So if you have a very powerful gaming rig, and you’re craving a train simulator, would I recommend Train Simulator 2016? No. No, I do not. It’s too light on content for a $45 game, and I don’t support the developer’s ludicrous paid DLC scheme. Which is a real shame, because the physics are great and, if you can run it in high or ultra high graphics, it can look quite beautiful.

Whether you’re coming back to the game for a second time or you’re a new player, this is a game that has something to offer for everyone.

Leo’s Fortune has all the components for fun, but it’s length and familiarity are its undoing.

This looks, sounds, and plays like a student project attached to a Unity water physics tech demo.

Including additional equipment — like the Liebherr RL1300, for all you tall crane enthusiasts! — and several new DLC missions/jobs, the Gold Edition provides many hours of content for the patient player to invest some serious time in learning the systems.

Episode 1 definitely sets things up well, and while the characters are a little weak so far, the quest itself is interesting enough I can’t wait to see what the next episode holds.

Marred only by a relative lack of content, Fast Racing Neo more than ably fills a void left by other futuristic racers and just looks and sounds incredible as well.

Age of Decadence is a thinking person’s RPG, and rewards patience and attention to detail. It doesn’t waste your time with meaningless tasks or busywork, though ultimately, pouring time into crafting or alchemy or weaponsmithing and combat are just as viable as developing persuasion or talking your way out of conflict.

In the end, Masochisia is not a very successful game no matter how unflinchingly or creatively it examines its subject matter.

Downwell‘s a very slight game based around a great, fast-paced mechanic.

Unfortunately, my opinion of this game is that if you’ve ever played any side-scrolling shoot-’em-up platformer in the past, say, fifteen years, then you’ve pretty much experienced what Guns, Gore and Cannoli has to offer when it’s at its best.

Like an action movie marathon, the busy energy of it can become wearying, but in most ways, Just Cause 3 is, quite literally, a blast.

While the different control types for the characters is super cool and all, the game only has fleeting moments of enjoyment before crushing you in defeat, leaving you with nothing to show for it.

Every enticing prospect in its description – the promising subject matter, the skill accumulation, the sharp colours – exists to postpone the realization that the game is as fulfilling as stargazing on a cloudy night.

It needed a little more tightness and guidance in some way that it just didn’t have in the end.

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.

Rainbow Six: Siege delivers on what it promised to be: a well-made, multiplayer-focused, team shooter. To criticize it for not having a stronger single player experience is accusing it of a pretense it never made, and consumers will decide whether the product has broad enough appeal to warrant its price.

Over and over, you think: people fighting dinosaurs! Awesome, right?! Then you come back to the reality of Primal Carnage: Extinction and kind of wish it was just an idea, because in your head it’s all shadowy, mist-filled jungles, stealthy dinosaurs, and soldiers with high-tech equipment and copious amounts of dread, waiting to kill or be killed. Suddenly the raptor’s head clips awkwardly through the tree and you remember where you are what you’re doing: playing a pretty mediocre video game version of a great idea.

Ultimately, whether you play Skyhill once or a hundred times, there is little chance of becoming a better player, and there’s zero chance of seeing something new along the way.

While the inclusion of a 9 person multiplayer is indeed intriguing, there just isn’t enough to Runbow to really make you along want to come back, let alone the 8 other people you can possibly finagle. It’s simplistic jumping on levels for time trials, or it’s overly-chaotic racing around the same platforming levels. It’s not like the WiiU is hurting for good 2D platformers that you can play instead.

Just in case you’d forgotten that Bloodborne was one of the best games of the year, The Old Hunters should seal the deal and place it near the top of the list. Generously difficult, filled with hours of new story, and packed with interesting areas to explore and enemies to die to, The Old Hunters is a great addition to the game and should not be missed.

Calvino Noir struggles to overcome problems of its own making. The controls are clunky and make the game more difficult than it needs to be. It fails at communicating its own mechanics, so much so that your first interaction with the enemy very likely ends in a very surprising death.

All in all if you are looking for a fun strategy sports themed game with a multiplayer focus, this one might be worth taking a look at.

