All in all, if you’re looking for a fun pick-up-and-play game that’s easy to race a round or two and then move on, Mantis Burn Racing might be for you. If you like driving games which offer you the option to tune your machine to the way you like your car to handle, MBR has a promising system to allow you to do just that.

Some games are revolutionary, some are evolutionary, and some are just good at doing their own thing. Do Not Feed the Monkeys falls into the latter category and manages to take ‘unique’ in a positive direction by melding a puzzle game with resource management within a fascinating premise.

This action-packed adventure is well suited to a younger audience and promises a 3D platforming adventure.

Despite porting it over to the newer operational systems, I don’t feel that there was enough of a difference from previous versions to warrant a release at this price point.

If you like games like Terraria and Starbound but are looking for something new, Dig or Die is definitely worth your time. At $12 USD, it provides an incredibly challenging and new twist on the genre. But be advised: they aren’t kidding about the dying part. You’re going to do that… a lot.

Overall, I love the old-school feels of Black Ops in Cold War and I love the storyline. All of the modes are fun to play and offer a lot for old players and new players alike. It is fun to get back into the action with players from all consoles and on PC to make the action that much better with cross-play. There are some issues with multiplayer that will seemingly never go away but such is life for an online multiplayer game.

Going Medieval is an impressive colony-building sim, with lots of potential and a little room for improvement. Even in its current Early Access state, it is tons of fun, with high replayability due to its in-depth customization. You can make it as difficult as possible with a variety of options to choose from and just sit back and build huge settlements if that's your forte, or you could start in the dead of winter, with one villager, and brutal raids every night. Going Medieval is extremely ambitious, with many interesting systems to sink your teeth into, and a delightful world out there to explore. If only they'd let us go just a bit farther one day.

While the single-player campaign is a little lackluster, the core of the game in both single and multiplayer is the tactical combat, and Mode 7 has hit a home run with this piece of the game.

Wizard of Legend is simply great fun, with an awesome couch co-op mode, and loads of replay value. Its difficulty can spike at odd times, and some spells seem utterly useless. But beyond that, there's just a lot of fireball hurling mayhem to be had as you try to pass the trials.

There’s little fat on this adventure. The aesthetic is unnerving and the audio production is second to none. What presents as a cute adventure quickly turns into an unsettling tale that might leave younger minds checking the closet for moving shadows. Just as you think things are starting to become mundane, Inmost unleashes a new twist. Whether that is a new character, a different enemy, or a new tale of woe, there’s no hanging around for filler. Inmost is short but the excellent proportion, charming visuals, and incredible audio all combine to make a truly enthralling experience. Grab it on a stormy night when you’re looking for something a little darker.

Overall, Airborne Kingdom is a new style city-builder aimed at the casual player who wants to just try and build the best floating kingdom that they can.

If real-time strategy games are your standard fare, and interplanetary travel is your thing, you'd do well to check out Worbital on Steam PC (coming to consoles in the future)! The game has some of the most life-like physics seen for missiles and munitions. This is about as close as you can currently get to building and commandeering your own Death Star.

With a deceptively linear quest and extremely accessible challenges, it is unsurprising that Hob: Definitive Edition, like RiME, is not the most cerebral challenge. It is, instead, a gorgeous journey that dutifully sweeps you away into another world. It continues to be a charming tale and Panic Button has smoothed out many of the original’s irks.

Overall Deathtrap Dungeon was a great throwback to the choose your own adventure books and I enjoyed my time with it and listening to Eddie Marsan. At $10 USD on Steam, it’s a steal and a fun trip that can be a great introduction to these types of books and a look at a light Dungeon & Dragons feel to it. The dice rolls can feel overly monotonous towards the end of the story and having them simply get thrown out without any interaction from me detracted from my overall enjoyment.

Overall Operencia: The Stolen Sun is a good introduction if you’ve never played a dungeon crawler type RPG before. It has a few rough edges and a tutorial that had me wishing it was over sooner. But this is balanced by some really great world lore, tons of great voice acting and great level design.

As a follow-up, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 does manage to add the occasional extra twist, some tweaked timing, and a whole new round of puns but this enjoyable puzzle game doesn't add enough to the core gameplay to justify a sequel, however charming it is.

