Xenoblade Chronicles X will likely be a mixed bag to those who step in with very little role-playing skill or knowledge of the series up until this point, so they may want to proceed with caution. Others, however, that absolutely love what Monolith Soft has done so far will enjoy this chapter the most, thanks to its immense gameplay options and fantastic looking world. It's certainly worth a look either way.

Nova-111 is a humorous and quirky quest that rivals the sheer charm presented in the PixelJunk games. It's not the most varied adventure, but it's fun nonetheless, and it makes a great portable companion if you go with the Vita version.

Despite including several different game types and modes, Ubisoft clearly designed Rainbow Six Siege with a very specific kind of player in mind. If you have an abundance of patience, fortitude, and maybe a few gamer friends you can wrangle up, Siege could be just the tactical shooter experience you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a fun game you can kick back with and enjoy in a more casual way, you might want to look elsewhere.

In spite of some technical setbacks and repetitive tasks, Just Cause 3 delivers the kind of stress-relieving destruction to get you through the doldrums. It's easily the best looking game of the series thus far, and the awesome gameplay will have you continue to think up ways to bring down enemies. You're due a holiday vacation, and Rico's trip will certainly fulfill the need.

While Deadpool certainly isn't as bad as other comic book fare on the market, it feels somewhat average with its rushed treatment on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Had the developers added better visual details and made it much cheaper, we'd be talking a great value here. As it stands, though, only serious comic book fans or those looking for mindless action should invest. Others can easily wait for the movie and stuff themselves silly with tacos.

Epiosde 3 gets Story Mode back on the right track, adding a great new character and taking players through some dramatic, emotional moments.

While Snoopy's Grand Adventure doesn't go the extra mile in its design, it still comes across as an enjoyable diversion for younger players looking to get some Peanuts-oriented fun out of their console. The inclusion of co-op is pretty nice as well, if parents should want to get involved in their children's adventure. But it seems like more could've been done for older gamers, and some of the technical setbacks should have gone through some clean-up. Overall, though, not bad for a little diversion.

Lumini is exactly the type of digital work that's best referred to as an experience rather than a video game. Designed for the Journey and Flower crowd, this game excels at creating a mellow, relaxed state for those who float into its spectacle of a world.

It isn't perfect, but StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void allows the series to end on a high note, offering a comprehensive experience which should make every type of RTS player happy.

While Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden has its fair share of disappointment with its heavy unlocking system and lack of online competition, it's also a not-so-bad take with its fighting, mainly because of the 2D setting. If Bandai Namco could somehow produce a version for consoles with a bigger roster, a less strenuous adventure system, and online play, it'd have a winner on its hands. For now, it's a decent pick for fans of the series, and maybe even for those that don't mind earning their keep in the fighting arena.

A decent fighter, and it’s nice that it got an English release. Anime and Arc System Works fans will be at home here, but fighting fans may find it too generic.

Some may argue that DICE's Star Wars Battlefront lacks longevity to stay the course on the market, or that more could've been done with it. But the developer went through a massive undertaking to not only reinvent the franchise, but also reassure gamers that this would hardly be another Battlefield blunder. It's great to report that both goals have been completed with flying colors, and, as a result, Star Wars Battlefront is an engaging multiplayer experience that will certainly make your holidays.

There are times in which Poncho could've used some smoothing over, like with glitches or painfully missed jumps. That said, it's still an entertaining little treat for the retro crowd, especially those seeking something different from the usual platformer.

Rodea the Sky Soldier has to be one of the biggest letdowns of the year. It's missing quite a bit, including comprehensive gameplay, solid visuals and any sort of option to play like the original Wii version does. It's sad to say that this high-flying adventure falls flat before it stands a chance to get started.

A very niche title, and disappointing even at just $2.

Probably one of the most disappointing games to rear its ugly head this year, Overlord: Fellowship of Evil takes everything that worked so well in previous games and smashes it into a billion pieces in favor of a Diablo-based formula that simply doesn't work. Here's hoping this villain gets back to his dastardly ways soon, instead of following a blueprint that just isn't his style.

If you're playing solo, then The Jackbox Party Pack 2 isn't likely to be your speed. However, if you're looking for a game that will suit your fellow partygoers, or want to stream a good, lively game session with your fellow deviants, then it's an essential purchase – especially when you begin to get hooked on Quiplash and Earwax. It'll certainly put a twist on your holidays.

A combination of traditional strategy with layers of modern tabletop mechanics that work well to create a game that's fun to learn and satisfying to master.

While there are some faults that could use addressing (particularly with the lack of online play), Guns, Gore and Cannoli is an inspired ride, a top-notch mixture of 40's nostalgia and zombie-killing fun. If you're smart, you'll bring some buddies along to dish out the carnage alongside you, if only to see what true mayhem looks like. In a good way, of course.

The silver lining of The Park's poor showing is that it could lead Funcom to try harder should it attempt subsequent single-player adventures. In the meantime however, The Park is one attraction you should definitely skip out on.

Considering the appeal of the franchise, MX vs. ATV Supercross Encore had all the potential in the world when it came to its arrival on new consoles. Unfortunately, it squanders it with a myriad of problems, including sloppy gameplay, a lacking presentation and a lack of a genuine career mode to make you feel like you're getting anywhere. As a result, the ride just isn't the same. Here's hoping that, for its next game, Rainbow Studios goes back to basics and skips this Encore route.

Super Mario Maker is more than a just an amazing toolbox for content creation — it's also a big, beautiful toy box filled with all sorts of incredible, remarkable toys each with individual parts for you to spend hundreds of hours falling in love with. Even if you've never liked this type of game, Super Mario Maker may just win you over.

While 2013’s Tomb Raider reboot was great, fans of the series were pining for more tombs to explore and relics to collect. Crystal Dynamics addressed that and then some in Rise of the Tomb Raider, improving on its upgrade system, telling a fun story, more puzzles, and adding bears, tigers, cheetahs, and more packs of wolves to kill and skin. Just like we remember.

It's probably the least buggy big huge open world game Bethesda has ever released, which is saying something, but it's still an audaciously ambitious title with a lot of roughness around the edges. With some of those previous games, buying the game near launch was a recipe for frustration; it was better to let the patches and modders fix it up before experiencing it for the first time. Fallout 4, however, is a fantastic game as it exists right now, and the technical issues don't even come close to providing a reason to wait to play it.

While Need for Speed may look and sound great from afar, it's sadly little more than a mostly empty box wrapped in shiny wrapping paper (and one which you can only open when connected to the internet to boot). If you're desperate for a new racing game experience, you could do worse, just bear in mind that your mileage will definitely vary.

If you can accept the fact that some Drivatars are going to be weird, and some cars will take a heaping amount of time to unlock, Forza Motorsport 6 is an awesome ride that you'll return to often. In fact, it's likely to keep you busy until the next Forza ride – potentially 7 – makes its arrival.

While there are some very minor cracks in the foundation, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 still proves itself to be an excellent continuation of not only the Black Ops series but also of the entire Call of Duty IP. If you're looking for a fun, challenging, and comprehensive new-gen shooter experience, Black Ops 3 should definitely tide you over for the next several months (possibly years) at least.

M2 has once again produced a commendable presentation of a classic for the 3DS with 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2. It continues to be a fun game after all these years (and way better than whatever Sega's been churning out with the blue guy the last couple of years), and the 3D conversion is simply fantastic. Vintage Sega fans – and new players as well – shouldn't miss this gem.