I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a lot of fun with Exoprimal. With its satisfying shooting, well-designed co-op, and unique yet lighthearted narrative and tone, Capcom’s team-based shooter can often be a genuine thrill, especially when your team synergises together in unison. Sure, it may be big, dumb, turn-off-your-brain fun, but, sometimes that’s all you really need, right?

I highly recommend Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed. While Reprobed left me feeling a bit empty because it is another exact one-to-one recreation, the new updates and additions as well as a beautifully recreated world gives me just enough trust that Black Forest Games is the team to resurrect the Furon Empire.

All in all MediEvil PS4 is a solid, well-made remake that is a Halloween treat for longtime fans thanks to its remarkably improved sounds and visuals. Other Ocean Emeryville also does a nice job of ironing out some old kinks for modern audiences while leaving the gameplay mostly intact. Most of the time, this is for the better, but sometimes it's for the worse.

Danganronpa: Ultra Despair Girls offers an exciting and decidedly chilling story for fans who have followed the series since its inception, with callbacks to the original game and important revelations those in touch with the games won’t want to miss. Unfortunately for newcomers or those who aren’t as in tune with Danganronpa, there’s not much here to convert anyone.

Ultimately, if you want a solid dedicated JRPG focused on adventuring and combat, this probably isn’t the game for you. You’re better off waiting for Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland, which is just a couple of months away.

The DioField Chronicle surprised me with just how much depth its combat system offered, and powering my way through its levels proved to be a joy, despite its narrative and characterization shortcomings. The real-time strategy battles are an innovative aspect of the game that I’d love to see adapted in more RPGs, and while I do wish the protagonists weren’t as cookie-cutter as they come, I’ll take bland stories and pretty art over boring gameplay any day.

Gotham Knights is a game that draws its line in the sand very early on and rarely wavers. It is a game that emphasizes the importance of support and empathy while sprinkling in every element we've come to expect and adore from these titles along the way. So no, Gotham Knights is not an Arkham game. It neither needed nor wanted to be. And because of this, it thrives.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead doesn't have enough innovation to prevent it from running out of steam in its final hours, though it does a solid job of replicating the franchise's thesis in video game form.

BELOW held a series of incredible highs and depressing lows, and harbored several unlovable mechanics. But its tense environment and enchanting ambiance kept the experience alive to the very end for me.

Sticking with The Town of Light’s slow, meandering storytelling and linear exploration in the early chapters does pay off eventually, but if the dark and often distressing tale of Renee and the happenings in World War II era insane asylums doesn’t interest you, there is very little to see that wouldn’t be even more of a turn off.

If you’re looking for an Avengers campaign and nothing more, you may enjoy what Marvel’s Avengers has to offer, especially if the performance and be polished up with post-launch patches. But if you’re looking for another persistent world looter shooter, there are far, far better options out there right now. Marvel’s Avengers is only just starting its journey with plenty of content due to release in the future, but right now it’s a tough sell.

The Longest Five Minutes certainly has some good, and surprisingly original ideas, but it just never takes them far enough to be something really special.

Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom is a rare gem that captures the feeling of early PS2-era RPGs such as Dark Cloud and Grandia II while bringing it’s own brand of modern to the table. The game certainly isn’t perfect and the technical cracks most definitely show, but the things it tries to do well, it succeeds.

Outside of the sometimes stupid allied AI, Shining Resonance Refrain doesn’t do anything “wrong,” it just doesn’t excel at much either.

The Sims 4 For Rent expansion pack is just what the Sim community needs to maximize the series’ storytelling. It gives builders more ways to customize their lively worlds while also providing unique gameplay for those who aren’t too experienced in Build Mode. The pack also does justice for the Southeast Asian culture, whether it be through the architecture or the newest objects.

What I’m left with is a passable, extremely repetitive game that offers up brief bursts of catharsis muddled in a misguided sea of queasy colors, and all wrapped up in a convoluted and uncompelling plot.

If you’re already a fan of vehicle simulation games, you’ll likely still get a kick out of this one, despite its flaws.

If you’ve never played a Shenmue game, that honestly might give you trouble. But if you have played Shenmue, then you’ll feel like you’ve come home with Shenmue 3.

While a few minor AI and presentational bugs hold it back from being the perfect organism fans have been hoping for, Aliens: Fireteam Elite absolutely nails that one-last-stand thrill of roleplaying a badass marine with your back against the wall battling overwhelmingly insurmountable odds. Let's rock? Aye-firmative.

I’m not inclined to play back through it right away, but it’ll be staying downloaded on my Switch for those lengthy flights and commutes where I want to do nothing more than slash through countless enemies in style.

