Castle of Illusion is a beautiful game in imagery and sound yet we are left with some control issues that need some fine tuning and maybe a couple more options to make it a tad more robust. All in all Castle of Illusion is a solid game that Disney fans and those who might be looking for their next platforming fix will enjoy.

It is everything I could have hoped for in a remake as it has gameplay that doesn’t feel dated, it has spectacular HD graphics, it improves most of the problems from the original, and it incorporates fantastic use of the Wii U GamePad. Other than a few frame rate issues I find very little fault with this game as it feels almost perfect, which is why I highly recommend Wind Waker HD to any Wii U owner and Zelda fan alike.

The extra content is neat, but given that most of it is only visual it’s difficult to justify the price point; however, beyond the layer of shiny aesthetics and ridiculous physics is a fun fighting game accessible to both casual and hardcore gamers. If you’re looking to get into the Dead Or Alive series, this would be a great place to start.

The world of Grand Theft Auto V is undeniably a masterpiece and has set a very high bar for sandbox gaming not only for this generation but for the next gen which is so closely upon us. Beyond the game’s story line you’ll be able to put in hundreds of hours just wandering the city streets and never be bored doing so.

FIFA 14 doesn’t bring any “game changers” to the table but what it does do is refine an already superb soccer game.

Perhaps the most surprising title I have played this year. Puppeteer combines fun platforming gameplay, a playful narrative, and excellent presentation values.

Being able to switch back and forth on the fly from classic first-person action to a top-down third-person perspective made for a decent and varied mobile CoD experience.

Rayman Legends is the most fun I’ve had platforming in a very long time. The game’s impossible to put down gameplay really does give the Big N and their Mario goodness a quality ‘run for its money’.

Killzone: Mercenary is a fairly good game, it is as simple as that. It a great title to show off how good games can look on the PS Vita, as well as how good one can play including the touch screen support. Sure, it’s not a true console experience, given a few control compromises and a few technical issues, but it is as close as I have come on the PS Vita, especially for an FPS.

If you’re really dying for a handheld music game KickBeat could fill that void for a bit of time, or in short bursts, but due to the small soundtrack you will most likely get weary pretty quickly unless you’re patient and create a bunch of your own tracks to play with.

I appreciate how the development team really understands the particulars of the real life game as it helps to deliver another great effort. With the advancements made to many aspects of the gameplay and aesthetics this year, both big and small, virtual hockey fans should rejoice as NHL 14 is yet another winner.

I recommend Lords of Shadow, even at the full $29.99 asking price, but if it’s ever on the popular Steam sales for cheaper, make sure you pick it up so you can experience a Belmont’s adventure, as this is the version to play.

It certainly isn’t the most original or innovative DLC drop from the team at Treyarch; however, the new Zombie level “Origins” is as good as it gets when it comes to the Zombie mode and the new (and redone) maps should inject enough life into the multiplayer arena until Ghosts comes out.

With constant rewards and unlocks combined with some great visuals, sound and awesome playability, Rayman Legends stretches your dollar to the max and is absolutely worth the price of admission.

As much as it was an enjoyable exercise in nostalgia, compared to the standards set by today’s games Flashback falls short. The bottom line is this game borders on being technically flawed. Story doesn’t make up for this or the shortcomings of elementary gameplay.

Graphically the game starts off looking rather simple, with basic 3D shapes, but they begin to evolve the farther you get into the game.

Hands down the most ambitious game in the series to date. Ubisoft Toronto made a very bold choice to try and appease fans of every past game we’ve seen and create a ‘Splinter Cell For All’ style game. By and large they’ve succeeded fairly well at their task.

With its wild punk rock vibe, Charlie Murder is a solid game offering up more then the average Xbox Live arcade title. The lengthy campaign is a lot of fun to tear through with friends, and the great soundtrack makes for a fun atmosphere.

For those that played Madden 13 to death you will also notice some changes; however, I am not convinced those changes bring enough “new” to the series and there are some elements in this years game you may find frustrating. You would think, given this is Madden’s 25th anniversary, EA Sports would introduce some “game changers”. If that is what you are expecting you won’t get it here.

Guacamelee is a fantastic fiesta of a game, and Guacamelee! Gold is the definitive version. It has style in spades, charming writing, deceptively deep gameplay, additional content, and is wholly satisfying to play.

Sure, there are some technical bugs now and then, the Play Set missions can be mundane at times, and it may be expensive to ‘buy-it-all-to-collect-it-all’ giving you a bit of “sticker price shock”, but in the end how can one not enjoy what is offered here. The ability to create your own Disney-esque world in the Toy Box is truly amazing, the figurines are very well done, and the thought of future Play Sets is exciting (HELLO…Star Wars, Marvel, or classic Disney worlds).

A game that is rich and deep with personality and unmatched ridiculousness. Saints Row IV is exactly what I needed this summer. It takes everything that I love about sandbox style gaming and makes it better.

The basic nature of the gameplay makes the game quite accessible. The drop in/drop out nature of the co-op play is great for parents who may want to play with their kids and with a relatively good selection of modes and collectibles the game gives even a bit more reasons to continue to play.

A game that I curiously found myself having a hard time putting down. I actually drained my 3DS battery more than a few times as I got so carried away playing.

An ambitious outing for a smaller studio to be sure as Mars: War Logs is big on ideas but sadly a bit lackluster on actual execution.

Rise of the Triad can stand on its own legs if you take it for what it is, which is a throwback to an era of shooters long gone.

Merely chewing gum for the brain. It is a frantic mind numbing twin-stick action shooter that is relentless at times. There is a story to be had but it takes a back seat to the twin-stick shooter chaos.

CastleStorm takes the tower defence genre and adds elements of physics destruction, real-time strategy and role-playing games, making for a very interesting mix that works quite well. It is a casual yet complex game experience that is delightful to play, alone or with a friend, something that this tower defence hater truly enjoyed.