Katamari Forever doesn't try too many new things with this first PS3 version, but the old formula still works well. That said, I'd recommend this to newcomers and series veterans alike.

One of the Vita's best comes full circle and now also to the PS4. Toukiden Kiwami includes and expands upon Toukiden Age of Demons, making it an even more robust experience, but there is still the repetition to contend with.

WWE 2K14 gets a lot right and its key drawbacks are at least a little bit overshadowed in the process. There is still a whole lot of room for gameplay improvement though, something one can hope will be addressed for the next release or even in part with some patching.

Awakening is worth the price of admission. Treyarch has always done well with creating a solid multiplayer experience through creative MP maps and Awakening just reaffirms that notion.

Dying Light presents a dynamic and frustrating parallel; it's quick to dazzle its audience with heaping stacks of energetic (if not wholly borrowed) content, but equally capable of coming apart under the burgeoning stress of weaving it all together.

Leviathan is Mass Effect 3 with a touch of X-Files' atmosphere and LA Noire's investigations. What's not broken (or broken, depending on your point of view) hasn't been fixed, and the new narrative and gameplay angles are welcomed and unobtrusive. After a couple of pedestrian post-release offerings, Leviathan feels like a confident return to form, and it boasts one hell of a payoff for Mass Effect's greater narrative.

tar Fox Guard's class of tower defense is an exemplary validation of its platform's unique hardware. Like Super Mario Maker and Splatoon, it proves the Wii U's gamepad isn't a superfluous novelty, but a prudent force against an entrenched position.

Overall, with all its gameplay design simplicity on the surface, Journey to the Savage Planet still held some fun discoveries along the way that was drenched in short stints of tongue/cheek humor. It does bring a solid adventure and the fact that you can co-op with a friend helps to keep it all fresh and fun.

In sum, if you’re like me and like the Souls games for their lore and gameplay, but don’t want to spend hours in frustration with asinine difficulty, give Mortal Shell a sincere chance. Like any game in this genre, it can take several hours to get really comfortable with and in the groove, but when you do, it will hold on tight and you won’t want to put it down.

When evaluating a rhythm game, I take into account its complexity, soundtrack/tracklist, and replayability. Invector: Rhythm Galaxy’s gameplay ever-so-slightly improves an already good gameplay loop for a rhythm title thanks to how well it blends rhythm beats with cruising through stellar futuristic landscapes. Its difficulty spikes inconsistently, needing some mild curation in onboarding players. Its tracklist that’s comprised of licensed music is fantastic, on the other hand, and should appeal to fans from multiple audiences. Is it replayable? Yes, but some may feel pressured by its arbitrary completion requirements in its campaign. Taken together, it’s a great entry in the genre, and hopefully Hello There Games continues to refine the series and cement its place as a modern rhythm series of must-play proportions.

Despite its flaws, you still get some solid gameplay from Funcom's The Secret World. The story keeps you hooked and the simplified leveling system keeps you constantly improving. Those two things will keep The Secret World strong in the minds of MMO fans, as well as the hope for improvement and expansion.

Slant Six Games and SCEA have put out a solid third-person shooter for Sony's portable system. It has a large variety of weapons, solid online play and a single-player depth that puts Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to shame.

It’s not the Gran Turismo you’re used to, but it’s well tuned for on-the-go gaming.

In an age when design risks are often squashed by budget concerns, Zeno Clash is a runaway success. There is literally nothing else like it.

Kingdom Rush from Ironhide Game Studio is a casual and fun gameplay experience that doesn’t do too much to entertain but does enough to keep you coming back for more.

Ruffy and the Riverside finds quirky and joyful ways to meld past and present gaming ideologies. This is a mascot platformer collectathon at heart, feeling like a Nintendo 64 game but not being too bogged down by nostalgia and reverence. While its best ideas may sometimes feel underutilized, Ruffy and the Riverside is inventive enough to constantly push the player towards one new thrill after the next.

Although some of the unique elements like the Ooblet collecting and the dance battles may be surface level approaches compared to other games in this genre, I see a great amount of promise in Ooblets’ ability to provide a relaxing yet satisfying experience for players who have enjoyed farming, raising cute creatures, and occasionally deckbuilding. Your life may have been a giant toot before now, but Ooblets will definitely charm you to Elswair and back. Give Ooblets a chance — it’s absolutely worth it!

