It’s an inventive game that skillfully captures the perils and intrigue of space exploration, wrapping it up in an endlessly replayable package.

The King’s Challenge is a serviceable old school point ‘n’ click adventure that should appeal to fans that found the recent remake by Sierra a tad too removed from the spirit of the original.

A few bugs aside, Beat Cop is a highly engrossing and addictive adventure, a cross between classic ’80s action and routine cop duty that makes for some extremely interesting gameplay as you get sucked in and even get attached to everyone in your little part of Brooklyn. Proper management and investigation skills are rewarded with satisfying results and advancements in various intriguing narratives, and the gameplay is the kind that’s enjoyably simple to learn and fun to work with. Long story short, even if this is more of a tribute to the like of Harry Callahan, it’s Sonny Bonds who should feel proud that Pixel Crow made an enjoyable game about police work that does his legacy justice.

Summon Night 6: Lost Borders excellently brings together visual novels and tactical RPGs. Fans of the visual novel portion may be turned off a bit by the English voice-over work, but the story itself is amusing. It may not be the most memorable out there, but it works as a slice of life with a supernatural twist. The tactical RPG portion of the game is its strongest point — and good enough to where any fan of that genre should consider Summon Night 6 to enjoy that alone. It has a much brisker pace than most and keeps the action moving when other games would have a lull. The graphics are strong — especially given it being a Vita game at its core — and the overall audio work is great thanks to a well-crafted soundtrack and strong design.

The amount of criticism dished out here may paint a negative picture, but White Shadows is by no means a terrible product and so evidently houses a clear visual style and competent-enough execution of puzzle-platforming. Yet for how little it attempts to break from tired conventions or do anything that doesn’t border on aggravating with its pacing, it’s what the game doesn’t do where most of one’s response will likely linger. Maybe the conclusion that it’s all too ordinary and forgettable is bizarrely what is most poignant. That little is offered in the other direction that’s in anyway damaging to the experience or worthy of ridicule, yet neither does anything warrant an expression any better than a figurative shrugging of the shoulders. In the end White Shadows, in all its many off-kilter interspersing of music pieces, plays things safe. A fine, if by-the-numbers entrant whose uninspired delivery we’ve all found ourselves tiredly accustomed to.

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is an enjoyable romp through a demon-infested castle. It’s not without its shortcomings as the gameplay is simply good but not exceptional and the story seems like a generic anime demon-hunting affair. Its shorter playtime works in its favor, though, as it never gets a chance to overstay its welcome. It can be completed in roughly six hours or so, but completionists will be able to get more time out of it by exploring every nook and cranny and unlocking all three endings. Shortcomings aside, this is still a well constructed tribute to Castlevania and scratches the itch for fans wanting a new entry in that series.

Detective Pikachu is simply a delightful time and shows that there is a lot that can be done with the Pokémon world outside of training to be the very best.

By the end of What We Deserve, Michonne and her companions find themselves basically right back where they started, right before the credits roll with a song that actually fades out before all of the names even finish rolling, creating an uncomfortable silence. Yes, this episode almost literally goes out not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Pick it up if you’re looking for a fighting game that’s a little different and packed with personality.

Despite a few small details holding it back, Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander is one of those titles that cannot be recommended enough to fans of 4X games, JRPGs or space-based science fiction. So much attention to detail was poured into the game, with enough moving parts working together, that it feels like a sprawling epic rather than the indie title that its low-fi graphics might imply.

Minecraft: Story Mode strays from the more mature content that Telltale normally associates themselves with and manages to create a fun, family-friendly world for one with no real story.

It doesn’t reach the level of greatness of say Chrono Trigger or Persona 4, but there is enough going for it where it is worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

NHL 24 does do some things that make changes to gameplay in a positive way. The checking is improved and going with the Total Control scheme allows for some more simplistic gameplay while netting advanced results. The Exhaust Engine is a nice addition that’s really only achievable to its maximum during power plays as it’s difficult to keep the puck in the offensive zone for two minutes straight, especially with this A.I. being so aggressive and overkill, once again. HUT Moments are the shining mode addition this year, but these classic moments to relive are locked behind HUT thus requiring an internet connection. Otherwise, outside of cross-play for that and CHEL, the rest of the game is mostly untouched and once again feels familiar.

