The Grand Theft Auto series will always be seen as a cultural milestone in video gaming which led to the open world games that we cherish now, but the years have been a bit harsh on the trilogy and the complete lack of care put into what is essentially an afterthought of a remaster doesn't help matters much. The few updates made with controls, shooting, and lighting are nice, but not enough to justify the $60 price tag. The games are still worth revisiting, especially if you've never played the original releases, but only if you aren't playing on PC or the Switch as those versions seem to share the bulk of issues the game is currently experiencing. So far PS5 is the way to go for a hassle-free trip into Liberty City, just maybe wait for a price cut first.
Funko Fusion feels like it actively goes out of its way to ensure you don't have fun. Despite Funko choosing a few fun properties and characters to translate to a video game, a plethora of bugs, clunky gameplay, and frustrating moments continuously hamper your ability to ever enjoy the moment. I believe there may be a good game hidden deep within Funko Fusion, but it is buried under so many issues that I doubt many players will have the patience to find it. The lack of co-op upon launch is truly baffling, as that may have been the one thing to save this experience. At minimum, I'd wait until co-op is released and a few updates have been made before checking Funko Fusion out.
Pixel Ripped 1978 is a fun, albeit short and flawed VR game that leans into nostalgia and gamers' love for Atari, but unfortunately does little with the plethora of great Atari IPs available. Still, the concept is unique, the boss fights are creative, and the last third of the game makes up for the rather lackluster beginning. For those with a strong sense of nostalgia, Pixel Ripped 1978 is worth checking out, but for those with no connection to the Atari time period your enjoyment may vary.
Thunderflash is a highly competent, if uninspired release. While I enjoyed my hour long playthrough and a round or two of Survival mode, I couldn't help but feel that the release as a whole was a missed opportunity to not only bring back the Run 'n Gun genre, but to innovate and create something more complex. Still, as a co-op experience, it is well worth playing but unfortunately will be forgotten soon after completion.
Nitpicks aside, I don't think that Dreaming Sarah is a bad game, just that it is a great proof of concept that could use more polish. But for an average list price of around $5, I may be asking for too much. Head into the game with an open mind and prepare to think outside the box and you may be pleasantly surprised. Overall it was an ok, if not great, experience and worth taking a look at.
As it stands, I can't in good faith recommend Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland. I do believe there is a good game hidden underneath the game's incredibly rough exterior, but I believe most people are better off waiting until that good game is dug out via patches. The single player experience is admittedly better than co-op, but the plethora of bugs in the co-op mode is still unacceptable. Some people may luck out and make it through the game encountering minimal issues, but if anybody's experience is similar to mine then they will instantly regret the money they spent purchasing this game.
Cyber Citizen Shockman 3 is fun at times, mainly thanks to its goofy sense of humor and fun cutscenes and characters, though the basic hack and slash combat paired with inconsistent and often brutal difficulty grows stale quickly. Still, the levels are varied, ranging from city skylines and industrial buildings to demonic underground lairs, and the ever-changing enemies help keep the player's attention throughout its seven short levels. Cheats and bonuses help provide a bit more bang for the buck, but for only $6, there's enough here to justify picking this game up and killing an hour or two.
Bulletstorm VR unfortunately fumbles where it matters most – the gameplay. For a game originally based around fast-paced and easy to execute stylish kills, Bulletstorm's jump to VR does the title no favors, making it much harder to pull off anything aside from straightforward shooting. There's still a fun game hidden within Bulletstorm VR, but there's little reason to pick up the VR version instead of the much better Full Clip console release.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind is a fun, albeit relatively bare bones, experience which gets by more on its nostalgic charm and great presentation, than it does on being anything more than a competent beat 'em up. The addition of on-rails levels and first-person fights are welcomed, and the variety of levels and the added time disrupter elements keep the game fresh for its short run time, but lack of combat moves and frustrating Megazord boss fights keep Rita's Rewind from ever reaching the lofty heights it aims for.
