SaGa Frontier Remastered has great upgrades that positively add to the original gameplay experience, especially if you loved this title back in the late 90s. If you have never played this, it might seem like an overwhelmingly difficult game with a mess of great ideas that had not been completely sorted out. It was certainly ahead of its time and groundbreaking in some areas of gameplay.

Omen of Sorrow offers a lot of modes, unlocks, characters, and some decent fighting elements, but it doesn’t quite have the polish or draw to keep me invested. For genre fans, though, it’s worth checking into.

Skellboy’s strong points come from its writing and visual identity, not from its combat and gameplay. While there are certainly some unique mechanics to keep the game going, there isn’t much there to keep players invested. The game is enjoyable enough to get through the story alone, just don’t expect a deep gameplay loop within.

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is a game that is great for fans of the series. Unfortunately, I do not see this game doing well outside of that. The introduction is so painfully long and uninteresting I can see many players stop playing because of it. Also while the game is well rounded, there doesn’t seem to be anything in this game that offers anything unique compared to other franchises. The main proponent is that this is a realistic game based off the anime.

Predator: Hunting Grounds is a game that on paper should make you feel like the most powerful hunter in the world, as well as a badass commando who can gun through enemies on a whim but cowers in fear when you’re face to face with an unseeable threat. But the game just doesn’t encapsulate that fantasy of Predator. Instead, the game almost feels designed around the idea that you’ll sit down and play the game casually with your friends. But once you hop into a public match, Predator: Hunting Grounds’ cracks start to show. I’m invested enough in the Predator franchise to see what Illfonic has up their sleeves in terms of additional content for the game, but I find it hard to recommend to those who are looking for the ultimate Predator fantasy.

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

Ride's exhilarating character eventually fades into a tedious milieu of assertive persistence. The loop of wanting to complete races to get better bikes and parts eventually breaks into a dead end, and the speed and power of exciting motorcycles slows into a chore. Motorcycle enthusiasts are an exemption, but for others it's hard to look at Ride as anything more than Another Racing Game.

Bottomline, all things considered, if you’re looking for a fun, fast, short-lived, throwback FPS game, Hellbound is definitely worth considering. Just don’t expect too much out of it and you’ll find your time and money well spent.

A generous number of titles with a handful of really choice stuff. Stylistic preservation is coupled with better resolution. Add in solid options, PSN leaderboards, with local multiplayer, and the $30 asking price becomes quite reasonable. Still, online play would have taken pushed this up a few levels.

WWE 2K's first outing on the PS4 and Xbox One is commendable, and gives us much to look forward to for 2K16. But unless you're a passionate fan of the WWE or this series, it's probably safe to rent or skip this year.

In sum, Necromunda: Hired Gun is a very mixed offering. It seems that for every pro the game brings, there is a con to match it. I still had fun with Necromunda, but the experience is tainted significantly by the various issues — technical and otherwise — that the game has at the time of this writing.

The game functions well and looks all right, but it’s ultimately too freaking easy to recommend to anyone who’s serious about gaming and looking for a good value.

For third person action fans, you should really give this game a look, especially as a solid weekend rental, and potential purchase afterwards. Nothing about Clash of the Titans is outstandingly good or bad, so don't be afraid to give it a chance.

Alpha Protocol had so much potential. It had all the elements planned out perfect to make this a great game. Regretfully, it seemed like the game didn't get enough time to finish up as what you get feels like three-fourth of what was planned.

It has its drawbacks, but UTF is a pretty good game that would make for a solid purchase during Steam's holiday sales this year.

Spelunker World relies a lot on gaming nostalgia to pull it through, while trying to mask the world of microtransactions. It works to an extent, but not completely. There is still too much simple, not enough modern and far too much room for frustration from failure. It’s not a horrible game by any means, but it is limited in its capacity for fun in long stints.

Not a bad pickup to play through this holiday season with some friends or family, but it doesn't leave that lasting impression that makes you want to come back again and again like the classics of the genre (Final Fight, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Metal Slug).

