For anyone looking to scratch that nagging Okami itch, even if it never quite reaches the same heights, you’re going to have a good time here. It may feel a tad familiar, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s just great to lose yourself in a goofy world for a bit.

Despite the rough edges, Dimps' work is easy to like if you're a Sword Art Online fan hungry for something new to advance the franchise with. Though ultimately held back by the jank, it's definitely worth checking out, if for nothing else than a welcome change of pace and setting.

Though it has some rough edges, including occasional script-related issues and town-wide events that seem to ignore changes players have enacted around the village, Gleaner Heights has enough content to make it feel like an instant cult classic.

Metal Gear Survive should have been a free-to-play game just like Grasshopper's Let it Die or an actual Metal Gear release. It doesn't accomplish either aim.

Despite my high expectations, Orwell continues to be a solid thriller and a very different gaming experience.

If you played and loved the first game, you’ll still find something to love here, but it’s so buried under obtuse puzzles, terrible voice acting, and pointless combat sections that it’s really difficult to recommend this. The story is still pretty solid, but getting to it is a total pain in the ass.

Bugs aside, what Square Enix has here is the perfect mold for its mobile games. Whether original titles or abbreviated retellings like this, the future of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest or the Mana series is bright for smartphones if it chooses to follow this formula. I love what Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition represents for the future of mobile gaming, I just don’t very much care for the actual game.

Warhorse Studios took a big risk with this game and hopefully in the long run the technical issues can be addressed, because as of right now, they prevent Deliverance from reaching greatness. If you can climb over the mountain of jank and poor optimization then you'll be in for an incredibly authentic experience, that when it works, truly puts role-playing front and center in a fabulous way.

Pinstripe isn't perfect, but it feels as if it nearly perfectly accomplishes what it sets out to do. It tells an emotional story with its own peculiar and disturbing flair. Like Dante seeking out Beatrice, Ted will walk through hell for Bo. That's something we can all empathize with on some level. That's what's worth fighting for.

For those who are willing to put the time in and stick with it, Rust provides both a social sandbox and a deep, functioning crafting system. At times, it feels like anything is possible in Rust; like witnessing players double-crossing one another or stumbling upon a small sheet metal city in the desert.

The Definitive Edition has a way about it that just feels right, to the point where I had to do a double-take and watch a video of the original just to see if I was going crazy. No, the 1997 edition never looked this good, and the remaster doesn't douse its legacy in any way.

You may as well just play the SNES version, even if it's the first time you're ever picking up a Mana game: the original spritework is able to pick up the slack of a few of its inherent shortcomings, which are only exasperated by the swap to 3D. Secret of Mana is a fighter -- it's going to take more than a few flaws to take it down.

I still think it's fun, but this first run at the license from Milestone doesn't come anywhere close to meeting its real potential.

For a game that leans so hard into the feeling of discovery, Fe has shockingly little to say about anything. It has no clear goals or worthwhile revelations. The idea of mystery is more alluring than any of the actual mysteries in this forest. It's certainly pretty, and the platforming and light puzzle-solving are adequate enough. But Fe very obviously aims to evoke a certain emotional response, and it fails to evoke much of anything at all. That's nothing short of disappointing. Sometimes the trees are just trees.

The core of Bayonetta remains as solid and frustrating as it was when it first released. It lacks the polish, semi-coherent story, and rich color palette of its superior sequel, sure, but it’s so masterfully designed and brazen in its direction that it’s still a must play for every action game fanatic. While the Switch port may lack the exhaustive resolution and graphics options of the PC version, it’s an absolute knock-out as a portable action game and further proof there seems to be very little the Switch is incapable of doing.

If you're into the idea of playing an open world game where its arcadey elements are entwined with therapeutic but sometimes dry exploration, give it a shot.

Mutant Football League is fast, dirty fun, and definitely one of my favorite sports games in recent years.

If the price were a bit cheaper, or if even online multiplayer were included, I’d readily recommend this port without a problem. As it stands, while Space Invaders Extreme on PC is solid and certainly looks and sounds the best out of any available version, the lack of such an awesome mode just sours my opinion on it.

Despite some minor issues, a fair bit of grinding, and while still nowhere near the production values or quality of the Persona series -- Hacker's Memory is another solid turn-based RPG and a damn good Digimon game that you shouldn't miss if you played the original.

