Saints Row 2 is undeniably rough around the edges, blatant with its recycling, and exhilarating in its craziness. It's a game that your brain knows has problems, but your heart doesn't care.

Rainbow Six Vegas 2 doesn’t feel much like a sequel. The limited development time has allowed for few improvements and a truncated, forgettable campaign. The good news is that the formula is so strong that it remains a compelling play.

Quotation forthcoming.

An example of misappropriated resources. The things that weren't broken have been changed, and lingering issues have gone untouched. With that said, there's plenty of game here.

Advanced Warfare is Call of Duty’s true starting point for a new generation.

The Witcher, in all its facets, screams quality. There are a few places where ambition exceeds feasibility, and it’s quickly becoming apparent that there’s not a lot of wiggle room left within the genre, but The Witcher delivers one of the most intense and rewarding role-playing experiences this year.

The best moments arise when you stop to let it all sink in. It asks for attention rather than reflexes, and serves as a reminder that so few of these experiences exist.

As both the counterpart and conclusion to Knife of Dunwall, The Brigmore Witches doesn't innovate as much as its predecessor, choosing instead to sharpen the point and deliver a killer blow for those who have stuck with Dishonored. If you know who Daud is, and what he's capable of, you'll certainly want to see his story through.

Virtual Fighter 5 Final Showdown shines in its utilitarian simplicity, delivering a premium experience that's focused on the fighting at an economical price. If you've ever wanted to see what the hubbub was all about in the arcades of Akihabara, consider this your ticket to find out.

The reincarnation of the original Fire Emblem isn’t the best in the series, but it certainly does enough to make it a worthy addition.

Toy Soldiers marshals no small amount of personality and polish, and the thoughtful and detailed presentation never misses its mark as it lampoons and celebrates its goofy what-if 80's scenario.

The first half of Assassin’s Creed is a truly clairvoyant experience. You’ve never played anything like it. The sagacious story, incalculable crowd interaction, and unprecedented freedom to traverse the environment how you choose are landmark moments. Over time, repetition rears its ugly head, combat becomes a necessary routine, and dimwitted foes snatch you out of the third crusade and remind you that you’re playing a game.

It’s a rewarding game that constantly revs up the creativity and challenge to keep you addicted while also throwing in a decent amount of extras to bring you back for seconds. It’s charming presentation and clever puzzles give it a special touch that sets it above other similar games. And frankly, there’s little else out there that’s like Captain Toad.

The tried and true formula might taste stale for some veterans, but it’s still an engrossing game well-suited for those seeking a solid RPG experience.

With an expansive city to explore between levels, LEGO Batman 2 can easily be a likened to an Arkham City-lite. The promise of playing with other DC Super Heroes isn't brought to its full potential as the story remains laser-focused on Batman, Robin, and Superman, but there's a fun family-friendly adventure for these three leads.

The last episode was a tough act to follow, but similar to season one, episode two is even better. The stakes are higher and the consequences steeper. Telltale has once again proved that adventure games are not only still alive, they’re as strong as ever. We can only hope it’s not long before we find out what's next.

There’s a lot of greatness within Sunset Overdrive, but it’s obfuscated by a lack of difficulty and an aggravating tone. Ultimately, it’s worth dealing with the game’s worst moments to enjoy the many things it does get right. When you’re darting around the world like a ninja in a denim jacket, there’s nothing quite like it. If there is a next time for Sunset City, and hopefully there is, maybe things will come together more smoothly than they have here.

For the mouse-and-keyboard crowd, this re-release will serve as little more than a target for negative comparison to the original. However, if gamepads serve as your peripheral of choice, this $20 download is an easy recommendation.

Just Cause 2 is an amazing world rich with gameplay possibilities with a merely decent game tacked onto it.

We never imagined that the RPG elements would be so vast or deftly handled, resulting in a pleasant surprise. A near-perfect mix of first-person shooting and role-playing, it's a nice fit for those who felt too detached from the gun play in Fallout 3 or Mass Effect.

