As a RTS fan I don’t hate Realms of Ruin at all, its multiplayer matches are much more entertaining than the campaign; and they even have a ranked playlist for those who really wanna prove their stuff. But as a Warhammer fan I must say I am disappointed, while I am appreciative of the knowledge, I gained about the Age of Sigmar and some of these factions, I just felt that this game sacrificed the humor and over the top nature of the 40k universe for a stoic and very serious tale. But maybe that is just the nature of the Age of Sigmar side of things, as I said this was my first entry but if players enjoy multiplayer RTS games I would recommend Realms of Ruin for its fun and thrilling multiplayer.

I have said many times that I am not a big fan of these roguelite games, and while that remains true; I did enjoy all my time with Darkest Dungeon II much like I did the original. The first few runs are going to feel absolutely unfair as players will fall long before reaching the boss of an area. But there is something to be said of finally figuring out the perfect team and finding success in the ashes of defeat. I do wish this game had a campfire or some sort of checkpoint system because its not a great feeling to be hours into a run and have to start ALL over because of a small oversight. But even with these small issues I still couldn’t stop thinking about new strategies to help my heroes find success in this dark and gothic world. This is a dangerous journey, but it’s one worth taking.

Gravity Rush is truly a unique experience.

Despite being charming and oftentimes funny with some great set piece moments sprinkled throughout, Paper Mario: The Origami King’s repetitive combat and dull sense of progression hampers an otherwise enjoyable journey.

Despite the decidedly rough first impression of sea exploration and combat, Ys X was a title I found myself enjoying more and more the further I got into it. The fun, fast paced combat, complimented by the wonderful chemistry between the two leads and an intriguing story that culminates in a final boss that is my favorite of the entire franchise thus far, Ys X: Nordics is easily one of the best entries in the long running series and an easy recommendation to anyone that enjoys ARPGs.

The scale of the battles, the depth of the seemingly innumerable mechanics all point to well-crafted title, but if I were to never play a Total War game again, I’d be perfectly fine with that.

When all is said and done LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Sage is a fantastic game that deserves to be played by everyone. It is easily accessible, truly addictive, and loaded with tons of content to warrant the $50 price tag.

The boss fights were a real highlight, it’s a shame the narrative didn’t shine as brightly; but if you are a fan of Dungeon Fighter Online you may enjoy it more than a noob like me.

Call of Duty WWII is a return to its roots. The campaign feels clichéd and the MP still feels like a CoD game, even without technical enhancements. Zombies delivers a visceral and fun experience, granted you have solid teammates. I feel like I go through so many motions year-in and year-out with these games, but one thing is for sure – I always enjoy myself by the end of them, and CoD WWII is no exception.

Any gamer who is still searching for a worthy contender to the skateboarding game throne, look no further; your game has arrived.

If you are in the mood for a great action/adventure title with a truly engaging narrative, you owe it to yourself to check out Ninja Theory's latest title.

If you have never played the series this will likely feel like just another racing game to you. If you are a fan and passed up on FlatOut 2 then this title is a must own, however if you did take the plunge last time around there really isn’t a whole lot here to warrant shelling out another 50 bucks for mostly the same game.

Phineas and Ferb is a solid addition to the ever-growing library of family-friendly DS games. With responsive controls and a colorful art style this DS title is sure to be a hit with kids who are fans of the cartoon.

Tales of Berseria is a direct response to all the fans of the series that felt disappointed with the lackluster Zestiria. With a much more interesting overarching story, a stellar cast of characters and many refinements to the gameplay, Tales of Berseria is easily the best Tales game since Vesperia.

Zero Time Dilemma is a nice bow on top of the Zero Escape trilogy, and one that I think many will enjoy if they liked the previous games. It can get a bit complicated both in puzzles and in story, but the mystery and discovery that is involved is what really brings the player back to the game. This one has it in spades. There’s a few choice decisions here and there that made me scratch my head, but those were few and far between, and never took away from the overall experience. This is a must have for fans of the series, and only if you have fully played through the first two games. When you do that, you’ll enjoy your time with Zero Time Dilemma.

