Duels of the Planeswalkers isn't the full Magic experience. It's a taste of the broader landscape to entice players and make them more comfortable attending a casual Friday Night Magic event. If you're new to Magic: The Gathering, Duels of the Planeswalkers remains the best way to learn how to play without the intimidation of other players. Even with the online connection issues and additional purchases tied to making the most of Sealed mode, this is the best version to date. It's easy to recommend for new players just learning and veteran spellslingers looking for new single-player matches.

Duels of the Planeswalkers isn't the full Magic experience. It's a taste of the broader landscape to entice players and make them more comfortable attending a casual Friday Night Magic event. If you're new to Magic: The Gathering, Duels of the Planeswalkers remains the best way to learn how to play without the intimidation of other players. Even with the online connection issues and additional purchases tied to making the most of Sealed mode, this is the best version to date. It's easy to recommend for new players just learning and veteran spellslingers looking for new single-player matches.

Duels of the Planeswalkers isn't the full Magic experience. It's a taste of the broader landscape to entice players and make them more comfortable attending a casual Friday Night Magic event. If you're new to Magic: The Gathering, Duels of the Planeswalkers remains the best way to learn how to play without the intimidation of other players. Even with the online connection issues and additional purchases tied to making the most of Sealed mode, this is the best version to date. It's easy to recommend for new players just learning and veteran spellslingers looking for new single-player matches.

Despite its shortcomings, SMT IV is a handheld adventure that RPG fans are sure to embrace for hours on end. While it doesn’t go in too many new directions, it makes some bold story moves that kept me reflecting long after I stopped playing.

I’ve played a lot of bad Xbox 360 games for achievements, but hardly any are as unpolished and poorly executed as Dark. It’s easily one of this generation’s worst titles. Even when the stealth is working moderately well, the slow pacing is a killer, and no amount of blood sucking brings satisfaction. Most levels were completed through trial and error, failure after failure, and then success coming from exploiting an AI bug or an odd design decision.

I have few complaints about this second and final expansion to Civilization V. My favorite game in recent years is better than ever thanks to Brave New World. The way Firaxis has fleshed out the thin areas of the game without screwing up the many things it does right is impressive. Peaceful no longer means passive.

Even with these positives, and a better-late-than-never addition of the Ultimate Team mode, NCAA Football 14 is not a game that shows a series playing at its peak as a console generation ends.

Ultimately, 400 Days is worth playing for invested fans. Telltale has clearly learned the game works best when it presents you with unattractive choices that pull at your humanity.

Striking and intense moments make up the bulk of 400 Days' appeal.

As this DLC ups the shock factor, it makes it clear when season two rolls around that Telltale has no boundaries, and you should prepare your emotions accordingly.

With the exception of some Kinect and Wii games that flat-out don’t work, this is the worst video game I’ve played this console generation. Thankfully, it’s terrible in such a way as to make it absolutely hilarious to play. As I played, curious co-workers stopped by to gawk at its unbelievable ineptness.

The seas are oversaturated with match-three games, but Scurvy Scallywags bobs near the top. Its charming presentation and impressive gameplay depth make it worth a download, even if you are close to being pirated out.

The reboot is close enough to the original – warts and all – to entertain the faithful. If you don’t have any nostalgia surrounding Larry and his plight, however, you may be left wondering why anyone bothered digging him up again.

Yes, the art and animation are even more gorgeous, but none of the core design problems from the original version were addressed. The result is a familiar experience that feels both faithful and flawed.

What Project X Zone lacks in expert strategies and rewarding tactics, it makes up for with a plethora of fun combat animations.

If it had been made by an upstart studio trying to make a name for itself, we’d be praising its ambition and presentation. Coming from Relic Entertainment as the follow-up to one of the landmark real-time strategy games in the genre’s history, though, it fails to meet expectations.

I wouldn’t say it falls into the “it’s so bad, it’s good” camp, but like a cheesy Nic Cage movie, it sometimes hits the right comedic notes, but it just doesn’t hit them enough.

Nintendo has always lagged behind when it comes to online offerings, so the quality of New Super Luigi U is reassuring. It may recycle tons of content from the main game, but more Mario platforming action is rarely a bad thing. As a fan of New Super Mario Bros. U, I enjoyed these new twists on the decades-old format.