Campo Santo has taken one of the most boring jobs in the world and turned it into an absorbing tale of fear and regret.

The lack of any online functionality hurts the bottom line, but the series has never been renowned for its multiplayer components. This is the perfect chance to get acquainted with StarFox if you've missed out after all these years, but this classic game from the 90's is merely a good game today.

Gran Turismo's biggest weakness is its inconsistency. Its best parts are so great that it's shocking to come across elements that are so far below standard. Still, many of its faults are purely cosmetic. Where the rubber meets the road, it's still fantastic.

GoldenEye 007 has a surprisingly impressive single-player campaign that remains true to its roots despite deliberately rewriting the script. The multiplayer doesn't break any barriers and it's weighed down by performance issues, but it's still fun for a few rounds in the living room or online.

The challenge level in the Dishwasher is nearly pitch-perfect, skillfully walking the fine line between punishment and reward.

One of the most eye-catching games to come along in a while, MadWorld is stylish, bloody, and a great fit for the Wii's controls. Though there's a surprising amount of incentive to replay it, it's barely seven hours long, so if you aren't persuaded by the novelty of extreme violence buy with caution.

Even with its rough edges, Dragon's Dogma still feels like one of a kind, years after its initial release.

Providing a delightful glimpse of the past in more ways than one, Skulls of the Shogun is a tactical treat for fans of old school, Japanese-style strategy games. Equal parts quirky and complex, it only comes to prove that the glory days of this often forgotten genre aren't quite gone.

The first half of Assassin’s Creed is a truly clairvoyant experience. You’ve never played anything like it. The sagacious story, incalculable crowd interaction, and unprecedented freedom to traverse the environment how you choose are landmark moments. Over time, repetition rears its ugly head, combat becomes a necessary routine, and dimwitted foes snatch you out of the third crusade and remind you that you’re playing a game.

The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned is a humorous and entertaining episode to extend the Borderlands experience. However, it can be a bit repetitive at times, and it lacks any worthwhile souvenirs.

The new additions have helped streamline the experience, and the "Stubs" system has directly addressed fan criticism of micro-transactions. However it's unfortunate that its ambitious element, Online Franchise, is severely marred by technical difficulties. Hopefully the situation can be remedied in a future patch, and if not, well at least we have the PlayStation 4 version to hope for.

It’s easy to look at Beyond Earth and see it as nothing more than an elaborate reskin of Civilization V. In many ways, it shares a similar interface and borrows many components. Yet as soon as you get to the end of your first game, you’re acutely aware of how different it feels. At this point, it’s cliche to say how time consuming Civilization can be, but Beyond Earth only lends further credence to the phrase “one more turn.”

The low-rent visuals are a disappointment, even for the Wii, but it’s a clear demonstration of how well the Wii controls can work in the right hands. Best of all, it comes from a place that no one ever expected.

Soul Calibur V enjoys its triumphs, most notably the strong online element, as well as its shortfalls, such as the flat story and relative dearth of extra content. In spite of its mostly positive gameplay tweaks, though, it's in no real danger of reinventing the wheel. That's OK with us. In this fifth installment, Soul Calibur is as easy to enjoy as it ever was, and it brings with it enough new stuff to more than justify its existence.

Playability has shot through the stratosphere.

Wasteland 2 may not be the best looking game nor does it play in any sort of revelatory fashion, but it can still pull you in and refuse to let go.

Muramasa is easy to pick up and play thanks to its simple control scheme, but offers enough depth and challenge to keep the action from getting stale. Combined with its amazing visuals, this is easily one of the better action titles on the platform.

With its brand new physics engine and RPG elements, Madden NFL 13 tries hard to make its mark, but both changes have problems fitting into the existing gameplay and design structures. While it's better than last year's game in some ways, it's worse in others, and buying it at full price is hard to recommend unless you've sat out a couple seasons. It's encouraging to see EA Sports finally take some risks with the series, even if they don't all hit pay dirt.

