Matterfall is a challenging and creative take on the twin-stick shooter. Even if it's sci-fi setting is bland, the multitasking gameplay rarely offers a dull moment. This is a strong followup to Resogun, and one of the PlayStation 4's better digital exclusives.
Mega Man & Bass's omission sucks, and I wish the whole thing had more extras, but these are still four great 2D platformers. If you're a big fan of Mega Man (like me), it's nice to have these game's easily accessible on modern systems (unless that modern system is the Switch, which would actually be a great place for this). And all four games play great, so the ports are solid. If you're more of a mild Mega Man player, you might be content to just own the first Legacy Collection.
Sundered is an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys Metroidvanias. It has all the stuff you'd want, including a focus on exploration and finding new abilities. But it's interesting takes on character progression, death, and level layouts come together to make Sundered feel like something new. And gorgeous 2D art and animations back up the smart design.
Splatoon 2 is just an easy game to like. It's bright, cheery, and employs endless tricks in a constant quest to make you smile.
Final Fantasy XII has aged well. The things that made it unique, especially the Gambit system, still feel fresh. And the Zodiac Job System and High Speed Mode are great improvements that make the game more convenient for newcomers and fresher for fans who have already played it. If you have any love for RPGs, The Zodiac Age is a classic that you should pay attention to.
If you ever had any love for the originals, you'll smile like an idiot seeing how good they look now. But if you've never played these classics before, the updated graphics are a great excuse to see why so many people cried when Crash went away in the first place.
This is how you spiff up an older game. What could have been a cynical attempt to double-dip into Nintendo fans' wallets actually turns out to be the Mario Kart series' definitive entry. The racing looks and feels just as great as it did on the Wii U, but the addition of battle modes finally makes it feel like a complete package. Add in the new characters and the Wii U DLC content, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a fantastic addition to the Switch's early library.
Yes, nostalgia plays a big part in my enjoyment of these games, but I don't have blind love for The Disney Afternoon Collection. These side-scrollers have just as much charm now as they did in the late '80s and early '90s, and I'm thankful I can finally own DuckTales 2 and Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers 2 without spending hundreds of dollars at a retro gaming store. This is a loving and handsome collection. If you had any affinity for these games growing up, I guarantee that they'll still make you smile.
Persona 4 is such a beautiful RPG that it seemed like an impossible task to ask any sequel to surpass it, but Persona 5 manages to keep the series’ conceits working while adding meaningful improvements. Dungeons are more fun to explore and you have more options in battles. Other, smaller quality-of-life changes make things easier, like getting texts from friends when they want to hang out.
This is one of the PlayStation 4's most interesting exclusives.
It’s a much bigger game than the original, giving you plenty of land to explore and tons of missions to beat. It feels so much different from your typical big-budget console game these days. It’s more of a comic book than an action movie, allowing players to delight in their own heroics. It’s one of the PlayStation 4’s most stunning and entertaining exclusives.
Final Fantasy XV has its problems, but it's filled with enough special moments that you can forgive the issues. The combat is fluid, thoughtful, and cinematic while the open world gives you a ton to do.
Watch Dogs 2 doesn’t do much new. Just like it’s predecessor, underneath all that fancy hacking you’ll find a similar experience to other city-based open world games, including Grand Theft Auto. But at least this time, the adventure is a fun one. The new, light-hearted tone and its likable cast of characters are a good fit for this series.
ReCore is fun game betrayed by technical woes. I love the combination of shooting and platforming, but it just doesn't have enough polish to back up its solid mechanics. It could have used some extra time in development to smooth the experience out.
Mighty No. 9 can have its moments when its platforming and shooting tickles that same nostalgic bone that makes us love Mega Man, but its poor design makes it more frustrating than novel.
First person parkour is just as much fun in Catalyst as it was in the original. The new combat is a noticeable improvement, and the open world makes this a much longer experience than its predecessor.
Overwatch is a game that I know I'm going to be playing for a long time. It's one of the most appealing, polished titles any developer — even Blizzard — has ever made. Other online games make you feel like a player. Overwatch makes you feel like a hero.
I have little to complain about regarding the single-player campaign. It's a fun shooter that brings back aspects of classic design (like health packs and sprawling levels) that I didn't realize I missed so much.
Uncharted 4's journey is gorgeous and thrilling. It's full of surprises and callbacks that fans of the series will love. It manages to pay tribute to what came before while offering a satisfying conclusion to Drake's story. If this series truly is done, Uncharted 4 ensures that it's a tale we'll never forget.
It's a little sad that Star Fox Zero, a game that wonderfully shows the benefits of the Wii U Gamepad, came out so late in the system's life. Still, it's worth getting for anyone who owns the console, especially if you were a fan of the series in the '90s. Star Fox Adventures now seems like a distant, unpleasant memory.