Diehard fans of the series won’t be swayed one way or another by this review, because those folks already know if this game is for them. For fans of the genre looking for an interesting take on the tried and true strategy roleplaying formula with that very distinct Japanese flare, though, Pandora’s Reflection is worth checking out.

If you can approach the game with a forgiving nature, however, there’s sights to see that will stay with you long after the small piece of willpower necessary to push on has been forgotten.

Let’s be clear here: a tightly-crafted, bug free game that does exactly what it wants to do, Ghostrunner deserves an audience. The appeal might not be universal, but the art and style behind the game cannot be ignored. It really is good, despite a personal distaste for how it handles certain elements. If a killcam is implemented to help the player learn their mistakes, then this title becomes an easy recommendation. Until then, check out the demo; it’s a good representation of what the game is. Anyone who enjoys that will have a blast with Ghostrunner. In the meantime, I’ll be applying salve to my now-wounded ego.

The story has the laughs and the charming tone is still present despite the gameplay departure. Otherwise, newcomers to the series would be better off getting Estival Versus. People who treat the single player stuff as training for the online battles, though, will have the breast time. The pace of the matches are dangerously delicious and prevent even a blowout from feeling discouraging. The constant opportunities for powering up abilities keeps the hands glued to the controller. Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash is best played online, true, but it’s a superb experience when doing so. Assuming that the player base grows as they polish off the campaign content, this might be just the tonic for gamers that want to set aside spilling blood in favor of spilling clothes.

As it is, though, it's merely a very fun game for those willing to overlook its problems. [Oct 2007, p.55]

Taxi Chaos is a fun, flawed game that takes a lot of inspiration from Crazy Taxi, but does genuinely improve upon the formula in impressive ways. Freeroam allows players to learn the city to do a better job in the arcade and GPS-less modes, while having NPC fetch quests keeps things fresh and further rewards exploration. The available car selection is hit or miss, but most of the vehicles are fun to use and allow you to have a blast while darting around NYC. The soundtrack and voice work need work, and with post-launch updates planned, we’ll see how all of the issues related to the audio work out in due time. Taxi Chaos needs more polish, but still offers a lot of fun and it’s a must-play for anyone looking for a more modern-feeling version of Crazy Taxi.

The Marvelous Miss Take has a good deal going for it – fast-paced stealth gameplay, eminently charming visuals and a fantastic pun for a title. There’s a decent variety to the level design and new game elements are introduced at a good clip to keep things fresh. Unfortunately, it’s hamstrung by its ambitious but flawed control scheme, and while it can provide a decent diversion, it won’t do much for hardcore stealth gamers.

Anyone who enjoys racing games and owns a Switch does not have many options for games right now beyond FAST RMX. Fortunately, it should provide players with at least a dozen hours of gameplay as they work their way from the novice cups to more advanced races. Online and local multiplayer also adds some additional fun into the mix. There’s not much else to the experience, however, and some may wish that the game were a more “pure” arcade racer rather than one with additional gameplay aspects layered on top of simply racing super fast.

Cladun Returns: This Is Sengoku! is a well done throwback to adventure games of the late 80s and early 90s. Combat mechanics are not quite as smooth as they could be and the Magic Circle system is a bit more convoluted than necessary, but these minor issues do not deter from the overall enjoyment of this title. The brevity of each dungeon allows progress to be made rapidly and makes the game ideal for both extended play sessions along with just using it to kill a short amount of time, especially true of the Vita version. The customization options and additional challenging dungeons give this title a lot of content. This isn’t a game that has an excessively drawn out story and numerous CGI cutscenes; this is an old fashioned pick and play action RPG and one that fans of retro games should check out.

MachiaVillain is a provides a terribly fun concept for a management simulation game. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but momentary bits of frustration aren’t enough to turn players off from the enjoyable core mechanics. This is the sort of game that can easily be played for hours on end and feel like only minutes have passed.

