It works on several levels, but Retro Game Challenge is more enjoyable the nerdier and possibly older you are. The games are fun enough to play, but if you recognize a Ninja Gaiden parody just by playing for a minute, have played Galaga enough to tell the subtle differences in what they chose not to emulate or chuckle at the phrase "feel asleep," this is absolutely the game for you.

The visual representation of the duels, as well as rewarding Challenges and time-consuming Sealed Deck mode, all make for a fun experience for the player. Now if only they’d use their powers to make a dedicated custom deck building tool with every magic card ever made. That would be something.

Though it's not perfect, Dead Nation reminds us how much fun it can be sending legions of the dead back to hell.

Admittedly, aspects of the story caught me off guard, with some instances of cartoonish violence (that aren't overly graphic) and Maevora serving as quite an unsettling antagonist in an otherwise charming backdrop. But there's a welcome helping of humor and touching moments in the mix that kept me invested. The standout moments of Tchia are always centered around the different people and communities you meet along the way, who each come together and share in a musical moment you can take part in with a rhythm mini game, or sit back and enjoy. Overall, Awaceb delivers a delightful, inventive adventure that I was happy to get lost in. Tchia really is wonderful in many respects.

Delivers the quality, and its mix of accessible, over-the-top anime silliness and deep technical fighting put it in a comfortable niche between games like Super Smash Bros. and King of Fighters.

This is Bayonetta dressed up in robot clothes, which is a Very Good Thing. Brilliantly playable, and full of Transformers fan-service, only its brevity and simplistic level design let it down.

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.

At its core, Rocksmith is wildly cool, innovative technology sitting on top of a tired formula many of us have played to death. Had the story mode been anything other than the tried-and-true Guitar Hero/Rock Band "play a few songs, unlock new venues, rinse and repeat," it would have been infinitely more fun. Even so, Rocksmith is undeniably interesting, and the potential for greatness in the franchise is there.

It's a bit of a bummer that Zuma is single-player-only: I would've loved to go head-to-head with a buddy over Xbox Live. But the game still packs plenty of thrills into a tiny package.

It's a ridiculously challenge old-school RPG experience to be sure, and you can expect to have your party wiped out frequently amidst streams of curses and a few rage quits. But even so, it's a dungeon crawler we heartily stand behind.

A rich and far-reaching addition to your Sims library, but may be too much for brand new Sims fans.

Fast-paced and often challenging, Outpost Kaloki X is one of the few Xbox Live Arcade titles that actually makes you earn your Achievements.

With great rhythm gameplay and creative composition, Fantasia: Music Evolved is a colorful title that earns its Fantasia name.

We never got tired of watching blocks whirl around in the air to form new objects, stupefying everything in sight, or sitting through the often hilarious cutscenes.

But whether you play single- or multiplayer, the action in Empire is fast and intense. It’s definitely a better game than its predecessor, which was pretty good to begin with.

Thin slights against an otherwise engaging puzzler; one we hope doesn't fade from memory due to a light retail presence and serious lack of buzz.

While Heroes VI isn't a new book, it's an immensely satisfying sixth chapter.

It's not quite a complete reinvention for the series but Infinite Warfare makes some refreshing changes to deliver a confident and exciting shooter.

There’s a strong element of cooperative play with an excellent twist that will surely be the death of many a friendships, and plenty of character customization to build up your own magic-wielding badass. The game’s got plenty of great content, especially if you can convince a few others to take that step with you, but if you’re holding your breath for a great story, you’re almost certainly going to be disappointed.

So what if Carbon isn't redefining the street racing genre - really, at this point, what could? It hits a sweet spot of intensity, danger, and style.

Firaxis lets its hair down for a fun but flawed twist on XCOM's proven recipe of tactics and tension.

If you like keeping a roomful of people shouting at the TV, it's not a bad investment at all.

Crimson Desert is messy, but as you untangle its mechanics and compensate for its flaws, elements of genius and wonder make the experience worthwhile. Take time to leave the beaten path and find out which of its many facets appeals to you, and you'll discover a game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story.

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.

If Costume Quest was a full-retail game, we'd recommend it with a few caveats. But seeing as its fifteen bucks, fans of RPGs/Halloween/Neglecting their children should pick it up without hesitation.