While not the most robust of the PlayLink games, Knowledge is Power is still a fun, playable game show that family and friends will easily be able to pick up and play. Games are short, which means that it’s not something you have to dedicate a night to, but also sets you up for rematches galore. The questions are interesting and niche, which makes them harder while at the same time making you feel like you know the answer. The way they’ve implemented the Power Plays is a nice touch, allowing you to slow your opponents down in a game that’s all about speed. So if you’ve been liking the games that Sony has been offering with their new PlayLink initiative, Knowledge is Power is another one to pick up.

Miitopia on Switch is a fantastic conversion from the 3DS and does an admirable job at enhancing the experience. The jump up in graphics is welcome, but the biggest improvement to the experience as a whole lies in its Mii integration. Having so much customization for the cast thanks to a robust online selection of fan creations allows the story to be goofier and funnier than it could be on its own, and the various absurd situations the cast is placed in help provide a lot of comedy. It’s basic as an RPG, but the execution of the basic combat system is good and it features modern quality-of-life improvements like auto-battle and fast-forward to keep the pacing high. If you’ve been craving a silly, fun RPG that isn’t too difficult and offers a lot of variety, Miitopia is a must-buy.

Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation shows its age even with the modernization but it also holds up very well. The game mechanics and story progression are echoes of a forgotten past which will invoke nostalgia in older gamers but may just seem archaic to the younger crowd. This one holds up the best out of the three Switch titles. The first two games are mainly worth playing for historical interest or nostalgia but this one should be played by any JRPG fan for its own merits. While this title does a nice job of concluding the Erdrick trilogy, it’s a great title in its own right and still enjoyable over thirty years after its release. It would be great if the subsequent Zenithian trilogy found its way onto Switch.

Viola is a fantastic coming-of-age tale that manages to successfully mix satisfying platforming with rewarding turn-based RPG mechanics. The cast of playable characters is a blast to play as and more importantly, to learn about. They play off of one another nicely and despite the game not having voice work, there’s a sense of chemistry and a bond forming between them as their time together grows. The game does have rough edges when it comes to polish, but it does play like a dream with a controller once you get the hang of its somewhat-quirky jumping mechanics. It’s a great-looking and sounding game and one that should please anyone looking for more action in a turn-based RPG framework.

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.

Taking a year off truly helped the core experience of Monster Energy Supercross 25, but at the sacrifice of cut content. The change to the Unreal Engine 5 provides a different experience than in the past. The updated riding physics makes the game both more accessible and more difficult. Tight cornering and fighting for grip is the biggest hurdle. The Neural AI in the fantastic Career Mode is great, something that other racing series could use. The removal of the Compound hurts, but the Rhythm Section mode helps to make up for that loss. Mainly, fans of the series looking for a current Supercross experience finally get it in 2025, as the game is finally set in the year it releases.

Deadly Premonition: Director’s Cut won’t win any awards for its visuals or mechanics, but the player will be completely immersed within a world just brimming with life thanks to the intriguing storyline and highly likeable cast of characters.

The Enigma offers plenty of teases for the season ahead while also improving upon the combat and presentation for Telltale’s take on the powerless superhero. Those mere hints are all that separate this episode from feeling like a standalone story, though, albeit an intriguing one at that. Once the full season comes into play, this debut episode may feel a little less out of place, but for now, The Enigma represents a strong start for Bruce Wayne’s latest struggle to keep his city, and his relationships, intact.

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.

In the end, Crackdown 2 is a fun game, especially when played with friends but, unfortunately, it just doesn't deliver quite a deep experience.

Maybe there's a great game beyond level 8. Maybe it turns into peaches and honey. Maybe a magical unicorn bursts from the screen. Who knows? After playing a single level beyond any possibility of ever getting any enjoyment from it again, I turned the game off and walked away. Gameplay masochism only stays enjoyable so long before a feeling best described as "screw this!" sets in, and Fractured Soul blew past that point and never looked back.

