Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes might not exactly be the game that fans of the series were hoping for, but if you’re want to catch up with your favorite assassin and are willing to accept changes made to the gameplay, you should find plenty to like here. This is a surprisingly complex game and seriously goofy sequel-ish thing, made with obvious passion and an undying love for the gaming experience.

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

While some of its features and design decisions might not sit perfectly with all fans of the franchise, Dark Souls II once again proves how enthralling and engrossing From Software’s formula of skill-focused combat, demanding challenge, and bleak ambience can be.

A clever game that taps into your inner perfectionist, Overcooked is a delicious treat that plays great and is low on carbs.

Finally, fans of South Park have a game worthy of the TV show. The writing, animation, and little details are all outstanding, and while a few balance issues surface during combat and the main quest is a little short at around 10 hours, those aren’t dealbreakers. No South Park game has captured the sleepy Colorado mountain town like quite this.

A fair amount of bugs and lack of a present-day scenario detract from what is otherwise a strong return to form for Assassin’s Creed. Syndicate touts not one, but two great protagonists, strong gameplay, and Victorian Era London is neck and neck with Renaissance Italy as the best place the series has been to.

Even though you know the new era of Guilty Gear will be better a sequel or two from now, this first step into the future of the franchise is absolutely worth checking out for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

A solid sequel to the original, Yo-Kai Watch 2 opens up to the wild world outside of Springdale. With even more wild and wacky Yo-Kai to befriend and the added benefits of Internet connectivity, Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls stretch out to a wider breadth than ever before—though perhaps a slightly shallower depth.

Spelunky is the roguelike equivalent of training wheels attached with only one turn of the screw. It’s a great way to ease into the genre and a worthwhile entry in its field, but immediately following that “I think I got it!” moment, you’ll quickly be left having to keep upright on your own.

While the overeager police presence can be a bit of a pain and the online multiplayer is a bit too hectic for its own good, there's no denying that Criterion has brought their expert touch to the Need for Speed franchise yet again, delivering one of the tightest open-world racing games in recent memory.

In trying to please everyone, American Nightmare takes a small step back from what made the original Alan Wake an original and enthralling experience, but is still well worth the price of admission for old and new fans alike.

A solid sequel to the original, Yo-Kai Watch 2 opens up to the wild world outside of Springdale. With even more wild and wacky Yo-Kai to befriend and the added benefits of Internet connectivity, Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls stretch out to a wider breadth than ever before—though perhaps a slightly shallower depth.

In a time of movie-scale video games with photorealistic graphics, downloadable content, post-launch patches, and 50+ hours of game play, Mega Man Legacy Collection reminds us all of the perfection demanded from both developers and gamers in the 8-bit era of gaming.

Anyone hoping that Battlefield would finally get a respectable single-player campaign will be sorely disappointed, but if you’re looking for a worthy evolution of the franchise’s sweeping multiplayer battles, you’ve come to the right place.

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.

If you played it as each episode came out, or binge-played it all at once, something is lost each way from Hitman – Season 1, but not enough to detract from what is as a whole one of the most enjoyable and entertaining Hitman experiences we’ve ever had.

An old-school 2D platformer that perfectly complements the South Park aesthetic. Overflowing with references to the series and filled with huge, well-designed levels, players will have a blast leading South Park's four main characters on a most urgent quest to retrieve their stolen Xbox hard drive.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has made some bold changes to the series, and ultimately, they’re for the better. The inclusion of a battle royale mode is a first, and even the more familiar multiplayer and Zombies survival mode are not what they once were. Changes are always risky, but in Black Ops 4’s case, it worked out for the better.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey lives up to its namesake. By fully investing in becoming an action RPG, Odyssey’s characters, combat, story, and scope are beyond anything the series has accomplished so far. Its ambitions might get the better of it sometimes, like in how it divides its story moments or in how the leveling system can get out of hand, but the overall experience is, simply put, epic. Even when the game’s pacing hits a speed bump, there are plenty of engaging and rewarding side quests and distractions to keep you busy.

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.

The landscapes and exploration elements might not be on the level of some of its open-world brethren, but Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor delivers one of the best games to feature the intricate lore of J.R.R. Tolkien—and its innovative, addictive Nemesis system could redefine the way developers design enemy encounters in the future.

MLB The Show 18 offers a ton of options for new players to craft their own experiences while still giving veteran players the level of depth they’d expect from the latest entry in a series that’s been totally refined over the years. Some of its modes might seem a little dated, and only time will tell if MLB The Show 19 can finally be the game that makes Franchise mode a little more exciting to manage, but Road to the Show’s new RPG mechanics and The Show 18‘s overall great gameplay will give players new and old plenty to enjoy.

The strong gameplay design from Kirby’s Epic Yarn still shines a decade later, and the carefully-crafted additions in Extra make the original feel threadbare in comparison. While some of the new features may feel a bit “extra,” that is the name of the game. A couple of addicting new minigames and added higher-difficulty game modes for more advanced players make Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn a game anyone could enjoy.

With solid single-player and outstanding co-op play, the game will provide about 25 hours of exploration during the first playthrough. Wield the power of paint and thinner and choose your path. But remember, choices have their consequences.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a return to form—but using a jump-off point as solid as Human Revolution was certainly a successful decision. Little is wasted in this clandestine RPG, and this compact adventure shirks some contemporary RPG practices to focus on its strengths. The story may be somewhat hit and miss, but if you’re here for gameplay, it’s tight, it’s diverse, and it’s fun.

The Last of Us was a powerful example of the potential in videogame storytelling. Left Behind adds to and continues that level of quality, giving us a glimpse into a moment in time for two characters that’s both engaging and gratifying.

Scribblenauts Unlimited is a perfect match for the Wii U's hardware, making brilliant use of the GamePad controller to deliver a wonderfully creative sandbox puzzler.

It might be tempting to write off Unravel as another indie-made platformer, but you’d be denying yourself a surprisingly deep puzzler with an unmeasurable amount of charm. There might not be much replay value, but you’ll be glad you took the time to see it to the end.