‘Eternal Strands’ offers a T-rated blend of big-game action adventure without ever feeling too gritty or messy.
This ‘Indiana Jones’ game is the sequel that moviemakers probably wanted to make—gobbledygook spirituality and all.
Magical relics, a clash between gods and battles against sandy wraiths are front and center in this desert-bound RPG.
Deltarune has a cute kid-friendly look, but there are darker things beneath its pixeled sheep’s clothing.
This South Pacific island-based adventure game has a very different feel. But its not always as kid-friendly as it looks.
Goat Simulator 3 is chaotic and bizarre, to be sure. But the silliness can also bite you when you’re not …
Patient Star Wars fans can get in on free team-based shooter play with Hunters. Those less patient, will need their …
Another Crab’s Treasure has a cheery look, salt-water humor and gameplay that will appeal to some. But it’s not exactly …
This indie game offers lots of action for those who enjoy stealthy strategy with a shadow-swimming twist.
There are a few T-rated issues here, but nothing bad enough to knock most families of teens off a unicorn.
This Final Fantasy is indeed a rebirth of one of the most celebrated RPGs ever. But it comes with issues …
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown a well-constructed platformer that’ll please many–as long as they don’t mind its light bloodiness …
Palworld may look a lot like another cute and popular monster gathering game. But Pokémon’s never had AK-47s and butchering …
The Finals is yet another free-to-play, frenetic shooter that might not be as free as you expect.
Frontiers of Pandora lets you fly through its beautiful world. But it has plenty of angry things to say about …
It’s a top-tier action sequel to a top-tier action original, with just a few sticky, icky bits for Mom to …
There’s much more to the stylish Lamplighters League than you might expect: both great and not-so-great.
Oxenfree II sports a Stranger Things-like vibe. And some Stranger Things-like content, too.
The Bookwalker is a novel idea, but a messy read.
With a well-written story and time-driven choices, this Star Trek adventure might well be the best one yet.
Survivor has some unexpected Jedi twists and turns. And Darth Vader, too.
A new TRON game will certainly draw interest. But this visual novel may not be the code you’re looking for.
This “kid-friendly” Bayonetta isn’t as warm and cuddly as it might appear.
Storyteller is a smile-worthy puzzler that could still leave some family members frowning.
Horizon Call of the Mountain is an impressively pretty game to duck, stretch and grunt your way through.
Wild Hearts features nearly impossible hunts of massive, fearsome creatures. What’s not to like?
As with every Potteresque venture, there’s dark and deadly peril along with the magical fun.
Is Fire Emblem Engage as engaging as its title suggests?
There’s bizarre fun to be had if you know the manga landscape.
There’s fun XCOM-like gameplay to be had. But you gotta be OK with Marvel’s demonic side.
It’s a Batman game without Batman. Can it still be worth a Bat-signal?
MultiVersus has a lot of fun battles to enjoy. But some in-game irritations could send you running.
This game delivers a fast-paced sparkle and pop, but more tug at your wallet, too.
Some call it a classic. Others prefer the word “crude.”
You build the school and pick the classes with this game. But does it earn a passing grade?
This new Digimon is more visual novel that battler this go ‘round. But it’s also more horror than digital monster …
This latest Fire Emblem Warriors takes a new slash at some old themes.
This artistically creative game has its fair share of fun puzzles and deep-sea dangers.
RiffTrax is a comedy game for the hidden jokester in all of us.
Wonderland’s T-rated cleanup doesn’t necessarily equate to good, clean, all-ages fun.
Aloy faces new forbidden horizons. But should she face them in your family room?
While reliably clever and sometimes funny, Nobody sometimes runs into some dark goop and glop.
The newest Yu-Gi-Oh! game is a free download. But does it cost more than you expect?
The game is based on cleaning up a planet, and that’s surprisingly satisfying. Too bad the game didn’t clean up …
This T-rated space combat game is a bit different. But it might offer a cockpit worth exploring.
