Despite noticeably upping the action level, bolting on co-op, and even charging us extra to cheat, this space-zombie shooter trilogy brings it home nicely with a lengthy, atmospheric, and suitably gory climax for our long-tortured hero, Isaac Clarke.

Is the combat up to par with, say, Devil May Cry 3? Not quite. And no, the series will probably never top Devil May Cry 4's Dante vs Nero opening in terms of sheer testosterone-fueled zaniness. But Ninja Theory's managed to meld its own wildly inventive sensibilities with an obvious reverence for Devil May Cry's legacy, and the result is a very special experience.

This DLC doesn't bring the much-anticipated level cap increase (Gearbox says that's on the way soon), but otherwise, this is the adventure that Borderlands 2 veterans have been waiting for. Go on the Big Game Hunt for the continued story, but stay in Aegrus for the challenge.

What's here is good stuff, though, and even if it never got another piece of content Forge would pull its weight.

PlanetSide 2 shows the PC off. From the gorgeous lighting and huge draw distances, to the intense, multiplayer battles. It's based on something old, but that was so far ahead of its time that even now the template feels new. Exciting. It feels like the next generation has just landed.

Like Borderlands 2 itself (and the Captain Scarlett DLC), once you defeat the final boss, you unlock an all new set of missions and many more hours' worth of stuff to do. It's the type of surprise that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy -- like Gearbox appreciates my continued patronage of Pandora.

If AirMech were just a straightforward, updated clone of Herzog Zwei, I'd have been pleased. That it actually builds considerably on its template while incorporating some of the best elements of its descendants has me nothing short of ecstatic. It probably won't pull away, say, hardcore League of Legends players, but that's not really a shortcoming.

Most definitely qualifies as art -- exquisitely horrific, body-slam-your-emotions, tears-on-your-keyboard art. It is a near-perfect conclusion that may leave you emotionally gutted.

Basically, I suggest ignoring the multiplayer and concentrating exclusively on the excellent sandbox of the single-player game. When Far Cry 3 invites you to come stay with it for a long vacation, take it up on its offer. This is a great example of how to do an open-world shooter right, and for me it's been one of the nicest surprises this year.

More importantly, choice is another element that helps take the Black Ops 2 campaign off of the carbon-copy conveyor belt of typical Call of Duty shooting. It doesn't make the same whole-hearted dramatic franchise leap forward that Modern Warfare did, which is disappointing, but after five years of more of the same, it's a big step in the right direction.

I had a blast playing Need For Speed: Most Wanted, and I expect to keep that feeling alive through many more single and multiplayer dustups.

It's a game that asks a lot up front, but offers some incredibly rewarding moments for those who are willing to stick around. Be patient and just take it all in -- you won't be disappointed.

The joy is in figuring out what kind of ninja you want to be. Mark of the Ninja gives you the tools to get the job done, and lets you run wild through levels with diverging paths, tons of secrets, and ways of slaughtering guards. As a result, that feeling of badassery I get upon pulling off a perfectly executed symphony of violence is a well-earned one.

Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty gets Borderlands 2's four planned DLC expansions off to a very good start, and it's well worth the asking price. I just hope there's another Handsome Jack on Pandora somewhere, twisting his mustache while plotting his grand DLC entrance.

As the series gears up for its conclusion, in which even formerly "safe" characters' fates will be up for grabs, Episode 4's cliffhanger ending sets a new tone of urgency. At this point, I won't even hazard a guess as to what's around the next corner for our survivors, but don't count on a happy ending.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is anything less than an amazing, triumphant game right down to its core. It's XCOM's Batman Begins, in effect -- it does a magnificent job of rebooting the series with its soul intact, delivering an awesome modern experience and paving the way for a future that doesn't just recreate the tense tactical battles and global strategy of the 18-year-old original, but builds on them.

World of Warcraft is one of the few MMORPGs that manages to pull off a satisfying endgame (and thereby justify its outdated subscription model), and the classes and gameplay have reached a blinding level of polish over the last seven years. While it's no longer the only choice out there for a great MMO experience, World of Warcraft seems content with its place.

Drawing its strength from such greats as Thief, BioShock, Batman: Arkham City, and Portal, Arkane Studios' latest manages to deliver that magical formula of intimately familiar and refreshingly new. It doesn't shine as brightly as it should on PC, and it might not offer the challenge stealth-action fans are used to, but it's an impressive accomplishment that immediately stands out as one of the best things we've seen this year.