Nonetheless, flashes of brilliance are in evidence throughout these Dungeons & Dragons adventures, and both games were far enough ahead of their time to hold up to scrutiny. Four friends could have a great time blasting through both games in an extended evening get-together.

Nonetheless, flashes of brilliance are in evidence throughout these Dungeons & Dragons adventures, and both games were far enough ahead of their time to hold up to scrutiny. Four friends could have a great time blasting through both games in an extended evening get-together.

Nonetheless, flashes of brilliance are in evidence throughout these Dungeons & Dragons adventures, and both games were far enough ahead of their time to hold up to scrutiny. Four friends could have a great time blasting through both games in an extended evening get-together.

Game & Wario is a strange game that doesn’t offer a particularly cohesive experience, but that’s all part of the charm. It is a humorous and fun title that is perfect for showing off why the Wii U is special.

Put simply, this is an excellent mobile translation of a tabletop experience – but random design elements in the source material hold it back.

Moving between moments of greatness and moments of glaring ineptitude, State of Decay leaves me with mixed feelings. It has a great idea at its core, and I want to give the developers at Undead Labs credit for that. But lots of games begin with great ideas; executing those ideas well and letting the player experience them fully is the challenge. That’s where State of Decay falls apart.

Many of CastleStorm’s mechanics have been seen in other games, but Zen Studios blends them all together to create something fresh: a strategy title with a lot of real-time combat elements and a goofy charm.

Kingdom Rush: Frontiers is highly approachable, but don’t let its humorous comic veneer fool you. Turn up the difficulty, and Ironhide has tuned a remarkably balanced game that juggles punishment and reward in equal measure. Frontiers remains close to form to its predecessor, but recognizing where to make improvements on an already strong formula is an art form all its own.

Gunpoint is short, but it feels like the right length. You can get through the whole game in about three hours. The story is dense and the dialogue choices are varied, offering incentive to replay the game.

Prime World: Defenders had an exceptionally low bar to clear to get me on board, but the staid design and brutal grind managed to miss even that simple goal. Because the power differential between basic and improved cards is so great, the difficulty ticks over from impossible to trivial out of nowhere. Neither extreme is much fun, and unfortunately neither is Prime World: Defenders.

The Last of Us is a deeply felt, shockingly violent game that questions what we're willing to sacrifice and, more disturbingly, what we're willing to do so save the ones we love. The conclusion offers no easy answers. You won't forget it.

New Leaf is one of the most purely pleasant experiences in gaming, free of stressful boss fights, combative multiplayer experiences, or cynicism in any form. Instead, it focuses on clever humor and forming friendships with the residents of your town. Some may find it cheesy or without direction, but I enjoyed this endlessly charming outlier in the current gaming landscape.

Rymdkapsel fizzles out with no fanfare. Players must provide their own motivation to best wave counts, and work on new strategies with payoffs or drawbacks that can’t be known until another hour of playtime passes. Rymdkapsel is a creative concept, but needs far more building out and polish to become a great game.

The detailed world of Neo-Paris seems like it should be full of great stories, but the one Dontnod tells is uninspired. The environmental climbing sequences offer some simple fun, but the linear paths diminish any sense of exploration this otherwise would have achieved.

Combat is filled with fresh ideas, but that creativity inhibits your capability in combat. Hopefully Dontnod doesn’t forget any of the lessons it learned this time around, because a sequel could be truly memorable.

A highly atmospheric, gorgeous title with a variety of mind-bending puzzles. The ride is over quickly, but it will stick with me for quite some time.

Tetris Blitz is played two minutes at a time, but bypassing the pop-ups to get to the core game feels like it takes just as long. Not having to pay for the game up front sounds like a great bargain, but when you are bombarded the way you are in Blitz, it makes it feel like you’re getting ripped off, even if you haven’t spent a dime.

None of Legendary Heroes' rough spots keep it from being an excellent game that I recommend with no reservations. Stardock has finally delivered on the promise that Elemental once held, back in the halcyon days of 2009. You don't have to be any kind of strategy savant to appreciate what this exceptional release has to offer.

Grid 2's LiveRoutes system – where upcoming junctions are populated on the fly to avoid track repetition – helps alleviate the lack of drama, and is where this game shines.