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game has the potential to be one of the best cozy games out there with a wonderful art style, engaging characters and an entertaining game loop. It struggles, however, with the lack of a fast travel system and overly repetitive game design. There's only so much running (or skipping) you can do before it gets grating. The mini-games like the cooking and fishing are fun, and collecting ingredients in the beautiful Shire is a great distraction to the stresses of real life. What ultimately kills the game right now, however, are how some bugs kill your progress.

Although Who Needs You provides some of the season’s most emotionally charged scenes, the episode’s inconsistency with its tone and story progression, and all-too-familiar gameplay and technical issues make for a lackluster penultimate chapter that only looks to harm the upcoming season finale. Telltale may need to find its own Eternity Forge to revive the series’ attempt at wrapping up this dysfunctional space family’s premiere story.

For all of its noticeable issues, Acquire’s risk to try something new in Akihabara pays off. Akiba’s Beat is a superb game for players who want an anime imbued, character driven experience that refuses to take itself seriously. The very enthusiasm that the makers obviously have for their subject pulses through the title, giving it a true personality that helps it stand on its own. It keeps the rhythm like me behind the drum set: the heart is absolutely in it but the sticks get dropped a few times. Fans of the Persona series and those who enjoy otaku culture and its trappings will find plenty of reason to groove to Akiba’s Beat. Just be prepared for the parts when it loses its tempo.

Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game has a lot of tidying up to do to become what it should be, but there's a wonderfully-rewarding game in there once you've learned its quirks.

Though Part One’s story does have quite a few twists and turns that’ll keep players interested, it ends too soon with too many threads left open. Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part One delivers more Doom Eternal and it can be a devilishly fun ride as long as that’s all you’re looking for out of an expansion.

Black Bird is a wonderful, sad, strange, funny, cute and bizarre shooter that can’t quite make its gameplay match the quality of everything else.

As it stands Splatoon 3 feels more like a delayed expansion than a brand new experience, but for those who just wanted more of the same old Splatoon, this will offer up more inking and splatting for them to partake in.

If you’re looking for a puzzler with a gentle difficulty curve then Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake is a good choice.

While this could have resulted in a confusing gaggle of goofiness, Eternal Step is a worthy experience.

Master Reboot is a game with an outstanding premise that is backed up by solid execution.

Crimson Dragon is an impressive game that falls short of Panzer Dragoon‘s lofty heights.

Those who want the best Runner 2 experience, however, should seek it out elsewhere. If you only have a Vita to play with, though, then this is still a mighty fine way to get your dose of Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien.

Pupperazzi immediately impresses with its adorable dogs bounding across a variety of colorful levels. Once digging into the game, it’s clear that there isn’t too much beyond the basic concept of collecting adorable photographs. Sure, there are ways to tweak the photos via lenses and filters, but there’s not much beyond that. With that said, there doesn’t need to be more to it. Pupperazzi is exactly the kind of game designed for players to unwind with after a stressful day. It demands little from the player and offers copious cartoony cuteness in response.

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F isn’t a game for most people. It’s earnestly dedicated towards its existing fanbase and doesn’t try to expand past that, making it even more astonishing that it made its way across the ocean

Mugen Souls is a fun, fast-paced RPG with a goofy sense of humor and a million interlocking gameplay systems, and both makes fun of and feels like a throwback to a more traditional style of RPG. Ignore the character art and dive in - you'll have a great time converting the world to minion-hood.

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is a solid reboot of a series that’s been gone far too long, and even if all of its experiments on the old formula don’t work, enough of them do to make it a game worth chasing as many high scores as you can manage.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown seems lacking for a game having the word “ultimate” in its title. On one hand the fighting system is every bit as great as fans of the series remember and with regular online matches and the Room Matches players who love taking the fight online can have countless hours of fun. Unfortunately, players looking for some solo time with it are left out in the cold. Restoring the Quest mode from the original Virtua Fighter 5 would have helped make this feel like the definitive Virtua Fighter 5 experience. Instead we have a budget game that feels like a budget game which is a shame because what’s included is fantastic, but still seems incomplete. Unfortunately, the Arcade mode is only enjoyable for so long and without other offline options the amount of time someone wants to fight online is the main determining factor on how much mileage a player will get from Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown.

