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Overall the game can still be completed rather quickly, and the experience is definitely shallow as far as depth goes, but it’s charming and a great piece of videogame history. Now that I’ve played it to completion, I will say I think Double Switch, another game in the same genre, is a much more elaborate version of this type of game and still my favorite. Night Trap seemed like a great first attempt at a retail title such as this, and I’m glad to see it make a return to the gaming scene all these years later.

Sure the price is cheap and for a few minutes most might be entertained but the level of repetition, dull gameplay, and boring visuals do nothing to make players want to continue the Flip Wars, and it’s ultimately a failure in almost every sense. The game works and doesn’t seem to have any huge issues, but that’s about the best I can say.

Sonic Mania is the Sonic game fans have been wanting. It hits all the notes (and problems) the originals had. But it is also why the series has remained relevant for so long. It delivers speed, fun, and chaos (no pun intended) all in one package. It also finally removes the stigma that all Sonic games are terrible. Let’s hope Forces is as well polished and enjoyable as Mania is.

Hellblade is one such a title that asks its player to step into the role of a woman suffering from an extreme mental illness. In doing so, it offers a glimpse into a world unknown- one of suffocating dread but also, one of breathtaking beauty.

All in all, I feel like Sundered had a great idea in place, but due to the procedurally generated rooms mixed with the nonstop enemy encounters, I felt like I wasn’t able to progress enough in a span of time to make me want to keep going.

Aven Colony is a unique take on the genre. It is also one that works surprisingly well on consoles. For those with the itch to build some cities and don’t mind the alien landscape I definitely recommend it.

Mighty Gunvolt Burst is exactly what I wanted it to be. A proper clone of a genre I still love to this day, with enough new to make it feel modern. The platforming is tight, the challenge is solid, and everything just feels good. I grew up loving these games, and while I am not quite as skilled as I used to be, I still enjoy the challenge they deliver.

I feel like a sequel should usually try to mix things up a bit or do more, but Nidhogg 2 feels like a safe bet. More of the same and just a different look. For newcomers, it’s no worries, for fans, it could be a slight disappointment. It’s still a fun and frantic game, and that quality shines throughout, regardless of walking the same line as the first.

After finishing the game, I was brought right back into the world with all my leveled up agents, able to replay any mission I wanted to progress in anything I hadn’t finished. Ultimately I had a great time becoming an agent; I laughed, I shoot a bunch of baddies, and I grew to love the Agents of Mayhem. There is quite a bit of content here and this won’t blow anyone away as far as mission design or open world games goes, but I couldn’t stop smiling, laughing, and playing until it was finished, regardless of its flaws.

Younger gamers, who may have never played any of these games, probably won’t enjoy most of them due to their money stealing design. I certainly would encourage youngsters to try out Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug, as they are genuine classics, but $30 for two or three games that I would play long-term just doesn’t seem like good value. This game is probably best being held off on until a price drop.