Crash Drive 3 turned out to be so much more fun than I initially anticipated, full of laughs and the good kind of swearing at friends when they overtake your score or steal your tags in a stunt event! I can fully recommend Crash Drive 3 if you are looking for a chill game with an edge of competition and an open world exploration that doesn't force you to partake in every challenge, but I had a lot of fun trying to win each time I did.

You can tell that a lot of extra love and attention went into this pack. The animations of the menus and games have all received an upgrade, and every game has a special closing song that is a lot of fun to listen to. Stuff like that was usually only saved for one game in the pack but I am glad they had the extra time and money to do it for all the games this time. I think this pack has a good variety of games, and none of them missed the mark this time. If you have a group of 5 to 8 friends or like to stream online and have your viewers play along, then you’ll find there is a lot to do and a lot of fun to be had with The Jackbox Party Pack 8.

While a horror/dating sim sounds like a strange combination, it works here. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure I’d like the game mostly because of the voice lines, but I grew to adore how the story played out. Equal parts creepy and romantic, Little Goody Two Shoes is more similar to the dark fairy tale games I love than not, and I found myself drawn in like the Hans Christian Anderson stories I’m so fond of. Sometimes you find games outside of your comfort zone, and they make you wonder what you’ve been missing out on, Little Goody Two Shoes has done that for me. I think I may go look at some of the other titles Astralshift may have in store for me.

While previous DIRT fans might not be so sure about its arcade direction this time around, for everyone else, it’s an accessible and fun racing game that doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you happened to get one of the new consoles, playing DIRT 5 in framerate mode is how you can showcase what your new TV can or can’t do. While there’s not much length to the career mode, Playgrounds allows you to create or play anyone else’s track, adding longevity, even if the overall package is a little light on substance.

SnowRunner is a huge improvement over the game that preceded it. It is also a title that can be challenging but yet rewarding. The visuals are top notch, the audio brings the in-game world to life and the control and game camera are much more fine-tuned. Yes, there are a few hiccups now and then, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. If you are looking for an off-road simulation game that is not only different from the rest out there, but one that will give you a challenge and a lot of gameplay, then you can’t go wrong with SnowRunner, as there is no better game in the genre.

Monolith Productions has an absolute sensational game in Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, and while there will be some detractors, the story, and game as a whole, is a masterpiece of craftsmanship that would make J.R.R. Tolkien proud. It has quality development that takes everything fans know and love from the first game, and improves and expands on it making Shadow of War a game that could easily hold contention for "Game of the Year". It is a must have purchase for anyone that enjoys quality gameplay mechanics, beautiful visuals, stellar sound, and a story that holds its own in a lore that is highly protected by its fans all across the globe. In the world of The Lord of the Rings, Monolith Productions has become the one developer to rule them all.

This is all a very long-winded way of saying I liked WWE 2K23, a lot. I liked it more than I thought I would and expected myself to be really critical about it. I put a lot of hours into the game and I can see myself putting a lot more into it as well. If you are a wrestling fan, I am sure there is some part of WWE 2K23 that you will connect with, whether it’s being a GM, the online factions, or even just creating characters and running simulated matches. I am so happy I had the chance to review this.

It provides countless hours of addictive experiences wrapped up in a massive never ending explosion of fun and enjoyment. Although there are only six levels they are dynamic settings that allow you to still get an enjoyable experience in a game like this that is not often found on any console.

I will admit, although I am a bit older than the characters in Lost Records, I am close enough to their ages that the friendships, environment, feelings and music all resonated with me. When the credits rolled on Tape 1, I didn’t just like Lost Records, I loved it. It was a tale of friendship, adventure and testing the depths of ‘best friends forever’. If Don’t Nod can follow this up equally with Tape 2 on April 15th, this might take first place for me in the series and give me the same feeling I first had when I first played Life is Strange back in 2015.

Laser League is fresh, new and exciting, and even though it emanates an obvious Tron vibe with its visuals, I applaud its innovativeness and accessibility for those looking for something different than what’s offered now in the competitive landscape.

Provides some great fun in the form of mini games like Chess Kombat and a game of Puzzle Kombat here or there. However, the main event fight game leaves much to be desired.

If you like racing games then you should absolutely love Midnight Club LA.

There’s a fine balance of arcade-like gameplay that allows anyone to simply jump in and swing a massive halberd around to get some kills, but also a deep enough combat system that allows for refined and purposeful attacks that rewards your skill after hours of practice. While it’s a grind to unlock all of the subclasses and gear, it never become a frustrating chore, as I’m always happy to jump into one more battle to add a few more heads to my glorious collection.

