The visuals are still lagging well behind how they look on other systems. It still runs surprising well, without any crazy load times or crashes. Home Run Derbies still feel like the pitcher is actively trying to strike you out. The ball still feels a little deader here. All of which means that you still don’t need to pick up MLB The Show 26 if you have any other recent editions.

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.

I guess the question is, does Painkiller have any merits? It kind of does: again, if you don’t mind repetition and just want to shoot demons, it gives you every opportunity to do that, and you’ll get some big honking guns in the process. But if you want anything deeper or more substantial, you’re not going to find it here.

It doesn’t do anything remotely interesting and there are plenty of other Star Wars games from the era that are available to play, so unless you have some very specific nostalgic memories tied to Jedi Power Battles, you’re definitely better off revisiting one of those other games and leaving this one alone.

Poppy Playtime Chapter 5 is just fine, but “just fine” is only going to continue to carry this series for so long. Some substantial changes need to be made in the development of Chapter 6 if Mob Entertainment wants to have any hope of propelling Poppy Playtime into the future.

I’d say G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra can be fun, provided you can get some friends together on the couch to play through the game with you. If not, as a single-player experience, there’s far better options on the market nowadays. It’s a good looking game, again I really did dig the design of these classic characters, but there’s not a lot else supporting the experience that would keep me coming back again and again.

Unknown 9: Awakening feels like it wants to be greater than it is, which is a big shame given how much effort was seemingly put into it. Having an extended out-of-game universe is really neat, but I think it unintentionally hurts enjoyment of the game when you go to play it. I specifically wanted to avoid the external media of the game going in to see what it would be like, and it makes the game feel like it’s following up on something we should already have knowledge of as the player. Combined with subpar combat, glitches resulting in cutscenes being wonky, and hit-or-miss performance on PC, it definitely hurts Unknown 9. If Bandai continues to work on this franchise (can you call it that yet?) I think they can really knock it out of the park, but as a first entry it really fails to hit its mark.

As someone who misses the old Sony and the way they’d try weird things (and not just go for big and cinematic with every one of their games), it feels weird to criticize them for a game where they try something different. But the problem is that God of War: Sons of Sparta isn’t particularly fun. It’s a perfectly adequate metroidvania at a time when there are plenty of very good metroidvanias that are more worth your time, so unless you desperately want a Kratos: The Very Early Years game you can safely skip this one.

I was hopeful for Shadow Labyrinth when it was announced, but as I played the game a lot of that eroded over the hours and hours I spent with it. It’s not a bad game for sure, I’ve played far worse Metroidvania’s over the years, but it’s also not a great game, held back by some archaic design decisions, a mostly bland art design, and some frustrating control moments. There’s enjoyment to be had here, sure, but you really have to struggle through the low points in order to gleam out just a bit of fun from this one.

It’s a perfectly serviceable retro-tinged 3D platformer, but we live at a time when there are lots and lots of those, and enough of them do it better that you’re probably better off playing them instead.

Obviously, the big draw in Kitsune Tails isn’t meant to be the gameplay – you don’t make the focus of your game a lesbian love triangle between two mythical creatures and a sorceress if you aren’t hoping to draw in fans who want a meaty narrative at the core of their games. But while that may be fine for a visual novel, if you’re trying to sell a 2D platformer you need good gameplay too. And even if Kitsune Tails borrows liberally from one of the best of those ever made, it doesn’t come anywhere close to living up to its inspiration.

There’s no reason why it has to be this dull. It’s a step up from The Political Machine 2020, but The Political Machine 2024 is still far from being the in-depth election sim it promises itself to be.

As someone who loves Horizon: Zero Dawn and who loves LEGO games, I was really hoping that a combination of the two would be something special. Instead, we have LEGO Horizon Adventures, and for the life of me I can’t figure out why it exists.

Without that sense of nostalgia, you’ll be left with a trio of games that weren’t all that good first time around, and it’s hard to imagine you’ll find them very worthwhile.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collections was a good attempt at preserving the past, but even with 14 games it’s filled with fluff and very little substance. If you are craving old-school Yu-Gi-Oh! and are a fan of the animated show, this collection is for you. I hope they will bring out a 2nd collection with the PlayStation family of games.

Star Overdrive is another example of a game where a cool reveal didn’t live up to the end result. Whatever inspiration there was to be found in last year’s trailer didn’t make it to the finished product, and there’s little here to make the game worth recommending.

Casual fans who own 06 may want to wait this one out until we get our first next generation offering as the subtle differences may not be enough to merit the purchase.

The AI is very smart. Probably too smart for newbies. Even on easy mode, soldiers will react with gang reflexes in shooting you to a pulp.

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.

It's a shame that the single player campaign is such a letdown - SoF 2 is an incredibly addictive multiplayer game, and if the polish shown to the online portion had transferred over to the single player game, we'd have a candidate of GOTY 2002 here.

