In its need to please as large demographic as possible, GT Sport is unmistakably deep but oddly sparse compared to its illustrious predecessors. The game feels more like a prologue to the inevitable Gran Turismo 7, hopefully including everything that was left out here. To best summarize the experience that is Gran Turismo Sport is as if Ferrari made a sport model of Ferrari 458. It would be stripped of the passenger seat, electronics and comforts like radio, heated seat and power windows, and the suspension would be harder too. It still would be Ferrari, beautiful to look at and beast to drive, but you’d wish it had more to it.

Three years in the making, Mind: Path to Thalamus is a valiant effort on the part of Carlos Coronado. There are moments that impress, but the parts all add up to a mediocre story shoe-horned into a mediocre first person puzzler. I encourage the development team to keep it up, but I can’t really recommend this one as a must see.

While the puzzles aren't a huge draw, the look and presentation of the game are so unique and interesting that the game's still really easy for me to recommend. It's poetic, and while maybe not incredibly deep, does excellent work with bringing the nightmares to life and infusing their songs with the fear and dread they represent. Fear is the mind killer – and your quest to vanquish those fears is one you'll enjoy going on.

A wonderfully different dive into the Caped Crusader’s past culminates in a worthy chapter that further defines his future, and small problems aside, I could not be happier with the way it all went down.

While the few times the game seems to simply abandon you to figure out things it hasn’t explained well are still here, almost every other complaint I had with the PS4 version has been fixed. With one of the more unexpectedly interesting narratives I’ve come across in recent years and deeply inventive puzzle gameplay, there’s a lot to like here in a package that isn’t too short but also manages to not overstay its welcome. I made some great friends on Snaktooth Island and I think you will too, especially if you’re playing on the PS5.

WWE All-Stars is a good game of arcade wrestling. The gameplay mechanics could use some tweaks to lean more towards an easy pick up and play style wresting game. With that being said if your growing tired of the Smackdown vs. Raw series or haven't played a wrestling game in the last five years, this would be a good place to start.

Free from the stresses and complexities of modern multiplayer shooters, Star Wars Battlefront is an invitation to play in a galaxy far, far away.

Konami ups the ante with more songs, even bigger Live support and more challenging gameplay. Nothing too revolutionary, but a fun DDR sequel nonetheless.

Yooka-Laylee doesn’t branch too far from its obvious Banjo-Kazooie roots. It simply takes a bigger is better approach that doesn’t always work in its favor. Despite the flaws, it's a joy to explore the worlds and collect every goody. Yooka-Laylee may not be the most polished platformer around, but Playtonic Games has created an enjoyable love letter to 90's collectathon platforming. Hardcore fans of the genre will want to set their googly eyes on this one.

The use of procedural animation and rag doll physics for a protagonist may pay off some day down the road once the idea has been refined. In this game, however, it usually just gets in the way of what is otherwise a charming and colorful platformer.

With a style carved from some old greats, Blood of the Werewolf is an excellent game. Comfortable in its own skin and not afraid to play with the ideas that brought it to the party, Scientifically Proven’s first venture into the platform genre is a joy, even when it’s doing its damnedest to teach you lessons you don’t want to learn.

Rollers of the Realm doesn’t have the same flash as real world pinball games, but its richness of character and personality are just as attractive.

Airscape: The Fall of Gravity is an excellently crafted action platformer. The game’s difficulty will prove to be a challenge to most gamers but never becomes punishingly difficult. The variety of level designs, gameplay mechanics, and characters keep the game feeling fresh right through the end.

Stars in Shadow is a fun 4X title that makes for a great game for newcomers of the genre to dip their toes into. Likewise, rabid 4X lovers will find a familiar experience here that offers some new, interesting design choices along with a set of systems that are well-polished and well made. The fact that Stars in Shadow was made by a small team is all the more impressive when you look at how smooth it runs and the great deal of polish that went into this title. While it won’t set the standard for new and interesting 4X gameplay, Stars in Shadow offers a great 4X experience that is well balanced and a great deal of fun.

Graceful Explosion Machine is a twitch-based shooter that is one part mentally stimulating and another part emotionally exhilarating. It’s not for everyone, though. You have to play through levels over and over again, trying to achieve combos and the best grades, to get the most out of this title. If you don’t dabble in score attack games, then you won’t enjoy the repetitive looping levels filled with the same enemies. A lack of bosses and endless mode leave something to be desired as well. But if you appreciate the fine art of racking up high scores, then this shoot ‘em up is a true gem.