Color Guardians blends a variety of fast-paced genres together nicely. It controls perfectly and every set of stages changes things up enough to use the core runner/platformer/rhythm game template and keep it interesting.

Fairytale Fights is not a game that’s going to revolutionize the genre. It is, however, a very fun, unique, and beefy (15-20 hours of gameplay) game that’s fun to tear through.

If you do opt for the Steam release you get extra commentary from Kitty Powers herself. In any case, Kitty Powers’ Matchmaker provides a solid casual title for those looking to play cupid.

NASCAR 25 will curb the appetite of those looking for a console experience. The game does the driving and racing perfectly, albeit with some slips outside of the excellent physics engine. This game needs to be experienced with a force feedback or direct drive wheel to truly appreciate the physics engine. Using a controller works well enough and will suit casual players just fine; it's just hard to come back to it from using a wheel. Outside of the racing, there isn't much going on. The Career Mode has interesting design decisions, but there's no point in racing long races if you have to start over due to the Sponsorship Goal. There are four series' here with a ton of drivers to choose from, but the customization aspect is limited. The game looks and runs well, but the sound experience is lacking. The point is you play racing games to drive the cars, which is where NASCAR 25 shines.

You just have to be willing to put up with a really boring card game to get to all the good stuff, and there's something depressing about that. [June 2007, p.59]

While Voodoo Vince Remastered isn’t a classic of the platforming genre, it’s still very good. The levels are well designed, the Louisiana setting is unique, and if the humor tends to wander to fart jokes a bit too often, it still manages to be entertaining. It takes a while to warm up to Vince as a character but he grows on you as the adventure continues, and Kosmo is an entertainingly ridiculous villain. The kid-friendly tone doesn’t prevent Voodoo Vince from pulling out the challenge near the end, making for a satisfying conclusion to the 8-10 hour journey. The excellent music in particular deserves recognition for its lively, jazzy tunes, giving Vince a unique and memorable soundtrack. Voodoo Vince Remastered would be a great little platformer even if it was brand new today, and honestly it’s hard to be nostalgic for something I played once fourteen years ago and only remembered small bits and pieces of. People who played Voodoo Vince the first time around will have a good time rediscovering it, and platforming fans who never got a chance all those years ago get a chance at a lost console adventure that’s managed to hop its way out of obscurity.

While Sayonara is hurt by questionable graphical changes and iffy animations, the final product is true to the source material and worth playing for anyone who enjoys this particular series.

For those more than happy with a brief game with a singular-though-solid concept at its heart, Storyteller serves up a pleasant, though far from extraordinary, take on the art of narration. A premise, though novel in its approach and easy to grasp from the word go, that sadly stops short of anything radical or surprising to help this leap off its figurative pages. Even so, a familiarity in presentation that lasts right through to the end, short and to-the-point its offers may be, there’s a sufficient sense of delight to be found in the way Storyteller hones in on the allure of storytelling as a mechanic in of itself. Something that few puzzle games truly experiment with and apply from a gameplay standpoint, but one Storyteller, if nothing else, prides itself on and more importantly succeeds in showcasing.

Anyone that was a fan of the original Command & Conquer games or similar RTS from the early 2000s can't pass up Tempest Rising. The look, sound and upgrades to a system that changes things up just enough will appease classic fans. Anyone expecting an elaborate amount of depth akin to what some of the recent RTS games have incorporated, however, won't find it here. There's not much to do, just the campaign, skirmish and multiplayer. There's only two factions and not a ton of maps. Once each faction is figured out in a month, the game will turn into a rush game online. This was a complaint of the legacy C&C games and this gets carried over with it. It won't be about strategy, it'll be about what works. There's a lot here that any fan would want in a modern C&C game, but it doesn't check every box on the wishlist.

In a perfect world Oblitus could have been a timeless legend, but even as it is now, Oblitus is a refreshing departure from indie norms in every way.

