It’s interesting that The Inner World – The Last Wind Monk comes out at the time it does. The game has a lot to say about things like discrimination, acceptance, purpose, and willful ignorance and goes about it in humorous and sometimes surprisingly deep ways. It has everything a good point-and-click should have from meaningful world engagement and enjoyable dialogue to good, old-fashioned, item-heavy puzzle solving. That said, it’s clearly a journey that Studio Fizbin isn’t out to bar anyone from for the sake of nostalgic difficulty. Their adaption of point-and-click mechanics to modern times with things like the hint system ensures that the only thing keeping a player from moving forward at any point is their own stubborn resolve. It could have better character animations at times to go with all of the solid and wonderful things built visually, aurally, and mechanically around these characters. However for the most part, The Inner World – The Last Wind Monk makes a strong case that point-and-click adventures still have a lot to offer in modern gaming.

NBA 2K11 is undeniably the best game in the series yet, pushing forward just enough without leaving behind the fans who fell in love with this version of NBA in the first place.

In every way, DJ Hero 2 is an exceptional successor, and a great rhythm game for this year.

It’s an experience that truly stretched different parts of my mind in more satisfying way than Portal.

Despite a battle system that has the ability to irritate, Ni No Kuni should be experienced and enjoyed by all types of gamers.

NBA 2K11 is undeniably the best game in the series yet, pushing forward just enough without leaving behind the fans who fell in love with this version of NBA in the first place.

GoD Factory Wingmen is a game where accessibility comes easy but mastery does not.

Overall, a fantastic game that yields a relaxing experience and a gaming experience for all. The adventure is fun and awe-inducing. The graphics and music are coupled well together and marry each other to make for an amazing fantasy feel.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon reminded me why I loved video games to begin with. I cannot think of a game this year that has gripped me this tightly and didn’t let go. Here comes a game brimming with joy and excitement that is earnest with its drama and comedy. It’s the sort of game you can gush about for hours, and I will long after this review is published. Anyone who loves RPGs, open world games, comedies, crime dramas, and games PERIOD should have a lot of fun with the newest Yakuza.

NBA 2K11 is undeniably the best game in the series yet, pushing forward just enough without leaving behind the fans who fell in love with this version of NBA in the first place.

The way you can tell a critic liked a game is whether or not they’ll go back to it on their own accord when their review is finished. That is exactly what I’m doing with Yakuza Kiwami 2. It fixes some of the most glaring problems the first Kiwami had and that gives us one of the best Yakuza games on PC. There’s plenty of games to play, dudes to fight and people to help, and it almost never feels wasteful. If you crave an honest-to-god open world without the obnoxious filler of similar games, Kiwami 2 is wonderful for any sandbox aficionado.

The Metronomicon is a rhythm game like few others. Any good programmer can put together a soundtrack and slap arrows on the songs, but The Metronomicon sets itself apart by way of numerous RPG mechanics that actually make you strategize a bit while you’re trying to keep the rhythm of the song going. Building note sets, queuing up the attacks, switching party members, defeating enemies, and surviving battles put The Metronomicon quite a step above most other rhythm games we’ve played. Moreover, it has just enough context in its story to keep things amusing in between and the soundtrack is a pretty fantastic mix of contemporary styles across the music industry. We just wish we had a dance pad to go with it when our hands start cramping.

In every way, DJ Hero 2 is an exceptional successor, and a great rhythm game for this year.

An unforgettable, beautiful experience.

I'm confident that Silent Hill 2 will be held up as one of the greatest games of all time in years to come, and you owe it to yourself to (re)visit those deserted streets.

The presentation is absolutely sensational, providing a television feel that eclipses anything I've seen before.

The presentation is absolutely sensational, providing a television feel that eclipses anything I've seen before.

It's not perfect, with slightly clumsy partner AI and awkward flying mechanics for Superman featuring prominently, but any game that makes you continue to smile long after you've finished it, is a special game indeed.

3rd Strike Online Edition provides a lick of paint that improve the dated visuals considerably.

Amid The Ruins is utterly superb and is everything I want from a Walking Dead episode.

3rd Strike Online Edition provides a lick of paint that improve the dated visuals considerably.

With the release of Revelations, Ubisoft have finally turned their initial concept into a truly unmissable game. Pulling the narrative together alongside some vital gameplay additions, this is the best, most complete Assassin's Creed title to date.

The Night of the Rabbit, regardless of what it’s called and the few other minor complaints I had, is a triumph. It’s Daedalic once and for all proving that they are indeed capable of producing an adventure that can stand tall with the classics of the genre.

I didn't bother to mention how amazing the '70s neon cel-shaded graphics are or how spot-on the voice acting is since you should be taking them for granted from Telltale now, but combined with everything else The Wolf Among Us is shaping up to be potentially Telltale's strongest series

With the release of Revelations, Ubisoft have finally turned their initial concept into a truly unmissable game. Pulling the narrative together alongside some vital gameplay additions, this is the best, most complete Assassin's Creed title to date.

A surprisingly polished game that’s as immersive and exciting as it is relaxing, Hardspace: Shipbreaker makes disassembling ships in Zero-G a blast.

Need For Speed Shift does exactly what it is made for: giving any driver the experience they want in a racing game.

Thimbleweed Park has a few small flaws but nothing that stopped me immensely enjoying myself. This is very much a classic comedy adventure in the LucasArts style, and that’s exactly what I wanted.