I expected Watch Dogs 2 to be a paint-by-numbers sequel -- more guns, more cars, a bigger playground. Instead, it gives players freedom to play with the world with hackmagic the way they want to, and crafts a memorable, mostly light-hearted story that's just a lot of fun. Considering the heavy subject matter woven in, that's even more of an accomplishment than it seems like.

There's room for improvement in terms of what the game offers, but Harmonix nailed the core experience, and that goes a long way towards making it one of the most compelling Kinect launch titles.

However, this entry feels like a true next-gen title, with all the charm of the Pokémon franchise and just the right amount of features and complexities to have players journeying through Hoenn for years to come.

I have come to love and loathe Nuclear Throne. It's one of the hardest, most rewarding games I've ever played. But as satisfying as it can eventually become, I think it is far too demanding for its own good. With additional polish and balancing, this could be a masterpiece in the genre. It's not quite there yet, but it's close.

Vampire Survivors' addicting, screen-filling, dopamine rush gameplay lives on in Vampire Crawlers, where the perspective is now first-person and fights are card-based, but the roguelite itch is scratched just as well as ever.

If The Ringed City really is the end of Souls, it manages to hang its head high with the rest of the series. From Demon's to Dark III we have more than enough macabre settings to pore over in the years to come. They aren't all created equal, and some of them aren't even created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, but I'll remember each and every one of them for as long as I live. It's been a wild ride.

There's enough new content to make it worth the asking price over the original, and the new online multiplayer modes take this one well above par.

Judgment may have been an acquired taste in many ways, but the sequel makes some of the bitterness go down easier.

Child of Light will satiate pretty much everyone but the most hardcore of RPG fans, and even then, they'll find plenty of enjoyment. There are a few minor issues here and there that hold it back from instant-classic status that could be enhanced in a sequel or future work, but regardless, Child of Light is a noble effort from Ubisoft Montreal, and another win to put in the studio's diverse portfolio.

When it comes to gestures and the subtle VR changes, some of the wonderfully campy moments are actually enhanced by the ability to point fingers and draw old timey glasses/beards on suspects in your journal with a pen in your right hand.

It's one of the best games ever made, in 3D or otherwise.

It is a joy and a treat to spend time with a world so different, so unique and intriguing. Even if it is a dying and depressing one.

I don't regret the engrossing, addictive, and often boring adventure I've had. No matter how tired I may be by the end of a day's excavating, stone smelting, and undead slaying, I can say that, overall, it was worth the effort. Just about.

There were some hitches along the way, like the Zero being a bitch to navigate, some sound popping, and even a typo, but nothing too game-breaking to really deter the overall experience of the brief second episode. Each scene is a sight to behold and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment of this brilliant adventure.

DropMix feels less like a board game to me and more like a (sometimes competitive) music simulator. If you truly do love music, creating and listening to new mixes will never get old.

Better than its predecessor in every way, PowerWash Simulator 2 learns its lessons from its previous installment, offering a fluid experience and more stage variety that makes it the go-to chill gaming experience alone or with friends.

Sure, Dead Space Extraction tells a good story, but at its heart, it's still an on-rails shooter, warts and all. Fans of the genre, or of the Dead Space world in general, will definitely want to add this game to their permanent collection, but everybody else may want to go with a rental first.

If you can fight through the lack of variety and questionable design decisions, Most Wanted mobile is decent little companion to the full retail release. It might not be the best racing game on the mobile market, but if you're hurting for virtual driving on the go, you should think about picking it up.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a perfectly good game, but it feels as though it never figures out a way to address the most compelling aspect of this arc: Lara's personal growth.

An exhausting game. It's the type of game that demands cigarette breaks between levels, due to how strenuous it can be. It lacks the outright scares of its survival horror influences, but the consistently bleak atmosphere and exigent combat situations make for a game that will drain one's brain in a disconcertingly enjoyable way.

The slow-motion combat might not be for everyone, but I found it to be just as exciting as any twitch-based shooter. Being in control of the situation at all times is exhilarating, especially when one wrong step could mean certain death.

Fans will enjoy the added life, charm, and depth (yes, I said it) that the 3D redesign brings to the series, but this isn't going to win over any non-Layton lovers. The beauty of it is that no one really wants the series to change.

While the visuals are far from stunning and the online lacks any sort of host migration, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is one of the best and most rewarding experiences in a long time, and will certainly keep you busy for a while.

Super Stardust Delta isn't a revelation, and it doesn't do anything truly spectacular. It is, however, a solid and enjoyable experience that will keep players returning, providing simple arcade action perfectly suited to a portable system.

As someone who plays nearly every shooter on the market, I was inescapably drawn in by how tightly wound The Division 2 really is. Nearly every weapon feels satisfying to wield and the skills (which range from drones to self-firing turrets to revive grenades) are just wacky enough to make for some appreciable moment-to-moment gameplay.

An incredibly deep videogame that will have gamers enthralled well into 2009. It looks solid, plays superbly, and is a truly refined simulation of golf that obscures its few flaws very well. EA Tiburon has set the bar so high for itself that I can’t envision many ways in which Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 can be a better game.

The RPG elements are very serviceable but they're not going to satiate most of the hardcore genre fans out there. It's a good thing then that the rest of the package is filled with so much care from the show's creators, that it makes it something truly special.

Most of the Madden 18 experience is exactly what you expect, but the twist is the new exceptional Longshot mode that proves sports can be an avenue for video game storytelling. Turn off false start, offensive holding, and instant replay; raise catching ability through the roof; and stay away from the slimy Ultimate Team mode. Do that and you'll have a good time with Madden 18.