There's some annoyance to be had with the cutscenes, loading, and platforming bits, but the core action gameplay that's become synonymous with Devil May Cry still stands out as some of the best in the business.

I would highly suggest picking up Pyre at your earliest convenience. I absolutely believe it will be one of the best games you play all year, and quite frankly I can’t think of another game that easily compares to it. The story, mechanics, and world featured absolutely stand-out compared to other releases this year, and it’s well worth experiencing. And even if you’ve felt lukewarm on Bastion or Transistor, Pyre is such a different experience that I’d still say it’s worth checking out whether you are a fan of Supergiant or not. But if you are, then there is no reason to miss Pyre.

PC owners should be quite pleased with the latest installment of the game. Given all the improvements between Underground 2 and "THPS4," fans of the series should be quite happy with the end result.

All I want is a great career mode. And as I said, that's one area where FIFA 17 stands head and shoulders above its peers. I don't know if that means that it's toppled NBA 2K17 as the best sports game around, but I think, thanks to The Journey, there's certainly a conversation to be had there.

Outer Wilds is well worth checking out. It’s got an intriguing hook and even better execution, and it’s one of the more inventive games you’re likely to play this year.

The audio in inFamous is incredible, especially when piped via HDMI to a capable 5.1 receiver.

The quality of the Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster on the Switch makes this a definitive way to play with the all-in-one convenience of what the console offers. And regardless of if you jump in now or at a price you like then you’re gonna have an awesome time with these games.

Overall, I’m really, really impressed by Desperados III. It went from being a game that wasn’t really on my radar, to definitely being one of the best games I’ve played all year. If you’re like me and haven’t played a single game in the series so far, this seems like an excellent place to start. I highly recommend checking it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Iron Man VR is a pinnacle of VR technology and a game that I would show to anyone who was interested in seeing what VR had to offer. It highlights just what makes VR special in a way that few other games have. It ranks up there with Half-Life: Alyx as one of the must-have titles for anyone with a VR headset.

At a $20 price point, Space Invaders Extreme is an absolute steal for DS/PSP owners out there. There's a lot of hidden depth to the single player experience, and you'll get a decent amount of use from the multiplayer aspect as well.

If you have a passion for golf and want the best representation of what the video game world has to offer, this is it. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters is golfing's greatest video game masterpiece.

Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology is a great example of time travel RPG done right. Figuring out the puzzle like systems and how to most efficiently eliminate enemies makes the battle system unique and enjoyable. On top of that, finding the correct path to get to the end of the game can make for a lot of exploration. If you are a fan of RPGs, puzzles and a good story, check this one out!

So while the game certainly isn't the perfect MMO, it definitely gets enough elements right that it warrants your attention. Time will tell if it's enough to cause a sizeable dent in the powerhouse that is still World of Warcraft, but I'd say that this feels like the first legitimate contender to Blizzard's throne.

A solid first effort and actually makes me look forward to a sequel. I really hope they can mess around with the control scheme a bit next time to allow for more versatility in your trick making so you can be more creative on the pavement.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a good addition to the current Switch lineup. I’m not sure if I would say that in a year from now once more exclusives are available, but for anyone starving to play a new game with Mario, Ubisoft has you covered! You could also play it if you miss the Rabbids, if you wanted. I did enjoy my time with this, but found the pace of battles to be awkward without any way to customize the settings. I’m no developer, but if they could patch something in, this would be a lot more enjoyable and probably even fun! Don’t expect this to replace the games it rips off, but there is a good time to be had in this weird mashup.

I really, really enjoyed Far Cry 2, and I was happy to see that it's a pretty far departure from the formula of the first title. The open world environment is absolutely beautiful at times, and the little touches in the game really help to heighten the sense that you're in a real world setting.

I can’t think of a better platformer released in the past several years. Crash 4: It’s About Time is an absolute must buy and it’s truly about time that Activision returned Crash to his former glory. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another 20 years before we get another sequel.

Offline play is extremely polished, and worth price of admission alone. I could not make that statement without Total Punch Control, as it makes the game even more challenging. Online is a great bonus, but it seemed rather rushed near the end.

If you own a PSP and have any love for the Ratchet & Clank series or the genre, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is a no-brainer. For those not yet familiar with the duo, the PSP game is a nice, charming, starting point into the shooter/platforming action.

Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Edition is a great PC port that will suit those looking for a casual platforming or puzzle experience, along with the hardcore speedrunners looking for a challenge.

That's how it usually is with the very best works of art, of course: they take the mundane and ordinary, and make them seem deep and meaningful. It's something Gone Home excels at, and it's what makes it worth picking up now that it's finally arrived on consoles.

