Dark Souls III: The Ringed City brings exactly what the series needed drawing to a close. This installment does feel like "just another Souls game, " but it's a good one that capitalizes on what FromSoftware does best. Pick up this DLC if you already have Dark Souls 3. If you are new to the franchise and are into nail-biting, heart-pounding, blood-rushing, sword-slashing experiences, you won't be disappointed.

In short; Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King is good, clean fun with never a dull moment. Blossom Tales offers an experience for everyone in the family. With a respectful tip of the hat to the games that started it all, and enough modern twists to keep even the snobbiest of us on the edge of our seats, hopefully there will be more adventures to follow this one.

Bomb Squad Academy is more fun than it is challenging. Negative feedback to the player, other than the bomb blowing up (of course), is thin, but this results in an approachable, replayable atmosphere. This is a fantastic puzzler with complex and unique mechanics that are presented to the player in an easily digestible way.

Thimbleweed Park is a shining example of the ideal in the point-and-click genre, featuring the puzzles, storylines, dialog, and other goodies that bring players back, time and time again. It is a must-play, purchase-immediately release. The stellar comedy, gripping mystery, and polished design set a new standard in the genre, and prove that even classic themes, like those of it's spiritual fore-figure, Maniac Mansion, can be revisited, revised, and perfected for a new generation of gamers.

Although Narcosis is "the debut effort" from Honor Code, the developers boast experience with legendary AAA games, and it shows. The Honor Code team has successfully crystallized their knowledge and skills, and put together an impressive work of art indeed. Narcosis is not without its flaws, but the level of care in this title is salubrious. The alternatingly terrifying and psychologically taxing atmosphere, paired with storytelling that keeps you rapt until you arrives at the beautiful conclusion, proves a must-play for gamers.

8[0]. A solid 8[0], mind you. Styx: Shards of Darkness has renewed my trust in the game trailer once again. After removing the plush padding of the cinematic trailer, I wasn’t disappointed by what I saw in the actual gameplay. On the contrary, I was welcomed by a well-rounded stealth puzzler that I plan on playing (with) for quite some time into the future. The writing and story are both refreshing and hilarious, which gives this title a firm lead in an otherwise dark and quiet genre.

Although it succeeds in both maintaining familiarity for fans of the genre and introducing novelty, Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy fails to deliver engaging combat or efficiently introduce players to its unique mechanics. It boasts a solid and engaging story that starts with strong momentum, but suffers from distractions which ultimately hold Operation Abyss back from capitalizing on its strengths, resulting in a title that is simply good, despite clear potential to be great.

Andromeda is robust and delivers effectively on the key elements it advertises, and then goes above and beyond regarding play style tailoring and experienceable customization. That said, the characters look more at home in the Sims 3 era, and the dialog fails to be more than lackluster - cringe-worthy at times. Nevertheless, while Mass Effect: Andromeda proves a quality example of its genres, diehard fans of the Mass Effect universe and its original story should wait until BioWare patches the technical bugs, and the price point lowers.

Whether you are new to the series, or just looking for a creepy game to mess with your perception of reality, Bad Dream: Coma is not one to miss. The atmosphere is dark and gritty, and the player has the option of making it darker and grittier with their decisions. There are tons of challenging puzzles and secrets to unlock, and many different avenues for the narrative to take. In fact, almost the entire narrative is based around actions and consequences. The developers attention to detail is exemplary, freeing the player to enjoy entirely different scenes based on even small changes in actions.

Flexible in its appeal to those new to the bullet hell subgenre of shoot-em-ups and to those hardened master grazers, Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a solid entry in Doragon Entertainment’s Danmaku Unlimited series. Despite its lack of plot, its polished audio-visual quality, simplified mechanics, and high replayability makes this title a great addition to anyone’s library.

River City Ransom: Underground is fantastic in how it truly captures the feel of retro games, and it’s clear from the experience that Conatus Creative provides the desire and requisite talent. On top of the original beat-em-up feel, additional features round out the title quite nicely, such as RPG leveling aspects and a fighting engine that packs a punch. The art style, sound, and humor capture the look, feel, and nostalgia of the franchise. Though River City may not have enough to warrant many hours on the game, it’s worth a playthrough, and all but guarantees enjoyment to newcomers and fond memories to franchise veterans.

