I'd say that the kind of story that The Last of Us wants to tell can't be done in a mainstream video game, but I Am Alive and the Metro series manage just fine. Perhaps it's more accurate to say that it can't be done in the kind of game that's expected to sell three million copies.

For anyone even remotely interested in what might be like to survive the zombie apocalypse, State of Decay is an absolute must-play.

It's no epic, but The Swapper is a satisfying morsel of a game, well worth playing.

As an action-role-playing game, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing does not disappoint, especially for anyone starved for more of this particular sub-genre.

In a way, that latter ending fits Mars: War Logs best. It's a competently executed brawler-style RPG, with a political story at its core that actually has some potential. Irrelevant mechanics and sidequests get in the way of the game's best aspects, however, and Mars: War Logs never manages to focus on what's important.

It's too bad that this is the only way an English version of Deadly Premonition is available on the PS3, since it absolutely should not be played.

Anyone with an aversion to cute will likely vomit themselves inside out before they've cleared the intro movie, puking their way into a catatonic state with inhuman haste, but for everyone there's a lot to love in Atelier Totori. It's huge, it's charming and it's just a shame that its strict, poorly defined timeline rubs some of its sheen off. That aside, it's almost ludicrously absorbing, beautiful to bask in, and a joy to play.

In the end, Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel is a boring, meatheaded slog through about ten or so hours of predictable situations and sub par dialogue, and if someone told me that the development team had simply been handed a bit of cardboard with the words "sink this series" emblazoned across it as a design document, I'd believe it without hesitation.

Aside from that though, the original Dragon's Dogma was one of the better role-playing games to come along in quite some time when it originally debuted last year. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is the very same game, only better, stuffed with even more content, and cheaper to boot. Now's a perfect time to dive in for new players, and those who've beaten it already will find a nice new challenge in Bitterblack Isle alongside some additional goodies for carrying over their save as a loyalty bonus. It's a game that keeps on giving, only with a bit less Dangan.

I may not know what other MMOs offer, but something that feels like a single-player game where other people just happen to show up is just about the best possible thing I can imagine. Coming from this perspective, Defiance delivers.

As it is, it's a damn fine game and definitely worth playing in spite of the stumbles that keep it from reaching its full potential.

It may be designed for last-generation hardware, but it makes an excellent case for small-scale design and proves that great experiences can be had without any need for cutting-edge technology or million-dollar budgets.

It's tough to recommend Sacred Citadel when there are so many superior side scrolling fighters already on the market.

In fact, this is such a solid package that I don't have any outright criticisms, although it would have been nice if they'd thrown in the original Darkstalkers for completion's sake.

There isn't enough depth to the main game to attract anyone with a yen for crime management games, and while I did enjoy the combat, there's not enough of it to justify the game's purchase as a turn-based-strategy title.

Although there are some interesting ideas here and the Vita could benefit from a title like Soul Sacrifice, everything rides on how good the core game is, and to me, it just doesn't hold up.

With V2's incredible mechanics being employed to take on a more morally acceptable foe, Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army makes a worthy addition to the Sniper Elite franchise. With its extremely budget-friendly price and surprisingly large amount of content, NZA will please existing sniper fans, as well as anyone curious to check out what it might be like to shoot a few hundred zombies in the face from 70 yards away

While some might pine for the older, stiffer and more difficult Hitman games, the HD Trilogy makes a strong argument that each iteration was a step towards something truly great.

While taking on legions of shambling undead with Morgan's fists was a genuine high point, it's not enough to make up for the fourth-class experience that Riptide is. I forgave many of the original Dead Island's problems since it had such a fresh, exciting vision, but Riptide lacks the same heart. Don't get me wrong, though—the developers don't need to reinvent the wheel every time (and more of a good thing is usually a good thing) but there's no excusing the slapdash production values and shortage of good ideas on display here.

Fuzzy-headed narrative and thematically irrelevant auxiliary mechanics make Infinite feel sloppy even when it's working. Combat increases in frequency and decreases in impact after the Hall of Heroes, so for most of its length the game sinks towards a deflated ending rather than rising towards a climax. However, that slow descent starts from a great height, so there is still much to value in Infinite even as it drowns in its own shortcomings.

The Book of Unwritten Tales isn’t bad—it just feels like the developers weren't sure if they would rather homage LucasArts or ridicule Blizzard, so they tried to do both. Sadly, they succeeded only in making both aspects tepid and bland. That said, I would honestly recommend it to people who love adventure titles because beneath the fetch-questing is a solid game with quirky characters, decent puzzles, and some amusing self-aware humor.