Break Arts II feels like a great mecha customization system in search of game. Whether or not it has legs will depend on players' willingness to put up with the racing to build their robots.

There's a tease of depth in the fights, and I even managed to have quite a bit of fun when things fell into place. Too often, however, it felt like accidental fun. Like I wanted to enjoy what I was playing so much, I stumbled into a good time.

Any game where you're pondering the optimal setup for a chicken head that shoots egg bombs and a bee homing missile is a-okay with me. I won't be endlessly replaying it, but Octogeddon grabbed me hard for a good while.

Barring some unfortunate bugs and one design decision that hampered my experience, Aegis Defenders is a smooth, well-thought-out ride. The original art, charm, and in-game universe only add to it, and I'd love to see more.

Dandara has a firm foundation, but suffers from inherent design flaws and a lack of direction. Despite its imperfections, I mostly enjoyed my time with it. It treads a lot of familiar ground with its gameplay mechanics, but those were the portions of the game I found myself having the most fun with.

Blade of Galadriel is much more to the point, without much of the same flair -- either the good or the bad.

Perfect Chronology is easy to recommend if you didn't play the original but it doesn't do nearly enough to make the argument for a return trip to Vainqueur.

Dissidia NT is fun to play, but it could use a few tweaks that could easily come as low-effort updates along with its existing premium DLC. More modes, some UI tweaks, and combat flow upgrades would go a long way.

Tesla vs Lovecraft doesn't reinvent the twin-stick shooter genre, but it's a hell of a lot of fun and has its own weird and distinct style. I only wish there were a bit more substance to the cutscenes and a few more story missions packed in for good measure. But if you like fighting off large waves of monsters, you'll get a lot of fun out of its endless mode.

Nantucket is well worth your time if you are looking for a fresh take on the strategic role-playing game genre, or are a fan of the original story that it is based on.

Even if it isn’t everything it could be, Space Dave! is still a damn fun shooter and the exact type of game I want to pick up when I only have a few free minutes of downtime available. It’s fast, frantic, and frequently calling me back to beat my high score. The arcade scene may be deader than the Ouya, but Dave is doing his darndest to keep the spirit of its golden age alive and relevant in this modern era of gaming.

When assessing these packs I try to rate the sum of their parts, and more often than not, the A-game of the zombie team elevates these DLCs. Call of Duty: WWII: The Resistance is another one of those times where the extra bits upstage the main attraction of the maps.

Fighting can be incredibly fluid and fun, but it's like Capybara took an idea they had for a side-scrolling beat-'em-up and stretched it beyond its limits into an ill-fitted action RPG. In that same breath, you'll be hard pressed to find a game more faithful to its source material.

This remake's fresh coat of paint isn't there to hide any flaws, it's there to highlight its perfections.

Dragon Ball FighterZ has the depth more dedicated players will crave, but it doesn't stop itself from being a fun experience for everyone. Much like the series it stems from, the core of the series is based on a simple premise with deeper themes for those who wish to explore it fully. But it's got a lot of filler.

An essential gaming experience. Everything this team set out to do they accomplished. If you have any love for indie games, you’re about to fall head over heels. These people have created something very close to perfection.

If you've been skipping out on Monster Hunter games for a while because they seem to blend together, jumping into World is your chance to get in.

River City: Rival Showdown ushers in some big changes while still does a good job bringing the original River City Ransom into modern times while still honoring its Kunio-kun roots pretty well.

I've certainly enjoyed my time with the game, and I think it's worth playing. But I know deep down that in a few years I'm far more likely to replay Chrono Trigger for a twentieth time than I am to come back to Lost Sphear.

This isn't a bad game and some of the activities can be quite fun when played with real people. But these sub-games have always been the side-dish to the single-player main course, and without a worthwhile entrée, Kirby Battle Royale feels deficient.

It's more Assassin's Creed Origins, almost to a fault. It's an already-big game getting a little bigger. But it's worth seeing through because it eventually makes one of the more salient points in all of Assassin's Creed. The title's fitting considering how the poignancy and moral nuance stays hidden until the end.

Subnautica works brilliantly as a serene, lonely, contemplative adventure. It's one of those rare games I'd take to a desert island.

