Nihon Falcom’s games have helped me to rediscover JRPGs which I had almost given up due to their often perplexing superiority complex. There’s this integrity towards the way Nihon Falcom makes their games, and it’s reflected in the gaming experience. What The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel may lack in production values, it makes up for in the richness and depth in its unpretentious and diverse narrative. That makes following Rean and his friends during their year of study uncannily engaging entertainment. I can’t think of any better way to get acquainted with The Legend of Heroes series than this. The only thing bothering me right now is how long I have to wait for the second part!

The action works when called upon, the story really tries to expand on Batman’s world, and the new relationship mechanics add another layer to interactions. If you played the first season, there’s absolutely nothing that should keep you from this one.

Lazaretto lacks focus on what exactly it wants to do. Does it want to scare players with a sense of horrific immersion, or does it want to send us on a mind tripping journey? The game doesn't seem to know, and neither do I. Ultimately, Lazaretto has a strong start and truly great sound design, but I think the developers should have spent more time at the drawing board for this one. As this is Chapter 1, let's hope Chapter 2 can pull it together.

A medieval version of River City could have had robust stat progression, a sophisticated fighting system, and at the very least, a more interesting story. Instead, we have a barebones palette swap that is still the same beat ‘em up on the inside. Though the core mechanics are fun, it gets repetitive due to a lack of combat depth and stat progression. Regardless, this fantasy palette swap of the old-school games is a valiant effort. Fans of the series will likely find Kunio – or I should say Alexander’s – adventures in Riverandia to be an enjoyable, albeit short, experience. Others unfamiliar with the series seeking a good beat ‘em up may want to consider the original River City Ransom or the 3DS’ River City: Tokyo Rumble instead.

This is the freshman effort for developer We the Force Studios and it is certainly noticeable throughout the entirety of Randall. The Mexico based developer has crafted a game that obviously pays homage to a style of gameplay that they are fond of. However, the end result is little more than just that: an homage without any of the hooks that make other games of this variety so great. There is certainly potential for a great game within Randall and I hope this fledgling developer is able to learn from its mistakes to craft a more cohesive game in its next attempt.

Tacoma may only be about 3 hours long, but it fills that time beautifully, telling a thoughtful, poignant tale told through the magic of science fiction. Come for the space, stay for the heart. And the space basketball.

It’s again the broken record time. Grim Legends 2: Song of the Dark Swan is an amusement spent well and I so love these games where you’re not in a constant mortal danger. The strong start made me disappointed by the rest of the game which didn’t live up to the first promises. Luckily the bonus chapter saved the day. I’m pretty sure the best Artifex Mundi game is yet to be seen as an Xbox One conversion. Meanwhile, I keep playing these casual adventures with great pleasure.

In the end, Spellspire feels like a game that was clearly made for mobile devices and was designed to be played very casually. When it is played on a console, the shortcomings become glaringly apparent. With the wide variety of games available on PlayStation 4, it simply is not compelling enough to demand attention.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is a reverent and imperfect resurrection of an icon. This furry oddball creature could have been left in the past, but I'm pleased that he was revived for a new generation. I say this in full awareness of the fact that Vicarious Visions could have done more in the technical and gameplay departments. Here we have two great games, and one that could have been great if given the update it truly needed. They look stunning, too, but resolution, framerates, and load times are all at an average standard when at least one of the three should be better. And yet, whether you find yourself zooming down a desert highway, running from a gigantic bear, or just bouncing over a bridge of crates, you can't help but smile and know that, at the end of the day, Crash is still a whole lot of fun.

In the end, the game fails to be anything more than a Senran Kagura also ran. While I’m not opposed to over the top games of this type (not to mention that the combat is pretty fun), it annoys me when the developers don’t do enough with the material they have. The best thing I can say about the game is how well it adapts to being ported to the PC from the PlayStation Vita (which I played quite a bit). The graphics are sharp and the frame rate is slick with minimal slowdown even when numerous enemies fill the screen. That’s where the good mostly ends. Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni has short sidedness to its design that Senran Kagura addressed in its own sequel. So who knows? Perhaps Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni 2 might be better.

The Town of Light features a harrowing, historically-accurate story of mental illness and society's failure to understand it. Unfortunately, its steadily-worsening gameplay ultimately obscures the impact and importance of this tale, rendering even one playthrough far from worth it. I will grant that it made me want to read about 20th-century mental asylums on my own time, but I suppose that says it all; just read about these asylums and you'll spare yourself a lot of pain.

Having Cassie's blindness as the defining game play mechanic results in a visually repetitive experience where again, one can appreciate the developer's sincerity in tackling a significant subject, but not necessarily enjoy the aesthetic results. Perception is not a long game but becomes repetitive early on. In the end, the gameplay implications of a character with a significant handicap are folded into an intriguing premise that is simply not executed very well.

For its running time Get Even is certainly not a walking simulator or walk in the park. It takes 16-19 hours to complete the game, depending on the player’s willingness to sweep every nook and cranny for all the clues. But Get Even is not an action game either. It’s a mixed bag really. It’s problematic with its identity, reaching out in different directions and jumping all over the place but in the end, it’s this blurred identity which is the focal point of the game. For those who have the stamina to go for the full length of it all, Get Even is a disjointed, schizophrenic, exhausting but ultimately rewarding experience.

Inner Voices is overall marred a bit by certain design choices, but if you’re looking for a fresh horror experience that provides plenty of replayability, this title is an excellent choice. With its incredible atmosphere, one playthrough averaging around three to four hours, five different endings, and a price tag of $10, this is a game I can definitely recommend trying out.

