If you want to explore a mysterious, puzzle-filled world, you could do much worse than The Eyes of Ara, but its transition from PC to Switch leaves plenty to be desired. It is perfectly functional as a solid adventure to keep you busy on a long road trip, but this version is a tough sell for anyone with an adequate computer at home.

Hero must die. again shifts focus to the end of the typical RPG story, resulting in a shorter, more somber experience. The limited time you have to perform tasks alongside the weakening hero forces you to choose your moves carefully. Combat is simplistic but gets tougher in later days due to the weakening. Even with a shorter playtime, it offers plenty of replayability to improve your ending, although it has a larger price tag.

REZ PLZ is a platformer with a fascinating resurrection mechanic built in. The limited lives, precise jumps, and puzzles may frustrate you, but it's not enough to ruin the game too much. The goofy way the premise is presented will make you smile, but just know that you'll be the cause of plenty of death if you want to move forward.

There’s a lot to like in The Sinking City on PlayStation 5. With updated textures, 4K/60 FPS support, faster loading times, and activities support, it’s a solid detective story. While the combat may be shallow, and it has enough havok bugs to make a Deep One scared, it represents some of the best work Frogwares Studio has made. If you are an H.P. Lovecraft fan, don’t let this one sail past you.

In some ways falling short, but in many ways vastly exceeding the original, Evil Genius 2: World Domination is everything we wanted in a sequel to one of the best evildoer simulators ever made. It recaptures the spirit of the original, brings it up to modern standards, and lets us play in an evil sandbox of our own making.

Sadly The Jackbox Party Pack 8 has more duds than hits this time around. Job Job and Weapons Drawn can be a lot of fun, while Pole Mine, The Wheel of Enormous Proportions, and Drawful Animate range from bad to decent.

A shiny time capsule housing six years of sci-fi shooter evolution. Performance-wise, the Switch is two for three, with the Crysis remaster struggling to keep up with the sequels. If you're in it for the visuals and not just the nostalgic flavors of the previous decade, then the remastered trilogy is best experienced on more powerful hardware.

While Dread Hunger aims to freshen up a rather burnt-out genre due to the likes of TTT and Among us, there isn’t enough reason to keep playing over and over again. Roleplaying is moreso encouraged than required, causing games to get repetitive quickly. Not only that, but the lack of story leaves this game ending on a disappointing note, especially since it immediately promises that it will play a key role throughout the experience.

Aliens: Dark Descent is a masterful blend of atmosphere, tension, and terror, coming together with dangerous combat and well-paced progression. The end result is a game that keeps you on your heels while making you feel like you’re “state of the badass art”.

While its gacha mechanics feel predatory, Infinity Nikki is a blast in most other aspects. Finding and dressing up in various outfits is fun, and the open world has a ton of variety. The story is surprisingly interesting too, even if it has a few too many lulls. Infinity Nikki feels like the ultimate dress up game, and it’s only going to get bigger from here.

For 15 nights you'll need to hold back the darkness or embrace it as the sole lifeline of those on the sea. Even if the scares aren't that high, Static Dread still manages to tell the eldritch story it wants to in a reasonably fun way.

If you are looking for a standard fighter for your Gamecube, then this is your only option. Keep in mind though that there are far better fighters for other systems.

There are countless fun, modern JRPG experiences to be had on the Vita, making this an entirely expendable game.

Summary: MADiSON is an astounding success in the horror genre, especially for someone who doesn’t play many horror games (me). The game was well put together and delivered on the spooks, however some puzzles are rough to figure out and could have been a little less obscure.

One of the first that really shows off the power of the PSP.

While still in need of some technical polish, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is a loving flashback to the good old 90s, filled with some lighthearted laughs and killer beats in an easygoing adventure setting. Fans of the original will definitely find something to love, and those who are new to the craziness can find some great fun here.

All in all, Star Conflict is a decent multiplayer experience which, aside from the outstanding aesthetics, doesn’t quite break any boundaries or deliver anything great. I’m glad this is free-to-play, as it is completely worth it. Spending money on it? Not a chance.

Everything about Move It! feels like it should work, and when it does it’s a lot of fun. The problem is that doesn't always work. Some rotten apples in the microgame selection and the Joy-Con hardware's awkward fit with the overall concept muddy up an otherwise good time. Given the discombobulating nature of WarioWare, some muddying can be acceptable up to a point, but Move It! occasionally crosses the line from being playfully antagonistic to frustrating for the wrong reasons.

