True to the series, Tales of Berseria relies heavily on its story telling and does as a good as job as any of its predecessors.

Dead Rising 4 Mini Golf is actually a fun little add-on that adds good content to the Dead Rising 4 package. If you’ll only be playing this mode alone, don’t bother. If you have a group of friends playing Dead Rising 4 that are willing to purchase this DLC, then I’d say go for it.

Die-hard Star Wars fans will find enough here to enjoy the game for a while. More casual fans will probably play the game for a couple of hours and then move on. Star Wars: Beyond Victory is available on the Quest 3 and 3S.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is a unique experience that is really impressive at first glance. I enjoyed putting the courses together and exploring the variety of Grand Prix’s, but after a while, the experience does lose its charm much faster than normal Mario Kart experiences.

Dread Hunger has a solid premise, but whether it’s a good time depends almost entirely on the people you play with. The survival elements are fun, but the social deception mechanics are where it’s at. Dread Hunger has some built-in limitations, but its theme and setting help it stand out from other games in the genre. Whether you’re trying to maintain order or create chaos, Dread Hunger will put your ingenuity and acting skills to the test.

Slitterhead takes an innovative concept and places it at the forefront of the adventure. The possession mechanic leads to a frantic combat system that encourages you to quickly switch between characters to fight formidable foes. This bleeds throughout acting as a method of traversal and stealth. Although a little clunky and lacking polish, the game manages to deliver a truly unique experience that will resonate with fans of action and horror.

Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn serves as a nostalgic reunion with beloved characters from years past. However, the necessity of additional closure remains a subjective matter, especially considering the already satisfying conclusion offered in the base game. It’s worth noting that Tales of Arise significantly contributed to elevating the long-running series into mainstream recognition. Beyond the Dawn seems more akin to a modest project. It’s a subtle reminder of the Tales franchise as it bridges toward an eventual next release. While not a groundbreaking expansion, Beyond the Dawn manages to carve out its space, offering both familiarity and a subtle nod to the franchise’s enduring legacy.

Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure has an excellent single player campaign, but it lacks replay value.

The differences make for a fun single-player experience that fits into the lore of the Witcher world. However, this isn’t the kind of game to play if you are after a fully immersive story. On the contrary, Gwent: Rogue Mage’s story mostly ends with the intro video and flavor voice lines from the two main characters. Now, if you want a game to kill some hours with some fun mechanics and a lot to unlock and learn, then Rogue Mage may be what you’re after.

Madden NFL 24 continues EA Sports’ legacy of making smaller more incremental yearly changes to its beloved franchise. While there doesn’t seem much in the way of “new” this time around and Ultimate Team suffers from some awful UI performance issues, the gameplay is silky smooth and all the fan-favorite modes return with notable improvements. If you’ve been away from the franchise for a few years, you’ll like what you see here, but for those hardcore folks who eat and breathe a steady diet of Madden, is this really that much better than NFL 23?

Despite my numerous complaints with it, SIMULACRA was, at its core, a title that had me engrossed.

Tron: Catalyst successfully captures the spirit of the franchise. Its striking aesthetics and pulsing electronic score immerse you in the iconic digital world. The game’s strength lies in its commitment to storytelling, with clever narrative techniques driving the plot. While the combat is serviceable, it lacks the depth found in many of its genre peers. Still, these elements come together to deliver a narrative-driven experience that remains true to Tron’s identity, even if the gameplay doesn’t always live up to the ambition of its story.

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.

It’s hard to criticize a game that offers so much originality, humor and satirical atmosphere. We Happy Few, unfortunately, lets its narrative and characters get bogged down in a desperate and, at times, tedious struggle to survive the game’s brutal environment.

It’s almost always a relief to play a game like Keeper, where there’s no carnage or frenetic energy, and where the pace and tone are understated. Keeper is colorful, and the makers have definitely succeeded in their stated goal of making a weird, chill game. It’s also kind of a dull experience, with too little player agency, some frustrating mechanics, and a sense of discovery muted by too many restrictions and guideposts. Keeper is a generally pleasant journey through a psychedelic landscape and it isn’t too thematically heavy handed. I just wish it was a little more fun to take the trip.

