‘Eternal Strands’ offers a T-rated blend of big-game action adventure without ever feeling too gritty or messy.
If you love the idea of blending restaurant service and dungeon-crawling, ‘Cuisineer’ just might be the game for you.
‘For the King II’ offers a fun, turn-based, multiplayer adventure. But there are things that parents of young players should …
After a 10-year break, ‘Dragon Age’ is back and ready to push its fantasy adventures in … multi-gendered romantic directions?
Monsters, puzzles and casual chats make this water-colored dungeon-crawler a rare beast.
Magical relics, a clash between gods and battles against sandy wraiths are front and center in this desert-bound RPG.
Cat Quest III isn’t purrfect. But there’s a lot of swashbuckling, cat-quippy fun to sink your claws into.
Deltarune has a cute kid-friendly look, but there are darker things beneath its pixeled sheep’s clothing.
Rise of the Ronin features samurai, assassins, and the political intrigue of 1850’s Japan. Oh, and a whole lot of …
Stellar Blade has some out-of-this-world elements, but others aren’t so stellar.
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 …
Crystal Story: Dawn of Dusk offers gamers a very nice taste of throwback gaming.
There’s much more to the stylish Lamplighters League than you might expect: both great and not-so-great.
Is Lies of P a graphically appealing RPG or a nightmarish and difficult slog? Yes.
Sea of Stars packs a comfortable ‘90s RPG feel into a new magical fantasy tale.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has raised the RPG bar. But it has blown out its RPG content worries, too.
Final Fantasy XVI is a game of great bombast and visually stunning spectacle. But it’s a bloody and profane spectacle …
Demons, death, blood sacrifice and more demons. Diablo IV is a game for lovers of battling, loot and a wash …
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.
This new kid-focused entry into a long-running RPG series may just be the gaming treasure you’re seeking.
There’s fun XCOM-like gameplay to be had. But you gotta be OK with Marvel’s demonic side.
This ninth-generation Pokémon game offers a true open-world environment—and it may leave players tickled pink.
There are thoughtful father/son moments in Ragnarök … amid all that gore, death and rage.
It’s a Batman game without Batman. Can it still be worth a Bat-signal?
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.
Demeo is a dungeon crawler that keeps the play, and the dungeon denizens, light.
Wonderland’s T-rated cleanup doesn’t necessarily equate to good, clean, all-ages fun.
The makers of Dark Souls and the author of Game of Thrones join forces to make an extremely difficult, gory …
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.
There’ve been plenty of Pokémon games released, and most of them feel much the same. Until now.
Nintendo has freshened up a classic Pokémon game. But it’s still just as comforting and fun as the original.
More a card game than a video game, The Isle Dragon Roars has just a few drawbacks for younger card-flippers.
Can a game mod of Skyrim actually end up being a decent game all its own?
When a game looks this sweet, can it hold anything bad? Ohhh yes!
This new post-apocalyptic entry offers players a mixed bag of mutant adventure.
Fans of the old Resident Evil titles should think long and hard before wandering into this Village.
Life flies by in a blink. Before Your Eyes invites us to ponder that spiritual reality … though it’s got …
Could this be the monster-slashing hunt you’ve been looking for?
This looter-shooter title fully earns its M-rating with a cacophony of raging action and profane dialogue.
More than any of the past Harvest Moon games, One World keeps players engaged in its farming sim fantasy world.
The latest Yakuza entry offers a fresh, creative revamp of this hit franchise. Unfortunately, it’s still a bloody and profane …
Beneath its Japanese anime charm, Persona 5 Strikers cloaks a whole host of spiritual, sexual and language problems.
This highly anticipated, cinematically structured RPG pushes the boundaries on explicit M-rated content of every kind.
This T-rated Marvel superhero game feels fun and familiar, though it’s somewhat marred by occasional profanities.
A refurbished classic for the Switch. But are these the battling chronicles you’re looking for?
SuperMash gives players a chance to mix-‘n’-match video game genres in creative—and sometimes odd—new minigames.
Some games are different. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need. Sometimes you just want something that will be easy …
Dreams may not be a typical dream game, but your creative visions can make it sparkle.
This Bible-based battler is played out from a new perspective. But can you really tell Mom it’s more … biblical?
If you’re a Pokémon fan who’s gotta-play-them-all, is there any reason not to?
A new generation of full-motion video games is coming. Erica shows us the game genre’s promise … and peril.
The latest Fire Emblem game migrates to Nintendo’s Switch, bringing some big changes to the franchise along the way.
