Its retro inspired aesthetic and difficulty make it a blast for anyone who grew up playing Metroid, and its straight-up fun factor make it a great time for anyone else.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is an exhilarating game to play that has massive narrative shortcomings.

Super Mario Maker delivers everything you could want from it’s endearingly simple concept and it’s likely a gift that will keep on giving for years to come.

Even more worthy of your attention than it was on PS Vita, so do yourself a favor and give this game the love that it deserves.

Party Hard is a game that’s definitely greater than the sum of its parts.

In fact, after my time with DT2, the only obviously glaring fault I can find with it (assuming you don’t mind the grind—this is a JRPG, after all) is that there’s shockingly little information to be had from in-game.

The fiendishly nerdy control over all the little details can be very rewarding; it’s just a shame that I’ve yet to find a middle-ground the game’s balance of power.

One of the most engaging and fun stealth games in years.

If you like atmospheric puzzle games, there’s no reason you shouldn’t pick this up if you missed out on the PC release last year.

Zombi’s unique take on survival horror isn’t enough to compensate for an otherwise bland experience.

To put it simply, KYN is a fun game that doesn’t do enough to separate itself from the countless other top down-action RPGs.

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.

Certainly, the game’s writing and combat are mediocre. That said, there’s still nothing exactly like Lost Dimension on the market. If you want a dash of intrigue in your dungeon crawler, you may want to see this one through to The End .

Each of the weapons are satisfying to learn and use, so even if you’re killing spiders and skeletons over and over again, there’s novelty built on top of the immediacy of each button press/click. It’s an enjoyable romp, even if the Gothic trappings never amount to much (it’s not even pulp horror quality, and it’s completely spoiled by spots of dreadful Stanley Parable style meta-textual commentary).

Until Dawn captured the slasher flick perfectly: typical story, typical teens. Jason, Ghostface, and the fishhook killer from I Know What You Did Last Summer would be proud. However, I cannot stress enough; people not into the horror genre probably won’t enjoy Until Dawn nearly as much.

Despite some bugs and network limitations, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition undeniably succeeds in becoming the new definitive version of this game.

The Castle Game is a small, visually pleasing, and pleasant tower defense title that provides plenty of content.

I’m of mixed feelings about this game. I stuck with it for the long-haul without feeling like it was chore, but there’s a whole new-game-plus section to the game I’ve not tried, and I’m not sure I want to see how it changes things, even though the Steam Achievements spoil some intriguing ideas.

Even though there is very little that has changed since the Hollow Fragment Vita release, the multiplayer aspect definitely adds to the game experience and makes it feel slightly more like the MMO depicted in the series.

I came out of MISSING feeling quite surprised. I’m invested in and intrigued by the story enough that I’m excited for what this series has in store.

Its “campaign” has some pacing issues, but it is pretty amazing what the community has been able to come up with. I feel that N++ is a game that everyone will be able to have some fun with. How much fun, and for how long, will depend on the person.

Legions of Steel has a solid foundation that is spoiled by a lack of ambition and poor design.

What Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture accomplishes with the well-worn post-apocalyptic genre is remarkable.

OlliOlli2 has extracted the very essence of skateboarding and poured it into two-dimensional bliss.

NNG is about as relaxing as an afternoon with Papers, Please. It’s also a hell of a lot of fun.

The Legend of Kay Anniversary is an overlooked gem that is getting a proper HD treatment.

Galak-Z is a visual delight that will constantly punish you with its complex systems.

Getting all these Rare classics for a buck apiece is tantamount to theft in this reviewer’s opinion.