With the great story and new gameplay mechanics its not hard to imagine that the score for this game would have definitely been higher, as the game was good up to where I couldn't progress any further. That being said, since I couldn't fully enjoy South Park: The Fractured But Whole with the bug that stopped me, I'm left feeling mediocre about this game. It's kinda of sad too, as I was enjoying much of what I played, but to have the game 'break', and leave me stranded, is a big letdown, and something that affects how this game scores overall.

Any way you look at it, The Eternal Cylinder was a whacky and enjoyable ride. I found myself sad when I lost a family member and felt guilt when I didn’t have enough materials to revive them after death. The fact that ACE Team made me connect to these small creatures in such a small time just proves to me that I will always cheer for the underdogs and always try protect my friends and family. If you’re looking for a simple game that stirs the imagination, you should definitely check it out.

Overall, Unravel Two is both decent and somewhat disappointing at the same time. There’s some magic missing, for sure, and a threadbare and confusing storyline doesn't help matters. Still, this is a game that is worth playing for anyone who enjoys the genre, especially those who have a friend who can play local co-op (since the game is strangely devoid of online co-op capabilities).

The combo of RTS, RPG and HnS was just too weird for me.

Provides some great fun in the form of mini games like Chess Kombat and a game of Puzzle Kombat here or there. However, the main event fight game leaves much to be desired.

It’s obvious that a lot of work and care went into crafting the unique experience Telling Lies gives, it simply takes some out of the box thinking to really appreciate and hours of patience to piece it together. While I enjoyed the outcome and its complexity, it’s tricky to recommend unless you’re the type of person that would enjoy snooping through hours of private video conversations and can somehow keep track of it all.

This Fable-esque game is one that anyone who enjoys the genre is going to have a good time with for the thirty plus hours it'll take to complete as it opens itself to many different play styles, here's to hoping for a patch to fix the quest markers and my 'frozen' character though.

One big problem that irks me about the game is that there is no spotter for you. Your crew chief will help you from time to time, but that’s rare, and with no rear view mirror, it’s even worse to race.

Mediterranea Inferno isn’t meant to be a happy story with a fairytale ending. It’s a raw tale that’s honest, filled with a bunch of emotion and uneasiness. Some might be turned away by the LGBTQ+ theme, but it was certainly one of the more memorable and unique visual novels I’ve ever experienced and I’m glad to have gone on vacation with the trio of friends, even if the ending(s) weren’t what I initially expected.

There were a few spots that I truly did enjoy, like the on-rails sections where you're escorting a VIP and shooting anyone you see with your pistol. These moments, though infrequent, were the highlights for me, though I'm not sure if that's just because the rest was mostly unmemorable. I was expecting many new mechanics or something to wow me, and aside from Gunsmith, nothing really did.

While this is a terrific game for fans of the series, I feel that there is one glaring omission: where is the original Street Fighter game?

You’ll get what you put into Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. Those that can dedicate well over a hundred hours will surely get a deep and lore rich adventure with plenty of replayability. That is, if you can get over the sheer overwhelmingness of it all in the beginning or don’t feel guilty playing on a lower difficulty. Having gone into the experience without any expectations, I’m glad to have had this adventure even if it did take a dozen hours to start to really understand how I wanted to do so well.

My suggestion is to play the free demo and if you enjoy the small section you get to play and love time trials then definitely pick this up and take this leap of Faith.

As it stands, 8-Bit armies is a decent overall package that gets held back tremendously by its awkward controls. As with anything, despite my displeasures, I did improve my game with time and effort, but at no point did playing ever start to feel natural. 8-Bit Armies is a game best played by the most passionate gamers, and even more specifically, ones that have a deep love for RTS games. It's fun art style makes it a standout member of its genre, that while not necessarily appropriate for all ages, is much more in line with something that older children and young adults may find more appealing than it's typically darker, more melancholy or even violent cousins.

The idea and gameplay behind Relicta is interesting, as is the story, but the puzzles become quite challenging in certain sections, sure to frustrate some. While it’s quite a lengthy game for its genre, it does feel like it wears out its welcome near the end, as I just really wanted to finish it and be done. While there’s no reason to replay once you’ve completed the story aside from any missed collectables, I’m still glad I got to experience Relicta and Doctor Patel’s journey across the moon.

