Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is an audacious experiment toward the franchise's future and hosts a lot of potential to grow into something that changes everything we know about Pokemon for the better. It has a lot of issues in performance which could do with some tender love and care, but that doesn't stray from the fact it's a solid, wholesome Pokemon game down to its core.

The dark side wins out here, as good as Star Wars: Battlefront 2 is in so many areas it just can't overcome the aggressive, anti-consumer practices that are on display in their most egregious form to date in a $60 game.

The Dark Crystal fans will certainly be happy to leap back into the world originally created by Jim Henson once again with The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, but those just looking for a new tactical RPG to play would be better suited looking elsewhere.

Overall, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are perfectly decent Pokémon games, but feel like a significant step back when compared to newer titles and the quality of previous Pokémon remakes. It relies too heavily on the Pokémon formula always providing a decent game, but doesn't bring much else to the table.

Just Cause 4 more often than not feels like an average open world third person shooter than it does the explosion filled bonanza that it should be

Overall, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are perfectly decent Pokémon games, but feel like a significant step back when compared to newer titles and the quality of previous Pokémon remakes. It relies too heavily on the Pokémon formula always providing a decent game, but doesn't bring much else to the table.

After cameoing in multiple fighters over the years, Shovel Knight finally has one to call his own with Shovel Knight Showdown. While the combat system is very basic, Shovel Knight fans should still find some fun here with friends and even the first few times through the game's arcade ladder.

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer misses the high mark set by the main series. Taking one aspect of the game and making it the focus helps improve the mechanics, but the end result is far less enjoyable as it removes many of the things that made AC so unique.

My Hero One’s Justice takes the essence of the source material and wraps it into an enjoyable package. This is by no means the definitive "My Hero Academia" experience a fan might have been hoping for, but it's still a fun one.

Hellboy: Web of Wyrd is full of style and runs perfectly stable as is typical of roguelite games. However, unlike the greatest games from this increasingly popular genre, it lacks enough of a hook to have players wanting to experiment with its mechanics. While the story can be entertaining, it's nothing too special.

Dynasty Warriors 9 felt more like an experiment than a single, cohesive experience. At times it felt like Dynasty Warriors, sometimes an open world RPG, occasionally neither and sometimes both. But if Omega Force learns from this endeavor and buckles down for the next entry, the result could be spectacular.

Marvel's Midnight Suns has fantastic card-based combat, something it shares in common with Marvel Snap, along with excellent social features and deeply fascinating Marvel lore. It can engross you for dozens of hours with brilliantly layered, unique gameplay featuring just enough variety to make each battle run differently. But this doesn't mask its fatal flaws, namely some game-breaking bugs that'll prevent you from finishing a game with a clearly established ending.

All in all, LEGO 2K Drive satisfies any craving for brick-racing that you may have had in the past with A+ class but still is rough around the edges because of its microtransaction system.

Fat Princess Adventures still has the same humor and charm of the original, but without the PvP multiplayer it feels like a step back. The campaign is interesting enough, but feels pretty shallow compared to other games, and doesn't do enough to draw players in for the entire time.

Super Meat Boy Forever is a disappointing follow-up to one of the best platformers of all-time.

With the recent influx of incredible games paired with the ample amount of innovative Norse Mythology games released in recent years, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok serves as little more than a familiar midnight snack for those looking for something to nibble on in between better games.

The Evil Within 2 is just like its predecessor: a mixed bag. While it had the potential to be something absolutely brilliant, Tango Gameworks has attempted to both cram too much in and offer too little at the same time.

Jack of all trades, master of none. The Crew 2 is ultimately a more enjoyable experience than the first game, but one that also buckles under its own ambition.

A nostalgic trip down memory lane that feels too stale in the long run. The classic Tetris gameplay elements are here, but with so many releases over the years in this franchise, Ubisoft really could have tried to break new ground in more ways.

If you are, looking for a straight forward co-op shooter with plenty of customization and collectibles, you might enjoy the game with friends or random online players. Solo players should probably avoid this one though.

By making full use of the aging game engine, the Mount & Blade experience is further enhanced and made more enjoyable. Unfortunately, a large host of bugs and stability issues spoil the show, while likely fixable, cannot be ignored.

The Escapists can be hours of fun for those who enjoy a good challenge in a unique setting, but abundant troubleshooting can make this a hard sell for a mainstream audience.

Rainbow Six Extraction is a mixed bag of right and wrong. It’s carried primarily from its tactical, yet intense gameplay. In concept, it strays completely away from what actually defines a Tom Clancy game.

Rise & Shine is a run and gun 2D shooter that struggles to find its footing in game play and tone. Small issues can be found throughout the experience, but the difficulty and level design, in both variety and beauty, makes the experience worth a few hours of your time.

