There are times where you are going to just want to put the controller down and say: "I can find a better game somewhere else". However if you stick with it, you will find something to like underneith it all, and will definetly have some fun with Aliens Versus Predator.

For all intents and purposes, Sacred 3 is a beat ‘em up that can be completed by simply button mashing, and that’s fine to me. Yes, for fans it will feel like a very dumbed down version of their beloved franchise, but I still found myself wanting to complete it even when it did get a bit monotonous.

The songs are catchy and even I found myself humming them days after playing, but it will not replace any of the more mainstream karaoke titles.

City of Brass has a great theme and aesthetic, but falls victim to the same issues most roguelikes have. I feel like a broken record every time I review one saying this would have been a better traditional game as opposed to a run-based one. Still, there are neat ideas and the theme of it is hard not to love.

Its smooth running makes it easy to get lost in the game, not to mention that the graphics are so well done that you feel like you are in the winter season every time you play.

As someone who has never really played turn based strategy games, Legends of War: Patton was initially intimidating, but the tutorials explain things well and I was able to find my bearings pretty quickly. The combat was good, although hardcore strategy fans may find the single player lacking AI depth. Having your troops rank up is cool though, and I actually started to get weirdly attached to some of the guys I had since the beginning. It's not without fault, but as long as you turn most of the audio off it's a solid, enjoyable game.

For ten bucks, this a decent platformer that I think people will enjoy if they like the trial and error kinds of game that require a little bit of thought.

Fans of casual pick up and play mechanics will likely find the learning curve a bit too steep for their liking, but if you invest the time to learn the ins and outs there is plenty of fun to be had here.

With the level of creations online now you can see the frustration caused by the editor. Tracks are not nearly as inspired as those found in ModNation. It just seems like LBP Karting took more shortcuts in its design than the two games that make up its core.

Dungeon crawlers are rare, and even more so on Xbox consoles, and this one is definitely worth unwrapping for players that have the time and patience.

The gameplay is solid and the online mode works fairly well, but a severe lack of features really dampens the experience for those expecting more from EA’s latest.

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.

Diabolical Pitch is a game that is best played over a few sessions. After playing for a while my arm started to get sore. The strategy of deciding what order to tackle enemies keeps things interesting, but not enough to completely overwhelm the "been there, done that" feeling I had at times.

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is one of the worst names for a game ever. Still the exploration is second-to-none. I wish the combat was more fluid or the enemy encounters tweaked a bit better. I feel like most people will quickly fall off once the difficulty ramps up. It is not hard due to challenge, but more because of functionality and that sucks. It tarnishes an otherwise incredible experience that could have easily been the next huge series in the genre. Still if you can muster through the challenge this is an experience worth taking.

Homefront is a game that will live or die based on its online component. For $60, if you are investing solely for the single-player campaign, you are truly wasting your money. The multiplayer has the potential to be something amazing with a few tweaks and a better selection of maps, currently there just aren't enough.

Kung Fu Strike actually surprised me. The game is just pure fun. The crazy combos you can pull off by only holding a button are always fun to see, and the simplistic nature of the game play makes it easy for anyone to pick up and play. You may have a struggle in the later levels of the game, but co-op will make that easier for you. All for ten bucks, I'd suggest giving it a shot. It's a fun little beat 'em up with a lot of heart.

For a puzzle game, it’s relatively short, but at times, frustratingly hard.

Homefront is a game that will live or die based on its online component. For $60, if you are investing solely for the single-player campaign, you are truly wasting your money. The multiplayer has the potential to be something amazing with a few tweaks and a better selection of maps, currently there just aren't enough.

Revisiting these games has been a treat. I loved them back in the day, and while they haven’t all aged gracefully, I appreciate them for what they are. Nostalgia is a heck of a drug, and I love that we can now play these games on modern consoles. The omission of the Saturn and PlayStation versions is its biggest flaw though and I wish we could have had a complete collection.

What this all adds up to is a good game that is marred by its design and age. I still had fun despite the issues with the controls. This game has a certain charm that has not been matched to this day.

Mercs is all explosions with little care given to the wrappings. The lack of real story actually keeps the game playable and in the future Pandemic may be better off forgoing the pretense of plot.

The Wonderful 101 is my newest love/hate game. It does so much new and, well wonderful that I could never stay mad at it. Sadly it wasn’t the system-seller I had hoped it would be when it was announced.

