NAIRI: Tower of Shirin is a delightful and cozy point-and-click adventure you can feel good about letting your kids play. The puzzles are creative, the dialogue is a little childish but sweet, and the overall presentation is fairly pleasing. It does take a bit for the narrative to pick up but once it does you won’t want to stop playing, however, extended sessions with a soundtrack that is not memorable at best and a lack of voice acting can feel taxing as you stare silently at the screen. It’s an enjoyable experience that, with a few tweaks, would easily be a must-have for the casual gamer that wants to relax.

I can’t say Brushes with Death is essential, but it does add an entertaining new side-story and character to an already richly imagined world. For its modest price, new players get even more KCD2 to discover. Returning players get an excuse to revisit Henry and his world, like playing catch-up with an old friend for a few hours. Brushes with Death definitely makes an already excellent game just a little more interesting.

NASCAR fans should eat this one up but it might be a little too much for the casual racer. If you are up for a challenge and are willing to spend the time to dig deep into what the Career mode has to offer, Inside Line is an enjoyable experience.

The game is jam-packed with content – twenty big levels, a large open-world hub, and plenty of characters to unlock. The multiplayer is pretty good, but I’m hoping TT Games considers online co-op in future games. If you’re a fan of previous LEGO games or a DC comics fan – I highly recommend getting LEGO DC Super-Villains.

Though the framerate can bog down the experience, Warlords offers a fun game to battle with friends and enemies alike. The controls are well designed and the shredding metal soundtrack sits well with the chaotic essence of the game.

Regardless, it’s a charming, laidback, and enjoyable crossover on the 3DS that’ll feed your RPG and farming needs.

A few weeks ago I went hands-on with a few, curated hours of Atomfall. I felt then the same as I feel now after playing the full game. The world is beautiful and thoroughly convincing, the characters are interesting but the combat lacks polish and finesse. I probably missed a lot of secrets or mishandled some leads, but given the game’s mechanics I’m not enthusiastic about filling in the gaps. Atomfall is one of those rare games that excited and disappointed me in equal measure.

With a few small hiccups along the road that can probably be easily ironed out, and as long as you have patience in abundance, The Blackout Club is a good time. With never ending levels and missions to complete, and the interesting Stalker mode, the replay potential is sky high. If you have a small group of friends to play it with, it makes things that much better. Overall The Blackout Club offers a genuinely scary experience that is not only intense, but equally fun. Honestly, this is cooperative gameplay, with a dash of horror, at its absolute finest.

Layers of Fear 2 is a surreal journey packed with fear and existential dread. Everything from the environment to the music, Layers of Fear 2 is an experience that is frightful, thought-provoking, and disorienting (in a good way). Granted, it doesn’t always hit every note; however, the decision to port it over to the Nintendo Switch is certainly a most welcome one.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was a sleeper downloadable hit of 2010. Crystal Dynamics have unquestionably done it again as Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is quite easily one of the best twin stick puzzle solving cooperative action games we have seen on next generation consoles to date.

Backbone tells an enormous story within a tiny runtime, and it never feels like too much. New wonders, new horrors, and fresh plot twists are chucked your way with reckless abandon. Yet, you never feel too lost. A little lost, surely! All the better to capture that sense of dark waters closing overhead. Between the clever mechanics, the compelling narrative, and the gorgeous pixel art, there's a real fire lit beneath you from the very start. If you're looking for a detective story with glistening fangs, glittering eyes, and sharpened hooks, Backbone will be perfect for you.

Gamedec has a lot of interesting ideas and mechanics, and its hardboiled- detective-in-the-22nd-century story is a great premise. Either the developers had ambitions beyond their ability to deliver, or maybe the game just needs a few more passes with the random orbital sander to smooth down the rough edges, but in its present state Gamedec’s flaws definitely detract from an otherwise intriguing experience.

Even if you end up missing the absent depth, the laid-back pace is a rewarding compensation. If only one-half of this mashup premise appeals to you, what you’re looking for may lie elsewhere. But if you’re looking to blend hacking, slashing, and smooching, Boyfriend Dungeon will be a perfect match.

