While Beholder isn’t exactly a title that’s set to shake up the indie scene, the intriguing premise and solid execution makes it well worth seeking out all the same.

Once again, being a fighting game fan really helped me get into this game a lot more than what I originally thought. It is a competent fighting game where I feel the standing game is still a better experience then the ground and submission game. The kickboxing is still really great and the combo system is intricate and entertaining. On top of all that Joe Rogan yelling at the top of his lungs when I made a bone crushing hit land is always fun, and with the career mode being simplified and still robust, players of both fighting games and sports games will have a pretty decent time here.

All in all, EDF World Brothers is good, but it is also just EDF with a new coat of paint and I don’t need one every year or two. I want these titles to be special and had I not had an EDF title in the last five years (let alone two) I think World Brothers would have been more exciting to play. However, as a fan of EDF it is just another EDF game and honestly had I not been reviewing it I would have likely skipped it because past the coat of paint and new mechanics, it is just shooting giant bugs and monsters. With that I will basically say that this game is on par with EDF 5. It is still fun but nothing special.

The inclusion of Dynamic DNA and NBA Live 365 are two of the most important innovations in sports gaming this year. Combined with all of the other enhancements EA Canada has provided and you are looking at the most feature-rich basketball title to come along in some time.

Perhaps the games greatest accomplishment comes from building a solid framework for future iterations to polish to perfection.

With over sixty playable characters, kreate-a-fighter, and all the mini-games packed in you get more than your money’s worth. MK fans will drool with delight seeing some of their favorite fighters from every game packed into one arena.

The games are still great, and for any newcomers to SEGA or just games in general I say buy this to experience these titles because it’s the most forgiving any of these games have been. As an archival look at SEGA’s glory days though this is yet another fumble and I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it, especially when a more complete collection has been available on Steam for years and was updated to share the same features as the console release (and it has more games in it).

Perhaps the games greatest accomplishment comes from building a solid framework for future iterations to polish to perfection.

Though the 12 maps will become very well-known after spending hours in the game and repetition overall will start to creep in with players, some much sooner than others. It’s a small issue though in my eyes as the core gameplay here feels and looks great and it’s a game that can be enjoyed online with friends and the online community. The harder the difficulty and more waves adding, the crazier it gets. Players looking for a great arcade online shooting experience really need to look no further. Killing Floor 2 is here to please.

It wraps up all the plotlines and does a fantastic job of it.

After playing The Persistence on Xbox One I’m sort of disappointed I skipped it on PlayStation VR. The game is really well done and is built in a way that every small step helps; even if I die on a level, as long as I have collected something my time is not wasted. I’m fairly open that horror games are sort of a new passion of mine and I really liked the atmosphere in this game and a big part of that is how good the enemy AI is. There is a lot to like in this game as long as randomized gameplay (rogue light elements) are not a turn off. The Persistence is definitely one of the best rogue light experiences I have played in quite some time and I will likely go back and try the VR origins of this title.

What makes Stuntman great is the sum of all of its parts. While the career mode would have been great for a cheaper title all of the additional stuff such as odd-jobs, construction mode, and of course online play make this package worth checking out for fans of driving games looking for something unique in the genre.

A solid experience that fans of Resident Evil's twisted tale will love because it fills in so many gaps.

In conclusion, Homeworld 3 shines brightly in its graphical prowess, offering a visually captivating journey through the depths of space. However, its shortcomings in storytelling, controls, and AI behavior prevent it from reaching the heights set by its predecessors. For fans of the series expecting a seamless blend of compelling narrative and refined gameplay, Homeworld 3 may leave much to be desired.

A Rose in the Twilight is a title with a dreadfully oppressive atmosphere that stars a tragic heroine whose trials and tribulations are heartbreaking to experience. It features solid, albeit sometimes frustrating puzzles and an abundance of backtracking. It’s a title with a niche appeal, but to those that can appreciate a dark fairy tale and have the stomach to suffer through some disturbing imagery as well as some obtuse puzzle designs, this might be a flower worth cultivating.

