To be sure, even with its bugs and glitches, there’s still a decent game to be found in The Lamplighters League. It doesn’t quite hit the highs it could, however, so if you’re enticed by the promises of XCOM-meets-Indiana Jones, be aware that performance issues mean it’ll never quite be as good as it could be.

Of course, I’m sure I’ll regret complimenting Golfinite a few months from now, when there are half a dozen different versions of the game clogging up the New Releases section. But for now, before we get the rush of “Ultra Deluxe Summertime Fun Editions” that are surely in its future, I’ll say that golf fans could do a lot worse than checking Golfinite out.

Crown Wars: The Black Prince is a competent tactical RPG that fits squarely within the confines of its chosen genre, so if you want more X-COM-likes in your life, and don’t mind feeling like you’d get the same experience playing any number of other, similar games, you could do worse than checking it out.

It’s definitely an improvement over its predecessor, but some annoying design decisions mean that it’s still not as good as it could be.

It’s a gorgeous game set in a well-imagined world, and even if its gameplay isn’t as absorbing as its environments, it’s still a solid puzzle-platformer.

Overall, the Until Dawn remake is a stunning game, however it does have its flaws which will hopefully be corrected with future updates. Gamers playing it for the first time will enjoy the storytelling and structure of the game, and those returning will appreciate many of the upgrades and added scenes. I can’t say if it was a necessary remake as the original game is only nine years old and still holds up, and at this point I recommend holding off on purchasing it until the price gets an adjustment and the current glitches are corrected.

There’s a little too much grinding to go through for not a lot of reward, and while some people may love the challenge, it makes for a less addictive experience.

Everything in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 comes back to how much you like Smash Bros., and how much you want to play a game that’s similar to it but ever-so-slightly different. If your answers to both of those questions is “a lot”, then you’re definitely going to want to check this one out.

There is a ton to do in Starfield, from building outposts, to designing your own ship, to crafting and cooking. Overall, I think Starfield is just okay, and while it does have some shiny spots, it still has a lot of rust on it too. I like the game’s story, and it grabbed my attention and held on tightly enough where I just wanted to do the main quest, as everything else was just noise to me. I was not a fan of the non-space combat but both flying, and ship-to-ship combat was quite fun. Overall Starfield just didn’t hold my interest like past Bethesda games did.

Ultimately, though, Rainbow Gate succeeds or fails on its moment to moment play, and that’s where it lands as a unique entry in the genre. If you’re looking for a stable, smooth running PC mascot horror game with a strong opening and a handful of enjoyable puzzles and chases, Rainbow Gate is worth a look at the right price. Just know it doesn’t evolve much past its first impression. This is a good placeholder until Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5.

Even as someone who likes cats and puzzles – in other words, the target audience – I wouldn’t say I’d recommend Quilts and Cats of Calico unless you’re already a fan of the board game. No matter how cute and cuddly it may present itself as, the reality is much more demanding.

Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club is relaxed and undemanding, kind of what you’d think cozy games would be like if the term hadn’t come to be used for a genre that’s aggressively twee and “quirky.” If you have kids and want to steer them in this direction, you could definitely do a lot worse.

As for the meat and potatoes of the game – that is, its combat and its traversal – there’s really not much to say about it. In those respects, INAYAH is pretty much exactly what you’d expect. You get your choice of weapon early on, and you can upgrade them throughout the game with a pretty thorough skill tree, but really, there’s nothing in INAYAH, gameplay-wise, that we haven’t seen before. Which means that we’re left to judge INAYAH on things other than its gameplay. And even if there’s some good there (specifically, the artwork), that’s balanced out by design decisions that make the game a lot more annoying than it should be.

Dread Delusion has a very clear idea of what kind of game it wants to be, and who it appeals to – and if you’re in that target market, then this is a must-play game for you.

The Land of the Magnates borrows from so many games that you can’t accuse it of being a clone of anything. On the one hand, it makes it feel like innumerable other 2.5D platformers. But on the other, it means that you can’t go the lazy route and say it’s imitating Prince of Persia. That’s hardly a ringing endorsement, but you could probably do a lot worse.

