It’s exactly what fans expect from an Igrashi-produced Metroidvania game, and even the inferior Switch port is still a fun time that should satisfy Castlevania fans who are tired of waiting for Konami to properly continue the series.

An experience that’s best enjoyed in short bursts.

Back 4 Blood still comes out as the best Left 4 Dead-inspired game in recent memory, taking the core design and innovating on it just enough to keep everything fresh and fun. Where Back 4 Blood gets things right, it does them really well, but where it doesn’t is often quite obvious.

The switch to an “open world” does bring with it some hiccups, but Scott Pilgrim EX is still a great beat 'em up in the tradition of its predecessor. It’s an assault on the senses in all the right ways, and having Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley on board as a writer (along with Scott Pilgrim Takes Off co-creator BenDavid Grabinski) ensures that this universe is handled with all the care and love that fans hope. At $30, some might call it short, but when you see how much variety is packed into the design, you understand that Tribute Games pushed itself as much as possible.

There's a profound sense of exploration and discovery in Journey to the Savage Planet. It's constantly motivating the player to double back and take another look at an area without ever explicitly telling them to. It's like being let into an amusement park with no lines and no rules, giving players the freedom to make their own fun whenever they need a break from an incredibly vertical, and hardly ever uninteresting, scavenger hunt for new resources and upgrades. It may not be an entire planet to explore, but it could easily fill one up.

The game’s lack of engaging narrative and experimental soundtrack are likely to alienate some of the more casual gamers who would give Amplitude a shot.

Soul Hackers 2 is a great new entry to the SMT franchise, offering enough differences from its comrades that it doesn't feel like the exact same game. With its wonderful cast of characters, Soul Hackers 2 delivers a story that shows plenty of heart as well as heartbreak, with a theme that resonates with today’s world. Despite the bland dungeons, the combat is more than satisfying enough to make up for it, and the music is just a bonus to an already stylish game. If there’s an itch to play an SMT game, Soul Hackers 2 is sure to scratch it.

Having the game launch with this lack of polish in the first place is frustrating, but that is because the core loop is a blast to play through. If it were not for the rough launch, it would be an easy recommendation for anyone familiar with the Warhammer 40,000 franchise or those who simply want a good horde shooter to sink their teeth into.

Princess Peach: Showtime has a lot going for it, but it sometimes comes across as a concept demo for a larger game that will be much better. Peach shouldn't have to wait another 19 years for her next solo outing, but hopefully her next game takes the time to give the Mushroom Kingdom's princess a proper, full-scale adventure.

Romeo Is a Dead Man is like a Suda51 brain blast, a trippy and irreverent vision beamed directly into our minds by Grasshopper Manufacture. There's not a stuffy, responsible business committee in the world that would approve of this game, which is exactly what makes it worthwhile.

Hollowbody excels in some key areas, like its sound design, though it also comes up way short in others, like with its level design. Regardless, it's a serviceable survival-horror game that does everything one would expect. Nothing it does is new, but it does everything well enough to make it an easy recommendation to fans of survival horror games from the 2000s.

The combat in Lysfanga really seems to do all the heavy lifting, and it’s unfortunate that the rest of the game leaves so much to be desired and feels like it’s just there as ungratifying filler. However, it’s a hack-and-slash game, and the fighting is what’s ultimately most important. For non-completionists, the game can be finished in about 15-20 hours, and most of that time will thankfully be spent in combat taking out bad guys.

This is a one-of-a-kind horror FPS delight. All the game’s nuances and features come together to craft an ode to H.P. Lovecraft that the author himself would be proud of. With incredible gunplay, myriad secrets to uncover, a gorgeous aesthetic, and memorable boss encounters, its technical issues don’t quite stop Forgive Me Father from being something a die-hard FPS fanatic looking for a fresh, new experience should miss out on.

Fire Emblem Warriors may not convince gamers still unsold on the Warriors formula, but it’s sure to come pretty close after expertly implementing trademark mechanics of the renown Nintendo series. Add in local co-op multiplayer, nods to the source material’s permadeath option via Classic Mode, and even a History Mode that allows fans to replay key battles from the franchise’s past and it’s clear that developers Team Ninja and Omega Force were able to deliver some impeccable fan service to Fire Emblem fans.