If you add in the Motorhead or Fractured Worlds expansions, and the ability to play all of the content alone or co-op and in any sequence, Victor Vran: Overkill Edition is an extremely generous package that will take dozens of entertaining hours to complete. With each mission having multiple objectives, there are plenty of reasons to revisit areas several times. Not everything about Victor Vran is new and different, of course, but its solid mechanics and strong personality go a long way towards creating a satisfying play experience.

Any goodwill to come out Ancient Amuletor (there is a lot!) is largely ruined by a shocking lack of content. I don't know what the developer’s post-launch plans are but unless they offer the game for nothing over $5, there’s no reason to play this (admittedly) great game until there’s enough content to justify your time.

However, the hard truth is that Puzzle Showdown 4K is being sold to us as a game. And by that standard, no price justifies a purchase. It's such a shame, too; it didn't have to be like this. What if the interface was better? What if you could choose from a decent stack of pieces? What if the mechanics didn't directly conflict with one-another? Hey, what if you could make your own puzzles from your capture gallery? This is a game that takes extra measures to avoid the advantages of being a video game while doubling down on the limitations. I was really optimistic about this one, too. Hopefully it doesn't take too long for the concept to be executed properly.

With its leisurely pace and relative lack of scripted drama, Life is Feudal: Forest Village is a pleasantly relaxing way of getting involved in the minutiae of everyday medieval life, but don't expect to immediately understand or master its systems. It can feel a little directionless at times and is definitely geared towards detail-oriented players who enjoy the challenges of both moment-to-moment micromanagement and long-term planning. Forest Village has itself continued to evolve from early access to full release and it will be interesting to see how the mod community adds content and shapes the game.

As a fan of both puzzles and cooperative experiences, I enjoyed my time with Death Squared. It’s easy to say just one more after every inventive and devious puzzle. Although the game has some flaws – its reliance on trial-and-error and imprecise movement – playing with a teammate alleviated those frustrations, leading to laughter each time an unexpected death occurred. Although playing the game alone is neither that fun nor easy to control, playing with a well-coordinated partner provides the perfect setup for this mechanically colorful puzzler.

Arizona Sunshine is a just OK zombie game that, with the exception of being a PlayStation VR title, doesn’t really differentiate itself from other, better shooters. The Move wands add immersion to the action at the expense of comfortable and sensible movement (I’d kill for the option to move backward). For those who feel that graphics matter, the game is not especially pretty. Frequent texture popping and load-in ruins already bland and uninteresting environments occupied by 3D models that range in quality. At its worst, it looks like a middle- to late-stage game for the PlayStation 2. Take away the novelty of VR and free aiming, and you’ll find there is nothing to differentiate Arizona Sunshine from any other run-of-the-mill first person shooter. Wait for a sale or, if the urge to play a VR shooter compels you, consider Farpoint instead.

Still, in a world full of VR demos and proof-of-concept games that are barely that, The Mage's Tale feels and plays like a real, fully-realized product that is actually worth the $40 price tag. It has a genuine story arc, excellent combat, and visuals and game play that would be far less effective in another medium. The game makes excellent -- if perhaps over-zealous -- use of the Touch controllers and although The Mage's Tale reminds us that the VR genre is still learning to find its way, this game is certainly a milestone product for the Rift.

With only a few exceptions, Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 looks to hold true to Telltale’s own brand of storytelling while expanding on the characters it created during the first season. Sure, we’re only one episode in, but as introduction to the whole kit and kaboodle for me, I thought it did a great job and not only showing me the world, but not making me feel bad for skipping the previous season. If the rest of the episodes can fix the small pacing issues of Episode 1, we might be in for quite the funny, heartfelt ride.

Pox Nora offers an interesting take on the turn-based strategy genre. It offers the addictive nature of tactical strategy with the zen-like practice of managing all different types of party builds. The difficulty of the offline game means some people might lose far more battles than they win. Just like Dark Souls, every defeat is an opportunity to learn from mistakes and try different strategies. Unfortunately, what holds the game back, at least on the console, are technical issues that made me feel that I was struggling to tame this beast. To those interested in Pox Nora enough to try it out, it might best to take on the PC version instead.

Despite its limited vocabulary, Oh... Sir!! The Insult Simulator is far more than just a novelty - it's absolutely superb. It's hilarious, therapeutic, and - thanks to unlockables and a stellar online mode - packed with longevity. Rarely does a game come along that's inexpensive, juvenile, and profound all at the same time. Definitely give this one a shot.

Another element to the game I found trying were the unique, almost Descent-like controls because it took some getting used to. My mind had trouble getting around using the left bumper and trigger for throttle. Strafing is performed with the left analog stick as is vertical boosting--functions I typically expect to find on the right stick. It took a lot of patience and practice before I got used to the controls, though I never really felt comfortable with it. As this is a personal gripe, your mileage may vary. In the end, these concerns failed to disrupt what amounts to be a nice, stellar spin on the roguelike genre. Everspace has the same one more run motivation that spurs players to reach the end goal and at the same time, offering a fresh experience with every run.

I've played SEVEN of these Artifex Mundi games at this point (all since joining Darkstation as a reviewer) and I have to say that Enigmatis 2 is definitely my favorite among them. The graphics are excellent and the gameplay is just as good as the other titles, but it's the story that really shines here. If you're a fan of the puzzle genre (and ideally have played the first Enigmatis game...), then Enigmatis 2 is very easy to recommend.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd is absolutely charming and it’s not only due to its cutesy looks. With a dimensional world of multiple planes hovering in the middle of nowhere and tons of text to read through, the game could pass for a foreign cousin to the equally engaging and prosaic-heavy Torment: Tides of Numenera. Both games share a fact the flashy presentation is not always needed to tell immersive stories. It’s the quality of the writing and the riveting dialogue that count towards the long hours lost in front of the computer. When all is said and done, Trails in the Sky the 3rd comes out as a balanced, thoughtful and inspiring JRPG.

