Despite some good moments, Bowser’s Fury just feels like a strange collection of ideas that never really coalesce—like it wants to be a Course Clear Mario, trapped in the body of a Sandbox Exploration Mario. I can’t help but feel like maybe if Bowser’s Fury was built like Super Mario 3D World and had a collection of actual levels—maybe some that were normal, and some where Fury Bowser was in the background the whole time creating obstacles and threats, which culminated in various “3D” Fury Bowser boss battles, than it might have felt like a more put together experience.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes fails to capture its intended mystery-filled story because of having to headbutt against puzzles non-stop and some glaring control issues.

Devil May Cry 5’s risk-averse approach grounds it as other games in the genre are reaching for the sky.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 had a lot of promise, with its gripping story and beautiful landscapes, at least until the technical issues started showing up and completely ruined the experience.

XCOM 2’s console version is a buggy mess cobbled together from a far better game, and the worst possible way to experience the game.

You'll either love or hate The Witness as it will either make you feel smart or stupid. If you don't love puzzles and deep philosophical thoughts, perhaps avoid this one.

In the end, this is not my favourite version of Rocket League, but it is one that you can enjoy. The gameplay is identical to the other versions in most ways, but the graphics of the Switch version are ugly. The resolution is so low.

For newcomers, this is the game to start with, but the franchise does still feel a little exclusive with the mountains of text you have to read to get a basic understanding of how the game works.

Final Fantasy XII was outdone by the competition when it came out eleven years ago, and The Zodiac Age changes absolutely nothing in that regard. An overpriced and undercooked re-release of a game better left forgotten.

As a game, Xenoblade is still one of the best JRPGs available in years, and on that front, any fan of the genre who’s never played it should buy it immediately if there’s a new 3DS in the house. As a port, however, it’s a less than stellar job, and people spoiled on improved remasters of old games are in for an unpleasant surprise.

A Space for the Unbound tries to stand on its story, but wraps it in a gameplay that is unbearably tedious.

The Hundred Line - Last Defence Academy is a pretty solid turn-based strategy game buried under an avalanche of terrible anime tropes and mediocre storytelling.

Clearly, the players who stand to gain the most value from purchasing this re-release are those who have bought or plan to buy a next-generation console and for one reason or another haven’t played or finished the original DMC5 campaign yet, as it is for them that the game will yield the most surprises and offer the most longevity. That said, if I were to draw a Venn Diagram titled “gamer groups interested in buying DMC5:SE” that encompassed the DMC-curious, franchise die-hards looking for new challenges, and brand new 4K60/120 HDTV owners, I’d be willing to bet that there would be a sizeable amount of overlap. Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition is still one of the best looking games of last generation, and if you’re looking for something dazzling to flex the muscle of your next gen console and give your thumbs a serious workout at the same time, you could easily do far worse, especially on Xbox Series X/S where there are fewer standout next-generation games to play.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was a surprising experience. Though the game still has some bugs, and a few undesirable features, it comes packed with in-depth characters and an extensive storyline. If you have time to go for a very long virtual walk, this might be the game for you.

Sayonara Wild Hearts’ is gorgeous and packs an incredible pop soundtrack, but the actual levels the music accompanies never feels as natural as its audiovisual splendor.

There’s no denying the quality of FFX, as it’s often hailed by some as the last “good” JRPG Square Enix has made in the last 15 years, but there’s already a much cheaper, slightly blurrier version of this compilation out there on the PS3.

Shiren the Wanderer may have pioneered the roguelike genre, but this latest entry sure hasn’t advanced it in any positive way.

I came into PES 2018 ready to be won over, and converted into a PES fan. Unfortunately, I came away being disappointed.

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a fairly remarkable game, even if it got on my nerves something fierce due to its predilection for unnecessary mechanics.

Triangle Strategy feels like: “Oops, All Exposition,” and while I did find myself enjoying it at times, I found myself glazing over far too often. It’s clearly got a big story to tell, but at the expense of all the other gameplay, and it ends up feeling more like a visual novel with some combat encounters, so it can technically be called a game. I’ve no doubt people will find something to enjoy here, but speaking for myself—as someone who genuinely likes turn-based strategy games—I’ve had to really push myself to enjoy it, and I don’t know how many people will.

Bioware’s first RPG foray into gaming stole the hearts of myself, and I’m sure others has not aged well, and has a lot of difficulties to overcome.

The No More Heroes games make for light action fun, but they feel like they could be so much more if they only focused on what they did best without so much filler.

If you find this game’s story distasteful, especially considering the modern American political climate of misused government overreach, I really can’t blame you. Everything is political, it’s just that many don’t realize that things like the status quo or basic power fantasies fall into that category whether they like it or not.

Tales of Arise is not so much an evolution of the Tales series as it is an awkward game that backs up decent combat with a bland, uninspired story and characters.

The No More Heroes games make for light action fun, but they feel like they could be so much more if they only focused on what they did best without so much filler.

