The Inner World is an intriguing point-and-click adventure with the gameplay you would expect from the genre. The strength of the game relies heavily on its off-kilter dialogue and story, despite some minor issues with controls and lengthy, tedious dialogue at times. Furthermore, the art of The Inner World is charming despite a relative lack of polish, but the saving grace is perhaps the memorable cast of characters that inhabit this inner world. While not perfect, The Inner World is a charming, memorable experience with unique puzzles and a strong narrative.

Toukiden 2 is packed with new concepts, battle mechanics, an open-world and an evolved application of previously existing elements that both fans and newcomers to the franchise will be spoiled with and enjoy.

If you’re looking for depth, Trove will leave you frustrated. The combat is simple, the progression is slow and the quests are all the same. However, if you want a certain kind of fun, you can absolutely find it here. Players looking to wile away the hours fishing, crafting, building and murdering will never want for things to do. The PVP is just as accessible as the rest of the content if you have the patience, and you never have to spend a dime if you want everything the game has to offer.

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.

The fantastic combat and strong story points far outweigh the technical missteps and more cringeworthy moments. Bioware may has bitten off more than it could chew scope wise, and the fringe elements of the game clearly have suffered for it. However, they’ve nailed the key aspects of what made for a great Mass Effect game in the past.

The problem however is that the two parts of the game, the open building, and the linear story, just don’t seem to mesh very well.

There was a real opportunity for DYING: Reborn to shine on virtual reality, but the end result feels like a cruel joke.

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.

Trulon: The Shadow Engine is an impressively mediocre game. Not good enough to really encourage you to pick up at its current price point, but enough to say “maybe if it goes on sale”. The game isn’t bad, it’s just not as good as it could be. Maybe one day we’ll see a sequel with several improvements.

WRC 6 is a decent racing game, assuming you understand exactly what you’re getting into.

At $30, the game is definitely pricey, and though the multiple expansions helps compensate for that, the only people I can really see utilizing them are those who are already fans of the board game to begin with. If you fit into that category or are simply looking for a fun, no-frills digital board game experience, Talisman is one of the better options out there.

Pineview Drive is not the worst game I have played, and I had some genuine, frightening fun with it at times. The basic environment – that awful, old house – offers a solid butt-clenching experience that is worth a look if you like the genre. But the gameplay is just too one-dimensional, the story is just too thin, and the whole thing grows tiresome after not too long.

Styx: Shards of Darkness had the potential to be a really fun and clever stealth game in a high-fantasy setting with a memorable and witty protagonist. Unfortunately, it never progresses beyond being a moderately functional game with low-fantasy aspirations and an irredeemable main character that would be pretty forgettable if he wasn’t so damn annoying.

Night in the Woods is a masterpiece, which may come across like lofty praise considering its indie nature, but it’s wholly earned in every way. It’s not going to appeal to everyone, but if you are an adventure, Metroidvania, sandbox, 2D platformer, or point-and-click fan, then please do yourself a favor and play this interesting, moving, hilarious, and fun experience.

Super Bomberman R is a Bomberman game through and through. Although the game features the classic Bomberman gameplay, an overall lack of innovation and previously developed customization makes the formula feel stale.

If you have some nostalgia for classics like Forsaken or Descent you’re going find a lot to enjoy here in Sublevel Zero Redux and if you’re new to this type of gameplay experience, well, this is a great place to jump in too. Pleasing on the eyes and ears and featuring smooth gameplay that deftly balances relaxing exploration and intense combat, Sublevel Zero Redux will keep you up late at night as you continuously say to yourself… “Just one more try”.

Darknet is a game of layers and depth in its puzzle-solving approach and economy management. Its addicting gameplay loop of capturing nodes, buying upgrades, and using the different tools pushes the player to play just one more level. But Darknet simply does not utilize virtual reality and its advantages in any meaningful way. A bob of the head is all that differentiates it from a non-VR title and these are the types of efforts that VR doesn’t need in its nascent stages.

It’s such an interesting meld of open RPG, twitch action, platformer, bullet hell shooter that shouldn’t be ignored by anyone. In the slew of amazing games this spring release season, it’s easy to forget about this gem because it’s a sequel. Don’t let that happen to you.

