It's difficult to recommend Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 since it's so wildly inconsistent in its quality. What is essentially being offered is one game that's decent (albeit unmemorable), one that's sometimes great, and then two that are complete trainwrecks. That said, Mega Man X5 and Mega Man X8 are worth playing through as they're still fairly enjoyable in their own right. Otherwise, though, there's not much reason to check this out.

At best, this is just a very gimmicky adventure game. Each level having its own thing is a bit refreshing from always having to pixel-hunt for objects, tying simplistic stats into the mix adds some planning, and the way this title forces players to commit to their actions is nice. Sadly, as the journey reaches its half-way point, the story unravels in a very unsatisfying manner. Characters are built up and don't get the proper pay-off, while some disappear entirely.

While Race Arcade does a good job of recreating the arcade racing style of old, with the top-down fixed camera and basic vehicle and track set-ups, as well as featuring time trials and local multiplayer, it is otherwise an uninspiring experience.

Overall, it's a bit lacking, but this is a nice original game that could feasibly keep the family entertained for part of a rainy day.

Xenon Valkyrie+ is by no means a bad game, just one that needed a little bit more time in development to better polish the gameplay. The individual elements are interesting, but when put together, things don't gel right. The level design doesn't take advantage of the characters' skills; instead, it puts them through similar-looking cave and industrial levels littered with easily destructible scenery.

While there's one more chapter left to play, Episode 4: Burning Bridges puts the final nail in The Council's coffin by bringing along the same mistakes, plus some new ones, and with the quality of the storytelling taking a big, sad plunge.

Third time's not the charm in the case of Darksiders III, which is a - mostly - mediocre third entry in a line of games that weren't really that great to begin with. The quality of the Switch port doesn't help either, not so much because of its downgraded visuals, but because of its severe frame rate dips, and long load times, something that plagued the original versions as well. At least Fury looks cool…

It doesn't do much wrong: it controls well, the music is nice enough, the visuals, while not impressive, do look clean. It gets the action going, yet it fails to capture the attention because it's too repetitive and not engaging enough.

None of this is to say Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a bad game. In fact, it's a decent game for the younger audience, newcomers, and anyone that isn't expecting Shantae to evolve. Strictly from the perspective of someone that has played many games in the series and is eager for something different, though, this disappoints on many fronts. Uninspiring and rarely ever surprising, with little to make the player feel like they've earned anything, what is left is a generic Shantae game that is like any other before it, crying out for change and originality.

Energy Invasion shows some interesting and bold design choices that challenge some core aspects of one perhaps the most static genres that is still relevant today. However, these changes are badly implemented, only adding too much unnecessary clutter that is sometimes annoyingly hard to spot due to the small size. It is easy to want to like Energy Invasion as it adds more action to a genre in which some people desire more action and there is a desire to see more like this, but the drawbacks and flaws slowly creep up on the player. All that can be done is to hope that a sequel or spiritual sequel to the game get made that fixes some of the annoying things and decrease clutter to make it a more enjoyable experience as there clearly is a lot of untapped potential.

To be clear, this is actually really fun and interesting, but at this point it was not ready for release. There are far too many literal game-breaking bugs and errors that freeze RogueBook solid. The second level alone took over 10 reloads to beat. With some patches and balances though, this game could easy be a recommended to CCG or strategy players.

InnerSpace falls more than a bit short of the heights it aspires to. The levels feel hard to navigate and they aren't helped by the laggy controls and constant motion of the Cartographer. It feels poorly optimised for Nintendo Switch, with frequent camera stutters and choppy frame-rates. It's overall a very unsatisfying experience, which is made all the more frustrating by the sheer potential InnerSpace has. The beautiful environments and quietly haunting atmosphere are still enchanting, but everything else just feels empty.

For the Monster Truck fanatics in attendance, those that know the difference between "Hook Up" and "Hooking Clay" or between a "Slap Wheelie" and a "Sky Wheelie", there's going to be something to enjoy in Monster Hunt Championship. But, while there's some fun to be had, the game just feels lacking. The experience is more fitting with arcade-style mechanics compared to the sim-style elements, and by delivering these sim elements it makes the game feel as slow and clunky as the vehicles.

It's a middle of the road standard game for children, with little imagination but reasonably solid gameplay. If you like that sort of thing, leap on in.

