Monster Slayers is a must buy if you are a fan of this genre. It is $9.00 on Steam and has DLC already out with more on the way. You can easily lose 20+ hours here if you allow yourself and that is only scratching the surface of the content that you can get into if you delve deeper. I do not know what the developers plans are moving forward but I will continue to support and play this game for as long as they release new content and continue with it.

The Surge’s biggest weakness comes from some pacing problems and a weak late game story. The beginning of The Surge is interesting and grabs your attention, but as you get closer to the end, those hooks start to lose their hold. It begins to feel convoluted just for the sake of being convoluted and feels like they lost direction a bit by the end, but it is never bad. The Surge feels like a learning experience and one that I hope Deck13 takes to heart and expands on with whatever their next title ends up being. I have enjoyed my time with this game and can honestly say that I am looking forward to whatever they release next.

Even if the voice acting sucks, even if the puzzles are blatantly obvious, I think there's a massive gulf between bad and unspeakably terrible. In fact, for the simple reason the game is completely playable, you could possibly even argue that Dying: Reborn (non-PSVR) edition is profoundly mediocre. That's not enough to make it worth checking out by any means, but it also means that the game doesn't really deserve the title of "Worst Game of 2017" quite yet.

There are significantly better Metroidvanias on the Vita, and whatever may be gained from the one twist here — the aforementioned double heroines — is more than outweighed by the overall lacklustre performance.

Atelier Shallie Plus is not all that different from any other Atelier game. There's a brief moment at the beginning of the game, when your characters are adrift at sea, when it doesn't seem like things will be proceeding as normal…and then you hit dry land, and it reverts to the same broad formula. If you've been desperate for the game to switch things up, the simple fact that you can make things move more quickly probably won't win you over now. But if you just want another Atelier game that delivers on the series' usual level of quality, you're in luck. Atelier Shallie Plus lives up to the standard set by its predecessors — for better and for worse.

Much of this will seem like a given to Switch owners, but it's still completely relevant in terms of what validates picking up this version of Mario Kart 8. It's not only the "complete" and current experience, but one transformed by its hardware. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the definitive version as we're likely to know it from now on, and thanks to the nature of the Switch, it's worth every penny.

All in all, NBA Playgrounds was a pleasant surprise. Post release support will make or break how the game continues to be and if players stick around with it. I’ve already recommended the game to some friends for some arcade style sports fun. At this point it’s tough to recommend the Switch version over the other consoles, based on what I mentioned previously, but IF all my issues were corrected, it could be the definitive version. Playing at home or taking it on the go while hanging out and tipping back a few “sodas” is what this genre is all about.

All in all I would definitely recommend Prey to anyone interested. It is very reminiscent of Bioshock with some hefty Dead Space elements thrown in and some solid Deus Ex mechanics driving it all. It is a well-balanced, lengthy game with a substantial story that is intriguing enough to keep you interested for an extended period of time. Lackluster combat can make some stretches a drag, but that next room to explore and that next secret to uncover keeps you going. If you are on the fence, I would suggest you pick this one up. In a year that seems to just keep on delivering, Prey is yet another success story.

If I had any complaint about Lego City Undercover, it'd be that it doesn't diverge too much (or, possibly, at all) from its original version on the Wii U. As I said up top, though, that means there are only about a dozen or so people who'll actually notice that. For everyone else, for whom this will be an entirely new, go out and grab this game ASAP, because it's well worth your time and money.

Given how complex a lot of modern RPGs can be, there's something refreshing about how straightforward everything is here. Asdivine Hearts won't turn any heads for innovation, but if it's just an old-fashioned RPG adventure you're after, it delivers that in spades.

If you're being charitable, of course, you may say that this is simply an example of Uncanny Valley moving at its own pace, or that horror works best when it draws things out and builds up the tension. However true that may be, if you're not feeling charitable — perhaps because you're bored out of your mind and tired of exploring the facility and hotel in which the game takes place at a glacial pace — then it'd be very, very easy to throw your hands up in frustration and move on to something that moves a little faster.

There's not enough here to justify playing it if you've already played the original, and if you didn't play that first game because you're not a fan of dungeon crawlers, nothing here is going to change your mind. The art style is still exceptionally good, and it reflects the tone of a game that's surprisingly mature in a contemplative, non-skeezy way. Overall, though, this very much represents an incremental upgrade — rather than a major step forward — over the Stranger of Sword City, and it should be received as such.

This is a disappointment for me, Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 is a game that I was truly rooting for this year. I have enjoyed the previous entries in this series and this one had the potential to rise up and make a name for itself among other powerhouse titles. Unfortunately performance issues and a weak story plague what is at its core a good game, built on solid mechanics. I feel that with time this could grow into the game that was originally anticipated, but the question will be whether bad blood is already present. If not this game, then perhaps the next one will take this foundation and truly grow it into a game that I can wholeheartedly support. Until then, go into this one with realistic expectations and enjoy the combat for what it is.

Telltale fans and Marvel fans won’t be disappointed with the first episode of Guardians of the Galaxy, but they might have expected more from it. The soundtrack is a perfect example of this; it uses licensed music just like the movie, but it almost seems like B-sides. Clearly the game didn’t have the same budget of the movie or the same people who picked the music, because it just doesn’t seem to be on the same level as the movie, and let’s be honest, these comparisons are inevitable. Telltale announced they would be working on a Marvel game nearly 2 years ago, and I guess they decided if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, because they didn’t take any chances with this release.

