I'm crossing my fingers that Close Combat returns to what it was rather than continue with what it is.

For the big paintball fan, the game is a good alternative to being out there on the field. For everyone else, the game is a pretty decent rental.

EA has some great ideas that are just poorly implemented, and it would've been nice to see them rework it for next year.

Kung-Fu High Impact is a fun title that feels overpriced. The basic concept is solid, and the game's execution is good. The freedom complements the goofy nature of the game rather well, and the controls perform much better than most Kinect attempts. However, the short length of the game and the lack of any X360-specific features make one wonder why this was released at retail with such a high price point. Should the price drop, this is easy to recommend for times when you want to play with the Kinect but don't feel like playing the typical dance and exercise games.

In the end, Layers of Fear: The Final Masterpiece Edition is fine but nothing more than that. From a technical standpoint, seeing an Unreal Engine 5 game running on the Switch 2 still feels like magic, considering how underpowered the system is compared to other consoles. The shimmering lights and the blurring of moving elements show the engine's limitations rather clearly. From a narrative standpoint, the game starts off strongly with the story of The Painter, but it tapers off when you get to the rest of The Painter's family. The tales of the Actor, Director and Writer don't carry the same type of impact due to diminishing returns. From a gameplay perspective, the game starts off strongly, and while the later portions falter a bit, they get better if you use some of the game's built-in modifiers. While Layers of Fear may not be the best horror title in the Switch library, it remains a good one if you're a big fan of the genre.

One-third of a complete game, and it really feels like it. Despite the fairly large variety in things to do, all of it feels like setup for something that is going to happen later on.

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.

All in all, Dora Saves the Snow Princess is a great game for kids. You can't really fail at any of the challenges, as you're encouraged to try again.

In the end, Transference is in an odd position. The atmosphere is completely engrossing, since the crumbling digital landscape and ominous repeated dialogue and other sounds create an unsettling world. Jump-scares are light, and almost all the puzzles are easy enough to solve even with some fumbling around. With that said, the tale can seem disturbing, but the scattershot way it's told doesn't make the game very memorable when compared to either its horror or walking simulator contemporaries. Transference remains a game that's worth checking out, but it's not one that players should be in a rush to seek out over other similar titles.

Incredibly short. We're talking Wario World short here, folks. Anyone with a modicum of basic platforming and video fighting skills can beat this game in a matter of hours.

While it isn't exactly the best licensed game out for portable systems, Alpha and Omega for the NDS is surprisingly good at what it does.

While the short missions benefit the title, the lack of multiplayer also limits its longevity unless you plan to make this part of your next LAN party. This is exactly the best choice for fans of arcade style flight combat games, but if you've played them all, it wouldn't hurt to give this one a shot.

While some of the missions are entertaining enough for a quick diversion, the game's overall quality is lacking, with uncharismatic and unengaging characters everywhere you turn, tired clichés, and sloppy gameplay.

Agents of Mayhem is by no means a bad game, but it lacks ambition. That's particularly damning since it spawns from a franchise that rarely held back. If you want to blow up robots, collect some items, and hear amusing humor, then Agents of Mayhem fits the bill. If you're looking for something as off-the-wall as the Saint's Row franchise at its best, this is not it. There are enough glimmers of greatness and individually well-executed moments that it can be easy to forgive the bland filler. If you can't get past that, though, then there's not enough meaty content here to make it a satisfying experience.

Fans of the adventure genre will enjoy The Sacred Rings because the puzzles and challenges are just that good. Just be warned – if you enjoy a good story, character development, or choices about anything at all, you won't find them here.

Despite the flaws, Captain America: Super Soldier is actually a decent game.

To be fair, it hasn't broken any new ground, didn't dazzle me with its graphics, and included that same annoying pseudo-speak that all of these games seem to integrate.

One line in the game struck me as particularly amusing: One of the animals sarcastically asks, "What's more fun than doing something over and over again?" I had to write it down, as it perfectly described my own attitude towards the title.

For those looking for the simplest possible strategy game that's also easy to understand, give this one a shot. Veterans might want to take a peek, but don't expect to stay with it for very long.

A lack of interactivity and an over-simplistic puzzle system quickly engender apathy and boredom.

Chronicles of Mystery: The Scorpio Ritual manages to partly succeed in introducing the world to a clever and adventurous character in Sylvie Leroux, and while she's got a long way to go before she can catch up to Niko from Revolution's Broken Sword series, there's enough potential for future installments to see her on a much longer episode of hidden secrets and ancient mystery.

