Tracking isn’t perfect in all games, and the social multiplayer aspects could be built out a little more, but the core accomplishments of Carnival Games VR demonstrate at a psychological level why VR is a fundamentally different kind of experience from flatscreen 2D gaming.

There’s a lot of fun to be had in ELEX at higher levels, but the game opens far too slowly and spreads itself out too thin to make any sort of impact.

It does some core things right, like the combat and the numerous places to explore, but it does a lot of little things wrong, such as the huge amount of fluff and the useless crafting system.

A game that could’ve been so much more, and barely does enough to justify its existence.

The game does deliver an initial burst of exhilaration, but this is unfortunately unsustainable beyond a few outings. When the dust settles, what remains is a run-of-the-mill class based shooter, set in a series of drab environments. This is a genuine case of getting what you pay for.

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.

An incredibly customizable experience from top to bottom, but it has enough problems to keep it from ever becoming anything.

There’s a moment early on in Sonic Forces where Sonic says that it’s “not time for thinking. It’s time for running.” Not only does he perfectly describe his series’ design philosophy, he also sets the blueprint for who will enjoy this game. If you’re willing to turn your brain off for a few hours, and just take in the pure spectacle that is watching hundreds of Sonic characters fighting on a battlefield during a cutscene, then you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. It’s a really dumb game at its core, but it’s also just pure fun in a well-meaning, lighthearted package.

Little Dragon’s Café is a unique and utterly delightful adventure. There is no better way to unwind then adventuring with a dragon, while helping people solve their life problems, and indulging in a little bit of cooking.

Sinner is focused and simple, but over-complicates things with the sacrifice experiment. It’s a step in a new and right direction, but it’s only a half step at best.

A title that will only appeal to hack and slash fanatics, and will push away many people looking for something more.

Everything outside of stripping clothes off of vampires feels safe and doesn’t do enough to build upon the initial idea, which is such a disappointment. It’s like getting a sneak peak at something new and fresh, only to start playing and have a game that is kind of ordinary.

The music is pleasing, and the art style is impressive. But with a weak story, bland fetch quests comprising the majority of your campaign, and absolutely no voiceover work whatsoever, this game is hard to recommend to anyone but fans of this genre of games.

A fun co-op experience with an interesting storyline. Tie in a dungeon creator, and it can keep you coming back for more with a fresh new map to play on.

A fun, yet at times frustrating, pixelated adventure game. Some of the boss battles can really try your patience, and limits on recovery items (medkits and Coke) certainly don’t help matters as you push toward the final episode. On the flip side, there are all kinds of hidden areas to return to and explore further; even if I haven’t seen a percentage log, there’s just something about knowing you’ve 100% cleared a game.

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos isn’t a terrible game, it just manages to be mediocre in almost every aspect.

Those wanting a group experience on par with the console versions of the same game might be disappointed in its less-accessible multiplayer and being limited to two people, in addition to the logistical problems presented by the touch screen-based play style. On the other hand, Jackson fans who don't mind the experience now becoming mostly single-player and involving no dancing on their part will find a fun, entertaining rhythm game.

The game's appeal will quickly wear thin for older, more mature gamers, as the game's lack of a 'goal' besides keeping your pet happy. For those looking for the ultimate virtual pet experience for their children on the PSP, EyePet is their answer.

When you’re doing the same and cruising downhill through the beautiful countryside or fighting and clawing to get your wheels in front at the top of a grueling climb, Le Tour De France 2018 is enjoyable stuff. But outside of those times, it’s yet another buggy and undercooked update for a title that had fallen off the pace a few iterations ago.

It gets old, repetitive and unsatisfying in short order. Playing it lost all fun after an hour.

A game that starts you out with a bang from the very first menu, but starts to fade down the stretch. The bland environments, serious lack of depth in the enemy department, and the repetitive nature of the combat don't do it any favors either.

Cyberpunk 2077, when it works, is a shallow popcorn flick of a video game, not an industry shaping experience that redefines the open-world RPG genre. Perhaps the bigger problem, particularly for console owners, is that Cyberpunk 2077 doesn’t work. It’s a mess of half-baked ideas and rough gameplay that should have never been released in the first place. While the PC version faces criticism for various issues and praise for others, the PS4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 feels and looks like a whole different game that simply needed a lot more time.

