Beyond playful visuals, Fullbright's game doesn't do anything that Gone Home did as well or better over a decade ago. I hoped Open Roads might feature a more expansive story or more varied gameplay because, as it is, it's a short and serviceable adventure game rather than a particularly memorable experience.

Simulation & farming fans will likely want to skip this title, unless they are dying for something new to play until a notable game in the genre is released.

If you’re not willing to simply sign up for more of the same Sonic with the same problems and not enough meaningful innovation, Sonic Forces will easily lose your interest and leave you frustrated with its many shortcomings.

This is a defining moment in the series' history, and I really hope they don't decide to drop this entire idea altogether. Instead, if Omega Force polishes the game even further, this niche series may finally open itself to the mainstream market.

It introduced western players to the surprisingly deep combat that overseas arcades and consoles have enjoyed for some time. Unfortunately, the core was marred by the inclusion of a single-player campaign that could’ve done with a bit a more time and polish.

I can’t help but feel that there just wasn’t enough time to fully flesh this expansion out. Maybe updates will utilize the new space and we’ll remember the Curse of Osiris era more fondly over time. If you just want more Destiny 2, Curse of Osiris is a serviceable expansion. But right now, Destiny 2 doesn’t need more stuff, it needs a shakeup of its DNA, and Curse of Osiris doesn’t deliver in that regard.

Not a bad game. It clearly has ideas it wants to bring to the table, and with some patience, players can find those ideas and have a blast seeing how they can be applied to a fighter. Overall though, its flaws make it hard for those ideas to shine, and hold the game back from being anything other than an offering for die-hard “One Punch Man” fans to dig their teeth into.

Unless you are a big fan, The House of the Dead: Remake is not the best way to experience this classic for the first time, and it would have probably been better off dead than revived in this form.

If you want to rush through Uncanny Valley you won’t get the full experience. One play through is not enough to learn the ins and outs of the town, how to accomplish specific objectives, and what the story is really trying to convey. It’s a unique adventure game that delves into a twisted psyche and tells a twisted, unhinged narrative with simple yet effective art that leaves enough to the imagination to keep some of the horror intact. The only major issue is with the repetitive nature of the game.

A good game. It is not a great game, and there’s certainly some areas that could have used improvement, but it’s a far cry from as terrible as I’ve come to expect from TV spin-off titles or other licensed titles.

Wanted: Dead tries to rekindle that flame of passion for gaming’s earliest titles, and while it might resonate with some who unconditionally loved this era of gaming, the final product is very unsatisfying and a reminder of why going back in time is a double-edged sword.

If you’re looking for a scary Spider Train experience that’ll get your heart rate going, you’re probably just better off watching that Spider-Man 2 scene where everyone keeps Peter Parker’s secret. At least that way, you’ll have seen a good movie instead of playing a video game that was simply made because the idea sounded good in theory.

Everything outside of that core combat feels so wishy-washy and uninteresting, that I can’t recommend Jump Force to anyone that doesn’t have an immediate interest in anime. If these characters have been a huge part of your life, or you’re familiar with a few of the series, you’ll definitely enjoy it, but go in with some lowered expectations.

In the end, Roving Rogue makes a bit of a splash with its interesting means of storytelling, but that’s about it. From the frustrating controls to the uninspired level design, the rest of the game falls pretty flat. It’s not necessarily awful, mind you, just uninspired and a bit frustrating.

Even for someone as desperate to be captivated by a light-hearted adventure like me, Ary and the Secret of the Seasons is an exercise in frustration that isn’t likely to improve your mood.

While decorating your shop and swapping out Mama’s outfits can be fun for a little while, there simply isn’t much sustainable entertainment to be had here. It’s pretty surprising that with a price tag as low as $30, Cooking Mama still doesn’t seem like its giving consumers their money’s worth. As much as I hate to say this to Mama’s adorable and easily excitable face, there just doesn’t seem to be many redeemable qualities to Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop. That is, unless you just need a simple distraction for a rowdy toddler.

Unfortunately, classic arcade flair and humor-filled story and loading screens can only carry a game so far. Old Time Hockey is definitely trying to fill a spot that hockey-fan gamers know exists, but the dragging controls and other in-game inconsistencies leave it far from the mark. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wanted to enjoy the game more than I did; I’m a hockey fan, and an alternative to the almost-identical yearly churnings from EA is something I’d love to get my mitts on. Sadly, it seems that Old Time Hockey spent more effort in trying to claim its niche than in doing it well.

