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.

Echoes of the End is a mixed success. Its narrative, characters, and performances are excellent, and the world is impressive. Some of the game’s more logical environmental puzzles and its late-game combat are engaging, too. Unfortunately, the game’s overall pace is undercut by repetitive gameplay structures, far too many busywork puzzles, and flat combat that takes too long to get interesting. There’s a lot of great stuff in Echoes of the End, but it’s impossible to ignore what doesn’t work as well.

Bricktales is perfect – for the right audience. The trouble is, I’m not sure who that audience is. The visuals and the writing feel very all-ages. But the puzzle design requires a high degree of patience and perseverance. I’m neither a parent nor a child, however. For all I know, kids love spending ages making the perfect bird perch. That’s where the alchemy happens, you see. That’s the crucible. If you love building without blueprints, if you’ve got a head for design, you’re in luck. LEGO Bricktales will be an incredible time from start to finish. But otherwise? The breathtaking visuals and clever design won’t be enough to hold your attention.

It will give you a fun gaming experience that is equally zany and competitive. That said, you might want to play with the in-game sound off.

If you found yourself starving for a greater challenge while playing World of Final Fantasy, then the Maxima Upgrade will surely light a fire in you. If you struggled and slogged through the game’s many battles, then this upgrade will leave you famished yet.

Everhood is an enchanting rhythm-based adventure that falls short of greatness due to a few technical issues. Its combat system is an absolute joy and the music is brilliant, however, frame-rate drops and lengthy load times hinder what could have been a great experience.

Once again I ask, is the Pokemon Violet DLC worth buying? That depends. If you were hoping for a smoother framerate, you’ll be disappointed. The Teal Mask DLC runs just as well as the base game. If you want more Pokemon content, you’re in luck! There’s something like 100 old Pokemon being added to the total roster. There’s also new sidequests, new story content, and new items to acquire. The battles are challenging (by Pokemon standards), and there’s a wide variety of biomes within Kitakami to explore. For me, this was a perfect excuse to jump back into the game. But I recognize that I’m a hardcore fan of these games. Ultimately, that’s who Pokemon DLC is usually for. If you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy this extra content. Otherwise, you can leave this one be.

Ripples took my every criticism of “Hide and Seek’s” core experience and fixed it, focusing more on The Council’s incredible dialogue system than the puzzles of the manor.

Overall, Turf Wars felt much more exciting than The Heist in terms of action and combat. The three new suits are way more badass, with the first two being heavy-duty, Iron Man-style get-ups and the third being an insanely satisfying, animated surprise that you’ll have to unlock yourself to admire. The enemies feel more dynamic, and while the content is limited, the story is short, and the plot is easy to feel indifferent towards, Turf Wars is fun and leaves us wanting more in the way of Yuri’s ominous storyline.

The fact is that most players will just want to hop in and play rather than build. Those players will ultimately be left wanting after play set boredom sinks in. Still, it is an improvement over 1.0 and it makes me hopeful for what we might see out of the eventual successor in Disney Infinity 3.0.

The levels are challenging without being overly frustrating and the music is charismatic. Fans of the retro 8-bit games will enjoy Ninja Senki DX.

Though the mechanical elements are rock solid, the look and feel of the game is still off. At least for me, this campaign content feels subdued and a little lonely. Taken as part of the complete experience, the single-player content is something of a safe house. A quiet space where you can sharpen your skills and experiment with new weapons. Even so, the solo campaign for Splatoon 3 had me longing for the chaos of the online arena.

It doesn’t have the personalization of Beat Hazard and it doesn’t have the level of content that Pac-Man Championship Edition has. In many ways for the entry point of ten dollars there are better options out there. But if any of what you’ve read sounds intriguing or if you see the game on sale, take to the skies and enjoy the ride.

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.

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is the original System Shock 2 experience for better and for worse. It includes every aspect of the original game, including the clunky menus and side features that don’t work as well as intended. Fans of the original will miss nothing, and have a smooth-running version on consoles. While System Shock 2 is an important video game, it’s going to be difficult for modern players to experience it for the first time. I recommend Nightdive’s System Shock remake for anyone who wants to get into the series for the first time. Undoubtedly, System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is the best way to play this classic open-world survival horror FPS CRPG.

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

The Tale of Bistun has an engaging narrative and even stronger ties to Persian mythology and storytelling. Few games are so thoroughly respectful of their source material and culture. As a game, The Tale of Bistun has acceptable but very limited mechanics and a structure that’s a bit repetitive. Still, at only three hours of playtime, it isn’t a huge investment and worth it for the unique window into little known mythology.

Omensight is an enjoyable indie adventure with a compelling murder mystery that unravels several layers of depth and deception. Replaying levels and altering events of the game can be interesting if a bit repetitive as you experience the same locations and areas with each of the supporting cast members.

Sure, there are far worse games than Sparklite, but there also far better games with similar structures and rogue-like trappings that are worth your time. Sparklite happens to live in the middle. It’s okay. It’s fine. Its art is beautiful and its music wondrous, but somehow it’s missing its own magic. So if you have nothing going on, and it seems your jam, give it a go. It’s totally fine. Personally, I need something a bit more than okay these days.

There was some very fun and satisfying moments, and I actually cheered when I completed the “10tons Defeater” achievement – that was a very tough level! If you haven’t yet enjoyed Tennis in the Face on another platform before, than you owe it to yourself to give it a go here.

This is a title I encourage players new to RPG’s to dig into and deserves a spot in everyone’s library.

Credit where credit is due, this is a charming game with a lot of love poured into it. When I got into the flow, it gave me a unique experience I’ve never quite found anywhere else. But I don’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t already a fan of the Atelier franchise. At least, not until people start putting their item crafting spreadsheets online.

While the retro graphics are a tad unsophisticated, Zotrix has a catchy techno soundtrack, which gives the game a lively feel. While there are definite drawbacks that come in the form of difficult controls, repetitious levels and an uneventful story, if you are a fan of classic arcade shooters, you will definitely enjoy the simplicity of this game.

Fast paced, competitive, and strangely addictive, Dodgeball is a simple idea that turned into a pretty fun game to tackle. While most of the appeal is online, there’s still plenty for you to do on your own to hone your skills for the big matches.

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.

Even though this game did a good job at focusing on choices, relationships, and the outcomes of the decisions you make, the simple controls and monotonous tasks really ruined it for me in the end. Overall this game will find an audience, but to tell you the truth it’s going to be a hit and miss affair if you will be the one that the game is meant for.

Dordogne is a gentle and comfortable adventure that manages to capture an authentic quality. The intriguing narrative threads are thoughtfully implemented to allow you to tie strands together. Gameplay aspects are rudimentary and at times feel unnecessary, however, they do help make the jaw-dropping environments feel alive. While at times you may wish that Mimi could run, that thought seems to dissipate as you take in the beautiful surroundings. Although this is not for everyone, those who enjoy narrative-driven games will fall in love with Dordogne.

If you’re looking for a puzzler that tests your brain as well as your reflexes, then Death Squared will fit the bill nicely.