Blaster Master Zero is a loving recreation that serves as both a companion and in some ways a replacement for the original. While I'll always see myself going back to the NES classic for the rest of my days, Zero is a good way to introduce the series to a newcomer without scaring them off.
NieR: Automata is nearly as good of an RPG as it is an action game, which is a mighty tall order. It's tough to really strike that balance as many action-RPGs tend to favor one element over the other, but Platinum Games, with the help of Square Enix, has tapped into its innate ability to captivate us with combat while keeping the rest of the journey engaging.
In what can only be described as a "chill adventure," Heaven Forest is basically a VR wandering simulator.
Voez is a diamond in the rough, at least as far as the Nintendo Switch eShop is concerned. The system's launch went from zero (or just Zelda) to hero in seconds flat, and as long as you're okay with a lack of a TV mode, Voez is a worthy pickup.
This isn't your typical boiler plate open world cash grab, rife with to-do lists and busywork. Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an evolution of the formula for both eastern and western philosophies alike, and a new blueprint.
And that's it. It's Bomberman, man. It feels like an arcade game with a $50 price tag. The campaign isn't as strong as it could be, but there's enough here to keep the series going until Konami can muster up a little more for the next iteration.
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is worth picking up on its own, but you should really just get the total package and play through all three campaigns. They each offer something unique like a Vegas buffet, and coincidentally enough the new price point of the Treasure Trove edition matches up.
Do you want to slice some demons into little meat chunks as a troubled badass, and perhaps missed out on the great Dreamcast and PS2 renditions of Berserk? Get Band of the Hawk. Seeing the story continue past the Golden Age is enough for an enthusiast to buy in. Otherwise, wait for the price to match what's being offered.
Horizon Zero Dawn is a fascinating premise wrapped in a tortilla of tropes. It has detective vision, radio towers, skill trees, masked load screens (Tony Hawk's American Wasteland gets no credit for popularizing this in 2005, by the way), and a world map littered with billions of points of interest -- all stuff you've seen before. But after you set up and execute a cunning plan to decimate a pack of giant robot crocodiles and that smile hits your face, it's more excusable.
If you're craving an RTS on a console, or perhaps aren't particularly well-versed in the genre, Halo Wars 2 has you covered. It doesn't offer much that other games in the same space have given us over the past 10 years, but it's polished and fun to play.
With its emphasis on challenging combat and light storytelling elements that are at times bordering on parody (in a good way), Nioh feels like a true successor to the Ninja Gaiden series and fills a nice void that Souls left behind. Did Team Ninja ever leave? Whatever the case might be, it's back.
Described as "Dark Souls underwater," this tactical action game is a brief, but fun little journey.
This wonderful looking Spider-Man simulator in the sky doesn't live up to its full potential.
Arc System Work's staunch dedication to the retro aesthetic for Double Dragon IV is admirable, but still falls short of the mark even when juxtaposed to several of the series' own entries. Punch and kicking dudes as Billy and Jimmy still works, but many elements of IV just feel a little too off-brand for my liking.
As usual the new zombie map feels like the main event, but Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare: Sabotage is a mostly successful injection of new stuff to do. I'll be combing forums for days trying to figure out all of Rave in the Wood's tiny secrets, and at this point, I think we've solidified that the gang is coming back for three more add-ons. Tubular!
Resident Evil returns to its horror roots, and is all the better for it in a game that was designed to be played in VR.
While the new engine doesn't sport a consistent framerate and you can pretty much skip the Chi movie, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a healthy enough serving of what's to come in Fragmentary Passage, and bundles in one amazing core entry that everyone should play. It's a massive risk if you aren't already invested in this wacky series, and as always, all eyes are on Kingdom Hearts III at some nebulous unknown time.
A little platformer that offers new mechanics in a graduated, character-centric fashion.
I might not be as hypnotized with Stardew Valley as a lot of other folks, but it's pretty much the Harvest Moon follow-up I've been waiting for since the SNES and Nintendo 64 days.
Gravity Rush 2 is the kind of game that makes me want to do everything. If there's more DLC beyond the upcoming free Raven campaign, I'll play it. If there's some uncovered secret or time trial I haven't done yet, I'll find it. Now that the series is unchained from the ill-fated Vita, I hope it gets the recognition it deserved the first time around.