Big Brain Academy games ride the line between entertainment and training. You’ll churn through the content being offered in an hour, but that’s by design. A proper playthrough of this game is stretched over several months, with you improving slightly every day. Although I can’t imagine extensive research would teach you anything really new. Even a couple hours with these challenges would be enough to illuminate your weak points. Such is the central tenet here. If you’re looking for a gaming experience, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want to train that brain of yours, that’s a different story. These tools and tasks take on a whole new purpose then, one with practical ends. I’m not sure you’ll enjoy your time with Big Brain Academy: Brain vs Brain. But I’m certain your time playing the game will be well spent.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, if nothing else, represents a symbolic step forward for VR game platforms like the Oculus Quest 2. It’s the closest thing to a AAA title I’ve played on my headset yet. I don’t know if its nearly-50GB file size is warranted given the so-so visuals, but I did have a lot of fun with the Campaign missions. I’ll still wait a while for the multiplayer to work out its kinks, but I can see myself enjoying that eventually, too. All in all, I’m not sure if Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond would do Grandpa proud, but if you own an Oculus Quest 2, it’s a fun experience and worthy of your time.

While not everything could be easily used for some builds, the Blooming Rooms kit is a wonderful addition. The items are well thought out, and we can’t forget just how many fabulous swatches we got with each item. You can’t go wrong with livening up your spaces with some plants, and at $4.99, you may as well take the plunge.

I was so engaged when playing through Danganronpa Decadence. My predictions were wrong, and I was very impressed with the outcome. If you’re at all a fan of visual novels, mysteries, or anime aesthetics, then Danganronpa Decadence is a must play. It’s four games for the price of one, and I loved all of them.

Evil Genius 2’s strengths are its presentation and its base building mechanics. Building the ultimate Inner Sanctum, complete with devious traps and scurrying minions is a lot of fun. But the news isn’t all good. Less enjoyable are some of the game’s busywork missions, lack of clarity around goals, and overall feeling of outstaying its welcome. Playing in the sandbox mode helps with the tedium, but overall Evil Genius 2 would be a better game if lost some complexity and padding, and focused on what it does best.

Though much of the gameplay of Norse Lands was similar to the base game, the challenges and strategies felt more balanced and less unforgiving. You do not have to be an experienced gamer to know what to do, and chances are fans of the Kingdom games are probably figuring it out too. Needless to say, if you think you may enjoy a strategy game with minimalistic visuals and a phenomenal soundtrack, give Kingdom Two Crowns a try, and for an enhanced experience, Norse Lands is a no-brainer DLC to add to your collection.

Drill Land’s few but varied problems, most of them, stem from the fact that it’s a 2002 game in 2021. It gets repetitive and dull within an hour of playtime, which is a caveat to its design and age. Pick it up, play, set it down and wait for the itch to come back. In the long term, one may call it a game that has outlived interest… or not. Being nearly two decades old, it has survived the attention span of one generation, but it may be ready for the next. The endless dig suffices for short bursts of fun, but it’s also more compelling when played competitively. Unfortunately, at the time of this review, online matchmaking is rather desolate. Because it’s so different from today’s console titles and part of a retro genre that’s more akin to modern mobile games, the time might be ripe for re-release.

Game developer, Prideful Sloth, places a premium on marrying narrative storytelling with detailed world building. This is a great game for players who just want to unwind or for parents looking for a safe game for their children to play.

Players of earlier Farming Simulator games will notice and appreciate a lot changes and improvements in the new release. Everything looks a lot better, there are new crops, and the new production chain mechanic and changing seasons really mix things up. New players may be flummoxed by the tutorial, as well as the deep, open-ended gameplay. Farming Simulator 22 has some rough patches, but there’s a lot of fun to harvest as well.

For any console player who already owns the Special Edition, some of the improvements of the Anniversary Edition are already available as free patches. Those folks will find the Anniversary Edition a reasonably priced add-on. It provides a significant new quest, some new mechanics, a new mode, and lots of cosmetic additions, plus access to the Creation Club and mods. Just don’t expect a graphical facelift. For console gamers without any experience of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at all, the Anniversary Edition is definitely the version to pick up. With the Elder Scrolls VI in production, the Anniversary Edition is most likely (and hopefully) the final version of a seriously aging but still viable classic RPG.

