What can’t be fixed are the statistical glitches that really keep the game from being fun. Things such as shortstops getting saves, games not counting, etc. are commonplace. There is nothing more frustrating than having a good baseball game with a terrible stat bug.

The story isn't all that noteworthy, especially given the amount of cinematics the player is forced to sit through, but it gets the job done. And sure, the battle system is fun, but as the game develops, it grows more annoying, frustrating, and tedious, requiring a fair amount of dedication and patience to work through.

One Piece devotees, after all, are the target audience for a One Piece game, so it seems fair to have some expectation that if you're buying the game, you'll know what you're getting into.

The heart of Kessen 3 lies in repetition; in mission layouts, in the simple combo execution, and in the cutscenes and music.

There isn't enough variety to keep players enthralled - it's essentially the same game over and over. But what is there works beautifully and is a great example of a game that’s accessible to anybody without sacrificing fun for all.

But just because a game is fuelled by good intentions doesn't mean that you have to play it — and personally, considering how readily available these traumatic stories are in real life, I'd much rather play games that act as a safe space away from it all.

It’s a fairly forgettable sequel to a game that, really, wasn’t all that interesting in the first place. It won’t crash your Vita, and I assume that means that your PC or PS4 would be safe as well, but that’s pretty much the highest compliment I can pay the game.

Perhaps, I guess, its creators were too enamored by their big picture ideas to notice that some of those smaller details weren’t quite up to par. Which is kind of a shame, since those big picture ideas would’ve made The Occupation pretty compelling if they’d managed to pull it off. Instead, we’re left with a game that all seems like a lot of unfulfilled promise.

Foul Play is a very stylized, quirky little title that could be good for a quick play session alone or with a friend. If you take away it's unique presentation, and little chunks of flare, you are left with an average beat 'em up with very little to offer. Try out the demo before buying, as it is somewhat pricey, so proceed with caution.

The good thing about Payday 2: Crimewave Edition is despite the shortcomings, playing the online co-op with actual people makes the game that much more enjoyable and will stick with the original review’s statement of this being an online experience.

While Thunder Wolves nails the action and non-stop devastation of an arcade shooter, control issues and lack of variety may hinder the overall experience.

So if you're looking for something new, TNA Impact might be able to fulfill that need, but don't expect it to reinvent the wheel in it's current state.

All in all I really enjoyed Maximum Pool, far more than the offerings provided in the last couple of years. It's easy, fun, and online. What more do you need to know?

Overall Blues and Bullets Episode 2 is more of the same, literally every bit of gameplay from the first episode is carried over to the second.

Aka clearly has its heart in the right place, but it doesn’t have anything that goes a little deeper or that asks anything of its players, and without that it just feels like a cut-rate version of Animal Crossing.

The real-time chat feature practically makes the game. There’s room for much more depth, but AFO is a great pick-up and play shooter, or 7-day rental.

There are three stages to playing Georifters. First, your eyeballs get assaulted. Then, briefly, you get used to the hideousness, and you can focus on playing the game. This, unfortunately, is the shortest stage, and quickly gives way to boredom, as you realize there’s not much here worth doing for any length of time. Given all the excellent puzzle-platformers on the Switch, that means you can safely avoid this one.

There are definitely some hurdles you'll have to get over to enjoy this game, but there is certainly fun to be had. For me it was the strategic, puzzle-like single player mode, but for others it may be the ability to alter decks and play against online opponents.

For the few hours it will keep you busy, Smash Cars is a fun and slightly different arcade-style RC racer. Downloadable games don't necessarily have to be short and simple, and for the price, Smash Cars is over a little too quickly.

Visually the game won't win any "wow" awards, but it fits the bill if for what you need.

Overall, I think if you're a Wii only owner and you enjoy JRPG's, you'll probably find Arc Rise Fantasia to be a breath of fresh air. There's not a great deal that can compete with this particular style of game on the system right now, and it certainly has some highlights to it.

Personally, I can’t say I find it all that appealing. I get that the whole point of the subgenre is to make games as hard as possible, and if you’re craving a platformer that punishes you for playing it, you’ll find it here. But at a certain point, it all feels like a bit much — and in Necrosphere Deluxe, that point is where puzzles with no margin for error meets two-button twitch controls.