Senran Kagura Estival Versus shows that developers (Tamsoft and Marvelous Inc) can make a title without restrictions on censorship, and pull off one of the more enjoyable games of the genre, without making me use my brain too much. It doesn’t take itself seriously, and that’s not a bad thing: the humor and gameplay are solid and entertaining, carrying the title on their own merits. If you’re looking for beautiful shinobi girls and fast paced combat, look no further. Don’t forget: the jiggle is real!

NieR: Automata contains twenty-six different endings, which inevitably incentivizes those who want to see all possible conclusions. But, the apparent lack of story, which drops off for a good while after the introductory level, is stinging, and you must have enough commitment to see past this. The combat is unique and, at times, refreshingly variegated gaming styles emerge from NeiR — from hack-and-slash to arcade-esque air fights — but enemies themselves show little variation and predictable movement. If you are looking for a hack-and-slash with extraordinary graphics and a fair amount of character customization, then it is likely you’ll enjoy playing this release.

Toukiden 2 is exceptionally well-made and can readily provide countless hours of entertainment for those who enjoy an action-packed hunting-style game with a sprinkling of RPG. There's ever more to unlock as you progress, granting some new feature to play with, rewarding you for making your way through the game. Battles that last a few minutes or so may be tedious, but the vastness of the world, filled with its various items, objects, and quests - not to mention the preponderous depth of the Mitama system — easily vanquish any sense of Oni ennui.

Open Sorcery present fresh ideas and a great premise. The gameplay is fleshed out, and each character adds to the enjoyment of the story. There are even thought-provoking concepts and themes in the game, however, the amount of time and effort it takes to get through the title on following playthroughs and, the effort required to save your progress, diminishes its otherwise high replayability.

Final Specimen: Arrival does not take any risks with plot. It is, mechanically, a platformer, reminiscent of the 90s, but nothing new or special is presented. The protagonist, for his part, promises to repeatedly die in every funny way imaginable, and that is exactly what you will get from this game - a lightly filling experience.

Although the concept of a procedurally-generated skill tree is unique and broadly appealing, Asura's roguelike genre, where nothing carries over from one run to the next, does not enjoy widespread favorability. But, though the potential audience is limited, the title flawlessly executes what it sets out to accomplish: the variability from one run to the next keeps us playing, along with the collector-perfectionist appeal of trying to unlock everything this title has to offer.

Dead Rising 4 has a bit of an identity crisis. It neither commits to the open-world aspect enough to be considered exemplary in the genre, nor does it deliver enough of the mainstays of the series to satisfy longtime fans. Unfortunately, Dead Rising 4 marks the low point in the franchise, and while you may get some mindless enjoyment from killing zombie hordes, the fun is dying, not rising.

With bursts of pressure, ethereal atmosphere, and engaging soundtrack, Blink brings style and originality to your standard design in puzzle-platforming. If you’re a fan of the genre and are equipped with a controller, its cheaper price point makes it worth a buy.

Be mindful that if you pick this title up, which I think you should, you’ll be doing all the legwork in your brain while still keeping your heart rate down. Though simple and straightforward, and thoroughly enjoyable, this style of gameplay is not for everyone. That said, take some time away from the crazy stuff and chill out with Lifeline. Hats off to the dev for putting together a great story in an elegant, minimal package that still brings it home.

In this innovative title from No Code, players can relive classic horror movies and late-night television, enjoy simple, light, but intuitive gameplay, and discover a spine-tingling story that’s guaranteed to keep them on edge long after they’ve finished playing.

Waking the Glares - Chapters I & II feels like a good first try, but the soft, soothing music and pleasant voice acting weren't enough. The series could grow, as Wisefool Studios gains more experience and support from the community; sadly, though, these are steep requirements for players that already have a score of immersive, truly fascinating walking simulators from which to choose, not to mention puzzle games that actually require deep contemplation.

The puzzles are satisfying, if not overly challenging, and although the maneuvering issues and movement speed are a source of frustration, I never had a lapse in gameplay when the momentum stalled because I couldn't figure out a solution. Bear With Me – Episode 2 is polished and sophisticated, with a refreshing take on point-and-click themes, and while Episode 2 is relatively short – it took me less than 3 hours to beat it – I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality adventure title.