TMNT: Mutants Unleashed has the makings of a good game for those able to sift through the grime of the early hours, but ultimately attempts to do too much, while never mastering any of its ideas. It is not the beat 'em up we've come to expect from the turtles, but is a serviceable light RPG with an in-depth, though not complex, story, a robust ability tree to unlock, tons of collectibles, and a unique ally system which rewards players who are willing to invest in helping the Turtles' friends succeed. Despite my initial hesitation and the abysmal camera, I found myself giving in to the game's eternally optimistic story and characters, and that was enough to compel me to complete the nearly 15-hour adventure.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a great looking remake of an already fun game, which is made better by the inclusion of two new worlds to complete. Unfortunately, the game is quite easy, and the entire experience ends too quickly, which may hamper replayability. Still, it is well worth grabbing a friend or family member and dedicating a weekend to completing the game.
Another Fisherman's Tale is a charming, unique, and well-crafted puzzle game with creative set pieces and a heartfelt story, but unfortunately is let down by an unwieldy control scheme and a short three-to-four-hour long campaign. Still, the story of Bob and his adventures is worth diving into for its sheer creativity and uniqueness.
Job Simulator was one of the defining games of early PC and console VR and remains a great introduction to VR for those wanting to learn the ropes in a stress-free environment. All four scenarios are fun to mess around in and the game has a wonderful sense of humor. Sure, the entire experience only lasts four or five hours, but remains fun throughout.
Switchback VR is a fun, albeit flawed, arcade shooter. While the game lacks enemy variety, has disappointing bosses, and has some graphical issues, the core gunplay remains fun and the variety of locations you'll visit keep the game entertaining throughout the rather short campaign. While I wish the rollercoaster theme was utilized for more thrills, it is still a blast to take down a horde of enemies as you ride through a burning house or a creepy backwoods road.
The Callisto Protocol is a unique and often good game which is hindered by its own ambition. The fighting system is sure to be hit and miss with audiences, and the difficulty coupled with the slow movement and weapon swapping will surely turn a few people off. Despite this, Protocol builds a unique world that would benefit from further entries diving more into its backstory and is brought to life with incredibly detailed graphics, fantastic sound design, and gorgeous lighting. The Callisto Protocol may not be the survival horror game many had hoped for, but it does successfully carve out its own niche.
House of the Dead Remake is a fun, quick romp perfect for a night in with a friend, but will most likely wear out its welcome after a couple of hours. The HD graphics help update the game to the modern era while the addition of unlockable weapons, a horde mode, and multiple difficulties help to extend a rather short campaign, but still doesn't offer much reason to continue playing after you've completed the game a few times. The thing I was excited for the most, the motion controls, ultimately became my biggest disappointment and I can't help but feel that there was a huge missed opportunity to not package the game with a gun peripheral. Still, the core game remains fun despite being released over 25 years ago.
Quest for Infamy is a near perfect recreation of point-and-click adventure games of the past. Featuring hilarious dialogue, immature humor, a variety of locations to explore, some clever (and some frustrating) puzzles, and a decently long campaign with an interesting story to unravel. Game breaking bugs and a few of the genre's persistent issues, such as frustrating design and confusion as to where to go or what to do next, do present themselves and in this modern era are far harder to forgive. Still, Quest for Infamy is fun, funny, and worth giving a shot.
While hilarious and fun for a couple of hours, Fisti-Fluffs players will be hard-pressed to find many reasons to come back after a night or two of entertainment. Still, the hilarious win animations, variety of modes, customization options, and killer metal soundtrack make for a good night in. While there are a few issues with slowdown and bots freezing, none of these ruins the experience enough to worry about in the long run.
B.ARK is a fun and incredibly chaotic shooter, one best played with friends. The levels move quickly and throw a variety of enemies and bosses at you, despite some of the bosses feeling a bit repetitive. Still, the lovable cast of characters, the quirky concept, the ability to rescue your teammates, and the push for players to be competitive all fuse together to create a fun, if short-lived experience that I found well worth tackling over a night with friends.
Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl does a great job recreating the look and feel of an original NES release, but takes its retro inspired roots a bit too far and becomes a game which few but the most dedicated will finish. That said, I did enjoy my time with the game and catching the references to other Kevin Smith movies.