I'm not sure if you should call Persona 5 Strikers a spinoff or a sequel. Honestly, it feels more like the latter. But if you want to call it a spinoff, it's the best one that the Persona series has offered yet.

This is Nintendo’s best mobile effort yet.

It’s like learning language from scratch each time you play, piecing together unfamiliar sounds until they form up into words.

Monaco is an amazing co-op game. It works both as an arcade-style romp and as strategic game that rewards deep thinkers...If you don’t want to play with others, however, I would skip it.

The success of the Souls series is largely tied to its capability to force players into a cautious, careful mindset. But in Souls 3, the developers appear to be playing things a bit too safe.

Barlow is single-handedly creating a genre out of the movie-video game combination. This story is more complicated than Her Story, which revolved around a single actress. Four more people are relevant in this tale, but the game has more than 30 characters altogether.

Resident Evil: Village is going to make fans of the franchise happy, especially ones who aren't cowards like me. But even if you also find yourself shying away from the horror genre, I'd encourage you to screw your courage to the sticking place and consider a look at Capcom's latest survival horror stunner.

The Metronomicon: Slay the Dance Floor is a lot of fun if you’re into rhythm games. I do wish that each of the levels were a bit more different, but what it lacks in variety, it makes up in solid gameplay. I don’t think any other game quite like it is out there.

Camouflaj better have a lot of new mechanics and twists planned if it hopes players will see this prison escape to its end.

The new mechanics and features — well welcomed — don’t make up for just how overly familiar everything feels, or the overall lack of new monsters and material, and I’m not sure if Generations ever entirely justifies itself.

Assassin's Creed III capitalizes on its historical setting in ways few other games do, hitting several perfect notes and even throwing the best curveball in recent memory. As a crescendo piece, it misses the mark completely. Occasionally iffy controls and a few mystifying design choices also knock down an otherwise solid effort.

Of the new additions, the weapon crafting feature makes it worthwhile to stick around. Even the cooperative mode injects some fresh blood (and sorely missed horror elements) back into the formula. The essential ingredients of what makes a Dead Space game great keeps changing from one iteration to the next, but at least Visceral Games always finds a way to make it enjoyable.

For the sequel to one of the most successful mobile games in recent memory, the developers of Temple Run 2 took a safe approach: more of the same. Sure, it has better graphics and a new power-up system, but at its core, it's a lot like the original.

Pokkén Tournament isn’t quite as successful as some of the other Pokémon releases and other genre experiments (Pokémon Conquest comes to mind), but it offers high-energy battles and a unique framework for fights, even if it could use some tweaking.

Even though you can technically enjoy Lumines at a lower price on mobile devices, their smaller wells actually constrict the gameplay compared with wider console and computer platforms, and their soundtracks aren’t as compelling. If you want the full Lumines experience, this version’s reasonable pricing and interesting features nearly offset its remaining rough edges.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie is a good game, but even with the Hollywood theme, it doesn't innovate enough on what Hello Games did two years ago.

This isn’t the best Picross game. The original Picross for DS is still better. Picross 3D (also for the DS), which has you solving logic puzzles in three dimensions, is way better...But this is still a fine game. And, if you enjoy Picross but don’t put it on a pedestal like I do, you may find some more enjoyment from the Pokémon elements than I did.

I have issues with Mario Golf: World Tour, but they are completely unimportant when I’m playing the actual golfing parts. It feels great, it looks very nice, and it plays at a fast pace. And while the campaign packaging is a faint echo of Mario Golfs gone by, that didn’t stop me from loving the 20 hours I spent with this entry in the franchise.

United Front Games has done a phenomenal job of re-creating the look and feel of the Craftworld while applying its kart racing expertise with imaginative tracks and responsive controls. And the Create mode is nothing short of stunning, even if I don't have the patience for it. Depending on how the community of players respond, it might be the only kart racing game you'll ever need.