Many issues, like linear progression and limited AI, that I have with Wildlands are issues rooted to the ‘open-world’ genre, and therefore not worth holding against Ubisoft. Wildlands offers a tight finesse for a shooter, and is sure to be enjoyed by gamers; however, it does little to go beyond this.

Given the current state of the stat system, there is a definite need for some tweaking; and this is desperately needed in light of Chaos Drift’s description on Steam, which specifically mentions this customizable stat system. This feature drew me in, but high expectation quickly gave way to disappointment as my head began to spin, trying to make sense of what was going on with the incorrigible stat system. Until this is fixed, especially given the fact that it is such an integral part of a typical RPG, I cannot recommend this game with good faith.

Kronos uses uninspired or recycled art style, storyline, and dialogue, but that's just that start of what's wrong with this title. Beyond the aesthetic issues, the bugs in Kronos are too much to ignore. Maybe with more work on bugs and glitches, it could be playable enough to enjoy; for now, it doesn’t come close to standing out in an already competitive genre.

Atelier Firis is a great addition and continuation to the Atelier series at large. The series may not appeal to players who prefer nearly non-stop action and combat, though if you enjoyed previous Atelier titles, there is a high chance you will come to relish Atelier Firis. The drive for pushing through the story builds slowly, but, once you reach this point, it's unlikely you'll be able to put this game down.

The Wardrobe manages to pull off a fulfilling, novel story with artistic flair and only a few setbacks, setting it apart in the sea of retro-inspired, pixel-laden, nostalgia-inducing point-and-clicks. The story is witty, the vast cast of characters is intriguing, and, while the ending isn’t very satisfactory, the journey is a worthwhile one.

A beautiful, mysterious adventure and an artistic take on the rural scenery of South Africa, Among the Innocent: A Stricken Tale is a thriller for lovers of the point-and-click genre. Its good story and the great twist that ends it, coupled with immersive visual design, soundtrack, and sound effects, make its lack of a challenge its only weakness, but not one damaging enough to take away from the overall experience.

Stars in Shadow is relatively simple and inviting for newcomers to the 4X strategy genre, but also features original mechanics to intrigue 4X veterans, and everything is brought together with a fun, cartoonish art style that complements the fantastical races and nature of this space exploration strategy game.

911 Operator is a unique game, to say the least. Although not the simulator to earn praises from die-hard purists of the genre, it's an experimental experience that will be well worth their time and money, and the more casual strategists' as well.

Copoka very much is a visually gratifying, and while you could complete the story in about an hour or so, it’s still worth checking out. After a busy and stressful day, I welcome the chance to spread my wings and relax, flying through the streets of Copoka On a final note, Copoka very much is a visually pleasing experience.

TToN truly is a grand story: riveting discoveries and interactions drive the narrative forward while inviting you to dive head first into this very cerebral experience. The writing team, led by designers Adam Heine, Colin McComb, and George Ziets, show their chops throughout this engaging experience, as shown by the way everything comes together, like a rubik's cube of moral dilemmas. Discover the treasure of TToN, rich and rewarding for lovers of the RPG genre, new and old alike.

If you're a fan of any of the genres that have been brilliantly meshed together to compose Hollow Knight, I highly recommend you play it. Even if you aren't. Play it anyways.

The amount of hard work that went into developing Hidden Folks is impressive. No points or timers mean there’s no rush to hurry through a puzzle, and the grandness of each level means you’re assured to spend plenty of time sifting through the world. The sheer number of things to find, and ways to do find them, also increases the replay value for anyone without a photographic memory.

When a game isn't visually appealing, nor long, and when its puzzles are as simple as clunky controls make them painful, then it better be good in terms of story. Bucket Detective is not. And the frustration from the lack of a good narrative is made all so much more frustrating by the fact that there is potential here in pockets, including some good humor, silly art, and cute music.

Herald is a delight to play. It has a cast of complex, interesting, and incredibly voiced characters, beautifully captivating art design, and a fresh and fun story that will leave you wanting more.

