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.