A surprisingly well crafted multiplayer shooter full of options, amusing cartoon violence, and rock solid action. That Loadout does all this, and provides a respectably balanced free-to-play ecosystem, is encouraging to see.

South Park: The Stick of Truth could stand alone as an extended episode of the show. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends on how funny you think Trey Parker and Matt Stone are. For fans of the show, this is a seriously impressive game.

Sid Meier's Starships lacks the strategic depth of Civilization, but the added tactical layer, and shorter game times make it a fair substitute, especially if you're looking for bite-sized strategy.

Like Cactus in the opening sequence, the ultimate result of Assault Android Cactus is looking at the relentless danger, thinking "I'll take my chances with the lasers," and wading into the chaos. Reckless, gleeful, and a really hard, incredibly good time.

As a course correction to an aging series, Soulcalibur VI is unimpeachable. More significantly, as a fighting game with a singular identity, this game could shed its name entirely and impress on its own merits. The game world is enveloping, full of posh art and luxurious conflict that evokes a waltz more than a brawl. The soul, against all odds, still burns.

SSX has glorious over-the-top moments, masterfully inspires friendly competition, and rewards practice with steady improvement. It's slick, polished, and hand-crampingly addictive.

Dragon taming doesn't feel very engaging, but because of the story's depth and the host of new items and abilities, Dragonborn is still a thoroughly charming experience.

DOA5 is fun to play, easy to pick up, and hard to master. Everything you want from a fighting game.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is much better to play on the pitch itself than its chief competitor, while the lack of important football licenses and a unimpressive menu interface keep it from being a full package.

Despite some lingering flaws, the gameplay is fantastic in both single and multiplayer. A big part of the game's audience won't care about the lack of variety or depth among the characters, but the monotonous tone still holds the game back from being as great as it otherwise might have been.

If you've been dying for a classic Final Fantasy title that's closer in mechanics to Final Fantasy IV than Final Fantasy XIII, you'll enjoy 4 Heroes of Light. If you despise retro RPG conventions, 4 Heroes is not for you unless you really want to morph into a chicken.

Combines the simplicity of modern tablet or touch screen gaming with complex old school systems. For the most part it works well, like balancing regenerating health with hunger, though there times where it feels like the game is stretched in two opposite directions.

An excellent adventure with just enough challenge to keep it intriguing without scaring off players looking for an engaging casual experience. Old school adventure fans will likely find the game to be a bit too shallow and easy, but casual gamers will appreciate the pace and polish.

FIFA 11 is a well-made soccer game, but it doesn't make any huge leaps in game design or feel. The added features like more sensitive passing and the famous stars' individuality are great on paper, but don't add a lot of value.

The generally short length of the campaign (5-10 hours) will leave some consumers wanting more for their 60 bucks but the beautiful graphics and balanced multiplayer will be enough to keep most pining for Killzone 4.

Fez straddles the line between platformer and puzzler, taking the best from each genre and blending it into a refreshing whole. It doesn't punish experimentation or require advanced controller skills, letting you discover the game's secrets at your own pace.

Snowblind Studios delivers an experience that will satisfy even the staunchest Tolkien purist, and playing through the new story with your friends is fun even though the action and UI is not as impressive as the lore.

Frequent out-of-game loading times and occasionally (but not often) repeated announcer commentary are the drawbacks, but everything else is as solid and refined as you expect from a major EA Sports title.

Often funny, sometimes shocking, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is as convoluted as it is curious. A strange but gripping interactive crime novel, and a thoroughly unforgettable jaunt into lunacy.

The things that Exato has done to make Guncraft different from its predecessors have made it a better game. Instead of a clone, they've stepped up and made an engaging game that lets you get your block-building and headshot fix at the same time.

SMAA doesn't aim to do anything particularly novel, preferring to embrace the clone nature of the game and make that aspect as good as it can be. There's no doubt they made the right decision there, as you'll be hard pressed to not enjoy your time with SMAA.

Company of Heroes 2 is a shot of vodka. You know what to expect from its real-time tactical combat, and playing one mission or match quickly turns to two, three or four. But watch out for the hangover; the Eastern Front was hell.

Skyshine's Bedlam is a tough but rewarding trip through a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

It's a really highly polished experience with a lot of secrets to be found, coupled with a story that pulls you along with strong characters.

Lego Pirates of the Caribbean is a rollicking good time. You have to play through a few times in order to track down all of the secrets, jokes, and prizes, but even if you just play once, you're bound to enjoy yourself.

Mechanically, Far Cry 4 is an excellent shooter. It adds further polish to the open-world and action of its predecessor with even more involved and dynamic gameplay, and is loaded with rewarding side content on top of featuring a huge game world you'll spend hours exploring. The narrative isn't quite as solid, and falls through in several places with some aggravating characters and a lack of context to drive your actions.

It's going to feel a little off with a new studio taking over the franchise, and Bungie left a big mark on gaming with Halo. While 343i shouldn't just try to make a Bungie game, the single player isn't up to the series' standard. Halo 4 does balance that with a robust amount of content across the various gameplay modes.

Latency issues aside, 90% of your time with PlayStation All-Stars is going to be spent fighting, away from the game's lifeless game modes, unlockables, and challenges. And that fighting, easily the most important factor of the game, is an absolute blast, even if the way it resolves doesn't always feel fairly tallied.