Marrakesh is a much different beast, and while it lacks the nuanced complexity of Sapienza or the gaudy flash of Paris, it has a flavor all its own that highlights aspects of Hitman in challenging ways. Another solid entry in this series.

TurnOn is an enjoyable and heartwarming little game. With electrical wires instead of platforms, it offers gameplay that feels fresh, piquing your interest at every turn with whatever new adventure or obstacle you’ll face next.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is a gorgeous game that nails the free-running experience that fans want, but lacks an interesting narrative, compelling combat, and a fast travel system that will likely leave many fans disappointed.

Kingdom Wars 2 is a solid real-time-strategy game that hits the bar squarely in the middle.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan’s charming visual style doesn’t make up for repetitive level design and combat that would leave even Master Splinter frustrated.

This new Blizzard title feels effortless, and already feels like another addition to their list of seminal, necessary releases. It doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel, but the way it polishes, presents, and executes is well above and beyond standards. Easily one of the most necessary multiplayer experiences of the last few years, and a shot across the bow at shooters complacent in their defined expectations: whatever you do, Overwatch does it better.

Homefront: The Revolution is a reboot of a mostly acceptable game. A reboot that brings about nauseating visuals, lackluster combat, and a dull narrative. An impressive customization feature is far from enough to save this sad installment.

Total War: Warhammer mixes computer and tabletop effortlessly into a fantasy bloodbath. With four diverse races, plenty of character and a promise of much to come, it’s hard to not recommend this to anyone who’s ever dreamed of playing armchair general in the High Fantasy realm.

Tropico 5 Penultimate Edition is a masterclass city builder with a unique twist that drew me in unlike any other game of the genre. Some of the UI shortcomings are confusing or frustrating, but are not nearly enough of an issue to pass the game up.

Doom has resurrected not only a series, but an entire flavor of shooters.

The Town of Light is a thoughtfully written, painstakingly designed walking simulator set in an early 20th century asylum. Though load times and sections that are less than intuitive cause frustration, they do not dissuade my recommendation. You’ll quickly become caught up in the story of Renee, a young girl whose circumstances were depressingly real for many women during that time.

Hover Junkers is a good game markedly improved by its VR components, utilizing room-scale tracking and motion sensors to craft physical, engaging shootouts. If there was any killer app for the Vive, it’s Hover Junkers. [Vive Tested]

The PC version brings accessibility and graphical upgrades, as well as the promises of unofficial mod-based improvements. If this is your first time with Final Fantasy X, I envy you — it’s a powerful journey that you won’t soon forget.

Not all remakes are successful, but Heavy Spectrum’s new take on Shadow of the Beast is a triumph across the board. It has enough nostalgic throwback to draw in fans of the original, but plenty of updates for a new audience.

MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies may not be the best game in the Neptunia series, but it is certainly the quickest paced and most action packed of any title.

TASTEE scratches a tactical itch in a Dark Souls-difficult, but ultimately rewarding way. The asymmetric multiplayer is unique in the genre, offering a new way to play. If you are a fan of deep strategy, ignore the goofy name and check out TASTEE: Lethal Tactics.

Stellaris captures the wonder of exploring space and colonizing the stars, but gets bogged down when the borders freeze and negotiations start. A solid foundation of things to come and an excellent entry-level grand strategy game, this will hopefully be a good start for a greater experience to come.

Cyber City 2157: The Visual Novel is a strange and vibrant game about an ever-changing futuristic city. The branches of the story give you a lot to chew on, but most threads are never tied up. Give it a try if you enjoy open-ended stories that leave you pondering.

Oil Enterprise is a game that is lacking in almost all departments, and never comes to compelling gameplay. If you like watching numbers more than actually building an empire, you may enjoy this game, for everyone else it just never seems to hit the mark.

It takes great strides to outclass its previous entries because it knows there won’t be another chance. From the opening moments to the credits rolling, Uncharted 4 is built from the ground up to close the curtain on the series with its most well-rounded, personal, and fine-tuned entry. With its new and polished mechanics, unrivaled technical prowess, human story, and thrilling action, nothing in Uncharted 4 is less than top tier. In saying goodbye, Uncharted soars to its highest heights, and bids farewell to an icon with a finale befitting of the history that preceded it.

Battleborn merges cooperative and competitive, hero and shooter, loot and shoot into an excellent melting pot and symbol of the times. Charismatic characters, clever intricacies, and compelling gameplay make this one of the best multiplayer experiences of the generation yet.

Sebastien Loeb Rally EVO is a solid racing game that offers a mostly basic racing experience with a few unique twists.

If you’re an angry gamer, human, or just someone needing a break, Koi is worth a try.

