Baseball Riot could've done more with its gameplay to stretch its wings and not try to be another Angry Birds. Instead, it just doesn't do enough, and only hardcore baseball fans – or those seeking out an interesting but flawed puzzle game – will want to invest. Everyone else can easily look elsewhere to take their batting practice.

Sister Location is a fantastic horror game, even if it doesn’t particularly feel like the rest of the FNAF series.

While War Chest could've used better matchmaking with player match-ups and a little more variety with battle missions, it's still a fun trip through kiddie nostalgia, especially if you double down on the Hall of Fame Edition and pit G.I. Joe against He-Man. I mean, who doesn't want to see that battle happen?!

While Assassin's Creed Chronicles Russia isn't quite up there with the best adventures in the series, it's still the best release in the trilogy, thanks to its moody settings, its acceptable range of gameplay and its fun storytelling.

The game is cute and looks great, but thanks to its control scheme, isn't very fun to play.

Galak-Z: Variant S is an interesting mobile 2D action space adventure that feels right at home on the Switch as a casual title for playing on the way to work or on the train. Unfortunately, although the art style and gameplay are well put together and fun to play, the microtransactions severely hinder the experience.

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.

While Color Guardians could've used more zest in its character personality – and a few more easygoing levels to keep rookie players in check – it's still a better game than expected, thanks to its interesting gameplay and crazy challenges. If you're a fan of running or rhythm, be sure to try on this Color.

With a few tweaks and maybe a more casual-friendly difficulty level, Tharsis could be a fun strategy alternative for those who don’t enjoy building large kingdoms or waging wars that take hours to complete. In its current state however, Tharsis is little more than a sadistically cruel game of digital roulette.

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.

Earthfall is a valiant effort at trying to capture the lightning in a bottle once again that was Left 4 Dead. On paper it does a lot of things right, but in practice it lacks the soul and fire of what made Valve’s iconic zombie games so effective almost a decade ago.

J-Stars Victory Vs. + mostly gets the job done when it comes to delivering a manic anime-based brawler for fans that have been waiting for the next Jump Superstars. But more could've easily been done with it, especially with the presentation and the fighting system.

Sadly, because of the lackluster characters in Perils of Man, the game cracks under the weight of its own storytelling.

Need For Speed Payback is fun when you’re behind the wheel, but is constrained by questionable design decisions like an emphasis on a mediocre story and a wonky car upgrade system.

There’s so much missed potential here that it’s a bit frustrating. Game updates are coming so maybe one day...but not today.

While Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden has its fair share of disappointment with its heavy unlocking system and lack of online competition, it's also a not-so-bad take with its fighting, mainly because of the 2D setting. If Bandai Namco could somehow produce a version for consoles with a bigger roster, a less strenuous adventure system, and online play, it'd have a winner on its hands. For now, it's a decent pick for fans of the series, and maybe even for those that don't mind earning their keep in the fighting arena.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds is the best WWE game in a long time. Its over-the-top combat leans heavily on cartoon violence, so if you’re looking for a wrestling sim, you won’t find that here. What you will get, though, is a fun, fast-paced, and lighthearted wrestling game.

While Snoopy's Grand Adventure doesn't go the extra mile in its design, it still comes across as an enjoyable diversion for younger players looking to get some Peanuts-oriented fun out of their console. The inclusion of co-op is pretty nice as well, if parents should want to get involved in their children's adventure. But it seems like more could've been done for older gamers, and some of the technical setbacks should have gone through some clean-up. Overall, though, not bad for a little diversion.

Back to Bed on the PlayStation Network is a competent albeit unremarkable puzzler that's over before it can get satisfying. Great art and a decent bonus mode at least help to make the experience somewhat enjoyable, though the hefty $20 price is hardly worth paying when you can get it for much less elsewhere.

Bad North feels a lot like a mobile title in terms of its limited scope, tight focus, and simple controls, and that makes it a fantastic fit for the Switch in portable mode.

Crackdown 3 does its best to ride on an action-packed wave of nostalgia, but in the end all it succeeds in doing is face-planting straight into a morass of tedium and frustration. Even the most stalwart Crackdown fans will likely wonder if the long wait was worth the final result.

In a year filled with blockbuster fighting game titles, SNK Heroines just doesn’t do enough to appeal to the fighting game market. It’s a shallow game filled to the brim with fanservice, but there are deeper games with just as much fanservice out there.

While Deadpool certainly isn't as bad as other comic book fare on the market, it feels somewhat average with its rushed treatment on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Had the developers added better visual details and made it much cheaper, we'd be talking a great value here. As it stands, though, only serious comic book fans or those looking for mindless action should invest. Others can easily wait for the movie and stuff themselves silly with tacos.

Jump Force excels at fanservice, at showing what battles between all these characters would look like. It does not excel as an actual fighting game however. Unbalanced mechanics and poorly designed UI make Jump Force a chore to play, despite the exciting visual trappings.

Had Nintendo taken the time to produce a sequel with the same amount of depth as the original Chibi-Robo, we'd be getting somewhere. But Zip Lash just feels like a routine platformer, not offering enough bang for the buck to satisfy die-hard fans of the series. Kids may get a kick out of it, but more could've been done to assure a long-lasting life for our environmental hero. Here's hoping we haven't seen the last of him.

It’s buggy and it’s a far cry from what Blizzard teased us with back in 2018.

While NBA Live 16 is still a slightly better game than what EA Sports has produced over the past couple of years, it still doesn't even come close to feeling like a complete package. The gameplay is fundamentally flawed, mainly with the inaccuracy of the AI and shooting system, and the presentation needs sprucing up, especially in terms of commentary.

Rain World will probably establish a cult following, which is great because it deserves a fan base for its thoughtful ideas. Unfortunately, too many factors get in the way of what very well could've been one of 2017's most interesting indies.