I am a huge fan of the entire Elder Scrolls franchise, and have played ESO since beta. My absolute favorite Chapter was Elsweyr and that will forever be a hard one to top, but Blackwood was quite enjoyable. The addition of Companions is fun for both new and veteran players, but I am kind of left feeling like this could have been a DLC rather than a full-blown Chapter. I had a good time questing through the area and completing the main story, and the throwbacks to Oblivion with the story and portals were very cool. I definitely hope to see more Companions added to the game, even if it’s through the Crown Store. My only request is to add on to the already amazing story that is being told!

GrimGrimoire OnceMore serves as a solid remaster with a fantastic visual upgrade and new gameplay additions. Some control issues and repetitive gameplay hold it back but overall is a good strategy sim with an alluring setting.

While not without its issues, Lords of the Fallen is an entertaining game with many great action RPG elements and challenging but satisfying gameplay.

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a unique blend of FPS, RPG, and horror with a creative twist on how we approach fighting in an FPS. Despite a few grievances about the length and ambition of the project, it is still a good game, but unfortunately it merely toes the line between good and great, never quite finding its footing. Still, Ghostwire: Tokyo is well worth picking up.

Sin Episodes: Emergence feels and plays like theater food. It’s a quick rush once you chow down, but as soon as the sugar starts digesting you start noticing things you’ve seen before.

The horrific control scheme literally kills the game from the word go, and the pain is only amplified by the equally terrible teammate and enemy AI, the awful graphics, the schizophrenic aerial missions, and on and on and on.

Sand Land is not just another adventure, it's a thrilling journey through the creative landscapes of Toriyama's imagination. It's an oasis of content ready to be explored form one grain of sand to the next. With Beelzebub leading the charge, this game promises a haven of juicy content and vibrant character development amidst the dry, vacant desert setting. All I want to say is that fans should eagerly anticipate the release, it's clear that Toriyama's legacy continues to captivate audiences that will draw you into worlds where even deserts are brimming with life. So, grab your favorite juice and prepare for an RPG experience that'll leave you parched for more!

Nine years later, Heavy Rain’s flaws have only become more pronounced. Even so, strong narrative design can’t be denied, and it’s just enough to ease the pain caused by the game’s more outrageous blunders.

Crying Suns is a characterful rogue-lite that really sets its sci-fi tone well from the get-go; strong writing and a great soundtrack build the universe while the high stakes nature of every move is engaging and keeps every run as fresh as the last.

Jurassic World Complete Edition is a technical marvel on Switch. Delivering everything in a single package, this version of the game carries with it all three expansion packs, and all of the optional dino packs, making it the most complete version to date. While the undocked version is slightly lower fidelity, it’s a small concession for being able to build your own ill-advised dino park on the go.

Patapon 2's remaster still retains some dated discordance. However, the 4k/1080p remastering of this sequel’s unmistakably cartoony beauty will strike a chord, as will its harmoniously musical gameplay. Ultimately, Patapon 2 remains one of the greatest rhythm games of all-time, if not the greatest.

Play Gravity Ghost if you’re looking for a weird, endearing experience that you can lose yourself in for a few hours. Pass on it if you’re looking for something more.

Yuke's and THQ set the bar quite high with last year's rendition of this franchise, and they could have easily taken the year off and rested on their accomplishments. It is quite impressive to see that the development team has stayed hungry and added some key elements to this franchise that fans are going to go absolutely wild over.

A ton of fun, and is an excellent port/upgrade overall. Shame on the company for not including two player mode though, as that's where most of the fun came from.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind is a dream come true for many diehard Vvardenfell fans, and does an admirable job in presenting something new and fresh in a way that also makes sure to pay homage to the past. The game expands ESO to include a new 4x4x4 arena mode, and offers hours of new content to enjoy. Any players who are already enjoying Elder Scrolls Online should be expanding, and any fans of the original Morrowind who have held out on ESO may want to consider giving it a try now.

The combat is engaging and unique, and the storyline is compelling enough to keep you coming back for the duration.

Duels of the Planeswalkers isn’t a perfect interpretation of sitting down and playing a few rounds with friends at the kitchen table, but it’s remarkably good all the same.

There are a lot of good ideas contained in Frontlines: Fuel of War, but their execution just seems to make the game feel average.

n the end, Victor Vran is a great action RPG that should be considered. It is not the best out there currently but it is has unique aspects and contains hours of fun.

The graphics are a little lacking, and the sound could’ve used a boost. However, the awesome gameplay makes up for these faults.

There is no real feeling of "competing for the conclusion" that most games have. This is really just mindless, goofy fun.

