Although not exactly a gaming masterpiece, Build-A-Bear Workshop does exactly what it sets out to do, make for a simple enjoyable experience for the young people in your life.

On the whole, Ni no Kuni II is a beautiful and well-made game that manages to make its combination of action-RPG and city-building seem natural. Despite some initial intimations of darkness, its tone is light-hearted and upbeat and its core combat is very satisfying throughout.

NBA Jam for the Wii is exactly what you would want NBA Jam for the Wii to be just missing online play. The NBA Jam experience is alive and well on the Nintendo Wii and for those who may have never played a game of NBA Jam or those wanting to relive old memories, this is a great game to check out.

Despite the lackluster single player and small other foibles I have with some of Heave Ho's design choices, you're still getting a ton of great bang for your buck here, especially at the $10 asking price. From the scores of levels available to the player, to the sheer variety of the different worlds and to the simple unpredictability of being dropped by a friend that you thought had your back since preschool, Heave Ho is a fantastic experience that'll make for a killer additional to any player's party-game collection. Just make sure you bring a few (trusted) friends along for the ride.

Solid in all departments. It has some great RPG elements but nothing that is going to catch the gaming market's eye quite like "Knights of the Old Republic."

The Xbox 360 has had three years to mature and grow with Madden, and we are really ready to be wowed and Madden 08 does a good job of it, but I still think fans want more.

A game like Flipping Death could easily outstay its welcome but Zoink seems to understand the limits of the genre. Aside from some frustrating controls - which might irk both super-precise and platformer-challenged gamers - Flipping Death has enough humor, cheeky irreverence and visual audacity to carry it through the tough spots. Played for the characters, story, puzzles and imaginative setting, Flipping Death is a good time.

Is the Switch version the best way to experience Dark Souls? Probably not, and I can’t imagine new players coming to the game for the first time trying to learn Dark Souls in the handheld mode. My advice for Switch owners who have never played From’s masterpiece: play it docked and on the big screen first. For those Souls veterans who just can’t get enough of their favorite game, be prepared to retrain your muscles, play in a dark room, and be a little amazed that you’re holding the game at all.

In focusing on the cerebral side of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments manages to rise above its adventure game roots, presenting an excellent take on a classic character that, while propped on a foundation of less then interesting tropes, manages to feel fresh and captivating.

Avicii Invector follows a path that led Harmonix to greatness and while I don’t think Hello There Games will go the same distance, they made a really solid and fun music game to play. The only real criticism that can be levied against the game is its moderately short length. A 25 song setlist is a decent amount of content but once you’ve gone through them, there’s really nothing else to do except challenge yourself to higher difficulty settings. The game is a nice tribute to the artist, though I feel there’s more that could have been added to make it a little more personal. Regardless, Avicii Invector is a fine celebration of a talented performer that sizzles with high energy.

It seems to "borrow" a little too much from the Need For Speed Underground series.

I enjoyed my time playing Beholder. Everything comes together well, and the initial experience is fun. It is missing that hook to keep me interested in playing for an extended period. That is the only complaint I have about Beholder. It will give you an enjoyable experience, even if it is for a short time. If you’re looking for a game that you can play for a couple days, Beholder fits that bill.

Doesn't make any ground breaking moves to the RPG genre but it does give Gamecube fans an RPG to be proud of.

Crash Commando is just the game PSN needed. A crazy, addicting, and fun little game that will tide us over until the next wave of games hit the store.

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut is a delightfully weird game that, despite all of its many faults, has more heart and soul than any other budget title.

While Children of Morta stays pretty solidly in the tradition of recent RPG/roguelikes, its packaging — graphics, design, story and characters — elevate it above the pack and players who have grown weary of the genre will find it refreshing. It’s challenging without (usually) being unfair and while there is plenty of varied combat, there is a story with some heart and soul for any player looking for a break from constant hack and slash. It’s still a roguelike, so any player intolerant of the genre’s “die and try again” conceit will not suddenly become enlightened, but fans of the form will enjoy one of the more interesting and appealing examples in recent memory.

Blade Strangers may not be as flashy or intricate as more established fighting games, but it’s fully featured in game modes as opposed to most other recent titles (I’m looking at you, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle!). It also serves both the newcomers and beat ‘em up enthusiasts alike with its elementary but flexible gameplay.

Condemned 2: Bloodshot is another solid outing for Monolith and SEGA.

With a lot more to do in it than you might first expect, Minit is eminently replayable and a highly enjoyable experience.

Conquest doesn't excel at anything it does, but it doesn't really take any missteps either. For what it's worth, the fact that someone is trying something new and outside-the-box with Pokemon is commendable in itself, and I hope that this game is enough of a success that it makes it viable for The Pokemon Company to keep trying new things with the franchise in the future.

This is the essence of FIFA 14 – a great package but a hefty sidestep, rather than a leap, as some of its predecessors were. The menus are fantastically designed, accessible and simple, which isn’t a mean feat considering the sheer amount of different modes and ways to play, and make it seem a shinier, fresher product than it is.

Stick it to The Man is a short adventure but one worth playing. The fun puzzles, beautiful environments, and peculiar characters makes Rae Doewood’s insane journey an extremely enjoyable and intensely hilarious experience.

Very few times in the DS short history have we seen games actually use the touch screen to its advantage in the way that this game did.

Ultimately, Toki Tori is a very simple game. But simple is not a bad thing here. The game has a clear vision of what it wants to accomplish and delivers a fun, challenging, and often rewarding puzzle/platformer experience. If you enjoy these kind of games but hate their cuteness, don't let the graphics fool you. Toki Tori can be a mind stumper, but always a fun time.

If you are a fan of the movie, then this game makes a good companion for it.

Rising Storm has started off on the right foot by being offered for free to owners of Red Orchestra 2, and this helps solidify the feeling of being an expansion. To be honest though, it’s not a bad thing. Rising Storm changes just enough with the new weapons, new maps to explore, and new mechanics such as the ability to create traps with grenades.

The game has a great world where you can buy cars and clothes, fight with Triads, race cars, or just cause havoc if you like and it all amounts to a great time. Sleeping Dogs seemed like a game that was headed for disaster and pulled a complete curve ball and turned out to be pretty great.

Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War offers a familiar package: a too-short campaign developed by a reputable studio and multiplayer that provides lots of activities to score points, earn weapon unlocks, and shoot other players. Despite the length, the campaign is a fun departure from the Tom Clancy-esque tone of mainline games. It leans heavily into the aesthetic of the 1980s, from fashion to real-world advertisements. Yeah, it’s kind of gross that Doritos earned prominent placement but at least Raven had the foresight to include vintage brand designs.