Tekken 7 is institutional progress and austere form cloaked in spectacle and absent of risk. Its periphery can’t keep pace with 2017 and its core feels like it’s running the same race Tekken already won almost a decade ago. This doesn’t stop Tekken 7 from being the best 3D fighter on current platforms, but it’s easy to stand atop a podium unchallenged by legitimate competitors.

Ultra Street Fighter II - The Final Challengers packs the punch of the 1991 original arcade release, and the inclusion of two new modes and all the SFII characters helps make the experience unique, but the price doesn’t justify the package. There’s just not enough here worth the asking price for the release.

Overall, while I don’t feel at all qualified to really place this game above or below others in the series, I feel confident that it’s an interesting title for series veterans who never got to play Gaiden and newcomers alike. With a blend of old school and also lacking many of the modern nuances of today’s games, it gives players a straight-forward, yet stout challenge.

Seasons After Falls tries so very hard but falls short of being truly excellent. The repetitive puzzles hinder things enough that, if you're like me, you'll end up playing in small doses.

The presentation won’t wow you, but it gets the job done, especially given that it’s made by an indie developer who’s never done a sports game and it’s priced at $20. The price is worth pointing out because this isn’t a AAA game, but it does fill a niche that has been needing some attention since NBA Jam a few years ago. 2K has clearly dominated and done an amazing job with NBA simulation, but if you’re like me, when it comes to sports and racing games, you always want a go-to arcade type to enjoy in addition or instead of the sims. NBA Playgrounds does alright for itself coming off the bench, hopefully we see Saber continue to refine this and perhaps we’ll see some kind of semi-annualized franchise here that gets progressively better.

Overall, the good folks at NetherRealm Studios made this fighting game much more than it should have been. They have essentially created an enjoyable balance between story, multiplayer and online experiences. The story mode is incredibly immersive, the multiplayer is teeming with a richer gameplay experience, including multiverse, which mixes familiar comic storylines with the fighting gameplay core, and the online modes are just as good as you want them to be. Nothing seems like a filler. If they could get rid of the microtransaction for Darkseid, then it will be a complete circle of near perfection. Until then, it’s a great game.

Ultimately, the Switch Edition provides players with the most complete and best portable version of this addictive and popular game. The new content alone isn’t worth the asking price, but if you want to get your ‘craft on while on the move, consider the Switch Edition.

Beyond gameplay design, and control complaint, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how absolutely gorgeous Battle Bay’s presentation is for a mobile title. Colorful, big bays that are full of huge rolling waves and detailed ships is what you get with BB. Visually everything about the game is a step up from what you generally get with a mobile title. I played this on an iPhone 7, so it handled all the visuals, including a solid FPS, beautifully. Anyway, Battle Bay is a pretty game, so it won’t fail you in that department.

Polybius' tempestuous pace and kaleidoscopic assault indulge its urban legend while its principled operation betrays its sinister infamy. It's a spiraling supersonic tunnel shooter that only seems like it's bulldozing cognitive ability, and parsing its putative chaos tips its scale from pandemonium to precision. By allowing fury to give way to Zen, Polybius lives up to its legend.

Prey establishes an interesting atmosphere early on and maintains that, with only a few disagreements along the way. Lengthy load times are likely going to get reduced with patches and combat is sometimes more annoying and pace-breaking than I would like, but overall, Prey gives more than enough back in return to offer a compelling experience.

Mr. Shifty begins in the same place it ends; by punching a man through a window. Defenestration is appealing, especially when it’s preceded by short form teleportation, but the first instance is more gratifying than the last. Mr. Shifty deals in scale, quantity, and strategy in the wrong order, assuring its sharp edge dulls after an auspicious opening.

Nier: Automata did not succeed because of its combat, and yet the preposterously named 3C3C1D119440927 is pure combat served with gimmicky restrictions. In remains, however, fabulously weird, and while player's takeaway won't reach Automata's profundity, it's still without a conscious equal in its medium.

Persona 5 will be beautiful forever. Meticulous thought and consideration has been applied to Shin Megami Tensei's durable model of dungeon crawling and Persona's paragon of social simulation, creating a brilliant pulse visible through (almost) every aspect of its performance. Keeping this pace across a formidable length is Persona 5's most impressive trick, ensuring it will steal your heart without wasting your time.

Other than the technical issues, SGW3 is probably exactly what you expected and even hoped for — a AA modern military shooter with a focus on sniping that evolves the franchise into open world. If you can wait for additional patching or don’t mind some of the stout bugs, SGW3 offers an enjoyable experience.

