Although I don't keep up with either of the leading soccer games, PES 2013 seems competent and capable of challenging FIFA 13 for a spot in your collection.

As far as remasters go, R-Type Delta HD Boosted adds very little in terms of new content. There’s the new soundtrack (which is fantastic), the supposed graphical boost, along with the Practice Mode, and…that’s it. It’s a smaller offering than what some of the other remasters of this year have brought to the table, but it successfully manages to preserve the refreshing yet frustrating experience of its source material.

Overall, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth is a great turn-based RPG.

Oath in Felghana is easily consumed without feeling disposable.

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game from developer Weta Workshop and publisher Private Division isn’t going to redefine the way a Tolkien license is presented in games, nor is it going to add more depth to the cosy life simulator genre. It’s a simple gameplay experience that brings easy quests, limited yet fun exploration, and an addictive ingredient and meal crafting component.

At the end of the day, Rita’s Rewind wins me over on the nostalgia bomb of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers content. It’s the complete audio-visual package of 90s aesthetic with a welcome evolution of the MMPR gameplay loop. Some of this gameplay loop may be frustrating and unforgiving, but it’s still a hell of a lot of fun.

Overall, Rage 2 is definitely a step up from the original, with a bigger world that feels a lot more desolate (in a good way). It has a variety of lands to explore, unique bosses to run into, and a bevy of leveling trees that will keep you motivated throughout the gameplay. What it needed and didn’t get were a better story and less repetition. The game has grown, but it still has more than enough room to continue to grow.

Overall, Deliver Us the Moon is quite good in its narrative design and atmosphere. The only real crux with this game is that it just needed some finer tuning when it came to difficulty and glitches. In the end, it’s still a good game to take a chance on, if not just for what it makes you feel along the journey it proposes.

Overall, Just Dance 2017’s pros far outweigh its cons. The controls aren’t the best, as their inaccuracy is present from the moment you start moving, but there is a lot of fun to be had dancing and prancing your way to stardom, especially if you have young kids in the household.

Six new tracks by Daniel Deluxe, new Trophies and collectibles, and a refreshed progression system round out the major differences between Hel and its base game. For the most part then, Project_Hel is quite a lot like Ghostrunner, which makes sense. Ghostrunner is pretty unique though, so if you didn’t like it, you probably won’t like Project_Hel, either. However, those who did enjoy it should find enough differences, and similarities, with Project_Hel to make the most of it, and enjoy the additional context to the base story along the way. In conclusion, Project_Hel is a must have for fans of the base game, but safe to skip if you aren’t already a fan.

Tt Games did a wonderful job with bringing the world of Harry Potter to life through the LEGO Harry Potter Collection and remastering the experience onto the PlayStation 4. The games certainly show their age, but they’re still a blast, especially if you’re a Harry Potter fanatic.

It's nice to see a developer and publisher team up to give dedicated fans what they want. If you aren't a Naruto fan this game won't make any difference to you, but if you are, there's an awful lot to enjoy here.

Sand Land from Akira Toriyama, developer ILCA, and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment is a good game. It is driven by a large world to explore, some crazy characters with meaningful plights, and a fun crafting system that keeps you motivated in the overall journey. Its faults lie with repetitive enemies, empty areas to explore, and spotty character development. Overall, it’s a fun game.

Part Bayonetta, part Viewtiful Joe, The Wonderful 101 is a game with a phenomenal, hilarious presentation and plenty of great ideas that is frequently hamstrung by its reliance on some unfortunate design choices.

Change can be good, and I think that's what Unbounded was out to prove for the Ridge Racer franchise. It largely succeeds, offering an experience with elements that action and arcade racers are going to find accessible and enjoyable, while also offering engaging drift mechanics and a cool multiplayer mode built largely upon UGC.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments delivers a good system for finding clues and solving murders with a complex clues and deductions system, plenty of puzzles to be had, and good mysteries to boot.

It still brings some of the most intense campaign gameplay in comparison to other FPS titles at launch, and brings some unique elements (enemy A.I. and the OWL) to make it worth your time and money.

Highwater from developer Demagog Studio is a powerful and cautionary tale of environmental damage and how people have to survive it when the world collapses. The game hits all the right notes with the story it wants to tell, while not letting the turn-based backbone and strategy steal the story’s spotlight.

While life simulators in general give players the opportunity to create a persona and live out that avatar’s life in ways they might not to live their own, this game gives the player the ability to affect dozens of lives without dictating every single moment of any given individual Mii’s existence.

