This is one of the best traditional point-and-click games out there--it oozes charm, keeps the puzzles sensible, and boasts a story that makes you laugh and warms your heart.

You might not want to live in one of The Escapists' prisons, but you will definitely enjoy the visit.

Throne of Agony gets the basics of a good dungeon crawler right, but an oversimplification of the gameplay and some annoying bugs drag it down.

The game's real problem is simply that it's boring.

Far Cry 6 is often a fun game that feels like it's throwing everything at you, and if you want a heap of content, Far Cry 6 absolutely has you covered. In isolation, a lot of its elements are interesting ideas. Taken together, though, it feels like a lot of disparate things that keep taking your attention back to menus and map icons. It's a lot of exhausting extra stuff, when really, what Far Cry 6 is good at is giving me opportunities to blow stuff up.

It's also rather unpolished. But while the game may not make a very remarkable first impression, it does have some strong gameplay elements that give it some real substance and help make it deserving of your attention.

This online RPG offers some witty humor and short-lived fun, but you'll be ready to move on after a scant few hours.

If you're a fan of flashy cut-'em-up action and Japanese mythology, you'll be glad to know that Genji doesn't stray from that path. Unfortunately, that path is a short one, and it ends just as soon as things really start to get interesting.

If the basic premise of gathering folk stories across a version of 1930s America strongly appeals to you, then Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is worth a look, but it's probably not worth finishing.

So while Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 may not take the series in a big and bold new direction, or benefit from the kind of refinement you would look for in a sequel, it does deliver the button-mashing, power-flinging, over-the-top action fans of the original would expect.

Batman: Arkham Origins is a deeply predictable game. It gives you exactly what you'd expect in another Arkham game, without doing anything to push the series forward.

It's not quite the return of LucasArts-era cartoon adventures, but this cheerful game dishes out a lot of laughs.

Rugby 08 isn't much of a step-up from the previous game in the franchise, but it still offers pick-up-and-play fun for both novices and rugby fanatics.

The Disney theme won't be everyone's cup of tea, but the core Meteos experience is still a ton of scribbling fun.

Cars 2 is a colorful and varied racer that's a lot of fun to play with friends and family.

It's definitely light on the science--you won't find any doctors endorsing Big Brain Academy right on the box, like they did with Brain Age--but Big Brain Academy's 15 exercises and three difficulty levels are more than enough to justify the game's $20 price tag.

Mercury Hg is cheaper, safer and more fun than playing with real volatile chemicals, though the experience is short lived and simple.

Viking lives in its atmosphere, so it's appreciated that most of the game is a spirited romp. For now, that experience is mangled by dozens of technical hiccups and anachronisms. At its heart lies an earnest drive to recreate a slice of Viking culture, and those looking for just that niche will find nothing better. But for everyone else, it's impossible to recommend until it's given some major help. There's a lot to be gained from stepping into the 8th century, but be prepared to have your journey hindered by bugs.

While you won't see its name on a blimp, cool community features and a great songlist make Def Jam Rapstar a sure bet if you want to get your living room bumpin'.

This arcade-style aerial-combat game has plenty to offer those flying solo, but it doesn't offer much in the way of competitive multiplayer content.

Far Cry Primal's setting is its greatest strength, and in its newest form on PC, it's still worth the many hours it takes to explore.

Despite a lot of bugs and some off-putting quirks, Magicka is still a good action role-playing game.

Clocking in at a modest six hours after an average first playthrough, Mages of Mystralia still leaves much to be explored with the plethora of hidden chests, optional puzzles, and a special mage trial combat event to take part in. Though unfortunately it feels more so for the sake of clearing the way to a 100% completion rating, as opposed to needing these items for the quest. With that said, those first six hours of Mages of Mystralia stir up a lot of the same feelings as the old-school games that inspired it, offering a spirited and endearing romp with a charming mage and her impressively complex magical abilities.

his care and attention to detail extends to the environments, which feel genuine and lived-in.

The fast and flashy dual-stick shooting of Galaga Legions DX makes it fun to blast space bugs all over again.

This series has a beautiful visual style and an aggressive combat rhythm uniquely its own. But while the core mechanics remain intact, Generations drops some features found in its predecessors and offers shallow alternatives.