While all the pieces are there for a great Metroidvania, complete with unique setting and characters, Cookie Cutter frustrated me more often than not due to the broken parry system that rarely works as advertised. I wasn’t expecting to play a love-revenge story as a lesbian android that talks to her robotic vagina, filled with violence and gore, but it certainly was a memorable adventure.

I’m all for a challenging roguelike if it’s fair, and while Exit the Gungeon is absolutely beatable, it’s quite a journey to get to that skill level to actually do so. The small elevator level design feels cramped and claustrophobic at the best of times, and the bullet hell on screen at certain times can be overwhelming with all the chaos happening simultaneously. While Exit the Gungeon might be a drastic change in its gameplay from the first game, it still has all the charm and essence that you fell in love with in the first place.

If you’re a fan of hidden object games, then My Brother Rabbit is certainly worth looking into. It’s not perfect, and can be both tedious and frustrating at times, but its pros outweigh its cons for sure. This is a game that definitely won’t be for everyone, however, and it’s likely that it will only appeal to a somewhat niche audience.

While I did enjoy ONE PIECE ODYSSEY as an introduction to ONE PIECE, and the general gameplay was enjoyable, I did end up getting a little tired and bored of the general repetitive nature. That being said, that's probably just a 'me' thing. If you're a fan of the show you'll likely really enjoy it for its authenticity. I do think it's a solid enough rpg but I wouldn't say I'm in love with it quite yet.

I still don't know if I personally like The Escapists 2. It was slow, extremely frustrating and by no means a casual gameplay experience, but I wouldn't say it’s a bad game. Oddly enough, despite my problems learning the ropes of prison life, and the failure of trying to escape, I still find myself drawn to it. Once you figure out what you are doing, get a grasp of prison life and crafting items, it becomes somewhat addictive. Gamers who enjoy time management will have a lot of fun plotting their escape, and fans of retro games will surely enjoy the pixelated characters and graphics. The Escapists 2 isn't for everyone, but if you're looking for a challenging game with high replay value, or you were a fan of the first game, then you'll definitely want to add this to your Xbox One collection.

As a pretty big and unexpected fan of No More Heroes and its sequel, I had high hopes for No More Heroes III, and looked forward to finally being able to play it. However, the end result was a mediocre-at-best game that I didn’t enjoy all that much and sometimes looked forward to simply finishing. This sequel lacks a lot of the charm of the first two games, but isn’t bad by any means. It’s just decent. Too much of the experience feels like busy work, as opposed to fun content.

If you’re looking for a fast paced adventure game with guns a blazing and peril at every corner, move on. On the other hand if you’re a fan of games like "Syberia" and even the "Myst" series you may want to give Broken Sword a serious look-see.

Mr. Shifty couldn't be held afloat with some great game play mechanics and an relatively cool combat concept. Unfortunately, the shoddy graphics, lackluster sound and music, combined with some boring and repetitive environments, turned what could have been a heck of a game into a complete downer. Unfortunately Mr. Shifty has become Mr. Lousy and is a definite pass.

Having a robust online leaderboard that separates every mode and ship is welcome, providing plenty of replay value if you want to top the numerous high scores online. Having nailed the classic 90’s style, gameplay and aesthetic, Sophstar is a decent shump overall, and although it doesn’t reach the heights of an Ikaruga, it’s certainly worth your time if you’re a shmup fan.

It's always fun to see Doom II again, but it doesn't make the big splash that it did seventeen years ago

The Mosaic means to me that you can paint your own picture based on what you choose. If you choose to stay in your bubble, not taking chances or try anything new, you'll never grow and you'll stay miserable. If you choose to embrace what's around you, a whole other world opens up. With the glitches, UI issues and visuals aside, Krillbite Studios did well. The Mosaic is easily a game you need to try out and experience. As much as I want to keep playing Blip Blop, there's a whole world out there. Time to put the phone away for a while and do something different for a change.

The action is fast and furious. This game moves along at a break-neck speed. Missions include escorting ground units, protecting Allie communication posts, destroying Axis installations, bombing bridges, even manning ground gunners to shoot down enemy planes above.

I’m glad when I get to discover new games, even if they are decades old, and while I’ve played the classics from Neo Geo, Breakers sadly was never one of them until now. While I question its originality, as it more than heavily borrowed from one of the greatest of all time, that said, Breakers Collection is worth checking out if the fighting genre is your thing, even if it’s advertised as two unique games.

