Anuchard presents some interesting concepts, but is executed sloppily. While combat is extremely simple, level design is lackluster, and most puzzles are too easy, the final hour or so holds a lot of promise.

This highly addicting definitive edition of The Last Case of Benedict Fox was a blast to explore! The improvements to existing game mechanics as well as the additions of new story content, puzzles, and the arena complete the package, resulting in one of the best Metroidvanias I’ve played to date.

Those who enjoy older RPGs like the Wizardry and Might and Magic series should enjoy Demon Gaze. Those who are used to getting instant gratification and being able to level up their characters with the snap of the fingers will be disappointed.

Just Cause 4 is another solid entry in a franchise that continues to bring me hours of over-the-top, hilarious action. It doesn’t do enough to evolve the franchise, and doesn’t make enough use of the new weather effects, but the new tools available to Rico and the improvements in customization options is well-worth the price of entry.

Dead Rising 3 is truly a game that is its best when it isn’t trying, it is unapologetic and bloody, and one of the best zombie hack and slash games that has ever been released.

God Eater Resurrection is a fun 40-hour experience that keeps you going with its gameplay mechanics and customization. The dark story falls flat at points, with the gameplay saving this game from a lackluster story.

Stardrive 2 is an extremely ambitious title which I’d strongly suggest for fans of compulsively intricate gameplay.

Maneater is a fun aquatic adventure with more to keep players engaged than it initially seems, it kept me hooked throughout and has enough daft character to bait me back in for a future play-through. Beautiful to look at, well-paced but chaotic when it needs to be and I had a whale of a time.

Just Dance 2021 is a solid entry in the franchise, though it might get stale next year if things don’t change. However, its improved performance and bombastically entertaining song list will still get you on the dance floor this time around.

The Walking Dead: Michonne feels like twice the amount of well-worn territory than Telltale series typically deal with, and much of that comes from its existing within a property that is reaching the ceiling of its dramatic potential.

The game’s story, confident art style, and engaging crime scene investigation puzzles give the game enough intrigue to stay around. Unfortunately, in its current state, hiccups such as long load times, empty environments, and weak shooting sections hold it back from being something great.

With a more heavy focus on action, Darksiders III is a return to the roots of the franchise, and away from the RPG elements of its predecessor.

Even if you haven't played the original, this title is worth a look unless you are completely adverse to minigames and/or bright colors and cute graphics.

It is obvious that K2 took special care with the story for both characters and creating some nice levels, but they forgot the whole gameplay, camera and dumb AI issues.

With fantastic graphics, balanced and engaging gameplay, and a brief but fun single player campaign, Battlewake is an amazing VR pirate combat game. The only thing it doesn’t have is a larger audience. My crew is ready, and it’s time to set sail -- who’s with me?!

If you really want to run a park and be that altruistic owner that wanders amongst the crowds to know about every detail then you might have a bit of gold in here.

It does one thing well and that is teach you a new way to take turns and drive.

Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes does a great job bringing the 2.5D “dollhouse” perspective of the series to a fully fleshed out VR world, complete with grotesque enemies, simple puzzles, a mysterious narrative, great graphics, and fun VR mechanics. While the campaign is short, even by Little Nightmare’s standards, it is worth experiencing, and features some of the most surreal and exciting set pieces yet for the series during its final chapter.

Human: Fall Flat has its endearing, satisfying moments and its aggravating moments. The physics are fun to play around with and present a challenge, but the wonky camera movement is a weakness that’s hard to overlook.

Turf Wars shows promise in its two hour story, but mostly sets up a more interesting third act with (hopefully) more interesting boss fights. At some points, it’s far too hard and the last fight is almost unfair. But the core of what made the main game so compelling is all still intact and is more than enough reason to pick up the DLC.

The Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth series has always been a potential-filled experience that ultimately disappoints, but the 3rd installment in the series passes right over the endearing and interesting elements of the game’s cut and paste formula for the most boring.

This Genki-sized update is more than just a polish job, it’s the whole enchilada. With visual upgrades and a dash of physics improvements, it’s sure to draw any Saints Row fan in all over again. Now we’ve just gotta get rid of the Genki-sized bugs.

Lockdown is definitely a good game for those who are new to the tactical shooter genre, but the controls hamper the enjoyment of the game.

