Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is even less of a visual novel than its predecessors and leans in more heavily with the adventure game mechanics like inventory and key item collecting. It is also more streamlined than before and the story is not as compelling as it was the first time. The lack of urgency diminishes the stakes and the puzzles are far too easy to feel any sense of dread or mystery. At worst, Death Mark II can feel boring. Its best aspects lie in its audio and visual departments, whereas the story and gameplay are merely serviceable.

Bitlogic: A Cyberpunk Arcade Adventure is a gimmick or novelty of a video game that is meant for twitch streams or to dupe friends into playing it as a joke. It is not the most enjoyable adventure game but is also not designed to be the great either since it is trying to make a point. It is designed to be played by almost anyone and not counting the directional pad, it only uses one button. By that token it is almost impressive that it manages to be engaging at all.

A fairly enjoyable experience, coupled with an interesting take on the Wii-remote fighter experience.

This is a decent, entry-level horror adventure, one that will last for about an hour, and offer a nice mysterious story, and the general feeling that something is out to get you. Not exactly a gem in the world of lo-fi PS1-styled indies, but most are recommended to try it out if given the chance.

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.

Rose & Camellia Collection is a game that embraces its absurdity and delivers a unique experience to the Switch. It is definitely charming overall and enjoyable enough while it lasts. However, the creativity in concept doesn’t necessary translate to creativity in gameplay, and too many fights play out in pretty much the same way. Add in some imprecise controls and limited content and it winds up being a less enjoyable experience than it could have been. For players seeking a quirky, short-lived adventure filled with aristocratic slap battles, this collection may provide a few hours of entertainment. The $20 price tag does seem a bit steep for what it is, though, so it might be best to wait for these aristocrats to put on an estate sale.

Multiplayer is a really positive experience, and it becomes very easy to sink hours into just exploration and small side quests, with no attention being paid to the main story. Pick up and play is a feeling so rarely found in JRPG titles that it feels like a really positive step towards what should be seen as the new normal. What is baffling, then, is hiding such a great feature, along with all the other main parts of Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris behind 12+ hours of repetitive story. The honest truth is that players with a passing interest aren't going to put the hours in to get past the initial chapter, and in doing so, are going to miss out on an enjoyable experience with a lot to offer for both casual players and hardcore fans. Stick with it.

It's hard to rate something like Black Book. It's a mix and match of things that are generally fun and refreshingly new, but the whole thing carries with it a lack of polish and balance, which could make this dark tale of witchcraft and demonology shine much brighter. This is basically a high 6, or a low 7. A mediocre, repetitive CCG/RPG, with some neat moments that'll - barely - manage to keep you interested. If looking to experience something outside of generic medieval fantasy, though, do give it a try. Morteshka's creation is basically Slavic Pagan Mythology: The Game.

Neptune's glorious and fun-loving self is the main saving grace and rally point, so the verdict is fairly obvious: if you want to Nep out, Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online has got the Nep. Other people may want to play some of her mainline RPGs instead.

Even with the hidden scrolls dotted around levels that must be collected, and the odd awkard puzzle that takes longer than expected to solve, there is little to prevent Chronicles of Mystery from being completed within around two hours.

In terms of looks alone, One Piece: Burning Blood has great presentation, as it feels like it came right out of a manga. In terms of gameplay, though, it's just a decent, and relatively unpolished, fighter of no importance.

Observer could have been more. It has style and exceptional art direction, a creative premise but flaccid and unimaginative gameplay. Maybe this comes with the territory when it comes to walking-sims or first-person adventure games, but there really is no excuse for the lack of imagination because much older games have found ways to keep things fresh while adventuring. There is very little attention to detail when it comes to interaction and player-choice. Observer should have been like playing a pacifist run on the original Deus Ex.

It clearly has its flaws, and pretty standout ones at that, and the overall atmosphere of the game is a bit too far into the cliché area of the JRPG genre, and yet, it has its moments where it shines.

Globulos Party is a fun piece of software, especially when playing with a friend. Unfortunately the idea has not been expanded upon since its initial inception as a free Flash-based game, with the Internet match-up element actually being removed from the DSiWare version, severely reducing its replay value.

Playing against other players in Galactic Civilizations 3: Mercenaries offers far more bang for your buck as far as this DLC goes. The AI does not seem to utilise the expansion, whereas with humans it can indeed be a very intense rush for the good ships. It will feel slightly cheap to those just beating on computers, though.

Like this remake's newly-added horse character, Miitopia is a bit of a one-trick pony. Beyond a few rare format changes, what you experience in the first hour is basically what you'll be doing for the entire game. This will likely drive away some, particularly those looking for a more challenging experience, but for others, this pony's "one trick" isn't inherently bad. While much of the playthrough is spent fast-forwarding through repeated environments, there's still plenty of charming moments that are worth slowing down for. It isn't the most exciting title ever, but it does make you smile… and sometimes, that's all you really need.

