If you’re looking to play this solo, you may want to find a different game to play. This will frustrate you to no ends playing solo, but with a couple of friends, it can be a rather fun game to play.

Even with all these features though I still feel the price point is a bit too high. It feels like this should have been both games packed together for $30 or separately at $15, it just feels a little above its value. Still there is a lot to love here if you have nostalgia for the original games. This isn’t going to convert any newcomers to the church of Tomba, but if you grew up in the PSOne era and have good memories of this quirky platformer, this package will likely satisfy.

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.

Raw Danger is one of those games that will find a small audience that will love it. Despite its technical issues the game offers a solid narrative that is interesting enough to keep players hooked until the end.

This is a fun addition to a young gamers DS library, and the Wi-Fi multiplayer should keep the older gamer content.

Legend of Kay Remaster is a game for platforming fans of a retro era.

Zack Zero is a decent game with some technical and design issues. I love what the team is attempting to do here, and perhaps with time they will perfect it. If anyone enjoys the style of game, there is a solid experience beneath the rough exterior, albeit a little short. For $10 it is hard not to recommend, as long as you know what you are getting into.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a lot like the sword Excalibur; the greatness of the sword can be seen underneath but its currently lodged in a rock made of poor optimization. If you can forgive the bugs and all of the jank this game brings to the round table, then you may just find a hauntingly cool world worth exploring.

It’s difficult to play a game like this in isolation. Sooner or later, the mind wanders back to the present – the truth is, the genre has come on in leaps and bounds since Age of Empires came on the scene all those years ago and this is one remaster that feels like it doesn’t really belong.

All in all this sums up my Spellforce 3: Reforced experience; come for the excellent written and performed heroes (Doug Cockle of Witcher fame is one of the first you meet) as they journey across the land but stay for the sheer fun of Journey mode, where you can write your own story.

There’s supposed to be four Kirbys racing at all times and the lack of an online player base and the lack of four player split-screen multiplayer just makes it hard to recommend this game at all. It’s a good game marred by the fact that like a lot of great multiplayer focused games, the player base is lacking and the game suffers for it. I would give this game an 8 had it not been for the fact that the online player base isn’t very strong and I do not want to recommend a dead game to people. At least it has an offline single player mode I guess.

Soul Hackers 2 is a game that compares unfavorably to the recently released SMT V which I consider one of the series best. However, even when viewed on its own merits and nothing else, it falls far short of excellence due to its poor pacing, simplistic combat and endlessly dull dungeon crawling.

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends is not a bad game; it is simply what it is. I hate to be so nondescript about a game, but if you like Ferraris and racing the tracks they tend to zoom on, you will probably have a good time. If not, then this game is definitely not for you.

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

A unique and fun game. The problem lies in the fact that outside of the disappointingly short single-player there isn’t any incentive to keep playing.

The camera can sometimes work against you rather then with you, and since you have no control over it you may be caught in a situation where you can’t see what you’re hitting, or who’s hitting you.

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.

I can’t stress enough how important your living room set up is needed for the camera to register players though, otherwise the game simple can’t be played. Otherwise if you looking for something a bit different and unique that gets you off the couch and laughing with your friends, Commander Cherry might just be for you.

Overall, I felt like Troublemaker is a solid but janky beat-em up. The atmosphere, presentation and story are all really well done, feeling like a Karate Kid type spin-off. It has its moments of over-the-top craziness but at its core tells a nice ‘slice of life’ story about an area of the world that I have never been. And if you were to tell me that this was an accurate depiction of Indonesia I would 100% believe you. Well minus the child fighting tournament that is school sanctioned of course.

Mothergunship is for those who don’t mind punishing themselves and who like to break through walls to make progress. Challenging and with a unique gun crafting mechanic, the game manages to break the mold slightly. But with some performance issues and the uninspired settings I feel that the game may be better served with a price drop.

Nine Parchments is a pretty game with some wonderful presentation. While it may lack much depth in the combat and story department, I still had some fun times while playing co-op. Some design choices are also questionable, but in the end, I found the overall package contained a decent amount of content and had some fun collecting new spells and unlocks with some people online.

With a bit more focus and a little more tweaking, Assassin's Creed could have been a great game. Unfortunately, it fails to deliver on many promises we've heard over the last year.

This is one to at least look out for on the Wii U. Just keep in mind, there is some trial and error that has to be played through to get to the good bits.

Fracture tries to be more than every other shooter and at first it succeeds. Unfortunately after drilling through the game the hectic action and abundance of enemies causes you to forget what separates it from the rest of the herd and it quickly becomes what it is trying to avoid.

