There is no denying this Dead or Alive looks better than ever, but its improved fighting system is another step in the right direction. The game's story mode leaves much to be desired, however, but fortunately the game's other modes will keep you coming back for more once you finish. Ultimately, Dead or Alive 5's new fighting mechanics and flashy stage effects turn battles into an entertaining, over-the-top experience anyone can get into--with enough practice, of course.

Faster Than Light is the Star Trek, Star Wars, and Battlestar Galactica game you've always wanted.

There are some annoyances--the physics engine feels like it's been overly tinkered, and the shortcomings of career mode's become apparent when you step out of Europe's top leagues. However, it succeeds at one key task that it sets out to do: render FIFA 12 obsolete. You can wear last year's jersey, but you won't want to play last year's game any longer.

A fantastically designed hack-n-slash RPG. And, because Runic released the full modding toolset it used to create the game, perhaps the best is yet to come once the modding community goes to town. Even without the potentially infinite number of player-made maps, skills, and items, Torchlight II is a worthwhile loot-fueled adventure that will soak up hours of your day without you even noticing.

A fulfilling experience. The improvements to gunplay and customization take it further than its predecessor. Its story gives you enough hooks and motivators to want to see it through to the end. Unfortunately, it may feel like a bit of a slog to get there, and you'll want to sort out exactly who's hosting that game between you and your online friends very early on. However, with a well-balanced squad, there are few more pleasing experiences than taking down a gigantic robot constructor through four unique skillsets.

It's hard to see how core F1 gameplay can be done better on current-gen and there's a wealth of gameplay challenges to explore. If you passed up F1 2011 because it was too similar to F1 2010, you'll find F1 2012 a massive leap forward.

This concept is undeniably evocative and cool; unfortunately, the game isn't especially fun to play.

Succeeds in retaining the raw fun that made the original game great while amping up the excitement and variety. Casual players will enjoy the action-packed scenes while the hardcore crowd will relish the challenge of gathering all 30 pro-medals and sharing their custom level creations online.

Running through each level (even multiple times) is a charming, creative, and incredibly rewarding experience, regardless of whether it's to beat your friend's leaderboard score or if you're simply going after every collectible for that satisfying "pop" sound.

It was risky for the NHL 13 dev team to reach under the hood and modify the core gameplay to the degree they did. It takes time to learn, and the smarter defenders and goaltenders will make scoring extremely difficult at the start. As we've recently seen with other stalwart franchises like FIFA Soccer and Madden NFL, though, getting the fundamentals oh-so-right can make something that's already good spectacular.

Everything a massively-multiplayer online RPG should be. It's original, massive in scope, and wonderfully social, removing many of the gates that held back the genre in the past. Being able to play with friends regardless of level or class is a gigantic leap forward, and one that, when mixed in with all of the other innovations in the genre, make Guild Wars 2 one of the best MMOs currently available.

If any one aspect deserves a special shout-out, it's TTT2's music, which is primarily phenomenal. You know that awesome African safari stage from Super Street Fighter IV, with the amazingly catchy melody? Imagine if every other stage had such a mesmeric, enthralling score, and you've got TTT2's soundtrack in a nutshell.

Despite its technical hiccups, Jet Set Radio is a joy to play, even 12 years after its release. Its varied missions will keep you coming back for more and the added treat of hearing its eclectic soundtrack makes playing them all the more fun. If you never owned a Dreamcast before, you now have no excuse to miss out on one of Sega's most enjoyable and original titles.

While it might have its share of annoyances, the positives outweigh the negatives in The Sims 3: Supernatural. It's one of the strongest expansions for the core game yet, and might even give lapsed players a reason to return to the game.

Fast yet measured, breezy yet deep, and above all highly replayable, it's a game that stands as a refreshing example of stealth action done right.

Global Offensive takes no chances and it's hard to tell who it was made for. Source and 1.6 players will feel at home with the tried and true CS mechanics and traditional game modes, but GO gives them few reasons to migrate, other than flashy graphics on a few of the old maps. Conversely, newcomers to the series will find Counter-Strike's steep learning curve rather discouraging.

Rock Band Blitz is a bit like a wooden rollercoaster. When you first experience it, it's thrilling--but with each repeated ride, it starts to feel less exciting and more rickety.

Like a top draft pick that makes the team but doesn't put up Pro Bowl numbers. It provides a healthy portion of the traditional Madden experience, but lacks the niftiest new parts of Connected Careers as well as the ability to use cross-play with the PS3. Because of that, it's a reminder of years past when it could've been cutting-edge.

It's not often that a stalwart franchise like this reinvents itself so significantly, but Madden NFL 13 has pulled this off with aplomb. Brimming with innovation on the field and off, it's the best Madden of the generation.

If you're sick of the same old formulas and you're open to some indie eccentricity, Retro/Grade is just the trippy time-sink you've been looking for – and it'll finally give your dusty plastic guitars a use past Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

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.