15. Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs

Considering how successful Pac-Man 99 was, it’s understandable that Bandai Namco Entertainment sought to make a follow-up. Chomp Champs even took a multi-dimensional approach, allowing players to escape the confines of their mazes and devour the opposition (and their Ghosts). However, this isn’t so much a spiritual successor as a port of PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle, which launched in November 2020 and sank alongside Google Stadia.

All these years later, Chomp Champs is little more than the same experience for other platforms but with cross-play. The gameplay can be fun for a bit and performance is solid, but the overall package is so barren that it’s impossible to ignore the flaws. Whether it’s the embarrassingly low-rent user interface, lack of offline modes, the bland music or the terrible Ranked experience, Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs is imminently forgettable.

14. Graven

Boomer shooters are common these days, but the sheer variety and creativity many exude is great. As a spiritual successor to Hexen, Slipgate Ironworks’ Graven seemed like a winner from the moment early access was announced. Sure, there were some rough edges but there was hope that subsequent Acts would be even better. However, the final product is left wanting.

A reliance on checkpoints instead of a traditional save system seems fine until you’re hard stuck or puzzles begin to break, setting progress back by a fair amount. The immersive sim elements are intriguing but ultimately lacking, the stamina system is restrictive, and the enemy design is frustrating. Couple this with numerous bugs and glitches, some game-breaking, and Graven fails to measure up to its inspiration.

13. Endless Ocean Luminous

As a follow-up to Endless Ocean: Adventures of the Deep from 2009, Endless Ocean Luminous could have offered a relaxing aquatic exploration experience with some bits to help you learn more about various species underwater. Unfortunately, its focus is all over the place, bogging down the overall product. There is a story, but progression is an annoyance due to the clunky scanning, which you must constantly engage with. The lack of realism to the whole affair is also a bummer, and the dull visuals don’t help either.

12. Alone in the Dark

Not only is it another failed attempt to bring the classic survival horror franchise into the new generation, but the developer shut down shortly after due to its lackluster reception. Nevertheless, there’s no denying that the reboot just wasn’t good. Combat feels unpolished and rough, but given the lack of compelling challenges, it’s more of an inconvenience. The sheer amount of bugs with the audio alone is enough to keep fans away, and despite the intriguing set-up, the writing and performances from its lead actors are simply lackluster.

11. Sker Ritual

Have you ever played Maid of Sker and felt, “Hm, this needs a first-person shooter spin-off with multiplayer”? Probably not, but that didn’t stop Capcom and its awful Resident Evil multiplayer modes. Thus we have Sker Ritual, which essentially borrows the round-based format from Call of Duty’s Zombies mode. However, it’s lacking in many ways, from the matchmaking and UI to the glitches and messy visuals. Couple this with an issue at launch where the host could retain their XP on quitting while other players couldn’t, and it’s easy to see why Sker Ritual is essentially dead.

10. Outpost: Infinity Siege

Team Ranger’s Outpost: Infinity Siege is a genre mash-up that could have worked with more focus and less tedium. A tower defense/first-person shooter hybrid can be great – as evidenced by the beginning of the game, despite the laughable dialogue and increasingly absurd plot. However, once the rogue-like and extraction shooter elements come into play, things fall apart. The horrible AI, dull map designs, grindy progression and numerous glitches on release didn’t help either. Though it’s seen many improvements and updates since then, Outpost: Infinity Siege needs a rethink of its fundamentals.

9. Die by The Blade

Outside of Tekken, Street Fighter, Guilty Gear, and whatnot are more niche fighting games that could use some exposure. Die by the Blade isn’t one of those games. It’s not even in the same stratosphere based on the mechanics alone, with clunky combos and movement that feels like molasses. Matches devolve into little more than rock-paper-scissors, and the lack of content beyond that, including no campaign or proper ranked mode, results in a tedious experience.

8. Undead Inc.

Ndemic Creations’ Plague Inc. was one of my favorite mobile games back in the day, and there was some hope that Undead Inc. from Rightsized Games would channel some of that nostalgia. It doesn’t, unfortunately, and can’t even provide a compelling management experience on its own. Numerous bugs, lackluster content, be it in the biomes or facilities, crashes, horrible interface – the list goes on. What is a compelling concept that could have explored the darker side of pharmaceutical companies ends up way out of its depth.

7. Winter Survival (Early Access)

Yes, it’s early access, but Winter Survival is seemingly set on doing everything wrong with its survival sandbox premise. An empty world lacking in much to do, a lackluster crafting UI, awful combat that focuses on timed strikes and often ends in disaster – it’s all the worse when you’re constantly nagged about having to sleep, eat and drink. The injury and trauma system could have been something unique, but as it stands, Winter Survival has a ways to go with its fundamentals.

6. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

For all the backlash it received after its initial gameplay reveal, you would think Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League would have something on its sleeve to win players. Honestly, the opening hours of the story were intriguing, even if each squad member, their CO, Amanda Waller, the Rogue’s Gallery, the brainwashed heroes, you name it, couldn’t go five minutes without chatter. Once the Elseworlds kick in, the plot promptly falls off a cliff. The awful boss battles and recycled open-world activities further kill the enthusiasm (even if the gunplay was passable).

Even with the marketing might of Warner Bros. Discovery and recognition of the Suicide Squad property, Kill the Justice League fell short of expectations, contributing to a $200 million impact on revenue. Its first season is a dud, and player numbers range in the hundreds on Steam nowadays. On the bright side, at least WB is committed to completing the current roadmap. After that? It could end up joining the likes of Anthem and Marvel’s Avengers.

5. Skull and Bones

What are the chances that February would bring not one but two long-in-development, live-service titles that failed to resonate with players? Of course, nothing is ever guaranteed with Skull and Bones, announced at E3 2017 and facing multiple delays, reported reboots, leadership changes and more throughout its nightmarish development.

The fact that it finally launched is shocking enough…until you play the game and grind through the menial labor that is the story. Activities served as little more than sailing from point A to point B, shooting some ships and/or mythical creatures, and maybe plundering a few hapless souls. The loot felt menial; the actual pirate aspects felt empty and soulless, and the game is just the same grind with a dash of PvEvP thrown in. Skull and Bones didn’t exactly have every opportunity to succeed but seeing it flop so succinctly is sad.

4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants

As a port of Raw Thrills’ 2017 beat ’em up, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants seems unassuming enough. Then you see that GameMill Entertainment of The Walking Dead: Destinies and Skull Island: Rise of Kong is involved. While not a disaster on the level of those two titles, it’s still a miserable experience. The combat is terrible. The movement is terrible. The visuals are bland and the distinctions between characters are almost non-existent. Even if all those issues were shored up, there isn’t enough content or replay value to justify revisiting it.

3. Bulletstorm VR

How do you mess up Bulletstorm, one of the most fun first-person shooters ever made? As it turns out, very easily. Though original developer People Can Fly published it, Bulletstorm VR is developed by Incuvo, who worked on Green Hell VR (released to a mixed response on Steam). The gunplay is cooked right out of the gate, from its horrid aiming and reload mechanics to the lackluster impact. Then there were the crashes, missing textures on Quest headsets and poor performance.

If that wasn’t enough, several missions were outright cut. Remember your emotional bond with Waggleton P. Tallylicker and controlling it to wreak havoc on enemies? Gone. Not even the extra missions focused on Trishka could salvage this mess. Several updates were released to improve the experience and even add the vulgarity back in but alas, it’s too little, too late.

2. Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator

Nacon’s had some pretty horrendous releases over the years like Gangs of Sherwood and Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood, but it’s also had winners like RoboCop: Rogue City and Session: Skate Sim. Taxi Life unfortunately falls into the former, as part of the publisher’s iffy “Simulator” series.

The “simulation” part has its share of problems, from the unrealistic behavior of the traffic and passengers to the infuriating pedestrians, who will walk in front of you when the light is green with joyous abandon. The lack of support for many steering wheels is bad enough yet the default controls are equally shabby. Performance, despite the admittedly decent-looking visuals, leaves much to be desired. Creating any sim is a tall task, but Taxi Life makes it seem like a herculean effort.

1. Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash

Imagine being able to launch a video game based on the popular Jujutsu Kaisen series, that too just a few months after the conclusion of the Shibuya Incident. What better publisher than Bandai Namco Entertainment with its success on other shounen franchises like Naruto and Dragon Ball? Unfortunately, Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash isn’t it. It’s little more than a shameless cash-in, existing for no other reason than to cash in on a peak moment in the series’ popularity.

The combat is exceedingly dull, marking a new low for any sense of depth an arena fighter could have. The balance is all over the place, the visuals are ugly and the Story Mode does a horrendous job of representing the first season and Jujutsu Kaisen 0. Any hope of deriving fun from the online multiplayer is quickly dashed by the terrible netcode. Even if you’re a die-hard fan of anime games, Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash is little more than cursed.