If you have played a part in the Xenosaga series then you’ve already made your decision on Episode III, and it will meet your expectations if you’ve been eagerly anticipating it. But if you’re on the sidelines, it’s a game you’ll have to put serious effort towards understanding and completely enjoying.

While the technical hitches are disappointing, Midnight Club: Los Angeles is still a frantic, open experience that's even more fun for anyone familiar with the city. There's a lot of room for personalization, and the nearly overwhelming lineup of modes and events ensure that players won't be taking the bus out of town any time soon.

Uncharted 2's Siege Expansion DLC perhaps isn't essential for fans content with what they already have, but given its price and breadth, it's no half-tucked effort either. If team play is your bag, this is definitely one to consider.

All the modes have finally made the starting lineup, and there are successful tweaks and additions to both the gameplay and options. It's still more of an evolution than a revolution, but that's like saying LaDanian [la-dane-ian] Tomlinson just got better.

Like Stolen Memories, though, Overlord is a short-lived experience with plenty of familiar elements. Two-or-so hours of gameplay is a little slim for the price, though the quality of the content ultimately speaks for itself.

The franchise has finally reached its next-gen potential with a gang of new modes and gameplay tweaks that make the experience much more realistic and skill-based. There’s a steeper learning curve to overcome, but it’s worth it to finally cast aside the 16-bit pass-pass-shoot trappings the FIFA series has endured for far too long.

The Warriors on the PSP is basically the same game it was on the consoles; a rock solid brawler that captures the heart and soul of one of the coolest flicks of all time.

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 definitely hits the mat with some great improvements, but it’s still predominantly the same game you’ve been playing for the last few years.

Ninja Gaiden 2 adheres to the Team Ninja aesthetic, which will please fans but won't endear the series to a new audience.

We appreciate the strong emphasis on tournament play, but none of the new additions to PGA Tour 10 blow us away. If you absolutely love the series, or are brand new to the franchise, here's another one. But if you're looking for something truly new, you might want to check out PGA Tour 10 on the Wii.

Black Ops III is its own game, and the most robust offering in the franchise this generation.

Puzzle Quest 2 is a worthy sequel in every measure. It improves the look and feel of the original, successfully builds on its mechanics, and still feels different enough to provide a sense of novelty and newness.

Still, in the end, it's all about the fighting. It was already good, and while it's not a dramatic shift, having more options only makes the game better. Whether it completely lives up to its title or not, this is the definitive version of MvC3, at least for now. Whether you own the original game or not, it's got a lot to offer.

It's clear more time was spent fixing the things that needed fixing rather than building new additions on a shaky foundation. The physics, animations, and AI are among the best this series has seen since its inception. The level of customization and flexibility offered to players is another bright spot, with users able to freely share rosters, sliders, and playbooks with the community.

So many strategy games bury players in stats and micromanagement, offering an impressive amount of depth but they’re presented with the same amount of lifelessness as an excel spreadsheet. Disgaea is okay with poking fun at itself, kicking back and having fun. It may not entirely excuse its problems, but we'll take a good time over a more technically proficient and ultimately less exciting game any day.

With style, substance, and attitude under its +4 strength leather belt, Age of Conan may have a ways to go before entering an age of refinement, but when that time comes it’ll no doubt find its place as an online world power.

Despite its faults, Gods and Kings scores high on the entertainment-per-dollar scale and the allure of building a civilization from sticks and stones to ships and Gatlin Guns never wears thin.

Watch Dogs isn't inspiring or revolutionary, but it's a well-rounded approach to open world gameplay. Completing the story and merely sampling the various side activities can last over thirty hours, with plenty more left to do. The focus on hacking lends to more cerebral gameplay, and the multiplayer is solid.

The game is accessible enough to be picked up by someone who hasn’t yet earned their wings, and while the online mode isn’t incredibly deep, it’s a solid addition that makes the game that much more attractive. If jets aren’t your thing, though, it won’t convince you to enroll in flight school.

There’s a lot to see, and a lot of it’s worth seeing. It may not be in the echelons of excelsior, but we feel it’s safe to say: make mine Marvel.

