Despite all of this, the puzzles within this game are relatively solid, and adequately forgiving considering the amount of frustration that can often result from a less than accurate tool set.

Knights of Azure 2 was not an awful experience, just a thoroughly mediocre one. Combat is dull and simplistic; game performance lacks; many of its systems never amount to much and – its visuals are likely held back by the Vita, a device that westerners forgot about 5 years ago.

Totally Reliable Delivery Service is a game that might provide passing entertainment to a group of friends for an hour or two; and the more challenging deliveries do generate some hilarious moments whilst making one ever more determined to try and complete them. But the novelty soon wears off, and there’s not really anything here that is likely to convince many to stay. Still, that’s a little more than what’s on offer for the single player – which, disappointingly, is really nothing at all.

This collection is hard to recommend unless you have an extremely strong nostalgia for any of the titles included. Even then revisiting these titles has been a challenge. With the exception of Rocko, there isn’t a ton of fun to be had here. The limited options and upgrades are glaring, and I wish Limited Run would go back to spending more time with these. As of now they just feel like an assembly line of rom dumps, which is hugely disappointing.

Romeo is a Dead Man is experimental in all the right ways when it comes to its aesthetic and visuals but forgets to try anything new when it comes to its gameplay.

A fantastic concept poorly executed. All of the visuals and presentation seem in place, but the monotonous gameplay and boring combat really drag down the overall experience.

The frustrating enemies and cumbersome upgrade system will wear on your nerves, and the bland level design will not give you much reason to push forward. There are much better shooters currently available, which is a shame given this one's promise of ingenuity.

The concept is a sound one but the technology simply falls short. I would love to see this idea fully realized and perfected, but I fear that hefty price tag and poor reception may hinder future iterations in this direction.

Adrenalin Misfits is the type of game that you want to love. The goofy characters and breadth of unlockables make the game seem worth the effort, if it weren't so maliciously boring.

Nostalgia is the only reason Sonic Adventure is worth playing through.

I enjoyed what it did for the time it took me to finish the story, but for players looking for more substance, there are other games out there that offer more.

Nostalgia is the only reason Sonic Adventure is worth playing through.

For $9.99, there’s a ton of things to see and do in CastleStorm, but as they say, too much of something can be a bad thing.

Full Metal Schoolgirl falls flat as a roguelike, failing to deliver on randomization, synergies, equipment variation, and interesting upgrades. Every attempt feels about the same in terms of structure, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the office floors might as well be static due to how little they change every time you start a new climb. D3’s earnest attempt at making an original roguelike does not go unnoticed, but as charming as it is, Full Metal Schoolgirl is still a subpar game, and the fact that it nears the price of an AAA title in some regions makes it even harder to recommend.

The core game is fun, but I would recommend sticking with one platform throughout and rotating save slots.

After Us had some lofty goals and it shows but sadly, they didn’t quite reach those highs. Incredible art direction and a dope soundtrack sadly don’t make up for the ‘tacked’ on combat and the very floaty platforming controls. The design choice to make it open world is also a head scratcher because the game absolutely does a poor job of telling players where to go next. I’m left wondering what could have been with After Us, had the combat been taken out I think this would have been a much better adventure.

In the end, I think Moons of Madness is an ok game that could have used a little more fine tuning with both the story and the horror/survival mechanics. I would never say this is a bad game by any means, but it is most certainly a forgettable one. I feel like I have seen something like this before in multiple other games and remember them much more than I did this one. At the same time, if you’re looking for a horror game that has some interesting mechanics at times and some decent atmosphere, I would at least wait for a price drop, but would consider this if you haven’t tried it.

Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires feels about as much of an afterthought as you can get. Nothing about this game feels evolutionary.

If you’re looking for another runner game with a sci-fi setting, Infinity runner isn’t bad, it’s just not really that good either.

The one on one fights are the worst part of the game by a long shot, but even then the fact that most things don’t change up over time really brings down the entire experience. Only big Berserk fans should try this one, and even then I’d say wait for a price cut.

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.

