To use a Civilization V metaphor, this is "Beyond Earth: Gods and Kings,": it adds a few new things, adjusts a few others, but overall doesn't really have much impact on the core game. The mechanics are still there, but it's sort of ironic that this expansion adds in aquatic combat, since the thing it seems to lack most is depth. It's a coat of paint, not a deep fix.

Fire Emblem: Fates takes two steps forward and one step back for the series. It still retains and expands on many of the great Fire Emblem elements, but Fates slips on a few important aspects.

Dyad is elegant and joyous, a hurricane waiting to be tamed - and you might hate it. That's true of every game, I know, but this is one of those games that you will either want to beat into submission as you bend it to your will, or one that you'll play for a few levels and abandon as soon as the learning curve starts to arc too high. There just isn't a whole lot of in between here.

It's surprisingly subtle at times, genuinely terrifying at others, and even when it breaks, it's still outstanding. This is a game you're going to want to have played, because it's going to be talked about for many, many years to come.

The game perfectly recaptures that time in our lives when we're still too young to know how much we don't know, and still manage to believe that pinning a towel to our shirts makes us a superhero. The time when bravado counts for more than experience and candy can fix just about anything. It's adorable, but not cutesy, oozing with charm and a fantastic sense of humor.

If you enjoy a good platformer, you've found one. Scarygirl is weird, yes, but also wonderful.

Raskulls is cute, and it's funny - even if it tries a bit too hard sometimes.

While Valhalla Hills doesn't have the presentation and energy of some of the more popular RTS games, it does manage to offer up an addictive experience that is a lot of fun. Listening to the intriguing sound effects of the Vikings mustering up their strength to work remains delightful and humorous throughout the entire game.

In Harm's Way is one of the most violent installments TellTale's overall series, if only for the disturbing intimacy of it all. At times, Episode 3 is hard to experience, but it's well worth sticking it out.

Fortified marries multiple different genres while maintaining consistent waves of challenging fun in a cohesive experience. The game is best when played as part of a team, although the omission of split-screen co-op is a disappointment, and the lack of a health bar is a bit frustrating.

With a unique setting, immersive story and open-ended character system, The Secret World offers up a great MMO experience that's only held back by problems with replay and weak PvP.

Some of the narrative elements are weaker this time around, but longtime fans will appreciate seeing character arcs begin to wrap up as the game moves to its conclusion in Legacy of the Void. Those looking exclusively for multiplayer will enjoy how the small differences change the game dynamics and strategies, though $40 might be a bit steep for just a few units if you're not actively invested in the ranked format.

While it’s sure to be overshadowed by the excellent pair of Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon’s Souls, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a wonderful platformer and a strong part of what makes the PS5’s launch lineup arguably the best in video game history. The aesthetic beauty, incredible use of music, and wealth of unlockables overshadow some of the finicky control issues. Whether you’re going it alone or partying up with some pals, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a great entry to one of Sony’s beloved franchises.

Rebel Galaxy offers an exciting, if streamlined experience of commanding a large spaceship with a heavy focus on combat. It doesn't do much with the story beyond inviting you into its universe, but the gameplay, Western-inspired setting and procedurally generated nature will keep you playing for many hours.

Great controls, nicely varied (and genuinely challenging) goals, a good sense of humor and cartoonish physics make Joe Danger a real treat to play.

Kid Icarus: Uprising is a fun game with endearingly cheesy dialogue and characters, but the setup of the levels can get a little monotonous.

Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 is, for the most part, a carbon copy of Duels 2012. The Encounters and Planechase mode are welcome additions, but the lack of diversity in the deck options seems like a bit of a step backwards in an otherwise static continuation of the series.

So cute I almost vomited.

Humor keeps Tropico 6 from getting too stressful.

It's fun, light-hearted, great to play with a pal, and based on a wonderfully rich and vibrant fictional world.

While its commitment to madness can be maddening itself, Sunset Overdrive is an energetic, fun-focused adventure. The jokes don't always hit home, but this is a game that loves being a game, and you can't hate that sort of honesty.

Cave Story is fairly short, but provides a unique, somewhat emotional, action-based experience totally worth $15.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is good fun, with striking visuals and a great setting. A few issues keep it from being totally brilliant though.

It's not particularly original, occasionally gets repetitive, and the main storyline is fairly short, but it's a solid and entertaining effort that you'll probably enjoy more than you think you will.

With Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Kojima Productions and Platinum Games have retooled Raiden into a capable character who is finally justified in having his own game. By taking him out of covert missions, Raiden's able to wield his sword of justice and use his martial arts skills out in the open. This is more fitting to him than sneaking around in a cardboard box, which is possible in this game in case you want to pretend you're still Solid Snake, even just for a minute.

Bulletstorm is the evolutionary "next step" for first-person shooters that makes up for its jerk-off story by adding plenty of new wrinkles to a heretofore tired genre. This is a game that will be remembered for years to come (for a few reasons).

A few weaker sections do little to tarnish the fun of this old-school rooted shooter.

Absolute brilliance that falls just short of perfection. Guacamelee! is the best Metroidvania since Cave Story.

Sanctum 2 is a thrilling, fast-paced tower defense game, which keeps things interesting with the FPS gameplay during the assaults. The RPG elements add to the total package, making even the single player feel like a complete experience.

Like all good party games, Fruit Ninja is a bit bland by yourself, but add some friends into the mix and it becomes a goofy good time. You won't spend a lot of time with it when you play, but it'll be a surefire hit at your get-togethers.

If you're willing to put in the effort of replaying 999 to examine its many paths, you'll be rewarded with a multilayered, oftentimes horrifying, story and some satisfyingly creative puzzles.

This game preaches to the choir - the hunting faithful will love it, everyone else, maybe not.

It's a port of an excellent game that matches its source material beat for beat. Whether you're a franchise fan or simply a gamer looking for something fun to play on your 3DS, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is one of the best options of the platform.

A brilliant remake of two classic, underloved arcade brawlers.

Transformers Devastation is a blast to play while it lasts, and expertly blends elements of Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising, but packages it in a way that makes it come off as completely unique.

This standalone expansion is a wonderful fantasy strategy game in its own right, but it doesn't quite have enough to place it in the pantheon of classics.

Its rough edges will distract and annoy you, but Dead Island's quest-based zombie slay-a-thon is still loads of fun. There's tons to do, plenty of toys, and the chance to pick up and play with buddies is always appreciated.

BotW is best played on your TV from the couch on a console, and best enjoyed by players looking for a challenge. If you don't like dying, you should probably avoid it entirely, but if you're a persistent sort of player that doesn't mind having to try a segment a few times, it has a lot to offer.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate features a solid campaign, elevated by challenging assassination missions and a spellbinding setting. Syndicate delivers all of the innovations I had hoped to see from Unity, which was the franchise's first new-generation console entry, as the adjustments to combat, stealth, and travel breathe new air into the series.

Assassin's Creed Rogue is gameplay-wise more or less an unofficial sequel to Black Flag, in that it inherits virtually every enjoyable element from last year's title. The combat can be a bit repetitive, which is particularly true for those who played AC4 extensively, but it's a solid last-gen entry in the series all the same.

Into the Stars is a gorgeously-rendered sibling of FTL, featuring all the tension of collecting resources and fighting space aliens with none of the tedious micromanagement.

A standard, competent kart racer hampered by frequent loading times and irritating writing, but bolstered by an intuitive and powerful editor that lets gamers make their karts, racetracks, and characters their own - or at least lets them make their characters into Spider-Man.

Enemy Within is a solid expansion to an excellent game, with options like MECs, medals and gene mods that make you want to stomp aliens all over again in exciting new ways. The first two thirds of the campaign are definitely improved, but EW doesn't solve the problem of slogging through the endgame.

I was surprised that The Coma delivered on the premise it advertised in a way that was able to appeal to someone outside of its target audience demographic. I beat the game over the course of about a day, and I was left wanting more of this world as I watched the ending that set up an obvious sequel.

The Undergarden is laid back, gorgeous, and pretty damn weird - the main character is some kind of strange grinning monkey thing and your mission is to grow flowers in underground caverns.

It's good enough that it's easily worth the $30 price for fans of heist games, yet still good enough for people like me to get it at about a 33% discount on Steam. If it's $20 or less at some point and it looks interesting, get it. The characters alone are worth the money.

God of War: Ascension is an intriguing blend of action-oriented hack-and-slash combat and puzzles. Though the platforming aspects don't really sell Ascension, they do give you an opportunity to catch your breath.

Darkest Dungeon will kill your party, drive you insane, and leave you a gibbering mess at the Sanitarium. Yet it's so compelling and rewarding at the same time, you won't be able to resist diving back in for one more quest.

While it takes some time to find its own identity, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow is a solid Gothic action game that is competent in all areas - but never outstanding in any of them.

