Midway has gone above and beyond the call of duty and delivered a surprisingly fun little brawler that really benefits from the source material.

The length of the game is probably its biggest weakness, but the robust multi-player makes up for the short campaign.

The lack of online and frustrating AI will test player’s patience, but underneath it all is a solid kart racer that is best enjoyed with friends in the silky smooth split screen mode.

Tharsis is a game of management, analysis, and some dumb luck. There were times I found it highly enjoyable, but there were more times I found it frustratingly unfair.

While the improvements to the farm are nice and the plethora of new equipment, animals, visuals, and other additions go a long way to making Farm Simulator 17 the best, it’s also still resting on the same foundation.

Windbound is a fantastic adventure wrapped in a questionable package. I remember distinctly being super excited for this game from the trailers. I wanted it to be a Zelda-style adventure in the absence of titles like it recently. The mixture of mystique and survival though just doesn’t work well here. The things that make each of these genres interesting are not combined effectively most of the time. What I wanted to do in discovering Windbound’s mysteries felt at odds with its base mechanics. I wanted to love this title a lot more than I ended up doing.

As I said before, in the year of our Lord 2024 the fact that THIS is the G.I. Joe game that we get just feels bad. While G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra isnt a terrible game, its not a very fun one to interact with. From floaty combat to its subpar boss battles, I couldn’t help but think that this game was capable of so much more. Even with unlockable content to chase adding some replayability to the game, the real question is if gamers or even fans should bother playing this one at all.

Cheat 'Em is not pretty, and this is a game best viewed through a haze of smoke, sunglasses, peeking out from under the brim of your visor.

STAIRS is filled with some really awesome moments and ideas, it just doesn’t end well and is rather short. If you can look past those issues though, you’re going to have a scary time.

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

It does a lot of things right and only suffers from not being flashy or overly innovative.

I am sorry to say that Anthem has fallen short in pretty much every way. Not only do I believe that Anthem was never originally conceived to be a Live Service game and was hijacked by EA to jump on that bandwagon, but also that this game was released in an unfinished state. This has left such a sour taste in my mouth because when Anthem is working well, it can be a real fun time; flying around, getting into intense battles against humans and beasts. But it has so spectacularly failed in all other areas that I simply cannot recommend this game. And with The Division 2, a game that has experience in the Live Service sector only weeks away from launching, I feel like this Anthem will just fall on deaf ears.

Dangerous Driving feels like the little engine that could. When it works, it is a fantastic experience. It felt like Burnout never left. The lack of music and compromised original consoles though really drags it down a notch. I wanted to love this game a lot more than I did, but as it stands it is an incredible throwback to the glory days of Burnout racing. I hope Three Fields eventually gets to where they want to be and makes a true AAA Burnout clone. I would buy it day one. For now Dangerous Driving is the best alternative we have had in years.

There are far more approachable entries in the genre with much less complex and more forgiving systems.

While it still isn't perfect, Godfather II is leaps and bounds above the first game, and one of the most engaging titles I have played all year.

The combat may be shallow, the story non-existent and the fetch quests tedious, but I still managed to have a blast with Sega’s latest offering.

While the combat is fun and satisfying, the game is hampered by its repetitive nature and difficulty as you progress. Anyone looking for some Kung Fu action will certainly find it here, and it definitely is more fun with a friend. Playing in short bursts will increase the longevity of the game.

For $5 a lot of it can be overlooked, though the grinding to see the rest of the tracks almost forced me to stop playing. Still, with friends this is a great looking racer that thinks outside the box. I would love to see this team do a proper console/PC title in the series, one without all the hangups of mobile game design.

Spelunker Party seems completely at odds with the type of game it is trying to be. Frustrating controls and poor gameplay design are the things you want to try and avoid when making a platformer. But it is the slow pace of both the game and the progression that feels most out of place and one that makes this game the kind you want to avoid.

This game is the definition of okay. It’s not boring, there’s definitely enjoyment to be had, but what enjoyment there is is hindered by poor decisions.

