Despite the server latency issues and the stupid censorship, this is still the Diablo II I’ve loved for most of my life. The Blizzard Entertainment that produced this timeless classic is sadly not around anymore, but at least the archaeologists that touched this up for 4K displays did a fantastic job. How can such a dark and twisted world feel so much like a nostalgic, fuzzy homecoming?
All in all, Atelier Ryza is a welcome breath of fresh air for the series with its overhauling of core mechanics, as well as its visuals – which look better than ever. This is yet another excellent game in the series, and makes me feel like Gust is thinking of ways to refine the formula even more.
If you’ve never played Link’s Awakening because you never owned a Game Boy or are too young to have given it a chance, you have absolutely no excuses to miss the game again now. Link’s Awakening is simply a joy to play, and remains a love-letter to the franchise.
Dandy Dungeon – Legend of Brave Yamada is an irreverent and extremely silly yet enjoyable take on classic gaming themes and tropes, all bundled into a package that only Kimura and his team could produce. The game has quite a lot of charm, and really cannot be properly experienced or explained properly until you’ve played it yourself.
If you’re looking for a laid back, cute and comfy Japanese RPG with an overwhelming amount of cuteness, you should consider picking up Atelier Lulua.
A Plague Tale: Innocence is a wonderful new IP from an up-and-coming studio like Asobo. The game takes a rarely adapted period from our history and builds it into a wholly unique experience, with a character-driven adventure that will have you wanting to see how it all ends. I really can’t recommend the game enough if you are looking for something fresh and new.
I was worried that Creative Assembly may not be able to do justice on the Three Kingdoms, but I am more than happy to have been proven wrong. Now if you will excuse me, I need to get sleep, but….one more turn.
Tropico 6 is like a definitive look at the series that has always stood out in the city builder genre, while also adding some really fun new mechanics that help you shake things up a bit.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is the best version of an already fantastic RPG. The game’s visuals hold up very well and have been remastered perfectly without any real flaws. This is an excellent port, and is absolutely worth checking out for newcomers and longtime fans alike.
Black Bird is an excellent shoot ’em up and a landmark release for Onion Games. As this is their first release on proper gaming platforms, it makes sense they went all out and produced an exceptional game within a shiny package. It really is a fun time, and can get legit challenging.
Diablo III is an unabashed loot-fest of an action RPG that has successfully bridged the gap between a strictly mouse+keyboard experience and those of us who prefer a controller. The game has quite a lot of content, is now fully portable, and keeps me coming back for more.
I can't recommend Star Control: Origins enough, and while there were some minor performance issues here and there, the game is such an enjoyable and unadulterated love letter to science fiction. If you're looking for a fun and rewarding story-driven space-adventure game, look no further.
While there are some areas where the game sadly hasn't changed since the last game, there's enough minute improvements that really bring this football simulator to an entirely new level. Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 is the definitive soccer game for gamers wanting that extra oomph in their kick, quite literally.
It's really a solid and refreshing new entry in the series, and further reiterates how Nintendo isn't running out of ideas in the gameplay department. Just give me online Mario Party mode already!
I may have tiny gripes here and there, but all in all, I really enjoyed my time with Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! and was pleasantly surprised by how well this re-imagined vision of the Kanto works. I can’t wait to see how the next main games in the franchise come out.
Overall I was very happy with my time playing Kirby: Star Allies. It's not quite the system seller other Nintendo first-party titles are and doesn't really do anything new, but it's definitely a very fun experience for both veteran fans of the series and newcomers alike.
I was thoroughly impressed with Dragon Ball FighterZ and cannot recommend it enough to both fighting game fans and or fans of the Dragon Ball universe. It may have some minor issues here and there as it just launched, but this is a fighter you cannot pass up.
It truly made me feel like I was playing Sonic the Hedgehog again for the very first time. I legitimately got choked up at how perfectly this game captures the magic of the originals, yet expands upon it. Let's hope that Sonic Forces is able to capture the same magic that Sonic Mania has.
Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation is everything that made the base game so great, but expanded upon and refined into an even better game. The user interface changes are great, the new units, structures, and upgrades are welcome, and overall the game is a lot of fun to play.
I’ve already logged dozens and dozens of hours into the game, and I can already see myself logging in a hundred more, easily. Civilization VI is worthy of the series’ legacy, and further reestablishes the age-old “one more turn” joke.