Hob never loses momentum as you dive deeper and deeper into the game. It constantly rewards you by making the game easy to consume and feeling like you can go for just a little longer. As a result, this is one of the few games that I’ve ever had trouble putting down. The gorgeous artwork might draw you in but the content will not let you leave.

If you are looking for a deep interactive narrative and a complex gameplay loop then I’d also advise you to pass on this. Like Ape Out or Redeemer, the core gameplay loop here is about cathartic fun and creative destruction. The environmental objects, changing challenges, and chaotic action mean that while there is only one button to attack, that rarely gets old.

Cake Bash is a party game pure and simple. It’s designed to be easy to pick up but utterly engaging while you play it. The range of silly arenas found us smacking eclairs across garden tables while a hungry pigeon snacked on unfortunate fondants. I eagerly whacked my partner with a lollipop all to stop them filling a trifle bowl full of fruit, and I burned my flan more than a few times. The entire idea of Cake Bash is ludicrous and far from complex but the execution is top tier. Cake Bash is a flawlessly fun party game that would make any master patisserie proud. My only real complaint for the head chef, if I could find one, is that this is a snack rather than a family-sized assortment.

Pharaoh: A New Era is a solid example of a great remake, letting players enjoy a classic game with a fresh coat of paint, be they newcomers or nostalgic fans of the original 1999’s title. If you are into old school city-builders, Pharaoh: A New Era will provide you with hundreds of hours of entertainment.

Creature in the Well is an interesting take on a familiar set of genres, but it’s ultimately unsure of itself and the gimmicks wear off very quickly.

For non-fans, those not familiar with the anime series, Bleach: Rebirth of Souls is an extremely controversial purchase. For fans of fighting, it is simply okay once you overcome the entry threshold.

Weird West is an interesting isometric RPG that features unique setting, distinctive systems and a group of atypical heroes, each with their unique story, perspective and decisions.

Mushroom Wars 2 was a surprisingly engaging for me. I really wasn’t expecting myself to get pulled into what seemed on the surface to be a simplified RTS. Yet with it’s engaging, layered combat, easy to pick up and play attitude, four episode campaign and some great multiplayer offerings, Mushroom Wars 2 is a title worth spending some time with.

It’s a great romp through nostalgia and an excellent example of what proper remakes should be. The PC version is king and that’s the version you should buy.

Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia hearkens to a simpler time, when console strategy games had a special magic to them... Nevertheless, the magic doesn’t hold up very well in the contemporary gaming world. Although it brings heaps of nostalgia, that nostalgia comes at the expense of depth and breadth of gameplay.

A frantic Mashup of Super Meat and match-4 that takes evil science to a wonderful new low. Simple but just masterfully so.

If you have a few hours to spend, Land of the Vikings will give you an opportunity to enjoy creating a settlement and seeing it grow, all the while adding little touches that make it yours. However, the game doesn't prioritize its own unique features, instead upholding the age-old formula of the genre.

It's still the same For The King, which only pretended to have changed, but lied, and therefore will continue to humiliate players - cruelly breaking them off, leading them through endless dungeons with a bunch of rooms without a single store, playing on emotions, taking away hope and generating unique situations in each playthrough. This is why we, masochists, love her.

Fantasy Strike is not what I originally thought it would be. With the vibrant world and brightly colored characters, you will have a good time fighting against computer enemies or real people. For the price of $29.99 USD, there is plenty for you to do. It is a full game, just like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter, but for half the price. If you want a change in pace from those other guys, give this one a try.

Candleman isn’t a long game. Its 9 worlds can be beaten in a few hours at most, but there is some replay value in trying to light every candle. Still, it’s worth the experience if you’re in the mood for a lush, fantastical, fairytale sort of adventure. It’s not stressful, though some levels may make you a little tense. For $15, there’s not a whole lot better value for your dollar.

With the extensive map sizes, fast action pace, and high difficulty, Sundered is sure to keep you exploring and fighting for your survival for 10+ hours per play through. It is a satisfying Metroidvania title to close out a year of stellar offerings within the genre.

