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In the end, Serial Cleaner is a fun stealth experience. The focus on non-violence is refreshing, and while there are some bits that don't play out so well, the entire experience is fun enough that you'll be motivated to retry it almost immediately. The '70s presentation is inspired, but the bonus levels and challenges give the game some replay value. Serial Cleaner is certainly worth checking out.
Compared to Bayonetta, Vanquish has some catching up to do. The story and characters are forgettable, the environments quickly get stale, and there's no progression in weapons and powers. At the same time, the gameplay remains brilliant, with solid shooting that melds well with some very fast action; it's enough to overcome any visible flaws. With the improvements in frame rate, Vanquish is a good action shooter for anyone with even a mild interest in the genre.
All in all, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is a top-notch port. It won't make you rethink the game if you didn't enjoy it in the first place, but the majority of the improvements do a lot to elevate the game. The updated gameplay and visuals make the experience more fun. Only a few nagging flaws, most of which are a legacy of the original game, decrease the enjoyment a bit, but they won't sour the game for JRPG aficionados.
NBA Playgrounds is not the new NBA Jam replacement. It adds just enough complication to the basic mechanics so it isn't a game that anyone can pick up and play without experiencing one or two matches. The game is fun once you get used to the quirks, and even if the roster unlocking process isn't optimal, it ensures you'll have a reason to keep coming back. For arcade sports fans, NBA Playgrounds is worth a look.
Even if all of the platform-specific flourishes weren't there, Bayonetta would remain a superb action title. The familiar story is buoyed by the absurd cut scenes, the action amplifies that ridiculousness, and the gameplay is still considered tight after the introduction of numerous fast action games in recent years. It's also a lengthy title by today's standards, and the constant grading of every fight will get perfectionists going. The PC version enhances everything and makes this the definitive version of the title, as long as you don't mind losing the Nintendo-themed costumes from the Wii U version. Unless you hate fast action games, you absolutely have to pick up Bayonetta.
In the end, Rime is a solid adventure game that is an absolute stunner in the presentation department. The puzzles may not be that difficult, and they start to repeat in the latter half of the game, but they remain enjoyable. The game also has a very good length, so the journey is enjoyable as long as you don't mind the sudden flurry of exposition at the end. Itmay not have the kind of grand mystery that keeps players coming back, but Rime is certainly a game that's worth playing at least once.
In the end, Styx: Shards of Darkness is a solid stealth title. The lack of real combat puts your ability to go undetected to the test, and the breadth of each level means that your solutions to each problem are wide open, giving you some flexibility to your approach. While your abilities are fun to use, it would've been nice to see them make a difference, especially since the game reuses some environments instead of going for new ones. Shards of Darkness is an improvement over the first game, and it's worth checking out if you're a stealth fan.
All in all, Marvel Heroes Omega is a great example a free-to-play game done right. It's a shameless homage to Diablo with some great Marvel flair. The core gameplay is fun, and the free-to-play mechanics are largely unobtrusive. Some annoyances with the user interface and introduction to general mechanics drag down the game, but they're nothing too serious. Marvel fans or those looking for a fun action-RPG will be hard-pressed to find a better experience than Omega.
Reservoir Dogs: Bloody Days is a confused game. The license seems wasted, since the game fails to use its source material in a meaningful way. Ignore the license, and what you get is a top-down shooter that favors precision over bullet spray but adds a badly implemented time-rewind mechanic that squanders any potential it may have had. A few people can get some enjoyment out Bloody Days, but many will only need a quick glance to realize that this just isn't going to work out.
Overall, Shiness: The Lightning Kingdom isn't that bad. The story is good enough, if a tad generic, while the characters are likeable if you can get past their odd dialogue and exaggerated reactions. Outside of a pretty finicky magic and parry system, the combat is done well for those who crave real-time action over menus, and some of the other systems bring some depth to that. Presentation is decent, but the camera can be enough to put off some people. If you're craving a game that sticks to some JRPG standards, Shiness isn't a bad one to check out once you're done with the heavy-hitters on the system.