Everything about it is finely-tuned and dripping with polish—the bright, stylized visuals, the rock-solid handling, the smart decisions in its core design, use of its Mexican themes, and so on.

Tomb Raider is a fine game, but something essential feels like it has been left out. Lara seems to have found the map, but missed the treasure.

While Tri has never been my favorite Monster Hunter (Freedom Unite still holds that honor) there's no question that Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate is a huge step up from its predecessor.

Serious Sam 3: Jewel of the Nile goes a long way towards resurrecting the feel of the franchise that Serious Sam 3 was so sorely lacking, and I can only hope that this pack indicates that the developers have course-corrected, ensuring more bombastic and overwhelming Serious Sam games in years to come.

Despite all these issues, Dead Space 3 isn't a bad game—but it's not a particularly good one, either. The focus on co-op, attempts to ditch the horror elements in favor of more mainstream sci-fi shooter aesthetics, and the disjointed, repetitive feeling of the project as a whole prevent it from ever becoming something that pops.

As the difficulty escalates through the area, culminating in a unique left-running boss battle, Runner 2 realizes the full potential of its synaesthetic design, and playing the game becomes an experience of joy.

I'm not that witty, but I am pretty vulgar—as a result, all I can say is that if Aliens: Colonial Marines had been fished out of a Marine's colon during emergency surgery it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

The high stakes created by The Wise Monkey's first scenes propel the player through the rest of the episode. Although the game stumbles mechanically in a few spots, it manages for the most part to maintain the tension that The Hangman lacked.

Although Mirror of Fate doesn't live up to its full potential, it often comes close. I can see the beginnings of a fantastic new-school Castlevania experience trying hard to emerge here, and with just a little more polish and precision, MercurySteam would have turned out a solid winner. It's not yet fully evolved, but the work done here is still a valid step towards the future state of this ever-changing series.

For those who love Trials and want a serious challenge, Trials Evolution: Riders of Doom is the right stuff. For those who already feel like they’re in over their heads, give this one a pass.

It looks sharp and it may be perfectly serviceable, but with all of the other interesting things happening in video games right now, something as surprisingly soulless and rote as Crysis 3 has absolutely nothing to recommend it.

Now that this great title is available with high definition graphics, it's a great way for fans of 3D platformers to spend ten bucks.

In a certain sense, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch seems to be exactly as advertised. The quality of the artwork is unimpeachable, just as one might expect from the studio that created it. Unfortunately, the beauty of Ghibli has been painted onto the unimaginative and poorly-executed design of Level-5. As a result, Ni No Kuni turns out as blandly as its name suggests.

There's no denying the sheer amount of joy and mirth to be had in Mass Effect 3: Citadel, even if knowing what led to its creation and how the story ends afterwards casts it in a strange, sad light.

For fans of the dungeon-crawl genre or for those who just want their Nintendo 3DS to host something a little off the beaten path, Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan is at the top of its class, and guaranteed to be one of 2013's best.

While DmC: Devil May Cry—Vergil's Downfall is exactly the kind of story-based DLC that I enjoy the most and getting a new slice of a fantastic game like DmC: Devil May Cry is always welcome, this add-on could have gone from "okay" to "outstanding" with just a little more work.

It may not be entirely to my taste due to the fairly demanding time requirements—upwards of an hour per complete run—and a lack of selectable waves from the menu screen, but as a free addition to what's already an absolutely kickass core game? It can only be seen as a good thing.

Cognition fails not from a lack of execution, but from a lack of imagination.

If a sequel is made with a more consistent vision and a better development schedule, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up being one of the best hack-and-slash games ever made. Until then, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will simply stand as a "very good" action game that survived cancellation through the hard work of an incredible developer.

This defines the limit of Antichamber's scope. Bereft of any real narrative, it becomes a game about games. Indeed, it becomes a game about a game: a game about itself. Like the singularity that collapses the game's world in its final moments, Antichamber folds in on itself until its revelations get obscured by its own self-absorption. The player can ultimately escape the Antichamber, but it seems like its creator didn't.

With its edges and corners firmly creased, Paper Galaxy deserves to sit among the most recognized titles in the mobile gaming space.

Rather than a game created to hook people with strong gameplay or a novel idea, Noble Nutlings feels like it's all about the Benjamins. Pass.

