Fe is a game that you want to get lost in. Even if you discard the beautiful visuals, the forest world has so many areas to explore that you'll enjoy wandering around aimlessly. Thankfully, the platforming and light puzzles are done well, so those who want some purpose have something to contend with, while the abstract storytelling will mesmerize others. Overall, Fe is an excellent game, especially for those who prefer exploration over violence.

I only saw a few minor flaws with Hot Shots Tennis, such as the uselessness of the unlockables, extremely annoying multiplayer, and even a harmless yet painfully obvious "hiccup."

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered takes a few steps forward and a few steps backward from the previous Remastered collection. The games are a little more open, so you won't get many camera issues, but the games still haven't been retuned to handle the mechanics of the modern controls. The frame rate issue when switching between graphical modes has been fixed, and there are a few new mechanics. Some previously cut content makes the games feel like there has been some evolution. The problem is that the games don't feel as good as the trio of titles that came before it. From a preservationist perspective, it's fine to have these titles in a more accessible form. If you have some nostalgia related to these titles, then you might get a kick out of replaying them with a modern lens. Those who are discovering these games for the first time will wonder what the fuss was all about.

I'd hesitate to suggest Dustforce as a must-play type of game, but for the cost of entry, you'll get some enjoyment out of it.

If you don't approach it expecting any clever gameplay angles on the combat or the mass destruction, you can squeeze a respectable amount of enjoyable racing out of Full Auto.

The real goodness of this title comes from how close it is in feel and tone to the movie, and the cute little details Toys for Bob sprinkled through the levels.

As a game, Jet Set Radio isn't going to appeal to everyone. The mechanics are dated, and the look and feel, while still impressive, isn't as distinctive as it was in a prior generation. If you're up for a challenge, however, it's not a bad way to spend 800 Microsoft points. Just be prepared to swear - a lot - as you experience a piece of gaming history.

Engaging gameplay, a plethora of unlockables, and above-norm production values really give this title a boost to propel the franchise into this millennium. It's true: Ninja don't need orange jumpsuits to be cool.

While there's fun to be had here, most people will want to look elsewhere to get their dogfight on.

There's a solid adventure game in Beyond A Steel Sky. The puzzles make sense and ease newcomers to the genre, the story is mostly on point, and the writing is robust. Whether you're a longtime fan of the original or just coming to its world now, there's plenty to enjoy in Beyond. The multitude of technical gameplay and presentation issues make it difficult to eke out all of the joy you can from the title. If you can deal with all of that, then you'll find a fine adventure game to sink your teeth into. Otherwise, you might want to wait for a few patches to see if the issues get ironed out.

A flawed attempt at fixing the problems with Guitar Hero III. While vast improvements have been made to the game's look and engine, a critical mistake was made when Neversoft chose to focus on a single band. The core Guitar Hero gameplay is still there and as fun as ever, but unless you're an avid fan of Aerosmith, you probably won't be happy with constantly playing Aerosmith songs.

It's unfortunate that this promising combination comes mixed with a good amount of frustration.

Overall, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes takes an okay series of PS2 games and manages to downgrade them severely, not once, but twice — once from PS2 to PSP and again, in mostly inexcusable fashion, from Japan to the U.S.

It's a shame that MLB 2K8 is the only baseball offering for Xbox 360 owners, as the efforts to do more than a simple roster update have resulted in a game that has solid ideas and a deep set of features, but is so buggy and inconsistent in almost every regard that it isn't worth your time unless you absolutely have to play a baseball game.

One downside is that there's a heck of a lot here that's pulled together from other games, if you're up on your gaming history you can play 'spot the element' here and rattle off a good five or so games that do bits of Ty 2 better than Ty 2 does.

While the Professor Layton series comes highly recommended if you're in the market for a puzzle adventure game, don't pass up this one.

Tekken Revolution won't inspire people to toss out their old Tekken copies and embrace this wholeheartedly. Unless you exclusively play online, you'll miss out on the offline features and local multiplayer that make fighting games so much fun.

In the end, DuckTales Remastered is a great modern take on the now-classic NES game.

