With a lifeless world, a hazily plotted, repetitive campaign, and an endgame that quickly resorts to a slow grind for marginally better loot, Destiny fails to deliver on the promise of its concept and the enormous potential of its gameplay systems.

Sims fans have been worried about all the cuts of longtime features in The Sims 4, and while some critical elements are indeed missing, the core addiction remains. Plus, with the addition of the online Gallery and the ability to share and download creations, it’s easier than ever to liven up your little virtual world.

Square Enix did exactly what they should have done when preparing a sequel to their RPG rhythm game Theatrhythm Final Fantasy—they made every one of its elements better. Curtain Call not only builds upon what made the original great and makes it even better, but also brings additions that take the series in an exciting new direction.

The new physics system, presentation elements, and graphics are definitely a step forward for the franchise, but the wholesale removal or scaling back of so many modes leaves you wondering how such a great series could struggle so mightily with the console transition.

Shadowgate is, well, Shadowgate. If you know what that means, you’re probably keen on playing it. It’s not exactly a taxing title as far as computer specs run, so there’s really no issue for those who traditionally stick to consoles. But if if the name means nothing to you, either you’re about to be made a believer in the joys of brain-breaking puzzles or sent screaming out of the castle and back to the loving arms of Call of Duty.

While it’s not everything it could have been, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is still a funny, charming, dramatic, and emotional game, one that brings two very different franchises together into one fantastic gaming crossover.

A few unnecessary sequences hold back the episode a bit, but as a whole, No Going Back serves as a fitting conclusion to season two. And thankfully, it also leaves enough room for more intrigue and drama in season three.

Unexpectedly, First Light’s story campaign ends up being its weakest link. Compared to the depth and replayability of the score-driven combat arenas, Fetch Walker’s origin story proves to be a bit of snoozefest, especially in the context of Second Son’s respectable storytelling and mission design.

New defensive-line play and more defining accuracy with QBs highlight some of the many changes this year’s Madden brings to the table. Unfortunately, not all the other tweaks are nearly as successful.

Akiba’s Trip: Undead and Undressed is much like the real-world electronics district of Tokyo that it attempts to re-create: Sometimes it excites you, sometimes it underwhelms you, and sometimes you just so happen to wander into that particular back-alley shop and get very, very creeped out.

Unlike the last Tales sequel, 2008’s Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, Xillia 2 is a worthy entry in the pantheon of Bandai Namco’s flagship RPG series. Unfortunately, the game’s ill-advised debt-payback system to unlock new areas and story chapters sabotages the overall enjoyment at times, and some other curious design decisions make Xillia 2 a less compelling adventure than it should’ve been.

Hohokum‘s intriguing collection of free-form worlds begs exploration, but the game’s questionable structure stifles the ability to play it on your own terms. It’s an aural and visual spectacle, but it’s also a lot more frustrating than it ever needed to be.

Since its original debut two years, Diablo III finally receives its definitive edition. It includes the original game and the Reaper of Souls expansion and features amazing graphics, great controls, and polished gameplay. Throw in a few new features and this version is the one to play.

Despite its designation as a “rogue-lite,” Rogue Legacy delivers just as much addictive live-die-repeat challenge as any “full-fledged” members of the genre. Short of maxing out on every possible trait (an undertaking that would prove rather expensive in-game) the optional, RPG-style progression system never robs this roguelike’s random dungeons of their punishing nature and need for patience, a thoughtful approach, and the occasional bout of luck.

While The Last of Us was one of the PS3’s most impressive, engrossing releases, The Last of Us: Remastered feels like the version of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic story of survival that the developer always intended us to play. Its story and characters are just as strong as they were before, but they’re now reinforced by far more amazing visuals, consistent framerate, and a nice selection of new bonus features and DLC inclusions.

While Magical Beat’s mix of puzzle and rhythm-gaming concepts won’t be for everyone, those who appreciate such genres will find a unique, enjoyable conglomeration of the two that feels as fresh as it does familiar.

Too many random problems arise and detract from the main issues of the story, leaving Amid the Ruins feeling like a weird valley right before the hopeful peak of the season finale.

Sniper Elite III’s gory killcams and open-ended arenas succeed at making the act of sniping more involved and rewarding than you’ll find in most other shooters, but it struggles to flesh out a complete game experience around that one mechanic.

Some solid action can’t cover up the fact that Rise of the Dark Spark feels horribly rushed, with massive splotches of shoddy design and a poor plot evident from the opening cinematic to the end credits.

Utilizing the DualShock 4’s gyroscope and light sensor is a great gimmick, and it’s a concept I hope other rail shooters implement. Beyond that, though, Blue Estate is a boring shell full of cheap, unfunny stereotypes that isn’t worth a single playthrough.

Resogun Heroes expands upon the core game’s already fantastic offerings with two highly enjoyable new modes that offer fans some interesting twists on Housemarque’s side-scrolling PS4 shooter.

R.B.I. Baseball 14 features horrible presentation, broken AI, and lacks so many features that no one with any love for the sport of baseball will be able to stomach playing the game.

Grid: Autosport’s attempt to capture the spirit of five distinct racing disciplines pays off in terms of gameplay variety, but the experience feels stripped back in many of the ways that make the genre’s best titles feel like personal journeys.

Killzone; Shadow Fall – Intercept mixes some new twists on the Horde idea with some great team-based gameplay, but its lack of content volume and overall options unfortunately dull some of this new mode’s shine.

While it doesn’t get everything it tries to do right, Battle Princess of Arcadias is still an enjoyable action-adventure that mixes some unique gameplay twists together with a serious level of beat-em-up satisfaction.

Sixty Second Shooter Prime is a great throwback to the arcade machines of yesteryear, but it lacks the depth and difficulty needed for an old-school twin-stick shooter to appeal to most modern gamers.

Shovel Knight is a pretty stellar homage to simpler times, but it’s so unabashedly an homage that it never steps out of the shadows cast by the components it’s built from—DuckTales, Mega Man, Simon’s Quest. And while derivative doesn’t necessarily mean bad—far from it in Shovel Knight’s case—it certainly doesn’t make it any less pandering in a lot of ways.

Entwined spins a single passable mechanic into an overlong (but still quite short) experience with absolutely none of the emotional heft or art-game cred it feigns having.