Aces of Thunder

Gaijin Entertainment’s upcoming Aces of Thunder lets you live out your fantasy of being in the driver’s seat of a military airplane, and it makes great use of the VR platform’s capabilities to really immerse you into the experience. The game features plenty of different vehicles to choose from, and each of these models will have different handling and stats thanks to the simulation nature of gameplay. It comes out for PSVR2 sometime this year.

Bulletstorm VR

Bulletstorm is known for its fast and frenetic gameplay loop and hilarious writing, and developer People Can Fly’s 2011 hit continues to hold up surprisingly well to this date. Bulletstorm VR is an effort to translate that adrenaline-pumping experience to a new dimension, and while there are definitely a few quirks and rough edges – it still manages to be an immensely fun time for both returning fans and newcomers alike. It’s available now on PSVR2.

Arken Age

Set against the backdrop of a futuristic world that’s a weird but beautiful mix of nature and technology, developer VitriviusVR’s Arken Age revolves around the protagonist embarking on a grand adventure to save the world from peril. The gameplay lets you take part in thrilling first-person encounters, but what separates Arken Age from its contemporaries is its physics-based combat mechanics and the ability to craft custom weaponry. It’s set to come out sometime in Q1 2024, and we will definitely be checking it out when it releases.

Heroes of Forever

Currently in development at Lucky Mountain Games, Heroes of Forever is a first-person shooter that sees you and your friends hopping across different dimensions and time periods all in an effort to cleanse the world of some creeping corruption. It seems like a simple story at first glance, but Heroes of Forever has made great use of the multiverse concept to explore plenty of distinct locales that are rendered with some amazing art direction. It will come out sometime in 2024.

Madison VR

BLOODIOUS Games delivered a great first-person horror game with Madison, and a lot of that praise could be attributed to the thick atmosphere and a storyline that continues to remain engaging right through to the end. Fans will be able to enjoy the game with even more immersion through its upcoming VR mode, and it looks like it just might be the best way to experience what Madison has to offer. We don’t have a release date at the moment, but we will hopefully get to hear more news on the matter in the coming weeks and months.

Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate

Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate is a remake of the original Wanderer, and it offers the same brain-tickling puzzle experience and a story that remains a captivating affair through and through while also giving the visuals a fresh coat of paint. In addition to this, the PSVR2 remake also adds three new levels and mechanical improvements which give enough reasons to replay this amazing adventure all over again. It comes out for PSVR2 sometime this year.

Phasmophobia

Kinetic Games enjoyed a ton of critical and commercial success with Phasmophobia, a game that manages to stitch together psychological horror with co-op gameplay in a way that’s pretty fresh and unique. Phasmophobia will also be making a transition to the VR platform in a while, and the prospect of getting to experience the bone-chilling horror that comes from slowly making your way through deserted corridors and crumbled mansions is something that’s too hard to pass on. It doesn’t have a release date at the moment, but more news will be dropping shortly.

Vertigo 2

Set against the backdrop of an alien planet, Vertigo 2 is all about you trying to overcome all sorts of hostile forces in an effort to reach back home. The sequel expands upon the original in new and interesting ways with better encounter designs and a slew of increasingly tough bosses. Vertigo 2 is available on PSVR2 right now.

X8

Developed by Thirdverse Co, X8 is an online multiplayer VR shooter where you get to choose from a variety of heroes and battle it out in chaotic 5v5 battles. Each character comes with its own unique set of abilities that makes the combat more interesting by adding an element of strategy to the whole affair. X8 has been received pretty well by fans on Meta Quest and PC and is confirmed to launch on PSVR2 soon.

Behemoth

Skydance Interactive is hard at work on Behemoth, a first-person adventure where you play as a vagabond lost in a mysterious land. The cinematic trailer showcases the protagonist exploring the Strange lands and fighting massive giants called Behemoth – which sounds pretty compelling to say the least. More news will be dropping soon, and we will hopefully get to know more as Behemoth reaches its imminent release of late 2024.

Low Fi

Low fi is an upcoming futuristic cyberpunk VR simulation game where you take the mantle of a police officer patrolling the crime-riddled streets of city block 303. Much isn’t revealed about the gameplay yet, but Low Fi is stated to be an open-world game which means you will get the freedom to explore the world and pave your own path through the adventure. Low-fi is still deep in development and is speculated to be released in 2024 on PSVR2.

Akka Arrh

Akka Arrh feels like the perfect VR translation of retro shooter games back from the 80s. Developed by Llamasoft, Akka Arrh is best described as a mixture of deliriant visuals, neon bright colors, and an energetic soundtrack while the gameplay revolves around shooting enemies and dodging bullets in moments unnoticed. Akka Arrh is available on PC right now and is scheduled to release on PSVR2 in March 2024.