To be clear, Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling Into Darkness is not an irredeemable game. It has its high points, and the core experience is one that even non-anime fans could find enjoyable and worthwhile. It’s held back by needing to adapt material from the anime, though, and as a result, the full product is so much less enjoyable than it otherwise could have been.

Playing as the Predator is a wonderful idea, it just deserves a better game around it. Bugs, mediocre first-person gameplay, repetitive missions, an ugly setting, and a reliance on playing with friends mean Predator Hunting Grounds is boring a lot more often than it is enjoyable.

There is enough variance to make sure for a large majority of story battles you have a way of coming in with a fresh look, but the battles kind of always play out the same way, so it’s frustrating when the build you brought isn’t good enough and you struggle to get through what you were clearing before without any problems.

Roller Coaster Tycoon Adventures lacks the replay value and challenge to have much worth outside those two scenarios, especially when compared to modern competition like Planet Coaster and Parkitect.

Breakpoint attempts to push the series forward but often feels stuck in the mud from its own systems.

Redfall feels like a victim of the great, Game Pass machine. A game with heaps of style and potential that ultimately falls short in core areas like story, mission variety and technical performance. I can’t help shake the feeling development may have been rushed in order to fill a gap in the subscription service’s exclusives release schedule. It’s fun in parts and its wider potential occasionally manages to shine through, but it ultimately serves as another reminder that Microsoft’s first-party offerings still lag behind the best the industry has to offer.

Meridian: Squad 22 is a worthy effort by Elder Games and a good choice for anyone who is new to the genre and wants to experience a real-time strategy game for the first time without having to burn a hole in their pocket.

Granting players the freedom to decide how to take on missions and utilize the excellent sniping mechanic however they like is an idea that the Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 series required to improve on the underwhelming first two entries. However, since everything else, from the characters to the open world itself, lack polish, depth, and quality – on top of the game being riddled with technical problems – Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 is far more dull and frustrating than it is ever enjoyable.

Almost in spite of itself, though, OmniBus is still somehow fun. It may be short on coherence and play like a tech demo from a mid-90s game conference, but in spite of itself, careening through its poorly-rendered world is still worth a chuckle.

Gryphon Knight Epic doesn’t bring a lot of innovation to the table. That said, with its relatively free movement and exploration, secrets to uncover, and several weapons to upgrade and master, it delivers well on what it does offer.

Soccer Story is by no means a perfect game, especially where there are bugs and glitches that require a hard reset and cause a loss of progression, but it does manage to deliver an entertaining time on occasion, even if it doesn’t necessarily have to do with the ball on the pitch. It might not be a great recommendation for those that are looking for more soccer action, but as a narrative-driven roleplaying title that just so happens to involve soccer, Soccer Story remains something worth checking out if you temper your expectations.

The game tries to include many of the hallmarks of the genre, but muddles it all up with poor systems and execution. For a fan that has grown used to the genre’s often challenging requirements, recommending Dolmen is something that will only happen in an alternate dimension.

While I’m a fan of nostalgic throwbacks, this title isn’t bringing much that’s new or innovative to the genre.

Despite the fact that Red Game likely works better in its original mobile form, it still offers some fun.

Sugardew Island is a cozy game with a twist, but unfortunately its unique selling point doesn't quite deliver. All the elements are there for an engaging addition to the farming simulation family, but until the gameplay becomes more varied it won’t live up to its predecessors.

Hokko Life is a well-developed cozy life sim that feels familiar enough to settle right into but has plenty of unique mechanics and creative freedom to keep even seasoned life sim players entertained for many hours of gameplay.

There’s a lot of repetition for battles, and lengthy sequences of cutscenes can certainly slow things down, but Revolution tells an engaging story with characters that grow on you over the hours of gameplay. Similarly, the combat system and customization grow, providing a much more engaging action experience in the latter half of the game.

Your mileage with Funko Fusion hinges on your interest in the worlds it pastiches, but there’s enough charm here that even if you’re tangentially invested, you’ll have a good time.

Great, innovative mechanics.

While technically sound and well put-together, it’s little more than a digital comic that doesn’t capture the replay value and engaging emotional tale of the first.