Teslagrad 2 is a fantastic adventure that’s over way too soon. The puzzles and platforming are some of the best in the genre, but given your breadth of moves the game doesn’t come close to fully exploring what it can do.

Whether you’re a Zelda fan or a Dynasty Warriors gamer there’s a lot to be happy about in this mash-up title.

Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars is a dark and bloody turn based strategy that hits the mark with lore, artwork, story, and music. The battles can use some work with not only making maps a bit bigger to give more strategic choices, but also the difficulty that ramps up significantly. The addition of cards in battle is quite fun, but lackluster on the map. But if you’re a fan of vampires, I think you’ll enjoy IR.

The presentation, along with its impressive soundtrack, is a wonderfully alluring incentive for persevering through the challenging gameplay.

For better and worse, Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 2: The Indego Disk is more Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet. Your enjoyment of it will largely depend on how much jank you can still tolerate, but this DLC does some interesting things to spice up the game. Trainers will actually put up a fight, there are cool optional areas to explore, and there’s of course a ton of returning Pokémon to catch. It’s a very small step back to where we fell in love with the series, but still far from its heights.

Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs is a mish-mash of a game that combines tactical RPG battles with a visual novel and world building elements to create a fairly new experience. There is a lot of fun lines in the dialogue and the game provides an urgent, multifaceted challenge, but is poorly paced and plagued with loading screens that take away from the polish and joy that could have been.

No Straight Roads is a rockin’ good time with a friend, but beware of the many glitches, bad camera, and attacks not syncing up with the music.

I enjoyed The Legend of Kage 2 despite its flaws. I was willing to overlook its deficiencies, and it was an entertaining diversion.

Through its old-school gameplay, snappy soundtrack, authentic dialogue, and unlockable art, DuckTales: Remastered is a faithful tribute, and a remaster done right.

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is not a bad puzzle platformer, it just doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

Come for the dungeon management, stay for goofy minions like Jayzee, Am’Adamss, and Kato.

Though the visuals sparkle and small improvements have been made, overall Dead Island Definitive Edition isn’t different enough from the original to be worth a purchase. In fact, it seems worse in some ways. Only give it a buy if the arena mode sounds appealing, or if you want to show off how powerful your new graphics card is.

You can experience just about everything Ripped Pants at Work has to offer within an hour, which is good because, exploration aside, there isn’t anything in the game that will make you want to stick around anyways.

The second, and maybe final, episode of The Walking Dead: The Final Season has some great introductions and story arcs, but unfortunately suffers from some uneven pacing and a conclusion that puts our characters in a rough spot from which they may not recover. Suffer the Children, indeed.

8 Bit Armies is a charming cartoon-like RTS game that offers a good challenge. It can be unfair at times due to the enemy having advanced tech, larger forces, and even nukes. Planning and strategizing is necessary, and fills you with pride when successful. Unfortunately it seems as if the multiplayer lobbies are empty.

While the presentation is charming and amazing, Joggernauts ultimately fails as a casual party game. With its unfair death mechanics and steep difficulty curve, it’s one that will appeal to groups that want a challenge, less so for ones that want to have a fun time.

Namco Museum Archives is a collection of the company’s NES classics, no more, no less. While the emulation is great and the original games are a good touch, the “Museum” part of the title rings hollow.

The Sims 4 Journey to Batuu Game Pack was a fantastic experience from start to finish. I can’t wait to see The First Order quests. This was exactly what the franchise needed. I’ve enjoyed most of the expansions, with Realm of Magic game pack being my favorite. Journey to Batuu blew that one out of the water and has zipped to the number one spot. As someone who loves Disney World, Star Wars, and The Sims, this was a welcome surprise. Who wouldn’t want to play with their favorite things in one of their favorite games?

Wrath of the Druids is simply more Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, both for good and ill. For a paid expansion, it doesn’t add much new or interesting and the main quest doesn’t have much to deal with Druids. Still, more Valhalla is more Valhalla and it’s enjoyable for what it is.

Madden 22 is a step in the right direction for the franchise. It gives everyone something to get excited about. However, they are a tad far away from being considered back to the heights of Madden in the late 00’s early 10’s. With time, Madden 22 could be considered the best in the past six years, but in its current state it can’t be considered much better than 21. Promises only go so far, it’s time to get on the field and execute the playbook.