Master Chief and Halo are back. Does their T-rating make them more family-room friendly?
More a card game than a video game, The Isle Dragon Roars has just a few drawbacks for younger card-flippers.
The Guardians of the Galaxy have always been fun and messy. Fittingly, so is this game.
This creative game deals with, of all things, mental health. But it has its own sticky bits, too.
Can a game mod of Skyrim actually end up being a decent game all its own?
Interactive storytelling abounds here, but there are interactive problems, too.
This indie runner has some spring in its step, but it’s a one-dimensional sprint.
This new post-apocalyptic entry offers players a mixed bag of mutant adventure.
Twists, turns and a lot of shooting fill this creative-yet-problematic hybrid title for the PS5.
Could this be the monster-slashing hunt you’ve been looking for?
There’s a kids’ game vibe in this unusual video game that aims to help parents think about love, conflict and …
Like plunging into a horrific fever dream, Little Nightmares II propels players into some dark and disturbing places.
This retro-styled, beat-’em-up franchise gets another swing on newer consoles.
Super Meat Boy is back to leap more blades and grinders. Should he make a meaty splash in your family …
What does this guy named Miles Morales have tucked up his web-slinging sleeves?
The learning curve is steep. But once you get the hang of it, this game has only a few minor …
This T-rated Marvel superhero game feels fun and familiar, though it’s somewhat marred by occasional profanities.
Despite its title, Vadar Immortal resists the urge to fully embrace the dark side, content-wise, in this VR title.
Samurai Jack is back and leaping in your family room! Is that a good thing?
Yet another throwback remake. But are these toads infectious or infected?
Sometimes you just want a good racing game. Sorry Fast & Furious fans, Crossroads just ain’t it.
Ever wondered what it’d be like to don Iron Man’s armor? Sony might just make those dreams come true—virtually speaking.
Yet another free tactical shooter arrives for the esports-loving masses. But are there costs that come with free?
A refurbished classic for the Switch. But are these the battling chronicles you’re looking for?
Another old school revival. Does Streets of Rage 4 offer fresh kicks or tired whiffs?
Dreams may not be a typical dream game, but your creative visions can make it sparkle.
This creative game involves crafting, exploring and platforming … a just a bit of goo.
For a game cover that “looks kinda cute,” Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot may not be the game you’re expecting.
A new game from the creator of the original X-COM. Does that bode well for the turn-based strategy fan?
This Bible-based battler is played out from a new perspective. But can you really tell Mom it’s more … biblical?
Eighteen years later, the groundbreaking world of Shenmue returns. But the kicks here aren’t … always a kick.
Fallen Order is for those who want to know what it’s like to be a bewildered young Jedi … with …
Just about everybody that this game’s protagonist knows is in her head. And they jump out to help her fight …
The dystopian adventure RAD is something called a “roguelike” game. So how roguish does it get?
Yu-Gi-Oh! migrates to the Switch, blending classic card battles with its signature brand of manga-inspired mysticism.
The latest Fire Emblem game migrates to Nintendo’s Switch, bringing some big changes to the franchise along the way.
Avengers? Thanos? Infinity Stones? Yup, it looks like Nintendo paid attention when crafting this Switch combat title.
As its title suggestion, this old-school homage mirrors the latest season of Netflix’s hit series.
One look at the titular building in Batman: Arkham Asylum, and you can understand why Gotham City has such a …
Picture a landscape that simmers and sweats with a crimson molten heat, covered by a coal black, sulfurous blanket of …
Spider-Man 2 (the game) follows the general plot of the movie, but adds some new twists and characters.
Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry believes Guitar Hero has helped steer his kids away from violence. Or at least video game …
The complicated spiritual lore of this Korean-created game world can be a little tough to follow. Its nonstop battle sequences …
You’d think the characters in the SoulCalibur series would’ve gotten tired of the whole “quest for the sacred sword(s)” thing …
Remember all the alienating cliques, roughneck threats and other sweat-inducing agonies of your high school years? Well, no matter what …
It’s the same war, but the games are all new and improved. But, just because we can turn world wars …
Launched in 1994 as an arcade game, ‘Tekken’ has made its way through every version of Sony’s PlayStation, including (finally) …
First things first: The latest entry in the enormously popular Rock Band franchise isn’t what you might think it is. …
It was only a matter of time before Jack Sparrow of the mega-hit movie franchise ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ set …
On the heels of 14 years of karate chopping, hook-kicking success, the godfather of 3-D fighting games has released a …
We all have ideas about what happens to us after we die. We think about how we’ll walk through the …
A heavily shadowed sub strategically swims in and out of the crack-your-hull-like-an-eggshell ocean depths, having battled its way past a …
For players who’ve shouldered machine guns in other military adventure contests, the gameplay will seem familiar. But there is one …
With ‘The Simpsons Movie’ on DVD, no self-respecting Springfieldian will head home from the mall with just a movie in …
Growing up, I played a lot of games. Chess and backgammon came first, believe it or not. Then card games …
Lara Croft began strutting her stuff back in 1996 when a small British company set the gaming world back on …
The “van Hoorn” Snow is a serviceable ship. She can hold her own in any waters, especially when her crew …
What Indiana Jones did for map-in-one-hand-gun-in-the-other cinema, Lara Croft has done for video games. They’re really very similar iconic figures …
I carefully crept along the edge of the wall, my M-60 machine gun at the ready. The Marine across the …
My introduction to fantasy role-playing games came in sixth grade. At a bookstore, I noticed a fascinating tome called the …
OK, I’ll admit it. Whenever I play a flight/combat simulation game, I usually pick up the controller expecting full-throttle action …
The folks at Nintendo created the first Metroid game way back in the mid ’80s. And those sly little pranksters …
I’m sure you’ve heard the one about the guy who stands up at a funeral and says, “The rumors of …
The first thing I did when I heard about Marvel Ultimate Alliance was to go to the video game’s official …
When the original Destroy All Humans! first hovered on the horizon, it was praised by some for an acerbic sense …
This robot-battling adventure game doesn’t quite add up to the sum of its parts.
I’ll admit it: I’m one of those grumpy gamers who never really liked The Sims franchise. Tell your sim to …
I often marvel at how incredibly realistic video games can be nowadays. After making my way through some virtual cave …
No summer blockbuster is complete these days without its video game complement. ‘Star Wars: Episode III’ is no exception.
Once upon a time, I was a skater. Briefly. My pre-adolescent love affair with the skateboard never blossomed, however, because …
In 2005, Harmonix Music Systems partnered with video game publisher RedOctane to create a fresh, plastic guitar-wielding, colored button-bashing, rhythm/music …
Even twig-men can step into the ring and reach for fisticuffs glory. So, does the fight stay clean, or do …
The first time I ever happened upon a televised Ultimate Fighting Championship bout, two things immediately came to mind. The …
When the very first Star Wars film hit theaters, I took my girlfriend to see it. I know that makes …
In a land far, far away, where the legends of rock ‘n’ roll are born and not made, I still …
If the words Prince of Persia bring to mind evil alter egos, slo-mo dismemberments and belligerent bloodletting, then you’re in …
In the late 1990s first-person shooters such as Doom and Quake were hitting their stride and urging fans to team …
The Beatles finally have their own Rock Band! So is our gaming guru crooning “yeah, yeah, yeah,” or moaning “for …
The Overlord games are designed for those players who long to slip into the armor and cape of an evil …
Video games are the Rodney Dangerfield of the entertainment world. And sometimes—when they’re digitally inviting kids to shoot cops or …
