Even if the typical story-driven adventure game isn’t quite your thing, I think the overall experience is so unique that there’s a good possibility you’ll see past the style of gameplay, and still manage to see what makes this game so affecting. So give it a shot on whatever platform you have access to, you won’t be disappointed.

TWEWY is definitely the current reason to own a DS right now, and you'll be doing yourself a disservice if you choose to not check it out.

The story of Braid is definitely open for interpretation, and there's subtext aplenty for players who want to debate what the story could possibly mean. It's definitely ahead of the curve for most videogame plots, but it's not integral to actually enjoying the game either.

If you’ve never played the original games, or you’re just a fan of beat ‘em ups in general, I’d absolutely suggest picking up The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors on the platform of your choice. I played through on the Nintendo Switch, which has been an excellent platform for the game, but I’d imagine you’d be fine from a performance perspective on PS4 too. It’s a real gem of a game that’s long been overlooked and is certainly worth your time.

Game play is where Pro Racer Driver leaves most games behind. The computer A.I. is top notch, and reacts like a real driver and not just robot drones that are either set in one pattern, or trying to wreck your car purposely.

Nier: Automata is an easy recommendation, it's an open-world RPG with combat from an action game that plays like a dream. With solid art direction and a thoughtful story, it regularly turns genre conventions on their head in a way that few games ever manage to achieve. It's worth checking out if you've been looking for a substantial single-player experience that gives you as much to kill as it does to think about.

Overall, I’ve really enjoyed my time with Pinball FX and can definitely see myself continuing to play down the road. I’m excited to see what tables are coming next, and as a casual pinball player I’d say the physics here feel pretty great on current-gen consoles. Also, you can give it a try for free, as the base download will grant you one free table. If you complete the tutorial mode, you’ll also get a free 24hr Pinball Pass that’ll allow you to download and try out every table available, so you can really decide for yourself if the latest iteration of Pinball FX is for you.

This is a must have for anyone who owns Red Dead Redemption. In case you are wondering, yes it is worth it even if you don't play multiplayer.

The real challenge, of course, comes not just from beating each world, but clearing them completely and unlocking all goods hidden throughout. It may not take an exceptional amount of time to simply finish the game, but you’ll certainly put a lot more hours into chasing all the extras.

The game looks great, sounds better, and has more depth than 3 fighting games put together.

Given how much I enjoyed Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion from start to end, I’m feeling pretty confident right now that I’ll be remembering this game fondly for quite some time.

While both titles will be a short experience if you’re just looking to blow past the initial playthrough, there’s enough content packed in here via replays to make you feel that this is $15 well spent.

$29.99 is a great price for this level of digital pinball perfection. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking this collection up. I’m looking forward to what Zen Studios is cooking up next!

Being able to play the game with family in the same household may require a bit much (multiple Switch consoles and copies of the game) but when you get it all up and running, it is a great way to spend your time stuck at home. I’ve spent hours with the game every day since launch, and have yet to come close to being exhausted with it, and seemingly never run out of things to do. So, if for some reason you have yet to pick this one up, I’d definitely recommend doing so.

The controls in the GC versions of Zelda are airtight, even more fluid and responsive than the originals on the N64... The coolest bonus disk ever!

Fight Night Round 4 can honestly claim to be what Mike Tyson once quoted many years ago, "...I'm the best ever, my style's impetuous, my defense is impregnable, I wanna eat his children..." Well, okay, maybe not the last part, but damn if this isn't a great boxing game! If you are a fan, you are doing yourself a disservice not picking up a copy.

Even trivial things like the special effects for the Super Art have been changed, and like the new character voices, it's a small touch that goes a very long way towards making an attractive, complete package worth buying.

Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow neither looks nor plays like your typical “handheld” game, and it seriously pushes the limits of what the PSP and portable games in general can achieve. Hell, you’re lucky to find a console game so well put together overall.

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.