While you're making your way through its main story on the default difficulty, Butcher is great. In addition to thoughtful, satisfying gameplay, the whole thing just gives off this impeccable sense of attitude. But when you try out the higher difficulties, its control layout becomes its Achilles' heel. If we look at the game as a whole, it's a combination of high quality and wasted potential. If we only include the stuff that's worth playing, there just isn't enough of it. Either way, Butcher is a middling experience bolstered somewhat by its sense of character.

Dreamfall Chapters isn’t for everybody, but it’s a must for anyone who’s played the previous games, specifically Dreamfall. The story picks up where that left off, while concluding the tale The Longest Journey began decades ago. Ironically, though the plot itself is about balance, the game has difficulties balancing its gameplay style. Although modern third-person adventuring and old-school logic puzzles are both implemented, neither is particularly impressive. Luckily, the overall plot is exciting and deep enough to warrant its 25+ hour runtime. As long as you’re okay with jumping into a story in progress, it’s a worthy journey to take and a compelling dream to fall into.

Deer God makes an interesting attempt at dealing with spiritual questions in a videogame, but it ultimately detracts from the fun of the game. Crescent Moon Games did an admirable job to add the depth that is so often lacking in platforming games, but it was never enough to overcome their own ambitions. The RPG elements aren’t quite deep enough to become truly invested, and the repeating platforming sections make the game feel smaller than it really is. Deer God puts a lot of interesting ideas into play, but they never coalesce into the rewarding experience its potential hinted at. The fun is fast but fleeting like a deer in the woods.

First and foremost, Morrowind is a captivating place to land and an interesting island to explore, rich with lore and content but hobbled by some dull writing and bland storytelling. Like the Elder Scrolls Online base game, Morrowind feels static, lacking imagination in its mechanics and design. Fans of the 2002 RPG will enjoy the visual upgrade to what is now a very old game and current players of Elder Scrolls Online will certainly appreciate the new content as well. Gamers who became disenchanted with formulaic MMOs will have their disappointments confirmed in Morrowind, and should probably set sail for Vvardenfell with modest expectations.

NBA Playgrounds does a solid job of filling the void left by the NBA Street and NBA Jam series. There is a deep roster of players, and the game's cartoonish visuals look great, but the bare-bones online play and frustrating gameplay mechanics sometimes make the game feel more like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.

Nighthaw-X3000’s primary flaw is the lack of innovative or revolutionary design with its core gameplay, with levels that do little that stand out. It also could’ve been a little longer, having only eight levels that last a few minutes each. Having said that, the presentation is astounding, the music is awesome, the main hero is over-the-top in a very amusing way, and the bosses are incredibly fun to fight. Add in its low cost and co-op, it’s hard to not recommend. Retro-gaming and shmup fans alike should consider giving this a try.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with Immortal Redneck but I wanted it to hit harder. It’s definitely a repetitive romp, as most of these games are, and the gameplay is what makes that repetition worth it. Unfortunately, while the game runs smoothly and looks sharp, the guns feel weak and the gameplay is borderline mediocre. It’s not a make-or-break thing for me, in fact I was able to ultimately look past that major flaw, but many gamers won’t stick with a game with poor combat. For fans of the rogue-like genre in an FPS shell, Immortal Redneck is a fun romp reminiscent of games like Ziggurat and Tower of Guns. For fans of FPS games like Call of Duty or Titanfall, this probably isn’t going to give you that great feel you’re looking for. Ultimately, Immortal Redneck has its share of issues but it’s a good addition to the rogue-like genre with decent FPS mechanics, an interesting setting, and a fun upgrade system that’ll keep fans coming back.

While it is not a horrible game itself, I could not help but feel that MechRunner was a game released on the wrong platform, towards the wrong audience, with wrong core design decisions. During my play, I was expecting something unique and innovative from MechRunner, which would distinguish itself from other mindless endless runners. Sadly, my search was fruitless. MechRunner did nothing that warrants your precious time.

It’s a shame, really. Scanner Sombre felt more like a glorified tech demo than a proper game. With its short length and mostly shallow gameplay, it’s a bit difficult to justify the $12 price tag. However, it boasts a very well done gimmick as well as a memorable atmosphere. If you’re looking for a short, but sweet exploration game, then this is for you. If you’re looking for something a bit meatier, however, you should probably give this a pass.

There’s an interesting idea in Oafmatch but the execution is poor. While the game tries to live and die by its main attraction, an RPG overlay to a match-three game, it doesn’t do so in a meaningful or fun way. Oafmatch is a game that could only be enjoyed by absolute fanatics of the match-three genre who have exhausted every other outlet.

No matter what your favorite character platformer series is -- be it Sly Cooper or Ratchet and Clank -- Skylar and Plux is likely a game that won't measure up to it. It is a game that can be forgiven for all of its flaws though, because so much genuine love went into the game that it is nearly impossible to actively dislike it. There is nothing cynical whatsoever about this game. Instead, it oozes with an almost childlike enthusiasm, which is something uncommon in today's environment of dark, gritty games and hopelessly bloated development budgets. It is that enthusiasm, along with the constantly changing music and scenery, that wholeheartedly carries the game and gives you the ability to overlook its shortcomings. The game may be guilty of relying on that sense too much, forcing you to look the other way at everything that it is missing or does wrong. Gamers who require more robust gameplay mechanics or more collectibles may find themselves underwhelmed by Skylar and Plux. They should still be able to appreciate the effort though, if not the result.

Seasons After Fall has its share of issues, but it has enough going for it that there is an audience out there that will gain some enjoyment from it. The game's production values are top notch, so if you can look past the game's problematic level design and simplistic gameplay then you may find it to be a very serene and immersive experience. It is a shame that those issues exist though, because the game's mechanics show some terrific potential. There are scattered moments when all of the game's elements -- its atmosphere, its gameplay, and its graphics -- come together to provide some memorable experiences. In the end though, the story in Seasons After Fall is too vague and confusing to be satisfying, and a game's graphics and music can only carry it so far. There is more than enough art in this package, but there is not enough game.

