Think what you will about SOCOM's change from a straight shooter to a tactical shooter on the PSP, but Tactical Strike manages the transition quite nicely.

Although Gato Roboto does not provide the type of sprawling world design that Metroidvania titles are known for, it still does a decent job at reducing this type of experience into a condensed form. The abbreviated process of upgrading Kiki’s mech suit is a satisfying sprint that takes you from helplessness to empowerment at a rapid pace. It may not offer an exciting new take on Metroidvanias, and the limited scope of the world is disappointing, but Gato Roboto works as a solid microcosm of its genre for those who are strapped for time.

It's a series that needs a lot of work and WWE'12 is the first step towards something that could be great. While it's nothing drastically different from what it was in the past, this game is still improving on a franchise that could have just as easily repeated itself into oblivion. The improvements made here aren't perfect but it manages to set the ground work for something great in the future and helps make this game stand out among its predecessors.

There's a dark and meaningful story within Primordia and despite the rush at the end, it's a story worth hearing.

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.

Papo & Yo is a title of binary worth; not worth ignoring its issues, but still worth seeing through. While the trip it takes to reach the emotional highs of the story's payoff is indefensibly turbulent, there's no denying that they are indeed dizzying.

In the end, Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds does not feature the seminal, tightly-crafted fighting mechanics of Street Fighter or the spectacular boss fights from Castle Crashers, but it does provide a handful of hours of side-scrolling, 2D-beat-em-up glee. In spite of a few crippling issues and ham-fisted mechanics, Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds still outweighs its flaws with a competent throwback look and feel, gratifying gameplay flow and a strong selection of modes that, all things considered, justifies the asking price of merely $10.

Even if you don’t like the gameplay, the story and setting are solid enough to where you can get at least some minimum level of enjoyment out of the game. If you are the type of person who enjoys playing adventure games with puzzles like the ones found in The Inner World, then you may get more than that out of it.

Above niggles aside, this is a game definitely worth adding to your collection. Combining elements of 3D physics-based puzzle solving with a well-established gothic horror narrative, Magrunner presents unique and addictive challenges.

It’s a shame, really: what could have been a cute, well-crafted platformer for home consoles ended up being a poorly-made port of a (much better) Vita game.

Honestly, there is little bad I can say about Qbeh-1. In a try-hard industry of pretentious or sloppy writing and presentation, Qbeh-1 teaches us that it’s sometimes okay to just be a game and nothing else. If you like challenging puzzles and enjoy a fun meditative zen aesthetic, get this game – it’s worth your time.

Peggle 2 is still a solid casual game whose randomness and variety of challenges provide the levels with a lot of replayability.

Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour ultimately is a tweaked version of the original game with a touch of new content, though it neglects the content included in its expansion packs. It’s a bit easier to play, and the sound is vastly improved, but beyond what was already great, there isn’t too much else to offer outside of a new episode and developer commentary. The game is still fantastic and holds up very well thanks to this version of the game, which can be a hard thing to do with classic games in the same genre. It’s unfortunate that World Tour doesn’t stand on its own, but it would be a big lie to say that I didn’t enjoy playing through it.

Tiny Trax is a lot more fun than I expected it to be. With only three championship races and an all star cup race (which pulls two tracks from each course), it’s a little light on content. That didn’t bother me too much, though, because of how fun the content is to play. Ongoing support via new courses would be a treat, but what I really want to see added is a track editor. There are a lot of talented and patience content creators out there in video game land, and I bet they could produce some stellar race tracks using in-game assets. Tiny Trax is a celebration of slot car racing, and with its great track design and worthy adversaries, I didn’t realize how much fun I was having until I stopped.

In the end, if you're looking for a mystery to get lost in (and like the old-school point-and-click adventure game genre), The Raven Remastered should rightly be on your radar. Despite the rather lazy ending, the journey there is still rather enjoyable and Constable Zellner is one protagonist I won't be forgetting any time soon.

