Mario Strikers: Battle League is a promising start to filling the football boots of the long awaited sequel. Solid, liquid smooth performance on the pitch and that signature cocktail of personality and gritty football fun from Next Level Games. Where the game falters, at time of review, is the significant lack of offline content, supporting characters and lack of basic online features found in similar multiplayer games. If these issues are patched in, the base game is a solid package that sets the foundations for what could grow to be a more complete package.

The best description for Haven would be that of a game developed by a very talented team of people, who dreamed big, but had a budget that was simply not enough, as the concept can even scare larger, more experienced studios. Due to all that, it feels as if stuck in the second chapter of a much, much larger game. Its alien world is beautiful, the gameplay is far from bad, and the way this focuses in the protagonist duo and their romantic relationship is pulled off quite well (for the most part), but in the end, the severe lack of content, as well as challenge, soon turns this into a repetitive, and painfully boring chore.

Immortal Redneck's first few hours are a delightful cage match between you and the chaos within. After a few hours, though, it feels like the same old, same old. Tension is replaced with apathy, as things feel like a hamster wheel churning out the same bits and pieces. It is best experienced for its moments, and not its whole, as those moments are exhilarating and intense. As a whole, though, it fails to retain any lasting attention, and amounts to something that is fun, but ultimately disappointing.

For the spiritual sequel of the Momodora games, Minoria doesn't really do much to separate itself from them, or add some new mechanics. For some that won't be a problem. Those thirty for more of the same will definitely enjoy this short, marvellously gloomy, and pleasantly unforgiving journey. Undoubtedly, it has a pretty strong, unique charm, and it's far from mediocre, but it's safe to say that much better metroidvania alternatives exist out there.

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is a double-edged Dragon Sword. On one hand, it's hard to overlook the omission of both Black titles. On the other hand, the Sigma duology and Razor's Edge make for a compelling, if at times uneven, action trilogy. What the first Sigma loses from puzzles, platforming, and exploration, it makes up for with streamlined set pieces that highlight combat above all else. Sigma 2 lacks almost all the style that defined Ninja Gaiden II, but it's undeniably a smoother experience that challenges a different set of skills than its predecessor. Razor's Edge is the clear weak link of the bunch on a design level, but the mechanics are incredibly fun to experiment with. It may not be the ideal compilation for hardcore franchise fans, but Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is a great entrypoint for new fans and a solid trilogy in its own right.

Overall, Waku Waku 7 is an almost perfect port, which more than successfully transmits the spirit of the original arcade hit. While it does lack an extra layer of effort, which would elevate this piece of content amongst some of the best on the eShop today, this is still a captivating and unique experience that is well worth checking out regardless of experience with the genre. Avid fighter fans will find something nostalgic and refreshing about it, even today, and those with no prior experience will still find something unique and memorable at the heart of this retro beat-em-up. This is definitely one of the more exciting offerings from the ACA NeoGeo range.

River City: Rival Showdown's best qualities are its unique method of progression and well-executed storyline. Admittedly, this critic was not expecting this to be the case. The appeal of this franchise has always been its simplistic but satisfying fighting; not to mention the depth and creativity that comes from having so many fun abilities to play around with. While these hallmarks are present in this 3DS brawler, they are buried under the relentless quest for higher numbers. The final result is a game that just isn't as accessible and endearing as it could be, but there's still entertainment to be had.

This new DLC, Stellaris: Apocalypse, and the major update to the base game, overhaul some serious systems, but the root problem of the title still remains. It simply is too grindy, too 'bureaucratic,' and simply takes too long to do anything interesting. The major issues that have plagued the experience are still present, so those hoping for any change to that will be disappointed, while many elements present serve to frustrate the player.

Ultimately Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a fun game and does everything it says on the package. Unfortunately there is always a limit to games of this type, which explains its budget price tag for a physical release. While the multiplayer is fun to pick up and play with friends and family, it does not last very long with fifteen games in total. It is a game that need to be repeatedly played to try and beat the high score which can be fun for short bursts, but not something that will stay in the brain for a long time.

Fun but limited combat, punctuates a fantastic, character-driven drama about putting on shows and pulling a once beloved group and theatre out of its rut, and into the spotlight on an international level. It's a rip-roaring good time that has such faith in its world and style, that the love of the developers, writers, artists, and composers comes through at all points during the journey. This is a definite recommendation to those who like games that focus on narrative, and who can overlook the fairly uninspiring (yet enjoyable) combat, or who love to explore characters and motivations through dialogue. Also, for those new to the series: fear not. It's in line with the old series canon, but this one is self-contained and expands into a new era of the story.

All-in-all, it is a recommendable title and one that no puzzle fan should ignore.

Despite the occasional clunkiness in battles, there is a well-developed battle system lurking beneath the surface that really just needed a bit more polish. Unfortunately, there's a lot of crippling little details between the battles, systems, and presentation that add up to a very lukewarm start for the series outside of Japan.

Like a good heist film, episode five gradually builds tension until even the smallest actions seem to have tremendous ramifications if done wrong. The idea of deliberately failing QTEs to see if they really matter fades away, because everything seems to matter. However, like a bad heist film, the stakes are occasionally undermined by showing just how far the odds have been swung in the hero's favour. As a conclusion (possibly for good) to Minecraft: Story Mode Season Two - Episode 5 is still strong, never becoming close to a chore to play. It's just a shame that it ended up being one of the weaker points of the season.

