Summer in Mara gets a lot right in a game that can be enjoyed by narrative adventure players and farming sim players alike. It might be a bit overly ambitious in that regard, not perfecting or catering to one single genre more than the other. However, for those willing to be patient in the early game and look past its lack of directions and slight technical issues, Summer in Mara is a game that will provide plenty of charm and easy-going fun this summer.

The game feels like a far more welcoming world than the Harry Potter series that can still appeal to older kids. The Academy: The First Riddle is also a title that I would recommend to parents who are looking for ways to keep their kids’ brains sharp over summer vacation, with its brain teaser-like puzzles that require extra thoughtfulness and work. And, thanks to the game being available on both PC and mobile devices, playing the game is as accessible as it can be to keep kids busy (and entertained) as they explore the mysteries of The Academy.

It is a gorgeous game, with an excellent sense of atmosphere, and decidedly troubled gameplay. At its best, it plays like a classic rotoscoped platformer, which can feel charming in its own right, but at its worst, it is cumbersome and awkward. This Samurai most certainly has spirit, but his sword could use a little sharpening.

Rusty Rabbit is a serviceable Metroidvania at best, which just isn’t enough to warrant a recommendation. If you love rabbits, or Takaya Kuroda, then you might get a few laughs out of this game, but chances are you won’t actually enjoy playing it that much. It’s a shame: a great concept, some half-decent writing in places, let down by shoddy controls and gameplay.

It has some real navigation issues, but once you get past those, this is a title that anyone with a PSVR helmet should be checking out. After all, there's no better use for virtual reality than to peer through the eyes of a giant Golem and smash things to smithereens.

What it has made here could be considered impressive, in a way, considering its lack of expertise in this genre, because it’s not entirely incompetent. The tennis does play fairly realistically and there is a rhythm to it that did remind me of Virtua Tennis 2 at times. But I'm not sure that you'll want to spend your hours with this game, because it’ll seem like time will slow down to a crawl.

If you can overcome its tight combat and find beauty in its bizarre world and characters created by SWERY and SUDA51, Hotel Barcelona is a solid roguelite with some innovative additions (I love the Slasher Phantoms) and some very cool moments. If that's something that piques your interest, why don't you check into the hotel and join me?

Truthfully, the only kind of person I can recommend this game to is a diehard Sword Art Online superfan who has never played a JRPG (or honestly, any other video game) in their life and therefore has no basis to compare the trainwreck that is Alicization Lycoris to anything else that has substance. Otherwise, just watch the anime. Or play a different game.

Black Legend feels and looks like it could be at least ten years older than it is. The environments are all nearly identical, almost every attack has the same animation no matter how it’s actually described in the tooltip, the only tutorial is a 15-page menu you read at the start, and there’s an entire adrenaline system that I’m pretty sure is never explained anywhere. To say the game is unpolished would be generous, but I can’t lie, I really liked it. It apes Bloodborne’s atmosphere all the way down to NPCs you can talk to by knocking on doors that have a light on, and I have to admit I’m a total sucker for it. I loved coming up with ways to build a well-rounded party, even if it felt like I could probably breeze through combat without trying nearly as hard as I did. I’m the same guy that put 40 hours into Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics and loved every second of it, and I know I’m not the only one. If you’ve got the same passion for old-school tactics games, and I mean that in every sense of the word, Black Legend is just as infectious as the classics. It’s not for everyone, but the things it does well, it does really well.

Messy doesn’t even begin to cover the state that the Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection launched in, and even though updates are rolling out to make things more tolerable, the ‘improvements’ are loaded with issues that only make matters worse. This might be the worst port since the Silent Hill HD Collection, so get ready to warn away newcomers until it’s fixed.

I'm not sure what happened with Reynatis. Yoko Shimomura and Kazushige Nojima are legends. It feels like FuRyu had everything they needed to deliver a great JRPG. However, game development is difficult, and some projects are bound to miss the mark. That happened here in a big way. Reynatis is one of the most miserable experiences I have had with a game in decades. It is an ugly, repetitive mess that houses some of the worst writing the medium has to offer. Outside of the OST, there is almost nothing of value here. If this is, in fact, anything like what Final Fantasy Versus 13 was supposed to be, then I can comfortably say that Final Fantasy fans dodged a bullet.

Tokyo Ghoul:re [Call To Exist] is the rare anime cash-in that is both ambitious and chocked full of content, and one that franchise diehards can eagerly sink their teeth into and be able to take a deep, stiff drink from.

