Bitlogic: A Cyberpunk Arcade Adventure captures the feel of games from a bygone time, but it does so in a fashion that is almost entirely detrimental. The restrictions on aiming and movement makes combat unpleasant, and traversal is usually a matter of trial and error. Although the MSX version of the game, included in the package, has a fairly striking look, the updated graphics don't look nearly as inspired, and smaller details, like the lack of death animations for enemies or the protagonist, make the visual overhaul rather unconvincing. The more interesting enemy setups in the last few areas tease at undercurrents of potential that is never fully reached. There are many titles out there that utilize the archetypes of classic gaming to create challenging and rewarding gameplay loops, but Bitlogic is not one of them.

The Padre tried to incorporate various ideas that can make a good retro-style survival horror game but it ultimately failed to mesh all them into one coherent experience. The puzzles feel disjointed and directionless and the controls are clunky. Not to mention, the overall mediocre experience is ridden with glaring technical issues and glitches.

From its price to its story to its demands on the intellect and reflexes, Swords & Souls: Neverseen is modest. Likewise, it’s modestly successful and moderately fun. Training, upgrading and short and fast-paced battles are great ways to spend a few minutes but in the long haul, the game’s limitations become a little more apparent and concerning. If I knew anything about sports, I might say that a good, solid stand-up base hit is better than swinging for the fences and whiffing it. Swords & Souls: Neverseen makes a good case for itself as a fully-formed PC game.

Overall, Peach Ball is a strong entry in the Senran Kagura series. Not only does it provide an appealing avenue into pinball, it also made me want to finish past Senran Kagura titles that I’ve missed. With Senran Kagura creator, Kenichiro Takaki leaving Marvelous, the future of the franchise looks dire, but this latest title would be a fine sendoff for the fun series. Peach Ball is a pinball game that is well worth playing for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Regardless, it’s only worth recommending to those who are open to high degrees of fanservice.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses does a tremendous job presenting a more immersive experience in the series’ first console entry in a decade. The three paths all present unique and compelling perspectives into the rich cast, and the Persona-like school life segments are a breath of fresh air that give players a lot more to do besides constant battling. The strategy gameplay is more or less the same with a few alterations and additions, but it remains a shining example of the genre. Every element meshes together well to make Fire Emblem: Three Houses one of the best games in this long-running series.

Impatient gamers looking for immediate gratification may have a struggle with Age of Wonders: Planetfall’s leisurely, semi-opaque early game and mildly vertiginous learning curve but the pace picks up and patience pays off as the game evolves into a challenging mixture of combat and civ-building. On console, in particular, there are relatively few 4x games of note and Planetfall is a welcome addition. For PC fans of the genre and the franchise, the sci-fi/fantasy setting is well-executed and strong enough to make the series feel new again.

The multitude of troop types, various win-conditions, and resource management offer complexity, while its turn-based nature and well-explained rules lend an air of approachability. A few bad apples aside, the lengthy story mode presents an abundance of diverse missions that feel challenging but surmountable. Successfully funneling your opponent’s troops into a carefully curated ambush, or coming up with the perfect counter to a particular enemy charge is always deeply rewarding, and the diversity of mission setups keeps the experience interesting throughout. Wargroove successfully revitalizes a largely abandoned style of game with its own unique sense of charm and mechanical innovation.

Warlocks 2: God Slayers is a good and fair retro game experience. If it was presented in a more typical top-down or third-person view, it could be a bit generic but as a 2D-platformer, it manages to feel fresh. The game does its thing with a twinkle in the eye but doesn’t take you for a fool. Some features should perhaps have been better laid out but finding about finer details by yourself used to be a basic experience in games before tutorials and on-screen helpers came to make everything too self-explanatory. Warlocks 2 is a quirky time warp back to the day when games were played for fun and leisure but its mischievous nature is totally today.

Anyone expecting a Zelda-esque level of role-playing or story, or Mario-level platforming will be disappointed by The Forbidden Arts, as will gamers looking forward to a lush, 3D world to explore. In fact, The Forbidden Arts is a platformer with light RPG elements, a skeletal story and an imperfect balance between its controls and its demands. Ultimately, The Forbidden Arts lacks ambition and enough imagination to help it stand out from a crowded, accomplished field.

Keepers of the Void offers a nice change of pace to Darksiders III’s From Software-enriched action experience. If you’re playing the game for the first time or enjoying the New Game Plus mode that was added back in April, the added zone should provide a nice break from the main story (especially on harder difficulty modes). To that end, I just wish the puzzles were more exciting. If nothing else, I was pleased to see that the area of Limbo runs very well and at no point did I run into issues that plagued my experience last year.

All in all, Initial 2: New Stage is an intriguing title. Although it’s technically more than rough around the edges and the localization is a hot mess, the game is not just a knockoff of similar, bigger titles. There’s honesty in how Restory Studio has wanted to a make a cool, Japanese-like hack and slash action with a meaningful narrative to complement the gameplay. The story might be naïve when it stresses friendship that reaches over hostile boundaries but we really need something like that in our dreadful world, don’t we? To fully appreciate Initial 2, you will need a certain state of mind and shouldn’t care about finer technicalities. Don’t look too much into the overall score, either, as Initial 2 is one of best gaming experiences I have had this year.

When I first started it, I thought it would be a repetitive game that would lose my attention quickly. I’m happy to say this couldn’t be further from the truth. The fast pace meant I was able to jump in and out of the game with no problems. For being such a simplistic, the game is quite difficult to master as many of my runs fizzled out quicker than they should. The unlockable system keeps you always a step behind the curve, never giving you a chance to get too comfortable. In the end, Super Mutant Alien Assault is one enjoyable title that I definitely recommend.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is an impressive game that shines especially bright on the Nintendo Switch. The game's constant sense of progression and discovery is a joy to behold, whether you're docked to a television, relaxing on the couch, or playing from somewhere else entirely. While the game's performance issues, small text, and barebones online functionality put a slight damper on the fun, the ability to play the game wherever you want more than makes up for it. Whether you're new to the Builders series or are fresh off the original game, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a great addition to the franchise and a solid choice for your Switch library.