Hyperdimension Neptunia Rebirth;2 has a lot of heart, but it lacks finesse in its attempt to get players to see the ‘bigger picture’ in the game.

There’s a lot to love about Dissidia NT, especially once you really get a feel for its systems and multiplayer. The game can be an absolute blast when everything clicks, but when it doesn’t, boy can it be tough to enjoy. The story mode has some really questionable design decisions, and the summons battles are frustrating.

There’s too much in Double Cross that either bores or frustrates for the quality moments to be worth struggling towards.

The game creates a compelling sense of dread, and packs just enough into a relatively small package that multiple plays are essentially required just to find everything that it has to offer. For anyone that’s a fan of a less action-oriented style of horror, the seething mysteries of Uncanny Valley are definitely worth looking into.

Like Deadly Premonition before it D4 suffers from awkward controls, and some frustrating nonsensical mechanics. Fortunately D4’s strange and hilarious story and characters more than make up for what it lacks, while its soundtrack is a joy to listen to.

While its story and approach play it safe, the smooth gameplay and optional “perma-death” Hard Mode still bring plenty to enjoy. With a wide variety of weapons and spells to choose from and a unique experience behind each randomly-generated door, it keeps things fresh without stepping too far outside of established comfort zones.

As the sounds and music of the Viking people play in the background, it becomes clear that Frozenheim would have benefited more by just being a city builder and making full use of its source material and inspirations. Rather than delivering an undercooked campaign mode and real-time combat, allowing players to experience life as the Norse fully would have gone a long way; alas, it was not to be, and it might be best to leave this game out in the cold if real-time strategy is what you are seeking.

It is fan service at its best and there is absolutely no harm in that. Unfortunately it is slightly bogged down by the weight of one of its largest features. The hub world of Toki-Toki city is a great idea that serves its purpose but adds a bit of clunkiness that makes getting to the fun bits a bit of a chore. And fun is something that should never feel like a chore.

If you enjoy a challenging platformer, The King’s Bird will test your limits. Even if you don’t, it is at least important to note what the indie title is able to accomplish with its physics. Still, a lacking progression system, threading the needle difficulty, and bad camera work currently hold The King’s Bird back from being a great game, and it is instead merely a good one.

Star Wars Battlefront II offers a sizable improvement over the first game in almost every way.

Black The Fall not only succeeds in Sand Sailor Studio’s aim of bringing attention to the Communist history of Romania but it also stands strong as an excellent puzzle platformer. The use of unique devices and companions ensure that you never solve the same puzzle twice and the excellent design ensure that every moment of your journey to escape from oppression is enjoyable.

It can be cruel and insufferable, but if you can bear the abuse, you’ll find yourself engrossed in a unique, compelling experience that is unlike most other management sims.

If you’re really looking to enjoy Crysis as it is meant to be played, I’d recommend booting up your PC and playing any of those versions. At least that way you won’t be limited in terms of fidelity, which will also likely improve gameplay fluidity simultaneously.

At the end of the day, it’s hard to say whether Serious Sam: Tormental deserves your time and attention. As a twin-stick shooter, it’s designed well and works to provide enjoyable gameplay for anyone looking for something simple. But when compared to its peers, it’s just not that special or unique that would warrant an extended amount of time spent on it, even if you happened to be a big Serious Sam fan.

If you’re looking for a fighter with a solid, interesting roster, then One Piece: Burning Blood is right up your alley. But, if you seek story and new insight from your anime-based games, you will be left wanting.

There are so many things you can do differently over the course of the story, and the game has incredible replay value. And should you ever get tired of replaying the same mystery, you could always invite a few friends over for an intense night of distrust and suspicion.

Offering some exciting couch co-op action, this one will definitely produce some laughs and good times, but the lack of variety in the controls limit the differences in the game modes, which is only accentuated by the bare-bones single-player offerings.

Not only is the Casting of Frank Stone a fantastic Dead by Daylight game, it's also a fantastic game in its own right.

Berserk and the Band of the Hawk provides the rich story that fans of the manga and anime will certainly appreciate. Unfortunately, the feel of the gameplay itself captures the unique nature of each character, but never feels like it shares the same soul as the series it’s based on.

If you were a fan of the original and just want more of that, you'll feel right at home here, but if you were looking for major improvements over its predecessor, you may be left disappointed.

Overall, this game is a charming mystery story that’s a little disappointing in its execution. If only looked at through the view that it is a child’s game, it is slightly better. My fear would be the conversations are possibly too drawn out for smaller children to engage with. If you absolutely love Pokémon more than anything or are between the ages of 5 and 12, it might be worth a play through.

