All That Remains is a bit rougher than I would've liked and not much got established, but I have confidence that the team at Telltale can turn out a good experience. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Commanding soldiers works exceptionally well, the environments look fabulous, and the entire project is built on a concept I can appreciate, but because the game runs out of ways to use your squad so early in the adventure, it feels all dressed up with no place to go.

Battle for Neighborville is a solid entry in the Plants vs. Zombies franchise, but it does feel like a step back from Garden Warfare 2 as it’s short on PvP modes and he adventure side is slim. The wide variety of characters to unlock is pretty fantastic the numerous skins are relatively cool even if they don’t alter gameplay, but I’m not sure that it’s enough to keep players online for long.

Housewives, students, grandparents everywhere, be warned: Bejeweled 3 is coming to snatch away your afternoons.

Not a bad game by any means-it's simply one that tries to be many things to many different people and it doesn't quite succeed at any of them.

It’s in those quiet moments when it ventures furthest away from Silent Hill‘s template that Someday You’ll Return becomes a beautiful, unsettling delight. Unfortunately, the game forgets its strengths towards the end, and as a result, the ending sags and is much less urgent and interesting than the middle.

It does everything an RPG should do and does it pretty well, but the lack of innovation is a bit disappointing.

Saying the right thing at the right time can be of incredible value, and even more so when one debates themselves. In this context, the girl’s words are clearly ripples originating from a point somewhere deep within her, and even after they’ve been written down and observed, they continue to linger and resonate. In those moments, Lost Words: Beyond the Page becomes an exemplary result of the clash between videogame rules and sincere expressionist literature. This dynamic even paves the way for the main character to accept living with a previously-unfathomable empty space in her heart – a condition that is manageable and is part of everyone’s nature. No doubt, a message very timely for younger audiences who probably won’t anticipate receiving meaningful life-lessons from this medium.

Despite these flaws, Super Rude Bear Resurrection is not a bad game. The backgrounds are bright and each level is accompanied by a catchy, upbeat electronic grime soundtrack. SRBR takes the formula that began with Super Meat Boy and iterates on it in an interesting way. But, if Super Meat Boy is the Wii, Super Rude Bear Resurrection is the Wii U since it introduces a new way to play, but doesn’t fully develop the thought. Here’s to Super Rude Bear Resurrection 2 being the Nintendo Switch of masocore platformers.

At first glance, Suikoden V looks like just another turn-based RPG in which good and evil face off and destiny conquers all. But in a subtle, subversive way, it shows that we can't take our own goodness for granted. Learning that there is no absolute good in war is an important, and powerful, lesson.

Switchback is a compelling ride – it’s spooky and adrenaline-pumping and exactly what players want out of a rail shooter… but it could have been so much more than it is. There are flashes of innovation and brilliance, but I wish some of that kind of forward-thinking design had gone into the metagame. It may have been released in 2023, but the lack of features and replayability make it seem more like an arcade machine from 1996.

All of its issues are worth enduring for the haunting and beautiful world that Diluvion portrays. The limited draw distance, slow movement speed and near-total lack of signposting will grate on players looking for immediate thrills, but I find it praiseworthy that Arachnid would place so many deliberate handicaps on the player in service of atmosphere and immersion — it’s a spell that worked on me the vast majority of its running time. Many games render alien worlds, but Dilvuion actually transported me to one.

At the end of the day, Unbeatable is a solid rhythm title with great audio-visual presentation and and a heartwarming narrative, though some lackluster pacing and inconsistent voice application make it a trickier recommendation than I would have expected.

It gets the job done (and I do admit that finally finding the chainsaw was pretty choice) but in a style of game that lives and dies by the quality of the writing, it's not quite up to snuff.

Fans of Dynasty Warriors 6 will know exactly why they like this game and no further understanding is needed.

Despite the rough edges and parts that need a bit of polish, I’m enjoying my time with Grit and Valor. The mechanics are solid and easy to pick up, and unlocking and trying new mechs and pilots is great. However, the repetition of the content and the slow progression means this war might wear down all but the most dedicated soldiers.

