A description of the gameplay, the setting, and the story all seem great in theory, but my short time with Contrast left me with more disappointment than satisfaction, particularly on the gameplay side of things.

Even with the lackluster character models, lack of smooth scrolling and generic plot with its awkward moments; Ys: Memories of Celceta is still a blast to play. The combat system just blows most other concerns out of the way.

Tiny Brains has delivered the best multiplayer experience I have had on the PS4 so far, and brings me back to the fun co-op days of Scott Pilgrim and Castle Crashers.

Just Dance is a guilty pleasure that few want to admit they are playing, but that everyone is having fun with, so give in to your heart’s desires and just… dance.

Rainbow Moon is not a bad game, but the removal of some systems and the polishing of others would make is stand more than “the game with a ton of stuff to do.”

To be able to pause a battle, and take over on the Vita when someone decides they want to watch something on cable, is a great way to continue your battles without creating a battle in your living room.

The improved graphics, gameplay, physics, and atmosphere make it one of the best Madden titles to date.

It’s not a groundbreaking game, and it’s not in contention for game of the year, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a fun.

Knack is technically impressive with its utilization of extreme particle physics and bringing to life what could have easily been a Dreamworks animated film, but the gameplay does little to really satisfy.

NBA Live 14 isn’t a broken or unplayable game, it’s just not in the same league as the 2K series yet.

Resogun is short, but considering the challenge, an added online co-op mode, and a reliance on besting high-scores that you’ll actually feel compelled to beat, there’s plenty to keep you busy.

At the end of 90 minutes, FIFA 14 on the next-gen consoles doesn’t deliver anything jawbreaking, instead opting to improve the game through graphics, animations, and minor gameplay tweaks.

The excellent integration of the Vita’s features into its gameplay, the way Tearaway reaches out to the player, the charming and well-developed world, the use of imagination in a medium where imagination is a precious and often forgotten thing – these factors stand above the negative to create an experience you should play at least once.

Killzone: Shadow Fall isn’t the best game for the PS4, but it is the Trophy Wife of the PS4 launch lineup. It’s absolutely gorgeous, and you’ll love to show it to be the envy of all your friends. But beyond the good looks, she’s actually kinda dumb, lacking personality, and can get on your nerves at times.

You would think that borrowing elements from two of the greatest games in the last decade would make for one awesome experience, and while it feels mesmerizing, it doesn’t live up to either predecessor.

Need for Speed Rivals is clearly ready for the next generation of gaming, and so are we.

My largest disappointment came in how quickly my adventure came to a close, but given the solid overall experience, I am very interested to see where developer Zoink! goes from here.

While Into the Nexus is short, there is a lot of replay value, some decent challenge on the harder difficulties, and a lot of stuff to unlock.

WWE 2K14 is well worthy of a purchase from wrestling fans, the fluid gameplay along with the 30 Years Of WrestleMania give you enough content that will keep you coming back to take out your would be opponents both offline and online.

There’s an entertaining story accompanying a decent-length campaign, there’s a handful of multiplayer options, and strategy is required if you’re going to play against another person.

Fantastic fun. Brawlers tend to be easy to get into but there were times I sincerely had trouble putting down the controller.

Even if it isn’t a drastic departure from what some have grown to hate or love, it is still a product that is tremendously fun to play with your friends and has enough options to keep you playing for hundreds of hours.

With a campaign this good and plenty of graphically astounding action in single player and multiplayer, Battlefield 4 is a complete shooter package.

All in all, it was a hard game to play through because I felt like I had done it all before. That isn’t to say that Arkham Origins is a bad game, not by a long stretch. On its own, Arkham Origins is a good game. But Origins is a good game because Arkham City was a great game, and it does nothing to create its own identity.

The game is stunning, and the Caribbean makes for a gorgeous setting.

If you can get through the glitches and barebones plot, there is a good game to be played. I had fun with Blackgate. I will be playing through it again because this is the style of game I really like. It certainly could have been better, but Blackgate is still an above average experience.