Edge of Nowhere is one of the more robust and better built-for-VR experiences available today. It has a few shortcomings, but the sum of these is still not enough to keep me from recommending this to anyone with an Oculus Rift that is looking for a comfortable yet still compelling game. [Tested with Rift]

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn is a simple package that guarantees only what you see on the surface. There are some unlockables and reasons to replay the game, but beyond the two modes (Official and Ultimate) there’s nothing else to it. Is that bad? Not at all, since it’s good fun and especially since it’s priced at $39.99. It’s certainly worth a go.

WWE 2K17 has clear focus with what makes for a good wrestling experience. The visuals, the options for gameplay and the beautiful atmosphere of the game make this wrestling title worth your time. The controls do bring the gameplay down a bit, though, as they feel stiff and linear for the most part. Regardless, the rest of the game shows that Yuke’s and Visual Concepts has certainly started to point this series in the right direction.

Summum Aeterna is a good, but slightly difficult, roguelike that takes place in the universe of Aeterna Noctis. While it doesn’t fully succeed in its world crawling fantasy of selecting starting biomes with benefits and detriments, it definitely removes much of the roguelike frustrations by giving the player permanent power in many forms. It’s a gorgeous roguelike I can see myself returning to just so I can feel powerful, albeit not as powerful as I felt while playing Aeterna Noctis.

VR Golf Online is a tough game that offers up some frustration, though the learning curve isn’t that bad, especially if you haven’t played the game of golf before. The game is built to help you through and does offer up a tiny bit of forgiveness to some elements that would be killer on the real course. It does a nice balanced job of making the experience fun, even when you’re losing, while putting you through the golfing ropes that real golfers would experience.

While the core gameplay is still very much intact (stud collecting, puzzle solving, etc.) LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 is an improvement over previous LEGO titles from Traveller's Tale Games. A bit more balance, better level design and just a more even flow makes this a better game than the previous installment of the series.

Motorslice from developer Regular Studio is a huge game that has a thick layer of good world-building that will hook and engage players throughout the experience. It also has tricky parkour that is hindered by loose controls at times, and a shallow sense of direction once the player gets going.

At first glance, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 is a typical monster hunting RPG, but its efforts to streamline some of the mundane foundational aspects of its brethren help to set it apart. Such conveniences don't come without sacrifice, however; with the shameless implementation of level grinding, a throwaway storyline, and a frequent problem with pacing, you'll have to look beyond its blemishes to if you wish to embrace its triumphs.

Dustforce is an amazing game that every platformer fan should play. It can be extremely difficult in spots, and there are a few glitches for the PS3, but this game will keep you coming back to improve your score.

Perhaps not as deep and full featured as some previous Anno games, 2205 will nonetheless scratch the itch for most city builder players, whether they're new to the series or returning.

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures is worth a look, but only if you have young gamers in your household.

Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story demystifies yordles’ existence in a way that emulates some modern simulation favorites like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. While its gameplay skews more straightforward, guided, and simplistic, Bandle Tale is presented in a way that is charming and contains ample mystique thanks to its glorious pixel art and soundtrack.

All things considered, World Stage is better than its predecessor in nearly every way—but it’s also a year later now, and the improvements, while palpable, are still marginal.

Overall, Tanglewood is a solid game that shows there is still life in a video game era long since forgotten. I highly recommend it, if not just for the puzzles and visuals. It’s a well-made game.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number didn’t make giant leaps in gameplay improvements, but the essence that made the first game great is intact and alive. Sometimes that is all that matters, especially in a game like this.

Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition is the best chance Nintendo Switch players have at experiencing a truly innovative game, albeit one that isn’t best presented on Nintendo’s little console that could. There’s quite a lot stacked against Outer Wilds thanks to how quickly it lets players do what they want and the clunkiness of the early game. Acquired tastes aside, it’s worth a try and even worth to complete. That said, if you want the best experience, you’re probably better off choosing the PC/XB/PS versions.

It seeks to shake up the familiar co-op sports game with simplistic controls and unstoppable energy and creates an ultra-competitive gameplay that’s easy to play or watch. And while the game shines at 2v2, it falls victim to its own frenzy with any additional players.

Ancient Labyrinth isn't perfect, but I consider it must play material for anyone who enjoyed Lords of the Fallen.

Polar Panic is a charming PSN game that shows how much you can get from a simple puzzle concept.

While lacking a few key wanted features (new level cap and weapons), Zombie Island still brings enough to the table to make a solid first expansion.

By declaring its intentions early, Corporate Lockdown projects a more comfortable and measured presentation of Alien: Isolation's objectives. This translates to a more clinical feel detached of the narrative context that made Isolation so special, but in its place is a more practical application of its mechanics. As it turns out, Isolation is easier to parse without the weight of a twenty hour run time.