Sometimes the direction in which the story leads is a bit predictable, but for the most part, there’s a fun sense of exploration, and despite not being particularly ‘horror’ worthy, things still get quite twisted. Unfortunately, the game takes too long to break into its strongest part of the story, which all unravels near the end of the game. This is a shame because while I was not thrilled by my Harvest Island experience, there was a fun sense of subtle terror in the last moments; you just have to drag yourself through the worst parts of the game to get there.

Everybody 1-2 Switch! will likely entertain you for 30 minutes or so, if that. But it’s hardly worth its asking price, and with two other Mario Party games already available on the Switch, it’s difficult to recommend this one to anyone at all.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood starts off on the right note, engaging players with the type of action I imagine werewolf fans will find exciting. It quickly runs out of puff, though, and what excitement there is to be had is spoiled by too much tedium in between. Ultimately, enthusiasts of the Apocalypse TRPG are unlikely to feel satiated by what is a rather shallow video game experience overall, which makes it difficult to recommend to those outside the hardcore fanbase.

Red Goddess may lack a touch of the polish that players find from big-budget, AAA games, but it more than makes up for this with what it offers. Gorgeous lands to explore, artful storytelling, and well-designed controls come together to forge a great experience.

In essence, In Nightmare is a narrative heavy puzzle game where all too often you must engage in more action heavy scenes in order to progress. That, coupled with frequent sections where you must navigate a room of either a single monster or multiple and avoid detection, caused the game to wear out its welcome sooner than it should have. When it’s just puzzles where you have have all the time in the world to reason out is when the game works best, and I found myself wishing for more of that as the game went on.

Bugs, choppy frame rate, and some finicky controls make exploring the drab and sterile environments a clunky chore. There is something here, though.

Bedlam is like a love letter to gaming’s history, and a relatively well-written one. By staying true to the idea of the game in which Quinn/Athena is trapped, it keeps itself well-centered.

When looking at #KillAllZombies as nothing but a time waster, the game stands up as “ok.” If you have 10 or 15 minutes to spare and want to play a video game but don’t have time to really become immersed into a game’s world, there are worse choices out there. The problem is, the complete lack of story and lack of maps makes this title feel pretty shallow.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted is a great collection of FNaF titles for the series veteran looking for Switch versions, or for those searching out the additional bonus content, but the issues that come with the VR conversion, as well as the fact that the base games as a whole can easily lead to boredom and frustration for those not fully invested in the timeline and lore mean this is a niche collection for a niche audience.

Despite my issues connecting to servers and the poor graphical performance on PS5, I’ve quite enjoyed my time on Solar Crown’s Hong Kong Island. The driving mechanics are easily the best the series has ever had, and the cars sound and feel viscerally dynamic. It’s a shame that a game that places such a strong emphasis on realistic immersion and map detail is dragged down by poor graphical performance and always-online server issues. Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown has the potential to overtake its rivals but it has too many faults slowing it down in its current state.

Despite efforts to include a vast collection of Dragon Ball characters and references in The Breakers, going as far as to provide a somewhat logical explanation of why it is possible for dead villains and normal civilians being able to transform into your favorite heroes, the game is ultimately let down by its poor mechanics and systems. Instead of giving players a chance to sink their teeth into a new way to enjoy the storied franchise, Dragon Ball: The Breakers will only be consigned to the place of a bad memory, much like a poor filler episode of an anime.

Forcibly pushing players together in order to tackle the later main quests isn’t the experience fans wanted, nor is a PvP system that requires consent before it really kicks off, regardless of where you are.

There’s potential here, and a lot of the game’s promise is steeped in maybes and the possibilities that lay behind future updates; right now, Eternal Crusade is an undercooked, bare-bones affair that can, at times, produce a compelling shootout, but on the whole remains a rote and subpar game.

Everything that was added to keep this from being a straight rip-off only ended up getting in the way, and that brought the entire experience crumbling down.

Arguably the biggest flaw with Overkill’s The Walking Dead is just how generic and bland it feels.

With its soothing overall look and feel, Koi isn’t likely to appeal to those who prefer their games gritty, dark, or driven by intense stories. For fans of a more casual sort or those who just want a break, though, it fills its niche very well.

While its soundtrack does a very solid job of engrossing you in its established world, the aesthetically unpleasing presentation takes away from this emotional adventure.

Aside from some brief fun to be had with the three machines, Wolfenstein Cyberpilot is hugely disappointing. What could have been a perfect way of getting a different perspective on Wolfenstein’s world is actually a tedious action game with a severe lack of content and none of what makes the series great.

