While I’m not usually a huge fan of tactical RPGs, I can totally see how fans of the genre would get a lot out of this game. Between the roguelike nature of the levels and the fact you’re basically creating your army from scratch, no two playthroughs of Othercide will ever be quite the same. Provided you’re cool with dying a lot, that makes for a pretty unique experience.

How Puddle remains as a game for you will depend on your skills and also your ability to work with physics and the elements. If you feel you have a very strong grasp on them, then this game is right up your physics alley. Otherwise, the complexity, Big Bang Theory elemental wit, and strict learning curve may act as a deterrent to many puzzle novices. I for one donate this game to science, as I'm a better gamer than number cruncher…well played nerds…well played.

Despite spending a majority of the game running for your life, the atmosphere, enemies and environments contain some of the most eerily disturbing assets I’ve seen in a game. As a horror movie buff, you get a real sense of appreciation and inspiration for some classic horror movies. While clearly not for everyone, Outlast 2 is a memorable fright fest that packs the appropriate types of jump scares and gore galore. If you haven’t tried, make sure to play the original first. I will be going back to the first games DLC entitled The Whistleblower in the near future.

Overall, Armored Core V is definitely a game worth checking out, especially if you have any love for mech themed video games. Again, it's remarkably more similar to Chromehounds than the last couple Armored Core games on consoles, but there's enough of an Armored Core element here that it won't completely turn away loyal fans of the series.

I can't see the value here, outside of the level editor. If you're content to buzz through the single player without posting up the best times/result, you'll finish it in about four hours, and the co-op mode being offline only feels pretty limited in scope.

When Mafia III gets things right, it really gets things right. It has the kind of soundtrack and vibe that most other games would kill to have, and it's built around an incredibly compelling protagonist. It's nowhere close to being perfect, but there's enough good stuff here that, ultimately, it's hard to stay too mad at Mafia III.

The single most irritating aspect of RAW's CAW option, however, is the complete absence of the ability to use ripped songs on the hard drive as part of the wrestler entrance.

A painfully average game with excellent production values, hampered by clueless AI and a schizophrenic approach to detail. Just like "Monday Night Raw" over the past 18 months, when you think about it.

A high quality fighting game. Just be wary that the GC controller isn’t the best for it.

Even though The Rub Rabbits is leaps and bounds over its predecessor, and weaves a unique tale with amazing style and grace...playing the game will give any Feel the Magic vet a fit of deja vu.

Tennis in the Face may not push the PS4 to its limits (I doubt the eventual Vita version will even do that either), but it's still a lot more enjoyable than any number of other more complex games — and quite frankly, I'll take enjoyable over complex any day of the week.

To be fair, it’s not as if arcade bullet hell shooters lend themselves to all kinds of different gameplay styles, but it still makes the game feel a little lacking in content. Of course, if you just want some retro-y arcade bullet hell action, then that’s not going to bother you too much. Terror Squid may not have variety, but as I said, it does one thing very well — which is one more thing done well than many games can muster.

It looks nice enough, I suppose, but not to the point where I'd say you must own it just because of the graphics. If you're looking for something that will help you pass the time in a bland, mostly inoffensive way, then this is the game for you, I guess, but otherwise, don't bother.

My ranting aside, this game, while flawed in many areas, is decent to play single player.

Due to the over simplistic controls they fall just a bit short to make a game that can capture a group of people for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Personally, I don't see the appeal. The combat is incredibly shallow (which, admittedly, makes sense, since you've always got to keep that relentless Shine Raid in mind). Managing resources isn't all that fun, since you know you're going to lose most of them at the end of your current run.

London Detective Mysteria is silly fan fiction where Sherlock Holmes and Queen Victoria and Miss Marple and Jack the Ripper (or at least their proxies) all interact and no one bats an eye. But sometimes, you don’t need to bat an eye, and you just need to go with it. If you’re a fan at all of visual novels, this is definitely one of the times to just go with it.

