I can appreciate that Ms. Germinator trying to take a step in a different direction, but as a puzzle game it's just a little too plastic. But with all of the content and cross-platform saving, there are worse things you could spend $9.99 on.

You really can't go wrong with this DLC pack and it's only $5. The Digistruct Peak Challenge may take less than an hour to complete but you can run through it seven more times if you wish. That, and over level play pretty much adds so much more content into an already huge package to begin with.

The Pacific Surfliner LA - San Diego route is a solid addition to the collection of Train Simulator 2014 downloadable content. Unfortunately, the route's design can be more challenging for series newcomers with its frequent speed changes.

Pool Nation is a beautiful game that plays great and has a long shelf life.

Rescue - Everyday Heroes provides gamers with an entertaining and casual simulation gameplay experience of both responding to emergencies and managing the operations of a fire station. While the does game does suffer from some gameplay issues with unit pathfinding and lack of location variety, the great deal of included missions and emergency units and vehicles make for a worthwhile purchase for genre fans of management and strategy.

If you are willing to wade through the plentiful rough patches, you'll make it to an exciting cliffhanger and a promise for more in episode two.

But ultimately, all of the gameplay problems and animation glitches that plagued the first episode are just as present in the second. Ancestry of Lies is streets ahead of Eye of the Sphinx, but it's still the exact same glitchy, frustrating mess.

The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief isn't much to look at and it's a mess to play. But underneath it all there's an engaging mystery rife with deceit, and it's carried by a cast of characters that are genuinely entertaining and sometimes even a little heartbreaking.

Tiny Brains brings back an old school local co-op feel that can be fun, but the wonky controls, repetitive puzzles, and short length drag it down. Play it with friends or not at all.

This is not another relaxing bike ride. Bike Rider DX is an action-packed game full of platforming challenges and exotic locales.

A quick burst of new gameplay and story make Fishy Tales of the Nekomata worth picking up if you've played Muramasa Rebirth to exhaustion and can't get enough.

If you need football so badly that even pinball must come with the trappings of Europe’s top leagues, then Super League Football will offer you some small value. I think you might be better served, however, by dragging your favorite pinball machine to whatever location you choose watch the games.

Aerena is perfect for those who love strategy games.

Both challenging and fun, Rube Works is a great testament to the brilliant cartoons that fascinated early 20th century newspaper readers. Relive the fun with Rube Works, a fun little game from Electric Eggplant.

Rail Nation USA is an entertaining browser-based strategy game that has players managing a train empire across the United States. While a little bit more control would have been appreciated, the game still offers an entertaining experience that is perfect for those pickup and play moments.

Constant C may be named after one of the most significant concepts in math and physics, but as a game, it fails to leave anything resembling the same kind of impression.

Guardians of the Galaxy is a great table, but the lack of direction given to the player really sets it back. There is a lot to figure out on your own here, which could turn some gamers off early on and prevent them from getting all that it has to offer.

There's still a lot of button mashing, but the over-the-top story and time travel elements helped keep things from getting to repetitive.

Falling Skies: The Game may be a serviceable XCOM clone, but it fails to use the potentially awesome license in any interesting ways.

The Moon Sliver is there for you if you’re in the mood for a brooding, slow-burn thriller with nothing to offer but loneliness--and an empty feeling pushing you towards a conclusion you know you don’t want to be a part of.

Alien Isolation: Corporate Lockdown adds three well-crafted maps to the already solid survival mode. If you want more Isolation after the main story is done then this pack is $7.99 well spent, just don't expect a story as deep or interesting as Amanda Ripley's.

Man in a Maze: Deathmatch is a fun game, but a bit on the easy side.

As far as deckbuilding games go, Ascension is great.

As it stands, it’s not a bad game, just kind of average.