Ultimately, Akiba's Beat is a poor sequel, a weak homage, and a lackluster game. The strong localization elevates it slightly, but it's crippled by its attempts to impersonate better games. With Persona 5 and Tales of Berseria still fresh on the shelves, it's hard to justify why you'd play this over those games, and once you do, you'll find it difficult to stop noticing the game's "me too" trait. It's not the worst JRPG on the market by any means, but it has very little going for it in terms of strengths. The humor hit enough to give the experience some value, but otherwise it's something for those who've burned through the other top-notch JRPGs on the PS4 and are desperate for a little more.

It's certainly more of the same when it comes to the stealth action and FPS genres that it follows, and doesn't really rise above or try anything particularly new in order to provide that little bit of an edge that it needs to make it out of the realm of mediocrity.

Def Jam: Icon is undeniably stylish, sporting wondrously surreal next-gen visuals and bumping the latest and greatest of mainstream hip-hop. But for all its flash, the fighting engine disappoints, coming off as sluggish and unrefined.

If you enjoy the thought of watching Kamille Bidan and Heero Yui team up to blow away an army of Zakus and Z'Goks, or if you're simply a fan of the hack-and-slash gameplay that the Dynasty Warriors franchise provides, then you could do far worse than Dynasty Warriors: Gundam.

Feels like the same game that we've been playing for years. The developers have certainly taken some steps in the right direction with the class system and a couple of new moves, but the game is plagued by frustrating and boring challenges, weak presentation and a glitchy level editor.

Your impression of Fort Solis is going to depend on many factors, with the biggest one being how forgiving you are of its issues. The story seems fine until you break down motivations. The graphics look good until you start looking beyond the characters. The acting is good, but the gameplay isn't as tight as it should be due to some odd design decisions. It is a game that might be fine for fans of modern story-based adventure games, but don't expect it to be anywhere near the height achieved by some of the bigger titles in the genre.

Recommending the Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection is a bit of a mixed bag. If you're a fan of the Gradius games or a shmup fan, the collection is a solid, if basic, way to get these classic games on console. The lack of features and the wireless controller bug make it difficult to recommend for anyone who is merely curious about Konami's history. The emulation may be solid, but the package around it has some pretty rough edges.

Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars is bland, tedious, and unexceptional.

The emphasis on twitch action means that gamers looking for a surreal puzzle experience are going to be put off, while the short length and straightforward mental challenges make the 1,200 Microsoft points ($15) price tag seem a little steep for the hardcore. If you're a sucker for the visual flair, go ahead and jump on this one; otherwise, it's probably best to wait for a sale before purchasing.

Age of Pirates 2: City of Abandoned Ships has a lot of flaws on a very good premise. Players who are better at handling horrific control schemes and a labyrinthine manual will find that the game has a lot to offer, especially for hardcore naval combat simulation fans.

However, while the game has lots of graphical polish, it can be highly lacking in a many gameplay areas, which limit it to being average in the overall scheme of things. It caters to fans of realistic European racing, but its appeal to everyone else will be highly limited at best.

While the sound and controls are fine, the somewhat-finicky detection system for clues doesn't help make things easy for beginners. The game length is also very short, and you have very little incentive to keep playing once the main story line is finished. The biggest offender, though, is the graphics; blurry pictures and a small playing area don't make this a very desirable title, especially for the $10 (800 MS points) asking price.

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos promises two things: fan service and zombie killing. It delivers on that but not much else. XSEED's lively translation and the sheer fun of zombie killing make it an enjoyable enough romp, but low production values and repetitive gameplay really drag it down.

The definition of mediocrity. It is an amusing game with good play mechanics and solid physics. It is also an irritating game with long waits between turns, annoying voiceovers, and silly obstacles that are often not conducive to the type of golf game this is.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a solid puzzle game with some platforming elements, even if it isn't a particularly great platformer on its own. If you can look past the occasionally clunky controls and its inherent frustrations, you're in for a treat with the great level design.

Your enjoyment of Deemo Reborn is going to depend on how you choose to play it and what sections you're focusing on. Pure rhythm game fans will lament the expanded focus on the adventure game, while adventure game fans will find the puzzles to be too easy. Those playing in VR will be fine with both the adventure and rhythm sections, even with a lack of tactile feedback, while controller fans will feel comfortable with the adventure game but loathe the rhythm game. The game remains decent enough to recommend to rhythm-loving VR players who want something more than Beat Saber, but there are enough caveats to make this a cautious recommendation.