The complicated spiritual lore of this Korean-created game world can be a little tough to follow. Its nonstop battle sequences …
You may not have heard any sinews twanging or backbones creaking into an upright position, but a kind of evolution …
We all have ideas about what happens to us after we die. We think about how we’ll walk through the …
What kinds of questions should you be asking yourself before venturing into Albion’s video game wilds?
Commander Shepard just loves to save the universe! When he’s not dead, of course. And when he’s not hitting on …
I walk into town, trusty dog at my side, looking to replenish supplies and maybe pick up a better ax. …
The “van Hoorn” Snow is a serviceable ship. She can hold her own in any waters, especially when her crew …
My introduction to fantasy role-playing games came in sixth grade. At a bookstore, I noticed a fascinating tome called the …
In retrospect, I’d have to say my high school days were pretty typical. I’d worry about tests. I’d worry about …
This nicely staged, point-and-click adventure falls victim to its own mystery.
The first thing I did when I heard about Marvel Ultimate Alliance was to go to the video game’s official …
After 75 years, hundreds of books, 14 games, and a handful of movies and TV shows, Nancy Drew is still …
I’ll admit it: I’m one of those grumpy gamers who never really liked The Sims franchise. Tell your sim to …
Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, The Little Mermaid and a whole host of other Disney darlings dip their toes into the anime …
The latest fantasy role-playing adventure from the makers of the Baldur’s Gate games invites players into an intricate, engaging epic …
There was a time, not all that long ago, when local schools ran bomb drills just in case a heartless …
I was 19 when I stepped off a Port Authority ferry and saw the Big Apple in person for the …
The never-aging teen sleuth Nancy Drew is bringing more than just her trusty magnifying glass on this adventure. She’s tossing …
It may be a new day and a new Odyssey, but it’s, frankly, the same problematic Assassin’s Creed.
This free downloadable game is compelling in many ways, but it’s not as free from problems as you might expect.
This snarky, stick-figure Wild West game packs plenty of clever quips—and a few content burrs—in its saddlebags.
This stylish, monster-themed dating sim has teeth you don’t see ’til it’s too late.
This popular jailbreak game has a bit of content contraband that Mom should make note of.
These retreads of previous Sun and Moon games split the difference between more of the same and exciting new content.
The language spewed out by these cartoon kiddos would make a longshoreman blanch.
This ferocious, M-rated sequel may be set in the milieu of Lord of the Rings. But it’s a lot more …
This may seem like a simple building game at first blush. But there’s a whole lot more in the mix …
This remake of a game from the ’90s is rich in old strategy and tactics, but it has a few …
This open-world adventure offers up lots of arrow-slinging, robot-riding and post-apocalyptic soul-searching.
Nintendo’s latest handheld Pokémon contests build on the franchise’s familiar trappings but also give gameplay a kinder, gentler makeover.
Batman gets an immersive virtual reality treatment that’s darker than you might expect.
This game mixes biblical allegory with steampunk RPG thwacking—teaching spiritual truth without letting anyone know they’re in Sunday school.
The Dark Souls games are excruciating in their difficulty, and their content is dank and demonic. That’s exactly what the …
Loot is good here. Loot is power. And, of course, like many MMOs that have come before, loot can equal …
Fire Emblem Fates is a game that’s been expanded and broken up into three different parts … with three separate …
That Dragon, Cancer is more of an experience than a game. An unforgettable one.
Games used to fit into specific categories. Fallout 4 fills something closer to an “all of the above” slot. For …
This game looks like an old-school ’80s RPG. But there’s more to consider Under this Tale.
Lost Dimension gives us a gaggle of young heroes and asks us to play something of an end-of-the-world reality TV …
This Nintendo game pack takes the Candy Crush-style puzzle concept and plays it out with two totally different stories and …
In this trilogy conclusion, the witcher Geralt searches, sexes and slaughters his way through 100-plus hours of horror.
Bloodborne is intended to be a long, grinding and utterly bleak gaming experience. Which means there’s disease lurking in those …
Imagine, if you will, a 19th-century steampunk London in which the Knights of the Round Table are still dashing about …
Set in an open-sandbox digital re-creation of the U.S., The Crew is a Massively Multiplayer Online game for gearheads.
The 2014 installment of Dragon Age is one of the most expansive RPGs ever to crowd out other games on …
gravity, moon, jack, Lilith, border, land, lands, presequel, prequel, sequel, pre sequel,
The legendary Link is back. (Again.) But this new adventure has a fan service twist as Zelda gets mashed up …
The latest bring-your-toy-to-digital-life game goes super and swings the Marvel universe door wide.