Overall, as a stand alone product, Drawful 2 a dang good party game and fun for many families and groups, provided they can laugh at chaos and can tolerate the drawing aspects.

Before We Leave is a civilization management game that’s relatively stress free, calming, and really charming. Its low-key nature and philosophy make it great for those who feel overwhelmed by the laundry list of responsibilities of 4X-style management and development. The design is sound, the presentation is fantastic and I’m a huge fan of the hex-gridded world map represented as a 3D globe. The individual models of the Peeps and their architecture are so charming, and the soothing soundtrack that plays when running the time at max speed is really nice. There are areas of the game that feel a little rough around the edges but the updates show a commitment by the developer to bring in the right amount of polish that’ll lead it toward greater heights of inventive fun.

The biggest problem with The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos — aside from it desperately needing a ruthless editor to excise some of the weaker jokes — is that this approach to parodying the tropes of RPGs has been done many times over the years, and often better. The deliberate and sometimes genuinely challenging combat seems at odds with the tone and pace of the game, but The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos can be entertaining for those with a high tolerance for unfiltered humor in indiscriminate quantities.

I think Regicide is a really cool concept and an interesting adaptation of an already turn-based game with entirely different mechanics.

For the most part, however, Tormentum: Dark Sorrow is a game that succeeds at what it sets out to do. It doesn’t reinvent the point-and-click adventure game, but it doesn’t have to in order to tell its dark and gruesome story.

Flood of Light is a beautiful and fascinating game with a story that feels new and effectively told through pieces of text and mystery. The puzzles are fresh, and gain challenge and new mechanics as you progress, never feeling old or exhausted. The hand-drawn art style combined with amazing audio will allure you into the enchanting Hope City while you search for answers. If you enjoy puzzle games and subtle but intriguing stories, then you should definitely play Flood of Light.

There are a number of very compelling elements that really solidify Anima as a title that had an ambitious vision and a team dedicated to making it a reality. At the same time, they also sought to take elements from other successful games. This amounts to an inferior gameplay experience, but one that is also surrounded by the strength of its original elements.

Regardless of how you play it, though, you can go into Shiftlings knowing you’re in for a nice mix of fun, bewilderment, and satisfaction.

The Guitar Hero franchise has been one of great success over the years and it is a bit disappointing to see Warriors of Rock only manage to be a slight improvement over last years title.

Fans of third-person shooters and Japanese game design will find themselves especially satisfied.

The gameplay is decent and death is typically a result of taking risks that don’t pay off (or being screwed over by some last minute negative affliction). Learning how enemy’s behave, following their tells and knowing how to respond is the best way to conquer the game. Just know that it’s going to take a lot of practice and a whole lot of deaths to reach that point. What really sells the game, though, is an exquisite visual design that demands a coffee table art book. Dark Devotion is for those who swatted Quelaag, scoffed at Father Gascoigne, snickered at the Nameless King, and yawned at the entirety of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

If this was the first game I'd seen with this control scheme I might have more glowing words, but in the shadow of Brothers, it's more difficult to recommend this one. Unlike Brothers, Semispheres does very little to show what interesting things can be done with this control scheme. It's an inoffensive game – it's not bad in the moment, but does nothing to make itself memorable.

There is fun to be had with Warriors Orochi 4, as I certainly found myself hooked in once I got going, yet I don’t recommend the game for the uninitiated. It failed to leave a strong lasting impression, and I lacked the emotional connection to the story concepts. If you’re a veteran of the franchise, you’ll find Koei Tecmo has made a solid entry to add to your library. If, like me, you’re still fresh-faced, wait for a sale or work your way towards it.

After so many years of anticipation, I was ready to love Stranger's Wrath. The world Oddworld Inhabitants created here is worthy of that love but the actual game set in it is a throwback in all the wrong ways. While I wish there were more to it, there's just not much of interest here. With so many great games from the past getting a second chance on the Switch, there's no real need to meet this stranger.

