Despite looking a bit dated and not quite as good as Xseed’s recent Ys games, Xanadu Next is still an enjoyable dungeon crawler. It’s not without its faults such as some known bugs and the constant increase in key prices, but once you get around those quirks you’ll find a fun game that’ll keep you coming back to the ruins to explore some more.

This is a transhumanism story for the android set. I devoured every chapter of these artificial intelligences shedding their artifice. And I learned that being human is filled with daily acts of self-sacrifice.

The second Tape of Lost Records is a big step up from the first tape with a great conclusion to this coming of age story of a group of friends. Some technical issues still linger here and there, while a very confusing sequel bait ending leaves us with more questions than answers.

The original game is a classic. The "Enhanced Edition" is a near-clone, with some additional content and different bugs. If you haven't played it before, or would like a deep RPG to put on your tablet, this is a good buy. Veterans of the original will find the added material hard to justify for the price.

NIS has got another hit on their hands with Disgaea 3. It's the solid gameplay that will keep you coming back for more

If you liked Doom 3, then you’ll love the expansion pack. However, if you felt the game got a bit old and hated the flashlight/gun game play mechanism, there’s nothing new here to win you over.

While the game has a few flaws and I have some concerns with lost or broken toys and portals, I believe the game (with the help of an aggressive marketing campaign) will make this one of the hottest game/toy combinations this Holiday Season.

inFAMOUS 2: Festival of Blood is an enjoyable adventure that fans of the will thoroughly enjoy. It is a tongue and cheek side-tale in an already entertaining world. If you love inFAMOUs, you will love this chapter as well.

It is a truly welcome gem in the medium that takes risks and propels the experience with new energy nearly every step of the way. The player constantly moves forward and the game gets tension done in a way seldom seen in gaming. A Way Out is an example of a triumph in new ideas, while using traditional methods of gameplay to get the point across that this is a different beast.

Lost Odyssey doesn't break the JRPG mold, but it does fill it out quite nicely with a strong story and great characters.

It does have its issues, but Fallout 4 VR is one of my favorite VR titles so far. Make sure you have a very beefy computer to run it though.

Gurumin is exactly what the doctor ordered, an exciting action/adventure game full of memorable characters and fun levels to fight through. It may not be the best looking game on the PSP, but it's easily one of the best adventure games for Sony's handheld.

With amazing graphics and a control scheme you've never seen before, this $20 DS game is a no brainer!

Siren: Blood Curse remains largely unchanged after four years time. If you avoided it then, avoid it now as well. This title is really only for the horror hardcore.

WWE 13 is a very up and down game. There is a lot to enjoy with this version, and the negatives mentioned do not outweigh them. The gameplay is solid, albeit some minor issues, and the Universe and Attitude Era modes give wrestling fans, both old and new, something to enjoy.

Prototype’s gameplay is non-stop super-powered amoral fun, but is held back by nearly every other aspect of the game.

As a singular purchase, Flashpoint appears rather modest on the surface. But taken as a whole, it would be impossible for me to go back to a pre-Flashpoint campaign.

A fantastic Metroidvania. The graphics and animation are great and the music is nice and relaxing, provided the occasional difficulty spike isn't stressing you out. There are performance stutters on the Switch version, and a couple of trial-and-error areas that can get annoying, but overall they didn't really sway my overall opinion on the game. If you're a fan of Metroidvania-style games, definitely give Unbound: Worlds Apart a shot.

It's still got some great music and the presentation is as excellent as ever, but it still feels like we've been shortchanged somehow.

It's one of the few platformers on the Xbox that delivers the goods almost every step of the way.

Based on one of the best PSP games ever made, OMG HD Zombies is yet another stellar update for Sony's PS Vita.

For Honor is an incredibly fun online experience with fast and fun game modes and a fantastic battle system that is simple to use but almost has the depth of a fighting game. Unfortunately, the loot box system for unlocking important items for your characters and connection issues hold For Honor back.

The Disney Afternoon Collection is a pretty solid compilation of six classic Disney NES games. The extras included are a nice touch, even if some of the gallery pictures are skewed more toward Ducktales. But the time trial and boss rush features are great for veterans to see how they stack up to the rest of the world, while the rewind feature is great for younger players. Plus you can play two rare NES games without shelling out hundreds of dollars for the original carts.

