One would have expected a gentle tragedy out of Gotham City Imposters, not unlike the way its collection of wacky gadgets would perform against actual assault rifles. In practice, however, it's those same silly toys that boost Gotham City Imposters out of copycat land and into a neat realm all its own. If you want a bit of humor and subtle creativity injected into your competitive first person shooting, and don't mind its inherent familiarity, look no further.

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.

Directive 8020 is not without a handful of recognizable flaws and quirks that have been present in Supermassive Games’ horror titles for a decade. But the shift into science fiction is one of the many necessary changes to the formula. By toying with player expectations, this involved, character-driven horror fest emerges as one of the strongest entries in the Dark Pictures Anthology, laying the ground for a potentially enthralling Season Two.

LEGO The Hobbit brings a bigger world, improved gameplay elements and a deeper gaming experience than thought possible with a LEGO game. If you like the LEGO games, then you need this one in your collection. It’s certainly the best of the best amongst its LEGO brethren.

Romeo is a Dead Man is classic Suda51–an irreverent fever dream that constantly threatens to topple any notion of what a game can or should be. By challenging expectations, the game certainly has the potential to be polarizing to a wide swath of players. Yet there is a method to the madness and sometimes the most insane approach can make for the most enjoyable journeys.

Brink embodies everything that people thought online play would be on a console. You've got solid leveling up system that adds another layer of depth to a game that didn't need it, as Splash Damage could have just dialed it in and created just another first-person shooter. With that said, if you get the right team together and you understand your task when you play online then you're going to find Brink to be a very rich experience.

Papo & Yo should absolutely be commended for wearing its heart on its sleeve. As an experience it takes unprecedented strides with the power of its narrative and it will be cherished years on for its memorable final act. As a game Papo & Yo is noticeably less ambitious, employing pedestrian challenges and clumsy mechanics throughout. It's worth it, but unfortunately not without a few qualifications.

50 Pinch Barrage!! looks simple on the outside, but its complicated interior gameplay will bring intrigue and unexpected depth. Beware, though, as there is plenty of frustration to be had with the game.

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.

GYLT from Tequila Works is a heavy game to bear. Its story is overwhelmingly sad, relatable, and impactful. The gameplay is built to complement the story and the devs did a great job of pulling those two pieces together. This game isn’t for the faint of heart and it will certainly get you in the feels, but the journey is worth the emotional risk.

A Machine For Pigs may not appease fans of The Dark Descent, but it does offer a compelling entry into the genre, even if it's inferior to its predecessor.

It stumbles out of the gates, but underneath the issues lies a pretty good experience that I would hope will get better with patches.

Overall, The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos is a great tactical RPG from Artefacts Studio. It has everything you want from a tactical RPG, adds a sprinkle of difference with some of its design elements, and brings it all together with a solid bit of wacky humor and fun personalities.

Rayman – 30th Anniversary Edition, from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Ubisoft, shows off the original game on various platforms. While there is no doubt some repetitiveness with seeing the same game repeatedly on various systems, the collection still brings some good video game history and some fantastic gameplay.

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.

Rocket Knight is a solid revival of a classic Genesis franchise, but it suffers from a tragically short lifespan and high price tag.

A worthy addition to the Destiny expansion family. It brings more fun, better balance (risk/rewards) and a tough raid. Definitely a step up, but still contains some old caveats that the series can't quite shake in PvP that hurt it just a bit. Overall, it's a great expansion for the series.

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock had a lot of promise with an attempt at a more story driven Guitar Hero experience than before. However, even with a voice over narrative by the legendary Gene Simmons himself, the game still feels as unexciting to me as any of the recent music-simulation games on the market.

Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter is a successful sequel to the original game.