Crash Drive 2 is a harmless game that provides plenty of chances for players to have fun when in need of some mindless driving action. Unfortunately, in terms of on-the-go gameplay, it’s the missed opportunities that could have made the Switch version of the game stand out from the mobile version.

Unfortunately, just about every decent thing about this game is offset by dull writing, buggy performance, and a core loop that grates on the patience after thirty minutes.

The game does deliver what it promises: magic girls, animals, cute furniture, a relaxed pace, and the chance to bend the rules with magic and ride a giant cat. However, it also has some glitches, a few quirks in its gameplay, and some slightly iffy controls. How much you get out of Calico will truly depend on how much you love its themes as well as your tolerance for glitches. It will also matter if you were looking for a game that lets you actually run a café, since this aspect of gameplay is surprisingly passive.

For those willing to put in the time and effort (along with any of the glitches), Skater XL is a fun experience that skateboarding fans can enjoy - a statement that is even truer for those who also happen to be content creators, as some players out there are already putting together some pretty slick skate video-quality clips… likely after having plenty of their own Kerry Getz moments left on the cutting room floor.

After the failure of Babylon’s Fall, Foamstars feels like yet another attempt from Square Enix to nestle in on the live-service market, and one I wouldn’t be surprised to see fail. It’s a shame, because on a foundational level, there is an aura of Jet Set Radio or Ghost Trick in its cool aesthetic and obscene lore, which in a better world could have been turned into something far less cynical. This is a game where foam has developed into a secretion from individuals who are basically soap-based mutants, and this is the most creative thing you’d have them do? If you get foam-o from this one, I promise you aren’t missing out on much. [Review-in-Progress]

The developers of One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows did a valiant job of translating the franchise into a video game, but the final product just isn't fun.

Technical limitations aside, Worms Rumble on Nintendo Switch is a solid addition to the eShop, which is surprisingly sparse in its collection of Worms titles – Worms W.M.D. being the only other title available digitally right now. The better Worms Rumble experience can be found on other platforms, but the Switch version is good enough for wherever you have just a few minutes to play or while traveling.

A realistic take on the Nidhogg formula does sound intriguing. However, after spending some time with Griefhelm, I would much rather go back to the outlandishly gross-out world of Nidhogg 2 than hang around this bland, grim-dark setting.

Gungrave Gore is repetitive, there’s no question about that, but like most arcade games – racers, sports, shmups – there can be great enjoyment to be had from something so fully of itself. Gungrave is Gungrave, and if you play it, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Whether its simplistic, repetitive nature will appeal for the price you pay is another question. Maybe wait for the inevitable discounts – or just play it on Game Pass.

Despite having the most absurd premise a game could have, Orangeblood is utterly forgettable.

The most unique thing that Clive ‘N’ Wrench has going for it is its focus on speed and its wider pool of moves, which doesn’t feel like a defining feature. How much that bothers you is going to depend on what you go into Clive ‘N’ Wrench expecting. If you’re hoping that it’s going to revolutionise or build upon the collect-a-thon platforming genre, you’re going to be disappointed. If you’re just looking for a simple, nostalgic adventure that calls back to the platforming days of old, then you’ll Clive ‘N’ Wrench might be worth grabbing a backpack for, but its dated design makes it a tough recommendation for anyone other than the genre diehards.

The character placement and controls in Cannibal Cuisine could use a bit of tightening - for instance, there seems to be a pretty wide and inconsistent margin as to when a player falls into a gap and when they don’t - but for the most part, Cannibal Cuisine is just as fun as other co-op party games such as Overcooked and Tools Up! Its bloody cartoon violence - and, you know, cannibalism - is probably a bit too much for younger players. But for groups of older gamers who are fans of this sort of game, you’ll likely eat up Cannibal Cuisine.

While I may not be interested in replaying Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood any time soon, the game did increase my intrigue to learn more about the World of Darkness universe. I think maybe I’ll steer clear of werewolves for now, though, and instead see what the WoD’s vampires have to offer.

It’s disappointing to see a project that had potential come up short, but if like me you were anticipating the launch of Untamed Tactics, it turned out to be far from what we were hoping for. The game’s biggest selling point could have been a dynamic Parley System with witty banter and opportunities for hidden characters and plotlines, but like the rest of the title it falls disappointingly flat.

