I was freed from Pokemon’s adorable clutches for months, and this DLC release has handily undone all that work. Like the base game, the story is an afterthought. Sword, Shield, and now the DLC are all geared towards non-linear play habits. Rather than being guided towards a story-centered goal, you’re making your own fun. The good news is, there’s quite a lot of this kind of fun to be had here. If you’re in the mood for more of what made Pokemon Sword and Shield so good, Isle of Armor will be just what you need.

Lightfall as a whole package falls short of the standard set by The Witch Queen last year. The story is shaky and tangential, and the gameplay changes are few and far between outside of the underwhelming Strand powers. Neomuna isn’t nearly as memorable, and difficulty changes make it more challenging to engage with Destiny’s bread and butter content. Thankfully, overall quality of life improvements and the rock solid bones of the gameplay save the package as a whole. If you’re after more Destiny 2, Lightfall is certainly that, but as the most expensive expansion yet ($100 USD with the annual pass), I expected to have my hair blown back a bit more.

Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission was an absolute delight, and initially I did have my doubts that I would enjoy an arcade card game. However, after playing it for many days and having my eyes glued to the television screen for hours, I admit that I was wrong to doubt. I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it was, despite the simple and repetitive plot in its Story Mode. Although it can be hard to pick up, once you get the hang of it, it is a fun challenge. With hundreds of available characters, lots of missions to choose from, and endless possibilities, Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission offers a lot for one game, which I believe will please many Dragon Ball fans.

Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow captures the spirit of the franchise and implements it into the VR realm. While smaller in scale, the tight, intricate design makes use of the platform to create an exhilarating stealth adventure. The interactivity anchors you in the world; however, small bugs can quickly break the immersion. While the franchise has stepped away from its origins, it’s found new life in VR.

Even with the new additional content in this “Game of the Year” like instalment, it would have been more ideal for the new content to be a DLC package for Deception IV: Blood Ties instead of part of this re-released version.

Despite no attempts to evolve the series beyond its simple roots, Lovely Planet 2 is still just that; lovely. Jumping and shooting your way into the high scores is fun and challenging, and the art style has plenty of charm, accompanied by a wonderfully quirky set of tunes. There are one hundred new levels to take on and two additional modes for those seeking more once the credits roll. While Lovely Planet 2 may not blow away existing fans of the series, it will likely win over many new ones and keep those existing ones thoroughly entertained.

This is a rather cursory attempt at a remaster. The use of downgraded assets, missing content, no DLC, no multiplayer, and no ability to quick save are all big letdowns. One thing the remaster does carry on though is the legacy of the original game in being able to run in a smooth and consistent manner. Further patches may improve the game but in its current state, the only reaction possible with this release is disappointment.

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is an impressive solo achievement. Its disregard for traditional goals, victory conditions or game-limiting objectives makes Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles stand out in a — pun intended — sea of builders. As a set of automated construction mechanics, the Freebuild Mode feels great. Sometimes the campaign scenarios sit uncomfortably in the middle, tasking players to discover how things work but not always giving them a clear, actionable goal. Fans of games like Townscapers will enjoy Bulwark very much, and players of more traditional RTS games will appreciate its fresh approach to the genre.

Tower of Guns is a pretty decent, fun game to play casually, when you are in the mood to just blow stuff up. And it never takes itself too seriously.

I really enjoyed Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening. But a lot of that love has to do with the excellent presentation. The game struggles with some odd controls, and archaic level design. It’s not built as tightly as a lot of modern platformers. But it has lots of content, and a variety of gameplay in its main story. The game’s real strength is its anime presentation. Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening perfectly captures the visual and auditory aesthetic of its Space Cobra source material. If you’re a fan of Space Adventure Cobra, or looking for more 2D action platform games, then Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening is worth your time. Maybe just wait until it’s on sale.

Ultimately, I think your mileage will highly depend on how the stories land with you, and whether the act of walking is a delight or a burden. I do think Where The Water Tastes Like Wine is worth a gander, just don’t expect a swan song of a tale or gut punch metaphor about early America. Enjoy it for it what it immediately offers: a fun series of tiny vignettes and discoverable characters to unwind with. Forget the rest.

South of the Circle is a bold title that deals with mature themes. Its approach to storytelling is refreshing as it interweaves flashbacks to assemble a larger narrative. In addition to this, State of Play also respects its audience. They don’t oversimplify elements and allow you to interpret aspects. While the gameplay lacks substance and can cause some passive moments, the lovely design and spectacular score help make this a memorable experience.

