Kirby Fighters 2 achieves nearly all of its glory in Story Mode, but there’s still some fun in short bursts if you have friends to play with or enjoy the time trials. Skip online unless you’re playing with friends. But even that risks your sanity.

Aligned with games like Animal Crossing, Townsmen VR aims to provide casual players with a relaxing and almost meditative experience. Its main value proposition is its immersive and exploratory nature, which can be a fun and satisfying adventure if you have the right expectations. The campaign story is simple but heartwarming, offering a comprehensive walkthrough of the game. If you're expecting a fast-paced, feature-rich RTS game, you'll be disappointed. However, if you're looking for a slow-paced but pleasant journey in a stunning, fully interactive, and immersive VR world, Townsmen VR should deliver a delightful and fun experience.

The Red Lantern is a great experience. I love my dog sled team and playing the runs again and again only reinforced that. But I’m not sure the roguelite style stays fresh all the way through, and it can get a bit tiring and repetitive. In the end, The Red Lantern is not going to win a lot of awards for what it does and is, but it’s a unique take on the walking simulator genre that honestly has gotten stale and oversaturated.

Neon Junctions is short and sweet, but has a few issues that keep it from being great. There are elements that show a lot of potential for innovation which makes me excited for what comes next. The visuals and music are on point I just wish that there was a little more expansion on the core of the game.

Dispatch is a very uneven experience. It has polish in some places but severely lacks it in others. It has great characters but you don’t get to spend much time with the good ones. The dispatching segments can be fun but feel somewhat shallow. The game has sparks of absolute brilliance, though can use those sparks to start a dumpster fire. It’s worth playing and enjoyable for any fans of narrative focused games or superheroes, but might be memorable for the wrong reasons.

A highly strange game, mixing graphic novel gameplay with a tactical RPG. The game is very fun, but not everything works as well as it should. The art style is wonderfully detailed and there are lots of quirky art details that add to the experience, but overall the game fails to really shine in either of its styles, and leaves much to be desired.

Killer Is Dead is a competent, and oftentimes superb, action title that is held back by an overly obtuse plot and a dating minigame that did more to turn me off from the game entirely.

Rainbow Skies is an indie old school SRPG hiding a wealth of content behind its charming exterior. Improving upon the Rainbow Moon formula, the game doesn’t skimp out on quality or quantity, featuring extensive party management, in-depth combat, a vast world to explore, and a myriad of foes to conquer. Unfortunately, the hundreds of hours of gameplay are not free from tedium and suffer from a lack of variety.

While bogged down by its postgame content and scant multiplayer offerings, Old School Musical is still a great time for those who want a nostalgic and comedic trip back to the 80s and 90s. Old School Musical’s dazzling soundtrack and wonderful visuals should be experienced by those who want to boogie on down to the arcades.

As a ten-year celebration for the franchise, Just Dance 2020 is mostly the same, for better or for worse. While it strips some of the innovative features of past entries, the eclectic and energetic songlist will get any party pumped up all night. Just make sure you get Just Dance Unlimited for a better time.

Yupitergrad is an intensely fun, if too difficult, Russian Spider-Man simulator that will have you speedily swinging through obstacles with grace. That is, if you can get past the nauseating motion sickness.

The Cub is a functional platformer, but not a flashy one. Movement can feel stiff at times, but the colorful landscapes and levels will still carry the experience. If you’re a big fan of platformers, you’ll certainly find some enjoyment within the approximately four hour experience, even if it can feel less than ambitious at times.

Pacific Drive toes the line between “challenging fun take on the survival-horror genre” and “too complicated for its own good.” The game is full of interesting lore, hardcore crafting mechanics, and a world of driving with plenty to explore. While the driving can feel repetitive at times, if you can get a hold of the system, you’ll have plenty of fun in the Pacific Northwest.