While Next Space Rebels’ story tends to run a bit long and the middle part feels like a grind, it’s still a great loop with FMV actors playing out the weird times we find ourselves in. It made me consider just what it was actually like to grind out an existence as an influencer at the mercy of a platform’s whims when you start with a small idea of building a soda bottle rocket in a field. Hopefully, people do stand up against the predictable dystopia we find ourselves hurtling towards. And if they do it with rockets, maybe we’re all the better for it.

For fans of the point-and-click genre or a good cyberpunk-themed story, you should definitely check this one out as it’s certainly worth a try. I’m hoping the frame rate issue is because of the age of my machine and not because of possible poor optimization for the previous generations of consoles, or that a patch is forthcoming to address the problem.

Here’s the thing, though; despite every issue that the GTA: DE suffers from, I’ve still been having a good time with it. Which is simply a testament to how well-written the Grand Theft Auto series is. The GTA: DE needs a patch. Or, maybe, it needs a boatload of patches. Though, I still find myself enjoying the over-the-top storylines, ridiculous dialogue, and outrageous mission structure. It’s hard to call these definitive, but still easy to call them classics.

Aside from the in-your-face self-promotion, lack of evolution, and sketchy phone control, Just Dance 2022 retains the positive elements that have kept both would-be and accomplished dancers coming back for each new version. The starting setlist is relatively strong, and there are lots of options to craft the experience. How long the good times last probably depends on whether you’re willing to finally cave and buy into the Unlimited option to get your sweaty hands on those 700 other songs. There’s a way in which Just Dance 2022 feels more like a starter pack than a full game, but it’s still a great excuse for us sedentary endomorphs with multiple left feet to move and have fun.

As much as I loved playing through the Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster, I can’t call it the definitive version. A definitive version would have the GBA bonus content, the PS1 cutscenes, the option to switch graphics and music, and multiple difficulties. But what we have is a beautiful version of a JRPG classic that has not been widely distributed outside of Japan. It’s an amazing game that holds up really well today. So, if anyone from Square-Enix is reading this review, please release the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters on console, with physical editions. I would buy the heck outta that.

The Last Stand: Aftermath is supposed to be challenging, though, so some of the quality of life mechanics I want to see are probably absent by design. As it is, The Last Stand: Aftermath distinguishes itself from other zombie survival/roguelite games by virtue of its unique new character respawn idea and the incredibly detailed and believable post-zombie apocalypse world it imagines. The ability to retain gear and perks between deaths leavens the difficulty enough to let the addictive, just-one-more-try elements shine through. I’ve yet to reach the final stage, but I’ll keep trying.

On the flip side, I'm not sure who this release is for. If you've never played Diamond and Pearl, you'll probably love these games. Assuming you don't mind a couple of tiny steps backwards in terms of mechanics. If you're familiar with the old games, this will be a mostly pleasant nostalgia trip. Especially if you've forgotten everything that happens, like me. The only hitch is the baffling visual and audio design. More than anything, these choices suggest that the Pokemon Company isn't exactly sure what fans want out of these games. Brilliant Pearl feels well-crafted yet confused, like they pursued several disparate visions at once. If you can see past these strange decisions, you'll find a set of pretty respectable Pokemon games.

On the flip side, I'm not sure who this release is for. If you've never played Diamond and Pearl, you'll probably love these games. Assuming you don't mind a couple of tiny steps backwards in terms of mechanics. If you're familiar with the old games, this will be a mostly pleasant nostalgia trip. Especially if you've forgotten everything that happens, like me. The only hitch is the baffling visual and audio design. More than anything, these choices suggest that the Pokemon Company isn't exactly sure what fans want out of these games. Brilliant Pearl feels well-crafted yet confused, like they pursued several disparate visions at once. If you can see past these strange decisions, you'll find a set of pretty respectable Pokemon games.

Kathy Rain: DIrector’s Cut is definitely the edition of the game anyone new to the title should play. It polishes up the original, keeps the original characterization, expands some of the plot, and adds some quality of life improvements that go a long way for this short adventure. If you’ve been craving an adventure game that stokes some old nostalgia of the 90’s and VHS tapes, then look no further.

