While Persona 5 Strikers disappointingly removes the mainline series' social links, it carries over enough familiar elements to feel like a true successor
The thrill of nabbing the perfect shot never dulls, but the repetition of traveling through the same environments sometimes grows weary
At launch, Knockout City lacks in content, but it makes up for it with a strong base game and a ton of potential to grow in the future
Though it lacks content and features, Mini Motorways has consumed much of my gaming time since I downloaded it more than a week ago. The simple gameplay, clean interface, and satisfying difficulty ramp led me to say, “Just one more run,” several times a session before ultimately calling it quits. Mini Metro hooked me when it first came to iOS years ago and has remained one of my favorite games to enjoy in short bursts, and I’m glad to add Mini Motorways to that same gaming rotation.
While the music changes and audio mishaps are disappointing, the Sonic Origins package is terrific overall. Having the best versions of the classic Sonic saga in one bundle is supremely satisfying, and Anniversary Mode’s enhancements make the experience of playing through them more enjoyable than ever before. Even in a gaming landscape where most of these games are already available to download on every platform, Sonic Origins is a worthwhile package.
Whether you’re playing the goal-based scenarios or the open-ended sandbox mode, I still can’t stop thinking of ways to design a perfect dining hall. Though the frustration of failure sometimes got the better of me, I often couldn’t wait to get back in front of Recipe for Disaster to play through several more days of this enthralling restaurant simulation.
Splatoon 3 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, nor does it need to. Instead, it improves nearly every franchise element in sometimes small but meaningful ways. With an already-robust set of content available at launch and at least two years of free and premium content on the horizon, Splatoon 3 is simultaneously the series’ best entry to date and its most promising.
Need for Speed Unbound feels like a foundational entry for where the series could go from here. Competing across the title’s many events is a blast, and I love the juxtaposed visual aesthetics. Though some elements left me wanting, Unbound is as much fun as I’ve had with a Need for Speed title in years.
Lil Gator Game is as short as it is sweet, with the main story lasting just under five hours, but that's all it needs to be. I loved exploring each nook and cranny of the world during that time for new friends, loot, and memories. By the time the story wrapped up, the game had delivered a poignant and touching message about balancing the important parts of our lives. Lil Gator Game isn't the best Zelda-like I've played, but it's probably the one that will stick with me for the longest.
A Telltale experience through and through, the first episode is enjoyable and whets your appetite just enough to leave you wanting more
Maddeningly difficult and seemingly unfair at times, but so much fun I didn't want to stop until I was victorious
With enjoyable puzzles and an enthralling narrative, playing Klaus is a delight from start to finish
The myriad puzzles are satisfying to solve, even if bringing friends can create chaotic situations
Splatoon 2 offers a strong stable of content demonstrating familiar fun that newcomers and old fans should check out
Whether you're embroiled in an intense fight or participating in one of the oddball minigames, you probably have a smile on your face
Despite a slow difficulty ramp, Yoshi's Crafted World is a delightful adventure thanks to fun-to-find collectibles, colorful levels, and creative boss battles
Whether you want to play 18 holes of traditional golf or blast your opponents into oblivion, Mario Golf: Super Rush is a fun package for both fans and non-fans of the real-life sport
Blossom Tales II is a better game than its predecessor, and I hope we continue to get more adventures from Lily, Chrys, and their grandpa in the future.
Despite technical shortcomings and some filler content, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are chock-full of meaningful additions to one of gaming’s most popular franchises. At worst, these games are steps towards the Pokémon games for which players have clamored, but more often, they serve as effective thesis statements for where the series goes from here. Either way, I can’t wait to see where Game Freak evolves the experience from this point.
Though the unforgiving moments where I watched my followers drop like flies wore on me at times, I loved how each scenario challenged me to balance all of these factors to accomplish a set of goals. Outlanders can be challenging and frustrating, but I rarely felt overwhelmed. Outlanders doesn't deliver on the grand scale of the large city simulations many associate with the genre, but its small-scale approach appeals to the task-oriented part of your brain, creating an immensely satisfying experience that brought me back time and time again.