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.

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.

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.

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.

Ultimately you have to scrape to find a substantive problem with Wolfenstein: The New Order. If you mandate profound innovation in the games you play, it’s possible that New Order may be too traditional for your tastes. Regardless, it’s a well-made, extremely create, and fun ass game. If you want to sit down and just have fun, you can’t ask for more than that.

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.

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.

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

Yoshi’s New Island isn’t a bad game; it just doesn’t live up to the legacy set forth by its predecessors.

Reaper of Souls offers a suitably complete, if uninspiring, revisit to this dark, desolate world. It’s darkly beautiful (one day I’d like to walk through these towns as they were originally created and admire the beauty, not the desolation), superbly crafted (as we expect from Blizzard), and fittingly familiar.

Tales of Symphonia Chronicles is a wonderful addition to any RPG lover’s library and a showcase of the best the Tales series has to offer.

What matters is what Titanfall is. And that is an expertly formed shooter. It lacks many built-in charms gamers might expect, like obvious eSports functions and game modes that really promote how this experience is truly different. But it’s also clear that this is stage one of an ongoing process.

While Strider could have benefited from a more concise overworld design, its lengthiness does give the game a “slow burn” appeal, something you don’t usually associate with Metroidvania-style games, let alone 2D side scrollers.

A great representation of what Telltale does best: engrossing us in a dark world of secrets and deceit, where the walkers aren’t the only monsters lurking in the shadows.

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.

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.

It’s been almost a year since Gears of War: Judgment, and Garden Warfare took little time to renew my fondness for last-stand style missions. Yet more than anything, PopCap managed to successfully reinterpret their flagship franchise without losing sight of what made the series’ characters so memorable.

As MercurySteam deserves credit for keeping much of the combat consistent with the first Lords of Shadow, they’ve also earned recognition for being consistent with the series’ detailed and visually robust art direction.

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.

A touching account of two young girls struggling to make sense of a world stripped of its humanity, and it is a tale worth exploring. Nevertheless there are moments the gameplay feels disjointed from the narrative, potentially pitting the overlapping stories at odds with one another. Admittedly, it’s wonderful to spend more time with Ellie, especially before her involvement with the Fireflies.

It’s the third game in the thirteenth of a series dating back to 1987, yet it’s also one of the most successfully inventive games I’ve ever played. It puts you in control of everything, which is a total inverse of Final Fantasy’s traditional position.

Enthusiasts will love the throwback gameplay, and the unique spin on battles complements both veterans and newcomers. There are plenty of reasons to keep playing and replaying the game, not the least of which being the variety of jobs available to test.

Ultimately the pace of Smoke and Mirrors is quite different from Faith, but it’s a change that seems necessary for Bigby to do his job. Familiar camera angle issues and an oddly placed fight aside, The Wolf Among Us continues to deliver. The game is still a great bridge for new fans to familiarize themselves with the Fables lore and old fans to connect the dots only they know exist.

Story and supporting cast don’t match Lara’s characterization growth.

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

Ultimately, it seems a bit unfair to give Continue? a score—it’s a game that can mean everything or nothing depending greatly on your worldly interpretation. Where games like Gone Home and Papers Please have a clear fundamental message tugging on your principles, Continue? is either answering life’s questions or presenting some you weren’t considering before—apparently while “late at night with a glass of wine or some weed.”

This episode truly begins to set in place Clementine’s lost innocence.

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

Now, it’s relatively short, and completing each section awards a hefty 75 achievement points, which might be enough to compel some Gamerscore-whores to stick with it. But it’s ultimately a tedious slog with not enough self-awareness to make each snappy interaction in any way rewarding.

All told, Super Mario 3D World is a difficult game to pigeonhole. It borrows elements from multiple Mario games and ends up creating something new in the combination. It’s not as profound as Super Mario 64 but it’s still an interesting expansion of the Mario experience. 3D World is full of smart ideas and everything works.

