As the series celebrates its tenth anniversary, Forza Motorsport 6 demonstrates that Turn 10 has found the ideal balance of sim gameplay and accessibility.

Although the game’s influences are clear, this is not a simple homage to earlier games, instead acting as an incredibly well-crafted horror adventure. The Brotherhood has delivered on its promise of a nuanced and terrifying horror title, and one that is bound to give plenty of chills.

The game is a triumph in more ways than one, and while it’s not without flaws, it’s safe to say that Hideo Kojima and company have successfully adapted the core of Metal Gear Solid for an open world.

Mad Max may be a bit of a mixed bag, but the faithful recreation of the film universe, the ridiculous car combat, and loads of content will keep players coming back to the desert for a long time.

Whether it’s the engrossing gameplay, endearing character designs or light-hearted plot, Freedom Planet will likely offer something that puts a smile on your face. Plus, it’s probably the best Sonic game we’re likely to receive for the foreseeable future, even without the presence of the blue-haired hedgehog himself.

The lack of checkpoints can prove to be brutal in some of the more challenging worlds, and the inclusion of co-operative play would have made building and playing through these levels feel a lot more like a team exercise than a solo affair.

With a greater focus on receivers/cornerbacks and a fantastic new Draft Champions mode, Madden NFL 16 represents a vast improvement over last year’s game in nearly every way.

Hyper Void is an adrenaline fueled throwback to classic arcade shoot ’em ups, with gorgeous graphics that are nearly as beautiful as the gameplay is exciting.

Satellite Reign offers a great real time strategy experience in a cyberpunk world, but doesn’t keep the experience as fresh as it could have been.

The presentation is top notch, in that it doesn’t tamper with the visuals one bit, and the new additions offer replayability that isn’t simply taking on Dr. Robotnik for the 20th time.

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is an extremely familiar game that manages to feel new thanks to The Coalition’s vision for a fresher Gears. Just when something begins to feel stale the game changes and provides players with a wholly unique task or a gigantic set piece to draw them in to the action once more.

Back to Bed is the worst kind of game: one that flirts with some good ideas, but never commits to doing anything with them. The core apple-dropping mechanic gets old fast, and while the graphics look great, they’d be better served in a different, more interesting game.

Make no mistake, this is more of an interactive movie than a “game,” but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth experiencing.

Don’t bother with Gauntlet: Slayer Edition if playing solo, and expect the end game to be little more than a massive grind for gold.

While it might have taken some time to get there, Life Is Strange Episode 4: Dark Room is DONTNOD hitting their stride, and is well worth pushing through some of the clunkier elements to experience.

As someone that has greatly enjoyed the previous games in the series, Toy Soldiers: War Chest is a disappointing experience. The forced use of Uplay for much of the online content, DLC purchases being locked to the account that purchased it, and a myriad of technical issues hamper the quality of the game.

The Swindle is a visually beautiful and enjoyable rogue-like game for the experienced, but may not be the best choice for players who’ve never tried games like Spelunky or Rogue Legacy before.

The two gameplay styles blend together very well, taking the best mechanics of both shooters and match-four puzzle games and combining them into one solid title.

For as much as the game’s setting is beautiful, living alone in its empty world feels very bleak. If the story went on any longer than a handful of hours, it might be too depressing to handle for some gamers, but the short campaign seems the perfect amount of time to visit this world.

It’s challenging, whimsical, and a great throwback to a time when combat was deceptively simple.

The Magic Circle addresses the monster we’ve built as a gaming community, acknowledging that the medium is still in bumpy, rebellious, grumpy adolescence, and while we may come out of it and accept maturity at some point, all of us have some thinking to do before we get there...It’s harsh. It’s heavy-handed. But it might also be necessary.

SORS is pretty gutsy, which helps offset some of its flaws. The devs aim to make games that incorporate real science, and the desire to do that without making it boring—while also including an intriguing story and engaging gameplay—is a lot to balance.

Rare Replay is exactly what’s been advertised and it’s so modestly priced that it’s easily one of the biggest no-brainers in gaming.

The game’s narrative is suspenseful and the puzzles are fantastic brainteasers.

Velocibox is a a tremendously hard bit of brilliance. It’s highly replayable and it comes highly recommended.

Her Story is an achievement in interactive storytelling that never spoon-feeds the player information, instead letting you do the digging yourself.

A Nest Of Vipers delivers an emotional rollercoaster of action, consequence, and a distinctly true Game of Thrones feel that George R.R. Martin himself would approve of.

Weak voice acting and poorly written dialogue coupled with some frustrating game design choice hold The Vanishing of Ethan Carter back from its true potential.

Although the game boils down to a walking sim with a puzzle component, the unique setting and mechanics make it worth a playthrough.

Though some have criticized the game’s lack of extensive content, the entire Eternal Senia experience is a fun ride with a sassy heroine and a noble quest.

For sheer artistry and inventiveness, Year Walk is a must play that demonstrates the power of folklore, games, and a familiar journey made strange.

