Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a passable Smash Bros. clone. While it lacks the depth and polish of a game like Smash Bros, it’s not without its charm. Being able to brawl it out with beloved Nickelodeon characters such as Ren & Stimpy, TMNT’s Michelangelo, and Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants is a lot of fun at first. Unfortunately, the lack of depth really starts to take notice when you realize the 20 playable characters is all that’s included – no unlockable characters or stages. Completing the Arcade mode provides no unique character endings; however, you do get some unlockable images and music to view in the Extras menu. Beyond that, your only drive is to try and complete the game with each character on more challenging difficulties.

Casey Donnellan Games has tailored a well balanced game to carry out its goal. Kill It With Fire hits the right mix of fun and length. If you are an arachnophobe, this may not be the game for you. If the idea of squashing spiders for fun appeals to your darker side, this is the game for you. Kill It With Fire is available on all platforms, be it flat or VR. And now it has come to the PSVR 2. Happy Hunting!

All in all, SaGa Emerald Beyond is a conversation between the player and the worlds it contains. Its presentation is far from perfect, but I’d rather something flawed and interesting than perfect and boring. And SaGa Emerald Beyond is certainly not boring.

Apartment Story sits apart from most narrative games for me. The big difference is the sim element. Having to do things like shower, cook, smoke, and pee really elevates the experience. Between the plot, the atmosphere, and the mechanics, I’m quite impressed. Although the story is pretty simple, it still draws you in. If you’ve got a few hours free, I highly recommend checking out Apartment Story.

Post Trauma is a loving tribute to those early generation survival horror games. It contains the best and worst attributes of said games. Thanks to today’s technology in terms of computing power and game engines like Unreal 5, Post Trauma has high production values. The creators’ respect for the genre is clear in all aspects of the final product. For veteran gamers and horror aficionados, this game will be a wonderful trip down memory lane. Post Trauma is available on platforms.

All in all, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered is a fun mecha action title with solid visuals, audio, and mechanics. It’s not anything truly special, but it is a treat for Gundam SEED fans. I just wish they’d properly adapted the franchise’s narrative instead of slapping a few plot twists on as an afterthought.

Tales of Berseria Remastered preserves a title that was never that great to begin with. The potential of its darker tone and strong character focus loses impact through tedium, and the gameplay portion feels dated with its uber-linear exploration and repetitive combat. A bad game? Certainly not. A worthy upgrade? Far from it. This rerelease improves performance and visuals slightly while adding minor conveniences and DLC, yet it falls short of a meaningful upgrade. Ultimately, it’s best suited for newcomers, and its price feels hard to justify for anyone else.

Elex demands a certain species of patience, a particular brand of mental acuity.

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.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII brings historical authenticity to life with real world locations, figures, and events.

Crash Team Rumble is a surprisingly great multiplayer. The simple premise is compelling and fosters a more-ish cycle. Each of the characters is well-designed and gives gameplay options that allow you to strategize during bouts. The lack of single-player content, multiplayer modes, and the inclusion of a battle pass is disappointing, however, the core gameplay is a ton of fun and is definitely worth a spin.

I admittedly didn’t exit the Gungeon but I had a lot of fun between the Breach and my constant deaths trying to escape the time paradox created with Enter The Gungeon. Although this process often feels like beating my head against a wall with other titles, the charm and chaos of Exit The Gungeon keeps me captivated while my stubbornness forces me to keep picking it up and trying to climb my way out of the Gungeon.

Weedcraft Inc, beneath its subject matter, is a decent tycoon-styled management simulator. Despite that, the game was not particularly fun besides the usual attempt to min-max your business as best as possible. The clicker-like features also did little to add to the overall genre despite its initial novelty. Fans of either the subject matter or the genre may find value in the game, but for those who rarely venture into the genre, the game may not be the best introduction to it.

No Frozen or Brave cameos – a huge miss considering this games target audience.

Despite all of the extra customization, RPG elements and other details, Bus Simulator 18 still gets to be boring after a few hours.

