There’s a lot of beauty to behold in this horror game. I can admit, maybe one of the best-looking ones I’ve seen (horror/walking sim). And while I did enjoy my time playing through it, there were some annoying bits that take you out of the atmosphere. There were a few puzzles that just seemed like time wasters. Being kicked out of the game at the menu was actually ripping me away from what I was enjoying (walking around the atmospheric horror). The story didn’t catch me as depressing, even though it was the main theme. I didn’t care about the character enough. The narrator was great at first, but eventually became an annoying philosopher whom I just wanted to shut up. He wouldn’t stop making everything have some deeper meaning. Then there were the words placed around for a puzzle. Like it would say “sound test” on the floor. It made me think of a pirated movie where the editing hadn’t been completed yet. It started off great and with promise, but then the need for the game to be “unique” threw it off the rails, not being able to be saved by the storyline.

Even if you can beat the game pretty fast, there are a lot of reasons to start another week. Getting to see new situations as well as trying to complete every scenario can be a good time. It’s quite simple, though it will test your attention to detail and memory to do simple tasks (like turning the closed sign). Things can be funny, but maybe not laugh-out-loud funny. There are some scenarios that can be frustrating, but play them enough times and you’ll get the hang of them. There is a serious frame drop that happens near one of the doors, and it is annoying enough to ruin your overall experience. Every time I suffered through the slowdown, I wanted to just exit the game. And without even turning off the lights first.

There are a lot of funny moments to experience. I really liked the humor, and it was wildly entertaining to run around and experience the interesting characters and the town. The game can be pretty difficult, with a lackluster hint system and too many items to interact with. The dream system was really clever, but at times, it could cause some headaches with figuring out what to do. A little adjustment with interactions and the hint system would have went a long way.

This might not be a great collection of games, but it is a collection. You can’t just go buy these all on their own in the Xbox store. The menu system is great, and the options to save anywhere and rewind, while not anything new, are appreciated. Some people will love the games I hated, and hate the games I enjoyed. If you have already played some of these, then you know what to expect. But it can also be a good time for newcomers to these titles.

I enjoyed playing through the game and figuring everything out. There is some room for error, but it’s great that you can replay the day and get faster each time. The controls were all fine except when you had to input numbers. It was likely made more for a mouse and keyboard, and it was specifically more difficult to open the safe. You would click the wrong buttons often because of the movement of the cursor. I didn’t encounter any bad bugs, besides one that kept the hunger icon zoomed in once, even when I ate. It’s nice to experience it, but you may not be playing it long or ever again. But I don’t regret getting a chance to escape a kidnapping while needing to pay attention to details so that I could put everything back the way it was before I touched it. It might not be for everyone, but those who love attention to detail will find this game appealing.

This is a short, easy, almost mindless game. If you’re an achievement hunter, you will enjoy it more than the average player. The graphics aren’t bad, and neither are the sound effects. But without being able to run, backtracking or looking for notes with codes can be a little tedious. The puzzles are incredibly easy, using a trial-and-error method to figure them out. This is your average game, not attempting to pull out any surprises. It has a decent story premise, but doesn’t force you to live in it. You’re just visiting briefly. Some people will enjoy searching around the prison, while others will feel the game is missing more than just other people.

The aim to make the story sad was completely pushed onto the player without choice. The writing went a bit overboard with it, trying to make the player feel sad, at the cost of being over-dramatic. Too many characters were absolutely too cruel to be believable. I went from feeling sorry for Olive to absolutely hating her. Decisions just didn’t make sense when put into the real world, which is what this game was trying to demonstrate. As far as the actual gameplay goes, it had a few good moments. Some were entertaining, while other times it felt a little bit underwhelming. Running around in the house, in particular, was poorly designed, having a lot of breaks in the walls as you turned the camera. It was an okay experience with some enjoyment to be had, but with a story that had some potential but ended up being off-putting.

If you’re after a story, you won’t find much of one here but that’s okay because this genre is really aimed at having a fun time avoiding obstacles and getting to the finish line of a level. There was no real magic about it, and maybe there would be if this was made in the 90s instead.

As far as an interactive movie, it has enough dialogue choices to let you feel in control but at the same time uncertain the outcome will be good. You can’t play it only once, because you do need to experience a good majority of the decisions in order to figure out how you want the story to end. It’s not going to put you on the edge of your seat, but there is enough content to keep you satisfied through at least a few playthroughs.

The story is excellent, the characters work well, and the art switches between colorful and gloomy whenever it needs to. Can too much of a good thing be bad? It really depends on you. If you have the patience to read through bucket loads of text (I suppose that’s why you’re here instead of YouTube) then you’ll adore this game. If you get a little impatient, you’ll probably end up fast-forwarding through most of the scenes until you get to one that looks like it’s important. I will admit, as much as I loved the story, some of the conversations just didn’t seem like they were going to end.

