It doesn't have quite the same highs as a lot of its predecessors, but it maintains its tranquil equilibrium throughout. If you have an adventurous spirit and the patience and time to put into it, Ashen will pay dividends.

That Dragon, Cancer is a beautiful experience, if one that would have benefited considerably from having content cut to improve the flow, pacing and tone.

Because of the mechanics and varied modes, you're not going to run out of those awkward funny moments. Whether it be spearing a player in their narwhal ass or dry humping in space for an entire round, Starwhal will provide the thrills -- so long as you're willing to take the ride.

I came out of Human Resource Machine unsure who it was really designed for. It's at times too simple for experienced programmers, and often made leaps too large for beginners to overcome without obtuse outside research. While I had a sense of accomplishment every time I made progress, said progress at times felt like I was an infant thrown into water and expected to swim straight away. I might manage it, but it's not the ideal teaching method to leave me feeling comfortable going forward.

King’s Quest: Once Upon a Climb isn't the most enthralling tale I've played, but I'm still very much all-in on the series and was grinning throughout. It's a nice slice of life with a likable cast, and with the goodwill this reboot has gained so far, that's all I need.

How much you enjoy Dead Rising hinges entirely on your acceptance of this principle. As someone who doesn't mind playing games over and over until I perfect them, I like the idea of adding some form of urgency, and feel like in most sessions I have ample time to meander without missing out on much. By that same token I also prefer the leniency of the sequels, and enjoy replaying them more often. It's a give and take, but Dead Rising is worth the squeeze and still holds up after all this time.

A short, dark trip through the nightmare of youth; growing up, discovering yourself, and existing among a society that rarely understands. Sure to be a divisive title, there are those who will find The Missing overpriced and melodramatic, while others will be taken by its surrealist story of undying friendship, ironically becoming an indelible memory to those who dare to experience it.

It may not be a game you need to finish, necessarily, but it's utterly unique and needs to be seen first hand.

Over 15 years after their initial release, PATAPON 1 and PATAPON 2 are back in the PATAPON 1+2 REPLAY bundle, and they’re better than ever. Both games were already solid, but the small improvements and touch-ups included here give them new life in a repackaged format that puts them back in the spotlight again.

People of Note is a whimsical and lighthearted turn-based RPG made by music nerds, for music nerds. Every facet exudes charm and silly humor, which varies between cringy and cute, as you make your way through its adventures. It's a short-lived tale that I wish were a bit deeper, but still an enjoyable experience for anyone who has played or loved music and the connections it can help forge.

The Wonderful 101 is one of those rare games that keeps getting more and more fun the more that you play it. If you have the dexterity to handle the controls and the patience to deal with a few momentum-killing platforming/puzzle bits, you're in for a heck of a time.

While it’s not yet perfect, Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is easily the best wrestling game we’ve seen this generation, hands down.

It has been worth the wait, as Mario Golf: World Tour took that next step and brought us an outstanding online golf experience. The learning curve is steep, and there are some issues with the camera and aiming control, but working through them is worth it as the online play is outstanding.

When stood on its own, NPC! DK JB is great, and one of the best platformers for the Wii I've yet played. If you missed out on it the first time around or hated the bongo controls, I implore you to go out and pick it up so that you can experience this strange and wonderful game.

Its uniqueness is its greatest asset; there isn't anything else quite like it out there, and it takes a different kind of thinking to get through.

Killzone: Mercenary could have stood to provide more content, but that which is on offer is all very well polished and plays almost impeccably on Sony's latest handheld venture.

My main concern with WarioWare Gold, exacerbated by the lack of download play and only one real multiplayer gametype at that, is that it doesn't really have legs.

Tropico 4: Modern Times gives the core game a much needed content injection, and turns Tropico 4 into a better game. Some additions have a larger impact on Tropican economic planning than others, but Modern Times is well worth checking out for any fan of Tropico.

Gunfire Games has some really good ideas that I hope to see employed more often in the future.

NFL Blitz's online co-op offerings are similarly robust. You can simply jump into a co-op game with up to three different friends, including a guest on the couch with you.

The beat is strong with this one.

The actual gameplay of El Paso, Elsewhere didn’t really impress me. It’s an interesting twist on Max Payne, but it falls short in a lot of ways. Its story, though? Hoo, gosh. I’m going to be chewing on this for a while.

In all honesty, Soul of Darkness is a decent game that adequately captures the gothic spirit of the Castlevania franchise. Unfortunately, its failure to expand upon promising game mechanics, its criminally short playtime, the absence of any real challenge, and the lack of compelling replay value make it hard to recommend.

Those looking for a sweeping story about legendary heroes are barking up the wrong tree. This game is about marching through trap-laden mazes and solving puzzles at a deliberate pace. Go in with the right mindset and you will discover a well-crafted role-playing game, one which has aged surprisingly well.

It's a wild, creative, occasionally erratic game. Pit People is imperfect, but it's so worth your time.

Those who don’t want to pay to try something that’s almost finished and/or planned as an eventual free-to-play game might want to wait for the final product in 2018. Those who are curious enough and willing to pay the price of admission now might want to bring a trusted buddy along for the ride since it’s one of those repetitive games that’s instantly better with familiar company. [Early Access]

The game looks great -- it's awesome to get down on the ground level and watch the little dudes duke it out. Even the maps themselves look incredible. But once the novelty of "it's in virtual reality!" wears off, you are left with a mechanically-solid RTS game with a poor story, that lacks specific commands veterans will expect, and has what is likely a very small community.

I was completely taken aback by how well RIGS comes together. Although it has some issues to work out with future patches (mostly related to a content drought), as a symbol for the tech it's one of the best virtual reality joints out there, and not just for the PlayStation VR. Hell, it might be the most justified virtual reality game I've ever played.