It’s a nine-year-old formula running on six-year-old hardware, and neither of them can elevate the other. One of them must change, and Giants is probably the one who needs to blink first if it hopes to pull off another portable Farming Simulator in 2025.

Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise is a broken game on multiple levels. Its narrative is broken, in that its interesting core mystery fails to engage due to the most agonizing delivery possible. Its ideologies are broken, as it seems to think trans people are evil, women are weak, and black people are sentient stereotypes. The rest of it – the abysmal gameplay, unacceptable performance, tendency to crash – is no better.

Games like Crucible are born when they release and, with the help of a player base, live long complex lives. I'd like to see Crucible stick around for a while because I think the characters and combat have a lot of potential. It's underdeveloped right now, certainly, but it's got a strong core and I'll certainly be keeping an eye on in the coming months.

Ultimately, Tennis World Tour 2 succeeds in what it sets out to accomplish. The authentic look and feel of the entire game is something that hardcore fans of the sport can appreciate. Unfortunately, the game is also limited in that same sense, as the learning curve prevents more casual players from taking the court in a quickly accessible way. That said, if you’re willing to stick with it, Tennis World Tour 2 serves as an overall satisfying tennis title.

Tasomachi: Behind The Twilight doesn't have anything that would make it worth playing over any of the much better 3D platformers available right now. Hopefully, the developer releases the soundtrack online so I can listen to these tunes without having to perform any more menial tasks for fog-ridden feline folk.

I’m not generally a visual novel type of person, but Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing was a fun little adventure that reinforced my appreciation for not having to wade through the digital dating waters myself. I’m not sure the game did enough to make me want to take a crack at another playthrough for a different ending, but it did make me interested in picking up the full Half Past Fate release that is currently on sale. I’d say that makes Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing a success.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf has moments of enjoyment and there is definitely depth to be found in building multiple decks, but the slow speed of the game and the random nature of the enemy placements diminishes what fun there is to be had. The Warhammer 40,000 universe is currently underrepresented on the Nintendo Switch and fans of the franchise might enjoy the game as a simple strategy game that uses the lore of the series, but there isn't much else to recommend for those who aren't familiar with the tabletop game.

I wanted to enjoy this game, but I didn’t. I expected smoother movement, interesting characters, and better expression of the game’s themes, but The Library of Babel fell short. Its premise was interesting enough, and its eclectic influences could have elevated it, but it was undercut harshly by its design flaws – and its unoriginal plot couldn’t save it.

Even if Street Rumble doesn’t do much to stand out from the crowd, it’s a decent brawler in its own right and worth checking out for fans of The Karate Kid. It’s not going to win at the All-Valley Tournament, but at least it put up more of a fight than Cobra Kai: Dojo’s Rising.

It's mildly amusing to rattle Joy-Con like maracas, but a Nintendo table setter should strive to be better than 'mildly amusing'. And that's the strangest part here - Nintendo has not failed with Welcome Tour. It has succeeded in its ambitions. But if the Switch 2 is to match its predecessor, those ambitions had better grow, and quickly.

There's just too much to fix to make Funko Fusion worth your time. Even if all the broken issues were fixed, the onslaught of enemies, the confusing puzzles, and zero incentive to help the player will remain. Even after several patches to balance some of these issues, the overall product remains the same, and so will the fundamental issues affecting it.

Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia is a good enough first step if the end goal is to revitalize and reintroduce the Bakugan franchise to a new generation. Would the exact same game still work if the Bakugan name weren’t attached to it? I’d lean towards no. There are a lot of great ideas in Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia, but ultimately, none of them really hit the mark - at least in terms of what I was expecting from my first-look at the game.

The Last Worker tries to be a lot of things. It’s a satirical puzzle adventure at heart, but a large part of it is spent stealthily avoiding sentries, it’s got an endless runner minigame starring SKEW that overstays its welcome, and there’s a lot more first-person shooting than I expected. While the story and stealth are both great, the rest of the puzzles are frustrating exercises in tedium, and that’s the feeling that lingers after playing. When the most compelling gameplay is the tedious day job that the game is trying to satirise and not the exciting revolution empowering you through the bowels of the Jüngle warehouse, you know there’s a problem.

