All in all, Death to Spies is well done, but it will require the right type of player to truly enjoy it. It has a few quirks (particularly in the user interface) that can drive you nuts, but as I said at the beginning: you were warned. Death comes very easily to spies!

Erica tells a boilerplate story—but tells it very well. With a fresh, intuitive interface and some of the best production values and acting ever seen in a video game, Erica feels very much like what it aspires to be—an interactive film. Erica is perhaps an odd experiment, but one well worth experiencing for gamers that enjoy trips off the beaten path.

A brief jaunt through a side story in the Star Wars universe is made better with some sky-high production values and some fun lore drops. Don’t expect a ton of interactivity, though it is fun to throw Stormtroopers around with the Force. A nice side mode allows for endless lightsaber battles, but the main draw is Vader himself, delivered by the game in all of his intimidating glory.

This is a solid city builder in the SimCity line with a clean interface and good underlying mechanics. The online parts, which the developer hopes to use to set it apart, require more work and thought.

Like previous versions, WWE 2K17 takes some major steps forward, but then takes even more steps backwards and unfortunately, it takes even more steps backwards than WWE 2K16. There is still plenty of fun to be had in WWE 2K17 but the nagging issues that rear their ugly heads year after year will eventually pop up and ruin said fun, once again.

Simple mechanics, tough difficulty curve, lack of feedback and a sophisticated simulation make for a mixed bag. Recommended for those with an interest in global politics, strictly optional otherwise. A better game than the original, but also more expensive, so it comes out in the wash.

Petroglyph, the modern maestros of RTS, have created a fun, accessible new entry that is a great way to get into the genre. There isn’t a lot of complexity here but the friendly art style and generous difficulty curve make 8-Bit Armies the perfect RTS for beginners.

Bye Sweet Carole is beautiful to look at, but a little tough to get through. The inconsistencies may not be enough to turn survival gamers off, but they may be too much to validate a full playthrough. If you love escape rooms, and not Dragon's Lair, hop to it.

Who knew that playing SpongeBob SquarePants: The Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated would deliver such a solid dose of nostalgia? But deliver it does. Having played both versions of the game in the past week, I can attest that this is a rock-solid remake of fun but somewhat flawed game. You take the bad with the good on this one, but for the most part Bikini Bottom holds up surprisingly well.

Maneater is a solid first entry in a new open world RPG franchise. Repetitive missions and some fairly severe framerate issues hold the game back a bit, but overall Maneater is a good bit of summertime gaming fluff. You can't beat the feeling of chomping people at the beach, and Maneater provides just what gamers are looking for – fun carnage with just enough structure to keep players motivated.

I am at a loss for words when it comes to Rune Factory 5. I had a lot of fun, but it comes at a price. In order to truly enjoy the game I have to get over the horrible optimization. It’s not game breaking, but frustrating doesn’t begin to cover it. The RPG mechanics are fun, so is the farming. While not the update to the series I was hoping for, there is still fun to be had for the die hard fans who simply have to play it. Everyone else might want to enter with care.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is really for the dedicated, the kind that enjoy fanfiction, and repetitive gameplay.

A pared down meat-and-potatoes shooter, heavy on visceral mayo and lite on the rest of the fixings. High fidelity to its PC forebears, putting you in a vegetative killing state with interspersed spikes of adrenaline.

The game abandons some of its mechanics too quickly and the ending will leave you scratching your head, but when it comes down to it, you can count on Metrico.

Much like previous ProSIM games, I am not part of the target audience. However, I can see that those who enjoy the thrill of complex, detailed military strategies will find a worthy title to add to their libraries.

It's a gorgeous game with memorable battles. But because the game's focus is obviously on combat, no matter how pretty the towns are, they feel like backdrops for your character sheets and inventory.

Vergil’s downfall isn’t patently terrible, but just barely. It is, however, a pale shadow compared to Dante’s adventure in DmC. It’s three to four hours of gameplay that everyone who is not a Vergil fetishist can ignore and not feel like they missed anything.

Even with its issues, Agents of Mayhem is still a fun experience that anyone who is a fan of hero shooters or the previous Saints Row titles will be able to enjoy. Shooting hoards of Legion scum won't get old any time soon.

