While the Raiden series in general isn't my favorite collective of shmups, it's been a steady staple for over two decades for a reason.

There are plenty of other more meaty and fulfilling visual novels out there that may be a little more expensive than this budget indie release, but you'll come out of those feeling much better about your purchase than you would about World End Economica.

While every map so far has been a derivative of the "drill" mechanic found in the first stage (dragging a tool to each location to proceed), this one is set up a little more like Treyarch's zombies.

It's pretty to look at, but utterly devoid of any redeeming value.

There's hours of arcade fun, strange charm, and game design science here. If you can get past the game's deceptively simple surface and are content to challenge yourself after the game stops providing new carrots to chase, you'll find Woah Dave! to be well worth your pennies.

Pass up the The Voice on consoles and just catch it on television. Or, sing in the shower. You'll get more out of it.

In the end, that unique beauty cannot save Ultraworld. The areas are too small and often too linear to be worth exploring for longer than necessary, and the dull philosophical narration drags the whole experience down. Although it picks up after the first section, there is still not a lot to enjoy here.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse has some of the worst design decisions ever embedded into a videogame. There are no menus, the story mode's difficulty is all over the place, and the game's best aspect, creating characters, is locked behind hours and hours of frustrating play. It certainly has its moments and the core fighting mechanics are great, but the game falls flat in too many other areas to be standout title.

Bladestorm: Nightmare isn't a Dynasty Warriors game, but it doesn't aim to be, and still ends up being good time when taken on its own merits.

There is nothing here that should attract new players or even bring back lapsed hunters who have already moved on to other titles.

I can recommend Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure to just about every action enthusiast out there. Outside of some antiquated elements dating back to the fact that it is an older game at heart, it dares to be positive at nearly every turn, and you won't be able to play it without a smile on your face.

Environmental Station Alpha didn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to Metroidvania games, but it certainly helped satisfy my appetite. The amount of secrets and post-game crypticness might be great for some, and it does extend the playtime quite a bit, but as a completionist I found it to be more legwork than I'd like. Call me crazy, but I don't like tons of cryptography in my games.

While it presents an underwhelming amount of play options, Light Bound shines with four players at the helm.

It's short and intense, but it stops being interesting once it oversteps the line between fun and frustrating.

High Strangeness might be a brief adventure that feels a bit shallow at times, but it's very easy to digest. Because of the short nature of the game it doesn't waste your time, and it's very easy for anyone -- retro enthusiast or not -- to pick up and play.

If you haven't picked up TowerFall yet, go get it. If you like it, then buy Dark World. It's that simple.

Many of the sex scenes just went too far, too long, or both and more often than not the sex itself was less than consensual. The game tries to dodge the label of rape by drugging characters until they beg for sex, but the sleazy misdirect only makes the scenes feel even worse.

I can't guarantee Supercharged Robot Vulkaiser will blow you away, but I'm having a blast with it.

The core mechanics are great, but the latter half feels too repetitive, and there's not much real incentive to replay the game, despite there being many new things to uncover. It is certainly worth the time invested into it, though it may not have players screaming for more.

Super Star Path nails the mixing of space shooter, roguelike, and puzzle genres in a way I didn't even know I wanted. Sadly, the whole experience is over within an hour. But at a measly three dollars, I find it hard to complain -- though it did leave me wanting more.

Quiplash is a drum-fed machine gun of jokes. It's quick, it's snappy, and I'm hard pressed to think of a better time one could buy for $10 without breaking a few laws.

While it looks a little shinier than it used to, it still doesn't look new, and it certainly doesn't play like a modern game.

I really do love SlashDash, but only when playing with four people.

Cartoon Network really needs to re-evaluate the developers it chooses for the Adventure Time license, because this series deserves better, and has performed poorly for far too long.

I wish Astral Breakers had a more involved single player component and a smoother visual style, but for the most part, there's a serviceable core experience here. Just don't dive in alone.

A great game.

Knowing the game was made by only two people makes me feel a bit like a yogasshole by saying this game is yogawful, but this is one cherry pit I couldn't wait to spit out.