A nice upgrade from the previous Pictionary uDraw game on the Wii, and a good overall uDraw title. That said, your mileage will vary depending on who you are able to play with locally; with the right group, there's a lot of laughs and fun to be had, but in the absence of other players, there's nothing to gain from this game.

Deadpool's self aware narrative and seemingly impartial approach to combat boasts honest intentions but quickly fails in execution. Instead of a meta-commentary on game design or an innovative brawler Deadpool's content exhaust one liners and borrow mechanics from better games. The campaign’s final chapter is a statement of the game as whole; throwing everything together makes for an unpleasant lack of depth or detail.

I think this game will satisfy the majority of the target audience with its customization options and modes of play. There aren't a lot of songs here, but the game is done well enough in every other respect to help make up for that.

Scooby and Shaggy's newest adventure isn't a bad one. Give this one a look if you're looking for a family friendly game for a younger gamer.

Though the potential to be a great game is there for Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2, it just never reaches that point of greatness due to flaws and linear gameplay.

Trials of the Blood Dragon is a bit hit and miss, some of the gimmicks work while other frustrate and fall entirely flat. Whilst die-hard Trials fans will have preferred to have had a more pure experience one can only hope this is just a way of keep the series in gamers consciousness.

In the end, Spyborgs is occasionally amusing in its mindless cooperative combo-driven combat, but it simply seems too unbalanced—and even unfinished—to unconditionally recommend.

Not enough power-ups, too many repetitive enemies, uneven skills scale and unfair boss battles really hurt this game severely.

A colorful and eye-catching presentation can't mask Yaiba's numerous gameplay design flaws, but it tends to be just fun and rewarding enough to continue to grind through.

I think Vicarious Visions did a respectable job with the DS version of War For Cybertron. It's not a great game, but at the same time it's far from bad, and Transformers fans with a DS should give this some consideration.

I think Vicarious Visions did a respectable job with the DS version of War For Cybertron. It's not a great game, but at the same time it's far from bad, and Transformers fans with a DS should give this some consideration.

The effort was there, unlike other companies that buy movie properties, but the execution wasn't exact.

The developers also addressed many of the issues from the first game such as adding some small multiplayer support, and providing additional content after the game is finished. Still, it doesn't span the wide range of demographics as the handheld RPGs and this spin-off series is still best suited for a younger audience. And, the $49.99 price tag is just too much for a game such as this in my opinion.

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

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

Army Corps of Hell starts off interesting but after just a few short hours you reach that uneasy realization that the game is not changing and the experience gets very repetitive. I can appreciate that it's a new IP for a new platform, and I encourage that, but this one falls considerably short of greatness.

While I wasn't overly thrilled with the 1984 pack in comparison to the others released by Capcom, I'm still pleased to see some arcade classics come home to modern day consoles. Keep bringing 'em, Capcom.

Slice It! has a lot of the check boxes for a good eShop title covered, but I found it too challenging and simultaneously not fun enough to want to play for more than a few minutes at a time. Your mileage may vary though, especially if you're into puzzlers and geometry.

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.

If you're looking for an accessible and often-fun four player competitive splitscreen game, Cel Damage HD is worth a look.

A competent JRPG with some considerable flaws, and one that is best enjoyed by those who are familiar with SAO.

TRON: Evolution has the look and feel of everything that makes the TRON universe cool. You get the lightcycle, tank and identity disc battles that you've been craving for some time. Regretfully, all of this is plagued by very loose controls that create too much frustration to enjoy the rest.

Innocent Sin seems attractive; it's the long awaited opposite half to a cult classic, and it comes with a few bells and whistles to ease it into the 2011 landscape. While I adore the soundtrack and can appreciate the effort put toward a great localization, actually playing the game made me feel like I was trapped in some of the worst parts of 90's era game design. Interesting systems are in place but it's slow, aimless, and, and most of it has done much better in Nocturne or newer Persona games. Of course this is a known quantity to the Atlus faithful who will buy (and love) Innocent Sin anyway, but I'd caution an approach from a newcomer.

