Henry Halfhead is exactly the kind of indie project that deserves attention. It is imaginative, it is quirky, and it stands apart from the crowded puzzle genre. However, imagination alone cannot carry a full game. The game runs out of steam long before the credits roll. The repetition, the camera issues, and the lack of variety hold it back from being great. It is still worth playing if you enjoy quirky puzzle experiences. You will smile, laugh, and appreciate how creative this experience is. At the same time, though, if you’re like me, you will likely wish it had gone further. Half a head is enough to build a fun foundation, but not enough to deliver a lasting experience.

Mario Kart World takes the series in a bold new direction that mostly pays off. Each of the tracks has been expertly designed, the new Trick mechanics make Mario Kart more fun than ever, and the soundtrack is almost unbelievable. Nintendo has established the bones of an outstanding product, yet the new intermission tracks and online functionality troubles hold it back from being what it could be.

Return to Ash is a visual novel about being dead and being alone. It has a strong premise, but one I don't think it lives up to. My biggest issue stems from how short it is as when it finally starts to get interesting, the story is over. Still, it's a fine time, and there is one strong story route in here that shows it could be done with a little more time. I still think it's worth a try, just know you'll do everything in an afternoon.

Gears of War makes its PlayStation debut with a new remaster of the first game in the series, Gears of War: Reloaded. I'll admit, there is something surreal about seeing Marcus Fenix and Cole Train chainsawing through locusts on a Sony console. However, once the novelty of playing a Gears game on PlayStation wears off, it quickly becomes apparent that you are playing a nearly two-decade-old game with very few visual updates or new upgrades. I was left wanting much more, especially considering this is the second remaster we've seen for Gears of War.

The problem is that Titans of the Tide is pretty good if you’re only looking at it from a family-friendly perspective. If you’re looking at it compared to other 3D platformers on the market, though, it comes up lacking. As such, I would recommend this game to younger audiences and people who are diehard fans of the SpongeBob series, or if you’re someone looking for simple, mindless fun. If you’re looking for something more elaborate as a fan of The Cosmic Shake or other 3D platformers, though, you may be better off looking elsewhere for your Spongebob fix.

I feel torn about Bounty Star. It attempts to amalgamate two genres that, on paper, feel like they shouldn’t work, but it strangely does. The problem is that the execution is disappointing as it fails to make the farming elements integral to the experience. I would still recommend Bounty Star to mech-heads as the combat and controls are superb, but it’s hard to ignore what could have been.

Groove Coaster Future Performers is a very interesting entry in the Groove Coaster franchise, but while I had a great time learning each of the songs, the lack of online features was really disappointing. Further, what really bothers me is the fact the Story Mode is incomplete and left on a cliffhanger, making this game unfortunately difficult to recommend.

FZ: Formation Z is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up and run-and-gun game, making it an interesting combination of genres that work fairly well but doesn't feel fully utilized. The game is very short though, and while it's designed around replayability I didn't feel a reason to keep playing after a couple runs. While I still recommend giving a shot, I only see fans of the genre sticking with it.

I have mixed thoughts on The Real Face of a VTuber. While I didn’t regret playing, I still got annoyed with parts of it. The narrative is one I found enjoyable for about two-thirds of its length, but I wanted it to end by the last one. I enjoy about half the characters but find the rest forgettable or annoying. The VTuber aspect is very well done, and I can’t help but applaud the devs for it. I also can’t help but feel that the actual murder-mystery part isn’t fully utilized. Still, The Real Face of VTuber isn’t a bad time, and one I can see others enjoying more than I did.

If you’re a fan of retro RPGs, you may find some enjoyment in Lunar Remastered Collection, thanks to the great story, characters, and visuals. However, if these issues seem too daunting, especially if you’re a newcomer to the genre, you may be better off trying another game instead.

Dear me, I was… is a short experience that heavily relies on your ability to connect emotionally with the protagonist. The game does a great job with its storytelling, and while I wasn't able to connect with it as much as I would've liked, I do acknowledge how impactful this story could be for those who are able to connect with the protagonist.

Finding Frankie has plenty of good ideas and charm, but it falls flat on execution in areas. Regardless, if you're interested in a new game to speedrun, look no further.

I really liked what I played from this collection. I think each game has some fantastic puzzles and stands out from one another, with Q2 being the best title in the collection for all the improvements in both gameplay and presentation it has over the others. On the flipside, Q with VTubers is the weakest, primarily due to how short it is. Yet, even in spite of these issues, this is still a puzzle collection that will have players coming back for more for quite a while.

Assault Suit Leynos 2 Saturn Tribute emulates the game well enough but doesn’t add anything extra as other similar remasters provide. If you are a fan of the Assault Suit series, this will be an instant buy. However, newer fans may find that this release isn’t what they would expect, especially from a re-release.