Whether you are a returning fan or looking for an experience similar to Shovel Knight, this collection has a lot to offer. The core gameplay has not lost it’s potency with age. For those looking for old school challenge or experience the definitive version of the early Mega Man classics, look no further than the Mega Man Legacy Collection.

Unfortunately, I would have to say if you haven’t already purchased the Dying Light Season Pass, The Bozak Horde isn’t really worth buying. It strips out all of the fun of the open-world exploration and pigeonholes you into a dingy parking garage, and leaves you struggling to compensate for its less-than-fantastic combat system.

You won’t find the fast-paced action of Diablo, or the tactical challenge of Dragon Age: Origins or Pillars of Eternity. Whatever you are looking for, you will probably find it somewhere else in a better game that you already own.

Tales of Zestiria has its fair share of flaws and blemishes, but the engaging combat, coupled with a likeable cast of characters kept me engaged; it’s just too bad that a faint whiff of déjà vu still lingers over this franchise.

Mushroom 11 does a great job of realizing a concept and sticking to it, it’s just too bad that concept falters as much as it does, making the game feel like a big miss instead of an indie darling.

Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is everything I could have asked for in a new Danganronpa game. While the presentation has changed the spirit has not, and at a time when the Vita struggles for new games it is an instant classic.

If you’re looking for a fun, “waste the hours away” kind of game, Teslapunk is a good get for its price tag.

Free from the stresses and complexities of modern multiplayer shooters, Star Wars Battlefront is an invitation to play in a galaxy far, far away.

Inside My Radio, as a concept, sounds more enjoyable than its execution.

The repetition inherent in the gameplay means that existing fans will merely be burned out by the story’s end, and the unnecessary subtractive design makes the first game a better starting point for newcomers.

Jotun makes a strong impact early on and the hits keep rolling as the game lurches forward with each heavy axe swing.

Though it makes clear that nothing was truly decided in the Forrester’s quest for survival, both as a family and individually, there’s enough closure to the individual story lines to make the entire trip one worth taking.

For the first time, Destiny feels like it’s complete. It’s not perfect, far from it in fact, and I still can’t entirely disagree when they speak of the package itself as bad. But I’ve also been unable to put it down for the past month I’ve played it.

Games as LSD alternatives are nothing new, but Circa Infinity is in the upper echelon of the category. It remembers that weirdness is not a substitute for discipline, and so tempers its abstract presentation with immaculate level design and a blazing tempo. The outcome is at once a striking artistic vision, a viscerally and intellectually engaging product, and a frontrunner for best indie game of the year.

It could have been a good start to the series, but there are some really frustrating elements, and it baffles me how the developers looked at them and said, “yes, this is the product we want to release to the world”: the terrible semi-fixed camera that moves in an unpredictable manner as you move around, the boring gunfight segments, and the fact that, for a standalone episode, pretty much nothing actually happens.

As of now it feels super rushed despite only being the second episode in the season. Hopefully it’s not a harbinger of things to come.

Halo 5: Guardians obviously isn’t meant to be played for its by the numbers campaign. If your love for Halo falls strictly within the realm of multiplayer, then prepare yourself for a grand old time.

Fallout 4 is a good game, an absolutely solid work horse of a title that will, if you let it, carry you away for hours at a time to explore its depths. At a time when titles seem to be losing content, Fallout 4 has more then you can possibly consume all at once, and its host of options mean that when you come back for a second, third, or ninth pass, the experience can actually, honestly, be something different. That’s not something you can say about a lot of games, and in that regard, Fallout 4 is truly in a class by itself.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is all about its pacing. It’s a game that will throw you into a huge action sequence and then slowly ramp back up. You don’t have to worry about endless waves of enemies. Instead you will move from one area to the next, traversing the world, hunting so you can craft and upgrade, and scouring the world for treasure and tombs. Crystal Dynamics took what worked in Tomb Raider and made it even better. Rise of the Tomb Raider is one of the best games of the year. It’s absolutely beautiful and plays as good as any game on the market today.

I wanted to love this game, I really did; the first stage showed so much promise but the lack of content and variety cemented this as an average game with a killer soundtrack and lofty aspirations.

I think Regicide is a really cool concept and an interesting adaptation of an already turn-based game with entirely different mechanics.

