SteamWorld Build is an enjoyable city management game that is perfect for newcomers to the genre. Its friendly approach makes its building simulation and mining complex but not overbearing. A thin narrative and limited post-game can hamper long-term engagement but the SteamWorld license proves malleable enough that satisfaction can be found for nearly anyone.

The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection had some classics in it, as well as some games that I have never seen before in my life. The addition of the extra content was brilliant, and makes the collection worth your time. If you’re an SNK fan, or you just like old games, then add this to the list.

Mystery of the Mooil Rig explored how well Sunset Overdrive could operate under constraints. Dawn of the Rise of the Fallen Machines proves the inverse is true as well.

Ultimately, Yield! Fall of Rome from developer Billionworlds is a simple and entertaining experience that brings enough complication to make it a good strategy game.

The Coin Game from developer devotid and publisher Kwalee is a fun game, especially if you love those ticket arcade gaming experiences. The games are methodically created, fun, and addictive. The two main modes, Survival and Birthday, are just different enough to enjoy a variety of gameplay experiences depending on one’s mood. The game does have its faults, but it has more good than not.

Overall, Detective Gallo is a great point and click game with little to dislike. It brings a solid story, some very likable and dislikable characters, and it does the point and click genre justice. The difficulty might be a bit too much for some, but the payoff is worth it.

House of Wolves adds many of the tools that Destiny needs to be successful in the long term. It gives players more content than ever, while still keeping old content relevant. It strikes a new balance between PVE and PVP end-game activities. But at the end of the day, this is still Destiny—and Destiny is nothing if not polarizing.

End of Zoe is a Resident Evil 7 gaiden that replaces guns with fists, herbs with bugs, and grenades with javelins. Becoming a bog frolicking ex-boxer uncle who fights monsters with his bare hands is precisely how I wanted to end 2017. End of Zoe is temporal, unhinged, and, either by intention or accident (it doesn't matter), often hilarious.

WRC 7 is an unexpected delight when it comes to Rally games. It may not have the amount of depth and control as other Rally series, but it makes up for it in entertainment and fun. There’s enough modes, enough beautiful landscapes to race on and enough concentration on keeping gamer attention squarely on the road.

If you enjoy mathematical problems with comedic setups straight from early 90s computing, then this game is for you.

For Super Monkey Ball fans out there, this game is going to be fun because of the variety of creative mazes SEGA has in store for you. The modes beyond the main will be hit or miss depending on expectations. Nonetheless, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is mostly entertaining.

Velan Studios’ Knockout City is a fun game that anyone can pick up and play. It has everything it needs to be a go-to competitive game that is destined to find its way regularly on an Esports schedule. If the promised content is consistently delivered, then it will certainly stick around for years to come.

Crisol: Theater of Idols, from developer Vermila Studios and publisher Blumhouse Games, is a good game that brings a gorgeous, yet horrifying world to life in a reimagined Spain. The game introduces some interesting mechanics that players will either love or have a tough time with, which may affect their gameplay experience. Still, it’s a solid game that, at the very least, tries to take a different FPS route.

World of Final Fantasy Maxima adds enough content, including mirages, and enough adorable personality to make it a possible purchase. Newcomers to the series might benefit off the Maxima upgrade in one package due to the overall body of work being new to them more than those that are merely upgrading.

Overall, The Sims 4: Get Famous is a fantastic expansion pack that brings a defined goal to Sims 4 gameplay. Working your way to the top through various gigs until you’re a superstar is a beautiful rush. The amount of thought and steps you have to put into the process makes this expansion complicated, yet fun. It certainly still has that Sims 4 groundwork to the process, but the feeling of accomplishment, or failure, is a bit more defined in Get Famous.

Overall, Project Wingman is a wonderful flight game. If you’re looking to get your wings, but Flight Sim is way out of your realm, this is the next best thing. The story is forgettable through a lot of the game, but that isn’t the full selling point really. The actual flight and gameplay is the main event. Once you get over the steeper learning curve, the game is honestly a blast to rip around and fly in. Combat lacks some, and honestly, I feel like just a free mode for flying would be a nice addition for the game as a whole. It’s a really good game, and though the overall presentation lacks at times, it redeems itself with gameplay.

Verne: The Shape of Fantasy from developer Gametopia is a fascinating adventure that uses a classic author within their own classic tale to push a good story while supported by beautiful visuals and sounds that harken back to 90s-style gameplay. That gameplay works for the most part, though some more direction with puzzles and a more balanced story could have worked a few more wonders for the overall gaming experience.

Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest is a solid RTS that has a competent MMO component with it to make the game challenging and entertaining.