A spectacle first and a game second. It’s wonderful to look at, listen to and experience. You could easily get lost in this subterranean adventure, but the lackluster controls and repetitive gameplay chip away at the luxurious coat of paint, and you may start to forget about those few fascinating moments of tense exploration. Whilst it is a competent experience and offers some fresh new ideas, you may find yourself bogged down by some of the game’s less polished attributes.

I’m hard-pressed to think of a game that more exceeded my expectations than This is the Police. A fully-formed, engaging story that’s tied together underneath a solid and demanding simulator game is certainly something I’ve never seen before, and it’s all handled excellently.

Puts together a well-made, interesting tale that’s entirely its own. With plenty of the city of Tin Roof to explore, and dozens of characters to question, grill, or shoot the breeze with, there’s more than enough content here to justify the $14.99 price tag on Steam.

The rich environments, fantastic customization options, and decision-focused strategic approach make it a great game to pop into for a bit by yourself or to enjoy with friends, be it on the couch or over the internet.

Despite me thinking that the port doesn’t live up to its PC counterpart, I cannot recommend it enough if you’ve yet to experience the latest entry in the iconic series.

Given the amount of detail that lies under Sword and Sorcery’s remarkably basic look and feel, nostalgic fans of that period in gaming history are sure to be pleased. It may be an acquired taste, but if you’re willing to look beyond the presentation and into the real meat of it, there’s plenty of time to be spent exploring, fighting, and thinking your way through the Underworld.

Fairy Fencer F Advent Dark Force is a deceptively simple game housing some deep customization options. It’s easy to get into if you’re new to the series, while veterans will no doubt enjoy all of the new content that’s been padded on. While it no doubt caters to a certain audience, Fairy Fencer F Advent Dark Force does show both promise and potential in the niche market.

Its core gameplay is fun, and the talent of the developers shines through in spite of problems which I’ll get to, but it’s apparent that there wasn’t anyone with enough weight on the team to hold the game up a bit and add key, modern touches that need to be included in a game that wants to survive in the hyper competitive multiplayer market.

If you're looking for a solid, story-driven adventure, then Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong is a must-play in 2022, even if you haven't played the original.

The Magnificent Truffle Pigs labels itself as a first-person, romantic, metal-detecting game, but it’s far, far more than that. It’s a reminder that every person’s path through life is wholly different, and that sometimes the best plan is to have no plan at all. It’s a meditative, peaceful experience that I’m sure will resonate with many others as much as it did with me. If you’re a fan of Firewatch and other narrative-driven titles, The Magnificent Truffle Pigs is absolutely worth your time and money.

While I can’t say that Albedo: Eyes From Outer Space is something I’d recommend to just anyone, it’s a phenomenal entry in the adventure genre that provides plenty of unique content, brain-twisting puzzles, and a fantastic aesthetic and theme all its own.

While offering a pretty much functional agricultural simulator, Mirthwood is an overall mediocre RPG that needed more time in the oven.

A short, sweet tale, which you’ll enjoy mostly for its delightful visuals and enchanting soundtrack. The overt homages to The Legend of Zelda can sometimes feel more like blatant imitation than respectful tribute, and we wish there was a little more punchiness to the combat, but developers Cornfox Bros demonstrate competent game design here, and Oceanhorn subsequently represents one of the better mobile to console ports out there right now.

A must buy for any fan of RPGs, games to make you smile, or just a downright fun experience at a fraction of the cost [of] most AAA titles.

The Teal Mask DLC was precisely what I assumed it would end up being: a small update that would take me a few hours at most to complete. While the quality of life changes are noticeable, it doesn’t make up for Scarlet & Violet’s pre-existing graphical issues, and the lack of new Pokemon leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I have higher hopes for the next DLC, the Indigo Disk, but it would’ve been nice if the same effort that’s going into the Indigo Disk was also put into the Teal Mask.

When it comes right down to it, I’m just not getting what I used to out of Madden. It doesn’t do much for me, and issues that I’ve had for several years are still there. That’s why I suggested a break at the beginning of this review. Something tells me it wouldn’t spell the end of the world. And yet, something else tells me dreaming of such a thing is wishful at best.

Even though the game basically pulls you from one remarkable situation to the next, that is kind of the point, and I really enjoyed my time with Maize. It has that self-aware LucasArts ridiculousness that is wonderfully endearing, and seeing as we’re currently lacking in adventure games, Maize is a welcome breath of fresh air.

The story may be a bit disjointed and disorienting, but it feeds the thematic piece very well in this regard as players dive deeper into Adams’ attempts to cope with his experience.

