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I enjoyed my time-hopping adventures in Philabieldia, driven by a charismatic hero and his plucky sidekick. I'm not swimming in new waters here by any stretch of the imagination, but The Adventures of Elliot efficiently replicates those 2D adventures of yesteryear. The HD-2D format fits, the clever map design belies a small world to explore, and the real-time combat is exciting and fun. Now, as I wrap up my time in Philabieldia, I have to ask: Has Elliot ever had a cheesesteak?

Terrinoth: Heroes of Descent is a great CRPG. It's not without its flaws, but no game is. I feel like while it's great in its current form, I can't help but think of how much better it could have been had they shied away from the campaign and mission setup and opted for a more rogue-like randomly generated dungeons experience. Because, at its core, Terrinoth: Heroes of Descent is a dungeon crawler. It doesn't rely on heavy storytelling; it relies on atmosphere and great mechanics. In its current form, you can expect a respectable 35-hour playthrough, with the vast majority of that being pure, mechanical combat. I enjoyed my playthrough, and have high hopes for future content, though I am still a bit nervous about bumping that difficulty slider above adventure mode. If you're a fan of the Descent board game, or tactical RPG's, you're going to love Terrinoth: Heroes of Descent.

World of Tanks: Heat is a solid entry in the WoT franchise. The free-to-play model with premium paid options is a great way to bring new players into the fold and won’t risk pricing people out by costing an arm and a leg just to get started. With lots of agents and tanks to unlock and upgrade, World of Tanks: Heat is a well that will not run dry any time soon.

It’s a stellar single player adventure that, if you’re a Bond fan, is well worth the price of admission. IOI have lovingly recreated this iconic character and the world he inhabits, and while it’s not perfect, it certainly ranks among the best in the franchise.

Invincible VS is an easy game to pick up and fall in love with. I believe it has the chance to have some staying power within the ranks of the fighting game scene. With the fan following behind the comics and animated series, there is no reason why it cannot hold its own and stick around for a while. Throw in a lower-than-normal price point and smaller install size in comparison to other fighting games, Invincible VS is just more friendly to players overall.

On the whole, though, Windrose succeeds more than it falters, and it’s a surprisingly well-performing game despite being early access. I honestly can’t wait to see how this one progresses, especially as new regions and content are added in the coming months as the team works towards its full launch in the future. It’s definitely scratching that pirate fantasy itch I thought had definitively died when Atlas took a part of my soul to the briny depths with it seven years ago, and I don’t see myself stopping the sea shanties of my crew anytime soon. [Early Access Score = 80]

You don’t have to be a big Arena Shooter fan—or have a childhood full of campfire Capture The Flag—to find something to enjoy. If you give Last Flag a little time and meet it on its own terms, there’s a really fun, chaotic rhythm to it that starts to click. It’s weird, it’s loud, it doesn’t always go the way you want it to—but when it works, Last Flag hits in a way that’s hard to replicate anywhere else.

Don’t Lose Aggro is technically still in Early Access and does deliver a functional gamewith some entertainment value, especially at an incredibly low price point. It does, at least momentarily,scratch that tanking itch and provides a somewhat realistic scenario of what it’s like to tank in MMOraids; it even includes a healer who talks down to you. This is a good opportunity to support a solo devwith their vision and maybe get a few hours of tanking nostalgia, but if you’re looking for a full-fledgedgame it really does need more time in the oven. [Early Access Score = 60]

Saros is basically a sequel to Returnal in all but name. By building on the mechanics of its previous work, Housemarque has made Saros an even better roguelike and bullet-hell experience. It’s slick, powerful, and devilish in all the right places. The story wanes partway through, sometimes putting me on the verge of sleep, but masterful character performances from the main cast keep the sun from setting too early, and calling it a night.

Diablo IV has been a surprising source of solid video game storytelling since it launched, and Lord of Hatred does a fantastic job serving as this story’s apparent climax. I only say “apparent” as there’s no telling if further expansions are to come, but at least as this initial arc is concerned, it’s a wrap on “Hatred” for now. I walk away refreshingly satisfied with where this story ends up and how it gets there, which is a testament to Diablo IV’s narrative strength considering I couldn’t tell you anything about what happened in the previous entry even if I had a gun pointed at my head. Everything else, such as the new updates and features, feel insignificant compared to the sharp, focused, and emotionally resonant storytelling on offer. I did have fun with the Warlock as well, so folks looking for some fresh gameplay will likely have a blast with the new class.