Evolution captures the essence of Jurassic Park while being a good park management sim in its own right.

Risen 2's slow-paced progression and clumsy combat require and reward patience, something Risen and Gothic veterans have in spades. If you are such a player, you might be surprised by how focused this sequel is when compared with its sprawling, unforgiving predecessors.

Sega Rally Online Arcade doesn't add anything new to the series, but it still offers plenty of enjoyable racing.

Despite its inconsistent level make-ups and underwhelming boss designs, 20XX is still an engrossing side-scroller that perfects the feeling of navigating dangerous, pitfall and enemy-filled stages.

Even with these flaws, this is a diverting, innovative puzzler with more than enough charm to make staging loony-tunes murders look like an appealing pastime.

Things like the storefront and the menus and loot system don't make the game terrible, it just would've been better without them. It tries to be larger than its predecessor, there are more abilities, more weapons, more Orcs, yet it leaves you wanting less. But at its core, it's a fun experience with brilliant moments that provide fascinating insight into some of the untold stories of Middle-earth. I just wish it had known when to stop.

If you're a longtime flight sim fan who has played that title to death already and you're eager for another visit to the western front, Combat Flight Simulator 3 is a reasonable choice.

With Imaginators, the Skylanders series isn't pushing any gaming boundaries, but at least it has character.

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

Black Ops III's narrative doesn't support the campaign in any meaningful way, either. It tells an incomprehensible story about AI ascendancy and the moral grays of a hyper-connected future, raising intriguing questions but never bothering to answer them. At the end of it all, after hours of soulless shooting and unremarkable storytelling, Black Ops III delivered its nebulous twist, and I didn't dwell on it.

Re-releasing Heavy Rain in the current landscape does much to sharply contrast everything good and bad about it. Its commendable presentation is amplified, as too are its grander faults in storytelling and voice acting. And yet even as there are games that succeed where Heavy Rain fails, it can still be said there’s almost nothing else like it.

This first-ever English release of Soul Hackers shows its age, but the patient player will find a deep and rewarding experience.

When it's all working, it's like watching the components of a well-oiled machine tick over. Though it's similarly fun, albeit sadistic, to watch a full park of guests scramble for the emergency shelter when you trigger the alarms.

2006 FIFA World Cup captures all the excitement of the world's biggest football tournament, but the flashy presentation hides a real lack of depth.

Things like the storefront and the menus and loot system don't make the game terrible, it just would've been better without them. It tries to be larger than its predecessor, there are more abilities, more weapons, more Orcs, yet it leaves you wanting less. But at its core, it's a fun experience with brilliant moments that provide fascinating insight into some of the untold stories of Middle-earth. I just wish it had known when to stop.

NCAA Basketball 10 closely mimics the real sport, but a number of small glitches and a lack of modes limit the long-term appeal.

The DLC's main feature--the narrative journey to the Olympics--is flawed, unfulfilling, and frustrating, but thankfully there's enough to do elsewhere that Road to the Olympics still helps bolster and revitalize Steep's main appeal. It's good to have a new mountain to throw yourself down.

Fallout: New Vegas - Honest Hearts is a conventional but enjoyable addition to the series.

SteamWorld Dig is a charming, atmospheric exploration adventure, but it grinds to a halt just when it starts going full steam.

Between its overall solid presentation, and its gameplay that keeps you guessing, this is one game that's worth taking a look at.

Q.U.B.E. 2 struggles to contextualize its clever puzzles with a narrative as engaging as their solutions, but it’s still one nut that is consistently rewarding to crack.

You can save the Netheruniverse from floating sushi, but not always from repetitious dungeon crawling.

Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a robust package for 4X players who want to test themselves against a more in-depth combat system than is typically found in the genre. It suffers a little from its sci-fi setting making things just that little bit harder to relate to than, say, actual human history, but it compensates by creating a cast of fictional alien civilizations that are worth getting to know. It might not quite feel like home at first, but you'll quickly settle in.

