Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered lacks the impact of Suda51 and Mikami’s Killer7, the mechanical depth of Mikami's RE4 and Vanquish, and the uncompromised vision of Kurayami Dance. However, getting lost in what SotD isn't also means losing sight of what it is. Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a delightful B-movie romp that can be knocked off in a weekend, and there's still value in that. Diving into hordes of enemies with Garcia's upgraded abilities and assorted takedowns can be very fun, even if extra details like headshots feel like they could be tightened up. If it sparks some good word-of-mouth, perhaps today’s leaner shooter landscape will do Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered some good.

The sequel to Ubisoft’s Grow Home is a charming follow up that gives gamers more to explore and collect, but ultimately fails to capitalize with further innovations.

If Mask of the Lunar Eclipse has the same success found with Maiden of Black Water's port to modern platforms, then remasters of other Fatal Frame games or even a new game would have a better chance of being released. There is a lot of potential for renewed interest in the franchise, and despite gripes to be had with Mask of the Lunar Eclipse's remaster, the game itself still holds up as a solid horror game.

There is plenty to praise when considering that this is Ascendant's debut game and how it ended up being an incredibly competent and entertaining experience that manages to pull off a solid combat system and a fun story. However, there really isn’t much that feels new or particularly interesting otherwise. It is clear that a lot of thought and care has been put into all systems of Immortals of Aveum, from its shooting to its puzzles, but none of it is compelling enough for another playthrough. Immortals of Aveum is well-executed, easy to digest, and remarkably solid, but overall incredibly familiar. Still, it may pleasantly surprise more than one shooter fan, and has enough going for it to likely attract a dedicated audience.

Flame Over is a game that successfully nails the rewarding feeling of learning from one’s surroundings in order to overcome new obstacles.

There is a lot of beauty in Enotria: The Last Song and Jyamma Games deserves to be commended for its efforts to stand out in a saturated market. With immersive connections to Italian folklore and an adoring love of subgenre, Soulslike fans will certainly enjoy the world of challenge. But while the combat is innovative it could use some polish.

Blair Witch is a consistently interesting horror story with outstanding audio and graphics throughout. It may not be quite as groundbreaking as the film it's based on, but Blair Witch is the next best thing to the original movie, and it's definitely worth checking out for fans of the franchise, despite its shortcomings.

Although the game boils down to a walking sim with a puzzle component, the unique setting and mechanics make it worth a playthrough.

Fortified may not be a sprawling, epic experience — but it’s a well-made game with mechanics that stand up to extended play. With great art design to boot, it’s a solid purchase for anyone looking for a mix of action and strategy, or their next co-op staple.

Madden NFL 21 is an imperfect game, with some modes like Franchise and MUT lacking any meaningful upgrades. Fans of those modes will still have fun, but they will have to wait for next year's Madden to see where the major evolutions take place. Meanwhile, Face of the Franchise is awkward from a story perspective and lacks player agency. But the core gameplay experience feels better than ever, with things like the new Skill Stick controls allowing for creatively on the field. Lastly, The Yard is so good it could be its own stand-alone game.

The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan may have more technical issues than Until Dawn and it's also much smaller in scope, but the game is still a pretty effective horror game and worthy successor.

Youngblood offers a great gameplay loop that will likely keep FPS fans busy for a few dozen hours, even if it doesn't quite deliver in terms of character and world-building.

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.

The premiere episode of The Walking Dead: Michonne has all the qualities of a stellar TellTale Games series: the combat is enjoyable, the narrative is engaging, the choice system presents difficult options, and the episode is entertaining from start to finish.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is good, but in a very workmanlike sort of way. Although it's not the most surprising or inventive multiplayer game on the market, it upholds the strong balance of strategy and real-time gameplay that made the franchise so beloved in the first place. Fans of previous entries may be somewhat split on things like the roguelike progression and heavier emphasis on multiplayer at the cost of solo play, but the strengths of the series are still there, and in some ways, they're more finely tuned than ever.