It’s a shame I can’t see myself playing more Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed. It feels like developer IllFonic pulled out all the stops to make this a great asymmetrical title, including notable attention to detail with all the Ghostbusters callbacks. In single player, the enemy AI was fine, but the teammate AI was horrible, driving home the fact that I was playing alone. If I could convince four other humans to play with me, I could invest hours of time without blinking; it’s a shame this game requires five people to enjoy it properly.

Gungnir is a fine addition to the Dept. Heaven series of Sting games. It's got enough content to last a good 30+ hours, and offers an immense challenge that even tactical professionals will have a hard time tackling. Coupled with an intriguing story and Atlus' excellent localization, this game definitely shouldn't be missed by PSP owners.

Prinny 2 has the makings of another great side-scrolling action game, but is marred by crummy controls and overly difficult level designs. The incredible boss battles aren't enough to keep this light-hearted sequel from being the first big disappointment of 2011!

With its solid gameplay, good graphics, fresh music and five enormous mountains, Stoked turns out to be a truly memorable snowboarding game.

The tension ratchets unbelievably high, and the simple act of peeking around a corner can lead to coronary trauma when you realize that something is standing right behind you. Like any good rollercoaster ride, Killing Floor Incursion delivers the chills and the fun in equal measure, and is well worth the price of admission.

The Inner Friend is a game with interesting ambitions that doesn't quite gel together into a cohesive whole. While elements of the game (music and creature design) are quite stellar, other areas (puzzles, controls) suffer enough to hold the game back from what it could have been. The Inner Friend is still worth a look as an interesting experiment, just go in forewarned about the parts that don't work so well.

Earth Defense Force 2025 is a perfect game to just relax with and let your brain take a break. But if you want something that provides an old-school arcade styled challenge, this is also a great game to check out.

SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 may have a lot of games, but it's missing some of the Neo Geo's best titles.

A diverting pirate-themed ship-based shooter, Buccaneer: The Pursuit of Infamy is palatable in small bites. Just don’t plan to make an entire gaming meal out of this one.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is far from a perfect game, but its problems shouldn't keep you from having an amazing time swinging around the fictional New York City.

I really appreciate what Beautiful Desolation is trying to do with creative storytelling; well-developed characters; and a mind-bending and beautiful, albeit desolate, sci-fi world. I just ended up too frustrated by the limitations of the console medium and a lack of direction in many of the quests to ultimately recommend this game on this platform. It's a point-and-click adventure presented without a pointer or a clicker, better played on PC.

Brink doesn't quite live up to the narrative potential set up by its compelling setting and production values, but it does deliver a tight, well-polished team multiplayer experience. The SMART movement system saves Brink from being just another pretty face in the crowd by adding some much-needed mobility to the FPS formula. If you're looking for a creative new take on the Enemy Territory-style team multi shooter, Brink fits the bill.

Rock Of Ages is a weird but fun take on the tower defense genre. Its a fast, challenging and intense game that is worth your time and money. If you can get past the difficult controls there is much fun to be had.

Deracine is one of the better experiences on the PSVR with a compelling story and some interesting gameplay. It feels like a complete experience from start to finish and has an interesting world that begs to be explored further.

Destroy All Humans! is not a complicated or even particularly difficult game. But it sticks to the original game's strengths.

The gameplay and spellcrafting mechanics are easy to understand, and between of the sheer number of spells, races, and classes you can combine, you aren't going to run out of stuff to discover any time soon.

While the combat and dungeons are fast and fun and have been translated to console successfully, the over-world has been sliced and diced in a manner that removes most reasons to visit it. If you have a group of friends and you want to run through the game, quickly leveling up and taking down giant monsters, Tera will be a blast. But if you actually enjoy the journey to the endgame, good luck. Tera has lost its patience for players like you.

There's a lot of good intent in Lost Planet 2 but the game is just too much of a mess to be really enjoyable by yourself or with friends.

EDF 2017 Portable is a bad game with a ton of charm, more than it has any right to be. The game is a technical mess from start to finish, but all of that is overshadowed by the quirky charm and addictive aspect of the experience. Killing hoards of insects and robots is just a ton of fun, even if it isn’t a pretty sight, and I mean that in the technical and literal sense.