Garshasp shows some sign of promise, but these are soon worn thin as you trudge your way through bugs, frame rate issues, camera hiccups and only about 3 hours of gameplay. With a little more care and attention this could have been a pleasant surprise. Instead Garshasp: The Monster Slayer will leave you feeling out of pocket.

The concept is a sound one but the technology simply falls short. I would love to see this idea fully realized and perfected, but I fear that hefty price tag and poor reception may hinder future iterations in this direction.

The humor often falls flat when it isn't entirely offensive or grating. Zombies and twin-stick shooters should be a perfect fit, but this game feels more "noob" and less "pwn."

When it’s all said and done, MX Vs. ATV: All Out is an ok racing game. There’s a few issues here and there with the physics that could get to me, and the fact that if I crashed it pretty much meant a last place finish for me, but I can commend the game for improving from their previous outing with Supercross. I pretty much disliked that game, while this one has some tweaks to the controls and enough content to keep me trying it out. Obviously, only motocross fans should apply here and with the cheaper price, the extra DLC, players can find some enjoyment here.

I think the team at Silent Games is on to something with Empyreal. As I said the combat has some glimmers of greatness, it just needs to be refined a bit more. I love the fact they hand-designed the levels, but the overall graphics might have suffered as the game certainly is nothing to write home about in that area. But even with all that and the mostly forgettable story, Empyreal does have a solid loot system and some decent customization options which is nice but mileage will vary from gamer to gamer due to the frustrating and sometimes clunky combat.

TMNT Arcade Wrath of the Mutants wears its inspirations on its sleeve, and it is nice to get this once arcade-only port on home consoles. I just wish the replayability was there. Online co-op would have gone a long way, but I do appreciate the new content. It is fun and fits right into the mix. This is a solid game that just has too many shortcomings to make it an easy recommendation.

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.

My Hero One’s Justice is not a poor offering, just a thoroughly uneven one that only the hardest-core Manga fans will be able to immerse themselves into. I enjoyed the fast-paced, accessible fighting with an art style that looks great in action, but everything around that gameplay leaves things to be desired.

While there are highlights, such as the rhythm tapping game and the sheer amount of customization options for your feline, the rest of the game simply falls flat.

Shenmue III feels like a game that would have been revolutionary in 2003. Maybe that is what the fans wanted. This is a game that flopped massively when it released and somehow has garnered a cult following that clearly wants more of what it delivers. Shenmue III delivers just that. A game that feels like it time travelled to 2019 from the Dreamcast era and I think that is just fine with the fans. They got what they wanted and I am thrilled for them, but anyone coming in to see what all the noise is about is likely going to come away confused as to why it took 18 years to create the game in front of them.

For $15, there are other games in this same style that are better executed and are far less frustrating to play.

Dolmen just feels like scraps when a four course meal is literally right there. It was a bad time to release a game of this type when it falls so short of the mark set by the best in the genre and even falls below the current imitators. I am all for expanding on a game idea, but there has to be something there to make it feel special and unique and Dolmen just doesn’t have anything setting it apart on any level.

Like Total War, when the players massive armies clash in battle it is a sight to behold, luckily the game offers the option to simulate battles and watch the AI troops clash. This, to me was massively more enjoyable than trying to struggle through the games clunky combat. While I loved the depth offered in the RPG elements of the world, I came away disappointed enough by the combat that is just made the whole experience feel like a chore to play; combine that with the lack of a real story and I Mount and Blade II: Bannerlord just didn’t turn out to be the total medieval simulator game I was hoping for.

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

Eliminating the rough edges and making the leveling up actually fun and frequent would go a long way to improving Rogue Stormers. It drips compelling things every now and then, but those don’t justify all the grind and frustration that lords over them.

The execution kills it almost instantly the first time you try to take down an enemy.

I just found the experience couldn’t really ever pull me in or hold my attention. In a lot of ways it feels like it’s taking from the genres that it obviously grew inspiration from. There is a unique vision here for the world at play, but the design decisions, along with frustration, just didn’t leave me with a great experience. It won’t last players more than a few hours, but maybe that’s for the best.

