Gamers wanting to experience some of the bloodiest combat you're likely to see in any FPS this year, or those wanting to revel in perhaps the most visionary graphic novel-style presentation of the decade need only look as far as The Darkness II. It's a wild and non-stop ride of gore and carnage with gameplay that uniquely adapts to each person who plays it. It has surprising moments of heart and storytelling, but most of all; it's a bloody good time from start to finish, and a game you'll play at least twice just so you can experience it all.

I've loved every minute I've spent with Shank 2 since I downloaded it, and I can't wait to replay and revisit my favorite levels whenever I need to blow off some steam. The game is just so much fun and so outrageously over-the-top that you can't help but become addicted. I'm taken back to my early arcade days of Double Dragon or Street Fighter, only now I get much cooler weapons, lots more blood, stunning visuals and sound, and a whole lot of attitude. Shank is the ultimate badass and that's how I feel every time I play Shank 2.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning isn't the first action-RPG, but it is the first to put the focus on the action. This is easily the must-own, must-play RPG of 2012 so don't miss out.

Really, that's what UFC Undisputed 3 is all about: Great options surrounding solid core gameplay. Whether you're new player, ready to be taught what the game has to offer or a veteran coming back for the myriad improvements or additions, a competitive fighter looking for a balanced playing field to match skills or a huge fan of the sport coming in for the 150 fighters represented at different points in their career, the game's got something for everyone who could possibly be interested in it.

UFC Undisputed 3 is a great game for any fight fan. It's a perfect mix of boxing and WWE showmanship with the cuts and cauliflower ears to prove it.

When it comes right down to it Rochard is a fully enjoyable action game with plenty of puzzles to work through. While not overly challenging, though some took me a few second to figure out just what to do, I can tell you I missed the three hour speed run achievement by several hours, but considering all the hidden health and weapons upgrades as well as trophies that's one achievement that will have to come later.

But I don't want to detract from what is here – Double Fine is hands-down the most innovative development studio in gaming, and Double Fine Happy Action Theater is a truly fantastic example of what can be achieved when you combine an amazing group of people with an amazing piece of technology.

If you are a fan of the Call of Duty zombie games then Black Ops Zombies is a must-own addition to your iPad library, if for no other reason than Dead-Ops Arcade. I've easily logged twice as many hours in that mode as the main FPS game, but that will likely change when new maps start to drop.

Diehard fans will definitely want to check the game out, but they are also the ones who are most likely to come away slightly disappointed. And if you aren't a legacy Soulcalibur fight veteran, you may want to just rent or wait for a price drop. There are a few more fighting games coming this year and Soulcalibur V has left plenty of room for improvement.

If you're a fan of the Scarygirl TPB or of Jurevicius in general (see I can refer to him without making his name possessive) then this game is right up your alley. Highly recommended for any awkward teenage gamers with just the right sense of style, or if you're looking for a cheap, creepy diversion and the local side show has rolled up its bearded lady for the season.

PixelJunk SideScroller is a title that I could sit and play it for hours if wasn't for the need to sleep and other necessities. The simplicity of the game's design and the ease of use controls make it an easy game for anyone to pick up and play. Though it's totally up to the player if they have the determination to make it through 13 levels of enemy filled levels and creative bosses. If that's not enough then there are Leaderboards to top and trophies to earn for those looking for more of a challenge. IF you haven't already started downloading PixelJunk SideScroller you should be. Fun starts with the drop of a few coins.

So if you love a fun and challenging shooter with a clever mix of styles and a killer assortment of boss battles then Nano Assault is definitely worth checking out. While 32 levels might sound like a lot, they are surprisingly short and fast, and competent gamers can blast their way through the Story Mode in 3-4 hours, but with the endless appeal of Arcade and Boss Rush modes there is enough addictive old-school arcade goodness to keep coming back for more microscopic carnage time and time again.

If you are already invested in the series then playing Revelations isn't even an option - it's mandatory. The story is just too important, and frankly, this is the best in the series when it comes to story and action sequences, and not even misplaced tower defense distraction and endless city domination missions can hold it back.

All in all, EyePet & Friends is an impressive piece of technology that is a definite improvement over the previous releases. It still needs quite a bit of work when it comes to presentation, as the blurry backgrounds and visual lag do not help in delivering a believable experience.

Blackwater is a definite step in the right direction to providing the motion-based FPS like the one promised when Microsoft announced their Kinect camera peripheral. But between the controversial backstory, the dicey subject matter, the terrible presentation, and the sketchy controls, it is a game that is better left on the shelf. If you want a better Kinect shooter experience, check out Gunstringer.

