PC Games - ranked by preference

Release Date: August 21, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Marin
Genre: Shooter - First-Person

I first played BioShock on Xbox 360 as a skeptic...I generally get bored with first-person shooters and the first few minutes of the game made me feel like this one wouldn't really be too different...But then I had noticed that hours had melted away and that the game's awesome story mixed with exploring the strange and demented world of Rapture had gotten me hooked to the point that I didn't want to put the controller down. I prefer the console versions to the PC version, mostly due to the fact that I always prefer a controller to a keyboard and mouse, but that's a very minor argument as this game is amazing, regardless of the format, and I had very little trouble getting used to the keyboard and mouse set-up for this game.

Release Date: August 8, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Mossmouth
Developer: Derek Yu
Genre: Platformer

If you've never played Spelunky, but like 2D platformers, you NEED to play this game. The randomized levels mean that every playthrough is a different experience and the game just has a charm to it where you'll keep telling yourself "just one more time" when you die...and one more time turns into ten or twenty more times. There are plenty of secrets to discover as you play as well, increasing the replay value even further. It's not only a great game, but I'll argue that it's the best 2D platformer that I've played since Super Mario World. Yes, it really is that good. If you haven't played it yet, go out of your way to do so. You won't regret it.

Release Date: August 21, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: Adventure

I first played Oblivion on the Playstation 3...And then the Xbox 360 so I could get achievements...And lastly, I played Oblivion on the PC after hearing some friends rave about how much better it is on PC. I honestly feel the opposite. I think the game plays perfectly with a controller on the consoles. A keyboard and mouse just isn't my cup of tea. That said, that doesn't mean that the PC version of the game is any less good than the console versions. On the contrary, it's equally great, and it has the added benefit of playing with user-created mods that keep the gameplay going if the 100+ hours of gameplay found in the regular game isn't enough for you.

Release Date: November 16, 2004 (NA/EU)
Publisher: Sierra
Developer: Valve Software
Genre: Shooter - First-Person

The original Half-Life was an absolutely amazing game for its time...Groundbreaking, even. No first-person shooter had ever been like it before. Fast forward a few years and Half-Life 2 was released, totally blowing the original away. With such a variety of environments to traverse, vehicles to cruise around in, and a pretty dang solid story, Half-Life 2 is better than the original (which is still excellent) in just about every way. I don't generally care for first-person shooters, but Half-Life 2 is a game that I'll gladly play any time.

Release Date: October 28, 2008 (NA)
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Genre: Adventure

Like the concept of Oblivion, but want to use guns and explosives? Fallout 3 is for you. While I prefer Oblivion to Fallout 3, I can't deny that I have a soft spot for sneaking a landmine into the inventory of an unsuspecting Super Mutant I managed to sneak up on. I honestly can't get enough of the Elder Scrolls and Fallout style of games....Even if they do seem to only get buggier and buggier with each release.

Release Date: November 30, 2010 (NA/EU)
Publisher: Team Meat
Developer: Team Meat
Genre: Platformer

Super Meat Boy is my kind of game - a tough-as-nails platformer where you can see your skills in the game improve the more you play. Areas that seem impossible are eventually beaten, and it makes you feel like you really accomplished something special. The fact that you'll constantly die (and you will) sounds frustrating, but with most levels only lasting around ten seconds and the fact that upon death, you instantly start back at the beginning of the level, the constant deaths don't feel nearly as tedious as they do in most games...You may die fifty times in a level before beating it, and then look at the clock and realize that despite the high number of deaths, you only spent about five minutes trying to beat that level before succeeding. This game had me hooked for quite a long time...It's very "well done"....Pun intended.