It’s unfortunate that Corpse of Discovery can’t capitalize on it’s strong premise. Instead, it flounders, attempting to be profound and metaphysical but never managing to be anything more than “meh.”

Sure to be a fun, good natured under the tree gift this Christmas for kids and kids at heart.

Toy Soldiers: War Chest feels like a game that was rushed through without care or polish. Nostalgia can’t save this game from being an absolute disappointment.

The concept is outrageous, but it works. However, at the end of the day, it is a game about a piece of bread.

In the end, Mad Max’s ability to create a good time far outweighs any problems it has.

It’s a meaningful and beautiful creation far more entrenched in the human experience than any other game I’ve played.

The Coalition has done a superb job of reminding us why we fell in love with Gears back in 2006.

Despite its shortcomings, this game does something other games in the genre struggle to do. SOMA gives us an interesting setting to explore, terrifying, unforgettable moments, and a deep thought-provoking plot that asks its players philosophical questions that linger long after the credits roll.

Armello has a lot of potential but the interesting bits never come to the forefront in any meaningful way, leading to a rather bland experience.

With a running time between 4-6 hours, The Descent is one of the strongest pieces of post game content Bioware has ever offered. Through a good story and inspired environmental choices, Dragon Age‘s Deep Roads becomes the dark and deadly place the Dwarves of Orzammar always speak of.

The PS4 version just isn’t up to the challenge and doesn’t deserve to be played as the PC version is clearly better in every way.

Its a simple expansion but brings with it several fun features and buildings, making an already great game even better.

While I enjoyed the character interactions and reveals in Vault of the Traveler, I couldn’t get myself excited for the episode’s action packed finale.

Colorful and surrounded by mystery, Dropsy is a nice twist from “normal” adventure games and worthy of investment.

I don’t think I’ve ever played a game like The Beginner’s Guide and I’m not sure any game will ever need to duplicate what it accomplished.

Players who want to complete the level and do so in the shortest amount of time will find a lot to love in this game and even more so in the game’s replay value. However, when the initial awe wears off, Shadow Blade: Reload comes across as a generic ninja-action game with an interesting art style, good controls and an otherwise underwhelming story.

All in all I’d say if you are a fan of JRPGs you should give this one a try. The journey was fun and the characters were likable enough with some character development along the way. The combat makes gives a twist to the standard turn based combat and slight customization of skills and magic are fun to play around with.

There’s so much visible heart and ingenuity in this product, but its fundamentally flawed mechanics and absurd, dismal story leave in my mind only the animation of a man hysterically bashing his own head in.

It’s clear that the developers have a lot of reverence for old games, but the work on the actual gameplay just doesn’t do well enough to pass on why we should feel the same. Instead you’re just going from one lesser version of a genre to another, a clear example of when less is more.

Even though I have my issues with Until Dawn, I was strangely absorbed into this beautiful, yet awful world where I was able to experience a Hollywood horror movie in video game format.

The forced dialogue, lacking visuals and boring gameplay do little to make The Legend of Kay: Anniversary worth the price of admission.

Elite: Dangerous goes against the grain of the Xbox One’s library of games. It’s not as frenetic and action packed as Call of Duty nor does it share The Witcher 3’s flair for engrossing narratives. Instead, Elite: Dangerous is a quest for the next big thing which, in this case, is a high quality ship outfitted with the best equipment that fits a chosen playstyle.

Clearly, Re: Hollow Fragment is designed specifically for stalwarts of Sword Art Online. If they haven’t already played the game on the Vita, the digital-only PlayStation 4 version offers more content and a whole new set of levels to conquer. Everyone else should tread carefully.

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.

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

Grow Home is worth checking out if you’re looking for an interesting romp through a beautiful world with new mechanics in terms of platforming, just be ready to fall to your death and not understand why.

While not pushing the boundaries of the genre in any significant way, Xeodrifter is a well made game which is sometimes all we need.

Its puzzles are frustrating not because they are hard, but because cost-management means you spend more time trying to figure out what parts can be deleted so you have can build elsewhere.

Spectra is an average, straightforward racer that’s easy enough to grasp. And yet, it comes off as half finished.