SuperEpic has nowhere to go after it comes screaming out of the gate. Its engaging initial gameplay never really evolves past button-mashing. Decent sprite work is derailed by environments that are so bland as to defy recollection. Its own commentary on the bereftness of mobile games ends up being a commentary on itself, and leaves you a lonely, wandering shell, questioning your gaming habits, your existence...everything.

If you are a fan of strategy games this is a great entry for the genre. Regardless of if you prefer turn-based or real-time, this game is worth checking out. You will want to play this through more than once and the love that the developers have poured into this game shines through despite a couple of hiccups. I hope this game does well enough for a potential follow up of some description so they can expand on some of the features this game was aiming for.

One of the more fun games that I have reviewed in the last year. I love the Gundam Wing feel to the game and how it incorporates the smaller vessels and other capital ships into the fights as well.

Lost Orbit: Terminal Velocity, a rework, and expansion of the original Lost Orbit game, is a short, but fun journey through space. The visuals and musical score are delightful, even if the voice acting and writing are hit-or-miss.

Kingdom Come is nothing short of awe-inspiring, with its flaws and all. I hope we see many more games like this from Warhorse.

If you enjoy the likes of Divinity: Original Sin and adore the idea of that sort of game in a post-apocalyptic world, then this one's for you. It's loaded with content, has a ton of replay value, and unlike many modern RPGs, it really lets you customize your entire experience.

Quantic Dream proves that even a six-year-old game can be full of new life on a converted gaming platform.

Thanks to its ability to constantly cut the ground from under its feet, As Dusk Falls does not turn into a run-of-the-mill narrative that we will forget in an hour. Instead, the game leaves its mark on us, the sad but understandable problems of its characters casting a long shadow. And it certainly won’t get out of my head for a long time, making me think what if I did one way or another.

Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption for the Nintendo Switch is a great port of a classic adventure game that pays faithful homage to the Quest For Glory PC series of games. If you've never played a classic point-n-click adventure game expect a lot of reading, clicking on objects, and dialogue text to go through. For the impatient gamer, this might be a bit trying as some of it might even get tiresome for a seasoned adventure game veteran. To those that preserve you'll be treated to classic and entertaining adventure!

Coffee Talk is the kind of game I would never have thought to ask for, but it is exactly what I needed to take a break from my normal video game fare. There's nothing to kill or beat up here, just pleasant conversations in a humble coffee shop, and plenty of drinks to go around. There aren't any skill challenges per se, but there is a bit of a challenge in figuring out how to make the various drinks that are asked for. The more you know about coffees, teas, and hot chocolates, the easier this whole process will be. In this fictional version of Seattle, you never know who will walk through the door as it could be anything from a struggling writer, an alien, or a vegan vampire.

Taking the time to name your dinosaurs and seeing them interact in their immersive enclosures creates a certain unmistakable bond that will have you yelling through your screen at your scaley children to get along. Losing your first dinosaur to a trial by combat is equally as emotional after you’ve invested so much time into their health and well-being. However, every new dinosaur you create is a chance to take a small mental break from park management. They each have different behaviors, sounds, and habits to observe, so take that time to zip around the enclosures and watch your dilos “Pinky” and “Brain” take a nap in the tall grass: they’re kind of cute when they’re asleep.

Atomic Heart was made with love, talent and a great deal of cynic humor poured into the game.

Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition might, at first glance, come off as a Pokémon copycat but don't be fooled. This game has a lot to offer on its own. It meshes the real world and digital worlds together all while providing its own unique creature capture system.

A fun and quirky title that combines elements of puzzle platforming, rogue likes, and narrative titles all bundled up into an oddball tin can and fired off past Jupiter. Journey to the Savage Planet is a trip you will want to take.

The Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff Pack is a nice, niche addition to the game that feels like it should always have been here. It was not obvious on how to start your journey as a Medium, but once you get in you're guaranteed some spooky fun.

The game loop is incredibly addictive and you can return to any of the short missions at any time with all your upgrades, increase the difficulty, skip all dialogue and try to climb as high as you can on the leaderboard. The plot in the game is not the most interesting, but these games are addictive just not the plot. If you like games like: Hotline Miami, John Wick, Police Stories, Party Hard, you should try this game.