When all’s said and done, Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada is a fine game, but not a very memorable one despite all the tweaks. I had a blast plowing my way through waves of disposable bodies and feeling like an unstoppable juggernaut, but once the carnage came to an end, the high was fleeting. I doubt I’ll ever revisit this game, nor even remember it a month from now.

I’m pretty fond of ICEY. The combat could (and should) be better but I enjoyed my time with it, and appreciated its willingness to whip out the sort of unexpected, bizarre narrative twists that most games don’t even consider.

The combat is solid, the characters are interesting, and like the ocean the ship sails over floats over, the developers have ensured that their work has impressive depth.

It may not tackle deep, meaningful themes, but Maneater is a great way to shut one’s brain off and chill on the couch for a couple of hours with a simple (but satisfying) power fantasy. This fantasy just so happens to involve a shark who can attack sunbathers by dropping in them from twenty feet in the air…

For players who have yet to pick up the game, it’s hard to beat the value provided in this package. That said, it’s safe to say that this is for genre fans only — this game scratches a very specific itch, and not everyone will want to scratch it.

With its clever story and well-written characters, Exist Archive deserves a lot of credit. The 2D platforming felt like a breath of fresh air, and the combat’s nuances are deep enough to be worth investing some time in, despite some excessive grinding. Best of all, it clearly flags the points at which its various endings branch off from one another, giving curious players a chance to save their game and make a clear decision about what course they want to pursue.There’s a story worth experiencing here, even if there isn’t quite enough game to support it.

Lost in Harmony is a short experience, but the fabulous soundtrack and the story of Kaito and Aya are enough to make it a worthwhile one.

The Falconeer is a beautiful game with an intriguing setting that engaged me throughout my playtime, but the dogfighting disappoints and there’s just not much to it otherwise. It was created by a one-man studio so this is quite an accomplishment, but the fact remains that the final experience falls short of greatness.

Luckily, Mail Time’s ambiance and memorable characters outweigh the backtracking issues. I loved getting to know the residents of Grumblewood Grove and helping resolve their conflicts — it really felt like I was making the forest a better place. Mail Time is a lovely cottagecore adventure best enjoyed with a younger gamer, or those looking for a relaxing escapade to be enjoyed on a rainy afternoon.

Patobox is easily one of the strangest, most beautiful games I’ve played this year. While the exploration and puzzles felt like they didn’t quite mesh with the boxing, the experience shines with simplicity and stylish charisma.

Much like the original Bully, Scholarship Edition is entertaining enough at times, but it never rises above being merely good.

In essence, you've seen it all before. Unless you want to see yourself.

At the end of the game something is revealed about Aliya, and she must make a choice. Unfortunately, neither option held any impact for me. The core mystery of Heaven’s Vault and the puzzles that must be solved to illuminate it are compelling. Yet, like its world and its core character, Heaven’s Vault gets caught up in physical things and forgets the human, rendering its final revelations as cold as the dead moons where Aliya digs up her artifacts. Then again, perhaps it’s fitting for an archaeologist that the story she uncovers is more compelling than her own.

One of the better co-op shooter experiences available on current generation consoles, and the slower pacing and shambling foes give it a character unlike anything else out there.

Since Aria Of Sorrow is the third Castlevania in as many years, I'm also concerned that Konami is growing increasingly content to simply rest on their laurels.

As a straight cis man, I acknowledge that I’m not the authoritative voice on any of this. However, while I’m mixed on how well A Normal Lost Phone conveys its intended message, the game’s design is too interesting to dismiss, and it’s so short and cheap that anyone who’s curious can (and should) come to their own conclusions.

While the lack of any meaningful narrative might hold Warriors Abyss from reaching the insane heights of Warriors All-Stars, the sheer volume of characters on offer gives it a huge amount of replayability. It doesn’t matter which character the player is fond of because they’re all here and ready to fight the armies of the dead. This is as charming a celebration of the Dynasty and Samurai Warriors franchises as I’ve seen, and fans should absolutely make it their business to get into it as soon as possible.

My hope is that the final expansion will right the ship and highlight what makes Little Nightmares unique. However, for the time being, the Maw’s dirtiest secret is that it’s not actually hiding anything interesting.

finally has a permanent place in my collection – it’s obviously doing something right. The melee combat is truly some of the best I’ve ever encountered, and I’ve been playing on a nightly basis, knowing what a rush it is if I find the perfect opponent. Unfortunately, I struggle to recommend it when the total package is so skimpy and the online so unreliable. I sense an earnest attempt by Ubisoft with For Honor, but at the moment all they’ve done is laid the groundwork for a stronger experience in the future.

