Book of Demons isn’t likely to hold the attention of hardcore dungeon crawl enthusiasts or those who don’t care for loot-heavy titles like this one. However, players who are new to this style of game or those looking for something on the simpler side would be well-served to check this one out.

A terrific execution of a merely okay idea is still a lot further than most developers get, however, and the VR implementation heightens the immersion factor just enough to make The Persistence worth checking out. Those with a headset will find The Persistence a considerably more refined product than the average VR title, but anyone who intends on playing it flat may find it a bit too routine.

And as a videogame, there's not much in Chain of Memories that I haven't seen before…except card breaks and room synthesis.

In many ways, Death of a Wish is a victim of its own ambitions. With so many moving pieces it certainly kept my attention, but I kept waiting for those disparate parts to coalesce into a more focused whole – and that moment never came. What’s left is a title with an abundance of great ideas that are hampered by having to share the stage with each other. Each aspect is strong in its own right, but ultimately the aggregate falls short of its potential.

I strongly suspect people will pick up Wii Sports Resort on name recognition alone, and be mystified by the odd white attachment inside. If enough WMPs are sold, and enough developers pay attention, it may just work.

The action here will completely satisfy anyone looking for the kind of lighthearted, kinetic run-and-gun that was mastered several iterations ago, and my grievances with it are more of the intellectual variety than anything else.

Suffers from a developmental imbalance between the excellent mechanics and the actual gameplay. The best example of this is illustrated by the difference between the superb two-player and the grating single player experiences.

There's a lot to love in Street Fighter V, especially Rainbow Mika, but the fact is that the game still isn't where it needs to be yet. The March update helped, but it was just a band aid on some pretty deep lacerations. Serious fighting game fans can hop in now without too many problems, but more casual players might want to wait—more fixes and a real story mode are still coming.

Though the unfavorable price point can make buying Another Lost Phone a challenging impulse buy, there’s no denying its uniqueness as a game. By using the medium’s inherent interactivity to recast fictional narrative in the format of our most common, everyday interactions with technology, Accidental Queens have come up with a singularly immersive way to harness players’ natural curiosity in service of storytelling.

While the merits and the story are shallow and uninteresting, the gameplay’s failure to integrate with them reduces them to superfluous trappings that can mostly be ignored. This leaves the focus squarely on the puzzles, and it’s here that The Sojourn almost hits the mark. Although they don’t fully reach their potential, the levels are at times deep and fascinating — and neither of those words could apply to the script.

While difficult to describe it as a success, Shadows of Doubt is a title I won’t soon forget, and if the itch in the back of my brain is any indication, it won’t be long before I’m back on the streets, chasing down leads and catching killers.

A mixed bag that redeems itself just enough to be worth playing, Far Cry 2 serves as a valuable experiment in open-world first-person shooter game design, but one that is not quite up to par with what developers like Crytek and GSC have accomplished.

As an arcade racing fan, Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown is an exciting jumping-off point and I can’t wait to see what it looks like down the road. Its driving physics and attention to detail are top-notch, and the unlock system gives me the incentive to work towards something. Unfortunately, I think I’m better off playing other racers at the moment while I wait for post-launch improvements that will likely come. I’m hopeful it’ll turn into something special, but right now it needs a little more work under the hood.

Despite its flaws, Children of Morta’s incredible story and generally enjoyable combat kept me coming back for more, and while the mid-section did drag, I still felt compelled to see the story through to the end.

Peach Beach Splash isn’t as much of a departure from the series as Bon Apetit was, but it’s still somewhat inconsequential compared to a mainline entry like Estival Versus. Blasting bikini ninja with water is cute, the gameplay is mostly solid, and it does a serviceable job of increasing the threat of Shin to set up the next game, but Senran Kagura risks sacrificing the momentum of the series overall with too many ancillary games.

A little more challenge, depth, and length with the trimming of the lame on-rails levels would have made this one a near classic. As it is, though, it's an above-average shooter with just enough variety and charm to make the familiar trip worth your time.

WrestleQuest is a fantastic homage to the wrestling scene of the ’80s and early ’90s, and expertly crafts that persona for its world. However, the slow pacing in and out of combat and various bugs dampen things. Fans of classic wrestling will delight in all the references, but players who don’t have nostalgia for the subject material will still find much to enjoy here, even if it’s not as tight an experience as it should be.