Defense Technica is not a bad game. In fact, it’s fairly well made and entirely playable. However, there just wasn’t enough here to hold my interest for too long as knowing there are simply too many exceptional tower defense games available on PC that I could play instead.

There just isn’t enough here in Songs of Silence for me. If you are the type of player who wants to set up the pins and then watch the guy try and knock ‘em down; then this is for you. But I prefer being the one who is actually playing, not just setting things in motion. The very best things about Songs of Silence have nothing to do with its gameplay. This game has some of the best art direction that I have seen, with beautifully vibrant colored graphics and some stellar cutscenes; not to mention the excellent voice-acting and soundtrack. All of which just makes me sad that I didn’t like this more, If I was able to actually have more control over battles and their outcomes the inner RTS fan in me would love this game.

Alien Breed 2: Assault is a decent game that suffers mostly from poor design. Levels feel much longer than they actually are, and repetition sets in far too soon.

Ultimately, though, Crusade does what all good expansions should do – it takes a base game and improves upon it in significant ways. There is a great amount of new content here that will give existing players a fresh experience when returning to Galactic Civilizations III. It’s also competitively priced, which should entice newcomers as well. There are a few bugs and the rather large shadow of Stellaris that hang over this game, but all in all this is a really decent strategy title that should appeal to any fan of 4X gaming.

Will you get your money’s worth? Probably yes, especially if you enjoy roguelites, mech combat, and alternate history settings. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it doesn’t need to; it leans into its strengths. If you want something with deeper tactical complexity or huge narrative ambition, this won’t be your “forever game,” but for what it sets out to do, eh it does it well.

Baja: Edge of Control is anything but special, but at $29.99 it is hard to fault it too much. I had fun. I love off-road racing games and this one just scratched that itch. The track diversity is nice, I just wish it didn’t turn into such a grind as the game went on.

Scourge: Outbreak is a solid game, either single player or co-op. While it has some quirks (like starting me from the wrong checkpoint when I resumed a game), for the price it’s a solid and fairly lengthy experience. There’s nothing Earth shattering here, but for 800 points it’s a good option for players who enjoy the style.

Despite some shortcomings, Process of Elimination weaves an intriguing tale, bolstered by a cast of endearing characters. While it might not topple the giants in the visual novel genre, it is a story worth experiencing all the same.

Kinect Sports Rivals isn’t going to sell anyone on an Xbox One, or even Kinect for that matter, but it is definitely the best use of the device to date. For those looking for a fun way to get active with their new $500 machine, this is the best example of it yet.

Omen of Sorrow has more good things going for it than bad, the overall combat system feels fresh and new. The characters all feel relatable while at the same time being totally original. Fights can last longer than in other fighting games, not to mention the soundtrack is absolutely out of this world. But that’s where a lot of the good things end, the utter lack of content and the length of time it takes to actually find matches online really takes a lot of the wind from these sails.

Kung Fu Panda 2 isn't going to kickstart any hard core gamer's engine, but it is a satisfying experience for the kids.

Although even with its problems I still found myself having fun, trying to figure out your plan of attack when the enemy could drop a satellite on you at any moment, or freeze half your base, and watching those oh so iconic Tesla coils charge up and fry some poor soul who walked just a little too close is always fun.

The Swindle is a well produced rogue-like, with great style and clever mechanics. The controls are perfect and the 100 day limit creates a sense of urgency and focus. However, it’s not without its flaws, and there are lots of other similar games in the market at the moment.

Big Buck Hunter Arcade was a lot more fun than I ever anticipated, and was light years beyond any of the Cabela hunting games I have played over the years. It is fast and fun, and takes me back to a time when light gun shooters were all the rage.

de Blob 2 is a solid game that I am glad has made a return. While the remaster portion is a little of a misnomer, it is nice to see the game back. Now with these two remasters out of the way hopefully THQ Nordic can get on crafting the final chapter in the Blob trilogy. Bring it back, and make it beautiful. Colorful platformers are always welcome in my world.

Shadows: Awakening is a solid game in a genre that is easy to get lost in. The issue is that its high price point and drawbacks make it hard to recommend above something else. It just doesn’t stand enough on its own two legs to be remarkable. That doesn’t take away from the fact that I enjoyed nearly my entire time with it. Those that pick it up will likely not be disappointed; it is just getting someone to take the plunge that could cause problems. This is the kind of game that would have benefitted from being just a bit cheaper at the outset.