Neverending Nightmares is a very personal look at what it’s like to feel trapped by mental illnesses, a look that is gruesome and scary. Though the game excels with great sound and art design, creating truly scary moments, its boring gameplay loop makes it a hard to sit through.

Offworld Trading Company combines economic strategy with innovation and polish, resulting in a game which feels exciting, deep and fun all at once. Not an easy combination to pull off – the developers should be proud, and gamers should be delighted.

Ray Gigant sacrifices complexity for accessibility, and while the final experience is a little rote, the style and streamlining make the most compelling case for a non-fan of RPG dungeon crawling to finally get interested.

As Michonne concludes it becomes clear that this mini-series does little to nothing to differentiate itself from everything The Walking Dead has already offered, nor does it do much to excuse the general sameness of everything Telltale is doing these days.

Hitman’s second episode leaves me far more optimistic for the game than its first episode did. A large, sprawling level ripe with exploration opportunities, Sapienza is a far better destination than Paris. That being said, technical issues still hinder the game from being something better.

LOUD on Planet X truly is the indie kid’s rhythm game. While the way it decides the beat of each song can be frustrating at the start, the incredible music catalog aims to keep you coming back.

With an emotional story and touch-based combat that feels both clever and natural, Severed is an excellent game that will stick with you long after you’ve finished playing.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Thieves Guild is the most promising addition yet to the otherwise bland and repetitive experience the game has offered in the past.

Star Fox Guard’s mechanically sound gameplay is frantic and fun, but its two-screen display adds to its chaos and brings down the experience.

Bravely Second: End Layer has a merely passable story, but the fantastic combat, new job classes, and updated mechanics make it an excellent installment to the series.

Into the Stars is a creative and unique game which nevertheless manages to disappoint. The combination of complicated gameplay with a distinct lack of direction means that only the truly determined will likely get far with the title – but it just isn’t interesting enough to warrant the investment from most.

Ashes of the Singularity may be a technical triumph, but it also delivers an experience we’ve not seen in this genre for at least a decade. The single player may lack a bit of personality, but the skirmish mode and seven AI levels take RTS to the next level.

With mysteries more elaborate and impactful, Danganronpa 2 is a masterfully crafted story that sets the stage for some challenging puzzles of logic and deduction.

1979 Revolution: Black Friday tells the story of the Iranian Revolution in the year within the title. It’s a beautiful, heart-wrenching story that makes you quickly fall for every character on screen.

Stories: The Path of Destinies mixes looping narratives, engaging brawler combat, and beautiful scenery to create a compelling indie adventure that should not be overlooked. Not wholly without fault, but even in the imperfections it’s easy to find a lot to love in Stories.

If you are looking for a challenging RPG that gives you plenty of options, then give Stranger of Sword City a good look.

Dark Souls 3 improves upon the beloved franchise in almost every way, and, if it is indeed the final entry in the series, is a worthy sendoff.

There is a lot to love in Ratchet and Clank, but it also comes with its fair share of headaches. Levels are short and linear, and leave little desire to stay on them any longer than you have to. While weapons are interesting and unique, they often come with the added weight of being hard to aim. It’s beautiful, funny and fun, but also, short and stale.

Momodora: Revere Under Moonlight is a fantastic game, wonderfully animated, rich with accurate and sharp controls, and a worthy successor to the heyday of platformer gaming.

With oodles of charm, shockingly-addictive yet easily accessible gameplay, Letter Quest Remastered: Grimm’s Journey is one of the best family-friendly puzzlers on the Xbox One platform.

Samorost 3 is a sensational journey through a delightful yet deceptively twisted world where fairytale collides with science fiction, themes of addiction and power mix with lighthearted play, and the adventures of a little the gnome always kept a smile on my face.

Out of the Park Baseball 17 is a culmination of hard work over several years that has resulted in a perfect sports simulation experience.

A portable version of this game seems unnecessary, and overall the game is not worth even a moment’s time even from the most dedicated a hack-and-slash player.

Automatron’s campaign isn’t very long or particularly interesting, but the longterm effects to the Fallout 4 sandbox are sure to be very interesting, especially as players get to carry their Frankenstein creations to upcoming DLC campaigns.

Leap of Fate mixes dynamic, level-based action with a unique cyberpunk/Shadowrun-esque setting, resulting in a solid title that stands out in both gameplay and environment.

Minecraft: Story Mode settles into a new identity and story with “Order Up!,” one that isn’t beholden to past mistakes.

“Give No Shelter” still doesn’t do much to stand out among everything else in The Walking Dead’s universe, but it does make a more compelling case for its main character’s struggle.