The biggest problem with Evil Dead: Regeneration isn't that it's not simple fun, but that it never rises above that in any way that Evil Dead fans might hope, or that comedy-horror genre fans might expect.

If you have a dedicated group of friends who are ready to toss down on some Mario-themed minigames and game board shenanigans, then you're probably good to go with Mario Party 9.

Vampire Moon: The Mystery of the Hidden Sun is a good hidden object game despite its faults.

Invizimals: Shadow Zone may sport some marginal improvements, but the core game still isn't much to talk about. With a narrative that you rarely interact with, you'll watch most of the game instead of playing it.

Powerdrome doesn't really stand out on its own but instead follows an essentially generic formula. If you are already a devout fan of futuristic racing titles, this competitively priced game may just be for you.

The lack of multiplayer wouldn't hurt so much if it weren't already promised, and the fact that the game launched without that feature makes it feel like an Early Access title rather than one with a $25 price tag. If you don't mind such things, then Tiny Metal is still worth checking out if you're a fan of simpler strategy. For anyone else looking for some challenge, it might be best to hold off to see if and when multiplayer goes live.

Deception on the Gamecube is Deception minus online play, plus two characters everybody wishes were in the first runs of the game.

LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins is an overly ambitious game that isn't as good as the home console edition.

Some fans might be able to look past the issues in Dragon Ball: Raging Blast, but they'll have to work hard at it. For those in desperate need of a DBZ game, a good alternative to Raging Blast would be last year's Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit. It has a better fighting system and, by now, a much lower price tag.

My biggest complaint about FIFA is its name. It simply isn’t a FIFA game, it should simply be called World Cup 06 or something that accurately describes it and distinguishes it from the game that EA wants you to believe it is when you’re buying it.

A complete average, if not slightly subpar, RPG. If it wasn't for the fact that it had Sonic characters in it, it wouldn't stand out at all. The combat system is interesting but flawed, the gameplay is slow and rather tedious and the plot is as cookie-cutter as they come.

When all is said and done, Narnia for the DS isn't a bad game, there's just little outstanding about it.

In just about every regard, Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 is repetitive and average.

The single player mode is one of the worst attempts at a Bomberman adventure yet, and the multiplayer mode is fun but still sits below the bar set by multiple Bomberman titles that have released over the years.

Star Trek: Tactical Assault really tries to present itself as a tactical real-time strategy game, but unfortunately, it just doesn't measures up due to the lackluster storyline and repetitive nature of the gameplay.

As mentioned at the beginning of the review, the mode you choose to play will influence your impression of Battle Princess Madelyn. For arcade mode players, the game retains the spirit of Ghosts 'n Goblins, and while there are a few concessions to make the game seem a touch easier for newcomers, some of the design decisions suck away that enjoyment. For story mode players, those flaws are compounded by more design issues that make it a frustrating Metroidvania clone. In the end, the game's charm isn't enough to attract anyone but genre die-hards who are looking for a near-impossible challenge.

This is definitely the greatest example of comic book fan-service ever conceived, but the gamer side of my brain has too many issues with the title to let it off the hook for those reasons alone.

With only five cases, it is an incredibly short game and can be finished in the span of a few hours. However, besides the aggravating Scooby stages, it is fairly well designed and manages to do a fairly good job of capturing the feel of the cartoon series.

In the end, Dream Trigger 3D will likely become a title with a niche following. The relatively high level of difficulty will likely turn off most players, especially since you experience it in the first level of the game. Once you finally understand how everything works, it becomes interesting. The game can feel a little long in the tooth considering that nothing new is introduced later, but at least the new backgrounds and themes keep things somewhat fresh. Considering how polarizing it is, the game is best recommended as a rental to see if you can deal with the high difficulty level and enjoy what's here or simply give up out of frustration.

Reynatis breaks the cardinal rule of not reminding players about better games. Everything from the concept to the gameplay feels like a less engaging version of The World Ends with You, and the fact there's an in-game crossover between the two makes it not feel like a coincidence. There's very little that makes Reynatis stand out, and there are quite a few baffling game design choices. I can see players gleaning some fun from it, but only if they've already experienced its better inspirations.

Unfortunately, the few high points in Tom Clancy's HAWX 2 don't do enough to make up for its myriad shortcomings.

Some of the more ardent fans of the series might be able to get some enjoyment from the title, but everyone else will be put off and turn elsewhere for their zombie-killing fix.

