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.

Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package is made for people who love the idea of killing large zombie hordes in an outrageous fashion. The main game may not be as challenging as previous entries, but it remains engaging, and it would've been a fine purchase for PS4 owners. The presence of both old and new DLC makes the game absolutely packed, and while mini-golf isn't as strong as either Frank Rising or Capcom Heroes, its inclusion is still welcome.

By and large, Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are fun. It's telling that I had a lot of fun with them despite the absolutely unforgivable performance problems. The basis for an extremely strong and engaging Pokémon game is here, but it's out in the wild without the extra months of development that it still needed to improve performance issues. If you're willing to forgive some jank for an otherwise great Pokémon experience, then you'll have a great time. Otherwise, it's probably worth skipping until it gets some patches. Even die-hard Pokéfans might have trouble getting past seeing their favorite Pokémon crawling along at five fps.

All in all, Dragon Ball Fusions is a cute, if unexceptional, Dragon Ball RPG that's made almost exclusively for the fans. Nothing about it breaks the mold, but it has a reasonably engaging combat system and a ton of collectible characters to keep you busy. It's dragged down by a weak story and an excessive amount of grinding to unlock characters. Fusions won't do much for casual fans, but die-hards will have a good time seeing all of the absurd fusions that the show could never do.

The fighting alone is much improved and enjoyable to work with, and the graphics look quite nice, even though some flourishes are missing and the PC version isn't up to expectations. The modes are pretty hit-and-miss, and the legacy issues and hilariously outdated roster show that this isn't quite the comeback many people were hoping for. There's enough fun to be had here, despite the issues to warrant a look for those craving a "good enough" wrestling game, especially from those who were heavily burned by WWE 2K20.

Death's Gambit saw the opportunity to take two genres and tweak them enough to make a new game out of it — and it worked. The core mechanics, while markedly unoriginal, are genuinely fun to play, and the stunning sound and visuals make it a treat to experience. This game is far from perfect, though, with a lacking story and unfortunately glitchy points, but is still worth the time and money to check out. While I wouldn't say that Death's Gambit is an improvement upon either Metroidvania or Souls-like games, it's a great addition to both genres.

With the number of cookie-cutter titles out there, it's a breath of fresh air to see developers taking a risk with a new genre. Unfortunately, innovation does not necessarily translate to quality. Jam Sessioins is dull, and calling it a game doesn't seem right because it's mainly one big music lesson.

Nagging issues, such as strum recognition and the fact that the guitar grip has a tendency to become unplugged, haven't been addressed, meaning that not a single problem brought up from the original game has been fixed.

At the end of it all, Dungeons: The Dark Lord is a solid stand-alone expansion to the strong original game. The gameplay was no slouch before, but with the new additions and tweaks, it feels much more concise and focused this time around. It still seems that most of the issues with the game center around your dungeon lord, but when your dungeon is running like a well-oiled machine, your lord simply needs to sweep up what remains. Despite its rough edges, The Dark Lord is a welcome continuation of the series, and the entertaining gameplay has been bolstered enough to easily warrant a second attempt at becoming the lord of the underworld.

If you're fine with the game's limited scope in a few areas, Dystoria can be a fun experience. There's some brief disorientation due to the ability to stick to all surfaces and the camera closely following you, but it nicely complements the puzzle aspect of the game. The enemy count is very limited, but combat is fine once you start using the environment and angles to your advantage. The game's short nature is fine, as it ensures that the '80s-style presentation doesn't wear thin, but the game certainly could have used more variety in the end-level goals. Dystoria may not be extraordinary, but it is worth checking out if you want something that's a little different.

Apart from the repetitive nature of gameplay and environments and the aforementioned pacing issues, there is not much to dislike in The Pillars of the Earth: Book Three – Eye of the Storm. If you enjoy point-and-click adventures and visual novels without the need to solve puzzles, this is certainly a trip worth taking. Gorgeous visuals, strong characters, and good writing make this a very engaging story for fans and newcomers alike.

Even though Avengers and Speed Rumbler make me twitch with anger when I play them, it's still fun to show to friends how bad some games from the "old-school" era really were, and then load up Super Turbo to purify ourselves.

Almost everything from the plot to the enemies to the presentation embraces the oddness of Lichtspeer, all they do so in a way that's not obnoxious. The game doesn't shy away from trying to challenge you from the outset, but it does so in a way that feels completely fair, even when dying seems like a constant thing. Most importantly, Lichtspeer is a fun experience that will stick with you, and it has the potential to draw you back in again, long after you've beaten it.