Overall Q.U.B.E Director’s Cut is a great puzzle game for those that haven’t played the original version. If you played it back in 2011 this game won’t have much to offer in the way of new content and excitement.

NBA Live 16 feels like a game that has a lot of good pieces but it’s still looking for its James, Bryant, Durant or Curry to help get it to the next level. Until they find it, NBA Live will continue to be a middle of the road game of basketball.

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

While I absolutely loved the game, one questionable thing was the lore screen. For important as it is, instead of being another in game menu, the lore screen takes you to the Steam overlay, somewhat breaking the immersion.

Simple and complex, HackNet is a thrilling and eye opening look into the world that keeps making headlines in the news. Kudos to Team Fractal Alligator for making something so complex feel accessible to everyone.

I can only hope that any Greenlight votes it received were from trolls, and that no one is stupid enough to actually pay money for this abomination.

Whispering Willows has some pretty interesting ideas but most of them are never truly realized.

FIFA 16 is not a huge step forward for the franchise. The play on the pitch continues to get better and better and the refinements this year are all welcome. I especially was impressed with the overall flow of a match. It continues to get closer to feeling like the real thing while still being one of the most enjoyable sports games on the market.

If you can justify the four dollars and don’t mind the short play time, you should enjoy episode one of Missing: An Interactive Thriller.

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is easily one of the most immersive games I’ve ever played.

Dressed in the tropes of old, it forgot to continue to show us that it was more then the total of its parts, more then just another ARPG, set in another gothic world, with another broken hero unknowingly seeking redemption. Like it’s titular character, Victor Vran never really finds it.

Gauntlet: Slayer Edition is a passable action-RPG for those desperately looking for a dungeon crawler to play with friends but it doesn’t offer much in the way of replayability or unique concepts to really recommend past that.

Now that I’ve finally had a chance to play Year Walk I know exactly why everyone was so fascinated by it when it came out. Hauntingly atmospheric, clever and interestingly presented, it surprises at many turns and rewards players for being smart and attentive. It’s a bit of a short run, but it ends right when it needs to, leaving itself in the player’s mind for long afterwards.

If you are a huge fan of this series, then you will no doubt get some enjoyment out of this title. You should keep your expectations in check, however, because it probably isn’t the type of compelling, lasting experience that will top your favorites list when all is said and done.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the culmination of decades of an acclaimed series that repeatedly raised the bar with every entry. The storytelling may not please everyone, especially the initiated, but this is unquestionably the best gameplay in a Metal Gear game.

All this makes Tembo a fine game where the really bad, really rough parts are REALLY bad and REALLY rough, in a way that brings the rest of the game down.

Invisible Inc. is a game with a lot of hidden depth that is waiting to be explored and exploited; and while the story is severely lacking it’s still worth the $20 to checkout and run through a few times.

Okay, so, when I said that Smite should be free, I didn’t mean to say that it is terrible. What I meant is that the game honestly just isn’t all that good. But I can play as the main character from Conker’s Bad Fur Day, though… so that’s something, at least.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a remarkable game. Even with the frustrating controls, Starbreeze Studios has managed to craft a superb puzzle-adventure game with mature themes, while still capturing those crucial moments that makes the relationship between two young brothers special.

There are some technical issues that you’ll need to look past but if you’re able to, you’ll find a game with incredible controls that is just waiting for you to step up to the joysticks.

A decent enough addition for those collecting Zen Pinball 2: Portal tables though it is a slightly empty homage to Aperture Science.

I would recommend this content to any fans of pinball or Ant-Man.

Despite its flaws, Gunpowder hits the most important notes for a simple puzzle game. It is a fairly easy game to recommend, although at $10, the PC version is hard to recommend over the iOS version, which is only $3.

Nom Nom Galaxy is a functional game with good art direction, sound, and story; however, I found that I was forcing myself through each level without really being engaged in the process. I do have a strong urge to go make some soup though.

All in all, I found it to be a rather fun game. Though that’s not to say it wasn’t rough around the edges in spots. With plenty of loot to grab, a nice variety of weapons, big bosses, scaling difficulties, and the ability to craft powerful gear, I’d definitely say it would be worth looking into for fans of the genre.