Its environmental storytelling and commitment to a haunting, folk-horror-inspired world set it apart from other post-apocalyptic titles. It's clear that Rebellion had a vision — one that, with a bit more refinement, could have resulted in something special. However, in its current state, Atomfall is a game that often feels like it's fighting against itself, offering players a world they may admire but struggle to fully enjoy in the end.

The second episode of The Walking Dead: Michonne continues where the first episode left off, but delivers less of a consistent experience than the season premiere.

It may not be a true portable Pikmin game, but it’s a fun and charming little platformer that lasts just as long as it needs to without feeling too repetitive.

Destroy All Humans! 2 Reprobed is a gorgeous, destructive romp across multiple cities dragged down by its original platforms' limitations. Unshackling Crypto from the confines of previous gaming hardware might give him the ability to jet to new heights, but it’s unknown how much a new game would be able to maintain the raunchy spirit of its predecessors. Perhaps enough interest in these remakes will encourage THQ Nordic to think about creating new adventures for the constantly aggravated and devilishly malicious Furon named Cryptosporidium.

Amnesia: The Bunker is genuinely scary, and its puzzles are fun to solve. Old-school survival-horror fans in particular will find a lot to like about the game. It randomizes certain elements in subsequent playthroughs to keep things interesting and that combined with its open-ended nature makes it the most replayable Amnesia game, even though it doesn't quite stick the landing like its predecessors. Luckily, Amnesia: The Bunker is a day one Xbox Game Pass game, so horror fans can brave its terrors for themselves without making any kind of major financial commitment.

Miitopia is certainly unique in its execution, but the core RPG framework for the title is far from innovative. In that regard, the it’s one of the more accessible turn-based role-playing games currently available on the Nintendo 3DS, and this is made even better by the often-bizarre blank canvas that users have at their disposal.

Overall, Wrath of the Druids is not a bad addition to Assassin's Creed Valhalla. It's even a good one for those who want any reason to step in Eivor's shoes again. But for those who have turned their attention elsewhere, it doesn't do much to bring them back.

With its fluid and dynamic combat, Apocalypse Gear, Pax Skill Trees, Ascension Points, and loot-specific farming, Outriders: Worldslayer brings the quality of life improvements and advanced customization that begs players to return to Enoch. While some troubles from the base game bleed into Outriders: Worldslayer, especially with a rushed story and spotty character development, the game nevertheless offers an exhilarating looter-shooter experience that deserves mention.

All of this is not to say that PUBG on PS4 isn’t fun, as it’s definitely a serviceable experience for Battle Royale aficionados who want a more strategic and deliberately paced alternative to competitors like Fortnite and Black Ops 4‘s Blackout. Unfortunately, though, there are still a host of problems that PUBG Corp. needs to address so as to justify the PlayStation 4 port’s $30 price tag.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends offers players a fun and tense experience but it is oftentimes held back by technical problems, glitches, and other minor issues. When it functions as expected, Sumo Digital's game feels unique, especially when compared to most online experiences. Considering there's no narrative or single-player campaign to fall back on, the game will ultimately live and die based on its community. While many of the game's problems are not game-breaking, the server issues could be the Achilles heel if not addressed.

For the souls-like hardcore, Lords of the Fallen will be a fine conquest, but for the souls-like beginner, there are better entry points to the genre that offer a more well-rounded exploration into what souls-likes are capable of.

Outcast: A New Beginning does offer a good amount of fun for those looking to mess around in an open-world sci-fi game that hearkens back to earlier entries in the genre. The world that Appeal created is fun to explore, the core gameplay loop feels like a blast from the past, and overall, it makes for a decent sci-fi experience. The story may not be the most interesting, and the content isn't that varied, but some players may still be able to find something to enjoy here. And fans of the original should at least enjoy this trip down memory lane, even if it could have been done better.

While it’s not a bad game by any means, Kirby Star Allies for the Nintendo Switch is far too easy and does little to evolve the established Kirby formula.

Firebreak may be a bit of a wait-and-see situation: it doesn't feel like it has enough meat on its bones to justify its $40 asking price, not to mention its paid battle passes. Firebreak has the bones of a truly exceptional co-op game, and hopefully, Remedy will get the chance to deliver it.

