I enjoyed Lords of Shadow 2 far, far more than I ever expected to, and have no hesitation recommending it to anyone looking for dynamic third-person action, environmental exploration, or an intriguing new spin on the Castlevania mythos.

It might sound strange to say after outlining my dissatisfaction with it, but Toukiden is still the strongest of the Monster Hunter clones available stateside, and would make a solid entry point for players interested in trying the genre. On the other hand, it's an obvious clone which can't match Capcom's quality.

Ironically enough for a game which centers around the concept of genetic ancestry, however, it continually lets itself down by refusing to break away from its own tired and worn-out heritage,

Its thin characters and unconvincing narrative aside, the game maintains a sense of inertia, pounding action, and a balance between solid gunplay, distracting puzzles, and satisfying environmental traversal.

Despite its quasi-anonymous, unknown status, AquaPazza is a surprisingly accomplished 2D brawler with a great mix of proficient fighting and fanservice. It’s more than worthy of consideration.

Despite these minor hiccups, Tower of Guns almost perfectly achieves what it sets out to do. The tower can be run quickly, but the array of weapon and perk choices, combined with the randomness of the drops, the bosses, and the levels themselves, produces an enormous variety that ensures running it almost never gets old.

Fightback is as straightforward as its name, and equally dull.

With its charming art style, accessible gameplay, and just-on-the-right-side-of-frustrating puzzles, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is the perfect game for younger players hoping to try out the Xbox One.

Liberation HD won't change anyone's mind about the Assassin's Creed series. It clings closely to the style of the series' earlier entries, but feels cramped even in comparison to those games.

While flawed in places, it's certainly a welcome time.

GRID 2 is a fine racing game on the track, but it's a questionable package when taken in its entirety.

Blackguards is tolerable, if plodding, but I don't have anything nicer to say about it.

I could bring up a dozen more problems, major and minor, with the game, but what's the point? Montague's Mount doesn't have interesting puzzles or a structure that ties them into a coherent work about mental illness, despite its heavy-handed announcement of that intent. I respect the aim, but the execution is terrible.

On the whole, Thief is a worthwhile entry into the stealth genre and genuinely better than many I've played, but it's hard to ignore the number of obvious things that it whiffs.

Left Behind is a fantastic piece of content, and Naughty Dog has again raised the bar for all developers who aim to tell character-driven stories. They just don't come better than this.

Despite the ho-hum storyline and a few minor pacing issues in the endgame ,it still comes pretty Ys-ey to recommend overall.

As far as handheld shooters go, Killzone: Mercenary is undoubtedly the new gold standard and, quite frankly, makes a mockery out of its handheld peers.

I'm sure some players will get a kick out of throwing each other into pits or causing chaos in a cat suit, but 3D World stands squarely in the shadow of other, greater entries in the series.

Even with the second-screen setbacks and the wonky in-game commentary, the Director's Cut of Deus Ex: Human Revolution is still the best version of the game.

Boiling it all down, Lighting Returns is a flashy combat system lacking some basic components that's wrapped up in soporific item hunts and fetchquests that don't feel worthy of the time that's required to do them.

It won't win over people who aren't already inclined to appreciate visual novels (because, you know, reading...) but for those who don't mind something a little more cerebral, it comes absolutely recommended.

While Armature definitely made a few bad calls when putting Blackgate together, I greatly enjoyed this new style of Batman, and didn't have too much heartburn over the rough patches.

A Link Between Worlds is a Zelda for people who have become disillusioned with Zelda over the years. It recalls the series' roots while also taking unique advantage of the 3DS hardware to create something that feels new. They may not make them exactly like they used to anymore, but Link Between Worlds shows that they still recognize what made them great in the first place.

While people pinching every penny might want to hold off since this DLC such a quick play, those in the mood for a little eggnog with the Saints would do well to ring in this holiday Third Street style.

Wearing its weirdness and humour like a badge of honor, Guided Fate Paradox is a fresh take on the Roguelike genre with a quirky tale and dialed-back difficulty that ensures it's accessible to all audiences.

All That Remains is a bit rougher than I would've liked and not much got established, but I have confidence that the team at Telltale can turn out a good experience. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where this goes.

Stick It To The Man is a short, uncomplicated project that lives and dies by the quality of its writing, and to its credit, that writing is strong enough to support the entire experience.

Perhaps it's still too experimental and difficult than the sixth entry in a series ought to be, but despite everything, RE6 offers top-tier cinematic action and series-high storytelling. For fans who've yet to try it, the PC version is the right choice.