In theory, Dust and Neon was made for a gamer like me. And I do like the art, the premise, and the style of action. Some aspects don’t quite feel fleshed out, like the mission designs, the narrative, and the range of weapons. Then there’s the reload mechanic, which I found more annoying than innovative. Dust and Neon isn’t a bad game, and fans of twin-stick shooters, Westerns, roguelikes, and looter-shooters should all find a little fun hunting outlaw robots. Unfortunately, its pleasures are just a bit too shallow and brief.

All told, In Sound Mind wasn’t the game I was expecting. But I still found myself pushing forward, eager to uncover a little bit more. If you’ve got any appetite for cerebral horror and puzzle solving, In Sound Mind might be just what you’re looking for.

While Godfall’s technical components of gameplay and graphics were solid, the game overall is just fine. As mentioned, the narrative as told throughout is relatively shallow, and despite a fun combat system, it does get repetitive. Finally, the recurrence of a number of bugs hampered my personal experience, and these do not appear to be an isolated case. While I quite enjoyed Godfall at the outset, it began to wane on me over time, and what might have been a decent launch title may not seem like it years from now.

My advice? If you haven’t played either game, you can probably skip the first one. Otherwise, only dive into The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II if you absolutely loved the previous game. It’s a fun enough experience, though it’s not worth the second round.

It’s held back by its repetition – the music, the modes; even the four bears get old after a while. Bust this out at a party for 30 minutes of fun, but don’t expect your friends to beg for more at the next get together.

An awesome looking and entertaining game that utilizes an easy and simple combat system. The inclusion of local co-op is definitely a plus while the absence of online multiplayer is a letdown.

This dizzy dance of frustration and elation perfectly encapsulates my time with Extinction. I loved the feeling of annihilating the Ravenii. Mastering the slow-motion rune strikes meant I could bounce from limb to limb, disintegrating armor and severing limbs with reckless abandon. Yet I was stonewalled by the combat controls and the camera more often than I could ultimately reconcile.

If you can get sufficiently sucked into the gameplay, every other problem seems insignificant. On the other hand, if any part of the moment-to-moment experience starts to drag, it can pull you right out of the game. In other words, if all you want to do is sail around starting fights, slowly gathering power until you become a force of nature on the waves, King of Seas is perfect for you. Conversely, if you’re looking for something more multifaceted and less focused, you may want to steer clear. I thought sailing and sea battles would sustain me. Perhaps there’s more to being a pirate after all.

Crossfire: Legion is an exercise in nostalgia, bringing to mind real time strategy games back when the genre was at its most popular. Its mechanics are comfortably familiar, but that might also be a disappointment to gamers looking for innovation or depth. Skirmishes limited to online-only play, some bugs left over from early access and a forgettable campaign weigh against Crossfire: Legion’s basically engaging RTS gameplay and graphics. Diehard fans of the genre will absolutely appreciate the game’s classic feel, but will be left wanting more.

It’s a game with a striking presentation, but suffers from problems that no amount of sheen can cover up.

Fans of simulation games will probably quite enjoy this title. While it isn’t as in-depth or fleshed out as The Sims, Youtuber’s Life is addictive and fun in a more condensed form. Not to mention being able to watch your stats and view rates climb with each video certainly has some merit. Unfortunately, with the confusing deck-building mechanics, boring social events and repetitive nature does somewhat kind of tarnish the overall goodness to the game.

Is it perfect? No. The choice system needs a rethink, the pacing could use tightening, and the life-sim tasks sometimes cross the line from immersive to plain tedious. But for those willing to put in the hours, Varlet rewards you with a world worth exploring and characters worth caring about.

The lack of a story as well lack of quality music and sound are glaring issues and although the gameplay is decent it is far from perfect.

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

The single greatest oversight in this game, aside from the controls, is the inability to interact with your bird. You can inject it with mutagens to power it up but you can’t pet it? If I had been given the opportunity to interact with my warbird, customize its gear and coloration, and build a real bond with it, I would have enjoyed this game much more than I did. As is, I found The Falconeer to be a compelling but frustrating experience.

Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend brings the joy of classic JRPGs back into our lives. It stays true to the retro experience by allowing players to utilize their handheld Switch as if it were a touchscreen Game Boy. It may not be the most polished adventure, but it is a faithful port bringing so many of us back to our childhood days. Overall, this collection successfully maintains the nostalgic feeling of gaming in the early 90s while creatively blending today’s technology to enhance the overall experience.

The Evil Within should have been the best next generation horror game we have seen to date. Shinji Mikami has the pedigree, credentials and budget to make it happen. Unfortunately The Evil Within falls short and doesn’t come close to living up to its billing.

Another big turnoff is a buy-to-own piece of DLC that is a credit multiplier. Memories of loot boxes in other games spring to mind where players willing to cough up money get an unfair advantage over those who do not. Credits are needed to upgrade bikes, etc.

Lovers of city-building will be left unsatisfied because it plays a more minor (and less interesting) role in the game than one would hope, but I would recommend Port Royale 4 to fans who have played the series before or for those who love a mix between resource management and strategy. For anyone else who falls somewhere in between, I may recommend that you wait for a price-drop.

The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos gives us an interesting and inspired tale to jump into with that loveable band of misfits you call a crew. It pays great homage to classic sci-fi and vintage serials when it comes to the main quest, but it doesn’t feel like it leans enough into that aspect for the rest of the DLC to make it stand out from its predecessor. The writing is absolutely on point and a true delight every step of the way, but the technical issues with dropped textures and exhaustively long load times kill the atmosphere the main quest is trying to set. If this could have leaned harder into the narrative it would easily stand tall over Peril on Gorgon, but instead, we are getting more of the same. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as The Outer Worlds is a sleeper hit, but this should have been something greater.

Journey of a Roach is ideal for someone who wants a change of pace in a puzzle game. It is for someone who does not want a complex story line and is looking for an affordable puzzle game for your PC.

The Low Road tells a wonderful story in a really clumsy way. Its point-and-click controls are very much lost in translation between the PC and the Switch. Touch controls would have solved the problem in a big way and tell that story more easily. Alas no such controls exist, and the game suffers as a result. It’s not all bad though, as there are some interesting puzzles and story twists that kept me engaged. Only the most patient players should take the long haul down The Low Road. If nothing else this game might start the argument for keyboard/mouse support on Switch…nah, maybe not.

Ravenbound’s limited successes do not come from an abundance of new ideas, but combining or juxtaposing old ones. If Ravenbound was a full-price, triple-A game I’d be a lot less forgiving of its flaws. No matter the price, it’s still derivative, janky and in serious need of optimization and bug fixes. But at less than 30 bucks, it’s maybe worth a gamble for fans of open world RPGs and action roguelikes. Provided, that is, that they temper their expectations and can overlook the game’s sometimes messy mechanics and other shortcomings.

The Innsmouth Case is a beautifully written, delightfully dark, and truly excellent experience on a rainy day. The writers at RobotPumpkin Games are clearly fans of Lovecraft’s work and they capture the soul of his writing with their own humorous twist. Fans of Lovecraft or Tim Burton will adore the narrative and the visual style of the game, no doubt getting lost in trying to uncover each of the curious endings. This is, however, a game made to appeal more to the hardcore fans than a general audience. The lack of voice acting and the minimal on-screen animations can make for a dull experience if you aren’t committed to playing a game entirely comprised of reading, but it is a fantastic little story to get lost in when you need a break between car chases and gunfights.

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.

The voice acting is quite good. Although there weren’t any standout characters, from the NPCs to the random voice recordings you find, I always felt involved with the world and its story. Additionally, there is a personal fort you can decorate and craft to your liking. There is quite a variety of options for decoration things purely cosmetic to useful things, like the Lucktree, which you could feed loot to grow larger, granting you better luck within dungeons. However, these little successes don’t fully make up for the game’s shallowness that probably will get you bored in a few hours. Torchlight 3 is not a bad game by any means, I just don’t see a point in playing it over the original or two.

The soft reboot of Sakura Wars leaves much to be desired but it is an adequate experience that accomplishes what it ultimately set out to do. It's a decent blend of multiple genres but does not particularly excel at any of them. The setting and backstory are interesting, but unfortunately, Sakura Wars did not fully utilize them to their advantage.