While this port isn't the significant enhancement that we'd all hoped for (to put it kindly), Prepare to Die Edition is still clearly the definitive version of Dark Souls. It plays smoother, multiplayer is improved, mods have enhanced the resolution and promise further improvements, and there's content not currently available on the consoles.

It's true that F1 2012 will never compete with iRacing for hardcore driving realism and authenticity, but it doesn't need to. It's a lovingly rendered and refreshingly accessible game that gives racing fans of all backgrounds a prime seat in the world's fastest and most exhilarating form of motorsport.

There's oodles more I could go into detail on about why Torchlight 2 is simply an amazing game, but I think you get the idea by now -- it's not to be missed by anyone who considers themselves a fan of the proud tradition of action RPGs. It's great, it's gorgeous, it's hugely replayable, it's multiplayer, it's moddable (with Steam Workshop!), and it's dirt cheap.

It feels funny to say this about a 13-year-old developer with a portfolio of work that includes Half-Life and Counter-Strike expansions, stellar squad-based WWII shooter franchise Brothers in Arms, and the original Borderlands, but with Borderlands 2, Gearbox has arrived as a real blockbuster studio. Right from the toe-tapping "Short Change Hero" opening cinematic, Borderlands 2 stands out as Gearbox's magnum opus, and one of the most memorable and fun gaming rides I've ever been on.

It's exciting, it's challenging, and it makes space action feel fresh.

Battlefield Premium members have access to Armored Kill right now, and everyone else who's interested will be able to buy it for $15 on September 25th. If you're still playing Battlefield 3, or burnt out from claustrophobia or lack of tanks, I suggest that you do.

The concept behind Closure is superb though, and well served by the wrapping. Everything is tightly bound, from the look to the music to the puzzles. With plenty of levels and some fiendishly hidden bonuses, it'll also last you a decent amount of time.

To Guild Wars 2's credit, its issues do little detract from the immensely rewarding experience of the whole. It doesn't overthrow the conventions of the MMORPG, but it presents them in fresher and livelier packaging than its competitors.

Playing CS:GO reminded me just how much many of the new shooter features out there -- the Air Strikes, the perks, the tanks -- can help make up for a lack of core FPS skills. There's no faking it here, and if you really want to get right down to it and find out just how good of an online gunslinger you are, the crucible of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a great place to do it.

In almost every way, this is a very good PC version, and definitely superior to the console versions. We got great graphics options (including that HD texture pack!), smooth performance, and customizable keys. It's also quite stable -- in almost 25 hours of play I hit exactly two crashes to desktop, and neither cost me any progress. If not for the irritating lack of consistently clickable menus Sleeping Dogs would be hard to complain about.

For $15 (or $25 for two copies) Orcs Must Die! 2 is a fantastic deal for a terrifically entertaining game.

Blacklight's a smart and polished take on a very tried-and-true formula, and if that's what you're looking for, there's really no better F2P option.

Luckily, action sequences have been tightened up considerably from the first episode, with interactive points actually on the object in question and not somewhere nearby. And there are just enough quick-time events to keep you on your toes, though they are less frequent than before. The focus is on the slow burn of a terrible, desperate situation; the realization that no matter how many obvious monsters you've sheltered yourself from, a worse one might be standing right next to you.

With multiple paths and endings and a dense story it's totally worth more than a single playthrough, even after you've managed to get through all the head scratching. Like the rest of Wadjet's catalog, Resonance is an absolute must play for any classic adventure nut, and worth checking out for any more modern fan.

I do feel that $40 is a little steep for a stand-alone expansion after developer Ironclad's Vancouver, British Columbia neighbor Relic has spent years training me to expect a $30 price for its content-rich Company of Heroes and Dawn of War 2 expansions. But on the other hand, Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is an outstanding and unique real-time strategy game that offers a welcome, slower alternative to StarCraft 2's intense pacing. As a life-long fan of sci-fi space battles, I simply can't help but strongly recommend it.

Even if Max Payne 3 does not transcend genre, it is at least an example of genre at its best.

As long as you are aware of and accept Diablo 3's online limitations, I wholeheartedly recommend it. A week after launch, the servers are up and running smoothly, though "scheduled maintenance" still brings them down from time to time, usually in the wee hours of the morning. But solo players who would rather live their gaming lives offline -- or have less than perfect faith in the stability of their internet connections -- should probably hold out for the offline-friendly Torchlight 2 instead.

