The changes freshen up the long-running series while also making for a better experience for new players.

What's important isn't what genre Virtue's Last Reward sits in, what country it comes from, what platform it's on, or any of those other superficial things-it's the fact that this is a wonderfully crafted game that will grip you from beginning to end.

It has a few quirks that come with the franchise's first attempt at an open-world game, but at its heart, it's still a solid Forza title. I can see Horizon being the start of a continuing bold new direction for the franchise, and with a bit more polish, I can even see it becoming the Forza standard. If you're a Forza fan, this is definitely worth checking out.

For something that was supposed to celebrate 50 years of the world's favorite super spy, it sure seemed more like a slap in the face. Poor visuals, bland game play, and a generic multiplayer seem to have become the gaming standard for 007 with Legends just being the latest example.

The Walking Dead: Episode 4: Around Every Corner continues the landmark storytelling of the first three episodes as the situation takes a drastic turn in order to ramp up for the final episode. Fans will not be disappointed.

Code of Princess is a fun and frantic action adventure for the 3DS, one that often provides plenty of excitement-but which, at other times, feels limited either in design or by the hardware it calls home.

Marvel vs Capcom Origins does a fine job of staying true to the originals, while the addition of dynamic challenges provide a new layer of addictiveness that helps to overshadow how much these games have aged in the past two decades.

Dance Central 3 still offers some frustrations with the Kinect sensor recognizing certain moves, the learning curve is still a bit steeper than it could be, and having to pay to import old tracks from versions you've already purchased is the worst sort of corporate vileness, but all things considered, Dance Central 3 is a major step up from its predecessor that proves to be much more than the Kinect's best example of a functional game.

NBA 2K13 offers a solid upgrade from last year's installment, but there's still enough unnecessary frustration here to make me believe there's room for something greater.

To say that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a phenomenal remake would be selling Firaxis' monumental accomplishment short. The developer hasn't just managed to capture the spirit of the original; they've also tweaked, trimmed, and innovated enough to deliver the freshest, most engaging strategy game in recent memory, if not ever.

A great story that Fable fans will absolutely eat up, but some long stretches of lonely road keep this from being an absolute must-have for every Kinect owner.

Dark, difficult, and deliberately ambiguous, Dishonored asks you to forget much of what you know about the modern blockbuster, tossing flashy gameplay sequences and heavily scripted moments to the wayside in favor of exploration, tension, and eventual triumph over foes who genuinely deserve a knife to the neck.

The story takes a step backward, and the new game modes aren't that impressive. Mostly, it's just the same ol' Jigglypuff song and dance from Pokemon Black/White 2.

The concepts and challenges of NiGHTS into Dreams HD make it a game that not everybody will be able to appreciate-but for those that do, this is a great way to once again experience one of Sega's most curious yet creative moments in game development.

Leon and Jake's respective campaigns mark a return to greatness for this franchise, but Chris's bro-fest campaign comes up a little short.

While this update of the classic action-RTS hybrid is far from perfect, there's a certain undeniable charm to Gaea Mission's deep, open-ended gameplay that manages to overshadow the flawed AI and poor pacing.

Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit sits somewhere between a hardcore classic and a shameless parody, and luckily, I happen to be a fan of both. It's not perfect, but like Vincent Vega once said, "personality goes a long way."

There's so much care put into making the game accessible that it's always fun in instances where it could be unnecessarily punishing. If you're a F1 junkie, don't hesitate to play this-and try getting a non-fan to take it for a few laps, too.

Although the game says "Fire Pro Wrestling" in the text, this isn't anything like it. All the franchises's past references are gone, replaced by a family-friendly, cookie-cutter party theme that barely stands on a weak, overly simplistic fighting engine. At the very least, if you're looking for something a young child will enjoy, it's an inexpensive purchase at 400 Microsoft Points. If you're an older wrestling fan, don't even bother.

FIFA's action on the attack and near the goal has always been subpar, but I've cut it some slack in the past due to upgrades and improvements in other areas. Not this year-this is as weak an effort as I've seen from FIFA in a decade, and the whole affair screams "Roster Update 2013" from the get-go.

Dead or Alive 5 provides just enough new content and combat tweaks to stay fresh, but the sequel ultimately feels like Dead or Alive 4.5 instead of a bold new title.

Transcripted's unexpected blend of shoot-em-ups and Zuma-style match three gameplay makes for one of the most refreshing and addictive experiences of the year, with the perfect mix of casual simplicity and hardcore depth.

Although one of the better Vita games out there, the touch screen gimmicks still get in the way sometimes of the franchise's core values.

Damned impressive, standing head and shoulders above the original and other games in the genre as the most addictive, engrossing co-operative FPS game of this generation. A bona fide game-of-the-year candidate.