Absolver is a great and interesting game as a whole, but the biggest part of the game, actually playing it, is both frustrating and unbalanced. The combat works and is very customizable, the pacing and level progression is nice, and the world is interesting and looks great, but in the end, it has all these great things about it, and I honestly don’t feel like playing it due to the fights turning into frustrating encounters. Now, that’s not to say everyone is going to feel that way and I’m sure there’s going to be at least one person saying I’m playing the game wrong, and I may very well be doing that, but in my time with it, I have given it my best shot and found it to be a great game in many ways that I just don’t want to play.

Trackmania DS is a fantastic first effort to port the game to handhelds, and a highly enjoyable racing game to boot. The lack of any online functionality is certainly the biggest drawback, but the slick track editor and unique take on the genre more than make up for it.

While the main mission’s brevity may turn off some, I compare it to when I was younger and telling myself I would pay half the price to get to play games early. Sure being in this line of work now changes that, but fans will likely find plenty of stuff to do for $30. The ending is better than most full-priced titles, and I have easily squeezed out 8-10 hours of game play from this package.

The difficulty and length of the single player campaign and the lack of "true" competitive multiplayer (read: deathmatch) makes this game a little disappointing. But, truthfully, I can forgive that as the game has great replayability and an awesome game mode in F*cking Run.

Hopefully when the next iteration arrives we can finally see a graphical upgrade worthy of calling it next-gen.

Despite some hiccups here and there, People of Note deliver’s a rockin’ performance. There is a fun and engaging combat system here and a story that has no shortage of musical style puns. But I feel like the game is held back by the performance and rhythm aspects of its gameplay. I would have loved to see the attacks and abilities be more on beat with the background music. But despite those flaws People of Note delivers a solid game that has a lot of heart and soul.

The story may be a weak spot in this one, but after a few hours of play, you will become invested enough to keep playing.

High on Life 2 capitalizes on what made the original interesting with its guns and boss fights and falls apart on almost everything else. It feels like it isn’t quite finished when it comes to performance and image quality, and a lot of the humor falls flat. I really loved the original game, but the sequel is much harder to recommend. Thankfully it is on Game Pass, so if you subscribe the barrier to entry is low. Otherwise, I have a hard time recommending this one at full price.

Blacklight: Retribution is a good game, although anyone who wants to play seriously will definitely need to invest some time and money in order to be really competitive. As someone who doesn't play a lot of keyboard and mouse shooters, I particularly appreciated the tutorial, which allows you to get familiar with the controls in a non-combat environment. With solid shooting, unique play mechanics and no barrier to entry, Retribution is a good choice for fans of PC shooters, or anyone who wants to give the genre a try.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is the kind of game that you expect to be yet another failed attempt to overthrow Mario Kart, but it ends up giving it a run for its money. It is certainly not as deep or as finely tuned, but it is definitely one of the better kart racing games to come along since the notorious CTR.

This collection is a must-own for fans of AVGN. Without the reverence for the show these are simply two solid side scrolling games that will definitely entertain but will not resonate with players as much. I found myself in pure heaven since I have watched every episode of AVGN as well as the movie. I loved the references, and it is clear that the developers really took the time to make them more than just cameos. It is great to also see these games finally making their way to consoles. Now just get me my Xbox One version and all will be right in the world. Even if it is published by LJN.

There is no doubting that Dante's Inferno owes a lot of what it does right to a certain other franchise, but honestly who cares? The game is an action thrill-ride that will entertain anyone who enjoys action games at all.

In a bid to move the series forward towards a new direction, Atelier Ryza presents a new exciting combat engine and one of the best takes on alchemy yet, but falters with its plodding pace and a cast of forgettable characters.

Thankfully, the game is adamant about auto-saving constantly, so it helps circumvent some of the frustration. Even with all these issues, I still persisted in playing because beneath the technical problems that hopefully get ironed out over time, this is a gem of a turn based RPG and I recommend, even with its faults, fans of the genre need to give some attention to Battle Chasers. It might come from a small development team, it might be rough around the edges, but it’s could be one of 2017 most unexpected RPG hits that more people should be aware of.