Farpoint has peaks and valleys. It’s a well-built, functional, and thoroughly competent first person shooter but it’s antiquated. The story is incredibly compelling until it stumbles like a drunk elephant until it collapses into a stupor via an unfair and undeserved cliffhanger. Speaking more positively, the VR is integrated really well and I appreciated that Impulse Gear refrained from making the player the center of the universe. With the exception of the habitat recordings, the camera never interrupts the game to grab you by the face and force you to look at something. It also doesn’t force mission critical assets to stay within your field of view. This creatures a more natural existence for the player, making them feel like they are part of the production. I came away from the game with a mixture of emotions but the one thing I feel confident about is Impulse Gear’s grasp on building a high quality game in a VR space. Farpoint is a pretty good start.

Thanks to the Switch edition’s versatility, combined with the free and exclusive Super Mario mash-up pack, this is one of the best versions I could have started out with and is an ideal purchase for fans on-the-go and newcomers alike.

Somewhere, buried deep in the design document for Reservoir Dogs: Bloody Days was the idea for a decent game. The time rewinding mechanic, to its credit, does not feel gimmicky, as if it were tacked on to give the game a defining feature. Unfortunately, it isn't worth nearly the amount of frustration that it brings. Between its misuse of a license and its joyless, repetitive gameplay, there is little in this game that provides any entertainment value. Like most failed movie games, if you want the genuine experience, you are better off simply watching the movie.

Chime Sharp is like that old bicycle you’ve left in your garage for the past few years: the framework is solid, but the tires are flat. You take out your old hand-pump that barely works and start pumping away, and after all of the energy spent on that you can finally ride free. Perhaps my analogy is a bit cheesy, but it’s the truth. This game will not offer you a helping hand, so if you want to succeed, you’d best be prepared to put in a lot of effort. It might look a little bland, but it’s certainly not a bad way to spend some of your time. Honestly, if you’re a fan of electronic music and have a lot of patience, those are good reasons to try it.

Star Trek Bridge Crew won’t change the world, but it provides a stunning realization of the Star Trek franchise and brings with it an unparalleled level of immersion and VR fun. I can think of no other franchise that’s better suited to cooperative VR play than Star Trek, and Bridge Crew makes playing with strangers fun again. It also represents the ultimate in wish fulfillment.

Despite the amount of cool and interesting features this game has, the game isn’t enjoyable, and it never wants to work properly. Deformers is pretty interesting in concept and really changes up the arena-based shooter genre with quirky graphics and unique gameplay elements. But the game is mostly broken, and all of the players have pretty much already abandoned ship. For a thirty dollar game, I couldn’t ever recommend giving it a go. It’s a waste of time and money, to put it quite simply. If the bugs were cleaned up and the game was free to play, I could see Deformers standing on its own as a pretty decent game. Perhaps if they also added some additional content or single player modes, it could hold a bit more value, but I don’t think it could save the game. Ultimately, considering the number of currently active players and lack of initiative to fix the game by the developers, I think the damage has already been done. There is simply no reason to buy this game, period.

It is difficult to overstate what an achievement Prey's environmental and gameplay designs represent, nor the elegance and real ingenuity behind the many interlocking systems that the player accesses throughout. Whether you approach it as a horror-action game, a stealth-puzzle game or a run-and-gun shooter, Prey will accommodate you. Although it lacks narrative drive or memorable characters, Prey will engage you for hours as you realize the potential for creativity that the developers baked in to every area and moment in the game.

I would love to just ramble on and on about all the wonderful stories and how they're presented in What Remains of Edith Finch, but doing so would denote spoilers (and no one wants that). But suffice to say, this is a game that needs to be experienced for yourself. As I mentioned in my intro paragraph, the players who take the time to forage through all the post-it notes, diaries, family photos, etc. littered throughout the disheveled Finch house will probably get the most out of this game. What Remains of Edith Finch is a strong contender for my Top 5 Games of 2017, and even if you might not consider yourself a fan of the genre, I would still strongly encourage you to give this game a shot.

When you first take a peek at 2Dark, the name, the descriptions and whatnot, you get a sense that this game is just gonna be another generic survival horror game that takes itself way too seriously -- maybe with crafting elements sprinkled in there to further piss me off; No charm, no redeeming value, either a Silent Hill knockoff or a Slenderman knockoff. However you will soon realize that 2Dark is, and thank god for that, its own original thing with a different approach to horror. The story is deliberately cheesy. The game itself knows that the story's bland, is quickly brushed off and rarely mentioned ever again. You're a private detective with a murdered family who rescues children from evil clowns, serial killers and rest of the kitchen sink. It's okay, not too aggregating, a bit too edgy but mostly harmless.

Overall, I had a mixed feeling about Anoxemia. The game is, by no means, terrible. It has a rather interesting story, although told in a minimalist style. It successfully evokes the ambience well with both music and aesthetics. However, I found myself unable to invest in both story and the environment. There is foreboding presence in the deep, but instead of being pressured or scared, I am just largely annoyed by the glaring flaws in the game design. If one could overlook these frustrating factors, this could be a somewhat enjoyable adventure game with a unique premise and solid puzzles. Unfortunately, these infuriating shortcomings require a great deal of willpower to overlook.

While it’s obvious that the games spell-crafting system is the main focus, I felt as though it was never implemented into the game well enough to warrant great praise. I’m sure it will get a lot of coverage and be an entertaining thing to watch players utilize and break over time, but it doesn’t do much for the game aside from that. Mages of Mystralia is a good looking fantasy romp with an interesting spell system, typical fantasy setting and story, and basic combat. It’s the type of game you can finish and enjoy in a weekend and then probably forget about in a few weeks.

