Legendary Eleven is basic, and that’s what makes it work. Newcomers and casual soccer fans can simply jump in and enjoy themselves, and there’s just enough content to make the purchase worthwhile, more so if you have a friend to play online with.

Without a doubt this IS the Ace Combat experience fans around the globe have waited over a decade for. Bandai Namco and Project Aces have done an incredible job delivering a truly remarkable flight combat experience that shouldn't be missed. With 20 story missions and a multiplayer that will leave you wondering where all those hours went, Ace Combat 7 deserves a medal of commendation for the execution of a near perfect flying gaming experience. If you're a fan of the Ace Combat series, or just flight games in general, then Ace Combat 7 should be on your radar to purchase.

As I reflect on all the time I spent playing this game for this review, I can't say I didn’t enjoy my curse-filled time with Odium, on the contrary, its addictive feel roped me in, but those that get frustrated easily will want to look elsewhere. If there was a mode that offered more checkpoints I would have gladly stuck with it longer and possibly beaten all it, but as it stands, this was a little too Odium to the HARDcore for me.

Simply put, I love Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, so much so that is has made my list of games that I would recommend it to people as must-play for those that are fans of the platforming genre. The art, the music, the gameplay and the overall challenge found here are all top notch, and in my opinion it is a game that reaches perfection in this genre. I am personally hoping we will see a continuation in the series and how it could grow into even more.

Asdivine Hearts II tries to deliver a sequel, but the story isn't as captivating as the original, the graphics feel recycled and the movement feels jerky as opposed to fluid. While some attempt at innovation tries to bring about some wonderful new aspects to the game, sadly Asdivine Hearts II falls short of bringing an adventure that felt fresh and new. I wish I could recommend this game, but at $14.99 it breaks my heart.

It’s hard not to blush about and sing the praises for Horizon Chase Turbo, which is an addictive and engaging experience that feels right at home on consoles despite originating on mobile devices. Right from the start, this game scratched an itch that I didn’t know needed scratching, and brought back great memories that I’ll always cherish. Even when I’ve fully finished all of the tournaments and the optional modes that it has to offer, I keep it installed so that I can return to it for my fast-paced, retro racing fix.

If you take Atari Flashback Classics – Volume 3 for what it is at face value, a trip down memory lane of a time when gaming was in its' infancy, and you keep your expectations in check, you may enjoy this collection of games, especially if you're an Atari fan and/or played the Atari consoles so long ago. While I’d argue the $20 (CAD) price point is a little high, even factoring in that it’s 50 games, it’s a decent collection if you want to feel some nostalgia and see what gaming was like back in "the day".

If this had online multiplayer, it would be a little more entertaining and exciting, but I can’t picture a time where I would load this up over the other party games I have whenever I have company over. Nippon Marathon is zany, wacky and simply odd, but it feels like a marathon trying to finish it at times. Unless you’re dying to race as a lobster-man, hold off until a really deep discounted sale before entering this marathon.

Battle Princess Madelyn is a fast paced game where you must pay attention and read every single story line and character blurb you are given. If you don't read it all, you may miss out on critical information that will help you progress in the story. Based on both story mode and arcade mode in Battle Princess Madelyn, I would play it again, however I would stick with arcade mode. I must continue collecting coins and battling skeletons, see you later!

Subnautica is a fantastic exploring and survival game that I cannot wait to dive deeper into, but it is in desperate need of a patch that fixes the pop-in and framerate. I’ve completed a lot of what the game has to offer, but I know there is so much more of this ocean planet to explore. I learned of a fear I have that I didn’t know existed, and learning about that fear makes me respect guys like Jacques Cousteau and the guy in search of the blue diamond in Titanic so much more.

CD Projekt RED is known for their quality and superb games, and this is no different with Thronebreaker, aside from performance issues. Even as a standalone separate experience from the core Witcher games, Thronebreaker is a great diversion if you’re looking for a deep and challenging card/RPG title, even giving you the option to skip the card portion completely if you wish, allowing for more people to enjoy it how they wish.