The game perfectly captures the most important part of the books: the tone and atmosphere. Fans of the comics will appreciate the familiar faces and places that do pop up, but even those of you that have completely avoided the stellar comics and so-so AMC TV series will be engrossed.

Capture and Hold and Raindance are strong additions to an already-strong free shooter, and it makes Tribes: Ascend an even more addictive "just one more match" FPS that's unlike any other shooter on the market. In the age of me-too shooters, that's not just a good thing, that's a great thing.

Fall of the Samurai isn't just a new Shogun experience, it's a new Total War experience, and one that every fan of the series should check out.

In lesser hands, the art design might have overwhelmed everything, leaving the levels to feel like an overly cluttered and repetitive mess. Instead, it's a wonderful platformer with its own unique style that's most definitely worth experiencing, and especially shared.

Lone Survivor, then, made me feel a lot of things. Frustration, rage, stress, exhaustion, fear, joy, hope, pride, sadness, wonder. Four hours and twenty-six minutes – plus some trial-and-error-based change. But this game's going to stick with me much, much longer than that, and there are few higher forms of praise I can offer.

It's clear they had as much fun making The Legend of Dead Kel -- a big, bawdy adventure that's loaded down with loot -- as I had playing it.

Legend of Grimrock is a strong debut for Almost Human, and I'm excited to see what other dungeons they put out and the mods that players create.

It may end with a slog, but I'd already gotten dozens of hours of rewarding tactical play by that point. Especially with the impressive multiplayer mode, I can strongly recommending Wargame: European Escalation as an expert and innovative blend of the best of the wargame genre with the best of the RTS.

By the time I reached the end, Mass Effect 3 had secured the trilogy's spot amongst my favorite science-fiction stories in any medium.

Frustrating moments aside, Vessel is another shining example of how the independent games scene is flourishing with creativity and originality. At just $14.99, Vessel is around a quarter of the price of a AAA game, but it contains more flair and ingenuity than most blockbuster games can muster. Do yourself a favor and invest in this indie gem, because Vessel is a rich, fulfilling and splash-tastic journey.

The historical accuracy of Crusader Kings II leaves a little bit to be desired, and the restriction of only being able to play Christian dynasties is frustrating given the dynamism of the Middle East in that era. Yet when actually playing the game, there's always something to keep me motivated to keep going. There's always a plot that can be instigated, or a war with victory just out of reach, or an heir to find a suitable wife for. That's what makes a great strategy game, albeit one that tantalizingly feels like it could be even greater if it'd cut out some of the barriers to entry.

Dear Esther, however, presents something truly different. It's an experiment to be sure -- and one that's not entirely successful -- but it hits far more often than it misses. It's a strong start to a new breed of adventure that asks players to think instead of clicking on items until something arbitrarily happens.

Speaking of tacked on, the way the brief (roughly an hour) four-player co-op campaign mode is wedged into the story cheapens the entire thing a bit, even if it is pretty entertaining to play.

Deep RPG elements combined with the intuitive action mechanics immediately establish 38 Studios and Big Huge Games as a duo to be reckoned with (sorry, couldn't resist). Like its reanimated main character, Reckoning starts slow and creaky, but give it a chance. Once you start sampling its many action-role-playing flavors, you'll discover a new franchise that delivers like a series that has been polished and tweaked for years.

It's -- in all likelihood -- the most stylish thing ever to prominently feature janitors, but it definitely doesn't lack in substance. So move over, rotund Italian plumbers of the world. There's a new blue-collar hop 'n' bop hero on the block.

It succeeds as both an MMORPG and a Star Wars game -- and if you're feeling burned by the past 12 years' worth of Lucas' meddling, I leave you with a final bit of reassurance: In all of my travels, I've never once come across a mention of a midichlorian or a Gungan. That's gotta be worth something, right?

Hamilton's Great Adventure is a good, solid puzzle game that's a refreshing midpoint between mindless casual tile-matchers like Bejeweled and antagonistic platform games like Super Meat Boy. Hamilton can hook you, but the routine of dealing with slow restarts and fine-tuning the camera to your liking puts a hamper on your quest for fortune. Then again, what's a great adventure without a few setbacks?

As long as it runs well, BtK's four new battlefields hold the potential for hundreds of hours of explosion-packed entertainment. It'd be easy to pass these off as just mere rehashes of old content, but there are enough tweaks and changes to breathe plenty of new life into the experience.

