A disappointing release, partially in terms of content, but primarily in how the ports were handled. Altered and missing content plus major technical woes are highly critical mistakes to make. I hope Konami revisits the idea of a true Silent Hill HD Collection in the coming years.

Beyond: Two Souls' ideas are occasionally inept, sometimes brilliant, and often an unstable in-between overloaded with emotional ephemera, predatory clichés, and unconscious behavior. At the same time, Beyond exhibits a willingness to generate an impassioned response from the player, and it sees that missions through to its conclusion.

Strayed Lights is a challenge with enemies and with controls. Depending on what type of gamer you might be, this could be a positive or a negative. For me, it was small doses of progression and motivation to see the story progress that kept me playing.

Highwater from developer Demagog Studio is a powerful and cautionary tale of environmental damage and how people have to survive it when the world collapses. The game hits all the right notes with the story it wants to tell, while not letting the turn-based backbone and strategy steal the story’s spotlight.

Rusty Rabbit from developer Nitro Plus is a fun, deep adventure led by fun characters, a good story, easy mechanics, and a strong RPG backbone. Repetitiveness does drag the experience down a bit, but this 2D platformer stands strong with its positives.

Citizens of Earth is ultimately a victory, but not without a few conspicuous bruises.

Great googly moogly, SCHiM is a beautiful feat of a 3D-platformer with puzzle elements. Its most charming and emotional moments will sneak up on you, so enjoy every single second of this cozy tale of a little shadow that could.

Aside from the actual battle sequences themselves, Dragon Ball Origins 2 reeks with a lack of polish and feels aesthetically bland at times.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack is an awesome rhythm game with a very amazing list of songs straight from Japan! Playing as Don and Katsu in story modes adds a creative twist to the Taiko no Tatsujin series and is a great way to introduce the series to a western audience. However, without the drum, the price of the drum, and a lack of multiplayer, it may turn some new people interested in playing the series away. If you’re a long time fan of the series and want to invest in a drum or already have a drum, then you will surely love it! But, if you want to have a real Taiko no Tatsujin experience I would recommend testing out the arcade version if you get the rare chance to experience it in the west.

Starpoint Gemini 2 is a standard space sim, with some cool features.

Storyteller from developer Daniel Benmergui is yet another feather in the cap of Annapurna Interactive. It’s a cleverly designed puzzle game that does a superb job of pushing the importance of visual storytelling as it relates to a narrative. While its longevity might be in question, the journey through the game is good enough to forgive that is even an issue.

For those who have played the original titles and for anyone who likes a straight-forward tactical RPG, VH: FoJ is worth a look.

Vampyr drives the desire of the player against the will of its protagonist. It creates sharp edge, and the ensuing conflict has the power to bore, excite, and infuriate an audience. Depending on your admiration (and patience) for its rampant ambition, Vampyr is either an unassuming action game or a garrulous gothic network of austere vampire folklore.

It’s loaded with intrigue but resistant to modern methods of approach, creating a Rorschach test where losing patience with its internal contradiction is as credible of a reaction as relishing its idiosyncratic isolation and adversity. Ultimately, Below is a curiosity in which gratification is dependent on personal resolve.

Those of you looking for an inexpensive RTS on your Wii U should highly consider purchasing this game (just don't expect a traditional RTS experience).

Guerrilla survives its remaster in a photo finish. The monotonous mission structure, expressionless story (where everyone looks exactly the same), and conventional shooting are nails in a coffin. Fortunately the coffin’s lid is obliterated by Guerrilla’s screaming half corpse and its giddying commitment to destruction. There’s still nothing quite like it, no matter how many “what about” claims are lobbed in its direction.

Project X Zone had me excited when I saw the list of characters from 27 different franchises from Capcom, SEGA, and Namco Bandai and after I witnessed the epic trailers that surfaced before its release. Unfortunately, I wasn't as happy with the game as I'd hoped. With such a diverse cast of characters, personalities, and environments, it's a shame the gameplay feels so generic (both as a tactics RPG and as a miniature fighting game mimic).

It’s clear that it’s not a new game, but that it’s a remaster of a ten year old title, but nevertheless, it looks, sounds, and plays well. The more important question, as always, remains if the the story and gameplay are to your liking or not. To that end, I’m more on the reserved side of the equation, finding some value in both elements, but not enough to give this remaster a strong recommendation.