I, Zombie creates a fun, approachable setting that’s still plenty challenging. With simple yet effective visuals and sound, decent controls, and a heavy bend towards simple strategy, there’s enough here for veteran and casual gamers alike.

Still, for the game’s low $1.99 price on Steam, it’s almost certainly worth a look if you’re tired of the same old thing and interested in a truly challenging, if a bit slow-starting, puzzler that requires real problem solving skills.

Despite promising a fresh take on the farming genre, the execution just falls short. Decent farming mechanics aside, the clunky combat and slow burn of a story really just take away from the experience.

Gift of Parthax is a serviceable, if dime-a-dozen arena-brawler.

Shovel Knight Showdown is a rare misstep from a developer known for pixel-perfection. It’s a fun diversion for a few dozen minutes but falls short of the base game, and the brilliant single-player expansions that came afterward.

When it comes down to it, Jet Kave Adventure is by no means a bad game, it’s just a bit of a bland one.

Need for Speed is likely to disappoint just about anyone who tries it out. Whether you’re a casual fan looking to scratch a racing game itch, a younger player, or a loyal fan, there’s bound to be something that frustrates you. Its story is run-of-the-mill, its competitive gameplay is undercooked, and its open world features are dull. Need for Speed tries to cast a wide net and instead comes up empty.

Sinister, intriguing, and a little too much like Portal.

I found myself feeling pretty ambivalent towards Tower of Fantasy. I appreciated its focus on multiplayer activities, but ultimately, Tower of Fantasy wants to be a story-driven MMORPG with an immersive open-world for players to get lost in, and it just isn’t that. After finally getting past the honeymoon period of being wowed by its sun-soaked environments, it became clear that Tower of Fantasy is pretty much all style, with little substance. It’s a fun romp, and certainly one of the better mobile MMOs out right now, but in the grand scheme of things, there isn’t quite enough polish or engaging quest content to keep me coming back for more.

Minecraft Legends is a simple, yet effective introduction to the RTS genre for newcomers like myself. While I don’t necessarily see myself sinking a ton of time into the game going forward –primarily because RTS games still aren’t my thing– I do appreciate Mojang’s effort in expanding the Minecraft universe and experimenting with different genres to see how creative they can get with the IP. Slightly janky controls aside, Minecraft Legends is a solid adventure to experience with friends, and it’ll keep you occupied for hours on end. Just don’t go in expecting a ton of single-player content you can enjoy on your own time.

Playing with possibilities of the physics engine as you zip across Solis, trying to take down yet another dictator, is as much fun as ever, but that ‘more of the same’ sentiment is present everywhere in Just Cause 4, from the technical issues to the repetitive mission structure and generic story.

The brief moments of frustration and confusion are outweighed by genuinely hilarious moments of dark humor and satisfying management-sim bliss.

Despite the sometimes clumsy controls, though, Birthdays is still an incredibly easy-to-play game that serves as a great go-to for a quick bit of gaming. My entire family was intensely interested, and it became something that we got to explore together. The relaxed, minimalist gameplay style blends beautifully with the complex systems of the life that populates; every choice you make impacts what will thrive, what will die, and what new things you’ll discover.

The development team has to be applauded for pushing the boundary of the horror industry with its ideas. It’s just a shame that it stumbles so heavily when it comes to the execution and dilutes its strongest element with generic, repetitive gameplay.

The Walking Dead: Michonne is off to a decent start with plenty of room for improvement. Most of the new characters may feel like zombie fodder, but they’ve got some interesting personalities that will be fun to follow. Plus, Michonne may be immortal in the game, but that doesn’t mean she won’t get banged up along the way through both physically and mentally demanding trials.

This game so difficult to play through in the first place: the clunky and robotic feel of your characters and their movements. Extended Dream Edition is a regurgitation of the same nightmare that surfaced last year, and I can’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t already utterly enamored with the game’s beautiful aesthetics.

When there are games out there like Rez and Geometry Wars that reinvent that chassis, it’s difficult to play something like Xenoraid and feel… well, much at all.

Ultimately, Gear.Club Unlimited it a very basic game in comparison to many other console racing titles.

Without the expectations of its title holding it back, I think it would have been a clear and easy win for Nintendo, and the fresh perspective on the setting, while divisive, still gives something new and entertaining.

Blade Arcus from Shining is one of the best games to pick up if your interested in learning or teaching someone how to play a traditional 2D anime fighter. The simple mechanics and beautiful visuals are enough to keep someone enticed long enough to feel adequately comfortable to move onto more popular and complex fighters. But the bare-bones content and uninteresting story/characters certainly won’t keep most around very long outside that.