Overall, RIDE 4 was my first attempt at getting my toes wet for motorcycles both in general and racing wise. While excited going into this new world, I found myself uninterested and not entertained. Most racing games really bring me in and keep me there technically. As someone who works with their hands a lot and wants to know how things work/make them go faster, racing games really get me going. Herewith RIDE 4, I didn’t really fill that. It felt lackluster and just kind of plain.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior from Sand Door Studio and publisher Spotlight by Quantic Dream is a fun action game that is driven by strategy and a sprinkle of good storytelling. The gameplay’s unique ability to offer the player several ways to succeed in a fight keeps the gameplay interesting and engaging, while the challenge to complete said fight in X amount of time will ensure the game’s longevity and replayability.

If you enjoyed the original game, then you’re going to like what DotEmu delivers in the Windjammers 2. While I’m not a fan of taming the power-ups, I am a fan of competitive disc games that remind me how cool TRON was back in the 80s. Windjammers 2 is an easy-to-pick-up arcade experience that has far more positives than negatives.

Discounty from developer Crinkle Cut Games is an addictive and ever-expanding cozy game experience. It has enough quests, activities, and grocery store madness to keep you occupied while you take a break from Stardew.

Taking only 10 people into a medium-sized map and letting them go at it is honestly a really great start for someone new like myself. The colors are a cool futuristic look and the map landscape is honestly cool itself, no freezing and snow puns intended. Some of the processes like buying ramen and just how exactly all your special abilities are hard to understand fully at times, but that is OK as the more you go the more you unlock. The way this made me feel was that this is a good starter. If you want to get into the Battle Royale landscape and have no clue how or where to start, Darwin Project is a good ‘starter kit’ for anyone. There are times where its hard to understand and figure out, but that’s OK. It’s a really good game to get you into the genre.

Ion Assault is worth a look if you are a fan of the genre or space arcade shooters in general. It combines two well established formulas and adds some extra mechanics to make a rather interesting game. It's fun, challenging, and often frustrating.

Overall, Firis is a solid entry into the long-running franchise that should appeal to previous players and newcomers.

The Quarry is a thrilling experience from start to finish that any fan of Supermassive’s other horror games will immediately adore. If this is your first foray into their games, The Quarry is an excellent jumping-in point before diving into their other games. Standout performances, fantastic writing, and horrifying visuals are sure to delight all fans of horror.

Contra Anniversary Collection is another successful release under Konami’s Anniversary Collection moniker. It brings the old series back to life and reminds us that Konami really loved gaming back in the day. Hopefully, they can get that old feeling back again and reignite some of the other series that lie underneath their control.

Fire Emblem Warriors is the scheduled consequence of Hyrule Warriors; a sword-friendly Nintendo treasure paired with Omega Force's quantitatively indisputable knack for mowing down thousands of bad guys in the pursuit of an even worse guy. Somehow, in spite of the presumed absence of inspiration, Fire Emblem Warriors remains engaging. It will always be fun to destroy perpetuating hoards with only a modest commitment from your mind.

Bit.Trip games are less like versions of established genres and more akin to interpretations of them. It's like Gaijin Games waved the correct badge to get in the door, but then took a hard turn and veered off the map after they got through. Bit.Trip Fate interprets shoot ‘em ups through an electrocardiogram line and renders it a tool for exploitation rather than a railed limitation. It’s weird, it’s distinctive, and it’s great while it lasts.

It's not always up for the traditional definition of fun, but it perfectly captures the disorientation and despondency of balancing dire problems between the dearest of friends.

PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC from developer Now Production Co. and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment is a nice revision of an old 3D platformer. It maintains the essence of early 3D platforming that made it stand out back in the day, while adding and improving modern amenities that make it feel more present than ever. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s fun to play.

Bounty Star from developer DINOGOD and publisher Annapurna Interactive is a lot of different things. It’s a narrative-driven game that features a heavy amount of customization and crafting. All of which goes through mech fighting, which might be the weakest part of the entire package.

Sonic Colors Ultimate takes one of the best 3D Sonic games from the past and brings it to platforms it has never reached before, all in a fairly-priced, nicely done Ultimate package. It’s easy to recommend to any fan of Sonic games, including those like myself that never got around to playing the original in the last decade.

In the way that sports games go, this is every bit a $60 release, even with availability limited to aging hardware.

