MotoGP 24 also does all this in a beautiful graphic package. When you're catching the apex of the corner while in a pack of other riders or blasting down the straight at full throttle with the grandstand off to the side, MotoGP 24 does a great job at delivering impressive bike models that sound just as incredible as they scream down the tracks. MotoGP 24 offers a wealth of quality motor racing in a streamlined package that provides controller ripping tension and body leaning turns.

While Long Gone Days may not be the most engaging RPG I’ve played recently, you would be hard-pressed to find one with as much passion for the subject matter presented. How you feel about the story will likely vary between person to person, but as someone with strong ties to the military, but also being a person who strongly dislikes the thought of war, it spoke to me on a deeper level than I anticipated. I would have liked the combat to be more engaging and some of the topics to be covered in more depth, but overall it was a surprising and ambitious game that I am glad I got to experience.

Mediterranea Inferno isn’t meant to be a happy story with a fairytale ending. It’s a raw tale that’s honest, filled with a bunch of emotion and uneasiness. Some might be turned away by the LGBTQ+ theme, but it was certainly one of the more memorable and unique visual novels I’ve ever experienced and I’m glad to have gone on vacation with the trio of friends, even if the ending(s) weren’t what I initially expected.

Overall TopSpin 2K25 is an absolute smashing success. It finds a simplistic and streamlined way to bring a lot of depth and fun to a tennis game. While some of the 'rinse and repeat' formula is found everywhere throughout this game, this is how a sports game should be presented. If you're a tennis fan, TopSpin 2K25 should be at the top of your list.

At the heart of the story, Paper Trail is about living your life despite your past, and living your life in the moment and to its fullest. This is a story I think can resonate with everyone. It’s about forging your own path, literally, even when you have been told "No". Paper Trail is a perfect example of a simple mechanic executed well. It’s sweet aesthetic blends nicely with just enough spice in the difficulty presented with the puzzles and doesn’t create a sour experience with overstaying its welcome. It’s a fantastically balanced game that I will encourage anyone to check out if they want to give their grey matter a little workout while engaging in a cozy story.

I’ll be honest, when the credits first rolled I put down the controller and my initial reaction was quite apathetic. I didn’t hate Grotto, but I didn’t really enjoy it either, as I don’t normally gravitate towards visual novel-like games. That said, as I let my thoughts simmer for a day, and especially while writing this review, it just somewhat ‘clicked’ with me, and the more I reflected, the more I realized Grotto was actually quite memorable and how I appreciated what it was going for. I kept thinking of the questions I was asked and how my interpretation of my answer vastly differed from the person seeking the advice. It made me wonder if something similar has happened in real life with advice I’ve given, as there’s usually not always a ‘right’ answer to many questions. While some won’t enjoy the lack of ‘gameplay’, Grotto is a unique experience that makes you think of how you interpret situations and what you would do in times of desperation.

While the World Tour may not take long to reach the finish line, there’s enough challenge to try and get 100% completion if you want to collect everything. While I could see myself going back now and then for the online challenges, it may not have the most longevity and replayability, but Horizon Chase 2 was still a fun and stylish sprint to the finish line.

Botany Manor is a great little game. Charming and sweet with a nice balance of challenge and laid-back puzzle elements. Delightfully immersive due to its first-person perspective, it makes exploring the manor feel like a joy versus a chore.

While the lack of focus may turn some 4X city-building fans off, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is a fantastic adventure for newcomers to the genre or those looking for a less stressful experience. No intricate building planning, no tech trees, and no micromanaging of your population; just build, grow, and learn as you play. The Falconeer was wonderful, and Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is set in the same world but is a fresh style of game. After playing this, I feel confident that this cements Tomas Sala as one of the most creative developers I know of. I would highly recommend this game to anyone looking for a new city-building experience or just a chill game to explore your creativity.

It's clear that Arcadian Atlas is a love letter to other greats in the TRPG genre, it has just as many things that I liked that I didn’t as well. Loved the leveling system, but combat overall was repetitive and tedious, lacking much of a challenge. Aesthetics are wonderful and animated quite well, yet the soundtrack is completely forgettable and doesn’t always match the tone of what’s on screen. I enjoyed Arcadian Atlas overall for what it is, an indie tactics style RPG, though probably more than I normally would as it’s been years since I’ve played a great one, but it’s got a ways to go to be considered alongside the greats of the genre.

Remastering beloved games is a balancing act of remaining faithful to the original games, yet improving just enough for new fans to enjoy as well. While it doesn’t stick the landing in every aspect, and as a Remaster it does feel a tad bareboned without much extras, it’s fascinating to see how far the series has come and how nostalgia distorted my actual memories. Not all things about the original trilogy has aged very well, but the glow up is quite a welcome addition and Lara looks great as ever.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an absolutely beautiful game, not just in its visuals, but also the audio and Senua’s actual journey from the original game to what she’s become in this sequel. There’s a famous quote stating video games can’t be art; I’d argue that Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II proves this inaccurate. Artistry across different senses and technology come together to craft an amazing and meaningful tale worth experiencing. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a linear narrative driven action game that is unique, intense and incredibly immersive. With a focus on mental health and illness, there’s nothing quite like Hellblade II, a visual and audio experience unlike anything we’ve experience before, raising the bar of what ‘next-gen’ should mean. Once again, a Hellblade game is going to be in my GOTY contention.

