It's a shame My Hero One's Justice's Story mode doesn't do a good job introducing the world of My Hero Academia, with several important narrative beats either missing or revealed through subtitles while you're busy trying to fight. The offline modes against AI don't do much for the game either. However, One's Justice's combat is both accessible and enjoyable. When two players face off--either online or off--the game captures the adrenaline-pumping feeling of My Hero Academia's most notable fights. Pulling off moves from the manga/anime and outsmarting an opponent with devastating combos feels rewarding, and that's enough to keep the player coming back to the game for more.

At a time when open-world games sometimes overstay their welcome, Just Cause 4 is at the other end of the spectrum, where you wish there was more to experience because it has so much going for it.

Brutally tough and unforgiving, Men of War: Vietnam is a serious test of your patience and your real-time strategy skills.

While The Rub Rabbits has a stylish and pleasing look to it, the the simple, often tedious minigames are too shallow to hold your interest.

Between its unlimited continues and crusty looks, you're probably only going to be interested in this game if you liked it back in 1989.

Despite poor presentation, WRC offers a realistic and satisfying rally experience.

The Masterplan feels like the most tragic kind of missed opportunity: a set of viable ideas rendered inert in practice.

Loads of bugs make this remake of the first Serious Sam a serious disappointment.

The gameplay is so far removed from the legends, and the story is so bare-bones, that the setting rarely feels meaningful. Thanks in large part to its more frustrating puzzles, Munin ends up feeling too long. It has its moments of brilliance, but ultimately it doesn't have the legs (or wings) to let it reach the heights of similar games in the genre.

It's a disappointing game with a lot of missed potential, and it doesn't convey a good story or the rewarding feeling of surviving against the elements.

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.

Space Empires V is a space strategy game with plenty of depth and complexity, but it's so riddled with bugs and issues that it is ultimately tough to recommend.

The new game makes good on the potential of its predecessor by delivering a much more intense, more challenging, and ultimately more satisfying experience, and it throws in a surprisingly involving and well-produced story for good measure.

It hits certain points well enough that fans of the genre who are willing to overlook the somewhat tired gameplay formula will be rewarded with good atmosphere.

The vehicles work well, they're fun to drive, and they end up overshadowing the game's weapon-balancing issues.

Aside from the kinks related to combat and level layout, the game's control feels a little bit loose when you're simply running around...[but it] will likely manage to draw you in, especially if you can get into the creepy aesthetics and earnestly engaging story.

It's fraught with lots of minor gameplay problems that eventually add up to one major headache. Rising Sun isn't completely without merit, since it comes packaged with some nice extra materials and mostly solid production values, but the weakness of the gameplay itself undermines what could have been a much more enjoyable experience.

The game's transition from console to PC wasn't handled as smoothly as you might have expected, thus leaving a game that was already a little uneven feeling a little broken in some spots.

The racing isn't the star of the show, and the load times are painful, but Crash Tag Team Racing's supplemental elements pull the whole thing together into a mostly enjoyable experience.

Jewel Quest sticks a little too close to the Bejeweled formula for its own good, but it does require you to master a different set of strategies.

A great story and likable characters make it easier to overlook Riviera's limited combat and exploration.

Roogoo Attack is harmless enough, but unlike the best puzzlers, it won't get under your skin.

One of the most original and enjoyable racing games to come around in a long time.

For those of us who have played the first game, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 wears thin quickly, as little aside from the game's character lineup has changed.

Probably won't keep you occupied for long, especially if you're not playing it with a rowdy group of friends. But it can make for some good, silly fun in short spurts.

It's light on combat, but Reverie keeps things interesting with a new playable character and engaging puzzles.

The Tale of Two Towns doesn't stray much from the Harvest Moon formula, but it hits most of the addictive sweet spots fans will care about.

There's a robust dungeon crawler buried beneath Legasista's typical anime-style trappings.

