While Visions of Mana did not end up being the title that will take the series to the next level due to its issues with clunky combat, pedestrian difficulty and lackluster story, it’s still a solid entry to this long running series and a step in the right direction for what I hope will be continued to be improved upon for the next entry.

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.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits feels like a blast from the past. We simply don’t get a lot of games like this anymore, when they used to be a dime a dozen. The visual fidelity and outstanding production values round out an excellent package, and I think everyone should check this game out. I am happy to see it finally make its way onto other platforms, even after three years I am sure there are some people who haven’t taken the plunge. Don’t skip this one, it is well worth your time and money.

Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- is a remake handled with expert care and fully realized without losing any elements that makes the original a legendary classic of the genre. It stands as one of the pinnacles of the genre and makes me feel truly fortunate that the original to this wonderful remake is the title that kicked off a love affair with visual novels that endures to this date.

Nobody Wants to Die feels like a triumph of noir-inspired gaming. Its meticulous attention to detail, from the visual aesthetics to the great narrative, makes it a standout title for fans of the genre. The game successfully merges the best elements of classic noir with modern gaming sensibilities, while the game has a bad habit of giving too much help to the player; Nobody Wants to Die is a game that should not be missed by fans of the genre.

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.

I can’t wait to be able to talk about this one in detail, it surprised me how much I liked it. Even if it kind of feels like a roguelite, I don’t care; being able to mastermind this show by picking the cast and placing things around to evoke emotions was fun, every. single. time. If you like dynamic games where you, the player will kind of set up the dominos and watch them fall I feel like you will be hard pressed to find a better game than The Crush House. Not only was it fun setting up the various shots and seeing things unfold amongst the various castmates but the mystery here is the real draw. Go into this one as blind as you can, you will thank me for it.

If you can’t tell, I loved Cat Quest 3; as I said I was already a fan of the series and this entry is its best. The Gentlebros is a small team of 8 developers but playing Cat Quest 3 you wouldn’t know it, there is even a local co-op option available to players. (I wasn’t able to test this but I have played the past games in co-op with my kids and it was a great time). The greatest thing about Cat Quest 3 is its simplicity, any level of gamer is able to pick this game up and jump in as its combat systems and exploration are easy to grasp and once you get sailing it’s extremely hard to put this one back in drydock.

Creatures of Ava is a fantastic game and I really like the pacifist approach to game play. It was a refreshing change to be collecting creatures in order to save them instead of trying to be the very best there ever was. The narrative in Creatures of Ava is also a strong highpoint which comes as no surprise since the story was co-written by Rhianna Pratchett; who has written stories like Heavenly Sword and Rise of Tomb Raider. With a gorgeous world, fun and addictive gameplay and a great story, Creatures of Ava is a really fun experience and one that offers something very different from the other creature collectors on the market.

SteamWorld Heist 2 is a must-play for fans of tactical strategy games. Its engaging combat, diverse missions, and charming presentation make it a standout title on the Xbox (where I played it) but will be great on any platform. Whether you’re a veteran of the series or a newcomer, you’re in for a treat with this gem of a game.

The biggest issue with Bounty Hunter is that it is a game of its time. The level design and navigation are frustrating, levels are too long, and the lack of save anywhere can get tedious at times. I did enjoy the added content such as the Boba Fett skin, but it just wasn’t enough to make this feel like a proper remaster. This is a hard game to recommend if you don’t have massive nostalgia for it. It wasn’t heralded when it came out, and that hasn’t changed with this re-release.

It took me a while to really get the gameplay loop for Deadlink, I have played so many of these types of games and this one didn’t help things by having some confusing controls. But once I was able to wrap my head around everything, Deadlink is a pretty fun experience in small spurts. With a narrative that isn’t presented well in my opinion and a high difficulty level there really is no draw to spend hours in this world in one sitting; but in small spurts, I think fun can be found in Deadlink for some.

This package is really well done, and I absolutely adore this game. If you have never played it, there has never been a better time. It is more than worth the price of admission, just know going in that some things may never be resolved. Some of us have been waiting 20 years, and still we wait. I hope it happens soon, but until then this is still an amazing experience that should be played by anyone who loves a great narrative, gorgeous world, and memorable characters.

It does a lot of great things and sets the template for future games. The foundation is great, and they just need to flesh out the modes in the future and fix the glitches that crop up. It feels good to have this series back, and I hope it serves as inspiration to improve Madden as well.

I have said many times that I am not a big fan of these roguelite games, and while that remains true; I did enjoy all my time with Darkest Dungeon II much like I did the original. The first few runs are going to feel absolutely unfair as players will fall long before reaching the boss of an area. But there is something to be said of finally figuring out the perfect team and finding success in the ashes of defeat. I do wish this game had a campfire or some sort of checkpoint system because its not a great feeling to be hours into a run and have to start ALL over because of a small oversight. But even with these small issues I still couldn’t stop thinking about new strategies to help my heroes find success in this dark and gothic world. This is a dangerous journey, but it’s one worth taking.