I’ve touched on the art style, but it really is gorgeous and unique, with paper outlines and great visuals. This, combined with the Flexisphere, which understands the limitations of modern gamers’ time better than any game I’ve seen, and with its streamlined mechanics and entertaining deck-building system, Book of Demons is definitely worth checking out. It’s got a few issues to work on, sure, but that’s what the next six games in the Paperverse are for, right?

Most of these games translate well to the Switch, the improved graphics exploding with color. Playing in 4:3 suits some games better than others, so it’s not a perfect fit. The JoyCons are a great control tool, even if a few games struggle (I’m looking at you Sky Kid, you menace) on the Switch. This was a fun little jaunt down memory lane, but it’s really nothing more than another Namco collection in new digs.

A little bit on the pricey side for a DLC expansion, but it does give you a lot of new content – and I think it is worth the purchase for anyone who has been playing the base game consistently and is looking for something new.

The best thing I can say about Portal Knights is that it is an effective off-shoot of the juggernaut that is Minecraft and Microsoft’s hit title could actually learn a thing or two from Keen Games’ effort here.

The aesthetic is beautiful, the new drifting mechanic feels solid, and the game even offers daily challenges to earn a little extra bank. If you enjoy arcade racing this is definitely a title for you, and I am happy to see Need for Speed find some traction again and hopefully it will take off once more.

The campaign for Worldslayer feels uncomfortably chaotic. It has the story beats of a great tale but doesn’t fully tell the story. If it was meant to deliver a sense of urgency there are aspects that could have been cut. I and many others who played see so much potential for it to have rivalled the narrative of the main game and it’s unfortunate that it is so short. Despite its shortcomings, all of the other new content and enhancements easily make up for it. This is Outriders the way it was meant to be. This is the power fantasy we want to feel in gaming.

I really enjoy Throne and Liberty’s colorful world, detailed environments, and engaging combat. Though the story is pretty uninspired, the game is technically polished and that alone is worthy of praise. But as a primarily solo player, the game isn’t for me in the long run. That’s not really a criticism, because being built for groups isn’t a bug, it’s a feature. That was true back at the dawn of MMORPGs and sometimes it’s still true. I think Throne and Liberty has a lot of promise to succeed at launch and grow beyond it.

Matterfall is an absolute gem to play, taking gameplay we know and love and adding just the right nuances to give us something great.

At the end of the day, I love AC3. I know that I’m not the average player, having studied the Marquis de Lafayette at a college level, but I love sinking hours into Ubisoft’s version of colonial America, where the oft-overlooked make the most important choices of all. Also, I can attack as many Redcoats as I want, with the only consequence being a city-wide manhunt. With this fresh coat of paint, Assassin’s Creed III has never been more fun—providing you enjoyed it in the first place.

Point and Clicks aren’t usually my thing. Putting things randomly together, making obscure leaps of logic, and cycling through inventories just gets boring for me. But Sunday Gold offers so much more than most Point and Click games. It’s got JRPG-like combat. There’s the fun mini-games. And it’s excellently voice-acted and it looks gorgeous. Sure, the story won’t blow you away but trust me, Sunday Gold is a big game in a little package and it’s definitely worth a look.

The combat can leave a little something to be desired and these odd bugs for the NPCs break immersion more than a few times, but overall its an emotional investment I’m happy to make. This may not be exactly the RPG you are looking for, but if you are a fan of complex narrative it should definitely be on your radar.

At the right price, Zombi is a worthy purchase for some. Unfortunately, some of its technical shortcomings and painfully repetitive sequences kill much of the enjoyment. Not to mention some of the clumsy combat and dated gameplay makes for an experience that is far more tedious than it needs to be.

Thanks to offering only two factions and a limited number of modes, Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector might not be the deepest or most complete strategy game ever made, but it’s definitely one of the best and most authentic uses of the license to date. Challenging strategic battles, appropriately melodramatic voice work, more than decent graphics, and a respectful translation of the tabletop game to a digital format make this a must-have for fans of the franchise, and even appealing for casual strategy fans who are not yet invested in all things Warhammer.

