Call me crazy, but I like things simple. I prefer "NBA Street" over V3 despite the unlockable stuff and refined gameplay elements in V3. The camera angles were wonky for my tastes and the in-game announcer came close to ruining the whole game for me and my issue with the gameplay timing is perhaps my own.

It’s also extremely disappointing to see EA do such a sloppy job on a port to Xbox. There is no excuse for any game being ported from Playstation 2 to have slow-down on Xbox when there is none in the PS2 version.

Except for some lingering bugs and other graphical issues, the Phantom Liberty DLC serves as an ideal swan song for this iteration of Cyberpunk 2077. The story is gripping from beginning to end thanks to some expected but exciting plot twists, a big diverging point in the story that occurs way before the end of the campaign, and some very memorable and fleshed-out characters. The tale may be somewhat self-contained, but the ties to the rest of the city make it feel like a proper expansion versus something completely siloed off from the rest of the game. That would be a good enough reason for existing fans to take the plunge, but given the various changes made by patch 2.0, it's a game that's definitely worth jumping into if you've been waiting for a good chunk of the issues to get cleared up.

Tetris Effect checks all the boxes, and if you're into music and puzzle games that are as challenging as they are meditative, look no further. Tetris Effect is truly the best version of Tetris I've ever played, but at the same time, it is "just Tetris." It pushes the gameplay into interesting directions without actually changing any significant part of the core gameplay, and that's the beauty of it.

Given the amount of development time and the public nature of the game, Fez no longer seems like a revolutionary title. The puzzle mechanics has been used in several different ways in other games (that were released earlier), and the move away from realism and into a more whimsical, older look has also been done by other titles. The graphics and sound are still charming, even if it falters in a few places. More importantly, the game does a great job of throwing in a number of obtuse and brain-melting puzzles, and the sense of elation when you finally solve them is second to none. Those who love a good challenge will have some fun with this well-made puzzle platformer.

It's extremely difficult to not gush about Dead Space Remake because it does everything right. As much as I love Resident Evil 2's remake, it's fundamentally a very different game from the original. Dead Space Remake is a loyal and loving remake that captures everything that was good about the original, while fixing almost everything that was bad. It's easily the gold standard for how to remake a beloved game, and it's easily as good as Capcom's efforts. If you were a fan of the original, Dead Space Remake is a must-play, and if you're interested in experiencing it for the first time, the remake is the best option.

While you're trying to decide whether or not to throw down the $50, I'm going to keep thanking ArenaNet for making such an exceptional game and raising the bar on other developers, particularly in terms of the graphics engine, patching and content streaming.

Overall, Borderlands 2 takes what wasn't broken and builds on it, but it does so in a way that feels very much like the original game. At the same time, the gameplay is different enough to not feel like a retread, as practically every area of the gameplay has been tweaked to some extent.

Overall, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a solid package. It's not quite worth buying at full price if you've already played the original, but the upgraded original game and the DLC combine to create an excellent experience. Remake still holds up as a really fun game a year later, and Yuffie's side story shows that the developers still have plenty of ideas on how to keep the combat fresh for a sequel. If this is your first time playing Final Fantasy VII Remake, then Intergrade is absolutely the version to get.

Quite solid, and if there is one problem, it is the steep learning curve. If you are new to manager-type games, then the huge amount of options can lead to quick frustration, but the tutorial and succinct manual alleviate this, if only a bit.

No other baseball game so far as been able to fully capture the feel of pitching, fielding and batting like MVP has. The pitching and fielding interfaces are unmatched and are down right groundbreaking, yet extremely simple to pick up on and use.

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.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a very strong contender for the best Fire Emblem game. Pretty much every change to the systems is a smashing success, the storyline is fun and engaging, the characters are likeable, and the presentation is excellent. It's possible that the combat changes won't work for every fan of the franchise, but they feel like the series' strengths have been refined, without the plot weaknesses that hurt Fates. Three Houses is a must-have for tactical gamers, fans of the franchise, or anyone who's looking for a solid JRPG on the Switch.

Real-time strategy gamers have become accustomed to things being done a certain way, and while World in Conflict makes massive and sweeping changes to the tried-and-true formula of RTS titles, it does so in such a way that makes other genre offerings pale in comparison.