Pick this one up while you can still find it, even if you've already played the hell out of Persona 3. Absolutely worth the time, and it'll hold your attention for the entire ride.

The story is rich and interesting with just enough plot twists and turns to keep you on your toes, but not too many to make you scratch your head in confusion...Without a doubt, one of the finest games for the GBA to date.

A really great port of an already excellent remake.

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.

This marks an excellent port for one of the best RPG’s in recent years, and it’s a title that every RPG fan should not miss.

It is gorgeous, full of different modes to play and things to unlock, and most important of all, fun to play and accessible.

I absolutely love this expansion and considering that Monster Hunter World is one of my favorite games of this generation, it’s been great to have this excuse to revisit it. I look forward to playing more and more, and I’m excited to see what type of content updates Capcom rolls out in the future.

BlazBlue's online system puts titles like Street Fighter IV to shame, and the overall beauty of high-def 2D sprites put it at the top of the graphics department as well.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is genuinely a genre-defining release. Atlus has once again proven that they are kings in the genre (get it?), showcasing decades of effort and development history culminating in what I think is a deserving Game of the Year contender. Between Katsura Hashino’s direction, Shoji Meguro’s compositions, and everyone else that’s part of Studio Zero, Metaphor truly shines even in a year, and arguably decade, full of such excellent JRPGs. As an absolute must play this year, Metaphor: ReFantazio really blows it out of the water as something you should get your hands on if you’re a fan of the genre, and stands out as a premier entry point to the genre if you’re unfamiliar.

Focusing on combat in a game like Metro 2033 is kind of missing the point. You’re here to survive to see the next day, not go in with guns blazing and rack up body counts. It’s a dark, tension-filled experience, and it’s well worth checking out on the Switch if you haven’t yet had a chance to play it.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is still a blast. If you’ve been pining for the chance to replay these games for decades, I suspect it’ll live up to your most cherished memories — and if, like me, you’re new to the series, you’ll easily understand why these games were so beloved in the first place.

FIFA 14 on next-gen consoles is a love letter to soccer fans. They get the best of both worlds — incredible game play built on top of amazing visuals that can only be replicated on this new generation of consoles.

There’s not much to give an opinion on here, as much of the change implemented is visual and quality of life. It’s a welcome update, and if it’s been a while since you’ve played or if you’ve just never gotten around to it, now is a great time to do so. The Witcher 3 has been in a good place for a while, but these upgrades further cement it in it’s spot as one of the all-time greats.

If you’ve managed to miss out on Dragon Quest XI so far, then this is surely the version of the game you should get. It’s a great RPG, packs a lot of content in to keep you busy throughout the holiday season, and the nifty 2D mode makes for a fun nostalgia trip to boot.

Overall, you really must pick up Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force since once again Zen proves that they are not only fantastic pinball table makers, but they are the only bunch of creators who are committed to stepping outside the box to bring pinball back to relevance.

Just like Ys Seven was one of the very best games the PSP had to offer, Ys: Memories of Celceta is one of the best games the Vita has to offer. It's fun, it's fast, it's easy to pick up — what's not to like?

If you enjoyed Death Stranding, you will almost certainly love Death Stranding 2. If you bounced off of the first game for any reason, it has most likely been changed for the better in On the Beach, and you may very well find yourself enjoying it this time around. I am looking forward to continuing to play throughout the coming months, wrapping up the side missions and helping other people build their roads across Australia. Death Stranding 2 asks, “Should we have connected?” My answer is a resounding “Yes”

However you choose to play Machinarium, puzzling it out on your own or with a walkthrough in hand, the important thing is that you do play it. It's a feast for the senses and a treat for your brain, and there's nothing else on the Vita like it.

Honestly, I cannot recommend this game enough, and has me super stoked for the Resident Evil 4 Remake coming in March, will that dethrone this for me as Game of The Year? Time will tell.

I would absolutely recommend checking out Voidwrought when you get a chance. It’s a fantastic Metroidvania with some inventive abilities, and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome at a fairly tight 10 hours or so depending on how thorough you are with finding everything. I was really happy with the game overall, and if you have any affinity for these types of games, then I think you will be too.