I’m still marking Concord fairly high, as it’s a fun shooter with solid online play that I’ve really enjoyed playing, and look forward to continuing with throughout the year. I hope that the ship can be righted so the game has a chance to really come to life, and I’d like to see what the devs have planned for future modes, characters and so on, but at the same time it’s hard to suggest anyone drop $40 on a game that feels like it may be destined for heavy discounts, or even go free-to-play, in the near future. If you’re absolutely itching for a new hero shooter to check out, I definitely think you can have some fun with Concord, but if you’re still on the fence, you might be better off waiting just a bit longer to see how or if Concord can overcome its rocky launch.

All in all, I’d definitely recommend giving Yars Rising a go, especially if you enjoy Metroidvania style games in general. It won’t be the best one you’ve played in the genre, but it’s a good time throughout despite some annoying sequences that slow down the action. It also has a great soundtrack featuring a number of notable synthwave and game music artists like Megan McDuffee, FLOOR BABA, Chiyoko Yamasato and many more. I definitely enjoyed my time with it, and I think you will too.

MLB The Show 25 on the Switch certainly won’t win any awards for looks, but if you’re hoping that the game gets a decent send-off on the hybrid platform – or even if you just want it to run better than last year – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing is still a decent racer overall. Much like the studio that inspired it, it’s not going to make you forget the genre’s king, but there’s fun to be found here if you give it a chance.

I do think it’s worth at least downloading the game and testing it out, as I definitely have had fun with it despite its shortcomings. That said, I also don’t see myself sticking with it in its current state, but hopefully as new additions and patches roll out I’ll have reason to return to FBC: Firebreak.

Beautiful visuals and an inventive story can only take you so far; at some point the gameplay needs to be there too, and as you’ll see time and again, that’s not the case here.

I wish I could say that everyone wins in the end when playing Jackbox Party Pack 11…but they really don’t. It’s certainly a step up from last year’s Naughty Pack, but the games on offer here are too inconsistent to be worth your while. As always, a good group of friends can always probably make anything fun, but it’ll take a lot more effort here than you’d like.

There’s a lot of this stuff that will just never make it to platforms like Virtual Console, so I’m happy to see someone out there doing the work to try and put these releases together despite the quality of original games. It also helps that nothing appears to have been mucked up along the way, each of these titles plays exactly as I remember, which is definitely the key when going back and doing these retro collections. So if you’re like me, and have any fond memories of these games growing up as a kid in the 90’s, then I’d say Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection is certainly worth a look.

Depending on expectations, Dragon Age: The Veilguard can provide an enjoyable action RPG experience. If you’re seeking a worthy successor to Dragon Age: Origins or even Inquisition in companions or plot, it doubtless falls short, feeling more comfortably bland than outright terrible. The combat may be worth the price of admission if you’re keen on real-time action without too much thought for your companions beyond choosing which targets to detonate. Similarly, the visuals can be gorgeous, backed by incredible music, even as the facial animations, odd image quality, and voice acting can feel uneven. It’s nowhere near BioWare’s best, especially in the storytelling department, but after all its past failures and uncertainty, there are certainly far worse alternatives than “good enough.”

To be fair, I didn’t hate my time with Kaya’s Prophecy. It doesn’t do anything original, but it also copies other, better games so well that it can’t help but get some reflected glow. But because it doesn’t add anything to either of those well-established formulas, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend it over its influences. Maybe check it out if you’re a fan of Slay the Spire or Stacklands, but don’t expect it to be more than the sum of its influences.

I can’t say that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a bad game. It’s a solid attempt at recreating that Suikoden experience, and I can appreciate that someone out there is still trying to keep its spirit alive in some manner. I think, and hope, that a sequel will ideally work out some of these issues and make for a better showing, but if you absolutely want to capture the feel of playing through a Suikoden title again, then Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will likely be right up your alley.

Overall, I think there is fun to be had with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, but the lack of meaningful exploration and the meandering desert stretches from one zone to the next really drag down what should have been an amazing return to form for the series. How much of this came from the prior development issues the game faced I’m not sure, but something about Prime 4 feels really disjointed and not nearly as polished as the original trilogy. I hope Nintendo does give the Prime series another chance, maybe this time without all the starts and stops that Prime 4’s development had, which will ideally give us the next-gen Metroid Prime game I was hoping this one would be.

Personally, I can only recommend Montezuma’s Revenge – The 40th Anniversary Edition if you are familiar with the original game and already know what you are getting into or are looking for a challenge that, many people have tried and failed to beat. It’s definitely not for everyone, so if there is interest, proceed with caution.