Those who like Shadowrun or turn-based RPGs should still give Boston Lockdown a look, but anybody else need not apply.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong has players step in the shoes of three different vampires to solve a mystery, building upon the wealth of Vampire lore, but doesn’t have much bite. The approach of making the game be entirely driven by conversation and investigation is an interesting alternative to countless vampire games that are essentially bloodbaths but doesn’t come without concessions. The emphasis on role playing and character choice helps recreate the feel of the tabletop/LARP games, but the poor puzzles and mediocre script hurt the pacing and overall experience. Fans of White Wolf’s World of Darkness will likely appreciate the work that went into bringing the role playing feel to a video game while they work to solve the mystery, but those who want something with a little more action would be best served waiting for Bloodlines 2.

With a bit more polish and tweaking, Rollers of the Realm would stand out for more than its genre mixing.

Human: Fall Flat is weird and it embraces its oddity enough to make it worth a full playthrough.

Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a refined version of the 2011 cult classic. The visuals are smoother, the game mechanics feel more natural, but aside from the minor face lift and some new costumes, this is exactly how we remember it. Outside of New Game+, all the changes and updates to Shadows of the Damned ar minor. This is great news for purists who love the original how it is, but it also makes some mechanics feel dated. For players who are fine with average game mechanics and enjoy juvenile humor, however, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered remains a good enough time that's worth revisiting. It might not be an incredibly deep game, but there's still something satisfying about decapitating demons with a sentient shotgun.

Awakening’s new multiplayer maps are well designed, encouraging players to experiment with different playstyles. Skyjacked will be appreciated by those who loved Hijacked, but others may find its constant spawn-flipping annoying. Der Eisendrache is an excellent Zombies experience that longtime Zombies fans will have a great time sinking their teeth into. The only downside to Awakening is Splash thanks to its numerous glitches.

Klei Entertainment has once again proven themselves to be at the forefront of creating endless replay value, all while wrecking backlogs near and far.

Despite a disappointing setlist, Just Dance 2025 Edition still delivers on the fun of the pastime. Some of the choreography can be too complicated for its own good, but there are some tracks that stand out with easier to follow moves like "Paint the Town Red" and "Vogue" by Madonna. The visuals are also striking, while the inclusion of multiple difficulties within some songs is a step in the right direction.

People looking for a traditional Dynasty Warriors or an extremely complex tactical game will not find one here. Fans of Dynasty Warriors who want to see those characters in a different arena and don’t mind a tactics game that has pick up and play accessibility, however, should get a lot of enjoyment out of this.

Milestone has a solid footing with Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame. If the team offers continual support that carries over to new titles, this series has the potential to be something special. While it has a few bugs and nagging issues that need to be ironed out, none of them are game-breaking. Capturing the feel of the pre-race and post-race festivities is an aspect that other racing games are behind on. The visuals, especially the lighting, stand out but the immersion gets brought back to earth due to some inconsistent physics from a graphics engine that’s normally geared for shooters and adventure games along with some other graphical hiccups. Most important is the fact that Milestone has brought back an officially-licensed AMA Supercross game for the world to play.

Fans of the first game will ultimately love the changes, but the casual rider will have difficulty adjusting to the way the physics work and the actual racing. Learning the track and knowing when to accelerate and brake will require time to master. The online experience needs more of an investment to not only correct but also progress. Also, the game is still based on the previous season, and is missing fan favorite Ken Roczen. Capturing the essence of the sport for the fan is something Milestone has gotten right, but the game still lacks in the most important area, and that’s the racing.

A must play for anyone who is a fan of retro arcade style beat ‘em ups, especially if they can appreciate a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The character and enemy designs are visually interesting and the gameplay mechanics make playing through this tongue-in-cheek adventure enjoyable. The enormous character roster and multiple game modes provide a good value, but the biggest problem lies in the nature of the genre. The gameplay is repetitive even with the different fighting styles of each character, which can get old quickly, especially on single player.

The way Telltale is able to manipulate your emotions so easily is astonishing, so it makes it all the more disappointing the rest of the episode doesn’t come together as well as it could have.

