The Bozak Horde is Dying Light's dalliance into the efficiency of combat and movement. The peculiar tightness at which it operates may be a boon to mechanic-obsessives and speed runners, but it simultaneously precludes other venues of appreciation.

Where's Waldo? The Fantastic Journey had all the right ideas about replicating the beloved children's books in videogame form except for one small detail: at 4-6 times the price of an actual book, it's hard to find anyone who would be willing to pay face value for the game.

If you’ve really got to have your Family Feud, consider instead the PC version of the game, which retails for half the price.

Nihilistic's take on Call of Duty is a disappointment and not something I would recommend.

Only hardcore Transformer fans should pick this one up at full retail price.

Mario Party is continuing to see sequels and unfortunately it isn't seeing much change. In its 3rd portable experience, Island Tour, I had hoped for more enjoyable single player and internet multiplayer to keep players interested when they can't get their friends around. Unfortunately, the bread-and-butter experience of 4 players is easier to implement and more enjoyable on console experiences.

Pokémon Rumble Blast is like buying a five-pound multicolored package of Runts only to find all bananas inside: there's a heck of a lot to digest, but ultimately, it's just one shockingly mediocre bite after another.

All in all, Shing! is a fast-paced, fun – at times – side-scroller with incredible moments of art and design. Occasionally, it will give you a couple of giggles with its silly humor but is generally dampened due to the immaturity of its narrative and character arcs. Both the immense amount of bugs and its combat system are its own worst enemies and need a lot of adapting before it can be a beat ’em up worth talking about.

Unless you’re simply dying for punishment, you’re unlikely to find anything to enjoy here.

Gusto Games got some things right here, but there is still a whole lot of room to improve. Worth a look if you're an avid golfer (and PlayStation Move owner), but I recommend a rental first.

Worldshift is a game that had a lot of potential. It's sad to see such potential wasted when the end result is a poorly executed and rushed title.

Killer is Dead functions decently, the art is occasionally nice, and it has shades of greater ideas, but beyond that I can't find a reason to spend money or time exploring its gradual deterioration.

The attractive landscapes and engaging ideas behind Sonic Lost World are no match for the demolition of morale suffered under unreliable control and inconsistent quality. Lost World is undoubtedly the most realized and best playing modern-era Sonic game, but Sonic still has ways to go before he's in a game one might actually have the best time playing.

There are three kinds of people that this game is absolutely made for. The first is Playstation 4 and Xbox One owners who don’t own any of the Nintendo consoles that previous installments of the Super Smash Bros. series are available for. The second is people who have played the previous Super Smash Bros. games to death and need a new but similar game to tide them over until the next installment is released. Fans of the Dark Souls and Bloodborne series may call this the Nioh role. The third is people who have had loved ones bludgeoned to death by a Super Smash Bros game case and now want nothing to do with the game but still have an itch for arena brawler games that needs to be scratched. You know who you are.

To say that Redfall needs major work to fix some balancing issues would be a bit of an understatement. For a game that had so much hype during its development and was supposed to be the first big game of 2023 for the Xbox family that wasn’t called Halo or Forza, it has fallen short in its delivery. There are quite a few issues with Redfall, lots of unbalance in gameplay, and plenty to correct before it can be considered a permanent and worthwhile IP.

Shadow Labyrinth should have been so much more. I wanted my first impression of the game to linger. But the longer I engaged, the more my mind wandered to better Metroidvanias. Ones that either delivered pitch-perfect combat and exploration, or ones that tried something new. Shadow Labyrinth attempts to make a weird, novel Pac-Man experience but squanders the opportunity on sluggish pacing, exhausting checkpointing, and a map that severely needed a few bites taken out of it. Maybe Puck should just stick to ghost hunting.

Expedition: Viking is a fun turn-based RPG that is unfortunately marred by various technical issues. While the combat and story are intriguing, the “same-y” environments and characters leave a lot to be desired.

Graphically, the game looks quite dated. The music is, well, bad — and the effects, while capturing some of the characters’ uniqueness, is still pretty flat. Likewise in general for the game, while there is some fun to be had, especially in local multiplayer, the overall experience is more underwhelming than not. That makes this game very difficult to recommend to all but the most ardent kart racing or Nickelodeon fans. Even within those camps, who are more apt to overlook flaws with NKR, the experience leaves a lot to be desired.

