Judgement is a game that was limited by its one console release. It is great to see the team at Ryu Ga Gotoku bring it to a wider audience. If you have never played a game in the Yakuza franchise this is a great jumping off point. It captures what makes those games so great without requiring a ton of investment in older titles to appreciate the story. There is so much to love about these games and I am constantly impressed at the way the team is able to craft genuinely fantastic characters and still pump out hefty experiences on a regular basis. I hope the Judgement series gets to continue, but as it stands this game is one worth checking out.

Visually the game looks good. We have not gotten a lot of titles to showcase these new consoles and Outriders does a good job with a rock-solid 60fps on Series X. The worlds are diverse, and the giant monsters are a sight to behold. The voice acting is atrocious and the story forgettable, but the actual world and shooting are simply outstanding. Outriders is a perfect storm. A shiny new game to show off these new consoles. The fact that it launched day and date onto Game Pass has definitely helped with its success, as has the fact that gamers are hungry for new experiences. I will likely be playing a bunch of Outriders in 2021, and that speaks volumes to its longevity. I hope the team continues to expand on the title as we move through the year, as I look forward to coming back to it for quite some time.

Regardless of the issues I had, Persona 5 Strikers is still a fantastic sequel, Persona game, and Musou game. It really is impressive the amount of content they jammed into this game, and the fact that they added way more to the mechanics than I thought they would was a great breath of fresh air. Musou fans will get a ton of enjoyment out of this title and fans of Persona 5 have their sequel that is most certainly worthy of the title.

I am thoroughly impressed with It Takes Two. I went from begrudgingly taking this review because I was now seemingly the Josef Fares reviewer on the site to actually being excited to see what he and Hazelight do next. The hardest part of recommending this game is that it is mandatory co-op, meaning that some people are going to have a difficult time finding the time to play a 12 hour game alongside a partner who can devote that much time as well. If that isn’t the case though and there is someone to play with, definitely give It Takes Two a shot. There’s nothing else like it.

Pacer is a good game on its own merits but it is nothing special, and when Wipeout HD Collection is still being sold for half the price of Pacer (and the other titles I mentioned at the beginning of this review are also less than Pacer) it is extremely hard to say this game that is just “good” is worth your money when competitors are out there for less. Pacer does not exist in a vacuum, and therefore I can not recommend it over other Wipeout inspired titles, which there is at least one on every current platform.

Any fan of AVGN should pick this one up. There is a ton of fan service, and the entire time I had a smile on my face. There were even times I was kind of shocked to see what was happening on screen. Platform fans will have a ball here too. It is a nice homage to games of the past and one that I think everyone should give a shot. It’s a great deal.

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.

Monster Hunter Rise had big shoes to fill after coming off the heels of World, and man, did they come through swinging hard. They hit a homerun here, and with taking things from all the previous games have created a game with a great setting, fun and flashy combat, tons of customization option, and wonderful traversal. This is a fantastic game for both the newcomer to the series as well as the veteran.

Balan Wonderworld is a game that I tried hard to love. It is not the pariah that the internet makes it out to be though. I think the game is charming and flawed. It has tons of issues, but I still finished it. I had some good times sprinkled in with the frustrations. It took me to a simpler time in platform games and there is truly nothing else out there with the same kind of presentation and whimsical ideas it delivers. That said $60 is a hard ask for a game that seems to want to frustrate players at every turn. I wanted to love Balan Wonderworld, but it did everything in its power to test my love every chance it got.

For those new to the series though the game is packed with content. While there are no licensed trucks the customization is fantastic. There are plenty of courses to race on and the variation of modes is great. I do wish this upgrade came with more to offer than just a resolution bump that is negligible. I also feel like the original game could have run at 60fps on One X, so again without Smart Delivery this feels like a minimal update at best.

All in all, Beach Buggy Racing 2 is a fab entry in the kart racing genre; keeping things familiar enough but adding plenty of unique power-ups to stand out. It certainly is punching above its weight (and price). But I really think that the game is doing a disservice by not having an online multiplayer mode.

Despite falling a bit short in the story and characters department compared to its predecessors, Bravely Default 2’s satisfying combat encounters, deep job customization and stellar soundtrack makes it a worthy comeback for this fan favorite series.

Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 is yet another game in the genre that will be forgotten. Rainbow Studios has been one of the most prolific in mud-based racing games for a long time. They have crafted some of the best off-road endeavors I have ever played. This is sadly not one of them. It feels like a second thought as far as execution goes. Like they had a license and a chance to make a sequel and just pumped it out with little fanfare. I wanted to love it, but sadly it will be relegated to just a memory in a few weeks’ time.