Trine 2 is a genuinely lovable game, and one that I can safely and heartily recommend to nearly everyone.

Now that we've finally played the PC version, I'm happy to report that it will be the definitive version of Arkham City... eventually.

Minecraft is what you make of it, and that makes it pretty damn special.

Saints Row: The Third is junk food; it's camp; it's a girl you wouldn't want your friends to catch you with. It's also fun, crude without being stupid, fast-paced without feeling empty, and solidly made (aside from the aforementioned bugs).

The world of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a vast expanse of sheer beauty, danger, and adventure -- you can also terrorize townsfolk, get punched in the face by a giant, and fight a ton of dragons. Those are just a few of the reasons why we love this game so much.

Despite the audiovisual grandeur of the rest of Generations, the shortcomings make it feel like little more than a "popcorn game" -- exhilarating, not very serious, and over before you get a chance to take it all in.

I've had a tremendous amount of fun with Dungeon Defenders. Yes there are some glitches but the team has been working hard to iron out theses bugs on what seems like a bi-daily basis. It's great to see this much dedicated support to a game after launch. It's a charming little-big game that's full of challenging adventures that fans and newcomers to the genre will appreciate.

For PC gamers at least, the decision by Dice to lead on our beloved platform has resulted in a game that delivers a truly next-generation feel. BF3 is an absolutely massive experience, but it's the explosive multiplayer mode that makes this the must-have FPS of the year. There's simply no other shooter that lets you wage war on a scale this huge, but even better is the infinite number of satisfying ways to lay the hurt down on your opponents.

The game's many layers reveal themselves in a steady, satisfying progression that keep the game fresh, interesting, and most of all, flat-out-fun.

As always, Turbine serves its storyline with as much love and attention as a hobbit does his breakfast.

Sprinkled with humor and nods to gaming's past, The Binding of Isaac is a ballsy game that revels in its absurd moments. Shock value aside, you'll want to play this indie gem over and over again. It's imaginative, utterly absorbing, and the best five dollars I've spent all year.

TrackMania 2: Canyon builds on the series' basic but aggressively addictive racing formula without hamstringing its newcomer-friendliness or sacrificing the over-the-top vibe of its zany track designs.Highly recommended for fans of adrenaline racing.

The kind of shooter that can live only on the PC. It's far deeper than console shooters, and makes no concessions to accessibility to appeal to a casual audience. This is as hardcore as first person shooters get, and if you're prepared to put the time in to learn how to play it well, you'll be rewarded with a level of satisfaction that team deathmatch will never deliver.

The gameplay is tight and punchy, and the overall experience is so well-crafted that it's worth soaking up every last insane moment.

Ultimately, this isn't just a great zombie game. It's a great open-world game, a great action game, a great RPG, and a great co-operative multiplayer game. Being a masterpiece with a unique appreciation for zombies is just gravy.

Things may not be perfect this time out, but I do my best, and my reign ends on my terms. I make a beeline for the New Game button, vowing to stick to my proven playbook from the get-go.

It's a beautiful, poetic game that inspires creativity, despite its technical struggles.

Although it doesn't quite match the lofty excellence of the original Deus Ex, it's a much better game than Invisible War and a welcome rebirth for a brand that many – including me – thought was long past its prime. Not quite a classic, but definitely worth your money and time.

It's fun while it lasts, and I can't wait to see what other cool narrative ideas Supergiant Games comes up with for future games.

Taking into account the small development group and the price, I'm hard-pressed not to recommend this game as a must-have.

All in all, Agents of Change delivers, giving Brink fans more of what they want, while adding abilities that offer fresh gameplay strategies -- no matter what the map. Bethesda apologized for Brink's launch issues with this robust, free add-on. Apology accepted!

With more than 13 hours' worth of fun, hilarious, and classic Fallout content, Fallout: new Vegas -- Old World Blues is a must for any New Vegas owner.

And yet, despite Shadow of the Damned being a more approachable adventure than the typical Grasshopper creation, it's what you see and hear over the course of the 10-12 hour campaign that really sticks with you.

And yet, despite Shadow of the Damned being a more approachable adventure than the typical Grasshopper creation, it's what you see and hear over the course of the 10-12 hour campaign that really sticks with you.