In the end, Ember is a good RPG that caters more to genre beginners than veterans. The trimming of the traits and the abolishment of classes makes it easier for some players to concentrate on the gameplay instead of character and party micromanagement. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as everything from the gameplay to the story is rather solid despite not really doing anything to stand out from the crowd.

Blaster Master Zero is what a nostalgic game update should be. It isn't bogged down in the past, and it doesn't lose what makes the original game so memorable and fun. It's not quite a masterpiece, but it's a ton of fun to play. Whether you're getting a new upgrade or battling a brutal mutant, it's a well-paced and enjoyable experience. Fans of the franchise should be delighted, and those who have never played the original Blaster Master will find Zero a much better place to start.

Provided you're not short on empathy, Blackwood Crossing has a good tale to tell. The various forms of loss and growing up are dealt with quite well, while the fanciful setting gives you the impetus to keep going even if you know exactly how the tale will end. It does need some work on the puzzle mechanics, as a fiddly detection system and slow walking can be frustrating once the solution is known. Overall, this is a good first effort from the development team, and it's worth a look if you're a genre fan.

Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online is a game that fans of the series will enjoy. The dialogue-heavy nature and comedy are well done, and the story doesn't get in the way of it. It does a serviceable job of making the MMO-style gameplay work, but you have to accept the grind in order to not be bothered by it. It isn't a good title for those who are just jumping into the universe, but if you've played anything previously released for the series and fell in love with it, then 4GO isn't a bad addition.

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey aims to tackle the evolution of mankind from our animal forebears, a hefty task for any one piece of media. While the goal is incredibly admirable, Panache Digital Games puts too much on its plate. It attempts to break down the process of human development in a fascinating way, but the concept ends up being tremendously difficult to translate into typical controls and gameplay. The information conveyance and gameplay implementation are ultimately disappointing, given how much curiosity the game fosters and inspires. The game still offers interesting content, especially in the audio and visual departments. While the effort put into the game is certainly laudable, the result of Ancestors is ultimately middling.

Split archives aside, your love of Namco Museum Archives Volume 1 will be dependent on how much you love the NES and how you feel about this mix. Half of these games are better represented by their arcade versions, and depending on your platform of choice, you may already have access to them via the older Namco Museum compilations. However, NES originals like Splatterhouse and Dragon Spirit are as excellent today as they were decades ago, while the demake of Pac-Man Championship Edition simply has to be seen to be believed. For the investment price of $19.99, retro fans will like this title quite a bit.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids is a solid stand-alone story experience that takes place during Valhalla's storyline. While boasting a decent story, it never breaks the mold of the established formula, feeling more like "yet another kingmaker story" rather than an adventure that lives up to the potential of the setting. It has a few new ideas and spins a few old mechanics into a new form, but at the end of the day, it plays it way too safe, which causes it to feel uninspired. If you loved Valhalla, this DLC will give you more of that, but if you're already fatigued by its repetitive gameplay, Wrath of the Druids won't change that.

Just Dance 2023 Edition is almost critic-proof at this point. You're either already on board and have been dancing away since it became available for download, or you have no interest and no reviews can sway your decision. With that said, the change to a service model has the potential to be exciting provided it can quickly get its Plus service on par with its old Unlimited service in terms of content. If Ubisoft can do that while keeping things like online play intact, then the series will be in good hands for quite some time.

Like most Suda51 games, Lollipop Chainsaw is an acquired taste. There might not be too many people who will be fine with the short gameplay length, the humor and dialogue may be offensive to some players, and the scattershot mix of minigames and combat may not sit well with those who are looking for a more straightforward title.

Rather than delve deeper into the Ludlum's Bourne universe, with all the intrigue and conspiring, The Bourne Conspiracy gives us a standard third-person action romp with a clunky interface, brain-dead enemies, and a story we've already seen in a framework that isn't nearly as good as any of the games it aspires to emulate.

Saints Row: The Third – The Full Package is no masterpiece. It never was. However, it is a fun action game that could've been a decent open-world game on the Switch. Instead, it is one of the most poorly optimized ports we've seen on the system thus far, making it hard to recommend. It is not unplayable and it is still somewhat fun, but the technical limitations get in the way almost all the time. For the $40 price point, The Third isn't worth the price of admission.