Rugrats: Adventures in Game in Gameland does exactly what it sets out to do. Nostalgia for the cartoon and characters are imperative to its enjoyment. It is a solid game with some awkward mechanics that make it feel like a passion project on most levels. I had fun with it but wouldn’t find myself coming back for more after finishing it.

Alien Isolation is a great game marred with problems that make it frustrating the longer it goes on, and it goes on for a lot longer than it should.

Ghost Blade HD is a niche game for a specific crowd. Most people know long before booting it up if it is their thing. There is really nothing special about this game, but what it does, it does well. Fans of the genre have yet another hidden gem to check out.

Overall, NSSR is enjoyable enough for non-Naruto fans and those craving a fighting game on the DS, of which there are few. For Naruto fans, though, the value of this title increases significantly, weaving in and out of the cherished Naruto Shippuden story.

Kororinpa is fun, but only in small doses. The lack of more levels, characters, and modes really hurt this otherwise solid game.

While it’s not going to blow any socks off, TeslaPunk still has a few decent tricks up its sleeve that make it a fun, but short shoot ‘em up that fans of the genre will enjoy for a time.

In the end, Youngblood is a budget priced spinoff that works in the gameplay department just like the previous games, but lacks in a lot of other areas. I would suggest it to players that have a co-op partner to play with and with the Deluxe Edition, a co-op pass code is available. Even then, players may find themselves burned out on this one much faster than the mainline games that came before it.

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.

It's a shame that technical issues hold KOF: Orochi Saga back so much, because it's a collection with a heck of a lot of potential.

As an exercise in fan service, Back to the Multiverse hits a lot of notes that fans of the series will recognize and appreciate. It's certainly offensive, but so is the source material, so that shouldn't be a surprise. As a game, it's a very average third person shooter that doesn't do anything special, but doesn't do anything horrible either.

In the end this collection has one good game, one mediocre game, and one travesty. Of course, I still had to have it. My nostalgia and love for these games includes the trash. For anyone with reverence for these games, this is a solid collection. For anyone curious about the franchise, but the first collection and avoid this one. That original trilogy is still classic. After that, these games went to crap until Crystal Dynamics took over the franchise in 2006. I do hope we see a collection of those early Crystal Dynamics games at some point, especially the remake of the first one, but if you own an Xbox, you can play them via backward compatibility, which is awesome. They still hold up, as for this collection, skip it unless you are just curious about how bad Angel of Darkness truly was.

It's not that Crazy Machines Elements is a bad game. There is absolutely enjoyment to be had, especially for fans of physics-based puzzlers. Unfortunately, this iteration of the series doesn't make a great showing, largely due to its control problems and finicky nature.

Developers spend so much time trying to recapture that magic of classic pixel-style games and instead forget about what made them special. It wasn’t the look, it was the loop. There are plenty of 8 and 16-bit titles with mundane game play and nowadays it shows why some games stood the test of time. Be challenging, but be interesting. Don’t just punish players and throw lush visuals at them. Make the game play interesting as well. This is something Valfaris lacks, and I wish more indie developers understood when making these games that I very much want to play, I just lose interest in far too soon.

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.

Inferno Pool is a cool concept hindered by slippery controls and poor replay value.

Out of all the experiences in Family Game Night Battleship is the hardest to recommend. Playing by the honor system is not always what it is cracked up to be, and there are often times where finding a solid online opponent will prove to be more trouble than it's worth.

Wild Guns Reloaded is a great trip down nostalgia lane with some bad decisions regarding price and lack of online. I had a lot of fun with it, but felt it was a bit too pricey for what it offers. Fans of the original will undoubtedly find plenty to love, but the steep price and lack of online make this hard to recommend for anyone who doesn’t have the fondest of memories for the original game.

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns appeals more to the younger audience with its simplified mechanics, but it clearly falters in adding enough depth and satisfying progression to make the repetitive day to day cycle feel worthwhile.

My gripes really stem from the place of being a fan. Anyone entering Watch Dogs: Legion looking for a by the books open world game is going to find a lot to enjoy. There are small puzzles to solve, plenty of collectibles, lots of missions and I would say the shooting and driving are the best this series has ever been. Fans of the series like myself however will be disappointed by the lack of enjoyable characters as well as stand out missions and story beats. With how close Legion is releasing to Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising it feels like Watch Dogs: Legion was left to fight for your attention and your money with less money put into development. I would recommend both Watch Dogs 1 & 2 as well as plenty of other Ubisoft experiences from the last few years before Legion at full price.

