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Van Helsing II is more of the same, both good and bad. I really enjoyed the core game play, loot gathering, and environments in the game. I did not appreciate that most of the technical issues of the first title on consoles also came with it. Still, for $15 it is hard not to recommend this title for anyone looking to scratch that action RPG itch. It is solid, entertaining, and most importantly fun, if you can get past its issues.

Song of the Deep is a nice, solid length, beautiful side scrolling adventure game that will take most players anywhere from 6 to 10 hours to complete. Lots of hidden treasures to find, upgrades to purchase, and secret areas to discover. Genre wise it’s not doing anything that most other games haven’t done before it, but the setting and story are unique and just captivating enough to provide players with a wonderful undersea fairy tale.

INSIDE is a fantastic experience. The puzzles are a bit rudimentary at times and the story is almost too outlandish and confusing to describe. It is almost impossible to discuss the game without talking about what makes it special. Do yourself a favor, play this game, I guarantee immediately upon finishing it, you will want to talk to someone, if for nothing else but to just see their face and say “WTF just happened.” Yes it is one of those games.

I never had a chance to check out the first title, but had heard a lot about it. With getting the chance to review the sequel, I was coming in completely fresh, so I can’t speak for how this feels in comparison. What I can say is, for the price and content of quality, if the puzzle genre is player’s forte, this is a no brainer. BoxBoxBoy is charming, easy to get into, and quality over quantity.

Even though 7th Dragon III Code:VFD is the fourth title of this series, it’s our first official introduction to the franchise, and it makes a good case on the idea that this might be a little gem of a series that we’ve been missing out on for all these years. From its solid character customization to its strategic and enjoyable combat, it’s yet another great JRPG to grace the 3DS.

The entire time I was playing, I was secretly waiting for the game to open up. JRPGs have a reputation of being long grinds, and the characters and combat had me wanting Star Ocean to expand. Sadly, when I realized I was nearing the end of the journey and not much had changed, it was sobering. There just isn’t much here to get excited about, and it feels like the game is just checking the boxes of what it had to have, instead of bringing any new ideas to the table.

The realism is commendable, but also limiting to the appeal of the game. The lackluster visuals and goofy animations also stand out, and the lack of anyone playing online completely nullifies the need for that mode. This is sad because the mechanics and sheer amount of content are really impressive, and for that small audience looking for a realistic motocross simulator, this feels exactly like what they would want.

It’s a shame, as I feel that this almost feels unwarranted. Gaining levels, new moves, and the ability for more crew members is super satisfying, but when it’s always revoked when losing or decide not to play any more in that single session, it’s super disappointing. Lost Sea is a fun diversion, it’s colorful and beautiful in a cute way and offers some fun moments.

Stiff and smooth animations just make it comical at times. A moment of screen stutter also occurs when the game auto-saves at times, highly annoying but I was able to largely get used to it. All these issues aside, I was still having a blast playing this, and I can see myself stepping into the world of 7 Days to Die on and off at times. It’s not a game that takes commitment, yet people can also spend a lot of time in the world surviving, building, and just having some co-op fun.

Bard Gold is a decent little indie title, but it’s one specifically aimed at people who are into these roguelike games. Side scrolling, with a little dose of death and progression goes a long way to keep the game entertaining enough, but it just doesn’t do enough different or interesting things to garner much attention. If readers are extremely into the genre, this is one to take a look at when on sale or if just looking for something different.