Human: Fall Flat enthusiastically proclaims its commitment to unscripted creativity, but in reality, it’s reading from the teleprompter. As a linear puzzle game, this is an enjoyable experience, but it offers little of what makes physics-based games enticing.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing was a fun game when it came out for the PC in 2013. It was a hack and slash RPG that gave players yearning for more Diablo something to bide their time while great titles came out to refresh the genre. No one will say that this game changed or evolved the genre upon release, but it was fun and worth playing for the action-RPG crowd. However, the same cannot be said about the PS4 version. This is a poor port of a decent game that should be avoided. There are other action-RPGs to play on the PS4 with better performance that offer better value and experiences. Stay away from this version of The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing and either get the PC version or pop in Diablo III instead.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is supported by the weight of its juggernaut puzzle franchises. A game with both Puyo Puyo and Tetris in one package would have been acceptable, but the modes that uniquely integrate the two transform this from good to stellar. The bite-sized puzzle battles are incredibly well-suited for portable play on the Nintendo Switch, and marathons of endless play will appeal to puzzle lovers whether on the big screen or on-the-go.

I wasn’t expecting much out of a $2 Steam game but Cooking Witch is a lovely gem. The gameplay is simple enough and uses a variety of missions, such as dropping five kids and cooking three dads, achievements and leaderboards to encourage frequent play. It’s also to a fun way to break the monotony of mundane PC activity. Whether you’re a web designer or working with Excel spreadsheets all day, tossing children into a pot for food is a great way to de-stress from the day.

Everything is definitely a unique experience but it does wear out its welcome at a point. When it starts to feel empty and like all you're doing is mechanically ticking things off of a "found a thing to control!" checklist and feels like it's leaving its message to the wayside, that's when it's best to cut it loose, in my opinion. It can feel unlike anything you've ever played, but eventually, like real existence, it starts to feel like a slog. But in those moments when it's firing on all cylinders, it's really something special.

There are heretics for whom superhero culture holds no appeal or understanding, but I wager that Injustice 2 will captivate even these skeptics. With responsive fighting mechanics, an engaging and fast-moving campaign, a generous roster of characters and top-drawer presentation, Injustice 2 will make everyone at least a temporary fan of the genre.

Pinstripe is a game that has such promise at its start but fails to capitalize on what makes it special by its completion. The simplistic platforming and combat take away from the game’s excellent atmosphere and world building and instead give the game this odd mix of tension in cutscenes immediately followed by easy-to-beat levels. While the minister was in Hell, facing the fears of humanity, I never felt like I was there with him. While the art and atmosphere are worthy of all the praise in the world, the gameplay and storytelling hurt the game exponentially, leading to a short and forgettable experience.

Hopefully, Under Pressure is just a momentary blip in a great series rather than a signal of rocky storytelling to come. Given their reign as the all around favorites of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it would be a shame for other stories featuring this dynamic cast to simply be regulated to “just ok” status.

It's hard to criticize Tekken 7 for skimping on the offline content when the fighting and the feel for the game are this good. I applaud Harada-san and his team for sticking to the basics and believing in what they're doing, only letting their guard down to let the ridiculously embarrassing story mode slip in. It comes down to a question of Western abundance versus Japanese purism whether Tekken 7 hits the sweet spot. I know I will vouch for the latter any day over superfluous frills. Tekken 7 is the most fun and exhilarating I've had with the fighting games in years and I have pretty much played them all. Virtua Fighter 3 might be forever etched in my heart as my favorite beat 'em up but Tekken 7 is the best these days offer. There are fighting games. Then there's Tekken. The king is back.

Despite its shortcomings, Mr. Shifty is a fun adrenaline rush that tests your twitch reflexes and quick thinking. Each level has your heart pumping as you dodge bullets only to get hit by that one stray grenade. Death comes quickly, but respawns come even faster, and you will need them. While some levels can be frustrating due to difficulty spikes, you’ll get the hang of it eventually. And when you finally complete that one trouble spot, you’ll feel that rush of accomplishment. Mr. Shifty is a fun, competent action game that offers a brief, but great, rush of excitement that is only slightly marred by technical issues.

If there is any criticism to be levied at Deluxe, it is that most of the game’s content is unlocked right out of the box. While this is likely a plus for players returning from the Wii U version, it will inevitably hamper the replayability of the game for its many, many new adopters. That aside, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is undoubtedly one of the Switch’s few must buy titles. Not only does it exemplify the Switch’s capacity for multiplayer, its beautiful visuals, exhilarating races and excellent new Battle Mode make for the best Mario Kart yet. If you missed out on the chance to experience the game on the Wii U, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a no-brainer.

Urban Trial Freestyle 2's great mistake is putting the scoring system where the challenge is at its weakest. You can get through a gauntlet of obstacles unscathed, but you won't be rewarded at all. And while a track creation system does allow you to create amusing challenges for yourself, don't expect to find anyone else's. The effort put into the presentation is commendable, but Urban Trial Freestyle 2 is best described as fleeting, faltering fun.

The visuals are bright, and despite their overly rich nature, the screens are easy to read. The character graphics can be awkward though, and the voice acting is sadly pretty ho-hum, with only a few voice actors doing a bit too many characters for their skill range. Nevertheless, the numerous cut scenes enrich the experience. In the end, Lost Grimoires: Stolen Kingdom is not quite like your typical Artifex Mundi game, for better or worse. While the story is intriguing and mostly succeeds in its ambiguity, the game itself is a tad too simple.

