Harvestella isn't going to remove Rune Factory from existence, but it has a lot of potential as a strong competitor. This first (and hopefully not only) outing has an extremely strong basis and manages to hit a lot of the high marks of JRPG-style farming simulation, while having enough of its own personality to avoid feeling like a clone. Only the overly stiff combat and general simplicity of the game hold it back from being as good as its obvious inspirations. It's so close to being great that it's easy to imagine a sequel hitting all of the marks. There's a lot to like here if you can get past the slow start, and by the time I finished the game, I felt almost as satisfied as I was with Rune Factory 5. Harvestella is absolutely worth a look if you're a fan of the Rune Factory franchise and want to see a different developer's take on the concept.

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.

Dead or Alive 6 maintains its status as a solid and surprisingly deep fighting game that gets hidden underneath the readily apparent fan service. The tweaks to the fighting system only improve the accessibility while not hurting the more advanced players. The 24-character roster is refreshed, but the customization feels more limited. The same can be said for the levels and graphics, which are fine but lack any signs of ambition.

It says something about the original Ninja Gaiden that Ninja Gaiden II being a merely good action game is such a letdown. Ninja Gaiden II's graphics are fantastic and the action flawless, but this perfection is marred by a jerky, awkward and terrible camera and a difficulty level that's the product of the camera and enemy positioning, rather than an actual challenge.

My overall impression is "vaguely disappointed." There is a litany of technical issues, and the lack of new classes is spectacularly underwhelming, but it's the pervasive sense of same old, same old that really keeps me from singing glossy praise.

A surprisingly creative, fun take on mascot-driven fighting games.

Unfortunately, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is the weakest Yakuza title in quite some time. The original game had its flaws, and Kiwami addresses some of those flaws, but the new content is of a mixed quality. There's some notably missing content, and some of the storyline changes are inexplicable. The improved combat and emphasis on Kiryu's time with the orphans are by far the best part of the experience. Mine's story is fun enough but not something that's worth it unless you already like the character. At its heart, Kiwami 3 is still a Yakuza game and still mostly a good time, but despite the improvements, it's more of a sideways step than an upgrade of the original.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a solid, workmanlike zombie shooting game. It's quite fun to play and makes for an enjoyable co-op experience as you and a friend team up to buzzsaw your way through Hitler's legions. That's basically the beginning and end of it. If you want a game where you kill a lot of Nazi zombies, then Zombie War 4 provides. If you're looking for something more, then it doesn't. It's still a fun co-op experience and worth picking up if you're looking for something new to add to your gaming library.

A basic historical RTS that offers few additions to the genre, other than some interesting interface additions, which I can only wish were attached to a better game.

Dragon's Dogma is a fantastic combat system wrapped in a boring package. When it is on, it is one of the most intense, exciting and engrossing games I've ever played. When it is off, it can put you to sleep before you see a sign of a chimera or Cyclops.

Super Beat Sports is a fun rhythm game that's one of the better co-op and competitive offerings on the Switch. Some game modes may be hit-and-miss, but this is an above-average title. The Whacky Ball and Rhythm Racket modes were the most fun I've had with a local multiplayer in a long time, and I'd recommend the purchase of Super Beat Sports based on those two modes alone.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Silver Lining wraps up a story and plants seeds for a possible sequel. These are important points since this episode doesn't introduce new mechanics beyond giving you some meaningful content if you've already finished the main campaign. In the end, it's good enough to keep you entertained if you need more web-crawling action.

Cartoon Network Punch Time Explosion is a decent fighting game.

No one can fault NBA Baller Beats for being ambitious, especially since it actually works. It's a fun rhythm game, but it also works as a teaching tool for those who are motivated enough to want to improve their game. If it weren't for the insanely specific requirements to get a basic game going, this would qualify as a must-have title for the Kinect. As it stands, basketball fans who have lots of room and little to break will enjoy this title.

50 Cent: Blood on the Sand does a good job of alleviating the mistakes of its predecessor thanks to the better controls, great graphics and a foray into co-op.