Clockwork Aquario is a fantastic action-platformer that blends quick-moving playable characters and enemies alongside an inventive attack strategy. There’s nothing else like it on the market today — despite so many games trying to replicate arcade-style fun. The big key here is that this is a legit arcade game that has been repurposed for modern hardware and that allows it to retain what made arcade gaming so fun, while having more modern quality-of-life improvements thrown in. It plays wonderfully, looks gorgeous and is a blast in multiplayer. The soundtrack is a lot of fun, but doesn’t reach the heights of classics in the genre. Still, for anyone seeking a fast-paced side-scrolling game, there’s a ton of variety offered up here and a lot of fun to be had with Clockwork Aquario.

Fans of the original Layers of Fear or any psychological horror game will truly enjoy Layers of Fear 2. The core and elements of the original remain intact and the cruise ship setting is an improvement over the original. The visuals and art direction will blow your mind as the cruise ship truly comes together when adding in the audio and horror element. The story takes a while to develop and it may not even be understood in the end depending on what ending the player gets based on the choices made in the game. Sure, the game is only ten hours, but it’s designed for multiple playthroughs. Besides that and some technical issues, Layers of Fear 2 is another horror masterpiece and improves on what the original accomplished.

While it may leave you wanting more in certain areas, Crossing Souls is still an excellent action game with a terrific, gripping story you’ll want to see to the very end. This little chunk of the 1980s is filled with terrific, nicely-detailed visuals, fun character-switching gameplay, and a unique vision of the afterlife with several impressive touches.

Last Stop may succeed when it comes to delivering a (mostly) engrossing set of stories, but it suffers from a notable lack of substance when it comes to gameplay, with several moments of interactivity feeling like they were included solely only to draw things out. It can still be a fun ride with a lot of enjoyable twists and turns, and could be recommended for fans of narrative-focused games, but it could have benefited from more depth. Last Stop is a good, straight shot of a subway ride that gets you to your destination, but don’t expect much beyond that.

It’s decent survival horror, but Silent Hill fans will be disappointed.

LEGO Horizon Adventures is a fun, albeit brief, romp through the world of Horizon. Its story, humor, world and gameplay may not fully match up to its source material, or reach the same heights as the best Traveller’s Tales LEGO games, but Guerrilla Games and Studio Gobo have built a strong foundation for a new style of LEGO game.

Randall’s story is easy to relate to being as he is just regular person trying to find his loved ones in a world gone to hell and the gameplay is just as easy to get sucked into.

With some fine-tuning and a more effective blending of old mechanics and newfangled, newcomer-friendly ones, Gust may have a top-notch JRPG hit on their hands next time — but only next time, because this time they’ve missed the mark ever so slightly, despite their intentions being in the right place.

Even with the annoyance of the narrator being so utterly clueless, there’s no question that Maquette is effective at illustrating the pain of a good relationship gone bad. The integration of puzzles and story never gel as it should, with only the setting feeling like it was at all related to the narrated events, but even so the pace of each was strong enough that it never feels like things lag — solve puzzle, get story. Usually just a few lines at a time, hovering over a wall or other piece of environment, but it still felt like a nice way to mark progress as one solution flowed into another. Without the story Maquette would still be a nicely-intriguing puzzler, and the scaling of the environments made for truly enjoyable moments when what seemed like a small irrelevant detail on a prop turned into the solution to a whole area. At this point it should be clear that I’ve got mixed feelings on Maquette, but there’s no question that I’m glad to have played it and won’t be forgetting the game any time soon.

Cruis’n Blast is the most thrilling racing experience on Switch and the best arcade racer in years. It plays like a dream and offers up more control options than most arcade racers on the console. Its diverse lineup of vehicles, tracks and various track-related setpieces are tremendous and keep the player engaged from beginning to end. Other than the lack of online multiplayer, it’s hard to find something missing from the overall presentation given what the game is trying to be. The sound design is fantastic as well — with a fun soundtrack that’s breezy and easy on the ears.