Alone in the Dark‘s revival has been a long time coming. And while this new take on the mysteries of Derceto Manor carry a decades-long weight of survival horror innovation, Pieces Interactive almost missed the mark. Barring underwhelming combat and a lack of polish, curious players will be met with an expertly acted, unnerving tale of madness that just might be the spark Alone in the Dark needs to reemerge from the shadows.

The Capcom Arcade Stadium is a wonderful trip down memory lane that may not contain everything that you want or love, but has enough variety to justify the price and keep you entertained when you need a break from today’s big titles.

In the end, NHL Supercard is such a quick hitter with fun that it’s tough to hate it, even with the hockey moniker. Its fast gameplay makes for an addictive time. The added value of power-ups and enhancements, plus the motivation to acquire better cards, keeps the intrigue flowing long after interest might/should have run out.

Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love is a great niche release if you're into Japanese games that are heavy on anime, SRPG, and dating. For those gamers, they will find a polished, if not perfect, localized title with a lot of content and reason to comeback.

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.

Like Aeternum Game Studios’ prior work, Eden Genesis made me feel like I was a master of platforming – at least once I had spent enough time in each level patiently trying, trying, and trying again to get that S rank. Its platforming-meets-metroidvania is unique, but I just wish that there was greater effort made into giving each biome a unique set of mechanics to distract from the steep difficulty curve.

I had a good time with FREERIDE: The Personality Test. Sure, I had some reservations with the outcome of the personality test and its method of presentation, but it was worth the few hours it took for me to get to the end to get those results. The emotional train ride and delightful soundtrack got me right in the feels.

A competent fighter with appreciable depth and complexity, but one that's not overly technical, either. Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax is a fine addition to the Vita and PS3 2D fighting library.

Bandit Trap from developer PICOMY is a fun multiplayer game that creates a unique, two-sided challenge between home invaders and homeowners. The 3v1 gameplay is simple and fun, though it is still going through some growing pains.

Dystopika is the epitome of chilling and building a cyberpunk city of my own design. The lack of stakes, instructions, and guidance instills an experience of simply doing and being rewarded for creative designs rather than carbon-copy cities that look and function alike. If you’re in the market for a relaxing citybuilder to play in your downtime, look no further.

Overall, Firework is a hidden gem of a game. Though the story may be lacking, the gameplay does more than enough to make up for it. It provides a unique experience for people and is easy enough to pick up and go. For people who have enjoyed the Mega Man series, this is a game that you should play. It provides enough interesting challenges while still being manageable to beat. If you have a few hours in your life to spare, Firework is a game that doesn’t disappoint.

Draknek and Friends’ The Electrifying Incident: A Monster Mini-Expedition lives up to its name as a bite-sized thinky game. While it strikes the sweet spot of puzzle solving without giving too much away, it may be seen as too difficult. Don’t give up, though – it’s worth it for the hour-or-so it’ll take to reach the end.

Space Invaders Forever drops a trio of games in your lap that bring a variety of gameplay for solo and multiplayer experiences. It certainly treats the Space Invaders franchise appropriately, even though not all the games included work as planned.

The Atelier series is loved by many and I think those very fans will be really pleased with NISA and Gust's efforts in this latest adventure.

With such a strong concept, it could have been one of the better games of the decade. However, the lack of polished execution has led to merely an incredible concept wrapped inside a shell of control issues that make it difficult to enjoy.

While certainly still needing some improvement, Project Aces is drawing closer and closer to a perfect Ace Combat game. With improved visuals, a fun dogfight mode and strong online play, there is a lot to be happy with when it comes to Ace Combat Assault Horizon.

Wallace & Gromit in The Grand Getaway from developer Aardman Studios is a great nod to the series. The story is solid with fun and innocent humor, while characters bring their A-game to make the adventure feel like the Wallace & Gromit world. The gameplay is a little light on VR content, certainly not as deep as other VR titles, but it’s good enough to entertain a wide variety of gamers including those young gamers just starting their journey into the VR world.

At the end of the day, Red Wings is actually a good game. Is it great? Probably not, mainly for longevity reasons, but it’s fun to play. It feels like a well-designed and executed WWI dogfight game and it certainly is a comfortable bit of fun on the Nintendo Switch. Will it be replacing your Flight Simulator on your PC anytime soon? No, but that’s okay.

DiRT shifts into a different gear with Showdown, moving away from its rally sim roots to a more arcade and destruction-friendly forum.

