Despite being so seemingly narrative focused, Aphelion really feels like it boils down to "nothing happens, the end".The cast gives some great performances and the score is great to listen to, but even they can't save the dull, meticulous gameplay from feeling any less tedious.

I've only played the Cyber Tower and Ship at the time of this review, but the contrast offered by those two scenarios alone has me excited to keep exploring the other levels. The extremely space-limited Cyber Tower is almost an entirely different game compared to the ever-moving ship. The game has 8 scenarios out of the gate, including one that is a randomized map, as well as the ability for the community to share maps within the Steam Workshop. Essentially, there is no shortage of content.

Marathon so far has been a brutal but rewarding extraction shooter that boasts an incredible visual style and is steeped in excellent Bungie gunplay. The learning curve can be steep at first, and losing everything to a bad run can sting, but the game truly opens up after a few hours to be something very addictive. Once the final map, Cryo Archive, releases in the coming days we'll have a final score for the full review. In meantime, we'll be dropping back in Tau Ceti IV chasing that next piece of loot.

Marathon so far has been a brutal but rewarding extraction shooter that boasts an incredible visual style and is steeped in excellent Bungie gunplay. The learning curve can be steep at first, and losing everything to a bad run can sting, but the game truly opens up after a few hours to be something very addictive. [Review in Progress]

Tales of Berseria is a great game, but Tales of Berseria Remastered feels pointless on top of making the game unplayable on Switch. The significant input lag makes both combat and exploration unwieldy, textures look muddy or pixelated, the low resolution causes constant shimmering, and the game is stuck at 30 fps. All previous DLC being included is basically the only thing this release has going for it.

Don't Stop, GirlyPop! has a fun premise and charm with great feeling movement and guns that are fun to shoot, but it's ultimately inept and even its best parts are clumsy.

Thankfully the main plot of Trails Beyond the Horizon is pretty interesting. While what I've played so far hasn't really affected any of the major characters in a significant way, trying to piece together these seemingly disparate events of the Space Program and what Ouroboros is up to has kept me engaged. I hope the game's story can grow beyond just being engaging, so check back here in the near future for my full thoughts once I've finished the game.

Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition is an absolute mess. It changes and swaps around things like menus and the soundtrack for seemingly no reason, removes options from the original game, and generally makes everything at least slightly worse. This is a phenomenal game, one of my absolute favorites, and it deserved so much better than less than the bare minimum.

After spending some time in the Rust Belt, I can say with certainty that ARC Raiders is a great step for the extraction shooter genre. Beyond the incredible atmosphere of the maps lies in-depth systems to explore. Although simple to pick up, some may find it frustrating along the way. But, if you put in the effort, the mechanics ARC Raiders has available can make for a stellar time topside. That said there's still a whole lot left to explore in the Rust Belt – I've only played a smidgeon of the content for this live-service extraction shooter. If I had to score it today, based on initial impressions, I'd be at an 80/100. I'd also recommend ARC Raiders to all fans of the genre and gamers interested in starting their extraction shooter journey.

Nothing in Varlet’s gameplay or narrative is outright terrible, with even the worst aspects being non-intrusive. Despite this, repetition is what makes the whole package less than the sum of its mediocre parts. My heart sank realizing how its promising foundation within the first few hours is all the game has to offer. Worst of all, as someone often moved by FuRyu’s flawed, but heartfelt games, Varlet commits the biggest sin of all. It made me feel next to nothing.

Hotel Barcellona has a plethora of interesting concepts, but the majority of them are executed so poorly it almost ruins even the merits of the ideas. Simply, the game just isn’t enjoyable outside of some dialogue.

There are a variety of weapons, abilities, items, and more at your disposal, as you would expect from a medieval dark fantasy. There are plenty of options to choose from so you can play your way, whether you want to go in stealthily or go in swinging. Playstyles can also be changed on the go, especially as you find new gear along the way. This is just a snippet of the overall picture of Tainted Grail. So far, the package we have been presented with feels familiar but also fresh and exciting, and I can’t wait to give you all a more in-depth breakdown.

Flint: Treasure of Oblivion feels like an incomplete game with poor storytelling and little to do. At about 10 hours to complete it’s certainly not worth the $25 asking price. If you’re looking for real-time exploration and turn-based combat, look elsewhere. Games like Divinity Original Sin 2 or Baldur’s Gate do everything Flint wants to do but exceedingly better. If Fantasy isn’t your jam, check out XCOM.

On Your Tail has a lot of heart, but that’s sadly not enough to support a mystery that is constantly falling flat on its face. Its puzzles are infuriating rather than fun, with no real clues to follow and determine the culprit ahead of time. The characters are incredibly charming, Borgo Marina is gorgeous, and the life sim elements are fun, but the core of this taste of Italy is incredibly bitter.