Towards the end of the game, the mechanics finally start playing with its stratospheric scale. It’s here that Megaton Rainfall’s potential becomes more apparent. The scored aspects are largely botched by dull and awkward mechanics, but the sandbox portion is incredible. If you just do what this god tells you, you’re in for a mediocre experience. But when you learn where the real fun is, it becomes something more. Hopefully, we’ll one day see a game like this that uses its scale as part of the scored challenge. Until then, pick this up when you see it on sale. The feeling it gives you is just too special to miss.

The characters you meet are entertaining and visually gorgeous, with each having distinct personalities and all feel like a cohesive part of the world. The slow pace and vague directions to progress, however, make the story hard to experience in a satisfying manner. If you’re willing to overlook some tough gameplay elements, Smoke and Sacrifice’s heart beats strong with a gripping and enthralling story. Be warned, though, the barrier to entry could be a potential turnoff.

Blasting the giant alien spiders and ants into mincemeat and watching buildings and bridges crumble under the force of a well-placed explosion (and the Havok engine) is still mindlessly entertaining, at least for a while, and each class and all their weapons are fun to jump in and out of at will. The biggest bummer is that what was a unique hook in Earth Defense Force 2012 has become less inspired and not really infused by much in the way of new material. Earth Defense Force 5 is strong evidence that the series is in need of reinvention.

But even with that reason in place, I had a lot of fun with this. It’s a great little game to play with friends when you just need to kill a bit of time, is very fast-paced with a lot of action, and has a sizable amount of depth to it.

While this game has its faults it will definitely appeal to the gamers who loved the Wii version or any hardcore James Bond fans.

Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is everything I could have asked for in a new Danganronpa game. While the presentation has changed the spirit has not, and at a time when the Vita struggles for new games it is an instant classic.

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.

Dead or Alive 6 has its place in the today’s gaming. It’s a fast, flashy and content-rich fighting game. I’m happy that Dead or Alive is back and is relevant again, and it’s always a pleasure to play as the game’s pretty cast. I also love NiCO, she’s such a bad-ass intellectual and the best new character in fighting games in ages (she wins over Tekken 7’s Lucky Chloe for being smart instead of a fluffy teen idol).

EA builds on the success of previous NASCAR franchise with improved visuals, a more friendly control and interesting RPG-like elements.

Book of Spells' biggest draw is the new Harry Potter content written by Rowling herself. Other than that, it is nothing more than a mini-game collection that benefits from being based on one of the world's most popular and beloved literary works.

More Than a Feeling was an overall better episode than Under Pressure. It feels like a second half, with episode 2 having gotten all the exposition out of the way, finding and using the Eternity Forge gave Episode 3 all the oomph it needed. With 2 episodes left, I remain invested in seeing what’s in store for the Guardians and what happens to bring the Galaxy back to status quo.

All in all these games are truly a blast from the past, and back in their day (1999 / 2000) were some of the best RPG outings you could find on the PC. Today though, I can't say that they are anything more than a nostalgic cash grab. There are no updates here and the amount of bugs I had to get through is just plain unacceptable. Don't get me wrong: Icewind Dale is still a fun dungeon-exploring D&D adventure and Planescape has one of gaming's best stories hands-down but even with them coming to modern consoles these games really show their age. Tread carefully!

Serviceable combat and graphics aside, Vampyr is one of the best and most nuanced games based on the ever-popular vampire mythology. As with most vampire-centered entertainment, Vampyr uses vampirism as allegory, in this case less obsessed with Victorian sexual repression and more focused on larger ethical issues. We need more games like Vampyr, with an interesting cast of characters, moral ambiguities, and most critically, vampires.

Imprint-X has style and that goes a long way in terms of making the game stand out. Without its look and without its music it really is just a simplistic game about clicking to solve puzzles. Solving the puzzles provides a sense of accomplishment at times but overall there is no greater purpose or reason to solve them other than the game wants you to. But with that bass beating along in the back maybe you don’t need a better reason than that. For an inexpensive, well-designed puzzle game you can certainly do worse than Imprint-X and it will definitely whittle away the hours without you even knowing.