I like that Grid 2's multiplayer carrot tastes slightly different than the single-player one, but ultimately the game – apart from the LiveRoutes system – isn't the revelation that I was hoping for. Codemasters has proven that it can deliver a compelling racing experience on the track, but we'll have to keep on waiting for the next big leap forward.

Grid 2 retains much of what made the first alluring, but falls short of pushing racing games forward like the original.

If chaotic, over-the-top shootouts are your thing, there’s plenty to like in Fuse amongst the frustrations. Just be sure to bring some friends along for the ride.

I was bothered by the cutscene situation, the basic AI (both friendly and enemy), a couple of glitches that forced restarts, and the dramatic change in fun factor when playing solo. That said, I can’t deny that I spent a lot of time laughing while playing with three others.

While I can’t help but point out some notable missteps, I also can’t deny Star Command’s irresistibility, and I happily recommend it to fellow sci-fi enthusiasts.

Blasting through the game's varied environments with a pistol in each hand never got old, and I always looked forward to the end-level duel with a legend of the Wild West. After the dreadful Call of Juarez: The Cartel, I was skeptical going into this downloadable offering. To my surprise, Techland has bounced back with a very enjoyable tribute to the tall tales of the Wild West.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Gunslinger's shootouts. The game certainly doesn't turn any FPS conventions on their ears, but it still presents tense and entertaining shootouts frequently.

The Wii U version cleans up the HUD by putting menu and map information on the GamePad's screen. I like having constant access to a map without shuffling through menus.

This former 3DS game doesn’t stand toe-to-toe with the best console shooters, but it’s a faithful port. Revelations has a lot to offer fans of the series and players looking for a more evenly paced, thoughtful shooter.

The new content, including an entertaining challenge-based two-player co-op mode, along with dual-analog stick control make this the definitive version of Resident Evil: Revelations.

While I enjoyed the extreme challenge of collecting all the letters and conquering the Golden Temple in the original game, I feel that these items make the game more enjoyable without taking away too much of the difficulty.

Cut the Rope: Time Travel is a great follow-up to one of the most successful games on iOS, and proves to be well worth the asking price.

Sanctum 2 shines brightest when it's forcing you to think and consider all the options it places in front of you, from tower choice to which enemies to gun down to what perks are the most advantageous.

Planning gets you ahead, but making choices in the heat of the moment is just as important. This dichotomy makes Sanctum 2 some of the most fun I've had with a tower defense game in a long time.

Ace Patrol shines in its mechanics and may very well become a good game after a steady progression of updates. As it stands now, this one could use some more time in flight school.

Shades of Darkness is a fine addition for fans of Heroes VI, but I cannot recommend it without the serious caveat of rampant AI cheating and a sad sigh for a game that I want to love more than I do.

Metro: Last Light fixes most of its predecessor's flaws while also improving upon its strengths, delivering gameplay that lives up to the exceptional storytelling.

Last Light features tighter controls and improved sound design for its arsenal, which now puts the gunplay on par with most triple-A shooters. However, I was more enthralled by the upgraded stealth mechanics.

This sequel plays more like a shooter than its predecessor, but doesn't sacrifice its intricate narrative or creative vision in the process. Masochistic fans will appreciate the harder difficulties that recreate the grueling experience of the original, but no matter how you approach it, exploring Last Light's absorbing world is wholly entertaining.

Even with its foibles, StarDrive is a rare treat for those with the fortitude to marshal past its rough spots; invest the time it takes to understand, and the galaxy has a lot to offer.

Haunted Hollow’s biggest fault is that you have no incentive to keep playing; the asynchronous multiplayer works well, but all you earn for successful Haunted Hollowing are Game Center achievements. No new worthwhile content is unlockable without spending money.

Rather than the fun and addicting challenge of past Mario vs. Donkey Kong titles, Minis on the Move feels more like homework.

The new matchmaking and social functions also add a new level of engagement to the experience. However, for those who quickly burned out on the first game, I'm not sure this is enough to get them to pick up their virtual art pad again.

I respect Halfbrick as one of the developers responsible for shaping the current state of mobile gaming, but Fish Out Of Water is a barebones offering that sinks rather than swims.

Black Rock Shooter is competent at what it does and, for the most part, entertaining to play. However, it could use a bit more polish and imagination in its design. It doesn't turn the genre on its head, but with my guns blazing through the chaos, I found a more meaningful story than I expected.

