Arizona Sunshine 2 might not be the groundbreaking landmark the first game was, but improved gunplay, a fun companion, and rapid-fire jokes make this a ride well worth taking. Often tense, always fun, and sometimes emotionally impactful, Arizona Sunshine feels like big-budget entertainment. Just play by yourself the first time so your friend doesn't chatter through all the good stuff.

For such a low price, Anode is just interesting enough to be a worthwhile take on a puzzle game formula.

Some stability issues still hold Forestrike back but when it’s working, and it mostly does, it really works. The foresight mechanic is an excellent way to unlock fluid combat scenarios and it has the right amount of strategy required to be more than a mindless button masher. But you will need to find the right timing to mash the buttons so there is a level of skill required, but ample opportunity to practice your way to mastery. There is enough variety between the disciplines and the roguelike nature of earning skills and items on each run to keep things interesting long past when you get your money’s worth from a title that only comes in at 10 bucks to begin with.

Mechwarrior 5: Mercenaries brings back most of the combat and management the series is known for. Your mileage may vary on just how satisfying that is, but in objective terms there are a number of small issues—from AI to graphics—that add up and keep this game from its full potential.

Project Spark won't have you churning out incredible games like a development powerhouse. It will, however, provide you an accessible set of tools and assets to begin the process of bringing your dream games to life. This won't happen overnight, so plan on spending a lot of time here if you are ever going to make something memorable.

Orcs Must Die! 3 contains a ton of the tower defense/shooting hybrid gameplay that fans love – all delivered in a very polished package. The new war-sized levels deliver a massive jolt of fun, and there is plenty of content here to keeps players busy for quite a while. Though progression feels a little unbalanced in single player, perseverance or grinding will eventually overcome obstacles.

Even for those not willing to hop into gaming's "kiddy pool," come on in: the water's fine.

This score is ultimately a reflection of both Sniper Elite 3 Ultimate Edition the game (which is excellent) and the Nintendo Switch hardware (which while also excellent, I found not up to this task when trying to play handheld). The determination here is: if you're happy to play this game with your Switch in console mode, you're in for a grand old time; if you want to keep things handheld, better to try something else.

It's fun but lacks refinement. Bad AI and inconsistent graphical performance really detract from the amazing potential. I recommend it if you know what you are getting into or if Bohemia Interactive can iron out the wrinkles.

It follows the formula of a Call of Duty game, but delivers each element just a bit worse than it's predecessors. Call of Duty: Vanguard is a game that will surely grow and improve over time, but what we have at launch is something that at least fails to cater to what I was hoping for in any aspect of the game. The single player campaign is ridiculous even if it does deliver some moments of high action; the multiplayer is a mess, at least for someone with my skillset; and zombies is simply unfinished. It'll get better, but what we've got right now just isn't all that good.

But this is undoubtedly a great start, despite a below average sprinkling of gameplay bottlenecks. It translates remarkably well as an adventure game, but isn’t completely hogtied by adventure game conventions. Bring on episode 2.

Outriders is far from perfect. But a game doesn't have to be when it facilitates such a high degree of fun and interesting gameplay mechanics.

The end result is an average overall package by today's standards, but three games plucked from a decade or more ago should be proud to land safely average in the middle of today's pack and standards.

Call of the Sea has plenty to offer puzzle and walking sim fans alike. The story kept me going even when the puzzles felt difficult and excessive. The puzzles can be tough and seem unfair at times, but overall feel very solid in how they were crafted. The conclusion to the story of Nora, her illness, the previous expedition, and the true nature of the island left a satisfying feeling once I had completed it.

Nice touches are strewn about the game such as dust clouds that arise in the wake of your characters, bright visuals that can blind a cat and my favorite, minute versions of your characters by the energy bar that mimic your character's current actions.

Gun Showdown could have been a disastrous port of a so-so action game, but it ends up being a surprisingly solid game full of fun missions, crazy firefights and some cool extra goodies.

Eternal Threads is a narrative driven, time manipulation game that ends up being nothing more than a walking simulator and cutscene watcher. If you're into making some binary decisions to alter some future events on the timeline, then I recommend checking out the demo first. This game is much better watched, because it's just not fun to play.

Fighting in the 19th century looks boring on the outside, but deep down in the game fighting in the 19th century was about honor, and it is a lot more strategic than one would have thought.

There's nothing particularly amazing to NES Remix 2 if you didn't grow up with any of these games, but for those of you out there who have fond memories of these games, give NES Remix 2 a shot, it offers a short burst of some sublime gameplay.