Outside of Defiance Remastered‘s improvements and additions, this is still very much a game of the early-2000s, warts and all. Crystal Dynamics had an engaging combat system and a complex narrative. But there’s still a tendency for fights to become repetitive, especially when Kain and Raziel aren’t vastly different from each other mechanically. The story might still bounce around in frustrating or confusing ways. Levels may go on for longer than you wish. But it is still very much a piece of gaming history that many hope will eventually see a resurgence.

Puddle on the Wii U looks and plays great. It's too bad there is no new content here from previously released versions, but it's still a challenging and likeable physics puzzler.

Silt flawlessly executes a style that permeates its entire construction. The hand-drawn visuals evoke the deadly, alien mysteries that lie at the bottom of whatever foreign ocean it takes place in. Its swirling, environmental storytelling sets a high bar that is only let down by its short runtime. By placing a number of engaging puzzles between the end goal and the player, enough joy can be seeped out of this strange, fascinating game to make it worth the cost. Silt may not feel entirely unique for some, yet its setting and aesthetic have few rivals.

Overall, Little Dragons Café is enjoyable, but it has its quirks. It takes some time to get used to the controls and pacing of the game, but when you do, you will find that watching a dragon grow and taking care of a café is a great way to spend some time.

Super Mario All-Stars is precisely the same game you played on your SNES seventeen years ago-graphics, soundtrack, copyright and all. While these classic games haven't lost any of their appeal, this still feels an awful lot like an overpriced Virtual Console title.

A welcomed addition to the PS3 library, but one that doesn't necessarily belong in your own collection. While Deception IV has some things going for it, the few cons are significant enough to keep this game out of the realm of greatness.

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.

Two Worlds II is a solid open world RPG that has enough good going for it to overshadow its issues. Had it a little more time in development for polish and tweaks, it could have been outstanding, but as it stands I think it's still a great game that I'm happy to recommend.

Mr. Shifty begins in the same place it ends; by punching a man through a window. Defenestration is appealing, especially when it’s preceded by short form teleportation, but the first instance is more gratifying than the last. Mr. Shifty deals in scale, quantity, and strategy in the wrong order, assuring its sharp edge dulls after an auspicious opening.

Despite some tedious gameplay aggravations, it’s a work well worth your $40.

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

After the patching it’s undergone in the last several months, Enotria: The Last Long is a solid Soulslike for not just hardcore Souls fans, but for anyone that likes a third person action RPG with a beautiful visual and aural presentation. For me, it falls somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of Souls games that I have played; I liked the old, and new, Lords of the Fallen better, and Lies of P — but Enotria is significantly better above Mortal Shell and Thymesia. Ultimately, I’m happy to recommend it.

World Gone Sour actually over delivers in visual appeal and potential humor, but falls short in regard to technical execution and pacing its content. Not unlike consuming an actual Sour Patch Kid, World Gone Sour starts off sharp and tasty but quickly dissolves into generic filler.

Fortified is a cool game that gets a lot more right than it does wrong. I wish it supported local multiplayer in some form as solo play just doesn't pan out, but if you've got some buddies that want to take on a virtual Martian army, this is a great way to do it.

I like what Square Enix has done with Final Fantasy Explorers. It has some real potential to be great, but as it stands, it might fall short slightly with a more seasoned Final Fantasy adventurer.

A great addition to any stealth gamer's digital library.

Kingdom Come Deliverance is a great game that can appeal to many people. A true RPG fan will love this game. KCD is a truly immersive experience where you will lose yourself for hours on end. The open-ended gameplay allows for you to accomplish your goal in a multitude of ways. Combat is not straightforward, and it is hard all while being the best it can be. Players will be able to mold Henry into the medieval character they want to be.

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.

Mario Tennis Open is, by definition, a regression of the series' splendid portable campaign. Lacking any sort of highly-acclaimed Career mode and bathed in an eventual sea of homogeny, it stales far too quickly for the good of its platform and price tag. This is Mario Tennis only in its most primitive and basic form.

