If you're looking for a 30- to 40-hour adventure, Castaway is not for you. If you can appreciate a budget-priced, bite-sized love letter to a gaming classic, Castaway is right up your alley. For a busy gamer, the short play sessions are a plus, not a negative, and the speedrun mode adds additional replay value.

Serious Sam Double D isn't for everyone, but those looking to blow off a little steam at a bargain price ($8 USD) won't be disappointed. Go ahead. Check your brain at the door, kick back, relax and enjoy a little carnage. It's worth it. Seriously.

Tales of Graces f is a by-the-numbers JRPG with a top-notch battle system.

All in all, Astral Chain is a solid and enjoyable action-RPG. It suffers from a lot of Platinum Games' most common problems, such as poor instructions for basic gameplay and an over-reliance on minigames, but the charm and enjoyment of the core game more than make up for that once you get past the rough opening. It's not quite up the highs of a Bayonetta or Nier Automata, but it's worth playing for fans of the company or those looking for a fun action-RPG on the Switch.

Journey to the Savage Planet an unexpected pleasant surprise that you don't expect in the typically dead month of January. The humor can be an acquired taste for some, but the focus on levity doesn't feel forced and actually enhances the overall experience. The focus on exploration also helps make this a lighthearted jaunt, as the exploration is enjoyable and the combat is light but capable. Combined with the game's classically inspired art design, Journey to the Savage Planet is a title that adventure fans should pay attention to, especially with so many other higher-profile titles getting delayed recently.

All in all, Bravely Default II is a game that chose to play it safe. It offers few surprises or twists, but it does offer one of the most excellent and enjoyable JRPG experiences on the Nintendo Switch. Whatever the story lacks, the gameplay more than makes up for, and I was delighted to advance and find what new jobs I was going to get. It's well worth the money for any Final Fantasy fan or anyone looking for an old-school JRPG. We have to hope that for the next game, the developers decide to go for Brave instead of Default when it comes to the story and setting.

It may not have the multitude of options or the shiny visuals of today's racers, but Daytona USA is still a game with a plenty of depth. Easy to learn but difficult to master, this is the definitive home version of Sega's arcade classic.

Just like Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, Shovel Knight Dig proves to be a very solid spin-off for a very beloved character. The familiar platforming of the original mixes well with the predominantly vertical focus, while still maintaining a responsiveness that fans expect. The roguelike nature of the title means that there's a good amount of randomization and temporary upgrades. The quick average runs mean that levels aren't a slog. Overall, it works well as a starter roguelike, and it's a perfect choice for both Shovel Knight and platforming fans alike who are looking for something different.

This is still an excellent follow-up, with a clear improvement on combat, visuals and story mission design.

With that in mind, if you're pretty happy with Skate 2, or even the original Skate, and don't care a great deal about the online aspects, I wouldn't suggest picking up this latest entry right away. However, if creating your own online team with a group of friends sounds like a blast, then Skate 3 is certainly worth checking out. It's definitely a solid entry in the series and at least warrants a rental.

Your impressions of MLB The Show 22 are going to vary depending on the platform you're on. For Xbox players, this remains a solid baseball game that players of all skill levels can enjoy thanks to numerous options and modes. With it being available on the Xbox Game Pass on day one, it's an easy reason to try it out. Those who lived and breathed The Show 21 will find the improvements to be minimal. For Switch fans, there are some rough parts that dull the game's impressiveness, but the presence of a sports simulation on a system that's starving for them should catch players' attention. The Switch is going to be a boon for those who like to play on the go, especially since The Show 15 was the last time it went portable on the Vita. Now if only the series could make its way to the PC ….

Thus far, the first two episodes of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier set up the intrigue. Javi is a decent character for the player to control, and Clementine is much more complicated than before due to her experiences. The story beats seem to replay some of the events of the TV series and comic, although with different characters and locations, but the ending of the second episode is enough to capture the attention of those who may already be tired of the franchise general. With only three more episodes to go, it'll be interesting to see if Telltale can keep the momentum going.

It may be the only hockey game out this year, but NHL 13 is good because there's so much packed on the disc.

