Mario Party: The Top 100 is an attempt to recapture the favorite mini-games of our youth and offer it in portable form. While the games themselves play well and the ones they selected are all top notch, without having any solid structure or unlockables, the game quickly loses interest and goes from being the latest party game to being the best time killer you could possibly get on the 3DS.

I really wanted to love Hotel Barcelona. It has such an interesting presentation and game world. But its gameplay is just plain awful. It has a generic roguelite structure, and controlling Justine feels abysmal. The UI is also an overcluttered eyesore. I hope fans of SWERY and SUDA51 find something to love in Hotel Barcelona. But as it is, I just can’t recommend a game that plays this horribly.

Saint Seiya: Soldiers’ Soul is a title that fans of the franchise will enjoy a lot, but unless this is a series you know, or one that you have have been thinking of checking out, you may just be better reading the serializations instead.

The improved graphics take an already beautiful game and smooths out all of the aging issues that became noticeable since its original release seventeen years ago. The various family trades and tribes in Crystal Chronicles Remastered brings an element of replayability to this Final Fantasy title for new and old fans. The epic Caravan campaign is more enjoyable than ever on current-gen consoles, and fans of the original Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles should definitely check out the freshly remastered version.

All in all, Lost Sea is a game that plays well, but rather than attempting to be a roguelike game, it should have focused on a strictly action/adventure style.

Cross of the Dutchman just doesn’t feel finished. If the combat gets tightened up and the stealth gets reworked or removed, my opinion of this game would dramatically improve.

With a colorful and wild presentation, Micro Machines World Series is a hectic and incredibly fun racing game that manages to be both challenging and light hearted. The level designs, details, vehicles, and game modes are all superb, and the game’s announcer has a wonderfully over-the-top comedic delivery that adds to the excitement. It’s a game full of laughs, but like a good joke, the laughter ends. Micro Machines World Series simply doesn’t offer enough to players to keep them invested beyond playing it as a party game with those who remember the original toy line from the 90’s.

If you are looking to pick up an NBA game this holiday season the choice is easy but make no bones about it NBA Live is becoming a contender. Let’s just see what they do next year.

Cars 3 is a great example of good family fun, however, Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. make a few missteps that ultimately take away from what makes the movies so awesome. If the aim of the game was to make it feel just like the movie, it falls short, however, if the intention was to take a Mario Kart style title and turn it into a Disney Pixar production, Cars 3 nails it.

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.

There were a lot of enjoyable, nostalgic moments with the familiar battle systems that were strengthened by the retro aesthetics. Monster Crown is more than just capturing and leveling up the monsters you tame. There is a story to be followed and monsters to breed. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to comprehend, and janky controls take away from the experience, but the general gameplay is familiar and straightforward to understand. With so much information and planning involved, though, Monster Crown feels like it can be a bigger game than it actually is, and perhaps one day, it can be released as something more ready and easier to learn.

Override: Mech City Brawl is a game that knows exactly what it is: its short, sweet, and all about explosions and destruction. With the unique styles and appearance of each mech you can clearly feel the care and attention the developers put into having a roster that stood out, but I can’t help but feel with a little more added to the campaign or a few skirmishes or single player touches, this could easily have been a sleeper hit. The combat is fun if a little awkward at first, and customization options are a bit limited, but all in all, this is a game that’s fun to go a few rounds with friends and knows how to entertain players in the short term.

By the end of my time with Rain World, I no longer found the Slugcat cute or endearing. He was a cruel joke, a mistake the entire world worked tirelessly to correct. A prey animal destined to melt in the jaws of a monsoon. Perhaps with time and tolerance, more dedicated gamers than me will finish this title. Some other kind souls will find the patience to guide this missing link and their kin to salvation. Make no mistake, this is a beautiful world. Just know that it is also a merciless one.

NHL 2015 truly has glimpses of being a fantastic sports title on its own merit, given the improvements in the gameplay mechanics, visuals, physics and even sound. That being said, we have been spoiled to a degree by some outstanding previous versions with all the features and now I find that the series has lost a bit of its lustre given what they cut out to get this one out the door. The omission of key modes really hurts the end product, and in a way it feels like we stepping back somewhat.

It might have been a different story if the environments had more interactivity, but they’re mostly sterile and void of any real drama. You just walk through them until you’re expected to solve a puzzle.

