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.