Haven Park isn’t going to make you forget its influences – and you should definitely play those other games before playing this one, since they’re both much better – but it’s still enjoyable enough that if you’ve got a few hours to spare and want to play something charming and wholesome, it’ll do the trick.

X-Out Resurfaced is a very simple, no frills shooter that provides a moderate to steep challenge for even the toughest players. Its presentation and gameplay doesn’t try to compete with the bigger releases and it really doesn’t have to. It stands on its own as a fun action shooter game that many will find charming. Don’t expect a mind-blowing story, quirky characters or any wild plot twists with this one, but do expect a fun and challenging ride that will stay with you for a while.

A great game for a group of friends as well as for the younger crowd. Its target audience actually ends up being a great decision because of the easy to pick up and simple gameplay.

As you play, you progress through the story and level up the Exosuit of choice, which could be a drag if you like to play with various suits and classes. There is a Battle Pass in place also that has its own leveling which is a bit slower than the character leveling. I think once I play a bit more through the season the game will open a bit more and give more level and enemy variety. I just feel locking the story behind a multiplayer mode is a drag but again I see potential here.

I think Record of Agarest War is definitely a pretty niche SRPG, that's not going to appeal to players that aren't already familiar with this particular game type. However, I don't think it's meant to bring in new players, and as far as fan service games go, this is pretty tame and playable by teens on up.

Heavy on action and light on role-playing, Operation Anchorage takes what is the weakest part of Fallout 3 and makes it into a workable three-hour tour of the Alaskan frontline.

The weak song choice and length of the songs kill the game for casual fans or those trying to find out what it’s all about.

What sets it apart from the rest, though, is the much more lighthearted and more adventurous feel it holds.

Wonder Boy: Asha In Monster World is a very nostalgic good time. The reimagined visuals only make the experience better. If you purchase the physical copy, you will have the opportunity to play the original game as it comes free as a bonus. The original game is also fully translated into English for the first time since the limited Wii Virtual Console release. This is one of the best games in the series and it’s fantastic that more gamers can now play this “lost” sequel. RPG and platformer fans will have a blast with this one, while newcomers will surely find something to enjoy as well.

Kudos to Konami for giving us Simpsons fans everywhere finally what we've always wanted.

This is a big, ambitious game, and like any big, ambitious game, there's some stuff that goes wrong, but a lot more that goes right. And with all that right stuff…well, that's what makes the game so worth playing.

I can totally see 5 to 10 year olds eating this game up. They'll love the characters in the game and it's not overly challenging. The multiplayer modes will keep them entertained, but any serious hardcore player will want to play a game with more substance and deep gameplay.

This game is for the hardcore fans, and they are the ones who will enjoy what K1 offers the most. It’s very real, very authentic.

The story is so original, the experience is completely scary, and the afterthoughts of the game will make you look over each shoulder when you are alone in the house. This game, like the Silent Hill titles before it, get in your head and stay there for quite sometime.

Considering the far superior racing titles already available on the system ("Mario Kart: Super Circuit" and "F-Zero"), Moto GP has little ground to stand on.

It isn't the prettiest thing out there, and there are a few rough edges here and there when it comes to bombing and the like, but otherwise, it's a decent simulation that'll have you cheering as you attack Japanese and German bases.

It works as it should, which is always a plus (even if it’s a little baffling at times), and I have no doubt that if you sank a half-dozen hours or so into the game back in 2002, you should find that the game is probably the same now as it was then. I think that if you don’t have that sense of nostalgia you’ll probably find the game a little lacking, but as PS2 remasters go, you could probably do a lot worse.

Sure, the gameplay is great, but at the same time, it's not the kind of game that you'd want to be caught playing in public for fear of feeling like you belong on a sex offender registry. In other words, the whole rubbing up and down motion is kind of appropriate since, like the action it simulates, it's something you'll most likely want to do in the privacy of your own home.

NCAA March Madness 08 has a few flaws such as some transitions of animations, easy fast break opportunities, and a few game play quirks, but nothing will distract any college fan from getting excited about the team they love.

