This is a game designed and built for hardcore fans, and it's not going to waste any time concerning itself with anyone who doesn't "get it." To be perfectly blunt, the game is very, very hard, and most decidedly not for everyone, especially if you aren't an NBA superfan or a longtime franchise devotee.

If you have the means, do yourself a favor and play Desperados III on the PC. If you don't, the PS4 version is a deserving alternative that isn't as great to control but makes the right compromises to work with the limited input options. The rest of the game is excellent, no matter what platform you choose. It's a challenging title that isn't afraid to frustrate or overwhelm you, and that can sometimes sour the otherwise excellent gameplay. If you have thick skin and an unquenched desire to solve stealth puzzles in the Wild West, Desperados III is the best real-time tactical stealth game that I have played in a long, long time.

Overall, Howl is a fun experience. It doesn't exactly break any molds, but it's a solid strategy/puzzle game that is well put together, and it scratches the itch of something like Into the Breach, even if it lacks much replayability. The gameplay loop feels great, and the short stages mean that you don't feel bad having to restart a level multiple times to assure a good score. It's well worth giving a shot, and it's a great example of a charming, low-budget indie title.

Unless you’re a shooting god, it’ll be a while before you beat this… and even then, once you do, you’ll unlock lots of new ways to play it all over again.

Despite Virtua Tennis 4 releasing a few months from now, it's safe to say that Top Spin 4 will be a difficult game to beat. The physics and fatigue system make this a deep sport simulation, while the improved control system and streamlined character leveling mechanic is simple enough that newcomers and casual players won't feel overwhelmed.

Though these issues hamper the experience, NCAA Football 12 still stands as one of the strongest recent entrants in the series.

The game is very easy to understand and easy for anyone to pick up and play thanks to the two-button control scheme. The sparse number of levels can hurt, but the roguelike mechanics keep things engaging and addicting well before you finally open up the endless wave mode. Whether you're a casual or more dedicated player, Octogeddon is worth checking out.

The Darkness is excellent; if judged solely on presentation and graphics, it would be one of the greatest games of all time. Even with the gameplay flaws thrown in, it's still pretty great, since the single-player experience is wonderfully cinematic and tells an excellent story.

Overall, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is one of the better Ace Attorney games, period. If it had been released in its original form, I'd probably be more negative about it, but getting both parts of Dai Gyakuten Saiban in one nice package emphasizes its strong points and lessens its flaws. If you're a fan of the series, it's absolutely worth picking up, and I can imagine it jumping near the top of many people's favorite Ace Attorney title lists. It has its flaws and foibles, but it's some of the most fun I've had with the franchise to date.

Stray hits all of the right marks for a memorable adventure game. The ability to play solely as a normal cat with normal cat abilities is alluring. It's a great game hook, but every other element does their part to keep one playing. The familiar story remains fascinating, as do the characters you meet. The world is great to explore, while the game's overall pacing and mechanics keep you glued until the end. It's been a pretty good year for games thus far, and Stray is currently up there with Elden Ring and Tunic as being serious contenders for the best the year has to offer.

NBA 2K26 retains its standard as being the most complete and polished hoops experiences out there, but I think one of the things that's holding it back for this old player is the feeling that it's still finding its way on how to nail all of the story elements in its MyCareer mode. It's done it before. I'd like to see them do it again.

Except for the stuttering and crashes endured through the review period, A Plague Tale: Requiem is a very well done game. The story remains as engaging as ever, with a whole cast of compelling characters. The myriad of mechanics keeps things exciting, and the pacing makes you feel like you had the right amount of it at the right times. The overall presentation is stunning to the point where it is already a looker, even before ray tracing comes into the picture. If the stability fixes come in for the title, you're looking at a game that'll easily make a "Best Of" list for 2022.

This really, truly is Disgaea, stripped of its stationary roots and shoved onto a tiny cartridge without missing a step. Everything about this title will appeal to the gamer who's been intrigued by the strategy genre, but been too put off by how dire and dramatic it can be.

The solar sensor may have been a huge turn-off for many gamers, but Kojima took a hint and removed it from Lunar Knights. What you are left with is a very fun vampire-slaughtering game that doesn't lose any of its charm (especially if you still use a "Boktai" game for a solar sensor).

With so many challenges to complete in single-player mode, vehicles to purchase (with motorcycles rounding out a solid selection) and the inclusion of one of the best multiplayer modes anywhere inside or out of the racing genre, Unlimited is a fun title.

It just doesn't come together as well as it could. It feels like the development team has branched out to try new things, but none of the good ideas and changes were followed through, making them feel like shallow attempts to change things. This would likely not have been a criticism if we were talking about a runtime of fewer than 30 hours. With a runtime of 50+ hours, though, these sorts of things eventually come crashing down as player fatigue sets in. I still enjoy Valhalla for what it does, but it hurts to know that this could've been a tighter, greater game that delivered on its ambitions rather than merely hinting at them.

Those who have played the first two games in the franchise and want to keep going to see how it all ends will find Tales of Monkey Island: Lair of the Leviathan to be a minor diversion in an otherwise great series.

Blur ultimately ends up as the sort of game everyone should experience but not everyone will love. The game's unique method of pairing semirealistic racing with kart-themed chaos works incredibly well, making for a fun experience that feels different from those that came before.

A strong RPG and something any D&D fan should check out.

Most Wanted has all the makings of a great game, but its otherwise solid gameplay is tarnished by the lack of an online segment.

The graphics are first rate, the dialogue was tight and witty, and most importantly, the story is fantastic and the game plays out like a well written book.

At the end of the day, Sairento VR clearly focuses on gameplay. It is the most rewarding and badass game I have played in terms of combat and movement, and it's something that everyone should experience in VR if they have the chance. It's a gameplay sandbox that does enough to make you feel in control and gives you the opportunity to test different weapon combinations and relics to become an ultra-mobile ninja-killing machine. That may not hide the fact that it looks basic and is quite repetitive in terms of enemies, level design and mission objectives. Sairento is fun, and it's highly recommended if you own a PSVR headset — assuming your stomach can handle the erratic movements and jumps.

Darksiders is certainly a pleasant surprise. A game that takes multiple mechanics from other, highly successful games usually ends up being nothing but a mess, but in this title, everything seems to mesh together well.

Metro Exodus is an absolutely solid, all-around experience. Although the change from indoor to outdoor scenery is striking at first, it allows the gameplay to breathe and feel different from previous titles. The signature makeshift guns are paired well with the new crafting ability, and their lack of stopping power makes firefights meaningful and stealth sections tense. There are still issues here and there, and the presentation could be tighter, but this is a worthy sequel to a game that has earned its cult status throughout the years.

If EA paid as much attention to the career mode and track layout that they spent on graphics and sound, this game would have been the racing game to get.

If you liked Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, then you will like Curse of the Moon 2. It's more of the same, but in the best way: more levels, more characters, a cleaner interface, and lots of balance tweaks to make everyone play a bit better. You should check out Curse of the Moon first, since it's an excellent game on its own, but if you have a hankering for '80s Castlevania action, then Curse of the Moon 2 will give you everything you need.

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is one of the better games of its kind I have played in recent memory. The world-building and writing are enthralling, and the prospect of guiding your character from life to death is a fun and challenging exercise. I would have loved more interactivity, especially in dialogues, and some decisions seem predetermined and stacked against you a few too many times to truly feel open. In the end, that doesn't detract from the otherwise fun RPG adventure novel. If you're yearning for a good RPG adventure that is heavy on the reading side, I'd highly recommend The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante.

In many ways, Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise is a perfect game for the DS.