Despite how short the game is, it maybe emphasizes why the other games use this idea to break it up – the concept never really evolves or grows in any way, and with the platforming so basic, there’s really not much else here to dig into. It winds up being a rhythm game with disposable musical elements, a platformer with uninteresting mechanics.

Death Squared has been marketed as a puzzle game that anyone, from hardcore gamers to grandmas, could pick up and enjoy, and I think in that respect it succeeds. I see it being most worthwhile as a party game to be played with friends, where everyone can work together to solve these puzzles that are often times both intricate and exceedingly challenging. The concept behind Death Squared is sound, but with a startling lack of variety in its content, the satisfaction from solving these inventive puzzles only lasts so long.

The repetitiveness of the obstacles, the cheap deaths, the annoyance of later platforming sequences set in low gravity, frequent trial and error, and the time it takes to pass through elongated hallways that connect puzzle rooms and platform set pieces all contribute to making the whole thing a bit too tedious and empty for my liking. Now that I think about it, if Planet Alpha were an animated short, I think I’d like it a lot more because the visual storytelling is far more interesting than anything else.

There really isn't much to be said about Smart As. It works as advertised and accomplishes what it set out to do – no more, no less.

You won't find yourself challenged, but at best you'll find yourself enthralled and enjoying the world as it brings itself out to you. But a game doesn't have to be a challenge. It doesn't have to have a time limit, a game over, an antagonist of any kind. It can just be a sensory experience you allow yourself to get wrapped up in. And Shape of the World is exactly that. Let yourself get swallowed by it and you'll find yourself having a great time.

Hardcore DBZ fans would be happy with the new flying skills and bigger environments to traverse, but be mindful of its basic and shallow combat system.

Developer Strange Company is to be lauded for creating a VR RPG that is lengthy and far more substantial than so many of its brethren. While aesthetically Left-Hand Path can't quite overcome the technical limits of the Rift or Vive, it is built on a magical combat system that is robust and challenging (and occasionally frustrating) to use. Now that we're a couple of years into the their retail releases, no developer has managed to produce that killer app that makes virtual reality systems an essential purchase. That said, games like Left-Hand Path are moving the creative progress of gameplay and storytelling in VR incrementally forward.

In the end, Death's Gambit is a solid 2D Souls clone that actually attempts to tell a direct story and provide the same challenge that fans are looking for. And it's just downright beautiful. Unfortunately, the gameplay is fairly shallow, with limited weapons and abilities. Death's Gambit can also be rather short if you are skilled at these types of games (I mean, I definitely grinded some levels). If you can't get enough of Souls action and are looking for your next challenge, you should definitely have your eye on Death's Gambit. If not, this is a title you can definitely save for a rainy day.

A wonderful soundtrack and a visual style which is simple but appealing finish setting the tone for Wattam. While it’s a simple, direct game, during my time with it, I almost constantly had a huge grin on my face. Takahashi's brand of weird works for me and even all these years after Katamari, that's still the case. If his style works for you, I think you'll have a great time with Wattam. It may not last you long but it's a time that will stay with you which is worth celebrating.

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.

Battletoads isn’t perfect, but it sure is a lot of fun. Despite some of its shortcomings, notably in its excessive use of mini-games and short overall length, the story is entertaining and combat is surprisingly deep. Some of the artistic design choices may not be for everyone, but those who are able to look past that will find developer Dlala Studios has done a solid job in reviving this dormant franchise.

While it may not be the best platformer of our time, it’s a decent enough romp for the $15 price tag.

Tecmo hears your cries and produces a decent and fun golf game that takes full advantage of the Wii's unique controls.

It just falls flat, showing small signs of life, but otherwise just not worth your time.

Capcom's free-flowing Zelda-esque adventure title is a surprisingly decent blend of action, platforming and puzzle-solving.

One of the best budget titles I have played in quite sometime.