There are a lot of neat ideas here, but none of them pan out. The game's creators clearly adore 4X strategy games in general, and Alpha Centauri specifically, is clear here, but Pandora: First Contact is not a proper tribute. I want to love Pandora, I really do, but nostalgia can't fix a game that doesn't work even at the most basic level.

When everything's working as intended, Madden 22 marks a recent high point for the series. The gameplay doesn't move the needle much mechanically, but changes to the AI make for a more interesting and varied challenge, while Gameday Atmosphere and Momentum brings every team's fans to life to palpable effect. With Franchise making the moments between these games more engaging, it's relatively easy to sink hours into building a team to challenge for the Super Bowl. It's just unfortunate that this comes with the caveat that technical problems might prove to be the biggest obstacle standing in your way.

AEW Fight Forever, much like the company it represents, is a cocky young upstart trying to take the crown from a titan. Also much like its source material, its first outing is a decent foundation for what its future could provide. The roster is a good primer on the current AEW lineup, there are enough match types to keep things fresh for a while, and Road To Elite is an irreverent look at the life of a wrestler that made me smile. There are some bumps in this road--particularly the lack of trios matches and the disappointing entrances--but those are all things which can be fixed in future installments. If AEW truly plans to Fight Forever in the video game world, then they've thrown an effective first punch.

But over the course of the game, and particularly in its final few chapters, a story already soaked in metaphors--some better than others--positively drowns in them. It eventually goes so far off the rails that its thoughtful early chapters feel written by entirely different human beings. I'd be more forgiving of this narratively chaotic final act if I were attached to the characters--I like Lost Season 6, after all. In Lost's case, the events could be silly, but at least I'd have my people. In Dustborn, however, I never really had them to begin with, so I was left with nothing to latch onto. Dustborn's moral compass points to true north, but before long, both its story and gameplay go south.

An easy game to pick up and play, but unless you're a big fan of the license there isn't much to keep you playing.

This sexed-up strategy role-playing game boasts some interesting ideas, but falls short of realizing its full potential.

We Ski isn't a game that will satiate your need for high-speed thrills, over-the-top stunts, and fierce competition. Rather, it's a relatively sedate game in which you can have fun exploring, taking part in friendly contests, running errands for other skiers, and posing for photos.

Beatmania's long-overdue release outside of Japan shows off its many weaknesses, with the most egregious of which being its unimpressive song list.

If you have cherished memories of playing The Simpsons Arcade Game, keep holding on to them and ignore this port.

It isn’t exactly easy to pick up, but the layered Discourse system in Last Word is worth the few verbal jabs and hooks needed in order to master it.

The game has its heart in the right place and provides some entertaining moments, but Assault doesn't quite measure up to the pedigree of its namesake.

The title sums up Shoot Many Robots, a kill-crazed co-op shooting spree that offers a lot of action for just $10.

Despite the touted inclusion of full 3D environments and longer cases, 3 Dimensions of Murder mostly covers well-worn territory, and it's still a breeze to play through.

The PlayStation 3 version of Lost Planet is good, but it's inferior to the Xbox 360 and PC versions that came before it.

Soul Reaver fans will find a familiar experience in Blood Omen 2, but the new game lacks the innovation and the surprising drama that made the Soul Reaver series great.

It's competent without being very imaginative or thrilling, and as such it's the type of thoroughly generic action game that's best played in small doses, if at all.

Despite some bright spots, this isn't a fitting sequel to X-COM, and, on its own merits, it just isn't a good tactical combat simulator.

Can provide an entertaining experience, not necessarily because of its gameplay mechanics, but rather because it offers a wide variety of different modes that will keep you interested in this strategic fighter that successfully captures some of the nuances of the sport.

Just make sure you bring along your dual analog gamepad to ensure that all your terror is generated from the cursed setting--and not from the controls.

Its basic design makes it very easy for players to pick up and enjoy, though die-hard fans of the genre will find it frustrating at times.