Immortals Fenyx Rising: The Lost Gods is a great piece of DLC because it’s entirely unexpected. Who would have thought an open world game of this nature could be distilled into an isometric platformer with great combat? As far as experiments go, this is one of Ubisoft’s stranger ones. And I really hope its a sign of things to come. Personally, I probably won’t ever reach a point of fatigue with open world games. They are easy to get lost in or put down for a long period of time and come right back to. The Lost Gods isn’t short by any means but it’s also unique enough that it may act as proof that new genres and new IPs can amount to something special for the publisher. I truly believe Fenyx will be back in all her godly might.

Motorslice from developer Regular Studio is a huge game that has a thick layer of good world-building that will hook and engage players throughout the experience. It also has tricky parkour that is hindered by loose controls at times, and a shallow sense of direction once the player gets going.

Bottom line is, Vandals is a fun game to have on your phone when you are trying to pass the time. Not a game where I am dying to play at any moment.

They Are Billions' crucible of experimentation and failure molds players into rugged survivalists. The RTS-style resource management and tower defense test the ability to aptly devote time to the bare necessities that will fend off countless hordes of undead. Harder to master console controls may add an extra layer of tension but living another day remains the sweetest of rewards.

Fall of Porcupine from Critical Rabbit is a serious story wrapped in cute animation that only Richard Scarry could fully appreciate. The story is driven by branching choices and relaxed from time to time by mini-games. The main crux of this game is the story, which may not be for everyone, especially considering the topics of conversation it presents. They can be powerful at times, but also empty on interactivity.

Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, from developer Hyde, brings together a strong essence that makes the series so much fun. A good set of modes, overdramatic characters, and easy-to-use mechanics make this experience entertaining and accessible, even for the non-golf fan. While it’s not perfect, it’s a solid release in the series.

Borderlands 2 VR is a game that is nearly perfectly translated into virtual reality. It contains everything you want from your Borderlands 2 experience, plus a bit more to make you feel like you’re a part of the game. Gearbox and 2K didn’t simply offer up a small piece of the pie, they offered up the whole pie. Just remember, too much of a good thing can make you sick.

Conan Chop Chop is a straightforward roguelite. While it may be shallow in some regards on the equipment and the worldbuilding front, the ability to play with friends can make this roguelite a worthwhile experience for those who want to introduce their friends to the genre. Yes, Conan is on the easier end of most roguelites, but this comes at the cost of a less-than-compelling single player experience. If you’re looking for a roguelite to ease you into the unforgiving nature of the roguelite gameplay loop of dying over and over again, then Conan Chop Chop won’t leave you frustrated.

I’m a sucker for old arcade games and having a 14-game Pac-Man collection at my fingertips is everything thing I thought it might be. Bandai Namco’s Pac-Man Museum+ is a must-have for Pac-Man fans and arcade junkies.

In sum, there’s a lot of good to Steelrising, I had a great time doing a thorough playthrough, but a few significant drawbacks temper the overall experience and keep it from getting into that upper tier of greatness.

Forgiving the tedious side-quests, aggravating random battles, and cliché cast and storyline, Nostalgia is actually a fairly solid role-playing title. If it weren’t so tragically constrained by its decades-old allegiances, however, it could have been much more than that.

Megaton Rainfall checks the immense power of a god with the civil responsibility of an altruist. It's a strong pairing, and one that only fails through the volatile application of its singularity. Playing god can be exhausting when you're only capable of indistinct destruction.

Axel & Pixel may be short, but it grants a feeling not often found in Live Arcade titles; when was the last time you pressed all way through a game because of its charm?

All things considered, World Stage is better than its predecessor in nearly every way—but it’s also a year later now, and the improvements, while palpable, are still marginal.

Presentation quality is quite good, with the protagonist’s voice-acting being especially notable. Your character at times will have a brief monologue, talking about life working for Oceannova, and the guy’s voice reminds me very much of Tom Hanks’ own voice. The dialog is brief, but well-written, and these spoken moments come up at good intervals to remind the player they’re on the right path. The graphics are also very good and the game is comfortable to play. Ultimately, Narcosis provides players with a compelling experience that’s easy to recommend.