Overall, Lords of the Fallen is an excellent example of if at first you do not succeed, try again. With a multi-realm dynamic to manage throughout your campaign, Lords of the Fallen delivers a challenging and highly rewarding souls-like' experience. With Unreal 5 delivering graphical presentations that are memorable, an incredibly deep character progression system, and enough loot to keep even the greediest of gamer happy, Lords of the Fallen takes its rightful place in the upper echelons of the genre. Grab your friends and some extra controllers because Lords of the Fallen is a quality experience that is rarely found.

Taking clear inspiration from Deus Ex and Metal Gear Solid, Disjunction rewards you for being patient if you’re going to play a stealth run. While the game simply devolves into avoiding vision cones more than anything else, the three playable characters are not only are for narrative purposes, but showcases different ways you can play based on your playstyle. Cyberpunk enthusiasts will no doubt enjoy their time in 2048 New York, as will fans of stealth games, though casual fans will probably enjoy Disjunction best in bite sized sessions rather than a longer playthrough.

Multiple difficulties, lots of extra modes, 4-player local co-op, and, one of the better points, it’s also an Xbox Play Anywhere title, so the value for the price is certainly here. It’s just a shame that the main color changing mechanic didn’t have a bigger spotlight, as it could have made Overdriven Reloaded: Special Edition stand out more in a crowded genre.

Deliver Us the Moon isn't perfect; in fact at one point the game broke transforming my screen into a rave light-show you'd have to warm people with epilepsy about. It's hard on the eyes, the challenges can feel impossible on their first shot, you control like a block of ice filled with helium but I'm glad I played it. It's different and doesn't demand much. It's a relatively short and sweet game with a story to tell and is done in a way that makes you listen. Maybe, should the developers feel compelled to fix a few of these problems, Deliver Us the Moon could go down as a truly great game. But, until that happens, I guess we'll have to settle with an okay game that shouldn't be passed over with at least some consideration.

Octahedron is hard in the obnoxious way that many old NES platforming games are. It kills you without remorse. It gives you little time to become warmed up the play style before ramping up the difficulty. New and fun ways to die just crawl out of the walls like a damn horror movie, but hey, it looks pretty while doing it.

Although my experience wasn’t very broad in terms of my knowledge in multiplayer shooters, I will recommend Deceive Inc based on the fact that any skill level can play. If you enjoy titles like Overwatch and Apex Legends, they will feel at home playing Deceive Inc and still have a great time. Even I could enjoy myself and get in on the action. I had a pleasant time with Deceive Inc and I’m looking forward to the next time I can play.

You'll get the average eight to twelve hours of single player depending on the difficulty, but it does drag on as the pacing just seems very off.

While it’s come a long way since I played it in its first iteration from Game Preview, it still feels as though something is missing. Maybe I’m just not a fan of the forced PvP elements, as I’ve died to other players much more than any boss or monster in the game. Yes, that’s part of the experience, but it would have been a less frustrating experience if I was at least paired up with players of equal skill and level, not those that have done it all. There’s obviously a following, but with a PvP-less option, I know I would have stuck around longer with some friends trying to collect those bounties.

When I finished the hotel section I was ecstatic, thinking I was done, then it opened up to a completely different section. FOBIA certainly overstays its welcome though if you have a great memory or keep track of how to get back and forth from area to area without a map you might not have as much time wasted from constant backtracking as I did. Priced at just under $40 CAD, there’s certainly a decent amount of gameplay to be had, though you’ll need to be a fan of puzzles, inventory management, backtracking and fighting the same enemy repeatedly in FOBIA - St. Dinfna Hotel.

It plays very similar as the previous Tomb Raider games and it feels like it’s time for a new take on Lara’s adventures.

It’s not the in-depth park management game that some may be looking for, and there is a fair bit of repetition with in-game quests, but I still really enjoyed my time with Jurassic World Evolution. Creating new dinosaurs and having a successful park was extremely satisfying and addictive, and recommended for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the Jurassic Park Universe. Just remember, you’ll have to learn a lot on your own, but once you do, it will be a dinosaur park sim game you should enjoy.

To the developer’s credit, there is essentially an easy mode that stops stat degradation if you simply want to focus on winning and story elements, but achievements are disabled in this mode too, which is why I skipped playing it. Punch Club can be addictive, and if you’re a sim-management fan you’ll feel right at home with tons of things to balance and do, weighing the pros and cons of every choice. In the end I think that Punch Club Manager would have probably been a more fitting title for this game.