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

Overall, City of Gangsters is a fine title that attempts some fun twists on the 4X genre. The setting is excellent, the art is good, and the music is atmospheric. It would have benefitted from a little voice acting, especially in the tutorials, as this game has a lot of text to read. City of Gangsters demonstrates that the 4x genre works just as well in miniature as it does in grand, sweeping epic spans of history.

Shenmue 3 is a game that I wished I loved or at least liked. It’s a game that I could only enjoy in spurts since so much of my experience was marred by mediocre, repetitive gameplay, terrible characters, and a disappointing, meandering plot. I didn’t head into Shenmue 3 with high expectations due to its budget but the game still failed to meet even those lowered expectations.

In the absence of other and more impressive Soulslikes, AI Limit could definitely step in and fill a void. It gets the basics right and even iterates in some enjoyable ways. Fans of sci-fi anime and those bored with gothic fantasy will appreciate AI Limit’s setting and theme. While the combat is nothing special, it’s still undeniably fun, if awfully familiar. In a genre absolutely brimming with better choices, it’s hard to recommend AI Limit, but players coming to it with reasonable expectations will have a good time.

Despite some of Thief’s annoyances, the game is rich in detail and hard to put down.

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is a stylish, edgy, in your face game that is best enjoyed if you really don’t try to take it too seriously. Loaded with pop culture references, fourth wall breaks, hordes of enemies, and more charisma than you can handle, the only downside I encountered was an occasionally unforgiving camera during combat. Whether you are a fan of Suda51’s work or have never played any of his wild titles before, Travis Strikes Again is a must play for the absolute lunacy of the narrative and the chaotic - if repetitive - combat.

For what it is, instead of what it was, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT is an enjoyable team-based brawler for those interested in a seamless online experience and fanservice with your favorite Final Fantasy characters.

In the end after investing a lot of time I liked Corpse Party: Book of Shadows, but I think most would agree it is merely an average to just above average game that belongs in the “cult favourite” category.

The story isn’t memorable, the combat is lackluster, and the large open world isn’t full of many interesting things to do. However, I do still thoroughly enjoy blowing stuff up, knocking stuff down, ramming vehicles through a building’s foundations, and collapsing a bridge with EDF forces driving over it … do I have a problem?

Double Cross is an enjoyable adventure through a fun and interesting Saturday morning cartoon. The characters are unique and charming, the art style grabs your attention at every turn, and the gameplay feels fresh despite being a simple platformer. While the ending was predictable early on, the journey to get there was captivating and fun, and the various unlockable abilities will surely make each players experience a unique one.

All this adds up to a game that isn’t strong when it comes polish and creative ambition. Deadcraft is not without its charms, however, and fans of post-apocalyptic survival games will probably find it fun, if familiar. The half-zombie main character is a cool little twist to an otherwise predictable collection of mechanics and ideas. The game is more substantial than the budget price would suggest, and there’s no dearth of stuff to do, which doesn’t necessarily equate to interesting stuff to do. Lack of polish and some misguided systems get in the way, but Deadcraft manages to mostly rise above its many influences and find its own identity.

It’s evident MXGP3 is not an AAA racing game. With 22 people on small dirt tracks, the races are often fast-paced and exciting and the bike physics add a surprisingly realistic touch. Unfortunately, with its so-so graphics and lackluster game modes, the rest of the experience feels somewhat rushed and unpolished.

Throughout my time with it I found a game with uneven design and strange pacing. In trying to be a jack-of-all-trades, it truly left me feeling like it was a master of none.

There are far better RPG’s available on the 3DS and there are far better “casual” games on the 3DS. But, those quirky Mii’s might still have the power to draw some of you into this grand adventure.

High on Life has a particular vibe, one that rewards patient exploration and persistence. The dialogue is a lot to handle, yes. And not every weapon is a winner. The wrong Gatlian can leave you both overwhelmed and unimpressed. But the look, the sound of this game is truly remarkable. This is an alien world that’s crammed full of curious details. The visuals are delicious, the soundtrack is mostly bangers, and the boss fights are well-crafted. Whatever problems I had with the pacing were (mostly) wiped away by that final challenge. It turns out a little spectacle goes a long way. If you can handle Justin Roiland’s unique sense of humor, you’ll want to check out High on Life.