Ignition is a lot of fun in short bursts, which is great. The problem is that doesn't tend to be what people look for in a game that is supposed to accurately represent a real sport. While it might not be all that healthy to sit in front of a screen for hours on end, isn't that what tends to happen when you play a really good sports game? Doing so well on FIFA that you can't help but start up another match as soon as the last one has finished. Riding the high of a pole position in F1 and having no other choice but to start the next race weekend. The problem with Ignition is the next race weekend is the same as the last. After three or four you'll probably need a break. If you're looking for a fun and simple racing that doesn't require a deeper knowledge of the sport or its cars' inner workings then Ignition is perfect. If you're looking for a sports game that is going to occupy the bulk of your gaming time for the next 12 months, then probably not so much.

Sometimes, you just want to kick back and relax on a SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY, with a game that doesn’t require much thought. If that is the aim of Monster Jam Steel Titans - now available for the Nintendo Switch - then mission accomplished. However, regardless of whether or not that is, in fact, the game’s goal, it’s still probably not worth your time, unless you’re insanely passionate about monster trucks. No Need For Earplugs Monster Jam Steel Titans puts players in the driver’s seat of a monster truck, competing in races and various stunt challenges taking place in arenas and outdoor tracks. There are a handful of other modes available, such as Freestyle, Rhythm, Two-Wheel Skills, and Destruction, as well as a local split-screen mode. Unfortunately, online multiplayer is not an option, which seems like a major missed opportunity for what is, essentially, a racing game. Continue scrolling to keep reading Click the button below to start this article in quick view. Start now Related: House Of Golf Review: Putting For Par Generally, in other off-road racers, I enjoy the races that feature courses with rhythm sections. There’s something incredibly satisfying about having the perfect amount of speed and elevation to smoothly run through the peaks and valleys of the rhythm section. Monster Jam Steel Titans never really had that though, even in the Rhythm game mode. I was never able to effectively glide through the sections. Instead, I found myself bouncing off the tops of the ramp plateaus. Maybe it was due to user error, or maybe that’s just how it’s supposed to be in monster truck races. I am certainly no expert, but I was disappointed. Monster Jam Steel Titans has a lot of unlockables, which speaks to the game's replayability. Trucks can also be customized using the points earned from races and challenges. That said, at least in terms of races, it never really felt like any of the customizations or upgrades provided much of an impact against the other trucks. As long as I was able to stay on course and limit my mistakes, it was relatively easy to come out on top. Attitude For Altitude There’s nothing incredibly special about the visuals in Monster Jam Steel Titans. Really, the game looks and plays like a PlayStation 2 title similar to other racing games of the time, such ATV Offroad Fury. That’s not necessarily a bad thing (I personally loved ATV Offroad Fury). Unfortunately, the physics of Monster Jam Steel Titans feel a little exaggerated. Trucks don’t need much speed to be sent flying high into the air after hitting a ramp. My enjoyment of Monster Jam Steel Titans primarily came from the untimed freeride sessions in which I just laid on the gas and let the ramps and gravity do the rest. It was surprisingly easy to zone out and lose track of time doing this, made even easier by the portability of the Nintendo Switch. Ultimately, Monster Jam Steel Titans is definitely a game for monster truck fans. Most other players may just want to steer clear.

Redfall isn’t a total disaster, and there’s fun to be had in slaying vampires, especially with a couple of friends. But to call Redfall a shallow experience would be an understatement. I’m happy to loot and shoot and make my own fun, but there still needs to be something there to pull me through it. Nothing in Redfall, from the loot to the characters to the exploration to the power climb, ever made me want to keep playing, or feel like there was something more to achieve. No amount of bug fixes or updates will be able to improve Redfall’s fundamental gameplay flaws. It’s not just rough around the edges, it’s rutted all the way through.

Even with my love of the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and my enjoyment of the fun, but simple gameplay, Wrath of the Mutant's short run time and high price point make it an incredibly hard game to recommend. If this was a bonus game added to The Cowabunga Collection or a part of a sequel collection for some of the modern games then it’d be a notable treat, but on its own, it's simply not worth it.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact might not be a looker and would be laughed out the door for more lore-focused anime games, but it manages to just about come around as soon as you sit down to play it. Eighting’s incredible fighting prowess is doing all of the heavy lifting here and, while it’s a shame the low-budget hampers Nen x Impact from being a top-tier game, it’s still a good time. Just don’t expect to learn anything about the series if you’re a newcomer.

There’s a tendency to recommend bad games to the most devoted fans, but I think fans of Drizzt and Co. will hate this game even more than the uninitiated. The saving grace is that Dark Alliance is included with Game Pass, so it won’t cost you anything to check back in from time to time and see how it’s doing. There is an enjoyable game buried here, I just wouldn’t expect to see it anytime soon.