The game’s technical problems on Xbox One are a real shame, especially since the game is console exclusive to Xbox One, but those looking to look past these issues will be treated to an engrossing and surprising story aboard the Tacoma space station.

Lonely Mountains: Downhill has great core gameplay, but it's light on content and its progression forces players to deal with a lot of repetition. The game looks great, sounds great, and controls great (with a controller, anyway), so hopefully the developers get the opportunity to expand on it in a sequel.

Eventually, Spider-Man 2's PC port will be fixed to the point that it will rival or arguably exceed the PS5 version, especially for those with more powerful rigs that can push the game to its graphical and performance limits. At launch, though, Spider-Man 2 on PC falls well short of expectations. The core gameplay is still a blast, and it's still one of the best superhero adventures in gaming, but the crashes are too problematic to ignore.

Out of Sight's extremely short runtime keeps it from reaching its full potential. The second-person gimmick is used to great effect, but there isn't enough time to fully explore its possibilities. There are certainly great moments in Out of Sight, and it would be a perfect entry point for someone that has typically shied away from the horror genre, but it desperately needs more meat on its bones to be elevated to something that genre fans must go out of their way to play.

While the game does manage to have a few unsettling moments, Rituals is, for the most part, bland.

Cronos: The New Dawn does some great things, but going into it expecting the same level of polish and quality as the Silent Hill 2 remake is a mistake. Despite a rather unique story concept and a few clever ideas, Cronos: The New Dawn is a fairly run-of-the-mill survival-horror game with a few key flaws that hold it back from being as good as its inspirations or Bloober Team's own Silent Hill 2 remake.

Under the Waves delivers an incredibly emotional story about grief and its ability to manifest in the realities of those who attempt to evade it. While the title's main narrative is powerfully effective, its secondary focus on environmentalism, fueled by a real-world partnership, diminishes the overall impact of the experience. Though its close-up visuals and optional objectives are marred by technical issues, the core of Under the Waves' gameplay is enough to keep players engaged in its mandatory tasks. The story of Stan is one many fans will resonate with, as it captures the difficult thoughts that accompany grief. Unfortunately, Under the Waves doesn't quite deliver a gaming experience deserving of such meaningful concepts.

Artificial difficulty spikes and needlessly obtuse level design can lead to a lot of unnecessary frustration, and that frustration can quickly overshadow the game's greatest strengths. Blades of Fire had all the right materials in front of it, but it forged an uneven blade that keeps accidentally wounding its wielder.

Last Word certainly stands out from the multitude of other JRPGs in terms of style and a few unique mechanics, but ultimately falls short where it should have been strongest — dialogue.

All in all, despite not being a game that is often affiliated with the family-friendly Switch, Catherine: Full Body is a well-developed port to Nintendo's hybrid system.

Mafia 2: Definitive Edition is a decent buy for anyone that hasn't played the original (on PC, anyway). It's a more complete package with superior graphics, but there are definitely aspects of the game that haven't aged well.

The game works hard to create a world full of fresh designs and although it might not be as obvious, there is a narrative to follow throughout Shattered: Tale of the Forgotten King. But the issues with mechanics and the problems with camera angles are frustrating.

Poly Bridge 2 has all the tools to be really good. The building mechanics are solid and the satisfying feeling of seeing a bridge come together, with all the moving parts working perfectly, is certainly awesome. With some of the puzzles, true satisfaction can be found, and the tools in the sandbox mode allow players to create endless opportunities. However, the game is missing some of the polish that should probably come with a sequel. Instead of the eureka moment of putting the pieces together just right, the final product is often frustrating and confusing. Still, Poly Bridge 2 is at its best when everything clicks just right, like when a gorgeous bridge is constructed that lifts up high enough for a submarine to float right under just as a buggy flies on by.

Above the Law is a decent continuation of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier‘s story, but still a bit of a come-down from Episode 1 and 2. It does succeed in setting the stage for Episode 4, and with a few characters’ fates hanging in the balance and questions left unanswered, chances are most players who have come this far will see the rest of the season through.

Even with the brief runtime, Road 96: Mile 0 ends just as the narrative becomes interesting, making it difficult to care about what does occur. These are issues that could have been potentially fixed with slight tweaks to the story, but there is enough that works to inspire some curiosity as to how the overall narrative can be expanded in a theoretical sequel. There are reasons to go back and do multiple playthroughs if one wishes to see all potential outcomes, but that can only be recommended for someone who already has an attachment to the characters and would like to spend more time with them.