Sometimes you want to simply turn off your brain and shoot a bunch of aliens, and this is where Serious Sam excels, as not many brain cells are required to play or enjoy this collection. Like a movie that has a cult following, most won’t see what makes Serious Sam so special, but to those fans that do love the series, the nostalgia should be worth the price of admission, even if it’s priced a little high for little to no extra care or content added.

Diehard Tempest fans will no doubt really enjoy it for its abstractness, colorful and psychedelic visuals, and beat inducing soundtrack, but if you’re not part of my generation and grew up with titles like this, I don’t feel there’s going to be much appeal or appreciation for games like Tempest 4000.

If you're able to look past all the flaws and simply sink a lot of hours into it to get to the good parts, you're going to have a great time in the end.

A narrative driven walking simulator with a ton of symbolism and horror backdrop makes for a decent playthrough at least once. There’s multiple endings based on certain actions and choices made, but given how slow you walk and the simpleness of the puzzles, once felt more than enough to uncover a war torn family's closet of skeletons.

While I enjoyed FEAR 3 because I'm a fan of the series, I don't think the average person picking this up will know all the missing tidbits of knowledge the game doesn't give you to piece it all together.

Atomicrops could have been an amazing roguelike, and I say that wholeheartedly. I usually really like roguelikes for their fast pace and cutthroat nature of them even if I'm not overly skilled at them, but I do quite enjoy them. The lack of focus with gameplay really made this experience difficult unfortunately. Sadly, I'll have to get in my UFO and get transported somewhere else. Until next time, earthlings.

While it lasts, Operation: Tango is great fun. The puzzles are engaging and never too simple to solve, but they are also not so difficult as to become frustrating. Operation: Tango forces players to find new ways of communicating, often leading to funny outbursts and miscommunications. Operation: Tango is clever, well-designed and engaging. It has a good mix of silly puzzles and those that require more thought. Although short and not all that replayable, it’s well worth a play through with a friend who has patience and a keen eye for detail. Fans of co-op puzzlers should consider trying their hand at this game.

Sure, Fashion Police Squad is like any other classic shooter but with a gimmick, but it’s a fun one. Full of humor, puns and fashion one-liners, it’s hard not to smile every so often, especially when a new enemy is introduced, because you know you’ve seen this very exact fashion crime at some point. With its classic Doom inspiration, it’s certainly one of the more unique FPS games I’ve ever played, full of fashion and style.

A nice little game with some well deserved kudos for the whole “Cover Tactics” mode. I would think it could use a graphical upgrade and a tweak in the camera department, but again a very solid release from Renderware and Namco.

Even with my complaints, I was sucked into the predictable story all the way to its credits, and is a decent way to spend a weekend if you’re looking for a serviceable classic RPG experience, even if it won’t be a memorable journey that you’ll think of afterwards and has a massive difficulty spike near the end.

Drake Hollow is an amazing game to sink a few hours into and I enjoyed nearly every minute of it. The Drakes you collect along the way, the islands you get to visit and the exploration are many of the great highlights of Drake Hollow. As you explore more islands, you get to see more areas, collect more supplies and make a grander, better camp. Who wouldn't want that in a video game? I'm excited to explore more, collect more and see what the worlds have to offer me. Gotta go, enemies are raiding my camp!

If you’ve found yourself missing PT, or wanting something similar, MADiSON is worth looking into. It can be frustrating, but it’s a decent horror puzzler from a small team with a lot of promise.

If I could base this review on the visuals alone, I would give The Little Acre a very high score. The hand drawn images are simply breathtaking, and Pewter Games should be commended for painstakingly bringing Lily, Aidan and the creatures of Clonfina to life. The gameplay, while not extremely difficult, was still quite enjoyable and exploring every nook and cranny is something that any adventure gamer will surely enjoy! Unfortunately, the narrative, something that is important in a point and click game, was filled plot holes and was extremely rushed in the second half of the game.

Almost your typical run around while slicing and dicing your way through enemies. There are a few things in the game that make it stand out from others but not enough to make it groundbreaking.

It sort of waffles around with a weak story, and that, coupled with generic gameplay and some sloppy execution on the fine points, makes it hard to press on at some points in the game.

A slight improvement from previous year’s entries, Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame 5 is certainly a passable package that will give you some entertainment if you’re a fan of the sport. While it may be repetitive and I question its longevity, especially if online play doesn’t interest you, there’s enough here for some enjoyment, though I’d suggest waiting for a sale, especially if you have last year’s entry.