At $20, The Kore Gang is a zany tale with an equally outlandish cast that I can easily recommend for a bit of family enjoyment.

Scarygirl has a great visual design that blends the creepiness of Coraline with the charm of Tim Schafer's Pyschonauts and quite often achieves that living storybook charm. I loved the use of the narrator for the opening movie and to preface each chapter, and the music and sound effects fit the game flawlessly. Sadly, the game flops in the gameplay department with buggy combat and glitchy platform jumping sections where one misstep will send you back to a poorly placed checkpoint to do it all over and over again. Repetition to the point of frustration is not fun and not good gameplay. It might have been back in the early 90's, and if you are comfortable with that old-school nostalgia then Scarygirl might be for you.

But if any MMO game were to ever stand a chance of luring me back into the monthly-pay-to-play model, SWTOR is certainly it. With its movie-like presentation, engaging stories, and seemingly endless quest potential, this is one RPG that gets harder to put down the longer you keep playing. And I haven't even fully tapped into the advanced material like Guilds and serious PVP play. Combine all of this great content with one of the most stable and trouble-free launches in MMO history and you have your new role-model to which all other MMO games should aspire. Welcome to the future of online role-playing.

NFL Blitz is great at being what it was originally supposed to be: an arcade football game. It has fun gameplay, good graphics and funny announcers. If you just stick to that, NFL Blitz is worth the $15 cost. If you expect classic NFL Blitz late hits or accurate gameplay you will be disappointed.

Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest is one of the smash hits of the holiday season, not just for Move but for family gaming in general. If you haven't added a PS Move to your PS3 then this might be the game to push you over the edge. Whether you buy the game as part of the hardware bundle or just pick-up the title by itself, you definitely want to add this game to your collection. I haven't had this much fun with my PS Move in a long time.

Debuting at $40, Tekken Hybrid isn't a bad deal considering you are getting a feature film, an HD remake of a complete game, and a fantastic preview of a new one. Still, you have to be a pretty major Tekken fan to invest in this unique bundle that smacks of marketing hype – not that that's necessarily bad.

AMY is choked full of interesting concepts, clever puzzles, and a truly terrifying gameplay atmosphere, but whatever potential this game has to be great, or even good, is torpedoed by the unforgiving checkpoint and save system.

Zen Pinball 3D is a tough game to recommend. For $7 you're going to get four tables that most franchise fans already own and have played to death. It would have been nice to have at least one 3DS-exclusive table to sweeten the pot, and I'm guessing that with dozens of other existing console tables ready to be ported there is no incentive to make anything original for the handheld at this time.

Stranger will suck you in, much like his bounty collection device, from the opening tutorial and you won't be able to put it down until the final boss fight and surprise ending.

For $20, though, this game offers a lot of fun. Compared to a typical $50 to $60 title, it's an incredible bargain for what it offers, and since it's so easy to pick up and put down, there's a spot for Earth Defense Force in practically every gamer's library.

I realize that I am painting a fairly bad picture of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and I admit that it is hard to be objective when I have already had the pleasure to play the title on both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. Comparing across the platforms is hardly fair when the Wii's processing power is so limited that it forces developers to make significant modifications to the gameplay. But even considering that, Modern Warfare 3 is merely an average shooter compared to the other FPS titles on the Wii.

Jimmie Johnson's Anything With An Engine is the complete definition of a lackluster experience.

WWE '12 looks great, sounds great, and even comes with top-shelf presentation, and if it were not for the brutally difficult reversal system, the single-button system might not seem so bad – but the two together make for a game that is frustrating as heck and without any real reward.

If you own a PSP at all and love a good horror story then I absolutely recommend getting Corpse Party from the PlayStation Network.

Once Upon a Monster is the finest Sesame Street game on the market, and one of the best Kinect games to date. This perfect blend of entertainment and enrichment fills a void on the home console, and provides a wonderful experience for the whole family.

For families looking to have a good time with their Wii's this winter, I highly recommend taking a trip to Kawawii Island with Go Vacation. It may is not the best sounding or the prettiest game out there but Go Vacation packs in a wealth of fun for every member of the family.

Alone or with friends, Trine 2 is simply one of the best PC games you can play this year. You can check out the demo on Steam if you need further convincing because words and screenshots simply don't do this game justice. Just make sure you experience the magical of Trine 2. It is an unforgettable adventure that will keep you glued to your PC for days and weeks to come.

With its awesome environments, outrageous creatures, powerful weapons, and insane level of challenging gameplay, there should be enough violent bloodletting to satiate the hardest of hardcore players.