If you’re a fan of Age of Sigmar and can accept the game’s scaled back, slower approach to real time strategy, Realms of Ruin hits the mark. It’s a faithful and vibrant recreation of the Orruks, Nighthaunt, Tzeentch and grandly insufferable Stormcast Eternals. Some RTS fans will note the lack of tactical depth, but there’s a place for Realms’ streamlined approach that is welcoming to newcomers and veterans alike.

Claire: Extended Cut is a nice addition to the survival horror genre, and if you appreciate, or can at least tolerate, the pixel aesthetic and 2D gameplay, then this game deserves to be in your collection.

The Council Episode 2: Hide and Seek does a terrific job of building more intrigue for its fascinating story.

Spintires: MudRunner is an off-roading simulator with serious potential to be a surprise hit for fans of simulators – particularly the Farming Simulator series. It creates a sense of purpose and duty in the job you set out to complete, and you desperately want to complete the task at hand, however, the almost complete lack of instructions on advanced yet core mechanics of the game will definitely be a point of frustration for gamers who have not previously played Spintires. For everything this game gets right – the attention to detail, the physics engine, and the freedom before you – it means very little if you can’t complete a single delivery.

If you’re looking for a fast, frantic roguelite Donkey Kong experience, Emerald Rush is perfect for you. The core gameplay loop is focused and rewarding, with new systems turning old levels into fresh experiences. The progression system is simple yet effective. And the mechanics of the base game are given new life in the DLC. On the other hand, the whole thing feels pretty insubstantial. After a couple of hours, you feel like you’ve seen it all, more or less. While there’s a lot of potential meat on the bone, it’s all wrapped up in perfecting your runs. If you’re not in love with that arcade, roguelite style, there’s really nothing for you. Though it’s definitely not for everyone, you might end up having a lot of fun with Donkey Kong Bananza’s DK Island & Emerald Rush DLC.

Returning to this world, this flavor of frustration and satisfaction, won’t be for everybody. If you’re looking for a portal into an oft-forgotten slice of gaming history, Oddworld: Soulstorm will open that for you. This is an elevated, modernized window into puzzle platformers of the recent past. A little patience and a little perseverance will introduce you to a strange new world.

Another cool feature is the track surface. It is fully deformable meaning that the dirt surface changes consistency when it gets wet. The physics dynamics of driving on a dry surface versus blasting and sliding through mud changes your approach to racing on a track.

Luckily we have the groovy beats and slick moves by Felix that distracts from how mundane or how terribly difficult the levels become. Perhaps having varied gameplay and level designs would have helped keep things interesting. Casual fans of this type of genre may find Felix The Reaper to be too difficult after a certain point (the hint button can only help so much); however, this may be right up the alley for those who crave a serious challenge.

It’s a fast paced shooter, that feels really tight as a first person shooter. It’s meant to be played in fast bursts, so maybe it’s the perfect exciting thing to get you pumped while commuting on the bus. Or the kind of game where you breeze through the dialogue, turn off the sound and play while listening to a 25 hour audiobook. Into the Pit is a well-constructed roguelike shooting game and if you’re the kind of person who hears those words and yells, “I’m sold!” then you will probably have a lot of fun. But it’s not going to make believers out of genre-skeptics.

The Little Acre is a loveable game, with beautiful visuals and strong character and voice acting. It should be on the radar for anyone that enjoys classic point-and-click adventure games in the vein of King’s Quest or the more recent Broken Age, but should also come with the warning that this is more of a short story ripe with potential for further storytelling.

If you’re looking for some weekend entertainment and enjoy run and gun, first person shooter style games in a futuristic setting – at $15, you really can’t go wrong.

Super Daryl Deluxe masterfully combines the outlandish qualities of a graphic novel with the fun and ease of a classic arcade game.

Overall, Small Radios Big Televisions is a memorable journey. Devoured in a single setting, the game provides an experience more akin to exploration and introspection than challenge. Make no mistake, this is art. A beautiful trip packed in moulded off-white plastic and labeled with a sharpie from the junk drawer. Put on your headphones and enjoy the ride.

