It’s a competent enough game of golf that I think it’s worth fooling around with for exhibition and career modes, but from a content perspective it really pales in comparison to previous offerings.

If I’d paid full price for it on release day, I’d be wondering why I paid so much money for a game that feels closer to EDF or Goat Simulator than anything else. Obviously, I had fun with it, so I wouldn’t say never buy it or never play it — but you may be better off waiting it bit for it to come down in price. Then you hop in, and start crashing cars and causing mayhem to your heart’s content.

So you may want to take my criticisms with a heaping dose of salt. Just in case you don't, however, be aware that what lies ahead of you is going to be a rushed-yet-slow-moving experience.

If you just want to build, there’s nothing wrong with that, and Townscaper will provide you with exactly the kind of non-directed gameplay you’re after. But if you want anything of substance, or even just a city-builder that feels like you’re creating an actual city, keep on looking, because you won’t find that here.

A fantastic port on the GBA, but the controls hold it back from being a great title on the system.

If I were to sum up NHL 15 in one word it would be “disappointing.”

Fate/Unlimited Codes isn't going to take the fighting community by storm, and it certainly doesn't hold a candle to current gen fighters on their respective systems, and for a $30 downloadable title on the PSP, it's a little pricey for the content given.

It may have been made with the best of intentions, and it does an okay job of being an homage to its influences, but the route to get there could have been a lot less off-putting.

Killzone Trilogy is a collection of 3 great games, but with only one title being the reason to buy, I can only recommend it if you do not own Killzone 2 and 3. If you do own them, but you still want to play the original, you can save money and download it by itself on the PlayStation Store. With nothing added to the other games and a rather lackluster upscale treatment to the other, this collection seems only for those who have never experienced the series.

Honestly, to me WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a good start for a new engine and possibly a new franchise from 2K. Many of my issues can be corrected with patches or game updates. The gameplay is fast, fun, and easy to pick up. I really wish the game wasn’t so microtransaction heavy as this could have been a stronger recommendation, but that could change over time depending on fan and critic feedback.

But the good news is that Tempest, Pong and Warlords are all very good fun.

Sure, in the end, it all depends how much you enjoy this ever moving shooting gallery with personality, and ultimately it will be the determining factor of your purchase.

Firaxis' ambition may be great, but their inspiration seems to be left behind on our home planet. We've gone maybe out to Mars in this one, and it's a shame that Civilization's foray into the future is one that reminds us only of how inspired things were in the past. I'd love to see something more inventive in a full release, but maybe that will appear in a less fiscally-demanding expansion at some point.

The original Ghosts 'N Goblins was famously difficult, so it's hard to fault the new game for being difficult, too. The difference is that the new Ghosts 'N Goblins is difficult in manufactured ways - controls and structure - which force replays of previous levels.

Gamers who have been versed in the worlds of Sly Cooper, Jak and Daxter, etc. will find the new Pitfall entry with little to offer. It sports solid, loosely Pitfall-inspired gameplay, there is just nothing new about it.

The only thing I didn't like was the chainsaw melee engine. On one mission, you're forced to use the chainsaw in a revenge situation and the control is just difficult to get used to. The range is very short as it should be, but you can't move quickly while sawing so if you accidentally start sawing too far away you really get messed up.

The action here gets pretty repetitive fairly quickly, leaving you feeling like a lot more could have been done. Hopefully City of Brass’ developers take what they learned from this and pour their energies into a well-made sequel, because as it is, this game just feels kind of lacking.

And it’s a shame that the career mode is such a letdown here, because everything else about GRID Autosport feels fine. It’s still a series that attempts to straddle the line between sim and arcade racer, and does so better than most.

Unfortunately the controls take a turn for the worse when an enemy's missile, rocket, or whatever hits you. For some reason, no matter how heavy or light your boat may be, no matter how heavily equipped it may be with weaponry and armor, your boat will unrealistically catapult into the air.

Attempts to be a platform game heavy on the puzzles, but it's really just a boring platform game. It's too bad it's a video game and not a slide show, because playing the game is almost painfully boring at times despite the graphics.

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.

As frustrating as Ninja Usagimaru: Two Tails of Adventure can be, I don’t detest this game anywhere near as much as The Witness, for the simple reason that there’s not nearly as much here to detest. It never aspires to be anything more than a simple puzzle game that you can play on the go, albeit one that will make you want to throw your handheld of choice out a bus window. I can’t say it appeals to me, but if you’re after a brain-twister that’s easy to pick up and put down, then I could see it kind of doing the trick.

Aragami is a pretty game with a few missteps that could have really made the game great. The shadow manipulation is really fun, and the puzzles to try and figure out how to get through each stage without being seen is very challenging. But the game really misses steps when they could have included combat, instead of just stealth kills.