It's also a visual knockout, with highly detailed environments and character models. Regardless of how well-animated or detailed the characters are, though, many players will find it difficult to care about them or the story, which is a huge blow to something that is basically an interactive movie. However, those who push through will be rewarded with a memorable ending, and if nothing else, Little Hope is still a solid choice as a sort-of party game.

While the game is still beautiful and has some redeeming qualities to it, it’s hard to explicitly recommend Deadlight: Director’s Cut to anyone except the most dedicated fans of the original or of Limbo-style games.

Until Dawn: Rush of Blood features a haunting atmosphere and plenty of scares, but the experience is hampered by a constant need to calibrate the hardware.

South of Midnight excels in key areas, but its gameplay is so underwhelming that it's hard to truly appreciate everything it does well.

Technical issues aside, The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is generally a good time and one of the better VR horror games on the market. The level of interactivity alone makes it a game that many VR enthusiasts will want to check out, though expect to be frustrated by the poorly-implemented stealth mechanics and human combat encounters.

The lack of freedom in Return to Moria is probably one of its biggest faults. Along with that, the actual gameplay is not really doing anything fascinating with the concept. While the game can be fun, especially with friends, it is not that memorable when compared to other games in the genre. Besides the Lord of the Rings brand, it lacks anything truly special to make it stand out.

Even with its blemishes and missteps,The Knightling is not bad, or even totally mediocre. Its combat is weak, its story underwhelming at best, and its open-world design is nothing to write home about, but traversal and atmosphere save the day. Indeed,The Knightling is worth recommending on the grounds of its movement abilities and soundtrack alone - it's just the rest of the package that isn't up to snuff.

Those who were starving for a new Mario Strikers game will likely get a lot of playtime out of Mario Strikers: Battle League despite its general lack of content, but those who need a little more meat on the bone will likely come away disappointed. The core gameplay is great, but there's not much to the game beyond that.

Team Sonic Racing is still one of the weaker kart racers we’ve played.

Cyber Ops is a deeply flawed game, but it's not without potential. Games that make you the action hero are wildly common, but games that make you the person in the chair are far less frequent. If you've ever wanted to see what it's like to be that type of character, Cyber Ops might just be worth a try.

Soccer Story is a valiant attempt at a Sports RPG, but it falls victim to a repetitive story and quest structure. Its light narrative quickly falls to the side, with annoying bugs taking its place. Perhaps a player can find value in the endless amount of running and collectible items to be found but, for the most part, its lively world and polished soccer ball physics aren’t enough to make this an enjoyable experience.

At times, I was blown away by Starfield: Shattered Space's beautifully rendered new areas, but other times, my immersion was ruined by the annoying progression-killing quest bugs and weird graphical oddities. The DLC is uneven to say the least, and that's something Starfield fans should take into consideration when deciding if they should spend $30 on the expansion...$30 for a four-hour main quest sounds a bit steep, but the new weapons and side quests may make it worth the investment for diehard Starfield fans that simply want more - once the bugs are ironed out, anyway. Future updates will likely make it a lot easier to recommend Shattered Space, but for now, fans may want to hold off until its more egregious bugs and glitches are addressed.

When it comes to adaptations, Hellboy hasn't had a ton of luck lately. Hellboy Web of Wyrd certainly isn't on the same disastrous level, but it's underwhelming in its own respects. Hellboy and his world is a potential gold mine of fantastic adaptive potential, as Guillermo del Toro proved with his pair of films in the early 2000s. The character offers so much more, and though Web of Wyrd has some bright spots, it ultimately fails to realize the potential of its source material.

Like other looter-style games, Godfall could become a much more appealing prospect in time. Godfall's $70 price tag works against it big time because as it stands, it's difficult to recommend such an expensive game to anyone when it recycles the same content repeatedly throughout the entire experience. Godfall's core combat mechanics are great and it's a visually-impressive experience, but gamers may want to wait and see if the game gets some compelling post-launch content updates first.