Bleed is a short and entertaining romp that will keep anyone glued to their screen. Each stage is packed with fiends to destroy, and the bosses are suitably engaging. The difficulty never reaches a point of needless frustration. Even on the harder settings, checkpoints are generous. There's also a one-life mode for those seeking the ultimate challenge. However, this has largely been rendered obsolete by its sequel, Bleed 2. That's not to say that run 'n gun fans should pass this over, as it is fun and well-designed, but the successor is simply the better pick.

The Adventures of Bertram Fiddle: Episode 1: A Dreadly Business is a breath of fresh air in the point-and-click genre, bringing with it fantastic art work and excellent voice acting, along with tough-but-not-overly-so puzzles, a wonderfully intuitive inventory and control system, as well as bucket-loads of charm and personality. Spiffingly good work, ol' chap!

Putting a score to a game like Pato Box is painful as parts are worthy of the highest possible score, namely the boss fights that are some of the best seen in ages and truly capture, and even enhance the source of inspiration. However, there needed to be more of those to create a better difficulty curve and less filler content in-between. The story of a game like this does not need to make sense, but the content put into it needs to.

While a bit short on the replayability side, and with visuals that look good, but not as good as they would do so with the use of a VR headset, Battlezone: Gold Edition is a fun tank arena shooter, with a surprisingly strong strategic mindset. Just be sure to enjoy this with a bunch of other players, as solo play might get way too boring, way too soon.

Picross S2 is a relaxing game that offers some variety in its gameplay to stay interesting enough. It is surprisingly addictive, yet it also lacks some features that could improve its levels of variety. Its price currently seems a little too high for what is offered.

A Pixel Story has the potential to be great, but falls just short of capturing that potential. The basic mechanic here is a clever one, and the developers to a good job getting a lot out of it. Unfortunately, they fall just short of elevating it to something truly special, and the final result is a bit more basic than expected. Puzzles are good, but repetitive, and exploration is fun, but simple. This combined with floaty, imprecise controls and an odd insistence from the game to focus on them, makes this fall just below the top tier of puzzle platformers. Fans of the genre might still want to check this out, but everyone else might want to see what other stories are out there.

Fans of real role-playing really ought to acquire this, since it offers the best of both worlds on the scale of CRPGs.

In summary, The Sims 4: Tiny Living Stuff Pack is not totally disappointing, but also not very interesting. It could have been implemented as part of one of the bigger DLCs, instead of being released on its own. Since it is relatively small, the current retail price seems hardly justified, but for true collectors, lovers of challenges, or those wanting to experience their Sims in tiny houses, it may well be a nice add-on.

Though the difficulty is going to put off a lot of newcomers to the genre, the truth is that most of the love for this title is still going to come from gamers who grew up, not only with a yearning for an age where the achievement was simply completing a tough brawler, but for the age itself; when stoner humour was prevalent, and where, with just a little scratching of the surface, you could find real emotional depth and good feeling in movies such as Mallrats. Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl doesn't rest on its laurels, though, and provides as much depth in its combat as any Smith vehicle. The health regen through character switching also makes it far more tactical and rewarding than expected. Fun as a solo adventure, and a riot with a hat wearing friend, settle in with a chocolate covered pretzel, and tell them and as many others to check this one out.

Konami perhaps missed a beat and could have been a tad bit more generous by making this an even more budget-priced game than what it is being sold for to capture any FIFA players who are on the fence, but it is still worth the price of admission. If fluid, tactical and sublime football is what you are looking for then look no further than eFootball PES 2021 Season Update.

Worm Jazz isn't an ambitious or largescale title. There's not a large amount of levels, there's no story or context to the gameplay, and there's only a handful of different mechanics, overall. However, it still succeeds in what it sets out to do; the levels are delightfully fun to squirm through, collecting everything requires some real puzzle expertise, and, most of all, the jazz score is simply entrancing. For its price, Worm Jazz on Nintendo Switch is very good value for fans of the puzzle genre, or for anyone seeking a relaxing way to spend a few hours.

The folksy ambiance helps Mundaun distinguish itself from most horror indies on the market. The rough and flawed graphics work in ways the developer may not have intended and the frequent backtracking may not be for everyone. With only Curdin's notebook giving any idea of what to do and the terribly unresponsive combat, many people might give up on Mundaun. It may be a slog at times, but this is definitely worth a look for fans of horror classics.

The Yomawari: Long Night Collection represents great value with its two-games-in-one package. Despite both games being quite short they represent the horror genre like no other. The tension is often palpable, and feeling of fear while out on the streets is almost constant. The audio may appear to be basic, but it does a stellar job of immersion with small sounds helping to heighten the paranoia that something could be lurking around the corner. The visuals will appeal to fans of a chibi-anime style and really do help lend to gorgeous backdrops and animations. Yomawari: Long Night Collection is well worth a purchase for horror fans.

Despite the story shortcomings, there is a lot to like about Frontier Hunter: Erza’s Wheel of Fortune. The gameplay shines above the rest of its shortcomings, and the diverse upgrade paths for various characters through crafting, loot, and equippable skills really helps make the game feel fresh and exciting throughout a fairly lengthy adventure. Even a year or so after its release Frontier Hunter is worth checking out, despite the absolute deluge of other titles available in the genre.

Dark Auction falls into a rare spot that the plot and writing is actually pretty interesting but the story is still tough to recommend. The characters feel real, and the tension and mystery is very good, but it goes nowhere fast. There are certainly some other problems such as the auction puzzle parts being a big letdown, and the main mystery not being as big as it first seems, but mostly it is just that more needs to happen. The overall plot meanders, and it really grinds down what should have been a brisk and interesting story that could have been told in half the time or less.