Even if you don't like strategy games, if you love action games and have an open enough mind to try out something a bit slower-paced, you will be rewarded with one of the most thrilling, thought-provoking, and heart-pounding games of the year.

If you're a die-hard Sherlock Holmes fan and can look past some significant flaws to experience an authentic Sherlock experience, then by all means, go for it. Otherwise, stay away.

But getting behind the wheel of one of the most realistic driving engines and booting around, challenging racers, and having all kinds of fun adds value to all cars – not just the ones that are ridiculously fast and expensive. I've played the game at numerous difficulty settings both with 360 controller and MS Force Feedback Racing Wheel, and have come away impressed.

Dance Central 3 isn't just the best reason to own a Kinect; it is the reason you need to own one.

Overall, the puzzles in this game are great, but the loose, floating controls really hamper what would have been a great puzzle-plaformer. I'd only recommend this game for people who really-and I mean really-enjoy challenges.

If you've got a Kinect gathering dust, you need to get it plugged back in. While Fable: The Journey has its fair share of issues, it is certainly one of the best non-dance games for the Kinect.

Whether you like to sneak, like to slay mercilessly, or somewhere in between, there is something here for you. Dishonored is very easily a contender for Game of the Year.

DOA 5 could easily get overlooked in the deluge of upcoming titles, but it shouldn't. Despite the departure of Itagaki, Team Ninja manages to take DOA 5 up a notch. While it doesn't reinvent the wheel, the counter system adds a new layer of depth. Toss in the upgraded stages and the accessibility offered by the story-lead training and you can almost forgive said story for making almost no sense at all. The game remains accessible, pure fan-service, and most certainly the best looking fighter of this generation.

Pokémon Conquest's replay value is through the roof. After the first campaign is completed many more stories that allow the player to control different warlords open up. These different stories have their own objectives that the player has to complete in order to win. After 33 of these stories are completed, a campaign similar to the first one becomes available. In addition to these, more stories can be downloaded from the Nintendo WFC. All of this, combined with online multiplayer, will leave one with hundreds of hours of Pokémon themed turn based strategy excitement to enjoy.

Zen Studios clearly has a lot of love for pinball; it shows in every facet of this game.

If you like piles of guns, lots to do and shoot, and a robust leveling system with a natural coop multi-player aspect and aren't put off by the cel shading, it's a no-brainer.

Probably the worst thing about Dogfight 1942 is that it costs $15. Many downloadable games cost far less and have far more to offer than this sub-par flight simulator. The entirety of the game is no more than three hours and has zero re-playability.

Torchlight II represents the perfect iteration of a series, combining solid innovation from Runic along with a deluge of feedback courtesy of fans and player mods. Runic and Perfect World have given us everything we've asked for – I can't think of a single game that can make that claim in recent memory.

With all that in mind, FTL remains a great game – not perfect, not legendary, but a great indie title that offers up something pretty unique as opposed to a cheaper version of a game that mainstream devs already do and do better.

If you're not prepared to implement the tweaks and fixes mentioned in this review, then you should stay away from the game or hunt it down on its native consoles instead. If the previously mentioned 360 Review doesn't describe the sort of game you enjoy, then stay away altogether – not even bug fixes and gameplay tweaks will make this a game you like. But if you're willing to implement a couple fan-made patches and you crave a game that's beautiful, dark, cryptic, challenging and just plain unique in so many ways, grab this game and give it a go.

Guild Wars 2 represents a raising of the bar for MMOs, taking the best aspects of a great many titles that have come before it and polishing them up in a way that makes it addictive and fun for all. Given the rate that ArenaNet has been addressing player concerns and patching them, I think we can expect great things from Guild Wars 2.

For those who still haven't had a chance to enjoy the amazing experience of Mass Effect 3, the DLC will integrate well with your experience and enhance an already enjoyable game, but for anyone looking for a reason to dust off their copy of ME3 for Leviathan, the DLC may prove too much trouble for such a brief expansion and not worth the $10 price tag. If you're a hardcore ME fan however, you won't want to miss out on the exciting content revealed about the Mass Effect universe.

The game feels like a healthy upgrade and a new dawn for this franchise. While there are still some minor issues that hold back NHL 13 including jerky animations and some odd bugs, but this is easily the best NHL title I've played in some time.

Time will tell whether it has the legs to keep up with more traditionally-styled MMOs, but for what it is, I'm certain that the gaming world will always have room for experiences like The Secret World.

Either wait for Damage Inc. to hit the discount skids, or pick up any of the comparable Mad Catz flight sticks – this flight title is not flight-ready.

In the end I came to the conclusion that made the most sense – Rock Band Blitz is another accessory for my Rock Band experience. When you stop thinking about it as a separate product, picking up this downloadable title just makes sense.

If you're a fan of Resident Evil or rail-shooters and you own a Move controller then Resident Evil Chronicles HD Collection is a no brainer.

Madden NFL 13 makes huge strides this year, but also makes a few rookie mistakes. Seasoned football fanatics and casual onlookers should be satisfied with the end result. As seen in my previous Madden reviews, you know that I have had my fair share of issues with the game. If you have been skeptical of Madden before, this year's edition is worth a look. If only they could do something about the number of interceptions.

It's technically great, but Nintendo needs to do more than repeat old ideas with its flagship franchise, especially if it wants to release not one, but three main entries in the series in the span of a year (Super Mario 3D Land released last November, New Super Mario Bros. Wii U comes out at launch).

While not perfect, Dust: An Elysian tail is a solid 10-15 hour action game with impressive visuals, a huge map to delve into, and tons of secrets to uncover. Even with a lack of difficulty, fans of the genre, and even fans of action games in general, will find plenty to love here.

I'm stunned by just how much fun Fall of Cybertron is. This isn't a game that will redefine the genre or anything else hyperbolic in nature. What it is, however, is a tremendous amount of fun.

Hybrid is a unique experiment in multiplayer cover-based shooting, and it succeeds gloriously.

The Kinect idea is a solid one, but the problem is that with a poor implementation and no customization (save the underused controller itself), you're looking at a potentially unplayable game.