Maneater is a solid fit for the Nintendo Switch, but porting this ocean-faring adventure onto Nintendo's handheld/console hybrid after a year of availability does take away a lot of the luster.

While an improvement over the original release, The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition still has its problems. The weak story and annoying characters are still front and center, though the Tower of Illusion is a nice new diversion from them. If you're a hardcore Nippon Ichi fan give it a shot, but pretty much everyone else can give it a pass.

Scars Above tried to make its place by adding twists onto well know mechanics, but tragically falls just short. While it does bring many new and interesting ideas to the table, it is hard to notice them when none of the other mechanics seem to work well together.

Umbrella Corps can’t decide if it wants to be Counter Strike or Quake, but there’s still some solid gunplay action to be had with the right teams despite its problems. It’s not the disaster that it could have been, but it also isn’t something that’s worth putting at the top of your game pile.

The Medium will scratch the horror itch for some for a while but fails to live up to its potential in a number of significant ways.

Dragon Ball fans can definitely find some fun here for awhile, but a far from deep experience will not keep you coming back for more in Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden.

Predator: Hunting Grounds feels like a rough and empty game that is held up by its adherence to the original film's tone and atmosphere. But the overall quality hits more like the forgettable sequels, unfortunately.

Vicious Circle is a bold leap into the shooter genre for fledgling developer Rooster Teeth Games, but the risks didn't really pay off.

Rebellion’s remaster won’t last you long, but for a few hours of nostalgia for a sixth-generation shooter it might be worth a shot.

Don't buy this port until the performance issues are addressed. I can't recommend it as it currently exists to fans of the game, or those with only a Switch in the house: I can't recommend this port to anyone. Skip Vampyr for the Switch; there are better ways to play a bloodsucker out there.

Ultimately, Magicka 2 fails to adequately build on its first outing. It feels more like an expansion to the original Magicka, or an unusually faithful remake.

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series - Episode 4 "Who Needs You" doesn't destroy the solid work that went into the first three chapters, but it does drag this series down quite a bit.

People have been waiting for years to finally get what could be considered a really good Sword Art Online game, but the fourth time is certainly not the charm for developer Aquria with probably the most disappointing attempt yet due to the overall squandered potential in Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris.

It's too bad that a lot of the underlying gameplay design decisions weren't better implemented. The extreme challenge is just one thing, and could be fixed in a future update for that matter. But players simply won't find themselves that drawn back into the game after the first couple of rounds, mostly due to frustration, or an overall sluggish feel.

Harold is certainly enjoyable to look at, and occasionally is fun to play. The high difficulty level and forced practice sections keep it a strictly middle of the road experience though.

Fallout 76 is a bold experiment with one of gaming’s biggest and most beloved franchises. Unfortunately the experiment seems like a failure so far. Bugs and glitches are everywhere, but worse is that the core principles of design just don’t function the way they seem like they should.

Trials of the Blood Dragon gets some things very right and other things very wrong, and unfortunately it ends up being a mixed bag. Hopefully we get a true Blood Dragon sequel at some point, because this would be an unfortunate sendoff for this promising series.

A game largely ingrained in its source material, Sword Art Online Re: Hollow Fragment features a strong combat system and a ton of content at a bargain price, but the perplexing character creator and other flaws may ruin it for those that are not already fans of the franchise.

Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 has a decent foundation for a good game, but its many technical issues bring the experience down significantly.

Pixel Gear is an example of a product that feels more like a demo than a full fledged game. The actual shooting mechanics are integrated quite well giving you a good feeling of control, but the slow pace and lack of content lead to an overall disappointing experience with Pixel Gear.

David Jaffe has always been known for games that can be a bit over the top and Drawn to Death may be the most extreme example of that to date. The notebook art style is very unique and works well with the varying character roster throughout the fast paced arena matches. However, the long wait times and crass humor used to make Drawn to Death seem edgy really drag down the experience as a whole.

A rather short game that relies much more on difficulty to make it seem longer. Full of unrealized potential, the somewhat stiff controls do not help while trying to solve genuinely creative puzzles at times.

Nippon Marathon has the potential to be a fun party game, but its technical and design shortcomings prevent it from being a race worth running.

A very interesting game, but one that left me feeling lukewarm towards it. I was drawn in by its post-apocalyptic theme and its bizarre structures that beg to be explored, but was left underwhelmed by the lack of depth that lies under the hood. Exploring, gathering resources and then slowly building a town doesn’t result in the best gameplay loop here, and the game’s lack of scale means that you’ll see everything it has to offer before long.

The story, albeit short, is solid enough to keep you interested, but clunky controls that make completing even simple tasks feel like a pain causes Loading Human to be a frustrating experience overall.

Writing is still enjoyable, though the overall story isn't coming together quite as well as usual. Glitches, especially those in animation, take away from the fun.