BIG SHOTS

Big Shots is developer Alter Eyes’ first game, which seats you in the cockpit of a mech robot and lets you wreak havoc upon hordes of aliens in an effort to regain control over Earth. Between a compelling cartoon-like art style along and a wide selection of weapons to exterminate waves of aliens, Big Shots is a great option to live out your dream of piloting a mech robot. Big Shots is planned to release in the first quarter of 2024 on PC, MetaQuest, and PSVR2.

Firmament

After a successful Kickstarter campaign and a couple of delays – Firmament is finally en route to release for PSVR2 sometime in early 2024. Firmament will thrust players into a steampunk world that comprises many elaborate puzzle rooms that players will have to solve in order to make sense of this world and decipher the central mystery of it all. Reception has generally been positive across PC, and it could definitely be an amazing time on VR as well.

Genotype

Genotype is a single-player first-person shooter where you get to explore a scientific facility overrun by all manner of weird worms, but the catch is that you can use these creatures as weapons by printing them and fighting off the incoming forces. Not only that, you can also transform into these tiny creatures to explore inaccessible areas like secret vents and narrow passageways. Genotype’s suite of ideas makes it sound pretty cool, and we will be checking it out when it releases in the near future.

Metro Awakening

While a new mainline entry in the long running Metro series is under development, PSVR 2 owners are set to experience a new VR experience set in the Metro universe. Titled Awakening, the game will release on PSVR 2 sometime in 2024. The game is set in 2028 and you will take on the role of Serdar, who is searching for his wife in this demanding and challenging world. The gameplay looks spectacular but we will see how the whole thing pans out this year.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

While the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake continues to chug along, Ubisoft Montpellier has something different coming up with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. It stars a new playable character, Sargon, who must rescue Prince Ghassan.

As a 2D action side-scroller with Metroid-style exploration, it features several time-focused powers, with Sargon also capable of slashing, dashing and parrying attacks. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown could be an interesting spin-off to the main series with an interconnected world with secrets to discover and a fresh story. We’ll find out when it launches on January 18th for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

The Last of Us Part 2 is getting the “remastered” treatment on PS5, with PS4 owners able to upgrade for $10. Available on January 19th, it adds two modes – Fidelity for native 4K and Performance for 1440p upscaled to 4K while improving other visual aspects like shadow quality, level of detail distances and more.

Developer commentary from director Neil Druckmann and narrative lead Halley Gross is included, with actors Troy Baker, Ashley Johnson, and Laura Bailey along for the ride and three Lost Levels cut from the game. Those expecting more gameplay can also jump into No Return, a roguelike survival mode with various playable characters, each having unique abilities and randomized challenges. There’s also a new Speedrun Mode, Photo Mode options, new skins for Ellie and Abby, and more.

Tekken 8

Bandai Namco’s flagship fighter is finally getting a sequel, built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. Tekken 8 is more than just a graphical leap – it continues the story of Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima while adding the new Arcade Quest. Select an avatar and venture through the world of arcades, battling challengers and building your crew’s reputation. There are 32 playable characters, from classics like Jin, Paul, Nina, Alisa and more to newcomers like Azucena, Victor and Reina.

The mechanics have also been revamped, with the new Heat system leaning into more aggressive play. Sharpen your skills in Super Ghost Battles, take a break with Tekken Ball or improve your combos thanks to the overhauled My Replay and Tips. Tekken 8 launches on January 26th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC and looks to set a new standard for the series.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Touted as the longest game in the series – so long that the development team is worried you’ll get sick if you keep playing continuously – Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth launches on January 26th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Ichiban Kasuga returns, venturing to Honolulu City to meet his mother, who was assumed dead for years.

After some shenanigans, he meets up with Kazuma Kiryu, who is on a mission for the Daidoji faction. Old friends return, new characters are introduced, and the turn-based combat offers new mechanics like area-of-effect attacks, easier combos with allies and more. You also have several new activities, from arcade games to Dondoko Island, an entire island community that you build and populate, Animal Crossing-style. Is it too much? Probably, but it also looks amazing.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy

Ryunosuke and Phoenix Wright have had their contemporary compilations, and it’s finally the turn of Apollo Justice. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is out on January 25th for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch, and collects Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice into one collection.

It also includes two Special Episodes previously DLC-only, an Animation Studio for creating custom scenes, an Art Library to view illustrations and other artwork, the Orchestra Hall and much more. If you want to complete the Phoenix Wright journey, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is worth picking up.

