The Walking Dead: A New Frontier didn't just have an ambitious title, it also had a great deal of promise. The start of the third season was as memorable as anything Telltale had done before, but the story took turns in some strange directions that didn't have the payoff hinted at early on. Given Telltale's track record, we're not writing off the future of The Walking Dead, but A New Frontier's finish certainly raised questions as to whether or not Telltale has anything exciting left to say about this world.

For a penultimate episode, "Thicker Than Water" doesn't ramp up the stakes quite as much as some of Telltale's earlier efforts. With so little changing during the events of this fourth chapter in The New Frontier, it's hard not to be disappointed by the time seemingly squandered in this episode. Granted, the final moments accelerate things to a worthy climax, but save for those 10-15 minutes, everything that transpired in "Thicker Than Water" could easily have been folded in to the previous or upcoming episode. Hopefully Telltale was saving all the fireworks for the upcoming final chapter, as it would be a shame for A New Frontier's strong start to end with a whimper.

Exploration is a great deal of fun right up until the denizens of the newly discovered planets drag you into their own problems, which aren't all that impressive in the grand scheme. Nobody said being a Pathfinder would be easy, but it probably would have been a bit more tolerable if it wasn't so mired in managing tedium.

I wanted Desync to be good. I’m fan of games that actually test your reflexes and mettle but so much of this title just feels unfair. It controls well enough and when you’re actually able to get a combo going, it’s fun. Ultimately, those moments are too few and far between. Maybe with some improvements or toning down the difficulty and enemy speed, I’ll return to Desync. For now I’ll just to stick with games that do everything Desync tries to do with better results, like Bulletstorm or Doom.

Berserk and the Band of the Hawk could have been more than a simple re-issuing of the same Warriors formula that Omega Force has perfected over the years, but instead this is merely a re-telling of the Berserk story with a lot of emphasis on the Square and Triangle buttons.

Gravity Rush 2 seems to offer mind-bending action with an unique set of powers via its heroine Kat, but the major fault of the game lies in a story that’s unclear and features outside of gravity powers that aren’t anything new or complex.

The Last Guardian is an interesting and frustrating game that can’t decide if it wants to be modern or retro, and that constant argument brings the entire experience down a notch. While I was willing to deal with the limits of the previous era to enjoy the perks of the current one, I can understand where others might grow weary of the experience.

Dead Rising 4 sees the franchise's original hero forced back into action in a sequel that's bigger than any entry in the series before, yet feels more empty and bereft of excitement than its predecessors.

WWE 2K17 should be marking a new era for WWE video games, but unfortunately it dredges up old problems from the past just as much as it improves with new content. The massive roster, excellent control scheme save for reversals, and extensive creation suite all impressed me, but the little technical nuances just kept annoying me to no end.

Mafia III as a narrative alone is a commendable effort, and is unlikely to be forgotten for that very reason. It takes a hard look at a life many of us have never led, and challenges players with an experience most could never truly know. Ultimately though, even the strongest of stories can't save Mafia III from falling prey to genre conventions, and too many at that.

When you strip away the silly executions and crowded, dense maps, Hitman is still a solid stealth experience.

Rise of Iron is a strange hiccup in Bungie’s progress towards making Destiny a better overall experience. SIVA is an interesting villain that is ultimately never explained or explored. The majority of the content here is the actual Plaguelands themselves, and all there is to do is a couple of fetch-quests and patrol missions. Everything in this expansion seems to revolve around tedious grinding; grinding to finish the Iron Record book and get more rewards, grinding to get your light level up to do the raid. Whereas Taken King did so much to improve Destiny in every way, Rise of Iron feels like a big step back.

A lot should be made of ReCore's basic technical issues. Without them this game could be considered one of the sleeper hits of the year, but being constantly forced to wait for a game to load and then experiencing weird clipping issues during the game does not an enjoyable experience make.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 shines in all the same ways as Pac-Man Championship Edition, just with a light that's a little duller. Levels are still fun, they're just not as fun. The action still has a funky, flow-y groove, just not as funky or flow-y.

In short, while the Himmapan level is nice to look at and chock full of things to do, it's held back by a lack of defining features linking it to Bangkok and lopsided mission design.

The universe is huge. It instills such a feeling of insignificance and it is incredibly fun to think of all the possibilities when arriving in a new place, but when it inevitably requires the patience to do the same things over and over, the wonder of exploration loses out on some important magic.

What Telltale has been able to do from strictly a narrative standpoint is up to the company's usual high standards. Enjoying those moments is an absolute challenge though, as so much of the rest of the game just doesn't work properly. Telltale has earned our trust to eventually rectify these qualms, but Batman's adventure is still off to one of the roughest starts we've seen from the developer.

