If you have four dollars to spend and want a game you can play for fifteen minutes, then it might be a good choice, but there are certainly other PSP Minis that deserve your attention and money elsewhere.

Conception II is a title I feel wanted to be a contender to P4G’s crown of the best Vita JRPG, and while it borrows some elements from the king, it falls short of its goal and presents a solid, albeit unremarkable title with its own unique quirks.

There are lots of survival systems at play in Beyond Contact, but due to the poor functionality of the UI a lot of those systems aren’t fun. While I did enjoy the actually base building, and research systems for upgrading gear and tools my constant fight with the UI and bugs just marred each of my play sessions with the game. If players can deal with the controls, the developers are promising more planets to explore. Those that prefer the mouse and keyboard might have a better time with this one than I did with the controller.

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’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.

As it stands right now its a solid if unspectacular debut on the new generation of consoles. Who knows though, the wrestling industry is full of people who turned unspectacular debuts into international superstardom.

Overall, I liked the battle system. However, it can get very overcomplicated, very quickly.

Overall, there is almost zero fun to be had in Bakugan: Defenders of the Core. The gameplay is fun at times, but as a whole is boring.

Monster Crown is a game that I would say try out if you’re into the old school Pokémon games. This is obviously a primitive game, but offers some new things to the monster catching genre. It’s most certainly not the best game or even the most flashy game out there, but as a Pokémon style game grounded in a more traditional turn-based RPG, it’s not a bad ride.

Crossfire: Legion does a great job of evoking great memories playing better games in the RTS genre. It does very little if anything to innovate and leans heavily on the tracks that many other games have laid before it. But what hurts it most of all is the fact that there is NO A.I. matchmaking, which means that if players want to play the game, they must use the multiplayer option which seems to be on its way to being abandoned at this point. So that leaves players to repeat a lackluster campaign filled with generic characters (whom they utilized some top tier talent such as Ashly Burch who is wasted here) and cliché plots. Crossfire: X was my first introduction to the world of Crossfire and as you can read in my review it was a terrible first impression. And now with Legion being the mess that it is I think I may not give Crossfire a third chance to disappoint me.

Risen is a weird release. Sure, we are getting just about everything these days and I love that, but this one is just a weird pull. The genre has its fans, heck one of them is on our weekly podcast, so I can see the appeal of bringing back the classic Euro-jank formula. Risen is packed with content and if you can get past its blemishes there is a solid RPG here to last you at least 60 hours, but I feel a lot of today’s gamers won’t even get off the beach tutorial at the beginning of the game.

Sure it isn’t going to go down in history as a great platformer, but I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it. It reminded me of the progress of our medium as well as the days when every company was trying to get in on the character platform action. I like to see forgotten games get a second chance, and THQ Nordic seems to be doing the legwork. Just spread it out and bring these to other consoles. Everyone should be able to stroll down memory lane at some point.

Both hardcore and casual golf fans will find a fun playing golf game, but players looking for a lot of modes and options won’t find it here.

This genre is for a special crowd of players that either love the genre or have loved it since they were kids. They’re not the deepest experiences, and they are definably better with friends. Playing alone can be a bit of a drag, as some levels go on longer then needed. Though bring a few friends, get on the couch, have some snacks and enjoy a few hours of old school arcade fun. Sometimes that’s all you need.

Kick & Fennick is a charming adventure that never realizes its potential. There is something here that feels unique and exciting, but it never manifests. I had fun romping through the short campaign, but it never really challenged me the way it should have.

Magnetic: Case Closed isn’t a terrible game, but nor is it a particularly good one. It’s also very short – players can easily expect to complete one play through in five hours or less.

A nice throwback to old school platforming; a good playing, but muddy looking, 3D extravaganza.

A solid action RPG with plenty of loot to collect. I really got a sense of Champions of Norrath the more I played it, and wanted to continue grinding, which is uncommon for me.

A sad example of a game that has so much going for it, but lacks the content to back it up. The game plays great, is a blast online and contains moments of brilliance, but its lack of any kind of tutorial, career structure and just plain content really drag it down.

What this boils down to in the end is that DW5E is simply a sloppy rushed port that is trying to cash in on the popularity of the franchise for the next-generation.