A sterling example of epic 3D adventure done right -- the likes of which you won't find on any portable until Nintendo announces an original adventure or gives The Wind Waker the 3D treatment. I'd prefer something new, but if I'm going to relive decade-old stories, this is a helluva way to do it.

A startlingly modern experience, one that marries unparalleled aesthetic design with motion controls that actually matter, resulting in a one-of-a-kind trip that promises to stick with you long after you've liberated Lumi.

The first title established him and set our expectations for Sucker Punch's universe, but the sequel expands it into a highly entertaining, thrilling, and responsive action game bursting with stout combat.

Not even a terrible introductory sequence can take away from what is otherwise a fantastic game. Sure, the story is goofy, and at times the fighting is offensively clunky. The world isn't as colossal as the first Witcher's, and the ending is a bit of a tease. But in a time when I rarely bother to finish single-player games, I'm happy (and slightly embarrassed) to say that I'm already several hours into a second playthrough of Assassins of Kings. And I can't think of a better compliment than that.

It's good to see the company broaden its horizons more and more; L.A. Noire plays its tropes well, and it's a fine exploration of the crime-adventure genre's flip side.

It's good to see the company broaden its horizons more and more; L.A. Noire plays its tropes well, and it's a fine exploration of the crime-adventure genre's flip side.

Despite these issues, all the elements are in place for Brink to become a terrific multiplayer shooter. It handles well, offers customization options galore, and challenges FPS players to do more than just pull the trigger.

Despite these issues, all the elements are in place for Brink to become a terrific multiplayer shooter. It handles well, offers customization options galore, and challenges FPS players to do more than just pull the trigger.

Despite these issues, all the elements are in place for Brink to become a terrific multiplayer shooter. It handles well, offers customization options galore, and challenges FPS players to do more than just pull the trigger.

Sporting some of the best writing and voice work in years (as well as some deviously designed puzzles), Portal 2's single-player campaign is superior to its predecessor in every way. It's the co-op mode, however, that makes this 2011's first must-play game -- even for those gamers that don't like first-person or puzzle games.

Sporting some of the best writing and voice work in years (as well as some deviously designed puzzles), Portal 2's single-player campaign is superior to its predecessor in every way. It's the co-op mode, however, that makes this 2011's first must-play game -- even for those gamers that don't like first-person or puzzle games.

Sporting some of the best writing and voice work in years (as well as some deviously designed puzzles), Portal 2's single-player campaign is superior to its predecessor in every way. It's the co-op mode, however, that makes this 2011's first must-play game -- even for those gamers that don't like first-person or puzzle games.

Of course, if you're like the vast majority of the folks who wandered by my desk during the weeks that I played Mortal Kombat, you want to see one thing, and one thing only: utter carnage. And hey -- it's here in spades. Just try to remember that for once, Mortal Kombat is more than the sum of a few flying body parts.

Of course, if you're like the vast majority of the folks who wandered by my desk during the weeks that I played Mortal Kombat, you want to see one thing, and one thing only: utter carnage. And hey -- it's here in spades. Just try to remember that for once, Mortal Kombat is more than the sum of a few flying body parts.

Pressure -- be it from the oppressive ambient noise, to the sense of speed, to the just-on-the-edge-of-control grip -- is what made the original Need for Speed Shift such a shock to the system. Pressure is what makes racing fun, and Shift 2 Unleashed is fit to burst.

Crysis 2's shiny graphics are nice and all, but the Nanosuit is the true star of the show. Offering a true sense of power rarely seen in modern shooters, it helps to make this one of the most exciting games of the year.

Crysis 2's shiny graphics are nice and all, but the Nanosuit is the true star of the show. Offering a true sense of power rarely seen in modern shooters, it helps to make this one of the most exciting games of the year.

Crysis 2's shiny graphics are nice and all, but the Nanosuit is the true star of the show. Offering a true sense of power rarely seen in modern shooters, it helps to make this one of the most exciting games of the year.

Okami fans will be spellbound with nostalgia while finding plenty new to enjoy, and fans of Zelda-esque adventures will be hard pressed to find another portable game so engaging in the twilight of Nintendo's soon-to-be replaced Nintendo DS hardware.

Trion's ad campaigns promised a revolution; Rift itself merely delivers commendable refinement.

A vast improvement from recent Total War missteps, and revitalizes the glory of the original Shogun, while adding so much new and interesting content that you might not even remember said original. And this one, finally, does right by newcomers, making things as easy and as polished as a game of StarCraft II.