A Jekyll and Hyde of a game.

Though the game is incredibly difficult and will test the patience of even the most Zen players, it is still a blast to play and a definite challenge to hardcore players.

A fun game that is over all too quickly. The Mega Quest single-player game can get repetitive but offers up some good puzzle platforming action, and the multiplayer options will be a sure hit with your friends. Online gameplay and leaderboards add replayability to the game, but the cutesy art style might sway potential players away.

For longtime fans of the DiRT games, especially those who appreciate its realistic approach to rally racing, Showdown is an abomination, an overly simple sell-out, or a bad joke of a spin-off... But for fans of off-road racing games who want something more forgiving than DiRT but still somewhat rooted in reality, or someone wishing Forza Motorsport 4 had some off-road races and a demolition derby or two, Showdown is anything but a bumpy ride.

The whole experience feels like an anachronism. Younger gamers might accept some of these problems more readily, and when the game is on, it’s a lot of fun. If you enjoy the simplicity of the gameplay or collecting lots and lots of shiny objects, you’ll get tons of that here, giving you more entertainment after you’ve completed the main story.

Episode four serves to connect most of the pieces together and potentially meet the perpetrator behind all the chaos in Fabletown… though it doesn’t hype up the next episode as much as it could. Of course there’s always the possibility Telltale is saving the best stuff for the conclusion, so I’m still hopeful episode five will blow us all away.

Niggles aside, escapeVektor is a game in which everything included works perfectly and anything left on the cutting room floor isn't missed. It's a fantastic value in addition to being fantastically fun to play, and it belongs on every 3DS.

Warp implements fun new mechanics that haven't been fully embraced in a genre that just doesn't see much innovation. It's a brief, well-paced adventure that makes you actively use your brain along the way.

A tight, well-made package. Playing this game makes you feel like a badass and a finely-honed killing instrument. If you've ever waved around an electric saw, cackling with power, this is a game you need to play.

If you enjoy action games with quirk and charm, I can't recommend Binary Domain enough. It has all the hallmarks of an unpolished gem - except it's actually polished.

Even with its flaws, Magicka is fun and fresh, and offers a new experience for RPG fans.

Satisfying action and a fun cooperative experience make the game a blast to play, but a short lived campaign and frustrating difficulty hold the game back from being perfect.

Sadly, its targeting and save point distribution make it tough to recommend for all gamers. If you're a highly skilled player that loves a challenge then you might be able to look past the game's artificial difficulty.

Interesting puzzles, HD graphics, and a great soundtrack make for a one-of-a-kind puzzle experience. Tight controls keep things from being overly frustrating and a couple of extra modes add variety to the mix.

Syndicate is an incredibly ambitious, stylized, but definitely flawed game. I'm confident with another attempt, Syndicate could be something really special. I just hope that it gets the chance.

Wii controls continue to disappoint.

Don't get me wrong, I love the amount of jiggle, it's been a ridiculous and hilarious theme for several sequels now. But what I was really hoping for was more focus on how to play the game and tools to improve. I didn't see that in this installment.

Tokyo Jungle has the addicting gameplay to complement this rare animal takeover premise.

Contra and Metal Slug are the KFCs of the 2D shooter world. And this game is literally like hardboiled chicken–enjoyable for the price, but is no gourmet dish.

The game feels a tad lacking in content. Single player for each character takes less than 30 minutes to beat, multiplayer and versus aren't customizable by more than a few basic attributes – and unless you count the bonus challenges for each character, All-Stars will have you punching, kicking, shooting and supering your opponents for every moment you spend with it. More gameplay variety would have been nice.

There’s a gritty, punk spirit here that I haven’t seen since No More Heroes. As such, Shadow Warrior is more than a victory for fans of the original, but a spiritual rebirth of what made games of that era so fun in the first place.

Even though Neverwinter doesn’t challenge MMO norms in terms of content structure, it delivers retail-quality gameplay, endless expandability with user-generated content, and a fantastic twist on crafting that had me obsessively checking my crafting queue for hours. With a pricetag of free, all you have to lose is your time, and I can imagine about a hundred worse ways to spend your evening than playing Neverwinter.

