Jeremy Duff

“Power Washer simulator 2 builds on the first game's addictive simplicity, offering a more polished and visually appealing experience. It takes all the core mechanics and layers on larger, more complex levels that add depth without losing accessibility. Ultimately, it remains a relaxing escape and something that transcends the gaming experience to become something more: an outlet for frustration and your worries.”

“Ball X Pit is a wildly inventive twist on a classic formula, blending brick breaking with roguelike progression, RPG mechanics, and resource management into a chaotic, endlessly replayable experience. Thanks to a deep roster of characters, seemingly endless ball combinations, and a settlement system that evolves between runs, the game will sink it hooks into you and refuse to let you go.”

“LEGO Voyagers is a fun journey along a short trail. There is groundwork here for what could be an amazing cooperative experience, but in the end, it comes across as simply a proof of concept.”

“Earthion is an absolute masterpiece, both as a shmup and a modern game in general. It's beautiful, engaging, has a heart-pumping soundtrack, and is the type of game that keeps you coming back again and again. This is a special gift for fans of the genre and will go down as one of the best shmups of all time.”

“Sadly, R&A does not deliver the experience I have been dreaming about for so many years. What is here is a very promising technical demo of parkour in video game form, which is great in terms of the technical accomplishment, but it lacks the game experience. Instead, it becomes a test of your dedication and patience to walk away feeling anything but frustration.”

“Madragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree provides the perfect blend of Souls-like and Metroidvania. An engaging story and satisfying combat will keep you coming back even though there are going to be things that annoy you and force you to step away from time to time. In the end, there is an excellent adventure to be found here and I look forward to more like it from this development team.”

“Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds is proving itself to be eternal. Here we are, more than a decade from the game's initial release and it is as addictive and enjoyable as ever. This has truly become a beat 'em up classic and has demonstrated that it can stand the test of time. The Ultimate version is just that-the ultimate version of the game. It looks, sounds, and plays better than ever. Fans of the genre must experience this one and they will find a game that they'll keep in rotation forever.”

“The latest iteration of Under Defeat shows just how solid the original game was and remains to this day. It's simple yet effective take on the shmmup genre still provides a great challenge with fun gameplay that drives you to keep coming back again and again to better your score. Unfortunately, if it hasn't hooked you in the past, this version isn't really going to do much else to suck you in. The new additions help sweeten the pot for long-time fans but just don't do enough to pull in any new ones.  All in all: fans of the game will enjoy coming back and appreciate having access to a shmup-great on modern consoles.”

“A game that certainly isn't shy about what it is, Berserk Boy is a love letter to the Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man franchises. While there are arguably some slight concerns along the way on the design front, those shortcomings are overshadowed by fun and addicting gameplay. The game manages to pay great respect to the games that influenced it and still stand on its own at the end. Fans of both classic franchises will certainly enjoy going Berserk!”

“Despite being a little over the top at times, violence-wise, Mother Russia Bleeds is a fantastic brawler at it's core. Addicting gameplay with a classic look, this one should keep you and your friends entertained time and time again, just like the classic beat'em ups of the past.”

“A simple concept that is very well executed, Hue is a nice change of pace from the usual game releases.  The narrative is the provoking in the game play what surely stretch your mental muscles.”

“Too simple for it’s own good, A.W. Phoenix Festa is a game that never truly commits to itself. That’s sort of ironic since dating and relationships are such an important part of the experience.”

“CastleStorm VR is the same awesome experience from a new visual perspective. The core game remains as fun and polished as ever, but the perspective offered with the GearVR adds a fresh take on the battlefield. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the perspectives used between battles.”

“Star Fox Guard is really a pleasant surprise. It’s a simple concept that is well executed and makes perfect use of the Wii U’s unique control options. Hundreds of levels and the ability to create and share your own give this one some serious legs.”

“Strip out all of the blood and gore from the Hitman franchise and what is left is truly a thinking man's game. The developers certainly understand what the true charm of the series is and it is highlighted in this puzzle-take on the franchise.”

“Once again, Zen nails the Star Wars look and feel with another set of tables. There are issues to be taken up with both, but overall they prove to be a lot of fun and great additions to the Star Wars Pinball line.”

“While the visual style of the cell-shaded tables took a little getting used to, the overall pinball experience proved to be fantastic. Fans of these shows will definitely enjoy seeing how Zen has adapted them to the pinball world, especially those who love Family Guy and Bob's Burgers.”

“The Old Hunter's is a great expansion for die hard fans of Bloodborne. It brings a good amount of fresh content to the game without doing anything to alter the formula. It's more of the same, which is a good thing. Just be prepared for the difficulty as it is as unrelenting as ever.”

“A beautiful retro game with a great concept. However, there are a variety of hurdles along the way that keep it from being as good as it should have been.”

“Despite having a bit of a learning curve, Ant-Man has quickly become one of my favorite tables that Zen has produced. It really ties in well with the Ant-Man character and world without having to retell the events of the film.”