We feel the same way about Generations as we did about Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate last year: it's a fun game that requires far too much grinding. We only wish there were more new things to talk about instead of just the same old hunter's song and dance.

As a Turtles fans I’m mildly satisfied seeing the characters in a new light, but playing the game just doesn’t cut it for me.

Hitman -Sapienza doesn’t live up to the free-form assassination sandbox that the previous episode set up. The frustrating lack of freedom and save issues really hurt the experience however. Despite it being a better looking and ultimately more immersive setting than any of the first three missions, Sapienza falls flat in its mission structure.

There's a lot to like about Star Fox Zero, but those ideas are rooted in games past and the new features muddle the whole thing up.

Ultimately Hyper Light Drifter is a great adventure game that begs to presented in a better way. A more clearly defined story and more intuitive exploration would make this game the adventure that it wants to be, but without those things Hyper Light Drifter falls flat.

Adr1ft tries to break away from the tropes of bombastic violence and self-congratulation found in so many video games, and for that, its development team should be lauded. It’s too bad that this game set in the black void of space didn’t find anything interesting enough to fill the void of its barely-existent gameplay.

Into the Stars, despite some lack of variety, isn’t boring. Even for being a bit repetitive, it provides urgency, difficulty, relief and frustration in-game that runs pretty flawlessly.

Far Cry Primal is an incredibly interesting game that really nails the feeling of danger and survival at times. The game’s nearly non-existent, thin plot and tedious crafting system however hold it back from being great.

Michonne is the big draw here, and Samira Wiley's performance alone makes this episode worth playing. We just have to hope the later episodes give her more to do that we haven't already seen before.

Street Fighter V's core skeleton is sturdy, but beneath those bones lies a barely beating heart. With almost no single-player, limited multiplayer, a tiny cast, and unstable online, this feels like an Early Access beta that Capcom had the gall to try to price as a completed game.

Garden Warfare 2 does nothing new outside of those new maps and the hub area, which really isn’t that much. This sequel feels like a “complete edition” of the first Garden Warfare only with different maps. The weak campaign and lackluster multiplayer modes outside of Gnome Bomb aren’t doing it any favors either.

Fortified is by no means perfect, as it has a few quirks that really get under my skin. However, when it's time to lock and load against the Martians it's a challenging little game that tests my strategic mind just as much as my trigger finger.

Considering its price, Amplitude is an solid alternative for those who don't want to break bank for the new Guitar Hero or Rock Band games and their pricey peripherals.

There's a good game in there somewhere, it's just fighting to be free for most of the time.

Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is one of the most disappointing games I’ve played this year. The tennis part is pretty fun, but the rest of the game is so light on content it’s hard to recommend this to anyone outside of children or tennis fans.

Once the Jedi Mind Trick of nostalgia and Star Wars love wears off, you'll realize there are plenty of better multiplayer shooters out there that aren't as far, far away.

The match variety and creation suites are awesome and the 2K Showcase mode is a great trip down memory lane, but the overall "WWE Universe" experience that the game touts doesn't quite translate yet. WWE 2K16 is a solid competitor, but it's not a main event talent.

Nevertheless, Need for Speed looks and sounds great, excluding the random frame rate hiccup, and there's a ton of fun to be had behind the wheel. Need for Speed floors it in the right direction for the most part. Unfortunately, not everything was right under the hood when this racer left the garage. As we all know, this can cause some major problems when you're trying to peel out.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water's full price tag might shy away some would-be buyers since it's only available in North America as a digital release, but veterans of the series or survival horror fans in general will certainly have a good time having an otherworldly photo shoot at Mt. Hikami.

This is a great entry point if you’re looking to jump on the D&D bandwagon as it does a good job of easing the player into this deep and dense universe.

Armikrog is a love letter to old-school style of point-and-click adventure and the peculiarity of its wonderful predecessors.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime tried for a bold experiment with its control scheme, and though this sets it apart from other similar games, it’s ultimately an experiment that needs to go back to the drawing board.

Godzilla provides an experience soaked in nostalgia that simply isn't fun to play after putting in time with it. Sure, hearing the roars, tearing through towns and beating up on Rodan were entertaining for the first few minutes, but it all goes downhill quite quickly.

For something that tries so hard to test your reflexes, Spectra ultimately tests your patience more than anything else.

If you've never played Devil May Cry 4, or miss the glory days of the series where Dante was fun, combat was deep and challenging, and things weren't so stupid edgy and serious, this low-priced special edition offers fun aplenty.

The tried-and-true Lego video game formula works well in Lego Jurassic World, but it’s not much better than the first Lego Star Wars was ten years ago.

If you've got some friends who like blowing each other up and don't mind wearing out their fingers punching in spell combinations, you could probably have a decent enough time. If you're looking for something with more depth to it, or are hungry for a solo adventure, Magicka 2 is one spellbook best left locked in the library.

