Even with the Demonschool’s flaws, this game has a very solid combat system and is overall quite fun. I could keep going through the same battles with possessed students and other supernatural enemies over and over and not get bored with it. The combat is flashy and rewarding once you get the hang of it and that counts a lot for a tactical RPG. I’ve only ever played Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Digital Devil Saga, so I don’t know what Persona is like, but if you enjoy the SMT games, be sure to check out Demonschool, since it has the same feel to it.

Even with its barebones modes, this game is really good. It would be so ultimate with a better story mode a few more single player modes. If you’re a fan of Invincible, you owe it to yourself to check out Invincible VS. Fans of fighting games, especially Killer Instinct (2013) and Marvel VS Capcom need to give this game a try. It borrows a lot from other fighters as well, so really just about any type of fighting game fan will find enjoyment in it.

Whether you buy John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando to play online or offline, you can’t go wrong. If you liked the single player in World War Z (like I did), I think you’ll really like this game’s single player mode as well. The game has the same overall feel of World War Z for the most part. It gives you satisfaction through constant leveling up whether you are victorious or suffering defeat in each stage. Besides the faulty AI teammates, the main thing I found lacking is that the game has no other modes besides the campaign. With some extra DLC, this game could be just as good as World War Z. I’m really hoping that Toxic Commando gains a cult following like World War Z to where Saber will keep supporting it for a few more years. For a value price game, it has a lot to offer!

F1 25 is a polished, confident, and highly enjoyable Formula 1 game. It doesn’t reinvent the franchise, but it refines it where it counts—especially in driving feel and presentation—while expanding its appeal through story modes and F1 World.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 allow the series to grow up and it’s truly a refreshing experience. It’s still very much on par with the past two games – it doesn’t do all that much outside of them, but you can definitely tell that the series is now on more powerful systems. I feel that this game will please both longtime fans of the Stories series and newcomers. If you didn’t like the past games, you may want to give this one a try and it might change your opinion on the franchise. It doesn’t change the gameplay that much at all, but visually, it all looks so much better this time around.

Even though the gameplay concept is pretty basic, the challenge is not. If you’re expecting something akin to those simple mobile games featured in the ads that you see while playing other mobile games, you may find it frustrating that you can’t breeze your way through this game. If you like a little challenge, though, you’ll appreciate that there is actually a spot the differences game that will actually test your powers of observation a bit.

Poker Night at the Inventory is fun enough while the fun lasts, but Texas Hold ’em can only hold your interest for so long.

If you like the Resident Evil series in any way, you need to give Resident Evil Requiem a try. It’s such a great blend of the newer RE’s all in one game. RE7 is often said to be the scariest RE (some say too scary) and RE4 is said to be the most fun in terms of gameplay and this game combines both of them. Between the two character scenarios it offers a lot of variety. No matter which system you choose to get this on, just buy it. You can’t go wrong with any console – it’s a blast either way.

Cozy Caravan is the kind of game that you can play when you just need to relax and unwind. There’s no pressure to quickly advance within the guild or to avoid bankruptcy. You can easily return to the game after a while and simply jump back in without having to worry about remembering anything about where you are in the story or what quests you left unfinished. If you’re looking for challenge you won’t really find much here, but sometimes you just need to chill and pick some fruit, right?

For players who appreciate atmosphere, exploration, and methodical pacing over constant action, Routine offers something distinct. It’s not a game that rushes you. It asks you to slow down, pay attention, and absorb its world.

There are some interesting mechanics at work in Anthem#9, but its scale and interface make it a game better suited for mobile.

Despelote is a playable masterfully done trip down a nostalgic era when games, friends and football mattered in a way nowadays kids will never understand.

Given my limited knowledge of Digimon, I was not expecting to enjoy Digimon Story: Time Stranger all that much but it really surprised me. The game has a good story and it’s just overall a good turn-based RPG. The game is quite long and it has a lot Digimon to filter through if you’re going for adding them all to your list. If you like RPGs such as SMT, be sure to give this game a try. Even if you don’t know anything about Digimon, you can easily pick this game up and enjoy it like I did.

If you’re a fan of splatterfest games where the blood and guts go flying all over the place when you kill enemies, this is a game for you. The overall mayhem is actually one of the best parts of the game. The game is simple and easy to play. The main flaws that I find with the game is its lack of story and the slowdown. The lack of story can be overlooked if you’re just in it for the gameplay though. If you like old school shooters, this is definitely one to check out.

For fans of stealth-based FPS’s, I’d highly recommend Blood West. The game is highly immersive and atmospheric all the way through its very long campaign. The game encourages exploration and you can get so very easily lost for many hours just exploring each open world. This game will last you for a great deal of time and is well worth its asking price. If you’re expecting a boomer shooter, then you will be disappointed since the game is more like an rpg where you slowly work your way through the campaign.

If you’re looking for a new type of action rpg that has a good mix of many other games, Hell Is Us is a good choice to try out. The game has a lot to explore and it’s not just about combat. It has much exploring, puzzle solving and character interaction throughout its gameplay. Fans of Dark Souls that want a “Dark Souls” type of challenge, should look elsewhere, because this game only has the core mechanics of Dark Souls and it basically ends there. Hell is Us has a very fresh feel to it overall and I highly recommend it to players that want a dark story mixed with various RPG elements taken from different games.