The song list is great if you love classic Eddie and the guest bands while not relevant, offer a solid mix. Not being able to export the songs into GH 5 or download any new tracks really hurts, but the lackluster presentation hurts even more.

If you are in the mood for some solid third-person action, great hand-to-hand combat, and some kickass driving sequences then this game is certainly worth a second look. Oh and it doesn't hurt if you are a big fan of Mr. Johnson.

The real draw to Via Domus is the sheer amount of fan service poured into this disc. From the subtle nuances to the show to the proverbial flashback in each episode the game does a lot to appease its fanbase. Unfortunately that won't be enough to warrant a sixty dollar price tag for a game that can be completed in roughly 5-6 hours.

Aside from the giggles I get every time I have to say Dogfight: A Sausage Bomber Story, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my time with it. Not usually a fan of the shmups but the charming graphics and many sausage puns won me over on this one. It’s not a perfect game but if you enjoy Sausages and the technology they can create, then I’d recommend Dogfight: A Sausage Bomber Story.

Drug Dealer Simulator is not going to appeal to everyone based on what its very game is. But those that do check it out will find a pretty competent business simulator that makes some missteps. Graphics feel dated and bland, there are a lot of menus to navigate, and the game is poor at explaining things. It just feels crazy because almost everything that DDS isn’t, Schedule 1 is. If you have an Xbox, then this is passable drug dealing experience and is worthy of your time until Schedule 1 makes its inevitable console debt that is.

Funko Fusion is a fun and nostalgic game that will appeal to fans of Funko Pop figurines and the franchises it represents. While it has its share of technical issues and repetitive gameplay, the colorful worlds, charming character designs, and humor make it an enjoyable experience. With the upcoming online play feature and regular updates, Funko Fusion has the potential to become even more engaging and entertaining in the future. The game’s ability to bring together different franchises into a single, cohesive universe is a testament to its creativity and charm. Whether you’re a fan of Scott Pilgram, Masters of the Universe, or any of the other franchises featured in the game, Funko Fusion offers a delightful and nostalgic journey that is sure to entertain and captivate players.

This DLC is for those that are still getting enjoyment from the multiplayer, or for those that want a great new mode to play. But at 1000msp, I can’t really see this map pack as being something that will get you back in to the game if it has been sitting on your shelf collecting dust for the past few months.

Whether it is fatigue or poor implementation, Just Cause 4 doesn’t feel like a true sequel. The issues I had with the third game have been fixed, but I still fell off this game much faster than I had anticipated. I adored the second game, dealt with the third one, but this fourth entry just lost its appeal far too quickly. It might be time to rethink and restructure the series, or perhaps move on to a new idea.

There’s a healthy player base right now, but without an active community over the long term, this game is really nothing. There’s enough here to keep players busy for a good long while, and with a few patches here and there, the bugs may be remedied. As of right now, for $15, you get a decent shooter with a solid package and a few problems here and there. Just make sure you have some decent teammates.

For those who have fond memories of the early Hitman games, the HD trilogy accomplishes its goal. It is faithful to the originals (although in the case of Silent Assassin and Contracts, probably too faithful). However, for those who don’t have those nostalgic ties or are new to the series, Absolution is unquestionably a better choice, and those who enjoyed Absolution and are looking for more Hitman will want to think twice.

While I am glad to see MechWarrior make a return; its just not the one I’ve been waiting for. While the latest expansion Legend of the Kestrel Lancers adds new mechs, biomes and a linear story missions its still more of the same, so if one doesn’t like the base game…. Then the expansion isn’t going to do much to change that.

Doc Clock is a decent game with some frustrating parts due to the camera and wonky movement.

Alien Cab is definitely enough to divert your attention for an afternoon, but don't expect to be coming back to it after the initial run.

Overall, Legrand Legacy is a decent game. It’s never overly difficult and the look and feel of it really does come off like a classic JRPG from yesteryear, for better or for worse. It works, and even if it does get tiresome in spots, the story and lore are engaging enough to keep RPG fans afloat, but keep in mind, you’re going to have to change your mind set a bit before taking this one on. If you can turn your brain back a few years to the early 2000’s you may find yourself an enjoyable RPG.

Overall, Cabela's North American Adventures is not a bad game; there are just no real redeeming qualities for someone who is new to the genre.

