Terraria may be flawed and unapproachable by mainstream standards. However, it challenges you to become the master and director of your fate rather than a simple pawn moving along a preset path. Interactive entertainment would be better off if more games aspired to such grand ambitions.

I give this game 8.5/10 for being one of details and for so frequently surprising me. Were I a little older and had I played the original, I would likely give this title an 11/10, quit my job, and go LARPing in the desert for as long as the cities remain standing, or until I realize that I’ve taken every modern comfort for granted; whichever would happen to come first.

We couldn’t ask for a better tribute from the world of games on the Great War’s centennial.

Whether you think of Immortals Fenyx Rising as a Breath of the Wild set within Greek mythology, a kid-friendly Assassin’s Creed, or something all its own (likely because you haven’t played either of those other games), the plain fact is that it is eminently playable. There’s never a shortage of things to do, and doing these things is generally a lot of fun. And at the end of the day, that’s pretty much all most folks want out of an open world adventure.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III isn’t the best game in the series by any stretch, but it provides some safe and familiar shooting action and plenty of bang for your buck. So long as you aren’t a franchise hater, you’re probably not going to go wrong.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is an emotionally gruelling game, an unrelenting assault on the senses filled with brutal depictions of psychological and physical suffering. It makes for gripping storytelling, but it also left me drained.

Gears Tactics has established itself as a serious presence in the turn-based strategy space. With a flavour very much its own, and the exceptional production quality for which the Gears games are known, it’s something close to an essential play for fans of tactical combat.

It’s bigger, better, and more robust than many would have expected while maintaining the series’ wonderfully silly spirit. Not quite essential, but definitely worth investigation.

Some of the cameras appear to be operated by drunks. The replay footage usually consists of extreme close ups of some player’s jersey, and it never offers any explanation as to what just happened.

Pac-Man 256 checks off all the key features of the original – short sessions, super accessible play, addictive mechanics – while adding just the right amount of modern conventions, including long-term goals, pretty presentation, and co-operative play.

Players swarm to new Fire Emblem games not to see the latest in graphics and mechanics innovations, but rather to enjoy a bit of classic Japanese RPG-style melodrama mixed with captivating tactical combat. And that’s exactly what they get here. The added bit of nostalgia that comes with revisiting past heroes is just the gravy on the side.

It’s not without quirks, but Watch Dogs can be fairly described as close to astonishing in both ambition and execution for the first game in a wholly new and original license.

I’m also a bit disappointed in how the open world elements in these games remain something less than fully formed.

TT Games, Warner Bros., and Lego have decided the price should be prohibitively steep.

Snipperclips is going to cause arguments, ruin friendships, and break up couples. It’s also as much fun as I’ve had with Nintendo’s new hybrid console outside of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

The Banner Saga is an example of a successfully Kickstarted video game that gives its backers everything they wanted, including a story that’s rich in character and detail.

lood Dragon is silly-fun. It’s the video-game equivalent of spilling all of your toys out in the sandbox and making a story up as you go along with He-Man and Optimus Prime teaming up to fight Cobra Commander...Nothing really makes sense, but it doesn’t make sense in just exactly the right way.

Mr. Meier has come up with a smart and innovative game of turn-based tactics for gamers on the go. Now it’s your job to be a smart consumer and show him what you’re willing to pay for – as well as what you’re not.

It’s unlikely Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE will attract much more than a niche audience outside its native Japan. Not only is it exclusive to Wii U – sadly, a poor selling system that now feels like it has one foot out the door – but it also seems as though little was done to prep it for Western audiences beyond translating dialogue.

My recommendation: Play the campaign, then wait a few days before diving into multiplayer. This might be the best way to avoid cross-contamination and get the most out of these two deeply incongruent gaming experiences.

While it might not be the perfect gateway drug to the series for players just getting to know Kratos, for die hard fans of the franchise, Ascension should provide an ample fix as they wait to see what the next generation of consoles holds for their favourite Spartan anti-hero.

A faithful replication of the old arcade series. Iron Galaxy Studios — known for developing online HD releases of arcade games — did their best to ensure the game’s aesthetic carried over to a larger screen.

For a game where no one utters a word, Dropsy can be powerful.

The game is good enough that I expect to see people throwing themselves against the crucible of a perfect STF run for years to come.

Worth keeping in mind for series n00bs: I’ve found Joe Danger games play a bit better on an iPhone or even an iPad Mini than an iPad.

Even though Tequila Works’ poetic adventure is fun to play, it’s real strength lies in its story and how it’s told.

The game is dirt cheap, easy on the eyes, and fun to pull out for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. At that pace, it’ll take weeks to play through the 50 or so puzzles initially available.

For people who have played the series backward and forward, the most interesting part of the package will likely be the time attack modes that task you with finishing a mix of challenges from each game within a set time frame. Perfect if you want compartmentalized challenges or just don’t have quite enough time to tackle a full game.