I want to love Wizard of Legend. It's a fun, fastpaced beat-em-up with lots of replay value, gorgeous pixel art, and an incredibly deep combat system. But the frame skipping I encountered made playing it an exercise in frustration. If the issue is ever sorted out, I'll give it a more enthusiastic recommendation. For now, I just wish it played more smoothly.

As a self-proclaimed non-game, Endless Ocean: Blue World is a charming diversion and comes recommended to anyone looking for something unlike anything else out there.

If you happen to also own a PSP, you would be far better served seeking out the original Half-Minute Hero instead.

A package which includes a gorgeous aesthetic and lonely atmosphere with a haunting soundtrack and overall sound design to match. Throw all this in with enough alien weirdness, science fiction elements, some unique puzzle concepts, and it still kept my attention to the very end.

This crackbrained horror romp takes camp to a new extreme and wants you, the player, to have nothing but fun the entire time. For those in the right frame of mind and a willingness to forgive, that fun will be easy to discover and enjoyed by the bucketful.

This remaster also has a lot of extra stuff that fans will absolutely love to dive into.

You really can't go wrong by spending some time with Resonance. While at first glance it may hark back to games like Beneath a Steel Sky, it's a fresh, modern mystery. It's set the bar rather high for other adventure game developers, and not just indies, though they really drive the genre right now. It might have been over all too quickly, but it was undoubtedly worth the five year wait.

I believe it will help anyone who plays it understand themselves more, especially if they feel the darkness life can throw at them has changed them somehow. It’s a beautiful game, an essential game, and the groundwork for what I hope becomes a franchise that takes those things in life some of us have been taught to bottle up and presents them front and center.

Though I'm looking forward to the next episode, I am, perhaps, not quite as excited about it as I would be if this was an adventure game that wasn't so adamant about sticking to extremely old genre conventions -- both good and bad.

Escape Goat 2 isn’t the best puzzle game of the year. It’s not even the best goat game of the year. But for the price, it’s worth picking up if you find yourself craving a pleasant-enough puzzler.

Simplicity is the biggest strength of Old Man’s Journey. It doesn’t require you to be a genius or a master gamer, but to have a penchant for something more oft-kilter. That it manages to be a satisfying experience all without saying a single word is remarkable and definitely worth a look.

There's a very specific sort of audience that will gleefully devour Pokémon Art Academy, however, and I surmise that these players will only be interested in learning more about the craft, with elements that attract "regular" Pokémon fans acting as icing on the cake.

The package doesn't reach the bar raised by Harmonix's first single-band outing.

REPLACED is a visually stunning and narratively gripping cyberpunk adventure that’s hard to look away from, even when it stumbles. Its gorgeous 2.5D world, compelling story, and thoughtful character work make it stand out, but frustrating readability issues in both platforming and combat occasionally impede the experience. Despite these shortcomings, REPLACED’s style and substance shine through, making it an easy recommendation for fans of cinematic platformers and dystopian thrillers.

Imperator: Rome feels like it's yet another step in Paradox's attempts to make the perfect grand strategy game. It pulls bits from Paradox's storied past in the genre and adopts it for the ancient era. Because of this, it doesn't feel like past releases where the game does one thing fantastically and falters in the rest of the mechanics but instead refines past mechanics into a marble bust of megalomaniacal fun. Ave Imperator: Rome!

The game's frequent annoyances sometimes threaten to get in the way of a great game, but it's undeniable that Suikoden Tierkreis is definitely great.

It offers enough new content to make one play through enjoyable, and it has enough depth to make you want to come back for more. If you own Victoria II, you would have to be crazy to not want to pick up this expansion. If you don't have Victoria II, now would be a good time to start playing it.

Hob tries to do a lot of things within its beautiful world but never does any of them very well. The platforming feels janky and slow, combat is basic and meaningless, and the puzzles will make you wish you were back in 10th grade listening to your Geometry teacher explain proofs for the millionth time. A great game was not too far away from what eventually was delivered, but outside of the stunning visuals and world design, Hob falls frustratingly short.

Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition reaffirms the series' status as the current king of the action genre. It may not fix some of the blemishes inherent to the game's campaign, but the new characters and styles are fantastic, and will have players creating combo videos for years to come.

While it's not quite in the "half-baked" state some critics asserted at launch, Rome II is about as rough-hewn as a Woad Berserker's wooden shield, and one worries that between this and Empire, we may have witnessed the limit of Creative Assembly's ability to execute on its ambitions.

Why settle for this shallow, repetitive interactive adaptation?

Strider reminds me of a Shadow Complex with a much better combat system and a scaled-down exploration element. And that's perfectly okay with me.

I could see myself blasting through levels of Mario vs. Donkey Kong while waiting for a flight at the airport, or on the train to work, and that’s the best-case scenario for this package, brimming with bite-sized platforming challenges. It may not contain all the spectacle of others, but there’s enough precise jumping and quick calculations here to satisfy the more hardcore, goal-oriented, score-chasing Mario players around.

A delicious surprise. While casual fighting game fans will be able to pick up and play, serious combatants will enjoy the rich and deep counter and hold system, as well as the tag team elements where unique match-ups can offer their own rewards. It's still not as technical a fighter as Tekken or Virtua Fighter, but it seems to be taking a step in that direction while still keeping what fans have loved about the series intact -- flashy characters, ease of play, and fan service. It's fun without being frustrating, the all-around fighter for everyone.

I don't know if PlatinumGames has any further mobile titles planned, but it's certainly built itself a solid foundation for future projects with World of Demons. Its action gameplay is solid, its world striking, and it's all brought to players without most of the F2P garbage that usually stands in the way of a game's true potential.

In the end, no other DS title plays like Knights in the Nightmare. It's one of those games that gives you as much as you put into it.

Done Running is mostly a matter of getting to know the new cast of characters we are about to spend several hours with, getting clued up on their thoughts, attitudes, talents and backstories. Most of the action is pretty poor, but things ramp up hard for a great, genuinely shocking finale. It is already apparent that The Walking Dead: The Final Season will just be more of the same, but that's hardly likely to disappoint anyone who has gotten four whole seasons into this adventure.

Grand Kingdom is unlike any other tactical-RPG on the market that I know of. For $40, you’re getting an adventure that can last you weeks if not months, though you may tire of it before you see everything it has to offer.

These are the creators who will make Block Quest Maker worth playing, and developer Wonderland Kazakiri did an outstanding job of giving them everything they need to make some memorable, chibi-size adventures.

If you’ve played the previous Peggle incarnations by PopCap and enjoyed them, Peggle Nights is a safe purchase. It’s a new coat of paint on a classic casual title. If you’re unfamiliar with the former stuff, do yourself a favor and (at least) download the demo. It won’t disappoint you. Just ask the PC guys, they've had it forever.

A nearly flawless update of a decade old title. While it’s unfortunate that the online mode isn't nearly as polished as the rest of the game, the true soul of the game has never looked so beautiful.

Flight School Studio has created an exceptional world to explore in Creature in the Well. Its prodigious art direction is enticing, wooing players into a unique puzzle game that very much feels like a history lesson on the medium itself. It combines ideas and concepts found throughout gaming into a single, dynamic experience with a memorable antagonist eerily watching your every move. I absolutely love it, but I recognize there is room for improvement. With a bit more variety in design and a fine-tuned difficulty curve, it could have been one for the ages.

It’s a special thing when a game gifts you a superior experience without traditional or prescribed story mechanics, and from that perspective Obduction prevails completely.

Star Command is an addictive sci-fi simulation experience, provided you're willing to stick it out until the second playthrough to get to the real meat of the game.

Nexus is short, sweet, and to the point, with hardly a dull moment in sight, making it a fitting conclusion to the Future series. When you add in the fact that the game is budget priced and you get Quest for Booty for free, it only sweetens the deal.

With Blazing Chrome you kind of get what you get: it's an hour and change shooter that pays extreme homage to the Contra series.

Trover Saves the Universe is still going to be laugh-out-loud funny no matter how you approach it, but the additional context when using a headset make it a little bit sweeter.

There's nothing like solid platforming action to make those stale Nintendo Points useful again!