One of the greatest things about this game is when you finish helping someone’s style you are met with a ‘YAAAS’ or ‘DAYUM’ while the newly fashioned perp is dancing with joy. Truly the only thing that tops it is the fashion show you get when players finish each level. I loved the hell out of Fashion Police Squad, not only did it feel familiar with its shooter roots but its premise of cleaning up the streets of fashion crimes is so unique and charmingly done that the game just exudes a swag all its own.

As a whole, Medal of Honor is not a horrible game; it just needed some more time for it to truly shine.

For the 15th anniversary and the first Digimon game to be released in the west in over seven years, the fans deserved better than the localization effort put forth here. Still, despite these issues, the core gameplay remains strong and stands as a fun game to play- just not to read.

Sure it is aimless, frankly quite off-the-wall-zany, and definitely a little repetitive but it also manages to be kind of fun.

All in all I don't hate The Forgotten Sands, I just feel like this game was put out to capitalize on the release of the movie. I know that Ubisoft said the game was in the making before they launched the 2008 PoP, but I don't buy it.

Tropico 3 is a one of a kind game for the 360. I think that's what makes it so great, is that there are next to no other games on the system that are like it.

Jazzpunk is certainly enjoyable, but it isn’t without its flaws.

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.

Gust’s first foray on the PS4 with their flagship Atelier title is a rousing success, and even though I lament the removal of the time limit mechanic from the series, it still proves one of the strongest entries the franchise has had to date, and one of the best RPGs available on the PS4.

WWE All-Stars is not going to set the world on fire with any of its features, but it still manages to be fun, thanks to nostalgia.

Star Wars Battlefront is easily my favorite multiplayer shooter of the year. I can’t stop playing it. It finds a perfect balance of strategy and diversity, and most importantly, it is extremely fun, something I find lacking in a lot of online shooters.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remastered is a perfect way to return to the game that started it all. The quality-of-life changes make it feel fresh while still retaining the feel of the original. Fans of the original game will be pleased with this remaster and newcomers will be able to get into it without the hurdles the original came with. I hope Capcom continues to bring back their classic games. Now is the time Capcom, Dino Crisis, make it happen.

Nobody Wants to Die feels like a triumph of noir-inspired gaming. Its meticulous attention to detail, from the visual aesthetics to the great narrative, makes it a standout title for fans of the genre. The game successfully merges the best elements of classic noir with modern gaming sensibilities, while the game has a bad habit of giving too much help to the player; Nobody Wants to Die is a game that should not be missed by fans of the genre.

New Dawn adds a bit while keeping everything running the same way. Over the years, I have enjoyed my time with all the Far Cry games and this is yet another one I had a lot of fun with. The setting is both fun and interesting to explore, the expeditions add a new layer, and while not as important as some other games, the RPG elements at least point players in the right direction for improving. Sure, it’s another Far Cry game, but that’s never been a bad thing to me. Pick it up for you’re looking for a smaller scale Far Cry adventure with a few new twists thrown in.

A fantastic diversion that basks in its ridiculousness far too much. If you already took the plunge on Wii, I can't say the additives are worth a second dip, but if you have yet to partake, there has never been a better time. For the price tag, this is one wild ride you will not regret, so long as you are not easily offended in any way, shape or form.

Blood of the Werewolf is a rather short experience, and a rather forgettable one.

There is a lot to love about Dead Rising 3’s latest DLC. For $10 it is impossible not to recommend to Xbox One owners who still have the game, especially those with a fondness for classic Capcom titles.

While I would have much rather have seen the more accessible and modern, “Xrd” to see release on steam, AC+R serves as a great example of the series in its classic form and notorious depth.

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.

Blade Strangers is a fine fighting game. It has a simple mindset, but a very complex nature that allows the newcomers to pop in and have a fun time learning the ins and outs while veterans can dive deep into the systems and have just as much fun. It is a fast and nimble fighting game with a lot of flashy combos that fans of the genre can appreciate. I can only hope that this niche fighter will gather a player base. Until then, casual fighting game fans may want to find a deal on this one, but those of you that are looking for a novelty fighting game with some interesting characters will have a fun time here.

