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.

Overall, I think Promenade is a platforming adventure that’s definitely worth your time. It has a decent challenge curve, enough so that it might not be for everyone, but the difficulty never feels particularly unfair, and failing a tough segment generally only sets you back a handful of seconds. It’s also an absolutely beautiful looking game, well animated, and the various worlds and areas you uncover are often cleverly designed, especially compared to other likeminded platformers out there. I loved Promenade, and I think you will too, so check it out when you get a chance.

Ultimately, it’s hard to know who Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 4 is for and why it exists. If there are still Ty the Tasmanian fans pining away for the series’ PS2 glory days, they’re not likely to care much for this 2D take on a 3D series. And for everyone else, it’s hard to see why you’d want to play this instead of the many, many other 2D platformers out there that look nicer and have much more interesting gameplay.

Overall, I wouldn’t say Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a challenging game. It’s a nice puzzle and platformer that urges you to want to collect all the collectables in each stage for that gold star marking your completion. I would say it’s a good introduction to some puzzle games for younger audiences, or if you just want something to relax with and play, Nintendo has you covered with this release. It’s not the deepest game you’ll play, and it’s not super complex, but I find that it is a very nice game to sit down and just bang out a few levels. If you’re looking for something nice and simple, but yet something you can still have an enjoyable time with, definitely look in the direction of this new Mario vs. Donkey Kong game.

Touch The Artwork 2 is a short game, so it’s not like the developer is giving away hours upon hours of content, but while it lasts – an hour or two, depending on how leisurely you stroll through the artwork – it’s thoroughly memorable.

I’ve absolutely loved playing through Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and I’m happy to say that Square Enix once again delivered with this release. It’s a fantastic follow-up to Remake that expands the world of Final Fantasy VII even more, and it’s a sequel that shouldn’t be missed. Whether you’re a hardcore Final Fantasy VII fan, or someone that came on board via the Remake, you won’t be disappointed.

If you’re after a fun Souls-like and missed it last time around – especially on PC! – Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition gives you a chance to rectify that.

For a niche audience, Skull & Bones may be a GOTY contender. But for everyone else, it’s hard to imagine the appeal. Skull & Bones is a grind-heavy game with not a lot of payoff, unless your idea of payoff is being asked to grind some more. You’d think that a game that spent 11 years in development would have more than just one idea repeated ad nauseam, but the evidence here suggests that’s really all there is.

All in all, Helldivers 2 is a fantastic co-op game with lots of content (and arguably the best structure to live service I’ve seen in a long time) wrapped up in a nice $40 package. The price point is right (even if you take into consideration the additional $20 “upgrade”), the content is plentiful and it feels like a game that respects your time. I genuinely have a hard time saying anything negative about the game, especially now that the servers are stabilized and the developers are active on Twitter (X, if you care about that detail) updating the community about game updates and stability hiccups. It is a bit on the difficult side if you’re not playing with at least a friend, but I highly recommend a full group of 4 for the best experience. There are a good few types of missions, and some of them are very challenging as a solo player. If you don’t mind a good challenge, however, or have friends you can party up with, Helldivers 2 is a fantastic time and I sincerely believe you will enjoy yourself.

However frustrating Tomb Raider I-III Remastered may be to modern eyes, there’s no denying that these games perfectly capture the spirit of the originals. Whether any of that is enough to appeal to modern audiences remains to be seen, but if you want a game that caters to your PS1 nostalgia, this is definitely it.

Banishers is definitely better than Don’t Nod’s previous action efforts, and if they decide to revisit this world again, they’ll be starting from a very solid base.

Tekken 8 continues the fine balance of pulling up newcomers while catering to seasoned players. Despite a vocal minority already raising a stink about the game’s post launch plans, Tekken 8 is a fully featured game worthy of your money. Players will not need to worry about a Tekken 8+ or a Tekken 9 coming in the near future. Harada and team have built a fine foundation and Tekken 8 will be facilitating a lot of “Good Ass Tekken” for years to come. Now if you need me I’ll be in the lab, cause newbie crushing can only be so fun for so long…maybe it’s time for me to elevate my game (well until I get the platinum trophy and move on…but at least it’ll be a fun time.)!