One should go into the title with the knowledge that there isn't much of a story, and some of the gameplay can get pretty frustrating.

This iteration of Empire of the Ants is certainly an improvement over the original game released over 20 years ago. It looks absolutely gorgeous and has a fitting soundscape to boot. The lack of micromanagement makes it more accessible for most but alienates those looking for the next coming of SimAnt. The strategy elements and platforming are basic, but the game remains enjoyable in short bursts. As a whole, it's a good game that you'll only jump into if you want something that feels strategic without going too deep into what the genre offers.

Players are going to have mixed feelings about the Until Dawn remake. The story remains as cheesy as ever, while the characters and performances elevate the experience. The changes are mostly good, with the better camera and touched-up graphics winning out over the changing of the soundtrack. However, the game really needed more time to polish out the bugs, especially since there's still plenty of time to get things before the movie hits. It's still a good title, but it could've been so much better if it weren't for the technical issues.

Silly storylines, generic characters, and shady rules aside, Super Swing Golf does a solid job of creating an enjoyable golf simulation for all ages.

All in all, The Splatters is an interesting puzzle game that is more fun to play as you gradually grow to understand it. It doesn't always do a great job of explaining itself to the player, and it can be frustrating to learn, but when everything clicks, you'll definitely have some fun with it. It's certainly not a flawless experience, but it is worth checking out.

Where Winds Meet has potential. We're starting to see RPGs in a Wuxia setting, and this is perhaps the most compelling one yet. The number of activities varies greatly, and the combat feels wonderful. The game's vastness means that there's loads of longevity, even if the experience can feel like a grind at times. The many systems at play can lead to a confusing experience, especially since the game does a poor job of teaching you the gameplay mechanics. The spotty presentation doesn't do the game any favors when coupled with the lack of translation in places. If you're willing to put up with all of these hindrances from the start, you'll find a game that does a good job of keeping you interested. Most people will be better served by waiting to see if the team can add some much-needed polish before jumping in.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is certainly worth playing. The quest is rather lengthy, especially given today's standards of single-player game length, and it remains enjoyable in both combat and exploration despite the occasional instances of backtracking.

Fe is a short but enjoyable experience, but it never reaches the heights of other games that tackle similar interpretative game concepts. The platforming is hit-and-miss, the story is all right but not always emotionally engaging, and it's plagued with some frame rate stutters on the Switch. It's a treat for your eyes and ears throughout the five-hour story, and it features collectibles if you want to spend a few extra hours with Fe after the credits have rolled.

Overall, Overlord II is a great follow-up to the original Overlord title, and it's certainly deserving of being a true sequel.

Those who don't go beyond the first few hours of play will probably call the game mediocre, possibly even amateurish. But give it time, avoid the story and I'll bet half my fleet you'll enjoy X2: The Threat.

Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulator isn't without a few flaws, it's still a really solid sim title on the DS, and I'd easily put it up there with Diner Dash, especially when it comes to the addictive nature of maintaining a shop.

Most importantly, the Master Class is hard as hell--but if you wish to be at all proficient at this game, the Master Class is required. This is where most people fall off the bridge—yours truly included.

Throughout Mugsters, Reinkout has created a game that solidifies how well interactivity and fun work together. The addition of a simple goal and no instructions makes this game an absolute blast to play. While the controls can sometimes be wonky, Mugsters still works well. In general, even the game's side missions (collecting people to save from the levels, destroying certain weapons, etc.) are fun, intriguing, and feel like they're worth the time. Coupled with the vibrant aesthetics and minimal tone and sound, this makes Mugsters a fascinating puzzle game that feeds the player's curiosity like few other games have.

Metal Max Xeno Reborn feels like a wasted effort. There is a lot of potential that Reborn brings to the surface, but ultimately, it's not the game that it needs to be. If you're a Metal Max fan hoping for an improvement over Xeno classic, then you'll technically get what you're looking for, but it's still not as good as earlier games in the franchise. If the idea really appeals to you, then you'll get some fun out of it, but otherwise, it's just tough to justify a purchase.

As mentioned before, your acceptance of Persona 5: The Phantom X will depend on how you feel about gacha games. If you dislike the concept, then there's nothing that will change your mind, especially since the pop-ups are pretty frequent for microtransactions. For those who are already used to the gacha game style, what you'll find is a fleshed-out JRPG that is still considered novel at a time when games like Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero are still a rarity. It isn't as fleshed-out in some areas as the main game, but there's enough to satisfy the die-hard fans who are still craving Persona 5 content, even after finishing the other spin-offs.