It brings a level of child-like enthusiasm and joy to each level and character that just can’t be passed up.

Even people who like Beer Pong would be more amenable to setting up a physical game, replacing beer with root beer or another drink as per the rules of some colleges. It would be more fun, and definitely preferable to playing Beer Pong! on a PS3.

While Rocksmith 2014 won’t be replacing the guitar teacher, it was designed as a supplemental tool to make learning and practice a lot of fun. I feel that it succeeds in this design and is an essential addition to any guitarist’s arsenal, whether you’re picking up a guitar for the first time or you’ve been playing for years.

At its best Valhalla Knights 3 has promise. But that promise is hidden beneath so much grime it’s just not worth the effort. Move along, there’s nothing to see here.

The Wolf Among Us is an excellent visual novel with, I’m sorry to report, a maddening cliffhanger for episode 2.

Players looking for an in-depth simulation of F1 racing have just found their porn.

This is an online based brawler with limited combat options, limited number of levels, a non-existent community from the start and a bot system that will never give you the same experience as playing a regular match.

Yes, SWAP Force could prove to be the most expensive thing you buy this holiday season (and that’s including a PS4 and launch games), but it’ll pay out in hours of playtime with children or non-gamers who are turned off from gaming’s penchant for violence.

Visually everything is stimulating, the sounds are present, and you sense the atmosphere of the surrounding the action. NBA 2K14 isn’t ground-breaking, but still a very solid game.

Beyond is not a perfect game. It has control flaws that are glaring and some mundane issues like pop-in that will bother a number of gamers, but if you are looking for something with enough heart and passion to tell a truly great story in a unique and exciting way, Beyond: Two Souls is a must have.

The game does manage to immerse players in Rain‘s world and the sound team in particular has done a fantastic job. The results of their work will likely draw an emotional response from Rain‘s intended audience. For people looking to play a game, this is not Rain’s foremost concern. For people looking to experience a narrative, Rain is for you.

Sanctum 2 will provide plenty of replay for players seeking an FPS and tower defense hybrid. However, the slow start, apparent sequel/DLC-based development, and graphical problems which should have been ironed-out between PC and PS3 release do hamper an otherwise good game.

If anyone is still wondering if GTA has lost its ability to take on the politically correct about ‘appropriate’ content, do not fear, as it is full of violence, social commentary and explicit nature that is sure to aggravate someone with too much time on their hands.

This is an easy pass.

Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate takes a previously released title back to the gym, worked out some known kinks in its system, adds in some new flavors of game play, pushes the total roster to 29 fighters, takes the best parts from the PS Vita version, and repackages it in a way that should draw in new fans, all the while pleasing long time fans of the series.

If the original Germinator impressed you, then this is an easy, cheap pickup for a few hundred more levels.

The combat can be a bit simplistic and shallow, but it doesn’t keep it from being enjoyable. It is a game that can be enjoyable without any knowledge of the amine/manga, and by people who don’t care for either of those mediums.

There is a certain magic present here that a decade has only made stronger. Newcomers and fans alike will find enjoyment in this collection and you won’t able to help smiling at plenty of moments, even if you’ve seen them play out before.

The game plays well, but at the same time the controls are nothing to write home about. Despite Kutaro’s tricks, the gameplay is relatively simple.

It isn’t the most technical or complex music game you are bound to run into, nor is it the easiest to get into at first. Once it gets going, though, you´ll find it hard to resist the urge of kicking fools in the face.

As much as I was hoping (and, quite frankly, expecting) Killzone: Mercenary to be the perfect representation of a first-person shooter on the PlayStation Vita, it just isn’t. A sub-par single player campaign is only saved by the fast-paced and fun multiplayer.

Visually, the game looks stellar on the PlayStation 3, with enemies and effects all popping extremely brightly.

I just wish there was a more elegant solution for touch-screen gameplay that simply doesn’t translate to platforms other than Wii U, where Legends was conceptualized and built first.

The Vita version of Spelunky turned out brilliantly and is probably the best port of the game you could pick up, especially if you plan on taking the game out on the road with friends.

