While the multiplayer is mediocre at best, the campaign more than compensates for fans of the series.

Crysis 3 attempts to strike a balance between Crysis and Crysis 2, but in doing so manages to lose a little bit of what made each game appealing. The result is a title that doesn't truly match the open-ended excitement of the first game nor the revelatory empowerment of the second, yet manages to provide enough of both to at least tantalize, even if it doesn't completely satisfy.

Is World War Z as good as Left 4 Dead? No. Is it fun despite that? Yes. There's few pleasures in gaming that can compare to swinging a thrumming chainsaw blade through a horde of ravenous undead, and World War Z delivers. And really, it's not like Valve makes games anymore.

For whatever reason, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 grabbed me, and then it didn't. Every time I boot up the game, I feel my old passion for Tekken growing inside, but then it subsides after about an hour or so. There's nothing glaringly wrong with combat; it just feels a bit bare-bones and too familiar sometimes after every hundred matches or so. While TTT 2 doesn't change the world, so long as you're already a series fan, you should be satisfied.

You have to hand it to Atlus and Success for taking on a project that's aimed at such a niche audience -- their passion for giving gamers a hardcore title obviously ranked above any need to dumb the game down. Bravo!

All in all, I say this is a great game to pick up if you're a fan of the genre. It's endlessly charming, and a real breath of fresh air in terms of its style and gameplay loop. On Spry Fox's website, they claim they "want to make the world a happier place" with games, and I say they have more than achieved that goal.

I was expecting some of the on-paper enhancements to impact me more, but Dragon Quest Heroes II isn't a stark improvement. It is better though, so if you wanted to get in on the first quest and missed out, you may as well skip it and jump in here -- you won't be missing a whole lot.

Playgrounds certainly has its faults. Some of its mechanics are strangely hidden in mystery as I continue to miss layups that no professional should ever miss. But, in terms of off-the-wall two-on-two basketball, it can be a blast.

At once a grab-bag of silly references and a keenly observed tribute to the games that helped build action-adventure and role-playing games, Evoland is more than just a showcase of retro graphics.

Neo Atlas 1469 is an odd creation. Individually, each element is far too weak to stand on its own – and I'm certainly too lazy to go around calling it a “Adventure/Simulation/Strategy/Visual Novel/RPG/Point and Click Bear Finder.” Yet, together, they keep you engaged, with light but solid narratives having you finding Sinbad's anchor or breaking curses while you wait for that next fleet report to come in. It's an extremely long game - and I'm not actually sure where it ends. At 25-30 hours, I've long-since cleared the main goals, yet it's still going strong... so I can only imagine it will be over once I hit 100% map clearance.

After everything was said and done, I wanted a bit more variety -- not just in the form of more songs -- but in some new modes or even online multiplayer. The good news is the core formula is very solid, so if you're looking for a new puzzle battle game, this is it.

Though it has some rough edges, including occasional script-related issues and town-wide events that seem to ignore changes players have enacted around the village, Gleaner Heights has enough content to make it feel like an instant cult classic.

Let me make this clear -- if you find yourself playing any of these games yearly, whether it's for nostalgia or because you think they're genuinely good games, you will love NES Remix.

So long as you're willing to put up with some rather elementary action gameplay, Disney Infinity is a solid choice for families, younger gamers, and gamers who are young at heart alike.

I really like Pid, despite its faults. It routinely makes me feel smart and suave, and it manages its tone pitch-perfectly: sad without being maudlin, effectively capturing childhood without being mawkish or explicit. It's plagued somewhat by a misunderstanding of its strengths, but when the design -- of its levels, its characters, its aesthetics -- comes together, it's a beautiful little gem.

There are some odd and annoying design decisions, and it can feel frustrating to rarely get to really let loose with the gun creations, but damn if I don't keep coming back to go through a few ships and see what destruction I can cause.

It doesn't have quite the same highs as a lot of its predecessors, but it maintains its tranquil equilibrium throughout. If you have an adventurous spirit and the patience and time to put into it, Ashen will pay dividends.

It might be a case of sky-high expectations, but this sequel doesn't live up to its sublime predecessor Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+. Still, I'm not so sure it ever could -- that game was damn near perfect, putting Bandai Namco in a tough spot when creating a follow-up. Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is worth playing for its frenetic new style and ruleset, but it's no replacement.

I doubt Super 56 will set your world on fire. It’s an enjoyable and entertaining game, but it’s no WarioWare. On the other hand, it’s way cheaper than WarioWare. In fact, I’d say it’s priced perfectly for what you’re getting. So, if you’re down for more microgames, Super 56 is an excellent off-brand choice. Onion Soup Interactive brings its own special charm to the genre, even if it could perhaps do a bit more to stand out.

I have to admit, I found Hotshot Racing to be quite enamoring. I don’t have much nostalgia for the early days of 3D racing games, but I do appreciate a good arcade racer, and that’s exactly what this is. Its cheery sound design and visuals are endlessly charming and the driving feels exactly as it should. If you feel the need to go back to the simpler days of racing games, this certainly fits the bill. This likely won’t be the last time I take it for a lap around the track.

Stadia is going to be a dealbreaker for a lot of people though, so that timed exclusivity can't end soon enough.

For folks still entertained by the base content, it's probably safe to upgrade with the assumption that the next two expansions will at least be decent. After Bespin, I'm fairly confident they will be.

The story and characters are somewhat forgettable, most of the missions are straight-forward, and the locales tend to blend together after a while. Having said that, there's a lot of potential here if you dig deep down into the game's ingenious difficulty sliders and challenge modes. In that sense, Thief succeeds as a bold stealth game, despite its bruises.

A good game. A damn good game. For many it'll be a rent, but for fans of the character I would say there's enough incentive for a purchase, especially since there are some neat extras such as the ability to unlock classic comic book costumes for Wolverine to wear.

I do appreciate the writing in this title a lot more, because like Super Paper Mario, it really hit home with a lot of otaku and geek tropes, giving me my own personal glee during the dialogues.

The tragedy of PowerUp Heroes is that it's actually a rather good game, but one that lacks any memorable characters. Ubisoft does toss in some references to their other properties, with suits based on the Rabbids and Assassin's Creed unlocked by defeating Malignance, but not being a publisher known for producing fighting games makes this a title likely to be overlooked.

A Rose in the Twilight does a lot of things well. It crafts a story and a world that makes me care deeply about its central character, it’s visually spectacular when it’s not killing you with its hard-to-distinguish artwork, and it touches on moods and feelings that most other games don’t even attempt to venture into. For as much creativity as there is to be found throughout those aspects, there isn’t nearly enough in the actual gameplay. If the first half played more like the second half, it would have been an outstanding experience in spite of its short length.

The good news is, if you're up for some cooperative stealth and mercenary antics, Splinter Cell: Blacklist is right up your alley. If all you desire is more Sam Fisher action, however, you may come away feeling a little shortchanged.