One of those games that you will enjoy playing but will leave you wanting just a bit more from the developer.

Despite some of the sound issues, Crazy Taxi still looks great, plays great, and is sure to get everyone from the hardcore to the casual involved.

Grab your sword, prepare to enjoy that character creation menu, and get ready to spend as much time in the hospital as in a 3D dungeon labyrinth.

Where the Heart Leads isn’t going to be a game for everyone but it does a remarkable job at letting the player walk their own path through Whit’s life. Much of the story is fairly ordinary but that’s what makes it so relatable. It may even cause you to reflect on the choices you’ve made in your own life and how you may have helped or hindered those around you.

Blasphemous 2 is more ambitious than its predecessor with its fleshed-out swordplay and cleaner dedication to the search action genre. And while these additions give Blasphemous 2 more of an identity, they also give it more room to stumble. Said deeper combat is sticky and held back by its dedication to being adjacent to the soulslike genre. Its narrative tries to broaden the game’s world but suffers because of its lack of a solid recap and overreliance on cryptic storytelling. It’s an artistically sublime world but seemingly pays penitence with its uneven gameplay.

Regardless of its question-mark-filled future, Crash Team Rumble is an uncomplicated, yet entertaining multiplayer experience. Crash and the other characters all control well and the core systems are solid, meaning there’s enough here even if you’re not a bandicoot-obsessed fan that knows the difference between Aku Aku and Uka Uka. The appeal doesn’t go far beyond that, though. It’s hard to imagine wanting to sink hundreds of hours into it since the simplicity that makes it approachable keeps it from true greatness. Yet not every game has to become a new obsession, and Crash Team Rumble is content to be just another, if comparatively brief, addition to you and your friend’s game night routine.

Despite the enforced name change due to issues over the rights to the Harvest Moon name, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life has managed to bring the GameCube game kicking and screaming into the modern age. Between the original’s restrictions and the removal of some of the more in-depth features, it doesn’t manage to compete with more modern and intensive farming sims like Stardew Valley. Despite its relative simplicity, though, A Wonderful Life is still a relaxing experience that builds upon the solid foundation of the original and is the most comprehensive version of the GameCube title so far.

Once you get the decision-making ball rolling, it gets hard to put Ashen Hawk down.

Even on the easy setting, the game is very unforgiving and style and technique trump power and speed. This is a fairly true simulator that should end up trackside in a fancy setup with a rumble seat and steering wheel. Driving with a controller is very touchy and a decent wheel would be the choice way to play.

Megadimension Neptunia VIIR is recommended for fans of the original. But tacked-on VR scenes won’t do much for those looking for new and exciting experiences.

Freekscape: Escape from Hell is a good example of the entertainment and value a PlayStation Minis title should contain, or indeed any PlayStation Network title. Although the graphics may be lackluster, this shouldn’t detract from the experience that Freekscape: Escape from Hell delivers – and shouldn’t be missed by any PlayStation owner.

Ghostrunner 2 goes against its programming by repeatedly slowing down, but it’s still made up of enough of its classic parts. Sprinting and dashing around the neon-lit city while cutting down its many cybernetic forces can be an empowering trip that’s only bolstered by its thumping electronic soundtrack. A strong core like this deserves to be expanded upon more robustly through its new and existing mechanics, which just isn’t the case here. Ghostrunner 2 has taken a few steps forward and a few steps back, but even though it is running in place, it’s still faster than most of its competition.

Sparklite is a pretty fun game. It’s vibrant and cute and as a fan of pixel art, I admit that I may be a little biased. However, thanks to its rogue-lite elements, you can play in short spurts or sit down for a few hours at a time which is a real plus in my books.

The final dagger that prevents Lords of the Fallen from achieving greatness is its completely throwaway plot, and to a lesser extent, a nasty case of uninspired world design.

MX vs. ATV Alive takes what was new about Reflex and tweaks it subtly, though the lack of a traditional career mode ends up hurting the game more than helping it.

