Visually appealing and off-kilter enough to remind even the worst cynics that games can actually have a fun core and work out from there — rather than building something then trying to figure out the fun part — BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger offers an interesting distraction, which might not be enough for hardcore fighting fans (who probably played the game to exhaustion years ago), but I'm not one of those people so I actually had some fun with the game.

If you loved the main game (and if you didn't, why not?) then you are going to love this too. Go get it, and don't let yourself get Left Behind.

For those who can overlook the controls to appreciate the complicated game design behind the plain wrapper, you will enjoy your find. For everyone else, I'd recommend holding on to your money.

TellTale has been using and refining the same engine over multiple games and there are still some really awful bugs. Not game breaking by any means, but when non-interactive character models appear, stock still, in the middle of a room it breaks my focus on the story

As something to mess around with for no money down, World of Warplanes offers a wonderful arcade flying experience even if the richness of the gameplay modes is about ankle deep.

There are collectibles scattered throughout, like VR missions, but the main draw for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is the entertaining whackiness of the whole thing, including the so-far-over-the-top-it-hits-the-moon violence. For that alone, you get your money's worth.

Broken Age - Act I snaps closed just as things are heating up with a twist that I thought I'd figured out but then there's another twist that has me anxious for Part II. I haven't felt this kind of anticipation since LOST — I need to see what happens next!

There may be some complaints about the game being a linear affair, with nothing in the way of free-form exploration. Those complaints are absolutely accurate, but I hardly view it's linear approach as something to whine about. It lets the story run it's course without the chance of the player running off the rails trying to dig around through a branching story.

FIFA 14 shows off what lies ahead for the series on the PlayStation 4. While it's first effort on the next gen consoles falls short in several areas, it still makes a great first impression and leaves me excited for the next iteration of the series.

A-Men 2 is a game that ultimately fails to follow through on its execution.

If this is your first Ratchet & Clank game, you might feel a little bit lost in the characters or story but it's still an enjoyable experience overall.

A great and humorous story, colourful environments, deep campaign and swappable characters make this a great game you shouldn't miss.

Overall, this world is one you are not going to want to miss and I highly recommend it.

All in all, I'd say that Y's: Memories of Celceta enters the "Must Have" area for RPG fans. It shows it's age in some places and isn't the prettiest game ever, but the depth of game to be explored here is well worth the price of admission.

All in all, Rainbow Moon is a charming indy title – obviously not as polished or fleshed out as it could have been, but certainly worth the lowered price point on PSN.

Charlie Murder is a hard-rocking good time on its own merits, not the least of which are the multiplayer and RPG facets that combine with satisfying classic Ska Studios brawling gameplay.

Mario Party: Island Tour has lost a little of the magic that seemed to be in the first releases of the game way back on the Nintendo 64.

I said it before on the first game and I'll say it again here. There is nothing to recommend this version of Baldur's Gate II over the original version available on GOG.com.

At this moment in time, Battlefield 4 is less of a work in progress than it was at launch. It's enjoyable for long stretches, which is a lot more than I could say for it a few weeks ago. It has yet to reach its final form but at least Battlefield 4 isn't a train wreck any longer (at least on PC).

Even with the slightest of appeal for its online play, overall tepid gameplay and graphics combine to once again prove the all-too-often bad movie-based videogame cliché and sink Pacific Rim to the ocean's depths.

There's absolutely nothing wrong here, just nothing unexpected.

Problems aside, I still had a lot of fun playing the game. If you love Ratchet & Clank or the early Jak & Daxter games you will feel right at home here.

There's definitely some re-tread going on with Batman: Arkham Origins, but the combat, the relatively good story (B-list villain aside), the powerful feeling of being Batman in video game form has only muted my enthusiasm for the franchise by the smallest of margins.

But despite that brevity of gameplay, DuckTales: Remastered is a fun flashback with modern flair for both those that quack-attacked in its 8-bit incarnation or those totally new to the duck tales of Scrooge McDuck.

Atomic Ninjas is just missing so much it is unplayable in this current format. Without a better multiplayer system or community it's DOA. Without a single player mode, you effectively have a really shiny time waste. Hopefully a patch can save the core concept of this title, but right now, I'd say spend your money elsewhere.

Rivals isn't the most deep or balanced racing game around, but what it lacks in charm, it makes up for it by providing an intense and unforgettable experience.