Compared to recent Far Cry games, Primal is neither a relief nor a disappointment. It's really good at being violent open-world base-conquering simulator and it has a smattering of neat toys. Far Cry Primal is another One Of Those with a few wild tangents stretching and searching for new limitations. It's a predictable, albeit competently constructed, status quo machine humming along through another entry.

It needed a bit more challenge to put it in the same category as Double Dragon and Final Fight. Still, it does bring back some classic elements, and is impressive with the upgrade system. Definitely worth the $2.99, but not more than that.

While having no shortness of flaws, Downpour still manages to get enough right to warrant further investigation by series and genre fans.

For those that really enjoy the point and click genre, Perils of Man is worth a look, despite its flaws.

NBA Jam is an excellent way to spend an evening or two, but at the end of the day, it's still just a prettier iteration of its former self that fails to add any mechanical polish to the formula.

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

To the uninitiated, Soldiers' Soul is a bewildering amalgamation of expected clichés and probably not a fun thing to play. To Saint Seiya’s audience, however, Soldiers' Soul is an impressive rendition of a respected series augmented with a glut meaningful (albeit mostly salvaged) content. For better or worse, the latter group is all Soldiers' Soul has in mind.

This is a competent port of MJ: The Experience. It's technically sound, but it just feels a little short on content and a bit high on price.

It’s a solid shooter with all of the essential criteria in place, from the exaggerated firepower to the insuperable difficulty.

This game can be a lot of fun, and even more so at a party with MJ fans. Teams can battle it out to see who can do the best job of dancing like the King of Pop, while others can enjoy the show. With its long list of hits, the game can provide hours of entertainment. It's called 'Michael Jackson – The Experience,' because that was it is.

Fighter Within has plenty of shortcomings, but more importantly, I'm having a lot of fun.

Certain Affinity took few risks in constructing a bare bones, workman like hack 'n slash and left experimentation to its pricing structure. Whether that was their call or Microsoft's isn't likely to be known, but it's definitely rendered Crimson Alliance an afterthought, or something to play if you've completely exhausted Torchlight and need something else in the console space.

Fairytale Fights isn't as bad as a lot of other outlets make it out to be, but it's got plenty of flaws. I like the premise and the idea of the game, but the execution is rough.

The presentation package of The Falconeer is quite good, especially on XSX, but that alone couldn’t overcome the struggles I was having with the experience otherwise. I appreciate the effort that went into making this, especially seeing as it was practically done by a one-man studio — but neither the lore or the gameplay really grabbed me and held my interest for long. I could see where more adept and/or forgiving players in this genre would have a better time than I did, though, so if the game sounds interesting to you, it’s worth keeping an eye on, especially given it costs less than half of some of the other launch games.

MathLand isn’t going to blow you away in any one aspect, but the sum of the parts makes for a quality educational game that deserves a nod of recognition if you’re in the market for this. At a scant 133MB in size and priced at $6, MathLand offers a fair value for the type of experience it offers.

Though I could extend this article with more information and thoughts, the bottomline is that this is the type of game you’re either into or you’re not. The genre is fairly niche and from the little I have played of it in the past and from what I have read this week, there’s nothing really new here other than the crossover with Doraemon. That’s cool and all, but is it enough to get players otherwise not enamored with the gameplay loop of these type of games to buy in? That’s something you’ll obviously have to answer for yourself, but for me, I found the game to be too boring and too tedious to spend a great deal of time with.

Moons of Madness suffers from itself in many ways. The story is a unique one that I really enjoy and like. It had me curious from the moment that I saw/read anything about it. Once in the world though, the game gets in front of itself and hurts the overall product. I found myself losing interest and intention with it. It suffers from this feeling of being too much like a puzzle game, and not enough like an adventure. I love a good story and the end of the day. Something that can keep me wrapped up is wonderful. With Moons of Madness, it just painted itself into a corner of putting too much in. It’s a great concept, just the execution and overall final product hinder the experience and make it lackluster and at times frustrating experience.