Little nightmares is a very good game. The story of Six is a quick one, but you gather everything you need to know as you move along in the game. Think you can brave your childhood fears? If so pick up Little Nightmares and learn about Six’s story.

Expedition: Viking is a fun turn-based RPG that is unfortunately marred by various technical issues. While the combat and story are intriguing, the “same-y” environments and characters leave a lot to be desired.

Gnog distills the joy of fiddling with switches, dials, and knobs into a potent liquid and then uses that fluorescent elixir to invigorate a monster’s brain. The result is a collection of orderly puzzles eager to illustrate logic while soaked in giddying medley of spaceships, electricity, and mother birds. If you were ever allowed to peer inside of a candy monster’s skull, Gnog is precisely what you would find.

This game was so much fun to play. Something about being scared and literally running for your life makes for such a good game. With plot twists along the way that keep the story fresh there is no lack of entertainment within the game. Red Barrels really knows how to get under your skin. Play the game, you will understand. The dark undertones of the game set up the story throughout and constantly make you think wtf, yet you still want more. Buy Outlast 2, be scared, you won’t be disappointed.

If I do a top games of 2017 list at the end of the year, I can already tell you that Full Throttle Remastered will be on it. This is point and click adventure gaming done right during the best and brightest days of the genre. Double Fine has done a superb job remastering and re-releasing it; don’t miss it.

Overall, Dragon Quest Heroes II is an upgrade over its predecessor. It’s packed with plenty of content, long action sequences and a healthy dose of role-playing elements to keep your interest firmly hooked. The balance between action and RPG helps make this more than just a Dragon Quest title with the beating heart of Dynasty Warriors. It’s a worthy sequel.

Life isn’t often what we imagine and death isn’t usually what we expect. What Remains of Edith Finch responds by capturing death’s despair and tragedy through life’s lenses of whimsy and fantasy. Every emotion and detail is left in frame, exposing profoundly anguishing themes that nevertheless develop into endearing pictures of hope and determination. Edith Finch creates a portrait of a family that, even in their doomed eccentricity, feels not only sanguine, but also deeply human.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is absolutely the best game currently available for the Nintendo Switch apart from Zelda: Breath of the Wild. For players who have never had the pleasure of experiencing the original Wii U title, this is a must-own and could be qualified as yet another killer app (even though it technically is a port). On the other hand, even if you own the original, this is the definitive Mario Kart 8 experience; in fact, it is the best Mario Kart game to date period.

Bye-Bye Boxboy! is a succinct, value-packed title. It’s the bookend of a great puzzle series and it doesn’t try to be more than what it is — an addictive puzzler that’s accessible and not overly difficult. For only $5, it’s an excellent deal and can be enjoyed it short five minute spurts or for much longer at a time. No 3D support is included, so you can enjoy this just as well on a 2DS as a 3DS. If you’re into puzzlers, or this series already, this is probably the easiest recommendation I’ll make all year.

Overall, this collection is accurate to a fault, packed with some additional goodies and reminds us how absolutely insane we all must have been when we played these games the first time around. Bravo to Digital Eclipse and Capcom for taking a chance on some classics.

Sadly I didn’t put much time into “Beat Cop”. While the game is amazing in its detail and design, the game actually starts to feel like a job! I can attribute this mostly to my own taste and opinion. I can still appreciate some of the nuance this game offers. I think “Beat Cop” deserves an 8.5 for being strong enough to captivate anyone who craves good character development and witty dialogue.

Orcs Must Die: Unchained might just be my surprise game of the year to this date. The amount of fun that I’ve had with this game is insane. The game is polished and balanced. The year open beta definitely benefited the game a ton. I will recommend just about any gamer try this game, especially with the price of free. However once you begin your journey of killing orcs, you might not want to stop!

The art for the characters and environments are absolutely astounding, but with a dated gameplay style, it’s difficult to say this remake is fully realized. Yes, purists will love that The Dragon’s Trap is a nearly 100% replica of the original with updated art, but I feel as though the love given to the art of the game should have been given to the gameplay as well.

All in all, Lego City Undercover is a good deal of fun that players from all ages will be able to enjoy. While the game is nothing challenging or revolutionary, it is nice to see a game as kid-friendly as Lego take tribute from a series that meant for adults. The overworld is large enough to where players will always have something new to discover while going after the criminals led by Red Fury. Undercover might be too easy of a challenge but that doesn’t take away from the overall wonderful experience players will have going through this delightful world.