An obvious console port, this watered-down action RPG just doesn't feel at home on the PC.

When it comes to RPGs, FORCED is a pretty good game in general. The way the game works is different than other games in the genre and the mechanics are fun to play with (especially the different weapons), but the game just feels more geared towards co-op play and doesn’t seem as much fun when going solo.

Puzzle solvers might be left cold by things like online Sudoku considering that it is no more interactive than the ones printed in the newspaper. For them, Crazy Machines 2 offers a type of interactive puzzle solving not available anywhere else.

The Sims 4 Get Together follows Get to Work's trend of providing both worthwhile and entertaining content. Get Together goes a step further, however, by improving the core gameplay experience of gathering Sims together with the new clubs feature. In addition, the new dance and DJ traits and world of Windenburg round off a great package of content.

Thrasher is something entirely new, both in video games and in the VR space. Not for the faint of heart, and you are going to have to practice. You don't just want to play Thrasher, you want to play Thrasher well. And Thrasher wants to pound on your eardrums and heart while you try. A digital geometric nightmare-scape, that is also one hell of a good arcade game. Video games don't get much more creative than this one.

There's still enough in the Rise of Iron expansion to keep year one diehards happy. Shame about the story though.

Completely overshadowed by the competition's new hardware, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock doesn't quite bring the house down. It's marred by a controversial selection of songs and no real innovations. The 93 songs will keep players busy for away, but it's hard not to think of this as yet another extension of Guitar Hero 5.

The weapon and level design is about as good as it gets.

Deadly Creatures is one of those cool, quirky games that you miss the first time around.

An expansion pack that offers nothing new or innovative to the quirky and innovative original. A decent pick for those who just couldn’t get enough of Perimeter, but those unfamiliar with the original might be in for more than they can handle.

The game is simple to pick up and play, and simple to enjoy. The graphics are much like a cartoon, but they get the job done easily.

While the game itself is really quite good, the lack of gameplay options and lack of thought into porting over the control scheme make for an average experience overall. This is a port that feels very much like one done with the absolute minimal effort required, and that's just not good enough for 2019 when so many other games this year have done so much better in this same PC to console space.

Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots is overflowing with content. If you want to get into the game and golf, you can do that. If you want to unlock all the things, you can do that too. There's a lot to do, sometimes maybe too much. If you don't let yourself get bogged down with it, there is much golf fun to be had. You know, for everybody.

Steelrising is a beginner friendly entry into the Soulsborne genre with its fairly easy learning curve and enticing alternate history French Revolution premise. The art and visual direction are unparalleled with Spiders’ amazing depiction and design of steampunk automata, but the game is ultimately bottled down by unpolished combat, inconsistent performance, and too many quality of life issues.

With its unique art style and creative puzzles, there's a lot to like about Axel & Pixel. Unfortunately it's marred by a short run time and puzzles that can be easily solved without using any tips.

The highest compliment I can give is that this game is probably the closest I'll ever get to that Starship Troopers shooter I've always wanted to play but will probably never realize. If I squint my eyes just a little bit I can make believe I've left the EDF and joined the Mobile Infantry. Welcome to the Roughnecks. Would you like to know more?

Transformers Prime is a fun game and I do recommend it for younger fans of the series. However, experienced players might find it too easy as the main story only takes a few hours at most to complete if you don't have any problems.

GoldenEye steps up to the HD consoles, and while it's a bit prettier and has some more room to stretch its legs, it also feels like it's missing a few things, especially the pitch-perfect Wii controls. Regardless, it's still one of this generation's best shooters and Eurocom has done a bang-up job bringing it to the HD consols in such a short time.

I really want to like this game more. NiCO's a fun new character to add to the mix, and the DOA Quest mode is a lot of fun. But the middling story, and ridiculous costume grind kind of shows how little new content there is to this game. Maybe down the line it'll be a fully fleshed out experience, but at least it's off to a better start than Street Fighter 5.

