In a field where developers are increasingly regulating every aspect of gamers' experiences, Bad Company 2 lets players tell more of the story. It's not always for the best.

Sun and Moon may just be another iteration of the Pokemon formula, but it's the best we've seen so far. So many subtle quality-of-life changes, as well as tweaks to old features and helpful new features add up to make Pokemon's final hurrah on the 3DS one to remember. Just don't go expecting anything fantastic out of the story.

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 gameplay is refined and polished to a mirror shine, and traipsing through the lovingly rendered regions of Johto and Kanto brings with it a fond nostalgia that few other games manage to evoke.

Marvel's Spider-Man is a modern, AAA blockbuster video game in every possible sense. It is highly polished, intricately designed, near-flawlessly produced and intelligently scaffolded. And it has achieved for the character of Spider-Man what very few games about comic book heroes accomplish: creating an experience both purely focused on the character and broad enough to have mass appeal. It will, without a doubt, stand for some time as the definitive Spider-Man video game.

Sun and Moon may just be another iteration of the Pokemon formula, but it's the best we've seen so far. So many subtle quality-of-life changes, as well as tweaks to old features and helpful new features add up to make Pokemon's final hurrah on the 3DS one to remember. Just don't go expecting anything fantastic out of the story.

It's a platform-lover's dream and the kind of game you buy a Wii for. Do whatever you've got to do to play it.

There are games that deserve to be relegated to the bargain bin, or played when there's simply nothing else on the shelf. This is one of them. It's not broken, it's just bad.

What it really boils down to is that Tearaway is just FUN. Thoughtful, engaging, and charming in a way that many recent games haven't been, this beautiful world will appeal to lovers of platformers both old and new.

The gameplay is refined and polished to a mirror shine, and traipsing through the lovingly rendered regions of Johto and Kanto brings with it a fond nostalgia that few other games manage to evoke.

With slick and fast-paced battles, a more adult take on the traditional Pokémon concepts and an entirely new roster of characters, Pokémon Black & White is as close to a "reboot" as the franchise has ever seen, but it doesn't reinvent what doesn't need reinventing.

Rayman Origins is a beautiful looking platformer with a wide variety of levels, but is marred slightly by a handful of pacing issues.

Spelunky is a demanding platformer that manages to be both progressive and nostalgic at the same time. The enjoyment you'll get out of the title is limited only by your tolerance for frustration.

Lumines Arise is a meticulously crafted musical with a confident, rhythm-driven twist on the classic Tetris puzzle formula. The new Burst mechanic adds an explosive touch and extra layer of tactical depth that feels fresh without being overcentralizing. The campaign length is satisfying, and the multiplayer offerings will keep players coming back for more. While the visuals are vibrant and immersive, some themed backgrounds make it difficult to distinguish the blocks, slightly undermining an otherwise engaging and stylish puzzle game. Still, Hydelic and Ishida’s soundtrack delivers a hypnotic experience unlike any other.

Europa Universalis IV is a well-constructed simulation of what it's like to bring through the colonial era. For history buffs and strategy grognards, EU4 delivers an excellent update to a storied franchise, but it may be hard for new players to penetrate its esoteric systems.

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.

Disappointing ending aside, Dispatch really is a gem of a game, and the fact that it came out of nowhere and grabbed the attention of fans the way it did is even more impressive. Few games manage to merge gameplay and story as well as this, and even if Dispatch Season 2 is a long way off, there’s still a ton of potential for this setting in the meantime.

The ending may not be the best thing ever, but it can't tarnish the incredible enjoyment you'll get out of Pikmin 3. This is probably the best game yet on Wii U.

After two hours with the game, Hi-Fi Rush has immediately left a really great first impression. While some of this may be due to my own personal nostalgia and Xbox’s unique release structure, there’s such a strong sense of voice and style throughout every aspect of the game, right down to Chai’s clean character design that feels like Marty McFly crossed with Joe Musashi’s flowing scarf. By the time I got to the first boss fight, which was set to the beat of “1,000,000” by Nine Inch Nails, I was sold. I know we’re only a month into the new year, but I think we already have a contender for best surprise of 2023. [Early Impressions]

Warlords of Draenor provides a new look and feel to an old franchise. It may disappoint some of the hardcore in its apparent simplicity, but for the regular and new players, this expansion shows a lot of what made the game so appealing when it launched 10 years ago.

Whether or not players find other changes displeasing, such as the new dialogue system and its limitations, is likely going to depend on their personal relationship with the Fallout series. Newer players will probably never know what they're missing and are likely to have a fantastic time, while fans who have stuck around may be disappointed with the direction Fallout 4 takes.

Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven is a brilliant expansion on an already solid game. The amount of new content it adds is impressive, providing plenty for both players who enjoy combat and those who prefer the base-building elements of the game. If you enjoyed the original game, it’s well worth your time. Join us on the mountain.

One of those games that you'll play simply because it makes you feel so good. It's also challenging and clever, with well done co-operative play and even a great soundtrack. There's no downside to this game.

A fantastic game, keeping up the series' tradition of giving players a wide open world and the tools to go absolutely bonkers within it. It's hilarious, it's action-packed, and most of all, its fun to play.

A beautiful, charming, humbling, and difficult experience that's a good fit for shoot 'em up fans, but perhaps strange and unwelcoming to newcomers.

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

No, this game is far from the "revolution" that excited critics have eagerly claimed it to be, but it is a wonderful little example of how fresh a standard shooter can feel when you pour all sorts of extra garnish over a solid foundation.

This is the Tomb Raider you've wanted for years. It needs a few more puzzles, but that's a small gripe when cast against such a marvelous adventure.