The Ringed City is a fantastically punishing finale for the Dark Souls saga, but is held back by linear level design and an underwhelming story.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a good game that corrects many of the missteps found in Odyssey, offering a number of interesting improvements to the series’ formula.

10 Second Ninja X never truly reaches its pinnacle in the game-play department by a charming cast of characters and a surprising story push the game across the finish line.

Resident Evil 4 remains in a league of its own, but this port dampens the enjoyment with an unwelcome jump in resolution and some odd control issues.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a solid remaster for those looking to play as gaming’s most famous purple dragons.

PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo had an immersive mystery story, along with utilizing 2D visual novel features that amplified its overall quality.

While it’s nice to see Battle Royale games on mobile, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds doesn’t translate well to a mobile experience due to its poor touch controls and lack of optimization.

Enter the Gungeon has a few questionable design decisions that prevent it from reaching the same echelon as its competitors, but it’s a fine little action game that will satisfy bullet hell enthusiasts and those of you who love twitch shooters.

Somewhere underneath the broken gameplay and terrible camera controls lies a lot of potential for a great game.

It’s a solid enough game and it does offer a lot for serious baseballers while still being pretty fun and approachable for guys like me who might just want to play some arcade-style baseball with friends. While I did wish it had a little more to make it a more complete experience, I don’t regret my time with it.

Gears of War 5 bravely adds new mechanics to an aging series, but ends up being worse because of them.

Prey is a game that is a patchwork of other titles with no swatches of originality added to the mix.

Tekken 7 has the barebones basics for a good fighter, but it’s missing the trimmings that make it worth recommending over bigger, and cheaper competition.

The follow-up to Planet of Lana attempts to recapture lighting in a bottle by doubling down on its signature 2-D platforming and puzzle elements, but a handful of visual and gameplay inconsistencies make the experience considerably less enjoyable.

When Dark Room moves beyond its initial twist in order to return to the mystery at the centre of the game’s overarching plot, it succeeds at offering exciting gameplay in lieu of maintaining its thematic focus.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a gorgeous throwback to the days of the Arcade, but one that ultimately feels a little too safe and short for its own good.

Children of the Sun built upon some concepts from other first-person puzzle games, and came up with something charming and uniquely fun.

For the price, Zombie Night Terror is a fine way to spend a weekend or more.

Persona Q2’s has a lot of fun dungeon crawling to offer, but doesn’t make the most of its great cast’s time together.

Catherine: Full Body has more interesting things to say about relationships that are dragged down by a story too cynical to let it shine.

If you can get past the childish and highly repetitive English dialogue, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 is a great option for players looking to mindlessly blast giant insects, aliens and Kaiju to bits with their friends, either online or with a local buddy.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is an interesting take on the Monster Hunter series. Honing in on the RPG mechanics, it changes the series in a way that makes it way more approachable than the main series.

A game that doesn’t do any more than it has to but just manages to get by due to each game being so individually solid.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 starts incredibly strong in the first half, but after certain revelations, the story speeds up to a point where the conclusion feels rushed and half-baked.

At its best, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is charming. At its worst, it’s very tedious. Unfortunately, its lack of flow and terrible voice acting really hurt any momentum the game picks up from the fun and rewarding parts of the game.

Dungeons of Dreadrock is a paint-by-numbers puzzle game that has little going for it outside of a genuinely nice visual style.

Bayonetta Origins is a sub-par experience marred by sloppy combat and only somewhat redeemed by an incredible visual style.

Amnesia: Rebirth offers a thrilling addition to fans of the original, but non-fans will likely face an uphill climb to enjoyment.

As a piece of art, I quite appreciate Virginia. but I certainly won't be revisiting Virginia in the future.

A painfully bland story and dull characters don’t stop Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE from being a novel and fun role-playing experience for fans of the genre.

The overwhelming feeling I had in my time with Expeditions: Rome is that it’s perfectly average. If you have a strong draw to Roman history, there’s a lot to love, as the game goes full-force into its setting. The systems all work together competently, but never do anything to stand out from the pack of other CRPGs out there. Even so, I kept finding myself wanting to play more, wanting to conquer that extra little bit of land. If you’re hankering for a new CRPG with a lot of systems to learn, you can certainly do worse than Expeditions: Rome.

Telltale has definitely gotten so comfortable that their latest zombie game lacks any teeth.

I’m sure these games are great for anyone who grew up with them, but I honestly don’t get why.

There's some interesting stuff for arcade aficionados, but Circa Infinity isn't quite there for anyone else.

The Jackbox Party Pack 6 brings with it four new games and the sequel to Trivia Murder Party. It’s more polished than the previous releases on launch, but none of the new games are particularly great.

Sucker for Love: Date to Die For was short, a little broken, but ultimately engaging and relatable. Just like my love life.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a par for the course port of a surprisingly deep and well-realized fighter that, despite being a spin-off title, knocks out the competition, even nearly a decade later.

Mega Man Legacy Collection is solid, and Digital Eclipse has done a commendable job of making these NES titles playable on modern hardware, but as a modern collection, it’s woefully incomplete no matter how you slice it.