There are plenty of things I wish were different. The loot system, the map, the small text, gear being underwhelming, the damage types being confusing, lack of bosses, and lots and lots of running in the wrong direction while following the trail. That’s a lot of major stuff. Yet it’s still an awesome game, but unfortunately the bad is always louder than the good. While I think of these as negative, others may like it and disagree entirely. I believe it is indeed a pleasure to play but I also wish certain things were different.

I know I’ve mentioned it already, but it’s worth repeating the story truly is awful. It’s like a poison that leaked into otherwise good characters and dialogue. If you want a mystery game, don’t bother. If you want to curl up to some good voice acting and chill out while someone else drives, then maybe consider calling shotgun.

I enjoyed the short adventure for the most part, but by the end, I didn’t feel any specific emotion. The conclusion was a bit of a disappointment and afterward, I realized I actually didn’t get attached to or care much about any of the characters. Switching between the past and present was pretty neat, and I guess I favored the past because it was full of characters to talk to and seemed better suited for the visual style. I love horror but didn’t feel the tense or stressful situations that normally accompany those themes. The puzzles were average but well done for the limited areas you could explore. The biggest let-down was the movement, which is odd considering you can only go left or right.

Some of the puzzles were really fun. I enjoyed the Antartica chapter quite a lot and it was the best set of brain teasers in the game. Design is above par and there were no technical issues while playing. I especially loved the blending of genres. It never got boring. However, it ended far too soon. The story was a little messy and the big “surprise ending” was disappointing. A few confusing scenes, specifically during the lab, were a bit over the top. I think overall it’s an average game but without anything else to do after the credits roll, know that you won’t be spending much time with it.

I was not overly satisfied or dissatisfied with my time flying a helicopter above leaping zombies. The graphics aren’t the best, but they don’t have to be. It’s all for fun. I would say it’s well worth a playthrough. The physics can be frustrating at times and ruin the speed of your run, and annoyingly cannot be mastered. There’s shortness involved with completing the game, but with all the unlockables, stars, daily missions, and difficulty options, there’s sure a lot to do after you’re done the first time through.

With all of the good, there ends up being just as much bad. It’s easy and hard to like this game. Having a mission that hinders your ability to progress the story because it’s entirely luck-based is also a real shame. If given a few tweaks, it could have really shined as an outstanding flight combat entry. The heaviness of the bad mechanics is too much to allow it to soar high.

With a unique backdrop and clever use of shadows, Projection: First Light delivers what it intended. A calm and casual puzzle platformer that is a pleasure to play through. The story is delivered in a nice shadow puppetry fashion, though some may find it hard to follow because there is no talking or narration. The biggest downside is getting glitched into walls or stuck. If save points could have been the actual checkpoints, then maybe it wouldn’t have been as much of a problem. The design and music are great, as well as how the puzzles are tackled. But because you or items can be glitched in areas they shouldn’t be, it becomes a persistent hope that it doesn’t happen (again), requiring you to restart the level. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it’ll take some reworking of the game mechanics to really shine.

A dark and terrifying adventure that many may go into, but only a few survive. The good is met with the bad, evening out the quality to being pretty decent. While the design of enemies and combat are great, the flaws (in my opinion) lay in the confusing areas and much too well-hidden secrets. The lack of resources that would allow you to travel hinders the overall experience. No map, limited fast travel, and zero direction on what to do next will be confusing enough to stop you from completing the game. Is it difficult? Yes, but not all in the sense of combat. It’s difficult to continue on with the journey because of hurdles that slow down the pacing. I thought leveling up was great and dying only made me try harder. However, doing simple tasks like dismantling items or picking your next weapon was a chore.

Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break may have worked better as an add-on for the previous title. It has a great level editor and sharing features which, paired with the numerous multiplayer modes, makes for limitless potential. The core campaign feels tacked-on in comparison, like a large batch of basic, user-created levels rather than something professionally crafted. This entry gives the impression of being more about quantity than quality, but at least the core gameplay is familiar and can still be fun.

Skater XL is a super realistic skating simulator that encourages you to simply go out and skate. If you are someone who loves skateboarding and the thrill of just getting that trick down or making a cool montage to show off, then this is definitely for you. If not, it might be a tough time. Overall it’s a good game, it just feels like it is missing something.

This was a tough review because it really is a great game, but it didn’t keep my attention which makes me conclude that, aside from some boss battles, it’s just kind of boring.

Coffee Talk is an extremely pleasant experience from start to finish that tackles some difficult social issues in the process. The characters are extremely charming and the writing is very well done. I found myself rooting for these characters and looking forward to each day at the coffee shop to see who would show up and where those situations would leave them. I am happy to report that it did not disappoint.

