Shadow Warrior 2 is a fantastic game that meshes what I love about loot games with the ridiculously fast-paced combat of 90s shooters. It is unapologetic, it is ridiculous, but most importantly, it is 12 tons of dumb fun. I couldn’t stop smiling while playing, and that is a sign of a really good game. Get some Wang, you won’t regret it.

Zenith is a game I wanted to enjoy more, and there are plenty of times I did have fun, but the combat was the most un-fun and unfair aspect of the game, and that’s what players will be doing the majority of the time.

I just felt the overall package was extremely confusing, not fun to play, and gave me hardly any compelling reasons to keep trying other than wanting to see more of the same.

I overall enjoyed my time with episode 4, but as I mentioned earlier, it just feels like each game offers a different experience. Not that this is a bad thing, but the gameplay and what to expect just sort of feels all over the place. Presentation and humor stay relatively the same, and that’s great as they nailed the visual style and funny elements perfectly.

Exist Archive is a title elevated by its superb combat that remained enjoyable even after a thousand encounters. However, it doesn’t have much more to offer outside of the combat, as there’s a serious lack of variety in the overall gameplay. The repetitive nature of exploring one dungeon after another, punctuated by the odd event here and there played against my patience.

Mafia III is one of the best stories in a video game I have played this year, heck I would go as far as to say this generation. It is wrapped around some pretty standard and repetitive open world game design though, which does do it a disservice. Still, the locales and world resonate with me, and the story kept me coming back for more, and that speaks volumes. This game will certainly be on my mind when it comes time to discuss the best of 2016, and I think it is more than worth looking past its blemishes to check it out.

Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters Daybreak is a title that showed a lot of promise, with a great art style and an interesting premise. However, the atrocious combat mechanics hinder the overall enjoyment of the game so much to the point it’s difficult to recommend to anyone in particular.

Event[0] is an interesting game with a very interesting concept. Think of it like HAL 9000, but much more limited in scope and threat. The novelty wore off for me within the first 30 minutes of playing, and unfortunately, then began to look at it more like a game to complete rather than an experience that needed to be seen.

The package is massive and chock full of content. The netcode is pretty good, and the single player offerings are nice as well.

You may not like the story it tells, and you may not feel totally satisfied with the outcome; but when the story is told in such a well crafted manner it doesn’t really matter. Anyone who appreciates a good mystery will definitely get something out of Firewatch; just don’t let your mind race to much, as you may end up feeling a little let down.

A game for those that want nice, quick, and brain stumping challenges at home or on the go.

While I’m still wishing the RPG elements of Thousand Year Door were back here, I still had a pretty great time with Color Splash. It looks amazing, plays great, and has some really great pacing that kept me coming back knowing I was just one more step away from another paint star.

One issue players of the original Sorcerer King might have with this iteration is that there really doesn’t seem a whole lot new to justify a purchase here. While owners of the first game are, to be fair, offered a discount when purchasing Rivals, other than the new conditions for victory and new champions this expansion still feels fairly bare.

Visually, XCOM 2 looks good, better than the last game, but it still doesn’t look amazing.

Everything about Gears of War 4 is as polished and perfectly executed as I expected. The Coalition have done an outstanding job in continuing the series, and I am genuinely excited to see where the series goes from here. This new trilogy has opened up a brand new story that is sure to entertain for years to come, and now PC players can join in on the fun. The series is in good hands, and anyone who enjoys Gears is in for a treat when the game launches. [Tested on an Origin PC]

Its biggest deterrent is the performance on PS4, which just isn’t good.

Not knowing what to expect with Filthy Lucre and also having some trouble with the game in the first hour caused me to write this game off when I first fired it up. However, after a little play time it turns out that this game isn’t so filthy at all. Filled with cockney rhyming slang and cheeky chappies, Filthy Lucre could be a nice little distraction from all of these big triple-A games that are currently banging on our doors. However, I still don’t know what a Filthy Lucre is.

A solid game that overcomplicates its genre roots with its unique twist. Production values are solid, but also bland when considering this is a game with little diversity in the game play.

I admire Dear Esther for what it did, when it did it. It was a novel concept that came from the humblest of beginnings. Unfortunately, the product of it all is short and unenjoyable. It feels like a dream in the worst way. It’s confusing, fatiguing, and the feeling of relief comes when it’s over. In that way, they couldn’t have done a better job.

Cluster Truck had me on the edge of my seat and also completely defeated at times, yet always having a blast in the process. Sounds like a win, win to me.

Destiny itself is undoubtedly fun to play, but this expansion is hard to recommend for the price.