There’s a lot to love in Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed, whether you’re a veteran or newcomer to the series. It looks and plays much like the games of yesteryear, but that’s what gives it much of its charm. You can definitely add Akihabara to my list of spots to visit when I finally make my way back to Japan. I’m no vampire demon, but perhaps I’ll wear an extra layer or two. You know, just in case.

If I were to use a single word to describe Strobophagia, it would be “confusing.” With good music and puzzle mechanics, there’s a solid foundation for what the game is trying to be. It just feels too disconnected to stand on its own as a single cohesive unit.

Crime Boss is a game at war with itself. All three modes offer something, but none of them does their specific thing that well. Meanwhile, the characters and writing that surround these missions feel painfully stuck in 2011. And customisation is either limited or random in a way that makes it feel like you never quite have control of your loadout.

The Pirate Queen - A Forgotten Legend is an underwhelming game not worth your time. Its barebones gameplay and unmotivating storytelling failed to entertain or excite, and its disappointingly short runtime only disappointed me further. The story of Cheng Shih is a fascinating one that more people should become aware of, but this game does her legacy little justice.

There are rough parts to Summer Memories, to be sure. Its visuals aren't the prettiest, its translation is awkward in places, and that crouching mechanic really does suck. Yet the experience of this game, the raw, primal thrill of being swept up in a whirlwind of danger and given the choice to either work with people or piss them off is unlike anything else on the market. It's a game that lives and dies on its interactions with the world and its inhabitants alone, and those interactions alone are worth the price of admission.

As a single-player experience, Table Manners is very much like a bad Tinder date: after one awkward night, you'll probably never want to see it again.

Not enough time is spent with characters to sympathise with their plight, while the narrative itself discordantly jumps between several themes without committing to a singular vision. It’s not helped by a middling combat system and exploration that is too simplistic and predictable for its own good. As a queer woman, I’m delighted that games like this exist, but I can’t bring myself to ignore the fatal flaws that hold this passionate effort back from greatness.

Marooners is a title that fits perfectly on the Nintendo Switch as a quick and easy way to get more of the party/mini-game action that you love. Marooners is unlikely to replace other party game staples such as Mario Party, but it’s good enough for what it is, especially for younger gamers.

Picklock isn’t a bad game, and - despite some localization woes - is actually packed with some great ideas. They just don’t quite make the connection for me, at least not on Nintendo Switch.

It’s a fairly bog-standard sci-fi show at the end of the day, but it’s mine and many’s favourites because of the Doctor. The Doctor is the show’s edge, a lovable idiot that’s too smart for their own good tying everything together, ending up in random situations and being forced to interact with strangers to uncover plots of intrigue. We do none of that here. You go to A, do what you’re told, go to B, do what you’re told, until the game ends. Given how short it is, you’re better off watching a few episodes from the show, because this is barely Doctor Who, let alone a good game.

If you're simply looking for some quick jump-scares, then Those Who Remain is an adequate choice, but there are likely dozens of games on Steam or Itch.io that are better and less expensive than this.

Pine feels like an early proof of concept that misses the mark in all the key components that should otherwise keep players engaged.

Paranoia: Happiness Is Mandatory demands you be happy and obedient, but you're more likely to be bored and upset that you didn't play something else.

As somebody who suffered through the middling Sweet Shop, who grew irate at the cynical cash-grab of a mobile game, and who wanted fresh blood in this series again, Cookstar delivers - and then some. I haven't been able to put this thing down, and it's taken valuable hours away from Animal Crossing, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and quite a few others.

As it stands right now, The Captain Is Dead is an interesting take on the strategy genre, but I feel like it boldly goes too far in being a frustrating, teeth-grinding, mind-numbing exercise in futility.

Now that most gamers have plenty of time on our hands, they could do a lot worse than snagging Ego Protocol: Remastered on the Switch for its $4.99 price tag. It’s a great price considering the amount of levels available, so long as you are willing to experience a glorified mobile game on the Switch.

Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? - Infinite Combate asks a question that the protagonist deems to be of the utmost importance. But when it comes to the actual question of whether or not to buy this game, you're better off leaving the dungeons, the story, and (of course) the girls alone.