As with all of The Walking Dead games, there are a few different endings for players to experience, although achieving them isn’t as straight-forward as it was in prior iterations.

Even with some of its shortcomings, Cities: Skylines 2 delivers an extremely deep and content-rich city simulator that genre fans will definitely want to check out. It should once again remind fans why Colossal Order is the perfect studio to lead the urban city-building genre after the failings of the SimCity franchise. However, it is also hard to look past the fact that this game is launching with less content than the original game currently has. Couple that with the limitations the districts have and the lack of the custom-building tools that players loved in the original, and the game feels like it is being held back a bit at launch. Much of this may be fixed with post-launch updates, but right now, it feels like a pretty glaring omission.

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.

A Nest Of Vipers delivers an emotional rollercoaster of action, consequence, and a distinctly true Game of Thrones feel that George R.R. Martin himself would approve of.

The biggest complaints with the game are not that the concept and execution aren't good enough, the issue is that the game deserves more content, more attention, and more development of its great ideas.

Mega Coin Squad provides a unique and colorful 2D platforming experience for gamers, but its lack of online multiplayer really keeps it from reaching its highest potential.

The Stone of Madness isn’t a game for everyone, but it’s hard not to request that even the more discerning player give it a try. The game's somewhat bizarre and disturbing art style remains a high point, and even those unaccustomed to real-time tactical strategy titles may find the game’s story and setting compelling enough to stick with it until the end. Despite some finicky controls, it’s clear that the team behind the game poured their heart and soul into it, with each frame packed with an unbelievable amount of detail and care. The Stone of Madness has a way of transforming the player’s frustration into desperation, with every step closer to the truth providing a boost of adrenaline and a desire not to give up. The monastery is hiding something truly ghastly, and that mystery alone is worth delving into The Game Kitchen’s newest release.

One Piece Odyssey is a rousing adventure thanks to its engaging combat, liberating character customization, and beautiful environments. Sometimes, design choices limit player agency, but the effect rarely lasts long. The end result is a mostly satisfying JRPG that should keep fans hooked, provided they make it through the forgettable first few hours and take advantage of the various systems. After a few initial rough patches, the game lives up to most of its potential and is easy to recommend as both a One Piece experience and a JRPG.

Volgarr the Viking 2 is not a game that will win any awards for innovation. It won't astound with its visuals or scope, or surprise any experienced video game enthusiasts. But Volgarr the Viking 2 is certainly a good time, and a love letter to a specific era of gaming that winds up surpassing many of its progenitors. It's not for everyone, but if you're in the target audience, you won't be able to put it down or get it out of your head after playing the first hour.

When stacked up to the Wii U version, there’s little doubt that Super Mario Maker For Nintendo 3DS is the lesser of the two – and it doesn’t even support 3D on the notoriously 3D-enabled handheld. The lack of online sharing is only made more baffling by the fact that apparent user-made levels from the Wii U iteration can be accessed through the ‘100 Mario Challenge’ mode, while the exclusion of Mystery Mushrooms also makes little to no sense given how prominent amiibo support on the portable is nowadays.

One of the best feelings in puzzle games is that ‘Ah-ha!’ or ‘Ohhhh!’ moment when a solution that seems obvious but continually remains elusive, suddenly becomes evident. Storyteller has these moments, but altogether entirely too few of them. It tries so gallantly to keep that feeling, but it ultimately stumbles due to its short length, disappointing ending, and low difficulty. Still, there is enough charm to the game that some will seek to complete the stories that Storyteller wants to tell.

Mafia: The Old Country isn't a bad game, just a tepid one. Its gameplay is flaccid and restrictive, its narrative is dull and predictable, and its world has no more charm or presence than an Unreal Engine tech demo. It nails the bare minimum, but a game like this, from a franchise as beloved as Mafia, should have gone beyond that.

Directive 8020 left me far more invested in its crew than I expected to be. Turning Points is a smart addition that could use more support, and the Destiny system gives even smaller choices a bigger sense of consequence. It may not land every idea as strongly as it should, but Directive 8020 still delivers a tense, entertaining, and surprisingly character-driven sci-fi horror story that pushes The Dark Pictures Anthology in the right direction.

Pearl Abyss’ Black Desert Online is an incredibly detailed, visually gorgeous MMORPG that succeeds at nearly everything but having a beating heart and soul.