AER Memories of Old knows its limits and doesn’t try to go beyond them, which causes it to fall short in places, leading to simple gameplay and environments. It makes the most of what it has, especially with its visuals, but AER still turns out to be a rather short, shallow game in the end.

Graveyard Keeper is an engaging and rewarding farming sim weighed down by pacing and performance issues. The GBA-style visuals compliment its contained open world, and influences from old-school Zelda games that shine through just as much as that of Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley. The PC and Xbox versions play almost exactly the same, which is unfortunate considering the game’s performance, but if you can look past all the spots and blotches, you’ll likely enjoy the challenging gathering-crafting grind, and the game’s macabre humor when it actually lands.

As a spiritual successor, the game adopts many traits that are similar to Dead Space. The HUD is implemented within the design, the limbs of your opponent can be blown away and the tight camera obscures your view. While comparisons are expected, The Callisto Protocol does differ. The melee-focused combat cranks up the intensity of encounters but ultimately stumbles when facing numerous enemies. Some may not like the linearity but I felt that this helped with the pacing of the game and the effectiveness of scares. Although it never reaches the heights of its predecessor’s first two outings, it still offers a trembling trek through a terrifying detention center.

Anyone hip to the source material is sure to find a lot to love about Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions. And if you’re tired of the same old song and dance that is Fifa and Pro Evo, RoNC might just be exactly what the doctor ordered. But I’d also love to see Tamsoft and Bandai Namco take another crack at this universe because most of what’s here could be made exceedingly better with a solid polishing. Until then, I’ll keep shoulder-checking and falcon-kicking my way to the championship.

When you’re used to all of that and know what to expect from each mission, Riftstar Raiders becomes an absolute blast to play. It just might take you a bit of time to get there.

Overall, Batora: Lost Haven is a fun game, albeit with a few shortcomings. The dialogue and the cartoonish visuals appeal to a younger audience. Meanwhile, the detailed statistics and complex controls make it feel more mature. Are you a fan of sci-fi action games or isometric action RPGs in general? Then Batora: Lost Haven could be a worthwhile game to sink your teeth into.

After a rocky start, Deliver Us the Moon ended up being an adventure game success, and Deliver Us Mars will not disappoint fans of the first game. It tells an interesting and sometimes surprising story and delivers an awe-inspiring Red Planet. Some unrefined mechanics and gamified puzzles carry over from its predecessor, but overall Deliver Us Mars is a genuine step forward for the franchise.

DESYNC requires a special blend of patience and precision. It’s a raw power buried way in your guts that this game just might awaken in you anew.

What Sports Champions 2 lacks in visuals, sound and originality is balanced for the most part by its accessibility; however the end result is an entirely average experience. The choice of sports is questionable with many events having been done before in other games, even for the PS Move.

While Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a solid experience during combat, the overly complex plot is paired with some juvenile and cringe-worthy dialogue that mars the experience.

At the end of the day if you are a fan of the Ninja Gaiden franchise and were let down with Ninja Gaiden 3 on Xbox 360 or PS3, give Team Ninja another chance, especially if you are looking for a fairly enjoyable action oriented launch title for your new Wii U.

Aside from its painfully short single player campaign and “sometimes good, sometimes bad” controls, Star Fox Zero is a very fun game.

Jurassic World Evolution seemingly casts a wide net. If the aim here is to appeal to a larger audience, rather than a niche one, then it’s a job well done.

There’s a timer that guarantees games will be less than 30 minutes, and could be much shorter. That’s a perfect amount of time for me. There’s very little Minimum does wrong.

For those who have yet to experience this highly addictive combination of tower defense, physics destruction and real time strategy, CastleStorm: Definitive Edition offers a unique game experience that is fun to play solo or with friends.

While Absolution is by no means a disaster it just feels lacking in comparison to the rest of the content we’ve been given for Infinite Warfare so far. Although Absolution does add new content, and the Attack of the Radioactive Thing! is both complicated and fun, the multiplayer maps just don’t fit very well within the constructs of Infinite Warfare.

What makes OK K.O.! Let’s Play Heroes so suitable for gamers of many ages is not just the ease of gameplay, but the delightful characters and storyline.