So while I didn't love The Fancy Pants Adventures, I won't say that it's not entirely without merit. It certainly has a bit of charm to it, and the ability to jump in and play some co-op through the entire game with a friend is a nice thing to have.

Hopefully as we see more and more of these HD sets release, publishers start to take notice of what we expect, because Splinter Cell Trilogy HD is certainly some shoddy work.

There are only so many bad guys you can explode to bright red bits before they — pardon the pun — start to bleed into each other. If that's your thing, then for sure you'll want to check this game out, but if it's not, you'll want to proceed with a bit of caution.

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.

But it's also rather short, and with only the license setting it apart from every other generic platformer on the market, there's no reason to buy when a simple rental will suffice.

If a game is going to ask for people's time and money, it should be delivering something in return that can't be gotten for free on any number of X-rated sites, and Senran Kagura just doesn't do that.

Atari Flashback Classics is a decent release. Despite some small issues, it is a great way to experience the early days of video gaming. Some games may not appeal to you, while others will bring back great memories. I would have liked better emulation in some areas, and more licensed games but what we get for the price isn’t too bad at all. If you’re a fan of classic Atari, or just want to see where gaming basically began, they you should definitely check this collection out. It’s certainly not the best it could have been, but definitely not the worst classic game collection available. As a huge Atari fan, I would say it’s worth your time.

The core of Golazo!’s gameplay is fine, It plays like a soccer game from the 16bit era. However in making it accessible, the team at Purple Tree omitted a little too much. The game is certainly worth a fun afternoon jaunt with some friends, but it’s not exactly going to be training the next wave of digital footballers.

The biggest problem with Spirit of the North is that there’s far more of it than it needs to be. Take the story, for example: it’s a wordless tale about a fox wandering through the frozen wilderness to find its lost love (or so I gathered). While that’s certainly enough to go on, it’s also not enough to sustain the game for nearly four hours. That’s hardly a lengthy experience, but it still feels like the game’s length could have been cut by an hour or more, and nothing would have been lost.

Overall I feel this really isn’t the ideal way to experience this title. That doesn’t mean that Doom 3: VR Edition is a bad game by any means, it just doesn’t mesh well with VR. With that being said, I can still recommend this for your PSVR library. It’s not horrible, but not exactly the best experience you can have.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games is a lot of fun to play when you get a full group together, as long as you can get everyone over the initial learning curve.

While the game doesn't do much in the way of gameplay, the presentation makes up for it.

Did you live through the late '80s and early '90s and you miss games like Double Dragon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (or, at least, do you wish you had)? Then this game is for you. If not, you can skip this one without worrying you're missing out on anything.

I like the dungeon crawling. I like the character customization. I like the loot. But most of all I like the multiplayer. With four players going at it, the battles become pandemonium and I love it. Dungeon Hunter: Alliance has everything I look for in a downloadable title.

Pick it up if you're looking for a short time waster, just don't expect too much out of it.

It's a unique little platformer that's pretty much perfect for the service, and while it's ideal control scheme might have a few flaws to it, the overall enjoyment I gained from playing it definitely outweighed the bad.

For the most part, though, Just Cause pulls players along with a promise of bigger and badder weaponry.

ent's Curse: Episode 1 continues on in this tradition, I say bring on the anachronisms. If they're all as well made as The Serpent's Curse is, then that's a throwback I'm happy to see.

When things start getting really explosive — which is to say, almost immediately — what you see is a game that’s a whole lot of fun. Destropolis may only do one thing, but it does that one thing very, very well.

If you’re not a fan of shmups – whether upwards-scrolling or side-scrolling – Gynoug isn’t likely to win you over. It’s a fairly easy Platinum, but other than that, there’s not really much to recommend it.

Is it repetitive? Sure, if you don't get a perverse thrill out of launching people through the air and into the path of an oncoming boulder. But if you do — and boy, do I ever — then Deception IV should be right up your alley.

For the most part it is a hidden gem, and shows a lot of care put into the inside game jokes and attention to detail in the story.