What it does, it does well. But what it doesn’t do is what really drags it down to not feeling like an exceptional game. I love the idea; the movement feels great; but the lack of content really made it slip to just being average. No one likes to get stuck, and shame on me for not looking up maps or guides. I know they are out there, but I was very frustrated to be getting lost all the time. I wanted something in-game to at least give me a simple hint. Even if it let me know the area that I needed to go, it would have been helpful. It’s really a pretty good game otherwise. I might try it one more time, but if I get lost for an hour I’m hanging up the tentacles for good. And sadly, I’m quite certain this will be the case.

There’s a lot of combining and mixing things from other games that result in a fun and pretty fresh experience. The characters and their abilities are enjoyable and the shooting mechanics result in a fantastic feeling. Price-based, the game sits in the middle at basically half the price of Overwatch, but still utilizes cosmetics as a form of microtransactions. I’m fine with that, but the cosmetic options available right now are boring and fairly expensive for what you’re actually getting. Luckily, you’re allowed to use an in-game currency as well. Certain modes and one specific map are a real drag. It’s hard for me to really score this as it is in kind of a pre-season mode.

If you’re looking for an optimistic documentary-esque game about diving in the ocean, you’ve come to the right place. It’s family-friendly and just a straight outlook at the various species. If you want both sides of the story, you might be disappointed to know that the real dangers involved with actual deep-sea diving are nowhere to be found.

I will probably go back and complete the third tier just to get my last achievement, but after that there isn’t much of a point in playing since unlocking the legendary character after tier 1 essentially negates all other cool aspects of the game. This might be one of the few times I felt disappointed after becoming overpowered early on in a game. Still, it’s a decent little dungeon crawler that should satisfy a good population of people.

It’s a different concept to have a mini-game that sets up your playthrough. You try your best to get what you need and can alter your experience with specific items. There’s a lot of decisions that impact your survival and it’s always a hit or miss. Such is life. While you’re in control of the decision making process you’re not always in control of the outcome. All in all, it’s a pretty well-made story with great dark humor. The biggest issue is longevity. There is a lot of replay value but it gets a bit tedious because you can survive and win, but the motivation to keep playing is only to see different endings and outcomes. It’s relatively short and you’re making quick decisions, usually just one per day followed by reading. It has some great ideas but it might not be something you play for more than a few hours.

The story isn’t anything too great, with underwhelming character development and a boring plot. Not being able to control up and down for dashing feels like it’s an attempt to make the game more difficult. Overall, I enjoyed what I played but there were a few letdowns.

Like usual, there is a mix of good and bad elements. I would say Lake Ridden has an equal amount of each that balance each other out. The quality of visuals and sound are high and the puzzles can prove difficult to most people. However, the backtracking and lack of a believable story set the game at just being pretty decent, but nothing you would rave about to all your peers. A map would have been a great addition to exploring, allowing you to mark areas of interest or just simply help you find your way if lost. If you have a craving for a supernatural puzzler, you’ll be content. If the story is what you’re after, you’ll likely be disappointed.

A fascinating world with luscious forestry and an intriguing species. You can tell a lot of passion went into developing it. The puzzles are quite simple but still satisfying to complete. It’s short, which isn’t usually an issue for me, but the pacing seemed a bit off. I felt as if I were in the middle of a game because of how the puzzles go from easy to moderate in difficulty. Even though you have two characters to control, most of the time you’ll be using Deaf since he is fast and you can really appreciate the beautiful world. There are a decent amount of tweaks that could really enhance the experience while playing, specifically fixed bugs and a narrator to tell the story as if it was being read to you like a book.

The idea is really good. I just love being able to put myself in a job that I normally don’t do. I think that’s why the simulation games are so popular. I wanted more out of it. I didn’t mind it being short, but sometimes it felt there was less control than you should have.

Lost Ember provided me an endless list of grievances at every turn, but that never stopped me from actively enjoying the game. It’s a technical mess with a terrible narrative and some poor design choices – but there’s just something so relaxing about running around the wilderness at your own pace. The gameplay’s done right, and there are some brilliant moments where everything comes together, but it’s hard to recommend a game in this state of disrepair.

There’s a lot of good but sometimes the bad can outweigh it. This can be an extremely difficult game only because of the seemingly unfair advantage your opponent has. The upgrade system can be annoying especially when someone you invested in gets wasted. Is it fun? Yeah, but a lot of games do it better. This is for fans of the series for sure, and if it didn’t have the show giving its appeal, then this would be a poor entry into strategy-based combat.

There’s no real way to measure the length of time you’ll spend playing this. It’s all based around your personal desire to build and create your own masterpiece. Want easy achievements? Then you’ll be happy to know it has them. While it wasn’t something I could spend any more than a few hours tinkering around with, I can admire the possibilities for others. It has a great theme, extremely child-friendly, and the wooden tracks look excellent. As a whole, it’s a nice package that will either bore you or open up your imagination and give you countless hours of joy.

