Despite playing for hours on end I never got particularly good at Enter the Gungeon, but that doesn't mean I didn't thoroughly enjoy my time with it. It's great as a top-down shooter, even if it's just average as a roguelike. Pairing the frustration of bullet hell with the frustration of a random number generator doesn't always yield results, but when the stars align there's just something magical about it.

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.

The lack of online will clearly put off a few people; however, some odd design choices in scoring and the lack of any true single-player gameplay really stops Overcooked from being the game it could be.

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.

Armello is an excellent digital board game for anyone who struggles to get friends around the table for paper board games. It's a real shame that there is no local multiplayer mode included, but the single player is very satisfactory, and the online multiplayer excellent, assuming the standard of players remains as high as it was at the time of writing this review.

Sterdenn is a solid shooter. It's perfectly competent and features a really solid and completely unique randomisation mechanic that's worth exploring. Outside that, it is a little repetitive, and beyond the first couple of hours I doubt it has the longevity to attract casual interest.

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse embodies the spirit of classic platformers while furthering its own identity as a franchise. Though there are some missteps throughout the journey, Shantae shows that she ages like a fine bottle of wine and only gets better with time.

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.

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.

Players who are completely new to roguelike games might appreciate the lighthearted style and relatively forgiving gameplay, but I suspect veterans of games like Binding of Isaac will find Full Mojo Rampage a bit lacking in challenge, even if there is some fun to be had from the inclusion of a fairly rare multiplayer mode.

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.

While somewhat in the same vein as the top down Zelda entries, World to the West doesn't come close to being nearly as good. The interesting use of characters and overall well-done puzzles are hurt by annoying backtracking, a lacking story, and a few smaller issues, that all hold the game back from being a much more fun experience. Even with that said, it still is a solid experience with good elements that some people will get a fair amount of enjoyment out of.

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 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.

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.

Outlast 2 has some problems that left me frustrated for most of the first half of the game, as well as some questionable segments later in the game. Even with that said, it also offers a gripping story revolving around the main character and religion, that left much to be interpreted and theorized, yet kept me interested throughout the game. The gameplay won't wow you, but it can offer some solid scares, and will definitely provide players with some disturbing scenery. If you enjoy the horror genre or liked the first Outlast, then you most likely will like Outlast 2. If not, then you may easily get frustrated or turned off by the experience.

It is still a very enjoyable game that, with any other name, would standalone as a fun, feature rich and exciting title. Unfortunately, what I wanted was something that resembled the first Pac-Man Championship Edition (and the Pac-Man games I love) a lot more closely. Newcomers and speed runners will probably love this version, but those looking for nostalgia will find the game sadly lacking.

TrackMania Turbo is a game I enjoyed more the more I played it, with the tracks growing more difficult and complex as I became more skilled. This game can pack more adrenaline into a single sitting than other racing series can pull off in an entire game. Unfortunately, it takes a few wrong turns, displaying more than its fair share of odd omissions, additions and design choices that take away from the fun.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

88 Heroes is perfect for a handful of hours one afternoon but not for much more time than that, which is a shame because there is brilliance on display in the level design. As I progressed through the four areas, I gained a sense of mastery and saw incredible level layouts that I hadn't even imagined possible when I began. Unfortunately, the longer I spent with the world, the more toxic my encounters with the game became. Jokes lost their luster, and I found myself left with a handful of enjoyable characters and dozens more I wish never to see again. Those that can overlook the outdated and offensive language of the jokes on display, the technical issues and don't mind being on the end of a receiving of endless jokes will find a rewarding 88 levels with plenty of strategies required to find all that lies within. Personally, I value my sanity a tad more.