The content you get from this is incredibly worthwhile, and the challenge the bosses’ present feel achievable without being frustrating. If you already own Darksiders 3 you should buy this DLC and get the full experience, but the fact you NEED the DLC to feel like you have the full game is unfortunate to say the least. Had this been included in the game at launch and the much-needed QOL upgrades been implemented, Darksiders 3 would have truly been the successor of the franchise.

I was pleasantly surprised by Drug Dealer Simulator. What I thought was going to be a joke of a game turned out to be something I had a lot of fun with. The game desperately needs to be patched, as even taking a two-minute scroll through the DDS Subreddit will show just how many issues people are having, and a fleshed-out tutorial and endgame need to be added for the package to truly shine. But, give it a chance, and you could find yourself addicted.

I’ll give Painkiller props for its imaginative weapons, sharp visuals, and visceral combat. It’s a hollow and transitory experience for solo players offline, and you can see what Painkiller has to offer in very short order. As a co-op game, it fares better. Still, I can’t imagine Painkiller becoming any shooter fan’s obsession. The nuts and bolts of what could be an impressive game are there, but in its present form, there’s simply too much repetition and too few surprises.

Summer in Mara was a game I wanted to love, but its core designs around crafting and questing left me wanting. It’s a shame, as I think it could’ve been something truly magical with more time to cook and less reliance on fetch quests.

There is a lot to like in Necromunda: Underhive Wars, and there are some fresh ideas that bring a welcome change to the turn-based strategy genre. But those positives are let down by an overall lack of polish and finish. Combat drags on a bit more than it should, and the initial phase of learning the game is pretty frustrating for newcomers, without a whole lot of help from the developers. If you are a fan of the Warhammer universe, and especially if you’ve played the Necromunda tabletop game, you should definitely check it out. Otherwise, you might want to wait a bit for some updates.

Overall, the decent story, characters and narration made the game satisfactory, as did the simple controls, but the lack of gameplay, underwhelming graphics, slow movement and lag impacted the enjoyability of The Descendant greatly. I’m torn between wanting to see if the game gets better in the other four episodes, and leaving my playing time where it is.

Though The Inpatient shines in a few areas, it falls short of what made Until Dawn one of finest horror games of this generation.

South Park: Snow Day by no means lives up to its predecessors. Still, it manages to be worthwhile for those invested in the franchise. After all, it’ll only set you back thirty bucks. Just be aware it’s not a game that will hold your attention for hours on end. Fans of the turn-based combat found in previous titles may find it jarring that Snow Day flips that formula on its head in favor of an action-oriented gameplay loop. It’s also disappointing that said action ends up being as shallow as a kiddie pool. Yet, I still enjoyed my time with these characters, even if it was over in the blink of an eye.

Although the gameplay is fun, what prevents this game from being better is that there is no end. You’re playing purely for high score.

More time to polish would have done a lot of good for Warden: Melody of the Undergrowth. More art, maybe another spirit friend, and better combat could have pushed this game much closer to a “must buy” category. As it is, you’re better off waiting for a sale unless you really dig the art and premise.

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.

In the end, I am a fan of where Weird Beluga aimed but not as much as where they landed. While the world that Clid resides in is full and realized, its characters unique, its level design excellent, and its overall tone unexpectedly great, the gameplay itself, not plague fuelled slugs, seems to be the biggest deterrent Clid needs to overcome. No matter how Weird Beluga wants to tackle this, whether it be leave it as it is or patch it, they still stand as very innovative and exciting developers. As for the gamer, if you think I’m just weak and you can do better managing the punishing level of gameplay, you should definitely pick this up. Otherwise, maybe see what they do moving forward before you dive into this strange and unique foray into gaming.

Being that it has it's own story, own objectives, and that it is a platform game, it is a whole different experience then the version you play on your TV. Even with some of the technical issues I noted, and a lack of any co-op multiplayer, Skylanders fans with a 3DS can do little wrong by picking this up as there is fun to be had here.

Unfortunately the repetitiveness and dragging narrative holds it down from being much more than a mediocre title at best. The story and acting holds up, even if it’s monotonous to plod through, so when you inevitably find this in your local bargain bin it’s still worth a play through.