For sheer memorable and engaging gameplay, I recommend The Outer Worlds. It was an absolute delight to play back in 2019, and it still holds up as one of my all-time favorite gaming experiences. I am pleased with the graphical upgrades and enhancements from The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition. Although, with less new content and more new bugs, it should have been a free upgrade for returning players.

All in all, The Last Faith is an aggravating, frustrating, and incredibly difficult experience. But it’s gorgeous, delightfully gothic, and finally getting to a new area–or fighting a new boss–is incredibly rewarding. An experienced Soulslike gamer will probably have a great time with this title. And if you’ve never played a Soulslike before, this is a good place to start.

I cannot emphasize enough what a grand adventure Wanderer is. The game has the right mix of action and puzzle-solving to keep things from getting stale. Voice acting and the orchestral score are top-notch and bring added gravitas to the proceedings. The only niggle in the presentation comes with the actions of the NPCs. Sometimes they are oblivious to your presence and movement. This makes their obviously scripted behaviour all that more artificial.

Occasional minor frustrations with the controls aside, it’s hard to find fault with Salt and Sacrifice’s challenging combat and level design. The original was one of the best 2D Soulslikes, and this follow-up has a more appealing style and plays even better, with more varied mechanics and deeper choices. While recent FromSoftware games have encouraged more assertive approaches to enemy encounters, Salt and Sacrifice has an old-school vibe that demands patience, determination, a willingness to grind and the ability to find satisfaction in doing so. Fans of the original won’t be disappointed, and more recent Souls converts will find a new addiction as well.

All of these games are great in short bursts. It's only over repeated play sessions that they start to falter. To that end, your enjoyment is tied to your playstyle. Will you bust out Nintendo Switch Sports whenever friends drop by or log on? Perfect. You'll get months of use out of this game. But if you lean too hard on these activities all at once, you'll be burnt out in a couple of days. On the other hand, if you've been pining for a return to the glory days of Wii Sports, this game is perfect for you. You can even use the old-school Miis instead of the fancier character templates. Just remember to keep your living room clear of obstacles. All of this swinging around is dangerous, after all.

NBA Live 18 is a step in the right direction.

Overall, there’s plenty to like about The Adventure Pals. It’s clearly got a lot of polish, and at no points did I have issues with the gameplay. Levels are surprisingly well crafted, and collectibles are well hidden. The bosses are creative, showing some serious visual appeal. There’s nothing but positive things with so many aspects of this game, but the lack of a true co-operative experience left something to be desired.

There are other modern updates, I’m sure. It runs fine on my PC, and though I have seen reports of bugs and glitches, I didn’t encounter anything egregious. But there’s still a question of why. Why remake these games? Why put a fresh coat of paint on this weird little action shooter that is not so fondly remembered? I’m sure there are compelling business reasons, but nothing that makes sense to me as a gamer. Mafia II is an imperfect fix to a game that was already pretty flawed. Now it’s just as flawed, but in a way that can be appreciated by modern audiences.

As a Grandia fan, it’s been an absolute joy replaying these classic games on Switch. Parts of it are starting to feel a bit dated, but hot damn they’re still a blast to play. Thanks to a wonderful cast of characters, superb soundtracks, and an addictive combat system, Grandia and Grandia II are surprisingly accessible, even 20 years later. If you’re in the mood for more classic JRPG’s on Switch, the Grandia HD Collection will more than fill that void. It’s absolutely grand.

For gamers with a current gen console or powerful PC, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an incredible-looking open world experience. It is a seamless extension of the films, which will appeal to many fans. But underneath all that flash, flora, and fauna is a lack of imagination and unsatisfying FPS combat. Pandora’s lovingly recreated beauty contains mystery, power and a fair amount of disappointment.

The great design and vision behind Pid can't quite overcome its faults in execution, so I can't put my stamp of enthusiastic recommendation on it.

Skylanders Imaginators doesn’t push the franchise forward or make any significant strides but it remains perfectly suited for kids and it’s a rock-solid addition to the Nintendo Switch launch lineup of games.