The events in Endling create sad emotions but they do not connect with how mankind is destroying the Earth. Events happen and we’re supposed to feel something because they happened, but the emotions are diminished because there is no connection to the message or the characters. It held up in the short five hours of play thanks to intriguing survival mechanics, but even those were messed up by an unfortunate, frustrating tug of war between survival and story progression.

Even if some of Urban Myth Dissolution Center's mysteries are rather straightforward to solve, the overall experience is still reasonably enjoyable to amble through. If you're looking for a more laid-back occult mystery, it's here, but don't expect the myths to be too legendary.

It has all the aspects of a Super Smash Bros., but the fact that only super attacks can kill off a character make the game feel less strategic. Still, it is a fun game to play with a few friends on the couch or online.

While a gorgeous remake with great quality of life features, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed still suffers by being itself. Outside of the aesthetic and choices, Epic Mickey was a fairly rote platformer with uninteresting challenges and objectives. Rebrushed adds a wonderful new coat of paint, but it’s still the same game at its core.

Let’s be real here. Sniper Elite: Resistance clearly doesn’t reinvent the series, as it simply expands on where Sniper Elite 5 left off. Those looking for a full fledged next-generation sequel will surely be disappointed, but those looking to play more Sniper Elite will rejoice at the small refinements introduced in this new package. Viva la Sniper Elite 5.5!

Concrete Genie, much like its main character Ash, is good-natured and warm, but also a bit flat and one-note. The game, in spite of a late-game gameplay pivot, never truly manages to engage beyond its admittedly charming painting mechanic.

Visions of Mana is a rollercoaster of emotions. The team under Square Enix has made a beautiful game with a solid mechanical foundation. But the balance of the game has been somewhat out of whack. What’s here is not bad, just unpolished and a bit lacking. Visions of Mana is worth your time if the issues mentioned with combat and story won’t be an issue for you. Maybe try it on a harder setting. At the very least, I recommend trying the free demo on every platform as that will give you a feel for how the game controls and feels. Visions of Mana is solid but doesn’t quite reach the heights it aimed for.

Featuring a great value of three games in the package, the Persona Dancing Endless Night Collection is the best way to experience Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight. While a bit grindy later on, some killer tracks, entertaining gameplay, and a refreshing aesthetic, the games in this collection are chart-toppers.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk has a few problems, but so much soul you can’t help but love it. The simple joy of movement alone is well worth writing all over New Amsterdam, but so are the music, visuals, and story. Sure, there are bumps in the road, but they won’t stop you from going All City.

Grid Autosport is magnificent in racing and pretty terrible everywhere else.

The magic of Star Trek isn’t the ship, but in the crew, and Star Trek: Bridge Crew nails that mechanic perfectly. What might otherwise appear as a cold and stationary experience becomes amazing when played with friends. While the campaign isn’t as long as we were hoping, the ongoing voyages provide enough randomization to keep us busy. As I push the wobbly AI out of the airlock, allow me to heartily recommend Star Trek: Bridge Crew — it’s downright “fascinating”.

While it does suffer from some performance flaws, Attack on Titan 2 is a wonderful way for fans of the anime and manga to relive the fight for humanity. With breathtaking gameplay and some great character interaction, you’ll eat this right up.

Yes, it's campy and silly in parts, and yes, it's not something many western audiences are going to be used to. However, I feel that Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love is definitely worth the look.

Another World is a game that has critical acclaim, cult appeal, and this remastered version of the game makes the experience smoother and better looking while not sacrificing any of the original game’s charm. There are some frustrating moments in the controls and the game is very short, but both of these are less drawbacks than they are just leftover remnants from gaming’s bygone age. Another World has one of the best stories ever told through a game and remains a true shining gem in both the past and present of gaming.

While there are certainly flaws in the single player and multiplayer, the game’s fantastic visuals and engaging storyline make it a worthy addition to any Quake fan’s library.

A great reintroduction to what are arguably the most iconic games in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The Switch Edition allows for anyone to play the game the way they want; TV, handheld, or with the kickstand. Each game looks great however you want to play.

Chernobylite’s trifecta of gun combat, survival, and base management serves the game’s unique narrative system. With more features comes more shortcomings, but nothing drastic enough to take away from an otherwise compelling experience.

If you're looking for a deep, meaningful commentary on life and man's inhumanity to man, then you're looking in the wrong place. Shank may be a cliché story, but it's a cliché story that's executed exceedingly well and should be appreciated as such.