It’s fun for awhile but the thrills soon peter out as the scope of combat feels so locked down and restrained compared to what you can do in other games. The inherent limitations of the overall game concept really stand out and the one trick pony nature of a Road Rash game just doesn’t fly today.

The voice acting is top-notch, the graphics are sharp and clear, and the artwork and character designs are pretty cool. The challenge of the battles feel fair and keep you coming back for more, as does the story. The 3D positional audio is fantastic and the music done by Halo and Destiny composer, Martin O’Donnell, heightens the emotional spectrum of the game from the battles to the quiet introspective beats. If you want to play something with a slower pace and dig fantasy coming of age stories, there’s enough here to make mastering the control scheme worth it.

Playing through Empathy: Path of Whispers didn’t take me much time, yet I found myself wishing it were shorter.

Perhaps the high tension cooldown/charge loop will be enough to compensate for a somewhat threadbare presentation elsewhere. There’s an entire crafting/shopping/customization system I failed to mention. Like the battles and the story, it grows slowly, developing over dozens of hours into something tangible and potent. If my description of the core gameplay loop has you curious, check it out! But if a quick glance at the trailers and the streams has you wondering what you’re missing, maybe save this adventure for another doomed warrior.

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.

Realistically, patches that are coming for the game may continue to make The Last of Us on PC even better. If the patches can improve the playability then the port will become akin to its console predecessors and contemporaries. However, for now, the crashes, visual bugs, texture glitches, and stuttering is not something that can be ignored. Until then, if you’re a first-time The Last of Us player and you’re looking for a seamless and non-buggy experience on PC, it may be better to wait for patches to truly get the best out of this incredible story and game.

When it comes down to it, I don’t really understand who this game is for because I can’t tell fans they’d love it and I can’t tell the uninitiated to pick it up because the story is baffling, and the gameplay isn’t great. So, even though there are aspects of the game that are solid, this one gets a hard pass from me. Hopefully, I have fewer nightmares about this game than I did about the Skeksis for pretty much my entire childhood.

Under this pretty coat of paint lies one mediocre game that is ultimately disappointing.

Even with the expansion included, Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2015 doesn’t offer enough variety and makes it too difficult to progress through the game without feeling pressured to buy cards with physical money.

This may not be the best game you’ve ever played, but Shooting Stars is one that passes the time with colourful and humorous animations, and is a fairly enjoyable experience overall.

With the proper people, equipment, and time to play and fully utilize Guilt Battle Arena, the game is relatively fun pioneering on a simplistic and straightforward idea. However, it is easy to see how simplicity can easily fall into mediocrity, especially when that’s all it has going for it.

Hell Architect shines in its narration, comedic dialogue, and dark humor along with its excellent graphics and design. Hell Architect is a cool concept and executed well. There are certainly fun times to be had while managing hell, however the biggest issue comes in the fact that there’s little purpose to playing the game in the long run. The processes can become stale quickly and outside the Scenarios, the Sandbox Mode may only entice the most enthusiastic of the colony sim fans. Outside of that scope, it’s a bit difficult to recommend Hell Architect, especially with its hefty price tag. It simply falls short. Hell Architect is perfect for those seeking a fresh twist on the genre, but for those not interested in a colony simulator you might want to stay away. I am hopeful, however, that Woodland Games can add some DLC to provide more content in the future.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox marries beautiful art and some excellent puzzles to a confounding narrative and sometimes frustrating mechanics. Had it been a pure adventure puzzle game it might have fared better. The game’s platforming and combat are unrefined elements in an otherwise intriguing conception.

Both a fun experience for fans of the series as well as a good introduction for others. While the gameplay is a bit repetitive, it is still enjoyable, and both the visuals and audio make it a joy to experience.

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.

The Weaponographist won’t be the most memorable game you will play but its strong elements do overshadow its shortcomings.

The Amazing Spider-Man for the Wii is a very average game. The gameplay can be enjoyable when the camera behaves, and the story is exciting to be a part of, unfortunately the graphics really pull down the experience.

As unique and entertaining as this game is, I felt too much of it was left to sadism and luck. The difficulty level is high, not because the strategizing part was hard to do but because Tharsis seems to insult you when you’re doing too well. While I must commend the overall gameplay to be novel and actually enjoyable, the chances of you winning, even with good odds, is very slim. But on the missions where events don’t feel randomly generated to kill you, that’s when the appeal of Tharsis comes to life. It’s a great concept for a turn-based strategy game but be prepared for its unforgiving nature because you’re definitely going to die more than you survive.

