Persona 4 Arena is as eccentric and Japanese as it gets. Anyone who has ever enjoyed a JPRG will love the game even if fighting games aren't their forte.

It's just as solid as its console partners, it looks beautiful, and takes advantage of the Vita's controls in unique ways that don't negatively impact the core of the platforming gameplay. It serves as a wonderful reminder that you can never have enough Sackboy in your life.

MLB The Show 12 continues the tradition of excellence in this installment of the yearly title. Beautifully realistic parks, Vita integration, and a myriad of control options expand on what was already the leading MLB experience.

The mix of ideas at play in Darksiders 2 could have turned out to be a disaster, but Vigil stitches it all together expertly. From the corrupted idyll of The Forge Lands, to the twilit expanses of The Land of the Dead, to the thin, broken line between Heaven and Hell, Death's grand adventure ranks among the best we've seen or will see in 2012.

With endless hours of online multiplayer and constant leaderboard score tracking, this beautiful remake takes the cake for classic re-releases and will have you grinding for hours.

What you get in this package is an addictive, satisfying game that feels very polished, offers a wide range of gameplay options, introduces an insatiable lust for loot, and does co-op right. This is what PC (and Mac!) gaming is all about.

The Club may not satisfy your daily dose of carnage, but what you will find is a challenging shooter that tries something new with a tired genre.

Epic Mickey 2 once again pays heartfelt tribute to animation history, and does it with style and sincerity. As with the original game, anyone who loves Disney, Mickey Mouse, or just animation history in general will find something to enjoy here, and the fact that the game is a superb platformer and co-op title is icing on the cake.

Masterstroke of fun, and does a good job moving the series in the right direction. It offers fresh new tracks for everyone to enjoy, and is far more accessible for everyone than ever before.

A ton of work has gone into this game from top to bottom, and it stands as a real testament to the developers who didn't want to just coattail this one into the books. Nearly every system and aspect of the game has been tweaked or overhauled, and it certainly shows in the final product.

A New Day is an exceptional start to a five-part series that has me completely hooked and engrossed in a world that I can't even begin to imagine, let alone speculate about where it will go next.

The Club may not satisfy your daily dose of carnage, but what you will find is a challenging shooter that tries something new with a tired genre.

Trials Evolution remains the best Trials experience available today and one of the best values on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The social competition between friends will continue to rage on long after you've made your way through all the tracks and keep you coming back to reclaim the top spot.

I loved The Unfinished Swan. It's the sort of experience that requires us to further refine the definition of the term "video game." While there are certainly elements of play here, I don't think that Swan qualifies as such. Instead, it slides in along the likes of Goodnight Moon and the Shel Silverstein library as the latest modern classic in the realm of children's fiction.

The expansion adds more wonderful charm to the game while not exactly taking the huge risks that we've seen in past expansions, and that's okay. As a returning player, there's plenty to do to keep me busy thanks to all of the end game content, and there will be more to come when Blizzard implements the game's upcoming 10 and 25 man raid encounters.

Even if you never played the original, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is turn-based tactics and management at its finest, and a perfect introduction to the genre...It's an exceptionally solid return for the series, and one that every turn-based tactics fan should experience.

Xenoblade Chronicles is the sort of precious jRPG that this recent console generation has sorely lacked. Despite some missteps and over-complication, the game stands out as one of the best in recent years. Xenoblade creates a world simply begging to be explored.

The core gameplay is top notch and is sure to please even the most hardcore fighting gamer. This crossover series has been long anticipated and the wait was well worth it.

By playing it safe, FIFA Soccer 13 lacks innovation but this latest installment has helped keep the series at the forefront of video realism that you're pretty darn close from watching a live match, which is something you can't say about other sporting video games.

Few risks are taken and most of the improvements over previous games amount to surface-level boosts to the presentation, but that also helps to make for a seamless transition from one studio to the next. As much as Halo 4 makes it clear that this is a franchise that needs to grow and evolve, 343 also gets a pass this time for playing it safe and serving the fans.