Eternal Strands has the DNA from familiar and critically acclaimed games of the last few decades. But, more importantly, it works tirelessly to differentiate itself from the pack. This game is the kind of sandbox players enjoy diving into, one both forgiving and fun. Yet it’s the brilliant narrative and character work that give Yellow Brick Games’ debut an edge, making you come back run after run.

Song of the Deep is a meandering lesson that not every reflection of Metroidvania has to be a grand odyssey. By that measure it's a serviceable decent into the great unknown with a handful of neat ideas. It's also too oblivious of its own limitations to leave a distinct impression in a crowded field.

God Eater 2: Rage Burst’s gameplay is driven by a bevy of missions, some great enemies and a variety of different, interesting loadouts to help make the experience fun and somewhat deep. The shortcomings are outweighed by these positives, though those shortcomings come in the form of linear landscapes, plain graphics and difficult controls.

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

Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles is a solid first attempt at bringing this anime to a game format for current generation consoles. What SEGA and CyberConnect2 need to figure out is how to balance bringing the story into the next one while opening the world and trusting the player a bit more. I want to play and explore the anime, I don’t want to just watch it through my PlayStation 5. I have VUDU and HBO Max for the latter.

Ultimately, TimeGate Studios has created a good foundation for what could be a very popular FPS MMO. The online community is certainly growing, but it will be interesting to see how things look six months from now. Right now, the pulse seems very positive and here is to hoping it stays that way.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me uses a piece of real history to deliver a B-movie-level horror show experience. The H.H. Holmes backdrop makes for a devilishly uncomfortable story experience, while the gameplay design falls in line with the DPA game series. The game does have some technical hiccups here and there, but it should satisfy those who enjoy the previous iterations of the series.

Dust & Neon from developer Rogue Games is an interesting, and oddly relaxing twin-stick shooter. Its RPG backbone and simplistic mechanics will keep you coming back for more, even when the unremarkable enemy variety, sans the bosses, might dull down the experience. There is still a lot to do and explore in the game, which makes it at the very least a good action title.

Conspicuous in style, literal in primary objective, and contentious in an exclusive platform, Murasaki Baby commands attention across myriad of dimensions. It executes its heartfelt intentions with a confident nonchalance, wondering why other games need to scream when a careful whisper will do.

If you’re a Wii U owner looking for a great first-person shooter that’s comparable to the current generation, then rejoice in knowing that Activision has provided just that experience for you.

Aeterna Noctis is a delightfully difficult Metroidvania that pushes the boundaries of difficult platforming and combat in a way that keeps the game fun and exhilarating. This hand-drawn action platformer is perfect for those who wanted just a bit more from similar games in the Metroidvania genre, albeit less charming. If you’re looking for a solid indie GOTY that effectively utilizes your PS5, look no further than Aeterna Noctis. Good luck, you’ll most definitely need it.

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

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

As a successor to an admired name from a bygone era, Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess falls short of accrued expectations. As a means of introducing a different style of game to a different time and place, Deception IV is an exemplar of viable defiance against rote standards. Your position determines Deception IV's place—a setting made homelier through The Nightmare Princess' abundance of extra content—but it doesn't impede its lack of conformity.

Crysis Remastered is a good bit of nostalgia that can appeal to players who want to reminisce about the early days of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Those that are looking for a fun and quick shooter game will also find a lot of enjoyment from Crysis Remastered, but don’t expect the reinvention of the wheel because Crysis invented the wheel in the first place.

Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is a fun action platformer that brings an entertaining story, familiar characters, and good gameplay to the table. It does have some faults, but it’s a cool and stylish Cobra adventure.

Miracle Cure is a few healthy refinements away from the category of controlled substance, and purchasing it won’t require your driver’s license. But purely as a source of unique puzzle entertainment, it has all the active ingredients of an addictive puzzler—just with a few unwanted side effects.

Trust me on this though, if you can go into WET thinking you want a ton of action mixed with some strategy then you'll be happy. Sure the A.I. isn't the best and sure there is some repetitiveness in the game, but the style and action completely make up for that.

