Astroneer‘s a neat little game full of little quirks and things to discover, but near the end of my time with it I was definitely starting to burn out on the loop of creating equipment on one planet before blasting off into space, landing in new, harsher environment, and starting from scratch once more. Grab an Astropeer and a couple of Astrobeers and this title could easily provide a few evenings’ worth of entertainment. Beyond that, the numerous bugs and repetition of the core experience make it a less appealing prospect.

Steep is a gorgeous game that was never able to keep my attention. On paper it seems to have everything it needs to succeed — multiplayer, a big world to explore, lots of things to do, different ways to play — but wandering the mountain and taking part in generic events lacks excitement and personality. I doubt I’ll remember it exists in a year, which is a shame because that moonlit landscape is just breathtaking.

Co-op certainly helps make a dull game slightly less dull, but the nicest thing I can say about God’s Trigger is that it’s serviceable, and given how crowded the market is, being competent simply isn’t good enough.

Nanostray's controls may have fixed something that wasn't broken, but even so, it still managed to provide a pleasing, fast-paced jaunt through the cosmos.

As much as I liked my time on the throttle of Ride 3, there are moments when it feels like a game that’s more concerned with the history of motorcycles as products than the actual experience of riding them. There’s a staggering amount of content and stuff to collect, which will be more than enough reason for some players to seek out what Milestone has delivered here, but the pacing and difficulty often made that content feel more like an obstacle. The speed, danger and finesse of a motorcycle is nice, but maybe a bit more freedom wouldn’t hurt.

The game has an undeniably amazing world to take part in, and I never once stopped marveling at it from start to finish.

If the game were less suffocating, then perhaps I would give it a chance. You'll just get too frustrated with this game waiting (read: reloading) at your next chance to drive through a frustrating trial.

From its Lego-inspired visual style to its deceptive elegance, there's a certain undeniable charm-yet the actual play is disappointingly shallow, not to mention having one of the worst camera setups I've seen in quite a while.

Although I'd never heard of it before it randomly popped up on the Xbox One store, Factotum 90 ended up being an absolutely wonderful puzzle experience, appreciated for the compactness of its design and for the elegance with which it was delivered. Also... Noel and Barbara are kind of impossible not to adore.

I liked God Eater 3 more than I expected to. It may be a fairly shallow and repetitive experience, but downing a colossal foe and carving the bastards up as a crazy J-Rock song springs to life in the background is pretty damn cool, especially when experienced with likeminded friends online. While it might not satisfy genre aficionados looking for something new, Bandai Namco has mapped out some free updates for the future, and it’s an easy recommendation for anyone who liked the previous entries – not to mention a great starting point for anyone interested in checking out what the series is like.

As far as remasters go, SaGa Frontier is an automatic recommendation for anyone who appreciated the original, as Square’s work on this new edition adds some quality-of-life improvements and upgraded graphics. Unfortunately, it’s a different story for newcomers expecting a more traditional sort of JRPG. Even so, Square’s original vision still stands apart from other RPGs of the time and this quality remains true in this remaster — for better or worse, the player will be experiencing a unique experience.

While Loot Rascals isn’t the deepest roguelike I’ve ever played, I still adore its elegance and accessibility, and let’s face it, that artwork is charming as all hell. And besides, for a genre that’s generally known for being ultra-hardcore, I can’t help but appreciate an entry that takes a sunny, easy-to-grasp approach. My astronaut hasn’t recovered the terraforming machine yet, but I’m still trying to get her there and having a great time in the process.

Cathedral is tailor-made for players lusting after a serious 8-bit old school-experience with a minimum of modern bells and whistles. It’ll surely test one’s reflexes and nerves, but with just a few tweaks to the design and some marginal improvements, this could have been a real classic.

A game so dominated by the derivative is hard to recommend, especially on a platform that includes Resogun, Luftrausers, and Velocity 2X, all of which bring a fresh take to one of the least fresh genres.

It's a great idea and proves the case that there is potential for stealth play on the iPhone, but Robbery Bob doesn't feel like it's quite there yet. Still, it's fairly interesting and there isn't much like it on iOS. It sort of wins the genre by default.

With an interesting plot, likeable characters, and gameplay that manages to hold up to the series' standard, Megadimension Neptuna VII is the best entry yet.

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.

After initially turning me away with an unhelpful tutorial and a stiff learning curve, Battle Brothers morphed into a worthwhile and gripping tactical experience, and conquering its barren, bloody landscapes stands firmly among my proudest gaming accomplishments so far.

The Forest Quartet is an experience that wears its heart on its sleeve. Pacing issues and character development aside, it was a joy to witness the unfolding of this jazz quartet’s haunting origin story, and it’s abundantly clear that The Forest Quartet was forged with love and intention. I’d happily stroll through the forest alongside Nina and listen to her crooning voice a second time if she were to request my company again.

At its best, Priest Simulator: Vampire Show is an unapologetic, genre-mashing ride through the absurd. It didn’t hold my hand, and it definitely didn’t take itself seriously. On the other hand, the longer I played, the more the gameplay loop started to wear thin. The novelty of the premise carried me far, but the repetition and occasional mechanical hiccups chipped away at my enthusiasm. Even so, the sheer commitment to weirdness made it hard to walk away completely. For those who thrive on the bizarre, this one’s worth a trip to the confessional.

This all adds up to a competently-made title that won’t leave anyone completely disappointed, but the prevalence of technical issues leads me to knock the final score down. Metroidvania fans might find some enjoyment with Adventure of Samsara, but I’d bet it will disappear from their memories as soon as credits roll.

Frankly, it’s nearly unplayable with the Move controllers. Even with that one huge flaw, DOOM VFR is still an incredible experience. It perfectly captures the raw, brutal thrills of DOOM, and enhances them beyond what I’d imagined was possible. Actually blasting an Imp with a shotgun from five feet away is the kind of experience I’ve wanted a videogame to offer for more than twenty years, and DOOM VFR‘s depiction is even better than my dreams. Even with its small number of levels, visual downgrade and the lack of a chainsaw, this is the purest DOOM experience I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait to see what Bethesda has in store next.

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.

Technical problems can be fixed, but no amount of polish is going to instill the classic “just one more day” drive that fuels the best farming sims. Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a competent entry in the genre, and depending on how much one has played of this genre over the past few years, there’s a good chance it can still hook someone into dozens of hours cultivating the perfect farm. With that said, anyone looking for the next step forward for the genre will walk away disappointed from this one, and considering this was released to mark the 25th anniversary of the franchise, Pioneers of Olive Town doesn’t feel like the celebration it should have been.

It's sublimely complex and bursting with potential on one hand, unbelievably limited and shortsighted on the other.

While the new formula of Shadow Warrior 3 offers a few minor positives, they’re far overshadowed by the numerous absences — fewer weapons, simplified combat, a more linear world, a too-brief campaign, and more. It’s a strange and unexpected step backwards for a series that I had previously enjoyed so much. The dialogue might still be filled with Lo Wang’s jokes, but compared to its predecessors, the joke is definitely on Shadow Warrior 3 this time.

With what seems like a new narrative adventure popping up every week, Blackwood Crossing is stuck in the middle — it’s not great enough to recommend, but not bad enough to write off. It’s just an average title with a few moments of beauty peering over the edges of its mediocrity.

Neon is probably the best Double Dragon game yet, and it contains enough great elements it to warrant a sequel or two.