I believe UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is a strong entry in the series and I’m happy to see it get a sequel, even if it feels more like a small step forward instead of a substantial shift. However, something that’s broken shouldn’t be fixed, so this level of refinement clearly has a lot to offer to fans and newcomers alike.

Despite the eco-premise and the catchy visuals, Earth Atlantis is a straightforward, side-scrolling shooter which will appeal to fans of the genre, but what’s here might not be enough to convince newcomers to come aboard. The lack of a strong narrative hurts it as well. Still, this sharp-looking piece of faux nostalgia offers a lot of gameplay, and some daunting challenge to go along with it. Dive in!

While the launch price of $8 feels a dollar or two too high, I definitely enjoyed the game (when I wasn't stuck) and felt satisfied when it was over. I would recommend it to players interested in the genre, and especially to those who prefer puzzles with a foothold in actual logic. Players interested in elegant, small-scale design might also learn a thing or two from this tasteful interstellar jaunt, as well.

While mastering the intricacies of its 3D rotation might take a little practice and its refusal to explain systems was thoroughly wrongheaded, Hyperforma still managed to keep me playing with its high-tech zero-g pinball action and electric artwork. With just a little tweaking, this one would be a must-play for Switch owners – it doesn’t feel quite like anything else, and that alone is worth something.

Hacking and slashing my way through legions of intelligent monsters was surprisingly enjoyable, as was the addictive challenge to always increase my combo count. Overall, the space opera mixed with kick alien ass produced a fun bout of story-driven hack-n-slash, that gives as good as it gets.

Spry Fox does a solid job in presenting a polished, attractive-looking package, even if the gameplay doesn't quite meet the same standard.

With adorable characters having wacky adventures in space, Mugen Souls Z's charm and the solid writing kept me motivated to zip through the storyline, and the fights are still a thrill... It's just too bad that the deadly-dull non-combat sections and the ending-ruining bug keep me from recommending the game wholeheartedly.

The strength of this title still remains in the decision to simulate the promotion/relegation structure used throughout the major leagues of the world.

Unlike so many games today on the market, Ecks Versus Sever has the crucial gameplay part down, but drops the ball on the extra amenities and comes off like caviar on the inside, but Fillet-O-Fish on the outside.

Sure, the offline mode can get old fast, but arcade racing fans with an internet-ready PS2 will find that the title's playability grows almost exponentially when experienced with a group of other human beings.

Winning even as one loses is nothing new in gaming-at least, not in how I play-and the way Zettai Hero Project: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman implements it means that nothing the player does, no matter how foolish, is a waste. That implemention isn't exactly groundbreaking (while the game makes grinding for levels easier, it doesn't make it more palatable) but it does force players to think about failure in a slightly new way.

For me, The Minish Cap has marked a point at which I seem to have become blasé to the brilliance of the series, at least in terms of its largely unchanging design foundations.

The time-scrubbing mechanic in Arise is interesting and the many of the levels have a compelling concept. It also offers several visually striking moments and in certain places, it delivers on its emotional content. Unfortunately, it also has too many muddy, unclear visuals for a work of its brevity, and the core platforming disappoints. I wish I could give it a full-throated endorsement, but in the end this is a well-worn theme and Arise: A Simple Story falters in too many places to be truly notable.

I enjoyed my time with Resident Evil Zero back in the day, and I largely enjoyed it now. This remaster holds up pretty well despite the fact that some of the sheen's rubbed off over time. It might be a harder sell for anyone who doesn't have fond memories of it, but it's still a damn fine way to brutalize the undead.

While it may not be the right fireplace sim for film buffs or lit majors, Cozy Fire may be worthwhile for detail-driven fans looking for a little existential ascension with their fire stoking, and given the increase in agency over its competitors, may even let players learn something new about Themselves.

Metronomicon has a lot going for it — the songs are catchy, the combat is intuitive, and the storyline, while thin, is delightfully weird. I only wish the developers had found a way to let me enjoy the graphics. As it stands, it’s a game that plays well and is interesting to watch, but doesn’t manage to be both of those things at the same time.