Although the ability to maintain multiple, asynchronous matches can be appealing for the puzzle-fiend in a rush, Sushi Mushi is ultimately a serviceable but generic match-three that lacks a distinct personality.

For a title as interesting as this one with such high production values, I thought that one-time investment was a very fair price for what's now become one of my favorite iOS titles.

The silver lining to this otherwise mediocre (at best) experience is found in the rich visual presentation. The giraffe is well animated, the art not unlike the average family CG animal adventure by Pixar or Dreamworks, and the backgrounds have depth and richness. Although I hate to make the lipstick-on-a-pig comparison, the graphics just don't make up for an otherwise lackluster mobile distraction.

For fans of titles like Final Fantasy Tactics and Advance Wars, Ravenmark will certainly scratch that strategy game itch.

It may feel a bit out of place on current hardware, but viewing it as something of a "lost classic" from the last generation affords it a more appropriate context to be judged in, and a more comfortable one to be enjoyed with.

Were Clan of Champions a skeletal presentation piece designed to convince a publisher that these developers were worth investing in, I would give it extremely high marks. As a finished product that people are asked to pay money for, it's completely unacceptable.

Double D was one of 2012's most pleasant surprises, a budget-priced promotional title that managed the unthinkable and outdid the game it was designed to get people excited about. Normally I'd be in favour of leaving well enough alone, but Mommy's Best Games has taken everything that worked about Double D and built something even more spectacular on top of it.

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy starts off as a celebrated adventure through the musical history of the long-running Final Fantasy series, and the fanservice is apparent and appreciated. However, after only a few hours, the nostalgia wears off and the experience loses its luster. There's just too little to drive this title forward, and without more substance, even the best fanservice in the world will start to lose its appeal.

In the end, Arkedo has shown up to the party to share with us a huge ball of digital cotton candy; as soon as we get a taste of its ultra-sweetness, it's already evaporating. Fans of the game might counter that there's nothing automatically bad about a trifle of a game, but there's also nothing automatically good about one, either.

Transcripted's mashing of genres does work despite its hiccups. As a game to play here and there, it is a nice distraction with plenty of ways to change how it's played.

Virtue's Last Reward takes everything that 999 did well and does it better.

The freeform combat, gorgeous locations, and excellent multiplayer are strong, and Far Cry 3 does a fantastic job of putting the player in the middle of a lawless, chaotic world and letting them get up to whatever they please. Yes, video games are capable of achieving much more than Far Cry 3 does, but it makes a persuasive argument that there's nothing wrong with a guilty pleasure now and again—especially when it's as slickly presented as this is.

Skylanders: Giants remains every bit as satisfying to play as the original was, and in my house at least, it's still the game of choice when the family is in the mood to pass the controller around.

Every weakness is compensated by a strength, and while I would prefer to have the latter without the former, I can't complain too much about the overall effect. I found Primordia charming and intriguing, and its mysteries well worth solving.

I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the strategy, there's a ludicrous amount of content, and there's even pass-the-handheld multiplayer for those into that sort of thing. Apart from the less-than-sizzling looks, this one's a must-have for any turn-based strat fan with a 3DS.

Fans of the Giana Sisters likely Kickstarted this game, thus earning a copy of it in the process. However, for those who don't already own a copy, there's no way that I can recommend it without it weighing on my conscience. Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is simply not worth the time.

Simply put, F1 Race Stars is the kart racing equivalent of a self-help seminar, or of a powerpoint on learning real estate sales. Like those sorts of intellectual death marches, it frequently made me yawn while playing and the whole thing has a painful sense of inevitability to it-which at least draws a further comparison with the sport on which it places primary focus.

The slightly disappointing storyline aside, it's impressive just how well the whole thing gels together, and DmC: Devil May Cry succeeds on pretty much every level imaginable.

Dead or Alive 5's a very good game, but one that also seems slightly confused in its intentions-the neat new mechanics and impressive environmental interactions seem to be butting heads with Team Ninja's desire to make it a more competitive fighter-and by extension, a more traditional one. That said, it's still the best game in the series and incredibly enjoyable, regardless of whether or not it'll finally appease the hardcore fighting gamers out there.

Anyone looking for a deep, complex brawler is best be served elsewhere, but fans looking for some Super Saiya-jin action or younger folks that just want to button-mash will find something here to like.