Violent, gory, and drenched in tension and madness, Outlast 2's biggest flaw is that it sticks to a couple of notes and repeats them incessantly. Being an impotent victim with little chance of fighting back is scary for a while but wearying through the length of a game. Outlast 2's heavy-handed commentary on the dangers of fundamentalism lacks subtlety or perspective and feels like low-hanging thematic fruit. Without a shred of humor or lightness, Outlast 2 doesn't seem to realize that horror is more effective when paired with normalcy and the pleasantly mundane.

As a stand-alone title, there are plenty of puzzles to enjoy here, and the game is very user-friendly as well (not to mention an easy target for trophy hunters). If you enjoy the genre and those things are a plus for you, this can still be a title worth picking up.

The charming oddity of GNOG makes for a fun and stress-free gaming experience. It's fitting that Double Fine published the title as it feels right at home with Schafer and company’s collection of unique downloadable games, like Stacked and The Cave. The added VR functionality is neat, but the game doesn’t use it enough to justify its purchase strictly as a VR game. As a side note, I added it to my list of games that I’d demonstrate when showing off VR primarily for its soothing and nausea-free experience. At $15, it is a predictably short game that doesn’t offer much replay value (beyond trophies), but the hour or two it took to get through all nine puzzle boxes was a delightful experience that I’m happy to recommend.

Little Nightmares is based entirely on its visual appearance but at the same time it couldn't exist as anything else but a game. Unfortunately, it's the insecure practicalities of the gaming mechanics that somewhat detract from an otherwise sublime performance. Full of subdued innuendo, Little Nightmares is like a demented puppet show or diorama, somehow lifelike but at the same time disturbingly artificial. It certainly doesn't look like your typical game and is a nightmare worth experiencing.

At the end of the day the cocky, confident, wisecracking and unapologetically sexual protagonist and her amazingly rich style of combat still beats strong at the heart of Bayonetta and revisiting the game on PC is a reminder of how much fun the game was in 2009. Any fan of stylish action games will still appreciate Bayonetta, especially now that some of the original's technical issues have been addressed and resolved.

Although the visceral feel of its combat comes as close to Souls as any game, The Surge would really benefit from more variety in enemies, story, setting, and player character options -- as well as difficulty -- which eventually start to become repetitive. The decision to make every fight significant and potentially deadly certainly adds tension but there is rarely a sense of power or growing mastery, simply a more easily found relief at not dying. Thanks to its sci-fi setting and excellent combat, The Surge is overall a very solid, unique addition to the growing catalog of Souls-like games.

Fans of Dynasty Warriors or the Dragon Quest series will enjoy this second-edition genre mashup. Dragon Quest Heroes 2 strikes a great balance between complexity and action and weaves an entertaining story through and around its fast and furious battles. Whether mainlining the story quest or venturing off into the side missions, the fun-factor of plowing through masses of monsters may eventually wane. That said, it was refreshing to enjoy an action RPG that didn't involve geysers of plasma or the dark forces of evil.

Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is an excellent remaster of an underrated game. Though the playtime is short, it’s a worthy experience for anyone who enjoys nonlinear “Metroidvania” styled platformers. It’s great to see such a faithful adaptation, but it would have been nice to see new content other than the gender option. Either way, it’s clear that a lot of passion went into making the game look and sound as great as it does. Lizardcube has set a new standard for remaking an old game, and I’d look forward to seeing what’s next on their table. Perhaps we’re due for a proper new entry in the Wonder Boy series.

In the eight years since Dawn of War II, the RTS genre has evolved to include MOBA-like elements, but someone returning to the RTS fold will have no problem getting up to speed. The stalwart staple of three balanced factions has been enriched with Elite hero units, and the multiplayer mode clearly shows the influence of DOTA and its brethren. Dawn of War III's campaign is substantial -- if not always entirely entertaining -- and once mastered, its three factions offer extended fun in skirmishes with the game's capable AI or online against human competitors. While there is no longer a steady stream of RTS games, fans will be more than satisfied by Dawn of War III's fundamentally classic approach.

Herald: An Interactive Period Drama achieves what it set out to do: It weaves an elaborate story full of entertaining characters, without being squeamish in terms of pointing out racism and cultural bias. The atmosphere is a vivid landscape of bold, striking hues, and the dialog is ripe with interesting conversation choices. I felt genuinely interested in Devan’s experience and personally invested in my decisions along the way. Each choice felt like it carried true weight, given the context and underlining exploration of very serious themes. The voice acting is top-notch, and the soundtrack is a lovely element that compliments without overshadowing. I’m a huge fan of the Point & Click genre, so titles that challenge the norm and think outside the box always capture my attention. Fans of historical themes, story-rich adventures, and compelling characters need to look no further than Herald for a great new experience.

Unfortunately, when all of the issues stack up—the snail's pace gameplay, the graveyard-quiet servers, the small player base, the not-very-good server connections, the flat and lifeless sound design, and the futility of trying to play a squad-based game when most people just want to go for kills—it makes it kind of hard to recommend Verdun on Xbox One.

I enjoyed my time with Shiness but it’s not hard to see the faults in the game’s façade. I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to the game but the dozen or so hours I spent with it were enjoyable in a Saturday cartoon kind of way. Shiness is a serviceable action-RPG with a distinct look that will probably make any fan of the manga or PS2 action-RPGs smile.