Transformers: Battlegrounds is a fun, inclusive, tactics game that may act as a gateway into the genre for younger gamers. If you can look past the mobile-esque aesthetic, the core gameplay is fun even though it doesn’t reach the heights of XCOM or Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle.

There is a lot of content contained in this little game that makes it really hard to put down. You can have a quiet evening and gather items to make new outfits, fish at the lake to collect bubbles, or change your hairdo at Minnie’s salon. Or you can opt to have a productive evening by mining with the Seven Dwarves, warding off ghosts in Hawaii, or ensuring your cafe is fully stocked with food and beverages at all times. Regardless of your mood and what you want to achieve, Disney Magical World 2 was able to satiate my cravings for a good simulation game mixed with some ghost busting and a little bit of side hustling. It can take a while to get to the good and creative parts, but it is definitely worth the wait.

The initial weapon selection is refreshing, yes. I also love the color palette used throughout the game. But beyond that, this is a bog standard roguelite. Random assortments of enemies attack with increasing ferocity. The bosses require practice and experimentation to master. Your success is determined by repetition and fortuitous reward drops at the end of every stage. Honestly, the short runtime might be an upside, depending on what you’re looking for. Roguelite players may find Lone Ruin rather disappointing. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a short, arcade-style experience, maybe give this game a shot.

In the end, I think Harold Halibut ought to be experienced for its amazing technical achievement, if nothing else. While its gameplay doesn’t always engage, its narrative, characters, and themes are coherent in the manner of good speculative fiction. Both Harold the character and Harold Halibut the game are weird, wonderful, and quite unlike anything we’ve seen this year.

I really enjoyed Shuten Order. The narrative kept me excited to find out the identity of The Founder’s killer. I really enjoyed the structure of every investigation being a different style of visual novel. But the game suffers from many of the issues that plague the visual novel genre. The writing is long-winded, and can be lazy at times. There are lots of bad anime tropes that are going to turn away anyone who isn’t already a visual novel fan. But if you love the genre, Shuten Order is one of my favorite new visual novels in quite a while.

Sea of Solitude does an incredible and masterful job of expressing what it means to suffer from depression, so much so that should you be interested in jumping in and have your own mental health issues I would suggest playing only in short bursts and when you are feeling quite strong. Many of these segments are far too relatable and quite vivid in their depictions of mental distress. The changes made to the Director’s Cut offers subtle enhancements to the game with new voice work that makes it hit home a little harder for American audiences and a photo mode that – while enticing – feels more likely to break the immersion. This is every bit as powerful as it was in 2019, and if you are looking for an emotional story to be fully enveloped in, I can’t imagine something being more passionately and beautifully put together than this game.

If Knack’s track record has you worried, I’ll say this; Mark Cerny and company heard the complaints, and this is their response. Knack 2 is all fast-paced action and dramatic plot twists and tight, skillful platforming. It’s not perfect, but it makes a compelling case for the character platformer as a genre. In this era of first-person shooters and gritty action games, that’s a victory unto itself.

I would recommend Siege Survival: Gloria Victis to players who like difficult management games and muddy depressing fantasy. I know you guys are out there. I’m one of those people. And despite my many criticisms of the game, I intend to keep playing it after this review has gone live. That’s not necessarily always the case! But there is a spark of something at the core of Siege Survival: Gloria Victis. It’s a puzzle, and if I can just line all the pieces up, I know I’ll feel the satisfaction of solving a difficult gaming challenge. But I will not be able to help imagining the game this could have been; brighter, sleeker, and more imaginative.

As a whole package, ONINAKI is a decent title. While there is somewhat of a lack of additional activities to do, it fits in extremely well with the game’s narrative. Furthermore, the narrative of ONINAKI reeled me in from start to finish. It could be described as intriguing or mysterious, though at times predictable. ONINAKI is by no means the best in the genre but offers a strong foundation for Tokyo RPG Factory to build off of in the future.

FIFA 13 on Nintendo's new hardware is a surprisingly robust experience. Nintendo junkies will be able to fully appreciate the HD visuals and sounds in this game; however, there are a few issues that pop up and the omission of key features from other consoles make it more like FIFA 12.5.

Between the game’s breathtaking visuals, candid humor, and heavy emphasis on cooperative play, the horizon is bright for Rare’s swashbuckling shared-world adventure.

Raji: An Ancient Epic is an incredible adventure that carries the soul of the famed Prince of Persia. Although there are some technical issues, its intriguing narrative, immense world and core gameplay will keep you hooked.