Anarchy Reigns is an attractive, bombastic entry that retails for half the price of a normal title while delivering a fantastic level of quality. If you ask me, smaller-budget titles that try to do something different should be supported and celebrated-definitely give this one a shot, but keep an eye out for double chainsaws approaching from the rear.

I played Crimson Shroud for a total of 6.5 hours before I got frustrated and gave up because five hours of that playtime was spent fighting the same group of enemies over and over for the random drop which never appeared. Holding back rare weapons or magic items is one thing, but it's incredibly disrespectful of a player's time and a waste of a consumer's money to make forward progress reliant on pure luck.

Although the core Uncharted titles might not do much for me, Fight for Fortune is a respectably entertaining title for players who enjoy the CCG genre. It might not have the same run-and-gun Nathan Drake is usually known for, but I'll take card combos and strategy over killing a thousand generic thugs and auto-climbing ledges any day.

As a visually-renovated trip down memory lane, NiGHTS into Dreams largely succeeds. Unfortunately, the game design has two competing forms: one is breathless, invigorating, and fluid, while the other is lumpy, broken, and boring. However, in the moments when the game's flight, flow, and nostalgia combine, it's difficult to think of a more satisfying experience.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is caught between two worlds. The game can't quite decide if it wants to be an arcade or a simulation racing game, and it takes a lot to get used to this in-between zone it occupies. That said, once the adjustment period is over, there is a lot of enjoyment to be had when it's not being frustrating.

It's impossible to tell where the fault lies with Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified. Did Activision force Nihilistic to rush it out the door? Did Nihilistic simply put out the bare minimum effort? Is this half-hearted experience exactly what Activision wanted? Regardless of the reasons behind it, what we've ended up with is a completely wasted opportunity to bring some heavy firepower to the Vita.

Gamers looking for an art-house experience would do well to spend a couple of hours soaking in what Suda 51 has served up. Those more concerned with gameplay they can chew on might want to think twice.

Chaos on Deponia has enough charm to salve the wounds of its worst design flaws (a delightful quest to hatch a team of platypus guardians is a great example) but there's no getting around its narrative problems.

With its limited customization, uniform enemy AI, and ineffectual weapons, Cargo Commander tightly constrains the player's tactical and strategic options, no matter the mode. The game may be set in deep space, but Cargo Commander's gameplay feels like it's trapped in a box.

It gets the job done (and I do admit that finally finding the chainsaw was pretty choice) but in a style of game that lives and dies by the quality of the writing, it's not quite up to snuff.

On paper, this should be the most boring, simplistic game ever: The player tosses a paper airplane, the end. However, the reality is surprisingly more engaging than it sounds.

Touch controls are a perfect fit for this title since all that's required is to poke where the creature needs to attach, and the physics engine that powers it makes it all happen.

Even so, it's well worth checking out for players who would be interested in a different spin on the Angry Birds formula.

The final nail in the coffin was that the in-app store offers instant level-ups and level skips to help you "speed up" the game. I frown on this kind of stuff, and between this and the low production values, it was hard to shake the feeling that this title is perilously close to being just a money-sink in disguise.

On a mobile platform like this one, a title has to look good, feel good, and be comfortable to play. This one strikes out in all three areas.

As an iOS title that offers literally dozens and dozens of hours of engrossing entertainment, it is hard not to recommend Defender Chronicles II: Heroes of Athelia to avid fans of the tower defense genre.

My very minor disappointment with the story aside, Sine Mora is an outstanding shooter that excels in every other area-the design, aesthetics and mechanics are all top-notch, and couldn't be a better fit for the Vita. For players who own Sony's machine and have an appreciation for games of this sort, they honestly don't come better than this.

It's different, it's solidly built on a smaller scale, and it delivers an easy-to-grasp, focused concept. It also earns praise for being a streamlined and problem-free RTS without falling into the pitfalls that have doomed so many others before it. That in itself is no mean feat, and Targem Games makes it look easy.

Sure, it might not reinvent the wheel as built by Diablo II over a decade ago, but Runic deserves props for perfectly recreating the formula. Many others have tried to bring their own take on Diablo to the market-and failed. Runic didn't, which makes Torchlight II an essential purchase for anyone who loves to crawl through dungeons while scoring phat loot.

As it stands, Pid is a misguided platformer that is set to quickly disappear from memory.

The Testament of Sherlock Holmes's execution is ordinary, and its flaws elementary.

In Guardians of Middle-earth, console players finally have the chance to investigate a hitherto unknown area of gaming, and it's arguably one of the most positive experiences I've had in the genre.