Valkyrie Elysium is rather fun. Divorced from its heritage, it's a solid, if unexceptional, action-RPG. The combat system could use more polish, but what it does, it does quite well, and I enjoyed the combat until the end of the game. I'd love the team to have a chance to revisit the gameplay with some more confidence under its belt, as it's easy to see how it could go from good to great. This isn't the Valkyrie Profile 3 I was hoping for, but Elysium should satisfy someone looking for a solid action-RPG.

Dungeons and Dragons: Daggerdale is a fine, if unexceptional, game.

Pool Nation isn't a perfect pool game, but it's a huge step up from what's come before. If you're not already a billiards fan, Pool Nation won't make you one. Conversely, for those dying to scratch the billiards itch, Pool Nation is sure to satisfy. It is the best pool game currently available on Xbox Live Arcade.

While not overly amazing, Relic Hunters Zero: Remix is a fun roguelike twin-stick shooter. The campaign length feels just right, and the abilities brought in by the character roster make the game feel fresh even after logging multiple playthroughs. There's a great sense of progression, and the extra modes give the game some legs. It's a good complementary game to the other twin-stick roguelikes that are on the Switch.

Altogether, Gran Turismo for the PSP is a solid game, and it's exceptionally well presented on the PSP. Unfortunately, I felt that the lack of a career progression really hindered my experience.

Rage 2 is an engaging game that's hindered by a number of annoyances. The open world is chock full of things to do, but it caters more to those who want to travel via vehicle over those who want to wander around on foot. The shooting is good until you realize that your hit feedback is either muted or absent, and the melee strength and range feel pitiful. The multiple currencies needed for the various upgrades and perks are an annoyance, but they aren't as bad as the plethora of bugs that pop up to ruin good gaming moments. If the latter is fixed via patching, then the game will end up being a big improvement over the first title, but it's still not the masterpiece that most id games are known for being. For now, Rage 2 is worth checking out if it's on sale instead of at full price.

As mentioned earlier in the review, Assassin's Creed Mirage works well for those who wanted a return to the classic style. It's smaller in scale, and while that might seem disappointing compared to the general vastness of the latest titles, it also means that the experience isn't as daunting or overwhelming, so you actually have a shot at finishing the game before getting tired of it. Combat and stealth and traversal have been pared back, but it seems to find a decent middle ground where elements haven't regressed back to the beginning. It still looks and sounds good, and while those who loved the RPG-lite style that the game has morphed into will find themselves a little disappointed at the changes in Mirage, everyone else will be pleased at the return to the series' roots — even if it feels like it's missing some essentials.

Your enjoyment of Serious Sam's Bogus Detour is going to depend on your enjoyment of overly difficult shooters and your need for multiplayer. If the idea of having to traverse very large levels with the distinct possibility of starting all over when you lose all of your lives infuriates you, then this might not be the best game to play. If you want to engage in co-op or adversarial multiplayer, then make sure to convince friends to buy it since the online population is more interested in creating stages and mods than actually playing the core game. For everyone else, Bogus Detour is a solid shooter that is challenging, engaging and worth checking out.

Given the franchise history, Driver: San Francisco is a surprisingly fresh take on a series that many thought dead and buried. It may not be perfect, but Driver: San Francisco offers up a solid amount of content along with a good variety of gameplay to keep you busy. What it loses in polish, it more than makes up for in value.

Given the franchise history, Driver: San Francisco is a surprisingly fresh take on a series that many thought dead and buried. It may not be perfect, but Driver: San Francisco offers up a solid amount of content along with a good variety of gameplay to keep you busy. What it loses in polish, it more than makes up for in value.

There's really nothing here that wasn't previously explored in the original game, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Fans will rejoice that Yakuza 4 has made it largely uncensored to these shores and that Sega has supported it with a solid localization. Beat-'em-up fans who haven't jumped into the series yet shouldn't be put off by the number after the name. Kicking through this door into a heavily fanciful, and sometimes bizarre, take on the Japanese underworld is still as good a time as any. By sticking to what it does best, the game delivers everything that veterans have come to expect from the series. At the same time, though, it can sometimes feel as stale as Kazuma's fashion sense.

Even fans of the genre will find the somewhat unfair single-player experience to be off-putting, despite the new boards and characters. For everyone else, it'll be a solid rental as long as you go through the options and tailor each game to last about an hour.