I couldn't help but wish it was more, well, exciting. It's a technical marvel, but at times the experience feels hollow and uneventful. In the end, even though I'm glad to return to this universe, The Inpatient comes across as a bit of a missed opportunity.

It’s a delightful surprise, the kind that doesn’t come around often enough.

What Ails You is the best episode of The Enemy Within since the season opener. After setting the player up with brutal, cathartic violence, the story trims away some (but not all) of its fat to focus on Bruce, his friends, enemies, and the pesky troublemakers who can't seem to rest on either side. There's nothing here that'll change the opinions of Telltale naysayers, but Episode Four at least succeeds in preparing the stage for what could prove an exciting, shocking, perhaps even regret-filled climax.

Seeing the way that your decisions ripple outward and affect other parts of the game adds a sense of weight to every scene.

I’d still recommend checking this out solely for the absurdity of the whole affair. Genital Jousting is crude, for certain, but it showcases how imaginative and creative gaming can truly be. When I was a child, I never thought I’d have the fortune of playing as a flaccid dick in a game, but look where we are.

There is a lot to love here in what ends up being a fantastic beat-'em-up that deserves to stand alongside modern classics like Castle Crashers, Scott Pilgrim Versus the World, and Double Dragon Neon.

If you're still active, these changes and another season will keep you going. It's that simple.

Mom Hid My Game! is a tough sell, especially when its mobile counterparts are arguably a better experience (and free, no less). But, if you've got five dollars to spend and you're specifically looking for a charming puzzle-based escape game for your Switch or 3DS that clocks in a little over an hour, this might be for you. If you're like Fiddy however, with a lot livin' to do before you die and got no time to waste, maybe pass on this.

Dreadnought is off to a good start. Whether Yager's pretty, engaging space battler has long-term legs will depend on how it grows the ship roster, and on how many people, overall, are willing to commit.

If like me, you have a love of history, Attentat 1942 will be a treasure not only for a fresh perspective on a widely reported period of time but also for the amount of work that you can see the developers put into making sure their story fit within the confines of history. It won't be a joyous or happy ride but in the end, it makes for an enlightening experience that uses the medium of gaming to educate in ways that only it can.

It has nearly everything I love about the franchise mixed with a heaping helping of Freeform-level drama, making for a genuinely optimistic experience that exudes charisma with every outfit I put together.

Even though Hell is Empty stumbles at times, it's never enough to actually fall down. It'll intensify things in ridiculous ways because that's the stuff that makes for grand conclusions. But it's grounded in Chloe and Rachel's relationship -- their struggles, their mutual escapism, and their sacrifices -- and that's more than enough to keep us invested. The quibbles are easy to overlook when the core feels that authentic.

Blossom Tales might be a bit heavy-handed in its homage to the Zelda games of the past, but it brings a certain charm and fun to the Switch library. It also makes for a pretty good substitute as long as I still can't play A Link to the Past on my Switch.

No, Tiny Metal is no substitute for Advance Wars. It does a lot of cool things, and it absolutely satisfies the same craving. But as much as I loved it at times, I hated it at others. It allows for pure turn-based strategy bliss, but there's a lot of garbage to sift through in order to get to it.

A somewhat flawed, yet enjoyable experience. It may lack in the variety and depth departments, but it manages to make up for its faults by offering up an absurdly stylish, good time. It may not be perfect, but it’s a very well executed idea. It’s boldly different, and it left me excited for what might come next.

It's tough to be down on Gang Beasts. At heart, it's just very silly entertainment for you and your pals, like the multiplayer games of yesteryear. It's kind of bad, broken even, and it's certainly not going to become a mainstay of anyone's regular gaming catalogue. But it does guarantee some laughs with your buddies. Isn't that what gaming was designed to do?

Thinking back on it there were pieces I really enjoyed. But it was also the kind of game I couldn't play for more than a half hour at a time. Even when I was enjoying it, I could feel it overstaying its welcome. It's decent in short bursts, but marathoning it would just expose its warts even further.

Shantae is an amazing series which I dearly, truly love. It makes me very happy. But I have to go with my head, not my heart, and recommend that you wait for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Ultimate Edition. You'll not only get the game's great main adventure, but these mini-expansions are much better suited to the role of inclusive extras. There just isn't enough novelty, length or content on offer to satisfy as standalone purchases... Just don't tell Shantae I said that...