Death End re;Quest is the sort of thing that Hyperdimension Neptunia would have skewered mercilessly — and, for the most part, that skewering would have been deserved.

Hopefully, for those that bought Halo: TMCC a permanent fix comes along sooner than later, or you can get some enjoyment out of the single-player experience for the time being. But it’s certainly not fair to wait for the product your purchased to work, and because of that, I want to be sure that my review score for this retail product reflects that.

As a fan of Until Dawn, Man of Medan certainly scratches a similar itch and has moments that remind me of the PS4 exclusive. The multiplayer modes are a welcome addition, making Man of Medan into a bit of a party game in a way that I would never have expected going in. Unfortunately, the host of technical issues really impact the fun here, in a very negative way. So, provided these things can be fixed, then I would say Man of Medan is worth your time. However, I would absolutely hold off on a purchase until we hear of or see improvements down the road.

The story mode is a move in the right direction, but until Nintendo can deliver a GBA-sized Pokemon RPG with depth and length, console Pokemon games will always lag behind their portable counterparts.

Despite the many faults of Summoner 2, I can’t stop playing. Given the several other RPG options available this fall, however, checking out Summoner 2 might fall on taste alone.

Xenon Valkyrie+ is more or less what it promises to be: a retro-tinged love letter to old school platformers. It’s probably not going to be the greatest thing you’ll ever play, but if the second half of the previous sentence is the kind of thing that’s relevant to your interests, it’s probably worth checking out.

At the very least you’ve got to respect how much effort went into this game, and how much it asks of players. As I said up top, Ratalaika has been responsible for some of the laziest, low-effort visual novels imaginable. I’m not going to then complain when one of their visual novels swings hard in the exact opposite direction. There’s a tonne of content to be found here – all Angels with Scaly Wings asks is that you just be super into reading about kissing dragons to get the most out of it.

Fill-a-Pix may come with some decent pedigree, but decent pedigree means nothing when the end result is so boring.

While it looks and sounds better than the original and even the Megaton Edition, there isn't really enough new here to warrant a purchase.

It does well by the proven conventions of the games before it; The story is, at the very least, entertaining to watch unfold and there's more than enough game for $20.

When the rest of the game is basically just your standard dungeon crawler…well, it gets judged as a standard dungeon-crawler, and loses one or two marks for being kind of icky.

Of course, this leads back to the game's main problem, which is that building up your characters inherently means letting them live to see another dialogue sequence or cutscene — and the more you see of them in those sequences and cutscenes, the less you'll want to let them live. It's a dilemma with no real solution…apart from the obvious one, of not playing Ray Gigant unless you have a strong appetite for generic characters and you don't mind if their combat isn't that interesting, either.

But still: it's hard. Like, unreasonably hard. Obviously, for some people that's appealing, and for those people Element4L might be worth checking out. If you don't want a relentlessly punishing platformer, though, then you'd best avoid this one.

Blacksite's biggest issues aren't in the controls, but the lack of what you can do with them, not to mention the horrible enemy A.I.

Maybe Tecmo Koei should rethink the core design in the next game as, at this point, they are getting stale.

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.

If the gameplay was a little more involved, with less button bashing and greater emphasis on using combos for effectiveness, it would provide a more fufilling experience.

An average strategy title. The simple action and battle elements will turn off hardcore strategists. But the strong story and entertaining characters will keep you from popping the disc out.

ASB 2005 does do a lot, but so does the other guys and unfortunately for Acclaim, they also do it better.

Whether you’re intimately familiar with Mobile Suit Gundam or a total newcomer, the basic gist of the game should be enough to suck you in and keep you riveted. That it’s not shows just how forgettable this gameplay is – and forgettable is never a word that should apply to robots trying to blow each other up.

Console pinball is really not where it's at, but in this portable fashion, it is probably about as good as you can get.

At the end of the day, the Marvel Ultimate Alliance Bundle is exactly what you would expect; the previous gen games, on the current gen systems… Nothing more and nothing less (well actually a little bit less at the moment, but Activision is owning up to fixing that).

If you’re looking for a game that offers tonnes of content, Scintillatron 4096 isn’t it, especially if you’re playing it on Vita. But if you played that Atari Flashback Classics collection and want to recreate the feeling with something newer, this game should do the trick.

The needy camera and the almost forced replaying of the levels frustrated me. I also wish the manual (no item descriptions) and the tutorial (all text) weren't so atrocious.

It’s a thoroughly average 3D platformer that doesn’t do enough, good or bad, to be worth praising or condeming.

I actually enjoyed playing Interpol while it lasted, but I honestly can't fathom spending $10 on it, especially when you compare that value to other things available on XBLA.

