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.

Blackwood Crossing is sure to tug at your heartstrings at some point throughout its 2-3 hours, but in a way that feels genuine and thought-provoking, rather than manipulative or forced.

Daemon X Machina may very well be one of the most refined mech-based shooters, but some questionable design choices leave more to be desired from the game.

Tacoma‘s three-hour span was a delightful experience, and I can see myself booting it up once or twice more to comb through the space station.

A fascinating perspective on a significant historical event that affects the world today. Despite clunky mechanics and sometimes awkward visuals, the title goes above and beyond regarding storytelling by incorporating real-life pieces of media, making a nuanced and varied story out of literal history that most people know nothing about.

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.

There are certain things that don’t quite connect and a handful of plot holes that stick out, but Dark Pictures: Little Hope is definitely worth your time if you’re a fan of the genre or liked Until Dawn and were disappointed with Man of Medan. It’s a game that’s best enjoyed when being played with a group of people to shout out which decisions to make and pass the controller around. At its best, Little Hope is chilling and gripping and creates an internal conflict in the player between wanting to press on and being too scared to see what lies behind the next door.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is a good game that could have been so much more if some changes were made. The game is way too short, and the fact that there's usually only one solution in each level removes replayability, making it a one-and-done experience with almost zero reason to return. Unless, however, you're a completionist looking to find all the collectibles. Still, I'm happy I played it due to its fantastic stealth mechanics and heartfelt "stick it to the man" story of political corruption.

World War Z provides a fun zombie killing experience that should leave fans of the Left 4 Dead titles pretty happy.

Halo Wars 2 is still a highly recommendable title — in fact, likely one of the best RTS games that can be found on the current generation. However, accessibility on consoles came with a price to both controls and gameplay in both campaign and multiplayer modes.

Salt and Sanctuary takes the Souls-like formula to 2D and almost perfectly executes upon it.

I enjoyed my time with Expeditions: Viking, even though noticeable technical problems can hold it back. Its engaging story kept me constantly intrigued, and made me want to survive for the sake of my village. Long load times and a few glitched out quests really held back the experience from ascending the level to other great strategy titles, but I would definitely recommend to strategy fans because of its deep and engaging gameplay.

Dandara is more than the average Metroidvania and is a game worth your time.

Octopath Traveler 0 introduces a new town building system to its endless turn-based battles, but doesn't innovate much outside of that. Combat feels fun and powerful, but with this being the fourth game in the series, it could use a touch up. In the end, Octopath Traveler 0 is an incredibly enjoyable JRPG, but one that feels like it's just spinning its wheels at this point. Town building is fun, but ultimately shallow.

A cathartic conclusion that will satisfy fans of Trails' dungeon crawling experience.

Minecraft Legends is an action-strategy game that doesn't take itself too seriously, making it an easy game to hop into, while simultaneously lacking the depth to keep hardcore fans of the strategy genre coming back. The extra Monthly Challenge and PvP modes add some much-needed variety that helps compensate for the main campaign's shortcomings. Ultimately, Legends has a great foundation for future updates and is a good game to play over a long weekend.

Fan service it may be, but RoboCop: Rogue City does just enough to stand up on its own merits. There's not a lot of depth to it, and it retreads a lot of old ground, but the charm just about shines through.

It’s hard not to feel like Star Wars Battlefront II should’ve been better than what it is. While some like to think that the implementation of loot crates is a worse crime than that of killing younglings, in reality it just proves to be uninteresting and makes it more likely for me to bounce off of the multiplayer sooner rather than later. The real disappointment falls upon that of the campaign which I clearly had too much hope for. It’s not a story that I would say I hate more than sand, but it also isn’t memorable at all.

My favorite artistic element of The World Ends With You has always been the soundtrack, which is carried over successfully in Final Remix.

Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope is a decent RPG that has many ambitious mechanics and puts a lot of focus on story development.

Last Day of June doesn’t feel like it takes place in a virtual reality, it feels like it takes place within a beautiful, breathing summer painting.

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.

Given that we’re now officially halfway through the season, Episode 3 of A New Frontier feels more like it is just getting started rather than reaching a big revelation or story point that feels like it will guide the remainder of the season.

Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission does an admirable job at replicating the original Japanese arcade game on the Nintendo Switch.