I enjoyed the time I spent visiting The Berlin Apartment. I felt engaged with the people, and seeing some of the tumultuous times in 20th Century German history through the eyes of people living through those times. This is a game with a story to tell, and it’s an interesting one.

Unless you really don’t like side-scrolling, bullet hell shooters, it’s easy enough to recommend Platypus Reclayed. It’s not the kind of shooter that’s going to test the skills of hardcore players, but with the adjustable difficulty it will provide a fun challenge to most gamers. And, honestly, it’s just a lot of fun in and of itself to be a part of such a creative Claymation experience.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is somewhat of a mixed bag, but overall it’s still a great beat’em up. I enjoyed the game much more once I finished the story mode and went into the Arcade Mode. I feel this game mainly excels with its tag team gameplay and overall roster. Story mode just has a sort of dull feel to it with little challenge, but Arcade Mode makes the stage progression feel more meaningful. Cosmic Invasion is not as good as Shredder’s Revenge, but I do feel it just enough unique mechanics to stand out on its own. The hardcore Marvel fan will be pleased, but those looking for something along the lines of Shredder’s Revenge might find the game to be somewhat lacking in areas. I do feel that this would be in the upper bracket of Marvel beat’em ups, but ff this game could get some impressive DLC (more stages and characters), it could very well be a legendary Marvel beat’em up.

All the games are pretty much arcade perfect. The only game with changes from its original platform is MK Trilogy, but those changes are for the better. My main problem with the collection is the spotty online and the fact that it has no lobbies. Lobbies are said to be coming soon. Hopefully, the existing problems can be fixed. If everything is fixed, this collection could be a 90% score for me but with everything still messed up, I have to lower it. Even with the existing problems, this collection is really a must buy for any serious MK fan!

Overall, Black Ops 7 is the best Call of Duty game I’ve played in a few years.

Silent Hill f is beautifully grotesque and fresh. The game is a change that the series needed. It doesn’t have the same rules as the Team Silent games, but it has familiar elements that those game had such as metaphorical meaning. I’m very pleased with the overall progression that Silent Hill f has to offer for the franchise. Just like Team Silent games, you start out not really knowing what is going on and then start to pick up on things as the story progresses. If you’re a fan of the Team Silent games, be sure to give Silent Hill f a try. The game is a big change for the series, but it still has the Silent Hill elements at its core.

Overall, Cronos: The New Dawn is a fantastic survival horror that should be played by fans of RE4 and Dead Space. I was very impressed with the Silent Hill 2 remake and feel that SH2 remake is a better game than Cronos, but Cronos impresses me more since it’s an original franchise that Bloober didn’t have source material on. It would be awesome to see this as the start of the a new franchise for Bloober. Cronos definitely is a game that I’d like to see a sequel to down the road. Good job on this Bloober!

The story was very good overall. Crane is just such an interesting character and it really shows when we return to him. Aiden was good, but it’s so much more satisfying to return to an established character to see more of his story. You can honestly tell that the developers have more fun with Kyle Crane and Roger Craig Smith definitely does. Overall, if you’re a fan of the first game, go out and buy this game right now. It’s made for you. I honestly like every piece of Dying Light that I can get my hands on, so each game has been great for me. The Beast has a few bugs here and there but nothing like what Dying Light 2 had when it first released. The Beast runs at a VERY smooth framerate from the start on Xbox Series X and PC. No doubt, Techland will give this game support for years to come, just like they have done with Dying Light 2. The Beast stands out as my personal favorite Dying Light so far. It just has all the best of Dying Light combined into one – tons of zombie splattering, decent amount of parkour (not overdone), the Kyle Crane character and a great story. Bravo Techland!

If you don’t like word games, then you should stay away from Birdigo. If you do, though, Birdigo adds some unique twists to the standard scramble gameplay formula that you’ll probably find both novel and challenging. You’ll also appreciate the game’s visual style and animations, which give the game a lot of charm and will bring a smile to the faces of bird lovers. Spread your wings and give the game a go!

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a definite pickup if you’re a Ninja Gaiden fan and appreciate the old NES games. It might even appeal to newer fans as well. The game has a great difficulty balance. It is not easy and not too hard. The game has checkpoints that you’ll constantly respawn at, so you never have to repeat much if you die. The game has multiple difficulties (beat the game once to get “Hard”), and just like the old NES titles, it is a great speedrun game. The combat is very satisfying and the game is overall a really good evolution of the NES games. Be sure to try out this game if you’re a Ninja Gaiden fan!

I imagine that some gamers who played this pair of Tony Hawk games back in the day may find some nits to pick with it, but for me it’s been so long since I played the originals, I can’t say that I’ve got any of those sorts of complaints. The levels do jog some memories for me, and the modern facelift keeps THPS3+4 from ruining any nostalgic memories for me. If you missed the gamed the first time around, you’ll probably be quite happy with THPS3+4 – there’s a lot to enjoy here and all of the various aspects of the game are well-implemented and come together quite nicely.