Entangle is a great game. It costs ten bucks to go watch a two-hour-long movie in the theater. Entangle costs less than that for the same amount of entertainment (or potentially more). And you don’t have to put on pants for it. Seems like a deal to me.

Atelier Sophie offers a fantastic experience, with a refreshing motivation behind the story and the ultimate goal of the main character. Good character depth and development pairs well with a playful yet intricate alchemy crafting system to guarantee hours upon hours of great gameplay for Atelier fans and newcomers alike.

FHM 3 is a feature-rich, immersive, expansive simulator which succeeds in putting you in the shoes of a manager and coach, and gives you a sense of pride for success and growth and fear of failure and what that entails. A great title for fans of sports simulators and hockey alike.

Semispheres runs very smoothly. The controls are simple and intuitive, the design is beautiful, and the music only adds to the overall meditative aesthetic. Sadly, it's over just as it begins, providing a pleasant but fleeting challenge to the player.

It’s taken me a while to get here, to a place where I can calmly say nice things about For Honor, but I’m glad I made it. We’ll see how it progresses but given their commitment for the long haul, Ubisoft may have dug out a space in the multiplayer market we didn’t know was there.

We Are Chicago raises real issues that still plague parts of America, and encourages young people to stay away from gang violence, and this goal is praiseworthy – but between the flat graphics, the uninspired characters, and the nausea-inducing camera movement, We Are Chicago isn't an enjoyable gaming experience.

So that’s the importance of a retro game, and Alwa’s Awakening demonstrates it beautifully. With a few tweaks to make it a little more palatable to the modern gamer, Alwa’s Awakening captures the joy that can come from conquering a difficult experience. It doesn’t do anything new, but in bringing back the old, it shows how fun finding your own way can be.

A title that appears to have been a labor of love, but also and unfortunately, that fails to be anything more than that. For fans of visual novels, dating simulations, and dragons mixed with sexuality, crime, and suicidal tendencies, Angels with Scaly Wings might serve to impress you, but if these aren’t a draw, then pass. Art, animation, and music leave something to be desired, and puzzles, mystery and storyline are only interesting because you’re dating… Well… Dragons.

With an intricately crafted world, innovative and engaging battle system, and delightful array of scenery and music, Shadows of Adam is a splendid and true tribute to the SNES JRPG. The bugs one might encounter in beta versions are overshadowed by pure awe and captivation—a relentless desire to play more and more.

Wacky Spores: The Chase is a strong showing from the one-man show Lorenzo Bellincampi. This endless runner ditches substance and opts for style: you won’t find plot or character development, but the popping visuals and sharp audio promise hours of fungal fun.

Rebellion Development took the groundwork laid by Sniper Elite 3 and improved upon nearly every aspect. Its large-scale environments feature an intelligent layout of objectives and abundance of sniper-aiding verticality. While Sniper Elite 4's music and story aren't going to win any awards, they aren't enough to take away from the respectable amount of content and addictive, strategy-based gameplay.

For new-comers and veterans of side-scrolling, bullet-hell, shoot ‘em ups, Bleed 2 brings forward a fluid and action-packed adventure. Its solid gameplay and stylized visuals improve upon the original title of 2012, but its $10 price tag, considering how quick a playthrough is, might only be worth it to those competitive players who regularly top leaderboards and are casually crowned, “Greatest Heroes of All Time.”

Sovereignty delivers a grand-strategy conquest game with that nice, old-school feel. The audio and visuals are unadorned, and some navigation can feel clunky and cumbersome, but the gameplay is satisfying and polished, with challenging AI and a rich narrative backdrop.

With so many strategy games to choose from, Realpolitiks ultimately fails to stand out. While its variety in features and missions is welcomed, it also forces errands few will enjoy; they make it difficult to stay in control, these arbitrary tasks impeding if not outright discarding a player's grand approach.

While it's commendable that a two-man team set out to create an adventure of relatively broad scope, Hero is difficult to recommend. Its music and sound effects are good, but the lackluster graphics, lack of polish, and uninspired gameplay are too glaring to ignore.

The Frostrune stands out among Point-and-Click and puzzles games, masterfully connecting gameplay, art design, sound, and story to craft a beautiful and satisfying experience.

