I expected Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics to be packed with content, and of course with 51 games it certainly is. But what I didn’t expect was how well done the overall package would be. This is a game collection that is both accessible and easy to pick up and play, yet surprisingly chock-full of enriching content like How to Play guides that will make you want to dive deeper into each of the games and learn about them as you do.

On the bright side, there is an incredible amount of replayability in Monster Train. There are five factions to play with, and you have to choose two to combine at the beginning of each run. Of course, it isn’t without escalating difficulty levels for those who manage to beat the game consistently, and even a multiplayer race format as well. Lastly, one of my favourite things about digital card games is that the devs have lots of ways to continue patching it. My gripes with the game are pretty minor, and who knows how this game will look in a few months? This are just release days, after all. If you are a fan of Slay the Spire or any other deckbuilding roguelites, you should definitely check this one out.

Shulk and his friends are unwavering in their optimism and integrity, and they make for a charming and endearing cast with a story that never fails to move and grow. Certain mechanics are a bit confusing and overwhelming to learn, but overall, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition hits the nail on the head in almost every way and adds up to a beautiful adventure that thoroughly deserves your time. ‎

A year later and a new package does little to boost up World War Z’s failings. If it’s on sale or you really need to kill some zombies with some friends it’s a quick way to get all the content and it’ll be brief and inoffensive enough to waste a few hours. If you’re like me and searching eagerly for the next successor to the 2008 classic, you are better served elsewhere.

Overall, Total Tank Simulator is a decent package for simulation fans who want to sit back and watch the magic happen. For those who would rather be on the front lines, you can do that here as well, just don’t expect the same experience as you would from a dedicated FPS. While deceptively simple at the outset, Total Tank Simulator is much deeper than what you might expect.

Minecraft Dungeons isn’t the finest ARPG I’ve ever picked up, but it’s a terrific first step in your journey. Minecraft fans and action RPG junkies alike would do well to give this one a good look.

At first glance, Arcade Spirits may appear to be only fun and pleasantly nerdy, but it is actually a visual novel packed with unexpected and heartwarming lessons. While not entirely perfect with room to increase character customization and to adjust audio consistency, Arcade Spirits demonstrates what a geeky romantic visual novel should be like. Besides the friendships and romantic relationships you develop on your journey to self-discovery, it also teaches the player a lesson on not giving up on your dreams. Despite how cheesy this may sound, sometimes all we need is a lighthearted dating sim to remind us of what truly matters.

Here is where I’ll show my VR snobbery and say that while the graphical fidelity of this version of the game is superior to the PSVR version, the 2D version of the game cannot capture the sense of dread and isolation that the PSVR version has. Still, this version of the game does have enough depth, strategy, and replayability to make it a solid, worthwhile addition to your game library. The characters are engaging and The Persistence provides the proper mood and incentives that make you want to succeed.

In a world where everything is so damn serious, Maneater is a refreshing breath of air. It’s a short, fun, memorable romp through the life of a shark that’s better written than a lot of what comes out to today. The game is also narrated by the excellent Chris Parnell, of SNL and Archer fame, who is able to keep the quips coming at you without ever grating on your nerves. The game struggles with issues of mission repetition and a sometimes-wonky camera, but overall, Maneater succeeds with much of what it’s trying to do.

Saints Row is unrealistic in the best way possible, and what it lacks in substance it makes up for in outrageous antics and a priceless, middle-school sense of humor. It’s an absolute riot, and it never seems to draw its boundaries. Steelport is an adult playground for blood, gore and sex, and there’s no consequence for the violence and chaos you can induce. Almost everything about the remaster is fantastic, from the catchy soundtrack to the buttery smooth combat. It’s not a game you’d want your children to play by any means, but for everyone else of appropriate age and discretion, it’s a wicked good time.

The sense of humour and simplicity make it sort of a slog for veterans of the genre. But the flexibility of the terrain system and the breeziness of the writing make me think this would be a great way to introduce someone to this style of game. They can work their way up to those more complicated experiences. For now, they get to live in a world where everything is simple, and magical wind can blow your problems away.

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.

For the fans who may be picking up this title as their first Miku game, there’s an absolute ton of content featuring your favourite songs and adored pop idols. For those whose been playing since the early days of Hatsune Miku you may be a bit disappointed with the lack of new songs. But with the added addition of Mix Mode, there’s still enough content to grab your attention.

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.

When compared to other games, Telling Lies is a massive accomplishment, bringing unheard of levels of talent. But when compared to movies or TV, the performances and production design feel a little bit lacking. I’ll certainly be playing future Barlow games — the ideas are too cool to ignore. But in the future, I’d be keen to see him try his hand at something campier, or maybe let a more experienced director handle the actors. Sam Barlow presents Command and Conquer: Red Alert? Yes, please!

Signs of the Sojourner by Echo Night Games has my definite seal of approval to those looking for a fresh deckbuilding game. At the end of my first playthrough, it felt like I only scratched at the surface of the game. With multiple endings and a variety of decks to try out, this is a title I’m looking forward to diving into once again.

