Abyss Odyssey set out to redefine a genre and create something that we'd never seen before. It's just a shame that it forgot what makes the genre so enjoyable in the first place.
Sniper Elite 3 may have the outstanding gunplay of its predecessor, but inconsistent AI and a myriad of bugs keep it from hitting its mark.
Shovel Knight combines everything that was great about some of the best games from the NES era, and turns those beloved mechanics into something fresh. It's a brilliant 2D action-platformer, which simply demands your attention.
Anomaly Defenders doesn't do enough to break away from the traditional tower defense mould, leaving behind a serviceable but mostly forgettable game.
Tropico 5 stands as the perfect place for newcomers to the franchise to hone their craft, but veteran rulers may not find enough here to demand an upgrade.
Super Time Force is an absolutely insane ride drenched with humor and pop culture references. It may be silly, but it's one of the best games available on the Xbox One right now, and is absolutely deserving of your attention
Daylight works great if you're just looking for a few cheap scares, but if you're itching for something more, you should look elsewhere.
The Elder Scrolls: Online is a nice distraction for fans of open world RPGs and MMOs alike, but there's not enough here to keep either crowd around for very long.
Cloudbuilt is a fantastic platforming game that's simply held back by substandard controls.
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls ended up being just what I needed: A high-quality expansion that would compel me to return to (and enjoy) Diablo III again.
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z sullies the name of the franchise. It fails both on a gameplay level and on a comedic level, and really doesn't offer anything worthy of its price tag.
Tower of Guns won't keep you occupied for hours on end, but if you're a gamer looking for a quick fix of intense action you'll be hard pressed to find a better title.
Dark Souls II is absolutely devious and won't hesitate to punish you for your mistakes, but the feeling of accomplishment that comes from making progress is unmatched by anything else on the market. It's not a game that will cater to every player's wants, but if you're the type who enjoys a challenge, this is absolutely a must play.
Lords of Shadow 2 had limitless potential in front of it, and could have been the best Castlevania game of recent memory, but poor design choices, a questionable story and flawed mechanics will kill most players' interest before they even get half-way through.
The makings of an absolutely fantastic game are evident here, and fans of the genre will love what's being offered. However, there are just too many flaws at launch to really recommend Thief to a wider audience.
Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition makes some improvements to what is one of, if not the, best RPGs ever made. That said, it may not have done enough to warrant the extra cost when compared to simply buying the original.
X Rebirth is a broken game right now. The UI is clunky, flying feels awkward at best, and you're often left to figure out how to play without any real sort of guidance. This could end up being a fine game once modders are able to essentially remake it, but there's no real reason to pick it up at the current moment.
XCOM: Enemy Within is the definitive XCOM experience. There's enough here to keep veterans of the series engaged for another playthrough and it's a perfect launching point for newcomers to experience what may be the best turn-based strategy game on the market right now.
Need for Speed: Rivals will wow you initially, but there are too many missteps for it to keep you engaged for a sizeable length of time. The nonsensical story, surprising lack of features and an online component that may as well not be there overshadow the fantastic driving mechanics and lead to a rather monotonous game.
Killer Instinct has the potential to be a top fighting game, but a lack of features and variety of characters hold it back from being something outstanding. Still, with the base game being free, there's no excuse for anyone not to at least try it out.