With over 80 playable characters and a varied amount of modes, it feels like a love letter to those who love the series, and if you don't, you'll never understand what all the fuss is about.

Overall, Killzone is indeed the best the Vita has to offer in regards to those itching for a good shooter, but there is still room for improvement overall, and I hope that Guerilla’s next effort eclipses this one.

Urban Trial Freestyle has a tinge of "time waster" about it, one of those games you can play for a few minutes here and there, especially with the extra Challenges, which are ridiculous fun. Races are quick but it'was easy to get sucked into that mindset to "try it one more time" and have a quick ten minutes spin out into ninety minutes.

After loving the campaign in Black Ops 2, the single player in Ghosts feels like a step back for the series. The campaign felt tiresome, familiar, predictable and linear. The multiplayer on the other hand, saves the day as the tweaks to the gameplay and the new games modes make this the best multiplayer COD experience to date.

All in all – I particularly enjoyed my time playing with these Star Wars themed tables and had fine time reminiscing while using them and are definitely recommended for any Star Wars pinball enthusiast.

All in all, I'm a huge fan of WWE 2K14 and am excited to see what we can look forward to on the next generation consoles. A few more tweaks and a shinier coat of polish and we'll be talking about how the WWE 2K franchise is as much of a must-have for all sports fans.

Tons of gameplay hours, plenty of missions and activities with an awesome collection of vehicles of various modes of transportation and a large array of firearms put the grandeur once again into Grand Theft Auto.

How to Survive's story can be played quickly, so the two-player co-op and the Challenges are a buyer's best option to extend the play time. That's the only way the average player will be able to explore all the seemingly inconsequential upgrade options and power-ups and not feel bored.

With a large roster of characters to choose from, the focus of three-on-three fights, and the overall art style and sensibility, King of Fighters XIII really does feel good to play.

That's not to say it's a bad game, but those who own DOA5 may not get a whole lot more out of this title. At the same time, it's a great deal for those who didn't play DOA5 or are new to the series.

The Secret World delivers an MMO experience that's distinctly different from its competitors, and it's likely going to remain the standard for future games in the horror/supernatural genre.

All in all, Legends of Aethereus was a frustrating game to play; it failed to really innovate anything besides a crafting system – which is like buying a car because the cup holders are really big…. Kind of missing the point.

SWAP Force is a terrific game that offers so many new things to keep the series fresh. A great and humorous story, colourful environments, deep campaign and swappable characters make this a great game you shouldn't miss.

It's a lengthy romp with plenty of action, though it does fall somewhat flat when it comes to being memorable or offering stand-out encounters; it's gory entertainment, doesn't take itself seriously -- the recent release of "Viscera Cleanup Detail" confirms that -- and has some good first-person swordplay for $40.

There's already been a price drop of about $20 for Lost Planet 3, which makes it a pretty good deal. The timing for such a thing isn't great. There are a couple new consoles launching soon and the tidal wave of 4th Quarter games has only just started, I think Lost Planet 3's window of opportunity has closed for this somewhat enjoyable mid-tier game.

OOTP 14 doesn't feature huge changes from last year's model.

Disney is a powerhouse when it comes to licensing their products but even these prices seem a little overboard. If it weren't for the fact the campaigns are fun and suitable for the pre-teen crowd and the Toy Box modes offers a lot options, I'd probably be steering parents away.

Like an exceptionally well-done dramatic movie or must-read book just too good to stop watching or put down, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons has striking visuals, a strong narrative and good-enough puzzles. However, it will be most remembered for its engrossing, dramatic and emotionally charged adventure.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Ultimate Edition covers some traditional action game territory for sure but there are some memorable moments that make it worth a look if combo-based combat and exploration is your thing.

Even though Luigi plays a central role in Dream Team, I'm remain unconvinced that he'll ever get the respect he deserves. He possesses a very special power -- to open portals to Dream Land -- that Mario will never posses, but Luigi still gets short shrift. Even at the end of this lengthy and great adventure, Luigi remains in the shadow of his brother. It's a video game travesty that has gone on far too long and will be repeated time and again, unfortunately.

Madden 25 has traveled a long road from its Sega Genesis beginnings to today's modern iteration. It's certainly not perfect, but once again gamers get a solid football title with all kinds of entertaining modes both offline and online.

It's all there, it's just not all that different than NHL 13.