The quest to find and create a new homeworld has plenty of room for disaster to strike, but it’s also a lovely journey through a vibrant night sky.

God Eater 3 is a good if unremarkable title in the monster hunting subgenre. This is a game that doesn’t excel in any one area, but none of its shortcomings are damning to the point of ruining an enjoyable experience. There are attempts at giving more depth to combat with the characters engaging each other and having burst attacks, but using these actions strategically doesn’t greatly alter the battle outcome from just button mashing. The repetitive mission structure paired with a story and characters that feel as if they could have been lifted from any number of games prevent this title from being exceptional, but for fans of the genre, there’s a good game hiding beyond these shortcomings.

Despite issues with its difficulty balance and some of the elements of the metroidvania genre, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is still a promising start for Surgent Studios, with its smooth, fast gameplay, astounding world, engrossing story and jaw-dropping visuals. Hopefully we'll be returning to Kenzera sometime in the future, because no matter what form any future tales may take, there's a ton of potential here and a lot of fun to be had.

If you’re a newcomer to Dragon’s Dogma, then this is the edition to get; otherwise, you’ll have to be an incredibly dedicated fan as there isn’t enough here to justify an upgrade.

At the end of the day, whether or not you will enjoy Senran Kagura: Burst will ultimately come down to answering this question: do you pine to play a game where getting beat up means your character’s clothes become tattered, torn, or completely destroyed, revealing the half-naked body of an adolescent girl who just so happens to have absolutely titanic breasts? If you answered, “yes,” then Burst has a lot to offer: pulse-pounding combat, deep customization and a wealth of unlockables and content. If you answered, “no,” then all the best brawling mechanics in the world probably won’t make Senran‘s provocative, shinobi schoolgirl pill any easier to swallow.

When discussing The Caligula Effect, one cannot help but feel it will fall under the same umbrella as Resonance of Fate. It’s highly flawed and requires a bit of work to get the best out of it. Once acclimated, though, this is a game that will demand attention and affection from the player. It’s a strange, interesting tale that explores the nature of joy, sorrow, and choosing knowledge over bliss for those that want to think about it, or all of that can be ignored in favor of a silly anime-like story of friends overcoming long odds with superpowers. Either way, it’s a game that will probably gain more recognition and popularity as time goes on. Also, do not read page 24 of the game’s digital instruction manual.

Fans will eat it up and for people who have been curious about the Atelier series but are uncertain about what game to start with, this PS4 debut is a new character with a new story and appears to be a good starting point.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons blends experimental elements with traditional Double Dragon gameplay. The roguelite design and the changing level structures encourage the player to complete the game multiple times to unlock all the additional characters to create experiences that feel less repetitive. This is a novel idea that works well for a couple playthroughs, but it can’t save things from feeling redundant forever. It’s fun for a couple playthroughs and does well at recreating the classic beat ’em up gameplay. Unfortunately, it also showcases the limitations of the genre, and even with the innovation approach the developers used to make subsequent play sessions different, most players will likely get their fill long before unlocking all thirteen additional fighters.

This is the kind of game you’ll enjoy while playing it, but will almost immediately forget about once you move on to something else. htoL#NiQ is good, which is a shame because it could’ve been much more than that.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is not a revolutionary entry in the franchise, but its multiplayer and co-op do just enough to make it an enjoyable Call of Duty.

In a nutshell, it does a great job of improving and respecting many elements of the source material, but adds too much filler content. Actraiser Renaissance is far from perfect, but it’s a must play for fans of the SNES original.

Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia is a fun, but flawed action-platformer that may deliver a lot of thrills for fans of the series, but lacks enough substance to be a must-buy for those coming in cold. It’s a good game technically, but one with levels that lack soul and a rock-solid layout. What’s here is done well — but it could be done better. The graphical design in particular feels like something from a bygone era with iffy-looking character models and environments that are dull and lifeless. There’s a lot of life to the world around you, but the darker visual look of everything beguiles it and doesn’t do it much justice. Thankfully, it’s still a fun romp in part to the show’s voice cast shining and the excellent soundtrack making the adventure fun to listen to.

