The Spell Brigade separates itself from the pack of Vampire Survivors-adjacent games by letting up to four players engage in unruly, wave-based chaos. However, the power climb is locked behind a steep grind that takes too long to feel rewarding and players may yearn for more varied content to keep them truly invested.

Life is Strange: Reunion attempts to tackle the difficult task of wrapping up the loose ends set forth in Double Exposure and find resolution for the series’ two beloved characters. The relationship between Max and Chloe has always been a highlight of the genre and thankfully it carries a weaker entry in Life is Strange that struggles to navigate its overly simplistic gameplay and less important subplots.

For players who love cozy games and don’t mind a slightly more structured approach to exploration, Collector’s Cove offers a calm, colorful adventure on the open sea. It may not be the most groundbreaking entry in the genre, but it’s a relaxing voyage that’s easy to enjoy, especially for those of us who want nothing more than to pet all of the animal companions in the gaming world.

On the PlayStation 5, Tales of Berseria feels less like a traditional remaster and more like a simple port. While it remains an excellent game in its own right (and perhaps one of the best in the Tales series), the struggle is real in recommending it to those who can simply play the PS4 version and not feel like they’re missing out on anything novel.

Dark Auction positions itself as a visual novel with one of the more intriguing premises tackled in the genre. Players comfortable with a rather straightforward pace and lack of challenge will likely enjoy the ride and some of the strange twists in store.

BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW uses the real horror of societal pressure and unrealistic standards to craft an unsettling, psychological narrative that players often won’t find in games. Its short length does have numerous impactful moments but it may leave some wanting more developed plot threads and less monster chases. Should the BrokenLore series continue with this framework in future installments, I will be interested to see what new ways they can not only scare players but make them think.

A.I.L.A presents a number of intriguing concepts for the player to chew on and initially establishes its ability to circumvent expectations and genre tropes. But as the game continues, positive gains are lost in the swamp of repetitive mechanics. Springing from psychological to survival horror to something wholly unique would have been a welcome surprise but instead, A.I.L.A stumbles right as it begins to gain momentum. Though the overarching story has its moments, players will have to wade through the doldrums to get there.

Painkiller has a strong base that any shooting game needs. Its weapons are a blast to use and get weird enough to make it satisfying to rip through constant droves of demons. But even that core conceit runs dry over time as the well of ideas simply can’t support limited maps, basic objectives, and not enough variety to keep the flame burning. It’s possible as new content rolls out with DLC, Painkiller may evolve into something greater but right now it can be enjoyed by a group of friends over a weekend or two, hoping to one day leave its limbo of what-ifs.

NASCAR ‘25 is a game that fans of the sport will honestly enjoy. It fills a void that has been left open for years and allows them to be able to finally ‘scratch that itch’. It’s not something that will blow other racing games out of the water, but if iRacing Studios is going to try and possibly turn this into a yearly franchise, then this is the perfect foundation to start building upon.

Despite another year of development, EA FC 26 remains plagued by bugs. The main menu continues to give me issues. At times, I’m unable to navigate it at all because it simply bugs out. Considering how often this issue has been raised across multiple installments, it’s frustrating to see so little progress.

‘NHL 26’ is a revamp and refresh. However, to me, it’s an incredibly hard game to justify buying from last year’s installment. In the game’s defense, I will argue this against those online who say ‘this is just a glorified roster update’ because I can tell there have been several little improvements to make things a better playing experience. ‘NHL 26’ is still a good game for me. Plus, I can see possible ways that modes like ‘Be A Pro’ can go in the future, especially with the updates to ‘Franchise Mode’ in ‘NHL 25’. I do feel like we are a goalie that’s been left out to dry in the third period late.

Fallen City Brawl won me over on vibes and thematic. Its gameplay, while frenetic and fun, needs more depth to exceed the current gold standard utilized by recent additions to the modern beat-em-up genre. It’s great for a quick afternoon playthrough, especially when played with friends.