Neves has a simplistic elegance that is incredibly elusive in the gaming industry.

Not overly complicated or time-consuming to learn, and it was actually incredibly fun to play. The uncluttered interface and visually pleasing design seems to help reduce the information overload that is often associated with this genre.

It includes an incredible amount of fighters from the series, and with all of the unlockables and story modes to complete, the replay value simply shoots through the roof.

Your enjoyment of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands is going to depend heavily on how you react to the game's fundamental changes. On the one hand, the move to an open world makes it feel less like a traditional Ghost Recon title, and the inclusion of a radio station that sounds like it belongs in Saints Row or Grand Theft Auto doesn't convert those who want that classic feeling. On the other hand, that same open-world setting combined with the more traditional gunplay mechanics plays out well, there's plenty to do at any time, and it's loads of fun either playing solo or with others. Wildlands is a great game that is worth playing, so long as you aren't averse to change.

Adults can stick to waiting for The Sims 3, but for kids, MySims is definitely worth a bet, even if you may be better suited to the more child-friendly Wii console.

Longtime fans might find the new take on Garrett hard to swallow. Thief's thin story doesn't explain much in the end when it tops things off, but I enjoyed the time spent in the City. I wouldn't mind revisiting for another go in Garrett's shoes, but I hope that by then, some of the training wheels will have been removed.

Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires is in need of serious polish.

Despite the lack of a physical Taiko drum controller, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session is a great game for rhythm fans. The songs are excellent, and although the amount of available DLC songs is overwhelming, there are more than a handful of tunes anyone can have a good time with. Better yet, the challenges presented by the bingo cards and online play give you plenty of incentive to start getting better at the whole soundtrack, and it's something you'd like to see utilized in other rhythm games. In short, Drum Session is well worth checking out.

Stranger of Sword City can be a little archaic as far as mechanics go, and it certainly isn't very welcoming for those not already accustomed to the slow first-person, dungeon-crawling style. It is, however, very deep in the gameplay department and showcases new mechanics to complement a rather long campaign.

At the end of the day, a Harry Potter game should evoke the magic and wonder that the books or recent movies do. Instead, this just wrapped the look and feel of the Harry Potter world around a rather unpolished children's action game, not even seeming to care about the real reasons the Harry Potter series is so well-established.

To say WRC 7 is a rally car simulation is a bit of a stretch, but it has nice simulation-like characteristics, such as vehicle damage, navigation call-outs, and car builds. I don't feel that it competes with the Dirt franchise very well, but it could be due to a lack of aesthetics in the menu and excitement in career mode. WRC 7 is still a quality choice, but it feels like the second option in a marketplace with a niche target audience.

If you can deal with gratuitous and risqué fan service, then you'll find that Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus is a good brawler.

Blue Fire is a fun and surprisingly engaging game, and fans of the 3D platforming genre will enjoy the challenges it provides. Adventure and open-world exploration fans, on the other hand, might not find the repetition that endearing. If all you want is to hop and dash around, smash objects, and swing your ridiculously oversized swords, Blue Fire is worth a try.

Knights in Tight Spaces is a very worthy sequel to Fights in Tight Spaces. Not every new gameplay mechanic hits the mark, but there are enough fresh cards, fresh features, and fresh concepts to make it a genuine delight to play. The party opens up a whole new degree of freedom, and creating a Rube Goldberg machine of chained attacks is fun enough that it could be a game all on its own. Besides, who doesn't like hitting evil skeletons with lightning?

The Real Bout spin-offs are not the best of the entire series (and I will not introduce a debate over this, except that it's Mark of the Wolves), and much of the system has been one-upped by the King of Fighters series in the decade since.

If I were to decide between Rainbow Six 3 and "SOCOM II," I would choose the latter simply because the online play is so much more solid and the lag time from the mic isn’t quite as bad as it is in Rainbow Six 3.

Instead, I am left with the anticipation of a possible sequel, hoping that much of its ideas are left intact and that what needs to be fixed gets fixed. If that were to happen, then perhaps I'd look at this first chapter and, well, remember it differently.

