Child of Light is worth checking out, even if you don’t normally follow the role-playing genre. And although there are a few downsides, it is still one of the biggest surprises of 2014 so far.

It’s clear that earlier Frontier games like Kinectimals, Zoo Tycoon and Planet Coaster have been stage-setters for this ultimate zoo sim. Whether you enjoy theme park builders, economic sims or most importantly, creating the zoo of your dreams, Planet Zoo will satisfy you, but be prepared for an order of complexity that the previous games managed to avoid, or at least hid a little better. Although it lacks an “immediate gratification” mode, Planet Zoo is still an amazing tool for exercising your imagination and enjoying your love of animals.

Not A Hero is pretty upfront about what it intends to deliver. There are no heroes here, just as there aren’t any deep mechanics or unexpected twists in the gameplay. What the game does have is an incredibly memorable cast of villains, most of whom you’ll be controlling throughout, and a solid core mechanic that unfortunately gets stretched a little too thin.

The game is just as mysterious and obtuse as before and puts the onus on the player to figure it all out. Therefore, players fond of the rich and complex challenge of From Software’s games are going to get the most out of it. To those, I say that Dark Souls II gives more of what you’ve enjoyed from the last two games. With new places to explore, enemies to fight and lore to uncover, it offers a significant amount of content to keep players busy for a great while.

For their first steps in the Dark Knight’s boots, they made one heck of an entrance.

Outlaw is irrevocably everything that the first game should have been. It combines arcade and simulation gameplay in a way that is dynamic and fun but it definitely does require commitment. The space combat feels meaty but approachable. The technical graphics are great but the art style is phenomenal. The music is better than in the first game and there’s more of it. In all, I had great fun in the Dodge Sector, so much so I abandoned the main story for about 25 hours. The feeling of being a mercenary and the lure of completing “just one more job” is palpable. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is a fine, fine game. You could even call it “shiny.”

John St. John, pretty visuals, and a great story to get behind, Rochard is a sleeper hit. Learning how to long jump in low gravity or just launching grenades through five different force fields to destroy one small piece of metal for a trophy gets my fingers itchy. Another great game to play, but who am I to tell you. Figure it out for yourself. Alabama.

Despite those small story issues, Helldivers conquers its fair share of stars.

While it would be nice if I Am Dead's characters were as layered as the town of Shelmertston, the game still mostly succeeds as a unique puzzle experience with some excellent environmental storytelling. It is rewarding to explore this space while magnifying and cross-cutting its details, a constant stream of small discoveries coming into view as you deduce the location of the next hidden memento. Every corner of this seaside village brims with picturesque detail, creating a small town that feels genuinely interconnected. And while the game's pleasant tone keeps things from ever getting truly heavy, it undeniably makes for a thoroughly charming time.

Patapon 2 Remastered is still a charming little game that rhythm fans will certainly enjoy. There's a lot of customization options here that all center around how much replayability you can stand, and the game rewards you for perseverance.

What I like about the game is that it's simple but it's not overly simple, in that the game has a lot of different things going on in the background that you may not even notice.

Command and Conquer Remastered Collection is not a remake or reboot, but instead makes the original games — two of the all time classic RTS titles — accessible to gamers that might be turned away by 25-year-old graphics and clunky controls. The Remastered Collection looks and sounds as great now as you probably thought it did then, when your unjaded imagination allowed you to render a stack of blurry sprites into a fully animated super soldier. Command and Conquer was fun in 1995 and thanks to this new edition, what made it great still shines through.

With its delightful graphics and impressive lighting, detailed environments, challenging puzzles, and simple gameplay that generally works, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a gem that is definitely worth your time and money.

Its art design is excellent, its pacing is spot-on and it has a light-hearted approach to its dark-themed subject that consistently takes real menace out of the premise. Pumpkin Jack’s combat my lack the depth of many ARPGs, but the game is short enough that this never becomes a problem. Although it is a Halloween-flavored game, there’s no reason not to enjoy it any time of the year.

Although the option to play a variety of starting puppets and see the story beats change nudges up the replayability factor, Shadows: Awakening does become repetitive. There are moments where characters feel unbalanced, and load times can border on egregious. Overall, though, Shadows: Awakening breaks the mold of the action RPG and reshapes it in some entertaining ways while still retaining enough of the genre to appeal to fans.

