Dark Quest II isn't half-bad. The upgrade system is easy to understand, the game does a pretty good job of explaining all of the odds to you, and it wastes no time in presenting you with interesting scenarios. The difficulty is slightly challenging, but its short overall length and threadbare story means that experienced genre players will scoff at it. If you're just starting out, Dark Quest II works as a quick throwaway game; it's something to consider if you can find it at a good sale before you settle on another title with some more depth.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a solid Dragon Ball Z game that is dragged down largely by a lack of polish in some areas. The combat system is probably too repetitive, and the content is too shallow to be of much interest to non-fans, but it's the Dragon Ball Z game that fans have dreamed of as kids. It doesn't matter if it's punching Frieza or playing baseball; the game captures the spirit of Dragon Ball extremely well, even if the gameplay doesn't always keep up.

Even if you were to look at this title without comparing it to other arcade racers, Rise: Race the Future would simply be fine. The track designs are good, and the Challenge mode offers up something in lieu of multiplayer. However, with a limited selection of tracks and cars when compared to other games, Rise feels rather limited in terms of what the player can do before boredom sets in. Ultimately, the game does well as a quick snack, but it's doesn't need to be a permanent part of one's racing library.

Interrogation: You Will Be Deceived is a politically driven and intelligently pieced-together game, and that kept the story moving in a positive direction despite my misgivings. I was genuinely engaged in where the tale would take me, who was involved, and what the outcome would be. Rather than flat-out telling you the story, the game invites you to participate, question your own beliefs and biases, consider the possibility that the usual suspects may be innocent, and that not all criminal or political activity is as clear-cut as it initially seems. Do the ends justify the means? Hey, you're the one asking the questions here. You decide.

All in all, I think that Shortest Trip to Earth has a niche appeal. It's extremely detailed and management-heavy, so if that sounds good, you may enjoy it. There are tons of modules to experiment with, a variety of resources to trade and manage, so many crew members with different skills, and what seems to be a longer campaign than FTL featured. They have certainly added a lot of stuff to the basic format, but it feels rather unpolished. Too much of what was added feels like busy work instead of interesting decisions, or it creates so many choices that the game can slow to a crawl as you sort through the options. The game begs for better ways to manage the management and display options to the player.

While I am incredibly fascinated with the roots of American folklore and media in general, it would be difficult to suggest this to someone lacking the same fascination. This title oozes Americana at every turn, which is beautiful and fascinating, but it's not for everyone. This game isn't worth a deal with a devil, but it could be worth it for you if there's a good deal. Just don't put up your soul as collateral.

All these years later, Resident Evil remains an excellent survival-horror game. The puzzles are still good, the brief bouts of action are still tense, and the scares still deliver even if you know about them beforehand. The appeal of this port is the fact that the game can now be portable, so the benefits of the smaller screen really come into play. It might have slightly longer load times in some areas, but if you want to play the remade classic on the go, this is a well-done port.

There are some good ideas in Pride Run, but none of it really comes together to create an experience that's tough to put down. The music may be good, but the rhythm game is too easy unless you bump it up to the highest difficulty. The strategy game, although novel, doesn't do enough to get people interested. If you're willing to take the time to figure out the game, the strategy portion might be worth looking at, but for everyone else, the rhythm game would be a good warm-up title before you try something meatier.

The Contra Anniversary Collection isn't perfect — the omission of Contra 4 and Contra ReBirth is a disappointment, and more save states per game would have been nice — but it is a solid collection of quality games at an attractive $20 price point to boot.

The biggest issue with MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is that it hits you with all of its shortcomings at once. Keep playing, though, and the game establishes itself as a fun title that's worthy of the MechWarrior moniker. Play it with friends, and it becomes even more entertaining. Dated aspects of its presentation aside, the combat remains fun mission after mission, and it continues to test you as you become more powerful. Start blowing apart enemy mechs with a small array of PPC cannons and make a few big pay days, and you'll appreciate the game for what it is.

Overall, Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a solid sequel that differentiates itself sufficiently and improves upon the franchise's formula. It has a diverse mix of units and races, wonderful artwork, and what appears to be a massive range of strategies. Customizing your forces with an array of passive effects and active abilities is handled effortlessly by the UI, and it's very rewarding to use it in the tactical combat. The campaign should take anywhere from 30 to 60 hours to complete, depending on how quickly you play, and that's before stepping into the random scenarios and multiplayer, where a wide range of options and customizations can cater to your play style.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Complete Edition is one of the best values that a JRPG fan can get on the Nintendo Switch. The games are fun if not particularly special, but they scratch the "got to catch 'em all" itch. They're marred by some issues, like inconsistent difficulty and a dodgy translation, but nothing ruins the experience. If you're a Digimon fan or just RPG faithful looking for something new to try, it's worth giving Cyber Sleuth a shot.

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout is a solid by-the-books Atelier title. It does everything pretty well, and its only real flaws are a somewhat lackluster story and an overall low difficulty level. If you like the Atelier titles, then you'll like this one, and if you're interested in getting into the franchise, this is a solid starting point. There's no lack of Atelier games to play, but Ryza is one of the more enjoyable ones available. Besides, who doesn't like crafting a bomb so powerful that it blows up a dragon?

In my opinion, Disco Elysium is the game of the year for 2019. It shows how you can make creative, engaging, and well-written games entirely using writing and player choice without falling into the simple "visual novel" style. It's biting, clever, and witty, and it deserves to take its place among Planescape and Fallout: New Vegas. It's a must-play for any fans of RPGs and a genuine modern classic that will hopefully set the stage for many things to come.

