Sonic X Shadow Generations is a weird package. On one hand, Sonic Generations is a remaster of a great game from 2011 that now feels like it's a little outdated. And on the other, Shadow Generations is the conclusion to a storyline that the franchise hasn't really cared about since 2006. As someone who specifically got into Sonic games during that early 2000 period, this collection feels like it speaks directly to me. But it also feels much like its protagonists--lost in a place out of time and desperate to return to fonder times. It's a nice enough trip down memory lane, but the trip features all the speed bumps you'd expect from games from that era.

This WWE franchise overhaul is held back by some serious control issues.

The Golf Club falls short of the green in its current state. There is a tremendous amount of potential here, and the game is immensely satisfying at times due to the demanding nature of the simulation and the wide variety of courses available to play. Off-kilter swing mechanics and noteworthy performance problems have to be addressed, but this is a game to watch.

NHL 08 offers up a few control tweaks and minimal updates to the dynasty mode, but that's about it.

Crisp visuals and legions of enemies struggle to invigorate the lackluster Serious Sam 3: BFE.

Speedball teaches you how to play and sets you loose, but leaves you with only a handful of avenues to explore the possibilities.

Floaty physics and an underwhelming sense of speed add up to a decent, but not great, sci-fi racing game.

As much as Above the Law advances A New Frontier’s narrative and sets up what will inevitably be a chaotic battle for Richmond, there just isn’t enough to do this time around.

Time Crisis: Razing Storm can be fun when it sticks to its arcade roots, but everything else in this shooter package misses the target completely.

If the regular levels were as inventive as the boss battles, then Tropical Freeze would be a surefire hit, or at least a game that demands more of your attention. No matter how much I was looking forward to seeing DK in HD, it's difficult to maintain that enthusiasm when the end product plays it so safe: even the visuals fail to make an impact. They're nice enough, but like the level design, the environments are mostly bland.

Like the previous two episodes, Episode 3 of Guardians gains enough momentum with its most engaging relationships and story beats to carry itself forward. It continues to build upon its characters and gives meaning to its choices, but it also suffers from similar problems, including poor gamified sequences. A cliffhanger ending interrupts the excitement of the scene and ends up feeling forced, which is less intriguing after two prior episodes of manufactured suspense.

This is a satisfying game--especially to the longtime Warhammer 40K devotees who have been waiting for a new Space Hulk video game for nearly two decades--but it could have been so much more.

Broken modes, both online and off, bring the otherwise enjoyable Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed to a screeching halt.

In a lot of ways, Evil West feels like a relic of the past. It's the kind of game you could envision playing back in, say, 2010 or perhaps even earlier. This simplicity could've been somewhat refreshing when so many modern games are overly bloated by comparison, but it comes across like a game short on aspiration. Combat is robust, relishes in gore, and constantly delights with its weighty and satisfying action. It stumbles into tedium towards the end, though, both as a result of enemy oversaturation and because it's forced to carry the load, but it's the one aspect that makes Evil West worth playing. The rest of the game is formulaic and mind-numbingly dull, actively diminishing its high points as you saunter from one combat arena to another. I didn't always enjoy my time with Evil West, but I hope a sequel is in the pipeline, if only to see if Flying Wild Hog can expand and improve on its promise.

Curious George may be squarely aimed at a younger audience, but even they will likely tire of its overly repetitive minigames and extremely simplistic platforming.

Murdered: Soul Suspect is as troubled as its protagonist. There are so many problems--from the presentation to the story and even technical hiccups--that I was continually pulled out of the experience. And yet, I continued on, and I'm glad that I wasn't overwhelmed by those missteps.

Escape Plan brings action and puzzles to the Vita with style, but awkward controls crash the party.

There are plenty of good trivia questions, but this is a flawed port of the classic board game.

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.

Touch-screen controls prove to be a double-edged sword in this alternately compelling and frustrating side-scrolling adventure.

Fans will love the inclusion of the king of pop's biggest hits and dance routines, but the barebones package and input lag stop Michael Jackson: The Experience from being a thriller.

Were it better able to traverse the gap between an attractive presentation and engaging gameplay, Traverser would be a game to remember.