There is not an Ice Age movie out right now, and I have to ask does anyone have nostalgia for the series? Are kids still interested in Ice Age? I asked for this game because it looked like a decent platformer and I guess I got that. Clearly someone cared enough to make this, and I did enjoy my time with it. It just feels half cooked in a lot of its design. I want to say it took me no more than 5 hours to collect most of the collectables and finish the game, and at $40 for something of this quality and length I can’t recommend it. It’s a mistimed, mispriced decent game, and right decent isn’t enough.

Unfortunately Toy Story Mania squanders its substantial potential through poor design choices and technical issues.

I remain interested in how Gaming AB plan to conclude this story, and what the final episode holds in store for each of these characters. However, if the story-telling and dialogue is not an improvement on Episode 4, players may be in for a derivative ending that undermines the interesting ideas set up by earlier chapters.

Despite its early promise, The Descendant’s rushed, extremely short ending felt clumsily executed. While it contained a few surprises, the delivery of Episode 5’s conclusion felt arbitrary, contrived and slightly out-of-sync with the narrative that’s been told over the course of the season. Perhaps most disappointingly, the player has very little agency in Episode 5 – a real let down, given the game’s initial promise that the choices made by the player would be impactful as the story progressed.

Epic Mickey 2 is disappointing. There is no other way to put it. For a game I was genuinely excited to play, I found myself constantly forcing play sessions.

Dungeon Hunter: Alliance isn't a terrible game, just an overpriced one. When you can nab the same experience somewhere else for nearly $30 less, it is hard to ignore that fact.

It has some redeeming qualities, but in the grand scheme of things, it stumbles more than it flies. Fans of the anime should really be the only ones that pick this up, and even then, I would say at a discounted price.

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.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is a long name for a short, uninspired game. I was really hoping this would be a hidden gem that managed to rekindle my love of b-tier titles. Instead it just feels generic in every sense of the word. The combat is its only saving grace, and that cannot carry the game.

Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops is not a bad game, it just has that mobile feel to it that hinders it in many ways. The progression of the player’s soldiers, the slow movement, and short missions don’t really translate well to the controller.

The presentation of the game is lacking. The psychedelic backgrounds are interesting to look at in 3D, but there is only one per mode. The music is also extremely limited, which means turning down the volume is your best course of action.

People who love making model worlds (specifically with trains) and kids will likely get more out of this than I did. The ability to remap controls would go a long way with me though and I would jump back in to give it another shake, if for nothing else it brings back some nostalgia of playing with wooden Thomas the Tank Engine toys. While my score may reflect my current opinion on the game, Tracks is on Game Pass and it is extremely family friendly so there’s nothing to lose with trying it out.

The execution kills it almost instantly the first time you try to take down an enemy.

For a party game, it’s a fun, frantic time for about 30 minutes every once in a while, but this will still just be a game you’ll want to boot up when people are around.

Fans of hardcore stealth game like the old school Hitman titles may get a lot out of Party Hard, but players thinking this is a action title with a wild premise will be in for a frustrating time. It has a lot going for it, but the gameplay relies far too much on pinpoint execution with no errors, and because many things are random, I end up learning nothing from my last run of the levels.

For 20 bucks, you get a halfway decent fighting game that does very well at trying something a bit different. It has some flaws with its combat, but I still found some combos and strategies to be fun to execute. If only there were some people playing the online, it would have made the game much more enjoyable, but until it gathers a following, solo players will finish its offerings within a few hours. It’s a hard sell currently, but for those looking for a different take on the fighting game genre, there’s much worse games out there 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.

It’s evident after playing through Humanity in Chains that the developers at Spike Chunsoft understand the world of Attack on Titan. They just weren’t successful in creating a fun game based around it.

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

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.

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.

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.

In the end, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is nice to see. I love that the series is making a comeback. I just wish we could get the original trilogy on modern consoles. Those games are lost to time and would benefit from just a remaster at this point. Still more survival horror is always welcome and we are truly living in an embarrassment of riches in the genre. I wish it was on the same level as others coming back, but for that we need the original trilogy. Make it happen KOEI Tecmo!