It’s easy to reduce Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate down to just a Hades clone with a TMNT skin, as I did previously. And while that description is pretty accurate, the sentiment doesn't convey that a well-done take on a fantastic game can be a lot of fun. While the art and story don’t come near the lofty heights of Hades, it is nevertheless a blast to bash heads as one of the titular turtles, especially when you have friends fighting at your side. Technical issues aside, Splintered Fate is a fun time, and with a good variety to shake things up from run to run.

Quibbles aside, The Mummy delivers a creative and action-packed adventure. Full of running, jumping, and gunning through tombs, forests, sewers, subway tunnels, and beyond, the game brims with challenging old-school charm. It's sure to bring back a flood of nostalgia, while still managing to be a solid game on its own.

Despite its many cheap shots and frustrating moments, Uprising is a highly creative animal that changes constantly and keeps you on your toes.

Big Brain Academy, and the entire brain-training sub-genre of puzzle games, were never as medically precise as they purported to be. But they were always about the fulfillment of self-improvement, not bragging rights. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain, thanks to its new competition hooks, feels just a little bit coarser. It's still plenty of fun in small doses, and the exercises are well-made and for the most part ramp up nicely. Just don't take it too seriously, and whatever the leaderboards say, remember to run your own race.

To play Megaton Rainfall is to inhabit a flying superhero like nothing else in VR.

Most of the time, particularly early on when its quirks are fresh and unknown, it delivers. Even its weakest moments owe their existence not to ineffective ambiance and tension, but rather to excessive confidence spurred by eventual predictable encounters that clash with the promise of the setting.

The Tunnels of Terror expansion is both a decent addition in its own right and a progress report on Back 4 Blood's ongoing struggles to find proper balance and pace. Thanks to the accompanying patch, I witnessed fewer moments of frustration in the past week than I ever have before--monster spam in the inner hives notwithstanding--and that's heartening as someone who would very much like to play this game for a long time, if it can just iron out some more wrinkles. For now, it's still a bit messy, but ahead of the headlining additions of new levels, characters, and weapons, I find the most promising aspect of Tunnels of Terror is its lengthy list of patch notes.

Fans of the previous Ace Attorney games will appreciate the new touch-screen mechanics and improved presentation, but these changes don't do much to spice up the series' often slow and tedious pacing.

It's a well-worn cliche at this point, but if you're a fan of RoboCop, then you'll find a lot to love in Rogue City. It's chock full of Easter eggs and manages to capture the look and feel of the first two RoboCop movies with excellent attention to detail, even getting Peter Weller to reprise his role as the eponymous hero. More than anything, it does a tremendous job of making you feel like RoboCop in its best moments. Combat is shallow because of this devotion to authenticity, but it excels when you're able to fully personify the relentless killing machine. It missteps when moving away from this, resulting in some dull firefights, yet these failings are mitigated somewhat by its embrace of a well-rounded RoboCop, regularly breaking away from the action for more nuanced moments of crime fighting. Rogue City might not be for everyone, but at least it's not RoboCop 3.

Taken as a whole, Tales of Arise is a very good RPG, boasting beautiful visuals, a wonderful cast of characters, and engaging combat mechanics--but its flaws (and that odious DLC) are also difficult to ignore. If you're looking for a lengthy, charming, and engaging JRPG to play on your shiny new console or PC gaming rig, Tales of Arise is certainly a fine choice. Just don't go into it expecting an all-time classic.

The underlying design of Age of Sail II is very good, and its graphics are excellent. In many cases, the drama and tension of the real-life time period are very well portrayed during the scenarios and most of the campaigns. But clearly, the game was published before it was finished.

Skate's analog trick system is revolutionary for the genre, but the game surrounding those mechanics isn't quite as good.

Crimson Desert is a frequently thrilling game, elevated by an open world well worth exploring and hard-hitting combat that delights with its depth and emphasis on player expression. It might not always be the most cohesive game, mixing high fantasy with steampunk and sci-fi elements, but there's nothing else quite like it, and I can't help but be impressed by how little restraint Pearl Abyss has shown in its commitment to delightful absurdity. In some respects, Crimson Desert might not be too good to be true, but it's a world worth getting lost in.

It remains more of an uncannily accurate baseball-stat calculator than a game, with virtually no amenities and a punishing interface.