A stop-gap measure, another coat of paint on a series designed for a specific audience that’s looking for a specific experience. The freshly streamlined interface may court some new blood, but a lackluster campaign and a failure to branch out from the micromanagement-heavy core sim experience makes this a tough sell for outsiders to the genre.

Easy to play in short bursts between other, more fleshed out games, Demon Pit doesn’t offer anything new or revolutionary and does get repetitive pretty quickly; but what’s here is competently presented and can get addictive if you let it. Good to scratch any old school shooter itch you may have.

House of the Dead Remake is a fun, quick romp perfect for a night in with a friend, but will most likely wear out its welcome after a couple of hours. The HD graphics help update the game to the modern era while the addition of unlockable weapons, a horde mode, and multiple difficulties help to extend a rather short campaign, but still doesn’t offer much reason to continue playing after you’ve completed the game a few times. The thing I was excited for the most, the motion controls, ultimately became my biggest disappointment and I can’t help but feel that there was a huge missed opportunity to not package the game with a gun peripheral. Still, the core game remains fun despite being released over 25 years ago.

Mononoke Forest provides a surprisingly good time for a very small price tag. Bubble Bobble meets Animal Crossing, this delightfully quirky game is easy to pick up and shockingly hard to put down. While the story isn't anything revolutionary, it's entertaining, and the monster designs, particularly for the Hazard Mononoke, are stellar.

Espire 1: VR Operative is good for those new to VR wanting to experience what the platform has to offer without getting easily motion sick. But for those wanting to play a serious stealth title with incredible gameplay mechanics, the unmistakable bugs and annoying enemies may make you want to put down the controllers.

Metamorphosis is a visually appealing game set in a Kafkaesque world of surrealism and dreamlike qualities. Unfortunately, there are bugs (not the insects in the game) that break immersion and make gameplay frustrating at times.

Many of the key aspects that made The New Order so enjoyable have not been carried over into The Old Blood.

Falls under that old adage of "jack of all trades, master of none" - as the game seems to go out of its way to provide a variety of game styles for you to enjoy. Unfortunately they all come in as merely average examples of what we've seen in other games.

Overwhelm’s dark, intense action makes for a fantastic yet occasionally frustrating horror experience. When you are in the game, leaping around enemies and using your limited ammo to deal with evolving threats, you will be experiencing an immensely satisfying challenge. It’s only a shame that some of the technical aspects can make death too easy and navigation a chore, because the roots of Overwhelm’s concept design are exemplary.

In the end, AWE is another solid but lacking chapter of Control. The gameplay is fun, and a fantastic boss in Hartman is introduced. But there’s not much more to it besides that. The new weapon form isn’t necessary, and I’m not even sure it fits in the narrative.There aren’t new abilities, and you’re going to finish AWE pretty quickly. But detractors aside, I got two things I really wanted, more of Alan Wake and more of Control, which is all that really matters. Here’s to hoping the Remedyverse has more of both for us out there.

The Sims 4: Get Together utilizes the new club system to have new experiences, ways to play, and is a great social feature. Although it is a great expansion and allows for new and exciting gameplay, it fails to bring enough to the table for new players or people looking to get back to the Sims franchise.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is a gorgeous game that nails the free-running experience that fans want, but lacks an interesting narrative, compelling combat, and a fast travel system that will likely leave many fans disappointed.

Dune Sea plays more like an endless runner than an adventure game. Soaring high above the ground and through obstacles as you try and reunite with fellow geese is a relaxing and sometimes effortless breeze. When the game wants, it’s charming and has a lot of character, especially with its unique art-style and level design. Other times, the game mechanics and glitches will make you fall out of favor with your lovable goose.

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.