While there's room to improve, The Wolf Among Us has remained stylish and enjoyable since the beginning, and I'm eager to see how it all ends.

A little more challenge, depth, and length with the trimming of the lame on-rails levels would have made this one a near classic. As it is, though, it's an above-average shooter with just enough variety and charm to make the familiar trip worth your time.

Strong multiplayer options help lessen the frustration of a high learning curve in the arcade mode, but no matter a player’s skill level, this is a game that fans of fast-paced arcade action shouldn’t miss. Arriving a quarter century later, Windjammers 2 is a fantastic sequel.

There's something truly cathartic about blasting hordes of zombies, and that just never gets old. Zombies may not get any respect, but they sure do make great gun fodder.

Monster Hunter Tri is most definitely not a game that will appeal to everyone, but it is by far the most polished, user-friendly and approachable entry in the series

For fans of strategic collectible card games, Ironclad Tactics will provide hours of entertainment and offers the ability to go deep into its deck-building mechanics. For more casual players, the game's difficulty spikes and deck micro-management can quickly feel overwhelming. Despite its promising qualities, Ironclad's list of problems clink and clank too loudly not to notice.

Overall, Ugly is a fantastic experience. It has excellent platforming and many challenging puzzles, and is highlighted by an excellent (yet slightly disturbing) story. The out-of-place boss battles and that minor technical issue prevent it from being top-tier, but Ugly still comes highly recommended for fans of puzzle platformers who don’t mind them on the dark side.

Is Jurassic World Evolution worth the price of admission? That’s tough to answer. On one hand, I look forward to dinosauring (as I call it) every night, especially after I’d unlocked the challenge-free sandbox which allows me to build the park of my dreams without limits, but unlocking every piece of technology and every species of dino means slogging through an uninspired campaign. It’s frustrating, but there’s still nothing like watching a newly-hatched T. rex roar her way out into the world.

The third-person aiming is clunky and I found myself preferring to hide, rather than taking on soldiers face-to-face. Much of the campaign can be completed solely by sniping enemies from afar, but there are a few parts where close combat becomes a necessity. I was always pleased when these sections were over quickly. My only other complaint about Sniper Elite 4 is that it’s not a complete package. Three years after initial release, the Switch version arrives with numerous DLC options that require additional purchase – none of which appear to be new content. I’m not completely against DLC, but it feels like players are being nickel-and-dimed here. Fortunately, the core experience is enjoyable enough to look past these minor shortcomings, and more often than not, Sniper Elite 4 hits the bullseye.

Considering The Golf Club 2 is the only new console golf sim released over the last few years, it’s a no-brainer for those longing to return to the digital links, but that shouldn’t be the only reason fans make the purchase. Though it has numerous unavoidable – and some unforgivable – flaws for a 2017 title, The Golf Club 2 gives fans a near-limitless source of new content alongside unparalleled challenge.

Astrologaster’s uniqueness makes it a joy to play, and I would recommend it to those who appreciate period pieces, narrative-heavy games and those interested in strange pieces of historically-inspired work.

Despite my frustrations with some unfair aspects of the gameplay, I found Never Alone to be incredibly compelling.

The two biggest positives are its deep fighting gameplay and it surprisingly up-to-date roster.

Players curious about the recent activities of Albert Wesker and the legacy of the Umbrella Corporation can dive right in and enjoy without fear; those new to the series might be surprised at how dated it feels once the high-polygon glamour wears off.

Despite some baked-in gameplay issues, the lack of auto-saves, and sparseness in the collection’s content, this remains a fantastic way for modern players to enjoy Lara Croft’s classic escapades. While this trio may not be everyone’s favorite, the efforts to smooth them out are excellent overall, and modernize these titles in a meaningful way.

While it’s certainly no substitute for a good history book, the game is usually executed, in both its setting and its gameplay, in a fairly believable fashion.

Thankfully, with their powers combined, the sister modes of the game conspire to lift it above its shortcomings and transform it into a worthwhile, if scatterbrained, experience.

Perhaps this is just a pitiful attempt to justify my horn dog instincts and guilty pleasure in playing Rumble Roses behind some twisted logic. But who could blame me? After all, I'm only a man. My wife, while rolling her eyes, sympathizes.