Flywrench is a treat. It’s amazing how Messhof has transmuted the very basic activity of controlling a little bendy line through a minimalistic level, into the feeling of being some kind of superhero. When the music is hitting just right, and you’re flipping through those colored gates at breakneck speeds the game feels somehow important. Like getting to the end of the level has something riding on it. Then you remember that you’re just flapping a little line around the bare skeleton of a game… which makes the illusion all the more impressive.

A Criminal Past is a different kind of Deus Ex, and one that kept me engaged.

While the humor and random aspects detract from the story and premise, if you just get the basic story and skip the rest, it really is a blast to rush through.

On its own, Snipperclips is a charming indie puzzle game, but its quality is magnified due to the size of the Nintendo Switch’s launch list. Snipperclips is a fun, charming title that players will enjoy, and is a great start to the “Nindie” movement that Nintendo is embracing for the Switch.

Ghost Recon Wildlands is a game that is hurt by its own ambition. Its blend of genres results in a game that tries to do everything, yet excels at nothing. The sheer scope of the world makes it impossible to be filled with interesting details, and Ubisoft manages to make the entire country of Bolivia feel boring. Nothing fits together as well as it should, and it all results in one very disappointing package.

While still keeping its staple formula alive by maintaining the aspects of material gathering, simplistic turn-based battles, and alchemy, Atelier Firis is further improved by tweaking them in ways that’ll invite newcomers with open arms while keeping returning fans happy. While visually the game is a little rough, the sheer amount of things you can do and hours you’ll subsequently expend is endless. Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey is a light-hearted and enjoyable JRPG where you can put your alchemy skills to the test.

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.

Overall, I can easily recommend A Pixel Story. Although I was ultimately bested by the game’s brutal difficulty, I can still recognize the excellent design philosophy at work here.

It’s an impressively fast and well-playing arcade racer that will constantly keep you on your toes. While it could use a little more depth when it comes to single player progression, the racing itself is fantastic and quite addicting.

Overall I had a great time with Dystoria. It was almost too short for my liking, but more levels would definitely require more upgrades, music, and ships to unlock.

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.

Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is a must-play for PSVR owners. Its ability to keep the player interested in its world and characters is second to none, and the ease of its gameplay mechanics makes interacting with the world a joy. The plethora of environments and odd characters you come across, and the subsequent world-building that takes place, keeps the game from ever getting stale alongside its short runtime. In the Rhombus of Ruin is a masterclass of engaging mechanics and brilliant writing, and it’s got me excited for the future of Psychonauts.

If you get mad at touchy jumps that require perfection, you might want to stay away.

I’m not sure who 1-2 Switch is really for. As a full priced title, I don’t feel the core gaming crowd will find much appeal here and for the more casual crowd, there isn’t really anything instantly captivating or fun enough to hold interest for more than a couple hours. Having to constantly swap accessories in and out becomes tedious as well. At the very least, 1-2 Switch does act as a nice little social ice breaker to get the room interacting quickly and there are a few good ideas on display here. I applaud Nintendo for trying new things, even if they don’t always hit the mark.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is Nintendo firing on all cylinders. It's not just the best Zelda game yet, it's quite possibly the best game Nintendo has ever produced and is nothing short of a masterpiece.

The frantic nature of the gameplay coupled with the appropriate difficulty of the game combine to deliver a fresh experience that is best suited for co-op play. While the game’s shooting mechanics could be more precise, it almost adds an extra layer of strategy and randomness that, in a peculiar way, makes the game more enjoyable. And while the combat soundtrack is downright boring, the exploration soundtrack is lively and a whole lot of fun to play to. 8DAYS is a game of ups and downs, but its sky-high positives outweigh any menial negatives in this 1980’s era dual-stick shooter.

While it won’t change anyone’s thoughts about the base game, Road to Boruto is exactly what an expansion pack should be. It features a meaningful new campaign, which is fun whether or not you’ve seen the movie, several new characters, and does a good job of scratching the gaming itch for Naruto fans as otherwise there wouldn’t be a new game this year. It’s definitely worth picking up for those that enjoyed Ultimate Ninja Storm 4.

Despite the simplistic part-time job mini games and the randomization of being able to upgrade tools, Trio of Towns hits all of the main points to have a successful daily game loop.

