Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD presented MercurySteam with a chance to correct many of the original release’s problems and glaring issues. What we ended up getting was an airlifted port with the only new addition being online leaderboards. Sure, the gameplay is tighter on a controller, but that doesn’t make this lazy port any better than the original release.

For a first title, Splashteam has shown that they are more than capable of bringing some original ideas to one of gaming’s oldest genres. The action-packed levels offer plenty of surprises to keep players on their toes, even if a few fall flat, and the brightly colored presentation further benefits the unique title. Yet, Splasher‘s distinct lack of character is unfortunate, as even a few minor touches could have greatly enhanced the context in which all of this exciting platforming is taking place. Nonetheless, casual and speedrunning platforming fans alike will find a pleasantly surprising amount of depth and content that boosts Splasher to exciting heights.

A far more confident and competent iteration of the Souls template than what came before, Lords of the Fallen‘s all-round impressive design is marred by occasional technical issues and all-too-frequent questions on its very philosophy around challenge. Get past these rough spots, however, and what you’ll find is a game that not only understands the pull and appeal pivotal to this sub-genre, but at times, offers room to add even more nuance to a saturated style of action RPG. It’s these surprisingly-intriguing additions alongside the usual flair of compelling boss fights and environments to carefully get through that does just enough to grant Hexworks a far more positive perception, all things considered. Flawed it may be and guilty of applying the wrong lessons in its design, it may stumble, but Lords of the Fallen does eventually find its stride. Serving up another feature-rich package that will appeal to a large number of Souls veterans.

Mortal Kombat 11 provides a solid if unremarkable cast of characters to choose from and plenty of ways to customize them. It’s just a pity that much of the activities and rewards revolve so heavily around grinding and microtransactions.

Ray Gigant takes some risks in game design to create a unique JRPG experience. Some of these are executed better than others, but the overall game is solid.

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.

The main game is quite memorable though thanks to the concept being so different, and it’s worth checking out for most retro-loving fans — it’s just not something that’s likely to appeal to many beyond that fanbase.

It’s off the beaten path of platformers, but it also has a free demo to check out and once you experience that, you’ll either be sold or you’ll know it’s not for you. If it clicks with you, it sticks with you, though, and Mad Rat Dead is a surprisingly addictive game that makes you think about things differently after you play it.

The on-rails shooter genre is rarely all that frightening, yet somehow Supermassive Games put together a ride which is fun, scary, silly, and an enjoyable romp on PSVR.

Empire Divided is a fun change of pace from the standard Rome II fare. It has decent replay value and a ton of flavor for history buffs or just people interested in history that encourages the player to do some research to understand this interesting historical period.

When it’s working, SimCity is an ecstatic god game that can be addicting to play; when it’s not, it’s one of the most frustrating experiences you’ll have.

While this latest "Mercury" may not be essential to the Wii's library as it was to the PSP's, it is essential to anyone who misses the glory days of endless puzzle platformers, or is serious about getting more game for their buck. [May 2007, p.54]

Ace of Seafood is a ridiculous game in a good way. It provides players with a simple directive — dominate the ocean — and leaves it up to their skill to make that a reality. Alongside how goofy this all looks in action, it also provides a surprisingly compelling bit of gameplay to master. Of course, much of the fun is in simply finding the next creature to gain control of. It also never stops ceasing to be one of the most amusing PS4 titles to date. While it might not be the most delicious gaming dish, Ace of Seafood is yummy in its own right.

Lost Marbles feels like a great proof of concept, but not a full featured game. What’s here is absolutely worth playing, just don’t expect to get much more than an hour or two out of it.

Short and sweet but in no way significantly dented by its own strict vision and run-time, Exo One‘s picturesque voyage through one far-flung planet to the next, though not without fault, is more engaging and novel than it is mildly indulgent.

It is a bit lacking in content and could use some slight tweaks for difficulty purposes, but it still controls like a dream, looks and sounds great, and has enough solid and addictive gameplay to pack a punch.

Call it an insistence on reinforcing the strategy side of things or not, the game can fall victim to its own limitations. But for those with an adoration for lore and for that looming sense of desperation more so, while not entirely original in tone or presentation, Phoenix Point does just enough for those restrictions to fall by the wayside.

Bubble Bobble Plus is a decent update, but the 23-year-old is still the better game. [Summer 2009]

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.

As far as MMO launches go, though, Defiance has been surprisingly smooth for the most part. In the end, the game is off to a decent start, but it faces some inherent hurdles that could hold it back from being what one can tell it’s meant to be.

If you’re a fan of old-school platformers, however, Yumi’s Odd Odyssey is a comprehensive collection of puzzles that will serve your palate well and well worth checking out on the eShop.

It’s hard to recommend Somerville purely on the basis of what loosely-tied and ultimately lacking material its narrative provides. A story, so to speak, devoid of a satisfying conclusion (not least if you’re going for all possible endings) wherein the vague explanation throughout doesn’t always work in its favor. Having said that, the same hands-off approach to its puzzle design does provide more than enough positives to render the game an enjoyable-enough trek.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a frustratingly good time. On one hand, the combat can be entertaining, with highly engaging move sets and combos. On the other hand, the story, pacing, mission structure and some enemy designs leave a lot to be desired.

Rapture could’ve used a more definitive conclusion, or maybe a few more illuminating hints sprinkled along the path to the ending, but still, it’s the individual character moments that will stick with you.

The Ninja Saviors: The Return of the Warriors is a revival of an old game in a style that is rarely seen these days. It’s a game that showcases how fun the style of game can be but also shows off all the limitations that were around in the ’90s. It’s a fun and challenging game that can be completed in an hour or two. The remake did a good job of making it look nice on modern consoles and the two player co-op mode was an essential addition. Like many retro titles, however, this is targeted to the nostalgia market and while playing it can remind people that good games existed in all decades, the limitations of its era are glaringly apparent.

Suffer the Children is an unsatisfying conclusion to Clementine’s journey, temporary or otherwise, as both she and Telltale Games have seen much higher highs over the years. The evolution of the core combat makes up for the lack thereof in the season’s plot, which feels unnecessarily hurried even during the slower moments of the episode. After playing this second episode, it’s hard not to be left wanting more, as Clementine deserves a better resolution to her multi-season adventure, even if it ends up being as depressing as the fate of the developer that created her.

Haunted: Halloween ’86 maintains the essences of its predecessor while generally improving all aspects of it. It succeeds in reminding us that video games were still great even with simpler and more limited hardware, but those limitations remind us how far the medium has advanced. The appeal of this title is pretty much going to be limited to the niche market of retro gamers but after spending some time in Possum Hollow I wouldn’t object to there being a Halloween ’87 in the future.

It needs a little more technical polish and a much smoother learning curve to be considered for real mass-market appeal, but Mordheim: City of the Damned is a rewarding game for the right player.