Where Blood Bowl 3 fumbles is in its lackluster forward motion from the previous game. Its offline play is pretty limited, and too much has been recycled from Blood Bowl 2. It’s very rough around the edges for a game so long in the oven. All that aside, Blood Bowl 3 can be amusing, tactically engaging, and still great fan service for tabletop players and the Warhammer faithful.

This game would definitely benefit from some further polish, but I found a fairly addictive adventure/RPG game beneath its imperfections.

I do have say though that the game can be repetitive and there is not a lot of incentive to play once your done; however, given the affordable price of 800 MS Points, Kinect owners may just want to take a serious look at this downloadable title.

Sense of humor is personal and what you respond to is none of my business. Rustler might very well be your comedy jam, mixing GTA with wannabe Monty Python and firing the joke cannon at every opportunity in the hopes that the humor will hit with someone. What we can agree on is that mechanics and gameplay are at least as important as the setting and story, and this is where Rustler fails to deliver a consistently fun experience.

Assetto Corsa does a lot right, and a lot wrong. It does; however, get the gameplay right which is far and away the most important aspect in racers, even if it fails to deliver a compelling career mode. In its Special Events mode the game shows off its best side while the career mode is average at best. Not to mention the antiquated look cannot be ignored. That being said, Assetto Corsa has a unique tone and feel that differentiates it enough from the competition.

This is not to say Resident Evil: Revelations is bad game, it is just not an exceptional one and has a little too much of that “been there and done that” feeling to it.

Demon Turf is a strange and peculiar game. At times, it nails its intention, delivering solid platforming sections, packed with ingenuity. However, you’ll often be let down by technical issues and odd design decisions that will ultimately hinder your experience. Although the game, doesn’t manage to stick the landing, it certainly has some memorable moments that will resonate with fans of classic 3D platformers.

Even though the core gameplay is solid, most game modes are riddled with micro-transactions that prioritizes grinding and monetization over enjoyment.

Darkestville Castle is a nostalgic game for sure. But play at your own risk as rose-colored glasses are not included.

Firewall Ultra has a ton of potential. Its solid shooting, diverse maps and addictive gameplay make each match a thrill. While First Contact Entertainment nails these aspects, there are several issues that make this fall short of a complete experience. With the lack of in-game interactivity, inactive objectives and only a couple of modes, Firewall Ultra needs time to be the shooter we were hoping for.

Overall Attack on Titan 2 is disappointing as a sequel. Despite the fact that there are a bunch of new features that add a ton of replayability, for those that have come to play because of their love of the anime series or the first game, prepare to be confused.

Gamesoft is on to something with Clockwork; an interesting premise, a unique story, and characters that didn’t actually feel two-dimensional and bland. The only let-down were the slightly repetitive puzzles, which was, sadly, the majority of the game. That being said, I still enjoyed the experience and only really wanted more variety.

I am reminded of Sid Meier’s often repeated quote: “games are a series of interesting decisions.” I never really felt that my decisions were all that interesting in Astronaut: The Best. Either the course of action is fairly obvious, or it’s totally opaque. Click a button, find out what happens next. But then I keep looking at images from the game, which reminds me how consistent the whole experience is. I appreciate the wild swing, but ultimately, I don’t think Astronaut: The Best, is (the best.)

Robonauts is a game that knows precisely what it is: a classic arcade-inspired shooter with unique mechanics to keep it fresh.

There are two ways of looking at Hollowbody. As an homage to a bygone gaming era, a conceptual love letter to an influential time, it succeeds pretty well. Without the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, Hollowbody is a pretty unsatisfying experience. If you grew up playing Silent Hill 2 on the PS2, Hollowbody will certainly resonate with your memories. For everyone else, there are simply too many more recent and more accomplished games in the horror genre to spend your time with.

Atlas Fallen is a study in contrasts. A rote story and inconsistent voice acting are married to an attractive setting and generally fluid movement. On the whole, combat is fun but there's also not a huge variety of enemies. Like in their earlier games, Deck 13 Interactive is definitely punching above their weight. If this results in some moments of unexpected awesomeness, it also results in some rough patches and missing polish.