The Cave tries to reinvent something that didn't need reinvention. Whenever it yields a smile or a chuckle with its sadistic sense of light-hearted humor, it slips right back into drudgery by being devoid of meaningful traversal mechanics. The Cave is not a bad game, but it fails to execute on its initial promise by creating an unnecessary tug-of-war between outdated and stale puzzle-platforming and a delightfully twisted sense of humor.

A superb game no matter how you -- or Ryu Hayabusa -- slices it.

GoldenEye 007 Reloaded has taken a risky jump from the relatively starved Wii FPS climate to the well-established PS3/360 market in exchange for a better online experience and some shiny HD visuals. Fortunately, thanks to some clever additions to the package and some much-needed refinements elsewhere, it stands with the big boys-just with a different overall attitude.

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened (2023) is a phenomenal mystery game and sequel with an intriguing storyline, awesome features, and beautiful graphics. Even though the game is shorter than the previous one, I think this is currently my favorite Sherlock Holmes game because the side and main quests never felt like a dull moment. There was always something to look forward to and a motive to keep playing, unveiling the reason for the people vanishing. Although I wished the game continued after Chapter VIII, I understand. Now, I hope there will be a third game in the series. Maybe it will answer the ending. I cannot wait to see the future of the younger Sherlock Holmes series. We might even see him grow.

There’s a lot of things about the series, and DoA6 specifically, that aren’t all that endearing to me, but underneath that noise there is an impressive fighting game with some deeper mechanics than it appears at first look.

Ground Zero, from developer Malformation Games, is a tip-of-the-hat to classic survival horror times, and well-executed with story and gameplay.

Overall, Just Dance 2017’s pros far outweigh its cons. The controls aren’t the best, as their inaccuracy is present from the moment you start moving, but there is a lot of fun to be had dancing and prancing your way to stardom, especially if you have young kids in the household.

A heart of gold surrounded by endless color makes it all easier to swallow, but you're left wondering what could have been had The Last Tinker's gameplay come on as strong as its presentation.

It's still an excellent game over three years removed from its original release, and having all of its content in one place here with spruced up visuals and tweaked loot distribution is nice -- but the graphical hiccups are a disappointment, although likely patchable. Still, for $30 or less, this is one of the best buys in gaming this holiday for anyone that hasn't played Darksiders II before.

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.

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.

esident Evil 5 is a product of its time. It is also a product of Resident Evil 4’s time. The generation-defining strength of the latter pushed against the contemporary ideas of the former, creating a surplus of vaguely Resident Evil content masquerading around in 2009’s milieu of cooperative action games. Depending on your expectations, Resident Evil 5 either remains a blissfully cooperative version of Resident Evil 4 or a harbinger of the monstrosity that became Resident Evil 6.

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.

Quotation forthcoming.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora may be the most “definitive” Avatar experience in a game we will ever receive and that should be relatively sufficient for most. Often, its limitations extend to the boundaries of it existing as a game with rules and objectives carved into it. But an open world is the only way to truly suit the lofty goals of what Pandora actually means from an entertainment level. The home of the Na’vi is supposed to feel real, like a place we could reach if only humans had the capability. And in that sense, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is practically boundless.

As a game, Wattam is a scatterbrained assembly of goofball logic and cumbersome mechanics. As an experience, it's an earnest expression of love, affinity, and forgiveness shared by all of its moving pieces. The product is a game that elicits joy without the videogame-y demand for precooked gratification. Wattam feels like a birthday party where all of your friends actually show up.

Tembo The Badass Elephant is a high quality, gorgeous, fun, and challenging 2D platformer that I'm happy to recommend.

With that said, the primary flaw in Assassin's Creed Rogue is the plot. Conrad, in Heart of Darkness, wrote "showing in this remark the weakness of many tellers of tales who seem so often unaware of what their audience would best like to hear." And Ubisoft Sofia has succumbed to these weaknesses. Rogue does not tell the story players want to hear.

