In Stars and Time is probably my dark horse for one of the best games of the year. It's a distinct, fun and interesting experience that makes masterful use of the time loop concept to create something that's deeply heartfelt. At times, it borders more on an RPG-themed visual novel than a full-on RPG, but it uses the RPG trappings more than well enough to justify it. Aside from some dullness when it comes to repeating events, In Stars and Time hits all the marks dead-on and should be a must-play for fans of plot-heavy RPGs.

Overall, Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 is the strongest game in the franchise to date. While the plot is more over-the-top than the first game, it creates a far more compelling and interesting narrative to the sequel, while also expanding and building upon the many gameplay improvements. The combat system has never been better, and the mechanics have been polished to a sheen. It has flaws, and not all the plot points are going to work, but it's proof that CyberConnect knows how to keep players invested in the franchise.

In the long run, although you'll find yourself bothered by the control scheme, the just-above-average graphics, and the minor sound quibbles, you'll forget it all as you get sucked in to the story of Indigo Prophecy.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is a solid fighting game that's easy to pick up. The redesigned controls and gameplay mechanics mean that pretty much anyone can jump in, but the game could do a better job in teaching some of its more advanced mechanics to newcomers.

Lies of P: Overture serves as an excellent return to a game that surprised many players in a good way. The story does a very good job of setting up the events of the main title. The new weapons keep the combat feeling fresh thanks to how dramatically different they are. The game is still tough, especially if it has been a while since you last played the title, but the different difficulty levels help to ease people into a genre that can be notoriously unforgiving. For fans of the game, the Overture DLC feels essential.

Nioh 2 is going to be compared to Sekiro, but it is its own beast. It's an excellent follow-up to the original game, and it isn't any lesser for being compared to FromSoft's attempt at the samurai Soulsborne genre. The new features help keep the smooth gameplay feeling intense and exciting, and the various tweaks do wonders for keeping the game fresh. Its biggest flaw is being "more of the same," but the original game was fun enough that a fresh new set of enemies and items is worth a lot. Just be prepared to die a lot. A whole lot. As in, "I saw multiple corpses by the first enemy of the game."

I love the fact that the arrows actually stick to enemies when you shoot them. It is extremely clear when you face a boss; looking at the side on which you fire, you can see how many times he has been hit.

It still needs work in the presentation area, but for simulation junkies who want to race around in cars they'll never be able to afford, F1 2016 is the best thing going.

In the end, it's a testament to the art direction and captivating gameplay that the Switch port of The Witcher 3, stripped of most of its technical achievements, is still a damn good and immersive video game. If you haven't played The Witcher 3 yet, this is a good opportunity to jump in. The game runs better and is available at a more affordable price on the other platforms, but if you can live with the heavy visual downgrades for the sake of portability, then this is as good as The Witcher 3 gets.

With a striking yet simple presentation, Zenzizenzic is a fresh take on the twin-stick shooter.

Aside from these issues, I really enjoyed NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. It is certainly reminiscent of old-school NBA Jam, which is what I'm looking for.

If this is your first chance to play Final Fantasy IV, it's not to be missed, but if you already own the PlayStation port or the original SNES version, think about it twice or even three times.

SteamWorld Dig 2 is everything that's expected from a good sequel. The gameplay loop is just as engaging as before, but there are some much nicer tools this time around. The levels may no longer be randomly generated, but the hand-crafted ones are smart and still provide exciting gameplay scenarios. The game also comes in at a perfect length, and while some will lament the scarcity of things to do once the adventure is over, few will deny that it was time well spent. SteamWorld Dig 2 is another awesome entry in the SteamWorld series, and it's a game that's worth checking out.

As before, Sine Mora is a great example of a bullet hell shooter with style. The action is frantic, the mechanics are tight, and the story and art style present the player with a unique and enjoyable experience. The transition to the Vita comes off mostly intact, and while some additions aren't very useful, most will provide fans with a good reason to get the game for the handheld. Even though it's another port, it's one that Vita owners will be glad to own.

Full of quirky characters and solid gameplay, there is nothing that I can think of that would really prevent one from wanting to play this fun game. Be warned, however, that it lacks replay value and, as I've stressed repeatedly, has a few levels that just bomb.

Far Cry 2 looks and sounds great (voice acting aside), but it has some gameplay mechanics that make progression through the game world a frustrating task.

The game is simple, it is good, it includes the Orange Box soundtrack, and it's a 10-dollar title that will outlast many 50-dollar games. No more words are necessary; only action is needed.

The Walking Dead is still one of the most tightly written and plotted games on the market right now, with some of the best characters, and I'd still recommend it over the comic book to most people. This is a particularly obnoxious chapter, though, where the first playthrough is intense, often frightening, and emotionally draining, but then it caps itself off with multiple cheap deaths and the realization you cannot prevent or even affect most of what's just happened.

Yakuza 0 is easily one of the highlights of the PlayStation 4's lineup. An engaging story mixed with zany humor and over-the-top brawler gameplay, the title hits all the marks. It has its flaws, including a potential overreliance on non-brawling minigames, but they're not enough to drag down the game. Fans of the franchise should be delighted, and newcomers should find this title as a great place to dive in. The plot, characters and setting are instantly accessible, and the gameplay holds up extremely well.

The 3D graphics are amazing in comparison to the flat sprites from earlier systems.

Dead Rising is one of those games where the amount of enjoyment you will glean out of it is directly proportional to your patience.

As I'm veering into my third All-Star Game with my created slugger, I think about how I'm putting the games typically in my wheelhouse — like another Sony creation, Horizon Zero Dawn — on the back burner to digitally partake in a game that I didn't think I enjoyed. Real-life baseball still has a long way to go to get my eyes on it more, but MLB The Show 17 is a pretty good place to start.

The epic struggles of the universe are told in a cinematic, moving style. The interpersonal conflicts are brought out through rich dialogue and well thought-out storytelling.

The single-player mode is compelling and fun, the graphics are above par, controls are super-precise, the sounds are perfect, and multiplayer makes owning a DS worth every penny.

Overall, Death's Door is a success. It's a short but entertaining and combat-heavy Zelda-like action-adventure that is only limited by scope. It might not have the most memorable puzzles or dungeons, but it has enough heart and skill to make up for its few, minor missteps.

The story and gameplay mechanics have greatly improved, and it sports many graphical upgrades. It's unfortunate that the enemy AI isn't more challenging, but for this franchise, the fun will always come from the end-game content. As long as players understand and accept that, they should snap up this sequel and prepare for another long adventure.

From top to bottom, Mario Kart 7 stands as the best entry in the series.

As the definitive version of the core Halo experience, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is one of the few games that should be in any Xbox One owner's collection.