In effort to get to the bottomline seeing as this is the same game as it was five years ago, the Switch version of KHOLAT is essentially an ‘okay’ port of a ‘pretty good’ game. This was a more compelling experience five years ago. However, if you enjoy the genre, and can appreciate that it’s based on a real, tragic, mysterious event, it gives the game an intangible intrigue that might latch onto you. It’s pretty short, easy, and worth going through once, the question you might have to really consider is if it’s worth playing on the Switch, or if playing the graphically superior version on PC is a better route to take.

VR's viability hinges on making sensible objectives integral to the wonder implicit in its format. Robinson: The Journey understands this and makes visible strides to balance astonishment and curiosity. Too often, however, it gets tripped up by contrasting wandering ambition against capricious behavior. Ideas fight, rather than support, one another, ensuring Robinson's first steps are also its last.

Sunset survives as the antithesis of contemporary narrative construction, but lacks the confidence and vitality to thrive inside of its admirable periphery. It's all support with little regard for structure.

Some moderate updates to the gameplay (primarily with the new rules and roster changes), but if you're on any kind of budget or aren't in a rush to play, it's probably best to wait for next year when the series shifts to the current-gen.

Blood Stone makes for a good weekend rental, or an 'in between' title, but it doesn't offer a lot more than that.

htoL#NiQ's flaws are significant, and I experienced a lot of frustration in the process of grinding through it. It's hard to recommend to a general audience, but if you're into 2D platformers, especially ones with puzzles and unforgiving difficulty, htoL#NiQ is one to consider.

LocoCycle offers a simple fun arcade experience set against a wild and fairly humorous story. It's not going to pass any "next gen" Litmus test as far as graphics and gameplay goes, but it's enjoyable nonetheless.

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).

Pokémon Rumble U isn't a bad game, but it doesn't have much to it as a complete package. It's a button mashing brawler with a bit of depth coming from the NFC figures that you can purchase (optional).

Dreadhalls is worth checking out. It's a quick and clear example of how VR can take what would be a pretty uninteresting concept and make it much more immersive and effective. [Tested with Rift]

The action is there and it's solid, but the package as a whole isn't enough to fully satisfy. The lack of story brings a hollow feel to this Resident Evil experience, as well as other small factors here and there. Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D delivers non-stop action, but it just can't bring enough substance in the gameplay to make the entire experience enjoyable.

DBZ for Kinect is far more likely to appeal to a young and enthusiastic audience as opposed to an average gamer, or one who is used to the depth of a typical DBZ game.

To fans of the series of flight combat, this is perfectly acceptable (and expected). Other might have wanted a game that bothered to fly somewhere, anywhere, they hadn't already been.

A quasi-interesting experiment that Move owners with an interest in electronic music might want to invest in.

Chapter 2 is a step back for The Raven, but it's a necessary hurdle to get to what will hopefully be a great closing act.

The audience for this game is clear: fans of the manga/anime, the first game, or maybe Dynasty Warriors should definitely check this out. I think those folks will be able to more easily overlook the game's flaws. For everyone else, you could do worse with your money and time, and if you do try it, give it a few hours to grow on you before you cast it aside.

I think passionate series fans, whether Budokai veterans or not, will appreciate the Collection, but they may also question why a more thorough and complete version wasn't released.

Much like Bossa Studios’ Surgeon Simulator, which is more about the complication of trying to perform surgery with individually assigned buttons for fingers, I Am Bread is lighter version of that same concept where it’s not quite as frustrating, but still nonetheless a chore to play through.

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.

Ultimately, DA is one of those games that just about goes tit-for-tat on pros and cons. With some patching, this game could really break through to another level of quality, but we’ll have to see what develops in that regard. I understand that Tuque has several things lined up for the next six months. They’re planning on new free DLC and a new expansion, Echoes of the Blood War, and that’s cool. However, I think they really need to take a hard look at the base game and make several major adjustments to it before worrying about DLC, because if the base game doesn’t get right, there might not be much of an audience to bring back in with DLC and expansions.