Older players will walk through Laval's Journey in about six hours (and only about 22% complete, overall) but younger players will definitely spend more time exploring and uncovering all the secrets.

All in all, Kickbeat is a good game, but overpriced for its market.

Relic Entertainment cleared the hurdle the original game set as far as I'm concerned. Tweaking, remoulding and teasing out the underlying systems of the original, and then layering things like cold weather, may not set the world on fire like the original Company of Heroes did but it's still a solid strategy game and with the right support and continued release of content I can see it living on for quite some time.

Every once in a while a game comes along that takes every opportunity to slap the player in the face. In a nutshell, that's Naruto Powerful Shippuden, a game that constantly hits below the belt with utterly arbitrary challenges that encourage hair-pulling frustration and grinding levels to earn experience points (XP) to upgrade skills and unlock more skills.

While all this isn't revolutionary Sims gameplay, at least a few new under-and-above-the-sea and on-the-beach gaming elements provide more than the standard expansion Sims pack offering.

By successfully marrying a solid strategic tower defense with a good first-person shooter aspect, Sanctum 2 is a good choice for either those looking for a good tower defender with more action ‑ or a FPS with more strategic defense aspects.

For $29.99, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition is great value for the high-calibre fighting game that Netherrealm Studios (and High Voltage Software) has put together. Highly rekommended!

There's some uneven bits but Saints Row IV captures what video games should be or at least strive to be: Fun. And that exuberance of playing around in a big sandbox with almost no limits placed on the player while spinning an entertaining yarn that fully acknowledges that it's a game should put Saints Row IV on a lot of Game of Year lists.

Dragon's Crown is a throw-back game that borrows heavily from side scrolling beat-'em-ups. The end result is a modernized interpretation of a classic genre.

The other knock against the single player campaign is that there's no option to save your progress. No option to save your progress. It bears repeating because this is 2013! What the hell?

Resident Evil: Revelations is less of a "fans of the genre" title than it is a "fans of the series" title. For everyone else, it's like that B-movie that does just enough things right to be entertaining.

If you have a PlayStation 3 there is no reason why you shouldn't buy this game (unless you are not old enough of course). The story is incredible, the gameplay is fun, and the graphics and sound are amazing. Naughty Dog had a lot to live up to with the release, but they have delivered in spades. I just hope we don't have to wait too long for a sequel. This game is everything you were hoping for, and more. Go get it!

Remember Me has an interesting concept and single-player-only storyline, albeit somewhat confusing and vaguely familiar (it has some similarities to Total Recall in many respects). It's a good action-adventure gamers won't forget too quickly (although a lack of multiplayer makes it fade from memory sooner rather than later), despite some of the core elements being not as innovative or unique as they might seem, or as in the case of the memory remixes, not quite as unforgettable as they should be.

For a game that seems to be positioning itself as the anti-Diablo, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing puts in a strong, if kind of rough, performance.

All in all, Grid 2 is a beautiful game that does a spectacular job on the presentation and delivery for an authentic as you're likely to get racing experience. Enthusiasts will find the experience a little too thin for their lacking, but the mainstream audience will find much here to keep their attention if they are willing to put in that initial investment.

At the end of the day, the sheer amount of repetitive, uninspired quests, and dreary battles make the game a chore to play.

All in all, Leisure Suit Larry Reloaded was an exceptional game to play and is definitely worth the $20 for those who played the originals, the remake, or just want to see why this franchise was so revered back in the day.

In the end, Rogue Legacy is great. It's gobbled up a large amount of my time with untold more hours likely to be consumed in the days and weeks to come.

If you have a hankering for some twin stick fun on the PC go play Geometry Wars or Waves. They're far much better than this game.

This is a game that hardcore fans of the genre are more likely to want to spend some time with. Casuals are better off grabbing something like Castle Crashers or Chronicles of Mystara instead, as they are quite a bit better so far as beat 'em ups on the PC go.

Chronicles of Mystara is definitely a compilation worth looking into for both fans and strangers of beat 'em ups. It's a very well done entry into the genre. Is it the best? No, of course not.