We recognize that Synapse tried hard but may have accomplished little but style. However, we must also acknowledge that Synapse may not be a game for everyone. It is brilliantly inspired and tries to combine successful mechanics that, in theory, would have resulted in a compelling game. If you are up for a tough challenge and are into Soulslike games, Synapse may be worth playing. For an FPS player, the game should last around 12 hours, and that is 12 hours of a solid VR game; it is immersive, has interesting abilities, intriguing gameplay choices and a great atmosphere. But that is the right amount of time before everything becomes mundane and repetitive. So suppose you are like me and must spend several hours grinding, doing and seeing more of the same to go past the first few areas of Synapse. In that case, I suggest you skip it altogether and find a more approachable and less repetitive game to play.

Preserving the true timeline alongside my AI companion was certainly an interesting investigation. Finding clues amongst the crowds was a simple yet entertaining gimmick, often making for enjoyable short play sessions. With a large amount of story missions alongside a decent free-play mode, there’s definitely fun to be had even if the gameplay lacks complexity.

Rack N Ruin has some clever concepts that ultimately fall short due to moments of extraordinary frustration.

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.

Perseverance marks an ambitious first installment of a unique visual novel that ends sooner than it needs to in order to be a fully satisfying prologue. While some mechanics need to be tinkered, the game is a fun and creepy visual novel for the $4.99 asking price. I just hope that future installments will be made sooner rather than later.

There are two types of people I recommend Painkiller: Hell & Damnation to: those who were huge fans of the original and want to experience the game again with updated graphics, and those who are looking for a throwaway experience that doesn't require much of a commitment to enjoy.

2MD: VR Football Unleashed ALLSTAR isn’t going to wow you, but it’s a fun experience. Throwing the game winning pass will always be a highlight (both throwing and catching it), but there isn’t a lot more to 2MD than that. Still, it’s a nice extra when rounding out your PSVR2 lineup.

Warsaw is a tactical turn-based game with some interesting aspects, although some of them hurt more than help. The setting is neat and the plot has real stakes, which is nice in a wartime game. The injury system along with ammo management will likely be a hit or miss for many.

I came away from Hunt: Showdown a little let down. The premise is good, the setting is something new, and many of the gameplay loop elements are unique. Better still, the combination of PvPvE sets the stage for something amazing, but that stage is just too damned small. With too deep a grind, and too few maps, Hunt: Showdown has just too little content (currently) to match its ambition. But hey...at least the hunting is cool!

Cyber Protocol’s escape-the-maze puzzles are easy to grasp but quickly ramp up the difficulty with frequent twists and new mechanics. This neon-bathed, synth-scored puzzler offers both single-player and multiplayer modes and an absolute mountain of levels. It would be easy to dismiss Cyber Protocol as style over substance, but with this much style, that’s not entirely a bad thing.

At times, Candleman: The Complete Journey can feel like a chore with its slightly erratic pacing and inconsistent tone. However, those that stick with it will find a surprisingly heartwarming story mixed with an innovative mechanic and some great environments.

I’m torn on this conclusion, but I just feel like Ubisoft played it too safe with Breakpoint. There’s not a lot of risks being taken in this game, and it shows. With that being said, Ghost Recon Breakpoint is a good game. Unfortunately though, I think it was a step back from Wildlands. Perhaps Breakpoint would’ve benefitted from a delayed release, giving them some time to sort things out. There’s just a lot in this game that doesn’t fit into a Ghost Recon game that many fans have come to love. With the promise of free content drops, there is still time for Ubisoft to turn things around. With all that being said, Breakpoint is in good hands, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

In its current state, Brawlout is a competent Smash clone. While its frantic and deep mechanics are a fun time for competitive types, the overall lack of features can make the game feel empty at times. However, with promised updates and patches, this game could take the spot as one of the better fighting games on the Switch.

Skull & Bones exists in the space between GaaS and MMO-lite at launch. There’s fun to be had, as long as you recognize that this is a looter shooter more than a pirate game.

I do think that the gameplay is solid, and a couple of tweaks could make this a great game.