Authentic puzzles and ancient atmosphere make Riddle of the Tomb a cut above the average point-and-click adventure.

An eclectic mix of platforming and combat mechanics help compensate for Explodemon's mundane inclinations.

The continued absence of an online Franchise mode and the stale nature of Road to the Show are disappointing aspects of this release, but MLB The Show 24 still maintains the series' commendable output with fantastic gameplay and another collection of fascinating stories exploring The Negro Leagues and its players. A journey through the exalted career of Derek Jeter might not be quite as gripping, but it builds on Storyline's established framework and lays down an exciting blueprint for the mode's future. The addition of women in Road to the Show is another positive step, further reinforcing the overarching theme that baseball is for everyone, while the ability to customize how you play Franchise mode makes it a much more palatable proposition for those embarking on a 162-game season. MLB The Show 24 might not swing for the fences, but it's still a great way to spend the looming summer months.

In spite of its problems, Echelon does hit close enough to the mark to offer some fast and flashy, but ultimately shallow, thrills.

Blood of the Werewolf is a fine platformer, offering plenty of hours of fun and occasional frustrated sobbing. Fans of classic Hollywood monster movies and platforming games rejoice: your game is here.

Despite its sometimes tedious gameplay, Corpse Party: Book of Shadows is a rare horror game that manages to deliver on its intention to frighten its players.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more visually impressive shooter on the Dreamcast, and the game is highly playable to boot.

The freedom of open-road driving, backed by beautiful landscapes, is like few other games, and the huge, shared world of races and missions can be as addictive as a good MMORPG. The catch is that TDU2 isn't best in any class; it doesn't do any one thing better than a number of more specific, less expansive driving games. It does do an awful lot, though, and won't be kept down by its faults--which are hardly few, but aren't deal breakers.

These Lego games are confectionaries now, little candies that don't have a huge amount of substance but are enjoyable nonetheless. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens doesn't really take you to a new galaxy far, far away, but it's still a pleasant journey.

The umpteenth Mortal Kombat game bombards you with characters and modes but does little to bring the underlying one-on-one fighting action to the next level.

Still, it's worth it for the wide range of tracks alone, and its variety of visuals and difficulties makes it the single best DLC to download for brand-new players who've never played anything aside from the core game.

Road Not Taken is an ambitious endeavor, a substantial puzzle adventure with that special something that keeps you returning for yet another trek through the harsh wilds. It's sometimes too unforgiving for its own good, but the urge to travel along another path is difficult to resist.

The Cave's puzzles are challenging, its story is well constructed and narrated, and its cartoon-like visuals and sprawling, morphing tunnels are pleasant to look at. Its mashup of elements from platformers and point-and-clicks fare less well, but if you can overlook those small flaws The Cave is a dark, yet humorous adventure that ably exercises the grey matter.

The game's shallow goal design keeps it from achieving the same level of addictiveness as competing games like "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3" and "Aggressive Inline."

It speaks volumes that even the multiplayer limitations don't entirely dampen my enthusiasm for Aces. The Tetris Effect is in full swing here; days after the credits rolled, I still crave the satisfying thwack from a Power Shot, mentally replay matches and imagine how I might do things differently given a bit more focus and know-how. Mario Tennis Aces does what this series has done best, and for the most part, improves what it's rarely gotten right prior.

If you're tired of the genre, Airborne won't do anything to change your mind, but if you're looking to fight for the Allied cause yet again, it's a worthy tour of duty.

Plants Vs. Zombies is a beloved classic, and Replanted shows that it's for good reason. The classic gameplay is still just as engaging, and the new modes will keep seasoned gardeners on their toes. While a few aspects of this remaster feel a little low-effort, it's just nice to have the classic game back and playable in a modern context. Now that it's easy to do, I expect I'll keep tending to my garden.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is, fittingly, a loving tribute to the superhero side-scrollers of old. Experimenting with different teams in each stage offers a good amount of replay value, even if the same stages and enemies can grow tiresome after a while. The collectibles and challenges in each stage offer some nice extra incentives, and the depth of the source material will appeal to Marvel fans, new and old. The only thing Marvel Cosmic Invasion is missing, really, is Colossus's "whoooooaaaaa" sound effect from X-Men: The Arcade Game--though I suspect players will be saying "whoa" plenty of times while playing this terrific retro romp.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is on the shallow side, but it still serves up plenty of "waaagh!"

