Paul Acevedo
With great retro graphics, decently witty writing, and fiendish puzzle designs, players looking for an old-school challenge won’t be disappointed.
Buy it for Crystalis, and then you can settle in for interesting and beautifully made pre-Neo Geo games when the adventure ends.
Provided Koei Tecmo keeps the characters and content updates coming Dead or Alive 6 should keep fighting game fans busy for years to come.
The singular sense of humor and music-themed touches that made the original so endearing are back, and the cooperative multiplayer is better than ever.
Despite the UI clunkiness and slightly dated visuals, teaming up with friends is lots of fun in God Eater 3.
Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story is not the flashiest or most robust RPG around. But it does possess a lot of charm thanks to the unique setting and mixture of game styles.
The new levels are pretty good, and anyone who plays a lot of Vermintide 2 will want them. The weekly challenges are decent (though I wish they weren’t restricted to DLC purchasers) and the new textless communication system improves the overall game.
Too many modern shmups are bullet hell shooters, so it’s refreshing to play one that doesn’t totally flood the screen with bullets at every moment. With decently fun gameplay, easy Achievements/Trophies, and a low price, FullBlast offers just enough bang for your buck.
While it's true that a LEGO game will never surprise anybody, the individual games can still be tons of fun – especially when you like the property involved. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is a blast for Marvel fans, with hundreds of characters great and small, 20 huge levels with full co-op support, and a vast and beautiful open world to explore. True believers will get more than their money's worth from this one.
While Road Rage is too uneven to be a true Road Rash successor, it captures enough of the fun of motorcycle combat that made those games great. If you can ignore the dumb story, drab visuals, and lame soundtrack and just enjoy the smooth racing and brutal combat, you're bound to have a good time.
Outcast: Second Contact is still a great game, but you'll have to tolerate some dated elements to enjoy it fully.
The Sims 4 doesn't always feel at home on Xbox, though, with clunky menus, confusing controls, tiny text, and a mess of tutorials. But if you prefer to game on console rather than PC, The Sims 4 is still worth the time and effort.
Jeopardy! is a decent adaptation of the popular game show. It doesn't have the production values and eye for detail to fully capture the TV experience, but it's still fun as a multiplayer trivia game.
The famous weaknesses of the 3D Sonics are still present, but the sheer wealth and variety of stages and missions largely makes up for them in my eyes.
When I spoke to the original developers at E3 a few years ago, I remarked that motion controls were the only holding Disneyland Adventures back. Now the game is back on Xbox One and Windows – and we can finally play it with a controller. With a vast virtual park to explore, loads of beloved characters, and plenty of minigames, Disneyland Adventures is one of the best Disney games out there.
The sheer variety of franchises and gameplay make this a game that parents and Disney-loving gamers won't want to miss.
Whether you're interested in campaign or multiplayer, Call of Duty: WWII is the complete package and a must-play first-person shooter this holiday season.
Dying: Reborn isn't a particularly scary game, especially since you can't die. But it does possess a delightfully odd atmosphere and lots of fun puzzles to solve. This style of game, with all its indie seams and quirks, won't be for everybody. But if you can attune yourself to its quirky presentation (or just want those easy Achievements), Dying: Reborn won't kill your good time.
It's not the fanciest collection, but you'll get plenty of puzzles, intrigue, and nostalgia here for a very low price.
Whether or not you care for Tom Cruise's ill-advised Mummy movie, The Mummy Demastered is still worth a look.