The unnecessarily slow movement speed turns Forma.8 into a bit of a slog at times, especially during long straight passages and when backtracking. The combat, puzzles, and exploration are all quite enjoyable as is the trust in the player to solve problems without putting the answers directly in front of them. Overall, Forma.8 functions as a competent Metroidvania as long as you have plenty of patience.

The frustration with its emphasis on mining gems aside, Story of Seasons is still a lot of fun as a cute and leisurely game. However, this sequel took more steps backwards than forwards and I'm hoping it remedies these poor decisions in the next installment.

Berserk and the Band of the Hawk offers plenty of content for fans of the franchise in an impressively presented package. However, its gameplay falls flat as it fails to pull itself from Musou mediocrity.

Halo Wars 2 is an ambitious game that delivers easily understandable RTS gameplay in an immersive way. Genre enthusiasts may be disappointed but there's no denying the amount of fun to be had strategically taking on Atriox forces.

Ghost Blade HD features incredible classic shoot 'em up gameplay that's as rewarding as the best in the genre. However, its lack of content and disappointingly short campaign makes it fall just a little short of greatness.

Given some work, Trulon can be a worthwhile RPG. As it is, I can't possibly widely recommend it but I do hope to see a reworked version release eventually because there's definitely a lot of potential here.

As a huge fan of Ys ever since the beginning of the franchise, I'm thrilled to be able to enjoy Ys Origin on the big screen. It may not be a perfect entry in the long-running series but it's one that genre fans will definitely find hard to put down.

Shift Happens is an enjoyable cooperative 2D puzzle platformer but it's unfortunately hindered by a limited solo experience as well as many irritating gameplay flaws. All of that being said, it's easy to see that it has a lot of potential to be a worthwhile game.

Chime Sharp retains the addictive gameplay of the original yet there are few innovations that make it a worthy sequel. That being said, it's worth adding to your collection for the brilliant soundtrack alone.

A Pixel Story is a promising retro tale but it fails to live up to the classic games that it's clearly inspired by. You'll likely have fun in its colourful world but don't expect it to last as long as the journey itself.

Typoman: Revised isn't afraid to test your wits and word descrambling abilities as well as your grasp of the English language (I don't think there would be any way for non-English speakers to complete the campaign). It also makes sure you've been paying attention to all of the mechanics by throwing in a few tricky puzzles right at the end. Typoman: Revised is a notable improvement over the original game and will be especially endearing for gamers who have a love of the English language.

I wasn't disappointed by this latest installment in the Hitman franchise. Its awesome graphics, varied gameplay, and tons of content will impress. However, the terrible (and sometimes offensive) writing, confusing menus, and inconsistent AI took me out of the experience enough to warrant a less than stellar score than it would otherwise deserve.

Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World may be lacking in a couple of areas when you compare it to 2015's platforming gem but it more than makes up for these aspects by including a handful of fantastic new additions. Even if you already own and love the Wii U version, Poochy & Yoshi will feel right at home on your 3DS, too.

Vertical Drop Heroes HD is a somewhat addictive yet short-lived roguelike adventure. If it wasn't for its awful AI and glitches then it would be a wholly worthwhile experience. Instead, you'll be better off just playing Rogue Legacy again.

Flywrench is best compared to some of the other games that were developed at the start of the indie gaming boom a decade ago. Unlike titles like Super Meat Boy and VVVVVV, I wasn't able to get the same sort of twitchy satisfaction from Flywrench mostly due to its emphasis on momentum. There's still fun to be had with Flywrench but a lot of it depends on how forgiving you are of its difficult color-changing, momentum-maintaining mechanics.

How to Survive 2 expands on the ideas of its predecessor with mixed results. On one hand, its enlarged scope and addition of base building adds longevity to the experience but on the other, its missions frequently feel monotonous and grindy.

Pix the Cat is one of the most unique and addictive arcade-style indies to ever be released. Its core gameplay will keep any hardcore retro enthusiast delighted for hours.

Semispheres is a clever blend of stealth and polarity-based puzzles but the content is severely lacking. As a result, you may have an enjoyable time with Semispheres but that fun won't last much longer than about an hour.

Plantera is one of the cutest games that I've ever played. If you're in the market to chill out and observe adorable creatures working on a farm then you should ignore my score below and download this immediately.

8DAYS may have a solid premise but the execution of its mechanics isn't well handled. I imagine that if the developers retooled all of its irritating elements, 8DAYS would be an easily recommendable title. As it is, I doubt anyone could thorough enjoy it.

Team Ninja's Nioh is a solid attempt at breathing new life into a formula that gamers just can't seem to get enough of. After all is said and done, Nioh may have its flaws but it remains an ambitious and ultimately satisfying experience for gamers who love a challenge.

This latest Tales title is definitely on my shortlist of the greatest. Watching the story unfold as I travelled the world with a collection of folks from all walks of life was a lot of fun. Thankfully, the developers added some variety in the overworld maps and if the dungeons were more interesting and sidequests played a larger role then I could see this being a contender for one of the best modern RPGs.

In time, you'll come to recognize situations where you should slow down but these unexpected deaths and frustrations will never fully disappear. Whenever they happened, I usually took a few deep breaths or even a short break, but I found myself regularly coming back in hopes of learning from my past experiences to become an even better explorer, looter, and fighter.

A surprisingly addictive game that's full of tacky fun and genuinely amusing scenarios.

The puzzles are challenging but the core gameplay is often disappointing.

Adventure Pop is a lazy Bust-A-Move clone that tries to rope gamers in with its charming visuals but it ultimately fails to live up to its inspirations. Even though it's free, you're better off paying a few bucks for a classic Bust-A-Move title.

Linelight is one of the best indie puzzlers ever made. Its immersive, challenging, and varied gameplay is presented in such an accessible and brilliant way that even after you're done with it, you'll think fondly back at this little light for years to come.

As survival games go, The Flame in the Flood is accessible and a good introduction to the genre. While it has several roguelike elements, it includes checkpoints on its easier "Traveler" difficulty that removes the sting of permadeath. Prepare for an enjoyable trip down-river but count on spending time learning the ins and outs before you start to find success.