It's a little too short and a little too easy, but its tale of freaky mobsters, crooked gamblers and evil teddy bears is still a good time while it lasts.

Even if it doesn't revolutionize wrestling games, WWE 12 is the best wrassler around and mixes things up enough to not feel stale. It owes much to SmackDown, but everything it borrows is still great, just slightly used. If you wanted a completely new wrestling experience, wait for the next challenger to WWE to give it a shot (and probably fail).

Eastward might fumble the ending, but that doesn't stop it from delivering a fantastic journey.

Not just a thrilling throwback, but a thoroughly modern spin on a classic genre, Absolum proves the arcade beat 'em up and the run-based game are a perfect pairing. Combat is fast, fun, and deliciously flexible, and with new discoveries on almost every run, there's more than enough to keep you playing.

Even though you've done the whole "construct buildings, connect them with roads and upgrade them" thing before, 1701 A.D. has captured the best of the civilization building genre. It doesn't leave any gaps in gameplay that will allow you to exploit a particular way of playing and serves up a challenging and fun experience that will have you mesmerized for hours on end.

Missing features are balanced out by excellent additions, but if you want the world to see your work, stick to the Wii U version.

It's got a handful of shortcomings, but they're diminished by the fact that this title captures the classic RPG spirit so well. It's the first console RPG in a long time where we've been engrossed enough to explore every nook and cranny, talk to every villager, search everyone's houses, and find all the paths possible in a dungeon.

Dawn of War II - Retribution is not a genre-beater; it has its issues. But none of its niggles stop it from being a great RTS romp. It still offers that unique Dawn of War II experience, deep strategy, interesting (although repetitive) missions and is one hefty standalone package for the $30 asking price.

With solidly rebuilt controls only a little marred by a still-fussy camera, LEGO Star Wars II is even better than last years prequel trilogy-based offering. And, as the first LEGO Star Wars was an amazingly entertaining homage to Lucas's genius, this sequel stands atop the original's shoulders as the pinnacle of LEGO Star Wars fun.

FC 25's gameplay familiarity may trigger initial disappointment, but career mode tweaks and the brilliant Rush mode soon pull you back in for another year. Ultimate Team, meanwhile, remains divisive as ever – but fans of that mode will love its myriad fan-service additions.

Dungeon crawlers may still be something of an acquired taste for most gamers, but Atlus has done its best to make Etrian Odyssey IV more palatable for a wider audience.

Prejudice won't completely reshape the way you think about online shooters or alter the multiplayer landscape forever, but it doesn't intend to. What it does do is deliver a feature-heavy, high energy experience that'll satisfy shooter fans craving a new addiction. All for a measly 1200 points.

While Madden 10 is our favorite football game of this generation, it suffers from trying to do too much. We love the new gameplay engine (more, please!) but could’ve happily done without most of the presentation “improvements” that get more irritating with each game.

Heavy Weapon is the type of brief, brainless fun the service is built for, without looking and feeling like a crusty old arcade game. It's easily one of the 360's best downloadable games yet.

While its story and action are fantastic, Mafia II is an open-world game with an "open world" that never becomes anything more than an elaborate backdrop for the story. It's a lot of fun while it lasts, but don't expect to be playing this months from now.

Titanfall blends familiar concepts with innovative ideas in remarkable ways, leading to a nearly nonstop supply of awesome moments. But for as fun as it is, you'll likely find yourself wishing Respawn was more ambitious when it comes to game modes, since there's a good chance you've captured enough flags for one lifetime.

The varying levels of difficulty, heavy emphasis on fan service and inviting gameplay make Theatrhythm a great way to celebrate the franchise's legacy.

Rage is many things: open-world driving and racing game, meticulously designed first-person shooter, stunning realization of a living post-apocalyptic wasteland, and it does all of these things well. It ends just as the party is really getting going, but even the pre-party is fantastic.

This Cowboy RPG generally doesn't mosey too far from the old dusty trail, but when it does (hex battles, spurs and... well, that's all we can think of) it's a good thing.

While its story and action are fantastic, Mafia II is an open-world game with an "open world" that never becomes anything more than an elaborate backdrop for the story. It's a lot of fun while it lasts, but don't expect to be playing this months from now.

It's clear that nobody has plans to create a full-fledged RPG on the scale of any of the PSone or PS2 classics for the PSP, so a port is going to have to do. This game stands nobly above anything else you can buy on the system.

