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.

It’s a game that feels very rushed and unexplained. Sure, the concept alone might have made sense in the mind of that of the person who wrote it, but for those of us experiencing it first hand, there isn’t anything exciting or memorable about it. The hour and a half max playtime the game has to offer is a slap in the face when you're presented with the facts that there is just no story or content to offset. For anyone who’s looking for an interesting game to help fill some free time are better off looking at games such as Firewatch or What Remains of Edith Finch, which are more deserving of your time. If you’re an achievement enthusiast, you may be able to justify the $7.99 for the easy completion, though it's probably best to just wait for a sale.

When I first started playing Steven Universe: Save the Light I was excited, but quickly that excitement turned to boredom and frustration. Several of your teams' special moves cause the game to freeze, and about 30% of the map was unreachable as it just wouldn't load. So when I learned of an update in the works, I became optimistic. I thought, okay, we'll postpone the review and wait for them to fix the issues. Then the update came, and I couldn't lie to myself anymore, this game is just not fun. I was ready for the game to be over right around the three-hour marker, which for a game that's around ten hours long, that's not good. So if you love Steven Universe and "like, just have to consume everything," then get your rescue on. For everyone else, there are much better RPG's for you to spend your money and time.

At the end of it all, Drift Zone truly feels like an unfinished game. It lacks the polish that many other current racing games have, and doesn’t bring anything new or interesting to set it apart from those games. The lack of a tutorial makes the game complicated for those new to the concept and puzzling for those who know the basic mechanics, but not how to implement them here. The only real variety comes from the cars which unfortunately don’t really vary at all. Even when considering the obvious price difference, if you’re looking for a game with strong customization including varied tuning options, a catchy soundtrack and the possibility of completing a handful of tracks within a 7-hour period, then you’re most likely better off looking for a Forza or Need for Speed title.

Overall Celeste is a phenomenal game. While the game delivers on all fronts, the relatable story and soundtrack stand out as two of the most memorable aspects. The challenging platforming helps to keep the player motivated to push forward. The discussions between Madeline and side characters to the game help the world around you feel alive, and their guidance helps Madeline to continue pushing forward. Celeste is not a game for everyone. The difficulty alone is something to easily turn players away. To those who are looking for a challenging platformer with a rewarding story, Celeste is definitely a one of a kind diamond in the rough.

I'm far from a puzzle enthusiast, but I loved my time with Slayaway Camp: Butcher's Cut. The puzzles are short and addictive, and the ridiculous slasher movie setting really lifted the mood on what can often be a fairly somber game genre. Difficult enough for puzzle fans but equally accessible to everyone else and likely a real eye-opener for those unfamiliar with this type of game. With heaps of content and genuinely fun gameplay, I can't think of anyone who shouldn't pick this up.

A Hat in Time is the kind of game you don't see very often anymore: an incredible fun-for-all-ages romp that isn't exclusive to Nintendo. It's ceaseless dedication to making every moment feel fresh and exciting is admirable – even if a few technical hiccups slipped through the cracks. It's an incredibly fun platformer that never stops surprising. It's the kind of game that just makes you happy. Heck, the game is making me smile right now, and all I'm doing is writing its review.

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.

Hello Neighbor has been through several alpha builds on PC, yet on Xbox One we're going straight to a full release. However, in its current state with distinct lack of polish and muddled gameplay it feels more like a demo or a modders pet project than anything that should be sat on the Xbox One store. The skeptic in me also suspects that the obscure puzzle design was a deliberate choice to force some hype around the game, as players reach out to internet forums or hit YouTube to watch the many let's play videos doing the rounds for some answers. However, unless you are a streamer yourself or of an age where you can't play real horror games, I can't honestly recommend this to anyone.

Sky Force Reloaded is everything that I wanted it to be and more. The replay value that every unique level offers up, as well as the four difficulty levels that each level has to offer assures there is always a challenge waiting to be tried and conquered. If you are looking for a game that keeps its overall design simple but still offers a fair challenge, Sky Force Reloaded may just be what you’re looking for!

In the end, Assault Android Cactus didn’t meet my expectations; it exceeded them. The five zones that are offered grant a unique experience with each level and boss you face. Some of the bosses can be a bit overwhelming at first, but even with the different attacks they have, the variety of android heroes available to play as assures the player that there is something for every encounter. The different modes that are offered ensure that there is something more for the player to do after the main story has been completed and for a true competition, the game offers the challenge of earning a S+ rank on every level, requiring the player to complete every level without ever letting their combo end. Good luck on that one.

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.

As a child of the 1980s and 1990s, brawlers have been one of my favorite genres. They’re great in small doses if you need to work out some aggression, and yet they’re also fun when you wanna power through them and get to that ending. QuByte has shown that the genre has a spot in their hearts, as well, and they’re helping share the love by giving the game a sub-$10 price point. Without a doubt, 99Vidas will rough you up, but it’s also charming enough to help you back onto your feet, dust you off and welcome you back for another go with no hard feelings.