The Switch 2 release of WWE 2K25 is a very solid release! Besides all the expected flaws, the only true flaw that I find is the lack of an image manager. If you can deal with the lack of creativity that the game leaves out, this release is nearly just as good as the other current gen consoles. It’s really amazing how well the game runs on Switch 2. You can’t go wrong with the Switch 2 release if you just want to have some fun with its many modes.

If you still have yet to try Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate then pick up the Deluxe Edition. The DLC is very much worth it. If you’re into rogue-like games, be sure to give this one a try.

For a 45 minute game, The Hole is quite a memorable experience. I highly recommend this to horror fans, especially those that are into psychological horror. The game has no jump scares. It is all about atmosphere and tension with this one, which I am very fond of. Be sure to give this game a try if you like a good horror experience with in-depth story that leaves questions in the end.

With such an expansive roster, this game is easily the best of the Budokai games. It also plays well and it certainly looks fantastic. The only true flaw is that it is somewhat lacking in single player content compared to other DB games. It also has some character balance issues, which is kind of common in games like this. Unlike the past few DB games, this is more of one that you buy for playing against a friend or online rather than single player. Overall, Dragon Ball Sparking Zero receives a high recommendation from me.

Tape 1 is mostly build-up, and I’m left wondering how significant its more mundane events will be when the story concludes in Tape 2.

Overall WWE2K25 is a much better step forward than previous years. The franchise has been playing it too safely ever since 2K22 and it finally has stepped away from that safe haven to advance a bit. Each mode seems to have gained some extras that make them more relevant. I think My Rise has improved the most overall. It’s gone from a bloated filler story that I would never want to play again to a shorter more plot focused story that is easily more replayable. If you’re a WWE fan, this game is definitely one to pick up. It’s the best WWE since 2K22, and the My Rise mode is the best one since 2K19. For the developers to have only one year to create this game, it’s quite impressive with what all they have done with this installment.

There were times when I’d spend my entire play session simply wandering around and painting the world, which I found to be a relaxing and pleasing experience. I also liked playing with the paintings, both in making original creations to sell and in interpreting the requests of clients. I can see gamers who need a bit more structure in their games or who are looking for something with more of a story to it, more of what would be considered an adventure game, feeling a little lost or disappointed with Été. However, if there’s even a little bit of an artist within you, even if the talent isn’t necessarily there, you will probably find Été to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Overall, the DLC is quite good. It adds a good bit to the main game. The Casey Jones character is a lot of fun. Like I said, he doesn’t seem like much from the beginning. He doesn’t have a special that completely saves you from damage like the other characters and he starts out extremely slow, but if you can take advantage of his potential for heavy damage, he is an absolute beast. The new stage is like a double decker stage addition, so it’s quite fun to play.

It’s amazing how good the game still looks for a game that is two generations old. It moves quite smooth and the lighting effects are really good. Shadows of the Damned deserves more recognition than it gets. I hardly ever heard anything about it when it first released and even now with the Hella Remastered release I still don’t hear much about this game. Suda51 fans already know of its greatness – I’m pretty sure of this. If you haven’t played this game and you like RE4, you definitely need to give it a try. This game is literally calling to you but you haven’t heard it yet. Answer the call. It’s trying its best to get through to you!

Glitches and processing hunger aside, I did enjoy playing the game. The devs have done a great job of capturing the fun, spirit, and adventure of an Indiana Jones movie, and they’ve done a lot of work to make The Great Circle more like an interactive movie than a video game. If you want to immerse yourself in a great adventure, and have hardware that can handle the game, you’ll have a good time donning a fedora, grabbing a whip, and traveling the world.

This is really not my type of game but I enjoyed messing around with it and found a lot to enjoy while playing it, but I’ve been curious about this game for a while now. I prefer more of a solo play type of game without the use of a mic. Playing solo on Bounty Hunt is fun but very challenging. I didn’t like the Soul Survivor mode at all. I mainly respect the overall look and feel of the game more than anything. The Bounty Hunter mode has a lot of distraction from the core team deathmatch mode that made it far more enjoyable than the other mode. Overall, Hunt Showdown 1896 was a lot fun.

Phasmophobia is one of few games that gives me a sense of dread when starting each run and I love it for that. Very few games make me feel this uneasy. It’s amazing that this game is still in its “preview” run on both Xbox and PC. The developers must set their sights very high since the game feels quite finished overall. It would be nice if they would add some sort of story. That’s about my only nitpick with this title. If you’re into horror games, be sure to give this game a try. It’s more of an online co-op game, but even the single player is fun to mess around with. The game is so very rewarding once you start to get adjusted to it.

Slay the Princess is not for those looking to make their way through an adventure game to enjoy a tidy little story. It’s the kind of game that will get inside your head, make you contemplate ambiguous moral and philosophical matters, and leave you with unanswered questions to contemplate and answer on your own. If those types of games are as interesting to you as they are to me, you’re going to love Slay the Princess.

