Even if you don't fall in love with Path to Thalamus, I suspect you won't be fully immune to its gravity.

Etrian Odyssey is a turn-based role-playing game like any other, but it sports one heck of a mean streak to elevate it above the crowd.

It over-confidently asserts twists and conundrums, without doing enough to earn your investment in the outcome of your decisions. If a moving story is what you're after, steer your ship back to the shores of the Commonwealth.

The formula still works just fine, and with support for eight players using only one copy of the game, this is a fine choice for anyone interested in a strong multiplayer game.

W.M.D. is easily the best game in the Worms series in several years. It stays true to the 2D, animated roots of the ’90s games while adding enough new features to keep it feeling fresh and relevant. The relatively simple gameplay is overflowing with finesse and strategy, the presentation is fantastic, and offline or on, Worms is just incredibly fun.

Unsurprisingly, Bugsnax' best qualities are its cleverness and charm. The surprise and delight you feel when you see a Bugsnak wiggling around or watch someone eat one and change their arm into food never goes away. That alone would make Bugsnax worth your time, but creative puzzles and thoughtful story give it the body and depth to make a Snak feel more like a meal.

It has the look and polish of a great shooter, but the gameplay of a merely good one. It's also a fairly short game with no multiplayer support to speak of.

The experience absolutely holds up: the skillshot system remains wildly fun and inventive, the weapons are still a gruesome joy, and the writing...well, it's as distinctive as ever. If you missed Bulletstorm when it originally released--and based on sales numbers, you probably did--now's the time to treat yourself to a clever if cringe-worthy blockbuster.

WWE All Stars pumps up the action and the stars of professional wrestling, delivering an entertaining experience in spite of its limitations.

Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 offers fast, fun games of Magic: the Gathering, but is hampered by a less-than-ideal control scheme and limited deck building.

Inconsistencies of time reversal aside, Life is Strange is an involving slice of life that works because its situations eloquently capture a peculiar early-college state of mind.

Battlefront doesn't go much deeper than its ambitious surface appeal. It front loads its best content, only to fade in quality as the hours roll by. Star Wars Battlefront's skin is beautiful, but its legs are shaking, and threaten to buckle with time.

Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 3 incorporates a bunch of new modes and switches up the songlist, but for many less-than-expert players will seem a little too similar to previous games.

This role-playing sequel's big world and seemingly countless quests make it easy to overlook its wrinkles.

Tiger Woods 13 still presents a reasonably good golf game, but there isn't much new here save subtly improved PS Move and gamepad controls.

Unique combat and cheery visuals make this kid-friendly role-playing game fun, despite some flaws.

There's a lot of potential in the ideas seeded in New Dawn, but there isn't enough room for many of them to breathe and feel fully realized.

No matter how prone to cynicism you may be, you shouldn’t let this surprising gem go unnoticed.

Being a slightly less-than-perfect approximation of building with Lego bricks still means it is almost perfect, though, and that's remarkably impressive. While some of the build challenges feel repetitive and the controls can be fiddly, this is a great concept executed well, and pays respectful homage to the classic toy. Lego Bricktales sets a new template for what a Lego game can be, and I'd love to see developer Clockstone build on it even more.

Dirt Showdown is a satisfying mix of driving tricks and destruction wrapped up in the slickest of presentations.

The core gameplay loop of Wild Hearts doesn't deviate too far from the formula established by Monster Hunter, yet the surprising decision to center it all around a fast-paced building mechanic is a stroke of ingenuity. The Karakuri system elevates each individual part of Wild Hearts. Combat, traversal, and co-op are all improved by its presence and the way Karakuri is weaved into each component. There are some notable shortcomings that hold it back, especially when it comes to technical performance, but Wild Hearts is a welcome entry in a genre that's otherwise dominated by a single series.

Fable III lands on the PC with graphical enhancements and tougher combat, but simplified gameplay and a lack of moral choices still distract from the fun.

No one has ever really captured the feel of this sweet science as precisely as Victorious Boxers has.

Unfortunately, this new presentation isn't fully realized, leading to awkward camera angles and needlessly confusing gameplay.

If you're undaunted by the game's singular insistence on coordinated teamwork, and intrigued by its combination of shooter and real-time strategy elements, then Savage is worth checking out.

If you play and enjoy "The Sims," you'll play and enjoy Vacation--and you'll just enjoy it more if you happen to have "Hot Date" and "House Party."

While this hybrid concept mostly works well, the game suffers from a lack of polish and from stripped-down combat balance.

The good news is that the game plays an enjoyable match of soccer, makes decent use of the handheld's second screen, and boasts the same high level of presentation that we've come to expect from EA Sports in recent years.