If you’ve got kids or a significant other who loves to whack LEGO minifigs with you, you’re golden. If that’s the case, you could do a whole lot worse than LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2.

A fantastic VR horde shooter that channels everything we love about the genre into a title that leaves the competition for dead.

The creators of Sifu have made a game even for those who don't like sports. In mid-April, testing of Rematch began, and at that time, the peak number of online players on Steam exceeded 120,000, and some gamers are already calling the new game the future of virtual football. As soon as the game is released, it has every chance of becoming the new gaming discovery of the year. Despite some minor flaws, REMACH is a game that definitely deserves attention. With these shortcomings addressed, it could become a real hit, winning the hearts of millions of players.

Unruly Heroes is a truly engaging platforming Action title. It hits all the highs of the genre and manages to avoid many of the pitfalls typical of the genre. From solid combat to unique design and mechanics, it's a title that offers an engaging experience for both veterans and novice players.

Mary Skelter 2 is a wonderful, first-person dungeon-romping adventure RPG.

Vintage adventure gamers rejoice! Skunkape Games under the tutelage of some former Telltale Games developers has created a faithful Nintendo Switch version of this classic adventure game duo! This is Sam & Max as we remembered and it plays oh so well in undocked mode making it THE point-n-click adventure game for on-the-go! The visuals are satisfying, the music and voice-overs are crisp and the controls are impeccable. And hopefully, the Season Two and Season Three teases on Skunkape Games' website become reality for the Nintendo Switch and other systems!

There's no doubt, Mooncrash is a must play for anyone who enjoyed Prey. But it's also a must play for any fan of roguelike games.

As a person who loved Star Control II, Star Control: Origins has been much fun and reminded me of things I missed about the old game while giving me new amazing and sometimes hilarious moments in the new game.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the best game in this trilogy and was well worth the wait. I've been trying to hold myself back with gushing about all the things so I don't spoil it for everyone, but seriously this game is a masterpiece. Yes, there are some things which bothered me while playing but overall the experience was magnificent and should not be missed.

Overall, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 for Nintendo Switch is a fun game which works well when you get over the steep learning curve of fighting the game’s controls. Playing through the entirety of the DBZ story is a blast, and while some design flaws persisted to the port to the Switch, the game is still worth a play if you are a fan of the series.

Silence is a smart, inventive fairy tale that draws from the classics and tackles some weighty subject matter.

A hardcore, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi survival game that is nothing if not challenging. Despite being in beta and harboring a variety of issues, Kenshi shows great potential; and its beta status leaves hope that some of that potential will be realized. This is a game that is very difficult to become established in, but that just adds value to your investment of time and strategy.

Personally, I am still not completely happy with how the gameplay feels.

A nice follow up to a much loved Doctor Who episode and a fun found phone game all rolled into one. For Doctor Who fans, there's more than one reason to keep your eyes on this new adventure.

Unruly Heroes is a game of boinks and swooshes. Everything bounces around weightlessly and nothing makes sense.

Samurai Shodown, the reboot, for the Nintendo Switch carries on the traditions from the game's original introduction. With plenty of battle mode options and a plethora of unique characters to choose from boredom shouldn't happen anytime soon. The game's mechanics focus more on timely execution of a move versus stringing together a complex set of combos. This mechanic alone opens up the doors for more players, even those who are "fighting game challenged"!

Much like its predecessor, the game comes in two parts. The first part is a tower defense game. The second part involves you carefully meandering your own boulder through all the traps the enemy has set down in part one, before hurtling yourself at the enemy gates.

A wonderful futuristic Cyberpunk adventure game with plenty of detective work that adds the occasional scary thrill. The story is well written and the interrogation scenes are a wild, fun, vivid psychedelic ride.

The developers did a great job of updating a genre that has been buried by the sands of time. They took an old-school dungeon crawl, added a fresh coat of paint (no crappy 8-bit graphics here), dropped it into a fresh Steampunk setting, and added some modern mechanics while staying true to the genre. The story was well told, but it would have been better had it been as unique as the setting.

Void Bastards is a great game, with a good art style, and it really hits the spot for a first-person shooter.

