The opening two episodes set the stage for the new adventure. They have everything you've come to expect from The Walking Dead: shocking deaths, intense betrayals, and split-second decisions to second-guess. Ties That Bind mostly focuses on familial bonds - the risks we take for the people we love and how far we're willing to go to put another's life above our own.

Everything leads up to a hell of a cliffhanger, making me intrigued to see what happens next. I just hope Telltale doesn't disappoint with its result, as in the past some of the cliffhangers have had unsatisfying resolutions, not altering the story as much as I expected. While some things remain predictable, like needing to constantly look for resources or evil people showing up at the worst times, Telltale does a good job with its reveals and twists. As long as they continue to lead to interesting places, I'm on board for the rest of season three.

The opening two episodes set the stage for the new adventure. They have everything you've come to expect from The Walking Dead: shocking deaths, intense betrayals, and split-second decisions to second-guess. Ties That Bind mostly focuses on familial bonds - the risks we take for the people we love and how far we're willing to go to put another's life above our own.

Games should always be engaging – at least for a few moments – but I did not find myself interested in what Orwell had to say about terrorism or totalitarianism. For the bold face it puts it on, Orwell is simply content to repeat what novels and films have more eloquently said about the terrifying intersection of our lives and technology. That’s a shame, because games could tackle those heavy subjects in a thought-provoking manner. Unfortunately, Orwell doesn’t.

Super Mario Run hits its stride when you’re making your way through new levels. The platforming is great, and the level design surprised me on multiple occasions. In these moments, I forgot I was playing a mobile translation of Mario. That fades fast, unfortunately, as Princess Peach was kissing me on the cheek thanking me for my service just as I felt I was getting started. Rewards exist for replaying those levels repeatedly, but they simply aren’t enough for me.

Predictable, often boring, and finishing off with an abrupt ending – this episode disappointed me in many ways. However, I was also drawn in by the tragic relationships that arise out of Bruce’s dual lives as a billionaire and the Caped Crusader.

Fusions stands out in the library of Dragon Ball video games as an interesting entry in the otherwise fighting-game-heavy collection. It is charming in its willingness to innovate within Dragon Ball, but it never quite executes on any of its pillars.

Long load times, especially when quickly moving up and down floors in succession or engaging in Tokyo Death Metro, take a serious toll on the fun, and the fact that the seemingly fair free-to-play model allows anyone with a big bank account to smash bosses, eliminate research times, and basically just breeze through situations where non-paying players may falter is a serious hindrance to being the amazing game it could be.

Without the pure granular gratification of its tricks, Steep's feast resides in its many moments. Enjoying a beautiful vista, surviving a suicidal bombing run down the side of a mountain, or uncovering a new area and being rewarded for it – this is what keeps me coming back.

Ultimately The Last Guardian isn’t about pulling switches or leaping over gaps. It’s about your smile when you see Trico doing something silly, your compassion when you watch it struggle, and your relief when the creature shows up at just the right time. That’s what you get here that you can’t find anywhere else, and it is enough to make The Last Guardian worth playing.

I enjoyed getting dirty in Dead Rising 4’s madcap sandbox, and I’d expect that people who have kept up with the series will also have a great time wreaking havoc in Willamette. Players who wanted to get into it before but were put off by the time constraints should definitely give it a shot, too. In many ways, this is the game that people who just wanted to be a one-man zombie wrecking crew were probably hoping for all along.

Not being able to share levels online to get global feedback (or show off your creation to a friend across the country) holds the 3DS version of Super Mario Maker back significantly. The fun community aspect is almost entirely gone, which is disheartening. The ability to create, however, still feels great, and playing all of Nintendo’s new levels is worthwhile. Mario Maker encourages creativity and continues to be one of the best level creation tools ever made, but the limitations on sharing make the 3DS version an inferior experience compared to the Wii U original.

Final Fantasy XV is unlike any RPG or open-world experience I’ve played before. It succeeds and struggles in finding its unique stance, but a few problematic designs don’t hold it back from being a hell of a journey. Just days after playing it, I find myself reflecting on it fondly. The thoughts of that damn car are recessed and blanketed by Noctis’ journey and some of the stunning moments that unfolded within it. I wasn’t a fan of Final Fantasy XIII’s sequels, but I hope Square returns with another XV or a similarly designed sequel to iron out the rough spots. There’s a solid foundation here that begs to be explored further.