Beyond: Two Souls is fun like a summer popcorn action movie. There are likeable characters and good set pieces, but it falls apart if you analyze it too closely.

Overall, Legends of WrestleMania is the best romp through the WWE I've had the pleasure of playing in years.

If you love turn-based card games, board games, or have played the real-life equivalent of Ticket To Ride, it'll be an easy choice.

Your view of Strayed Lights is going to depend on what kind of player you are. If you love playing defensively, then you'll like what's on offer, as it mostly works with a few hiccups. If you're more of an attacker, then the slower-paced fights and lack of minion variety doesn't make for an appealing adventure. The game is short enough that it doesn't drag on for too long, making it worth experiencing for those who are intrigued.

If you can put all of that aside or appreciate Destroy All Humans! in a state that is undoubtedly close to how it played back in the day, there is a lot of fun to be in the PS4 remake. The combat is responsive, colorful, and over the top, and it lends itself well to short bursts of entertaining chaos. The same goes for its saucer gameplay; blowing up tiny buildings is not going to get old anytime soon. The title hasn't aged well, but it still possesses a certain charm. Maybe I was expecting too much, but I think I've raised some fair points. If you know and love the original, this PS4 remake is a great way to revisit the game. If you haven't played the original, the DAH remake feels difficult to recommend on its own; the two originals, which were remastered on current consoles in 2016, might be a better way for newcomers to test the waters without paying a premium.

There's nothing groundbreaking here, and it provides more of the same, with few improvements, and therein lies the rub: NFL Street 3 plays it far too safe. The new features work and the new modes are entertaining, but as a whole, it is sometimes too close to the previous edition.

Bartlow's Dread Machine is a fun time if you can overcome the quirks. The old-time setting works well in delivering some charm, and the shooting is solid. The idea of using rails for movement quickly becomes a novel way to play, and the variety keeps things fresh. Bartlow's Dread Machine is an enjoyable ride if you're a fan of the genre, and it's well worth checking out.

Bluntly, you should already know if you're going to like SuperNOVA 2.

The bottom line is that Fossil Fighters takes the formula established by games like Spectrobes and Pokemon and improves on it in nearly every way.

It doesn't provide anything new for fighting veterans, and it doesn't have characters that will immediately draw in players. It does provide a good fighting experience with an assortment of modes that provide familiarity - but nothing new.

Hide and Seek maintains the level of quality demonstrated in the series premiere. Presentation aside, the classic and new systems in place make for some good gameplay moments, and the story remains as intriguing as ever. It answers a few questions while providing more queries to ponder. If the release schedule goes on as expected, it shouldn't be too long before the third episode arrives, and we can't wait to see what's in store.

Moon is a tough map, but the hardest thing about it may be deciding to buy it. There are two categories of Call of Duty players who shouldn't buy this map pack: those who loathe zombie mode and those who love it so much they bought the Hardened or Prestige edition of Black Ops. Hardened and Prestige owners, already fixed up with the remastered World at War zombie maps from day one, get the new content - Moon, wallpaper and soundtrack - for free. Standard-edition players who most often compete in multiplayer modes, yet occasionally enjoy a night of zombie-slaying mayhem, might be happy sitting pat; there are no new competitive multiplayer maps in Rezurrection. Moon is a true intrigue, and the package is nicely complete, but when you get right down to it, from a pure gaming stance, it costs 1,200 MS points for one map.

Sine Mora Ex is a good game, but the new version likely won't satisfy people who are familiar with the original. It still features the challenging and fun gameplay, but it currently doesn't warrant the hefty price tag of $30 for a few minor improvements and content. Chances are that owners of a Nintendo Switch have never had the opportunity to try Sine Mora, so they will experience a highly challenging and entertaining game. People who have played this before should wait for a sale to get the slightly touched-up and expanded version of this truly enjoyable experience.

Alice: Madness Returns isn't a bad game; it's a game that isn't quite good enough. Tighter controls, a little more testing, and either much less or much better combat would've turned Madness Returns into one of the all-time greats. Right now, it's picturesque but annoying. It's fun to look at, some of the stages are OK, and there's a lot of variety both in the level design and in the basic gameplay, but as a game, it's frequently half-baked.

