Lack of local multiplayer notwithstanding, Warriors All-Stars is another worthy entry into the Musou series. This is one for fans who want to get a little silly with it and ones who have an affinity for other Koei Tecmo titles.

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.

This is one of those games where the final verdict is somewhat up for debate. On one hand this is the definitive version of the game and if one had to choose between this or the 2018 release this would be the recommended version hands down. For people who have already completed Warriors Orochi 4, the additional content may not be enough to justify the cost of admission. For hardcore fans like this reviewer the new content is worthwhile, but other people who felt satisfied with the conclusion of Warriors Orochi 4 and feel no need to return to that world won’t likely have their opinion swayed by the new content.

High on Life 2 is a sequel that takes meaningful steps forwards with its storytelling and variety, but also many steps back with its gunplay, level design and lack of refinement. It's an ambitious sequel that's fun in doses, but this comedy bit off way more than it could chew.

Mario Golf: Super Rush strengthens the core gameplay with its faster pace and strong fundamentals, but the barebones package will likely leave players wanting more. Even with the additions of Speed and Battle Golf that offer fun alternatives to the traditional mode, the lack of a reliable online multiplayer experience and a mediocre story campaign leaves little for a solo player to get invested in without some local friends to play with. Super Rush has clearly put a focus on quality over quantity, with its stellar presentation and refined mechanics making it another excellent entry in the series that diehards are sure to enjoy. But until the technical issues get ironed out and more DLC characters and courses get added on down the line, Super Rush will have a hard time standing alongside some of the Switch’s other multiplayer juggernauts.

It’s not often you see the inclusion of a story mixed up with a rhythm title, but Taiko pulls it off in a way that makes it wonderful for players of any skill to enjoy drumming while taking down and befriending monsters. It’s wonderful to see this beloved series continue to be released in the west and Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure is worth picking up for anyone looking for more of their favorite drumming action or wanting to get into it for the very first time.

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.

Some aesthetic issues keep it from being perfect and it lacks the consistent adrenaline-pumping action that thrill-seekers crave, but overall it is an immersive and engaging experience for space captains everywhere.

King of Meat is a game that fulfills a specific niche genre, aiming to provide a solid and entertaining party game experience for folks looking to play games with their friends. There's matchmaking and the potential to play solo, but the game at its core is much better with 1–3 others to play with. Crossplay helps with this, allowing the entire group to play on the console of their choice. Everything is straightforward and to the point; there isn’t much to do, but when done with a party, it can end up being fun. It isn’t going to be a game of the year contender by any means, but the world surrounding the game is over the top and hilarious. It allows everyone to have fun with simple weapon combos, fun customization options, a dungeon creator and unlocks that keep the core game interesting.

Number One Hits has a few things going for it and is worth picking up if you own the original Lips, but ultimately falls short at being the must have karaoke game.

Tembo the Badass Elephant is easily one of the most memorable releases of 2015 and hopefully the beautiful beginning of Game Freak branching out from Pokemon (and Nintendo) to deliver more pleasant surprises.

Project X Zone is an outstanding blend of action RPGs, SRPGs, and even fighting games that tries many things and manages to do them well.

The lack of core-features, underutilization of the impressive emotions system, flawed customization and faulty… practically everything else, only emphasizes EA’s struggle to keep its promises.

Once you get past the vertigo, Retrovirus becomes a great little shooter that also resurrects an FPS sub-genre that absolutely deserves its new lease on life.

Digimon Survive is a strange combination of genres that, taken as a whole, is enjoyable, even though the sum of its parts doesn’t wholly mesh. Digimon Survive is a worthwhile adventure for those looking for a strong story, but expect things to move slowly and not much actual gameplay.

The new control scheme works great in the remaster, as well, although it can get finicky with some of the unfortunate camera angles. With all the enhancements in visuals and gameplay elements, Capcom has not only set a precedent for how remasters should be done, but helped excel Resident Evil 0 into being a far more enjoyable horror experience.

Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem is everything a Serious Sam game should be in an economy-sized package, and a great game for both returning fans and those who’ve been wondering what it is that’s kept this series alive for the past twenty one years.

Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is a great-playing game that falls just a bit short of being a well-crafted overall experience. The filler-filled stages and wave-based enemy rooms bog down the experience and get in the way of the fun. It’s a shame too as the core gameplay greatly exceeds the norm for licensed fare and delivers well-crafted swordplay, gunplay and melee combat all in one package. Beating up enemies is satisfying, but tackling waves of them in a weirdly laid-out labyrinth chips away at things. The graphical design is sharp and nicely matches the show, but is hurt by low-quality texture work from time to time. The sound design is top-shelf and not only fits the show, but makes you appreciate playing with a nice audio setup to better-discern enemy locations. Fans of the show will enjoy the game, while those just looking for a well-crafted action game may be disappointed.

Regardless, if you’re a fan of old school RPGs and have a couple bucks (and hours) to spare, Rainbow Moon is still an investment that should be sought out.

Touhou Genso Wanderer is a worthy addition to any roguelike fan’s collection, and even more so for Touhou fans as there are references to their other games throughout this one. The everyone takes one turn at a time system might not be for everyone, for this title is one of the better implementations of this format.

With better pacing, more interesting plot lines and more focused interactions, The Sword in the Darkness is easily the best episode of Telltale’s Game of Thrones yet; it’s not “good” by any means yet, but it’s getting dangerously close.

It detracts from the enjoyment value when a "puzzle" game is almost more of a game of chance.

Since Aero Porter only resembles a traditional airport sim, it's hard to recommend for Aerobiz fans, but those with an affinity for fast-paced puzzlers will probably like it. It's certainly not a graphical showcase, but there's a lot of enjoyment to be had once you get past the crippling difficulty spikes. It's a lot more fun than a baggage-sorting game sounds, so If you've got the patience, give it a shot.

Murder mysteries are a wonderful genre of any medium that have near limitless potential and Root Film is a great entry that fans of other similar visual novels are likely to find enjoyment from. While it may not have a ton in the gameplay department due to focusing much more on the storytelling, it does its job well and the build up to uncovering the criminal in a fun who-done-it moment is worthwhile no matter the case at hand. Titles like these are hard to discuss due to the spoiler nature of murder mysteries, but anyone looking for a new mystery series that’s a mix of wonderful comedy and serious murder drama should check out Root Film.

Little Dragons Café first appears as though it requires constant attention to every little detail, but actually makes for a relaxing time. Exploration is well paced with each step further getting more creative and exiting, and managing the café is simple without feeling overly stressful. It’s a laid back title that is easy to get absorbed in and focus for long hours, but also makes for a wonderful time to pop into every once in a while and just explore what it has to offer. Little Dragons Café makes for a memorable, sweet journey that any person can pick up and enjoy without worry.

Dead Star is quite fun, unique and serves as a great spin on both old and new genres, but one can’t help but feel concerned about the game’s longevity.

Super Dungeon Maker is a wonderful but flawed creation experience so far. It’s painfully easy to lose time working on a dungeon for hours, crafting every little element to make things feel perfect and add little decorations as a finishing touch. The key downside are the current bugs and glitches that occur semi-frequently. While building is fantastic, it’s easy to glitch things accidentally and never be able to repair them which could hinder an entire creation in one fell swoop. There’s so much to love here that we hope it gets fixed so more can enjoy one of the best dungeon-building creators out there. For those on the fence it’s best to wait until more patches come around, but Super Dungeon Maker is a delight that we can’t wait to see fix its handful of problems and get to the meat of exploration creation.

Hardcore fans of the series will enjoy this the most, but the learning curve is steep for those new to the series or to Supercross in general. The confidence level for riding will take some time to reach to pull off jumps and corners, but there’s a good payoff when you get to that point. The Compound offers a big change and in a positive way while other modes get some boosts as well. The online experience is much improved thanks to its dedicated servers and some mini games. Colors pop on the screen and the atmosphere of a Supercross race is still replicated well. Milestone needs to implement the tools to make the game more accessible.

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.

On one hand, the mechanics are satisfying as timing counters and ground passes are down to precision. On the other hand, this is a light package that contains unpolished gameplay.

For the asking price of ten bucks, it would be difficult to find more enjoyment.

Overall, Tokyo Dark stands as yet another impressive and surprisingly gripping entry into Square Enix Collective’s portfolio of diverse titles, given its scale but more prominently its tone. One that executes the seemingly-impossible task of fusing the elegance of traditional point-and-click gameplay with the engaging story-telling of a visual novel. Doing so in a way that reaps the beneficial joy of both genres, yet still making sure to ask many a question to its player on what the next logical step should be. While it doesn’t re-imagine or reinvent the conventions, Cherrymochi’s take on the choice-driven style of play — fed notably through the lens of its uneasy Tokyo setting — makes this a must for either community. Be it those of the point-and-click sway, the visual novel variant or perhaps neither of the two. Because even if your decision in-game turns out to be the wrong one, there are plenty of twists and turns to discover in Tokyo Dark‘s hybrid of narrative and investigative gameplay to make the experience all that more focused, all that more perplexing, but ultimately, fittingly satisfying to resolve.