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.

Given how thoroughly Castaway Paradise tries to rip off Animal Crossing, I don’t know why you’d want to play it on the Switch, rather than just picking up the last year’s GOTY, given that one is already a Switch exclusive. I know that imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery, but no matter how flattering Castaway Paradise is, you’re probably just better off buying Animal Crossing (or, failing that, deleting your save file and starting over again).

Truth is, regardless of the game’s quality, I’m starting a second playthrough immediately after submitting this review. As bad as it may be on technical and artistic levels, there’s a certain broke and busted charm that makes Dead Island: Riptide almost endearing. Even the Romero downer ending backed by Chamillionaire’s raps couldn’t shake the smile I had after finishing the grind through nearly seventeen hundred ghouls.

Fans will have to wait for a sequel to see more freedom and variety in gameplay.

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.

The presentation is certainly nice, the games are well paced, the multiplayer is fun and there is an adequate variety of topics/answers/questions. Unless you have a household of JEOPARDY! fans, the whole package is still just a little light for the price point.

Overall, Labyrinth Legends feels like an interesting attempt at boiling down the dungeon aspect of an adventure game to its core, and for the most part manages to be fun and pretty straight forward.

I’m starting to see a pattern where the titles from this series which I find rather disappointing seem to originate from the Switch. Both this and Senran Kagura Reflexions started out on Nintendo’s platform. However to be fair, at least Peach Ball is a functional game…I still have no idea what purpose did Reflexions serve. That said, If you want pinball, there are plenty of alternatives on the steam platform, if you want fan service or straight up porn…steam has that too! Sadly Senran Kagura Peach Ball only necessary for those completionists which need to own every title in a series.

The two games that are exclusive are not worth the price at all. But if you don’t have any of these titles in your library or are missing a few, then this is a cost effective collection that can provide a lot of fun! As I stated before, there are no extras or exclusive modes or options included with this release. It is a strictly barebones presentation made up of mostly previously released titles. Not a bad collection for some, but a waste of time for others. All in all, a somewhat lazy and underwhelming release.

It's not a horrible game, and it does provide some fun for the 8 or so hours of gameplay, but it's not particularly exciting or noteworthy either.

I still enjoyed my time with the game though, and appreciate what it brings to the table story-wise. Whether any of the events featured here will make their way into the canon proper I'm not sure, but as a side story it's certainly an interesting tale. And once you spend a little more time with the combat you'll find a better experience than the first few hours let on. So yeah, if you're a big fan or even just a fan from the T.V. show with little interest in the books, I'd say you should eventually give this one a look.

Given how long it’s been since I played the game from which this draws such a heavy influence, it’s quite possible that this was how the original Road Rash games played as well. But even if it wasn’t, Road Redemption is such a reasonable facsimile that it makes me feel like it’s a possibility, which seems like an achievement in and of itself. That doesn’t make it a great game (or even a very good one, or even one you should consider buying unless you have a desperate need to relive the ‘90s), but it does make Road Redemption a perfect successor to the games it’s trying to emulate.

So while I think Painkiller Hell & Damnation is adequate in presentation and gameplay, it's really only suited for those that didn't play the previous releases. The silver lining is that it speaks highly about the endurance of the hold-down-the-fire-button-and-don't-let-go FPSs that started the genre… And hey, it's only $20.

A mixed bag. It’s fun to revisit one of the first “looter shooters” for consoles again, and the mix of run, gun, and loot still holds up well despite its age. But this is hardly a perfect port/remaster of that game, and because of that, it’s difficult to really suggest picking it up.

It's hard to be definitive with SEV2 because it does fall victim to its own unique premise and gameplay speciality. It's somewhat limited, but adding more whiz-bang and flashiness would only dilute its core sniping gameplay, which is exactly what makes it stand out from the crowd.

If you can embrace the silliness — and, more importantly, overlook lots and lots and lots of glaring flaws — then you'll find that Mars: War Logs is, in it's own way, more fun than you could ever imagine.

A credible first effort, but it’s not enough to knock off NBA Street from its throne, gambling options aside.

I would say if you are a gigantic Hold'em fan and you need you poker itch scratched on the PS4 then consider Pure Hold'em. Otherwise I would pick up a cheaper card game compilation on PC/Mac or wait for a PlayStation Store sale. Either way only poker fans need inquire.

The difficulty is there; the multiplayer is solid and does the series justice in many ways. I recommended it for the hack n slash, dungeon crawler fans. Lastly, if the four classes aren’t enough, for $4.99, you can purchase and unlock the Necromancer that summons ghosts and archers.

Gamers who are into this genre will no doubt enjoy what Culdcept Saga offers, but with the game’s dated visuals, poor voice acting, so-so solo mode, and slightly broken online play, one can only recommend this for hardcore fans of this genre.

