Brookhaven is a fun place to visit. It can be a bit traumatic for some players, or scary even. I was more tense than scared, but it accomplished what I feel the devs were going for.

The game clocks in at less than three hours with a skilled gamer at the helm, but kids interested in taking Sid and his friends on a fun journey will find plenty to love.

SVR 2008 does quite a few things right, the new fighting styles and ECW content really add quite a bit to the gameplay experience. However, the disappointing 24/7 mode, outdated graphics, and sometimes frustrating control scheme holds it back from living up to its full potential.

Going in fully understanding that this is basically a NES game at heart with all that implies, you might be able to endure and find some charm in the classic formula.

While the features are non-existent and a lack of online play really bogs down the overall value it is only fifteen bucks. All four of these games are worth that based on nostalgia alone, not to mention having them all in one place for convenience.

Daymare 1998 is clearly an homage to survival horror games from the original PlayStation era. It hits some notes while missing plenty more. With some more tweaking and optimization this could have been a great addition to the genre. What is here though leaves a lot to be desired and falls more into the area of being a game that will spark some nostalgia, but induce more frustration at what could have been.

The multiplayer is a blast and the battles just feel so epic. For $15, you really can't go wrong with this action RPG. It will take some patience, but once you understand how the game works, you will be hooked.

The game still has a great style to it. The levels, and what you do in some of them, really make the game. Visually, it is really unique. I just wish the game play was more relaxed like the visual style is. I still have to say, this game is really only for patient players.

Armored Core V is really designed to be enjoyed one way, and only that way. If you have a dedicated group of friends to play with, then I highly recommend giving this game a whirl. The missions are varied, and teaming up to take over territories is truly a blast. However, if you intend to fly solo, there is no happy medium to the game's structure.

At $15, it is hard to wholeheartedly recommend a game that, while pleasantly quirky, alienates you, but there is no denying that underneath the bumpy mechanics is a game that aims to please.

Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends was a surprise for me. I expected another quick license cash-in, and instead got a pretty solid Smash Bros. clone. The price feels a little hefty considering there is DLC also available, and let’s be fair, these characters don’t have the draw of Nintendo’s roster, but for those without a Wii U, it is a solid substitute.

All in all TOHU is an okay point and click adventure. I think there are far better ones out on the market but I don’t know if there are many prettier than TOHU.

The most surprising part of all is just how enjoyable it really is. While the game is much too simple for the hardcore RPG player, casual fans and newcomers will adore the simplicity and entertainment the title brings with it.

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.

I wouldn’t go as far to say this twin stick shooter is bad or even a horrible experience, as there is fun to be had, and if players are into the theme and style, it can offer a handful of hours of entertainment. Survival mode is an additional mode to keep players busy, and co-op is always fun, but being limited to local only is a missed opportunity. The red planet can be an extremely exciting setting in videogames, but here it’s just another color palette.

The core premise behind Songbringer had my attention, and the gameplay does a decent enough job of making me enjoy that…most of the time. Getting lost happened to me often, aimlessly wandering around occurring and frustrated me. Yet I’d persist and eventually find my way to a new location, story element, or ability and then continue on my way. The pixel art looks good, if not a bit blurry up close, and the soundtrack, while matching the aesthetics seemed a little too ear grinding for my tastes. Still, I enjoyed myself and I will return to Songbringer. It’s zany and a great idea for an adventure game even if a few things could be tweaked. I’d love to see more of Roq and that’s saying something. An adventure dungeon crawler with a wacky and funny heart.

For the cost ($4.99), it’s a bargain and an opportunity to add some classic arcade games to your collection.

A stronger emphasis on an overarching narrative, more flexible range of actions on the field and a proper save system could have made “The Masterplan” into an excellent game. Without all that, it’s merely serviceable.

Skylanders Swap Force on the 3DS is a lot of fun.

Lords of the Fallen has a lot going for it. The story is bland and the camera will get you killed if you’re not careful, but fans of this action RPG genre will have a really great time playing it.

Digimon World: Next Order is an interesting game. It is honestly is nothing like anything I have ever played before. The unconventional leveling system, the complex raising mechanic, and the passive battle system all take a while to get used to, and the first parts of the game can be a real difficult time for some, but in all, I think there is room for this game for many RPG fans out there. It’s not going to win any awards, but it is different enough to keep players on their toes and if you let the raising become an addiction to you, it can easily last you a very long time. I would say wait for a little price drop unless you’re a hardcore fan of Digimon.

Action RPG fans will have a very good time with Legasista. There's enough hardcore elements with the stat tracking and upgrading to keep any hardcore RPG players busy for a very long time. If you're looking for a quick RPG to play in between different game sessions, you may have just found your game.

Definitely recommended for anyone who cannot get enough gimp chariot racing.

Let’s be realistic. For an annual sports franchise, it’s not necessarily practical to expect huge evolution year on year. It’s also fair to say that at a minimum, players should expect EA to deliver incremental quality of life improvements and make an effort to hone their overall experience of the game for the better. Whilst there is only so far the needle can be pushed year on year, the launch of a new Madden on next-gen systems presented EA with an opportunity to really raise the bar. That’s why it’s particularly disappointing that Madden 22 only offers stagnant content and, sadly, creative disinterest.

Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is not as fun as Orcs Must Die 3 but there is still some enjoyment here. Coming up with creative trap lanes and watching the orcs run helplessly into them is always a joy. And the fact that the game is on Xbox Game Pass lowers the barrier of entry to test it out; at least if you have Game Pass. But with brutal difficulty, playable War Mages whose albitites just feel lackluster and no real narrative to speak of this entry feels more like two steps back in the series rather than one step forward.

It’s a throwback to when shooters were about reflexes, not morality meters. It doesn’t care about narrative twists or prestige storytelling it just wants to entertain you for a few hours, and in that sense, it mostly succeeds. If you’ve got friends to play with, this is a good weekend pick. You’ll have a blast tearing through demons, laughing at the ridiculous story, and remembering why simple, over-the-top shooters still have a place in 2025. If you’re playing solo, though… your mileage may vary.

What stands out most as a newcomer is how confident Styx: Blades of Greed feels. It is not chasing broader appeal. It is building on a specific stealth identity and trusting players who want that experience to meet it there. Players looking for power fantasy stealth or action-heavy combat will probably bounce off quickly. The game expects patience and attention, and it does not bend much to meet players halfway. For stealth fans, that is a strength. For everyone else, it might be a barrier.

Senran Kagura: Estival Vesus might not do anything extremely different, but it’s apparent the fan base is perfectly happy with that and, ironically, so am I.