Charon’s Staircase unfortunately feels like it is caught between strong ideas and weak execution. Its thematic ambition, atmospheric sound design, and willingness to explore uncomfortable subject matter make it stand out, and it feels pretty memorable even if it isn’t great. At the same time, a variety of technical shortcomings, repetitive gameplay, and puzzles that tend to vary between mindlessly boring and frustratingly esoteric hold the overall game back. Horror is a crowded genre and this feels like one most people can skip without missing out on much. For players drawn to slow, narrative-driven psychological horror, there is some value to be found. For most others, the only thing frightening about this is how much money they’ll waste.

In a sea of mediocre, mobile-born, turn-based tactical RPGs, it's easy to find something even more lifeless than Dread Nautical, but that doesn't say much. Zen Studios' creation lacks the depth usually expected from the genre, is way too repetitive, and even seems uncertain of what kind of atmosphere it wants to have. The only dread players will feel here is from the lengthy loading times.

Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians is not a bad game, just a boring one.

Syberia Remastered is an uneven revival. Its redesigned environments successfully capture the spirit and atmosphere of the original, but a couple of issues (visual and otherwise) prevent it from becoming the definitive version. For the uninitiated it’s a mostly accessible entry point into a classic story; for long-time fans, it’s an…okay reinterpretation. It's sadly one more reminder that preserving magic is sometimes harder than creating it in the first place.

On first glance, All-Star Karate looks like it might be right at home on the shelves between Cruis'n and Ninjabread Man. For those willing to persist, however, the game rewards players with fun gameplay and exercise potential, if falling short in areas of presentation and MotionPlus usage.

A substantial lack of instructions and in game help, coupled with a poor story, makes Tamagotchi Plaza's value for money and enjoyment level on the low side. It has the potential to be quite innovative if it expands on the game's premise and uses all of the Nintendo Switch’s technology capabilities. Overall, Tamagotchi Plaza fails on a basic level that casts a large shadow on any future instalments. It is extremely different to the original egg-shaped Tamagotchi, and needs more substance to be worth more than a cursory glance considering the physical and digital price tag.

Some gamers enjoy experiences that gamify mundane work activities. The fun is how accurately it can capture the experience of the profession. The Mortuary Assistant: Definitive Edition not only cheapens the effort put into making cadavers presentable for funerals, but it also turns into a major hassle with Paimon constantly pestering Rebecca, thinking it’s amusing to remind her of her past heroin use. This could have worked if more thought had been put into the embalming process and if the presentation had been more polished.

In many ways, it's not Checkmate's fault that it's not that enjoyable. The blame certainly goes to the previous chapters of The Council, which failed in being engrossing enough for anyone to care for what happens next. That being said, this doesn't get a free pass, as it doesn't fix any of its problems.

A flawed port that struggles to overcome mediocrity in its implementation, and that suffers from a lack of multiplayer, leads to a less than stellar experience. Star Wars Jedi Outcast is purely saved by its solid level design, and fan service. There are probably better options if you want a good TV experience, but nothing can beat this port's portable experience, which is in all honestly its saving grace. Recommended for fans looking to take it on holiday, and a near miss for fans looking for a Star Wars title worthy of being played in the big screen.

oOo: Ascension is enjoyable enough for what it is. It sometimes has a bit of an identity crisis trying to figure out what it wants to accomplish with its design, but when it manages to intertwine its puzzle and precision elements, you will find some satisfying stages. These don't come that often, however, and the fact that there's no online leaderboard or any challenging optional objectives means there's barely any replay value, either.

There are better rhythm games out there, but people who like the genre are going to find a solid title here; people who like Avicii’s work are going to find a solid title here; and people who like to see a lot of colours, lights and sounds while cruising a spaceship to music—at breakneck speed or as casually as they want—will want to check this one out, too.

Anyone who has played a game or two from the Pretty Girls series is aware that expectations must be kept kind of low, as most games are somewhat simple, and the only incentive, besides the fun factor, is the fact that players can unlock more anime girls and costumes. Pretty Girls Klondike Solitaire is one of the least meaty in this, already low-fat, franchise, as the actual game is just Solitaire, with no additional bells and whistles, or addictive scoring mechanics, and the roster of girls is very small, and with a disappointing amount of outfits per girl to unlock - usually just one. Buy it if you must, but you are advised to wait for a discount.

By no means is Funk of Titans a bad game, but it's not the kind of game that will be remembered for much beyond its absurd story and ridiculous mini-game.

While Pathfinder Adventures is largely a faithful reproduction of the board game, in many cases this is not enough. A single player romp through a card game designed to be played in real life leaves much to be desired. There is nothing majorly wrong with the game, but Pathfinder Adventures is entirely average as the gameplay quickly devolves into endlessly clicking dice and cards without meaning.