While it may be on the short side, I still highly recommend picking up Unmechanical Extended. Like me, you may have a really fun time with it.

SteamWorld Dig on the PS Vita and PS4 is a wonderful achievement; great game play, beautiful to look at and with a sense of humor. Bringing it to the Sony stables was a great move on the part of the developers, and one that will hopefully prove fruitful for them.

If you are remotely a fan of Dragon Age, Monster Hunter, Zelda, the Colossus games then I think you too will find some fun in Eternal Strands.

These are some really well made pinball tables wrapped around one of the best horror/sci-fi franchises ever created.

Fighting in Naruto: RoaN is such an important part of the game play that it has been given its own online modes.

To those unfamiliar with this hidden gem, Perfect Chronology represents a new chapter in your very own White Chronicle where you can return to the past with all your new experiences and finally learn that Radiant Historia is one the best JRPGs you’ve never played.

The Messenger is a horrible name for a game that pays homage to Ninja Gaiden. Don’t let the name stop you, though. This is one of the best of its type and is worth checking out. I do wish it was more widely available across consoles, but Switch and PC owners should certainly not miss this one.

Guitar Hero World Tour manages to do a lot of things very well, but the problem arises when you realize that with so many options it is hard for one of them to stand out. The song list is excellent, but suffers now because of not being backward compatible with previous games. The music studio is an excellent first effort, but hurts from sound quality and complexity.

LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias is one of the best downloadable games you will play this year. The sheer amount of detail and care poured into this title secretes from every flick of the Wii remote. The motion controls are better than most every other game on the system and the art directions is absolutely jaw-dropping at times. I cannot recommend this title enough to anyone who enjoys a solid platformer.

An immaculate piece of software (and hardware) that should at least be experienced by everyone, especially people who love playing guitar.

Forza offers a fantastic sim race experience. The deep career mode, and incredible physics engine offer a one of a kind racing experience. Not to mention the replay value of a game with this level of customization.

Most players know whether they are interested in this collection. The fans have been begging for it for years. We finally have it, and as of this writing they managed to sort out the issues with the Xbox version, so it is coming to that console next year, so it will be available on literally everything. It is impossible not to recommend this package if you have any sort of interest in fighting games. There is a reason these games are still so well revered, and this collection gives a whole new generation of players a chance to find out why.

There is plenty of content for the money, and it's different enough to allow even those with over 100 hours in Skyrim to feel refreshed. It's easily the best piece of Skyrim expansion content yet, and well worthy of $20.

Other than feeling bad about my lack of skill with the Contra series, I love this collection. I have zero nostalgia for any of these titles and they are still fantastic (if not incredibly hard). With the update that added the Japanese versions of the games I think this is a crazy bundle to pass up. Co-op, seven unique games, and plenty of challenge wrapped up into one collection. Do not skip.

Gravity Rush 2 feels as great to play as it looks. It’s a true fulfillment of a premise with tremendous potential that was previously hindered due to hardware limitations. It’s a massive improvement in every possible aspect from the original and makes a strong statement as my very first pick for a game of the year contender of 2017.

While it was nice to dig back in for a while, I have moved on to other titles now, so anyone looking for a double dip will likely not get as much mileage out of this version. For the few that have yet to play it though, you are in for a treat. The PC version is by far the best looking iteration of the game, and the amount of content packed in here will keep players occupied for months. That is of course if the online manages to get a foothold.

Valyria Chronicles remaster is an excellent addition to the PS4 library.

With over sixty playable characters, kreate-a-fighter, and all the mini-games packed in you get more than your money’s worth. MK fans will drool with delight seeing some of their favorite fighters from every game packed into one arena.

Abzu is something that was never even on my radar. Then I booted it up, and never let go. Every area was an experience, and it made an impact on me. I don’t spend my time trying to figure out what it means, I just enjoyed the ride, and it is easy to recommend. Especially to those that enjoy the idea of swimming in the depths of the ocean, and exploring the alien life found below the waves.

Circling back to the question that I pondered for all those years- with all the great new talent and abundant resources in tow, FromSoftware has brought Armored Core back in glorious fashion with their finest overall entry in the series history yet. Whether you’ve never heard of Armored Core before or are a die-hard fan that’s been waiting a decade for a new release, this mission to Rubicon 3 is one not to be missed.

In conclusion, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 for the Wii U is a fantastic fighting game, and a must buy for the new Nintendo system. This game has so much to offer, and it adds a hard-core competitive element to Nintendo gamers that have been lacking for a long time.

Super Meat Boy is a fantastic addition to the XBLA library and one of the most addictive games I have played all year.

Heroes and Castles is a phenomenal addition to any gamer’s iOS library. For the $1.99 asking price, you get a ton of content and a really unique experience.

I think the biggest standout is the atmosphere. For a game that has nearly cartoony visuals and NO gore at all (this game is rated T) it still hit those tension marks I would expect from a good horror game. I was thoroughly surprised with the entire experience and just in time for the Halloween season. This is one game that I recommend whole-heartedly for anyone looking for a good psychological horror game that focuses more on exploration and puzzles than full on combat. Don’t sleep on this one. It’s pretty great.

As a follow up to a divisive entry and as the penultimate release to the end of the Calvard Arc, Trails Beyond the Horizon had to pull out all the stops and luckily, despite a few flaws, they managed to craft an incredible build up that has me on the edge of my seat, eager to find out what happens next.

Legends is one of the last great 2D platformers, and to think we may never see a sequel simply saddens me.

That said, if you like point and click adventure games with mystery, good puzzles, humor, and a little bit of history, Broken Sword 5 is exactly what you’re looking for.

All in all, the first episode of The Walking Dead was a fantastic experience. Fans of a good narrative should look into this game, as well.