I don’t know that Jaleco Sports: Bases Loaded is necessary for anyone other than video game historians and baseball diehards, but I’m still glad it exists.

While I largely tend towards the latter point of view, it’s nonetheless neat to see KreatureKind attempt to try something new, even if it doesn’t succeed. Add in a very chill-sounding soundtrack and visuals that are pleasant to look at, and you can see what KreatureKind’s developers were trying to do, even if they don’t quite succeed in the end.

As I said up top, the whole game is something you’re either going to love or hate. Pacific Drive isn’t going to leave many (or any) people saying, “Enh, it was okay.” You might think it’s a brilliant take on the survival genre, or you might think it’s endless amounts of busy work without enough of a payoff, but either way, it’s guaranteed to get a reaction out of you.

Death on the Nile isn’t a must-play adventure, but it’s at least generally tolerable – which is more than can be said about it as an Agatha Christie adaptation. On that front, it fails, so if that’s why you’re interested in it, prepare for disappointment. Still, if you’re fond of point-and-click mysteries, there’s probably enough here to be interesting.

If you’re after a solid stealth game it delivers, provided you can live with feeling like the game could’ve been a little bit more.

It’s an intriguing idea for a game, but it’s not nearly deep enough to sustain itself.

Madden 25 gameplay is very much in line with Madden 24 and is more so just a refinement than any brand new gameplay mechanics or engine implementations, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I found the gameplay smooth, seamless, and all around a good experience. Now is College Football 25 a better experience? In my opinion it is and that is coming from a diehard NFL fan who watches little to no college football. But if you want the NFL players and teams, Madden is really your only option for better or worse.

Overall, it’s safe to say that Pokémon Legends Z-A is a good game, albeit with some shortcomings. It’s fun, it’s enjoyable, and brings the return of the best battle mechanic in the series’ history. Both versions of the game (Switch 1 and Switch 2) run well on their respective platforms, with the Switch 2 getting a 60fps version of the game. Legends Z-A does also have its DLC expansion planned for release later on, bringing new story content and Mega Evolutions. It’ll also (presumably) bring in more Pokémon that aren’t already in the game, so there should be some fun surprises for all of us when we get to see the new Mega forms. Pokémon Legends Z-A marks an enjoyable breath of fresh air, but it could still do with some growth to catch up with the times.

This is a destructible, semi-open world where you can run (er, roll) around smashing things to your heart’s content. That may not be enough to fully redeem Bang-On Balls: Chronicles, but it’s at least enough to make it fun in doses – even if it’s not as fun as I would’ve hoped.

There’s a great game somewhere inside Penny’s Big Breakaway, and it’s entirely possible we’ll see it one day, but right now, it’s just not there yet.

Unfortunately for Dog Witch, the gameplay does very little to differentiate itself or to set the game apart. The game claims to have 150+ items that can be mixed and matched in different ways, but all in all, it mostly feels like you’re playing the same actions over and over again. While it certainly takes a little longer to master than your average Slay the Spire clone – in part, I think, because every run feels so short – the gameplay feels a little lacking in the sort of inspiration that will keep you coming back again and again.

Overall, Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection is a fine, well put together collection that sadly features not so fantastic games. If your curious about how bad Bubsy game are, or if you like being frustrated with terrible control and gameplay, then you will find something to like, or absolutely hate here. If you are not a fan of Bubsy, then you won’t be interested in anything in this collection. I’m giving this props for being a well presented collection but the subject matter is just not very good. I mean, it’s Bubsy, thats basically all you need to know.

Overall I enjoyed my time with Alien: Rogue Incursion – Part One: Evolved Edition. It’s not a particularly long experience, something you’d definitely be able to knock out over the course of a weekend, and offers some fun firefights and creepy locales to check out. The shift away from VR doesn’t appear to hurt the game in the least bit, and while I’d imagine it’s certainly more immersive in VR, it’s a completely passable experience without it.

You might look at Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon and see the top-down view and pixel graphics and think that the franchise has taken a turn for the very retro, looking to the very earliest Zelda games for inspiration. And while that’s sort of correct – it’s definitely got more of a retro flavour than either of the previous Oceanhorn games – at the same time, it’s also totally wrong. Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon looks like any number of dungeon crawlers from decades ago – and that’s its biggest problem.

