The PS4 version of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an amazing port of one of last year’s best adventure games. The strong narrative, complex puzzles, and amazing graphically prowess makes this mystery one worth solving.

As an allegory, bringing light to personal or cultural darkness through art isn’t terribly original but it’s still relatively surprising for any game to have a wider subtext, and besides, Concrete Genie’s deepest pleasures are aesthetic. It’s simply fun and rewarding to paint with light and bring fantasy fairy tale Genies to life. The VR implementation is bare-bones and is of little consequence for those without a headset, but Concrete Genie is a great example of an imaginative interactive experience that simply couldn’t exist outside of gaming. We need more of those.

There's only so much to add to an addicting gameplay loop of shooting, warping and surviving. Tempest 4000 does enough for fans of the original game to scratch that itch of a solid arcade classic. At certain points you enter a great flow state the games like Tetris, Rez or Lumnies are often known for. These are the best moments of Tempest 4000; enjoying the colors, the music and most importantly the solid gameplay. The game is just as good as the original and best of all it never gets old.

Players who enjoyed 2012′s XCOM: Enemy Unknown already know whether they will enjoy Enemy Within. For devotees still playing, or folks who want to pick XCOM back up after focusing on other things for a while, Enemy Within introduces compelling new ways to combat the alien invasion that are well worth the asking price.

This product sets out to do one thing: repackage and sell my childhood. In that department, it is a smashing success.

Gravity Rush uses all parts of the bull, from motion to touch controls, and none of it feels ill-suited, unnecessary, or poorly crafted. For Vita owners, there's no reason not to give this a shot.

It is so blatantly similar to Nintendo’s Zelda series in every possible way, I’m surprised the game didn’t catch much flak. Those without any personal connection to Zelda adventures will enjoy a solidly built adventure that just so happens to have an amazing soundtrack from maestros of the industry. This is the sort of game that’s perfect for people who, for one reason or another, completely missed the Zelda train and are looking for a chance to see what the fuss is about.

Valiant Hearts defies the traditional war game, featuring comical, fluidly animated visuals that tell a somber story about people caught up in World War I. The interactive puzzles, alongside engaging action segments, are effectively interspersed in an experience that is hard to put down. While this slower-paced war title may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s worth a playthrough for history buffs, puzzle platformer fans, or anyone who wants a beautiful adventure game with a lot of heart.

Thought the French should have won? Get inside the greatest show on earth with this sublime soccer sim, packed with trademark EA finesse and magic.

There’s nothing inherently wrong but Madden NFL 20 was really missing the “X-Factor” that it needs to really breath some fresh life into the long, historic franchise. I’m sure I will still be playing Madden NFL 20 by the time I sit down to review Madden NFL 21, but in the back of my mind, all I’ll be hoping is that next year is the year they really revamp Franchise mode and take some bigger risks on the field. Until then, I’ll be taking my QB1 to his third straight Super Bowl.

I got plenty of amusement from Knack 2, especially when I was hopping around and solving puzzles. That's not to say the combat system is bad- it just starts out rather bland and could've been more fleshed out. Strong production values are used in the delivery of a competent story marred by bland characters, but they also benefit the gameplay. And in what's surely a testament to smart design, I was never bored in my 14-hour story playthrough. And that's the best way to describe this package. For 40 bucks, you get many hours of solid, charming fun wrapped in a smartly-made platformer. Far from the archaic dinosaur that its predecessor was, Knack 2 is a worthwhile, modern, and entertaining game.

I suppose it says a lot about a game if the biggest thing I’m complaining about is the short length. I hope Neverout gets extra puzzles or a sequel down the line because it really is fun to play. Plus, a sequel might give the game some longevity. Beyond replaying to collect trophies (though to be honest, you’d have to work hard not to get them all on the first playthrough) and taking advantage of the game’s PlayStation VR support, Neverout is more than its surface level homage to a really great movie. I really liked Neverout because it offers the right level of the challenge and atmosphere to keep you engaged all the way through to the end.

Natural Selection 2 is one of the first games I've played that doesn't just boast a teamwork mindset but actually delivers on it.

Retains the playability, but not the depth of its PS2 version.

Sanctum 2 is a good game, especially if you have friends to play it with, but if there is a Sanctum 3 in the future then I hope the developers take a more critical, iterative approach to their craft.

Ichidant-R is a challenging taste of retro gameplay. If you have good reflexes and a sharp brain, it’s the game for you. Otherwise, grab a buddy and conquer it together.

World’s Fair is probably a must-have for Planet Coaster aficionados and for anyone who eventually wants to access creations made with it in the Workshop. Like Cities: Skylines, with each new expansion Planet Coaster just establishes itself that much more firmly as the game to beat in its niche. With only three new rides (the recent Vintage Pack included seven), World’s Fair feels a little content-light but as usual, the new designs, music and elements are excellent and useful.

Challenge is once again nice and the visuals are consistently sumptuous with a bright sunlight highlighting magnificent features of the valley of the Monkey Gods. It’s a shame that for such an endearing endeavor the tomb is, it takes only some 1,5 hours to see the whole DLC through. I would have liked the challenge tomb twice of its current size and I have a feeling that more could have been made out Lara’s personal nightmare, too, despite its effective use of cutscenes. As it stands, it was bit of a rush and unlike the advertising led to believe, the Croft manor plays only a bit part and Lara’s now-dead acquaintances don’t exactly walk and greet her as they’re reduced to silent background elements.

As reboot, it does everything it needs to, to bring the core mechanics to 2014. As Eidos Montreal’s second game, it shows that the studio learned much in the process of making Human Revolution (especially in regards to boss battles). But as a game on its own, Thief a fantastic ride and great game in which to merely be a thief in. It’s just a shame that it exists in such an uninteresting and disjointed world.

Zipper Interactive has taken their experience with the PSP and cranked up their flair to produce an excellent hand held shooter. If you are a Vita owner and you love action games then Unit 13 is a must have. With great mechanics and a functioning online co-op there is a lot of fun and many hours to spend with this great title. I couldn't put the game down and I expect to keep revisiting it for a while.

Gears Tactics is certainly not without its issues, most notably in its mission structure, but nonetheless Splash Damage has created a very solid strategy game that offers a lengthy campaign, beautiful visuals, and fun gameplay mechanics that manage to stay true to the Gears of War franchise.

Shadow Warrior won’t win any awards for complexity. It’s a shamelessly self-confident return to the whiplash, blood’n'guts symphony of 90s-era shooters, but it salvages the low concept, and it’s own checkered legacy, with ironclad mechanics and the likable, if oafish, story it tells.

The game only makes a good purchase if you are a diehard Gladiator fan; otherwise the game is a perfect rental title.

Pandemic Studios takes what we love about campy alien B-Movies and turns it into this relentlessly funny and solid action title.

Although I cannot say that Sports Champions is a perfect game, it is a great first step into the Playstation Move and motion gaming. Sure I would not have chosen the same sports as what Sony put on the disc, but even with what is offered Sports Champions proves to be a great experience.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is a love letter to the series’ biggest fans. Newcomers might not understand what’s happening, but fans will appreciate the high-octane supernatural martial arts. The attention to detail is astounding, from the lovingly made hub world to the cutscenes that recreate classic scenes from the anime. The story takes about 15-20 hours, but building up your custom character and completing quests easily quadruples that number.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 is yet another solid outing for the franchise.

Seeing as how I was one of those few that loved dialogue scenes in other games, I really enjoyed this title. My only real gripe was how most of them end rather abruptly (one time, I moved on before I was ready and missed out on doing some side events) and one character didn’t get revisited like the others.