This will be the best $19.99 you've spent all year.

EA Sports has itself one expertly designed and well put together game with SSX. The huge, multi-path runs and silky smooth controls more than offset any minor stumbles.

Criterion Games brings the fire here in this Frankenstein's monster amalgamation of Burnout and Need for Speed. The buttery smooth controls, multitude of unlockable rides/upgrades, and ever-alluring draw of besting your friends' times, not to mention the forward-thinking CloudCompete, come together to offer one of the finest arcade racing experiences out there.

NBA 2K13-building on the successful and delightful NBA 2K12-remains a fantastic basketball simulator. With a robust My Player mode, already-great online multiplayer and gameplay that just won't quit, it's clear why 2K is the only name in the basketball video game market.

A superb experience, sure to both delight fighting game fans and bring complete newbies into the fold.

Wreckateer nails what Kinect play ought to be. You feel utterly ridiculous flapping your arms around, but it's fun rather than frustrating.

Whether or not you're a fan of Nintendo's latest handheld console, if you love Kingdom Hearts, this is a must-have title that's filled with fantastic gameplay, an intriguing story, and beautiful visuals.

I'm the type of guy who actually goes for Sunday drives. Weird, I know, but it's true. As such, Forza Horizon felt like it was developed just for me. It may not be the perfect title for the F1 fans looking for a classic racing simulator, but for anyone who has ever turned their head as a Lamborghini whips past them on the interstate; this game needs to be played.

The real strength of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is how expertly High Moon leverages the characters and mythology to create a cinematic shooter that stands on the strength of its design and gameplay, rather than leaning on its license as a crutch.

Ultimately, we can't deny that this game is incredibly fun. The tables are gorgeous, and it's a fantastic way to breathe life back into a seemingly dead arcade genre. We just wish that The Who was there singing us through the game as we go for the high score.

While it has a few quirks here and there, Dishonored delivers on almost every admirably/crazily ambitious promise made by its creators. Its impeccably crafted gameplay and exquisitely haunting and detailed world stand in loving tribute to all of the iconic and acclaimed franchises that inspired it, and yet it still has a soul and style all its own.

It's accessible, fun, and technically impressive, making it one of the better strategy games we've played in quite some time. Plus, it has laser weaponry and an angry Scotsman.

All of it looks fantastic. If you can get past its silly "Pokemon with fairies" premise, Zanzarah will provide you with a fun, long, and challenging quest.

While not terribly complex, the racing itself makes for excellent fun, and the intricacies and unlockable features are more than enough here to keep you coming back for more.

Oh-so-close to being the perfect handheld game. Its rich, entertaining gameplay can be enjoyed in nuggets, and simply put, it’s beautifully designed.

It’s simple, yet still challenging and great fun whether on or offline.

While none of these issues hold the game back from a playability standpoint, Wild World is closer to an enhanced port than an extravagant sequel.

The best Godzilla game to date. It would be a good brawler even without the big green guy, as the fighting mechanics are solid all-around.

The more I played NHL 13, the more I wondered how much previous installments were partially burdened with some drive to recapture the halcyon days of videogame hockey in the mid-90's. This new, genuine attempt at real ice skating physics makes NHL 13 the most worthwhile hockey in years.

Although Summit Strike still boils down to more of the same, the Ghost Recon 2 series has proven itself to provide some of best squad-based, realistic action out there.

Those who are willing to give it a shot will find that it's a great package, offering wrestling fans more than enough to keep them entertained until next year's games offer something bigger, badder, and better.

It’s almost a perfect game. Severe online connection bugs and freezing problems hamper the experience enough that we can’t give it a full five out of five.

In terms of fun factor, it doesn’t get much better than this. The game is definitely rough around the edges in a number of places and its slim production values often show through the seams of the otherwise lovely game engine, but none of that really matters. If you like shooting stuff, you will love this game.

In some ways, the Xbox equivalent of "Katamari Damacy."