Shaun White Skateboarding is a genuinely disappointing endeavor that had potential to nab the Tony Hawk fans that simply didn't graduate to Skate.

The game is obviously aimed at more of a family audience where kids can play on their own or with their parents. In that instance, it works wonderfully with little issue. Those hoping that this might be the motion-controlled adventure the hardcore had be waiting for will find little more than a diversion that works well but doesn't revolutionize the medium.

If you are a fan of the Naruto or Boruto anime or manga then you will find loads to love about Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections. Touting the largest roster in series history and an in-depth encyclopedia that covers all the various titles and terms that are used in the series which makes it easy for newcomers to understand. Fights are dazzling and chaotic and developer CyberConnect2 has done an amazing job in that regard. But with the multiplayer being broken on Xbox and the fact the gameplay has been largely unchanged I can’t help but think that this series is in need of some sort of shakeup to push it forward into the future.

Leader boards and achievements drive the re-playability of Babel Rising.

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

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

I wasn’t a fan of The London Case, admittedly I am not a huge fan of Hercule Poirot outside of live action media though. But for me this game just felt unpolished and perhaps rushed, which maybe it was because as I write this a new Hercule game is set to drop this very week. Again, this is a sequel in a series that I haven’t played so this may be an improvement I don’t know, what I do know is that for someone who enjoys mystery, adventure games The London Case shall remain unsolved for this fledgling detective.

Blood Bowl is an interesting concept that is just poorly executed. Fans of the tabletop game are better off checking out the PC version if they can. If you don't have any other option there is fun to be had here but you have to commit yourself to dealing with the shortcomings of this version.

ASX is a fun, throwaway distraction. It certainly cannot compete with 'real' fighting games, but its charm, music and 'nuttier than squirrel poo' storylines help it stand out a bit.

In the end, Ashwalkers is a decent game. It’s simple in nature and there’s a nice reason why. This is a storytelling game above all else. It does a decent job here and offers up some different play styles when it comes to choosing the story the player wants to see. It’s not going to knock anyone’s socks off, but I did enjoy my time with the game even if it did have a few moments where it frustrated me. This one is for the story fans. Not actually the survival players. If you’re looking for a choice driven game, you’ll get it here. If you’re looking for a post-apocalyptic survival game, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Shaun White Skateboarding is a genuinely disappointing endeavor that had potential to nab the Tony Hawk fans that simply didn't graduate to Skate.

Overall Sonic 4.2 is an improvement from 4.1 but there are still issues. Playing the game is very nostalgic, but doesn't bring much new to the table, and for 1200 points you may not feel like it is worth your money. I would recommend this game if you are a Sonic fan, but be wary that there is not much new with respect to the game design.

If you love melee combat looters and prioritize minute to minute action over any degree of lasting depth or narrative impact, you may find some enjoyment here. For most of us though it seems Godfall’s ultimate destiny is to be placed on the “Oh yeah, THAT game” shelf with the rest of it’s fellow LALG’s.

I felt like Xenon was love at first sight. My first 4-5 races were absolutely a blast. Then the warts start showing up and really ruined the experience. I love arcade racers, and when one doesn’t deliver I am not happy. Especially in today’s world where the genre is so dormant seeing a game with so much out-of-the-gate potential stumble before it gets started is such a bummer. Perhaps they will stick with it and patch out some of these issues, but the window for success could be long gone by then. I really wish Namco Bandai would bring back Reiko Nagase and the glorious Ridge Racer series. The time is finally right.

The Forbidden Arts is a game that feels like a relic from the past. If someone had told me this was a budget title on Gamecube and somehow got the HD treatment, I would believe them. It just lacks polish and interesting content to keep players interested. I doubt many people have heard of this title and even fewer will remember it. It is just a plain adventure title that never steps outside the boundaries of mediocrity.

If you're expecting a heavy storyline with complicated characters, Over the Hedge is not your cup o' tea…it's a morality tale, the good guys are good, the bad guys are bad…and a happy ending is inevitable.

If you're expecting a heavy storyline with complicated characters, Over the Hedge is not your cup o' tea…it's a morality tale, the good guys are good, the bad guys are bad…and a happy ending is inevitable.