With a ten dollar price tag for PlayStation Plus members, don’t expect to get a ton of mileage out of Whispering Willows. Unless you get stuck looking for a way to cut through some vines or get lost in a maze of hedges, the horror puzzle game shouldn’t take more than five hours to complete.

Beautiful environments, a deliberate slow pace, and an intriguing story to unravel for completionists make this Homesick game a moody journey.

It plays great, it looks great, and its story is better than many Hollywood blockbusters out there.

Solitaire is hardly new, but Regency Solitaire, with its attention to detail in story, gameplay, and artistry, stands as an example of how a standard game can be reinvented with creativity.

An incredible achievement. Its gameplay is inventive, its design minimal yet effective, and its use of audio is purposeful, unique, and clear.

One aspect that was particularly well-developed was the dragon’s wild, looping movements.

As long as new heroes and maps continue arriving in frequent content updates, we expect Heroes of the Storm to have a very long and profitable lifespan.

Despite some noncommittal moments and sustained writing struggles, Life is Strange Episode 3‘s earnest and abundant heart keep it moving forward with plenty of promise.

When the context and controversy of Hatred is stripped away, players are left with an off-putting and boring shooter, offering little but a sense of unease and repetitive gameplay.

Mega Coin Squad provides a unique and colorful 2D platforming experience for gamers, but its lack of online multiplayer really keeps it from reaching its highest potential.

The Witcher 3 is messy, highly emotional, and incredibly addictive. Barring any huge surprises this fall, The Witcher 3 should be a shoo-in for the game of the year – it’s not just one of 2015’s best games, but for many players, it’s the only one they’ll need.

0rbitalis is a great success, providing plenty of fun alongside its wonderfully suited graphical style and pitch perfect sound design.

For fans of horror, what you find in The Charnel House Trilogy may not be enough. It’s creepy and atmospheric, but the lack of answers may be frustrating—there’s no real conclusion, just a promise of more to come. That being said, this point and click game does instill a great sense of dread.

While the game does manage to have a few unsettling moments, Rituals is, for the most part, bland.

There are certainly short-comings that veteran shooter aficionados will pick up on right away, but the game’s willingness to march to the beat of its own drum is admirable and often enjoyable – if not occasionally frustrating.

Technobabylon will please all fans of the point-and-click adventure genre, and Wadjet Eye Games can be pleased they found a cyberpunk successor that matches up with the high standards left by Gemini Rue.

Whilst the game is fun in short doses, the lack of online multiplayer could leave players wanting more than the title can provide.

Defiant Development’s Hand of Fate game is not without flaws, but the sheer innovation dwarfs them easily.

Project Cars is most definitely not the game for someone who wants to chase down experience points and unlock new items on the way through a game. Players who just want full access to an incredibly difficult and realistic driving simulation will find all that they are looking for with this one, though.

While the games won’t be everyone’s cup of tea – not to mention that the dialogue and characters in Puzzle & Dragons Z are mind-numbingly boring – the discounted combo pack that features both of these titles is certainly worth checking out.

Not A Hero may not constantly tickle the funny bones, but its lighthearted satirical moments and thrilling combat make the game something special for players after a challenge.

Nero stays true to its billing as an interactive novel, and while there are plenty of hiccups in nearly every facet of the game, none of them are particularly experience-ruining.

Despite the not very exciting reward, the challenge of getting three star ratings on every level is certain to keep completionists returning to the game hour after hour.

The decent soundtrack is unable to save Lifeless Planet from ultimately crumbling under the weight of its own lost potential.

It’s not perfect and it’s fairly complicated, but once it all clicks, it’s also really fun.

The story, the visuals, and most importantly the gameplay all feel like the first step in a long process towards developing a fully realized game. However, rather than continue to iterate on ideas like wind pushing the player back, using heat to create light and melt ice, or even just basic traversal, the game shipped as is.

Last Word certainly stands out from the multitude of other JRPGs in terms of style and a few unique mechanics, but ultimately falls short where it should have been strongest — dialogue.

Lost Orbit is a highly addictive, free-flowing gem that manages to toe that marginal line between challenge and frustration. The game may prove too short for some, but Lost Orbit is nonetheless a worthwhile addition to a speed-run aficionado’s game collection.

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is a decent spin-off from The New Order, but is not an essential standalone experience.

The artwork and soundtrack are both delightfully creepy, and the puzzles are punishingly hard, making for a challenging pseudo-horror experience that all players can enjoy.

Why Am I Dead At Sea is certainly worth playing for the incredible atmosphere and compelling characters. Just be sure to bring a walkthrough.

The game isn’t without hiccups—it’s downright frustrating at times due to procedural generation and an inability to escape from some obstacles—but there’s a lot to like, too. The Deer God‘s art and music are beautiful and soothing, painting a striking picture of the natural world.

This is the sort of game that seems destined to go down as a cult classic, but should really be enjoyed by anyone with a 3DS system. It’s a true triumph of gameplay over spectacle, and a hugely engaging experience from start to finish.

Anyone desperate to play this type of game on console will be pleased with the results. Beyond that, it’s difficult to wholeheartedly recommend Infinity Runner — but it’s certainly not without its merits.

