In the end, Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl feels less like a remake and more like a full-fledged sequel.

Alien Rage is essentially the generic marine alien shooter that we’ve all grown accustomed to over the years and really has no aspirations of being anything different.

Between unlocking all the characters, getting every collectible and missions to complete, The Wonderful 101 gives more than enough reason for you a reason to dust off your Wii U or simply pick one up a little early to experience it.

It will only appeal to hardcore hunting game enthusiasts, as it’s ultimately boring, repetitive and empty. There’s little to do, see or experience, and unless you’re a true fan of the genre, your money is best spent elsewhere.

Unfortunately, Episode 2 can’t hold in its excitement and spoils the big twist about halfway in and the rest of the game suffers for it.

It’s a big universe out there, filled with beautiful sights, and while it can get a bit repetitive after a while, it’s worth setting out just to see what you can find.

As a big fan of the developer, I’m sorry to say that if you’re not feeling nostalgic of the original, stay away from Superfrog HD. It isn’t good, but worst of all, it’s not fun.

Despite Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix being a little rough around the edges, it’s still one of the best HD collections around. Things like the controls do take away from the overall experience, but these are fairly minor next to the value you’re getting. The updated graphics make it a must for fans or eager newcomers to experience.

Legend of Dungeon is a perfect gateway game for those interested in Roguelikes, but who are intimidated by them as well. The beat-em-up style to the core gameplay means that if you grew up with more TMNT playing in an arcade than RPGs, you’ll be comfortable right away.

Despite the lack of leniency, this game is definitely worth losing your hair over. It’ll kick you in the ass several times, but that’s honestly the best part about it.

It features arguably the best story of the series that’s greatly enhanced by the added dynamic of three contrasting protagonists.

This is the kind of title that has niche written all over it in bold, flashing letters, but if this happens to be your flavor of niche, you’re in for quite the treat.

NHL 14 won’t be headed to next-gen consoles, which is a shame as it would benefit from improved visuals, but even with the help of a new engine, it’ll be hard for another sports game to beat the sheer fun of this well-executed hockey game.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2 is an excellent take on the Dynasty Warriors formula, and easily the best One Piece game so far.

With fluid combat, huge areas to explore, dungeons to conquer, loot to lust over and friendships to be strengthened or destroyed by an able co-op mode, it’s surely the best of its kind on consoles. Diablo III was good when it launched in 2012. Now, it’s great.

Armed with a new engine, Rome II looks great, plays smoothly, and will be a challenge to both veterans and novices.

Another winner for JapanStudio, Puppeteer is a strong addition to Sony’s increasingly impressive stable of first-party franchises.

As it stands, FK Digital’s latest title feels like it simply needed more time in the oven. Because of that, Chaos Code will probably come off to most as a forgettable title amidst a genre that has far better games for one to spend their time and money on.

It is a definite step back from The Dark Descent, but even several steps back makes this better than almost any other horror game released in the past decade.

Castle of Illusion is a welcomed change to the original remake formula, but it falls short in a number of areas.

It’s not a game without its faults as friendly artificial intelligence can obstruct progress and I ran into a number of glitches throughout the campaign, but with an addictive multiplayer and some of the most creative ways in using the handheld’s technology, you’ll have a tough time finding another experience like this.

Hitting the right buttons in the right order in time to the beat isn’t a terrible way to spend a bit of gaming time, but there’s just not enough meat on KickBeat‘s bones to keep the music flowing.

At the end of the day, Sweet Fuse: At Your Side is downright fun.

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F isn’t a game for most people. It’s earnestly dedicated towards its existing fanbase and doesn’t try to expand past that, making it even more astonishing that it made its way across the ocean

Overall this is the most amazing, most spectacular, most…you know, I can’t do this anymore, even sarcastically. This game is bad, but I feel a little bad saying it.

Clearly designed for and best experienced on the Wii U, it’s a rare non-exclusive killer app that should be purchased immediately to ensure its franchise lives a long and productive life.

Developed by an unproven developer with no marketing push, Lost Planet 3 is dead on arrival. It’s almost as if Capcom sent the franchise to die, as even if Spark wasn’t so inept at staging combat, it would still seem like an unessential imitation of the first game.

Lords of Shadow has incredible production values and an astonishing length for a character action title, but not only is it far too late to the party, but dapened by uninspiring combat.