With a refocus on the dynamics of the Guardians as a team rather than the main plot line, Telltale appears to have repositioned themselves into a better perspective with which to enter the final act. With this episode, we can also begin to see how certain plotlines are coming together now that we near the end. We expect some great things from the final episode, perhaps aptly named Don’t Stop Believin’.

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.

Die-hards of the genre will find some neat new ideas. Twin-stick and Roguelike fans are always questing after new items, and Enlightenment is weird enough to be unique.

My grievances with Mortal Shell aren't tied to the game's difficulty. That's a feature, not a bug. We're meant to gnash our teeth, to wail in misery at the washed out skies. I'm not even bothered by the massive From Software logo that's mostly been filed off. I just wish the tether wasn't stretched all the way back to 2011. We've made such strides in our Soulsborne suffering since then! It's more nuanced, more exquisite than ever before! If your goal is to pummel your players into a state of Sisyphean ecstasy, you have a multitude of tools at your disposal. For the hardcore crowd that's made it this far, congratulations! You will love this game, no two ways about it. For everyone else, heed my warning: Mortal Shell is just as brutal and beautiful as you're imagining.

I really enjoyed the original Greedfall’s blend of magic and 1600’s technology. While the combat is a little more flexible this time around, the narrative plays too many of the same beats, and its pacing fails to find a groove. Greedfall was a cult favorite of sorts. Greedfall: The Dying World does some interesting things with classes and combat, but lacks some of the charm and inventive spirit of the original game.

Surviving Mars is a challenging city building experience for those willing to work to crack the surface and is tremendously satisfying once you get there.

It’s set-up is ludicrous, it’s biomes are beautiful but sparse, and it’s story is convoluted; but even still, I enjoyed Maskmaker and I recommend you take up the chisel and mallet and experience it for yourself. There’s a clever and unique use of VR in this game that make it worth trying on, despite everything.

NBA Live 18 is a step in the right direction.

This mindless racer was enjoyable, fast-paced, and offered up exactly what I was looking for, and that is some cheap racing fun.

Star Wars: Tales from The Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition allows you to step into the franchise and use a range of iconic weaponry. Fans will love the faithful representation of the world and its inhabitants, however, the uninspiring opening and aging design hinder the experience.

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.

Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid is a cozy delight, a joyful reminiscence of childhood. It’s easy to pick up and can be played day by day. All this with little pressure and many easy-going hours of play.

This is a challenging game that properly rewards dedicated players with its excellent bike handling physics.

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.

Below is a roguelike that excels at making players truly feel like they’re a lone adventurer on a dangerous island filled with secrets. I liked its simple, colorful art style, its music, and atmosphere, but the gameplay pushed me away.

In the end, I enjoyed my time with Morningstar: Descent to Deadrock. Anyone who has history playing these types of games will feel right at home – just don’t expect anything really new.

With a clever combination of live action videos and computer graphics, the game makes you feel as if you do indeed have one foot in reality and the other in a dream. However, while its narrative is enjoyable, it doesn’t go beyond in bringing anything new or exceptional.

Wreckin’ Ball Adventure is a decent platformer that combines some existing gameplay elements and tries to do something relatively unique. While we generally don’t discuss price in reviews – it’s worth noting that Wreckin’ Ball Adventure is very cheap. Even if you have the slightest interest in it, I’d encourage you to give it a go. It’s hard to have buyers remorse if the game is cheaper than a meal at a fast food restaurant.

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.

Here’s where Lienzo gets it right; they’re only selling Hunter’s Legacy for about five dollars. In my opinion, this is a steal. For pure entertainment value, you’re getting a lot.

Beholder does an excellent job of making you feel hopeless. I was immediately infected by the game’s clouded atmosphere. I felt ready to do whatever it took to keep my household afloat. And while certain gameplay elements broke this spell, the game is worth playing. Even the most saintly players can find a little awful in themselves with Beholder.

Its laid-back gameplay and overall simplicity are extremely peaceful and addicting, but I would advise that new players manage their expectations. Because of my concern for how new players will respond to the lack of meaningful content, I do question whether this specific remake was necessary. Nevertheless, veterans and nostalgic fans who are looking forward to revisiting this game will find a classic installment that maintains all of its original charm and modesty — and does so better than ever.

If you don’t mind a challenge and can deal with the level generation, this is a very fun and entertaining game. The concept is good, the execution just needs a bit of work.