Starpoint Gemini Warlords still feels a little incomplete. While I would not go so far as to describe it as anything approaching a disaster, there are a lot of problems here that need addressing. The good news is, theoretically, many of the performance issues can be fixed – and I think this would really improve the overall experience. The bad news is, the game’s core foundation – its blend of simulator/RPG/strategy – doesn’t really work as well as it could, at the moment. It’s a structural problem – one born from an over-ambitious attempt to do too many things at once. It has a lot of promise, but the delivery is lacking. There is an enjoyable game in here, but it currently lives down the road. For now, however, Starpoint Gemini Warlords is a product that doesn’t do any one thing well enough to justify its price point and the accompanying time investment it requires of players.

BIT.TRIP FATE is best suited to shooter fans who enjoy the challenge of besting their high score by repeating the same levels multiple times. It does provide plenty of challenge, and even on the default difficulty I had my hands full simultaneously watching my character and firing reticle.

There just isn’t much here to get excited about, and it feels like the game is just checking the boxes of what it had to have, instead of bringing any new ideas to the table. Still, I kept playing. Even with all of its shortcomings the game kept me interested to its end. It just doesn’t feel like a full-priced title.

Shuten Order is a game of great ambition, unfortunately lacking in execution and polish to properly shoulder the weight of said ambition. While there is a good story to experience and some great moments sprinkled throughout the adventure, the issues with its storytelling and half-baked gameplay elements makes it come far short of its lofty ambitions.

This game knows what it wants to do, and it executes it flawlessly. The loss of characters and some of the more enjoyable mini-games is certainly a bummer, but let’s be honest, that is never why anyone played this game.

The disappointment comes from the fact that it simply feels average, especially for a next-gen title. I left the game feeling like I wanted more, whether it was better visuals, more diverse game play, or simply a fresh helping of innovation.

Bee Simulator: The Hive isn’t deep, and it isn’t flashy, but it’s surprisingly earnest and occasionally endearing. It expands on the original concept just enough to feel like a genuine sequel rather than a reskin. Kids will get a kick out of it, and adults might find it a pleasant palate cleanser between heavier games. The repetition and simple mission structure keep it from greatness, but the charm carries it farther than you’d expect.

Still, if you can stick with it and become accustomed to the way you are forced to rely on instinct, there is a pretty fun and solid game here. The barrier to entry is just too high to recommend it to everyone.

It's not that this final episode of Hector: Badge of Carnage is bad, it just seems like the series has been on a downward slope since the first episode. The humor and animation continue to be strong, but the puzzle design goes limp at the end.

The song list is great if you love classic Eddie and the guest bands while not relevant, offer a solid mix. Not being able to export the songs into GH 5 or download any new tracks really hurts, but the lackluster presentation hurts even more.

Due to a myriad of issues both big and small, Star Ocean: The Divine Force feels less like a step in the right direction but instead, a stumble towards the goal. Still, the excellent combat and a more enjoyable story shows that there is still life amongst the stars and I sincerely hope that the series will continue and improve even further.

In the end, I feel like Blue Reflection had some good things going for it. I didn’t mind the story even if it was a bit melodramatic more times than not, and the combat was in the right place, I just wish it would have offered up more of a challenge. Obviously, this is not a game for everybody, and the game knows its audience and caters to it the best way it can. Still, many fans of this style of game will find it overly simplistic and not difficult at all. While I enjoyed my time with it for the most part, there were still a few times I rolled my eyes at the things on screen. That’s going to happen with me in these games. Still, the target audience for Blue Reflection will enjoy it for the most part, although it may very well be too simple for their tastes.

The problem is that the core game tries to be something it was never meant to be and that really drags the overall fun factor well below where it should be.

Apart from the optimization issues, Dead Rising 3 is still a lot of fun.

While not exactly the swan song to send this tragedy off to the ever after in satisfaction, fans that have kept up with this cult favorite will be pleased to see how it all plays out.

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.

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

While I can most definitively say that Akiba’s Beat is a marked improvement over its predecessor, I can’t help but feel that in its aspiration to become like the much beloved Persona and Tales series, it has lost an identity of its own. Despite its improvements, with the stellar lineup of games all bidding for your time this year, it’s hard to recommend Akiba’s Beat over its superior alternatives.

Fans of the original will find some nice improvements, but also some sad omissions.

Shining Resonance Refrain is a good, albeit predictable JRPG. There are a few neat mechanics stored within its walls, but for the most part it simply exists. While PS4 (and even Switch owners) are used to these types of games though, Xbox One owners simply are not. So this is a solid entry for that console. It is also cool that Sega is bringing a game that was lost in time to the US back from the dead. I enjoyed my time with this game, warts and all, and I think anyone who is a fan of the genre will too.