Bulletstorm VR

It’s been a while since People Can Fly’s Bulletstorm launched, showcasing all the kicking, sliding, environmental destruction and Skillshots that a first-person shooter could offer. With Bulletstorm VR, players can pull enemies close or redirect them for some makeshift shields. There’s also dual-wielding to add more spice to combat and two exclusive levels starring Trishka Novak, who can utilize energy blades to dismember foes. Bulletstorm VR launches on January 18th and will be available for PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest and PC via Steam VR.

Graven

It’s hard to believe that Slipgate Ironworks’ Graven launched in early access almost three years ago. On January 23rd, it will finally be available for PC (later for other platforms), offering several regions to explore and old-school combat. The full release promises nine new enemies, 13 new weapons and mods, new unique bosses and other challenges. As a Hexen 2 spiritual successor, Graven should offer a compelling dark fantasy.

Enshrouded

Survival crafting games in the vein of Valheim have begun to pop up more recently, and Enshrouded looks like a potential hit (at least based on its demo). Described as “Valheim meets Zelda,” you awaken in the world of Embervale, with a pestilent fog consuming the kingdom.

Explore various locations, from dungeons and caves to forests, while collecting materials and building a base, with NPCs able to take shelter and lend assistance. Craft powerful gear and weapons, then venture into the Shroud to tackle bosses and other threats. With support for up to 16 players and sleek-looking combat, Enshrouded is worth checking out when it launches on January 24th for PC via Steam Early Access.

New Cycle

Have you ever looked at Frostpunk and thought, “But what if with solar flares?”, there’s New Cycle from Core Engage. With the Old World in ruins, it’s up to you to build up a colony of survivors by gathering resources and expanding to thrive. The current state of the world brings unstable seasons and “destructive events,” as the developer describes them, for more challenges to your colony. You also must manage your people’s efficiency and morale, lest they become unruly. New Cycle launches on January 18th for PC.

Unlike Gray, Trishka prefers to fight with Energy Blades, which can dismember enemies. You can also use them to push targets into the environment, though kicking doors down still works. The blades can cut ropes and bring down heavy objects to wipe out groups of enemies. Of course, you can also wield an Energy Blade in one hand and a gun in the other.

Bulletstorm VR launches on January 18th, 2024, for PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest headsets and PC via SteamVR. Those interested in the base game can check out our review here. Stay tuned for more details on the VR version in the coming weeks.

People Can Fly and developer Incuvo have announced in a Twitter post that Bulletstorm VR will now launch on January 18, 2024, and that the additional development time will be used to further improve the experience.

“People Can Fly and Incuvo have made the tough decision to delay the release of Bulletstorm VR to January 18, 2024,” the Twitter announcement reads. “We know that Bulletstorm fans are eager to put on their VR headsets and kick ass in virtual reality. We aim to use this extra time to continue improving the experience to ensure that Bulletstorm VR lives up to the high standards you’ve come to expect from the well-known AAA FPS franchise and People Can Fly as a developer of high-quality AAA games.”

When Bulletstorm VR launches in January, it will be available for PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest headsets, and PC (via Steam). Stay tuned for more updates on the game in the lead-up to its release.

Dear mercenaries, an update on the release date for Bulletstorm VR: pic.twitter.com/xvypYqhsRo

— Bulletstorm (@Bulletstorm) November 20, 2023

Bulletstorm VR puts players into the shoes of Grayson Hunt after he crash lands on an abandoned resort planet. Hunt then takes it upon himself to track down the people responsible for betraying him and his team, and also recover his crew along the way.

Much like original cult classic shooter Bulletstorm, Bulletstorm VR will allow players to switch between melee and ranged combat in order to pull of fancy kills to make use of the Skillshot system, which rewards players for getting creative in combat. One of the iconic weapons of Bulletstorm, the Energy Leash, will also be available for players to use in Bulletstorm VR.

The game will also feature other weapons and abilities, like the Flailgun, and the ability to dual-wield guns.

In case you didn’t already know about Bulletstorm, Bulletstorm VR will put you into the shoes of Grayson Hunt after he crash lands on to an abandoned resort planet. Hunt wants to hunt down the the person responsible for the betrayal, and along the way, hopefully recover his crew.

Bulletstorm VR will allow players to switch between ranged and melee combat to take advantage of the Skillshot system, which rewards players for getting creative with the way they dispose of their enemies. The standout weapon of the game, the Energy Leash, will also be returning in Bulletstorm VR with a whole new way to use it.

Bulletstorm VR will be coming to PC, PlayStation VR2, and the Quest. It currently doesn’t have a release date aside from a 2023 window.