The popular cyberpets community gets into the gaming scene with this typical action RPG. Decent offering, but plain to see it's meant for the younger gamers.

The mech sim retains much of its gameplay mechanics and addictiveness for its jump to the PSP, but still only for those hardcore fans.

Gretzky 2005 has some really good ideas but the game just doesn't have enough fine-tuning to really make a great game.

As it stands, Monster Bag is an amazing cartoon if you can painstakingly make your way through the lesser parts.

With a running time between 4-6 hours, The Descent is one of the strongest pieces of post game content Bioware has ever offered. Through a good story and inspired environmental choices, Dragon Age‘s Deep Roads becomes the dark and deadly place the Dwarves of Orzammar always speak of.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend getting the ReMind DLC for the story alone. It's just too short for its price. However, if the masochist nature inside you wishes for agonizingly difficult boss fights, this DLC just might be the thing for you.

Ubisoft provides a glimpse of things may come for the flight sim genre, but sadly misses the mark with this unpolished title that just needed more time in the studio.

Although it conflates and confuses a lot of historical reality to conform to its alternative universe, Close to the Sun really impresses in a few key areas. It looks incredible and is founded on a solid story concept. Some of its puzzles, mechanics and pacing issues get it in the way and remind the player that moving through the world needs to be just as satisfying as looking at the world. Fans of “walking simulators” and BioShock will feel at home but Close to the Sun does a good job of creating its own identity despite the obvious influences.

While it doesn’t have the irreverent humor of Dead Rising or the swiftness in movement like Dying Light, what State of Decay 2 offers is the pull that will have you saying, “Oooh, what’s in there?” every time you walk down a neighborhood cluttered with burnt-out cars and piles of dead bodies.

While the game could need more variety in tracks and bikes, and a few technical fixes as well, MotoGP18 delivers so much and has a level of polish that makes it a worthy competitor against any racing game on the track.

When the game is at its best, it provides exactly what a video game about a submarine should provide -- that childlike sense of wonder and adventure that can only come from a new discovery or a narrow escape from a tough battle. It is just a shame that the game is hampered by some major flaws that shouldn't have been terribly difficult to avoid. If you can stick with the game, it rewards you suitably. When the credits rolled, I was left smiling, with a positive impression of the game, but that was only five hours or so after I decided to quit the game and never pick it back up again.

Judged purely as a strategy or a simulation game, it is mostly a failure. It suffers from too many game design mistakes and it has too many broken systems to survive on its gameplay alone. Judged as an overall experience, however, and the game fares better.

I really wanted to like Rise & Shine. It’s one of the prettiest indie games I’ve played because of its beautiful and vibrant hand-drawn backgrounds, enemies and player characters. It’s also rife with fun, tongue-in-cheek references to the video games of yore. But that love quickly fades after spending hours and hours on a game that feels way harder than it needs to be. The demands and rigors of combat are unnecessarily stacked against the player, taking the form of frequent and cheap deaths. Love turns to fear, fear leads to anger, anger leads to pain, and pain leads to rage quitting and never wanting to play Rise & Shine ever again.

I really liked the way Trüberbrook looks, and although that isn’t enough to carry even a short game, Trüberbrook had enough interesting story beats and characters to keep me engaged. Mechanical issues and slow pace would have killed a longer or more complex adventure but the game’s imperfections were a tolerable price to pay, given the rewards of experiencing its hand-crafted world.

Until fatigue with the game design sets in - which will vary from player to player - City of Brass is a lot of fun, a flavorful medley of ingredients that harmonize well.

Without spoiling anything, it is hard to explain how great From the Ashes truly is. The Detail is heating up and episode 2 provides it with the spark and breath it needs to last three additional episodes.

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.

There is no doubt that 3 on 3 NHL Arcade is missing some key features like a Season or Tournament mode, it needed something. Lucky for the guys and gals over at EA, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade works from top to bottom giving a really great arcade hockey experience.

This story shared between a young boy and injured bird is absolutely worth a small chunk of your afternoon.

