Dissidia Final Fantasy NT’s soundtrack is fantastic.

Double Cross ultimately plays things too safe to its own determent with mechanics that can be found, and are done better, elsewhere.

All in all, Elli is a cute, fun, and semi-challenging puzzle platformer, full of variation and surprise to keep your interest through its journey.

If the whole game was more open, Miitopia would have been more fun, but the game’s repetitive and linear nature starting to frustrate me as a got further in the title.

A lack of technical polish will likely be a persistent problem for The Council.

I really do love it when games manage to reach beyond the screen and into the living room, and that’s something Kirby’s Dream Buffet does really well.

Gylt tells a relatable and emotional tale about bullying via a formula refined by franchises like Silent Hill before it. It can feel a bit airy and derivative as a result, but it’s still a worthwhile experience that should be part of any Google Stadia owner’s library. It may not immediately stand out as the kind of game you can only get on Stadia, but I don’t mind if this is the formula Stadia Games and Entertainment takes with the exclusives they decide to put their full force behind in the future.

Killing Floor 3 is a lovingly executed game that just wasn't too thought-through in the first place. Moving the franchise almost a century into the future only works if you have a concrete vision for how we got there from where we started, but this feels like a conceptual downgrade relative to Killing Floor 2, without the benefits of new tech. Mowing down zed is still fun in principle, but the weak sound design, questionable aesthetic shift, and repetitive gameplay loop make it hard to justify at the full price of $39.99. If Tripwire supports this game as much as it did with its predecessor, Killing Floor 3 stands a chance of being good. For now, it isn't there yet.

Thankfully, there’s too many good features about Nights of Azure 2 for fans of Gust to not pick it up, while at the same time introducing new players to the developer. As for me, I’m going to hope that they continue to support this awesome action RPG series and its casual yuri story plots.

Nine Parchments, though wielding action RPG elements, works best as a party game. There are chaos and comedy to be had when you have three other friends sharing the screen, combining spells, chucking heals, and being sure not to stand in the fire. All of these mechanics combined with a lighthearted story lend themselves to a laugh-filled-couch-co-op game that should not be played alone.

The Switch version may very well be the best way to enjoy the game, especially when on the go the game can feel somewhat like a handheld Legend of Zelda, but don’t set your hopes too high.

In The Sinking City, combat has no depth or character. You essentially just shoot something a bunch until it dies.

Fitness Boxing just suffers from feeling inaccurate, even more so when punches and dodges aren’t correctly registered by the Joy-Cons. It is safe to say though, Fitness Boxing is perfect for those who want to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, but if you’re looking for some casual punching fun, stick to Arms.

Pokémon Champions feels like a work in progress, in a bad way. While the battles are fine and the QoL improvements are a godsend, there's a distinct feeling that the product is unfinished and lacks vital content that will be rationed over time. Throw in the bugs, and the result is a game that I might want to check out in six months or a year, but doesn't have enough quality content to attract me now.​​​​​​​

While there are a couple of problems when it comes to gameplay pacing, This is the Police 2 manages to tell a relevant and enthralling story that stands out within its genre and as better than the original.

If you love roguelikes, or have fond memories of the old ASCII games, you will absolutely enjoy Brut@l. Even if it lacks the depth of some of its competitors, it makes it up in spades in old-school retro charm, and will hook you for hours.

Blue Reflection tells an accurate story of a high school girl who is coming to terms with becoming a magical girl. The game is graphically one of the best looking games from Gust that I have played and I applaud them for trying something new. There’s a lot to see in Blue Reflection if players put the time into the story, but if you’re looking level grinding and item collecting, this isn’t going to be the game for you.

What seemed to be the most disappointing aspect of H1Z1: Battle Royale was its stubbornness to conform to different play styles.

Fans of the original Ghostbusters: The Video Game will probably enjoy this, even if it’s just for a trip down memory lane and to see the cast again and visit some iconic locations. But due to its repetitive combat, insufferable artificial intelligence, and dull gameplay, I would advise first-time players to maybe pick up something else if you’re looking for an enjoyable and fulfilling third-person shooter.

The ultimate frustration is that I was left wanting to play more of the game and get wrapped up in the story again, but the choices around skipping text and saving made that an unexciting experience. That coupled with the voice audio issues and narrative still being on a mostly locked path means that I probably will never unlock all the mysteries of Cypress Knee.