The Callisto Protocol is an enthralling horror experience when all its best elements combine. Few games have captured the sheer atmospheric dread and terror that The Callisto Protocol communicates just through sound and atmosphere. With an ambiance that seeks to get under the skin, the game constantly shifts gears, never showing its hand to the player. A few technical hiccups and lack of enemy variety will leave the player hungry for those few scares that could have been. But The Callisto Protocol is a must for horror fans yearning for a new IP that may eventually grow into a new, deadly universe.

Unable to decide its own identity, Hoopworld feels both casual and complex, featuring mechanics that are too basic and unpolished for a modern game and a knotty control scheme that is sure to scare away grandma.

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.

As it stands Battle Princess of Arcadias is a neat endeavor across divergent styles – and not much else.

Razor's Edge doesn't fix all of Ninja Gaiden 3's problems, but it does make some significant improvements.

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.

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.

Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends - Complete Edition has so much to offer and so much to do that it’s difficult not to enjoy yourself.

Bottomline, it's a great game that is certainly worth your attention.

If you're into classic RPGs and/or don't mind stepping back into some randomized battles, the game is well worth the price of $29.99. Otherwise, look for a more modern RPG.

The first episode of Albert & Otto finds difficulty moving between the demanding world of mechanics-focused platformers and atmospheric dives into subtlety and tension. With three episodes left, Albert & Otto has time to find an identity, provided it also hastens its pace with more inventive puzzles and dependable platforming.

Few VR games integrate story, boss battles, combat, puzzles, and motion control into one competent brew–usually more than one of those things is absent from the end result. But as I lifted my controller to my mouth to drink a potion or something in the options menu, or looked behind me to toss a spell enhancement into a frog’s mouth, I didn’t feel like I was doing anything except having a great time with a good game which also happened to be one of the best VR experiences around.

Overall, the gameplay design for Edna & Harvey: The Breakout – Anniversary Edition is clunky on a console controller and might give too much freedom for a point and click-based game. That said, the story is good enough to push beyond those issues, the puzzles are incredibly clever as they relate to the story, though enormously difficult to overcome at times. At the end of the day, the experience might well be worth the frustration the design causes.

Disney Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition is a magical experience for all casual Disney lovers and feels like you are on a digital Disney World vacation without paying the Disney price and fees! With so many things to do like customizing yourself, cafe, and house the amount of time you will be spending in this game is more than you think. Exploring worlds based on Lilo and Stitch, Winnie the Pooh, Aladdin, and getting to battle, fish, and collect materials kept me very busy! Although there are a couple issues with visual glitches and there aren’t too many challenges, this game is still worth playing if you’re just a Disney fan looking for an Animal Crossing and or Harvest Moon Disney type game! It’s definitely worth trying out!

Layers of Fear 2 is a worthwhile experience, and even more so if you consider the launch price of $30. I can’t say I found it as thought-provoking or chilling as the first Layers, but it’s still pretty solid. The story, writing, sound design, much of the game design overall really, outlasts the lesser, but still very significant, flaws of the game.

The voice acting is superb, as is the dialogue. This is a well-written game about a group of heroes trying to fend off archaic robots built by goblin elders. It’s all voiced and performed well, which is important when you’re trying to hook gamers into buying the adventure you are selling. The start of the story is a bit slow moving, but by the second act you’ll find a good story waiting for you.

Oninaki is an abundance of compelling ideas enveloped in a fog of stammering expression. An extensive progression system, myriad combat options, and a sincere and original premise aren’t enough to overcome the rote execution of its world, characters, and basic combat. Oninaki’s only viable curiosity is what kind of game it may have been with more time, budget, and expertise.

A strong core soccer sim offering with some neat Wii U Gamepad features make FIFA 13 one to think about this holiday, although you may want to see if the online community grows after the Wii U launch in Europe later this month if you expect to play online.

Sea of Thieves’ concept is beautifully drawn up. It has exploration, intense PvP and one of the most beautiful sea adventures to ever grace gaming, but it is lacking in content and it needs more reason to keep players moving and exploring. It has plenty of space on its plate for that, but in its vanilla form there’s nothing really to fill that space. I suspect that won’t be the case for long, if Rare has anything to say, but that is the current case now.

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

Despite a few frame rate issues and dated graphics, Earth Defense Force 2025 is an insane amount of fun.

Resident Evil 6 for the PC is a step up in terms of content and visuals, but a considerable leap down in terms of controls. Give me the console version over this one any day of the week.