It’s too bad that the platforming can’t also be described as near-perfect, since that would’ve made The Cub a must-play. As it stands, it’s a surprisingly appropriate sequel to a game that wouldn’t have seemed like it needed one, and if you want more of that apocalyptic Earth, you won’t regret revisiting it here.

Cavern of Dreams is very much a game for a specific kind of person. As noted above, someone who loves ‘90s 3D platformers, doesn’t mind a few quirks here and there, and has a high tolerance for gaudy colours. If that’s you, you’ll want to check this out.

It’s not about to make you forget Rocksteady’s other games, but it’s not trying to, either. It’s a game that’s all about the simple joys of soaring through the air, blowing away aliens, and making funny quips afterwards – and there are far worse things for a game to be.

All in all, UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is a fantastic game. It plays well, it looks great, and it sounds fantastic. I would advise being careful with buying it on PC for now, but console experiences have all sounded smooth. If you’re a fan of 2D anime fighters, I cannot recommend this one enough. I’ve no doubts you will have a blast listening to killer music while watching your character do stylish moves on whoever you’re up against.

At $50 this is a solid collection of three really good portable games, rezzed up to modern HD screens and dimensions, with slight tweaks to account for former touchscreen controls and menus, making all three games feel right at home on the Nintendo Switch. Whether you’ve played the original releases or you’re jumping in for the first time, you really can’t go wrong with checking this collection out. It’s great to have the entire main series collected on the Switch, and hopefully this will help open the door for more Ace Attorney games in the near future.

I can’t imagine playing Witch Rise long enough to get bored by any of it. It’s a Ratalaika-published game, which means you’ll unlock all its trophies long, long before you’ve explored every nook and cranny of the dungeon and defeated the eponymous witch. If trophies are all you’re after, that may be enough, but otherwise, it’s hard to feel too enthused about any of this.

Does Blood Money come close to the series’ later standards in the World Of Assassination trilogy? Definitely not. But as a standalone murder simulator, it’s definitely got its charms.

To anyone wondering if you should pick up Persona 3 Reload, it is absolutely my most anticipated game of this year, and it’s releasing at the start of February. Granted, again, I do love the original, but still. Reload is a phenomenal game, one of the best JRPGs I’ve ever played, and an absolute joy. Every minute I put into it I was having a blast. It is a culmination of everything ATLUS has learned over their decades of game development, and yet another excellent addition to their list of incredible games. ATLUS proves once again why they’re such a titan in the industry, and I sincerely hope as many people pick this up as possible. You will not be disappointed!

Despite these misgivings, Infinite Wealth is a fully packaged title that fans of the franchise will be talking about for years to come. Players will certainly be able to enjoy Hawaii as well as spend time in familiar spots in Japan. While I thought there wasn’t much that could be done in a post-dissolution world, the team crafted something that was riveting, built upon existing characters as well as introducing some fantastic new ones. I certainly will wait with baited breath to see what’s to come from the studio as well as what’s next from Ichi and the gang. While I’ve closed this chapter of the story, it’s not goodbye…it’s Aloha and certainly Bon Voyage!

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.

It’s a very fun old-school platformer that manages to stand out even in a very crowded genre, and it’s definitely worth picking up.

It may not reach the highs of the previous Turnip Boy game, but it’s still fun in its own right, and it makes me eager to see what shenanigans Turnip Boy gets up to next (and what genres he’ll get up to them in).

It’s a dull, plodding slog that does a grave disservice to its source material, and you’d be wise to search out that source material instead of wasting a dollar or a moment on this game.

Naughty Dog did a knock-out job the first time and simply wanted to perfect it, so I would say they were successful.

In other words, Lifeless Moon spends way too much time telling, and not nearly enough time showing. And on one level, I get it: a small indie studio isn’t going to have the budget to show how a civilization on the moon fell apart. But at the same time, when you’re this good at creating an atmosphere, it can’t help but feel a little disappointing when the rest of the game doesn’t quite measure up.

The big drawback to The Lost Crown is that if you’re not already a fan of Metroidvanias, it’s hard to imagine anything here will suddenly make you a believer in the genre. It’s a well-made Metroidvania, to be sure, but there’s nothing here that breaks new ground. But if you grew up with Prince of Persia, that’s kind of beside the point. The Lost Crown shows that there’s still life in the franchise. Now, hopefully, we don’t have to go another thirteen years until the next entry.