I greatly enjoyed my time with Bloodless. It’s got some incredibly interesting visuals and everything about the game just works so well. It’s near perfection. The only real problem I have with the game is that battles can sometimes get a bit too intense once you get crowded into a corner. Thankfully, save points are everywhere, so every skill level can eventually work their way through tough battles. I highly recommend this game to fans of Dark Souls and someone that just wants a good samurai action experience. Players that like an artistic-style game will find plenty to enjoy with Bloodless as well.

Overall, Kong Survivor Instinct is a fun and satisfying game. I must repeat, this game caught me off guard. I was not expecting such a greatly polished Metroidvania and Shadow Complex-style game out of this. If you like either type of game, be sure to check this game out. This game seems quite “under the radar”, but hopefully, more people will try it out and give it the attention it deserves. Fans of the Legendary’s Monsterverse definitely need to pick this one up.

Overall MotoGP 24 is a really good motorcycle racing game. I don’t know how it compares to the rest of the series, but I hear many other gamers commending it. Just like all racers, it has a learning curve, so you’ll be crashing a lot at the start, but once you get over that hurdle, the game is quite satisfying. It’s often hard to find a racer that controls just as good as it looks, but MotoGP 24 is definitely one of them.

Because of the unique way that the game blends the effects of its cards with its gem board, it took me a run or two to really understand what was going on. After that, though, I began to appreciate how well the gameplay mechanics work together and really started to enjoy the game. If you enjoy games like this, like me you’ll probably find yourself playing just one more battle until you find that you’ve just put a few hours into the game.

While it’s not your traditional horror game, Conscript is easily the closest you can get to an old school survival horror without having zombies or some other creatures in it. The horrors of war are definitely felt in this game. There is such a sense of hopelessness and loss throughout the game. The notes in the game help to add to that feeling. If you like horror games, you need to experience this game. It’s definitely a game that has classic survival horror fans in mind.

Overall, I do truly enjoy Withering Rooms, mainly for its presentation. The combat feels lackluster, but you do get plenty of help in the form of items and other collectibles that you find that help out during combat. The game seems like it is a constant learning experience, which is great! Even with the combat flaw, I still really like this game however. It’s not completely perfect, but it sure is one very unique horror game. This game should be tried by all horror fans at least once. Just because you’re a horror fan doesn’t mean you’re going to instantly like it, but I’m sure you’ll be able to enjoy it for its atmosphere and overall look once you get adjusted to it.

If you’re looking for a management style game – time, financial, etc. – you won’t find it here. This is more of a game about collecting things – sushi recipes and ingredients, décor for your shop, hats for your bot, … – and interacting with a quirky cast of locals. Animal Crossing fans will certainly enjoy their time with the game, although the number of things you can do and collect here pales in comparison. Rolling Hills oozes charm, though, and even though your time in town might be relatively short, it will definitely be cozy and relaxing.

After playing the first game, it is noticeable that the characters seem more lively and full of charm in the first game when compared to the sequel. The characters in the sequel are still really good, but I just favor the original game’s characters. With the sequel now being on PS5 and Steam, it is highly noticeable that the game doesn’t have slowdown during town sequences. The Switch version struggled to maintain a consistent framerate while in towns, but the PS5 version has no problem with slowdown in those areas. If you missed out on Monster Hunter Stories 2 for Switch, definitely give this game a try on PS5 or Steam. You can’t go wrong with either the first game or its sequel. Both games are just as good as the other one and have their highs and lows. For me, both of them come out as being equally good. It’s hard to recommend one over the other.

If you like JRPGs, make sure you try out Monster Hunter Stories and its sequel. Both games are fantastic. I actually enjoy the Monster Hunter Stories games more than the traditional Monster Hunter games since I favor turn-based RPG over action RPG. You can’t go wrong with either this game or its sequel. If you like one, you’ll like the other just as much. I do feel the first game has the better characters and the second game has the overall better gameplay. They both come out as being even to me.

TopSpin 2K25 offers up a challenging simulation of the sport that may be too much for those looking for a casual tennis game. In spite of its efforts to teach players the subtleties of both the controls and the sport, you’ll have to try and pick up a lot of it on your own if you’re going to get any good at the game. I can certainly see some players getting frustrated with it. Those who enjoy tennis will appreciate the game’s excellent presentation and sheer content of licensed gear offered through the store or waiting to be earned through seasonal rewards. They’ll probably wish that progression wasn’t such a grind, though.

Overall, this game is very much like the first game. The main thing Dragon’s Dogma 2 has going for it are its visuals. It has slight improvements here and there and some additions, but overall, the gameplay is nearly exactly the same as the first game. This isn’t bad at all though, considering the first game was so good. If you like the first game, you’re going to love this game, but if you don’t care for the first game, this one will not change your mind. Capcom played it safe with this game, which is really fine with me – it’s better to not change what isn’t broken. I do have some of the same complaints with this game that I did with the first game, but they are overall still minor (see the minuses below). If Capcom would give this game a 60 fps option, that would please me the most.