Rabbids: Alive & Kicking is definitely a unique approach to playing around with those mischievous critters. Much of the insanity and charm is back along with some new physical gameplay that might prove a bit too much for those, like myself, who come unprepared.

Rayman Origins is a rare breed indeed. In a culture obsessed with realism and violent action and FPS titles it's great to see a major studio take a risk and release an old-school platform game for a next-gen system.

If you're a diehard fan of Lord of the Rings and just have to have everything then War in the North will tide you over nicely till The Hobbit finally hits theatres. For anyone else, it's a competent rendition of an action RPG and worth the look if you're done with Skyrim, but I wouldn't go out of my way to play this.

This would make for an okay budget title, but at a $40 price tag, it's a complete rip-off. Unless you're a die-hard puzzle fan who happens to spot this in a bargain bin, Mind Gym 3D isn't worth it.

Overall, Mahjong Cub3d is a solid title if you enjoy puzzles and have a fondness for Mahjong Solitaire. At $30, it's a budget title for the 3DS, but it's still a considerable amount of cash. Still, the title packs a solid amount of play time, and it's a refreshing take on a classic game. If you're a puzzle fan looking for a title on the 3DS, Mahjong Cub3d is a good choice.

At a measly 4-5 hours of gameplay it's just not long enough to please twin-stick shooter fans, and coupled with the poor choice in camera angles and lack of detail on the enemy soldiers I'd have to recommend Voltron: Defender of the Universe only at a discount for someone not familiar with the Voltron series. But honestly, this game is targetings fans of the show, and fans are going to love it. plus it's all we have and all we are probably going to get for a long time.

In all fairness though Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy is one of the best aerial combat games that I've ever played and the folks over at Namco Bandai delivered another fantastic addition to their critically acclaimed franchise. It has the right amount of action, easy to use and fluid controls and great visuals for a 3DS title. Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy is totally worth the price of admission and a must have if you own a Nintendo 3DS.

Personally, I'd give this game a recommendation if it goes on a half-price sale, but 800ms points ($10) is just a bit too much for this budget-quality blast from the past that is way too short and way too repetitive to be taken seriously.

In a perfect world there would have only been one Jurassic movie sequel and this would have been it, but thanks to Telltale Games, you can still experience Spielberg's dream movie in what can only be described as the perfect blend of interactive cinema and adventure gaming.

Xotic offers up a fairly mediocre FPS offering for the 800ms points you'll be dropping on it.

Xotic offers up fresh and original FPS experience that is well worth the $10 asking price.

The gameplay is solid and polished, and every level is fiendishly designed. There's and endless amount of content to conquer. Ms. Splosion Man excels in every way, and it has my absolute approval.

As a fan of the original Family Game Night fare, I found myself utterly disappointed with Family Game Night 4: The Game Show. The short-format gameplay is too brief to to warrant a full release (at any price), and the lackluster presentation and horrid controls only make it worse. Over the many decades of its existence, Hasbro has done a lot of things right, Family Game Night 4: The Game Show is not one of them.

While I can't presume to be an expert on fighting games, I do have a pretty strong grasp on what I like. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3's selection and variety of characters, depth of knowledge and reference to its source material, and the addition of Galactus and Heroes and Heralds mode gives a shot in the arm to a game that was pretty great to begin with, and it's well worth the money to anyone eager to check out the new cast.

I don't normal recommend movie tie-ins let alone enjoy them that much, but I have to recommend Puss in Boots to anyone with a PS3 and a PlayStation Move package. It' got the right amount of DreamWorks charm, excellent gameplay and visuals and plenty of replayability long after you beat the story.

I won't lie; I had a lot of fun with this game for the few days I played it, but with its limitation on players and its limited content it's hard to see this as a retail product.

Everybody Dance is no Dance Central, nor is it a Just Dance, but it is a heck of a lot of fun.

LEGO Harry Potter Years 5 – 7 is a terrific culmination of the Harry Potter storyline, and a perfect addition to the LEGO franchise. Entertaining for the young and old alike, it is a game the whole family will enjoy. Fans of the books and films will love the fan service Travellers Tales doles out, and veteran gamers will enjoy the finely tuned gameplay.

It's hard to rate Jurassic Park: The Game as an actual game. While it's a terrific movie, when it's sold for PC at $30 for an experience only slightly more interactive than watching the original movie on DVD, it's a pretty terrible game. It'd be worth chipping in together with friends and gathering around to play it together, since it's a genuinely wonderful experience, but alone, it's incredibly hard to justify.

