Monster Jam: Steel Titans 2 is at its best when it embraces the arcadeyness, depth, and lightheartedness that define its most exciting moments, though it sometimes punishes the very ambition behind those aspects.
While it misses the chance to transcend the sum of its parts, Maquette tells a beautifully relatable story with a gorgeous presentation, accompanied by a clever and unique size-bending puzzler.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox brings a wide array of impressive gameplay elements in concert with a wonderful cast of characters to make an exhilarating, thoughtful package that's one of the series' best.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood feels like an expansion on a single, promising idea whose repetitive combat, underwhelming presentation, and confused story take away from what makes the original idea interesting.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy overshadows its monotonous alchemy system with a fitting combination of charm, exploration, and a dynamic, living world.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game made good on the promise that movie tie-in games usually failed to keep, and the Complete Edition proves that virtually the entire package is just as enjoyable over a decade later.
Override 2: Super Mech League has many of the pieces that would make it work as a full package, but when the oversized mechs actually go to battle, it becomes a shallow, unrewarding shell of its potential.
Call of the Sea's intriguing piecemeal story and beautiful setting falls to the wayside when its lack of signposting and overall artificially obtuse puzzles take center stage for much longer than acceptable.
Little Hope makes the direction of The Dark Pictures anthology clear, but it makes up for its evident formula with an interestingly convoluted story and increasingly nuanced branching paths.
Torchlight III is an imperfect but endearing action RPG whose great boss fights and enjoyable special skills clash with the noticeable relics of a freemium experience.