In an industry full of people who fancy themselves master storytellers but can rarely back it up, it’s refreshing to play a title that feels well-studied in more traditional narrative forms. I hope Adios is successful, and that we’ll see more like it.

Sure, there's no new content, but Disgaea PC is still the definitive version of this game.

An effective game in terms of delivering visceral thrills and exotic sights. However, I'm not recommending it as a full priced purchase. The biggest reason is that the entire adventure is nearly over before you know it (my first play-through took about five hours).

Uncover the Smoking Gun pits the player as a free-roaming individual against those harnessing the power of AI for a distorted idea of humanity’s future. In our role as the detective, we are reminded of the necessarily human skills of connecting dots and interpreting our world, and of protecting what is sacred to humankind. The same should go for the games industry, which demands courage to refrain from the temptations of AI and should double down on the more appreciable fruits of actual human creative labor.

Code Mirai may have a lot of rough edges, but it has a heart big enough to power even the most outrageously-oversized mecha battlesuit.

SwapQuest does a great job of transforming a casual classic into the foundation of an RPG-lite, and for the vast majority of my time with it, I found it surprising and clever. It’s just too bad the developers ramped up the endgame challenge for clear reason. I was seriously considering giving the game a second playthrough to see how the other characters leveled up and transformed over the course of the adventure, but the prospect of suffering through the endgame again made put the game down after the credits rolled. Whatever the reason behind the difficulty, the devs wound up shooting themselves in the foot when they should have been sticking the landing.

Besides my lack of ability to notice slight size differences in similarly-shaped objects, there’s not much I disliked about Tiny Lands. My only complaint is that there’s no ability to pan left and right on each puzzle. The zoom feature is tethered to the center of each tile, so enlarging the scene doesn’t help much if an alteration is along the edges. Outside of that, fans of this genre will find Tiny Lands to be a relaxing, well-designed take on the well-known-in-print spot-the-difference formula.

Those searching for the traditional Silent Hill experience on a portable (story? What story?) should stay far, far away. However, players who enjoy dungeon crawling and aren't afraid of a little difficulty will find that Silent Hill: Book of Memories gets it pretty right-it's just a shame that an FAQ is required to enjoy it.

Mighty Fight Federation wears its ’80s influences on its sleeves and enters a ganere that’s already crowded with competitors, but that’s fine — it delivers on the core fighting, and its simple, straightforward approach prioritizes pure enjoyment rather than technical skill, and in my view, it’s better for it.

It successfully channels the spirit of its inspiration, it will please the niche audience that remembers it, and it’s impossible not to appreciate all the TLC that must have gone into its creation. Good strategy will win games and the playbook is not shallow, but it’s impossible not to love a game where victory can also be won by killing the opposing team’s best players.

Football Drama is a strange beast. On one hand, the designers’ great knowledge and love for the sport is clear from the first minute. On the other, it likely won’t hold much appeal for players who are more interested in the narrative or choice-driven side of things. This one is strictly for those who fall into the Venn diagram overlap of ‘football fan’ and ‘visual novel fan’, I think.

Though NHL 18 is a solid, enjoyable title that will likely appeal to old and new hockey game fans alike, there’s little innovation on display — the developers only deliver minor improvements and necessary tweaks. In order to make the series relevant again, EA needs to find a way to revolutionize the gameplay. It pains me to say, but it’s not 1994 anymore and expectations have changed. As much as I enjoyed my time with NHL 18, I would rather see the series get benched for a few years and come back with something truly new rather than another installment of more-of-the-same.

While it may not offer the gameplay depth or compelling characters of a modern Atelier game, Marie is certainly charming. There’s a simple pleasure to looking back at where the series started, and seeing its faltering first steps towards the mechanics that would later come to define it. One thing is certain, though – this is a series that has always had its heart squarely in the right place. Every Atelier is, at its core, about a young woman desperate to make people’s lives better, and then allowing the player to guide her as she develops her skills to start making a real difference. Even in this most basic version, that’s always a journey worth taking.

Gamers looking for a fresh take on puzzle solving adventures will absolutely find it with the map manipulation in Carto.