Some new movie-based motifs added nice variety to the levels, but an unusually steep difficulty curve had a part of me pining for the original. Still, if you love Joe Danger, this new chapter is more than worthy of a look.

The concept might seem a bit gimmicky at first glance, but Baller Beats is a well made, respectable peripheral-driven rhythm game in the tradition of Dance Dance Revolution or Guitar Hero. Some technical limitations keep the game from outright greatness, but there's a lot of fun-and real world benefits-to be had here.

There are times it would have been easier to fly an actual soup can.

The actual gameplay is leaps and bounds ahead of NHL 13's predecessors, but the GM AI has taken a couple steps backward in noticeable-and discouraging-ways.

Some hit detection problems can't hide the fact that Neon's an awesome tribute to a bygone era-and it'll bring a smile to the face of anyone who grew up playing beat-em-ups in the '80s and '90s.

Not all of the games in this classic collection stand the full test of time, but for die-hard Kirby fans, the entire package is more than worth the price tag.

Guild Wars 2 fine-tunes much of what we've come to expect from an MMORPG (crafting) while turning other aspects on their head (dynamic level adjustment), resulting in possibly the most refined, enjoyable game the genre's ever seen.

In an age when pure stealth experiences have become increasingly rare, Mark of the Ninja proves there's still gas left in the tank, with ingeniously designed mechanics and a slate of gadgets and abilities that make stalking your prey from the shadows an absolute treat.

If you care about The Walking Dead, zombie games, or just spectacular storytelling, The Long Road Ahead will hook you to this series if you weren't already. And if you were hooked to begin with, then you're like me probably, begging Telltale to get on it and release the next episode already!

Rock Band Blitz manages to improve on its predecessors' concept and control schemes, but the harsh monetization of its music and repetitive controller-based gameplay ultimately doesn't measure up to the feeling of a real Rock Band experience.

It's clear the team at Tiburon took a hard look at ways to bring the franchise back to its former glory. Some annoying bugs persist here and there, but overall, Madden NFL 13 stands as one of my favorite football experiences of this generation.

Way of the Samurai 4 is a goofy, glorious romp through post-isolationist Japan, and it's about as fun and accessible as the series has ever been. While some bugs and graphical issues may sour the experience at times, that shouldn't prevent newcomers from giving the series a shot.

Another fantastic adventure to the world of Cybertron by the folks at High Moon Studios-but one that combines some excellent new elements and gameplay offerings with a smattering of peculiar omissions and design choices.

5th Cell does some remarkable things with the still-evolving cover-based shooting mechanic, but Hybrid is ultimately hindered by lingering matchmaking issues, dumb AI companions, and limited multiplayer depth.

A refreshing experience, one that reminds us of why people make games-and why we, in turn, play them. Combining quaint, charming elements with highly executed gameplay, Dust would be an impressive adventure even without the fascinating story behind its development.

The daring, deeply personal story is more than enough reason to give Papo & Yo a shot, but don't expect to be wowed by the underlying puzzle platformer gameplay.

While The Last Story is a solid offering from Japanese RPG legend Hironobu Sakaguchi, the boilerplate storytelling, familiar tropes, and lack of meaningful exploration make it feel like it could have been so much more.

Despite minor annoyances with the level system and the occasional free-running glitch, Darksiders II is superior to its predecessor in every way. It's got a larger, deeper world with a wide breadth of characters, a thrilling story that sucks you in and doesn't let go, and some insane over-the-top combat. All those elements make this a must-have for fans of action-RPGs.

Sleeping Dogs represents a marked step forward for open-world action games, offering surprisingly deep gameplay and an almost meticulous attention to detail.

Though we've seen this formula before, New Super Mario Bros. 2 finds a way to keep itself just fresh enough while still hitting platfroming perfection.

I'm not totally convinced that the copy of Persona 4 Arena that I'm holding in my hands is real, because the idea of a Persona-based 2D fighter actually existing still baffles my brain. For as long as it does exist as something that I can play, though, it's an elaborate yet engrossing fighter that packs a ton of content, charm, and competition for those willing to put in the time required to master its offerings.

Aside from the seamless drop-in, drop-out co-op, this is one of the worst videogames I've had the displeasure of playing in a long time. It looks awful, controls horribly, and the plot is nonexistent.

Dream Drop Distance does have its share of annoyances, but the game works well overall, and it's a nice addition to the franchise…even if it's not the one fans are waiting for.

A true Japanese role-playing throwback that successfully channels the classics of the past, Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time's challenging, strategy-laden battles and cast of expressive characters will help remind JRPG fans why they fell in love with the genre in the first place.