Judgment tells a compelling story of a disgraced defense attorney turned detective and his obsessive search for the truth. Unfortunately, the half baked nature of the investigative mechanics as well as a slew of pacing issues holds it back from escaping from the Dragon’s shadow.

Even using the more simplified combat system the game is a blast to play and ultimately tells a really compelling story all in a beautifully done in Japanese anime style.

Miasma Chronicles isn’t far removed from the studios previous outing with Mutant Year Zero in neither setting or gameplay. That doesn’t mean however that it’s a bad game at all, Miasma feels more polished and nuanced than its predecessor which speaks volumes of the talent at the studio. However, for me the narrative wasn’t as strong as the world itself which wasn’t helped by the feeling of an abrupt ending to the whole affair. But Miasma Chronicles remains a good time due to the mix of tactical strategy and stealth gameplay.

I was surprised that I came away from Crow Country enjoying myself. As I said, I am not a fan of these PS1 graphics games, I lived thru this era and I am ok that we don’t have blocky and shiny graphics again. But Crow Country smartly focuses on the puzzles and its creepy atmosphere, which it absolutely nails both of these aspects. Combat feels like an afterthought by comparison but honesty its not even a problem at the end of the day. If you are nostalgic for survival horror games of yesteryear, then head down to Crow Country.

Forza Motorsport 5 is a gorgeous racing game that continues the tradition of Turn10’s excellent attention to detail and style. I am not a fan of the way they are handling the progression system, and hope they can tweak it over time to be a bit more realistic.

For ten dollars on Steam, if you're looking for a more chilled version of Super Meat Boy, and don't mind playing some of the same levels again to get it down perfectly, you really can't go wrong with Dustforce.

For new players, the systems in Hitman can take some getting used to. Once acclimated, my only real problem was deciding how I wanted to take out my target. With the incredible number of options, it's possible to play the same level multiple times, in a completely different way each time. Add to that the user created challenges, and the result is a fun game that has tons of replay value. With five difficulty settings, the game will appeal to both hardcore stealth fans and casual gamers alike, and it's a terrific package that anyone can enjoy.

The story is intriguing, the shooting is visceral, and the journey is one well worth taking.

King of Fighters XV is a wonderful addition to the series. If you are like me and are hoping for an expansion of the single player modes though, you are going to be disappointed. Still the roster and game play are excellent and the online modes are robust. This is an outstanding entry to the series and I cannot wait for more characters to be added. Now if we could just get SNK to add in some proper single player modes I really feel like KoF could extend past its niche audience.

It is great to get back into the swing of RE5, and I definitely recommend picking this up if you love the series as much as I do. It truly makes you want a remake of the original trilogy with this new engine.

While the length and somewhat child like appearance may throw some gamers off I simply cannot recommend this game enough.

I could spend all day pointing out that the game lacks ALL of the console features and functionality, but I would prefer to focus on the fact that, for the first time, we have a complete sports experience on the go. FIFA Soccer looks and plays fantastically, and any soccer fan would be crazy to pass up this amazing title.

A great revival of a classic franchise. If you were a fan then there is no reason to pass up on this offering as it brings just enough to the table to make it worth your while. The lack of online is easily the biggest setback and makes you wonder how such an imperative feature was left out.

If anyone comes into these remasters expecting Metroid Prime or Skyward Sword levels of work, be prepared to be disappointed because these releases are more akin to the Super Mario Sunshine reissue included with Super Mario 3D All-Stars. I see the primary audience from Nintendo’s point of view being those who have never played Pikmin who are interested in Pikmin 4, however not having all the options from Pikmin 3 Deluxe (also on Switch) limits the enjoyment for those introduced to the series from that release as the other main Pikmin games were released on systems that don’t have official support anymore and a very small percentage of people actually had a Wii U. Also, the fact that buying the two games separately is $10 more than buying both together is just an odd business strategy. Overall, I would say these games are worth playing, but are unfortunately not definitive versions that wholly replace previous releases or bring changes that future releases would make to the previous titles.

The game is great, the price is right, and the overall package is just too good to pass up.