From an innovative way to incorporate on the fly tactical strategy into an action adventure game, to a simplistic yet robust upgrading system, Mutant Year Zero is one of the best experiences you can have on the Xbox platform. A few setbacks though can't diminish the tremendous amount of enjoyment I found trying one strategy, failing miserably, reloading the save, trying another strategy, failing miserably and repeating the process until I was successful. This feeling of accomplishment means that every battle of Mutant Year Zero means something, and thus a fantastic and challenging experience from start to end.

For a hack and slash game that adapts the traits of a Dark Souls, to focus on the formation and cultivation of bonds between characters, Ashen is a game that came out of nowhere to positively surprise me. Despite the technical glitches, the grinding and the dying, I found the game beautiful to behold, angelic to listen to, and a story that delivers a tremendous punch. A44 did a tremendous job developing a game that is worth every penny of the $39.99 asking price. It goes without saying that if you're a fan of adventure games, hack and slash games, or Souls type games, then Ashen needs to be on your must buy list.

Even though Farming Simulator 19 isn’t very newbie friendly, it’s unmatched in its core appeal for being the most thorough simulation on the market, even if the learning curve is extremely steep. It’s hard to recommend for newcomers that only want to play casually, but for previous fans of the series and genre, there’s no better currently available.

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.

Darksiders, when it was released, became the definitive example of a sleeper hit, and like the Phoenix that arises from the ashes, Darksiders III has been resurrected in a fashion that lays the ground work for a tremendous conclusion to the series should we get Darksiders IV and the final chapter of the horsemen and the apocalypse. If you're a fan of hack and slash adventure games with an incredible story, then this should be on your list of must have games to purchase.

The game is accessible for new fans, yet deep enough for those who've play many Final Fantasy games too. World of Final Fantasy MAXIMA is a great entry into the series that should be experienced by all, as long as you can handle the obscene amount of cuteness contained within.

If you like arcade types of games where you're standing in one place and basically on a shooting spree, by all means this is your type of game. However, if you're looking for an action packed, heart racing, engaging FPS, I don't feel Heavy Fire: Red Shadow is right for you. Sorry to say, I'll be aborting this mission.

It’s unfinished, but I’m highly optimistic that it will improve as new content releases and its Battlefield multiplayer at its finest, and that alone may sell the game for the longtime veteran considering what’s to come. I very reluctantly recommend Battlefield V in its current state, but I must stress my disappointment that EA and DICE willing released a game that feels kind of unfinished.

No doubt there are many others that will enjoy Grip just as much as I didn’t, and as a game, it's not so poor that I wouldn't recommend it. In fact, it's quite the opposite. If you get the chance, play a round of Grip or two to see what you think. There is fun to be had, but as far as comparing it to the fast-pace racers that got my blood pumping growing up, Grip is laps behind.

It almost goes without saying that I cannot, in any way, shape or form, recommend ever buying The One We Found. Don’t buy it if it’s two dollars, don’t buy it if it’s one dollar, and don’t buy it if it’s fifty cents. The frustration that comes from its dated gameplay, terrible AI and poor level design isn’t worth it, even if there’s an easy 1000 achievement points to be found. Stay far, FAR away from this one.

I can’t wholeheartedly recommend spending full retail price for Nickelodeon Kart Racers. Those with children, or a really fond nostalgia for the channel and its TV shows will probably find fun and hours of gameplay here, but even with four player (local) multiplayer, there’s not enough here to really justify an approximately $50 (CAD) price tag. Nor is the game all that great. It’s simply half-decent, but surpassed my honestly low expectations and ended up being more enjoyable than I thought it would be.

I don't feel that I wasted my time with this game as I'm happily still playing it. If you want a colourful, fun and challenging experience with a little splash of competition, then Crayola Scoot is the game to buy. I would have no problem recommending Crayola Scoot to any gamer young or old. Now, move over, I have to go defeat Robbie. It's time I get to the next Fame Level!

Hitman 2 might just be one of the best games I’ve played this year, and it was a pleasant surprise given I did not know what I was getting myself into going into this review! While it’s not without its faults, as the narrative cutscenes were disappointing, it can be a bit overwhelming to those new to the series, and some of the controls need improvement, the overall experience is fantastic. With great stealth gameplay, amazingly creative ways to eliminate your target, incredibly immersive environments, and high replay value, these elements make this a must play for both newcomers to the series and for longtime fans of the elusive Agent 47.