The Artful Escape has a stellar narrative with actual good humour enhanced by the voice acting talent and beautiful landscapes, but the gameplay is stale and those who dislike electric guitar are in for a long haul.

If you liked Nidhogg, Nidhogg 2 is more of the same—which is probably enough for most people. A few new weapons, a shallow character creator, cool stage backgrounds and online play are the biggest changes you’re paying for here. I just wish there were more substantial editions aside from those.

Dragon’s Crown Pro is filled with endlessly captivating art, but those same visuals also trip up its deep, intricate action (and may be a bit too risqué for some players’ tastes).

If it wasn’t for some questionable design choices with the game’s most important element, it could have been a flawless experience.

Pac-man Championship Edition 2 Plus keeps all the fun and frenetic gameplay that made the original so appealing, a inconsistent frame rate holds back the otherwise great package that shouldn't be missed.

Telltale has definitely gotten so comfortable that their latest zombie game lacks any teeth.

This game takes many hours to play a campaign, which is a definite plus, but those hours can be quite tedious when cutscene loading and strange hang-ups occur.

As much as I wanted to enjoy Everything, it’s an empty experience trying to be deeper than it really is. It’s even more frustrating when it becomes clear that Everything is nothing more that streamer fodder to get views from an audience that will probably never actually buy the game anyway. Still, as a one time playthrough, Everything can be interesting, even good for a chuckle or two, but once it’s over, there’s no need to ever get back to it.

A fun procedurally generated rpg adventure with a punishing difficulty that will require multiple playthroughs.

Slime-San mimics what made titles such as Super Meat Boy so different, but despite being beautifully unique, it never reaches the same type of greatness.

Despite its flaws, the unsettling atmosphere and experimental narrative make Among Ashes a fascinating experience for horror fans.

Brave New World wastes what precious little time Before the Storm has on filler, holding back meaningful developments until the very end.

Even if it's an imperfect collection, Disney Afternoon Collection now offers even more value, especially for gamers of a certain age.

Mega Mix offers a lot for Switch owners to enjoy, even if the title doesn’t live up to the standard the series has set for itself.

Like a Pop-Up Book, Crafted World is creative and fun, but only paper-thin.

So is it worthwhile? For SNK fans, yes, especially if you missed the Pocket Color like everyone else. Despite the Compilation’s game-to-dollar value, though, this is still a collection of twenty-year-old handheld games. If you miss the Game Boy days and want something new to play, you may find something worthwhile here.

Overall, Hot Wheels Unleased 2: Turbocharged builds on the solid foundation of the first game by adding new vehicles, tracks and more importantly new race modes. While the story is bland and forgettable, the gameplay is too much fun for it to hold it back too much.

While there’s plenty more that a true fan would get out of this experience, as a bystander, there’s not much of a draw here for me.

Repetitive gameplay and no sense of progression hamper an otherwise fine entry to the series. Super Mega Baseball 4 could be better if there was more to do than the same thing over and over again.

Horizon Call of the Mountain might get lost in its own exploration with less series-defining action, but makes a strong PSVR 2 launch title that looks as great as it feels. In the process, Horizon fans finally get an immersive version of the Sundom only VR can deliver.

If you love grinding for hours in dungeon crawlers after doing a three-hour long tutorial, this is the game for you.

Pacific Drive captures the spirit of working on your car in a game that heavily leans into the crafting experience over its driving roguelike elements.

Trials Rising, another excellent racing platformer hybrid, is bogged down slightly by an ugly loot box economy and an unnecessary leveling system.

During my time with F1 24, I found that there are a fair few things that were improved from last year's title, but with some game modes missing entirely, what else is there to do?

Detroit Become Human is a beautiful yet deformed puzzle. The individual parts look pretty, but once you try and piece it together, it all falls apart.

Episode Aigis is nearly a 1:1 remake of the Answer, completing the Persona 3 experience, but one that comes at an exorbitant cost to the fans.

While Cyber Shadow is fundamentally a solid game, it does go to show that some robot Ninjas aren’t built as well as others.

SNK vs Capcom was an exceptional fighting game at the turn of the millennium and still holds up now—mostly as an artifact.

There is nothing wrong with Yoshi's Woolly World. It's fun, progresses in difficulty and has everything one would expect from a Yoshi game, but it feels generic.

Slippery movement and some unreliable mechanics make Super Rude Bear Resurrection a bit harder than it ought to be for new players, but overall offers good challenge and creative level design.

While the The JackBox Party Pack 5 is hard to recommend at full price due to mediocrity, if you liked past entries it could be worth buying while on sale.

Battletech Flashpoint isn’t really a must own expansion, but it is certainly worth it for players looking for more.

Hatsune Miku Project Diva X is a complete retooling of a series that didn’t need it, hobbled by a sub-par tracklist and an overall lack of substantial content.

System Shock is an upgraded classic with dated elements that needs quality of life improvements, yet despite everything is still a fun treat for immersive sim fans.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens gives you everything you expect from a LEGO game, for better or worse.