Now I wasn’t expecting Payday 3 to match its predecessor in terms of quality right off the bat (and let’s be fair, Payday 2 is a much different animal today than when it launched), but even with my expectations lowered a bit, I was still pretty disappointed with what we got.

A lot of Silent Hope’s problems stem from under the hood tuning, and I can see another swing at this idea landing a much cleaner hit.

At the end of the day, Rune Factory 3 Special is a fine game, and its only crime is how closely it sits to games that use it as a stepping stone. If you love the “cozy” genre and are looking for some farming action, but only have the budget for one game, it’s hard to recommend this. But if you’re more of a fan of Story of Seasons and/or Rune Factory as a series, there’s absolutely room for Rune Factory 3 Special on the shelf.

So, even though the gameplay loop can be a lot of fun, I worry about the longevity of this game's lifespan. With only three maps (that are all kind of similar) and the possibility of not getting much new content due to licensing issues between all of the other films in the franchise, the game might not be around for a long time. Let’s hope that isn’t the case.

There’s no doubt that some Jet Set Radio fans hungry for more will enjoy Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. I’ve been waiting for this series’ return in spirit along with the rest of them, but in the end, it did little more than inspire nostalgia for the original, gorgeous though it may be.

WrestleQuest is something wrestling fans will truly enjoy from a sentimental perspective. The story overstays its welcome a bit, but I loved the nostalgia in the storyline. You can clearly see the love of wrestling the development team had and their care with the different legends like Macho Man Randy Savage, Ric Flair, Sgt. Slaughter, and more.

Little Nightmares II is just a worse game than the original. Everything they added to the system feels clunky at best and unfair at worst. It’s a shame because this same story, with its same environments, same levels, same enemies, and same music and sound would have been infinitely better if they kept the mechanics from the original.

In a world where you can pick up The Last of Us Remastered for a song, there’s no reason to waste your time on Earthblood. Paradox Interactive is no stranger to game development. I wonder which team lead is asleep at the wheel such that Earthblood was allowed to go out the door in its current state.

You’ll likely have a really good time with Gods Will Fall. Straight up, it’s a good game. A lack of polish keeps it from being a great game, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had here.

Redout: Space Assault is a reminder that I should fire up Star Wars: Squadrons again. While it’s visually appealing given its discount price, it fails to deliver fun and engaging mechanics. If you want an indie and don’t dig on Star Wars, there’s House of the Dying Sun, an excellent indie that’s over four years old and retails for $20. Even in a genre as niche as the space shooter, there are better options available.

Super Meat Boy Forever is a fun little distraction. Though it fails to live up to the legacy of its predecessor, it’s entertaining for a few playthroughs. If you loved Super Meat Boy, you might just get a kick out of Forever… or you may not.

The Pathless is a gorgeous, exhilarating and frenetic game which unfortunately often stumbles in its own tracks.

Godfall could scratch that action game itch if you don’t mind how lackluster it is in other areas. A paid expansion is coming out in 2021, so I’m curious to see if that’ll address any of my concerns about the campaign.

Twin Mirror is the inferior Dontnod offering of 2020, and probably one of their most disappointing games yet. It is mediocre in every sense, failing to live up to the potential of its concept and the reputation of its developer.

If you are a die-hard Kingdom Hearts fan that loves the music and needs to play every game, then yeah, this game is for you. However, it just feels sloppy for a full-priced game. There are better rhythm games out there, and better Kingdom Hearts games out there, so unless you really need a combination of the two, you can safely pass this one up.

Longtime players won’t find much to enjoy in this barely changed version of last year’s entry.

Windbound is a game that sounds good on paper but in practice, it falls apart. It’s a very interesting case study in design that takes inspiration from certain games yet doesn’t quite understand what made them fun in the first place.

Project Cars 3 would’ve been more successful if it was called something else. It leaves far too many important features on the table for hardcore racers, with an AI that’s too buggy and weird for new players. It feels rushed and could use some serious patches.

Madden NFL 21 is the clearest example yet of how unwieldy the series has become, so your en-joyment will vary depending on which modes best suit your play style. For me, that comes from seeing my virtual 49ers hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season, so anything else on top of that is just a bonus.

Hyper Scape has promise, but it’s just so infuriating to play due to poor aiming controls. Some don’t seem to have a problem with it, as I see other PS4 players racking up kills all the time. Still, it’s better to wait and play something else until this gets fixed.

Rocket Arena shows that there’s more to multiplayer shooters than just military sims and battle royale games. Unfortunately, the unappealing progression rewards and lack of engaging content limit its potential.

Disintegration at least proves that, when properly tuned, the vehicle-based gameplay that’s normally presented as a one-off setpiece in most other FPS titles is capable of anchoring an entire game, especially when it’s paired off with a little RTS unit management. Unfortunately, in Disintegration’s case, that unique gameplay model isn’t strong enough to outshine the game’s lack of visual and functional polish.

Warface: Breakout is a nice attempt at a tactical FPS. It works really well, and it’s fun to play. There’s just not a lot there at this time. For $20, the game’s not expensive, but it’s still hard to recommend over established games in the genre like Rainbow Six Siege or CS:GO. Still, if the developers make good and release more content, it could be a worthwhile investment and ultimately catch up to the greats in the genre.

It’s easy to see what Camel 101 was going for as it constructed Those Who Remain’s dark and foreboding world, but while the intent was noble, the execution leaves much to be desired. The game’s low price point might appeal to someone who’s desperate for a new game to play, but any wayward souls who come across the exit for Dormont while cruising the horror game highway should just keep on driving.

Maneater is a game that could have been good but was too obsessed with forcing players to interact with its low points to make its high points shine.

Someday You’ll Return is an ambitious failure. It tries to cram together too many disparate game systems while failing to handle narrative and character in a way that could’ve made this game work. I wanted to like it; I went into it with great enthusiasm and quit it with an equally intense frustration.

Predator: Hunting Grounds has fun, stupid moments, and if this game was only $20, I would recommend it. At $40, it’s a harder sell unless you are a hardcore Predator fan. If you’re looking for a better 4v1 experience and you’re willing to tolerate slow matchmaking, Resident Evil Resistance offers a great multiplayer experience and a decent single player campaign, making it a much better buy, despite being $20 more.

This just isn’t the grand revival of the Sakura Wars franchise I was hoping for, and I’m sure that most other longtime fans will feel the same. As for newbies, there’s some enjoyment here, but it just doesn’t measure up to other major releases on the market right now.