I don’t think Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is devoid of value, but I certainly don’t think it’s something to rush right out and buy—unless, as an Xbox One early adopter, you’re content with a passable platformer that possesses a handful of quasi-memorable moments to tide you over until Titanfall. And for anyone jonesing for a platformer, Max represents only a quick, short-lived fix.

A cheap port of a mobile game with glaring flaws at its very core that does a disservice to the Halo brand, Spartan Assault should be avoided like the Flood.

Colossatron features a noticeably more punishing microtransaction model than Halfbrick’s previous efforts, and the gameplay isn’t inherently fun or varied enough to disguise the lengthy grind required to advance.

World of Warplanes‘s is a decent game, but its ultimate undoing is its leveling system and its economy, turning what could have been a competent, if limited, arcade flight experience into an expensive trial that can only be overcome with time or money.

All That Remains is a fine way to kick off the second season of The Walking Dead. Telltale made some interesting design decisions putting players in the role of Clementine, and most of their choices—but not all—work out nicely.

Peggle 2 is more of what you’ve come to love about PopCap’s peg-busting puzzle franchise brought to Microsoft’s next-generation console. If all you want is more, then Peggle 2 will definitely please—but if you were hoping for something to really refresh the series after its previous outings, “more” may leaving you wanting, well, more.

Speaking as a student undoubtedly on the same level as most people who would invest in Rocksmith 2014 as guitar-learning software and not a music game they can use their own guitar with, there’s nothing about my time with the game—and my development as a guitarist through its use—that leaves me with any doubt about its efficacy.

BandFuse leans a bit too heavily on fluffy video interviews with musicians that offer little educational value, but the underlying systems and mechanics are a smart aid for learning to play the guitar.

A promising but not-quite-there effort from indie newcomers Spearhead Games, Tiny Brains offers decent couch co-op fun, but suffers from technical issues and some uneven design.

GT6 feels like a rushed effort, and many problems from GT5 remain unresolved. But the classic GT base remains intact, since the actual act of simulation driving remains very tight—and it’s coupled with a tremendous amount of choice when you consider the 1,200 cars that come on the disc.

Adol Christin is one of the oldest heroes in Japanese RPGs—and he may have aged more gracefully than any of them. Ys: Memories of Celceta reimagines his previously Japan-only PC Engine/Super Famicom quest from 20 years ago and delivers one of the Vita’s best role-playing experiences, infusing the classic concept with modern sensibilities and respecting the player’s ability to chart their own course of adventure.

Fighter Within was buried under the rest of the Xbox One launch lineup for a reason. This one-on-one fighter is a throwback to the problems of the first Kinect—and does nothing but sow seeds of doubt that the next-gen Kinect sensor is any different from its predecessor.

LocoCycle is a next-gen debut that’s uncomfortable to watch and boring to play from a developer I honestly expect better of. That it isn’t outright broken or unplayable from a technical perspective is just about the only accolade I can muster for what has otherwise been a miserable first experience on the Xbox One.

From a mechanical standpoint, Zoo Tycoon works quite smoothly, but a ridiculously low agent cap severely detracts from the game’s longevity.

For those who enjoy a simple hack-n-slash game, Ryse: Son of Rome fits the bill. This is no deep adventure, but rather a chance to burn your aggression by chopping your way through hundreds of barbarians, slowing only to enjoy the carnage during the brutal executions. Still, the stunning visuals and compelling setting will keep some gamers engaged throughout, making Ryse a flawed-but-interesting addition to the Xbox One launch lineup.

Forza Motorsport 5’s Career mode is a shell of its former self, giving little reason for players to keep coming back. Couple this with a dismal launch lineup of cars and tracks, and this is a surprising step backward for the Forza franchise as it helps kick off Microsoft’s next-gen console.

Tearaway follows in the footsteps of Gravity Rush as an example of why you should own a Vita. While it isn’t always perfect as a game, it’s an amazing experience, providing an exciting and emotional journey through a world of beauty and personality.

Contrast offers one of the most interesting gameplay gimmicks in recent memory, but the lack of engaging puzzles and interesting levels prevent the concept from being put to good use.

For any Mario fans worried their favorite paesano plumber wasn’t about innovation anymore, Super Mario 3D World shows the franchise that created the platforming standard continues to set the bar. The new Super Bell and Double Cherry power-ups augment the Mario experience in a brilliant, meaningful way, and the Wii U’s HD capabilities deliver the prettiest-looking game in series history.

All the DLC of the original—including costumes and more STAR Labs missions—plus a little nex-gen shine makes a great fighting game even better.

While I’m still not a fan of Killer Instinct’s dial-a-combo mentality nor its eclectic cast of characters, Double Helix’s efforts to bring the series back from the dead are commendable—and while some mistakes were made along the way, this is probably the most interesting and enjoyable the franchise has ever been.

Another expertly produced retro-inspired shooter from Housemarque, Resogun gives players an immensely impressive level of depth, challenge, replayability, and graphical prowess that stands as one of the best ways to be introduced to the recently launched PlayStation 4.

Knack, while conceptually interesting, never rises above being an OK platformer without any real positive memorable aspects, but plenty of frustrating ones. If you’ve ever wondered what a tech demo turned into a full-fledged game would be like, Knack is—or very much feels—like that.

Like its predecessors, Dead Rising 3 offers good, dumb, fun, with just enough story and structure to keep you moving forward and enough opportunities for zany antics to maintain your amusement throughout.

Shadow Fall serves up decent sci-fi themed first-person-shooter action complete with teases of what the new console generation has in store for us. It’s not particularly inspired, nor is it anything to write home about, but as something to make your early adoption feel justified, I think Killzone does the trick.

While the driving is superb and the visuals are stunning, the inherent limitations of Rivals‘ AllDrive concept begin to hamper the experience near the end. The result is a game that’s three-quarters great fun, one-quarter miserable, frustrating slog.

A Link Between Worlds recognizes that it’s not tacked-on stealth segments or waggling a controller to roll bombs that makes Zelda tick—it’s the unbounded exploration and freedom found in the NES original, and it’s finally back in full force here. Every Zelda fan needs to play this game.

Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus represents a decent—though overpriced—sendoff for the second generation of R&C action-adventure titles. Into the Nexus mostly plays it safe by remaining largely familiar, introducing only a few new mechanics that, while not overtly bad, seem underdeveloped and are definitely underused.