Felix the Reaper is a textbook example of style over substance. The presentation, especially of the central character, is immaculate and easily the most enjoyable part of the experience. The game itself isn’t bad, but it lacks anything that left me itching to play more. The gameplay is fine but solutions can be a bit obtuse, while the additional challenges are too hardcore to be fun. I could watch Felix dance all day, but those moves won’t charm anyone who’s not ready to take on his deadly dance floor.

Because of the horrible glitches I experienced along with a confusing end sequence, I was not able to enjoy it entirely. It’s not a bad game, in fact quite the opposite. There just was no room for that much error. With only one game mode heavily focusing on story, it just has to be done right. You can complete the whole adventure in just a few hours. Is it scary? Yes, they have done a fantastic job with jump scenes and being lost in the eerie woods. I wanted to give it another try, so I started a new game. When in the first area I could not get Bullet to fetch the hat for me, I force quit the game and decided not to bother. If they ever fix the issues, I may revisit the forest and get lost all over again.

Without a doubt, I would not be missing anything if I skipped this collection. I didn’t miss out when they were originally released either. However, there is a strong contingent of shmup fans that will love it. The asking price is very fair, and if anyone enjoyed the originals they will appreciate the chance at not only playing the classics but the enhanced version as well. The Vasara Collection is a bit on the harder side, so anyone new to the genre will best spend their time elsewhere.

I think there’s a lot of room for improvement but it’s still a fun game. As a whole though, I didn’t feel like spending much more than a few hours with it. The design and atmosphere was great, but there were too many things I found to burden the overall experience.

Game nights are a remarkably popular way to engage with friends, which has led to the resurgence of tabletop board and card games of late. Pandemic has had quite a following, and this digital version does have its plus points – easier logistics, lower cost – and it will be familiar to those who already play the board game. For those who haven’t played before, the lack of a meaningful tutorial will be an obstacle to getting into it. However, its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass will greatly lower the risk of trying out the game. Now if you’ll excuse me, I don’t feel so good… hope it’s nothing serious.

Sure, it’s a simple physics game that doesn’t have much to offer, but it delivers entertainment and the fact that you’re delivering equipment to help save the world is a great addition. It plays out just like an old school Nintendo game, allowing you to choose what level you want to play. Except you never face the boss, but defeat them by completing the course. I know this won’t be for everyone, in fact, it’s going to be quite annoying to some. It’s short but priced extremely fairly for what it offers. I enjoyed it and if you like achievements, the good news is that they’re very easy and straight forward. It’s great to just throw it on or to complete it one sitting. It’s a great little game with limited content and I’m okay with that.

It’s a pretty decent game. The focus on mental health is heavy, yet I don’t think it was done flawlessly. I failed to care about the character, thinking they were taking things a bit too seriously because the problems they had seemed insignificant compared to problems such as death or mental abuse. I know everyone can feel this way for any reason since it’s human nature. It seems to fall short in comparison to games such as Hellblade and The Missing.

Over the years, 2D platformers have been raising the bars in quality and ingenuity. Double Cross doesn’t add much to the genre but is pretty decent overall. The excitement of solving cases diminishes quickly when you come to realize there is no thinking on your part. It just serves as part of the storyline. If you can focus on the combat and levels, you’ll see why it’s still a very enjoyable game. Each of the various stages offer different challenges to make things feel different as you progress. It’s nice to be able to choose what missions you take on. The story is a bit light and the humor could use a lot of work. It ends up being a fine addition to the platformer genre, but nothing you need to rush to purchase.

For what it’s worth, the extremely small amount of time you’ll play this game will be entertaining. You can do everything within a couple of hours but you’ll likely enjoy your time. I liked it a lot but I also played it on Game Pass. I would regret buying it for the asking price, so if you don’t have a Game Pass subscription or it’s no longer available in the library, maybe wait for a good sale. I don’t normally like to talk about pricing, but I think it’s pretty important that you know ahead of time what you’ll be enjoying won’t be for very long.

Instead of a game that grows on you, it starts becoming chore the more you play. If you die, you’re starting all the way back at the beginning. Just because you have more tools at your disposal doesn’t make it any more entertaining. There are great concepts here, which stem from Bioshock which was quoted as a main influence. From great to mediocre, Void Bastards is playable but becomes its own nuisance. There are both good ideas and bad ones that mix into an average shooter with a few annoying traits.

The main attraction here, without question, is Dragon’s Lair itself, but Space Ace and Time Warp make the trilogy a well-rounded ensemble. If you don’t already have all of these games in your collection, Dragon’s Lair Trilogy is a great way to fill that void, and the cost of admission is quite reasonable. So, as the narrator says, “Lead on, adventurer … your quest awaits!”, and it awaits you in the Xbox Store today.