Sure, there’s not much of any context as to what’s going on, or why, but Metrico+ is a distinct experience that should be had by puzzle fans, even with the noted shortcomings.

Waiting more than two decades for a sequel, I’m sure true Jagged Alliance fans will overlook many of its shortcomings and frustrations, as it does capture the same feeling, it seriously needs some work on its control scheme to be more much fluid and less confusing. For every moment I was enjoying, I was equally frustrated when I missed point blank shots or accidently ended my turn prematurely due to a wrong button combination.

Never once have these games become so boring they aren't worth playing, but there comes a point where that sense of deja vu is so prominent, you crave change.

The complexity within is quite astounding, as even after a handful of hours of tower building in, I’m still learning and figuring out how to be a successful landlord. While I don’t find it as addictive as some of the more classic Sim games, the enjoyment and replayability is here without a doubt. Even if you don’t want to get hardcore into the building strategy side of the menus, casual fans too can build some low rise apartments or malls should they desire.

I really can't put my finger on it with this one, It just seemed...eh, Vanilla.

The game is worth a few nights of frantic firefights and stat building with some friends for co-op, but ultimately, if you don't mind the graphics, you should stick with "Black Arrow." It's just more fun, and way cheaper.

Overall, I thought I was going to be more impressed with You Suck at Parking, but as I played it more I found myself feeling like I had done the same exact thing before in the previous dozen levels and that there was no real change in what was happening, just that it got more difficult to park.

In the end, if you're a fan of motorbike bike racing, or the MotoGP series as a whole, then you're in for a fairly decent game, just don't expect a perfect racing experience.

On one hand, I applaud the passion that developer Gears for Breakfast approached this project with, and admire their enthusiasm. However, on the other hand, I have to be honest and admit that I didn’t have much fun with this game. Although A Hat in Time was crafted with love, and has some good moments, it’s overwhelming and obtuse, and lacks cohesion, polish and great gameplay.

While it’s currently lacking much variety and content, it can be fun in short bursts, especially once you start to get proficient with your character of choice, but it’s an arduous grind, hard to recommend in its current paid state. Once, and if, it goes free-to-play, it’ll be a no-brainer to give a shot.

So, what's the verdict? While Masters of Anima has a couple flaws, I believe this game is worth trying. It may not be my kind of game per se, but I know there are gamers out there that like DOTA-like games, and this has a similar feel to it. If you like strategy based games I would give this one a try. The story is good to follow and I didn't mind the the overall concept of Masters of Anima at all, even though it wasn't my cup of tea.

Easily my favorite in the series, Isonzo offers class based and slow paced World War I gameplay that surely takes some getting used to, but is also a very unique experience compared to other shooters in the genre. The verticality of the level design of cliffside battles and unique classes is what keeps me coming back for one more onslaught on the battlefield, even if the map variety is a bit low and only having a single mode can be tiresome at times. While Isonzo may not have the polish and same experience of a top shelf AAA shooter, it’s quite clear to see that it’s a labor of love and passion from a smaller team that aims to bring a historically accurate representation of WWI combat that should appeal to its specific niche audience.

More than a simple sequel, The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters improves nearly every aspect from the original game, yet still keeps the same authentic feel. While the horror aspect has the odd jump scare, there’s a surprisingly lengthy campaign for Mina to adventure in, even if it does become a little tiresome and repetitive by its conclusion.

The engine noises all sound way too similar from car to car. The race announcer is extremely annoying and way too hyper – your first order of business will likely be turning this voice off. The backing music is your standard techno fare.

I found the controls to be really easy to understand and figure out which meant I could spend less time trying to figure out how to play and a lot more time and fun shooting my opponents down so I can come in first place and be the best of the best. Well, at least in my dreams I am. Guess I need to practice more before I can be the top gun. Overall, Skydrift Infinity is a bunch of fun and minor frustration rolled up into one really entertaining game if you have some friends to play with online.

Even with Aspire: Ina’s Tale being a simple and beautiful 2D game, don’t expect the story to be a happy one. It had an overwhelmingly melancholy tone. The ending may not have been the biggest surprise to me, but the journey was well worth it. With no collectibles and a short run time of about 5 hours, there is no need to revisit once completed. This may seem like a bad thing, but it isn’t. The game provides a focused gaming experience that achieves what it sets out to do. Aspire - Ina's Tale told a story, captured the imagination, and left me a variety of mixed emotions. It also seemed to know how to wrap things up before it outstayed its welcome and started to run too long, something a lot of games don’t seem to understand. If you’re a fan of 2D platformers, I recommend checking this one out.