Its colorful visuals and retro-symphonic soundtrack are easy on the eyes and ears, while its minimalistic design ensures gamers of all skill levels can immediately jump in and enjoy saving the galaxy.

It may not be worth $40 for everyone now, but if you haven’t touched the series before and want a good starting point before Gears of War 4 hits next year, this is the best place to start. If you’ve already played the game, you may already know whether you want to go back, but the Ultimate Edition does right by one of the defining games of the last generation.

No Going Back is a quality episode, yet it fails to be as memorable as Season One’s ending, despite some intense and heartbreaking moments.

It feels like the Gentlebros were having a blast making this game. After beating the boss, there are plenty of other side quests to go on if you’d like, and the generous save system makes it possible to play it for just a little while and then put it down. Cat Quest doesn’t reinvent the RPG genre. Instead it just does it well, with some cute cats to boot.

If the game had started with the second half and then proceeded to get better from there, I would've liked it much more. But as is, the execution of this game is a bit of a setback for the previously unblemished Uncharted brand, and the full potential of the PlayStation Vita is as yet unrealized.

While shooting fascists in video games will likely always be fun, The New Order falters when it’s trying to decide how you should feel about it. Its options and ridiculously sized weapons provide a lot of enjoyment, but the story tries so hard to be serious that it forgets that this is a game that includes Moon Nazis.

An immediately accessible yet infinitely deep puzzle game where Korobeiniki has been replaced with dozens of uptempo car commercial anthems. While Electronic Symphony is a tad expensive for the limited content "on-disc," you're getting the same solid music-fueled experience you've come to expect with some exclusive new bells and whistles.

I haven't played a game to completion twice in a single sitting since Portal 2, which should roughly hint at the quality of experience that awaits: It's short and sweet, with a decent cooperative multiplayer side-story for added value. And by "sweet," I mean you can hang a thug upside-down and rip their intestines out through their ass.

One of the things standing in EA’s way here is its penchant for introducing a game riddled with bugs and balance issues that need correcting in further updates.

Although you’ll need at least Episode One to play 400 Days, this is a good standalone title that expands The Walking Dead universe and pushes the story forward. The situation it sets up for Season Two is intriguing.

Making a group of enemies disappear in a chain of miniature black holes with your Warp Rifle is ridiculous. More important, it’s ridiculously entertaining.

Tekken doesn't need more stuff. It needs more focus. Like the archetypical weathered warrior, the franchise needs to look within to find inspiration.

Yoshi’s Wooly World is an adorable game, and it’s often a fun one. However, the light difficulty prevents it from reaching the excellence of Yoshi’s Island.

Inazuma Eleven took a sport I didn’t care for and managed to make it exciting. My 30-hour adventure did drag a bit with the constant, and ultimately useless, random battle system, but the strategic matches and compelling story made it hard to put down.

Just Dance 4 gives you the illusion of dancing with its flashy backgrounds, brightly dressed dancers, and high-scoring gold stars. But it does this by sacrificing accuracy and feedback: You probably won't become a better dancer after playing this game. If you can accept these limitations (or just want a decent fitness routine to do at home), you'll find a lot to like here.

Portal 2 In Motion offers some cool new tools and a few more hours playing around in the Aperture Science Test Facility. While it's occasionally sloppy and too isolated to hold its own against Valve's best, it does have solid motion controls and a lot of neat ideas that I would love to see more of in the future.

Mohawk Games really hit on something special in creating the heart and soul of what makes Offworld Trading Company tick. It’s just a shame they didn’t stretch and twist it far enough to broach the limits of what this brilliant idea can really do.

I can forgive The Walking Dead: A New Day's weak puzzles and occasional technical issues because of all the other things it gets right. By focusing on moral choice and character relationships, Telltale has managed to remain faithful to the source material while simultaneously crafting a zombie game that feels fresh compared to its more action-oriented brethren.

As team-carnage games go, you'll get some mileage out of this one. Grab a few of your drinkin' buddies, and have yourselves a fun (and cheap) night of gratuitous hillbilly firepower and richly deserved robo-death. Preferably with your beer goggles on.