Release Date: December 7, 2012 (NA)
Publisher: Harvester Games
Developer: Harvester Games
Genre: Adventure - Point-and-Click

I absolutely LOVE this game. The Cat Lady starts out as a very, very dark game - any game where you're required to chop your arm off to advance on is probably pretty dark. However, the Cat Lady isn't just dark, with some light-hearted moments tossed in with the twisted stuff, I fell in love with the game's story. It's not without its faults - I still don't get where the stranger that visits Susan's apartment exactly fits into the story, he seemed out of place to me...But otherwise, I really enjoyed experiencing Susan Ashworth's story. With a great art design that helps it stick out as much as the story, and great controls the Cat Lady is easily one of the best point-and-click adventure games that I have ever played.

Release Date: October 10, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Valve
Developer: Valve
Genre: Puzzle - Action

When the Orange Box compilation was released, it contained a little-known game called Portal which became the star of the package, instantly gaining poularity and adulation. The action-based puzzle gameplay was addicting and fun. It wasn't very long before it saw its own solo release, and eventually even saw a sequel. Spawning several catchphrases (many of which have been well overused) like "the cake is a lie," Portal is a game that will stick with you long after GlaDOS sings to you as the credits roll.

Release Date: October 31, 1998 (NA)
Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
Developer: Valve Software
Genre: First-Person Shooter

When Half-Life first came out, it blew away any other first-person shooter that had come before it. It combined fun first-person shooter action with some clever puzzles for some fantastic gameplay...And on top of that, the atmosphere was incredible. The graphics were amazing for their time, the story was interesting, yet still pretty simple...It's just a fantastic overall experience that still holds up well today. The only thing preventing me from giving it a perfect score is that it could be game-reloading-glitchy at times, but not enough for me to dock it more than just very slightly. If you haven't played it yet, do it. It's a masterpiece.

Release Date: October 17, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Galactic Cafe
Developer: Davey Wreden
Genre: Adventure

The Stanley Parable pretty much instantly became one of my favorite games. The sense of humor found here is quite well done and just exploring around to do pretty much anything but what the narrator says is quite fun. Makes me feel like a rebel...like I should be wearing a leather jacket, smearing grease in my hair, and smoking a pack of cigarettes as I play. But anyway, this game is tremendous and I hope you'll give it a chance if you haven't already done so.

Release Date: June 27, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Cellar Door Games
Developer: Cellar Door Games
Genre: Action

Rogue Legacy is a game that keeps on giving. You'll die at least one hundred times....and you'll still want to keep playing because each time you play, you'll be getting a unique experience. The basic concept is that when you die, you're dead. The next time you play, you're playing as one of the children of the person that died and that child may have beneficial genetics, negative ones, or stuff that really has no impact on the game other than amusement. You play one game where you're near-sighted, another where you've got gigantism, another where you have turrets syndrome...Half the fun is just seeing how the next generation you'll play as will be. It's also worth mentioning that if you can find it while exploring the castle, this game quotes the Wheel of Fish scene from UHF, which automatically makes it better than most games I've ever played.

Release Date: September 14, 2012 (NA)
Publisher: Subset Games
Developer: Subset Games
Genre: Strategy

It took about 10 months of me hearing how good FTL is from various friends before I finally caved in and played it. It just didn't sound like a game for me. When I finally sat down and dedicated some time to playing it, I didn't want to stop. FTL is a real-time strategy-based rougelike that has you traveling through space, fighting other spaceships, fighting enemies that have boarded your ship (or enemies while you board there's), and buying new weapons and power-ups to help you survive the mission at hand. It's simple, but dang it, it's addicting. One of my friends put it best when he said that he got more playtime out of this $10 game than most big-time releases...As of this writing, he's plugged about 104 hours into it. FTL is a great example of how an indy game can be just as good, and even better than, most of the large publishers and developers can make...Even without the fancy, schmancy graphics.

Release Date: February 7, 2014 (NA)
Publisher: Adult Swim Games
Developer: Necrophone
Genre: Adventure

I want to have surgery done so that I'm able to have this game's babies. Jazzpunk is a short li'l adventure game loaded with humor, and plenty of the immature kind, too...You sit on a whoopie cushion in the first few minutes of the game. If you just play straight through, you can probably beat it in an hour or so, but there's plenty to discover by just walking around and interacting with things and people that have nothing to do with the story. I beat the game multiple times just to ensure that I saw everything that this game has to offer...And then again just because I like it enough to do so. This game is fantastic.

