Don’t expect to get hours of interesting play here, but so long as you know what you’re in for, it can be a pretty enjoyable break from more seriously-minded games that provides some reasonably-priced fun.

State of Mind stands as the most ambitious brainchild of award-winning German game writer/designer Martin Ganteföhr and it executes its purpose as a satisfactory narrative-driven experience despite it uninspired setting and disappointing main character.

Fighting game players who are into the genre for the sake of going toe-to-toe with other players will have far more to look forward to than those who are attracted to game’s overall presentation or alternative game modes. So in the midst of quite a few missteps and mediocrity, you can’t deny that at its very base Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite did at least offer some solid improvements to gameplay while still keeping the overall pace and feel of the franchise. Unfortunately, the game struggled to achieve much else outside of that.

The best way that I can think to say it is that if you’re looking for something that’s slow, calm, and without any pressure to accomplish concrete goals, it’s almost certainly worth a look; the graphics are solid, the music is fantastic, and the lack of difficult objectives or enemies to overcome lends itself to losing yourself in the simple act of discovery.

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.

When it comes down to it, Last Stop is an entertaining journey that just goes completely off the rails in its final half, failing to execute on the interesting ideas it comes up with at the start. I know that endings shouldn’t take away from the ride, but when you’re playing a title that is almost completely narrative and character-driven, I just couldn’t help but feel a letdown when credits rolled.

If you’re into Dynasty Warriors levels of mass combat and are a huge fan of One Piece then this game is absolutely perfect for you. If you’ve been a fan of this particular series since the beginning, the new additions are nice but the game as a whole may feel too similar.

Nintendo Switch Sports attempts to capture the magic of the first two games in the series. Its efforts in doing so are not bad per se, but they are extremely basic and do not build upon the previous concepts in any revolutionary way.

With dashes of humor thrown in through some of the titles and works of art, there’s also a good amount of light-hearted fun surrounding the whole thing. Paint it Back may not break any entirely new ground, but it’s a cute and enjoyable experience for those who enjoy using their brains for leisure.

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.

If you’ve got no problem delving into some of the darker corners of the human mind, this is a solid pick-up.

While the core experience of Super Mario Maker stays the same on 3DS, the exclusion of certain aspects definitely hurts the game. Not being able to upload and share your courses is incredibly disappointing, and somewhat defeats the purpose. The overall presentation is great, but the exclusion of features like a course search and amiibo support also feel like strange decisions.

What’s here isn’t bad at all; it’s by no means best in class, but it does deliver on its premise. There is satisfaction to be gleaned from the battles if you buy into the strategy and tactics; there’s a lot to take in here (well upwards of 30 hours); and it’s dressed up in sumptuous art. If you’re a sucker for a dungeon-crawler or for JRPGs, then this will sate your thirst two times over. There isn’t much here to recommend to the uninitiated though.

200% Mixed Juice is an easy recommendation for fans of prior Orange_Juice games, but it fails to bring much to the table outside of that.

A deceptively complex game that may not offer much replay value, but has that certain quality that’s able to captivate attention for some time. It may get repetitive, and there are definitely moments of frustration, but it’s innovative and enjoyable in small doses.

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.

Its gameplay loop is easy to understand but hard to master, throwing new obstacles at your around every corner, it just doesn’t have the chaotic magic that made the Overcooked games special.

The Ascent is a tough game to recommend for solo players in its current state. Its buggy, tedious at its best and utterly frustrating at its worst. While I’m sure playing with friends will resolve some of my chief complaints, more fundamental issues like a rather boring overworld can’t be fixed with a few laughs with friends.

It can be downright crushing, and more than a few people will probably be turned off by it. For those who stick with it though, or go into the experience fully prepared for a challenging experience, there are elements seeing and getting lost in.

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.

Unfortunately, this game does have its fair share of issues, particularly in the control department.

Miaou Moon is a unique and challenging game that has a surprisingly complex approach. Much of the play can feel haphazard, yet you’re still able to interact and guide the chaos towards an eventual goal. Hidden items, secret exits, and plenty more await those who take the time to really dive into this deep-space adventure.

Ultimately, Nidhogg 2 is a unique game that is filled with charming quirks and strategic challenges. It’s only real mistake is not trusting in its original formula and undercutting its own successes with added fluff that just wasn’t necessary.

Yes, she gets her own area that’s larger than the other DLC stories, but it’s devoid of anything that makes this add-on unique. A re-skinned Batman is not what fans need, nor deserve.

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.

If you have some people to play The Dark Pictures: Little Hope with, it’s definitely a fun way to past the time, especially around Halloween. If you’re planning on going at it alone, though, it’s not a bad experience but you may be left feeling a bit unfulfilled.

The gameplay mechanics and open world that felt fresh and fun in 2017 now feel outdated and stale. Combine this with levels that lack interesting vantage points or unique ways to kill enemies, and it wasn’t long before my immersion into the wacky world of Sniper Elite 5 went up in smoke.

Ultimately, the boiled-down approach of 0rbitalis, both in interactivity and aesthetic, works out pretty well. While struggling through the same level for extended periods gets wearisome, the variety as more levels unlock means plenty of new things to try. Still, I’m not sure the bare visual and audio design are doing the title many favors.