The Fidelio Incident is a solid narrative adventure game. The actual gameplay may be light on challenge, but it does enough to feel significant without hindering the overall experience. The presentation is also well done, especially in the audio department where the music really sells the player on the mood. However, it is the story that is the real highlight, since it deals with some heavy subject matter without being too preachy. The two main actors really give the tale some humanity and emotion. For those who enjoy the narrative-heavy experience, The Fidelio Incident is definitely worth seeking out.
Neko Navy is a fine shooter, so long as you're fine with it bringing nothing new to the table. It has an inviting aesthetic for those who are looking for something cute, and it comes in at a decent length for the genre. It may be tough, but the whole thing feels fair, and the game gives you enough to beat it if you're willing to invest some time into it. This may not be the ultimate cute-'em-up, but for genre fans, it's still worth checking out.
Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island is not that bad. The game mechanics are good, and the platforming is fun, especially on a short game where things don't feel like they drag on for the sake of matching game length with monetary cost. At the same time, it is far from being good. The story feels like an afterthought, and the bad characters, dialogue, and technical and design issues sap away at the game's fun. If you're a young platforming fan, you may dig it, but veterans of the genre may come away feeling disappointed that the game doesn't realize its full potential.
Your enjoyment of Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop is going to heavily depend on a number of factors. The recipes are vast, even if the minigame mechanics are simple, and the other minigame options are enough to keep you busy for some time. The lack of difficulty can make the title feel tedious for series veterans, while the shop feature is too undercooked to eke out any fun. As a title for casual gamers or those just starting out, Sweet Shop is fine. Everyone else should wait for it to go on sale.
Embers of Mirrim is a solid puzzle platformer. The parts that involve individual thumbstick coordination can be tricky and frustrating at times, but the platforming and twin-stick puzzles provide just the right amount of challenge. It's also forgiving enough for all skill levels, so everyone can enjoy it without getting too hung up on certain parts. Platforming fans, Embers of Mirrim deserves your attention.
Even with the game's increased emphasis on multiplayer over single-player content, Tekken 7 remains a fun fighting game experience. The core mechanics are as tight as they've always been, and the new material adds some flair to rope in new players. The character roster is balanced between old and new fighters, with just about everyone getting some improvement to their skills. A good number of people are only interested in getting the fighters into ridiculous outfits. The PC iteration boasts a very healthy community and some nice graphical improvements over the console versions, so any gamer on the PC will be happy to have this fighting game in their grasp.
Provided you're not short on empathy, Blackwood Crossing has a good tale to tell. The various forms of loss and growing up are dealt with quite well, while the fanciful setting gives you the impetus to keep going even if you know exactly how the tale will end. It does need some work on the puzzle mechanics, as a fiddly detection system and slow walking can be frustrating once the solution is known. Overall, this is a good first effort from the development team, and it's worth a look if you're a genre fan.
In the end, The Sexy Brutale is a fascinating murder mystery game. The indirect methods that are used to obtain clues and solve each murder are different from other games in the genre. Though you may be able to stumble upon the solution for a murder or two via dumb luck, the game rewards you for careful observation to the audio and visuals. If you can overcome the keyboard/mouse controls in lieu of a control pad, you'll find The Sexy Brutale to be a game that genre fans need to check out.
If you're fine with the game's limited scope in a few areas, Dystoria can be a fun experience. There's some brief disorientation due to the ability to stick to all surfaces and the camera closely following you, but it nicely complements the puzzle aspect of the game. The enemy count is very limited, but combat is fine once you start using the environment and angles to your advantage. The game's short nature is fine, as it ensures that the '80s-style presentation doesn't wear thin, but the game certainly could have used more variety in the end-level goals. Dystoria may not be extraordinary, but it is worth checking out if you want something that's a little different.
There's no argument that the gameplay in Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is timeless. It strikes the right balance between technical flash and grounded mechanics to provide an experience that captivates all types of fans, whether they're jumping into fighting games for the first time, stopped playing from Street Fighter III onward, or never stopped playing fighting games. The various extras, however, feel half-heartedly done. From the Buddy Battle mode to the abysmal Way of the Hado, few things feel fully fleshed out, while parts of the presentation fare worse than the work Backbone Entertainment did almost 10 years ago. At least the online works fine this time around, which may be enough to entice some players. With a price tag of $40, the game represents a very steep cash grab, so unless you're adamant about getting Street Fighter II on the Switch, it's best to wait for a sale or a price drop.