The newest Dragon Ball Z video game has hit the shelves with a robust take that! And fans of the …
Uncharted 2 goes places no other game has gone before. But are they the right places? Because more important than …
Is this new battle royale title a Fortnite killer? Maybe. But regardless of the answer, there’s a lot of killing …
Halo is back. And it’s rated T! Gaming fingers are twitching, allowances are being saved, and scores of cajoling teens …
I don’t want to say they’re ho-hum, but superheroes are everywhere nowadays. And that means that game and movie audiences …
Muscles are flexing. Kicks are flying. Pugilists are pulling no punches. And pandas are passing gas. Tekken’s back in the …
Have you noticed how video games and movies seem to be borrowing from each other’s closets these days? You can …
The antihero union must be having a party. For we live in a day and age when even comic book …
Back in the summer of ’81, I walked into the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark quite by happenstance, knowing …
Peter Jackson knows movies. And he also knows marketing. To create more buzz for his Lord of the Rings trilogy …
The SoulCalibur saga—with its exotic characters, odd spiritualism and mystical Soul Edge blades—has always been a little bit out there. …
Leap! Dodge! Slide! Flip! Run! RUN! Runrunrunfasterfasterfasteraaarrgghh— This, in a nutshell, sums up the life of Faith: Not, mind you, …
Of all the coin-operated arcade games that started life in the ’80s—tucked in the corner at your local Laundromat or …
Link isn’t going bald. Zelda isn’t putting on a few pounds. But in video game years these two have been …
Have you ever daydreamed about standing onstage with your best buds, shaking back a thick mane of bleached blonde hair …
‘Ever since Tom Cruise lit the afterburners in Top Gun, the idea of life as a fighter jock has seemed …
Rock Band, the video game that took a Guitar Hero by the collar of his tattered T-shirt and set him …
After millenniums of squelching inferior races, a species of bulbous-headed extraterrestrials find themselves unable to propagate. Now they need our …
This minimalist, buzz-worthy game is for players who don’t want any help figuring out how to survive on a deserted …
This fighting game offers accessible combat, interesting quests and … enough T-rated content to make parents think twice.
This T-rated shooter seems cinematically charming at first. But its creativity soon gives way to a dark, tedious, grinding game.
The latest Spidey game delivers high-flying fun with just a few sticky content bits for parents to consider.
This expansion for Destiny 2 adds more of what we’ve seen before … but with a much darker storyline.
The Monster Hunter franchise may be really, really big. But it can be really, really frustrating, too.
The latest Crew experience strips away its predecessor’s sheet metal and delivers a race-focused game worth a tire kick or …
This snarky, stick-figure Wild West game packs plenty of clever quips—and a few content burrs—in its saddlebags.
This T-rated pirate adventure invites crews to set sail … with a few arrgh-worthy problems to beware of on the …
Night in the Woods may look like cutesy storybook fun. But looks can be deceiving.
This popular jailbreak game has a bit of content contraband that Mom should make note of.
A love-filled robot vacuum sucks you into a compelling story. But it’s more heartfelt tale than game-playing challenge.
‘Battlefront II’ is somehow not inferior to a movie. This game is awe-inspiring in both scope and detail.
This sequel shooter feels a lot like its intense predecessor—only with a bit more polish … and maybe even more …
This sequel layers the Uncharted formula over a female-focused adventure tale, with expected and unexpected results.
This buzz-generating hybrid is one part Minecraft, one part shooter. That last aspect is the one parents will need to …
A T-rated beat-’em-up with more demonic story weirdness than you may want to fight through.
The second Injustice title features good guys gone bad and scrappy supers going toe-to-toe with them—all wrapped in an arcade …
This cartoonish horror game has people talking, but it’s the kind of story that could easily leave many a nightmare …
This compelling indie game blends appealing art and gaming mechanics into an unexpected cautionary abstraction.
This remake of a game from the ’90s is rich in old strategy and tactics, but it has a few …
This creative indie game offers intrigue and fun, but there’s something murky in its murder Brutale.