If you haven’t tried Skullgirls yet, this is this best place to start, but if you’ve already played it, there’s not much reason to switch to this version for now.

Despite its problems, Pokémon Go is something that I’m going to be playing for a long time to come (I mean, I have to catch ’em all, right?). Go has a solid base, and if Niantic can sustain and cultivate the community and Go as a platform, it has real potential. And by that measure alone, it’s quite a success, even if it still has a lot of room left to grow.

RE Zero is a great example of why old-school horror releases are beloved and special. With a few new technical upgrades, it has largely made a graceful return on current systems.

A good but safe debut from the three-man team at Boomlagoon. Aside from its cute premise and racing-inspired gameplay, everything else feels like something we've seen dozens of times before on the App Store. Hopefully, the team will flex their creative muscles a little more in future titles.

I just wish the studio had advanced its humor and encounter design as much as class progression and weapon variety. If you enjoy lootin’-and-shootin’, check out Borderlands 3. But go in knowing that you’re going to cringe at some of the jokes and feel fatigue every now and then.

The lack of a story is a bit of a bummer, and its user interface could still use some work. But even with its problems, Spirit Hunter is a refreshing change of pace from the strategy games and match-3 puzzles that usually clog the App Store.

Technical issues already dampened its prospects since its debut, and long matchmaking times are only compounding the problem. But with rock solid mechanics and genuinely interesting ideas behind it, 5th Cell's innovative shooter still has a fighting chance of bouncing back.

For me, the experience was like taking your car to the shop. When you get it back, it’s shining, detailed, and purring: They’ve traded your Ford Focus for a Ford GT. Hooray! But then you get in and notice it’s a stick shift, with manual brakes and steering, no stereo, no A/C, and wait, where are the doors?

How you feel about Tharsis probably depends on how you feel about board games, soul-crushing challenges, and shorter gaming experiences. If you love tabletop games, repeatedly dying while learning, or heavily micro-managing resources, Tharsis is a worthwhile way to spend an evening.

Pushmo World is a fun puzzle game, even if its presentation will make you feel like a preschooler. Still, the easy-to-use level editor really helps make it an easier recommendation to anyone looking for an interesting little addition to their Wii U library.

Developer Clap Hanz has produced a thoroughly enjoyable and addictive game, filled with a simplicity that makes it accessible for players of all abilities.

Tri Force Heroes is a lot of fun when you’re playing with friends, but make sure you have two buddies who can dedicate some time. The experience just isn’t as engaging when you’re alone, and you lose a lot of the social elements when you play with strangers over the Internet.

A comforting portable companion for fans of the sport. It sits between the slickness of FIFA 11 and grit of FIFA 12, forging a simple experience that acts as a welcoming introduction to Vita's capabilities.

Some corners were cut in terms overall production values and the gameplay may be too watered down for fans of more technical fighters, but if you're still on the fence about Naruto, this is the game that will make it or break it for you.

I love the idea of Where the Water Tastes Like Wine. It has a lot of personality, and several days after I finished it, I was still humming some of the songs to myself. However, it’s impeded by a few gameplay quirks, like how tedious it is to move around. And most of all, I’m still very disappointed by how I wasn’t able to see the final chapter through to the end.

Yakuza 6 has an ambitious narrative, alternating between lighthearted and dramatic. Unfortunately, it doesn't give its characters enough love and care to truly pull off the pathos.

You should definitely try Hohokum if only to understand how weird and hard to describe it is. But not everyone will appreciate its laid-back attitude and guidance allergy. It’s certainly a beautiful and unique title, and I enjoyed playing it, but bring along some extra patience just in case.

If I were rating the story and acting, I would put it at a 95 out of 100. But with all of the bugs and flaws in the gameplay, I am rating the entire package at 75 out of 100. I hope my feedback will be useful as a reminder to developers that six months more work on a game can pay off with huge dividends in quality.