Bleed is a game that ends before it should. The silver lining to that statement is that it's an absolute blast while it lasts, with tight, satisfying gameplay and an unforgettable protagonist. And while its levels don't provide enough content, its flexible difficulty and upgrade options will compel even non-completionists to stick around after beating them. You may want to wait for a sale on this one, but do keep your eye out- it's a game you really ought to play.

All in all, Wulverblade is an entertaining but flawed trip to the lands of ancient Britain. Its engaging narrative provides a thoughtful, historical backstory to the carnage taking place, but its combat suffers far too frequently from poor controls and unfair enemy balance. Those willing to overlook these issues will undoubtedly find something to like with Wulverblade, but beware that it's not for the faint of heart!

While it suffers from seriously botched progression and a smattering of poor design choices, theHunter: Call of the Wild consistently provides a deep and satisfying hunting experience. Not only is it a dramatic departure from the mindless schlock we've been conditioned to seeing; it brings hunting to a height of simulation and strategy that I've never seen before. The game holds a special reverence not just for hunting, but for the spirit of the outdoors in general, making it a relevant testament to our natural landscapes in the modern era. If you're going into theHunter expecting to navigate smooth menus and unlock things at a steady pace, you're in for disappointment. If you're looking for an immersive and dignified hunting experience, you'll be absolutely hooked for hours on end. Falling into both camps, I know that the latter sensation ultimately prevails over the former. I'll be playing this one for a long time going forward, and not just because it takes forever to get new gear.

The skill system, leveling up, confrontations and the immunity/weakness system are all fantastic game design choices that really get you invested in the game. Pair those with superb writing and a beautiful location to explore, and this is one fantastic start to this episodic series. If you're a mystery hound like me that can appreciate these twists to the genre, I think you'll agree that Episode 2 can't come fast enough...

Blade Strangers may not be as flashy or intricate as more established fighting games, but it’s fully featured in game modes as opposed to most other recent titles (I’m looking at you, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle!). It also serves both the newcomers and beat ‘em up enthusiasts alike with its elementary but flexible gameplay.

While the X Games content might be quickly exhausted, there’s still plenty to dig in the base game. For newcomers, Steep X Games Gold Edition is a great entry point to hit the virtual slopes. It’s modestly priced and includes the base game and Winterfeast DLC alongside the X Games pass. I could almost say that the pass is mandatory for the previous owners of Steep, too, because slopestyle is such an essential addition to the game. Hoping to see you on the slope!

X Morph: Defense is a solid, fun title that is more akin to a time sink than a classic/must play title. It doesn’t do anything inherently bad, and provides a large amount of content even before you realize there is DLC available. Yet even with few major faults, it doesn’t do enough to elevate it into the next stratosphere of gaming. If you’re in the market for a fun game just to pass the time, X Morph Defense is definitely a title that I would recommend.

Headliner: NoviNews isn’t meant to dazzle people with super tight, unique, and revolutionary gameplay. It is, however, immensely replayable as it gives room for you to play through the story again and make all sorts of different choices the second or third time around. Whichever route you take, the entire practice of selecting which articles to publish is to get you thinking about the role journalism plays in society. It’s meant to provoke thought and test the player’s willingness to stay true to their own self in the face of ever-growing moral quandaries.

Candleman is a very fun game to play on the go as the short levels allow you to just pick it up and play whenever you feel the need. It’s also easily replayable due to the goals of lighting candles in each level, but overall, it’s a bit short. It’s a shame as I feel like there could have been many more avenues to be explored. However, if you want a short, thought-provoking game to play through that won’t take up all your time and won’t break the bank, then Candleman is at the top of my list of recommendations.

To sum it up, The Eyes of Ara is a solid point-and-click adventure with plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep you interested.

If you're looking for a challenge and love roguelikes, Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate is a good choice. Its deep gameplay can be really rewarding when you finally reach your goal. However, if you're looking for a calming and relaxing experience, you won't find it here.

The Last Day of June is closer to a work of art than a game. It does more than just entertain. It imprints a lasting impression and a distinctive experience, like one special day you’d share with your loved ones, embolden with a compelling story, blissful music and exceptional art direction, and only slightly marred by the repetitive nature of the gameplay itself. I strongly recommend this title to anyone who’d like to enjoy an exclusive experience that only a work of art can offer.

If you like arcade action that obviously isn't overly complex but is a lot of fun to play, then give Pursuit Force a try. I think it is a game that will really surprise people.