The World Tour Mode and Band Survival offer more than enough challenge for the music fanatic on-the-go and the track listing is great granted you don't mind a lot of repeat tracks. Lack of multi-player is this game's biggest downfall, and one that will ultimately decide it's fate in the months to come.

Team Ninja has done an outstanding job of capturing the feel of the series, while adding their own flavor to the mix. Finally getting to hear Samus was an experience in and of itself. Learning the back story, even if it is a bit wordy and unoriginal, was more than worth the price of admission for this Metroid fan.

Far Cry 6 may not move the needle much in terms of innovation, but it executes what makes these games extremely fun to play.

The story is interesting, the combat is well executed and the concept is easy to understand and enjoy. I really wish the game would have branched out a bit more in gameplay and maybe toned down the difficulty a bit so I would have to level grind so much, but those are minor issues.

Double Fine has achieved an amazing feat with Once Upon a Monster. Not only is the game ideal for children in both design and presentation, but it is a game that parents will want to play with their kids.

There are a ton of features in the game that no one asked for. Vita owners already have Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Mortal Kombat in their lineup, and MK is far superior with its uniquely designed challenge mode exclusively for Vita.

Decidedly low on platforming and high on the fumes of self-deprecating humor, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts is a playful addition to the series - though perhaps not what fans were clamoring for.

This game rocks, and should be picked up by sports fans, and baseball fans alike. It has just enough realism to keep the hardcore baseball fans entertained, but just enough arcadeness to keep us people that think baseball is boring coming back for more.

EA Sports MMA is a definite contender in the arena of mixed martial arts videogames. Once you grasp the control scheme everything becomes much more fun, and you really begin to appreciate what the developers have accomplished.

Foam Sword has advertised Knights and Bikes as a Goonies-inspired adventure, but nostalgia is a tricky beast. A game steeped in imagination born from childhood memories requires the player to commit to this vision to get the most out of its story. Foam Sword’s attempt to pitch this vision of nostalgia and childhood as a universal one is not entirely successful – largely because memories and cultural experiences are not universal. Knights and Bikes did entirely not captivate me. That said, its sincere leading characters and exquisite art are certainly aspects to be admired.

So if you can put up with the weak control scheme, there are some truly inspiring moments that can occur. Scribblenauts had such a huge vision I can't help but love it, and although sometimes it makes me want to throw my DS across the room, I'm still glad I spent the time playing it.

When it focuses more on being a game than an interactive movie, I think there’s a lot to enjoy. While I personally had technical hiccups, I don’t need to talk about those as this game has enough faults in its gameplay pacing and story that can’t be fixed with a small technical patch. It’s not a bad game, but it’s mostly forgettable.

The visuals are absolutely incredible. As mentioned, the stages really pop, and the thick defined polygons really capture that 90s feel. The game runs at a wonderful clip and the colors simply pop off the screen. The music is fun, and the characters all have unique attitudes, even if they wear out their welcome quickly. Hotshot Racing is an incredible nostalgia trip that I cannot recommend enough. Game Pass owners should note that the game is included in Microsoft’s service, so there is no excuse not to give it a try. This is the most fun I have had with a racing game in quite some time.

Little Nightmares II is a wonderful sequel that adds unnecessary combat to the mix. The journey is still worth pushing through just to experience the horrors the team has delivered.

It completely changes the way an entire genre is played. Though the game has its share of problems it succeeds in not only becoming the Xbox 360’s best hockey game, but the systems best sports game in general.

Easily my favorite 3DS title released to date, and reason enough to get me back to carrying the system around with me wherever I go.

The maps range from nice and small, perfect for fast-action affairs, to gigantic affairs that require teamwork on both sides to emerge victorious. All of the online modes are extremely enjoyable and add a nice layer of depth to the overall game. Sadly there is neither a co-op mode nor a split-screen option.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted on the Vita is the perfect compliment to its big brother version. If you own both games it almost feels like cross-play when you share points across the board. The omissions are noticeable, but not game breaking, and the experience is just as fun as the console version. If you want Most Wanted on-the-go you are in luck, this is a masterfully crafted version with only a few setbacks. Vita owners take note, this is how racing games are done right on a handheld.