A great addition to the Switch’s library. But at $40 it won’t be for everybody on day one. I think hardcore Street Fighter fans will find the content included pretty enjoyable, and young kids who may not have had the opportunity to experience those games will find it a lot of fun too.

During my entire playthrough of The Precinct, the things that bothered me the most were rarely the base game, but the elements layered over it. This could have been a great, unassuming game about checking parking meters and occasionally trading shots, but the need to add more bombastic elements waters down the parts where The Precinct actually excels. In an ideal world, Fallen Tree Games drops some patches focusing on the quality of features rather than quantity. The Precinct is a lukewarm dish served after waiting for 2 hours. I don't hate it, and I'll still eat it because I'm hungry, but every bite reminds me of how good it could have been if they'd just done it right. As it is now, you're better off chasing your cop fix elsewhere.

If you are someone who lives and breathes the Kingdom Hearts series, Kingdom Hearts 3: ReMIND will be the perfect package for you — giving you an annual injection of the heart and spirit we love from the series. But for everyone else, I’m not sure that the confusing offerings will be worth the $30 entry fee.

Berserk and the Band of the Hawk's gameplay would definitely stand toe-to-toe with other licensed musou games like One Piece: Pirate Warriors and Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, but maybe this game could have strayed further away from the typical musou formula like what fans saw with Attack on Titan. Instead, it seems Omega Force played it a little too safe.

Redout 2 has no time for the casual player and, sadly, that means it's often an infuriating and frustratingly un-fun experience.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond has a few faults; however, the excellent campaign more than makes up for it with over-the-top scenes galore.

Aphelion is a cinematic masterclass in storytelling. From the very beginning, you can tell that every moment of the game will be important. While it can't seem to keep up that same sort of engagement in the moment-to-moment gameplay, it works well enough to keep driving you forward. A short and enticing space-age mystery thriller that can satisfy from a story standpoint, but leaves a little to be desired in terms of gameplay.

All in all, Rise & Shine isn’t a bad experience. It’s just one that has a lot of wasted potential.

City of Brass has a ton of cool concepts and most, if not all of them, pay off.

I never felt like I had control of navigating the various menus; switching between traditional and cursor menu navigation was slightly unpredictable.

Echoes of the End is the epitome of a serviceable but ultimately underwhelming PS Plus or Game Pass fodder game. The game is visually striking, to be sure, but performance issues detract from the overall graphical splendor. Then, as for the gameplay, despite the puzzle design being a constant highlight, the shoddy combat and platforming lead to quite jarring peaks and valleys in the action. The onus is then left on the narrative to make this endeavor worthwhile, and while there is impressive character depth, the core narrative is a paint-by-numbers fantasy tale that does little to set itself apart from the pack. If you like action-adventure, and need a quick fix, this can scratch that itch. But, a game to rival the AAA goliaths, this is not.

The weird thing is that I never felt this huge sense of growth with my characters as they leveled up.

Mutant Football League’s offbeat, seemingly nonsensical rules work to make football more strategic, and honestly, more exciting.

Bleeding Edge puts quality over quantity. The people at Ninja Theory have brought their expertise in the hack and slash genre and have translated it into a competitive experience that is both satisfying and distinct. But the lack of content and the boring ranged characters hinders it from really standing out amongst the overcrowded genre. Maybe in a few months, it will feel feature complete. But for now, Bleeding Edge will only have you strapped to your couch for a few hours before you decide to try something else out.

Mineko's Night Market is an adorable and exciting Simulation game following the titular character, Mineko, as she navigates her new life in Mt. Fugu with her father, and her search for the mysterious, legendary cat, Nikko. The game features highly-addictive crafting and mini-games, as well as small puzzles to solve in order to take down the Agents taking over the town.

A decent first outing for All Elite Wrestling, but the game lacks the game modes and customization options to really hang with the heavyweights.

Empyreal is a solid action RPG with soft rogue-like elements that manages to swing above its weight where it counts, but still suffers from some noticeable jank. The game still plays well and offers plenty of replayability, including a secret ending only accessible in a New Game Plus run. At the end of the day, Empyreal is a solid first showing by Silent Games, a team who clearly knows what they want to create. If you live for games where you can maximize the strengths of your playstyle while minimizing the weaknesses, Empyreal is for you. I see a second climb in my near future. Here's to hoping you'll catch some of what I've left behind.