Automachef is a very pleasant game, and a lot of fun. I would highly recommend it if you're in the market for a short, easy to play game that will test your skills and brain power. Whether you're commuting, winding down after a long day in the office, or just looking for something new to play, Automachef will fit that bill.

For all the praise I will give Streets of Rogue with respect to its gameplay, I was disappointed with how the story ends. While the journey is a lot of fun, the final level is rather abrupt and anticlimactic. It isn’t a major issue, but a game of this style could really use a bombastic ending sequence to add that extra incentive to complete the game. Overall, though, Streets of Rogue is one of the best rogue-lites I’ve played in ages. It highlights the virtues of the genre very well, and while the challenge dissipates steadily over time, the game remains interesting and varied.

Metal Wolf Chaos XD is definitely a game that will appeal to fans of quirky, kooky comedy. It’s a janky budget title that lacks polish in level design and game mechanics, but makes up for it in the weirdness.

Ultimately, it feels like Vane is an aesthetic concept more than a game. Certainly, it has the elements of traditional platforming games — environments to explore, puzzles to solve — but they are unrewarding and sometimes frustrating to experience. Vane’s art direction, music and suggestions of myth and mystery might be enough to carry some players through to the end, but others will be disappointed by Vane’s refusal to tell a coherent, character-driven narrative.

There’s nothing inherently wrong but Madden NFL 20 was really missing the “X-Factor” that it needs to really breath some fresh life into the long, historic franchise. I’m sure I will still be playing Madden NFL 20 by the time I sit down to review Madden NFL 21, but in the back of my mind, all I’ll be hoping is that next year is the year they really revamp Franchise mode and take some bigger risks on the field. Until then, I’ll be taking my QB1 to his third straight Super Bowl.

In the end, It Lurks Below is not a bad effort but everything it offers we’ve seen numerous times before. There is nothing about it that is objectively bad but there isn’t anything that stands out either. It’s a perfectly serviceable indie title that just ends up reminding us of better and more original games out there. In the vast sea of independent games, that’s simply not enough.

The shoehorned inclusion of microtransactions is kind of ugly because it’s limited to weapon and character skins and timed character boosts that serve no purpose other than to get you to spend money. I suppose it’s a small mercy that you don’t need premium currency for anything but at this point, why even bother? I try not to judge but anyone who buys gold bars to get skins and boosts is wasting their money. Skip this game and play The New Order and The New Colossus instead. You’ll have way more fun. Honest.

KILL la KILL The Game: IF features exciting arena fighting action and silly yet engaging yarn that together form an exclusive episode for the quirky franchise. The presentation is big, bold and in-your-face, creating a handsome package you really want to dig into. The girls never miss a chance to strike a defiant pose and don’t mind how exposed they are doing so, be it in special moves, combo finishers or psyching up before matches. However, with a limited number of playable characters and ill-founded playing after completing the story with the main girls, the sixty dollar asking price might be a bit steep.

Overall, The Black Order is easy to pick up and play and there’s nothing to keep you from enjoying the thrill of fighting alongside pop culture’s most popular fictional heroes.

Super Mario Maker 2 builds upon the original in very basic ways. The game adds an impressive array of new mechanics that allow creators more freedom to design. With the addition of the painfully tedious, gimmick-driven story mode, the developers teach players just how annoying the new features can be. Regardless, designing levels has never been more convenient and the vast sea of user-created content is bound to provide endless enjoyment. Overall, Super Mario Maker 2 is a solid release that is highly recommended and successfully manages to mostly satisfy both creators and players, despite the game’s various issues and shortcomings.

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!

There really should be more games like Night Call out there. It tries something unique and succeeds at it, delivering compelling short stories through a limited yet meaningful interaction and wrapped up in a classy aesthetic. The game shows humanism and wisdom that the billion-dollar titles can only dream of.

Nether: The Untold Chapter isn’t a bad game by any means, but it's also not perfect. I’m glad to find, however, that updates are constantly being made available that will hopefully entice new players to join and keep playing. Best case scenario, they add in a mechanic that means you don't have to start over each time you die, whether it's a box to save some gear, or the option to respawn. Worst case, they fix the hit box on enemies, making them fiendishly difficult to kill, make them spawn a lot closer together to overrun the player, or even add a new, never before seen Nether.

Overall, I would say that the Nintendo Switch is the perfect way to experience Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered, whether you have played the game before or not. The game runs seemingly at a solid 30fps with minimal drops, and sometimes even seems to be smoother than most other games I have experienced on the system. It might not be as beautiful as the PS4 and Xbox One counterparts, but looks amazing nonetheless. The pick-up-and-play hybrid console, blended with the chaotic and extremely fun gameplay of Guerrilla, is a perfect match, topped off with motion controls. It's certainly a well-done remaster of a brilliant game and is definitely one that most people should pick up.

Marina Hova, the developer behind Fragile Fighter, built the game using her personal experiences in helping people deal with certain physical and mental illnesses and abuses and while I get that the game is meant to highlight problems surrounding alcoholism and anorexia, those messages are so easily lost because of the unnecessary difficulty. In this case, how can I develop any sort of attachment to the characters and their struggles when I’m forced into restarting a level for the umpteenth time because of something I could do nothing about? I feel bad tearing apart a game that so clearly wants to impart a message, but when it actively pushes against you at any turn, how is one supposed to care?