I wish the game was a little more polished, but the art design and complete product are a solid, cozy little game for PC gamers everywhere, and in light of the holidays it would be nice to see The Undergarden see some light shed on it in any upcoming sales.

My best analogy for this title is that it’s oddly like Donut County, a charming, well written title which you only really need to experience once and it’s best cost of entry comes from the mobile port (there is a 10 dollar surcharge to buy Say No! More on Switch/PC). The experience is indistinguishable from it’s console brethren. I guess I would say No! to getting this title on PC/Switch and saying Yes! To picking this up on IOS if you want a fairly short, but uplifting experience.

It would be one thing if, like Gal*Gun or Monster Monpiece, the titillation was cover for a game that was secretly also a lot of fun. Instead, what you have here is titillation to cover up the fact the game isn’t even all that enjoyable, which just makes it kind of sad.

Actually, I'll just take that a step further: no one should be subjected to Do Not Fall, period. It's a terrible, obnoxious game, and experiencing it for any length of time is sheer torture. Avoid it at all costs, and let us never think of its unspeakable horrors again.

Area 51 is the antithesis of what first person shooter fans want. It is actually a better offline title than it is online.

Combat has seen some minor improvements, but the missions you're required to play and the side-quest stuff in the city are still pretty bland encounters for the most part, and it's those areas that really need to see the most improvement for the next Spider-Man installment down the line.

It definitely feels like it works, but I'll freely admit that I wish the game had some type of optional controller support like Child of Eden. Still, as a Kinect only experience, it's worth checking out for owners of the hardware that are probably finding little reason to keep it plugged in at the moment, and I think you'll definitely get some enjoyment out of it.

As it stands, the racing is boring, and the game really tries too hard to be something it's not. It's fun for a little while working towards that Lancia Stratos body you've had your eye on, but chances are you'll quit before you realize your prize.

It's a fun little artistic diversion and a nice way to show off how accurate the PlayStation Move can be.

MMBN4 has slicker interfaces and improved visuals.

There’s an argument to be made, I guess, that if you stop thinking about it as a Batman game and just judge it on its own merits, it’s not half-bad – but even if you do that, you’re still left with the reality that the game that doesn’t come anywhere near matching up to what the genre is capable of. This is a mediocre game through and through, and Batman branding or no, it’s not really worth your time.

In short, if classic brick breaking games are your thing, then you should give Hyperballoid HD a chance. With a huge number of levels, almost as many power ups and the inclusion of power downs, Hyperballoid HD is a great way to waste some time.

Really, my biggest issue with the game comes from the pacing, and while I agree that slowing things down compared to a typical action title isn't a bad idea at all, at the same time I think that you need to spice it up a little bit instead of just having a player run from spot A to spot B over the course of five minutes or so, with nothing to do in between.

If you like the old Bomberman series, and especially if you have friends with GBAs for four-player combat, this will provide you with some small screen enjoyment.

If you're not a fan you can probably steer clear, but if you like Worms and want some new content, this should, at the very least, scratch that itch.

Obviously, I’m not going to be all hyperbolic and claim that Word Search by POWGI is a GOTY candidate or anything. It’s a solid game, and nothing more than that. But sometimes, solid is good — particularly if you’re a word search fan and you’re just looking to to have 300+ puzzles on your Switch. It’s not going to wow anyone, but it does what it sets out to do.

That's not here yet, though, which means that as of right now, KickBeat is one long slog of churning guitars, thundering drums and shouty vocals. If that doesn't turn you off of the game, this will: the gameplay isn't all that great yet, either. With time and an active community this could change, but until then, you'll probably want to hold off on picking this up.

And while I'm all for developers expanding their colour palettes a little, on the whole I'd much prefer it if the devoted their energies to making innovative gameplay. Otherwise…well, otherwise you just end up making Ragnarok Odyssey.

All in all this is a Ninja Gaiden fan's redemption of sort, but for those looking for something new and exhilarating, you may want to pass altogether as this Ninja is starting to show his age, and a bit of a limp.