While the game is somewhat pricey considering its runtime lands just slightly over two hours, it’s marvelously unique. If you’re even slightly interested in what living the life of a badger is like, give it a shot. Its mechanics do grow tired towards the end, but the overall experience is so fascinating I can’t help but recommend it.

Those who enjoyed Grasshopper’s previous work or are tired of repeatedly being spoon-fed the same game should check out Killer is Dead before it’s rightfully put on “most underrated game” lists in several years by the same people who criticize it now.

The best Splinter Cell since Chaos Theory, Blacklist is a gritty and intense entry into the series that offers an unbelievably robust package.

If you’re dying for something similar to Flashback, and don’t mind wrestling with some control issues, an inferior story and a generic art-style, then this may be what you’re looking for. Otherwise, you’d best just sit tight and hope that someone decides to make a version of the original game with a slightly higher resolution.

Unfortunately, even a stable framerate can’t save it from faulty mechanics, kicks that cross players without landing, some iffy visuals and weirdly ’90s animations.

Statistically-minded individuals will enjoy delving into the surprising deep Owner portion of Connected Franchise, while older fans will love the opportunity to play as hall of fame players and the history tidbits of past Madden games shown during loading screens.

Combining the tried and true RPG elements of the series with exciting new 2D gameplay, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team is a joy to play.

If you loved Germinator, you’ll enjoy this, but it’s difficult to recommend a purchase for anybody who still has a lot of levels left to play that game.

Race the Sun is very close to a perfect pick-up-and-play game, except for the bit where it’s very hard not to keep playing once you’ve started. A quick break easily turns into one more attempt, trying to plot a different course over the cluttered plains, maximizing Tri collection while minimizing the risk of turning into a cloud of debris.

It’s just a shame that the whole thing comes in a package that looks like a rushed movie tie-in, as with more time to both polish the visuals and perfect the gameplay, The Bureau could have been more than just a throwaway shooter with strategy elements tacked on.

All in all though, I’d recommend giving this game a few days, playing through any initial frustration, and experimenting with this extremely well crafted sandbox.

Charlie Murder is a much more complex game than fans of Ska Studios’ previous works will be expecting. It’s still a rebel, but this time there’s a cause to be found. RPG-lite elements, inviting co-op play, and zaniness combine to create a likeable, refreshing take on the brawler.

While Disney Infinity might be a precisely coordinated marketing strategy, it’s also a imaginative multimedia experience that will appeal to gamers of all ages. Kids will adore everything about it and adults will enjoy collecting their favorite expertly-crafted figures and seeing them in action.

Xillia takes the familiar and blends it with exciting newness, and that’s what it does best. It’s the first must-play JRPG to release in a while, and the second couldn’t arrive soon enough.

Payday 2 is everything a sequel to a mediocre game should be. While there is still room for the franchise to grow, this is both an entertaining and affordable cooperative shooter. As long as potential buyers know that this is a game best played with friends, they should have a great time. Just make sure they won’t go running ahead setting off any of the security cameras.

Cognition: Episode 2 fails to live up to the standards of Episode 1, which wasn’t exactly a lofty bar to aim for in the first place.

DuckTales Remastered manages to give a classic game a new coat of paint but still bring back all those warm happy nostalgic feelings from the original classic.

Even if you don’t have someone to play co-op with, this is an absolutely captivating experience from start to finish. Whether it’s taking on hordes of endless alien invaders or driving around with your homies, Saints Row IV is just pure, unadulterated fun.

Those who missed out on the XBLA release of Spelunky and want a good tough rogue-like should pick it up from Steam. It’s a little more based on reflexes than most rogue-likes, but even if you find out you’re not that good at it, it is still a riot to watch friends try to get as far as the can before making the wrong step and getting crushed by a boulder.

It’s not perfect, though it’s certainly good fun.

Oddly enough, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is more about the journey than the destination. It’s sobering, funny, heartfelt, and inspirational all at once, sprinkled with some real life lessons in between. If this is what Starbreeze Studios is truly capable of, then we’re ready to see plenty more — especially if it means more interesting experimental mechanics like the ones exhibited here.

For under ten dollars, there’s a lot of fun to be had with SteamWorld Dig.

Clan Wars is a worthy entry in the series, but even then, it’s good to hear that Team 17 is leaving the series alone for a while to work on something new.