Despite the mechanic shortcomings, there’s still a lot to like and should be enough to satisfy anyone who’s looking for an old school RPG. inXile has some solid talent on board and this strong offering can definitely fit the role of a suitable successor to one of the most enjoyable RPGs of all time.

A delightful romp through Medieval Europe, an art history lesson, and a mind-bending puzzler all rolled into one. I found it a thoroughly-enjoyable experience and a truly pleasant surprise. Its simple, accessible concept will pull you in right away, while its intelligent game design will keep you engaged for hours (depending on how long you spend admiring the artwork).

I know it isn’t fair to judge a game by what isn’t there, but I was really hoping for a deeper crafting system. Arelite Core’s aesthetic didn’t hit the mark for me, but if you like what you see and hear, check it out. Flaws aside, there’s a heart to this game.

Brut@l is a visually unique game that initially feels fun and frantic, but quickly falls prey to a kind of frustration and tedium that will only appeal to a small subset of an already niche fan base. There is a ton of potential for greatness here, but that potential is ultimately squandered in the name of creating a dutiful tribute to a bygone era.

Shadows of Adam does an admirable job of choosing what to excavate from games of yore. The result is a beautiful trip to yesterday, one that doesn’t waste time getting there. Shadows of Adam is a delightful retro experience.

Ride 2 is definitely a game for racing fans, designed from the ground up with customization and realism as the foundational pillars. It’s hard to recommend if you aren’t a fan of the genre, but I would consider it a must have enthusiasts.

Uncanny Valley has strong presentation and an interesting story to tell but it’s held back by bad execution and cumbersome controls.

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

Even though Berserk and the Band of the Hawk isn’t the best way to experience the Berserk story, its story is so in-depth that it would still be a great way to experience it for the first time.

In a time where games rely on updates, patches, and DLC to become what the game should have been at launch, it was very refreshing to see Sniper Elite 4 release without any glaring weaknesses or issues. Overall, the game is well polished and simply fun to play, without sacrificing intricate details for the sake of simplicity. Lastly, the title also features an authentic, hardcore difficulty for “sniping purists and masochists” which is sure to add many hours to a title already with lots of potential for replayability. Sniper Elite 4 took a shooter niche, sniping, and built an excellent title and solid franchise around it.

Horizon Zero Dawn is a sweeping epic, magically dancing across the lines between sci-fi and fantasy, masterfully intertwining two genres that traditionally have held their own space in gaming. It is Guerrilla Games' crowning achievement in video game development. Words cannot do justice for what you need to see for yourself.

The team at Jumpsuit clearly put a lot of effort and ingenuity to work to create an elegant and challenging experience. While it’s a game you probably won’t go back to once it’s over, puzzle game aficionados will find a lot to like within.

I feel like Eclipse was definitely on to something here, and then they shot themselves in the foot. They bit off more than they could chew and had to spit something out. If you’re looking for Pang but with a weird new challenge, check out Spheroids. Otherwise, look at other iterations that tried to focus more on the core mechanics that made Pang so great.

A medieval fighting game that is intense, smart, rewarding, and demands something of its player. It asks for your patience, yet the glory you’ll receive in return is well worth the trade.

I wish I could recommend this whole-heartily, but as it is now, this game is only for those looking for a short but serious challenge.

Halo Wars 2 delivers a superb story that ends with a million possibilities on what could happen in future games.

While nailing the look of the Digital World, Next Order does not do a great job in telling a strong narrative. Despite the repetitive nature of the game, it is very rewarding when your Digimon finally Digivolve into 1 of the 217 playable Digimon. Those more interested in training Digimon rather than playing through a story would be sure to enjoy Digimon World: Next Order.

Godseekers is an enjoyable break from the classic Dynasty Warriors series, evolving into a well managed tactics games with familiar faces and continues to instill that sense of power as your hero mows down hordes of enemies with a few strikes. While the gameplay is a fresh departure, it does little to add anything to the series as a whole.

Moto Racer 4 is a prime example of a missed opportunity. The gameplay is enjoyable in small bursts, but it’s packaged in such a terrible way that it becomes hard to recommend even to longtime fans of the series. With some extra polish and a different structure it could’ve been a surprisingly fun throwback package, but in its current state it reeks of being rushed to release.

Nothing is redeeming about Joe’s Diner, though, as it’s a poor execution of a dull idea. It’s one of the worst games released on PlayStation 4, but even then it’s not an interesting enough of a disaster to check out.

