The hack-and-slash role-playing game Sacred 2 may feel more at home on console systems than it does on the PC, but the game design still leaves something to be desired.

While the main game is brief, it’s plenty of fun, and bonus minigames like dodgeball add some extra charm to Tokyo Rumble. It’s a solid action game with a charming retro flavor that leverages RCR's foundation to construct both a new adventure and a different perspective on beloved game.

It's not as long as War for Cybertron, but it is more varied and more visually stimulating. Yet in leaving behind its predecessor's problems, it gained some of its own, sacrificing thrilling action in favor of noninteractive spectacle.

While there's nothing unique about SkyDrift, it successfully delivers fun and frantic arcade racing that's best enjoyed online.

The frequent and diverse boss encounters distract from the otherwise rote, unimaginative, and oft-repeated mission objectives.

The console version of the PC megahit lacks fluidity, though it's still fun in its own right.

Fly the much friendlier skies with Microsoft Flight, which is more structured than its simulation-heavy predecessors.

There aren't many changes to be found in A World of Keflings, another easygoing city-builder game from developer NinjaBee.

Simple combat, forgettable boss fights, and a reticent narrative--not to mention an overly vague map--are the only dampeners on what is an impressive sequel, despite never quite feeling like one. The unsuspected changes and additions are bold and mostly pay off, with consistently engaging and rewarding exploration that's propelled forward by an ambitious central mechanic. Axiom Verge 2 is a game that constantly evolves and delights, but just lacks the same bite as some of its contemporaries.

Overall, Genshin Impact is a solid game hampered a bit by the restrictions its free-to-play model imposes. The overall production values are high, and the core gameplay is solid. In particular, the elemental interaction system is a ton of fun and gives the game a distinct personality. But while there's a lot to do, having several chunks of Genshin Impact gated off until you've reached a higher rank is an obnoxious restriction for an open-world game to have--and once you finally do see what lies in those unexplored areas, it's often a bit underwhelming. Still, it's a solid start, and I'll certainly be interested in seeing how Genshin Impact continues to evolve in future updates.

Scott Pilgrim EX is Millennial comfort food. It's reminiscent of both actual classic games from the 1980s and the 2010 homage, it's bursting with small nods to our favorite games and movies and shows, and it just feels great to play. It's not especially daring, but it goes down smooth, and sometimes that's enough.

S.L.A.I.'s fast-paced combat and accessible controls, combined with a lengthy story mode, make it one of the more enjoyable robot-combat games in recent memory.

Crazy power-ups, and a variety of exciting tracks make TNT Racers a shallow good time.

I am rooting for Dying Light's success, even as I shake my head at its avoidable foibles. I understand it, I get it, and so I find pleasure in it even as it disappoints me, even when I land between a fence and a rocky cliff and get stuck there, even when I don't grab a ledge or pole after a jump for reasons that I can't quite understand.

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.

Simple combat, forgettable boss fights, and a reticent narrative--not to mention an overly vague map--are the only dampeners on what is an impressive sequel, despite never quite feeling like one. The unsuspected changes and additions are bold and mostly pay off, with consistently engaging and rewarding exploration that's propelled forward by an ambitious central mechanic. Axiom Verge 2 is a game that constantly evolves and delights, but just lacks the same bite as some of its contemporaries.

It isn't consistently exhilarating throughout the entire campaign, but My Friend Pedro is worth playing because it’s full of moments where you can jump down a shaft and shoot in two directions in slow motion, or kill an enemy by kicking the skateboard you’re riding into their face.

Its puzzling, challenging, and deeply weird characteristics make for a unique and engaging experience that brings new life to the staidest of sports.

Overall, Genshin Impact is a solid game hampered a bit by the restrictions its free-to-play model imposes. The overall production values are high, and the core gameplay is solid. In particular, the elemental interaction system is a ton of fun and gives the game a distinct personality. But while there's a lot to do, having several chunks of Genshin Impact gated off until you've reached a higher rank is an obnoxious restriction for an open-world game to have--and once you finally do see what lies in those unexplored areas, it's often a bit underwhelming. Still, it's a solid start, and I'll certainly be interested in seeing how Genshin Impact continues to evolve in future updates.

Deck Nine has effectively made a story with a predictable conclusion feel engaging, and even hopeful against all odds. Right now, it feels like a blessing that they've let Chloe and Rachel Amber have their simple moment in time; right now, nothing can go wrong, the world is full of possibilities. The storm can wait.

The solid single-player campaign is over in the blink of an eye, but a strong online component makes Medal of Honor Heroes 2 worth a look for anyone who enjoyed the previous 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.

The console version of the PC megahit lacks fluidity, though it's still fun in its own right.

Citadel caps off the Mass Effect trilogy with an outrageous storyline that plays exclusively to the series' diehard fandom.

Due in part to its brevity, Lost Orbit isn't the most memorable of adventures. You barrel through its levels quickly, and unless you want to try for faster time trial scores, there's not a lot to come back for. Still, the rush of speed and the simple charms of the animation and narration make this game a blast while it lasts.

There are moments when it's more frustrating than fun--being lost, after all, is rarely a pleasant experience--but even then it's hard not to appreciate how far the developers have taken such a simple idea. If these monsters want heart, this game is full of it.

Gears 5 is very much a return of those best elements of Gears of War, but with a focus on making the game feel somewhat more adaptive to your particular ways of playing. Whether you want campaign or co-op, Competitive or Quickplay, there's an option for you in Gears 5, and plenty of stuff to reward you for time spent and skill gained. Gears 5 might suffer from some of the same storytelling missteps as its predecessors, and it might not venture far out of the past, but the new ideas it brings to the series are all good reasons for fans to return.

Zombi manages to set itself apart, with its deliberate pacing, desolate atmosphere, and focus on survival. It might not be a Crown Jewel, but this undead romp through London is an interesting change of pace.