Frontier Developments have done a magnificent job of creating an affordable universe that is fun to play. With tons of game styles and the entirety of the Milky Way to explore, this one is truly for space sim buffs with one caveat – if you’re feeling lost, we recommend you check out video tutorials online.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a cute, simple game about space travel and the power of love. Though you have the option of flying solo, take the title’s advice and play through this game with a friend for the optimal experience.

Albino Lullaby: Episode 1 offers a genuinely fresh take on the horror genre, with a bright color palette, a topsy turvy environment, and nuanced enemies. In spite of its low points, it’s definitely worth experiencing. With time it should become more polished, but for now if you want to play it, you’ll have to brace yourself for bugs.

While some graphical issues keep the PS4 version from matching its PC counterpart, The Talos Principle remains one of the most interesting, intelligent, and inspiring video games ever made. Absolutely essential gaming.

Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth Rising Tide is a well developed, superbly balanced, and refined evolution of the original.

Prison Architect is a triumphant simulator that almost perfectly captures the world of prison building and administration.

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax crafts a crossover fighter that’s extremely enjoyable and faithful to its series, but lacks the depth of polished fighters to garner any long-term attachment. Play for the fun, but don’t expect to lose yourself in it.

Summary: Regicide is chess. You are buying a computer chess game. Yes the graphics are tasty and the fight scenes are well done and the atmospherics are exemplary. But it’s Combat Chess with a twist, and not even a big twist.

This skater not only fails by today’s standards, it wouldn’t even be passable during Tony’s heyday. Lousy controls, bland visuals, and an abundance of bugs make Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 a broken mess.

Dropsy is a bit of an oddball game, so I wouldn’t bet on it having wide appeal, but those who love it will really love it.

Undertale is one of the most unique efforts seen in indie gaming. Combining a love for the old with a willingness to innovate and utilize game mechanics to express ideas, rather than a binary input-output, this game should be on any and every one’s radar.

Mythology fans that like a good challenge, including discovering everything through trial and error, will love this game.

Whether you play through these three games once, or several times, Uncharted is still required gaming. The Nathan Drake Collection puts three of last generation’s most important games in one place, all with enhancements that make it the best way to experience Nathan Drake’s story.

Summary: Uninspiring with a lack of original ideas. It might be noteworthy if it wasn’t swimming in a pool crowded with 800-pound gorillas.

Magnetic: Cage Closed is a generic puzzler with an uninspired premise, which is only compounded by a second-rate story and laughable voice acting.

If you enjoy grinding numbers, goofy anime antics, and over-the-top style, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance will give you hundreds of hours of replayability. If you don’t like the idea of spending hours and hours replaying levels and building up characters, then you might want to look somewhere else.

NBA 2K16 took some unexpected chances, and its uniqueness is respectable, even if the final product is far from perfect.

Rack N Ruin redeems itself with a second showing on PC, but only if you abandon your controller for the ol’ fashioned keyboard and mouse.

Blood Bowl II is a unique tactical turn-based game with an amusing setting and a lot of personality.

If you’re looking to get your pants scared off, SOMA may not be the game for you, but for those who appreciate its brand of subtle horror, it is truly a masterpiece.

Skylanders SuperChargers is hands-down one of the best kid-friendly games on the market, and the most complete realization of the “toys to life” genre to date.

The Great Escape is proof that the AR-K series has the potential to get better as it progresses. The graphics and voice acting are a step up, but it’s the story that has improved by leaps and bounds. Not only does it make more sense now, but it is the most persuasive argument for getting you to try the game in the first place.

Dancing All Night is full of spirit and celebration unparalleled in the series thus far. Despite the dark and implausible story in the background, Dancing All Night is a concentrated dose of the most uplifting, cheerful, and fun side of the series, all set to a fantastic soundtrack that will get anyone dancing.

Overall, FIFA is clearly the most technically sound sports franchise in EA Sports’ pocket, which can result in a lack of risk taking. For now, no risks are needed, as FIFA 16 is a fantastic addition to a storied franchise.

The noir atmosphere is top notch, making it one of my favorite things about this game. The environment is more detailed than you might expect, and the mystery plot is fun to experience. Though some aspects of Calvino Noir can be frustrating or not as polished, overall it is worth the journey.

After a small misstep in NHL 15, NHL 16 feels like a huge apology letter to fans. Many removed features have returned, but that also means improvements are few and far between.

Armello presents an imaginative backdrop to a fantasy board game with deep mechanics. The steep learning curve and balancing issues may put off some players, but those who put in the time will be rewarded the most.

The Phantom Pain strays from the formula to perfect a new one, offering the best in open-world emergent gameplay we’ve seen this generation. While the story sometimes falters under expectations, the characters, aesthetic, and polish of this game set it apart as one of the year’s best.