I'm still waiting until we get a modern assassin game out of this universe, but until then Black Flag breathes a whole new energy back into the series. It also looks stunning on the PlayStation 4 and offers a lot of bang for your buck.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes on the Vita is certainly a scaled-back version of the console game but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of fun here. There are enough differences to set the Vita version apart rather than decrying it as crippled.

Zen Studios proves they aren't going to be pigeonholed with the excellent CastleStorm. Simple gameplay mixed with excellent variety alongside funny writing and a fun upgrade system equal a surprising little gem.

Tearaway almost makes you feel like the Vita was designed with this game in mind. Media Molecule is the rare gem that puts all the pieces together and has an overarching story and individual moments that leave an indelible mark on you.

This franchise may be getting long in the tooth but that doesn't stop LEGO Marvel Super Heroes from being a thoroughly delightful romp that's both funny and full of variety.

A surprising step forward for a series we didn't expect to evolve, Skylanders: Swap Force adds a few new twists the liven things up. Yes, it's all in service of selling toys but that doesn't detract from a decent game.

It's great when side games take their own direction with design but still maintain the core concepts that define a series. That's just what you'll get with Blackgate. A solid exploration/combat game that is forced to overcome a few flaws.

While I quite enjoyed the story in Batman: Arkham Origins the stale gameplay left me cold. They've stripped away some of my favorite trimmings (Riddler puzzles) and the fights all start to feel the same.

If you aren't already a fan of this franchise Disgaea D2 won't draw you in to its weird world. Series fans will find the familiar here and NIS went out of their way to provide plenty of jokes just for the real fans.

The change in publishers doesn't mean any changes to the core Yuke's WWE experience. The new Wrestlemania modes should appeal to anyone who's been a wrestling fan at some point over the last 30 years.

A solid presentation from start to finish with the campaign that transitions perfectly into the multiplayes. Factions make sense with the story for both sides of the game. Extinction is a wonderful addition that should provide plenty of stories to tell.

Codemasters is looking to set their own record for consecutive F1 championships with F1 2013 Classic Edition. They've carried over everything from last year's excellent game and they've also added in a timely set of classic drivers and circuits.

The Wolf Among Us is a shockingly superb followup from Telltale who could easily have rested on their laurels after being the critical darling of 2012. Snappy dialogue, an intriguing universe and pretty graphics have is earnestly awaiting part two.

The Balance of the Force table pack is the best set of tables Zen has released to date. All three tables are well made and the 3D effect is outstanding if you are equipped to take advantage of it.

PES 2014 leaps back into the conversation of where your soccer dollars should go after a few down years. With a bold new control scheme and a solid foundation based around the Fox Engine Konami will be a force going into the next generation.

The champion stays on top for now with their strongest effort yet. NBA 2K14 combines the rock-solid gameplay of the series with a great new control scheme and a fun LeBron-centric new mode that will suck you in.

ibb and obb is the rare game that puts all its focus on co-op. If you have a friend to sit down with you'll find a beautiful and challenging game that tests your wits, reflexes and your ability to work as a team. Casual gamers stay away!

Don't let the missing half-point fool you, Grand Theft Auto V is as good of a retail release you'll find this generation and an excellent coda to this generation for Rockstar.

Disney Infinity raises the bar on pre-teen action adventure games by offering varied content with the right challenge level for young gamers. It's also a naked attempt to grab money that makes it a bit distasteful. I'm not sure Walt would approve.

Killzone: Mercenary makes us believers in the FPS on a handheld. An excellent experience that is only held back by a lack of variety in the multiplayer and a touch too much playing it safe in single player. Certainly a top Vita game.

We're at the point in the generation where sports games are refining rather than innovating and have been for years. Thus we have the most polished Madden game so far, but one with only a few new features.

Saints Row IV is a video game unlike any you've played before with a rich story, sharp sense of humor and unique mechanics. It's only held back by a lack of variety and the need for a bit more polish.

Do Not Fall is a game made for those of us who enjoy a challenge. The simple concepts and steep learning curve mean this isn't for everyone so know your limits before going in. The charm of the story and the design are universal however!

It's just a notch below the Vita version for playability but Dragon's Crown on the PS3 still shines as the fullest-featured arcade-style brawler with unique visuals. The steep price tag is scary but there is more than meets the eye here.