Here is proof that originality alone is not a basis for a fun game.

A decent action game. There are a few flaws and a lack of depth, but it’s definitely playable and fun.

Another downer is there is no reason to take another journey, as there are no rewards or accomplishments to be made, unless you just have to get that extra gallon of blood... err... oil.

If you're desperate for a little hack & slash action on your Vita, I guess you might want to think about Aeternoblade, but otherwise, you can safely miss it.

For a game that shows great promise on the field, all the extras really bring the game down. It is hard to recommend FIFA Soccer 2006 for anyone looking for a single player experience, as with the lack of options, they will likely grow tired of it quickly.

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.

I personally would have preferred a classic “Joe” title, since nostalgia seems to be in these days, but for what’s it’s worth, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra video game is exactly what you would expect from a film to game translation, nothing more, nothing less.

Mask of Truth’s fights are standard SRPG fare, with grids and turns and, occasionally, teams. You don’t need to worry about learning anything too complex, which in turn leaves you more time to sift through the story. Conversely, it means that if you don’t find the story compelling, it’s not like there’s some other element here that could win you over. Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth is for diehards only, and everyone else need not apply.

Fun, but it's far from great.

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, but if its janky, dated RPGs you’re after, it’ll be everything you’re hoping for.

The investment necessary to figure the game out and enjoy the rich rewards of hunting is huge.

Raystorm was a fantastic game on the Playstation, and still one of my favorite shooters on the system, however, Taito really needed to update the game to make it worth the $15 and because of the higher cost and better shooters out there, ahem.... Ikaruga.

Dark Summit may add an element or two, but it doesn't give enough to merit a sequel.

Mario Party 3 should absolutely not be bought for the one player mode...For those that are looking for a fun multiplayer game, this one certainly fits the bill. It's easily the best Mario Party game yet with more events and mini-games than ever before.

Atelier Firis represents the first Atelier game I’ve ever played that I wouldn’t be able to recommend. For a series that has long been known for meeting a certain level of competence, it’s a surprising letdown.

New Joe and Mac: Caveman Ninja just barely passes as a decent remake of the original. Making gameplay mechanics fit the new visuals better and fixing sound problems really needs to be top priority, possibly with a few update patches. The Hunger/Health meter also really needs to be adjusted as not to deplete as fast as it does here. It’s definitely not horrible overall, but also doesn’t live up to the fun factor of the original. If I had to break everything down here, I would say this release largely feels unfinished. In it’s current form, it’s good, but it can, and should be, much better. I would recommend waiting for a few quality patches or a price drop before diving into this one.

Essentially, then, what you're left with is a grind-heavy game with forgettable characters and even worse writing.

Maybe consider it if/when the game gets a significant discount, but until that day, pass.

It took the stressful stat management that made Lost in Blue ulcer inducing and turned it into a funky, fun, “Lost” kind of experience.

Yoostar 2 could be a barrel of laughs and really is if you have the means and gathering of friends and social buddies to enjoy it, but keep in mind all isn't glamorous in this Hollywood setting. If you have all the right components, Yoostar 2 could be the "Rock Band" of the actor's guild. For the rest of us, it may be more worth it to rent or watch a movie in its entirety.

It doesn't do anything we've never seen before, but what it does do is usually done well.

Overall, Ghost Recon Future Soldier is a mixed bag. I found the multiplayer side of the game to be pretty fun, but the campaign was a chore to try and get through. Not because the difficulty was overly punishing, but more so because it was just downright boring. It certainly has some interesting ideas and mechanics, but it's not enough to detract from the tepid gameplay. So, if you're looking for a sound multiplayer shooter it's not a bad way to go, but I'd avoid the mess of the campaign entirely.

I imagine the hardcore fans have already picked this up, but if you’re on the fence or curious, I’d strongly suggest the demo before diving in.

This is definitely not a classic collection of Space Invaders Games, but a mash-up of classic and modern that is underwhelming. I really can’t recommend this release at full price, but it would be a good one to grab if on sale for Space Invaders Xtreme alone. Sadly, this is one “Classic Game Collection” that can be skipped.

I’m definitely a little less enthused with The Walking Dead: Michonne having played this second chapter. Hopefully Telltale is able to wrap things up in a more meaningful way next episode, but as of now I’m a little less excited to dive in and see this thing through. I’ll still be playing it, of course, but my expectations are certainly tempered.

So long 2K, nice effort, but as close as you came to making it big, you may end up being remembered mostly for being that team that always fell second fiddle to Sony's MLB franchise, which is a shame as no one can touch you in the NBA department. If you put as much effort in this sport as you do the NBA 2K series, we could be talking a completely different story instead of about the last 2K developed MLB title.