Jurassic Park in particular doesn't suit this design because flattening the mechanics removes all notions of tension from the game, an essential part of the film series.

Too many frustrations interfere with the joys of killing orcs and collecting loot in The Lord of the Rings: War in the North.

If you're willing to block out the story and to seek out the challenges that SGU provides too many ways to avoid, a deceptively fun and enticing arcade racer is there for the taking.

Lego Jurassic Park is a nice, pleasant nostalgia trip, but it won't be long before you're asking to leave.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a certainly flawed but also intriguing attempt to make a video game out of a premise that seems not to be conducive to this medium. Crouch-walking around a monster for several hours should've probably been a worse experience, but it proves to be a sound idea that may have been a cult classic if it only had more attention to detail.

Autosport is a decent option, but when you go deep, the experience is soured by the finer details.

The Sims 4's biggest problem is that The Sims 3 exists, and describing where it stumbles by necessity means looking at where the series has been. This is a lovely and lively game that elicits constant smirks, but The Sims 4's moments never feel like part of a bigger picture.

Too many frustrations interfere with the joys of killing orcs and collecting loot in The Lord of the Rings: War in the North.

This outstanding sense of place and mood is offset by the sheer difficulty of everything that you have to do, the spectacular amounts of time necessary to experience even a tenth of what the game has to offer, and the randomness of death constantly destroying everything that you have built.

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.

Towering Adventure comes close to reinvigorating the Rainbow Islands formula, but this platformer is still tough to recommend.

Unraveling the interwoven game mechanics of Dream Trigger 3D leads to the realization that this shoot-'em-up offers more style than substance.

The actual gameplay itself simply doesn't hold up well enough to make any of these modes worthwhile.

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.

Where Iron Rain fails as an overarching plot, it succeeds in creating a stronger and more engaging vibe than its predecessors.

Minor frustrations and inconsistency compound a game that's not very good in the first place, making it one of the least appealing platformer choices currently on the market.

Attack on Titan may be systematically simple and has some visual issues, but I still had fun playing within its world. Well-trod musou layout aside, battling titans and swinging through the skies with futuristic military gear can be an enjoyable experience--if you can look past its glaring flaws.

A big, loud, shallow action game that severely lacks in content.

It's almost mysterious to me how I'm moved to invest hundreds of hours into this series every year despite it reliably offering the same problems--even if the specifics change, the philosophy remains. Off the field, Madden 25 is mostly checking boxes, and it stings to see my favorite sport not receive a video game companion similar in its grandeur. But the on-field gameplay is paramount and, here, very strong. I don't lose sight of that. This makes Madden 25 enjoyable despite its plethora of locker-room issues. I've played over 30 hours of Madden 25 so far, and I will play hundreds more before next August, at which point I will get the newest Madden and undoubtedly do it all over again. In the end, maybe that's the real Madden Curse.

The rudimentary design of Astonishia Story isn't surprising, given that it's a no-frills remake of a 1994 PC game. However, that doesn't excuse the very apparent lack of story, character, and depth in Astonishia Story.

WRC 3's lightweight handling and lack of diversity means it fails to hit the heights achieved by other racing games.

Astroneer succeeds when it's enraptured you with its beautiful visuals and the irresistible call to explore the planet you find yourself on. Although it lacks a central through line to give you guidance, the variety of structures you can build helps point you towards new resources to hunt for.

God Eater 3 is a solid entry in the franchise that doesn't necessarily reinvent itself, but it doesn't have to. All the core things that make God Eater so enjoyable, from the lightning-fast combat to the anime stylings, have been given a new lick of paint and propped up enticingly next to additions like the well-tuned Assault Missions and creative enemies to make one delicious package. Some aspects of the game--like its difficulty curve and multitude of superfluous customization systems--miss the mark, but it's an enjoyable romp with plenty of raucous battles if you're hungry for an action RPG.

Orwell is brimming with potential, but it feels like the sequel was rushed to ensure that it could comment on the state of the world in early 2018. But extensive private data collection, political turmoil, and pervasive surveillance aren't going anywhere, which is why the game's namesake, George Orwell, has remained so perpetually relevant. If there's a third Orwell game, hopefully Osmotic Studios will find more to say about it.

