This Special Edition XBLA release features stunning graphics, improved controls and brand new voice actors. Unfortunately it didn't fix some of the game's faults. But even with its imperfections, LeChuck's Revenge is an adventure worth going on!

A solid standalone expansion to one of my favorite time-sinks, Armored Princess has enough new goodies and little bits of polish to make for quite an enjoyable time.

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair is a multiplayer game first and a single-player game second. This is a daring twist on a tried and true franchise, one that may split a lot of gamers. The good news is that this experiment mostly works, even if it comes at the expense of a proper single-player mode.

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!

8-Bit Is Enough is a surprisingly slow-to-start but satisfying capstone to an eclectic first season for Homestar Runner and friends.

Zooo isn't the deepest or flashiest puzzle game, but it gets the job done with a pleasing aesthetic style and solid, pick-up-and-play dynamics. Kids and adults will like this one for its simplistic appearance and deceptively challenging gameplay.

Fans of the anime will absolutely love Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage. Other gamers may not love the game quite as much but will find a solid and enjoyable adventure from start to finish.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss delivers a solid action game full of large scale shoot outs and climbing. Sadly, this Sony Bend developed launch title is marred by a lack of variety in the environments and too many tacked-on mini-games. It may not be as ambitious as Uncharted 3, but Golden Abyss is yet another worthwhile chapter in Nathan Drake's increasingly travelogue.

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.

Burnout Crash is a proper multiplayer mode away from being most enjoyable downloadable title I've ever played.

Undisputed does the fighting genre justice with its slick visuals, solid gameplay, and its abundance of content gives gamers plenty to do.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles isn't without a few problems, including a steep learning curve, unfair artificial intelligence and a lack of originality. However, that shouldn't keep you from having a great time as you race around one of the best looking recreations of Los Angeles I have ever seen!

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a fun game, especially with the armor system they implemented.

If Splatterhouse has caught your interest you should give it a rent. It's a solid action game with an interesting story and a lot of blood. There's enough content to justify a purchase, if you like the series.

A solid, well written game that's bit on the production values. It's a little on the short side but it does serve as a nice warm up for the next game.

Although plagued by balance and control issues, COP the Recruit is ambitious in its depth and groundbreaking in its technology. The easily frustrated might want to skip this game, but for experienced gamers looking for a challenge, COP offers a lengthy experience and hardcore difficulty.

With the easily accessible Arcade mode and the great degree of customization of the difficulty level in the more complex Simulator mode, SBK X will appeal to rank amateurs and devoted motorcycle racing fans alike. It provides a reasonably accurate representation of high-end motorcycle racing (probably) feels like.

While it's easy to compare it to Capcom's 1989 hit Strider, Moon Diver certainly stands on its own. The game does suffer from repetitive gameplay and a bit too much grinding, but the fact-paced action and four-player mode more than makes up for the shortcomings!

Seems to take too much from too many other real-time strategy games, and fails to capitalize and to create its own niche.

Fans of both old school shooters and 2D beat-em-ups will fall in love with the merging of these two genre.

There is plenty to see and do in Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons, as long as the thing you want to do is nonogram puzzles with a Story of Seasons theme. If you were expecting to play the first nonogram farm sim then you may hbe disappointed. The puzzles are pretty good, some of them are just silly, I’m still upset about what the developer considers to be an egg. The collage puzzles require more patience and thinking than the normal nonogram puzzles presented here, but that’s good too. Other features like the almanac are welcome additions-even if they don’t add much overall. If you are into both genres then picking up Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons make sense.

Once Upon a Katamari is a love letter to all the other games, for a game that doesn't always love you back. If there's ever been a time you wanted to shut a king up, it's here. There's still a sprinkle of happiness to roll over any and everything, but my Katamari may be getting a little flat.

It's suffering from some of the worst performance issues of all time, it's not the best looking game, the story sucks and the hero is pretty lame. But if you can look past those shortcomings you will find that The Last Remnant has a lot to offer.

Arma Reforger offers some of best military roleplaying around, but the gameplay is complex to a fault at times on PS5. Hardcore might be an understatement, as it’s one of those games where your enjoyment is determined by how much effort you put into it. Despite the deep complexity, Arma Reforger can be deeply rewarding as well.

It may look and feel like Lemmings, but Atari's newest puzzler has a number of tricks up its sleeve.

The single-player is a complete write-off, but the multi-player crowd will find a lot to like in Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad.

F.E.A.R 2 is a great game to experience, but repetitive gameplay keeps it from achieving classic status.

A fun, if not terribly challenging, pulp adventure title. The brief ride is enjoyable the entire time, and a solid pick for fans of the genre.

With its unique game play and memorable characters, Juka and the Monophonic Menace is just interesting enough for me to recommend.

Burnout Crash is a fun little arcade-style action game marred by repetitive gameplay and simplistic graphics. Fans of the series may be confused by the new look, but the traditional crash mode gameplay is front and center. Fans going in looking for a traditional Burnout experience will be sorely disappointed!