Obviously, if you played Two Point Hospital last year, picking up the Jumbo Edition probably isn’t necessary (particularly since you could just get the DLC that’s included here). But if, like me, you somehow skipped out on it, now is the time to remedy that oversight, and get Two Point Hospital: Jumbo Edition stat.

Battlefield: Bad Company may not be the award winner that COD 4 was, but it is damn near as entertaining and a lot easier to get into. This is a war game for the casual gamer who just wants to have fun blowing stuff up.

While Call of Duty: World at War definitely borrows heavily from it's predecessor, it still remains a damn good follow up to Modern Warfare, and well worth taking the time to check out.

It’s an interesting, tension-filled take on puzzle games, and that’s true however many people are playing it with you.

For fans looking to revisit the series on their current gen console or a potential newcomer to the series, this is the ultimate compilation. Being able to revisit two of my favorites in the series, KH 2 Final Mix and Birth by Sleep Final Mix along on my PS4, reminds me why I fell in love with the series.

For the causal or first time gamer, I will warn you that there is quite the learning curve to this year's game, but the payoff is huge, especially in the created golfer realm.

The inclusion of the ability for people to make their own movies will surely spark a number of creative movies with endless possibilities, especially with the potential of future additional downloadable content.

If I had to sum this game up in one word...that word would be "WOW!"

I’d wholeheartedly suggest checking Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, whether you’re a Persona fan, or have enjoyed other Arc System Works fighters in the past.

Outside the large amount of space needed to install Rare Replay, the end result of this collection was remarkable and I hope other developers consider putting in the same care that Rare did.

When Lonely Mountains: Downhill works, it works pretty well. It’s far from perfect, but if you want a game that captures the zen of cycling, it mostly does a decent job of that.

Sure, it’s overly serious, and sure, my experience had a few blips along the way, but ultimately, it allowed Agent 47 to do his thing — and finish up this part of his story — in a way that felt true to this reborn version of the series. It may not be my favourite entry in the series, but it’s a good way to finish things off, and for that reason, it’s well worth your time.

A great sim. Players can create and manage easily and it has enough slapstick comedy to keep you entertained.

Combining hardcore action gaming with a grand environment and an intense feeling throughout... A crucial title that needs to be experienced to be truly believed.

Super tight gameplay combined with fun characters and an over abundance of smooth, hand drawn animation all leads to the solid "Double Impact."

This entry in the Two Point series definitely represents a slight turn towards being (slightly) more serious and (slightly) more demanding – and while that may not be the worst thing in the world, it’s definitely not what I look to the series for, personally.

Brings a solid multiplayer experience to the Playstation 3 with multiple modes to choose from, and it's worth checking out even if you find yourself currently immersed in "Warhawk" or "Resistance."

All in all, I really enjoyed Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. While the game had always been on my radar, I still find myself pretty surprised with how fantastic it ended up being.

An extremely impressive balance of considerable complexity, Viva Piñata provides an experience unlike any other on the Xbox 360.

All in all, UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is a fantastic game. It plays well, it looks great, and it sounds fantastic. I would advise being careful with buying it on PC for now, but console experiences have all sounded smooth. If you’re a fan of 2D anime fighters, I cannot recommend this one enough. I’ve no doubts you will have a blast listening to killer music while watching your character do stylish moves on whoever you’re up against.

All in all, I’ve absolutely enjoyed my time spent with Shin Megami Tensei V. If you’re looking for a good, meaty RPG to sink your teeth into this holiday season, it definitely fits the bill. The small additions made to the Shin Megami formula work out really well here, and the game doesn’t feel hindered on Switch hardware. It’s nice to see the series leap away from a handheld platform and back to a mainline console release, and hopefully this will draw more attention to Shin Megami Tensei as a whole. So yeah, definitely consider checking this one out when it drops on November 12th, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Somewhat of a mixed bag - the game has frenetic shooting action and decent control, but it's mediocre mission design and short length make keep it from the greatness of such predecessors like "Tie Fighter" and "Rogue Squadron."

The music creator itself could end up being worth the $60 price tag alone, but the core experience is just as fun here as it's been in previous Guitar Hero titles, and the small gameplay additions and changes are all welcomed.

It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty freaking fun!

In terms of a great bargain it’s hard to get better than a game like Valkyria Chronicles and the quality of this port on the Switch means it’s a must-buy for anyone curious about the series or considering adding it to their Switch library. And the only thing that makes an SRPG better is the portability of having it around to make dull moments like bus rides and family events breeze on by.

It’s certainly one of the more memorable video game experiences this year, and if you have any love for classic RPG’s in general, it should be right up your alley.

And if it doesn't fulfill your platforming needs at least it'll be good for fair amount of mindless laughter.

I can say this, though: it's a visually and aurally appealing game, and it's a perfect fit on the PS Vita.

The options in Midnight Club 3 may not be as limitless as the work at West Coast Customs, but you'll definitely end up with a unique garage to show off online.