WET certainly offers some entertainment value, and those who want to check it out for a weekend rental will likely get their money’s worth.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is a wonderful game, but this PS5 upgrade doesn’t do much to justify its existence. You get the DLC and an obtuse 120 fps mode, sure, but you’re basically still getting the exact same experience as if you played the PS4 version on a PS5 or Pro. The game itself is highly recommended, but console upgrades should have more features and this feels like less than the bare minimum.

Mandate of Heaven is an interesting DLC that adds the events leading up to and including the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Incite the rebellion or attempt to crush it, it's your choice. Be prepared for challenging situations that may frustrate you and make you want to stop. Longtime fans of the series and genre may appreciate the challenge more.

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.

Dying Light features some truly serene moments as you glide from building to building, but once that serenity halts, so does the player’s enjoyment.

ARMS is a shallow yet approachable experience that could have used just a bit more depth, detail, and personality.

The Sinking City is held back by extreme technical issues, weak presentation, and monotonous combat, but the high quality investigation mechanics and incredible worldbuilding make it a one-of-a-kind ride.

I have some nostalgia for these titles, playing some of these games in the arcades. If the controls were better, I wouldn't have a hard time recommending it to those who have a soft spot for these arcade games. The way it stands though, you might be better off getting one of the other Namco collections for a different console.

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.

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.

If you’re trying to figure out what it is that makes The Inner World so satisfying, you’re really not going to be able to pick any one thing. The story, graphics, and gameplay are all okay, but it’s the sum of the parts that synthesizes The Inner World into the charming gem that it is.

A short but sweet gem of a game dusted off and polished by Capcom for a quick nostalgia trip. Visual and auditory upgrades make this the definitive version of Onimusha: Warlords, but nothing can hide the game’s aging design.

Tork is a fairly short game, especially because of the skew towards younger gamers.

If you have access to other consoles, or if you aren’t interested in playing Samurai Shodown on the go, the Switch version of the game might not be the best way to experience the game. However, it’s still fundamentally the same great combat, so if you’re willing to make some visual and performance compromises, you’ll find a solid fighter here.

Trackmania is a nice entry into the racing genre that provides a free version, along with paid versions that offer more content. The simple, fast-paced gameplay and official tracks are good, but it's best in short bursts. Official content doesn't take long to complete, so player creations are going to be important in keeping this game alive.

Long story short, Dungeon Hearts is a viciously difficult match-three puzzle game that loosely resembles RPG battle mechanics. And while it hints at other RPG elements such as questing, leveling up, and story progression, it does not truly offer them in any real way.

If you love a "totally radical!" style and want to lay down some “skateboating” tricks, Wave Break is the game for you. While the high learning curve and nonexistent online base may turn off casual players, Stadia fans that want a fun little game on the platform should check this one out.

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.

Train Sim World is a relaxing game where you operate a variety of trains as you travel to specified destinations. There is a nice selection of trains, helpful tutorials, and 17 scenarios to play through. The game isn't the most exciting experience, and sometimes leans towards monotonous and boring. If you love simulation games and trains, this might be right up your alley.

Pokémon Rumble U is designed to keep you locked in and coming back for more. It’s a harmless diversion with a built in sense of accomplishment that I may not fully endorse (I’m not about to hunt down all 18 of the NFC figurines), but I certainly can appreciate the fun here.

While Little Nightmares might not scare your pants off, it will definitely get your heart racing. The game’s mix of incredible art design and enjoyable gameplay create a memorable game that gets better with each level. While Little Nightmares’ long load times will hopefully get patched out currently, they make exploring a lot less desirable. Puzzles in the game could be better, but its main gameplay elements come off very thrilling and fun.

While not offering too much from the Apple TV entry, Super Beat Sports is a serviceable rhythm party game. Its simple controls and infectious soundtrack will have you tapping your toes, but a couple of games in the collection might be a bit disappointing to play with friends.

The Preposterous Awesomeness of Everything is a strange little game that provides a satirical commentary on society today in both smartly subtle and knock-you-on-the-head obvious ways.

Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon aren't bad games, but they are victims of their own hype, which they fail to to live up to. While the plot has changed, these alterations are minor, thrown together, and ultimately do harm to the experience. Despite the addition of two new mini games, a few new features, and a different post-game, they are simply not as enjoyable as their Sun and Moon predecessors.

Knight Squad 2 is a fun, competent, and chaotic multiplayer game great for parties, but features little to keep players interested beyond the few hours it will take to tackle all the game modes and unlock all the Knights. The addition of cross-platform play is certainly nice and a feature I hope more games implement in the future. A few more unlockables or even a leveling system for the Knights would have been nice, but as it stands I enjoyed my time with Knight Squad 2.

Rogue Wizards is a solid casual roguelike with unique monster designs, perpetually generated dungeons and 10-12 hours of story-mode gameplay. Dungeons themselves are challenging and fun, requiring a bit strategy to defeat monsters which utilize truly unique and interesting attacks. While the boss battles and AI are a little lackluster, the ability to teleport within floors, bonuses for defeating all enemies, and the replayability offered by the Gauntlet mode make Rogue Wizards a good investment for the small price tag of $15.

Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl does a great job recreating the look and feel of an original NES release, but takes its retro inspired roots a bit too far and becomes a game which few but the most dedicated will finish. That said, I did enjoy my time with the game and catching the references to other Kevin Smith movies.

Consisting of two very well designed maps and one recycled and repurposed yet still very enjoyable map, Expedition will certainly bring the faithful back to the table for more. Unfortunately, Titanfall still feels a little thin, mostly because a lack of maps was never really its problem.

There’s a lot to like in Star Trucker, and it's bursting with potential. It’s also in need of some balance and tweaking. Still, what’s on offer is well worth the asking price, and should keep you trucking for a long while.

One of those games that keeps you coming back to finish it despite it’s simplistic gameplay, due mostly to clever puzzle design. It uses a simple formula that provides straightforward action and adventure elements in a spooky, but kid-friendly setting.

While it’s very short on story, Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory is a neat celebration of the Dark Seeker Saga before moving on. With a huge selection of fantastic tunes and a fun yet simplistic control scheme, this game will keep fans busy until Kingdom Hearts IV.

Rainbow Six: Siege is one of the better tactical FPS experiences of the year, even with a smaller content offering than most. Microtransactions and limited custom options can muddy it up, but if you enjoy the core gameplay loop, there’s a lot to enjoy here for the multiplayer-minded player.

Riverbond is a nice voxel style game with Diablo-like combat. The game only takes a handful of hours or so to complete, but it's a good time. The lack of a story and the abrupt ending removes most of the satisfaction from completing the game.

Pagan Online is a Diablo-like hack-and-slash RPG with an alright story. The gameplay is enjoyable, but it's lacking in other regards such as shops, an open world, and so on. It's a nice cheaper alternative to Diablo if you don't mind the lack of depth.

NEO: The World Ends With You lacks everything you would expect from a PC port, such as mouse support or useful graphics options. While the game itself is incredible, unless you desperately need the maximum resolution and framerate you’re better off sticking with the console versions.

Ultra Space Battle Brawl is a neon and slicked back bout of space madness that I only wish had been around when I was still young enough to really grasp it. A simplistic pong-like battle brawler makes for a unique experience to say the least. The game wears thin over the time you play quicker than most it seems, but the experience is still worth a try.

DreamBreak is a short, relatively easy trip down memory lane for anyone who grew up playing point-and-click adventure games. While it has plenty of rough edges and won’t hold your attention for much longer than the end credits, it’s a good game to play through in an afternoon, with well-designed puzzles and surprisingly engaging combat. Just be warned that there are a lot of bugs near the end.

Lasting only 3-4 hours, $20 is a steep price for an experience that leaves you bored and frustrated as often as it proves to be an enjoyable experience.