Dead Rising 3 will likely go down as one of the quintessentially "good" launch titles seen when a new console releases. It's an exclusive title with a big open world and tons of zombies that demonstrates the power of the next gen console well.

The port to consoles definitely opens up the world of Sanctuary to a wider audience, with only minor impediments to enjoying the game. Without the Auction House, you'll have to trade with your friends, like the glory days of Diablo II, which should be a welcome change to many gamers.

If you like to shoot things, you should absolutely have this game. It builds upon its predecessor in all the right ways, delivering a healthy gaming challenge. Fans of movies like Aliens and Event Horizon in particular will enjoy the game's blend of sci fi and horror elements.

It innovates from prior games in the series, and is undeniably fun, but Galactic Civilizations III isn't the clear leader in a packed genre.

My 40 hours in Yakuza: Like a Dragon were a great experience regardless if I was playing on my original Xbox One or seamlessly transitioning my save onto the Xbox Series X for improved resolution, frame rate, and loading times. I loved its characters, humor, and willingness to balance complete absurdity with utter sincerity. And even though the battle system would occasionally trip over its own feet, I still adored watching my crew beat the hell out of some weirdos, grow a little bit closer, and celebrate their victory with karaoke back at the pub.

The first episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones series isn't exactly groundbreaking but it successfully draws you in to learn what happens next to the Forresters. The art style and the vocal talents are superb and the new characters feel ripped from Martin's pages, for better or worse.

Even with its few missteps, Disney Infinity is a magical experience that succeeds in immersing adults and children alike in a robust universe where you will spend countless hours making your childhood dreams into videogame reality.

The hand-drawn visuals, interesting combat, and epic story mean The Banner Saga is crafted from flawless pieces - even if the final product is a little rough.

Outland will put your skills to the test, but strikes a pleasant balance between frustration and triumph. It's not the easiest game in the world, but the effort it takes to master is well worth it.

Though it fails to innovate in an engaging way, the base on which Tropical Freeze is built is solid as a glacier.

Battlefield 3's multiplayer continues to excel at providing a FPS experience beyond just shooting each other with handguns. The single-player barely holds up.

Dragon Quest Treasures is some of the most fun I’ve had just exploring a game world all year, between its great world design and excellent soundtrack. This treasure hunt is a delight for players of all ages and one of the more unique experiences I’ve had on Switch in recent memory. The strange combat system will disappoint some, but if you can just get over that and a few other little quirks, this is an adventure well worth taking.

Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 manages to turn dark material into something lighthearted and fun, but it never quite achieves the magical goofiness that its predecessor does.

What Ni no Kuni lacks in finesse it more than makes up for in quantity and packaging - there's tons to do and every single moment in the game is a visual delight. It can be extremely frustrating and makes some choices that don't quite work, but offers enough charm to ultimately win you over.

Yo-Kai Watch is a good variation on the monster collection genre of RPGs that will definitely please fans and earn a few new fans, but has just enough tiresome elements to keep it from being great.

Burial At Sea tells an interesting tale with plenty of twists, but it doesn't have enough substance on the gameplay side of things to back it up.

The Political Machine 2016 is a fun simulation game to play despite its serious subject matter and repetitiveness. On the plus-side, the game requires no real understanding of US politics to play - Robotic Elvis proved that.

Nidhogg is a strange, unholy pastiche of lo-fi aesthetics and surprisingly deep, albeit minimal play; taking cues from decades of arcade-style 1v1 fighting games and modern indie darlings.

If you're willing to really delve into all the facets of Dust 514, and a few technical issues, there's a satisfying shooter with some stakes for you and your corporation mates to be found. If you'd rather not get that invested, then Dust 514 might not be for you.

A fun action platformer that remains incredibly frustrating by taking a few too many cues from Castlevania's jerkiest moments, Shovel Knight is satisfying and infuriating in equal measure. It's also a damn fine callback to the days of yore in a world where callbacks are a dime a dozen, and rarely this well done.

Energy Cycle manages to hold itself up on the concept. There were moments of frustration at some of the more challenging puzzles. But the premise of the game makes it clear that there was always a solution possible. What sets the game's strengths back is a distracting aesthetic choice. The soundtrack and background that gameplay uses made strategy difficult rather than complimenting it.

Anarchy Reigns may not have an incredibly in-depth story and also has some nagging flaws that detract from its otherwise entertaining gameplay, but it's enjoyable enough to warrant a playthrough.

The Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy isn't worth rebuying if you already have the iOS versions or still have your DS copies in rotation. However, all three games are as great now as they were upon release, and it's hard to complain about getting more of a good thing.