If I had to describe Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle in one word, that word would be, “fumbly.” There’s a lot of fumbling, mostly with the controls, some with the menus and UI, and some with getting around the maps with their samey walls and lack of landmarks.

Even with its limited modes and maps (or rather, map, singular), Midnight Murder Club makes for a wildly good time if you can sign up a few friends. It might lack the flash and panache seen in modern live-service titles, but if you’ve been yearning for an online shooter that emphasizes gameplay and good times over all else, look no further.

The online play currently ranges from bad to broken, and that’s a huge hit for a game that’s built around playing with friends. The single-player arcade mode isn’t enjoyable to play, and feels thrown in order to fulfill a checklist. It’s simply lacking in areas that’d make it a more appealing party game than the original. There are still flashes of brilliance that remind me why I loved Nidhogg, but the sequel never clicked for me in the same way.

The collectibles are easier to amass, the puzzles have some challenge, and the character creation is enjoyable. If nothing else, you get to hear Mark Hamill’s sillier version of the Joker. That alone makes the price of admission worth it.

If positioned as a PSN downloadable title, All-Star Fruit Racing may have been considered a great budget offering, however launching the game at full retail release brings with it higher expectations. Where some of them are met with easy to grasp controls, plenty of customization and the odd thrilling circuit, there are a number of minor faults that sour the overall package.

Kojima released this to tease and whet the appetites of the Metal Gear fans that were begging for more. If you fall into that camp, then you have probably already have your mind made up. For anyone who has never played a Metal Gear game however, I can’t recommend that this be your first foray down the nanomachine-filled rabbit hole.

Despite Kismet’s very blatant “one trick pony” nature, the one thing that still weighs heavily in its favor are the outstanding production values. While other PSVR releases seem to lose sight of the fact that VR offers up a whole new set of presentation options, Kismet embraces the capabilities of the new hardware.

The brief levels offer a perfect bite-sized morsels, and you may even end up biting off more than just a nibble each time you play, slamming just one more coin into the slot to start another round.

When you take a step back and look at what Raw Data is attempting to accomplish on the PSVR, it’s remarkable what they were able to pull off. Better yet, it’s one of the few VR experiences that I’ve played that feel like they’ve graduated from extended tech demo to a fully formed gaming experience. Unfortunately, while the ambition is certainly there, it feels like the hardware is once again preventing a standout title from achieving its potential greatness.

The sequel to the classic is indeed worthy in most ways, and Chivalry II is a much needed upgrade to the original game. Combat has a lot going on, and while many players will behave as non-chivalrous bastards, there is a good amount of fun to be found on the medieval battlefields of Chivalry II.

Despite having this replayability, the two-hour length makes Datura a hard sell at $9.99. Still, I do recommend trying this unusual, unique psychological experience, if only to see what it's all about and to try and figure out what I means to you-even if it is accompanied by overly frustrating, cumbersome controls.

It's still the best baseball series on the market, and lack of innovation isn't going to take that away anytime soon.

What it may lack in depth, Prototype 2 makes up for in solid open-world action and fun. It's highly recommended to anyone who feels that open-world games have offered too many constraints and would just like to engage in some havoc. However, the game's lack of variety and repetitive mission structure may not offer other gamers the experience that they're looking for, especially when compared to other games in the genre.

Monster Energy Supercross 2 will intrigue veterans of the series with its deeper career mode, rhythm gameplay, and authentic AMA Motocross Championship presentation. Meanwhile, casual racing fans can hop in and have a lot of fun with the easy to learn controls and compound mode, however bugs and long load times will frustrate everyone.

It’s more melancholy than anything else—sad at times, joyfully freeing for the franchise at others.

The game plays well, but at the same time the controls are nothing to write home about. Despite Kutaro’s tricks, the gameplay is relatively simple.

The pixel art-style and generic character design in Riddled Corpses Ex makes it a game which is fairly easy for people to overlook and dismiss as yet another bland twin-stick shooter.

It’s just incredibly okay, when it should just be incredible.