Release Date: May 28, 2008 (NA)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Adventure

Mass Effect started out kind of rocky with me. When I first played through it, I thought it was so-so...And eventually got bored. I played it again a year or so later and really found myself enjoying it a lot. That second time was enough to motivate me to visit the game a few games again since then, and each time I enjoy it all the same. The first Mass Effect is still my favorite in terms of gameplay, story, and exploration. The two sequels just don't live up to this one, in my opinion.

Release Date: December 2, 2008 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar North
Genre: Action

Grand Theft Auto IV was an extremely anticipated game when it came out...And while I loved the characters, story, and game as a whole...In some respects it felt like a step back. Half the fun of previous GTA games was the ability to take over the city. Granted, that wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to allow that in this story, it still felt like something was missing when playing. That minor gripe aside, GTA4 lives up to any and all hype it received. If you haven't played it yet, give it a try. It's an easy game to lose several hours in.

Release Date: January 11, 2010
Publisher: Terry Cavanagh
Developer: Terry Cavanagh
Genre: Platformer

VVVVVV is a very unique game that is so, so good. It's a platformer that involves manipulating gravity rather than jumping - bouncing between the floors and the ceilings is your only way around obstacles (usually deadly spikes) in your path. That alone is fun, but VVVVVV doesn't fit the traditional "level-by-level" mold of platformers. Instead of beating levels, the game is an open world for you to explore, similar to a Metroid title. The soundtrack is also pretty awesome. The end result is a game that looks very basic with gameplay that is anything but basic. I'm ashamed that it took me this long to play it. If you haven't played it yet, you should be ashamed, too.

Release Date: July 1, 2009 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

When I heard that Capcom was bringing back Street Fighter, but in 3D, I immediately thought of the Street Fighter EX games, which weren't terrible, but they weren't anything to get excited about, either. Then I played it and realized that even though the characters were all in 3D, the fighting still played like it was on a 2D plane...Which resulted in fantastic Street Fighter action that us old fogeys remember from the early 90's, but on a platform that allows a brand new generation to fall in love with hurling fireballs across the screen at an opponent.

Release Date: November 4, 2014 (NA)
Publisher: Nicalis
Developer: Nicalis
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

The original Binding of Isaac was a great game...Rebirth, at first glance, appears to just be more of the same. In a way, that's exactly what it is. It's more of the same - plus more. More enemy variety, more level variety, more power-up variety, more playable character variety. It's the Binding of Isaac plus more goodness tossed in. It may not quite have the impact of the original, but it's definitely just as enjoyable.

Release Date: October 14, 2011 (NA)
Publisher: Double Fine Productions
Developer: Double Fine Productions
Genre: RPG

I adore Costume Quest. I remember playing this for the first time and walking from house to house, ringing doorbells, and instantly feeling nostalgia from when I was a wee lad, with face paint covering my mug while I begged for candy. That nostalgia mixed with a clever story and fantastic gameplay make Costume Quest a must-play RPG. My only real complaint about the game is that it's way too short...But if you're new to turn-based RPGs, the length of this game may make it a good choice to give the genre a try.

Release Date: May 1, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Trapdoor
Developer: Polytron Corp.
Genre: Platformer

FEZ is one of those well-known indie games that everyone seems to love and I just didn't feel like playing it anyway. But, I'm on a bit of a Steam kick right now, trying to play much of my bloated library, and I gave FEZ a chance...and I can see why people like it so much. I don't think that it's as great as some folks made it out to be, but it's still very good and one of the better indie-developed games that I've ever played.

