Overall, Capes is just fun. If you like XCOM but wanted your heroes to have more power from the get-go, Capes scratches that itch incredibly well. The by-the-numbers plot and somewhat-thin characters hold it back slightly, but the title is engaging enough to keep you invested in the next fun stage or exciting boss fight. It's a great example of how the XCOM formula still has plenty of life in it, as long as you're willing to look at things from a different angle.

At the same time, Off the Record is still Dead Rising 2, with the thematic dissonance that I mentioned in that game's review. It's even more pronounced here, if anything, as Frank throws out sly little side-long quips on everything like he's starring in both a "Mystery Science Theater 3000" episode and the movie it's mocking. I don't exactly mind Frank as a character, but you have to be a lot more of a fan of him than I am before this works as well as Dead Rising 2 did. Still, it improves on that game's basic model and adds the much-needed sandbox mode, so call it a wash.

Pinball FX3: Williams Pinball Volume 2 is another winner thanks to the variety of tables included and the improved use of flourishes. You get a better sense this time around that Zen knows how to spruce up the visuals without losing track of the solid gameplay in the original titles. The fact that Zen did so with both well-known and lesser-known tables is a good sign for the future of the license. At this rate, we can't wait to see what the next pack will hold.

Fundamentally, Art Academy isn't a game. You are not rated for your actions in any way, shape or form, as one would expect from a game.

Ghostrunner II finds itself right on par with the first game. The action remains razor-sharp in the beginning, with tight movement and combat that feels rewarding when you master it. The tweaks to existing mechanics and the addition of new moves keep things from devolving into being just "more of the same" when compared to the first title. The more open areas of the desert wasteland feel too freeing, and the various inconsistent issues put a damper on the game when players are experienced. Overall, Ghostrunner II is satisfying for those who can get a thrill from quick bursts of well-executed playthroughs.

Stranger of Sword City can be a little archaic as far as mechanics go, and it certainly isn't very welcoming for those not already accustomed to the slow first-person, dungeon-crawling style. It is, however, very deep in the gameplay department and showcases new mechanics to complement a rather long campaign.

No More Heroes III feels like a sequel to the first two games in every way, for all the good and bad that entails. It's creative, clever, charming, and delightfully weird. The combat system is simple but fun, and it doesn't overstay its welcome thanks to a wide variety of creative boss fights. However, everything outside of those elements feels a bit dull. Thankfully, like the first two games, No More Heroes III has enough interesting stuff going on to overshadow the flaws. Newcomers would probably be better off trying the cheaper No More Heroes titles on the Switch to see if Suda 51's specific eccentricities are to your taste.

Still Wakes the Deep is a good atmospheric horror game. Having it set on an oil rig is terrifying enough because of their innate labyrinthine structures, and the monster encounters provide the right amount of horror energy. The straightforward nature of the pacing and tale is refreshing, and even the presence of a few flaws doesn't hamper one's desire to play the game to the end. If you're a horror fan who favors exploration more than fighting, Still Wakes the Deep is definitely worth checking out.

In the end, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a solid spin-off to the main Borderlands series. The core game remains the same as before, but new additions, like the melee system and class combinations, make things feel fresh. The campaign runs at a good length, while the side-quests and post-game dungeon randomizer are enough to keep you going before the need for DLC kicks in. It really is the shooter that you already know with a medieval RPG skin on it. Since the moment-to-moment gameplay is still enjoyable, fans won't mind the offbeat detour.

It bears all the scars of troubled development, and it has a list of nagging issues a mile long, but it's more than the sum of its parts. It's fun to play and has plenty of charming and likeable moments that balance out the frustrating time-wasting elements and weak plot. FF15 is a solid entry into the franchise and is as accessible to newcomers as it is to longtime fans. It might have some rough patches, but FF15 shows that it cares about the most important thing of all: fun.

Overall, Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition succeeds on several levels. It's an excellent update to a surprise indie hit that is still mighty enjoyable for anyone interested in the Soulslike genre. While difficulty and pacing get in the way, Mortal Shell is a short, sweet, and most importantly, challenging game to tide you over to the next main Souls offering.

Marvel Heroes Omega is a great example a free-to-play game done right. It's a shameless homage to Diablo with some great Marvel flair. The core gameplay is fun, and the free-to-play mechanics are largely unobtrusive. Some annoyances with the user interface and introduction to general mechanics drag down the game, but they're nothing too serious. Marvel fans or those looking for a fun action-RPG will be hard-pressed to find a better experience than Omega.