Unchained Blades has some rather impressive things going for it. The story is interesting, the combat is decent and the voice acting and presentation are top notch.

It is one of those games you can pick up at your local rental place, play for a couple days and completely forget about. It can be fun at times, but can be tedious and frustrating at others.

The problems arise when you realize the game is able to be finished within one sitting and there really is no reason to go back through outside of unlocking some Gamerscore.

I can’t recommend Digimon World: Next Order and honestly I have begun to question why I liked it as a kid. I am sure it had to do with the later cool evolutions that happen but there are better games and even anime’s that showcase this better than having suffered through this game. While seeing some of the old faces brought back some nostalgia in the end it was just that, and the game was just a chore to play… literally.

There’s a lot of new interest and goodwill rolling JJBA’s way in the last few years and I truly wish that this was competent fighter that I could point to get the gamer crowd interested in this legendary manga/anime series. However, the shallow, uninteresting combat, boring story mode and the lack of a local multiplayer mode makes this one hard to recommend, even to the most diehard of fans.

The game is rather simple in design, but never felt boring even when the combat got far too easy. The character level progression was addicting, and co-op with some friends is a really enjoyable and implemented well.

I'm having trouble typing this today, as my left hand is sore from playing Lifesigns so much yesterday. And when a game compels me to play to the point of arthritis, that my friends, is a good thing.

Zombie Driver Ultimate Edition is far from a terrible game, but also lacks that hook to keep players coming back for more.

Gryphon Knight Epic is one part fantastic, with a touch of frustration. With a few tweaks and some better design it would be something I could easily recommend for everyone. As it stands though, grinding to upgrade my abilities simply holds the title back from being great. Still definitely worth checking out though when time and money permits, or if you happen to catch it on a decent sale.

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

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is full of potential. The game is a blast to play. The story is one of the best in a video game in a while, and there is a lot here for those that enjoy looter shooters. This almost feels like two games in one. I loved the campaign, but had little interest in the end game, while others will likely breeze through the story just to grind. I hope they continue the flow of content for both audiences because I would love to revisit it down the line. Also patch in that offline mode ASAP. Being mid boss fight for the server to disconnect is a huge bummer and makes me not want to play.

I wish I had more to say about the game in general, but it is a relatively simple experience. The campaign only lasts around 5-6 hours and never really switches up dynamics. With tedious combat and clunky controls, it is serviceable at best, and kind of boring at worst. Can we get a remaster of the move, the game. Kong deserves better.

While it is a solid hack and slash action title, Seven Sorrows has to be seen as a disappointment for many fans of the series expecting a deeper, longer experience.

Ar tonelico Qoga is a rather surprising game. I was expecting another boring, strange Japanese RPG with very sexual elements. What I got was an entertaining Japanese RPG with very sexual elements…that is also strange.

It is a unique concept that was very interesting and had me invested until I had to try to control my squad. That is when the mechanics and controls got in my way. If a person takes their time and plays the game safe, they can get a lot out of Signal Ops Players wanting a unique challenge can have some fun as well, but keep in mind, there are going to be many things that hinder this experience.

Rogue Trooper Redux is an ok game. It has some interesting ideas with its mechanics, and while the story was bland, I was never bored with it. I wish I could have gotten into a full co-op game, but I don’t know how many people actually have the game. Even then, the campaign can last players a decently long time, and there is some fun to be had even if it does show it is a product of its time, and for the $25 price tag, it’s not a big hit to the wallet. If you enjoy 3rd person shooters and are looking to check out some games from the past, you can most certainly do a lot worse than Rouge Trooper. Just keep in mind, it is stuck in 2006.

J-Stars Victory Vs+ accomplishes what it sets out to do. It is pure fan-service for fans of anime, most importantly the series it includes.

A fun romp that fans of action games will enjoy. If you have already visited the town of Willamette there is little reason to return, but if this is your first experience you will not be disappointed.

Arctic Awakening is a solid mid-tier narrative adventure that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It nails atmosphere, gives you a memorable companion, and packages everything into a format that’s easy to pick up and finish. It won’t wow you with innovation, and it’s not going to become a genre-defining classic, but it doesn’t need to. If you’re craving the loneliness and mystery of Firewatch but with a colder, stranger backdrop, this is a good pick. If you admire The Long Dark but bounced off its punishing survival mechanics, Arctic Awakening might hit the sweet spot. It’s a game that feels like spending a weekend in the cold; you won’t stay forever, but while you’re there, it’s an experience worth having.