It’s entirely addicting and filled with more content than you could ever hope to play, so much so that I didn’t even really touch on the improved matchmaking and multiplayer options, the course creator, societies, etc. That mountain of content is wrapped up in a game that is overall pretty good. Much like golf, things that go wrong will frustrate you beyond belief, but they’ll make you feel like a million bucks when they go right. At least if you throw your controller in frustration at a bad shot it’ll be cheaper to replace than dumping your bag of clubs into a lake.

I for one enjoyed what I played, and the added content of past DLC, plus all the bonus goodies that have been tacked on above that make the whole package a pretty good value. There is a lot of gameplay to be had here too and those who haven’t played the game before are in for hours upon hours of zombie mayhem.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is every RPG lovers dream and if you don’t mind its somewhat dated appearance, this classic absolutely deserves your undivided attention. I’ve been having a blast saving the people of Amalur and I can’t wait to see what the all-new DLC content will bring to the table.

Rain isn’t the longest game I’ve ever played, nor is it the most frantic or thrilling, but it is definitely an incredibly enjoyable and engaging tale of two children lost in the cold, dark of night.

While the game comes down to luck a little more than I would have liked which was frustrating, this dungeon crawler with a twist has a lot of redeeming qualities going for it.

If you want something to do that will hold your interest while you laze around, or a bit of a different experience the next time you go to watch a movie, I highly recommend Late Shift. It has some issues that are a bit jarring, but if you don't let those distract you, it's a great experience overall.

Like two ki blasts meeting and struggling to destroy one another, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is a mixed bag of things. It captures the spirit of the anime with its frenetic combat and ridiculous overacting but stumbles mightily with an impenetrable tutorial and convoluted structure.

It really gives some recent Action RPG’s like Diablo III a run for their money, at a fraction of the cost. It truly felt like I was playing a full retail title.

FIFA 21 is a complete package that will keep football fans hooked for the entire season. Although there are only a few small improvements, the tactical possibilities that these unlock are vast. With Dual Entitlement, meaning you can transfer your progress to next-gen consoles and the fact that it's packed to the goalposts with content, FIFA 21 comfortably takes the golden boot for 2021.

What is does get abundantly right is its unique tone, powerful narrative, masterful writing, and a visual style that fooled me into underestimating it makes it worthy of praise.

His past games have demonstrated that Suda51 is probably incapable of making a cookie-cutter action game. Yet underneath its misdirection of wild and crazy, that’s kind of what Romeo is a Dead Man really is. Strip away the disorienting style shifts and patchwork narrative, and you’re left with a fun but limited third-person action game with Soulslike elements. The game succeeds at stylistic surprise but at the expense of polished mechanics and satisfying coherence.

Papo & Yo really tugged at my heartstrings, like few other games have managed as of late, and on that basis, despite some valid criticism, I feel it really is a worthwhile little game.

Dreadnought offers a fun experience for anyone who has dreamed of commanding their own spaceship and battling against other people online. The triumphant feeling that comes with taking down an enemy with a well-timed volley of missiles, and watching as they go down slowly in flames, is an experience I would recommend to anyone.

Coupled with a strong and detailed art style that really fleshes out the story settings and you have a mystery game that all should find worthy enough to play.

Rhythm Fighter provides an interesting concept and although the beginning is overwhelming, it is an enjoyable and forgiving experience. You don’t need much sense of rhythm or direction, making it a friendly experience for many. It starts to become repetitive despite the battlefield being randomly generated, but its catchy music encourages you to pick up the game again and again.

With its randomized maps, a variety of civilizations to choose from, and multiplayer as an accessible option, The Battle of Polytopia is surprisingly replayable. On top of that, being available for mobile devices, you can play it anywhere you go. Truly, The Battle of Polytopia is the pocket-sized 4X that I never knew I needed until I played it.

Though other Monster Truck titles in the past have gone bigger with the theatrics familiar to motorsport fans, Monster Truck Championship simulates the experience very well. Considering the polish of this title, I can see it getting the sequel treatment in due time. I would recommend this motorsport game to anyone who likes monster trucks and/or Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. While I’m excited to see the return of live motorsport events. Monster Truck Championship does a great job of putting me in the driver’s seat until then.