Overall I was very happy with the game, as I honestly wasn’t expecting a whole lot from a developer who I had never heard of. Curve Digital has been around since 2005 but when I looked through their roster of games, I recognized not a single one. So cheers to them for this release, I very much look forward to see what they put out next after this success.

The Division 2 Warlords of New York is the cherry on top of Massive's looter. The return to New York is a confident one, where overhauled systems improve and clarify build diversity. While the new play space is underutilized, forward-thinking endgame content will surely drive engagement for the long haul.

Despite some parts of the game being more simplistic overall, the exploration of the catacombs is far more enthralling than the over world from Challenge of the Warlords.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited makes its console debut in quite a functionally good fashion. The additional content, improved stability and expansive adventure makes for a great game.

Columns’ gameplay is simple, addictive, and largely fun, but it’s also quite a challenge. Despite loss after loss, Columns and Columns II are fun to go back to and try again, just see if I could top my last score. Puzzle games, good ones that is, have a way of being addictive like that. At a point, after a few hours total over the course of a few days, my interest fizzled out, for now at least. But for about $8, and to support future works of M2 and the Sega Ages line, and as a tip of the hat to recognize Columns II finally being released on a home console, I’d still recommend this release for anyone with even a marginal interest.

Disney Illusion Island from Dlala Studios is a fantastic platformer that features some gorgeous animation, a decent story, and short stints of good gameplay that will keep gamers hooked. While it may not completely satisfy more seasoned gamers, it should entertain those who adore the mouse house.

The best part about Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is that it's a lot of fun.

The Swindle is frustrating at first glance, but smooths out to spread its steampunk wings thanks to some good depth, variety and quick gameplay style.

As always, M2 did a superb job with the overall package of this Sega Ages release. Cool borders, screen filters, a clean and concise online manual, online rankings, and just all of the top quality production we’ve come to expect is included here. Still, I can’t say G-LOC Air Battle is a game I will play very often at all, but I am really glad that it got the M2 treatment and finally has arrived in a home release, decades after its original arcade debut.

Life is Strange 2 on the Switch is simply that. Are you a person who has managed to not touch the series or this particular entry yet? Do you only have a Switch? Then this is the version for you. The core game is an excellent narrative adventure full of emotional ups and downs. On Switch it may be inferior to PC, PlayStation, or Xbox but now all players can enjoy the full Life is Strange trilogy wherever they would like.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments delivers a good system for finding clues and solving murders with a complex clues and deductions system, plenty of puzzles to be had, and good mysteries to boot.

One Piece Odyssey is a great RPG when the story isn’t getting in the way of its pacing. There is so much to enjoy about the gameplay with its action and creativity, as well as the turn-based structure that is typical of this genre. On its own, the story isn’t too bad either. It is fun and light-hearted with a small sense of good drama to keep it engaging. But the unbalanced space sharing between both gameplay and story causes such a stop-and-go pacing problem that in the end the gameplay experience is so heavily disrupted that it is tough to enjoy the game.

The Deadly Tower of Monsters is the latest in ACE Team's Ghastly Menagerie of Interactive Curiosities. Inventive ideas with perspective and the concept of ascending a lavishly decorated outdoor tower put some distance between The Deadly Tower of Monsters and genre conventions, but, really, it's not why you're here. You came for an ambitious descent into Chilean pandemonium and this game holistically satisfies that urgency.

Aragami: Stealth Edition sneaks its way on the the Switch, and if you’re like me and you missed it three years ago, it’s worth a look if you’re into the stealth action genre. It was never a ground-breaking game per se, but it is well put together and worth checking out.

All in all, NBA Live 19 is a solid tip-toe towards what I think could be a great competitor in the basketball video game world. Even though The One is excellent and should be played, everything else is lacking and feels phoned-in. If EA were to put as much effort and innovation into their other modes as they did with The One, they’d have a real contender for best basketball sim out there. But please (please) change the shot meter.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved is the best workout game to date and an excellent choice for Kinect owners this holiday.

It still brings some of the most intense campaign gameplay in comparison to other FPS titles at launch, and brings some unique elements (enemy A.I. and the OWL) to make it worth your time and money.

A very welcomed addition to the PSN and to my game collection, The House of the Dead 4 finally comes home.