In Between is full of poetic metaphors and beautiful visual storytelling, but is so bogged down by the awkward and imprecise gameplay that it's hard to enjoy playing it, even if you appreciate its artistic value.

Pixel Ripped 1978 is another fun entry into one of the most unique series in video games, and is recommended to fans with a few minor caveats. Get ready for some spectacular visuals and effects, but also prepare yourself for some old school difficulty and a side helping of minor technical issues. Fans of the franchise shouldn't hesitate to grab this new installment, but new players should be ready for a bit of a "getting to know you" learning curve. Still, the inspired combination of Atari and ARVORE succeeds at providing gamers with a unique and delightful time-machine view into gaming history.

Yooka-Laylee is gorgeous. It is a delight to behold. But its design and mechanics don't always match up to its ambitions.

The game straddles the line between fun and annoying at times. Playing for extended periods will surely end in burn out, but for the short spurts played it offers some fun and exciting gameplay among some rather boring backdrops and generic story.

AiRace Speed may not seem like much, but for $4.99 the difficulty curve ensures you’re not just breezing through the game. Some of the turns seem incredibly sharp and will put your maneuvering skills to the test, but overall AiRace Speed is a fairly fun game. Just keep the 3D turned off.

Harken back to the late 1990's and early 2000's and the survival horror genre was enjoying a golden age in video games. Song of Horror emulates the greats of that time but, unlike those franchises which have since evolved with modern game development, Song of Horror seems stuck in the past. For nostalgia's sake, it's worth checking out for fans of that era, but otherwise it's a hit-or-miss experience that falls well short of contemporary horror games.

Vampire The Masquerade – Justice features an intriguing stealth premise that should be perfect for the immersive world of virtual reality. Unfortunately, it’s a lowkey technical mess that struggles mightily to get out of its own way, in addition to losing its identity at key moments. Fleetingly fun and frequently frustrating, this vampire adventure will suck the life out of you.

This year's Moto GP comes packed with great graphics, improved handling and an all new physics engine. Too bad the developers decided not to add any new modes or gameplay quirks. The end result is a solid racing game that is neither fresh nor original!

It has tons of non-stop action and a badass character that you can really get behind. It’s just that the repetitive nature of the game really stops this from becoming a true classic.

The newest installment in the Gauntlet franchise is a lot of fun, and the gameplay is strongly reminiscent of classic gaming, while taking advantage of some modern conventions.

Aside from one major bug that should be patched soon, Star Wars Pinball is a good stop-gap for when you absolutely have to get some pinball gaming in while on the go. But it's not going to come close to matching a real table.

Hatoful Boyfriend is not the pigeon-dating sim you're looking for: It's more than that. Curb your enthusiasm for branching storylines after playing through the early romance portion of the story.

Ultimately, Test Drive Unlimited 2 is a fun game to play that will keep you entertained for hours upon hours. Despite a few annoyances and flaws, the game has so much to do and explore that you could spend hours playing in this part of the game without any actual online multiplay.

Mario Party Star Rush gets rid of a few bad ideas from the previous games in the series, but it just doesn’t have the staying power to keep players come back for more week after week.

MLB 2K12 has made some strong strides to improve the overall product. Pitching, as one would expect with the Million Dollar Challenge, is the strongest aspect of this game, and it can be fun if a player enjoys just doing that. The hitting system has taken great strides, but a lackluster My Player mode and many little glitches and graphical blunders take away from an overall product. Improvement still needs to be there in order to get to the big leagues of gaming.

Quirk and more quirk can't really save this Zuma clone from being relegated to the depths of the 3DS eShop. Tokyo Crash Mobs is a game you've got be really interested in to get any mileage out of it after completing its lackluster story mode.

I definitely enjoyed answering questions on the go, but clearly this isn't the way it to put it all together. That's not to say that Buzz can't eventually be a great portable game, but it needs a lot of work to get to that point!

Addictive and fun, Germinator is an enjoyable puzzle experience overall.

Fort Triumph might not be the biggest victory for the genre, but there is plenty of fun combat to be had. While not genre defining, it's easy to get wrapped up in combat, and suddenly have a couple of hours fly by. The UI is hard to read at times, in both docked and handheld mode, but that was about my only complaint. I enjoyed Fort Triumph, but didn't fall in love.

