Battlefield 3's multiplayer is brilliant, which is really no surprise for this series. It perfectly combines the absolute chaos of open warfare with the methodical, calculating play that makes modern military shooters so satisfying.

There's a certain amount of diminishing returns on the mechanical evolutions made but the fresh, authentic setting along with a brand new protagonist go along way in rekindling the fire.

Outland has a lot to offer: A great combination of gameplay styles influenced by other games, astounding controls, and a simple and effective aesthetic. In short it has everything a game needs to be great.

The heart that went into developing Guacamelee! is evident in its execution and reverence to other works.

While not a revolutionary advancement over last year, smart gameplay tweaks and the return of a couple favorite game modes make it once again a must buy for hardcore NBA fans.

While the competitive multiplayer will rock your face, the implementation of co-op in Killzone 3 is a little disappointing - specifically the lack of online co-op in any fashion.

It's the most exhilarating racing experience I've had since Dirt 3, and if you had to ask me which one I liked better, it would be like having to choose one of my children to sacrifice.

If you stick to the online mode, have a good group of friends to share the road with, and love fast, sexy cars, you'll probably enjoy the game. It's not incredibly deep, so look elsewhere to scratch that driving itch, but it works for a quick, pulse-pounding hit of action and adrenaline...It's a shame the poor design that plagues the offline mode is so ingrained into the fundamental fabric of the gameplay.

The scope of the storytelling in The Walking Dead video game is almost never attempted in downloadable games, let alone executed this successfully. This is a top-flight narrative, and an excellent example of episodic gaming done right.

With dozens of hours of gameplay, plenty of replayability with multiple class types, and a difficulty that is balanced with the right amount of reward, Etrian Odyssey IV is far and above the best dungeon crawler I’ve played.

Fun action shooting for fun-loving action shooter fans. If you count yourself in that number, you'll likely have a blast. If you expect meat or real depth, you probably haven't listened this far.

Captaining a spaceship is a dream that many gamers have had for years, and FTL pulls it off near perfectly. If the difficulty, randomness, and repetition of rougelikes doesn't scare you away, FTL will give you an experience you can't find anywhere else.

An experience unlike any other. It never takes itself too seriously, it remembers that games should be fun and they should entertain. It's not that any particular part stands out above the other, rather, on the whole, everything is just downright awesome. The character creator alone warrants multiple playthroughs and the story is literally only half the game.

The stellar writing and character development continues at a superior level, and the decisions the game asks you to make are gut-wrenching.

Cumbersome controls hamper what would otherwise be a resoundingly memorable adventure. At just five dollars The Binding of Isaac is a great indie title that offers up a ton of replay value and gruesome fun.

There are curmudgeons out there who will skip this game because of the liberal Mario throwbacks, but they're missing the forest for the trees. Inventive level design, loads of content, and the shockingly profound boost mode make this one of the best 2D platformers out there.

The Wolf Among Us is a noir stemmed in fantasy and (actual) glamour that blurs the lines of right and wrong. I wasn’t able to appreciate the mystery of The Wolf Among Us until the last chapter, but what a gratifying experience it turns out to be.

Child of Eden provides two hours of mind-blowing originality and intense shoot 'em up gameplay that can be experienced many times… provided you can enjoy a game that way. It's not a long journey, but a moment of awesome to be experienced again and again.

Resident Evil 4 was an incredible game in 2005, and surprise surprise, it's still an incredible game in 2011. Graphics and controls have predictably tarnished with time, but the gameplay is still as sterling as ever.

With the exception of quirky platforming physics, there's nothing to not like in Sound Shapes. Fantastic pre-made levels and a profound level editor make the game a great value as well. Whether you're academically interested in the more experimental line of games on the PSN or you just want a unique and enjoyable platformer, you can't go wrong with Sound Shapes.

By including areas and missions outside of the tournament, this Campaign of Carnage has room to breathe and deliver a narrative that retains the twisted charm of the Borderlands franchise.

An extremely solid game, and a successful relaunch of a near-forgotten franchise. The biggest question consumers should ask themselves is whether or not they think they'll be able to cope with the unique controls.

If you’ve played the original version on the Wii there isn’t much here to allure you back to the jungle, so only diehard DK fans need apply.

Vigil nailed the Zelda formula in Darksiders 1. In attempting to evolve that in this sequel, the team stumbles a bit. It's like they wanted to keep Darksiders 2 mechanically consistent without drawing such overt references to their source material. Some story and technical blemishes crop up from this process but they don't distract from the great dungeon design and combat. Darksiders 2 is a great game, with still considerable room for improvement.