Secret of the Nameless Kingdom is a pleasant surprise. Despite a few technical hiccups and some (gameplay) road bumps along the way, I enjoyed the adventure every time I picked up my Vita. It is a great nod to the classic Zelda game, and never crosses the line from being a homage to being a copycat title.

Chip’s Challenge is exactly how you remember it all those years ago with a couple minor graphical updates. The game is still as fun as it was back when I first played it on Windows 95, but I would have like to see some more graphical updates other than a couple new animations.

Skyflower has the makings of a great dual-stick shooter. It's fast-paced, full of unique bad guys, packed with procedurally-generated levels and a mash-up between Smash TV and Gauntlet. Unfortunately, all this is undermined with the unwieldy mouse and keyboard controls. Without proper gamepad support, Skyflower is impossible to recommend.

Chip's Challenge 2 is a pretty good follow-up to the original.

In the end though, Aero’s Quest brings quite a bit of challenge to the genre and is definitely worth checking out.

Adventures of Pip is a solid platformer with a clever premise. Those two aspects combine to make a game that is deceptively simple, charming and memorable.

Shiftlings is a smartly made puzzle game with an endearing story and art style, but unintuitive controls and killer load times make the Wii U version a real struggle to get into.

It's fun, it can grow with you, and it's priced just right.

For a platformer with some Mega Man-esque elements, the controls can feel weird at first and the attacking takes some getting used to. If you can get past that, the game can be pretty fun as long as you’re not one to get frustrated too easily by precision platforming.

It's good in spurts and looks incredible. I just wish there was more to do and it's rather expensive for the amount of interaction you have in it. The NVIDIA effects are neat though and the use of multi-res is a great way to get more performance with better graphics.

Great for kids, but might not be enough there for older VR gamers.

If you’re a fan of horror experiences and want to be scared silly, Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery is a good pickup. It’ll give you a nice adrenaline rush at times and the game visually looks impressive. Limited in replay value, it’s a good title to have a lot of people try, provided they don’t get sick from the traditional walking controls.

While not perfect, Death Squared is pretty darn close to it. This game should be a go-to for any age group who’s looking for a small party game that could keep them occupied for hours. You’ll rarely be bored with the puzzles, rarely be frustrated with the mechanics, and rarely annoyed by anything other than excessive team-killing (which is hysterical in its own right). If you’re looking for a puzzle game to play with someone who doesn’t like puzzles, this is the one.

Delightfully old school and satisfyingly violent, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil can finally meet its true potential thanks to Night Dive Studios. Framerate chop and cloying fog have been replaced with tight action and a host of modern conveniences that will make you yearn for the good old days of first person shooters.

Overall, the ridiculously gory fights and simple level system feel fun and rewarding. Even still, progress is sometimes unnecessarily halted by the random nature of finding key items. In spite of missing a beat or two when adding tedium to the experience, Runic Rampage succeeds at providing an old school arcade experience in the present day.

Jupiter’s Forge is an intimidating economic battleground. That's entirely intentional. Don’t come here waving your old strategies around; they won’t gain much traction. Only veterans need apply to this meaty, punishing DLC.

It's really short and you won't get much replay value, but being Batman even for one a night, and in a more passive role, is still pretty cool.

Iron Wings shows a lot of promise, but is in need of some redesign of some of the more important game elements. The graphics are fast and beautiful and there are some interesting new twists to the air battle arcade model, but the current balance between challenging vs. downright frustrating leans to heavily towards the latter.

Quarantine leaves a bit to be desired with only six scenarios and three difficulties as well as its lack of multiplayer, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad game. It’s definitely challenging on the higher difficulties as the viruses start out a little stronger. However, if you’re looking for a good challenge, Quarantine can definitely give it to you, plus the custom scenarios on the Steam Workshop will help keep things fresh…or at least as fresh as they can be with the same gameplay.

Shenzhen I/O is perfect for those that have an interest in programming the old-fashioned way, and those that enjoy experimenting with code-drive electronics, without the hassles and burdens of working for the man. It is a fairly steep learning curve, but that's just the cost of puzzles that provide immense satisfaction when completed.