Shadow Labyrinth should have been so much more. I wanted my first impression of the game to linger. But the longer I engaged, the more my mind wandered to better Metroidvanias. Ones that either delivered pitch-perfect combat and exploration, or ones that tried something new. Shadow Labyrinth attempts to make a weird, novel Pac-Man experience but squanders the opportunity on sluggish pacing, exhausting checkpointing, and a map that severely needed a few bites taken out of it. Maybe Puck should just stick to ghost hunting.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact has several good ideas, but very little follow through in catering to diehard fighting game players, new players unfamiliar with the tag-fighter subgenre, or even folks unfamiliar with the franchise. It’s fun yet fluid fighter, don’t get me wrong; only time will tell if it reaches a more fulfilling state in the future.

RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business won’t disappoint fans of the 2023 shooter simply wanting more pulpy shootouts in a dystopian Detroit. And perhaps as a standalone experience and not a true sequel, Unfinished Business is passable. But a lack of fresh ideas and a safe setting lack the humanity found within the cold confines of RoboCop’s hardened steel.

Arashi Gaiden is a great bite-sized turn-based action game set within the confines of a puzzle game. While it might be more difficult than others may expect, it will prove satisfying for those who enjoy solving puzzles with flair.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition, from developers SneakyBox and Relic Entertainment, feels too much like the Anniversary Edition released a few years back. While new gamers of the series might enjoy what this title has to offer, as it does bring some solid action that mimics the chaotic nature of the Warhammer world, seasoned fans of the series may not get enough out of this release to justify another purchase.

Cattle Country is all around a functional, enjoyable game. However, it does little to innovate on an already established farming sim formula. If you like games like Stardew Valley, then I would recommend at least trying Cattle Country to see if it scratches that same itch. You won’t find a particularly exciting experience, but you might enjoy a calm, wholesome game.

Dragon is Dead has quite a bit of potential now that it has left its early access period. Its novel approach to character building, loot management, and skill trees makes for a complex and satisfying roguelike experience. On the other hand, some of its endgame combat may prove too frustrating, especially when compounded by the traditional difficulty curve that comes with the roguelike gameplay loop. Its pixel art is gorgeous, though.

Labyrinth of the Demon King from developer J.R. Hudepohl harkens back to a simpler survival horror time and recreates most of the right elements that reflect that era and genre. While it’s strong in story, atmosphere, and creepiness, it falls short with its mechanics.

Once Upon a Puppet excels in its ability to build a fantastical world cobbled together from the dilapidated remains of opulence. As a 2.5D platformer, the game’s attempts to use the genre’s foundations are often mixed. Clever puzzles and bursts of action go hand-in-hand with movement that can often not feel fluid and satisfying enough. But players open to the game’s charm should be able to ignore the blemishes and enjoy the moments that truly shine.

FUBUKI ~zero in on Holoearth~ HOLOLIVE ALTERNATIVE is a short, but sweet, retro-action platformer. The beauty of its pixel art can be obfuscated by the visual business of what’s on-screen and the level design skews overly simplistic, but it’s still fun for a few hours. If you’re a Hololive fan, you’ll be pleased by its Easter Eggs.

Macross – Shooting Insight from Kaminari Games takes the shoot ‘em-up genre to a bold and brash stance. While it does everything to break the mold of a regular shoot ‘em-up formula, including bringing a thick layer of challenge to the gameplay that will most certainly motivate hardcore shoot ‘em-up players, it lacks variety in level design and other small aspects of gameplay.

Dreamcore is a game about dread, obfuscation, and disorienting players. It sends them to familiar spaces that have been purposefully altered to maximize discomfort. Though woefully brief and presenting only two levels at launch, if each new entry in Dreamcore continues to be unique, it will become a truly standout entry in the catalog of Backrooms-inspired works.

For all its flaws, Dynasty Warriors: Origins is still an enjoyable game. At its core, it does what it needs to do. Koei Tecmo delivered on their promise of 1 vs. 1000 combat, though not without neglecting other aspects of gameplay. Combat was enjoyable, though suffered at the hands of poor game design. There’s a strong premise here, but a lack of character development hampers the storytelling. Overall, if you’re the type of person who’s looking for some straight forward, high-intensity action, Dynasty Warriors: Origins might be for you—as long as you don’t mind some of its rough edges.