MotoGP commits the ultimate portable game sin by using a password system as opposed to a battery save option, which somewhat defeats the purpose of playing through some of the longer modes when you're on the go.

A game that's confused about where its heart lies, leaving you with a smattering of mildly entertaining dogfights and bombing runs interwoven with long bouts of boredom.

Unfortunately, KoF Evolution is a flawless port of an inherently disappointing game, which is why, through no fault of its own, it's otherwise difficult to recommend it over the previous game in the series.

I have fond memories of playing The Thing back in 2002 because there wasn't anything else quite like it. It was inventive and exciting, and even today, no one else is trying to do what Computer Artworks attempted in the single-player space. I commend the studio for what it achieved, but the limitations of the technology--and its design constraints--are much more apparent now, even with nostalgia-tinted glasses on. Nightdive has done a fantastic job of restoring this flawed but intriguing game, continuing its crucial work with game preservation. All of the changes it's made are positive, resulting in a better game, both visually and mechanically. Nonetheless, this is a case where a complete remake would've been much more appealing, allowing for the trust and fear system to be fleshed out with less rigidity and more dynamism. As it is, Computer Artworks' vision might never be fully realized, and that's a shame.

Despite some flaws with its strategic game, Shattered Union is a fun, turn-based wargame that anyone can pick up and enjoy.

MediEvil does have some nostalgic charm, but due to its bevy of issues, it feels not just old, but undeniably outdated. For every part that helps us look back fondly on a time when games were made differently, there’s another that reminds us of how far we’ve come in those years since. MediEvil's delightful level and character design mostly still stands tall, but its combat and controls largely fall well short of what feels tolerable by modern standards, and it left me feeling wholly ambivalent to its existence.

Nancy Drew makes her debut on the Wii with this PC port that adds some irritating Wii Remote minigames to the usual adventure-game sleuthing.

Cute, colorful, and boring.

March Madness 08 has some new moves, but it's still not ready for the big dance.

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

With too much out of sync--from wildly variable handling to the way you use items to the unconvincing character relationships--Fatal Frame: Maiden of the Black Water isn't anything more than a mediocre experience.

It's unfortunate that "letdown" and "underwhelmed" are words I've used multiple times when talking about Open Roads because there's still so much about the game that works. The overall narrative touches on some meaningful topics, there's a fair amount of intrigue, plenty of well-crafted dialogue, some interesting characters, and a lot of heart. Yet most things fall frustratingly short or are cut off far too early, making the whole experience slightly lackluster. Despite being a game about a mother-daughter road trip, the game doesn't go too far and that relationship is left only slightly altered rather than meaningfully examined and changed.

The Fancy Pants Adventures' quirks are overshadowed by its breezy cooperative play and stylish attitude.

While Rubble Without a Cause echoes many positive aspects of its predecessor, the gloomy story and unimaginative quests turn what should have been another fun fairy tale into something of a death march. Yet even with these significant flaws, the overall charm of the visuals and voice acting kept me playing and left me optimistic that the series will redeem itself in the next chapter.

They say beauty is only skin deep, and in this case, there's definitely a lot of roughness under the surface.

Chaos Theory is the highlight of the three single-player campaigns in Splinter Cell Trilogy HD, but technical issues and the absence of multiplayer really disappoint.

The novel charm of Oil Rush is often marred by its strategic limitations.

It's not without flaws, and it's fairly short to boot, but if you're a fan of both the Elric brothers and over-the-top transmutations, you'll find lots to like here.

This follow-up collection of minigames isn't nearly as captivating or humorous as its predecessor, but it still has its moments.

A kid-friendly platformer with more heart than your average film-to-game marketing tie-in, Ice Age 2 can be quite fun--for as long as it lasts.

hat said, Legend is still a decent game with plenty of satisfying puzzles and expansive levels that look great and can be fun to explore. If you're looking for a straightforward action adventure and don't mind making some sacrifices for the sake of portability, Tomb Raider: Legend fits the bill.