While I appreciate the idea of The Broken Mask, the flaws in the game unfortunately overpower the enjoyability.

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.

Like any good puzzler, Train Traffic Manager is easily approachable, and it knows how to sink its hooks into you quickly.

If you go into Loddlenaut expecting anything in the way of stakes or drama or a challenge, you’ll probably be underwhelmed. But if you just want a relaxing, chill game that you can escape into for a couple of hours, it’s hard to think of a nicer, more pleasant way to pass the time.

There have been some great improvements that will elevate the game and I’m confident that when more voice their thoughts the devs will listen and make it better. Give Cookie Cutter a try! You won’t regret it.

My Little Universe is undoubtedly fine as a mindless mobile time-waster, but if you want anything beyond that, you should think about looking elsewhere.

Much like Dragon Quest Treasures last year, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a fun entry point into a long-running series that doesn’t ask too much of players in terms of prior knowledge (though that surely helps). If you’re after a solid monster-training game with colourful cast of characters, it delivers solidly on that front.

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.

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.

While it certainly deserves praise for its ambition, and it can’t be faulted for not delivering a Rockstar experience on a fraction of the budget, it’s not too much to ask that game asking for your money to deliver more than this. If you can buy it on a deep discount and have no expectations – and, of course, you’ve exhausted everything else there is to do in Red Dead Redemption – it might be worth it, but otherwise you’ll want to give Guns and Spurs 2 a pass.

Murder on the Orient Express is proof that even if you mess around the edges of a classic murder mystery, as long as the core remains – and it does here – you can’t help but make a worthwhile game.

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.

All in all, Pinball M is off to a solid start, and while not every table in this collection utilizes a theme that I’m super into, the ones that do end up doing really well here. I’m super interested to see what other properties Zen attempts to tackle with this mature branded series of pinball, and I think Pinball M does just enough to differentiate itself from Pinball FX to make it worth checking out.

With all these complaints, you might think I hate Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, but I don’t. I mean, I don’t love it, but given such a huge, richly imagined world, it’s hard to be too annoyed with it. There are definitely plenty of improvements that would make it more enjoyable to play, but as it stands, it’s a perfectly serviceable open world adventure.

Arizona Sunshine 2 is leaps and bounds better than the original game. If the issues from that one put you off, then this one will bring you back for some good ol’ Fred destroying goodness. There some areas of the game that are not perfect by any means, but as I stated, small post release patches can fix those minor issues, and I am sure Vertigo is working on them. After experiencing the first game, I can safely say that playing the sequel was a way better experience overall and can recommend it to anyone with a PlayStation VR2.

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.

Believe me, you’ll want to lose yourself for a while in subpar pool. Like grapefrukt games’ previous outings, it’s made for both quick gaming sessions and lengthy hours spent trying to get just a little bit better, and regardless of which way you approach it, you’re going to have fun.

Taken altogether, it adds up to a Mario game that doesn’t really feel like a Mario game. It’s an interesting look at a neat experiment, and it’s fun to get a chance to discover – or rediscover – a game that finds Nintendo breaking out of their comfort zone. It may not be a perfect game, but it’s an interesting one, and that’s enough to make it worth checking out.

I don’t want to spoil much about the experience here and just want to highlight that The Talos Principle II is a very well-crafted experience. From what I can tell, it’s a definite improvement over the original game, refining ideas and concepts in a way that makes this feel like the definitive experience for the series. It’s also nice that as a newcomer I had little issue in understanding the world, figuring out the puzzle mechanics, and learning the overall story across the dozen or so hours it took me to complete it. It might be difficult to find the time to fit The Talos Principle II into your gaming schedule considering how absolutely packed this year has been, but I think you’ll find it worth doing so.

It’s so close to being good, but its flaws make it almost impossible to recommend. It’s far better than it has any right to be or than its pedigree suggests, but it’s still going to be a letdown to almost everyone.