Now, I can safely sit Stasis right next to SOMA as two completely different sci-fi horror experiences that bring their respective genres forward, and a new standard in sci-fi horror gaming.

There are lots of games about the environment here lately and it’s understandable as to why given that is a very hot button issue in society today. Terra Nil’s approach to take that very real fear of the worst environmental disaster but instead of continually stoking the flames of that fear they present you with the tools of opportunity of recovering from the brink, in a word showing that there is hope for a better tomorrow. Much like the avatar that players will play as in game, Terra Nil is a fantastic little game that comes in, does its job and vanishes into the night once it’s done.

For puzzle fans, both casual and serious, that are looking for a mind-bending, physics-based experience, Puzzle Dimension fits the bill.

Its clear that the franchise is on its way from breaking out from the shadow of its older, more popular sibling, Madden.

The game is one of the hardest in the series, the bosses are still awesome and the old-school challenges will keep you pulling your hair out for months.

Fans of the genre should not miss this. While it is plagued with visual problems, the pacing is almost perfect, and the tension is unmatched.

The only drawbacks to GUN are the short story mode; the main campaign can be completed in less than six hours, and the extremely frustrating final boss.

At ten bucks it is hard to go wrong, even if it lacks online play, a mission mode and true widescreen support. Soulcalibur is one of those games that everyone needs to play at least once in their lives, and there has never been a better time to jump in.

You will be hard pressed to find a better (legal) collection of Sega games in one place.

For the old school fans of Counter-Strike, you won't be disappointed. Global Offensive is very much a great successor to the original game.

While TT did a fantastic job with this game, there are a few problems that need to be worked out but in all, they set the bar a little bit higher for their next adventure that I can only hope will be a LEGO Marvel game.

As a whole, I highly recommend this game. It is a fun shooter that will certainly get you through to the next big release, and hopefully find a good following to keep matches going for months to come.

As it stands, DNF:Duel is not a fighter I will continue to play as it’s not the kind of experience I’m looking for in a fighting game. However, that is not to say that I don’t see the value in having a game where bombastic, overtuned characters do dumb things to each other as I don’t believe every fighter needs to be meticulously balanced and brutally deep to have a place in the FGC. All that really means is that I’ll just be watching instead of playing.

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a gem of a game that deserves to get more attention on its second time around. Those that have nostalgia for platformers from the 16-bit era owe it to themselves to check out this quirky experience. There is a lot to love about the half-genie, and certainly not enough of these types of games currently available on home consoles.

With long drawn-out battles and a steep learning curve there is a lot to swallow here. However if you take the time to learn the subtle nuances of the combat system and you enjoy the RTS genre in the least bit I can’t recommend this title enough.

It may be difficult to get into, but if the game clicks, it becomes rather addicting. Even with a challenging control scheme, I always seemed to work my way through. If you are looking to try your very first Monster Hunter, this is a great place to start. If Tri fans are looking for a portable version, this is the ticket. With some patience and a Circle Pad Pro, you will be gathering items and killing monsters in no time, and even having a good time while doing it.

Quarrel is a masterful combination of classic tabletop war gaming and wordsmithing. For those that enjoy the domination gameplay of Risk but recoil at the overly random nature of dice rolls, Quarrel is worth a look. If you're a word nerd that is looking for a competitive experience that is fresher than Words with Friends, this is the game you've been waiting for.

The game is a joy to behold.

Yoshi’s Crafted World is exactly what I needed, when I needed it. I could turn off my brain and just have a good time. Nintendo excels at that. While it can get repetitive after a while, it never wears out its welcome. I loved collecting everything in the game and the hours I spent with it were joy-infused. The entry price might be a bit steep, but the Nintendo quality never fails to deliver.

A must have for fans of the series. High Moon really gets the universe and you can tell there are some designers on that team that are hardcore fans. If you loved the last game this is a no-brainer.