Guacamelee! Gold Edition only helps to enhance the rich, fun, free-scrolling action platformer by strengthening the visual art style and adding a bevy of Steamworks features.

Rise of the Triad will never be confused for a great FPS, but it’s pure popcorn fun from beginning to end.

This is a tremendously unique, wildly creative endeavor that is a blast to play and even more enjoyable to listen to.

It’s a shame that so many people are opposed to the idea of a new-direction for the Divinity series. Even if its main story leaves much to be desired and some of its rules aren’t presented particularly well, Dragon Commander is a whole lot of fun. I urge everyone, even skeptical Divinity fans, to give Dragon Commander a shot — especially if they’re amused by the notion of a dragon wearing a jet pack.

Ibb & Obb is an excellent puzzle platformer best enjoyed with a good friend and an open mind. Lightbulb moments where you finally devise an ingenious solution or conquer a frustrating segment are what make the game truly great, coupled with soothing visuals and a welcoming atmosphere. Grab a buddy, hop online, and pick it up. You don’t see games like this often enough anymore.

Turbo: Super Stunt Squad is both a Tony Hawk Pro Skater clone and a failed adaption of a snail racing movie. It has little relation with the film and could swap the assets out for say, The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure, and accomplish the same thing.

As a side-scrolling brawler, Dragon’s Crown is deep and loaded with replay. As an example of 2D art in gaming, it’s unequalled.

Pikmin 3 is the answer to the question “what’s on the Wii U?” It may not be a killer app, but it’s a wholly satisfying title that quite simply can’t be had on any other console. Imaginative, challenging and visually gorgeous, Pikmin 3 has one of the highest fun factors of any game this year.

Even with its faults, Stealth Inc. is a thought-provoking experience that should give most gamers a run for their money.

Sword of the Stars: The Pit — Mind Games is incredibly difficult — sometimes unfairly so — but along with that comes fun.

Attack of the Friday Monsters is a perfect bite-sized chunk of story-based gaming, and will easily blow past any cynical defenses to take up a warm and fuzzy place in your heart.

This is one of the most satisfying and complete tactical roleplaying experiences to come out of 2013 and realistically the last few years.

Dynasty Warriors 8 is a shockingly great game that offers an incredible amount of value in bringing a dramatized piece of history to the masses in very creative ways.

Whether you play with the keyboard/mouse setup or use a 360 pad, you’ll get solid controls. It’s a challenging, but rewarding game and its surreal audio/visual combination will be stuck in your head for quite some time.

Mamorukun Curse! is an exciting, frenetic time, especially for those waiting for localization of the popular Japanese shooter. It’s a hefty price tag to be sure, but it serves up hours of challenging fun and plenty of unlockables for those skilled enough to look for even more to do after the game has been completed. If you’re looking for a new shooter to add to your collection, you could do far worse than this.

It saddens me to say that there really isn’t anything redeemable about R.I.P.D.. It’s boring, repetitive, and there really isn’t any circumstance I can think of that would make me recommend it to anyone. I could prolong this depressing review by talking about some of the game’s smaller features, but it would all be for nothing, as they are really just more garbage thrown onto the pile. And I’d much rather rid myself of R.I.P.D. by playing a better game.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Brave New World and would recommend it to anybody either currently playing Civ V or who’d like to play it again.

As a whole, Face Noir is a forgettable disappointment. Nothing stands out or inspires discussion other than its inherent blandness. With boring dialogue that drags on too long, bad facial animations and frustrating gameplay, even the most committed adventure game players will have a hard time staying involved. There’s potential for something interesting here, but Face Noir simply isn’t worth your time to play.

To be fair, however, Humans Must Answer is a good example of a specific sub-genre of shooter, but it’s just not one that happens to be much fun.

Those simply looking for a solid game of collegiate football should ignore all that, however, as NCAA Football 14 offers the same quality the series has been known for this generation with some great tweaks and implementations added. Madden 25 will likely take the crown for the best game of football this year, but those who make NCAA Football a yearly tradition have no reason not to add this solid addition to their collection.

Only try out Time and Eternity when someone offers you money in exchange for playing it, or if you want to see what happens when a development studio doesn’t do any kind of QA testing. For no other reason should you waste your time playing it.

Rogue Legacy is pure action platforming addiction, endlessly playable and fun from its low level beginning to high-powered end.

