In the end, XCOM 2 has come into the world aiming to do what an XCOM is supposed to do best, which is supply a fun, extensive, and challenging hybrid of resource and time management and turn-based strategy combat.

Firewatch is at its best when it allows you just explore is captivating landscapes and spend some time on your own thinking about everything and nothing all at once.

In an industry that can sometimes feel cold and sterile, Unravel is a welcome injection of warmth and love. The insanely cute Yarny, the emotional story, and the vibrant worlds all radiate a serenity that can really change a person's outlook on life itself.

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.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam is a silly little romp through the Mushroom Kingdom with classic JRPG fun and a few less-than-stellar tricks up its sleeve.

There are still some small annoyances preventing Lego Marvel's Avengers from being an outstanding game, but TT Games has shown it still has some magic up its sleeve to keep improving upon its long-running franchise.

The world is bewildering, the mysteries are thrilling, and the characters are so well-realized it's hard not to fall deep into Oxenfree's embrace.

I cannot recommend this to everyone because of the sheer difficulty of the experience, but I nonetheless challenge anyone who has lost a loved one or faced great trouble in their life to take this journey, share in human togetherness with the Greens and their friends, and observe the beauty that blossomed from the life and death of Joel Green.

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.

It’s an odd approach, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a lot of fun with this game.

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

Rainbow Six Siege isn't exactly the full return to form we were hoping for after seven years of dormancy, but it's still worth the wallet breach if you're willing to dedicate yourself to the craft and are able to find a few friends.

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.

It wouldn't be a true Game of Thrones tale without some dramatic twists at the conclusion, and Telltale's story has a few that were true eye-opening moments.

With an amazing campaign, phenomenal multiplayer, numerous gameplay options, satisfying story, nigh-infinite unlockables, and tons of nooks and crannies to explore, Legacy of the Void stands as one of the proudest entries in the Starcraft legacy.

Even though some of it feels more of the same when compared to Advanced Warfare, Black Ops III's unconventional experiments sits atop refined shooting mechanics and smooth controls, resulting in some excellent gameplay. Toss in a ton of replayability to be gained from both the short campaign, Zombies Mode and multiplayer, and this is one of the strongest entries of the franchise to date.

Rise of the Tomb Raider isn't setting a tremendous new bar for all of action video games to follow, as much of this game stems from things we've done before, but it's still a neat little adventure buried in the God-forsaken wilderness.

The magnitude of the world is awe-inspiring, and even with the lukewarm additions of crafting and building, Fallout 4 manages to be as enthralling an experience as any open-world adventure to date.

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.

The game's high production values were a bit diminished by the series' longstanding fallacies, such as random lag and instances of poor texturing, but London remains a gorgeous place to visit.

Guitar Hero Live brings Activision's former fan-favorite franchise back to the fold in new and impressive ways. Handing over the reigns to the DJ Hero team was probably the best decision the publisher made in the rhythm game department since agreeing to publish the very first Guitar Hero a decade ago.

Triforce Heroes is a fantastic Zelda experience that combines the hectic nature of Super Mario Bros.

Though the story is a draw for longtime fans, most people will be stopping in to check out Halo 5's multiplayer, and it's there 343's direction really shines. Warzone is a lot of fun, and Arena's classic inspiration is made all the better thanks to 343's latest twists to core mechanics. It's gorgeous, it's fast-paced, and it's a blast to play regardless of your skill level. Halo 5 is absolutely the flagship title the Xbox One deserves.

Older fans might need a little more substance in their platformers, but even they would agree that Yoshi's Woolly World is a fun little game with a lot of personality bursting from its seams from beginning to end.