A gloomy and fascinating take on the point-and-click adventure game. While it’s not perfect—the puzzles could be a little more inventive, and the writing sometimes feels a little like angsty high school poetry, the breathtaking artwork, and well-developed world more than make up for it.

The game’s throwback sound and graphics look fantastic on the PS4 and the Xbox One, but obviously a game built around the 8-bit aesthetic doesn’t benefit from a current-gen remake the way something like The Last of Us or Grand Theft Auto 5 is able to.

Lakeview Cabin Collection is genuinely difficult, and may prove too much of a challenge for players expecting a quick game. Yet the sandbox gameplay provides enough enjoyment that winning isn’t necessary to have fun.

Underground succeeds in providing players with an interesting challenge, and the unusual control scheme makes users immediately sit up and pay attention.

Even with an extra-hard difficulty mode and time-based leaderboards, it’s not a long game, and players will probably finish The Weaponographist before they get sick of it.

While Dead Synchronicity could have been something great, it misses the mark with depressing, difficult gameplay that will make any player feel hard pressed to stick around for at least five or six hours.

If story and interactive fiction interest you, and if you like musing on regret and memory and family, you’ll find something to like in Three Fourths Home.

For those who haven’t tried point and click adventure games, it’s a great introduction to the genre; for those with more experience, well, they don’t get much better than this one.

We wouldn’t say that the game overstays its welcome, but by the midway point getting through the levels starts to become a chore.

Graphical issues aside, this is a phenomenal and ambitious game with a world that will challenge and entertain players for hours.

As 2015 continues to be the year of difficult games with the likes of Ori and Bloodborne stealing so much of our time, Titan Souls offers a comparably difficult, but much shorter variety of the same enjoyable torture.

Tipping Stars may not live up to the standards of Nintendo’s all-time classics, but it’s certainly an above-average puzzle game. If the core gameplay gets its hooks in, it can be difficult to pull yourself away.

Brace Yourself Games has brought some real ingenuity into the indie game circuit, and the developer deserves great praise for creating an incredibly fun roguelike that’s filled to the brim with addictive gameplay and fiendish enemies.

Despite downgraded visuals, the core of what made the original game so appealing is still very much intact.

There’s a variety of ways to play and the subtle changes with each new captain keep the story feeling fresh and exciting.

Hero Generations is a challenge to say the least. It is difficult and addicting, which makes it perfect for strategy lovers.

The music and sound effects in Sun Blast are pretty sweet, and some of the music I’d even call spectacular and worthy of being included in a glorious 80’s sci-fi movie soundtrack.

Although the title stays a little too close to its roguelike blueprint, the open-ended nature and eye-catching, fluid battlegrounds make Convoy a thoroughly enjoyable and incredibly addictive journey into a post-apocayptic wasteland.

This is the current-gen Mortal Kombat we all wanted: it’s smooth, mechanically sound, unbelievably gory, and looks great.

Telepath Tactics is an impressive title for such a small development team. The game mechanics themselves are well thought-out and the game, although slow going at first, brings in a very high level of challenge for tactical RPG players.

I Am Bread packs a surprising amount of entertainment into a title that’s available for $14.

Unium is a great little puzzle game with a tiny price tag and a real depth of polish and challenge.

Revelations 2 offers an engaging story that doesn’t take itself too seriously, enjoyable co-op multiplayer, and a worthwhile reason to revisit the game thanks to its surprisingly addictive Raid Mode.

An experience that’s best enjoyed in short bursts.

It’s that infectious enthusiasm that makes VoidExpanse such an effective experience. The game may have flaws, with stability a problem that still needs to be addressed, but AtomicTorch has nonetheless created a highly addictive and fun title, with the potential to grow into a sleeper indie hit.

Its story and atmosphere are intriguing, if a little too reliant on dark tropes to get the gravity of the situation across, and the unique art style is eye-catching and memorable.

Tower of Guns does have an element of fun thanks to its randomized levels and simple premise, but it’s a game best consumed a little at a time. While a few gamers may enjoy the game enough to play it often, most will see Tower of Guns as a momentary distraction to be experienced for a few minutes, then left to wait for a later date.

As a baseball simulator, MLB 15: The Show delivers on almost every front, and it would be unfair to penalize the game for being too good, for too long. However, a good review score doesn’t necessarily mean that the latest edition is worth $60, especially to players who bought last year’s version.

Once players have mastered story mode, there is also a powerful level editor available to create new challenges.

The experience will only last for a few hours, but with beautiful pixel art, a sweet protagonist, top-notch music, well-designed levels, and some neat heart-pounding surprises, it will be worth your time.

Those who were looking forward to a current-gen port will find that the game is well represented on the new platforms, and has no major flaws to speak of.

Beyond transcending some gender stereotypes, there is not much nuance in the characters that surround the hero of the story- they are all about as one-dimensional as it gets- but in a CYOA environment, this actually helps the reader-player better understand situations and make decisions.

Despite its PvP shortcomings and current framrate issues, Neverwinter proves to be a solid MMO for Xbox One owners. Although it’s certainly not a hardcore MMORPG, it’s a fantastic starting point for console gamers or those who have little experience in the genre.