With an original story, sprawling environments, excellent use of the Vita's touch capabilities and tons of bonuses to find, it's sure to be a premiere game of the console for long to come. If the graphics were more refined and the story less disjointed, it would certainly rival the best the series has to offer.

With better controls, it would be an incredibly solid WiiWare title, but as it stands it’s simply a good puzzle game that will keep you entertained for a little while.

Resident Evil Revelations was a step in the right direction five years ago, but has since worn out its welcome. The game is enjoyable and features a undeniably spooky atmosphere, but at the end of the day, it's a five year old 3DS game on its third life.

The biggest hurdle to enjoying the game is simply your tastes for (or tolerance of) copious displays of fanservice. As long as you can handle that then you’re in for a very mechanically sound dungeon crawler with Demon Gaze.

Dead Rising 3: Apocalypse Edition is a beefy port of a great Xbox One game and its decent post-release content.

As a standalone game, God Eater Resurrection is a decent time.

Mechanically-engaging and technically impressive when it wants to be, CYGNI: All Guns Blazing goes all in on spectacle with mixed results. Where its core energy-management system is an anxious-but-delightful thing to manage, it's most of what surrounds the gameplay that KeelWorks sadly don't fair as well on. Putting its immediate and dense introduction to one side, its lack of a stand-out musical or artistic identity, while not the end of the world, does mitigate a hefty chunk of how much enjoyment one can find. Particularly in such a visually-busy take on shmups as CYGNI is. Even so, a sufficient level of joy remains via those classically shmup-like moments of holding on to take down a boss or battling through an endless wave of hostiles and still coming out the other side unscathed. Its supposed unique standing doesn't always feel adequate, but CYGNI: All Guns Blazing still presides over an interesting-enough, modern-day take on the genre.

Time Recoil is an outstanding top-down strategy game that gives off the appearance of a top-down shooter. It has finely-tuned melee and gun-based combat that rewards fast reflexes. It’s tough and challenging, but can be conquered with patience, skill and learning the core mechanics on a deeper level. It isn’t casual, but will pay off for anyone willing to spend the time to learn its ways. It looks great — with a simple, but elegant art style that also fits its largely chiptune-inspired soundtrack. Time Recoil is a must-buy for anyone with a Switch and a love for a hearty challenge.

EarthNight has limited scope, but does what it does very well. Its fast-paced platforming meshes in nicely with a soundtrack that doesn’t stop delivering satisfying music. It has some of the best gameplay/soundtrack integration out there and is a must for anyone who loves endless runners. It’s challenging and unlike a lot of runners, tests your platforming skills early and often with a blend of perilous jumps and tricky enemy placement. It looks gorgeous with a painted art style that works well still and in motion. Anyone who enjoys a challenging runner will want to give EarthNight a try ASAP.

While its story missions and their variety can be improved upon, especially when it comes to the endgame, Maneater is an absolute blast. The open world is beautiful, captivating and inviting for players of all kinds, the combat is incredibly fun, and it has a nice and sharp bit of humor to it as well, reveling in just how much the people of Port Clovis are obvious jerks…which only makes it more enjoyable to rip them apart, of course. It might not be on par with the likes of Jaws, but what we have here is still one stellar b-movie to gleefully go nuts in. And sometimes, that’s really all you need in order to help live out your monster movie fantasies.

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.

Papo & Yo is about growing into a person who can escape an abusive family situation, and that’s a theme powerful enough to overwhelm any number of small problems, if pulled off properly. The best parts of the game are when this theme is integrated directly into the action, whether that’s running from an enraged Monster or engaging in escapist fantasy with the platforming and landscape manipulation.

The average story is well represented through a plethora of cutscenes and even has alternate scenario outcomes based on your exploration efforts, even though it brings with it numerous anime tropes and long drawn out scenes. There’s a broad number of locations to visit with their own creative designs, but their size and complexity are inconsistent. There’s so much holding Code Vein back, yet I felt entranced and excited to continue playing all the way through. While it will continue to live in the shadow of Souls games, it doesn’t mean that it’s some cheap knockoff, as the number of distinctions allows for it to differentiate itself from the herd.