One Piece: World Seeker is by far the best the series has been in game form. Combat feels good even if it is one note. The world is simply stunning to traverse through and the story and characters really carried me through to the end. I wish it was more fleshed out in terms of variety. One Piece continues to be a series I have an affinity for even without ever having experienced the anime, which means I will most likely be on-board for whatever comes next.

Inquisitor Martyr is a fun action RPG that I think fans of the genre will enjoy. The moment-to-moment combat is fine and serviceable, but the true meat of the game is in the builds and skill trees. So much so that it can be a little daunting to the player. If you are looking for something to hold you over until Diablo 4, you have something here to sink your teeth into, and if you’re a Warhammer 40k fan, it makes the package even better.

Pigeon Simulator has a premise you want to root for. It aims for goofy, chaotic fun, and there are moments when you can see the spark of what it could’ve been. But the repetitive mission design, underwhelming flight controls, weak progression, and lack of comedic punch make it difficult to recommend. If you’re looking for a quick laugh and don’t mind the rough edges, you might get a brief kick out of it. But for me, this pigeon never quite spreads its wings.

Rango is yet another solid licensed game that obviously had some time and thought put into it.

A sadistically satisfying experience that just feels too rough around the edges to become a true classic.

Even with its missteps, I really enjoyed Need for Speed. It tried to return to form in some aspects and it really scratched that itch I was looking for with a car customization game.

Divekick is an interesting concept, and one that is hard not to enjoy. I had a blast playing locally, and for $10 it is hard not to recommend, especially considering you get both versions. Serious fighting game fans are not likely to create a tournament scene around it, but casual and pro players alike are bound to have some epic matches of back and forth. This is why it is fun, and why everyone can jump in and have a good time, and to me that accounts for a lot.

Even with the problems it has, I still think it’s worth any RPG fan’s time.

This is as close as we are going to get to a proper Dr. Mario sequel for a while, so while the prescription doesn’t cure all woes; it does help dull the pain.

With a revamped mission structure, online play, and brand new control scheme Armored Core 4 is a must own for fans of the series like myself. While there are a few glaring problems the core experience is still enjoyable.

Kill la Kill The Game: IF is a unique title for sure. It lacks depth and breadth but makes up for it in wackiness and style. Fans of the anime will likely enjoy it, but fighting game fans in general will most likely pass this one by. There just isn’t enough here to make it stand out among the crowd. One thing I can say about it though is that nothing is ever likely to be as bonkers as far as fighting games go…oh who am I kidding?

It may not have the feel of a flagship title like Mario, but Yoshi still knows how to have some fun – just make sure to go into it knowing it’s not going to be a very difficult ride.

For twenty bucks it is hard not to recommend Brain Puzzles to anyone looking for a solid collection of mind teasers, just be aware of what you are getting into before diving in.

Band Hero is a solid addition to the portable series, but as they continue to segregate the franchises the audiences will continue to dwindle.

At the end of the day I was pleasantly surprised by this little gem of an SRPG, and while the poor graphics and pacing holds it back from true greatness, it certainly has the heart of what could be a cult classic.

I was excited going into Valkyrie Elysium because of what I had heard about the series. While after my time with it that excitement certainly has dulled, not because of the combat but just because everything around it just kind of felt ‘meh’. If the world was more populated or at the very least more interesting there would be much more here to really sink one’s teeth into, as it stands once players are done doing Odin’s bidding they will find little reason to return in my opinion.

Afro Samurai is heavy on style and aggression, so it stinks that things like the camera get in the way of a game you really want to love. Afro Samurai is a six-hour excursion with plenty of ill-conceived aspects, but katana-wielding destruction is yours for the taking if you can cope with the oversights.

Mini Ninjas Adventures is a great example of good game design for the Kinect. The gestures are unique enough that they don't get mixed up, and nothing is unnecessarily complex. The progression of weapons and enemies kept me engaged the entire time, and I was always having enough fun to forgive the occasional control glitch. It's a cute, enjoyable game and definitely worth checking out.

The brightest things about this game were when it was pitting the cast against the supernatural but these things are few and far between and take a LONG time to get to. This is an extremely slow burn, and since the characters feel paper thin; there just isn’t a lot to grab onto here. The Casting of Frank Stone has tons of references for Dead by Daylight fans but the lack of scares and likeable characters makes this one best left on the hook.