From a story standpoint the single-player campaign is less ambitious than Black Ops II and less effective, despite several cool, fun moments. But wow, volume of content, tight multiplayer, and interest in Extinction, Ghosts is classic Call of Duty.

It's got its quirks; playing against the CPU can be a frustrating ordeal, and some of the autopilot weapons too often release you into tricky positions, sometimes even dropping you off the course completely. But the solid racing core laid out by ModNation Racers combined with the universe of creativity, variety and charm that the LBP franchise in known for makes for a karting game with near limitless potential and unrivaled multiplayer racing fun.

Though some of the minigames can be boring and uninspired, others can be a hoot while playing with friends.

With loads of unlockables, downright adorable presentation, and solid co-op gameplay, it's extremely difficult to think of a person that wouldn't enjoy LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean. Maybe if you hate the movies, hate LEGO games, or just plain hate happiness, you shouldn't give this game a chance.

A bite of fillet mingon is still better than a whole McDonald's burger. While The Missing Link doesn't deliver the robust experience of Human Revolution, it's the only way to experience more Deus Ex. That alone is worth the price of admission… just adjust your expectations accordingly.

By removing peripheral complexities, Hybrid focuses completely on what makes, or should make cover-based shooters fun. It reminds me a lot of NBA Jam - not in the sense that you'll pull of crazy tomahawk dunks as a futuristic mech soldier, but in that it creates basic, tight, and rewarding experiences by focusing on a few core gameplay mechanics.

The four or five challenges that click are easily worth the DLC's reasonable price. However, this DLC feels similar to the time trials in Mirror's Edge. Even though it's quality content it simply may not be what you want or expect. However, at such a price, I encourage you to jump in and find out for yourself.

A few technical hiccups here and there, a super-short campaign, and an almost nonexistent story weren't enough to hinder my enjoyment of Hard Reset.

Worms Revolution is more Worms, but it's more Worms with a few quirky twists. Though the water looks like jelly, it adds some never-before-possible mechanics into the world of Worms that make you ponder your plan of attack more thoughtfully.

CastleStorm is a great idea that just doesn’t click.

Make no mistake, this is a game for gamers: furious button mashing, intense competition, and destruction on a scale that only Platinum Games seems to understand.

In an age where any game can be explained in half a sentence, Rock of Ages is a refreshing rarity. It not only attempts fantastic originality but succeeds in that attempt more than it fails. If you appreciate originality, you owe yourself some time with Rock of Ages.

Disappointing. On its own the game is mediocre with a missed opportunity in character variety, short time to completion, and only a small amount of enemies. Compared to past games this is a downright disaster.

You get an awesome experience at an absurd value with Serious Sam 3: BFE. Not only is the campaign incredibly substantial, but it offers an experience not seen since Painkiller.

Unless you've been practicing your finger exercises and reviewing your combos, Marvel vs. Capcom Origins may wind up with somewhat limited lasting power. Sure, unlocking the various extras in the Vault will take a long while, but in the end, fighting games are simply meant for fighting others.

The Career mode is deep and involving, with a rewarding sense of progression as you earn new sponsors and bolt on better car parts...On the other hand, the multiplayer, which only offers single races online or in split-screen, is lacking more engaging features (and players, sadly).

With Kurt's character design, the smoothness in his movements, and the challenges he faces, I couldn't help but compare Pid to the award-winning Limbo. That said, Pid's exceedingly inviting visual style is a marked contrast to the overbearing sense of dread and isolation in Playdead's 2010 platformer.

Through complementary presentation, pacing, and the ease of the puzzles, the game’s rain mechanic transcends gimmickry and effectively serves both the gameplay and the narrative.

As a single-player game, Dungeon Siege III succeeds as a fun action-RPG. It doesn't offer anything particularly new, but gamers that enjoy hacking and looting by themselves should have fun. As a multiplayer game, Dungeon Siege III is disappointing.

There are so many aspects of this game to which I can say "if only"… if only the camera worked right, if only the controls were tighter, if only there were more to do than find keys and kill the same dudes over and over again. But the game is what it is, and the bad seems to outweigh the good at every turn.

If you're jonesing for classic, Rare-made GoldenEye and your N64 is nowhere to be found, then the updated Reloaded is definitely a must-buy. But if you don't already have an attachment to the old game, there isn't much here for you.

