While Final Fantasy 16 may not appeal to all long-time fans due to its significant departure from typical franchise elements, there is still much to like in this title. It offers a fresh perspective, a richly drawn setting, and a captivating story that stands on its own. Its action-oriented fighting and darker themes are a departure but also highlight the series’ willingness to branch out. Even if it seems different and isn’t quite the Final Fantasy many of us grew up with, FF16 is still an exciting and enjoyable adventure. It serves as a reminder that the series isn’t hesitant to grow and defy expectations, even if the outcome isn’t unanimously praised.

As it is, RE Village is simply a good game with excellent production value.

Street Fighter is a cultural phenomenon and even if you're not a fighting game fan you likely know plenty about Ryu, Chun-Li, Guile and the rest of the main cast. The Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection puts together the early history of the franchise and allows you to really see how the series began and how it moved towards where it is today.

Darkness in the Capital may seem like a typical expansion and it is in some sense, but that phrasing gives a short shift to how it builds on top of an excellent experience and remains a clawed fist that’s as sharp as it ever was. Its combat is fundamentally fantastic so adding new variables that maintain the same level of quality is only going to make that loop even more engaging. Darkness in the Capital’s array of bosses bring in another set of challenges and its new weapon encourages both thoughtful play and fast action. And in a game full of challenges and fast action, meaningfully building on top of that is still an accomplishment.

Still, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask doesn't pretend to be anything else. It's exactly what you expect it to be.

While I greatly enjoyed Dr. Luigi, most of my joy can be attributed to my profound love for Dr. Mario. Those who have such a nostalgic tie to the game will love Dr. Luigi in the same way the new iterations of Tetris keep fans from the '80s and '90s coming back.

The level of execution and polish in Axiom Verge makes it seem as though it came from a well-established studio, let alone a single person. There's a confidence in the design that channels the best parts of successful Metroidvania games.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is a good value for the $20 entry-level fee, provided you are willing to explore every nook and cranny of the environment and all of the possible ways of playing.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 would have been a stellar sports title, with its new emphasis on realism and online clubs, if it traded its microtransactional model for a fairer coin system. No one likes buying a $60 title that thinks it's free to play. If you actually put in the work-the weeks upon weeks of effort playing the game-you still feel shorted people who put in less work but have more money to spend. Of course, if you spend money, you've just bought into the scheme. Somehow, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is as much a financial test of character as it is a test of gameplay skill, and that's unfortunately as memorable as any sort of comeback.

Anyone who already owns either Dead or Alive 5 or Dead or Alive 5 Plus already knows a lot of this stuff, so why am I repeating it? Because it's probably only worth buying if you don't already own it in one form or another, unless you absolutely must have the few additional characters or environments. However, if you don't already own Dead or Alive 5, this is certainly the best version of the game.

But it mostly excels at being a lesson that as much as you can "game-ify" elements of life, you will be confronted with perma-death—real death.

WipEout is just as visually impressive and, more importantly, every bit as fun as it's ever been in 2048. It's not without a few small problems, but it provides an exciting experience for racing fans, be they series newcomers or longtime WipEout followers. As of Vita's release time and much of the foreseeable future, this 17-year-old franchise will lay claim to the title of the system's overall best racing game.

Deus Ex GO is most definitely a casual game, but it also appeals to core gamers who are fans of the franchise.

Honestly, if you can get past the idea that Akihabara nerds are coming off just a little too rape-y for the average player (and Japanese tentacle monster), the game itself isn’t bad at all.

There are more challenges to unlock in Fenix Rage than I should bother mentioning, including one that butts heads with my infinite-jumping utopia, so it’s worth noting that on top of an already enjoyable and cookie-filled game, you’ll find yourself revisiting earlier levels again just to maximize your investment.

It's the hardcore game Nintendo fans have always wanted on their platform, leaving nothing but your console friends list behind.

Unfortunately, the weak recon missions made too easy by the lack of challenge from AI enemies, the small number of maps that are quickly mastered, and the limited variety in gameplay burdened by uninspired upgrades, ultimately prevent Deathloop from reaching the highest of highs. With online multiplayer enabled and embraced, however, it becomes easier to overlook the weak points and Deathloop comes out on the other side as a compelling lesson in how intimate multiplayer can greatly enhance the single-player formula.

While not a hefty time investment, any player will experience a narrative that reasonably mixes fantasy with common storytelling tropes. I just felt that there could’ve been much more to absorb and more game to play.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a competent platformer with tight controls. However, the generic craft theme and lack of memorable characters prevent it from being outstanding. The 3D platforming genre is filled to the brim with classics, and to stand out, a game has to do more than just be playable. There are plenty of costumes to collect and bits and baubles to pick up throughout levels, but Sackboy lacks that hook that’ll keep gamers coming back.

It is safe to say PES 2016 is one of the best sports releases to the genre in recent years.

It may not convert those who avoid the tower defense genre at all costs, but it does prove that a few small but important tweaks can change one's perception in a big way.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax could have easily been a cash-in, a weak standalone expansion that merely included a few extra characters and call it a day. But both the extensive episodes in story mode and the lengthy Golden Arena mode bolster the already strong multiplayer modes, all of which should satisfy casual fans of the Persona series and hardcore players who wish to perfect their battle skills.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition is worth it for anyone looking to build out their launch library on Nintendo's new console. It's got everything Namco packed in earlier this year, and that's about all you need to know. Tekken Ball and Mushroom Battle, while briefly entertaining, don't add much. Still, TTT2 is strong enough in its own right that we don't need to tag out just yet.

While some more important platform-specific content would have been ideal, the Catherine: Full Body Switch version is one of the few ports that can stand right with its peers on other systems. The modesty of the original benefits this rendition in a handful of ways since the anime-inspired art style looks fantastic on the smaller console and its humble systems don’t push the Switch past its technical breaking point. Imperfect controls don’t hamper the rewarding puzzles and the story, while still engrossing, is only inhibited by its sometimes dubious and dated depictions of certain groups of people. And because of those reasons, Catherine: Full Body is one of those rare full-bodied ports that’s just as enjoyable when poured into a to-go cup.

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is conclusively a must-have for anyone who wishes to continue being relevant in competitive play. For casual players who merely enjoy building a base and waging war in sci-fi space, it’s a worthy, although non-groundbreaking, expansion.

Hopefully, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will give fans that opportunity, either in retreading steps worn throughout Hoenn or acting as if it were a brand new universe on 3DS.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe does what Starcraft 64 could not: make a real-time strategy game work well on console. It does have its aggravating flaws and quirks, but these are balanced out in part by robust quality-of-life features and sensible design. Despite its flaws, Pikmin 3 Deluxe gets most of its gameplay right and will hopefully serve as the blueprint for the continuation of the franchise on the Nintendo Switch.

Hopefully, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will give fans that opportunity, either in retreading steps worn throughout Hoenn or acting as if it were a brand new universe on 3DS.