The audio design is impressive, with ambient sounds and a haunting score that perfectly capture the eerie essence of the Zone. Gunfire sounds appropriately weighty, and the growls of mutants are genuinely unsettling. Voice acting is also very well done, with brilliant performances from all the main characters...Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an undoubtedly remarkable achievement in atmospheric game design. This post-apocalyptic experience offers an unmatched dynamic open world that is bound to satisfy long-time fans of the series. However, the extremely poor technical hiccups and hardcore yet niche nature of the game prevents it from getting a full recommendation. This is not a game for casuals. [Review in Progress]

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 manages to do something very few licensed IPs can – it’s not just a great Warhammer game, it’s just a great game, period. It’s easily one of the best games of 2024, and we can’t recommend it enough.

Warhammer 40000: Speed Freeks is a solid entry in the Warhammer line of video games. It’s fun, fast, and runs well on the Steam Deck. Warhammer 40000 is in early access and is a must try for fans of the Warhammer franchise. [Early Access Provisional Score = 80]

I want to love El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron, but the HD Remaster on Switch is not the place to do so. It runs so poorly you can’t even navigate menus properly. Even besides those problems, the action and platforming are incredibly bland and the story is nigh incomprehensible, even as someone who loves artsy titles.The visuals are drop dead gorgeous and the voice acting is good, but that’s not enough to carry a game.

While the Iron’s Hot provides an authentic crafting experience for players looking to not engage with enemy combatants, survival aspects, or other variables that come with so many crafting games. With the game’s story, characters, and gameplay repetitive and forgetful to the end, the visuals and soundtrack ignite a spark that regrettably ends up burned out.

The Inquisitor fumbles what could have been the premiere mystery game of 2024. Despite the strong setting and cast, the mystery rapidly unravels into nothing but noise, and the gameplay is bereft of difficulty. The never-ending stream of bugs means that whatever joy you can find in the game will most certainly be derailed.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash feels like nothing more than a soulless cash grab that likely exists only to fleece money from unsuspecting fans of the series. With lackluster combat, bare-bones modes, janky controls and an overall sense of unrefined gameplay, there is almost no reason I can recommend this game, even to JJK super-fans.

One thing is for certain, Asgard’s Wrath 2 is a pinnacle for VR and should be praised. Not all games are worth the cost of admission, especially in virtual reality, but Asgard’s Wrath 2 transcends those stereotypes and blazes a fresh trail for the medium.

If there’s any one thing that AirportSim absolutely nails, it’s realism. Every vehicle is slightly grimy from outside storage and use, and the controls on the jetway are the exact ones you’ve walked past time and again while boarding. The rivets, bolts, and covers on the planes look realistic. Even the sorting facility for luggage looks slightly worn, with scrapes on the bumpers from previous drivers. Sure, all of your passengers are low-poly clones, and they often repeat, but I’m hoping somebody will mod that in the workshop.

Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord is a great idea. Playing as a Ghostbuster recruit in VR is exactly what you’d have hoped for when you heard of this game, from the proton pack to the Ecto-1. Until a fix is discovered for the audio, however, the ghosts will continue to inhabit the streets of San Francisco, completely unrestricted.

There’s a lot to like in The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, and there’s an equal list of things that aren’t as polished. It’s the very definition of midtier, with all that implies. There are better survival crafting games out there, but none that offer a chance to see what nameless primordial things lie below the Mines of Moria. Always hungry, always waiting.

At the end of the day, I ask myself these questions about Quantum Error given the many genres it is trying to tackle. As a shooter game, is it fun? No. As a horror game, is it scary? Nope. As a firefighter simulator, is it cool? Sometimes I guess. Would I recommend this title as a full priced 60 dollar game? Never. TeamKill Media has done a commendable job being only a team of 4 to come up with something this massive and ambitious. However, this is another sad case of biting off more than you could chew. This might be up your alley if you’re into janky, B-movie messes.

Suffice it to say I’m excited for this game, and so much of me wants to recommend every bit of it. Right now, the performance issues make that very, very hard. I’m not sure why Colossal and Paradox didn’t delay all of it until 2024 instead of just consoles, but here we are. Much like other games that launched in a rough state, I’m certain that Cities: Skylines II will eventually be something to behold. For now, however, there’s a bit of buyer beware. Check those system requirements folks…

Overall, Firewall Ultra has great gameplay elements working in its favor, but a lack of content and shameful grind and monetization systems make this a hard one to recommend at this point in time. Maybe after a few updates it’ll be ready to go, but for now it’s time for First Contact to grab another mag and get to work.