The whole thing was breathtaking.

One could also make the argument that if a game’s story is poor, the gameplay can at least make up for it, and vice versa. Husk manages come frustratingly close at times, leaving the game undone by its inconsistency.

Overall, the Rogue One addition to Zen Pinball 2 is one of the best ones yet. Beautiful, detailed and brimming with Star Wars tibdits, this table is a great take on one of my favourite movies from last year. With it’s addictive gameplay, surprising length and advanced play style, Rogue One is a top level table to add to your collection. The only drawback may be that it might be a bit of a learning curve if this is the first time you sit down with Zen Pinball 2.

Unless you’re really looking for that blast from the past, stay away from Pixel Heroes on console. It offers all of the classic RPG tropes, but all of the problems that came with retro games so long ago as well.

Linelight is a solid attempt to change things up. It gets major points on its design and structure. The care taken trying to craft something new and original is commendable. I can’t guarantee you’ll walk away totally satisfied or with a tremendous sense of accomplishment but you will enjoy the trip. And as any true existentialist can attest to, it’s all about the journey and not the destination.

What Nioh also does incredibly well is blend intense and serious tones with at times light-hearted and silly moments. This deft balance of historical authenticity and far out there fantastical elements is never not entertaining and Team Ninja should be applauded for their ability to combine it all into a believable and engaging world.

Diluvion is something I really sunk my teeth into, and though there were some snags, I thoroughly enjoyed my time. The excitement of exploring the deepest nooks and crannies of a fictional ocean is something I kept with me throughout my play through, wondering what mysterious creatures lurked beneath me. With a little bit more polish I can see Diluvion sitting in the top seller chart for a while.

Induction may not look it, but this is a game that will scramble your timeline as freely as its own.

The game’s different aspects of resource management, puzzle-solving, platforming, and story development may be individually sparse, but they all come together to make a modest title that doesn’t overwhelm the player. Overall, despite its technical flaws, Phoning Home is an unassuming yet enjoyable experience.

After spending quite a bit of time with the DLC, I would venture to say that it is the best we’ve seen in a long time! Infinity Ward and Activision definitely put their best foot forward, and it shows.

Earthlock is not good, it’s simply mediocre. But 20 hours of mediocre is a profound waste of time to a lot of people. I’m one of those people. The plain blandness of this game frustrated me throughout, and I can’t in good conscience recommend it to anyone. Diehards will have a deep well of better games to compare it against, and the casuals will be bored out of their minds.

Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World is a great game. The yarn style look is a fun change from most other platformers and while the game has a handful of challenging moments, generally the difficulty is nicely balanced. If you’ve never played the Wii U version, and you’ve enjoyed Yoshi’s previous adventures – or if you just generally enjoy side-scrolling platformers – than you really can’t go wrong with this game. However, if you’ve played the Wii U version, there really isn’t much new content here to warrant a new purchase, unless you absolutely need a portable version or more Poochy.

It’s a love letter to the franchise’s history, and really it’s only for fans of the series.

The stories being told felt sincere and deal with issues you just don’t find in games; especially the fourth patient, a trans-gendered individual in a physically abusive relationship. What hurts this experience is the actual puzzles, which make up the bulk of the gameplay. I just wish more effort was put into developing more meaningful puzzles that were designed to be more intuitive and actually fun to solve.

The best compliment I can give Windlands is that, for other developers, there is a lot that can be gleaned from this experience soaring through the skies, and the game is worth checking out for that reason alone.

Despite its basic visuals and limited gameplay, Knee Deep’s interesting, well-written story is worth the investment. This game’s strength is in its writing – the snappy dialogue and quirky characters will make you forget its flaws – most of the time.

It finds an excellent balance between being relaxing yet challenging and is sure to be a necessity for fans of classic gaming. Alwa’s Awakening is classic gaming for the modern gamer and an incredibly enjoyable experience.

It’s short, fun and capable of inducing the occasional rage quit.

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.

Grimm Eclipse isn’t a bad game but it’s not a good game either. It’s just an okay game. Aspects of it show promise and that the developers at Rooster Teeth Games are capable of delivering a fast paced action title with responsive controls. They just need either more time or perhaps a bigger budget (maybe both) to deliver on their potential.