The Medium may lack the sparkle and glam of big games because of its introverted and personal nature but that’s the very reason its take on mental issues holds up so exceptionally well.

Overall We Love Golf! turned out to be another middle of the road Wii title that this time actually made use of the systems controls, but forgot to put in the whole package.

A great game? No, but the game did have some neat ideas and a few interesting mini-games.

It didn’t give me anything positive to hold on to. Maybe it is just the style of the game that gave me a bad taste, maybe it’s just not my cup of tea, maybe it is your cup, or maybe, the tea just isn’t very good to begin with.

Namco improves upon their possibly last current-gen flight-sim with multiplayer support, but fails to add anything new to the formula.

Though sometimes derivative in humor and puzzle solving, The Little Acre has a character of its own. A great deal of love has gone into making the game and it rubs off on you. It had such an effect on me that I felt bad punishing the game for its weakest elements. The Little Acre should be celebrated for its talent, artistic know-how, and as a demonstration of its developer's skills. The shortcomings (pun intended) of the game are balanced with its irresistible charm and appeal and ultimately the running time is reduced only to a face value. In the end The Little Acre is a hand-crafted piece of art and I definitely want to see more games from Pewter Games, preferably longer by each outing.

Be prepared for the best and the worst of the 80s with Crossing Souls. For the most part, the action-adventure against the comfortable backdrop of the era’s popular culture is a heartfelt and charming trip down the memory lane. At its best moments, the game made me even feel like a kid again, and that’s hell of a triumph. The torturing endgame drags Crossing Souls needlessly down, and is a cold reminder that all those games we remember fondly from decades ago were actually a bit sadistic in their nature.

Crying Sun is stylish, fast-paced and simple to play but its content runs thin and it can also be often unfair because of its high reliance on random factor. It may be true that half of everything is luck but in the long run, it doesn’t always turn into meaningful gameplay. The game would also need broader grasp on content and allow more creativity. Still, it’s a perfect pick-up-and-play title for its speedy gameplay that keeps each session nicely bite-sized.

Patapon 2 Remastered is still a charming little game that rhythm fans will certainly enjoy. There's a lot of customization options here that all center around how much replayability you can stand, and the game rewards you for perseverance.

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 doesn't feel like a "new" game but more of a half step forward from last years game. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 is an incremental improvement that provides some solid new content but nothing earth shattering.

Even with a plot that never meets its potential, the beautifully designed enemies, superb gameplay and terrifying environments all come together to give horror fans a fascinating, memorable experience.

Judging by the lack of online activity, I fear many players will simply overlook the fun this game can offer. I for one enjoyed the pure gameplay and the progressive challenge. We need more games like this, good, old-fashioned, professionally delivered fun. Simply put Riptide GP: Renegade is the best arcade-style racer I've played in quite a while. For a measly tenner, it should be a no-brainer to jump on the waves.

Players looking for a truly innovative first-person shooter will find glimpses of one, but not as a single-player experience. Syndicate's world is oppressively violent and cynical, which doesn't do its messy story any favors, but when opened up for 4-person teams and a standalone mission structure it makes perfect sense.

Two Tribes were always known for their tight gameplay and responsive controls and in those areas the game succeeds in flying colors. But the new things they invested in for their final game such as voice acting and an actual plot just feels average in comparison. The game is 15$ on PSN, so if you want a 5-6 hours long game that will push you to your absolute limits in terms of sheer skill, then RIVE is definitely worth checking out.

Frontlines: Fuel of War is not the best FPS on the Xbox 360, its just not in that league. However if your beginning to want a new experience, this is a game that would make a great choice to turn to.

Dressed in the tropes of old, it forgot to continue to show us that it was more then the total of its parts, more then just another ARPG, set in another gothic world, with another broken hero unknowingly seeking redemption. Like it’s titular character, Victor Vran never really finds it.

The gameplay is average, and the graphics aren't anything to write home about.

Controlling other peoples' lives can get quite boring, as this sim doesn't give you a reason or motivation to do so. Lackluster effort, but good for a rental.

As an allegory, bringing light to personal or cultural darkness through art isn’t terribly original but it’s still relatively surprising for any game to have a wider subtext, and besides, Concrete Genie’s deepest pleasures are aesthetic. It’s simply fun and rewarding to paint with light and bring fantasy fairy tale Genies to life. The VR implementation is bare-bones and is of little consequence for those without a headset, but Concrete Genie is a great example of an imaginative interactive experience that simply couldn’t exist outside of gaming. We need more of those.