While you won’t be “wowed” by Legend of the Tetrarchs, you won’t be disappointed. It does enough to be unique but still feels like a classic. There are great systems in place to make it a new experience. The downfalls are with the map and quest descriptions not giving you enough information. What really stings is the character development. There isn’t any. It causes an odd and offset balance to traditional RPGs. There are great ideas for leveling up and equipment, but poor execution with the story and basic principles of the task at hand. I think it’s a very decent RPG, but nothing you’re going to want to play a second time.

I love the idea of being able to race on practically any surface. It adds depth to an already crazy fast racer. With so many customizable parts, modes, and multiplayer options, you’ll find enough content for hours upon hours of gameplay. Unfortunately, the combat aspect is bland and could have used a lot more creativity. It averages out the game to being, well, average. It can get a bit repetitive but then again I’m not a huge fan of racing games, though I’ve played a lot. What I am a huge fan of, is combat racing like Blur which has a heavy focus on combat that actually changes the outcome of the race. GRIP was fast enough to be first in speed but comes last in vehicle combat.

Over time, we have seen ideas become recycled and reskinned and we’ve become used to it. We’ve even labeled them into specific genres. The Occupation is a fresh idea that comes very close to becoming its own. It provides you with a lot of choices. I can see why it shot just at par level with its attempt to accomplish such a difficult combination of stealth and realism. There is a level of complexity that doesn’t match its easy going attitude. It’s labeled as immersive and if that was the main goal, then it has exceeded. While it’s an experience to be had, it struggles to push you into wanting more.

The amount of time needed to master the end parts of the game seem broken and unfair. Difficult just to be known as difficult. Practice makes perfect, but if you don’t enjoy practicing then you’re bound for failure. The King’s Bird barely gets my recommendation, but enough of it was good for me to say it’s pretty decent.

Horizon Chase Turbo is best viewed from the perspective its designers intended. In that sense, it’s a rather fun title, and might actually make a great option for younger drivers who are a bit overwhelmed by the “Forza” franchises. Achievement hunters may be turned off by all the grinding, and driving purists will have issues with the frequent collisions. However, when played as an occasional diversion instead of a campaign – just as one did with its arcade inspirations – this is one horizon that racers certainly won’t mind chasing.

If you don’t mind grinding through to unlock everything, then it’s a pretty enjoyable experience. If you’re an achievement hunter you will probably like how you must obtain everything in order to get all of them. This is especially true with beating the game while only using a specific type of weapon. It encourages you to do everything possible in the game. However, if you don’t like replaying things numerous times, then it will be a short experience with a “that wasn’t worth it” feeling. The biggest sting here is the price tag which, unless you fall in love with the combat system, may lead you to feel dissatisfied with your purchase.

As a horror walking sim adventure, it hardly barely reached it’s potential to keep the player engaged. With no clues or help along the way, it’s a blind struggle to figure out what to do next. It’s not a bad game, and with a few added tweaks it would be much better.

While I felt the beginning of the game struggled to keep my attention, I really enjoyed the rest of it. However, there are several things I think could really help improve the experience. I didn’t particularly like the character design but did have a great time surviving. The excellent fast travel and saving system made death not so crushing. At times the pacing was a little awkward and I cared little about any of the characters, however, I believe overall it was a better-than-average survival game.

With no proper explanation of how things work, you find yourself fighting the game’s menu system more than actual opponents. Matches can take a long time to find, especially if it involves more than a 1v1. I believe if the experience was gained at double or even triple the rate, Absolver would be able to maintain interest from players. Having the same gear for hours and being done with the main playthrough becomes so repetitive that you lose enjoyment. While the combat is superb and the foundation of gear is quite strong, it is not at all implemented correctly. I did very much enjoy my time with Absolver, however, I quickly reached the ceiling on the time I wanted to spend with it.

There’s nothing really to dislike about Aftercharge. There just isn’t much Aftercharge to like. Without a campaign and lack of in-game story, you won’t find yourself intrigued nor have the ambition to continue on. There’s supposed to be a competitive mode, which wasn’t active during the time I played. It may entice people to continue on, especially if they have friends on mics. In its current state, there just isn’t enough content to warrant return after a few hours. While I enjoyed the aesthetics and original idea of the multiplayer mode, I got bored.

There are clever dialogue moments and lots of humor thrown in showing that it was a fun project that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The music is an absolute pleasure and I was impressed with how many tracks are present, changing as you play. The overall mood for Desert Child is casual. You can play it without stressing about losing. You really cannot lose. Just based on your actions the game might take longer to complete. It’s a somewhat brief experience but is entertaining. Nothing in it will blow your mind but you won’t regret your time while on Mars, chilling and making your dream of success a reality.