Attack of the Earthlings checks off a few boxes that don’t often get checked. It’s a stealthy turn-based game with a sense of humor and flipping the role of humans to enemy is a welcome change. It’s a bit slow and the highs it hits aren’t stratospheric but fans of the genre who need a strategy fix should check it out.

There’s a land of wondrous play and exploration somewhere in this premise, but Never Alone isn’t it.

Code of Princess EX is fun in spurts, but is otherwise a mixed bag. I enjoyed the cast’s jabs at the story more than the plot itself. The mechanics are empowering and fun to play out, but lead to a repetitive and predictable gameplay loop. Likewise, the plethora of playable characters is offset by limited movesets. The relatively high price for a port of a 3DS game may not win many fans over either. Ultimately, Code of Princess EX is most tailored to enthusiasts of the beat-em 'up genre and to players seeking a cathartic experience.

Sands of Salzaar could be considered an unfashionable game because it’s not permadeath roguelike Souls-like with survival and crafting elements. Despite its looks, it’s not a loot-a-thlon either. Instead it’s a fast-paced and personally involving action-RPG that is fresh as a bubbling oasis in middle of the desert that isn’t just a mirage! Mod support and separate multiplayer campaign add to the already addictive experience. All this comes at the price tag of only 13 dollars for some amazing value for money. One could even say that Sands of Salzaar puts many of the bigger titles to shame with its creativity and energy. It may not re-invent computer role-playing games but it shows that there is still kick in the old genre and all it needed was bringing it out to the sun.

The poor story mode and the absence of the online play really hurts the game's overall value.

When it comes to nostalgia, there’s a fine line between “loving homage” and “trying desperately recapture former glory.” Fortunately, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is a fantastic and faithful attempt to bring a nearly thirty-year old game into relevancy. It’s more than just a flashy reboot of the original title, adding in new elements as well as those adopted from its sequel, Panic on Funkotron, to make something that feels fresh, new, and stand shoulder to shoulder with the kind of roguelikes available today. A blast from the past that never feels forced or at odds with itself, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is a delight from start to finish.

It's certainly not perfect, but it's a wonderful attempt that captures a lot of what made the games fun in the first place. It's a strong entry in a storied series, and will hopefully be a guiding light for a resurgence of the franchise.

The bottom line, though, is that I can’t help feel disappointed that the bugs I experienced really ruined it all as I hate losing game progress over something that wasn’t my fault. I’m hesitant to recommend the game until it gets patched (again, let people make setting changes from the pause menu! And give us a manual save, too!). Or, at the very least, let me caution you to be extremely conscious of how and when you go back to the game’s menu screen to avoid harsh, mental anguish.

But just be prepared for some frustrating controls and a somewhat unforgiving camera.

For all its cool factor and pitch perfect virtual reality immersion, the lack of any substantial and compelling gameplay for most of the game make Detached hard to recommend at its full price. Wait for a sale.

Although they may have been late with a Finding Nemo game, THQ releases a fun party game with lots of mini-games to thrill the younger gamers.

Although it wants to be like Wii Sports and be enjoyable by yourself or with others, it just doesn't get that far. However at the same token, EA Playground when played with others is a really strong experience and it's use of the motion technology comes together very nicely and makes for an enjoyable game to play through.

It's not flat-out bad, but it is frustrating, questionably designed, and more than a little boring.

American Fugitive is an enjoyable homage to GTA of the distant past, with a good deal of content and a story that does a good — if rarely memorable — job of moving game through its paces. Some regrettable mechanics and repetition in mission design steal some of the game’s good will but American Fugitive is engaging simply for competently exploring an under-represented genre and style.

I would recommend that to get the most out of the game in all areas, you should play it on another platform. The compromises of the Switch version can take away from a lot of the visual beauty and wonder, which is a big part of any game - I mean, you’re looking at the screen all the time. However, the Nintendo Switch version - while certainly rough around the edges - is still playable on the hybrid system. It’s worth keeping in mind the drawbacks mentioned in this review, but if you don’t have the option for another platform to play on, or are dead-set on playing the game with handheld as an option, then this is still a solid option for those players and is an RPG worth playing however you can.