To say that Okhlos is repetitive is largely true, but it’s that repetitiveness that ultimately makes the game addictive. The narrative, gameplay, visuals, and even the music all combine to make a game that screams “angry Greek mob”. Okhlos is quirky, fun, and unique all under a simplistic and straightforward structure that makes it accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Thymesia is for anyone who believes that a game like Elden Ring is too accessible or that FromSoftware has lost its edge. It distills the Soulslike formula down to challenge and difficulty, adding a few new mechanics to the familiar staples. Yes, Thymesia is grueling and can be fun for hardcore fans of the genre, but it's also pretty highly derivative. Unless they're absolutely brilliant, copycat games almost always make you wish you were playing the original.

Aftercharge’s unique concept makes it worth checking out. The 3-v-3 setup manages to pack a lot of fun in small doses while also keeping the scales balanced on both sides. Aftercharge forces players to use their heads over their trigger finger and it’s here where the game really begins to shine. It’s a shame then that there just isn’t enough content here to keep players coming back. Aftercharge looks, sounds, and plays the part but as of right now, it could do with a bit more meat on its bones.

Biomutant has ambition but at the end of the day, it just isn’t all that fun. Experiment 101 put together a strange chimera of ideas in their game that never quite connects in meaningful ways. Finding fun was hard because the story isn’t great, exploration is a chore, and combat is serviceable. I did like the puzzle-like nature of the Worldeater boss fights because they break the monotony of quests. Technologically speaking, the game looks and performs well enough. However, I encountered a few bugs that required dying or hopping to the title screen to fix. All in all, Biomutant had the potential to be a frolicking Zelda-like but everything about this ecologically-minded adventure falls short of its ambition.

The Occupation is a serious and well crafted first-person thriller dripping with nuance and subtleties. It excels in its voice acting and ambient audio, as well as letting the player test their investigative skills without holding their hand. It does, however, suffer from incredibly long load times, awkward climbing and crouching mechanics, and a narrative that can be difficult to follow. If you are looking for guns and explosions, this isn’t the game for you, but if you love solving puzzles and the pressure of a looming time limit, this might just be the occupation for you.

It’s pretty to look at and mechanically sound, with its only real downfall being the clunky joystick response which – while not game breaking – can simply be a little frustrating in an otherwise relaxing experience.

Obviously, any fans of the Paper Mario series will be right at home here. The mechanics and the art style are both familiar enough to draw you in, but it’s the original touches that keep you engaged. I’m fascinated by the anti-capitalist message, even if the soundtrack left me somewhat miserable. Even if you have no allegiance to the game’s inspiration, there’s still something cool to be uncovered. Escape from Ever After is a pretty great RPG in its own right.

The best the franchise has looked to date and the fighting is more enjoyable than ever.

I found it to be not only a lot of fun, but a rewarding challenge at times as well. Yes, the dialogue and story might not be your thing, but you can always just skip past that. Don’t let an established IP stop you from playing what I consider to be a solid addition to turn-based strategy games.

While Earth Defense Force: World Brothers innovates nothing, it is incredibly fun. It more than makes up for its lack of originality with a clever, family-friendly graphical style, and boatloads of content. Anyone looking for some mindless shooter action can’t go wrong with World Brothers. I highly recommend it over other games mainly because of the size of its enemy swarms, the scope of its destructible buildings, and its endless amount of content.

Cat Cafe Manager is a work in progress that still manages to capture your heart. It was unfortunately riddled with small problems that ultimately led to an unplayable experience. Even though the cats were adorable and the characters were endearing, the poor performance made it difficult to see past completion. The first few hours of gameplay are relatively stress-free, but as it progresses there are some complications that followed. Glitches, difficulty to perform actions, and laggy movements ultimately led to a frustrating gaming experience. Despite the fluffy cats and creative strategies, an update is needed to improve the game’s performance. After some improvements, it will definitely be a hit, but right now it’s not quite ready yet.

Like the movie, Mad Max is the perfect summer time romp and should surely wet your appetite before the true Road Warrior inspired game releases later this fall, Fallout 4.

Hey! Pikmin is a solid spin-off from the existing Pikmin franchise. While it doesn’t feature the tactical style gameplay of past Pikmin games, it also doesn’t feel like Pikmin was shoehorned into some random genre either.