While Arcade Spirits won’t be for everyone, especially since it’s a visual novel at its core, it’s really meant for gamers of my generation that have fond memories of going to arcades back in the day and craves that nostalgia. Even though there’s no real ‘gameplay’ aside from dialogue and decision making, it’s done in an interesting way with a narrative that, while quirky, had a lot of charm to it. More than a simple story about working at an arcade in the year 20XX, Arcade Spirits tries to delve deeper into something more meaningful with its array of interesting characters, though it’s completely up to you how you want to forge your relationships.

The developers have taken a very dark subject matter and turned it into one of the most adorable games I have ever played.

While Syndicate has a great premise and story, the story telling is paced too slow to keep interest high, a plot twist you'll see coming because it's been done many times before, and sadly the ending is very disappointing and unsatisfying. Syndicate in the end felt very mediocre aside from a few of the weapons and the boss fights. I know I'll forget this game in a short time, and if it wasn't for the interesting co-op, it probably would have been scored lower.

Beholder is an absolutely unique experience and made me feel all sorts of ways I didn’t necessarily want feel about a video game. It was both stressful, but rewarding. It made me think quickly and gauge priorities. It’s a game that makes you understand that not everybody is going to have a happy ending, and that it’s within your power to choose who goes to jail and who stays free. If you’re up for a challenge then I recommend you give this game a go. It may not be for everyone, I’m not even sure it’s for me, but you’ll never know the outcome of something unless you give it a shot.

Yes, the graphics aren't up to par, the AI is bad, the port at times tells you to input PC commands and there's so little combat that the game turns into a managing resources simulator. Regardless of all this, Piranha Games delivers an enjoyable single player mech experience that will keep you playing for many months to come. If you're a fan of mech games, then this should definitely be on your radar.

I have to be completely honest, I spent 98% of my time with Career Mode. I enjoy Career Mode the most in the Nascar Heat series and feel that overall it's generally a solid experience. This time around though, I'm not sold on the overall racing experience of Career Mode, which leaves me somewhat disappointed. My standards are usually very high for video games I know very well and I had high hopes that Nascar Heat 4 would be a great sequel. Now, I'm not even sure that this sequel is worth while knowing the main part of Nascar Heat 4 feels like an afterthought. I'm gonna go into the pit stop for a while and think about this.

While more tricks and options would have made Tanuki Sunset more enjoyable, if you’re looking for something chill to occupy your time, or as a palate cleanser between games, I’d recommend this indie title, even just for the soundtrack.

I have no doubt that Outriders will improve over time but I’m kind of torn about how I feel for it in its current state given its issues. On one hand I’m addicted to the shlooter treadmill, but on the other, having already reached endgame and grind the hell out of it, I think I see my end in sight without much further to do aside from yet another run for hopefully a new piece of gear. That said, Outriders is currently included with Xbox GamePass, so there’s no reason to not jump into the shoes of an Altered to save Enoch, even if it does turn into quite a grind later on and having to suffer through numerous game crashes daily.

Subterrain is a deep and complex survival game. It gets a few things wrong, but for such a large undertaking I think overall it is a success; but it is certainly not a game for everyone. There's a large learning curve at the start, and some things you don't use often will have to be re-learned throughout the game as you forget them.

For a game that tries hard to create a flamboyant image for itself, Just Cause simply lacks the punch and the personality to truly deliver on that front.

I will continue to sound like a broken record, but it's true. At a day and age where you can hold 60 bucks in your hand and have dozens of suitable unique gaming options in-hand, the Lego franchise is very quickly falling behind in my mind's eye for where my gaming money should go.

A mixed bag of both good and bad, Steel Rain X tries to bring a new evolution into the world of shoot 'em up side scrolling games with its take on the RPG elements. Sadly, while the idea was well conceived, the execution could have been better.

It’s an above-average experience, and one that is worth checking out if you’re a fan of arcade racers. The driving is fast, frenetic and fun, and there’s quite a bit of content to be found within. It also attempts to build on every aspect of the 2019 reboot, though I admittedly got into and enjoyed that game more.

While it won’t be as iconic as its Castlevania or Ghouls 'n Ghosts influences, Heidelberg 1693 is sure to scratch that itch for those yearning for a similar title. Boss battles are large and the highlight of the experience, though infrequent between the random and challenging difficulty spikes.