There isn't much replayability outside of playing with new friends or going for a new high score, but just getting through all of the stages the first time will not be quick. For players who fancy a challenge, either solo or with a friend, Curses 'N Chaos is not one to miss.

A wonderfully weird, smart little game for less than the price of a cup of coffee: you could call it steal or five-fingered discount if that kind of wordplay tickled you.

Snakebird is not for everyone. But for those puzzle-lovers out there seeking the ultimate challenge, definitely give Snakebird a shot. You might be surprised by how often this game will leave you stumped, but that just makes the feeling of overcoming challenges so much sweeter!

The major problem with The Consuming Shadow is that it’s a bubble-gum experience, especially compared to its peers. When it works, it’s only because of a new discovery. There’s something genuinely thrilling about finding a connection and jotting it down in your table of suspects, before setting off to the next hotspot. But when you enter another procedurally-generated dungeon, it’s a wearisome slog again.

If you're the kind of person who has friends over for couch competitive games, Capsule Force is easily recommendable as the multiplayer is a colorful, frantic, hell of a good time, but if you're a loner, give this one a pass. The limited single-player content won't hold your attention for long.

If you enjoyed Super Meat Boy, VVVVVV, and the like, you will certainly enjoy this one as well. It does a really great job of easing new players into the mechanics too, so it's worth trying out even if the difficulty sounds daunting.

It's almost like developer Hapa Games had two really cool ideas and tried to integrate them both into Ascendant, with mixed results. At times it has flashes of brilliance with its focus on raw skill and combat, and others, it feels like you're just aimlessly wandering another barren landscape, in search of a rush.

Aerannis is a beautiful, diverse metroidvania with solid mechanics mixed in with some tin-foil hat madness, and regardless of your political views you should give it a shot; you might just enjoy it, I know I did.

It's nearly impossible to recommend.

Brass tacks, the Jackbox Party Pack 2 made me and my friends laugh our asses off, and that's what it's all about. I can't think of an easier or quicker way to reduce a room to a giggling mass of hysteria, just toss it at a group of people and go.

It's a run-and-gun title at heart, but it has arcade elements, vehicular portions, and some exploration elements peppered in to keep you constantly on your toes.

If you're big into the Mighty series, you'll probably have a decent time with Academy. It's a bit too chaotic to be a worthwhile multiplayer party game if that's primarily what you're looking for, but the great gameplay from the past Switch Force games has translated over in a nearly 1:1 ratio, which is fine by me.

The game mirrors its own volcano picnic scene. It's cute, it's weird, it sounds like a fun idea at first, and there are some delicious pies to find here and there, but somebody is going to get burned.

If you haven't played Dark Cloud yet, now is a perfect time to jump in. Sure, you'll encounter some relics of old school design, but if you're willing to overlook a few antiquated concepts and really dive in, you'll find a rich RPG that will last you as long as you're willing to put into it.

As a premium add-on, Season of Infamy really fails to produce much that feels like it's essential to the Arkham Knight experience outside of two tales. But on the other hand, it has a number of nice little touches, most notably a small expansion of the GCPD HQ, adding another wing (along with some easy WayneTech upgrade points), and the mission structure in the weaker two stories is competent at the very worst.

Sakura Santa fails to stand out from the growing crowd of visual novels on Steam and elsewhere, except in the single respect of being a Christmas-themed story, coming out just in time for the holiday. Unfortunately, one would probably have to be as lonely as the game's protagonist to find a compelling reason to play.

Deciding whether or not to buy Endurance Mode for Rise of the Tomb Raider is a pretty easy decision. Did you play and enjoy the Expeditions? If so, go ahead and grab it, if not, skip it.

If you're a fan of chiptunes and want a Guitar Hero-like experience on PC then Chiptune Champion is easily recommendable, it sure beats jumping through the hoops required to get Frets on Fire to work on modern technology.

Blitz Breaker will bring a smile to your face if you enjoy games like Super Meat Boy, though the experience isn't nearly as deep. Once you've blazed your way through, there isn't much there to coax you into staying, but you'll have fun with the ride all the same.

The PC version also has local multiplayer, which governs the reason behind the price difference. Players all move along the map simultaneously, and the player with the least amount of mistakes wins. Dying eliminates a player until the next checkpoint, which instantly brings them back in. It's never too long between checkpoints, which means no one player will be doing nothing for too long.