Ultimately Hitman: Blood Money Reprisal is an 18 year old game that feels optimized for mobile, but yeah, also lands on the Switch. There are some decent quality of life upgrades but the visuals show their age. The story and missions stay true to form in what was always one of the best Hitman narratives. I expect a little more on the Switch and while this might seem a more premium experience on something like an iPad it doesn't quite hit that same height on Nintendo's console. It is still a good game, and is a cool throwback to a really accomplished peak in gaming's past.

The motion controls actually feel like they were thought out, not just slapped on, and they work much better than "Red Steel."

After two years of nothing but rocky seas, Puzzle Quest 2 manages to right the ship and correct the course.

A neat little fantasy-themed side-scroller with a clever three-characters-in-one twist. A bit short, but the puzzles are clever, the graphics are gorgeous, and the gameplay is solid.

Forest Grove is very short and a little rough around the edges but it's a decent mystery story that kept me interested throughout and made me want to keep playing to find every piece of evidence I could to complete the story.

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.

Guitar Hero: Metallica is certainly better than its Aerosmith counterpart, but it still misses the point of the Guitar Hero franchise.

An RTS/boardgame hybrid that's worth your $10, if you're into resource management. Although for the same price, you can get a new copy of Hail to the Chimp...

While Homefront's overhyped single player campaign is a bit of a disappointment, it's under-hyped multiplayer portion is where the real fun is at.

Bizarre Creations has managed to combine two polar opposite takes on the racing genre, sim versus kart, into a winning combination that leaves me wandering why no one else had done it before.

While the strangely gun-focused combat isn’t anything to write home about, the filmic story elements in Suicide Squad are enough to carry the day, at least for the duration of the campaign. While I wish there was more to do in Metropolis, it is a beautiful setting for a game, and watching the cast of weirdos and losers skewer some of DC’s finest is a guilty pleasure. While the end game doesn’t currently feel compelling, there is more to come, so we’ll reserve judgement until we see how that plays out. As it stands, this is a mild recommendation for a mostly painless, often funny game.

Bomberman's newest Xbox Live Arcade game is hardly the revelation some were hoping for, but it's a solid multiplayer game nonetheless.

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.

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.

MLB 2K10 is a good game that feels for the most part like you're playing baseball. There is a lot of depth, and some great new features. While not as buggy as 2K9, some of the problems still exist, which keeps this game from being great.

The gameplay is fun, even if the game isn't especially ambitious. Still, it's better than the other mob-influenced Xbox 360 games on the market!

Although the hybrid first- and third-person aspects never quite work perfectly, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath still manages to charm.

No pun intended, but Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals is a game that gets more interesting the deeper you dig.

Steel Seed doesn't do anything particularly new, but it does recreate tried and true gameplay and traversal elements and wraps it in a stunning presentation. I have trouble with the final act as I think it falls a bit short of the promise the first two acts build up to, but overall the complete package is a pretty good game marked by solid mechanics and progression. It settles into a core loop but encourages you to explore options to play that out, and for the most part offers a pretty cool narrative wrapping neat ideas into a gorgeous bit of world building.

The annual Just Dance drop has occurred, bringing with it 40 new songs and a new party mode. Ongoing legacy frustrations with the poor stream quality continue to mar the experience somewhat. I've fully settled into the fact that Just Dance is now a platform. Some attention paid to how players can manage the platform as it expands would be much appreciated. But there is no questioning the quality of the unchanging core gameplay mechanics. Just Dance has always been fun, and it continues to be fun.

de Blob relies on its central theme of using color to liberate, which is well developed and a sheer joy to play.

Despite its short campaign and repetitive nature, Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 proves to be an exciting action game for one to three players.

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

All in all Sega Rally Revo is a good arcade racer. The learning curve was a little steep and the single player mode was not as robust as I would have liked, but the fast arcade action kept me coming back for more.

It took a couple years, but Klei has finally perfected Shank's combat. This action-packed sequel is strong on violence and short of depth, not unlike the movies its making fun of. Still, even with the improved combat and art direction, I miss the Tarantino flavors of the first game. Shank 2 is a fun romp!

It may not be the best action game of the year, but it's worth playing through if only to hear the amazing soundtrack!

DarkStar One: Broken Alliance is a bit repetitive, but it has enough variety and the gameplay is easy enough to get into that the experience is very addictive.

There’s a nice sense of humor to the game that adults and children will enjoy.

Nitro Games has improved the engine used in East India Company. Commander strives to be both a trading and naval combat game. It almost pulls it off but is sunk in sight of shore.

WWE2K24 is more of the same. The added matches are a nice addition, but there are some caveats made here. The visuals seem off-putting, and some of the single player modes are overkill. If you're looking to slam someone to the mat with a near current roster, grab this. But be wary - it may need a little bit more time in the ring.

Hex Gambit: Respawned tries to view chess and checkers through the lens of a modern video game. It succeeds in some ways, but falls well short of taking down the kings.

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.

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.

When it comes right down to it Tee It Up is an extremely bare bones release.