Rainbow Six Extraction may appear to be a vast departure from all things Tom Clancy’s and Rainbow Six on the surface. However, it is an often thrilling, tense PvE game that implements some of the best shooting mechanics found in Siege. Rather than focusing on swarms of fast moving zombies and floods of randomized loot, Extraction keeps things simple and often muted, rewarding careful and deliberate play. It may not have deep progression and constantly evolving objectives but it does present a challenge that only Rainbow Six can bring. While Ubisoft typically supports their games for the long term, I’m curious to see if Rainbow Six Extraction will be able to shine in this increasingly busy space and prove that the risk–and lengthy delay–was mostly worth it.

Hardline is a great game if considered on its own merits, but it’s not the best Battlefield game.

Whereas Lost in Nightmares offered a delicious modern take on the Resident Evil's past, Desperate Escape is content to serve up increasingly stale leftovers.

I cannot help but appreciate how Arcadegeddon hooked me into this really player-friendly loot shooter. The arcade-y elements are replayable, rewarding, and worth playing with friends. Arcadegeddon hits the spot as an MMO with roguelite elements with an awesome arcade aesthetic. But, I want more. Much more. If Arcadegeddon is to succeed in the MMO/roguelite space in the longer term, some of the advancement mechanics (such as preserving progress of longer runs) and lategame gameplay needs to be refined and expanded. I want additional modes like time trials that can easily and reliably completed in a single sitting. At the same time, I want some additional variety to make a three hour gauntlet exciting to reach. If you’re wanting a co-op loot shooter that’s easily picked up and played, look no further than Arcadegeddon. If you want something deeper, wait around a bit. Hopefully Arcadegeddon can hit that sweet spot, too.

If you come in expecting LEGO 2K Driver to fit firmly with previously released LEGO games, then you’re in for a world of disappointment. This is a game of its own based purely on racing and open-world exploration. While not all of it works completely, it does have enough charm and creativity to push it through as a game worth playing.

Dune: Spice Wars from developer Shiro Games is the ultimate experience for any Dune fan looking for a well-designed and respectful translation of the sci-fi series into an RTS gaming form. It has all the intricate details and power moves that are featured in the books, while at the same time crafted to be a familiar real-time strategy experience at its forefront. The only downer is the amount of gameplay element juggling a casual RTS fan might have to do to enjoy the game, which could turn them off from playing it.

Overall, Black Desert Online is a typical MMO in every single way. While I disagree with their claim that it’s the “next generation” of MMOs, I did find the character creation to be the most robust of any MMO out there. Unfortunately, the character customization is the game’s biggest highlight, and many of the other elements of Black Desert Online can be found in many other MMOs.

While Dawnguard probably could have contained a bit more for its $20 price tag, most gamers who have dedicated months of their lives to playing this game will not be disappointed with their purchase. For the time being, I'm hooked again, and that means I'm probably going to have to go pay off my ridiculously high bounty in Whiterun.

The Grandia HD Collection lacks any bells and whistles worth gushing over. Rather, it is a perfect excuse to uncover a legacy JRPG series that many would argue has been lost to time. Players may long for higher quality remakes to allow for the most optimal, modern experience available but sometimes, a polished time capsule is all we need to enjoy a game in its purest form.

Demonschool from developer Necrosoft Games is a wonderful tactical turn-based fighting game that will entertain players thanks to a strong story, good strategy-led map designs, and enough characters to create multiple paths to approach fights. While it needed to be a bit less linear and more user-controlled on the story side of the tracks, it’s a fantastic experience from beginning to end.

SLEEP AWAKE‘s psychedelic horror takes players on a delirious journey where the very world shifts and deceives. Its strength lies not in its ability to scare but its ability to make the player question their own eyes. At what point would exhaustion take hold and we refuse to carry on? Mediocre stealth and remedial puzzles inflict minimal damage on this mind-bending narrative, proving that not all fear must jump out at you. Sometimes the worst horrors are the fictions we create in our head.

Excluding Wii Party, Mario Party 9 is the first we've seen in nearly five years of what was historically a perennial series. This break in the action has provided an opportunity for reinvention, and to some extent, that's what's occurred. What it all boils down to is a clever, unexpected, and much-needed reboot of a series that previously didn't seem to have much left in the way of creativity. It won't turn haters into lovers, but it's most certainly a step in the right direction for the franchise.

Clearly, fans of the genre, especially those that prefer to play on console as opposed to PC, should give PD a serious look. If you’re on the fence about diving into the genre, and your committed, this is also a great way to jump in, just expect some frustrations along the way.