The Suikoden series has its good games and bad, but Suikoden 1 and 2 are my two favorites in the series. For those looking to scratch the itch of a classic JRPG, these games will do it. I hope that other companies take notes, as they kept the core game play and didn’t make any major changes to the battle system — I’m looking at you Final Fantasy VII Remake. The Suikoden 1 and 2 HD Remaster isn’t perfect though, and Konami should have made a few more quality of life improvements, specifically to the inventory system. The story to both games is there in all of its glory, the second game’s story especially. Overall, Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is a solid update to some classically good JRPGs!

Overall, I think Metro Awakening VR is a worthy VR experience and a good Metro game, but it is not particularly groundbreaking on either front. I am thrilled to see more mainstream AAA titles getting VR releases that are more than just tacked-on afterthoughts. The quality that Metro Awakening manages to display is more than enough to justify other developers looking into making similar games and perhaps even a low-risk way to revive some other dormant franchises in VR (Resistance, please, I’m begging you). I hope to see more of this type of VR title in the future and am happy to see the medium continue to move forward.

Just Dance 2025 Edition continues to be a franchise built on fun. If you’re a lifelong fan of the series you won’t be getting very much added to your experience other than the new songs. New players will experience the lore (yes, the game’s dancing avatars have lore!) Most importantly Just Dance 2025 Edition will make you move. No matter who you are, this game has something for you, and if you can deal with the price for the full experience (Just Dance 2025 Edition, Just Dance Plus and add-ons) then you’re really in for a non-stop dance party this holiday season.

The more you play, the more it feels like Raccoo Venture misses the mark just enough to make it feel like a bit of a letdown. It’s a solid game, but with a few tweaks it could’ve been a lot more.

It’s hard to recommend Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 without acknowledging that big DLC-shaped elephant in the corner. It’s not as bad as, say, the NBA 2K series or any others like it that are effectively pay-to-win, but it’s enough that it could put a damper on your enjoyment of an otherwise fun game. That said, if you can ignore the DLC push and just want a flashy racer, this will deliver on that.

Even a forgettable version of MLB The Show still delivers a best-in-class baseball experience. It makes it hard to recommend if you picked up the last few years’ editions, but if you’ve taken a year or two off, it might be time to jump back in.

The charm of Visions of Mana manages to shine through. It’s not the most visually impressive game on any platform, but the colorful art style feels Mana appropriate, the soundtrack is solid if not quite as memorable as prior series entries, and the explorable world is larger than you’d expect, with lots of little chests and other items to find scattered about. I definitely did not hate my time with Visions of Mana, but it’s also not a game that feels like it’ll garner much mass appeal either. If you’re like me, and have fond memories of Mana games prior, then it’s worth checking out. For everyone else, there are plenty of RPG’s on the market that are more worth your time.

Obviously, it ultimately comes down to how much you want a game that gives you insane levels of power but that also puts checks on it. You’re the creative type who appreciates that balance, there’s plenty to like in Teardown. If you just want to go smashy-smashy, you can do that here, too, but the end result may be more frustrating than you’re expecting.

There are too many moments of frustration in Dungeons of Dreadrock 2 that prevent the game from rising to the level of its predecessor. I still look forward to playing the promised third game in the trilogy, but after this one, it’s no longer the must-play that it once was for me.

Despite subpar performance, a strange lack of identity, and the PR disaster Borderlands 4 has been garnering online, it really is a fun game with an engaging story full of fun and interesting characters. The negatives around the game really do weigh on it, of course, but when you can really sink your teeth into the meat and potatoes, Borderlands 4 is genuinely one of the most fun, if not the most fun, entry in the series so far. The guns feel amazing, the game hasn’t compromised its art style (just the world feel), the Vault Hunters feel fantastic, and the writing is great, but I’ll be damned if those issues don’t weigh down on it. It’s definitely a great game, but with everything else surrounding it, it’s a tough sell for a lot of people to be sure. If you’re just looking for a good looter shooter to play though, Borderlands 4 is a great one, assuming it runs as intended.

All in all, this is a great remaster of a game from many of our childhoods. It is fun for the most part, has relatively okay replayability, and offers reasons for you to explore each area. However, due to the technical issues I ran into, it does hamper the experience. I think it’s a little hard to justify $30 for, so if you can find it on a sale, definitely do so. I think it’s a fantastic $20 game, even with the issues, because I’m sure Nightdive will fix it up. If you’re looking for a fun romp through a classic, Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion has you covered, just be mindful of some of its hiccups and N64isms here two weeks into the launch period.