Even with its shortcomings Vivid Games has done an admirable job of bringing a somewhat fairly authentic feel to a boxing game for the PS Vita. Sure, it has a few issues but it has enough going for it that most gamers and fans of the sport will like it.

A spiritual successor to the Zeno Clash franchise, Clash: Artifacts of Chaos preserves and extends those games’ trademark weirdness. Clash: Artifacts of Chaos takes some chances and adds some interesting mechanics to the action game formula. Not everything works, unfortunately, and the game can be striking, engrossing, and frustrating in equal measure. I loved the game’s singular art direction, day/night mechanic, and more, but the combat is a mixed bag. Clash: Artifacts of Chaos is almost, but not quite, worth playing for its art alone.

Disciples: Domination does not upend what already works about the series. It moves Empress Avyanna’s narrative in a new direction and adds nuance and depth to all the game’s systems. There are a lot of mechanics at play, from combat to RPG-like elements to diplomacy, and they work together well and add up to a rich experience.

Overall, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is an enjoyable experience that’s jammed-packed with Olympic-sized fun. With so many events and modes to choose from, all presented in Nintendo’s signature welcoming style, there’s something for everyone here. Just don’t expect a deep and engrossing experience; while there are nice extra touches like Story Mode and an added retro element, this is mostly a game meant for casual, bite-sized fun on the go.

Resident Evil Zero felt like a dated game in 2002, and an additional 14 years hasn’t exactly helped the game feel fresh. While the modern controls are a nice addition, they’re not nearly enough to make this a great game anymore.

In the end, is World of Warplanes worth your time and possibly your hard-earned cash? I think it is as it is fun and something different than the multitude of FPS’s out in the market today, and certainly anyone who is an aircraft enthusiast should check it out.

All in all, Arslan: The Warriors of Legend seems to be a pretty good anime that got turned into an okay Dynasty Warriors-style game.

The replay value here is undeniable.

Last Recode turned out to be something that I looked forward to playing at the end of the day. It has a fantastic story with some great worldbuilding, colorful characters, and includes all three original games alongside a newer, fourth volume to carry on the story. The combat became a bit samey and grindy after a while, but I still enjoyed it, and am assuming I will continue to enjoy it throughout the next three volumes I’m going to play.

Altogether, Twice Circled has crafted a decent tycoon game that is fun and relaxing, if not a little unimaginative. It won’t thrill or challenge you like Planet Coaster but you’ll find yourself mesmerized by the simple joy of it. It feels like owning a hobby tank of fish…and people. It’s not a bad combination. If you enjoy tycoon games it’s worth picking up. Sit back, relax, and try not to think about eating seafood.

Etherborn is a charming game with great level design and soundtrack. While the story and character were rather flat the gameplay more than made up for it. A simple puzzle game at heart the main premises of perspective and gravity control was used to great effect. Etherborn is a rather short game and the levels don’t offer much replayability. I certainly enjoyed my time with Etherborn, but I would have liked to have a reason to return. Overall, Etherborn is a game I would recommend for anyone looking for a mellow puzzle game that will teach you how to approach problems from new perspectives.

In sum, The Church in the Darkness is a highly replayable game with shifting gameplay goals for each playthrough. The dynamic narrative that changes the motives of the cult leaders leads encourages players to give it another go, make new choices and achieve new endings. You’ll have to endure its technical mishaps, but if you get past those, you’ll have fun investigating the diverse versions of this mysterious cult.

If you and your friends are still really into Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Pathogen is a no-brainer purchase. Like the Chapter 2 content, Pathogen adds lots of toys, cosmetics, and a new mode. For casual players only dipping into Fireteam Elite on occasion, the ratio of cost to content might not work in their favor. With the right group — that is, human friends or cooperators — Pathogen is just as rewarding as the base game, and extends the fun just a little longer.

Crime O’Clock’s lovely art direction and charming premise can’t save the game from its repetitive gameplay loop. While at first, it delivers a wave of nostalgia, it soon drowns in its concept. Even though it’s extremely accessible and fun to play with others, it quickly loses momentum as it struggles to innovate on the idea.

Though Moons of Madness isn’t the first game to do so and it likely won’t be the last, it’s a survival horror experience that succeeding in giving a grown man nightmares, which is something a zombie game just can’t do.