Control is another game from Remedy that does exactly what you’d expect from Remedy. It’s a little off-kilter, but thoughtful and meticulously written. It’s a little janky (sometimes a lot janky), but its mechanics amount to solid junk food when everything is functioning as intended. Control is definitely a step back into “AA” territory after the big ambitions that powered Quantum Break, but frankly this is exactly the sort of space Remedy excels in. While it can be rough at times, Control is like a paperback novel you pick up to kill some time, then unexpectedly find a lot of intrigue and charm.

Why would you want to buy MLB The Show 22? If I’m being completely honest, it’s really hard to justify taking the plunge this year, especially if you owned 2021’s installment. This release feels devoid of any marque justification for purchase, aside from continued refinement on existing mechanics. It’s really hard to shake the feeling that this was supposed to be a grand slam and ended up being a dribbler off the end of the bat.

In general, Nexomon Extinction is a novel Pokemon-like. Its story is quite enjoyable and packed with personality, humor, and even some twists about the state of the world. There are lots of cool monsters who are really appealing, with movesets you could really work with and build parties around. But it doesn’t have everything you might expect from a game in this genre, since there’s no multiplayer element. Also, it can feel quite tedious due to the rate of experience you earn and amount of money you (aren’t) getting. Still, it’s definitely worth a look, especially when you consider its price.

Although it is frustrating on many occasions and let downs such as commentary may detract from the overall experience, it still can't take away the fact that the game has received much-needed improvements, a slew of exciting additions such as the addictive Master League Online, and some top-notch visuals.

If you’re looking for a beefy console RTS experience that’s inspired by real events and oozing violence out of every bloody orifice, then look no further than Ancestors Legacy. It may not be the perfect experience, but it’s shockingly solid, especially when you consider the design hurdles that the development team must have been facing. This is the perfect entry-point for anyone who’s been curious about real time strategy, when armed with only a Dualshock.

I think it’s a boss-rush game with Souls-like aesthetics because, in terms of gameplay, the only real similarity with the Dark Souls franchise is the fact that it’s a difficult game with a stamina bar, boss fights, and a focus on dodge mechanics. Consequently, it’s also why I feel if you’re looking for a game similar to the Soulsborne games, Eldest Souls may not be your cup of tea. But hey, if you’re a fan of boss rush hack-and-slash games, why not give it a try?

The game didn't do enough in my eyes to improve on what made the first game so great.

The game does something with its combat system that few had tried before or after, and it is a genuine joy once you’ve got the hang of it. When you strip away the below-average genre trappings, all that remains of The Last Remnant Remastered is a damn fine combat system that was clearly built before any other element of the game.

Freedom Wars is not a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination. Its flaws are obvious, constantly present and, in the case of the storyline, disheartening. However, the gameplay itself is good enough to lift its quality above average.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing will sate the ARPG fan’s appetite, but only just. Those looking for an entertaining story will find plenty to like here, but you’ll have to slog through some uninspired combat in order to get to the good parts. A mid-game tower defense mashup freshens things up a bit, but a poor control scheme will lead you to wonder how much better the game could have been. Still, at only $19.99/€19.99, if you think you can deal with some annoying controls and otherwise average RPG action, the surprise metagame in The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing might be worth the price of admission.

Ultimately though, this is still the same critically scorned game from 2007, just with a couple of added features.

There’s some good stuff here and it is definitely a piece of gaming history that should be honored and remembered. It just doesn’t compare to more modern conveniences in cooperative RPGs, and things like needing to constantly create new lobbies or make sure you have a certain number of party members can hold you back.

Xenoraid is a unique spin on the space shooter genre that offers its own brand of challenge for seasoned players. The short missions are perfect for handheld gameplay, as well, making it easy to pick up and play whenever you have a spare few minutes. Space shooter fans looking for something new that isn’t a dual stick shooter should be fairly pleased with what Xenoraid has to offer.

For as much as FIFA 22 has done right with enhancements to the the on-field product, they seem perfectly content to not offer up new ways to engage with the sport. While HyperMotion helps bridge the realism gap that’s been present for a bit, it isn’t quite substantial enough to warrant calling it game-changing. This may be a positive step in the right direction for the franchise, but it’s still quite a ways from genuinely raising the bar.