Does High Heat still stand as the best playing baseball game around? A resounding, YES, would be my answer!

Still a high-quality brawler after all these years. Just don’t expect much that's new.

The cheap deaths and coin save feature make the solid gameplay tough to enjoy. But the package is attractive enough to fight through.

80 Days is an inventive game with plenty of replayability, and it shows that even if an idea is well-known, there’s no reason why that doesn’t make it ripe for reinvention.

Overall, I found Sound Shapes to be an absolute joy to play, with little to no complaints about the actual game itself. Outside of some clunky feeling mechanics on the level editing side via the Vita touch screen, this marks my favorite platforming experience since Rayman Origins.

The game looks the part, sounds the part, and certainly plays the part. Topped off with a wealth of options that will keep you playing for hours on end, and an addictive online mode, Fight Night is just what the game's subtitle suggest...it's a Champion.

Of course, I still maintain that you'll only want to play Three Fourths Home once. But believe me, that one time is totally worth it, with every aspect of the game being done so well.

If you have a friend to play along with, then that's obviously the way to go, but don't let the thought of playing with the AI deter you from picking this up. It's a great game, and well worth your time.

With enhanced anti-aliased visuals running at 60 fps and 1080p, both games on the PlayStation 3 look about as fantastic as you would expect them to when making the transition from a 480x272 pixel portable screen.

With six different modes of play and plenty of multiplayer options the replay value of Tetris DS is through the roof.

Overall, I think that Tales from the Borderlands feels different enough from Telltale’s previous efforts to be a worthwhile experience, regardless of whether you’re a Borderlands fan or not. I’m hoping that the humor clicks a bit more in later episodes, but I’m certainly on board for whatever this season brings.

Car handling feels great, it’s a definite step up visually, the tracks are all immaculately designed, the amount of car options are fantastic, and it feels like a true next gen racer all around. But the forced timers/practice restrictions in both Career and online multiplayer really pumps the brakes on my enjoyment of this entry so far, making it a little tougher to recommend to everyone.

Top Spin 4 gets it right. It looks great. It's accessible without being too easy and can be played competently amongst friends without having to invest any more time than you decide. But for real tennis buffs it also stands alone as the best simulation to date.

To use the word amazing would be an understatement when describing how engaging, fun, and addicting the online game is, but it is a shame the same can't be said about the single player game, which leaves Battlefield 3 feeling like a mixed bag that focused heavily on one aspect more than the other.

I don't feel like enough effort went into this to improve upon the flaws of the original, and something needs to be done with career mode to make it a little more exciting and enticing in my opinion.

While the core gameplay hasn't seen a great deal of change, it's still a tough as hell game about hunting giant monsters after all, there has been enough refinement here that makes for a far more entertaining adventure than the previous selections.

If you are looking for a fun and explosive real-time strategy title that isn't mired in diplomacy and realism, look no further.

The single player game is very good, better than most. The multiplayer online experience of Tides of War, though, is nothing short of spectacular.

It'll be compelling to people who loved the world of the original Steins;Gate and are desperate for more. If you don't have that background, then Steins;Gate 0 will seem mostly incomprehensible to you. It makes the occasional half-hearted stab at explaining what you're reading, but for the most part, this story is all about moving things forward. Not only that, it does so through the kind of massive info dumps that tend to typify some visual novels — and your mileage will undoubtedly vary in terms of how much you like that sort of thing.

It's a visually striking game, combined with a beautiful soundtrack and challenging platforming and the pacing of the new abilities and moments between boss fights is pretty well executed.

If you missed Devil Survivor 2 the first time around, or even Record breaker on its release earlier this year, it's one of those RPGs that "there's never a bad time" to jump in.

I think it’s safe to say the franchise is in the right hands, and I look forward to seeing more from both the developer and this series in the years to come.

It’s a well-crafted Halo experience with enough new bells and whistles to turn around even the most jaded Halo fan, and feels exactly like what you’d want a next-gen Halo game to be. There’s a hefty amount of content to explore here across the campaign and multiplayer modes, with a large map variety at launch and an enjoyable story to uncover. And it all looks and sounds absolutely gorgeous, with fantastic enemy and map designs on top of the excellent technical groundwork behind it all.

Dropping the ball on versus play aside, having this port available means a larger audience will be able to experience the joys I did those many years ago. My timeless strategy of locking down my opponent’s characters to 100 HP, keeping the opponent’s SP low while waiting to initiate one devastating union attack to end the match still works and I’ll continue to employ it until I collect all 300 cards in this version. I just hope that SNK will find it worthwhile to adjust the Versus play so that you can actually play against other humans and whatever deck they’ve assembled rather than facing a doppelganger deck with another person doling out the strategy.