Most hidden object games aren’t very long and Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden is no exception. On my initial playthrough on normal mode, the game was completed in about 4 hours. One thing I definitely recommend is starting on Expert mode for the first playthrough. This will add a bit more time required for completion as you won’t be shown where to go and what to do on a regular basis. This is by no means a difficult game, and even if you become lost, the game still has the hint system available to point you in the right direction. Aside from that, everything about Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden is fantastic. Whether you’re looking for an exciting story to playthrough or just something to test your wits, there’s something in store for you in Eden!

Despite a few issues with bugs, I enjoyed my time spent with Bulb Boy. On first appearances, it seems a little childish, but soon the trippy horror sections take you to a darker and deeper place. It is a relatively short game and can probably be completed in around two hours, or a little more if you want to go back and unlock any missable achievements, however, it is priced appropriately, and it would be a shame to miss this hidden curio.

In the end, the game failed to deliver not only what I was expecting, but what it was advertising from the beginning. With a game that classifies as horror, I’m really surprised that it didn’t do what most Hollywood movies do and throw in a bunch of jump scares. The only real delivery came from the very beginning of the game and after that, it fell far shorter than I was expecting. If you have money to burn and are looking for an escape room game to play, I still wouldn’t recommend Your Toy especially when there are plenty of other fantastic games of the same type on Xbox One for relatively the same price or only a few dollars more that would meet and even exceed the expectations of the player.

On a pure gameplay level, Ruiner is almost perfect. It strikes the perfect balance between challenge and fun. The game feels incredible to play, and every ability feels satisfying and powerful, but that means nothing if you don't have the skills to use them well. The story and world may not be fleshed out enough, but at least it's a sight to behold. The game may be called Ruiner, but it can only improve your game library.

The Culling started off slow and slightly unimpressive, mainly due to the lack of training up front. Though as I stuck with it and played match after match and learned nuance after nuance, it slowly started to grow on me. Each game brought a new experience showing over and over how you can never know what to expect. Each encounter was different; sometimes you immediately start brutely bludgeoning each other to death and other times we both went running for our lives the moment we spotted each other. There were even matches where instead of killing each other we just stood around and talked and emoted till someone finally ran up and murdered us all. I have laughed, screamed and even felt like I wanted to cry because of this game and its players. I have convinced several friends to buy this and have all intentions of continuing to play this game with my friends long after I post this review.

I went into Nightmare Boy not knowing what to expect. After multiple playthroughs, I can say I’ve really enjoyed everything the game has to offer. If after completing the game you’re looking for something to further the replay value, some of the achievements offered challenge players to complete the game without dying, without saving or even without killing any of the little friendly slime creatures riddled throughout the game. If you’re looking for a solid, challenging Metroidvania game to fill your free time, Nightmare Boy may be just what you’re looking for!

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.

Mages of Mystralia is a decent adventure game. It's also a damn good puzzle game too, keeping you on your toes throughout. Spell creation is well thought out and the pacing is spot on with the difficulty rising at a beginner friendly yet challenging rate. However, whilst the design is great on paper and I found no technical problems, there's no special hook to really wow or truly immerse you enough for a second playthrough. That said if you enjoy adventure, puzzles and a hearty dose of magic, Mages of Mystralia is a solid choice.

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.

Mystik Belle may not be very long or have a hidden, mirrored, upside down castle but that doesn't mean it has failed in any way. Of course, I wish it was longer; I feel that way about most games I like. I can't help but want more of a good thing, and that is definitely what this is, a good thing. Sure, it could have been harder or had more rooms to explore or even a more in-depth story, but it doesn't need all that. The folks at Last Dimension did something that is harder than I think most people realize. They delivered a concise, tightly wrapped package that had almost everything you could want from a Metroidvania-like game. I don't think I can ask for much more than that.

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.

N++ may be the definition of too much of a good thing. As much as I enjoy the game, it got tiring after a while, soon finding it more enjoyable in short bursts rather than long marathons. If you're fine with a mountain of content that becomes so difficult, you'll most likely never finish it all; this is a great sequel that kept retained what was good about the last game and made some worthwhile additions. It gets repetitive, but the gameplay is so fun it'll keep pulling you back in for more.

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.

I wish I could recommend Cuphead to everyone purely on its amazing animation and the sheer amount of work that was obviously put into it, but I can't. The game behind the cartoony visage is finely tuned, well-rounded and (mostly) fair, but above all, it's incredibly hard. It starts off challenging and gets absolutely relentless by the final act. This is the kind of game that asks for a lot of patience and dedication from the player, but if you're into this type of challenge, you're in for an absolute blast.