I enjoyed the game’s atmosphere, visuals, and distinctive gameplay style. I do think that the game would have been a bit better if it didn’t try to introduce new, more complex bullet controls in the later levels – I would have enjoyed making my way through the game with just the fundamentals. There would have been more an emphasis on planning and a little less on tricky controller combos. I don’t want this to discourage you from giving the game a try, though. It is a rather unique experience, and even if the later levels prove a bit of a trial, replaying many of the game’s levels in an attempt to find the perfect plan that will push you higher in the leaderboards is in and of itself quite enjoyable.

As far as games go, Botany Manor is a little on the shorter side, but that’s OK in this case. The gameplay fully tells its story without trying to extend things with inconsequential busy work or unnecessary padding. It’s a relaxing and peaceful game that will exercise your brain just enough without taxing it. If you’re looking for a game that will help you to relax and unwind without boring you in the process, then the botanical puzzles of Botany Manor will meet your nutritional needs.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a metroidvania that I really enjoyed and kept me motivated to keep pushing through it. I love the masterful use of color and music in the game, as well as the unique and heartfelt story. I was fascinated by the setting and the game’s mythology – it was new to me and I truly appreciated being exposed to a new mythos that is extremely underserved in gaming and other media. I enjoyed reading the additional background on everything in the game’s codex. The game’s title – “Tales of Kenzera” teasingly implies that there are more stories to be told here. I certainly hope that there are.

If you’re a fan of old-school survival horror games, definitely give this game a try. I greatly enjoyed it and could look past the flaws, but the flaws are too bad to ignore (in some instances) when reviewing the game. Alone in the Dark is a series that has been MUCH in need of a reboot and reimagining and this latest Alone in the Dark does that quite well. This game may have its problems, but it’s certainly nice to see that Alone in the Dark is actually relevant once again.

It would have been nice if Pepper Grinder was a longer game, but the time you will have with it will be enjoyable. The fast-paced nature of shooting through the levels can be exhilarating. If you enjoy platformers, you’ll appreciate that someone has found a way to add a unique spin to a genre that has been around almost as long as there have been video games.

Dicefolk is really all about the battles. If you’re looking for a full RPG experience, you’ll probably be disappointed. There’s not much to the story and very little world-building. However, strategy gamers are in for a treat. The unique battle mechanics provide for plenty of tactical depth, and there’s enough of a random element to keep you on your toes and make the battles more than just puzzles to be solved. The rogue-like elements and the randomness between runs work to keep things fresh. If you enjoy tactical games, but are a little burned-out on the turn-based RPG battle format, take Dicefolk out for a roll.

Overall, Exoprimal is quite a solid game even with its one mode. The amount of variety in the exosuits kept me coming back to the game often. The game has a lot of DLC, but all the exosuits can be unlocked by playing the game and leveling up each exosuit to a certain level. The game also has a good bit of free unlockables that you can get from collectible cards (basically a type of loot crate) in game. If Capcom could include a true campaign mode where you could play it solo or with a team of other players, I could see this franchise being just as good as Lost Planet 1 and 2 (mainly Lost Planet 2) in the long run. Definitely give this game a try if you like Capcom online shooters – I have a feeling you’ll like it if you’re willing to give around 5 hours for it to truly show you what it has to offer.

All in all, this is a nice little collection of portable games from the aughts. The gameplay isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy, or don’t mind the occasional, interactive fiction/visual novel game, you’ll enjoy your time with Apollo Justice.

Overall 2K24 has a bunch of small improvements when compared to 2K23, but it does feel like a better upgrade when compared to the transition of 2K22 to 2K23. It’s overall a worthy pickup for fans of WWE games. It has a much better showcase than last year and also the roster is the most solid it’s been in quite a few years. If you’re on the fence about it, I’d recommend trying it out before buying, though, since its similar to 2K23 in a lot of ways (mainly graphics).

Metroidvania games have always been hit or miss for me, too often the combat is simplistic and repetitive, it can be tedious trying to keep track of all of the locations that you need to revisit, and story is often an afterthought. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with The Lost Crown, though. It improves on all of the aspects of Metroidvania games that sometimes irritate me, and wraps it in a compelling story and setting. The game is a standout in the genre, and easy to recommend to anyone who has even a remote interest in Metroidvania games.

Overall, I do recommend this game to fans of old-school RE games. You’ll have the most fun with this game. The cheap deaths do get in the way, but you can overcome them with enough knowledge of the game. You Will Die Here Tonight is definitely a game that you have to get the feel for to truly enjoy it, but once you do, it is quite a fun time. The game clocks in at around 3 hours total, but it is an overall fun experience and quite impressive for an indie game.

Evil Nun: The Broken Mask is an overall fantastic horror hide-and-seek style game. It’s honestly one of the best I have played thanks to the finely tuned treatment of the main AI enemy. Sister Madeline never feels like she is overdone to where she teleports throughout the area or just suddenly appears next to you. The game is definitely one immersive experience thanks to her AI. The numerous difficulties help a lot in making the game playable for all skill types also. You never get the feeling like you can’t progress because the game is too hard since you have the means to adjust it. I highly recommend this game to all horror fans looking for a good chase experience.