Mutant League Football is honestly one of my favorite classic childhood games, and seeing its spiritual successor on a current generation console is a real treat for fans like myself that don’t usually play traditional sports titles. It’s not going to be for everyone obviously, but for someone looking for a much less serious and self-aware approach to a Football, Mutant Football League: Dynasty Edition is a great diversion, full of blood, broken bones, violence and hilarity. Now, I’m hoping that the follow-up to their original Mutant League Hockey game is next on the list, as that’s what us Canadians really care about.

It may not be enough to make me tune into RAW and SmackDown every week once again, but I am enjoying my time in the squared circle after such a long hiatus. There’s no shortage of modes to enjoy and fans should be content with the additions and changes in 2K19. I’ll definitely be checking out 2K20 next year to see what more improvements have been made on top of these, as this is a great step in the right direction. For the non-fan, sure, it’s not going to convert them, but that doesn’t mean there’s still not a good time to be had baw gawd.

Although I’ll never claim to be the biggest fan of LEGO video games, I’ve certainly enjoyed my time with quite a few of them and was hoping the same would happen with this one. Unfortunately, LEGO DC Super-Villains doesn’t do enough with its creative licenses and freedoms, and ends up being a very cookie cutter and rather dull game. It’s a shame.

If you’re looking for a fun and action-packed arcade basketball game, you’re unfortunately going to have to look elsewhere. NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a disappointing and overpriced step backwards that suffers from the changes that were made to it, not to mention greed. As much as I looked forward to, and wanted to enjoy this one, I never found it to be all that fun.

More than a simple coat of paint, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy brings back a wave of nostalgia, seemingly improving my fond memories of the classic purple dragon. Now a new generation, like my daughter, can enjoy Spyro, and Toys For Bob should be commended for creating this remaster with the proper love and care that Spyro deserved for original fans, and they have truly outdone themselves.

Even with its very short length, Dark Souls vets will find some entertainment here with its unique bosses and increasingly difficult gameplay. If you’ve been shy to try the genre because of its difficulty, this may be a good first step into it, as you’re not weighed down by hours of gameplay and exploration, and simply get to experience the best portions back to back, even if that does make for a slightly shallow experience with little payoff.

Simply put, Guns, Gore & Cannoli 2 is a good sequel that is worthy of your time, especially if you played and enjoyed the first game. It’s more of the colourful, bullet-heavy fun that its predecessor offered, and stands out amongst the heap of available indies on modern day consoles. It is repetitive, however, and doesn’t take too long to 100%. Even then, there’s reason to go back through with friends.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a solid game, and one that could be the start of a franchise that could, and should, get a sequel or two. The toys aren’t necessary to play, but they are great looking and solid models that are very functional given how easy it is to add or swap out weapons. The problem here is that the toys will add up in term of dollars spent if you want to collect them all. And yes, Starlink can feel repetitive at times, but the control, visuals and sound, and the RPG-lite features make for a pretty good gaming experience. I really did enjoy my time with Starlink: Battle for Atlas and I have no problem recommending it to any gamer out there.

Overall, The Shapeshifting Detective is well worth its price. I feel like I've said this before, but the actors, the story, and the gameplay are the key elements. Without one, the others would suffer. D'Avekki Studios and Wales Interactive should be proud. Once again, they have blown me away, and now I'm sitting here wondering when the next game is coming. I don't usually get attached to games, but when studios make a genuine effort in hiring quality actors, creating an outstanding environment, and think about the player's experience, I can't ignore that. The Shapeshifting Detective has several avenues in regards to how the story could end. I've already played a few times to see this!

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.

Soul Calibur is easily my favorite traditional style fighting game, and seeing it get back to form with a solid new entry in Soul Calibur VI warms my heart, and my thumbs. Bandai Namco has taken great strides in getting the franchise back on track, and it seems all they had to do was listen to its fans. Gone are the weird and increasingly questionable combat mechanics; instead what we have is a product that feels clean, inviting, and refreshingly fun.