Charming - Not perfect, but a memorable game that's hard not to like and recommend to others.

If Contra 4 was too frustrating for you, this could end up being your favorite Contra game of this decade. Fans of the series and the run-and-gun genre should pick this up without hesitation. Contra ReBirth is both a nice tribute for fans and the perfect place to start for those Contra virgins who've ever wondered what the series is all about.

Clustertruck just about gets everything right. The high price kind of puts me off, but the game makes up for it with creativity and the ability to share user content. Sadly, the campaign ends on such a downer that I was more frustrated than anything. At least the game was hilariously fun for 90% of it's duration.

The game's stunningly beautiful visuals, coupled with a decently funny script made for an enjoyable adventure.

Other than the SD graphics, variations on multiplayer, and pointer controls, this is still Modern Warfare. It's still the first game in the most popular series that this particular genre has ever seen. Not enough has changed about the game, for better or worse, to make a dent in that.

From the joke-ridden Studio and Magma, to the surprisingly refreshing Mob of the Dead, there's a lot of solid content on offer here in Uprising. In terms of raw layouts, pretty much every map on offer here delivers solid FPS action, and there wasn't one arena in particular that I outright disliked.

Weird West presents a bizarre world to tell a story about real, human struggles. It might have some hitches and messiness, but it’s a journey worth taking if you’ve ever been nostalgic about the good ol’ days. Or you just like the idea of charging into a group of enemies as an unstoppable fantasy monstrosity, shotgun barrels blazing, with electric western riffs ringing out in the distance. Saddle up, pigman. That’s your cue.

On the surface, The Beginner's Guide is a game about game design and critical analysis. Digging deeper, it provides a window into the mind of a man I might not have fully understood otherwise. It does all of this in a way only a video game could. More than anything else, it has caused me a lot of introspection, a feat few games ever achieve.

Bandai Namco has crafted a deep brawler that deserves to be up there with a lot of the competition, but some logistical issues specific to the Wii U hold the game back a bit more than I'd like.

Offers a good amount of content for its price, about a fifth to a quarter of Deus Ex: Human Revolution's 20-25 hour playtime for a fourth of the (original) price. The Missing Link is a well-produced piece of DLC with a level of quality that fits right in with the main game both in terms of quality and atmosphere. It's just more Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and there's nothing really wrong with that since the original game was fantastic.

Like a drill sergeant, Volgarr the Viking is here to yank us out of our comfort zone and put us through hell unending. If you survive, you'll feel like the biggest badass of all time.

This is a much better effort than AC III's pointlessly episodic Tyranny of King George DLC, and a great model for Assassin's Creed add-ons going forward.

As usual the new zombie map feels like the main event, but Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare: Sabotage is a mostly successful injection of new stuff to do.

Chaos;Child is almost comically long, and not all of this length felt deserved. That's a real shame because the main mystery was quite engaging.

Frogun isn’t poorly designed. While I ran into some unfortunate bugs, the actual level design is reasonable, even if you can’t easily tell them apart. There’s a lot to be said about its success in delivering on its thesis. It maybe is exactly what it wants to be. I can certainly see it clicking with some people, and those people will find a lot of enjoyment here. On the other hand, outside its well-executed aesthetics, I found Frogun to be quite mundane.

It saddens me that the campaign is so miserable, as its live-action story cutscenes and stylish, twist-in-the-tale storytelling are both fantastic.

If you love to sit by the fire and train your Pokémon for hours, perfecting their EV and IV levels so you can be the very best, you likely won't find the same depth in Yo-Kai. Its world and philosophy is much simpler than that. But as a result, none of it feels frustrating or like work, and I'm constantly tempted to jump back into my adventures with Nate and Whisper.

If you can get friends interested, though, Windjammers makes for an almost no-brainer local purchase. The intensity of the gameplay and sheer attitude the game exhibits is truly a joy.

I have a lot of quibbles with Super Mario Party that could have drowned it, but the extras pull it up above water.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is a really rock solid game, with a few visible creases that need to be noted before purchase. It captures the bright colorful fun of the Mario universe perfectly, pairing it with incredibly well-localized dialogue and a very strong combat system.