Release Date: September 28, 2011 (NA)
Publisher: Edmund McMillen
Developer: Edmund McMillen & Florian Himsl
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

The Binding of Isaac is a unique blend of twin-stick shooter and NES Legend of Zelda-style dungeon crawling that works really, really well. It's also a game with a dark story and some horror elements tossed in, which may make it even more appealing to some. It certainly was for me, as I found myself absolutely hooked to this game. With randomly generated dungeons, the repetition of starting from scratch whenever you die in this rougelike is minimized. Plus, there's secrets to discover along the way, as well. The Binding of Isaac is a game that you need to check out of even one thing mentioned above sounds interesting to you. It won't disappoint.

Release Date: May 31, 1998 (NA)
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Squaresoft
Genre: RPG

The Playstation version of Final Fantasy VII is one of my favorite games of all time...The PC version, while still fun, is incredibly buggy and that bogs the experience down as a whole. The game is still fun to play, and still very good, but just save often because there are a decent number of game-ending bugs that can hit when you least expect it. If you have access to the Playstation version, play that one instead. If this is all you can play, experiencing this buggy version is better than not experiencing it at all.

Release Date: October 23, 2012 (NA)
Publisher: Dennaton
Developer: Dennaton
Genre: Action

Hotline Miami got a lot of criticism from people for how it "glorifies violence." I think those folks haven't actually played the game. Yes, this is a very violent title...One look at the "box art" will tell you that...But the violence is part of the story - it's not there just for the sake of having violence in the game. With that out of the way, Hotline Miami's gameplay reminds me a little bit of Super Meat Boy in that you'll likely die a lot when you play, but upon death, the level restarts again instantly, and the levels don't take too long to complete, so usually the constant deaths don't get too frustrating. As long as you don't mind a little (okay, a lot) pixelated gore, Hotline Miami is a very solid indie title to get behind.

Release Date: August 15, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: The Fullbright Company
Developer: The Fullbright Company
Genre: Adventure

Gone Home encourages exploration, as you wander through a house and unravel the mystery of why your parents and sister aren't there to greet you as you return for college. Digging through everything to unravel the mystery is pretty fun, and the simple aspect of turning on and off lights acts both as a neat way to set an uneasy atmosphere and a neat way to remind yourself what rooms you've already visited and explored. I also like how the story ended up being completely different from what I thought it would be. It's good stuff. It took me around an hour and fifteen minutes or so to make my way through to the end, so if you're looking for a nice, interesting game to pass a little time, Gone Home is fantastic.

Release Date: November 17, 2008 (NA)
Publisher: Valve Software
Developer: Valve Software
Genre: Shooter - First-Person

Left 4 Dead is a first-person shooter with a focus on group survival in a zombie-infested city. Your goal, with three other players (whether they be friends, strangers, or the computer) is to have all four group members surviving by the end of each hour-long scenario. The game is fun enough when playing through solo with computer allies, but it really shines when you get three pals to play with you and you can enjoy trying to survive together. There isn't much of a story here - four scenarios about an hour long each - but it's fun enough to play where it doesn't need one to keep you coming back for more.

Release Date: May 20, 2002 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: DMA Design
Genre: Action

Grand Theft Auto III, as dated as the gameplay is, remains as my favorite game in the franchise to this day. So, eventhough I very, very rarely play PC games, when I found a used copy for $5, I couldn't help but purchase it. I honestly enjoy the console experience more, but the PC ability of customizing aspects of the game was quite nice, too. Behind all the controversy and politician complaints is a great game with a great story...Not to mention a game where it's just plain fun to wander around without doing anything.

Release Date: June 30, 1997 (NA)
Publisher: Interplay
Developer: SCi
Genre: Racing

Carmageddon had a bit of controversy to it...Afterall, a racing game where you get rewarded for veering off the track to plow over innocent pedestrians is probably gonna garner some sort of negative attention from someone. The beauty of Carmageddon, though, is that unlike a lot of games that go for controversial tactics, Carmageddon is actually pretty dang good. Leaving the course and exploring each level is fun in itself - there's nothing like driving into a football field and tackling the players with your car. The violence in Carmageddon isn't necessary for the fun - but it has a charming, cheesy B-movie feel to it that adds to the overall experience.