With its more focused campaign less burdened by irrelevancy, The Siege of Paris is a leaner, tighter and brisker expansion than Wrath of the Druids or much of the main story. The new/old Infiltration mechanic is a welcome changeup from the usual routine of explore and battle, but maybe not enough to entirely wipe away the feeling that the Siege of Paris is sticking a little too close to the template. What it lacks in creativity, bold new mechanics and mission structures, The Siege of Paris delivers in art direction, atmosphere and story. Though I personally enjoyed the visit to Ireland a little more, Eivor’s trip to Francia is by no means lacking in quality. For better or worse, it’s just more of the same.

If you’re a fan of games like Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley and Rune Factory, you’ll definitely like this title. It has a decent balance of farming and adventure, a solid story and the most adorable characters you will ever see. Since the game is pretty open, you can really go at your own pace, you don’t have to do any of the story quests right away if you feel like opting towards farming and gathering instead. Or if you think you can get away with a limited income, you can mostly forgo the farming and head straight into the adventure! Overall, Kitaria Fables is a wholesome and relaxed time.

While I love the moment to moment action, the pacing can still get downright glacial at times. If you’re hoping for an RPG experience, you’ll be rather let down. As far as action platformers go however, Dragon Marked For Death is a ripping good time.

Akane is unapologetically fast, tough, and challenging. It’s setting and general yakuza/cyberpunk themes mesh incredibly well together in telling the player everything they need to know about the games’ last stand. The combat is fast and fluid with a moderate amount of skill required, yet its also designed to be something you can easily learn and improve upon the more you play. The challenges the game offers also give you a variety of goals to work towards and various helpful rewards to unlock which not only helps encourage replayability but offers short term goals that can keep you playing for hours. Whether you have a few minutes to spare or an hour waiting in line, Akane is a title you can pick up and play for any length of time.

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain is light on narrative and heavy on fast paced action. The soundtrack keeps your heart pounding and the variety of weapons and abilities unlocked through your armor really let you play your own unique style. The character creation is a bit lacking – especially from a studio which has made so many WWE games – and the cast is mostly forgettable but the intense combat and overwhelming number of enemies really makes you feel like the underdog in a story about fighting for survival against alien forces.

All in all, Heartworm is a lovely journey into classic survival horror fun. Just be prepared for your heart to ache as well as freeze in fear.

It has some positive notes, such as the ability to play single player, couch co-op and online co-op (even going as far as offering unique levels depending on whether you played co-op or alone). The characters have some fun animations and some of the platforming was well-designed – you always get a bit of a rush when you nail a great throw of your partner. Unfortunately, the game also has a number of issues too, such as the numerous glitches and steep difficulty curve (particularly in co-op). If you’re looking for a decent co-op puzzle-platformer, then Shift Happens should be able to fill that void.

Resident Evil 5 had its time to shine in 2009, but even rose tinted glasses can’t save this game in 2016.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China takes a bold new step for the franchise. While I did have fun, I spent most of the game frustrated by buggy controls and A.I. that seemed to forget what its limitations were.

While they didn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel (well, in one scene they kind of did) this installment in the LEGO series of games does what LEGO does best and it’s purely fun to play. Now if I could only get this stupid song out of my head.

Open-world sequels are a risky venture. Sometimes a winning formula can’t be transplanted into open spaces without consequences. But Titanic Scion manages the shift. Your time in this massive world is focused on that critical combat/custom/upgrade gameplay loop, so you never feel lost or shiftless. I could do with fewer load times, and the routine gear scrutiny does mess with the pacing. But once you’re actually out in the world, mixing it up, the game flows quite beautifully. I can’t get enough of that core loop, at least once it gets going. If you’re looking for an enormous mecha RPG with tons of customization and a captivating story, then Titanic Scion is exactly what you need.

If this is indeed the end for the series (and the studio) at least it goes out on a strong note.

The story quality in the quest line is great, but the adventuring feels short and hastily constructed. If what you want is simply a solid addition to the base game, particularly if you’re on console and can’t play with mods yet, then Automatron will surely spark your interest.

Ganryu 2 succeeds in its goal to continue the legacy of the arcade, however, it’s dragged down by the shackles that come with it. Its failure to take inspiration from modern games means that it struggles to compete with contemporaries. The presentation is stunning and the levels are well designed, varying throughout. However, the stiff movement and lack of continues can make this a laborious experience.