R.U.S.E. is a good game that has some flaws. The one thing that Ubisoft and the devs were counting on to entertain (the R.U.S.E. option) pays off really well in the end. The rest of the gameplay elements aren't overly different from what we've seen before in an RTS, which makes R.U.S.E. simply good and not great.

Dontnod Entertainment has a knack for keeping the flaws hidden in Life is Strange thanks to an engaging story. Even if pressing buttons in the right order or at the right time isn’t your gaming ‘thing’, the Twin Peaks driven feel of the story will keep you coming back for more.

Alone With You sometimes suffers inside of its medium, an understandable impedance of a small project that simply can't be good at everything. Its eagerness to sidestep conventional challenges with singular objectives, however, will last longer than some of its prosaic mechanics. Valuable science fiction maintains a crucial element of humanity, a facet of storytelling Alone With You embraces with, of all possibilities, relatable human beings.

Dragonborn is a solid welcome back party for Skyrim's PlayStation 3 audience. For a system that once struggled to run the game competently, Dragonborn is practically a technical showpiece. The only hitch is that it requires sustained interest Skyrim, a desire that may be tough muster for those who ended their terms with the game amicably. If you're not in that crowd, or maybe you took an elongated break, it’s hard to think of a better invitation to dive back in.

Ad Infinitum is at its most terrifying when reflecting on the psychological and generational toll war has had on humanity. When stripping people of their grasp on reality and sense, psychological horror games often shine. But when Ad Infinitum translates the deeper consequences of colonialism and pride and its impact during World War I, I felt more terrified. Revelations don’t always have to be grotesque or induce fear to make an impression.

Duke Nukem fans, this game is for you. The campaign features nice balance and many of the same elements that have since come to define the DN experience. The presentation could be better, and the "loading checkpoints" is a chore to deal with and definitely interrupts the flow. Online, while simple, offers an incredibly fun experience that can be hard to put down.

It has a lot of genres in its melting gameplay pot that work for the most part, though fall short in flavor in other sections of the game. The fact that a developer took a big enough chance to try something that isn’t too common these days with big titles, that says a lot for their dedication to the game. Give it a look.

Star Fox 64 3D is a solid remake of the original Nintendo 64 classic.

Berzerk Recharged from SneakyBox and Atari gives a tip of the hat to a wonderful 80s arcade experience, even at times when the hat tip means carrying some of the original frustrations.

Long Gone Days makes an incredibly easy recommendation for those wanting a narrative-forward and cerebral RPG that will make you feel emotions along story beats. It excels in storytelling and creating feelings of fear out of a war-torn alternate reality where geopolitical tensions are as equally sensitive as they are now. But, if you want an RPG that encourages thoughtful party management and turn-based combat, you should look elsewhere.

Capcom did a lot more than just spruce up the graphics and add in some concept art with the DMC4 Special Edition. The new playable content makes this a significantly different game than it was seven years ago, and one that any DMC fan should own.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked is a strong addition to the current lackluster 3DS lineup. Though it isn't truly a 3DS remake that utilizes all of the systems capabilities (including a very small amount of 3D), it does feature polished graphics, the addition of voice acting, and a new scenario to add to the multiple endings from the original version of the game.

While Yoshi’s Woolley World sometimes becomes stagnant from level to level, and the lack of chances the game takes helps push that along a bit, it does have some great things going for it to make the entertainment prominent. The challenges, the motivation to explore and the overall theme of the ‘Woolley World’ help to alleviate the shortcomings the game contains. Yoshi’s Woolley World is fun, especially in terms of visuals and Yoshi’s added personality, but it’s not perfect.

Sweet presentation, solid gameplay, great game modes, and a hearty online section all help construct a must have for your "so bored, but not sure what to play" collection.

The Devil May Cry 4 core gameplay that made it fun in 2008 is still very much alive and breathing underneath the ‘special edition’ moniker, though some of the gameplay mechanics have been smoothed out. The added characters, improvement in visuals and price point might make this something to jump on, especially if you have never played the game.

Sniper Elite III is a very good game overall, but this Ultimate Edition is not quite as definitive or complete as it should have been.

Star Trucker from developer Monster & Monster and publisher Raw Fury is a solid game and a fun concept. It does enough to keep you in a space truck’s cockpit with its skills tree, challenging hauls, and push to keep exploring space and its vastness. It certainly has some fixable shortcomings but has more positive than negative.

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.

Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor is a hallucinogenic merry-go-round of oddities operating at dangerous speeds. Some passengers will be bored to tears at its perceived mundanity while others will find themselves charmed by its stylish construction and otherworldly performance. A select few may be eaten by the ride. In any case, riders will find their expectations carefully challenged.