A decent-enough fantasy action-RPG, Divinity II: Ego Draconis misses the mark a few times too many.

It's always a pleasure when the storyline is as intriguing as the gameplay. The Station is good at both in equal measure. The solutions to the sundry problems on The Station are just challenging enough—not too easy, not too hard.

The developers of Cris Tales set out to make a love letter to the genre. When writing a love letter it's easy to cloud your judgement at times. You're after all so head over heels into it. Do you really care what others think? The load times, basic story, and unsatisfying ending are easy to overlook when you're in love with the genre. Cris Tales is too pretty to pass up if you want a taste of a nostalgic JRPG.

This vehicular action/MMO hybrid may be a tad ahead of its time. Grind-core audiences have too many combat variables; pulp action audiences have too many RPG-growth elements.

If I had any kids, I'd pick up The Last Tinker: City of Colors for them in a heartbeat. It's fun, it's well made, and it's got a great message behind it. Although it's a bit too simple and on-the-nose for an adult gaming audience, it would be a lot of fun to watch a kid work through the puzzles and laughing at the few references that will inevitably go over their head.

A good time passer, imprint-X is worth its reasonable price but isn’t a bastion of breathtaking gameplay. It has its flaws, many notable but none game ruining. Despite that, it definitely requires some brainpower. Don’t expect to be enraptured by days of scintillating gameplay, but also don’t expect to breeze through it on your first try.

Mushroom Men’s charm and character make it much more than the sum of its parts. In spite of its flaws, I highly recommend it.

The narrative hook The American Dream tries to position itself on does more to detract from this game than enhance it. It does nothing to spark a conversation, is far too over the top to pose as a commentary, is completely tone deaf on occasion, and goes on for far too long.

While Super Arcade Football puts you into the action instantly, it would have been nice if it would have shown me the ropes before expecting me to win my first match. The retro look and simple controls make picking up and playing with friends who haven't played before easy and welcoming. For a short, fun party game without much on the line, you can't go wrong. But for the single-player experience, while not terrible by any means, it wears out its welcome long before you actually finish it.

Wild Card Football is the first Arcade Football game with real players in a very long time, and that's progress. But some mechanics slow the game down, and there is an overall jank to the proceedings that could use some refinement. And, of course, card packs are the worst. This is Saber's first foray into the Arcade football genre, and I think it's off to a good start. But it's a false start, and they're going to start 5 yards back for a 2nd and long.

Soulstice is a solid, albeit unnecessarily dragged out, hack-and-slash action role playing game that features a great cast of characters and an engaging narrative. There’s a ton of replayability and a high skill ceiling to achieve, but the lack of variety in gameplay elements and wonky camera angles keep it from being truly amazing.

A fun diversion for those quick commutes and / or times when you just want to kill a few minutes with a game. I keep going back after unlocking everything just to double-check my positions on the scoreboards, even if just for 5-10 minutes a day. That is a good sign!

Magicka 2 is a stellar adventure as long as you have friends along for the ride. The mechanics of the spellcasting system and the gameplay in general are tuned perfectly for multiple wizards, however flying solo will only bring you frustration and fits of rage.

Simulacra is surprisingly engaging for a game that takes place completely on the screen of a found smart phone. With well-drawn characters, a gripping story, and one foot planted firmly in the real world, the suspense of Simulacra entertains quite well. Never truly chilling, Simulacra is nonetheless a unique suspense mystery that is well worth a look.

This game doesn't feel like the next game in a long running series. This feels like a brand new game that exists only to promote the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Shady A.I., gameplay that gets stale fast, and a story that is impossible to decipher when you're losing to the enemy forces in the first turn means you should avoid Puzzle Quest Galactrix.