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is a refreshing reboot, at least in my mind, to an ailing, overused franchise. Packed with adventure, excitement and just about everything you would expect from a Pirates' film, Disney Interactive Studios and their developers hit a home run with this release.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is a standout shooter experience. A globetrotting campaign that features some of the franchise’s best visuals features a core mystery that is over far too quickly but remains strong. I also wish the Zombies mode wasn’t impacted by a content drop that is expected a month from launch, meaning that players are given an engaging but sometimes toothless wave-based assault on the undead. Yet the multiplayer is an exceptional entry at the heart of Vanguard. It offers refinement on the standard set by Modern Warfare and gives players an incredible amount of challenges to complete to best show off their combat prowess. While a new Warzone map isn’t here yet, there’s plenty to look forward to in the months to come. Despite skipping a year, Sledgehammer Games is at its peak with Call of Duty: Vanguard, delivering a premium World War II shooter and an incredible Call of Duty game.

Outriders is a fresh, new IP. While it’s getting compared to others in the genre constantly, it stands alone as its own game and unique idea. I for one can’t wait to see where Square Enix and People Can Fly take the concept. There is a wealth of good here and you can see its promise for a long time to come.

Crysis Remastered Trilogy is a must-have for any fan of the games or of the FPS genre in general. This release represents the best way to play three of the best shooters from the mid-2000s. The absence of Warhead and multiplayer is unfortunate, though. Still, for the price, the amount of quality content that you get here is well worth it.

This one is for the nostalgic fans out there that grew up with and respect the 8-bit era. Nintendo has put together some solid mini-games and remix levels from some of their strongest NES titles. You’ll find a lot to love about NES Remix 2. Just beware of the occasional frustrating moments.

Many would agree that Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 was the most complete Naruto game to date, and Full Burst only extends what UNS3 had to offer. It's still a niche game for a niche audience, but it's well-developed, refined, and loaded with quality content.

The HD version of Onimusha: Warlords is reminiscent of the wave of remasters that hit the PS3/360 era, which served as a passable way to introduce players to popular games from the previous generation. Rather than taking the route of the stellar Resident Evil HD Remaster, Capcom has put out a version of Onimusha that is easily accessible to a current audience and seems to act as a way to gauge player interest for the future of the franchise.

If I was to call MainFrames a proof of concept, I would be grossly overlooking its stellar presentation of byte-sized platforming as a little floppy disk. Yes, it’s difficult at times, but just about anyone can reach its end credits within a few hours. Developer Assoupi has nailed the platforming formula to a T; I can’t wait for more!

Kunai is a wonderful game that I am sure rewards a high level of mastery over its mechanics. It looks great, sounds amazing, and plays quite well for the most part. However, the bugs I encountered and some of the lackluster designs throughout the game often made me either sleepy-bored or frustrated at being killed by events largely out of my control. It feels clunky at some points and I believe needs just a bit more refining but it is a great game underneath it all.

‘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.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings back Max Caulfield for a new adventure, allowing Deck Nine to incorporate everything they’ve learned from the series so far. It captures the raw emotion of True Colors and the intriguing mystery of Max’s inaugural journey. But even with new powers, the emotional stakes are the same as ever for Max and the player as Double Exposure proves life can always get stranger.

Regalia is just a great game that is worth a shot if you enjoy comedy, great characters and a lighthearted story. Also, if you’re a fan of classic JRPG isometric gameplay, look no further Regalia: of Men and Monarchs.

All things considered, if you’re looking for a challenge that will keep you occupied for an evening, Shio is worth a shot.

It’s a question I’m still struggling with. I liked playing Dancing in Moonlight. I unlocked everything in the game and earned a platinum trophy. I liked seeing these characters and hearing their voices again; it felt like hanging out with old friends. Like most human beings, I appreciate it when a low-key thing I enjoy specifically panders to me. It feels great to be seen. When I finished playing Dancing in Moonlight, however, I suspect it only exists to take my money.

This is an accessible game but one that is very challenging, yet it's always engaging.

Weird West excels at presenting players with an engaging, interconnected world experienced by five vastly different characters. It’s a game where multiple decisions ripple through the narrative, resulting in outcomes both unexpected and practical. While its attention to detail may not result in varied gameplay, its portrayal of a deeply weird yet familiar version of the Wild West elevates this CRPG in interesting ways, making WolfEye Studios’ debut a noteworthy homage to its roots.