It’s bit of a shame, then, that The Missing locks a poignant message behind such a tricky game, built from bricks of pain. On the other hand, all the hardships are there for a reason: to understand J.J. and what she has to go through to accept herself. A unique and powerful experience, I can tell that the game will linger long in the mind after finishing it.

A bit more emphasis on story or perhaps more variety in the combat situations would be welcome shots in the arm.

A wonderful soundtrack and a visual style which is simple but appealing finish setting the tone for Wattam. While it’s a simple, direct game, during my time with it, I almost constantly had a huge grin on my face. Takahashi's brand of weird works for me and even all these years after Katamari, that's still the case. If his style works for you, I think you'll have a great time with Wattam. It may not last you long but it's a time that will stay with you which is worth celebrating.

Dishonored is a really great video game. I enjoyed the gameplay a lot and the story and world are interesting, if occasionally flawed. It's certainly one of the more interesting games released this year and everyone should at least consider picking it up.

It's cheap, it looks good, and it plays well, if you've got $5 and a few hours to kill you really can't go wrong with Mercury Hg.

As the final piece of DLC, The Curse of the Pharaohs rounds out an attractive and full-featured edition of a bold new direction for Assassin’s Creed. While I still miss the form and function of the older Assassin’s Creed games, I can’t deny that Origins and its DLC has made for a compelling adventure that offers a whole lot of value.

Star Wars Battlefront II improves on the original with more maps and heroes, but there are fewer modes, and the online gameplay may waver over time for some. Regardless, the core gameplay is solid, and the new Galactic Assault is excellent. The single-player content is still slim, but the campaign is nonetheless a great inclusion that adds more than you’d think to the official canon. I’m not a huge fan of the Loot Crates, though I’d live with it for the promised free DLC, the first of which has content from The Last Jedi. Still, in a perfect world, Star Cards would be fairer to obtain and unlocking heroes wouldn’t be such a grind. EA plans to keep tweaking the game post launch and adding content through Live Service, and I’m intrigued to see how the game evolves over time. Overall, Star Wars Battlefront II isn’t a shooter for everybody, but it’s a must-have for fans. Indeed, the Force is strong with this one.

Infamous 2 builds on the idea Dead Rising started and released a great downloadable game that was a toned down version of the main game but still has a lot of great content. Never before has it been so much fun to be a vampire and on top of that, a vampire with electric powers.

Tyranny takes a lot of chances and offers some brilliant new ideas, most of which pay off making for another worthy addition to the genre. Unfortunately, it clearly shows the rough edges of a limited budget and/or short development cycle, limitations that diminish the game’s appeal. Tyranny is worth playing despite these issues but temper your expectations.

It was truly one of the perfectly executed platformers that I have played thus far.

Assault Android Cactus is a great dual-joystick shooter for those looking for a new one.

With its unique edutainment approach, Rainway Empire is an engaging and informative simulation that introduces players to the colorful and capitalistic world of railroad management. Packed with lots of extra content that benefits from a healthy existence on PC, Railway Empire Complete Collection for the PlayStation 4 is a solid and thorough management sim that captures the essence of the Golden Age of American (and international) Railroad.

There are a number of very compelling elements that really solidify Anima as a title that had an ambitious vision and a team dedicated to making it a reality. At the same time, they also sought to take elements from other successful games. This amounts to an inferior gameplay experience, but one that is also surrounded by the strength of its original elements.

So don’t be deceived by the somewhat tired “retro indie puzzle-platformer” description; Adventures of Pip sets itself apart from the nostalgia machine in some interesting ways and it’s well worth your money.

Frontlines: Fuel of War is not the best FPS on the Xbox 360, its just not in that league. However if your beginning to want a new experience, this is a game that would make a great choice to turn to.

NBA 2K16 continues to be at the top of its game, even if the new career mode isn’t everything I wanted from a Spike Lee joint.

This game plays with your mind, it makes you wonder and it makes you laugh.

2K Sports improves upon last season's mediocre next-gen release, with enhanced gameplay mechanics and spruced up visuals.

It’s nice to see games continuing to try and push forward narrative in the side-scrolling platformer, and Klaus is a very strong entry into this genre.

Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is an excellent remaster of an underrated game. Though the playtime is short, it’s a worthy experience for anyone who enjoys nonlinear “Metroidvania” styled platformers. It’s great to see such a faithful adaptation, but it would have been nice to see new content other than the gender option. Either way, it’s clear that a lot of passion went into making the game look and sound as great as it does. Lizardcube has set a new standard for remaking an old game, and I’d look forward to seeing what’s next on their table. Perhaps we’re due for a proper new entry in the Wonder Boy series.

The PC’s Komplete Edition is the best way to experience this game, technically. A modest gaming machine can run it with a nice smooth framerate and settings set high. The game has never looked more detailed and crisp, and timing your movements feels a little easier with the improved performance.

All in all, though, the Women of Power pack are just fun, fast tables. They allow Zen to stretch a bit by setting up a small story arc, and provide something just a little different for the player then they are used to. Absolutely a worthy pick up if you are at all invested in the Zen Pinball platform.

Shift DX takes one premise and remarkably makes it last for 200+ levels. Its healthy mix of spatial reasoning and platforming obstacles effectively tests your mind and reflexes. I’m convinced that this game stimulates a part of your brain that you rarely use, and it feels great. If you are even a casual fan of puzzle platformers, Shift DX will turn your world upside-down.

The sequel to the surprisingly good actioner does well here, as the chance to play as the bad guys and enhanced AI keeps it entertaining throughout.

Charming, cheesy, and mysterious, Dark Nights with Poe and Munro delivers a solid FMV adventure throughout its six episodes. Though the game plays out more like a choose-your-own-adventure than a full on video game, it’s a good time nonetheless. I found the dynamic duo to be fun to watch, especially during their playful banter due to the strong chemistry between the two actors. However, the quick time event based gameplay lacked polish and felt tacked on. Regardless, Dark Nights with Poe and Munro is certainly worth playing for those who enjoy goofy supernatural FMV games.

Wrestling finally comes to Sony's handheld, and it's just like playing the console version on its smaller screens. Tons of fun for those always on the go.

If you’re looking for a roguelike with personality and wit, Going Under may surprise you. Mechanically, it won’t blow you away, but with so much character on display, this is one internship worth taking.

The storyline in my eyes really helps the game progress quite a bit, and fans of Japanese style stories will really enjoy this one.

There’s also a ton of game here, with the main story missions at least leading well into 30-40 hours worth of content.

World Tour is a fun experience, and while I do miss the deeper RPG mechanics from previous games, this version offers more than its share of fun, whether with others or alone.

The biggest issues wind up coming from the rushed nature of the season-with a little more polish and a couple more once-overs of the script, I'd definitely love this game a lot more, but as it is, there are just enough problems to keep it from greatness.

Detroit: Become Human is a great discussion-starter, and an entertaining and impressively rendered experience.

It's fast paced, has beautiful visuals, and just a whole lot of fun.

Overall, I enjoyed Crosscode much more than I thought I would. Despite the generic and cliched start of the game, it is full of great writing and a lot of heart. Couple that with solid gameplay, beautiful graphics and a solid soundtrack and you have an indie-RPG that is easy to recommend to fans of the genre. If you're a fan of action-RPG's and fondly remember the 16-bit era, you owe it to yourself to check CrossCode out!

In between charming art design, polished farming mechanics, and a huge array of quests and craftables, there's a lot to enjoy. There's no shortage of games available that involve chopping down trees and harvesting carrots, but Deiland is still one that fans of the genre will want to add to their collection.

In addition to a swarm of pre-release bugs that will hopefully be patched at launch, Remnant: From the Ashes’ biggest misstep is that it sometimes mistakes unrelenting quantity of challenge for a persistent quality of fun.

Ultimately, the Arctic Pack is the same kind of high quality content that we’ve come to expect from Frontier, and sets the stage for a series of geography-themed DLC. The sticking point for some players will be the cost. At $10, it could be argued that the number of animals and other goodies is a little thin. Planet Coaster had a habit of including free content updates in addition to, and often alongside, paid DLC and one hopes this will continue with Planet Zoo. The Arctic Pack is an excellent, if not especially generous, supplement to the base game.