In some cases, notably in the variety of bosses and in the unlockable bonuses, the first title is better than the sequel.

Dodgy track list aside, this is a consistently fun and often funny title that keeps the charm and oddity of the Japanese original intact. It's also one of those games that could only work this well on the Nintendo DS, and it's difficult to resist these Agents' combination of charm and dance prowess.

Stand-out art for a diverse cast of heroes, villains, and soldiers helps the game excel in the graphics category, and although complex, it's set up well enough so you won't get lost in numbers, menus, and statistics.

We can gripe about colors and crummy modes till the ninjas come home, but the simple fact is that Soul Calibur III is still a top-tier fighting game.

Ultimately, Retribution doesn’t usurp the PS3 entries in this franchise, but it doesn’t undermine them either. Instead, it’s as solid a side story as God Of War: Chains Of Olympus was to that series. Though, we must admit, your enjoyment all depends on your perspective on the PSP’s ideas of FPS-style controls.

A solid platformer that will elicit nostalgia in some and déjà vu in others.

While the gameplay is super tight, the depth is a bit lacking and the single-player modes could definitely use more variety. But for a lot of gamers, the killer personality, fast pace, and handsome looks of Ultimate Muscle will highlight the best trait the game has, it's simply fun to play.

A great game. Harnessing the power of your enemy's soul at least superficially changes the ancient formula and incorporates a limited link cable mode for the bartering of souls.

It provides simple, addictive gameplay for the novice with enough depth for all but the most spreadsheet-crazed war gamer.

The Wii version is a genuine improvement over the PS2 one. The extra content is solid, the controls are good, and the game itself holds up really well.

With a couple tweaks to the gameplay here and there, Sega could have a perennial powerhouse on its hands.

The game deserves special props for its amazingly executed setting; the whole world is so visibly at war that every mission in the game feels completely natural.

Technical issues aside, Far Cry 2 is an epic (and epic-ly long) take on the first-person shooter. The setting, open word, and side quests make it feel more like a more action-oriented "Grand Theft Auto," or a less ridiculous "Just Cause," than the original. Which, admittedly, will annoy fans of the original (present company included).

A classic that deserves being reborn, and the remake is even bigger than the original. There are more levels, more beast forms, and a multiplayer mode for those who own a link cable.

What's most surprising is that titles such as "Pitfall" are still a lot of fun, and even the included sports games still offer a decent amount of replay value.

The game doesn't feel entirely new or original, but it's well executed and consistently fun.

The occasional crashes in the older ones are a little annoying, but they’re still quite playable, and with all their expansions you could easily spend months playing against the AI alone.

We’re way overdue for this series to let us issue direct commands to individual squad members, or split up teams in more ways than this awkward 3-on-1 business.

Perhaps the most significant expansion to "EverQuest," not only in terms of content, but also in how it has so thoroughly changed the game experience.

A perfectly satisfying way to quell your hunger pains for a long-form, hardcore RTS.

Easily one of the best portable remakes on the PSP. The single player game is entertaining, and the multiplayer options are remarkable.

The simplification of the gameplay also tends to make the game feel a bit repetitive, and it can be frustrating to repeatedly try to make the same jump to that last graffiti spot only to fall and be forced to climb all the way back up and try again...[yet] one of the best games on the Xbox.

Niggling inconsistencies and slightly bland between-race presentation aside, Colin McRae Rally 3 is a beautiful, realistic, and smooth translation of rally racing. The tracks are gorgeous, challenging, and addictive.

Battalion Wars carries over the charm, fun, and visual style of the "Advance Wars" games that came before it. However, with no multiplayer and minimal replayability, this is a considerably shorter war than the portable ones.

The result could be the best "Star Trek" game ever -- maybe not in terms of pure strategic or simulation gameplay, but certainly in terms of being true to its license.

A sure thing for any GBA owner and makes for an above-average multiplayer racer.

If you're not heartless, Nintendogs will be one of the most innovative, inimitable, and impressive games you've come across.