In some ways, Threefold Recital does an excellent job in telling a thoughtful tale of beastlings bound to Daoist philosophy. In other ways, I was a smidge disappointed in the driving forces behind that storytelling and the simplicity of the platforming. It’s not the most memorable platformer outright, but if you’re in the mood for a compelling narrative with some light platforming and other minigames, look no further than Threefold Recital.

Spirit Mancer is a wonderful first attempt by Sunny Syrup Studio to craft a unique game built on familiar mechanics and classic platformer moments. Behind its overly complex and stuffed systems, there’s a beautiful game possessing stellar art and a lot of heart. Those wanting a different kind of platformer will find a haven here. And hopefully these foundations will be put to use again in an equally robust, confident game.

Police Simulator: Patrol Officers from developer Aesir Interactive is a good game that delivers an accurate, though sometimes dull experience as a police officer. While the game could be a bit more exciting in some areas, the biggest issue with the gameplay is the hardware running it. The Nintendo Switch’s limitations in memory, graphics capabilities, and controls hamper what is otherwise a good game.

I’m left thinking that Parry Nightmare is meant to be a starter bullet hell title for players unfamiliar with the genre – only because of its brevity and simplicity. While it lacks traditional bullet hell variance and depth to ensure replayability, it contains enough nuance to tell an interesting story while the eyes and ears are treated to a stunning art style and jazzy soundtrack.

La Grange and Fireshine Games have created a unique deckbuilder featuring a fresh froggy thematic in the form of Toads of the Bayou. It might need some additional deckbuilding design depth, but it has enough to hold players over for several roguelike runs.

Squirrel with a Gun is charming and a nutty idea at first glance. It’s better enjoyed in small bursts as to keep its small supply of silliness enjoyed to the fullest extent. If you’ve ever wanted to go nuts being a squirrel with a large arsenal of guns, this is the simulation for you.

Unknown 9: Awakening from developer Reflector Entertainment and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment is a game more about what could have been rather than what turned out to be. With a better story that builds out the world, its characters, and more interesting enemies, the game would have been more of what it intended. It had the makings of a good fantasy/sci-fi action adventure but just didn’t make it there.

Duck Paradox is a unique gem, featuring an adorable charm and highly replayable loop that feels like an old-school platformer more than a modern roguelike. Steep bullet hell difficulty aside, it deserves more content to keep players saving the day with an ever-growing waddling of ducks alongside of Dr. Paraducks!

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns adds a good amount of kontent for MK1. Price concerns aside, the additions of Sektor, Cyrax, and Noob Saibot should be seen as a blessing for MK fans. It remains to be seen about the future of MK1’s story and the rest of the Guest Fighters coming soon, but this is a good step in the right direction for a larger-form kontent in year 2 of MK1.

NHL 25 is a good game. Don’t get me wrong. The work and progress that the team has put into this year’s release shows itself. There have been a lot of quality-of-life improvements to the in-game product that make me feel good. To me, this feels like the first time this has been as close to real as possible. There are a few things that feel out of place, but overall the improvements are there. However, I just don’t know if this is enough of a step or leap forward to justify it for the average NHL fan or game player.

NBA 2K25 from developer Visual Concepts and publisher 2K has a lot of intriguing and fun modes it offers from MyCareer to MyTeam, and MyGM, if you love that sort of control. It seems to have a nice spread of goods that caters to almost every basketball interest out there. Sadly, its need to stay online for single-player experiences and its need for smoother less animation-locked gameplay mechanics hurts the experience considerably.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions from developer Unbroken Studios finally brings a decent version of Quidditch to the video gaming world. While the controls are going to certainly frustrate some, especially when mixed with the chaotic Quidditch gameplay, the game does a decent job of bringing some good modes and reasons to keep playing. This is very much a vanilla beginning and hopefully, that can be improved in the coming months.

Ninza has quite a bit going for it, most being positive. Its take on combat is refreshing, albeit requiring some mental burdens in relearning PvP that requires solely utilizing the environment to smoosh an enemy into smithereens. While I might have some reservations over how its cast of characters are implemented in-game, the UI, and its future content, one thing is clear: Ninza is quite the fun and addicting platform battler.