Brawlout is positioning itself as the sort of indie Smash, especially with its addition of Hyper Light Drifter and Juan into the mix. With proper post-launch support, and most importantly, an audience, it could grow and fill that Bowser-sized hole that Smash Wii U left. Until then it'll serve as a fun party game that could be a little more.

Combined with its management features that put you in intense situations, there's plenty of content to keep things entertaining on the battlefield. With the Steam version having a bit of nudity, this release is perfect for those who don’t mind fan service but can't stand 2D sex scenes.

Even if the game doesn't bring anything wholly new to the table for Portal fans and it leans on some filler toward the end, on the whole, I had a darn good time with this spin-off.

Aside from a few minor gripes and this re-release of the game not offering much else from the 2012 PlayStation 3 re-release (other than higher resolutions and the return of loading screen mini-games), Okami HD is still a near-perfect game. If you haven't already beaten or played it yet, then now is a better time than ever before..Unless you're waiting for a Nintendo Switch port.

When it comes to gestures and the subtle VR changes, some of the wonderfully campy moments are actually enhanced by the ability to point fingers and draw old timey glasses/beards on suspects in your journal with a pen in your right hand.

Xenon Valkyrie+ is something I easily see myself coming back to whenever I have a free moment and my Vita in hand. It can be a cruel experience for sure and some alterations to the overall design would go a long way, but it’s still a fun little game I can play seriously for hours or casually on a lunch break.

The spirit of Burgle Bros. is here, and the foundation for this tabletop crime spree is rock solid.

This may be the fuzziest narrative I’ve ever had to tackle, open to a great many different interpretations, but that’s just part of the game’s elegance and brilliance. Even without understanding it, I can still safely say Gorogoa is one of the best puzzle games to ever grace my iPad.

Kobolds and Catacombs has some great ideas, and I hope future expansions will each add something similar to Dungeon Run.

Humble Hearts has another fun little game on its hands with Never Stop Sneakin'. It's far from perfect and lacks the variety in level and boss design that would make me want to keep coming back, but the fast run-based gameplay is addictive as hell, and I do love those blocky polygon character models.

Square Enix recognized its failures from the first two DLCs and was able to address some of them in Episode Ignis. It doesn't entirely redeem the season pass, but it is worth picking up piecemeal for five bucks, or as part of the eventual Game of the Year edition. With the last season pass story add-on out, the cycle of Final Fantasy XV is complete.

One of the benefits of the Race for the Galaxy app is the AI. It's not just any old bot, it's a project developed by "AI Expert" Keldon Jones, and learns from player wins and from experimentation. It weighs all of that data through tens of thousands of games, and then acts accordingly. It makes even the easy bots challenging, and it's perfect for honing your skill at any level if you don't have anyone to play with.

This digital rendition of 7 Wonders is almost a new game. It would be appreciated if we could get a slower mode that really provides a play-by-play of the wonders of revealing your cards at once. As a base though, Repos has a lot to work with, even if it's not going to be replacing the real thing.

I hope to never return to this game and I wouldn’t want anyone to waste their time and money on the endeavor. Whether that is harsh or not, Slain on the Switch is not the version you should buy. If you want to have any hope of enjoying the game, get any of the other versions available (all of which run at 60 FPS and offer customizable controls).

I had a great time taking on the new shrines and the obliteration silliness. Breath of the Wild is still a blast, so even if everything feels familiar, I couldn't help but take myriad detours and comb through areas I had already been before just to ensure that I didn't miss something. Keep your expectations in check and you'll enjoy the ride.

While a part of me wishes there was a more amicable way of doling out special attack cards, I’m really having far too much fun with it to care all that much.

I really tried to enjoy Wuppo, but the technical issues and frustrating game design made it feel like such a chore. It’s a shame too because this could have been a great game otherwise. As it stands right now, however, the problems vastly outweigh the things that Wuppo does right.

Tokaido isn't something I can play multiple games of in one sitting -- single sessions at a time are enough. Thankfully, there's options for solo, pass and play, and online capabilities (as long as you register for a proprietary Funforge account) so whenever I do want to jump back in, I can. Digital or physical Tokaido has a somewhat polarizing reputation among hardcore hobbyists, but I personally love seeing it cycle in frequently.

