Ubisoft is no stranger to making games that play around with what “difficulty” and “gameplay” mean. Sometimes these explorations (or aberrations, as many critics would seem to prefer calling them) succeed, and sometimes they don’t. Ubisoft’s Ruse seems like the kind of game that PC gamers should (and do) as for more of. It’s a macro/micro real-time strategy game, the king of game that allows you to zoom the camera in and out as much as you like. It’s also a game about deception and stealth.

Having growing up in American suburbia, I have fond memories of soccer, it being one of the first team games I ever played. The camaraderie, teamwork, and thrill of the breakaway (both on defense and offense) were as much part of the game as were bruised shins, dirty shorts, and sucking on post-game oranges.

LostWinds 2: Winter of the Melodias is Metroidvania puzzle-platforming for kids. This isn’t to say that adults can’t have fun with it. Maybe “family-friendly” is the better word. It’s a light experience, roughly four hours of non-repetitive play with light narrative elements. You don’t need to have played the first LostWinds to know what’s going on here. This story is as old as time... or at least as old as Tolkien. The Melodias were a race of magical singing creatures who worshipped the wind god Enril. Something bad happened, and now the Melodias have been reduced to a bunch of stone statues. The reason for this is a secret to everybody. Except it isn’t: you control the events leading up to the tragedy, guiding one of the youngest Melodias to an underground cavern where he, like Smeagol, stumbles upon something wicked.

NBA Unrivaled is a great example of a sports game gone terribly wrong. Everything--from the gameplay to the controls and graphics—seems rushed, a half-baked idea that’s been done before and better in other games. Avoid this game. It’s aggravating to play and, to top it all off, not very fun.