As an easy-to-pickup game, Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee is an enjoyable choice for those who aren’t looking for too much of a challenge but would like to utilize their brain and platforming skills for something fun and simple. With an interesting plot and two funky protagonists, Munch’s Oddysee provides a smartly made game with forgiving deaths and options, giving players the freedom to explore with minimal consequences. Although the puzzles could be spiced up a little, the overall customizable experience and well-made gameplay are something to be celebrated.

The puzzles, story and characters all were much stronger in concept than in execution.

The game feels skeletal, like raw wood piled in the shape of a building. It’s missing something essential in its new home on the Nintendo Switch. The stages, missions, and challenges all feel interchangeable. Even the bosses feel like palette-swaps from time to time. In spite of all this, the game is still compelling fun. You’ll find yourself trying just one more run, one more stage, over and over again. If you’re seeking out a little scif-fi arcade action, definitely check out Space Pioneer.

Death end re;quest: Code Z is such a frustrating game to review. I loved the mysterious narrative, dark tone, grotesque art, and beautiful music. But I didn’t like the grid-based procedurally-generated dungeon crawling. The hub map was also a missed opportunity to create a space that would’ve made Death end re;quest: Code Z feel more like world, and less like a series of scenes and menus. I wouldn’t recommend the game to typical JRPG fans. It’d even be a tough sell for fans of roguelikes, because those elements feel so tacked-on. Visual novel fans will likely really enjoy the narrative though, and fans of dungeon crawlers might appreciate how unique the game is. I think the game needed more work in preproduction to tie the combat, roguelike elements, and hub world sections together in more meaningful ways.

Cornerstone: The Song of Tyrim is very fresh and has the nostalgic essence of some of the best platformers from the 90’s. This game is a great way to introduce a new generation of gamer to the classic platformer style, but the lack of voice acting and frequent bugs make this a game better suited for the casual gamer.

For those that can look past the issues, the game can open up into a decent hack and slash with fair amount of depth; you just have to invest the time to get there.

A bump in the overall production value, akin to something like Ubisoft’s upcoming For Honor, and Chivalry: Medieval Warfare would be among my favorite games of the year.

While this could have been an incredible new entry in its genre, Zheros falls flat with its bare facsimile of a story, its bland gameplay, and monotonous level design.

Unfortunately, even the different modes, slick visuals and silky-smooth frame rate can’t make up for the fact that World Tennis Tour 2 Complete Edition’s core experience, playing tennis, is a huge let-down. It is extremely disappointing that Big Ant Studios has failed to adequately address the basic gameplay shortcomings that have been around since the first Tennis World Tour back in 2018. As a fan of the sport I badly wanted this game to be better, but Tennis World Tour 2 Complete Edition will make even the most die-hard tennis fanatic want to smash their racquet and head to the dressing room.

It doesn't look bad and it doesn't sound too bad either but it is way too repetitive. I play games for fun and the score reflects the fact I just didn't find Silent Hill: Book of Memories all that fun to play.

At the end of the day, folks looking for something more to do with their collection of amiibos, or who want a new multiplayer game to sit down with their friends, should definitely consider this one. What I can’t recommend though is expecting too much out of it from a single player standpoint.

Ultimately, One Piece: World Seeker is a super fun game that does the iconic franchise justice and serves as an engrossing and delightful standalone experience. Now more than ever, I’m eager to dive into the series egregiously long story and see what else the Straw Hats have been up to for the past two decades, and what brought them to where they are in this title. The game’s shortcomings are easy to overlook thanks to the gorgeous environments, captivating music, engaging story, and utterly loveable characters. I highly recommend it for fans of the series, curious newcomers, and pirate enthusiasts everywhere.

DiscStorm is an inoffensive piece of work made by a small team of independent developers making their debut release. Compared to other multiplayer games at this price point, DiscStorm doesn’t really do anything to surpass its competitors. It’s a thirty second YouTube magic trick, presented as a ten minute live show.

Nightmare Boy had the potential to be a quirky and fun take on the Metroidvania platform, but it squanders that potential by falling flat in nearly all the fundamental components of what makes those types of games fun to play in the first place.