The idea of Sherlock Holmes essentially investigating his own origins is an intriguing conceit, though that's really only a small element of Sherlock Holmes Chapter One. The invented island of Cordona is a great backdrop for commentary on the late Victorian British Empire in all its excessive and tone-deaf glory, though again, those considerations are secondary. Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is, at heart, a collection of large and small mysteries to be solved, the chance to inhabit the mind of a legendary polymath and play detective with a wide and deep arsenal of tools and toys. Although the series is still bogged down by its fiddly mechanics and the pace can move too slowly for us fidgety gamers, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is far more ambitious in scope than its series predecessors and may represent a new, high bar for the franchise.

If you’re a fan of the Gundam franchise, you’ll experience this game differently. The ambient weight of the setting provides essential context. We’re watching the antagonists as they struggle with impending defeat. Every glimpse of the flagship Gundam across enemy lines spins up genuine dread. Yet even this power is used too sparingly. The Gundam franchise is a massive, sweeping saga whose greatest battles are also remarkably intimate. Colossal wars are distilled into two machines engaging in physical and ideological struggles. So far, this is markedly absent from Code Fairy. Hopefully, the next two volumes find more solid narrative footing.

Hoplegs is really a masterpiece in its own genre of ridiculousness, though it may not be for everyone. The par time is hard to reach, to the point where I think the numbers are made up because there’s no way everyone can reach the checkpoint in under 3 minutes. Though the solo mode may be easier to reach the preferred time, playing with other people and completing levels together under the expected time is a near impossible task. Despite that, however, multiplayer is the way to go if you want to enjoy Hoplegs. This simple and creative game wasted two hours of my precious date night, I hate how long it took but I also love how it took us two hours to do the bare minimum.

Despite being frustrated by the initial limitations of the Sandbox Mode and the lackluster campaign, I found a lot to enjoy and appreciate about Jurassic World Evolution 2. Chaos Theory is an engaging and creative way of blending the iconic films into the game, and the new aquatic and flying dinosaurs are among the best of many new animals. Building and managing a theme park full of impossibly ancient animals is challenging and rewarding, and despite some annoyances, the game also manages to retain many grin-worthy moments of wonder at the improbable. People and dinosaurs just aren’t meant to be in the same place at the same time.

Overall, Roki was a big win in my book. Initially, I found its family-friendly focus to be a detriment to my enjoyment in my first sitting with it. In my second, I began to appreciate more of what it was going for, and in my third sitting, I played for 5 hours without even realizing it. Roki has a lot going for it, including a unique story, well-done but straightforward mechanics, and a simply beautiful art style. Don’t let this one slip past you like a tomte hiding in his hat.

All in all, these are minor points to one of the best Battlefields we’ve had in a while. It’s rekindled my excitement for the series for sure. With new modes like Hazard Zone and the ability to play old games like Bad Company 2 remastered, the game is full of content, even without single-player. If you’ve been thinking of diving into BF, whether it is your return or a first in the series, Battlefield 2042 might be exactly what you were looking for.

Treasures of the Aegean is an intriguing and audacious game. Giving you complete freedom, you can decide how you want to tackle the enormous environment. Due to the protagonist’s free-flowing approach to traversal, you can gracefully cruise through areas to discover the plethora of secrets that are buried within. Whilst some may be deterred by that lack of a clear objective, those who crave an adventure that gives you control should definitely check out this liberating trip to a lost, ancient world.

Tunche is a refreshing take on an established genre. The incredible aesthetics will immediately make this one stand out amongst its peers but its faithful implementation of mechanics hinders the experience. Whilst the rogue-lite features put a fun twist on every run, the repetitive combat can quickly become tiresome. Although there are a few issues, it’s certainly an interesting game that shines when playing with others.

It’s still a good story, though, with an arc and characters that impressed 2003 Star Wars fans and RPG players hungry for more of what they loved best. Mechanically, the moment-to-moment gameplay definitely shows its age and the writing isn’t as strong or nuanced as we might remember it being. There’s a bit of consolation prize sadness around this unadorned, unimproved semi-museum piece coming to Switch, which won’t be seeing Aspyr’s remake when it’s released. Knights of the Old Republic looks and plays like the exceptionally good game it most certainly was in 2003, but it’s hard not to see, hear and feel all the ways in which games have moved on since.