For what it brings to the table, PixelJunk: Monsters Ultimate is a great package. Tons of content, engaging gameplay, and a cute look really set it apart from other entries in the genre.

It is easy on the eyes, fun to listen to, and its cruel satire and toilet humor make it an entertaining journey from the beginning to the end. The game would benefit from more fleshed out gameplay and more imaginative puzzle design, but it is still one that left me wanting to see more out of this developer in the future.

You could kindly call Albion Online old-school or hardcore, which might appeal to gamers with a nostalgia for the days of corpse runs, griefing, and ganking. Less graciously, you could say it is repetitive, cynical, uninspired, and opaque. In truth, MMORPGs that survive their infancy often grow into very different games than they were at launch. Patches and player input often have a way of shaping a game for the better, and given time, Albion Online may evolve as well.

It’s a shame that Team17 have found it hard to strike a balance between complicating things enough to keep Mugsters interesting but not too much to make it tedious and frustrating. The first few levels are a fantastic hook into the game, showing off its terrific abstract graphical style and some fun, yet simple puzzle mechanics, but the more you play, the more it gets bogged down by the burden of adding more. The multiplayer does add some fun novelty, but ultimately Mugsters probably isn’t a game you’ll feel like completing.

After finishing the story and grinding through free missions, though, you can’t help but start thinking why on earth am I doing this anymore? Even though you can play Daemon X Machina pretty much the way you prefer due to all different weapon combinations, the thinness of the gameplay is unavoidable. However, in years’ long absence of new entry in Armored Core franchise, Daemon X Machina will satisfy the hunger for heated mech action. It’s colorful, fast-paced and sweet while it lasts.

Fancy trying a spot of golf in your living room? Wii's unique motion controller does somewhat of a decent job, with plenty of fun and exercise to boot.

Its art design is excellent, its pacing is spot-on and it has a light-hearted approach to its dark-themed subject that consistently takes real menace out of the premise. Pumpkin Jack’s combat my lack the depth of many ARPGs, but the game is short enough that this never becomes a problem. Although it is a Halloween-flavored game, there’s no reason not to enjoy it any time of the year.

I tried my best to like Toy Odyssey more than I did as there’s much to love about it. The idea and the execution are mostly fine but unfortunately some game design decisions made playing the game more laborious than entertaining. Toy Odyssey deserves to be more fun and exciting. Dull routines should be for parents, not for brave toy soldiers!

Senran Kagura Estival Versus appeals to a very particular taste. Those who love fanservice and ecchi-rich anime will have a fantastic time as the girls fight and dilly dally on the beach. I do appreciate that the game made some changes to its design and presentation, making it a more animated and spirited game than Shinobi Versus. With a new dynamic camera, sexier transformations, and “interesting” finishers, and more robust playtime systems for the girls, the game knows its audience. Though the plot is lacking and the battles are often repetitive, such concerns are not going to stop fans from having some fun in the sun.

For its beautiful presentation and for all of the ponderous ruminations about life that it might invoke within the player, it’s a crying shame that Rain World just doesn't feel very fun to play. While there is nothing wrong with sluggishness and weight as intentional designs, the options given to the player feel totally at odds with the sheer relentlessness and urgency of the systems at work.

To me Armageddon still is an enjoyable game, but is still one that does require a lot of patience to get into the controls and the game itself.

Perhaps I would have enjoyed 2064: Read Only Memories more if I hadn’t been spoiled by The Red Strings Club, another cyberpunk adventure I reviewed beforehand. It dealt pretty much with the same themes as 2064: Read Only Memories. But in comparison, it was tight, smart, emotional and really involving with its moral choices. There’s an attempt at social commentary here too, mostly regarding human rights (hybrids are the big debate in Neo-San Francisco), but most of the acute agenda is buried under tons of preaching, failing to connect emotionally. In the end, 2064: Read Only Memories plays its hand perhaps too safe. It should provoke when it preaches, and affect when it lectures. Read Only Memories… Indeed! Play With Memories would have been more involving.

