This collection goes above and beyond any other to date. Digital Eclipse continues to outdo themselves with these classic compilations each time. This one sets a bar though that will be nigh impossible to outdo. Not sure what is next on their docket, but I cannot wait to play it. As it stands this collection is a must for anyone who calls video games their hobby. It is absolutely incredible on every level and I spent hours just absorbing all the content here. Sure I would love some DLC (Ultra Vortek anyone?) but what is here is more than worth the price of admission.

I wanted to like The Last Oricru very much, I was intrigued by the fish out of water story, but the abrasiveness of the main character and the basic feeling combat just killed it for me. There is a case here for a strong presentation, the vistas and some of the levels were a joy to explore, also the fact that the game kept what felt like a solid 60 fps was a big plus in this ‘next-gen’ age but there was always something just keeping me from really enjoying myself. Be it the so-so story, the wasted use of souls mechinics or just Silver himself, sadly The Last Oricru just doesn’t add anything new to the genre.

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.

Sophstar is a fantastic game that feels like it was made by a team that loves shooters. Being someone who will play just about any one released, this one stands out among the pack with its unique teleport mechanic and addictive Cadet School mode. There is a lot here to enjoy and for less than $10 it is a no-brainer for fans of shooters. Don’t sleep on this team’s debut game, cannot wait to see what they deliver next.

God of War Ragnarök is an outstanding game with some questionable pacing and flow at times. There are moments in this game where I was simply in awe of what was on screen. Then there are times when the game feels like it is doing everything in its power to keep me from progressing or enjoying its playground.

Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum is a love letter to kids who grew up in the 80s. Every single corner is filled to the brim with nostalgia. Collecting the cards is addictive and fun, and the game is as gross as I could want. For the small entry price this is a must-have for fans of Garbage Pail Kids. Do not hesitate, snatch this up and while you’re at it, get a pack of the cards too.

Shadow of Rose is a neat package with a solid campaign as well as new features for the original game. At $20 this is a solid pick-up. It was great revisiting the main game and the new content really fleshes out Rose’s role in this whole universe.

What makes this version of the game the one to own is that No More Heroes III is by far the best in the series. Now it is not compromised as far as tech goes. It now runs brilliantly. This allows Suda51’s vision to be fully realized. I fell in love with this game on Switch and now I also enjoy playing it. There is so much to enjoy and discover in the third entry in the series and it is always nice to see more Japanese games dropping on Xbox. So it feels like a win/win across the board. Do not sleep on this wacky adventure. It is truly unlike almost anything I have ever played. It never failed to entertain me and I hope we see the two old games also ported to these new consoles. Give me all the Travis Touchdown.

The Diofield Chronicles has a solid foundation of mechanics that is hampered greatly by its poor balancing of difficulty, a cast of forgettable characters and a world that failed to draw me in with its lackluster presentation.

Sequels are hard. Team Asobo has managed to make a more compelling world with even more compelling characters and wrapped it in a gorgeous bow. There are issues for sure. The game doesn’t innovate nearly enough and performance on next-gen consoles is disappointing, but this game continues to prove that this team of developers is extremely talented. I hope we continue to see them flourish and create new experiences. A Plague Tale: Requiem is a truly exceptional experience that everyone should check out. It is on Game Pass so the barrier to entry is lighter. Definitely give it a shot.

Atari Mania is a great trip down memory lane with a unique twist on the micro-game genre. There are misses here, but there are just as many hits in the mini-games. For kids like me who grew up with these consoles it is fun to see them interpreted in a new way. I wish it was more polished, but this has truly primed me for the massive 50th Anniversary Collection set to release in November.

Them’s Fightin’ Herds is one of the best ideas in the fighting game scene in a while. The roster could use a boost, but everything else here is fantastic. The fighting feels great, the modes are plentiful, and the design is excellent. I hope support continues for this game and with crossplay and rollback netcode the online scene could become massive. If you love the genre you owe it to yourself to check this game out. Even if the idea doesn’t set with you, I promise there is plenty here to love.

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is hands down Illfonic’s best game to date and by and large probably the most approachable asymmetrical multiplayer game on the market. Having OG Ghostbusters on board with some new blood is an awesome way to get people into the lore and making it so that player can create their own character was a super smart move as well. I’m excited to see what the team will add into the game, perhaps Dr. Venkman will show up down the line, maybe a playable mini Stay-Puft ghost; whatever it is I am excited to get more. I hope that this game sees a longer lifespan than the developers’ previous games, with all of the polish and the obvious love for the license this is one scare fest that everyone should experience.

Obviously, I would highly suggest this game, but only if you have played the other games in the series. As a single game, and as a whole, this is a fantastic game series that I believe any fan of great puzzles and a good mystery story will enjoy. I highly suggest it and now, everyone can enjoy these games on Xbox.

Gotham Knights did an outstanding job at making me really feel like I was a vigilante protecting the city, the immersion level is Gotham Knights greatest achievement.

There’s supposed to be four Kirbys racing at all times and the lack of an online player base and the lack of four player split-screen multiplayer just makes it hard to recommend this game at all. It’s a good game marred by the fact that like a lot of great multiplayer focused games, the player base is lacking and the game suffers for it. I would give this game an 8 had it not been for the fact that the online player base isn’t very strong and I do not want to recommend a dead game to people. At least it has an offline single player mode I guess.