Football is played on the field and this is clearly where the development team focused with Madden NFL 25. The changes to the physics are meaningful and can create opportunities that weren't previously available in the series thanks to BOOM Tech. Getting a perfect hit with Hit Stick 2.0 can be satisfying thanks in part to sound of the pads and the visual cue. Receiver and defender interactions when going for the ball are engaging and the offensive line play is fantastic. The steps EA has taken to make Madden look and sound like Sunday are clear. The holdback comes down to the same experience with the modes in the game, albeit some surface level changes. The new broadcast options and the presentation updates help Madden NFL 25 to feel different.

Teslapunk simply cannot be recommended in any form. While it has a fantastic idea for a scoring system, everything else about it is simply unappealing.

So while I look forward to other world cultures using games as a means of passing down legacies and stories, let Aurion double as a cautionary tale in addition to a decent action RPG.

Tokyo 42 has a lot of potential, and moments of greatness where it can deliver satisfying action, but unfortunately gets bogged down by an annoying camera and notable structure issues and technical snafus. There’s still fun to be had in the candy-coated world of a futuristic Japan, especially when it comes to exploration and the occasional parkour, but those looking for a more focused and more effective action game would be better off checking something else instead. So in the end, it’s sadly less Blade Runner and more Johnny Mnemonic.

Elex II is a uniquely ambitious game made by a developer that already focuses on ambitious games, and Piranha Bytes almost stuck the landing. As a title that focuses on the role-playing part of RPGs, it’s rather smartly put together. Magalan isn’t a generic world and the plot builds on familiar concepts to something intriguing. There’s plenty of enjoyment to be found in the package, as it’s completely packed with unique and compelling content. The missteps found on the journey do a ton to hold it back, but it’s nothing a patch or two can’t fix up. Should these get resolved, then this is a title that’s dense and uninviting at first. Those who push past that gruff exterior will find, well, more gruffness, as well as a world that’s interesting to explore and make a true mark upon.

TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 seems to focus more specifically on the technical aspect of the bikes while touching up other areas. The physics are improved and realistic, which also leads to a hard learning curve. Upgrading the bike through the Seasons is key for not only more success, but also overall enjoyability of the game itself. Atrocious visuals and the lack of life on the track hamper the overall experience of the game, though. The best way to experience TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 is on the PS5 to guarantee the DualSense works, as on PC I don’t have a way to verify if that works or not. Cruising the island can be fun, but I’d rather just take my actual bike out for a more satisfying experience. Having a virtual group to ride with on the island and race with would have upped this “open world” racer. It also retails for $49.99, which even at a discount, is asking a bit much.

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

As a penultimate episode to the first season, Freedom Fighters makes an effective statement, even though there are flaws in its execution.

I'm addicted. [Vol 3, Issue 2, p.60]

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3 does nothing to reinvent the formula, and instead happily situates itself in a cutesy, but mostly average status quo position.

Minecraft Dungeons is a capable all-ages dungeon crawl that, while doesn’t use its license to anything like its full potential (see Dragon Quest Builders 2 for how to do it right), is still good fun once it gets moving. The variety of enemies keeps you on your toes, and the various skills and weapons make for plenty of experimentation in figuring out the best way to take them on. Each level has at least a couple of secrets to chase after, ranging from obvious to head-scratchingly obscure, and finding everything while collecting all the gear will keep players busy for hours whether fighting single- or multiplayer. Just be aware that if you’ve got any experience with the genre, the difficulty selections on the levels are there for a reason. The younger crowd deserves a good intro to the world of dungeon crawling and Minecraft Dungeons provides that nicely.