A physics-based platformer on the surface, Time Loader carries a weighty and heartfelt story that is bound to consume far more mental bandwidth than the screenshots and videos might have suggested. It’s rare for games to surprise me, but Time Loader did exactly that.

Despite several useless and unsatisfying gameplay elements, Decarnation still features one of the best stories I've seen in a horror game with a fantastically portrayed message both visually and narratively and lots of excellent references.

I commend Enotria: The Last Song for trying to do something different in an oversaturated gamespace, but it just doesn’t quite hit the mark. This game needed a lot more time in the oven before being released, but nowadays it's the norm to ship out incomplete messes for a full price anyways right, so what’s new?

Lollipop Chainsaw does one thing exceptionally well – it never takes itself seriously. It's fan service, it's over the top, it's beyond ridiculous, it's cute, it's funny, and it is more fun than it should be. While it does have a few flaws, the sum of all of the ridiculousness is a game that will have you laughing. Whether it 's out of discomfort or a few of the genuine funny moments is entirely up to you

The few places where it stumbles are more than made up by the polish and attention to detail everywhere else.

Fitness Boxing 3’s weak voice work and shoddy motion detection somehow do little to keep you coming back for more. By gamifying the exercise, it keeps you engaged and motivated, and you’ll quickly find yourself surprised at how tired you become from these exercises.

Aesthetically disgusting, Scorn touches on several deep-seated phobias all at once, ensnaring you with its alien and disgusting universe. While the worldbuilding shines, the combat can be pure frustration. Come for the visceral stomach churn, and stick around for one of the stranger stories you’ll ever see. While the combat will frustrate, the setting is worth the fight.

For fans of the original, Code Vein II delivers more of what you enjoyed with meaningful expansions to the formula. For newcomers, the partner system creates a low barrier to entry. For those hoping Bandai Namco would finally create their own Elden Ring, temper your expectations.

In many ways Killzone is ahead of itself from the still graphics and immersion standpoints. However it is also behind with the framerate drops and the sameness of the enemies as you go through the game.

Overall, it's a fun game that I would play again just because it's exciting and offers a sniping experience that can't be found anywhere else.

Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires fails to make the leap to portability, as it’s marred at every step by technical limitations and boring metagames. Lacking any of the endearing qualities of other Warriors titles, it’s hard to recommend it even to the most diehard musou enthusiast.

New World’s ideas come across as very solid, but the more I’ve engaged with it, the more I see problems. Those problems have nothing to do with the foundation of New World, however. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with New World besides the economy and lack of main missions, and only the former can destroy the game. The rest of the issues can be fixed with time and enough attention to the details. We’ll see how Amazon Games decides to proceed with what’s working and what doesn’t as I work towards the end game.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is a fun, albeit relatively bare bones, experience which gets by more on its nostalgic charm and great presentation, than it does on being anything more than a competent beat ‘em up. The addition of on-rails levels and first-person fights are welcomed, and the variety of levels and the added time disrupter elements keep the game fresh for its short run time, but lack of combat moves and frustrating Megazord boss fights keep Rita’s Rewind from ever reaching the lofty heights it aims for.

Re-Reckoning is the most barebones remaster it could possibly be. It’s only barely been touched up visually, and the most gameplay changes are under the hood. If you’ve already played the game, there’s no reason to return here.

While Jaws of Hakkon is neither revolutionary or ultimately necessary, it is gorgeous and offers 6-8 hours of gameplay for the price of a solo trip to the movies. The new end-game content fits nicely into the fold, even if it offers very little deviation from the well-established formula.

Bursting with sophomoric charm and absurd sexiness, Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus will provoke either cringing or laughter depending on who’s playing it. What it lacks in maturity it makes up for with a refreshing lack of seriousness, and it presents it all in a content-laden game filled with easy, straightforward 3D ass-kicking.

Those who have fond memories of the original Pitfall! will relive some of those memories upon booting up the game. However, the simplicity of the original game is lost later, and it becomes more of a puzzle-solving, rope swing timing game.

This is one of the those rare times when a game was just made right, and while you have every right to love it or hate it, it’d have nothing to do with how it was made. This is an 80’s videogame power-ballad that hits all the right notes.