Human: Fall Flat was a rollercoaster of a ride, as one minute I was laughing hysterically, then cursing shortly after. Sure, you’ll feel like a genius when you solve puzzles in a unique way, or by accident, as you get those “Ah-ha!” moments, but prepare to resist the urge to destroy your controller shortly after when Bob won’t do what you want him to do because his arm is stuck behind his head. It has a steep learning curve, and even once you understand how to play, the game will constantly challenge you every step of the way, by design and arbitrarily. At the end of the day the game is worth the play, as long as you know its flaws head of time, and then you should enjoy seeing Bob moving in awkward and hilarious ways.

Enemies blend into the jungle so well that by the time you see them, they've probably started shooting at you. This took my normal "run into the middle of the area and fire like a madman" battle plan and changed it to "tip-toe through Vietnam, through the hostiles, very quietly" (so I wimped out, so what).

At the end of the day, Team Sonic Racing isn’t exactly the game I was hoping it would be, nor is it incredibly close. It’s a good, very competent and fun kart racer, but it doesn’t have as much content or as much of a wow factor as the two incredible games that preceded it. Still, I don’t want to sound as if I don’t like this game or think it’s above average, because I do. It's a good, competent racing game, but doesn't have the wow factor or staying power that I was hoping for.

If you're a fan of the Sniper Elite series of games then this game is going to be one you want to have in your collection, though only when it goes on sale. Instead of thinking of this as a complete ground-up rebuild of the game, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered just got a brand-new plastic surgeon. So, while the game looks revitalized on the outside, on the inside it's still a 7-year-old game that maintains the internal faults.

If you have a mouse and keyboard to play with, then They Are Billions can be an entertaining time once you’ve learned its mechanics and strategies; if you’re going to play with just a controller though, I’d recommend at least waiting until an update with a campaign is added to make the value more worthwhile having to deal with the frustration.

Alas, if you’re a platforming fan who yearns for something challenging to play on their Xbox One, you can’t go wrong with Talent Not Included. It is a solid, difficult and funny experience, and definitely worth a play through, especially if you have a friend around for local co-op. Just don’t go in expecting anything groundbreaking or overly long, because it’s neither of those things.

World exploration combined with hex-based strategic combat is a unique blend, and while King’s Bounty II is full of high points, there's also many lows that were hard to ignore, the worst offenders being the voice acting and combat difficulty. I’m not normally one for strategic games like this, but King’s Bounty II kept me engaged, always wanting to progress one more battle so I could explore a new corner of the world. “Good things come to those who wait”, even if that wait has been thirty years.

I find myself coming to the same conclusion as last year’s entry, hence basically the same score; if you have the previous year’s game, there’s really not much here to warrant a repurchase. Sure the diehard fans of the sport will enjoy all the 2022 rider and arena updates, but if online play doesn’t interest you, there’s a lot of repetitiveness and really not all that much new this year to excite everyone else.

Once you’ve completed a few levels, not much changes aside from a few new enemies and the odd puzzle here and there. The boss fights can be fun and challenging, but there’s really no replayability unless you really want to do it all over again with another character. While it has its flaws and is not your typical twin-stick shooter, Bartlow’s Dread Machine is utterly charming with its old-timey aesthetic design, regardless of how often I may have become frustrated with it.

While not overly difficult until the later chase section and boss fights, there’s just the right amount of challenge. Your first playthrough will probably take around six hours or so, more if you want to find every secret. While it didn’t grip me as much as I expected, it certainly has charm to it and definitely worth the play if you’ve been craving a new Metroidvania to check out.

Is Agents of Mayhem worth a purchase? That really depends on how much extra cash you have laying around. If you’re someone who has limited spending ability and can only buy a select amount of games each year, you’re better off saving your money for something else and maybe waiting for a sale or price drop on this one. There’s nothing about this game that really stands out or separates it from the pack in any meaningful way, which is disappointing for more than just one reason. Still, it's got a few funny lines, has some solid moments and can be somewhat fun.

Red Faction: Guerilla Re-MARS-tered is a fun distraction if you want to turn off your brain, but don’t let the title fool you, this is as shallow as a remaster comes, as it’s simply a new thin coat of paint on top of the same experience we had almost a decade ago. There’s no need to play again if you’ve already have, but it’s an entertaining experience to destroy everything in sight if you haven’t.