Deadlight was a fantastic idea whose execution just didn't do it the justice it deserved. It's too short, its challenges too cheap at times, and it occasionally loses focus of what it wants to be-and yet, at the same time, Deadlight is also a surprisingly beautiful adventure through a world of chaos that does more right than it does wrong.

The new multiplayer mode definitely adds an interesting wrinkle to the online gameplay of Future Soldier, but with a name like Arctic Strike, shouldn't there be, ya know, a bunch of snow and ice maps?!

Entertaining at first, the repetitive grind of 60 cookie-cutter levels wears on you quickly in this Angry Birds clone.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD looks good on the surface, but some particularly frustrating design and gameplay quirks can drastically cut down on the enjoyment.

Heroes of Ruin is a pretty game by 3DS standards, with a compelling story wrapped around unoriginal combat, quests, and leveling.

Rhythm Thief's collection of musical minigames is one of the best in recent memory, but the game's bogged down by dull adventure segments and a broken rating system.

By eliminating class and level systems, the game allows players to take a more free-form approach to character development, effectively allowing a single character to fulfill multiple roles, depending on what the situation calls for. Add in a deep story, diverse quest structure, and some amazingly dark and horrific environs, and the end result is one of the biggest surprises in recent years. Once Funcom squashes all of the bugs-and assuming they continue to support it with new content-The Secret World could become the hit it deserves to be.

NCAA Football 13 is definitely better than its predecessor, but amidst the upgrades, unfortunate legacy issues and inexcusable bugs prevent this college-pigskin sim from an undisputed championship.

Even if you want to buy this because you're an MMA fan, I'll just warn you to try this game first before committing the hard drive space. If this is what Bellator's bringing to the small MMA sub-genre in the video game market, I don't think EA has anything to worry about when they start working on the next UFC game.

While it's aimed at the same audience as its silver screen counterpart, Brave: The Video Game seems to have been sprinkled with plenty of Pixar's age-spanning magic. Sadly, for most, its spell will wear off after a weekend or two.

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy is a nostalgic trip back through the history of one of Japan's most beloved RPG franchises-and while that trip isn't exactly the dream vacation it could have been, it's absolutely a journey worth taking for all Final Fantasy fans.

London 2012 has a few standouts among its 45 or so minigames, but the vast majority are far too forgettable and repetitive to keep your attention for more than a few hours.

The second episode in this five-part series cranks the twisted-ness up to 11-and may push you in directions you never even thought possible.

The Line rivals thatgamecompany's Journey in terms of overall impact, serving as a brave step forward for developers who want to help us get more from games than just gunplay. If you're tired of the same old firefight, you really ought to play it.

The best Spider-Man adventure in years isn't quite what it should've been. Developer Beenox actually crams too much into the package, cluttering what could've been a landmark tale for Marvel's wall-crawler.

Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection is a solid pairing considering the price tag, but with nothing new besides the HD facelift, there's little here to entice veteran players.

Easily the best Lego game yet, Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes' expansive world, original story, and bevy of unlockables should please fans of all ages.

Yet another great collection of pinball tables, Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles is a delight for comic book fans and pinball lovers alike.

Unfortunately, a few bits of clever design simply can't make up for the fact that Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor fails on the most fundamental of levels. First and foremost, a game is meant to be played, and Heavy Armor's unbelievably inept Kinect controls make that a far more difficult prospect than it has any right to be.

Plagued by constant bugs and poor design decisions, Krater unfortunately never lives up to the full potential of its old-school gameplay ideals.

Babel Rising may have a following on mobile devices, but the gameplay and presentation just don't translate well to a gaming console.

Escape Plan: The Asylum offers enough variety and fun to justify a purchase, but only if you plan on grabbing it before the launch sale ends.

Lollipop Chainsaw could have been something really special-had a variety of unpolished elements and outdated gameplay mechanics not gotten in the way. While this cheerleader is overflowing with heart, soul, and spirit, her sloppy execution unfortunately keeps spoiling her routine.

Another solid Pokémon spin-off, but die-hard fans will quickly miss much of the gameplay from the main series.

The content MGS: HD Collection offers is some of the finest of the last decade. But it's also frustrating that this collection could have-and should have-offered so much more.

Inversion won't win any awards for innovation, but once you push past the rubble and get into the meat of the experience, it's built on a surprisingly strong foundation that gets more right than wrong-more than I can say for several of this year's more polished action titles.

Sega's budget price and DLC structure make Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown an extremely attractive offer, especially if you didn't play the original. Hopefully, the netcode improves, though, as playing worldwide opponents right now is an outright chore.

It may be hard for some to fully appreciate the three games that make up Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World, but for those who can, you'll find a wonderful world of retro adventure awaiting.

Though its middling campaign falls short, Starhawk's open-ended Build and Battle system offers a wonderfully refreshing break from other modern shooters, both online and off.