Unless you don't find Penny Arcade remotely funny, or if you demand that your action-RPGs be really deep and really challenging, then I'd highly recommend Episode One.

A prime example of a game being bigger than the sum of its parts. The RTS elements are a bit rough, but at least it's possible to control a dragon with a freaking jetpack to blow stuff up, while the boardgame-esque territory map requires players to think of the big picture.

It almost works better in a straight TV show format than it does as a deep puzzler with RPG elements.

While anyone can play and enjoy The Show, particularly because of the fine level of control afforded by custom difficulty settings, those who appreciate the acute intricacies of baseball are bound to be left giddy by the attention to detail and level of depth provided. I just love playing it, whether I'm relaxing at home or riding on BART. It has an inherent addictive quality separate from, or perhaps parallel to, my love for baseball, while capturing the sport beautifully.

There might be something special to World of Tanks, but it's not something that's immediately apparent; it's something that only shows itself after a significant investment. The gameplay can be rewarding at times, but most won't have the patience (or the money) to ever get to that point.

If you're up for tackling a long, sweet, silly retail-sized RPG for a fraction of the price, the Denpa Men are sure to please.

Singularity is a game that manages to feel like its own thing despite being pieced together from previous FPS games, and if you want a great Summer shooter full of violent toys and silly super powers, then you won't get much better than this. Quite possibly the best new FPS of the year so far.

SB:Ep1 is a mixed bag; it's funny, but can get old during a sustained playthrough, and it's got some neat puzzles, but they're presented in a disjointed, directionless way that'll have players doing things not because the story or characters dictate them, but simply due to odd item placement and situation setups that seem like they should be done just because.

If the next two DLCs after Dragon in the North can keep this up and pad an already packed game with more to do, I'll be returning to it for years to come.

A flawed, but generally enjoyable slice of hardcore gaming. The fast-paced shooting mechanics and old school ideas make for some really intense, exciting, and just plain fun moments, but the squiffy controls and lack of true online score competition prevent The Club from reaching its true potential.

Along with Deathsmiles and Gradius V, SideScroller is one of the few side-scrolling gems of the past decade.

Azure Striker Gunvolt 2's levels play things a little close to the chest, but the sheer breadth of tactics opened up by the inclusion of Copen make it even easier to recommend than its predecessor. It's a jolly old platforming time, and I hope it reaches the level of success it was destined to hit.

It doesn't do a whole lot more than what was done in the original, but what has always been there has withstood the test of time so well, and most of the new content is just as fun as the old.

Massive Action Game delivers on the promise of its name. It's certainly massive, and there is more than enough action to go around. MAG's biggest draw, however, is that it's perfect for both hardcore multiplayer FPS fans and newcomers alike.

For those who just want to see what that cute girl with horns is doing like I did, Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is a brief, but highly enjoyable time. It can be over before it overstays its welcome and cracks start to show, but even then those flaws aren't enough to belittle the experience.

There are issues with the game, but honestly, I think Ever Oasis is a blast. Building up my little spot of heaven, running errands for the residents, and venturing out into the great sandy plains outside my garden gate provide equal thrills. The longer I play, the more I enjoy it and that is far more uncommon than it should be. If this game is to be the first of a new franchise, it’s a damn good starting point.

Overall, The Final Station is a contemplative slice of sci-fi horror. It might not be utterly original - spot the shades of Snowpiercer, Evangelion, and That Insidious Beast if you get the chance - and it can be ever so slight, but it rattles along at steady pace, taking you on a reflective journey, all the way to a gut-punching end...It's well worth buying a ticket.

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash. Revenge of the Savage Planet is a wild, colorful space adventure packed with quirky humor and chaotic exploration. Co-op play enhances the experience, and the addictive build customization keeps you engaged. While combat can be overwhelming at times, the fun, unpredictable nature of the game makes it hard to put down.

Dying Light 2 is safe in some respects, and bold in others: like its propensity to lean into some arcadey notions.

If you’re bored of strategy RPGs and really want an opportunity to sit down with a traditional game, then I suggest this title. If not, stay away, especially at retail price.

