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.