Despite largely being a repackaging of last year's game, Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence - Ascension makes smart changes to the formula that immediately pay off. The new game still controls a bit wonky using a controller, but the revamped user interface does make the strategy title more accessible.

While it's a bit of a comedown in some respects, 'Hitman' remains an excellent game in its fourth episode, and I have no qualms with recommending the overall package at this point. Bangkok really shines on replay though, so the first run through ends up feeling like more of a warmup than anything else. The hotel does feel a bit too similar to the first mission in some respects, but IO still crams the episode with enough charm and fun that it ends up feeling worthwhile in spite of its faults.

I found some problems with 'Civilization VI' but not enough to keep me from enjoying it for quite a few hours. Firaxis has improved some systems and stumbled on others, including things that should be in good shape by now, like diplomacy. I have a feeling that a year from now it will be a much better, bigger game, (not to mention cheaper) as is tradition with this series. I just wish that the inevitable DLC felt more like expansions and less like content filling in the gaps from the day one release.

This is not your father's Pac-Man. Pac-Man: Championship Edition 2 is faster and busier, and the purity of the original has been sacrificed for variety and a more forgiving difficulty level. That being said, it's still a great score attack game, one that I will be enjoying whenever I'm in need of an hour or so of sparkly, candied arcade goodness.

I am happy to experience Event[0] because what it contains is probably a harbinger of things to come in gaming. As a complete gameplay experience, however, it can be limited and flawed. It has evolved from its beginnings as a student project to become more than a mere tech demo, but it could have gone farther in its Turing test.

If you're looking for a role-playing game that is trying to do something different, and innovative with online play, then this is certainly worth checking out.

This homage to the seminal days of RPGs is quite successful at what it set out to do. The strong points include character advancement, the village, and enemy variety, while I was let down by a slow plot and inconvenient save system. The Xbox One isn't exactly a haven for this genre, but in nostalgia value alone it's a welcome treat.

Dead Rising 4 has deviated too much from its own traditions for me to give it a wholehearted recommendation. It now resembles a typical modern day third-person sandbox game, for what that's worth. To be fair, I have a lot of fun with games like that, and I've been having a lot of fun with this game. But Dead Rising has come and gone, and has been replaced with something a little tamer and more accessible.

The meekly named PlayStation VR Worlds rarely escapes its origins as brief demonstrations, but it is certainly worth checking out as part of the greater PlayStation VR launch experience. Some of the five experiences bundled here could make for great fully-realized titles, and failing that, this disc version is ready for any time I might want to show 'PS VR' to others.

'Marrakesh' is a step back from the successes of previous episodes, but not dramatically so. IO seems to be experimenting with different playstyles that leave less room for debate, but the classic DNA of 'Hitman' permeates everything and I will have no problem coming back for the next round.

Though it more often feels like a Director's Cut than a true remake, Advent Dark Force nonetheless turns a flawed PS3 RPG into a stronger experience overall, making it the absolute best way to play 'Fairy Fencer'.

Its odd yet enchanting art design and overall presentation make it stand out, not to mention the awesome training. Unfortunately, this port to the Vita has some control and visual issues, and '2nd Encore' is probably best played on the PS4.

The LEGO Harry Potter Collection is a fancy-free, funny and robust brickified version of the eight Harry Potter movies. The current asking price of $50 may be a little steep, considering these are 5 year old games without additional content. One to watch once it hits a more comfortable price point. Worth a look, but only if you don't already own the games.

'Bethesda Pinball' is easily Zen Studios' most ambitious project yet. They really went all out making sure each table feels like the game it's based upon, but that leads to mixed results when it comes to digital pinball. 'DOOM' is the real standout addition, with the two role-playing game tables getting too overly complicated. While it may not pull off every idea it attempted, I'm glad that Zen Studios isn't afraid to take risks, and that's exactly why this is still a pinball pack that is worth checking out even if it's not the developer's best adaptation.

I don't know if Telltale has lost their magic or if their adherence to this formula has just worn thin on me, but it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to get excited at the prospect of playing another episode. The halcyon days of season one are long gone.

I don't know if Telltale has lost their magic or if their adherence to this formula has just worn thin on me, but it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to get excited at the prospect of playing another episode. The halcyon days of season one are long gone.

Aragami is an ambitious stealth game that occasionally brushes shoulders with greatness. A poor frame rate and sub-par enemy AI really hampers the experience, but stalking from the shadows remains fun throughout.

ReCore' can be very fun at times, and it can also be very tedious. It has good video game conventions, like the awesome jumping-dashing-grappling bits, but also has some bad ones, like bosses that are made difficult only by virtue of having massive health bars. It isn't helped by the weak technical presentation. It's probably best for only the most ardent of platforming fans, the players who can put up with all of its hangups.

Far from being a bad game, MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death doesn't really try to be much more than simply competent. Its systems and ideas are all strong, but they're tackled fairly gracelessly and just end up feeling rote after a while. I didn't have a bad time with the game, but it's hard to not just recommend playing something like 'Demon Gaze' or even Idea Factory's own 'Trillion' instead for those looking for a great Dungeon Crawler or JRPG on Vita.

'The Technomancer' is not without its merits, but can’t quite find a place for itself in the RPG/action field. It is clear what Spiders was trying to do and I don’t fault them for it - their creation has the potential to be something special. In this current form that’s all it is though, just potential.

New World Order doesn't completely torpedo 'Batman' but it's by far the weakest we've seen yet. Sometimes I feel like I'm less Bruce Wayne and more of a boring CEO with a soap opera love life. There are still two episodes remaining and I hope the best is yet to come.

Mafia III put a high priority on its backstory, immersion, and presentation. That work shows in the quality of the narrative and the tragic characters, but unfortunately left little to flesh out the city of New Bordeaux. It's worth playing for the campaign, but perhaps there isn't a need to rush.

It has an adequate but not quite good campaign, easily skippable co-op, and some serious engine problems. It’s your thoroughly average shooter, in a nutshell.

Playing through The Little Acre will make for an enjoyable afternoon, but not much past that. The impressive production values are the star here, as the gameplay can't match the amazing amount of polish that has been put into the visuals and audio. Narratively, several ideas are left unexplored, and it rarely touches upon both of the unique settings that the game takes place within. Ultimately, it's an average adventure game that has been put in a gorgeous package.

There really aren't many simulation motocross games being made anymore, but thankfully Milestone has made a good one. 'MXGP 2' lacks polish in its visuals and multiplayer, but I still ended up having plenty of fun once I got past the learning curve. While there is still plenty of room for the series to grow, fans of motorbike racing won't find anything better on the current generation of consoles right now.

The high expectations that I developed after playing through the first three episodes of 'République' have been diminished by 'Terminus'. This is not the denouement I had expected, in terms of gameplay or story. Even so, I think the series as a whole is worth playing. The player just needs to keep in mind that, not unlike many great film series or TV shows, the best entries are in the beginning.

While it makes a few missteps in some critical areas, for fans of life sims or boxing movies, this is definitely worth checking out.

The story is worth experiencing if you can tolerate a character who's intentionally extremely unlikable, but as an overall package, it stumbles in a fair few critical ways, and ultimately ends up as one of the weaker efforts from a largely fantastic studio.