The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection has a little something for everyone: adventure, rail shooting, bullet hell, and even a few sports games. Each one has that original arcade feeling you really can’t reproduce on home console anymore and for anyone who grew up with these games in the 80’s you are sure to have a blast. While these games were iconic trendsetters for their time, only a handful of them hold-up to today's standards of playability, ingenuity, and fun. While the library size is large, so many of these games feel like reskins that it doesn’t quite reflect the broader scope of SNK’s accomplishments over the years.

Desolate definitely has some mega aspirations for such a short game. The developers are clearly acting under the influence of some major titles that have dominated the genre and for a game at a $19.99 price point, it delivers … for now. While we were playing, we talked it over as a group and we think the game is definitely worth the sticker price — we all agreed that there was a really good foundation, but there’s a long way to go. More story, more quests, more character customization, and more rewards appear to be on the horizon. The framework for Desolate is super solid, but it’s time to flesh this out before folks lose interest.

Dex: Enhanced Edition isn’t perfect. It’s a love letter to not only classic sci-fi but also classic 90’s RPG/adventure games. Where Dex falls short is the sum of its parts; so many gameplay elements have been incorporated in, but not one of them stand out as excellent.

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

Sky Force Anniversary is a slick-looking game that is easy to pick up, play and enjoy for a while, but just be prepared to put in some serious time repeating levels if you want to make it to the end of this air raid with all your wings intact.

Dear Dark Alliance: those of us that were fans of the original PS2 game and the Dungeons and Dragons franchise came ready to enjoy you. You waved your fancy pedigree and showed us your impressive environments, only to disappoint us once we paid the price of admission. So, fix the AI. Balance the single player game or ditch it entirely. Let the players create real characters that express themselves. Above all, kill the bugs. Do those things, and maybe we’ll come back, because it could be a nice little house to live in for a while.

Although not as strong as some of DONTNOD’s previous efforts, Twin Mirror is still a solid Interactive Drama which includes some interesting mechanics. The introduction of the Mind Palace is great but is unfortunately underutilized. However, even with pacing issues, the intriguing story and characters will keep you hooked.

If you were unimpressed by Terminator: Resistance, your mind will not be changed by Annihilation Line. For better or worse, it is more of the same. The cast mostly carries over, as do the mission types, enemies, and weapons. It’s a little more challenging, perhaps, and the pace is faster. Annihilation can’t compare to the best recent shooters, but it does have an audience. The ideal player might be a diehard Terminator fan eager for a compact few hours in their favorite sci-fi universe. Players who really liked the main game will enjoy the DLC as well. For everyone else, it’s probably a pass.

Overall, Oneiros has proven to be a satisfying and enjoyable puzzle game to unwind with. The worlds are beautifully rendered, the puzzles are complex and challenging. It almost feels like a light-hearted digital escape room. The underlying narrative Liam is trying to unravel about events in the real world is compelling, driving the story forward as we try to understand what happened. We are teased just enough to keep wanting a little more, but Liam himself is the biggest force against immersion. Every other box from the environment, to the backstory, to the puzzles themselves, lean into the notion of something serious on the horizon, but Liam seems like he couldn’t care less. That and those minor graphical hiccups are the only thing that stand in the way of an otherwise delightful first-person puzzle game. It’s perfect for a rainy day or just relaxing after a nice dinner.

Despite its sci-fi setting, Dolmen is less a Soulslike than a Dark Souls clone, with very few original ideas. The biggest issue, beyond the overall familiarity of just about everything, is that it brings back annoying mechanics that games like Elden Ring have evolved away from. While there is some fun to be had in Dolmen’s weapons and combat, at some point you’ll just wish you were playing a FromSoft game instead.

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

If you need to scratch that survivor game itch, 60 Parsecs will definitely do you good, but it’s not going to blow any minds.

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.

On its own this is still an excellent story, albeit one bogged down by all the most insufferable visual novel tropes. But without the first two parts, the story still feels incomplete.

Sacred 2 Remaster accomplishes a couple of things. It reminds us that the original was ambitious and forward-looking in many ways. Sacred 2’s wide-open world and deep progression systems hold up well. Sacred 2 Remaster is also a reminder that the original’s tech and combat left a lot to be desired. People loved the 2008 game in spite of those things. Enjoying Sacred 2 Remaster means having to overlook them once again.