BioWare's Anthem is as disappointing as it is boring, with the game's biggest fault being that it just gets in the way of its own self.

Mechanically, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a good game, and I'd even risk calling it one of the best multiplayer shooters to come out this year in that regard. The problem is that mechanics are tools, and the game they are subordinate to is a poor artisan. Between the uninspired futuristic aesthetics and the nonsensical campaign, it's upsetting to see that this is what Call of Duty could come up with after the strongest release in over a decade. All the fun of Zombies is not enough to spare Black Ops 7 from being the worst game in the franchise, and the only saving grace is that it might serve as a cautionary tale about complacency when managing popular franchises.

Sanatorium: A Mental Asylum Simulator is a unique, compelling little indie title that examines the dark, sometimes stigmatized world of mental health. It does so in a lovely way that is clearly made by a team with tons of respect and sensitivity. The oddball staff members at the asylum are full of charm, and the patients are just as endearing. It struggles with some unfortunate design choices and some unusual bugs in the menus, but is overall worth a bit of your time.

Blacksad: Under the Skin is a twisty whodunit that is unraveled by more bugs than you can count.

A video game based on Animal Farm is a crazy idea on paper, but it mostly manages to stick the landing with its weighty political themes still intact.

Gathering the necessary resources to fulfill a Genesis mission can take a lot of time, especially if you end up getting pushed back by hostile invasions. There is a base sense of joy to be had from making the numbers go up, but I never completed a Genesis mission and I doubt whatever feeling or reward it gives was worth the effort to reach it. I think it is more than enough to say I have no interest in playing more of it just to confirm what I already know: it’s not great.

While it doesn’t do anything that’s new gameplay-wise, I found the narrative to be intriguing throughout and worth sitting through to the end.

Antigraviator is a no-holds-bar dedication to arcadey, futuristic speed. But packing in more content would elevate the experience to something better.

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion isn’t ready for launch. The performance and balance issues sour what could have been an excellent mecha experience. There are a few bright patches, interesting ideas, and a ton of potential for the game. It could be, and maybe it will be better in a few updates' time, but it’s not worth checking out at launch.

Remedy Entertainment takes a safe approach to the multiplayer scene with their red-hot FBC: Firebreak. The game delivers exactly what it says on the tin—an easy pick-up-and-play cooperative FPS title with a simplistic footing, but without the traditional live-service elements plaguing its future. The gunplay, albeit a bit too arcadey for my liking, thankfully gets outshone by the teamplay-style presentation during jobs and their tunable modifiers, and the unique character classes and their traits. Although most of its rewarding features add variability to custom loadouts, there's not much else here that, unfortunately, makes it worth spending an effort on. I'd much rather see a sizable number of differences in the job variety, missions, and power fantasy elements that actually heighten the sense of being an FBC operative who's exterminating the evil corruption of the Hiss.

Dynasty Warriors 9 does a very good job of making you feel part of a larger war that is happening all around you.

I would have enjoyed more interaction between me and my organisms, but the game draws the line of interaction with the world to merely altering the land. With that said, the systems introduced in the game work well for a game that is supposed to the “beginning” of a much larger idea.

Gear.Club Unlimited is not a very good game. It’s not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, but not even it’s impressive car visuals can save it from being just an incredibly average racing game.

Cloudpunk is miles away from being an enjoyable ride in a pixelated cyberpunk world.

The Silver Case HD Remaster might seem visually dated and it has that unapologetic approach to puzzle solving that only retro games can provide, but the characters and story connecting them truly stands the test of time. I was completely drawn into the mystery and world of the game that it became difficult to take breaks or attend to daily activities.

The actual driving of The Crew 2 is not up to the standards of modern racing games, and that is an important facet of any game that focuses on driving.

This game, however, just fails to really stand out in any specific area that makes it worth picking up over any of the other big-hitting fighting games on the market right now.

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is the best SAO game that I’ve played since Re: Hollow Fragment.

Even with so many great indie games on Switch, Nuts stands out from the crowd. Its story concludes in a way that’ll stick with you after the credits. It also offers a quirky, mostly satisfying experience that answers the question: what have these squirrels been up to?