Ruffy And The Riverside has a lot of cool and new ideas, but doesn't always execute on the necessary basics. The hand-drawn levels and characters are awesome, the semi-open world is fun to traverse and works well as a collect-a-thon, and several gameplay switch-ups and surprises along the way feel refreshing. Unfortunately, the few bosses and enemies present here are quite bland, and though the environmental puzzle-solving is initially unique and rewarding, it eventually stalls out in creativity and challenge. Overall, Ruffy ends up feeling a bit inconsistent, but it's still a cute, enjoyable indie that has me looking forward to future efforts from Zockrates Laboratories.

Overall, the result is quite charming. I'd not call Quartet's visuals "innovative," but they're executed well, with clear thought and care put into those nostalgic sprites.

Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is definitely a game that’ll appeal more to fans of visual novels as opposed to SRPGs. The strategy sections are a nice break from the game’s mountains of dialog but they’re not too memorable outside of being a short break from the bulk of what you’ll be doing early on. The game is pretty long and does drag at the beginning, but fans of the visual novel genre should find a lot of what they’re looking for.

My favorite mode in Mirage: Arcane Warfare is the 3v3 Arena. In this mode, players are pitted against each other on a small map, keeping the action fast-paced and entertaining.

I enjoyed my time with Black the Fall because I am a fan of these kinds of atmospheric 2D puzzle platformers that tackle heavy themes.

Something I would recommend to those who either grew up with these games or just enjoys them in general. Since they are straight ports, if you didn’t like them before, nothing in this collection is going to change your mind. I wish I could give it a higher score because of my love for Disney, and I probably would have if these games were fully remastered, but the fact of the matter is you are more than likely only going to be playing DuckTales and DuckTales 2.

While some parts of Luigi’s Mansion may be beginning to show their wear, by and large the game is still just as much of a quirky, experimental romp as it was 17 years ago.

There is a good game buried underneath all the usual tiny developer fodder: unfunny in-jokes, unneeded cameos, the ultra-hard mode(s), the obsession with 80s and 90s gaming and pop culture, the detailed sprites. More energy should’ve been put into making more memorable environments and bosses, a more well thought-out leveling system, and a stronger story that used NPCs more than once, and fleshing out the already engaging ‘gunseed’ mechanic.

Police Stories is a solid tactical shooter that is great to play together with a friend. It is a short experience with a story that doesn’t really matter but is competent enough to fulfill its role. I’m hoping that more levels are added in the future because the entire game can be completed in six to eight hours. Even with the small tweaks that need to be fixed, Police Stories offers fun gameplay and the need for extensive communication in co-op, which is exactly what I wanted and expected.

The game acts like a quick Super Mario campaign with an accompanying endless collection of levels — and endless Super Mario levels is never a bad thing. Despite a fantastic new delivery system found in Super Mario Challenge, too may of the downgrades strip the components of Super Mario Maker that made it a breakaway success on Wii U.

Fitting between an arcade racer and a sim, Project CARS 3 tries something new with the series, but doesn't feel like a huge step forward.

While Aeternum doesn't do anything to avoid the pitfalls inherent to the MMORPG genre, it lessens their impact with flexibility and smart multiplayer mechanics. The Grind falls to the wayside while dynamic, fast-paced gameplay takes center stage. Married with a setting that diverges from MMO predecessors, New World: Aeternum offers an experience that will keep players invested, and enjoying the whole ride.

Of Mice and Sand -Revised- is a positively charming title. It’s a cute and entertaining world that I would love to come back to if Arc System Works could find a way to make a second trip more compelling with additional gameplay options.

The Red Strings Club isn’t afraid to stop you in your tracks with its dialogue — to challenge your ideas and principles — but in the pursuit of this it too often fumbles.

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.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is a nostalgia-filled time machine that brings back the golden age of the license while adding a fresh coat of paint.

