While I wish Namco had rounded out this package more, there's a lot of value for a very fair price here. There's a great mix of titles that range from all-time greats to at least mildly interesting. Namco Museum Archives Volume 1 is well worth your time if you love the classics or are merely interested in them.

Art and glitches aside, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is a surprisingly enjoyable platformer, and the developers have done a lot to breathe life and personality into a series that was never really allowed to live in the first place.

The second Space Elite Force is the superior gameplay experience, but if you get a lot out of it, then the first one may also be worth your time. I love seeing more games experimenting with adding elements from other genres. Space Elite Force 2 is a great example of a game taking risks that pay off. If you want something just a little bit different in your next shmup, it's worth a look.

FIFA 16 is not a huge step forward for the franchise. The play on the pitch continues to get better and better and the refinements this year are all welcome. I especially was impressed with the overall flow of a match. It continues to get closer to feeling like the real thing while still being one of the most enjoyable sports games on the market.

Like many VR games, Ghost Giant is relatively short but this is a case where the scale of the experience is in sync with its story and characters. Ghost Giant has a solid emotional core that resonates with many people’s experience. It has amusing and appealing characters and a lovely world to explore, and while its puzzles are generally logical, they also are locked by single solutions that frustrate creative thinking. On the whole, Ghost Giant is an excellent story that could only be told in VR.

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.

It's a dream come true for many Marvel fans, as this RPG really thrills with an engaging plot, solid team-based gameplay and huge cast of characters.

SteamWorld Dig isn’t ground-breaking, but its tight action platforming and satisfying gameplay hook will easily keep you entertained for several hours. It’s perfectly designed for a handheld experience, allowing you to pick up and play for a few minutes here and there, progressing a little further each time.

As a conclusion to the franchise (no doubt pending an awkwardly justified fourth game and spin-offs), Resistance 3 manages to send it off as gracefully as possible.

I guess, when it comes down to it, I was one of those optimists that was hoping for a real transformation that would make Dark Souls feel truly new again. Remaster doesn't do that, but from the vast number of players that are putting down their summons signs, a lot of new players are diving into this incredible game or maybe like me, easing back into that familiar rhythm. Dark Souls Remastered doesn't do anything but give us the best version of one of the best games ever made.

Still, it’s hard not to see the missed potential within Banished. It’s an excellently crafted city building and survival game, made even more impressive by the fact that it was created by one man.

The fighting is fast and entertaining, the visual style is bright and well detailed, and the roster doesn't leave any major gaps. All in all if you're a fan of the series this is a worthy addition and one you should pick up.

The first game feels like an early build of the second game, with a lot of quality-of-life improvements added to SEF 2. One weakness of the first game is that the bosses have way too much health. Boss battles are endurance tests, great for a challenge but too tedious to be fun. The developers recognized this and greatly reduced the bosses' health in the second game. SEF 2 also added health and shield pickups that occasionally spawn in the level. This is a traditional shmup element that makes a welcome return.

Empire's release slips under the radar, but manages to surprise us with its incredible ragdoll physics and smashing damage system.

In the end, Betrayer is still $20 well spent.

RTS based on the LOTR franchise seems like a perfect fit, and the fact that it plays so good on a console makes this one a clear winner.

My hope after playing through de Blob 2 is that it's not overlooked like its predecessor. Although not a perfect platformer, de Blob 2 is a game that reminded me of experiences I had when I was first just getting into video games over twenty years ago. For anyone who may have missed the original or even for those that didn't this is a game that is at the very least worth a rental.

Overall, Vermintide 2 suffers in the minor aspects of its design, but its core combat and basic structure is strong enough to make up for most of the frustrations. Not every implementation is well executed, but it succeeds in the areas that it needs to.

The game in general though is just a whole lot of fun.

The feeling of conquering the Wyv and Keep world will only get you so far until you realize that the characters are reliving the same puzzle as you struggle to come up with a solution.

Despite its short run and lack of replayability, Clustertruck is a fun little title for the Nintendo Switch. The simple gameplay allows for some truly hectic moments, while varied level design keeps the action interesting from beginning to end.

For all that I have said about Bulletstorm thus far I can wrap it up by saying that Bulletstorm is flat out good game. Although not the cream of the crop Bulletstorm has enough going for it that if you're a fan of the genre its definitely worth a look.

It is impossible not to admire and be impressed by Xenoblade Chronicles X, to not have many hours of fun with it, but it’s a hard game to love.

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

A creative arts-and-crafts artstyle synergizes with innovative mechanics to produce the game’s impressive interactive diorama courses. There’s a little something for everyone, from a mellow mode for casual gamers as well as completionist challenges for the hardcore. It’s style over substance, however, and a harder base difficulty would have vastly improved the adventure. Also, the heavily advertised flip side mode didn’t quite meet its potential. Regardless, the uniquely designed set pieces are engaging to uncover. Yoshi’s Crafted World may not make waves, but it’s a solid choice for younger players and fans of the lovable green dinosaur.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a remarkable game. Even with the frustrating controls, Starbreeze Studios has managed to craft a superb puzzle-adventure game with mature themes, while still capturing those crucial moments that makes the relationship between two young brothers special.

Once again this is a quality piece of downloadable content for Skyrim which adds at least another ten to twenty hours worth of playtime. It would be nice to see some more interesting quest types than simple dungeon crawls through the same environments and more emphasis put upon Solstheim and its inhabitants. Dragonborn is worth the price if you just can't get enough from the Elder Scroll's universe.

To many players, these sorts of persistent issues can damage their enjoyment in significant ways, but the dense tactical gameplay manages to shine through more often than not, and if you really get in deep, this may be the last game you need for months. And if you’re completely unsure about the genre or heavy online teamwork, it couldn’t be cheaper to give it a shot.