It’s very hard to get a rhythm game right on a handheld, but Activision has really accomplished that.

Anybody interested in games with a narrative focus simply must give Richard & Alice a shot.

Mr. Shifty knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat yet tentatively conserved all the same. Whether it’s using that last crucial shift or dealing with enemies in a frantic manner, the basic premise masks a surprising strategic depth. While its lack of challenge in the early parts, not to mention the somewhat disappointing length of its total run-time, may feel underwhelming, don’t let the bare, stripped-back design of its environments fool you. There’s plenty of tactical thinking one not just discovers, but ultimately, is required to harness if your intention is to succeed and the way Mr. Shifty manages to balance player involvement with the consequences littering nearly every room traversed through is a prime example of how good gameplay can triumph over anything the on-screen visuals might show. Gameplay might be one of the few, solitary highs it rides, but for the most part, that’s all Mr. Shifty really needs to stand as entertaining, and more importantly, downright fun to tackle.

What’s great about That’s You right now is that it’s free for PlayStation Plus members. It’ll jump to $19.99 starting on October 24, a steep price compared to the Jackbox Party Pack, which costs $24.99 and comes with a plethora of games, but it’s worth it for those who get in right now. The graphics are great, as they should be since there’s not a lot going on visually, the narration is funny and the mini-games allow for a ton of natural comedy. It’s also the first of the PlayLink games, so if this is just the beginning, then it’s a good sign. That’s You is easy for everyone to get in on at parties or just when hanging out with friends and shows the future of PlayLink is promising indeed.

Fire Tonight is short, sweet and unforgettable. Both main characters and their varying gameplay styles enable the player to go on a journey that sticks with you long after the game ends. Blending logic puzzles with a point and click adventure seems odd in theory, but in execution works out well. Each style of gameplay is fun and aside from some technical hiccups that can spring up from time to time, it’s a smooth experience. Its visuals and music work together to form something beautiful and it acts as a nice time capsule for the early ’90s while also highlighting how fortunate we are to have technology we do. Fire Tonight is a fantastic pickup for anyone in the mood for a light, breezy logic puzzle game — but also anyone who just wants to enjoy an uplifting narrative.

Online multiplayer and a meaty campaign, along with amiibo functionality, mean there’s plenty of fun to be had in Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.‘s unique world, and it’s hard to imagine anybody running out of steam once they give it a chance.

Less a case of biting off more than it can chew, Immortals of Aveum instead serves up a mixed bag of notable creativity, dragged down by issues both narrative and technical alike. While future patches may go some way to iron out the uneven frame-rate and inconsistent visual quality, the same can’t be said for a brand of writing that’s at best tolerable and at worst, potentially off-putting. Minus one or two secondary characters you’d be happy to see stick around for longer, yet are sadly ditched in service of a plot with brief but ultimately unfulfilled promise. If nothing else, Ascendant Studios could’ve done a lot worse given the tone and the design intentions placed here. What’s left is a game that while doesn’t always put its best foot forward, eventually finds a way to loop back round to feeling curious as to what it has tucked away out of shot. Though it may trip over itself one too many times, Immortals of Aveum‘s rewarding level design, puzzle-solving and potential for custom builds still offers a sufficient amount to carry this “magic-shooter” pitch through to credits’ end.

The Devil in Me not only sticks the landing for The Dark Pictures Anthology, but it does so with a highly-improved game that shows off the potential of this series, feeling like a culmination of every lesson Supermassive has learned along the way. The story is a nicely -aptivating and tense thriller, new gameplay touches like the individual inventories are great additions, the setting is creepy with a lot of attention to detail, and overall, it just feels like a lot of fun. The real-life H.H. Holmes may not have been the grand killer we imagine him as, but the myth behind him has certainly made for one killer adventure game.

Enotria: The Last Song is a solid soulslike with a unique, appealing identity, which is plenty to paper over the rough spots on the quest to free the world from a script nobody asked for.