Short games aren't inherently flawed, but Somerville needed a bit more time to convey its major themes. The scope of the alien invasion story looks at both macro and micro relationships among people in ways that only end up scratching the surface of saying something interesting, and though it builds up an interesting universe that leaves me with questions regarding its alien overlords, I was surprised to find in myself an indifference toward finding the truth that's out there.

Mario and Sonics' debut as a duo fails to earn them a spot on the medal stand.

Actually, Lollipop Chainsaw is built for return visits: the game lasts for five hours or so, pushing you to chase high scores and buy enough combos to earn a fabulous end-level grade.

It may not be as accessible as Sid Meier's Gettysburg, but it's different enough from the traditional turn-based, hexagonal wargame that wargamers should sit up and take notice.

If you play the game on its own terms, there's a good chance you'll enjoy it. If WWII naval battles appeal to you, or you just like the idea of firing massive cannons, that chance is even better.

A game that could prove entertaining for fans of Nick Park's peculiar pair, but, as a 3D platformer, it's simply not that impressive.

A competent, if lackluster, effort that will probably appeal to Middle-earth fans and casual gamers who haven't played a lot of real-time strategy before. If you're a real-time strategy veteran looking for something fresh and exciting, don't look here.

Integrates a fair amount of footage, music, and dialogue from the movie it's based on, but the pleasant surprise here is the sheer variety of different levels the game includes.

Even though the game's overall execution leaves something to be desired, Bounty Hunter has its good points, and the GameCube version is markedly better than the PS2 release.

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

Like a bacon-wrapped cerebellum, Teenage Zombies is a tasty appetizer that just doesn't quite satisfy.

Your guitar will gently weep for this frustrating platformer.

Just Cause is able to justify its relative brevity and disrespect for physical law with some extremely visceral and often satisfying action.

If you didn't like GripShift on the PSP this version won't change your mind, but it's a good value and worth a look for anyone who hasn't yet played the handheld version of this driving/platform game.

Sniper Elite V2 is a satisfying shooting gallery, though it often does a lackluster job maintaining the illusion.

It's less about what you do, and more about where you are. Though they've substituted platform hops for page flips, the developers have crafted a Disney-quality world worth revisiting.

World Championship Poker 2's offline play is the best you'll find amid this year's competition, and the online play is still pretty engaging.

While the $15 asking price makes ROTT's flaws more palatable, the sadistic single-player level design, the optimization problems and bugs, and the limited multiplayer content are major turnoffs.

Quotation forthcoming.

The game may be a little too self-consciously old-school for some, but the action is so fast, furious, and blithely bloody that it's hard to resist getting swept up in the carnage.

A sturdy campaign, challenging cooperative mode, and boisterous online multiplayer help SOCOM 4 make its predecessors proud.

Sadly, its multiplayer support is almost nonexistent, and a few gameplay quirks conspire to make the driving less fun than it could have been. Still, WRC is a good, solid first try at bringing the sport of rally racing to the PSP system, even if it doesn't quite nail every component.

Space Ark is undeniably catchy, but too much repetition and too much cuteness can spoil the party.

This dreary action role-playing game has its worthwhile moments, but they're separated by countless hours of fetch-quest tedium.

There's some interesting gameplay and a rewarding challenge to be found in Strength of the Sword 3, but you're going to need some serious patience to get the most out of this game.

My Memory of Us feels misguided; a concept that doesn’t sit well, marred by puzzle gameplay that fails to challenge or excite. It means well, and divorced from the game's context, the game's aesthetic is charming. But it doesn’t really work as either a puzzle game or as an educational experience.

It may be old-school, but Fantasy Wars isn't behind the times when it comes to providing satisfying, albeit spectacularly tough, turn-based strategy gameplay.

Do Not Fall offers a much more demanding experience than its vibrant visuals suggest.

Digimon fans will find the multiplayer worthwhile, but the dull story mode is basically just a rehashing of the previous Digimon World.