All the makings for a good show with a well-established cast, colorful action and good music are there, but with a hefty price tag. To pay hundred bucks for the collection, you really must ask yourself if you’re a fan enough to get something you might not entirely enjoy. I was on a fence myself, and it took the right tracks and the dancers to get into the groove. Then again, when the titles are bought individually, they cost a full game’s worth each so in that sense the collection is a better investment.

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.

Attack on Titan 2 is a comprehensive take on the franchise and a good entry point to it.

The cult gangster movie gets the video game treatment, and we're thrilled at it's more than a shameless cash-in. Solid gameplay and engaging story does the business here.

Ghost of a Tale is such a unique and captivating looking game that it deserves your attention for its aesthetics alone. Graphics don't make a game, of course, and happily, Ghost of a Tale has enough story and RPG gameplay to keep you entertained throughout. It's quite an achievement for a small team, and a reminder that not every indie game needs to be a blob of pixels in search of a retro niche.

It lacks the heart and the polish of its peers, but Fenix Rage is a competent platformer nonetheless.

To me, Another World is an old game that persists by virtue of being ported to nearly every gaming platform under the sun. You don’t see games like this anymore for the same reason no one has made a game like the original Prince of Persia. Although certain dark-ish, soul-ish games delight in punishing gameplay, difficulty was as much a game mechanic as swinging a weapon around. Here, it gets to be an annoyance and feels like a means to pad the length of this fairly short game.

Using the Doom 3 engine, id Software's Quake shines on the 360, dazzling us with its impressive visual effects, engaging gameplay and superb online capabilities.

Being billed as a vampire/western is sure to raise more than a few eyebrows, as this shooter thrills with more than just an original premise.

Given it’s spot on my most anticipated games of 2013 list, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time was more or less what I was looking for. While it wasn’t as innovative as the Sly of my dreams, it was nonetheless a solid, worthy, and all together fun romp with the old gang.

For anyone out there who are in dire need of a pure action Mech title for your PS2 you really can't go wrong with Transformers.

Now it's not going to be as exciting as a full-on Metal Gear game, but to be honest, for a card-based strategy game, this is really a fun game that can be quite rewarding.

Rockstar continues to milk the GTA franchise with this PS2 port off the handheld original. Decent choice for those who want to complete their GTA gaming library.

The game works on some level, so you may get more enjoyment out of it than I did. I don’t wholeheartedly recommend that you avoid this game, but you should exercise caution if you decide to take on its challenges.

The game only makes a good purchase if you are a diehard Gladiator fan; otherwise the game is a perfect rental title.

Road Not Taken’s roguelike structure works against the rest of the game’s design and ultimately makes playing into a tedious, repetitive experience. On the surface there’s a lot to love in the game’s charming presentation, but repeated playthroughs reveal a failure to implement the variation and unpredictability that make rougelikes great.

I never sat down with The Escapists 2 without smiling. Even during its rough first hours, its personality and a keen sense of humor kept me going. And as you discover its layers of challenge, intrigue, and variety, you'll be hooked. By turning the routine into a steady and engaging flow of progress, and by spicing things up with historical and fantastical locations, The Escapists 2 gets tremendous mileage out of its premise. Then you have the online, which is mildly problematic yet brimming with life and new ways to experience the game. You may be serving time in jail, but The Escapists 2 will ensure that you won't feel guilty about it. Now excuse me, I think I've earned some kind of punishment for that awful wordplay.

It's a shame that the single-player and online components of Nidhogg 2 are so underwhelming, because the local multiplayer itself is quite fun. As a party game, the game has a lot to offer, especially when passing the controllers around and playing the game in small doses. While it's not going to pull anybody away from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nidhogg 2 deserves a place in your lineup of Switch party games, especially at its price tag of 15 bucks.

Humor in any narrative is highly subjective. Afterparty starts out strong, with a clear and vibrant sense of style that is unlike many other games. The game can be funny, clever and smart but it can also seem random, indulgent and perplexing and thin on the amount of interesting stuff for the player to actually do, other than experience the story, dialog and a few mini-games. The price to content ratio might be out of whack for some folks but Afterparty does have a unique, out of left field kind of kookyness that is worth paying attention to for its short length.

If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, there is no doubt in my mind that you should pick this up. I cannot wait to see where this goes and how the rest of the story fits into the wider universe HBO adapted from George R. R. Martin’s novels. If you are a non-fan, there is certainly enough here to make a compelling argument for why you should be one, but I fail to see why you would even care to start.