Mommy's Best Games successfully translates Serious Sam's gameplay into the second dimension with Serious Sam Double D. As a retro but faithful take on the classic series this game is a must-buy for Serious Sam fans, and at only $8 it's a great deal for anyone looking for a solid old-school action game.

With plenty of new areas to explore, some cool new challenges and a bunch of much-needed fixes, Skate 2 is a fantastic follow-up to an already stellar skateboarding game.

Without a ton of bells and whistles, Pickleball One delivers a streamlined Pickleball experience that feels great. Pickleball One will teach you how to play Pickleball, train you to get better at it, and allow you to take those skills to the community that has gathered around the game. It ain't fancy, but it certainly gets the job done.

Speedball 2 doesn't offer a lot of frills and extras, but it does prove to still be a solid action/sports game that is just as violent today as it was 17 years ago.

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 gameplay is unique and engaging for those interested in it, if marred by some control issues. There's a lot of content and personality here and a well built game, but guitar heroes probably won't fall into the groove right away.

AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack is exactly what fans of the band have been wanting, it's a no frills collection of 18 amazing songs. I still think that the $40 asking price may be a bit steep, especially considering that the most expensive downloadable song in the music store is no more than $2.

The truth is that you probably don't need a two-thousand word review to tell you whether or not Manhunt 2 is your thing, you should already know if the game is your cup of tea.

Point Lookout is a solid entry in the DLC of Fallout 3.

Faulty game mechanics and disappointing maps, combat scenarios and storyline direction aside, Dragon Age II still has a surprising amount of intrigue hidden beneath the blemishes. The depth of character relationships, as well as the complex nature of the world of the Dragon Age franchise are a savior to a game that would otherwise forever be remembered by its mistakes.

Buzz is perfect for people who plan on doing a lot of entertaining in the near future!

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

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.

X-Plane may not be for everybody because of its focus on accuracy and its sometimes steep learning curve, but it will reward the diligent user with a simulation worthy of the word.

As with most expansion packs, Endangered Species breaths fresh life into a title that may have gotten stale on your hard drive. Fans of the original game will enjoy the newly expanded library of animals and objects when updating their zoos.

World at War is a fun rollercoaster ride that is every bit as good as Call of Duty 2 and 3. Unfortunately after the success of Call of Duty 4 it's hard to go back to World War II, even when the game looks and plays this good.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is a fun game that was almost brought down by questionable control issues and a repetitive story. If players can get past a few minor problems, they'll discover that this prequel offers a surprising amount of great content, beautiful graphics and even some fun multiplayer modes!

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!

F.E.A.R 2 is a great game to experience, but repetitive gameplay keeps it from achieving classic status.

Beginners and intermediate Texas Hold ‘Em players will love the custom avatars, multiple unique AI, and the chance to play against digital renditions of poker superstars. Experienced players will want to skip Stacked with Daniel Negreanu and head over to their favorite online poker site.

A short campaign and no multiplayer or much other content keeps this from being a game I would recommend paying full price for.

Atlas Fallen might not make any game of the year lists, but its inventive, refreshing combat is worth checking out. It will require a bit of patience, as the opening and closing acts are a protracted slog, in addition to numerous bugs, but the foundation is set for a sequel that capitalizes on the promise of this new IP.

Need for Speed Nitro has a lot of solid content, good production values and a large quantity of customization for a DS game.

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.

While this modern take on the beloved classic is certainly beautiful to look at in places, it stumbles a bit with ill-advised combat and an uneven presentation. Still, the lore drops are incredible, the performances solid, and the Lovecraftian storyline is intriguing - and when it goes hard at the end, it is a sight to behold. Survival horror fans won't find huge scares here, but there is a fun feeling of creeping dread and anticipation that moves things along.

The fast-paced races, exciting power-ups and fun online mode aren't marred by a shallow single-player career and a low supply of race tracks. The game's fun online mode more than makes up for any minor issues I have with the game!

If you are someone that enjoys single-player content in fighting games, then Invincible VS won't hold your attention for more than a few hours. However, for those who are ready to go online, then you are going to have a lot of fun with this, especially if you are a fan of the source material. Fans of Invincible are going to go crazy over this game and they did a perfect job adapting to the IP to a new medium. It's a very good 3v3 fighting game but the full package does feel a little barebones.

A solid, but safe fighter, Naruto Shippuden Shinobi Rumble is great for anyone looking to pick up an easy and enjoyable fighting game.

The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest is exactly as it presents itself. It wants to be more, but I wish it didn't think it had to be. It's regular retro platforming, with a good map, checkpoints, forgettable characters, and cool bosses. It's something to do. You'll probably play it twice, but that's twice the something to do.

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.

Kill Team is an absolute blast to play. It's a no-frills action shooter from start to finish with a focus on purely destroying everything in sight. It's just too bad that they decided to leave out online coop because that could have made a good game great.

Great arcade fun, but the rigid mission structure and the absence of a good save game function can be frustrating when playing lengthy or difficult missions.

Another solid entry into the Marvel Universe, this action-RPG gives us another dose of the tried-and-true four-character slugfest. Nothing overly exciting here, but entertaining all the same.

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.