Release Date: August 22, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Marvelous AQL
Developer: Lab Zero Games
Genre: Fighting

Skullgirls is fantastic. It looks great, plays great, and is just an overall enjoyable game. My only real gripe with it is a lack of characters...The roster is a little small for my tastes - I like a roster of 30 or more characters since I like to play as everyone...It makes me come back and play more. But Skullgirls is very, very solid. A few more characters and an extra mode or two and I'd say it would be dang close to perfect. If you like fighting games, definitely give this game a go.

Release Date: December 16, 2012 (NA)
Publisher: Grey Dog Software
Developer: Grey Dog Software
Genre: Wrestling - Simulation

Ever want to take control of the WWE and take it to new heights? How about taking control of promotions like CHIKARA, ROH, NJPW, or AAA and having them overtake the WWE as the top promotion in the world? How about going back in time and booking WCW in attempt to prevent it from being sold to Vince McMahon? Or even going back to the territory days of the early 80's and see if you can fight off the WWF from taking over your territory and going national? You can do all of that in TEW 2013. I booked promotions from 1970 to 2017 and loved all 47 years of it. If a wrestling simulator that has you in charge of hiring and firing talent, making television deals, booking shows, etc. sounds interesting to you, then get Total Extreme Wrestling 2013 - you'll very likely fall in love with it like I did.

Release Date: 2012 (NA)
Publisher: stabyourself.net
Developer: stabyourself.net
Genre: Platformer

If Mari0 was simply a Mario clone with the gun from Portal tossed in as a gimmick, I wouldn't have scored this as high as I did. The thing that makes Mari0 so good is the extra stuff. The fact that you can create your own levels and share them with others is neat in itself...And the levels are created with portal uses in mind. That's not to say that the original Super Mario Bros. isn't fun with the portal gun - watching the Hammer Bros. kill themselves with their own hammers via portals or sending a Bullet Bill through a portal to kill a Goomba is good fun...But, Mari0 shines brightest with the user-created content. The best part? It's free. Head over to stabyourself.net/mari0/ to get yourself a copy.

Release Date: February 4, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Analgesic Productions
Developer: Analgesic Productions
Genre: Adventure

At first glance, Anodyne is a total Zelda rip-off...But after you play for a while, you'll begin to see that past the similarities of Anodyne and the 2D Zelda games, Anodyne has a personality all of its own. Instead of swinging a sword, Young, the protagonist, wields a broom. Using the broom he can sweep up dirt to help aid him during the quest. While that may sound kiddy, don't be mistaken, this is a dark game that's ultimately about facing your inner demons, so to speak. The various level designs are impressive, as is the beautifully-done soundtrack. What may be the most impressive is that this was all done by a bunch of students. When I was in college, all I did was write papers that resulted in the teachers coming up with new rules in what not to do in future papers. I was a trailblazer.

Release Date: October 31, 1995 (NA)
Publisher: Cyberdreams
Developer: The Dreamer's Guild
Genre: Adventure - Point-and-Click

The dark story in I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream is fantastic and the five different scenarios you play through (or six if you count the finale) are all unique and interesting in their own right. As far as point-and-click adventures go, this is up there as one of my favorites. My only real wish for the game was that it was a little longer so that we could get better backgrounds on each character. As it is, it's well written, but a little more background could have created more of an emotional attachment (good or bad) to the characters, making each scenario, and the game as a whole, have a little more of an impact. But, as it is, it's fantastic and I highly recommend it to point-and-click adventure fans.

Release Date: September 8, 2010 (NA)
Publisher: Frictional Games
Developer: Frictional Games
Genre: Adventure - Horror

Amnesia is a great example of a horror game without the need for a combat system or guns or whatever. In Amnesia, you fight by running away and hiding until the coast is clear. Taking away a means to fight back adds so much to the game in terms of anxiety, and having very limited resources in terms of using light to both see around you and replenish your sanity helps add to the atmosphere, too. It's well worth playing through for anyone interested in horror games.