Rival Swords, then, is a great translation of "Two Thrones," and no doubt through some time-altering voodoo, Ubisoft has padded out the PSP package with some worthwhile additions, making this the most content-laden version of them all.

While Summoner may not realize all of its lofty goals, it is still a good RPG with a solid storyline and an excitingly unconventional take on the RPG genre.

An extremely ambitious simulation that provides plenty of original gameplay but fails to adequately refine its presentation.

The excellent graphical effects, nonstop action, and nominal helicopter content make this a great game to fire up for a while just as a change of pace.

It's a short-lived, uninspired addition to Icewind Dale that costs nearly as much as the original game did and requires that you have the original installed; yet it offers only a fraction of Icewind Dale's value.

It does further refine the formula, is completely worthy of the Rayman name, and is easily one of the most satisfying platforming experiences to come to the PC in a good while.

Its graphics fall short of the best the console has to offer, but its blend of action, stealth, and driving manages to keep things interesting throughout.

Cavedog's second game suffers from a long list of problems that collectively prevent it either from exceeding its ancestor or from rejuvenating a tired genre.

A cute, quirky little strategy game that has some excellent multiplayer capacity. However, the old-timers out there may find that though the transition to 3D is novel, it doesn't really have much impact on the overall experience.

This is a complex, complicated turn-based wargame featuring literally hundreds of authentic modern military units, as well as a big campaign, dozens of stand-alone scenarios, and a full-fledged map editor.

Fails to take advantage of the Dreamcast hardware, resulting in a game that is structurally sound but visually average by Dreamcast standards.

Supernatural is filled with charm and ambition, but issues with zombies and lunar cycles cast a shadow over its best parts.

Repetition and a lackluster story are its biggest shortcomings, but Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is different enough to separate itself from the shadows of its older siblings.

The greatness of Disney Infinity's Toybox is undermined by the carelessness of its structured content.

The series is still as shallow as ever, but hilarious routines and a great selection of songs make Just Dance 3 heaps of fun that no party should be without.

Even though the wingman mechanics and canyon races don't quite pan out, it's still a stylish and enjoyable street racer.

House Party's new features, which focus primarily on social interaction, enhance the basic game considerably, since they let you throw wild parties and make building houses even more enjoyable.

Phoenix Point has plenty of bold new ideas for the XCOM genre, but not all of them have the same level of shine. It can feel a bit unwieldy at times, a bit less user-friendly than you'd hope. But it's a game that feels more concerned with experimentation than perfection, that's more interested in discovering new paths to take than walking one that's already well-trodden.

With these changes, Massive Assault Network isn't so much a step forward as it is a step sideways--or even backward.

I wanted to like Crisol: Theater of Idols so badly. The atmosphere of the shooter is delightfully spooky, and the Spanish influences make for a narrative backdrop and lore that you want to sink your teeth into. But too often, Crisol is held back by its gameplay. The blood-for-bullets mechanic adds some fun strategic depth, but the overall experience is held back by repetitive enemy design and arena layouts. Better single-player first-person shooters can be found elsewhere.

Tron: Identity is a sharply written story that offers not only a fresh look at Tron, but also an interesting visual novel/puzzle hybrid format. The pacing of the story, the agency I feel when making choices, and the immediate weight of those choices make this a fine new addition to the visual novel library--even if the puzzles routinely pull me out of the story for a moment. I just wish there were more story told here, as my initial disappointment when finishing the game came not from what I'd played, but that the game was over so quickly. Ultimately, that's the mark of a well-made game, but I hope we get to learn more about this new Tron game's identity in the near future.

A handful of quirks keep it from being great, but MLB 2K7 is still a very solid baseball game.

Jotun is a short game, and good players can probably plow through it in about 3 or 4 hours, but even with the ending behind me, I find myself dying to witness some images again and wanting to try different strategies. I want to hear Thora tell her tale again. Any good bedtime story that makes you want to hear it again right after it’s over is one for the ages.

If you are still enjoying Left 4 Dead 2, or have a hankering to get back into the apocalypse, spending 560 Microsoft points ($7) on The Passing is a good bet.

Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 offers fast, fun games of Magic: the Gathering, but is hampered by a less-than-ideal control scheme and limited deck building.

It's a rollercoaster of an episode, with some disappointing holes punched in concepts that have been strengthened for three episodes, but it delivers a punch in the gut that makes the rest of the experience worthwhile.

Trials of Mana stands on the strength of its combat, and the fact that it's how you spend the vast majority of your time. That easy recommendation comes qualified with several elements that don't work nearly as well, from dull and hodge-podge storytelling to bewildering progression systems. Seeing a historical curiosity through the lens of a mostly modernized action-RPG was enough to pull me through the experience despite my quibbles, though, so there's certainly still life in the world of Mana.

Steambot Chronicles comes with a few blemishes, but it offers a variety of minigames and a malleable story wrapped in a charming little world.

There are elements of Sega Rally Revo that provide some enjoyable moments, but too many irritations and issues get in the way of those moments.

At times, then, Snake Pass can be a wonderfully relaxing journey through some beautiful habitats. The late game switches into an engaging and challenging puzzler, requiring some deft flicks of the left stick, but one that can feel immensely gratifying when you elegantly slalom your way over a narrow assault course that's suspended over lava. It's the middle third, when the game expects too much of you far too soon, that causes the momentum to stutter. Nevertheless, Snake Pass is a quirky puzzler that innovates while simultaneously evoking memories of your favourite platformers of yesteryear--just don't expect to grow into your new skin overnight.

Gatling Gears is a fun shooter that reminds you how much of a blast destruction can be.

Despite some drawbacks, this satisfying adventure is just what you'd want from a Ghostbusters game: it's funny and it's fun.

The game maintains the compulsive drive for authenticity that the Gran Turismo series is known for, but with a much narrower focus. So while it may just be Gran Turismo with motorcycles, it's still a great racing game in its own right.

With little notable improvement to the formula and steps backward in several key areas, SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 is a big disappointment.

Street Fighter V has a long road ahead of it, and Capcom has to iron out the game's issues if it wants to keep casual players engaged. If it sticks to its projected update plans, that may very well happen; time will tell. Those willing to stick it out now will discover one of the best fighting engines around, with a great cast and intelligently balanced fighting styles making it both challenging and fun.

The game looks good and feels convincing, and although it's unstable and flawed and otherwise every bit as difficult as you would expect, Hidden & Dangerous is nonetheless an impressive and uniquely serious depiction of squad-level combat behind enemy lines.

It can be very addicting. Hours will fly past as you progress from one exploit to another, hooked on the hack-and-slash formula that was made popular by Blizzard's hit "Diablo."

While it's true that 1503 A.D. does have a number of changes and improvements over the original game, it's really just more of the same, but fleshed out a bit.

The game can often be humorous, especially if you pay attention to the details in the scenery and the minigames you'll occasionally come across - but it still isn't especially exciting.

The drift-crazy driving action is intact, as fast as ever, and comes along with a robust online ranking and racing system that breathes new life into the long-running franchise.

Superior animation, an engaging story, and clever puzzles make Broken Sword well worth investigating, despite the occasional glitch.

Smackdown vs. Raw is showing its age, but there's plenty of fight left in this old superstar.

This huge, time trial-based driving game is let down by budget production values and frustrating difficulty spikes.

This is a well-produced port of an excellent game, and even though it probably would have been better served as part of a collection than as a stand-alone product, you could certainly find a number of worse ways to spend $20 for your GBA.

If you missed out on "MX 2002," Superfly is a perfect place to start.

Apex's drab driving and painfully dim AI drivers drag down an otherwise interesting idea.

Manhunt is seriously intense, and anyone with a stomach for the game's concept ought to find it fiendishly entertaining...An audacious game that backs up its extremely violent subject matter with solid stealth action gameplay.

Ultra Bust-A-Move's Xbox Live support is the most significant addition yet, making this budget title appealing despite its otherwise all-too-familiar gameplay.

With its intricate leveling system and randomized dungeons, The Guided Fate Paradox succeeds in creating a game that can easily gobble up biblical amounts of time. It's simply too bad all that time spent ends up feeling like a waste when there's no great payoff for all that hard work.