All in all, Tormented Souls achieves what it set out to do: recapture the magic of old-school fixed-perspective survival horror games with modern technology. However, this extends to having a lackluster story and underwhelming voice-acting, both of which plagued early survival horror titles. While the game’s tension, atmosphere, and environmental storytelling are top-notch, the controls can be difficult without a controller and some decisions are downright tasteless. In the end, this game will probably appeal most to people who already love classic survival horror rather than bringing in new fans.

A decent enough game for the price, but once again it leaves me asking why.

Controls are tight, there is some decent replay value, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously which makes for a pretty fun time.

The main complaints about Kingdom Hearts III Re:Mind are that it provides no answers to the questions the series left players with, and that it involves playing a lot of content that the player has already experienced. My positive spin is that it’s an extension of what was already a fantastic game ending, that provides multiple characters to use, and extra boss battles. My main complaint is that it came too late, or shouldn’t have been DLC at all. If one accepts Re:Mind for what it is, it should be a real treat for hardcore Kingdom Hearts fans.

If ever there was a mixed bag, Redout 2 is it. When you’re going slow enough to take in the sights, those sights are gorgeous, if a little cluttered and hard to parse. Most of the time, though, you’ll be speeding through levels absurdly fast. You’ll also be crashing into walls and flying off the track, too, because the controls demand absolute precision. There are a lot of absent features on our wish list, like an actual story, better tutorials and a real learning curve. On a continuum from fun to frustration, Redout 2 sometimes edges uncomfortably close to the latter.

Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel is a solid effort, bringing together such a great cast of characters from a number of different visual novels and gaming franchises; pitting them up against each other in an enjoyable arcade fighting style game.

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.

If you love JRPGs, you owe it to yourself to play Tales of Symphonia, and Tales of Symphonia Remastered is an easy way to do that. I’d even recommend this game to fans of retro gaming in general. I really wish I could recommend it to everyone. Unfortunately, the slightly clunky design and aged graphics make it hard for me to do that.

It doesn’t really bring anything else new to the table in the team deathmatch genre, but what it does bring, it does it well.

Overall, this is a pretty good step into the RTS realm. The game itself runs very smoothly and I didn’t find myself fighting with any major bugs or glaring offenses in the design of the game. I feel the game may be too rudimentary for veterans of the RTS genre, but as a less experienced player, I found myself immersed in the gameplay and pretty entertained.

Beyond Blue is a relaxing, short $20 edutainment game that’ll be a fun time for gamers who are curious about the deep blue sea and its inhabitants. Just don’t go into it expecting gameplay that’s deeper than a puddle.

While I like just about everything that’s presented in Strikers Edge, prolonged periods of play had me comparing the final product to Pong. That’s not a great comparison in 2018 unless you believe there’s no beating the classics.

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.

Disgaea games are huge. 7 was already enormous, and the Complete edition makes it bigger still. You could drop hundreds of hours into this game in pursuit of total completion, the well is practically bottomless. The extra characters, the raised stat cap, and the new final boss could have you playing forever, more or less. And yet the price point is pretty painful. Between that and the Switch 2 exclusivity (which may be temporary), I’m not quite sure who this is for, beyond the most serious of players and collectors. But for those people, for that exclusive club, Disgaea 7 Complete is a fantastic game. For everyone else, I totally understand if you pass this one up. As a hopeless Disgaea addict, I may never escape the gravity well this game created in my living room. Remember me fondly, my friends.

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.

Neverness to Everness is a promising, high-quality entry into the RPG space. Its unique business-management mechanics and stylish urban setting provide a strong foundation. While it currently suffers from a lack of endgame content and a brief story, it remains a compelling recommendation for those seeking a fresh take on the gacha formula.

I prefer my life sims with a greater degree of freedom than this, I’m learning. A blank canvas is more alluring than a perfectly crafted setting, at least to me. But I also recognize the value in a place like this. Everything is built around the hobbit ideal that is food. The writing and the aesthetics are all extremely hobbit-coded. Rather than a life sim, Tales of the Shire is a hobbit sim. If that sounds like a good time, you should definitely check out this game.

If you are a Skyrim fan who has already invested countless number of hours into the main game, then Dawnguard is for you, but if you have moved on to other games, I am not so certain Dawnguard is reason alone to come back as frankly it is more of the same.