How to Train Your Dragon is definitely a step backwards for Activision in terms of licensed games. It doesn't have the same level of polish and dedication that the previous offerings brought to the table. Still I respect the fact that the developers did something totally out of the ordinary for this game instead of the run-of-the-mill platformer we are usually spoon-fed.

Blackguards 2 is not a perfect game and, unfortunately, not the reinvention of its predecessor it could have been. However, the game does ultimately reward a little (well, a lot of) patience, developing into a relatively enjoyable campaign once the player has progressed past the early stages.

For those of you who simply want to stare at unrealistically proportioned females jumping around a beach with hardly any clothes on and performing sexual innuendos at every turn, then by all means grab a copy of this game and live out your fantasy with the DOA girls. Those looking for depth and a meaty game steer very clear as DOA is all about the visuals and spending quality time with imaginary women.

Backyard Football 2010 is a good game for young children who love the idea of football. It is simple, easy to pick up and really well designed.

Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor Martyr (told you the name was ridiculous) is a solid game that I had a lot of fun with…once I got past its blemishes. A patch or two and this game might be a must-own for ARPG fans. Right now though, it is hard to recommend due to its hindrances.

This package is solid but has some glaring drawbacks. The retail price is a bit steep, but I saw plenty of sales over the holidays that make it much more appealing. Still for those craving that classic game show experience it is now available on the new consoles. Let’s just get Trebek back for the next iteration. Jeopardy is not Jeopardy without his snarky responses.

In the end Batman feels like a rough start, and if I wasn’t such a fan of the characters, I am not sure I would come back for more. However, being such a huge fan I find myself wanting to see where it goes, warts and all, which is something Telltale seriously needs to address. This engine has been chugging along far too long, and instead of acquiring new licenses for properties, it might be time to take a break and build a new engine, one that can handle these grand narratives they are trying to build.

While the combat is simple, the presentation unpolished, and a clear lack of co-op hurts the replayability, the core game is still tons of fun to play and gamers looking for a mindless beat-em-up will find plenty to love in Activision’s latest iteration in the Shrek franchise.

The real draw to Via Domus is the sheer amount of fan service poured into this disc. From the subtle nuances to the show to the proverbial flashback in each episode the game does a lot to appease its fanbase. Unfortunately that won't be enough to warrant a sixty dollar price tag for a game that can be completed in roughly 5-6 hours.

Strike Suit Zero: Director’s Cut is a decent game that simply needs more variety.

Deadlight is a unique game that boasts a lot of great ideas and atmosphere. This new version does what it needs to have the remaster moniker attached to its name, but I don’t see compelling reasons to revisit it.

Halo: Spartan Assault isn’t a terrible game, but more of a disappointing one. It is great that console players can finally play this once mobile-only title, and it is great the team added in the new co-op mode.

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

Silent Hill: Book of Memories is a surprising twist on the franchise that works in some areas, while falling flat in others. If you intend to duke it out with friends, I recommend it wholeheartedly, especially with the lousy Vita lineup right now. If you are going in strictly for the Silent Hill aspect, you are likely to be disappointed.

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

Cabela’s Big Game Hunter: Pro Hunts is an interesting take on the series. The story is forgettable, but the inclusion of professional faces is definitely unique. The rest feels familiar and will suffice the fans that take the plunge each year. Those looking for the evolution of the series though will be disappointed.

Overall, Warriors Orchi 3 Hyper is a good game, but not a great game. There is lots of fun to be had. Unfortunately, there are some graphical issues and game play repetitiveness, but then again most fun things in life are repetitive in their own way.

Phoning Home has some issues to it, and the first couple of hours are the roughest part of the game as far as exploration and pacing goes, but if you take your time with it and progress, the game does get much better. Originally, I was going to be so down on this game, but after putting some more time into it, I got used to the controls as best I could then began enjoying my time with ION and ANI. For $20, you can definitely do a lot worse than this. Just remember to keep an open mind before jumping directly in.

It’s a decent tower defense game with some RPG elements thrown in. While I don’t like the padding the developers thrown in, I can still see past a lot of its faults like the camera not being the best or the occasional slow down that occurs when big waves are hitting. It’s still a fun tower defense game that does a lot of things right and fans of the genre will still enjoy. I would say just wait for a slight price cut.

Raji was a decent experience. While it never stood out from the combat focused platformer crowd, it never buried itself in the crowd either. It’s fine game that I think fans of this style of game will enjoy even with the issues I had. If only the loading screen wasn’t so long, I wouldn’t have had as many issues with failing at my jumps and at the combat with several enemies. In the end, this is a different take on a familiar style of game that is just fine, but doesn’t stand out.