While the shift towards having more control on offense has left the defensive game a bit out of step, NBA 2K13 is still highly entertaining overall, offering enough changes to keep players interested in starting another career, season, player, or franchise.

The way the vehicles crumple, windshields shatter, and pieces of debris go flying in every direction is second to none, making you appreciate each and every impact. The only quibbles we have with the presentation are the absence of a driver, and one of the most annoying announcers ever.

While not all that innovative, the game brilliantly implements a race-saving instant replay function and incorporates a strong strategic element with its sponsor management.

There's no doubt that Halo 4 has been developed in a pressure cooker. With expectations sky high, 343 has delivered a game that manages to walk the line between old and new with just a few stumbles.

It enriches the world and makes combat more exciting than ever.

Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix is a game long in name, short on modes, but overwhelmingly high on quality and replay value. It comes up a bit short on some counts, but fans will definitely not be disappointed with the end result. If you're looking for a well-balanced online fighter with plenty of competitors, this is your best bet.

The Witness is large, beautiful, and exquisitely-crafted. It strikes an incredible balance of difficulty.

A true champion for the masses. Its over the top, vibrant style is a true spectacle in HD, and its strokes of fighting innovation trickle down into every one of its bells and whistles. If you're looking for an extremely smooth fighter with pomp and panache, BlazBlue is a sure bet.

If you enjoy deep RPGs and you're looking for a great time-killer--or just ask a lot from your video game purchases--you can't go wrong with Pokemon Black and White.

The core of Dragon Quest IX isn't a drastic departure from past games, but the focus on social play has led to a wealth of new features, expanding the game with countless side quests, customization, and character depth. It's a worthy successor for the franchise.

Whether you’re battling online or plowing through the single player mode, the huge range of things to do and places to go -- along with numerous revisions and additions -- more than compensate for the games few flaws and relatively low number of new Pokémon.

The campaign could use some creative spark, but it’s the staying power of the multiplayer that wins the day. If you look to get the most out of your money with video game purchases, you can’t go wrong with Battlefield Bad Company 2.

FIFA 09 may or may not have 250 new additions, but it's a strong-playing game with an extensive amount of modes.

Dirt 3 really does have something for drivers at every level, offering a surprising amount of variety. It's a strong package overall, with beautiful landscapes and an exhilarating sense of speed, making it perfect for anyone who wants to take a not-so-quiet drive through the woods.

The latest Fight Night pushes hard to deliver a game that feels realistic and authentic to the sport while also being extremely playable, and offering plenty of staying power. Even if boxing as a sport barely piques your interest, this game delivers tension, drama, and punishment to rival the best fighting games out there.

It feels every bit as deep and engrossing as a traditional four-X title--riding the fine line between accessibility and “dumbing things down” is always a gamble, but here that gamble has paid off handsomely.

The epic moments fall down like, well, the rain. Boss fights, huge brawls, escapes, and much more will keep your fingers nimble and your mind guessing.

Meaningfully expands on the original game's deep interactive story and dynamic battle system, showing as much respect to prospective players as it does to its source material. Remake or not, this is the rare game that can sustain and reward months of play.

It's the perfect blend of something old, and something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

Dirt 3 really does have something for drivers at every level, offering a surprising amount of variety. It's a strong package overall, with beautiful landscapes and an exhilarating sense of speed, making it perfect for anyone who wants to take a not-so-quiet drive through the woods.

This is a game that demands more from its players, and treats them as capable thinkers. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing The Swapper.

It's the perfect game to jump into the series with if you're a newcomer, and the updates and new content are enough to keep veterans satisfied.

Arkham Knight tells a mature story that cares about its characters. The missions are a little over-committed to showing how much the Batmobile can do, but it also feels like the car completes Rocksteady’s vision of a living, breathing Gotham City; a war zone with lots of problems to solve and lots of fun ways to solve them.

The whole experience is even more remarkable at its price point of $10. Sure, clearing towns might get a little stale and the occasional blip of aimlessness is annoying, but the outstanding writing and attention to detail more than make up for any pockmarks on this putrefied gunslinger.

The multiplayer element, though far from its selling point, adds a welcome, manic element that amounts to icing on the cake. This, simply, 2D Mario at its best, and it's been a long time coming.

It can be digested in small chunks making it perfect gaming for the on-the-go types, and there’s honestly no other handheld game like it.

Forza Motorsport 6 maintains the series’ strong handling, robust features, and its ability to bring together players of varied skill levels. There are improvements in virtually every area, but even with additions like night and weather, it doesn’t really feel like there’s a standout change to push the series forward. It seems like most of the effort this time around went into getting Forza back on track.

It's a clever and challenging platformer that consistently hits the sweet spot between fun and frustration. You're guaranteed to rage in a few stops, but at the end of the day, it's still good to be Kong.