By the way, the first half of this game is the anime portion. The second half is locked behind finishing the first half and is a new story made for the game where you create your own character and level up and is probably more like the game I thought I was getting. I have heard this second half is decent but I’m not going to slog through this mess to unlock it while listening to the two characters repeat the same lines over and over and over again. I could turn off the voices but that means I turn it off even for the story beats which defeats the point entirely. An update that unlocks that second mode automatically would maybe get me to rethink my score but what this is now, I wouldn’t even tell fans of the show to play it.

TemTem is an extremely well-made monster collecting RPG that in my opinion does enough to differentiate it from the competition; even if just. My biggest issue with the game is the label it has for being an MMO, while it is always online, and you will see other human tamers running around the world and can interact with them; once the story is done and players have collected all the creatures there may not be much left to do outside of various events and tournaments. The developers have stated that they are not planning for any more creatures, or any other expansions; that just seems like an odd stance for an MMO which usually continue for years through more content. If you can get past that, there is an enjoyable story, mechanics and loads of activities and creatures to collect. While players may not be playing TemTem for the next 10 years, if Pokémon games are your jam, then TemTem will offer you a great experience for the foreseeable future.

As a massive fan of the Gundam franchise, Gundam Evolution is off to a fantastic start. Each of the initial batch of mobile suits all fill different roles on the battlefield; and none of felt like it didn’t have a sufficient counter to it. Sadly, some of the best counter picks are locked behind the pay wall, but players can grind out the currency if they want to save some money. I do wish the grind to unlock new suits and the in game currency wasn’t so slow, and the game is in desperate need of some new maps but even with those issues surprisingly the best Gundam game out right now is the free to play Gundam Evolution, and while I am waiting on the console version to REALLY dig in. Those who play on PC should absolutely check it out, especially if you are a fan of games like Overwatch or Paladins. (Does anyone still play Paladins, for that matter does anyone even REMEMBER Paladins?!)

Asterigos is a weird game in that it feels like it was so close to being excellent. The weird mix of mechanics do not gel well and parts of the game simply feel unfinished. Still it is a fun romp that could get much better with some patches and tweaks. I think the team behind it did a great job for their first game and hope they continue to get chances to make more. There are good ideas and characters here, it just feels like it needed more time or a bigger budget to reach their vision.

Fighting games are living in a resurgent time so it is awesome to see this game get a second lease on life. Having never played it, it was a pleasant surprise that is packed with a ton of solo content to keep me interested. This is all without having any attachment to the anime or characters themselves. It made me interested in the universe and I had a blast playing the game on all fronts. If you enjoy fighting games and maybe are not as deep into the FGC or tournament scene, this game packs plenty of options for casual and experienced players alike.

Trails from Zero is a wonderful introduction to Crosbell and the charming members of the SSS, expertly ported to PC with all the bells and whistles one would expect from a modern release. It’s a great sign of things to come for the sequel and an easy recommendation to all RPG fans.

Expanding the amount of content available (including the incredibly smart decision to open the horde-mode like Salmon Run game mode up at all times) makes this game the best one yet and one of the most enjoyable multi-player shooters on the market. If you have been a fan of the series in the past, Splatoon 3 is a must purchase.

I would talk about the story but outside of simple details around the world when playing the levels, most of the story comes in right at the end of the game in what I felt was pretty sad for a game this happy. It has a happy ending though and I did like it. There’s a lot to be enjoyed by both kids and adults in Tinykin. It’s on Game Pass while I write this but I would absolutely buy this game again on Switch just to have it on the go so I could play it all again. I have not had this much fun with a 3D platformer since Super Mario Odyssey or Bowser’s Fury. I hope we see more of the Tinykin in the future because I think there’s a lot more we could see them do in a much longer, bigger experience.

Despite a few issues, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a remarkable achievement that evolves the series formula in exciting ways, all the while weaving an emotionally charged story that is sure to be remembered for a long time to come. It makes a strong case not just as one of the best games of the year but as one of the best of all time.

Soulstice is a solid outing that I wanted to love and recommend more. It borrows heavily from games like Bayonetta and Devil May Cry without fully capturing what makes those titles so special. Still for a fairly new developer taking a stab at the genre it is filled with promise and in an era where games are supported I hope a patch can sort out of some the minor issues over time. I had fun with the game and hope they continue to improve on their craft. I am always down for character action games and if you are like me and miss the days when these were a dime a dozen, Soulstice is likely right up your alley.

NBA 2K23 is a fantastic package that is marred by a heavy reliance on microtransactions. Unless a player is going to spend hours and hours grinding out The City, the only way to find a modicum of success is to open your wallet and buy the virtual currency to boost your players and teams.

At the end of the day, Circus Electrique is still a fun time. The RPG blend of character maintenance, challenging battles, and circus management has a lot here and it can sometimes be overwhelming, but if players take their time and keep up the performers’ devotion, they can explore the mean streets of London by the skin of their teeth. It’s not an easy game, but much like Darkest Dungeon, it can be rather rewarding.