Despite a bit of clunky translation and its rather brief runtime, Your House feels like it could be the beginning of something great. Whereas many puzzle-heavy games are quick to give extra clues when it’s clear that the player is struggling, this title asks more. It makes you slow down, and each time something finally clicks, the dopamine rush is more than worth the effort. If the team at Patrones & Escondites end up creating more incredibly satisfying mystery games in this same style, it would be hard not to buy them on launch day.

While it is a fun game for short bursts of time, Fruit Ninja Kinect 2 lacks the depth needed to be a top choice game for most gamers, and fails to build upon its predecessor.

The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me packages an enigmatic killer, stories of true crime, the spectacle of horror movies, and a group of shy misfits and powerful personalities into a plot that feels deserving of its own big-budget film. It'll leave players questioning everything they know about the killer and each other, and yearning to dive in once again to see other endings, discover more secrets, and try to save everyone.

Unless one is really desperate to unlock a bunch of easy achievements, there is no real reason to play Scars Above. It's like a video game rough draft. Some games have been accused of being half-baked, but Scars Above is like raw dough. It has some interesting concepts and weapons, but it never grows into anything resembling a full-fledged gaming experience. Its budget price of $40 is still asking way too much, even for the most diehard third-person shooter enthusiasts. Scars Above may mimic games like Returnal and Dark Souls, but it is highly unlikely to please fans of either game.

As the sixth main installment in a JRPG series that dates to the 16-bit era, one with a slightly tarnished reputation in recent years, Star Ocean: The Divine Force evokes a comforting sense of familiarity even as it experiments with some of its expected returning elements and pushes in exciting new directions. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and Tri-Ace has done a wonderful job of crafting a new world long-time fans and newcomers alike may feel reluctant to leave once the credits roll, even keeping in mind a few rough patches they encountered along the way. That’s no minor achievement, and makes the game easy to recommend to genre fans in search of their next addiction.

While it's fun at first, The Blackout Club just doesn't have enough going for it to keep players engaged for longer than a couple of hours. The game becomes a boring, repetitive slog that gets less scary and more annoying the longer it's played

For a game that only exists because a die-hard group of fans demanded it, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst should have been better. Unfortunately, it’s a mediocre follow-up at best.

Unfortunately, those looking for a game with a deep and innovative stock simulator system will not find it in The Invisible Hand. What players do find is an entertaining experience for a few hours, driven by a desire to be a better stockbroker than their coworkers. Power Struggle Games should be proud of the release of The Invisible Hand, letting players live out the fantasy of being a big-time stock trader, all the while warning them of the greater consequences of capitalism's, and Wall Street’s, "invisible hands."

Pathway overall feels like a lite version of a turn-based game, and the monotony sets in fairly quickly. There are no plot twists to keep the story engaging, because there really is no story but rather the shallow foundation of one. Although the game can be beaten in 10 to 20 hours, it's questionable whether many gamers will see it through to the end. It may suck players in for a while, but the game simply is not dynamic enough to maintain interest long term. In the end, Pathway feels all the more dissatisfying because it had such potential. Robotality’s creation can be compared to an itch under the skin that can almost be scratched, but not quite.

Feels like a return to form for the long-dormant series. The new control scheme courtesy of the Wii U GamePad makes it standout, alternate vehicles like the Arwing’s Walker form change up gameplay from existing predecessors, and the pure challenge present throughout every new area makes this a game that players will come back and jump into at a moment’s notice.

The game is most entertaining and least frustrating when playing in co-op, though it lacks online matchmaking options. It manages to deliver a better balance between combat and platforming, but is bogged down by boring puzzles. Knack 2 is an improvement in many ways, but it’s clear that there is still room to make it even better.

It's a wild ride that deserves to be experienced unspoiled.

Unfortunately, even getting through the game once can be a struggle, as 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is plagued by technical issues - at least when it comes to the Nintendo Switch version. The game crashed on numerous occasions during our time with it, and there was one stage in particular where enemies kept glitching off the screen and we were forced to restart to the level repeatedly.