It’s an absolute joy to play and one that I believe will stand head and shoulders above the rest of the anime fighting game crowd for some time to come.

Pinball FX 2 is one of the best impulse games on the market. It is great for twenty minute sessions or two hour marathons. If you are a fan of pinball in general, you need to download this impressive collection.

It may be a somewhat short experience, but there's no denying the fact that the time you do spend with the game will be a great one.

All in all Trials HD is a fantastic addition to the XBLA library and completely unlike anything else on Live Arcade. The game offers a superb amount of content and challenging gameplay that will keep you coming back over and over again.

While the new features are a nice bonus, the core game is still here and still fantastic. Tropical Freeze was overlooked when it launched for many reasons. Now with Switch being as huge as it is, it is great to see this masterpiece get a second chance. I strongly recommend not passing this up a second time. Switch continues to make the Wii U feel obsolete daily, but it is great to see some of its best games getting a second chance.

Be warned, this is definitely not an easy game, and dying comes naturally (just check out our Breaking the Seal above for reference), but it is immensely rewarding and a reminder of when games were about scores and challenge instead of cut scenes and movie-like narratives.

The tactics and strategies devised are simply amazing, and truly speak to the balance for which the series has become known. Heart of the Swarm delivers plenty to give players a swift kick in the pants, especially thanks to the nuances delivered by the new units.

Pentiment is not a bad game, it’s just not one that I have no real interest in; It’s more along the lines of an interactive, mystery novel than a video game. While I loved the storybook art style, the overly stylized font was just too much to look at for long play sessions. And Pentiment tends to drag on a bit too long for my taste, but for those that have a love of history, murder, religion, betrayal, secrets, walking from left to right/right to left and reading your video games; then I think you should try Pentiment, especially at the price of $19.99 or included with your Game Pass subscription.

This game epitomizes what a Resident Evil game is, and has revitalized a series I grew up adoring.

With an unforgettable cast of characters, enthralling story and a deep, enjoyable combat system, Trails to Azure is truly the full package. It’s not just one of my favorite games in the long running Legend of Heroes series, but one of the finest that the JRPG genre has to offer.

The Alters is a unique, emotionally layered, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking game that will have you questioning your own life choices and then simulating alternate versions of them.

I’m still not sure if I should attribute the DLC’s quality to Microsoft’s leadership or the work of a passionate development team; perhaps it is a mixture of both, but Reign of the Warlock is a truly outstanding update for Diablo II. It’s easy to see that the warlock was crafted by people who have a fundamental understanding of the game’s tone and mechanics, allowing for a fun and creative experience that manages to breathe new life into a classic. If Blizzard manages to uphold this standard of quality in the future, then I wish the best of luck to all other ARPG developers.

Ghost of Yōtei is another outstanding achievement by the team at Sucker Punch. While I didn’t love it as much as its predecessor, it is still one of the best games to launch this year. Sony continues to push the envelope when it comes to single player experiences.

An incredible package that should appeal to any fighting game fan or anyone who grew up with the series. Ed Boon and his team at NetherRealm have created a love letter to fans that will stand the test of time.

My only real complaint is that 1200 points may be a bit steep for a game that can be finished in a few sittings and has minimal replay value. Still, it’s a good start to the Summer of Arcade, and anyone looking for something different will do well to check it out.

The game will certainly not blow you away by any means, but if you dive in year in and year out you won't be disappointed. I can only hope Madden is this improved because that means that I am in for a great year of virtual football.

With the challenges in place, a guaranteed large player base, tons of fan service, online play, and the customization of the entire game, the price tag for Online Edition makes it a steal. If you enjoy Street Fighter or enjoy fighting games, you owe it to yourself to pick this game up.

Final Fantasy XII is the reason remasters were invented. It takes a game a lot of players likely missed out on and brings it into the new age. It helps that the design and characters fit well in today’s gaming space. It was great seeing this game release, especially for players like myself who never got to give the game a chance when it originally released. It isn’t the most unique or interesting game in the series, but it is definitely one worth checking out for those that missed out on it the first time around.

As a modern re-release of two classic games, the Homeworld Remastered Collection should ultimately be considered a benchmark. Gearbox have delivered on all fronts: visuals, playability, compatibility and spirit. It’s also a heck of a lot of fun.

I would also love to see them bring back more of the unique puzzle designs featured in past games, but as a starting point, Tomb Raider is easily one of my favorite games of the year so far, and one I think deserves to be experienced by everyone. If you have a love for the series or third-person adventure games, this is a must play. Lara is back and better than ever.

Sure, the combat can be argued all day long by purists of the series, but if that is your hang up, you are denying yourself an amazing game to play. Fans of the genre, series and games in general definitely need to see what Ninja Theory has achieved here. It's easily an early contender for my favorite games of the year.

Nioh 2 is not a bad game by any means, I think it is just a style of game that I have grew out of. I’m 35 now, I’m married, have a full-time job, and really don’t have the time to master this game’s many mechanics. That’s not to say it isn’t still overwhelming to me to see all these options here. It most certainly was and for another person, particularly someone who likes this style of game, they will be in heaven. That being said, even I can say this is a must play for people that want a big game with some challenging combat and all the bells and whistles that come with the genre, and this PC version runs and looks just as good as one would expect.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is simply a marvel. For Dragon Ball fans it is a no-brainer, for fighting game fans it is a must-have, even for those like me who know next to nothing about the series. It is extremely easy to get into, a blast to play, and it looks outstanding. This is a sleeper of 2018 for me, and I cannot recommend it enough.

There’s a ton of content, and the game’s presentation is really impressive. While I was disappointed in the need to grind out ship upgrades, it wasn’t enough to dull my enthusiasm for the rest of the package.

I recommend picking it up, if only for the awesome multiplayer, deep Create a Boxer system, and smooth control. Even with the AI problems, this title is sure to give fans of the Sweet Science plenty of jaw breaking, rib crunching fun.

The game defines what passionate developers can accomplish on the platform, and if you appreciate old-school design with a modern twist, not playing this game could be considered a crime.

If you love video games and love having fun, then you need to do yourself a favor and download Joe Danger. I guarantee you this, it will be high on top of my game of the year list come December.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a fantastic experience that comes with a lot of baggage. I suspect it will get those things ironed out over time, but if you can get past all these issues, this is an experience unlike any other. The world feels more alive than 99% of all other games. The sense of discovery is amazing, and there truly is nothing else like this out there. I highly recommend checking it out, or at least dipping your toes in with the extremely cheap original game. Capcom has done an amazing job of creating another unique experience that everyone should see at least once.