Empire City shares the same fate that a lot of ambitious VR games do. They try to mimic the scope of big-budget AAA flat games, but cannot do so because of their much more limited budget. So the game ends up being spread thin with little depth over its six-hour game length. TMNT: Empire City VR is a fun, if thin, game. Just be aware that its chief charms come from playing with friends and moving around the city with the parkour system. If you are a Turtle fan, that may be enough for you.

The game offers a great mix of dread laced with unknowable horror. Because there are different choices you can make, the game has many very different endings. Can you successfully complete your job? Can you make the right choices, even if they go against your morals? There’s only one way to find out.

If you’ve got a history with BMX games, extreme sports titles, and trick-based sports sims, you’ve come to the right place. You can whittle away the hours mastering every trick in the book, while steadily improving your overall skills. That same patience and persistence causes the whole game to open up before you. All the different challenges, the various stages, and the potential secrets are yours to discover. But for someone like me, this game is basically untenable. I dug deep, searching for every ounce of grit and determination I could scrounge up. The assembled supplies were meager indeed. While I mostly struggled through this game, you might find yourself enthralled with Streetdog BMX.

Forspoken feels like a test that was turned in with answers missing, returned with a big red "Finish Your Work" inked at the top. So much of the game feels like unrealized potential, a big, messy first draft. There are too many mechanics, there's too much story, too much empty world, and too little chance for surprise or discovery. However, I can't say I didn't enjoy a lot of my time with Forspoken. When the combat clicks, it can be a lot of fun. Forspoken is ambitious, and there are hints of a winning formula. I hope the developers keep chipping away at what doesn't work. It would be a shame if Forspoken is forsaken.

I have to admit though, if you own these tables on your home console,you may want to question whether or not these are indeed worth the investment.

A strong debut featuring a fun concept and great visuals so I look forward to what else Yanim has on the horizon.

Bottom line, if you love old school point and clickers with humour like Monkey Island, then Deponia Doomsday is a decent enough port for your PS4 that won’t give you any control headaches. As for fans of the series, well, I can’t exactly give any insight into that front. So I do highly recommend you play the previous Deponia games before you jump into Doomsday.

Although my ultimate verdict is weeks of multiplayer away, the first slice of this cake is a tasty one. Even casual Marvel fans would do well to keep Marvel’s Avengers on their radar.

Super Mutant Alien Assault has a long name and a lot of heart. The challenging gameplay mixed with sharp looking graphics and fairly good sound, all work to create an entertaining but short-lasting game. In the end it is an enjoyable little distraction when you just want to jump into a game and have only a small amount of time to do so.

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.

Atlus RPGs are not for everyone by any means. This one, in particular, is even less for everyone than most of them. And yet…! If you are a Persona fan who hasn’t played one of these games in a while, who also missed out on Golden, then this game will be perfect for you. If even one of these conditions isn’t met, I can’t promise you’ll enjoy this ride. If you’ve somehow never played a Persona game, then welcome! This is a prime place to start. Golden is the superlative version of this entry in the series. There’s nowhere else you’ll find such an expert mix of ruthless battles, lovely social interactions, and awesome music. First-time players of all varieties would do well to snag Persona 4 Golden on the PC.

RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business offers a tighter, more compact take on the original. While the story remains fairly shallow, this puts the focus on gameplay, with new weapons, enemies, and executions that help elevate the experience. Returning players will know what to expect and likely enjoy what’s on offer, but if the base game didn’t win you over, there’s nothing here that will change your mind. While it doesn’t reinvent anything, Unfinished Business is a satisfying extension for those eager to jump back into RoboCop’s boots.

Is it perfect? Far from it, but the sheer level of chaos that comes from playing it made it fun overall. With great artwork, bonkers fighting styles and a lot of replay value (even if I didn’t understand one of the modes), it is a game that should at least be tried, just to have seen and played it.

Even though Cathedral may not be the most original, it is undoubtedly an example of a game that understands the genre well. Fans looking for a straightforward and challenging experience will absolutely love what Cathedral has to offer, whereas those who are looking for something more unique may not find what they want. Whether you enjoy the tried-and-true nostalgic experience or not, Cathedral’s non-linear world is filled with hidden areas, shortcuts, and treasure chests that will give players hours of happy exploration.