Blair Witch makes a valiant effort to revive the franchise, and while it won’t generate the hype of the 1999 film, it’s a worthwhile horror title despite some flaws discussed above. Its biggest problem is that the execution of a lot of its ideas fall short of their potential. Bullet is a great addition to the experience, but poor pacing and not the greatest game mechanics hold this one back from being a must-play title. For hardcore horror fans or people who are really into the Blair Witch franchise, this title is worth checking out.

Yes, it’s a massive bummer to see games that appear to be prime split-screen titles go completely without this functionality, but if you’re looking for a solid game to hop into with friends before larger multiplayer experiences begin to drop, you could do a lot worse.

Tron: Catalyst is an enjoyable action adventure experience that allows a deep dive into a compelling futuristic world that’s an alternate look at the Disney-owned universe. While some issues keep it from being a masterpiece, the writing and fun combat experience are worth giving a try, possibly acting as an entry point into the sci-fi franchise.

Enjoyment of Final Fantasy Explorers is defined by two things: nostalgia for Final Fantasy and the amount of immediate challenge desired.

River City: Tokyo Rumble takes everything good about River City Ransom and improves upon it.

With only about ten hours of gameplay (give or take), it feels too long in all the wrong ways. I’m optimistic, however, that KeokeN Interactive can finesse development to bring quality to future titles.

Kororinpa, feels like a solid beginning to what could become a beloved franchise. [May 2007, p.59]

In Too Deep isn’t bad, nor does it fully suggest that The Walking Dead: Michonne will be a letdown. But if this helping was any indication, it would appear that splitting this side game up into an episodic adventure was a bad idea.

It’s a strange, retro-styled beauty that needs to be played to be experienced.

The Shrouded Isle is a perfect game if looking for something quick and easy to play. With simple mechanics that only require the pointing and clicking of a mouse, a narrative that is heavy handed but deeply satirical, it’s easy to get on board. The Shrouded Isle doesn’t ask a lot from the player because it knows it’s delivering a finite ending. The beauty is that each game is relatively quick and the longest it takes to close out the three years is a little over half an hour. It would be nice if it was accompanied by a few more menus or ways to look back on certain stats but it doesn’t hinder the game. Who knew being the High Priest of a sacrificial cult could be so fun?

The choice of the node system is regrettable and without super units and super weapons, the end game doesn’t have the same sort of pop and excitement that it should.

Song of the Deep could have been downright outstanding, but there’s enough flaws here to bump it back down into the realm of simply good. If you’re looking for a title with a touching story and gorgeous art-design, you could do a lot worse than Insomniac’s underwater metroidvania adventure.

Anyway, Mana Khemia has a solid story, hilarious character dialogue, and an engaging combat system, and it lets you make giant swords using only dirt, vegetables, woodchips, and household cleaning products.

Abyss Odyssey is a quirky little gaming gem, and as long as its warlock keeps dreaming, it’s worth fighting through the beauty of his visions.

This is simply a must play for Sword Art Online fans. For those interested in the world and action, the narrative does a decent enough job introducing returning characters, with the option to skip the reintroduction for returning players, allowing Hollow Realization to serve as a perfectly fine entry point into the series. Overall, this is easily the best Sword Art Online game yet. Hopefully, the trend will continue into the future.

Ride 2 doesn’t do everything it could have to become the premiere motorcycle racing game on the market, but it comes far closer than the original. The racing action is more intense than before, but the core game is still held back by a bit by long load times. The online play remains solid, so anyone who enjoyed the original’s online play will find more of that to enjoy here. Anyone who felt that the first game was a world of unfulfilled potential will find more to like here. The core action is far better and there is more to enjoy than before. It’s a well-crafted game and well-worth buying for anyone who enjoys fast-paced sim racing and has a passion for motorycles.

There are many elements it copies, carries over and at times doesn’t quite capitalize on — despite the brief flashes of promise and suggestion of something more lying in wait — but Super Crush KO is a sufficient follow-up to Graceful Explosion Machine and a pleasant-enough challenge for those looking for 2020’s first, quick colorful and chaotic fix.

Fans of the series shouldn’t hesitate – this is the Broken Sword you know and love – but I can understand other people being wary.

The journey itself Crisbell and co take doesn’t hit the highs the striking aesthetic conjures, but Cris Tales delivers on a satisfying-if-uneven twist to turn-based RPG affairs.

Every Vita owner needs to experience Murasaki Baby. By creating a personal and engaging story, all while wrapping it in a hypnotically original art design, Ovosonico have gone where most other developers fear to tread.