A DLC that as is, is up there with House of Wolves as the worst Destiny add-on to date. It's a stop-gap solution meant to spackle some of the game's cracks, and the real coat of paint hasn't quite come yet. Destiny 2 is still a fantastic shooter at heart, Bungie just hasn't figured out how to actually incorporate all of the Frankensteined MMO parts.

Tiles & Tactics isn't glamorous, but it does its job. It's a vessel for Carcassonne, a complicated eurogame that has withstood the test of time. All Asmodee needs to do now is grow the community and keep people interested.

I can’t say Pokémon Ultra Sun is a must-play for fans, but it won’t be leaving my 3DS anytime soon.

To the delight of many, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is less X and more traditional Xenoblade.

I was pleasantly surprised by Battlerite in this crowded sea of arena/MOBA games, but once I learned that Stunlock Studios was at the helm it all made sense. This genre is in its DNA, and I hope this one catches on for a while as more than just an alternative to some of the bigger market leaders.

It takes more than fun mini games to make a good Mario Party game. It’s also about carefully crafting a meaningful game experience that allows you to screw over your friends in the most skilled, fair way possible (with a dash of luck, obvs). Hopefully Nintendo can keep the series alive and perfect the spirit of Mario Party for the Switch, but for now I think Mario Party games are officially dead for the 3DS.

Million Onion Hotel is another winner from Onion Games and Yoshiro Kimura. It’s fascinating, freakish, and further proof invigorating games can be found on mobile platforms if you just know where to look.

From top to bottom I have nothing but love for this game. Its premise is simple and addictive, its world is vibrant and full of charm, and it offers you the opportunity to get rid of what is the most annoying aspect of free-to-play games for an arguably reasonable price.

There is probably a really fun South Park card game buried in Phone Destroyer somewhere. If the economy was fairer and the PvP was more strategic, it might be worthy of my time. As it stands right now, I’ve hit the point where I have pretty much no choice but to open my wallet if I want to compete and the game just isn’t fun enough to convince me to do that.

It may not hook me the way a standard entry in the series does – or even that wonderful home makeover spin-off – but it absolutely feels right as a free-to-play game on my phone.

Battle Chef Brigade is a delightful concoction.

I wouldn't feel good about Battlefront II's progression system even if there were no way to buy loot boxes with real money. It'd still be a drag. And the fact that we're talking about a full-priced, big-publisher, triple-A game here makes the whole situation even less forgivable.

Despite it’s many, many flaws, School Girl/Zombie Hunter was a solid, camp-drenched romp, and it left me craving more.

Although there is some excellent work put in by Catwoman and John Doe, Fractured Mask is ultimately just a series of "Choose A or B" conversations, taking place in overly-familiar locales, with stakes not quite as high as the game would have you believe.

Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV is a chill-ass game that's meant to lure in a very specific type of player. Seeing random wildlife from Eos and interacting with the cast was fun, and I feel like the tension of seeing everything in first-person elevates the sometimes rote act of fishing. It's just silly enough to work for the select few that will meet all of the requirements to actually boot it up.

Destiny 2 is an incredibly competent shooter that lacks a strong identity. Just when I think I understand what it’s going for, some off-brand design decision comes into play that shows me I’m wrong. PC players who missed out on the first game will likely have no interest in the actual story, but the missions are varied and exciting enough to be worthwhile. Despite my issues, I can easily see myself jumping back into Destiny 2 frequently enough to shoot some aliens and scoop up some loot.

hack//G.U. Last Recode's intended audience is almost certainly established fans. It's a solid remaster that looks great and runs smoothly. But it's still a dated JRPG that dominates dozens of hours with sub-par combat and repetitive beats. If you have never experienced The World, it's unlikely that Last Recode will pull you in. For those that never wanted to log out, it's a decent way to reconnect.

Despite the fact that it's probably being developed for refrigerators at this point, Skyrim is a great choice to port to the Switch.

L.A. Noire isn't the prettiest project, but it still holds up because there isn't anything quite like it even today.

Need for Speed Payback is another result of EA meddling in the concept of “games as a service” and taking an otherwise mediocre entry in the series and completely butchering it in the process to achieve this goal. Here's hoping this trend of free-to-play business strategies in full priced games comes to an end sooner, rather than later.

I already got my fill of Pokemon Sun & Moon, but that didn't stop me from reliving it all over again with Ultra.