NASCAR Heat 4 gets it right with properly replicating NASCAR and the racing is the best the series has seen. The AI does a wonderful job of not ruining the experience and is a better opponent than people online. The Career Mode continues to be deep. About the only knock the game has is that there is no major new mode but the advancements are enough. You won’t be worrying about that when you’re racing. I feel the dedication to eSports brought upon this upgrade of on-track action and the visuals get the necessary jump to be considered a major player in racing games. NASCAR fans should absolutely pick up NASCAR Heat 4.

Flawed as it is, it’s the bizarre juxtapose of adventuring, platforming, puzzle-solving and even stealth that Zoink somehow manage to find middle-ground for. That, at least, deserves some credit.

If you like tennis games and you have a Playstation 2, it belongs in your gaming library. [July 2007, p.62]

Graphic quality downgrade aside, the additional content makes the 3DS version overall superior to its Wii U counterpart.

The new features, particularly the Resolve system, are cool, but the title still manages to feel incomplete. For those elite, it’s best to wait until the next version.

If you’re looking for an incredibly nuanced platformer, Dustforce is an excellent choice.

Contra: Operation Galuga is a refreshing return to Contra's roots. The story might be lacking, but the high-octane run and gun action that made the classic games great is back. Contra: Operation Galuga relies heavily on nostalgia to appeal to Contra fans by incorporating several classic level designs and boss fights. It can get away with this by adding enough variety to the gameplay and some fights where the end result feels like a proper re-imagining and not simply a hodgepodge of random past Contra highlights. It does have its shortcomings with dated-looking graphics and an inconsequential story, but when it comes to delivering the classic run and gun Contra action, Operation Galuga is the title fans have been waiting for.

The Golf Club is a bit wobbly and unfinished.

For such a short game with so many issues, it seems crazy to recommend No Straight Roads. The story is overly drawn out, almost feeling like it was intended for a longer game, the levels are to be endured and the underlying systems meant to bring depth are just kind of there, staring at you, begging you to yell “Freebird” so it can go on a long tirade about jerks in the audience. Even the climax of the game felt tacked on. The boss fights, however, show flashes of well-designed brilliance. The game is designed to encourage experimentation to get the most of these parts, and then pushes the player into more elaborate variations that add to the challenge and fun. These parts make No Straight Roads an easy buy when it’s on sale, but it’s too bad that there’s more filler than killer here.

Outside of the HD remastering being a mixed bag and the camera controls not being completely fixed, JSR is still a blast to play and well worth your time and money. A mere $10 gets you the best version available – not possible, but available - of an outstanding game with a sense of style all its own.

Excitebike: World Rally, like its predecessor, seamlessly merges simplicity with fun.

DuckTales Remastered manages to give a classic game a new coat of paint but still bring back all those warm happy nostalgic feelings from the original classic.

There’s a lot of upside in this title, especially with Renegade Kid’s announcement of a second season featuring entirely new content, but as it stands Moon Chronicles doesn’t quite live up to its lofty potential.

The problem with Vertical Drop Heroes HD is that it’s not very fun.

It does a good job of recreating the atmosphere of those early 90s shooters despite having a very different play style. This title is geared toward a niche market and as such is not going to be a must play for everyone, but for those who love old school ultra violent and ultra challenging games, this is not one to miss. For fans of retro games, everything about Butcher screams 1993.

Earth’s Dawn has many good ideas going for it, but unfortunately doesn’t execute them in a way that brings excellence to the action RPG genre. It’s a good game but doesn’t reach any level of greatness; it is entertaining but not enthralling.

Immortal Redneck is an absolutely fantastic FPS-roguelike. There’s a lot of care in its room design, the enemies all have their own distinct style making it easy to identify the most threatening one in any situation, the action is fast and powerful and the whole game looks fantastic. The difficulty is tuned high but there’s plenty of room for growth, both from learning the enemies’ patterns and from buying upgrades for permanent character progression. Choosing a patron deity at the start of the run makes each round play a little differently than the previous one, and when coupled with the powerups found along the way you’ll have a unique character by the time you either get killed off or somehow survive the traps and creatures of the pyramid. It’s a long way to the top and each floor is more concentrated than the last, but there’s plenty of great shooting on the way to the boss fight at the apex. Then there are still two more pyramids to fight through, because if there’s one thing an immortal redneck loves, it’s when the shooting gets completely out of hand.