I really enjoyed Frozenheim back when I previewed it in 2021, and much of what I liked is even better. Most of what I disliked is still there, too. Frozenheim is a well-made city builder that focuses on one historical period and culture. Its story and RTS elements still feel undercooked, not bad but not as fully realized as the construction sim aspects. With a short campaign, no scenario editor, and sandbox experiences that always play out sort of the same, a long term relationship with Frozenheim is difficult.

Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a mediocre trip down memory lane. Although interacting with beloved characters is amusing, its core gameplay is dull and repetitive. Fans may enjoy the new narrative that extends the epic conclusion of season 5 but be prepared to endure some blunt, boring combat.

Hindsight 20/20: Wrath of the Raakshasa is an intriguing game that plays with the idea of cause and consequence. Due to decisions clearly affecting the world, I found myself agonizing over choices to ensure the safety of the kingdom. Although the combat alters depending on whether you are merciful or ruthless, it lacks the nuances to sit amongst great action-adventure titles. However, with its endearing design and brilliant premise, fans of narrative-driven, action games will enjoy carving their own route for a nation in need.

Zombie Army VR is a fun arcade shooter. Killing zombies never gets old, and the World War II setting is an entertaining mash with the undead genre. The game really gives off a Castle Wolfenstein vibe. However, some may find that the gameplay loop will wear out its welcome. The VR implementation is top-notch, with manual VR weapon loading mechanics that add to the challenge. If zombies are your thing, along with the X-Ray sniper rifle replays, Zombie Army VR will be right up your alley.

This won’t rival Frogwares’ best work, but it is a fun way to enjoy an afternoon if you enjoy detective games.

At this point, The United Front DLC illustrates exactly what Sledgehammer needs to work on, while highlighting exactly what makes Call of Duty so damn popular as a franchise.

Death end re;Quest 2 was an excellent visual novel with an addicting RPG portion as well. While the sequel does a good job at telling a new story, there are some things newcomers might miss. At the same time, you don’t need to know what happens in the first game in order to excel. Death end re;Quest 2 is perfectly fine as a standalone game and would be even better if they explained the background more. I really liked the game and I appreciate the Nintendo Switch’s portability, but the visuals fell short of spectacular so it only just barely satisfied my RPG cravings.

Through its minimalist silhouettes, you get a cliched tale of oppression and freedom. The simple haunting music sets a tone. Platformers are one of the oldest genres of video games, and while this one controls differently, it is still a classical platformer at heart. But you want to hear the protagonist sing. You want to fly. She wants to fly. And in video games, there’s nothing more powerful than the moment that the player and the character’s desires become one.

The look and tone is hilarious and non-sensical, but the gameplay is tight. So if you’re looking for something similar to a Devil May Cry, but thought Onechanbara was terrible, Ultra Age might be what you’re looking for. It plays better than something like Deadly Premonition, but doesn’t have quite the intentional derp of Metal Wolf Chaos. I’d say it sits nicely in the realm of something like God Hand. And if this is just a poorly presented game, it fooled me, and is still tons of fun to play.

If you have a truly open mind, and you want to look up the source of some weird quote, you will learn a lot, experience a well-realized world, and put away some fictional bad guys. You’ll get to see moody lighting, hear some catchy bleeps, and have the satisfaction of a mystery well solved. This is a genre without a lot of greats, and Chinatown Detective Agency comes pretty close.

The largest drawback to Monochroma was the repetition and simplicity of the game which makes it very boring to play. - See more at: http://cogconnected.com/review/monochroma-review/#sthash.ZHxCjDCL.dpuf

WWE 2K18 brings a lot to the digital squared circle, giving the wrestling fan in me a lot to like. New mechanics and match formats offer different ways to take on opponents, the new graphics and audio enhancements bring a hint of realism, and there are more wrestlers from yesterday and today to play then I really know what to do with.