Demetrios is a solid point and click title from Cowcat. It is point and click and dialogue-driven, even to a fault at some points, but the difficulty will be enough to offer up a challenge to those who love the genre. Demetrios certainly isn’t perfect, much like its main character, but it is intriguing enough to warrant a go.

Overall, this is a fun game. Upgrading your Arsenal and gaining new weapons and equipment to fight enemies feels very rewarding, especially when fighting the bosses. If you can get past the cheesy dialogue and fighting endless waves of common enemies, you will enjoy this game and all it has to offer.

At $20, Fatesworn offers a strong enough great to bland ratio for me to recommend. I thought the DLC felt a little formulaic, with a lot of boxes checked and not a lot of fresh creativity and inspiration, but, I adore Kingdoms of Amalur and was happy to dive into a new area with new content. Fatesworn will provide a solid ten hours, if not more, depending on the difficulty you’re playing on, your skill, and just how thorough you want to be. Given that you have to have completed the original (long) game to access this new content, Fatesworn is clearly for fans who enjoyed the original gameplay loop and want more of the same. If that’s you, like it was me, Fatesworn was worth the wait. Here’s hoping THQ Nordic keeps Amalur in their future plans.

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.

The Day I Became a Bird, from developer Hyper Luminal Games Ltd., is a fun, adorable visual novel adventure that features a fair amount of well-placed gameplay and a good dose of creative and nostalgic flavor to it. It’s a short journey, though, clocking in at 1.5 hours.

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record is a textbook definition of a director's cut. Those enjoying it for the first time won't know the difference, those who disliked it won't care, and those who loved the original will be split down the middle in their appreciation of a reworked interpretation.

The simplicity of Super Rocket Shootout cannot be understated. It’s a good ‘ol jump in and have fun sort of situation with the gameplay. It tosses in some goodies here and there for variety, but ultimately it just wants you to have quick bouts of fun. That’s a concept I grew up with in the arcade days of gaming and this is a concept that works for me with Super Rocket Shootout. That doesn’t mean that I don’t believe it can’t be more, and it should, but as it stands it’s fun.

This Collection is a decent tip of the hat to games of old, though it’s a shame that NG3 is still as bad as it is. The Master Collection is also priced fairly at $40, but it’s too bad that these games did not get more love on this release — the Master Collection is about as barebones as you can get for a compilation release. Still, if this is maybe an indication that the door to a whole new NG adventure is forthcoming, one that embraces the design of the first two, then that’s great news. Anyway — speculation aside — if you’re looking to relive these games or want to get into the franchise for the first time, this is very good way to do it.

The definitive version of How To Survive that's priced well and enjoyable online or off, solo, or with a friend.

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.

While it’s perhaps not as full as Animal Crossing or as thematically engrossing as Kingdom Hearts, Disney Magical World is a surprisingly nice addition to the Disney universe that stands well on its own while further extending the reaches of Walt’s massive canon.

Juggling a myriad of different game ideas, Dead Island works as either a cooperative loot fest with some friends or a solo decent into survival and isolation. For all it borrows from other games, it takes a step forward in twisting a real sense of adventure into the worn zombie apocalypse model. Unfortunately most of Dead Island's gifts can be compromised by a potentially ruinous save system or completely wiped out with bugs, neither of which should be considered acceptable.

Fallen Earth suffers from the same problems most MMO's face. Billing it's self by not having "elves and wizards" just takes away the fantasy veneer and replaces it with fresh thin coat of post-apocalyptic paint.

Super Meat Boy 3D is a thrillingly apt interpretation of the original Super Meat Boy. Those who loved Meat Boy’s squelching, sticky jumps in 2D would be hard-pressed not to fall in love with the same brutal execution in 3D. While some precision and legibility gets lost in translation to varying degrees of success, the wealth of content and homage is retained. Team Meat’s reverence for the genre is unmatched and I can’t wait to keep exploding in a hail of meat for years to come.

Ultimately, God’s Trigger’s grindhouse kitsch is effective because you can believe it was made by deeply inspired people who barely knew what they were doing. Blundering adrenaline has an unconscious authenticity which, by its nature, translates to a gnarly player experience. Misadventure is technically still an adventure.