I was hoping for a lot more from Puzzler Mind Gym 3D, but the lackluster presentation and game layout, coupled with the poor use of 3D, made this another one of those inferior brain games that only serious puzzle and brain game fans should consider for purchase.

I so wanted to love this game. Hearing the story, seeing the visuals, I was ready to campaign for all to download this immediately given the creativity of concept alone. Then I hit 'start.' Sadly, the sketchy controls ruin this game.

Godzilla is not a terrible game, but it's just not a lot of fun. The repetition sets in very early and it becomes a chore to play for all but the most diehard of fans.

Hardcore NIS fans are going to pick up The Witch and the Hundred Knight anyway, but everyone else would do well to keep their distance.

Even if you've played and enjoyed the previous games and movies, I'd recommend a rental for Deathly Hallows, Part 1.

Dreamcast Sampler would have been a more apt title. After putting together the wonderful Ultimate Genesis Collection and the stellar Sega Ages line, it's hard not to feel like Sega dropped the ball with Dreamcast Collection.

If you want a strategy game with zombies, this is probably your best option. Be warned that you may get frustrated with the difficulty and tired with the tedious nature of the stages.

There are a few moments of fun to be had, but they are few and far between and do not constitute the $50 price tag.

As a brief (three to four hour) experience that offers some spicy story bits, mildly improved battle situations, and more-of-the-same traversal, Legacy is difficult to recommend at its current price.

It's nice to see another American football game from an outlet besides EA, but NaturalMotion misses the mark with Backbreaker.

Dungeon Hunter Alliance has too many fundamental issues -- from gameplay quality and length, to presentation issues, to a massively inflated price -- to make it worthwhile for most Vita owners.

A case of projection clashing against reality, almost a meta-level statement on Dead Island's inability to step up and perform on key. Unfortunately the only rendition that sticks is one of deteriorating enthusiasm. 2011 was charitable to Dead Island. 2016 almost holds it in contempt.

Zombie Apocalypse plays out in a similar manner; it's good fun for a half hour, but then the game force feeds you the same content for whatever time you continue to invest in the game. Not exactly my idea of fun.

Ultimately, SimCity is going to go down as a “what could’ve been.”

While Sega surely got the gameplay and control mechanics down, they seemed to have fizzled out at the mission creation.

The force was unleashed on this game alright, it just happened to be the dark side of the force. The controls seemed to have been programmed by Darth Vader himself.

Instead of coming of with different ideas for a new generation, Sochi 2014 opts for another round of motion control minigames and only adds a manic insistence on a revolving door of controller hardware. It's unfocused, uneven, and typically not much fun thanks to the transient nature of most of its content.

At it's current MSRP, Star Trek is destined to dock at the nearest starbase for good. However, if you really enjoy co-op third person games (who doesn't?), even if they aren't very good, you might circle back to this one later when the price is far, far lower.

ArcaniA and its expansion are ultimately worth playing, but there's no reason to do so on the PS3. Whatever went into porting ArcaniA to the PS3 was not done with care, and the result is an ok-to-good game that now has a lot more technical and presentation issues it didn't have when it first released nearly three years ago on other platforms.

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.

Defenders of Time, even with its pretty visuals and some redeeming game mechanics, can't stand well on its own, and is easily beat out by other free tower defense games with very difficult levels and shoddy multiplayer, this game is not a very good example of the tower defense genre.

Steel Diver is a launch title that shows off some of the great features of the 3DS (gyroscope sensor and 3D) but leaves some of them out as well (including StreetPass, online play, and Play Coins). If I were looking to buy the game, I would have loved to have purchased this for around $15 from the 3DS online shop. However, at the current price of $39.99, this game has too few overall content to warrant a purchase at the price of a full-length game. If you're itching to check this game out, I would wait until it drops in price.

Players who have never played the series before may find this game enjoyable but other than that, only the most hardcore Pokémon fans (who enjoy even the least critically acclaimed games from the franchise) will enjoy playing this title after playing through any of the previous ones.

There are as many things that reward you as there are things that will burden your experience with Stranded Deep. It has the potential to be a really enjoyable game, but poor mechanics shoot itself in the foot. If you are a fan of this genre then this is another game for you. On the other hand, if you have interest in getting into survival games then do not start with this. I had a good time with Stranded Deep. I spent a good amount of time with it. Thinking about all the pros and cons together, my opinion on this game is mixed.