So often developers create a game using the kitchen-sink approach and it isn’t always clear how or why disparate mechanics deserve to play together. In the case of Tainted Grail: Conquest, deckbuilding, roguelike progression, and action RPG-type exploration feel compatible with each other as well as the dark fantasy setting and story. Less successful are the punishing, protracted battles that take too long and lack variety over multiple runs. With some additional balancing, classes, card types, and adjustment to pacing, Tainted Grail’s fundamentally solid concepts could shine through the darkness a little better.

Starship Troopers: Terran Command does a pretty good job of paying homage to the films, at least in terms of design and presentation. As a real time strategy game, it feels defined by limitations and absent features like multiplayer, map editor, skirmishes and the ability to turn off the omnipresent commander. Gameplay can be challenging and fun, but here, too, dumb unit AI and lack of variety inhibit next-level enjoyment. Both fans of the film and squad-based RTS games will find something to appreciate, provided they don’t come to the experience with super-high expectations.

Robot at Midnight is only a handful of hours long. There isn’t a ton of replay value thanks to its limited systems, weapons, and enemies. The combat and bosses are undeniably fun, but I kept wishing the mechanics had a little more depth, and the world had more detail. At around $20, the balance between content and price might be, unfortunately, up for debate for many gamers.

While I’ve made it clear that this game is meant for a younger audience, I still recognize its merits. The visuals are clean and crisp, even if the humans look a bit weird. Pikachu himself is a real bright spot, with more charm and personality than any other character. And if you’re a diehard Pokémon fan, there are a ton of them scattered throughout this story. But I can’t recommend this game to anyone reading this review. Rather, Detective Pikachu Returns will be a great fit for your kids. If you’re looking for a fun, approachable adventure they can dive into, this might be a pretty good choice.

Caveman Warriors is a throwback game through and through. It will appeal to many gamers for the same reasons it won’t appeal to others. As a retro-inspired platformer, it succeeds in providing strategic puzzle-platforming. While there are issues of difficulty balance and pacing, it shouldn’t turn off fans of classic stone age action.

Overall, 112 Operator is a fun game for anyone who likes to play management sims. Unfortunately, when the easy control system and preset stories wear thin, there’s nothing to keep this dispatcher from changing careers. I know the developers are planning to release more content, which will help, but I don’t think that will be enough to completely salvage the experience.

As a “spiritual successor” to Descent, Overload accomplishes what it sets out to do, bringing it twenty years into the future with new graphics, weapons, and gameplay. However, it seems to have skipped many of the lessons that game developers have learned along the way, failing to adjust the game for modern expectations as it succumbs to the repetitive level designs that so characterized past limitations.

The game is an ambitious debut that wins you over with its personality and cultural depth rather than its mechanical polish. It’s a mostly positive romp that feels like a rough diamond. The Bottom Line: If you enjoy vibe-heavy games like Cuisineer or Hades (but with a much slower, cozy pace), you’ll likely love the atmosphere of Town of Zoz. However, if you have low tolerance for technical jank or slow-starting tutorials, you might want to wait for the first major patch. Town of Zoz needs a little bit of polish to address some crashes, combat system and UI clunkiness. But the core story of community and healing through food is something special.

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.

It’s frustrating that a game that oozes style from nearly every facet can need a mechanical tune up so badly. With more fine tuned controls, and more meat on its bones, this could’ve been an absolute home run for the developer. Instead, despite all of its charm, Steel Rats simply fails to really hold the players attention for its entire journey and it’s a real shame.

While the plot may not be as riveting and the player may feel like they’re guessing more than sleuthing, Night Call presents wonderful short stories featuring a bountiful cast of characters who share their lives with you. The unfortunate side to this is that it means the main serial killer plot takes the backseat on this one. Despite its numerous technical glitches, Night Call leaves a strong impression and I’m positive that with a couple of improvements it will definitely rise above.

I really wanted to like it more than I did. It’s just so full of potential. Each system has so many clever ideas… but the fundamentals aren’t there. This is the first game from HOF Studios and it proves they are a team to watch. But the main measure of a game like this is how much you want to keep going. Do you always want to play just one more turn? When you close your eyes at night, do you see little soldiers marching across a grid? You don’t. Depth of Extinction is clever, but a little shallow.