This is a decent package for the hardcore Tekken fan, but not many others. If you are a fighting game fan, the lack of online will be the biggest deterrent, and a demo is still a demo in most people's eyes.

Brave is a delightful game that was more fun than it should have been. I am really starting to enjoy reviewing these games, as developers get to toss in new ideas on licensed products, and apparently get time to actually craft a fun experience. If you enjoy the movie or the lore, I highly recommend checking this game out. It is truly one of the best licensed games I have played in a while. It may be short, but you and whomever you choose to play it with young or old, will undoubtedly have a great time with it.

Maneater is still one of a kind experience and if this is the only way to play it I think this is a really well done port that deserves the $40 price tag; just note that the Switch version doesn’t appear to be getting the DLC that other platforms will be getting later this year.

Blood Stone is a solid game that without the license most people would write off as just another humdrum shooters. Still being such a huge fan of the property I couldn't help but really enjoy taking down enemies and feeling like a complete badass at times.

It is well worth the three bucks, but when I compare this to the other tables Zen Pinball has released recently, it just feels slightly lackluster. Nevertheless, fans of the Zen Pinball franchise should look into Age of Ultron. It’s not bad, just not a big standout from the other tables released on the platform.

Trillion: God of Destruction is a game with a unique concept, expertly executed with clever mechanics and solid writing. It’s easily the best I’ve seen come from Idea Factory/Compile Heart, and an experience that reaffirmed some of my own personal traits not just as a gamer, but as a human being. If you fancy yourself brave enough to face Trillion, be wary – you too might not be prepared for what’s in store.

A Virus Named TOM is a decent little puzzler. Fans of the genre will enjoy it, and if you can play the co-op, you and a friend can have a really fun time taking on the challenges. Casual players may have a difficult time with some of the puzzles.

Fairy Fencer F is the title I had the most fun playing through from the developers at Compile Heart and yet, I feel they have the talent to do better.

I was glad to see that SAO:HF was able to put forth a more earnest effort with its improved translation and gameplay tweaks but when it’s all said and done, it’s still not a particularly good game.

It’s got a lot of little issues or oddities, but it hard charm and heart, and at the center of it all is a decent platforming title.

The length of the game is probably its biggest weakness, but the robust multi-player makes up for the short campaign.

A case of trying to flesh a mini-game into a full experience. It simply fails to offer enough content to warrant the hefty price tag, and I found myself coming back to it less and less as time wore on. The concept is fantastic for a portable game, but the amount of content and execution kills it dead in its tracks.

Even with the small faults it has, that doesn’t keep Space Assault from being a great time. The action is both familiar and fun, the visuals are pretty great, and at the price of 10 bucks, you can’t really beat it. I had a great time with Redout: Space Assault; it brought back some old fond memories and let me feel like an ace space pilot with some simple controls that anyone can pick up and play. If you’re a fan of Star Fox, this is one that you don’t want to miss.

I enjoyed my time with Birthdays the Beginning. It’s not an action game or even much of a strategy game. It has some fun elements to it that allow players to create and relax. Finding all the life forms is a fun endeavor, and one that I think people who enjoy games like Viva Piñata and to a sense, Minecraft, will have a lot of fun with it. Players wanting to create and explore is really what thing game is for. While never boring, it does have a few slow spots to it, and in here is where the players will generate their own fun creating their ecosystem.

For players with a party of friends to enjoy it with, Wild Run is infinitely more enjoyable, but simply as a racing game, it feels painfully average.

Unfortunately, the best way to describe Dariusburst Another Chronicle EX+ is as follows: a console port that feels like it isn’t supposed to be played on console. As a result, it feels like a cheap experience – a rehash of highlights without any thought as to how the package fits together as a whole. Perhaps most egregiously, the medium through which this console version is played appears to be an afterthought at best.

My only other complaint I have with the game is that it doesn't add anything new.

Starship Troopers: Extermination is an enjoyable game, but unless you plan on truly playing to follow its progress, I’d wait for the full release which hopefully also includes consoles.