Rezrog will no doubt stand as one of the lesser-talked releases of the year, yet one that poses a quite resonant and important question on the principle of planning/thinking before one acts. All this, after the most baffling and head-scratching of introductory openings — an opening that immediately places all its potential systems on the player’s shoulders, coming off initially as an uphill struggle with little leniency. It’s a testament then to how well Soaphog manage to marry the charm of its art-style to the sophisticated yet inevitably accessible delivery of its mechanics. Look past the out-of-character presence of difficulty at the start or perhaps the limitation of its procedural dungeon design and what you’ll find is a strategy RPG with as much charm, personality and character to carry through the same manner of grand adventure any fellow RPG might invoke. Reflecting more so the best and perhaps worst in a player’s ambition for all-round victory — that in itself, perhaps, Rezrog‘s true lasting appeal.

Fractured Mask offers some of the season’s best scenes in yet another strong episode in Telltale’s latest season. The consistency during the two hour tale leaves a little to be desired, but Batman: The Enemy Within continues to be among the best Telltale has to offer.

TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2 provides not only a unique riding experience for players, but is also a helpful tool. Racers are using the game to prepare for a real race and the changes to the physics system nearly replicate a real riding experience. It’s amazing to get lost in the immersion of riding and cornering in these beautiful locations in Ireland and the UK, not to mention the actual Isle of Man itself. The visuals do have some way to go, but the overall feeling that comes from riding and the sound of the bikes more than make up for that. The game also only retails for $40 and I recommend that anyone who actually rides these types of bikes give TT Isle of Man Ride on the Edge 2 a go.

Milestone has improved the modes for MXGP 2020 which still offer a good bit of variety outside of just racing the 2020 series tracks. The biggest attraction is the racing itself. The controls are much more responsive and while there’s still a learning curve on how to approach jumps and maintain speed, veterans of the series should appreciate the improved handling. Online racing is still more successful and enjoyable than many racing games, but it would be nice to see more racing options for the experience. The Career Mode is also bare as it lacks in comparison to what the MotoGP series has. Overall, thanks to the improvement on the facet that matters the most, MXGP 2020 has propelled the series forward and it will be exciting to see what it offers on next-gen hardware.

Reverie Knights Tactics is a good tactical RPG experience, but one that falls short of a top-shelf one overall. The attempts to bring more story into the genre are admirable, but not as memorable as games like Disgaea that have done it with more gusto. There’s a lot of depth within the core gameplay, though, and having decisions impact character interactions make that content more engaging overall. It looks fantastic and sounds good, but none of the soundtrack sticks with the player after a session. Still, for someone craving something new in the genre, there’s a lot to enjoy in an imperfect package.

Most games based on movies are cheap shovelware that are released to capitalize on the popularity of the franchise they're based on. The Bourne Conspiracy, however, is clearly a labor of love.

Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer may not actually train the player to be an effective boxer, but it is a fun way to burn some calories and get the heart rate elevated. The targets seem to accurately track the punching movement when it comes to scoring, and the routines presented in the daily challenges are varied enough that getting in some cardio doesn't feel like a chore. Due to the nature of it being a game, the calorie counter is only an approximation and there's no real feedback on whether the player is using good form in their punches. It isn't going to be as effective as a real trainer, but it's an enjoyable and effective cardio workout that would be a great supplement to an existing exercise program or a good starting point for a gamer that wants to be more active.

Just Dance is a series that’s hard to hate as it genuinely wants players to have a good time, but 2015 is a misstep. Hardly anything has changed and practically nothing has for those who don’t partake in the online functionality, some features are missing and the interface has become too basic.

Steep: Road to the Olympics brings enough new content to the table to make it a worthwhile acquisition for any Steep fan. The Become a Legend mode in particular adds a goal-focused narrative that so many gamers have been conditioned to crave while Japan allows the free form exploration of some nice looking snow-covered countryside. Steep was not on the smoothest course when it was first released, but the numerous tweaks and additional content have made it a more enjoyable experience overall. People who were completely unimpressed by Steep when it was first released will likely not see enough of a change to have this content change their mind, but those who were will find a lot to love in the expansion.