A huge upgrade over the previous movie-based game in the series. So much so that it is almost a shame to keep comparing the two.

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

Big fans of the original who really want more Hundred Knight will likely enjoy this game, but don’t be surprised that it’s only more of the same. As for anyone who hasn’t tried the original, save some cash and pick up the original if a different take on the hack and slash genre seems interesting. Otherwise, I would say this game is simply too repetitive without enough enjoyable payoff to where I would say playing this over another title.

Arkham Origins: Blackgate is an interesting first entry, but it attempts to mimic its console counterpart a bit too much. Some of these elements simply don’t work in a 2D style game, and it hurts the overall experience too much at times.

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.

Traverser has a lot of charm, and the voice acting and world itself kept me intrigued. Puzzles are either simple or a bit more complex, but never absolutely hair pulling. Controls are the biggest frustration factor, along with trial and error moments concerning puzzles and bosses.

In the end, Anoxemia is a decent game with a really bad mechanic. Or rather, missing a big mechanic. A checkpoint here or there wouldn’t break the game, but at the same time, it would have made that game pretty short. I see why they did it, but that doesn’t stop the game from getting frustrating quick due to both restarting levels as well as not being able to actually control the one thing that can die and force me to start over. It’s a budget title, but even then, I would suggest either a price drop or an avoidance altogether.

Elite Forces: Unit 77 is the type of game that you want to like despite its flaws. It brings a genre that is sorely overlooked in the handheld market, and executes it surprisingly well.

If you don’t mind a little grinding for better weapons and equipment, putting the time into ROA can be a very rewarding and enjoyable time spent.

People that loved the first game will more than likely enjoy Riptide. It may not be revolutionary, but Dead Island Riptide is still an addictive game.

All in all Superfrog HD is not a bad game. It has a lot of content for its price, and tries to bring on the charm with its characters. Most of it works fairly well. The jumping and the camera may become a bother, but the game is not so overly difficult that players won’t mind a bad jump here and there.

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.

Squanders a tremendous amount of potential with questionable controls and a general lack of polish.

Need for Speed Payback is a victim of both progression issues and design choice. The driving and actual gameplay is still fun and well done. There’s actually a very good open world racing game in here, it’s just bogged down by level progression and needless grinding that is only there to extend the gameplay time and to get people to spend real money to potentially get upgrades for the cars. I enjoyed some aspects of Payback, but ultimately, I found myself overburdened with grinding, that I kept saying to myself I really don’t feel like doing this. After it’s all said and done, I would wait for a price drop at the very least before picking this one up.

The batting is way too easy, even on higher difficulties. The fielding mechanics seemed tacked on to the right analog stick simply for the sake of being different. There are just too many problems here for a serious baseball fan to ignore. While the game will offer some players a quick burst of hardball heroics, more discerning fans will quickly sour on this year's game.

Well, if you play these games solely for the campaign, skip it and find a YouTube playthrough. The narrative experience is just too short and doesn’t do anything really new and exciting. Modern Warfare 3 ended up turning out how most feared and that is it just feels like a DLC with the developers focusing on the nostalgia of MW2 instead of pushing the genre and game forward.

Fighting game fans that are really hardcore into the genre and have some friends that would like to play this locally are really the only ones I could recommend Chaos Code to.

Wanted: Dead is a mess of a game with hints of excellence strewn about. I wanted to love it a lot more than I did. Instead the game kept making me frustrated at every turn. There have been a million examples of how to make a challenging game without making it frustrating. Wanted: Dead is the epitome of the latter. It simply uses lazy tropes instead of clever game play to create its difficulty. The end result is a game that has some great ideas, but will not interest most players. I expect most to quit before finishing the first boss.

Even though it may be a rather short experience, and the controls can be rather tiresome, I can’t really downplay Evoland. The satire on the entire evolution of games and the comical use of RPG tropes had me playing and smiling throughout my experience. For only $10, you get a rather charming title that never overstays its welcome. I was hoping for more by the end, but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the overall experience.