I enjoyed playing Sixty Second Shooter Prime well enough, but the fundamental unfairness of the design keeps it from being a great example of the genre.

Equal parts fascinating and frustrating, The Bard’s Tale IV is not what I was hoping for. With patching and better documentation, it could be a stellar roleplaying experience. As it stands, this Bard needs to practice her tune.

All in all, Heartworm is a fascinating look at memories, trauma, and our experiences in dealing with both. The limited combat options meant that the disempowerment of needing to avoid combat when possible helped to serve the feeling of unease. Unfortunately, there are some issues that bring down the experience as a whole, and I wish they would have been fixed before release. Even so, Sam’s quest for meaning in the face of anguish is a relatable one, and that’s where this adventure truly shines.

I generally enjoyed Shinobi: Art of Vengeance just fine. On the upside, the combat engine is fluid and satisfying to experiment with, and for the most part Shinobi: Art of Vengeance generally offers a reasonably good time. However, as a longtime series fan I expected an absolutely awesome outing, and it never quite hit the heights I was hoping for.

Less of a platformer and more of a straight puzzler, Toki Tori 2 is right up the alley of those that love games requiring unconventional thinking. Its easy controls and basic gameplay ensure that anyone can pick it up and try it, while its difficulty curve, frequent sticking points and general lack of explanation means that only the most determined will finish it.

When a group gathers around to play ABTM2VR, it’s a great party experience. Coordinating who’s going to take on each task as things constantly pile up is a hectic experience, but it’s extremely satisfying when it all clicks. Asan asymmetrical VR puzzle game, Angry Birds The Movie 2 is a definite success only held back only by the fact that unless four people are actually in the room to play, the party won’t be as lively as it should be.

It's starting to look really long in the fang and could use an extended rest at some abandoned sanitarium. Otherwise, the only thing that's going to be scary about these games is the frightening pace Konami churns them out and just how far they've fallen from the original.

World of Final Fantasy is a great-looking game with charm to spare and quite a few cool ideas under its belt, but it never quite nails the pacing and the excellent localization can’t save it from a pedestrian storyline jaunt through linear dungeons. It’s a reasonable option for anyone hankering for some Final Fantasy nostalgia or anyone who wants to overdose on cute and the colorful, but for everyone else it’s merely a decent JRPG with a few too many irritating lows.

If one’s reaction to the mere mention of Turrican is to jump with excitement, then this package is manna from heaven — buy it now, even though it’s a no-frills, incomplete collection. For newcomers who might be craving some retro action, it’s a solid package that will test one’s skills. Maybe nab it on sale, though.

After all was said and done, The Suicide of Rachel Foster remains an intriguing story exploration game with great suspense, and I felt that the conclusion justified the journey. However, despite being captivating at times, I did wish the truth revealed would’ve conveyed more of a message and less of a story.

Spookware takes a proven, winning idea and skillfully employs it to build an engaging adventure. Despite the rough start and sudden ending, its winning attitude and cheeky comedy still make it a worthwhile experience. I wish I could recommend it without reservations, but until the rest of the levels are released, consider this a review on only half a game.

The engaging battle system eventually turned into a tedious exercise, and the lighthearted and sentimental story grew increasingly sluggish and labored.

Telling Lies is a fantastic game…On PC. On consoles it’s playable, and for those who don’t have any other alternative it’ll do in a pinch, but playing with a mouse and keyboard is the way to go. The experience is so thematically intertwined with the pretense of using a personal computer that a lot is lost in the translation to home consoles. Considering the low system requirements, anyone with a relatively recent laptop should be able to run the PC version, making the console versions obsolete on arrival. The devs did the best they could with the port, but it’s still a distant second best to the original.

There’s plenty to appreciate for turn-based tactics fans willing to look past the terrible virtual cover art and learn the nuances of Depth of Extinction‘s combat, or for fans looking for something a bit different than the usual XCOM combat — just keep in mind that it might be difficult to find just the right amount of challenge.