If you’re looking for a truly authentic retro experience, then you can’t go wrong with Save Me Mr. Tako! just keep in mind that it even comes with the negatives of that age of games. Despite those shortcomings though, it’s a charming romp through and through.

While Foul Play’s art style is amazing, the gameplay is not. Foul Play feels fresh for a few acts, but quickly gets old after that. It feels like so much more could have been done with this title.

King Oddball is a quietly charming, explosive puzzler. As an indie title, this game works incredibly well and is an enjoyable way to kill some time. With over 120 stages to beat, unique challenge modes, achievements, and an enjoyable playstyle, King Oddball is a game that should not be overlooked and deserves a chance. The controls are simple, the gameplay is addictive, the audio is fantastic, I couldn’t stop playing. While it might not break the mold of simple mobile gaming, King Oddball stands tall as a friendly challenge enjoyable by all.

Windscape is a delightful and charming experience. It’s like playing an Elder Scrolls game that is designed to be friendly and fun, however, for everything I found about it to be enjoyable there was something else slightly off-putting that made me think it could use just a little more time in development. While nothing was game breaking, these problems will hopefully be addressed in future patches as they feel like such minor bugs that could be stamped out early after release. It’s an enjoyable adventure for first-timers to the open world formula or those looking for a relaxing experience they don’t need to take too seriously.

All in all, BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites is a solid title for anyone who’s into hack ‘n slash. If you’re concerned about the balance, it’s still a punishing game, but once you work out the controls, you should be all right in Standard mode. After mastering that, Classic mode will put you through your paces. However, it has basically nothing to do with the existing BloodRayne storyline, and I really don’t recommend playing the raven levels more than once.

If you’re a fan of the Gundam franchise, you’ll experience this game differently. The ambient weight of the setting provides essential context. We’re watching the antagonists as they struggle with impending defeat. Every glimpse of the flagship Gundam across enemy lines spins up genuine dread. Yet even this power is used too sparingly. The Gundam franchise is a massive, sweeping saga whose greatest battles are also remarkably intimate. Colossal wars are distilled into two machines engaging in physical and ideological struggles. So far, this is markedly absent from Code Fairy. Hopefully, the next two volumes find more solid narrative footing.

Phantom Breaker is an interesting fighter that finds a niche in a somewhat crowded genre. The use of character styles and chain-based combat gives the game its own identity and provides an additional layer of strategy in fights. The omission of a tutorial and move list is baffling and is a barrier to mastering mechanics. Characters are well crafted and their personalities are shared in the game’s story, however, the roster itself lacks variety. Despite its originality on the stage, some design issues halt Phantom Breaker: Omnia from competing with its competition.

It’s time EA Sports pivots towards not just enhancing aesthetics but also developing genuinely impactful gameplay systems that resonate with players across all modes. As it stands, NHL 25 offers a glimpse into the future of gameplay possibilities but remains rooted in familiar flaws that prevent it from achieving its full potential. The hockey community deserves better than a surface-level upgrade; they deserve a game that respects the intricacies of the sport and the dedication of its players.

In short, The Inner Friend is enjoyable, if not much too short title that is open to interpretation in its story. This game is worth a play if you can scrounge up the cash. The experience alone is worth picking it up. And yet, PLAYMIND could have explored so much with this idea. Once again the game is much too short, leaving that potential untapped. Adding some more clues to the protagonist’s real identity and what they did prior would help a lot when players start to examine the game. Regardless, pick it up if you feel like spending a little bit of cash on a nice, spooky, surreal game. Your inner friend will thank you.

Astro Bears is incredibly easy to learn, play, and provides a good amount of challenge depending on who you are playing against and how you work together (or against each other). The best part is that even though the levels are nothing too special because you are playing with other people, no two rounds will ever be the same. While most of its elements feel repetitive and lacks adventure, Astro Bears is really just a no-frills, fun family game. It is nothing spectacular nor extraordinary, but its playful colors and the atmosphere it creates in the room shows it is capable of bringing joy to those who play it.

Nights of Azure 2 doesn’t stray too far away from its predecessor but effectively deals with what it originally lacked – namely, making it highly customizable and providing variability. Battles are significantly more enticing and connected to the overarching story.