Even with the hypersensitive shot controls, we think this year’s FIFA may match up evenly with Konami’s latest counterpart, due out later this fall (we hear your cries of blasphemy, "Winning Eleven" fanatics - you'll get the chance to prove us wrong).

Modern Warfare is fast and frenetic, setting a new benchmark for fidelity and high-pressure FPS action.

It's not even close to just being a roster update to last season's title. We love it, and who knows…maybe notching that three-NBA-title accomplishment won't be so ridiculous after all.

With the extra time, the developers were able to truly polish the game, bring forth a game that, while flawed, doesn't have any glaring issues. It's more accessible without losing any of the complexity, it's deeper without being isolating, and it's bursting with content, even if we wish the content was implemented better.

And when a game’s biggest problem is that it left us wanting more, we’d say that’s a good problem to have.

It's got looks, it's got brains, it's got a lot of stuff to shoot. It doesn't revolutionize the genre or even introduce much new, but Resistance remains an utterly solid shooter that should keep you entertained for quite a while.

Regardless of any complaints or criticisms above, we'd still wholeheartedly recommend Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary to any diehard fan of the franchise, and with just minor reservations to everyone else.

Sharp and deeply satisfying combat carries this imaginative, occasionally cringe-worthy tale, but don't bother if you played the 2013 original.

There are many more original real-time strategies out there, but few that scream "pick up and play me" as loudly as Tiberium Wars. Its back to the basics approach to the genre won’t win any prizes for innovation, but it should prove to be a fan favorite anyway.

It's only disappointing that Brink feels so confined by its own premise. Its innovative mechanics far outdo its lifeless, confining story, and, while respectable, its pure focus on multiplayer, team-based objective matches confines it further...Brink is still a very good game, and it deserves notation - just below Team Fortress 2 - as an exemplary team-based shooter.

Situation: Comedy is where the Sam & Max series starts to really pick up steam - partly because it reveals the first hints at an overarching plot for the "season's" remaining four episodes.

As Dusk Falls blends Netflix-style prestige drama with Telltale-style game storytelling to great results.

Endless Dungeon is an entertaining, polished, and finely-tuned roguelike, expertly blending action and tactics to fill each trip with dozens of impactful micro-decisions. While visibility can be an issue during packed battles, presentation overall is bright and clean, and supported by some classy character design. Co-op play is the icing on an already tasty cake.

The only real beef we have is that the XP system means it's never long before a few veteran players have pumped up their characters and become virtually untouchable, clubbing everyone else like baby seals. But it's empowering if you're one of the vets, to be sure.

Even when we lost matches or got crappy kill/death ratios, we were still having fun, which can't be said for a lot of shooters out there. And for PC players, you may just have the best version of the game. If you're curious at all, don't pass it up.

The individual sports woven into this collection may not be quite as fleshed-out as you'd expect from standalone games, but there's enough depth and variety to merit some marathon rounds alone or with friends. It's easy to get sucked into a quick game or two and wind up blowing through hours of matches.

If you can make it past the old-fashioned controls and have the will to face its relentless challenge, Prinny 2 is an operation worth engaging in. Just remember that throwing your PSP out of frustration is a bad idea.

It's a confident entry in the series that makes tweaks in all the right places, but you feel that they're holding back--that they're saving their 1st rounders for a next-gen debut.

To the Moon's excellent storytelling never veers off course and is one of the best we've experienced this year.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD preserves the best and worst of the 2006 original. Its opening can be tedious, but it’s worth enduring so you can experience such a magical world.

Spot-on Wolfenstein atmosphere combines with gleefully vicious weaponry to serve up a tasty smoothie of good old-fashioned Nazi-frying. It lacks in the new idea department, but it has fun aplenty.

With a focus on the fundamentals and an eye for simulation-style football, Madden NFL 16 maintains the franchise’s upward trajectory. Football fans have a solid title in their hands this season.

It looks good, plays great, offers plenty to do and it's even funny at times - though in a much cruder way than GTA's more sly, subversively socially relevant sense of humor.

ATV Offroad Fury Pro has made a quantum leap over Blazin' Trails. Learning from their mistakes, developer Climax has retooled everything from the controls to the graphics, making Offroad Fury Pro so good that it's a wonder what happened the first time around.

It’s a winner. So go ahead - grab your books and head back to campus.

It's not quite the jaw-dropping in-joke fiesta that "Reality 2.0" was, and it feels a little lighter on the puzzles and conversations than previous episodes, but Sam & Max Episode 6: Bright Side of the Moon is still great in its own right.