Dragon Quest Builders will undoubtedly scratch the itch of any Minecraft/Terraria fans looking for their next favourite game, but it's accessible enough that RPG fans should enjoy it, too.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is totally worth the $30 or $40 bucks for those who absolutely love either of the block dropping puzzle franchises and are looking for a fun and fresh twist on the genre.

In absolute terms, R.B.I. Baseball 2017 doesn't come anywhere close to looking as nice as MLB The Show 17, even when you play The Show in retro mode. This should come as no surprise, since R.B.I. Baseball doesn't hold a candle to The Show in any other respect, either. This year, however, marks the first time since its return that the franchise isn't a total embarrassment, either. Its improvements are modest — but when you've reached the depths that R.B.I. Baseball 2017's predecessors have, modest practically constitutes a miracle.

This chapter, and the last chapter for that matter, have felt pretty polished overall on PC, which certainly helps. I won't argue that the engine being used here is getting a little dated, and the overall mechanics of the series are starting to wear a little thin, but the story and characters introduced within A New Frontier still make it worth checking out. "Thicker than Water" is another solid chapter in the series, and helps propel the game towards what I'm sure will be a bummer of a conclusion in the near future.

I’m very, very impressed with what KOEI Tecmo and Square Enix have managed to do with this sequel. I think it builds upon the first game in a really solid fashion, and does so while still feeling fresh and enjoyable to play. The A.I. can be really spotty, but overall that’s a fairly minor complaint for a game that honestly doesn’t have many issues to speak of. It runs well, looks and sounds great, and for Dragon Quest fans, you’ll be getting the appropriate amount of fan service here.

Admittedly, apart from that, Xenoraid is large what you'd expect from a vertical-scrolling shmup: you control a ship around the screen as you blast away at wave after wave of successive enemies. Your weapons, naturally, are upgradable, and the game is generally all about shooting as many aliens as you can. In other words, it's what you'd expect from a shmup, but for one minor deviation. But you know what? That one deviation may just be enough to make Xenoraid checking out.

This PC release brings with it a gorgeous graphic update, with smooth 60fps and 4K visuals you can see every detail the development team created for you. This is truly the definitive edition of this game, and one that you have to pick up if you are a PC gamer, whether you played Bayonetta when it launched originally or not. Bayonetta is a great hack and slash that takes what works in other games and adds its own unique flair and style, which pays off handsomely.

It'll be compelling to people who loved the world of the original Steins;Gate and are desperate for more. If you don't have that background, then Steins;Gate 0 will seem mostly incomprehensible to you. It makes the occasional half-hearted stab at explaining what you're reading, but for the most part, this story is all about moving things forward. Not only that, it does so through the kind of massive info dumps that tend to typify some visual novels — and your mileage will undoubtedly vary in terms of how much you like that sort of thing.

I’m absolutely in love with this game, and if you haven’t given it a shot yet, I think you’ll find a lot to love about Persona 5 too. It’s not a huge departure from Persona 3 or 4, but there’s been some noticeable changes and improvements made that do make a difference, all of which are for the better. The dungeon variations, the stealth mechanics, and even the ease with which you can navigate the overworld map are noticeably better than before. So even if you’ve felt a little lukewarm about the series up until now, I’d still urge you to give Persona 5 a try.

OMD:U is a game that really came out of left field for me this year. I was not anticipating its launch or really even aware that it was on the horizon, but I could not be happier now that I am playing it. This is a perfect game for coming home and getting in a few matches, since Sabotage is played in 20 minutes or less every time. The average game is around 8 minutes in my experience so far, and 20 is the far high end of the spectrum. This is something you can sit down and enjoy after a long day when time is limited and you just want to unwind, but also something that you can sink a substantial amount of time into if you choose.

Sometimes a rerelease collection can be a necessary evil and this is one of those circumstances. The Disney Afternoon Collection is an example of a retro collection done right, and one that more publishers should see as an example to follow. The games play exactly like you would expect, add with that; the rewind ability, save states, pixel perfect visuals, a few added on modes, and more, make this a must buy for fans of these classics or Disney fans that haven’t had the chance to check them out years ago. I’m hopeful this set is just the start of the Capcom/Disney relationship again.

As a game Bulletstorm: Full Clip edition still has everything that made the original great. Gameplay is still incredibly satisfying, gun-play is still nearly perfect and the arcade style madness is still, well, madness. I love all of that and I love this game, but I can’t honestly recommend it to anyone that has already played the original, which is a shame. I really enjoyed playing through it again and think that anyone who enjoyed it the first time will do the same. The other side of that coin however, is that if you have never played Bulletstorm, do yourself a favor and play this game. It really is unique and something that can just be enjoyed for what it is, mindless well made fun.

I mean, taken in isolation, it's not a bad game. The levels are quick and concise; it's literally just a matter of letting gravity do the work for you, and strategically killing a few monsters along the way. The levels are also procedurally-generated, which means every playthrough is different. Beyond that, different heroes have different strengths, and you can upgrade characters along the way. Rounding things out, the characters — to say nothing of the game world in general — are adorable without being too cute. The thing is, Vertical Drop Heroes HD doesn't exist in isolation, it exists in a world where other games do the same things, and do them better.

Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe- is basically a re-master of the original 2013 release on the PlayStation 3. FK Digital spent some time on the balancing issues that plagued the previous version along with adding some nice play modes to keep you entertained. The inclusion of the Online Mode is fantastic, and I hope it gets continued support from the developer and fans alike! If you liked The original on PS3, then you may want to upgrade to this edition if you have a PS4! It's still not a groundbreaking fighter, but it can hold it's own with the best 2D fighters out there!