All in all, I came away impressed with this game, will it make me a convert to ‘bullet hell’ types? No, but it will be a nice change of pace between some of my other games. If you are just looking for some frantic, twin stick action that will test your reflexes as well as your resolve then look no further than the beautiful landscapes and twisty levels of Curved Space.

Fighting games are living in a resurgent time so it is awesome to see this game get a second lease on life. Having never played it, it was a pleasant surprise that is packed with a ton of solo content to keep me interested. This is all without having any attachment to the anime or characters themselves. It made me interested in the universe and I had a blast playing the game on all fronts. If you enjoy fighting games and maybe are not as deep into the FGC or tournament scene, this game packs plenty of options for casual and experienced players alike.

Asterigos is a weird game in that it feels like it was so close to being excellent. The weird mix of mechanics do not gel well and parts of the game simply feel unfinished. Still it is a fun romp that could get much better with some patches and tweaks. I think the team behind it did a great job for their first game and hope they continue to get chances to make more. There are good ideas and characters here, it just feels like it needed more time or a bigger budget to reach their vision.

The biggest crime Air Twister commits is that there just isn’t enough interesting stuff here. The stages feel boilerplate for the most part and it really never ramps up the difficulty until almost halfway through the game. With it being so short, this really drags down the experience and makes grinding out the stars for more powers feel tedious. I feel like with a few more modes or options this could have been a decent console outing, but instead it ends up feeling like a quick mobile port with little thought put into it.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a compilation title that succeeds thanks to the quality and quantity of content on offer more so than the effort it has been given to remaster each individual game. Having said that, it’s a great way for veterans of the series to revisit these classics as well as a nice way for those who have been following up on these re-releases to finally catch up to all the mainline entries released thus far. Surely, this means we’ll get a new Ace Attorney game in the near future, right? RIGHT?! CAPCOM!?

Tomb Raider Remastered is a fantastic collection that checks all the right boxes. I adored these games and revisiting them has been a treat. I cannot recommend this collection enough if you are like me and have nostalgia for those original titles. They just don’t make them like this anymore. The sense of wonder and exploration mixed with the subtle music cues and adventure are truly unmatched. It was great revisiting these and I hope the next game in the series takes a few notes from the ones that started it all.

I’m not kidding when I say that the possibilities are endless in Blockbuster Inc. Players have the freedom and tools to create a movie of their dreams. With a large variety of costumes, sets and more at their disposal there are thousands of films to be made here. It can be almost overwhelming if I’m honest, however the game has a great tutorial that will help to ease players into the swing of things. I loved my time with Blockbuster Inc, filled that hole that The Movies had left so long ago. Its awesome to see this underserved genre in gaming seeing a resurgence; Hollywood Animal, Movie Tycoon among others, has fans of movie-making games eating good this year. Don’t sleep on Blockbuster Inc, as the first one out the gate; its an utter blast to play and create movies in this world.

Ninja Five-O is a hidden gem from the GBA that was sadly lost to time. I am thrilled it is now readily available, at least if you own something besides an Xbox. Seriously Microsoft, get this worked out. It doesn’t have a ton of extras that make this package feel as premium as it should, but the game makes up for it. This is a game that deserves to be played, so if you enjoy classic ninja action, this game would make Michael Dudikoff proud.

I wanted to enjoy The Stones of Madness because I really loved The Game Kitchen’s other game series; Blasphemous. Aside from the incredible hand-drawn art style in the Madness game, I wasn’t really a fan of this game. The omission of something as simple and important to tactical-strategy games as the quick save feels like a really big miss. While The Stones of Madness feels unique in its approach to story and indeed the overall mystery; this one just wasn’t for me at the end of the day.

Dying Light: The Best is a return to form. I loved revisiting this world after the disappointment that I had with the second game. It knows what it wants to be and never apologizes for it. If you loved the first game, this is a must-have.

If it’s a more modern-day superhero experience akin to what you get from Rocksteady or Insomniac Games players are seeking; well then, you are going to be soooo mad. On the other hand, if you are someone like me, who grew up with these games then you will enjoy this collection simply for nostalgia of it all. Reliving those memories of having friends spending the night, a large Pizza-Hut pizza, two-litter of soda and superhero video games. Yea, that’s what this package is best at, reliving some of the fun of those days; and for me it’s a blast.