Don't blame From Software for this -- the studio didn't even make it. And even if the developer gave the project its blessing, there's no way it could have possibly predicted what it was doing or how poorly Slashy Souls was going to turn out.

Gurgamoth is closer to Starwhal, another novelty-based, colorful competitive game, but at least the latter had a sense of humor and janky-controls that are part of the fun. Put another way, Gurgamoth really is just bumper cars: a fleeting, mild amusement best remembered as a sliver of an otherwise warm, fuzzy day.

It's enjoyable enough on its gameplay merits to warrant spending time with it; it's also inconsequential enough that you couldn't be blamed for skipping it. It really just depends on how badly you want to play more Assassin's Creed.

I like A Bastard’s Tale, I just wish that some more care and attention went into the gameplay. It tries to go for the Souls-y tough-but-fair difficulty, but its problems means it ultimately falls flat. Despite that, it’s still a short, campy, and very pretty experience that has a lot of heart to it, and for what it costs it’s definitely worth checking out.

It's a neat distraction for puzzle enthusiasts, but it won't be setting the world on fire.

The quirky story, solid mechanics, awesome boss fights, and gorgeous animations all made it easy to overlook the minor flaws. The unlikely rabbit and turtle duo left quite an impression on me. In fact, I could certainly see Dr. Jonathan Banfield standing beside the likes of Quote, Lemeza, Aban Hawkins, and other indie greats.

I can't stress enough that Adventure Time: Magic Man's Head Games doesn't amount to much more than a tech demo that you can complete in one sitting. In that sense it's a proof of concept for VR platforming, but that doesn't mean it isn't a joy to play from start to finish.

Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge basically amounts to a demo that can be completed in an afternoon and doesn't go far enough with its ideas, but it's a far better effort than the abysmal amiibo Tap.

Windlands is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played. From the uplifting soundtrack to the thrill of jumping around in first-person and grappling like a maniac, it's a fun experience. It's just that right now, in terms of VR, it's exactly that: an experience, flaws and all. [VR Edition]

It's noble that Smashing the Battle was built around VR -- at the launch of the Oculus Rift, no less -- but it ultimately feels like a free-to-play game and not a $20 brawler. It's no surprise this was originally slated as a mobile title. [Reviewed with Oculus Rift]

While I've talked extensively about the things that didn't quite do it for me, I will say this: if you enjoyed the first game, or if you're a diehard fan of the web series or the movie, you will more than likely appreciate this sequel. For everyone else, including those like me with only a passing interest in the web series, it's a very hit-or-miss experience. If you enjoy potty humor and language filled with more “fucks” and “shits” than you can shake a stick at, then Angry Video Game Nerd II is definitely for you. If not, then I might suggest looking elsewhere to get your platforming fix, because while the actual gameplay is decent once all the humor has been removed from the equation, it's still not the greatest.

Darknet is something that could technically work in a traditional, non-VR environment, but the immersive nature of the game does feel justified. Even though it was daunting, I loved looking around the world and figuring out where to go next, and for the price, I'd consider it one of the Oculus' must-have games. [Oculus tested]

It can be tough at times, but that just makes it more gratifying when it all works out and the balls go in the hole.

It borrows a lot of inspiration from classic PC adventure games, but also manages to inject some of its own signature humor in and usher us into the new dawn of virtual reality without feeling like a tech demo -- even if the experience itself is fleeting. [VR Tested]

Only for the most hardcore VR enthusiast, Bazaar gets the job done if you're looking for cheap thrills for an afternoon. Like most tech demos, it could stand to have most of its facets expanded upon (full-on flight would be cool), as developer Temple Gates Games is definitely onto something. [Oculus Rift Tested]

Knee Deep is still an overall good experience, but it's clear that the final two episodes don't live up to the game's potential.

Mech Land Assault falls completely flat. The mechs are great, but they also make missions and liberating towns way too easy (the same way the jetpack made flying way too easy and thereby less interesting). There are only two missions, both of which are completely bland. Oh, and also you're forced to liberate the entire DLC island because if there is one thing that people were clamoring for, it was more town liberations. Good lord, is this season pass over yet?