Crown Trick surprised me with its synchronous movement mechanic, adding a unique layer of strategy but allowing me to play at my own pace. If you’re into dungeon dwelling or roguelites, there’s something of value here with its charming style and great artistic style. For those not sure or on the fence, Crown Trick is available on GamePass, making trying it out as simple as it gets to see if it hooks you.

Go Mecha Ball surprised me. Half pinball, half twin-stick shooter, it shouldn’t work on paper, but it really does. Once you can embrace the chaos and find the best way to play for yourself, it can be exciting. Feeling like it’s truly an original experience, Go Mecha Ball is a fun trip as you dash from one enemy to the next do it all again in the next run.

The only real downside to BLACKTAIL is the limited gameplay. It is mostly linear and your skills only expand minimally. You will explore and you will backtrack (a lot) over the 15-20 hours of gameplay. With a price of $29.99 (USD)/$39.99 (CDN) I think it’s outstanding value in terms of what you get for the price. I was surprised to see the sticker price after completing it. While nothing really stands out as new for the gameplay in BLACKTAIL, it has an outstanding setting and fantastic narrative. The voice acting is top notch. While Yagas quest to find her twin sister Zora is the engine that drives the story, you’ll quickly discover that it’s really the journey that matters.

Hopefully Midway decides to stick with the arcade style they are known for in the future and not drift away from the hardcore extreme style of their games.

To my surprise after getting my hands on this game, I soon after decided to sign my life over to Rainbow Studios...This game has very few flaws and tons of great features which make this the best MX game I have played across all gaming platforms.

A top notch FPS and rivals anything we saw in the last generation in terms of gameplay, multiplayer options, and replay value. As the icing on the cake, it’s wrapped in an awfully pretty package.

If you take the time to learn its mechanics and grind for some gear, once it ‘clicks’, Remnant changes from a simple Souls-like game to a completely unique experience that I could hardly put down. It’s a shame that it released in the busy window that it did alongside some massive AAA games, as I’m sure it’ll get overlooked, but if you’re a Souldborne fan and want an entertaining co-op adventure with some friends, Remnant: From the Ashes should seriously be looked at. While I was almost ready to give up at one point, it’s a fantastic game once you learn its intricacies.

The sound track is in my opinion the best ever this year, maintaining its decidedly rock feel, that of which varies from metal bands to punk. They even threw in a couple rap songs that are enjoyable.

Kudos to Tantalus Media for streamlining the menu system into an easy to use and understand layout. This is a fantastic step in the right direction and proves that city building games, previously thought of as PC-only, can work well on console if done with the right amount of effort and care. Being able to relax on the couch and slowly grow one's city as mayor is fantastic, and even with its few limitations and sacrifices, Cities: Skylines is clearly the go-to for city simulation/building game on console.

The story and characters are interesting, the gameplay is solid, boss fights are interesting and memorable, it looks beautiful, and the gameplay is fantastic. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing some backstory while new fans, like myself, now have an entry point to start from, bringing them into the series.

All in all, IMMORTALS FENYX RISING surpassed my expectations. It was a fun and beautiful game, full of exploration, puzzles, combat and humour. Despite being left with wanting more from the combat in the game, I could not stop playing it. Between the humour and the sheer delightfulness of Fenyx, I was captivated and found myself wanting to continue exploring and playing its world more. In the end, it is a game that I can wholeheartedly recommend if you are looking for something new to play this year.

PHOGS! puts a smile on your face, is utterly weird yet charming, and unique. Give a two headed dog a bone, or two, and download PHOGS! on GamePass if you’re looking for a unique puzzler that is simple yet entertaining.

Delivers more onscreen pyrotechnics than a Kiss concert.

I know that I complained about elements of Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm in this review, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good game. Sure, it’s held back from being great or even exceptional by these things, but it remains a very solid 3D RPG. If you’re looking for something to scratch your Zelda itch, and maybe don’t own a Nintendo Switch, this is something you could definitely check out. I personally enjoyed it more than my time with Tears of the Kingdom, despite adoring Breath of the Wild, but that’s because I hated the new physics puzzles and building mechanics they added in, and didn’t enjoy those elements at all.

The combat is done in an incredibly balancd Fight Vs. Flight manner, and despite the flaws in the graphics and some gameplay issues, the game is an incredibly enjoyable experience from start to finish.