This is a hardcore Japanese action game, through and through. Its rigid, uncompromising mission structure can be less than accommodating but nonetheless charming. It's difficult, rewarding, and satisfying in equal measure.

With a good company, God’s Trigger can still often feel more frustrating than fun but at least you have someone to share the experience instead of just slamming yourself.

I can't emphasize enough how much potential this game had on the Nintendo DS, but unfortunately none of this was put to use and we are left with a sub-par video game that I would only recommend at most as a rental.

It’s a real shame that I was disappointed by Little Hope because otherwise it’s an impressive piece of audiovisual excellence and I just love its genre. If you like Charlie Kaufman’s movies (which I don’t), you may perhaps appreciate the ending better than I did. It remains a mystery why Supermassive Games have degenerated their interactive storytelling formula by restricting players’ influence over events.

Sure, it might be starting to show its age a little in places, but Saints Row IV is still a great way to cut loose and enjoy the fun that unbridled chaos and a childish sense of humor can bring. And the extra content you get in the Re-Elected edition that just released on the Nintendo Switch means you can enjoy it for even longer as you play through everything Deep Silver threw at the swan song of the main Saints Row series.

Pawarumi might not change the face of videogaming or set a new trend, it’s just a damn good shoot ‘em up, just like they made them back in the day. If you’re an avid arcade game fan, make no mistake and add it to your library!

And that’s Fallout Shelter‘s big problem: the graphics are great, the coding is great, and the music is great. But working as a Vault-Tec Overseer feels too much like being stuck in middle management: it just gets tediously repetitive after a while.

Riddled Corpses EX might not leave a big footnote into the annals of video games but all the same it ranks among the most fun I have had with games this year.

As a design doc, a game that combines horror, sci-fi and Norse mythology sounds intriguing but in actually, Apsulov just seems uncertain of its identity. With too much clunky action for a narrative driven walking simulator, and not enough combat to excel as an action game, it’s a lot of bits and pieces that don’t quite connect. The game has some ideas floating around but they’re too often drowned in a sea of over-used cliches, tired gaming tropes and creative cul de sacs that lead nowhere in particular.

Clocking in at just over an hour and a half, Episode 3 has been the shortest on time, and yet still managed to bring the heat with some great scenes and set pieces. With as much as they have riding on their shoulders, the fact that Minecraft: Story Mode hasn’t turned into a heavy, Walking Dead-esque slog is a testament that you can still work through some deep subjects without needing to crush your audience beneath the heavy stone weight of dystopian reality. Minecraft and Telltale both continue to surprise me with this series, and I can’t wait to see how Jesse and Company deal with The Admin… eventually.

Loaded with problems, dullness, and annoyances, Pool Panic didn’t grip me anywhere in a way I expected it to. It has a good idea, and with some more interesting level ideas in place, the game would have been an easy recommendation. Instead it just feels wasted. It’s flat and wears out its welcome before you’re even close to done with the 100+ levels. The nuggets of greatness can still be found, but they’re just too few and far between to really keep up the excitement that the title suggests.

Cathedral lacks vision where it counts. The title is focused on appealing to the hardcore with its retro presentation and difficulty that borders on irritating. The visuals and audio are certainly reminiscent of titles from the past, however, they lack that special polish that would elevate them beyond the superficial way they ape how games looked and sounded back then. Level design lacked care in checkpoint placement and enemy locations as well as quality of life features, which stacked tedium upon tedium. Overall, I have trouble recommending Cathedral; though it certainly has a niche appeal, its faults made the experience less than satisfactory.

While Alwa’s Awakening nails the graphical look and chiptune sound of 80s platformers, it’s too anchored in the past for its own good. Some would say the platforming is too easy compared to those games, but it makes up for those easy spots with frustrating save rooms and making the player replay through the same few screens to get to the next point. Backtracking comes with the territory and while it’s expected in games like this, that doesn’t make it any less tedious. Overall, Alwa’s Awakening sticks to its inspirations for better or for worse, leading to a game that feels like an homage to the 8-bit era without bringing anything new to the table.