This open-world adventure offers up lots of arrow-slinging, robot-riding and post-apocalyptic soul-searching.
The second Halo Wars contest delivers real-time strategy thrills without all the famous franchise’s goopy, gory, first-person shooter spills.
This colorful and creative game nevertheless loses its footing from time to time.
Here’s a boy-and-his-dog tale with an out-of-this-world pooch and an out-there fantasy twist.
The new age of virtual gaming begins with a virtual tank contest from long, long ago.
There’s definitely a lot of trigger pulling in the mix here, but ReCore is as much about exploring, jumping and …
The Turing Test offers a collection of increasingly difficult puzzles and a deep space mystery in a man-versus-machine contest.
This ’80s-like throwback proves that games don’t need to be messy or pulse-pounding to keep us engaged.
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst walks a T-rated tightrope between acrobatic gameplay and content parents of younger players may wish the game …
Since this is a shooter, it’s only smart to wonder just how messy all of Overwatch’s first-person pull-a-trigger play gets.
This franchise finale is a bit more weighty than some of its predecessors. But its messy bits still have quite …
Battleborn is one of a new breed of “hero shooters.” But just how heroic is it?
This challenging, sci-fi tactical puzzler majors in mastering the right sneak-and-steal spy strategy … without the typical trigger-tugging turmoil.
Fire Emblem Fates is a game that’s been expanded and broken up into three different parts … with three separate …
Beyond the realities of the fighting itself, then, the real punch to a gamer’s solar plexus comes in the form …
It’s twenty years after the original XCOM story, and our alien foes have some nasty plans up their space suit …
As much as this might sound like a Nancy Drew mystery, it’s actually something a little different.
Master Chief is back to fight off the alien invaders. But he’s not the only one. And what about Cortana?
As far as Rock Band 4’s out-of-the-box 65-strong track list is concerned, well, there are plusses and minuses in this …
Space action heroes and He-Man squads go toe-to-toe as WWI triplanes are shot out of the sky by rainbow-powered battlements.
Lost Dimension gives us a gaggle of young heroes and asks us to play something of an end-of-the-world reality TV …
You get to be the beastie in this game that focuses on some 50 years and 35 films full of …
Super Smash Bros. meets anime and manga in J-Stars Victory VS+. It packs in 39 playable characters and 13 support …
It’s an alternate steampunk reality where classic literary figures (and Abe Lincoln!) fight for truth, justice and a monster-free tomorrow.
Set in an open-sandbox digital re-creation of the U.S., The Crew is a Massively Multiplayer Online game for gearheads.
The legendary Link is back. (Again.) But this new adventure has a fan service twist as Zelda gets mashed up …
This huge title from the makers of Halo and Call of Duty shoots for the moon. (Literally at times.)
The newest Sims stuffs some pretty cool character changes into its doll house trunk. But watch out for the sharp …
This add-on rendition of the street-side brawler classic packs in some new muscle-bound maulers, moves and mechanics. So we’ll give …
This dictator-obsessed strategy sim is designed to make you giggle while you hereby decree—but it’s not all fun and games.
A space cowboy MMO with something for everyone and colorful cartoony appeal too. So why aren’t we so wild about …
There is a web-slinging hero here, of course. And a big concrete jungle just waiting for him to crawl a …
Second Son is actually the third chapter in the inFAMOUS franchise, introducing a new Native American hero and letting us …
The incredibly difficult Dark Souls franchise delivers another 40-plus hour journey into a virtual world that’s all about dying over …
A Final Fantasy journey ends and a new world begins. But utopia comes with quite a spiritual price for gamers …
This classic Japanese role-playing game pairs adventure and exploration with some dark spiritual twists.
The Dark Knight is a creature of the night, a time when it is, of course, dark. And dark is …
Icy winds blow and menacing, marauding insectoid aliens encroach once more on the planet E.D.N. III. But there’s more than …
This mobile version of a Halo war gets ported to a next-gen console. Will it knock your guts out, or …
Body-sharing female spirits and a dirty-minded dragon. Hmmm. Not exactly your typical wedding party.