Those searching for the traditional Silent Hill experience on a portable (story? What story?) should stay far, far away. However, players who enjoy dungeon crawling and aren't afraid of a little difficulty will find that Silent Hill: Book of Memories gets it pretty right-it's just a shame that an FAQ is required to enjoy it.

At least the petty indignities of the multiplayer are optional and situated around gameplay that's solid and unique, if frustratingly stagnant. In the single-player campaign, however, it's impossible to escape the ham-fisted manipulations of the Assassin's Creed III development team.

When the elements of Orgarhythm come together, it's transcendent-raging music fills the ears, the tapping gives a tangible connection to what's happening onscreen, and watching the multi-colored army dominate the opposition is a singular experience. That said, the small amount of content, low production qualities and general lack of polish make Orgarhythm come off more like a proof-of-concept demo. I absolutely love what it does when it pops, but there's more work to be done here.

The Unfinished Swan isn't without its charms, and there were moments in the abandoned city, with the vines overgrowing walls and bridges in all directions, that I almost loved it. However, in its very short runtime The Unfinished Swan introduces too many different ideas and doesn't sufficiently explore or refine any of them-not even the bad ones. That might suit the theme, but it makes for a game that feels frustratingly incomplete.

While there are a few sequences that thrill the way a proper Hitman should, like stalking a dark cornfield or combing Chinatown without being dressed as a chef, these brief glimpses of 47's predatory roots are outnumbered three-to-one by kludgey segments more about duckwalking towards exits than they are about killing professionally. I would imagine that the goal of Hitman: Absolution was to take Agent 47's detailed, methodical gameplay and make it appeal to players more familiar with modern action/stealth hybrids, but all the devs have done is eviscerate their unique franchise with poorly-implemented mechanics and left him to die an awkward, humiliating death.

From the rousing space battle at its beginning to the surprisingly intense firefight at its end, Mass Effect 3: Omega is just the sort of add-on that I would want for a game of this kind… apart from the fact that it's a bit mindbending to revisit a virtual time and place that had such an unforgettable final act. I might still be trying to wrap my head around it, but I enjoyed my time with Aria and Nyreen just the same.

All complaints aside, Lee and Clementine are characters that will stay with me for the rest of my life, there's no question in my mind that The Walking Dead is a milestone that should be recognized and honored for the achievement that it is.

As much as I found myself groaning through the parts I knew I would dislike-namely, the grinding and overwhelming sense of repetition that emanates from combat and time management-I grew to respect Persona 4: Golden. I can't say I completely enjoyed my time with the game, but I'm not the kind of person who would be interested in buying it. Those who are will find an admirably polished JRPG and a welcome addition to their burgeoning Vita library.

So, is Darksiders II: Argul's Tomb worth playing? It's only about an hour long, and the exclusive weapon contained within is a set of armblades that drain Wrath with each hit. While they're pretty effective when partnered with the scythes that drain life from opponents, running out of Wrath was a problem that never really came up in the course of the game, so-perhaps ironically-nothing in the Argul's Tomb proved more valuable than the club I acquired by dealing with Argul himself. For players who can't get enough of Death beheading monsters, Argul's Tomb will be a welcome addition, but anyone who completed the main game and set it aside without further thought won't find anything worth slotting the disk back in.

While trying to revitalize the Zelda formula with modern developments is an admirable goal, Darksiders II's developers just can't seem to get a handle on how to make such a thing work. For two games now they've tried adding hi-octane combat, a Western-style story, and ability trees, but it's never managed to gel. The things that made games like Zelda, God of War, Prince of Persia, and even Shadow of the Colossus great are all on display here, but the Darksiders series still hasn't figured out how to use them effectively enough to stand on its own.

Overall, the entire endeavor is extremely costly and a good chunk of playtime is necessary to amass enough money to trick out the small mansion after blowing thousands on the initial structure. Yet this is perhaps the true quality of Hearthfire-the ability to simply get players back into the world of Skyrim after abandoning it after exhausting the main quest or slaying through the Dawnguard expansion.

When all's said and done, Ragnarok Odyssey takes almost all of its major cues from the leader of its genre, and then flatly fails to deliver a commensurate level of depth in combat, quest design, and equipment tinkering.

With just seven levels-three of which have serious problems working with the current control scheme-it's not like the game has a wealth of content, and its hostility to new players prevents me from recommending it to any but the hardcore.