Atlas Fallen had promise, but nothing that this game strives to accomplish ever lands very well or feels fully realized. Between a lackluster story filled with generic and soulless voice acting and a combat system that loses its momentum well before the credits roll, there is rarely a moment where this game feels memorable or worth the time to finish. There is some good stuff on the surface of Deck13’s new IP, with its beautiful vistas and interesting world-building and aesthetic, but digging past the surface of Atlas Fallen shows that it is mostly hollow underneath.

Behind the janky combat in Hotel Barcelona, the lackluster stage design, and the annoying difficulty, there's actually an interesting story and narrative that had me wanting more. I was expecting to get a lot more lore bits each time I came back to the Hotel after dying, but that just didn't really happen. There aren't many cutscenes in Hotel Barcelona either, and it's a shame since the few that are there are quite fun to watch, like the intro.

Pacing is a problem, but the experience can be a memorable one if you buy into Night School Studio’s concept.

Breached is ultimately a very short experience, and we expect most gamers will be able to complete it in under 2 hours. In this short window, gamers will have seen and done most of what the game has to offer, with the only replay value coming through hidden journal entries.

Eventually, Modern Warfare 2 should get to a point where it becomes an easy recommendation for shooter fans, but it's undercooked and underwhelming in its current state.

Dragon Ball: The Breakers is the kind of game that's rough around the edges at launch but could be improved greatly with updates. A switch to a completely free-to-play monetization model would do wonders for the game, and it seems likely that it could head in that direction, so Dragon Ball fans may want to wait and see what happens.

What it boils down to is that Umbrella Corps is an interesting idea that had potential, but was ultimately ruined by poor execution.

There's nothing wrong with Routine from a technical standpoint, and its story, visuals, and audio are all top-tier. The problem is that the gameplay is such a slog that it makes it hard to appreciate what it does so well. It can be flat-out boring a lot of the time, and the scares simply aren't there to make up for its lack of engaging gameplay.

It still suffers from the same problems that have plagued the series for years, and the online mode is disappointing, to put it mildly.

While Lost Words portrays the experience of loss from a younger perspective with a stunningly talented voice actress, but in the end, what's left is the story of a girl traveling through the five stages of grief. Though Lost Words: Beyond the Page attempts to reach beyond that is still a touching story, most of the depth in this gorgeous indie game is blocked by rudimentary symbols and adolescent cliches.

Creature Keeper is in desperate need of an X-factor: something especially unique and hard-hitting that makes it intriguing and memorable. The game's story isn't offensive, it's just bland and unoriginal; its art style isn't terrible, but it's indistinguishable from so many other retro-influenced indies; its music is good, but nothing special; and its action-RPG combat works just fine, but doesn't leave you itching for more. If something about Creature Keeper's premise strongly appeals to you, then perhaps it's worth a few hours of your time—but don't expect any surprises.

Out of the gate, Destruction AllStars is shallow and struggles to give players a compelling reason to stick with it for the long-term. But like other live service games, it's possible that Destruction AllStars will improve as the developers address fan feedback and add more meaningful content to the game. The foundation is there for Destruction AllStars to eventually be great, with reliable performance, beautiful graphics, and fun core gameplay, but there's a long way to go if it ever wants to reach that point.

Rehydrated is anything but "Rehydrated." Nostalgic fans may want to check it out and may have a moment or two, but otherwise, most will find that it falls short compared to the giant that is the 2003 version. Fans who want to re-experience the game and can deal with the lackluster graphics may instead want to play the 2003 version. As wild as it sounds, 2003's SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom may just be the superior version.

It functions on a basic level as a competent dungeon crawler, but its repetitive gameplay combined with its cheap deaths will make most gamers look for other options.

Overall, the idea behind Cloudpunk has the potential to be a great cyberpunk game. Although the game's world is visually appealing and offers a limited opportunities for exploration, minor technical issues disrupt immersion, making it difficult to appreciate the few good elements that the game offers. Cloudpunk is a good game to pick up every once in a while for short sessions, but its lackluster story and monotonous dialogue may put off players from investing long hours into the game. In the end, Cloudpunk is able to capture the essence of a cyberpunk game despite its issues, but gameplay that mostly comprises of fetch quests may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Elderand is not a bad game. In fact, it's a competent Metroidvania and fans of the genre might enjoy it. It just doesn't go far enough in any one direction, either thematically or mechanically, to leave a strong impression, and it's hampered by lackluster combat.