Simple controls be damned, Run offers great platforming and that distinct Mario charm that Nintendo's perfected over the years. It's a shame to find that it's on the easy side and bereft of a long-lasting platforming adventure, but it's the sort of game that you'll be happy to have in your pocket. Even if you don't play it to unlock every character and special course, finishing the game once will inspire you to dust off New Super Mario Bros. and revisit Run's quality roots on other platforms--a testament to the series' refined DNA than lives on in Run.

A wealth of hidden secrets in every level keeps the game high on replayability, while the deluge of extra content promises many hours of adventuring.

TRON: Evolution mixes free-running platforming with simple but engaging combat and is a fun if slightly repetitive trip back into the digital world of the Grid.

Playing Alice: Madness Returns isn't as exciting as looking at it, but you'll still enjoy getting lost in this twisted fantasy adventure.

An engaging and often hilarious joyride.

The game constantly lets you know where you stand and frequently restarting the race entirely after a mishap is a common, and necessary, tactic to stay on top. The ghostly nature of multiplayer manages to alleviate any frustration from vehicle collisions while still maintaining a constant sense of competition.

Overall, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is an enjoyable Monster Hunter spin-off and an all-around solid JRPG, particularly if you enjoy games like Pokemon. While the title retains some of the series' hallmark elements, its emphasis on monster collecting and its fun turn-based battle system make it a decidedly different experience than Monster Hunter Rise, one that even those who've struggled to get into the proper Monster Hunter series can enjoy.

Thanks to a new game engine coupled with improvements to atmosphere and online play, NCAA Basketball 09 is a good game.

Playing Alice: Madness Returns isn't as exciting as looking at it, but you'll still enjoy getting lost in this twisted fantasy adventure.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is on the shallow side, but it still serves up plenty of "waaagh!"

Trackmania Turbo really isn’t much different than the rest of the series. It looks better and offers console players a chance to get in on the action, something not seen since the Wii version, but is largely the same game it’s always been. For racers who live for direct competition, the time trial focus of TM might be too off-putting. Otherwise, this is simply one of the most entertaining arcade racers on the market for both experienced and more casual gamers.

Dungeon Hunter: Alliance is a good way to get together with friends and take down fantasy monsters.

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon has lots of explosions and destruction, but not quite enough variety to keep things moving.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is on the shallow side, but it still serves up plenty of "waaagh!"

Seventeen years after its first release, with one sequel out and another on its way, there's still nothing quite like Luigi's Mansion. Nintendo's strange foray into the paranormal has aged well--I was surprised at how much of it had stuck in my memory, and how good it felt being back in its haunted halls. It's a basic port with a few issues, but Luigi's Mansion still remains a charming and enjoyable game.

NHL 2K8 is a generally fun hockey game, though its new control scheme is a step backward for the series.

In almost every respect, Super Bomberman R plays it safe with its tried-and-true formula. The story mode is short (less than two hours at most), but fun with some creative boss battles and plenty of nostalgic throwbacks. The heart of the game--the battle mode--is a welcome retro rush, and decades since the franchise debuted, it’s still one of the best party games around.

For racers who live for direct competition, the time trial focus of TM might be too off-putting. Otherwise, this is simply one of the most entertaining arcade racers on the market for both experienced and more casual gamers.

The frustratingly few-and-far-between checkpoints and MIA multiplayer are disappointments, but this is a worthy sniping experience, especially given the game's budget price. This thoughtfully designed sequel makes good on the promise of its highly flawed predecessor.

A memorable presentation and well-crafted stages make this quirky platformer fun for the fleeting period of time it lasts.

Ancients of Ooga is a playful but imperfect puzzle platformer with a difficulty curve that makes it best suited for novice players.

