Without a better story, and the game ending before you can really ever test your mettle, Assassin's Creed Chronicles feels lackluster.
Crypt of the Necrodancer marries rhythm and roguelike in a unique way — It feels accessible, fun, and fairly difficult at any given moment.
Titan Souls strips out all of the bloat of contemporary action games, and boils things down to what should be the best bits. Though it might be a little too condensed for its own good.
Not quite content with improving the graphics and lumping in the downloadable content and calling it a day, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin feels like From Software's definitive vision for the game.
Seeing improvements in all facets and some unexpected inclusions, Ascendance is a good DLC pack for Advanced Warfare. Hopefully we'll see more of this going forward.
Axiom Verge is a love letter to another time. While games from that era don't impress in terms of visuals any longer, there's still fun to be found in the exploration and discovery facets of this intricate, well-formed world. Axiom Verge is one of the purest forms of Metroidvania titles that we've seen in recent years.
Those that are up for the challenge of Bloodborne are going to find a game that plays better, looks better, and has more to keep you occupied than any of the Souls games had.
Battlefield: Hardline is a lateral move for the series. Even with a more ambitious single player offering, multiplayer continues to steal the show, offering best in-class gameplay when it works.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number lives up to original in a number of ways, even outpacing it in terms of stylistic violence. With a story that's all over the map, and constraints often placed on the player, Hotline Miami 2 takes away some of the fun from the original game -- just not all of it.
Ori and the Blind Forest rivals the very best games in terms of presentation and controls. It offers a challenging path for you to follow on this touching emotional journey. So good, so beautiful, you can't help but want more reasons to play.
Right in the sweet spot between being fun and challenging, Helldivers is a superb cooperative experience that keeps you coming back for more.
Turtle Rock Studios' brand of Asymmetrical Multiplayer in Evolve is right up there with the very best that we've seen, with a complimentary presentation to match. For anyone looking for a reprieve from military shooters, Evolve can be an exhilarating change of pace.
Alientrap has struck a great balance between their core 2-D Platforming and RPG-lite mechanics, and a varied world that challenges players in different ways throughout the course of this tightly paced adventure.
Grow Home isn't awfully deep, nor does it provide any real story to hook you, but this game taps into the pleasure centers of seeing something and going there... however you may choose to do so.
Raven's Cry has very few redeemable qualities. Despite having the potential to be the ultimate pirate adventure, and the inclusion of a ton of features, it's not very fun to play and has quite a few technical issues.
Unmechanical: Extended's presentation will please, and its puzzles will challenge you for a few hours, but don't expect it to do much more.
Advanced Warfare's first map pack, Havoc, doesn't quite have the fit and finish that the game launched with. A lack of available playlists is a big bummer for anyone who doesn't want to play the handful of available modes. Sledgehammer could take a few cues from Treyarch for the extension of this zombie storyline... if there is one.
A more polished and focused game than their previous effort in open world zombie games, Techland marries graceful parkour and chaotic combat in this sandbox scavenger's fever dream.
Saints Row: Gat out of Hell is the Saints Row you know and love, minus the good stuff. A lack of humor, repetitive missions and structure for this short expansion leave a lot to be desired.
Equal parts chaos and creativity, #IDARB is best enjoyed with friends. While online features are lacking somewhat, anyone looking for a great local competitive title on Xbox One should definitely pick this one up when it hits Games with Gold in February.