If you can look past all of the issues plaguing Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace, there are certainly worse games to spend a weekend with. Especially if you’re a fan of Lovecraftian horror, but steer clear of it if you’re somebody that asks of your 2021 gaming experiences to at least feel like you’re playing something made in the past fifteen years. Granted, I’ll be curious to see if this receives a sequel, as I do believe this series could become a sleeper hit. Stay tuned.

Even with all of its issues, Kyn is a decent RPG featuring an incredible soundtrack.

You can assemble a squad of mechas, a coven of mages, an elite military unit, or even a heavily armed pig and duck. You can fight aliens, fish-men, soldiers, pirates, and existential dread. What I mean to say is that I like the ideas in Black Legend, and I applaud the devs for remaining true to their vision. Although, this is an environment with stiff competition, and it wasn’t long before I felt my attention being pulled elsewhere. Black Legend will doubtlessly have its fans, but the magic simply isn’t there.

I just don’t like being limited to what I can build by an arbitrary limit, especially when I have more than enough resources to build it. I feel it’s the one thing keeping Clockwork Empires from being a great and engaging game.

Stitchy in Tooki Trouble is a lovely introduction to the genre for younger gamers. Although the title lacks challenge for those more experienced, the passion for the product is evident and will communicate with youths. There are a few missed opportunities but it successfully achieves its goal of being an accessible platformer.

Horizon has its heart in the right place, but doesn’t bring enough to the table to be a stand out. While you can get lost in the game for hours without realizing it, sloppy interface controls, a just plain awful combat system and dated graphics are all making sure that you don’t get as much fun as you could be getting from game time.

The hack and slash side really can get repetitive while the strategy element is, for the unprepared, is downright scary.

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.

In the end, the story is interesting, the graphics are beautiful, and with the open-world concept with much to do, it’s definitely a great game for SAO fans and is definitely a step up from the previous titles.

If you’re unsure whether you can handle some uncomfortable and disturbing topics, this is definitely not the game for you. If you’re looking for a creepy and dark mystery to get lost in for a couple of hours, or you’re curious who Rachel Foster is, this is worth a playthrough.

As much I can’t recommend Gargoyles Remastered to most players, I really appreciate Disney Games and Limited Run for creating quality remasters of retro games that aren’t in high demand. I have so much love and support for this project. I’d love to see this kind of treatment for more 16-bit Disney games like The Magical Quest trilogy, Mickey Mania, or Goof Troop.

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

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.

I find it hard to be too critical of a game when it is succeeding at what it set out to do. And there are a few parts of the game that I enjoyed – including the included ‘Blissful Sleep’ DLC which brings a new protagonist and supporting characters. In the long run though, Beholder: Complete Edition is a bit too much like an exhausting job, a job that I wished I could quit after a while.

It’s a shame that the actual gameplay is so stale and repetitive because Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson is polished in many other areas.

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.

I’ve played a good number of VR titles so far that are intended to be this sort of interactive short narrative or experience, some like this, with zero previous experience of the source material either. Despite this, The Way of Kings: Escape the Shattered Plains is the first one that I truly felt like I absolutely needed that connection to enjoy it.

As it stands, it’s mostly an exercise in frustration. I don’t know what it would take to get me to return to The Long Journey Home. I very much want to. I love the animations of the ship landing in an alien structure, and the dialogue between the astronauts as you drift through space. The music creates a lovely atmosphere. The quests are mysterious and intriguing. But the core gameplay just isn’t there, and that discourages me from coming back. The Long Journey Home is bound to drift to the far left side of my Switch home screen, but I hope it’s not forever. I will keep my eyes peeled for an announcement promising “drastic changes.” In the meantime, I will dream of a better game.

Entertaining for a time but it will ends up becoming stale if your session goes on too long.

I can honestly say that I enjoy Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires more than Dynasty Warriors 9. You may attribute this to the sorry state of the latter when it first launched. Although, I must affirm that I am a big fan of the simulation genre and empire management. The fact that battles affect the grand campaign, and vice versa, makes all the interactions in this installment meaningful. To what extent is up to you. Sadly, apart from a decent graphical upgrade, there’s not enough here to call it a fully realized sequel. The franchise is competing against itself. Unless the updated hack-and-slash gameplay and expanded character roster are enough to tie you over, consider this empire incomplete.