Addictive, fun, and remarkably exciting.

The game of baseball is represented perfectly in MLB 06: The Show, and not only is this a candidate for best baseball game of the year, but possibly best sports game as well.

What matters most, though, is how well OOTP 19 delivers in terms of giving you full — and I do mean full — control over your favourite baseball franchise. And, unsurprisingly, it delivers a comprehensive experience, as it has for years now. Whether you want to build your team from scratch or take over the reins of your current favourite, you can do that here, and you’ll probably sink hours and hours and hours into it in the process.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age performs really well on the Switch. I’ve played almost exclusively on a Nintendo Switch Lite, and even in 3D mode it holds up really well. Performance is solid, I never really noticed severe framerate issues, and load times feel in line with the PS4 version of the game if not better.

All in all, I’m super impressed with Persona 4: Dancing All Night. It essentially hits every high mark when it comes to the rhythm genre, while at the same time delivering a great story with a cast of characters that I certainly love.

If you've felt that the series has started to get a little stale, on the other hand, then I think Midnight Carnival will be the game for you. The game is full of great level designs with a difficulty to match, and the challenge makes it a far more addictive experience than the previous two titles for me.

At $9.99, this is a fantastic party game that anyone can pick up and play. The game itself is rated T, but anything goes when writing your own riffs. Even with a few playthroughs, I never saw a duplicate clip come up. I’m sure that will happen eventually, but lets hope they keep this game updated with fresh clips, sound effects and pre recorded riffs. I want to play this game for years to come! Super fun and super simple, I can’t recommend RiffTrax: The Game enough! A Definite Must Buy!

Skate 2 is a must buy for fans of the first, and a give it a try for fans of Tony Hawk. Love it or hate it, it's the only game in town.

OMD:U is a game that really came out of left field for me this year. I was not anticipating its launch or really even aware that it was on the horizon, but I could not be happier now that I am playing it. This is a perfect game for coming home and getting in a few matches, since Sabotage is played in 20 minutes or less every time. The average game is around 8 minutes in my experience so far, and 20 is the far high end of the spectrum. This is something you can sit down and enjoy after a long day when time is limited and you just want to unwind, but also something that you can sink a substantial amount of time into if you choose.

The beauty of Uncharted 4’s larger and more varied environments is that they lend themselves well to figuring out multiple solutions to tricky enemy engagements, using a combination of stealth and brute force, so there’s that kind of replayability that Naughty Dog is known for. Bumping up the difficulty to Hard or Crushing forces players to mix up their strategy since the enemies are that much more aggressive and deadly.

The perfect follow up to a great original game, as well as a wonderful way to get the DBZ story without re-watching the entire anime. Every aspect of the first Xenoverse is taken and expanded upon to great effect. Character customization is deeper, the campaign is longer, parallel quests have more substance, and the world itself has more life.

I’m absolutely in love with this game, and if you haven’t given it a shot yet, I think you’ll find a lot to love about Persona 5 too. It’s not a huge departure from Persona 3 or 4, but there’s been some noticeable changes and improvements made that do make a difference, all of which are for the better. The dungeon variations, the stealth mechanics, and even the ease with which you can navigate the overworld map are noticeably better than before. So even if you’ve felt a little lukewarm about the series up until now, I’d still urge you to give Persona 5 a try.

It can’t match the visuals of other releases, but at the same time I don’t think it makes any major sacrifices that keep the experience from being enjoyable. Just be aware that there is a considerable difference between the Switch and PS4/Xbox One versions visually, and I think you’ll be fine.

The graphics are quite incredible and makes great use of lighting, using bright, white-washed colors outdoors and dark, dingy ones inside.

As a whole, ["Separate Ways" is] an excellent bonus that features far too much content and gameplay to be considered gimmicky or tacked on.