Romancelvania is a great visual novel trapped inside a Metroidvania that bites off more than it can chew.

Gambonanza is a Roguelike that absolutely feels like a team taking what made Balatro incredible and applying it to chess. This might seem derivative at first, but it's pulled off so well in the end that it ultimately feels like its own amazing thing entirely. Initial pacing at the beginning can feel a little slow and repetitive, but once you start unlocking new items via progression and simply learn the game, it becomes a deep and surprisingly intense loop of incredible and different-feeling chess action. Imitation or flattery, I don't really care. Gambonanza rules.

Pretty environments can't save what is ultimately a bland game. Biomutant lacks character and excitement, which is a shame given the early promise it showed.

A decent first outing for All Elite Wrestling, but lacks the game modes and customization options to really hang with the heavyweights.

On the tin, Windbound offers a fulfilling and exciting survival/adventure endeavor but when delved into, I was left with an empty and exhausting experience.

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is a charming and visually pleasing experience that will remind you immediately of 3D Legend of Zelda titles, mainly The Wind Waker, in how the towns, island, and citizens are portrayed.

Scars Above is a fine game, but not a very memorable one, especially in a period when sci-fi survival horror is becoming a crowded field. Much like the planet you explore, Scars Above is devoid of life.

Even with an engaging combat system to some fun side characters, [The Caligula Effect: Overdose] just doesn’t have enough to carry all the dullness it brings with it in its story and environments.

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey begins 10 million years in the past and puts you in control of our evolutionary forefathers. You must guide them on their path toward humanity, which means teaching them how to fish, how to hunt, and how to walk on two legs. Ancestors executes its vision of our evolutionary past with care, but it just isn’t very fun to play.

Painkiller has some truly incredible weapons and powers, but not a lot to do with them. I saw everything the game had to offer in one sitting, and while there is replayability, the repetitive and boring objectives prevent me from wanting to keep going. The game looks awesome, but falls into generic territory in several ways, while also adopting a lot of that Marvel-esque vibe we're all tired of. It's reductive to say, but we already have DOOM at home.

All in all, DeadCore is not a very good game. While it’s $7.99 price point may be appealing at first glance, it pains me to say that it quickly descends into a incredibly boring, and clunky jump-fest, with its only saving grace being its theme and atmosphere.

While it is not meant to be an educational game about mental illness, I felt that its approach to the subject was exceptionally well done.

The appealing character designs and settings, carried over from its predecessor, have lost stylistic flare alongside repetitive missions. However, Two Feathers’ score, pretty backgrounds, and smooth sneaking are the sequel’s saving grace.

If you’re looking for a game that is not to be taken seriously, full of half-naked monster girls, has a basic battle system, and a touching mini-game then look no further because Moero Chronicle is exactly what you have been looking for.

LAN Party Adventures is a charming look back at what made 2000s-era PC gaming so enjoyable. It really feels like it was made by a bunch of friends who were knee-deep into the culture at the time. As someone who has spent her entire life building, then re-building, PCs, it hit a spot that I was rather fond of. I do think there are some issues with some of the level design, which can sometimes feel somewhat padded, and puzzle solutions that took the worst lessons from 90s-era point-and-click adventure games. But, overall, this is a good bit of fun and will likely speak to you if you've ever opened up a PC and wondered how it worked.

Artdink is on the brink of mastering this fighting system, but perhaps these hiccups with the frame rate will have to wait ’til the next release.

Sleep Tight’s art style and gameplay make it stand out above other twin-stick survival shooters.

Dragon Ball: The Breakers needs to work on its online infrastructure, but beyond that it's a fast, exciting romp best played with a party full of well-known friends, as opposed to silent strangers.

Forspoken is packed with flaws — be they outright missteps or simply middling executions — but there are definitely qualities to this game that can deliver an entertaining and sometimes thrilling experience. I did ultimately enjoy my time with it, all told and considered. There’s interesting lore here, and at times the story approaches compelling, but it was held back so much by odd design choices, an often bland world, and uneven pacing in both the story and moment-to-moment dialogue. On paper, it could and should be great, but nothing quite fits together to make a stronger whole. It’s crammed with so much, and beyond the combat and traversal, the whole experience just winds up feeling like something of a relatively enjoyable mess.