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is a clever take on the turn-based RPG, blending it with freeform exploration in a way that feels natural and satisfying. It’s unfortunate that the rest of the game can’t match the well-realized concept, giving off the sense of a great execution that wasn’t fully baked. For the genre, it’s a surprisingly bite-size experience that, while may not be the most friendly to newcomers, fans should definitely check out.

It may sound stupid, but I actually noticed myself actually more aware afterward when kids are around and how their attention and curiosity can get them into trouble. I’m sure parents will enjoy this even more, even though it’s quite an exaggeration. What children do and how it can make you worry of judgment being made based on your parenting skills is an actual reality. If you really enjoy time management based games, this one will be a definite break from the more serious games in the genre.

If you’re looking for a casual puzzle game that you can pick up and drop whenever you’re in the mood, this is a great bit of fun. It does have a lot of great combinations but also a lot that just made no sense. The micro-transaction part is an annoying idea, but in the end, it’s really up to the player to decide if they would like to speed up their game by using their own money. The campaign was a letdown, but I guess it’s better than not having one at all. When they release another Doodle God game, I most certainly will pick it up.

Shadow of Loot Box is a game that addresses the concept of loot boxes but doesn’t really drive the nail inward on how hindering they can be when it comes to a game. The added satire towards games like Fallout 4, among others adds a bit of comedy but are so short-lived that you’re immediately thrown back into the emptiness of the world around you. What the game has to offer is great, but if the game decided to add DLC in the future, not only would it add-on perfectly to the joke that was being delivered, but it would help to further expand the concepts the game bases around. In its present state, the game is decent, but some players may find it needs more.

Besides a unique concept and beautiful presentation, Sinner falls short on content and playability. You never care about your hero and the bosses can be extremely frustrating. With no difficulty option, you’re forced into an uphill battle against the bosses. You aren’t offered any hints on how the world works, and you’ll be often stuck wondering what to do next. I enjoyed what I played, but it got stale very quickly. I felt no reason to continue my journey after beating most of the sins.

Despite my grievances I enjoyed the game: it’s a solid, beautiful space exploration game — but one with too much space in between the good parts (pun intended).

No, it’s not an amazing new franchise you’ll desire more of. You will, however, enjoy what you experience. There’s a happy medium of enjoyment without becoming something you’ll want to play all the time. If you’re looking for something creative that doesn’t take itself too seriously, then maybe Pizza Titan Ultra is something you can have fun with but not take too seriously.

Besides the flaws and lackluster graphics, Revenant Dogma somehow manages to still capture the genre’s appeal.

Late Shift is an enjoyable story and was good enough that I didn’t mind playing it through several times, even with the issues I had with it. If you’re in the mood for a decent story and don’t mind working for it, then give Late Shift a try. It is definitely an enjoyable experience.

With Polygod, the consistency of having to repeat the first two-three levels over and over, never really making any further progress, easily becomes exhausting. The player really needs to ask themselves if they’re ready for that type of commitment before investing.

Whilst I enjoyed the game’s story, soundtrack and unique possession based puzzle system, Wailing Heights does suffer from too many quality issues to be a straight-up recommendation. The game in itself is short but seems to be dragged out by overly repeating conversations and environments. That said, if you can overlook the negatives, Wailing Heights is still a fun and memorable adventure game that should appeal to old school point and click fans and more so with the spooky season just around the corner.

The story is entertaining, and with Halloween right around the corner, this is the perfect time of year for it. The gameplay is quick to learn, and it is both challenging and forgiving; however $30 is a high ask for this type of game. If you like the genre and catch it on sale, grab it, and you’ll have a good time. At worst, it will make your own family reunions seem just that little bit less awkward.

Love it or hate it, what was done with Bomber Crew was done mostly right. While there are a few disappointing aspects, the overall experience can be a great one. There is plenty to do and hours to spend if you enjoy the core concepts. The graphics aren’t going to win any awards, but do manage to have their own sense of charm. If you’re into World War era games and bombers, you may even have a deeper appreciation.

When I first got my hands on Mugsters, I was certain it would be something I’d love, mixing wacky physics-based hijinks with high-octane puzzle solving like some sort of indie Just Cause. I know that experience is in there somewhere, buried under the doldrums of tiresome repetition and eye strain. There’s still some fun to be had if you look hard enough, which is fitting for a game where everything is almost too small to see.

Puzzle-wise, the game delivers like a morning newspaper. You get what you expected. Then you realize it had rained, and the story was hard to read, and ink had smeared around the important parts. The graphics are fine, but not good enough to excuse the sudden clumsiness of loading changes in the environment. The saving grace is the excellent voice acting and puzzle concepts. It turns out to be just mediocre overall. You will likely enjoy The Spectrum Retreat, but your love for it will be as empty as the hotel.