Darkestville Castle is a humorous point and click adventure game that doesn't add anything new, but offers a very polished experience. Some control annoyances do little to hamper the experience and jokes land more often than not.

RS3 has decent AI and plenty of scenarios, gear and gunfire. Definitely a great buy if you are a PS2 owner exclusively, and an avid FPS fan.

Shrek the Third does a great job at capturing the feel of the Dreamworks picture by the same name. Whimsical music and sharp-witted writing are the highlights of the title, with the puzzle-centric action keeping adults entertained as well.

While Quantic Dream tackles subjects usually only handled within the realm of film, it lacks the grace, subtlety, and class of its celluloid counterparts to do it properly. Technically, it’s a triumph, with some of the best looking graphics and facial capture I’ve ever seen in a video game, but if you’re going to put so much emphasis on the story, it better be damn good, and honestly, it just isn’t.

For fans of WWE games, those who grew up in the 80s and 90s watching WWE wrestling, or those who always wondered who would win between John Cena and Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant and Big Show, or how about the tag team of Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase Jr vs. Dusty Rhodes and Ted Dibiase; this game is a must-buy.

It is commendable in a way since you know right from the outset that this is a game where you can just play. It is a lot of silly, good natured fun that, while not long in duration, provides a good time.

The good news is that fans can now play a new Worms game on their new consoles; the bad news is that Worms Battlegrounds does almost nothing to advance the series and so makes it hard to justify yet another Worms entry to begin with.

Strayed Lights is a short and sweet game exploring a unique, defensive combat experience. It can feel shallow and falls short in aspects like the music, but it remains engaging throughout its runtime.

With its stylish visuals, some rocking sounds, and a solid control scheme to all compliment the frenzied gameplay, you should enjoy the core of the game.

The key word throughout this review has been "surprising." Pearl Harbor Trilogy: 1941 - Red Sun Rising is way better than it has any reason to be. Legendo, the developer, is definitely on the right track with this one. If any of this sounds interesting to you, this game can be purchased for only $7 on WiiWare, and I guarantee you'll have a good time with it.

Highwater is certainly a looker (and a sounder(?)), but its predictable combat and uninteresting story make it difficult to drudge all the way through.

Rusty Rabbit is an interesting game that uses a fascinating literary twist to establish its lore. The story has some interesting moments but it doesn’t feel like enough to save the game from itself. Unfortunately, the controls aren’t as responsive as a game in this genre should be and the world design feels very paint-by-numbers. With so many other top-tier titles vying for attention in the same space, it’s hard to consider this a frontrunner. You may give it a chance if you want to experience the world or you’re looking for a simpler Metroidvania.

2023 has already been strong with Game of the Year contenders, and Atomic Heart is another one of them. It lives up to all of the hype and all of its promises; an amazing debut game for Mundfish. Nailing down a few things Atomic Heart is phenomenal at is nearly impossible because it’s extraordinary in all of them. This isn’t just my favorite game of this year, it might be one of my favorites of the decade.

Gex Trilogy is a must-play for longtime fans of the series, and a brilliant introduction for newcomers, being a perfect way to definitely experience everything Gex has to offer. The three games in this collection are strikingly varied, frenetically engaging and are oozing with personality. Games from decades past they may well be, but Limited Run Games have done a spectacular job of balancing the preservation of their original essence with the addition of modern gameplay features.

Sine Mora EX is a tough-as-nails but engrossing shoot ‘em up that has some innovative mechanics and a pretty interesting story. While it may not be for everyone, those who are interested in the genre will find something to love with the new improvements that the EX version provides.

GORN 2, at its core, is pure bloody gladiator fun. Outrageous doesn’t begin to describe the experience of its humor, gore, and cartoonish brutality. This is absolutely one that VR owners need to check out.

All in all it's a decent game with only a few nagging issues to prevent it from being great. Comparatively, I think that the original did it better, but Spicy Horse has done a respectable job with the sequel.

Telltale’s take on Batman is fresh, and shows a side of Bruce Wayne most games shy away from, and that’s enough to make it interesting as we head into the rest of the season.