Forza Motorsport 4 is an easy game to recommend to anyone who hasn't played Forza Motorsport 3 or to anyone who just likes racing games. However if you have played Forza 3 then you have to ask yourself, do you want to play more Forza Motorsport 3? If your answer is yes, then buy Forza 4, it is very good, it is just very similar to 3 except for a few added game modes. If you haven't played 3, then this is a game that you should play, as it is the best racing simulator on the market.

It’s not the longest game, but it tells a decent yarn and has a pretty good hook to the combat. Sure, there’s a chance that you, too, might spend five (FIVE!) hours searching for a stupid item, but aside from that and some niggly presentational bits, it’s definitely an enjoyable game.

This PS2 tennis game port plays superbly on the handheld, with all the current players and tons of game modes. Online play would have been perfect, but not a cause for complaints.

The game has its faults but when it is all said and done if you really enjoy The Godfather you are going to find a lot to enjoy in The Godfather II.

While this game didn’t quite get me into my ideal flow state, it came close and I appreciate the risks they took with the gameplay. The graphics and gameplay fit the feel and heart of Aviici’s music, which, in the end, may be the most important thing. If you like Aviici’s style of music and rhythm games are your jam, then Invector will probably be worth your time.

The best thing about a new Pokemon game is that it's more Pokemon. The core of the series continues to be sound, but in the end the series needs to get better at following up on the story that it teases us with. After such a strong departure for the series the original Black and White, it's a shame to see Version 2 take a step back and offer such inferior characters and story beats. Despite being the follow up to the best Pokemon games in years, though, Black and White Version 2 have to settle for being "pretty good," leaving us waiting for the next real evolution in the series.

Ubisoft goes back to what works best for the franchise, and mixes some furious combat with exploration and some good old puzzle solving.

The Darkness II is not a perfect game. It's short, the co-op is not as impressive as the single-player, the bosses are tedious, and some of the combat scenarios are poorly designed, but the game is extremely well-paced and can be great fun to play when everything works right, and it usually does. Combine that with a phenomenal story and great graphics the Darkness II is a game that I happily recommend.

It's certainly not perfect, but it's a wonderful attempt that captures a lot of what made the games fun in the first place. It's a strong entry in a storied series, and will hopefully be a guiding light for a resurgence of the franchise.

In the end Drawn to Life may not be the most impressive all around experience, however it is certainly a unique and fun game to play.

The best thing about a new Pokemon game is that it's more Pokemon. The core of the series continues to be sound, but in the end the series needs to get better at following up on the story that it teases us with. After such a strong departure for the series the original Black and White, it's a shame to see Version 2 take a step back and offer such inferior characters and story beats. Despite being the follow up to the best Pokemon games in years, though, Black and White Version 2 have to settle for being "pretty good," leaving us waiting for the next real evolution in the series.

MotoGP 20 is quite similar in structure to Codemasters’ F1 games, but it’s a more coherent and exciting experience. Be prepared to put in a lot of work to tune the bike to get best out of it and perform well on the track. That’s the simple recipe for success, no slacking is allowed at any point! After all, you have better chances of winning when starting from a pole position instead of back of the grid, so all those laps you spent on free practices will pay off. Despite some presentation issues and the lack of true motive to race other modes outside the career, MotoGP 20’s tight gameplay keeps things consistently interesting and turns it into an addictive and rewarding racing simulation that no virtual speed freak should be without.

I really liked the novelty Typoman: Revised. I can’t speak to any changes made to the game for its Xbox One debut because this was my first time playing it. Even though most of the word puzzles make me feel like I wasted my time as an undergrad, the challenge is unique and I enjoy seeing how the words interact with the word around my player character. Though the three chapter game can be easily finished in a day, the experience is a fascinating and entertaining one.

Guacamelee! is a surprising source for a number of in-depth questions regarding ethnic art and internet influence, but it’s also one of the finest games available for the PlayStation Vita.

With the exception of Monster Seeking Monster, Jackbox Party Pack IV delivered a great time with good friends. It’s really about all you can ask of a party game, to be entertaining for a group, and Jackbox accomplishes that with a familiar flair.

Where The Water Tastes Like Wine is a fascinating idea for a game that is probably best experienced in small, shorter doses.