Avowed fills a first-person void within the fantasy RPG genre, but it also stands as an immersive spin on Pillars of Eternity without losing any of the stellar storytelling and worldbuilding that Obsidian Entertainment is known for. Overlooking its forgettable party combat system and some minor quality-of-life misses, Avowed deserves to be remembered as one of this year's best games.

It's not without frustrating bits, mind, like not being able to change direction once you're ascending/descending ladders or stairs. It's also quite slow. But regardless, it's a super-stylish puzzle game that offers hundreds of levels.

The only real problem with Accent Core is its lack of originality - hence the 8 instead of a 9 - but it's still a fantastic fighting game with one of the deepest fighting systems ever seen and a cast of unique-but-balanced characters that will have you playing until your thumbs bleed.

Huge levels and an incredible array of new ways to take down your targets make Sniper Elite 4 a killer addition to the stealthy series.

Although it may not look particularly different from its predecessors on the surface, nor include any groundbreaking, never-before-seen modes, NCAA 14 hits a ton of high notes and marks a great start to the upcoming fall sports game blitz.

Evolve is currently a smidge schizophrenic. Sometimes you play a match and the game's clever systems all coalesce beautifully; creating a charmingly hectic hybrid that occasionally channels Left 4 Dead's frantically back and forth antics while handling like a monstrous Titanfall. Play without mic'd up pals, though, and the pull of chaos is too strong, with battles struggling to keep their focus. The game also feels a little limited.

NHL 20 again leads the way for pro sports on PS4 and Xbox One, strengthened this year by shooting improvements and presentation upgrades.

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.

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.

A slick pastiche of ‘80s retro cool and modern gameplay, Strider is both faithful to its source material and still capable of finding its own identity. It’s basically the raddest Saturday-morning cartoon you’ll ever play.

Cronos: The New Dawn is an unabashed mash-up of survival horror's greatest hits, from Dead Space to Silent Hill, and its references make it a thrillingly familiar experience for fans of the horror genre. The only problem – which is, at times, significant – is a frustrating inventory system that can make combat feel more irritating than tense. Still, this is an atmospheric and uniquely introspective adventure for those who value a game's story as much as its action.

South of Midnight is a charming (if predictable) action-adventure experience that's perfectly happy to play it safe. Nods to folklore and the Southern Gothic tradition are well conceptualized through mechanics, lore, and environments, even if areas like narrative order suffer for this stylization. Familiarity soon fades into monotony across nine of its 14 chapters, though it's hard to stay bored when South of Midnight's world is such a smooth and effortless joy to explore. The result is a spellbinding tale that struggles to find its rhythm, but once found, absolutely sings.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a solid soulslike game with some unique systems that sets it apart from its contemporaries. Combat is flashy and fun, but it's bundled with some frustrating boss and movement mechanics. Still, a stunning world and excellent dungeon exploration make Wuchang: Fallen Feathers worth trying.

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.

The Gunstringer has a few hang ups, but it's fun nonetheless.The presentation, narration, and humorous world coupled with the simple, intuitive controls make it a game to consider for your Kinect collection. However, the shortness and laggy controls could be a deal breaker for the hardcore audience.

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.

Hitman's first episode is a hugely detailed and beautifully made stealth experience with hours of potential. However, be wary if you're not up for replaying the same level to get all it has to offer.

It’s not a perfect game, mind you, but it’s a breath of fresh air that reminds you how invigorating a game designed for – and not around – the Wii can be.

Headlander has a few rough spots, but its 70s retro/sci-fi aesthetic and head-swapping gameplay are out of this world.

ZombiU's complete and utter dedication to creating a tense, realistic zombie survival game can be problematic, and its often at odds with itself. Despite this, the game successfully proves that horror games can be enhanced by the Wii U's GamePad, and does a great job at showing how the new controller can create an incredibly immersive experience.

Better mechanics, a deep historical mode, expanded online capabilities, and multi-gender careers highlight a huge game with much to offer its fans. However, it’s difficult to view its desire to exact even more money after purchase by offering enticing course content as payable DLC that directly impacts your ability to play core modes of the game as anything but questionable.

If you're any sort of fan of 2D games and crazy-ass violence, you owe yourself a crack at this one.