If you're not absolutely crazy about the settlement building aspect of the game (or trying to build an online empire of clickable content), this is a hard pass.

For folks still entertained by the base content, it's probably safe to upgrade with the assumption that the next two expansions will at least be decent. After Bespin, I'm fairly confident they will be.

The blemishes are raw and sore, the flaws impossible not to gawk at. This is what took another five months? It’s a damned shame that only adds to the increasingly sad story of Street Fighter V -- an amazing fighting game that is almost impossible to recommend.

The Battle Cats POP! is a game that's as fun as it is weird. When it's not putting you in time out with the energy meter, it can be addictive as hell. Too much of its free-to-play roots are still present, but even with those elements it's still a worthwhile time killer.

Perhaps it took a move to the home consoles and a years-delayed retouch, but God Eater Resurrection shines as a less demanding, flashier alternative to the likes of Monster Hunter.

I didn't think I would have this much fun with a casual rail shooter that uses touch controls, but Gal*Gun: Double Peace kept me engaged and entertained with its uncompromisingly Japanese high school antics.

I'm still not particularly impressed with Covert Ops' storytelling ability, but Mission Pack 2 contains concise objectives, maintains a strong sense of pacing throughout, and sports an impressive voice cast.

While it looks astounding, it's at its best when it isn't trying to immerse the player with "gameplay" segments that only serve to take away from what it's trying to accomplish. If it were much cheaper, or at least longer, it would be a great way to demonstrate VR for someone uninitiated with it. As it stands, it's a lot of money for a paltry few broken moments. [Tested with HTC Vive]

Blade Ballet can be a lot of fun in the right setting, but even then it won't set the world on fire.

It tries so hard to ape the trappings of better horror games that it never stops to think about how to use them. Mercifully, CASE is staggeringly short.

Even if you haven't played the game yet and would be able to use these new utilities while completing the story, it's a bad sell. These DLC items make Just Cause 3 a brainless and straightforward snoozefest.

When Dead Rising 2: Off the Record functions properly, I have a blast with it. The story is nothing memorable, but the toybox that is Fortune City allows for all sorts of emergent storytelling that I'll remember for some time. I'm hoping that Frank's return in Dead Rising 4 fares better.

Feral Rites ends up coming across as a budget Bloody Roar beat-'em-up that's not actually budget priced and clocks in around 10 hours. If it was multiplayer (another base issue with VR) and had a more encapsulating setting, I would be more on board with it. The cartoony, arcade brawler subgenre isn't as prevalent as it once was, and I saw flashes of classics like Fighting Force in this project that brought a fleeting smile to my face. [Tested with Oculus Rift]

Noitu Love: Devolution feels better than ever on the 3DS. It looks just as beautiful, even on the small screen, and plays right into the touchscreen's strength. The arcade nature of the game almost guarantees multiple playthroughs on harder difficulties and with new, completely unique characters.

If you never got the chance to strap on a mask and make some dirty money, The Big Score might still be worth checking out. If you're a seasoned criminal wondering if it's time to get back into the life, you won't find much to pull you back in.

I think the most understated element of the new King's Quest though is that we get to see Graham grow up before our eyes -- from a young runt to a wise kingly figure on his death bed. It's a scope that we really don't see that often, contrasted with adventure games that typically take place across the span of a few days or weeks. King's Quest: Snow Place Like Home might be influenced too greatly by modern titles that are essentially interactive novels, but I'm more than willing to see this through until the end.

There's a lot to like about Star Trek Online, even for players who aren't hardcore Star Trek fans or crazy people like me, but it does ask to be put up with to a certain extent. As for the console versions, it's also not all there yet, almost literally. At the same time, it's hard to name a more overtly generous free-to-play title on the current market, and it's worth a shot, for both Trek devotees and the merely Warp-curious.

Ultimately, it's my opinion that the randomness hurts Demon Truck more than it helps.

If you're thinking about picking up DoDonPachi Resurrection, you're staring down the barrel of one of the best shoot-'em-ups of our time.