Remember Me has outstanding art direction, storytelling and sound design that help to compensate for gameplay that is a bit linear and gets stale late in the game. Sometimes style is enough even without too much substance.

The Last of Us merges very good gameplay with a peerless story and unequaled production values. While it just misses transcendent status you won't find very many games that are more worth the investment of your time.

It's hard to see why you'd need multiple billiards games, but Pool Nation is a fine choice if you are just looking for a way into the genre. Solid physics and solid design are all you really need and you'll get that and more here.

EA keeps up appearances with another excellent installment in the NCAA franchise. It adds a few token new features while putting another layer of polish on an already sparkling product. If you've been away a while it's time to get back on campus.

This is about as good as an arcade port gets without straying too far away from the original. Shadows of Mystara is a rare gem in the quarter-munching world and they added layers of PSN integration are implemented really well.

GRID 2 occupies a weird spot between sim and arcade racer. If you know what you are getting into this is a solid title that doesn't try to break any molds. Online racing a track design could be more compelling though.

A solid action platformer that can challenge both your reflexes and your mind is enhanced with some clever writing and a bold art style.

The Show retains its place atop the heap of not just baseball games but sports games of all stripes by offering the most options, the widest variety of ways to play and unparalleled customization. Just go get it already!

One of the better recent collections, the Star Wars set is a treat for fans of the franchise and a decent collection of tables for any pinball enthusiast.

Revengeance only falters in its overall length. There's plenty of replay value, of course, but this is one of the rare times when gameplay can't quite overcome the lack of a meaty core experience. Still, this is a game not to be missed, folks.

It's easy to get sucked into Urban Trial Freestyle for hours trying to perfect a run, and the difficulty ramps up that there will almost always be a new challenge for you. A nice "harder-core" compliment to Joe Danger.

The strongest aspect of the game isn't the gameplay, it's all about the presentation, level design and art direction. That doesn't mean DmC isn't fun to play, just that sometimes the gameplay can't match the production values. Worth playing!

While by no means a bad game, Dead Space 3 fails to capture the same tension and atmosphere of the previous games. A woefully broken checkpoint system hurts cooperative play, which is a shame given how many modes there are to explore with a friend.

A tough game to judge as a newcomer. I can see all the potential in the game, but trying to work out the control system was more complex than my college physics class. It's worth checking out just for the fantastic presentation though.

It's not everyday that a remake of a game goes so far above and beyond the original to make it a must-play game in two separate generation, but today is that day. Truly, this is the RPG for people who don't care for RPG's.

LittleBigPlanet Karting jumps ModNation Racers up to the next level and gives the PS3 a viable competitor to the Nintendo karting powerhouse. The creation tools shine as the best in the business.

Well, Arkane, you did what so few games have done this generation: you got me to want to come back to play Dishonored annually. Very, very few games have that honor, but I just can't imagine ever getting tried of Dunwall. What a wonderful game.

Black Ops II isn't a revelation; what you'll play here is largely what you've played before. There's simply so much to play, though, that it's impossible to deny that Treyarch has finally given us a Call on par with the best of 'em.

What's really amazing about Okami is that it is just as good of a game today as it was six years ago when it was first released. An HD release that barely had to touch a thing to still be one of the best games available today.

Zero Escape is the very definition of a niche title. If you have experience with visual novels you'll be in love with the game, and if you like puzzles and don't mind a LOT of narrative it's still great. If you want nonstop action, move along!

While it does more iterating than innovating this year, FIFA stands alone atop a somewhat small heap of competition to remain the soccer game you want if you only want one soccer game.

PES 2013 is a very respectable soccer game that maintains its excellence on the field but unfortunately fall further behind in the bells and whistles department making it a distant runner-up in this year's battle for soccer supremacy.

It's a return to the PlayStation for Dead or Alive, but not an especially triumphant one. This is a great looking game that fails to separate itself from a crowded field of fighters and relies a bit too much on a tired gimmick.

NBA 2K13 is the unrivaled (literally!) champion of NBA action despite some struggles with implementing a user friendly interface. Jump right in with you own player or run the court with any of the dozens of legends included.

In some ways Tekken Tag Tournament 2 feels like a waypoint before the next REAL Tekken game. Still, there is a huge roster of fighters and the same tight technical gameplay that is the hallmark of the series. Series fans will be pleased.