Victor Vran is a very competent and solid game that dungeon crawling ARPG fans should not miss.

Planetside 2 is entertaining, huge and still a work in progress. It’s certainly worth a go, if you have the available time on your side.

The longevity of the gameplay will be a concern. I’m sure at some point the family will move on and may not revisit it for a few months. I can see it getting a major break, especially when a few more AAA titles hit with the Nintendo Switch. Now, the forgiving factor for that future move will be the price point of the game. The game delivers so much for the $3.99 asking price. I can’t think of another game that brings my family together like this one for that price. It will be hard to find something that compares to it and keeps every member (and age) of my family together for some stupid fun.

Until Dawn doesn’t hide what it’s trying to do. It’s a game that focuses on story and QTE heavy gameplay. It has linear design driving it, while only deviating from the course with player choices, which affect the direction of the story. If you can accept these things, and realize it’s not perfect, then you’re going to probably enjoy Supermassive Games’ horror show.

Let It Die's gameplay is simplistic. It does add some crafting and decision-making as you progress in the game, but ultimately you’re in for a button-mashing method of gaming that is sickly addictive, even through its obvious flaws. It’s fun, frustrating and makes you want to come back for more, if not only to prove you’re capable.

Type-0 HD can feel like the tortuous result of hasty assembly, but if allowed the time and energy to piece itself together, it stands as clear and original as others bearing its exalted title.

Flight School Studio’s Stonefly is a lovely game that features a creative story, a gorgeous art style, and gameplay that is more relaxing than it is intense and frustrating. The only knock is some finicky controls, but that isn’t an obstacle that is going to get in the way of your enjoyment of the game.

Beautiful Desolation is one of those games that has a lot of strong points, but has a few significant drawbacks that keep the experience in check, so to speak. Still, despite its few drawbacks, I found myself hooked on the game after the first half hour and I had to see it through, not unlike the captivating experience that a good page-turning book can do for you. Plus, at only $20, you really can’t go wrong here if you’re looking for a solid sci-fi adventure with gorgeous visuals.

Omega Force certainly takes the core gameplay of Dynasty Warriors and boosts it considerably. A wider and deeper landscape for networking, invading and scheming, and sometimes playing as a politician, helps to make this title more than just another hack and slash experience. This depth will overshadow the lack of visual upgrade for current generation hardware.

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

What BOXBOY! lacks in visuals and style, it makes up for with complex level design and intricate gameplay that will keep your brain churning for hours. It may not replace any of the bigger puzzle games out there, but HAL Laboratory’s little box opus brings some good, easily addictive puzzle entertainment.

Overall, I think that this might be my favorite re-release on the Nintendo Switch so far. King of Fighters R2 has a fun fighting scheme, features unique and fun personalities renown for the series, and preserves most of what made King of Fighters great — cool moves to pull off during fights. If the screen size could be fixed, we would be golden.

At the end of the day, Eclipse: Edge of Light is a fun exploration game that will certainly keep you in awe at times without pulling you away with overcomplicated controls or a messy narrative. It simply asks you to traverse the alien landscape, discover a small narrative along the way, and be there. It doesn’t do more than that, nor does it do less than that, which is acceptable for a VR experience.

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.

While PUBG is struggling against the recent competition of Fortnite and Black Ops 4’s Blackout, it still offers up a different challenge on a huge map that relies more on simple gameplay mechanics than gimmicks (no one needs to dance that much). While the latter Battle Royale games are certainly more improved and up to date when compared to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, PUBG is still a solid Battle Royale experience on the PlayStation 4 with room to grow, especially graphically.

Launch the Baby from MoyaGames is a fun distraction in between AAA titles. Its simple gameplay concept mixed with its customization is just enough for a good casual experience, and the silliness doesn’t hurt either.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage from developer Ubisoft Bordeaux is a scaled-back version of the last three games. It puts more focus on story delivery than it does on gameplay options and complete execution of them. It’s a good game with a wonderful lead character, but at the end of the day, you’re probably going to leave the experience wanting more.

Kaze and the Wild Masks starts off as an innocent platformer from the 90s but goes from first to fifth gear quickly in difficulty. Ramping up to large amounts of difficulty and enjoying the scenery is what made platformers in the 90s good. With Kaze, the difficulty is such a dramatic shift that you’re stuck not having the ability to stop and smell the flowers that PixelHive has worked so hard to grow.

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.

Unless you fall squarely within the niche targeted by Band Hero's formula, you'll likely find that, primarily thanks to the musical selections, the experience is lacking the same sense of authenticity and grandeur typical of its pedigree.