Thus far, the first two episodes of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier set up the intrigue. Javi is a decent character for the player to control, and Clementine is much more complicated than before due to her experiences. The story beats seem to replay some of the events of the TV series and comic, although with different characters and locations, but the ending of the second episode is enough to capture the attention of those who may already be tired of the franchise general. With only three more episodes to go, it'll be interesting to see if Telltale can keep the momentum going.

As was the case with the PS4 version of the game, your enjoyment of Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is going to be dependent on what aspect of fighting games you enjoy the most. If you're more of a competitive online fighter, you'll appreciate the focus on that scene, but you will lament the lack of cross-play, as PC fighting game players tend to be a smaller community. Those who enjoy local versus play won't find any mechanical differences, while single-player fighting game enthusiasts will feel the sting the most since the game feels quite sparse in this area, but this is saved by the fact that the core fighting mechanics are so strong. As a stopgap measure to a completely new Virtua Fighter game, R.E.V.O. does a very good job in introducing PC players to the series and keeping them sharp in preparation for the new game's arrival.

Unravel Two is equally as good as the emotionally pleasing original. The platforming may still be spotty, and some of the puzzles may not present players with much difficulty, but at least frustration doesn't set in because of viable attach points hiding in plain sight. The story may not be as powerful as the original, but the addition of co-op play makes up for that and offers new experiences. In the end, Unravel Two is a great title for platforming fans.

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is a pleasantly surprising homage to a classic adventure series.

Despite some big changes to the overall formula, Wolfenstein: Youngblood remains another solid entry in a very reliable series. The strong shooting mechanics are accompanied by co-op, which makes things a bit easier and retains the fun of the first game. The lighter story tone may not be to everyone's tastes, but when you consider how dark the last game went, the shift isn't too drastic. The more open approach may break the enemy AI in a few instances, but the newfound freedom over more environments is a fair trade. Shooting fans will like Youngblood, and the appeal only increases when you consider the dearth of co-op games in the genre.

As it stands, Devil May Cry HD Collection is a solid package for action fans.

Tales of Berseria is a solid JRPG that doesn't excel in any one area but manages to hit all the marks well enough to be enjoyable. It's not ambitious and focuses on providing a pleasant experience. It suffers from being too easy and spending too much time clearing up its predecessor's flaws, but it's balanced by fast-paced combat and an entertaining cast. It's not going to change your world, but Tales fans should find a lot to like, and for casual players, it's a good introduction to the franchise.

Wallachia: Reign of Dracula is a solid, old-school experience. The decision to make this more of a shooter than a faithful Castlevania-style clone can be initially jarring, but it feels natural thanks to some excellent arrowplay and good boss fights. The high difficulty level due to some design decisions stretches out the seven-stage experience, but the endless continues make that bearable. While it may not appeal to everyone, those looking for something that mimics a good 16-bit adventure shooter will find this to be an easy recommendation.

Rock Band Unplugged accomplishes the task of being a good spiritual successor to the games that made Harmonix famous. The game mechanics are inventive yet solid, while the controls and sound are as tight as you can expect it to be.

Although this isn't the definitive version of the game due to the lack of split-screen play, Halo: Reach on the PC is a solid experience. The campaign retains the magic that Bungie prided itself on during its time with the franchise and the multiplayer. While the multiplayer in Reach is not as populous as the older entries, it often has more options to satisfy anyone's tastes. This is a good indication of how the rest of the package will turn out, which means that there's going to be some positive buzz surrounding each release. Whether you're buying this on Steam or taking advantage of the Xbox Game Pass on PC, Reach is well worth checking out.

Despite a few rough edges, I can say something I haven't been able to say in nearly a decade: I'm actually looking forward to the next Tomb Raider game.

After Burner Climax sets out to be exactly what people expected it to be — a port of an arcade game — and nothing more.

While NBA 2K10 may not be quite in the title picture, it's definitely ready to jockey for a playoff spot.

Fat Chicken is definitely a game worth checking out, even if you're a casual fan of the genre.

It may not break all the rules the way the original did, but this is still a game poised to shake up the handheld market a bit.