“Adorable” is about the biggest compliment I can give to Catlateral Damage as a whole. As a cat lover, I relished the chance to vicariously experience the destruction they cause, only to find that knocking things over ad nauseum wasn’t all I thought it would be. In any case, there are plenty of laughs and smiles to be had if you’re of a mind to enjoy this silly “Simulator” stuff, and creator Chris Chung has seen fit to stuff the game with a plethora of cutesy collectibles (including a surprise “Pawlatinum!”). Go in with modest expectations and a lighthearted attitude and you’ll be sure to have a good time.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance has the potential to become a fun showcase for the long-running franchise. Despite the issues, none of these are game-breaking bugs, and it is a passable RPG. Now we just have to see if Tuque Games has what it takes to turn things around. Fans of Dungeons & Dragons, of which there are untold millions, will love the lore and story of Dark Alliance. Who knows if their love of the franchise will translate into enough sales to warrant a sequel? If so, then there is a lot of work to do, but we’ve seen plenty of comebacks before, and we’ll no doubt see more in the future. With any luck, in the not-too-distant future we’ll gather ‘round the virtual campfire and enjoy a higher-scored adventure in the Icewind Dale thanks to the lessons learned from Dark Alliance.

The lack of depth and overall variety and longevity make Little Deviants feel more like a $9.99 PSN title over a retail title.

Wanted: Dead is going to annoy a lot of players. It’s also going to please plenty more. Soleil has made a game that leans heavily into its PS2-era inspirations, and that includes an unforgiving difficulty level. Without any real way to make things easier, some players may never see the ending of an otherwise enjoyable campaign, outside of watching a streamer perhaps. For those who can manage to hone their skills, however, the time put into Wanted: Dead will be worth it because this slasher-shooter offers so much visceral joy when things go your way that it makes all the painful death worth it.

Mugen Souls Z feels like more of its predecessor, with the same plodding story pace, whiny, forgettable cast, and fill-in-the-action cutscenes.

Animal Force has a cool idea, as it introduces gamers to tower defense in 360 degrees. But its execution feels more like a tech demo than a fully fleshed-out game.

The only way I can truly describe it is it's like going out to dinner at an ok restaurant for the first time. The food wasn't bad enough that you wanted your money back, but it wasn't enough that you would recommend it to anyone.

Combine Undead & Undressed‘s disturbing sexuality and sexism with its poor graphics and combat and $50 price tag, you get a game that not only should definitely not be purchased, but probably never should have been made in the first place.

Jungle Rumble is a classic example of a game that’s best left to a smartphone.

There’s a lot of potential to really have Theseus be a great adventure, but it ends before you can get invested at all, a slow burn with an all too rapid conclusion. It feels like the whole middle part of the game is missing, with a long intro leading right into the climax.

Sacred 3 is by no means a bad game. It’s just not a particularly great game, either. With a linear storyline, no traditional Overworld, and repetitive combat that is too easy to master, there is not much of a challenge to be found here.

Once the game was in my hands, reality struck me like a Detroit Smash and what I had before me was a mess. Jump Force is ugly, janky, confusing, and far too simple. It does what other games have already done before, but with far less confidence or success. It tries to hide its misgivings behind cool special moves and motion blur, but fails at that too. It’s a total swing and miss.

I enjoyed the idea of Surgeon Simulator, but the difficulty made the game futile more than entertaining.

Besides the HD visuals, Ben 10 feels like a licensed title from a decade ago. Most of the game is comprised of inoffensive mediocrity, and rarely is there anything that feels inspired. Kids will likely have some fun smashing around levels as their favorite characters from the show, but there’s simply too little content for it to keep attention spans occupied for too long.

The story is dull, the combat is bland, and it just feels really repetitive. Overall, it’s not a very challenging game and is unlikely to hold your attention for long.

Lethal VR fails to dial up the phasers from stun to kill, a decidedly less lethal experience on PlayStation VR than its original Vive counterpart. It has a really fun arcadey core that could make for some great quick VR shooting gallery moments, but is hamstrung on PSVR by a tightened field of action and piss-poor accuracy using the Move controllers.

Perception is a game of wasted opportunities and poor execution. It presents a unique mechanic only for it turn stale as it lingers without any evolution, it introduces a character that the player has empathy for only to make her unrealistic and unlikable, and its inconsistent design decisions turn a promising adventure into a frustrating one.

