Steep is a great game marred by odd design decisions that drag it down a few notches. With some tweaks and band-aids this could easily be one of the better games of 2016, but the nagging issues found here are enough to make me not want to play it for more than an hour or so at a time.

Necromunda: Hired Gun is a perfect example of a game that does the Warhammer 40k license justice. If it had the time to hammer out the bugs and issues it could have easily been a sleeper hit of 2021. As it stands it remains a forgettable release that launched with too many issues to keep players’ attention. Even well after launch the game remains in a bad state that makes it hard for me to recommend checking it out. I hope the game gets ironed out at some point, but by then it may be far too late to return to.

Overall, there are not too many problems with the game, but it just doesn't come together well. It doesn't really have anything that truly stands out as the problem; it just wasn't fully realized as a good game.

If you are a fan of the series and can handle some of the hang-ups found in this latest chapter then by all means snatch it up, I know I could use more people online to play with. However, most FPS gamers looking for the next best thing will find Payback a bit too much on the derivative side to warrant its full price tag.

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.

It promised an experience quite unlike anything I have played before but in the end, the surrounding pieces around the core began falling apart one after another until all I was left with was that idea itself, buried deep within the rubble of potential.

The premise is solid, but the addition of avatar-forced game play really threw me off. The handling could have been greatly improved without grinding for hours to buy new parts. Still, at 800 pts ($10) it is difficult not to recommend checking out for those who enjoy the genre.

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.

Panorama Cotton is a little different, the most obvious change is the perspective. This entire game takes place from a third-person perspective that is more akin to a rail shooter than a shooter. The game handles the perspective really well. The original game was released on the Sega Master System, but this version is built on the original. This game looks really good, even all these years later. Games of this type make a really good impression and hold up well over time. Both Cotton games are must plays for shooter fans.

Ben10 is a decent little game. It’s not going to blow anyone away, but it’s definitely not a horrible time either. In fact, I enjoyed some of the alien powers a lot and I think a fan of this franchise can have some fun here. Not to mention, it’s at a budget price that I think is just right for this game. Did this game make me a Ben10 fan? Not particularly, but when the next game comes out featuring Ben Tennyson, I might actually pay attention to it.

Forspoken is a solid action RPG that sadly falls short due to some of its design. The world is just not that interesting to explore and the weird dialogue can detract from an otherwise interesting narrative. I enjoyed my time with the game and if you do dive in, I recommend simply mainlining the core story as it keeps the repetition to a minimum. If you are a sucker for tons of mindless side content though this game has it in spades. I truly wish it was just more interesting though.

When it’s all said and done, Operation Abyss isn’t a bad game but it certainly doesn’t live up to the high standards set by Demon Gaze.

Unless you intend on playing this strictly with friends I recommend passing on Mario's latest sports endeavor. There are much better party games and mascot sports titles available for the system.

The bottom line here is this: if you love the series, you have likely already played it. If you don't own a smartphone, and have never experienced Angry Birds, this collection will fit the bill. The sheer amount of content and quality in the package is undeniable.

Exoprimal isn’t a bad game at all, it’s just one that is currently extremely one note. Not only that, but the experience also feels like it was made for a different time with its inclusion of loot boxes and a battle pass (it does cost $9.99). While everything in game can only be purchased with the in-game currency known as ‘bik-bucks’ it certainly feels like this was maybe a different type of game at one point with all the costumes, emblems and various other things that players will unlock along the way. The developers have a roadmap for at least three seasons of content which is great, but I don’t know if players will stick around that long.

Clearly aimed at the fans of the Rocky/Creed film series, Big Rumble Boxing perfectly emulates the finale scenes in the aforementioned films. Each fight with its flashy moves and animations encapsulates the edge of your seat thrills that one gets from the movies, but in this case the outcome is not predetermined. If you aren’t a huge fan of the films but can get past the egregious decision to only include a sparse amount of playable modes and endure the grind to unlock the other fighters; then Big Rumble Boxing can be a solid and fun fighting game to play.

I wanted to love Hard Reset Redux, especially after coming off Doom, which had scratched that 90s FPS itch I have almost annually. There just isn’t enough here to satisfy. Gunplay feels weak, enemies are boring to kill, and the world wears out its welcome quickly. Nothing about this game is overly offensive to the senses, but it just never stands out from the pack either.

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.

As a huge fan of Star Trek I absolutely loved this game, I recommend it to all the fans of the show. Unfortunately I don’t think anyone else will suffer through the endless space combat, and the storyline with characters that they have never heard of.

Midway brought back Tim Kitzrow and Jimmy Shorts to do commentary this year, and they do an admirable job. Most of the jokes are pretty funny, although they can get old over time, and they definitely do a solid job in the booth.

Mother Russia Bleeds is a great game with some truly oppressive decisions, with the lack of online co-op being the most obvious. Still, those looking for that Streets of Rage itch to scratch, this does it, and does it well. I just wish there was a bit more to it, of and of course online co-op. Not sure I mentioned how much this game suffers from not having that option.

If you have an Xbox, PC, or PS4, just grab it there for half the price and you get Gat out of Hell with it. The only way I could see saying pick this version up is if you have no other avenue to play it. It’s still a fun ride, but the price of admission is steep for something that a) came out seven years ago and b) doesn’t have everything in it but is still charging more for it. The choice is yours, but I would wait until we get a price drop that is equal to the other versions of this game.

I felt there was very little content here to keep me coming back, other than the novel feeling of the bow and arrow, which is absolutely amazing in fact. Aside from this and maybe the visual style, I don’t see a huge reason I’d return to it, especially if other games adopt this bow and arrow feel. Yet at the same time, I can’t complain, it’s a simply game with colorful graphics and is appropriate for players of all ages. Just don’t expect it to kill hours of time.

Sadly, as it stands right now there is too much missing to make it feel like a complete package.

Whilst Bladed Fury was a joy to look at, I feel it was let down slightly where it counts. This isn’t to say it is a bad game, or even an incompetent one. It just felt like a lot of games that came before. It is certainly worth checking out for the gorgeous visuals and atmosphere, and the story is pretty decent as well. Just don’t expect anything too fancy or groundbreaking in the combat.

Hunter’s Legacy is not a bad game by any stretch. In fact, there are a lot of games out there that wishes it could control as tight as this one. It’s just not going to blow anyone away with really anything it does. I never disliked my time with it, but the backtracking and lack of a decent map was a disappointment.

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.

There are quite a few problems that hinder the game play of the game that really hurts this game. Once you spend some time with HH, you will find yourself growing bored with it.