So in essence, if the still free SanctuaryRPG: Classic satisfied you, then chances are that the new content won’t give you that urgency to purchase SanctuaryRPG: Black Edition any time soon. But if you’re a purist who really delved into the intricacies of SanctuaryRPG: Classic and would have loved more, then it’s worthwhile to fork over a few dollars for improvements that you’re likely to appreciate in SanctuaryRPG: Black Edition.

It doesn’t top the best snowboarding game ever made (Amped 3), but it does provide plenty of reasons to continue traveling the Alps. Should the trick system and technical issues be resolved in a sure to occur patch, Steep will become a must play. In its current state, however, it’s best to approach with caution.

Simple as it may be, Alien Breed isn’t unenjoyable. It’s a bit easy and straightforward, sure, but it’s also a very good update of an Amiga classic. You run through corridors, shoot everything that moves, pick up all the goodies, then make a run for the exit to do it all over again. There’s no denying that Alien Breed is pretty mindless, but sometimes a bit of brain-dead xenomorph extermination is a nice way to kill an hour.

In a perfect world, everything here (minus the updated racing info, of course) would have debuted last year as F1 2014. Alas, we now have two F1 games released within mere months of each other that both feel incomplete.

The basics of TombStar are well done, with nicely-frantic action that keeps the bullets flowing at a good pace. The variety of enemies makes each encounter use all the skills and perks you’ve got available, dodging and taking cover while hoping there isn’t someone off to the side about to spring an unpleasant surprise. It’s a good combat flow, but the bits that make it better come slowly or run out just as you’re starting to enjoy them. For an action-roguelike, TombStar nails the action but moves too slowly on the roguelike, leading to a twin-stick shooter whose best bits never last long enough to make it great.

Though not immune from a technical mishap here or there, the overall product may come off a little too void -- deliberately so in some cases -- but on the basis of gameplay above all else, Remnant: From the Ashes shines as a solid, at times wonderful, foundation Gunfire can hopefully build on.

If you can put up with the grind, Samurai Warriors 4 is well worth your time.

The Yomawari series is one with its own tone and atmosphere, and the town of Lost in the Dark is a wonderfully spooky place to explore on an inevitable confrontation with a young girl’s trauma.

Gradius Origins offers enough fun for players looking for something simple yet challenging, or who are just in it for the sake of nostalgia. If you love the series, can forgive the missing games and need to have Salamander III, Gradius Origins might be worth owning if you’re okay with the price tag. If not, you might want to wait until you find it on sale. As for curious new players, if you don’t mind a little repetitiveness, then Gradius Origins might be worth it. If the idea of doing the same thing again and again sounds like it’ll get dull, then this collection might not be for you.

While not without some issues, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour is absolutely a worthwhile release of an absolute classic. It is admittedly better played on a keyboard as designed, but the original title is given a clean representation with this version.

Most of the time, it often feels like the game can’t decide what it wants to be, as the playful nature of the exploration pushes against the heavy-handed plot, and the over-the-top set-piece moments in the final hours feel incompatible with the more grounded puzzle-based gameplay of the previous hours. Having a friend along for the ride makes the journey to the few memorable scenarios worth the wait, but those looking for the next great couch co-op adventure will likely be left unfulfilled.

The gameplay itself is complex and enjoyable, but the lack of consistency in the controls will drive more hardcore players nuts. Still, it’s almost worth buying for the gorgeous art and animation alone, and I can’t deny that it put a smile on my face.

If you're looking for another type of game where you hunt intimidating monsters, tracking them along a map while you master the mechanics, this might be the game for you. Wild Hearts S is exactly what the original release aspired to be. Mixing and matching mechanics that you would never expect to be combined, wonderful landscapes and a fun gameplay loop. You're rewarded for being creative with your contraption placement. The performance is great in both of the Nintendo Switch 2 methods you choose to play, with the game still being beautiful despite the lighting and asset flaws. Wild Hearts S is the definitive version of the game, with consistent performance and the full package of content. It's most certainly worth playing if you're seeking a challenge alone or with friends.