Assassin’s Creed: Origins offers a rich world and a compelling story at first, but it’s waylaid in part by the repetitive side quests and a weaker second half. It has secrets to find, but you’ll have to go looking for them — and you’ll have to do a lot of grinding along the way.

I wanted very badly to love Dauntless, and for a time I think I did thanks to the fantastic combat and weapon variety. But the lack of any real storytelling makes the repetitive questing structure a glaring issue in desperate need of some TLC. If you’re looking for a new go-to F2P experience, you could do much worse — just don’t expect a world drenched teeming with lore and compelling characters.

The game has weak shooting systems and some bad weapons, much like Red Dead Redemption II. But while the other games have been highly rated, Days Gone has had its legs cut out by the bugs.

Mad Max isn’t a terrible game — it’s actually well crafted. The problem here isn’t that it’s broken or unplayable but that it’s just boring.

It’s good to see Nintendo flexing the strength of its back catalog. NES Remix was a nice start, and NES Remix 2 is an improvement. Plenty of people, including me, love this era of gaming, and this game does a good job of capitalizing on that.

The Division is in a weird spot. While the story campaign is fantastic, the end-game content is disappointing, even without factoring in the hackers and the bugs.

It’s a semi-remake that fails to match all the charm of the original.

Transistor is beautiful and engaging with a brilliant combat systems that encourages careful planning before and during battle. It’s just a shame the story holds it back from being a true classic. It’s a more flawed experience than Bastion was, but it’s also a more interesting one.

Insurgency is going to win fans for its gameplay. The action is highly competitive and focused. It brings me about as close to a real gunfight as I’ll likely ever want to get.

It remains a solid adventure today despite the late-game efforts of one of the worst system-based game mechanics of this or any other year. The afternoon of graph diving it takes to beat Metrico is all that’s needed to forever see a small silhouette jumping to and fro on all of the financial documents in your future.

For all the great amount of detail put into the experience, the lack of real, permanent consequences and a fully simulated opponent is a huge letdown. Scripted missions just aren't enticing enough to warrant repeated plays.

Pid is just as atmospheric as Fez and as grueling as Braid, but it's the little details of its execution that keep it from flawlessness.

A solid mixture of polish, inventiveness, and just plain fun. Its blended style of fantasy and authenticity supplements its accessibility with pleasing flair.

Solving a homicide can be a lot of fun when it’s alongside an idiot clairvoyant, Lolita gambler, and psychotic robo-teddy bear (“Puhuhuhuhuhuhuhu!”). Countering contradictions with metaphorical lead is an amusing attempt to giving a courtroom a more action-packed edge, and it’s a strong enough mechanic to survive some frivolously tacked-on gameplay extensions and hazy road bumps in the translation.

I actually enjoyed the story in Origins more than the wildly implausible (even by comic book standards) Arkham City, but my fun was constantly interrupted by bugs and questionable design decisions. While this is arguably still the third-best Batman game ever made, WB Games Montréal unfortunately dropped the high bar set by Rocksteady down a few notches.

Though the story and characters are more compelling in The Pact, it also sacrificed interactivity.

Vampyr is good — flawed, but very good — and pleasurable.

Without a doubt, FIFA 16 provides countless hours of fun football. Any soccer fan will find tons to enjoy here. After all, this game is your mom’s mac and cheese. It’s familiar. It’s comfortable. And that’s the problem.

It's not as big and beautiful as I want it to be, but Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite still has plenty to offer fans of the series.

Being able to play so many iconic DC heroes and villains is a refreshing change of pace and offers fans of more obscure characters a chance to see them in action.

Drifts too far from the franchise's sweet spot. A lengthy campaign offers plenty of opportunities for diabolical fun, but the stealth mechanics feel like a string of bad decisions, and a lack of pure assassination missions - exactly what the franchise built its fame on - doesn't help. Most telling, this isn't the Hitman I'll revisit for years to dig out all its secrets.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a fun 2D Mario experience, but it doesn't stick with you the same way the franchise's classics do.