PUSS! is by no means a bad game, I just found myself playing it, getting frustrated quickly and then closing it down and coming back to it later. For those that enjoy this kind of challenge, one that we rarely ever see in video games, PUSS! will certainly provide hours of fun. Just know what you are getting yourself into.

I cannot recommend this game enough. I loved Kaze and the Wild Masks, and hope it finds the audience it deserves so we might get more games from this team. It really ticked all the boxes I would expect from a game inspired by the mascot platformers I grew up with. It also helps that the game is coming to every platform imaginable. Do not hesitate if you love titles like Donkey Kong Country or even have the most minute nostalgia for that plethora of mascot platformers from the mid -to-late 90s. This game hits all those notes while injecting its own flavor to the cause.

I said Override 1 was great and I still think it is. There was a real charm to it despite not being the most polished experience; I had just wished that there was more single player content. I also assumed that maybe some licensed content would bring in a crowd but clearly, I was wrong as Ultraman DLC seemingly failed to bring people in. I’m really disappointed, as the mech design is just so good but this game is so boring. I think Override 2 killed all the goodwill I had from the first game; I really don’t care to try out a half-baked single player game attached to a dead multiplayer game again. It works fine and that’s the best I can say about this game.

All in all the Capcom Arcade Stadium is a lovely little package. Whether you are an old-timer like me who reminisces over their mis-spent youth, or someone who would like to explore the earlier days of gaming, Capcom’s legacy as a maker of fine arcade games is here for all to see.

Stubbs is a fun game that doesn’t take itself seriously. There is really nothing else quite like it, and I had fun revisiting this dumb action title. For those that never got a chance to play it before it is more than worth checking out, if for nothing else but seeing how different this game is from pretty much everything else out there. It thrives on its wackiness and dumb fun and is still enjoyable today. And now players can experience it on every console or PC under the sun.

Ghost ‘n Goblins Resurrection is a great modernization of one of Capcom’s cult classic titles. Being a fan of the originals, it was a treat to ride down memory lane. Especially since I revisit this series multiple times a year and we haven’t had a true 2D entry in quite some time. I do wish the game would come to more consoles and PC as it is currently only available on Switch, but perhaps that is a future plan. As it stands Switch owners who grew up with the originals should definitely check this out, if you don’t have nostalgia for the series though, this game might just feel like yet another difficult platformer that has yet to get with the times.

All in all TOHU is an okay point and click adventure. I think there are far better ones out on the market but I don’t know if there are many prettier than TOHU.

Even with the small faults it has, that doesn’t keep Space Assault from being a great time. The action is both familiar and fun, the visuals are pretty great, and at the price of 10 bucks, you can’t really beat it. I had a great time with Redout: Space Assault; it brought back some old fond memories and let me feel like an ace space pilot with some simple controls that anyone can pick up and play. If you’re a fan of Star Fox, this is one that you don’t want to miss.

Super Mario 3D World was already one of the best 3D Mario games to date. Toss in some tweaks and a decent-sized expansion with new ideas and this package is a no-brainer. There is little to complain about with this latest Mario title on Switch. It is yet another must-own game for the platform. I am excited to see where Mario goes next and this is a perfect end to the 35th anniversary celebration of gaming’s first and oldest icon.

Despite some pacing issues and repetitive level design, Ys IX: MonstrumNox is a worthwhile journey for Adol that pushes the series forward in the right direction by introducing a plethora of new gameplay elements that I hope to see expanded even further in the next adventure.

Bonkies has a place in the party game universe, and it succeeds in making an entertaining night for players that have a good grasp on video games. Unfortunately, for the players looking for a new couch co-op game to play with non-gaming friends, this may end up being a one and done kind of game. Luckily, there is a single player that is pretty decent for when the friends actually do go home. If you’re into puzzle games with a deliberate frustrating twist, this is your game. If you don’t think you can handle the semi-rare feeling of completing a level, you may want to wait for a price drop, at least.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is a long name for a short, uninspired game. I was really hoping this would be a hidden gem that managed to rekindle my love of b-tier titles. Instead it just feels generic in every sense of the word. The combat is its only saving grace, and that cannot carry the game.

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.

At the end of the day, I’m not here to judge the players or the market for this version of the game, I’m here to judge the actual game. From what I played, I can see a person picking this up and still having a fun time with it, but if I had the option to play it on another system or PC, I would choose to play it there. The resolution is an eyesore to say the least, but the gameplay is still smooth and works very well for the entire game. Take that as you will.

Despite the less than stellar final mission and instability of the servers, Hitman 3 is a worthy entry to bring the World of Assassination trilogy to a close. While it’s uncertain where Agent 47 will go from here, I feel the series is in good hands and I’ll be sure to have my Fiber Wire handy for the next contract.