Although the concept of Symphony is simple, it is one of the most fun and addicting experiences I've had in a good while. Much of the enjoyment comes from the title's ability to incorporate personal music files. Great controls, fun upgrades and a level count that is matched by the number of MP3 files in your collection, Symphony offers a fantastic thrill for a great price.

CrossCode is a superb passion project that has numerous qualities making it definitely worth playing. Even though the story didn’t work too well towards the end, it certainly left me wanting more. The strong character writing made getting to know the colorful cast highly enjoyable. The gameplay has a lot going for it and maintains a solid degree of variety without breaking consistency. CrossCode is definitely a game of the year contender for me that continues to impress.

Hands of Fate 2 leaves much room for imagination which is welcomed in this age of hyperrealism. Reading the text descriptions and imagining the events in your own mind can be more exciting than watching a fancy cutscenes. Not that the game lacks in presentation. The character models on the battlefield are chunky and likable, fighting out in nicely detailed and varied surroundings. A moody incidental soundtrack accompanies the events. And then there’s the infamous dealer, back from beyond the 13th gate. His room is at the same time homey and intimidating, as his scarred eyes peer at you, judging your play with a sneer. In the end, Hand of Fate 2 gave me more excitement than some recent big-budget dark fantasy games. It relies wisely on ageless means of gameplay and storytelling. If the first Hands of Fate was journeyman's practice, the art is mastered in the sequel. At a mere $25, the game is the best entertainment for chilly winter evenings.

A wonderfully different dive into the Caped Crusader’s past culminates in a worthy chapter that further defines his future, and small problems aside, I could not be happier with the way it all went down.

Despite an hours-long tutorial, it takes some time to fully understand the mechanics of Valkyria Chronicles 4 and it remains a challenge from start to finish. That said, the time spent with engaging characters and their stories is immediately rewarding and it’s hard to resist being pulled into the drama, sacrifice and yet somehow buoyant positivity that motivates them. The focus is on tense and often tragic battles, but both fans of the series and newcomers to the franchise will appreciate Valkyria Chronicles 4 as an excellent sequel and the most accomplished realization of the concept to date.

This is a $15 download, and it packs more than enough content into its frame to balance out the relatively meager 5 maps and 3 modes. Make no mistake, however, Gotham City Impostors stands head and shoulders with every other big-box multiplayer shooter out there.

If you enjoyed the original and are wondering if this is a worthy successor my answer would be absolutely there is plenty of new content, and the online play is quite the treat.

Much better than the first Injustice, Injustice 2 is both a top-tier fighting game and a real treat for fans of the DC universe, equally featuring iconic heroes and quirky second-stringers just as lovingly presented. As a brawler, the game is fun for players at any skill level. Between the campaign, Multiverse, and Multiplayer components, Injustice 2 serves up a lot of content. There are some technical hitches in the PC port that need to be addressed, but they barely diminish the overall fantastic experience.

I can’t get enough of Shadow of the Tomb Raider, I really can’t, and it couldn’t make me any happier that with The Forge and now The Pillar, the quality curve of the DLC is pointing in a good direction, promising a lot for the five remaining challenge tombs to come!

What Vader Immortal excels at is showcasing really good Star Wars VR content of which there’s been far too little outside Battlefront’s Rogue One VR mission and the upcoming Star Wars Squadrons. The dojo sequences are worth the price of admission because they offer pure gameplay using a VR control setup that is so immersive and fun that it makes you feel cool as you cut down droids and toss training remotes at unlucky Imperial troops.

There’s no way I wouldn’t recommend this game, but just know you’ll probably be done in about two hours. To me, a two-hour game that leaves me wanting more, is far preferable to a 40-hour game that’s stretched itself too thin, and I really only found myself wanting more because I just liked it so much.

Sandwiched between the big-sellers of the season, Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection might just be the game you have been looking for - without even knowing it. There are so much going for it. The hero and the heroine are simply adorable, the world around them enchanting and the revised screenplay carefully crafted. Not to mention the accessible gameplay which doesn’t harass the players with incomprehensible rules or snobby attitude. You don’t even need to devote your whole life to the game. It takes about 30 hours to complete the adventure, give or take a few hours depending on your willingness to do the optional content (like treasure hunting and battling in G-Coliseum). As it stands, it would require quite a cold heart for not to fall in love with Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection.

The one addition that has really made Colin McRae Rally 2005 a whole lot more fun then before is the Xbox Live support. I have found that all of my games have been lag free and all have been quite competitive.

Let's face it even without MJ, NBA 2K11 is one of the best sports games I have played in years and manages to push the bar even higher not only for competing basketball titles but for sports games in general.

And with a solid gameplay, an engaging cast of characters and lots of hours of adventures, Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker is a more than worthy entry in the long running series.

Ultimately, Noita is probably not going to change anyone’s mind on roguelikes, but it sure is well-crafted. The game is filled with so many little quirks and gameplay nuances that I never ran out of things to experience. At almost every run, I would run into something new, be it a spell, an enemy, or even secret areas. One thing certainly worth noting is that the game is what you make it. Noita is undoubtedly a title worth playing for those willing to just dive into the gameplay and master the systems at play rather than worry too much about trying to win.

My love for the original Demon’s Souls hasn’t changed with the introduction of the remake. Like Scholar of the First Sin, the remake stands alongside the original - both can be enjoyed in their own unique ways and do different things well. Since Bluepoint largely kept the base game intact, the changes in the remake are mainly quality of life improvements and aesthetic design differences. Most gamers will find a lot to love in the new Demon’s Souls. I'm excited that more people will get to experience this wonderful game.

This colorful battlefield will likely be one you return to every time you have friends over, and have a score to settle. It was a lot of fun playing Oh My Godheads with friends, and tackle some of the trials on my own, too. With its unique take on some classic game modes and a simply beautiful art style, I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick and easy party game.

Happy Action Theater is more of a gadget or a tech demo than a game. But it's a great example of what the Kinect can do.

For those who thought it can not be done, Rockstar has proven you wrong with this almost perfect port of a cleaned-up "GTA III" for the sweet PSP handheld.

Simplistic but addictive gameplay and bright visuals makes this an easy choice.

The sequel to arguably the best action game on the console just got better.

I really enjoyed Below the Bedrock and can’t wait to see how this season is going to close itself out. Telltale seems to have solved their pacing issue, and with the inclusion of the mystery element in finding Fred’s weapon, have added just enough outside of the general comedy to keep me invested. Will Jesse and crew be able to save Beacontown and defeat The Admin? We’ll find out with the next installment.

It’s available, it’s a lot of fun for your buck, and it is simply amazing.

I am happy to report that Fight Night Round 4 is the complete package. If you are a fan of boxing, or of the series, you would be crazy not to go out and purchase this game.

Mass Effect 3 is a fantastic game and an even greater achievement upon the landscape of video game that is only held back by some small gameplay issues and its own grandeur. Honestly, the worst part of the game is knowing that there will be no Mass Effect 4 to import my Shepard into. It's like saying goodbye to a friend and it is an experience that, while sort of heart aching, every single person who plays video games should have. But it's nothing without its predecessors. So do yourself a favor, start with the original Mass Effect and see this story through to the end. There is nothing else quite like it.

Papers, Please is a lean game that knows exactly what it wants to do, and does it with more style and confidence than one could reasonably expect.

Now that Telltale Games' zombie epic is more than half done, I feel confident saying that The Walking Dead will stand as a shining example of how narrative can be used creatively in games to create a strong emotional reaction. Rather than abiding by a moral code that the game suggests, I am having a blast playing through each episode of The Walking Dead and just doing what I feel is right.