There’s a lot to like about this game. The sense of scale and visuals is amazing. However, the core aspects of the game, such as handling and getting access to the main rally, are frustrating. Saber Interactive has done a good job on the macro level of the game. With upcoming pledged updates, I’m hoping they enhance the micro aspects which are badly needed.

Miasma Chronicles is not light years away from Mutant Year Zero in either setting or gameplay. It is, however, a more refined and self-assured game, with an even better narrative and characters. The world-building and story are worth the price of admission, backed up by solid and creative tactical combat mechanics.

Friday the 13th: Ultimate Slasher Edition is not perfect by any means, but it is a perfect representation of the movie series as a whole. By providing players thrills and tense moments any Nintendo Switch owning horror fan should enjoy it, even with some of its deficiencies. The additional DLC extras, offline mode and various goodies all add to the package, and developer Black Tower Studios’s effort is one that would make even Mrs. Voorhees proud.

The battles you fight in are incredibly fast paced and frenetic, exactly what you would expect and hope for from a Dragon Ball game.

There is a lot to love about Deliver At All Costs. It trumpets an exuberant charm with its clever writing, wacky missions, and chaotic gameplay. Each area of the map is beautifully crafted and a delight to explore. Whether working on the story, completing odd jobs, or just cruising around town, it is always a satisfying adventure. The story of Deliver At All Costs has enough hooks to make you keep wanting to learn more, but the overall tone of the story juxtaposes against the comical nature of the gameplay. A few QOL missteps, like not being able to set waypoints and the restrictive camera, are minor annoyances to an otherwise very enjoyable experience. Deliver At All Costs simply delivers.

Overall, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a decent foray back into the Pokemon universe for those waiting for Sword and Shield DLC. However, without the Pokemon license, I’m not so sure that this game would be as well regarded as it is. Despite that, it takes what it has, and makes it a fun experience in its own right. Die-hard Pokemon fans won’t have too hard of a time deciding whether to purchase this game, but for everyone else, there is currently a demo on the eShop in which progress carries over.

Eiyuu Senki – The World Conquest appeals to a very niche audience. It has very good combat, and lots of options, but most gamers, even those who love their RPGs very Japenese, will have a difficult time getting into the silly story, and boring dialogue. This game is for hardcore visual novel and strategy RPG enthusiasts only.

Hover: Revolt of Gamers is definitely not a game that I enjoyed at all. It was boring, uninspired and often times way too frustrating. With that said, I could see it being a game that could potentially appeal to others. I felt the multiplayer aspect didn’t add anything special to the game, the visuals were bland and the music was awful (the music will definitely have an audience that loves it – it’s just not something I enjoy listening to). The missions were way too repetitive and usually varied between boring and frustrating with very few hitting that sweet spot where I was having fun.

Despite the clunky dialogue and unreliable environmental hit boxes, Manticore is still an enjoyable experience and looks great both on your TV and on the go.

If you play Black Ops 2 for its multiplayer component you have likely already downloaded the pack. If you haven’t by now, and you are looking for a reason to get back into it, Vengeance may just be the reason you need.

Whether it is tackling the single player chapters, collecting comic book pages throughout the city, or breaking up crimes, the amount of variety and replay value in the game is endless. The Amazing Spider-Man is not an amazing game, it but is a very good game that Spidey fans will absolutely want to pick-up this summer.

As the first in an episodic series, Dead Synchronicity ends quite abruptly, which is very disappointing after putting the time into the story.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 2 refines the gameplay while delivering a story conclusion that may divide players. The story gives satisfying resolutions to many of the complex, multilayered narrative threads, but some of the more ambitious supernatural elements fail to deliver a full payoff. The addition of new gameplay mechanics, particularly the puzzles that shift between past and present, adds welcome depth to the experience. Ultimately, the story comes together in a way that feels emotionally fitting, but it leaves several key questions unanswered. As it stands, the game feels incomplete, and it needs another Tape or a full sequel to truly bring the narrative to a close.

Sea of Solitude is a short but impactful, memorable experience that treats the subject matter of depression, loneliness, and mental illness with both respect and honesty. At times the content may hit a little too close to home, but pushing through the pain and reaching the end of the game is a satisfying and worthwhile experience. It is, however, only the games powerhouse storytelling that holds it together as mechanically it’s a lot of walking with some minor platforming. There is a lot of potential for some innovative and memorable puzzles here, but the games heavy focus on its emotional narrative detracts from it being, well, a game.