While only high leveled players will really get to explore all that this expansion has to offer, newer ones will want access to the achievements, so they too will want to upgrade, even if it takes them awhile before they get to head to the skies.

Civ City: Rome doesn’t do much to meaningfully innovate, but it does successfully take the more important design elements of past games and incorporates them into a challenging, great looking, and great playing package.

There’s a lot to like here, and the game does a nice job of blending mindless destruction with equal parts stupid- and well-thought out humor.

The only warning you need: Watch out for bugs that range from slight inconveniences to ones that completely stunt your progress.

Fans of classic horror and science fiction will enjoy it more than most, but the emphasis on action will win over gamers whose tastes are in tune with competitive games like "Twisted Metal" and lighter fighting game fare.

May not be perfect, but it's a definite improvement over 2003's game and you simply can't beat the price.

The levels are fun, the gameplay is solid, and the puzzles and bosses require more than a bit of brain matter to figure out, resulting in a nice sense of accomplishment every time you reach a new milestone in Raz's adventure.

Rise of Legends is a very different sort of RTS game that genre fans will be able to pick up and play but yet will find themselves drawn into thanks to its very different look and feel.

One thing 2K Sports continually proves, however, is that it can bring the game even when it doesn't look as sharp as the competition.

Subtle touches such as the clips from HotD2, voice acting, and mimicked designs of the series' various settings make PotD a fitting homage to the series.

The graphics in Super Monkey Ball Jr. truly shine. Executed in the same style as its arcade/console counterparts, Jr. plays in full 3D This level of quality should surprise many.

Take it all together, though, and it's a pretty clear snapshot of what made Sega's 16-bit console worth remembering. It's a great nostalgia trip, an even better history lesson, and hopefully the first in a long series of Genny revivals.

A very addictive game that continues to surprise and delight the more you play. For the money, there's plenty to do, and best of all it lets you focus on what you find fun.

You'll adore Alien Hominid. An attractive price, original concept, and splendid execution outshine issues such as its short-lived thrills and shallow premise.

On a rudimentary gameplay level, Syberia is an average adventure game with average puzzles. But dig a little deeper and you'll find an experience that evokes a somber mood that stays with you long after you've finished playing.

With tons of secrets to uncover, and a surprising array of different gameplay options, Mortal Kombat: Deception is a surprisingly fun package.

Izuna 2 is fun to play and occasionally just plain funny as well, which is why it shouldn't get lost in the middle of its suddenly crowded little niche.

The single-player experience still leaves much to be desired, but the multiplayer experience definitely earns that thirty dollar price tag.

An exceptional game housed in an exceedingly generic shell. The parts that work well do so brilliantly, while those that don't only serve to make the game feel incomplete. There are things that will annoy the hell out of you, no question, but there's also a ridiculous amount of fun to be had.

As a first-person shooter, it doesn't quite reach the level of a "Quake" or "Half-Life," but neither is the correct measuring stick, since the gameplay here falls somewhere in between the two.

While the structure and sidequests are a little too hard core and not as good as we would've hoped for in the first true "Final Fantasy" sequel, Final Fantasy X-2 is a great game nonetheless.

Throwing kicks, punches, taunts, and even princesses in homage to '70s era martial arts, this laugh-and-punch thrill ride is a ton of fun. Stupid fun, yes, but fun nonetheless.

Even with the short running time, however, Genji is so well-constructed that anyone partial to sword combat should pay attention.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is a great intro into the episodic gaming world.

Both the pawn system and the tactile nature of the boss fights are the exemplary features that ensures this game defies the categorization of being derivative. This is one of those promising rough-around-the-edges experiences where you can't help but want a sequel even before your first playthrough is complete.

It's one of the few singularly unique titles to find its way to shelves this year and is truly great fun.

We're peeved at the ability to flick aside 18-wheelers like they're raisins on a table, but overall, you're going to have problems finding a more visceral, violent driving game.