The larger issue, though, is that heavy, uncomfortable shooting mechanics like these have no place in a series like Uncharted. It was fine in a gritty, downtrodden survival tale like The Last of Us, but this is a series in which inhumanly characters are constantly falling from perilous heights and surviving without a hair out of place afterward. This is a power fantasy. Let it be a power fantasy.

While SOMA never hits the highs of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, it's still largely decent in its own right. Some confused environment design and lackluster monster scenarios work against it, but as an atmospheric jaunt under the sea with a reasonable storyline behind it... well, it works pretty well. Faint praise perhaps, but praise nonetheless.

Some players may love the queer, nostalgic coming-of-age tale that Lost Records is trying to tell. However, even as someone in the target demographic, I found that the structure, choices and consequences fell flat. I loved the characters and their interactions with each other, but the rest was shallow at best and confusing at worst. Lost Records is still an enjoyable experience, but those interested in the material should go into it with tempered expectations.

There's nothing truly ground-breaking going on in The Detail (Telltale and BioWare have done better in the "players-choose-their-responses" department), but it does have potential.

Issues aside, it’s good to see LEGO Builder’s Journey receive a wider release. It’s a little on the short side, but has a surprisingly good story. Players who enjoy puzzle games, especially fans of LEGO, will find a lot to like.

While I was thrilled to be able to spend more time with Graham and company, Once Upon A Climb is somewhat unsubstantial and unsatisfying. It’s not a bad episode by any means, but with only two more installments left to go, I’m hoping that the Gentlemen can get back up to speed and finish the series as strong as it started.

There isn't enough depth to the main game to attract anyone with a yen for crime management games, and while I did enjoy the combat, there's not enough of it to justify the game's purchase as a turn-based-strategy title.

The concept is great, I love the aesthetics, and the goal of streamlining the RTS genre and making it more approachable is one that I can get behind. And in truth, Pocketwatch has been largely successful! However, I’d recommend it only on the strength of the multiplayer. The campaign’s lack of in-game information, AI with too much advantage, and spiking difficulty curve make it tough to embrace. Perhaps RTS vets will disagree with me, but as a mostly-console player coming to this project, it’s got to go a little further to meet me halfway.

So Dragon's Dogma has worthwhile elements even if it feels dated, and even if I very nearly quit just before hitting the all-important twist that actually made the story worthwhile.

It offers some good ideas and fabulous artwork, but without fine-tuning those ideas and mollifying the overly-difficult ending, I finally understand why it got lost in the shuffle this year.

But despite its graphical flair and fancy high-tech features, the hollowness and simplicity of the core gameplay ultimately left the experience feeling unbalanced and unrewarding.

Wildbus is an interesting little timesink which entices the player to visit its strange world and rewards them with plenty of oddball dialogue and weird NPCs, but it doesn’t have much to offer beyond its status as an oddity. I wouldn’t recommend it to the average person looking for something to play, but connoisseurs of the strange will want to look into it.

I still hesitantly recommend Hollow Knight to anyone as partial to Metroidvanias as I am, but the experience runs far longer than its visual appeal does, and at that point it becomes just another Dark Souls wannabe. It’s solid, but it demonstrates how far we still are from puzzling out From Software’s master recipe.

A decent installment in a long-running series, but this reboot is perhaps a bit too authentic in that it lives up to its predecessors, but fails to exceed them. Since it's been over a decade since the series's fourth entry, the sights might have been aimed a bit higher.

Taking it for what it is today, Full Throttle doesn’t quite stack up to other remastered LucasArts offerings like The Secret of Monkey Island or Grim Fandango. That said, it remains a worthwhile re-release for fans, and I’m happy it’s back to be experienced by a whole new generation. However, that new generation may want to temper their expectations slightly.

Moonscars has so much potential, but its ruthless battle format and flat character dialogue left much to be desired. There’s no denying that it’s beautiful and the customization of weapons and attacks makes the character-building process exciting, but I was still left wanting more bang for my buck, and less doom for my gloom.

While some of the reaches Fabledom takes end up a little empty, there’s no denying that it remains a friendly, streamlined, indie take on city-building that not only offers quite a bit of charm, but would also be a great place for a genre newcomer to get their feet wet.

