The most striking thing about N++ is how little has changed, even while so much content has been added. There is little flash or grandeur to Metanet’s definitive and supposedly final N game, but for devoted and patient players, there’s a tremendous amount of value here, along with a gameplay formula that has been refined into its current form over more than a decade.

In spite of these frustrations, Galak-Z has the heart of a truly compelling shooter. I wish 17-Bit had taken its elements and laid them out in a game with a more natural progression, or added a greater level of variety to Galak-Z's extensive randomness. However, even when the game feels unfair, I couldn't resist returning to these pinpoint-accurate flight controls and tense dogfights.

The package is impressive, and a lot of care and attention was clearly directed toward Rare Replay to make it a worthy anthology of the studio’s work.

That being said, after numerous Etrian Odyssey entries, the formula hasn't changed much. It's still fun, but without any large leaps, Etrian is starting to get stale. I feel playing one entry is like playing them all.

While Gortys is a fun new addition to the cast, most of the episode feels stale. The action continues to shove annoying quicktime events down your throat, with more chase and combat sequences with no consequences – in fact, at this point I don't I feel like I've made a single significant choice in the series.

The Road to Gehenna is not a game for newcomers, but this compelling set of tests is bound to please those who delighted in the original The Talos Principle.

Life is Strange has remained unpredictable, to its benefit. I can't tell where this is going, but I hope the conclusion takes a step back from the more horrifying things we see in Episode 4.

So far, King's Quest is remarkable in its ability to call back to the classic design of '90s point-and-click adventures without succumbing to as many pitfalls.

If you’re looking for a bite-sized dungeon crawl, Guild of Dungeoneering delivers – but don’t expect a lofty foray into the realms of exploration, customization, or strategy.

They say an elephant never forgets, but that doesn’t mean you can’t forget an elephant. Tembo the Badass Elephant is charming and fun while it lasts, but its by-the-numbers gameplay makes me doubt that it will leave a lasting impression on anyone.

If you’re a new player looking to learn Magic: The Gathering, Magic Duels is the best place to start. If you’re a seasoned veteran, the way the game uses rarity restrictions to create a unique environment make it an attractive alternative for some duels.

As it stands, there's more than enough incentive to give PlanetSide 2 a try; the gunplay is solid, player progression moves along at a rewarding clip, and the intercontinental war is like no other in gaming – even if it lacks a point.

Once again, Codemasters has created an F1 game that's true to the studio's driving pedigree, but fails on other fronts. It looks nice and drives well, but unless you're so caught up in the F1 season that you absolutely have to sate your cravings with a video game, you may have already played this game and put it down.

If you judge a game solely by its complex battle systems, intricate puzzles, or branching upgrade systems, Journey is likely a disappointment. If you’re open to that often nebulous realm of how a game might elicit emotion and the artistic potential of interactive narrative, Journey is an absolute must-play.

After four successful episodes, Nest of Vipers is a borderline disaster. It feels rushed and sloppy compared to the ebb and flow of the previous episodes.

Perhaps developer Natsume Atari intended to replicate the experience of wearing a Godzilla costume while filming a movie, but no gamer should ever have to endure gameplay this cumbersome and poorly designed.

Once I fully connected with Rocket League’s controls, my car felt like an extension of me. It’s a sensation that’s all too rare in games, which makes it all the more satisfying when something like it comes along.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour isn't a bad game, it's just one that doesn't positively make the case for longtime fans of the series or the new systems. With the gameplay nudged ahead only slightly, the graphics not particularly new-gen, and a reduced feature set, the mind easily wanders to what we've lost rather than finding comfort in what's there.

The Awakening is a welcome and wild addition, giving Path of Exile just what it needs to stay interesting. With the additions in this expansion and other content updates since launch, there’s enough variety and alternate advancement to keep even the most voracious of loot grinders and build optimizers coming back for more.

God of War III is still a fantastic experience, and a significant beat in gaming history, but this remaster doesn’t build on its legacy.

If everything was working correctly, the Xbox One version would be on par with the PlayStation 4, but pervasive technical difficulties ultimately undermine it. More than two weeks into the review, we were still experiencing crippling lag in the Crime.net mission select screen, and when missions do load we had a less than 10 percent success rate in joining the matches. Your only bet to have a stable experience playing Payday 2 on Xbox One currently is to set up your own heist and invite friends.

Payday 2's novel heist-based gameplay is still worth checking out for those interested in a refreshing cooperative experience. For veteran criminal masterminds, however, the return of easily fixable problems and lack of account migration make it hard to justify the jump from previous versions.

Fallout Shelter is a cool concept, and a nice mobile title to pop on to for a few minutes each day (after spending more significant time chunks getting your facility sustainable). It could use some more content and things to do later on; special events, new rooms, or anything else that adds variety and interaction would improve the otherwise pleasant formula.

If you love stylish action, but always find yourself wanting a little extra time to figure out the next tactical move, Ronin could be just what you’re looking for.

Her Story is an intriguing experimentation in game narrative. Its vastly different approach to telling a complex story is reason alone to play it.

A dull, occasionally frustrating experience with a lot of cute nods to the series for hardcore fans. That’s as good as it gets. From the puzzles to the combat to the exploration, everything feels less ambitious and entertaining than other recent Lego titles. The basic mechanics still work, but the gameplay feels like a leap back in time.

Stylish action games have evolved a lot in recent years, and this release skillfully straddles the line between new and old. The extra characters offer more variety and versatility that any fan of the genre should appreciate. They don’t completely mask the other problems, but the inventive twists on the content ultimately outweigh the legacy complaints.

Rocksteady built a special experience that dazzles with its cleverness, intelligence, and ability to shift from kick-ass Batman moments to emotional gut punches to scenes stripped straight from some of Batman's greatest comic book stories. Lock yourself away, avoid social media and friends, and finish this game. You won't want this one spoiled for you.