It's too absurdly mechanical for those uninterested in the process, and too bare-bones and lackluster for those willing to engulf themselves in it.

Presentation and plot charms aside, the most glaring issue with Way of the Samurai 4 is that despite the number of activities, exploration, and new wrinkles to the formula, it's an anachronistic experience.

The Last Story is by no means a perfect game. However, the good here far outweighs the game's shortcomings, and, unlike RPGs that are bloated with fetch quests and tiring level-grinding, everything here is absolutely in service of the game's story.

Despite following a basic format of dungeon exploration, Legasista provides enough additional components to give players a fulfilling experience. Though the feeling tends to wear thin over longer play sessions, it feels good surviving through dungeons with a pocketful of treasure knowing that your preparations paid off.

The story campaign entertains and the multiplayer modes entice you to come back after the credits roll, but the out-of-place melee segments, polish issues, and dropped features from the first game make it fall short.

When Sleeping Dogs grabs hold of you it absolutely refuse[s] to let go. You'll be amazed by the sheer amount of content, and how compelled you'll be to consume every drop of it. You'll want to unlock every costume, complete every side mission, and play until there isn't a single drop of Hong Kong left for you to see.

Papo & Yo is undeniably one of the most unique PSN games you'll encounter. It makes brilliant use of symbols, metaphors, and beautiful presentation to tell a very dark and personal story about abuse, addiction, and consequences. And in that sense, it renders the gameplay issues -- from unwieldy controls, tedious late-game segments, and slightly one-note mechanics -- all the more unfortunate.

Improves upon its predecessor in almost every way. The combat is deep and satisfying, the exploration and loot elements are incredibly addictive, and the dungeons provide a near perfect amount of challenge and consistency to keep you playing to the end. If you're looking for an expansive adventure with an interesting story, massive world and robust combat, Death has come for you.

With its supremely satisfying swordplay, enthralling exploration, and a story you'll want to see through to the end, Dust feels like the Xbox homage to Vanillaware's cult classics Odin Sphere and Muramasa. Though its aesthetic may turn some biased gamers away, they'll be missing out on some of the best single-player action that $15 can buy.

If the name Hybrid means anything – other than some story point that obviously didn't grab us – it's the way the game has blended third-person shooting with tactical, almost turned-based combat. Moving from cover to cover on autopilot doesn't make for restrictive gunplay, it facilities furious flying combat and desperate mid-air maneuvers.

This is a great building game with impressive puzzle elements, but its main strategy components, tarnished by unpredictable wind-up-and-go gameplay and exploitable elements, cause it to trip and fall a few times. It's a game with plenty of potential, but it definitely has its share of weaknesses.

As with Rez and Lumines before it, Sound Shapes hybridizes a genre to put the focus on music over complex gameplay, and creates something entirely distinct from what we typically perceive as a "game."

The game starts out at a tortoise's pace and never gains any speed. It's a 20-hour game that's stretched out twice as long as it should be.

If you're a JRPG or fighter fanatic with even a hint of interest in the other genre, P4A is an absolute must-buy. With such a wealth of story-based content laid on top of the game's steadfast 2D fighting foundations, P4A's impressive debut sets the bar high for all forthcoming fighters.

Between the cut down roster of famous faces from the movie's cast, frustrating control mechanics and noticeable lack of polish, the movie tie-in gives few reasons to invest your time and money in a download.

Unfortunately, the additions to NSMB2 merely add more spokes to an already heavy wheel, so to speak. It's not a bad game by any means, but it's one that steeps itself in nostalgia to mask an experience that falls short of the revival that the New Super Mario franchise really needs these days.

Kingdom Hearts 3D doesn't revolutionize the franchise, and some of its experimental mechanics might not cater to your tastes. But despite any flaws it might possess, Dream Drop Distance still delivers splendidly in terms of unabashed fan service, and the kid in you will be ever gleeful tagging along with Sora and Riku for the ride.

Even with this lack of focus Deadlight is a fun game with wonderful fast platforming segments and magnificent art direction. But in the end the style stands tall, and the substance is but a shadow of what it could have been.