I enjoyed playing NeuroVoider, but it resembled the guilty pleasure of having fun with something so simple and mindless. The game has tons of options to customize your robot and it was fun to experiment various types of weapons, classes and skills in the early stages. However, the inequity of usefulness in weapon types forced me to hog only the strongest type of weapon available in later stages. It became a routine to hope for a strong and useful weapon to brute-force my way in several stages. The excitement of getting rare and powerful weapons replaced the excitement of actually playing the game. At this point, the game became tedious. Overall, NeuroVoider has both the charm and the silliness of generic shoot'em up games from the 8-bit era. It is, without a doubt, a great game to spend some time mindlessly playing couch co-op with your friends. Yet, this experience is short-lived and transient. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Though it is basic, Korix is a great game to play in VR because it’s real time strategy games couldn't be a more perfect use of the medium. At $20, the game offers a fair amount of content spread between an offline campaign and skirmish mode. There’s also multiplayer, where up to four players can play against or with each other against human and AI players. Sadly, no one was playing so I didn’t get a chance to try it out. That’s probably for the best though. I can’t fathom going against a human player--I’d be ripped to shreds! Korix is a great entry level RTS that uses the technology of the PlayStation VR in a spectacularly immersive fashion.

Snow Moto Racing Freedom is not a bad game but it's hopelessly mediocre in every aspect. The major problem with the game is it's all too grounded. The developers should have made it sexier by adding a flight of fantasy to it. Have fireworks and flair, an option to race around in unrealistic settings and reward players with gratuitous things such as different racer skins and soundtracks. As it is, the game is like a grumpy hermit in the Northern Scandinavian wilds, living in his little hunting cottage and settled with his bleak surroundings, baltic herring meal and the radio with one channel for weather forecasts. It's snowing everyday.

As a whole, Yooka-Laylee is an old-school platformer both marred and bolstered by what it introduces. Tedious distractions abound, but the addition of cute and thought-provoking abilities is impossible not to appreciate. Other tweaks lend a greater sense of adventure than the collect-a-thons of old, but again, there are new problems - like that awful camera - that constantly butt their way in. Ultimately, Yooka-Laylee isn't really a categorical improvement or downgrade from its predecessors in the genre; it's just different. If Playtonic Games can produce a sequel that eliminates the problems and expands upon the strengths, we may yet get a true masterpiece. What we have for now is, at the end of the day, a good game.

It’s worth noting that the way to play Old Time Hockey is with friends. The game offers up to 4 player co-op but even then I wouldn’t recommend it. While it can be fun to get a group of friends together for some couch co-op, the game just isn’t that fun to play. The novelty of it all wears off fairly quickly and before you know it you’ll be looking to play better games like Blades of Steel or Gretzky. To be honest, you’re probably better off playing one of those anyway. Old Time Hockey tries to capture the attitude of hockey’s past with the arcade fun of historic hockey games, but it does neither particularly well.

Expeditions: Viking features some admirably nuanced turn-based combat that is in service of a larger story and interesting characters. It is a game that probably demands -- and certainly rewards -- multiple playthroughs both to gain mastery over the systems and to explore different choices in the story. Relatively minor quibbles with the game's visuals, camera, controls and occasional bugs aside, playing Expeditions: Viking is an unexpectedly rewarding experience.

Overall, Blackwood Crossing is a mesmerizing tale, with fantastical visuals telling a story grounded in deep, human emotions. The game lasts about three hours, depending how quickly you can solve the puzzles. There is little replay value, aside from trophy hunting, as the story never deviates from its linear path. Due to the shoddy frame rate and very light puzzles, it’s best to go into this game expecting a well-told story, but not much more. If you can get past some awkwardness in controlling Scarlet, it’s worth boarding the train for this magical journey.

Even though I may have sounded a bit overly critical of Momodora:RUM over the course of this review, there is still a perfectly serviceable game here that will certainly find its audience. If you're the type of person who skips cutscenes and plays games at a decibel only a pigeon could appreciate, then I just might have the game for you. While the actual act of playing the game is a pleasure, it's kind of like building a sandcastle in the middle of a construction site; there's fun to be had, but the circumstances you find yourself in are less than ideal.

This success, and most of the game's terrific efforts, are unfortunately squandered by the game's failure to advance its story or give you any guidance on how best to navigate its challenges. Theoretically, you could replay through the game in an attempt to discover the best path for yourself, but chances are, you won't want to. The major events of every day are scripted, and there isn't enough that is enjoyable about the gameplay to make you want to repeat days any more than you have to. One playthrough is likely all that you'll want to get out of Beat Cop, and there is a good chance that it will leave you feeling unsatisfied and cheated. This game could have been great, and for the first week or so of the game I thought that I had stumbled onto a great little indie gem. As I progressed, however, the game's intriguing story disappeared, giving way to a pointless grind that ended abruptly and unsatisfyingly. Beat Cop takes the hopelessness simulator one step too far, and it is for this reason that it I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it.

MLB The Show 17 is still a great game of baseball but one that with each season seems less and less impressive compared to other sports games available. With a lack of competition, it's hard to not recommend. But with each year I'm still wanting to see the team at Sony San Diego push the envelope even if there isn't any competition to force their hand.

Aaero contains fifteen music tracks, which makes it a fairly short experience that can be completed in one sitting. As an arcade style action game, however, it offers a lot of replayability, so the game's once through length isn't really a fair assessment of its value. Still, the price tag of $15 is probably on the high side for the overall level of quality and variety that the game has to offer. The game has plenty of high points and some very memorable tracks and levels, but it has some forgettable ones as well. It is worth playing for those high points, but a lower price and more consistent quality would have made the game a much easier recommendation.

Styx: Shards of Darkness' single-minded dedication to being a stealth game is both admirable and potentially a turnoff to players who expect more flexibility in their approach to completing missions. The flexibility is there, though it's entirely represented by the myriad ways the title character moves through the shadows and confounds his enemies. It's refreshing to play a despicable, amoral antihero; but the game's puerile, scattershot humor will not appeal to everyone. Although its mission objectives are a bit repetitive, the balletic act of moving through the world makes Styx: Shards of Darkness overall entertaining.