Guayota contains a great deal of difficulty and tested my patience quite well. I loved how it implemented puzzles in a way that isolated puzzles on a per-dungeon basis. However, I wanted a bigger payoff from completing its more difficult-levels, and I wanted the light version of the levels to have something to ease the difficulty. That said, Guayota was a great test of my logic and reasoning skills in the few hours I spent in-game. I loved the aesthetic, design, and general level construction, so it’s worth playing if you’re interested in an indie gem with unique puzzles for an afternoon playthrough.

Mars 2120 has the core of an entertaining, satisfying Metroidvania. Players obsessed with the genre will be able to encounter a number of exciting fights and setpieces that test all their upgrades and exploration chops. And while it doesn’t mind borrowing heavily from genre’s progenitor, a bit more polish is needed before it can come close to capturing those highs.

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus from developer Squid Shock Studios is a beautiful game that features all the right magical moves to make this a challenging precision platformer but stumbles badly with imprecise controls that make what would be a good experience frustrating.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate incorporates traditional roguelike gameplay in way that should familiar for most roguelike players. It just does so in a convoluted fashion. While I appreciate its attempts to fully immerse players in the world of TMNT, the story beats needed to be more frequent and fully realized to hit the emotional highs and lows associated with the series’ deep universe. Its couch co-op should be praised, however, as this is best played with friends.

Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a good metroidvania for those wanting a middle-of-the-road metroidvania. Its steampunk aesthetic makes for a gorgeous and audibly delightful tale, its combat is as fluid as it they come, but my biggest concern is that it doesn’t take a big swing in innovation or set itself apart from other metroidvanias in a big way.

Stray Gods – Orpheus from developer Summerfall Studios falls short of the original game Stray Gods. The DLC is a shorter game that contains a more compact and less meaningful narrative, while still featuring great music and wonderful gameplay elements like the original release. If you accept those terms, you might like Stray Gods – Orpheus.

Noreya: The Gold Project is a very pretty 2D platformer that attempts to instill agency and creativity wrapped in a nice, neat metroidvania package. Whether it does so or not is up for debate, but one thing is certain: The puzzles and platforming are quite enjoyable.

The Detective Reaper Invites is an interesting game of logic and deduction. While it doesn’t go as deep as it could, there’s enough to give players a taste of deductive gameplay that will surely test one’s reasoning skills.

Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs from Amber Studio and Bandai Namco Entertainment is light on the competitive entertainment that the game seemingly promises. While it does have spurts of fun and some solid customization options, it just doesn’t create enough competitive motivation to keep the game engaging or interesting.

SaGa Emerald Beyond all comes together in a strange swirl of complex mechanics that justify progressing through a weird story that is by no means approachable. It truly is a shame that the game feels so dated and limited by its visuals and presentation. By no means is this a mainstream RPG. Will it make you curious about other SaGa entries? Perhaps. But those looking for a satisfying turn-based system unlike its peers will have enough to chew on.

Knowing the ending of FFXVI, The Rising Tide doesn’t change Clive’s outcome or add a meaningful impact to the world to warrant an emotional introspection like the main game’s story. Instead, it adds additional power to Clive’s Eikonic skillset, making him appropriately powerful for postgame content that will assuredly punish players and test their might in Final Fantasy Mode. It might be a weirdly timed expansion, but it adds enough meat to the core gameplay to encourage replaying.

Phantom Fury is a decent boomer shooter, albeit one that emphasizes environmental interactivity over an arcade-inspired killing spree in which everything is a weapon. The few moments of cinematic silliness are par for the course in the boomer shooter genre, but they’re not enough to make this any less of a slog.

If Saviorless is Cuba’s first independent video game, then players are in for an aesthetically pleasing yet moody future of game design that touches on emotional elements that leave a mark on the psyche. Saviorless isn’t the best example of a platformer, but it’s a great start to something truly novel in the platforming space.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox: Definitive Edition ultimately improves the game for the better, I imagine. Because I never interacted with the game prior to this experience, I can only sympathize with the frustrations other players went through and wonder if the updates will entice them to return. While key improvements seem to have been introduced to make core features better, fundamental quirks exist that detract from making it a top-tier Metroidvania. Snappier or not, combat is still quite slow and forgettable, leaving the puzzles and the universe the most appealing aspects of an otherwise intriguing game.