A fun game with decent gameplay, but the shortage of modes, run-of-the-mill graphics, and lack of variety prevent "Surf Riders" from being to surf games what "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" is to skateboarding games.

God Eater 3 is a solid entry in the franchise that doesn't necessarily reinvent itself, but it doesn't have to. All the core things that make God Eater so enjoyable, from the lightning-fast combat to the anime stylings, have been given a new lick of paint and propped up enticingly next to additions like the well-tuned Assault Missions and creative enemies to make one delicious package. Some aspects of the game--like its difficulty curve and multitude of superfluous customization systems--miss the mark, but it's an enjoyable romp with plenty of raucous battles if you're hungry for an action RPG.

Making such a legendary game accessible to a modern audience is always a good thing, but Ubisoft just didn't do enough here to set this refurbished version apart from the original and its free high-definition mod.

Warp is an entertaining top-down puzzler that's hobbled by a bumpy transition from console to PC.

Excellent visual style does little to mask Magna Carta 2's middling story and annoying AI.

The wild, exceptional combat of Rage 2 contends with some of the genre's greats, but it's disappointing that the game's world squanders its potential.

Despite F1 2014's good points, it's hard to get away from the fact that it's little more than an inconsistent update of a great game.

The mechanics for ducking and getting behind cover are well done, and the premise is a good one. Unfortunately, that's all kill.switch really has going for it.

When Into the Stars hits its stride and you feel like Admiral Adama leading a desperate race to save humanity, it's a tense and rewarding thrill. Unfortunately, combat never matches the tension of survival, as the cruelty of the game's RNG system can bring your breakneck race to the finish line to a screeching halt.

Puzzle Scape is a passable but conventional puzzle game that tries, and fails, to imitate Lumines' unique sensibilities.

Destroy All Humans certainly shows its age in places. The stealth missions are rudimentary, the boss fights are tedious, and some poor audio work won't let you forget that this is a game from 15 years ago. However, its core loop of causing destruction and mayhem, laying waste to humans and cities, still feels satisfying. Destroy All Humans often feels like the PS2 game it is, but a fresh coat of paint and updated controls definitely make this remake enjoyable to play through today.

Kingmaker is a more-of-the-same expansion for Majesty 2 that adds little to the original game's formula aside from intense difficulty and a map editor.

It's Groundhog Day meets Philip K. Dick in this entertaining but muddled mystery adventure.

There are plenty of good trivia questions, but this is a flawed port of the classic board game.

This arcade game is relatively shallow and a pale imitation of its television inspiration.

The "dogs of the AMS" make their move to the Wii in this fun but brief port of the on-rails arcade shooters.

The new features brought to the table don't add enough over what was available in NHL 13, making this a dubious buy for anyone who still has last year's game and can live without the crushing new hits and more widespread fisticuffs.

The modes available in IndyCar Series are all pretty shallow, which not only detracts from the overall experience, but also significantly reduces its replay value.

The Fidelio Incident being nice to look at and listen to doesn't necessarily make it interesting to play. The haunting, frozen vistas and enthralling backstory constantly trip over uninspired gameplay. Though there’s a measure of forgiveness to be had considering the length of the experience, even that concession is fragile in light of the obvious disparity that exists in the quality of the narrative and the gameplay that's forced upon it.

This 4x space strategy game could have been something special, if it were finished.

NHL 14 adds little of note to NHL 13 aside from better hitting, more fighting, and a disappointing NHL 94 retro mode.

Children will enjoy the lively adventures of Donald Duck, and some of those who enjoyed the "DuckTales" animated series and are looking for a comical Disney romp will want to pick this up.

Lamplight City has a hell of a concept behind it, but unfortunately, the cases don't deliver on its promise. When you strip away the idea that the game will let you fail, and that you need to pay particularly close attention to what's happening, you're left with an adequate adventure game that is low on great puzzles.

By now, those who have played Supermassive's interactive horror "movies" since 2015 know what they're getting with The Casting of Frank Stone. If you only want to play the next great version of that formula, this isn't it. But for Dead By Daylight fans looking to fill out their lore bibles, prospective fans looking for an introduction to the multiplayer game, or horror obsessives who are ready to carve pumpkins and dive into a pile of crispy orange leaves, The Casting of Frank Stone is a flawed but fun horror romp just in time for spooky season, the likes of which Supermassive and I may be destined to experience together forever.