Ultimate Tekken Bowl comes to Tekken 7 with a suite of new costumes that do not work inside of Ultimate Tekken Bowl. This transparent dissonance ironically harmonizes with Tekken 7's initial release. In the absence of content—Tekken Bowl, while dependable, has hardly changed in seventeen years—just stuff the box with costumes and get it out the door. Whether it's part of Tekken 7's $25 season pass or a standalone $14 product, Ultimate Tekken Bowl feels cheap and empty.

Avid, younger fans of the show may find value in this release but for any parent considering the purchase, I would advise a rental first.

Super Dungeon Bros isn't an awful game but it does itself no favours at the same time. If you manage to convince three friends to pick it up it can be fun, otherwise you may find yourself disappointed.

Overall, Starport Delta is a relatively solid indie title from the developers at Cloudfire Studios. It is simple in design and small in scope as it stands. The game is enjoyable and can be relaxing over short sessions but doesn’t hold interest and lacks a significant amount of content. However, with the developers listening to reviews and user feedback, there is hope it will be added to and improved over time. If the game continues to receive updates over time, it could very well turn into a fun title deserving of its price tag.

Rustler is a game that does a little of both but doesn’t commit to either idea enough to make an interesting experience. This indecision to commit hampers the game’s enjoyability and leaves players with a confused understanding of what the game wants to be. This compounded by a lack of black representation while directly referencing black culture everywhere, makes this game difficult to recommend.

Battleship is exactly what you'd expect it to be and whilst Clash at Sea provides a bit more to the game than just playing straight up classic it falls short due to it being, well, rather boring.

Arizona Sunshine’s appearance on PlayStation VR splits its time between posturing as an inarticulate calamity and performing as capable virtual reality shooting gallery. Simple luck appears to be the dividing line, leaving the player to decide if a lengthy campaign, vivid environments, and zealous gunplay are worth putting up with fussy controls, hostile conduct, and anemic hardware.

Only the most passionate Pac-Man and mini-game compilation gamers need to attend this Party.

The only portion of Knee Deep that works as intended is its presentation as a stage play. Sequences meant to be shocking or surprising are met with audible gasps from the audience. Intermissions come complete with player selection options of how to handle a minute or two of free time. Applause is delivered at the conclusion of every act. Like Puppeteer, it really feels like you’re watching a show.

The core gameplay of Wonder Boy is platforming and combat. Both turned out to feel their age. Simple jumps between platforms and the occasional glide were all that really encompassed the gameplay. The different enemies were bland and if you couldn’t defeat them with a simple slash, then the solution was to jump and slash. The game needs just a little more depth. There were magical slashes that did more damage, but maybe a more complex magic system would have enhanced the experience. Thankfully the puzzles break up the monotony.

Fortnite: Battle Royale is now on mobile and it is not what we need. The subpar graphics, eh gameplay and the fact that you should play it on computer or console totally ruin the experience. Fortnite is the HOTTEST game in the world right now, moving it to iOS and soon Android is not going to make it any better.

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

Warlocks 2: God Slayers is a tedious action-RPG that will certainly satisfy those who seek out a challenge on the Nintendo Switch. It’s not necessarily the first game of its genre that I would recommend for people who are interested in the genre, but it’s certainly not the last. The tedious button mappings on the JoyCons with the slow moment-to-moment gameplay makes it an action-RPG that’s fun to play in short bursts, but not for long periods of time.

As it stands, Umbrella Corps is a hard sell even at $29.99. The content just seems void of enjoyment and entertainment because of the broken feel of the overall gameplay design. I will give Capcom and its developers props for trying something different in the RE series. The idea seems to be built on good intentions.

A response to Earth Defense Force 2025's particular set of skills depends on personal expectations. The intended audience is divided between those who interpret it as a so-bad-it's-good romp of cataclysmic destruction and those who manage to extract a bit of fun from the core loop of loot-grinding.

I was interested in this next step for the Call of Juarez series, and I really think it could have worked; but good ideas can only do so much, solid execution must also prevail, and that just didn't happen with The Cartel.

If you already love this franchise, you’ll love this remaster/remake too. If you’ve never experienced this franchise before, or you are coming from a modern context, it feels like a relic of a bygone era. And ultimately rather than the simpler nature of its underlying components radiating a universal appeal, they come off as outdated.

It's not a complete disappointment, but only passionate fans of the genre or of Thor should look into this one.

Need for Speed: Payback features the same fun arcadey racing from 2015’s entry, minus all of the heart and soul that game had. With a by-the-books story, and a downright frustrating system to upgrade your car, it’s hard to recommend Need for Speed: Payback.