Overall, 112 Operator is a fun game for anyone who likes to play management sims. Unfortunately, when the easy control system and preset stories wear thin, there’s nothing to keep this dispatcher from changing careers. I know the developers are planning to release more content, which will help, but I don’t think that will be enough to completely salvage the experience.

I enjoyed my time with Moving Out, but that’s not to say I had fun. This game frustrated me. Deeply. In much of the same way Overcooked did. But Moving Out never entirely lives up to the bar set by Overcooked. At times it feels unfocused, scattered, and above all else, inconsistent in its rules. But where the technical side of the game lacks, the flair and pizazz of everything make up for it. I love the characters and the music, the couch co-op gameplay is second to none, and I appreciate a game that has no problem being there if you only need it for a few minutes to pass the time.

As you move through the various levels, different ages of the main character are explored but in the two or three hours of game time, you are left with far too many questions. What makes the experience worthwhile are the graphics and music that build effective moods and create a level of tension that goes hand-in-hand with your character’s vulnerability. Fortunately, if you die, the resets are quick and bring you back to a point close to where you previously expired. For a first game effort, Playmind has crafted a decent experience that shines technically but lacks in storytelling clarity and game playing depth.

SnowRunner brought out the kid in me when completing contracts. It reminded me of playing with Tonka trucks in the sandbox, but instead of sand, it’s snow and instead of Tonka, it’s real-world branded trucks and heavy machinery. While the realism kept me thinking like an adult, the mud running familiar to the series and newly introduced ice and snow mechanics make building bridges and fixing roads feel more interesting than other games. I enjoyed many aspects of SnowRunner and see the improvements that Saber Interactive has made with the new entry into the series. After tackling mud and snow, it’ll be interesting to see where the next title treads. It feels like they took a big step from MudRunner to SnowRunner and if the next step is just as big or bigger, it may be the perfect vehicular simulation game.

There’s no shortage of weird little games on the Nintendo Switch. Whatever brief escape you’re seeking out, you’re certain to find it on this system. Cycling down a series of hills may not immediately catch your eye, but it should. Sometimes a single mechanic is a blessing, in that it inspires a narrow degree of perfection. On the other hand, there’s a very good chance this game just isn’t for you. But! On the off chance the confluence of bikes and bodily harm pings something deep in your guts, you won’t be disappointed. The controls, the game feel, and the level design all come together to bring you peace of mind in the strangest way. Let Lonely Mountains: Downhill take you away, and you’ll be deeply satisfied with the trip.

Predator: Hunting Grounds has remarkable potential. It has all the right ideas in place but desperately needs further polish and a dedicated player base to flesh it out. The thoughts I’ve shared probably sound incredibly critical, but I oddly feel like sticking around to see where it goes.

Overall, the art style, the esoteric story setup, the charming character work and genre mashup make it a worthwhile experience to at least dip into. If you love pinball games and dungeon monster beat ‘em ups, this will be in your wheelhouse and you may find yourself losing out to just “one more run” mentality.

Dread Nautical has a fantastic minimalistic art style with a classic polygon feature that adds to that retro feeling. As a tactics game, it left a lot to be desired for me, but I can see how this would be a great intro into the genre without overloading a newcomer. The RPG elements of upgrading and enhancing characters and gear, as well as the survival food mechanic are fantastic, and the setting is truly interesting to play, but the gameplay wasn’t up to par to get me hooked. That, combined with the AI issues, makes Dread Nautical a bit of a rough ride lost at sea.

In an era of remakes and remasters, bringing a new entry to a long dormant series is a bold and difficult thing to do. Streets of Rage 4 adds modern stylings to its classic aesthetic and gameplay to create a modern mash-up that is hard to put down. The story mode is a perfect length with a smooth difficulty curve. Controls are easy to learn and natural to master, with the inclusion of plenty of multiplayer options and a large variety of characters to make for some fantastic friendly brawling. While I would have preferred the inclusion of a dedicated grapple button or a dash ability, the experience we get perfectly encapsulates the arcade experience without compromising the integrity of the game or your own skills.

Deliver Us The Moon turned out to be a fun little distraction from the bigger, more intensive games I’ve been playing. It certainly doesn’t do anything to reinvent the wheel, but it manages to nail a few of the key things it tries to do, and for that, I have no problems recommending it for a quick playthrough. I’ll be the first to tell you, though, that there’s going to be some stuff that will bug the hell out of you. Still, for the most part, the good outweighs the bad, and I’ll be keeping my eye out for KeokeN Interactive’s next project.

Every Mana game after Secret of Mana has felt diminished, by comparison. Time has revealed even that gem’s numerous flaws, but there’s still a bar that’s been set. Trials of Mana reaches for that bar, perhaps even grasping it. The graphics are lovely, the music is compelling, and the combat is engaging. It’s a weird, beautiful action RPG with enough hooks to keep me on the wire to the very end. The story may be wafer thin, the characters might be flat, and their dialogue might be clumsy, but the core remains intact. Whether you’ve played the original or not, Trials of Mana should be on your ARPG radar.

This is a series that never overtly focused on story or character. It’s trying something new, and it is very, very good. Chimera Squad is a great game in its own right, and it has me over the moon to imagine what a proper XCOM 3 is going to play like.