Its clever writing, nuanced characters, and well-developed system of virtual hijinks and interaction have really stood the test of time.

Despite throwing in some new bells and whistles, Pokémon Black & White 2 doesn't deviate from established formula.

The engine is a bit long in the tooth and some of the content isn't entirely worth exploring, but if you're looking for an unforgettable top shelf action/adventure, heed the creed.

The most obvious addition to the gameplay is lead blocking control. This basically allows you to control another offensive player when the ball is snapped, make a block with that player, and then take control of the runningback. It takes a long time to get the hang of it, but once you do the results can be devastating.

The Banner Saga isn't what you’d strictly call “fun.” Instead it's interesting and challenging, more like a chess match than death match. But there's an incredible satisfaction when you take on a gang of armored monsters that by all rights should trample you, yet you're able to hamstring their health then line them up for execution.

Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 is a game about its big storylines, big matches, and big thrills. But most of all, it's a game about its fans, which makes it one of the more enjoyable installments of the series to date.

Grimoire of the Rift rewards players with a rich tactical RPG experience, but the lack of a meaningful and well-developed plot will leave many desiring more.

We appreciate the strong emphasis on tournament play, but none of the new additions to PGA Tour 10 blow us away. If you absolutely love the series, or are brand new to the franchise, here's another one. But if you're looking for something truly new, you might want to check out PGA Tour 10 on the Wii.

Few games today receive this much support throughout the year, and have such a dedicated community of people giving users more and more inventive creations to enjoy. If this year of Infinity is anything like the last two, 3.0 is something that kids of all ages will want to be a part of.

A powerful tech demo for the PlayStation Vita, but it's also an engaging game that's a blast to play in spurts. Touch screen use is a little heavy-handed and it's missing those "wow" moments we're used to getting from the franchise, but it's a solid action adventure with production values strong enough to quell any sense of system buyer's remorse.

The anything-is-a-weapon aesthetic is still ace, but the combat system is too unwieldy when tackling multiple foes. It’s a game of ups and downs, but horror fans will be more than satisfied with its bleak and gloomy disposition.

Bawdy and beautiful, Blood Dragon is that mocking love letter that lets you live out selfish, stupid, guilty pleasures and this time with production values.

As far as we're concerned, the Driver series has a new lease on life. This latest jaunt to San Francisco will keep you playing for hours, with an enormous campaign brimming with challenges and a multiplayer package that benefits enormously from the novel mechanics that define the experience.

The best yet in the series, but with a modest play time and simple gameplay it's hard to recommend as a purchase for adults. The formula is simply starting to wear a bit thin. For fans of the films, it's a quality product that does the license justice and likely represents one of the final pop culture spin-offs before the trilogy is finally laid to rest.

As far as mini-game collections go on the Wii, this is undoubtedly the cream of the crop. You'll be surprised how much fun you have with some events, and how little you garner from others, but there are still some rock solid experiences that you'll come back to again and again when friends and family gather.

The initial hours, when played with a survivor’s unsure intent are electrifying, illuminating a slice of fast, animal terror. Before long, it settles into the mechanical, methodical, human realm, challenged by a few creative late-game curves. By all means check in, get a physical, but you might want to opt for outpatient care.

Despite the simple end goal, the game is filled with vagaries resulting from an unclear interface and a perplexing process for setting waypoints. That turns the masked men's path finding into a grueling, aggravating operation as they stop within sight of their goal for no apparent reason. Still, seeing how all the elements react to one another is captivating.

In all, it's an incredibly balanced system that has been honed across four games, making NBA Street Homecourt one of the most fair, and enjoyable, roundball games on the market.

Disgaea's bizarre story and ridiculous characters are difficult to tolerate, but it's the grueling challenge that'll ultimately make many cower away. However, underneath all the style and flash is an intricate RPG that forces you to dig in deep and puts your brains to the test.

The ultimate resolution doesn't wow us, but the windy road getting there is fully of secrets to scan for and voices to talk to, living or otherwise.