The game is intriguing and offers a unique experience; however, none of its well-executed ideas are worth anything if the game simply doesn’t function properly.

For better or worse, this is still Age of Empires III with a new coat of paint. At its core, it’s still the slightly weird and maybe overly ambitious sequel to one of the (if not the) best RTS games of all time, Age of Empires II. I still appreciate the gumption of Age of Empires III Definitive Edition and had a ton of fun going down memory lane. It’s far from a perfect RTS but there is a lot of fun and enjoyment still to be had as we wait for the eventual release of Age of Empires IV. Whether you skipped Age of Empires III during its original release or are interested in dipping back in, I think the Definitive Edition does enough to warrant a look, if for nothing else just to enjoy some good old-school RTS fun.

Just when you thought they were dead, the latest Myst comes to to surprise you with gorgeous visuals and engaging puzzles.

With all the focus previously on Mario and Luigi, Princess Peach steps up with her own adventure. Solid gameplay and sweet Nintendo visual treatment makes this a winner.

I feel like as an ending for the franchise, as an end to Clementine’s story, we’ve gone out as well as it could have. This is The Walking Dead, after all, so any hope we are left with is automatically tempered against the death and despair of the world, and the fact that we are, as we always have been, the true walkers in a dead world. But for an ending, I think one will do.

If you’re looking for a game with good music and not much else than Beatbuddy is your jam. Otherwise, look for the soundtrack and skip the frustration.

Longbow Games believes that solving puzzles is satisfying in itself without any other rewards than making progress. And it really works. The gameplay is such addictive that my time away from the game was filled with anxiety to get back into it and solve the big riddle of the tower.

That’s the gist of it really. Ducktales Remastered looks great and sounds great, but at the end of the day, it’s tired and repetitive. Does it color my perception of the older classic? Not in the least. But it will make me wary in the future, when a developer trudges out an old memory in new clothing, whispering the sweet siren’s call in my ear, telling me it will all feel the same. It might, sure, but it rarely ever does.

Overall, I’m very impressed with the product Insomniac released, and it raises my expectations for what other companies are willing to put out with their names attached. While I have issues with some of the beats in the final chapter, I have zero qualms recommending it for anyone who enjoyed the main game. And for those that didn’t, well, they just don’t like fun anyway.

There’s no way I wouldn’t recommend this game, but just know you’ll probably be done in about two hours. To me, a two-hour game that leaves me wanting more, is far preferable to a 40-hour game that’s stretched itself too thin, and I really only found myself wanting more because I just liked it so much.

After tediously fiddling through all the menial puzzles, the ending just made me shrug my shoulders instead of giving me shivers that I was supposed to have felt. It’s too bad that the promising premise fizzled as soon as the gameplay showed its true colors, watering down the prevailing mystery in the process.

Although the concept of Symphony is simple, it is one of the most fun and addicting experiences I've had in a good while. Much of the enjoyment comes from the title's ability to incorporate personal music files. Great controls, fun upgrades and a level count that is matched by the number of MP3 files in your collection, Symphony offers a fantastic thrill for a great price.

Iron Harvest shines the brightest when it focuses on its imaginative alternative history milieu, incredibly well-designed robots, and even its story, which is much more engaging than simply being a premise to get the mechs on the battlefield. One could complain that it doesn’t go far enough in changing the mechanics of the genre, but it isn’t like gamers are inundated with Company of Heroes-like titles. Expansive and worth looking at for its setting and robots alone, Iron Harvest is, if not an instant classic, a welcome reminder of just how fun small-scale RTS games can be.

The Final Battle is a very divided experience. On one hand, the Territory Recovery mode features the same blisteringly fast and thrilling action which made Attack on Titan 2 so great. On the other hand, though, the top billing of the expansion is a big disappointment. Season three content is made with a shamelessly little effort, botching up the upheaval and drama it could have had if it were handled properly. Asking a whopping 50 bucks for the expansion alone is a daylight robbery. However, as a bundle with Attack on Titan 2 and the expansion together, it’s a worthwhile choice for those who haven’t experienced the superb action of the game before.

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse doesn’t revolutionize adventure games, nor will it particularly appeal to players who aren’t used to slower point-and-click gameplay. However, it succeeds in following the developer’s vision for the series: a modern update in the style of the original. The puzzles may have logic jumps, and the story’s action ebbs and flows. But the witty characters, perplexing mysteries, and traditional problem-solving are enough to win over fans of the genre.