My 30,000-foot view of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is that it’s one of the most immersive and meticulous simulations you can play, for better or worse. But even Microsoft is not immune to some good old-fashioned simulator jank, which keeps it from totally sticking the landing.

While more limited in scope than the mainline Dying Light titles, this side-quel ups the fun factor by giving the player a way to blow off steam with the addition of superpowers. Lighter in tone and with more room to breathe, Dying Light: The Beast puts just enough spin on the franchise's formula to keep from feeling like a retread. It turns out that the ability to stomp around and clear a room in 30 seconds was just what Dying Light needed.

Fans of RC Pro-Am rejoice, because MotorStorm RC is here to resurrect the long dead remote controlled car genre. Featuring locations from all four MotorStorm games, this RC variation is the most diverse installment yet. Even without a dedicated multiplayer mode, MotorStorm RC offers more than enough content.

A solid and promising free-to-play multiplayer RTS that seems to have been released a bit too early. Even so, there's a lot of fun in the content that is available.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is an excellent LEGO game featuring a vast array of Marvel heroes and villains. Lack of online co-op and some difficult puzzles for younger ones holds it back a little, but not that much. You'll definitely enjoy the writing and animations.

For only being a four-hour-long game Oxenfree II: Lost Signals has a lot to say. A narrative that is more intricate than its predecessor, while still holding onto the framework that made Oxenfree stand out. Lost Signals makes you care about these people. The voice acting goes above and beyond to help drive that home. Like the first title, Lost Signals feels unique in the video game space. With a few minor hiccups, and one upsetting one, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is, without hesitation, worth a second and third playthrough.

Assassin's Creed Nexus brings Ubisoft's amazing level of polish and fun to the VR space, with spectacular results. While the combat is a bit clunky, everything else - from the effortless parkour to the highly entertaining stealth - works like a charm. I was amazed and delighted by the fact that this is a full game, and not just a small collection of levels crammed into a "VR experience". Wildly fun, this game goes a long way toward re-establishing my faith in VR as a viable video game medium. This is a landmark title.

The Tomb Raider Trilogy is a lot of things. It's a great adventure game full of life or death platforming puzzles. It's a fun exploration game. It's that game where Lara Croft kills a dinosaur. But one thing it's not is a trilogy. If you can get past the weird title you'll be treated to hours of excitement for not much money!

With deadly obstacles at every step, this is one game that never lets up. But fans of this type of punishment will enjoy the clever level designs and rage-inducing traps.

Warp isn't a game about shooting down aliens and thumping your chest; instead you play the alien and kill every human that moves. This turns out to be a lot of fun thanks to the puzzles solving and Metal Gear Solid-style stealth sequences. It's over a little too quickly, but people that pay the ten dollars won't feel cheated!

Campaign needs some work and there are some bad bugs, but for the most part Sairento VR is a blast to play. Play with a friend and enjoy some great ninja action in VR.

Tales of Xillia is most certainly a good game, but it's not the best the franchise has to offer. The scattershot story kept me from really enjoying the game, and I'm hoping the sequel can tell a more cohesive tale.

Always fun to watch, sometimes tedious to play alone. Star Wars and LEGO solidify their meaningful relationship once again. The developers just need to address a terrible save-game system, and need to clean up some of the bugs forcing reloads. But the LEGO video game formula is still the LEGO video game formula. Just be prepared to still be left wondering "What do I do now?" from time to time.

A unique game full of familiar components, Dungeon of the Endless is as its best while you're still figuring it out, but continues to entertain many hours in.

Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition offers enough new content to warrant the fifteen dollars. But even with four new characters and some exciting online modes, I still wish there was more to this expansion pack. Die-hard fans will love it, but I suspect most people are ready to move on to the next Street Fighter game!

Resident Evil Revelations Collection bundles two of the better entries in the long-running survival horror series. The first game is hit-or-miss but the sequel is legitimately great, and the added portability and motion controls make the Switch port the definitive versions of these two games.