South Park: Snow Day is dumb fun best played with friends. While it walks solidly down the middle of the road in terms of it being a roguelite and a beat-em-up mashup, it falls short in offering deep variance and complexity to make things feel fresh and worth the replay. It’s funny as hell, though, so that is worth the first playthrough. Hopefully additional content is on the way to freshen things up.

Metal Mind has a lot of promise, don’t get me wrong, it just underdelivers on the charm and depth of its twin-shooter roguelite competitors. The glossing over of nuanced gameplay systems, emptiness of its hub, and vagueness of the universe leads me to believe that some additional refinement is needed to fully realize its potential. Once you figure out its systems, the core gameplay is fun and challenging.

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator is just that: cozy. There’s little reason to strive for perfection in a game that merely wants players to dabble in its goal of building whatever kind of idyllic flower patch desired. This kind of directionless aura may be a turn off for those seeking a different kind of simulator but what’s on offer is hard not to enjoy.

Corponation: The Sorting Process is an interesting, albeit well-designed simulation involving simple gameplay and a handful of minigames to break up the monotony of the corporate nonsense lifestyle. While it didn’t peak in terms of pulling on my heartstrings or senses of dread that usually accompany dystopian narratives, it sufficed in keeping me enticed with its gameplay.

FOAMSTARS from Square Enix is an interesting competitive game that borrows its surface-level gameplay concept from Splatoon while offering deeper and more intriguing gameplay underneath led by solid upgrade and buff systems. Unfortunately, the lack of meaningful solo missions does hurt the game, as it feels like half a game made it to launch.

This is all to say that Phantom Abyss falls somewhat short on achieving the goal of offering a challenging parkour adventure in a roguelite package. The whip and phantom gameplay involving other players’ trial and error are unique, but its clunkiness, difficulty, and disparate progression are worth a pause. I’m confident that additional polish and content are coming down the pipeline, but I need more from the current state of the game.

Gangs of Sherwood may be inhibited by its own limitations but I can’t express how great of a time I had once it fully released and I could merely link up with a full group of players. It may not be a game that has a great deal of permanence in this busy season and packed year but it does deserve appreciation and respect for its tenacity. Such a unique setting and basic, engaging combat are luxuries we so often forget about.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince from developer Armor Project brings an enjoyable monster collecting and fighting gameplay blueprint to the Dragon Quest world, but falls short in its shallow narrative and humdrum visuals.

To sum it up, Flashback 2 was worth a playthrough, and as a fan of the original, I had fun with it. It’s probably the easiest Platinum you can get, too. But the experience is tainted by lots of technical bugs and very linear, flat gameplay design. At its launch price of $40, I’m hesitant to recommend it to anyone that isn’t an ardent Flashback fan who might be more forgiving of the flaws. Whether any more patches get released is anyone’s guess, but even if the technical bugs get ironed out, the gameplay is still thin and pretty lackluster.

Spirittea is the farming sim with Miyazaki vibes I’ve wanted for a hot minute. It doesn’t onboard the player in the most intuitive fashion, so it’s a smidge hard to pick up to get into the groove. But, once you’ve managed to parse through the disparate tea leaves that make up its multiple activities and mechanics, it’s worth a try. I’m looking forward to seeing how Spirittea evolves in the future while I enjoy its coziness this holiday season.

Ebenezer and the Invisible World has its moments of fun and rewarding exploration through completing optional sidequests and finding secrets. It looks great, too. However, its big swings in the form of ghost management and stiff traversal/combat lends to a less than stellar experience. May this experience become better in the future with more time and polish? Absolutely, but it’s worth waiting to see what happens.

