In a gaming landscape where every game has bountiful side quests and unending DLC, it’s nice to play a game that knows what it is and sticks to that formula from beginning to end. While Nex Machina won’t be for everyone, it’s a game that absolutely excels at being what it set out to be: a challenging, beautiful arcade shooter that will constantly ask if you want to continue.

Layton’s Mystery Journey may have a new protagonist and mobile interface, but it keeps the series’ trademark style alive. The episodic cases are hardly compelling, but the puzzles reign supreme, even if some of them are awkwardly worded. Fans will feel right at home with this fully-featured installment. If you haven’t yet experienced a Layton game, however, I would sooner recommend any of the six original Professor Layton entries or even the Phoenix Wright crossover. I want to see more of the delightful Katrielle but I hope her next game either gives us something new or at least gives us more compelling cases in the future.

>observer_ is one of the most immersive games I have had a privilege to play in recent memory. It grabs you by the collar and pulls deep into its twisted cyber mystery. The game progresses with the beat of any good thriller and won’t let you have a dull moment, even with a lack of action as observers come unarmed. It took about 10 hours to solve the case (or did it solve me?), but I would gladly have spent twice the time in the bleak and oppressive neo Krakow. The game is worth jacking back into, though, as it has alternate paths to take and endings to see. >observer_ is like a direct-to-video B movie that never was that you can now play yourself. And it stars Rutger Hauer. Did I tell how awesome that is?

Episode 2 proved excellent all the way around. I really appreciated the points they chose to hit, the themes of friendship and change, as well as the fantastic trip the Admin takes the group on. I never thought that these kinds of stories would be possible with Minecraft as the background, but it just proves to show that a good story can take place anywhere. Even an exploding Heckmouth.

In the end, the whole game really does rely on a single type of puzzle game play, which makes it feel rather cheap - almost like the entire game was programmed by a single person for a college programming project or something (complete with SoundCloud.com links showing up for the music's credit section). Thankfully, the developers agreed. At a $2.99 price point, the dedicated puzzle-lovers out there may want to think about picking this title up, as it is guaranteed to get your brain working at later levels. While this review is for the PS4 version (Energy Cycle is also out on Steam and Xbox One), I can't help but think this type of simplistic puzzle game is better served on mobile devices. It almost seems like wasted potential, honestly. Weird, right? Regardless, outside of die-hard puzzle lovers though, Energy Cycle is just too repetitive to really recommend to anyone.

Cursed Castilla EX embraces in the arcade games that inspired it, simultaneously differentiating itself as a modern, more forgiving take on the old-school quarter-munchers. The only major drawback is how getting the true ending forces you to locate obscurely hidden items, often giving you only one chance to obtain each one. Otherwise, it’s a short platformer that delivers solid level design and delightfully entertaining projectile-throwing gameplay.

While I would have loved to see more new features and additional games like the oft-forgotten spinoff Mega Man and Bass, a package of four solid action platformers is enough to make Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 desirable to both fans and newcomers.

Serious Sam’s Bogus Detour is a seriously fun game bogged down by a couple of serious problems. If you’re a big Serious Sam fan, have online friends to play with, or you’re just looking for a challenging twin stick shooter, then this game is worth its $15 price tag. Just be aware that the multiplayer is pretty much dead, some of the game design needs a bit of polish, and there’s not much content outside of workshop maps.

Redeemer's great peculiarity is that it starts with strong gameplay and a weak story, and then the two switch entirely. Combat that was once challenging, varied, and rewarding gives way to enemy numbers and attack patterns that bottleneck the player into a constant dodge-fest that feels like breaking the rules of a broken game. Whether you succeed or fail, too little of what you do after the first chapter is based on any amount of skill. As monotony settles in, the captivating story proves not enough to pick up the slack. In its first four hours, Redeemer is great. Afterwards? Far from it.