They've created a world as much as they've created a game, and it's utterly brilliant. If you've got a computer that can run it, and the ability to manipulate a keyboard and mouse in any way, you owe it to yourself to play Skyrim.

If you really feel like inflicting some permanent damage on an unsuspecting 5 year old then by all means pick this title up. Otherwise, just put in LittleBigPlanet and be considered the cool adult in the room.

Dead Space: Extraction is still my favorite on-rails light gun shooter for the PS Move, but The House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended Cut ranks right up there as one of the best arcade shooting games you can play on the PS3. Even if you don't have a plastic gun to snap your Move motion controller into, the sensation of blasting away the mutant hoards is undeniable and gratuitous fun. And the whole grindhouse presentation only make the game that much more mutha-F'in fun.

Carnival Island is great family fun and an awesome way to experience the PS Move. With so many games and game variations, and so many rewards, prizes, and balloons to unlock, kids and their parents will find countless hours of wholesome entertainment waiting inside this magical playground

So if you own a Kinect (or there is one waiting under the Christmas tree) and you want to experience the best gameplay the hardware has to offer then you definitely want to get Puss in Boots. Not only does it get my vote for best Kinect game and best movie-inspired game, it's probably the best kid-targeted game of the season, if not the entire year.

In addition to the main Discovery mode you can also compete for times in Ghost mode or tackle the levels in the Challenge and Bonus modes where you are often required to complete the level with 100% of your mercury. There is plenty of content that easily makes this worth the $5 initial purchase and with the promise of more DLC and some that is already available; Mercury Hg is one of the better XBLA purchases this holiday season

With some good there of course has to be some bad. The standard music that plays isn't the best that I think they could have gotten, which made the custom playlist feature so nice for me. With a game of this pricing and quality I couldn't understand why they had to create a DLC for a later date instead of just giving me all the levels in the initial purchase. Mercury Hg is not really something I see spending money on twice.

Skylanders a charming game with a fascinating toy tie-in, but there isn't much here to offer to older gamers.

I admit that I was not expecting much from Dead Island, given the oversaturated subject matter and the delayed development time. And while the game definitely has its share of weaknesses, it is pleasantly surprising in its own right.

I enjoyed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Defiance on the DS though there are a few things that bring it down. The graphics are still rough and they totally missed an opportunity to use the now affordable 3DS's power.

Happy Feet Two is easily the best movie-inspired game of the holiday season…perhaps the entire year.

Dance Central 2 is a solid game and perhaps an even better dance instructor.

Just Dance 3 manages to edge past Dance Central 2 in overall accessibility and definitely in fun factor.

I enjoyed the refreshing diversity of the 40+ track sections you get to experience as you cross our great country.

Retailing for $49.95, The Sims 3 Pets is a solid game that provides hours of creative and exploratory sandbox gameplay.

Ultimately, Stronghold 3 is a promising game that really could have used another year or two of development time.

Heroes VI brings back the kind of game I thought I'd never see any more. It's rare to see a turn-based strategy game come from a major company these days, but Heroes VI goes back to the series' roots, and comes out with a great game.

In the end, Dead Rising 2: Off the Record isn't a bad game by any means. It's just a game that pretty much everyone who's interested in Dead Rising's already played. While it'd be a good entrance point for new players, and it might be worth playing through with a friend, only the most fanatical zombie killers need to consider it.

Saints Row The Third never lets up, and that's to its credit. As someone who always shelved his free-roaming crime games once I ran through the plot, Saints Row The Third is the first sandbox game to keep my attention once it's done. And with more DLC on the way, it looks like it's going to have an incredible amount of staying power.

Overall, I feel that this game is well worth the $7.99 on PSN, or just a free download if you are a member of PSN Plus.

Will Rocksmith revive the dying music game market – probably not. But as an engaging and entertaining tool to help beginners learn to play guitar, it is fantastic. In fact, I would not be surprised if in five years from now we hear a famous rocker or two say "I first learned to play guitar using Rocksmith." It is that good.

Saints Row: The Third released during the biggest gaming week of 2011 – and is sure to be overshadowed.by the simultaneous releases of Skyrim, HALO Anniversary, and previous games like Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3. But gamers would be remiss in overlooking this fantastic experience, because all morality aside – Saints Row: The Third offers dozens of hours of unbridled and entertaining sandbox gameplay, the challenging and humorous Whored Mode, and some of the best weapons and vehicles available.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Impact was a complete blast to play and offers plenty of challenges along the way both locally and over Ad-Hoc.

Crazy Escape is crazy fun and a total delight to play.