Regrettably, Chronus Arc can easily be considered a cash grab by a company who believes in the quantity of games rather than the quality. Chronus Arc was first released in 2013, and unlike a good wine, it doesn't get better with age. It's unfortunate that an anemic story that had tremendous potential got overshadowed by numerous setbacks and problems which make the already short gameplay an even less entertaining experience. When you start factoring in the recycled audio that you'll hear constantly due to your need to grind, the desire to even finish the game feels like a waste of time.

Transference is an interesting, haunting and disturbing game that is short but spooky. The themes that it evokes can be somewhat confusing, because there’s not a lot of explanation there, but they are disturbing and innovative nonetheless. If you are looking for something scary to play this Halloween, SpectreVision has a pretty solid, albeit somewhat overpriced, option for you in Transference. You don’t need VR to play it either, because it’s still pretty good without.

Overall, the biggest draw for this Jackbox Party Pack is the new You Don't Know Jack and newest gem in Mad Verse City. The other titles are just enjoyable but fall more into an average category instead of the AAA stuff that Jackbox Games normally publishes. If you're a fan of the series, then it's a no-brainer, but if you're not, you may just want to mooch off your friends and play with them.

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.

Gameplay is very repetitive, and I’ll be surprised if it’s able to keep your attention for any length of time. The campaign is painful to get through, but luckily you only need to do so once for the unlocks before moving onto Challenge Mode instead. Even so, that won’t last you long unless you want to try and beat your high scores. I wanted to enjoy shooting waves of dinosaurs, but I wasn’t in any way with the weak gunplay, terrible controls and an onset of boredom. Great premise, but no real execution to a simple idea.

Overall, Dead Age isn't my cup of tea. The only part of the game I found was decent was the fight scenes, as that had the most action. I feel like gamers who like strategy games will enjoy its premise though. The concept of Dead Age is fantastic, I just feel it fell a little flat. What I was expecting and what Dead Age provided was a large enough difference where I feel I won't play it again. That being said, I'd like to move on from this camp and see if I can find something else down the road.

Airheart is great in short bursts, but because of the lack of any save feature, the title quickly becomes unenjoyable and a pointless grind that most gamers would give up on pretty quickly unless they are an achievement hunter looking for a new title to max out on.

Even with a few hiccups, Odyssey is one of the best Assassin’s Creed games to date. It allows you to play it nearly however you want, doesn’t intrude too often with the ‘real world’ segments (even though I quite enjoy that aspect), and it is simply a better product overall than previous entries.

Blackout is a game mode that will no doubt be played for years to come. It’s a refreshing change from the typical modes usually found in a Call of Duty game. And maybe it’s just me, but it makes multiplayer a little more accessible for someone who loves playing the game online but certainly struggles playing a mode like Team Deathmatch against high level players. It honestly makes me excited to play Call of Duty online again.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience with Wenjia. Although I didn't fall in love with the story, the core gameplay mechanics and artwork kept me intrigued and satisfied during my review experience. I feel that if you're searching for a game with a solid story, you could look elsewhere, but, if you can see past this hiccup, Wenjia is worth your time. In my opinion, any game that looks as beautiful this game deserves your attention.

While the world itself is very bland and uninspiring, it’s still somewhat calming, being in the middle of a lake by yourself, waiting for a bite. The sunlight and reflections on the water look decent, but for a game that absolutely revolves around being in and around the water, I was hoping for more in the visuals. Of course I wasn’t expecting it to hit the realistic water standards set in Sea of Thieves, and you can see a small bit of transparency in the water when the fish near the surface, but everything else simply looks average and bland at best.

Despite a bit of a pacing issue, the first episode of Life is Strange 2 has captured my attention, and should capture yours, and I eagerly await the entire season. For those who enjoy narrative games, this is one you will definitely want to add to your collection.

Revenant Dogma feels like it was put together with RPG maker software by somebody with a genuine interest in the genre, but has no talent for detail or nuance. I appreciate anyone who has the kind of passion for games that I do, and even greater respect for those that put themselves out there and bringing a product of their passion to the market because they love the medium. Unfortunately passion and talent don’t always line up, and this is one of those cases.