Have you figured out yet that there’s a pirate’s tale at the heart of this salty sequel? But is it …
This Diablo-like series tries for a novel approach, but tends to fly right past fresh to ferocious … and obnoxious.
A space cowboy MMO with something for everyone and colorful cartoony appeal too. So why aren’t we so wild about …
This series prequel sets gamers loose in a JRPG world filled with tense sibling rivalry.
RPG sword-slashing and demon possession burn out this fantasy epic from the inside, leaving only a charred shell of a …
A young princess is lost in the darkening world on the other side of a magical mirror. The creatures she …
Metal Gear Solid offers up a sampler plate in hopes of whetting appetites for the upcoming main course. But we’ve …
The incredibly difficult Dark Souls franchise delivers another 40-plus hour journey into a virtual world that’s all about dying over …
We will indeed stick to the truth in our review of a gross game spawned by one of the vilest …
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.
A handheld Zelda flashes back to the feel of an earlier classic while charging into the future with some brand-new …
The pocket monsters are back for another catch ’em and grow ’em go-round. Already so soon. And again. (Are they …
A girl and her ghost grow up to take on the bad guys, all manner of spiritual evil and even …
If your family thought the idea of collecting and playing with Skylanders dragons was fun, wait ’til you see what …
Body-sharing female spirits and a dirty-minded dragon. Hmmm. Not exactly your typical wedding party.
Turn over a new game with this town-building, resource-managing and friend-making “adventure” that’s animal-filled casual gaming at its most casual.
If you’re thinking tall tower, trapped girl and long blonde hair, you’ve got the wrong fairy tale. Rapunzel didn’t have …
The Elder Scrolls is offering up a new suit of online armor and an endless Tamriel where you can battle …
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?
Another dystopian shooter filled with furious aliens, fast one-liners and quick trigger fingers.
Some 250 years after the conclusion of the first game, ancient dragons have awoken and begun doing what dragons do: …
This crime RPG blends Grand Theft Auto-style street grit with Hong Kong action flick hits.
Here’s a game that unfolds like a fantasy novel page-turner. But what’s to be found on the way to a …
What kind of game has the Beagle Boys kidnapping Minnie while RPG critters battle spikey-haired good guys? None other than …
The latest Pokémon contest offers a little extra strategy bang for players’ collect-’em-all-and-battle-it-out buck. But what else does it deliver?
So you can’t get enough of dragons and fantasy questing? Well, here’s a game that wants to make sure you …
Fallen angels, hell-spawned horrors and a brutal battle between good and evil lurk in this M-rated fantasy role-playing game, which …
“The offspring of foul sorcery and witchcraft.” That’s what a witcher is. As for this game, well …
Intricate, immersive plotline? Check. Selfless heroes? Check. Less-than-heroic content conundrums? Check. The finale in this popular shooter trilogy encompasses all …
A sword-swinging, magic-blasting RPG about fate and freedom. Is it your destiny to play this top-of-the-charts game?
Is the Force strong with this one, young Jedi? Meditate on this, we will.
A 25th anniversary bundle of Zelda quests—now with thrust-and-parry swordplay realism.
It’s a land of blood and honey, as they say, full of dragons and darkness, but also heroes and beauty. …
Mankind is up against ruthless bandits and crazed mutants in a dystopian wasteland. It’s never bunnies and puppies, is it?
The slugline on the game box reads, “Prepare to Die!” And, boy, it ain’t kiddin’.
You want to be able to jump from tall buildings in a single bound? In Deus Ex there’s an aug …
One of the most buzzed about games of the year, Catherine offers a mind-bending, M-rated mash-up of romance, horror, dark …
A classic Nintendo 64 adventure/puzzle game gets a new coat of paint and some 3-D sparkle.
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 …
Choices are what this combative role-playing sequel is all about. So we’re going to try to help you make one …
After 13 years are you still trying to catch ’em all? Or maybe it’s your kids who care about Pikachu …
Games these days deliver immersive worlds that can swallow you whole for days, weeks and months at a time. Two …
The “shape your future” game of heroes and villains is back with a revolutionary shift. It asks, “Will you become …
Nancy is investigating bumps in the night at a Japanese inn. And to do it she’s tackling all sorts of …
Some people want to be doctors or lawyers or presidents when they grow up. The rest of us want to …
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 …