I get that Legends of Ethernal is really trying to be heartfelt in its story, and tries back that up with “hand-crafted” graphics that are supposed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy towards the game. But it undercuts the vibe it’s going for with a punishing difficulty level and lousy combat. Maybe that’s enough to win over masochists with a soft spot for a very specific art style, but personally, I think I’ll just pass.

Consider it only if you've got a captive audience, no internet connection, and some time to kill with friends — and, above all else, don't expect too much.

It's a pretty well realized effect, and ends up being the sole, standout feature of the entire experience. A game with better, unique mechanics in this setting would have been great, but unfortunately Black Knight Sword's tepid hack and slash platforming brings down an otherwise decent downloadable title on PSN and XBLA.

Basically, if you can wrap your head around the complex controls, then you might get some enjoyments out of this fighter.

So if you've always been put off by the micromanagement inherent in most RPG's, Bard's Tale may be just your ticket. If those aspects are part of what draws you in, the game will feel very shallow.

A lackluster effort compared to the previous two games, and I think a lot more polish and thought could have went into making it more fun to play.

The steering feel[s] somewhat awkward at first as well as stiff. This to me interrupts the smooth control design of the original game and complicates it for no other reason than to be complicated.

In the end, Revelations mostly feels like a step backwards that was probably rushed to market just to satisfy the need for a yearly installment.

It's for extraordinarily dedicated Xblaze Code: Embryo fans only — and I don't think I could possibly emphasize that "only" enough, because if that phrase doesn't describe you, you'd be better off picking up literally any other game in existence.

The real problem is that 2 Dawn decided to join the ranks of an oversaturated genre and is directly competing with games whose advertising budgets are probably 10x as much as Ravaged's development budget… That's an uphill battle if there ever was one.

Yomawari: possibly Japanese for "nightmare walking simulator."

Konami has created a title that manages to hit the group it was developed for, while still appealing to the rest of the world. And hey, what’s cooler than watching Mickey slide tackle into Minnie? Not much.

What I am saying, though, is that if you do spend your money on We Are Doomed, it’s quite possible you’ll have forgotten it exists by the time it finishes downloading.

If you only have the Xbox 360 as your console, MLB 2K6 does play a fairly solid game of baseball, provided you have all your sliders in place. But for me, the best baseball game again this year is still 989's "MLB 06: The Show."

Despite how accurate it looks and feels for the time period, it still ends up being little more than a 3D cardboard cut-out most of the time. Also, while the detective aspect is pretty well realized, all of the action sequences I was involved in felt far too planned out, and eliminating any sort of random element from them makes them a little too sterile for my taste.

The addition of the new play styles, attitude, and story mode only enhance this great title. This is easily the best of the Blitz titles, and Midway has given fans a truly fun and entertaining football game that is not hindered by rules and penalties.

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 battles are rarely gripping and are so few and far between that you start getting bored waiting for something to actually happen.

The concept is fun, there are some nice features and touches included in the game, and the online play is actually very enjoyable. It's worth checking out the demo at least to see if the game clicks.

I just hope both companies come up with something big when making the transition to next-gen, as this genre needs a shot in the arm…but please no performance enhancing substances.

Within its limited scope — its very, very, very limited scope — Writhe does alright for itself. There’s clearly something here to build on, and even if that doesn’t mean you should pick this game up now (wait for a very deep discount from its current $10 price), it does mean that eventually it might turn into something worthwhile.

I know it’s unfair to condemn Mad Games Tycoon for what it’s not — but it’s hard not to do so. After all, when the pinnacle of the genre is available on the same system for a fraction of the price, there’s really no reason why anyone should want to play this over Game Dev Story. It’s a fine effort, but the fact is, it doesn’t come anywhere close.

Now, I admit that I’m clearly not the target audience here. The tender story of a young woman coming to terms with her sexuality while also figuring out her career path isn’t the kind of thing I’d normally read, and Asuka’s not compelling enough a character to win me over. All that said, I’m glad it exists for people who do like those stories, and if you want a slow-moving visual novel that’s more character-driven than many of its contemporaries, you could do a lot worse than to pick up Nurse Love Addiction.

The game is packed with modes, options and replayability, though it has a few annoying problems which takes away from the potential enjoyability of it all.