If you’re an experimental gamer who seeks out the weird and unusual, no matter how unintelligible it is, Killer Is Dead will be right up your alley. For everyone else, the game is bargain bin at best.

Madden NFL 25 is the epitome of what makes Madden great. It’s a refined experience, slightly improved in every way—just as it is each year.

The Bureau is a decent game that fails to bring anything new to gamers’ tables. With a period alien invasion having been done before in titles like Resistance, gameplay mechanics ripped straight from Mass Effect, and XCOM elements wrangled together, The Bureau feels like an unpolished conglomeration of games that have come before it.

If you’ve always been worried about doing complex motions, those aren’t present here. Two buttons, that’s all you’ll have to worry about, and that is a liberating feeling.

Payday 2 is not a game for people looking for something without flaws, as it currently rests, it is only a shell of the potential it holds.

An empowering, open game, with plenty for everyone to love, and perhaps most importantly, it’s just a ridiculous amount of fun. Unfortunately a number of small bugs and a short campaign length put the brakes on this fun experience a lot sooner than I would have liked.

Fans of the cartoon and original game will love all of the improvements and visuals, and will most likely embrace the nostalgia. Everyone else will have fun and then move on.

Despite flaws in the difficulty curve, I would still highly recommend ibb and obb if you’re looking for an awesome online or couch co-op experience.

What the game does do is bring together a compelling story full of interesting characters, vibrant worlds, and a combat system that is fun and fluid. The team behind the game didn’t just recycle the same old game, as the linking system adds a new and interesting dimension to the already phenomenal combat system.

I loathed Cloudberry Kingdom 20 levels in and never stopped. I am one of the people who, when greeted with the opening paragraph, would have stopped reading. However, all of the loathing I feel cannot blind me to what is an excellent game which works not only with itself, but perfectly with its intended audience.

Dragon’s Crown is, hands down, one of the most beautiful and fun pieces of art that I have ever interacted with. The visuals alone would be enough to justify a high score, but the gameplay cements it in place, minus some confusion when the screen gets really busy and some minor annoyances with the menu system and story progression in couch co-op.

The combat is refined and easy to get into, and the amount of things to do and stuff to unlock will keep players coming back.

This game is definitely worth the money, and if you’re looking for a really good puzzle game, or just a really good game in general that will test your mind, Stealth Inc is something you should buy.

For me, I started to get bored with Coconut Dodge: Revitalised after about an hour, mostly because the early stages are really boring. I then took a break and came back to it a couple hours later, getting further than I ever had before, enjoying myself as the difficulty ramped up.

There is very little in Time and Eternity to warrant paying full or even half price to try out.

There really is no reason this game should exist. It’s not even a good game for fans of the movie/comic book.

Overall, NCAA Football 14 delivers in pretty much every way imaginable, with a few issues that arise from the Infinity Engine 2 and some issues with the no huddle offense. The improvements that it brings with this year’s installment are what fans have been asking for.

Putting aside the quirky and cute foreign styling and the heavy framerate dips, the gameplay is solid, if for nothing else but a “turn off your brain” kind of arcade fun.

For anyone who has played through all of Season 1 and can’t wait for Season 2, this does have its moments and immerses you back into the world you helped shape last year, even if it is just for an hour.

For fans of Vanillaware’s games, this is a no-brainer. Muramasa Rebirth is the more complete version of its Wii predecessor. With an amazing art style, fast action, and even some humor, sidescroller fighting game fans will find a lot to like here. This is one of the Vita’s prettiest games, and is fun to boot!

Deadpool is a weekend rental for sure, or pick it up on sale; just don’t rush to buy it at full price.

Aside from a few minor technical issues (they should be fixed in a future patch) and less than impressive visuals, Velocity Ultra is perfect for PlayStation Vita owners who want a fun, fast-paced, and just overall awesome game.

While the retro 2D top-down environments aren’t much different than an old school RPG or adventure game, the visual filters, soundtrack and ultra violence really make you feel less like an adventuring hero and more like you’re slowly becoming a murderer-for-hire with a tenuous grip on sanity.