There’s an old school vibe that permeates through The HD Adventures of Rotating Octopus Character. Its simplicity, difficulty and colorful, Japan-inspired visuals are a call back to a bygone era of games.

If you just want to play a game that’s all about pointless grinding, for whatever weird reason, then go ahead. But Citizens of Earth just can’t keep up with the promise of its story and falls flat after just a few hours and then you realize that you’re somehow not even halfway done.

A game that really has the makings of a good game but doesn't stick around long enough to successfully show it off.

Stronghold Crusader 2 was a rare game that I got lost in. I started playing and before I knew it, it was six hours later. Who can resist a game about castle building, economy raising, and taking on large castles full of troops and hazards?. Especially when you can soften up the numbers by launching diseased animals over castle walls.

Forge is fun and frantic, and while it may be incomplete I recommend trying it out if you get the chance.

I wanted to love this game, I really did; the first stage showed so much promise but the lack of content and variety cemented this as an average game with a killer soundtrack and lofty aspirations.

Overall, Galaxy Champions TV is a decent little game, and an instant purchase for those who miss Smash TV. Otherwise, I feel like this is the sort of game perfectly suited to the Switch. Just something to play during your morning train ride. Simple, engaging for a short time, and rounds are over quickly.

Kirby Fighters 2 is a solid title and can provide some simple fun. It’s almost too simple to hold your attention for long, though, and while there’s a lot to unlock, I was tired of playing it far before I had finished. While it’s understandable why it plays so much like Smash Bros since the developers at HAL designed the early games in that series, it doesn’t do enough to set itself apart to really find a niche. Hardcore Kirby fans may find enough to justify a purchase but for most, there’s an obviously better option available on the same system which is far more worthy of your time.

Elegy For A Dead World delivers, but only if you meet it halfway with a hunger for derelict worlds and an extensive collection of original tales.

There are a lot of ideas packed into this game but I feel like if they would have cut back on a couple of the concepts to focus more on the story then this could have been a real stand out game. As it is now Remember Me is more appealing when it gets cheaper or if you have absolutely nothing to play.

As an ode to Agatha Christie, The Raven does a more then fair job. As a mystery charting it’s own ground, it ends up as little more than middling.

The technical issues, obtuse game design, and low population really hurt Armored Core.

You have to give the game credit it looks great, but that in my book doesn’t come close to making a great game. What started out great ended up being rather disappointing. For those who like Afro Samurai and are interested in the game it may be a safer option to rent this.

Overall, the numerous heroes filled with in-jokes and references are the game’s biggest strengths. The novelty doesn’t last long and it becomes an exercise in patience having to relearn control schemes while navigating unfairly placed traps. It’s compelling to find each character’s inner strengths but it can also get repetitive thanks to the uninspired stage layouts. Indeed, 88 Heroes is an example of quantity over quality. I like the premise but wish there were more specialized challenges that took the heroes’ unique powers into account or levels that incorporated the powers as opposed to succumbing to a generic one-size fits all design. While the game isn’t necessarily GR8, I didn’t H8 it, and there’s some value to be found for 2D sidescrolling fans or anyone who’s willing to pay for a good laugh.

The Gretzky franchise gets an update in line with its recent PS2 counterpart, but still has a long way to go before dumping that 'rental-only' label.

However the final results is an underwhelming first person shooter that lacks clear direction and character.

It was a valiant effort by Dontnod, but it missed the mark. Graphically beautiful but mechanically messy, Twin Mirror is a failed attempt at a psychological thriller. The worst disappointment, however, is that the game made me want to visit Basswood, which...doesn’t exist.

EA finally does some justice to the Batman license with this decent if not unspectacular action title that ends up far too linear and repetitive for its own good.