If you’re all about settlement building then Wasteland Workshop will be right up your alley, but ultimately, these new additions aren’t going to change anyone’s mind who wasn’t already a fan.

Ultimately, Guards embraces a design so simplistic that it feels as though it’s falling short of itself. The gameplay can be fun and challenging, but it also falls into a rut pretty quickly. Unlocking and upgrading all of the available heroes takes a considerable amount of time, with most of your time spent retreading the same roads over and over.

There just isn’t anything strong enough to keep you interested after the fifth time a Quetzalcoatlus drops you into the jaws of Terry the T-Rex, or off the side of a mountain, or into the depths of hell, or — you get the picture.

Extinction has some fine enough ideas, but every aspect of its execution, from the narrative to the combat, feels generic and half-baked.

Right now, 7 Days To Die is an extremely shoddy release on the PS4. Hardcore fans who love crafting and survival games may find a potential time sink here, but I find it hard to recommend this title to anyone else just looking for a game to occupy themselves with during this summer drought. Don’t Starve is available on PS4. Try that one instead.

The only people who should consider Agony are people that want a truly hardcore, even at the expense of enjoyment, survival horror game that will put your patience to the test. Or, someone that really wants to experience a truly horrifying take on hell that we’ve never seen before, complete with actual torture. That’s the only value I can eek out of Agony, and that’s a damned shame.

You won’t find anything that’s truly groundbreaking here, but you may find a relaxing experience if you’re the type of person that’s always wanted to grow a desk plant but just haven’t had luck with the real-world variety.

Nobody expected the latest Bubsy game to be any good and I’m sorry to say that those expectations were completely correct. Stay far away from it. Go play Mario or something instead.

All in all, I Can’t Escape: Darkness is a very simple, though difficult, game. It’s squarely rooted in the past, with the only modern touch being the Steam-based scoreboards.

Funk of Titans is a game full of missed opportunities and it’s really a shame. The game has a solid premise that would be good for some great laughs and varied gameplay, it just never seems to deliver.

While the story behind the Mandrake Facility staff’s disappearance is engaging enough, the slow pace and technical issues make it a disjointed one to follow.

One Way Trip was an extremely hard story to find any fun in. Its biggest asset, the strikingly accurately-written “California bro” dialogue, is offensively overused to the point of exhaustion.

The true problem of Babylon’s Fall is that it has no sense of identity. There’s nothing that sets it apart from games like it, and it only shows itself as a poor comparison to other, free, games. Babylon’s Fall feels like it was made to check a box, because it is just so empty and slapped together. The cookie-cutter levels only serve to wear you down as you just want to make it through main missions that are just about your only way to play the game.

Possibly the worst game I've ever played.

If you’re in the market for a good team-based, third-person shooter game, look elsewhere. You can certainly find better shooter games that aren’t plagued with sticky cover mechanics and awkward animations. And if you’re looking for the next terrifying Resident Evil game to satisfy your zombie-killing tendencies, this isn’t the game for you either; Umbrella Corps is simply a mediocre third-person shooter hiding under a Resident Evil skin.

Despite this generous clutch of problems, there is an odd charm to the game. Its schlock is part of its allure, and each time I loaded the game, I felt as though I was returning to a well-thumbed piece of pulp horror trash or sliding an old VHS B-movie slasher into the machine – its cheap ghouls awash with scan lines. I found myself smirking way more than I was frustrated, but I can’t in good conscience say it’s worth picking up outside of the bargain bin you’d find the films it takes its cues from.

Left Alive’s half-baked nature feels like a real pity because quite a few elements of the game are actually really interesting.

Crystal Rift features some interesting puzzles and may be simple and easy to grasp, but the poor visuals, easily manipulated enemies, limited field of view in standard play, and difficult virtual reality movement means it pales in comparison to the dungeon crawlers of old.

I think the problem with Enforcer: Police Crime Action is that it seems to take itself seriously in a way that the gameplay just can’t support. Shift hours, stress, hunger, gasoline for the cruiser – these are all realistic concerns, but the game comes off as such a parody of itself that managing these is a near-impossible task.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum doesn’t do anything fun or interesting like similar (better) games like A Plague Tale: Innocence and Requiem. It’s hard to say if even the most loyal Lord of the Rings fans would actually find something worthwhile here. Considering good Lord of the Rings games exist, this one feels incredibly out of place.