There's no reason to bother with this game. In fact, there's already been a great River City Ransom game released this year that completely blows this out of the water. River City Girls is a fantastic game that honors the series' legacy, has amazing music and characters, and features gameplay that's actually enjoyable. Play that instead, because Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!: A River City Ransom Story is about as far away from cool as you can get.

Even with PlatinumGames’ signature combat and some mechanics brought in from its past work, Babylon’s Fall babylon-falls short in every department. Any hopes I had were quickly dragged down by wonky combat mechanics, a below-average narrative, poor graphics, and even worse aesthetic choices that only make the whole experience even more unenjoyable and frustrating. Babylon’s Fall is a poor attempt at a cash grab that doesn’t even get that right - no one is going to want to spend money on it.

It's worth diving into for visuals alone. The chibi art style is adorable and certainly elevated the visuals beyond the typical cheery Unreal Engine 4 vibe to something much more, and the variety of costumes, while the amount makes it a huge game of hit-or-miss, brings a new level of diversity to the character themselves.

If video games had an equivalent of Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Uncertain: Light At The End would be a worthy candidate to appear on it. Everything from the story to the acting to the gameplay to the constant onslaught of bugs makes it a title deserving of mockery. Its only saving graces are its passable graphics and the puzzles that made me temporarily forget that I was playing a horrendous Telltale clone. I may be uncertain about a lot of things in life, but I'm 100% certain that you should stay away from this.

Waking probably won't resonate with most - it's far too oblique and mixed for most, and it's complicated art for weirdos. But as one of those weirdos, I found Jason Oda's unique thesis on life, death, and everything between the two to be an engaging, engrossing, and challenging experience.

Nom Nom Apocalypse is an unfulfilling snack of a game that offers very little to sink your teeth into.

Everreach: Project Eden is not a terrible game. There's certainly some fun to be had. Combat is strategic, and the music elevates the gameplay. Fans of Mass Effect and third-person shooters set on an otherworldly planet should find things to enjoy. Sadly, the game needs a coat of polish. If it's ever on sale, it might be worth checking out. But for $25, there are other games on Steam that may be more worth your time.

For anyone who’s never heard of Crazy Taxi, Taxi Chaos will be a good enough racing title that’s fine for a quick pick-up-and-play experience. For everyone else, this near-duplicate ride likely won’t be worth the cab fare.

The only silver lining of Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is that the game itself is such a disappointment in what it sets out to do that few people will play it in the first place.

There are more positives – character designs, too, are phenomenal interpretations of Tolkien’s descriptions, and the creepy folk horror vibes of the Mirkwood Elves is inspired – but they’re too few and far between to save this boring game.

Do not play Greyhill Incident. It is a great idea that falls apart utterly and completely. The core gameplay loop is infuriating, unrefined, and unenjoyable. What specks of quality I may have encountered do little to mask the sully of the rest. The biggest commendation I can give this game is how well it implements the store-bought asset packs. There’s potential for this developer to create something better in the future. But for now: hard pass.

This game does nothing to deserve your attention. I honestly can't believe that the developer is charging ten bucks for this. It feels like the unfinished alpha build of a game that would still probably be bad. Down To Hell is so lame that the devil would be ashamed to be associated with it.

That's why I mostly love Fast & Furious Crossroads. I do think there's something questionable about it being a full-price release, and I do think the engaging multiplayer content (which I'll detail in a separate feature) will likely die on the vine thanks to that. But what's here is a sumptuous feast for franchise fans and adrenaline junkies alike - more than enough to whet your appetite for next year's F9.

Tiny Racers succeeds in being a solid racing title, especially considering that the game is only $10 on the Nintendo eShop. The game doesn’t set the racing genre on fire, but is a great game to snag for younger gamers or for those just in need of some quick and unassuming MicroMachines-style races.

Players who are unfamiliar with the sub-genre of Cosmic Horror may be dissuaded from trying the game out, while hardcore fans might expect too much. The term "Lovecraftian" at its core demands that a player be weak and insignificant in the big picture of the world, and Door in the Woods executes this perfectly.

If the game were to do away with its heart rate resource, which severely limits the style of play, and added more procedurally generated content, the game would be a hit. As it stands, Breathing Fear misses the mark and is a forgettable experience.

As a PC game, without VR, this feels like a below-average game. I don't think it's fair to rank it as such, as I truly feel that a VR experience with the heart monitor hookup could hugely improve the overall gameplay. Admittedly, I'd love to know how exactly much.