The Mysterious Paintings has a good battle system and premise, but overall I wanted more from the final entry in the Mysterious trilogy. It seems like a missed opportunity to not include an open world and instead opt for a streamlined adventure with quick travel being the only option for exploration.

While I think I’d prefer the next Wolfenstein game to be more traditional, it was refreshing to see some new ideas here with Youngblood.

This adventure game features amazing character designs and a fun puzzle battle system, but The World Next Door suffers from a lack of content.

While there was fun to be had with the absolute bonkers nature of Slam Land, the fun ran out very quickly. It soon became evident that the mechanics were half-baked, and the disorientation that the game depends on for fun eventually turns into annoyance.

The storytelling and unravelling mysteries at the heart of this game is the elixir that keeps the camera rolling in its neat runtime, but the clumsy basic controls and mundane filler scenes hold the survival horror back from truly being a horrific work of art.

While this game isn’t great by modern standards at all, it’s hard to imagine that speedrunners won’t fall in love with completely breaking the game.

NBA Playgrounds does not stand out more than any other basketball game before it, and I think it’ll be remembered as such.

If you are a fan of 3D platformers and are intrigued by this game’s unique control scheme, it’s worth giving a shot — just be aware that it can fall victim to some of the genre’s more frustrating problems.

Secret of Mana is the same adventure that I remember, and I couldn’t have asked for more.

8-Bit Hordes doesn't do anything special but will provide a fun and comfortable experience to new players of the real-time strategy genre.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light lays the foundations for the Fire Emblem games of present, unfortunately, however, as a 30-year-old game, feels incredibly obtuse and slow and really shows its age.

Stifled is absolutely not the best indie horror game on the market, but I have to respect it for what it brings to the table. While the game is short and the frustration can – at times – be palpable, Stifled is a smart and satisfying game (especially for anyone invested in VR setups).

A stunningly designed game and a delight to explore with a fantastic cast and puzzles galore, although it can suffer from the occasional framerate issues and fewer monsters than I had hoped. Reviewed on PS5.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD has a solid single- player mode that, if not slightly lacking in content, gives players an addictive rush that makes them want to come back for more. But that same heady rush is often tempered by controls that become your biggest obstacles at times. Paired with an extremely weak multiplayer experience that is missing a huge chunk of content, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz becomes harder to recommend.

Aiming with the Dualshock 4 is the most unsatisfying way to line up shots, but it was surprisingly more accurate than using the MOVE controllers.

Siegecraft Commander can be really satisfying to play at times, especially when you have a large network of buildings and are storming and bombarding your enemies keep. Sadly the game does become boring towards the end of both campaigns, and its controls and lackluster turn-based mode aren’t fun to play.

I really wanted to like YIIK but with all of its missteps, I was always reluctant to go back to its quirky world.

Remember the old adage, less is more. But I still would have liked a little more. There’s always room for pudding. Just saying…

There were moments where I had an absolute blast, but the entire package is a bit lacking.

The Occupation just seems to work against itself in a finale where unfamiliarity with the surroundings, the necessary puzzle solving, and a constant threat of danger leads you to an ending that feels like something you fell into instead of worked towards.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 had the potential to be something special, but instead of offering the sweet taste of vitae pulled from the neck, it has only the porridge-flavored final drips of a blood bag. While the combat and boss fights can be satisfying, the game’s shallowness in pretty much every other department, as well as Fabien dragging the entire experience down, left me hungry for the game it could have been. While it has the trappings of the World of Darkness, this game does a disservice to Vampire: The Masquerade.

Warhammer: Chaosbane brings excellent class design and interesting builds, but forgets the variety in enemies, environments, and loot.

I have never been as pleased with a game of this score before as I am here. While Bubsy: Paws on Fire! isn’t anything outstanding in the grand scheme of things, when looking at it in terms of the whole Bubsy series, Paws on Fire stands as the best entry to date thanks to interesting progression, a great soundtrack, and gameplay that is fun for a majority of the time. It will certainly be a bit odd as a Bubsy fan going forward as there is now actually one good game in the series, but for those who are sick and tired of the memes and insults, Bubsy: Paws on Fire! should be a welcome treat.