Guts and Glory won’t appeal to all audiences, but as a fun game to play with your friends, it’s worth your money. The carnage is so over-the-top ridiculous that it’s hard not to laugh and have a good time at seeing the outcomes of failing certain obstacles. So, hop on your bicycle, get on the track and go break a leg. Literally.

Those who enjoy both roguelike experiences and adore Mega Man-inspired games will be in heaven. Casual gamers, achievement hunters, and impatient players will be in hell. The vanilla game is already pretty difficult, and all of the extra options the game has only makes it more unforgiving. The daily and weekly challenges only apply to the hardcore, giving little to do for everyone else.

The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker is in no way a bad game and indeed worth playing through even if only once, just for the experience alone if the subject matter interests you.

The laughs alone are worth the very low cost of admission.

While Aragami will be enjoyable, it will start to get dull as you kill enemies (like a blade does). It almost feels like a Batman game where you’re just doing the stealth challenge missions. While it does what it does fine, it feels lacking as an entire game.

Shift Quantum is a fantastic little puzzler that goes for broke creating unique spins on its core mechanic. It’s stumped me on more than one occasion, but its quick levels and pick-up-and-play nature made it easy to put down and try again when my brain was ready for the challenge. It’s too bad the packaging is mediocre, and there are some small but glaring oversights, but those issues aren’t aggressive enough to ruin the core experience if this is your type of game.

The asking price isn’t too overwhelming for what’s there, and the game is definitely a lot of fun when you cast aside the few issues it does have. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is an overall experience in itself, and a great game to hold you over until the release of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night at a later date.

The game is worth at least one playthrough to experience the beauty and vibrancy of the colorful, relaxing world. Though without plot or characters, many will find themselves to be disinterested.

Lichtspeer is fun and fast, and the new type of atmosphere is welcomed. Reminiscent of something like Kung Fury, Lichtspeer embraces neon futuristic wacky elements. It’s fast-paced and easy to pick up and play, but the lack of depth in many areas won’t hold the average player’s attention.

Switch – Or Die Trying is a simply designed, yet polished game. It can hold its own and be an enjoyable experience for the right player. It's mostly for those who find pleasure in speed running levels and those who are avid platformer fans. For everyone else, maybe skip this one.

Nine Parchments is magical. The world is colorful and vibrant in some areas while keeping itself dark and gloomy in others. If you can warrant playing alone or dealing with the ridiculousness of enemies at a later time, then the game is worth picking up. If you don’t have anyone to play with and can see that as dampening the experience you may want to avoid the game altogether.

The overall short play time the game has to offer can be a deal breaker for many, but to those who are looking for a game with an interesting mystery style story with some sleuthing and brain work from basic puzzles, The Station may just scratch that itch.

Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock is a pleasant diversion from tactical games like Fire Emblem, especially with the addition of resource management. It’s also a bit lighter than your typical space-battle simulator since movement is simplified to be not-fully-three-space. It will play well with Galactica fans in this anniversary year, as well as gaming tacticians in general, but its advanced learning curve and higher-than-average price will make it a tougher sell to others. Still, if you fancy yourself an armchair Adama, using your spare cubits to buy Deadlock would be a decision worthy of the support of the Quorum of the Twelve.

For what it is worth, Paladin was by no means a disappointing game. It brought forth the additions I was hoping it would while paying homage to the classic formula of Defender. It would have been nice to see more than forty levels, or the possibility of an endless mode that keeps going until you die, but alas no such mode is present. Indeed, the difficulty of completing all forty levels and the time it is completed in all bases on the skill of the player and how different elements play in their favor. The 35 minutes that I had spent was definitely worth it, but unless you plan to play the game again using the other 4 ships at your disposal, then the $9.99 price you pay might not seem worth it.

As always, the problem with Telltale's limited gameplay and choose-your-own-adventure formula is that the game can really only be as good as its story. Guardians of the Galaxy proves to be one of their weaker games, as it struggles to find its own voice within the obvious movie-based restrictions. Even though its uninspired and somewhat dull take on the franchise, it still manages to fit in enough funny and touching moments to make the series fun to play. Telltale has certainly done worse (I'm looking at you, post-Season 1 The Walking Dead), but they've also done a lot better. If you're even the slightest bit burnt out on Telltale or Marvel, this game will do you no favors.

While most of the time in the dungeons, I was focused on completing the puzzles to push the story forward; in the outside world, I found myself getting lost in the relaxing environment searching out every hidden secret or bit of lore to help better understand the world around me. The main story might only offer but a few hours, but the hidden bits all around are what make the game truly the art that it is. With all there is to explore outside of the main story, lore seekers have a lot in store for what can make for great fan-fiction or ideas.