For all it aspires to deliver, Mutant Football League is a refreshingly vulgar, entertaining take on a tried and true football formula.

Cat Quest II is a delightful game with easy controls and a lot of content to play through. They stuck to its roots, which this fan is thankful for. Any time I am itching for something to put a goofy smile on my face, the game I’ll be reaching for will be curled up and happy to see me.

A fast-paced, non-stop downloadable title, that makes sure to leave everything it has on the table. Fantastic environments, explosions, and weapons make for an experience that is fun to play solo but better with friends. However, the game is around 3-4 hours to complete and the online is the same maps from the single player that can become way too easy.

Anomaly 2 builds off the first Anomaly with some fresh, new ideas, and is an intelligent, strategic game with plenty of replayability value. It is not perfect by any means, but for the price ($14.99), it is a pretty fun game.

If you are a fan of lengthy time spent dungeon crawling and customizing your party, then this will feel right at home, with over 40 hours easily of gameplay to be had. People who aren’t fans of the genre though, won’t find anything new to change their minds.

Catherine is a great narrative with a unique blend of puzzle and simulation. It's a shame that the simulation sections didn't play a larger role in the experience, as they feel like the reward for completing the repetitive and frustrating puzzle sequences that make up the bulk of gameplay.

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is an appetizer for the main course that is sure to be No More Heroes III. Indeed, it is best served in short, bite-sized chunks, which its short levels are perfect for consuming in such a way. As a whole, this isn’t the strongest entry in the series, but then it doesn’t feel like it was intended that way. Sitting down with a buddy in local co-op is a fun first for Travis, and a decent smattering of extra game modes helps to stretch play time a bit.

The humor is why I stayed up late playing, and it’s that humor that prods me to recommend this title to Vita owners. Even if you don’t like toilet humor, which did get rather old about halfway through, there is an option to cut it down or remove it entirely. It’s still just as funny without it. The important thing to remember about this Big Cynical Adventure is to not expect a deep story throughout. It’s about as deep as a toilet.

This game will do a good job of keeping your heart rate up throughout the huge amount of exercises that it offers, all while you are having fun.

God Eater 2: Rage Burst proves that without a shadow of a doubt, the series deserves a home on the console. The great depth, compelling combat and interesting enemies provide an fantastic counterpoint to the Monster Hunter brand, while also providing an exciting new sandbox for players to explore. Unfortunately, there are plenty of shortcoming associated with mediocre port work that prevent this iteration from fulfilling its full potential.

It’s frustrating to not be able to talk about the bits of Rebirth that I liked the most due to a fear of spoiling things, but just know that there’s a lot to uncover that makes the bits that I liked less worth going through. Although the pacing and second half of the game let things down a bit, an awesome story and a campaign full of tension make Amnesia: Rebirth worth playing through for both the horror fans and the horror fearful.

If someone is a visual novel fan, then Utawarerumono: Prelude to the Fallen’s story will definitely be reason enough to devour this feast. If someone is considering it because they enjoy strategic RPGs and are hoping for something challenging and new, they’ll likely find themselves disappointed. I would say the saga is strong enough that it makes enduring an occasional, brief battle every once in a while, but people who feel like they need more would be justified in not helping Hakuowlo pick up the pieces.

There’s a gem to be found in this game, but boy is it tucked in deep.

I really enjoyed Echo, but like a song played on repeat, I could only suffer so much repetition before it began to lose me.

The platforming is solid, even if other parts of the game lacking, and it accomplishes everything that it sets out to do.

A decent game that should find a home with people wanting a solid JRPG. A couple of nagging flaws keep this game from fully reaching its potential, but even with those, there is still plenty to enjoy here. A serviceable story provides good balance between humor and drama but is killed at times by awkward dirty jokes.

As a relatively underappreciated game from the previous generation, Darksiders II deserved a bit more in its revival to prove its worth on the PS4.

