The often-copied GTA gameplay style has been given a new leash of life with character leveling and a truly superb online play.

Yakuza 6 offers one of the finest, most realized crime stories of the medium. It also marks the conclusion of Kiryu Kazuma’s story, granting him an ending befitting such a well-rounded character. And the best part is that you don’t have to be a Yakuza expert to appreciate how it all ends.

This expansion adds a few sidequests and features, but doesn't do much else to address the original's shortcomings. Might be a fun choice for new fans.

So should you take the dip into Destiny 2? If you are looking for something to sink your teeth into, have a ton of time on your hands, and like shooters, there’s a lot here to get behind. But if, even for an instant, the thought of grinding out slightly better pieces of equipment in a near endless loot to get just to see a number go up just a tiny bit, seems unappealing, you are going to have some issues with Bungie’s future shooter. In the end, I think it may be just a bit to close to the original for me.

Sony's MLB series goes from strength from strength, with a more refined controls and tiny improvements and creates a very satisfying and emmensely fun baseball title.

It absolutely harkens back to my own time as a tabletop gamer, with both D&D and CCGs, and its story treats those memories like they’re a treasure, rather than a punchline. Will you enjoy it as much if you don’t have those memories to draw on? Well, if you like fun, and can stomach learning something new, then I don’t see how you get out of this without having at least a little.

There is no disputing that NHL 13 is a fantastic game of hockey. For me though it was missing that big new feature that would make it feel significantly different from last years outing. And as good as the new skating feels and the new modes are, they aren't enough to keep this game on the same high pedestal of NHL 12. If you missed last years game then NHL 13 would be a great point to jump in at, however for those still enjoying last years game I would say there isn't enough here to warrant the upgrade.

The exploration is awesome. The upgrade system is awesome. The game was just awesome. Its available on damn-near every platform and if you haven’t played it yet you definitely should.

As a finale to a trilogy, The Banner Saga 3 delivers its long-awaited conclusion, told through a sharp character-driven narrative. Although the mash-up of tactical gameplay, Oregon Trail decision segments, and serialized fantasy drama haven’t evolved much, they effectively carry the emotional weight of a banner years in the making.

In many ways, Battle Chef Brigade Deluxe is a perfect video game. For starters, it looks like one instead of yet another movie wannabe. It teaches, entertains, challenges, stresses and eventually rewards you, like any true video game should. In times when big games are high on cinematic violence, indie titles like this should be cherished. And who knows? Maybe the game urges you take the frying pan out of the kitchen cabinet and try out some cooking yourself, even if you don’t fancy yourself exactly a master chef. I, for one, played with the thought what taste gems the ingredients I use in the kitchen would break into!

As a conclusion to the franchise (no doubt pending an awkwardly justified fourth game and spin-offs), Resistance 3 manages to send it off as gracefully as possible.

Orcs Must Die! 2 perfectly combines the strategic thinking of tower defense games with the frenetic action of an old-school shooter, with plenty of laughs along the way.

Octopath Traveler lovingly embraces old-school RPG conventions while offering its own refreshingly modern take. Through placing sprites in 3D environments, incorporating a separate storyline for each party member, and spicing up battles with fist-pumping turn-based combat, Square Enix makes bold choices to reinvigorate the genre. Thankfully, many of them pay off, resulting in a game that has tugged at my heartstrings and fully engaged me to follow the paths of these eight wayfaring travelers.

Bye-Bye BoxBoy! is an excellent sendoff to Nintendo’s underrated square mascot. With nearly two dozen worlds of 6-8 levels each, there are at least seven hours of gameplay, not including extras. If you’ve played the first two games, you know what you’re in for. Though the core concepts are identical, Qbabies and special powers keep the geometric puzzler fresh. If you haven’t experienced the BoxBoy! series and can only pick one, Bye-Bye BoxBoy! has the most variety, providing the most value. Otherwise, picking up the whole trilogy is a great solution for anyone seeking ingenious portable puzzles in bulk. Bye-Bye, BoxBoy! We’ll miss you!

You have nothing to lose if you want to try Stretchmo, so go ahead and download it! Odds are you’ll fall in love with it like I have with all of these games, and this latest entry is still a ton of fun to get into and tear apart. Play it, buy some levels, and achieve puzzle platforming bliss on the go.

Not only is the Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection a great bundle for fans of the series, but it also makes some important small tweaks to help broaden these games' appeal. The new checkpoint system helps address the overbearing difficulty of the original releases, a very welcome change that will undoubtedly alleviate many headaches. The core gameplay remains as strong as ever, defined by responsive movement and white-knuckled boss encounters. While each entry's unique systems may not always succeed, the underlying gameplay is so strong that even the weakest outings are engaging challenges. And when everything works in concert, like in Mega Man Zero 3 and 4, the combination of slick movement, great boss fights, and rewarding unlock systems make for some of the most compelling 2D platformers in recent memory.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes represents Traveler’s Tales finest work with the LEGO property. All of the requisite hooks are there: a fun story, good humor, solid gameplay and healthy challenges. The studio’s reverence for the source material really pays off in the end, with content and character options that should be more than enough for any type of Marvel fan.

For those looking for a challenging yet accessible platformer with deep mechanics and plenty of personality, there are few games that rival OlliOlli: Switch Stance. Whether you're a skateboarding junkie or haven't scaled a half-pipe in your life, Switch Stance is worth a place in your growing Switch library.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a superb experience from start-to-finish that cuts itself short long before it feels appropriate to do so. There’s a stinger twist ending that sets up an inevitable sequel, but it’s difficult to be excited when it feels like I should still be playing.

Transistor isn’t perfect, there are issues with the combat system and sometimes the art gets in the way of the combat itself but that isn’t enough to deter this masterful execution of storytelling.

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.

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.

Moonlighter is a fantastic and unique adventure that can be played for either five minutes or five hours at a time. The gameplay works significantly well on the Nintendo Switch, making it a perfect pick-up-and-play game. Whether you just want the simple serenity of running your own shop, or the big adventure of beating each dungeon, you will find a great time with Moonlighter. You should definitely invest your gold into this title.

Fancy sailing around the galaxy in a pirate ship? Action RPGs don't get any better than this, with fast-paced combat, deep gameplay and fantastically stylized visuals.

There is no question that inFamous 2 is one of the most enjoyable experiences thus far in 2011. inFamous 2 is quite the epic experience and one that if you enjoyed the original you have to pick up this game and see what Cole has in store for himself this time.

As far as puzzle-platformers are concerned, Creaks doesn’t quite break the mold. It makes a fun first impression through a neat call to adventure but it wasn’t long before I developed a wandering eye. Throwing in new obstacles injects excitement when things get overly familiar but the trick eventually loses its luster. Creaks stands out by its beautiful art style, especially when it comes to the various paintings found throughout the mansion. Amanita Design has made a puzzle game that offers just enough accessible cerebral challenges. Though by no means a poorly constructed piece of software, Creaks’ minimalist approach to gameplay is entertaining in the moment but doesn’t quite leave much of a lasting impression.

The true beauty of a minimalist story tied with absolutely stunning visuals and emotionally resonant music make for a genuine masterpiece. Gris is an absolute gem of a work that definitely deserves your attention.

While there are new additions that make Super Mega Baseball 3 a worthwhile sequel, I hoped for more features – especially given its much higher price point. Just as its predecessors delivered, it’s a great game, but feels somewhat schizophrenic when you stack up what features have been added versus what has been passed on. There is a major emphasis on some inclusions that feel like they’d be more at home in a realistic baseball simulator, yet some very fundamental inclusions for an arcade baseball game are still absent.