Your reaction to Warriors All-Stars will depend on how big of a Musou fan you are. If you're a hardcore fan of the series and have played through many of the main entries and a number of the side titles, then you may be fine with renting this one or getting it when it's cheaper. The crossover appeal and the new mechanics are very nice, but the lack of modes can make this feel incomplete. If you're a more casual fan or new to the series, this is much easier to recommend, as it's a good introduction to past games and prepares you for the changes in the upcoming ninth game in the main series.

As a whole, 1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a quick and blunt showing of an important piece of history that's made to be accessible to our generation. As a game, the gameplay is straightforward but sometimes clunky, the visuals are lackluster but portray what they must, and the music bolsters the game's chilling tone and narrative. There are some bugs in the visuals and longer load times, but they're minor hiccups when taking into account the game's loftier goal of sharing this important piece of history with people who are largely unaware of it.

Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island doesn't really feel like a full-fledged game. It has gameplay elements, but they almost universally feel like mini-games instead of parts of an actual game.

Overall, Metal Slug 7 for the NDS is a solid and difficult side-scrolling shooter that adds little to the franchise.

Here's hoping a few things can be cleaned up for a second iteration on the Wii, and I'd definitely suggest that curious fans give Shadow Assassins a try.

A well-rounded game that mixes crisp graphics, decent-but-repetitive sounds, and a quirky arcade-style racing system similar to that of Mario Kart.

Dragon Ball: Origins 2 is a tough game to recommend. It's clearly made for fans, but that isn't quite enough to make one overlook its flaws.

Fans who have a better understanding of the George R. R. Martin world will likely be able to cope with how it concluded. Everyone else will be shocked or dismayed. No matter which group you belong to, this series is worth checking out, even if the longer-than-usual wait made it painful to bear.

Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers is a fun and light SRPG, but it's held back by its lack of ambition. It does a great job of translating the mook-bashing Warriors gameplay into an SRPG, but that also means it suffers the same flaws as a Warriors title. It's fun for as long as you're having fun obliterating foes, but it doesn't have the teeth to compete with more focused games. It's not bad, and it's probably one of the most relaxing SRPGs on the market. Fans of the franchise or casual SRPG players will have a good time with it, though they may want to wait for a price drop. More hardcore gamers may want to get their SRPG fix elsewhere.

Storyteller is both a very good puzzle game and an excellent source of humor. The scenarios are a mix of pieces from classical literary works, but their simplified nature makes for some head-scratchers, even for those mildly familiar with the works these were inspired by. The simple animations and illustrations are captivating to look at and make everything naturally funny. You will wish that Storyteller were a longer experience,l but if you’re good with the short playtime, you’ll have a ton of fun with it.

Vampyr is a rough but interesting game. The story starts off in an intriguing manner, and the character interactions show that Dontnod still knows how to make them the most compelling part of any game. The quandary of whether to give in to your base desires seems like a good moral dilemma, until you realize that the combat heavily favors you upgrading early to make the progress less of a grind. That means the game leans heavily toward an evil ending before you attempt a good one. Due to the lack of good vampire games in the market, Vampyr is worth a look, but don't expect a masterpiece out of the gate.

MotoGP 09/10's racing mechanic still hasn't grown significantly, and many surrounding features, such as the multiplayer, are severely unpolished. Hardcore MotoGP fans will be able to sustain themselves on the more in-depth career mode, but anyone else will get bored fast.

In spite of its flaws, though, NCAA Basketball 09 is still a very enjoyable game that will sit very well with fans of the sport. The new tempo-driven gameplay is quite ingenious, and I can't think of a game that does a better job of getting the feel of college basketball just right.

If you're strictly interested in what the single-player game has to offer, then you're better off renting this. It's short, not particularly outstanding, and doesn't deliver on its premise very well. If you're willing to delve into the multiplayer segment, you'll have a lot of fun with Homefront.

As is the case for most games like this, only fans should bother giving this one a spin.

Despite the dated graphics and AI, the presentation is otherwise quite good, and to top it all off, the game is pretty enjoyable.