Urban Empire boasts a political system crafted with fun and originality in mind, as well as historical accuracy and gorgeous aesthetics. Yet even such impressive features do not make up for a lack of dimension and depth on which the success of simulators almost exclusively depend.

Whether one sees Linelight as more than just entertainment, is completely subjective. Objectively speaking, Linelight is fresh, inventive, and offers a deceivingly simple premise with incredibly engaging and satisfying gameplay.

Disagea 2 is a fantastic release that plays quite smoothly and has a tremendous amount of depth and playability to offer. Granted, the combat mechanic can seem repetitive, but there is a staggering number of classes to recruit, along with new abilities to unlock and level up, and new maps and aspects to explore.

For the returning Tales fan, Berseria is no doubt an insta-buy, and for those who are curious or have never played an entry, it is the perfect place to start.

While the price point is a little steep for what seems like a simple old-school puzzler, depth and mechanics make Warlock's Tower worth it for those who can appreciate good design.

Xenon Valkyrie is enjoyable, given you have a knack for the brutally challenging and are willing to invest time and tolerance to unravel what this rogue-like has to offer.

One of the best virtual introductions to a new language. Thanks to Learn Japanese To Survive! Katakana War, one could be well on their way to learning Japanese while immersing themselves in a genuinely fun game.

While there are dozens of Sci-Fi Survival games to choose from, ION LANDS has blended a remarkable combination of elements to create a saga that stands out from the crowd.

A House of Many Doors is a terrifying trek through the unknown, a disjointed story with startling descriptions of lost memories and slow declines into madness. It is beautiful, haunting, gripping… and boring. It is simply hard to identify with it, and complicated to understand, which prevents it from truly capitalizing on its amazing elements which would otherwise stand alone so well.

Nyheim is a strikingly illustrated dice-rolling game which emphasizes the challenging survival element inherent in any post-apocalyptic title. While the difficulty seems challenging at first, once you have established certain strategies, Nyheim risks feeling repetitive.

Although it isn’t an exploration game per se Diluvion remains full of wonders, as long as you remember nothing is instantaneous underwater. Movement will be clumsy but graceful, and each vista carries either riches or treacherous death. The unknown beckons. Diluvion tugs at the soul of the land-bound adventurer that longs to experience the mysteries of the deep. It ties together RPG elements, resource management, combat, and the salty appeal of a marine environment in a brilliant blend of whimsical and exciting.

An insightful story with fleshed out characters and captivating dilemmas, not to mention a great soundtrack, A Normal Lost Phone is the kind of experience that inspires you to get back into the world with a renewed sense of compassion toward all those who live in it. At $2.99 on Steam, some would argue that makes it worth it.

Warhammer 40,000: Sanctus Reach provides deep gameplay with a simple recipe: easy-to-learn combat rules and units… lots and lots of unique units. Despite minor bugs and a lack of flair – no cutscenes, little narrative, not much in the way of physics – Sanctus Reach is a solid entry in the Warhammer franchise, and an excellent turn-based tactical game to boot.

Mainlining puts you in the shoes (and at the desktop) of an agent for the government spy directorate MI7. Occasionally irksome gameplay is balanced with rich aesthetics and an engaging story, making Mainlining a fine choice for fans of the point-and-click genre.

If you want something deep, different and definitely fun to dip into for a bit, this is one I’ll recommend all the way to the bank, where I will then play a card to steal all your money and ascend to gremlin godhood atop my never-ending pile of cash.

Despite its promising premise, Ashbourne severely lacks substance and feels much more like a Beta than it does a full release. Pressingly needed is a bulky patch, if Endemic interactive wants it to be a compelling, memorable addition to the competitive genre that is Action-RPG.

Unhappy Ever After is the result of a wicked mind’s imagination, and it’s a charming and enchanted, yet morbidly terrifying world that will suck you in. Deep.

RE7 is as near to perfection within its genre, and its legacy, as any game I have ever had the pleasure of reviewing; it is a must-buy, especially for RE1 loyalists.

Hellenica fits neatly into a spot somewhere between the classic tactical RPG’s that have been around seemingly forever, and the new wave of casual story-driven RPG’s that are so popular today.

