The Fable franchise has always been ambitious, promising big things and often failing to deliver. Unfortunately, Fable III suffers from the same plight, serving up a mediocre experience that's difficult to get excited over.

DanganRonpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is one of the most distinctive murder mystery games on the market.

It would be easy to overlook Skylanders: Giants as "just a kids' game," but to do so would be a disservice. Giants is one of those rare titles that offers something for everyone, whether you're a kid, a casual player or a hardcore gamer who has been playing for years. In the end, it's plenty of fun, and that's what really matters.

If you're a hardcore fan of the Blue Bomber and don't otherwise have access to the games, the Mega Man Legacy Collection is a convenient way to replay these Capcom classics, but as a collection, it doesn't compare to Rare Replay or even the last-gen SEGA Vintage Collection games that were put together by M2.

A nice romp through a D&D universe, but at times, it felt like I was playing through what I have done before, most likely because the mechanics are a melting pot of aspects from various preceding games.

Tales of Xillia Remastered is an excellent remaster of a darn solid and enjoyable JRPG. While it doesn't quite reach the highest highs of other games in the franchise, neither does it reach the lowest lows. It's a solid, enjoyable and well-crafted JRPG from start to finish, and the remastered version of the game is the best way to experience it. Even if the combat doesn't shine quite as brightly as in Tales of Graces f, the entire package is arguably one of the best ways to experience Tales at its most consistently fun.

From the moment you power on your PSP to the moment you turn it off, Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles does a remarkable job of pulling you into the Castlevania universe and immersing you in the difficult, but ultimately rewarding gameplay.

Every bit the great game its predecessor was, and then some.

NHL 19 is vastly better than its predecessors in terms of value and pushing the franchise forward, but it still falls short of a significant upgrade in many areas. If you haven't purchased an NHL title in a while, this is a good year to jump back in and experience one of the better NHL games in recent memory.

Pokémon Sword and Shield is at once a really fun game and a disappointment. It has a lot of great new features, excellent new Pokémon, some much-needed quality of life improvements, and is generally a solid Pokémon title. However, the first console outing feels like it should've been more impressive, especially given the reduced Pokedex. If you're a fan of Pokémon, you'll enjoy Sword and Shield a lot, and if it's your first Pokémon, it's a good way to experience the franchise's high points. If you're a longtime fan hoping for the Breath of the Wild of Pokémon games, you'll be disappointed.

Instead of just tacking some curvaceous metal scraps onto otherwise ordinary buildings, the maps feature a cohesive vision of the not-too-distant future.

As a karaoke game, Party is the best available, even if it's presented in the worst way possible - a way that, again, you might love if you own the "Best Of" collection for American Idol.

This isn't a perfect fitness game by any means, but it's a viable option to get the family off the couch and keep them in at least decent shape until you can go outside again.

All in all, World of Tanks is a ruthlessly addictive game.

If you are approaching Bloodlines expecting a FPS with vampires in it, you won't like the title. The rest of the gaming populace, especially those who loved "Dues Ex" and its style of gameplay, will find Bloodlines to be an intriguing RPG based on the established pen-and-paper game and containing some of the more original aspects seen in an RPG this year.

Hopefully LucasArts will address the latency issue which would vastly improve the overall experience. As it stands if you are a fan of Star Wars you should pick this up without hesitation.

Despite the negative aspects pointed out in this review, 0D Beat Drop really is a solid puzzle game. The mechanics and the gimmick make it a good alternative for puzzle fanatics who are looking for something different from their routine. It's just too bad that the implementation of some of those mechanics wasn't as polished as one would have hoped.

NHL 16 feels like what NHL 15 should have been. The gameplay remains largely the same, but there is at least some effort to get newcomers more familiar with the mechanics.

Despite a few missteps, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves remains a solid fighting game and a worthy entry in the series. The fighting system remains good, and the new additions solidify what worked back in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. The various offline modes add lots of material to the game, especially Episodes of South Town, and online play works quite well. The guest characters could've been implemented better, and there are a few presentation-related nitpicks, but overall, fans of SNK fighting games will be pleased with City of the Wolves.

Pokemon Conquest ends up being a fun title thanks to its simple but effective take on the strategy RPG genre.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a delightful surprise from Capcom. It's not a big-budget blockbuster or the obvious start to a franchise, but this unusual stand-alone game really feels like something creative and special. The core gameplay loop is plenty of fun, and the graphics are a testament to strong art design. Indeed, the only real complaints I can find are a few lackluster boss fights. It's a game that hearkens back to the days of titles like Okami — and not just in visual appearance. Kunitsu-Gami is absolutely worth a look if you're a fan of Capcom's unconventional titles.

It has a great atmosphere and is extremely easy to pick up.

Overall, Final Fantasy: Pixel Remaster is a slight disappointment. It isn't a terrible port, but it feels half-hearted. For a game remade and remastered as often as Final Fantasy, it's easy to compare this release to the others and realize that it doesn't have a ton going for it. The updated visuals are nice, and the remastered music is excellent, but otherwise, it's a slightly easier and slightly more user-friendly version of the original NES game. Choose Final Fantasy: Pixel Remaster if you can't play one of the many other versions that have more content.

While I'm a bit disappointed in the relatively small amount of new content, the overall gameplay is solid and different enough from the DS counterpart to be worth playing.

It is fast, fluid, mostly stable, and offers more fun than any military shooter I've played since "Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear."

In the end, the only reason to not pick up Happy Action Theater is if you absolutely hate having fun. It's a brilliant little digital toy that will suck up a surprising amount of time. At 800 MSP ($10 USD), it's not going to break the bank, and if you happen to be a parent with little kids, it may be the best investment you make this year.

Mouse: P.I. for Hire is absolutely excellent. The presentation is stellar, with graphics that accomplish their goal of creating an interactive version of a 1930s cartoon. The soundtrack is good enough to convert players into fans of big band jazz. The shooting and platforming feel right, while the game clocks in at the right length. For fans of both shooting and action in general, Mouse: P.I. for Hire is a must-have title.

WWE 2K25 remains a good game, but the cracks are beginning to show. The addition of Chain Wrestling is awesome, but the increased prevalence of Trading Blows slows down the game greatly. The large roster is great, but we could do without the multiple variations of wrestlers taking up spots. The graphical presentation has quite a few blemishes that should be fixed, but it's generally good, and the same can be said for the audio if you can ignore the generic entrance music. MyRISE and the 2K Showcase are splendid, but The Island is too much of a cash grab when MyFACTION already does this. If you can ignore some of the microtransaction-heavy elements, you still have a very good wrestling game with enough content to last until the next WrestleMania season. It'll be interesting to see if WWE 2K will suddenly become the next NBA 2K in that it's a decent game that tries to bleed you of every cent.