ADR1FT may have atmosphere, but it doesn’t have much else.

Toren felt like it was just trying to check things off of a “how to make a video game” checklist. Monsters? Check. Armor? Check. Jump button? Check. Scrolls? Check. A dragon? Check. Platforming? Check. Varied environments? Check.

It’s not frustrating that Gal*Gun 2 uses sex as a theme. It’s frustrating that Gal*Gun 2 is obsessed with sex as a plot point, mechanic, and motivator, in spite of everything else it has going for it.

It’s colorful and quite ridiculous; it’s simple, accessible and well populated. Hardware: Rivals has most of the ingredients present to cook up a fantastic arcade experience, but it’s missing a vital ingredient: fun. The sluggish pace that permeates everything from movement and destruction to respawning and leveling up constantly holds it back.

Neptunia Virtual Stars is best served to either VTuber fans, Neptunia fans, or both. There’s little appeal here for other types of gamers. There are many, many better third-person shooters out there, and plenty of JRPGs worthy of a huge timesink. At least you’ll get a full-length, fully-voiced adventure for your trouble with Neptunia Virtual Stars, but unless you’ve really got a thing for the VTube lifestyle mixed with hyper-cuteness, your time is probably better spent elsewhere.

Nobody is playing this game because it’s a technical mess, and I can’t recommend it to anyone due to that. If you want to play Verdun, then pick it up on PC. Sadly, the PlayStation 4 version is an inferior version that launched dead on arrival.

When all is said and done, the handful of people sitting in the middle of the Venn diagram marked “doesn’t own a PC” and “wants a hardcore train simulation” still deserve a game that isn’t buggy, runs well, respects their time as a user, and one that provides more for their money than this one does.

100ft Robot Golf is an ambitious title that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s far better due to this, and while it’s not the most polished golf you can play on PS4, it’s certainly the most fun.

I sincerely wanted to enjoy this adventure. Everything I had read about it excited me but here I am, feeling as though I wasted too many hours and grew a dozen new white hairs stressing over a game that was just not ready to be released. From in-game glitches to progression-halting bugs, what little fun there was ended up marred by a game that just didn’t feel finished. Who knows, maybe the other versions of the game don’t have as many problems as the PS4 version. That’s just not a theory I want to spend time to test myself.

It’s a game that, on the surface, seems built for you to ask questions about what it presents, but once you dig a little deeper you realize it was never prepared to give you the answers. It’s not a conversation; it’s a speech.

Though there is plenty to like in the art style and core level design, there are many other key elements like merely passable controls and unfulfilling combat that drive home its lack of polish and balance. On paper, enthusiastically diving into a sophomoric world of teenage angst seems like an fun concept. However, it doesn’t take long to realize that there’s a damn good reason why most people grow up. Maybe Drawn to Death should do the same. It needs to report to detention, immediately.

Unfortunately, everything that could be used to make Inversion a unique and standout game - if not a sleeper hit - has such a small presence in the game that it just feels like a squad shooter with decent mechanics and some different ideas.

Predator: Hunting Ground is a haphazard collection of intriguing yet incomplete concepts slapped together into a mediocre experience.

There’s just far too little to enjoy, and what is here feels like low-budget copy and paste of the last half decade of horror titles if you decide to play without the PSVR headset. Virtual reality escalates the atmosphere to a much more sustainable level, but there’s nothing about Don’t Knock Twice that makes it a must play horror game, inside of virtual reality or out.

Breakpoint has the recipe for being a fun, tactical game to play with friends and strangers alike. While playing solo will remain a decent enough way to experience the game, playing with a group of dedicated friends is what it was made for. The continuity of using the same player character across all game modes makes for a coherent package.

Core gamers looking for a deep experience, or loners wanting a solo affair will be gravely disappointed in Start the Party. However, those of you who buy it for what it is meant to be are in for a real treat.

At its core, Ghost Warrior 3 is easily enjoyable but its issues just as easily breaks the experience.

Just because it’s for kids doesn’t mean they deserve a super low-quality product phoning it in on a known IP.

The Shore is a prime example of what a walking sim done right can look like. Despite its occasional hiccups, it shows that a strong story can convey a story that players will remember long after they have laid their controllers down.