Although I wish there were more missions and that some new mechanics had been introduced, there’s some fantastic Starcraft narrative and gameplay here. The price to content ratio is fair, and this is the closest we’re likely going to get to experience what Starcraft: Ghost could have been. If you enjoyed the Terran, Zerg, and Protoss campaigns you’ll get a great kick out of Nova Covert Ops.

Remedy swung for the fences and hit a homerun with Quantum Break. With an engrossing story, an amazing cast, and the most beautiful visuals on the Xbox One we’ve ever seen, Quantum Break is a masterpiece.

While the gameplay is similar to years past, the new modes add a ton of previously unfound variety. The Road to the Show mode has finally been updated and is guaranteed to hook longtime players. On top of that, Diamond Dynasty no longer feels like an afterthought, and is instead one of the most joyous things about the game. After a slip and fall last year, Sony has managed to make sure MLB The Show 16 lands directly on its feet.

UnderDread is a Slender Man game disguised as an 18th century horror game, but there are no Slender Man appearances and it isn’t scary. If you dig far enough down, it has a redeeming quality or two, but at the end of the day it’s an unpolished game with a weak story that doesn’t do much more than waste your time.

Trillion: God of Destruction has wonderful characterization and compelling moments, but gets bogged down in a series of unintuitive design decisions and a lack of engaging main story content. Come for the concept, but don’t be surprised when it doesn’t hold for long.

Trackmania Turbo lacks some of the series’ standards, but still offers a polished and engaging time-trial racer for those looking for a rush of speed. With tons of options for play and the constant chase for a better time, Turbo gets under your skin, and once it’s in there, it doesn’t let go for a long time.

Like its younger brother, UFC 2 looks to simulate the most complex contact sport on the planet, and in some ways does so with perfect accuracy. The new animation and knockout system looks better than ever, and the career improvements are a welcome sight, but the barebones career mode, consistent bugs, and ever-present AI cheating are a pretty nasty cut that, if unchecked, may stop fans from wanting a round 3 with EA Sports UFC.

Whether you’re a Zelda fan or a Dynasty Warriors gamer there’s a lot to be happy about in this mash-up title.

Draft Day Sports: Pro Basketball 16 provides a competent but incomplete basketball simulation experience. Featuring a few bugs, glitches, and crashes, the game does manage to overcome those flaws with an excellent and accurate simulation system and simple customization options.

A gorgeous world that feels truly alive, Black Desert Online is a solid entry into the sandbox subgenre of MMOs. Benefiting from having been launched in a major market for a year before coming to the West, it offers an open world to explore, and an especially deep tradeskill and trading system mixed with an action-oriented combat scheme.

Pokkén Tournament retains the spirit and charm of Pokémon, while still a fun fighter that excellently caters to all skill levels.

SwapQuest is a mix of puzzle and RPG gaming that fails to provide a fun experience with either.

Hitman tries an interesting balance of stuffing a lot into a little, but doesn’t exactly pull it off with elegance.

If you were a fan of the original but sacrificed it for a more current platform, or just want a chance to own a title that snuck past you the last console generation, this a great chance to bolster your collection and indulge in a truly unique experience.

Superhot is short but full of style and substance, taking an inventive mechanic to its furthest and providing a unique shooter experience. The current offering is slim, but unlike anything else around.

Project X-Zone 2 is a dream crossover on paper that falters in execution, failing to excel in any area beyond unabashed novelty. The quality of the cast and engaging juggling mechanic are the most you’ll likely get out of this crossover RPG.

While the story isn’t especially long, it’s absorbing and gives you a lot to think about.

If you enjoy putting together model planes, then SimplePlanes is for you. The build mode presents you with seemingly endless possibilities, or you can sample from vehicles the community has created. When it comes to the simulation aspect of this aircraft simulator, it brings nothing new to the table.

Wondershot succeeds at being an entertaining party game, but is too easy to master, and best played in small doses.

Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is not for everyone, but to its credit it doesn’t try to be. This game shines with pride knowing it gave it’s all to celebrate fans of the Naruto Shippuden anime and doesn’t look back.

Dungelot: Shattered Lands is a fun combination of Minesweeper and a dungeon crawler that you’ll surely keep coming back to. While not without its moments of frustration, overall this game rewards you for skill more than it ruins you with bad luck. What it lacks in story it makes up for in its variety of creatures, items, challenges, and treasures.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is a fantastic gameplay experience that shows no signs of age, despite an underwhelming visual upgrade.

A true expansion, The Following provides players with an all new area of Harran to explore, new game features and items, and the ability to drive a vehicle and level your skills as a driver and a runner.

