prospect of repeated punishment. I recommend it, just for the experience of it. If you're part of that wider audience who wants to give a next-gen roguelike a shot, then be prepared for an awakening. And another one. And … another one.

I'm pleased to say that this year's Madden is one of the best entries into the franchise in several years

As a package, Forza Motorsport 7 is a solid game for racing fans and a technical showcase for the Xbox One X. While it doesn't look quite as good on the Xbox One, the game still holds its own on the older console and puts in a respectable performance. Just don't spend too much time looking closely at the scenery if you're not playing on an X.

There's no competition for the cup in hockey games this year: NHL 08 sweeps the final series. No game is ever the same. Some are far better than others.

Overall, Mortal Kombat X is great. The small improvements in the fighting system make a huge difference for the better, and the new fighters feel like they fit perfectly with the old cast.

Despite the gatekeeper glitch, and a few tolerable crashes at transitioning points, Elder Scrolls IV – Shivering Isles is certainly money well spent. Characters are well developed and the main storyline is interesting.

The Switch already has a number of terrific fighting games, and Blazblue: CentralFiction Special Edition is certainly in the upper portion of that list. The more offense-minded system, along with the different control styles, make it great for fighting fans of all skill levels, and the deluge of modes means that it can take a very long time before you come close to exhausting it all. The best part is that relatively little gets sacrificed in the port, so there's nothing to reacclimate yourself should you decide to play this on multiple platforms. In short, CentralFiction is a must-have for fighting fans.

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a fantastic addition to the series and easily one of the best Fire Emblem games.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is an excellent, well-made RPG.

Though it didn't launch day and date with the console versions, Injustice 2 remains a solid fighting game for PC players. The fighting system is a marked improvement over the original, and the online performance is solid, but the single-player content and loot system are what will keep people playing. There's so much content here that those who aren't interested in playing online will still feel like they got their money's worth. Fighting fans and those who enjoy the DC universe should definitely own this game.

The new game has applied a generous amount of polish to the things that it carried forward, and the new modes, such as Braking Point and the two-player career mode, add some appreciable entertainment to a solid racing game. It is equally enjoyable to an F1 nut as to someone who is entering the sport fandom, and I have been having a great time whenever I fire it up for a few laps.

Monster Hunter Generations is the greatest hits of the Monster Hunter franchise. It's not going to change your mind if you never understood the hype, but if you can easily spend dozens of hours grinding monsters for equipment, be prepared for a lot of sleepless nights. Newcomers will find a lot to like here in terms of gameplay and pure design. If you're ever going to get into the Monster Hunter franchise, Generations is the best place to start.

All in all, Castlevania Portrait of Ruin is very short, fairly slapdash and kind of easy, but this doesn't stop it from being a worthy addition to a fantastic franchise.

It gives some of us a chance to release a lot of the pent-up energy from having to chill in the shadows for years, and any time you get to let the beast out and stop hiding, it feels good.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is an absolute delight. The new mobility-focused combat trades some difficulty for a more flexible and dynamic battlefield. The more JRPG-styled tone and structure of the game gives it a solid basis that the first game didn't quite reach. Most of the improvements are for the better. There are still some nagging problems here and there, and the frame rate is rough, but if you can get past that, there's a ton to love here.

The Talos Principle can easily be called the next big puzzle game in the same vein as Portal.

The selection of cars and motorcycles is incredibly fun, the graphics are self-evidently gorgeous and the array of gameplay options are both staggering and compelling. It is very rare that a game this polished and well-designed is made in any genre, and Project Gotham Racing 4 demands your attention regardless of your skill level or taste in gaming. There is literally something in this game for everyone.

Metroid: Samus Returns is a solid remake that doesn't reinvent the wheel or eclipse the high points of the franchise but represents an enjoyable and well-made return to what makes Metroid work. It's low on story and high on exploration, and that's all it needs to be. The frustrating moments are few and far between, and the 3DS iteration eclipses the Game Boy original in pretty much every way. It's a Metroid title that shows why the old 2D classics were popular, and it succeeds wonderfully. With a ton of hints dropped throughout the game about a new Metroid game after Samus Returns, it should be interesting to see what Mercury Steam can do with an original game.

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.

With intuitive controls, exciting gameplay and a one-two punch of audio and visual goodness, this game has just about everything that any hockey gamer could want.