We were disappointed both by the game's wonky physics system and the Kinect's strange lack of sensitivity, which had us constantly wishing we could just pick up on Xbox controller and play without flailing around. It's fun, but just like the castles inhabiting the game's many stages, Wreckateer is full of structural weaknesses that make it way too precarious, and one bump away from collapse.

As a turn-based space sim, Endless Space is essentially preaching to the choir. Its pacing, minimal story and lack of ground-level interaction isn't going to bring any new gamers to the fold (lightning-fingered StarCraft fans, stay far away). Luckily, the game gets big charm out of its aesthetics and what little writing it does have, and the core gameplay is balanced and nuanced.

The Secret World is admirable for attempting to inject much-needed originality and life into MMORPGs, but while its fiction and theme succeed, its mostly derivative questing and stale combat fail to justify the steep time investment.

Heroes of Ruin is ultimately just another run-of-the-mill experience, which is truly unfortunate considering it's pretty much the only title in the genre on Nintendo's hardware over a year after launch. Its potential is totally squandered on a highly forgettable experience.

It may sound odd, but we'd gladly trade HD's so-so graphics and unruly physics for straight ports of Tony's first two PS1 installments.

Tiny and Big: Grandpa's Leftovers is a fabulous, unique gaming experience powered by a fantastic gameplay hook.

Between its exceptional presentation, fair but firm gameplay challenges, and trophy requirements that ensure you'll get some significant mileage from the experience, there's no digital game in 2012 that's like Dyad.

One can complain that Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure isn't all that new, but it often takes the portable puzzle-adventure genre to new heights via an abundance of addictive minigames.

Until the time comes for Tiburon to break down the game to its lowest level and rebuild from scratch, NCAA Football is going to keep on looking and feeling like it has for years now. While to us that's not necessarily a bad thing – after all, the last thing anyone should want is a repeat of the NBA Elite debacle – some people will inevitably feel like the franchise is growing stale.

Sins of a Solar Empire may be showing signs of age, but it continues to stand out as one of the best tactical space combat sims around. While it doesn't shake up the status quo much, Rebellion isn't lacking in polish or extra content.

Spelunky is for the West what Cave Story represents for Japan: the maximum expression of the indie philosophy. You shouldn't ask yourself if you want to play it. You absolutely have to, if you haven't yet.

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

Yet another game that's careful to not rock the boat. Nothing is broken or painful to play, and there's still an intrinsic fun to being a video game Spider-Man – but this is too much like what we've played before, only with less going for it than games like Web of Shadows or Ultimate Spider-Man.

Spec Ops: The Line has its issues, but they're overshadowed by a brave, compelling narrative that treats the medium with respect, and calls you a son of a bitch for playing it.

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.

Veteran Magic players will enjoy the new decks and challenging puzzles here, and the game is a great way for potential planeswalkers to learn the ropes of this classic geek gaming staple.

This is a crowning achievement in fighting games, accurately simulating the dedication it takes to truly know what you and your opponent are capable of, and what they'll do next given their style and instincts. This is, without a doubt, Virtua Fighter's finest iteration yet.

It's a work of craftsman-like quality going for a ridiculously low price point, especially since the game has two upcoming DLC drops planned. High whimsy content aside, fans of new, interesting, brain-bending challenges need to seek this one out.

PC retains the addictive qualities of battling and team-building we love in tactics titles while fully embracing everything strange about niche Japanese titles like this one. By coming at it from a different angle, Conquest finds its own special spot in the world of SRPGs.

LEGO Batman 2's greatest strength is not only in how it balances its difficulty and length, but also in how the sandbox world will give you way more playtime and challenges to solve afterwards. Also, players can choose to be Superman and solve problems easily or play with Batman to make them more challenging.

The rippling effects of the Espionage system, Religion's modifications to the early and mid-game, and the abundance of changes and other bits of new content more than justify the price of the expansion. While it might feel a little lackluster in the short term, the amount of variation it will add to the hundreds of more hours we plan on putting into Civilization V will undoubtedly prove worthwhile.

If you expect groundbreaking insanity and innovative gameplay based on Grasshopper's legacy, Lollipop Chainsaw falls short of expectations. If you can successfully curb those expectations, then you've got yourself something quirky for a simple weekend playthrough, even if it's a game with some ups and some real downs.