Release Date: May 12, 2003 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar North
Genre: Action

Vice City is just as fun to play on PC as it is on the consoles. And just like on consoles, it's a blast to cruise around and just look at the bright, pastel colors in Rockstar's parody of 1980's Miami. The only downside, for me anyway, of the PC version is the controls. I've always been a controller kinda fella, so the mouse and keyboard controls (the controller controls aren't very good on PC) take away a little for me...But not enough to make me think any less of my time playing this game. It's just a personal preference.

Release Date: August 23, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Michael Todd Games
Developer: Michael Todd Games
Genre: Platformer

While I've heard a lot of folks say that Electronic Super Joy is really hard, I don't really see the game as difficult...you can restart over and over as many times as it takes to complete an area by familiarizing yourself with the level and coming up with a good strategy to make it through. What seems like a difficult spot becomes easy through repetition. But anyway, Electronic Super Joy is a well designed platformer with an interesting visual design and a nice sense of humor. If you're into 2D platformers, this is a great game to play.

Release Date: 2003 (NA)
Publisher: Oliver Copp
Developer: Oliver Copp
Genre: Simulation

TNM7 is a unique game...It's much more of a simulation than a game that you "play." In TNM7, you create (or download) wrestlers, book the match, and then sit back and watch (well, read - it's a text-based game) the results. But, at the same time, you can unlock certain aspects of the game (like match types, new rules, etc.) by booking specific matches. Aside from unlocking those "easter eggs" there isn't a whole lot of strategy here, so folks looking for a game where you have to control finances and the like to keep a company afloat, this may not be your cup of tea. For folks like me who just like to book "dream matches" and see the match unfold, this is a game well worth owning - I've played it on a regular basis since 2001.

Release Date: February 18, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Adult Swim Games
Developer: Megadev
Genre: Action

Toss Castlevania and Mr. Driller in a blender and you've got yourselves a nice Super House of Dead Ninjas milkshake. Mmmmm, mmmmm. The premise of this game is that you start at the roof of a castle. You want to work your way down to the bottom as fast as possible while killing enemies and collecting items. You're on a timer (like Mr. Driller's oxygen level) and T-shirt icons refill the time (like the oxygen capsules in Mr. Driller) but the combat and everything else very much feels like Castlevania, but at a much faster pace. It's very, very fun. You you haven't played it yet, give it a try. If you like the 2D Castlevanias, you'll probably like this game as well.

Release Date: October 26, 2009 (NA/AU)
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Gearbox Software
Genre: First-Person Shooter

Borderlands is a first-person shooter that dabbles in aspects that you'd find in an RPG, like leveling up, hit points, and finding loot....lots of loot. Add in some charming cel-shaded graphics and you've got yourself a charming little game that can appeal even to folks who aren't big first-person shooter fans. Also nice are the four characters to play as, with each character specializing in a specific play style. Whether you're into melee attacks, stealth, sniping, or plain ol' run and gun action, the game has you covered. The game also has plenty of humor and personality scattered between all the action, making this a very solid overall package that's fun to play co-op with a few friends or even just by your lonesome.

Release Date: May 24, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Adult Swim Games
Developer: Adult Swim Games
Genre: Puzzle - Action

Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe is a unique hybrid of platformer, shooter, and match-3 puzzle games that all blend together surprisingly well. I first played it thinking that it'd be so-so, but nothing special. I wound up getting hooked. I can easily see myself playing this on and off for months or even years to come. Adult Swim publishes another winner.

Release Date: May 16, 2011 (NA)
Publisher: Re-Logic
Developer: Re-Logic
Genre: Action

Terraria is a solid action game...Almost feels like a 2D platformer, without an emphasis on platforming - mostly an emphasis on digging and rebuilding...and occasionally fighting. I suppose you can toss exploration in there as well - half of the fun is digging a tunnel and falling into a cavern you were unaware of as you dig. It's essentially a 2D sandbox game...It kind of feels nice exploring a 2D world and discovering surprises as you wander around. The randomly-generated worlds help add to the replay value as well. As far as indy games go, Terraria is one of the better-known titles, and it definitely deserves the attention.