By going real with the songs, next-gen with the graphics and online with the gameplay, it leaves the wishlist relatively barren. At the same time, it's not delivering us much new on the gameplay front, and in fact lags a bit in terms of smart strumming mechanics.

If only New Leaf had taken a few bolder steps forward from its predecessors, this would be utterly essential. As is, it’s ‘merely’ one of the finest social games ever made. Get involved, and you’ll be forever bragging to your friends about your latest item. For instance, a tarantula. Bet you haven’t got one of those.

It’s not quite baseball perfection - why the fielding buttons are different in the Career mode versus every other one is beyond us - yet The Show is a rollicking good time.

Regardless of its imperfections, if you're wondering about getting Payday: The Heist, simply ask yourself: did that scene from Heat get my blood pumping? Did those robberies in Point Break make me want to don a president mask and go buckwild on some bank tellers? Your answer will steer you in the right direction.

Amalur does a lot of things better than some of the best out there. The combat is stronger than Skyrim's by a long shot, and the world feels more alive than games like Fable. It tells a good story well, and lays the foundation for a series we hope to see more of in the future, fate be damned.

A charming mess. Yes, the unpolished gameplay can be frustrating and, yes, the storytelling can be silly. But as soon as we drove through the gorgeously stylized Paris – then jumped out of our nitro-fueled racecar to snap a unsuspecting Nazi’s neck – we didn’t care anymore. For us, the good overwhelmed the bad.

If you're into tactical RPGs at all, or want to see the genre done in a more playful manner than Final Fantasy or Fire Emblem, then this is without a doubt one of the deepest, craziest, most time consuming games you could ever play.

We didn't expect a lot from NHL Slapshot, which may explain our delight at what we found. With the right audience, it's a superb hockey game with its own unique charm and "this is all about having fun" vibe. There ain't nothing wrong with that.

With more modes than you can shake a stick at and a rock-solid core basketball engine, it's a superb experience that collegiate hoopsters won't be able to tear themselves away from - even as they shake their fists in rage.

If the developer could have just tightened up a few minor technical issues and injected a little more soul into the proceedings, this might have been Spidey's best game yet. Instead, it’s just a satisfyingly entertaining experience and a big step back in the right direction.

If you never got a chance to play the original, or if it left you wanting more, this definitive edition ought to tide you over until the inevitable sequel hits.

Yakuza's story has the intensity of a page-turner - not surprising, as it was penned by a novelist - and the gameplay backs it up. Kazuma Kiryu's tale is an addictive blend of mystery, suspense and brutal violence.

Its addicting zombie-slaying action, dozens of interesting weapons, and immersive qualities far outweigh its dull story and occasional technical hiccups, the latter of which pale in comparison to those of the original. This outshines its predecessor in almost every conceivable way--and once it sinks its teeth into your time, Riptide is a hard game to put down.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue is essential for the faithful, flummoxing for newcomers, and a promising start to the series' life on PS4.

If you’ve got a room full of buddies and a handful of controllers, Sportsfriends is a delightful party game that will have everyone smiling and elbowing each other in the ribs.

Still surprisingly swing-and-miss online, but for long-lasting and moreish solo play, NBA 2K22 is its only competitor in a two-horse championship duel.

Online play adds a bit of longevity to an already full-featured game, especially since you can actually take your personal character online to compete in player matches and ranked games. Puzzle Quest is a fabulous addition to the 360's downloadable game library - a game that successfully crosses genres and does it with a lot of style.

Inventive, challenging, and deliciously dark, Lies of P retains the core structures of similar action RPGs while adding new surprises to the mix. The potential for richer character builds and depth of choice for the player is bolstered by a haunting narrative that, despite the clunk of certain new mechanics, cements the experience as a powerful contender on the Soulslike scene.

For anyone who purchased the game last generation, the hi-def version is definitely worth the worth the price of admission for Medieval Madness alone.

Watch Dogs’ interconnected world is a wonderful, explosive, high-tech playground. Shame the people who inhabit it are so forgettable.

It's pretty easy to enjoy what’s here - smooth and intuitive gameplay with innovative controls and plenty of depth. Once you train your brain to use the sticks and love the "ping", you'll be joyfully rounding the bases.

They still do too little to attract non-fans to the series, but for the vast crowd who have already been taken in by its charms, B&W2 will be yet another excuse to catch 'em all.

The new features are strong, but some of the progress made by Pokemon X&Y has also been undone.

A sometimes grotesque, always engrossing take on the survival game, woven together with a twisted tale, weird weapons, and giant, charging porcupine pigs.