Payday 3 suffers from a lack severe lack of refinement. Payday 2 was cooking for years. It makes little sense that Payday 3 suffered such significant problems. There was a blueprint in place that wasn’t followed and for what specific gain? A year from now this review will likely be completely irrelevant as I must believe Starbreeze will fix the game, add content to its current sparse pool, and make the experience better. But for players who purchased the game in its current state… Well that’s simply not good enough. Right now there is no quality of life. Not even a patch to fix the numerous glaring problems. Will players stick around or come back? Or will Payday 3 disappear to time like my words? Only time will tell.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is a trip of childhood nostalgia for kids who grew up wanting to slam on the gas and experience speed, but are five years old and can’t reach the pedals. If you’re looking to try and live out that experience then this will do you well, but if you’re someone who played the first and is looking to see what’s up with the newest edition, you might fall flat at the starting line.

EA FC 24, the revamped FIFA, brings a breath of fresh air with its dynamic menu, "precision pass," and reintroduction of female athletes in Ultimate Team. However, it grapples with lingering connectivity troubles and a lack of innovation. On a positive note, the elimination of position-altering consumables, in Ultimate Team, and the introduction of "playstyles" offer enhanced gameplay depth. All in all, EA FC 24 caters to football enthusiasts, offering a small blend of new features while still wrestling with the same gameplay formula.

Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai contains some simple positives, especially when it comes to delivering a dramatic and fun anime series storyline. Sadly, the gameplay does not complement that storytelling and falls short in content size and portions. Even the inclusion of RPG elements, such as Bond Memories, can’t seem to lift the action and prop it up to a higher Dragon Quest level that most of us are used to seeing.

Fort Solis is a conundrum, one I think I’m happy to have played just for the sake of experiencing a new take on the genre. The slow pace of the game outside its moderately engaging action scenes and snappy dialog can kill narrative momentum. The limited and rote gameplay mechanics are only minor breaks in the plodding walk speed of the main character. The technical excellence and masterful voice acting truly give Fort Solis a glimmer of promise in an otherwise conflicted game. Undoubtedly there is an audience for these pieces of entertainment but those who find themselves entertained by this particular approach may indeed be rare.

Somerville is a noble attempt at matching the style and eerie substance of games that came before it. As a first-time effort, Jumpship stuck the landing on creating engaging moments in time for an intimate narrative. But a lack of memorable connective tissue means that players have little reason to dwell in this world and ask bigger questions. With perhaps a bit more time and polish, the studio’s second attempt can be truly remarkable.

While Madden NFL 24 is better than last year’s release, there are still some glaring shortcomings that hurt it, specifically with UI clunkiness, game mode access at times, and repetitiveness.

Immortals of Aveum is a blockbuster action game. Much like superhero movies, it excels in combat but loses its heat in the story with lackluster dialogue and a hurried narrative. The cornerstone of Immortals is its graphics. The characters and environments were expertly crafted, highlighting the strong motion-captured characters. It was always refreshing to see how all the colors were utilized in each mission of the game. Excellent level design and fast-paced gameplay made a wonderful pair.

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes – Definitive Edition from DotEmu is a decent game thanks to a clever mixture of RPG, puzzle, and strategy structure. It has a compelling storyline that reminds you of an 80s/90s RPG gaming world, and it has plenty of characters to play around with on the battlefield. It falls short with unbalanced gameplay that always leans towards enemy advantage and the control mechanics that can be incredibly finicky at times.

Return to Grace from developer: Creative Bytes Studios is a short and sweet once-through experience. It has nice dialogue but is more for viewing than interactive gameplay. As a game tagged to be known as a “Walking Simulator” I believe this is the pinnacle of the genre. With its beautiful local, interesting in-game history, and clever dialogue Return to Grace is a great pick for a narrative-driven game to play all in one go. While the gameplay isn’t exactly my go-to first choice of gaming, after completing and experiencing everything the game has to offer, I can recommend this to those gamers who enjoy this type of gameplay.

SkateBIRD just misses the mark in being a charming, technically sound twist on the skating genre. Clever word play and a whimsical premise simply aren’t enough to mask its mechanical and visual flaws. A game with a bit more lust for life and vibrancy would have excused passable controls. Similarly, its ease of use doesn’t make traversing the world less sparse. But under the messy surface, SkateBIRD can still provide warmth.

Yes, The Last of Us Part I for the PC has somewhat improved a little under two months in. Graphical stutters, framedrops, and other visual artifacts currently exist. If you’re able to look past those graphical shortcomings, The Last of Us Part I is a truly exceptional game. Consider waiting just a bit more before jumping into one of the best series from Sony and Naughty Dog to date.