Ultimately, the small amount of content at launch is Ancient Amuletor’s greatest weakness. With no story whatsoever, only four characters, and four levels, it feels more like an early access game than a full release, although its low price point does somewhat reflect this. The core mechanics are solid the characters all feature distinct combat styles, so it does offer an engaging, immersive tower defense experience, especially on higher difficulties and with more players added. However, with the release schedule and pricing for DLC still vague, I can only recommend Ancient Amuletor to PSVR owners starving for something to play.

Despite its numerous charms, Caravan SandWitch just didn’t sit right with me. There is perhaps something to be said for a chill attitude in the midst of apocalypse, but this experience gets there by avoiding all of its tragedies, save one. The looming death of this world and seeming indifference from everyone inhabiting it left me too uneasy to fully accept the atmosphere Caravan SandWitch seemed to be after. While Cigalo was beautiful to see and relaxing to visit, even as the planet crept ever closer to collapse, I kept wishing that someone would rage against the dying of its light.

Fuzzy-headed narrative and thematically irrelevant auxiliary mechanics make Infinite feel sloppy even when it's working. Combat increases in frequency and decreases in impact after the Hall of Heroes, so for most of its length the game sinks towards a deflated ending rather than rising towards a climax. However, that slow descent starts from a great height, so there is still much to value in Infinite even as it drowns in its own shortcomings.

Although it was a little too different for me, I recommend it to anyone tired of the brick rain-jewel swap dynasty.

While it was irritating, my frustrations with the light’s lack of precision are certainly no dealbreaker. Projection: First Light is a greatly innovative title with a sympathetic premise and there’s certainly something poetic – artistic, even — in its design. I definitely recommend it, and I’m curious to see what the developers cook up next.

All in all, ilomilo is a successful puzzle game that's sure to delight. Most challenges are fun and satisfying, while never quite out-of-this-world difficult. While the addition of the emotional element doesn't quite fulfill its promises, it's easy to overlook in favor of the careful presentation.

Sadly, The Mooseman is a mixed experience. As a piece of art, it is by turns creepy and sublime. As a game, it is a disappointment. The power of its best moments is remarkable, so I hope that, in the future, this creative team will realize their attempts to implement traditional forms of play limit, rather than elevate, their work.

I enjoyed my time with Battlefield 3's multiplayer, and I wish my thoughts about the game could end there. Unfortunately it also tried to force a totally unnecessary single-player game on me, and the browser interface looks like it came straight out of the 90s.

If you squint past the explosions of blood, forget about being forced to earn money, and ignore the brainless enemies waiting their turn to be slaughtered, it's hard not to admire the cackle and curled lip of a creator who's got big ideas and isn't afraid to use them.

While the last boss is unnecessarily cheap (come on, we all saw that coming) and the graphics are nothing to write home about, I was happy to find that there were plenty of nuances to the fighting, and there was clearly much thought given to its design. Senko no Ronde 2 is an oddball title that’s not for everyone and the story mode is a complete waste, but for those who find themselves in the Venn diagram intersection of fighting games, anime, giant robots, and shmups, there’s nothing else on the market like it.

As readers have probably guessed by now, NHL 25 isn’t a “must-purchase” title, except for users that have taken several years away. That doesn’t make it less enjoyable — just less necessary. Updates to game modes could have been more notable and microtransactions continue to be a drawback, but there’s still plenty here to make this a worthwhile return to the rink. Ultimately, we may never experience another “NHL Faceoff moment,” but EA’s focus on more adaptive AI and improved player control raises the bar (slightly) in the right direction.

I can talk about why the game is fun, but I can't lie and say the game is brilliant. Mario isn't what he used to be. There are glimmers and flickers of greatness in this game - moments where I felt the magic might almost be back. But it's not. Not yet.

While Banner of the Maid nails the core mechanics and captures the essence of the genre, it’s hard to ignore the lackluster story and lack of modern features that are found in much of the competition. Its tactical RPG side shines and remains a solid choice for fans of the genre who appreciate the classic formula, but a little more polish wouldn’t hurt.

It might not be everyone's cup of tea and it's got a few issues, but despite all that, it's still a hell of a lot of fun and it scratches my strategy itch quite nicely.