Pizza Time Explosion is an enjoyable arcade-style shooter that will please those who love a challenge and beating high scores. The game isn't exactly bursting with content, but there is plenty here when you consider that it's an indie budget game that is centered around one pizza's journey to give everyone more pizza.

The problem with creating a dungeon crawler game and calling it Munchkin is that there is too little connecting to the source material.

The price point is just a bit too high at the moment, and it’s definitely not going to wow those hoping for a definitive VR sports title. Yet, most will find that it does what it says on the box and can be a fun time once the initial learning curve is conquered.

I'm not bashing this game because it's about religion. It isn't bad because it's a religious satire. It's bad because every aspect of it misses the mark. The graphics are bland, the music is repetitive and dull, the satire isn't funny, and the point and click interface isn't easy to use. I've never before encountered a point and click adventure that made it so difficult to point and click.

Anyone looking to play a quality platformer hearkening back to the older era should give this a download right away. It's certainly worth the price of $3.99.

Jumanji: The Video Game is best left in that dark and dusty cupboard that it will no doubt end up in.

The Big Journey definitely feels like a game made for mobile devices. However, it works just fine on the Nintendo Switch. It may not be a must-own title, but for Switch owners who are looking to turn off their brain after a hectic day, they could do a lot worse than the reasonably-priced The Big Journey.

The enjoyment you get out of this pack will be directly related to how much you enjoy the game itself. Tomb Kings is very much just more of the same with a glossy covering. While it brings you some cleaner and nicer areas to explore, it really is just an extra, stand-alone chapter to the game. Nothing more, nothing less.

In the Service of Mrs. Claus is impressive, making for an extensive narrative experience. With a broad range of themes to choose from, there is something for everyone.

While I do stand by my statement that the Monopoly app does a great job of maintaining the feel of the OG board game it may not be the right choice for you if your favorite part of playing was the camaraderie with friends. If this applies to you, stick to the real board game. It'll be less buggy.

Moonshades really is an impressive game. The sprawling, mysterious dungeon beckons me to dive further in to see what adventures (and loot) I can find. And it's the product of a single developer who works on it between shifts at their day job. I'd love better controls and more free inventory space, but I'll still happily recommend this to anyone who needs more D&D than they currently get. And let's be honest, that's all of us.

Animal Friends Adventure feels like a title that needs to go back into development. It has the potential to be a reasonable retro-style platformer, but there are just too many errors in it right now for it to even hit average. In its current state, I literally cannot complete it. Not a good move for any game.

Fractured Minds is definitely worth your time, especially for those who enjoy games like Sea of Solitude and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Available for a mere $2, it is also well worth mentioning that 80% of Fractured Minds’ proceeds go directly to Emily Mitchell and Safe In Our World, which is a video games industry charity dedicated to raising and supporting mental health awareness. So, while playing through the game itself might not leave you feeling overwhelmingly happy, you’ll at least be able to take solace in the fact that you’re supporting mental health awareness, as well as the potential of a young developer who has an incredibly bright future ahead of her.

Priced at $8.99 on Steam, the game offers a fun adventure. It's a great game for all ages, featuring smart level design and a charming art style.

If you have spent any time whatsoever in a battle royale game (namely Fortnite), you’ll know exactly what to expect when dropping into Darwin Project. The Hunger Games element of the game is very cool and intriguing, but doesn't feel quite as impactful as I was hoping, especially considering that the game’s overall Twitch viewership isn’t very high at the time of this writing. It has its charms and is worth a try if you’re in need of another free-to-play battle royale, but Darwin Project is ultimately just another average drop in the bucket for the genre.

Never Again is a great game to pick up for a broad range of players. It bears repeating that although there are elements that one might consider part of the Horror genre, Never Again could be argued as falling closer in line to other such classics as Firewatch, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, and What Remains of Edith Finch, thanks to its great story and engaging puzzles. Despite the few shortcomings listed here, Never Again is not a title that players should miss.

Ultimately, Bug Academy succeeds in its physics-based gameplay and is a charming little game that is good enough to keep coming back to every now and then after the first playthrough.

The new Double Trouble update makes it an even more compelling offer. Easily a fifteen dollar value released entirely free of charge, there’s no reason for those who already own the game to not give this one a shot.

MindSeize isn’t necessarily a Metroidvania that brings anything new to the genre, but it is a fun and overall enjoyable experience that has a lot of potential. Interested players just might want to wait until the game receives another patch or two before giving it a go, unless you’re willing to deal with its current technical issues.