Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes – Definitive Edition from DotEmu is a decent game thanks to a clever mixture of RPG, puzzle, and strategy structure. It has a compelling storyline that reminds you of an 80s/90s RPG gaming world, and it has plenty of characters to play around with on the battlefield. It falls short with unbalanced gameplay that always leans towards enemy advantage and the control mechanics that can be incredibly finicky at times.

Cyberpunk 2077 is broken on last-generation consoles. That doesn’t mean you can’t see the finer details of the game, but you simply cannot enjoy them because of that brokenness. Where the game succeeds is in story, beautiful RPG elements, and a strong amount of customization that makes it feel like ‘your’ game and story. At the same time, Cyberpunk isn’t unique as the game feels like an amalgamation of Fallout and Bladerunner. Ultimately, aside from the game-breaking bugs, the game has good aspects that could have been great with a little more time in development.

I do appreciate the Sega Ages titles right now, and look forward to more in the future. I also think that if they start creating more additional modes to these older titles, then the series will be an easy sell. Right now, the modes are decent, especially for younger gamers out there, so they add some value to the titles, but they need a bit more to them, though, to really sell everyone on them.

While I don’t believe that this game is groundbreaking for the genre, I think that it brought unique additions to it. The level design and art style work well with the subject matter of the game. The weapon component system and environmental hazards are a great feature that I have not seen implemented like this in the past.

I do appreciate the Sega Ages titles right now, and look forward to more in the future. I also think that if they start creating more additional modes to these older titles, then the series will be an easy sell. Right now, the modes are decent, especially for younger gamers out there, so they add some value to the titles, but they need a bit more to them, though, to really sell everyone on them.

Valfaris is a collection of conventional run ‘n gun elements amplified by one of the gnarliest and most committed heavy metal aesthetics ever pledged to pixels. Ideas that belong to Valfaris may not be as well tuned as the Greatest Hits it so liberally samples, but it’s easy to overlook in light of the vibrant carnage. Valfaris, in the parlance of its god, shreds.

The Spell Brigade separates itself from the pack of Vampire Survivors-adjacent games by letting up to four players engage in unruly, wave-based chaos. However, the power climb is locked behind a steep grind that takes too long to feel rewarding and players may yearn for more varied content to keep them truly invested.

Kunai is a wonderful game that I am sure rewards a high level of mastery over its mechanics. It looks great, sounds amazing, and plays quite well for the most part. However, the bugs I encountered and some of the lackluster designs throughout the game often made me either sleepy-bored or frustrated at being killed by events largely out of my control. It feels clunky at some points and I believe needs just a bit more refining but it is a great game underneath it all.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 does its best to continue the pattern of marginal advancement in Activision’s line of superhero brawler/RPG titles, but as much as it improves in the process, it fails elsewhere.

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.

Praey for the Gods from No Matter Studios is a game with potential. It has some good survival gameplay design and is an interesting open-world adventure that encourages exploration of its desolate landscape. There’s a lot to like here, though not completely perfect in some gameplay aspects.

The adventure to take down the gang showed off how the game itself worked. It actually provided room for mistakes and was easily forgiving at the start. Players new to this genre, and this game, will certainly appreciate it. As the game progressed, though, it became steadily more demanding. That’s not a bad thing, in fact it’s an impressive way to do things, as you always want to challenge players. A steady arc of difficulty is how you want an RPG to be built and Empyre: Lords of the Sea didn’t disappoint in that aspect.

Overall, The Suicide of Rachel Foster does its best to get you in that uncomfortable gameplay horror structure it aspires to achieve, and it succeeds in engaging and pulling you into the experience. The game just falls short in the story and never really brings the actual horror you would expect to the table, which hurts the gameplay. The long journey to start the horror and the payoff by the end doesn’t match up. That’s not to say you won’t get something out of the game, at least some mystery and suspense, but your expectations of what you should get and what you want to get will never quite come to fruition.