Kiln is a delightful and brilliant blend of player-driven creativity, melee brawler combat, and MOBA map design. Though it may be slightly lacking on content, it's a great game to unwind with, or to fire up with the family.

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.

There’s a reason why Dear Esther spawned the “walking simulator” genre. It was the first, and is still one of the best, exploration games you can play. On your second playthrough, however, the directors commentary is why you're really here.

Basketball, schmasketball. NBA '07 is all about the extra game modes. Dodgeball, Skee-ball, Pop-a-Shot, Pinball! Who needs to play any basketball. Seriously, NBA 07 will be appealing to anyone that enjoys playing games and keeping themselves entertained.

For fans of Dead by Daylight, The Casting of Frank Stone is an incredible experience that expands the lore of the game in ways we have wanted to see for so long. For everyone else this will play as a great Supermassive movie based game. I do think that non DBD fans are gonna be missing out because lot of the big moments, reveals, lore and references are just gonna go over their heads, but if you are a fan of Dead by Daylight this is an experience you won't want to miss.

Labyrinth Legends is pretty fun while it lasts, which unfortunately isn't that long. It nails the classic dungeon crawling genre / formula well, but does nothing to advance it for the modern generation. Fans of the genre will enjoy the trip down memory lane, while others will be left less than impressed.

Astria Ascending is a gorgeous JRPG with wonderful world-building that overwhelms the player with characters and progression systems. With somewhat standard-feeling combat that is overly punishing at the default difficulty, I felt at a loss as far as what to concentrate on to improve my party. Astria Ascending tells a beautiful story, but too often that story is buried behind too many mechanics and systems.

Serious Sam 4 feels like a game that suffered through development hell. The core gameplay is still tight and satisfying. There are some innovative new ideas that expand on the series' longstanding formula. But there are a lot of elements that just don't fit, feel half-finished, or just distract from the best aspects of the game. I really hope the fans and Croteam can have an ongoing discussion about Serious Sam 4 and bring it up to a higher standard that everyone is happy with.

Yupitergrad is a well-made game that I simply didn’t enjoy very much. The suction-cup based line swinging works great and is a lot of fun on its own. But trying to get through difficult sections with any sort of precision can be very challenging. For the strong-willed and strong-stomached only.

Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is a real mixed bag; on one hand the game's sound and structure is sound, but it's hard to get over the poor play mechanics and the disappointing graphics.

DD XXL is more than an expansion; it’s a downloadable title that delivers its worth ten times over.

But Galactic Assault: Prisoner of Power is certainly worth a good look for the turn-based strategy fans out there, and for those wanting something a few steps from the mainstream market.

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.

If you're a fan of classic Castlevania games and are looking for a good (but fair) challenge, look no further than BloodRayne: Betrayal.

Silly name aside, this is one of the most creative action 2D shooters I have seen in a long time.

When Battlefield 2042 works, it works well and can be fun but it sadly feels like this game really should have been delayed again with all of its issues.

Spider Man Battle for New York is an unimaginative follow-up of last year’s Ultimate Spider Man. The story isn’t nearly as epic, the action hasn’t improved at all, and the lack of compelling villain gameplay make this a one-play affair.

The Long Journey Home is a roguelike sci-fi survival simulator fueled on hope and hopelessness. Bring them home, commander. But be ready to die a hundred deaths before that ever happens.

Despite its AA veneer, Outcast – A New Beginning is a solid open-world RPG. The combat doesn’t carry its weight, but the quirky characters, fun traversal, and open quest system are the real heavy lifters. It feels like a game from a bygone era and in this instance it works.

Scribblenauts Unmasked is a nice addition to the Scribblenauts series and an awesome addition to the lineup of DC-themed video games. There is plenty to love here for fans of both universes however DC folks will find that the experience is tailored especially for them.

Well worth the time of any Tex Murphy fan. Wven those that know nothing about the history of the protagonist will find something to like.

A game that is a little more fun to play than it sounds simply due to the easy and fun game play. Unfortunately the graphics and story are weak. Also the same easy game play that makes it fun also makes this title quickly find its way to the bottom of your entertainment center drawer.