The Evil Within 2 offers a few solid scares, some glimpses into a more promising game, and a lot of unexciting bloat. In such a crowded release season, it’s gonna take more than that to earn a recommendation from me. But hey, at least they got rid of the letterboxing. That’s a step in the right direction.

Madden NFL 23 certainly isn’t lacking content and is arguably more realistic than ever. Yet, after nearly a decade of treading the same still waters, it’s never been more evident that a new approach is needed. As much as I appreciate the gameplay improvements and still enjoy the annual Madden experience, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to recommend investing money into it year after year.

At the end of the day, Ashes of Oahu is rough around the edges and could use a bit of work, but it remains a beautiful world to explore and the hawaiian folklore elements offer something new in the well-stocked post-apocalyptic genre. Those things alone may not be enough to keep some players in, but those who may want a bit of sun and sand with their questing and skill trees might want to check it out.

Players in the target audience for these titles (like me!) who’ve been waiting for this storied series to come to console will find the package worth exploring even if there’s only one real reason to buy in.

I had good times with it, and I’m convinced that with better controllers and a tweaked upgrade system, my son and I would eventually be able to find greater success. Crytpicle is close to being a must-play, and even as it stands, it’s worth a look.

Stale references aside, 60 Seconds! is incredibly entertaining in short bursts, and an easy recommendation to those looking for short, cheerful bursts of desperate apocalyptic survival.

Considering the great number of things Metal Arms: Glitch in the System gets right, it's a shame that the game is ultimately sullied by its gassy length (it doesn't seem to know when to end) and often sadistic difficulty (did anyone play-test it?).

With puzzles that hit more often than they miss and an art style that had me eagerly anticipating how they’d render each new setting and creature, Pool Panic is a brilliantly strange experience that’s worth playing just to be able to say that one waded into its madness and came back whole. If only it offered a slightly clearer structure and a little bit of guidance, it would be more than just a fascinating experiment in seeing how far the concept of playing pool can be mangled while still retaining its basic appeal.

Its incredibly addictive drawing and animation succeed by providing a unique opportunity for your imagination to run wild, yet I can't help but be disappointed that the rest of the game doesn't meet the same impressive standard.

It may not be entirely to my taste due to the fairly demanding time requirements—upwards of an hour per complete run—and a lack of selectable waves from the menu screen, but as a free addition to what's already an absolutely kickass core game? It can only be seen as a good thing.

Those looking for an intriguing sci-fi tech thriller could do worse than The Signifier – it’s competent and intriguing until the second half. That said, with a more fleshed–out plot, more interesting puzzles and a stronger finish, Playmestudio could have had something special on their hands.

While DmC: Devil May Cry—Vergil's Downfall is exactly the kind of story-based DLC that I enjoy the most and getting a new slice of a fantastic game like DmC: Devil May Cry is always welcome, this add-on could have gone from "okay" to "outstanding" with just a little more work.

It’s a huge problem when the narrative of a narrative adventure fails to come together in a satisfying way, yet I struggle to write State of Mind off completely when its style is so striking, its world so rich, its ideas so fascinating. The game reportedly had a long development cycle, so it’s possible that Ganteföhr simply ran out of the time or resources necessary to properly finish telling this story, but even if the questions here are infinitely more interesting than the answers, I’m glad that someone is asking them.

Luftrausers is a great pick-up-and-play game in the short term, with most sessions providing a few minutes of entertainment before culminating in a bloody ship-shattering climax.

For anyone but die-hard fans of the franchise or genre, these two games just aren't worth the price of one.

Bully is the same product I’ve already consumed four-plus times before, and an interesting thematic twist isn’t enough reason to sing its praises.

Overall, I’ll fondly remember my time with Bendy and the Ink Machine. It’s a dark world with fantastic aesthetics and a compelling, if tritely-told narrative. While the horror tropes of revenge, abandoned places, and jump scares may be a bit cliché and the tension loses some punch at key moments, the exploration of a long-dark studio and the menace of creatures of black ink will stay with me.