Saints Row: The Third is the ultimate sandbox, and Volition has given gamers a massive playground and the biggest and best set of toys possible to carve their own unique destiny in Steelport, both in the engaging single player story and the limitless fun waiting to be shared in the co-op game.

I feel sort of bad ripping this game so badly, but I went into it really hoping to be blown away, and came away feeling like I, and anyone else unfortunate enough to have fallen for their ruse, had been duped.

MDK2 HD is a prime example of how a game can be challenging and a lot of fun at the same time. This is still one of the weirdest (in a good way) titles that I've ever played in my life, but the experience is totally worth it.

Sideway: New York may not be an epic platformer, but it is a great deal of fun and certainly worth the $10 price point. While it may not introduce innovative gameplay, the stylish presentation and imaginative artwork makes it one of those games that gamers will pick up just to show friends how cool a game can be.

Bethesda has refined the RPG genre, crafting what is quite possibly the best RPG ever made.

Modern Warfare 3 is perfection when it comes to story and gameplay, and it's only going to get better as more DLC arrives and the game is refined and balanced as the designers analyze real-time data from all the matches being played.

Modern Warfare 3 is pure perfection in gameplay and graphics, and it's only going to get better as more DLC arrives and the game is refined and balanced as the designers analyze real-time data from all the matches being played. There is no fan base more loyal than Call of Duty, and this game is guaranteed to delight all who play now and in the years to come.

It's hard to believe Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has finally arrived let alone lived up to all the hype surrounding it.

Battlefield 3 deserves to carry on the name of its franchise, and it wouldn't suprise me to see it still being played in years to come as Activision keeps churning out its annual Calls of Duty. It's great to see games being designed for the PC in this day and age, and the pace, atmosphere, and level design is neigh-perfect. When a multiplayer game's only downfalls are slight inaccessibility and a mediocre single player campaign, there's something terrific happening.

The campaign was completely disposable and most gamers can probably skip unless they are questing for achievements – there are some fun mission-specific challenges to earn those. But for gamers looking for a solid multiplayer offering with a heavy focus on cooperative team play, look no further than the expansive gameplay that Battlefield 3 has to offer.

Batman: Arkham City is easily the most immersive superhero game I've played since those open-world Spider-Man games, and quite possibly a contender for Game of the Year.

If you favor frustration over fun then you might enjoy this game, but bring along lots of lube because this game is going to screw you more than an alien anal probe.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is the perfect symphony of interactive, cinematic, action-adventure; a crowning achievement in game design so amazing I want to replay the entire series from the beginning. This is the adventure of a lifetime and definitely a contender for Game of the Year.

Bottom line, it might not have all the bells and whistles that the blockbuster FPS games that are being released, but it doesn't have the same price tag, either. And you'll definitely get a lot of bang for your buck with this game.

At the end of the day, Payday is a game that doesn't live up to the sum of its parts.

In the end, Off-Road Drive could have been a really enjoyable title for me. I'm always up for a challenge but unfortunately neither a keyboard nor gamepad could help me through the frustrating gameplay.

Dungeon Defenders is easily AAA material at a quarter of the cost, which we don't see with Arcade titles that often. If you're in the mood for a great strategy RPG then look no further than Dungeon Defenders.

It's hard to get around the fact that Skylanders is a game for kids. From the toy-driven expansion scheme to the bright, friendly colors and music, there's not a lot in this game to appeal to the Dead Space or Gears of War crowd. But for gamers of all ages willing to embrace the game's aesthetics and kick back and have a good time, Skylanders is the 3DS's first great platformer, and well worth taking for a spin.

Skylanders signifies a new start for the franchise – a step back to Spyro's roots, yet a step into the future.

I suspect this will be one of the first titles to take a price drop, so if this time of the year is really punishing your wallet, you might want to wait, but for those who never got to play GoldenEye on the N64 or even last year on the Wii, you can now finally experience a bit of gaming history, freshly wrapped in a next-gen package that is so challenging, so fun, and so addicting, you might have trouble deciding what to play when all those holiday titles start stacking up.

I suspect this will be one of the first titles to take a price drop, so if this time of the year is really punishing your wallet, you might want to wait, but for those who never got to play GoldenEye on the N64 or even last year on the Wii, you can now finally experience a bit of gaming history, freshly wrapped in a next-gen package that is so challenging, so fun, and so addicting, you might have trouble deciding what to play when all those holiday titles start stacking up.

NBA 2K12 is a great simulation with a lot to offer, from street pick-up games to World Champion classic teams. Hopefully the lack of current rosters is temporary. NBA 2K12 is an improvement over last year, but only a slight one.