IREM is off to a great start with this five volume collection. If they continue in this fashion, we might be in for some really great classic games for the modern consoles. While the games included aren’t ground breaking or super flashy, they will bring the fun factor as well as that classic shooter frustration that makes you want to keep trying no matter how many times you die. Definitely a good collection.

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.

It’s not on the same level in terms of…well, anything, really, but at the same time, it’s well-made enough that if you’re the kind of person it’s targeting, it’s absolutely essential.

The music in Roboquest is fantastic with the synthwave Carpenter Brut-inspired soundtrack amping me up as I ran and gunned my way through each biome. Although the gameplay can get somewhat repetitive after a while, there is still so much variety to discover. If you’re looking into dipping your toe into the Souls/rogue-like pool, I would strongly recommend giving Roboquest a look.

While enjoyable and intriguing, it wasn’t the most original game. Even though I appreciate what it takes inspiration from, it relies too heavily on the inspiration. Having said that, that may have lulled me into a false sense of security, thinking I knew what to expect from the moment I started. I had to clear my mind of preconceived notions that I would know what would happen and live in the moment. That’s what I liked about You Will Die Here Tonight. I had to work at it. It was challenging. I was transported back to the ’90s without having a strategy guide or GameFAQ to aid me. I had to rely solely on my guile, and completing the game was that much more of an accomplishment!

Obviously, not every game is going to be to everyone’s tastes. But, for the second year in a row, Jackbox Party Pack 10 delivers a set of games where everyone is bound like at least one of the games on offer – certainly a far cry from earlier editions where you knew that an entry would have at least one dud.It’s an outstanding collection from top to bottom, and it shows that as the Jackbox series enters its second decade, it’s as strong as ever.

As I said, I know that DINOSAURS: Mission Dino Camp is intended for a younger audience, so some allowances need to be made, and you shouldn’t go in expecting the greatest game ever or anything. But even kid-oriented games can be good, and when they’re done right they can offer hours of entertainment. DINOSAURS: Mission Dino Camp is definitely not done right, and for that reason should just be avoided.

The biggest selling point for me with the Separate Ways DLC is how much I wanted a game centered around Ada and her mysterious story. We always get her with background plot points and the story has indeed aged like fine wine, but still so little is known about her. I feel Resident Evil 6, which I hate to talk about, gave her the most screen time, but I think it’s time. If this remake and the DLC is any indication we are in for a solid remake of the next game or sequel in the series. I’m looking forward to it regardless as always.

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.

While Die After Sunset may have spent a few years in Early Access, it still doesn’t feel like a game that should have been given a full release. No matter how good its premise may be, and how interesting an idea “single-player Fortnite” may sound on paper, it’s clear that Die After Sunset still isn’t something worthwhile.

The Invincible stands out as the best space exploration game of 2023, and yes, I understand the statement that I am making there. It is not a dig against any other games that may have come out this year and also focused on space exploration, but rather a celebration of what the team at Starward Industries has managed to accomplish with The Invincible. 2023 has been a juggernaut of a year as far as incredible game releases go, (while also being an awful year for the people making games, with over 6,000 layoffs in the industry and counting) and it would be easy for The Invincible to get lost in the shuffle. I am here to beg, to implore you, to INSIST that you take the time to check out The Invincible if it looks like something you would even be remotely interested in. I have not stopped thinking about this game since finishing it, and I think it deserves a place at the top of any “End of the Year” list for best games.

To wrap everything up, Persona 5 Tactica is a genuinely fantastic experience from start to finish, and I couldn’t be more excited to have gotten to play a Persona game in this genre. I cannot recommend this game enough to fans of tactical RPGs or Persona games, and I think it has something for everyone. I sincerely hope anyone who reads this gives Persona 5 Tactica a chance when it launches on November 17th. I think it’ll sneak on by a lot of people here at the end of the year as a genuinely fantastic title in a year so full of industry wins.

If you’ve not had the chance to check it out yet, then Alan Wake II comes highly recommended. In a stellar year of top-tier releases, sequels, and new IPs, I didn’t expect Alan Wake II to rank as highly on my personal top game list as it does now, and while we’ve still got a couple months to go, I’m fairly confident that Alan Wake II is going to be my personal game of the year.