The storyline's intention for motivation quickly becomes trite, and Pigsy is not the most favorable protagonist. The gameplay, however, is surprisingly unique compared to Enslaved's.

Sniper Elite VR offers a hefty experience for a VR game, with up to seven or eight hours of well-designed levels to creep through. The mechanics of the game take some time to get used to, and even after becoming accustomed to the controls, still feel a little awkward — though a nice selection of settings helps alleviate those issues. Some forced repetition pads the game towards the end, but overall Sniper Elite VR is a solid and fun experience.

The Company Man plays out like I expected it to, but in a good way. The floors each look different, even though they look different they don’t play too differently from one to the next. Boss battles are fun and different enough that I looked forward to playing each one at the end of a floor. Some of the upgrading options felt a little slow for my taste, but I only have minor complaints to file with H.R. about the game.

Just Dance 2024 brings another fantastic group of songs to the mix, but in riding the coattails of 2023's offering, feels a bit like an oversized DLC offering. I understand the reasons for approaching the title this way, but it does leave this new edition of the game feeling like a half step.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is not the first-person shooter we were promised three years ago. Instead we get a passable third-person shooter with ambitions to be Mass Effect. Unfortunately neither the gameplay nor the story deliver, leaving us with a messy game with a groan-inducing twist.

The Falconeer sets players in a gorgeous setting with a storyline that keeps you entertained and intrigued, but falls short on both the amount to do and in keeping the gameplay as interesting as the story.

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

Rollers of the Realm is much more than a pinball game. For the measly price of $9.99, it is absolutely worth getting even if pinball games aren't normally your thing, there is plenty here to enjoy anyway.

The Run takes the venerable franchise in a startling new direction while preserving all of the aspects that have made the series so successful. This one is definitely worth taking a look at.

The Brookhaven Experiment is a budget title, through and through. It strikes me as one of those games that you'd find in a VR Arcade, good for a quick hit. But if you can afford to go there, then you might as well grab this game and save yourself the trip.

Spacebase Startopia is a reasonably fun management/strategy game, slightly too complex to play with a controller. Though genre veterans will not find much challenge here, Spacebase Startopia is unique and cheerful enough to make it worth a look.

While Dillon’s Rolling Western: The Last Ranger isn’t a perfect game, it’s far from a bad one. While it is more of the same from the first game and you do have very limited resources, there’s actually quite a bit of strategy involved in how you use them. If you enjoyed the first game, you’ll enjoy this one. However, the $11 price tag might be a bit of a turn off for what equates to more of the same.

Outlast 2 is visually beautiful, tense and boasts a grotesque but intriguing story. Unfortunately, the overabundance of atrocious chase sequences completely destroy any and all tension and fun the game has going for it.

Armored Core V is big, explosive and full of good ideas. Too bad the game is nearly incomprehensible. Thankfully the game's strong online component and roughly one hundred levels make up for some of the learning curve problems, but don't go into this game looking for an easy ride!

Flock has an amazing sense of style, humor and quirky appeal, but it's definitely not for everybody. If you're the type of person that likes to herd computer-controlled animals, then you're in luck. Everybody else should probably try out the demo first!

A decidedly average game with missed potential. It's worth trying out but not at full price.

Overall, Strikers Edge is an admirable fighting game that inflects a new direction in the genre. The game is still niche, and is lacking in both aspects that do it the most credit, but the end product is a marvel to be inspired by and improved upon.

Apart from the humor, the well done mechanics, the unique presentation, the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have Here Be Dragons or the Romans ever done for us? My only real criticism is that while there is little to fault on that first go, the game does struggle to offer real replayability. It's an excellent strategy game. So play it once through for that good trip and let that be enough.

If MIA were cheaper, or had more interesting art design, or tried to say or do something different than other games like it, or at least leaned a bit more into some of the silliness it gestures at (the dialogue has the occasional quip that indicates something the game could have been), then we’d have a something I could recommend buying. At its current state, it’s worth playing if you can get it for cheap. Go save Mars in another game.

With a particle-heavy 8-bit paintbrush, Songbringer is a glam metal Zelda. Songbringer doesn't try to finish what Hyper Light Drifter started; Songbringer has heart of its own. It's easy to like but hard to love.