If you are a fan of One Piece, or a fan of Dynasty Warriors, you owe it to yourself to play this game. If you’re not a fan, play it anyway.

It’s not a great all-around experience but it gives you the tools to make some memorable moments.

Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a bit too long for its 12-ish hours running time, considering its simple gameplay both inside and out of dungeons. Reiterating the same ideas over and again works only for so far. Of course, all games can be called repetitive but it’s only highlighted by Anodyne 2’s pedestrian pace and too many dungeons. The game could have used tightening up its dramaturgy and gameplay to better hit home its heartfelt, timely message (of course, there’s a bad ending, too, that is really bleak). As it is now, the road towards the finale that is worth seeing goes on too long. However, for a two-person development team, Anodyne 2 is a true passion project of games of yesteryear. It’s targeted at people who experienced the exciting transition from 2D consoles to 3D games in the mid-90s and who long after those days when the new technology (that now looks charmingly aged) vowed an entire generation of gamers.

DOOM VFR sounds like a great idea but it doesn’t do enough to justify its existence. Take away the VR headset and it would be just as playable on a TV or computer monitor. It might have actually been better that way, because then I wouldn’t have gotten so uncomfortable. Control issues aside, this is a competent and solidly designed video game that means well enough even though it strips away the cool things that made DOOM great. Skyrim and maybe Fallout aside, not every Bethesda game has to be made into a VR version of itself.

If you’re expecting The Bard’s Tale IV to be an action-RPG on par with some recent blockbusters, you may be disappointed. This is not a cinematic experience with bleeding edge graphics and breathless action and combat. However, if you approach the game as a super-enhanced, classic dungeon crawler that both fits into the legacy and moves the needle on a well-respected, beloved franchise, then you will be pleased by its story, puzzles, nuanced combat, excellent music and varied environments.

The decision on this game comes down to the pros vs the cons, and whether you think you'd be happy to enjoy it as it is, or if you'd rather wait until some more updates. The load times and staggers can be mildly irritating and can amass during longer play sessions, but are by no means game-breaking or a reason entirely not to give it a go. Especially for those looking to play a little more casually, or in shorter bursts, or maybe aren't now accustomed to the world of SSD loading times, I still have to recommend this title as worth a go - just perhaps not necessarily the one to pick above the others.

Had they found a way to make the combat in the game more enjoyable this could have really been a force to be reckoned with.

The Amazing Spider-Man may not only go down as one of the best Spider-Man games but one of the better movie licensed games out there because it doesn't feel like a movie game. Beenox did a great job of taking a movie based gaming and fleshing it out into its own thing.

Call of Duty: Strike Team is an compelling experiment but held back by the touch controls. If this was made for a controller it could be more impressive. They packed a console-like game into Strike Team with leaderboards and challenge maps but it ultimately feels held back by its lackluster controls.

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.

It's cool if you ever thought of playing a GTA-style game set in 80s' Mexico, but ultimately marred by the 'overdose' of bullet-time gameplay.

Put on your hats and boots, and groove to the beat - country style. Features same old karaoke gameplay, and nothing much else.

Dead Island is one of the most ambitious games I have seen in a long time and while I didn't have any high expectations for this game it managed to blow me away and provide hours of fun from start to finish.

Far Cry New Dawn may be a smaller game with a shorter shelf life by the series’ standards, but that still amounts to a meaty 20+ hour campaign. Much of that time is spent grinding for resources, but in spite of that, it’s engaging to make progress, upgrade the home base, and craft better gear. Although the game is technically a standalone expansion, newcomers will want to play Far Cry 5 first for a more fulfilling experience that properly introduces Hope County. In a similar vein, this direct sequel may not appeal to those who want to see something novel from the series. But for fans of the predecessor who were left wanting more resolution, a new dawn awaits you back in Hope County.