Release Date: January 15, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: EightyEight Games LTD
Developer: EightyEight Games LTD
Genre: Puzzle

10,000,000 is the first game released in 2013 to really hook me. I'm a sucker for most puzzle games, and when you toss in mild RPG elements, that just adds to the longevity of the game for me. 10,000,000 manages to incorporate RPG elements into the game and still make it totally different from Puzzle Quest, which is probably the best known puzzle game/RPG around. Basically, you've got a guy running in a dungeon up at the top of the screen. How fast you are at matching up the squares on the bottom area of the screen, the longer he'll survive up top. Matching blocks control physical attacks, magical attacks, opening chests and doors, building up shields, etc. If you can survive in the dungeon long enough to earn 10,000,000 points, you're allowed to leave. I wish it was 10,000,000,000 points instead so the fun could have lasted longer...But I suppose that wouldn't fit the name quite as well, now would it?

Release Date: December 17, 2012 (ALL)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Platformer

Street Fighter X Mega Man is an interesting crossover, replacing the various robot bosses in your standard Mega Man game with various fighters from the Street Fighter franchise. The result is actually quite good. I'd go as far as to say that the end result is amazing, honestly. The gameplay, though a bit more forgiving than your standard Mega Man title (E Tanks are everywhere), is just as fun as any other Mega Man game you've played. Many of the level designs are simply amazing...Two particular ones I enjoy are the C. Viper level with the "intruder" laser beams and Dhalsim's maze-like level. The soundtrack is also tremendous, mixing various Mega Man level themes with Street Fighter level themes. If you're a fan of both series, the soundtrack alone is a good reason to play. The game isn't without faults, though. The main one being a lack of a save system of any kind. Heck, I'd settle for a password system, but alas, there's nothing. The game is fun enough to play through in one sitting, but the fact that you HAVE to kinda stinks. That said, this is still a solid game and it's also free. Free is good, just like this game.

Release Date: March 30, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Cave
Genre: RPG - MMORPG

This is the first PC-based MMORPG that I've ever played...And I've got to admit, it got me hooked. Simply wandering around and exploring the ruins of Tokyo while battling and conversing with demons is fun...as is the SMT trademark of demon fusions to create bigger and better allies. The community is also pretty friendly. I actually had a very high level character hand me a strong-for-my-level weapon early in the game. He wanted to trade, but when I told him that I had nothing of value to give in return, he simply said, "Take it. It's a gift for being new." The game isn't perfect, and some very annoying glitches can sometimes cause frustration...But overall, I've lost plenty of hours to this game due to the enjoyment it creates...And it's completely free to play, to boot. You can download it here.

Release Date: October 29, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Modern Dream
Genre: Shooter - Rail - Educational

I was always a big fan of the original Typing of the Dead on the Dreamcast, so when I saw that a new Typing of the Dead game was released, I had to get it. Typing of the Dead: Overkill is full of adult language and seems to go out of its way to offend and/or disgust you at times...So, if you're easily offended, this probably isn't the game for you. I found it all to be comical - the way it's done, you can tell that the creators knew it was all cheap, b-movie humor, but they happily tossed it in anyway. As a b-movie junkie, I appreciated it. Anyway, for those not in the know, the gameplay is basically a rail shooter, except instead of shooting, you type what you see on screen. It's an entertaining game, it's fun, and you might even learn to be a better at typing by playing this. It's probably the only time you'll learn to do something with this many F-bombs dropped.