For a game about the simple act of killing zombies, Dead Rising 4: Frank’s Big Package supplies players with an unbelievable variety of ways to get the job done. Some of the modes that might have felt slight as individual DLC purchases just become icing on the delicious cake of destruction that is Frank’s Big Package. Weirdness and chaos can take you pretty far when the core game play is as solid as it is here. There is a ton of fun content here that makes Frank’s Big Package well worth the purchase.

OddBallers is a charmingly fun dodgeball party game with a simple yet addictive gameplay loop that has snuck onto the scene without so much as a peep. Due to a non-existent online player base, the AI does an admirable job propping up this wonderful game that more people should be playing.

Violent, absurd, and even a little fun--Shank 2 is a decent enough way to kill a few hours' time.

While I eventually began having fun with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, the game was a very difficult nut to crack. Rather than being open to the way I wanted to play it, Avatar pushed me to find the way it wanted to be played, and then kinda punished me for doing so. Frontiers of Pandora should feel free and flowing, but I've found a lot of the experience to be restrictive and near-punitive. Once I pushed through the game's many barriers to entry, I started having a good time, but don't expect to just jump in and have fun. Like Jake Sully, it's going to take a while to find your Avatar-legs.

In almost every way Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades is exactly like the original. It still hurts your hand, has tinny audio and doesn't feel quite right.

This casual RPG hybrid hits more often than it misses. Besides, it's almost worth it just to use the term "slot-machine RPG" in conversation...

It's been over 20 years since the last Battletoads game—and it was worth the wait. Battletoads is an enjoyable game that brings back the fun beat-em-up aspects of the originals, as well as humorous cutscenes, and minigame stages that show just what happens after the Toads realize their glory days are over.

Outside of a few issues Dark Sector does a good job of blending the elements of action, story, and interaction that create a fun, enjoyable gaming experience.

Overall, Tembo feels like a badass-tribute to Sonic the Hedgehog. It should have taken a few more pages out of the Blue Blur’s playbook though in order to create a more complete experience that honored Sonic’s legacy with consistent gameplay that focused on its strengths rather than constantly shining a spotlight on its weaknesses.

Don't let The Splatters' obscure XBLA release and goofy first impression scare you off. It's much better than the churning majority of physics puzzle games stinking up app stores and digital services these days. What you'll find is a quirky, funny arcade game that takes a lot more skill and timing than you'd expect. For puzzle and arcade fans it's definitely worth the 800 MS point price of admission.

Majin and the Forsaken is the definition of a mediocre title. Nearly every aspect of the game is bland and unoriginal, with the exception of a great control scheme when it comes to controlling the non-playable Majin. Some players may find a tolerable adventure in the game, but don't expect much else.

PixelJunk Monsters Ultimate is a fun game in the tower defense genre, but if you’re new to the genre I’d recommend sticking with Casual difficulty for a while as you’d likely get overrun on Regular difficulty. Still, if you’re looking for a fun tower defense game, this is one worth picking up.

Rogue is a good chapter in the Assassin's Creed body of work. Good but not great. Nor is it definitive. Without multiplayer, it's not even a standalone product as far as the series is concerned. But the story of institutional betrayal, severed friendships, and broken mentors is a worthy tale.

The technical issues in Star Trek: Resurgence unfortunately detract slightly from what is possibly the truest Star Trek video game ever made. This is a game that knows and respects the franchise, delivering an epic story with a great new ship and crew. The branching story elements and performances carry the day, but some of the interactive segments stumble. Regardless, the game is highly recommended for fans of both Trek and interactive storytelling.

PGA Tour 07 for Wii adds realism without compromising gameplay.

It's a mixture of old school mechanics and modern presentation--a combination that makes it the perfect starting point for the roguelike genre and a very enjoyable dungeon-crawling RPG in its own right.

Despite a gorgeous art style and good attempt at RPG progression, both the gameplay and interface are just too clunky to make Dungeon Punks stand out from the crowd.