The most immediate issue with this game is the boss fight difficulty in the story mode. The lack of online multiplayer is disappointing, but maybe future sequels will step beyond the confines of the couch.

The more game-like activities you perform, the less you’re immersed in the narrative. Meanwhile, simple environmental touches and voice work do wonders for your heart rate. I was at my most unsettled when I treated the game like a pure walking simulator. Doors never open to the same room twice, shadows and sudden noises stalk your footsteps, and your deeds grow ever worse. If you haven’t played the original game, the VR version is a good entry point. That is, so long as you keep your interactive actions to a minimum. In spite of the usual technical barriers, Layers of Fear VR still manages to scare the crap out of you more often than not.

The exploration sections are somewhat dull, the fighters are interchangeable, and the story is told in a separate menu, but the parts that need to work, do. Combat is crazy, fast, and deeply satisfying. Whether this is your first 3D arena fighter or your fifteenth, The Hinokami Chronicles are a lot of fun.

If corners were cut with the graphics, they were completely rounded over and sanded down in the music and sound department.

WiZmans World Re;Try does a lot of things right. It’s aesthetically gorgeous. It has simple, tried-and-true turn-based combat, with monster catching and fusing mechanics. It has a weird world and story. But it’s also a grind-heavy linear dungeon crawl that gets monotonous way too quickly. Going through dungeons feels like a chore. And bosses are unbalanced compared to the ease of combat and lack of experience points that precede them. WiZmans World Re;Try needs to be rebalanced, but it’s already a retry.

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.

SolSeraph’s definitely a successful copycat that lacks originality. If you haven’t heard of or played ActRaiser, SolSeraph will seem quite unique. It’s an example of the finished product being greater than the sum of its parts: a good action platformer combined with a good RTS that makes for a very good package. If you were hoping for another ActRaiser game someday, this may be the best you’ll ever get. But if you hold ActRaiser dear to your heart, you may get offended at how much SolSeraph essentially remakes that wonderful game.

The game is priced to match the experience at just over $5. If you’re looking for a brief but genuinely tense experience in planes of existence beyond our own, give it a try.

I may not be the target audience for LISA, but I recognize quality when I encounter it. The mechanics subvert the usual RPG tropes, leaving you tense and scrambling the entire time. The world itself is both funny and awful, with a heavy dose of post-apocalyptic tragedy thrown in. The level design left me feeling disoriented, but I think it was meant to. The graphics get your guard down, setting you up nicely for the brutal writing. The game is tough too, which feels appropriate. I have no idea what to score this game. Although I hated playing it, I can tell it was a well-crafted experience. I can’t honestly recommend LISA: Definitive Edition, but some of you will check it out regardless. To you I say, have fun! You will not soon forget this game.

Like any good simulator game, you know exactly what you’re getting into here. You’ve got a lot of work ahead, and though you might not enjoy it, you won’t be able to easily put it down. Spray Paint Simulator is a simple yet compelling zen garden, a Sunday morning job perfectly captured in game form. I don’t recommend it, but I don’t really have to. If this calls to you, I’m certain that you’ll answer.

For The King can be quite enjoyable experience and it’s even better with friends. But be warned, you will earn your victories in this harsh world. And you will earn them only through your many failures.

Bannermen is a good RTS game. It is intuitive and easy to jump into and the campaign is satisfying. The storyline is engaging enough, and Lord Berrian is enough to make any gamer girl swoon. The only thing about it I can criticize is that I don’t think it has anything that makes it stand out among other games of this genre.

Hopefully, some of these issues will be addressed in subsequent patches but the current state of the game feels undercooked. The game is presented as providing a full GT3 experience but it does not. The competition in Assetto Corsa Competizione is sorely lacking. Assetto Corsa Competizione provides a satisfying driving experience but like it’s predecessor – Assetto Corsa, it leaves the driver a bit wanting at times.

NBA Baller Beats is one of the more original experiences you are going to find on Xbox. The gameplay and the Kinect implementation are good but there are too many "ifs" that keep this from being a truly top notch, universal experience.