I didn’t mind Citadel. It was the first of its style that I have ever actually played. I now realize the open world sandbox “do whatever you want” kind of games are not really for me, but I can easily see fans of this genre can have some fun here even with the shallow quest system, some clunky controls and the technical issues.

Soul Axiom has some really interesting parts, but its whole is still something left to be desired.

Transformers Battlegrounds is a decent game that is marred by being confused as to who it is aimed for. Diehard fans of the franchise like me won’t find much challenge or diversity here to enjoy. Kids jumping in might not share the same nostalgia for these characters. The game also carries a hefty price tag, doesn’t feature online play, and boasts a relatively short campaign. While Transformers could work well in the genre, I am not sure this one hits on all the right notes.

Exit the Gungeon is ultimately neither a good bullet hell game, nor a particularly fun experience. All in all, it’s a pretty bite size offering that lacks the variety one would expect from a full PC title. The lack of a twin stick control scheme, combined with the gun blessing sweepstakes and the requirement for constant jumping and dodging, means aiming at enemies isn’t fluid. The blessing mechanic effectively feels like a mod – something a player might try out for fun, or to change up their experience with the game, or to add a new challenge into the mix. In reality though, there is unfortunately no uninstalling this feature. Players are better off sticking to mobile, or more sophisticated shmups.

I Am Setsuna desperately tries to pull us back in time, but just feels old and worn out, no matter how good the fresh new lick of paint looks.

Rodea the Sky Solider has an interesting story and cast, with a colorful world that is fun to fly around in. Yet that flying around should feel even better, and it just lacks that polished feeling.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 is a disappointing experience that fails to deliver on the visceral idea of sniping. When recent games have done it so much better, it is hard not to draw comparison.

Simply a weak attempt to cash in on the popular Sonic brand with a bare bones racer that simply does everything to the "average" degree.

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.

Even with a cheaper price point, it’s hard to recommend this pack.

In the end, the positives surrounding the career mode of Prizefighter just aren't enough to make up for the numerous negatives in control, collision detection, and overall gameplay.

I feel Double Dragon is a game that should have been left alone, and Neon proves it by showing that 25 years later, the beat-em-up genre just doesn't have the chops to cut it anymore with current expectations.

The premise is fantastic and the visuals really do draw you into the dark world this game presents; it’s just a shame that so many vital aspects of it are broken or Rule of Rose could have easily given Silent Hill a strong run for its money.

TurnOn is a simple game, which is both a blessing and a detriment. The frustrating parts really drag down the overall experience, and the core game itself just isn’t that interesting. Sometimes simplicity is not the answer.

Helpful Hint Backbone, next time spent less time finding videos of geysers and drills and more time fleshing out your characters and dialogue.

Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 is yet another game in the genre that will be forgotten. Rainbow Studios has been one of the most prolific in mud-based racing games for a long time. They have crafted some of the best off-road endeavors I have ever played. This is sadly not one of them. It feels like a second thought as far as execution goes. Like they had a license and a chance to make a sequel and just pumped it out with little fanfare. I wanted to love it, but sadly it will be relegated to just a memory in a few weeks’ time.

Solar Shifter EX has some cool ideas and poor execution. I wanted to love it, I tried to love it, but in the end I simply left every session disappointed that it never really delivered on any of its ambitions. There are better shooters out there, heck, there are better shooters everywhere. Regardless of any love for the genre, I simply cannot recommend this game to anyone.

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.

Subject 13 just left me with an overall been there, done that feeling. Nothing screamed original to me outside the first hour or so. Then it became frustrating with puzzles along with player interaction. The interface to the puzzles was easy to use, yet the navigating environment with the character felt rough, even at times getting stuck on an edge of an environment. Subject 13 isn’t a horrible game or experience, it’s was just an extremely tepid one for me. Hard to recommend to anyone except those craving for more entries in the genre when most other options are exhausted.

