All the Simpsons references in the world would be a waste if the game play were trash. Just ask "Simpsons Skateboarding" on that one. Thankfully the game play is very tight, responsive, and easy to maneuver for rookies or vets.

More than 75% of the time a mission entirely changes from the original mission parameters (though you usually do end up completing them), and this is what makes entering a new mission of Starlancer such an interesting experience.

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.

At its best, CastleStorm is slightly above-average, and unfortunately it's not at its best nearly enough.

Overall, I think Call of Duty: WWII is a better game than I would have thought possible. World War II is such a tired subject in the world of video games that I didn’t think it would be possible for a developer to revisit that well once again, but Sledgehammer did a pretty solid job with this one. The campaign has its moments, even if the story is pretty bland. But the multiplayer helps bolster the overall game in a way feels fun and enjoyable, with a back-to-basics approach that makes sense for the series to revisit.

Again, there’s literally nothing original going on here, and if you’re going to play Nexomon on the Switch, you should probably only do so after you’ve thoroughly exhausted your Pokémon options. But if you’re playing it on another system — or even if you just want to return to the days of a top-down Pokémon — then you could do a lot worse than checking out Nexomon.

Again, it’d be nice if Justice League: Cosmic Chaos allowed you to play through that story with a friend (or, better still, a son/daughter/niece/nephew just getting into gaming), but even as a solo experience, this is a surprisingly good time.

I really enjoyed this follow-up to SteamWorld Heist, and I’m glad to see Thunderful revisting this particular entry in the SteamWorld universe once again. Hopefully it doesn’t take another 9 years to see another SteamWorld Heist, as it’s a unique strategy series that certainly deserves more attention. Definitely check it out when the game launches on all modern platforms August 8th, you’ll be happy you did.

Obviously, Aureole – Wings of Hope isn’t a particularly complicated game – but it doesn’t need to be. It’s built around a great idea for a simple-but-addictive platformer, and it pulls it off nearly perfectly.

MechWarrior 5: Clans is a fun new entry in the MechWarrior franchise, even if you don’t know all the intricacies of the world and its history. Players can get lost trying to figure out how to customize everything from their characters, to their mechs, to what things to research — as there is a lot to unpack here. I do recommend the game, it’s one of the better MechWarrior games out there. If you enjoyed MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, don’t pass this one up either.

Battlefront II is a good sequel, but it's got too much in common with the first game to make the upgrade a no-brainer.

Overall I really enjoyed stepping back into the world Telltale carved out for the franchise, and I’m looking forward to continuing my journey with Clementine and the new cast. Time will tell how significant the actions from Season 1 will actually be, but right now they feel more like window dressing than anything important.

Muramasa: Rebirth seems to find itself much more at home on the Vita, and can be called an essential title in anyone's collection. It's not without faults, however, as the new localization brings an unwanted focus to the dull story, and the lengthy campaigns can leave the title feeling overall long in the tooth. Despite this, it's more aptly considered Muramasa+; a port that's slightly more recommended than whatever people had to say about the Wii release.

Star Trek fan or no, there is plenty of fun to be had in this shooter that takes a tired concept and makes it a joy from beginning to end.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 has to be played to be believed.

It's a great shooter, with a fantastic rendition of the old west that really adds a lot of character to the game overall.

If you are looking for a heavy turn based tactical game with a lot of similarity to X-Com, or if you are a fan of the tabletop version, Battletech is a great game for PC players. Make sure you don’t pass this up.

Zen Studios continues to knock out new properties while keeping up the high level of quality that we all expect from their tables. With the exception of my annoyances with the Archer table, playing some of my favorite shows in pinball form was great fun.

Overall, Ray’z Arcade Chronology is great collection of some classic Shmups. No matter which game you like best, you will find something to love here. The extra modes, save states and the ability to play the polygonal games in full HD are all great additions that make this package worth your time and money. Even if you aren’t a hardcore fan of Shmups, you really should give these games a try, as there is a little something for everyone. There is a less complete collection available that doesn’t include RayForce, and it costs slightly less, but you are really missing out on a classic without it. I would say just stick to this complete collection and enjoy this fantastic series in it’s entirety.

Tiger PSP is one of those games that you need to buy on this handheld whether you like sports games or not, as it showcases what possibilities lay within the PSP.

Overall I think Persona 3 Reload: Expansion Pass – Episode Aigis is a great follow up to Persona 3’s story, albeit with some minor caveats that will affect each player differently. The new music is great, the new “dungeon” backgrounds are just as fantastic as the remade Tartarus in Persona 3 Reload, and as expected the voice cast is just as excellent. Metis is a great addition to the party, even if she’s effectively the gap closer between your lower-tier abilities against enemies that are scaled a bit above you. I think my main gripes are just quality of life things not found out of Steam as a PC player for this review, and that the mall significantly hits my framerate (EXCLUSIVELY in the DLC I might add). The expansion pass costs $35, which is a big turn off for some people I’ve noticed, but Episode Aigis is very much a standalone experience worth the money. It offers another multiple dozen hours of gameplay and story with all the core draws of Persona 3 Reload, so if you’re a fan of the base game I highly recommend it.

Overall Disgaea 3 is a good solid SRPG, and just like the other Disgaea titles, the fun really comes from playing the game itself. Players will find themselves wanting to play just to level up characters.

While adding three playable characters might not sound like much, it was certainly the shot in the arm the series needed. It livens up not only the combat, but the story as well, getting different personalities that aren't the same stoic Kazuma we've grown used to.

It is a bit on the short side, but the upside is a fantastic plot that has numerous side stories to it that cannot all be experienced in a single play.

A nice breakaway from the norm of arcade racing games, and is definitely worth a look for its impressive visuals and addictive (but sometimes a little on the frustrating side) gameplay.

The levels and quests are less interesting than other RPGs, with less of the puzzle solving and interesting characters that appeared in the original.

A mind-bendingly tough game that you simply cannot put down.

So there you have it console gamers, a fully fledged Sims title without the dreadful feeling of missing something or not getting what the PC gamers have gotten.