Expeditions: Rome feels more like a mod with Roman themes than a fully fleshed-out game. From the customization to the design, there are many details that feel unfinished or lack the depth expected of games in the strategy genre. Still, there is fun to be had if players are willing to focus exclusively on the tactics and strategy. Those looking for more of the same coming off Expeditions: Viking will be satisfied enough, even if this new title doesn't feature any major innovations.

Morkredd looks great and runs well when it isn't being held back by its technical issues, which are simply too severe to ignore. Those looking for a local co-op game to play on Xbox Game Pass may still want to give it a shot, but otherwise, it may be better to wait for some of the problems to be ironed out first.

LEGO Horizon Adventures does some things better than the other LEGO games, and it does some things worse. It has better graphics, polish, and combat than any other LEGO game I've played, but it suffers a lot from uninspired level design and general dullness. It's so mind-numbingly easy in what I assume is an attempt to appeal to children, but I imagine most kids will be bored by the game long before the credits roll. LEGO Horizon Adventures is technically a well-made game, but it is not a fun one to play.

RetroMania Wrestling is a game designed with a very specific type of professional wrestling fan in mind, and those individuals may be able to enjoy it for what it is. It has a nice selection of arenas and a small but decent roster. The biggest problems with RetroMania Wrestling are its lack of content and high price point, but maybe future updates will make it a more fully-featured game that matches its asking price.

Veteran puzzle platformers with games like Antichamber and Portal under their belt will likely find themselves feeling that Parallax offers adequately challenging puzzles, but is missing that something special that would make it as memorable as the other contemporary classics in the genre.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is polished and runs perfect, with fast-paced and exciting combat. Gamers that grew up playing 90s FPS games will get a kick out of how much it borrows from Doom, Quake, and the like, but many will tire of the archaic design choices that have been abandoned by modern games. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun represents the best and worst of 90s-era FPS games, so while it has a solid foundation, it fails to deliver truly compelling content to go with it, making the game difficult to recommend to anyone that's not a hardcore Warhammer fan or who isn't desperately nostalgic for the 90s.

Perception‘s mediocre narrative, annoying art style, and frustrating gameplay mechanics add up to a horror game that most fans should skip.

The complete lack of charm and content in Drag x Drive makes the game difficult to recommend, even at its budget price of $20. It's the best showcase yet of what can be accomplished with Switch 2 mouse controls, but offers little else. There is some fun to be had with Drag x Drive and perhaps future updates will make it a better game, but there isn't enough at launch to keep Switch 2 owners busy for any serious amount of time.

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Complete Edition is in no way a bad experience, but it isn't a particularly great one either. Though veteran players may find great joy in returning to this classic, new players will probably have a completely different experience. The game's expansive Career Mode and in-depth mechanics are undermined by its failure to teach players and the overly complicated control scheme.

Crysis Remastered is not a full-price retail release, instead opting for $29.99 on the Microsoft Store and other retailers. As such, it's best to see this game for what it is: a budget game that won't particularly wow but contains some levels of nostalgia. Even if it's far below what was expected of the original, there is still fun to be had with this remaster.

Gorn 2's story only takes a few hours to get through. After that, players are free to check out the Custom and Endless game modes, but that's more of the same shallow violence that the base game offers. VR enthusiasts are likely looking for something with more substance, but that's not to say there is no value to Gorn 2. The game can be fun in short bursts, and it works great as an easy way to show off virtual reality to someone who has never played a VR game before. Ultimately, those wanting more Gorn will get their money's worth with Gorn 2, while those who are looking for a deeper virtual reality experience will have to look elsewhere.

VED is far from a perfect game, but it does have a few redeeming qualities. The hand-drawn art style is wonderful to look at, showcasing how strong this game could be. Additionally, the combat is often thrilling, because if players are not careful, then things can quickly fall apart. However, the story and the dialogue hold the experience back considerably. And ultimately, it leads to a pretty lackluster experience overall.

Mighty No. 9 attempts to breath fresh life into the 2D platforming genre but it lacks the polish and magic that made Inafune’s iconic series such a staple of 90s gaming.

While Zorya: The Celestial Sister's puzzles might be interesting when starting off or learning new mechanics, the experience becomes monotonous as its puzzles take a longer time to complete during later constellations, made worse by fussy controls. Zorya isn't a weak game by any means, but while it may appeal to hardcore puzzle enthusiasts, its gameplay loop feels unsustainable for the total number of hours it should take to complete.