Transient has many interesting qualities that make it stand out as an experience. Sadly, it feels a bit rushed and the gameplay never really moves past just being a vehicle for the narrative. When melding Lovecraft with cyberpunk, Transient focuses on having the former as the core of the story, while using the latter as its shell. It works surprisingly well for the most part, but left me wanting more cyberpunk on a thematic level. Overall, Transient is a title worth playing primarily for those looking for a Lovecraftian experience wrapped in a beautiful cyberpunk package.

That’s Dynasty Warriors 8, a mish-mash of fun, brokenness and low production values that in many ways feels like the video game equivalent of a b-movie. It’s a cheap, tacky, mostly easy game that won’t tax your fingers or your mind.

As much as Smarty Pants wants to be the next big thing on the Wii, it sure could have been, but I just didn't feel the originality nor the fresh face that could have taken this game to the next level.

Seeing as how I was one of those few that loved dialogue scenes in other games, I really enjoyed this title. My only real gripe was how most of them end rather abruptly (one time, I moved on before I was ready and missed out on doing some side events) and one character didn’t get revisited like the others.

It is, in no uncertain terms, a waste of money.

The Sims has become a huge franchise seemingly overnight, but this simplified PSP port is let down by clunky controls and bare features.

The short experience failed to stand out and, though fun while it lasted, was entirely forgettable.

It’s got a great retro vibe and the aesthetic is beautiful. Sadly, the runner mechanics take away the fun and goodwill, leaving it as forgettable as the Dead Island franchise itself.

In my mind, what Reflections is selling on Steam is effectively a beta or demo for a full product. With its extremely limited content and balancing issues, it seems hard to justify buying the game until they’ve had the time to address such concerns. I’d like to see the game get more time in the oven because it’s legitimately cool and the concept is fresh and new. Ubisoft and Reflections didn’t quite put their best first forward with this release. But with time and energy, Atomega has the potential to evolve into an addicting multiplayer experience.

This colorful battlefield will likely be one you return to every time you have friends over, and have a score to settle. It was a lot of fun playing Oh My Godheads with friends, and tackle some of the trials on my own, too. With its unique take on some classic game modes and a simply beautiful art style, I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick and easy party game.

Those looking for a big investment of gaming will probably do best to avoid this title. But those after a nice palette cleanser, I recommend 911 Operator. It’s not going to light the world on fire, but is a decently-crafted little time sink that works well on the Switch. If you’re looking for something to do in-between catching Pokémon and settling it in Smash, 911 Operator is a nice buffer title to call on.

At the end of it all, Omega Labyrinth Life is a game that was not made to be remembered, but instead made to pander certain kind of players. The overt sexual themes, lackluster story, and misused features all came together to make me uncomfortable at worst, while making me only mildly amused at best. What the game does do well has been done before and better, and everything ends up suffocating under its lovingly rendered and bouncing massive mammaries.

Overall, it feels skeletal and in need of more meat on its bones, more consistent pacing and a bit more mechanical complexity. Even the most inept puzzle solvers will breeze through Weakless in less than a handful of hours and its linear direction and puzzle design don’t leave much for additional playthroughs.

It's a shame that the difficulty spike was so abrupt and painful. There is the core of a great game here. A little more play-testing or a little bending of the design philosophy to allow a hint system would have allowed me to retain the initial positive feelings I had towards the game. I hope that the developers make more games in this vein and refine their formula further.

Hot Garbage is a nice add-on to a great game but I would have liked to see it improve on the base game rather than double down on its faults. The humor, visuals, and exploration are still just as funny, beautiful and engaging as they are in the main game. I originally reviewed the game on PS4, and in order to review the DLC on Xbox One I had to replay most of the game again. And I still had a great time doing it. While it’s brought down by an increased focus on combat, some control issues, and a lackluster antagonist, Hot Garbage is simply a lot of fun. If you enjoyed Journey to the Savage Planet, Hot Garbage is more of the same brand of journeying and savagery.