Shin Megami Tensei IV manages to meet its hype in some respects and fall short of it in others. Its combat is stronger than ever, adding in components that are deep, unique and reward the strategically-inclined, while the character customization options will excite those who like to build their ideal fighter.

There’s certainly worse driving games on the platform, but it’s hard to find a reason why anybody would want to play this revival of a dormant series that was mediocre to begin with and is even weaker over a decade later.

Had there been some polish in some of the controls, an added depth to the story mode and more matchmaking online, Scourge: Outbreak would have been one of the biggest downloadable surprises this year. Still, for around $10, it’s worth playing — especially with friends.

The RPG elements and distinct visual style do present some life, but don’t go in expecting this to be a mechanically sound game.

It’s no doubt a value, and if you need your fix of The Walking Dead, then this will certainly tide you over until the second season, but don’t expect a consistent plot full of meaningful and difficult choices.

Bugs vs Tanks! is a great B-Movie idea in search of a game to do it justice, but this just isn’t it.

As a whole, Pro Cycling Manager suffers from too many elements that are closed to the player unless they’re dedicated to uncovering the confusing interface. Indeed, the game can’t be recommended to those not willing to spend hours trying to come to grips with the huge amount of detail within it. That said, those who put plenty of hours into the game will be rewarded with an addictive and satisfying experience that is well worth working past the flawed and mind-numbingly difficult opening that most players are sure to have.

Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded is just like the original, but bigger, longer, harder and the perfect vehicle for Larry’s second coming.

As such, anybody who has even one of the titles would be advised to avoid the collection and purchase the games individually instead. Still, those who missed the original releases, don’t have access to PSN or love holding as close to a physical version as these games will ever get will find a lot to love.

Unfortunately, at $15, it’s hard to recommend even if you’re a PS3-only player since Urban Trial Freestyle does the same thing as this, but better.

A failed project that should have been scrapped, Ride to Hell: Retribution represents and includes everything bad about video games.

Deadpool gives what his fans want, but exciting gameplay moments are too few and far between. It’s a great shame that the rest of the game isn’t up to snuff with the character performances as the industry needs more comical stories such as this.

Project X Zone is an outstanding blend of action RPGs, SRPGs, and even fighting games that tries many things and manages to do them well.

Thus, if you haven’t had the pleasure of playing Muramasa before, and you have a Vita, Rebirth is wholeheartedly worth playing. It’s breathtakingly beautiful in all aspects — from its combat to graphics to soundtrack to the sword forging mechanic, this is just an immensely enjoyable game, even in spite of its repetitious combat and under-emphasized story.

Fireburst is mediocre at best, playable whenever you have friends over, but not necessarily a first choice in anyone’s library. With the lack of any real story or campaign mode and busted online features, there are games that do a lot better than this offensive, boring and buggy arcade racer.

If nothing else, Company of Heroes 2 proves that Relic really is in the top eschelon of RTS developers. This is the crème de la crème, people. Do not be the one to pass it up.

Fist Puncher‘s name fits it well. It’s a game where you punch a great many things and will have a lot of fun doing so. While that fun is hampered a bit with navigation problems, when those don’t crop up, it’s impossible to not enjoy yourself.

At the end of the day, Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara packs together two splendid side-scrolling brawlers that have withstood the test of time.

Marvel Heroes is a good game that would probably get more praise if it worked out some of its most fundamental issues out the gate. Lean character selection in a game as huge as this is to be expected this early in its life, but it isn’t something that had to be such a standout issue either.

It feels like an important evolutionary step in presentation and tone, presenting a believable narrative populated with realistic characters, structured in a way that remains captivating until the last word is spoken. Multiplayer is disposable and combat can feel a bit rudimentary at times complete with balance issues, but being perpetually enveloped in the stunning world Naughty Dog created makes it easy to forget any flaws.

The Swapper is a wonderfully clever game that’s as smart as it is atmospheric.

As a whole, Wargame: Airland Battle is a bizarre mix of exciting, engaging multiplayer and an abysmal solo campaign that feels like an afterthought.

It’s a bit pricey, but if this is a genre that’s interesting to you, the time and perseverance needed to attain the title’s full enjoyment is well worth it.

Rush Bros. came out of nowhere, but is a very polished game worthy of any gamer’s time.

Bad Bots is a great idea for a game brought down by a lack of variety or legitimate innovative challenge.