Every time it takes a step forward in its production value, it seems like something happens resulting in the game taking two steps backwards, and you're left feeling a sense of disappointment. Limited car selection, poor audio, challenging driving mechanics that that feel like a blind folded staffer was the model, really hit this game hard. There seems to be more focus on trying to make the tracks look pretty rather than make a great driving experience, and this is why I would pass on the $59.99 price tag. Saying that breaks my heart, but in reality, V-Rally 4 maybe shouldn't have come back yet?

Dark Souls was so popular, not simply because of its daunting challenge and difficulty, but its balanced and fair gameplay once you learned from your mistakes. That doesn’t really exist here as prominently with the major change to ranged combat. Sure it has the difficulty, but it’s lacking the soul and fun for the most part. This immortal should have stayed chained.

At the end of the day Playground Games has made what some may consider a racing game masterpiece, given how much you can do, how you can do it, and how much you will enjoy it. This game is one that anyone who is looking for a rock-solid racing game with longevity should seriously consider.

With a couple small personal preference issues, I still believe that NASCAR Heat 3 is a fairly solid game. Is it perfect? No game is. With the sheer amount of content, modes, and overall experience while in gameplay, I would have no issue recommending this game to someone if you're a fan of the sport. If you want a fun racing game that you can just sit back, relax, drink a beer or two and race, this is the game for you. 3... 2... 1... Race!

Phantom Doctrine has a lot of potential. While the combat didn’t really jive with me personally, the whole CIA cloak and dagger theme suits the gameplay and genre quite well. Oddly enough, I quite enjoyed the other aspects to the gameplay much more, particularly the base management and connecting clues together on an old school pinup board. Frustration will surely kick in at the beginning, as you’re barely taught any of the non-combat mechanics, but once you figure it out on your own, it can be quite strategic, even if it’ll be in the shadows when compared to certain other mega hits in the genre.

Despite some of its shortcomings; I highly recommend playing Strange Brigade. Yes, the loot system can leave much to be desired, and the gameplay can be a bit frustrating at times, but it’s great fun, especially with friends. Oh, and the addition of lots of collectibles and a horde-like mode add a high replay value. It’s a solid title to add to your collection. Grab some friends and go onward Brigade!!

It’s a little pricey at $13.99 for its short length, but for those that want to get the most out of it, there are enough modes included along with an online leaderboard to constantly strive towards climbing. With a distinct art style and near beautiful bullet patterns, there’s a lot of challenge included here for true shmup bullet hell fans, like myself, and it is a game that shouldn’t be overlooked, even if it won’t make many top 10 lists for the genre.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a winner. Then again, that was to be expected given how good the games that came before it were. While this one isn’t as tight, memorable or great as either Tomb Raider 2013 or Rise of the Tomb Raider, it’s a very good game and one that you won’t want to miss.

Moonfall Ultimate had potential unlike very few other games had before it, but like an Elementalist whose out of mana, its quality went up in a puff of smoke.

As the name suggests, you are going to need to work together in order to make it through this game. I lucked out and was able to play this while out of town visiting some of my best friends who are also heavy into gaming. We were all in the same room and we all took it pretty serious, so we were able to get pretty far. I’m not saying your group has to be super serious to enjoy this game, but if you’ve got friends that just want to have fun and not play a serious puzzle game, then they may not have the best time. I had a BLAST (get it? A...blast...? I’ll see myself out) playing this with my gaming buddies and look forward to getting into some of the hardcore ones.

While there is a few minor things I don't like, this game is fantastic, but I expect nothing less from Artifex Mundi. They prove repeatedly that they make incredible games for anyone of any age to enjoy. In terms of quality of game play, voice acting, artwork and story, this is game you need to play if you're a fan of the genre. As I've stated before, the addition of the new point of view with the other character is worth experiencing. Finding objects and solving puzzles is just the tip of the iceberg where this game is concerned! If you haven't ever tried an Artifex Mundi game, you need to start right now.

