Killer is Dead has a lot going for it. The foundation is there. But the positives are mired beneath a poor gameplay mechanic that makes even simple control a chore. The story isn’t allowed to shine due to simplistic writing and stereotypical characters, the difficulty can be very erratic, and too many deaths feel cheap and unfair.

The new super abilities and weaponry makes for a ceaselessly fun experience, even if the gameplay does tend to drag at times. The appreciated creativity and inventiveness is what saves the day; the often unique and twisted mission types, the overarching desire to enforce your own brand of justice, the world itself, etc.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified isn’t a bad game by any stretch, but it fails to live up to its predecessor. It has the aesthetic personality but it doesn’t have the gameplay personality. The control is fine, the music is a fantastic touch, and the fulfillment one feels after a properly executed mission is significant. But the story, despite glimpses of greatness, lets you down, and there’s just a general feeling of monotony that permeates the entire experience.

Do Not Fall can be frustrating, especially during later levels, and I did have a few small issues with the somewhat floaty control. Despite the nice additions, it also feels repetitive, which may be unavoidable. However, there’s lots to like.

Tales of Xillia might feel somewhat underwhelming. There’s nothing I can point to and say, “that’s absolutely fantastic.” It’s all pretty good, even great in some ways, but the overall package isn’t especially impressive. But hey, it’s catnip for JRPG fans.

Dragon’s Crown is an extremely well-constructed blend of old-school action elements and role-playing depth. It looks great, the gameplay is rewarding for the hardcore and accessible to newcomers, the control is rock solid, and the amount of content is worthy of the $50 price tag in my eyes.

Wicked fun.

In short, if you’re a big college football fan and you know what to expect, go for it. Otherwise, wait until next generation.

Hotline Miami doesn’t apologize for what it tries to do. It’s a throwback to the golden age of gaming but at the same time, it reminds us that over-the-top violence was always tongue-in-cheek in those days.

Some of the humor is genuinely amusing, the combat can be rewarding at times and what you unlock is pretty damn cool. But beyond that, don’t bother unless you’re a hardcore Deadpool fan.

Grid 2 is an entertaining, nicely polished racing game. With many fantastic locales, awesome cars, nicely devised events, and a really attractive presentation, there’s a lot to like.

Remember Me aims high but sadly falls well shy of the intended goal.

The writing is great, the acting is superb, the characters are beautifully designed and developed, there’s a riveting sense of authenticity, and the immersion one feels is unmatched.

It also makes no bones about what it is: A rock-‘em, sock-‘em shoot-‘em-up that pulls no punches – or in this case, bullets – and is unabashedly stupid.

There just isn’t enough top-quality goodness here to warrant a $60 purchase because really, one feels as if the developers were restricted. In short, they were too in love with the multiplayer idea.

Soul Sacrifice is a game that rewards the patient and those who enjoy wide open worlds with lots to do. If you don’t mind putting those stories aside for the sake of more action, and you can tolerate the tediousness of some of the optional missions, you’re good to go.

Resident Evil: Revelations is engrossing and legitimately frightening. The important control option, coupled with the drastically upgraded graphics and excellent atmosphere, makes this a very playable experience.

I see a missed opportunity with the story, the AI can be iffy, and the game isn’t as stable as one would like. Still, there’s no denying that Last Light is worth your money and your time, particularly because you won’t soon find another game quite like it.

The matches are cerebral and tense but the nature of the game keeps it more fun than struggle. You'll need wits, brains, and a superior strategy to overtake your enemy. Though the goal makes it sound simple you can actually wind up in some exciting spots while you struggle to defend the territories and buildings you gained that give you the extra strength needed to punch through enemy lines.

There are some games that are best described with the simple “fun” adjective, and this is definitely one of them. The action is fast and satisfying, the control is solid, the 80s humor is usually spot-on (and makes some of us all sorts of nostalgic), and the combination of the gameplay and totally sweet retro atmosphere makes for the ultimate guilty pleasure.

Has a few flashes of quality and originality, but it’s ultimately mired beneath a multitude of disappointing flaws. The entire game is just plain dull and the experience suffers from a distinct lack of refinement. The technical aspects are well below par, the plot and characters are of little interest, the controls and camera are wonky, and the AI is poor.

Fighting fanatics and comic lovers alike should love the effort and attention to detail. The control is fast and reliable, the production values are high throughout, there’s appreciated accessibility combined with great depth, and experimenting with each character is awesome.

If you’ve got several friends who loved the first one and you don’t mind terribly repetitious missions, give it a try. There’s just very little improvement or advancement, many of the same issues from the first title still exist, the story is ridiculous and poorly written, the campaign is dull and drawn-out, and the combat is almost as tedious as the mission objectives.

For the time being, Defiance has started off on a relatively good note. The depth and longevity will undoubtedly cater to the MMO aficionados, the speed of the action-oriented TPS gameplay will interest some of the shooter fans, and sci-fi followers will definitely like the style and ambiance.

The story, tutorial, tag-team, online, and general combat are all great features, and the gameplay always runs along at a gloriously solid frame rate. And overall, it’s still an accessible yet relatively deep fighter that offers plenty of bang for your buck.

Overall, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 is better than its predecessor in just about every way possible. It’s just too bad that it needed to be a lot better in order to be considered “good.”

It’s generic to the core and wholly uninteresting, as the AI isn’t anywhere near good enough, the developers didn’t do enough with the co-op concept (a huge disappointment), and we don’t even get a drop-in, drop-out feature.

An immensely creative triumph. At various times during this adventure, you will experience completely different emotions and you will face distinctly different situations. In addition to this fantastic variety and diversity, you get a story that is mysterious and satisfying on all counts. Factor in rock solid control, unbelievable design from top to bottom, the joy of powerful experimentation, and an unparalleled atmosphere, and you’ve got one mammoth achievement.