After finishing the game, the question still lingered in my head: why did this re-release happen? It's not that I didn't have fun with it, but it's such an average game. It does many things well, but aside from the source material, there's nothing here that makes it stand out. Age hasn't degraded the game, although the edges do feel a bit rougher. It's not a bad choice for those wanting some old-school shooting action, but anyone who passed on the game a decade ago can still overlook it now without missing anything.

As I was playing through Danger Zone, my general opinion of the game kept jumping around as often as my car did. I love the crash junctions from Burnout, and the puzzle nature of trying to obtain the pick-ups. With that said, I wish there was simply more to it and that it was a bit more polished up, especially considering the game’s development pedigree. Three Fields knows its stuff, and I sincerely hope there is enough demand from franchise fans to prompt planning for either a DLC expansion or a Danger Zone 2 with a level editor. The fact that the game will get Xbox One X enhancements and 4K output in the near future offers that hope. So, if wanton destruction and a relatively easy 1000 Gamerscore are your thing, queue up Kenny Loggins and take this highway to the Danger Zone.

The Mummy Demastered truly wants to step out of the marred shadow of its source material and in some ways it does. It cleverly incorporates the essence of Contra to the well-established Metroidvania formula. However, the technical issues experienced throughout are hard to ignore. Along with the crippling setback of multiple deaths and a useless roll maneuver, the challenge presented feels close to cheap at times. Anyone looking for something along the lines of a Metroid or Axiom Verge can have fun with Demastered. Just know going in that this Mummy carries a curse.

Battle of the Bulge is a basic board and dice style strategy game that holds true to the genre's format. Although it isn't a bad game, Shenandoah Studio misses the mark on several levels. The lack of an in-depth tutorial or in-game manual leaves you struggling when you start playing as you're trying to learn. The game is very bare bones, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it half is. From a historical aspect, not much is explained as to where, when or even why this significant and important battle takes place. This lack of storytelling leaves me wondering; why pick this particular battle? Although Battle of the Bulge offers several ways to play and a simplistic style that isn't overwhelming, you are still left wanting more from it and not in a sequel kind of way.

Even though I got pretty stuck on some levels, it felt like Ink's 75 levels just sped on by. It's a quick and inoffensive experience with a fun mechanic that loses the spotlight the longer the game goes on. It's fine but nothing special, unless you always wanted a game that lets you convert the world into bad 90s sitcom title cards.

Victor Vran is an ok dungeon crawler. There's nothing majorly wrong with it, but the Motorhead add-on shows us glimpses of personality that the main game lacks and the limited customization holds it back from being anything more than average. One of the main draws for these types of games is the loot, but when most of the loot is same or didn't change much, there's not a lot of reason to keep going. Whilst the fighting itself is satisfying, and the co-op (both online and offline) modes kept the game interesting socially, the longevity just isn't there. Unlike The Witcher 3, which I've still to finish. Thanks for the constant reminder Victor.

I like aspects of Planetbase, and I want to like all of it because it’s a nice premise, but it’s really hard to look past its frustrating aspects. The slow pace of expansion can make it a relaxing game to play, but when those frustrations creep in it wipes out any chance of relaxing. In a world where Cities: Skylines exists as such an excellent city-builder on Xbox One, Planetbase suffers in comparison. Going from landing party to self-sufficiency to thriving extra-terrestrial metropolis is a pleasing arc, but at times the game conspires against your efforts to play it.

If we're not talking about gameplay, Broken Age is great. It presents a fun and detailed world to inhabit filled with silly characters and interesting plot developments. If we are talking about gameplay, Broken Age is just okay. It's a serviceable attempt at a point-and-click game that stumbles more than it should. This isn't the best adventure game to come out this year, but it's still an enjoyable ride.

I wanted to like Seasons After Fall more than I did. I've gushed about it's breathtaking beauty and the relaxed pace was a welcome change from the fast shooters we're used to seeing. However the mysterious puzzles soon started to grate and the amount of backtracking was insane. The developers certainly show great potential, but unfortunately Seasons After Fall isn't quite the sleeper hit I was hoping for.

Deformers is a bouncy, fast-paced and addicting game. When you get your friends together, virtually or physically, you're almost guaranteed to have a blast. The issues start to rise when you look at the ranking system and Form Ball's ability to provide competition. If you have friends over often or play online with them regularly and don't care much for leveling up or ranking up, this game might be worthwhile. If you are looking for a new competitive online multiplayer game, it's not quite there, especially given that there are not many people playing online.

Chime Sharp is a very fun, interesting, and unique puzzle game. There's a lot to love about it, and it has plenty to offer whether you're looking to relax or get really worked up with a solid challenge. Just make sure you know how to play before you get started.