When you consider it is a free-to-play MMO game, Marvel Heroes is a fun romp for any fan. This being said, the game does not bring anything incredibly innovative to the table and the price tag for some of those playable characters is a bit steep.

Online play would have been nice but, still, a worthy effort.

Hopefully, Incuvo will honor their pledge to fix the game and in short order. There are teasing moments of fun that shine through all the current issues with the game. If they ever get fixed, then Bulletstorm could still turn out to be a fun game.

The only really good part about The Dwarves is the characters and the world they live in. It’s an interesting tale, and one I’d gladly sit through if the combat was improved, load times were decreased, or any of the RPG elements had more depth.

Sword of the Necromancer is a neat, engaging, and surprising rogue-like with some great ideas and a curiously deep narrative. The mechanic of reviving enemies to fight for you is a great concept, and general features like diverse weapons and effective combat maneuvers feel superb, however, this strange inventory design feels like a huge setback. The inclusion of the latest update which allows for a more customized experience is an improvement, but it did sour my enjoyment of the game just a little to not have it from launch. As it stands, you can’t really let yourself get attached to anything other than the titular sword which directly contradicts the key point of the narrative; that Tama has grown attached to Koko. If you are looking for a nice, light rogue-like to jump into that doesn’t feel mindless, this is the game for you.

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 Path of Motus is pretty to look at and has some good ideas, but it fails in its execution throughout, its story too simplistic for adults, and its gameplay too difficult for children.

Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity fell flat. With repetitive combat and a lackluster story line, Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity didn’t deliver the experience I was hoping for. There are moments of pure joy and the game finishes much stronger than it starts, yet at the end of the day this is a game best left for hardcore fans of the franchise.

Overall, The Caligula Effect is an ambitious PS Vita JRPG that falls just short of expectations. While the game may not be the outstanding experience some have come to expect, it remains a decent title on an otherwise barren platform that can still be enjoyed. Despite being repetitive in a few aspects, The Caligula Effect’s story and battle system will be sure to keep you coming back for more.

There’s not much replay value here, and the production value won’t wow you, but it’s a passable VR experience that is held up by its main attraction.

Normally, I’m laser-focused on the mechanics in a given game. The plot and the world-building are cool, but they don’t keep me coming back. And yet, Witchspring3 never quite hooked me. It turns out that compelling mechanical systems can’t make up for a fatal deficiency in writing. Perhaps this whimsical tale of an isolated deity reaching out to a human boy is an excellent one. It’s quite impossible to say, given what we’re presented with here. On the other hand, if you truly could care less about the plot, there are some fascinating mechanical elements to mess around with here. Using homebrewed potions to level up is a terrific idea. Having a difficulty scale that’s both harsh and forgiving is a great way to hook a wide swath of players. And the hefty list of skills, spells, and summons means you can fight every battle in a new way. But otherwise, you’d best be wary about picking up Witchspring3 Re:Fine – The Story of Eirudy.

There are plenty of little issues that add up to turn a junk pile into a landfill. Predictable dodge patterns, no checkpoints, visual alignment that’s harmful to gameplay, no ambient sound effects, the list really does go on forever.

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.

Looking back the initial release of Vicious Circle seems like a bit of a letdown but I do think Rooster Teeth is going to be committed moving forward to enhancing the experience. While currently I would be hesitant to pay full price for this game at $22.79 CAD I would be interested to see how they build this tiny world and I could very well see it becoming a completely different story after a few major updates. For now, just try and listen to that deafening Peggy Sue wail sound clip on YouTube.

This game is kind of a mess. There’s a ton of tiny glitches, the writing is all over the place, and some fights feel pretty wonky. But I still had fun. Maybe it’s just because I never played the original release. Or maybe my expectations were never terribly high. But killing zombies with a chainsaw amidst a flurry of sparkly gore can be a pretty good time. On the other hand, I hesitate to recommend this game for purchase. Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP isn’t quite worth a full-price commitment yet. You might want to catch this one on sale in the near future, once a few patches have dropped.

Simplistic and easy to pick up, the pure fun that results make this a great game for people of all ages and gamers of all skill levels.

Having only one save space is absurd, especially for families with multiple gamers, but at least there’s a decent download play option for local multiplayer.