While Puzzle & Dragons Z + Super Mario Bros. Edition might seem like another tile-based puzzle game that doesn’t go beyond what’s on the surface, it’s far deeper than what you would expect. It has RPG elements and a bevy of options to engage and motivate the addiction it creates.

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.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando obviously has echoes of titles like Left 4 Dead and Back 4 Blood in it. As a cooperative horde shooter it doesn’t stray from the pack in a way that is too experimental to prevent casual fun. Despite the gritty and realistic aesthetic, the open-ended maps offer numerous engaging objectives meant to challenge groups of players. By combining familiar elements of character classes and tangible upgrades, Saber Interactive has borrowed from its best titles to create a cohesive power climb that is best with friends biting back with enough fangs that challenges are fresh and fun.

Batman: Return to Arkham is a good collection that has considerable upgrades in a lot of areas, especially with DLC and other nice value add-ons. It does fall short a bit with graphical issues and frame rate, but nothing that would detour you from playing both games again on the PS4. The two original games are still some of the best adventures out there and worth any sort of graphical trouble, especially for those who have never tried them.

Level 5 and 1UP Studios have done a wonderful job of creating a lighthearted adventure that should be on any completionist's radar.

If you played Hard Reset before, there may not be quite enough here to make a return, but if you're otherwise down for a good FPS experience, this is a pretty solid choice.

Sure, it’s polished, has solid gameplay mechanics, and the graphics and characters are charming, but the reality is that a music game needs memorable music.

Freedom Wars has its shortcomings, but I would still consider it one of the top Vita games available.

Here’s the thing about WILDFIRE: This game is fun. The art is excellent. The music is solidly okay. The charm and memorability is fleeting and lacks the kind of variety of gameplay experiences you might have playing other games. This game will force you to think outside of the box. However, I am unsure if most will want to complete the game twice to fully unlock everything. Playing on the Switch brings its own unique challenges, like the issues with lag and aiming with the Joy-Con joysticks. If you and your friend played this game separately, you most likely will have had the same type of experience.

Everything in the Greymoor chapter is wonderful through and through. The new story is engaging and dark, and the new Antiquities system gives a nice break from running around saving Tamriel. I am always amazed by the work put into each new expansion to The Elder Scrolls Online and every time it exceeds expectations. I look forward to the rest of the DLCs coming out this year as a part of the Dark Heart of Skyrim event. And, if last year is anything to go off of, I am excited to see if Eastern Skyrim will be open to explore by the end of the year. Only time will tell, and I cannot wait!

On a base level his (and by extension Just Cause 3's) explosive areas of expertise remain impressive, but his application falls well short of expectations and ultimately becomes inert. What good are the world's greatest explosions when you stop caring to see them?

Eufloria is an ambitious game in constant search of a way to properly engage the player.

#BLUD from developer Exit 73 Studios is a gorgeous game that contains a familiar and goofy 80s/90s horror movie narrative theme but falls short in handing the gameplay control completely over to the player. The boss fights and selfie moments do make up for some of its shortfalls and also help to keep #BLUD more entertaining than not.

Overall I enjoyed my time with Project X Zone 2. As a first time player of the series, there was a lot I liked about the core combat mechanics and even some of the story elements. However, I felt as if the game relied too much on players’ previous knowledge of the series’ story, and often felt lost when references were made throughout.

This is a great pick up for your Nintendo DS, regardless if you liked or disliked the console version.

Guard Duty, for me, came out of nowhere, but instantly became a fun, short experience that I tip my cap to. It doesn’t revolutionize the genre (was never intending to, nor does it need to), it won’t make you suddenly like point-and-clicks if you don’t already (you’re missing out!), and yes, there are many other games in this old genre that have done it better. Nevertheless; for only $10, you can’t really go wrong, and if it supports future endeavors by this studio, all the better.

Sniper Elite V2 is a good game at face value, and a great game if you’re into the genre or the franchise. The Remaster is very well done in terms of being complete, providing a massive upgrade in visuals, and sprinkling in a few new goodies as well. The core game still has some quirks and rust as it did originally seven years ago, but the overall experience, especially when played co-op with a buddy, is well worth it.

Wizard With a Gun is yet another strange roguelike that finds enough ways to separate itself from the pack. A unique aesthetic that leans into survival and crafting may turn away players who want action. But the creative, magical gunfights are a spectacle on their own and even better with co-op. My hope is that over time, Galvanic Games adds to the experience, allowing Gunmancers to go turn back time again and fight back Chaos.