What we have here is a prime example of how to do fighting games the right way. Guilty Gear -Strive- has enough for single players as well as the online crowd. It doesn’t just cater to the advanced player, but rather keeps a good balance whether you are an expert or just a beginner. Stunning to look at and listen to, and a total joy to actually play, Guilty Gear -Strive- is one that should not be missed. Even if you’ve never played a GG game before, you owe it to yourself to experience this title.

Make no mistake about it, this game does not trounce, destroy, walk all over, or replace "Grand Theft Auto." It is a better game though, as it is more refined and makes a nice addition for those who like the genre and are looking for more.

If EA just introduced the new Ultimate Hockey team and washed their hands of the rest, I would say cash cow...but thankfully the team never lets me down as the introduction of this mode, along with enhanced AI, better game play, and the new physics engine that is so random I find myself catching my breath between puck drops make this an experience I've never felt before.

Skip the demo, shell out the cash (which isn't much at 400 MSP or $5) and jump right in, you won't be disappointed!

This is, in my opinion, the culmination of everything that has come before it. Boss design, enemy design, lore, environments, mechanics, it is all pulled from the games that preceded this and it all has its own unique spin. It is truly bittersweet to come to the end of this journey that started in February of 2009, but I can think of no better send off for the series than the one it receives in The Ringed City. This is a perfect piece of DLC to round off a great game and a once-in-a-lifetime franchise. I could not be happier with how everything falls into place at the end of the world, and I would highly recommend the trip to any on the fence about taking it.

The Force is definitely strong with these guys.

It's an interesting take on a form of entertainment that often puts destruction over creation, and I definitely think some interesting conversation can come out of the theme presented by this title.

Forza has turned out to be a true force to be reckoned with, and hopefully the next game in the series will uphold the original's legacy of realism and online innovation.

If EA just introduced the new Ultimate Hockey team and washed their hands of the rest, I would say cash cow...but thankfully the team never lets me down as the introduction of this mode, along with enhanced AI, better game play, and the new physics engine that is so random I find myself catching my breath between puck drops make this an experience I've never felt before.

This is a very, very fun game, and if you missed out on it the first time around, don't make that mistake twice.

Escape Plan Bravo feels like another solid entry in the series, with a few big moments connected together by a great script, snappy dialogue, and the same wit and humor that’s been on display since the beginning.

Unless you absolutely have to have control over your teammates in the single player campaign, Call of Duty 4 really does have it all. It's epic, very difficult at higher levels and offers stunning visuals. Online, the ranking system is just as, if not more addictive than Halo 3's, and custom classes and abilities add another layer to each match.

Overall, Sine Mora is really an amazing game. Simple in it's gameplay, but challenging enough for even the hardcore Bullet Hell Players.

It is the one game that will stand the test of time and would be my one choice if I had to pick only one title out of the launch.

The graphics have been improved, the physics have been improved, more cars and tracks have been added and there is even a B-Spec mode that lets you manage a racing team and a photo mode that lets you take ultra realistic photographs of your cars and print them using an Epson printer. It’s hard to believe but they’ve done it again.

The matchmaking is quick and really does a great job of keeping you within your skill rank, and the added modes are worthwhile and fun to play. So whether you're a vet of the first game or a newcomer, I'd say Super Street Fighter IV is absolutely worth checking out.

This was one of the most enjoyable games when it first came out during the PS360 generation, and Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered is proof that this is still the case for this generation.

Possibly the best-looking PS2 game EVER! The character models are intricately detailed to show facial grimaces, wrinkles on clothing, and wonderful animation throughout the entire game.

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.

EA didn't just make their game look, sound, and play superbly, but they even brought their "A" game when it comes to features as well.

It's such a fantastic game to start off the New Year with, and while I haven't been fully in love with Platinum Games previous efforts, they really knocked this one out of the park for me.

Overall, it’s hard to find any issues that can’t be overcome when it comes to calling NBA2K15 a complete package.

An incredible game online or offline. My high expectations, and they were indeed high, were met and exceeded in what I can only term one of my most favorite Xbox games yet.