I did enjoy it, to some extent – it’s still a game where you get to spell out words, which isn’t something I’ll ever get bored of doing. But there are much better examples of roguelike deckbuilder word games that do something new and interesting and unique, and I’d much rather play those games than this one.

Weirdly, it’s not hard to imagine a world where Morgan: Metal Detective didn’t devolve into an endless trip of scanning and digging – it just would’ve taken a few less random items to come across, and you would’ve had a cute, relaxing game with fun characters and pleasant visuals. As it stands, though, anyone who picks it up hoping for a cozy respite will probably come to regret it.

This was my first time really sitting down and playing Aero the Acro-Bat. I never really had interest in the game when it was originally released, and after my playthrough now, I remain unimpressed. While not broken, the control is a bit too erratic, the overall gameplay can become stale and annoying and while it does throw some challenge your way from time to time, it’s a rather short game that leaves you feeling unfulfilled. Since this is a bare bones port with nothing of note added, I have a hard time recommending downloading this one. This game does has it’s fans, but it’s not going to grab too many new fans. If your curious, try it out, but don’t expect to be presented with a hidden gem from the past.

It’s solitaire. It works fine. You get that little thrill at the end of the games when all your cards line up and fit nearly into their little rows. It’s not going to change your life, but as timewasters go, it’s perfectly fine.

It makes for an interesting experience that probably won’t appeal to everyone – but it’s such an intriguing mixture that it feels like it deserves to be recognized, and it’s very easy to imagine someone absolutely loving Chasing the Unseen.

I really want to like Castlevania, but I can’t. Konami made a truly complete quest by throwing in a very long section leading up to the Castle, but ultimately it becomes boring. Once you actually get into some of the architecture, the bad camera angles and less than perfect collision detection makes the game an exercise in frustration most of the time.

I may not love it, but I appreciate that it does what it aims to do pretty well. If you're in the mood for a fast-paced, pick up & play dungeon-crawler, I'd be hard-pressed to name a game that does it better than this one.

It is fun, educational and entertaining. Yes, there are some flaws, but they are not serious enough to fail this game.

To be sure, Team Sonic Racing isn’t really a bad game. It works, and even if it’s a little lacking in personality, it has polish. But there’s a vast gulf between solid (which is what this is) and good (which is how I’d describe previous Sonic racing games), and it’s very clear that this game is stuck firmly on the “solid” side.

And really, when you get right down to it, the core of Farming Simulator remains intact. Farming Simulator still allows you to get in a nice, zen groove — you just need to look a little harder for it this time.

Rather, everything does, and for that, Bloober deserves congratulations — more in the form of a subtle nod than a hearty pat on the back, mind you, but still: this is infinitely better than Basement Crawl ever was, and even if it's still not a must-own for your PS4, you won't find yourself wishing that Brawl had never even been created.

It's not a great game, and it has some issues, but it gets enough right about the genre that fans shouldn't pass it over.

Once you have a few upgrades earned, the game becomes fun in quite a hurry.

Your enjoyment of Call of Cthulhu will depend entirely on what you’re expecting. If you want to be scared, look elsewhere, because this game will just come off as boring. If, however, you want a decent mystery, and don’t mind sitting through a few dumb attempts at stealth and scares, then this might just be up your alley.

In the end, Rogue Trooper is a technically solid game. It's intuitive, looks and plays great…but it's really not all that compelling.

It's entertaining enough, even for those who aren't major followers of the show, but despite all it has going for it, the short length and repetitive gameplay keep Fullmetal Alchemist 2 from being anything more noteworthy than a weekend rental.

What is the most disappointing in 20-04 is the lack of real additions. Sure a fun HR derby was added, as well as a custom replay option, but what else? Oh yeah, a create-a-team! If that's what you want to call it.

There is enough to please everyone, but don't expect to be wowed by anything new or revolutionary, yet it still doesn't take away from the fact this is a solid racing game.

The biggest omission from Mario Party 8, and the one that kept it from achieving an even higher score, is online play.

It’s a fun title that boils down to good old-fashioned board game fun that just happens to be on a DVD.

It has all the charm and addictive qualities of its Sega-based brethren, with better graphics and more features, to boot.