For the first time in years, I was left wondering if my video game's disc was scratched, only to remember that I was playing a digitally downloaded game. While this is meant to be a proper sendoff to Street Fighter IV, intending to hold us over until the release of Street Fighter V, Capcom has given us the worst-playing version the game to date.

The new modes feel designed to give cooperative and competitive-minded players new challenges to tackle, which is great if you’re a dedicated player who has already logged dozens of hours playing the core game. On the other hand, casual players will feel left out with the continued lack of matchmaking, and those hoping for a more robust chapter in Destiny’s story aren’t going to feel fully satisfied fighting through Skolas’ rebellion.

Perhaps if the game was stretched out to flesh out some thin plot points, or expanding on the almost non-existent world, the game would hold up better. As it stands though, High Strangeness feels like a game that was built around a novel idea and hurried to completion.

The world of Sym is very cool, but the flaws that don’t belong really hurt the overall beauty of the game.

There are some intriguing elements at play, but there are more interesting and engaging rogue-likes out there already.

I don't fault Ubisoft for trying something different with its acclaimed Assassin's Creed franchise, and in some respects there's a lot to like. However when the game stumbles it does so in grand fashion, creating an infuriating experience that makes me want to throw my controller more than continue on my quest.

At the end of it all, The Charnel House Trilogy does a lot of things right. I enjoyed my overall journey through it as the suspenseful, yet easily accessible adventure it was. That said, there was a definite lack of challenge that made it feel more like a visual novel than an actual game at times.

The team behind Etrian Mystery Dungeon should have spent a little more time making its gameplay deeper than its labyrinths.

Building on the base game’s careers is a time-honored Sims expansion tradition, and "Get to Work" is a worthwhile addition. It does make the doctor and detective career paths more fun, and managing a retail store is a much-needed challenge. It’s only when you try to do it all at the same time that "Get to Work" suffers.

Visceral's first attempt at a Battlefield game isn't a bad one, but there's little here to be excited about beyond an actual functioning online component.

Axiom Verge is a clear love letter to the Metroids and Super Metroids of the world, playing just like those classic exploration platformers and doing the genre justice.

Although its steampunk take on a nightmarish fairy tale is compelling, Woolfe: The Red Riding Hood fails to capitalize on its beautifully rendered environment.

While Mario Party 10 is still a great party game and fun to play with friends,the fun is short lived due to small boards and a lack of any customization.

Its few shortcomings aren't to be overlooked, however, as its sluggish, frequently directionless, and deliberately archaic in its design. Don't come in expecting jump scares and big gore; this is a slow-burning experience with an emphasis on style and atmosphere.

There's a solid foundation of ideas here with Codename S.T.E.A.M, both in its outlandish character selection and its unique take on the strategy genre. The problem is both of these elements trip at the finish line, the cast with their boring and repetitious script and the strategy gameplay with its inconsistent pace.

If you’re expecting a full Mario, or even a full Nintendo game experience, you’d be better off skipping this game.

Ultimately, Awakened Fate: Ultimatum does provide a unique gameplay experience that caters to players seeking a challenge.

There are brief moments throughout The Order: 1886 when it’s clearly striving for excellence, which only makes the end result more tragic. It’s easy to toss aside a game that looks bad or is full of bugs, but The Order feels like it should be a good game.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse was obviously an experimental platformer in every sense of the word, and while some aspects of the experiment completely succeeded (the claymation looks so good), the most important parts fell short of expectations.

Resident Evil: Revelations 2’s first episode is a welcome return for the franchise, but it’s a little lacking in the depth department.

While no changes to the game's story mode, this is just the HD remaster of the already Ultimate version of Dead or Alive 5.

Although htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary is cursed with a flawed control scheme, the total package did enough to keep me intrigued throughout.

Hand of Fate mixes deck-building with hack ‘n slash dungeon crawling in a way that’s fluid enough for casual fans to enjoy, but lacks the complexity for veterans of either genre to really sink their teeth into.

With a bit more polish Apotheon could have been truly worthy of Godhood, but as it is, this is one very flawed, very mortal game.

I feel like there’s plenty to enjoy, and the old-time RPG feel bursts from the surface quite admirably.

Dying Light’s core gameplay is solid and offers a uniquely thrilling sort of fun, but for every moment you spend having a good time, you’ll spend just as many frustrated by its shortcomings.

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal is bogged down by slow and repetitive exploration, but there are moments of great, fast platforming that call back to Sonic’s heyday.

Unity is not a bad game, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it advances the series very much, especially for the first title in the series to be a fully next-gen game.

Hero Pop is too entertaining to pass up, and eventually I’ll start level 21 and let bygones be bygones. There’s a ton of fun to be had with Hero Pop, and if you don’t mind a little irritation and carry a zen attitude towards free to play apps, grab a balloon, save a few heroes, and pop to your heart’s content.