Shadow of War may not be perfect. Its camera can still get lost, Talion’s free-running can often be a hindrance rather than a help, and the UI can sometimes bug out for no apparent reason in menus and the main game. But these are little issues in a very large game, and even with the Loot Boxes as optional purchases (they truly are optional), I can’t help but recommend this game to any and all fans of open world adventures. With or without the DLC there are dozens of hours of playtime to be had, and it’s mostly of the highest quality.

The Mummy Demastered is probably going to be, like all of WayForward’s games, a bit of a niche and cult classic. It’s a movie tie-in that shouldn’t be good, but is. I have no idea how it got made, but I’m super glad it did. And honestly, I now will probably rent the Tom Cruise movie. It won’t be as fun as the game, but it does have Russell Crowe as Dr. Jekyll, so there’s that. The Mummy Demastered is out today on PS4, PC, XB1, and the Switch. It’s $20, and that feels about right for the 10 or so hours you’ll get from this throwback adventure.

Tormented Souls is an extremely atmospheric game that will please the connoisseurs of the survival horror genre.

It has a wonderful crafting system.

Gran Turismo Sport is the beginning of a new era for the titular PlayStation racing franchise, but some aspects should have been tuned further if they wanted to remain competitive. Unnecessarily convoluted game modes, a pointless photo mode, always-online connectivity, and terrible rosters of tracks and cars bog down an otherwise fun and immersive driving experience. Although this is easily one of the best feeling and best sounding racing games on PlayStation 4, other racing games are just more fun. And as a long-time fan of this series, that is the most heartbreaking of all.

While it doesn’t quite stand as tall as the Mario Odyssey masterpiece, Yooka-Laylee is a game every Switch owner should consider. Fantastic fun for all ages, and tons of content to boot.

Overall, Riptide GP: Renegade is a fun and delightful experience for any racing fans, but will especially hook those – like me – that grew up with Jet Moto. Although the story appears thin and doesn’t do enough to explore the settings of the world around you, the wide range of gameplay options and modes like online multiplayer will provide ample distraction to the player.

To say the story is gritty and filled with death and drama is a slight understatement. Although it is a pixelated game, the story it tells can oftentimes be brutal and blunt.

ONRUSH is a nice break from the standard fair of racers. It offers some unique modes and fun visuals as well as a solid arcade gameplay experience. It does suffer from a pretty simple combat system and some odd design choices in regards to the cosmetic shop but honestly despite these shortcomings is still a blast to play. Overall it's a fun romp of a racer that offers some fresh, intense multiplayer gaming for you and your buddies.

It may take a while to get used to the change, but it should prove to lengthen the longevity of the game.

The game will appeal to history buffs but will also placate adventure game enthusiasts.

The characters, writing, animation and layered complexity make this a game that feels layered ultimately rewarding.

Yes, Your Grace is a deeply moving and thought-provoking kingdom-management simulator with a brilliant storyline.

In Arboria, players start a journey in this dark rogue-lite game as a warrior descending into the caverns to heal your life tree and pay tribute to the gods. Descend into the ever-changing Durnar and uncover the mysteries of your tribe. Fighting your way through some creepy crawlies with a variety of Symbiotic Weapons. There is potential in this game that, at least at this point in early access, is not yet fully realized. [Early Access Provisional Score =50]

Evil Genius 2 is a solid management sim that will keep you entertained for many hours between its good-natured humor, fun gameplay loop and little details. The game can get a bit frustrating due to the repetitiveness of the world stage and the stubborn minion AI, but not enough to overshadow its successes. Also, it is incredibly satisfying to see the agents try to pass your trap maze.

The overall feeling of Hot Wheels Unleashed is that it is a huge win for nostalgia fans and racing fans alike. From the graphical detail of the world to the tracks to the cars everything is spot on with how you remember these cars looking. The control you have while racing puts Hot Wheels Unleashed right up there with some of the other AAA racing titles.

Beat Slayer’s gorgeous style drew us into this underground fight club, but the razor-sharp combat systems and constant gameplay updates keep things from feeling overly repetitive. If you ever wondered what an electronica take on Hades would look like, then come kick Deitrich’s ass in Beat Slayer.