Super Time Force brings a time traveling twist to the classic sidescrolling shooter, and while playing it can feel like you’ve chugged one too many energy drinks, the hilarious charm and satisfying gameplay helps take the edge off.

The game is also a mere $5, so if you're craving some gaming nostalgia circa 1995, but don't feel like yet another trek through Earthbound or Phantasy Star IV, Rain-Slick 3 is an easy choice for anyone with an appreciation for turn-based combat and a good Cthulhu reference.

It doesn't tie itself down by abiding to unnecessary console conventions. We hop in for a 60-second challenge, fail a few times and crawl to the kitchen for some water, leaving the game behind until we once again feel the irresistible urge to fuck up some fruit.

Although it's marred by a host of glitches, Prince of Persia: Rival Swords is still a mostly stellar port of the console original...Add in a ton of extras and new content, and Rival Swords is worth playing even if you've finished "The Two Thrones."

A magnificent, authentic, totally uncompromised sequel that crucially ignores virtually every gaming trend of the past 18 years.

They still do too little to attract non-fans to the series, but for the vast crowd who have already been taken in by its charms, B&W2 will be yet another excuse to catch 'em all.

Along with the gameplay, the series' normally hit-or-miss sense of humor is improving. Even though some of the political gags are a little stale, the Dr. Strangelove-style black comedy vibe won us over, as did Max's free-form, megalomania-tinged debates against a towering robo-Lincoln.

The new features are strong, but some of the progress made by Pokemon X&Y has also been undone.

The long wait is now over: our gaping mouths declared it officially worth it after seeing the startlingly gorgeous Heroes world.

The first Mike Bithell short feels like a pleasant stretch of the grey matter, offering players a story that keeps the intrigue throughout.

Multiplayer feels wonderfully fresh, thanks to the added agility of Exo Suit boosting. Sadly, though, co-op is unimaginative, and the story fails to satisfy when compared to previous installments.

Dragon Age: Inquisition creates a massive, vibrant world on a scale far greater than its predecessors, and does an excellent job of making you feel in command. The heart of this game rests with its characters, who keep you invested in the action.

Radically revamped graphics, a new adventure, an old adventure, unlimited challenge, and the amazing Construction mode add up to one very compelling package.

An amazing little horror game that can be as frustrating as it is brilliant.

What sets this packaged version apart is a robust set of added tools that enable you to create your own ships, enemies, bullet patterns, and even entire levels, and then upload and download them.

The restoration (in all but name) of FIFA Street and long-awaited upgrade to career mode finally make FIFA a game worth exploring beyond Ultimate Team.

There's something ludicrously fun about having your home crowd scream "Brown buckets catch stink!" after you nail a three-pointer. We don't know what that really means, and it's probably in very poor taste, but it's funny as hell.

Online play only sweetens the deal, making this one of the best, easily-accessible racers on any system.

Marvel's Midnight Suns works wonders to freshen up familiar Marvel characters, producing lively battles from focused turn-based systems, then diving into their personalities and histories to reveal their intimate concerns. The combat missions can feel a little side-lined by the sheer wealth of resource management tasks and relationship building, but all the pieces serve a purpose within the richly detailed whole. Marvellous? Pretty much.

Mental deficiencies aside, Professor Layton and the Curious Village is an enjoyable game with a wonderfully-written storyline. So few games succeed at making us exercise our brains; you’d be blockheads not to give this one a go.

The consistent delivery of these references complement the story's comedic dialogue and sight gags. You can tell the game's writers are fans of the Police Squad! TV show and movie series. None of the jokes feel forced or drawn out, which helps keep the cutscenes concise and well-paced.

Civilization: Beyond Earth may seem a bit too familiar for a game supposedly set on a distant planet, but the roving packs of aliens and the new quest system make it an expedition worth embarking on.

It's the deceptive simplicity of Undertow that makes it compelling - that and the easy-to-learn rules and controls.

A little longer, a lot tougher and a lot more elaborate than any of the previous episodes (except for maybe the awesome Reality 2.0), Ice Station Santa is a lot of fun while it lasts, and totally worth the nine bucks it costs to play.

Sonic Superstars is like a modern version of the Genesis classics, with all the good and bad that entails. The four-player, same-screen co-op functionality works surprisingly well, and the new Emerald powers keep things fresh. While it isn't as good as Sonic Mania, Superstars is a fresh twist on classic Sonic action.

Between the excellent new controls and the already superb gameplay under the hood, The World Is Yours is one of the best games on the Wii these days.

Beautiful graphics make lording over an entire civilization a treat.