As it stands now, STALKER 2 is fun and has a lot of potential, but it would be unfair to call it good. You can easily sink 100 hours into it without noticing, especially if you have a deep love for previous iterations. However, the performance issues, overall inconsistency in many areas, and clumsy presentation will hold this game back until a major overhaul comes.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a game that's likely going to split FromSoftware players in a way we haven't seen before. In addition to being a clear departure from what fans expect from the studio, it's also a title that 100% hinges on the team you experience it with. Play with Elden Ring pros, and it can be a blast. Play with average Nightfarers or casual matchmakers, and it can turn into a slog. This leaves the game in a little bit of a No Man's Land, too punishing and brutally tuned for the mass audience the new genre format wants to attract, and perhaps too much of a departure for some of the longtime fanbase. Nightreign can be really fun once you adjust to it, when everything clicks, when you have the perfect team of three, when the RNG is friendly, and when you have a lot of time on your hands to chip away at final bosses with ridiculous amounts of HP. Sadly, the repetitive nature and balancing issues also can make it feel like a series of the world's longest Soulslike runbacks ever—over, and over, and over.

Borderlands has always been known for its likable characters, and the protagonists introduce in New Tales From The Borderlands continue this grand tradition alongside a well written story. The characters play very well off of one another and grow before our eyes as they each dive deeper into their own psyches. But the lack of innovation in the gameplay is disappointing after this many years, which makes New Tales From The Borderlands mainly worth checking out for fans of the series.

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is the definition of a solid 7 out of 10 game. Everything it sets out to do, it delivers, but in the modest way possible. It's a humble action RPG with Shin Megami Tensei elements, such as demons and an adapted Press Turn mechanics, and it doesn't dare go beyond that. However, the blend of sleuthing elements with supernatural powers could have pushed its story and turned an otherwise unremarkable game into a stellar spinoff, but it ultimately fell short. I only recommend RAIDOU Remastered to the most die-hard SMT fans, while other JRPG players might want to postpone their initiation into a demonic cult when the admission ticket is cheaper.

Project Nimbus makes a great attempt at capturing the mech action genre that rarely comes West. Fans will find a lot of what they want from mech action, but the lack of motivation to complete missions could potential hurt the chances of them completing the game. For a small indie game, Project Nimbus hits all the right ques to be a great action game, but dated visuals and confusing story might hold this back from reaching a wider audience that it deserves.

Chroma Squad is a nostalgic step in the right direction but it might take some time before we take bigger strides in giant mech feet.

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.

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.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is what I look for in a game based on an anime or manga.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss successfully nails the elements I love most about cosmic horror: the crushing weight of thalassophobia, a dense atmosphere, the chilling descent of humans into madness, and Cthulhu himself. I mean, we usually watch civilians become his victims in most stories, but in this one, we have scientists losing their grip and believing his mad cult, on top of some investigative systems that are genuinely clever. So it is very interesting! However, there were some stumbles along the way that were hard to ignore and ultimately took some of the shine off the overall experience. Ultimately, the game did make me lose my sanity, but not always for the reasons I expected. While the atmosphere is great, the lack of technical polish in the latter half of the game is a significant hurdle. If Big Bad Wolf can iron out the performance following launch, this will be an indispensable title for fans of the genre. For now, it's a brilliant but bruised descent into the abyss.

Quotation forthcoming.

As an installment that mostly revolves around setting up Clementine and her group for a dramatic confrontation that would have unfolded in the next two episodes, Episode 2 of The Final Season doesn’t quite deliver the same thrills that the first episode of the season provided, but is still an entirely worthy entry in the story so far. However, the question now is what “the story so far” really looks like.

Ghost Recon Breakpoint’s greatest selling point is the fact that players can dictate their own experience.

Pixel Ripped 1978 sticks close to the formula that has kept the series more relevant than the games it pays homage to, and that's not a bad thing. Full of quirky fun and many nostalgic throwbacks to the days of Atari, there's plenty here but more so for the older folks who were around when wood-panel finishes were all the rage.

Demonschool has a quirky charm. I initially enjoyed its battle system, but I grew bored with it before long. Even though I had to push myself to finish it, I walked away with a satisfying experience. The characters, the witty and snappy script, and the story development kept me hooked. It's not a groundbreaking game, but for those who enjoy over-the-top humor, puzzle-like gameplay, and demonic themes, it might be a good pick.

For me, it was an experience that lost steam the longer I played, but I can’t deny how much I enjoyed its initial opening hour.

Any game receiving a sequel after 20 years is an achievement, especially one from a company's niche portfolio. Phantom Brave has always seemed more like a Disgaea spinoff than a major Nippon Ichi Software title. Still, the game had its unique identity, unusual features, and heartfelt characters. The sequel, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero, expands on the original's mechanics. It introduces new ways to employ the phantoms and their quirks in strategic combat and also adds fresh methods to strengthen and progress characters. However, a lackluster and overly childish story might turn off players uninterested in grinding to astronomical levels, potentially putting the series back into a long hiatus or even ending it for good in favor of NIS's more acclaimed tactical RPGs.