Decarnation is not about the gameplay, but about the journey. And that journey is wrought with existentialism, Lovecraftian horror, and psychological quandaries that may be trigger inducing. It will grip you, refuse to let go, and entrap you until the end of its story. Should you play Decarnation, you will be opting into experiencing horror through the eyes of a protagonist you may, or may not, empathize with. Should you play Decarnation, you should also avoid sharing its execution of horrors that should remain unspeakable. In other words, avoid spoiling whenever possible.

Kingdom Rush Origins from Ironhide Game Studio is a step up with creativity, enemy, and hero design/execution, and with how clever the series’ maps can get. Unfortunately, the difficulty has also stepped up and can create a frustrating time that may hurt the positive parts of this latest Kingdom Rush game.

To say that Redfall needs major work to fix some balancing issues would be a bit of an understatement. For a game that had so much hype during its development and was supposed to be the first big game of 2023 for the Xbox family that wasn’t called Halo or Forza, it has fallen short in its delivery. There are quite a few issues with Redfall, lots of unbalance in gameplay, and plenty to correct before it can be considered a permanent and worthwhile IP.

God of Rock is an interesting concept blending rhythm and fighting game elements, with some elements being executed better than others. On the rhythm side, the large soundtrack, complex note patterns, and vibrant visuals offer a good experience for those who excel at multitasking. On the fighting side, the combo system may feel familiar but less satisfying because of so much attention needing to be had on the note chart rather than the visually striking character dishing out damage. I am excited for the future of God of Rock, because once this ends up in the hands of creative community members, I’m sure that the competitive experience will be wild.

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse‘s fair controls and slightly dated design are things I can accept because this is an old game that was given a layer polish rather than a complete overhaul. I’m sure its small pool of veteran players will appreciate bonus content like unlockable costumes and filters for the photo mode. But ultimately behind all that is a solid horror game, warts and all. And like many updated classics, this could potentially serve as a litmus test of whether a long-running franchise will receive a new entry. Maybe the same applies to Fatal Frame.

Destiny 2: Lightfall is disjointed in story, but pulls through with its gameplay. Something has to give with the former, as the story needs to be memorable and engaging, and this expansion simply didn’t get there in either category.

Spongebob Squarepants: Krusty Cook-Off – Extra Krusty Edition is a fun game that is built on a casual gaming backbone and runs well on the Nintendo Switch. While it will never reach the impressive gameplay heights of the Overcooked series, Spongebob Squarepants: Krusty Cook-Off – Extra Krusty Edition delivers fun levels, good controls, and enough reason to return to it over and over again.

Catan: Console Edition has some design issues but can be manageable when desperately looking for a CATAN fix on current generation consoles. It certainly needs some work in its default setup, speed options, and dice-rolling mechanics, but for the most part, it still does the trick.

On paper, Cyber Hook taps into several gameplay elements that are innately appealing: It encourages high-speed gameplay, it blends parkour platforming with precision, and its retrowave environments look really freaking cool. But, its PlayStation implementation is somewhat buggy, hindering the momentum further beyond progression decisions that already prevent players from blazing through the games. I want to believe that Blazing Stick will continue to support the PlayStation version and iron out some of the kinks (and hopefully release new content, too), as its current implementation leaves much to be desired.

Judging The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition on its entertainment value is easy – it’s perfect. It has an unbelievable story, compelling characters, solid gameplay, and a properly thought-through backend that shows the developers are all-in on delivering an unforgettable experience. On the next-generation upgrade side of this release, it’s just not complete. While the performance mode takes the experience up a notch with visuals and frame rate, the Ray Tracing mode is unplayable and incomplete. It hurts the experience more than it helps it.

For an indie title, Kukoos: Lost Pets offers players a taste of charming 3D-platforming that has a potential for something much greater in the future, and I’m interested in seeing what more Kukoos has to offer in the future. Its ability-based platforming encourages folks to exercise precision, dexterity, and thoughtfulness, but I can’t help but want more from PetitFabrik’s charming universe that is the Kukoos. Sure, the Switch may not best accommodate precision compared to other platforms, but the platforming proper and successful charm of Kukoos is definitely enough to hold you over this holiday season.