While Oh…Sir! isn’t a particularly extensive or detailed game, it’s a blast to play if only to see how ridiculous and over-the-top your insults can become.

If you’re willing to accept The Crew 2 for the buggy, unsure of itself game that it is, there is some fun to be had, but its lagging far behind the competition at this point.

The first new city since Saints Row: The Third, great characters, hilarious writing, awesome weapons, and a much more refined focus on gameplay all lend to the overall sense of fun that permeates every aspect of the game.

Robinson: The Journey was one of my most anticipated VR titles and the final outcome is incredibly disappointing. The control scheme feels like an afterthought, motion sickness plagues the exploration and puzzle-based gameplay, and a number of technical hiccups lead to things taking far longer than they really should or, in some cases, so infuriating you’ll feel like giving up.

With poor narrative consistency, troublesome sneaking, and a lack of real coherence or objective, Albino Lullaby ends up falling well short of great despite the fantastic design and wonderful look to it all.

Despite it bringing classic issues along with it that can lead to a rather inconsistent difficulty, I quite enjoyed my time with Super Rad Raygun, although it could have been a bit more fine-tuned and polished.

Franchise Hockey Manager is by no means an all-audiences game. You’ve got to be a certain sort of fan to enjoy any management sim, I think, and slogging through FHM3’s difficult interface is likely to turn away even those who would otherwise serve as its core audience. Still, if you’ve yearned for a title that expands on the paltry offering built into EA’s ongoing NHL series — and you don’t mind a steep learning curve — this is probably exactly what you’re looking for.

Exactly what it needs to be. Its farming sim systems are well balanced and easy to use, and fans will have everything they need to zen out for hours of play. By all other counts, it’s a rough entry point into the genre for newcomers and not the kind of game most people would enjoy as much as the more accessible titles seen in recent years.

Switchback VR delivers what it sets out to do with an on-rails shooter that is low on the story but high on the shooting action. While the fun may not last for a long time and the genuine scares are few and far between, it is still a good demonstration of what the PS VR2 brings to the table. Just like Until Dawn: Rush of Blood set the stage back in 2016, hopefully, this will only be the beginning when it comes to exploiting the full potential of PS VR2.

What you’re left with is an interesting curio, a relic from a bygone era by a talented developer. Whilst it’s clear to see the game’s ambition and the fact that it’s utterly unique, it’s also encumbered by a bizarre control scheme, some experimental storytelling techniques that don’t pull together well, and some cringe-worthy navel-gazing dialogue that disappears up its own bottom.

Landing combos, and zipping around the sandbox is amusing enough, and the game’s progression systems offer the usual RPG hook. But overall it’s a case of light entertainment and not truly innovative design.

Windbound is full of inspired ideas, especially when it comes to the potentially open world sea exportation. Those aspirations fall considerably short, though, as a lack of depth and creativity in its world gameplay sap the wind from its sails, leaving it adrift amidst a sea of better survival games...That being said, if you like survival games with a good atmosphere, you might want to give Windbound a try. Just be sure to temper your expectations. Anyone going into it thinking this will be a Breath of the Wild level survival title will be immensely disappointed.

Little Town Hero is a classic case of “has potential, but woefully executed,” and that really sucks to say when it seems to have so much going for it on the surface. Lovely graphical style and aesthetic, pretty animations from both characters and monsters, and the occasional banger in the soundtrack. And yet, it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe next time, Game Freak.

Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair has some good features. One amazing class, destructible environments, and tons of onscreen enemies sounds like the makings of something great. But the highly repetitive missions, dated graphics, forgettable story, and lack of anything worth sticking around for make the game a largely forgettable experience.

As the final chapter of Fallout 4, Nuka-World does a stellar job in delivering an experience that fans are sure to enjoy clocking in around 20 hours if you complete the side quests.

While some of the early levels get a bit repetitive, it’s largely to get players accustomed to the game’s world and rules before building into more difficult territory.

At the end of the day, I’d still recommend Dislyte to anyone looking for a truly unique gacha game with striking character designs and a cool aesthetic. The team-building aspect is on point, and the entire vibe of the game just oozes charm and style. Just keep your wallets closed until we see some tangible improvements in those pull rates.

Scars Above offers a rather condensed third-person shooter adventure. While I was surprised at how quickly I breezed through the game, considering the other titles it was borrowing ideas from, it was still an interesting journey. I wouldn’t say there’s anything refreshing about the game, but there’s enough there for those wanting a jaunt through an alien world.

With a solid cast of characters, nonstop action, and solid 16-bit look and sound design, it’s a treat for those of us who recall the SNES/Genesis era with nostalgia.