While Warriors All-Stars isn’t the best crossover, it’s great for fans of Koei-Tecmo. With a lovely cast of characters and a whole lot of content to unlock, it’s a good way to pass the time until Dynasty Warriors 9. Just be prepared to go through the motions more than you’d like to.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy feels like a mixed bag. While there’s the promise of a fun adventure in the Marvel universe with a likable group of characters, it’s hampered by the same problems of nearly every Telltale game in the last few years, plus a few new ones. It’s not terrible, but I’d wait to see what the other episodes look like before picking it up.

This is one of those pleasant surprises that sneaks up and grabs ahold of all your gaming time when you least expect it.

I think there’s a certain subset of gamers that will absolutely adore MS7, and a larger group of us that will find it fun, but ultimately somewhat unsatisfying.

The graphics are average for the Wii, the sound is out of place, the sword fighting is Red Steel levels of bad and the fact that the bad guys will let their guard down when their buddies are lying dead at their feet all add up to a disappointing game. Hopefully Ubisoft goes back to the drawing board before releasing Tenchu 5.

Whether you easily land birdies or struggle with bogeys, Mario Golf: Super Rush is a joy to play with friends and family. With accessible controls and mechanics that appeal to casual fans and hardcore golfers alike, there’s a lot to love with this Mario sports title!

Soul Hackers 2’s only saving grace is its visual design. The characters look cool, the town is interesting, and the UI is somewhat stylish, but that’s it. It’s not broken or anything, just incredibly uninteresting. There’s absolutely no substance to the story, characters, battle system, or level design. It’s such a shame, because that style is very appealing, but there’s absolutely no reason to play the game otherwise.

Starpoint Gemini 2 is a beast of a game. It gracefully balances exploration, action, narrative, and RPG elements to create a complete package that thrills and excites… most of the time. Be aware that the nature of the missions are repetititive and ultimately a means to an end: to become the most powerful captain in the galaxy.

140 looks and sounds as great as ever on the Switch, though some boss battles and a lack of meaningful post-game content means that it’s like an album you’ll listen to once and forget about until you come back to it years later.

Outbuddies DX is the quintessential perfect game, regardless of how you cut it. From the music that sets the tone and ramps up in the heat of battle, to the many weapons available, and the iconic and memorable boss battles, it’s clear that years of development Outbuddies DX has gone through will revolutionize the Metroidvania genre.

Falcon Age has some extremely interesting ideas at its core, but never gives them the chance to shine. It tells the story of an indigenous woman fighting back against colonial oppression by training a falcon in line with her cultural traditions, but hides the best parts of its premise behind repetitive combat and boring presentation. There are moments when Falcon Age let me feel the bond between my character and her bird or see the culture she was fighting for, but never enough to be satisfying.

As I've said throughout this review, the game is filled to the brim with genuine heart wrenching moments that are compelling and real. The writing of Milius shines through in every facet of the game. Clearly the guys at Kaos are looking to build a franchise, and if Homefront is any indication of how that franchise begins I'm looking forward to seeing what's next.

In the end, Suicide Guy is a surprisingly goofy romp through the dreams of a typical slob. The story isn't the deepest, but it gets points for subverting expectations and not being a cliche. The variety of level designs and clever methods of completion are refreshing. It provides a fun little challenge without becoming a chore.

Minutes of Islands is truly an impressive game, both visually and narratively. While its slow-burn nature might deter some players from experiencing what it has to offer, it's hard not to admit that it does what it does well.

Relooted makes you feel like you're a mastermind, and escaping is thrilling, but there are just enough problems that drag the experience down to the point you can't ignore them.

Pathologic 1 & 2 are masterpieces of games as art. They are cruel and disturbing, but ask unique questions and do things you won’t see anywhere else. These are singularly unique experiences that are worth suffering through.

EA Originals’ first game, Fe, is a beautiful and whimsical platformer that takes you on a magical and musical adventure though a colorful Nordic-inspired world.

Shadow Blade Reload is a fun game, but it’s not an interesting game.

The Until Dawn remake is a bit of a mixed bag overall. While it breathes new life into a beloved horror classic, offering a revamped experience, it also loses sight of some of what made the original so special. It’s a splendid upgrade in some areas and a massive downgrade in others. Find out for yourself if you can stomach the horrific asking price.