Even if the RPG elements are a little too shallow, Chroma Squad has great gameplay and a big ol' heart and presents it all with a smile.

Psych Ward can feel small, but its intent is to draw you back in to the even smaller lives of the criminally insane. Likewise, you'll have to make small but important design shifts that require more attention than your regular prison wings. But if you build with purpose and intent, you just might be able to reform the toughest customers introduced to Prison Architect yet.

Archangel is a great example of what VR is all about. The all-encompassing environment removes all worldly distractions and enhances game action to a fever pitch. Movements feel fluid and natural, and the periodic introduction of new or upgraded weapons follows the increase in difficulty well. The story aspects are unobtrusive yet satisfying.

Necrosphere shows that a simple game can be complex when it needs to be without being overly difficult, for the most part. The later areas of the game do require a near mastery of the controls. But overall, Necrosphere is enjoyable, and for a budget-minded Metroidvania, it’s definitely worth a look.

Guns'n'Stories: Bulletproof VR is a strong entry in the VR wave shooter genre. It's easy to play at lower difficulty levels, but challenging enough at the higher levels to support continuing replayability. Even in early access, it's one you ought to pick up.

Carnival Games VR: Alley Adventure is a great deal at its low price point. The fact that 2K is continuing to support a VR title is encouraging, and the new minigames combined with the enhancements to the base game make this a no-brainer for fans of the franchise. While Alley Adventure is not a game changer, it continues the base game’s strategy of throwing everything at the wall, and hoping that each player finds something that sticks. There are a few extraordinary experiences included, and even the “filler” minigames can be rewarding if players take the time to properly engage with them.

While I celebrate the attempt, The First Class VR suffers from poor design choices, a user interface that will prove difficult for novices, and a disjointed and shallow presentation of one of the most significant technological developments of mankind.

It its current form, Sailaway is an adequate way to learn about complex sailing vessels, travel the world by sea, and race online with other skippers. It is fairly straightforward to learn, but the limitations of controlling a complex boat with a keyboard and mouse are very evident. Sailaway is not for the casual player.

The room escape part of Room Escape VR: Stories is very good. There can be some quirky behaviors with the Touch controllers, but none that go so far as to ruin the experience. The unnecessary disruption from interstitial cutscenes, on the other hand, can be a mood wrecker.

Throw Anything has a bit more depth that you would expect from a VR wave attack game. The concept is easy to pick up, but the difficulty ramps up very quickly. What seems like casual game play quickly becomes something more: panic so deep that you will literally try to throw anything you can pick up.

While the developer states that they will be refining and adding to the experience, Preta already feels like a full-featured game. While the game’s fun and engaging combat all takes place in a limited environment, the depth of play makes up for the sameness of the admittedly beautiful visuals. Players can expect to get hours of fun out of Preta. For certain PS VR players, this game is a dream come true, filling a void that was aching to be filled.

Starship Corporation has the features you would expect from a vehicle designer / guy-in-charge game, provided in an easy to use set of menus and helper screens. A thorough tutorial gives the player a good background for moving forward. We did encounter some stability issues, though.

A great pickup at such an inexpensive price, Dead Man DLC gives a solid short campaign and the addition of new two-handed weapons for you to use as well as better network code.

The Piano could be a decent noir mystery but for now it needs a lot of work. Clunky gameplay, numerous graphical bugs and extremely poor optimization are holding this game back from telling its intriguing tale of murder and madness.

Prime Mover provides a programming/puzzle game based on a handful of logic components. The puzzles start out with a shallow difficulty climb to get you used to the mechanics of the game, but ramp up quickly as you get deeper into the game. The 4-bit artistic motif makes screen legibility an issue, in addition to it being a love or hate it kind of look. If the low-res graphics don't offend, this one is worth a look for the puzzles alone.