I understand the point of these collections is to make these games available on modern platforms, so I am not always as hard on the lack of features, but I would have loved to see a few more additions. At $29.99 this isn’t a cheap package. I would have loved to have seen some interviews, old commercials, or something like that. Also not being able to remap controls is always a crime on these types of games. All that said, this is still a solid collection. The first game is a must-play, the others, not so much, but still neat. I love these collections, but I would prefer to see them on every platform and perhaps a little cheaper considering the additions are not fully fledged out.

There is a lot to love about Anger Foot, the bass-heavy music that blasts in your ears while kicking thugs all around a room really amps up the experience. There are some weird bosses and enemies too, one final form of a boss was literally just a beat-up car. Anger Foot is loud, rude, gross, in your face and most importantly it’s a lot of fun!

Graven does a lot of good things, it’s a dark fantasy old-school, FPS for starters. Adding in bits of classics like Hexen was a great way to go here. But mixing in elements of RPG’s is what really set Graven apart, the ability to interact with the environment with magic and other things for puzzle solving was a lot of fun. But the puzzles are time consuming and will require a lot of backtracking and searching and then there is the soulslike stuff…ugh. But even with all of that, welding magic, swords and crossbows in this adventure was a solid good time.

Even with the issues, I had a great time playing this game. I think the biggest thing to remember is knowing what this game is, its is a police simulator through and through. It’s a slow burn, you will take endless photos of car accidents and talk to people but if working a shift as a cop sounds fun then look no further.

Despite my few complaints, SMT V: Vengeance is a worthy upgrade that expands on the story and mechanics of the original in meaningful ways and easily earns the title of the definitive way to enjoy SMT V.

Still Wakes the Deep is a fun romp for its short playthrough. The lack of environmental storytelling and exploration is really where it falls apart. Still, this being on Game Pass makes it worth checking out for sure. I enjoyed my time with it, but I don’t think it will stick with me like titles such as Soma and Amnesia have.

Boring missions aside I feel that #BLUD successfully captures the essence of classic animated cartoons from the early aughts with its simply stunning graphics and animations to its zany characters and situations. #BLUD stands out as a must-play indie game that delivers on both style and substance. #BLUD developer Exit 73 Games earns high marks for its captivating art style, nostalgic appeal, and well-crafted gameplay but the repetitive nature of various quests types keeps this one from true greatness.

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.

Horizon Chase 2 is a solid sequel that adds some new pieces that make it a worthy sequel. I do wish the track design was a little better and the upgrades worked across all cars instead of having to dedicate it to the one I am driving. Still there is a lot to love here, the soundtrack, the speed, and the pure arcade excitement. If you have any reverence for games from the arcade era, this is a no-brainer. Definitely worth checking out.

As a collection, both Monster Hunter Stories games have received an excellent glow-up. The visuals both look great with enhanced graphics, and I loved the newly recorded voice lines for the characters. Hardcore series fans may be put off by Monster Hunter Stories’ easier combat that can be mastered quickly but I had a good time with both games. Finding and then training the monsties made me feel like a kid again playing Pokémon for the first time. I think that younger fans will find more to enjoy here, with its simplified combat and less mature story, Monster Hunter Stories’ is a low barrier entry into the larger Monster Hunter Universe. Despite its shortcomings, this one is worthy of the hunt.

Capes has a really neat idea for sure, superheroes are still the hot thing and putting them in a tactical game is a cool idea. Unfortunately, the execution here was less than stellar; lackluster voice acting, dull combat, and heroes that frankly just don’t feel heroic. If you are looking for heroic, tactical action you’d be better off looking elsewhere; this isn’t the game you’re looking for.

I’m not kidding when I say that the possibilities are endless in Blockbuster Inc. Players have the freedom and tools to create a movie of their dreams. With a large variety of costumes, sets and more at their disposal there are thousands of films to be made here. It can be almost overwhelming if I’m honest, however the game has a great tutorial that will help to ease players into the swing of things. I loved my time with Blockbuster Inc, filled that hole that The Movies had left so long ago. Its awesome to see this underserved genre in gaming seeing a resurgence; Hollywood Animal, Movie Tycoon among others, has fans of movie-making games eating good this year. Don’t sleep on Blockbuster Inc, as the first one out the gate; its an utter blast to play and create movies in this world.

I came into Astor: Blade of the Monolith with all the hope and promise simply because it was NOT a souls game. I still love it for that, but as much as I enjoyed the bright and colorful vistas, the vivid and detailed graphics and the cute characters; I just can’t get past the clunky feeling of the combat. Late game weapons and abilities make things feel better but never perfect. Despite the combat and the forgettable story, I did have some fun in Astor: Blade of the Monolith at the end of the day; the cuteness of the characters won the day.