Competent virtual reality creates a profound shift in the way games immerse players. Past the novelty, however, comes the demand to have a material effect on the virtual world. Being a witness is fine, but becoming a participant is better. Job Simulator, perhaps more than any other PlayStation VR launch title, neither dwells in abstracts nor resides in stasis. Its cartoony confines are genuine, and player agency, however modest, feels authentic.

Payday 2 Crimewave Edition brings all the fun of Payday to the console. It's the game to buy if you're looking for a new, smart shooter.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope isn’t a long game by any measure, but what it delivers in its time is used effectively enough to purvey a sense of dread. While not necessarily a traditional horror game full of jump scares or horrific machinations, Little Hope attempts to deliver nuance in the style of an arthouse horror film. It mostly gets there depending on a player’s choice, but overall it doesn’t completely stick the landing. Little Hope’s themes put in a 2020-context make it stand out as a horror title but otherwise, it offers very little in terms of true horror.

In 2020, Saints Row IV: Re-Elected’s combat feels prosaic, its glut of content perfunctory, and its humor antiquated. It’s great on Switch but actually playing it feels like looking through a weird interactive museum.

This is a twin-stick shooter that would feel at home as a Konami title during the mid 90s. With an engaging enough gameplay core, it’s certainly a good ride, especially if you have any desire to climb the leaderboards once your weekend with it is over.

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.

What it does is haphazardly simulate the thrill of ripping a man's heart out of his chest and replacing it with another one under the most ridiculous circumstances possible. It’s a joke of a game, sure, but for once the player gets to be in on it.

With just four included games, it arguably may not be quite the value that the original MMLC was, and it’s a bit disappointing we won’t be seeing these games on the portable consoles (3DS and Switch) considering how well they’d translate to those platforms... but regardless, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is the most sensible way to enjoy these four games that exists today.

CoD: WWII's The Resistance DLC is a strong start to the DLC packs for WW2. While the highlight is certainly The Darkest Shore zombie map, the other four map additions are certainly welcome, and offer some much needed variety to the multiplayer mode.

Ragnarok is a beast of an expansion pack, and it gets more right than wrong. It’s not quite as polished or as impressive as the original and its expansion from so many years ago, but it’s still a valiant effort and a solid expansion to a great game. I have yet to complete it at the time of this writing, in part because of holidays and illness, but it’s inspiring to see a classic game get a sudden, big, expansion pack. For old player and new alike, Ragnarok is worth your attention.

Possessor(s) is many things: stylized, satisfying, occasionally frustrating, and short but sweet despite its large map. It’s a familiar yet solid gameplay loop with few frills, save for shirtless demon protagonists and neon stylizations.

Vergil's Downfall is worth playing through if you enjoyed DmC at all, and you could do a lot worse with $9.

Overall, Metropolis has the bones to be a great game, however, the slow pace, lack of instruction, and lengthy dialogue made it frustrating to play. While the interactions, visuals, and storyline are amazing the gameplay and mechanics were lacking. If there were more instructions or hints this game would have been a home run. If problem-solving is your jam, then this game is perfect for you. However, if you don’t like having to figure out every small detail of a game, then you should probably skip this game for now.

While The Fancy Pants Adventures isn't groundbreaking, it is fun to play. The game challenges you with a variety of content and achievements (and unlockables) to obtain, which makes the overall package worth your time and money. You simply can't go wrong with this side-scroller.

I would recommend Tales of Xillia 2 to any Tales or JRPG fan.

Pato Box combines the classic Punch-Out!! fighting mechanic with a noir story, a black and white comic world, and a great soundtrack with a beady-eyed, anthropomorphic boxing duck. The game has a few flaws but accomplishes exactly what it intends to in taking a classic video game genre to new heights and would be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys Punch-Out!!, a new indie game, or cartoonish anthropomorphic ducks in general.