There's a lot of value here for the price, and even if you could buy each of these games separately for five bucks apiece, I'd still recommend picking up all of them. You'll need to invite at least three friends over to get the most out of these games, but if you have the means and the opportunity, you'll get way more than your money's worth out of The Jackbox Party Pack 3.

VR needs more than Damaged Core. It's a good thing to add on top of the pile for people who are already fully invested, but as what essentially amounts to a novelty XBLA game, the asking price is a tad high. [Tested with Oculus Rift]

If anything, Attikus and the Thrall Rebellion whets my appetite for more like this. It's quick enough to play just a round or two and still make progress, and it's varied enough to play several in a row without getting too bored. But now I'm looking more forward to the other four Story Ops releasing so we can have that same solid gameplay with even more variety.

King's Quest: The Good Knight is a satisfying narrative conclusion to Graham's saga and is a unique approach to storytelling that we don't see often. It's not a return to the first chapter's exploratory focus, which many of you have been pining for since last July, but if you enjoy the narrative stylings of the previous two tales, you'll be sure to crack a smile (or shed a tear) in turn.

While Halloween Forever is simple, I think the developer achieved what it set out to do, which is to make a fun, pick-up-and-play platformer that would feel at home on the NES. As someone who loves the console and still goes back and plays its games, I can appreciate this spooky little game. It's cute, it's easy, it's colorful, it has a decent chiptune-ish soundtrack, and it illustrates perfectly how we all feel about candy corn (barf).

Like any multiplayer-centric game, a little extra solo content goes a long way. While I didn't have any major issues finding matches during my review session (a lot of people seem to be playing it after getting their Touch remotes, as this is the marquee game for it), one day, I probably will. Not only is the premise a little wacky in the first place but little is done to characterize the universe it's in -- so it's going to be a really hard sell when the Touch is $200 on its own.

Things end a little too neatly wrapped. While I'm glad that there isn't some major cliffhanger that cheaply leads into Starcraft III (whenever that might be), everything concludes too nicely for the otherwise grimdark Starcraft universe.

Werewolves Within is a cool experiment wrapped into an above-average game. It's limited and laser-focused, but it's good at what it does. [Tested with Oculus Rift]

It's not quite as fresh and exciting as it was in 2010, but I still think it's something everyone should try out. If you've played it before, it's worth revisiting. If you haven't, it's a solid adventure that's well worth your time.

Even though I didn't connect with either character, I think Scarif comes out strong with its vibrant setting and stellar maps. The new multi-part Infiltration mode is uneven, yes, but it's also Battlefront at its best. In fact, if it weren't for Bespin, this final expansion would be my favorite. Now we just need DICE to hurry up and consolidate the fragmented player base. Battlefront 2 isn't that far off.

So even if you are left a little cold or annoyed by Afterbirth+ and its seemingly small pool of additions, the package does have something for everyone. New fans may need to look to mods to even make progress in the “story,” but older fans should be more than pleased with this final chapter of Isaac’s tale.

Neo Atlas 1469 is an odd creation. Individually, each element is far too weak to stand on its own – and I'm certainly too lazy to go around calling it a “Adventure/Simulation/Strategy/Visual Novel/RPG/Point and Click Bear Finder.” Yet, together, they keep you engaged, with light but solid narratives having you finding Sinbad's anchor or breaking curses while you wait for that next fleet report to come in. It's an extremely long game - and I'm not actually sure where it ends. At 25-30 hours, I've long-since cleared the main goals, yet it's still going strong... so I can only imagine it will be over once I hit 100% map clearance.

River City Ransom: Underground was worth the wait, and hopefully we don't have to wait nearly three decades for the next one. The look, feel, and humor of the original is here with a new in-depth fighting system that feels fresh yet familiar while being deeper than basically every other game in the genre. I can't say for sure that Underground is the best beat 'em up of all time, but it deserves its place at the table with RCR, Golden Axe, Final Fight, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

Without the element of surprise, Frog Fractions 2 is just a collection of mostly bad minigames. There was magic with the original game, but that trick only works once.

If you aren't turned off by the sugary sweet aesthetic, Glittermitten Grove is worth a deep look. It can be difficult to start with its intricate economy and barebones explanation, but those who crack the nut can find something special hidden inside.