Yoostar 2 could be a barrel of laughs and really is if you have the means and gathering of friends and social buddies to enjoy it, but keep in mind all isn't glamorous in this Hollywood setting. If you have all the right components, Yoostar 2 could be the "Rock Band" of the actor's guild. For the rest of us, it may be more worth it to rent or watch a movie in its entirety.

Spectrobes is a game that has great promise. The visuals are excellent, the concept is great, the basic design is exemplary. But man oh man, when it comes to executing combat—which is the number one priority in any action/rpg—Spectrobes just doesn't deliver.

With a storyline that captivates, graphics that stand out from the crowd, the Hulk is a licensed game that certainly doesn’t embarrass itself from a presentation standpoint.

An average strategy title. The simple action and battle elements will turn off hardcore strategists. But the strong story and entertaining characters will keep you from popping the disc out.

At the very least, if you’re into simulating menial blue collar jobs, you could certainly do a lot worse than this.

A decent home console version.

Even though the game is quite proficient, Mercury Meltdown doesn’t completely reinvent the "controlling-a-round-object-by-tilting-the-world" field. What Mercury Meltdown does, however, is refine an already sound experience.

Not that the game does anything bad, it is as unoriginal as you can get in this land of competition.

Now, if Telltale Games could get a few more licenses for even more popular characters, we could get a really fantastic series of games. Maybe in Poker Night 3 would see Peter Griffin from Family Guy taking on Ryu from Street Fighter in a rousing game of 7 card stud. One can dream.

The two new titles, Pac-Man Tilt and Galaga 3D Impact are decent additions.

The game would be much better if they added combos into the combat system and allowed for blocking.

I recognize that How to Take Off Your Mask Remastered is clearly not for me, so I’m not going to complain too long or too loudly about this. But given that other, better otome games are out there, I just don’t know why you’d want to play this one instead.

Eyetoy Groove made you look like an idiot but in a fun way. Eyetoy Play 2 does the former, but not so much the latter—the compilation is entirely hit and miss, with a handful of failed concepts dragging down the rest.

Of course, for PS4 owners, at least, there is the little matter of the aforementioned Wipeout Omega Collection, which does the futuristic racer thing better than Redout could ever dream. There’s something ironic about a game from the past capturing the vibe of the future better than a game that came out this year, but when the alternative is as forgettable as this, the choice is pretty clear.

Familiar but flawed. Once again, Capcom has added a few more wrinkles to make the experience slightly different than before.

There is more freedom in career choices, less intense caretaking, plus a few console specific features. But the gameplay is old hat for previous console players.

Nights of Azure 2 isn’t all bad. It’s got a distinctive look and feel, which isn’t something that can be said 20+ games into Atelier. Setting aside the ridiculous clothing choices of many of the characters, there’s no denying that this game features some dazzling environments. I wouldn’t say that’s enough to offset the dialogue, bad camera controls, and leering fanservice, though. Nights of Azure 2 may represent a departure from the developer’s norm, but it’s also proof that simply being different isn’t inherently a good thing.

The game is sound on the technical side, and if you were still a big fan of the stuff, then I'd say Band Hero would be right up your alley once again. However, if you're feeling more than a little burned out at this point, and hoping for something particularly awesome from this release, prepare to be disappointed.

You will get a visual style that is like no other, the ability to perform over the top moves off of interactive environments, and score a lot during the process. This is soccer on adrenaline.

As a title that doesn't stand out in any particular category other than nostalgia, 1942 still holds up well as the shooter it is.

The whole thing is disorienting and unsettling — a lot like the movie that inspired it. Neverout isn’t the easiest game to love, but I imagine that those people who do love it will love it a lot.

I loved the mini-games, and found a lot of the substories delivered the quirky humor that I adore from the Yakuza series. I also enjoyed the combat for the most part, even if the various execution animations get a little tiring after the first dozen or so times you see them. But everything else surrounding those things is just a slog to get through. And the story takes some really weird, nearly non-sensical twists towards the end that I definitely had issues with. So I can’t say I would suggest this whole-heartedly, to either Yakuza or Fist of the North Star fans. Maybe check this one out via discount or rental, otherwise you should probably just go back and play more Yakuza.

But they are enough to make me think that, deep down, Natural Doctrine isn't all bad. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly not good, either — but overall, it has just enough things going in its favour that it's able to lift itself from "Oh God, this is horrible" to "Meh, you could do worse."

Fort Defense obviously shouldn't be your first choice if your Vita's crying out for some tower defense — not when Pixeljunk Monsters and Plants vs. Zombies are both available — but if you've got a few dollars and that particular itch to scratch, then it won't be the worst purchase you've ever made.

This isn't a particularly inventive release, and while having Frank West is certainly cool; his presence alone isn't enough to atone for some of the flaws I have issues with. I was really hoping for a bit more here, but overall I feel kind of let down by what Case West has to offer.