Overall, MLB The Show 24 has done a great job of continuing to bring a legacy of excellence, celebrating history, player immersion, team control, and thrilling challenges. Whether you’re a seasoned slugger or a rookie at the plate, MLB The Show 24 knocks it out of the park. Batter up!

I’m all for odd, quirky, and niche simulators, as I generally find them relaxing, but when you’re frustrated more often than having any enjoyment, it’s hard to recommend. I’m sure if you’re a metro fanatic there will be some enjoyment, but the lack of care and quality on the console version of Metro Simulator 2 is almost at an embarrassing level unfortunately.

Bunhouse is cute. The customizable bunny characters are adorable. It’s an easy game to pick up and play for short bursts, it just has too many bugs and not enough content to keep me interested in for a long time. With its great price point, and local co-op gameplay, it is an excellent choice for families or kids to play together.

While I could see that some may not enjoy the optional exploration component as much as I did, especially for a puzzle game, the world was so unique and beautiful it couldn’t help but be memorable. I wish I found the original game sooner, as The Talos Principle II should absolutely be in the same conversations as Fez and Portal as one of the best puzzle games there are. There’s an impressive amount of detail, from the environments, puzzle design, character development, and plot, The Talos Principle II is a must play if you’re a fan of puzzles and narrative that comes together in a meaningful way.

While I found my first playthrough a confusing and frustrating mess, it made much more sense trying the other classes. They all play differently enough to warrant other playthroughs and require different strategies. Once I got the hang of the gameplay and how to best progress, I went from being frustrated to wanting to play ‘just one more turn'.

Waiting more than two decades for a sequel, I’m sure true Jagged Alliance fans will overlook many of its shortcomings and frustrations, as it does capture the same feeling, it seriously needs some work on its control scheme to be more much fluid and less confusing. For every moment I was enjoying, I was equally frustrated when I missed point blank shots or accidently ended my turn prematurely due to a wrong button combination.

While all the pieces are there for a great Metroidvania, complete with unique setting and characters, Cookie Cutter frustrated me more often than not due to the broken parry system that rarely works as advertised. I wasn’t expecting to play a love-revenge story as a lesbian android that talks to her robotic vagina, filled with violence and gore, but it certainly was a memorable adventure.

Overall, Lords of the Fallen is an excellent example of if at first you do not succeed, try again. With a multi-realm dynamic to manage throughout your campaign, Lords of the Fallen delivers a challenging and highly rewarding souls-like' experience. With Unreal 5 delivering graphical presentations that are memorable, an incredibly deep character progression system, and enough loot to keep even the greediest of gamer happy, Lords of the Fallen takes its rightful place in the upper echelons of the genre. Grab your friends and some extra controllers because Lords of the Fallen is a quality experience that is rarely found.

While it may be a tad on the expensive side ($31.99 CAD), I quite enjoyed my time with it alongside Hebe and friends exploring their world, certainly memorable for its unique design and colorfulness. Ufouria: The Saga 2 is a sequel that I don’t think anyone asked for, or saw coming, but I’m all for it given how adorable is all is. It’s a small and quirky game that’s certainly on the easy and casual side, but sometimes a game like that is a welcome change.

WWE2K24 has a lot going for it. Improved and smoother graphics are evident and there is a lot of solid single-player gameplay (which I enjoy). The roster is extensive, and I thought the MyRise story modes were both well done. It appears as though the team has worked on implementing a few features commonly asked for by the community although I really think the basic create a wrestler suite still needs some work.

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator was as advertised; a cozy gardening game, but I found the tasks quite repetitive and wished there was more variety of things to do. I am hopeful that the developers will add some additional content, possibly some more flower varieties as well. More than anything else, I hope they fix the messy inventory system. Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator is like a seedling in a greenhouse. It has all the parts to make something beautiful and is just waiting for the right gardener to come along and spend some time with it.

While the tutorials for a lot of the mechanics are lacking or not explained well, with enough time, I went from not really enjoying myself to having to do just ‘one more run’ for a specific upgrade. Once you’ve wrapped your head around all of what’s possible and how to craft, it goes from being a confusing and frustrating grind to being a fun yet repetitive shooter. While it does become tedious at times, Wizard with a Gun starts to really shine once you learn of its elemental intricacies.

In the end, South Park: Snow Day! is a disappointment and a very dated experience overall. This makes it easy to skip without anything of real value being missed. It’s unfortunate, because the last two games were so good, but the decisions that went into changing things up have led to a very forgettable game. One that isn’t fun whatsoever.

Overall, I have found Hotel Renovator - Five Star Edition to be quite enjoyable and easy to get into despite the things I wish were improved, like the items menu and the NPCs. So if you're into building designs, operating a hotel, and pleasing random guests, all while learning about your character's family and hotel history, then I would say this is a great game for you to spend hours on.

Once you have the majority of the skills have been earned and have a handful of cabbies working for you, there’s really not much else to work towards. That said, there’s still some enjoyment to be had to picking up a few customers and bringing them to their destination within a gorgeous city. Clearly rough around the edges, Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator frustrates in certain ways, yet is relaxing in others.

If you’re a survival horror fan, you should check out Alone in the Dark. Although it’s a bit dated and a bit flawed, it remains a rather solid game; so much so that I enjoyed beating it twice within one week. Don’t play it for the combat, but do so for the story, sound and settings. It’s worth checking out for sure.