This year, NCAA’s lack of novelty is more evident. Yeah, it now has Infinity Engine physics — which Madden NFL got last year — and Ultimate Team — which FIFA has had for a while. It does play a better game of college football, however, and that’s important. But ultimately, NCAA Football 14 is like your friend who showed up to the first class of the fall semester with the same haircut, shirt, and summer story to tell. Maybe he lost a few pounds, and you’re happy to see him, but he hasn’t really changed.

Helldivers is a fun romp through a tedious space system...The rapid co-op action makes for a great way to kill a few hours with your friends, but continued travels expose repetitive maps.

For better or worse, Daybreak didn’t design PlanetSide 2 for instant gratification. I’ve had hours of playtime where enemy forces were so overwhelming that I barely got anything done. But I’ve also had hours that were full of tense battles filled with explosions, multicolored lasers, and missiles. When you play at night, it looks like a chaotic fireworks show.

The action and the feeling of many right paths make Styx truly engrossing for hardcore stealth fans, at a bargain price. Be ready to save often and die a lot — with a smile on your face.

The storyline itself takes too long to wind up and feels a little milquetoast compared to the grand drama of previous installments. Syndicate is a good, solid game, one of the better in the series recently when it comes to its mechanics, with some nice surprises...It just contains a little too much filler, both in story and in side missions, to be truly great.

This one has the potential to have some staying power in your living room, as long you don’t mind coughing up some money to feed the beast.

I admire Game and Wario’s charm and creativity. After playing it, I can definitely say I’m more sold on the Wii U’s tablet controller than I was before. I just want to see these features implemented in meatier experiences.

If you’re a horror buff, you’ll likely be disappointed because there aren’t that many unique monsters in the game. It’s not even scary, to be honest; most of the tension and fear comes from the lack of ammo. All in all, it’s not a bad game, but it’s not a great game either. You’ll probably have fun shooting the zombies and checking out the occasionally cool surreal locales, but that’s it.

I was equally exhilarated and disappointed by Mass Effect 3, and while I mostly enjoyed Commander Shepard's final chapter at the time, I'm now left pondering everything that it could have been, yet sadly never will be.

Somewhere in Paper Jam are trappings of a great game.

It’s content to give you a solid, lasting sense of satisfaction from pushing buttons in the right order and hearing some good music.

Other than some really frustrating quirks, Sneaky Sneaky is a cute and challenging game that gives you plenty of options in how to survive its obstacles. Just stop walking in front of those damned guards, Sneaky.

Chibi-Robo: Zip Lash is a solid little platformer that entertains despite faltering at times. It’s cute, it’s charming, and it offers some nice little twists on the 2D action/grappling formula that make it stand out.

Far Cry Primal shows us that gaming still has plenty of interesting worlds to take us to. Its Stone Age setting really is its best quality. Sadly, the series’ formula is beginning to feel familiar and, frankly, a little dull. The first-person combat is tedious, and I think I’ve cleared out enough enemy camps for one lifetime.

Right now, it’s a rock-solid shooter with no underlying purpose … or soul. Destiny is a ship floating in space without a place to go.

It has plenty to satisfy the explorer in you, but not the gamer.

Chapter 1 of this five-part series is off to a promising, if timid, start. It presents a lot of ideas and mechanics just to show you what you’ll be doing later, but it’s pretty clear that the really interesting bits are yet to come.

Like any fighting game, Yomi will give you a rush when you manage to skim a win off someone by playing perfectly at the right time — just be ready for the rough learning process.

It doesn’t offer enough yet, and what content options it does have is cloaked behind a clunky menu that doesn’t permit players to hop into its varying modes. Evolve had a beautiful start, but now it’s time to add to it. We need a queue for players that want to play one round of the nest, rescue or defend modes. We need more character choices, maps and play modes.

It’s only when I fought with a corporation that I truly feel like a part of the Dust 514 narrative. I fear that many players may never even get that far due to how overwhelming the menu-heavy interface can seem.