Which is how, ultimately, I arrive at the same place as all those people who disliked Valkyria Revolution for very different reasons than me. I may not share in their distaste for the game's move away from turn-based combat, but I definitely agree with them that this game features far too much pointless talk to be engaging. It's quite possible that a judicious and frequent use of the "Skip this scene" feature might uncover a game worth checking out, but that's making players do the work that the game's creators should've done in the first place.

I will never object to bringing back older titles to modern platforms, but not everything needs to be dusted off and placed on digital storefronts. Moto Racer MC isn’t necessarily something that should be left in the annals of history, clearly I found the omake mode to be worth playing, even if I find the single player modes unfulfilling. A silver lining for this is maybe it could lead to other ports of TG-16/PC-Engine titles, although the stuff I want to see are IPs owned by Konami (Bonk’s Adventure).

If you can get by the shoddy visuals, there is plenty of life in this game to merit the 50 dollar price tag, including a bevy of courses, challenges, and an online mode that is just as basic as the game itself, but at least its there.

It at least achieves being middling, which is certainly a lot better than some visual novels could aspire to. In fact, couple it’s average-ness with the fact that it’s short enough that it doesn’t overstay its welcome, and you can see why, if you squint just right, Autumn’s Journey is totally passable.

Jam Sessions is a neat idea and a unique way to tinker around with your DS, but if you aren't a hardcore musician, I can't see anyone finding much appeal in this title.

Just about the only reason you might want to play Sun Wukong VS Robot would be if you’ve played literally every other metroidvania you can get your hands on, and you’ve reached a stage where you’ll play anything as long as it’s functional. (Even then, though, you can still play this for free.) For everyone else, you can skip this one pretty safely.

If you're a fan of the Metroidvania genre, Song of the Deep isn’t a bad pick up, but it might be worth waiting to see how good Head Lander is if you only have money for one side scroller this month.

Of course the real draw of Daytona is the fast and engrossing game play, and never before has shaving seconds off your time ever meant more. Every missed turn, hit wall or jerk off AI opponent who screws up will come into play and it is up to you and your reflexes to overcome it all. The controls remain tight and learning each track is crucial to your success.

Lastly, with 30 levels, you would think that there would be plenty to do in Frogger. Unfortunately, the levels are simple and short, so the length of the story mode won't last more than an afternoon.

The game does look good, plays great, but just is too shallow to recommend.

What makes all of this especially strange is that you get the sense Tin & Kuna could’ve been a fun game if it had stayed out of its own way. It’s a bright, colourful world filled with fun-looking characters, and the level-based gameplay means it’s the sort of platformer you can drop into and out of easily. What’s more, the levels are a good size and feature a good amount of variety in their island landscapes, so under different circumstances, I could totally imagine wanting to explore every bit of the game’s little world. If it had been less ambitious — or even just made it so that you weren’t expected to roll one ball with another ball — it’s easy to imagine how the game’s charm could have made it a sleeper hit. But instead, Tin & Kuna is built around the most frustrating mechanic imaginable, and it’s impossible to enjoy as a result. It may look like a happy 3D platformer, but dig just below the surface, and you’ll see that it’s nowhere near as fun as it could be.

While there are lots of cases of newcomers need not apply when it comes to JRPG franchises, I’m hard-pressed to think of any where it works quite as well as it does here. Summon Night 6 is geared towards fans of the first five games, and seeing as the first four of those never made it across the Pacific, that should tell you everything you need to know.

It feels kind of weird to describe a Hyperdimension Neptunia game as being for fans only — since, after all, “being for fans only” often feels like the point of the whole series. In this case, however, it feels even more appropriate than usual, since Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls really is just for fans of both Sega Hard Girls and Hyperdimension Neptunia.

It has some pretty visuals and solid voice acting, but at the end of the day, there’s really not much more here than trying to give historical import to snapping that perfect Instagram moment.

If you’re a fan of Ghosts’n Goblins, maybe an unbalanced challenge is what you’re after? Still, it’s hard not to feel like there are other, better ways of scratching that particular itch than with Swords & Bones.

If you are just a casual fan, however, you may be turned off by the level of difficulty and realism the game provides. I'm happy to see the Brunswick series back, I just wish it was the version I played 10 years ago.

Reed 2 is pretty much exactly the same as the first game. However you felt about Reed Remastered — whether it’s love, hate, or complete and utter indifference — will be exactly how you feel about this one, too.

You will find this game most enjoyable, but lacking the visual and audio flare you’ve come to know and love out of your PS2.

Holds it own as a fun, easy to pick up soccer title.

It's by no means a bad game, just an unoriginal one, and if you want a Zuma clone for whatever reason, it will more than do the trick.

The length is less to blame than the overall design as an RPG, where players will notice things such as a striking contrast between pacing when considering how strong the story is. Stick of Truth’s main concern ultimately lies in its ability to match a good game to a really entertaining premise, which is a far more alienating factor than whether people like your show.

Cel Damage HD definitely has the fun part down, but without anything that keeps you coming back to it, it's hard to give it a full-throated recommendation.

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.

Younger players will probably enjoy 102 Dalmatians' characters and its decent but standard play mechanics. Older or more experienced players will prefer a different game.

If you were a fan of the original, this is essentially the same game with redesigned graphics and textures. For newcomers willing to look past its shortcomings, Legend of Kay Anniversary is a fun and solid platformer at a great value.

Boom Ball 2 was an enjoyable experience despite its technical flaws, with an upbeat soundtrack and vibrant color palate. I enjoyed getting up off the couch and playing a game with my wife late at night, but as for the actual quality of the product I was not astounded. At $9.99 you might get a few hours of enjoyment if you play multiple times and try to beat your own high scores, but if you are looking for something to play through once and move on from I would recommend waiting until it hits a summer sale and drops down below $5.

Nanostray is a technological marvel that winds up being a fairly large disappointment.

I suppose, though, that if you play Attractio with the volume turned way down on a less-than-amazing TV with absolutely no expectations of anything above mediocrity, it has some solid enough puzzles that it might be somewhat worth your time.