The body-swapping mechanic of Slitterhead and being able to control these wildly different characters in an Asian city full of creepy monsters sounds appealing, but unfortunately, this horror/action does not bring the spooks at all and, frankly, isn't enjoyable to play. If you're someone who likes a somewhat janky brawler that feels like it came out of the PS2/360 era, there might be something of value here, but otherwise, it's hard to recommend this one.

When playing through The Last Case of Benedict Fox, it's clear that the developer had high ambitions for the project, but none of it really comes together in the end. Combat feels unresponsive, puzzles quickly become tedious, sound design is lacking, the story is hard to follow and delivered with sub-par voice acting, and that's simply too much for some nice lighting and visual effects to paper over, especially when games like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Ultros exist.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed’s biggest draw is nostalgia with this Switch port. Many have good memories of the game from its original release in 2008, but unfortunately, this port fails to respect this beloved IP. Perhaps the worst thing is that there are plenty of beautiful games on the Switch, and there’s little reason this couldn’t have been one. It could have redeemed the ill-fated Wii version, but instead, it might have worsened its shortcomings.

Observation has the visuals, atmosphere, and story that would put it in the conversation of the best horror games of 2019, but the nausea-inducing camera, uninspired puzzles, and frequent lack of clear direction ruin it.

Golf With Your Friends has been playable on Steam for a few years, so it is a bit disappointing that the game has been ported over to consoles with some of its flaws. The Steam version also has a course creator that the console version doesn't have, although Team 17 says it may arrive at some point. Still, playing with friends online and seeing all the golf balls fly down the course can certainly be fun. The game lacks the depth of many other golf games, so for enthusiasts of the genre, the title may not be up to par. But for someone looking for a laugh with friends, as a party game Golf With Your Friends is less of a whiff and can assuredly be enjoyed.

Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash has all of the basics that can can make a platformer good, but unfortunately, the experience is marred by its basic gameplay and mechanics.

Ultimately, Disintegration is good, but it does not deliver on its full potential. $50 is just too steep of an asking price for an interesting game with solid mechanics that lacks depth. To some, the game might be worth checking out for its unique gameplay, but most players will likely be frustrated with the package as is.

Soundfall’s critical mistake is that it lacks anything new and exciting past the game’s opening hours and too comfortably relies on rhythm mechanics that, while entertaining at first, grow stale in isolation. Drastic Games’ decision to give a Diablo-like spin to the rhythm game genre had potential, but its core loot-based elements are half-baked, and its level design is sorely lacking. While strong in its broad range of music and lovely art style, Soundfall is a game that needs more time to flesh out its gameplay systems before it's ready to hit the stage. Soundfall is a feast for the ears, a treat to the eyes, and an exercise in monotony.

The brief enjoyment comes to a head after just a handful of play sessions, as there’s just not much else to do within the game afterwards. What is present seems like a good base for what could have been a really solid Mario outing, but it appears that Nintendo wasn’t willing to leave Camelot‘s latest in the oven quite long enough.

These bugs and the small amount of content make Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair feel a bit rushed. The levels mostly all look the same, the alternate stages feel like padding, and the Impossible Lair gimmick is definitely going to be divisive for platforming fans. Its biggest issue, though, is that the platforming isn't nearly as precise as the games that inspired it. It has enough unique ideas that some platforming fans may still want to check it out after a price drop, but don't expect to be blown away.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia is the third and final installment in the Assassin’s Creed 2.5D spin-off series, and it also happens to be the weakest entry yet.

South Park: Snow Day is a budget game, but instead of something brief but replayable with a lot of South Park humor and bursts of fun, players get something muted, limited, and shallower than even that detail would suggest. It offers some fun across its short runtime, but it's ultimately forgettable for any roguelike or South Park fan.

Windbound is a pleasant oceanic indie. It does a very fine job of balancing itself between being a calming experience in a deserted island world and a title that is genuinely tense thanks to its survival and permadeath nature. The inventory management is extremely frustrating early on, but eventually, the crafting nature of the game clicks and it becomes enjoyable to create helpful tools and a resourceful boat to explore the world. The objective of the game, unfortunately, becomes repetitive just as the other aspects of the title come into their own. But simply traversing the islands, discovering new materials and recipes, and surviving in the charming world of Windbound is fun enough to outweigh some of the game's shortcomings.