The Darkness still packs plenty of gut appeal, with limbs being sheared and torsos torn asunder. Alas, players cannot sustain themselves on gore alone. Ultimately, the ultra violence will whet your appetite for bloodlust, but fail to slake your thirst for a truly great game.

Il-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey delivers a top notch flight sim experience that manages to remain accessible thanks to its scalable controls. Aside from a few bumps in the air, it has certainly earned its wings.

Combines bold action with a certain level of restraint, taking a few chances but still hewing close to the familiar. The unexpected multiplayer arenas will click with some, while others may not even touch it, and only the server logs, written on ancient papyrus scrolls, will show if it has staying power.

If you’re a fan of any property inside LEGO Dimensions, you’ll appreciate their involvement in this grand venture, and you might walk away a fan of something new.

Its simple, intuitive gameplay, combined with a clever use of strategy and impressive length make it a great buy for PS3 owners looking for a cheap fix.

In all Super Time Force, is a humorous romp through the ages, but the core rewinding mechanic that makes it different fosters a love-hate relationship. It's both an asset and an obstacle, but with tons of characters and a quirky storyline, you’ll find the space and time to enjoy yourself.

It manages to deliver everything you'd expect out of a Pokémon game, and it's still a decent RPG, but it fails to take any chances or offer real innovation.

If skateboarding is your way of life then buy without pause, but the more casual player should give it a rent to make sure the enhancements warrant the cost.

While Puppeteer's unique construction doesn't always make for the most fluid action, it presents some new ideas across an undeniably fun and diverse journey. Creatively fashioned visuals and a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor lend an impressively elaborate feel to the overall production.

Yes, it's fairly light on content, skimps a bit on frills, and doesn't break much new ground. But for a solid few hours of enjoyment, this ingenious reconstruction of a forgotten genre is definitely worth a try.

MLB 15: The Show has enough subtle additions to gameplay and graphics to keep returning fans satisfied. Online issues have been addressed, there’s more customization and control than ever before, and the addition of legends will please baseball purists. Even if you’re a newcomer this season, look no further than this year’s solid entry in the storied franchise.

The most well-rounded, entertaining, and error-free hoops offering this season. Plenty of modes and gameplay depth combine with stunning visuals and presentation to make NBA 2K7 this year’s king of the court and a must own for PS3-owning hoops fans.

This is a sequel that’s more about refinement than innovation, and elements such as the weather effects and the robust Theater of War serve to make an already great franchise just a tad greater. A heavy reliance on the past keeps it from earning the legendary status of its predecessor, but appropriately, Company of Heroes 2 marks a dogged victory for Relic -- these guys have clearly been fighting the good fight.

Red Steel 2 has it where it counts, with a deep combat system that continuously improves as the game progresses. It could do with more interesting tasks outside of battle, but it nails the swordplay like no game before it.

The experience is a good length, without even engaging the replays, and its feel-good manner and attention to its source material is unmatched for a licensed game.

Wii Fit Plus adds a fair amount of content for a $20 expansion and includes all the content of the original. If you're looking to mix it up with new activities, there are some winners here, but if you stopped using Wii Fit after the first two weeks, Plus isn't going to get you off the couch for much longer.

Hopefully the online issues will be ironed out before the full-on release, but if you simply can't wait to get a horsepower fix then bite the bullet, pay the ticket, and put it to the floor.

Once you get into the rhythm of each faction's style of play, Natural Selection 2 opens up the throttle on one of the most interesting and intense multiplayer experiences you'll find on PC.

It's easy to recommend Fable III to anyone who enjoyed the second game. It's very similar, but the story is stronger, the decisions you make have more gravity, the coop is vastly improved, and the design forces you to sample everything the game has to offer.

The Skylanders concept still feels novel and you get the feeling that there's a lot of potential waiting to be squeezed out of the experience. However, it's clearly being held back by the focus on peddling collectible toys. There's a decent game in here, but it's ultimately hard to justify the substantial investment you'll have to throw down for all the figures required to get the full experience.