Xanadu Next is the kind of throwback action-RPG that we don't see much of anymore. It lets the story trickle out slowly while all of the needed mechanics are presented early, leaving the player without a guide much sooner than contemporary JRPGs. It helps that the gameplay is strong, and the difficulty can be appreciated more now that the public seems to dig games that punish the player. It's not a game for everyone, and some won't like the older presentation, but genre fans will appreciate that this title has an official translation and can play on more modern machines.

Tricky Towers is recommended if you know you're going to be playing it with people all the time. Although the online community is practically nonexistent, the chaos of local multiplayer makes it a game that you can put in constant rotation without anyone getting tired of it. While it does have a good, clean presentation, it doesn't have much to offer in the single-player department to keep players engaged.

While Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 may be a better game than the original, it is by no means excellent. The story seems like an uninspired rehash, and the minimal roster changes makes it feel like a director's cut instead of a true sequel. On the PC in particular, the online community is practically extinct, and the game's semi-frequent crashes disappoint. If you're willing to put up with all that, you'll be treated to a game that feels like what the original should have been, and the fighting system is chaotic and fun. Provided this one does well, here's hoping that another sequel manages to get everything right.

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a pleasant surprise. In a time when the genre is making a comeback, it adheres to some of the popular traits while still providing a fresh setting, an interesting story and a good set of characters. Stealth fans will love the level of intelligence in the enemies, while light strategy fans will love the various options at their disposal for accomplishing even the simplest of tasks. With a good presentation and solid controls for both keyboard/mouse and controller, Shadow Tactics is an excellent choice for anyone who's looking for the next strategy or stealth game fix.

If you can deal with the constant grind that comes from the raids and randomness of each playthrough, Toy Odyssey: The Lost and Found can be good. Despite a number of flaws, the overall gameplay is entertaining, and the story is interesting once you get enough pieces together. It isn't flawless in its many technical areas, but the job it ultimately does is more than adequate. That grind still hurts, and those looking for more structure and a better sense of progression in their titles would be better served elsewhere.

If you have the patience for it, Rogue Contracts: Syndicate is a rewarding game. The limited weapon set and increased level of difficulty can even make the first level a challenge, and subsequent stages only get worse. It means that conquering them is much more satisfying, and the relatively small number of levels is welcome because of this. The lack of controller support can be a deterrent, and the presentation feels rather cheap, but ultimately, Rogue Contracts is still a good game if you give it time.

All in all, Dragon Ball Fusions is a cute, if unexceptional, Dragon Ball RPG that's made almost exclusively for the fans. Nothing about it breaks the mold, but it has a reasonably engaging combat system and a ton of collectible characters to keep you busy. It's dragged down by a weak story and an excessive amount of grinding to unlock characters. Fusions won't do much for casual fans, but die-hards will have a good time seeing all of the absurd fusions that the show could never do.

The Little Acre is a charming and very playable adventure game. It's easily to smile from start to finish at the colorful graphics, solid voice acting, and sense of style. It's not a very long or very difficult game, but that's a minor blemish on the whole experience. This title will fit the bill for parents who are looking for a low-cost game to play with very young children. It won't blow your mind or redefine the genre, but the game will leave you smiling. With so many adventure games these days trending toward violence, it's nice to have something that is full of cheer and goodwill.

The Sims 4: City Living encourages you to be constantly out and doing things. In a word, it is refreshing. It's precisely what I felt was missing from the base game of The Sims 4 and from every expansion since. My only true criticism of it is that it's an expansion. I wish that the base game could've felt as real as City Living does, and I wish I didn't have to spend $40 on top of the $40 for The Sims 4. If you've been holding off on The Sims 4 until That One Expansion, City Living is the one.

Even if you aren't a big fan of the instantly respawning enemies, the gameplay in Super Rad Raygun hits enough of the classic beats to make it a dead ringer for some of the titles from decades ago. The battery-swapping mechanic gives the game a little depth. The Game Boy-inspired graphical style is cute, and the rest of the presentation is absolutely solid. Super Rad Raygun is a title that's worth checking out, especially if you're a big fan of retro-style games.

All in all, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a solid and polished, if not overly risky, addition to the franchise. In some ways, it feels like a soft reboot that goes back to the franchise's core mechanics and refines them. That makes it a strong introduction to the series for newcomers and a great game for existing fans . The only really flaws include some unnecessary padding and backtracking and its short length, neither of which is enough to be more than a minor blemish. If you're a fan of old-school platformers, Half-Genie Hero is a game for you.

One of the game's biggest selling points is that it is incredibly peaceful. Boot it up, kick back, and work your farm for a while. I spent most of my play time with a friend of mine who lives out of state, and the two of us worked together to keep the crops coming up and the money rolling in. That's not to say there's nothing to worry about, as vehicles have daily upkeep costs, and hiring AI workers is far from free. It's just that the worrisome bits are rarely directly apparent; if you are doing something at all, you are making progress.

Even after nine years and the countless sequels that have come after it, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered shows how good the original game was. The campaign is short but so packed with memorable moments that few would mind some of the residual issues. If you can deal with the addition of cosmetics to appease players who have only come to the series recently, you'll be happy with how the original tenets of the multiplayer portion, from movement to gun balance and map layout, have remained unchanged. It really is too bad that this game won't be divorced from more expensive versions of Infinite Warfare for the foreseeable future, but if you're already committed to spend the extra money, you won't be disappointed.