Zeno Clash II, like the original, is an interesting game. It falls slightly flat in the gameplay, but it's largely balanced by the world being so damn interesting to experience and wander around in.

Damascus Gear: Operation Tokyo kept me busy in short bursts, but I only got halfway through the campaign before I'd had my fill. It's great for 5 or 10 minutes at a time, but without more combat depth and variety in mission and level design, it's a good first start that's not quite ready for prime time.

Doesn't offer very much that is new. The game is more than a little formulaic at times, using rehashed bits from other Final Fantasy games and not taking them any further.

Darkest Dungeon: Crimson Edition is a great version of a great game for those who haven’t already experienced it, and fortunately, specific elements of the DLC can be turned on or off to allow new players to ease their way into the new material of the added DLC after becoming familiar with the base game. For those who enjoy a challenge, Darkest Dungeon delivers.

Saving and reloading the game will give your party full health and magic, and since you can save anywhere, this bug removes almost all of the challenge from the game.

Despite these minor flaws, Voodoo Chronicles: The First Sign fulfilled my criteria for a quality HOG handily.

Lost Epic, unfortunately, doesn’t fare that well in aspects outside of combat. The map doesn’t show nearly enough, and I couldn’t place markers of my own. In a world of its size, finding a particular NPC who demanded some particular item quickly started to irk me. Equally worthy of note is that completing NPC quests is essential for making progress. This busywork did come close to grinding me down at points, but the flashy combat system kept me going.

This blend of strategy and dexterity results in an experience that is consistently interesting to see and hear, but not always as engaging to participate in. While the mechanics complement the aesthetics, I never felt as though these elements were as in sync in my hands as they were on the screen. Victory often felt arbitrary in Breakout Beyond, and though my skills did develop over the course of my journey, I never felt as though they factored into my success or failure.

Now, it's possible that this game only looks as great as it does because the game it's following set those expectations so abysmally low, but even without taking that into consideration, it's still an incredibly fun game.

I can only hope that when Guerilla gets around to making the sequel they obviously have planned for the PS3, they can make it the beautiful, polished experience they obviously wanted this one to be.

Death of the Reprobate offers both artistic complexity and simple humor. It’s a journey full of laughs, jeers, and disgust — and at the end of the day, isn’t that all someone could want from a trip to an art museum?

I probably won’t spend hundreds of hours the way some do with Football Manager 2019 Touch, but I’m glad I gave it a try. It might not convert sport sim non-fans, but those who enjoy this kind of content will surely feel right at home.

The only downside to the game is that the "Extreme" levels must be completed in order to get the real ending, and a few of them seem impossible for a human to complete.

Thematically, Broken Toys is a hit-and-miss. The ideology of peace involving no violence against humans nor walkers is a high point for me since it’s a new approach to viewing the apocalypse. Personally, I’ve always thought ‘the more zombies that get killed, the less there are to roam’, but his new tack did leave me thinking about it. On the other hand, much of the content here feels like ground the series has covered several times before, and the lack of standout characters dulls the entire experience.

Technically the game gets many things right, besides the faulty AI. The graphics overall may be subpar, but the animations are done well.

Ultimately, it feels as though Indy is having something of an identity crisis. On the one hand, the freedom and agency offered in the latter two-thirds of the world design and free-flowing combat embraces the character in a way that previous digital incarnations haven’t. On the other, stilted puzzle design and a stubborn resistance to its own structure, particularly in the early stages, holds Indiana Jones and the Great Circle back from true greatness.

The main problem is that there is nothing new to see. After a certain point, Obscure shows that there are two sides to maintaining interest in a successful horror game: the lack of early action must be balanced in other areas, and when the action starts it must not dull too soon.

Poison Control is visually stylish and I enjoyed the writing. Unfortunately, the combat aspects –which make up most of the experience! — need more polish and variety. This trip through a variety of mental hell isn’t hellish, but it could have been better.

Sine Mora EX looks amazing, plays like a dream, and has a story that will leave players feeling bad about themselves and the world. That third thing may not sound like a selling point, but it’s so strange that I couldn’t help but be impressed by the audacity the developers had to include it. Horizontal Shmups don’t come smoother or better-looking than this, so it’s an easy recommendation for anyone with an interest in the genre.