All in all, Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 1 is two classic games in one visibly aged package. If you’re interested in seeing what else the people behind Disgaea have been working on, this will be a real treat. However, I wouldn’t recommend these games to people who aren’t already fans of NIS titles. And if you’re a Soul Nomad fan, then what are you waiting for? Not only did NIS finally port the game to a new console, but it also threw in a free second game.

Pupperazzi is a lighthearted, chill little game that anyone can enjoy. If you’re not too worried about realism and don’t need a lot of high-level content, you’ll be happy with what Pupperazzi has to offer. The bad news is that it’s over pretty quickly, and there isn’t much reason to go back. The dogs are cute, and the whole thing is marginally surreal, but a bit of story or maybe some strong canine characters would have added to the experience, especially for older dog lovers.

It probably sounds frustrating. And it is. I walked away a few times in disgust. But as is clear from the tone of this review, I always came back. That counts more than anything else. That’s the most important thing. I liked spending time in Ixion’s world, in Ixion’s story. I like space disaster stories. Eventually, I was happy to bump myself down to the ‘story’ difficulty, because I didn’t want to miss out. I like looking at it, and I like listening to it. I plan to return to Ixion, to once again embrace sweet failure.

Joey Drew Studios has created a memorable nightmare world of maniacal ‘toons and the dark side of creativity. While its combat and mechanics don’t reach the same level as its setting and narrative, Bendy and the Dark Revival is a must-play for fans of the first game, and an effective introduction to a singular franchise for everyone else.

All in all, Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection is a solid gameplay experience. I just wish the 3D graphics were prettier and the game would stop crashing.

It all comes down to a game that, while not terrible, isn’t going to set the world on fire. We won’t be seeing any Black The Fall clones in the next few months.

A vibrant playground that you can tackle alone or with friends, it adds just enough new while still staying faithful to what made it successful in the first place.

The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk is altogether an enjoyable romp that will land with you about as far as you can tolerate cringeworthy humor and a lite XCOM layer set in a Dungeons and Dragons setting. Also, do yourself a favor and mute the Elf. Permanently. The game has it as an available option; it’s like they knew how bad the humor might be. So do it and you’ll thank me later.

Vibration from the controller and the sheer speed and sense of losing control feels great and makes you believe you are in a powerful suit.

Overall, fans of King Arthur: Knight’s Tale will enjoy this DLC expansion. Newcomers starting with Legion IX will need some onboarding. The game’s core combat remains challenging, interesting, and fun, even if the narrative and writing are disappointing. As a fan of Arthurian legends and history — and more importantly, tactical turn-based RPGs — I had a good time on the battlefields of Avalon.

While I enjoy the odd FPS and rogue-like game, Heavy Bullets never really managed to grab me like I hoped it would. Do not get me wrong Heavy Bullets is a competent arcade shooter and rogue-like rolled into one. The cheap price is another bonus. Yet there are just a few too many aspects about the game that I didn’t find entertaining at all.

Overall, even with a few small missteps, this first episode of Guardians of the Galaxy: A Telltale Series: Tangled in the Blue, sets the scene for what is yet to come and I’m hopeful that as we become immersed into the well-written story, these issues will melt away.

Silt is a unique game that perfectly blends the themes of horror and isolation. Due to the abominations that manifest within, unease spreads throughout and you will second-guess every narrow path. The wonderful puzzles offer a suitable level of challenge which will you keep you content. Even though the movement is a little rigid and it is relatively short, it’s a brilliant experience that taps into the darkest, depths of thalassophobia.

As a big fan of Stranger Things, I found some decent fun to be had with ST3TG. It’s genuinely exciting to take control of these characters we’ve gotten to know over the past three seasons, even as 16-bit renditions of themselves. I also really loved discovering the locations we’ve seen on the show. The fan service on display here might be enough to sell enthusiasts of the show, however, it’s tough to recommend this for anyone who hasn’t seen it.

Homesick is one of those games that I feel everyone should experience. It really spoke to me and I have not felt this way playing an adventure game for a long time. I do suggest taking your time and just soak it all in as you will surely enjoy every minute of it.

Between the delightful little flourishes, this is a game that wants to make you think. And feel.