Despite how much Ezio Auditore da Firenze is showing his age, you can’t help but enjoy yourself as you stab your way through countless Templars. That said, it’s only fun if you already played and enjoyed the games the first time. I can’t imagine taking such a large backwards step in gameplay evolution for those who have only played Black Flag or Syndicate.

A serviceable motorcycle road racing game.

Regardless of these minor draw backs, Explodemon! is a fun game, and does a good job of bringing back retro game elements that are rarely seen in new titles any more.

It’s brutish welcome is certain to dissuade many newcomers with unrelenting AI and unnecessarily obscure move lists, but those that make it past the opening trials will be rewarded with one of the most unique and charming 2D fighters in a long time.

Accounting+ is a novelty, brilliant to experience, but hard to recommend. I was highly entertained by my time with Accounting+, but after this review, I am thoroughly done with it.

Maquette has its issues, but is still a solid experience. The grievances I have can be fixed if the studio has the manpower and time to do so. If you’re looking specifically for puzzle games there are others I would recommend before this. But it’s free for PS Plus members for March 2021, and it’s hard to say no to free.

When the PlayStation Move tracking doesn’t get in the way, Wayward Sky is a delightful game. Getting to take a peek at the fantastic world that Uber Entertainment has created was fascinating, and they tell a charming story that deals with neglect, death and family. It’s not challenging or overly interesting mechanically, but this fresh take on the adventure genre is worth checking out.

The camera problems do threaten to take this off-road game into a ditch, but you’ll likely come back and persevere with MudRunner far more generously and readily than you would expect.

Creating new weapons can mix things up, and choosing item and skills loadouts on characters provides for some variety on the battlefield. However, after a dozen or so battles, the game’s lack of real strategic depth can be seen. Coupled with some less-than-stellar presentation, and disappointing ally AI, and Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers feels like a good idea that wasn’t executed to its fullest potential.

It’s not quite a must have game, but it perfectly encompasses the VR experience in a concise and accessible package. As much as I want to play it again and again, I also find no real desire to play it at all, a bizarre schism that perfectly echoes the disparity of the simple complexity present in SuperHyperCube.

Superdimension Neptune VS SEGA Hard Girls still carries over some of the faults from past games, but it makes meaningful changes that really help improve the formula. It’s a refreshing step forward in a series that seemed to be treading ground. It’s a formidable RPG, and fans of the franchises crossing over should definitely check it out.

Dexed is worth getting some time with for the unique ideas it provides, but don’t expect to spend a ton of time in Ninja Theory’s VR world.

There’s certainly room for improvement when it comes to its presentation and performance, but it’s hard to deny that Assassin’s Creed Shadows does so much so well. From its wonderfully realized world to its wealth of engaging quests and distractions, there’s plenty to enjoy here, regardless of whether you’ve fallen off the franchise in recent years.

Bluntly put, I found Madden NFL 20 to be a fairly vanilla entry in the franchise.

Biped 2 can be fun to play with friends, but you really have to be committed to get through the more difficult levels. Featuring solo and four-player modes, there are more ways to enjoy the action than ever before, with each feeling like a unique experience. If you’ve already gotten through Split Fiction and other great co-op games, then this is a great way to continue the challenge, but it wouldn’t be my first recommendation.

Ever the more lighthearted tennis game than its competitors, the arcade feel of Virtua Tennis 4 is a welcome addition to the Vita lineup. It handles well, looks nice and has a style that lends itself very well to portability. Of tennis.

Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World: The Prophecy of the Throne should please fans of the novel/anime. It doesn’t do enough to explain the world Subaru finds himself in, but the game’s album does attempt to rectify this. At any rate, The Prophecy of the Throne is an easy to digest visual novel with fun artwork and good voice acting, with a bit of turn-based gameplay thrown in for good measure. What more could Subaru ask for?

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth isn’t a perfect video game interpretation of Bandai Namco’s long-running franchise, but it’s a huge step in the right direction for fans who have been waiting to see the series get on Pokémon’s level. The core gameplay is simple but addictive, making this a perfectly accessible jumping-on point for both casual and hardcore fans of RPGs and Digimon.