This is a Battlefield experience through and through. However, I find myself staring more at the gaps in the menus than the accessible parts that are there. The promise of future content is a great thing, but not when you are constantly reminded of the voids it will fill. Fans will love this entry, and rightfully so, but in its current form Battlefield V won't be recruiting any new soldiers to this battle.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move is a great addition to the series. The fact that it’s different than the usual side-scrolling games of the series is a plus as it keeps things fresh, and the level editor gives you the creativity to make your own levels if you get tired of the one-hundred eighty plus levels the game already offers.

Proving once again that the PSP is the place to go to get your favorite obscure old school role-playing game, Atlus offers us Shin Megami Tensei: Persona. This thirteen year old remake not only improves on the original in every way (except for the graphics), but quickly becomes one of the system's top adventure games.

Sniper Elite 4 is one of those games that has something for everyone. Being a borderline recluse, I was attracted to the idea of playing as a lone wolf, but the multiplayer co-op Overwatch game was even better!

Lost Planet: Colonies Edition has all of the same problems the original game had, only this time with a cheaper price point and a ton of new content.

Ashen is a game created in the same vein as some of the predecessors of its genre, like Dark Souls or Bloodborne. It imitates a great deal of the mechanics from those games but also brings a unique and beautiful art style as well a sense of organic progression that enhances the feel of the game. For those lovers of games like Dark Souls, it's hard to guarantee that you'll find the same experience, but there's still a heck of a lot to like about what sets Ashen apart.

It may not be a full 3D Skateboarding game like we used to have, but for those who want their extreme skateboarding fix should look no further than OlliOlli. Its fast, fun and incredibly addicting and I think I will be returning to this game many more times in the future.

Sportsball is a fun and fast paced game…when played with friends. Sadly there’s very little single-player content to be worth the ten dollars if you rarely have other people to play with, and there's also no online play at all, but beyond that Sportsball can make for a fun afternoon of soccer with a bit of Joust thrown in.

As a multiplayer-focused free-for-all, Starwhal is a lot of fun in short doses. Sadly, the game is too repetitive and the extra modes are bafflingly unbalanced. I can imagine this being a hit with large parties, but solo players need not apply.

Sketchbook Games' narrative platform/puzzler is appropriate for all ages, but that doesn't stop it from going to some surprisingly dark places. Though the platforming and light puzzle solving are enjoyable (if none too challenging), the story and artwork are the stars of the show. Impatient players might want to stay away, but for those interested in a life affirming story about overcoming obstacles and learning to deal with regrets, Lost Words is a beautiful experience.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos places players smack dab in the middle of a living anime story, with all of the cool world-building and unique characters implied by that statement. Players used to a lot of action in their games will have to adjust to the slower pace of this plot-driven experience, but will quickly discover that it yields its own unique rewards.

Curse of the Dead Gods is a finely polished roguelike that embodies the best elements of the genre. It has a battle scheme that is simple to grasp but requires skill to master. It balances the progression of each run with penalties to maintain a steady, yet shifting, challenge. It brings a few elements over that a roguelike purist might scoff at, but does so purely to the benefit of the game, and aids a progression system that feels meaningful while not demeaning the overall challenge. It nails that hallmark of the roguelike where you always feel like maybe dipping in for one more run.

Metal Hellsinger is a refreshing take on traditional demon killing, Doom shooting, and rhythm based heavy death metal music. It features some truly immersive and satisfying gameplay mechanics, especially when you click with the beat and blow off demon heads while rocking out to the beat of System of a Down. However, the game’s difficult learning curve and lack of variety may be off putting to some.

As it turns out, Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition is a killer VR fitness app disguised as a fun boxing game. If you’re looking for a sparring partner for some simple boxing fun, to blow off some steam in the ring, or even for a decent cardio workout, then look no further.

It may not be the WiiU system seller Nintendo was hoping for, but for the hardcore, The Wonderful 101 is certainly everything they could want on the struggling system.

Action packed gameplay? Check! Hardcore heavy metal soundtrack? Check! A great online mode that keeps you coming back for more? Check! A seriously steep learning curve? Check!

Mario Golf: World Tour isn't quite a hole in one, it's just a few inches short of the hole. A quality title none the less, it's got plenty of content for casual fans of golf and Nintendo fans alike.

While the total package has been scaled back, Rock Band 4 still has what it takes to be the complete life of the party. There is simply no better game to be played with your friends.