Bomb Chicken isn't going to be breaking any molds. What it does, countless others have done before, and better. That doesn't mean it isn't a ton of fun, though, if a little brief. It is an ideal new title for speed-runners to stream, and all-in-all a fun, addictive, crazy, little arcade experience. Based on this, Nitrome is one to watch; it certainly has a promising future ahead.

Paradox Soul is a fine experience that retells a typical story centered around an empty facility, with dead scientists and killer robots. There's nothing original here, however the controls are tight and Dr. Rose plays well. For those looking to kill a few hours on a short metroidvania title, then Paradox Soul is one title worth checking out. While it's not as engaging as others in the genre, nor does it offer any new interesting innovations, it's still one worth adding to the list for short-lived titles to smash out over a weekend, or to knock out another easy platinum to add to the digital trophy cabinet.

First and foremost, Anthem is not a bad game; it's just forgettable. The constant comparisons to Destiny are utterly fitting, and in more than one way. Anthem may get better; it has a roadmap and since it's another of the… "Games as a Service" style releases, it is planned to develop over an extended period. The problem is, though, that the game has to be looked at now; at how it plays right now… and, right now, it feels unfinished - unpolished; buggy; something that deserved another round of beta testing and another six months. Perhaps it will get better, but whether the audience is still there when it does is questionable. Cool flying mechanics can only keep the interest of the masses for so long.

Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing is a great concept that could've used with a bit more time in the oven to knuckle down the controls a little better. The slow and cumbersome movements don't make for an excitingly adventure. However, the idea of playing a futuristic version of Survivor, by competing against opponents, forming alliances, and then double-crossing other captains to vote them out of the game, makes for an enthralling few hours. For those who are in need of a bit of time to kill with a different type of a video game, then Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing may be worth checking out.

This is really going to come down to how much you liked the base game. There are some severe things to be made aware of, such as no new characters, not using your save data, and so on. The content is a little thin, and a hefty price tag is going to make a lot of people look away. DLC is met with anger more often than not, and something like this with its price tag doesn't help repair that relationship. Those who really cannot get enough of the first game will probably be happy, but anyone else will feel like there is a lot missing.

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball plugs a gap in videogaming's sports selection, and provides a fun, if sparse, game in the process.

Team Maniax has delivered on creating a cute, but frenzied party title that simplifies the act of dodging bullets, and making it look cool while doing so. With easy controls to learn, and only having one focus, the barrier for entry in Retimed is low. Whether engaging in team battle with some friends, or taking part in a 'free for all,' there's a ton of energy and excitement to be had. The main issues is the lack of characters, stages, or variety of weapons to choose from, plus the lacklustre single-player experience. However, considering the small development team that worked on this, what Retimed has become is an enjoyable blast to play, and at the very least, it most certainly should be checked out in time for the next couch party.

There is nothing majorly wrong with any single part of Space Pirates and Zombies 2, but the inconsistency drags it down. From an actual good/dark story, to oddly ham-fisted "zombie" references, it is not clear what direction this title wants to go, and both two sections leave more to be desired as they only are purely average. The lore is interesting, and it is unfortunate this does not dive into it more, which is like the game in general: everything works, but it leaves the player wishing there was more.

For the quality included in Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle, it feels as if Arc System Works isn't onto a winner here. In fact, when giving it a little thought, it's hard to understand why this collection is needed at all. Any Switcher with access to the Nintendo Online service already has access to some of the best titles available here. Double Dragon and Double Dragon II, as well as River City Ransom[/], and [i]Volleyball are available for the small yearly subscription, and are probably the best titles on offer. It's a major barrier to warrant a purchase, and the question will always rear its ugly head: why buy the gaming cow when you are getting the milk for free? One for the fans, and diehard retro collectors only…

From the initial outset, Mario Tennis Aces looks and sounds like it should, with vibrant colours and familiar sounds. Camelot has gone far enough to refine the controls and gameplay to feel ostensibly different from other tennis games. However, the back to basics approach has left behind the legacy, rendering this as a title that has a severe lack of content when compared to the past greats.

Ultimately, for those that enjoy the core shooter element, Radiantflux: Hyperfractal probably delivers value for money. However, it also feels incomplete - a mess of random things jumbled together. While the randomness itself provides some entertainment, it's hard to feel satisfied with the game when it's over. A little more development effort could have gone a long way here.

Love Too Easily is a Korean romcom with its heart in the right place. Its various flaws, whether it is the low image quality at the beginning of scenes or the broken English, can somewhat be overlooked by the lighthearted story at play. A playful distraction for an hour or two if looking for a humorous FMV game, despite the lack of depth.