Order of War is a solid RTS. It's not particularly innovating but it's simple to learn, and difficult to master really fun alone or with a couple of friends.

An almost equal number of significant pros and cons make Mad Max an interesting and polarizing title. Ultimately, it's a game I would recommend, but with some due caution as described in the article.

The Capcom Arcade Cabinet is a premium way to enjoy Capcom arcade classics. While the price might not be readily accepted with the younger generation of gamers that missed the arcade heyday, the package certainly brings enough new features (like online play and leaderboards) to get any gamer excited.

As my first Pikmin experience, I really enjoyed Hey! Pikmin for a variety of reasons and found little wrong with it. Whether you have played a Pikmin game before or not, or are just looking for a fun game that’s not too easy and certainly not too hard, give this one a go. I believe a demo is still available from the eShop at the time of this writing as well.

For some quick bouts on the go, Real Boxing does an admirable job of capturing the sport and presenting it to the player in an accessible and satisfying way.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 feels like the hardest Sega has tried at coming up with a broadly appealing track and field collection since DecAthelete. The wide range of events and alternative control options create open accessibility while a handful of retro throwbacks and madcap minigames function as impressive novelties. Mario & Sonic’s limitations are still recognizable, but Tokyo 2020 feels like the farthest anyone can drag an Olympic videogame into the present.

Another fine Capcom Resident Evil series HD Remaster that's worth the time and money to add to your collection.

Phantasy Star Portable 2 meanders in mediocrity while trying its absolute best to pass itself off as a fresh product.

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is a good game that features a variety of good-to-decent events and a wonderful ability to play alongside friends. The inconsistency of the game’s design with controls and the difficulty arc that spikes hurt the game but aren’t dealbreakers.

There's a lot to like with Alice: Madness Returns, but regretfully there is more that needs work to make it even more likable. Had this had a few more months to stew in beta and the release date pushed back into the holiday season then maybe these little things (camera, AI and repetitive enemies) could have been worked out. As it is, the game is a little broken, but certainly not as severely as the main character.

Spinning back to Republique's greater problem; the whole project feels disconnected. Terminus is an OK episode with a generous amount of content, but that's all it feels like; content. It's absent. It's empty. There's nothing here. Releasing five episodes over two years creates problems that are impossible to solve, and trying to work a passable narrative inside a challenging game was a task too herculean for Republique's development team.

Overall, Dragon Marked for Death isn’t a perfect title, but damn it’s fun. It has all the right elements of a simple action platformer, but RPG attributes to make the experience deeper and more engaging.

In a game like this there's careful line between frustration and elation, and Octodad walks it (or slides down, falls along, slithers against - whatever) with appreciable balance.

Madden NFL 23 proves that content is indeed king, as the modes included drive the experience and do a good job more than not. There are some glitches in the game, especially in some menus featured in some modes, but for the most part, the gameplay has improved considerably in this year’s title for those not to get in the way of the experience.

Croc – Legend of the Gobbos Remastered from developer Argonaut Games is a throwback to a simpler, more experimental 3D platformer time. The remastered game represents the old one nicely without going too far or destroying any of the original game’s essence. While some of the 90s gameplay concepts in Croc – Legend of the Gobbos Remastered are still stuck in the 90s, some elements are improved. This may not hit with new gamers but it’s undoubtedly going to please those raised during that 90s video game era.

Sega has produced a better game with Virtua Tennis 4. With the added depth to the career mode and solid motion control support, you're getting a good tennis title. While it's not perfect, Sega appears to be guiding this tennis franchise in the right direction now.

I'm glad to see the DOA series come to PC, but this port is a bit shaky at launch. The core gameplay is good, but no online play (for about three months when a patch comes out), a mixed graphical presentation, and other oddities make this hard to recommend right now -- might be best to give it some time to simmer.

A well-executed mashup of two genres that's worth checking out if you're a fan of either.

For gamers looking for a hardcore challenge then this might be the game for you. For casual gamers, this might be a frustrating experience.

Tornado Outbreak is fun, simple and one helluva ride.

Call it a movie-game if you must, but The Amazing Spider-Man is a standout superhero game that is accessible, fun, and pretty addictive.