With only a few exceptions, Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 looks to hold true to Telltale’s own brand of storytelling while expanding on the characters it created during the first season. Sure, we’re only one episode in, but as introduction to the whole kit and kaboodle for me, I thought it did a great job and not only showing me the world, but not making me feel bad for skipping the previous season. If the rest of the episodes can fix the small pacing issues of Episode 1, we might be in for quite the funny, heartfelt ride.

Although they can be difficult to control effectively, the mounts and the new region in Path of Fire - combined with a decent story, voice acting, and lovely music - are more than reason enough to dip back into Guild Wars 2, which has aged pretty well since its launch over five years ago. With a robust community and strong, ongoing support from the developer, Guild Wars 2 continues to thrive and evolve.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is a great entry point for those unfamiliar with JRPGs but who would like to get acquainted with this perhaps mythical genre. At the same time, you also have to learn and put up with grinding, because now and then you will encounter bosses that are a bit too much for an under-leveled party. Thanks to the snappy combat, quick gameplay and easy traversal, you are back in the home base in no time for another go. Ryza’s bright attitude will rub on you and make it easier to go through chores and grinding of real life.

Lots of personality, android girls looking like cute super-deformed action dolls (you can opt for normal-sized heads too via Ex Options), mad action, smooth and fast gameplay and groovy soundtrack. These are the delectable ingredients for Assault Android Cactus’s tasty cocktail, with only sometimes samey level design adding a tad of sour savor to the mix. Even my brother, who’s usually useless in twin-stick shooters, liked the gameplay here and was actually a big help in demolishing the enemies onboard Genki Star. It goes on to show the game is catered for many kinds of players, all finding their favorite androids to fit their natural skills. Assault Android Cactus sucks you into its crazed action until your eyes start to water and fingers cramp.

Caveats aside, playing alone or with a friend in couch co-op, The Swords of Ditto is simple fun with enough depth to keep it interesting throughout.

Konami takes their DDR franchise to the next level, with the trademark solid dancing mechanics and downloadable songs on Xbox Live.

Framed with its narrow form of expression, the isolated cyber thriller story of Code 7 plays out like a radio drama of a chamber play. Convincing and emotionally involved voice acting breaths life beyond words to the unfolding events. It’s quite remarkable how little is needed to create an engaging entertainment; a good old mystery and the necessary gameplay mechanics to convey it. Tech noir sentiments of Code 7 are all very 80’s - rogue AI, hacking, spartan computer systems and dreams of a man colonizing Mars - but I wouldn’t call it a retro game as such. Rather, Code 7 is a new entry in an adventure game sub-genre which has been dormant for the last 25 years. The only thing damping the experience down is the developer’s estimate that it takes some six months for the next episode to arrive. Damn it, I want to solve the mystery of Alex and Code 7 right away!

Games are often escapist entertainment, but not everyone enjoys games that are full of tension, conflict or violence - at least all of the time. Lost Ember is a different form of escapism, an emotional and soothing journey into the natural world and its nonhuman inhabitants. People who play games for the challenges won’t find them in Lost Ember, but there other pleasures to discover and a thoughtful story that resonates with the power of ancient mythology.

If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, there is no doubt in my mind that you should pick this up. I cannot wait to see where this goes and how the rest of the story fits into the wider universe HBO adapted from George R. R. Martin’s novels. If you are a non-fan, there is certainly enough here to make a compelling argument for why you should be one, but I fail to see why you would even care to start.

That leaves the package, as a whole, as entirely worth it, and another set of great additions to Zen’s ever growing library.

It has all the making to be a great game but just doesn't do anything to really make it to a great game.

The Spider-Man franchise goes back to its comic book roots, and produces one solid adventure for the web crawler which could be too short for its own good.

Be the one-man army with Climax's martial arts brawler, which shines on the PSP with its bright visuals and solidly fluid combat system.

Total War: Three Kingdoms provides a solid look at the spectacle, history, and romance of the Three Kingdoms period, as well as being entertaining enough to hold the attention of those who just might not care about that stuff. I don’t know who they are, but I’m sure they’re out there.

EA pumps up their premier boxing franchise with genuinely jaw-dropping visuals, realistic back-and-forth action and superb Xbox Live support.

As a whole, Sine Mora EX excellently interweaves the age-old time travel trope into both its complex paradoxical plot and unique time manipulation mechanics. And all seven levels are a spectacle, hosting beautiful environments and impressive gigantic bosses. The ability to slow down bullet barrages, combined with a fair checkpoint system, makes it more approachable than others in the genre. Regardless, most won’t get mileage outside of the main campaign, which ultimately makes this a hard sell for anyone but enthusiasts. And although the Nintendo Switch edition has that trademark portability, it’s tough to justify that higher price compared to other systems’ versions. Nonetheless, it’s an exceptional experience that will offer hardcore shoot ‘em up fans a great time.

Being billed as a vampire/western is sure to raise more than a few eyebrows, as this shooter thrills with more than just an original premise.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the definitive edition of Square Enix’s crafting RPG. Not only does it fix issues from the original, but it also expands upon its predecessor with a larger scale and more content. On the other end of the spectrum, the sequel doesn’t drastically change the formula. Quality-of-life improvements make it easier to customize your structures and engage with the campaign, but it’s more of the same. If the original offering was enough for you or you didn’t like it in the first place, this game won’t change your mind. But if your goal is to enjoy the best version of an immersive and charming crafting RPG experience, then Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a great place to start building.

Heroki combines the premise of infinite flight with a potpourri of platformer elements. Its beautiful art style and adorable mascot hearken back to classic 16-bit adventures. The ability to fly instead of run is refreshing, and Heroki’s responsive controls lessen frustration. This helps when exploring the compact mazelike levels that are abundant with secrets. It may not be a hard game, but less experienced players and those who loved the heyday of 2D sidescrollers can appreciate this true blue hero.

This isn't a brand new experience but it is one that continues to impress and entertain for hours on end.

For the price of the DLC, fans of the original game or genre will surely get their money worth.

Overall, Cognition: an Erica Reed Thriller – Episode 2: The Wise Monkey is a solid step forward for this promising mystery series. The point-and-click gameplay does feel somewhat outdated, but it is devoid of the pixel hunts and illogical hilarity that has ruined past games of the genre.

The combat and driving are solid, the customization options are engaging, and the missions are wild. Volition did a fantastic job with the original version and Sperasoft has done good work updating the game but has also introduced several issues and missed some opportunities to improve the game. If you haven’t played a Saints Row game before, The Third is the best place to start. And if you’re a fan of the series, it’s just as good as you remember.

DJ Hero 2 is a nice step forward for the series, but it's not a giant leap by any stretch.

Proteus requires a desire to explore, something that every gamer ostensibly possesses but is rarely asked to use. Much like thatgamecompany’s Journey, Ed Key pushes a spiritual experience that feels fresh immediately upon entry. Yes, it lasts about an hour. Yes, it is enchantingly poetic. And yes, it is deserving of as much play as open-minded gamers are willing to give it.

Played superficially, Fez can be completed in an afternoon but to get the most value out of the $10 price tag, you'll want to dig deep and explore a world filled to the brim with secrets just begging to be uncovered.

Launch titles are usually a mixed bag, but EA excels in this updated next-gen port, with plenty of visual candy and modes to be excited about.

This is a fast paced, high adrenaline experience that manages to really impress.