The majority of games featured in the NEOGEO Pocket Color Selection Vol. 2 are fun, while some fall flat. Overall, I think SNK released a solid selection of titles for volume 2 of this series with some added extra to boot, but they really do need to rethink that price point.

NHL 23 is a good step for the franchise this year, and there needs to be major praise for this. They have been great strides up the ice, but overall I just felt myself wanting something more.

There is a lot to like about Pixel Heart Studio’s Airoheart when it comes to harkening back to classic games that made us smile. It has some solid dungeon crawling, a big world to explore, and a fun story that truly does give a sweet kiss to the golden age of action-adventure RPGs. It just needed a bit more cleaning and tightening in some areas before it was released. I think the game can improve with patching, but as it stands now, it still feels like it needs a bit more finish to shine.

Ground Divers! is an interesting specimen, albeit one that looks much better than it ends up playing. On one hand, being a spectator and plotting out mining paths may be an adult’s dream of a nuanced Dig Dug. On the other hand, the grindiness of replaying levels and creating gacha-esque weapons with random perks can detract from a strategic experience. The world of Ground Divers! is a charming (but desolate) one, sure, but I want so much more from this game. Should you take the plunge and try your hand at Ground Divers!, I recommend playing in short bursts to avoid burning out on the grind.

Regardless of the mode you play in, expect better-than-the-original-2003 graphics, but still rather underwhelming graphics quality overall. This is not a beautiful game, and I thought a lot of the general appearance was a little muddy and lacking crispness. Now, some of the larger, static structures and things look great, but on the whole the graphics were a disappointment, personally. You just have to remember this is a straight-forward and probably low-ish budget “remaster”, and not a full reprisal of a great game.

Broken Pieces ultimately leaves an impression on the player. The setting and tone are undeniably intriguing and will spark the curiosity of willing players. Presenting a massively fascinating web of narratives, developer Elseware Games aimed high but definitely got a little lost in the weeds on delivering a satisfying conclusion. But the exploration and puzzle-heavy gameplay may begin to wear on players seeking more action than backtracking. Broken Pieces has its moments but never manages to capitalize on its initial promise.

Destroy All Humans! 2: Reprobed is a fine remake of a largely unnoteworthy game. Amounting to what is ostensibly more of the same, fans of the original or even 2020’s remake will probably be able to extract some fun for a few hours. Everyone else should probably just check out or replay through the original Destroy All Humans! And its 2020 remake, as it’s by far the better experience.

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is an interesting and fun direction to take the characters and series. It has so many pieces that work but is hampered by inaccurate controls that cause frustration. If you can live with those controls, then you’ll find a fun game underneath that had a lot of thought and love put into it.

Bright Memory Infinite is an impressive feat for a lone developer, but even at $20 it’s not without some hesitation that I recommend it. I thought the game was fun and worth the less-than-three hours it took to get through, but I don’t see myself ever going back to play through it again. If you’re an avid fan of FPS action games and are willing to overlook some glaring issues (AI, repetitive textures and design, crashes, linear level design), BMI is worth checking out.

Witch Strandings is an intriguing experiment that underdelivers on complexity but excels in atmospheric emulation and simple gameplay. I cannot help but want more from Witch Strandings, and I hope that Strange Scaffold continues to build on this experiment.

Mechanic Battle is a fun, fast-paced game with lots of variety. There is a good amount of replayability, customizable cars, and engaging gameplay. The steering controls were confusing at first, but as you progress it becomes second nature. The visuals are good and the racetrack designs are unique. Overall, Mechanic Battle is a fun and fast-paced game with bright visuals and exciting car races.

Dolmen has wonderful visuals, interesting concepts, and a soundtrack that goes great with the feeling of the story. A sticking point could be the difficulty of the enemies and the issues with struggling to progress, which might make it hard for the players to stay engaged at times. That said, if you are looking forward to a challenge with tougher enemies than usual, alongside futuristic yet apocalyptic graphics, this is the game for you!