Mario Party: Star Rush had one good idea, but lost sight of everything else that makes the series great. Ditching turns, and having players roll and move at the same time is interesting and does fix a problem that many have had with the series. But in making this change, and reshaping so much of the game, most of the fun was lost along the way. It's admirable that Nintendo is aware of the problems the series has had, and is trying to fix them, but there's just nothing here to keep players interested, unless they're dying for a new multiplayer experience on the 3DS.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of the Black Water is a game that horror fans will want to love, but will end up causing frustration due to broken controls and an annoying mission structure. The scares are still there though, if you can forgive the other mistakes.

All in all, Madden NFL 22 is ultimately disappointing. Even after all these years, it still feels like EA is coasting on its exclusive rights to NFL simulation football.

Slick music and a cool setting doesn't quite make up for a lack of player involvement and engaging gameplay ideas.

Forspoken fails to impress in several ways. Almost every good aspect of the game has a negative flip side. Though Forspoken isn't a bad game, the problems it does have hold it back from being great. All in all, Forspoken is just okay.

While there were moments I genuinely enjoyed solving Guayota’s puzzles, these are often overshadowed by design choices that end up hindering fun instead fostering it.

Kirby Fighters 2 is very much Super Smash Bros. for kids and/or hardcore Kirby fans. It's a similar experience just made worse by the simplistic and slow fighting and the limited variety of overall gameplay content.

Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 - Episode 2 "Giant Consequences" doesn't help lift this series out of the slump that began in the premier. This season looks to have better days ahead, but right now it's just not hitting the right spots.

If you played this game, and you liked it, 15 years ago when it first came out, you might get a bit of nostalgia from this version. But without the expansions bundled in and practically no changes, there exist better alternatives on the market for you to spend your money on.

Rack N Ruin takes great elements, mixes them together, and then adds a ton of frustration on top. There are things to like here, but they are hidden behind bad controls, confusing design, and annoying gameplay elements.

Had Terminator: Resistance released in 2008 it may have been considered one of the better licensed games of its time, but we've come a long way in ten years. In 2019, with excellent licensed titles becoming more common, Terminator: Resistance is mediocre at best. Fans may like it, but they deserve better. Maybe they'll get that game in an alternate future - who knows - but they certainly didn't today.

Technical issues aside Kingdom Come: Deliverance is at best an ambitious game. There are flashes of brilliance in the implementation of Warhorse Studios' unique RPG systems, as it truly does have interestingly deep survival and progression elements. Though when you do take into account the technical issues it becomes a frustrating experience in which the bad completely outweighs the good.

While Camelot is typically known for rich and deep experiences in their Mario sports games, the bare bones Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash feels like a step backwards for this series.

The fun puzzle solving cannot save the bug-filled mess that is Hello Neighbor 2. Unless you are a huge fan of the Hello Neighbor franchise and have devoured it in all its forms, you can skip this entry. Unfortunately, this is a neighborhood that even Mr. Rogers wouldn't want to be part of.

Flip Wars isn't a bad game, it's a painfully mediocre one with an appalling lack of overall content. The Switch might be the perfect place for a small, simple multiplayer game, but Flip Wars doesn't offer anything new or different enough to justify itself.

Saints and Sinners showed there was huge potential for this series in VR, which is why it's such a shame that The Walking Dead: Onslaught is a massive disappointment.

While full of potential with a robust weapons system, Homefront: The Revolution falters in its execution with widespread technical glitches and repetitive missions that make this one hard to recommend.

Although it had some good ideas at the start, Those Who Remain feels like the most cookie cutter horror game possible that barely manages to present anything fresh enough to keep you interested across the six hour playtime.

Mario and friends have tried out a number of different sports over the years and the latest struggles to live up to that long legacy. The core gameplay of each of the sports is solid, but it feels like the most basic form of each was plucked from a superior title.

Need for Speed Payback is another miss for the franchise. The racing feels good, the presentation is great, but everything surrounding it is absolutely abhorrent.

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is an unfinished expansion with some cool ideas in need of a lot of additional iteration and work. As it currently stands the Elite Dangerous PC community is beta testing Odyssey for the inevitable console launch, despite the expansion being advertised as a finished product. Unless they don't mind paying to play in a glorified beta, commanders should stick with Horizons until the dust settles.

A very rough start for an extremely promising series. Pacing and story issues abound, and the feeling at the end of the 90-120 minute adventure is that it was all setup with no true payoff. Whether that payoff comes in future episodes will determine if this is a worthy successor to the excellent series.

Feeling like an attempt at a best of experience for recent Ubisoft games, Ghost Recon Breakpoint fails to capture what has made the series special in the past in all of the important areas.

DOOM VFR is Bethesda's second major VR release, but it feels like one that is coming a year too late. Poor controls and odd design decisions detract from what would otherwise be an excellent VR shooter.