It is awesome to finally have Axiom Verge on all platforms now, and for those that missed it for some reason, there is simply no excuse anymore. It is an excellent callback to classic titles, while also bringing its own flair and making a stamp on the genre. I cannot recommend it enough. I am disappointed that I waited so long to finally dive deep into its world, but now that I have, I can’t wait to go back.

Jotun isn’t a long game by any means, but it packs in a lot. The diverse environments are beautiful, the boss fights are expertly designed, and Norse mythology is just cool. It also tells a personal story that makes the ride all the more enjoyable.

That said, things end with some aplomb. There are dramatic cliff hangers across each of the narrative arcs, and these provide a pretty clear indication that things will all come to a fiery head as the series moves towards its concluding episodes.

Toy Odyssey disappointed me almost from the start, but in a very conflicting way. I immediately could tell the core action and platforming where rough, but I enjoyed the visuals and story elements. A game that quite frankly walks a straight line right down the middle for me. As a game, I grew frustrated with it, as an idea I wanted to like it more. If players are dying to get their hands on another metroidvania style game that has a unique concept behind it, it’s not a horrible game to take a chance with. Just know going in, its core mechanics definitely needed some fine tuning.

A fun and addictive little puzzle game that makes its transition to the PC market well thanks to keyboard/controller support and removal of ads/microtransactions. It’s just unfortunate that the asking price is a bit steep for the content on offer.

Even if you don’t have a lot of experience with the franchise, the on-ice trainer will help get you up and running quickly. If you’re coming solely for Be a Pro mode though be prepared for a lackluster experience, but with the new franchise mode fleshing out the experience there should be plenty for most sports gamers to like.

An innovative, fun, and interesting game that I think everyone with a Wii U should pick up. Give it a shot, you may very well find yourself in love with it much like I was.

For anyone that missed these games, this collection is a no-brainer. For those that left their old consoles behind, this is a great package that delivers these games how you remember them. Outside of a few technical hiccups this collection is up there as one of the best of this generation. All three games are worth playing, and returning to them only solidifies how much I truly want a new BioShock.

Amikrog gets a lot of praise for its ease of use, its visual style, and soundtrack. Yet its puzzles seem lacking or confusing. Some are just frustrating. None of the puzzles felt really inspired or gave me that “AHA” feeling. Instead, it just felt like I was going through the motions or getting lucky.

I can’t overlook all the issues for the console versions of this game. It feels like very little was done to make it a more streamlined console version. From menus, to font size, controls, and more. It looks extremely dated, like something that somehow got shelved in the early 90’s. It’s got a lot of depth, at least more than expected for a game of this visual style and setting. Just everything that tries to shine is muddied with everything else.

Mother Russia Bleeds has a great title and a unique look with its ugly and yet beautiful 2D sprites. Unfortunately, the combat gets dull rather quickly, and with the lack of online multiplayer, it’s a difficult game to recommend to anyone but the true enthusiasts of the genre.

It has the old school feel that made it a classic, but some of what was left in feels a bit too old for a modern take. The pacing is the biggest issue here, and I would say players wanting to understand the game going in need to realize it takes a good 12-15 hours before this game even begins to start, but if you can hold out until it actually begins, you looking at a decently structured, thought out, and fun JRPG. If you’re looking for a more instant gratification game, you may want to look elsewhere.

With no end game and very slow mechanics due to the game’s reliance on microtransactions it feels like nothing more than a cash grab.

While all MOBAs have gone one direction, Awesomenauts Assemble! is still – after all these years – one of a kind. Its 2D platforming and overall accessibility make it great for kids, people new to the genre, and MOBA aficionados looking for a cool distraction from their main game.

Forza Horizon 3 is one of the best racing games I have ever played, and somehow continues to prove that this series just keeps getting better. How Playground Games continues to make what already feels like the definitive arcade racing experience even better is beyond my comprehension. If you have any interest in racing games at all, this is a can’t miss title.

Despite its flaws, God Eater 2 Rage Burst is a pretty fun game to play, with a fun cast of characters and a fast paced combat engine. If it had a larger player base on the PC for the multiplayer component to thrive, it would have been an easy game to recommend. However, as it stands now, I can only speak of this title as a single player experience and as such, its leaves much to be desired.

Stardust Galaxy Warriors is an exceptional title in an underappreciated genre. Anyone who remotely enjoys shmups should not miss out on this.