Like so many big games with dozens of complex moving parts, your enjoyment of PlanetSide 2 on the PlayStation 4 rests on how forgiving you are of technical hiccups you would properly expect to be vanquished.

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon has lots of explosions and destruction, but not quite enough variety to keep things moving.

This downloadable prologue is a bit barren, but it still packs a delightfully destructive punch.

EA seems content to leave the NASCAR series on cruise control. Instead of improving online play or cleaning up the dated graphics, EA Tiburon has made a number of small changes, none of which do much to improve the way the game plays or looks. As a result, NASCAR 07 feels like little more than a patched version of "NASCAR 06."

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2's story and stealth make for a satisfying and entertaining single-player campaign. The frustratingly few-and-far-between checkpoints and MIA multiplayer are disappointments, but this is a worthy sniping experience, especially given the game's budget price.

Audio and video in Borderlands 2 seem to push the limits of what the Vita can handle, but the system merely strains and does not break (though the game did crash once or twice in my dozen or so hours with it).

Industries somehow feels like both a worthwhile and an unnecessary addition to the Cities: Skylines family.

Much like the way early Lego Star Wars games set a tone for where the franchise would explore next, and how it would do so, The Skywalker Saga feels like the epitome of all the lessons learnt along the way while also setting up for the future. The intimate new camera angle and expanded combat breathe life into a familiar formula, while the linear levels feature a pleasing mix of puzzles and combat that are peppered with sharp humor. It's a pity that all of this can't be leveraged well enough to inject the same excitement into the side content that makes up most of the explorable hubs, which can take the thrill out of hunting down every unlockable character. But when The Skywalker Saga finds its stride, and it often does, it can be one of the most enjoyable ways to rediscover this storied franchise once again.

Lead and Gold's straight-shooting multiplayer action is good fun, despite a few drawbacks that tarnish its appeal.

Issues aside, Maneater opportunities for shark chaos can be a lot of fun. The best parts of the game are akin to running around in a Grand Theft Auto game with a rocket launcher, indiscriminately wrecking everything you see as the cops come zooming in from all directions in a futile attempt to stop you. But instead of a guy running around with an arsenal of weapons, you're a monster shark launching itself 30 feet into the air, barrel-rolling straight through a boat, and plucking some screaming dork right off the bow for good measure. With the sharply written, hilariously delivered narration and story beats to freshen up the experience as you go along, Maneater becomes a goofy, fish-flopping romp, with a good balance of limbs to sever, boats to wreck, and challenging creatures to render into bite-sized chunks. Maneater isn't a perfect shark simulator, but it is a fun and funny one whose positive adaptations outpace its drawbacks.

Satisfying stealth and shooting make Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 a notable improvement over its predecessor.

Murder in the Abbey may not be entirely original, but it's an adventure with a lot of personality.

Getting to the center of the storm that is The Red Solstice isn't easy. A less-than-stellar tutorial and initial overload of information combined with a handful of quirks and bugs make it a game you have to stick with for a little while before you can fully appreciate its depth.

Shift is neither an arcade racer nor a simulation; it's stuck somewhere between the two, and while there's plenty of good racing to be had here, it's unlikely to completely satisfy fans of either.

Boulder Dash-XL offers up plenty of diamond-mining action, but not all of it is up to the standard set by the original game in the '80s.

Epic scale and depth of content make Two Worlds worthwhile.

A Realm Reborn isn't so novel that it feels like a vacation to an undiscovered realm. Instead, fantasy-world travelers will understand the language and quickly take to local customs. Yet these previously charted lands are wondrous to look at and overflowing with like-minded adventurers seeking to make a name for themselves in a world in need of heroes.

Having slept on it, I find myself obsessing over the questions raised, and the imagery foisted upon me by the encroaching darkness, than I have with any game in recent memory.

It's a game worth savoring, and one so effective at instilling you with both curiosity and relaxation that it ought not to be spoiled by binge playing.

It's still Sonic the Hedgehog, and though it's not quite the quintessential Sonic experience, it's still a classic.

If you're in love with the grit and grime of dirt racing, and don't mind a challenge, then Blazin' Trails should be right up your alley.