Sure, it’s polished, has solid gameplay mechanics, and the graphics and characters are charming, but the reality is that a music game needs memorable music.

You get a teases of such fun, but all too often, it gets lost under the cloud of rigidity.

Though the potential to be a great game is there for Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2, it just never reaches that point of greatness due to flaws and linear gameplay.

In and of itself, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is a fun experience that big-time Pokemon fans (especially younger ones) should enjoy. As a first-time Mystery Dungeon player, I can also recommend the game to anyone who might be on the fence about jumping in and exploring some dungeons. Not everyone will enjoy it, mind you, because it’s not the Pokemon they know and love.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate makes for a very solid gaming experience. The game offers up so much to do and see through a massive amount of quests, crafting elements, customizations and a compelling online mode. Prepare your day-to-day schedules accordingly for this one, but please be mindful of the control issues the game tends to have.

Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is a completely different type of game from the first, and it’s better in every single way. It’s tougher, lengthier, more creative, more varied, and just plain more fun.

The Wii U port of NFS Most Wanted was done with care and it shows.

Ultimately, SimCity is going to go down as a “what could’ve been.”

Ultimately, there are more reasons to praise and play LCU than not, especially for Wii U owners looking for something new and exclusive that doesn't involve a Nintendo icon.

Ascension is another 'instant classic' entry into the amazing God of War series.

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.

Etrian Odyssey IV carefully balances classic and modern to produce a truly accessible dungeon crawling RPG without compromising significantly in terms of core values. It is a seriously challenging game, but one which—by way of two straightforward difficulty selections—can hope to appease those who normally would not put up with such punishing gameplay.

Bit.Trip Presents...Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien is the best of several worlds. It's a both a Platformer that prefers pure reaction over trial and error memorization and a Runner reaching for complexity beyond a simple endless marathon.

Naruto fans should take notice, but others can safely pass this one up.

Vergil's Downfall is worth playing through if you enjoyed DmC at all, and you could do a lot worse with $9.

An impressive follow-up to 2010's Lords of Shadow that you shouldn't miss.

While the game is not an utter failure, it certainly isn’t the title it could have been.

For a good hack-and-slash experience on the Vita, and for fans of the Ninja Gaiden franchise, Sigma 2 Plus is an enjoyable game. If you can ignore problems like the camera, and invisible walls, you will have fun mowing down ninjas, monsters, and freaky giant bosses.

Crystal Dynamics did a great job with methodically thinking everything through before releasing the new Tomb Raider to the world. The story, gameplay mechanics, depth and visuals all make for an unforgettable experience, sans the multiplayer side of things.

If you are a huge fan of Skyrim and have been looking for a good reason to get back into it for a few hours, then look no further. Although it probably could have contained a bit more for its $20 price tag, most gamers who have dedicated months of their life to playing this game will not be disappointed with their purchase.

MLB 13 The Show shows its continual dominance in the video game world of baseball. Though it's not perfect, it still makes all the right improvements and additions to keep the game fresh and interesting.

The Capcom Arcade Cabinet is a premium way to enjoy Capcom arcade classics. While the price might not be readily accepted with the younger generation of gamers that missed the arcade heyday, the package certainly brings enough new features (like online play and leaderboards) to get any gamer excited.

If you're looking for a strong follow-up from the Crysis 2 storyline then you're going to be heaven. Crytek brings a very powerful story that fits just right with the previous titles and compliments it with a fast-paced gameplay experience. Sure the campaign might last 6-8 hours, but you'll enjoy every minute of it.

Dragonborn is a solid welcome back party for Skyrim's PlayStation 3 audience. For a system that once struggled to run the game competently, Dragonborn is practically a technical showpiece. The only hitch is that it requires sustained interest Skyrim, a desire that may be tough muster for those who ended their terms with the game amicably. If you're not in that crowd, or maybe you took an elongated break, it’s hard to think of a better invitation to dive back in.

The cutting mechanic is smartly embraced as Revengeance's signature rather than its limitation, a crescendo earned by appreciating the profundity of its stylish combat. This is actually expected of Platinum, but the real surprise is their respect and dedication Metal Gear’s established doctrine. By any definition, Revengeance is beautiful symmetry.

The audience for this game is clear: fans of the manga/anime, the first game, or maybe Dynasty Warriors should definitely check this out. I think those folks will be able to more easily overlook the game's flaws. For everyone else, you could do worse with your money and time, and if you do try it, give it a few hours to grow on you before you cast it aside.