The Witness is an example of superlative game design. Carefully crafted and mentally challenging. Everyone should dive into this world, it is the perfect game for several players to sit on a couch and solve. It will make your head hurt, it will tease your brain more than any game before it, but it also delivers satisfaction in solution better than anything else before, and perhaps after it.

It changes up the formula enough to keep things feeling fresh, its look and feel is fantastic, and the overall package will keep fans playing for hours on end. It really is a sequel worth the Pac-Man name, and I for one absolutely love it.

When I review a game, no matter how bad it may be, I try to find some kind of redeemable feature that stands out, like something that stops the gameplay from being a total letdown. But with Shiny, there just isn’t one. An uninspiring story, bugs and performance issues and frustrating gameplay makes Shiny a game I just cannot recommend for anyone.

The gaming world and arcades have changed a lot in the last 10 years, and the simple fact that games such as this still exist is something I treasure. Even when they don’t pan out to be exactly as good as some of their predecessors, it’s appreciated. For the price, the nostalgia, or just a really fun old school game experience to play on your PS4, I’d say Sky Force Anniversary is totally worth it.

Valley is a mish mash of other games before it, but still retains a unique feeling all to itself and my time with it was pleasantly surprising with it.

The action is fun and the exploration kept me interested. I just wish the pacing towards the end was better. While it mimicked the parts I love about classic adventure titles, it also copied the poor padding practices as well.

Touhou Genso Rondo: Bullet Ballet has something going for it and it is honestly something I had never seen before, but the way it plays mixed with a confusing tutorial that doesn’t explain things in the best way it could really make this game feel like I’m slogging through an interesting game while in the dark.

With improved visuals, new mechanics, and a more intuitive design- Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice already has a lot going for it. Factor in a story filled with intrigue that’s as exciting to watch unfold as the best of what the series has to offer thus far and you’re left with an exceptional visual novel and a return to form for the series as a whole.

It may borrow a lot of its aesthetic and mechanics from a certain pointy-eared hero, but it has a charm all its own. I can’t recommend it enough to fans of the adventure genre. The small price is more than worth the hefty adventure that lies ahead.

Obliteracers feels like a missed opportunity. There are some great ideas buried here. But missteps with the gameplay mechanics means that this game is likely to fall behind the pack when it comes to action racing games.

The Final Station is an enjoyable romp for a one time through experience. It’s tense at times and has a unique idea for a gameplay loop, yet I do feel they could do more with it. If this is a foundation for perhaps a more elaborate sequel with more features and ideas, sign me up. As it stands, it’s still a fun take on the survival horror mold that worth checking out. It can start to wear out its welcome, but it doesn’t overstay.

Solar Shifter EX has some cool ideas and poor execution. I wanted to love it, I tried to love it, but in the end I simply left every session disappointed that it never really delivered on any of its ambitions. There are better shooters out there, heck, there are better shooters everywhere. Regardless of any love for the genre, I simply cannot recommend this game to anyone.

Livelock is a game that sounds pretty standard on paper, but I simply could not stop playing. It takes about 15 hours to max every character, and I am still trying to figure out how to finish my master data cards, but again without a progress tracker, it makes it incredibly difficult. If you enjoy co-op games with friends I can’t recommend it enough. It is a great game to throw on and BS with friends while mowing down countless hordes of robot enemies.

Trails of Cold Steel II delivers in every front that truly matters. The deep, enjoyable combat engine of the original is further improved with the inclusion of new mechanics and a larger roster of playable characters. The overarching storyline and characters grabbed my attention from the very beginning and hasn’t let go even now, long after the credits have rolled. It’s a game that deserves to be on the radar of everyone who has ever in their lifetime enjoyed a single JRPG – just be sure to play the original first.

Although F1 2016 won’t be for everyone, it is a testament to Codemasters’ love of the genre and their commitment to their fans. Taking lessons learned from previous games and applying their expertise, Codemasters has created an almost perfect simulation of the greatest racing competition on earth.

I turned the game off with a One Way Trip to the delete key. I appreciate what they were going for here, but it wasn’t for me in the slightest.

Every once in a while, a game will come around that adds a bit more to the formula or steps up its game a bit. Hue just so happens to be one of those games.

Grow Up is a lot more of the same and with little fanfare I feel most have already forgotten the original, let alone know the sequel even exist.

Attack on Titan was a shock for me. It isn’t going to revolutionize any genre, but there truly is little else like it out there. Fans of the anime are sure to enjoy the attention to detail in almost everything, and like most Warriors games there is enough of an RPG element to keep battles from becoming too much of the same thing over and over.