Toy Story Mania! is yet another mini game compilation on the Wii and though the midway style of games are enjoyable at times, the game is far too easy.

If you like the X-Men or brawler games (and who doesn't), X-Men Destiny is worth a rental, but it has enough issues and shortcomings to make a full on purchase prohibitive to most gamers.

Birds of Steel had real potential. It had the visuals, the historical missions and the online co-op and head-to-head action. The controls pretty much ruined the experience. A little bit more work on those and this game is up there with the IL-2's of the world.

Survival horror hit a wall, and Maiden of Black Water isn't the one to overcome it.

If you like JRPGs, you obviously have to try this one. But, if this isn't your genre of choice, Hyperdimension Neptunia isn't likely to change your mind, no matter how cool the name of the game is.

Catlateral Damage is a simple gaming experience that doesn’t offer up much variety outside of swiping items off shelves, but it does occasionally offer up some cute humor. Nothing really more or less than that, though.

I wouldn't call this game bad. In terms of what it does at its core, it executes without really any mistakes. But the core gets really boring.

If you're in the market for a casual city builder, 1849 has a lot going for it, but be aware of its limitations, too. For their first effort though, SomaSim did a fine job.

For the mahjong player on the go, Mahjong Cub3d may be an enticing pickup, but if you've already decided you aren't a fan of mahjong, Cub3d won't change your state of mind.

Drawing inspiration from a satirical appreciation of the Cold War, it's fair for CounterSpy to teeter on the edge of principled oblivion. Finding value in its eccentricity, however, controls whether you can hang on or fall off.

Guardians of Middle-Earth on the PC should be better in so many ways than its console cousin, but it's not. The controls and lack of online community support make this game a tough sell.

Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is a beautiful game that is well crafted in some areas, especially in the menu and combat systems. Sadly, the game trips on its own inconsistent difficulty and poor or incomplete feel of the gameplay design.

It's good to see Samurai Showdown back, but Sen isn't what hardcore Samurai Showdown fans were hoping for. While I wouldn't quite call it a bad game, it isn't a very good one either.

Sacred Citadel is a decent 2D action platformer, with good RPG elements. It pails in comparison with the likes of Golden Axe, Castle Crashers, Konami's X-Men, Streets of Rage, and others, but it is some cheap fun.

F1 2015 rewards their passion with an impressive simulation of not only the actual races, but a slice of the elegant culture surrounding the sport. Unfortunately F1 2015 doesn't have room for much of anything else, finding itself lapped by modern peers in expected features and ease of approach.

On its own, Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day is lightweight runner with scant traces of inspiration. As integral part of the dynamic, multimedia Short Peace project, its relative value becomes a bit more manageable. That it's all being packaged and sold as a videogame leaves it feeling heavy on good natured intent, but thin on actual content.

Boring and repetitive combat, excessive and misdirected objectives, and a relentlessly depressing theme encumber what is otherwise a triumph in moody, explorative gameplay.

It's a shame that Sonic can't run fast enough to escape his past. Amidst segments that range from profoundly irritating to cautiously routine, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II features a handful of sequences that show a glimmer of hope, suggesting that if Sonic Team and Dimps were allowed to make a new 2D Sonic game without having to obey the demons of his past, we might have received a more clever and inventive episode. Instead, Episode II defaults to another run through familiar symbols and places, few of which seem to be as exhilarating as they were nearly twenty years ago.

Ultimately what you get with One Piece: Burning Blood is just a variety of different ways to fight against other characters in different fighting modes - nothing more, nothing less.

FATED: The Silent Oath is short and I didn't get invested in the story or characters, but I found it enjoyable and hope to see Frima expand upon it. [Tested with Rift]

The single player missions can be fun, but it's short lived even when you're rewarded with new planes that don't vary that much from the last plane you just flew.