F1 2018 may not be the next be landmark game in the series, but Codemasters have continued to develop and improve the franchise, making it more involved for those that care and more fun for those that don’t and it is these changes, and their commitment to making these games as appealing as possible, that continue to cement them as one of the best driving game developers out there.

Much of the changes in Civ Rev are of the give and take variety ultimately streamlining gameplay with little sacrifice.

It's easy to see how Zenonia 2 has been trapped by the success of its predecessor. Much like a Zelda game, it's guaranteed to be the same experience, dated faults and all. Zenonia 2 stays true to that old school philosophy, delivering almost exactly the same game, with a handful of tweaks.

I love this game. Playtonic definitely made something special here. It’s going to be hard to look at other platformers without wondering why they didn’t ape more of the concepts from The Impossible Lair. Not to mention the soundtrack by Grant Kirkhope and David Wise – which is probably one of my favorite soundtracks of the year. While I hope they give the 3D platformer another fair shake, I will be more than happy if Playtonic does more sidescrolling platformers in the future because The Impossible Lair is impossibly good.

Soulcalibur VI is a great way to bring back the franchise. There is a ton of content to be found and outside of a few omissions, the roster is great. Character creation leaves the door open for plenty of interesting designs. The Xbox One version had a few loading hitches and issues, but it never hindered my enjoyment. For anyone who grew up playing the original in dorms with friends, this is the first entry to capture that magic in years. The soul still burns, and it burns hot.

It is next to impossible not to recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of either of these two brands, as you will most assuredly find a fighter that suits your play style. Aside from the lack of spectator mode and redundant characters that made the final roster, I have nothing negative to say about this game.

Guardians of the Galaxy is probably one of the biggest surprises for me this year. After the disappointment that was Avengers my hope for this game was low. Once I got into gear though I could not stop playing this one and I loved every minute of it.

There’s a lot of quality in this release, but it’s a hard one to recommend while the original game is playable on the same console for far less. I’m still not sure why Nintendo would put so much effort into this game at this time in the 3DS’s life, let alone with a title that can already be played on the console. If slightly dated graphics don’t matter, then the original can be had for a fraction of the cost. Otherwise there’s still a lot of content for $40 in the main game alone, and there’s of course the addition of the Bowser Jr.’s Journey. Regardless of the version however, Bowser’s Inside Story is one of the best in the Mario RPG titles and should be played.

Guerilla Games has done an amazing job of creating both a compelling campaign and a solid online component. The pacing is near perfect and the vehicle segments break up the action at just the right times.

F1 2012 is truly an example of master craftsmanship in the world of simulation racers.

For the people out there who like puzzle-solving and a charming story and art style, you owe it to yourself to pick this game up.

Battlefield 1943 is a prime example of why online gaming is so addictive. The concept is simple, the content is limited, but the fun is nearly endless.

Thumper is one of my favorite games this year, simple yet challenging, visually stimulating, and excellent sound use. Easy to play, hard to master is the familiar phrase that comes to mind.

The racing feels so spot on, and the dynamic weather effects and track conditions really give it that authentic feel.

Axiom Verge is fantastic addition to any fan of the genre.

The Association mode is making a case for the best franchise mode in the entire genre, and the on court gameplay is mostly very solid. With some tweaks to the post play, and an overhauled menu system, next years' version has the potential to be a truly outstanding title.

All in all, if you're a fan of Streets of Rage, there's no denying that this collection is a must buy. The price of ten dollars is a good deal for three beat 'em up games with online play. Not to mention three really fun beat 'em up games. If you've never played the games in this series, you should still give this collection a shot not only to have some violent fun, but to see what it was like during the heyday of Sega.

For those who purchased Burial at Sea Episode 1 and felt burned by the lack of content, Episode 2 is a fuller package, and worth picking up to finish the story.

Death of the Outsider is a fun, bite sized Dishonored game that opened my eyes to the series once again. I enjoyed the open-endedness of the entire experience, and while I didn’t get a lot of details of the story, it was still enjoyable and fun to see. Dishonored fans will love this one as well, and people that may have been turned off from the first game may find this one much more enjoyable. There’s still some issues with stealth and difficulty, but in the end, it’s a fun experience overall with some great options.

While there are hundreds of Warhammer games out there, few of them really stand out among the pack. Boltgun is one of those games and even non-fans of the universe owe it to themselves to check it out. It is visceral, addictive, and paced extremely well. The array of difficulty options offer up something for everyone and it has some of the best weapon feel of any of these types of games out there. I cannot recommend this game enough for anyone looking for a good time blowing up pixelated baddies.

An incredible package that should appeal to any fighting game fan or anyone who grew up with the series. Ed Boon and his team at NetherRealm have created a love letter to fans that will stand the test of time.

I think DotEmu and Lizardcube knocked it out of the park yet again. Clearly there was importance on being truthful to the series while adding in new elements to make the game feel fresh and exciting.

As a package The Bioshock collection delivers, but once again (as has been with the other two 2K collections on Switch) the issue of value raises its head. Yes, fifty bucks for three fully fleshed out games and all their DLC seems like good value. But only if the only console you own is a Switch. This collection released 4 years ago on PC, Xbox One and Playstation4 and as such can be picked up for a fraction of that price nowadays. The games also play much better on these platforms, with the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X recently getting a 4K 60fps update. I guess it comes down to whether you think having versions of these great games on the go is worth the cost. But for me, no matter how good these games are, I would recommend waiting for a price drop.

Take my advice don’t rent this one, just go out and buy it there is enough stuff to see and do after you finish the game to keep you playing for a long time afterwards.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a spiritual successor to Burnout Paradise with the license behind it. This is not a bad thing; in fact it does more good for the game than anything. Criterion knows how to make fun and accessible racers, and MW is no exception. If you enjoy these types of games I cannot recommend the game enough.

Uncharted: Lost Legacy is another Uncharted game, for better or worse. I loved its length and characters. I would love to see more spin-offs now that Nathan Drake’s journey has come to an end. I feel like we don’t get enough of these action adventure style titles and am always up for another one. I might say we don’t need another Uncharted game once again, but if the series returns, you know I will be first in line to eat my words.

The game prides itself on simplistic controls and a focus on skating rather than performing inane tasks and worrying too much about a tacked-on narrative. Skate 2 continues to up the ante for genre forcing Activision to really step up for the next chapter of Tony Hawk.

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