A new Political Machine for 2008, this turn-based election strategy game is light, fun, and amusing. While it may not have a lot of lasting appeal, it certainly makes for a fun way to spend a few afternoons.

If you happened to pass on this game the first time around but are a fan of Naruto games, Full Burst is an excellent pick up for the price. The small additions go a long way toward making this feel like a complete title.

Amazing Cultivation Simulator brings a massive learning curve, but that curve creates an amazing amount of opportunity and re-playability that will have you discovering new strategies and methods for elevating your cult for a long time over.

As fan service goes, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution has a lot of the trappings you expect from this style of anime game. Unfortunately, it's impenetrable for those of us unfamiliar with the series. And while the gameplay isn't bad, there just isn't enough depth in this game to keep fight fans happy.

As warm, deep, and emotionally engaging as it ever was, Life is Strange: Double Exposure delivers another great adventure for beloved hero Max Caulfield. With a great new cast of interesting characters, a banger of a mystery, and enough ethical dilemmas to fry your brain, Double Exposure continues putting players through the wringer in the best possible way. A few minor technical issues cannot distract from the great story and beautiful visuals.

Escape Plan has come to the PlayStation 4, but it fails to make the transition cleanly. The puzzles are dull and the controls are ill fitted to the new system. I wouldn't recommend playing Escape Plan, but if you absolutely must make sure it's the Vita version.

An excellent debut for Kirby on the Wii U, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is amazing to see in motion. Too bad players won't get to do much of that, as spectators get the best seats for this show.

Xeodrifter is a short but sweet title. It's got some solid platforming, a well balanced difficulty, and a fun weapon system. It's a bit on the short side but is fun while it lasts, especially if you're still fiending for some Metroid-inspired action.

Weird West is a fun not-quite-RPG that feels like the beginning of a great new franchise. Perfectly enjoyable to play, this first iteration lays a lot of groundwork towards what will likely become an ongoing series. Darkly funny and surprising, each character's story arc is unique and rewarding. While a system of branching choices impacting the game's story feels like a natural evolution from what is here, what is presented is very enjoyable. Weird West creates a universe I don't want to leave. When it was over, I just wanted more - which is the biggest hurdle a new franchise can overcome.

Dungeon Hearts is a perfectly fun puzzle mash-up that is marred by inconsistent difficulty and lack of a narrative. While the actual combat is fun, it's a shame that players are forced to start over every time the game ends. Even with its problems, there are enough good ideas here to make it worth the low retail price.

Super Evil Mega Corp may have struck gold with their take on the TMNT franchise, but with an empty story, a myriad of audio problems, and the same difficulty as an actual turtle flipped over, a game that wants you to play it over and over makes it impossible to play it over and over. I guess everything that turtles, ain't gold. Splintered fate, indeed.

Dated mission structure and zombie design hold back Toxic Commando to an extent, but Saber Interactive still executed on a couple of fresh ideas. The Swarm Engine’s impressive zombie hordes, satisfying gunplay, and MudRunner-style vehicle physics that shouldn’t work but do are reason enough to grab a few friends and start blasting the undead.

South of the Circle presents an evocative narrative that will have you thinking about it long after you finish it. A unique minimalist art style paired with an excellent voice cast and soundtrack are the cherry on top of a heartfelt story. Unfortunately, the lack of impact from any of your decisions in addition to a relatively short run time hinder what otherwise is a flawless experience.

If you're not worried about a major story or a lot of strategy but still want to see what the monster hunting genre is like without shelling out a lot of money, Dauntless is a nice free-to-play game to ease you into things.

Directive 8020 is arguably Supermassive's best game since Until Dawn. The wait was well worth it. Here they have crafted a fun and intense sci fi space horror game. I immediately wanted to play again as soon as it was over.

Fantasy Life is a charming action RPG mixed with a surprisingly deep job and class system.

It's a dazzling adventure that is not to be missed.

HarmoKnight is a fan game, though it is a little simple on difficulty for most of it. While the main game is kind of short, lasting only a few hours, there’s still plenty to do afterwards, including unlocking bonus songs and challenging yourself to faster versions of the songs in the game.

This game really should have been a digital only release for $10-$15 dollars at the most. If you played Under Defeat back on the Dreamcast or even in arcades and want to play it again in its full HD glory then go right ahead but personally for anyone else I would suggest waiting till the price comes down because its pretty expensive for what you are actually getting.

Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is a great way to check out Mega Man’s later outings, but the presentation just seems a bit lackluster between the challenges not being as interesting as the original game or the puzzling omission of Rockman & Forte/Mega Man & Bass. The museum and music box modes are still good and it’s nice to still practice against the various robot masters. What we did get is still pretty good, but not quite as good as the original Legacy Collection.

Hector is the kind of likeable moron you don't see much of in gaming these days, which may be one of the reasons Badge of Carnage is so compelling. The hand-drawn graphics and spot-on voice acting doesn't hurt this outlandish crime caper. There are some trite moments, but Hector's adventure is one fans of the genre should take on!

Just Cause 3 gets away with more stunts and high-flying hijinks that, let’s be honest, even Hollywood can’t get away with much anymore. Come for the explosions, but stay for the, well, stay for even more explosions.

While the game doesn’t break any new ground it is a lot of fun to play and worth your time if you’re a Wolvie fan or looking for a glimpse of what God of War could look like in HD.

Fans of Wallace & Gromit have no excuse not to pick up this wonderful adventure game from Telltale Games.

Bonus points for finally taking World War 2 in a different direction, Digital Reality. Much of the basics are intact here and make for some worthy game time. Now lose the gawky first-person mode, make the AI respond properly to enemy action, and give your viewers a macroscopic view of how this alternate history is affecting those beyond the battlefield.

Great fun while it lasts, though the developers need to deliver a few more of their promised episodes to quell my fears that this will be a story that remains unfinished.

Although not playing the original, The Escapists 2 is still an enjoyable game, especially if you don’t have a lot of time on your hands as it can be played in spurts with how the game and save mechanics work, each day lasting around fifteen minutes. However, the first prison you play through might take a while to escape if you’re not familiar with how the game works. Though the tutorial level does help out a bit, there were still some things I didn’t know about that would have made things a lot easier my first time playing.

While not as polished as other racing simulators, MotoGP 14 does a good job recreating the exciting sport.

If you've reached this point in the game, you're pretty much invested at this point, and there's no good reason not to see this through to the end. The story and puzzle elements of Judgment make for a good setup for the climax to Resident Evil: Revelations 2.

It may have a simple premise, but this PlayStation 4 title is one of the most exciting space shooters of the year.

Sword and Fairy: Together Forever is a gorgeous and engaging Chinese high fantasy role-playing game that deserves more attention from the West. Localization and technical optimizations have been implemented since the game’s original release on PC, making this console port the best way to experience this game. The vast number of cutscenes and depth of lore may be off-putting for some, but those willing to give this title a chance will not be disappointed. Sword and Fairy is a game that should be viewed through its own lens, without the comparisons to Japanese role playing games, and only so will this franchise truly be appreciated.

Tribes of Midgard struggles with an outside force it has no control over that prevents it from being near perfect; it requires friends to play with. Alone, or with strangers who don’t work together there is just too much going on at once, making the game feel like an endless assault of chores that need done right away. But if you can get a regular group, taking down the seasonal boss is totally worth the effort.

Fans of the Blitzkrieg series will probably be pleased. There is a great deal of challenging RTS gameplay, and the WWII flavor is quite strong. Still, the more casual RTS gamer probably won’t be able to overlook the frustrating control and less-than-stellar AI.

Overall the game is an enjoyable experience, and while the ending left me wanting for the next game in the series to see how things wind up for Zoe, April and 'The Prophet' (the 3rd playable character who begins to undergo a life altering change in beliefs right as the game ends), I just don't know if I'm willing to spend another 20 hours playing a game that I might feel angry about when I finished.

The single-player aspect is decent but it gets much better if you have a friend around. That's because the developers wisely decided to include single-system co-op for the entire game. You and a friend can play through the entire campaign, split-screen style.

Sideway: New York is a refreshing take on one of the industry's oldest genres. Things can get frustrating (boss fights) and the music (unfortunately) gets really repetitive, but the overall gameplay experience is definitely one worth experiencing. It's just too bad that the cooperative gameplay isn't anywhere near as refined as the single player mode.

RIVE is a fun, albeit really challenging blend of space shooter and platformer. The intense challenge early on might turn off less experienced players, but those who want a great challenge should enjoy it. Just get used to having blue-colored drones explode in your face quite a bit.

What’s my final piece of advice for Long Live the Queen? Shake it off and try again. Is it worth the challenge? Yes. Being successful is gratifying. But having said that, this is a menu game; navigating menus is the core mechanic. There’s also plenty of reading that is required, skipping over it makes playing this game almost pointless. The soundtrack is beyond repetitive, nearing an annoyance, but it isn’t required to play. Touch controls are fantastic, elevating this to being a great game to sit on the couch and play.