Easy to learn, hard to master may be cliché, but it fits Splash Blast Panic’s gameplay nicely. With a lot of practice, some 2v2 competitive matches would be a riot, though having friends and family simply join in and see what happens in a free for all match is just as exciting. Longevity and value will solely depend on how many friends and family you have to constantly play with. Gather some friends and get ready for some water splashing panic to ensue.

Graveyard Keeper takes a proven, but seldom used, format of game and gives it the fresh twist that needs to feel wholly unique while not straying too far from the blueprints that would make it compelling. Maybe, just maybe, if you aren't too attached to your yearly run through of Luigi's Mansion or Resident Evil 4 for Halloween you'll consider picking up Graveyard Keeper for something different. Or you could do it now... You should do it now.

Train Sim World fills a niche for a specific audience, and while that won’t be for everyone, myself included, for the people that’s always wanted to drive a BR1442-6 Talent 2, there’s no better options out there on console currently. Some may find it incredibly boring, as I did in the beginning, but there’s a lot to do and accomplish here if you can learn the intricacies of being a train engineer in this realistic depiction.

I absolutely love shmups, and while Defenders of Ekron: Definitive Edition is completely serviceable as one, it didn’t do much to excite me, even with some new interesting mechanics and a rarely found narrative focus in a schmup. I applaud the risk of trying something new, but the blending of different mechanics doesn’t always work as well as I would have hoped. While not terribly long, $12.99 is a little steep for what you get, but worth checking out on a sale if you’re in desperate need for a new twin stick shooter shmup.

Shenmue has a very important part in videogame history, as a whole, for numerous reasons, which is why I wish it got some updated polish and improvements that it rightfully deserved. Given the series' turmoil history though, we should be happy we’ve at least gotten this port. If you want to experience a game unlike any other, and can keep an open mind about when it was originally released, you’ll start to appreciate it for what it was at the time, and in the present it is almost like a time capsule directly back to 1999.

Being such a huge fan of tower defense games, I was giddy like a teenage girl at a Michael Jackson concert at the chance to play Hero Defense, but after running into all these glitches and problems without anything adding to the merit or value of why I should care about the story of the game itself, it literally left me deflated. I love this game, I really do, and I feel now empty inside that such a game has so many issues (the camera system being the worst hands down) that prohibit that enjoyment. Starting out I was set to give this game an easy 90 to 95 score, but as I kept playing the score kept going down and down to the point where I should start looking for other games to play.

Overall, I have to say that for $14.99, Fernz Gate delivers a quality retro RPG experience that shouldn't be missed by fans of the genre. While it may seem a bit shallow at first, Fernz Gate offers a wealth of bounty should you have the time to investigate its depths and acquire it. While you're doing that however, get ready for an fairly amazing experience that will take you straight back into the glory days of quality RPG gaming.

Doughlings: Arcade is well worth the asking price. The game has lots to offer, such as a good amount of achievements, the ability power ups and the overall content. There are so many levels to go through it will keep you busy for hours! There may be a couple of tweaks that are required here and there, but there's nothing I can see by playing that would make me want to put the controller down.

Guts and Glory is glitchy, it's ugly, the sound is bad, and the gameplay is pretty awful, but it’s fun to play and that was enough for me. If you can snag this game on sale, or as part of Gamepass, I fully recommend giving this game a try one night when you’re in the mood to sip a tasty beverage and show off a silly game to your friends. At its current price of $15 though, I just don’t think there’s enough reason to purchase it, unless you are Pedro with a pickup truck full of nose candy and money to burn.

Great games are supposed to ease you into the experience, to build your confidence and strategy building skills before hitting a steep difficulty curve. Frost does nearly the opposite, simply throwing you in, causing you to lose a lot of games before getting close to the refuge and losing again because of a bad hand. Frost is unforgiving, and worse yet, seemingly more based on luck than skill, which is a shame, as it has a ton of potential otherwise.

