My verdict is that Soul Calibur IV looks great, but isn't especially accessible to newcomers.

The Forgotten City is quite interesting as a new release that’s actually an enhanced and expanded mod that retains all of its key elements while being offered to players who might not be familiar with Skyrim. Despite the performance issues, it’s an adventure that will fascinate until the end, and the riddle surrounding The Golden Rule is one worth solving.

It might have been possible to deal with such a ridiculously bad setup if melee was limited to bosses and occasional encounters, but in a wicked bit of irony, the miserable perspective is paired with an insanely ludicrous amount of battling.

As it stands, Frostpunk 2 is a good second step that fans of the franchise and the genre will enjoy, but there’s plenty of room for improvement here.

It was without a doubt one of the most difficult, draining, and stressful gaming experiences I have ever had, but it's also an absolute masterpiece.

For all its advertising about a virtual world governed by cause and effect, Fable is really just a terribly unambitious hack and slash game in a bad marriage with a personality simulator. The hack and slash works fairly well-everything else, not so much.

That Rogue Legacy got a lousy port is particularly damning, because the game is otherwise perfectly suited to the handheld, with an average round lasting no more than ten minutes but with depth encouraging much longer sessions if possible.

Technically sound but leaving me feeling hollow and unsatisfied, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones reminds me quite a bit of the series I mentioned earlier, "Advance Wars." Both games hooked me immediately and sucked me in the first time around, and both sequels left me hungry by staying too close to the original formula and coming off like add-ons or extended missions instead of being true sequels.

Shovel Knight's greatest feat is disguising itself as "old school" when it's design philosophy couldn't be any further from it. While at first glance it may seem like just another 8-bit homage, the quality and polish make it so much more. Rather than a spirited look at the past, Shovel Knight instead reminds us just how far game design has come

In the end, Wilmot’s Warehouse is a brilliant little puzzler that derives unique pleasure from performing an utterly mundane chore. Anyone looking to kill some time or perhaps give themselves hope that they, too, will one day tackle the growing piles of stuff in their space should check it out.

Collectibles aside, Jusant is a magical experience from beginning to end. From the very first time I had my avatar grab a handhold and hoist herself up the side of a cliff face I was hooked, and the rest of the adventure never once failed to deliver that same thrill. This is a special experience — one that tosses aside realism and simulation to capture the idea of mountain climbing that exists only in our fantasies. Yes, the story is beautiful, and yes, the level design is impeccable, but what Jusant offers most is the perfected version of climbing beyond what reality can offer, and I’m glad I got a chance to see it.

As someone who predominantly plays games antithetical to this experience, the fact it blew me away should speak volumes on how confidently it presents itself. It’s by far one of the best things I’ve played this year, and it just works in a way that is almost magical when considering how many bigger titles have fumbled the fundamentals Technotopia handles with ease. Whether one loves or hates card-based games, this is one worth playing, hands down.

Symphonia is an audiovisual masterpiece. It’s short, sweet, and just challenging enough to keep even the most seasoned players on their toes. I look forward to returning to Symphonia’s magical soundscape when I need to feel inspired, and I am excited to see what Sunny Peak has in store for the future.

With a brilliant musical score, gorgeous artwork, solid adventuring mechanics, and a ton of other generic positive reviewer comments I can heap on it, Machinarium is elevated from merely good to gaming greatness, and I can only hope that the minds at Amanita produce some more masterpieces like this one

I love a great third-person actioner, and I’m hard-pressed to think of one that nails the formula as perfectly as Nioh 2 does. The systems are pleasantly crunchy and there are a ton to dig into, the moment-to-moment fights get my blood pumping, and the artwork and theming are all spot-on. Too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing, but Nioh 2 is exactly the right amount.

It's a fantastic way to scratch the strategy itch, and a damned relaxing one to boot.

Like a fast food menu item, Champions of Norrath isn't going to be an experience for the player to relish and pontificate upon later, but it will serve excellently as a quick nosh for those hungry for mindless action.

Hiccups aside, my hat is tipped to Codemasters for listening to fans and critics. In F1 2016, the company delivers the deep, intricate racing experience we should have enjoyed a year sooner, and the title is loaded with all the depth and customization that F1 enthusiasts can handle, while also welcoming clutch-wary newcomers. F1 2016 may not be perfect, but no sports sim has seen more improvement in such a short amount of time.

The control scheme deserves high praise, as does the evocative portrait of outer space. What doesn't deserve praise is its cloying use of randomly generated content, lack of creative mission design, and generally awkward narrative ambiance.

These are great games now available for players who might have missed them and they’re both worth the time, but for those who’ve already been through them, they’re just re-releases without any new modes or extra content to lure in old fans. That said, this pair still comes highly recommended!

Zenzizenzic is a neat take on bullet hell, sans the Anime kitsch that it's usually wrapped in. For a debut project it shows professional execution and polish, and the catchy soundtrack should sweep players off their feet. With a price around ten bucks, it's a must-see for fans of the genre.

It's a good RPG with varied gameplay and an interesting story that unfolds at a nice pace.

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.

The finest game yet released for the Wii, as well as my early pick for game of the year.

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.

A mixed bag that redeems itself just enough to be worth playing, Far Cry 2 serves as a valuable experiment in open-world first-person shooter game design, but one that is not quite up to par with what developers like Crytek and GSC have accomplished.

Of all the games in this feature, Audiosurf is the one most reassuringly rich in innovation and potential, and proves beyond question that plastic instruments and pricey downloadable content are not the be-all and end-all of the rhythm action genre.

Yakuza 0 is a magnificent achievement that should be experienced by anyone interested in lecturing people on the importance of money, then blowing ten billion yen on a horrifically tacky golden statue of themselves. Or those curious about winning a chicken in a bowling competition, then installing it as the manager overseeing some of the most financially lucrative real estate holdings in Tokyo. Or those inclined to beat fifty knife-wielding thugs to a pulp in a back alley before heading off for takeaway and wasting the night playing Outrun. Or those wondering why that man in the convenience store is walking around in his underpants, and being unafraid to forge an unexpected friendship with him.