If Colonial Marines were a film it would be one of those quiet indiscretions sent directly to video, but instead it's a game, one in which every interactive and visible aspect feels dated by any measure.

It's always encouraging when a classic series gets revisited and the result is this good. Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time is an excellent game for the whole family, and it's being offered at a stunning value.

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.

An awful story is salvaged and ameliorated through exceptional combat design and an engaging weapon creation system - leaving Dead Space 3 weaker than its predecessors, but still an experience absolutely worth having.

An intriguing release for genre fans who have yet to play this iteration of Guilty Gear.

The Cave tries to reinvent something that didn't need reinvention. Whenever it yields a smile or a chuckle with its sadistic sense of light-hearted humor, it slips right back into drudgery by being devoid of meaningful traversal mechanics. The Cave is not a bad game, but it fails to execute on its initial promise by creating an unnecessary tug-of-war between outdated and stale puzzle-platforming and a delightfully twisted sense of humor.

Whether you have played the other Devil May Cry games or not, DmC is a lot of fun and well worth the investment.

Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable is the equivalent of a gun safety demonstration where the instructor accidentally shoots off a finger; it's still a lot of fun, often in spite of itself. For better or worse fans of the original cult classic will find their game 100% intact, but with minimal upgrades and an insane price tag it's tough to recommend to any audience.

Labyrinth Legends' ambition doesn't go far beyond its modest plot line. Save the princess, bash some bad guys, and solve a few puzzles along the way. It's disposable, sure, but that doesn't stop Labyrinth Legends from being enjoyable while it lasts.

It's too easy to see where Anarchy Reigns could have been better. Games are made within a budget and Anarchy Reigns' surely wasn't much, but you have to admire the purity of its intentions. In a perfect world it would have a Call of Duty 2-like impact and birthed refined successors, but as it stands Anarchy Reigns is an enjoyable oddity pleading for an elegant sequel.

The Hangman gets Cognition off to a promising start despite a few design and technical flaws. Genre aficionados should take note.

Storm Legion provides more life and depth to the world of RIFT, which it needed badly. Bringing more souls, quests, dungeons and lands can only help RIFT possibly become the 'other' MMO option when finding an alternative to World of Warcraft.

While far from perfect, ZombiU is nevertheless an compelling launch title that no owner of the Wii U shouldn't at least rent.

It's easy to admire and fun to play - for a fleeting thirty minutes. Subjective intangibles make the most of its run time, but a scattered definition of value makes Karateka a tough call for the uninformed or uninterested.

For every tiny victory over the failings of the original, the sequel commits a massive oversight leading to even bigger problems. And in spite of the undeniable appeal of its twisted interpretation of all things Disney, what ultimately sinks this sequel is the sheer absence of fun in its formula.

Despite the wait time to get the games going with real players, if you've never had the pleasure of playing a MOBA, then let Guardians of Middle-earth be your first. It has all the fast-paced insanity that comes with the genre, a wealthy amount of options for loadouts, and a nice dash of Lord of the Rings personalities and species to boot.

A generous number of titles with a handful of really choice stuff. Stylistic preservation is coupled with better resolution. Add in solid options, PSN leaderboards, with local multiplayer, and the $30 asking price becomes quite reasonable. Still, online play would have taken pushed this up a few levels.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is better than the first game, but it still needs work to perfect the gameplay mechanics that hinder it. At the end of the day, kids will love this game, but maybe not hardcore gamers.

Crashmo is a worthy successor to last year's wonderful puzzler Pushmo. With a similar style from the outside, Crashmo's small gameplay tweaks lead to entirely different styles of puzzles and problem solving. With more puzzles built into the game than its predecessor and hundreds more to come from user-created puzzles, Crashmo is worth your money, even if it is $2 more than its predecessor. If you're in for another addictive gaming drug to keep you busy this holiday season, download Crashmo today!

Funky Barn is addictive, and might keep you playing for a several hours, but it's not satisfying or memorable. That's a characteristic I often associate with mobile and handheld games, the latter of which this game is derived from.

For all its similarities, Nintendo Land is a wholly different experience from the Wii and Wii Sports-and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. While the presentation and concepts still exude a casual shell, the real meat of the experience is deceptively deep and unmistakably challenging. It's no "killer app" launch title, but it's no slouch, either.