The actual construction of the expansion is solid, and the new features definitely put a new spin on playing the game, but the amount of content doesn’t fit the price.

A mysterious Halo-esque narrative and the surprisingly fun multiplayer additions alongside some new areas to explore make Rise of Iron easy to recommend as more updates and patches are sure to make for an even better experience.

Overall, Hextech Mayhem is a good step for Riot to continue letting other developers experiment with their IP. The difficulty can spike unfairly at times and the rarer items require a bit too much trial and error to get behind, but it’s a solid diversion at its price point. I just wish Choice Provisions had taken a bigger (or riskier) swing for their auto-runner to give genre fans something to really dig into.

A transcendentally beautiful or superlatively fun game can overcome storytelling weaknesses. But that is not Dark Devotion. It gets high marks for style, and decent marks for gameplay, but the raison d’être (to borrow a phrase from the French developers) is lacking. The game makes it clear why you do what you do, but that reason ultimately feels less than entirely compelling.

Ultimately, Disney Art Academy does exactly what it promises to do on the back of the box. It doesn’t do much more than teaching you how to draw some of Disney’s most memorable characters, but that’s fine.

Eventually I would love to see a timed mode added to this to make it even more challenging.

I’m definitely curious to see what that future holds for the Guardians, and where Telltale might take them next.

Overall, They Are Billions is an absolutely solid pick up and a real steal for its price point. It has a great aesthetic, solid gameplay, and a difficulty curve that is as impressive as it is aggravating. The only real drawback that I found was the PC ported controls that aren’t exactly designed to make PS4 gaming a breeze. If you want to test your steampunk mettle against an almost endless hoard of the undead, They Are Billions scratches that base building itch as well letting you live out your fantasies of fighting zombies. As long as you’re really, really, good at both, you’ll have no trouble with this one! Even if you’re not, this is one that is well worth the time and punishment.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath is an enjoyable remaster which has managed to age with grace, bringing back a classic feeling that isn’t too dated and is just as easy to play now as it was back in 2005. With excellent controls and a smooth blend of FPS and third person platforming adventure gameplay, the game’s only real faults come from repetitive and lackluster dialogue, and a rather barren landscape that reveals its age a little too well, but overall left me with a great experience that newer gamers really ought to try.

Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots lands in the rough. At first glance, it seems to capture the spirit of the originals, but closer inspection reveals what it’s missing. Dated visuals, inconsistent performance, and grating dialogue build frustration. While the game offers plenty of modes and chaotic multiplayer options, the lack of gameplay innovation makes these features feel stale. You might enjoy a quick round, but it doesn’t do enough to keep you hooked for the full 18.

In the end, the parts that work well, even the driving mechanic allows for a first-person view, all add to a very engaging VR experience. Getting to explore Pandora and interact with all the various characters and creatures in scale is a helluva lot of fun. Hopefully, the rumors of forthcoming DLC and Aim support will materialize down the road. In the meantime, it’s time to lock, load, loot, and explore Pandora!

Despite being essentially a re-skin of the Yakuza games, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise is still a comically fun video game once you get past the early portions of the game. Fans of the Yakuza series will feel right at home with the game, but so would fans of Fist of the North Star. While a bit more differentiation from the Yakuza series would have been nice, that does not prevent the game from being enjoyable overall.

Rogue Lords’ approach to turn-based combat — with or without cards — isn’t radically different, but the Devil Mode and ability to “cheat your way to victory” offers a new mechanic that will have you rethinking your usual strategies. Some issues with bugs, balancing, and its overlong, weariness-inducing campaigns are made less egregious thanks to its amusing writing, great music and fantastic gothic horror art direction. Unlike some of the games in this style, Rogue Lords demands a bit of patience, thought and tolerance for complexity while still be accessible to fans of the genre.

Conan Chop Chop is a combination of challenging combat and rogue-lite mechanics that reward repeated runs and never leave you feeling defeated, even when you die. This is a game with much more depth than its colorful and cartoony style suggests. It’s also much more fun with others. Played solo or with a group, though, Conan Chop Chop’s gameplay loop and enjoyable combat are addictive and compel you to try just one run, over and over again.