Having that single player path dangled in front of me, only for it to be an awful slog, is terribly disappointing.

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.

Many titles share the core gameplay loop of mining, crafting, and conquering the world. So, what sets a sandbox like Rust apart? Almost nothing. It is a dynamic, immersive survival sandbox with none of the charm of other games in its genre. Its heart and soul lie in its unforgiving, player-driven, immersive environment. As a result, the world is utterly unpredictable, so no two servers will share a state of decay. Which is to say, if you like having no idea what’s gonna happen, this easily stands apart.

I’m genuinely delighted that Nintendo was able to strip away just one aspect of Animal Crossing and make an entire game out of it.

This is a step in the right direction, unfortunately, that still leaves things average at best.

Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten is a below-average JRPG in almost every category. But, it has a fantastic Grandia-inspired action ring combat system that fans of turn-based JRPGs should experience. The story is good, despite its poor presentation. I would recommend Monochrome Mobius to fans of turn-based JRPGs, who are starved for more games in the genre. But there are a lot of excellent JRPGs getting released right now, and the combat won’t be enough for casual fans to prioritize it over other genre offerings.

A solid police management game, playing to its strengths and providing a well-rounded experience for players.

In general, Adventures of Mana was a simple, charming remake of the game that kicked off the Mana series. Despite lacking in some areas, it’s still a fun game to play, especially in spurts.

Overall this game proves that playing detective is bound to involve hours of fun.

Toy Odyssey overall is a fun and engaging experience. Be prepared to lose yourself in the hauntingly majestic corridors of the Clade household. Grab your favorite action figure and prepare yourself to fight, build, and upgrade your way to victory.

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.

Contrary to its name, Original Journey is far from an original adventure, offering little to motivate players to see its campaign through. If not for the sake of this review, I would have thrown in the towel long ago. Unless you’re really keen on checking out some hand-drawn art, steer clear of Original Journey.

Without any concrete information as to when we can expect the next season of Peaky Blinders, Peaky Blinders: Mastermind might end up being a nice distraction from the limbo we’ve all been left in. Fans of the show may find this experience to be somewhat satisfying, if not an excessively simple take on an intricate, expertly crafted world. But there isn’t much here if you aren’t hip to the source material. You’ll be lost entirely as far as the motivations of these characters, and missing out on virtually every bit of (brilliant) history doesn’t exactly make for compelling storytelling. Approach this one with caution, and that’s by order of the Peaky Blinders.

Lots of work, time, and love was put into Cobalt, but ultimately, it’s a product that makes me hope that the future will improve, because what is currently available, just isn’t that enticing.

Throughout my time with Crysis, and maybe more accurately, throughout my time writing this review, I’ve been pondering just what the purpose of this experiment was. I won’t act like there isn’t an indisputable intrigue to having a title once regarded as the pinnacle of PC gaming on a handheld system. But I’m also not going to act like Crysis on the Switch can even begin to hold a candle to its PC counterpart. I implore you to find out what Crytek’s 2007 smash hit was all about, doing it the way it was meant to be done. You know, it’s bizarre to think, but this is sort of like Crysis’ mid-life crisis.

It’s cute, but there isn’t a ton of depth and even with an increasing number of twists it gets fairly repetitive.

Atari Mania is an absolute blast. The world includes a number of puzzles that adds variety to the speedy microgames formula. While the company lacks the same number of mainstream icons as Nintendo, the implementation of popular IPs is masterful. The controls are a little stiff and performance did falter at times, however, the love and admiration for the classics are palpable. With its imaginative mashups, nostalgia-filled collectibles and extremely addictive gameplay loop, Ataria Mania is a must for retro enthusiasts.

This game could have been a great jumping off point to bring new fans to the series. However, this game does nothing to establish the back story or relationship of the characters beyond touching on Luffy and his brother, Ace, leaving any player new to the series scratching their head.