Would you prefer a tenacious coach who encourages you to do better or an obstinate teacher who seems aroused by failure? Necropolis expects its audience to compose the latter. No one needs their games to be nurturing or complimentary, but the decency to spotlight meaningful content and abandon waste is a manner Necropolis could stand to learn.

Fortune Street is a good board game in terms of premise but as a videogame, it suffers in many areas that we would expect would be enhanced by being a virtual experience.

The gameplay is not fun at all and the visuals aren’t that good either. Fans of the series may find some redeeming qualities within the game but if you are unfamiliar with the One Punch Man series, I would stay away from this game.

Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! is an admirable premise that spoils well before its implied expiration date. Creating hilarious living monstrosities out of crude odds and ends yields satisfying and impressive results, but endearment becomes tragedy when you discover there's nothing of interest to do with them. The simple act of creation might be enough for some, but I was bored to tears after that particular novelty wore off.

I still have hope that a game like this can really work and be really fun -- but The Fight: Lights Out isn't it. There are simply too many things wrong with this game to recommend it.

A run-of-the-mill action/adventure game—sort of a Zelda game for kids with some pretty serious mechanical issues under the hood.

Enhanced as it may be, Risen 3: Titan Lords is still a very rough experience with too many problems that outweigh its merits.

The game's visuals are on par with other DS FPS titles out there and 1-4 player wireless download play is a nice addition for any DS game. However, this game really has nothing more to get excited about as the dark and unrefined level design, dull A.I., and flawed weapons make the game difficult to enjoy.

It's okay, as long as things are moving right along -- but when you're stuck or don't know where to go, the game's problems come to the surface and your patience will be tried.

While it misses the mark in general and douses the hopes I had when I first saw the E3 2018 trailer, The Quiet Man does have some value. It’s reasonably priced despite its issues and brevity, and if you’re looking for something a little different, it’s worth a look, just keep your expectations considerably tempered.

If Colonial Marines were a film it would be one of those quiet indiscretions sent directly to video, but instead it's a game, one in which every interactive and visible aspect feels dated by any measure.

I like Supermassive Games' idea they had for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock, but I think the execution fell far short of what they planned. Had they given the game a bit more time to cook, then it would have turned out far better. The 2D platformer genre worked well for this title, but it couldn't overcome the shoddiness of the finished piece and the frustration it creates.

Overall, Mario & Sonic Rio 2016 Olympic Games feels like many of the event based games that came before it: full of events, but shallow in substance. The lack of an online multiplayer mode, and the inability to play as any Mario or Sonic character in any event makes this entry in the Mario & Sonic games a bore.

Infinity Runner's boasts an attractive premise - a werewolf must escape a space station - but its thinly sliced narrative doesn't contain any satisfactory hooks and its moments of player agency rarely reach any sort of plateau. Infinity Runner's beautiful premise isn't an invitation to something greater; it's an excuse for an otherwise incidental experience.

Earth Defense Force 4.1 is a lesson in how endearment can turn into exasperation. Like the best magic tricks, it's astounding the first time you see it, but a waste of time when the performer can't figure out how to move on.

It hits some of its marks—a generous frame-rate and a firm commitment to kitsch melodrama among them—but it's closer to the edges boredom and mediocrity. For a game meant to elicit a range of responses, all that it leaves the player is trite indifference.

Pokédex 3D Pro is most certainly a Pokédex that is well done in terms of aesthetics and quality. However, it is of little help to the competitive community due to its lack of numbers and advanced searches and they will no doubt find more useful tools on the internet.

Overall, Left Alive was not a fun game to play. It lacked personality, even though it wanted to be an MGS clone so bad. It lacked complication for a stealth game, as well as comfortable character movement and slow ramp-up of difficulty. I think if the devs could have had more time to smooth out these rough areas, then the game would have been decent, if not good.

Getting stuck in room-escape or point and click adventure games is par for the course sometimes, but what DYING: Reborn does not have going for it is other strong qualities to keep things interesting and “worth the effort.” It wasn’t long before I resorted to a walkthrough once, and then again as needed. I wasn’t compelled by the story, the characters, or the atmosphere. I didn’t feel any sense of tension or immersion with Mathew and his plight. The presentation of the game from graphics to on-screen font to voice-acting was very generic and lackluster too, making the whole experience a struggle and not very enjoyable. Without a walkthrough, I probably would not have pressed on because I just was not finding the experience worth my time and effort. If you really enjoy room escape games and puzzles, DYING: Reborn at $20 or less might be worth a look, but it’s hard to recommend otherwise.