Because of this, I feel I can forgive the hint of boredom that pops up every now and then. Zenless Zone Zero is an ARPG, but I'm playing it more for the 'RPG' part and less for the action, which is probably why I like it so much. If you're looking for a game to test the limits of your combat prowess, ZZZ isn't it, but if you want to experience wholesome stories in a stunning anime world with over a dozen different side activities, Zenless Zone Zero has got you covered.

Excellent control options aside, a lack of major platform-specific extras doesn't hold Plants vs. Zombies on Vita back from being one of the best versions yet.

It feels like a Sims product while at the same time feels like something completely fresh and original. But if you don't like having goals or being too limited in your virtual sandbox, then who are you kidding? You're probably still playing The Sims 3. Stick with that and let the rest of us enjoy the breath of fresh air that The Sims Medieval brings.

Solar Ash is a platforming playground that never loses steam, and it hides a memorable story of unfathomable tragedy.

Pangya may not be as technologically robust as its competition, but it definitely makes up for it in personality. Golf is rarely this weird, but we loved every minute of it.

If there's a nit to pick with Gun, it's that it's short. Depending on how much you poke around, you can beat it in anywhere from six to ten hours. To us, that's no problem; we'll take a short amazing game over a long lackluster one any day.

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.

If you never get tired of the basic ideas at the core of every resource-based strategy game, don't mind unnecessarily cute (and occasionally lame) attempts at humor, and can get past some minor targeting issues then World could work to fulfill that tiny niche of XBLA resource management games.

There is no doubt that Just Dance 4 is lagging behind Dance Central 3 in terms of features, modes, and even just accurately sensing your moves. But sometimes that added depth can be a pretty big barrier for entry, especially in such a physically demanding game genre. Just Dance 4 may not have all of the right moves, but bust it out at a party and everyone is sure to be on their feet.

Players who've enjoyed the Battlefield franchise for its signature rollicking vehicular combat can skip this expansion altogether.

It's not the breakthrough of medicine and motion controls it was last year, but Trauma Center: New Blood greatly improves on one of the Wii's best showcases.

De Blob 2, like its predecessor, is an undeniably cheerful, whimsical, and infectiously amusing venture that's impossible to dislike unless you're Ebenezer Scrooge (pre-spiritual epiphany, that is). It has some creative gameplay and it satisfies that primitive need to finish a page in a coloring book once you've started it. It's not as deep as it wants to be, but it has enough substance to pick up and play after buying it for your kids (or younger siblings).

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

Peggle 2's visual overhaul makes for a cleaner, fancier Peggle experience, but the lack of leaderboards assures your addiction will be relatively short-lived.

Sniper Elite 5 is the best it's ever been with a new game mode that'll blow your mind.

Though "2K7" keeps the casual fans happy with eye-popping visuals, The Show keeps the die-hards in their seats with just the opposite.

Joker 2 is one of those games that's fun in short bursts, but isn't all that memorable. It does borrow some of the great parts of Pokémon while carving out its own identity in the rich Dragon Quest world. But of all the things it had to borrow from Dragon Quest, why, why did it have to be the endless grind?

The fact that you can only test for your age once a day gives you incentive to keep trying, and with the floating head of Professor Kawashima offering suggestions, there's a sense of a persisting, updating world every time you play.

If you’re ready for the heightened difficulty of solo play in New Super Luigi U, then you’ll find it rewarding. Otherwise, it’s a taxing platformer that’s only made more rage-inducing in multiplayer.

If you’re interested in Republique purely as a tech demo, its smooth animations, realistic models, and excellent touch-controls would have you raving. Unfortunately, the story is so shallow and the central character is so bland that, despite a top-notch supporting cast, Republique’s narrative simply can’t carry the weight of the game.

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.

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.

Though 3D Dot Game Heroes is a fun game on its own, it's impossible to divorce it from the games it parodies. Your overall enjoyment will depend on whether you're in on the joke or not. But if you do "get it," then it's the perfect game for the nostalgic fan looking for another taste of their childhood while getting a few good laughs at the same time.

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.