Capcom continues to treat their legacy games better than most companies, but their delivery method can be questionable at times. Still I had a blast with these games and would definitely love to see how weird it gets with a third outing. Fans of classic Capcom games will find plenty to enjoy, but this is by far the least impressive selection of games, especially considering recent releases.

Overall I had a lot of fun with LLWS 2010. The game has its share of problems, but if you can get past those the challenge and ease of play really create an enjoyable experience.

Still for those looking for more Forza Horizon 2 there is plenty to be found in this pack. Just know it doesn’t stray far from the original game at all.

All of this is well and good, but where the game starts to suffer is from lack of variety.

While I had my issues with the game, Pirate Warriors 3 was still a fun ride. The style and the action are both fun and look great, and any Warriors fan should take a look at it.

For Tex Murphy veterans it’s like finding an old photo album full of happy memories, and for outsiders it’s a solid, if occasionally frustrating, adventure game.

Shadow Warrior 3 ends up being just ‘ok’ in the grand scheme of things and especially in comparison to the games around it. Lo Wang deserves better and if the fates will it we will get to hang out with our pal Wang again soon.

Whether you are looking for the story driven single-player or simply want to fool around with the multi-player this game will satisfy your hunger for over-the-top style street ball.

Pentiment is not a bad game, it’s just not one that I have no real interest in; It’s more along the lines of an interactive, mystery novel than a video game. While I loved the storybook art style, the overly stylized font was just too much to look at for long play sessions. And Pentiment tends to drag on a bit too long for my taste, but for those that have a love of history, murder, religion, betrayal, secrets, walking from left to right/right to left and reading your video games; then I think you should try Pentiment, especially at the price of $19.99 or included with your Game Pass subscription.

In the end Rumble Roses XX does exactly what it set out to do, deliver a healthy amount of T and A with wrestling action thrown in as the means of reaching it.

I may sound a little harsh on the game, but Sideway: New York is not bad by any stretch. It does have some annoying parts, but the art style and constantly changing perspective is something you don't see every day. For the most part, the game is enjoyable.

I had a good nostalgic time with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD. Sure, it may be missing some key elements, but for $15, you can still relive some of your favorite levels while listening to old ska and punk bands (with a little Public Enemy) playing in the background.

TMNT: Tactical Takedown is a decent time if you love the turtles and aren’t expecting a revolutionary tactics game. It has heart, humor, and enough ninja action to keep fans entertained, truly my only issue is the writing in some areas but even its not enough to distract from how much fun this tactics game is; just like my first time trying pineapple on pizza, I was surprised with how much I really enjoyed this unique mash-up and wouldn’t mind another tactical Turtles game.

Game Dev Tycoon has some nice bells and whistles and the social commentary and satire on the video game industry is charming at times. The game “has its moments” and “I liked it.” but it still has a limited amount of content that will keep the players coming back for more, and even when they do come back, it will take a while to get into the meat and potatoes of the experience. Still, that first play through was one enjoyable ride down video game history lane.

Anyone concerned that this is a quick cash-in can leave those assumptions at the door as the game is actually a solid addition to anyone’s portable library.

For the Sega fans looking for some games to take on the go that even look pretty decent in 3D, this collection has something for everyone, although the price point may be a bit too steep when some games are short lived.

Octodad is a clever game that is fun in the same sense something like Goat Simulator is. It is hilarity, physics-based mayhem that is entirely random. The difference here is that the developers tried to streamline it with actual objectives and level progression, which can lead to frustration.

In the end, Taxi Chaos 2 is exactly what it appears to be. A fast, loud, chaotic driving game that exists to fill a very specific void. It may not be the return of Crazy Taxi that fans have been begging for, but it comes close enough to scratch that itch. This really is Crazy Taxi we have at home, and for fans of arcade chaos, that is not a bad thing at all.

It isn’t inherently awful, but it suffers from being overly average. It also doesn’t help that the best parts of the game take so long to uncover so those of you with short attention spans will likely grow tired of it long before it picks up.

Skully is a game that is easily forgettable and hardly recommendable. It is something that if you got free through a Games with Gold you would be encapsulated for all of 30 minutes and then likely never play again. It had promise with its quirky story and unique mechanics, but it never capitalizes on any of them, making it feel like yet another game lost in the ether of releases in 2020.

If you're interested in some basic platform action, or you're looking for a game with a stereotype-defying female protagonist, you can't go wrong with Pixeline & the Jungle Treasure.