Perception's attractive thesis—a blind woman should be capable of investigating the menacing house from her nightmares—creates space for an original protagonist inside of an extraordinary circumstance. A premise isn't a promise, however, as Perception quickly abandons novelty in favor of rote objectives, aimless antagonism, and a narrative set adrift in a sea of platitudes.

Dynasty Warriors 9 is extremely repetitive, and it gets to the point of frustration and boredom. The graphics in game are nothing to talk about. It would be different if the game had subpar gameplay and beautiful scenery, but you won’t find that here. Unchallenging combat is just salt in the wound. This is not a game I recommend, and its 80 something playable characters cannot save it.

Through the eyes of an exasperated protagonist, Those Who Remain borrows from better games to tell a by-the-numbers horror story with the illusion of morality. Rife with puzzles so simplistic they become tedious, its delivery may leave players in the dark.

Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage is so terrible that it can't even satisfy an established template.

Dead Rising 3's inability to operate without consistently crashing wasn't a simple technical shortcoming, but rather a comprehensive failure that came to damage and define every aspect of its experience. Looking back on my time with Dead Rising 3, I'm not thinking of open-world mayhem under the stress of a cataclysmic time crunch, but rather the ugly and sudden halt of everything I found enjoyable in the intended game.

The battles became a chore after a while of playing, as no enemy after the second level presented anything new to deal with, and my options were limited in what I could actually do during battle.

Either wait for a further price drop on the peripheral (from the current $30-$40 you can find it for on Amazon) or hope that Nintendo will bundle one with the one game that everyone is still looking forward to on the Wii: Zelda.

Jump Force has plenty of potential and source material to work from, but falls flat. It is a little disappointing to see such a beloved franchise celebrate its 50th anniversary with Jump Force. The only thing that the game has going for it is the graphics. The story is dull. The combat is disorienting. Unfortunately, Jump Force does not live up to the hype.

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem may appeal more to a younger audience than it did to me, but I don't think anyone will enjoy the frustrating lack of control that you have over the minions as they aimlessly wander to their deaths.

No matter what lengths were taken to mask it, Jimmy's Vendetta is still a vanilla attempt at milking a property that should have been richer in content to begin with.

Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection's low price forgives the absence of modes and options we usually take for granted. The problem is it's also lacking what amounts to basic functionality. The arcade ports are lazy and desperately in need of a patch and the online interface was plagued with lag. The worst part is the higher your appreciation for Mortal Kombat's golden years, the more glaring Arcade Kollection's gaffs become.

Playing as a Werewolf should be fun and exciting, simple as that. Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood doesn’t come close to offering that. Between the dull and laborious Human and Wolf gameplay and the lackluster Werewolf gameplay, it’s difficult to recommend Earthblood to anyone. Above story and visuals, gameplay for this type of game should be king. Instead, Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood ends up being too sheepish.

Overall, I think Super Bomberman R falls short as a complete package. The single-player, while reaching for something a bit different with level design (and it achieves it), falls short with uninteresting bosses and slow enemies. The online play of the game is only good on a local level, while the actual online gaming experience is hindered by the lack of players and atrocious delay.

Pixel Gear seeks enrichment from the path of least resistance. Its virtual shooting gallery is adequate enough to qualify as a game, but its vacant ambition prohibits sustained engagement or durability. The bare minimum is a discouraging target. Pixel Gear's gunplay is not capable of aiming any higher.

Island Time VR is a survival game deprived of effective resources. Elements that should be in great supply—variability, actionable materials, and available real estate—are reduced to a minimum, instead depending on the novelty of virtual reality for sustenance. With PlayStation VR's incapacity for a proper room-scale experience, Island Time VR is left out to starve.

Killing Floor: Incursion, while visually accomplished and very pretty, doesn’t have anything on its mind. We’re two years into commercial virtual reality and Killing Floor: Incursion is as plain as it is tired.

The core idea sounds fun and with a bit more polish and deepening of the Campaign Extinction could’ve been a pretty decent action-adventure hack-and-slash. As it is, it’s a poorly executed homage of far better games which, in all honesty, are far more worthy of your time.

This is one of the worst Xbox LIVE Arcade games I've ever played. The conventions are basic, very basic. Gameplay elements like shooting consistently suck.