It’s a fun way to spend a few evenings, or as a deeper alternative to Call of Duty’s zombies mode. Even though you’ve probably seen much of what it offers already, it’ll have you cackling as you paint the walls red with a few of your friends.

Planet Coaster offers few carrots to continue to expand your park outside of the sheer joy of creation. Thankfully, Planet Coaster has so many tools available that that creating your own worlds of fun is often its own reward.

Guardian of Gotham is consistently strong throughout its two hours, constantly presenting tense scenes that play off the choices you’ve made in previous episodes, with one major disappointment: It ends on an abrupt note that offers no idea of what’s to come in the final installment. Still, this episode packs enough dramatic moments, character development, and entertaining action sequences to emerge as one of the best episodes in the series and one of the best experiences by Telltale in recent memory, period.

Many virtual-reality titles feel more like technical demos than fully formed experiences, and Robinson: The Journey belongs on that list – though it tries to fool you into thinking it doesn’t. A few elements add the illusion of depth, but they feel like shallow afterthoughts. This journey is just a linear tour of the world with no meaningful deviations and barely functional controls, all for the dubious benefit of seeing some cool VR dinosaurs.

Watch Dogs 2 addresses many of the issues of the first game, putting hacking at the forefront, but its narrative struggles to stay engaging. Although the cast is unlikeable, the parodies and its ability to not take itself seriously brings charm. The stellar hacking mechanics can make your actions, such as taking control of a satellite in outer space, feel grandiose and unstoppable in entertaining ways.

Even within the limited constraint of mostly dark outcomes, Tyranny has an impressive array of potentialities to explore, and practically demands multiple playthroughs. Entirely new storylines, allies, and even visited areas might appear in a subsequent adventure, and it’s exciting to confront a new mix of betrayals and dangers.

Agent 47’s ultimate skill has always been patience, and the newest Hitman demands the same from the player more than ever before. Some may enjoy devoting hours to planning and pulling off the perfect hit, but the supersized levels have made 47’s latest adventure an overly drawn-out affair, above and beyond the initial episodic release schedule.

Sun & Moon feels significantly different from previous Pokémon games. X & Y may have marked the series’ biggest visual change, but Sun & Moon shows Game Freak is willing to re-examine Pokémon’s tenured mechanics in order to improve the game. Sun & Moon is still Pokémon, but it showcases some of the biggest changes the series has ever seen – and that’s a good thing.

Whether you prefer sticking to the shadows or gutting every co-conspirator in the land, the game offers a rewarding experience with attractive upgrade paths. The narrative can’t match the high bar of the gameplay and world building, but Arkane Studios nonetheless delivers a must-play revenge tale among the best in its class.

Dishonored 2 is at its best when it pushes beyond its comfort zone with standout missions like the Clockwork Mansion and Stilton’s Manor. Each introduces a room- and time-shifting mechanic, respectively, that increases the navigational challenge and opens up new opportunities for clever takedowns.

Dishonored 2 successfully builds on the solid stealth-combat foundation of the original while introducing enough fun new gameplay concepts to feel fresh. Whether you prefer sticking to the shadows or gutting every co-conspirator in the land, the game offers a rewarding experience with attractive upgrade paths. The narrative can’t match the high bar of the gameplay and world building, but Arkane Studios nonetheless delivers a must-play revenge tale among the best in its class.

House of the Dying Sun is light on content offerings and depth, but big on giving players a modern day chance to experience the great gameplay that defined classic space shooters of an era long past.

Mario Party: Star Rush feels more like a collection of modes than a fun next step for the series.

Infinite Air offers a lot to like on a conceptual level, but its faulty trick system creates a hole that is impossible to fill.

The reboot, in spite of its dumb writing, felt fresh and was consistently entertaining throughout its campaign thanks to its focus. The sequel, however, feels stretched out, like it’s trying to be an RPG, an open-world game, and a shooter all at once with little success. In the end, there’s precious little of Shadow Warrior 2 that makes for a compelling experience.