Directive 8020 is a good addition to the Dark Pictures anthology and a solid start to its second season. Its story ranks among Supermassive Games’ best work, marking a much-needed step forward for a studio that has struggled to release standout titles in recent years. The decisions players have to make carry real weight, significantly shaping the outcome of the story and adding a ton of replay value for players who want to uncover every consequence of their choices. However, while the stealth sequences can be tense and are well-designed, they appear way too frequently and make it surprisingly easy to kill off characters you dislike, weakening some of the emotional impact. This is an issue mainly because there are characters that are boring and uninteresting due to mediocre voice acting, potentially leading the player to want to eliminate them. Still, even with a couple of shortcomings, Directive 8020 remains an engaging narrative-driven adventure that Dark Pictures fans should not miss.

For as much I may enjoy the gameplay and story, I can’t deny that all the issues I encountered really marred my experience with Deadfire.

The subtle and ambient piano music goes well with each scene and it adds another layer of immersion in the princess’s situation. The fictional world doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression, but the characters, their bonds, and their intertwined fates are compelling, making Long Live The Queen an exceptional choice-based game with a depth of possibilities that makes it far more than just your usual ‘princess maker’ game.

FIFA 18 is by no means a perfect game, the lack of customization and emotionless animations from players puts the game back a few steps, but this is not a bad game. Whether you have been on a FIFA hiatus or you are a long-time veteran, you should come back to this series — if only for the single-player content.

Ariana and the Elder Codex is a game that gives you exactly what you see on the tin. It's a straightforward 2D action RPG platformer that won't take up much of your time, but it won't break the mold either. If you are an enthusiast of this style, it is worth giving it a go for the gameplay, since the narrative is unremarkable. However, if you don't care much for action platformers or still have others in the genre to cross off your backlog, then Ariana and the Elder Codex might stay on the sidelines for a while.

House House's Untitled Goose Game is undoubtedly a hilarious experience, but it lacks a varied toolset to maximize said hilarity.

Crystar is a competent Action RPG with a compelling narrative but suffers due to mostly everything else it has to offer.

Neo Cab has a good sense for subtlety and for real human emotion.

Espire 1 is a decent stealth action game. It contains replayability through its Challenges mode, but what it offers in terms of main story is a bit short – roughly four hours of story, padded to five or six hours via gates that force you to finish a certain number of Challenges to continue to the next mission. Of course, the main draw of Espire 1 is that it takes place in VR, and it uses that to its benefit. Sneaking around and using the bevy of Espire gadgets and traversal options available to do so feels great, but is overshadowed by a combat system and AI that is so exploitable that sneaking around quickly loses its purpose in the first place.

Though it has fun gameplay and unique character classes, Torchlight III doesn't do much to progress the franchise to attract a new audience.

The next-generation version of NBA 2K21 slightly improves from its predecessors in some areas but is not the leap we were hoping to see the series make.

Death end re;Quest proves it can tell an engaging and darker story in an RPG/visual novel, even though it doesn't do too much to make it stand out above the rest.

UFC 4 brings some great new ideas to created fighters, online play, and clinch gameplay, but can't live up to its full potential with the end product.

It presents some solid ideas that are really needed to make this series worthwhile.

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.

Code Vein features anime vampires and fast combat, but it's too reliant on the exact Soulslike formula to stand out on its own.

While West of Dead is subdued in many ways, I find it to be an easy recommendation for any fan of roguelike titles.

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

Drawing on decades of inspiration, Beyond Galaxyland is a heartfelt love-letter to the JRPG genre. Although the game can't quite escape its predecessors' long shadow, it shines more brightly than many of its peers. The synthesis of gameplay elements from Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy to Paper Mario and Pokémon makes this a must-play for genre enthusiasts, and worthy of consideration by other gamers. Increased difficulty in New Game Plus adds to Beyond Galaxyland's replayability, while an interesting story helps it stand out from among other JRPGs.

Road 96‘s mesmerizing landscapes, unique characters and chilled soundtrack will allow players to kick back and enjoy some really good storytelling in a world that feels strangely familiar to many.