Dirt 5 maintains the tradition of being a solid racing title. The campaign is quite deep thanks to the various events and tracks you can choose from, while the inclusion of local multiplayer for just about every mode gives it a huge advantage over almost every other non-kart racing game on the PC platform. The title requires some pretty beefy hardware and other software to make the game shine, and there are still a few things that need patching, but as a whole, arcade racing fans who aren't looking for a bevy of top-of-the-line sports cars will get a kick out of Dirt 5.

The only problems are the excessive load times and some of the control issues that don't quite mesh with the new handheld.

Dungeon of the Endless gives a bad first impression that hides an addictive, fun game. The poor tutorial and unclear mechanics might initially turn off some players, but if you're willing to push past that, Dungeon of the Endless is an enjoyable combination of dungeon-crawling and tower defense. While the Switch version may not have the best controls, its portability is a great combination for the game design, and even those who've played the PC version may want to give this one a shot.

The TakeOver is an absolutely solid beat-'em-up experience. Get past some of the shortcomings, like constant load times and bad cut scene art, and you have a title that uses a solid base with additions that feel just right for the genre without going overboard. It's fun either solo or with a friend, and while online play would've been nice, fans of the genre will enjoy every minute with the game.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is everything that retro first-person shooter fans can enjoy, even if they have no love for the grimdark space setting. The action is constant, and the gore is plentiful, but the game forces you to play smart, even at the lower difficulty levels. The gameplay loop doesn't deviate from the classic key-finding formula, but the levels are larger, which means more enemies to shoot and a higher chance of getting lost, whether or not you're trying to find secrets. The game is long enough that multiplayer isn't needed, but it also never feels tiring despite some things that may be irksome. Boltgun is a solid piece of work and one that we'd definitely recommend checking out.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a solid entry that builds on previous titles while also honoring the roots of the series. It was a smart decision on Ubisoft's part to release Mirage as a stand-alone title rather than as DLC for Valhalla, as it doesn't require any prior knowledge of the franchise storyline, making it an easy entry point into the series. New players who enjoy their time with Mirage can pick up Assassin's Creed Valhalla to see where Basim ends up.

This is a Megami Tensei game, meant mostly for Megami Tensei fans, but with a much greater level of accessibility than the already simplified Digital Devil Saga. The real-time battles may turn off purists, but I found them to be simple and creative in all the right ways.

Arcade Archives: Super Dimension Fortress Macross II is a great addition to Hamster's lineup because it's such a distinct shooter. You normally don't see a caravan-style shooter, so the game immediately feels different when compared to the other shoot-'em-up titles for retro enthusiasts. The presence of different difficulty levels gives the game some legs, as does the fact that you need some actual skill to beat the game instead of using infinite continues. The game features a solid audio and visual presentation, so shooting fans will find a lot to like in this game.

Resident Evil: Revelations is a well-made game. It lacks the highs of Resident Evil 6 but also avoids that game's tremendous lows, focusing on a more consistent, well-rounded experience.

In the end, this is still a fine game and a must-have for those who crave sprawling, open-world adventures, but you might be better served waiting for things to settle down if you don't want to troubleshoot things along the way.

Ultimax is very similar to the original game, but it's bigger and better in every way.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii gives players exactly what they expect from the title. It's a rollicking, funny, and enjoyable side story that lets fan favorite Goro Majima shine in a way he hasn't since Yakuza 0. The main plot is a little thin, and the pirate mechanics are bare bones, but beneath that, it's a darn fun Yakuza adventure, and it contains perhaps the best iteration of the game's brawler mechanics to date. Any complaints boil down to, "It's more of Like a Dragon," and that's always good.

It's a solid addition, if not the best expansion in the series overall, and while I'm enjoying it, it really is just more of the same, and I can't help but feel like it could have been a little better.

Those players who grew up wasting their time, energy, and no lack of their parents' money in places like Token Joe's, where the lights never worked but the monitors still glowed, this collection will hit just enough right notes to justify the price.

As the first part of a series, Jenny LeClue: Detectivu makes a great initial impression. The actual detective work strikes a balance between thought-provoking and easy to figure out. The presentation is wonderful, even if the audio could have fared better. It is the story that keeps you hooked with a flawed but likeable main character and a layered, supporting cast. It culminates in a story where the lack of a proper ending is the only thing that sours the experience. Provided that the team can release the second game in a timely manner, this'll be a memorable experience for adventure fans.

While it may be different from what series fans are used to, it is absolutely a game worthy of the Earth Defense Force title and lineage.