Hopefully, after a few updates and some online stability patches, this game will be a shining example of a great fighting game. Until then, it is a mess and a half and one that I wouldn’t spend $60 on.

In the end, Saint Seiya: Soldier’s Soul is really for the fans of the series.

For the nostalgic players looking to relive their time with the Dark Alliance series, I could see them picking this up and having a decent time with it. Players that are really big into ARPGs could have some fun, but will more than likely find themselves preferring a more streamlined and accessible title to jump into. It’s a hard sell for many, but there is some fun to be had here if you keep in mind that this game was released in 2004 and for the most part stayed in 2004.

Lack of online and sketchy graphics headline the game’s serious flaws while the wonky co-op camera almost kills the idea of any type of multi-player action.

The Japanese RPG enthusiasts and the American otakus will get some enjoyment out of the humor, but casual RPG players and Western RPG players should be warned. This game is VERY Japanese. Mugen Souls had a lot going for it, but in the end, turned out to be too convoluted for its own good.

World Series has tons of potential. It controls well, has some really great ideas, and even has an addicting formula that would keep players coming back for more. The issue is that this game lives and breathes by the player based and right out the gate, there’s no one to play with forcing players to then play with the AI which is just not fun at all. I would suggest this game only to people that have a group of friends that are all on board in getting it to play with. Until then, I’d wait for a significant price drop and even then, just know that when you do get it, you will more than likely be playing by yourself.

After some digging, I found that the indie developers at Weird Beluga focused on three design pillars for Clid the Snail “methodical and challenging combat, exploration and puzzles, and an emphasis on narrative.” The team found success with two of these three pillars, the exploration in Clid is quite enjoyable. Made even more so by the absence of a radar like system, I rather enjoyed the very old school approach. Even the story in Clid the Snail hit all the notes of comedy, tragedy and action on queue. But that combat… they absolutely NAILED the challenging part. It’s just a shame that it isn’t much fun and instead just feels like an exercise in futility at parts.

Operation Blackout nails the nostalgia. Everything about this package is incredible for fans of G.I. Joe. The problem is the game play itself. The shooting is not fun and for a game that revolves around that, it is hard to ignore. I kept playing wanting to love this game and simply could not. I hope the developers tweak and fix these issues as this game is begging me to love it. As it stands though it is a disappointing trip down memory lane. Now if you will excuse me I am going to go back to playing it in hopes that I can find enjoyment in nostalgia.

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

Dollar Dash isn’t necessarily a bad game; it’s just not a particularly compelling one. The overabundance of items turns the potential for a fun experience into a chaotic mess. I can’t imagine a scenario where I would choose this to play online. There are both better ways to spend $10, and better multiplayer experiences to be had.

The lack of features, especially multi-player, really hurts the game.

In the end I think fans will find enough to love, but those looking for a solid RPG experience will come away sorely disappointed.

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.

Let me be clear. Rush 'N Attack: Ex-Patriot is, overall, not a good game. It has enjoyable moments that are buried under a frustrating control scheme, horrible writing, and a Frankenstein's monster of mechanics that worked well in other games.

Let me be clear. Rush 'N Attack: Ex-Patriot is, overall, not a good game. It has enjoyable moments that are buried under a frustrating control scheme, horrible writing, and a Frankenstein's monster of mechanics that worked well in other games.

Unfortunately the end result becomes way too dull long before it should and it results in a game that really could have used a few more months on the design floor.

Sonic Riders is simply a weak attempt to cash in on the popular Sonic brand with a bare bones racer that simply does everything to the “average” degree.

The only thing I really loved about Saga of Sins was the graphics and art style. The combat was passable but overall just felt very simple for my taste and maybe it was the fact the game focused on the seven deadly sins but I kept getting a Dante’s Inferno vibe. Delving into a world presented in stained glass only to save the town that is stained in sin is some clever wordplay but even with the great graphics and art style, Saga of Sins just didn’t do it for me. I did enjoy the innocent levels more than the action-oriented ones but even that isn’t enough to save this one’s soul in my opinion.