The character models are impressive, the levels are dark and mysterious, and battles are legitimately fun most of the time. However, the constant repetition of the game’s format and the crippling loading faux pas bring this Contest down a few notches.

Rescue Quest is a solid enough puzzler that could keep you intrigued.

It’s worth the download even if it gets repetitive after a spell. There’s nothing wrong with a pick up and play puzzler, especially if you love ordering combo platters.

Although Angry Birds Transformers doesn’t reach stratospheric heights due to its repetitive gameplay, there are other elements that should keep you intrigued for the long run.

If you want to play Pokemon on the go, play the real games, play the card games, or play a game you’ve made up in your head, but do yourself a favor and don’t bother with this free-to-play pile of Trubbish.

Smarter Than You’s base idea is certainly fun, but its execution needs a lot of work to make it anything other than a brief time-waster barely worth the efforts it takes to download it.

Asphalt Overdrive may get your blood pumping for several minutes, but unless you want to pay for the privilege, the races are over within the blink of an eye.

As much as I wanted to love Zombie High Dive, the 20-minute ticket generating madness as well as the occasional ads that pop up between matches ruined my experience.

Meerkatz Challenge is the perfect little game for a child who’s just getting into video games or an adult who played as a child and moved on, as there’s enough appeal for both groups to enjoy. It doesn’t add to the core formula, but it emulates it well.

The Blue Blur’s had his name dragged through the mud by starring in many subpar games over the years, and Sonic Jump Fever is another ignoble entry in the muck pile.

Prometheus, in his quest to steal the spark of fire from the gods, forgot to bring with him a spark of creativity. Godfire’s parts are all correct, with its sharp visuals, great score, and grand boss battles, but most of the moment-to-moment gameplay fails to satisfy. If you want to smash video game monsters in Ancient Greece, you could do worse… but you could also do better.

Tales of the Adventure Company functions well, but its marriage of RPG and puzzle gameplay have been done many times before, and many times more strongly, in the past, leaving this as one party you may be better off leaving at the inn.

Tappy Chicken is, without a doubt, the best-looking Flappy Bird clone on the mobile market. Unfortunately, its physics need just a little bit of fine-tuning in order to make it the perfect game out of the plethora of similar titles on the market.

Bill Killem isn’t the most memorable app on the block, but if you dig endless runners that come with a twist, it’s definitely worth a look. Maybe aliens will eventually win the war on Hollywood, but at least Bill has a few tricks up his sleeve to keep us entertained.

Record Run provides the necessary upbeat entertainment to keep you mildly amused on your phone for a small amount of time. Unfortunately there isn’t enough replay value to keep this app on your iPhone or iPad for an elongated amount of time.

While this isn’t the most fast-paced title on the app store, its colorful artwork, easy difficulty curve and large amount of content make Blowfish Meets Meteor a good choice for anyone looking to kill some time by bouncing a ball into bricks.

Unfortunately, these mutants are high maintenance, and unless you’re in the mood for burning a hole through your wallet, I’d find another group of warriors to battle with.

Crescent Moon Games adds a few neat and new features to the endless runner genre, but doesn’t quite execute them to their greatest potential, leaving Gear Jack Black Hole as a somewhat solid, but ultimately unremarkable endless runner.

Jungle Rumble’s strong, rhythmic core and marvelous visual presentation help it stand out from the crowded iOS jungle, but its basic gameplay and lack of depth wrap vines around it and drag it back down to the jungle floor, leaving us with a game that’s a little above average, but a little short of being truly great.

At the cost of nothing up-front, however, Horde of Heroes still makes for a fun offering for anyone craving something a bit different, and who doesn’t mind a little shallowness.

Since 9 Elefants is $2.99 to download, I expected a bit more of an addictive experience. Instead, I solved a few puzzles, checked out a few pretty pictures of Paris and had a decent enough time. For a free to play title, that’s all fine and dandy. But when money is involved, the puzzles take on an entirely different meaning.

If episode one of Isolani had a bit more variety to its gameplay, this title would continue to pull me in.

With a very apparent lack of any flair or no fighting animations, Yomi remains a methodical, thought-provoking card game at its core — it’s just that there isn’t anything else to really keep you coming back for more.

Warhammer 40K: Storm of Vengeance is a completely serviceable title, and if it was a free-to-play experience with the DLCs serving as one of its premium packages, then I’d totally be on board with this app.

Star Wars fanatics will love the music, sound effects and enemy models of Star Wars: Assault Team, but will scratch their heads at who their favorite characters are partied with. Nevertheless, Assault Team’s combat system and presentation are engaging and fun enough to shroud most players from realizing how pointless its story missions are.