Skylanders: SuperChargers reinvigorates my interest in the series, and I'd go so far as to say that I wouldn't mind a full-on SuperChargers racing spin-off in the same vein as a proper Mario Kart game (note that the Wii and 3DS editions are racing games, essentially).

World Invitational continues that tradition of a really nice blend of arcade-ish accessibility and sim seriousness. If you want to kick back and relax, fine -- but you can also dig in, get deep with strategy and complex swing tricks, and feel rewarded when you master them all. With its massive array of play options, courses, unlockables, and online challenges, not to mention its portability and always-on 3G connectivity, this is easily the biggest and best Hot Shots Golf game yet.

Like BEAT, it caused me to marvel at the the creative use of economic game design to create an experience that inspired both comfort and anxiety, familiarity and wonder.

Outside of hating action RPGs or not having $20, I can't think of another reason to pass on this game.

It's not particularly ceremonious, but for a few bucks, it gets the job done for hardcore fans who happen to own a device capable of running it.

I can see myself picking up Mighty Gunvolt Burst every now and then, especially since it's so easy to do on the Switch.

Mediocre multiplayer aside, Burn Zombie Burn is still a very fun to play and has an impressive amount of complexity for what it is. The zombies are charming, funny caricatures with outlandish behavior which are sure to bring a smile.

Every time I returned to Fury Unleashed I found myself enjoying what I played. It’s maybe not something that sucked me in and kept me glued to the screen until the end, but it entertained whenever I gave it a chance. For its price, it’s a worthwhile diversion. I just wouldn’t be surprised if nothing inside you gets unleashed.

Thank you, adorable shark toy. You (and this game) are pretty awesome.

By the end of the game, I truly felt attached to the characters and was excited to see what would happen next.

If you want a rich, engrossing story with unique characters that grow over time, turn around and walk away now, as this is very much a niche dungeon crawler that will only speak to specific members of the community.

Circles may not be the most feature-packed game, but it sets out with a simple mission, accomplishes it well, and even throws in extra stuff. Maybe I’d have liked to see some more levels, but I still enjoyed what I played. I wouldn’t have a hard time recommending it to anyone, either; it doesn’t matter what language you speak or what age you are, because Circles has got you covered.

Dawn of the Monsters is a fine time that is shy of greatness, though not for lack of trying. 13AM’s tribute to a timeless cinematic genre captures the majestic nihilism of its inspiration, stamping its own mark with smart combat and brilliant visuals. Unfortunately, repetitive missions, undemanding challenge, slow pacing, and limited replay value might dishearten those who prefer their scrappers on the tougher, speedier side. Regardless, anyone with a case of Atomic Breath should find some cataclysmic fun within.

What we have here isn't just a great game, but the potential for even greater ones.

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.

Assault Suit Valken Declassified is an undeniably loving return to the Super Famicom title. It’s plain to see that Rainmaker wanted to do the game justice and give North American fans the ability to enjoy it in the same way as it has in Japan. If you’re a fan of the game, it’s at least worth a look. If you haven’t tried it before, you’re long overdue for this mission. I just wish the price of entry was lower.

While Far Cry Primal is a well-made experience, one I enjoyed a great deal, it oftentimes had me thinking about the routine the series has settled into, and envisioning a future where the Far Cry formula may not be as compelling as it once was, no matter how extraordinary the setting.

The Evil Within 2 often feels uneven, but that's probably the point. Even if it isn't, there's enough blood, guts, and horror to keep your heart racing.

If you liked Section 8 or you just fancy a cheap, traditional shooter with a few neat gimmicks thrown in, then Section 8: Prejudice will deliver the goods with efficiency, if not with flair.

As close to a full console title as we've seen on Xbox Live Arcade to date. Its story mode is fun foray into the twisted universe of Alan Wake, even if some of what's going on won't always make complete sense to any but the most dedicated of fans. Remedy has admirably tackled the repetitive nature of the campaign in order to get the most out of the the content they had, although it does start to wear thin at the midway point. Thankfully, a strong final act and a ridiculously addictive Arcade mode more than make up for it.