Mega Man Legacy Collection is not the best compilation of classics released, but it’s definitely not the worst. Worth a download if you are a fan.

Tao Feng, while light years better than "Kakuto Chojin," really ends up as a slightly generic, thoroughly average fighting experience.

I definitely think it's worth checking out, via a demo first if possible, but outside of a really well realized look, and some great presentation, there isn't enough to the gameplay that will keep you coming back for more.

Elemental Gearbolt sadly fails to satisfy in the gameplay stakes, which is really the most important aspect of the game. Certainly go for it if you like the presentation and so on, but the so-called innovation stops at the presentation and nothing is done to enhance the gameplay.

If Hannah looked as good in action as it did in its screenshots, it’s not hard to imagine it becoming at least a cult hit. Instead, we just have a 3D platformer that’s not as scary as it wants or needs to be, which isn’t what anyone needs.

As Metroidvanias go, it’s fine, but if you want anything more than just average, you’re not going to find it here.

Elden Ring Nightreign does offer a new and interesting step in a different direction for FromSoftware and Bandai Namco, but I’m not exactly confident that this is the best choice. I think it’ll be an enjoyable title to mess about in with your friends, lending itself more to games like Risk of Rain with the roguelike/roguelite aspects, but as a FromSoftware game boasting the Elden Ring title, I think it’s missing the mark from what we expect from the studio. It’s a hard recommendation unless you can get two of your friends to jump aboard with you, so I’m stuck in a middle ground. It has merits to it, but the flaws really do put a damper on overall enjoyment. If you’re REALLY seeking more Elden Ring, you’ll find it with Nightreign, but it’s different enough that I have to give a warning to those expecting more of the same with just multiplayer as the focus.

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.

A studio like Piranha Bytes lasted decades despite churning out awful games, simply because there was something endearing about a bad game making an effort to be good. Anyone who misses that studio can take solace in the fact that Of Ash and Steel is continuing its legacy. But if you do, just be mindful that it is, at heart, a bad game.

Like every year, it delivers a very solid on-field experience, with plenty of options for how deep you want to get into managing a team. But I don’t think I’ve ever played a version of MLB The Show that felt this generic, and it’s clearly, undeniably time for someone to start thinking about making the overall package more compelling.

Even if the versions of Zeus, Hera, and Ares are a lot more pleasant here than they are in, say, God of War, there’s not really anything about that – or this game – that makes Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island worth recommending.

Add it all up, and you’ll be left wondering why Beyond the Ice Palace 2 exists in the first place. You’ve absolutely played plenty of games like this before, and there’s nothing this game has that you can’t find done better elsewhere.

Unless you desperately want to be able to draw a few penises and argue about stuff that’s way less sexier than it sounds, you’re better off ignoring The Jackbox Naughty Pack entirely and sticking with any of the previous ten Party Packs.

It all adds up to a game that feels like it was designed for streaming, not playing yourself. And while I don’t have any strong feelings about what people want to watch, in some cases I have stronger feelings about what people play, and this is one of those cases: don’t waste your time on Bad Cheese, because there are much more interesting games out there to enjoy.

If nothing else, I guess, it’s quite possible that Wreckreation becomes a meme game with random explosions like that. But you’d have hoped that after ten years trying to recapture the brilliance of Burnout, Three Fields Entertainment would be further along than this. Wreckreation is better than anything they’ve done so far, true, but it’s still very far from the kind of racing game that anyone will want to play.

Months after MindsEye’s first came out, it’s hard not to think that it was the victim of a pile-on that was only partially justified by the hubris that surrounded its release. If you can find it on sale for a deep discount and don’t mind playing a generic action game, you may find it perfectly acceptable.

Had it kept things simple – say, with lots of straightforward puzzles to solve with an overarching story that’s easy to follow – it probably would’ve been great. Instead we have needlessly hard puzzles accompanied by an overly complicated plot. Saying, “less is more” can come off as trite, but in this case it’s totally true.

The game feels like old-hat and the limited gameplay changes have the Tomb Raider series making a small leap in improvement.

I’d love for every iteration of Assassin’s Creed to be great, as I genuinely enjoy the series. Assassin’s Creed 2, Brotherhood, Black Flag…these are all fantastic games to me. But Unity doesn’t compare favorably at all to the better entries we’ve already seen.

The price point is still tough, in my opinion, and while I don’t think I’m the target demographic, I think it’s going to be an uphill battle at the $40 price. Ultra Street Fighter II would have been a monster hit for Capcom at $20 and unless you're a die hard Street Fighter II fan, I would wait until it hits that price point.

I get the impression that far too much effort was put into locking up a great soundtrack.