The gameplay is solid and the online mode works fairly well, but a severe lack of features really dampens the experience for those expecting more from EA’s latest.

There just isn't enough here to occupy a solo player thanks to spotty AI partners. One of the more original ideas for a shooter just slightly stumbles to find its way, but if you meet the right criteria, you will undoubtedly have a blast.

Mecha Break isn’t a bad game. It’s not a great one either. It’s a classic “7 out of 10 that could be a 9 if it just tightened up.” The bones are solid; mechs feel powerful, battles look great, and customization is top-notch but the meat on those bones feels undercooked. It needs patches, balance tweaks, and maybe a stronger narrative core if it wants to hang with the genre big boys. Still, if you’ve got a soft spot for stompy robots like I do, there is enough here to have a good time with; but mileage will definitely vary.

For $7, King Oddball is not necessarily a bad choice. It’s a decent simple game that can be played for a few minutes and then returned to later.

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.

When it’s firing on all cylinders, Silly Polly Beast can be a blast. The combat feels good, the world is fascinating enough, and the overall tone sticks with you. It’s the kind of game that rewards curiosity the type that you keep pushing forward just to see what bizarre thing it throws at you next. That being said though the experience feels uneven. A few segments drag, while others frustrate, and a few just feel unfinished. Even with those hiccups, I can’t deny I had fun. Not consistent fun, but enough of it to make me glad I gave it a shot.

In the end, the Zen Classic Table pack offers up a good variety of tables, but they really feel dated and less exciting when compared to the cleaner, more recent offerings. If they go on sale, I'd recommend scooping them up, but for your hard earned $2.50 each (only available as a pack), there is better virtual silverball to be played.

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.

I understand the point of these collections is to make these games available on modern platforms, so I am not always as hard on the lack of features, but I would have loved to see a few more additions. At $29.99 this isn’t a cheap package. I would have loved to have seen some interviews, old commercials, or something like that. Also not being able to remap controls is always a crime on these types of games. All that said, this is still a solid collection. The first game is a must-play, the others, not so much, but still neat. I love these collections, but I would prefer to see them on every platform and perhaps a little cheaper considering the additions are not fully fledged out.

As someone that hasn’t really been exposed to the series proper, the only expectation I had going in was that it would be a fun couch gaming experience and in that regard, Super Mario Party is a rousing success as I saw nothing but smiles all around during my numerous play sessions with over a dozen different people. However, those smiles were short lived as they soon faded when we realized that there were only four boards to play and the rest of the other modes were simple novelties at best. A shame as this party was one I was glad to be invited to- I just didn’t feel the desire to stick around for too long.

With all the small flaws aside Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is certainly far from being unplayable, in fact the game excels at almost everything it sets out to do.

If you’re looking for a fun distraction for about 4 hours and have nine bucks to spare, give it a shot. You may actually have a fun time like I did.

The gameplay which I would say is part platformer, part destruction, part puzzler, all feels rather well done. The interface is a little basic, the story is throw away, and at times and the screen tearing can drive me absolutely bonkers when it happens. Otherwise I found an extremely enjoyable and unique title.

There is a lot of fun to be had. I just want to convey all that I had experienced with the game. It's left up to you to decide if you want to drop the money on it.

A simple port of the popular franchise downsized to fit in the palm of your hand. Granted the core game mechanic is still tons of fun in small doses I believe that was the game’s main goal in the first place and this iteration nails it flawlessly.

The action is fun, if not monotonous, and there is simply nothing special about it at all. Still, I had fun the entire time I was playing the game, and that speaks volumes in my book.

Fast and Furious: Arcade Edition is fun for a little while but wears out its welcome far too soon. You can unlock everything there is to see in an hour, and the unfair AI makes replaying it not all that much fun. I loved the romp, but at $30 this is a hard one to recommend. It just lacks content, and the brutal AI kills any replayability. Combine that with no online mode and this title falls short of a must-have.

GunWorld 2 does a decent job of grabbing that nostalgic feel of the older NES games while still keeping it difficult as hell.

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.

When Icarus originally launched on PC, it was session-based with time-sensitive missions where once your objective was reached, you would be extracted. Hence the roguelite feeling, as anything you built on the surface would be lost. Luckily the developers added the more traditional open survival mode later and if you are playing on console, you get everything all at once, you lucky player you. But as much as I love the more open mode, I do feel like the underlying structure of the session-based mode translates well to console users; especially for those that want to play these games without it feeling like a demanding second job.