The thrilling gameplay that attracts fans is still here, although it's a bit obscured by too many mini-games that are less fun than or relevant to the core experience. The story is finally ended but we're still left wondering what's next for Desmond. Multiplayer is, as expected, awesome.

Regardless of which thief you prefer to use, or if you'd rather tackle the game solo or with other players, you're going to need a great deal of patience, luck and skill in order to handle Monaco's complex missions.

With Garden Warfare 2, PopCap builds upon the success of the original Garden Warfare by adding much needed meat to its bare bones in the form a new solo campaign and 6 new character classes, but fails to evolve the actual gameplay in any meaningful way.

Magicka 2 is Magicka refined - the same wizard-killing simulator co-op fans love with the fixes and improvements players craved. While it doesn't break new ground or surpass the original, it's a blast to play with friends.

My Recommendation, then, is clear/ But so I don't deprive/ You any longer, here it is: / You'll love it if you strive/ To overcome the boring bits.

Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries is a short, yet enjoyable platformer, offering little difficulty, but tons of story, which lets you immerse yourself into the grittier side of fairy tales.

Achron will probably be the most unique RTS you'll play this year. The implementation of free-form time manipulation really takes the genre in some new and interesting directions, but only if you're willing to work through some flaws.

The combat in Devil May Cry gets to be repetitive when you play for too long in one sitting, but the missions are well designed for playing in short bursts and picking it back up later.

Absolutely bonkers, but untangling its many secrets is an addictive enterprise. There's tons of plot to discover, and the many storylines cross and reference each other in subtle ways that reward the diligent player.

The best in the series to date, inFAMOUS: Second Son tells an amazing story and gives players a ton of relishable power to play with. It's held back by some outdated and formulaic ideas, but overall it'll keep players happy.

Strike Suit Zero is a decent space combat sim but the strike suit angle feels forced and ungainly, and the game misses on a few too many important points to be a true contender for the crown.

Despite the unstable camera, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is a hilarious action-adventure with a lot of variety between the platforming, environmental puzzles and hack-and-blast action, but unless you're a hardcore Ratchet & Clank fan, you won't get the full experience playing it by yourself.

A pleasant surprise. I was just expecting a solid little platformer, but I was floored by Yoshi’s Crafted World’s sophisticated imagery, abundant heart, and charmingly fun level design.

This latest entry into the beloved Wolfenstein series accomplishes pretty much what it sets out to do - deliver a fuss-free roller coaster of setpieces and guiltless butchery. It's not exactly the most impressive of goals, but it's not without merit!

Star Ruler 2 delivers a unique, fascinating experience despite its reliance on sometimes obtuse systems.

Orwell is a thought-provoking interactive debate about the politics of privacy and security. It's the kind of game that never actually feels like a game, and it manages to do it well.

The Journey Down: Chapter One combines an intuitive control scheme, HD graphics, and classic point-and-click adventure gameplay to set up an intriguing story. The first episode lags a bit, and the voice acting doesn't add nearly as much as the improved visuals, but still shows a lot of promise for a potentially great series.

Utterly stupid and often frustrating, Deception IV: Blood Ties is one of those games that manages to be enjoyable in spite of itself. It's a "bad" game, by most standards, but it's good in that "not good" way.

Gunfire Games should be proud of making a game where literally fighting Pride feels as silly and awesome as the painted cover of a vintage Ozzy Osbourne LP. Toss the horns and bring on the next horseman’s ride.

A good little story with a bleak atmosphere that nonetheless provides some relaxing puzzle solving.

The Darkness II is fun while it lasts, but sadly doesn't last very long.

Arrowhead made a very true-to-source Gauntlet game, no doubt, but the source is 30 years old, and could use some modern accouterments. Gauntlet is as much fun as it has ever been, but it'll get old fast for those who still remember slogging through the original.

Despite a few control hiccups, Gravity Rush succeeds on the strength of its excellent movement system and endearing protagonist.

Steve Jackson's Sorcery! Is an interesting digital implementation of a pencil and paper gamebook.

Puzzle fanatics will enjoy it, even in solo mode. Players looking for some widely-appealing games to play with non-gamer family and friends will definitely find value here, and may discover they're no longer the best player in the room.

A hot mess of gibberish that still manages to be vastly amusing, Drakengard 3 is as close to Deadly Premonition as a hack n' slash game gets. It's bizarre and it's disheveled to the point of downright idiocy, but it knows what it is and it goes the whole hog. I laughed, anyway.