When allowed composure, Mirror's Edge Catalyst becomes the colossal free running daydream that never seemed tenable. When pushed into conflict, either with its own systems or the demand of "content" in 2016, Mirror's Edge feels anxious and frenzied. Separating wondrous substance from obliged distractions isn't a distinction the game is capable of making, leaving gratification to the will of the player.

While not a *huge* upgrade from NBA 09, NBA 10: The Inside is still well worth a look for the NBA fan on the go.

Powerwash Simulator does not try to hide its true nature. What might barely feel like a game is more of an expression of that part of the brain that just wants to feel some kind of satisfaction. Whether it’s watching a person peel a large part of dried glue off their hand, seeing a massive pimple being popped, or using a controller to wash off an unrealistically dirty suburban house, there’s an audience here. Those who have already played Powerwash Simulator won’t find anything particularly special about the PlayStation 5 version. Undoubtedly, there’s varying levels of reward here but if you’re looking to relax, this may just be the ticket.

There’s a heavy focus on an arcade-styled Titan-slaying experience with mind-blowingly exhilarating movement…and little else. This is a game that I can see myself playing and replaying with friends so long as they’re fine with Unbreakable’s quirks.

Having reviewed plenty of AC titles in the past, I have found Armored Core: Silent Line as something refreshing and refined. There's plenty to love about this game, but the difficulty may turn gamers off.

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.

Taito Milestones 3 from ININ Games represents Taito arcade classics well. While it’s nothing more than a collection of Arcade Archives games, it still is nice to have more bang for your buck all in one place. I wish there was more history added to each game, just giving them more context and beef, but the price doesn’t warrant that type of Atari 50 effort. It’s still a solid collection.

Beenox did a good job with Edge of Time, but they left a lot of room for improvement for their next endeavor.

Bahnsen Knights is an interesting visual novel that leans heavily on pulp fiction storytelling while giving players the illusion of choice. While the game is quite short, it’s a good recommendation for a player wanting a gripping narrative set within a late 80s aesthetic.

Overall a very good initial offering from Eutechnyx. Their Euro background definitely doesn't seem to be a handicap as they were able to translate the "feel" of driving one of these big, heavy cars to a rather effective degree.

The Teeth of Naros is a solid expansion to a great game. Veteran players may not find a significant challenge in Naros, and there is no level cap increase, but the new content and environment is well worth the cost of admission for fans of Amalur.

Fighting game fans should endeavor to at least try All-Star Battle before dismissing it on the grounds of not knowing anything about JoJo's universe. On the other hand, JoJo's fans have ample reason to support Namco and CyberConnect2 by picking this one up.

A textbook, solid tennis sim from EA Sports that is accessible yet about as deep as you want it to be.

Thongs of Virtue is the second half of Deathspank. Billing this as a sequel is a bit disingenuous, but thankfully Deathspank's structure was quite good to begin with, and the humorous presentation remains delightfully distinctive.

Simple, fast, fun, and even funny gameplay/presentation makes playing a few quick games the perfect way to burn a half an hour.

While there’s a lot to like about Zero, its gameplay innovations seem sometimes obstructive and the presentation fails to impress in some regards. It’s still a great game, but measured against other timeless Nintendo classics, its shortfalls hold it back from standing in the company of giants.

Though the game isn't as endearing as Tetris DS, it's well worth the $30 price tag if you don't currently own another DS Tetris iteration.

If you can get the Kinect, and your body, perfectly placed then The Gunstringer is a hoot of a game. While it is short, there is still plenty to gain from it (unlockables, trophies and a co-op mode) including a very fun and strange story. If you own a Kinect you might want to give this a go.

Tingus Goose from developer SweatyChair is an oddly uncomfortable gaming experience that is driven by strategy and player-created structured multipliers. While it doesn’t go too far beyond what it wants to deliver, the game still brings enough entertainment for a ‘come and go’ gaming experience with a heavy dose of oddity to push it.

If Annapurna Interactive was to make their version of Pokemon Snap, it would be Umurangi Generation. Somehow, someway, Umurangi Generation VR gamifies photography in a way that makes it less of a chore and more of an emotional experience. Once you get past the jitters of the VR platforming, you’ll experience something more than just taking photos. You’ll be reminded of the joy photography instills – all thanks to virtual reality.

Carmen Sandiego from Gameloft contains a wonderful nod to the original series on PC. It brings the same elements of logical reasoning and reading comprehension requirements that the old series wore as a badge of honor. The new game does force these elements into some unnecessary gameplay wrappers but still manages to beautifully weave the original essence of the Carmen Sandiego series within it all.

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.