Even with an upsetting frame rate and poorly implemented combat, Silent Hill: Downpour is the best we've seen in years. I enjoyed Shattered Memories, but that felt more like a slightly interactive story than a video game, whereas Downpour lets you explore Silent Hill in a way that hasn't been seen since Silent Hill 3.

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.

Lies of P: Overture serves as an excellent return to a game that surprised many players in a good way. The story does a very good job of setting up the events of the main title. The new weapons keep the combat feeling fresh thanks to how dramatically different they are. The game is still tough, especially if it has been a while since you last played the title, but the different difficulty levels help to ease people into a genre that can be notoriously unforgiving. For fans of the game, the Overture DLC feels essential.

Portal remains a masterpiece of a game. Even more than 15 years later, the game still hits its marks, from puzzle design to length and everything in between. Portal with RTX adds to that by sprucing up the graphics enough that it immediately rivals many modern releases on more advanced game engines. The high system requirements, along with the breaking of some core functionality, restricts who can enjoy the improvements, but the sting doesn't hurt as much due to the fact that it's free. If you are fine with those caveats, give Portal with RTX a spin, whether this is the first time you're playing it — or the 50th.

Aside from those minor quibbles, I really enjoyed Dawn of Discovery, but keep in mind that if you're not already a fan of real-time strategy games, this game might not be the one to suck you in, especially not on a console. It's certainly well-adapted, but the difficulty curve is pretty high, and I'm not sure that people will have the patience to go through the tutorial that's masked as a story mode. However, if you're willing to stick it out, there's a ton of depth here that can keep you busy for hours on end, and it's a great value at $30.

I tried my best to not to compare Perfect Dark Zero to "Halo" because in most ways, they are two completely different games offering two divergent experiences. I will say, however, that "Halo" is a far more polished game.

Dawnguard adds more of what made Skyrim great, without feeling like it was tacked on at the last minute.

A perfect example of strong, competent and enjoyable gameplay. It doesn't reinvent the genre, but it's a lot of fun to play. The mecha-dino combat is the highlight and represents some of the most enjoyable open-world combat on the market. Burning through powerful foes and looting their corpses for rare treasures captures an excitement rarely felt in open-world games. The rest of the gameplay is somewhat dulled in comparison. A somewhat weak plot drags down the experience but isn't enough to detract from the enjoyment.

While the presentation of the story and combat in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim takes some time to get used to, I was deeply engaged with the characters and plot. The bulk of my complaints boil down to wishing the combat looked better and not loving some of the reveals, neither of which detracted from the rest of my experience with the game. As long as you approach the title as a visual novel with some light strategy rather than a strategy game with some light story, you'll find a lot to like. It's an easy recommend for fans of Virtue's Last Reward or Steins;Gate or those who have enjoyed previous Vanillaware offerings.

Paper Mario: The Origami King might not be the sequel to The Thousand Year Door that some people are hoping for, but it's a darn fun game. It's witty, charming, fun to play, and has a soundtrack that can't be beat. Its low difficulty and the combat sometimes overstaying its welcome can drag down the experience a little. It's still a delightful experience for fans of Mario's adventures.

The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match is a great example of how to update a good fighting game. The title doesn't make any changes that would drive away old fans of the series, but it makes a few good ones that would entice new fans to give it a try. With a solid package behind it, only the die-hard SNK haters would be resilient enough to turn down this game. It's a great addition to any fighting game fan's library.

The game of soccer has never been so complete, with so many teams, leagues, cups, options, modes, and everything else that you can possibly imagine.

The improved combat and predator systems are worth the cost of entry, and a lot of the core combat mechanics are still the best in the genre. Unfortunately, it's held back by a somewhat weak Batmobile mechanic and a lackluster plot.

Silent Hill f is a slow-burn horror game that doesn't put its best foot forward, but once it has its hooks in you, they're not coming out. The compelling and well-crafted story does a fantastic job of drawing you in and keeping you invested, even potentially through multiple playthroughs. The combat mechanics can feel a tad overdone. I think Silent Hill f is the best entirely new entry in the franchise in ages, and while it has its flaws, it shows that there's still plenty of life in Konami's franchise.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a very good game and a distinct title for the Switch 2's launch library. The various mechanics blend together quite well — and in a way that doesn't feel like padding. The pacing does a good job of keeping you interested without using scenarios that overstay their welcome. With a solid presentation to back up everything, Kunitsu-Gami is an experience that will remain as intriguing as it does now. For those looking to bolster their Switch 2 library, Kunitsu-Gami is a wonderful title to have in the collection.