It's not a great leap forward from last year's model, but F1 2012 adds just enough to an already tight package to keep the series on top. This is a far cry from an arcade racer so only serious Formula 1 fans need apply.

Joe Danger 2 follows very closely in the footsteps of its predecessor, echoing the same gameplay with a new coat of paint. That's a good thing though, as we didn't get enough Joe the first time around.

The latest in an outstanding crop of indie art games that we've seen this generation, The Unfinished Swan lives up to that legacy and provides yet another sublime experience that transcends the usual confines of video games.

A tale of two games, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron plods through its opening acts only to redeem itself with a strong showing at the end. Plenty of fan service will make series vets smile.

Anomaly: Warzone Earth makes the leap from mobile to console seamlessly. While you want find any daring new gameplay, you will find just enough tweaks to pique your interest if you dig tower defense.

It's tough to grade Zen Pinball 2. It's nice that they've brought all the tables under one roof, and the price can't be beat. Yet they've offered nothing new and it would have been nice to see a more robust tournament system in there.

Simply put, it's one of the best fighters to grace the console. It'll keep you coming back for more over and over, but I did find myself wishing there were more characters and more of the story. Still, as a fighter, it hits all of the high marks.

It's a solid game, and the improvements show a lot of promise. It fixes a lot of problems from last year, though some things are continuously overlooked. Next year should really make or break the Infinity Engine, as 13 was a test run.

Once again, despite Roger Ebert, a game finds a way to blend art and gameplay together in a fun and accessible way. Sound Shapes isn't really like anything else, and that's a shame because more games could stand to experiment like this.

By no means is NCAA 13 a bad game. It's just that it is not a substantial update given the annual cycle. I wish there was more to keep coming back to. Last year blew my socks off, this year, I still have my shoes on.

It's a treat to see super heroes nteract with one another. The script is great, the gameplay is strong, and it's a strong step in the right direction. If you enjoy previous LEGO titles, you'll be right at home here.

DiRT Showdown is the most fun I've had with a racing game since Burnout Paradise, a great looking game that nails the entertainment aspect of video gaming head-on.

It doesn't quite live up to its bigger cousin, mainly due to some difficulty issues and a control scheme that doesn't feel quite as natural. It's still a great game to pay on the go though, and there isn't anything else quite like it.

The tables might not live up to some of the past ones, but that doesn't mean these aren't still fun. All four tables bring something different to the... ahem... table, and the collection bolsters the already impressive value of Marvel Pinball

Great sniping and robust multiplayer do a lot to offset the awful non-sniping sequences which there are far too many of. Rebellion and 505 should stick to the rooftops if they revisit this series.

Velocity is the product of a tiny yet extremely talented british studio that, should they continue along these lines, have a grand future ahead of them.

It's not perfect but it is more than good enough to be one of the best titles so far this year. Few games make me want to rush into a second playthrough yet MP3 did. With some patches and tweaks the multiplayer could be the best of the year, too.

The only fault of the game is that if you've played it on PS3, there isn't much reason to come back. Otherwise this is one of the deepest tactical RPGs available and the Vita version is the definitive release.

The very definition of a pleasant surprise, World Gone Sour proves that the advergame doesn't have to live in the land of mediocrity. For a mere 5 bucks, this is a sold platformer with a wicked sense of humor.

A great start to what should be a fantastic series. Telltale nailed the atmosphere and did a fantastic job of making the player feel as though their choices have meaning. Can't wait to see where things go to next.

The game is deep and focuses on beating the man in front of you. It's like having a pickup game of soccer somewhere except this time you can actually pull off the tricks that the pros use. Grab a pal and have a blast.

Skullgirls is proof of what an independent developer with an ear to the people can produce. It was simply engineered in a superior manner, by a team with more freedom than those from larger companies enjoy.

It does a lot of things right and is a blast to play competitively and casually. Unfortunately, Capcom's choices with DLC may have damned the game to a shorter time in the spotlight.

Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations squeezes every ounce it can from the Naruto franchise and leverages it well, making it the perfect game for fans of the series. Fight fans may find its simplicity disappointing, but not without its charms.

Rayman Origins embodies everything right and good about 2D platformers. If you want to be reminded why this genre took gaming by storm in the 80's and 90's, or you simply want to play a rare, honest to goodness video game, pick this one up ASAP.

