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.

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.

Other than the technical issues, SGW3 is probably exactly what you expected and even hoped for — a AA modern military shooter with a focus on sniping that evolves the franchise into open world. If you can wait for additional patching or don’t mind some of the stout bugs, SGW3 offers an enjoyable experience.

Super Monkey Ball 3D's total longevity for most people is likely to hover around 2 to 3 hours, and that, along with the uninspired level designs in comparison to the console iterations, is by far its greatest flaw.

Overall, Outright Games’ Ice Age Scrat’s Nutty Adventure shows some passionate love for the film series and constructs a game that young gamers will eat up. Does it have a fair share of issues? Yes, the levels feel too big and there’s not enough to do at times, but young gamers won’t really need that intricate design and complication to enjoy it. Ultimately, this game wasn’t built for me, nor was it built for teenagers, rather it was built for young gamers just getting their feet wet with 3D action adventures.

Gangs of Sherwood may be inhibited by its own limitations but I can’t express how great of a time I had once it fully released and I could merely link up with a full group of players. It may not be a game that has a great deal of permanence in this busy season and packed year but it does deserve appreciation and respect for its tenacity. Such a unique setting and basic, engaging combat are luxuries we so often forget about.

I think Danger Close definitely upgraded the series in some places with Warfighter, but regretfully took more than a few steps backwards in most of it.

Unfortunately while Monochroma's story manages some delicate moments, its gameplay can't escape obscene points of needless frustration and mechanical tedium. It’s the latter that comes to define the experience.

I can say that I had fun and I am looking forward to the complete game, but with some caution: I do hope and anticipate that FYQD will do a lot more to tighten up the experience on console as the cursor-driven menus are no fun, and this feels like a rushed port from its original platform (PC). Gameplay has got get more focused as well; I’m all for such an unusual mixture of enemies and cross-genre gameplay blends and inspirations, but it’s got to tie together somehow to make some sense and matter to the player. I don’t need a grand story, but I am hoping that the full game makes a lot more sense than this current offering which seems like someone brainstorming out loud, so to speak. All that to say, for $8, and with very limited new game+ options, you could do worse — but it might be just as well to wait until Bright Memory: Infinite launches in full next year.

Dolmen has wonderful visuals, interesting concepts, and a soundtrack that goes great with the feeling of the story. A sticking point could be the difficulty of the enemies and the issues with struggling to progress, which might make it hard for the players to stay engaged at times. That said, if you are looking forward to a challenge with tougher enemies than usual, alongside futuristic yet apocalyptic graphics, this is the game for you!

Magnetic works best as a platformer, which may be disappointing for those who wanted intermediate to advanced puzzling.

Like a bike without brakes or a toy with too many moving parts, Trials of the Blood Dragon is prone to self-destruction, but its cocksure embrace of 80's action cinema and good-enough mechanics don't quite violate its contract.

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.

A quick, yet enjoyable 2.5D action platformer that's worth the price of admission.

With just a little more time in the cooker, Fade to Silence could have fleshed out these mechanics. This is the kind of game that thrives off an expanded scope. The vision for this unique world is there and, for the most part, it delivers.

Exploring the destructive psychosis of a plaintive individual is a noble, if not precarious, responsibility. The Park, however, can't decide if its manic behavior is either a means of identifying with its troubled protagonist or a symptom of its own decent into chaos.

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.

If you're looking for a good fighting game this holiday that's accessible, not overly technical, and doesn't require a commitment or previous experience to enjoy, give Saint Seiya Brave Soldiers a serious look. It's hard to beat for the cost.

In a matter of weeks Anthem has marveled with its engaging action and technical incompetence. As a power fantasy, the game achieves many co-op thrills but the highs are often spread too thin over questionable design choices. BioWare's pedigree feels suppressed by a game that needed much more time in the oven.

It’s certainly no Crash Bandicoot or Spyro, but it is a game you should pick up in the PS4 launch window.

I commend 2Dark for tackling a tough premise, but it’s one I could have just as well left alone, too. The gameplay combined with the presentation just click with me, and it made this one a chore to play. If you’re into stealth and horror, especially top-down, retro-themed ones, there could be definitely be something here for you as some of 2Dark’s mechanics are sound. Otherwise, it’s probably safe to wait for a deep sale or a pass on this one.

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.

The short Story mode was the most disappointing part, but I liked using the AR booklet and my own environment to make a largely satisfying experience.

Korra's fiction and Platinum's development lineage impart a veritable dream team of narrative and design, but neither party seemed to bring the necessary hardware to live up to their respective and respected standards.

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.

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.

If you're considering playing Battle of Z, it's probably because you're already a DBZ fan. If you also have some friends to team up with, Battle of Z can be pretty fun despite some flaws, but otherwise, I'm not sure it offers enough compelling new content that other DBZ titles haven't already provided before.

Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash! presents an opportunity to inhabit 1999’s idyllic vision of 1960’s culture through 2020’s virtual reality. Delivering this extremely specific hallucinatory novelty required an alarming price tag and the notice of a brisk runtime. Space Channel 5 remains a lustrous expression of the Dreamcast’s ethos, and a chance to actively embrace it merits attention and applause. Space Channel 5 VR is a brief, beautiful celebration of a bygone era.