Even with the small problems here and there, Trine 2 offers an old-school gaming experience with a new, unique spin. It's already a great game with its engaging puzzles and addictive gameplay; add cooperative multiplayer to the mix, and Trine 2 is a must-have that can bring friends together for some excellent adventuring.

Sonic CD is Sonic at his finest: fast, fun, and challenging. The past and future versions of each stage coupled with collecting every Time Stone means a good deal of replay value in a small package. Decent controls and a good soundtrack make the game an overall solid package.

Those looking for a solid platforming experience probably won't find a better one on the 3DS.

While gameplay is overall a great experience, I would like to see more control given to my fighter when it comes to the sway system, and I'm not completely sold on the new submission mini-game.

WipEout's core experience – fast races, awesome music, and incredible graphics – are better than they've ever been in WipEout 2048. However, the game's more experimental features like motion controls and touch interface fall flat.

If you enjoy action games with quirk and charm, I can't recommend Binary Domain enough. It has all the hallmarks of an unpolished gem - except it's actually polished.

The reliance on story as a driving part of the experience, the cruel difficulty, and many similarities to the first game might put some fans off. But engaging combat, addictive demon collecting, and gameplay that can only be rivaled by the first entry make Devil Survivor 2 a worthy title in the Shin Megami Tensei series.

The game's long-term entertainment value is tied up in multiplayer, and while I'm confident the user-generated tracks will always yield new and interesting experiences, playing with other players won't so much.

An extremely competent and oftentimes innovative platformer that has a ton going for it.

What is it about this game that is compelling me to a completest level never-before-seen? It's fun, simple, playable, looks okay, and you feel like a bad-ass… that'll do for another eight hours.

It may not be saying much but Dragon's Dogma is the ballsiest, most ambitious thing Capcom has attempted in years.

The game is crafted like a shoot-'em-up, meaning you really need to dig in and master it to understand where its value lies. If you have the temperance for that type of play, Lollipop Chainsaw is one of the best brawlers in the last few years. Combine that with an effortless sense of humor and Suda 51's one-of-a-kind style, and you have gaming perfection for the right kind of gamer.

The stellar writing and character development continues at a superior level, and the decisions the game asks you to make are gut-wrenching.

The variety in the minigames mixed with the exceptional soundtrack make for a delightful combination.

By removing peripheral complexities, Hybrid focuses completely on what makes, or should make cover-based shooters fun. It reminds me a lot of NBA Jam - not in the sense that you'll pull of crazy tomahawk dunks as a futuristic mech soldier, but in that it creates basic, tight, and rewarding experiences by focusing on a few core gameplay mechanics.

Nintendo clearly took an "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality to this sequel, and given how good this game is, I can't fault them for it.

I'm appreciating it not out of some overly indulgent childhood nostalgia but rather for what it's doing right now. It's been way too long since the Transformers property has been this good but High Moon's take on the universe is shaping up to be the modernized reboot the franchise desperately needs.

Though the level of precision required to solve some puzzles is a little beyond my taste, it's great that games of this nature are starting to become so prolific that those looking for puzzles with a little more bite can find them.

And while all these pieces are solid, reliable, and improve the product, they won't set any soccer fans' pants on fire. So do you upgrade? If you haven't since FIFA 11, then you're due. If you're a new recruit in '12, then maybe you can wait until '14.

Captaining a spaceship is a dream that many gamers have had for years, and FTL pulls it off near perfectly. If the difficulty, randomness, and repetition of rougelikes doesn't scare you away, FTL will give you an experience you can't find anywhere else.

They really don't make games like Hell Yeah anymore. It's one of the most random and oddball games I've played. It's one of those games where a bunch of wildly creative developers got together, had a bunch of fun, and made a game without ever asking "why?"

In all, it's a solid start to what is to be a promising roll out of Borderlands 2 DLC and it's an especially manageable adventure if you're level 15 or higher in your current playthrough (not counting raid bosses).

With a brand new story, more game modes, extra levels to gain for your old and new toys, and enough content and replay value to keep you entertained for weeks, Giants is an easy recommendation to any gamer looking for a fun and approachable RPG.

There's a certain amount of diminishing returns on the mechanical evolutions made but the fresh, authentic setting along with a brand new protagonist go along way in rekindling the fire.

The developers have masterfully adapted everything that made the original Painkiller so enjoyable to a new engine that looks fantastic and plays liquid smooth.

If you are an old school WWE fan longing to play with your favorite superstars of yesteryear, then this game is a must buy. Younger fans can learn a lot about the WWE's past by playing through the Attitude Era mode as well.

The biggest change the series has seen so far. Layton fanatics may cry foul at the series' change of 2D to 3D visuals, but upon playing the game you'll see the game is hands down the best looking of the series.

With Kurt's character design, the smoothness in his movements, and the challenges he faces, I couldn't help but compare Pid to the award-winning Limbo. That said, Pid's exceedingly inviting visual style is a marked contrast to the overbearing sense of dread and isolation in Playdead's 2010 platformer.