Much like its predecessor, Magicka 2 is a flawed game whose faults generally contribute to its charm. There’s something wonderfully engaging about a game that knows exactly what it is, doesn’t try to be anything more, and succeeds on nearly all fronts.

Outcast - A New Beginning is an excellent sequel with a lot of great gameplay elements that go a long way to make up for its need for further polish. Bugs are common, from an outpost with the robots stuck in the floor to breakable helidium crystals floating several feet above the ground they should be poking out of, and the conversation trees are in desperate need of re-ordering. Despite this, though, it's almost impossible to resist seeing what the next villager is up to and their relation to the rest of the world, following the dialogue and fishing out quests as an excuse to see and do more. The world is also beautifully designed, with each village having its own architecture and style while the world map is covered in points of interest and different biomes, providing gorgeous views from just about any spot in the landscape. Combat is also great fun, especially when stumbling on a particularly effective gun combination or figuring out how the latest upgrade fits into the flow of the next hostile encounter. It took over twenty-four years for Cutter Slade to return to Adelpha, but the wait has paid off with an epic adventure on an alien world.

Strand is fabulous, some of the campaign missions are truly masterful, and the game remains genuinely fun, but these can’t offset Destiny 2: Lightfall’s shortcomings. Destiny 2: Lightfall is just another filler expansion on the pathway to the final showdown.

I couldn’t be more disappointed in how Star Ocean: The Divine Force turned out, to the point I’d rather go back and replay tri-Ace’s Infinite Undiscovery. You can take solace that The Divine Force is at least better than Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness as there are moments of intrigue, but they’re overshadowed by how severely underwhelming the overall package ended up.

Earth Defense Force 2017 is the action game equivalent of potato chips: no nutritional value, but tasty nonetheless. [May 2007, p.61]

Anyone looking to get into the Deception series should do so with The Nightmare Princess, it’s as a top-notch game and one destined to be a cult classic down the line.

New players should choose Re;Birth over the PS3 original, while fans who haven’t yet worn out on the series’ charm should jump back in. The new Plan system and revamped battles make Re;Birth a much better game than its predecessor.

It’s undeniably fun to bolt together some sort of “airplane”-looking thing and watch it crash and burn, but once the novelty of failed construction wears off, the game doesn’t offer an easy or gradual method of entry into the decidedly non-simple world of aerodynamics and practical flight design.

One of the best-looking releases of the past few years from a technical and artistic standpoint, so heavily undermined by everything else surrounding it, The Callisto Protocol caps off 2022 with a release devoid in substance and all the more disappointing because of it.

Desync is not the worst first person shooter I have ever played, but it just doesn’t bring anything to the table to make it that worthwhile either. It does a good job at recreating how the ’80s tried to create something that looked futuristic, but this stylized homage to that decade is definitely style over substance.

While its lacking narrative and world-building comes off a missed opportunity that, despite momentary hints, never properly materializes, Hauntii and Moonloop Games' admiration and understanding of collectathon-styled adventures is what keeps this latest journey through the afterlife feeling anything but lifeless. The two-tone aesthetic and use of light-and-dark contrast, specifically in the context of level design, is where the game is at its most cleverly-orchestrated. Despite its minimalist appearance, this is a game whose subtle suggestions to maybe venture off the beaten path now and again is never too far away. Complimented along the way by a possession-based mechanic that plays host to challenges, mini-games and even a couple of set-pieces providing just the right amount of variety. It may not go down as the most memorable or indeed the most fulfilling example of its genre or indeed this style of game, but Hauntii still proves that even flawed creations can still bear a welcome level of enjoyment.

When the layers of the experience are peeled back, what we’re left with at Arcadias‘ core is a sluggish brawling RPG that can sometimes lack the kind of gameplay merit needed for sustainability beyond a handful of hours.

Octodad succeeds as both a gut-busting slapstick routine and a touching treatise on what it means to be a family. It’s a little short, and it won’t turn the gaming world on its head, but at least it’s fun, replayable, heartwarming and didn’t cost 15 million dollars.

At the very least, it earns points for its attempts to make the most out of this subgenre thanks to its unique hook in the way they achieved their setting and some fine acting, but much like the titular bunker itself, a lot of it does sadly feel a bit empty after a bit.

tar Fox Zero is a good game to play and it’s one many will get stuck into through some frantic attempt to rack up an even greater high score. Just don’t be surprised if that franticness ceases short of what you may have initially come to expect.

If you go into Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete Edition knowing that it’s just a slightly better looking port, you’ll have a blast with its addictive mindless button mashing mechanics.