Straightforward and addictive gameplay come together to make Shin Megami Tensei IV one of the 3DS’ best RPGs. The sheer amount of demons to unlock, multiple endings, and dozens of side quests means you’ll be playing this one for hours on end.

Street Fighter X Tekken has given me everything I've dreamed of and more from a fighting game.

Black Ops 2 is a very impressive achievement both from the audacity of its slightly flawed single-player narrative to the massive construction of its multiplayer offerings, and so, Black Ops 2 scores.

If a game's quality is based solely on its replay value, then Guardian Heroes for the Xbox 360 is as good a game as Gears of War 3 or Call of Duty: Black Ops. While Guardian Heroes has plenty, unfortunately games aren't rated entirely on replay value.

If you've never played any version of Lumines before and you're looking for a solid puzzle game for your new Vita, then this title is certainly worth your time. But if you'd rather save your money and stay home with your block-dance-party-game, then Lumines Electronic Symphony is a bit of a tougher sell.

What you will find is the most mechanically broad, content dense, and goddamned gorgeous MMO ever made. If you’ve enjoyed any MMO of the past decade, there’s something in Realm Reborn for you. And if you’ve enjoyed them all? Well… just remember to take a shower once in a while.

Now, I don’t want to ever tell you to “buy a game” or “not buy a game” – that’s up to you. But if you like Magic: The Gathering, if you like strategy games, if you like the community of online gaming – you won’t get more out of your 10 bucks with any other title. The ratio of money spent to time enjoyed is hilariously negligible.

NHL 13 is not a bad game, don't get that idea. It's really fun when it isn't bending you over a barrel and cheating its way to victory.

Sure, the multiplayer might not set your loins on fire but PS3 owners will find the game's single player to be one of the best times they'll have shooting stuff in the face.

There are minor issues with the game, notably the exclusion of public matchmaking, but they can be looked past when the game hits its prime and you're murdering thousands of pointy-toothed orcs.

It no doubt has several minor flaws, but is otherwise a fun sequel that clearly understands the weaknesses of the original and addresses them all.

Gravity Rush is a journey. An artistic, unique and intriguing journey. It's not as free or interactive as its 'open world' might have you think, but forget about that. It's an adventure through an odd and interesting land that pulls you through a twisting quest of isolation, dubious friendships and selfless heroics.

One of the most delightful games I've ever played, and the price is decent for the amount of content. For gamers interested in music or gaming oddities, this game is a must-buy, though it's a harder recommendation for a self-professed hardcore gamer that hasn't powered up his Wii in years.

A fun game that does a great job showing off the DS. Unique controls, a fun new concept for the series, and the same fun and imagination that made the Kirby series popular combine to make Kirby Mass Attack is fitting end to the popular handheld.

For every Mario-like overworld map screen and shifting platform puzzle it recycles, it sprinkles in a dash of new-age ingenuity, with fast-paced and complex obstacles, comical scientist slaughter, and laugh-out-loud '90s pop culture references.

The game’s difficulty will likely turn off a lot of casual gamers thinking they’re in for a routine Nintendo platformer, but the dedicated gamers who persevere through the toughest the game has to offer will find a satisfying game with loads of replay value that’s a blast to play.

Roleplaying games still have a place in the world, and Child of Light is a good reminder that it’s possible to honor what made the genre popular while still adding some modern flare.

The biggest hurdle towards recommending this game for the 3DS is the fact that it's so widely available on other platforms, and for less money.

The addictive core gameplay of hunting, gathering, and building is intact, with streamlined crafting and multiplayer that make the console version unique. It's definitely not a game for people with short attention spans or addictions to hyper-violence.

YDKJ marries difficult trivia with excellent presentation, biting humor, and an unpredictability that will make you look forward to every episode.

The biggest change the series has seen so far. Layton fanatics may cry foul at the series' change of 2D to 3D visuals, but upon playing the game you'll see the game is hands down the best looking of the series.

Monster Hunter takes for granted a lot of extracurricular effort on behalf of its players. How much extra research are you willing to do on a game’s systems before you expect to have fun with it? How many nonsensical, anachronistic hoops are you willing to jump through just for a slight taste of what this game will hopefully become in ten years’ time?

There's absolutely no doubt that Trenched offers a deep and entertaining action and strategy experience, built on a familiar premise, molded into an amazingly unique perspective.

Sonic CD is Sonic at his finest: fast, fun, and challenging. The past and future versions of each stage coupled with collecting every Time Stone means a good deal of replay value in a small package. Decent controls and a good soundtrack make the game an overall solid package.

Capcom has given us two excellent titles in Darkstalkers Resurrection that fighting game fans will absolutely love.