Overall, Bleach: Soul Resurreccion isn't very good. It's not an awful game, but the Mission mode is the only thing that salvages an otherwise lackluster action title.

If you like the "Family Guy" TV show and you're willing to tolerate sub-par gameplay if the writing's good enough, go grab Xenosaga II, and go ahead and snag Family Guy while you're at the shop. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

It's slow-paced, repetitive and a bit unbalanced, the lack of variety in combat really hurts the game, and the lackluster graphics really can grow frustrating at times. The two campaigns are fun, but they're a bit too easy to give the title any replay value.

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 may benefit by being on a system that still doesn't have many good 3-D platformers, but overall, it is just a decent game.

In the end, Danger Zone 2 dips below the standard set by the original game. The addition of the run-up makes the levels feel deep, but the wonky physics and crash restrictions and presence of older issues negate all of that positive movement. The lack of modes is accentuated further by the lack of levels, and the middle-of-the-road presentation makes the game feel lackluster. This is the type of game you'll want to pick up at a sale, but if you're more patient, you might want to wait for the developer's upcoming Dangerous Driving to see if it can finally deliver a full Burnout-inspired game.

Wanted is mediocre and too short, and it's only of vague entertainment even for players with prerequisite interests.

Patient gamers will be able to find some fun in this game, especially when the higher difficulty levels open up, but for everyone else, Knights Contract makes for a good weekend rental.

The game had good graphics and gameplay, but suffers from some extraneous features (gold-plating) and a low replay value.

The graphics are good, but the slowdown hampers the gameplay too often. Besides that, everything is so repetitive that it makes the game a bit of a pain to play through after a short time.

As a whole, Assassin's Creed III feels lacking. Considering how positive most early impressions were coming out of E3, perhaps my expectations were set too high, but there are clearly a number of disjointed elements that feel half-finished or poorly thought out. This is the issue of having so many cooks in the Assassin's Creed III's development kitchen, and the final product ends up being far more disappointing than I would've expected. It's not without some merit, and it's not something to skip if you're invested in the universe or overarching story, but if you found your interest waning with Revelations, AC3 could be the final nail in the coffin for some players. It's worth a rental, but I wouldn't classify this as a must-play game.

VR really makes the Jurassic World: Aftermath Collection experience enjoyable, and while the move to the Switch isn't terrible, it still loses something in the process. The slow walk and run speeds make for a sluggish-feeling experience, while the controls feel awkward when compared to other first-person games on the system. The stealth experience shines at first, but the repetition makes it dull by the halfway mark. The story is fine but doesn't have the chops to keep you glued from beginning to end. The effort is admirable, but unless you're a big "Jurassic World" fan, you're better off waiting for a VR headset before experiencing this one.

Still, the low price of the title can help one overlook those flaws, and if you're looking for a good complementary piece to Wii Fit Plus, this would be a good candidate.

Patient gamers will be able to find some fun in this game, especially when the higher difficulty levels open up, but for everyone else, Knights Contract makes for a good weekend rental.

If you're a hardcore fan of the Blue Bomber and don't otherwise have access to the games, the Mega Man Legacy Collection is a convenient way to replay these Capcom classics, but as a collection, it doesn't compare to Rare Replay or even the last-gen SEGA Vintage Collection games that were put together by M2.

In some alternate reality where the Guitar Hero developers had been hit by a bus before making their game, this title might have a chance as a party game; as it stands, it doesn't even rank second place.

RPG fans will enjoy the game, as it is still fun despite some of the obvious flaws. However, this title won't bring new fans into the fold.

While I wouldn't recommend it to anyone except kids (or their parents), in part because of the rather subpar control scheme, at least the older brother who has to watch or play along isn't going to be completely annoyed at the game's quality level.

It's certainly more of the same when it comes to the stealth action and FPS genres that it follows, and doesn't really rise above or try anything particularly new in order to provide that little bit of an edge that it needs to make it out of the realm of mediocrity.

At the end of the day, The King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga for the PS2 ends up appealing only to those gamers who have no other way of playing the five games included in this compilation. A quirky default control scheme, numerous load screens, and some audio bugs will annoy those looking for arcade-perfect conversions of these games on their PS2s.

A giant leap ahead of its predecessor. It looks and feels much better than the original.