Despite the constant feeling of déjà vu, there’s a lot of gameplay here. The entire adventure will take around 10-15 hours to finish, never mind hunting down all of the hidden secrets and trying to chase after that ever-elusive Platinum trophy. And its hard not to fall back into Sly’s world – it’s familiar, safe, like an old blanket.

Some of the games will frustrate you with their complexity, but once you think about it, success will be at hand.

The best Transformers game ever.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit may have had its heyday, but this particular entry feels well past its prime with bland visuals, uninteresting courses, and terrible controls.

While the core Sleeping Dogs experience is still worth playing, the Definitive Edition is loaded with graphical issues and costs way too much for a game that plays worse than the PC version released two years ago.

Card gameplay has some good moments but eventually just becomes monotonous.

The DS version of Echoes of Time stands on its own pretty well as a single-player experience, but most people are interested in Crystal Chronicles games for the multiplayer.

A genuinely hilarious spoof of a genre long overdue for it.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Tape 1 presents a heartfelt look at girlhood in all its flaws and triumphs. As only half of the full picture, Tape 1 can feel slow and lacking in payoff, but it’s still an intriguing journey with lovable characters, reactive choices, and some phenomenal needle drops. It’s flawed in a lot of ways, particularly with regards to performance on PS5, but its heart shines through.

Niche products like Green Day: Rock Band have an obvious audience – Green Day fans. If you are a fan of the band, you’ve probably already got a copy of the game. If you aren’t a fan of the band, this product likely won’t make you one.

The Medium proves to be an interesting look into the human psyche, one that attempts to figure out why individuals are the way they are, while still stating that your past does not excuse your current actions. I greatly enjoyed my time in Marianne’s shoes, and found myself constantly impressed with the incredible graphics and unique mechanics. Bloober Team has made an impressive product, even more so on the PS5 with their willingness to make use of the PS5’s controller’s special features.

If you aren't into fighting games, the breakneck pace and split-second timing required by the game might put you off the genre for a while. But if you like fighting games, and you've already played as much of Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix as you can stand, you won't have to feel guilty about picking this up.

Microsoft has finally brought Age of Empires 3 out of the dark ages and fans are able to return to the game that they know and love. There’s a lot of quality of life changes to be found with the Definitive Edition, but at the same time there’s essentially the same amount of content to be experienced. Returning players may find that they’re effectively paying for a 15 year old game, but are now able to view it in 4K.

It has a well told story and the environments are beautiful to behold.

Layers of Fear 2023 stylishly combines Bloober Team’s flagship games into one beautifully terrifying definitive edition. The reimagined and drop dead gorgeous visuals built entirely from the ground up alone are reason enough to revisit these titles, but the added cherries on top are the brand new chapters that wrap all the narratives together. It’s a must play for anyone into psychedelic and psychological horror experiences, but may come off a little underwhelming for anyone looking for something truly scary.

First and foremost, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie tells a captivating story. It excels in all aspects of game analysis, from its core mechanics to its fictional & narrative involvement, artwork, and replayability. Unfortunately, visual assets are re-used too often, breaking the first-sight sense of awe. Still, it stands out in the visual novel genre. Quoting the game, "change is a long-term process," and even the smallest decisions can have huge repercussions. You can spend tens of hours playing the game and keep returning for more. We can envision Harmony: The Fall of Reverie as a compelling narrative board game; all the ingredients and the core framework are already in place. We highly recommend the game for those looking for a captivating and emotionally interactive narrative. It is a must-play for visual novel & story-driven game fans.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is an excellent retro shooter that, to both its benefit and detriment, doesn't take risks. The repetitive bosses and poor communication to the player might turn some people away. However, Its tight core gameplay loop is gory and punchy, and it captures the essence of what it feels like to be a space marine in both movement and power.

While it doesn’t feel like a No More Heroes game entirely, No More Heroes III is still a fantastic action game with great combat, fun minigames, and hilarious dialogue. I’ll certainly miss the more introspective and dark story, but I look forward to more wacky adventures with the crownless king.

Total War Saga: Troy is a step in an interesting direction. The “Saga” distinction allows the team to try some new concepts without disturbing the main franchise, and it does while remaining faithful to the historic roots of its predecessors, with a dash of the fantastical. Some technical wobbles remain, and the game can be occasionally obtuse, but there’s a lot to enjoy here.

Chroma Squad isn’t particularly deep or epic, but makes up for it in heart and charm, nailing the Saturday morning antics of its inspiration and creating a cheery game that anyone can enjoy.

