Parcel Corps is loads of fun in short bursts. It's one of those games that you can play in between other big titles as a palette cleanser. You have to be able to overcome a few things like the unorthodox control scheme to get the most out of it, and if you can get the game for cheap, it's worth a look.

I don't think that Jewel Master: Cradle of Rome is going to hold the attention of most players, and it's obviously being geared toward the casual market, not only because it's on the Wii but because it's available at a budget price.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a decent horror experience. The story is fine if you're a fan of the situation instead of the characters that don't give you much material to sympathize with them. The gameplay is authentic to the movies, but it can also feel ridiculous with the amount of debris that you need to be aware of. The game nails the tension necessary for a horror game, but it is also laid on so thick that it can feel tiring if you're playing in long sessions. In the end, while it could've been a tighter experience, it is still a game worth checking out if you're a fan of horror games where you can forgive some questionable game design decisions.

Diehard fans of the "Ghost in the Shell" series will likely want to play through it at least once in order to dissect more of the series' story. Otherwise, I would say this game is only for people who really like shooters, and even then, it's a moderately short game.

Conga Master Party is one of those games that is a novel experience for a short amount of time. You're not really going to find a game that essentially takes Snake and changes enough of the mechanics that it feels fresh again. With that said, the novelty wears out quickly, and although the multiplayer tries to balance things out, its shallow depth means that Conga Master Party is a game you'll play once or twice before shelving it — until your choices thin out again.

Smelter is an average title. The side-scrolling action is rather well done and, taken on its own, makes for a strong platformer. The strategy portions lack depth, and when combined with your overall weak state, it makes the experience a bit of a slog. The title is ambitious, and those willing to forgive the strategy portion should check it out.

It may not have the strongest story in the series, but the gameplay is enjoyable due to the number of weapons and crafting options at your disposal.

Chances are you'll be better serviced with any one of Namco's arcade collections.

However, as someone who was pretty lukewarm on the concept to begin with, Gardening Mama hasn't done much to change my mind, and the irritating controls went a long way toward making me dislike the game altogether. If you can get past that, then you might enjoy the sim aspect of Gardening Mama for the DS, but for me, it was pretty much a wash.

Average; nothing special but no glaring shortcomings either; any charm might be lost to fans outside of the genre.

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.

While the original Skylanders was appropriately lauded for being a unique, quality title for all ages, Skylanders: Giants seems to be riding on the coattails of the original title's good will. It's not bad, and it's really similar to the first game, but its limited innovation is largely unnecessary (Giant Skylanders).

Combined with technical aspects that feel like it doesn't use its resources well enough, and you have a title that'll only reach RPG fans who want a little fan service on the side. Still, for those people, it's at least worth a rental if you want something other than the big RPG releases from the last few months.

As it stands, BPM is a solid idea that's well executed, but it's wrapped in some mediocre game design that ultimately drags down the experience. This may sound like a harsh deconstruction of the title, but I would still recommend it to the right person. If you're very much into rhythm games or intrigued by the title, give it a shot. Its gameplay is promisingly solid, but the rest of the experience feels either underwhelming or too repetitive to appreciate over time. I would have loved to see some more drastic gameplay variations, skill-based additions, or maybe a change of pace or music to mix things up.

The premise for Need for Speed: The Run is good, but it is plagued by so many issues that it is hard to appreciate the things that it does well.

The game is even fun at first, until you hit the curse of repetitive gameplay and inconsistent AI, which is where it all falls apart.

FSW: Ten Hammers is not a sequel for people who didn't enjoy the slow action of the original. The pace is exactly the same here, with slightly more player control and all of the same general ugliness you remember.

The premise for Need for Speed: The Run is good, but it is plagued by so many issues that it is hard to appreciate the things that it does well.

The one saving grace is that in spite of all these shortcomings, if you've never played Sid Meier's Pirates! before and only own a Wii console, then this is a title you absolutely must own.

If it sounds stupid, it's probably appropriate.

Phantom Breaker: Omnia isn't a bad fighting game. The fighting seems deep at first but quickly turns chaotic with plenty of moves that don't look like they connect and a roster that looks more generic than impressive. The presentation is OK with decent music and graphics that look a touch underwhelming. The modes are numerous, but those who will want to play online will be disappointed at the lack of rollback netcode. The Switch is already blessed with a bevy of solid fighting games, so the only reason to grab this one is if you really want all of the fighting games that the system has to offer.

Grab a walkthrough or something and get this one on the cheap and you're good for several hours of fun watching Sherlock solve a deeply baffling case. People who actually like to PLAY their mystery games, though, can take a pass here.

Sadly, Avatar: The Last Airbender falls into a trap that many games of its type do – it's already been done by another, more successful, less licensed title. If you liked "Diablo" or "D&D Heroes," Avatar has that special kind of gameplay you're sure to love, for as short as it lasts.

Quake 4 might not be broken, but it sure is boring, and if it is boring, then fix it. Id should save their tech demos for clients and think about how they can evolve their gameplay experience, not their rendering capabilities.

For rhythm fans and those who enjoy the Senran Kagura series thus far, Bon Appetit is worth checking out.

All in all, Guardians of the Galaxy is an average table that will likely sell based on the license and the accessibility for casual players, rather than on the quality of the table itself. If you've already mastered every other table in the Pinball FX 2 library, then give it a look, but if you're still making your way through the Zen archive, there are better options.

The Chosen: Well of Souls has simply been done better many times before.

The story may not be good enough to be considered a mainstream option, but for the JRPG community and SAO fans, there is an extreme amount of fun to be had here. If you've played the previous games, Fatal Bullet is an overall improvement and a step up.