While I wish I could have experienced Riverbond with a group of four friends to its full potential, I still managed to get a lot out of the game and I enjoyed the silliness the creators had intended for their players. At this price point I could certainly recommend the game for a party with friends, as there is much fun to be had with just the crazy weapon designs and plethora of character skins available, but I would be hesitant as only a solo gamer. The fast paced gameplay, mixed with the interesting visuals is sure to please a crowd, but don’t expect to get in too deep with the story, as it is only meant to give slight purpose and context to the hacking and slashing that ensues.

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.

Back to the Dawn ended up being a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the story and aesthetics, especially the music. It works wonderfully as a choose your own adventure-style adventure game. Time management, puzzle solving, and minigames are all fantastic. But the CRPG elements felt tacked-on. Back to the Dawn was probably initially envisioned as a CRPG, but grew into something different. With a bit more polish, focus, and elegance, it could be a really fantastic experience. If everything I’ve shared sounds good to you, then definitely don’t hesitate to give Back to the Dawn a few playthroughs.

Although I love anime, and I love games, I often find the two somewhat diminished when combined. Etrange Overlord is an excellent story, with clever dialogue and wonderful voice acting coming together to keep you hooked for more or less the whole runtime. And yet, the actual gameplay falls a bit short. The combat is fun, though it ramps up a little slowly. There’s not much to the gameplay loop beyond the numerous battles, a few of which are a real drag. This game is a real blast to watch, and alright to play. Even so, any anime fans out there will surely find something to latch onto with this one.

Junkyard Jam is a pretty short DLC, all things told. On the other hand, it’s priced appropriately. A new heavy hitter and a much better third section is totally worth the asking cost. And the expanded artifact selection is a nice bonus as well. And yet, Casey Jones himself is a mixed bag of sorts. He’s powerful, but said power comes with some drawbacks. You can get through a standard run well enough, but he’s a real liability in the endgame. On balance though, Casey Jones & The Junkyard Jam is a perfect excuse to play more Splintered Fate. If you’ve been looking for a reason to jump back in, this DLC is a good one.

The Forest Quartet is a wonderful title that is creative in its approach to telling a touching story. The aesthetics and score blend perfectly to take you on an ethereal journey. Even though it is very short and the puzzles are straightforward, it manages to deliver a memorable experience.

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is considerably better than just a cash grab game tied to a singular cultural event, but it’s not the gold medal winner of sports sims either. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with going home wearing a bronze medal.

The sense of humour and simplicity make it sort of a slog for veterans of the genre. But the flexibility of the terrain system and the breeziness of the writing make me think this would be a great way to introduce someone to this style of game. They can work their way up to those more complicated experiences. For now, they get to live in a world where everything is simple, and magical wind can blow your problems away.

I wanted to point out things that this game tries to do differently than most classic RTS games because honestly everything else felt very… classic. That isn’t to say the game was bad or should be overlooked, just that if you were hoping for a reinvented RTS you might want to keep looking.

NITRO GEN OMEGA is a solid mech tactical RPG. The combat takes a bit to get going, but it is fun and full of hyper-animated moments that look amazing. The team building and social systems are solid, making you care about your motley crew of pilots and their interpersonal relationships. It has some really cool moments that get weighed down by grinding and repetitive battles. It has its moments, and with some rougher patches smoothed out, it has a lot of potential. NITRO GEN OMEGA is a fun adventure for anyone looking for a new, flashy mech RPG.

The artwork and style in Back To Bed is exceptional and fits everything together quite nicely. It’s sort of a mix of claymation and painting with a ton of surreal moments and settings.

Paper Cut Mansion is a fun, if simplified, roguelite that benefits from a charming art style. The game opens with a warning that the adventure is themed around horror but it’s really hard to be scared of violent paper cutouts. Getting around each floor of the house can be a little disorienting because there is no map or landmarks to get your bearings. That confusion wears away the longer you play, however. There are a lot of familiar modular elements that become more noticeable with each playthrough. With its procedurally generated level design, a staggering number of endings, and creative artistic spark, Paper Cut Mansion is fun and can be enjoyed in short bursts.

The extra content is neat, but given that most of it is only visual it’s difficult to justify the price point; however, beyond the layer of shiny aesthetics and ridiculous physics is a fun fighting game accessible to both casual and hardcore gamers. If you’re looking to get into the Dead Or Alive series, this would be a great place to start.

Unfortunately for me at least, this is another example of coming close but still being oh so far away. This was a great opportunity Bethesda, and it seems you’ve gone with the safer route yet again.