Despite its flaws, Hitman: Definitive Edition is a solid installment in the Hitman franchise and serves as a quality introduction to a reboot of a classic title. The Definitive Edition is a great way for players to pass the time until Hitman 2 launches.

Outer Wilds is a genuinely delightful experience with a lot of bright points. It somehow manages to take the idea of a game about repeatedly dying in terrible ways and makes it enjoyable, relaxing and enthusiastic. It won't be a game for everyone due to its self-guided nature and its focus on puzzling things out for yourself, but it's exactly the game it needs to be. If you long for the space travel that No Man's Sky couldn't provide, give Outer Wilds a shot. It might not have a billion worlds, but each one is worth a visit.

All in all, Yoshi's Crafted World is a delightful adventure that is held back only by being a bit too predictable. It's a solid platformer for gamers of all ages, and it's easy enough for the youngest players but has enough charm to keep adults playing. It's also easily the best Yoshi game since the SNES original, and while it's difficult to live up to a classic, Crafted World does a good job on its own merits. Even if you're not a fan of Nintendo's multicolored dino-horse, it's worth giving Crafted World a shot. You might be charmed and surprised.

While the landscapes are rather generic, the weather effects, especially those of the tornado, can be quite impressive.

I am still working to unlock floating branches on this Yggdrasil of a story tree, so I'm almost certain there are dark corners of this world that will give me more of what I'm looking for. The concept of self-aware robotic people has been explored for decades, and Detroit: Become Human makes sure you have plenty of reasons to explore it for at least more than a few hours. After all, the story, much like Chloe, shows plenty of life.

The only caveat is that true novices to this gaming genre will have to take a quickie crash course in Pigskin 101.

All in all, Etrian Odyssey Nexus is a solid entry in the series. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but is sort of a grab bag of everything that makes Etrian Odyssey work. It's very familiar, and longtime series fans may find that this outing played it too safe, but casual fans and newcomers should consider it a near-perfect place to start the series. All in all, Nexus is a fantastic end to the long handheld history of the franchise, and it provides a lot of hope for whatever comes next.

All in all, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a top-notch port. It won't make you rethink the game if you didn't enjoy it in the first place, but the majority of the improvements do a lot to elevate the game. The updated gameplay and visuals make the experience more fun. Only a few nagging flaws, most of which are a legacy of the original game, decrease the enjoyment a bit, but they won't sour the game for JRPG aficionados.

Dredge has no right to be as good as it is, but it effectively plays to its strengths and mixes solid systems with a strong theme. If you're not into fishing or Lovecraft, Dredge won't be your cup of tea. However, if either even slightly tickles your fancy, I can almost guarantee that you'll have a blast delving into the twisted mysteries of Dredge — and you'll even make a decent buck with mutant fish while you're at it.

It isn't perfect, but God of War: Ragnarok remains a very good adventure game. The main story might meander for a good chunk of time, but the tale in the DLC makes up for that nicely. The action remains solid from beginning to end, and the usual additions made to the PC version and the disabling of hints almost makes up for the questionable decision to make a PSN login mandatory. If that last part isn't a deal-breaker, then you'll have a great time with Ragnarok on the PC.

Metal Slug Tactics is an excellent adaptation of the franchise to an entirely new genre. It doesn't play anything like the older Metal Slug games, but in some ways, it still does. It's fast paced, engaging, and frequently funny and clever. The core mechanics are instantly engaging and a genuine delight to experience. Perhaps the only real complaint I can think of is that the roguelike style might not be for everyone, but even that is true to the style of the original arcade games. Both fans of the franchise and those who can't tell a Metal Slug from a Metal Gear will find a lot to like in Tactics.

If you never played the original and the particulars of this title likely suit your gaming tastes, especially if you have friends who'll play along through the missions, by all means strap on your alter ego and get to saving the world.

F1 2011 is a good game built on a solid foundation that is only improving with each annual installment. Still, Formula One racing is not every gamer's cup of tea. It's strangely addictive, but it doesn't have the pick-up-and-play nature of a Burnout game. Dirt and Grid are more down to earth than Burnout, but F1 makes them look a lot like OutRun.