Thanks to its setting, outstanding art, and level design, paired with excellent combat mechanics, Steelrising makes a strong case for itself in a very crowded Soulsborne landscape. Occasional uninspired bosses, sketchy platforming and technical issues only slightly marred the overall experience. Steelrising is a Soulslike from start to finish, but it stands out as a game I actually can’t wait to play through again.

I have mixed feelings about My Hero Academia: All’s Justice. At its core, it has a good 3D arena fighter battle system. Its best feature is its massive dream roster of My Hero Academia characters that all feel unique from one another. But almost every bonus mode and feature feels cheap and undercooked. Everything except the combat seems like an afterthought. But if all you’re looking for is versus battles with tons of My Hero Academia characters, then My Hero Academia: All’s Justice is a dream come true.

Despite The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s hiccups, I’ve had a blast with it. As a diehard fan of the original film, Sumo Digital’s take on its disturbing universe is faithful, suspenseful, and a hell of a lot of fun. Bear in mind TCM will require a ton of support to maintain an interested player base. But if it gets even half of the love and care that Dead by Daylight receives, it will be a multiplayer staple for years to come. Ladies and gentlemen, start your chainsaws.

To truly get that cosmic Superman feeling, this is one game you want to play in virtual reality.

Smoke and Sacrifice get a lot of the things we love about this genre right, with the added bonus of playing a protagonist with clear goals and motivations. It also teaches players a lesson with every death. While there are save points, they are far and few between, so ensuring that you choose your battles wisely will also help you on your journey. With beautiful visuals and a thematic ambient soundtrack, Smoke and Sacrifice is a brilliant game you should check out.

Bricktales is perfect – for the right audience. The trouble is, I’m not sure who that audience is. The visuals and the writing feel very all-ages. But the puzzle design requires a high degree of patience and perseverance. I’m neither a parent nor a child, however. For all I know, kids love spending ages making the perfect bird perch. That’s where the alchemy happens, you see. That’s the crucible. If you love building without blueprints, if you’ve got a head for design, you’re in luck. LEGO Bricktales will be an incredible time from start to finish. But otherwise? The breathtaking visuals and clever design won’t be enough to hold your attention.

The price is a little high in my opinion, but if you’ve got a VR setup then it’s definitely worth it. Even without, if you enjoy other horror games where resources are limited and your mind is playing tricks on you, then there’s a good chance Narcosis is worth the money. Just make sure to grab your best headset, and turn out all the lights before you start.

Earth Defense Force 5, like previous Earth Defense Force games, clearly have a following – and if you’ve enjoyed the games before, you’ll enjoy this one just as much. If you’re new to the franchise, you’re not going to get much depth, but under the right circumstances and with the right mindset, you might be able to squeeze out a fun time.

As far as handheld gaming is concerned, Transformers Prime: The Game makes an encouraging case for the future of Transformer games on the 3DS and other handhelds, and is easily the best of the bunch so far.

If Ghost Blade had a classic, well-established pedigree I could understand picking this one up. If you’re in that extremely small niche that enjoys this sort of game, you’ll love it. Anyone less than absolutely hard-core should steer clear.

Quantum: Recharged from developer SneakyBox and publisher Atari is an improvement from the original arcade experience. It brings enough newness to enemies, provides a good dose of mode variety, and is quick fun. While the arcade experience might not attract every gamer due to its lack of depth, there is enough here to warrant a hard look.

Traveling through the dungeons gives that rare feeling of a pen and paper RPG coming to life. The puzzles and traps are smartly done. Overall, this is a highly enjoyable VR RPG experience. Unfortunately, the weak link comes in the controls.

Even without casual matchmaking, Team Ninja delivered an incredibly entertaining tournament until the weight of progression started to sink in. I clocked in close to 15 hours and only unlocked 3 outfits. I got one that I might have wanted, but I really wish I had a choice. And, I only unlocked those few skins because I slogged through the one, hyper-linear mode that gives decent rewards. Everything else awards pennies by comparison. All but the most hardcore players are liable to burn out before the first DLC drops. In the end, Dead or Alive 6 ran a marathon and put a grind wall (some might call it a paywall) before the finish line.