If you have a soft spot for the Atelier series, you probably will enjoy Meruru quite a bit. But if the series hasn't impressed you yet, this entry surely won't change your mind.

The weapon variety that defines the series is flaccid at best, the story is forgettable, and the multiplayer isn't even as varied as the last handheld game in the series. It's hard to even recommend this one to gamers who've spent the last six years popping Chimera skulls.

You're left with an enjoyable and highly playable racing game with loads to do and, just occasionally, some of the most exhilarating action in any racing game, ever. If only Codies had ramped up the damage and placed a bit more emphasis on racing events, this would be essential.

This adventure has such a vibrant world, exhilarating gameplay systems, and a delightful narrative that it deserves a spot in every Vita owner's library. It's the kind of game that wouldn't exist on any other platform, and honestly, it's so perfect for the medium that it wouldn't need to.

Although Ubisoft missed the mark in creating a genuinely unique, futuristic setting, the tactical, slow-paced gameplay and unique squad-based experience sets Future Soldier apart from the typical shooter.

We're not against the idea of mandatory server-based DRM in all cases, but for us to agree to "always-on DRM," we need the servers to be "always on."

It's a game destined to find an audience among that rare action junkie with extensive patience, or Elder Scrolls fans who are tired of swinging swords in the first-person. If you're someone who falls in that category, jump in.

It's far from the top of its class, and it has a lot of rough edges, but Game of Thrones is perfectly competent in most of what it sets out to do. It tells a good story that's worth experiencing, but if you don't care about the series or care more about the gameplay wrapper around a plot, there are a few better choices out there.

Episode II isn't an atrocious game, but poorly implemented mechanics and questionable design decisions consistently hobble its attempts to deliver the exhilarating speed that we've come to expect from the series.

It maintains the mechanics that made the prior games great while modernizing them to excellent effect. Between the arcade mode and multiplayer, there's enough substantive content to keep you hooked for some time.

Technically sound, and with a few friends, there's definitely some competitive fun to be found. If you're willing to deal with the lack of a true singleplayer experience (beyond competing against AI opponents for cups) you'll likely enjoy yourself, though the omission definitively feels like a tremendous missed opportunity.

If this sort of game doesn't sound appealing, no one can blame you. Datura is arty, a tad obtuse, and the clumsy Move controls don't make it any more accessible. For more methodical, curious gamers, we recommend you download Datura, and play it with a DualShock. Moments from the game have a way sticking in your mind, calling you in for a replay.

One of the most unique multiplayer experiences we played in a long time. The RTS elements create significant strategic depth and the action is a blast. Once we got a hang of the somewhat complicated gameplay systems of building bases and driving the various vehicles we didn't want to put the controller down. If you've been looking for engrossing, chaotic, large-scale multiplayer battles, Starhawk is going to satisfy your needs.

Hardcore genre fans will probably rather stick to more complex, nuanced games like LoL and SMNC, but Awesomenauts is a great alternative for everybody else. It's not as deep as other titles in the genre, but it's the perfect game to enjoy for a good weekend of gaming.

Sniper Elite V2 is a prime example of how a streamlined take on a singular gaming concept can result in something great, even if it's got a bit of clunk to it. The delivery of competent and enthralling gameplay was effective enough that the weaknesses we found were hardly roadblocks to enjoyment.

Your enjoyment of Mortal Kombat on Vita will depend on whether or not you've already played the identical console version, and how much you like tapping the touch screen to make people's heads explode. Mortal Kombat remains faithful to its console counterpart, and is an equally entertaining, albeit sometimes uglier, addition to the family.

Despite its familiar setting and cute puppets, it's tedious and boring, and misfires on multiple fronts. When a game fails to take risks and carve out its own identity, it undoubtedly shows. Fable Heroes aspires to get your bucks, but it's a game with very little "bang" going for it.

From the dysfunctional camera to the bland and uninspired combat, it's an absolute chore to play through this game. It doesn't matter how great it looks on the outside - Bloodforge is rotten at its core.

If you're looking for an epic, hugely varied adventure, look elsewhere, but if you want a game that lets you run amok in creative, bloody ways, Prototype 2 is pretty incredible.