Dream Alone has a tired story, clunky controls, and flawed mechanics, and most of its problems can be traced to the near-fundamental incompatibility of this type of horror with this type of platforming. Its most promising aspect—multiple dimensions—is by far the creepiest part, which is enjoyable, but it seems to sabotage itself with a few key flaws that impact the entire game’s playability.

GNOG is something of a mechanical puzzle game in that you solve the puzzles by manipulating various switches, knobs, sliders, and buttons, but the overall experience goes far beyond that. With a trippy art style reminiscent of the LSD-enhanced art of the 1960's and a unique musical sound, GNOG is a game that doesn't take itself too seriously and encourages you to just play with it, and maybe even solve a puzzle now and then.

Stifled is a stealth horror game that brings its own flair to the genre by using echolocation to see in the dark. The player has to use their own voice to see, but also must be cautious to avoid attracting the attention of creatures hiding in the void. Stifled has a truly unique core gameplay mechanic that is both interesting and nerve-racking, but it seems underutilized throughout the game. The repetitive design of the levels minimizes the horror impact of the gameplay, and the lack of diversity and AI in the monsters leaves much to be desired.

Crush your Enemies! is a fun strategy title on Switch that fills a need that I didn’t realize I had. By cutting out a lot of the hoops RTS players are accustomed to jumping through, the shiny core of the genre is revealed. While the visuals might be a little low-res, the gameplay is top notch, and moving from battle to battle quickly becomes addictive. For a discount title, this game delivers an overwhelming amount of fun content. With a fun local multiplayer mode included, this is a head-bashing good time that is well worth the low cost.

Vroom Kaboom brings a lot of raw energy and fast action to those that want it. The rounds are similar to jousting: they don’t last very long, but there is a lot of action to be had. A precise aim is going to make a world of difference, but there are few levels of complexity beyond simply shooting at your opponents. There is some level of strategy involved in determining the most suitable vehicles to put in your deck, but the focus is primarily on the tactical element of making sure you kill their tanks before they kills yours. Whether this is good or bad is purely a matter of taste.

Earthworms is, mechanically, a standard point and click adventure game with decent controls and a quality UI. But it is the general vibe of the game that makes it stand out from the crowd of other adventure titles making their way to the Switch. Non-adventure fans might want to check out the demo, to see if the story’s strangeness resonates with them, but fans of the genre should go ahead and just take the leap. While the unconventional story is meandering and sometimes obtuse, it is also bizarre and unique, making Earthworms an off-kilter game that adventure enthusiasts will probably enjoy.

Leaving my mark on the map, and contributing to the history and legacy of a town once long gone, From the Ashes adds a meaningful economic layer whose influence stretches across the entire map.

Brawlout is a pretty fun Smash Bros.-esque fighter that’s quite a bit more fast paced. While the roster selection is small, and the unlockable characters are similar or just alternate versions of the original lineup, the fast-paced action and unique moves for each character make this a pretty fun game to play with friends, either at home or online.

Just about everything works perfectly in Gun Club VR. The length of the shooting rounds is just right - not too short, not too long. It is easy to earn the dough required to be new weapons, and there is a sandbox level that will let you test them all out on a closed range before buying to ensure that you don’t waste your efforts on buying a gun that you end up hating. Short of finding an actual gun shop/club that offers this kind of all-inclusive and profoundly satisfying shooting environment, Gun Club VR is the way to go.

The Sunken Kingdom is a fairly small expansion for the Strange Brigade, and while it doesn't exactly bring a whole compendium of new mechanics and adventures into play, it serves as a strong continuation of all the things I enjoyed about the original Strange Brigade campaign. Players get a chance to explore a beautiful and fun mission, all in the shoes of a brand new character. The DLC also brings some new weapons, equipment, and amulet powers to the playing field, giving players some room to experiment with different combinations. In addition the DLC, Rebellion has done a great job of periodically adding new (and free) content to keep players entertained, so there's no reason to expect them to stop now.