Your enjoyment of Deemo Reborn is going to depend on how you choose to play it and what sections you're focusing on. Pure rhythm game fans will lament the expanded focus on the adventure game, while adventure game fans will find the puzzles to be too easy. Those playing in VR will be fine with both the adventure and rhythm sections, even with a lack of tactile feedback, while controller fans will feel comfortable with the adventure game but loathe the rhythm game. The game remains decent enough to recommend to rhythm-loving VR players who want something more than Beat Saber, but there are enough caveats to make this a cautious recommendation.

Combined with the flaky presentation, there's no reason to give Red Siren a look unless you've absolutely raided the library of all other shooting games, have some spare Gold Points to burn, and have absolutely nothing else to do.

If you're looking at Sayonara Wild Hearts as a game, then it'll remind you of a very forgiving arcade game. There are some extra modes designed to challenge those who are chasing high scores, and the zodiac wheel is good for those who want to earn some Trophies for solving brain teasers, but the game's forgiving nature and short length mean that it is easy to reach the game's ending. Instead, the game wants you to look at it as a catchy pop album that you'll want to return to, time and again. With the gameplay, graphical presentation, and music coming together so well, that's exactly what you'll be doing.

Freedom Finger is awesome, especially if you're a shoot-'em-up fan. Even if you're the type to skip over cut scenes or aren't moved by the graphical style, the shooting mechanics are enough to sway you, since it plays around with the formula enough to feel different from everything else. Mix it in with a truly electric soundtrack, and you have a pleasant surprise of a game, and its only weakness is that it was released this year, which has had some really outstanding indie titles.

Untitled Goose Game is a gem that hits all the right marks. There's some real appeal in using an otherwise innocuous animal sowing chaos in a sleepy village, and it helps that the results aren't violent at all. The game's short length keeps the experience from wearing thin, but there's enough here to keep you busy. With a pleasant presentation, Untitled Goose Game is a title where you'll both cherish the initial experience and enjoy showing it off to friends to see their reactions.

BurgerTime Party is a title that feels overstuffed. The mechanics are still good if you aren't thinking about the oddity of making burgers by walking over the ingredients, but this only works well when playing solo. Going multiplayer, as the game's title would suggest, makes the experience less enjoyable due to the aforementioned odd design choices. The base co-op experience is enough to prevent the other modes from being looked at, given their diminished overall appeal. It is a game best played in short bursts because tedium sets in when you're playing for longer. This can only be recommended to those who want nothing more than a short arcade-like burst of enjoyment before moving on to meatier fare.

Overall, there is a lot to do here, but between the amazing and fun moments, the collection interjects a myriad of frustrating, irrelevant, or tedious content. Given what's included, the $40 price tag is fair, and you'll have at least 30-40 hours of gameplay to enjoy.

If you're into challenging action platformer games, Blasphemous is as good as the next. It isn't perfect or revolutionary, but it doesn't have to be. Its lore and visual direction are disturbingly beautiful and craft an interesting and distinct world. Great boss fights and an enjoyable and challenging combat system ensures that fans of the genre will have enough to sink their teeth into and enjoy.

Stranger Things 3: The Game is a throwback to a time when the only audience the game is suited for are non-discerning fans of the series. Even then, there's not much here unless they're completely fine reliving the events of the season in a loose way. The gameplay is serviceable, but there's not much here to draw in people who just want a solid title or something to enhance their experience of the show. It isn't that bad if you can get it for cheap, but it isn't something to actively seek out, either.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD is exactly what one wants from an arcade game. It's simultaneously pithy and filled with content, fun and challenging, and energetic and thoughtful. Like the little monkey you control, Banana Blitz HD has mastered the art of balance, and it shows.

Your enjoyment of Narcos: Rise of the Cartels is going to be heavily based on whether you can accept its strategy game conceit. If you're good with the idea of only being able to control one unit at a time per turn, then you might be fine so long as you're also willing to accept the inherent lack of strategy that goes along with the very limited objective set. If you want your strategy games to be a little more traditional, where every unit can do something on a turn, then you'll hate this game to the point that even the counteract mechanic can't make things interesting. In short, Narcos is a hard sell for fans of the series, let alone strategy game fans, unless you can find it for a very deep discount.

Overall, Trine 4 is a delightful game that's sure to satisfy anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted physics-based puzzle game. With roughly 10 hours of content, it's an easy recommendation if only to experience the game world's rich art design and clever puzzles. The puzzles aren't as complex as those found in Portal 2 or The Witness, but the variety of approaches is rewarding in its own way. For that reason alone, it's easy to recommend Trine 4, a game in a genre that rarely receives entries with this level of heart and soul in the art design department.

At its core, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast remains a good title. Get past the shooting, and you're rewarded with a ton of Force powers and lightsaber combat that remains at the top of its field to this day. However, the port job isn't up to snuff, as it lacks some slight auto-aim and lock-on to make the experience more user-friendly for console players, so the opening levels are a real chore to get through even if you can handle the outdated textures and adherence to the old way of doing puzzles. Not only is it recommended to go with the PC release for this title, but it also gives one pause about how the eventual port job of Jedi Academy will turn out.

I suspect that many players will have an uneven time with Planet Zoo. At times, it's pretty straightforward and provides the player with plenty of feedback so they can improve their zoo. Other times, the game has you digging around in areas that are unnecessarily tough to figure out, with tutorials that barely touch on the feature (if at all). The thing with Planet Zoo is that it is so charming and appealing that the fun parts outweigh the frustrating ones. It's not a perfect game in the genre, but it is one of the best ones you can play right now.