No robot voices aside, I did quite enjoy my time with Berzerk: Recharged. it may be modernized and made a bit easier with its powerup system, but it does retain that classic arcade feel by having no goal in mind, other than getting a higher score from the last game you played. It’s definitely one of the better Recharged versions of these classic games and players of all skill levels can have a lot of fun. Try this out if your curious, or if you are a fan of the original.

If you’re like me, and were initially a little lukewarm on Cyberpunk 2077, then definitely give Phantom Liberty and the new 2.0 patch a shot. It makes for a much better experience overall, and the Phantom Liberty storyline is a blast to playthrough. This gives me a lot of hope for what the next entry in this series will end up being, and has reignited my interest in a possible follow-up in a way that I didn’t think was possible.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a fantastic remaster of a game from the golden era of JRPGs. The newly arranged music is great and the voice acting is good as well, and the improvements to the battle system from the original to this one is leaps and bounds better. The graphical choices made in this remaster is spot on with a nod to the original sprite graphics mixed in with more modern environments. Anyone looking for a classic-style JRPG to play should pick this one up.

All things considered, Borderlands 3: Ultimate Edition is a pretty neat achievement that’s only slightly undermined by the fact that we had an even better port of an even more well-received open-world game from a previous generation just a few months ago. Even so, this is a fun game in its own right, and if you’re after a big, open-world shooter with lots of guns and gore on the Switch, this is definitely one of your better options.

The incredibly dull combat is enough to make The Smurfs 2: The Prisoner of the Green Stone a clear step down from Mission Vileaf. You could do a lot worse, for sure, but its predecessor shows you can definitely do better, too.

For those of you who missed it’s original release on the Apple Arcade, and I’m almost sure that was just about everyone, you owe it to yourself to download this release on your favorite console and enjoy. Even if you’ve never heard of Space Harrier, you will have fun playing through this, with its great action, soundtrack and tons of unlockables. Air Twister is definitely one that needs to be in your collection. I cannot recommend it enough.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man who Erased his Name is the second volley in Ryu Ga Gotoku’s year long triple threat (February’s Like a Dragon: Ishin! And January 2024’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth are the other prongs of this attack!). While it is not as voluminous as the feudal era title that came before it, I can stay storywise Gaiden is more impactful and frankly I do appreciate its existence (Even though I was squarely in the camp of letting Kiryu walk away into the sunset never to be heard from again…), it lays the groundwork for his participation in the upcoming Infinite Wealth. For fans who have enjoyed any of Kiryu’s adventures you owe it to yourself to take this one on as it further adds to the legend of the Dragon of Dojima…even if that’s not him anymore. Let’s hope nothing bad befalls this man in subsequent titles…hasn’t he suffered enough, perhaps a trip to Hawaii will do him some good!

I have no doubt that some people are absolutely going to love Jusant – but it’s definitely not for me. If you’re a fan of climbing, you’ll find plenty to love here, but I found it all too frustrating to ever get lost in the game.

There’s a weight of history behind Saints Row, and no matter whether you’re comparing it to the more serious early games or the sillier later ones, it’s pretty clear that the Saints Row reboot doesn’t live up to any of them.

RoboCop: Rogue City managed to be one giant leap in the right direction for a property that could never find a proper footing in the video game space. It worked extremely well as a bridge to the 2nd and 3rd films and managed to provide an action packed romp for someone who is looking for your usual power fantasy experience. I hope Tayon gets a second crack at the guy and really lets loose without the confines of the two films holding them back. That and maybe put less cutscenes of Robo watching a car drive off…it happens more than you think. Otherwise if you’re a fan of RoboCop or are Robo-curious, you owe it to yourself to check out Rogue City…and yes spend more than a dollar when acquiring it (This was the best I could do in cramming that line in, anyways go pick up this game…I need to figure out how to do well in the shooting range).

None of this is to say the game is bad, because it isn’t! And to be honest with you, the receptiveness to feedback that the team has shown in the short time since launch, and how quickly they patched out the performance issues on PC (which bear no further mentioning than that, now that they have been fixed) makes me think that some of this will get taken care of in the near future! I can see enemy density being adjusted, I can see some of the absurdly spongy health bars getting knocked down a good bit to help with the flow of combat, I can see some adjustments to checkpoint placements, etc. There is a LOT to love here with Lords of the Fallen, and I am genuinely optimistic about the legs this game has, and the potential it has to really go far.