With a proper DM, Sword Coast Legends feels every bit like the pen and paper game come to life. On the other hand, running modules or playing through the 40-hour single player game makes it feel like more of a standard fare dungeon crawler than a Dungeons & Dragons game.

Super Weekend Mode is a tense arcade-type shooter that tests your hand-eye coordination and reflexes. The simple and charming aesthetic hides the true challenge within, but that is one of its strong points.

Behind The Frame: The Perfect Scenery offers a beautiful blend of Ghibli-inspired visuals and light puzzling that uses a unique storytelling technique to deliver a touching tale of love. While the gameplay is a bit basic, this one is perfect for a rainy afternoon inside or a way to wind down after a long day at work.

While the game can drag after long periods of play, the overall fun and innovation of the game makes the effort a success.

Gamers new to the genre probably won't find much to like here and should look to games like the Etrian Odyssey series if they want to stick their foot in the Dungeon Crawling waters. But long time fans of the genre like me will definitely get their $15 worth.

I believe that FuRyu laid down a solid foundation here with Crymachina. The narrative is there, the characters are there, the gameplay is there, but the nuts and bolts that glue all of them together aren’t. This isn’t to say the overall game isn’t fun, but it could have been so much better. The game’s overall gameplay loop is simply monotonous and dull. It boils down to sitting through mandatory dialogue sections and then running through a dungeon with one to two mandatory battles, and then fighting the boss. The concept of gaining humanity and questioning the whole concept of what it means to be human is a heavy and melancholic theme. I just wish it was delivered in a smoother manner. Even the naming of the game makes sense. Can machines even cry? If you’re into the whole mechanical girls fighting robots and trying to save humanity thing, then there might be something here for you.

Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain lets you blast away at hordes of alien enemies, making you feel powerful. The framerate drops when too many enemies appear, but it doesn't ruin the game. The story isn't very compelling, but manning your PA gear in combat makes up for that.

Samurai Shodown is a breath of fresh air to the series, because of its choice to make the battles more of a duel and not a button mashing frenzy – and I respect that. With each character feeling different enough to make your mind race with possibilities of offensive and defensive strategies, it almost fails because of the timing system.

A little too short to be wholly delectable, Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet is still a lighthearted visual novel that’s worth its $4.99 asking price.

B.ARK is a fun and incredibly chaotic shooter, one best played with friends. The levels move quickly and throw a variety of enemies and bosses at you, despite some of the bosses feeling a bit repetitive. Still, the lovable cast of characters, the quirky concept, the ability to rescue your teammates, and the push for players to be competitive all fuse together to create a fun, if short-lived experience that I found well worth tackling over a night with friends.

In the end The Dark Below has some great ideas and adds to an already solid game, but what it adds does not seem to be worth 20 dollars.

In the end, it’s not a bad title, but it certainly ends the trilogy on a lower note than its predecessors. Buy it if you want to see the end to the story, but prepare for some drastic changes.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir feels like a top-notch mystery novel at its best moments. However, its limited mechanics can cause a bit of frustration, but if you stick with it, it’ll be worth your time.

Broken Roads is a solid effort that falls short of capitalizing on its central mechanics. While it takes some ambitious steps, it doesn’t realize them in execution. Community engagement suggests patches will address the big rocks soon, but know that it’s a moving target thus far.

After all is said and done Captain America: Super Soldier plays a lot like a watered downed Batman: Arkham Asylum, but with decent Wii controls thrown in.

Although it has problems going against it, Gemini: Heroes Reborn has some great ideas and fun gameplay that make-up for it’s shortcomings.

While bad load times and mediocre visuals make its Switch port far from perfect, Life is Strange 2 still provides an impactful experience.

MediEvil is, for better and worse, an original PlayStation game with a new coat of paint. It’s a fun romp through imaginative levels with classical gameplay styles, and charmed my pants off with its humor while I struggled with the platforming and fixed camera angles.