Honestly, all you need to know to determine whether the PS4 version of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is for you, is that it's still Marvel vs Capcom 3. The strengths and flaws are well documented, and nothing has really changed from the HD re-release. If you're eager to get back into the fray and take Doom, Wesker and Zero for a ride, then you're going to enjoy this port. If you were hoping for any major changes to the gameplay, then you won't find them here. Those new to the game might want to be warned that they're jumping into a deep pool. If you're looking to get a feel for the franchise before the upcoming Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, there's no better place to start than UMvC3.

At the end of the day, Rad Rodgers: World One is a cute first taste of a throwback platformer. The game is not particularly long or deep, but it's an enjoyable romp. It's fun to play and has solid level design and enjoyable mechanics, but the nostalgic throwback theme is wasted on generic foes and settings. Fans of old-school platformers will find a lot to like here, including a number of jokes clearly designed for them, but newcomers might find it too generic.

Even with the advancements done to the formula over the years, the LEGO Harry Potter Collection remains a solid game for fans. Gameplay remains simple enough for kids to enjoy, but the amount of content packed into each title ensures they'll still be working on it long after the campaigns have been finished. The enhancements due to the platform jump aren't truly significant, but they help make an already clean-looking game shine just a tiny bit more. Unless you've played these to death on previous consoles, this is certainly a game that deserves to be checked out by those who still adore the LEGO games without question.

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.

Almost everything from the plot to the enemies to the presentation embraces the oddness of Lichtspeer, all they do so in a way that's not obnoxious. The game doesn't shy away from trying to challenge you from the outset, but it does so in a way that feels completely fair, even when dying seems like a constant thing. Most importantly, Lichtspeer is a fun experience that will stick with you, and it has the potential to draw you back in again, long after you've beaten it.

Shadow Warrior 2 is amazing. The shift from linear to semi-open-world shooter hasn't hurt the game since the action remains constant and adheres to the classic shooter style over the more modern one. The multitude of new weapons gives the game some variety, even when taking artifacts into account, and the solid combat ties everything together into a very enjoyable package, whether you're going solo or cooperatively. It ranks up there with Doom as one of the best pure shooters of the year and one of the best timed exclusives on the PC in this genre.

Your opinion of Planet Coaster will be completely dependent on what you're seeking. As a management simulator, it hits the basics but doesn't introduce anything revolutionary. As a creation game, it shines because the design tools are powerful and the amount of structures that can be used is almost limitless thanks to a vibrant and active community. Ultimately, the game is fun once you get a grasp of the tools, and it's an excellent title to jumpstart a revival in theme park simulators.

It's a masterpiece in terms of creating a living, breathing AI partner who is a wild and dangerous beast. The atmosphere, the environments and the puzzles are a delight. It's impossible to get around the fact that the game is built with frustration as a feature, and your enjoyment of it will depend on whether you're enough of a cat person to mind spending 10 minutes solving a three-second puzzle. It's a remarkable game that is all the more remarkable for almost living up to 10 years of hype.

Steep is a very good game, especially for a genre that has gone by the wayside for a while. The paragliding may feel boring to most people, but the skiing, snowboarding and wingsuit diving are exciting and well implemented enough to make up for that inclusion. The emphasis on open-world traversal over conquering specific events makes this a game with a much more relaxed feel, but it still provides tons of exciting moments for those who are open to such a change from the action sports template. Even if the winter sports selection were much larger on the current console generation, Steep would still be worth checking out.

Yesterday Origins is a by-the-numbers adventure game that hits all of the marks with reliable accuracy. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, and the puzzles are standard and are occasionally veer difficult for the wrong reasons. The story is elevated by some distinct concepts and strong character writing. It's worth a try just to see how immortals deal with the problem of aging.

The "use anything, make anything" mechanics that have made zombie-smashing so fun are still intact, and some changes only amplify the experience when dealing with the expansive world. While the story is good on its own, Frank's presence provides a nice balance between silly and serious, and the multiplayer also finds a sweet spot. The title has some issues, but they aren't enough to dampen the sheer fun this game provides.

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.

In spite of some omissions and technical issues, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour remains a classic. The original game design is tough, fun and interactive. For those who weren't around when this was first released, the engine change is less jarring than the old design and the new episode is quite good. At its current asking price of $20, it is tough to recommend no matter how big of a fan you are, and those who missed out on the Megaton Edition on PS3 and Vita or those who simply want it on PS4 would be better served waiting for a sale.

Aragami is a satisfactory stealth game. It's not exceptional, but it has its high points. The shadow-dancing teleport mechanic is the centerpiece of the game, and it is at its best when you have large, open areas to sneak through. It's at its worst when cheap deaths or unenjoyable boss fights dominate the experience. It's a fun budget stealth game that will probably tickle the fancy of anyone who's looking for one. It might not break new ground, but sometimes, it's just fun to be a ninja, and Aragami deliveries that in spades.

Pokémon Sun and Moon is a safe and enjoyable entry in the franchise. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but focuses on polishing the rough edges and making the entire thing shine. It has enough new features to make it a fun adventure without feeling too familiar, and that's important. Some nagging flaws, like a poor frame rate and annoying Pokémon reinforcements, drag down the experience a little, but die-hard fans and curious newcomers alike should still have a great time. Pokémon Sun and Moon offers over 800 monsters to collect, so you'll be catching them all for a long time.