Tyranny is most certainly a tale of two halves. The first half is immediately gripping and combat starts off a bit challenging due to the lack of abilities and options. As the game enters its second half, the plot starts to feel rushed and gameplay becomes an issue of "been there, done that." The world and lore built here are worth exploring and I anxiously await another excuse to return to this setting, but at the same time, I really hope it comes with improvements to the AI and combat in general.

The emphasis on freedom is undermined by the game being a series of challenges. The allure of exploration is undone by the ability to teleport anywhere. The loose and wacky physics system belies the real-world setting. These are all disconnects that Steep can't reconcile, and it's a stranger and more off-putting experience because of it.

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.

Depending on how skilled you are with puzzle solving (and how good you are with your hands if you're using the Touch), I Expect You To Die could last you several hours or a few days. But what I can really get down with is that even after I had finished the handful of scenarios, I anxiously wanted to see how others would approach the same concepts, and tried out a few new tactics of my own.

As a lower-key alternative to the high-octane flying games in the VR space, How We Soar has found its niche, and it'll serve those players well. It strikes a good balance between letting you unwind and also making sure you're adequately challenged and engaged. The story doesn't quite do enough to draw you into the author's plight and keep you hooked, but the flying alone carries this game far.

For now, I'm confident in saying that although it isn't their best work, there really aren't too many directors out there like Fumito Ueda, and I hope for our sake, he continues to keep making games.

It may not be the second coming of retro gaming or an outright classic, but it does still have the potential. If Interceptor Entertainment can make this a success, I have a feeling that the eventual World Two and beyond will iron out all of the bugs and turn this adventure into a must play for old-school fans.

For those of you who have been scared off by Dead Rising in the past, maybe this is your time.

There's not much going on in Maize. As a video game it fails on both the technical and interactive fronts. The gameplay is so simplistic that it may as well not even exist. Breaking the fourth-wall is cute, but never really amounts to anything other than a cheap laugh. The story is a decent experience thanks to its humor, but everything surrounding it drags it down.

A King's Tale: Final Fantasy XV isn't anything special, nor is it essential to understanding the main game you're buying into, so don't bust the doors down tonight trying to get a pre-order in. But at the same time, proponents of old school beat-'em-ups will enjoy a few hours of fun, which counts for something.

I think the combination of Minecraft and farming is a winner, but more attention needs to be paid to the activities outside of planting and pulling crops if Harvest Moon ever wants to compete with the superior farm sims out there.

Even if you don't buy into it, most will admit that Square Enix has master-crafted this world to the point where it feels like anything can happen out in the world map. Whereas a lot of JRPGs have stilted transitions between exploration and combat, XV does it effortlessly. One moment you're in an abandoned building talking about a quest, and the next a seamless conversation pops up and you're in the thick of a battle. The same goes for setting up future events -- just like how a Pokémon game might hint at future legendary additions early in the game, so does XV.

Less-discerning players with a tolerance for bad localizations, or maybe Matsue residents, will find a pleasant diversion in Root Letter, but for everyone else, it's difficult to recommend, especially at its current price tag.

f you’re a dedicated follower of Akira Toriyama’s work, then you’ll find a lot to enjoy with this title. It takes some risks and offers a complete compendium of characters from each installment of the anime. It also puts an emphasis on creativity with the fusion system, but lacks focus. I want to love it, but I can’t fathom sitting through that story again.

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.

Despite the abrupt ending in Guardian, Batman: A Telltale Games Series has been one of the most consistent works the developer has put out to date. I still get the occasional audio or jerky animation issue on PC, but at least on my machine, nothing in the first four episodes rang any major alarm bells. With just one chapter left, I think you're in the all clear for going all in on this.

It'll be a grind, but I'm still eager to do it. There are just so many recognizable monsters that hold special places in my heart, it seems like it would be a disservice to neglect them. Plus, there are the post-game bonus dungeons that aren't going to conquer themselves.

Despite having a small number of grievances, none of them were significant enough to detract too severely from the overall experience. Simply put, Steins;Gate 0 is both a fantastic visual novel and more than a worthy follow-up to the first game.

With the length ranging from 10 to 15 hours, Xanadu Next packs the right amount of content anyone who’s in the mood for a title that mixes action-RPG and puzzle elements. Like with many games that revolve around obtaining a legendary weapon, the Dragon Slayer is a blade that’s worth wielding.

It's not often that I stick with a multiplayer game for any length of time, but this one has its hooks in me deep. At the end, yes, you're fighting the same enemies with the same weapons over and over again, but the level of challenging chaos keeps me coming back.

Pokémon has never felt more alive to me than it does in Sun, and while I did have high expectations coming in, I can't say I saw that coming. This series is catching up with our imaginations.

For every issue I found with Pokemon Moon, whether it was an old problem that just caught up with the series or something new -- I found solace in the indomitable likability of a cast member, or the thrill of finding another party member that I would battle with for years to come. I'm already seeing myself playing for several hundred hours before the end of 2016, and I haven't even fully experienced all of the online features yet. Such is the power of Pokemon, and I hope we get to see Alola's influences linger as Game Freak gears up for its next adventure.

This is a game I was so ready to fall in love with, but it ultimately comes up short. After a couple of hours, I began to wonder, "Is this it? Dinosaur planet sight-seeing?" Basically, yeah. And at its high price point, that's going to be a tough sell.

Dishonored 2 tries to take on so much that it can't actually keep up with itself, even on PC. If Arkane can get a handle on the optimization and delivers a DLC campaign that's on par with the original's take on Daud, it'll be one of the easiest recommendations I've made all year.

I expected Watch Dogs 2 to be a paint-by-numbers sequel -- more guns, more cars, a bigger playground. Instead, it gives players freedom to play with the world with hackmagic the way they want to, and crafts a memorable, mostly light-hearted story that's just a lot of fun. Considering the heavy subject matter woven in, that's even more of an accomplishment than it seems like.

It might be a little difficult talking about this one with your friends...but then again, maybe not. If you like teenage girls with large chests, food, and rhythm games, then Senran Kagura Bon Appétit! - Full Course will deliver for you.

Seriously, though, this budget-priced cash-in should be avoided at all costs, even if you're a die-hard fan of the shows. And parents, please don't ruin your kids' childhood by buying them this piece of trash. Instead, just loudly have sex in the next room over. Trust me, that one leaves a mark.

While Star Rush isn't the horrible 'car' wreck of the past two titles in the series, it is hardly recommendable due to a lack of mini-games and thus content, even if four players can play nearly the full game pending one other in the same room has the game (there is no online play to speak of, in case you were wondering).