Not all of Metamorphosis' disparity necessarily works in Republique's favor, but it's at least emblematic of Camouflaj's focus on simultaneously managing progress and refinement.

Overall, War Theatre for the Nintendo Switch is a tough hoss of a turn-based game, which harkens back to the day of Dragon Force and Advance Wars, though not quite as perfect as those games. It ups the ante of difficulty, while requiring you to think before you move, or else you’re in for a long day. It’s a challenge, but a welcomed one.

Winning Putt is an interesting title that isn't perfect, as some gameplay elements need some re-thinking, but it's good fun as whole. Certainly an interesting spin on a typical golf game experience.

Resident Evil Code: Veronica X HD, despite the re-learning curve, is still one of the best games that came from the four original RE titles.

Infinite Monkeys has done a fantastic job with this small title. They have wrapped up the complicated and well thought through gameplay with humor and simplicity. They have certainly made a unique flower in the typically weed-driven world of puzzle games.

Atari 50 – The Wider World of Atari from developer Digital Eclipse adds to the overall Atari 50 historical package but doesn’t bring the strongest line-up of history or games seen in the original release.

Rayman – 30th Anniversary Edition, from developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Ubisoft, shows off the original game on various platforms. While there is no doubt some repetitiveness with seeing the same game repeatedly on various systems, the collection still brings some good video game history and some fantastic gameplay.

Short but very much worth the time and price of admission, The Charnel House Trilogy should be on any adventure gamer's playlist.

Overall, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is every bit of Bubble Bobble and more. I’m just not sure the price tag justifies the gameplay.

Code Vein is a pretty strong entry into the genre and it’s always refreshing to see new IP. While it has a few (mostly patchable) drawbacks, Code Vein is one I would recommend with just a little bit of hesitation.

For diehards or even the new/casual fans of Formula 1, ‘EA Sports F1 ’24’ is a good installment of the franchise and worth your time behind the wheel.

It won’t be the next Forza or the next great sim, but it doesn’t need to be at the end of the day. It’s a charming little arcade racer that, even for all its quirks it takes you on a journey. Back to the days of eating too much pizza in the arcade at a birthday party. Going wild cause mom let you have all the quarters in the ashtray of her 1998 Ford Explorer and running to the cabinets to play whatever arcade games are there. In a world of sim racing rigs, VR headsets, and top-dollar racing equipment, it’s nice to have something that gets racing and rally back to its basics. So go order some greasy pizza and maybe an ice cream, and rip around the course to be the new World Rally Champ.

Decline’s Drops is a heavily stylized indie experience that takes standard platforming mechanics and combines it with its own unique vision. The atmosphere of this game is meticulously crafted to tell a melancholy story about environmentalism. If you’re a fan of platformers, I would recommend checking out Decline’s Drops, though be warned about potential frustration at the hands of imprecise controls. Overall, Decline’s Drops is a good game that can become truly great with a little more gameplay tweaking.

Overall, at $20, Drop Dead offers a lot of zombie-blasting action with a few notable, but not necessarily deal-breaking flaws. For fans of the old light-gun games, this is definitely worth checking out.

ARMS offers a very colorful and well animated fighting adventure with more strategy and depth then it might first appear. The initial offering feels just a little bit thin though in that despite the customization options in-game, you cannot customize or remap the controls and the single player modes are kind of thin — challenging, but not particularly captivating or appealing especially when the going gets tough. Online play is, like any other game, largely based on what you make of it and how the community does. Technically, my limited experience with it worked well, but time will tell if this game will have the legs to continue into something larger and sustained. For a new IP though, Nintendo has done another impressive job overall, but I would not consider this a must-have title for all Switch owners.

Midnight Murder Club from developer Velan Studios is a cool idea that will have hardcore online gamers frothing at the mouth to show their stuff. While the entry point for novice players might be difficult, and the lack of longevity beyond modes is a tough sell, what you get with the price point you pay is enticing.

If you’re a fan of the series, you want to support the HD Remaster, but at the same time it’s had a rough go out of the gates that might give you pause. I’d recommend keeping an eye on this one and seeing what develops, but RTS fans should definitely make it a point to play this series if they haven’t yet.

Red Dead Redemption will always hold a special place in my heart and mind. To me, it was what storytelling could be for games. It also showed me that Westerns could be more than just what Dad watched. The PC Port is fine. It’s nothing special to groundbreaking to write home on. There isn’t any new story additions, but I do think it’s a great game to pick up if you want to roam what is left of the untamed west while you still can.