While I always swore by Worms Armageddon, Worms Revolution, while it may be an iteration, feels like a whole new game and the best game in the franchise.

I came into this review with a lot of harsh thoughts based on what amounts to "You took my single player away from me." But after examining what was accomplished, and what was released at a decent price range ($19.99) for the package, I am kinda seeing the value in Insomniac's latest R&C experiment. I really hope we see a true single player sequel in the future, especially on next-gen equipment, but if this is what we have to deal with in the mean time, waiting might not be so bad.

Activision makes full use of the Marvel licence with a heavy dose of superhero action, nifty combos and plenty of unlockable goodies.

As a standalone arcade game it isn’t worth much. The multiplayer is what makes it great, whether it be local or online. It offers a face paced and ever-changing game space that can be fun for everyone.

Singstar 80s is a good solid experience that I believe most will just really enjoy.

Sea of Solitude might be flawed but that makes it more human than any perfect game would ever be. There’s a little bit of classic Ico in the game, especially in the way the journey is concluded, and more than a passing resemblance to Hellblade as an imaginary pilgrimage through a retrospective hardship. When Sea of Solitude states it’s a personal journey, it really is so. It could be about anyone’s passage to understand better not only themselves but also the people around them and that’s the game’s biggest strength.

If you’re only after the latest technological breaks or think that gun oil smells better than a flower field in spring, Shenmue III really isn’t for you. On the other hand, in a world where the climate change is real yet stubborn and ignorant powers that be refuse to believe it and where narrow-minded right-wing populism gains a foothold and tries to hinder the progress towards equality in all things, we need a game that advocates the values we need to survive as species. Still, Shenmue III takes a certain state of mind because it’s unmistakably what Shenmue used to be, and not how it’s supposed to be now. I hope that there will be Shenmue IV to give closure to the story and like this, it will stay true to what it is.

Dungeon Defenders is ambitious, pretty and highly addictive; co-op junkies will no doubt eat this one up.

Followers and fans of the Wasteland franchise will certainly see this third installment as the culmination of the series so far. It’s bigger, better and more varied than earlier entries but with all that ambition comes some inevitable technical issues and bugs. For those gamers without endless time and patience, there’s perhaps a feeling that they’ve seen what the game has to offer long before 50 or 60 hours. It’s a bit messy and could be leaner, but Wasteland 3 is often highly engaging with entertaining and varied combat and a world that rewards exploration.

There’s just something exhilarating about driving a tank, dodging the artillery shells pounding the ground around you, while light tanks scout hostiles, medium and heavy tanks duel it out in the middle of the map, tank destroyers picking off targets from afar, and you find yourself backed into a corner, surrounded and outnumbered, your tracks damaged, and your only allies being your tank’s smoking cannon and high explosive rounds.

Disco Elysium deserves applause for having a singular vision and generally bringing it to fruition through its art, writing, setting, characters and gameplay mechanics which suggest the heyday of classic isometric RPGs. At the same time, it can feel joyless and self-consciously weighted down by its bleak vision of the world, despite a steady drip of cynical, eccentric humor. Disco Elysium was perhaps the best example in years of a game that I appreciated but didn’t much enjoy.

I’m betting The Raven flew under a lot of people’s radars, even adventure game fans, so yeah, I’d recommend checking it out if you get a chance. It’s maybe eight-hours long total, but it twists complicates its narrative, and gives a greater depth than expected in a lot of ways. It’s just a good crime story with competent gameplay and a great narrative – and you’re bound to get some joy out of it.

Cursed Castilla EX embraces in the arcade games that inspired it, simultaneously differentiating itself as a modern, more forgiving take on the old-school quarter-munchers. The only major drawback is how getting the true ending forces you to locate obscurely hidden items, often giving you only one chance to obtain each one. Otherwise, it’s a short platformer that delivers solid level design and delightfully entertaining projectile-throwing gameplay.

I can recognize that Salt and Sanctuary is a well-constructed game and that there’s a lot of depth and challenge here for those that crave such things from their entertainment. It just isn't for me and I don’t think it ever will be, as I'm not the target gamer here. From that perspective, I can't give this game any less than 4 stars. It delivers on everything a fan of the Souls series would crave, and does so with style. If that's your thing, dive right in there and go conquer some brutally tough fights.