Crossing Souls has good mechanics, and its facade is a visual treat that is easy to be seduced by, but it fails to achieve a level of holistic enjoyment that raises it past the giant pile of references.

I loved seeing LocoCycle through to its zany finale, because I enjoyed the jokes and Iris' robotic line delivery, and because I loved seeing the characters get themselves into silly situations. This would have been a great short comic film. But LocoCycle is a game, and in an unexpected twist of fate, it makes the act of catching rockets, fighting soaring robots, and rushing through the rural fields outside of Scottsburg, Indiana, blander than they deserve to be.

There's some magic to this fantasy puzzle adventure, but a few frustrations break the spell.

Contrary to its title, this disappointing puzzle game possesses little in the way of creativity.

HarmoKnight is the friendliest rhythm platformer around, but its simplicity does not always work to the game's benefit.

There's a lot that's simply, innately cool about Audica's concept, the very idea of using weapons to make music, but once you reach a certain level of proficiency, the enjoyment dries up faster than it should.

As long as you know what you're in for, Devilian's an enjoyable way to pass the time, and a well-balanced F2P game that never feels like it's begging you for money.

Altair's handheld adventure has some enjoyable moments, but it's hindered by loose controls and other irritations.

Prince Caspian combines simplistic gameplay with a confusing narrative for an action adventure that unfortunately isn't as good as the movie it's based on.

Rock of Ages has a delightfully goofy concept and offers some destructive fun, but it's hampered by its weak defense elements.

While Lichdom makes a strong case for a shorter game, it also makes the case for another Lichdom game. If there is any game this year deserving of a sequel, it’s this one.

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.

While combat is fun in moderation and the crafting system is bizarre in all the right ways, the flip side of this is dull and monotonous quest design, a forgettable story, and hollow morality. There's still an enjoyable game here, but a lot of unfortunate caveats come attached to that statement. Yet while it might not always hit the mark, Biomutant is an ambitiously flawed game from a small studio, and the games industry could always use more risky endeavors like this one.

For most of its tenure, Reverie Under the Moonlight is a satisfying game. It sounds unlikely, but the inviting presentation melds wonderfully with its uninviting atmosphere. The initial search and discovery process recalls the familiar comfort of games like Super Metroid or Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, with fun and challenging combat sprinkled throughout. But short of not finishing the game, there's no way to avoid the less-impressive closing hours when it runs out of new ideas, and at worse, halts your progress with increasing instant deaths and obtuse progress requirements.

The Next Big Thing creates a lush vision of an alternate-reality Hollywood, but its knockout visuals can't make up for its frustrating puzzles.

Achron's time-traveling brilliance is marred by some critical flaws.

With Brothers In Arms DS, Ubisoft has proven that it's technically possible to bring the series to the DS--but just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

It's a copy of a previously released game that wasn't that great to begin with, but with the less-engaging characters of the Miami cast and a series of mysteries that also aren't as interesting.

Entertaining combat and quirky puzzles save this game from belonging in a museum.

Bugs and glitches mar an otherwise fair attempt at bringing the gentleman's sport to the PC.

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.

Despite the strong foundation, I was struggling to stay interested in Blade & Soul at the end of my journey. It does wonders with the blade, yes. But where's the soul?

The aesthetics and vibe are still unlike anything else out there, and they’re still worth the hassle. But the greatest trick Parappa the Rapper ever pulled was convincing the world it's not a broken game.

Armored Core V can field some fierce firefights, but the combat is encumbered by repetitious missions, simplistic objectives, and dull visual design.

There are no big action sequences, which takes away some of the energy, but the emphasis on character relationships is what makes this episode a good one.

It isn't as comprehensive or glamorous as any of Nintendo's Pokémon games, but fans of the show will still probably enjoy it a great deal, since it will let them gather and build their own set of fighting spirits while also experiencing firsthand many of the stories told in the show.

The game isn't without its charms in the moment, but when its inspirations are so readily available, it doesn't really have much to offer against the real deal.

Armored Core V can field some fierce firefights, but the combat is encumbered by repetitious missions, simplistic objectives, and dull visual design.