If Square Enix had only managed a better spell-stacking mechanic or upgraded the game’s multiplayer capabilities, this could have been a great game.

There are a ton of in-jokes, sure. But when you've heard them all before, it feels less like a tribute and more of a "we ran out of interesting things to say for ourselves", and when you haven't heard them you won't get them anyway.

It gets repetitive pretty quickly. After playing for a few hours, all the games start to feel the same.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 would have been a stellar sports title, with its new emphasis on realism and online clubs, if it traded its microtransactional model for a fairer coin system. No one likes buying a $60 title that thinks it's free to play. If you actually put in the work-the weeks upon weeks of effort playing the game-you still feel shorted people who put in less work but have more money to spend. Of course, if you spend money, you've just bought into the scheme. Somehow, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is as much a financial test of character as it is a test of gameplay skill, and that's unfortunately as memorable as any sort of comeback.

Still, Defense Grid 2 represents the pinnacle of tower-defense design at this moment and for that it gets a firm recommendation from this reviewer.

There's usually one episode in a Game of Thrones season where the numerous setups that the earlier episodes have built finally culminate into a payoff. For Telltale's adaptation, this is that episode.

No matter if you’re looking for a goofy FMV good time or an engaging mystery to solve, The Shapeshifting Detective delivers. You can see where the corners were cut if you push too hard in the wrong places, but the story and characters drive the game past those shortcomings.

The Foundation doesn’t totally solve Control’s issues, like its checkpoints, because it is fundamentally more Control. But unlike some other story-based DLC add-ons, it maintains that same high level of quality throughout and builds upon the, well, foundation of the main game without feeling like a superfluous chapter in Jesse’s new life. By adding a couple more powers that slightly improve frenetic combat and having collectibles and a story that continually outweird themselves in inventive ways, Remedy has shown that Jesse is fit for the job of director and hopefully just getting started.

When you sit down with Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, you're in for a visual feast, colorful, foreboding, intriguing, and worth every penny. And thankfully, the gameplay is solid. Gange's art is fantastic and even if you don't have fun, you'll probably be compelled through the game just to see what the next area or boss fight is like.

Despite commendable frills, the point of this collection is games, and the truth is that these games are just old. Some are fun, others are less-so, but ultimately what you’re getting is average to good platforming across the entire package with a heady shot of nostalgia, if that applies to your age bracket.

How about letting multiple people play on the same team, or even letting us play three-on-three matches? The series is probably headed in that direction, but like an obese ex-coach on a bus, it’s getting there slowly.

The bottom line is Tropico 5 is a good entry-level sim and strategy game. If you love SimCity and Civilization, this should be up your alley. Of course, you could just keep playing a board game, but I digress…

In Crash Course's case, it's more of a matter of whether or not you are interested in more Left 4 Dead so close to its sequel's release. As one of the few pieces (maybe the last) of new content for the original Left 4 Dead, Crash Course offers a recently deceased but still crawling warm farewell.

D4 is a game that knows what it is. It’s quirky and odd with an outrageous story and over-the-top characters, and that may not sit well with some people, but that’s the kind of game Swery is known to make.

The first episode of The Enemy Within has been a thrill ride for me, constantly testing me and forcing me to make split-second decisions. I’m anxious to see who’s coming next, with a tease to Dr. Harleen Quinzel, or our girl Harley, in the next episode possibly. I’m very ready to see how Batman navigates the oncoming storm that's going to unfold across the season.

Give Destiny a try if you like the idea of cooperation blended evenly with competition. The truth remains in its satisfyingly responsive mechanics, relatively forgiving checkpoint systems, competitive multiplayer, and the opportunity to blast away a million and one guys if that's what your story really needs to framed around.

If you didn’t like previous WWE 2K games, then WWE 2K19 isn’t going to change your mind. However, if you’re like me and have always had a soft spot for this series, then you won’t be disappointed.

Yes, fanboys, it's okay to pick this one up. Transformers, Roll Out!

Boss Key Productions' first crack at making a first-person shooter has resulted in something that stands out from the competition, scratching the itch of players looking for a classic arcade shooter experience, with the benefits of modern game design.

Green Day: Rock Band is a respectable game, but you don't need a review to tell you whether you should pick it up or not. If you like Green Day, you don't need to ask any more questions: Go pick up Green Day: Rock Band today.

The addictive gameplay, well-rendered graphics (even on an aged system), easy control scheme, innovative cooperative features and tons of replay value make for a winner.

It manages to float where others have sunk and breaks the trend of garbage surfing games by offering decent if somewhat limited fun.

The AI - it ain't great. Computer players don't react much like their real-life counterparts and don't often run convincing plays. The only real sign of intellect at work is towards the end of the game, when the CPU will intentionally foul or bomb three pointers if it's losing.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is exactly what a spin-off should be. It appreciates and honors what makes a Dragon Quest game distinct from other JRPGs, while still offering something different than the main series. The gameplay is exhilarating, using over-the-top animations and simple controls to keep you engaged in every battle. The amount of content, while no Dragon Quest VII, is certainly enough to get your money’s worth.

Making History expands vanilla Kerbal Space Program to a point in which you’ll be receiving your time’s worth. As to the underlying quality of the title, even though the baked-in missions are inspiring and well-designed, how the fanbase for Kerbal eventually uses the mission creator will be the deciding factor.

Kudos to Neversoft and Activision for creating an amazing game, the sole competitor in its self-created genre, and curses upon them for distilling it to the point of absurdity.

It certainly isn’t a game you can just turn on and enjoy any time, but if you plan on throwing many shindigs, make sure and invite Rayman Raving Rabbids.

Let's hope that Raven Software can put some creativity together and bring forth more of an expansive multiplayer for a possible sequel or download; I would hate to see such potential be forgotten and aged to dust.