Zombie Apocalypse is a great addition to both downloadable services. It is mindless fun that can feel repetitive if you let it.

This is an instant classic in my eyes.

I wanted to love Hellboy: Web of Wyrd as a lover of beat-em up games but more so as a HUGE comic book fan, sadly the game just fell short in a few too many areas. As I said the art style is just beautiful to look at, I cannot understate how amazing it looks but once you start moving and the weird frame trick issues pops up everything just comes apart for me. Lance Reddick made for a fun, threatening, caring, funny, thoughtful portrayal of Hellboy, and whether that is attributed to Mignola’s writing or his own talent it was a fantastic take on the character. It’s just so upsetting that the rest of the game was not as strong as the narrative.

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.

Build-A-Bear Workshop is a unique and innovative title that executes what it sets out to do marvelously. The interface is simple yet intuitive, the visuals are bright and appealing, and the premise is simply too cute for words. If you have a young one who loves the idea of creating their own fuzzy friend there is no reason to pass this one up.

Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between. Fable: The Journey doesn't make good use of the Kinect hardware, and the results are less then magical.

For the price, players can get a relatively fun beat ‘em up. The combo system is surprisingly deep and the co-op is fun to play. Sure, the story is overly strange and the overall plot is a little out there, but beating the absolute crap out of humanoid beasts and birds never really gets old. There is some fun to be had in Zeno Clash 2 as long as you keep an open mind when it comes to certain mechanics and the outlandish story.

While the repetitive combat and atrocious performance issues make Drakengard 3 very difficult to recommend, its characters and story, along with a fantastic OST, makes me feel that there may very well be an audience for this wonderful mess of a game, myself included.

Air Conflicts: Secret Wars is far from a bad game, but it doesn't stand out among the current slew of titles. Not to mention it is a genre that console gamers have all but forgotten. Still, if you have a love for classic dog fighting, then there may be something here for you.

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.

Whether you are a diehard fan of the rhythm games genre or the Senran Kagura series, there’s really no good justification for anyone to pick this up.

Game & Wario is disappointing mainly because the heart of the series feels stripped out, and in its place is a collection of mostly uninspired mini-games. I really wanted to see Nintendo take advantage of the Gamepad in unique ways, not just have me tilt to steer.

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.

In the end, the biggest problem that Omega struggles with is the fact that nothing about it seems worthwhile in the overall scope of the game's narrative. This is particularly true if you've already completed the game.

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.

Cobra Kai is a fun game that falls victim to a lot of the genre’s downsides. I enjoyed it for what it was, but have a hard time recommending it mostly due to the $40 point of entry. The game has enough content, but it drags at times. This leads to a game that would have been an easy win if it was priced a little lower. I understand why with having the actors portray their roles, but this game could have done better with soundalikes and a lower price point.

Dedicated WRPG players who enjoy open world style games will find plenty of stuff to like if they can push themselves past the games numerous faults, unfortunately most of them have probably already played the unquestionably superior PC version of the game. For casual fans of the genre there are already too many solid games on the system (and a lot more on the way) for me to recommend sinking the time into Risen.

Legend of the Guardians is a very solid game that is hindered by its short play time and lack of reason to come back for more.

As it stands fans of the Toy Soldiers games are bound to enjoy the latest outing, and of course those with fond memories of the DLC properties are in for a treat. It is like going back and playing with action figures, which is precisely what the game sets out to do.

Risen 2 is a solid game with a host of technical issues that drag it down constantly.

I really like Fight Crab. It’s something different and I hope the absurd nature of the concept attracts players. I think the somewhat wonky physics mixed with the desire to consistently up the ante throughout the campaign made me excited to see what was in store come the next level in the campaign. I hope maybe some DLC will come to add some more levels and items to make this game even crazier, because as of right now it’s a fairly light package as a single player experience, but I can imagine that this would be a great game to pull out with friends over. Fight Crab is something very different and I hope it pays off for Calappa Games.

Crash Mind Over Mutant is the kind of game that does nothing inherently wrong, but also fails to do anything to set itself apart from the herd.

While it certainly won't win any awards for originality or production values, Captain America: Super Soldier is a solid, if predictable, tie-in game that complements the movie well.