Even with a few hiccups along the way, most of them technical ones in the Wiiware version of the game, the story and characters more than make up for any of that.

Even if you're not particularly a fan of tower defense games like me, simply controlling your units, getting combos, and using the special barrage weapons will win you over.

This beautiful, sprawling sandbox title turns the Crusades of the twelfth century into your personal playground of murder.

It harnessed that frantic pace inherent to the food service industry and built a co-op game around it; one that surpasses its predecessor in every way.

Skylanders Superchargers revs up its cyber-engine to offer fans a huge variety of vehicular and action platforming gameplay. After several iterations, this series now offers a surprising amount of depth, but it still lacks a serious challenge.

If you're looking for a great puzzler, Ilomilo is an awesome choice. This is probably the more mind-intensive out of the trio of Holiday promotion releases.

A game that challenges the mind like Treasure Tracker doesn’t come around all that often and for that the Wii U console carves out another experience with childlike wonder as the objective, rather than the aesthetic.

It’s difficult to imagine executing a remake of a near 30-year-old experience more effectively and efficiently than Intelligent Systems has, applying just the right amount of refinement and new ideas to antique gameplay systems that clearly still work.

A great presentation and even better writing can’t compensate for the fact that the game practically plays itself. This is a good comic book, but a below average adventure.

It all gets old a little too quick-even faster if you don't play with friends. But if you do, or you were a fan of the old-school NBA Jam titles (or you're just stuck in the 90s like me), then NBA Jam: On Fire Edition is a slam dunk.

Fans of the series will find more to love than the rest, but Paper Mario 3D allows players of all levels to get to the point a lot faster. Though Dream Team has one of the better 3D effects, in both 2D and 3D gameplay, you're more likely to shut your eyes than cross them. There are hours of entertainment for patient players willing to read and giggle at silly accents, but I'd rather explore Bowser's dreams instead.

Blur is fast, chaotic, and flashy. It may not be particularly original or memorable, but it could make for some great post-bar silliness with your friends on par with a bad kung fu movie. Like a skittish commitment-phobe, as soon as you start to take Blur too seriously, it all falls to pieces.

If you're looking for a long-term relationship with a complicated, temperamental (I have nervous breakdowns all the time), frustratingly smart game, then baby, I'm your man. Otherwise, I'm just trouble.

Though the series is pretty much stale these days, that wasn’t always the case, and the Mega Man Anniversary Collection serves as a reminder that while the games might feel a little dated, the Blue Bomber still has some fight left.

The addition of goals and plenty of different unlockable locations and items does breathe new life into this old game, and slower meters and a more responsive interface lead to a good version of The Sims. However, this game is very similar to the original PS2 version and might not feel filling enough for those who already made that purchase.

If you’re already a fan of the series, or if any of this niche game sounds appealing to you, I urge you to give Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy a try. Certainly, those who played the previous two (or five) games will want to know how the trilogy ends.

Just learning the myriad of functions, trying to organize a group and then arranging transportation will easily eat up a couple hours before you've even fired your first live round at a real enemy.

I’m hoping for a better shake-up of action and exposition for the remaining two episodes because leaving a huge chunk of the latter to fill the middle feels contrary to the game’s origins. It’s a weird time to be had.

It's got great lightsaber battles and enough Star Wars action to satisfy even the biggest George Lucas junkie.

For its flaws, Rune Factory 4 Special brings an incredible life-sim/Action-RPG to the Switch. There are few games in the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons series that match the complexity and fun of Rune Factory 4, and this port has me excited to see Rune Factory 5.

This is the fourth time in as many chapters that Life Is Strange has shocked me big time. So bring on the conclusion stat. I am ready for one more trip to Arcadia Bay.

This year they tried to futz with the gameplay, but the changes are so minute that most veterans will seamlessly transition from last year's game to this one. Whether or not it's worth the green fees depends a great deal on your love of the game, but chances are you've already aced this course.

Given Telltale's record for producing excellent games, returning fans shouldn't even think twice about picking up this first chapter for Chapter 3.

Sunset Overdrive doesn’t take itself seriously, making the action and character of the game stand-out about as much as its vibrant color scheme. Sequences that slightly alter gameplay or offer up a big boss manage to delight beyond most of what’s available on the latest consoles today.

I had tons of fun blowing up or burning down poor enemy troops, and if Toy Soldiers is any indication, the tower defense genre still has a little bit of life left in it and plenty of room for innovation.

Sure, the missions get repetitive and the vehicle handling stinks, but for all that, Just Cause 2 is just plain fun.

If you own Empire, there’s not a good reason to own Napoleon.

With good mechanics and delivery, Table Tennis will certainly keep you and your impoverished frat buddies entranced for a bit, but the profound lack of depth makes it a decidedly hard pledge.