American Arcadia is a sharp, snappy production that could make for an entertaining film if it wasn't peppered with ingenious puzzles and platforming challenges. The dual character scenario is exploited brilliantly, adding variety, originality and humour, and even if some sections lack a real sense of participation, the visual design of Arcadia, along with some smart turns in the plot, ensure momentum through to the end.

The game is solid in its mechanics to the point where it would be worth playing even if it were butt-ugly. If Bastion isn't quite what you've been looking for in the latest download bunch, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet may turn out to be the blackest, shiniest gem in the Summer of Arcade for you.

Season's ability to tell small human stories is admirable amidst its calming gameplay, even if it doesn't fully explore its big talking points.

Manually controlling your lead blocker to open up a hole for your running back both makes up for years of imperfect AI-controlled blocking and feels great. So does using the Live Opponent feature to play franchise mode against another gamer instead of the CPU.

Bravely Default 2 is one of the best games to point to when people ask what makes JRPGs fun.

A gratifying shooter experience. Even though the campaign is on the shorter side, there are a few visual hiccups, and some of the enemy AI is unbalanced, those small gripes get overshadowed by Crysis 3's tactical gameplay, beautiful environments, and superb online multiplayer. While not treading new ground for the FPS genre, Crysis 3 is a solid shooter.

Invincible VS brings the hyper-violent aesthetic of the source material to an exciting, easy-to-learn fighting game, with a healthy roster of playable characters and a decent amount of game modes. While the story falls short of Invincible's peak, and some actors from the show don't feature, it's still a must-play for Invincible fans.

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.

Vast, beautiful, and endlessly satisfying, Destiny is like a gradually-opening puzzle box of ever-more involving FPS depth. What's already there can be explored for tens of hours. What's to come is an incredibly exciting prospect.

A spectacular throwback to the era when wrestling games were must-own. Add live – or even quarterly – updates to 2K20 and it’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

By taking ideas from some of the best games of the last five years and combining that with a respect for the material that isn't so excessive as to alienate non-fans, War for Cybertron ends up being the best Transformers game yet.

Demonschool makes punching a parade of gloriously grotesque creatures an absolute riot. An approachable tactical RPG with a radioactive amount of style and flair. However, for a game about punching demons in the face, there's not a lot of crunch.

Nintendo serves up an immediately accessible and hilariously chaotic multiplayer experience, but a duff single-player campaign and hodgepodge assortment of other modes leaves you feeling that Mario Tennis Fever hasn't quite aced the complete package.

While some of its threads don't always come together as neatly as they should, Fullbright's sophomore effort is a quiet and haunting examination of the ways corporations dehumanize us all.

What you'd expect from a Wii launch game: It gives you a sampler platter of uses for the console's new tech, with plenty of exaggerated movements and bite-sized variety that's best in small doses.

An atmospheric, challenging shooter unlike anything else out there, but it's definitely not for everyone – the odd controls and punishing difficulty will no doubt turn off many casual fans. If you love a short but intense thrill ride and/or carefully perfecting your high-score game, however, you'll find a lot to love in Guwange.

Once you get used to the steering and can take the corners, FlatOut 2 is an awesome racer with enough destruction and mayhem to last you awhile. And if you do get frustrated, the game provides plenty of ways to relieve stress - like launching your helpless driver into really hard objects.

A challenging, gorgeous rhythm game that marks a joyous reunion with characters you adore. It's a new way to enjoy Persona 4’s outstanding soundtrack.

Ubisoft Bordeaux has delivered exactly what it promised. Assassin's Creed Mirage is a compact, stealth-focused adventure that punishes anyone trying to go in loud, and it does so in a world that's always a delight to explore (and be chased through).

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.

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.

Traditionalists will cringe at the new controls, but we applaud EA's attempt to simplify things so more folks can get involved. It may not work perfectly, but it's the right thing to do (and the right console on which to do it).

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.

A Call of Duty title that reigns everything in and is afraid to try something new, Black Ops Cold War gets the basics spot on but doesn't have enough content to warrant the price tag.

Grid Legends finds its niche alongside Forza Horizon and Gran Turismo, offering track-based thrills for all skill levels.

PGA Tour 2K21 offers the best stroke play in years, with deep and rich shot and swing craft. Only a lean career mode proves its handicap.

Sable is downright beautiful in its execution and storytelling, and captures an innate desire for exploration like few other open-world games.