Magic 2014 isn’t much of a sequel to Magic 2013 - more of an iteration – but it is more Magic, which is a good thing.

With the variety of game modes, tournaments and unlockables, the novelty of the title sticks around for longer than one would expect. In my opinion, Pool Nation is well worth the price of entry and perhaps the best pool sim on the PS3.

Long story short, do not buy this $15 game. Instead I would recommend that you just put the money to better use by throwing it in the air and doing a little dance, I honestly think you will find more entertainment from that.

The constant need to start over due to what I perceive as a flaw in the core system of the game ruined any enjoyment.

Quell: Memento is nice and a good way to kill a couple afternoons or trips around town.

I wouldn’t recommend playing Men’s Room Mayhem for longer than 20 or so minutes at a time, or you will quickly find the breaking point at which the game gets old. Ironically, Mayhem is the perfect game for a trip to the men’s room.

It’s a hallmark of excellence in writing, design, and performance. Naughty Dog and Sony not only have a system seller on their hands, but a game that’ll define an entire console generation—a true classic that’ll be talked about and fondly regarded for years to come.

Fuse is a standard cooperative third person shooter developed by a top tier developer, but it is not a life altering experience or a game that will stand the test of time for years to come.

If you have the $5 to spend and want a minimalist RTS that does have its good moments, you should buy it. Just be prepared to watch some very slow pong paddles walk around when you wish they would go much faster.

I would never recommend it to a casual player; but to everyone else searching for a challenging single player first-person game—Metro: Last Light is what you have been waiting for.

There are good qualities about this game – nods to other titles which also share strong science fiction or adventure settings—but the overwhelming gameplay issues, bugs which can shut down gameplay, lack of a decent plot, and the overall tedium of the game make it a less than mediocre title.

The game could have really benefited from coming off its wheels and really opening up the exploration to give you more to do.

Thomas Was Alone might not be a flashy, adrenaline pumping action-fest, but it is everything that I love about quirky PSN games.

Hidden underneath all the issues with Poker Night 2, there’s an enjoyable game. If Telltale manages to patch Poker Night 2 on the PS3 to a level where it runs smoothly, you should buy it, especially if you’re a fan of the characters features in the game. Since we aren’t at that point yet, hold on to your money.

Provided you haven’t driven yourself mad with the many touch slashing games already available on a multitude of touchscreen devices, Draw Slasher is a serviceable game to help you spend a few hours killing enemies with your fingers. Like I said though, you should wait for a sale because it isn’t anything you have to play right away.

There’s a lot to enjoy in Zombie Tycoon 2, even though at first glance it might seem a little generic and barebones in comparison to more serious real-time strategy games.

Its quest structure makes it perfectly suited for a portable, yet its addictive nature will have a lot of players never wanting to put it down.

God Mode would not feel out of place in a traditional arcade, and I could see many people pumping quarters into a machine to play this game for hours.

The easy move set, complemented by the addition of a dodge roll; combined with the Action RPG elements and encased by really good local and online ease of entry make for a truly fun title to keep any player busy for at least an afternoon.

The main problem I see with Injustice, is that it lacks enough differences from Mortal Kombat to truly feel like a unique game, and is instead most of what made the Mortal Kombat reboot shine, packed into a DC Universe wrapper.

Well worth the base price for players looking to find a great third-person shooter with a good deal of ever-evolving content.

The cinematic slicing and dicing of enemies, with arms flying around haphazardly makes the game fun to watch, while the repetitive nature of the combat can make the game boring and tedious to play.

I still had fun in those first couple hours, and a 4 hour campaign isn’t a terrible thing in and of itself (Journey was 3 hours), but just as I got into a groove with Guacamelee! and was having an absolute blast, it ended and left me thinking that there should have been one more world, hopefully something we see in DLC form (hint, hint DrinkBox!).

A game that could’ve been so much more, and barely does enough to justify its existence.

There’s a gem to be found in this game, but boy is it tucked in deep.