There's only so far you can go in commending Operation Babel. As should be abundantly clear by now, if you loved Operation Abyss, then this game offers more of what that did, but otherwise, you won't need to bother with it.

Definitely try before you buy, if possible, and keep in mind that the game is only worth playing if you've got a few friends to go at it with you.

Aegis of Earth: Protonovus Assault is perfectly serviceable, I guess, if that's all you're looking for, but if you want any more than that — say, if you want a game that really does have a neat new twist on the tower defense formula — it'll just end up disappointing you.

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

The problem with Under the Skin lies in the fact that no matter how far you advance in the game you’ll still be doing generally the same thing over and over. Once you’ve seen the different methods of freaking out the populace, that’s all there is to see.

Sure Green Game: TimeSwapper looks nice — like Red Game, it makes the most of a two-tone color palette - but nice graphic design is no substitute for nice level design.

With better racing games, like "Ridge Racer V," "Midnight Club," "Smuggler's Run" and "Moto GP," there isn't much need for an average off-road racer.

The combination of 2003 graphics with 1995 mission design hurts Postal 2 in the long term. Something else that absolutely kills the game is the insane amount of loading that goes on.

If you're absolutely, positively dying to play some type of action oriented title, and you're not feeling particularly picky about the story aspect or how engaged you'll get with the characters used, then Fracture will probably satisfy that itch for a short while.

You'll see a lot of poor passes (regardless of your quarterback choice), poor tackling (even for a computer-controlled player), hot and cold A.I. and many, many wide open receivers dropping balls. This is probably the most frustrating aspect of NCAA 2k3.

If you’re fond of stealth horror and don’t mind a bit of shallowness, then Yuoni could be something you’ll enjoy, at least for a short time. But for anyone else, I don’t think it’ll be nearly as appealing.

Building up a powerful gang from nothing under the watchful eye of the man sounds like fun, but the process in Beat Down is shallow and tiresome.

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.

The sound is pretty standard fare also. The checks and hockey sound effects are boilerplate, not that I’d expect anything else.

The fighter is elementary and good for it’s young target audience, but not anyone else.

X-2 comes off as a flashy expansion pack, and not the full fledged sequel promised. The mission-based approach will work for some, but to me, it comes off as a cheap excuse to skimp out on a proper narrative.

If all you want is lots of content, then Dual Brain Complete Edition will deliver. But if you want the content to be fun or engaging, then it feels a little lacking.

Star Ocean: The Divine Force is an improvement from the previous game; Integrity and Faithlessness, but this is not a return to form to games like Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, or The Second Story. tri-Ace, to me, could do no wrong during the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 era. I would love to see tri-Ace return to greatness with a higher quality new Star Ocean title, but with this one I’ll have to settle for average.

It may not be perfect, but NBA 07 offers a respectful game of b-ball on the PSP.

Considering it has no competition… Let's Fish! Hooked On is surely the best fishing game available for the PlayStation Vita and fans of the genre (like myself) may enjoy it for a little while. Even with the Vita's bells and whistles however it fails to live up to the Sega-style arcade fishing games of old.

There's not a lot of content here, and unless you can find regular online opponents, that means it can all start to feel really repetitive pretty quickly.

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

Handing on your car feels a bit loose which allows you to lose control of your car far too easily. This is only exacerbated by ridiculously aggressive A.I. once played on any level besides easy.

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.

If the gameplay could match the quality of the plot or dialogue options then you'd have a real winner here, but as it stands Alpha Protocol isn't a title I'd want to revisit anytime soon.

While the options are bigger this year, I thought last year’s game felt more complete in overall game play.

Even with this new attacking system, the game still falls into the monotonous, repetitive game play that has affected the genre for years. Nightcaster isn’t what you’d call clumsy in terms of game play, just not as precise as you would like.

Even though the mini-games are too common and unnecessarily repetitive, and the random cartoon nudity isn't worth the effort, the wonderfully insane dialogue and characters are worth taking a trip to Larry's collegiate adventure.

Like a cowboy at a punk concert, it's awkward and really doesn't belong.

This game certainly isn't breaking any new ground, neither have the past few that came before it.

Kudos to Microsoft for trying something new, but if you are to continue this franchise next year, trying focusing on beating out the competition in options and just plain fun.

While the lack of decent multiplayer is a dim-witted compromise, the Adhoc mode available is quite well featured.

At the end of the day, your mileage with Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO will vary. I found myself bored as often as I was excited and frustrated as often as I was exhilarated. For fans who simply want to relive the glory of their childhood with Budokai Tenkaichi, there might be enough here to draw them in. For folks looking for a continuation of the depth that FighterZ added or the beat-em-up fun of a Kakarot or Xenoverse style game, I do not see Sparking! ZERO scratching that itch for you.

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.