Danger Zone 2 isn’t a terrible game by any means, but it is bare bone and almost devoid of any personality. It’s a fun distraction in short bursts if you really like climbing leaderboards, but there’s no longevity. There’s no soundtrack, no multiplayer, no replays and the menu system looks as tacked on as it gets. At $10 I could see it being a hard sell, but fun for those of us that miss the classic Burnout days, but the problem is, it’s being sold for double that. $20 for a single game mode from a classic just isn’t enough when it doesn’t even match its quality and personality. That, and there’s no Kenny Loggins.

MOTHERGUNSHIP is a crazy frantic bullet hell FPS, a first of its kind experience for me. Crafting weapons and seeing how they perform is fun, even if it’s trial and error. I wish that there was more upgrades in relation to leveling up, but even so, I enjoyed my time with it. Boss fights are what kept me going from ship to ship and the humorous writing along the way helped balance the experience. It may be a little shallow aside from its shooting mechanics, but sometimes you just need to turn your brain off and shoot an onslaught of robots to relax.

The one positive thing that I did truly enjoy, despite its flaws, was the fact I could have a bad day, not in the mood for my usual gaming, only to put this game on and complete a few quests and become calm and relaxed. That's what this type of game experience is supposed to be; laid back and stress free. Plant crops at your own leisure, meet new characters, and restore the islands. This game is perfect for those gamers that have no idea what Animal Crossing is.

The small grand moments of wonder and realization can be breathtaking, but they are too far and few between. Granted, that’s with how I played, so it may be completely different for you. The majority of your time will be simply managing your materials and meters, then spending time gathering materials to do what you intended to do an hour ago, only to find out you need another type of material to do a different step of the process. It’s odd to have such a rollercoaster of highs and lows of excitement and frustration, even after learning so much and adapting to its faults.

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.

Despite my sounding somewhat negative, 20XX is actually a very good game built upon a solid and well tested foundation. Most of my grievances come from a personal place made of emotion and lack of experience with the source material. Still, there is the part of me that struggles to see a need for games that intentionally limit themselves to a set of old rules that no longer exist. 20XX is a game, more than most, with a clear audience in mind and flaunts that with no shame.

Even with the grind that hits at later levels, I kept telling myself to do just one more mission. It’s a little intimidating and overwhelming at first, but stick with it for an hour or two and you’ll start to make sense of the complexity and chaos, resulting in a lot of enjoyment when missions start to go the way you expected. Don’t be like me and initially judge it by its cartoonish visual style, as there’s some serious strategy involved with each bombing run to ensure your crew survives.

Vermintide 2 provides quality work on all fronts, and the best thing is that you can really tell that Fatshark has done a great amount of work developing this game throughout its various stages to its final release.

If you're going to pay homage to Street Fighter, please think about how you are going to incorporate combat into your game outside of giving you only 10 hands to do so. Also, remove the pointless emotion Right Bumper antics, as they do nothing, and instead incorporate various individually tailored attacks that should happen to the opponent when you beat them in a hand. Then also work on developing online multiplayer.

With the short story, limited characters, limited puzzles and no branching storylines designed for multiple playthroughs, I cannot fully recommend this game for the $15 USD that it is priced at. There’s just too many better options for your money at this price point, and this is a game best saved for a sale or if it gets added to Game Pass.

The menu, currency confusion, being outclassed by pay-to-win players and lack of help is very off-putting in the beginning, but it does start to make sense if you can devote the time to learn it and stick with it. It’s not going to be for everyone, and I’d still wager it’s more catered towards the hardcore crowd, or those with disposable income, but War Thunder can be a deep and exciting game in the heat of battle. Once it’s free to play and out of Early Access, there’s no harm in giving it a shot, like your tank cannon.

Despite the couple of hiccups, Candle: The Power of the Flame is well worth the time to play, and personally, I don't feel that I wasted my time. At the end of the day, it's a fantastic, beautifully painted and well thought out piece of art that I would recommend to anyone. Buy this, sit down and prepare to have a good time, because this flame isn't going out anytime soon!

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.

I'll say this, if you're a fan of the classic RPG games of the 80's and 90's, then Asdivine Hearts is an absolute must have for your library. It goes without saying that this game manages to tick all the right boxes to make a classic RPG experience.