Pokken Tournament is a game that deserved a second chance. A Pokémon fighting game is still one of the best concepts out there. I wish it was more fleshed out, and perhaps a sequel will do just that, but DX marks yet another solid first-party title to add to the Switch’s already stellar year one of games.

Despite the load time issues, the game is a great option for either ten minutes or two hours of playtime. Diversity of genre is important to have at a system launch, and in a crowded early library for racers, Wipeout clearly stands out as the best of the pack.

Project Warlock isn’t going to set the world on fire, but what it sets out to do it does well. I found myself loving certain sections while struggling with others. With a few tweaks it could easily become a fan-favorite title that scratches that itch so many other games attempt and fail at.

Minit is a delight that never wanted to waste my time. It made almost every second I spent with it feel like I was accomplishing something, and even when I didn’t, the time limit placed upon me meant I wasn’t wasting all day on nothing. The characters were extremely charming and dare I say adorable. The soundtrack I would call wonderful if you enjoy chiptune with the perfect mix of ambient sounds. Puzzles were fun and sometimes fairly obtuse yet never unfair.

An amazingly fun game that definitely causes hours to pass without you noticing. The mixture of action and tower defense should really please fans of both, and the casual difficulty makes experimenting with different strategies a lot of fun without consequence.

The games are well done, and still look and sound nice. Sure they’re 8-bit, but they offer up some catchy tunes and some pretty nice 8-bit visuals. I would say this is a very good port of the games that convey how they were back in the late 80’s. It really all boils down to if you have nostalgia for these games or have a genuine interest in checking out the early days of point and click adventure games. Either way, you get three full games that are still fun in some instances even if some of the mechanics don’t hold up. Even then, there’s plenty of walkthroughs that have been made throughout the years that can help if you’re stuck. And all of this for the low price of eight bucks. If you have any interest at all, give this collection a shot.

Without a doubt this is a fantastic playing and looking game. There are a few issues with the rogue-like elements and the boss fights can be a bit lacking, but that doesn’t stop 20XX from being a well made action platformer, and one worthy of comparing it to the legendary Mega Man series. Players looking for a new platformer to sink into will find a great time here, and any Mega Man fan should not hesitate to pick this one up. There’s a lot to love here and the things that it does right more than make up for its shortcomings.

The game is not very lengthy, but if you have had an itch to dive into Dead Rising 2 early, this is your best chance to get excited for it, and get your hands on the closest thing to the final product.

It hits on all the right notes, has interesting variation outcomes from the butterfly effects, it looks great, and it’s the closest we’ve come to being in a horror flick. Sometimes funny, sometimes cheesy, sometimes downright scary and tense as hell, Until Dawn is one wild ride, and while not everyone will think it’s worth the entry price, I couldn’t be happier with the end results. I had such a blast with it, I started it over immediately to complete again, a rare thing these days. They aimed to go for an interactive horror movie experience and they absolutely nailed it.

Visually the game is a complete mixed bag.

So it is easy to recommend this to fans of the original game and it is easy to recommend this to fans of Pokémon, but what about people who may have no interest in Pokémon’s main series? Well, if photography is a passion then I think there’s definitely fun to be had here because New Pokémon Snap does feel like a fantasy animal safari where the whole goal is to capture the best photos. The interactions between Pokémon feel natural and while they do things that no animal equivalent does, I think that makes them all the more interesting. New Pokémon Snap is like nothing else on the market and proves that this spin off series should have never been gone for this long.

With expansive sandbox levels, some thrilling stealth action, and (of course) those magnificent X-ray kill cam shots it’s easy to see why this fourth iteration of Rebellion’s popular series is generally considered the most well rounded. With that being said, the seams are beginning to show this long after the original release, and while the Switch manages to pull off the action behind the scope exactly the way you’d expect, your mileage with the middle of the road visuals and mostly bland story may vary.

It’s charming, fun, lighthearted and has a plethora of content to play and create. It’s a shame that the experience of LBP 3 couldn’t be a little more polished or the story mode just a little longer, because these are the only two blemishes on an otherwise excellent addition to the series.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is far from broken or even being a bad game. It feels more disappointing than anything considering the pedigree of the franchise. Weird design choices and lack of polish really stick out in the single-player game, while the online will likely continue to thrive for months to come.