Revelations 2 doesn't get a pass for obscuring the path to its most satisfying conclusion, but it gets credit for the excitement it ultimately delivers in the true end of this journey and the flicker of the next one creeping in its shadow.

This year's entry is incredible in so many ways, from graphics, to soundtrack, to the different modes and ways to play hoops. It becomes clear early on that the fastest and easiest way to progress is by spending real money, slightly marring an otherwise tremendous experience.

All of Bloodstained's excellent qualities make the Nintendo Switch version even more disappointing. Though 505 Games has acknowledged its technical shortcomings and committed to issuing updates, at launch it is simply too compromised for its own good. If you have no choice but to play on Nintendo Switch, it may still be worth overlooking the weak spots and taking in the experience. If you have other options, though, play on a different platform. The portability of the Nintendo Switch could have made it the absolute best version for a retro-inspired game like Bloodstained. Instead, it’s the worst.

The Big Con is a pleasant nostalgic road trip, where cassette tapes still need to be rewound, MTV still plays music videos, and America's capitalist excess is exemplified by the relative quaintness of the bustling shopping mall.

Dawn of Ragnarök is almost transformative for Assassin's Creed, teasing the possibility of what the series could become without the overt hand-holding that has defined it for almost two decades. However, after an intriguing opening, Dawn of Ragnarök falls back on old habits, and that feeling--coupled with how the expansion's narrative themes feel too similar to the base game--creates an experience that too often resembles something you've already had once before. But Dawn of Ragnarök is built on the bones of a great action-adventure RPG, and that carries much of the expansion, especially with the rewarding considerations introduced with the Hugr Rip. Only time will tell if Eivor and Havi's story continues beyond Dawn of Ragnarök, but if this is the end, it's a fine-enough conclusion to the relationship between the two.

RiffTrax: The Game fits well into the party game genre and is a nice follow up to What the Dub, but ultimately, half of the game (Pick A Riff) isn't worth your time. The inclusion of the RiffTrax team is exciting to those who are a fan of RiffTrax and its lineage, but if you're not familiar with them, then it's not really going to be a huge selling point. RiffTrax: The Game works very well if you completely avoid Pick A Riff and have a group of friends over--or online--and spend your evenings in the Write A Riff game. There's an endless amount of fun within group play that's simple enough to pick up and play.

The minigames are shallow and repetitive, but Kinectimals is too lovable to stay mad at for long.

Rolling a katamari is as charming as ever, but you may have rolled most of these katamaris before.

Naruto's latest is a good fighting game that's held back by an unbalanced Story mode and laggy online play.

This dark puzzle game will test your problem-solving abilities, as long as the design quirks don't kill you first.

Unmechanical is a pretty and pleasant puzzler, though it doesn't make a lasting impression.

This online role-playing game lives up to its namesake as far as the quality of its action-packed quests is concerned, but it doesn't have all the features you'd probably want.

A few technical issues get in the way, but the hilarity of this adventure series still shines through.

For anyone who grew up loving professional wrestling, be prepared to be swept away in a tide of nostalgia. If only the core action could have been as compelling.

As with most classic arcade compilations, the games here tend to hold up pretty well, and for the most part, they're very close to the arcade originals.

Revelations is competent enough to remind you of what Resident Evil can be, even if it doesn't get under your skin the way the best games in the series do.

Good overall, and it deserves credit for being something other than just another military-themed shooter or strategy game. It's just too bad that it isn't more involving.

If you've never played any Ratbag games and are looking for a solid racer with an unusual subject and unusual quality for a budget game, Dirt Track Racing 2 is well worth trying out.

You'll probably have a hard time believing that you waited so long for what the sequel has to offer: the same old graphics, the same old rides, and the same old objectives.

If you don't mind another variation on an oft-played theme, Cossacks has more than enough variety to ensure fun empire building and colorful clashes.

It combines the level structure and characters from the Dreamcast game with many of the story elements from the Xbox game, and it does an effective job.

An endearing and well thought-out game. It's neither extremely innovative, nor technically impressive--rather, it's an especially well-executed example of a fairly common sort of game.

My dearest Dying Light, I am so grateful for your specialness, for it shines through even when I am prepared to damn you to hell.