The Special Edition of Mass Effect 3 is an interesting release that those gamers with only a Wii U shouldn't miss. For everyone else, the fullest experience can be had elsewhere.

Scribblenauts Unlimited is a bigger game than the previous. It offers more chances to put your creativity to the test and its replay value is through the roof. Granted, it doesn't offer the same type of challenge as previous version, but that also decreases the frustration that might come with said challenge. If you're looking for a game that is fun for the kids, and the adults, in the house then look no further than this.

Tekken's first appearance on a Nintendo console is a complete and outstanding success.

You won't find a more complete version of one of the best indie games ever than on the Wii U eShop.

Tank! Tank! Tank! is a simple and fun idea that is hindered by some poor gameplay design which ultimately leaves a lot of potential unrealized.

The PC version of Assassin's Creed III is above and beyond what you will find on the console version. It's got better visuals, smoother frame rate, easier controls and better gameplay mechanics. It's not a difficult choice whatsoever when deciding on a platform to play this 'Game of the Year' contender on.

In spite of a somewhat lazy presentation, New Super Mario Bros. U manages to captivate with just the right balance of fun, challenge, and variety. Perhaps it doesn't leverage much of what makes the Wii U different, but via masterful implementation of the basics, it's the closest thing to SNES Mario that we've seen in over 15 years.

Even with trial and error style gameplay falling out of style, Hitman: Absolution makes absorbing and learning every last detail attractive and engaging. This point of entry is technically more flawed, but it's potentially more interesting for skilled and patient players. You try, you fail, and in time you maniacally celebrate the payoff when it all finally falls into place. It's easy to forgive Absolution's flaws when that process works so well.

Nano Assault NEO is an excellent eShop title that would be a great addition to any growing Wii U game collection. And for $10, there's no reason to pass it up.

Treyarch puts together a solid care package for Nintendo gamers with a very competent, competitive, and nigh complete version of Black Ops 2.

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.

Avid, younger fans of the show may find value in this release but for any parent considering the purchase, I would advise a rental first.

Razor's Edge doesn't fix all of Ninja Gaiden 3's problems, but it does make some significant improvements.

An excellent game made even better, the Wii U version of Darksiders II is the one to own.

A strong core soccer sim offering with some neat Wii U Gamepad features make FIFA 13 one to think about this holiday, although you may want to see if the online community grows after the Wii U launch in Europe later this month if you expect to play online.

The Walking Dead makes me feel like a person instead of a person playing a videogame. What's happening feels real, what's available to say is brilliant, and the eventual resolution is perfect.

Inside Line is another solid offering from Eutechnyx. The good foundation laid with 2011 translates to this title, and the same great core gameplay mechanics are back. Improvements to the Career mode are the biggest contribution to the series, and helps make this a decent step forward.

Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! is an admirable premise that spoils well before its implied expiration date. Creating hilarious living monstrosities out of crude odds and ends yields satisfying and impressive results, but endearment becomes tragedy when you discover there's nothing of interest to do with them. The simple act of creation might be enough for some, but I was bored to tears after that particular novelty wore off.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed respects and reproduces its source material with such precision that it'll leave Sega fans desperately clinging to the foolish belief that we'll get proper Nights or Burning Rangers sequels one day. On its own merits Transformed is a competent racer with a great drift mechanic, and the dynamically shifting carts and tracks are a solid contribution to an otherwise homogenous genre.

Aside from the obvious benefit of being able to play with your characters on the go, Skylanders Giants for 3DS provides very little to convince that it's worth the time and money. Its little triumphs are far overshadowed by its unfortunate oversights-to the extent that even hardcore fans will find it difficult to justify.

Nihilistic's take on Call of Duty is a disappointment and not something I would recommend.

F1 Race Stars isn't a disaster by any means, but it certainly needs improvement. More importantly, it needs to take itself less seriously in some areas. There's still some fun to be had here, though.

Another fine PSP SRPG that represents the genre well.

Golden is technically the fifth iteration of a formula established with Persona 3 but it feels just as appealing and engaging now as it did four years ago. No one else (literally) is making games like this and if you've somehow avoided a modern day Persona title you owe it to yourself to give Golden a shot. It's sweet icing on a delicious cake.

While not everything that Treyarch has introduced with this edition of Black Ops works, the 'outside of the box thinking' they've done has made this experience fun and fascinating.

Only hardcore Transformer fans should pick this one up at full retail price.

One of the more exciting and worth-your-money HD Collections available to date.