I won’t say that Dragon is Dead isn’t sometimes a good time. Its system of upgrades and progression mechanics can lead to powerful characters. At the same time, rarely are repetitive runs through the same areas memorable. I think ultimately Dragon is Dead would have been a more enjoyable game framed as a traditional hack-and-slash Souslike ARPG, where its combat and character building could shine. In its present form, the roguelite elements, repetitive runs, generic setting and dull writing overshadow the genuinely enjoyable elements.

Despite all of these complaints, I had fun with Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered. Does it feel exactly the same as the original? Of course not. But it’s a fun trip back to Nosgoth, even if a few puzzles sent me scrambling for a guide.

A charming little indie action platformer with a distinct retro feel. While the difficulty is greatly reduced this time around, the game remains as punishing and rage inducing as ever.

Overall, Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus isn’t a bad game. It certainly has its issues, especially in the balancing department, but aside from that, the issues don’t tend to seriously hurt what you’ll be looking for if you’re considering playing this game. The game isn’t ground-breaking, but it’s not a step backwards either.

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

If you don't mind being patient, however, Mundaun might be right up your alley. The hand-drawn graphics are beautiful yet unsettling, the worldbuilding is baked into every surface, and the lonely horror atmosphere reaches some terrific high points. If you don't mind some long walks through the mountains, there's a compelling story here, just waiting to be told.

Transformers Prime: The Game might not be the hardcore experience that a lot of gamers want or expect, but I really don't think that this was ever its intent. Although it is a solid experience for the young gamers in your family it is one that parents are likely to navigate away from.

Overall, Call of Duty Black Ops 3 Descent DLC is merely more of the same. Granted, the “same” looks and plays great, and gives Black Ops 3 fans a reason to keep playing. Yet Descent doesn’t stray from the COD DLC formula, at all.

Back in 1997, Outlaws did a great job of turning classic Western tropes into a video game. Still, it’s hard to ignore that the gameplay and design are stilted and simplistic compared to modern shooters. Fans of the original will certainly appreciate the happy jolt of recognition, and there’s a bit of value in new gamers walking through the time machine to a much simpler period in technology. All that aside, Outlaws’ fun doesn’t last very long, even remastered.

2023 is such a banner year for great games, but this is not one of them. It saddens me that I cannot recommend Hammerwatch II. It is, at best, enjoyable for a night or two with friends.

Phoenix Labs has built Dauntless to be the same game for all gamers. That has been their mission from the start and in that they have absolutely succeeded. The game plays great and it is a fun experience to work together and slay giant monsters, however the technological limitations of the Switch in its innovative handheld or tabletop mode feel like a hindrance to the experience, and those who may only have a Switch Lite may easily be put off from investing in this game as they won’t be able to play for long.

If you’re content to cross off those map markers, slowly covering the whole screen in checkmarks, you’re in for a good time. Alternately, if you blazed through the game towards the last boss, this DLC will leave you bitter. The story section is a flash in the pan, blowing by in a handful of hours. There’s fun to be had, but only if you’re ready to hunt it down. Rage 2’s Rise of The Ghosts DLC is either more of what you loved or hated, in generous portions.

There’s no getting around the feeling that Funko Fusion springs from the same genre gene pool as the Lego video games. Visually, the game is a treat and the levels effectively reference their source material. Funko Fusion isn’t without humor or clever touches, but its combat is excessively repetitious and fused to some awkward, fun-killing mechanics. Underneath those bobbleheads are the bones of a good game that never quite reaches the surface.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R is a celebration of the weird and wonderful world of the franchise. Fans will love the number of characters and nods to key moments from the series, however, the gameplay lets it down. Its age becomes more apparent as you fight. The sluggish combat and simple systems mean that it can’t compete with its peers. While fans of the original will enjoy the new features, it misses that knockout blow.

88 Heroes is an amusing and challenging platformer with a big heart, yet beyond its pop culture references, humor, and numerical gimmick, there isn’t a whole lot to offer gamers looking for a lengthier experience.

