Dawn of the Monsters is a fine time that is shy of greatness, though not for lack of trying. 13AM’s tribute to a timeless cinematic genre captures the majestic nihilism of its inspiration, stamping its own mark with smart combat and brilliant visuals. Unfortunately, repetitive missions, undemanding challenge, slow pacing, and limited replay value might dishearten those who prefer their scrappers on the tougher, speedier side. Regardless, anyone with a case of Atomic Breath should find some cataclysmic fun within.

What we have here isn't just a great game, but the potential for even greater ones.

Thinking back on it there were pieces I really enjoyed. But it was also the kind of game I couldn't play for more than a half hour at a time. Even when I was enjoying it, I could feel it overstaying its welcome. It's decent in short bursts, but marathoning it would just expose its warts even further.

Assault Suit Valken Declassified is an undeniably loving return to the Super Famicom title. It’s plain to see that Rainmaker wanted to do the game justice and give North American fans the ability to enjoy it in the same way as it has in Japan. If you’re a fan of the game, it’s at least worth a look. If you haven’t tried it before, you’re long overdue for this mission. I just wish the price of entry was lower.

While Far Cry Primal is a well-made experience, one I enjoyed a great deal, it oftentimes had me thinking about the routine the series has settled into, and envisioning a future where the Far Cry formula may not be as compelling as it once was, no matter how extraordinary the setting.

The Evil Within 2 often feels uneven, but that's probably the point. Even if it isn't, there's enough blood, guts, and horror to keep your heart racing.

If you liked Section 8 or you just fancy a cheap, traditional shooter with a few neat gimmicks thrown in, then Section 8: Prejudice will deliver the goods with efficiency, if not with flair.

As close to a full console title as we've seen on Xbox Live Arcade to date. Its story mode is fun foray into the twisted universe of Alan Wake, even if some of what's going on won't always make complete sense to any but the most dedicated of fans. Remedy has admirably tackled the repetitive nature of the campaign in order to get the most out of the the content they had, although it does start to wear thin at the midway point. Thankfully, a strong final act and a ridiculously addictive Arcade mode more than make up for it.

So with every repeated loop, and every new piece of info that leads to more narrative threads to pull on, Twelve Minutes is certainly fascinating to unravel. Some of it might start to feel a bit clunky, when dialogue starts mashing up against itself and characters move in awkward ways, but on the whole, it’s a puzzle I kept wanting to piece together, both fascinated and afraid of the answers I might find. It keeps the story driving forward, and if some deep, dark character drama set in a time loop sounds appealing, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

There's so much amazing fan service here, that enthusiasts simply shouldn't miss it. Despite its extremely obvious and repetitive nature, it's also a decent amount of fun, provided you play it in small doses.

The level design is amateur, the boss battles, save for the final confrontation with Bowser, are too simple, and the build mode left me indifferent to the whole shebang. The controls are there, but everything else feels like Mario b-sides, and that really shouldn't be the case with this grand entrance into the mobile market.

Whether you are a history nut or an action RPG lover, Rise of the Ronin should be your next choice in a game. You’ll have fun dicing up your enemies while learning about Japan’s rich culture. It’s the perfect combination of the two, and I hope to see more entries like this to dive more into historical content.

In the wrong hands, Pikuniku could have been a shallow and ultimately forgettable experience, but its expressive dialogue, clever framing, and charming, upbeat soundtrack do enough heavy lifting to elevate it into something far more endearing. The characterization, in particular, is delightfully fleshed out. It's a simple game with a ton of heart that'll leave you beaming when everything's said and done.

My gripes aside, Surviving Mars might be the most fun I've had with a city-building game since SimCity 2000, and Haemimont has accomplished this feat by drilling down into the details, and zooming in on the kinds of small-scale community-building that I'd always felt the that city-builders with a grander scope lacked.

Looking at Figment 2 from any angle other than a strictly aesthetic one makes it seem lacking. But because it executes its sights and sounds so expertly, it’s really hard to identify where it’s lacking. It’s so well-polished and tangible passion has gone into crafting it that, so long as you have a good vector on what to expect, it’s still possibly a good time. I think I just might be too cynical and jaded to connect with its kindness and optimism.

Even with its blemishes, I was incredibly surprised by the amount of depth the game has to offer on top of all of its charm. Hopefully EA will ease off the microtransactions in the future and even more content will pile in.

Samurai Warriors 4 suffers from the same pratfalls as the rest of the Warriors series on occasion, but the strong offering of content and robust Chronicle mode will keep you interested for quite a while.

The biggest accomplishment with the new episode however is the fact that your actions have more consequences on a personal level.

I'm grateful that another Wario game even exists, and WarioWare: Get It Together! is going to be a hit for a lot of people who are already dedicated to this special brand of weird.

Tribute Games tapped into a treasure trove of classic games, and that adoration shines bright in Panzer Paladin. In a year already full of great action-platformers, this one shouldn't be skipped.

The subtle mechanical changes make it a better game without fundamentally changing it — which is a great thing because Nocturne never needed to be changed.

Although there are a number of hang-ups, and the audience is decidedly niche, Crimson Shroud is an incredibly unique game that will satisfy table-top fans everywhere. While I didn't get into the story as much as Matsuno probably hoped I would, I had a great time hanging out with Giauque and crew in this incredibly well-crafted RPG.

If like me, you have a love of history, Attentat 1942 will be a treasure not only for a fresh perspective on a widely reported period of time but also for the amount of work that you can see the developers put into making sure their story fit within the confines of history. It won't be a joyous or happy ride but in the end, it makes for an enlightening experience that uses the medium of gaming to educate in ways that only it can.

A lighthearted and straightforward game that does most things right and nothing truly wrong.

Tower of Guns is a beautiful marriage of two of my favorite genres, the first-person shooter and the roguelike. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to my run I paused to finish this review.

But between the clever level layouts, exciting gunplay, expressive sprite art and animations, and some chill grooves by composer Chris Christodoulou, I was hooked. By the end of Deadbolt, I wasn't nearly ready to leave. The game felt like it was just starting to become truly great.

Black Cat's DNA was already spliced into side activities in Spider-Man so her appearance makes sense, even if the "to be continued" ending is a bummer.

Hits a sweet spot for me. The gameplay is fast-paced without being too hectic and confusing. The realism is not as arcade-like as Call of Duty, and it's not a hardcore simulation like Arma II. There is even enough variety in the role types that you can have a completely different gameplay experience depending on what you want to do.