Dread Nautical is a solid tactics strategy game with a very unique story. Though the game was developed originally for mobile devices, it makes the transition to consoles cleanly. With tons of character customization options and non-irritating procedurally-generated level design, Dread Nautical has enough meat on it to justify several playthroughs. Tactics fans shouldn't hesitate to pick this one up.

It's a polished, highly entertaining shooter with a unique setting and loads of Nazis just waiting to be mowed down. It may not be game of the year material, but it's one of the better shooters this year.

Fans of the animated movie will have a lot of fun with this game, especially if they're wanting to relive some of their favorite moments from the film. While this is hardly groundbreaking stuff, as a kids' game the Bee Movie Game is definitely enjoyable.

A mix of RTS, tower defense, and open world epics, Minecraft Legends feels completely unique; a strategic breath of fresh air with interesting mechanics and an amazingly fun gameplay loop. But the absolutely stellar game design in Minecraft Legends is ultimately undone by bugs and AI/pathfinding issues. There is an amazing game at the core of Minecraft Legends, addictive and compelling. I'm frankly obsessed over it. But that makes it all the more disappointing that the technical implementation of the game can't support its lofty ambitions.

Disney's Magical World is a pretty decent pick up for anyone burned out on Animal Crossing. The gameplay styles differ enough to make them stand out as two separate titles, but Magical World has a slight leg up on the competition.

Conarium is hauntingly beautiful and competent as an adventure-puzzle game with some light horror elements, but as a true H.P. Lovecraft survival horror game it isn’t long or scary enough.

Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm looks and feels like a Legend of Zelda game, which is good. But comparing it to the Zelda series might lead to disappointment whereas, on its own, it's mostly enjoyable. If you're looking for a Zelda-like experience, Oceanhorn 2 should help fulfill that void for a while, as long as you give it some time to do so.

The multiplayer’s lack of depth compounds another problem: this game is painfully short. It spans only eight levels, and most of the replay value comes from the arcade mode, where you try for higher scores.

A failed epic, DarkStar One refuses to dig into the depths inherent to the sci-fi genre, and largely comes up with what they aimed for: A cheaply fun but ultimately shallow, forgettable experience. The graphics taste great, but the gameplay is less filling.

Young Thor is a mini that is big on action and fun. It's an enjoyable and simple side-scrolling action title that's certainly worth its small cost of entry.

Little Hope is a return to form for Supermassive Games. After the somewhat slow and dry Man of Medan, Little Hope arrives with a narrative audacity and assured performances that place The Dark Pictures Anthology squarely on the top of the interactive filmic adventure game heap. With a rich, complex, and wickedly surprising narrative, Little Hope is well worth playing, despite some awkward moments and transitions.

It's rude, it's crude, and until Rockstar decides to port something better than LA Noire over or Sucker Punch stops being a Sony studio, it is the most fun you're going to have in an open world crime or mayhem type game on the Switch.

NES Remix is a shameless appeal to nostalgia with a great premise and tons of fun, varied gameplay perfect for anyone who yearns for the 8-bit era.

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is a stunning accomplishment. Not only because it's one of the few console ports to get the Diablo-style formula right, but also because of its size and scope.

It's fun, it's cheap, and it gets you Team Fortress 2 upgrades while letting you play poker against a bunch of fun characters. It's a good game, even if you don't play TF2. The controls aren't great and the poker isn't the best, but it's still a hoot.

This expansion adds some welcome content for China and Japan, but is primarily just a collection of minor enhancements and tweaks.

Cathedral is a pretty good Metroidvania-style game that can be difficult at times, though that tends to come with the genre. That said though, the game looks great and for fifteen dollars, I’d say its definitely worth picking up. As for me, I’ll definitely be taking another trip through the game down the road.

While far from original, Soldner-X 2: Final Prototype is a great playing shoot-em-up with enough interesting ideas to stand out. Best of all, the gorgeous visuals zip by at 60 frames per second. It may be short, but there's more than enough replay to keep this side-scrolling shooter exciting.