Blacksad: Under the Skin is stylish, involving, exciting and despite its animal characters – or because of them – harrowingly humane, a gripping pastime for any mystery buff.

Creating effective horror depends on powerful moments of the the unexpected juxtaposed with long stretches of calm and the mundane. In general, The Crow's Eye understands the basics of the genre, but frustrating puzzles and platforming both dispel the drive of the narrative and alienate the player. Kudos for looking at a somewhat tired format through a new lens, but points off for implementation. Suggestion: give the player control over save points, pare the platforming to a highly-tuned minimum, and don't repeat the puzzles. Despite these caveats, The Crow's Eye is still worth a look for fans of dread-inducing exploration.

Divekick is a clever proof of concept for a fighting game reduction, and while that concept never quite turns into a fighting game great, it remains a precise and fast-paced alternative in a genre where it can often take hours just to get a grip on a single character. It takes all but ten seconds to grasp the basics of Divekick, but unless you really get into the online, it struggles to maintain a long-lasting infatuation.

Honestly, Downward Spiral: Horus Station shows a lot of promise. I see what the developers at 3rd Eye Studios were going for, but they seem to have fallen flat in their execution. The excessive amount of minimalism in the story really held the game back for me. The gameplay provided a one of a kind experience, but it didn’t make for that great of a time. Though I’m not all that enthusiastic about the game, I’m very eager to see what 3rd Eye Studios makes next.

The Solus Project kind of feels like No Man’s Sky without starships. The survival aspect is more robust and requires full attention to different health systems. The game could use a bit more polish in places, like better inventory management, more worthwhile exploration and more interesting caves. Overall, The Solus Project is a pretty solid adventure that left me feeling surprised with how it hooks into at certain moments. Although it ended up being one of those games I played to have something to do while catching up on podcasts, I caught myself getting more and more intrigued by the whole affair.

There are parts of Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break that I really came to enjoy. The rolling aspect of the game can be quite rewarding and the humor is consistently outstanding. I also appreciate any game that works well in a split screen local multiplayer today, something which far too many modern games overlook. The tower defense modes just keep showing up, though, and they consistently take away from the experience. Tower defense is never easy on consoles but it can be done, yet on its third try, Rock of Ages is still not where it needs to be. These issues leave us with a muddled experience that can be fun but is hard to enthusiastically recommend.

In a normal year, this game would still be an easy one to recommend, but with 2014 being the strongest year for RPGs in at least a decade, there is a lot of competition. It might not be one to set aside time for immediately, but it might be one worth revisiting later once you have a lot of time available to put into it.

From a stylistic point of view, the game got its hooks deep in me because I felt it drew visual and aural inspiration from the likes of 1980s sci-fi film legends Douglas Trumbull, John Carpenter, and Ridley Scott. Genesis: Alpha One offers a tense and methodical approach to roguelike survival through base building and resource gathering in one of the most harshest environments imaginable.

If you've played the previous two Death Spank titles and enjoyed them beyond all measure, I'm sure you will delighted with The Baconing. For the rest of you, you're better off spending your time and money elsewhere.

The game is not just another Diablo clone either as NeocoreGames has woven enough depth of its own to the well-worn concept. The dark science fiction setting is also a refreshing departure to the sword and sorcery the genre usually sees. Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr is a good game and has makings of a great one too - if only its technical issues are eventually fixed.

I want to love The Falconeer, and I do love it in a way, but I cannot recommend it. Despite the quality of its art style and the peacefulness that exudes when you fly over its endless ocean, it’s a tedious and plodding experience. Combat, which comprised the vast majority of the game’s runtime, is inaccurate and weightless, making all of your successes and failures feel arbitrary. And yet, the game makes you want to come back to it, as if by some ineffable witchcraft. I desperately wish this were a better game than it is, rather than an amazing looking game let down by its frustrating combat and boring sandbox experience.