Perhaps this title might inspire someone to work on a title which aligns more to the property… Otherwise buy it if you want to support the franchise, but if you’re looking for an enjoyable platformer there’s other options available out there. I guess it goes without saying, perhaps we shouldn’t have disturbed these relics of the past…

If you were a fan of the first Ghostrunner, it’s pretty much a sure thing that you’ll love the sequel. It takes everything that made the first game good and ramps it up a few notches – and, thankfully, it does it all on hardware that doesn’t have too many issues running it.

Even if the graphics were perfect, Wild Card Football would still suffer from the fact that it’s not very fun. The Switch has a big, football-shaped hole in its catalogue, and Wild Card Football would clearly love to fill it, but it’s pretty clear that the results fall well short of a first down.

It would be easy to speculate what “substances” the developers were on when they conceived and put this game together, but come on…this is Nintendo we’re talking about here. The only “substance” they have an abundance of is imagination and thank goodness. As Super Mario Bros. Wonder is definitely a timeless classic that will survive the test of time. Let’s hope this isn’t the first time Mario and Co spend time in this foreign land or at least let’s hope the mushroom kingdom imports some of their wares. With that said…Sorry Peter and Miles, I’ve got to finish the Special World before I head back to New York City…looks like this vacation in the Flower Kingdom is gonna last just a bit longer!

Overall, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is a pretty substantial collection (even with Vol. 2 in the works) with six games and a ton of bonus content ranging from graphic novels, soundtracks, scripts and more. Metal Gear Solid is really the only game I have any complaints about. Since it’s being emulated, and there are plenty of emulators out there that can smooth out or upscale textures, they could have used or created an emulator that allows for some smoother textures and/or upscaling. This is still a must have for any Metal Gear fan, and even if you are new to the series or have only played Metal Gear Solid V, this is a perfect opportunity to play the games that started it all!

Overall, Haunted House is fun for a while, but it begins to lose it’s charm the further you get into it. The game is okay for a few runs, but you may begin to lose interest quickly and want to stop. It’s a decent remake for sure, though very average overall and just not as compelling or satisfying as other roguelites or even other Atari remakes available. Maybe try a demo before purchasing to see if this will appeal to you.

To be sure, as we’ve established, Oceanhorn 2 isn’t very original. But freed of being directly and easily compared to the original by finally arriving on different systems, it’s much easier to appreciate just how strong of an imitation it is.

Would Ad Infinitum have been better off if it had come out a little closer in time to its influences (rather than a few months after Frictional Games also explored the trenches of World War I with Amnesia: The Bunker, which has to be the ultimate irony)? It’s hard not to feel that way, since as it stands, the game feels kind of anachronistic. It’s a solid enough horror game, don’t get me wrong, but it still feels a little too indebted to the past to really stand on its own.

You still have a cutesy, hard-drawn style that recalls the likes of Scribblenauts. You still have scenes that are a little too overcrowded and filled with too many tiny objects, forcing you to zoom into every scene so that you spend forever searching for one or two dumb little details. And you still have no real way to ask for help, save for clues that are so obscure that they’re essentially useful. Of course, if you’re a diehard hidden object gamer (do those exist?), that may sound appealing. If it weren’t for Crime O’Clock, that might even have described me. But seeing as that other, better, more interesting game is also available, the only reason to get Hidden Through Time 2 is if you’ve already exhausted that and you’re after something that isn’t as fun.

There isn’t much to come back to once you’ve beaten the game, so replay value is basically non existent here. Overall, Pixel Ripped 1995 is a fun and very unique experience that everyone should try. Definitely a good addition to the ever growing PlayStation VR2 Library!

Is Paperman: Adventure Delivered the worst game I’ve ever played? Honestly, it’s quite possible. It has no redeeming qualities, and I got more and more annoyed every moment I spent playing it. You can’t just write it off as one of those dumb meme games that clog up digital storefronts that are intentionally bad, nor can you say that it’s so bad it’s good. It’s just flat-out terrible.