Insane Robots is an amazing example of how to ease players into a genre without demanding too much of a learning curve, yet also being deep enough to satisfy the players that want to strategize at a much higher level. A bunch of smaller ideas come together to make a great experience, one you’d be insane to pass by.

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.

Overall, there are aspects of this game that I thoroughly enjoy. I enjoyed learning how to play the game decently and can see how it tailors to racing gamers like me, and the die hard motocross fan who knows what they are doing, and how to adjust their bike settings. I'm not the best at racing games, and I'm no expert in Motocross by a long shot, however, in playing MXGP Pro, I can at least say that it gave me some insight on the mechanics of a motocross bike and how the bikes operate. As for my recommendation, I would recommend this game solely on the gameplay being as decent as it is.

The Crash Trilogy holds onto its roots and respects the original releases by keep everything that matters, and by that I mean the things that made it so successful, intact. The steep difficulty curve will no doubt scare away some prospective on-lookers, but for those that grew up playing these games it just wouldn’t be Crash without it. The N-Sane Trilogy is a no-brainer pick up for anyone that wants a challenge, but digs a great deal too. Three well renowned games for the price of one is absolutely N-Sane.

If you’re a fan of the lore and Anima series, then The Nameless Chronicles is a no-brainer and an easy sell. If you’re looking for challenging combat with some RPG elements, you could do worse. It has a very interesting story if you can follow along, more-so if you’ve played the first, but is simply bogged down by its constant and repetitive combat that does little to excite.

Many games get forgotten once completed, as I’m glad to have played many, but very few stick with me for quite some time, and even less that I euphorically have to recommend experiencing. NieR:Automata is one of those must have games, as it’s completely unique and unlike anything else I’ve ever played. Thank you to those directly responsible for bringing this amazing gem to the Xbox One for more fans to enjoy, as I probably would have never gotten to experience it otherwise.

I'll be the first to admit that I was not a fan of the original Crew racing game, but Ubisoft's team went to work and developed a racing game that is so addictive that it should be considered a controlled substance. Despite some flaws and hiccups along the way, The Crew 2 is poised to cement itself as the definitive arcade racing experience on any platform.

On top of all of the numerous campaigns, Sudden Strike 4 also delivers bonus content such as the Dunkirk missions, and it even provides historical videos that you can watch. While Sudden Strike 4: European Battlefields Edition does suffer from some some drawbacks, the overall foundation is very strong and is wrapped up in a gorgeous visual wrapper.

I love games that I can get into the story, into the characters and have a reasonable challenge in the combat and gameplay. I love progressing in video games and the satisfaction of completing each level. Milanoir may not be my cup of tea because of the lack of satisfying these areas, but it may be yours with its merits in the sound and artwork, and if you REALLY, REALLY enjoy a challenging and somewhat frustrating game.

If you have a couple hours to kill, love zombies, or even have a soft spot in your heart for a certain old classic that killed players with violent diarrhea, then Death Road to Canada should be on your bucket list.

Slime-san: Superslime Edition is hilarious, perfectly tuned and has an astonishing amount of content, more than enough to keep you going for quite some time. Don’t let the simplistic graphics fool you like it did me initially, as the gameplay is near perfect and can suit nearly any play style or preference. Even after a dozen hours or so, I’ve still a long way to go and much to master. For its price, the value and replayability is enormous and near unbeatable.

With this game originally releasing on February 3, 2010, you can see that the years haven't been kind. With less content than a Chinese fortune cookie, and less entertaining as well, I'd personally save the $4.99 and spend it on something else, unless you just have to try the game, but you've been warned.

I think that Fox n Forests is an excellent reminder of the good old days when games were simpler, times where we spent summers sitting on the couch playing games with our friends taking turns, beating the levels over and over again trying to beat each other's scores. While Fox n Forests isn't going to be remembered as one of the greats, it's definitely a game that even if the 16-bit platformer isn't your thing, you should give it a look.

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).

Given the lack of stage variety and basic gameplay, it’s mediocre at best, borderline boring at times, slightly improved if you have a partner to play with at home. It really comes down to if you want to play a new tower defense game, and if you do, enter into this one with caution.