In the end, Doom VFR leverages extant resources to construct an intimate sensation of murdering hell demons in virtual reality. Dealing with Satan entails a short list of sacrifices which Doom VFR obliges through its compressed experience, inadequate control options, and risk averse experimentation. Safe and sensible, however, are sufficient labels for Doom VFR’s pledge of menacing intensity.

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.

Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever & New Friends is a solid launch title for the 3DS, just as Nintendogs was for the DS. If you haven't yet experienced the series (which was the case for me), the game is quite enjoyable and is a great way to get some hours on your 3DS in the currently average line-up of games available. However, if you've played the original game and are expecting a new experience, you won't find it here. Just adorable puppies and cats and practically the same gameplay as the original in every way.

While life simulators in general give players the opportunity to create a persona and live out that avatar’s life in ways they might not to live their own, this game gives the player the ability to affect dozens of lives without dictating every single moment of any given individual Mii’s existence.

In sum, 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a fun, accessible, and deeper-than-you’d-expect brawler that is perfect to co-op through with a buddy. Happy to recommend to anyone looking for a good experience in the genre or anyone that likes brawlers/beat’em ups.

Though Far Cry: New Dawn treads similar ground as its predecessor, this direct sequel signals the franchises is stretching its wings by introducing RPG mechanics and easily replayable content. This is still a game packed with zany characters, bizarre moments, and fast-paced fun.

Running on a treadmill and Days Gone are very similar experiences. You put in time and effort, yet you remain in the same spot. Thrilling gameplay and crazed “freakers” cannot save this game from its LONG, uncompelling story. Ultimately, the number of hours invested in Days Gone do not pay off. This is not a full throttle Sony exclusive that we’ve come to know and love, it’s miles away from that.

Tribes of Midgard is far from a perfect survival game. While it maintains a steady loop for players to engage with, the process of scavenging, crafting, and building can be pretty boring during the first few days and relentless as deadly winter encroaches upon the player’s safe haven. Yet despite its flaws and lack of meaningful post-run progression, it’s hard to deny that when a full lobby of ten Vikings are working together, the game is at its strongest. Though there might be something for those players who prefer to be a bit lonely, the game’s large worlds may prove to be far too much to tackle when the difficulty ramps up.

Sand Land from Akira Toriyama, developer ILCA, and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment is a good game. It is driven by a large world to explore, some crazy characters with meaningful plights, and a fun crafting system that keeps you motivated in the overall journey. Its faults lie with repetitive enemies, empty areas to explore, and spotty character development. Overall, it’s a fun game.

Toukiden's pros overwhelm its cons. It's fun and somewhat addictive, whether you're playing with the AI or online.

The concept of The Escapists—make friends, make enemies, make crazy tools, and escape from prison through any applicable deviancy—is easy to fall in love with. Reality, positioning The Escapists as a beautiful machine undermined by the gears assigned to power it, is more cruel.

I Hate Running Backwards is a challenging shoot 'em up with roguelike elements that will keep you up late into the night with it's one more round gameplay. Although the game is fun, there could be several changes to the special weapons and perk system to make each round feel more unique and enhance the replayability. If you are a fan of the Serious Sam series, you will enjoy playing with familiar characters in the same chaotic environment Serious Sam is known for.

As a whole, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers will entertain the young gamers in the household, while providing short spurts of entertainment to seasoned ones. Avengers may not be the best in the LEGO series, but it does fit firmly within the LEGO gaming family.

SFIV is a proof-of-concept to how a Street Fighter game can turn out when built and utilized properly on big time hardware.

When I look at The Elder Scrolls Online I don’t see an MMO that is finished. I see an MMO that has a solid foundation built for it with a vibrant, adventurous future ahead of it. The notion of expansion into the worlds we love and know from the non-MMO games is an exciting one. ESO brings together a solid amount of single-player experience that we know and love from previous Elder Scrolls titles and mixes it in with intriguing and grounded MMO elements. That mixture sometimes doesn’t work, but there’s plenty of room for adjustment.