As mentioned at the beginning of the review, your appreciation of Star Wars: Episode I: Racer appearing on the Switch will heavily depend on the rose tint of your glasses. On the one hand, the presentation is especially rough, and the lack of difficulty for most of the campaign makes the task of unlocking everything a chore — at least until the final few races become competitive. On the other hand, the sense of speed in races is still present, and the track design isn't bad when you consider how fast things are going. While those who have played the game before might get a kick out of being able to play it again on a modern, portable machine, others may be fine leaving this one alone.

Tim Curry fills in doing the voice of narrator Lemony Snicket, and he does a fine job being dry, sharp-witted and, well... Tim Curry.

Rainbow Moon is a good game buried under tedium. It has a lot of fundamental strengths that lack an engaging push to keep you going. For a budget downloadable offering, it's absurdly long and packed with content, and the fundamental combat system is fun.

In the end, Lake delivers on producing a "slice of life" experience but with some issues that keep it from being excellent. The characters are interesting to talk to, even if only a few of them break out from being one-dimensional. The vocal performances are good, but the stiff facial and body animations and rushed story don't give it a chance to connect with players. If you can forgive these shortcomings and don't find the mail delivery mechanic to be tedious, Lake is relaxing and different enough from other offerings to warrant a glance.

I desperately wanted to like Project X Zone. It does a lot of things right, even if it doesn't do them as well as other titles in the same genre. The translation is solid, the presentation is good, and the gameplay seems like it could be interesting. Alas, the game ends up being too tedious.

Sims 4 would've been a really good game if it'd had another six months of production time, and I thinkit has the potential to be great after a few expansions fill in the holes.

A suprisingly solid piece of history and should provide you with at least a few hours of point-raking fun.

Kung Fu Panda can be summed up as a game that doesn't do anything perfectly, but does everything pretty well.

All in all, Wet is a fun game, though it's marred by a terrible camera aiming system and the occasional stiff-feeling actions.

There are enough flaws in the compilation, however, that a purchase can't be truly recommended.

Digimon Survive is an interesting experiment that largely succeeds in taking a beloved children's franchise and giving it a darker tone without completely losing what made it so beloved in the first place. The story is largely engaging and has enough twists and turns to keep things moving forward at a comfortable pace. The gameplay is enjoyable but unexceptional, but the story is the main draw. If you're a fan of Digimon, then Survive is absolutely worth your time. Even casual JRPG fans will likely find the story to be worth a look.

Six months from now, during the midst of the annual games drought in new titles, shooter games no better than TimeShift will be favored by some, if not many, critics and will also sell well to a thirsty FPS audience. To significantly mark off this title right now would be, if you'll pardon the pun, merely a matter of timing.

While some of Prince's acrobatic movements are decent with the Wiimote, the combat — especially the Speed Kill — suffers badly, and overall, the game performed better with a tradition control scheme.

Remarkably short.

I have a hard time recommending the PC version of Homefront. It's a decent game with a unique take on world events, and its fresh and fun new ideas for two-mode, bot-less, online only multiplayer kept me coming back long after I'd waved adieu to the single-player portion, but the performance and playability on this platform is far eclipsed by the stability found on consoles.

Takes so long getting to the meat of the story that all but the most die-hard of players will have gone elsewhere to eat long before then.

Don't get me wrong. Virtua Tennis 2009 isn't bad, but it isn't stellar either.

Puddle is a mechanically sound game that's good for fans of physics puzzles. The presentation is solid, and even though the controls aren't the most optimal, they get the job done and provide enough options.

Somewhere between the halfway psychotic 2D graphics and the incredibly innovative, if slightly dated, gameplay, Mr. Driller comes extremely close to “classic” status.

It's a good effort, but it's just not worth more than bargain bin prices.

Even with its shortcomings, I enjoyed Neopets Puzzle Adventure quite a bit, and while I think that a better game could have been developed with these ideas, it's still a title that I'd suggest to DS owners, and something that shouldn't be overlooked simply because of the license attached to it.

Given the lack of fighting games on the Wii console and the $30 price tag on King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga, you should definitely pick up the title.