Ame no Marginal -Rain Marginal- tells an interesting story in a short period of time. There’s not really a reason to replay the title either, unless you find yourself so moved by what it has to offer.

In the end, what we’re left with is another enjoyable release in the Project Diva series even though this isn’t the game that will convert everyday folks into Miku diehards.

For owners of the original release, a fifteen to twenty dollar DLC expansion option would have gone a long way to selling this, but it’s a worthy purchase for everybody else.

I was pleasantly surprised by Squeeballs Party. As one of many who grew tired of party games due to the over saturation of Mario Party games, I found this to be a much fresher, more modern take on the genre.

For all its faults: the agonizing familiarity, the workable plot, the insipid characters and, perhaps worst of all, the intrinsic absence of novelty common in most of the series’ open worlds, Assassin’s Creed Rogue — Unity’s last-gen partner in crime — is astoundingly stable.

If there was a bit more polish to it when it came to challenge and variety in certain areas, LOUD on Planet X could be a potential rhythm game classic. As is, though, the simple and quick arcade-style gameplay combined with the incredible, lighter-worthy soundtrack still ends up making it worth the few bucks its asking for.

While a feeling of déjà vu and retreading familiar ground may spring up, The Forgotten Kingdom still musters enough originality and welcome content to hunt down to make Remnant II's second DLC outing a satisfying if not spectacular addition. What it may lack in true environmental and level design variety, it more than makes up for with new enemy types and testing boss fights alike. As divisive as its perilous puzzle and platforming segments may wind up being, The Forgotten Kingdom still makes sure to pepper such moments with the worthwhile gear and weapons we've come to expect. A case of more of the same, which in itself is no bad thing, The Forgotten Kingdom while not the most substantial or stand-out of efforts, is still very much a fitting reflection of Remnant II's greatest strengths.

There are so many games in the zeitgeist that focus on offering the most realistic or the most refined and polished experience on the market, but often this can be to the detriment of fun. Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip knows this all too well, focusing solely on bringing the fun factor. It's a love letter to successful mascot platformers of old while offering some much-needed fan service to the kid-friendly GTA-clone sub-genre that gave us The Simpsons Hit and Run and Lego City Undercover. It's not a game that's going to change your life, but it's a wonderful, action-packed romp that just might make a lazy afternoon a little more memorable.

It might not be the most essential or comprehensive inclusion for the game, but it’s still great where it counts: pure, adrenaline-drenched, space-blasting fun.

The titles themselves are solid choices as any fan of beat ’em ups from the ’80s and ’90s can attest, but missing titles like Alien vs. Predator, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, The Punisher and the other titles mentioned above prevent this from being the definitive collection. Missteps aside, the quality of the seven games that are included make this a worthwhile acquisition for fans of the genre.

Removing the nostalgia filter, a lot of the gameplay elements of Romancing SaGa 3 simply won’t be that enjoyable for people who are die hard RPG fans of that era. Keeping that caveat in mind, fans of that era of gaming can find a lot to enjoy in this title, provided they are willing to deal with the lack of direction and unconventional approach to the JRPG formula.

What’s there is fun, and DLC is on the horizon, but the package is on the light side.

Fans will be satisfied with how the tale running through Steins;Gate 0 is told with a narrative that rarely stands still in the present without coming off confusing. That said, the original’s degree of tension and regret over gameplay decisions are lost a little here and because of it, 0 — despite its successful transitioning, coming off more like a second half to a much grander tale as opposed to a totally sectioned-off story — often finds comfort in retreating to old techniques and former narrative inclusions to fill in the rare instances of figurative gaps.

It won’t make believers out of anyone not into the genre or art direction, but for those looking to pump just a little bit more out of their PS3 should at least consider picking it up.