Overall, the core of Pinball M is not that much different from that of Pinball FX. If you’ve played that game, once you spend a minute or two adjusting to the new menu layout you’ll be right at home. It would have been nice if you could have kept your collection of tables all in one place, but at least this separation allows the skilled designers at ZEN Studios to explore more themes – although the studio has toned down mature licenses in the past such as Borderlands. You can take it out for a test spin for free, and if you like what you see you can pick up another table or two, or go all in for about $20 at the time of this writing. ZEN Studios has consistently been providing new content based on new franchises to Pinball FX, so it’s likely that you’ll see Pinball M’s selection of tables continue to grow in the future.

Overall, this DLC is fantastic. At such a little cost, you get quite a bit. The new characters are worth the asking price alone. I’m not a huge fan of survival modes, but this one can get addicting with all the helpful power-ups. The boss characters are very fun to mess around with as well.

Madden NFL 24 does provide a pretty good simulation of NFL football when you’re on the field. The animations and AI are improved over last year, and the games are fun and challenging at the higher difficulty levels. I just wish that everything around the on-field action was overhauled. Ultimate Team needs to be revamped, and should look to Madden NFL Mobile for inspiration. The mini-games need to be reworked, if not totally removed. And, please build an interface that’s fast, easy to navigate, and gets you pumped to play some football.

All of the problems can easily be patched. The game is not plagued with bugs, but they can ruin the experience for the moment. It’s still amazing how solid the game is overall. Right now, there is no ranked mode. You are paired with other players that are around your current player level however, which is good for balance. This is definitely a game that every Texas Chain Saw Massacre fan should try out. If you’re a fan of Dead by Daylight or Friday the 13th definitely give this game a try. It more closely resembles Friday the 13th, but it plays much better. It’s so very addicting and overall balanced!

Double Dragon Gaiden is a great game, but it just needs some fine-tuning here and there and it really needs an online co-op option. Just watching the game through trailers, I didn’t think that much of it, but once I actually played it, the game blew me away with how good it is. Thanks to the rogue-lite elements, this game can last for quite a while. There is a lot of variety in its gameplay and just enough in its overall difficulty for each playthrough. Overall, Double Dragon Gaiden is a fantastic beat’em up and one that I highly recommend.

This game perfectly captures the feel of the Aliens movie from the perspective of a marine squad dealing with xenomorphs. Fans of survival games that enjoy some super intense battles should give this game a try. If you’re an Alien fan, definitely give this game a shot. I’m not really too big of a fan of real-time strategy games, but this game pulled me in as I learned more and more about it. It’s very hard from the start but as you start to learn it, it gets a bit easier, but you’ll never have a truly comfortable time with all the different situations that keep popping up and that is what makes this game fantastic!

So, in the end, if you haven’t picked-up Sonic Origins, yet, you can now get a lot more for your money. If you’ve been playing Sonic Origins off and on over the past year, the real decision point for you is whether or not you want the additional Game Gear games. Adding Amy won’t mean much to you unless you want to play through the Sonic games again with a new character. And adding new music, backgrounds, and animations to a game that you stopped playing won’t really get you to start playing it again, will it? Personally, I think that there’s enough new here if you’re interested in Sonic Game Gear games to warrant a purchase, though. You probably went for the original game at least partially out of a sense of nostalgia anyway, right?

While Street Fighter VI has its shortcomings, the majority of the game is just so good that the little things don’t really even matter. This game is like Capcom’s way of saying “we hear you” after such a lackluster Street Fighter V launch back in the day. They have really put a lot into this game and it shows. I’m not even that hardcore of a fighting game fan anymore and when I play fighting games, I prefer to play Mortal Kombat games. Street Fighter is usually dead last when it comes to fighting games that I enjoy. Street Fighter VI is so good that it makes me want to sit down and actually learn a Street Fighter game after so many years of nudging them away in favor of other fighters. The game is not easy to master, but it’s definitely gotten easier to play and this installment is just plain fun. For a Street Fighter to be so very good from the start, I have GREAT interests in seeing how this game continues to develop during its lifespan.

There isn’t really much to say about this DLC other than you need to get it if you were seriously enjoying the main game. Just like the main game, I greatly enjoyed my time with Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. The new additions with the Sunbreak add-on give a lot more options to a game that already has a lot to do. Overall, if you like Monster Hunter Rise, you’ll enjoy Sunbreak just as much.

More characters and maps are planned for the future, but some players may not feel motivated to keep playing once they completed the season tiers until there’s something new in the game to work towards. Still, Toys for Bob should get a lot of credit for making a competitive multiplayer platformer that not only works, but is fun to play.

Fans of The Evil Within need to give this game a shot since it has ideas taken from that game at times. If you’ve ever played Breakdown for the original Xbox (it’s a classic on the Xbox store also), Ghostwire Tokyo has that level of immersion in it, but it focuses more on projectile combat rather than melee combat. If you haven’t tried out this game yet, you need to. Everyone should experience this game since it feels fresh and it’s got quite an addicting style of combat. Support unique games such as this, so we get more!

