I'm so torn on Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire. It's easily one of the most mechanically sound entries into the genre I have played in quite some time, but it barely lets the players experiment with its mechanics. It feels like having some of the best tools on the market and no supplies to build anything with.

This game is comfort food, and it's a dish I won't mind having every single day.

The game is a unique blend of genres that I haven't seen attempted anywhere else, and it gets more right than it does wrong.

When compared to NHL 15, NHL 17 is miles ahead; when compared to NHL 16, it's incrementally better. That's the EA Sports way. There are some new features and improvements, but nothing mind-blowingly innovative. That's perfectly fine. There's a good hockey game at the core, and a lot of options on the periphery. That's all we ever wanted.

Capcom could just keep making these with different time periods in new regions and I'd keep playing them. As long as it employs a good writing crew and delivers satisfying scenarios, I'm in. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice, you made this aspiring lawyer's day.

The attention to detail is commendable too, like the mist coming from the ice or the "water" that's actually a caffeinated beverage. It plays well on just about every mode and has plenty of opportunities for wall-running finesse. Micro is a new favorite of mine, and although DLC isn't played at the pro level, I'd love to see some competitive matches with this map in tow.

Strike Vector EX is a small game with a lot of heart. While the campaign is sub-par and it doesn’t offer the depth or longevity or other titles, what’s there is fun, fast, and wild. Released at a discount price, this is definitely a game to rope one or two friends into buying with you so you can always have a wingman (or nemesis) on call on and seed some multiplayer action.

Regardless of its flaws I can recommend Hearthstone: One Night in Karazhan, and every other solo adventure to date for that matter. Even if Blizzard hasn't innovated as much as it has in the past with Medivh and friends, it's still one of the best card games on the market, and the miniature stories that each one entails manage to simultaneously capture the spirit of Warcraft in a patented lighthearted way.

Nuka-World is big and impressive and flashy, but just like any theme park, it’s all a facade. Peek behind the curtain and you can see the struts and wires that animate the mascots. In Nuka-World’s case, that’s a scaffolding made of bones and spent magazines. It’s up to you if that’s a park you feel like visiting.

God Eater 2: Rage Burst inadvertently feels less like a sequel to God Eater Resurrection than a very substantial expansion, becoming a refinement of what came "before" than a genuine step forward. While it's impossible to deny the mechanical improvements in the game, many players' enjoyment of it will largely hinge on how much more God Eater they wanted to play, or if this is the only one available to them.

A bloody and charming affair. It is Splatterhouse by way of David Fincher. I wanted more when it was done. Devolver Digital and Le Cartel studio have laid the groundwork for a stylish and brutal world. Whether you are a fan of beat em ups or just good old fashioned violence, this is sure to scratch that itch for you. I went into this thinking it would be like Hotline Miami but in a different genre.

Overall, The Final Station is a contemplative slice of sci-fi horror. It might not be utterly original - spot the shades of Snowpiercer, Evangelion, and That Insidious Beast if you get the chance - and it can be ever so slight, but it rattles along at steady pace, taking you on a reflective journey, all the way to a gut-punching end...It's well worth buying a ticket.

Hopefully the game grows over time. I know Evolution Studios turned Driveclub into an enjoyable experience after a failed launch. Maybe Kunos Simulazioni can do the same for Assetto Corsa.

Hue is a well-crafted, enjoyable experience. I don't usually like physics-based platformers, but the controls are simple and responsive enough that I never felt like a death was anyone's fault but my own. Its visuals are sparse but clean, and the puzzles gave my brain a workout. It's a little brief, clocking in at four to six hours, but that just means it doesn't overstay its welcome, and it left me wanting more.

This is hands-down the best music and rhythm game of the current generation of home consoles, though it isn't exactly a competitive genre these days.

It has light RPG elements, but it's still a hack-and-slash, and those of you who aren't down with Warriors games will probably get bored after several hours.

It’s a special thing when a game gifts you a superior experience without traditional or prescribed story mechanics, and from that perspective Obduction prevails completely.

Alone With You truly is special. The unassuming nature of its visuals didn’t prepare me for how impactful the narrative was going to be. It may not be the most involved of games, but it latches onto your heart and doesn’t let go. The game sticks with you well after the credits.

King of Fighters XIV falls somewhere between XII and XIII. It's not exactly bare-bones and the roster is mighty, but the gaudy presentation and by-the-book story is distracting, and takes away a lot of the uniqueness of the series.

If you've skipped over the last few Worms games but pine for the nostalgic feeling of ripping apart cute little critters across a gigantic map with precision bank shots, you'll be able to relive those memories here. Especially so if you love Armageddon, which this one is trying hard to emulate.

If Style Savvy: Fashion Forward is the franchise's last hurrah, it certainly doesn't go out on a low note as it has the best fashion and is filled to the brim with stuff to do. But readjusting to a real time clock means changing the way I enjoy this series, and without the addictive draw of a short day and night cycle, I don't see this game taking dozens of hours of my time as past entries have done.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided doesn't succeed in making me care about the plight of humans and augs, but it still pulled me into its compelling cloak-and-dagger world where people in capes can turn invisible and shoot balls of lightning out of their arm.

Its biggest problem? The three planets are different enough (ice, desert, and gas), but the missions within aren't.

Although Deus Ex GO may feel too straightforward, it's still in the top-tier of pick-up-and-play puzzle games. It may not feel thematically coherent to the standard previously set by Square Enix Montréal, but it's still worth your time.

As much as I enjoy the tone of Okhlos and its silly but well-informed take on Greek mythology, its repetitive format and simplistic gameplay hook aren't an engaging combination. I'd like to see every little goofy reference it has to offer, but the motivation to push through the grind just isn't there.

Grow Up suffers from all the downsides of not giving the player structure. It just feels like less of a problem here because the developer is wholly transparent about that fact. Grow Up is as Ubisoft as a Ubisoft game can get. It may be a lot of bloat, but at least the game's comfortable enough to carry it proudly.

Uno is a shining example of misleading marketing and a great argument for Xbox Live to adopt Steam's refund practices.

Where Bangkok mostly falters is the actual setting. It's less focused on Thailand and more on the "Himmapan luxury hotel," which doesn't really go far enough and frankly, isn't as luxurious as it claims.