Fate/Samurai Remnant is an enjoyable entry in the Fate universe. Its heavy emphasis on storytelling may be longwinded at times, but it does lead to a more interesting experience. The story is a compelling one which can keep the player interested in learning what the Waxing Moon Ritual is and who are the true identities of the warrior spirit Servants. The enjoyable gameplay complements the narrative, though pacing issues and repetition can sometimes hold the the experience back from reaching true greatness. But even with these criticisms, Fate/Samurai Remnant is still a good time and likely to provide many hours of enjoyment to fans of Fate and Omega Force’s other games.

The tale of Pac-Man World 2: Re-Pac is one where the gameplay sum is greater than its parts. There are a ton of flaws throughout the experience, and yet despite them all, it's still easy to recommend the game because of how fun everything is at its core. The biggest issue plaguing Re-Pac 2 is the lack of quality-of-life improvements being put in place across the board. Having the outline for Pac-Man falling, but not having a similar outline for enemies above the player, is one such example and something that will lead to needless hits and deaths, which can be frustrating during boss battles, especially with their variety of stages before you win. If you enjoyed the first Re-Pac, then getting the sequel is a must because it's more of the same kind of action, just more polished. If you didn't and have a craving for 3D platforming, then it's a slightly tougher recommendation given how janky things can feel compared to other platformers on the market.

While not a lot has changed in terms of ways to play MLB The Show 23, the experience on the field is much improved. The time spent on the audio aspect and the focus on better replicating a television broadcast are this game’s specialty. The lack of updated rule changes, however, is a weird gaff. The modes remain the same for the most part outside of the inclusion of the Negro League stories. This is hampered by tying progression down to the Challenge Mode, which has been historically frustrating. Spreading the game across multiple outdated platforms and also tying this to Game Pass is hurting the progression of the series as it has become visually dated. This isn’t a big deal if you’re already paying for Game Pass, but paying $70 for a dated-looking game where a good bit of it is unchanged and previous Diamond Dynasty progression is reset is a hard ask. MLB The Show 23 is still a solid game of baseball, but it has been a solid game of baseball for years and being stuck on one platform no longer offers an excuse for attracting new players.

Dance Central Spotlight will be a hard pill to swallow for the legions of rhythm fans burnt out on Rock Band DLC, but will suit those who’ve accepted DLC culture just fine. Cost-conscious gamers should proceed with caution because that $10 purchase price is just the beginning.

Kromaia Omega is a giant hyper-saturated burst of color, speed and heavy firepower, as stylish as it can be difficult, and it’s impossible not to forgive a few questionable design elements when the enemies are swarming and the action takes off.

Playing Gears of War: Reloaded is a beautiful reminder of how far the industry has come and what we've lost along the way. Upfront, Reloaded is a remaster of a remaster and does nothing to improve the nearly twenty-year-old game. Various quality-of-life improvements for AI, balancing, mechanics, the UI and more would have been greatly appreciated. Outside of that, however, Gears of War remains as compelling an experience as ever. The story, while lacking character development, remains exciting with stellar worldbuilding, foreshadowing and setpieces. The linear campaign is a true gem and reminder that you don't need a bloated 30-60 hour campaign to tell a compelling story. Gameplay remains basic, yet fun and majorly improved thanks to the enhanced framerate. It also goes without saying how spectacular it is to get the full multiplayer suite included given that most remasters don't even bother. The visual presentation is stellar, bringing what was originally an Xbox 360 game up to modern day standards. Reloaded is a stellar value with its campaign, cross-play co-op and full multiplayer suite, especially on PS5. Would a Gears of War Collection been nice, especially given the fact that neither Gears of War 2 or 3 are available on PC or PS5? Absolutely. What Gears of War: Reloaded does set out to accomplish, though, is successful, especially at giving PlayStation players their first of hopefully many trips to Sera.

All in all, Nether is a great time. It’s a highly engaging and realized survival experience; something we need more of.

Others might be mad knowing they’ve missed out on some scenes due to Steam’s restrictions on adult content. Still, NEKOPARA is a light and fluffy visual novel that fans of catgirls will enjoy their time with.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a fun experience and has all the staples that make the series so enjoyable. Unfortunately, some choices make it hard to enjoy yourself for a significant amount of time while making your way to the portion of the game that you’re trying to experience.