Very similar to the past titles in the series, this game is tried and true because Neptune never changes.

The Walking Dead: Michonne feels like twice the amount of well-worn territory than Telltale series typically deal with, and much of that comes from its existing within a property that is reaching the ceiling of its dramatic potential.

Amazing Discoveries in Outer Space is a unique amalgamation of several genres that does not come together in a cohesive way. The platforming and production value are rough, while the exploration is largely uneventful and monotonous.

There are times that The Flame in the Flood feels like the world is against you. And it is. But that’s the mechanic you are dealing with here. You will die, a lot. If that runs counter to what you find fun, this game might not be for you. But if you’d like to try something entirely unique, look no further.

With the addition of so much additional content, and all of the previous DLC packed in, there is no doubt that this version of Hitman: GO truly is the Definitive Edition.

The newest installment in the Far Cry franchise runs into a few hiccups, most namely its tiring combat system. The new taming/companion system is well executed and Ubisoft has crafted a respectable amount of detail with their sculpture of 10,000 BCE. While it sometimes feels like just more Far Cry, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Although it has problems going against it, Gemini: Heroes Reborn has some great ideas and fun gameplay that make-up for it’s shortcomings.

Hero and Daughter+ boasts tons of dungeons to explore, powerful girls to summon, and enemies to defeat. Unfortunately, this seems to be a case of quantity over quality, as most of the characters have flimsy backstories and there are very few surprises. Instead of being treated to a richly detailed story about the world and its inhabitants, making progress largely feels like a joyless numbers game.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is addicting, charming, and packed with more content than you can shake a husk of corn at. If you didn’t play the first Garden Warfare, now is the time to give it a go.

Fire Emblem: Fates is easily one of the biggest and most intimidating entries in the series, but the refined systems and sheer breadth of content, mixed with a colorful and memorable cast of characters, makes this a grand offering for both Fire Emblem faithful and newcomers alike.

Street Fighter V is a masterclass in fighting mechanics, but doesn’t offer enough content to necessarily justify buying in just yet unless you’re among the most die-hard competitive players.

Franchise Hockey Manager 2 is a wonderful entry for hockey into the world of sports simulation, and is of the highest quality in terms of design, layout, navigation, and accuracy. Nothing particularly special to look at when compared to other “action” sports titles, Franchise Hockey Manager is for hardcore hockey fans who are more interested in Euroleague transfer rules than on-the-ice action.

While some problems that weren’t present in the Vita version have made their way into Danganronpa on PC, everything that makes the game great is still intact on the platform.

Layers of Fear is an incredible, mind-bending horror game. The gorgeous environments are both detailed and terrifying, and the story will captivate you as you work to unravel all the threads. What it lacks in polish it makes up for in how obsessed you’ll become with finishing the masterpiece.

There are countless fun, modern JRPG experiences to be had on the Vita, making this an entirely expendable game.

Fun, quick paced, but a little clumsy, Attractio is passable and provides a fun and unique alternative to a shooter.

The Playstation 4 version of Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime lives up to all the thrills and expectations set by the other editions. None of the potential stumbling blocks of should-be-easy ports are observed and fans of the original should find themselves right at home.

One of the most cohesive and intricate releases you can find, but not for the faint of heart.

Yarny heads a fantastic 2D platformer that suffers from one or two issues, but ultimately becomes one of the more enjoyable experiences in recent memory.

Arslan: Warriors of Legend does a great deal more right than it does wrong, but you would likely already need to be fan of the Koei Warriors games to think so.

The Preposterous Awesomeness of Everything is a strange little game that provides a satirical commentary on society today in both smartly subtle and knock-you-on-the-head obvious ways.

Cyber Sleuth evokes nostalgia while also pivoting in tone and setting for fans who have grown older. The disorienting lack of story direction in the first half is made up for when its mysteries finally come to light, and it makes Cyber Sleuth’s world a great one to spend hours training Digimon in.

Firewatch is a beautiful story of escapism and loss, set against the beautiful Wyoming wilderness. The physicality of your interactions, the excellent radio conversations, and poignant writing and imagery are hindered only by slight issues in presentation and technical hitching. It’s grounded, human, and one that you’ll be eager to talk about for days after the credits roll.

It is rare when the sequel surpasses its predecessor, but XCOM 2 does it with style and verve.

Clapfoot has created a tower defense game unique to the Xbox One console. With a strong sense of style, AI companions and a moderate amount of shooter control, this might just scratch your strategy itch. It’s too bad then that it isn’t as accessible, and relies on repetitive gameplay with a steep difficulty to add gameplay hours to its otherwise short campaign and limited maps.