In the end though, I put more time into each of the Age of Wonders III expansion packs than I put into Sorcerer King, because they were just better games.

It's another enjoyable often humorous romp through the Star Wars Universe that is sure to be a joy fans both young and the young at heart.

Gun may not showcase the true power of the Xbox 360, it is still one slick open-ended shooter that does justice to the Western theme.

There are a lot of holes that X-Men Origins: Wolverine would need to clean up in order to make this the top tier game it had the potential to be. With that being said fans of X-Men or of the movie should still check it out, this is a very competent action game that has enough variety that I think does warrant a sincere look.

Event[0] is a short, flawed, fun and memorable experience.

The Gardens Between remains one of the best puzzle games released this year, a combination of simplicity and lateral thinking, wrapped up in an endearing visual package. The story it tells is impactful, relatable, and human, enhanced by the excellent ambient soundtrack. If only there was more of it.

Modern point-and-click adventures like Thimbleweed Park and Irony Curtain had a healthy dose of self-irony that elevated them head and shoulders above the usual crop of retro-conscious adventures. VirtuaVerse comes off as smug and immature in comparison. Instead of post-modern awareness, the game is drenched in the old school it painstakingly recreates that holds it back from being a great adventure. True, it might have been a conscious design choice but a very stubborn one as games have evolved for a reason, even retro game attempts. While VirtuaVerse’s presentation certainly fits the bill, elsewhere the game is too dustily rooted in the illogical puzzles, weak writing, and thin characterization of the past.

Carrion has a refreshing — if consuming squirming helpless human lab rats can be called refreshing — and not often-enough explored premise but it’s not quite enough to elevate it to greatness.

By blending social deduction with survival mechanics Other Ocean has successfully avoided any Among Us clone accusations. Regardless of my tempered enthusiasm from Day One DLC and some polish concerns, Project Winter is a well-devised game that can lead to moments of intense distrust and cooperation few online games can equal.

Beautiful as Evolve is, looks alone can’t make a game. The skeleton of a better game is visible just beneath the surface, but numerous glaring imbalances and questionable design choices ensure that there’s sadly little meat left on these bones. The thrill of the hunt is mitigated in the best of matches, and rendered altogether pointless in the worst.

It’s clear that the developers have a lot of reverence for old games, but the work on the actual gameplay just doesn’t do well enough to pass on why we should feel the same. Instead you’re just going from one lesser version of a genre to another, a clear example of when less is more.

11 bit studios continues to prove that a little innovation can go a long way. Anomaly 2 capitalizes on what made its predecessor so great by improving on an already unique take on the genre, adding great visuals, and a cleverly crafted competitive multiplayer that tower defense fans will surely enjoy.

Repetitiveness can sink in the long periods of playing and if anything - besides obvious skills - Sundered demands time. Difficulty spikes can be punishing as the more you play in a one go, the enemies will mount in ever-increasing numbers and toughness. But again, what does kill you, makes you only better. Sundered is a hardcore game, not some casual fun which can be completed in a matter of few hours. The game rewards the time spent on it, and the more you put into it, the more awesome it gets. Just like Eshe, who in the beginning is a mere shadow of the lean, mean killing machine she’s to become. To me, she is the Starkiller that never was and the caverns are her proving grounds.

Ghosts 'N Goblins Resurrection is a bona fide niche title that will only hold appeal to the masochistic. Even on its easiest setting, where dying leads to an instant respawn, I can’t have fun with a game that amounts to slamming your head against a rock wall. It might have been better for Capcom and Nintendo to make the original games available through the Nintendo Online service because Resurrection is an experience modified to make it somewhat more digestible to a new audience. Choosing different difficulties is a nice touch but after beating the game on Page, which was insane even with no-cost respawning, what incentive did I have to go back and do it all again while adding even more painful roadblocks? Yeah, no thanks. I’m too old to put up for this sort of thing now.

Perhaps I am asking too much of this quirky little indie game. It doesn’t come from any major company like Sega. The developers have taken the Tetris formula and worked it in a brand new way. It’s fun and cute, but it does grow old more quickly than it should. Overall, the lack of additional gameplay modes keeps this good party game from being a great party game. Even just two more modes would have been just the right amount to keep it from going stale so quickly.

The real bright note though is a tightly constructed story that makes the slightly under two-hour experience worth going through, but left me wanting so much more.