Gust’s attempt at creating a brand new world with Blue Reflection shows. The development team brought innovation to the table demonstrating they can step outside their comfort zone. However, production value and time may have hurt the project as the game suffers from random graphical stutters, a lack of rich animation, and a failure to utilize the entire cast of characters. Nonetheless, the party customization, character interactions, art style, and overall design is admirable and keeps things entertaining.

Time Recoil is a competent action game with a gimmicky but cool mechanic that controls pretty darn well too. But it’s not a good sign when that central idea becomes old and tiresome. I wished there was more variety in levels because the overall story is interesting despite not being entirely original. The Time Attack mode surprised me with how deep it actually was but by the time I finished the campaign, I felt like it was too little too late. There’s some fun to be had, but your time may be better spent elsewhere.

H1Z1 lacks identity, easily lost in a sea of militaristic shooters, battle royale or not, and that may be the main reason it won’t be the last man standing when the genre fad begins to fade away.

It’s tough to recommend a ‘remaster’ of a game that’s only half remastered. If you’re a massive Ghostbusters fan and you missed the original, then there certainly is something here for you. The fights are fun, and of course, the original cast is still hilarious, but throughout the entirety of the experience, you’re constantly reminded that you’re playing a game that’s a decade old. I wanted to like this so much more than I did, but at the very least, there is some significant potential groundwork here for the ultimate Ghostbusters game.

Despite the shortcomings of using a Wii remote versus something like the Kinect that tracks the whole body, this is still a totally fun game to play, especially with friends.

Vampire: The Masquerade-Justice is a stealth-action RPG that’s a convincing fit for VR. The core gameplay is pretty standard, and character models are a bit disappointing, but its implementation in VR, coupled with excellent environmental design and lighting, help sell the experience. New Meta Quest 3 or PS VR2 owners with a taste for virtual blood will enjoy spending time in Venice’s virtual world of shadows.

Combine technical faults, repetitive gameplay, and characters so idiotic and unlikable you’d wish the game’s enemies would rip their spines out, and you’ve got a title that is a chore to play through.

Achilles: Legends Untold is a safe and standard hack-and-slash dungeon crawler. Its ancient Greek setting and attractive environments help it stand out a bit, but on the whole it’s a formulaic game. The Soulslike mechanics aren’t especially well developed but represent a small element of originality. If fans of the genre can look past the lackluster missions, script and acting, they’ll probably enjoy the action.

Each stage has been updated substantially to properly fit modern TVs and has a nice, smooth, cartoon-like look.

It is fun to play as these iconic characters on the streets and in battle, clunky as they may be. The locations and dress-up options are colorful and interesting. Fans of the TV show will definitely like wielding Wonder Woman’s sword and shield, Catwoman’s whip, and Batgirl’s gadgets.

Simply put, Ragnarok Odyssey is more accessible than a traditional RPG. While this is great for a more casual player, the hardcore RPG gamer might be underwhelmed with the games lack of depth.

The pace of the game is slow, there isn’t a whole lot of depth to be found anywhere in Paradise Lost, and it’s not without its frame rate drops and bugs either. Don’t get me wrong, there are certainly some diamonds to be found in the rough here, but they’re few and far between. What Paradise Lost does deliver on is a minimally interactive experience as more of a walking simulator than an alternate history first-player adventure game. And it does look and sound exactly as you’d expect if you were to find yourself as a 12-year-old boy, trapped in a desolate Nazi bunker. Overall there’s just a lot of potential left untapped and that’s really its biggest problem.

The Precinct ultimately fails to make walking the beat feel immersive or rewarding. Routine patrols quickly become repetitive, with minor offences dragging down the game’s pacing. Even the main story missions, while more substantial, are formulaic and add little excitement. Coupled with a lack of cinematic presentation and a plot bogged down by tired tropes, the game squanders its retro cop-drama premise. What could have been a gritty, engaging throwback instead feels flat and uninspired.

Hidden Agenda is a pleasant narrative with some interesting ideas that don’t exactly pan out. It falls short of the high mark set by Until Dawn, but give points to Supermassive for trying something new instead of pumping out a clone of their last game. That said, I wanted another Until Dawn. In a densely packed genre, there are plenty of titles players should look into before considering Hidden Agenda.