Yet another homage to isometric games á la Baldur's Gate, but one that successfully injects the elements of psychological horror into point-and-click gameplay. Play this. It's free and worth every penny you won't spend.

Whether you want to manage every aspect of your team, or you just want to sit back, build a team for play style, and auto-play games straight-through to the offseason, Pro Basketball Manager 2017 delivers. Developers Umix Studios and Cyanide have successfully created an experience that is as intense, or as moderate, as any that a sports sim nut could hope for.

Red Candle Games delivers horror as poignant as it is piercing, showcasing for the international game community the horrors of authoritarian communism. Although Detention has several points which can be improved, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts; players will walk away – or run, screaming – with a fresh, thoughtful gaming experience.

The retro, 2-D graphics, waves of different enemies, and variety of fun weaponry are a throwback to a time when blowing things up and racking up points were all you needed to have a good time on a Saturday afternoon.

Super Death Arena does a good job at delivering the gameplay which makes the genre great: death arenas, hordes of opponents, fancy weapons, and lots of bloodshed. Unfortunately, it’s also much too thin in terms of content. That’s an encouraging thought for the developers, as its mediocrity isn’t caused by a lack of quality but instead, quantity.

Don't Chat With Strangers is another retro, point-and-click adventure with much novelty and a great premise to begin with, yet it ultimately fails as a puzzle horror game.

While an absolute blast for all speedrunners, completionists, and Chiptune enthusiasts, HoPilo's excellent visuals, catchy backing tracks, and dynamic gameplay will speak to anyone looking to sink their teeth into a boldly colorful, fast-paced action platformer.

The folks at Fakt Software have created a winner in the puzzle genre.

The experience is an interesting playthrough, though unlike the time travelling protagonists, you likely won’t travel back and spend the time to replay the story.

The idea is sound, but the execution is still a bit lacking.

It's a more playful, fun feel to the franchise, perhaps, but all that's wrapped around a deeply nuanced game. If you've ever enjoyed playing a multi-layered, immersive and strategic board game with a bunch of funny characters, get in here.

There is a stinging lack of purpose to it all, more so than what you would naturally expect going into a game about knocking down and putting-up walls.

The only people who should be planning on buying Infinite Air are those who are snowboarders, those who want to snowboard, and/or those interested in a life-like representation of snowboarding in a game. You know who you are, and here is the title you’ve been waiting for.

The artwork in Negligee is stunning...Unfortunately, despite quality personification, the plot and dialogue fall flat.

Jackbox Games is doing a great job creating unique card games that have massive streaming potential, but they must make fundamental changes to the way the streaming works. Until then stick with playing locally - if YOU can!

Kyurinaga’s Revenge is decent for its platform genre and provides interesting challenges and levels but is lacking in story and battling functions.

One of the best Adventure Point-&-Click titles I’ve played in recent memory. The developers have done a fantastic job of blending a compelling – if occasionally dark and twisted – storyline with challenging, varied puzzles, while still keeping the Point-&-Click style.

Robot Squad Simulator offers a unique gaming experience that bridges the gap between simulation and arcade in a relatively unexplored genre. Between its good looks and innovative gameplay, there's a lot to like. A worthwhile purchase, if you’ve ever wanted a solid tactical robot game.

For a first project, Antagonist shows much promise, and I'm anxious to see what it does next.

I fell in love with The Beard in the Mirror. As an homage to a much-loved genre, it succeeds stupendously.

I wanted to like Meadow, mostly because it sounded unique, interesting, and potentially captivating. It isn’t though, at least not for me.

Overall, this title is both relaxing and fun and provides a casual experience.

King Machine had a new and interesting idea, but it failed to execute it properly. The developers attempted to create a title that would innovate upon multiple styles of games, but did not make it intuitive to its users.

It just hit all the right notes with me: quirky but meaningful plot and characters, elegant retro art and sound, and simple but engaging exploration and combat.

Although it does have areas of improvement and potentially unintended setbacks, Super Dungeon Bros brings together bro-tastic characters with many difficulties and modes to form a fun game that is everlasting and enjoyable for days.

With an efficient combat system, robust and far-reaching interactions with NPC’s, Tyranny is a game not to be missed.