Kai Powell
If it weren't for Remedy's inclusion of a somewhat routine FPS campaign (with some strange PTSD and telepathy moments thrown into one half), CrossfireX would simply be among one of the worst FPS titles I've played on Xbox. However, players might still find some joy in at least experiencing half of the campaign for free via Xbox Game Pass before downloading the competitive multiplayer and throwing all of those smiles away.
Dying: Reborn is a textbook example on how to set up the groundwork for an 'Escape Room' experience, but it largely feels unfinished and content is repeated in order to fill in those gaps.
Gal*Gun Double Peace is certainly a title that’s not for everyone, but if those titulating screenshots get your heart going ‘doki-doki,’ you’re exactly the kind of person that Double Peace was made for.
At only ten hours long, Arc of Alchemist won't waste much of your time. This wasteland has seen better days and couldn't come as recommended to any but the most ardent of Idea Factory fans.
Despite being a masterpiece of split universes and the often futile attempts to fight fate, we're living in the timeline where the original source code for Chrono Cross was lost to the scars of time and the remaster that exists in this age wasn't given the focus that one of the greatest JRPGs of all time deserves.
Dolmen innovates the Soulslike genre with how it handles Energy and ranged combat but lacks a clear vision of what makes these games enjoyable beyond just some interesting mechanics.
Fated: The Silent Oath is a brief Nordic experience that teases something greater, but will ultimately leave the player wondering if there is more to come.
From a safe yet unwieldy control scheme to a lack of cohesive content, The Assembly has the edges of a complete adventure game with just a few too many pieces missing from being able to assemble the complete picture.
Syndrome has a foundation in place to be a creepy horror story that focuses on the desolation of outer space and the madness it can bring, but the execution is a few light years behind. It might give players something more to try out for a Halloween-themed gaming binge, but players might also die of boredom long before they succumb to shock.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered is certainly prettier than the GameCube release, but with a definitive lack of local co-op and some bafflingly poor online multiplayer choices, that's about all this remastered classic has going for it.
Sea of Thieves is a daring attempt by Rare but also a lacking one on so many fronts. While the graphics are fantastic and the game has a unique charm, ultimately the world feels empty, devoid of content and features. Sailing with friends can be an exhilarating experience at first, but when there's not much to do the fun dies down pretty quickly.
A fast-paced combat system and operatic soundtrack from Motoi Sakuraba aren't enough to save Valkyrie Elysium from a fate worse than Ragnarok: mediocrity.
Konami's first anniversary collection for their 50th anniversary contains some notable arcade classics, but the fact they've been previously released digitally with more options should appeal to only the most ardent of nostalgic fans.
Perception builds upon one unique gameplay element throughout its entire brief run, but fails to see what makes a horror game memorable.
The return of Task Force 141 brings along with it an unusually topical storyline that lacks the signature Blockbuster appeal of your typical Call of Duty campaign and instead feels like a Direct-to-DVD sequel.
Long heralded as the pinnacle of graphical performance, the Remastering of Crysis leaves much to be desired with a style of combat and fidelity that can't quite match its contemporaries on PlayStation and Xbox
Crucible in its current form feels uninspired in a lot of ways. While the heroes themselves would fit great into smaller arena matches, throwing sixteen players into an oversized MOBA map sours what makes Crucible unique among other hero shooters.
Metal Max Xeno is one of the most average RPG's I've played in a long while. It's almost a comfort food in a strange way: warm and familiar but without any spice.
A relic of another time, Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time feels dated by today's standards of character action games but still represents a mighty fine way to replay as one of Adult Swim's most notable heroes.
Although a tribute to the likes of Persona and the Tales of Series, Akiba's Beat doesn't have quite enough substance to recommend another Sunday visit to Akihabara.