A Game About Digging A Hole is not just a game about digging, it is a small and exciting adventure that combines elements of strategy, exploration and creativity. It doesn't pretend to be complex or epic, but it can give you a few hours of pleasant fun. If you are looking for something unusual and relaxing, this game is definitely worth your attention.

Maliki: Poison of the Past offers a uniquely charming experience that captures the original spirit of the series. This lighthearted adventure blends ridiculous humor with genuinely serious themes, creating a distinctive atmosphere. While the action elements might not deliver pulse-pounding excitement, the game engages players through numerous other compelling aspects. It will undoubtedly earn its rightful place in genre fans' libraries, offering both newcomers and longtime fans plenty of reasons to fall in love with this universe - whether for the first time or all over again.

All in a great take on the Soulslike staples we've already seen flood the market. This jaunt through a retro dullscape might feel oddly uninspiring if it wasn't for the streamlined gameplay and acerbic wit wielded by Nostalgaia.

Capturing the essence of the 1991 classic, HumaNature Studios hits all of the right notes with ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove. With nine playable characters, light RPG progression, online co-operative gameplay, and a whole lot of funk, the latest entry into the ToeJam & Earl franchise rests solidly in the pocket where it is meant to be.

With a fairly direct narrative, this might not be the sort of game that you’ll head back to replay often but this is an experience worth picking up. Bloober Team’s latest story manages to be both unsettling and engaging in equal measure. The presentation is fantastic, the characterization and voice acting is great, and the nods to other horror tropes is knowing rather than sloppy. This team from Krakow clearly know their chosen genre inside out and while it might be hard to fully discuss this new horror title without ruining the twists in the tale, I can be certain that The Medium will make you think twice about your next vacation.

To sum it up, Lords of the Fallen turned out to be an excellent entry into the soulslike genre, cleverly combining trusty mechanics from other projects while maintaining its own identity. The game offers a unique challenge due to its complexity but at the same time doesn’t forget about the newcomers, giving them ample time to adapt.

It is an incredibly jarring, emotionally gutting game with beautiful music that sinks its teeth into you and refuses to let go until it reels back with a piece of your heart.

Crying Suns, a grim, sci-fi rogue-like adventure, leads us through Alt Shift’s version of a post-apocalyptic galaxy, complete with pirates, mutants, robot worshipping religious zealots, and other unsavory characters. The game features tactical combat, a strategic map with resource management mechanics, and a mystery for the player to unfold.

Jurassic World Evolution: Complete Edition on the Nintendo Switch is a surprisingly pleasurable port of a rather hefty console game. Whether you're a dinosaur fan or not there is plenty of fun here for fans and newcomers to the sim genre. It would have been naive to not assume that the graphics would take some loss as compared to the more powerful competitor consoles. If you can live with that and the abundance of small text to be read then the tradeoffs are worth the portability.

The developers of Moonscars have taken the old Metroidvania techniques and Souls-like game mechanics and managed to mix them in a unique way, creating a wild fusion of visual style, emotional storytelling and gameplay.

Endling: Extinction is Forever is a tech-savvy game built around well-built gameplay. The repetitive process of hunting for survival and exploring whenever possible seems intentional and draws the player into this world. There are no ordinary moments in this wild nature, and any moments of routine or boredom quickly end with a bear trap or an encounter with a Scavenger. Endling knows what he wants to achieve and doesn't try to overdo it or over complicate it. Every choice matters to the designers, as well as to you when you're trying to survive and feed your puppies.

RUINER is a great game. It’s polished, offers a unique world and some solid combat mechanics. Although it doesn’t necessarily revolutionize the twin-stick shooter, RUINER’S attention to story, graceful and synergistic combat and pacing set it apart from many of its brethren. Fan of the genre or not, RUINER is a game to keep on your radar.

The reward cosmetics in Phogs is fairly limited and much like the game, it’s a simple structure that doesn’t ask too much of its players. However, that criticism could even be levelled many classic games that we hold dear now. There’s a definite woof of Mario in the air when the Phogs wag their way out of the game’s central hubs, jump down a long slopey worm and fall into these themed challenges, and it seems like Bit Loom games have taken plenty of lessons from that genre classic while still remaining relevant.