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.

While it may not stand out as an individual title, The Alliance Alive gets by with somewhat unique ideas and a memorable soundtrack. The varied cast doesn’t leave much impression and the combat gets too easy late-game with minimal grinding which makes it a chore more than anything. There are some great ideas here that fail to work together in a way that makes for an overall fun time.

Nearly ten years later, Saints Row: The Third remains an anomaly in the open-world genre as so many continue to embrace seriousness and realism. Saints Row: The Third Remastered arrives at just the right time to inject a dose of silliness and zaniness into the genre.

As a horror game, SOMA feels old and archaic. It isn’t especially frightening or even satisfying to play, but the questions it raises are worth exploring and make it worthwhile regardless.

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.

Touhou Double Focus is a quirky Metroidvania that offers fun and challenging gameplay. This isn’t the first game that requires the player to switch between two different play styles, but the simplicity in doing so does enhance the exploration aspect of the beautifully designed areas of the book world. While not incredibly long, this doesn’t feel incomplete since each area is filled with many nooks and crannies to explore with secrets to find. Time attack and replaying boss fights adds to the replay value and certain trophies need to only be attempted by the most masochistic of gamers.

Worldend Syndrome isn’t going to change anyone’s minds about visual novels. That’s not the developer’s goals. This is a title aimed squarely at existing fans of the genre. For the forgiving segment of that audience, this is a must play. Worldend Syndrome is a highly-enjoyable read and the story goes places, but it feels like the uninitiated would need to do some homework before jumping in to get the most out of it. Those without a familiarity of the genre can still get some enjoyment out of it, but they would be better served waiting for a sale price. Those that don’t like the genre in general will simply use this as another example of how these games aren’t really “games.” That’s not the point, but there it is.

The developer is showing continued effort to tune it up on a regular basis so perhaps soon enough we’ll see the current issues fixed. Until then, it’s recommended for the more hardcore set of gamers who don’t mind dealing with unexpected hiccups on occasion. When it works as intended, Cloudbuilt is simply an exhilarating ride.

Yes, basketball fans will likely have a great time playing NBA 2K16 for hours on end, but there are too many small steps back here that can’t be ignored. The good news for fans of sports games is that the first misstep in this great franchise is still a very good game, which speaks to how truly fun its gameplay is.

When you look at it, Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition is a pretty good package. You have a slightly flawed, yet still enjoyable seven hour campaign, and a couple of bonus modes that can be tackled with a friend on Xbox Live.

For anyone who has their Wii up and running online, you should definitely take the plunge, because the game's strengths will outweigh its flaws. If you can only play this game offline, however, then unless you're a masochist (or someone psychotic like me, who actually managed to get to the final stage of F-Zero GX’s crazy-hard Story Mode) pass on this; in fact, I'd go so far as to advise you to run in the other direction.