Utopia 9 has a lot of good ideas but for me at least they just didn’t come together in the end, and the somewhat clumsy controls just exacerbated the situation.

A worthwhile expansion for fans of the series. A couple new races and hypergates freshen up a 4X veteran.

The Prometheus Secret Noohra is an interesting mix of ideas and concepts, but it kind of falls flat a bit. The marble segments are trial and error, which is fine, but you get punished quite a bit for the errors. After spending time to grind for coins and tokens to correct those errors, the boss fight card battles are another interesting concept, but can also be a major roadblock if you haven’t found a lot of secret cards to improve your deck, especially early on. Overall the game is interesting, but there’s a lot that could have been improved.

Urban Warfare brings dynamic changes to the battlefield unlike anything before it. Those changes are surprising, challenging, and push the exploding, collapsing city in new directions. The graphics engine groans under the weight of urbanization. But the city is bright and beautiful.

I was hoping that Shards of Infinity would get a digital release and it didn’t disappoint…mostly. Newer players to the game might find that even the easiest difficulty can still be quite challenging and that may prevent them from fully enjoying the game, at least against AI opponents. Once you’ve learned some basic strategies and have gotten used to how some of the cards work, you’ll find a challenging deck building game that keeps you on your toes and is just as enjoyable as its physical counterpart.

Rudimentary in visuals, content and gameplay, Boxing Champs barely qualifies as a free phone game, much less a 15 dollar eShop title.

Million to One Hero is a well-polished game in the “custom level creation” genre (is that a genre…well it is now). The controls are fluid and you’ll have to employ a lot of skill to finish some of the creations players can come up with. The level creation itself is pretty robust, though it would have been nice if some of the icons were a little bigger on the screen, and combining levels into a mini-adventure is a nice touch. If you’re a fan of 2D platforming and level creation, you’ll find a lot to do in Million to One Hero for a satisfying price.

Zen has faithfully recreated two classic pinball tables based on Universal Monsters – complete with their spooky real-world difficulty. While fans of the original tables will be rightfully satisfied, Zen fans will have to adjust their play styles to compensate for the realistic physics. Regardless, this pack represents another solid entry in the Zen library. Did anyone expect otherwise?

The Pit: Infinity has a lot of good ideas and a solid sci-fi roguelike foundation, but it’s stymied by early repetition and a few odd design decisions. For $19.99 it’s not a bad deal, but I hope its developers continue to work on it as it could still be so much more.

Williams Pinball Pack Volume 5 continues Zen Studios’ relentless adaptation of real-life pinball machines. The quality of the tables isn’t the issue here; the quality of the adaptation is what should be noted. As usual, these tables are spot on. Real-life pinball fans will love this pack, and FX3’s more casual fans might enjoy the gut check beating they endure at the hands of these classics. Recommended, as usual.

Never Not Shooting is a very effective arcade twin-stick shooter that tasks the player with protecting the sun from waves of baddies. With a number of different weapon loadouts to choose from, this is a game that can be played a lot of different ways – all of which are intense and enjoyable. A must for arcade fans, this game could slide right into a 1980’s cabinet without raising any eyebrows. Never Not Shooting is a hidden gem of a game, and is well worth its modest price.

BE-A-Walker is the first game I can recall that opens with a difficulty spike. The message is clear: get onboard with the game's many anxiety-inducing mechanics or get out now. Beyond that, you will find a moderately entertaining AT-ST simulator. Be ready to juggle a variety of frustrating systems, as nothing in this game comes easy.

Invasions brings a delightful mix of lizard overlords, botched genetic experiments, and acid rain to Planetfall's already unique brand of 4X strategy.