If you thrive on variety, your patience with Forza 5 will wear thin in ten hours or so… and the idea that DLC may fill out the experience sometime in the future isn’t very comforting. That’s tragic, because Forza 5 is one of the most gorgeous and best-feeling racers I’ve ever played.

Driving on both sides of the pursuit/chase coin are equally engrossing, but where the game transcends other racers is the opportunity to race friends and escape the police at the same time. It can be a lot to take in, but there is a near palpable rush in managing these objectives while trying to make it back to your garage in one piece.

Alien Rage may have made a positive impact if it were released in 2007; however its ambition isn’t matched in execution. The shooting and technical graphics work well, but a lack of distinctive moments fail to distinguish Alien Rage from a sea of same-y space-marine, sci-fi, alien shooters.

I loved the huge variety of new maps but felt the meld upgrades sapped some of Enemy Unknown’s bite. The other half of that sentiment is that I now feel empowered to pick up my Hard / Ironman run again. The neatest summary I can give is this: if you want an excuse to play more XCOM, you’ve got it.

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.

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

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.

The freshness of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag puts any concerns of sequel fatigue to rest.

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.

Small improvements make the game better in ways I didn’t even know I wanted. The ease of online connectivity and interacting with players from around the world makes these games even more immersive and entertaining. Finally bringing the franchise into the third dimension makes the game look and feel like nothing we’ve experienced yet.

Pokemon X and Pokemon Y are the best, most refined versions of the games to date.

The director’s commentary is completely worth it, especially if you’re a big fan of the original, but you can get that on other platforms for a cheaper price. At the end of the day, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is an amazing game that Director’s Cut only makes better. You should absolutely play it, but weigh your available platforms first.

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.

It’s incredibly telling that all Wind Waker needs is an HD spit-shine to belong in 2013. No game is released in a vacuum, but the greatest games are fun no matter when you play them. This re-release puts Wind Waker in that column, right along classics like Super Mario Bros. and Pac-Man. It’s an incredible game.

Rune Factory 4 certainly isn’t a game for everyone. The intended audience is rather niche, but if you’ve enjoyed past games in the franchise or are looking for a solid RPG to hold your attention for several days you can rest assured your time with Rune Factory 4 will be well spent.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

A fantastic collection of three of the earliest Kingdom Hearts games and stories. There isn’t a mountain of must-play new material here, but the updated visuals, bonus content, adjustable difficulty, and trophy support for all three games should make a repeat playthrough of the games as satisfying as the first.

What other game on the market today is like the Wonderful 101? None.

Getting through the main story in a timely manner was a challenge in itself, but in that time I found that GTA V was possibly the most well-paced open world game I have ever played. I never felt like I didn’t have something to do and as of right now, I’m going right back in to do it all over again. I’ve been with GTA since the beginning way back in ‘97, and it feels like GTA V is the culmination of everything we love about the series: It’s big, it’s pretty, and most importantly it’s just nonstop fun.

Out of the Shadows has all the trimmings of a fantastic brawler, but none of it works as it should. For every highlight the game showcases there are multiple failures: shoddy controls, a complicated combat system, and far too many glitches.

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.

Brothers is a touching story that strays from the cookie cutter formulas we’ve come to expect from the industry. The brothers’ journey is full of raw emotion, even if it borders on the line of pretentious at times.

If you enjoyed The Stanley Parable or Dear Ester, or you’re a fan of narrative-driven games, you owe it to yourself to play Gone Home. For $20 it can seem quite steep so you have to be willing to pardon the linear gameplay and short length in favor of the journey. But the few tears I shed confirm that I feel the experience is worth it.

No doubt Rayman Legends is not for everyone. But if you appreciate art and you’re willing to put in the hours for completion, you’ll no doubt be rewarded with a grueling and rewarding platforming experience.

By resembling both a shooter and real-time version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified isn’t the easiest game to grasp. Yet, if you tough it out through the game’s initial hours, there’s a lot gratification to be found in AI team management.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

If you’re a Pikmin fan, pluck the cash from your wallet, hand it to Nintendo, and enjoy the best Pikmin experience around. Just don’t be shocked if you’re left expecting a bit more in the way of story.