If you can forgive the technical faux pas, the somewhat creepy mannequin people, the absence of any memorable music and the bare bones gameplay, there's a fantastic story buried underneath the rubble. All of the characters are three dimensional and real, the voice acting feels authentic, and the writing is smart but never preachy. At its core, Fragments of Him is just a poignant story of love and loss. It showcases Will and his partner's relationship as normal and pedestrian. It's almost mundane. But this approach is all the more effective when something that should just be normal and average is treated as such. Based on the title of the game, you can kind of assume where the narrative is likely heading to, but the journey there, while bumpy, is one worth taking.

Taken on its own, Crash of the Titans is not a bad game. It does improve the series with the introduction of new gameplay ideas, but nothing you haven't seen before.

Despite its Kinect-oriented problems, Mini Ninjas Adventures' sensibly organized gesture controls and ever escalating mechanics and complexity should compel players to return as soon as the lactic acid dissipates.

Sony Online improves upon their original PSP RPG with a more intuitive control scheme and online play, but messes up with a disjointed story.

The campaign really is the center point of my complaints. Aside from that, the updated rules are fun and add a fresh take to an otherwise simple game.

The game is put together competently, but missteps and minor issues are repeatedly encountered to the point where they grow large in scale. A good concept and the intent to make a strong game is there, and by trying to reap a niche market, the developers clearly have the passion to make a great game. However, there aren’t enough hooks to keep you strongly invested in Titan Quest.

Namco goes back to their roots and comes out with this classic, which retains its old-school playability, but sadly doesn't offer much in terms of variety.

Clearly, Re: Hollow Fragment is designed specifically for stalwarts of Sword Art Online. If they haven’t already played the game on the Vita, the digital-only PlayStation 4 version offers more content and a whole new set of levels to conquer. Everyone else should tread carefully.

Several technical issues aren’t game-breaking but they hurt the flow. As it its, some parts of the game take more perseverance than they should. All the problems bugging Ginger: Beyond the Crystal could be fixed with some serious patching. I really hope the developers rise up to the challenge as there’s clearly a fun and chirpy game bubbling under, something a whole family can enjoy together.

Poi is best played in short bursts, which does work well for the platform in question. Play it undocked, right before bed, for the best experience. And I say that because in this context, it works very well as a fun, snappy, immersive little platformer that you can jump right into and leave minutes later. Staying with it for too long at a time will leave you starved for a change in scenery, and rather perturbed by the occasional sneak attacks. Taken altogether, though, Poi is still a good game. And hey, maybe next time the old man will lose his medallions over a wider radius.

I wanted to love Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts. There is a lot that is well done here, particularly the shooting, the upgrades, and the level design. Unfortunately, it is all but marred by bugs, especially the way the save system currently works… or doesn’t. If you’re in the market for a new sniping shooter, I cannot in good conscious recommend Contracts, it’s simply too frustrating to play in its current state.

If you want more story, higher production quality and more layers of control that is fine, but try looking elsewhere. If you are like me and not the greatest strategy player in the world but still want to feel the thrill of managing an army to victory, then this game is for you.

One of those games that did not live up to the hype that its fan base put out for it.

Despite moment’s of brilliance, it’s hard to recommend to an audience of any age, whether it be a fifty year old gaming aficionado or a five year old infant.

Party Hard presents some interesting ideas and has a promising start, but it sours quickly due to repetitive game design and a frustrating inconsistency in difficulty.

Can't get enough of those mobile suits? Bandai releases a turn-based RPG with an engaging plot, but let down by run-of-the-mill gameplay.

The one thing that does however drag the game down is the poor computer AI, which at first can be funny but after a while just becomes a big annoyance.

Looks like even Tim Burton can't help but succumb to the movie-game conversion curse. Decent action and gameplay, but nothing to write home about.

There are just so many better ways to spend your money, like on a copy of the original Choplifter or any other of the good and unique games available on downloadable services. The only sort of person who should buy this game is someone who thinks that the original Choplifter would be the best game ever if it had sort of funny voice acting.

Your tolerance for weighed down controls and unpredictability determines what you’ll get out of Abyss Odyssey.