It is heads and shoulders above all of the other JRPGs to release this year and may be one of the best on the PS3. There are things that could have been better but otherwise it's solid. Plus it gives you incentive to play through the whole game again.

You'll get more than your money's worth here. This is a game that you will pull from the shelf for months to come just to drop in and do "one more race" that will lead to a few lost hours.

No, it doesn't stay true to the franchise at all, yet Syndicate still manages to impress with both a well executed artistic vision and a thoughtfully implemented co-op mode that takes some fresh approaches.

The re-release is just as strong as the original. They jammed the disc full of everything and even chipped in some extras. Even the thing they omitted (the online pass) is a plus. It's just up to you whether it's worth the door charge.

Games that summon up emotions from a cold son of a bitch like me are incredibly rare... Journey had me grabbing the box of tissues by the time it was over.

A great refinement to the first game and great at using the Vita features without being an impediment or feeling forced, Mutant Blobs Attack is the best value on the Vita right now, and a must-buy for most owners.

The collection hits highs (Jak 1) and lows (Jak II) but serves as a great window into the changing of the guard in action platforming in the early aughties. Gamers who haven't checked out the series really should for historic value alone.

Further proving that it's unnecessary to fix something that never broke, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational keeps true to its series roots while offering a ton of content and good times. A treat for anyone who enjoys golf or fun.

If you're looking for a way to justify that new Vita and its memory card, look no further. Even if you don't like the series, the combination of fantastic gunplay and slick platforming delivered in a new way may just win you over.

Tetris has met its match. Lumines: Electronic Symphony is a painstakingly scrawled love letter to puzzle games and electronica of every stripe. Not only should every Vita owner buy it, every person who cares about video games should play it.

Get ready for 10 more years of nonsense and trickery. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 truly showcases the Vita's power, packing every last mode and feature from the PS3 version into the palm of your hand. No rookie or veteran fight fan should miss it.

You really can't go wrong with Undisputed 3. Fans and newbies can come in and enjoy the game at their own pace and those victories moments can't be beat. After the online gets fixed up this will be a game that shouldn't be missed.

No, it isn't as iconic as Twisted Metal 2, but it still serves up a healthy dose of visceral fun that is only slightly diminished by dubious design decisions. It's certainly the benchmark for vehicular combat this generation.

Reckoning does a lot of things right. 38 Studios should be proud of their first title. Hopefully with some revisions, especially with the camera and difficulty balancing, we'll see an even better title next time.

Cheeky, scrappy, and rough around the edges, Gotham City Impostors entertains, often in spite of itself. Anyone who likes multiplayer shooters, but finds the more popular ones too intense for their liking should give this one a look.

Bloody, brutal and utterly bad-ass, Shank 2 is an action/platforming spectacle that players won't soon forget. In spite of its disappointing length, no action fan should miss this one.

Soul Calibur V could have been so much more. As it stands, it's a solid fighting game that feels a bit hollow. It misses the creative modes that made the series unique in the first place.

LittleBigPlanet 2: Special Edition is the best way for newcomers to join the revolution. You'll get millions of new levels at your thumbtips, and all the tools you'll need to start building your own masterpieces.

Trine 2's solid-if-unspectacular gameplay gets bumped up by stunning visuals and the fantastic inclusion of online co-op. Those that enjoy puzzle platforming will not be disappointed here, but don't expect much evolution from the original game

Playing KoF XIII is the closest thing to "work" I have felt here at TPS. I wasn't good and I had to earn every bit of ground I gained. Just know that you won't get your hand held by the game or its players, you'll get it broken.

I enjoyed Skyrim and I look forward to the DLC that we know is inevitably coming. If we looked at this honestly, though, this game probably should have been pushed back a month or so for more polish. It needed it and it still does.

A huge expansion that almost doubles the content of Marvel Pinball with both popular and cultish properties. Zen has proven that they make solid pinball tables, and while they aren't breaking new ground here they still stay sharp.

It's delightful for anyone of any age. There's plenty of extra replay value and its' something that families can enjoy together. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go and start saving up to buy Voldemort.

Altogether, I was pleased with the game. It immediately jumps to the top of the Move pile and all of the small features add up into an impressive amount of content. It could have used a bit more polish but if you're a fan of 007 you can't do much better.