A fun stealth game with tons of depth, innovative use of Vita tech, and some very interesting systems.

Beneath the awkward plotline and the average gameplay, you can see the game that it was meant to be, and that is the saddest story of all.

With a vaguely intriguing overall story that never shines through the juvenile and sexual drama and a remotely interesting battle system that gets old due to way too much grinding and lack of variety, Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory buries what could have been positive aspects under the sheer ridiculousness, annoyances, and poor craftsmanship of the rest of the game.

Deathwing has so much potential sitting there with the Dark Angels alone, not to mention roaming a Space Hulk, it’s an absolute shame it falls short of the Emperor’s expectations.

Tracking issues can hamper some of the games, leading to missing a save in air hockey, or some off kilter shots in pool, but with updates, additional games, and continued support, SportsBarVR could end up being the defacto virtual reality hangout platform for PS4 players.

Akiba’s Beat is in a strange position, having been released right after two other Japanese role-playing games dealt with very similar topics. While it doesn’t have strong enough writing to eclipse these titles, it does feature a few story beats that keep it from being a D-grade Persona. From a combat perspective, the game feels like a Tales game, but without any of the polish. There’s room for improvement in practically every area, but it’s still a decent RPG that is worth playing for those that somehow ran out of RPGs in their backlog.

Besides the core concept being interesting, I really don’t have any other compliments to give Touhou Genso Rondo: Bullet Ballet. It’s a disappointment for a number of reasons, and it really sucks that a lot of North American gamers’ first experience with the Touhou series will be this bad spin-off.

Jump Stars is a nice, cheap diversion if you have a couple of friends to play with. Unlike almost every other game out there, you cannot play single player. There are also just a handful of game modes to choose from. It’s a party game you might come back to when the mood strikes. The fake game show announcer with dual personalities injects some, well, personality into the game, and the characters are amusing to play with. There’s not a ton of content, and multiplayer is required, but $9.99 ($7.99 for PlayStation Plus members) seems like a fair asking price for Jump Stars.

While the combat is entertaining and the dungeon crawling is okay, the story and the whole idea of having to “motivate” these girls are simply too unnecessary, too uncomfortable, and too offensive for this game to be worth your time.

The game isn’t terrible by any means, with some fans of the show sure to enjoy reliving Elizabeth’s quest, but there is too much wasted potential here. If you don’t mind the obvious lack of depth here, you can have some fun playing the game, just don’t expect that fun to last.

It’s got the resource management and camp building that I seem to be drawn to and challenging but not Soulsbourne level enemies to tackle.

There is a saying that sometimes less is more and this is something that should have been on every computer screen during development. It feels as if Mugen Souls was never fully finished and to try and cover this up, the player was handed a multitude of gameplay mechanics that unfortunately do nothing to add to the overall value of the game.

The gameplay is far too simplistic for older gamers who will have the game deconstructed to the bare basics in a matter of hours. In other words, easy to learn and easy to master results in a mildly repetitive game.

Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll can be summed up in ultimately one word: average. It's nothing you simply must buy.

A game that attempts to sneak into an era that has long passed it by. While a minimal amount of enjoyment can be had listening to the wayfarers and tradesmen across the many worlds that the hero visits, there are too many problems that stem from the game’s now ancient design.

Anamorphine makes an important distinction by not only exploring the mental illness, but exploring the impacts that it has on those around you.

Die-hard strategy fans or those into all things military might want to give it a go, but honestly speaking, the game just isn’t ready to be played on the handheld.

Vita’s already seen a number of dating sims, but none of them combine action-RPG gameplay with visual novel elements like A.W.: Phoenix Festa. Because it handles both of these decently, it’s worth checking out for fans of the Asterisk War franchise and anyone who thinks they might enjoy such a combination. Unfortunately, it’s way too light on narrative to leave much of an impact; for a game about a tournament, it lacks the sort of excitement and tension you’d expect, and even the dating sim elements pay off in thin dividends.

As much as I personally wanted Anthem to be a runaway success, it ends up delivering an inconsistent experience that constantly waivers between mediocre and excellent.

Knack is technically impressive with its utilization of extreme particle physics and bringing to life what could have easily been a Dreamworks animated film, but the gameplay does little to really satisfy.