Fans of the original rejoice; it’s everything you’d want in a resurrection. Newcomers should exercise more caution. ROTT is a fantastic game with unrestrained charm, but it comes with a little more fire than modern games will have prepared you to expect.

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.

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.

Every addition is more than just a +1 to the feature list. Instead, it ricochets up and down the systems that are already in place, giving you new options and methods of play. Brave New World is the real Civilization V; get it and never look back.

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.

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.

Urban Trial Freestyle isn’t Trials HD, but it can have its moments: when you’re flying through the levels, landing after huge falls, and getting super fast times the game is quite fun.

Luigi U is absolutely worth playing if you enjoyed the original Mario U… or any Mario for that matter.

Overall the game offers a robust offering of modes and solid gameplay that will have you playing well into the college season.

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.

If you’re open-minded enough for that to justify your time, Game & Wario will satisfy you. I suspect that won’t be too many gamers though.

New Leaf is a massive game that has broad appeal. No one person in my group of friends was playing the game the same way.

By and large, Rush Bros. stumbles across the finish.

A great package. The replay value is extremely high thanks to a diverse cast of characters, unlockable content, and online multiplayer. Visually the game is impressive, with various levels to explore and enemies to fight.

Playing for the humor and Deadpool’s banter with other Marvel characters are good enough reasons to give Deadpool (the game) a shot. The best jokes are evenly spread out and make the journey through generic levels more tolerable. Yet, if the likes of God of War and Ninja Gaiden have spoiled you with sublime and fluid framerates, Deadpool might be hard to swallow.

It’s hard to ask for more from a game in terms of content. Company of Heroes 2 provides a robust campaign, substantive side challenges, and a deep multiplayer that has the potential to foster a thriving community. It’s unfortunate, then, that control issues and obtuse game systems cloud the experience.

Racing die-hards may find GRID 2′s schizophrenic approach to driving physics an interesting curiosity, but you can find any angle of GRID 2′s experience executed more successfully in other games.

Although short, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a fun, exciting, and story-driven game. The way in which Silas recants his tales, the rewarding leveling system, the variety of locations and situations you play through, and the superb voice acting make the game memorable and worthwhile.

Overall, multiplayer is light on modes and it may not expand on the core story-driven experience, but it’s still a thoughtful addition to a superbly executed package.

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.

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.

If you’re a fan of RTS and strategy games, you can get a few good evenings out of StarDrive, just don’t expect the endless addiction and spotless interface of Civilization.

I do wish that the story had more meat, and did more to make me care about the four characters.

If there was ever any question about “tower offense” being a viable sub-genre of tower defense, let Anomaly 2 stand as a definitive game to prove its worth.

So much of what makes Resident Evil: Revelations work is how Capcom plays it safe with level designs and gameplay mechanics. That said, the new characters and the bio scanner help turn the game into something more than a well made by-the-numbers Resident Evil. While it's not an optimized HD port of the 3DS version (to be so would require enhanced textures across the board), it still looks great and controls even better.

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.

Making the most of Krieg requires more situational awareness than other Borderlands 2 characters. Between watching your health and cooldowns in your UI while dealing melee kills in crowds, there’s a lot to handle. What you do get out of Krieg is a palatable rush regardless of how often you die, and at least dying gives you the chance of taking enemies with you.

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.

Sacred Citadel is a fine hack n’ slash side-scroller, and it’s even better with friends. The online netcode could use an upgrade and I wish there was a bit more content to flesh out the package, but for the price, Sacred Citadel is a solid adventure to be had. And it doesn’t force you into piles of menus to manage your character – that’s a bonus in itself, am I right?

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.

If you missed out on Dragon’s Dogma the first time around, Dark Arisen is a must-play. Arisen’s content is different from the original game, but in a way that’s additive when combined with the experience. On the other end of the spectrum, dedicated Dogma fans will get their money’s worth thanks to the increased level cap, scads of new items, and new end-game boss encounters.