Xuan Yuan Sword 7 has some interesting ideas and an exciting backdrop but it won’t be for everyone. The game's battle system has is decent but lacks the depth that makes actually playing the game memorable.
An exciting battle system paired with gorgeous visuals will pull players in. Astria Ascending has the makings of a classic JRPG but falls short with forgettable storytelling and a bad English dub.
Hot Wheels Unleashed is boisterous, fast, frenetic, and surprisingly addictive. It's clear the developer put a lot of care into the finer details paired with a deep track creator, high level of customization, and accessible driving.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits harkens back to classic game design, offering a visually appealing and satisfying experience.
Death Stranding Director's Cut improves the flow of the campaign considerably by cutting down on a lot of the grind. If you've never played the original, you'll find a truly bizarre experience only made possible by the mind of Hideo Kojima.
TOEM is satisfying and engaging, packed with charm, wit, and goofiness. While it's a short experience, TOEM will stay with you even after you've stopped playing it, and that right there is a rare thing these days.
F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch may share similar elements of the Metroidvania genre, but TiGames has meticulously created its own unique spin to great success. Offering a challenging, rewarding, and ultimately fun experience, the game is a blast from start to finish thanks to succinct combat and well-executed exploration. Packed with tons of details and smart design choices, Rayton’s story may be familiar but the experience is exciting all the same.
Life is Strange: True Colors features a strong cast with even stronger performances. Taking around ten hours to complete, the story starts off strong but loses its balance before regaining stability towards the end of the game. Learning what led to the death of her brother Gabe comes with the cost of some heavy discoveries and playing as Alex, you’ll need to make some important choices — ones that felt like they made a difference. However, technical mishaps and frame rate issues hinder the experience.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a decent upgrade that adds a few bells and whistles to an already great game. While these aren’t exactly necessary upgrades, the resolution and frame rate boost make it worth not pulling your Wii out. A decade later, Sonic Colors is still the best 3D Sonic out there thanks to some inspired level design and the variety the Wisps add to the gameplay. However, the load times and glitches leave a bad taste in your mouth.
No More Heroes III might have the best boss battles of the series and an amusing story but the humour and tone are firmly stuck in the past. Suda51 diehards are going to enjoy the newest entry in the series but share the same issues as its predecessors. It’s more of the same and while combat can be entertaining and flashy, exploring the open world of Santa Destroy is barebones and uninspiring.
Gathering a couple of friends and blowing through to the co-op campaign is the best way to experience Aliens: Fireteam Elite. Fans of the franchise will have a blast and get the most mileage out of Aliens: Fireteam Elite and this is a good game packed with tense moments.
Psychonauts 2 is everything a sequel should be — bigger, bolder, better. Although the wait was much longer than anticipated, the top-tier writing and gameplay improvements more than makes the wait for a sequel worthwhile.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is the definitive version of Jin Sakai's journey — one that begins as a slow burn before ramping into a bold transformative tale. Iki Island offers a great follow-up delving into Jin's trauma while keeping the Mongols at bay and the jump to PlayStation 5 offers a technically impressive port filled with quality of life improvements.
Road 96 will keep you busy on your journey to the border thanks to engaging gameplay, interesting characters, and brilliant writing. If you like choose your own adventures, then this is right up your alley.
Trigger Witch is a commendable twin-stick shooter that'll keep you invested for a dozen hours. While the dungeons are good, the puzzles within them are simplistic and the combat difficulty only really ramps up in the second half. If anything, Trigger Witch is a charming game with enjoyable elements.
Neo: The World Ends With You was absolutely worth the lengthy wait and offers exciting combat stylish music and some fantastic new characters. Combining the best elements of the DS original and modernizing the series for today, this is a true gem to play.
Cris Tales is an homage to the JRPG genre that delivers a worthy tale across time and space. With a gorgeous aesthetic and great characters, Cris Tales builds an interesting world but also never takes full advantage of its combat systems. There’s so much to love about Cris Tales but it stays far too close to an homage and a game that never attempts to stray away from the confines of what we know a JRPG should be.
Death's Door is a beautiful isometric game that delivers a challenging and engaging experience. Combat is fun and rewarding, bosses are tough but fair, and exploration off the beaten path will reward you. Don't miss out on this excellent indie title that will likely be around during award season.
The remastering of The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword HD makes it a drastically more accessible game on the Nintendo Switch that offers a wider audience the chance to explore the earliest point within the expansive Legend of Zelda timeline.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin delivers a worthwhile experience that successfully builds on its predecessor. The spin-off series is more accessible and offers a ton of content that will keep players busy.