Covenant of the Plume is a tolerable, if undistinguished, strategy role-playing hybrid.

Probably the best portable fighting game ever made.

But even its title mocks the Army, literally one-upping its slogan while glamorizing a sector that, if anything, deserves scrutiny--not macho fantasy.

Strikingly original, Bad Mojo (meaning "black magic") is a gritty, action-based exploration that sucks you in with great visuals, and keeps you playing with a poignant story and clever obstacles that bar your progress from room to room.

It may have a familiar-seeming premise, and it may have a few noticeable shortcomings, but SpellForce's unique combination of role-playing and strategy elements makes it worth a look for fans of either kind of game.

Given that "Hitman 2" was such a huge improvement on the original, it's inherently somewhat disappointing that the new Hitman: Contracts is really just a rehash. It's more of the same, replete with everything that was good and everything that wasn't so good about the 2002 game.

The ports are nearly arcade-perfect for the most part, though a few of the games suffer from control issues. Still, at a retail price of less than $20, AAE can be worthwhile if you're feeling nostalgic.

Capcom Classics Collection 2 isn't as hit-driven as the first game, but the hits that are present hit very hard, indeed.

Borrows too heavily from other games and lacks that "hook" to make it worth dealing with excessive defending, a thin story you'd expect to see on Power Rangers, and aural competence.

An excellent, original fighting game that's especially fun for two players.

While it definitely has a certain sense of style to it, the game itself misses its mark, and the total package isn't one that will hold the interest of most first-person shooter players.

Quite a fun game, and anyone who's the least bit excited by the history of gaming and the sights and sounds that started it all should enjoy it.

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.

Because it's so short, and the puzzles never get particularly fiendish, Semblance is an enjoyable but light experience. This isn't necessarily a bad thing--it's a relaxed game, a good one to clear over a few sessions in bed or on the train if you're playing on Switch--but it also means that it doesn't feel like the game realizes its full conceptual potential.

Starlink is an interesting and enjoyable open-world game, one that fully understands the appeal of exploring new planets and dogfighting in the cold depths of space. With a small fleet of ships at your disposal, it can be a lot of fun to progressively assault and weaken the Forgotten Legion's hold on the galaxy. It's just a shame that if you're interested in the physical models, you'll have to spend more to get the same experience as the digital version.

Series faithful might stumble through for the sake of story, and perhaps to appreciate those few moments that recall when Resident Evil was at its peak glory. But this long, poor sequel is the ultimate test of patience for even the most dedicated.

There’s a lot to love about The Alliance Alive: a well-paced story in an interesting world, a meaty mashup of unique combat elements, and a fantastic soundtrack that keeps you pumped and eager to explore. If you can put up with a bit of a learning curve, you’ll find a great portable adventure well worth dusting off your 3DS for.

But even with some annoying interface issues and a handful of other frustrations (why am I failing delivery quests when I know I put the right items in the shipping bin in time?), Trio of Towns manages to deliver a fun, relaxing experience that's engaging and charming. Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns might not be that revolutionary step forward for this little sub-genre just yet, but it's a pleasant little diversion in its own right that's well worth your time.

It gets rid of the overblown, big-city atmosphere of the recent console release and puts the focus on getting into races--the best part of the series--very quickly.

Its technical issues are going to get in the way of some players' enjoyment of an otherwise solid and relatively original first-person shooter, and they'll likely convince other players to avoid the game altogether. Vietcong is still a very good game, however.

Inazuma Eleven 2 offers a new story and a couple of gameplay tweaks but is ultimately more of the same.

The PlayStation 3 version of this intergalactic quest has a few extra surprises that fans of Japanese role-playing game will appreciate.

It retains some of its predecessor's faults, but Marble Saga is still a leap forward for the Kororinpa series.

Though a lot of players will find the less-forgiving-gameplay style of the game to be a bit of a turnoff, this is still a solid game of tennis, and it's the best one to have appeared on the PlayStation 2 in years.

Rather than beef up the feature list, Harmonix has taken the opposite approach: it's slimmed down the game, offered way more value, and removed the obstacles between you and just getting out there and dancing. It's a different take on Dance Central, but the party is just as fun as ever.

When Just Cause 3 is consistent, however, it's a stunning display of cause and effect, as watchtowers topple into fuel tanks, which blow up nearby helicopters, which sail into oncoming vehicles. I often spent hours setting up outlandish chain reactions, or trying new gear mods, knowing full well I wasn't making any progress in the traditional sense. I was content to just sit back and marvel as it all happened.

Clash of Ninja 2 seems more like an upgraded game than a true sequel, and it ultimately does little to improve upon the original.

It's a shame, then that Moonlighter's also a bit on the short end, as some of these ideas would do well with simply more--but then the combat would like thin out even more. Still, what's here is refreshing, and the balance struck between crawling through dungeons and working with the economics of the town are a good combo while it lasts.