A game that's bloated beyond necessity, thanks to a terrible design decision, Tales of Xillia 2 does a few things to address the flaws of the first title—and then completely runs that progress into a brick wall. Multiple times.

The real niche for MoE is as a more-sophisticated “Total War” for multiplayer fans. The online player looking for a game with substance at a reasonable price will like this game. The usual hardcore crowd would be better served to wait for "Europa Universalis IV".

You have to be impressed with the final product that Yuke's and THQ. It's tough to start a game completely from scratch and build it up to what you want. While there are still some modifications that need to be made for future titles, the final product for wrestling fans is one that is worthy of main event status.

Cubixx shows Taito how to make the next generation in Qix. While this is hardly the most original game of the year, I found the simple gameplay and solid presentation appealing. Best of all, the game is only a few bucks!

I can happily say that even if you aren’t a fan of the series you will enjoy this game -- granted you enjoy Dynasty Warriors-style beat 'em ups.

Disney Infinity 2.0 has made some big strides from the original release. There is a ton to do, especially when you dig into the toy box, which should keep fans occupied for a long, long time. Things are just a little complicated for the younger gamers to do all on their own.

While it's still in early days, Heliborne is already well polished and provides a fantastic mix of tactical airborne helicopter and strategic decision making in a very affordable package. This one is well worth giving a try!

Highly recommended for folks that enjoy cooperative play, or as a way to introduce a friend to basic stealth gaming mechanics. Covert delivers a lot of gameplay for two players—one on PS VR and the other on the companion mobile app. The heists remain fun and engaging without ever becoming too difficult, ensuring that everyone has a good time. Can't ask for much more than that.

RiffTrax: The Game almost entirely relies on the quick wit of the people playing it; play with a bunch of duds and you will have a dire evening. But if you have funny friends, you can have a pretty decent time playing the "Write a Riff" mode for a few rounds. Just stay far away from the "Pick a Riff" mode, and understand that the appeal here is very limited to those that enjoy this form of entertainment already.

Cookie Cutter is a good Metroidvania, elevated by some pretty stellar graphics. Don't expect to walk through this one - the game raises the difficulty in response to your character powering up. A lot of value here for the asking price.

Doom VFR is a remarkable experience in almost every way. There are intense battles, terrifying enemies, and amazing settings to explore, all tied together with a combination of creepiness and wit. All of this is almost upended by one of the worst control schemes ever implemented on the (admittedly difficult) PlayStation Move controllers. Doom VFR is still well worth playing (in fact, it’s a blast), just go into the experience with the understanding that no matter which controller you decide to use, you won’t be 100% satisfied.

But this is more of a tool than it is a game, something that will allow you to create interesting characters and take them on a fairly boring adventure.

Shadow Warrior 3 is absolute fun. It's easy to pick up, and something you definitely want to invest some hours into. This is the most fun I've had playing a game in a long time, and you will not be disappointed. There are a few hiccups and glitches I'm sure will be patched out but I digress. The visuals, the combat, and the characters make this game an absolute blast to look at and play. I have nothing bad to say about it, only because Lo Wang is crazy, and would probably make his way to me! Now, go slay that freakin' dragon!

Wonder Boy Collection may be a bit short on the extras, but the four games included still make for a very solid collection. Wonder Boy and Wonder Boy in Monster Land are great for arcade gamers and the options let you tweak things to make the games easier or harder to suit your skill level. Meanwhile, Wonder Boy in Monster World and Monster World IV are great for console gamers, offering very fluid controls and a more relaxing style of gameplay where you’re not rushed by a timer wanting to devour your quarters. Whether you’re a fan of the series or just stepping in for the first time, Wonder Boy Collection is bound to have at least one or two games that everyone can enjoy.

