Criterion applies the lessons from the crash-laden Burnout series to make an over-the-top, explosion-heavy and beautifully flowing FPS.

In the end, Stranglehold is a good solid action game that struggles from being too repetitive and lacking a lot of what you need to have a long lasting action experience.

Kim Swift will make amazing games for family audiences at Airtight Games. But as a watered down version of Portal with a forgettable world and gameplay that makes you pound your desk in fury, Quantum Conundrum is a step backward.

While not pushing the boundaries of the genre in any significant way, Xeodrifter is a well made game which is sometimes all we need.

If Moon sounds like an innovative, ahead-of-its-time game, well, it is. I can honestly say I’ve never played a game quite like Moon. You can definitely see the influences to Undertale in the lack of a battle system, the skewering of RPG tropes, and emphasis on non-violence. I would recommend that classic RPG fans check it out, if only to see what the fuss is about. For everyone else, I think that the oddity of the gameplay and the old school mechanics might make this one a tough sell, but it’s worth your time if you are looking for something different.

If you can look past Skyrim VR's visual downgrade on the PlayStation VR, then there’s absolutely no reason not to dip back into the well. It's not perfect, as you can definitely see the limitations of the PSVR compared to the higher end VIVE and Oculus, but Skyrim's award-winning gameplay and storytelling, which is brought in completely intact, survives the transition completely unscathed. It's also a really great VR game to show off to people and let them explore a well-realized fantasy world. Skyrim VR also represents a good first step towards future VR ports of open world Bethesda games.

Like many of the sports games I’ve reviewed this year, FIFA 21 is a very small step forward for the franchise. The on-pitch action has never been better and although I think career mode could use a lot more love and attention, the moment-to-moment gameplay is still as compelling as ever. It’s just a very difficult game to recommend if you have FIFA 20 and that’s really what it comes down to. If you have last year’s game, you really don’t need to go to FIFA 21 but if you missed it for whatever reason, then this is a great game to jump back into.

With its tagline, Solo promises an experience that is both introspective and puzzle-based, and it lives up to that promise. Its unique presentation of the theme of love is backed by solid, well-designed puzzle gameplay. It's refreshing to play a game that not only makes you contemplate a theme in a way that other games do not, but also does it in a manner that does not neglect the aspects of games that make it a unique medium.

The Mega Man franchise strives ahead with the same solid and addictive gameplay, plus some added RPG elements and tweaks to please the fans.

Fans of strategy games and those looking for something a little different would be interested in the title. For beginners, there is a bit of a learning curve to get through and with an adjustable difficulty setting, you can easily take things slow. I just wish certain aspects of the game were explained a bit better.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare does little to really push the series forward in a meaningful way, beyond the addition of space combat. Although well written and acted, its story is still too binary and lacks the subtlety of real-life geopolitical conflict. Amazing, its short campaign can feel too long in places, and its stop-and-start pace suffers in comparison to its shooter peers. Multiplayer and Zombie modes fare better, and for many players, that will be good enough.

EA takes advantage of the drifting craze with a new NFS street racer, and backs that up with the team play and solid online mode.

For those of you fans of the original wishing for better online support should definitely check out Return to Arms, because I think it just may have what you are looking for.

Chimera Squad is XCOM, despite the colorful shell and slightly less permanent mechanics. The turn-based structure changes for the better with the introduction of individual turns and smaller maps, leading to less overwatch shuffling around maps. However, it loses steam when it comes to mission variety and it literally fails at one of its core areas by way of bugs. Does this stop me from recommending this game, especially at its seemingly budget price point? No, not really. But I can tell you that I am going to wait for a few updates before diving back in, to see which team members I missed and whether or not I can actually hit that 90% shot this time.

At its best, Panzer Paladin leans into its great core platforming to offer genre comfort food. Its movement tools feel rewarding, with twitchy controls and a fun variety of traversal options. The game's aesthetic is similarly successful, capturing the buoyant energy of 80s mecha anime with period-appropriate character designs and vivid coloring. But unfortunately, the game’s level design isn't always as compelling. Only the boss encounters and the final few levels fully take advantage of the tight controls, resulting in stretches that fall flat. Panzer Paladin may not eclipse its influences, but it is still a very competent retro throwback.

If you like turn based strategy games and want one that takes place in space then Endless Space can surely scratch that itch.

Just when I think Telltale has run out of places to go, and that I’ve finally figured out the hook to their plans with John Doe and his eventual transformation into full-fledged Joker-dom, they pull Crazy Ivan and give me a gift like Episode 4. Titled What Ails You, this episode is less a set-up of the finale then a stack of C4 primed to take out every story thread that’s been built up so far. Telltale continues to tell one of the best Batman stories out there right now. If you are at all interested in comics, or characters related to the Dark Knight, this is 100% not optional. Honestly, no one else should be sleeping on this either.

The music where deep, desolate bass contracts with upbeat melodies of street musicians tells about hope beyond gloom. Occasionally, when giant feet trample you or you’re sent literally through a grinder, the game falls for some heavy-handed symbolism. However, a good story is often a collection of proven clichés and metaphors and Mosaic compiles them into a compact and meaningful package.

Goodbye Deponia paints an animated world that welcomes players in with its crazy cast, sensational sci-fi, and inventive puzzles. It’s not the easiest to get into if you’re new to the genre, but those used to point-and-click logic will feel right at home. If you have played the previous two games in the series, then it’s an easy recommendation to finish the story and see if our unlikely band of heroes ever makes it to Deponia.

Skydrift brings gorgeous visuals, addicting multiplayer competition and interesting mechanics to the Xbox Live marketplace, which feels a little too saturated by art-games at this point.

NCAA Football 14 feels like a great culmination of all the NCAA Football titles this generation. The new engine fixes a lot of the weird problems that occurred in the past few games and allows the running game to take center stage.

Against all odds (read: some big-name racing games that eventually turned out disappointing), Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is the racing game to get this holiday season. It’s pure video gaming at its best with no extra thrills or frills other than serious pedal to the metal racing. It wisely focuses on what it does best and therefore drives to the finish line as a winner. The remaster doesn’t change the successful formula, only polishes it to meet the modern standards.

There’s fun to be had and things to like in Unruly Heroes, though there are moments I felt the gameplay and mechanics had an annoying habit of getting in the way.

A rehash of what we saw on the current gen consoles with a bit better visuals.

The Metroid-style design could be a great fit for Strider, but this first outing comes up a little lacking.

The underrated Grandia RPG series gets its third game, and wows us with its engaging story, superbly involving battles and sleek visuals.

All in all, I had fun with Superliminal. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick and moderately challenging (but not too difficult) puzzle game. As long as you aren’t looking for cutting edge graphics or a strong narrative, I think there is a lot of fun to be had here. You will have to deal with some literally dream nonsense logic, though. But isn’t that half the fun?

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.