Unlike some games that try hard to be good-natured and relaxing but actually aren’t, Lil Gator Game is exactly what it looks like on the surface: a sweet, adorable game that never feels like it’s trying too hard to be either of those things, but that’s guaranteed to win you over all the same.

Almost everything you would want in a NBA game is here. From single games, to seasons, dynasty mode (Association), 24/7 personal career street ball mode, street games, and even deep online play that includes seasons and tourneys.

Expectations for how much can be done to a franchise between seasons just went up.

It also marks a great jumping on point for newcomers with a more balanced difficulty level and a decent checkpoint/continue system, but offers plenty of harder modes for the die-hard fans. Easily one of the best action games in recent years.

The essence of the Hulk – his chaotic power and affect on normal civilization – is captured perfectly.

The only gripes I would have to say I have with South Park Pinball is as follows: A) there only 2 tables, and I’m not sure if it was a decision based on popularity or what, but it would have been nice to have at least one more to choose from in this universe. B) South Park is an undoubtedly politically incorrect game full of dirty words and don’t go there humor, and these two tables are very PG to say the least.

For fans of the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero: Metallica might be the best entry we've seen yet. I was somewhat lukewarm on my reception to the other band-themed title that Neversoft put out with GH: Aerosmith, but Metallica absolutely blows that game out of the water, not only with the track listing, but the overall time and attention put into the actual presentation, and how the band seems to be infused into every aspect of the game.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a perfect jumping in point for anyone who’s ever been curious about the series, however it does not abandon long time players as it includes enough call backs and familiar elements that they expect. Just as we are in a console generation change, this series is going through drastic changes and manages to pull it off seamlessly. I look forward to following the exploits of the Dragon of Rock Bottom for years to come.

Most importantly, we're happy to report that the ebb and flow of the game, the technology race, the expansionistic urges, the cycle from martyrdom to world conqueror and back, have been expertly captured in Civilization Revolution.

While some gamers will be turned off by the lack of total simulation, they still may be intrigued by the extras EA threw in for good measure such as the deep dynasty, slam-dunk contest, and three-point shootout.

Retro Helix is a fantastic game, better than its predecessor and one of the last must own games for PlayStation owners.

The best Rally game on the market, bar none.

Almost a directors cut, there has been many cut scenes and even some characters added to tighten up the storyline, making the GC version of Skies a different, and even deeper game than its predecessor.

Addictive. I've had this game in my possession for a little over a week now, and have logged over 30+ hours into it.

Dorfromantik is all about keeping things calm and challenging you just enough to keep you coming back for more, and it’s guaranteed to get you hooked.

The options in Midnight Club 3 may not be as limitless as the work at West Coast Customs, but you'll definitely end up with a unique garage to show off online.

Right now though, I'm enjoying the hell out of this game, I think you will too. Even if you're not the world's biggest fighting game fan, which I surely am not, there's a whole lot of spectacle to take in with Marvel vs. Capcom 3, which makes it damn fun to watch if not play.

The Walking Dead Episode 2 is something that begs to be talked about once it's finished, and not beforehand, which makes writing this review a little challenging. If the first episode didn't convince you enough that the series is worth continuing, than I'm not sure that episode 2 really does much differently to make you think otherwise.

Overall Mario and Luigi Bowser’s Inside Story is a charming game. If you’ve never played this game before pick it up for this adventure alone. It is a fun enjoyable experience. However, Bowser Jr’s Journey should be skipped entirely, unless you are a completionist. The 3DS may be on the end of its life cycle, but that isn’t stopping Nintendo from putting out great games for the system. If you still have your 3DS and are a fan of RPGs, you will have fun with Bowser’s Inside Story.

While issues certainly exist, for the most part it's a matter of just adapting to a different style of play, not overcoming insurmountable design flaws. If this were a lesser game, to be sure, adapting might not be worth it, but when the upside is getting to play one of the best games ever, it's a sacrifice I'm more than willing to make.

It provided more of what I loved from Human Revolution, and certainly scratches a stealth-action itch that few games not called Metal Gear Solid fail to provide. I love the level of freedom granted to players with this series, and Mankind Divided capitalizes on that concept constantly.

In Frozen Synapse Prime, when you beat a level, it's because you figured out your own way from Point A to Point B — or, more accurately, because you figured out how to make all the moving pieces of your own little Rube Goldberg Machine of Death come together. What could be more satisfying than that?

As good as Killzone 2 was, Killzone 3 tops it in every respect. The excellent PlayStation Move controls and stereoscopic 3D support certainly don't hurt either. So if you're looking for an intense and polished sci-fi first person shooter for the PlayStation 3, then Killzone 3 is obviously your game.

I feel the humor falls a little flat, and while I found plenty of stuff to laugh at with Costume Quest, the adventures of a little matryoshka doll named Charlie hasn't done much for me.