Release Date: January 31, 1999 (NA)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Firaxis Games
Genre: Strategy - Turn-Based

The popularity of Sid Meier's Civilization games made it logical for a spinoff to happen....A spinoff IN SPACE!! Ooooooooooh! Anyway, Alpha Centauri is basically Civilization in space, with space-type stuff tossed in to further let you know that it's in space. That's not a bad thing at all, mind you, but if you've had your fill of the Civilization games, there really isn't enough here to keep you playing for more than an hour or two. But, if you can't get enough of the Civilization games, but want something a little different from the norm, the outer space setting may be enough to quench your thirst for turn-based strategy goodness.

Release Date: 1994 (NA)
Publisher: Virgin Interactive
Developer: Revolution Software
Genre: Adventure - Point-and-Click

Beneath a Steel Sky reminds me of Monkey Island, if Monkey Island was set in a dark, futuristic city instead of a tropical paradise. It's a point-and-click adventure full of snarky humor from your little, robotic sidekick...and there's plenty of gags tossed in from just talking to random people you encounter as well. It's a very solid adventure game, so if you're into point-and-click style games, this game is well worth checking out if you haven't done so yet. You can get it for free (along with a few other games) when you sign up at Good Old Games.

Release Date: August 13, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: WayForward
Genre: Platformer

I adore the original NES Duck Tales, so when this was first announced, I was running around screaming for joy like some sort of crazed maniac that had one too many Red Bulls. This isn't an exact port of the NES game, but an "enhanced" version, so to speak. There are cut scenes, and due to the story, some aspects of the NES original are ignored and replaced with new stuff in this game. There's also a new level to open the game and a new level at the end of the game that replaces the return to Transylvania. My main complaint is that when they re-designed the levels and added new tasks, they took away what made the original level design great. The Amazon had a branching path and you could take either way to get to the end - in this version, you've got to go through both paths before you can advance on. These additions will be minor to most people, but they bothered me. It's also worth noting that the controls aren't up to par, either...They just don't feel as tight as they should be. But for what it is, it's a quality remake and the length of the game (maybe around 2 1/2 to 3 hours) is much longer than the 20 minutes or so that the NES original takes to beat...So, while the controls aren't quite on par and the re-designed levels take away some of the magic of the original, the enhanced graphics, extra levels, added story, and remixed soundtrack all make this a worthwhile game to play for both fans of the original NES game and folks who have never played the 8-bit classic as well.

Release Date: March 6, 2014 (NA)
Publisher: Simogo
Developer: Simogo
Genre: Adventure

Year Walk looked stylistic and interesting, so I gave it a shot. I guess this is the PC version of a game that was previously on iDevices and Android. If that's the case, I'll likely be getting the portable versions - I'm a fan. It's not long at all. It took me about an hour and a half to beat and depending on your puzzle solving skills it may take a little shorter or a little longer. But it's definitely worth playing through, especially if you're into adventure games with mild horror elements blended in.

Release Date: April 4, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Shiro Games
Developer: Shiro Games
Genre: RPG

Mix the 2D Legend of Zelda games with Final Fantasy with a hint of Diablo and you've got Evoland. It's a really charming game that takes you through the basic, technical history of RPGs and action adventure games. It's fun and a nice ride down memory lane, but when you peel away the neat concept, you've got a very basic game. If you're not swayed by the concept of working through various eras in video games, then you probably also won't be wowed by the gameplay. On the other hand, if the concept sounds awesome to you, you'll likely be happy to deal with the issues and simplicity as you work your way through the game.

Release Date: March 28, 2013 (NA)
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Developer: Cube Roots
Genre: Puzzle

Dungeon Hearts is a new take on the puzzle-RPG hybrid that slowly seems to be becoming its own genre...and it's well worth playing. The game itself is enjoyable, with the goal of matching up destructive blocks with regular blocks of the same color to do damage to the enemy and block their attacks, which also show up on the screen as blocks. It starts slow, but picks up to a frantic speed after a few minutes, where you're in a panic trying to make everything work without killing off your party. The soundtrack also deserves a mention. If you're nostalgic for classic Final Fantasy games, you will adore this soundtrack - it's clearly inspired by them. It's an overall good experience and unique enough to be worth looking at for fans of puzzle games and RPGs alike.