With no heart, soul, or even an ounce of genuine humor, Ghostbusters is a shameful cash-in for the new film. The scariest thing about Ghostbusters is that we have to pay actual money for this.

With its touching story and surreal qualities, Bliss creates a calming change of pace from more action-oriented gaming. While it’s certainly not for those who like their games fast and loud, it has a particular charm that makes it worthwhile.

Where Dungeonmans falls short is in a lack of polish or detail to its various facets. Play is stiff, and the controls aren’t particularly intuitive or easy to master for more skill-heavy characters such as Wizardmans. It almost feels like the design is a part of the joke, but I’m not entirely sure

Ultimately, Instant Dungeon! feels like a game that would benefit from more gameplay variation. I was disappointed as it became apparent that the characters were essentially just ‘skins’, but there’s so little to the overall mechanics of the game that I’m not even sure what could be made unique about them. The good news is, though, that what’s there is pretty enjoyable for what it is.

Littlewitch Romanesque is a pretty solid visual novel. It can be easily praised for its art and its gameplay, but the lack of a manual isn’t overcome by the in-game tutorials. Yet the game is fun and easy to learn, making it a probably “cult” classic among the JRPG crowd.

With its one-of-a-kind art and play, BasketBelle creates a fantastical, strange, and touching story. While it’s very short, taking under an hour from start to finish, the $4.99 price on Steam and Desura includes the game, soundtrack, digital sketchbook, and a making-of featurette by developer Bean.

If you’re a fan of unique, interesting physics-based puzzles, you should be trying iO.

There’s certainly a lack of polish to it, but with the right competition and some practice, it could be worth it for those interested in quick, easy arcade-style play.

In all honesty, Potatoman Seeks the Troof seems to do very well at being what it’s set out to be: a difficult, surreal, and innovative adaptation of classic gameplay and aesthetic.

The Depths of Tolagal has a near-unmatched ability to take you in, turning minutes into hours and hours into days with gameplay mechanics that punch well above this small indie title’s weight.

With Aronsson asking a mere $2.99 for the game on Steam, I can’t emphasize enough how worth the price of admission this one is if you’re into things that capture the look and feel of the 8-bit days. If you were raised with, and pine for, that style of game, you owe Dr. Green a try.

Gunslugs 2 just hits that sweet spot to keep fans of arcade shooters happy for many dark nights to come.

Seasons of the Wolf is a solid RPG. With excellent art, fun strategic combat, visual novel storytelling methods, and interesting characters it checks all the boxes required for a solid experience. Some might be turned away initially by the presentation, but Seasons of the Wolf is a must-play for fans of the RPG genre.

All told, Pushcat presents a very well-polished design and some rather creative, outside-the-box puzzles that can keep the play interesting even without mechanical complexity.

Song of the Myrne: What Lies Beneath‘s most damning shortfall is probably in length of story. Taking around 3 to 5 hours to complete once you’ve got your bearings, it falls well short of what RPG fans might expect.

While SickBrick may not bring a ton of complexity to the table, the responsive controls, ease of play, and mix of weapons still make for a good play.

Since there’s no online play, and the single-player options are very limited, it’s tough to see most of today’s gamers getting their money’s worth out of this one.

While War of the Human Tanks: ALTeR probably isn’t in-depth enough for hardcore strategy fans, it’s got a certain charm and the novel-style story and human drama inserted through it add a wonderful depth to the experience.

The game executes everything extremely well. Agarest: Generations of War 2 is absolutely the best game of the franchise and one of the greatest JRPGs of its time.

While the simple look and chiptune soundtrack may make players think that there’s not much to this title, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The sheer number of story quests, side missions, and loot, combined with a vast variety of character possibilities, establish far more than enough content to justify the $7.99 price.

With an unimpressive overall aesthetic, floundering controls, and skimpy level design, I’d say your money is better spent on something with a bit more meat to it.

By all means many may enjoy the experience to be had in 199X, however don’t expect a lengthy nor particularly engaging gameplay experience. You’re there to push the story along with your directional keys and space bar and little else.

Smooth, intuitive controls make getting the hang of playing a snap, and the relative ease of early goings make it an ideal for those interested in something new, with enough challenge in its latter stages to delight puzzle players of all ages and skill levels.