Alan Wake 2 deserves recognition for what it has accomplished with its graphics and audio design, but many will be let down by the gameplay and story. Even if the game's rather frustrating technical problems didn't exist, Alan Wake 2 would still be a disappointment because of its shortcomings in those departments. That being said, Alan Wake 2 is home to some of the best moments in any game this year, with two sequences in particular standing out as especially memorable. To go into detail would be to spoil them for anyone who plans on playing the game, but rest assured that despite its issues, Alan Wake 2 has a few bright spots that may still make it worth it for hardcore fans of the original game. Others will want to hold out for a patch and a sale.

Vampyr is at its best when players are digging into the lives of London’s citizens and choosing who to kill or who to spare, so it’s unfortunate that the developers felt the need to shoehorn in uninspired combat and frustrating exploration elements. Beneath these problems is a classic vampire story that leverages its grim visuals and moody soundtrack to create an engrossing atmosphere, but the many technical issues still make Vampyr hard to recommend, even for diehard fans of the genre.

With the emphasis on human to human interaction, Fallout 76 removed many living NPCs in favor of journals, AI, and radio broadcasts to fill the void. Although this makes sense for a game that is meant to concentrate on multiplayer, it certainly seems to have made the wasteland feel a bit more empty and lonely.

Hyper Scape's uninteresting map, inability to make progression rewarding, and its painful combat keep it from reaching its full potential. There are definitely some tweaks that Ubisoft Montreal could make to Hyper Scape's combat to make it a far more entertaining experience, and one has to imagine that the game will evolve based on feedback to Season 1. As it stands, however, the game struggles to stake its claim on the genre.

Deracine doesn’t stick the landing with its ending, and the game can often be more annoying to play than it is fun. It gets points for its bizarre atmosphere and intriguing plot, but they’re not quite enough to make it a game worth playing through.

Midnight Murder Club is the kind of game that is dependent entirely on who you play with for it to be fun. The core concept is great and lends itself well to funny moments with friends, but the matchmaking experience is dreadful, the PvE mode is a waste of time, and the bot restrictions are head-scratching. If you can scrounge up five friends to play with, Midnight Murder Club is good for some laughs, but everyone else will be better off playing a different multiplayer game.

The decent soundtrack is unable to save Lifeless Planet from ultimately crumbling under the weight of its own lost potential.

While Super Meat Boy is arguably one of the best modern 2d platformers, the same cannot be said about Super Meat Boy Forever. The game abandons much of the identity of the original in order to try and offer players infinite replay value with a more stripped-down gameplay style. But rather than a game that encourages repeat playthrough, Super Meat Boy Forever is more fun to watch than it is to actually play.

Pokemon Champions is easier to tolerate because its monetization model doesn't seem to be predatory or egregious, like what we see with many other free-to-play games. It delivers fun Pokemon battles that look great, but the game's biggest issue is the lack of content. Anyone that needs a little more than endless Pokemon battles isn't going to get a lot out of Pokemon Champions, but at least those that do decide to play it regularly won't have to break the bank to enjoy it.

Despite the fumble here, I think that an open world Metroid Prime game can work, but it can't be a half-measure like Beyond is. Beyond could have been a revolutionary step forward like Breath of the Wild was for Zelda, but instead it's a weird in-between that is only fun when it is recycling its old ideas and everything new it tries falls flat on its face. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has an identity crisis and the result is a baffling open world surrounded by solid dungeons that still fall short of what came before.

At many points, La Quimera feels like playing a PS2-era shooter in an Unreal Engine 5 skin. But the lack of content, combined with a story that feels like an unofficial knock-off or direct-to-video sequel of a better FPS, make the game hard to recommend in its current state. As it stands, La Quimera is the equivalent of video game junk food — it might taste good and provide a bit of momentary satisfaction, but you'll ultimately be left feeling empty and hungry for more.

Need for Speed Unbound feels like it comes to a stop before it ever gets going. The polish in the moment-to-moment gameplay cannot be ignored, but as a whole, Need for Speed Unbound is just another forgettable entry in the long-running franchise.