Playing BIT.TRIP RERUNNER has made it clear to me just how much my gaming tastes have changed in the past decade. But that’s very much a case of “It’s not you, it’s me.” RERUNNER shows the series has got as much life in it as it ever did, and if you’re in the mood to be challenged, it’s worth your time and money.

There are many hours of play in Sonic Superstars and whether you play mostly single-player like me, or co-op, there is fun for every Sonic fan and I feel the fans will be happy with this one. Even with Super Mario Bros. Wonder around the corner it’s going to be a great gaming holiday season for platformer fans. Sonic Superstars comes highly recommended.

Still, the occasional bug aside, I absolutely loved Spider-Man 2, and I’m happy to see that Insomniac continues to knock it out of the park with this series. Miles has been a great addition to the Spider-Man universe overall, and if you loved Miles Morales: Spider-Man, I think you’ll be really happy with all the focus he gets in this one as well. While the limelight is sort of shared evenly throughout the game between Peter and Miles, it’s hard not to continuously root for Miles as a character, and he becomes even more central to the overall storyline here in a way that feels pretty impactful overall. So if you’ve been looking forward to the upcoming release of Spider-Man 2, then you can rest assured that you’ve got an excellent Spidey game to look forward to in the near future.

For me Detective Pikachu Returns was very easy, but I could see the appeal to a younger audience, looking for more different Pokémon content. I would like to play in this world of Pokémon again, and if they improve on what they have now, I can see this franchise could have some longevity.

I’d highly recommend checking out Cocoon when you get a chance. I loved my time with it, and the ambient synth soundtrack is absolutely fantastic, and helps really sell the look and feel of the world. Absolutely give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is simple, fun and addicting, and you’ll be hard pressed to stop playing and rejoin the real world. Highly recommended.

NHL 24 remains a pretty solid game if all you’re after is an in-depth hockey game that can be enjoyed no matter your skill level. It may not be worth upgrading if you have last year’s game, but if you’ve taken a couple of years off from the franchise, now might be a good time to jump back in.

As far as I’m concerned, even with the so-so performance, Boti: Byteland Overclocked is still worth playing if you’re a fan of 3D platformers. It’s got fun characters, a vibrant aesthetic, and gameplay that’ll feel comfortable to anyone who’s ever played one of these games in the past few decades. There may be some flaws, but the overall package is solid enough that it’s worth overlooking them.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage continues that run of solid games, without question. It doesn’t break new ground – by design, I would argue – but it shows that around twenty games in (counting spin-offs), there’s still plenty of story for the series to delve into. Assassin’s Creed Mirage is an Assassin’s Creed game, for all the good and bad (mostly good) that entails.

Car handling feels great, it’s a definite step up visually, the tracks are all immaculately designed, the amount of car options are fantastic, and it feels like a true next gen racer all around. But the forced timers/practice restrictions in both Career and online multiplayer really pumps the brakes on my enjoyment of this entry so far, making it a little tougher to recommend to everyone.

The weird thing is, I can see why some people might enjoy this game. It’s strange and it’s random, which might be exactly what certain gamers are after. Personally, though, I just found Freak Crossing to be a vaguely unsettling waste of time – which may be its point, but that doesn’t mean I want to play it.

Obviously, if you’re someone for whom story matters a great deal, I probably haven’t done anything to sell you on Solar Ash. But I’d still say the game is well worth it. Any game that makes movement feel this cool and effortless is a must-play, as far as I’m concerned.

On the whole, though, Eternights feels like a fairly original game. It’s always nice to see a game try out some new genre combinations – and, as this shows, it’s especially fun when the game in question mostly pulls off the combo.

Overall I’ve found The Expanse: A Telltale Series to be a solid attempt to re-establish Telltale as the king of adventure games once again. They were able to consistently hit their release deadlines for each episode, and with all now available, it’s the perfect time to check this one out. If you’ve ever had any affinity for the show, or Telltale’s prior efforts, you’ll likely find something to enjoy here.

The Witch of Fern Island is still in Early Access, so it’s totally possible that the developers will build on what’s here and turn the game into something worth playing. But that’s certainly not how I’d describe the game at this point in time, so until and unless it gets there, it’s really not worth your money.