WRC 10 is a solid entry into the franchise. While there are usually updates, pretty landscapes, and nods to the parts and history of the sport that’s about all that’s new. It feels like last year’s edition, but just with some more polish and finesse. That’s fine, but I’m just not sure if it’s worth taking your keys and trading them in for the newer model. It is a fine ride and time, but overall nothing special to take for a spin.

This Collection is a decent tip of the hat to games of old, though it’s a shame that NG3 is still as bad as it is. The Master Collection is also priced fairly at $40, but it’s too bad that these games did not get more love on this release — the Master Collection is about as barebones as you can get for a compilation release. Still, if this is maybe an indication that the door to a whole new NG adventure is forthcoming, one that embraces the design of the first two, then that’s great news. Anyway — speculation aside — if you’re looking to relive these games or want to get into the franchise for the first time, this is very good way to do it.

Layers of Fear 2 is a worthwhile experience, and even more so if you consider the launch price of $30. I can’t say I found it as thought-provoking or chilling as the first Layers, but it’s still pretty solid. The story, writing, sound design, much of the game design overall really, outlasts the lesser, but still very significant, flaws of the game.

I Dracula: Genesis is a game that knows what it is. Even with all the clutter is a good game. It’s not a groundbreaking game, and it can get in the way of itself at times, but overall it’s a fun time.

Overall, Skylanders Imaginators on the Switch is a solid game and as good place to jump into the franchise as any if you haven’t to this point. That said, the only real advantage to the Switch version over say the PS4 or Xbox One version is the portability, but even that might not be that important to you. Additionally, the PS4 or Xbox One versions are cheaper than this release, and both of those offer a higher fidelity presentation. Still, if you’re looking for a fun, kid-to-adult friendly game, Skylanders is an excellent choice.

For $20, you can do a lot worse, but to find a game this instantly accessible and fun, you may be harder pressed to find.

God Eater 2: Rage Burst’s gameplay is driven by a bevy of missions, some great enemies and a variety of different, interesting loadouts to help make the experience fun and somewhat deep. The shortcomings are outweighed by these positives, though those shortcomings come in the form of linear landscapes, plain graphics and difficult controls.

As a whole, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers will entertain the young gamers in the household, while providing short spurts of entertainment to seasoned ones. Avengers may not be the best in the LEGO series, but it does fit firmly within the LEGO gaming family.

Hyrule Warriors delivers a wonderful Legend of Zelda action game with a large cast of familiar characters, identifiable worlds, a great upgrade/leveling system and endless amounts of action. It’s far from a perfect game, especially in regards to controls and repetitiveness, but it’s much better than expected.

It’s not perfect, but if you’re hunting for a good stocking stuffer this holiday season that the whole family can appreciate, Family Game Night 2 is head and shoulders above most other casual fare.

This is a strong portable game well-suited for consumption in short bursts, but with plenty of content and a possibly-addicting design. It should satisfy both LEGO and Marvel fans who never want their favorite franchises farther away than their pockets.

What Whispering Willows lacks in complicated hands-on gameplay, it makes up for in story and atmosphere.

Pokémon Conquest is a solid addition to any Nintendo DS library. Fans of the RPG series should enjoy this twist of tactics battling and will appreciate the level of complexity available with castle management, team building, and Pokémon training. It's nice to see a spin-off mash-up turn out to be a quality game.

Madden 13 on the Wii U sacrifices the Impact Engine from the PS3/360, but adds Gamepad integration that is intuitive and works well. That combination could make the purchase a tough decision for diehards, but whether you wait for next year or go with this release, you're getting a good football game.

Slant Six Games and SCEA have put out a solid third-person shooter for Sony's portable system. It has a large variety of weapons, solid online play and a single-player depth that puts Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to shame.

I like what Square Enix has done with Final Fantasy Explorers. It has some real potential to be great, but as it stands, it might fall short slightly with a more seasoned Final Fantasy adventurer.

Pokken Tournament is a well crafted, yet simplistic fighting game. It won’t compete against the Tekkens or Street Fighters of the fighting world, but it does enough to cater to the Pokémon crowd. If there was a bit more balance and a lot more characters, then this game would have been phenomenal. As it stands, it’s still a good fighting game with lots of potential for growth.

Perhaps not quite what Borderlands veterans were hoping for in the game's second DLC, but it still provides a fun and challenging co-op experience.

For Pac-Man and Galaga fans on the go, this is a nice release, but those looking for just Pac-Man Tilt or Galaga: 3D Impact, both cool games, they may want to catch this one on sale.