The Unfinished Swan is a wonderful experience that drew me into its world and never lets go. I am still thinking about it long after finishing it, and that says a lot. The impact it leaves is memorable, and it will go down as one of the most unique experiences I have had this year. I recommend anyone who enjoys stepping outside the box of traditional gaming give it a chance. You will be surprised just how much it sticks with you long after the credits roll.

EA has taken great care in delivering a solid storyline that aficionados of the series will certainly enjoy while at the same time creating the world’s greatest console RTS control scheme.

You'll never feel more like a badass and you'll never have a bigger smile on your face.

A great sequel to a very unique and entertaining series.

For Honor is a unique game with an outstanding combat system. The problems it faces are its release window (I mean look at the games currently out or on the horizon!) and the dedication it requires. Casual players need not apply, as you will be slaughtered endlessly on the battlefield. I feel like For Honor will get a smaller, but highly dedicated fan base as it goes on, but for those looking for an approachable experience will likely fall on their own blade.

Coming kind of out of nowhere, A Hat in Time should be played by anyone who enjoyed 3D platformers like Mario 64. If you enjoyed Mario 64, you’re going to enjoy this. It is a nice homage to the king of platformers and one that I highly recommend checking out. There’s a lot to see and do here, and the platforming is well done with level design being thought out and intricate. I really enjoyed my time with it and any platforming fan will too.

While the story is a bit too predictable for my tastes, everything from the visuals to the combat felt very polished from beginning to end. It’s quite unfortunate that this is likely the last game Imageepoch will release, but perhaps they will rest well knowing that they went out on a high note.

Rochard is a thoroughly enjoyable game that I look forward to playing again. Not every part of it won me over, but none of it was bad. It was refreshing to play a game with an everyman main character, and even after finishing the game, I can say I still want to be a space miner.

There’s nothing inherently broken about Castle Storm, it just tries to do too much for its own good. It doesn’t help that the base concept is still very derivative either, and I couldn’t shake the Angry Birds vibe I was getting throughout.

The big question is the price tag. While the complete collection is a reasonable $60, owners of other versions are required to drop $40 to get the new story content and characters. It is a steep price for three characters and a new three-hour campaign, but the quality is there. For fans, it is a no-brainer, but for casuals the barrier to entry is high.

Metal: Hellsinger is a raw, old-school style of FPS, which a kick ass soundtrack that showcases a new rhythm mechanic (using original music from the team) while including lots of things from the recent versions of the Doom franchise. ‘Glory Kills’, air dashing and more are all here but even with those elements the developers have done enough to make Metal: Hellsinger feel different and unique all on its own. Its inclusion of the rhythm mechanics and even the ‘bullet hell’ aspects of some fights that have players dodging bullets and enemies around an arena is one of those things. This might not be the best example of a demon slaying game done right, but this is a fantastic tribute to those that have come before and a great example of thinking outside the box and taking a change on something different in a sea of sameness.

Techland has truly made the best Call of Juarez game with Gunslinger. I cannot suggest it enough.

Hardcore fans, this is a must. Casual players may not see the need to upgrade, but whichever side you fall on, this is one hell of a fun experience.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is an overdose of nostalgia for me. I grew up with TMNT constantly on the brain. These games are a treat to revisit mostly because of the quality of life updates the developers have added. I just spent an entire day digging back into all of it. Playing through both arcade games, and of course watching the video of someone beating the dam level, because I cannot do that. This collection is outstanding and I cannot wait for their release of the 50th Anniversary of Atari later this year.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a charming game that I was smiling while playing almost entirely. It will likely get lost amonth after the Spider-Man and Astro Bot mainstays, but this game is more than worth checking out. Especially for those looking for something to play with their family and friends. It is a whimsical adventure that finally makes me enjoy a game featuring Sackboy, and that is a win in and of itself.

The imbalanced matches overrun with bots are my primary issue with the multiplayer, and a related (in my opinion lesser) snag is inconsistent communication.