All in all, everything here is fantastic-I just wish that there were about twice as much of it.

With homebuilding, a rival monster summoner, and the justifiably angry villagers, Haunted Hollow offers the kind of multitasking stimulation that is worthy of the attention of real time strategy fans. Granted, the multiplayer is asynchronous, but that makes the game equally welcoming to newcomers of strategy games.

Only the most ardent Dead Rising fans should buy this game.

Amid the Ruins ends abruptly, but the cliffhanger serves to amp up the suspense for the finale.

NES Remix is such a simple concept yet it works exceedingly well.

The game definitely has a bigger roster, badder presentation, and better gameplay. The new controls are easy to pick up and fun to play.

The Amazing Spider-Man has laid an awesome foundation of gaming mechanics through its open-world design; I just hope to see more of it embraced in future games.

Unfortunately their goal of creating an epic, apocalyptic first-person zombie survival gameends up cracking under the weight of their own ambition. A smaller scale and some more time in development and Dead Island could have been the zombie game we've always wanted.

Though the variety of gameplay gives Retro City Rampage a broad scope, the redundancy of driving back and forth quickly becomes stale.

A greatly enjoyable game that fans of both series' will find a lot to love. Though it's short and strays away a bit from traditional Mega Man games, Street Fighter x Mega Man is a great play that you honestly have little reason not to experience.

This is the framework for a feature-packed, capable shooter, but it falls over with some questionable AI and occasionally clunky cover-based controls – twitchy aiming and sometimes disobedient snap-out-of-cover mechanics from 'AAA' games such as Gears of War or Metal Gear Solid.

I am really impressed with GOME, AI issues notwithstanding. As a gateway to MOBAs, this game hooked me in a way I did not expect. It's got that immediate gratification spirit to it, where I finish a match and immediately want to jump into another.

Once again a 3DS game fails to realize its huge online multiplayer potential.

Fans that want something like Monster Hunter but not in the same setting shouldn't hold their breath for Gods Eater Burst to be anything more than a quick diversion.

I can't help but feel like there could've been more to Gotham City Impostors.

The 3rd Birthday should have been brilliant, but is merely decent.

Career mode and online play offer up what you'd expect from a tennis game, albeit an uninspired experience that doesn't distinguish itself from its competitors. The game is helped by two unique and effective control schemes that offer up a completely new way to play.

The way the action slows down to zoom in on a brutal kick is reminiscent of how similar camera tricks worked for Street Fighter IV. This enhances Asura's Wrath greatly and turns a game that might've been a generic brawler into a positively memorable one.

The game's long-term entertainment value is tied up in multiplayer, and while I'm confident the user-generated tracks will always yield new and interesting experiences, playing with other players won't so much.

While it may seem trivial to say, Age of Empires Online lives up to its title perfectly. It's a fully-featured Age of Empires game, while including all the Online trappings an MMO aficionado could want.

If you do have friends who can't get enough of heists, then Payday is a fine choice and an arguable target for a lawsuit from Michael Mann.

Despite these problems, though, Liberation brings a hugely engaging and interesting gameplay mechanic to the series, one that's informed by the character herself. For that reason alone, it's impossible for me not to recommend this game.

For as “action packed” and “feature laden” as it is, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge suffers from a lack of balance and will no doubt be a source of frustration for those who try to go against its painful grain.

If you’re the type of gamer that likes talking about games as much as playing them, The Cave will give you plenty to talk about. Otherwise, if you’re just after a fun and well-crafted experience, there’s too much chaff in this package.

The controls are not only responsive, but they show a subtlety we don't normally see in motion-controlled games. It's just too bad that what could've been a fun, magical romp is deflated by generic fantasy tropes and equally uninspired visuals and sounds.

They really don't make games like Hell Yeah anymore. It's one of the most random and oddball games I've played. It's one of those games where a bunch of wildly creative developers got together, had a bunch of fun, and made a game without ever asking "why?"

If you’re looking for a fun, maddening, and nostalgic romp through your 1980s childhood, DuckTales: Remastered fits that bill.