Rumble Roses XX is not a terrible game, or as some may think, video game porn. Beneath the surface there is a pretty good fighting game hiding underneath.

If you were a fan of the first and are happy with the "more is great" attitude, then Flatout 2 is for you. Everyone else, this game is just a rental if just for the mini games and destruction derby arenas.

The battles are rarely gripping and are so few and far between that you start getting bored waiting for something to actually happen.

If AgeTec could have at least hidden or reduced the load times for battles, the game could have received a higher score.

My end feeling is that the game is still fun to play, despite any changes to the gameplay, and if you get a group of friends together you'll still have a blast with it like you did in the arcade or at home as a kid, even if the experience isn't all there.

A manual camera (or at least one that would stay static), a lineup that would include more Nicktoons, and a difficulty select would greatly improve the game.

Add those drawn-out, repetitive encounters to a world that’s kind of empty, and you can see why Strayed Lights is a difficult game to love. It looks and sounds nice, and if you’re really into dodging weaving rather than charging into battle I could see how it might be interesting in small doses, but as it stands, it doesn’t feel like there’s enough here to really make for a satisfying game.

The execution is as boring as everything else Pine has to offer. It’s a shame that the finished (or, given the technical issues, maybe that should read “mostly finished”) product doesn’t come anywhere close to living up to the incredible potential displayed by the trailer, because that game could have been great. This game, however, is in dire need of improvements, and until it gets those you can skip it pretty safely.

Basically, if you can wrap your head around the complex controls, then you might get some enjoyments out of this fighter.

The game's options are what keep this game from a B rating. Yes, there is online play and it's fun as hell, but what about building your franchise for solo game play? Oops, looks like Microsoft forgot that part.

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

In this day and age of remakes and annual releases, it's refreshing to see a brand new IP that happens to be a platformer. The frustration of the controls coupled with the camera just broke down my enjoyment and the lack of real replay value hurt my logic to push through the frustration. I should also mention the musical score is fantastic and feels ripped right out of a Donkey Kong Country game (which makes sense since it's the same composer). Overall I think Snake Pass is worth checking out but curb your expectations a bit. I'm sure if it sells well, Snake Pass 2 will correct my problems with this first entry and slither its way to a better grade.

It provides a great old school time, with plenty of levels and things to destroy in them that you can enjoy I short bursts. Any fan of the series will be more than ecstatic with this rendition.

Outbreak's biggest flaw might be its own previous installments. Players won't find much new gameplay in part 3 besides in acceleration of the story arc.

It’s short length (only 5 to 8 hours) and it’s repetitive and sometimes lacking gamplay really hurt it. There’s definitely some good fun to have, but it would be better done through a rental.

It’s a pity, then, that the football part of Legend Bowl is so underwhelming. The ideas here are good, and the developers deserve credit for making a game that feels both modern and retro at the same time, but if you’re looking for a football game where you’ll actually want to play the on-field game, this isn’t it.

It’s a fun experience overall, but certainly not the best in its genre.

As funny as setting enemies against each other is, however, it doesn’t make Clash: Artifacts of Chaos’ combat any more enjoyable – which makes it pretty similar to the rest of the game. It’s awkward, it’s clunky, it never fully explains itself, and I strongly suspect that that’s the case whether you’ve played older Zeno Clash games or not.

A solid, but less than extraordinary fighter.

Slight edge might be given to the Xbox because of its superior dual analog sticks, but the GCN yellow c-stick isn’t too troublesome.

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.

If you enjoyed the movie, I'd say the game is worth checking out, but beware that it can really aggravate you at certain points. I'm not sure I'd suggest buying it right off the bat; I would definitely go with a rental first.

But it's also got all the quirky baggage of the other GTA games – control issues, mediocre graphics and, this time, a story that falls short of the bar set by others in the series. It also doesn't include the multiplayer modes found on the PSP version, but there are helicopters. Life as a drug dealer is full of tradeoffs.

The Devil's Daughter feels like it never misses an opportunity to take you out of the game. Maybe if it weren't supposed to be a Sherlock Holmes game that wouldn't be as much of an issue, but if you're going to borrow from such an iconic character, it would make sense to at least try to get more of that character's essence right.

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.