Puddle on the Wii U looks and plays great. It's too bad there is no new content here from previously released versions, but it's still a challenging and likeable physics puzzler.

Excluding Wii Party, Mario Party 9 is the first we've seen in nearly five years of what was historically a perennial series. This break in the action has provided an opportunity for reinvention, and to some extent, that's what's occurred. What it all boils down to is a clever, unexpected, and much-needed reboot of a series that previously didn't seem to have much left in the way of creativity. It won't turn haters into lovers, but it's most certainly a step in the right direction for the franchise.

Eufloria is an ambitious game in constant search of a way to properly engage the player.

We Are The Dwarves is not the best RTS game out there, but its difficulty is addictive enough to suck any good PC gamer in for more than a few hours.

With that said, the primary flaw in Assassin's Creed Rogue is the plot. Conrad, in Heart of Darkness, wrote "showing in this remark the weakness of many tellers of tales who seem so often unaware of what their audience would best like to hear." And Ubisoft Sofia has succumbed to these weaknesses. Rogue does not tell the story players want to hear.

Though the characters, locales, and general lore of Warhammer were lost on me not having ever played any Warhammer before (tabletop or otherwise), this didn’t stop me from getting into the game and enjoying it. The story, characters, quest and dungeon design, and general gameplay are all pretty straight-forward and familiar, and I don’t mean that in a disparaging way. This is a good case of ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.’ If you’re looking for an expansive and fun co-op loot-gathering, combat-heavy dungeon crawler, this is a good choice, and your only choice right now for the new consoles.

Overall, if you can accept the difficulty of New Super Luigi U then you probably will love the additional challenges, 80 levels and complexity of it all. Nintendo did do a lot to this DLC, far more effort than most companies would have put into their own DLC. Give them credit for delivering the goods the way you would expect Nintendo to deliver them -- except with a little bit more difficulty included.

It's hard not to like Gatling Gears. The pains of a worn genre and derivative mechanics are eased by a bright, inviting aesthetic and supported by an impressive attention to detail. Vanguard seemed more interested in creating their particular take on twin-stick shooter rather than doing something crazy with an established formula, and I'm strangely okay with that.

If you're looking for a good fighting game this holiday that's accessible, not overly technical, and doesn't require a commitment or previous experience to enjoy, give Saint Seiya Brave Soldiers a serious look. It's hard to beat for the cost.

A solid adventure despite some significant issues, The Cursed Crusade is well worth a look this holiday.

Despite some parts of the game being more simplistic overall, the exploration of the catacombs is far more enthralling than the over world from Challenge of the Warlords.

Delta isn't likely to change your opinion of the original game, but it lives up to its Ultimate Edition billing.

Darkstalkers Resurrection might be just a gauge for future releases of the series, but the effort put into it from Iron Galaxy and Capcom certainly says otherwise. The HD upgrade mixed with the extras and online play make this a solid package that any Darkstalkers' fan will want to snag.

Overall, I think the longevity of the gameplay might be a bit grind-y for a mainstream audience. If you can accept that grind, then you have a good story waiting for you with a beautifully woven tapestry led by leveling and a competent upgrade system, which helps keep the gamer motivated to continue. Is it a perfect game? No, but it’s a damn good one, especially with friends.

An obvious must have for those who have cleared The Assignment and are eager to continue the story, but if you aren't in that position, you might want to wait for a probable 'ultimate' edition later this year.

If I had to sum up Thunder Wolves with a single world it would be 'fun.' It's not the most memorable or rewarding game you'll ever play by any means, but just like any good arcade game from the 90s, it provides you with several hours of raw action enjoyment.

Far Cry 4 is radiant with opportunities to both seize and indulge in its power. This speaks to its fondness for connected progression systems, an insistence on emblazoning its geography with scores of content, and meaningful improvements to the blueprint laid out by Far Cry 3.

Far from a bad game yet short of greatness, The Night of the Rabbit is worth your time and money if you enjoy the genre.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a successful reboot by MercurySteam. Touting a strong combat system in the vein of God of War, the game features a fairly lengthy quest that is rewarding if you stick with it.

While it’s perhaps not as full as Animal Crossing or as thematically engrossing as Kingdom Hearts, Disney Magical World is a surprisingly nice addition to the Disney universe that stands well on its own while further extending the reaches of Walt’s massive canon.

Playing as Batgirl is not quite as interesting as I had hoped primarily due to a lazy hacking mechanic, but, A Matter of Family was still different, interesting, and fun enough to recommend to Arkham fans.