WWE All-Stars is not going to set the world on fire with any of its features, but it still manages to be fun, thanks to nostalgia.

As a game, The Last Day of June is repetitive, slow going, and at times absolutely depressing. Getting stuck trying to solve a puzzle can make that process feel even slower. The repeating story and nature of the themes at play lead to having to experience a lot of the same scenes again and again with seemingly no way to skip them. A blemish on an otherwise solid story telling experience. As a game, there isn’t all that much to it and can easily be played by many, but as a story telling emotional experience, it doesn’t get much better that this. I began the game thinking this was something completely different than my expectation lead me to believe. Shortly after the intro moments, when I realized that The Last Day of June wasn’t a title about the end of summer but the last day of a person’s life, the reality set in that this was going to be an emotional rollercoaster, and it surely is.

Zone of the Enders HD Collection is a solid package that truly only suffers from its technical flaws. The frame rate might not have been such an issue if the original hadn't been so smooth. As it stands, being able to finally play both games on Xbox 360 and having them in one nice package is almost worth it, unless of course you still own them on PS2.

Payday 2 is a great game when you have the right participants. This is a co-op game, and that cannot be stressed enough. If you intend to go in solo, there is little here to warrant a purchase. However, if you have a regular crew of three friends willing to take on heists with you, there is little else like this experience. Not to mention it is extremely fun when played right.

Even with those technical flaws, Atelier Escha & Logy Plus is still an RPG well worth experiencing for those who have not had the chance to check out the original. It’s debatable which of the two versions should be considered the “definitive experience”, so I would simply say that you can’t really go wrong with either.

I love the shooter genre, and feel like we don’t see enough of these titles anymore. I am always happy to see a new one crop up, but with its lack of modes and hefty price tag, it feels like this game is really taking advantage of the players like myself just wanting a new game in the genre.

A great addition to the PSP library and certainly a much needed breath of fresh air from all the recent ports and remakes. With slick visuals and solid controls you will certainly find plenty to enjoy.

The simplistic swing mechanic hasn’t changed much, but what is here works flawlessly.

Lords of the Fallen is a marked improvement over the original and the mechanic of traversing between two realms makes it feel unique among its contemporaries. If not for a handful of questionable design choices and an overall lack of polish, this could have been something special.

If you care about playing with Colts and Payton Manning, or you just have to have real teams and stadiums then Madden is your option. But if you want to play a good football game with the players of yesteryear then pick up All-Pro Football 2K8.

As a brand new IP, Ghostwire: Tokyo shows a lot of promise with its strong animation work, solid combat and interesting world design, but it falters along the path to the finish line with a story arc that feels rushed along with an excessive use of typical and tired open world game design tropes.

While it’s still working to catch up to its console big brother, MLB: The Show 2013 on the Vita is a very solid game and a great way to take the experience on the go. If next year’s version can continue to improve the visual fidelity and expand on the cross platform functionality, it will be an impressive feat. If you only have a Vita and crave baseball action, you need to pick this up. If you are like me and can’t get enough of the PS3 version, this is an excellent supplement (and you don’t even have to go to BioGenesis or BALCO to get it).

A classic arcade action title that is almost too difficult at times to enjoy. I love the art style, slick controls and level design, but dying over and over and the unforgiving checkpoints are enough to frustrate me too much at times.

The gameplay is fun and mixes it up at the right moments, giving it great pacing, and as a whole all of the parts come together for a solid experience. It may not be perfect, and there may be some technical aspects that aren't up to par, but Mafia II is a game worthy of your time and attention.

Shantae is a classic game in the right senses. It’s got a decent challenge, it’s fun, and seeing as it’s on almost every console now, there is no excuse not to try it.

Ittle Dew 2 is actually a decently paced and pretty fun action adventure game. The controls never ruined the experience for me, and with the amount to see and do and the ease of use the entire game can be, I feel like anyone who grew up playing classic Zelda games will enjoy this one enough to see it through to the end. Just remember, it is more on the simpler side. At the same time, I feel like this may be a bit of a short experience for some epically for the $20 price point.