In the end, hardcore Deadpool fans may want to get this game sooner rather than later, but for everyone else I'd say wait. There is some fun to be had here bashing baddies over the head with hammers and the like, and the story is pretty hilarious. However, the extremely short length of the game is a deal breaker. Wait until Deadpool gets a Steam sale or some such before picking it up.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is better than the original -- still a difficult game -- but the advantage of being able to close the lid of the 3DS and take a break rather than hurling a Wii Remote in frustration and the lengths the developers went to make the game more accessible without really changing anything about the game elevates the entire experience.

More than just the typical tower defense game, CastleStorm packs a thunder and lighting one-two punch with a stellar single-player campaign that has plenty of strategy and old-school hack & slashing along with a solid online mode when it's time to test the tower defending mettle against human adversaries.

All in all, Night of the Rabbit was an extremely enjoyable game, one certainly that most adventure game enthusiasts will have a fun time with.

Star Trek The Video Game just isn't very good.

Longtime Sims gamers won't mind heading back to school again with plenty of new educational experiences and places to socially explore with a revisiting of those school days gone by or experiencing it in tandem with current college life, depending on the age of the gamer.

Even with a few shortcomings, Fuse is a terrific game and hopefully it gives rise to a franchise.

I'll readily admit that I think Brutal Legend's style outweighs the substance of the game, but dammit, why should apologize for liking it more than I probably should?

Three tables, all with different aspects of gameplay and a variety of characters from the Star Wars universe, will delight the army of Star Wars fans. But as always, regardless of the subject matter, the real supernova star of any FX 2 pinball game is the stellar ball physics and authentic pinball sounds.

Avid fans won’t be disappointed with the purchase, but curious onlookers might want to wait for a sale.

Metro: Last Light is, at the end of it all, a solid game.

The shooter fundamentals are all there. The visuals are great but the progression just doesn't seem to deliver any payoff for players outside of the hardcore. It's not quite as much of a shameless cash grab as something out of Zynga, but it definitely sours the experience.

All in all, Naruto is worth a pick up for Naruto fans or those who enjoy a simple combat game.

There are some good ideas here, but they're overwhelmed by all of the visual effects that are being thrown at the player.

All in all, Devil's Cartel just differs too much from the winning formula for those fans of the first two games, and for the newcomers, there are better co-operative games on the market for your dollar.

Players looking for a game that will consume them for the next while should consider Don't Starve. The whole process of gathering supplies, and making a go of surviving in the wild while fending off starvation, madness, and predators is quite entertaining.

At the end of the day, though, there are simply better games to spend one's time with than God Mode. Sure it's ten bucks, but for the same amount one could just wait for something like Left 4 Dead or Killing Floor to go on sale, and have a much more enjoyable experience.

Simply put, Guacamelee! is a fun game with a great colour palette, excellent combat and plenty of laughs.

If you have a hankering for a beat 'em up / RPG hybrid, you can do better than Sacred Citadel.

It’s a cool setting filled with all sorts of small touches that show due care and attention paid to the fiction Irritional created and the closing 20-minutes are powerful, even if the player does little except get an extended “explanation” but I'd dispute the notion that this is somehow the pinnacle of video games because there's enough that's simply average, like the actual layout of the levels (aside from sky-lines), that those making this claim are simply seeing something that isn't present in this dimension.

This iteration is a stellar continuation of the series – plus an offer for a free year of Golf World or Golf Digest to sweeten the deal for aficionados – but there’s room for expansion (including an LPGA event was good step!), rather than improvement.

This reboot of the series not only surpassed my expectations, but it is easily one of the best games I have played in a long time. If you're like me and love story driven games that offer a great gaming experience then Tomb Raider is definitely for you.

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm offers a challenging campaign, plenty of story and character to consider, and much in the way of production value that few other games can match.

All in all, Need for Speed: Most Wanted U is the standout game on the Wii U for racing, and probably one of the better games available on the console right now. It does have some faults, but is still an excellent example of the Need for Speed universe.

At the end of day, it's a new God of War game that hits most of the high notes we have experience before, with a few new mechanics.

All in all, Crysis 3 is an impressive game – it delivers on style and experience, just doesn't do all those little extras to really set itself apart from the pack as a true AAA title.

Worth checking out for Gears of War fans.

Despite the delayed journey to the West, Ni No Kuni is definitely a title you should at least give a chance. There is a demo up on PSN that you can go ahead and download, and once you get used to the combat system and mechanics of the game, you’ll be treated to an adventure like no other.

At the end of the day, Harry Potter Kinect provides a fun but short main campaign that is great in small bursts.