Silver Linings offers some fun moments, but ultimately lands on its face. However, I have all the confidence in the world that Insomniac’s Spider-Man will bounce back, either in future DLC or the sequel.

After a year of delays, the Switch version of Pocket Rumble unfortunately disappoints on multiple levels. While it has a distinct art style and some great multiplayer options, the overall lack of content and limited moveset hinder the game’s true potential.

Iron Harvest doesn’t reinvent the wheel — it doesn’t have to. Instead, the game is a celebration of the sub-genre’s tried-and-true design. It is a student of the greats that came before it, taking and presenting that core gameplay experience in a way that is familiar, but also exceptionally engaging.

Black Future '88 is a fast-paced, thrilling roguelike, but it offers little to shake up the genre’s inherent repetition. Its often underwhelming gear and lack of variety in levels makes for dull runs too often, even though its gunplay consistently satisfies. You’ll find lots of hidden depth in its upgrade system if you stick with Black Future '88 despite its uninspired structure, which is made easier by its great art style and stellar soundtrack.

The visuals are gorgeous, the goofy premise works perfectly in context, and the mechanics are an intuitive and downright rewarding use of VR. While you may need a great deal of VR callus to deal with the smooth motion of the game, Phantom: Covert Ops is VR stealth done right.

The Stretchers may not be the deepest experience, but its creativity comes through in spades, giving you a great challenge to experience with a friend. Its solo mode doesn’t function well, the game is overall fairly short, and the controls are not always reliable, but the game manages to pack so much into its runtime that you may not find yourself caring.

I was a fan of the first Swords & Soldiers’ fiery and rambunctious Viking hordes and their quest for grandeur and grilled meats, and I had high hopes for the sequel, but Swords & Soldier II wound up just being a dusty old lamp with no magic to speak of.

The game gets a great deal right and brings collectable card games to the casual player, but there are a few things that really hurt it, like the short USB cable and a finicky eye that relies heavily on overhead lighting.

While X-Men Origins: Wolverine does have a few nagging issues, there is a great deal to like here as well.

I really wish that when companies port console titles that they put some effort into understanding the PC gamer perspective.

If you just enjoy good adventure games with a heavy dose of action, then be sure to give Shattered Dimensions a look.

As a survival horror game, it doesn’t add much to the genre but as a Resident Evil game, it changes up quite a bit of things to keep the series fresh and relevant, which is something it desperately needed.

Tropico 5 Penultimate Edition is a masterclass city builder with a unique twist that drew me in unlike any other game of the genre. Some of the UI shortcomings are confusing or frustrating, but are not nearly enough of an issue to pass the game up.

Event [0] is a fun and interesting exploration game. Its use of conversation to progress the story is one of the more unique things that I have seen in recent memory. It is a little short, but the ability to get a different ending lengthens the game. While the game does feel like it is missing something in its story, the overall experience is memorable and enjoyable.

VirtuaVerse is a low cost, high content title with one of the best stories available in the cyberpunk game genre. The visuals are top tier, as is the soundtrack, and it’s very easy to get hooked on this point and click title. However, you might need a guide to complete this one, as it’s pretty easy to get stuck or lost on your objective.

There just isn’t a reason to play Carrion. There is little narrative, repetitive combat, limited puzzles, and almost zero horror elements. The atmosphere is okay and it reminds me of Alien but that’s about as far as it goes with horror. Just leave this monster stuck in the vent.

If you and a couple of friends are into a quick hack-and-slash adventure, Godbreakers has a quick fix for you. What it lacks, however, is robust combat systems and replayability. While there is fun to be had as you steal abilities from your foes, the highs wear off fast.

Forestrike is an action rogue-like where players can practice every battle before it occurs by using the Foresight. This system in and of itself is fun, but the game can’t get out of its own way with unfair balancing that punishes the player regardless of performance. Even so, when the gameplay works, it works wonderfully, with an excellent sense of aesthetics and a strong story and characters to back it up.

Without a strong multiplayer community behind it though, I would say skip the PS4 release and head straight for PC if you have the means.

Pato Box takes the Punch-Out!! fighting style and gives it a Madworld aesthetic, resulting in an unexpectedly wonderful combination. The 3D sections aren't the most exciting, but the boss fights more than make up for that. Pato Box offers an intense challenge that will put your gaming skills to the test, but also potentially frustrate you at the same time.

Sundered is beautiful, tense, and frustrating enough to make you want to throw your controller. If you can make your way through it’s overwhelming combat encounters, you’ll find a platformer that’s well worth the madness.