I’d really like to see what the developers do next, if it’s anything like The Little Acre, I’ll definitely be eager to play it. For new comers to the point and click genre, this is a perfect game to experience. Veterans of the genre, while not offering much challenge or length, can still find lots to love in everything else it brings.

As far as Xbox Live Arcade titles are concerned The Maw is one of the brightest to come along in quite some time. The concept is fresh, the visuals are stunning and the pacing is nearly flawless.

Raskulls is certainly not a terrible game, just one that will quickly wear out its welcome.

The only benefit to playing on PS4 to me is that I can hold the controller in a way that my thumbs are always on the face buttons which was something I couldn’t do on both the PSP and the Vita. So I would skip this unless it is the only way you can play Patapon (and I would suggest the first game because this picks up the story right after the end of that game). Even then I can’t actually say that it will work because of the calibration issues. This was an issue with Parappa the Rapper and again Sony just didn’t put in the work. Patapon 2 is a great game; this remaster is only just okay.

The game has a certain charm that will please fans of just about any genre, not to mention add some much needed diversity to the currently shallow Wii lineup.

Even though AquaPazza isn’t the best looking or best playing game on the 2D fighter market, it’s worth a look if you’re in the mood for a weird, albeit entertaining experience.

Dead or Alive 5: Ultimate is, simply put, more Dead or Alive 5.

If you’re a fan of isometric RPGs and action, I think the choice is pretty clear, we have a winner.

While the puzzles can become frustratingly difficult with not much reward, the mysterious story had me coming back. Fans of adventure games will find their fill with Night of the Rabbit, and the visuals don’t hurt either.

At the end of the day, Get Even took me by surprise. I was expecting a standard FPS and what I got was a strange, intriguing psychological thriller that had just as many puzzles and investigation parts as it did shooting and stealth parts. The storytelling is superb and the overall design is something to really take a look at. At $30, I’d say you can’t go wrong with Get Even. It has really jumped up there in my best sleeper hits list and I suggest people really check it out if they’re looking for a good catalyst for storytelling.

It is easy to pick up, deviously deep with strategy and extremely hard to put down. While it does suffer from some issues such as uninspiring visuals and complex menus nothing can change the fact that once you get sucked into the world hours will pass without you even knowing, which is always a sign of a great experience.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm is easily the best entry in the series to date. The fighting mechanics are simple and fun and the visuals are absolutely astonishing to look at.

Pokémon Picross is still a very competent Sudoku game and the added layer of “catching ‘em all” is fun and offers a bit more to the core experience.

Concrete Genie is a wonderful experience with a strong message of kindness and forgiveness. Anyone wanting a fairly short, wholesome experience will find a lot to love here.

While Visions of Mana did not end up being the title that will take the series to the next level due to its issues with clunky combat, pedestrian difficulty and lackluster story, it’s still a solid entry to this long running series and a step in the right direction for what I hope will be continued to be improved upon for the next entry.

Lego Rock Band really does a great job of delivering top-quality presentation and a decent array of songs.

Transformers: Devastation is a fantastic trip down memory lane for fans of the Generation One cartoon. As a video game, the combat is extremely satisfying, if not a tad repetitious.

This is one of the few times when a game does something so different it will make or break the game entirely, but if it is your thing, it will be hard to beat when it comes to overall quality.

You can literally jump into a game for fifteen minutes and find satisfaction.

DiRT Showdown is a solid racer that feels like it should be better than it ended up. On paper, I should love this game, but I felt it starting to wear out its welcome after a few hours.

A prime example of how to make a great licensed game. The developers at Luxoflux have gone above and beyond the call of duty to bring this imaginative cast of characters to life. The amount of polish is simply impressive and I even found myself – a jaded game critic – enjoying the game from start to finish.

Shank is one of those games that will either be loved or hated by the masses. I for one think it is a steal at fifteen bucks, and if you enjoy classic action titles like Contra or Ninja Gaiden (NES style) then you should not hesitate picking it up.