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

‘NHL 26’ is a revamp and refresh. However, to me, it’s an incredibly hard game to justify buying from last year’s installment. In the game’s defense, I will argue this against those online who say ‘this is just a glorified roster update’ because I can tell there have been several little improvements to make things a better playing experience. ‘NHL 26’ is still a good game for me. Plus, I can see possible ways that modes like ‘Be A Pro’ can go in the future, especially with the updates to ‘Franchise Mode’ in ‘NHL 25’. I do feel like we are a goalie that’s been left out to dry in the third period late.

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus from developer Squid Shock Studios is a beautiful game that features all the right magical moves to make this a challenging precision platformer but stumbles badly with imprecise controls that make what would be a good experience frustrating.

Catherine remains a skilled caricature of a hysterical, impossible man’s moral frailty and romantic insecurity. Characters and complications introduced by Full Body, however, lack the connective tissue and social maturity to support its expanded ambition. A tower-climbing puzzle game fused with a supernatural infidelity meditation, even in its spiraling convolution, still survives as a provocative oddity.

I've had more fun with Strikeforce on the PS3 than I've ever had with the Dynasty Warriors franchise. To me, the series was stale until now, and while not without its problems, Strikeforce moves Dynasty Warriors back into the realm of relevance.

Demetrios is a solid point and click title from Cowcat. It is point and click and dialogue-driven, even to a fault at some points, but the difficulty will be enough to offer up a challenge to those who love the genre. Demetrios certainly isn’t perfect, much like its main character, but it is intriguing enough to warrant a go.

Life is Strange: Reunion attempts to tackle the difficult task of wrapping up the loose ends set forth in Double Exposure and find resolution for the series’ two beloved characters. The relationship between Max and Chloe has always been a highlight of the genre and thankfully it carries a weaker entry in Life is Strange that struggles to navigate its overly simplistic gameplay and less important subplots.

Overall, LEGO Worlds is a LEGO game many fans of the franchise have been waiting for. Between the robust create tools and ability to discover randomly generated worlds, LEGO Worlds offers a ton of great fun. While it’s not nearly as addictive or simple as a game like Minecraft, it should be viewed as a different take on the Create-Your-Own-World genre. The game is unfortunately brought down by it’s floaty and odd controls, but having thousands of classic LEGOs in the game can make up for it if you’re looking for a nostalgic LEGO trip.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox: Definitive Edition ultimately improves the game for the better, I imagine. Because I never interacted with the game prior to this experience, I can only sympathize with the frustrations other players went through and wonder if the updates will entice them to return. While key improvements seem to have been introduced to make core features better, fundamental quirks exist that detract from making it a top-tier Metroidvania. Snappier or not, combat is still quite slow and forgettable, leaving the puzzles and the universe the most appealing aspects of an otherwise intriguing game.

It has some shortcomings in comparison to modern games, but if you can overlook its quirks and are in the market for a simple dungeon grind with a colorful world, basic story, a focus on RPG elements, and some humor thrown in for good measure, then Zwei: AA is a worthwhile $20.

FUBUKI ~zero in on Holoearth~ HOLOLIVE ALTERNATIVE is a short, but sweet, retro-action platformer. The beauty of its pixel art can be obfuscated by the visual business of what’s on-screen and the level design skews overly simplistic, but it’s still fun for a few hours. If you’re a Hololive fan, you’ll be pleased by its Easter Eggs.

A strong game in many respects, but also lacking in a few key areas to put it over the top.

All in all, Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time features intriguing characters, a solid story, tons of dialogue and simplistic RPG mechanics. It was definitely made for a younger audience in mind, and at times seems to forget that the younger audience can take on a challenge. Much like its main character Akko, it is going to be great someday, but right now just needs a bit more balance and work.

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.

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon pays homage to days spent in smoky arcades with friends, pumping quarter after quarter into a fruitless gaming machine. It's a simple game that is stupid fun.