I did have a good time with SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1; despite some emulation issues and some poorly chosen extras, it's still an excellent value and will bring back memories of the good old days.

So how does Cryostasis: Sleep of Reason stack up? With mediocre horror themes, poor level design, and a poor story all muddled with poor stability, this is one game you wont miss playing.

With dozens of levels to try out and a lot of replay value thanks to the three-starred system, Furmins is an easy recommendation if you grew up loving Lemmings or the Incredible Machines (or if you just dig a good physics puzzler).

While this is a relatively weak episode in the Minecraft: Story Mode world, it isn’t the worst episode and with the addition of the new characters, it will be enjoyable for fans and players alike.

Rifter is a fantastic neon-synth action platformer with a gorgeous, distinctive style and a rewarding challenge. It can be a bit merciless at times, especially when chasing after success on the bonus levels, but the tools to win are available even if they can be a bit tricky to access sometimes. You’ll need to bring your A game to wring the most from Rifter, and the reward is a lightning-fast 2D adventure that sees frustration turn to a satisfying mastery as one goal after another eventually falls to a combination of persistence and growing skill.

Metamorphosis manages to whip up an impressive tribute to Franz Kafka in its quick story thanks to its offbeat sense of humor, style and eye-catching world. It’s just a shame that the game flounders when it comes to figuring out how merge together the various gameplay aspects needed to keep going in this tale of transformation. Still, it does have enjoyable platforming and a few surprises here and there, so if you have about three to four hours to kill, this is a crash course in abridged Kafka worth checking out.

The game does control well, but it’s an eyesore with low-end textures that would be more at home on a PS2 launch title than a new release in 2020. Thankfully, it does sound great with strong voice work from the newest Transformers series cast and its soundtrack gets the blood pumping when needed.

Millennia is an interesting, if flawed, take on the civilization-like experience that could be so much more with polish and time taken to it. It’s worth experiencing if you like these types of games, but it’s not going to revolutionize the genre, or dethrone Civilization anytime soon. With some polish and the right updates, it can get better, but for now it's a good, but flawed experience.

Shuten Order is a fantastic text adventure that truly sets itself apart from the crowd with its brilliant use of multiple routes to create the complete story. Other than some technical issues that hold the game back, it’s an impressive feat that shows how the Too Kyo team knows very well how to tell compelling stories.

During the later stages of Knack II, the titular hero says, “We all make mistakes. What matters is what you do next.” Knack II addresses some of the previous title’s mistakes, pushing forward the combat depth and enhancing the satisfying loop of gradually overpowering the world around the player through size management. Unfortunately too many of the past mistakes remain, including an unapologetically bland story and presentation, to have Knack’s return be justified to anyone but young players or dedicated 3D platformer fans.

Tokyo RPG Factory appears to have one goal: remind us of the Golden Years of RPGs. Unfortunately, Oninaki captures that era of gaming and does nothing remarkable with it.

FIFA Soccer 13 for Wii U isn't the worst version of this year's popular soccer game, but it's certainly below standards for most modern console owners.

When Sea of Thieves clicks, most likely because you have a full galleon of fellow pirates to work with, it can create a rousing, fun experience whether completing a long voyage for the Gold Hoarders or even just sailing around, looking for any hidden secrets or loot. But remove that and becomes clear that you have a game with little in the way or content or variety. It’s still decent, of course, but it’s nothing to write home about without a group.

It’s a blast from the past in more ways than one and you should check it out.

Even with these blemishes and moments where the admiration for what’s come before gets in the way of basic consistency and much-needed fluidity, OverBorder Studio have at least landed in a much better position with a foundation that’s challenging and entertainingly so.

This is a good sports game for people who don't like sports games, i.e. me. [Vol 3, Issue 2, p.62]

Tumble VR improves upon the original Tumble with all manner of new puzzles and a cute versus mode. It’s also a game which makes total sense for playing within the PSVR. There’s something about placing blocks with your own “hands” that just feels better than other puzzlers. The caveat, of course, is if your controller also exhibits the weird shakiness in-game from time to time, which makes it totally annoying rather than an amusing experience.

Earth Defense Force 2025 is a fantastic example of everything that makes pure action gaming so much fun, packed with replay value and over the top set pieces, and a more than worthy sequel that tops its predecessor in every way.

Icon is a fun ride, but it's got some pretty deep shoes to fill. It is fun and the music features are pretty cool, so give it a look. [Apr 2007, p.46]

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

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.