Caladrius Blaze has good core mechanics which offers some classic shmup gameplay. The shame breaks are a disappointing distraction at best and the game’s campaign is a little short. However, in terms of action this is a pretty solid shmup and should please most fans of the genre.

Worms W.M.D. is great re-entry point for people like me who have sort of fallen off the wagon with the series over time. It keeps what I remember, and refines what I had issues with. The hilarity is still there, the solid game play shines above the rest, and it feels good to be back.

Fans that may have fallen off in recent years will find plenty to come back to with this iteration. There is so much improvement it is impossible to list it all here without sounding like a press release.

I am glad to have this series back, and this new iteration has been the most fun I have had with it to date. Sadly right now though it is only recommended as a local experience. Online is far too fickle at launch, so if that is what you are coming to King of Fighters for, you might want to wait it out.

Risk: Urban Assault, while flawed and bare-bones, has renewed my interest in Risk. Risk’s biggest issue, pacing, is only half-solved in Urban Assault with the “Fast AI” system. Most Disappointingly though, it lacks any semblance of a campaign.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has a firm grasp on what made the original title so iconic- providing some of the best variety in how a player could approach every objective and making each of them feel just as fun and satisfying as the other. If not for the rather lackluster cast of characters and a story that ends abruptly, it could have been a new classic.

I was really pleased with this new offering of Uno. It’s one of those games that I will forever be opening up for a few quick matches

If you’re a hardcore fan of the genre and just simply need to add another twin stick notch in your action belt, by all means go for it, just know your mileage may vary. I’d rather watch the news than play Action News Heroes and that says enough. For maximum enjoyment, at least brings friends; co-op makes every game better right? This has been Justin reporting live about Action News Heroes gameplay, goodnight.

Little King’s Story is not the worst port to have ever existed. However, the myriad problems that exist in the game mean the overall experience playing it on PC is badly tarnished. Essentially, it’s just really, really annoying. At the moment it is a bit of a broken mess and, until these issues are addressed anyone wishing to experience this title would do better to revisit the Wii original than waste time or money here.

The combination of both real time movement and turn-based combat really made things fun and interesting, even if the game pulled an XCOM and had me miss when I really shouldn’t have, and while this is a game that feels like it should be played with a mouse and keyboard, it works really well with a controller.

Hello Games achieved what they set out to do. They have crafted a massive galaxy of planets for players to explore. That feat is nothing short of extraordinary, and I think everyone who enjoys games should experience that. Whether you come out of it with a smile or a frown, it is entirely dependent on how much you are willing to put up with to explore a nearly endless galaxy.

#Killallzombies is a nice pick up and play experience that works thanks to its design. The developers have promised more content is coming, but right now there is really only one thing to do. It sticks to its namesake for better or worse. Still, I couldn’t help but enjoy every session I logged and I will definitely revisit it once new content arrives.

10 Second Ninja is certainly well designed from a gameplay standpoint, but misses out on being great through the shear difficulty of it. But if you enjoy a real tough challenge, and if your reflexes are sharper than mine, then it might be worth a shot.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 feels very much like a quick port job. I do feel good that Marvel has come out to address the larger issues, and players are getting that content, but the price is still too high a barrier for the state these games were released in.

Headlander has a few faults, but when getting into a flow of this style of game, it turns out to be a pretty well made Metroidvania game. Filling out the map is addicting, and seeing a room I can’t enter without having a certain body usually always had me backtracking to see what exactly was in it. I still enjoyed my time with Headlander, even if the camera and combat got in the way a few times. I think everyone else will feel the same way. Give it a shot. It does have a lot going for it.

I Am Setsuna desperately tries to pull us back in time, but just feels old and worn out, no matter how good the fresh new lick of paint looks.

Hyper Light Drifter is a sensory overload from a visual and audio standpoint.

What I was hoping for when I booted up Shiren the Wanderer was another anomaly – a title in the roguelike genre that I would enjoy, and that wasn’t what I found. Instead, what I got was a fairly standard entry in the genre- crafted well by a developer that’s been making these kinds of games for years, and even though I did not find the title to my tastes, I could easily see why someone else might.

It feels simplistic in nature and it actually really is, then you look into the Grid system and see all the potential Under Night actually has and you have yourself a pretty great fighting game. Keep in mind, you may need to go to an outside source to figure everything out, but for the most part, this is a great fighting game that I think fighting game fans will really enjoy for a cheap price.

The art design is outstanding, and the fighting is solid, but it really just doesn’t do anything to stand out from the pack. The lack of features and paltry online community mean this game is likely already forgotten about.

