The Toaplan Arcade Collection is an interesting piece of history. There are some deep cuts here, and I enjoyed discovering the games I had never played. Of course, revisiting classics such as Truxton, Hellfire, and of course Zero Wing on my Xbox in 2025 was a trip. I love the renaissance that shooters are in. Bring them all back! Being able to just sit down at my modern console and do a run of Tiger Heli is really cool.

Just Dance 4 has something for everybody, and this is the definition of a party game.

The Toaplan Arcade Collection is an interesting piece of history. There are some deep cuts here, and I enjoyed discovering the games I had never played. Of course, revisiting classics such as Truxton, Hellfire, and of course Zero Wing on my Xbox in 2025 was a trip. I love the renaissance that shooters are in. Bring them all back! Being able to just sit down at my modern console and do a run of Tiger Heli is really cool.

This is easily a 30+ game, so don’t grab this game if you want a quickie game to blow through in 10 hours, or if you don’t like reading.

With a revamped mission structure, online play, and brand new control scheme Armored Core 4 is a must own for fans of the series like myself. While there are a few glaring problems the core experience is still enjoyable.

Rita’s Rewind knows who its audience is and caters to it perfectly. If you have nostalgia for the show, this is a no-brainer. Even for someone like me who is aware of the series, but didn’t exactly have fond memories of it, I get what they are putting down. Combat can be stiff at times, but the break ups between levels really carries the experience.

NBA 2K22 has a few things that make this upgrade feel worthy. The new play mechanics are excellent, and it continues to excel on the presentation front. The microtransactions are still super gross and I wish some of the other modes such as Blacktop would get a proper overhaul as they are starting to feel dated. Still being the only NBA game in town it does upgrade nicely. I found myself deleting the old version to play this one, and not being a huge NBA fan that is saying something.

It wasn’t all a flowery trip to Pottery Barn though; at launch there was some issues with matchmaking, but it was corrected pretty quick. Kiln actually performs quite well, aside from some longer loading times; I had really no issues with the gameplay or anything. In fact, my only real gripe is the lone game mode that is currently available. Not that there is anything wrong with quench because it is a lot of fun, but there is no variety outside of it and we all know that gamers get bored of things quicker than a babysitter’s boyfriend when a car pulls up. And even though the Kiln is on Game Pass I worry about the longevity of the game, especially since it’s multiplayer only. But I guess that’s tomorrow’s problem, for today we smash pots.

As it stands fans of the Toy Soldiers games are bound to enjoy the latest outing, and of course those with fond memories of the DLC properties are in for a treat. It is like going back and playing with action figures, which is precisely what the game sets out to do.

It is hard not to recommend Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight to anyone craving that Castlevania vibe. I just wish it had more to it. The lack of upgrades and short lifespan make it feel half-baked at times. However, with a hardcore mode to unlock and neat hidden upgrades scattered throughout, it more than justifies its price tag.

Fans of old-school PC games such as Diablo will find plenty to entertain them and the amount of items and weapons to discover truly is impressive.

Overall Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a good title that is marred by the expectations that the Modern Warfare name brings with it. The campaign has some really stellar gameplay moments that are brought down by the mediocre plot. Multiplayer was fun but felt a bit like the competition’s output (despite there being no Battlefield release this year) which may be a turn off for some. I don’t think Modern Warfare 2019 has done anything to make me rethink waiting for substantial price drops to play Call of Duty campaigns, because clearly multiplayer is still Activision’s main focus and that’s just not where I get my kicks.

At the end of the day, Battle for the Grid is a solid fighting game. In fact, it is a really good one. The systems work well, it looks flashy and fun, and there’s a decent learning curve to keep players busy. The only thing that really holds it back is the lack of a community. Granted, I am doing this review later on since it released, but I would hope for more than 20 people online playing at the same time. Fighting game fans should give this one a shot if they haven’t already. Maybe bolster up the online community a bit. If that can be done, we’ll have a grand fighter on our hands.

There really isn’t much to say about the MMX Legacy Collection. Given my fondness for the series, I’m always happy to have more people discover the pure platforming bliss that most of the series offers and while there certainly is value in keeping things faithful to the original, I would have much preferred a collection of true remasters as it would have gone a long way to justify the asking price.

Jedi Survivor is a great Star Wars game with a lot of technical mishaps that really drag it down. The story is excellent, and I loved the characters. The combat still feels good. I just wish the navigation system was better.

Directive 8020’s over reliance on stealth segments, cheap jump scares and jarring story transitions prevents it from being one of the best in the series. However, it impresses with strong performances, atmosphere and the addition of the Turning Point system that makes replaying the game to see new plot points more convenient than ever, making it a solid new entry in the Dark Pictures Anthology.

Sonic Superstars is a great Sonic game that steps outside its comfort zone for the series. When they have done that in the past, it hasn’t always panned out for them. Superstars manages to make it work though even with the seemingly pointless time attack and battle modes. The campaign is enjoyable, the new character is interesting, and everything just looks and sounds delightful. There is little to complain about and once you get used to the new style, it really works on all levels.

Xbox Live play and addictive Achievements round out the incredible gameplay and make this game a must own for anyone who enjoys some good old fashioned hard-nosed football.

While this year’s Madden will always feel somewhat bittersweet due to John’s passing, I think that it was beyond perfect that the best version of Madden football would be the one that was made to honor the legacy of its namesake. From the factoids that I learned about Coach, to the superb presentation and soundtrack throughout the entire game, to the fantastic on field play; this years Madden as far as I am concerned has finally broken free of the 2K series and has gone all the way!

Ultimately, Knock on the Coffin Lid is a solid rogue-like deckbuilding game with some nice additions and twist from the norm. The art style and audio shine throughout the game and there are lots of great deck possibilities. However, it’s held back by the steep learning curve, difficulty and the overly grindy nature that is required to acquire the many unlockable. Fans of the genre will find lots to enjoy here though, there is plenty of room for replay ability just be prepared to grind for new rewards.

The action is fun and the exploration kept me interested. I just wish the pacing towards the end was better. While it mimicked the parts I love about classic adventure titles, it also copied the poor padding practices as well.

The co-op action is some of the best I have experienced in a while, and the humor is just as fantastic as it has always been. Playing with others is the way to go, but I strongly recommend playing locally or finding gamers online with headsets.

As an entry level experience in the Dragon Quest universe, Treasures does a lot of things right. It nails the treasure hunting mechanic and provides plenty of nostalgia through it’s audio, visuals, and monster collecting action. Some variety in the main gameplay loop and a little more depth throughout would go a long way towards creating a more worthy feeling entry in the series, but there’s still a lot to love here. Hopefully we’ll get a sequel that can build on some of the mechanics. In the interim, fans of Dragon Quest who don’t mind a walk in the park now and then should check this one out.

Valley is a mish mash of other games before it, but still retains a unique feeling all to itself and my time with it was pleasantly surprising with it.

It has its missteps, but overall Costume Quest 2 is an improvement over the first game, and a pretty entertaining game that fans should really enjoy.

With a solid start for MyPlayer mode, and a strong big picture batting and pitching mechanic in place, I'm quite optimistic for the 11th iteration of MLB 2k.

Ivy the Kiwi is not your normal platform adventure game that it might appear to be. Its unique blend of puzzle and action really set it apart from the normal shovelware found on the Wii.

MOTA runs about 3-4 hours in length, which is fair for the $10 price tag. The ending also has the potential to substantially impact Dragon Age III so I am excited to see where that leads.