The game will only get better, and it’s already a feat of unique gameplay coupled with charming visuals and a sense that glory will come to the comrades that work the hardest!

Buildings Have Feelings Too can initially feel frustrating and difficult, as well as completely unforgiving. Mistakes often end up being incredibly costly and the save system can feel unfair. Despite this, it’s a fun puzzle game once players can fully grasp all of its different aspects and it’s satisfying when everything falls into place.

It just doesn’t work.

Reality Fighters has its fun moments, and showing off the AR fighting to a technophobe can be enjoyable, but you will tire of the game incredibly quickly after you realize just how simple the fighting mechanics are, and how little depth the game has.

Those expecting the same level of depth and strategy as Valkyria Chronicles will likely end up disappointed by this spin-off. When judged on its own, though, Valkyria Revolution delivers an interesting narrative and some solid, if unspectacular, action. It’s too bad that the game never truly hits a stride, as missions are rarely memorable, and ultimately a lot of interesting ideas never get fully fleshed out.

With Circuit Breakers, what you get for your money is a very, very basic twin-stick shooter that is missing a lot of what makes the best in the genre so special.

There is a wacky, multiplayer racing game in there, but it feels more like a side effect of a notepad full of gags than a gaming experience that can entertain a group of friends long enough to make them briefly forget about Super Smash Bros., nor does the single-player experience do much after you understand what’s happening in front of you.

Guns Up! is devilishly addictive and provides a seriously fun formula of mutually beneficial attack and defence tactics. It’s initially intimidating economy only works to give the game depth once you’ve completed the enlightening tutorial, leaving you with a constant desire to progress and improve both your settlement and your garrison of units. All the above is unsettlingly blighted by an ever-present need to fork out real cash or face the reality of dampening the enjoyment by grinding for hours.

It gets high marks for engaging, yet somewhat predictable, story threads and having a variety of waifus, but clearly misses the mark in a few areas.

Earthfall somewhat succeeds at it’s core mission, if it’s mission is to try to kickstart the multiplayer subgenre that Turtle Rock started a decade ago. It’s biggest failure is convincing people that it is a better alternative to Left 4 Dead 2.

In practice, Smashbox Arena ends up being a lot of fun, with precise tracking and fast paced competitive gameplay that hides a lot of depth and strategy, but it’s ultimately held back my a number of technical issues and the lack of a strong online community.

Any charm Rage! has is hidden under thick and ugly jungle, and undermined by its weak execution and a narrative that is at its best boring. Save yourself the rage, and look elsewhere.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood has a good premise, but suffers from poor execution. If you’re looking for a game that allows you to live out the fantasy of being an overpowered werewolf and kill everyone around you in bloody fashion, Werewolf provides that, but only just. Unrewarding combat, dumber-than-a-doorknob AI, dated mechanics, and an uninspiring presentation mean that this is a tough recommendation at the launch MSRP of $49.99 US.

The name Producing Perfection has to be a cruel joke; the game “produces” nothing of the sort.

The terrible characters and pointless events are likely going to sour the mood for many players.

SolSeraph is a game that was made with good intentions and a lot of heart. The developers wanted to pay homage to a classic, but unfortunately missed the mark on almost all fronts. The platforming bits are frustrating with enemies coming out of no where to knock you off. The city-building parts never get deep enough to challenge you or force any decision other than stacking barracks and watchtowers along the roads. As someone who loves city-builders, I just wish it was a better game.

Bedlam is undeniably an enjoyable kick for those who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, surely drawing from personal experiences with the games it’s emulating. The eccentricities found in Brookmyre’s writing may work to alienate those merely passing through, but for those drawn in by the familiarity of its charming block graphics it’ll simply be an added bonus.

Makes some great improvements over the first and is by far the better game, but not as much better as we would hope. The gameplay takes a huge step forward to provide the fun, albeit easy, combat that the first game lacked. However, the story takes a huge step back, making even the game of golf seem interesting, which becomes even more frustrating with the quick and small dungeons that push you quickly back to the story.

Farming Simulator 16 accomplishes its goal of allowing you to manage a virtual farm, pretty well. But it sadly falls apart as a game due to the lack of options, as the Vita version is severely limited to console versions. It isn’t quite as boring as watching paint dry, but it will only hold your attention for as long as you want to watch grass grow.

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.