Harley Quinn's Revenge is limited in scope compared to the main campaign, but fans of Arkham City should still jump at the chance to play this DLC, which adds two to three hours of original gameplay in Rocksteady's gorgeously gothic world.

Gungnir takes some chances with the strategy-RPG formula, but many of these design decisions fall flat, and the story offers little of interest until about 12 hours into the game. It's a competent tactical offering, but not a particularly interesting one.

It's certainly not a waste of time, but Mad Riders just has too many flaws to really justify itself as a proper racing game. Stick with whatever version of MotorStorm you currently own.

While it's pretty evident that the campaign isn't going to hold its own versus Warfighter or Black Ops 2 this year, Ghost Recon's multiplayer is a teamwork tour de force that'll hook you hard.

Sega's $10 price tag is more than fair if you're interested in checking out this random collection, but I'd honestly recommend saving your digital dollars for the slightly more enticing Monster World, Golden Axe, or Streets of Rage collections. At the very least, all of those releases have matching themes and stronger value for your money.

Though marred with a dismal launch, plagued with server issues which call into question the logic behind using this person for a single-player game, Diablo III still manages to deliver an unparalleled action/RPG experience. Stunning environments, awe inspiring enemies and the most addictive loot system ever makes this the new high water mark for dungeon crawlers. Fans of this type of game should already be playing this masterpiece.

Showdown probably isn't the sequel DiRT fans were anticipating, but if you can look past the dramatic shift in tone and the overly aggressive AI, you'll find plenty of unpretentious arcade fun.

A cartoonish, arcadey racing game, JoyRide Turbo has solid controls, a good sense of speed, and some interesting tracks and power-ups. Granted, it's too simplistic and easy to keep serious race fans engaged for long (unless their kids don't have to go to bed just yet), but it'll entertain anyone looking for a fun-but-stress-free Sunday drive.

Though the Atelier series might not be the epitome of Japan's RPG industry, I've always had a soft spot for its various chapters. Atelier Meruru isn't "epic," "intense," or "exhilarating"-it's charming, friendly, and fun, and it's not ashamed of it.

Gravity Rush isn't just the best game to grace the Vita-it's also one of the best games I've played in some time, no matter the system. In so many ways, it shines with a beauty that so many games can never achieve, and it's an experience you'll absolutely not want to miss.

The gimmick driven combat system holds Sorcery back, as fun quickly turns to frustration after each misfire from your wand. And this is a shame given the predictable, but charming story that Sorcery tries to tell through vibrant characters and the beautiful world they occupy.

Dragon's Dogma is a fascinating and very enjoyable new take on the fantasy genre by Capcom, one that has a lot of promise held within it-but one which also sees some of that promise squashed due to the inclusion of an unneeded and annoying gimmick.

Hardly the debut the fiction deserves, Game of Thrones is a pretty rough cut of George R. R. Martin's fantastic fantasy series on the polish front, but the game makes up for it with a solid, authentic storyline and a subtly rewarding combat system that will help fans look past the game's dated visuals.

There is a lot of historical gravitas that Dragon's Lair carries, but with over five dozen ports since its 1983 arcade launch, the game lacks punch, especially on modern consoles. There may be a nostalgia factor here for some, and it might be a good history lesson for others, but the game really doesn't stand the test of time.

The unique storytelling and charismatic narration will pull you into an enthralling experience, but glitchy cover mechanics, poor checkpoint management, and off-putting pacing will rattle you out of your gaming reverie more often than you'd like.

The core of Battleship is fun and entertaining, and it makes you think that if Double Helix had a full-dev cycle, they could have put together a very memorable experience. As is though, Battleship feels half-finished and rushed out the door without any of the polish we've come to expect from a game with a $60 price tag.

For those looking for a well-crafted, enjoyable tennis game, Mario Tennis Open will leave you satisfied. For those looking for a great Mario tennis game, you'll probably be left wanting more.

The controls took a surprising step back and there were too many puzzles that required Tails' assistance for my liking. If you can get past these though, there is a solid Sonic adventure here at its core that's worth taking a look at for long-time fans.

A great choice for both longtime pros and those just getting their feet wet. Just don't let its daunting persona keep you away-while Akai Katana is certainly another case of sink-or-swim, it's quite a lot of fun once you're no longer thrashing about wildly from fear of drowning.

If Minecraft on the PC is the video game equivelent of LEGO, then Minecraft on XBLA is Duplo. It's a perfect introduction to the game and its experience-but it won't take long for you to outgrow it and want the real thing.

Beyond the creative art style's unique take on Fable III's Albion and seeing everyone's favorite characters return in puppet form, the downright boring and uninspired game play keeps this from being worth anyone's time.