There is certainly a joke to be made about Concord and sour grapes, a little less than a week after launch my wait times for a match were at 2-4 mins and this was Friday and Saturday nights, which I thought was when people were gaming. This doesn’t bode well for the future of Concord, despite the fact that the team has new Freegunners, maps and modes in the development pipeline. Of all the errors I think this game has made with its release, the most egregious is the $40 price tag. In a time where the majority of hero shooters are F2P, even the upcoming Marvel Rivals is promising all characters will be free at launch and in the future; hell, even the KING – Overwatch 2 is free-to-play. So why, on God’s good green earth, did Sony think they could ship this game at $40 and find success? I don’t know, I am just a guy who reviews games; that question is for other minds, but as far as Concord goes, just wait for it to inevitably go free-to-play if you are truly curious.

Outward is an interesting title. It takes a lot of things other games have done and mixes it pretty well together to make a difficult but rewarding RPG. Some may find it pretty difficult, but taking one’s time with it and knowing when to fight and when to run will make all the difference, and if you’re having some issues, you can always get someone else to help out via co-op. Players looking for a mix of RPG and survival will have a great time even with its technical hiccups here and there.

Choplifter HD is not as addictive as the games I have compared it to, but it definitely walks that same line of action. If you enjoy small spurts of game time, with incentive to play levels over and over, this is a must buy. The price tag may be a bit steep for some, but it definitely warrants it if this is your thing. The game is polished, humorous and, most importantly, fun.

Cookie & Cream is a terrific game that is only hindered by its appearance. The cute and fuzzy bunny motif will likely distance the game from most players at the local shop, but I assure you it makes you no less of a hardcore gamer to enjoy the finer delicacies from the Land of the Rising Sun.

I’ve talked before about how more isn’t always better, and that sometimes less is more. However, in the case of “The Awakened Fate Ultimatum”, it feels as though much of what made the original compelling and unique has been ripped out, leaving a hollow shell behind.

The humor is fantastic, the level designs are truly fun and the gameplay is a classic formula that takes no chances, but still delivers a good time.

Costume Quest 2 on consoles is not a bad game by any means, but it failed to keep me interested during most of its short duration.

Saying that the later levels in HoPiko require precision would be a gross understatement – they require absolute perfection in timing and all else. Some may like that about it, but no one will enjoy dying randomly and starting over on levels they’ve completed a dozen times already.

While it has aspects of a roguelike and the progression of an RPG, it still sticks to its guns as a shooter. It works and works well in that part. The shooting is tight and when learning the proper way to aim, it felt very satisfying. It has a few issues here and there, and while the look is not really fantastic, it offers up a rather fun experience, if even for a few hours.

Alpha Protocol is not a terrible game by any stretch of the imagination. Instead it is a collection of truly next-generation ideas wrapped in a last generation package.

The combat, while repetitive, is serviceable, and the amount of fan service here for Gundam fans is staggering. However, at the end of the day, it’s still yet another Dynasty Warriors game with very little to distinguish it from the others.

Monopoly Streets is a fantastic rendition of the classic board game that offers up just about any combination of play styles you can imagine.

The game is leaps and bounds beyond the original, and the Battle for Earth mode is truly one of the most addictive distractions I have experienced in a DS game this year.

I commend Namco for trying to make Go Vacation more than a minigame collection. It's a shame that they seem to have lost site of why people buy minigame collections. Additionally, the frustrating open-world system that exists without any sort of way to directly access the game you want is a serious misstep.

Gear.Club Unlimited could have been yet another gem on the Switch, but ultimately feels like exactly what it is. The price tag is shocking and the changes from the mobile game don’t fit the pace of the core experience. While there are moments of fun to be had, this racing game rarely ends up feeling worth the investment.

The game has a special charm to it that is hard to describe. I was never bored while playing, but I was never blown away either. It’s very standard in most aspects, but the dynamic quests and Shadow War PVP really help the game shine.

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.

A solid movie tie-in game with a few setbacks. While light years beyond the mess that was Order of the Phoenix, it still needs a few tweaks to be considered a great game.

It’s a game filled with some insanely cool creatures, worlds, and enemy designs, along with a soundtrack that absolutely matches that, and some really fun moments.