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

The Hero’s Journey does yeoman’s work as a structure for Seed of Life, and the game boasts some imaginative environments and challenging puzzles in service of a classic tale of discovery. Where action, platforming and precise input are called for, Seed of Life shows its mechanical limitations and wonder is sometimes replaced by frustration, but fans of puzzle adventure games with a sci-fi twist might find something to appreciate about Seed of Life despite its issues.

With its close-cousin-to-Legos look, smallish levels, and fast load times on current consoles, Dungeon and Gravestone has some addictive curb appeal but ultimately fails to deliver anything really new to a very crowded genre. There is depth to be sure, both in the options for character progression, stuff to find and fight, and the dozens of levels of the dungeons and hidden areas. The buzzkill for me was not the expected and familiar roguelike loop, but the frustrating movement mechanics, the necessity of replaying the uninspired, bare-bones early levels over and over, and the slow progress towards building a reasonably powerful character. Dungeon and Gravestone will scratch an itch for the devotees of the genre but I suspect those without a lot of patience will bounce off pretty quickly.

Racket Club offers a pretty spare experience that only really works with a community of online players. The sport itself feels pretty familiar but I wasn’t crazy about the restricted, walled-in court design and lack of single-player options. The game certainly doesn’t make use of PC-VR or the Quest 3’s increased power and fidelity but it’s still a moderately successful iteration of a brand new sport.

While it seems like the Madden franchise is trending in the wrong direction, the future remains bright for EA Sports virtual gridiron game. A new generation of consoles is right around the corner and the timing couldn’t be better. I have to give EA some credit here as folks who purchase Madden NFL 21 for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, are able to upgrade their copy to PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X at no extra cost. That said, it feels as though EA Sports has done everything they can with this generation of consoles and is merely on cruise control until they have the technical capacity to do so much more. Madden NFL 21 isn’t necessarily a bad game; it will improve over time with updates. Yet the product at launch is riddled with deficiencies and the incremental additions aren’t significant enough to warrant a purchase recommendation from me.

GNOG is a sight to behold in virtual reality, but when that spectacle is taken away it becomes an incredibly charming, yet non-spectacular, puzzle game. The audiovisual experience trumps the puzzle design, and there’s not enough complexity for any real eureka moments to occur. KO_OP has made a game that’ll keep the player’s attention for the two hours it lasts, but one that fails to make any sort of lasting impact.

MX vs ATV Legends has a solid core. The arcade-style racing with motocross bikes and four-wheelers is fun, though repetitive over the course of the years-long career mode. Even allowing that Legends does not aspire to shiny, triple-A brilliance, the game’s performance, audio and up-close visuals can be pretty lackluster. The nicely varied tracks and huge natural environments compete with stuttering framerates and canned animations. With Legends, the franchise has moved closer to the finish line in many ways. In others, it still seems stalled at the starting line.

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.

It’s a shame when a game is built around a mechanic, only to have that element not live up to its potential. Stray Blade is all about dodges, parries and rolls, but they’re sluggish and imprecise and just don’t work very well. Aside from that frustration, Stray Blade has attractive art and level design, familiar action RPG mechanics, and maybe even some potential, if the combat can be patched into better shape.

While I did have some fun playing Gal Metal, I’m not sure it was the game’s intention for this to occur. By all means, check out this game. Perhaps my fumbling skills are the aberration, and I’m speaking right now to an audience of exceptional drummers. I certainly never felt like one while playing Gal Metal.

While future Bomberman games have the potential to assert themselves as more lengthy and strategy-demanding titles deserving of a mind-blowing rating, the current release really is just lighthearted and fun … and that’s just fine.

Having spent many hours on Infinite, I think I’ve seen all I need to see. Expansions and DLC might bring me back, but now we are talking about gating content behind another paywall. That sounds less enticing to me, especially when there is a more interesting mod available for free. Someone patiently waiting for new Star Trek games will definitely have some fun puzzling through Star Trek: Infinite, but I think I am probably going to go back over that New Horizon.

Minecraft Story Mode Season Two started out on a high note for me, but as I wrap up Episode 3, Jailhouse Block, I’m to the point where the only notes worth appreciating are the musical ones. A story is slowly progressing, but I don’t feel like I’m having a hand in it, and quite frankly, I don’t know if I’d want to. Here’s hoping there’s still time to bring players back in on the action.