This title does not appeal to the common entertainment values that the PC gaming community currently holds, but it has taken a stand as a realistic space-trading simulation, and it is for that reason it will not be without an audience.

The game is very linear and hopefully one day the EA team will expand this title with a bit more freedom.

The sounds effects are great, and the bass comes out strong. But, like I said, the amount of input you have via these effects should have been emphasized more in the game.

In the end the game ranked pretty high with me for its new take on the first person shooter genre. Add to that some intuitive controls and a non-violent foe Real Heroes: Firefighter surprised me. Sure it has some flaws but to me they were not enough to hamper my experience.

As someone who plays nearly all superhero games, watches all the movies, and still reads the comics, I can’t help but be let down by the Avengers. Square Enix was in development way too long to turn out something that’s just fine and I didn’t even get into all the bugs and glitches that this launched with. I am optimistic though, that this game will grow if the community continues to support it. Avengers is meant to be a “games as a service” after all and once we start seeing some DLC and the type of support that Square Enix gives we can get a better idea how this franchise will grow. If you’ve played all of the Arkham games, Ultimate Alliance games, and Insomniac’s Spider-Man, you really have no other choice for a Marvel experience, but if you haven’t I would sadly recommend any of those other games over this.

The game may be sharp as ever on the PSP's 16:9 screen, but not a lot of that matters when you're either played the game before or can get it for about $25 cheaper on an older handheld.

What hurts the game the most is how short the game is. Levels tend to be 2 to 5 minutes of playtime with a total of 19 levels. Doing the math, you can see how the game won't last very long. A good player will likely beat the game on normal difficulty in three to four hours.

The game does have a multiplayer mode, but no one on the Internet is playing it. When you refresh the server list, you get nothing.

If you are a die-hard College Hoops fan, then you will find NCAA March Madness 07 fun enough to forgive its flaws and less than aggressive A.I.

The novelty of the thing wears off kind of quickly. And once it does, there’s not much to do but wait for the flash-forwards to reveal the game’s ending. It’s a shame, because The Longest Five Minutes starts off so well — but, at the same time, it makes the title oddly ironic, since the five or so minutes in which the game seems genuinely interesting and fresh are over far, far too quickly.

It’s more of a half-assed sequel to an excellent game that only fans desperately in need of more Dave Mirra need to check out.

For a $10 game, Magical Beat is a safe bet for anyone who thinks they'd like a little twist on the straightforward match-three standard.

Given a little (okay, a lot) more polish, I could see Rad Rodgers evolving into something vaguely interesting to a certain type of person, but right now, it kind of sucks.

If you just want something to jump in and out of without any commitment required, Urban Trial Playground will more or less do the trick. If you want anything more than that, you’ll probably have to wait until Trials Rising in February, but until then, this will act as an okay stopgap.

Like I said, there are all kinds of really terrible games lingering around the outskirts of the eShop, trying to sucker you in with low prices before they instantly reveal their awfulness. Toree 3D may look like it belongs with those other bottom feeders, but if you give it a chance, you’ll probably be surprised and kind of impressed by what you find.

It's a smaller piece in a much, much larger puzzle, and if you don't go into it fully aware of that broader context, it's not going to make a whole lot of sense.

This one is definitely more geared towards the hardcore RE fan than those that are new to the series with 4 or 5, so keep in mind that if you haven't played through the original trilogy of games, you're going to be in for a bit of shock with this one.

And for 800 points or $10, I don't even think it's worth picking up to finish a level and get the weapon unlockable for Space Marine either.

Online play might have taken NBA Jam off the "rent for nostalgia" list and put it on the "must-have" list. As is, there are better basketball alternatives - several of them.

A great simulation racer that does almost everything well. The Racing Life mode is too short and the rally racing can be unforgiving. But the pressure sensitive gameplay, realistic AI, and event challenges round out a great race package that’s tough to pass.

The problem with State of Emergency is that it doesn't advance in any way. The things you're doing in the beginning are the same things you'll be doing at the end.