The game is crafted like a shoot-'em-up, meaning you really need to dig in and master it to understand where its value lies. If you have the temperance for that type of play, Lollipop Chainsaw is one of the best brawlers in the last few years. Combine that with an effortless sense of humor and Suda 51's one-of-a-kind style, and you have gaming perfection for the right kind of gamer.

Remember Me’s unique take on user-influenced combat and a scary futuristic dystopia managed to make a lasting impression, one that everyone should consider adding to their memory bank.

While we could have done without the non-linear storytelling, it wasn’t hard to keep tabs on the scattered episodes of Jodie’s life. Beyond: Two Souls is certainly an overall advancement on the mechanics of Heavy Rain, just don’t expect it to be David Cage’s magnum opus… that’s still to come.

With open battlefields, near-future toys, and fast pacing, Homefront's multiplayer is the real reason to purchase this game. It may not explode with content, but what it does, it does well.

Though actual gameplay is on the lower end, witty writing and impressive visual variety ensure your time spent with the crossover strategy RPG is memorable.

The game is a faithful port of the arcade game, but the appeal to purchase it is really only for fans of the original seeking a dose of nostalgia.

An extremely competent and oftentimes innovative platformer that has a ton going for it.

Mario Tennis Open is like Jessica Alba with a giant, puss-filled zit right on the tip of her nose. Its flaws are glaring and hard to overlook – a beginner-friendly control system that harms competitive online play for purists and, more crucially, a distinct lack of imagination.

Issues with navigation and annoying load problems are impossible to ignore, and it stings to think of a version of this game that doesn’t suffer from those drawbacks. Still, Thief is just about the best modern Thief game I could ask for.

Even though the game gets repetitive you're constantly receiving rewards and increasing your stats, which makes the game addictive.

A mixed bag. The action and strategy implemented in an already demanding sub-genre of shooters is engaging and fun, but a lack of gameplay modes and stages cuts the experience short all too quickly. Dreadful voice acting, bland sound, and a lack of a compelling story keep the game from being stellar.

While it partially succeeds in exploring some of the aspects of pirate life, it doesn't deliver on it enough to make the experience super exciting.

Due to the horrible AI, I can't bring myself to grant a higher score, but don't let that scare you. Even if you're stuck playing offline, you can still have a great time conducting a nighttime ambush or calling in airstrikes while perched atop a craggy vista, and if possible, the co-op is something that shouldn't be missed.

Orcs is not a game for everyone, but you should absolutely give it a look if you're interested in ambitious design or interesting worlds.

The HD treatment, online multiplayer, casual mode for newbies, and extra goodies to unlock ensure plenty of playtime for each of the various titles.

Foul Play is a combination of good and not so good. On one hand the overarching theme, visuals, and humor are top notch. But on the other the gameplay is boring and there is little challenge.

I really enjoyed the ridiculousness of playing poker to stop ice wolves and castle guardians (just think about it…).

The tension-inducing design present in I Am Alive's mechanics extends to its checkpoint system, which I would describe as torturous.

A fairly competent game that is held back by some mediocre platforming sections.

A fun game. There's little to criticize here, save a price on the higher end of the XBLA spectrum, but you really can't compete with free.

The 3DS itself seems like an odd choice for a game like this, what with its small screen and isolated user base-compared, at least, to the massive communities surrounding PC games in the same genre.

Touch My Katamari is FUN - fast-paced, zany fun.

But the new game types, cartoon graphics and on-rails acceleration turn it into a car version of the human slingshot PSN game Pain.

There are still a few hiccups with AI, glitches in gameplay and presentation, and repetitive commentary that need to be checked off on the "To Do" list for next year. Overall, it's a solid, occasionally masterful, occasionally frustrating sim of the national pastime.

Black Forest Games revitalized its series by staying true to the game’s origins while still moving past its blatant clone gimmicks.

The core gameplay is still enjoyable and the addition of DC characters makes this game the most expansive yet. But if you’ve already played around as God with Maxwell’s notebook then there is little reason to return.

While Gungnir is in no means a bad game, there isn't anything about it that calls out to be played. The story isn't entirely original, but the lower class uprising setting fits well with the gameplay (as it does with most titles in the genre).

If you enjoyed EDF 2017, Earth Defense Force 2025 is a no-brainer. And if you somehow missed out? Jump on your chance to experience Earth Defense Force for the first time.