There are a few hitches here and there, but there's also a good amount of fun to be had.

It’s a hectic game that can get overwhelming at times, but still a lot of fun when taking out multiple ghosts with a well placed shot.

There is some fun to be had in Quidditch Champions but that mileage is going to vary by player for sure. Hardcore Potter heads will probably love being able to experience this sport, and chasing all of the unlockables; including skins of Harry, Cho, and many other quidditch players in the books. For anyone else, this is going to feel like a subpar package, that if I am being honest feels like a ripoff for being $30. In a time where we just saw Concord, a major first party game, make the mistake to charge for a game that has a focus on multiplayer which should be free to play; Harry Potter Quidditch Champions just feels like its flying toward the same ending. It already is a bit of a niche game but tying it to multiplayer and therefore player counts just seems like someone was hit by an obliviate spell.

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.

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos is a product of its time, and not even a great product of THAT time. It was by far the least interesting of the crossover games and not much has changed since 2003. The roster is impressive as is the artwork, but everything else just feels lackluster at best. Not sure why this was put out, even more baffling it skipped the console it only existed on back when it came out. It is a nice piece of history that is not as impressive revisiting today.

In the end, The Silver Case is a strange, but interesting title. I can’t really fault it too much for its design. This is a game from 1999 after all, but some of the dialog choices made and what could have been fixed a bit in a new translation could have helped the hokey exchanges from time to time. While it’s not a bad game, it is most certainly an acquired taste, but when you dive into it, the story is what will propel you to keep going, and it’s actually not bad as long as you can look past the old mechanics.

While not inherently bad, Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters doesn’t really stand out from the pack.

Omen of Sorrow is a really good fighting game that works well and has some really interesting mechanics that change the entire aspect of the fighting game, but because of the price, it bring down so many other aspects of the game making it a difficult purchase to recommend. Maybe when the game lowers in price, more people will pick it up. That’s the only thing I can think of that would help more than anything. It’s a good fighting game, but when there’s no one to play it with, you can only enjoy it for so long.

Longtime fans of the genre, and especially fans of the Gothic series, will be disappointed in the games lack of depth and emotionless narrative.

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.

Puzzlegeddon is a solid offering for the genre, and one that is fully worth recommending to anyone willing to invest the time it takes to learn the system. If you are a fan of games like Puzzle Quest where there is more than just block matching then this is a no-brainer.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Testament of Sherlock Holmes. The story was compelling and made me want to continue, despite some clunky controls and elements that didn't translate nicely to using a controller.

Urban Trial Freestyle is a rather enjoyable game. It frustrated me, and some things felt unfair, but that never stopped me from restarting the track for another shot at beating that ghost. The presentation and customization options are not too exciting, but they get the job done. If you’re into Trials-type games, this is one you may want to try.

In this particular version of the Conan the barbarian, the world was too dull and unpolished to lure me in. The crafting system – while confusing – is unquestionably deep, which enabled me to build some cool things in an environment that offered no true variety or immersion.

he abundance of modes keeps things fresh while the creation modes are great for younger audiences just looking to jump in and have fun.

For $5, players can get a little memorization romp with some good music and a level editor for a game with a simple concept and controls.

Killer is Dead is a Suda51 game. If that makes you smile, there is probably something here you will enjoy. If not, then its mediocre combat and weird direction are not going to carry you through the whole experience.

The story was good enough to keep me playing through to the end to see what happens next, and told well enough so that I actually cared what happened to the characters.

As it stands it is expensive, and can sometimes feel like a tech demo fleshed out with menus.

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.

On the surface it appears to have little to do with the original, but the story does reveal some threads The bad thing is the combat and levels just feel so frustrating and difficult that most players will never even get to see any of it. This game didn’t make me feel like a “killing machine” with its clunky combat and constant difficulty spikes. I don’t know who this one is for, I just know it isn’t me.

I have to admit that I was really surprised by this game. Something that, on the surface, looks low budget and boring turned out to be packed with quality gameplay and top notch features. For such a cheap price, Time Machine Rogue Pilot is a game not to be underestimated.