Droidscape Basilica is an impressive first outing for developer Kyttaro Games. It has its share of problems and pitfalls but overall it’s a solid iOS game that will suck up your time should you get hooked on it. While the its aesthetic appeal is a bit lacking Droidscape makes up for its shortcomings with unique gameplay and a fun combination of mechanics that, while odd at first glance, go together quite well in execution.

On top of the great strategy gameplay, Kings Bounty: Warriors of the North offers a great value with its $30 price tag. The worst thing that you can say about it is that it doesn't deviate much from King's Bounty: Armored Princess, besides a few details and a few conveniences – or is that the best thing that you can say about it? After all, Armored Princess was an excellent game.

If taking to space in a starfighter built to send murderous bandits into the cold vacuum of space is your idea of a good time, then Manticore: Galaxy on Fire is certainly worth considering.

For a series that centers its experience around the survival of characters and the choices you've made in previous games, it does a fine job managing all sorts of variables and presents strong, emotional and – best of all – fitting conclusions to the lives Commander Shepard has influenced. There's a lot of heart and soul crammed into the story, which makes this game such a joy to play through.

But if I had a choice between the two, I would have to go with the Xbox 360 version, just because you're going to have a much better online experience that you wouldn't find on the PS3, at least until more people get their units.

At this point in the lifespan of The Sims 4, there are so many expansions and add-ons that the amount of content is a bit overwhelming, and allows the player to craft a world that is grounded in reality, full of magic and fantasy or somewhere in between. The Sims 4: Discover University is definitely weighted towards the real-world experiences and lessons of college life and in addition to being highly entertaining, might just possibly have some educational value of its own.

Amnesia: Collection does exactly what it set out to do: it presents three terrifying, fun, and intriguing genre-defining horror games in one uncomplicated package. It doesn’t offer any new content or significant visual upgrades from the original releases, and there are a few hiccups here and there, but it is still an unforgettable experience nonetheless. For any fan of first-person survival horror games, Amnesia: Collection is not something to be overlooked.

Fans of futuristic action will appreciate what Capcom came up with on the 360, complete with a challenging gameplay and some pretty stunning visuals

It is not without some minor freshman bumps, but the overall package is one of the more compelling so far in 2011.

Final Fantasy XV takes a lot of chances, with combat, story, characters, and its open world setting. More often than not it manages to hit that sweet spot nexus of innovation and familiarity: the game world is immense but not overwhelming, the combat is chaotic but manageable and exciting, and the story and characters equally endearing and unfathomable. Assuming that Final Fantasy XV is a template for future installments and not simply a one-off, ten-years-in-the-making experiment, the game may cry out for refinement but hints at an exciting direction as well. It definitely breathes new life into a franchise that was on the verge of irrelevance for many gamers.

NBA Live 08 is just a much better all around game of basketball than last year's experience, and yet it's still not perfect.

Project DIVA MegaMix feels very much in line with Project DIVA Future Tone. It’s all about the sheer amount of songs and costumes, while avoiding any semblance of a campaign. Players will have to make their own path and enjoy the songs on their own terms. The brand new Mix mode is delightful once you get past the initial learning curve and the tried and true Arcade mode is what we’ve come to love about these games. A solid rhythm game through and through, Project DIVA MegaMix returns the series back to its portable roots.

It is not without some minor freshman bumps, but the overall package is one of the more compelling so far in 2011.

In many ways, The Midnight Sanctuary is an epitome of a Japanese storytelling; its pacing, nuances and paradigms – and of course, presentation. You can take a look at these screenshots and think the game looks kind of silly but I’m confident that it would be nowhere as absorbing if it were presented in a typical anime-style or photographic quality. If anything, the naïve graphics accent the chilling factor of the intriguing story that whispers through this midnight sanctuary.

With excellent writing, strong variety, lots of stuff to do and an incredibly fun and endearing attitude, Saints Row 3 is one of the most quirky games to come out in 2011. The combat could still be deeper and the AI is still noticeably weak and coupled with some technical deficiencies and a disappointing extra mode, Saints Row 3 strictly settles for being great, but it that's more than enough to warrant a recommendation.

Guardian Heroes is a retro game done right.