An excellent adventure that is meant to get you quickly into the action and give you all of the amenities you would expect sitting at home in front of the big screen. The only modifications made to this adventure have been to ensure that it is all-action-all-the-time, and that is much appreciated when gaming on the go.

The end of the current Tropico engine is a pretty cool place. Recommended for anybody looking for a breezy, colorful city-builder.

The combination of multiple sensory inputs allows for a very believable environment and is the primary draw of the game.

Sega Ages: Shinobi is still a great game more than 30 years after its initial release—and it's still just as difficult. It takes a lot of skill to progress beyond the first couple of missions. Newer players are given a couple of tools to help them, namely save states and a rewind feature, while expert players will find the same game they enjoyed all those years ago. Whether you're an experienced ninja or you're checking the game out for the first time, Shinobi is a great addition to the Sega Ages library.

The Pillars of the Earth has its mechanical flaws, and it doesn’t translate seamlessly from medium to medium due to technological constraints, but that aside it’s a truly gorgeous experience. The art, music, and voice acting all come together as one to blend this story into one that transcends the pages upon which it was originally written, making it a very unique and interesting experience.

Follows the plot to the letter and serves up its own unique style of gameplay, but the controls need some polish. Like the console releases it has a short lifespan and little to no replay value afterwards, but it’s still plenty of hectic fun while it lasts.

Pit People is one of those games that I enjoyed despite being terrible at the genre. While the game can be simple compared to other games in the genre, the combination of the easy to pick up gameplay and the graphics and humor that The Behemoth is known for makes this a game worth checking out regardless of whether you’ve played other tactical RPGs or if this is your first one. Plus, who doesn’t want to hear a giant space bear taunt you throughout the game?

Given the overall complexity of Hearts of Iron, it’s surprising that Paradox found such a smooth interface. Everything is quickly available with just a few clicks or hotkeys, and helpful tooltips pop up for just about everything on the screen. After a short amount of time I was up and running efficiently, if not effectively.

The experience is starting to get a little tiring, but there are still moments in the single player campaign that are pretty fun. The multiplayer can be loads of fun when you aren't getting frustrated from being owned a lot. Graphics haven't changed too much.

Q.U.B.E. 2 is a puzzle solver's dream in a gamer's nightmare. There are dozens upon dozens of simplistic button and jump puzzles to complete over a five-hour time span.

Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns is still the same game but that isn’t a bad thing. Bundling in all the DLC and adding some new classics, this match-3 RPG hybrid is just as addictive today as it was over a decade ago.

With a deep storyline, plenty of side content, and a gorgeous rendering of Chicago to explore, Watch Dogs brings a lot to the table and truly unlocks next-generation graphics in a whole new way. Watch Dogs is a beautiful, mesmerizing title.

Liberty City Stories is a great PSP game that didn't need to be ported to the PlayStation 2. If you're in the market for a Grand Theft Auto game on Sony's current generation console it's better you stick with Vice City or San Andreas.

A collection of average mechanics combine to make a big, complicated, pretty good game. It's no "Master of Magic", but there is real potential here.

Song in the Smoke excels with fantastic controls and VR mechanics, accomplishing some things that veteran VR developers still struggle with. A full-sized, immersive experience, Song in the Smoke is not easy, but it is engaging and fun.

RoadCraft is a must-play for fans of construction simulators. There is a coziness in the laborious nature of its gameplay that is hard to resist, and with a huge amount of content, you’ll be busy cleaning up natural disasters for dozens of hours.

ClaDun - This is an RPG! is an unapologetic tribute to the great games of the 8-bit era.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is an instant classic, a licensed game with AAA production values that never stops delivering thrills. With enough content and features to satisfy the most demanding audience, Hot Wheels focus on razor sharp arcade racing delivers exactly what fans want – tons of cool cars, wild tracks, and collectable, customizable fun. Our highest recommendation.

The original game is a classic. The “Enhanced Edition” is a near-clone, with some additional content. If you haven't played it before, or would like a deep RPG to put on your tablet, this is a good buy.

The latest iteration of Under Defeat shows just how solid the original game was and remains to this day. It’s simple yet effective take on the shmmup genre still provides a great challenge with fun gameplay that drives you to keep coming back again and again to better your score. Unfortunately, if it hasn’t hooked you in the past, this version isn’t really going to do much else to suck you in. The new additions help sweeten the pot for long-time fans but just don’t do enough to pull in any new ones. All in all: fans of the game will enjoy coming back and appreciate having access to a shmup-great on modern consoles.