It's certainly great that Insomniac Games wanted to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Ratchet & Clank series with a fresh new gameplay experience. Sadly, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault doesn't totally work. It's possible that the PS Vita will be a more natural fit for the game, and we expect to spend some time with that version when it is released.

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.

Outside of the charm of watching your party interact with each other in battles, there's nothing really special about Miitopia. Not even the music or look of it. It actually makes me want to go back to Tomodachi Life, as that game seemed to know more about its identity than Miitopia. Both do make me laugh, but I like a game that's designed to be a simulation instead of Miitopia's RPG elements that feel a touch too light to make playing it feel that appealing.

Much like Dragon's Lair before it, I would have liked to have had more bang for my buck such as a documentary video, history of the game, screens of cabinet making, etc. for those of us who grew up during this special time, but alas, even with the multiple settings, the depth of what you get is only in game form only and no nostalgia films or info to accommodate.

It's a blast...pun intended.

Crackdown 3 is certainly a mixed bag, what with a fun campaign mode that does come off a bit dated bogged down by a lackluster multiplayer mode that didn’t need to be included. However, it’s hard to argue against the Xbox Game Pass option, and Crackdown 3 is certainly worth the asking price for that program. I wouldn’t pay $60 for it, but $1.00 for the trial, or $10.00 for the monthly fee? Yeah, why not. It’s got enough to enjoy, more so if you enjoyed the original Crackdown, and won’t take up much of your time.

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.

I feel bad about not liking Bodycheck more than I do. As someone who loves the Vita, I always appreciate when developers show the same level of devotion to the handheld. But there’s still no way I could recommend a mediocre-at-best game to people, no matter how much I want the system to continue to succeed well into its twilight years — and, sadly, this is the definition of a mediocre-at-best game.

The idea underlying The Invisible Hours is really cool, and it’s not hard to see how more could be done with it in the right hands. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case here.

Arc System Works has brought many great fighters to the US, and while Arcana Heart 3 LOVE MAX!!!!! is somewhat decent, it’s definitely not their best and only earns an above average rating.

It is still the best effort Rebellion has put forth in quite some time, it just ends up that their aim was just a little off to really hit the mark this time. It is worth a romp through though and I highly enjoyed the antics, ideas, game play, and overall look and feel of the game, it just really falls short in heart and story.

Simply being pretty and functional isn’t enough to make Windbound any more interesting. It’s built around a survival gameplay loop that’s not particularly deep or fun. It may be great if you enjoy sailing, but beyond that, there’s not a whole lot here.

The problem is, it’s only fun to play in short bursts.

It’s perfectly fine for what it is, I guess, and it’s clear that a lot of love went into making the game, but unless you have really low standards when it comes to 3D platformers, you’re unlikely to share in that feeling.

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.

A Hero's Tail isn't a revolutionary game. It's not bad, either. It's just very simple. It seems just simple enough, in fact, for children who are at least learning to read and have the motor skills to follow relatively easy control instructions.

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.

Rage starts to wear out its welcome about 3 to 4 hours in. That's the point where it started to feel like the promise of an open world shooter was more of an illusion than reality.

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.

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.

Superstars V8 Racing is enjoyable to play online and is not a complete waste in single player, but at the same price as Burnout: Paradise, I have a hard time telling anyone to buy it.

Overall, Sacred 3 isn’t the sequel that fans of the series were hoping to see, and hopefully Keen Games will pick up on the feedback offered across various outlets and forums if there are plans for another Sacred down the road.

The plot remains as bland as that of its predecessor, and the characters are equally forgettable.

For this entry into the series, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate is a fun ride and will take you some time to accomplish. It also looks good, especially for being on a handheld, and will provide you with more of the Belmont history than you could find on Ancestry.com, just don’t expect your brain to think the words Castlevania while you play it.

So if you’ve always been put off by the micromanagement inherent in most RPG’s, Bard’s Tale may be just your ticket. If those aspects are part of what draws you in, the game will feel very shallow.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is still a charming platformer and creative sandbox at heart, yet without the full attention of Media Molecule, it feels like it sorta lost its soul.

Unless you are a MK fanboy (and I mean so die hard that you don't care if the game is the same old song and dance) or a DC fanboy who wants to see where the writers take their beloved superheroes, then this game is a rental at best. Hell I'm a fan of both, although not die hard for either brand, and I still couldn't find myself very interested in the final result.