Torchlight III is fine but only if you don't have too many expectations. Ignoring the many elements of the old free-to-play formula that still remain, the game is relatively unchanged from the first and second entries, which can disappoint those looking for improvements. It's a simpler action/RPG, and it's good for those who might want to get their feet wet with the genre but don't want to do so with an older game. Genre veterans, on the other hand, might not be too impressed with what they see.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon may be the better of the three games based on the movie series, but that isn't saying too much. It's a tighter, more action-packed experience compared to the previous games, but it sacrifices length and choice to get there.

Ride 2 is certainly an improvement over the original game. There's still a grind to experience as you get through the World Tour, but it isn't as severe as before. The physics and general bike handling are balanced now, so both beginners and more experienced players can handle it, and the frame rate is more stable than before. With long loading times and an AI that hasn't evolved at all, it feels like the changes in Ride 2 aren't significant enough to attract people who weren't already enamored with the first game. Bike aficionados will certainly have more fun with the game, but if you really want to race something that's not on four wheels, try this out as a rental.

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.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon may be the better of the three games based on the movie series, but that isn't saying too much. It's a tighter, more action-packed experience compared to the previous games, but it sacrifices length and choice to get there.

Your feelings on the latest iteration of Painkiller will depend on several different factors. If you're looking for a title with a good story and characters or crave a true single-player experience, you'll hate it. If you're looking for something that doesn't require grinding to get the most out of the title, you'll also dislike the game. If you're looking for boomer shooter sensibilities in a co-op setting and really dig the different hellish vibes, you'll like Painkiller. Even then, unless you're a completionist, it'll take one run through all of the levels and perhaps a few attempts at the roguelike mode before you move on, making this a fleeting experience rather than something with staying power.

The mediocrity and leniency of the game makes it a nice diversion for the kiddies, which also shows innovation and promise; but in its current state, it is lacking for anyone looking for a substantial gaming experience.

It's a fun experience, but unless you have kids who "need it now," it's difficult to justify full price for what is on offer.

If I had to summarize this game (and I do), I’d say it’s like playing chess by mail. It’s slow and you have time to think your moves through, but it can also be a bit dull.

Crime Stories suffers from some poor design decisions as well as a downright annoying presentation.

If you're willing to work past some hurdles, there's a fair bit to like here, but it's probably best to wait for a sale.

Home Sweet Home is a decent horror title. It mostly relies on jump scares, but the brilliant use of sound builds up suspense where needed. The puzzles are decent, but some can be too obtuse for many to solve on their own, and the breakdown of AI at times means that some of your escapes are due to dumb luck. The explanation of Thai mythology would've been nice, and the VR use should've been better, but the fact that this isn't labeled as an episodic game will annoy players the most. Home Sweet Home is worth checking out — but only if you aren't already tired of the genre.

The multiplayer modes are a wonderfully nice touch, but the horrible pathfinding and AI get in the way of this being as good of a game as it truly could be.

This is a decent budget-minded fighting title, but it's not exactly one where you'll get much playtime.

In the end, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection nails the visual update but stumbles when it comes to gameplay. Hardcore fans of the franchise can look past the rough edges and find the fun buried underneath, but if you don't feel like putting forth the effort, you'll probably be happier playing the original arcade game via Capcom Arcade Stadium.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is a lot of wasted effort. The Bureau isn't for XCOM fans, but it isn't for shooter fans, either. The basis for a fun and interesting game is there, but the XCOM name hangs like an albatross from its neck.

If you're looking for a Gauntlet game in the tradition of the original, you can find "Midway Arcade Treasures" for cheap. If you want one more like the recent N64 releases or Dark Legacy, this is the only game in town.

Red Wings: Aces in the Sky surprised me. I went in with low expectations and found a fun arcade shooter that does a lot of things well. It works as advertised and can provide some fun but short-lived action moments that detail the story of the Red Baron during WWI. Fans of the subject matter will certainly get a few decent hours out of the game, but the experience is severely held back by a lack of variety in almost all areas. If you're not into WWI or arcade shooters, Red Wings probably won't keep you entertained for too long, but it is a solid experience that does most things well enough for a quick rush of adrenaline on your Switch.

The story in Layers of Fear 2 is decent, even if you can see the narrative twist coming, but you need to sit down and analyze the pieces for it to really come together. The same tricks used in the original to distort the environment still work here, as do the jump-scares despite their predictability over time. The longer playtime robs the title of the crispness of its predecessor, while the element of an active pursuer doesn't mix well with the game's need for more involved door and switch mechanics and the precision needed to activate those action spots. It's still worth checking out for fans — but sometime later, as opposed to immediately.