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.