Transformers Prime is a solid entry for Nintendo owners this year. It was a wise decision to spin off the series from its other versions, and focus on a different series altogether. This allowed the team to create their own experience without having to simply downgrade the bigger version.

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.

While it does change a lot as far as combat is concerned it feels more like a traditional Silent Hill title than the last few efforts.

As someone thoroughly tired and uninterested in anything Musou, I can say without hesitation that Spirit of Sanada did very little in changing my opinion on the genre. Having said that, the focus on telling a tighter, more involved story along with the addition of a variety of RPG elements is a step in the right direction and deserves praise- hopefully pointing towards a renaissance for the genre.

With a price tag of $39.99, it is really hard for me to recommend this game in 2017. Although there aren’t that many 1-on-1 shooter/fighters on the market, I do believe that your money would be better spent elsewhere. Maybe wait for a price drop before picking this up, if you really think that this will interest you.

The final game in the series is the most refined. It also benefits from being the first game on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, so the fidelity is the best by far. The conclusion to the series continues to refine what makes it appealing. The fighting still feels great, if not a bit shallow. It was fun seeing the evolution of the franchise in one package. It is hard to argue the value here. I have always enjoyed the Ultimate Ninja Storm games even without knowledge of the source material. The fighting is fun and the stories are always over-the-top madness. This package delivers hours of fun and a solid look into the lore of Naruto.

I hope Turnip Boy returns to this format because I think this is a better canvas for the ideas the developers have character wise, but I also think it allowed them to be more creative with gameplay than Turnip Boy Robs A Bank (which the review for should be up alongside this one). I think Turnip Boy is worth people’s time, it just comes down to dollar per hour value because I think I finished most of what this game had to offer in about 3-4 hours and while I think $15 is worth that, other people don’t.

There is a lot of fun to be had. I just want to convey all that I had experienced with the game. It's left up to you to decide if you want to drop the money on it.

I simply don’t think this stands as tall as Super Metroid, Zero Mission, Prime, Fusion, or even Samus Returns. But to a Metroid fan it is worth playing and realize that these are problems I found with the game; other people haven’t had the same issues. However, to anyone who has never played a Metroid game before, I don’t think this is the place to start. I think it feels too different from the rest of the series (neither a good or bad thing) and the moments in the story that hit really well only do so because of everything that has happened before in previous titles.

There are a ton of features in the game that no one asked for. Vita owners already have Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Mortal Kombat in their lineup, and MK is far superior with its uniquely designed challenge mode exclusively for Vita.

All in all, it’s not a bad TMNT game. Sure, the bosses may take too many hits to take down, and the combat will become a mash-fest after a while, but with a few buddies online, I had a pretty fun time seeing the lean green fighting machines back in action.

While JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star absolutely looks the part, it falls short of its potential with its poor implementation of the story mode and online multiplayer.

A fun game that can be as mindless or as strategically intricate as you'd like.

If you take the time to learn all of the nuances of the game it is truly rewarding for the price and portability Aedis Eclipse delivers; if you can manage to understand what it is trying to deliver that is.

Screamer is one of Milestone’s most interesting games for sure, but it has a laundry list of issues that hold it back. These could all be addressed with patches, and some have shortly after launch. I just wonder if players will stick around long enough to see them all. I will definitely keep my eye on it over time, as I do adore a great arcade racing game. Where it stands, Screamer is an interesting game with a few setbacks. Definitely recommend waiting for a sale before diving in.

Remasters are part of this generation whether we like them or not. Bulletstorm is a game perfect for this trend as a lot of players likely missed it the first time around. The addition of Duke Nukem and all the DLC is nice, but the sticker shock is real. This is the kind of game that would have done much better with just a little lower price of entry.

Alone in the Dark was a fun adventure that scratched an itch I always have. It is a solid survival horror game that sometimes suffers under the weight of its own technical shortcomings.

Disintegration is a solid game that relies too heavily on the wrong pieces. The multiplayer is limited and the campaign feels haphazard at times. I still really enjoyed my time with it and suggest everyone give it a look down the line. Not sure if the multiplayer aspect will have a tail outside of the launch window, but the campaign is solid and the mix of styles really sets this game apart from a lot on the market.

The price tag is definitely worth it though if you are like me and have not been oversaturated in the genre.