In spite of Fallout: New Vegas being plagued with bugs, it still manages to take what is familiar and make it work. Sadly, I'm still not sure if putting in the hours is worth the effort just yet because of the random crashing that occurs, and that can really break your patience if you forgot to make that last important save file.

Knights and Bikes is a fun, frantic, top-down adventure game with some light puzzle and combat elements that I imagine would be more appreciated by either a younger crowd or a parent playing with their kid. If you’re looking for a solid co-op adventure, this can easily fill the void. Even solo it’s still fun enough to be worth a look. Just be ready for a few awkward moments, and a seriously terrible UI.

It would have been nice to see the team at EA Sports put a bit more time into refining the engine and bringing over a larger bulk of the game modes. It would have also been nice to see the touch screen controls used a bit better, and the back touch pad's sensitivity turned down.

This game won't get you to the summer olympics, but it's a good first start toward a healthier lifestyle.

The chaotic action really pops with sketchy cartoon visuals — I especially loved the visceral satisfaction of knocking my opponents into background objects and watching the debris fall. This isn’t as tight or polished as some of the other stuff out there (Naruto Shippuden’s latest installment comes to mind), but it’s well-worth a look if you’re a One Piece junkie or just a fighting game fan looking for a little anarchic fun.

If you’ve got money to spend, and don’t mind waiting for any sort of conclusion, then Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is the best way to experience the first half of Idea Factory’s visual novel. The new scenes help to flesh out the existing stories, and the additional characters help make a familiar story feel new again. It’s a shame that all the hard work gets marred by splitting the story into two games, but it’s still a very enjoyable read.

I would love to see a humorous single player campaign to go along with this experience. Gotham City Impostors provides an oasis for those of us tapped out from modern military syndrome, and an original variation on the Batman theme. If the community continues to grow, it can only get better.

All in all, it was a hard game to play through because I felt like I had done it all before. That isn’t to say that Arkham Origins is a bad game, not by a long stretch. On its own, Arkham Origins is a good game. But Origins is a good game because Arkham City was a great game, and it does nothing to create its own identity.

The top notch 2D visuals help bring the game to life with movie-inspired characters and storyline. The lack of an online co-op mode holds Shank back from being a real enjoyable co-op title, and it really should have been included in the package.

Excepting its online shortcomings, however, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is easily the best game using the license yet.

Other than being annoyingly repetitive, Toukiden: Kiwami is a fun game. Thanks to a large amount of weapons and armor to choose from, and characters that not only exist as chattable civilians but also as bloodthirsty warriors, you can spend a lot of enjoyable hours on Toukiden.

At its core, 8-Bit Armies is a an imitator. A competent one, a throwback, with a few clever tricks of its own, but nothing wholly original or revolutionary. If you’re itching for another strategy game it will satisfy well enough, but it doesn’t feel essential.

Now I look at Catherine and while it’s still fun to engage with its systems, and the soundtrack still rips, I don’t find it nearly as clever as it wants me to. All I see is a story that embraces its own toxicity, with views on relationships so useless and counterproductive it’s almost suspicious how desperately it wants Vincent to be a hero.

Crossout reminds me of the first vehicle I owned, which was a 1970s Volkswagon Beetle hand-me-down. It didn’t look like much at first and it definitely had its share of problems, but I had a lot fun driving it. Soon I discovered that the more time I dedicated to fixing and upgrading it, no matter how monotonous, the more fun it became. Some problems were never fixed, but eventually I was proud enough to take my custom car out in public and show it off.

With a unique look and a story hook that keeps you wanting to continue, Particle Hearts is a successful puzzle game. That being said, it doesn’t reach the highs of the genre’s best, and its exploration can lead you to getting lost at points. However, it’s still a worthwhile experience if you want to scratch that puzzle itch on PS5.

You would think that borrowing elements from two of the greatest games in the last decade would make for one awesome experience, and while it feels mesmerizing, it doesn’t live up to either predecessor.