Barring these minor user interface issues, Bear and Breakfast was a joy to play. It doesn’t do anything revolutionary for the genre, but it successfully carves out a niche by perfectly matching its tone, gameplay and narrative. Bear and Breakfast accomplishes exactly what it set out to do, it’s a charming little management sim that doesn’t take itself seriously. It might not be for everyone, but I think a lot of people will find joy in this wholesome project.

I really do like Battle Princess Madelyn, and while I like the way the story mode feels, I’m more partial to the Arcade mode. This is simply because the story mode can be rather unforgiving and rage-inducing, but at the same time, it’s also sweet and innocent. Battle Princess Madelyn feels like how a Metroidvania should feel, but it doesn’t explain core mechanics all that well and leaves you to just play the game and either succeed or fail.

The sequel does exemplify some of the gameplay flaws of its predecessor but tells a fantastic sci-fi tale and builds a world that I never imagined it would.

The title finds pacing issues in its story and gameplay early and the cadence of its dialogue regularly drags down the overall rhythm, but it brings more than expected in both interactivity and style. Bringing a story the scale of a thousand-page novel to the video game format could not have been an easy endeavor, but Deadalic Entertainment has brought the first act to us with plenty of appetite for more.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain really shines due to the well-designed and thought-provoking single-player activities, despite a rather lacklustre multiplayer offering.

Like most of the Sherman tanks exposed to the elements in underfunded museums, Sherman Commander is a work of art that could really use another finishing pass. The game accurately captures the role of a tank commander in World War 2, and the individual units are exciting to lead, but the amount of micromanagement required means you spend more time staring at the map than inside your tank. Still, there are moments where it all comes together, and you get to see why this is a game like no other.

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.

Night Call is, at its best, a story with engaging characters that make you want to learn their secrets.

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

There is a whole generation of PS4 owners who are probably way too deep into Fortnite, with that game being their first exposure to the genre. While I wouldn’t count myself amongst them, I cannot imagine that any of those people would choose this $30 experience, with little promise to grow and improve, over triple-A titles that have since leapfrogged over PUBG.

I’m not a huge fan of how bulky the environment feels at times, and the walking sections can become tiresome, but the truth is, Requiem had me engaged from start to finish. Sure, the game has its flaws, and it’s not a very malleable experience, but that doesn’t stop it from being a good time all the same. At its heart, A Plague Tale is a narrative-driven atmospheric experience. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

Streets of Rage 4 is a great continuation of the classic series, though it doesn't do anything revolutionary.

Songs of Silence is a solid strategy game that does enough to make a name for itself in a crowded genre. Through its addicting army management, unique card system mixed with real-time combat, and fantastic Skirmish Mode, it's hard not to come away satisfied. However, the game's Campaign mode doesn't consistently deliver and has frustrating balancing issues that work against it, resulting in lost momentum and an exhausting state of tedium.

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.

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

Avalanche Software has meticulously re-created Hogwarts down to such minute details that it's sure to bring out the child in most of us — it is, doubtlessly, a gorgeous realization of the Wizarding World. Attending classes, taming beasts, exploring Hogwarts, and learning new spells could keep you occupied for hours, but it's nowhere near a groundbreaking experience. If you strip the Harry Potter IP away from Hogwarts Legacy, you're just left with another standard RPG that we've seen countless times before.

Despite its frustrating shortcomings, WWE 2K22 is a solid foundation for the series’ future. Entrances are spectacular and the combat is nearly flawless. The main improvements needed are the replayable modes like MyGM and Universe.

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner M∀RS is both an antique and gem of its time, and one worth reexamining–especially if you’ve got a VR headset. But before diving in head first into an Orbital Frame, run a diagnostics on whether you are interested in returning to a PS2 game.

Both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Campaign and Multiplayer may have some issues, but generally, I had a good time with each mode.

For all its shortcomings, it is a fun little multiplayer combat game that's best enjoyed with friends, which is what it set out to be. Just don't expect The Stick of Truth 2.

Knockout City is a quirky game that players will find most enjoyable when teaming up with their friends. It struggles with pacing from time to time and could do with some quality of life improvements. However, it balances elements that players will feel familiar with whilst also successfully putting an individual spin on things to make for a fun time.