The robust feature sets and game modes help the replay value of this title as the season wears on.

This episode is a dire reminder of how the cruelest monsters aren’t the undead, and that the worst is always lurking around the corner.

Awesome gameplay and graphics. Tons of fully customizable items to unlock that you will be playing this game for years to come. Snoop Dog (or Snoop Lion). It hits all the right notes for true fighting game fans.

Despite this episode’s focus on item collecting instead of verbal crime solving, it continues to deliver on the fairytale angst.

The retro gameplay is an ironic breath of fresh air for the genre. A high challenge and rewarding leveling system makes each enemy kill worthwhile and addictive. Solving puzzles is just as satisfying as slaying ogres, but sometimes the difficulty can get the better of you with a particularly hard puzzle of fight.

Dragon’s Crown is going to be the next great multiplayer action RPG. It has all the ingredients to be a fantastic game: in-depth gameplay, tons of customization, superb multiplayer integration, and countless hours of replayability. That’s not even mentioning the game’s stunning one of a kind art style.

There's a lot of reverence and respect shown for this game here. As a value proposition it may not make a lot of sense and in more ways than one the campaign shows its age, but for hardcore Halo fans, those factors really shouldn't matter.

In PES 2013 there's a distinct realism to the flow of the game, how players move, how they receive the ball, how they pass, and how they look for space. It still lacks polish in both execution on the field, and particularly execution in the menus and management to make a serious run at FIFA's crown, but PES 2013 will absolutely wow soccer purists on-the-field, and if that's important enough to you, then this is the pick in the 2013 virtual soccer stakes.

The Wolf Among Us is a fantastic narrative adventure equal to its Walking Dead predecessor.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist both rewards players for focusing on one infiltration style while also encouraging experimenting with others. This kind of play-as-you-like approach isn’t new, but it’s hard to think of another game that means it with such certainty as Blacklist.

Last Light isn’t as gameplay-dense an action / stealth experience as Dishonored and it’s not as impossibly polished as Call of Duty. If you enjoy directed single-player experiences, you can’t go wrong with Last Light… just don’t expect the most focused or deep experience.

It's fun, easy to pick up for any newcomer, and something to play when friends come over. It's also a nice little distraction when you want something that's fast-paced yet demands less attention than a triple-A game might require.

Saints Row IV isn’t a dignified sign-off to the current generation of gaming in the way The Last Of Us is. Nor is it a ham-fisted GTA wannabe. It takes the core creative elements of the last Saints Row game and adds superpowers… not only in your character, now the President, but in its awareness, competency, comedy, and enthusiasm.

The visuals are universally great with detailed character models featuring natty costumes and appropriate attention to detail. The storyline really should appeal to DC Comics experts and novices alike for its tale of superhero battles.

From the levelouted maps to commander mode to the new squad mechanics, Battlefield 4 is a top-to-bottom improved multiplayer experience over Battlefield 3. And Battlefield 3 was damn good, so that’s saying a lot.

Reckoning is amusingly playable. Fundamentally simple its combat is colorful and effective and consistently makes you feel like the real star of this show.

It's fun, nice to look at, and will scratch your OCD itch of needing the next level of plate mail to complete your awesome battle attire.

Dual Destinies is another great game in the Ace Attorney series and superb welcome back to Phoenix himself.

Black Ops 2 on Wii U lives up to its Xbox counterpart (that being slightly superior to the PS3 version) in almost every way. The lack of CoD Elite support and live video streaming is irrelevant to your enjoyment of the actual game, and additionally insignificant next to the lack of players at the moment – a limitation that will subside as the user base grows.

Just like Portal 2, Vessel is about a universally recommended game as can exist. It's charming, entertaining, stimulating, and a hell of an experience for the price point.

The inclusion of a fully voiced cast and the open-world setting of Gotham make this one of the most ambitious games in the LEGO series to date. If you only play one Batman game that comes out this year, it should definitely be LEGO Batman 2.

Even when the experience turns alien in the run-in to the conclusion it's visually impressive at the very least.

Do you feel games similar to Fallout 3 are a little too open-ended? Or maybe Call of Duty is too linear? Well, Rage is some kind of happy medium between the two and it's unlike anything id has done before.

In all, it's a solid start to what is to be a promising roll out of Borderlands 2 DLC and it's an especially manageable adventure if you're level 15 or higher in your current playthrough (not counting raid bosses).

A great game, but it's not necessarily the greatest bang for your buck.

While some small flaws and occasionally dated features edge it closer to deposition, Gran Turismo is still the king of racing.

It's a fine introduction to strategy games for those intimidated of the genre, even if it has its challenges along the way.