Soul Sacrifice has some shining components, and should hold its head high. The depth of weapon customization, strategic layer of combat, and robust multiplayer offerings kept me invested and having fun – even in the face of frustration.

Without any of the microtransaction complications that so characterize the mobile scene right now, Badland stands apart as a world that draws you in completely and immerses you in its charms free of distractions.

They Need To Be Fed 2 controls well and I enjoy its gravitational gameplay, but the uninspired level design and neutered challenge hold the overall experience back. The short, easy levels are perfect for that brief moment in line at the store, but the simple-yet-fun premise doesn’t evolve much beyond the first few introductory levels.

If you’re a fan of endless runners and can put up with the game constantly asking you to post to Facebook or purchase more ISO-8, then you find this a fun diversion while you wait in line to see Iron Man 3 in theaters.

Blood Dragon's neon veneer and synth-heavy soundtrack may call to mind B action movies, but this retro aesthetic is slapped on top of the state-of-the-art Far Cry 3 engine. The tight gunplay, open-world exploration, animal hunting, and wealth of side activities all return with slight modifications to fit the totally radical motif.

Like many of the '80s action flicks it mimics, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon has the potential to alienate people with its crass sense of humor and repetitive one-liners. But if you long for an era when smart-mouthed badasses were more concerned with making things go boom than catering to your social sensitivities, Rex Power Colt is your man, and Blood Dragon is your game.

Deadly Premonition has its faults, but the quirky dialogue, self-directed exploration, and perfect pacing form an addictive and fascinating mystery unlike anything else in gaming. If you’re a newcomer to Agent York’s adventures in Greenvale (or found the controls too awful to tolerate on Xbox 360), you should definitely try Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut. It asks players to overlook a lot of problems, but if you can do that, it pays even greater rewards.

Despite its often-disastrous implementation, Eador’s design is worth your time – a testament to its strength.

Thomas Was Alone is an abstract experience, but it’s a rewarding one that encourages continued exploration. Simple shapes and environments make it seem limited at first, but it crafts new puzzle solutions in its geometric world with each new level. Developer Mike Bithell clearly has a strong passion and understanding for what makes the medium of video games interesting and worth exploring.

A small group of hardcore gamers will revel in Don't Starve's punishing difficulty, but without a better sense of overarching progression or purpose, there are more entertaining and rewarding gaming experiences to spend your time on. I'm interested to see what Klei introduces in promised future updates of the game, but even when playing in a world that's customized to your liking, the thrill of Don't Starve is fleeting.

The Star Trek franchise is built on the concept of a hopeful future, but fans should keep looking toward the horizon, because this present trek is hopeless.

Once you’ve heard all the dialogue, you won’t have much reason to come back to Poker Night 2. It features Texas Hold ‘em and Omaha varieties, but the poker isn’t polished enough to stand on its own. After you’ve unlocked everything, there isn’t any reason to come back.

Whether you’re all on the same couch or meeting up online, Monaco offers a multiplayer experience unlike any other game on the market. The text-based story that unfolds between levels is great fun, especially once you begin to see the different perspectives on the tale that unlock as you play. Rule out impatient players and graphics snobs when picking your team, but everyone else should gear up for the big heist.

If you’ve beaten the game and moved on, there’s enough new stuff to explore that it warrants another playthrough. And for those who are looking for a quirky RPG with epic moments (and pig-throwing hijinks), here it is in one neat bundle.

Dark Arisen is a great expansion for a game that was already loaded with content.

I found distracting bugs in all the versions of the game, but playing Riptide on our high-end gaming PC results in a smoother framerate and improved visuals.

For better and worse, Riptide plays almost exactly like its flawed-but-fun predecessor. The melee-centric gameplay is still weighty and satisfying. Landing deliberate blows on a zombie’s head or limbs feels great, especially when you break an arm or lop off a head. Dead Island’s undead are just threatening enough to keep you on your toes without ever becoming too frustrating.

Riptide’s flaws are many, but they couldn’t hold me back from having a blast. Few games nail the visceral feel of melee combat and co-op fun like Dead Island. At its worst, an annoying hiccup breaks the immersion of the grizzly trek through a zombie-infested paradise. At its best, Riptide hits the same high notes as the original.

The Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins experience is like asking for a complex Lego set for your birthday and finding a box of Duplo under the wrapping paper instead. It’s technically similar, but the differences are critically important.

Sacred Citadel gets a lot of core mechanics right, and it's always fun to load up on powerful new loot. If you just want to run around and smash stuff and don't care about compelling antagonists or heroes, this does the job. But if you're looking for the total package, plenty of great alternatives are already out there.

Terraria may not be accessible, but this sandbox is so deep that you might find yourself buried in self-appointed goals and chasing that carrot of upgradable gear into the early hours of the morning. The combat and controls could use more polish, but a nearly infinite well of items and randomly generated worlds make up for those faults. A lot of games try to hold your hand through a scripted experience, but Terraria makes a good argument for the merits of directionless creation.

Soul Hackers isn't an easy fight, but it's worth every moment that it beats you down. It became my addiction; I was completely enamored with besting bosses, recruiting demons, and finding out where the storyline would go next.

Ganbarion went out of its way to craft a title that experiments with interesting ideas. Unfortunately, none of its unique elements are refined enough to be successful, making it impossible for me to cheer for this underdog.

NetherRealm clearly had a blast creating Injustice. The team’s appreciation of the DC universe blends nicely with their well-worn Mortal Kombat formula to create an experience that is a success on both fighting and comic book levels.

Dillon’s Rolling Western: The Last Ranger stands alone with very few comparable games. It’s an original title that blends genres well with fantastic music and appealing characters. The biggest shortcomings are the timers and restrictions on nearly every aspect of the game. I want to spend more time beating up Grocks and exploring, but just when you find your stride, you are pushed towards the next section whether you’re ready or not.

Even with its platforming frustrations, Guacamelee is an excellent addition to the genre, retaining important classic elements and introducing several fresh additions. The main campaign took me around seven hours (with a decent amount of secret-searching). The pacing is just right, sending you from one adventure to the next without any bloated, boring spots.

There are absolutely no redeeming qualities to Double Dragon II. The only people I can recommend this to are gamers that enjoy hate-playing the worst stuff just to make fun of it or Double Dragon fans who can't help but play every release no matter how terrible.

In order to fully experience and enjoy Monster Hunter, there is a considerable amount of commitment required. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate does little to ease in new players or entice those that aren’t already fans. However, old vets and fair-weather fans alike will find an enriched experience with a hefty amount of new content. Coupled with the online capabilities and graphics overhaul, this is well deserving of the title “ultimate.”

Don’t be fooled by BattleBlock Theater’s downloadable format and low $15 price tag; this is a massive game filled with opportunities for exploration, collection, and fun.

On one hand, this game is free, so the fact that it requires a small investment to enjoy might not seem like a big deal. On the other hand, even if you pay in, the core gameplay isn't satisfying, and your rewards aren't compelling.

Even when Twisted Dreams is firing on all cylinders, levels inevitably devolve into a tedious hunt for gems. Some platformer fans may enjoy Twisted Dream's unabashed adherence to '80s game design, but even as a fan of old-school platformers, my enjoyment was hampered by some significant shortcomings.

HarmoKnight is among the best the 3DS eShop has to offer. Playtime only clocks in at around 4-5 hours, but it is a full experience. With its diverse levels, rhythm-focused gameplay, great music, and charming characters, HarmoKnight will be a memorable experience for those lucky enough to discover it.

Dungeon Hearts’ basic mash-up of ideas and charming aesthetic could have set it on the path to casual-game stardom, but fun gameplay would have done a whole lot more. This may have match-three and RPG elements, but Puzzle Quest it most certainly is not.

It's commendable that WRC 3 aims to give a full rally experience – complete with the need to repair cars between stages - and not dilute it with other forms of off-road racing. Despite this commitment to the sport and the fact that the game has some fun moments, its middling execution only goes so far.

On one hand, the lack of polish and the glitches cause me to give the game a less-than-stellar score. On the other hand, I can’t deny that my co-op partner and I were laughing and enjoying ourselves for the large majority of the campaign. As a mindless co-op shooter, it delivers.

MLB 2K13 is one of the most embarrassing whiffs I’ve seen. Whether I was playing CPU or human opponents, games frequently hinged on something that shouldn’t have happened on the diamond. Only play it if you have a YouTube account dedicated to archiving video game glitches.