World to the West is presented in stylized and clearly-defined visuals which goes a long way in perceiving the environmental puzzles. The same simple approach extends to the gameplay. Everything is straightforward and easy to grasp. I liked the old-school vibes of World to the West, harking back all the way to the 80's. When I played these kind of games as a kid with home computers, they were called arcade adventures and presented usually in an isometric view. At the same time, elsewhere in the world kids had their Nintendo Entertainment Systems and were immersed with the likes of The Legend of the Zelda. In my eyes World to the West manages to blend the best of both the western and eastern schools of action-adventuring. The result is fun, challenging and rewarding experience which is easy to play but hard to put down.

Symphony of the Machine is a great VR experience that offers a wonderful sense of immersion as long you use the right equipment and get off the couch. The game itself gets less interesting over time despite the cool factor of the complexity of later trials. With Symphony, it became the kind of game I want to play just to help fill the time. What it needs is to give you a reason to stick around, to show that the time spent growing various plants is worth the time and effort. It doesn’t do that very well and were this a standard, non-VR game, I would have quickly moved on. The VR nature of Symphony of the Machine is definitely where it’s at and should be picked up, preferably at some discount, solely for that portion of the software.

The aesthetic design was pleasantly beautiful, the score was catchy and memorable without any dull moments, the characters were interesting and quirky, and the game stayed relatively simple without sacrificing any of my interest. There is a lot to love about The Sexy Brutale, but unfortunately, the game doesn’t take many big risks. Other than the unique hybrid between genre and mechanics, there seems to be a lot of wasted potential, or rather potential that could have benefitted from a little extra time and effort. I’m by no means disappointed, but I really would have liked to spend more time learning about the characters through something like additional puzzles or manipulation of the time mechanic. That being said, it does provide a great experience to anyone who is looking for a puzzle game with an interesting set of characters. It won’t blow you away, but it’s definitely well worth your hard earned twenty dollars.

Ghost Recon: Wildlands is by no means a terrible, or even bad, game: it provides moments of intense fun, particularly with friends, when you're trying to clear out a base without being detected. Yet, it has some serious issues. The A.I. coding is just not good; the huge draw distances causes stutter and screen-tearing on consoles; and even though there is undeniably a lot of content in the form of missions and things to collect, it does become repetitive and dull—just how quickly it becomes a drag depends on your tolerance for walking around and collecting things, I suppose. But if you don't have friends to play with, and you have to rely on boneheaded teammate A.I. to help you fight questionable and irrational enemy A.I., then the game's problems are amplified.

Bye-Bye BoxBoy! is an excellent sendoff to Nintendo’s underrated square mascot. With nearly two dozen worlds of 6-8 levels each, there are at least seven hours of gameplay, not including extras. If you’ve played the first two games, you know what you’re in for. Though the core concepts are identical, Qbabies and special powers keep the geometric puzzler fresh. If you haven’t experienced the BoxBoy! series and can only pick one, Bye-Bye BoxBoy! has the most variety, providing the most value. Otherwise, picking up the whole trilogy is a great solution for anyone seeking ingenious portable puzzles in bulk. Bye-Bye, BoxBoy! We’ll miss you!

Danganronpa 1-2 Reload takes two fantastic point-and-click visual novels and ties them up in one discounted package. Between both games and some surprisingly fun post-game alternative modes, Reload offers over 60 hours of content. If you’ve already played through these games, the only incentives to double-dipping are if you want both games in the same package and the ability to play it on your PS4. If you haven’t experienced the series, then this game is the best way to get your fix of high school murder mysteries, trigger-happy courtroom action, and psycho bears. Oh my!

If you happen to enjoy puzzle and logic games, it's very easy to recommend Nightmares from the Deep 2: The Siren's Call. With its variety of puzzles all strewn along a solid (but not spectacular) story and combined with a helpful hint and navigation system, a puzzle fan is virtually guaranteed hours of entertainment here. As it turns out, if you're a puzzle enthusiast, perhaps you should heed this Siren's Call...

Was the story exciting and interesting enough to experience it several times? Yes and then some! It tells something that even after a few play-throughs, I was curled up in tension with heartbeat in my ears when I drove the story to previously unseen directions. Lastly, would I recommend Late Shift to hardcore gamers? Yes, because I'm such myself and I could see no reason why someone else would't get thrilled by it. And there you have it. Late Shift is a solid crime thriller where you don't have to just watch people making bad choices because you can make them yourself. Or even some good ones necessary to pull you through the night.

Although Persona 5 deals with the everyday angst of your average, magic-wielding teenagers, it is epic in almost every conceivable way, from its combat to its sprawling and surprise-laden story. While some of its large cast of characters strike a sour note and its gameplay can challenge the impatient player, Persona 5 somehow manages the improbable feat of being both an ultimate reward to fans of the franchise and a perfect gateway to newcomers.

Nevertheless, The Ringed City is one of the single best slices of Dark Souls that FromSoftware has ever presented, and for every element that could have stood to be left well-alone, there is a series highlight to be found. The Ringed City is simultaneously Dark Souls at its best and its most tired. The series may or may not be coming to an end, but this final piece of content, due just as much to its faults as its successes, feels conclusive regardless of what happens to the franchise in the immediate future. It is fitting, then, that the impending hiatus feels earned.

The sights and scenes of the carnival are depicted in the usual colorful Artifex Mundi style. Even though numerous cut scenes are rendered in a low resolution, they liven up the events nonetheless. It should be noted that games like Dark Arkana: The Carnival are always measured up within its sub-genre of casual adventures and not compared to the big league of graphic adventures. As such, the game offers comfy and even suspenseful entertainment, and the few hours put to solve the mystery are well-spent. As is usual with casual adventures, the game also serves as a great stress relief. Dark Arkana: The Carnival might not be up to the standards of the later and more complex Artifex Mundi games, but it still comes recommended for fans of the genre.