While the gameplay and levels themselves can be fun and enjoyable, the incredibly short length makes The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy's Grand Adventure a game that feels like it should been a downloadable budget title rather than a near full priced release.

KOI relies more on its look and sound than its gameplay, and the overall lack of difficulty and the shortness of the game really makes it hard to justify buying for most PS4 owners.

Daymare: 1998 succeeds at recreating the classic feel of late 90's survival horror, but in more ways than it should. The game is cumbersome and frustrating at times when more modern takes have smoothed over those particular rough edges.

Frantics fails to live up to its name by featuring an oddly slow pace. Beyond that it's not a fantastic party game experience, full of the same sorts of mini-games seen in past titles within the genre. Still, it works well thanks to the PlayLink functionality that allows you to use a smartphone as a controller. If you're dying for a party game for your PS4, it fits the bill, but there are better options out there.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour brings back the franchise after a short hiatus and while it looks and plays great, the game itself feels like only a tease for the full potential that this series has shown in the past.

From incredibly frustrating and punishing missions to overly perfect and maddening AI, this game pales in comparison to other offerings like Forza Horizon 2 on the market.

Filled with a cast that will be familiar to long-time fans of the franchise, Digimon All-Star Rumble offers intriguing battle types that can be fun with friends, but sadly feels like it could have used a good bit more more development time.

While many asked for the game on 3DS, the wait has dimmed most of those hopes, and now the game simply arrives too late to be worth it for most gamers. If the price drops and the 3DS is the single platform that you have as a Minecraft option, then sure, it's pretty decent. However, if you have any other way to play the game then it's likely better.

Q*Bert Rebooted is definitely one character that deserved to be rebooted into today's gaming world, but while it does retain many of the classic Q*Bert elements, spotty controls and inexcusably bad load times make the game extremely mediocre.

Even as fun as it can be zipping around the island with Luffy's outstretched arms, the numerous issues start to bubble up very quickly and they make One Piece: World Seeker start to feel very monotonous and lackluster way too early into the game.

An overpriced package that offers little new content, Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers isn't a marvelous return for this venerable series. Being mobile is great, and the game looks good, but everything else about this release is skippable for all but the most die hard SF fans.

Killing Floor: Incursion hits PSVR just a bit late in a lot of ways. It's arrival comes months after the PC release, which already felt pretty derivative of other VR shooters out there. If you're a fan of the property then the game might offer enough to justify a purchase. Otherwise it's just a standard VR shooter that doesn't go far enough to differentiate itself from the crowd.

Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted is a good game at its core, but it suffers in the transition to Nintendo Switch.

Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair is not an enjoyable game thanks to the ugly graphics and repetitive nature of the gameplay. It does not help that enemy types and levels are reused over and over again too.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus on the Nintendo Switch is the worst version of a great shooter.

The murky visuals, bland dungeon design, boring gameplay overshadow the excellent boss design and a killer soundtrack, making this more of a chore to play and dampening the experience tremendously. There is no way in good faith that this could be recommended as a full-priced title, however in the future, if they improve upon the many mistakes that are currently in the game, it could be made into what it originally looked to be.

Godzilla has managed to strike terror on the patrons of Tokyo for years, but sadly his latest game does that for very different reasons. By providing slow gameplay and downright boring levels, Godzilla manages to somehow take all of the fun out of playing with giant monsters.

Diluvion is a true beauty to look at and there are some moments that will make you sit back and just enjoy the view. To dive (pun intended) deeper into the guts of the game, however, shows a very flawed experience that can hopefully be fixed as the game continues to evolve post release.

Though the mechanics of Tharsis are often exciting and suspenseful, the game ultimately falls short of expectations due to irredeemably punishing dice rolls.

While the art style and crude humor may be the most polarizing aspects on the surface, the lack of any consistency when it comes to gameplay and level design is the real disappointment in what was supposed to be the triumphant return of Battletoads.

Raven's Cry has very few redeemable qualities. Despite having the potential to be the ultimate pirate adventure, and the inclusion of a ton of features, it's not very fun to play and has quite a few technical issues.

What was once a mediocre game series has been made even worse. Technical issues and gameplay blunders are somehow shadowed by a bulky, contrived plot that believes in quantity over quality.

Along with the usual technical problems, The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 2 'Give No Shelter' adds on many issues of its own. At just over an hour, the episode is woefully short, but the story isn't even engaging enough to make it worthwhile for that short amount of time.

Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival is the sort of game that should have been free. It holds such little content that is actually interesting that most players will find it a waste of their time to play, especially when the far superior Mario Party series already exists. It is a nice way to actually use those Animal Crossing Amiibo figures that you might feel the need to collect, but their function is so forced that it detracts from the experience rather than enhances it.