We liked Trials HD, and after playing Trials Evolution, we can heartily recommend it to fans of the original. And for those who've never tried Trials before, this is an excellent starting point. Evolution is a wonderful game that's rich with personality (including a surprising sense of humor) and sophisticated gameplay.

There are the trademark Disgaea hooks that'll keep you deeply engaged, but they're undermined by a lifeless cast, bland story, and some awkward control design decisions that you'll want to get away from immediately. It's a game with a huge leap forward and quite a few backward steps that add up through the experience.

Bugbear clearly knows what it's doing, but seems hampered by the odd, shoehorned-in license and a repetitive single-player campaign. Unbounded's testosterone-drenched theme and crazy destruction might appeal to the mainstream, but its considerable difficulty and lack of extras will send them packing just as quickly.

While there aren't a lot of characters or other modes, it's a very deep fighting game that will keep even old hands pleased and occupied. If you don't mind spending more than your share of time in practice mode, Skullgirls could just become one of the better fighters you've played in a while.

The immersive world, memorable characters, exhilarating combat, and branching storylines will have you coming back to play it again and again.

The best puzzle games have the ability to make the player feel inversely smart and stupid. Fez takes this further than any game we've ever played, giving us the feeling of being both cackling genius and babbling idiot within minutes of each other. It's an absolute triumph in creating something new both in terms of its platforming and its puzzle solving; blending together genres in ways we've never seen.

Provides a decent distraction for a few hours, but the $10 (800 MS points) price tag is a bit steep for a fairly simple puzzler. Aside from Master Shots mode, some neat physics, and the fact that you're playing with goo, the rest of the game gets dragged down by the lack of variety and overly straightforward gameplay.

A mediocre experience, even considering the relatively affordable $10 price of admission. It's a novel distraction at best – hardly a sterling example of why Grasshopper has such dedicated fans.

Visually, the game is lacking, with muddy textures and graphics that hail from a long time ago. The Kinect controls are also unreliable at times (but also work brilliantly well most of the time). Overall, though, Kinect Star Wars fulfills most of the promise of a one-to-one lightsaber game, with enough variety (including that goofy dance mode) to make for a solid Star Wars experience.

While the lack of difficulty is a major bummer, it doesn't overshadow Xenoblade Chronicles' many other accomplishments. It offers a singularly beautiful world, streamlined, interesting gameplay, likeable characters, and a fantastic soundtrack - for these reasons alone it's probably the best RPG on the Wii.

The PS3 game is a neatly-constructed package that wonderfully showcases a smart and challenging puzzle game. It's a great way to dive in and invest your time in a unique and soundly designed experience.

Falls short of creating a truly memorable gaming experience for the license with shallow, and tedious platforming gameplay while never fully utilizing the South Park world and characters to their full potential.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 improves on numerous areas from last year's game, but they're small, almost inconsequential-feeling areas. Honestly, if you don't play online, don't own and love Kinect, and don't care about reliving Tiger Wood's first hole in one, it's hard to emphatically recommend PGA Tour 13 more than last year's version, which had far better presentation thanks to the fanfare over the debut of The Masters in-game.

A great game to play with a friend or sibling, and it's as easy as walking in and out of the camera's view. But what the game excels at is that it harnesses the charm, personality, and high-quality visuals that the property is known for.

A very impressive game. Although there's an initial adjustment period for its controls, each stage is masterfully designed, rewarding exploration and experimentation, plus it's surprisingly deep.

There's some life in it, and a few folks might be able to put up with the issues, but for the most part, it's not really worth the time spent clicking random objects on other random objects.

A good game, though not necessarily a standard bearer for shoot em ups. It's got a unique art style, tinges of Grasshopper's profane quirkiness, and offers some rather challenging wrinkles on the genre formula. Don't believe for a second that "casual friendliness" means putting a controller in the hands of your game-dabbler buddies and expecting them not to either melt down or wave a white flag.

Ninja Gaiden 3 has completely missed the point of everything that made the series great. Challenging combat, weapon variety, engaging enemies and the series' legendary difficulty have all been cut out in favor of a bland story, flashy finish moves, screen nukes, and button mashing.