If you like puzzle games and brain teasers, imprint-x is absolutely for you. I would even go so far as to say that if you have friends who enjoy physical puzzle boxes but don’t stray too far into the digital realm, this could be the game that gets them hooked.

Unfortunately the slow movement adjustment and short gameplay that were a problem in the first episode are still present four episodes later.

The game also plays very well in PlayStation VR. The early sequences are particularly terrifying when seen in virtual reality, especially when some rather horrible things happen to Ethan. There are some downsides, though, as certain transition animations are cut from the VR version (such as when the player falls). This makes the game feel less polished in VR, although the ability to better explore the environment, and just become more immersed, makes up for it.

If you’re looking for something fun that has great replay value and a reasonable price tag, do yourself a favor and at least download the demo for Blacksea Odyssey. All you’ve got to lose is a bit of bandwidth, and if you have fun then it’s definitely worth your time and money. Fans of other highly rated roguelikes such as Binding of Isaac or Risk of Rain should absolutely check it out.

Dragon Quest piles on the enhancements in the 3DS version, and these tiny improvements are so numerous, that Dragon quest VIII feels far less dated than an RPG over a decade old should feel.

If you played Limbo, or more recently, Playdead’s “Inside”, then you already know exactly what kind of game you’re getting with Toby: The Secret Mine. While Toby is no where near as refined as either of those two games, I did enjoy it a touch more than I enjoyed Limbo, but not nearly as much as I enjoyed Inside. Still, with all the glitches and lack of originality, this is a game more for die hard fans of the genre and definitely not someone with a casual interest.

If you know your own tastes in RPGs like I do, if you know what systems baked into these games get your cortex lit up like the dashboard on a 747, Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea might be perfect for you. However, if you play JRPGs for their rich story and beautiful game worlds, maybe give this one a pass.

The content is great, but the relative value is horrible. If you are a big Kingdom Hearts fan (and really that’s who this collection is intended for), you’re going to be overjoyed.

Considering the price, and if you enjoy these types of first-person dungeon crawlers, you really can’t go wrong if you need a quick fix to waste away a few hours and earn some easy achievements.

With such a dynamic and interactive interface, Yakuza 0 will keep you coming back for more and even catch you off guard when you least expect. It’s a game everyone should experience or at least try out.

Whether you are a fan of the Fate series or an anime fan, players will enjoy this great addition to the franchise as well as the quirkiness of some of its characters. For players new to the series but are fans of the Dynasty Warriors style games, Fate/Extella has plenty of entertainment value to offer with its strong story and sound gameplay.

Siegecraft Commander is a fun and delightful RTS title that is easily approachable for serious strategists and newcomers alike. With the focus being on expanding across the map and staying in the action as opposed to resource management, the game never feels like it is lagging and is constantly nudging you into the throes of war.

Rise & Shine is a great looking game that elicits a few chuckles and grins, but doesn’t have the gameplay chops to stand up to the big names in the genre.

For all my little grievances, this game is still incredibly fun to play.

While the Concert/Live Editor and Your Home mode is absent, the game packs tons of songs and customization features that emulates a pure arcade experience. Meanwhile the art style may have changed, but at 1080p and 60 frames per second, it’s the smoothest, most accurate and beautiful looking Project Diva game to date.

While the Concert/Live Editor and Your Home mode is absent, the game packs tons of songs and customization features that emulates a pure arcade experience. Meanwhile the art style may have changed, but at 1080p and 60 frames per second, it’s the smoothest, most accurate and beautiful looking Project Diva game to date.

You can do just about everything one-handed, and it’s all rather simple and intuitive.

Blizzard Mountain brings a substantial amount of content to an already massive game.

While Subject 13 is an interesting indie title to jump into, the finicky controls and lack of guidance can make this a game best suited for those with a lot of patience.

There’s a bevy of customization options, brutal combat, and stomping around as a terminator marine feels straight-up badass. That intoxicating feeling is marred by the steep system requirements and frequent crashes though. Despite the faithful adaptation of the general feel of the 40K universe, a feat that’s not easy to accomplish.

Dex felt unoriginal and generic, and the long load times really did not help.

I was a little disappointed that you didn’t see any of the actual heralds from the comics, but just herald versions of characters already in the game.