Beautiful locales and a valiant attempt at gamifying kayaking can’t mask the fact that Kayak VR: Mirage will be rough water for some players.

A Void Hope is one of those games that you want your friends to play through, so you can all talk about it later on. Platforming that has a great old-school SNES feel, with a story that is better shown than told. I found each level to be unique enough, especially when accompanied by the soundtrack, that I didn’t feel like I was replaying the same level again and again. My only complaint is the need to replay some levels in order to fully clear such a short game harshes the vibe, but only a little. Play it when its dark or cloudy out, when you’re in the mood to experience something with feeling; A Void Hope was clearly made with love.

Strange Brigade is a rollicking good time, allowing teams of four to take on armies of the undead in a solid approximation of a 1930’s serial film. There are tons of mechanics to play with and puzzles to solve, but in the end, this is a fun, fast-paced shooter with awesome graphics and enjoyable multiplayer. There was no need for Strange Brigade to try to be anything more, it is plenty great as it is.

A game that while fun, seems a little outdated.

Savage Moon is a solid little game, great for its price, and worthy of a weekend of bug-squishing goodness.

Rather than adding another landmass to explore or a new job class to bat around, this pack puts players on a united defensive—a rarely explored concept for an MMO expansion. If you’re not alienated from a guild, then Alien Invasion is an inviting option.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S seems like the game version of redundancy. If you have the first sequel, there is simply no good reason to get this one. This could be the worst thing that's happened between Sega and Nintendo since the "Genesis Does What Nintendon't" commercials.

Yet another solid adventure game from The Adventure Company. Nothing spectacular, but it’s still a fun way to scratch the adventure game itch.

Playing Surviving Mars is like watching someone put a kitten in a plastic bubble. It’s cute for a while, wobbling around in its new environment. But then you realize that the kitten is going to suffocate, and you are going to spend hours watching it slowly run out of air and die. Trying to get the kitten out of the bubble is hopeless. You don’t know anything about bubbles, and the kitten isn’t telling you. Have fun, kids!

A TBS with a sense of humor doesn't come along every day. Don't mistake light-hearted for light-headed, however - “Warlock 2: The Exiled” is a solid, if limited, game. It can provide hours of fun in an attractive package without overwhelming the player with detail.

Salt and Sacrifice to Salt and Sanctuary is like Dark Souls 2 to Dark Souls 1. It diverges a lot from the original, with some ideas that work well and some that don't. All in all, it's still an excellent 2-D Souls-like Metroidvania that brilliantly infuses Monster Hunter elements with challenging combat. Despite some poor design choices and questionable difficulty spikes, it's still astonishing to think this game was created by a team of just two people.

Akka Arrh is a resurrected version of a game that never existed. And if you don't know the lore, it's ok. It's colorful chaotic nature will keep you at bay for a few hours. You can get those high scores, and win, but it won't be easy. If you want that Atari pain, this is a little less hurtful than usual, but mastering it will still take a while.

It's not all doom and gloom as the actual gameplay is fun and the characters at least have their own unique weapons and play styles. This could be one of those games that ends up being a breakout hit and, years down the line, is filled with tons of content and has a big player base. Unfortunately I can only review what I have now. While the game is fun, I felt like I did and saw everything the game had to offer in about an hour.

Addicting and fun, Hybrid proves to be a fresh and enjoyable experience on the XBLA. You will easily get your $15 out of the experience thanks to the drive to come back and get to the next level.

Atari set out to make amends for the debacle that was Taiketsu, and I feel that it came through quite nicely. There are some rough edges in the game, but if you can forgive the fighting system for its lack of depth, there will be plenty for you to like about this game.

If you want to find out how well you've mastered Dishonored's stealth, combat, and mobility then consider Dunwall City Trials your crucible.

The first episode of Revelations 2 starts off a little slow, thankfully Raid Mode keeps things interesting and alone justifies the price of admission. Hopefully the story picks up in the future chapters.

You could toss chubby, pissed off avians at pig houses, but why not play something with a little more personality and depth? With Super Splatters, Spikysnail proves they are an indie studio worth supporting. You'll get a ton of creative puzzles, challenges and addictive physics-flinging for your $10. Super Splatters is one puzzler you'll want to get hooked on.

King of Fighters 2003 is a step in the right direction and the inclusion of King of Fighters 2002 kind of sweetens the deal, though I’d say it soils an otherwise slightly above average fighting game compilation.

Destiny 2: Beyond Light is worth the investment for existing fans of the genre and franchise. Otherwise, the best way to experience this expansion is through Game Pass on Xbox or PC.