Not only does Raccoon City not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Valve's zombie-killing masterpiece [Left 4 Dead], a number of poor design choices, narrative missteps, and technical issues combine to make this one of the worst Resident Evil games to date.

Ultimately we made a key realization that finally let us come to acceptance: AC5 is not a fantastic single-player game, but it can be a great multiplayer one.

FIFA Street serves as a terrific appetizer and dessert when served with a standard FIFA 12 meal, with its bite-sized chunks and freewheeling vibe juxtaposed nicely against its simulation cousin's oh-so-serious mentality.

As a third-person zombie action game, it's awkward and clumsy, and therefore, a difficult recommendation for gamers looking for a post-Dead Rising quick fix.

If you're deeply invested in these games and have some friends of the same cloth looking for a twist on the genre, then DoA's multiplayer is certainly worth investigating. The learning curve is steep, but the Xbox Live action is satisfying. Defenders of Ardania isn't the prettiest game, but there's some elements in place to keep you interested.

There's an accessibility to the gameplay mechanics that will appeal to dabblers, and the variety of gear, numerous leaderboards, and late-game difficulty cry out to a hardcore fanbase that enjoys those classically sadistic shoot-em-ups.

Some players may be put off by the patience Vessel can require, but it offers massive rewards for your time. Solving its puzzles feels like a 1,000 watt light bulb flicking on in your brain.

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.

The biggest disappointment, though, is the sloppy online play.

Despite its many issues, MLB 2K12 packs a significant punch when it comes to the nuts-and-bolts of big league baseball. We're excited about taking a couple of teams through the season. Unfortunately, it's just too ordinary-looking and choppy-playing to appeal to a wider audience. For all its good points, a game of this stature should be more polished at this stage of the franchise's existence.

The actual gameplay leaves a lot to be desired, but as recent Silent Hills go, this is one of the better ones.

Yes, you may tire of I Am Alive before you reach the credits, but the overall experience is still an intense and worthwhile one - the game not only forces you to take risks, it takes some great risks itself. If you've already tired of every other shooter's and climber's formulas, this hybrid will surprise you, test you, and remind you why experimentation in games is always a good thing, even when it doesn't fully work out.

If you lost interest some time around the umpteenth GameCube iteration, or the woeful Mario Party 8, MP9 is a good excuse to come back. Enough of the old concerns have been addressed and the game is more focused than ever, marking a return to simplicity that reminds us why we loved huddling around those old Nintendo consoles in the first place.

There's a real attention to quality and portability that Zipper has put into Unit 13. From gameplay that combines the Vita's new touchscreen tech with the tight controls and solid gameplay of the best games in the SOCOM series to missions time-designed around commuting gamers and airport dwellers alike.

Even if the end destination of this final chapter isn't quite as magnificent as we hoped for, we'll never regret the hundred-hour, three-game journey we took across the galaxy to get there. Mass Effect 3 is an incredible experience that rewards you for those years of investment and devotion to its stratospheric tale.

Another fast, fun, and technical Capcom fighting experience. The online code seems problematic, but that's hardly enough to sink what's otherwise another top-tier Capcom fighter. It's actually kind of amazing to see a fighter where literally half the cast is basically new.

There are better satires of gaming in other forms, and they likely won't leave you feeling kind of dirty afterwards.

Journey is an unforgettable experience. Even when the details fade, the emotions that it evoked will stay with us for years.

Emulates one of the best games ever adeptly, and if you're a Nintendo fan that never owned any of the previous systems it appeared on, it's worth exploring. However, if you have the Subsistence version for PS2 or last November's MGS HD Collection (which costs the same as this 3DS remake), MGS3D isn't a superior replacement.

It's hard to forget that even after the numerous PC updates, you're playing a nearly seven year-old game, and after a few hours, it feels that way. If you are looking to take a trip back to the glory days of Quake mods, Nexuiz is what you are looking for. Just don't expect to stay for long.

Virtua Tennis 4 is a gorgeous, deep title that makes us happy to have our Vita – even if we have to deal with strangers watching us over our shoulders. It's a small price to play for a heck of a game.