The action packed gameplay and well developed story make the time in Bolivia enjoyable, and the freedom to play solo or cooperatively through campaign caters to anyone’s preferred social level in gaming. Wildlands might not be what longtime fans were hoping for from a new Ghost Recon, but putting expectations aside, Wildlands is not a game to miss.

Even an infrequent control failure is maddening when the difficulty is cranked up and every inch of the level is covered in cameras and patrol-bots, though, so until The Swindle sorts out its issues, it’s going to have to be merely decent rather than the excellent it could have been.

Taiko is one of the greatest rhythm titles to ever exist, and although playing on a controller doesn’t quite replicate the true drumming feeling, Taiko No Tatsujin: Drum Session! is a masterful rhythm title that will hopefully continue to reach all fans for years to come.

Suffice it to say, Stranger of Sword City is a must-play for JRPG fans who own an Xbox One.

Super Meat Boy Forever asks a lot of the player but also makes sure that they’ve got the tools to master its challenge while also being considerate enough to make each one approachable in bite-sized chunks. A perfectly-run level takes less than a minute and is divided up into sections that are rarely longer than ten seconds, but each second requires focus. And if that focus slips then a retry is instant with little time lost, making it easy to try again, and again, and again until Doctor Fetus finally realizes what a terrible idea it is to antagonize the Meat Boy/Bandage Girl family.

If you needed proof that some games end up putting out what you yourself put in, WRC 7 is likely the closest the series has gotten into successfully drawing in the more casual players, all the while maintaining the series’ raw and challenging simulation edge.

Dandara‘s seemingly-impossible feat at combining elements of platforming, combat and strategy within its explorative template takes some doing and is almost an accomplishment in of itself.

Whether it’s the indulgence of its presentation or simply the lack of reason from its players to really care about such a dire portrayal of modern-day life (implying harsher truths or not), Mosaic seldom lands any sort of balance between involvement through gameplay and artistic direction for the journey to feel worth trudging through. For a game all about trying to break out of a cycle and changing one’s perspective, Mosaic seems oddly content in the same drab pretense that in the end, through needless repetition, still arrives at nowhere meaningful or memorable.

Mother Russia Bleeds succeeds in being a self-aware play on the edginess in video games. As interesting as its concepts, art design, themes and general aesthetic are, issues with its combat and AI hold it back from being the indie darling it clearly has the potential to be.

If you’re already a fan of the series, it’s impossible to recommend a bare-bones expansion like this at its current price point. If you’re not… well, I have a hard time imagining that you’d enjoy the third installment at all.

A great game that is persistently close to being a spectacular one. It has a bigger story to tell than a 10-15 hour third-person action title can accommodate, but still manages to be surprisingly emotional and touching by the time the credits roll.

The term "interactive film" is thrown around often, but this is the first game to actually feel like one. Carefully maintaining a balance between its social context and supernatural elements, the game refuses to give into standard video game tropes and remains a mature and thoughtful story throughout. It’s poignant, thrilling and even a bit frightening at times.

Destroy All Humans! is a rare example of a remake that changes just enough to maintain the essence of the original while improving the overall experience. The gameplay enhancements give this a more modern feel but it maintains the original story and visual style to appease those seeking a nostalgia fix. Destroy All Humans! was always a fun game though hasn’t aged all that well. This version revitalizes the title, changing just enough to make revisiting Area 42 a worthwhile invasion.

While some might balk at the fact that Project Cars 3 is designed to be accessible, under the hood is the same bone-grindingly difficult racing sim that the series has always been. There’s just more variety of modes and an easier on ramp for people to get into them. This newest title is a welcome mat for the new fans and the die hards alike. There’s always another fresh race to enjoy and a new challenge to overcome. While it isn’t perfect, Project Cars 3 is a solid entry to the series and the racing genre as a whole.