Cladun X3 is an action-adventure RPG that has a lot going for it. The systems are overwhelming at first but are quite fun when you get used to them. You can customize everything in the game from you character, to the weapons, to even the music. There is plenty to do from randomized dungeons to even online elements. But the last couple hours of the game are a chore that show how much the rest of the game needs some serious balance adjustments. I still had fun with the rest of it, but I don't see myself going near the last couple dungeons ever again.

MOCHI-O is a cute but short tower defense game. The art is great, and I was honestly impressed at how much I enjoyed the story. However, its core gameplay gets old really quickly. After a while, you stop playing the game and just sit back while your screen becomes full of visual noise. It can still be fun in short bursts, but I won't be coming back to it for quite a while.

If you’re a fan of the roguelite genre, the Armored Core games, or mechs as a whole, then Vital Shell is absolutely worth it, especially when you consider the price. It’s a great time for those who are fond of the games and genres that inspired it. It’s just a shame that, at the end of the day, it comes up short compared to a lot of the best roguelite games of the last few years.

I have mixed thoughts on ORDER 13. On one hand, it falls short of its premise and sometimes feels repetitive. But I also enjoyed exploring the warehouse and even had tense moments. Having the cat is nice, but they need to do more with it. The game is short but the right length, and I enjoyed playing it. After everything, I can still call this an enjoyable experience, even if it falls short. ORDER 13 is a fun time, even if I wish it did more, and I’ll keep an eye on whatever the developer decides to do next.

Never 7: The End of Infinity still has some charm all these years later, but perhaps it hasn't aged so gracefully. Messy pacing makes what would be a relaxing experience an often tedious one. Fans of classic visual novels and anime who don't mind the older aesthetic and simplistic story could have a great time, however.

9 Years of Shadows is a beatiful game that shines with its atmosphere, but it is held back by some lacking combat, shallow exploration, and tiring backtracking. Still, there is a solid experience here for those willing to look past the flaws.

I wanted to like OCTOPinbs. The mix of social deduction and action gameplay is novel and could work. Sadly, the social deduction isn’t fully utilized, and while the gameplay can be fun, it quickly gets old due to the lack of content and maps. Still, I can’t say I didn’t have some fun. I was never bored, and a lot of my issues can be fixed with updates. In its current state, OCTOPinbs is hard to recommend unless you can get a few friends to buy it too at the $9.99 MSRP. There’s potential, but it’s untapped for now.

Super Robot Wars Y didn’t blow me away, but it was able to keep me interested. As an entry point into this almost two-decade-old series, I think this game does just enough to pass. If the next game in the series is able to up the quality and try to engage the player more than I think it would go a long way towards increasing my excitement to try it out. But as it is now, I would say that only the most hardcore of mecha fans will get the most enjoyment out of Super Robot Wars Y.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a basic remaster that's just enough to bring the game to Nintendo Switch for new players. With its intricate and creative level design, fun soundtrack, and solid replayability, this is an excellent platformer that fits right in with many others on Nintendo Switch. However, if you aim to experience the game in co-op, a frustrating bug makes the experience nothing like the original game, leaving Donkey Kong Country Returns HD in desperate need of a patch.

Keeper is an imaginative and beautiful bore of a game. I won’t say it’s bad, as Double Fine is too talented a studio to make a truly bad game, but the team misses the mark with Keeper. I find it to be a project that should have either been expanded on or reworked into something that takes advantage of its beautiful world and the creative minds behind it.

Regardless, Rushing Beat X makes up for some of its issues with old-school charm and technical gameplay. Those who are willing to look past the jank may find something to enjoy here. It’s just too bad it couldn’t have been better.

High On Life 2 sharpens numerous aspects of the series to much success, with great moment-to-moment gameplay and plenty of content to discover. Squanch Games nailed the balancing act between a serious plot and humorous adventures, finding a renewed purpose. However, the experience is undercut by inexcusable performance issues on PC that make it hard to fully recommend at this time.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties isn’t a bad game, and at it’s core, it’s Yakuza 3, but it could be so much better. I certainly recommend newcomers play through the first Kiwami titles and the rest of the series before coming to Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties on a sale, especially after experiencing Yakuza 3 to understand what the purest essence of that game is. Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties does a lot of good to improve on what Yakuza 3 couldn’t, but it’s not at the high standard I expect from one of Japan’s most beloved developers. For better or worse, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is the beginning of a new chapter for RGG Studio, and it’s up to them to recoup some of the good will that fans lost.

The Gex Trilogy is a mostly great re-release of the 90s cult classic. The series has been lovingly preserved for modern audiences, maintaining the gameplay, humor, dialogue, and style of Gex, Gex: Enter the Gecko, and Gex: Deep Cover Gecko. However, while the new bonus features are a great touch, the lack of vital quality-of-life additions and certain features from the PAL version for instance, make it a hard game to justify purchasing for $40.