An experiment in the combination of two drastically different genres, Retro/Grade hits its mark.

Calling this game difficult is a massive understatement. But that doesn't mean you should pass this one up. Anyone looking for a challenge will not be disappointed with Bangai-O HD: Missle Fury.

Tropico 6 brings a lot to the table. It is pretty to look at, easy to get started with, and offers hours of play time with its generous depth and breadth in multiple categories of human life. There are enough play modes to suit most any type of player and enough permutations to satisfy all but the most eclectic leadership style.

If the ridiculous title doesn't turn you off to this game, perhaps the weak story or monotonous gameplay will.

With a stellar cast of characters, a beautiful setting, thoughtful and open ended gameplay, and a decidedly more playable post-launch game, Assassin's Creed Syndicate is the game that many fans of the series have been waiting for.

I’ll never forget my first playthrough of Crisis Core back in 2007 and I’ll also never forget my Reunion with it in 2022. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a triumphant example from both Square Enix and Tose of how an excellent remaster should look. If you can look past some outdated game design choices and see this as a faithful recreation instead, then you can truly appreciate what this game has to offer. This is a must-play for any fan of the Final Fantasy VII universe.

Metal Slug Anthology offers seven amazing games for the price of one, quite a deal when you consider that just one of these Metal Slug games ran for well over $200 on the Neo Geo. There are a few lengthy load times to worry about, but other than that this makes for a near perfect collection of some of the best 2D action games ever made.

Incredible visuals and so many activities it's tough to keep up with them all, Flight Simulator 2024 delivers a heck of an experience for flight sim enthusiasts. Yes, you can question if it should have just been a patch to the 2020 series or not, but it's not enough to deter me from saying that this one is worth picking up for all the upgrades.

Rock Band Blitz works as not only an extension of the Harmonix brand, but also as a stand-alone action game full of cool power-ups and competitive leaderboards. Plus, it's a set of mostly great songs that can be played in Rock Band 3. It doesn't matter if you shred with a fake plastic guitar, retired from the road long ago or are playing for the first time; Rock Band Blitz has a little something for everybody!

Worms WMD is a back to the basics effort that proves the original formula is the best one. There is nothing broken about the gameplay. While it could use an injection of pace, it delivers a great experience both offline and in online multiplayer.

Toys for Bob shows that they make better Skylander games than anyone. It’s simple, fun, and there is an absolute crap-ton of things to do.

Charlie Murder is full of amazing moments you'll want to tell your friends about. Unfortunately, the repetitive gameplay and overlong story works against the otherwise fun package. The good news is that the amazing music and presentation makes up for a lot of its shortcomings.

Viva Pinata is a very deep and rich game. This review has touched on only small parts of the overall experience.

Never short on content, Rune Factory 4 is full of things to do that'll keep players engrossed for a long while.

The release and quick subsequent patches show that ECOLE and French-Bread are intent on seeing Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code has a long lasting presence in the minds of American fighting game fans.

Codemasters provides a little something for everyone in GRID 2. There are a wide variety of cars and racing styles to choose from, and the accessible yet challenging driving physics strike a good balance. A couple of innovative new race types incrementally freshen the genre, but there is nothing here to elicit a "Wow!" All around, it's a solid effort.

A Kingdom for Keflings puts a fun new spin on the city building formula.

It’s a good game but it doesn’t try to do anything to make the series better, everything is simply re-treading old ground.

Death Squared might have launched on Steam, but it feels like this game and the Nintendo Switch were made for each other. Deceptively smart puzzles, an endearingly smarmy sense of humor, and organic, instantaneous multiplayer all at a great price make Death Squared a must-buy on Switch.

No, these aren’t the most difficult puzzles you’ll ever encounter. But you know what? MySims Agents is one of the most fun kids' titles you’ll play this year.

Bridge Constructor Portal is a fantastically challenging puzzle game that is dressed in $10 looks. You will not be awestruck by anything the game does, but the challenge will have you wanting more, the humor will keep you smiling, and the silly horn at the end of the level will be enough to know you did it.