Even if the deeper meaning of Wanderlust’s politics are somewhere between pablum and deeply problematic, there’s no denying that the game fulfills its goal of making you stop and read and think about what you want to do next. It’s a visual novel that takes the “novel” part very seriously, and even if it accompanies its copious text with some gorgeous visuals, if you’re going to play/experience it, you’ll better have your reading glasses handy.

Either shooter fans will hate the overworld exploration levels that the RPG segments offer, or the RPG fans will hate the difficult shooting elements, but it wouldn't hurt either gamer to step out of their element for once and try something new.

Admittedly, AER might have been a little more enjoyable if she’d had some clear purpose for flying around her world, or if the sights surrounding her were a little more breathtaking. I mean, they’re certainly not ugly, and there are points where you might even say that AER is stylish. But there’s nothing breathtaking, and if you go in hoping for that, you’ll be letdown. But if you go in looking for a game that won’t push you too hard, that’s perfect for when you just want to shut your brain off and float, then it’s hard to think of anything better. AER’s successes are somewhat modest, but that’s really all that they need to be to make it a game worth considering.

Overall this isn't the best Ace Combat experience, but it's a passable bit of portable fun.

For better and for worse (and I honestly don’t know where I fall on it, apart from being creeped out by the art), Infini is a…unique puzzle game. If you like weird, you’ll like it.

Is it a deep, engaging experience? No, of course not. But on the flip side, Damascus Gear: Operation Tokyo features giant robot battles. What more do you need?

It's easily the best AI experience you'll find in a console poker title, so if you're dying to pick one up, definitely go with this one.

One of the most fantastic things about the multiplayer mode is the complete absence of any slowdown, even when things are getting insanely wild with all four players and the military mixing it up on the screen.

It is a bit on the short side, but the upside is a fantastic plot that has numerous side stories to it that cannot all be experienced in a single play.

If you want to play an RPG that doesn’t pretend to be a dramatic tale or one that won’t require a lot of your time, Okage is a good choice.

The levels really only feature different colour palettes, and the environments don’t change all that much. They get a little trickier the further in you get, but there’s no way any of these are going to stump you, even if you’re not particularly good at solving puzzles. Does that make Super Box Land Demake a bad game? Not really. But it does make this a game you shouldn’t feel bad about skipping entirely — unless, of course, you absolutely must have an easy Platinum, in which case I suppose you could do much worse.

Some of the gameplay feels a bit archaic, and there's some unneeded filler here and there, but those looking for a quality portable platforming action title should be satisfied with Jak & Daxter's latest adventure.

The story has to be taken with a healthy helping of salt; it's unintentionally tongue and cheek. You could skip the cinematics and be no worse off - something I've never recommended before.

In strict gameplay terms, save for the multiple character options, Street Fighter EX 3 doesn't represent anything we haven't seen before.

Even with the development delay and push into 2015, The Order: 1886 isn't exactly the action-packed, cinematic masterpiece we were hoping for. On the bright side, it's a mostly enjoyable ride while it lasts and is most certainly one of the best looking console games released thus far, so it’s worth a playthrough during the winter game release lull.

Aladdin isn't breaking any new video game ground, but it's a fun, colorful experience, even though it's several years old.

There’s a world of difference between pretty cute and worth playing. Fe does a tremendous job of the former, but as far as the latter goes, it leaves quite a bit to be desired.

I managed to have quite a it of fun with Ms. Splosion Man, despite her pushing me away and at times downright annoying me.

That doesn't mean the online play is perfect. In fact, many people have reported matchmaking issues and assorted glitches. Matchmaking shouldn't be a problem when playing with friends via invites (on either PSN or XBL), but when playing random players it's a mixed bag.

Start The Party! is a bright, colorful and well animated game. The visual style is a little on the wacky side, and there's plenty of comical voiceovers and sound effects all throughout.

While Zen Studios' ambition may be misplaced in what CastleStorm is, it's a welcome quality in delivering this "complete" version of their original game.

Given how nice it looks, I suspect that if you were to strip out most of Moons of Madness’ gameplay — such as it is — you would’ve been left with a very solid (if somewhat short) horror walking simulator. Instead, all you have here a somewhat scary horror game that manages to drown itself in a whole lot of pointless busywork.

A mixed bag—platforming and presentation are exceptional, making for one of the better games I’ve played on the DS. On the other hand, the combat and length detract so much from the overall package.

All in all, I think Urban Trial Freestyle is worth a look. It won’t top something like Trials HD, but if you keep your expectations in check you’ll have some fun with it.