WWE 2K16 is one of the best WWE games released in years and is the WWE game you want to get if you own a PS4 or Xbox One.

I never enjoyed Gears of War the first time around, and although this iteration looks and plays beautifully, it hasn't made a convert out of me. For the Gears of War fans out there, this is probably a great pick-up and should get you drooling over Gears 4.

Sims fans shouldn't hesitate in picking up the Get to Work expansion pack as the new gameplay features and added content are well worth the purchase.

For a throwback FPS, it's not too bad and it's priced at $30. The graphics are pretty well done, but there are some aspects of the game that can get pretty frustrating. Expect to die a lot as well since your health doesn't regenerate, but your shield does.

Worms Revolution isn't a bad game, but it's not the best Worms experience on the Xbox Live Arcade. There are a few good ideas, along with some funky physics and water that acts a lot more like The Blob. You may still get some fun out of the multiplayer mode, but Worms fans are better off sticking with Armageddon!

Samurai Warriors 4-II is a great addition to the series and proves to be plenty of fun, whether you're playing solo or with a friend. Go get yourself lost in this Feudal era drama.

The Surge isn’t interested in creating variation in its gameplay mechanics, or exploring more diverse settings or ideas, or creating compelling characters. It washes over you, but it’s a refined wash, and the foundation for a great game to come. The Surge is a good thing, and I’m glad it exists as another answer to the Souls-esque games coming out – its dull, but refined sci-fi action makes the game feel like a first step, if only a step, in the right direction.

Metal Slug Anthology sets out to compile seven of the best 2D shooters ever released on the Neo Geo. For the most part it succeeds, but why they chose not to offer Classic Control support is anybody's guess!

Be warned, however, that there is a lot of work to do before finally wringing enjoyment out of this title, especially if one is new to the series.

Kudos to Sega for the massive risk they took on releasing Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F out here. It's a great deal of fun for music game lovers, and features a ton of stuff that vocaloid fans will love.

If you can get past the blatant T&A talk that happens on every other line of dialog, you'll find a ton of fun battle system that the experienced gamer is going to sink their teeth in to. Everyone else is just going to see a bunch of anime and boobs and be repulsed.

Deck of Haunts is a quick and fun deck-building roguelike. Building out the haunted house is the most fun part. Just know that this is also one of those games where you will be at the mercy of the RNG, where failing to get a specific card you need to save your run may lead to your demise.

Rugby Challenge is a pleasant surprise in a crowded Fall release season. The game does a great job of both teaching players about the sport of Rugby and giving them a chance to virtually experience the hard-hitting action from the field. The polished presentation, excellent control mechanics, and robust amount of options create one of the best video game representations of a sport that I have seen.

While some expansion packs in the past might have been lacking in content, The Sims 3 Seasons truly expands the game beyond its base experience.

This is the definitive version of this game and those with next gen consoles and a love for the franchise should absolutely pick this up.

Iron Man VR is a good finale for the PS4's lifecycle of PS VR titles. While there are a few technical issues with Iron Man VR – mostly related to the Move controls – it's still a pretty enjoyable affair. Just gotta take it in small doses to make sure you get your VR legs first.

While it’s a bit slow to start, frontloaded with tutorials and exposition, and generally muddled at the outset, Rage 2 shapes up into an incredibly fun time and a natural evolution of a franchise I was worried Id had written off as a dead end.

Bus Simulator 21 is for everyone. Being able to cater to your playstyle from the most basic of set ups to as realistic as they can make it, the game gets its hooks in you after a few hours. I always wanted to run one more route before getting up from a play session. The vehicle AI leaves something to be desired, but we can all think of a few drivers that give us road rage.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a fun and clever puzzle game, but the story falls quite a bit flat with a pretty dark ending. The puzzles themselves are enjoyable with needing to switch between Emma's and Fenton's perspectives a nice mechanic. The story though is just there and while puzzle games don't need stories to be enjoyable, if you're going to have one at least flesh things out a bit. If you don't mind a story that covers just the bare essentials needed to have a story, Tandem's puzzles are pretty enjoyable and I'd recommend checking the game out at some point.

The game isn't perfect but those looking for a solid DS game with a lot of action and a hint of strategy should check out Glory Days 2.

There’s nothing new under the Dawn of War sun. Soulstorm is just a repeat of the Dark Crusade expansion, with two different factions thrown into the mix. It might be worth a look for those who absolutely have to complete the series, but most will get just as much mileage from the previous expansion.