I wish I could say that the art of Shuyan Saga is amazing, the story is compelling and the game is challenging. Indeed, the premise was too good to be true. Apart from the occasionally cool fighting, the game lacks everywhere else. Even as it is though, Shuyan Saga somewhat fills the gaping shortage of wuxia games. Come to think of it, has there even been a wuxia game since BioWare’s excellent but widely unappreciated Jade Empire? The lack of better examples in the genre is the only reason I can hesitatingly recommend Shuyan Saga to the fans of Chinese kung fu movies.

Nihon Falcom’s games have helped me to rediscover JRPGs which I had almost given up due to their often perplexing superiority complex. There’s this integrity towards the way Nihon Falcom makes their games, and it’s reflected in the gaming experience. What The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel may lack in production values, it makes up for in the richness and depth in its unpretentious and diverse narrative. That makes following Rean and his friends during their year of study uncannily engaging entertainment. I can’t think of any better way to get acquainted with The Legend of Heroes series than this. The only thing bothering me right now is how long I have to wait for the second part!

The action works when called upon, the story really tries to expand on Batman’s world, and the new relationship mechanics add another layer to interactions. If you played the first season, there’s absolutely nothing that should keep you from this one.

Lazaretto lacks focus on what exactly it wants to do. Does it want to scare players with a sense of horrific immersion, or does it want to send us on a mind tripping journey? The game doesn't seem to know, and neither do I. Ultimately, Lazaretto has a strong start and truly great sound design, but I think the developers should have spent more time at the drawing board for this one. As this is Chapter 1, let's hope Chapter 2 can pull it together.

A medieval version of River City could have had robust stat progression, a sophisticated fighting system, and at the very least, a more interesting story. Instead, we have a barebones palette swap that is still the same beat ‘em up on the inside. Though the core mechanics are fun, it gets repetitive due to a lack of combat depth and stat progression. Regardless, this fantasy palette swap of the old-school games is a valiant effort. Fans of the series will likely find Kunio – or I should say Alexander’s – adventures in Riverandia to be an enjoyable, albeit short, experience. Others unfamiliar with the series seeking a good beat ‘em up may want to consider the original River City Ransom or the 3DS’ River City: Tokyo Rumble instead.

This is the freshman effort for developer We the Force Studios and it is certainly noticeable throughout the entirety of Randall. The Mexico based developer has crafted a game that obviously pays homage to a style of gameplay that they are fond of. However, the end result is little more than just that: an homage without any of the hooks that make other games of this variety so great. There is certainly potential for a great game within Randall and I hope this fledgling developer is able to learn from its mistakes to craft a more cohesive game in its next attempt.

Tacoma may only be about 3 hours long, but it fills that time beautifully, telling a thoughtful, poignant tale told through the magic of science fiction. Come for the space, stay for the heart. And the space basketball.

It’s again the broken record time. Grim Legends 2: Song of the Dark Swan is an amusement spent well and I so love these games where you’re not in a constant mortal danger. The strong start made me disappointed by the rest of the game which didn’t live up to the first promises. Luckily the bonus chapter saved the day. I’m pretty sure the best Artifex Mundi game is yet to be seen as an Xbox One conversion. Meanwhile, I keep playing these casual adventures with great pleasure.

In the end, Spellspire feels like a game that was clearly made for mobile devices and was designed to be played very casually. When it is played on a console, the shortcomings become glaringly apparent. With the wide variety of games available on PlayStation 4, it simply is not compelling enough to demand attention.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is a reverent and imperfect resurrection of an icon. This furry oddball creature could have been left in the past, but I'm pleased that he was revived for a new generation. I say this in full awareness of the fact that Vicarious Visions could have done more in the technical and gameplay departments. Here we have two great games, and one that could have been great if given the update it truly needed. They look stunning, too, but resolution, framerates, and load times are all at an average standard when at least one of the three should be better. And yet, whether you find yourself zooming down a desert highway, running from a gigantic bear, or just bouncing over a bridge of crates, you can't help but smile and know that, at the end of the day, Crash is still a whole lot of fun.