Wave Break is a blast of a skateboarding game – once you get through its nearly impenetrable shield of difficulty. With tons of moves to learn and master, and some deep and dense levels to explore, Wave Break offers a variety of gameplay options to keep things fresh. Just remember to explore the game's modes on your own, because Wave Break isn't interested in explaining things to you.

Metamorphosis is a solidly made puzzle-platformer with a few adventure mechanics on the side for good measure. Taking a literary classic that some consider to be interminable and creating a lively and amusing game world from it, the devs at Ovid Works have create a deeply creative work that delivers a satisfyingly original experience.

CastleStorm II's brand of real-time strategy tower defense is just challenging enough to keep you engaged, but not so much that you're throwing your controller.

Much of Watch Dogs: Legion feels revolutionary, from its "play as anyone" hook to its Black Mirror-esque science fiction setting. While the gameplay only iterates slightly on previous games, new wrinkles provided by character traits keep things fresh. Watch Dogs: Legion delivers a stark warning about what our future may hold, but maintains its entertainment level throughout. Legion is a witty, bracing wake-up call.

Without a doubt, Spider-Man Miles Morales Ultimate Edition is one of the best packages offered in video game history. Here you have two stellar games for the price of one, guaranteed to lift your spirits and thoroughly entertain you. Take a break from the world and spend some time with Spidey — and never forget to stand back up when you get knocked down.

Just Dance 2021 continues the franchise in precisely the way fans expect; beyond the 40 new tracks, this is virtually the exact same game as last year, and that is totally fine. Happy songs, bright colors, and fun animation make for a welcome good time, and the exercise certainly doesn’t hurt. If you have never tried Just Dance, take the leap. It’s much more fun than you think it is.

Immortals Fenyx Rising is cheerful fun, offering a fresh take on Greek mythology that is cartoonish but with just enough humanity to keep it grounded. While the game plays like a open world epic, every mechanic in Immortals is tied to well-designed puzzles. Though the actions you take become repetitive, the story and writing keep things lively enough to see Immortals Fenyx Rising through to the end.

Hitman 3 is a stunningly intricate work of video game art. As a franchise neophyte, I was delighted by the amazing world building and level design. While I expected a gangbusters action game, Hitman 3's more deliberate pacing has converted me into a series fan. Beautiful, sophisticated, and a mountain of fun, Hitman 3 is a revelation.

Overall it's not a bad game, but the difficulty seems a bit high. And with the game as short as it is, you're either going to have issues with its difficulty, or complete the game rather quickly.

Voyage is a very good 2D cinematic puzzler that is a must have for anyone in love with the genre. It's even good enough to pull in some new fans as well.

Skjoldur Story doesn't have a long tale to tell, but it is packed full of puzzles galore, and put into a colorful world that is fun to explore. It can be frustrating when you have to repeat yourself when you die. Skjoldur Story can feel like a nostalgic trip, so fill up the tank, grab some snacks, and buckle up for the journey.

By making puzzle mechanics feel immediate and dangerous, Boxed In elevates the genre. While the edges feel a bit rough, the core gameplay mechanic is pure gold, giving Boxed In that much desired one-more-try factor. Highly recommended for immediate purchase.

Dreamworks Spirit Lucky's Big Adventure might be a lot of fun, if it would function long enough for a kid to play it. This game is broken in nearly every way possible: the graphics stutter and shake, the save files won't load, and the quest lines lead players in circles. There is no way a responsible adult should hand a child a game in this condition—it is simply unplayable.

Story is a little generic, and combat is mediocre and frustrating at times. But Weaving Tides is about puzzles, and they have it in spades. Most of the issues, like linear gameplay, can easily be overlooked when thinking about this relaxing puzzler.

Summer Olympics Tokyo 2020 is fun with a group of friends and family, but there is very little reason to pick up the controller if you are going to be playing alone. Fun customization options allow a great deal of weirdness, and the wide variety of minigames offer breezy fun without a ton of depth. Lower your expectations, invite some buddies over, and you'll likely have a good time.