Playing as Dracula could have been handled so many different ways, and while I don't agree with everything that MercurySteam did with Lords of Shadow 2, the positive aspects overwhelm the negative. This is a worthy and fitting end to a fine trilogy.

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.

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.

Alone in the Dark‘s revival has been a long time coming. And while this new take on the mysteries of Derceto Manor carry a decades-long weight of survival horror innovation, Pieces Interactive almost missed the mark. Barring underwhelming combat and a lack of polish, curious players will be met with an expertly acted, unnerving tale of madness that just might be the spark Alone in the Dark needs to reemerge from the shadows.

What Whispering Willows lacks in complicated hands-on gameplay, it makes up for in story and atmosphere.

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.

Edens Zero from Konami does a wonderful job of representing the source material it was born from. It comes with a meaningful and engaging story with great characters that are well-developed, while presenting an easy-to-jump-into gameplay design that is fun to dive into without much fuss. The hiccups lie with the lack of frequent enemy encounters and the choice of how you can play the game.

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).

Perhaps not quite what Borderlands veterans were hoping for in the game's second DLC, but it still provides a fun and challenging co-op experience.

It certainly isn't perfect, but younger gamers don't need perfection to be entertained.

Battlefield 2042 is a good game at its core. It’s fun, frantic, and as engrossing as Battlefield has ever been. While the launch has been filled with a myriad of technical issues that I failed to mention in this review, those are sure to be ironed out over the next few months. The main issues I have with 2042 are some of its inherent design decisions. The majority of maps are too large to be impactful, the Specialist system has taken away a core aspect of what makes Battlefield work as a franchise, and the tone of the game is often at odds with itself. But through it all, I’m still enjoying my time blowing sh*t up, screaming and laughing with friends, and making more of those Battlefield memories.

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.

People thought that the previous expansions were too simple, and they were right, so Bungie kicked it in the other direction and now we have gotten what we have asked for, even if it feels like it’s too difficult. The balance between effort and reward is now a right of passage and something that is respectful instead of expected. Warmind is a good way for Bungie to begin to right the ship of their D2 game and make it closer to what was promised at the beginning of this Destiny journey.

This is an excellent release for the PSP. Two classic JRPGs re-mastered and made available in a single, well-priced package. Fans of Ys or the genre can't go wrong in picking this up.

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

All things considered, at a $20 price point for a 4 or 5 hour experience, it’s hard not to recommend for someone looking for a pretty good story, average-ish VR gameplay that’s casually difficult (though sometimes a little frustrating), and solid presentation thanks to fine artwork and voice overs. If you’re in the market for an experience like that, Maskmaker is worth considering.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions from developer Unbroken Studios finally brings a decent version of Quidditch to the video gaming world. While the controls are going to certainly frustrate some, especially when mixed with the chaotic Quidditch gameplay, the game does a decent job of bringing some good modes and reasons to keep playing. This is very much a vanilla beginning and hopefully, that can be improved in the coming months.

Warhammer: Chaosbane is an incredibly entertaining game but at this point in time, that fun lasts as long as players continue to be invested in the repetitive nature of an ARPG. Right now, the pool of enemies, while aesthetically cool, begin to feel tired after awhile. It takes a considerable amount of time before modified enemies show up and the variety of equipment might not be enough for some players to invest the time it will take to soar to the highest echelons of skill.

Even with the reduction in graphical fidelity and the controller shortcomings, I still found LoFVR compelling to replay after five years from having played the original. The story is pretty good, but moreover I really liked the ever-changing mansion and Twilight Zone weirdness of it all. That kind of atmosphere and design lend themselves well to VR play, and to that end the game is interesting on PSVR, despite its shortcomings. Plus, at only $20, LoFVR is relatively light on the wallet for a few hours of spooky VR.

Madden 21 is a great game that old and new players would be excited to play. New modes and updated features like Superstar X-Factor and The Yard have put youth into a veteran series. The way the players acted and how the games sound makes it feel like a real NFL game and in 2020 that is needed. While it still has flaws, it may be one of the best Madden games yet.

It’s not perfect, but if you’re hunting for a good stocking stuffer this holiday season that the whole family can appreciate, Family Game Night 2 is head and shoulders above most other casual fare.

Call of Cthulhu is an emphatic character sheet fed to a game deficient of opportunities for self-expression. Imagine if, instead of a dramatic exploration behind the power and poison of enlightenment, Lovecraft only wrote a flat outline. Call of Cthulhu is eldritch horror without emotion or agency, and its madness is entirely mundane.

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.

XBlaze Lost: Memories pushes the series forward and offers a solid value for those that become invested in its story and characters, but getting to that point is not a given.

The more I played Gods Will Fall, the more I understand its intricate design. It’s a good game that at the very heart depends on dungeon design and bosses to make it fun. It exceeds in the latter and does a good job with the design. The story is meaningful, the gameplay design of the action is simplified, and while it does have its pain points here and there, it delivers a fun and purposeful experience.

Weird Beluga attempted to merge two distinct genres of game with Clid the Snail: top-down shooter and narrative. Although they succeeded on the worldbuilding and narrative front, the gunplay feels unforgiving, repetitive, and frustrating. I can’t sleight them for trying something new, as I generally enjoyed Clid’s grimy world, but I really did want more. I can’t wait to see where Weird Beluga go, as Clid is a good start for hopefully something better in the future.

Goat Simulator is stupid, ridiculous, and incredibly fun. Everything from the hidden areas to the different goats make this game hilarious, and well worth the price.

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.