I found myself having fun with Super Mega Baseball 4. I liked how I could just jump in and play a short inning game when short on time, or set up a longer tournament when I wanted a little more baseball action than that. The online play works well, games are relatively quick so you can easily get a few games in without a major investment in time. And the adjustable challenge makes it fun for younger as well as older gamers, as well as those who only casually follow the sport and those who can reel off the stats for each of the legends in the game.

For a game that had such a long development cycle, this game feels like it made use of all that time. Dambuster really knocked it out of the park with this sequel. If you’re a fan of Dead Island, you’ll easily enjoy what this game has to offer. It may have not have the parkour that Dying Light has in it, but it definitely beats Dying Light in its zombie-slaying gameplay. I had a great time with this game and I’m still looking forward to playing through the game with other characters. Dead Island 2 truly delivers!

I had fun playing Minecraft Legends, but there are some aspects of the game that could be improved. The overworld is really large and really gorgeous in a Minecraft voxel kind of way, but it’s largely empty of anything more interesting than resources. I wish there was more to discover on long rides into the wilderness, but once I had reached all of the main locations I pretty much relied exclusively on fast travel. The assaults on the Piglin bases are fun, but as you make your way further into the campaign some of the sieges turn into grind fests. It would help if the siege weapons worked automatically, but you have to man them and manually aim their attacks – and then they have a cooldown period. Trying to monitor Piglins attacks while you’re aligning distant shots on structures, and then the need to check to see when the weapons are ready again is a constant distraction. Your enjoyment of Legends will depend a bit on how you enjoy playing Minecraft, as well as where on the RTS spectrum from noob to leet you fall. As for me, I’ve played a lot of Minecraft in many different ways and RTS games since the original StarCraft, and I found myself enjoying Legends.

Overall Monster Energy Supercross 6 is better than Supercross 5, but not by much. The game is worth a pickup for serious fans, but if you already own Supercross 5 and are happy with it, it might not be worth it for you. I do enjoy Supercross 6’s smoother controls and upgraded Supercross Park, but other than that, it’s nearly the same as the last game. How much you’re going to like this game really depends on how big of a fan you are.

Overall, WWE 2K23 is better than 2K22 and it’s worth a pick up for hardcore fans and especially those that missed out on 2K22. The graphics engine really does help in making all wrestlers look better and it definitely makes created wrestlers look better. The loading is way, WAY shorter on 2K23 compared to 2K22. The additions are more like “touch-ups” when compared to the complete overhaul that we saw in 2K22, but it definitely tunes up modes in the right areas and makes them more interesting in the process. Just like 2K22 made me not want to return to 2k20, WWE 2K23 makes me not want to return to 2K22, so that in and of itself makes it worth the purchase.

Texas’ stage is a desert area with a surrounding caravan. It has some great scenery of rock formations behind the caravan and is quite colorful and bright. Texas is one heck of a fighter. This bull combines heavy damage, good range, and fast movement into one huge bull that can definitely take a hit. His main flaws are his slow attacks and (of course) he is one big target. Texas is a fantastic first character for the season pass. Let’s hope the fighters that follow are just as good!

Them’s Fightin’ Herds is a great fighting game for players that favor a style of fighting similar to Street Fighter. It’s actually a great game for beginners with all the help you can get from the game’s tutorial mode. It will be interesting to see how this game stacks up with other fighters at major tournaments. I have already seen it showcased at a few tournaments and hope to see more of it. The only thing the game is really lacking is story mode completion and a bigger roster. Other than that, it’s a very solid fighter.

Overall, the pace of the game is good and the story is compelling. I really connected with Lucy and was determined to help her solve the mystery of the forest, although towards the end I had a pretty good idea of where it was going. The rotating tile puzzle was a bit frustrating – it felt like a master level puzzle that should have been a single encounter near the end of the game and not something that had to be returned to throughout it. Also, the last part of the game drags on a bit, featuring a large, multi-location puzzle with a simple mechanic that requires a lot of backtracking and a mid-puzzle requirement that’s not at all obvious and needs to be found through trial-and-error. Also, there are four possible endings to the game, but the ending that you’ll see will be based entirely on which song you choose to sing during the game’s final interaction. Each ending will give you enough to go on so that the story reaches a conclusion and leaves some questions open-ended for you to ponder later – enough is left answered to leave room for a sequel, though. Unfortunately, the only way to see the other endings is to play through the game again.

The load time in the XSX version is lightning fast in single player. I don’t even get the chance to read but about three words of the loading screen descriptions before it switches to the next area. The graphics are equal to the PC version – I compared the two and didn’t see any noticeable differences. The only real flaw with this release is that it doesn’t include the Sunbreaker expansion. It does mention in-game that the Sunbreaker expansion will be coming soon however! If you have yet to experience Monster Hunter Rise, then be sure to try it out on Xbox or PlayStation now since it’s just as good as the PC version overall.

Overall, Callisto is a really good survival horror experience. If you like Dead Space, you need to try this game. The main campaign has a lot of passion put into it and I had a bunch of fun with it. The game definitely has some problems here and there, but I think true horror fans will admire it for its fantastic campaign. I really feel that this series will have just as interesting of a world as Dead Space if the series continues beyond this first installment. The story is overall good and the ending begs for DLC or a sequel. Be sure to try this game if you’re in the mood for a cinematic horror experience with a lot of intensity.