The visuals don't merely look like an overhaul, the sound is as amazing as ever, and it definitely makes good use of high definition and Xbox Live.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is as good as they come. Even if it doesn't sport the best graphics, its style greatly makes up for it, and the sound is magnificent. From a gameplay perspective, the freedom of choice is refreshing. The hope is that the provided tools work so well that you'll gladly try out everything during one playthrough. With the various avenues you can take and endings you can receive depending on your actions, you have a game with tons of replay value. The gameplay doesn't get old, and the flaws feel insignificant compared to everything that the game does right.

The most complete 2D Castlevania game to date. Gorgeous graphics and compelling music combine with exciting exploration and combat to form a great action experience on the Nintendo DS.

In spite of its flaws, L.A. Noire is still easy to recommend based on its incredible presentation and new take on the old adventure genre. The blemishes likely won't be enough to dissuade many from trying the experience. Rockstar also gets points for making a game where "mature" means more than a rating on the box, as it delivers a deeper experience than we may have come to expect from most games. L.A. Noire isn't the company's best offering, but it's still definitely worthy of your time.

All in all, Okami HD on the Switch is a fantastic version of a fantastic game. Considering the incredible pedigree behind the game, perhaps it's not shocking that it's as good as it is. One of the golden classics of the PS2 era is now one of the most enjoyable games on the Switch. If you're a fan of Zelda-style games at all, give Okami HD a try. Add in almost all the improvements of the other HD releases plus a wider variety of control schemes and Switch portability to boot, and you have what's easily the ideal version of the game.

From start to finish, It Takes Two is a great co-op experience. The gameplay is fun and varied throughout the entire run, and it frequently manages to surprise you. It's simply a fun trip to share with a friend, and it's a game that looks like it was as fun to conceptualize as it is to play. That said, the game frequently gets in the way of itself with mediocre and ineffective writing that I found to be fairly forgettable. It's a great game that stops just short of being a masterpiece of co-op gaming. I simply cannot wait to see what Josef Fares comes up with next.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is an improvement over Death Stranding in almost every way I can think of. It's larger, full of more things to do, and generally a more enjoyable experience. The plot is crazier than ever, which might be a plus or minus depending on your tastes, but if nothing else, it isn't boring. The only complaint I can think of is that the game is perhaps a touch too easy at times, and even that isn't a huge problem. If you liked the first game, it's very easy to imagine you liking the sequel. Just be prepared for things to be as unfathomably ridiculous as possible at every turn.

Overall, Crytek has done a nearly flawless job in crafting the single player campaign. The combat is extremely fun and exciting, as well as addicting. The level design is fantastic, and the pacing is never too slow.

Horizon: Forbidden West Complete Edition is a very good game, and the PC is the best version of that game thus far. The adventure is engaging overall, even if there are some things that could've been improved. The flexibility of the PC means that there's no longer a compromise between choosing resolution over frame rate. It is an excellent open-world game overall, and we can't wait to see another sequel.

The combat is fast and frantic, the interface excellent, the controls responsive, and it provides an overall satisfying experience. While it's fun, though, there isn't much that's memorable about Dead Space. It feels like patchwork that's been slapped together from other franchises, and it lacks a spirit of its own to make it stand out from the pack.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is an overall fantastic entry in the franchise. Stuffed to the gills with content, there isn't a more fully packaged RPG on the market. The plot is charming and heartfelt, the characters are lovable, and the gameplay incredibly fun. It doesn't matter if you're a longtime Kiryu fan or jumped into the franchise with Kasuga; it's everything a Like a Dragon game should be.

Dishonored is an easy contender for the best game of the year. It does so much right that it's easy to overlook its few flaws and weaknesses.

Resident Evil: Requiem is a solid but very disjointed game. It feels like two extremely fun games that don 't necessarily mix well together. There 's a lot of clever mechanics, effective scenes, and excellent combat mechanics that make it a ton of fun to play, but it also has a meandering and borderline nonsensical plot, drawn-out set pieces, and a lack of focus. At the end of the day, it 's absolutely worth checking out if you 're a Resident Evil fan because when it is hitting its mark, it 's one of the best games in the franchise. Even at its worst, it 's a case of wishing that it could've been more.

From its tough yet fair challenge to the way that all of the systems interconnect, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is an absolutely fantastic game and somehow balances what could have easily been an overwhelming palette of gameplay elements into one ridiculously engaging package.