I understand the hate that Pokémon Violet is getting. Frame rate issues, glitches, and design choices that make little sense are everywhere. Making characters less customizable is unforgivable. Developers saying their game is open-world when there are level caps is redundant. But I’m still having more fun than I’ve ever had in a Pokémon title. Violet takes the Pokémon formula and twists it into what I hope becomes the new normal in many ways. Three stories to play through and a UI that feels easier to use than ever before deliver elements Pokémon fans have long been looking for. Violet gave me the same emotional high that I got from the original game, which isn’t easy to do. I love being able to take on gym leaders, knock out giant oversized Pokémon, or break into someone’s hideout all in the same game. The heart of Pokémon is still here, still beating, even if the outside is full of fatty nonsense at times.

While not completely innovative, Max & the Magic Marker offers a cute and fresh, albeit brief, platformer for those young at heart.

Tomodachi Life isn’t for everyone, but it's still a fun game that can also be enjoyed in short bursts when pressed for time.

Dead Island is a mixed bag. While the game is filled with debilitating bugs and frustrating glitches, its addicting gameplay and immersive world keeps you coming back again and again despite those flaws. If given the proper post-release support from the developers, this game could easily be an A+ title and be in contention to be considered one of the best games of the year.

Rockford is back and ready to collect more diamonds than ever. With an emphasis on unique modes, this updated classic is dressed to impress. Boulder Dash-XL has enough original content to bring in a whole new generation of spelunkers. This is one cave worth exploring!

I had the most fun in New Dawn during two states: when I was at my most stealthy and, conversely, my most reckless. Those are Far Cry’s sweet spots. Either doing one-click takedowns on enemies you sneak up on, or just turning the entire place into a run-and-gun wonderland of destruction. If you play Far Cry in the middle, then it’s a middling experience. But if you embrace New Dawn’s ridiculousness, there’s a fun, casual level of violence to enjoy.

It took a few hours to get under my skin. But now that I've gotten into a rhythm with its post-apocalyptic horror-survivalist aspects, Days Gone puts on a good little self-serious road drama.

For the younger kids that really find that they enjoy the movie's characters, this will be a fun game. Without the tie-in to the movie, though, there isn't anything particularly compelling to recommend it.

Corpse Party is a pretty good mix of a visual novel and survival-horror games. While the gameplay itself can get a little dull at times as you wander the halls of the school and try to interact with just about everything, the story is rather enjoyable and unique. Wear some headphones and turn out the lights to complete the experience.

WWE Legends of Wrestlemania is what I like to call casual core game, easy to learn hard to master, and excels at giving fans nostalgia for the past glory days of wrestling with the Relive, Rewrite, and Recreate modes.

You'll have a lot of fun with this new Bionic Commando, but he ultimately plays it safe in his first adventure in twenty years.

Despite its flaws, Gothic II remains a fascinating relic, a testament to the ambition and innovation of early open-world RPGs. While its clunky controls, outdated mechanics, and fetch-quest-heavy narrative might not resonate with modern players, its intricate world-building, hidden secrets, and surprisingly complex player agency shine through even today. It's a game that demands patience, but rewards exploration with a sense of discovery and genuine joy in overcoming its challenges. Ultimately, Gothic II's legacy lies not in its polish but in its pioneering spirit. It helped lay the groundwork for the genre we know and love, and for that, it deserves our respect, even if I ultimately choose to leave its clunky controls and endless errands in the past.

Earth Atlantis mixes exploration and scrolling shooter elements to create a challenging, if occasionally frustrating experience. The map-inspired visuals are the most unique and eye-catching aspect of this game, but under the hood it’s a good distraction that works best in portable mode when you have some time to kill.

Alien: Rogue Incursion Evolved Edition does the best single thing it could for a game set in this franchise: it looks and feels like an Alien game. Where it also feels like a VR port makes sense and meshes well with the tone and arc of the gameplay. This part one doesn’t weigh in with the longest playtime and it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but based on this first effort the sequel and eventual conclusion of the story seems worth waiting for, and playing through when it does drop. But I would like to see the Aliens get a little deadlier, and the pulse rifle get a boost along with it.