I always find a message within the selection of the Madden cover athlete, and in the picks of Tom Brady (arguably the greatest quarterback of all time) and Patrick Mahomes (arguably the most naturally gifted QB of all time), the message felt like a dual nod to Madden's age and enduring legacy as well as the promise of a bright future. However, even with the new stuff, I can't shake the sense of sameness in the experience of Madden NFL 22. The love of football keeps me playing, but there were no moments that made me think, "OK, we are in the next generation." That holds the series back while other games have passed it by. It looks like another year where "the leap" will have to wait — if it ever comes at all.

Pecaminosa is great for the genre, pulling in so many elements from some great titles and tying them all up nicely with the pixel art, noir-centric theme. The music might be the best part of this game, but I could be biased. The dialogue and clever unfolding of the story, which is laid out in such a way that you need to follow the breadcrumbs and explore to your heart's content, was witty and undeniably funny at times. For a game that you can easily enjoy over a weekend, casually interrogating tough guys and evading mobsters' heavy blows, it's well worth the price tag of $12.

Tunche isn't for everyone. Traditional beat-'em-up fans will like the frantic action of the combo system, even if it takes a few runs to get going, but they'll hate the lack of forward progression. Roguelike fans will enjoy the gradual character empowerment but hate the lack of randomization of bosses and enemies. It falls into a specific niche that appeases people who enjoy the minimal mixing of both, and in that respect, Tunche delivers an experience that can be enjoyable if you know what you're getting into.

Impaler is a fun game if you know what you're getting into. It's a simple enough arena shooter that plays fast and is short enough to ensure that you can squeeze in multiple runs in a short play session. The need to kill airborne enemies with a stomp can put a damper on things, but the rest of the gameplay is solid. Impaler is priced at $2.99, so it's worth a look for shooting fans who want a quick fix.

Fans of the promotion and wrestling games in general will find themselves partially satisfied with AEW: Fight Forever. The flaws are noticeable, such as the truncated introductions, limited arenas, and a smaller roster compared to the competition. The presence of creative tools gets hampered by the lack of a built-in way to share them, and the absence/trimming of match types can feel off. While the story mode is goofy in several ways, it is the strength of the wrestling engine that keeps the game fun to play, match after match. If the rumors are true, then this good game can get much better with patches and downloadable content for years to come. Otherwise, if this potential series follows a more traditional development cycle, this title is a very good base to work with for a hopefully more ambitious and meatier sequel.

Senran Kagura: Estival Versus is both extremely cheesy and loads of fun.

All in all… this one’s mostly harmless, and could surprise you. Go ahead and give it a shot.

As stated before, We Ski's biggest draw, and also its biggest fault, is sacrificing skill for accessibility.

While the main game still plays like Madden, hardcore players are going to be upset at the overall lack of improvement in Madden '09.

The way the missions unfold within the VR exercise really gives you a sense that you're playing a game that isn't Fallout, yet it's using the exact same engine.

It is far less physically exerting than DDR, In The Groove! or Taiko Drum Master, allowing an audience who can't necessarily get up and flail wildly about to get their groove on.

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is fine. The core game mechanics may feel outdated for new players, but those who have played the original entry on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive will appreciate how the game hasn't deviated from that blueprint. The presentation is fine in parts, but the game offers no incentives to keep playing once you finish it. Those with a fondness for the original will love this, but those with no memories of the game will find this to be lacking compared to the remake of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and the last sequel, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom.

Mostly, The Simpsons Arcade Game is a phoned-in port. With so many companies generating improved remakes and ports, it's sad to see that Revolution has chosen to run something so simplistic for a game that hasn't aged very well.

I'd urge you to pick it up for a different platform if you have the means to do so. It's a very competent pinball title on every other system, but something has fallen apart in its transition to the 3DS. If you can get past these flaws, you'll probably have a good time with it, but I can't, knowing that this content exists in a better form elsewhere.

Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed will appeal to fans of the original and a more niche audience that craves destruction without caring that the plot isn't too cohesive. Others who will be aficionados are players who like mayhem on foot rather than from a flying saucer and appreciate gameplay improvements, even if they make the title much easier. It's a fun experience for everyone who's willing to check it out, especially with the title's relatively low price point compared to many other PS5 games.

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

This story, theme and gameplay of Lost Planet basically boil down to "Starship Troopers" + Armored Core – Fun = Lost Planet.

It may be a little tough for folks new to the genre as the tutorial is a little sketchy but the manual does offer quite a bit of help. If you're looking for a good squad based, tactical strategy game UFO: Aftermath is definitely worthplaying.

Armed Seven is a solid old-school shooter with some new mechanics.

A good entry into the turn-based strategy genre. It doesn’t offer a depth of play of some of the bigger titles, but it is fun and, more importantly, easy to pick up but difficult to master.

Ultimately, MediEvil doesn't have much going for it except for nostalgia. Everything about it is unexceptional, and it feels lackluster when compared to similar recent attempts to update PS1 classics. Without a fondness for Sir Dan and his antics, I'd be hard-pressed to say why MediEvil is worth playing. It's a game for fans, but little has been done to make this offering stand out. Perhaps it would've been better if Sir Dan had been left to his peaceful rest, but we can hope for a genuine next-gen MediEvil someday in the future.

The beginning will probably put you off a bit, but if you're able to make it past that, there's some genuinely fun gameplay here that's worth checking out.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD is a good, but not great, nostalgia trip for those who fell in love with the series when it debuted.

Open Roads is a nice little narrative adventure that scores through its visuals, good writing, and excellent voice cast. It's pretty short and linear, and not all aspects of the story were quite as well executed as others. Overall, it's a great narrative indie game that feels like a natural extension of Gone Home.

Platforming fans and fans of the original Flash game will enjoy this title the most. As for everyone else, playing through the demo just might be enough to entice you to spend $10 to give this one a spin.

As far as the franchise goes, Metal Slug XX is pretty accessible, and most action-oriented gamers will enjoy it.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Trilogy should have been a must-have game. After all, each of these games still adhere to the strict emphasis on stealth that made the series so popular in the first place, and all three have stories that are interesting without being too convoluted. Unfortunately, the graphics don't feel worthy of being called HD, and the frame rate feels like it's making the system struggle.

If you're a big Full Metal Alchemist fan, or even just enjoy flipping through manga or catching the show on Cartoon Network, then Crimson Elixir is definitely worth a rental.