In the end, the game fails to be anything more than a Senran Kagura also ran. While I’m not opposed to over the top games of this type (not to mention that the combat is pretty fun), it annoys me when the developers don’t do enough with the material they have. The best thing I can say about the game is how well it adapts to being ported to the PC from the PlayStation Vita (which I played quite a bit). The graphics are sharp and the frame rate is slick with minimal slowdown even when numerous enemies fill the screen. That’s where the good mostly ends. Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni has short sidedness to its design that Senran Kagura addressed in its own sequel. So who knows? Perhaps Valkyrie Drive Bhikkhuni 2 might be better.

The Town of Light features a harrowing, historically-accurate story of mental illness and society's failure to understand it. Unfortunately, its steadily-worsening gameplay ultimately obscures the impact and importance of this tale, rendering even one playthrough far from worth it. I will grant that it made me want to read about 20th-century mental asylums on my own time, but I suppose that says it all; just read about these asylums and you'll spare yourself a lot of pain.

Having Cassie's blindness as the defining game play mechanic results in a visually repetitive experience where again, one can appreciate the developer's sincerity in tackling a significant subject, but not necessarily enjoy the aesthetic results. Perception is not a long game but becomes repetitive early on. In the end, the gameplay implications of a character with a significant handicap are folded into an intriguing premise that is simply not executed very well.

For its running time Get Even is certainly not a walking simulator or walk in the park. It takes 16-19 hours to complete the game, depending on the player’s willingness to sweep every nook and cranny for all the clues. But Get Even is not an action game either. It’s a mixed bag really. It’s problematic with its identity, reaching out in different directions and jumping all over the place but in the end, it’s this blurred identity which is the focal point of the game. For those who have the stamina to go for the full length of it all, Get Even is a disjointed, schizophrenic, exhausting but ultimately rewarding experience.

Inner Voices is overall marred a bit by certain design choices, but if you’re looking for a fresh horror experience that provides plenty of replayability, this title is an excellent choice. With its incredible atmosphere, one playthrough averaging around three to four hours, five different endings, and a price tag of $10, this is a game I can definitely recommend trying out.

If you add in the Motorhead or Fractured Worlds expansions, and the ability to play all of the content alone or co-op and in any sequence, Victor Vran: Overkill Edition is an extremely generous package that will take dozens of entertaining hours to complete. With each mission having multiple objectives, there are plenty of reasons to revisit areas several times. Not everything about Victor Vran is new and different, of course, but its solid mechanics and strong personality go a long way towards creating a satisfying play experience.

Any goodwill to come out Ancient Amuletor (there is a lot!) is largely ruined by a shocking lack of content. I don't know what the developer’s post-launch plans are but unless they offer the game for nothing over $5, there’s no reason to play this (admittedly) great game until there’s enough content to justify your time.

However, the hard truth is that Puzzle Showdown 4K is being sold to us as a game. And by that standard, no price justifies a purchase. It's such a shame, too; it didn't have to be like this. What if the interface was better? What if you could choose from a decent stack of pieces? What if the mechanics didn't directly conflict with one-another? Hey, what if you could make your own puzzles from your capture gallery? This is a game that takes extra measures to avoid the advantages of being a video game while doubling down on the limitations. I was really optimistic about this one, too. Hopefully it doesn't take too long for the concept to be executed properly.

With its leisurely pace and relative lack of scripted drama, Life is Feudal: Forest Village is a pleasantly relaxing way of getting involved in the minutiae of everyday medieval life, but don't expect to immediately understand or master its systems. It can feel a little directionless at times and is definitely geared towards detail-oriented players who enjoy the challenges of both moment-to-moment micromanagement and long-term planning. Forest Village has itself continued to evolve from early access to full release and it will be interesting to see how the mod community adds content and shapes the game.