Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is exactly what you would expect, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I am just glad to see it back in circulation, I do wish exclusivity would die though, making PC and XB1 players wait four months to play this remaster is flat out ridiculous. That said, get hype and welcome back the curly mustache. Marvel is back baby, and it feels so good.

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.

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.

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.

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.

While the fighting mechanics and especially the assist feature in the game are very well done, if you don’t have another person to play with, you’re going to have about three hours of fun until you’re left with nothing to do. Maybe after a Steam sale people will pick it up, which they should. It’s a very good fighting game, but until then, I would say for anyone out there a Steam sale would be the ideal time to pick up Nitroplus Blasterz.

While it’s not going to blow any socks off, TeslaPunk still has a few decent tricks up its sleeve that make it a fun, but short shoot ‘em up that fans of the genre will enjoy for a time.

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.

I’d really like to see what the developers do next, if it’s anything like The Little Acre, I’ll definitely be eager to play it. For new comers to the point and click genre, this is a perfect game to experience. Veterans of the genre, while not offering much challenge or length, can still find lots to love in everything else it brings.

The soundtrack is also amazing. The work of M.J. Quigley is both catchy and dynamic. The score really took me back to the time of 16-bit platformers with its whimsical melodies. Very few games have me looking up composers to hear more of their work, but this game definitely had me rooting around to find more. Presentation is truly the highlight of Mekazoo.

Any fan of pinball will have a great time with these and even some fans of RPG will get a little out of them. It really is an interesting bunch of tables that any Zen Pinball fan should add to their library.

Even though I’m relatively pleased with the outcome as the four friends carry the moment to moment gameplay with grace, the disjointed and lackluster storyline leaves an indelible mark on what is otherwise an incredibly well crafted RPG well worth experiencing.

Aqua Moto Racing Utopia scratches that itch I get every couple years to play a wave racing game. It is rough around the edges, and lacks a good collection of unlockables, but the core racing is fun. For those like me that are tired of waiting on Nintendo to resurrect the king, this is a great substitute.

A complete pleasure to play. It’s evocative of older generations of theme park management sims in all the right ways, whilst having plenty of style and appeal in its own right.

I loved the diversity of characters and their abilities in battle. There are some truly interesting mechanics at play here. The bottom line though, is that it is rarely fun to engage in combat. I got frustrated at the useless AI, and starting over battles constantly was a real drag. The world of The Dwarves is interesting, and maybe with some patches down the road this can become a game I can get behind, as it stands now though, this is a tough sell.

Dead Rising 4 feels like yet another one of those games. I love the series, and DR4 will satisfy my thirst for yet another entry. It felt good to get back into Frank’s shoes, and the Christmas theme is fantastic. The lack of story co-op is the biggest offender, and I wasn’t a fan of how much the game seems to throw at players. This seems like a perfect example of less could be so much more, but as it stands Dead Rising 4 is a solid entry in the long-running series.

I can state without hesitation that the wait has been more than worth it. The awe-inspiring living creature that is Trico carries this title, which would have otherwise just been a good puzzle platformer into an instant classic that I’m sure to visit time and time again, just to say hello to my new best buddy, one more time.

Furi is a game all about style and combat, and it nails both of those aspects perfectly. For Xbox One owners that didn’t get a chance to check it out when it hit PS4 earlier this year, I highly recommend diving in now. The combat is fun, and the world is interesting. It actually works in combining several game types and making them work. It is challenging for sure, but never unfair.

Regardless of the mistakes in the translation, Steins;Gate 0 is a worthy follow up to one of my favorite stories in all of fiction, and enhances the original by further expanding its narrative scope and filling in the gaps that were left open-ended. Those who have played Steins;Gate or watched the anime should already know well enough to pick up zero, so I’ll take this opportunity to firmly recommend the original again and again and again and again and again.

Nebulous is a challenging puzzle game that allows for creativity and freedom in completing the levels. There are aspects of the game that are unnecessary and there are a few polish issues, but what remains is a game with more than one unique idea.

Headlander is a unique take on a familiar genre, and one that works thanks to its design. The humor is classic Double Fine, and even a bit dark at times, but it succeeds in what it sets out to do. The progression is great, and the challenge is there, but never unfair. For those that missed this game on PC or PS4, now is the time to dive in. This is one trip worth taking.

Each game has a wicked atmospheric soundtrack, subtle creepy effects, and downright scary moments, though the first game will still be considered the best by many players. I personally enjoy all of them in their own way, but the gameplay and length is definitely preferred overall in Amnesia: Dark Descent. Visuals didn’t seem to get much of an upgrade from the PC but it does appear at least the first two games run at 60fps to match it.

Bon Appétit will still have its followers, and while not inherently bad as far as gameplay goes, the songs used don’t really do much for me and as we all know, the visual style and content makes me feel gross pretty much all of the time.

One of the best remasters [of] this generation. Not only is this game fantastic, but it is also one of several hidden gems a lot of gamers may have missed its first time around. Also at the super cheap price of $19.99 it is impossible for me not to recommend. Go get this game now, and hope with me that the third game finally comes. It is time for the next Horseman to appear.

While this is a pretty great RPG, it’s still not for everyone.

While this is a pretty great RPG, it’s still not for everyone.

The Ezio Collection is a solid package of three incredibly well-designed games. Probably the best set to remaster for the new generation, but the port is not the best, and if you already beat them all, this is more a trip down memory lane than anything else.

Though the 12 maps will become very well-known after spending hours in the game and repetition overall will start to creep in with players, some much sooner than others. It’s a small issue though in my eyes as the core gameplay here feels and looks great and it’s a game that can be enjoyed online with friends and the online community. The harder the difficulty and more waves adding, the crazier it gets. Players looking for a great arcade online shooting experience really need to look no further. Killing Floor 2 is here to please.