Katanaut looks good and has potential, and honestly, it’s getting better by the day. The developer has been dropping frequent updates that offer additions and enhancements that weren’t there when I first started playing, and the push and pull of going between melee and ranged during the action feels on point. However, there’s a lot of competition in the roguelike genre right now, and in order to succeed, Katanaut‘s going to need better handling of its story and adjustments to the grindy nature of the meta-progression. As it stands today, it didn’t land with me and I haven’t stuck with it, but that could change in the future with a few more patches and upgrades.

Narita Boy’s retro style is its main selling point. It’s almost like a documentary on the early days of videogames when their creation were labors of love and dedication from passionate geeks in a garage, not industrial products focus-tested by mega corporations. Although it falls short of being a masterpiece, it’s got more than enough appeal to come recommended to those who have a soft spot for the period.

Alan Wake puts up a front of being cerebral and deep, but it simply doesn't do the legwork to back it up. I had significant difficulty becoming invested in the events and found it very hard to care about anything that happened from start to finish.

The real problem will be the expectations that millions of Gran Turismo fans bring. The vast majority who are going to buy this game aren’t the kind who’ll be reading this cautionary review, nor any other gaming publication for that matter. I imagine there’ll be a great deal of people strolling through a Wal-Mart, they’ll see a new Gran Turismo on the shelf, take it home, and then be completely dumbfounded by this barebones, obtuse, restrictive package. Those people are going to be profoundly disappointed by Sport, and I’m guessing so will most of the others who buy it thanks to the level of commitment necessary to get the most out of it. The people who go all-in will adore it, but the rest will be left in the dust.

Ultimately, the new JRPG gameplay in the Rhythm Adventure Pack doesn’t change much about the Taiko no Tatsujin series — at its core, it caters to a very specific drum-loving audience, although I’d guess that kids would also have a blast with the percussive gameplay and songs from anime and game IPs.

Unfortunately, despite all of its ambition, it feels like some areas still need work. I hope the developers keep polishing this title or at least carry some of these learnings into a sequel — despite the problems, it’s often as intoxicating as the bootleg hooch the characters sell.

A New Frontier doesn’t fail completely as a narrative experience — Javier and his makeshift family aren’t unlikeable as far as characters go — but the story that’s being told in these first two episodes just doesn’t command the player’s investment like it used to. The gameplay aspects are superfluous, the story beats are overly familiar, and and not even seeing Clementine again can save the moaning, ambling corpse this series has unfortunately become.

While by no means a terrible game, and not even a bad one, this is a game designed to increase the overall amount of sadness in the world, and for that reason alone, and despite its many high points, I can't recommend that anyone play it. Ever.

While the visuals are appealing and the bots are full of life, I find myself a bit let down by the gameplay. It’s not precise enough to be a true ballet of blades as the title implies, and really, it’s too bad since the market has room for a top-down Nidhogg. On the other hand, it’s too precise to be a wacky laugh-with-your-mates brawler like Gang Beasts, which it could have done equally well. As is, it is a decent game within reach (in either direction) of being something much greater.

Crimson Skies does so much to propel itself above mediocrity that it seems strange that, though it succeeds, it doesn't capture the robust energy of its larger-than-life story in its gameplay.

A New Frontier doesn’t fail completely as a narrative experience — Javier and his makeshift family aren’t unlikeable as far as characters go — but the story that’s being told in these first two episodes just doesn’t command the player’s investment like it used to. The gameplay aspects are superfluous, the story beats are overly familiar, and and not even seeing Clementine again can save the moaning, ambling corpse this series has unfortunately become.

Playing solo can still be entertaining, but the moments of loneliness hang over the player like a cloud while they’re traveling from point A to point B. In the end, it comes down to personal preference — some will enjoy the solemn journeys found in Appalachia, while others will only play when friends are online, but even without them, the Wastelanders update is a step in the right direction.

My only real complaint about the game is that there aren't any bonuses or historical materials giving props to the original game.

John Wick Hex does a lot of things right and has personality to spare. It can also be irritating — sometimes overwhelmingly so — but it kept me coming back for more, even after realizing that I probably won’t see the end credits anytime soon.

Arkane excelled at engineering a thoughtful, complex addition to Prey’s existing formula, but as someone who’s never been smitten with roguelikes or roguelites, Mooncrash just didn’t grab me the way the original did.