Better set your phaser to “wary” when encountering this new movie-inspired game-based life-form.
So what’s the deal with Superman killing Joker? And Batman fighting Superman? Clearly, this superhero scramble is more than just …
If you’re thinking tall tower, trapped girl and long blonde hair, you’ve got the wrong fairy tale. Rapunzel didn’t have …
So are you a force for good, evil, or both? Only many, many battles and 20-plus chapters of twisting story …
Another hero’s tale is about to unfold. But this time there are fewer wicked choices and more … calisthenics?
Double the fighters, double the punches, double the fun, a whole chorus of fans chimes in. Here’s what you need …
Some 250 years after the conclusion of the first game, ancient dragons have awoken and begun doing what dragons do: …
Here’s a game that unfolds like a fantasy novel page-turner. But what’s to be found on the way to a …
Crazy-eyed outlaws. Fortune-hunting prospectors. Gunslinging good guys. Even Star Wars-like planet battles. It’s the Wild West in space.
Will you share tea or rise to war? Fight with samurai swords or Gatling guns? Spend all night arranging the …
Two well-known classics fighters are ready to duke it out in the same game. But it’s not necessarily jabs that …
The tale of spirit-filled blades continues … and there’s not much more to say than that. But we’ll give it …
Is the Force strong with this one, young Jedi? Meditate on this, we will.
There’s more than a simple high-octane need for speed in the latest addition to this series. There’s also a need …
Well-crafted (or should that read well-Crofted?) treasure hunting meets cinematic pizzazz in this T-rated adventurer.
Batman has to make sense of things in a city full of psychopaths in this sequel.
Superpowered battles fill the streets of San Francisco, and you’re the new mutant in town.
This downloadable arcade game transports plastic warriors out of your toy box and into your Xbox.
What do you get when you combine the apocryphal Book of Enoch with an action-based video game? Do you need …
Lightning bolt-chucking Cole McGrath is back for another round of monster kicking and ethics picking.
Brink is by definition a first-person shooter. But shooting is only half the battle in this intricate, strategy-intensive contest for …
The DNA creature-builder Spore franchise is back for a fiercer-looking go-round. Is this the natural evolution of a fun franchise? …
For years the sims have been yearning for more than doing daily chores and attending to various bodily functions. So …
Capcom has rebooted a classic fighting contest. But rose-colored glasses only got our reviewer so far when he tried to …
The 1980s TRON game gets a 2010s upgrade. Can an old digital dog learn new tricks?
Never mind that Starkiller died at the end of the first game: He must once again save the galaxy from …
A mysterious, magical tablet has been shattered, and it’s playing havoc with the universe. So it’s up to Spider-Man to …
The 2010 entry in the long-running Metroid franchise fuses traditional third-person shooter elements with motion-controlled, first-person, sci-fi action.
Some people want to be doctors or lawyers or presidents when they grow up. The rest of us want to …
After a dozen silent years, a strategy classic has written a new chapter.
Think earthlings have issues? Be glad you don’t live on Cybertron. It’s in the midst of a huge civil war, …
Snake is sneaking in to save the world once again. This time exclusively on the handheld Sony PSP.
Alan Wake has been pulled into a dark world of his own imagining. But it’s gamers who may walk away …
A wall-running prince rewinds time and fights off the forces of evil. Sounds like a movie, right? Or maybe a …
Debuting at No. 1, a popular third-person shooter returns with a slightly less frigid set of bug-killing missions and a …
Japanese heroes face off with dino-like monsters in an exotic frontier the likes of which Wii has never seen before.
You can think of Final Fantasy as an experimental rock ‘n’ roll band that has an identifiable backbeat but plays …
First released in Japan, this fantasy role-playing game has now been retooled for the rest of the gaming world. Maybe …