Rescues and level subgoals add a lot of additional meat and challenge, but this is a very simple shmup. There is no interesting key gameplay mechanic, no waves of bullet hell, no fast speeds, and no interesting setting. In a world where Bug Princess is 13 years old, Ikaruga is 16 years old, and 1942 is 33 years old, there is absolutely no reason to play a shmup so basic.

A splendid continuation of one of 2017’s finest titles. Though it features minor disappointments, the overall experience is incredibly enjoyable.

The inclusion of interviews from actual Olympic athletes was a very nice touch. Some of the gameplay is frustrating due to some technical issues like bad hit-detection – but if you’ve played through Steep, you’re well aware of what to expect.

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

With such a heavy focus on the atmosphere and the terror, SOMA seems to forget to include much in the way of puzzle solving for progression.

Sure, Mercury’s small, the strikes are a letdown, and many players are cut off from prestige events, but between the world building, new gear, and gameplay features such as new Crucible maps and the Raid Lair, there’s a fair amount of fun to be had in Curse of Osiris.

Anyone looking for a strictly stealth game should probably stay away from Seven: The Days Long Gone because it’s not what you’re going to find. Instead, you’ll find an RPG about a thief who grows more and more powerful as you play, giving you a ton of options and paths to choose from. For players who enjoy taking a character from zero to hero however they damn well please, Seven: The Days Long Gone is a solid choice.

Doom VFR is a fantastic translation of the Doom series to virtual reality. Yes, it’s a bit on the short side — I finished in about three hours — but the fun of leaping around arenas pursued by horrific demons makes it worth revisiting. If this game had told a compelling story, it would rank pretty high on my list of the best games of 2017, but the lackluster tale left me feeling let down. Still, if you know what you’re in for, it’s a bloody good time.

Dead Rising 4 is great fun for people who want to take on zombies and not feel threatened but if you already have the base game, you might not want to fork out the full price for Frank’s Big Package. If this will be your first step into Frank West’s shoes: by all means, grab a weapon and jump right in.

Though the game still can feel repetitive, it is much easier to get involved with the main story than in the original game. New characters and storylines keep the game refreshing, but it is essentially more of the same. Perhaps the main reason to give Reigns: Her Majesty a fair shot is the increased social commentary aspects of the title, which I found intriguing and humorous at times.

As you work your way toward the new level cap of 25 and power level of 330-335 (depending on mods), there’s a decent amount of new content to experience. Sure, Mercury’s small and the strikes are a letdown, but between the world building, new gear, and gameplay features such as new Crucible maps and Raid Lairs, there’s a fair amount of fun to be had in Curse of Osiris.

Crimsonland is a total guilty pleasure. It doesn’t look all that hot; the action is silly, loud, and dumb; but its quick and dirty gameplay is, most importantly, fun.

They feel worth it to me, but I’m a Pokémon lifer.

They feel worth it to me, but I’m a Pokémon lifer.

A pretty solid VR experience. The single player (or co-op) provides a great atmosphere. When it comes to getting the horror aspect to be actually horrific, Tripwire Interactive has done an excellent job. It’s really that experience that sells it. No, the enemies aren’t terribly varied, but Zeds seldom are I suppose.

The game’s biggest problem is the nature of its choice mechanics in that they are almost inconsequential.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is an RPG that demands mastery of every element contained within. You need to focus in order to absorb the dense story, the escalating combat systems and the endless sea of upgrade menus. Like an advanced math class, there are dire consequences to skipping even a single lesson. However, buried under this formidable outer shell is a heartfelt story that hooks you early and doesn’t let go.

Hyakki Castle is a 3D dungeon crawler rich with Japanese mythology and lore, however a lack of tutorial and repetitive textures can be a drag.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney still cleverly presents itself as one of the most memorable adventures to reside in the Ace Attorney series. Having it available on the 3DS allows returning fans as well as new players to experience the series at its best in this day and age. While nothing revolutionary is present, it simply retouches the visuals, audio, and added features that will help players experience the game in a way similar to its original launch.

Black Mirror, the latest psychological thriller to grace the home console has a captivating story and some truly challenging puzzles within its atmospheric presentation. The game does, however, suffer from a number of issues that make it feel like a port from last generation or a project that simply took far too long to get off the ground. With awkward character builds and movement, minor visual stage tearing, acceptable voice acting, and oddly long load times, for being a new game it’s full of issues that shouldn’t have plagued this otherwise enjoyable experience.

Even if you owned the 360 version, there is a nice visual overhaul and a handful of new exhibits and animals to utilize. The animals look amazing and the interactive moments can be pretty fun.

With a game that constantly breaks, unstable controls, a pointless map, flat story, and repetitive rock music riffs for audio, Road Rage might incite rage in the gamer, but for all the wrong reasons. This is a game best reserved for feeling like you need to empty your digital wallet and have no other options.

Sadly, too much of the game’s experience continues to be a passive ride, lacking in gameplay and challenge. But as they say, what a ride it is.

Massive visual improvements definitely count for something, but when you can’t fix the original problems with a game’s dated mechanics and design, there’s not much else you can do. Outcast: Second Contact is a solid attempt at returning to the original classic, but it’s far from perfect.

Resident Evil 7 and Skyrim prove that PlayStation VR is a viable platform and that full-sized games belong on it. If you can look past the bugs (and let’s face it: if you’re a Skyrim fan, you can), then this feels like the definitive way to experience Skyrim.

LA Noire remains a one-of-a-kind game and the Switch version successfully translates this gritty crime drama to a portable platform.

Even taking into account some of those negatives, Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 is a really good game to play. There is an abundance of things to do and collect, enough, in fact, to pour countless hours into it for those looking to 100% the game.

A great game for young gamers. The co-op mode is awesome for parents who want to play with their kids. The park hub is a fun concept and allows players to bounce back and forth between movie areas quickly.