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright is certainly one of the best releases on the 3DS this year, and it shouldn’t be missed.

I don’t often find myself interested in seeing where these games are going, but I’ll admit that this one got me hooked. Give it a chance (provided, obviously, you already have an interest in visual novels), and you’ll probably find yourself hooked too.

While I found myself struggling to wrap my head around the gameplay after the first hour or two, Atlas Reactor has become something that I’ve had a hard time drawing myself away from over the past few days.

The best Rally game on the market, bar none.

These two episodes start off strong, the new cast additions seem solid, and I'm excited to see where this entry takes Clementine.

It’s a fun game built around a tantalizing mystery, and once it gets its hooks into you, you’re guaranteed to want to keeping playing until you’ve uncovered all its endings.

There's enough built into these early episodes of A New Frontier to keep you coming back for more, and hopefully we won't have to wait too long to see how things pan out for Javier and crew.

If you have yet to play Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, I’d urge you to check out the iOS version of the game. It’s not quite worth the jump if you already own it on DS, but it’s a cheaper alternative here than picking up a used physical copy of the game second-hand nowadays.

Overall, Star Wars Rebels is easily one of my favorite Zen Pinball tables to date. It’s accessible for just about anyone, it showcases its theme quite well, and it’s really hard to stop playing.

Everyone will play it differently, and have a different experience. Some like myself will find it drenched in tension and atmosphere, having run into many a situation where the poop was scared out of me. Others, like a friend of mine, will claim that its intuitiveness, combative freedom, and creativity puts it above the spiritual predecessor "System Shock 2," and wonder at how convincing the whole affair can be.

What really brings everything together, though, is the game's exceptionally good writing. Where most other retro games rely on references in place of actual humour, Shovel Knight is full of jokes that are actually funny and a plot that's actually engaging.

It's excellent in nearly every aspect, and certainly one of the best games you'll play this year, let alone the best licensed game I've ever played (sorry Riddick). If you've been on the fence about this one, I highly suggest you pick it up, there's nothing here that'll disappoint, and like I mentioned, the gameplay is so great that you don't need to be a Batman fan to appreciate how great the gameplay is.

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.

Not only does this version of Dark Cloud look beautiful, but it has a little something for everyone, action and exploration, character customization and development, magic and technology, city building, and a wonderful captivating story... [and] it does them all exceptionally well.

This is a must have for anyone who owns Red Dead Redemption. In case you are wondering, yes it is worth it even if you don't play multiplayer.

If you haven’t checked out one of these excellent SEGA AGES releases so far, Thunder Force AC is a pretty good place to start. It’s one of those games that rarely gets ported, certainly not to current consoles, and is a neat little bit of video game history in its own right. I would highly recommend picking it up when it hits the Switch eShop today.

The Mass Effect trilogy will undoubtedly go down as not only some of the greatest games ever made, but may go down as one of the best trilogies ever to exist in any form of media, and for that Bioware, we thank you.

Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age gets its reputation from Final Fantasy XII being such a smash hit, along with incorporating the revisions in the International version. Add to that the updated graphics and orchestrated score, and you have what could safely be considered the definitive Final Fantasy XII experience. While not much can be done for the compressed voice work that was carried over, it's a tradeoff for having an updated version that offers a lot more than is worth getting hung up on part of the game's audio quality. I'd recommend this version any day of the week.

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.

Broken Age isn't exactly the same, obviously — or, really, even slightly the same, beyond the genre — but it's proof that Tim Schafer still knows how to make one heck of a game, no matter the era.

It's important to realize that Everybody's Gone To The Rapture isn't exactly a game. Considering that its developers also made the equally non-game-like Dear Esther, this should come as no surprise. Rather, it's essential you think of it as a story that you just happen to be experiencing on your PS4. Otherwise, it will just seem like a walking simulator in a nicely-rendered English country village, and then you're just missing the point — and the beauty — of it all.