Frankly, the amount of failure that Aliens: Colonial Marines achieves in nearly every category is staggering. If you are an "Aliens" fan, the game's handling of the canon may send you into a rage. If you are just looking for a shooter, you'll find an uninspired mess that is mechanically beaten by games 10 years older. The game has no redeeming qualities, as it is a broken mess that must be the lowest possible point of the franchise.

When Revengeance is firing on all cylinders, it is a sight to behold. Watching Raiden tear through enemies while a dynamic speed metal soundtrack plays in the background is undeniably impressive. After spending an extended amount of time with the game, though, it becomes obvious that beauty is only skin-deep. Revengeance is more impressive to watch than it is to play, but it's certainly no Bayonetta.

Easy to learn and difficult to master, Fluidity: Spin Cycle may be an eShop exclusive, but it looks and plays like a full-fledged retail release. If you have even the slightest interest in physics-based puzzle games, add this one to your download list ASAP.

Even with the low 400 Microsoft points ($5) price tag, it's difficult to recommend Red Bull Crashed Ice Kinect to anyone looking for more than an hour or two of entertainment.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a breathtaking place with the wistful charm of Studio Ghibli's works. With a long roster of side-quests, an open word filled with secrets, clever puzzles, and some of the best-looking credits in any game, you can almost overlook the sharp edges and lackluster AI by focusing on the cel-shaded glow of the magic around one of the rarest, and most spectacular, team-ups anywhere.

Dead Space 3 is in the unique position of being a fun game but a bad sequel.

Despite feeling slightly dated, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath still manages to impress on the Vita's small screen.

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.

The Cave is a solid adventure game.

Pinball FX 2: Zen Classics is really for two kinds of people: hardcore pinball enthusiasts who'll play every table and completionists who hate seeing the gray boxes of missing tables on their Pinball FX 2 menu.

As a whole, the Dishonored: Dunwall City Trials DLC pack is fairly good. There's balance in the number and variety of events, and while there are some challenges that fare much better than others, there's more good than bad here.

The gameplay is simultaneous[ly] simple and deep, and it's a joy to play. The only thing holding back the game is a by-the-books story and some annoying visual and audio design choices. Longtime fans who are worried about the alterations to the formula shouldn't be. Awakening is a rare example of a series that works.

In the end, Tokyo Crash Mobs is a good puzzle game that is both helped and hurt by its oddball presentation. On the one hand, the use of people and the off-the-wall cut scenes bookending each level give you some motivation to progress even if the rewards are strange. On the other hand, the presentation can make it difficult to figure out where your person is going to land, potentially ruining a scenario and making you lose the match.

Hitman: Absolution proves to be another notable entry in the series. It may house a ho-hum plot, and you'll hate just about every character you come across, but the open nature of the approach is good enough that you'll overlook those blemishes.

If you want a game that captures what Freakyforms Deluxe tries to do, you're best served hunting down the Drawn to Life games for the original DS. Kids might find the game entertaining in spite of the number of demos, but without a demo, it's hard to recommend risking the cost.

Despite my misgivings about the retail product and on-disc content, I can't overstate how enjoyable Tropico 4 and the Modern Times expansion pack are. This isn't the best way to purchase both, though, as you'd be better off picking up both piecemeal, digitally or through retail.

Despite not explicitly saying so, Warlock: Master of the Arcane serves as a decent entry game for those who want to dabble in 4X strategy. Thanks to the lack of a decent tutorial and in-game instructions, the game still has a steep learning curve, and the lack of attention paid to the diplomatic aspects of the genre will leave some players overwhelmed once they move on to something with more substance.

DmC: Devil May Cry is a hard game to judge. On its own, without any preconceptions based on the franchise, it's a serviceable if unexceptional action title. It's a good way to waste an afternoon or an ideal rental. It is, however, a poor Devil May Cry game.

Much like PS Mini titles, games under the PS Mobile banner are often overlooked. It would be a shame to do that with Surge. It's a bite-sized puzzler that costs about the same as a Starbucks latte, and is a perfect fit for short play sessions. Sometimes, less is more.

Samurai G has some good ideas but ultimately fails to deliver.

In the end, the Wii U version of Darksiders II is almost exactly like the other console versions. The added control options are nice but don't give Wii U owners a large advantage over their brethren.

Like the first game, Pokémon Black: Version 2 is a solid title that most fans will enjoy. The addictive qualities remain, and partaking in the quest to meet and capture every Pokémon is still as exciting as it was several handheld generations ago. While the base game is still great, longtime fans will be less enthused by the restrictions, despite the many improvements and included modes. For those looking for their next series fix, this entry will do nicely.

It may not be a traditional game experience, but that doesn't mean Kinect Party is boring. On the contrary, whether you're five or 50, messing around in Kinect Party is an enjoyably amusing time-waster.

This is still a great game, and sports fans will love this, but for those still clinging to NBA 2K11 or 2K12, you'll want to take the plunge if you really need that roster update or desperately want to play as the Dream Team.

FIFA '13 provides some great AI, a fair challenge if you go for a difficulty beyond Amateur, and a lot of content if you're willing to delve into the various modes.

It's not the biggest expansion for Sims 3, but if you're trying to build an interesting, dynamic world for your little pixel people, it may just be the most important.

All of it is entertaining, and it gives you a sense that the island is little more than your plaything- a feeling that's only emphasized as your skills increase and you become a badass cross between Turok and Rambo. It's for that reason that Far Cry 3 comes across as a fresh experience and ranks up there as one of the best shooters of 2012.

As a stand-alone offering, the XBLA version of Serious Sam 3 is undeniably flawed but also undeniably enjoyable.