Riptide GP Renegade is a solid follow-up. I really wish they would tweak the difficulty though, as it stands it gets far too difficult, far too quickly in career mode. This stunts progression, and makes continuing on a real grind. However, if you are like me and simply love the wave racing genre, this is yet another solid entry in a category we get far too few games in.

While the name may be confusing, this could easily be a blueprint for the successor to Ghosts ‘n Goblins, which is what it seems they set out to do, and they nailed it. If you are like me and grew up pulling your hair out at these punishing side-scrollers, this game is an easy purchase. It captures the magic, while bringing enough of its own charm to make it feel fresh. Plenty try to capture that magic, but few achieve what the team at Abylight Studios has managed to create here.

The art direction astutely compliments the gameplay and the self-referential, retro-infused style of Zombie Night Terror. It is a title that feels a lot like a postmodern love letter to games of a bygone era.

As a fan of the Gundam series, seeing all the different mobile suits with their signature moves duking it out should have been a dream come true. However, a dull single player campaign and a complete lack of online multiplayer makes Extreme VS-Force very difficult to recommend.

What we have is a game that takes inspiration from a classic genre years, before and while doing nothing very original with the idea, still provides a good time.

Ninja Pizza Girl showed a lot of promise. The gameplay was solid enough, a lot of the music choices were great, and there were funny and quirky ideas. Unfortunately, the game frustrated me in several other areas. While the game had many rough edges, I still saw charm and effort put forth by Disparity Games.

Abzu is something that was never even on my radar. Then I booted it up, and never let go. Every area was an experience, and it made an impact on me. I don’t spend my time trying to figure out what it means, I just enjoyed the ride, and it is easy to recommend. Especially to those that enjoy the idea of swimming in the depths of the ocean, and exploring the alien life found below the waves.

Dangerous Golf is a weird game. On paper it sounds perfect, exactly what I would want from the guys that made t-boning cars so much fun. However, in practice it feels empty. Nothing about it screams “one more hole.” Even with the changes they have made this is an empty game that lacks anything to keep me coming back for more.

Daydreamer had the potential to be a sleeper hit in the Summer of lacking game releases, sadly it falls short on the most important of game fundamentals. I wanted to love this game a lot more than I do, but it just misses all the important notes in its execution.

Dex just never stood out enough for me. The generic and clichéd story left me cold, and the technical issues made the game hard to like. However, it is worth noting that the various performance issues I encountered on the Xbox One were not present on the PC version. So if you feel like you need to check Dex out and have the ability to do so, get it on PC. It doesn’t differ much in general, but at least it will be slightly more pleasant to play.

MX Vs. ATV Supercross: Encore is not a very well done game. While it has a few redeeming qualities, the actual racing and controls (the part of the game that really matters) is just far too inconsistent and just not that fun to play.

Rather than investing in an immersive, intuitive, enjoyable gameplay experience, they have, unfortunately, created a generic and rather boring click fest of a game.

ADR1FT is a beautiful take on the space disaster genre, but ultimately one that not everyone will get pulled into. It’s subtle, slow, and crawling at times, instead of intense, bold, or peppered with action moments.

Monster Hunter Generations feels like a slight step forward while changing things up a bit in the formula.

It’s a shame that Monochroma ended up this way, as there are sparks of brilliance buried within. There is a real quality to the sound and level design, which really add to the atmosphere and the puzzles could have been challenging with a little extra work. But the poor controls and the frequent frame-rate issues hamper this puzzle platformer. If you liked Limbo, do yourself a favor and go and download Inside instead.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE isn’t just a side note in the Persona series; it is an evolution of it by taking many of the systems that people are familiar with, but enhancing them and making them more fun to use and develop. It is a master class in JRPG making, and one of the best games in the genre that I have play in a long time.

There are a lot of titles that boast what Rampage does, but few have done it with the execution found here. Even if these words scare you, like they scare me, this game is still worth checking out.

Recommend only for the most hardcore of space simulation fans and patience is a must

There is no excuse for launching the game the way it was in April, and most gamers have already forgotten about the title entirely. But for those that may stumble upon it on sale somewhere, feel good in knowing that you are picking up a solid, and unique title, that is finally worthy of sitting on a retail shelf.

While the game still is pretty fantastic, it just does not hold my attention the way it originally did. That’s not saying the game is bad, not in the least. I just played it a ton seven years ago and the remastered version just served me as a reminder of how much fun I had playing the game. Even if it is now outdated.

Stay away from this game even for a cheap buck. Who ya gonna call? Hopefully the store where this game was purchased from in hopes of asking for a refund.