I think passionate series fans, whether Budokai veterans or not, will appreciate the Collection, but they may also question why a more thorough and complete version wasn't released.

The battles became a chore after a while of playing, as no enemy after the second level presented anything new to deal with, and my options were limited in what I could actually do during battle.

Pokédex 3D Pro is most certainly a Pokédex that is well done in terms of aesthetics and quality. However, it is of little help to the competitive community due to its lack of numbers and advanced searches and they will no doubt find more useful tools on the internet.

Ubisoft continues its upward trend with its golden goose of a series. It brings a deeper amount of gameplay, story and enjoyment to the mix with Assassin's Creed III. It's certainly not perfect, but it's good enough to be considered for 'Game of the Year'.

Okami HD is a great way to own one of the finest from the PS2 era.

In keeping with the Paper Mario legacy, Sticker Star once again seeks to shake up the franchise template without betraying its common foundations. The result is a game which is thoroughly creative and sporadically impressive, but which is also surprisingly devoid of some of the common sensibilities of modern game design. Forgiving that, it's still a worthwhile romp for serious fans.

I recommend a lot of games to friends, but this is one of those "okay, if you only play one game on this list, make it this one" type of games. I'll go as far as to say if you don't own a Vita, Zero Escape is one of the best reasons to get one.

I think Danger Close definitely upgraded the series in some places with Warfighter, but regretfully took more than a few steps backwards in most of it.

With an innovative and engaging asynchronous and traditional multiplayer package baked into their top-notch open world framework, Criterion has created a modern standard for arcade style racers.

Doom veteran or newcomer, the BFG Edition is a superb addition to any collection.

DBZ for Kinect is far more likely to appeal to a young and enthusiastic audience as opposed to an average gamer, or one who is used to the depth of a typical DBZ game.

You know what they say about movie games... seriously though, 007 Legends, while a neat idea, doesn't capitalize on the potential. Instead, it's an unpolished shooter that most gamers can safely look over this holiday.

A much different Silent Hill game than the norm, which will infuriate some but intrigue others, myself included. Series veteran or not, every Vita owner should at least try the demo.

While it has its share of bugs and is qualitatively a mere expansion of the original in many ways, Skylanders Giants is still a full-blown sequel, featuring more Skylanders, more in-game collectibles, and larger and arguably more robust levels (albeit fewer) than the original. If more Skylanders is what you're after, this is what you've been looking for.

Retro City Rampage is a war between my heart and my head. It encapsulates countless tropes and references deemed special or significant by Nintendo-fueled 80's youth, but when Retro City Rampage gets down to business, when it's forced to operate in medium it so openly adores, it behaves as erratically as games from decade's past.

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.

This game is awesome to play and will add hours upon hours of fun for any type of player casual or hardcore.

Around Every Corner finest asset may be also its least conspicuous; three second vignettes proceeding a horrific events. The rule of thirds is applied, deliberate lighting techniques are employed, and each scene is framed exceptionally well. In each case it's a still shot, but it might as well be a soliloquy. These are Around Every Corner's signature moments, and witnessing them is your fateful pleasure. Beyond that the narrative doesn't move quite as much as in previous episodes, but it's tough to say The Walking Dead spinning its wheels in lieu of a grand finale.

NBA 2K13 is another high quality entry into a franchise that continues to find ways to improve and get fans excited from year to year.

Dishonored respects its audience by not only trusting them with a myriad of options, but also having the courtesy not to stand in their way. Its gameplay systems are open and intuitive, and reaching their potential feels special in a manner unrealized by any of its contemporaries.

Origins is a fun excursion into the not-so distant past.

Pokémon is as complex as it's ever been but still extremely accessible to those who want to play for the first time. With Black 2 & White 2, Game Freak has actually created an entirely new story to accompany its usual 3rd (and 4th) installment to generation 5. Unfortunately, the story feels like a less enthralling narrative than the original installments.

Pokémon is as complex as it's ever been but still extremely accessible to those who want to play for the first time. With Black 2 & White 2, Game Freak has actually created an entirely new story to accompany its usual 3rd (and 4th) installment to generation 5. Unfortunately, the story feels like a less enthralling narrative than the original installments.

It's definitely a notch above Resident Evil 5. It brings more scares, better visuals and very intense storylines to the mix. At the end of it all, it will feel like you've been a part of an intricate action-horror that satisfies your adrenaline needs by the end.