Blood Dragon is a reminder that a story about one man killing thousands is just silly. That’s fine though, because games don’t always need to be serious. Games should just be fun, and that’s exactly what Blood Dragon is.

The fun gameplay coupled with an incredible amount of replayability should keep this cartridge in your handheld for months.

Now that I'm done crying about content, let's get down to the real reason to play Soulcalibur V. The gameplay has been improved for the better. Regardless of my gripes, it won't stop me from trying to be the best Chun Li-with-a-sword player I can be. This Soulcalibur is definitely worth playing.

The inclusion of a brand new game engine, new broadcast team, and wide ranging career mode make this year's version of Madden the biggest leap from one year to the next since the move to this generation of consoles.

Valiant Hearts accomplishes what only a small number of games can: it educates you on the highs and lows of a significant event in history, while creating a tragically beautiful game experience.

I liked the sense of accomplishment I felt after completing a complex level, and online play is entertaining. Racing game fans won't find the same type of gameplay in Gran Turismo, as the arcade style gameplay leans more toward the casual crowd.

But if you're a big fan of F1 – or motorsports in general – and you're up for a challenge, you can't go wrong. F1 2012 feels like it comes from a developer that truly gets the sport and has tried not just to simulate the handling of an F1 car, but capture an insider glimpse of what its like to have an F1 career. And it totally nails both.

It's got some nice simple puzzle sequences, some shootouts, and a truck full of drama. Let's just hope the final chapter doesn't take forever to come out.

Most Civ players will find the changes too minor and the original game complex enough that an expansion isn't necessary.

I can’t get past the fact that there is so much to do in Watch Dogs it almost feels like too much. Literally, you could spend 100 hours in varied missions that, while they eventually become a little repetitive, are backed by effective AI that makes each encounter sufficiently unique. The voyeurism of invading citizens’ personal space is truly compelling, even if the main story arc is relatively straightforward.

With Pokemon Black 2 and White 2, the game is starting to feel stale. The Pokemon series has been living off its laurels for some time now, and the series is in need of change.

Revelations very much feels to me like a team checking off items from a list. Ezio, Altair, and Desmond are here; there's parkour; there's combat; there's a bad guy, eventually; there are puzzles; there's a big beautiful world to explore. The problem is, they never seem to cohere into a single experience, and the kind of passion and quality that has made this series so good in the past is missing.

There's a lesson to be learned from Golden Abyss. Don't treat your games like tech demos. I understand the need to make the masses aware of all the cool things your device can do but there's plenty of better ways to do that than shoe horning touch controls into a game that doesn't need them. That said, there's a lot to like about Golden Abyss.

Aside from a story that is sometimes too silly and a difficulty too unforgiving, there's not a lot to complain about in Driver: San Francisco. There are certainly a lot of things to love. The gorgeous graphics and entertaining gameplay definitely make the game a thrill ride.

The Etrian Odyssey series remains the pinnacle of the dungeon crawling series for the current generation. Though the game’s high difficulty and required vigilance will not appeal to more casual gamers, it is exactly those aspects that will keep the cartridge in many an RPG fans’ 3DS for months to come.

I really wanted to love From Dust. I love the concept. I love Eric Chahi. But the gameplay feels like it was never play-tested, and the difficulty curve is wild and unsatisfying.

In so many ways, The Darkness II is an improvement over the original. The controls work better, the action is more straightforward, and you don't have to play Pikmin with a bunch of surly little demons. It's just more engaging and fun all around. But while its changes are noticeable, they're also subtle; this isn't a completely different game, it's more like a refinement of what worked before.

While many find the God of War series to be repetitive in its formula, it continues to deliver a refreshing take that satisfies the core fan base. And though the campaign is shorter and the number of epic boss fights leaves you wanting more, this is the most human we have ever seen Kratos and the story compels you to him unlike ever before.

For the Poke-Maniacs out there, these two games are easily the definitive versions of this generation, but only because they offer a few added side missions and graphical enhancements. For anyone that played and enjoyed the two games before, Black 2 and White 2 can be skipped without question.

There’s so much to take in from the world of Puppeteer that the seven hours you’ll spend on the moon may not be enough. It’s not a fluffy story by any means, given the idea of a boy running around without his head, but it still manages to have a sugary exterior that will delight and entertain.

Despite the elimination of the ability to deliver late hits and other illegal moves, NFL Blitz remains a fun arcade experience that can finally be taken online.

400 Days is not the emotional rollercoaster that was Season One, but it will still leave that bitter taste you get from the horrific consequences of your chosen decisions. Though the entire experience will take you less than two hours, for $4.99 it’s a good way to hold you over until we see Clementine again.