I’ve played plenty of retro collections that either just give you a library of games alone, or accompany the games with a bunch of box shots and manuals that you often have to unlock through play, all thrown together under a menu almost as an afterthought. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is nothing like those game collections. I thoroughly enjoyed making my way through each chapter - the videos are fascinating and playing the games after learning about the story behind them made me see some old favorites in an entirely new light. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is a game-changer – it’s the way all future retro game collections should be made.

If you’ve played a Dark Picture Anthology game, you know what to expect with The Devil in Me. This one ups the ante when it comes to gameplay, but as I’ve pointed out, the new gameplay mechanics aren’t always welcoming, but for the most part, they are an improvement. Other than the change in gameplay, the game plays very similar to the other Dark Pictures games. Whether the story is good or not, or characters are interesting or boring is all left up to opinion for the most part. I’d say that The Devil in Me is about mid-range when compared to the rest of the series. Honestly, from the beginning it seems like the best one, but then the story starts to drag toward the end and it suddenly doesn’t seem as good anymore. I do feel it’s better than Man of Medan, but the other problems bring it down to Man of Medan’s level.

Overall, this game is my new favorite game by Supermassive Games. It’s just as long as Until Dawn and it has even more branching paths in its story. Definitely pick up this game if you’re fan of games like Until Dawn or Dark Pictures Anthology!

The core Call of Duty gameplay is there, but Modern Warfare II has some issues and fails to be anything more than an average game in the series.

Even with the minor arguments, Signalis is a fantastic survival horror game, especially for an indie title. It’s honestly one of the closest recent games that I have found to be compared to old-school survival horror. The limited inventory and the fact that you eventually have to run by rooms full of enemies eventually gives that old-school feeling all too much. Fans of old-school survivor horror should run out and buy this right now.

The game is overall a lot of fun to play. If you’re in the mood for an asymmetrical multiplayer game that you don’t have to take too seriously, then Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is a great choice. The game is best played as a party game with online friends or randoms. I do feel that this game might have some complications with staying relevant in the future however since there just isn’t much outside of the one mode of play and there isn’t enough extra content to unlock once you reach a certain level. In the short run however, this game is quite good. Be sure to give the game a try if you’re a Ghostbusters fan. I’m sure fans of the series will feel right at home the most!

Scorn reminds me a lot of what Agony was trying to go for when it released – a fresh new experience through a nightmarish setting. With Scorn though, it arrived very playable with only a few issues, unlike the tragedy that we experienced with Agony. Horror fans should definitely give Scorn a try. Scorn is an experience like no other horror game and every horror fan needs to support this great effort.

South of the Circle tells a compelling story, and the minimalistic animated art style and excellent voice-acting make it an absorbing experience. It’s easy to recommend to anyone interested in experiencing a story with themes not usually touched on in games, but if you want a lot of gaming in your games you’ll probably want to pass on this one.

Madison is one heck of a scary game that fans of Visage will really enjoy!

The game honestly felt bad from the start, but all I had to tide me over was combat, but once I got further and started to open up more crafting options, it became very addicting. If you’re a fan of crafting or survival be sure to check this game out. As a horror game, the only true horror is pretty much in the game’s setting, but zombies are your main type of enemy and you actually get to play a zombie hybrid as well. Overall, Deadcraft is a very addicting survival and crafting action game.

Overall, I had a good time with Legends of Kingdom Rush. I loved the art style and music, and enjoyed the surprising amount of challenge provided by its battles. It may not be as complex a game as those who are into the tactical genre may be used to playing, but I think that makes the game more accessible, and it manages to do so without making the battles cakewalks for those who still want to put their tactical skills to the test. I also liked that the battles play out relatively quickly since I sometimes find that tactical games require so much time to complete battles that they can be a slog to get through. If you have a Steam Deck, the game is mouse-based and has no controller support so you’ll need to use the pad and triggers as a mouse. It’s not the most precise way to control a game, but you can get by if you’re on a couch. It may be a little frustrating if you’re in a vehicle, though.

If you’re a Sonic fan, you’ve probably owned at least one of these games in the past, but it’s nice to see the four games from the Genesis era finally bundled in a single collection.

If you’re a fan of the old TMNT arcade games, you’re a shoe-in for liking this game already – it was practically made for you! If you’re not a fan of the TMNT arcade games, well, you need to become one, because this co-op beat’em up is too good to pass up and everyone needs to give this game a try. It’s clear that the developers spent a lot of time with the old games to help them create this nearly perfect recreation of old TMNT beat’em ups. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is the ultimate party game for when friends are over or just whenever you want to go online and kick some shell.

You might think that a puzzle game built around factories would have an industrial theme, but that’s not the approach Freshly Frosted took. Instead, the game’s levels take place in a serene, ethereal space as the factories appear to float atop pastel-colored clouds. A narrator introduces each puzzle with dreamy musings on the nature and deliciousness of donuts. It all helps to make what is essentially an industrial puzzle feel light, dreamy, and relaxing. Well, except for the puzzle-solving portion of your brain, that will still get a good workout.