Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is a far cry from revolutionary (though it hardly seeks to be), and it's too linear and shallow an adventure for a game banking on the appeal of Metroid. Nevertheless, it's a tasty hors d'oeuvre that teases with sheer beauty and some clever gameplay concepts in the later areas. Its appeal is greater than the sum of its parts, even if it does leave you wanting more.

Overall, this collection is accurate to a fault, packed with some additional goodies and reminds us how absolutely insane we all must have been when we played these games the first time around. Bravo to Digital Eclipse and Capcom for taking a chance on some classics.

A solid puzzle-platformer that is well worth the investment for those that enjoyed the original or just like the genre. It's not without some frustration, but the positives outweigh the negatives.

Invincible VS from developer Quarter Up is an impressive fighting game that plays it safe in some areas, but exceeds expectations in others. The mix of story content that launches into 3v3 battles is seamless as it is entertaining. The game isn’t perfect by any means, but it’s more impressive than it is not.

War Thunder has some issues here and there, but it’s a very competent flying and ground war game that doesn’t let its microtransaction component get in the way. There’s plenty of tanks and planes to try out and modify to your liking, and just enough visuals to enjoy along the way. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid game.

Among contemporary Ys releases and remakes—Seven, The Oath in Felghana, and Memories of Celceta—The Ark of Napishtim is more reliant on support provided by its adopted hardware. Unfortunately its tangled journey to the personal computer cost as many features as it gained, leaving The Ark of Napishtim as little more than a curious architect of the Ys games that followed.

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 is a must play for any Kingdom Hearts fan, just for KH 0.2 alone. Not only is there a wonderful remaster of an underrated 3DS game, but players get their first opportunity to go hands-on with the gameplay for Kingdom Hearts 3. While I found Kingdom Hearts X: Back Cover to be a bit of a shoo-in, it does give fans of both the mobile game and the series some extra content to enjoy. With Kingdom Hearts 3 a while off, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 is the perfect appetizer.

Destiny isn’t a perfect game, but it’s a perfect gaming experience. The girth of the planets, the endless exploration, a fun co-op element and a strong PvP structure has this series on the right track. I can’t wait to see what else the future expansions have in store for the overall body of work.

Overall, WWE 2K19 is a solid step up from last year’s title. It offers a bit more in terms of content, and a deeper MyPlayer mode. I still wish they would ease up on the control scheme complication a bit, maybe shifting back to an easier control scheme that focuses on fun, rather than trying to make the wrestling experience a challenge. Wrestling is a fun sport to watch, so controlling it should be equally as fun. Definitely a solid release overall, though, so you won’t be disappointed.

Backyard Monsters Unleashed is surprisingly addictive and fun, which bodes well for its free-to-play gameplay model. It's definitely something you should give a go to on your iOS device.

Spirittea is the farming sim with Miyazaki vibes I’ve wanted for a hot minute. It doesn’t onboard the player in the most intuitive fashion, so it’s a smidge hard to pick up to get into the groove. But, once you’ve managed to parse through the disparate tea leaves that make up its multiple activities and mechanics, it’s worth a try. I’m looking forward to seeing how Spirittea evolves in the future while I enjoy its coziness this holiday season.

High Moon Studios did a great job with Transformers, finally bringing gamers a vision of Cybertron and its popular inhabitants that we've long wanted to see. Both the campaigns and multiplayer sides offer a lot, making the total package impressive and one I happily recommend.

Ultimately, I think Codemasters has got a lot of great ideas and gameplay elements in OFDR, but it just needed more time. There are too many rough edges here to make this easy to recommend to everyone.

While the core gameplay is still very much intact (stud collecting, puzzle solving, etc.) LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 is an improvement over previous LEGO titles from Traveller's Tale Games. A bit more balance, better level design and just a more even flow makes this a better game than the previous installment of the series.

Grapple Dog is an excellent proof of concept for a 2D action platformer that requires you to swing through levels and traverse through the air as an adorable pup. While I did enjoy the gameplay despite the quirky movement, I couldn’t help but wish there was more, as Medallion Games are onto something fun, charming, groovy, and unique with Pablo. I hope to see this game optimized and updated for the Switch, as the gameplay issues I encountered slightly detracted from this short but sweet indie platforming gem. Need I remind you to pet Pablo every time you complete a level? Please give him all the pets; he deserves it.

Overall, Dragon Quest Heroes II is an upgrade over its predecessor. It’s packed with plenty of content, long action sequences and a healthy dose of role-playing elements to keep your interest firmly hooked. The balance between action and RPG helps make this more than just a Dragon Quest title with the beating heart of Dynasty Warriors. It’s a worthy sequel.

Tacoma’s facade floats between charming futurism and abrasive, old-fashioned avarice. This may seem like inhospitable space to explore the depths of benevolence, but the power of identity and humanity are alive and well supported inside of Tacoma’s twirling science fiction architecture.

It's hard not to like Gatling Gears. The pains of a worn genre and derivative mechanics are eased by a bright, inviting aesthetic and supported by an impressive attention to detail. Vanguard seemed more interested in creating their particular take on twin-stick shooter rather than doing something crazy with an established formula, and I'm strangely okay with that.

Carrion excels at creating realistic tentacle locomotion in the shape of a bloodthirsty nightmare. It falls behind when it requests precision from a monster only capable of blunt violence. As mad science grants sentience to raw brutality, articulation must be sacrificed for overwhelming power. It leaves Carrion as a mesmerizing concept overcommitted to its code.

Gundam Breaker 4 from developer Crafts & Meister has more depth in its customization than with story and entertainment. While the latter won’t grab you and keep you in the gaming experience, the former will certainly have you hooked on how far you can take your Gunpla’s design and customization. Gundam fans and mech model enthusiasts will adore this title more than gamers dying for a rich and full gaming experience based on the Gundam brand.

Souldiers is a kind of comfort food. There are players who will actively seek out a game like this, one that is inspired by the best kinds of interactive nostalgia. While developer Retro Forge is keen on piquing the interest of classic key genres, Souldiers stands surprisingly well on its own qualities. This is a beautiful game that can be absurdly difficult but it’s more than a large, interconnected map and a twist on punishing combat. The name might be a little too clever for its own good but keep in mind that Souldiers is unique in its own right.

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

The Bridge is an easy game to recommend given its compelling and satisfying gameplay and low price.

Ballionaire from developer newobject and publisher Raw Fury is a masterpiece of fast and fun entertainment. It hits all the intriguing and addictive notes with its scoring and strategy while keeping it light and funny to tone down any potential frustration.

Samurai Shodown (2019) still feels like the game it was when it was released on the console last year. The gameplay is sharp and the essence of the classic series is still very much intact, including its unforgiving brutal nature. The big upgrade with this release is the visuals, which look much sharper on PC than on consoles.

Reignbreaker from developer Studio Fizbin and publisher Thunderful Publishing is a solid rogue-lite experience that brings a good story, wonderful gameplay progression, and motivating rewards to the table. While it stumbles with common enemy and level design, it has far more positives than negatives with what it delivers in its gameplay.

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

PGA Tour 2K21 is a good game that delivers a spot-on golfing experience. It brings a variety of courses, great mechanics, and plenty of reasons to keep playing. If the presentation could have been improved it would have been the perfect golfing package. As it stands, if you’re looking for a good golfing experience than you got it.